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Tech Trends

Way back at CES we got to see (if not exactly touch) a futuristic Samsung Android phone which, in addition to everything a modern smartphone can do. Oh, and it also received over-the-air local television broadcasts.

MetroPCS said we'd know more about the phone in a few months.

That was January. And now, in early August we know a lot more about the Samsung Galaxy S Lightray 4G – and the Dyle mobile TV application inside.

The handset sports a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen, Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), a 1 GHz processor (probably single-core) an 8 MP camera on the back (and a 1.3 MP pointing forward). It's the first Samsung Galaxy phone for MetroPCS.

As for that TV stuff, Dyle Mobile TV broadcasts a separate signal from a TV station's regular, over-the-air transmissions. The phone has a pull-out antenna to receive the signals.

Dyle has deals with a bunch of major broadcast entities such as Fox, NBC, Telemundo, Ion, Pearl Mobile (Cox, EW Scripps, Gannett, Hearst, Meredith, Post-Newsweek and Raycom).

They plan to be broadcasting at least two ad-driven channels in as many as 35 cities as well as other programming.

MetroPCS is now selling the Galaxy S Lightray 4G for $459 with no contract. 4G LTE plans start at $40 per month.

Our brief encounter in Las Vegas was very intriguing. We should have an actual phone to test in the very near future.