If you're the kind of person who buys phones based on Hollywood tie-in deals (and for your sake, we hope you're not) you'll be pleased to know that the Samsung Galaxy Indulge comes pre-loaded with Iron Man 2. That's right, a sequel to a movie you only ever saw half of, once, while it was on the TV over the bar at Armand's on Liberty Ave. (assuming that you're a certain Engadget editor, and for your sake we hope you're not) is coming pre-loaded on the world's first Android-packing, LTE smartphone. And if that wasn't enough, the SanDisk microSDHC card that the movie is stored on regularly reports back to MetroPCS with usage statistics:
This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.
We're sure everything is on the up-and-up here, but for some reason we don't think most consumers will be comfortable with storage that reports regularly to a carrier -- for any reason. Still, things could be much worse: you could be stuck with the pre-loaded Iron Man app on an LG Ally.
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ANDISK SUPPLIES FLASH MEMORY CARDS LOADED WITH "IRON MAN 2" MOVIE FOR BUNDLING WITH METROPCS' ANDROID SMARTPHONE
4GB SanDisk microSDHC™ Mobile Memory Card Provides Measurable, Real-Time Customer Feedback on Preloaded Content
Mobile World Congress, Barcelona, February 15, 2011-SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), the global leader in flash memory cards, today announced that it has begun supplying a 4 gigabyte (GB)1 microSDHC™ mobile memory card pre-loaded with the full-length Paramount Pictures' "Iron Man 2" movie for bundling with MetroPCS' new Indulge LTE smartphone. This card delivers a high-quality movie watching experience on the new Android-based handset by Samsung.
One of 2010's hottest movies, "Iron Man 2" can be instantly played from the SanDisk microSDHC mobile memory card by inserting it into the Indulge phone, which contacts the MetroPCS network automatically. This intelligent SanDisk mobile memory card provides specific, real-time network data to MetroPCS to measure customer interest in digital content. Details of aggregated, anonymous consumer usage will allow MetroPCS to determine the impact of its movie offering, which in turn allows them to provide customers with more customized content and services in the future.
"Our card helps MetroPCS deliver premium content that is both secure and easily accessible, and provides measurable real-time data that gauges consumer interest in the content," said Robert Khedouri, vice president and general manager, software and solutions, SanDisk. "This allows MetroPCS to deliver a premium mobile experience to its customers and take full advantage of this new smartphone's rich features."
SanDisk's secure card-based mobile solutions enable secure access, storage and playback of premium digital content. Specifically, SanDisk microSDHC mobile memory cards are embedded with security technology that allows for conditional access to digital content by regulating the network connection through the card, where the files are encrypted and stored. In the MetroPCS Indulge, this includes: secure, copy-protected storage of the video content, access to the content through a quick validation between the network and the phone (via the card), as well as activation reporting to provide MetroPCS with monthly collated data about movie playback usage patterns.
About SanDisk
SanDisk Corporation is the global leader in flash memory cards - from research, manufacturing and product design to consumer branding and retail distribution. SanDisk's product portfolio includes flash memory cards for mobile phones, digital cameras and camcorders; digital audio/video players; USB flash drives for consumers and the enterprise; embedded memory for mobile devices; and solid state drives for computers. SanDisk is a Silicon Valley-based S&P 500 company, with more than half its sales outside the United States.
