“To have ABUKAI Expenses included in V CAST Apps and available through the Verizon Wireless Online Media Store is a privilege and a distinction for ABUKAI,” said Philipp Schloter, president and chief executive officer of ABUKAI.  “The app gives Verizon Wireless customers an efficient way to access and experience ABUKAI Expenses’ unique and highly productive benefits.  ABUKAI Expenses routinely saves users more than 60 minutes per expense report. Multiply that by the number of reports a company generates and an hourly pay rate, the productivity improvement generated becomes clear and shows how important having a smartphone can be for any employee.”

With ABUKAI Expenses, capturing and recording expenses is a simple two-step process: customers simply take pictures of their receipts while on the road or in the office using the camera function on their Verizon Wireless smartphones. Once all of the receipts have been captured, customers push “Submit” in the application, and ABUKAI automatically creates their expense reports – complete with cost categorization, date, vendor and other required information. In addition, a PDF document with copies of the receipt images is provided with each report.

There is no charge for downloading ABUKAI Expenses application or for the first three expense reports each consisting of 10 expense items or fewer. Additional individual account and corporate account options are available through ABUKAI.

“The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is a great option for customers who want to enjoy the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network – the fastest network in America,” said Jeff Dietel, vice president of marketing for Verizon Wireless. “Customers can also use the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 wherever they are on the nation’s largest 3G network.”

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will sport the Android Honeycomb OS and will be available in either Metallica Gray or Glossy White.

“Samsung Mobile is excited to expand its mobile tablet portfolio with Verizon Wireless to include the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1,” said Dale Sohn, president of Samsung Telecommunications America. “The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is the thinnest and lightest tablet in the world that delivers a truly mobile multimedia experience on an Android Honeycomb platform.”

The Samsung Galaxy Tab  10.1 sports a 10.1-inch enhanced display with a 1280×800 resolution HD screen, 1 GHz dual core application processor, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 also features Adobe Flash Player to deliver an enhanced Internet browsing experience and access to content-rich Websites.

Verizon will offer two versions of the 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy with two year customer contracts: $529.99 for the 16GB model and $629.99 for the 32GB model.

“Basic phones aren’t so basic any more – along with voice calls and text messages, customers can access the Internet, send and receive email, stay connected and much more,” said Kristi Crum, executive director, Consumer Solution for Verizon Wireless.  “Bringing some of our most-asked-for apps together with a generous data allowance in one package gives millions of customers the opportunity to get more value from their Verizon Wireless phones, all for an affordable monthly charge.”

In addition to the data allowance, the new Value Pack includes monthly subscriptions to Mobile Email; VZ Navigator^, Verizon Wireless’ audible turn-by-turn navigation application; and Ringback Tones, so customers can customize or choose the song a caller hears when waiting for an answer.

Individual ringback tones are available for $1.99 for one year.

Verizon Wireless customers can save more than $10 every month over the cost of individual subscriptions if they choose the new Value Pack.  This offer is available for a limited time; basic phone customers with existing data packages, including the $10/75 MB per month package, or who subscribe to VZ Navigator, can move to the Value Pack at any time using My Verizon.

“While customers are covering up with sunglasses and sunscreen, Verizon Wireless is enhancing coverage around the United States with new 3G cell sites,” it says.

Expanded coverage cities include:

• Brookside, Del.
• Iroquois County, Ill.
• Crown Point, Ind.
• Elkhart, Ind.
• Newton County, Ind.
• Durant, Iowa
• Licking County, Ohio
• Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Wallaceton, Pa.
• Washington, Pa.
• Augusta County, Va.
• Hanover County, Va.
• Newport News, Va.
• Washington, D.C.

This is on top of its efforts to roll out and expand coverage of its uber fast 4G LTE network.

“An entertainment powerhouse, Revolution by LG is the first Android smartphone preloaded with the Neflix application, allowing Netflix subscribers access to movies and television shows,” says the company. “Revolution customers can capture and share HD images or videos on a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen. Built-in HDMI output and SmartShare capability allow customers to share multimedia content with HDMI capable displays, creating an exceptional entertainment experience.”

Key specs include:

• 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor
• Android 2.2
• Access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market
• Bing Search and Maps
• Adobe® Flash® Player
• Rear-facing 5.0-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat
• 720p HD video recording and playback
• Wi-Fi connectivity 802.11 b/g/n
• Mobile Hotspot capability allows customers to share 4G LTE with up to 8 Wi-Fi-enabled devices or a 3G connection with up to 5 devices
• Virtual QWERTY keyboard with SWYPE technology
• 16 GB preinstalled microSD card

The LG Revolution will cost $249.99 with a new two-year customer agreement. With the 4G LTE network users can expect download speeds of 5 to 12 Mbps, and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps.

They include:

• Usage Allowances: Customers can set limits for voice minutes and messages that can be used during a billing cycle. Verizon Wireless will send free text message alerts when the message or minute limit is nearing and when it is reached.
• Time Restrictions: Parents can limit and control voice, messaging, and data usage during certain times of day and days of week.
• Blocked Numbers: Customers can restrict sending calls or messages to, or receiving calls or messages from, up to 20 telephone numbers they designate. Account owners also have the option to create a list of up to 20 trusted numbers that can always get through, regardless of Usage Allowances or Time Restrictions. Calls to 9-1-1 will always go through and calls that don’t count toward a plan allowance will go through as well. Additional blocking features include 411 blocking and blocking private or restricted callers.

