HTC Merge Arrives at U.S. Cellular, Priced at $150

As expected, U.S. Cellular has just announced the availability of the HTC Merge Android-based smartphone for $149.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate.

Obviously, the purchase of a data plan is required, along with a new two-year agreement and the activation fee which may apply.

It appears that the Merge is U.S. Cellular's first global-ready Android smartphone, which means that customers who travel a lot around the globe need only to carry the required SIM to be able to stay in touch with their friends and families.

To make things even more interesting, in addition to the slide out QWERTY keyboard, the phone features a virtual keyboard can be switched to 18 different languages.

“Customers who switch to U.S. Cellular join the happiest customers in wireless and can get easy-to-use devices that can be personalized to fit their busy schedules,” said Edward Perez, vice president of sales and marketing operations for U.S. Cellular.

“Whether it's managing your calendar, keeping track of family activities or staying in touch with close friends, we have phones that make your life easier.”

Equipped with a Qualcomm MSM7630 800 MHz processor, HTC Merge is powered by Android 2.2 Froyo and provides users with access to more than 200,000 apps via the Android Market.

The phone's 3.8-inch S-LCD capacitive multi-touch screen features support for 16 million colors, 480x800 pixels resolution, accelerometer sensor for UI auto-rotate, as well as proximity sensor for auto turn-off.

It packs 2GB of internal memory, 512MB RAM, microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB, 8GB card included), and Wi-Fi hotspot capability.

Other handy features of the phone include a 5.0-megapixel photo snapper with autofocus and LED flash, integrated GPS, 720p video recorder, and Adobe Flash 10.1 support.

Additionally, a customizable quick key lets users program their favorite function whether it's an app, web site, media player or contact.