Hasta La Gadget!

While American carriers are lengthening upgrade cycles and pushing people off unlimited data plans if they want a subsidized device, companies across the pond are actually looking to get customers to trade up more often. Vodafone’s Red Hot isn’t quite as flighty as JUMP, but the basic premise is the same. Rather than buy the latest high-end smartphone, you rent it. Then when the time comes, you simply trade it in for the new latest and greatest. While Phones4u lets you switch handsets impulsively every six months, Vodafone goes with a more reasonable yearly upgrade cycle. With the Red Hot plan Vodafone customers get a new smartphone, unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and “loads of internet,” though we’d argue 2GB hardly qualifies as “loads.” Pricing will vary based on handset, but we can tell you a Galaxy S III will currently set you back £47 a month. If you’ve still got some lingering questions hit up the source links.

Filed under: Mobile

Vodafone Red Hot rents you a phone, offers upgrades every 12 months originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 16:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In some senses, we’ve been waiting for this moment since last May: Verizon is back to selling brand-new Windows Phone hardware. Starting today, the carrier is offering both the $200 HTC Windows Phone 8X as its flagship and the $100 Nokia Lumia 822 for the more cost-conscious. Both Windows Phone 8 devices have a slight spin on the stock formula. Verizon’s 8X is currently the only variant of the phone that supports wireless charging, if you’re in the position of choosing between Big Red’s network and AT&T’s; the Lumia 822’s differences are more cosmetic, but they may appeal to those who aren’t fans of the boxier 810 and 820. The only immediate caveat is a very monochromatic selection that won’t improve until the blue and red 8X editions start shipping from next week onwards.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, HTC, Nokia, Verizon

PSA: Verizon returns to Windows Phone today, HTC 8X and Nokia Lumia 822 go on sale originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google Play opened the Nexus 4 floodgates yesterday, but today it’s T-Mobile’s turn. America’s fourth largest carrier is officially offering Google’s latest purebred smartphone for $200 on its Value and Classic plans with a two-year service agreement. If contracts aren’t really your thing and wasting money is, you can purchase the phone outright for $500, a $150 markup on Google’s asking price. As it stands the first LG-made Nexus handset will be available at select T-Mobile retail locations, so if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Of course, you could always order online directly from the carrier, but considering yesterday’s turn of events, we suggest that you move quickly.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Google, T-Mobile

PSA: Nexus 4 now available from T-Mobile for $200 on a two-year service agreement originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint was the first major US carrier to start delivering Jelly Bean to Galaxy S III owners, but it no longer stands alone now that the T-Mobile edition is officially receiving its update. If you’re part of the initial crop deemed eligible on Magenta’s network, a check either over-the-air or through Kies should put Android 4.1.1 on the Samsung flagship. T-Mobile’s version of the upgrade delivers the expected dashes of Google Now and Project Butter as well provider-specific fixes for WiFi calling. Don’t worry if there isn’t an immediate notice, as carrier-linked OS updates usually take weeks to get everyone on the same page; the main question is when all the other big US networks will follow suit.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S III for T-Mobile USA receives its Jelly Bean update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RIM’s BlackBerry 10 launch isn’t scheduled until January 30th, but BBM faithful can try out a new feature on their existing handsets — voice calling. Brand new for BBM 7 it lets users bypass the text chat their thumbs have been used to and directly talk via the service, as long as they’re connected to a WiFi network, no 3G / 4G allowed. That connection restriction takes some of the shine off, but BlackBerry users traveling to / living in far locales with minute-restricted SIM cards or less reliable infrastructure make make the most use of it. Voice allows for direct initiation of calls, switching from text chat to a call, using both in split screen and has an indicator to let users know when their friends are open for a chat. That’s not the only BBM 7 upgrade however, as the service is now deeply integrated with one BlackBerry ID, which backs up their profile, groups and contacts for easy switching to a new device. Currently BBM 7 is available in beta for BlackBerry OS 6 or higher smartphones, with support for BlackBerry 5 planned “at a future date.” If you’re interested, hit the Beta Zone to sign up for access at the link below, or check out the press release after the break for more details.

Continue reading BBM 7 beta is open now, adds Voice feature for free calls over WiFi

Filed under: Mobile, RIM

BBM 7 beta is open now, adds Voice feature for free calls over WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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