HTC to release Merge in the US this spring

HTC has just announced that their latest HTC Merge smartphone will arrive across various North American carriers from the beginning of spring onwards. Just what does the Merge bring to the table? For starters, it will deliver a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard that is powered by the Google Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, coupled with the highly vaunted HTC Sense experience.

Apart from that, it brings along with it a large 3.8-inch touchscreen display and a 5-megapixel camera that will result in a complete mobile experience for those who want a complete smartphone experience. Apart from that, the HTC Merge will also be the first CDMA world phone from HTC that is powered by Android. 

HTC has taken great pains to create unique solutions which will meet the needs of different customers, and the Merge does just that with features such as a full keyboard and global 3G roaming. HTC hopes that the HTC Merge will be able to deliver a reliable mobile experience with the features and functionality of a smartphone, regardless of whether you’re one who stays here or do plenty of traveling around the world.

Those who have emails on Microsoft Exchange will definitely appreciate the seamless integration with Exchange ActiveSync, not to mention enjoying quick and easy access to Flickr if you happen to share and view pictures, while finding new methods of customizing your experience with the Android Market. After all, with more than a 100,000 apps to choose from, you’re spoilt for choice – although we do admit that plenty of those are shovelware.

The HTC FriendStream service will also let you be up to speed with Facebook and Twitter updates on the go. In terms of hardware, we did talk about its 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash that captures outstanding images even in low light conditions. Want to remain connected on the go? 3G support makes it a snap, while integrated GPS and Wi-Fi connectivity also help you out in a tight spot.

Fancy a spot of video? The camera is also capable of shooting high-definition 720p video for posterity. No idea on which operator will offer the HTC Merge this spring, but you know that there is at least a month more or so to save up for this puppy if you want one.

Samsung Galaxy Indulge joins the 4G LTE family

Samsung intends to expand their Galaxy (range of phones, that is) with the latest addition, the Samsung Galaxy Indulge. It is rather interesting to note that this latest release will not arrive on any of the big four carriers, but rather, will be made available to MetroPCS, one of the smaller players over in the US. Still, that doesn’t detract from the fact that the Galaxy Indulge is one of the world’s first commercially available 4G LTE enabled Android smartphone.

MetroPCS’ main selling point that will accompany the Galaxy Indulge is this – it costs around half that of other 4G smartphone where service plans are concerned, as consumers are able to “have it all”, so to speak, with MetroPCS’ $50 and $60 4G LTE smartphone service plans, where it will comprise of all applicable taxes and regulatory fees.

If you happen to talk a whole lot, text as well as browse the Internet on your smartphone, enjoy streaming audio, video and gaming content, downloads and Android applications, then this does sound like the perfect plan for you – although we’re not too sure whether the coverage of MetroPCS is going to jive with you or not.

Running on the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, the Galaxy Indulge is touted to be the perfect smartphone for folks who want to manage every aspect of their lives from a mobile device. MetroPCS’ 4G LTE service is more than capable of delivering the latest exclusive entertainment and multimedia content from their favorite shows through the MetroSTUDIO application.

With more than 100,000 apps to choose from from the Android Market, you’re spoilt for choice. Of course, it goes without saying that Samsung has skinned the Galaxy Indulge with their very own TouchWiz enhancements to make navigation around the device’s home screens a whole lot easier compared to the vanilla Android user interface. In addition, the combination of touch screen/QWERTY keyboard lets you choose which mode you’re more comfortable with – I personally prefer the latter, of course. 

Other hardware specifications include a 1GHz processor, access to Google Mobile services, a 3 megapixel camera and camcorder with auto-focus, music player, Stereo Bluetooth connectivity and a microSD memory card slot. Expect it to hit MetroPCS stores later this week for $499.