Hasta La Gadget!

The iPad mini is likely to be WiFi-only, sources claim, and accompanied by a refreshed iPad 3 with Lightning connector and broader LTE support, though last-minute design changes could shake up Apple’s launch. Tipped to be a 7.85-inch slate hoping to bring Apple’s tablet success to a mid-point between the existing new iPad and the iPod touch, the iPad mini will lack 3G/4G, according to the Guardian‘s insiders, so as to help keep prices down and maintain the larger model’s halo.

That would mean the only way for iPad mini owners to get online with their slate would be to find a WiFi hotspot or tether it to their phone. Still, it’s a sensible way for Apple to cut costs: the 4G 9.7-inch iPad, for instance, carries a $130 premium over its WiFi-only sibling.

As for that larger iPad, according to the newspaper’s sources, Apple is indeed preparing a minor refresh to the third-gen model. That’s believed to include a new version of the Apple A6 processor but also switch the tablet from the old-style 30-pin Dock Connector to its new Lightning port.

It would also allow Apple to tweak the 4G radio in the larger iPad to support the new EE LTE network in the UK, it’s suggested. EE will be the only UK network to support LTE in the iPhone 5, at least for the time being.

Meanwhile, current leaked images purportedly showing the iPad mini may not be as accurate as once believed, with whispers that a “major accessory company” has ceased case production at the last minute. Sources close to the unnamed firm told Macotakara that production of the cases had been frozen after Apple changed the rounded shape of the smaller tablet, though it’s not clear exactly how it has been modified.

Leaked case designs have circulated for some time now, including examples suggesting a cellular model was, indeed, on the cards. Apple is believed to be holding a launch event for the next iPad mini later this month.

Design-tweaked iPad mini WiFi-only tip insiders while iPad 3 gets Lightning is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

UK 4G carrier EE will be open for business on October 30, 2012, the network has confirmed, the first time the 4G technology will be commercially available in the country. In addition to LTE, EE will be offering fiber broadband connections to homes and businesses.

Pricing for the new service is still yet to be confirmed, though EE has told us that it intends its 4G to have “mass market” appeal and be priced to suit that aim. Our guess would be a step up from the current data plans offered by Orange and T-Mobile UK – which will continue to offer 3G tariffs under their own brands.

“This is a significant milestone for the United Kingdom, and for the people and businesses of our country who will now be able to enjoy the huge advantages of superfast 4G technology for the first time” EE CEO Olaf Swantee said in a statement about today’s news. “We are very proud to be pioneering, innovating and leading our industry in launching 4G for our nation through our new EE brand.”

The launch will receive a cooler welcome from rival carriers O2, Vodafone, and Three, who have protested loudly at EE being allowed to launch LTE months in advance of their own services going live. That’s something EE takes issue with, however, arguing that its UK competitors could have prioritized their own 4G service with existing spectrum had they planned sufficiently ahead.

The first EE-compatible smartphones went up for sale today, through Orange and T-Mobile; buyers will be able to switch over to an EE contract from the 30th. As for what sort of speeds you’ll get with EE, check out our full LTE benchmarks.

EE 4G opens for business October 30 is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Welcome to Tuesday evening, everyone. The afternoon brought us a number of interesting stories, including brand new shots of what appears to be the long-rumored iPad Mini. Speaking of devices with the word “Mini” in their name, some are thinking that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S III Mini next week after German press invitations suggested something along those lines. iOS 6 adoption has hit 60% of Apple’s user base, and we found out today that Motorola has dropped its ITC lawsuit against Apple, but we don’t why just yet.

After announcing its new 4G LTE service last month, EE made headlines a few times today. First, the company put a handful of 4G LTE capable devices up for sale, then brushed aside negative comments from its LTE rivals, and finally, we got to take the iPhone 5 through an EE 4G LTE speed test. One analyst is saying that the problems with Apple Maps aren’t having an effect on iPhone 5 demand, while we learned that most of Microsoft’s temporary retail stores will be opening on October 26. We heard today that Samsung Galaxy S III sales took a jump around the time the verdict in its case against Apple was delivered, as well as when the iPhone 5 was announced, which is interesting to say the least.

