Hasta La Gadget!

While the push-to-talk feature might not exactly be a feature designed for the masses, it certainly has its use and its customers. So far Sprint has been offering the service but now it looks like AT&T wants in on the action too, and at the same time probably try to steal some, if not all, the market share away from Sprint. The carrier has announced that they will be trying to woo Sprint’s customers over with their own push-to-talk services, an enhanced version to be specific which according to AT&T, will work with the carrier’s 4G LTE network. The carrier will also be offering several rugged devices that will offer the enhanced push-to-talk feature and according to AT&T’s senior vice president, Chris Hill:

“For workers in industries like construction, manufacturing and public safety, mobile devices that can withstand harsh conditions are essential […] We’re offering AT&T Enhanced PTT on a variety of rugged devices to give our customers the performance and durability they need to get in touch quickly on the job — no matter what conditions they face.”

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: AT&T releases statement regarding Softbank-Sprint deal, LG Optimus G headed for AT&T and Sprint with different cameras,

2013 is going to mark the first time that Sprint, one of the big four US carriers, will be offering smartphones that run on the Windows Phone 8 platform – which means it would have lost out to its rivals in this particular market. Sprint mentioned in a statement, “Sprint and Microsoft are partnering to bring Windows Phone 8 to Sprint’s customers – operating on its 4G LTE network – next year.” Of course, this is not to say that Sprint does not carry any Windows Phone devices at the moment – they do have those which are powered by the older version known as Windows Phone 7.

Right now, the hottest Windows Phone 8 smartphone on the market would be the Nokia Lumia 920, which remains an AT&T exclusive for the next half year, and AT&T does seem to curry more favor with Microsoft and Nokia, despite the fact that they are also the very same carrier that sells the most iPhones among the rest. At this point in time, Sprint has the LG Optimus G, the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and the iPhone 5 under their portfolio, which means they should not do too shabbily in the coming holiday season.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: AT&T launches enhanced push-to-talk services, hopes to attract Sprint customers over, Sprint acquiring U.S. Cellular’s spectrum and 585,000 customers in Midwest for $480 Million,

Windows Phone 8 is hitting Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile this year. But Sprint customers will have to wait until 2013. For unknown reasons, the carrier is not getting any versions of the Nokia or HTC WinPhone 8 handsets at launch.

Perhaps Sprint’s hesitance has something to do with the lackluster performance of Windows Phone 7. This is a wise move.

Wireless carriers often dump large sums of money to carry phones at launch. They want to have the hot new devices as soon as they’re available. Sometimes the stacks of cash are tall enough to net exclusives like AT&T’s Nokia 920 deal. Then, most often, the carriers launch flashy advertising campaigns to draw in the crowds. These are expensive, too. All this is done to hype a phone that might sell in high numbers.

Last March AT&T sold the Nokia Lumia 900 exclusively. The carrier said it was its biggest launch ever. The phone wasn’t technically a flop as it met some estimates, but it wasn’t a hit either. Have you seen one in the wild? I haven’t.

Sprint didn’t hasn’t had good luck with Windows Phone. It wasn’t impressed with Microsoft’s mobile platform earlier this year. It only sold one WinPhone device: The ho-hum HTC Arive. Apparently Sprint is taking a cautious approach to Windows Phone.

Windows Phone 8 could flop. It’s not going to slow down Android’s explosive, global takeover. iOS will continue to dominate the US market while commanding a good chunk overseas. And lastly, RIM, yes RIM, is set to launch BlackBerry 10 in early 2013. I agree that Windows Phone 8 is intuitive, novel and pretty damn neat, but it doesn’t have the loyal fanbase or corporate draw of BlackBerry. Windows Phone and BlackBerry will spend 2013 fighting for third place and my money is on RIM.

If you’ve been dying to jump on the Windows Phone bandwagon, you’re going to have plenty of options – but Sprint is not one of them. Stuck in the middle of a corporate buyout and running low on cash, Sprint isn’t going to risk anything on an unproven platform. That’s smart.

[pic Tebow sitting on the sideslines via Newsday]

A few months back Sprint’s Android customers gained the option to charge Google Play purchases to their monthly wireless bill. In an effort to keep the carrier billing party going, the Now Network will soon be adding this option for Spotify Premium customers. An anonymous tipster has shared with us that starting on November 11th, Sprint’s Android clientele will be able to add the music streaming service’s $10 monthly charge to their bill. While we’re sure that some customers will take advantage of this new option, we can’t help but long for the good old days when people could bill a new phone to their account. Ah, Sprint giveth and taketh away.

Filed under: Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Sprint

Sprint adding Spotify Premium to carrier billing for Android customers starting November 11th originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Nov 2012 11:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint is adopting an “if you can’t build it, then buy it” approach. Sprint has just announced that it will be acquiring U.S. Cellular’s PCS spectrum and customers in the Midwest market, particularly in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio including the Chicago and St. Louis, for a whopping $480 million in cash. Sprint will also assume “certain liabilities” from the deal. The giant telecommunications company says that the additional spectrum will be used to supplement its coverage in these areas as it continues to deploy its Network Vision upgrade. (more…)

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Nationwide Wireless Emergency Text Alert System Launching This Month, Sprint Flash headed your way soon,