AT&T Offer $50 Netbooks....!!!!!!

AT&T will begin selling netbooks with integrated wireless Internet cards, selling them for as low as $50 — with a data plan contract, of course. The rollout will begin in Atlanta and Philadelphia. AT&T is also looking to enter the e-book market, according a company exec quoted by Bloomberg at the recent trade show in Las Vegas hosted by industry organization CTIA Wireless: The Kindle, which lets users download books over Sprint Nextel Corp.'s network, has done a "phenomenal job," and AT&T wants to be part of that market, Glenn Lurie, head of emerging devices at AT&T, said today. — Bloomberg.com Verizon has also expressed interest in entering the e-reader fray, saying it had been approached by five (undisclosed) companies interested in a wireless connection like that of the Kindle. The takeaway: AT&T's netbook announcement, along with an earlier one from Verizon, suggests these tiny laptops are increasingly being positioned as much as an additional mobile network-connected device as a supplemental computer. It's unclear if the AT&T exec's remarks on e-readers are anything more than an off-the-cuff response to the success of the Kindle. But the notion of another carrier joining Sprint — the carrier the Kindle uses — in the e-book business is intriguing.



Wireless access to content is one of the most compelling aspects of the Kindle, giving it the edge over competitors like the Sony Reader (which we've covered in the past). The other is access to the huge library of e-content — Amazon's 250,000 Kindle titles in the case of the Kindle. And to offer a compelling option to the Kindle, AT&T, Verizon, or any other carrier, will need to find a content partner with a competitive library. It isn't immediately clear who might be able to offer that (perhaps other than Sony, with its Reader library.)

Audi S8 - 2009

The 2009 Audi S8 offers a good bundle of driver aids, including adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection. It has a good iPod interface, an excellent Bluetooth cell phone system, and an exceptional stereo--with the right kind of music. Its Quattro all-wheel-drive and air suspension deliver good control. The navigation system is badly in need of an update and offers no advanced features. Fuel economy is abysmal. The 2009 Audi S8 is a very powerful big sedan with some excellent handling features, but it doesn't offer all of the latest in-dash gizmos, and you trade a luxury ride for performance. Specifications: Body style: Sedan ; Trim levels: S8 ; Available Engine: Gas

Samsung (T-Mobile) SGH-T639

Product summary The good: The Samsung SGH-T639 has decent call quality and a solid feature set including Bluetooth, a speakerphone, and a music player. The bad: The Samsung SGH-T639 has flat controls and a sensitive audio sweet spot. Also, it lacks voice commands, and its 3G services are not yet operable.



The bottom line: Though it's not 3G quite yet, the Samsung SGH-T639 is a satisfying midrange phone in the meantime. Specifications: Band / mode: GSM 850/900/1800/1900 (Quadband) ; Talk time: Up to 240 min ; Combined with: With digital camera / digital player ;

HTC Mogul PPC-6800 (Sprint)....

Product summary The good: The Sprint Mogul by HTC runs the latest Windows Mobile 6, has more memory included, and has a thinner design. It also boasts Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and EV-DO support as well as a 2-megapixel camera. Sprint will also offer an over-the-air update post-launch that gives you access to the Sprint Music Store.



The bad: Some elements of the Mogul's hardware as well as speakerphone volume and quality is sub-par. A slower processor and limited program memory can sometimes slow down performance.



The bottom line: The Sprint Mogul by HTC brings some needed design and feature updates to its predecessor, and refreshes the carrier's staid lineup of smartphones. It has some performance issues, but is worth the upgrade. Specifications: OS provided: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional ; Installed RAM: 64 MB ; Processor: QUALCOMM 400 MHzMSM7500