Hasta La Gadget!

Thanks to Verizon’s blowout at CES, we’ve already been treated to a couple of LTE-friendly mobile hotspots from the likes of Samsung and Novatel Wireless, but Sierra Wireless is joining the crowd here at Mobile World Congress. The outfit has just revealed its two newest mobile hotpots, the AirCard 754S and 753S. The former supports dual-carrier LTE, while the latter handles dual-carrier HSPA+, enabling up to five WiFi devices to surf on either of the fastest two mobile superhighways. We’re told that the 753S can hit downlink rates as high as 42Mbps (and upload rates near 5.76Mbps) on a DC-HSPA+ network, while the 754S can reach 100Mbps (down) / 50Mbps (up) while operating on an LTE network. Both of these are right around the size of a deck of cards, and no software installation is required to get ’em working. There’s also an integrated LCD that provides a look at WiFi access information, battery life, network signal strength, and the number of devices connected, with audible alerts and a web admin interface available as well. The duo is expected to ship at some point during 2011’s second quarter, but there’s no news yet on which (if any) carriers will be picking them up.

Moving right along, Canada’s own Telus will be offering yet another new one from Sierra Wireless this March: the AirCard 319U USB modem, a device we recently spotted in the FCC’s database. This one promises download speeds of up to 42Mbps and upload speeds approaching 5.76Mbps, with a swiveling design that allows the body of the modem to be tucked up against the side of the notebook and protects it from being damaged by accidental bumps. The LTE-friendly AirCard 320U is the USB version of the 754S hotspot shown above, with an articulating and pivoting hinge that works with the widest possible variety of USB port placements, and if all goes well, it’ll ship during Q2 2011 for an undisclosed rate. Sierra plans on having Mac and PC support for the whole lot, and we’ll be digging for details surrounding price and availability.

Sierra Wireless intros dual-carrier HSPA+ / LTE AirCard 753S and 754S, with 319U and 320U in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Sierra Wireless (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments

So you might have noticed a few reviews of Verizon’s iPhone 4 crop up last night, nothing unusual about that, but a couple of its reviewers have had something to say about AT&T’s version of the phone as well. Walt Mossberg and David Pogue (who has since stricken the date from his review) both pinpoint February 13th as the date when they expect AT&T to turn on the Personal Hotspot capability that Verizon’s iPhone will have from launch. That’s expected to happen with an update to iOS 4.3, which recently went out to developers in its third beta iteration, suggesting the software’s nearly mature enough for public consumption and seemingly fitting right into this timeline. Mind you, this is still not concrete information, as Mossberg could conceivably have been talking of AT&T’s Mobile Hotspot app which is launching on the same day on devices like the Inspire 4G, and Pogue could have deleted the date for similar reasons, but we’re somehow disinclined to believe that two gentlemen in a position to have insider(ish) intel would both make such a mistake at the same time.

iPhone 4 to get AT&T mobile hotspot capabilities on February 13th? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  All Things Digital, AppleInsider  | Email this | Comments

We won’t lie: we’ve been pretty skeptical of the rumors so far that the HTC Thunderbolt would have support for simultaneous voice and data over EV-DO — SVDO, as it’s known — turned on. Perhaps more than any other US carrier, Verizon has a reputation for testing the living daylights out of devices and locking out hardware that doesn’t meet its reliability standards, and so we were a little leery of some supposedly leaked internal communication not long ago letting reps know that although it’ll be enabled, it shouldn’t be discussed because it doesn’t offer an “experience… consistent with [their] brand.” Well, we’ve just been fed a second document that features the same wording, so it looks like this might be real after all — and what’s more, it’s got updated verbiage stating that mobile hotspot capability will be available at launch, contrary to other leaks floating around today. This particular document is dated today, so we’re feeling good that the information is current — and if anything, it should get potential Thunderbolt buyers more excited than ever.

[Thanks, David]

HTC Thunderbolt might be getting simultaneous voice and data on 3G after all originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

Although you’d think AT&T would be all over the Verizon iPhone‘s new personal hotspot feature if only just to keep feature parity with its biggest competitor, the carrier is taking a more measured approach — an AT&T spokesperson just told us that they’re “evaluating the feature, but have no plans to announce at this time.” Given that the iOS 4.3 beta just brought hotspot support to the GSM iPhone, we’re guessing that the holdup is more tactical than technical — Verizon still hasn’t announced its iPhone data plan pricing or hotspot tax, and we’re assuming AT&T’s just waiting for some numbers before announcing support sometime around, say, February 10th. We’ll see.

P.S.- We’re also thinking it would be sweet it AT&T supported WiFi hotspot with 3G iPad and its contract-free data plans, but we’re just wishing one wish at a time here.

AT&T ‘evaluating’ support for iOS Personal Hotspot, no plans yet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Jan 2011 17:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

The LG Revolution, HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung’s SCH-i520 were the obvious stars of Verizon’s 4G LTE presser today, but a truckload of lesser devices are sure to delight end users when they ship later in the year. 4G mobile hotspots were on hand from both Novatel Wireless and Samsung (with the former working on both 3G and 4G networks), as were a pair of netbooks from HP and the LTE-enabled (and Hummingbird-powered) Galaxy Tab. The MiFi devices were decidedly thicker than our existing MiFi 2200 (shown left, above), but it’s a price we’d be willing to pay for the ability to surf on both of VZW’s networks. Gallery’s below for those seeking a closer look, and you should expect the whole lot to hit your local VZW store between March and July.

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Verizon’s 4G LTE line: Samsung and Novatel MiFi, 4G Galaxy Tab, netbooks (hands-on) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Samsung (1), (2), (3)  | Email this | Comments