Sprint releases its Nexus S 4G smartphone
The 4G version of Samsung's Nexus S Android smartphone has hit the market, available from Sprint for $199 or from Best Buy for $150.
Smartphone buyers who've been waiting for the 4G version of the Nexus S can now pick up the new model.
Making its actual debut yesterday, the Samsung Nexus S 4G is available directly from Sprint for $199 with a two-year contract or for $549 without a contract. But Best Buy is offering an even better buy, selling the phone for $150 with the two-year committment.
The new Android phone builds upon the same specs found in the Nexus S offered by T-Mobile but with the faster speed kicked in by Sprint's WiMax network. However, that 4G and other cool new features will take a bite out of your wallet.
Buyers will have to sign up for Sprint's Everything Data plan, which starts at $69 per month. It's an extra $10 a month for the Premium Data Plan add-on. And if you want the mobile hot-spot feature that lets you connect up to six wireless devices, you'll have to throw in another $29 per month.
The first smartphone to run the Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, the Nexus S 4G offers a 1GHz processor with 16GB of built-in memory. The 4-inch touch screen features a Super-AMOLED display, which is designed for better brightness and less glare, especially when used outdoors. A rear-facing 5-megapixel camera offers a 2560x1920 resolution, while the front-facing camera uses standard VGA (640x480) resolution with an option to record video at 720x480 pixels.
For connectivity, the Nexus S 4G includes the standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but also offers GPS for turn-by-turn directions. And following in the footsteps of the original Nexus S, the new model includes the necessary hardware for NFC (near-field communications), which lets users make mobile payments at the point of sale directly through their phones.