The BBC is working on its own music streaming player, and Barnes and Noble has updated its NOOK apps for iOS and Android. AT&T and Time Warner are saying they want the same Kansas City benefits Google received when it launched its fiber network there, while Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was spotted telling both Apple and Android fans to calm down. Microsoft is rumored to be working on a Windows Phone 8 device of its own, and in the wake of the HTC One X+ announcement, we compare HTC’s new flagship side-by-side with the Samsung Galaxy S III.

Lenovo announced today that it will soon be building a plant here in the US, while we got a funny story about Steve Jobs and the opening of new Apple stores today as well. HTC said that the One X and One S will both be getting Jelly Bean updates later this month, while Valve announced that not only has the Left 4 Dead franchise reached 12 million sales, but also that non-game software is now available to purchase from Steam. Finally tonight, Chris Burns has a new interview Genndy Tartakovsky, who directed shows such as the Samurai Jack and Dexter’s Laboratory, while Chris Davies examines if HTC is about to make a big comeback. That does it for tonight’s Evening Wrap-Up, enjoy the rest of your night folks!

SlashGear Evening Wrap-Up: October 2, 2012 is written by Eric Abent & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

UK 4G carrier EE has been flaunting its speeds again, and we couldn’t resist stopping by to see how the iPhone 5 and other handsets perform on the new LTE network. Set to go live within a matter of weeks, EE – a combination of Orange and T-Mobile UK – promises to deliver the first taste of 4G speed to data-hungry Brits, and the numbers certainly are impressive: downloads nudging 60 Mbps and uploads of up to 18 Mbps.

EE had laid on a number of its devices for us to benchmark, with the iPhone 5 being joined by HTC’s One XL LTE, and Huawei’s Ascend P1 LTE. The handsets span the gamut of price points, something EE says is very much intentional: data plan pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet, but EE told us it has resolutely mass-market ambitions in mind.

That likely means a slight premium over 3G data, but hopefully not too much as to dissuade regular customers from dipping a toe into 4G. From what we’ve seen, it’s certainly worth their while: as our comparison video shows, all three phones are capable of impressive turns of speed.

EE 4G LTE benchmarks:

In our testing – conducted in central London – performance was reasonably variable, though we noted that the Huawei handset seemed to regularly post slower speeds than its HTC and Apple rivals. The biggest difference may well be how the 4G system holds up under heavy use: LTE is designed to take better advantage of the available spectrum, so EE’s network should be less prone to bogging down when multiple concurrent users are taking advantage of the upload and download speeds.

One minor blip may well be in the 3G/4G handover. As it stands, voice calls are still carried over EE’s 3G network, so the handsets automatically step down onto 3G whenever a call is made. That means, if you’re also tethering with the phone, the data connection you’re relying on will also slow. There’s a slight increase in the time it takes to initiate a call, though only of 1-2 seconds, and the 4G signal is restored shortly after the call is terminated.

The first EE phones go up for sale today, albeit through Orange and T-Mobile, with the promise of an easy switch to a 4G contract when the service goes live to the public. There’s more on the iPhone 5, meanwhile, in our full review.

EE LTE benchmarked: iPhone 5 gets super-fast in the UK is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

If you’d wondered what Huawei might bring to the table for the launch of the UK’s newly-minted 4G network, your time is up, as the Ascend P1 LTE has been revealed as a national exclusive for EE, with availability in other markets to follow. Like its forebear, the handset features Android 4.0 alongside a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED qHD display and an 8-megapixel camera, although as a nice surprise, it’ll also come with a beefier 2,000mAh battery. There’s no word yet on pricing for the latest entrant, although it seems a safe assumption that all will be revealed in rather short order. In the meantime, you’ll find the remaining details in the PR after the break.

Continue reading Huawei Ascend P1 LTE named as EE exclusive in UK, other markets to follow

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

Huawei Ascend P1 LTE named as EE exclusive in UK, other markets to follow originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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