Dec 03
If you can afford one, hotshot, an AT&T LTE MiFi will change your life a little bit: you have Internet virtually everywhere you go, a wireless high-speed network in your bag. More »
Dec 01
If you didn’t get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we’ve opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, another carrier revealed a shift to shared data plans, Sprint introduced new LTE markets with help from a regional partner and a Verizon MVNO debuted a new smartphone plan — if only it could say the same for its phones. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the “best of the rest” for this week of November 26th, 2012.
Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of November 26th, 2012
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Nov 30
Consider it a trend: Verizon’s wireless charging 8X variant will work out of the box with U.S. GSM networks. According to Windows Phone Central, users have reported success swapping in AT&T and T-Mobile micro-SIMs, indicating that the devices are shipping unlocked. And it’s not just hearsay either, as we’ve confirmed on our own review unit that this does indeed work. In fact, with the network openness afforded by recent additions like the Droid DNA and iPhone 5, this is quickly becoming more rule for the carrier than exception. Certainly we can all agree that it’s a welcome break from Big Red’s stodgy past.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, HTC, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile
Source: Windows Phone Central
Nov 29
At least a few Americans have been disappointed that the current version of the Samsung Galaxy Camera goes without LTE; when the data connection is intended almost exclusively for uploading massive photos, HSPA+ can only go so far. To our relief, Samsung knows our impatience well enough to have sent a version of its connected point-and-shoot with American 4G through the FCC’s approval gauntlet. This time, the camera goes under the EK-GC120 name (the HSPA+ model is the GC100) with LTE access on Verizon’s slice of the 700MHz spectrum — and that’s it for cellular access, without even a trace of foreign wireless bands. As such, there’s little doubt the GC120 is headed to Big Red and will have to resort to WiFi on any vacation outside of the US. Any uncertainty mostly rests around just when the Galaxy Camera arrives on Verizon’s network, and whether or not the extra wireless speed will demand a premium.
Filed under: Cameras, Wireless, Samsung, Verizon
Source: FCC
Nov 29
For Nextel push-to-talk subs, the writing’s been on the wall for some time now, what with that legacy service destined to sunset on June 30th, 2013. But for those unwilling to heed Sprint’s many early warnings and make the switch to its CDMA-based Direct Connect plan before this coming January, there’ll be an additional monthly penalty fee. Sprint’s confirmed to us that, starting in the new year, (stubborn) iDEN subs who’ve yet to migrate away from the network will incur an extra $10 charge per billing cycle. In lieu of that, the carrier’s advising users to transition now and take advantage of its myriad incentive programs while they last. It’s not a permanent change though, as this recurring fee will last only as long as the Nextel National Network does, at which point that 800MHz spectrum will be rolled over for the carrier’s planned LTE build-out. But PTT holdouts irked by this news won’t have to tie their fates to Sprint — AT&T’s been anticipating this churn and is waiting with open arms.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Sprint
Via: PhoneScoop
Nov 29
Consumer Reports: Verizon ranked the best major US carrier, AT&T ranked the worst
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Nothing much has changed in this year’s mobile carrier satisfaction survey from Consumer Reports, with Verizon again being rated the best of the major providers, netting good scores for voice and data service quality, staff knowledge and issue resolution. The other big players also ranked in the same order this time around, with Sprint and T-Mobile following behind Big Red, and AT&T staying in last position. None of the bottom three scored particularly highly, especially in relation to voice service quality, and only four points separated them in the ratings. While AT&T had the worst value and data service quality scores, its LTE network was ranked the best of any carrier, and the least problematic. MVNO Consumer Cellular, which piggybacks on AT&T’s network, didn’t disappoint after last year’s overall first place finish, keeping the top spot and receiving great scores all round. Full results of the survey, which polled 63,253 subscribers, will be available in Consumer Reports’ January 2013 issue.
Continue reading Consumer Reports: Verizon ranked the best major US carrier, AT&T ranked the worst
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile
Via: USA TODAY
Nov 29
After horse-trading with the FCC and DOJ to gain AWS spectrum from cable venture SpectrumCo in exchange for its 700MHz A and B bands, Verizon has found another taker: Clear Talk, who just signed an agreement to purchase 10 lower B-block licenses. That follows an agreement with Nortex in Texas along with Panhandle Telecom in Oklahoma, and will cover Clear Talk’s markets in Maryland, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico. Big Red is evaluating other bids for its lower 700MHz licenses and is also leasing upper C-block frequencies to 20 operators in order “to jumpstart the delivery of 4G LTE in rural areas.” Verizon’s tat for that tit will be that it can wholesale its services to cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner, making it well worth the company’s while, we can imagine.
