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The Nexus S 4G will include Google Voice integration

Sprint users have something to be happy about today: A new 4G handset, the Nexus S 4G, and integrated Google Voice for all phone models.

The Nexus S 4G will be the first 4G device to come stocked with Android 2.3 Gingerbread.

The 4G model shares most of the same features as the original 3G Nexus S, including a 4-inch Super AMOLED Contour Display, a 5-megapixel back facing camera, forward-facing VGA camera, and 16 GB of onboard storage.

It can act as a 3G or 4G WiFi hotspot for up to six devices.

The Nexus S 4G also incorporates NFC technology and is powered by a 1 GHz Hummingbird processor, which is said to provide “3-D-like graphics” and support “HD-like multimedia content.”

Google’s flagship phone, the Nexus S, was first released back in December for T-Mobile. It was the first smartphone to ship with Android 2.3.

Google also announced today that Sprint subscribers now have the option to use their mobile number as their Google Voice number or replace their Sprint number with their Google Voice number. This allows calls to ring on multiple devices — such as your home phone, mobile, or computer (using Gmail) — simultaneously. Very useful if you find yourself flitting between the office, the car, and the house and don’t want to miss an important call.

The integration with Google Voice also means that Google Voice will replace Sprint voicemail, providing users with voicemail message transcriptions that can be emailed, texted, or viewed online. International calls will also follow Google Voice rates rather than Sprint’s.

Google Voice number-porting has been available for a few months, but it looks like the partnership with Sprint will make access to the service and its features much more hassle-free.

The Sprint Nexus S will be available this spring for $200 with a two-year contract, and Google Voice integration will roll out “soon.”

Introducing Nexus S 4G for Sprint and Sprint integrates Google Voice [Google Voice Blog via Android Community]

Though never confirmed by Verizon, it seems likely that battery life (or more accurately, the lack thereof) played a part in the series of delays preceding the Thunderbolt’s launch. To combat this problem, Big Red and HTC are offering a rather unsightly extended battery pack that nearly doubles the handset’s capacity from 1400mAh to 2750mAh. All that extra juice will certainly come in handy for folks leaning heavily on the phone’s LTE radio. However, the device costs $50 and adds an ounce of junk in the trunk — on a device that isn’t svelte to begin with — so why not buy another standard battery for ten bucks less instead? Then you can use the Qi-compatible back and induction charging station Verizon’s releasing in April. It’s just under $100 ($29 for the back and $69 for the pad) for those who want to cut the cord and don’t mind the expanded waistline we assume comes with the privilege.

Verizon and HTC offer Thunderbolt extended battery, give your phone dumps like a truck originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flipping through the slide deck accompanying a hastily-arranged press conference this morning to talk up AT&T’s planned acquisition of T-Mobile USA, it’s now clear that the company is interested in augmenting its 700MHz LTE spectrum with T-Mobile’s 1700MHz AWS airwaves — a move that it says would help it deploy LTE to 95 percent of the American population. AWS is currently used by T-Mobile for its 3G services, but running LTE there isn’t without precedent — that’s where MetroPCS is already set up, so there’s some potential for consumer hardware and infrastructure synergy there.

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson has said that the purchase would help the FCC achieve the National Broadband Plan’s goal of ubiquitous (read: rural) broadband availability — clearly a nudge at the feds to push approval in the right direction. General counsel Wayne Watts says they’ve “studied the law, studied the facts” and believe that the transaction can and should go through — but be that as it may, they’re still anticipating “focused divestitures,” probably not unlike the markets Verizon had to flip in order to win approval of its Alltel buy.

Confirmed: AT&T wants to use T-Mobile’s AWS spectrum for LTE buildout originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:17:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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in case we didn’t leak this thoroughly enough for your tastes, here’s Sprint spoiling its own surprise: the Nexus S is coming to the Now Network in a 4G flavor. Touted as “Pure Google,” this WiMAX-toting device will be the very first to feature “fully integrated” Google Voice — which we’re told means using only one number for all your calls and permits for things like web calling and voicemail transcription. Pretty snazzy, if you ask us, and potentially even more important than the mere addition of 4G networking. All it took to discover this bit of intel was a casual search for “nexus” on Sprint’s web portal, not exactly the hardest snooping job ever, but we appreciate our eagle-eyed tipster for doing it all the same. Now it’s just a matter of waiting a few more hours until Sprint’s CTIA event to hear the full details of its collaboration with Google.

[Thanks, MTW]

Update: What do you know, Sprint must read Engadget. The offending search topic has now disappeared from its public servers.

Update 2: And now it’s official. $200 on a two-year contract, arriving this spring.

Nexus S 4G confirmed by Sprint’s own website, first ‘fully integrated’ Google Voice smartphone originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Mar 2011 04:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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RootMetrics found Verizon's 4G upload and download speeds significantly higher than other carriers'.

Have you been wondering if that new 4G smartphone you purchased is really getting 4G speeds? Wonder no longer.

RootMetrics performed an extensive study to determine how each network’s 4G speeds are holding up to their claims. The testing was performed across the Seattle area.

Their findings showed that Verizon’s LTE network performed at a 100 percent data-success rate. Its average data speeds were between four and 14.5 times faster than competitors, and average upload speeds were between 4.7 and 49.3 times faster.

The phone models tested included the HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon), HTC Inspire (AT&T), HTC Evo (Sprint) and Samsung Galaxy S (T-Mobile). RootMetrics’ CEO Paul Griff said that the smartphone model and its hardware had very little to do with 4G performance — that performance is almost all network related.

Wired has previously broken down what each carrier means by 4G, and what speeds should be expected from each service. Verizon’s LTE network promises speeds of 5-12 Mbps down and 1-5 Mbps up; AT&T’s HSPA+ network should provide 6 Mbps down (and they plan to upgrade to LTE in 2011); Sprint’s WiMax technology promises an average of 3-6 Mbps down and 0.6-1.4 Mbps up; and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ is supposed to provide 5-10 Mbps down. AT&T has reportedly been capping 4G speeds on Android handsets, but this has not been definitively verified.

Over in Oakland, California, the folks at TechnoBuffalo decided to perform a 4G speed test of their own using the HTC Inspire and Thunderbolt.

Using SpeedTest.net’s services and the phones’ Wi-Fi hotspot modes, they discovered median speeds of 8.85 Mbps down and 3.68 up on Verizon’s LTE network, and 2.16 Mbps down and .16 up on AT&T’s HSPA+ service — on par with RootMetrics’ results.

RootMetrics was careful to point out that merely achieving high data speeds doesn’t mean much unless it happens on a regular basis, though. It found that Verizon’s 4G download speeds were greater than 10 Mbps about 90 percent of the time, and their upload speeds were between 5 and 10 Mbps 100 percent of the time.

And Verizon’s average upload speeds were faster than every other carrier’s average download speeds by 37 percent.

A graph of how often each 4G service achieved a certain range of download speeds (from 0-500 Kbps to greater than 10 Mbps) shows Verizon dominating the high end, AT&T spending most of its time in the lower half, and Sprint and T-Mobile’s services ranging widely throughout.

How will AT&T and T-Mobile’s recently announced merger affect their 4G services? That’s yet to be seen.

“Our results stand alone and provide interesting context around consumer data experience for both carrier’s networks in the Seattle area,” said a representative from RootMetrics.

Until it is known how and if the two carriers will combine their networks, it’s difficult to say how the merger will affect their future 4G service. But it’s safe to say, unless it’s LTE, it won’t hold a candle to Verizon’s network.
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Comparing the Carriers: 4G Data Speed Study (.pdf) Thanks Julie!