CMPE Media

With the recent release of the new iPhone 4, U.S. Cellular has stepped up its game and announced the unveiling of FOUR new phones later this year, starting with the Samsung Acclaim on July 9, followed by the HTC Desire in early August. The LG Banter Touch, featuring an ergonomic slide-out keyboard, will arrive in October along with the fourth device.All four devices run on the Android operating system, developed by Google and the Open Handset Alliance. The first device, the Acclaim, is a U.S. Cellular exclusive and also features a 3.2-inch touch screen and keyboard. The Acclaim also boasts a 3-megapixel camera and, of course, Wi-Fi functionality.The HTC Desire has a 3.7-inch display and a powerful 1 GHz Qualcomm processor. The makers encourage personalization with a variety of widgets for sports, news, entertainment, and more. Small enhancements like the “Leap” function, which allows you to jump easily between any of the 7 panels on the Home Screen, and a “polite ringer”, which dials down the volume when you pick up the phone, could also win fans.The Android system also gives these devices access to a variety of Google apps, and the phones come preloaded with U. S. Cellular’s own applications, including City ID and Tone Room Deluxe. More than 70,000 other apps are available in the Android Market.The Blackberry flip smartphone will release later this year along with the Blackberry Bold, and the LG Banter Touch comes in October. It’s too early to tell how these devices will attract consumers, but U.S. Cellular seems to have big goals for the rest of 2010. In the competitive market of today, it will be interesting to see how they can back them up.