Dell Venue Pro firmware update silences WiFi woes (update: delayed)

We wouldn’t say it was delivered with lightning speed, but Dell’s firmware update for the Venue Pro is at least on schedule. The outfit’s Lionel Menchaca tweeted that the refresh, which brings a fix for a WiFi lockup issue (among others), “starts rolling out today for T-Mobile customers in the US + all other customers outside the US.” Unfortunately for AT&T customers sporting this pro phone, it looks like you’ll be left in the firmware lurch a bit longer — there’s been no mention of a similar update for Ma Bell.

Update: It looks like someone spoke too soon. Lionel Menchaca’s taken to Twitter yet again to update us on the state of this update, and it appears T-Mo Venue Pro users are going to have to wait until next week for the refresh — it is, however, already available to unlocked devices. Considering how long we’ve waited, what’s another week? Right?

Dell Venue Pro firmware update silences WiFi woes (update: delayed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dell Venue Pro firmware update silences WiFi woes

We wouldn’t say it was delivered with lightning speed, but Dell’s firmware update for the Venue Pro is at least on schedule. The outfit’s Lionel Menchaca tweeted that the refresh, which brings a fix for a WiFi lockup issue (among others), “starts rolling out today for T-Mobile customers in the US + all other customers outside the US.” Unfortunately for AT&T customers sporting this pro phone, it looks like you’ll be left in the firmware lurch a bit longer — there’s been no mention of a similar update for Ma Bell.

Dell Venue Pro firmware update silences WiFi woes originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 21 Jul 2011 03:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon’s Xperia Play now on sale for $100, Crash Bandicoot spins in celebration

Getting your PlayStation-certified gaming fix on just got 50 percent cheaper. Verizon’s cut the price of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play in half on its website, selling for $100 with contract only four months after being greeted with open arms. The price cut is a result of Big Red’s “Back to School” promotion, though it’s difficult to believe this one will come out the other end of the sale any costlier than this. Was this sudden reduction made to instigate a price war with AT&T now that it’s introduced the model to its lineup? Or, is this a last-ditch effort to bolster lackluster sales before the Play is discontinued? It’s hard to say — given its meager selection of PlayStation Suite titles, we can’t imagine that the product’s flying off of shelves. Still, five Jacksons is much more reasonable for anyone who just has to have The Sims 3 on the go, right?

Verizon’s Xperia Play now on sale for $100, Crash Bandicoot spins in celebration originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 23:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Netflix app on Android updated to work on 24 models including Galaxy S, Droid 3 (update: tablets too!)

The number of Android devices officially compatible with the Netflix streaming app has more than doubled in v2.3, growing from 9 to 24. Last night the description was updated with a new list of devices but the actual updated APK only started pushing this afternoon, bringing Netflix not only to the Lenovo tablet announced last night but also to the Droid 3, HTC Thunderbolt, Motorola Atrix, several Galaxy S phones including the Epic 4G and Fascinate and more. Fragmentation is clearly still an issue for DRM’d apps like this and Hulu Plus, but at least now there’s a growing number of recent superphones supported instead of sitting on the sidelines. We’ve got the updated list of devices after the break, hit the source link to download the app from the Android Market.

Update: As multiple commenters have noted, sideloading the Netflix APK will still work for devices that haven’t yet made the list. We were able to confirm the app works fine on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Motorola Xoom, however we’re hearing it’s not up and running on the Tegra 2-based Transformer just yet. Itching for some Watch Instantly on your Honeycomb tablet? Check XDA-Developers for a download link.

Update 2: Alex wrote in to let us know that things are now operational on the Transformer, too. Check out xda-developers for the details.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Continue reading Netflix app on Android updated to work on 24 models including Galaxy S, Droid 3 (update: tablets too!)

Netflix app on Android updated to work on 24 models including Galaxy S, Droid 3 (update: tablets too!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile Cuts Rates, Will Let You Buy Smartphones on Layaway

The MyTouch 4G Slide is one of TMobile's most recent smartphones to hit the market. (Photo courtesy TMobile)

T-Mobile introduced on Wednesday a new financing plan for purchasing devices over an extended period, as well as a price reduction for one of its smartphone plans.

With T-Mobile’s new layaway plan, customers make an upfront down payment on a particular smartphone, with the amount varying depending on the model. Afterward, customers pay a monthly EIP — or equipment installment plan — typically anywhere between $5 and $15 monthly, again depending on the phone purchased.

Additionally, T-Mobile is expected to announce a $20 price drop for its mid-tier smartphone plans, according to information obtained by CNET. The plan includes unlimited monthly minutes, SMS messages and data, with escalating prices for larger caps on high-speed data access. If you exceed your monthly data amount, T-Mobile throttles your speed — essentially slowing your connection down — until the next billing cycle occurs. Unlike AT&T, however, the company doesn’t charge overage fees for exceeding your monthly data download limits.

T-Mobile’s fluctuating pricing structures keep the company a competitive force in today’s wireless carrier landscape. AT&T, Sprint and Verizon all offer similar plans to T-Mobile’s, but at ten dollars more than T-Mobile’s supposedly forthcoming one. T-Mobile also takes the lead of many lower-cost cellular services like Metro PCS with its installment plan. It’s essentially a compromise for customers who don’t want to sign up for a plan, but also don’t want to pay for an unsubsidized phone at full price (usually upwards of $400 to $600 for today’s smartphones).