Filed under: Wireless, Verizon
Source: Verizon
Nov 29
The European LTE landscape is unfortunately a fragmented one that favors large countries with large carriers. We can chalk up at least one victory for the smaller nation states, however: Switzerland is getting its first LTE network on November 29th. The country’s main provider, Swisscom, is launching initial 4G coverage in 26 cities and regions using the LTE-equipped HTC One X (One XL abroad), quickly following up with the early December availability of the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II and Nokia Lumia 920. A Huawei USB stick and a ZTE hotspot will also be on tap. Customers won’t need to spring for a new plan to use the new network on a basic level, although Swisscom’s uncommon speed-based phone plans mean they’ll be paying a stiff 169 francs ($181) per month to max out the 4G network. We imagine at least some will bite if it means speedy data in Zurich.
[Thanks, Joël]
Continue reading Swisscom rolls out first LTE in Switzerland on November 29th
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Samsung, HTC, Nokia
Source: Swisscom
Nov 29
Bluetooth dock dongle Pear falls short of Apple certification, gets shelved
Posted in: Today's Chili 
Last summer, Pear promised to make pairing iDevices via Bluetooth to an Apple-compatible speaker dock easy, but caught a trademark snag that put it on hold shortly after. The adapter seemed destined for a release under a different moniker, but it’s met an impasse. According to the folks behind the hardware, the device wasn’t approved under Apple’s MFi (Made for iPad / iPhone / iPod) program since Cook and Co. don’t bestow the seal of approval upon products that leverage the 30-pin female connector in conjunction with Bluetooth. Pear’s creators note they could move ahead without Apple’s blessing, but say that the development “officially kills this product” since Cupertino could put the kibosh on the operation. Despite dashed hopes for the dongle’s reincarnation, its creators are pushing forward with another product — though it’s unclear if it’s an iteration of the ill-fated connector — and expect to have more details within three to four weeks.
Filed under: Cellphones, Peripherals, Tablets, Apple
Source: PairWithPear
Nov 28
It would appear that you’re about to be able to find every single one of your often-lost objects with an ecosystem that’s not to be missed – Stick-N-Find, complete with Bluetooth stickers and a fabulous radar app that works with them to track. This lovely system is currently living in the crowd-funding operation known as indegogo, a place not unlike KickStarter where users are able to pass some cash to start-up groups hoping to get their project off the ground in exchange for a promise that they’ll get some of the earliest products produced.
We had a brief chat with one of the Stick-N-Find project creators today, Jim Buchheim, who had a few suggestions for how the product might be used. On the indegogo funding page for this project, it’s shown that you simply sync with a Bluetooth sticker, stick the sticker, and you’re connected straight away. From there you never have to worry about losing the item the sticker is attached to again – as long as you’re in-range, of course.
This is what the creators of Stick-N-Find call the “Virtual Leash.” As Buchheim explains, the possibilities with this combination are nearly endless:
Jim Buchheim: The virtual leash feature can even prevent you from forgetting things on your way out the door, like your laptop for work, or even your lunchbox! You could stick it in your car and find it in a parking lot or on the street, even if it’s covered in snow. If you still cant find, it, the “find it” feature will alert you when your car is within range.
Besides the things that are lost all the time like your keys or remote, you could also use Stick-N-Find to find anything, like kid’s toys, tools, or wallets and/or purses. Or relax knowing that your valuables are near when you valet your car or check your coat.
Here at SlashGear we’re always excited to hear about projects such as these that take what we’ve got already and flip them on their side, making with the creativity rather than simply punching up the heavy-hitting specifications on newer and newer models. It’s a refreshing thing to see stickers coming back into the fold – keep your eyes open for NFC action across the mobile landscape soon as well! As for Stick-N-Find, please feel free to pump them up and get them made!
Stick-N-Find Bluetooth Radar app and stickers hit indiegogo is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
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