Grace Digital Bluetooth receivers make ancient speakers usable again

This week there’s a couple of new devices arriving from Grace Digital that may very well be the one thing that makes that ancient set of speakers you’ve been keeping in the garage worth the years of nagging from your significant other. Why don’t you get rid of those old things? You’re never going to […]

FCC approves AT&T acquisition of Alltel assets

FCC approves AT&T acquisition of Alltel assets

In a process that started back in January of this year, the FCC has given the thumbs-up to AT&T on its proposed $780 million acquisition of Alltel assets. The package includes retail stores, approximately 620,000 customers in the midwest, network equipment and spectrum in the 700MHz, 850MHz and 1900MHz bands. AT&T isn’t getting away scot-free, however, as the FCC will only approve the deal based on a few conditions: first, the network needs to deploy HSPA+ and LTE in the new areas within 15 and 18 months (respectively); second, AT&T must keep Alltel’s 3G EVDO network alive and kicking until at least June 15, 2015. Third, AT&T needs to ensure that every affected customer gets a comparable phone for free without a contract extension. These types of conditions are nothing new for network acquisitions; such transitions are never fun for the customers involved, so it’s refreshing that the FCC isn’t forgetting their immediate needs in the process. The full details of the approval are located in the FCC docs, which we’ve included in the source link.

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Via: PhoneScoop

Source: FCC

Snowden leak suggests UK was spying on Belgian telecom

Snowden leaks suggest UK was spying on Belgian telecom, not NSA

When Belgian prosecutors suggested that Belgacom was the target of foreign espionage, many blamed the NSA — it has a history of snooping on other countries, after all. Those accusations may have been off the mark, however. Der Spiegel has revealed documents leaked by Edward Snowden which hint that the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) was responsible. The intelligence agency reportedly tricked key Belgacom staff into visiting a malware-loaded website that hijacked their PCs. GCHQ could then spy on smartphones, map the network and investigate secure VPN connections. Neither Belgacom nor Belgium has responded to this latest Snowden leak, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the apparent evidence speeds up their investigation.

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Via: Ars Technica

Source: Der Spiegel (translated)

iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c join Three UK’s lineup this Friday with unlimited 4G data

iPhone 5s and 5c join Three UK's lineup this friday with unlimited 4G data

‘C,’ it turns out, is for color — not cookie, or cheap or China. Yes, the pretty in pastel iPhone 5c, Sir Jony Ive’s repackaged ode to Apple’s last-gen iPhone, as well as the iPhone 5s will be joining Three UK’s lineup starting this Friday. The operator will be offering both iDevices on a two-year plan for an initial upfront payment of £49 and £99, respectively. That means you’ll still have to pony up a monthly fee for either device, the amount of which depends on the particulars of your voice and data package. Regardless of which you opt for, however, the privilege to surf Three UK’s (not yet live) 4G network is included at no additional cost. And it’s unlimited.

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Honeywell WiFi Smart Thermostat adds voice control for Nest rebuke

Honeywell may not have the sort of geek-kudos Nest does, but it’s aiming to change that with a new voice-controlled touchscreen thermostat that hooks into the cloud. The Honeywell WiFi Smart Thermostat with Voice Control is fronted by a finger-friendly color display, but by saying “Hello, thermostat” it can also be controlled by naturally phrased […]

Republic Wireless to offer Moto X for $299 off-contract, plans starting at $5

Moto X fenced in

Republic Wireless’ low-cost, WiFi-driven phone service has proven tempting. The rapidly aging smartphones attached to that service, however? Not so much. The carrier will soon improve that device selection, as it has just revealed plans to sell the Moto X for $299 off-contract — roughly half of what it costs at other providers. Service is also expanding beyond the original $19 plan (now limited to the Defy XT), with steep discounts if you don’t depend on cellular service. Rely solely on WiFi, and you’ll pay just $5 per month for unlimited access; a $10 plan will be available if you need cellular voice and text messaging. There will also be more traditional plans with unlimited 3G and 4G data that respectively cost $25 and $40 per month. Republic Wireless hasn’t said when its extra-cheap Moto X will be available, but the new rates should take effect in November.

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Via: Laptop

Source: Republic Wireless

Verizon speaks out on Nexus 7 LTE activation, expects it will be certified ‘shortly’

Despite the wide LTE support featured on the Nexus 7 2013’s cellular modem-equipped model, early buyers have found Verizon won’t activate it for a new line on the Big Red Network. The company responded officially on the matter today, explaining that its 4 – 6 week certification process must be completed first. The process apparently began in August, and spokesperson Debi Lewis said the company expects that to happen “shortly.” The whole process is actually laid out on Verizon’s website and shows how the testing is undertaken by a third party lab of the manufacturer’s choosing — feel free to read through it during the days / weeks your new Nexus 7 isn’t connecting to LTE.

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Source: Verizon Wireless

Cambridge Audio Minx Xi takes on Sonos

Cambridge Audio has launched its latest streaming media alternative to Sonos, the Minx Xi, a combination streamer and amp that claims audiophile components. Intended to be plugged into a separate set of speakers, unlike the all-in-one Minx Air 100, the Minx Xi has both WiFi and Bluetooth for whole-home and direct streaming, and includes a […]

NTT DoCoMo to demonstrate its version of 5G at CEATEC in October

NTT DoCoMo to demonstrate its version of 5G at CEATEC in October

NTT DoCoMo’s LTE-Advanced network may still be in its infancy, but the company’s already preparing for when 150 Mbps is considered slow. Many are looking towards the next-generation of mobile broadband, and DoCoMo has said its ready to reveal its very own 5G “concept” at the CEATEC conference in Japan next month. We don’t know if the company is referring to the monstrous 10 Gbps link that has competitor KDDI scratching its head, but “incredible speed, high capacity and low latency” are promised features. In addition, DoCoMo will preview its “winter 2013 / spring 2014” handset line-up and show off work it’s been doing in the augment-reality and wearable spaces. We’ll be around to browse the booth, of course, and dream of a time when streaming native 4K content over 5G to 21-inch smartphones will be standard.

[Thanks, Erwan]

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Source: NTT DoCoMo

How a 1940s’ Hollywood Star Helped Make Wireless Technologies Possible

How a 1940s’ Hollywood Star Helped Make Wireless Technologies Possible

Did an exotic actress from Vienna, considered one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood in the 1940s, really invent wireless? Not exactly, but the non-sensationalized facts of the matter are no less fascinating, involving Hollywood, the World War II Axis Powers, and remote control technology.

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