Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen US-based wireless operators offer low-cost calling to Mexico before — and frankly, creations like Google Voice and Skype have made it cheaper than ever to make a cross-border voice call — but it’s not everyday that you see an MVNO launch a dedicated calling plan to MX. That said, Boost Mobile is today introducing a $15 per month add-on that allows its users to phone up every single landline and mobile number in the country immediately south of America, assuming that it’s added on to a monthly unlimited plan.

Curiously, the offer is only designed to stand through June 6th, and the company isn’t mentioning what that sum will rise to after said date. For those who indulge, that $15 also includes limitless calling to landlines in over 45 nations (including Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Argentina and Colombia), unlimited calling to Canada, unlimited international text messaging worldwide from the United States and reduced calling rates to over 200 other destinations. Of course, this is assuming you still communicate via voice, which may or may not be true at this stage.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Sprint

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Source: Boost Mobile (1), (2)

Unless you’re a Virgin Media, EE or Vodafone customer, you’ve either been shelling out for subterranean internet, or bid the London Underground’s WiFi network a solemn farewell when free access ended in January. If you’re with O2, however, your free pass has now been reinstated, as the bubble-loving carrier has become the latest passenger riding on Virgin Media’s tube hotspots — O2 WiFi users will even find themselves automatically registered. Also, the underground network will shortly be meeting its 120-station target, as Virgin will be flipping switches at the final 12 locations throughout this week (the station list is available at the source link). So, should you start seeing more people in more places frantically hammering their smartphones during those 30-second pauses on the platform, you’ll know why.

Filed under: Wireless, Internet, Mobile

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Source: Virgin Media

Panasonic is releasing a wireless speaker system SC-NP10 which can handle playing music for any smart device but is designed to play rich, enhanced sounds while watching movies, videos, etc. on an iPad.

With this new speaker system, tablets can be mounted in a way that is good for viewing while listening to the system’s 2.1ch sound system and upward-facing 8cm subwoofer.

It’s a bluetooth compliant product, so you can also connect it to a smartphone/iPhone/iPad/ wirelessly and enjoy music that way.

Price: Price is not set
Size: 271 × 65 × 186mm
Weight: 1.6kg
Max output: front channel 7W＋7W (1kHz、6Ω), sub woofer (100Hz、6Ω)

There are tons of Bluetooth wireless speakers on the market, but they definitely run the gamut in terms of audio quality and style. A gadget company out of China called MiPow has recently started to sell their products in the U.S., and their new Bluetooth speakers look like they could be worth a try.

Our friends over at Gear Diary recently got their hands on both the first review units of the MiPow Boom and MiPow Boom Mini Bluetooth speakers, and were very impressed with them. Both of the speakers com in nice anodized aluminum cases, and would look great alongside any of your high-tech gear.

The larger of the speakers, the $125(USD) MiPow Boom looks really nice, with a stylish, contemporary design. The Bluetooth 4.0 speaker can wirelessly pair with smartphones and tablets, and offers up to 10 hours of audio playback time on a charge. Inside, the speaker has two 3-watt speakers, with a frequency response of 60Hz to 20KHz. In addition to working for music playback, the Boom works as a speakerphone, along with support for voice prompts when answering, rejecting and hanging up on calls. Talk time in speakerphone mode is an ample 300 hours. The Boom also offers a leather carrying handle, which can easily be removed if you prefer the clean look of the speaker itself.

Measuring in at just 2.87″ (W) x 2.19″ (H) x 2.19″ (D), the MiPow Boom Mini borrows from the industrial design of its bigger sibling, but will cost just $69. It also operates on Bluetooth 4.0, which should reduce battery usage – a good thing when you’re trying to keep things nice and small. Battery life is rated for 3 to 5 hours of continuous music playback. It also works as a speakerphone, with up to 10 hours of talk time.

Dan over at Gear Diary reports that the mini offers a very big sound for its size. I trust Dan’s opinions on all things gadget-y, so he wouldn’t steer you wrong.

There’s no word yet on a final release date for the MiPow Boom and Boom mini, but you can find out more specs and information over on their website.

[via Gear Diary]

How does a US carrier get around AT&T’s exclusivity of the Lumia 920? Why, it releases an exclusive of its own, of course. News of the Lumia 928 is probably familiar to many of you, which has been rumored (and spotted in inventory systems) as an upscale Windows Phone for Verizon. Now, things just got real, as @evleaks has just released the first glimpse of the Lumia 928, and adorned in black, we’re quite sure that Batman would approve. Naturally, Big Red’s branding adorns both the front and back of the device, but at least there’s a modicum of restraint. This being Nokia’s second Windows Phone outing on Verizon, we’re crossing our fingers that the phone was spared a beating with the ugly stick. We’ll reserve judgment until we can get our grubby mitts on one.

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

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Source: @evleaks (Twitter)