Samsung Jack to Arrive in AT&T Stores Next Week

AT&T, the second-largest U.S. wireless provider after Verizon, today announced the Samsung Jack, a new Windows Mobile 6.1 smartphone and successor to the award- The Dallas, Texas-based company said the Jack has a QWERTY keyboard optimized for easy text messaging. It offers Outlook Mobile to synchronize schedules and contacts, and Internet Explorer Mobile for improved Web browsing. Users can also manage Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents on the handset. Additional features a built-in 3.2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi to connect with home or office networks, and integrated GPS to use with AT&T Navigator and 256MB of internal memory with a microSD card slot.
The Samsung Jack will arrive in AT&T stores on May 19 and cost $100 with a new two-year service plan.

AT&T to Buy Verizon Assets for $2.35 Billion

World’s famous AT&T said it will buy the bulk of Alltel Wireless assets from rival Verizon for $2.35 billion, and will sell some Centennial Communications assets to Verizon Wireless for $240 million (a big deal). Under terms of the deal, AT&T will acquire licenses, network assets and 1.5 million current subscribers in 79 service areas, mostly rural areas across 18 states, Verizon Wireless was required to divest from those properties as part of the regulatory approvals granted for its purchase of Alltel in January. That merger created the largest U.S. wireless provider, surpassing AT&T in terms of subscribers. AT&T had also agreed to buy rural wireless provider Centennial Communication in November but now expects to shed Centennial to Verizon due overlapping service coverage. The sale of the Centennial assets is contingent upon AT&T's completion of its purchase of Alltel assets all over the world.

Nokia 5800 Star Trek Smartphone

Coinciding with the release of the eagerly awaited Star Trek film, Nokia plans to sell a special edition 5800 touch screen smartphone with exclusive movie multimedia and a The Finnish phone maker said it worked with Paramount Pictures to create a Star Trek edition of its 5800 with themed wallpapers, screensavers and eight exclusive ringtones.
It also has an exclusive 'phaser' application to stun unsuspecting friends. Additional features include a 3.2-inch widescreen touch display, 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, music player with graphic equalizer, 8GB internal memory, and built-in surround sound stereo speakers. Movie tie-in handsets are not new in the mobile industry. Sony Ericsson has produced limited edition handsets for the popular James Bond franchise. Last year Nokia designed a Dark Knight inspired phone for the new Batman film. LG even crafted limited-edition, 18-karat gold Iron Man phones for the movie launch. The Nokia 5800 Star Trek phone will be available starting May 1 in blue, red and black/silver colors -- exclusively from UK phone retailers O2, T-Mobile, Vodafone and Orange.