Of course, all of this is subject to change. In March, AT&T submitted its bid to buy Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile, which would make AT&T the largest wireless provider in the United States if the acquisition were to be approved by the FCC. Sprint is railing against the deal, which would place Verizon squarely in second place for nationwide wireless services, marginalizing Sprint’s market presence. If the deal goes through, one could potentially expect pricing plans to change dramatically.

T-Mobile breaks down savings on its new plan compared to that of its competitors below:

T-Mobile's data chart offers a breakdown of a sample plan, and savings compared to other carriers. (Photo courtesy TMobile)

T-Mobile’s new plans will launch on Sunday, July 24, for U.S. customers. The lower rate wireless plans will come with the usual stipulation of agreeing to a two-year contract.


Isis adds Visa, MasterCard, American Express to mobile payment lineup

Isis hasn’t shown us much more than a logo and a black and white rendering of its NFC-powered mobile payment system, but the outfit proved today that it has all of its ducks — or, rather, major credit card companies — in a row. According to the group — a collaboration between AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — Isis will launch with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express on board. Back in May, we reported that the credit card alternative was shaking up its initial, Discover-only platform to let the competition in. Since then, the Goog’s swept in with Google Wallet (backed by Sprint), which also counts MasterCard as a partner. Google’s already got a head start, with Wallet trials underway in New York and San Francisco, but the internet giant might just need the lead, considering the list of heavy hitters Isis has lined up for its 2012 debut.

Isis adds Visa, MasterCard, American Express to mobile payment lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 07:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC’s Puccini tablet passes through the FCC, has AT&T written all over it

Remember that HTC 10-inch Puccini tablet we spotted in May? It just passed through the FCC’s gates with the model number PG09410 and from the looks of things, is headed straight for AT&T’s network. The rumored Honeycomb tablet’s sporting the requisite GSM 850, 1900MHz frequencies and 3G WCDMA 850 and 1900MHz bands, but the real showstopper here are the slate’s LTE radios. With both AWS 4 and 17 bands on board, it’d be a pretty safe guess to see this launch alongside the orange-colored carrier’s LTE rollout. We should note that the FCC doesn’t test for European compatibility, so you could still see this bad boy hit across the Atlantic. What else can we glimpse from that diagram in blue? Based on the size of what appears to be a SIM card slot, we found this Android tab measuring in at the 10-inch mark. Also, you can expect a dual speaker set-up, but sadly no 3D camera. With the rumored June launch date already passed, we’re hoping this’ll hit late summer.

HTC’s Puccini tablet passes through the FCC, has AT&T written all over it originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry Torch 2 slides through the FCC, bound for AT&T?

BlackBerry Torch 2 FCC

We’ve already gotten our grubby little mitts on it, and it looks like soon enough you too will be able to wrap your QWERTY-loving digits around a Torch 2. It looks like the display-centric BlackBerry just slid its way through the FCC, sporting 850MHz and 1900MHz GSM bands, indicating this particular model (listed as RDM71UW) is destined for AT&T. Obviously, even if this is in fact the Torch 2, an FCC filing is not exactly a confirmed release date — so don’t start lining up outside your local AT&T outlet just yet.

BlackBerry Torch 2 slides through the FCC, bound for AT&T? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Verizon LTE: no roaming, even if you want to

Several companies are hopping on the LTE bandwagon, but it’s turning out to be more isolating an experience than we hoped. According to PCMag, a Verizon spokesperson confirmed that its fourth-generation broadband network won’t be compatible with other carriers in the US. As it turns out, Big Red and AT&T each own a separate block of 700MHz spectrum with only a fraction of overlap, leaving little room for phones on both networks to mingle with one another. There’s not much hope for roaming on MetroPCS or LightSquared, either, as their waves of LTE run at 1700MHz and 1500MHz, respectively. This smattering of frequencies means it’ll be near impossible to get roam on other companies’ 4G networks nationally. What’s worse, the ITU has approved twelve bands for LTE use around the world, so don’t count on a wide selection of global devices — and you thought sorting through international 3G was bad, didn’t you? We’re still a long way from learning our LTE roaming fate, but it appears the largest carrier in the US won’t make the journey any easier on us.

Verizon LTE: no roaming, even if you want to originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 Jul 2011 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint’s Virgin Mobile brand to test throttling while Sprint pokes fun at throttlers (video)

Alanis Morrisette couldn’t have possibly thought up something this ironic to put in her hit song. On the same day Sprint launches an ad campaign trashing T-Mobile’s “unlimited” plan for throttling its data speeds, the Now Network announced that it intends to begin throttling Virgin Mobile’s broadband sometime in October. Those who use larger amounts of data on the prepaid brand will experience the briskness of 256kbps as soon as they hit a monthly threshold of 2.5GB. This won’t affect postpaid customers on Sprint for the time being, but it’s hitting a little too close to home. After all, the company — always playing the role of consumer advocate — is now at least experimenting with the idea of employing the same practices it’s currently trashing its competitors for. Those who’re taking full advantage of Dan Hesse’s spoils are safe for now, but the question remains: who’ll throttle the throttlers? Check out the vid and press release in all their irony-dripping glory after the break.

[Thanks, John]

Continue reading Sprint’s Virgin Mobile brand to test throttling while Sprint pokes fun at throttlers (video)

Sprint’s Virgin Mobile brand to test throttling while Sprint pokes fun at throttlers (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 18:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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