Cellular South’s new Android(TM)-Powered Smartphone Gives Consumers Access to Company’s Superior 3G Network, Unique Apps and Discover Center Support
RIDGELAND, Miss., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ — Cellular South, the nation’s largest privately held wireless provider, announced plans today to launch its first Android-powered smartphone, the new HTC Hero(TM). Consumers will be able to pre-order the device as early as October 5. The company is among the first U.S. wireless carriers to announce the availability of the highly acclaimed Android device with Google(TM) mobile services. The HTC Hero is the first of a variety of Android-powered smartphones Cellular South plans to offer in the near future.
Android-powered devices are one of the fastest growing device segments in the wireless industry with worldwide sales expected to soon eclipse the most popular smartphones on the market today, including the iPhone(TM), according to a March 2009 report by Informa Telecoms and Media, a London-based research house specializing in the mobile, broadband and television industries.
With the Android open source mobile platform, an advanced web browser and stylish look and feel, Hero is a great Android-powered phone and is poised to emerge as a popular device for consumers. According to Neil Mawston, director at Strategy Analytics, “Android has fast been winning healthy support among operators, vendors and developers and is now in good position to become a top-tier player in smartphones over the next two to three years.”
The HTC Hero, featuring Android, developed by the Open Handset Alliance(TM), a partnership of more than 40 global mobile industry leaders, will allow consumers access to thousands of the latest and most relevant wireless applications. The Hero also has built-in Google mobile services with synchronization, including Google Search(TM), Google Maps(TM), Gmail(TM), and YouTube(TM).
“Cellular South is excited to be among the first carriers worldwide to offer this industry-changing platform,” said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for Cellular South. “With Android Market(TM) and applications built on Android, combined with Cellular South’s superior 3G high speed mobile broadband network, we will continue to offer our customers the best products and experience available in the market. When you add the full support of our industry-leading online, in-store and now on-device Discover Centers, Cellular South will provide our customers an experience unmatched in the industry.”
The Applications
Android’s open source platform, which includes Android Market, an open marketplace for applications, will give customers access to more than 9,500 of the latest applications they want and need, and is growing at a phenomenal rate.
The highly-touted Layar(TM) application by Sprxmobile will be available to download on Cellular South’s Android smartphone. This next-generation reality browser built on top of Android shows what points of interest are around the wireless user by superimposing real-time digital information on top of reality through the camera on the mobile phone.
The Features
Android is an open platform which enables manufacturers from around the world to develop unique user interfaces. HTC Hero is built with a user interface based on the HTC Sense(TM) philosophy. This user experience creates personalization through fully customizable home screens. It also integrates social networking applications into the experience with its Twitter(R) widget and seamlessly ties in Facebook(R) and other social networks into the contact and message functions.
Additionally, this Android-powered smartphone gives customers the option to flexibly upgrade its memory with a MicroSD memory card, so they can easily add more memory without having to purchase a new device.
The fully-loaded smartphone also features a 3.2 inch HVGA touch-sensitive display with Wi-Fi capability, GPS with digital compass, accelerometer, 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and a 5 Megapixel autofocus camera and camcorder with expandable microSD memory. HTC Hero features simple personal and business e-mail accessibility with instant messaging and text messaging, as well as Stereo Bluetooth(R) 2.0 Wireless technology.
The Network
Smartphones are only as good as the network on which they operate. Cellular South’s 3G technology is the most reliable and advanced high-speed mobile broadband network available and supports all of the advanced services consumers expect, such as mobile broadband connectivity, e-mail, music downloads, video streaming, internet radio and television, social networking and location-based services.
The Discover Centers
Cellular South’s Discover Centers available online, in stores and on the HTC Hero, provide customers with real-time support and relevant tools that help them get more out of their wireless devices. Cellular South Discover Center Specialists are Android experts and will be able to assist customers in learning about all of the features, applications and overall utilization of their new Android-powered device.
For more information about the HTC Hero at Cellular South, its smartphone offerings and Cellular South’s Discover Centers, visit www.Cellularsouth.com/DiscoverCenter.
Android, Google, Open Handset Alliance, Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Android Market are trademarks of Google, Inc. Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple, Inc. HTC Hero is the trademark of HTC Corporation.
In the first time,i heard about Sprint will get HTC Hero,talk of the town phone in Europe in that time which comes with new user interface named "HTC Sense",i think that is very good news for Android fans in US to get new phone after they get 1st Android phone from Tmobile , my Touch 3G , And after FCC for Sprint HTC Hero passed,We got pictures of Sprint HTC Hero leaked and that was a hot topic with its designed,Sprint disappointed HTC Hero fan who want chin design by bring out chin out of Sprint HTC Hero and give it to metallic coated.
The phone come with 5 MP camera with nice autofoucus feature although there is no flash and the 3.5 mm headset jack do the greater job than most Android phone do and when remove the lag which is problem in HTC Hero old version,the screens and widgets interface on Sprint HTC Hero can making fast respond as you want.
Same as my Touch 3G,no QWERTY keyboard in Sprint HTC Hero.So,in the box you will get 2GB microSD card and you can extend upto 32GB for your multimedia application.All i can say about Sprint HTC Hero,this is a awesome Android phone although some people don't like its design but with $179 that not much to pay for this phone.
