Hasta La Gadget!

Ready to play PC with your smartphone? If you aren’t picking up a Lapdock 100 from AT&T on the 17th, you won’t have to wait very long — Motorola’s faux-laptop phone dock has been outed for a October 21st launch date for Sprint via an employee rewards email. Passing the Lapdock 100 Sprint Rewards Me training quiz nets employees $10 in Sprint scratch and the opportunity to sell you a rig that lets a handful of devices play netbook. The laptop shell gives users a full Firefox browser, Quick Office, Google Docs, Adobe Flash, a PC-like File Manager and a luxurious 10.1-inch screen. Still no word yet on just how much this ultra-portable peripheral will set us back, but we’ll keep hoping that it’s cheaper than the Atrix 4G’s axed lapdock.

[Thanks, David]

Motorola Lapdock 100 hits Sprint October 21st, earns employees extra scratch originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thinking about buying an iPhone 4S from Sprint? Depending on how clumsy you tend to be with mobile devices, you might want to consider adding the $99 AppleCare+ option at purchase, since those Total Equipment Protection plans are definitely out. A Sprint employee wrote in to detail us on upcoming service procedures, which include grouping a damaged device within three categories — green, yellow and red — after diagnosis. As you might imagine, green repairs are the easiest to deal with, and include ‘minor damage’ (i.e. cracked screens are out). These repairs will be handled for free within the first year for all customers, and within two years for those who purchased AppleCare+. Next up, the yellow category covers damage that doesn’t fall within green, but is still repairable. Non subscribers will pay $199, while those with AppleCare+ will pay $49. Klutzes beware: you’re limited to two yellow repairs, regardless of whether or not the device is in warranty. Finally, the red category is reserved for iPhones that provide little function beyond holding down a stack of papers or propping open your door. You’ll need to pay the full replacement cost for red-labeled phones. None of these repairs will be handled in store — iPhones will be shipped to Apple, though you’re welcome to start the process at Sprint. Our recommendation: reach out to Apple directly, since your iPhone is probably headed there either way. And if you want AppleCare, don’t forget to buy it at launch.

Updated: Sprint wrote in to let us know that device swaps (not repairs) can in fact be handled in store, so you won’t always need to go to Apple.

[Thanks, Anonymous]

Sprint to offer three levels of iPhone service, ‘yellow’ AppleCare+ repairs will cost $49 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking to harness all the power of your smartphone PC-style? Motorola is looking to help with its Lapdock 100 for a number of devices, including the Atrix 2, Photon 4G and Droid Bionic. The laptop shell sports a 10.1-inch screen (smaller and hopefully cheaper than the Atrix 4G’s axed lapdock), keyboard with dedicated Android keys, touchpad, multi-tasking and tabbed web-browsing via WiFi or your phone’s data plan. You’ll also be able to utilize a full Firefox browser, Adobe Flash, Quick Office, Google Docs and a PC-esque File Manager. Just in case your smartphone’s SD card doesn’t offer enough storage space, the dock packs two USB ports for all those extra documents you might collect. Looking to stay ultra-portable, the peripheral weighs a hair over two pounds (less than 1Kg) and touts five hours of battery life — which can also be used to recharge that tired handset if needed. If you’re looking to snatch up one of these bad boys, you’ll have to wait until October 17… and even then, it’ll only hit shelves at AT&T. Verizon and Sprint customers will get their chance “later this quarter” and there’s no word yet on pricing. Need more info? Hit that coverage link for product page and get yourself better acquainted.

Continue reading Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T

Lapdock 100 brings a Webtop IQ boost to Moto phones on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, look at Ma Bell now, wishing it’d all just go away. Tied up in lawsuits, the company has filed motions to dismiss the two complaints brought by Sprint and C Spire Wireless (formerly Cellular South), which seek to block AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile. In the filings, it’s argued that the two providers represent their own interests, rather than that of the public. AT&T further reveals that C Spire had pursued private negotiations prior to the lawsuit, where the regional provider agreed to support the merger “if AT&T would agree not to engage in facilities-based competition in Mississippi.” Ma Bell goes on to state, “This inappropriate proposal confirms that what Cellular South fears is competition, not lack of competition.” Given the latest maneuver (which smacks heavily of PR spin), there’s no doubt that lawyers for Sprint and C Spire will have a bit of homework for the weekend.

AT&T asks court to dismiss lawsuits filed by Sprint and C Spire Wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does America need another wireless operator? Is the MVNO boneyard really due for another? Are you eager for a carrier that adapts to your needs, and magically delivers “stuff” that matters to you? Have you watched Napoleon Dynamite with your closest friends within the past week? We can’t promise that “Personalized Wireless” (or whatever it ends up being called) is destined to answer all of those inquiries, but it’ll at least strive to formulate a logical response to one of ’em. A newly-aired teaser clip promises a network of a different color here in the States, and the company’s product page (captured above) leads to believe that all will be revealed come September 26th. We’re surmising that this has something to do with either Comcast or Clearwire given the token “C” logo at the end, but we’d be happy hear other opinions of the origin down in comments below. Vid’s after the break, vaquero.

Update: We have it on good authority that the launch here relates to Cellular South’s recent buyout of a number of southern cellular shops, with this being the merger of those. There aren’t any details yet on what it’ll mean for prospective customers in that region, but it seems — at least for now — that this won’t be a national rollout.

Continue reading ‘Personalized Wireless’ launching September 26th (update: it’s Cellular South, and it’ll be regional)

‘Personalized Wireless’ launching September 26th (update: it’s Cellular South, and it’ll be regional) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Sep 2011 11:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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