Virgin Mobile Launches The New Samsung Intercept, Priced Pretty Well Too

Virgin Mobile has just released their new Samsung Intercept, their first Android device. They are launching the Intercept for just $250 with absolutely no contract or commitment, which is pretty good for a mid-range Android device, off contract, of course. The Samsung Intercept also has some pretty good features with a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen display, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and much more. You could argue that $250 is too much to pay for a device that you could get for a lot less on contract, but the freedom and low rates of Virgin Mobile will probably save you more than the cost of the device in the long run. The new Samsung Intercept will use Virgin Mobile's current Beyond Talk plans, which range from $25 per month to $60 per month, and the Intercept is available today at Target stores nationwide. The Intercept will also be launching at a number of other major retailers throughout the month, and will be available online sometime in mid October. For now, the Samsung Intercept looks like a promising device. The press release and some more images are available below.

Virgin Mobile Energizes Mobile Marketplace by Introducing Android Handset on a Nationwide, No-Contract Plan
Samsung Intercept Delivers Smartphone Luxuries with Monthly Unlimited Plans

WARREN, N.J. – Oct. 4, 2010 – The line between prepaid and postpaid mobile offerings has become even more blurred as Virgin Mobile USA enters the Android™ smartphone market. Beginning today at Target stores nationwide, Virgin Mobile adds the Samsung Intercept™, running on the Android mobile operating system, to its affordable, no-contract lineup of handset and service offerings. The Intercept will roll out to other major retailers throughout the month and will be available for purchase at virginmobileusa.com by mid-October for $249.99.

“As smartphone users come up for contract renewal and examine their monthly costs, they will start to wonder why they are paying more each month when they can get similar services from Virgin Mobile at a fraction of the price,” said Bob Stohrer, vice president-Marketing, Virgin Mobile USA. “With the Samsung Intercept on Android, Virgin Mobile is leading its customers into new, eagerly awaited territory while expanding our potential customer base.”

The Android device gives Virgin Mobile customers full integration of social networking apps, Microsoft Outlook Exchange e-mail and advanced messaging capabilities. Users of the Samsung Intercept also have access to more than 80,000 applications currently available on the Android Market™, and can sign up for one of Virgin Mobile’s Beyond Talk™ plans which include e-mail, data and Web along with 300, 1200 or unlimited voices minutes per month and are perfect for the person always on the go.

In addition to a 3.2-inch touch-screen display, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a 3.2 MP camera and video, the Samsung Intercept also comes preloaded with multiple applications, including such favorite social apps such as You Tube®, Facebook® and Google Talk™ as well as the Virgin Mobile Live app used to access Virgin Mobile’s branded music stream.  Additional features include:

Contact and calendar sync via ActiveSync
Android Web browser
Access to the Amazon® MP3 store
Full integration of Google Apps™, such as Google Maps™, Google Talk, Gmail™ and Google Navigation™
Document file viewer
Portrait and landscape screen orientation
Dedicated keys for quick access to social networking
Numerous video and music file types supported
Built-in music player

The Samsung Intercept, paired with Virgin Mobile’s no contract Beyond Talk service options at $25, $40 and $60 a month, offers one of the best smartphone values in the industry.

About Virgin Mobile USA
Virgin Mobile USA, one of Sprint's prepaid brands, offers millions of customers control, flexibility and connectivity through Virgin Mobile's Beyond Talk™ plans for mobile phone service and prepaid Broadband2Go high-speed Web access. Virgin Mobile branded handsets are available at more than 40,000 retail stores, including Best Buy, Radio Shack, Target and Walmart. Top-Up cards are available at approximately 150,000 locations nationwide and can be used for Broadband2Go services. Purchase and experience Virgin Mobile on the Web and at Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and www.virginmobileusa.com.

Virgin Mobile Getting The New Samsung Intercept, Its First Android Device

Virgin Mobile USA has just announced that they will soon be adding the Samsung Intercept to their lineup. This will be Virgin Mobile's first Android device, and according to the preliminary specifications it will be a good mid-range device device. The Samsung Intercept is a mid-range Android Smartphone, but it still has a ton of features including a 3.2 inch display with a WQVGA resolution of 240x400, a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.5mm headphone jack, WiFi 802.11g, a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and geotagging, assisted GPS, an accelerometer, and a 1500 mAh battery that will give you up to 300 hours of standby time and about 5 hours and 30 minutes of talk time. The Intercept also has 3G connectivity with EV-Do rev.0, which isn't as fast as rev.A, but is still okay. The Samsung Intercept runs on Android 2.1 Eclair, which will probably be upgraded to Froyo in the future. Overall, the phone is a mid-range device and doesn't have that great of specifications, but it is still a great device for class. Now, back to the release information. Virgin Mobile USA hasn't exactly given us any details, except for a post on their Facebook page:


"The question of an Android coming to Virgin Mobile has been a hot topic lately here on Facebook. Well, we're happy to confirm that our next handset launch will be the Samsung Intercept. Check out the photo below, get excited, & stay tuned over the next few weeks for more information! "


This leads us to believe that an announcement about a release or launch date will be made within the next month. The Samsung Intercept will be a great addition to Virgin Mobile USA's lineup, even if it isn't the latest and greatest Android device, and with their great plans and limited selection of devices it will probably be a big hit.