Hasta La Gadget!

Bill shock? It’s “a real consumer problem that needs to be fixed,” according to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski. The department teamed up with the CTIA and the Consumers Union today to address the problem of unexpected mobile bill charges. The solution? Alerts about overages and international roaming sent to subscribers before they rack up bills they can’t afford. It’s a plan the organization talked up last year, thanks to the findings of a Consumer Task Force. The FCC hopes that a rollout of the plan will be completed in the next 12 months.

Continue reading FCC and CTIA get set to hit back against bill shock

FCC and CTIA get set to hit back against bill shock originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  FCC  | Email this | Comments

Imagine if Verizon’s Testman was actually the admiral of a fleet of Chevy Tahoes, all dedicated to the purpose of testing and comparing networks and asking if others can hear them now over a million times each year. The famous Testman himself is just an actor, of course, but Verizon’s self-proclaimed “test cars” are a thing of reality; in fact, the fleet numbers a cool hundred nationwide. We had the opportunity to take a quick peek inside one of these cars, each of which drive an endless number of miles to measure the performance of not only Big Red’s network, but its competition as well.

You wouldn’t recognize any of these unmarked cars if they drove past you on the street unless you were trained to look for the outside clues: on the roof lies a GPS module in concert with several black nubs, each one acting as its own phone antenna. If you look close enough at the back windows, you may be able to make out the multitudes of USB data sticks taped to them. All of these elements are crucial for Verizon in order to collect real-time data on how its network stacks up against the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint, not to mention regional carriers such as Cricket and MetroPCS. Thus, each test car is equipped with phones that work on almost every network and try each one out thousands of times a year. The company’s goal? To ensure that it maintains a standard of excellence in its network performance for both its voice and data quality. So how does this all happen? Read on past the break to find out what’s inside the car.

Continue reading A look inside Verizon’s test car: we go heads-in at CTIA E&A 2011

A look inside Verizon’s test car: we go heads-in at CTIA E&A 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Old-fashioned ATM meets modern-day phone recycling program. That’s the idea behind EcoATM, a startup aimed to help reduce electronic waste and beef up your wallet at the same time. Of course, it’s not a new concept: phone recycling programs have been around for a while now, helping you stay green by giving you some green. Trading in an old phone for the almighty dollar, however, typically involves filling out paperwork, printing labels, shipping the device to the facility and waiting for four weeks for a check. EcoATM’s goal is to eliminate all of that in favor of a simple 5-minute process that ends with cash in-hand. The company has machines set up in popular shopping malls in various cities across the country, ready to help you part ways with your old device. Take a gander at a gallery and the full demonstration below.

Zachary Lutz contributed to this report.

Continue reading EcoATM offers instant money for your old phone, we go hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video)

EcoATM offers instant money for your old phone, we go hands-on at CTIA E&A 2011 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:54:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Curiously enough, the prepaid market had as much of a field day at this week’s CTIA Enterprise & Applications as anyone else; we already got our fair share of hands-on time with the Samsung Transfix for Cricket, and shortly afterward beheld our eyes (and mandibles) on the LG Optimus Slider, the latest beauty making a beeline to Virgin Mobile as early as this coming Monday. Aside from the obvious slide-out QWERTY, the Android 2.3.4 device will feature a 3.2-inch HVGA display, a 3.2MP camera and microSD support up to 32GB, and will be available without a contract for $200. Head underneath to take a look at the full image gallery and hands-on video.

Zachary Lutz contributed to this report.

Continue reading LG Optimus Slider on Virgin Mobile at CTIA E&A 2011, we go hands-on (video)

LG Optimus Slider on Virgin Mobile at CTIA E&A 2011, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:16:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

So, get this. We were cruising through the halls of Pepcom’s Mobile Focus with a horrible fever and on the brink of delirium. Unsure how much longer we could keep composure, we came upon Navigon’s booth. In addition to displaying its brand new Windows Phone application, the company was also showing off its upcoming releases of MobileNavigator for Android and iOS. Fortunately, Navigon’s Public Relations Manager, Johan-Till Broer, was kind enough to give us a demo of each app. Among the new features, users will be able to select individual states for local map storage, which goes a long way toward freeing up space. Additionally, there’s also a driving mode called Cockpit, which allows leadfoots to check their speed and acceleration over the last 30 minutes. The app updates will be free to all existing users, although if you want to load up new maps, that’ll be a one-time fee. We’re told to expect these latest gems in a couple of months. As for the Windows Phone version, it sells for $50, although is currently available for $30 — at special introductory pricing. A demo video and full PR is just after the break. Be sure to check it out.

Continue reading Navigon demos upcoming MobileNavigator for iOS and Android, latest Windows Phone app (video)

Navigon demos upcoming MobileNavigator for iOS and Android, latest Windows Phone app (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:33:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments