MetroPCS adding a value Android with the Samsung Admire

Pictured above is the Samsung Admire, the latest Android handset from prepaid carrier MetroPCS. It’s not meant for the super Android geek, really. The 3.5-inch screen is on the small side, and the 800MHz processor is on the slow side, especially compared to the top tier devices that have hit the major carriers. But this is not a major carrier, nor is it a top-end device. In fact, MetroPCS is pushing it as a back-to-school item, meaning it’s targeted towards parents. If their kids want an Android phone, this might represent a compromise. The Admire isn’t all bad, really. It does have run Android 2.3.3, which is more than you can say for many of the supposed best handsets on the market. That means it can run basically any big of Android software out there. The small size can be an advantage, too, as it’s easier to slip into a pocket or a purse. In terms of plans, MetroPCS also has ones that will fit a family’s budget. The basic plan costs just $40 per month and it provides unlimited calling, including long distance, unlimited messaging, and unlimited web. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, but a basic handset is deserving of a basic calling plan — especially when that plan includes unlimited talk, text, and data. There are two other plans, priced at $45 and $50 per month, that add various services, such as unlimited international text messaging and visual voicemail. But the $40 is really where the value’s at. MetroPCS did not announce a release date or a price with the Admire, but we can figure that out pretty easily. The original rumor of the Admire, which dropped last month, attached a $150 price tag to it, after $50 mail-in rebate. Since it’s a back-to-school promo, it figures to drop before the end of August. In fact, since many colleges go back in a week or so, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this before the last week in August.