Hasta La Gadget!

Until I actually played a bit with an iPad Mini, I could see no reason why anyone would want to own an iPad and an iPad Mini at the same time. Though once I saw one up close, I like the small form factor, and lightweight, especially when you compare it side-by-side, to the iPad.

While the iPad Mini has been available for a few weeks in China, the cellular models haven’t yet hit the market. Apple has revealed they will release the cellular models starting this Friday, as well as the fourth-generation iPad.

As much as I love the design of the lightweight Mini, one thing that’s I’d like to see changed ASAP is the screen. In order for me to buy an iPad Mini, it needs to have a Retina screen. I won’t buy a mobile device from Apple without one, having had these on both my phone and my tablet already, I’m now spoiled for the image fidelity.

[via Apple]

Voyager Mobile has launched a new “worldwide” wireless service called Project Global Voyager, saying users on the plan “won’t pay a penny of roaming charges.” The brash new MVNO has only vaguely described how it works, saying that the technology is “completely network cloud based, with no special software residing on the individual handsets and devices.” Though it hasn’t revealed pricing yet, Voyager says the service will be available to businesses and consumers starting in 2013. Color us intrigued as to how they’ll pull it off — feel free to read the PR tea leaves after the break.

Continue reading Voyager Mobile promises free global roaming with ‘patent-pending’ technology

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless

Voyager Mobile promises free global roaming with ‘patent-pending’ technology originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 06:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have discovered that they can improve data speeds over cellular networks by reducing dropped packets without any new or added hardware. Using just algebraic equations, the researchers can transfer dropped packets to the receiving device in order to solve the problem of a missing chunk, which then frees up the network for other tasks.

Dropped packets are a huge culprit when it comes to clogging up network bandwidth, so letting the device itself solve the problem of missing data frees up the cellular network. Plus, the load put on the devices themselves are said to not be stressful at all for the devices, meaning that solving dropped packets takes little effort and few resources.

This also means devices can weave data streams from WiFi and LTE together, instead of having to use one or the other at any given time. The technology has already begun testing at MIT and researchers are seeing positive results. When 2% of data packets were dropped, speeds were boosted from 1Mbps to 16Mbps. When 5% of data packets were dropped, bandwidth increased from 0.5Mbps to 13.5Mbps.

Companies are apparently already licensing the technology, but MIT is still working on it to improve it further, and there are still a few bugs that need to be kinked out. Sadly, since the project is still under development, the researchers are subject to nondisclosure agreements, so we most likely won’t know more about the tech until it’s ready to be deployed.

[via FierceWireless]

Image via Flickr

Researchers use algebra to boost bandwidth, reduce network congestion is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Still waiting for all those alleged iPad mini leaks to culminate into something official? Why not take one more while you wait: according to a proven source of Mobile Geeks, German electronics retailer Media Markt has the iPad mini in 16 flavors in its inventory system. The company’s internal documentation shows the rumored tablet at 8, 16, 32 and 64GB configurations, with each offering a choice of black or white, as well as a choice of 3G or just WiFi. The retailer is listing sticker prices, too: for the WiFi-only flavor, €249 buys an 8GB model, €349 snags 16GB, €449 for 32GB and €549 scores 64GB of storage. Looking for a slab with cellular connectivity? Stack an extra €100 on each of those prices.

The listing doesn’t have anything official to say about US greenbacks, but the included 19% tax evens up the dollar and euro quite nicely, giving us a reasonable idea what kind of pricing we can expect to see in the states. To put things into perspective, this would be a $150 savings on the 16GB WiFi model when compared to the full sized $499 slate Apple currently offers. Of course, this is all counting on Cupertino making the device official. We’ll let you know if we hear anything.

Filed under: Tablets, Apple

Apple iPad mini appears in Media Markt inventory in cellular and WiFi flavors, €250-650 price range originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FCC meetings can be momentous occasions under the right circumstances, although it’s seldom the case that we see the agency pass two potentially far-reaching measures in one sitting, like we just saw on Friday. To start, regulators have voted in favor of a proposal that will review spectrum sale rules and might drop the case-by-case determinations in favor of a more consistent screening mechanism. The reexamination will also consider a change to the ownership rules surrounding wireless frequencies that treats bands below 1GHz differently than those above — the better to address a chorus of smaller carriers that don’t like all the prime spectrum going to the companies with the most existing clout, namely AT&T and Verizon. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski argues that reform could spur innovation through more competition, although dissenting Commissioner Robert McDowell is worried that consistent rules will somehow create “uncertainty.”

Side-by-side with the review, the FCC is proposing an incentive-based reverse auction strategy to have TV broadcasters voluntarily give up their spectrum for cellular and data use. The multi-phase approach would have TV providers set the price at which they’re willing to sell their spectrum to the FCC; those that just can’t bear to part with their airwaves would be corralled into a tighter band range to make for larger available frequency blocks in the auction that follows. As with other FCC proposals, there’s likely to be a long interval between the auction vote, the review and any definitive rulemaking, let alone an impact — auctions by themselves can take years to play out. Still, any success with the measures could head off spectrum crunches while simultaneously preventing any solutions from consolidating too much power and creating their own problems.

[Tower photo via Shutterstock]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

FCC votes in favor of rethinking spectrum holding rules, goading broadcasters into wireless selloffs originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 21:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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