Hasta La Gadget!

Samsung has announced that it has developed the first commercial LTE modem for cell phones, according to Engadget. The company said that the device is the “first LTE modem that complies with the latest standards of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).”

The modem, referred to as the Kalmia for now, will support download speeds approaching 100Mbps and upload speeds in the range of 50Mbps, all within the 20MHz frequency band, according to the report–good enough for everything from Web surfing to gaming or even HD movie streaming.

We’re still a ways out from LTE network deployment in the U.S., but it’s good to know that when the time comes, Samsung will be ready.

The plot is getting thicker regarding Motorola’s Sept. 10 launch of their first Android phone. Specifically: who’s the carrier?

I’m betting on T-Mobile. The two main keynote speakers at the Mobilize conference where the announcement is being held are Motorola’s Sanjay Jha and T-Mobile’s CTO Cole Brodman. Sounds cozy.

The process of elimination also leads us to T-Mobile. A Verizon rep told TheStreet.com they don’t plan to be at the San Francisco event, and I’ve spoken to industry sources that say Sprint won’t be hanging around, either. Both carriers intend to introduce Android phones this year, they just won’t be this one.

An AT&T rep played coy, saying he didn’t want to talk about future product releases. But analyst Tero Kuittinen, quoted in TheStreet.com, said they’re not in bed with Motorola on Android either. That fits with the cautious tone I heard from Motorola CEO Ralph de la Vega back in 2008, when he said that AT&T might only accept a highly customized version of Android.

That leaves T-Mobile, who currently monopolize Android in the US. Brodman said in July that “we’ll have more Android products out this year,” but specifically excluded HTC’s upcoming Hero phone. It’ll be interesting to see how T-Mobile spins this Motorola product, though, as when they announced the MyTouch 3G, Brodman said the MyTouch 3G, not an upcoming device, was “our real big bet for 2009.”

Considering Jha has basically staked his company on Android phones, let’s hope the upcoming Motorola release is a big deal for whoever will carry it.

For the past few years, Jitterbug‘s carrier Greatcall has run primarily on Sprint’s physical network, though they’ve roamed on Verizon and other carriers where Sprint coverage wasn’t available.

Now, Verizon has announced that the Samsung Jitterbug J cell phone will now run on its network as a part of the carrier’s open development program. In addition, Jitterbug monthly services now include more minutes and lower-cost night and weekend calling than before, which will help offset the phone’s high up front cost ($147).

The Verizon deal gives them more native coverage, and Jitterbug reps said it’s also connected to their new rate plans, which they’ve already introduced.

The Jitterbug J features a simple interface, a numeric keypad with large keys, solid call quality, and free 24-hour operator assistance.

GreatCall will migrate existing accounts over to the new network, the company said.

Additional reporting by Sascha Segan.

Samsung has unveiled the Messager II SCH-r560, a dual-keyboard slider for MetroPCS. The Messager II features a bevy of IM, e-mail, SMS, and MMS applications for staying connected on the go. It also includes an EV-DO data radio, stereo Bluetooth, and a microSD card slot that supports 8GB cards.

In addition, the Messager II includes a 2.0-megapixel camera, a video recorder, and GPS with metroNavigator and metro411 support. It measures 4.5 by 1.9 by 0.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 4.3 ounces; the non-touch 2.2-inch 320-by-240-pixel LCD can display up to 262K colors. The Messager II is available now from MetroPCS for $149.99.

Is Motorola grabbing Apple’s coattails – or hoping to overshadow them? Motorola just sent out a ‘save the date’ card for the official introduction of their first phone running the Google Android operating system, apparently coming at an event in San Francisco on Sept. 10.

September 9th, of course, is when Apple is expected to announce the next iPod, also in San Francisco.

Motorola has increasingly focused on Android over the past several months, although they haven’t yet put out any Android phones. According to Motorola chief executive Sanjay Jha, the company will have two Android phones in stores for the holiday season, launching with two different U.S. wireless carriers. Motorola’s consumer division has abandoned Windows Mobile and Motorola’s own in-house Linux OS, and Jha has said that all the company’s upcoming smartphones will run Android.