Yesterday at Bryant Park, Clear held a ceremonial cutting of a threaded ethernet cable to signal the launch of it’s New York City store and 4G coverage in the city. The coverage means that Sprint phones like the Evo 4G and the Epic 4G will now work in the city. The coverage bleeds over into New Jersey, extending as far as New Brunswick.

For those outside of New York City, Clear and Sprint have brought 4G to five other cities today. Those cities are: Hartford, CT; New Haven, CT; New Brunswick, NJ; Trenton, NJ; and Tampa, FL. It’s still a small step, but not an insignificant one. {BGR}

With the rollout comes greatly improved speeds, which Clear claims can go as high as 20 Mbps burst downloads, usually topping off at around 10 Mbps down. The speeds Clear was showing in Bryant Park were about 4.77 Mbps down, and .5 Mbps up, which is still better than you’re likely to find with a 3G connection.

Along with the news of the 4G network being lit up, a representative of Clear let slip that the company would be launching it’s own smartphones around mid-December. There’s no pricing or official announcements of the phones, but we were told to expect the Evo 4G and the Epic 4G phones. The phones already use Clear’s network for 4G on Sprint, so it will be interesting to see what a Clear-branded phone would be like.

The main difference between the US and European is that the US version of the Galaxy Tab loses the voice functionality that can be found in the European versions.  The US Galaxy Tab will be available on all US carriers, but those contracts will be data-only, so you can’t use the Galaxy Tab as a huge smartphone (which would have been cool).  The only option you have is to use Skype (assuming you have a Verizon Tab), or video-conferencing apps like Fring or Qik. {Engadget}

If you’d rather not be tethered to a two-year contract on a data-only tablet, Samsung has said a WiFi only version is in the works as well.  The WiFi only version would be more expensive, since it lacks the subsidy the carriers would provide.  Note that those prices have not yet been announced.  Also, the Galaxy Tab will work on 3G networks, but not Sprint’s 4G network, so you’re probably best just sticking with a Verizon version for pure coverage availability and the exclusive apps.

Speaking of prices, the only ones we have for the Galaxy Tab are for accessories and they’re quite expensive to say the least.  The cheapest accessory announced by Samsung is the Desktop Dock, which will prop the device up to make it easier to view content, and charge the device.  The Desktop Dock also includes an HDMI port, and will cost $49.99.  The other two accessories are the Keyboard Dock (has a full-size keyboard, and includes a stereo output jack), and the Car/GPS Dock (seems self-explanatory), both of which cost $99.99 each.  By comparison, Apple charges $29 for an iPad Dock and $69 for an iPad Keyboard Dock.

To better compete with the iPad, Samsung has added the Media Hub to the US version of the device (replacing the Reader Hub), which will give users a chance to buy or rent movies and TV shows.  Samsung has announced that it will have next-day content available from MTV Networks, NBC, Universal and Paramount at launch.  The content will be viewable on any Media Hub device (read: Galaxy S devices), and can be output via HDMI to be viewed on a TV screen.  Not as universal as the iTunes Store, but it’s a nice addition.

Oh yeah, the device itself is pretty good as well.  Dual cameras (5 MP on the back, and 1.3 MP on the front), Android 2.2,  and a 7-inch screen with a resolution of 1024×600 (better pixel-density than the iPad, but still lacking compared to the iPhone 4).  It weighs about 13 ounces, and is only 12 mm thick, so slightly heavier and thicker than the newest Amazon Kindle.

With the new iPhone 4, the EVO 4G, Droid X, and Samsung Galaxy S among other still-great phones like the Google Nexus One, choosing a new phone can be tough.  Sure, each phone has their own strong points, but as important as the specs of the phone can be, there’s also network costs to keep in mind.  Comparing the phones themselves is more of a personal choice, whether you personally like the design of the phone, feature set, or the OS (though that’s usually a 1 of 3 choice of Android, BlackBerry or iOS).

Sprint’s EVO 4G and AT&T’s iPhone 4 are probably the most closely matched phones when it comes down to features, but when it comes to the network, which will really cost more in the long run? We took a look at the main carriers: AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint and Verizon.  AT&T and T-Mobile are both GSM networks so the phones will work outside of the US, and you may even be able to get away with swapping out the SIM card when roaming internationally for a less exorbitant bill.  Sprint and Verizon, however, will not work outside of the US, but have 3G across their entire network. Something to consider if you’re waiting on the Verizon iPhone and travel internationally. Here’s our roundup of what smartphones will really cost you by network – including a look at the Pay-as-You-Go networks you may not have considered.