The Verizon Wireless Usage Controls service feature is “easy to set up and manage” through My Verizon, and costs $4.99/month per line.

What do you think? Is  it worth it?

“Cross-store search is a huge milestone both for Chomp and the broad landscape of apps,” said Ben Keighran, chief executive officer and co-founder of Chomp. “Not only does this help minimize the app discovery problem, it also adds a valuable layer to the app search experience, providing app seekers with options that will expose the best apps for the lowest cost.”

With the growing number of both apps and app stores, Chomp has widened the scope of its discovery promise to consumers, offering customers for the first time the ability to search for an app across multiple storefronts to get its price, with the least expensive shown first, and availability within the different stores.

With more than 200,000 apps available in Android Market, including 27,000 new apps added in April 2011 alone, Chomp provides the best tool for discovery at no cost to consumers. Chomp enables Verizon Wireless customers to find apps based on what the app does, as well as the title or name of the app. Combining Chomp’s powerful search algorithm with the ability to find and compare apps across multiples stores will enhance the discovery experience by providing more pricing information and options across the two storefronts in one, easy to use application.

Customers can download Chomp from V CAST Apps. It’s available for free on a number of phones sold by Verizon Wireless.

It’s  4G LTE network is now available in Mobile and Montgomery Ala.; Greater Fairfield and New Haven, Conn.; Gainesville, Pensacola and Tallahassee, Fla.; Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.; and Bryan-College Station and Temple-Killeen, Texas.

Customers using the 4G LTE network can experience average data download rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and data upload rates of 2 to 5 Mbps.

Verizon’s 4G LTE network is now available in 55 metropolitan areas, including:

• Mobile Ala.
• Montgomery Ala.
• Phoenix, Ariz.
• Los Angeles, Calif.
• Oakland, Calif.
• San Diego, Calif.
• San Francisco, Calif.
• San Jose, Calif.
• Denver, Colo.
• Greater Fairfield and New Haven, Conn.
• Washington, D.C.
• Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• Gainesville, Fla.
• Jacksonville, Fla.
• Miami, Fla.
• Orlando, Fla.
• Pensacola, Fla.
• Tallahassee, Fla.
• Tampa, Fla.
• West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Athens, Ga.
• Atlanta, Ga.
• Chicago, Ill.
• West Lafayette, Ind.
• New Orleans, La.
• Baltimore, Md.
• Boston, Mass.
• Detroit, Mich.
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.
• St. Louis, Mo.
• Las Vegas, Nev.
• New York, N.Y.
• Rochester, N.Y.
• Charlotte, N.C.
• Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.
• Wilmington, N.C.
• Akron, Ohio
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Columbus, Ohio
• Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, Pa.
• Philadelphia, Pa.
• Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Columbia, S.C.
• Hilton Head, S.C.
• Clarksville, Tenn./Hopkinsville, Ky.
• Cleveland, Tenn.
• Nashville, Tenn.
• Bryan-College Station, Texas
• Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
• Houston, Texas
• San Antonio, Texas
• Temple-Killeen, Texas
• Seattle, Wash.

“We’re now offering consumers and businesses in 55 metropolitan areas the most advanced 4G wireless network on the planet, while continuing to offer the nation’s most reliable 3G network coast to coast,” said David Small, chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless. “We plan to bring 4G LTE mobile broadband to our entire 3G coverage area by the end of 2013.”

“Customers can sync directly with Xbox LIVE mobile to access their avatar, profile and gamer score to keep track of their wins,” it says. “HTC Trophy also allows consumers to play by themselves or challenge friends in turn-based games. In addition to the many mobile gaming features, customers who buy an HTC Trophy before July 15 get a free Xbox 360 console game. Game enthusiasts can choose from Halo: Reach, Kinect Sports and Lode Runner – up to $60 value.”

The HTC Trophy also features the Music + Video Hub, giving users quick access to music and movies on the go. You can also can stream or download millions of songs with a Zune Pass subscription and access over 15,000 quality apps and games in the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Some key specs:

• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• WVGA 3.8-inch touchscreen
• Surround sound through SRS WOW HD™
• 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 720p HD video capture
• 16 GB on-board storage
• Wi-Fi connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n
• Global ready – allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, with more than 125 with 3G speeds
• HTC Hub-customization through downloadable applications that offer even more entertainment and productivity
• View and edit Microsoft Office® documents, including Excel®, Word® and PowerPoint with the Office Hub and data access on SharePoint® servers

The HTC Trophy will be available online beginning May 26th, and in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on June 2nd. The HTC Trophy will cost $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

“Take conference calls, send emails and win football’s biggest game, all on one device,” it says in a press release.

Running Android 2.3, Gingerbread, the Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY will seven pre-installed game titles including: Madden NFL 11 (EA Sports), Bruce Lee Dragon Warrior (Digital Legends), Asphalt 6: Adrenaline (Gameloft), The Sims 3 (EA), Star Battalion (Gameloft), Crash Bandicoot (Sony Playstation) and Tetris.

Additional Features:

• 1 GHz Qualcomm® Snapdragon II processor with Adreno 205 GPU
• Adobe Flash Player
• 4-inch multi-touch display
• 5-megapixel rear-facing camera
• VGA front-facing camera for still shots and video chatting
• Support for Google Mobile Services including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™, Google Maps™, and access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™
• Mobile hotspot capability- share 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices

The Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY will go on sale online May 19th, and in stores on May 26th for $199.99 with a new two-year customer contract. .

Verizon’s V CAST Apps store will offer more than 50 game titles by the time the Xperia PLAY goes on sale.