Hasta La Gadget!

Earlier today, AT&T made the Optimus G Pro official as an exclusive on its network, giving subs an alternative to that other 5.5-inch handset, the Galaxy Note II. To LG and AT&T’s credit, the G Pro’s remained mostly unchanged in its transition to the US market, retaining the same 1080p HD IPS display, 1.7GHz Snapdragon 600 processor, 2GB RAM, 2.1-megapixel / 13-megapixel rear camera setup and 3,140mAh battery of the Korean-only model. The only major changes to the handset’s internals are in its LTE bands, made to now run on AT&T’s network, and inbuilt wireless charging. Oh and it still doesn’t feature a stylus, but you’ll hardly miss it.

Fans of the glossy white G Pro we reviewed back in March will be disappointed to know that the AT&T variant will only ship in black — at the carrier’s specific request. That restrictive color choice and the carrier’s familiar globe on back thankfully appear to be the only two intrusions AT&T’s made to the G Pro. It still evokes a sense of solid craftsmanship, despite the overall use of plastics. And, given that it’s just slightly more compact width-wise than the GNote II, the G Pro actually feels better in the hand and doesn’t confer a sense of instability or slipperiness so often encountered with Samsung’s same-sized smartphone.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile, Google, AT&T, LG

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Over six months ago, a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon called Isis launched a trial of its nascent mobile payment service in Austin and Salt Lake City. Not only was its debut already delayed, we also haven’t heard more than a peep from the company since. CEO Michael Abbott, who is the keynote speaker at ETA 2013 in New Orleans, has opened the discourse but still isn’t giving many specific details on the future. When we asked him about his company’s expansion plans, Abbott simply told us that “when [we’re] ready, we’ll start putting it out in different places and see where to go from there.” In essence, he views progress in the mobile payments field as a constant evolution, which often involves taking smaller steps to accomplish a greater purpose. You can find the full quote below the break.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Satellite-based streaming is a successful enough enterprise for the time being, but even the most naive of executives must know that the momentum isn’t sure to last. In-car LTE and cheap web-based solutions provide access to millions of tracks on demand, making other options less relevant. Doom and gloom aside, there’s still an opportunity to remain afloat, and Sirius XM’s new CEO, Jim Meyer, has a plan to diversify his company’s portfolio of products.

The music would continue to flow, but OnStar-like options would become available as well, according to a Reuters interview with Meyer. Other services, such as weather, realtime gas prices, roadside assistance and stolen car tracking could be implemented with the company’s existing satellite infrastructure, and might be offered on a subscription basis down the line. “This is going to take a while,” according to the new chief executive, who said that the new products might be implemented in certain 2017 and 2018 vehicles, but likely not sooner. Sadly, he’s not talking details just yet, but there may be more to share before the end of next year.

Filed under: Transportation, Wireless

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Source: Reuters

As Julius Genachowski winds down his five-year term as Chairman of the FCC, rumors of his successor are in full swing. Now, Engadget has confirmed with a White House official that President Obama will nominate industry veteran, Tom Wheeler, for the position, in an announcement that will come tomorrow. According to Wheeler’s profile on his personal blog, he currently identifies himself as a venture capitalist and sits on the boards of Roundbox, UpdateLogic, Twisted Pair Solutions, EarthLink and TNS. Wheeler’s history in the cable and wireless industry spans decades. He served as president of the National Cable Television Association (NCTA) from 1979 to 1984, and later took the helm of the CTIA as its president and CEO from 1992 until 2003. According to Politico, Wheeler shares close ties with the Obama administration, and is said to have raised hundreds of thousands of campaign dollars for the President’s two bids at the White House. Pending confirmation, Mignon Clyburn, will serve as interim chairman until a new leader is appointed.

Filed under: Wireless, Mobile

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Via: WSJ, Politico

Last year’s revision to Facebook for Windows Phone may have gotten fans closer to the Facebook grail, but it was still lagging behind its iOS and Android siblings. Microsoft is finally catching up though, with the latest beta of the app. This build supports the new Facebook Timeline, higher-quality photos and post sharing. It’s currently listed as being compatible with Windows Phone 8 — which might leave some 7.5 and 7.8 users feeling a bit salty. You’ll have to download it straight from the link below if you’re up for giving it a whirl, since it can’t be directly from your device.

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Facebook

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Source: Microsoft