Table updated to correct discrepancies in maximum pricing

Pay As You Go: Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile

There are also smaller pay-as-you go carriers to consider. They charge a lot less for service and don’t require contracts, though service can be spotty at times. Boost charges $60 a month for a BlackBerry with unlimited everything, with a BlackBerry 8330 costing $250. That’s $1,690 should you choose to keep the phone for two years.

Virgin Mobile, on the other hand offers a great deal of $35 a month for a BlackBerry with 300 minutes and unlimited SMS and data, with a BlackBerry 8530 costing $299 on the service.  That comes out to the cheapest of all possible options at $1,140 for two years.  These types of services really donâ€t have any type of insurance on their phones though, so keep a close eye on your phone during that time.

Both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile run on top of the Sprint network: so don’t count on being able to roam internationally with the plans, but if you like Sprint’s network otherwise either will save you quite a bit in the long run.

Face(off)Time: How does the iPhone 4 compare to its 2 closest Android challengers?

Right now, it looks like the Evo 4G poses the biggest challenge to the new iPhone. It will be up to Apple app developers to come up with something truly innovative that takes advantage of the gyroscope to make it a must-have feature that would push someone over to the iPhone rather than the Evo 4G. Plus, while Sprint’s 4G network isn’t live in cities like New York or San Francisco yet, AT&T’s service in those markets doesn’t often get rave reviews.

The Droid Incredible, while making use of Verizon’s popular network, comes in 3rd for the lack of the additional front facing camera and video capabilities of the iPhone 4 or Evo 4G. Though if there is any truth to the Verizon iPhone rumors (those who believe that it will happen aren’t expecting it until fall at the earliest), the Droid Incredible could be a good way to get a better upgrade deal on the iPhone if Apple does make the move to expand carriers.

And even if it doesn’t happen, we suspect it won’t be too long before there’s a new version that’s more exactly in line with the specs of the iPhone or Evo 4G.

While the increased screen resolution of the iPhone may be good for people who want to take advantage of all the content coming for the iPad, we can’t help but wonder if someone whose primary purpose is to use the device as an e-reader wouldn’t just go for the larger iPad instead of the new phone.

On Monday, June 7, that will change and Android users on Verizon will be able to enjoy the on-demand TV shows that other Verizon customers enjoy.  Of course, like other Verizon customers, Droid phone users will have to pay extra for V CAST.  The service will cost them $3 per day or $10 a month depending on how they wish to use the service, if at all.  {Electronista}

The networks on V CAST include Nickelodeon, Fox and NBC among others.  Verizon’s V CAST is advertising the upcoming FIFA World Cup, so if you happen to be a fan of Android devices and soccer, you’re in luck. Sprint is also offering the game to mobile users with it’s own service, Sprint TV.  Sprint TV is loaded into all Android phones from Sprint already, including the new EVO 4G.  Sprint TV is also a free option for customers, as opposed to Verizon’s paid V CAST. {Androinica}

Of course, it is a step up on both AT&T and T-Mobile, neither of whom have streaming video services for customers, let alone for Android phones.

After thousands of tests in 18 cities, the test came back with the almost surprising conclusion that AT&T is the fastest network out there right now. Considering the notoriously unreliable phone coverage of the network in places like New York and San Francisco, that might be the saving feature that convinces iPhone users to stick with AT&T if and when the rumored Verizon iPhone comes to fruition.  The iPhone carrier came out as the fastest in all areas of the US aside from the Northeast.  It is worth noting that technically, Sprint’s 4G network was the fastest that was tested, but it was only available in 9 out of 18 cities tested so it wasn’t counted. {PC Mag}

In the Northeast, T-Mobile was declared the fastest thanks to it’s improved network that it rolled out in New York City recently.  It also had a network on par with AT&T’s in Boston, Baltimore and Washington, DC.  Sprint’s 4G network was only available in a few markets, but had an average download speed of 2.1 Mbps, as opposed to AT&T’s national average of 1.79 Mbps.

Of course, with T-Mobile rolling out it’s faster network in more cities, and Sprint continually rolling out it’s 4G network, these numbers are subject to change over time.  AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile are all looking at 4G rollouts starting in 2011 at the earliest.

The Sprint and Verizon networks have been known to be generally more reliable, if not as fast and unable to do voice and data at the same time.

Keep in mind that speed doesn’t always mean reliability, and that good data speeds don’t mean great calling quality or service.