SAMSUNG TO PROBABLY DROP PRICE ON NEW TABLET DUE TO iPAD 2

In light of Apple's iPad 2 launch this week, Samsung is reconsidering pricing for its unreleased Galaxy Tab 10.1. Samsung's new tablet is a larger version of its popular 7-inch version and will run Android 3.0 Honeycomb. According to Samsung VP Lee Don-Joo, Samsung will be looking at the hardware and pricing models "improve the parts that are inadequate." While he wasn't specific regarding exactly what Samsung would evaluate he did mention that "Apple made [the iPad 2] very thin."

Samsung was going to price the Galaxy Tab 10.1 higher than the 7-inch model, but if the hardware is inferior to the iPad 2, they may keep the pricing the same and take either less profit or a small loss on the hardware to make the tablet a success.

LEAKED: MOTOROLA XOOM TABLET PRICED AT $800 MINIMUM

Android Central is reporting that Verizon will be selling the hot Motorola Xoom tablet, debuted at CES, for $800. The device will be running Android Honeycomb and will be Google's flagship tablet device. The pricing seems to be in line with the Samsung's Galaxy S tablet.

VERIZON ANNOUNCES LTE PLANS AND PRICES

Verizon today unveiled more detail about their LTE wireless broadband launch, announcing that they'll be offering the 5-12 Mbps service in 38 markets and 60 airports starting December 5 (AKA this Sunday). Most importantly, Verizon finally unveiled their pricing for the new service, which after a year filled with endless hints by executives about wanting to try something new -- winds up being somewhat underwhelming, traditional, and expensive.

The base pricing for LTE laptop connectivity via USB modem (there will be no smartphones at launch) is significantly more expensive than the 3G pricing they unveiled in October, though the caps are obviously higher. Verizon's LTE pricing will now be $50 for 5GB of usage, or $80 for 10 GB of usage, with $10 per each additional GB. Verizon had this to say:

Verizon Wireless customers can choose from two 4G LTE Mobile Broadband data plans: $50 monthly access for 5 GB monthly allowance or $80 monthly access for 10 GB monthly allowance, both with $10/GB overage. For laptop connectivity, two 4G LTE USB modems will be initially available: the LG VL600 is available at launch and the Pantech UML290 will be available soon, each $99.99 after $50 rebate with a new two-year agreement. Both USB modems provide backward-compatibility with Verizon Wireless' 3G network. If laptop users travel outside of a 4G LTE coverage area, they will automatically stay connected on the company's 3G network.

It's interesting to note there's not even really an entry level LTE plan (say $25 for a gig of use) after literally dozens of Verizon executive comments claiming usage-based pricing was going to be the future. We'll assume this pricing may evolve as the company begins offering LTE smartphones, which Verizon today announced will arrive sometime in "mid-2011". Verizon also again today confirmed these devices will initially use 3G/CDMA for voice until LTE voice standards are hashed out. [DSL Reports]

VERIZON DROID PRO PRICING REVEALED

The Droid Pro is arriving on November 9th and now we know the price of the highly anticipated Verizon mobile phone. The magic price will be $179, which is much lower than the rumored $299, for the Android with a Blackberry keyboard device. Although, it will probably actually be $279 with a $100 rebate like a lot of Verizon's phones.

With the Droid 2, the as yet only rumored Droid 2 Global, HTC Merge and Samsung Continuum, Verizon has a pretty hot holiday lineup. [Engadget]

VERIZON TO SELL SAMSUNG GALAXY TABLET

Verizon Wireless has finally announced their pricing for the Samsung Galaxy tablet.  The 7-inch tablet will sell for $600 with no subsidies from big red.  No data plan is required, but you can sign up for a $20 1GB month to month plan as an add-on. The press release from Verizon is below. [BGR]

Verizon Wireless Puts Samsung Galaxy Tab™ in Stores in November


BASKING RIDGE, N.J., and DALLAS, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Tab™ will be available Nov. 11 for $599.99. Running on Android™ 2.2, the Samsung Galaxy Tab features a brilliant 7-inch touch screen; robust HTML Web browsing experience with full support for Adobe® Flash® 10.1 for video and mobile gaming; and a 1GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird Application processor.
“This is an incredible time in mobile technology, and as a company we’re excited to add the Samsung Galaxy Tab to our portfolio,” said Marni Walden, vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab brings together the reliability of Verizon Wireless’ 3G network and the power of Android 2.2 to deliver on our promise of providing consumers and business customers with a host of options to help manage their lives.”
Popular mobile applications, including V CAST Music and V CAST Song ID, VZ Navigator®, Slacker Radio, Kindle for Android, BLOCKBUSTER On Demand® presented by V CAST Video, and the exclusive golf game, “Let’s Golf,” will be available on the Samsung Galaxy Tab. In addition to text, picture and video messaging, the Samsung Galaxy Tab will also feature V CAST Apps, Verizon Wireless’ mobile storefront offering hundreds of applications for businesses and consumers at launch.
Verizon Wireless customers can add a monthly access plan beginning at $20 a month for 1 GB on their Samsung Galaxy Tab. For additional features and specifications on the Samsung Galaxy Tab, visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxytab.
For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

LEAKED: T-MOBILE $10 DATA PLAN

T-Mobile, known for shaking up the mobile pricing market, will be adding a new data tier for infrequent users of data according TMoNews.  The new $10/month plan will get you 200MB of data for your smartphone, which for some users may be more than adequate.  The $30 unlimited plan will remain and supposedly you will be able to upgrade from the lower plan to the higher plan on the fly.  The new plan is set to launch in November. [TMoNews]

SAMSUNG GALAXY TABLET PRICING

Now that the Samsung Galaxy tablet has been finally officially unveiled, we are learning of it's price range for US.  We know Europe will be paying a pretty penny, or euro, of 699 euro for the 16GB and 799 euro for the 32GB.

According to the Wall Street Journal, paraphrasing a Samsung executive, it could run $200 and $300 depending on carrier subsidies.  The Korean Times meanwhile is reporting a retail price of $300 and $400.  They added the tablet "will cost slightly more than the Galaxy S smartphone", which is retailing for about $200 in the US. [Engadget]