Hasta La Gadget!

A few months back an anonymous tipster gave us a candid look at the Verizon-bound LG Spectrum 2, but after a couple more sightings here and there, the trail eventually went cold and Big Red’s unannounced smartphone fled back into seclusion. However, a recent website posting by Best Buy has brought this mobile Sasquatch out of hiding and back into the mainstream media. While this listing is mostly a refresh confirming our source’s shared specs, it notes the Spectrum 2’s unsubsidized price as $650. Now, before you would-be buyers start directing your browser to the retailer’s webpage in hopes of making a quick purchase, it should be noted that the device is listed as “sold out online.” Still, we can’t help but notice the pictured device’s homescreen carries a date of November 3rd, which could be a nod to when the Spectrum 2 might officially show up on store shelves.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, LG

Best Buy listing reminds us that the LG Spectrum 2 is still on its way to Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 02:09:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We’ve seen the speeds, we know the handsets and now we know how much it’ll cost you to be among the first to try 4G in the UK. EE has outlined its contract and handset pricing from October 30th, with all of the bundles including unlimited calls and texts. Yep, the new carrier is breaking it down by data, with its entry-level 500MB bundle starting at £36 for 24 months. You’ll have to make an initial payment for most handsets, although the Ascend P1 will be free from the 1GB bundle upwards. Data allowances go up to 8GB for £56 per month, although users can add even more, with an extra 50MB costing £3, or up to 4GB for £20.

Now, if you’re looking to get Apple’s latest on 4G, it’ll set you back at least £20 on the highest data plan. Already got your LTE-ready iPhone 5? Then you’ll have to wait until 9th November, when the network will start offering SIM-only 12-month plans priced from £21. The 4G network will also offer its phones on 12 month contracts for an additional £10 on top of the prices shown above. EE will let users who bought comparable non-4G versions in the last six months (like the One X or Galaxy S III) to exchange their devices for a one-off payment of £100. Alongside the all these pricing details, the Orange/ T-Mobile team-up also spilled the beans on some service features for its new customers — and we’ve got it all covered after the break, including a quick hands-on with its Film store service.

Continue reading EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

EE details UK 4G pricing: Unlimited calls, texts and 500MB of data starts at £36 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s about time. The HTC DLX has most often been rumored carrying a Verizon-style 6435LVW or Droid Incredible X name, and yet it was unveiled first in Japan as the J Butterfly; we really needed the photos just now surfacing at Android Central to remind us that the 5-inch, 1080p gigantophone could still come to Big Red. While nothing’s confirmed yet, the black-with-red-trim design and all too prominent Verizon labeling make a convincing case for the DLX’s ultimate US destination. A helpfully provided phone profile screen might be more interesting to some, as it hints that we might get the same quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro, 2GB of RAM and 8-megapixel rear camera as in the J Butterfly — Verizon won’t pull a Droid Incredible 4G LTE and tone down the hardware, if this is true. Without any more details, we’re still left wondering just how soon Verizon could commit to launching the smartphone. There’s no guarantees that Verizon will follow KDDI’s schedule and ship in early December.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, Verizon

HTC Droid Incredible X possibly spotted with Verizon badging intact originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 21 Oct 2012 01:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Isn’t it better when we work together? British carriers think so. EE, O2, Three and Vodafone have officially created a non-exclusive joint venture, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, that should speed up the deployment of 800MHz LTE by keeping Freeview over-the-air TV signals clear of interference while the partners bring their low-frequency 4G online. Previously, the networks were bound to form an equivalent company called MitCo that wouldn’t have been active until after the 800MHz auction, preventing companies from getting their wireless houses in order until they’d already made a commitment. There’s also a competitive angle involved to go with the cooperative work, as you might imagine: with EE’s 1,800MHz LTE poised to go live on October 30th, choosing infighting over assistance would only help widen the frontrunner’s lead. Whether DMSL represents altruism or pragmatism, we’ll appreciate knowing that the hurdles to a catch-up in UK 4G will be more those of the technical reality than the usual political maneuvering.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

UK carriers form alliance to speed up 800MHz LTE rollout, let us enjoy our Freeview TV originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cricket’s parent company, Leap Wireless, announced earlier last week its intentions to start blanketing more customers with LTE service, though it didn’t say which markets would be the ones to get the same experience as folks in Tucson, Arizona. Today, however, Cricket’s claiming that subscribers in the Las Vegas area can finally get a taste of savory Long Term Evolution, making this the second market where the newfangled network’s now present. To go along with this, Cricket has said a revamped, LTE-ready version of that $150 Huawei Boltz modem will be available online and at retail stores around Sin City (and Tucson) for customers eager to try out the new service. No word on when the carrier plans to bring its “true 4G” network elsewhere, but, according to Leap CEO Doug Hutcheson, the idea is to have “approximately 21 million covered POPs by the end of the year.”

[Image credit: Cricket Wireless Premier Dealer]

Continue reading Cricket brings 4G LTE to Las Vegas, outs new Huawei Boltz modem in celebration

Filed under: Cellphones, Misc, Wireless, Mobile

Cricket brings 4G LTE to Las Vegas, outs new Huawei Boltz modem in celebration originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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