Samsung Propel Pro now available from AT&T

Samsung’s latest Windows Mobile slider is now available from AT&T. The chromed out Propel Pro features WinMo 6.1, GPS, Wi-Fi, stereo Bluetooth, a 3-megapixel AF camera and a microSD card slot. Get you some Windows Mobile action for $150.

Specs

Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE connectivity (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA connectivity (850/1900/2100 MHz)
2.55-inch TFT screen; 320×320 pixels; 65K colors
Wi-Fi
GPS
3-megapixel AF camera
Bluetooth 2.0
MicroSDHC card support, up to 16 GB
10MB of internal memory
Talk time: up to 6 hours
Standby time: up to 12 days
3.9 x 2.4 x 0.60 inches
4.83 ounces

Samsung Impression hits the shelves at AT&T

Samsung promised that the Impression would hit on April 7th – and sure enough, they’re just starting to trickle onto the shelves.

Besides havin’ a nice, roomy QWERTY keyboard, the main sell here is the 3.2″ AMOLED Touchscreen. It’s big, it’s beautiful, and it’s the first AMOLED screen in the US. Not sure what AMOLED is? It’s yet another acronym for you to learn, standing for: Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. Here’s a page of information about them. Don’t want to read all that? Just know: OLEDs do not require a backlight, meaning thinner displays, better looking screens, and longer battery life.

These metallic blue TouchWiz-powered beauties should be hoppin’ off the delivery trucks right this second – if you’re itchin’ for some AMOLED, it’ll set you back $199.99 on a 2-year signer.

AT&T upgrading its network in anticipation of new iPhone

Looks like AT&T is working hard to upgrade its network in anticipation of the new iPhone. (Apparently it’s conventional wisdom that Apple will release a new iPhone this summer.) The primary benefit to you, the paying customer, is faster network speed—provided, of course, that you upgrade to the new iPhone. That’s how they get you.

AT&T’s network currently taps out at 3.6Mbit/s, while the upgrade would raise that to anywhere from 14.4 to 20Mbit/s. That AT&T just ordered a bunch of high-capacity routers seems to confirm that AT&T is going for broke, as it were.

And it’s not that AT&T is merely upgrading its network to take advantage of faster speeds, no sir. Apparently AT&T anticipates a boatload (that’s the technical term, boatload) of new subs for when the new iPhone rolls around. People who were nonplussed by the iPhone or iPhone 3G, but may now consider getting one. (I’m in that camp, though I lean more toward the Palm Pre.)

You may also care to know that AT&T continues with its transition from 1900MHz to 850MHz. The latter, what with its longer wavelength, can better penetrate through obstacles, like walls, and while requiring less towers. Good deal all around, then.