AT&T just launched the Samsung A657, adding another push-to-talk handset to their lineup. The candybar is a tough one that comes with a rubberized shell that meets US military standards for shock, moisture, temperature and other rough stuff. No camera here though.

And since it’s rugged, why not throw in a flashlight. They did. That way while doing all of the rugged, rough and tumble things you do, you’ll be able to see what’s around you at night. Some other features include Bluetooth, 3G support, GPS mapping and a microSDHC memory card slot.

The smartphone market is booming and complex, feature packed devices like the iPhone and the G1 may catch the eye of fans of technology. However, there is a large portion of the handset market that cares nothing for all the geeky features and complexity of the average smartphone.

For the non-techie group of mobile phone users Pantech has announced a new black version of its Breeze handset. We first saw the Pantech Breeze in silver last year when it debuted at AT&T. The new handset is the same thing with a black case that may keep its looks longer than the silver version.

The LG Neon probably looks familiar, that’s because it’s been released before as the LG KS360. They’re both pretty identical, with a full QWERTY keyboard, 2.4″ touchscreen display and other functions. Your only bonus here is the added AT&T logo on the front.

The LG Neon is targeted at youth whose only communications with others are through texting. No word yet on pricing and availability yet, but we should know soon should you be itching to text with this thing.

We heard a lot about femtocells last year. A femtocell is a device that allows your cellular phone to connect to the Internet for calls to provide better coverage indoors. So far there have been a few of these femtocells launched.

AT&T has offered details on its first 3G femtocell it is calling the AT&T 3G MicroCell. The MicroCell requires a broadband Internet connection and will support up to 10 3G cell phones in a home or small office. Up to four simultaneous voice or data users are supported at once.

I was among the many who was hoping that the rumor that Walmart would be selling a $99 iPhone 3G was accurate. As it turned out Walmart did in fact get the iPhone 3G, but the price was only slightly less than other iPhone retailers.

However, your hopes of a $99 iPhone 3G aren’t completely dashed, at least not for a few more days. AT&T is currently offering refurbished iPhones while supplies last. The 8GB refurb handset will sell for the magic $99 number.

Yes, you can now get an iPhone from the comfort of your livingroom, wearing only your underwear. Just purchase the phone online, receive it at home and activate the handset via iTunes. That was easy wasn’t it?

Only new accounts and new line activations apply. Those who want to upgrade from where they are at the moment will still have to put some clothes on and head toward a store. But this does make things a whole lot more convenient for everyone. Especially nudists, WoW players and shut-ins.

One of the gifts many people want for the holidays is a new mobile phone. There are certain groups of mobile phone users who don’t want lots of extras like young users and the old. These groups want a phone that is easy to use and cheap.

Pantech and AT&T have announced a new handset called the Pantech C630 that could be perfect for those wanting a simple phone with a good feature set for a low price. The C630 will be available to purchase starting tomorrow for only $39.99 with a 2-year agreement.

The LG Incite is available now at AT&T. It’s not bad looking. The 3G Windows mobile phone comes with a 3-inch touchscreen with a full virtual keyboard and haptic feedback. Someother features include: aGPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3.0-megapixel camera, and a microSD slot (up to 16GB.)

The LG Incite runs on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional with Microsoft Office Mobile and Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5 and offers Windows Media Player 10. The Incite could be considered the first full-fledged LG smartphone in the States. It’s priced at $199.99 with 2-year contract.

We told you about the Pantech Slate earlier this month. You might remember, it’s the “world’s thinnest QWERTY keyboard” handset. It’s now official at AT&T. This one is aimed squarely at those with messaging addictions, who want good looks and a slim design. It sports the full QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth, video recording, 1.3 megapixel camera, email, instant messaging and support for AT&T’s Media Net.

Several people are getting SMS messages from AT&T reminding them of the long-awaited “free wireless at Starbucks” plan. It was first announced in February with a target launch spring 2008, the service has been quietly running on and off since April, including two hours of daily access at any Starbucks store or AT&T hotspot.

T-Mobile users with existing hotspot accounts are supposed to have ongoing access to the network in Starbucks stores. The service has been available on a spotty basis, but this is an official “yes it’s working” announcement that has been a while in coming. Hopefully we can put an end to this chapter and the service stays on at long last.

For some users a smart phone is overkill. All some people want is the ability to send text messages and make phone calls. For this type of user, a fancy smartphone with word processing and other functions isn’t particularly appealing.

AT&T has announced a new Samsung handset called the Propel that is designed with the text user in mind. The phone has a full QWERTY keyboard in a vertical sliding design. Multiple color options are available and the handset can do email and offers 3G connectivity.

Samsung and AT&T have made it official. The i907 Epix looks nice and features Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, 3.6Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2-megapixel cam, AGPS with AT&T Navigator, Video Share support, 320 x 320 2.5-inch touchscreen display, and an “optical mouse” for some reason. You can get it now for $99.99 on a two-year contract. One thing that you definitely notice about this one is the extra screen real estate that could have been…If not for the overly large area that displays the AT&T logo. Otherwise, it looks good.

Like a bitchy supermodel the Pantech Slate is claiming to be the world’s thinnest device with a QWERTY keypad. Priced at $49.99, you’ll need a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate for AT&T subscribers. Sporting black and royal blue, it comes with a 1.3 megapixel camera, instant messaging, Mobile Email and Bluetooth. It will be available by the end of this month.

You can bet that there are lots of iPhone fans out there counting down the days until Christmas hoping ol’ St. Nick will be stuffing an iPhone in their stocking. Last year there was a glut of holiday purchases for the original iPhone along with problems finding devices in some areas and crowded stores.

AT&T has announced that it is already gearing up for holiday sales of the iPhone 3G by streamlining the buying process and allowing shoppers to do the glut of the work online. AT&T has started a system that allows customers to pre-qualify for the iPhone online.

The iPhone is certainly one of the most talked about mobile phones among gadget hounds. Many were not happy when the original iPhone launched as an AT&T exclusive. When the iPhone 3G launched and AT&T began subsidizing some of the cost of the iPhone, people began to take a bit more notice of the handset.

According to market research firm NPD Group one in three iPhone 3G buyers have come to AT&T from other service providers. I am sure this is exactly what AT&T was hoping for when it agreed to subsidize the cost of the iPhone.