Hasta La Gadget!

Right now two camps seem to be getting the most supporters: seven-inchers, like the Streak 7 and BlackBerry PlayBook, and 10-inchers, like the Motorola Xoom and the Apple iPad. But, sometimes weapon systems need to be a little more specialized. Sometimes the templates don’t fit, and the $530 (after rebate, on-contract) T-Mobile G-Slate by LG isn’t fitting into those categories, slotting somewhere in between with its 8.9-inch display backed with Tegra 2 graphics, 4G HSPA+ wireless, and all the oomph you want in a modern Android device. It’s a little smaller and little lighter than the 10-inchers, bigger and meatier than the sevens and, by cutting down the middle, it hits almost all the right marks.

Continue reading T-Mobile G-Slate review

T-Mobile G-Slate review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you’re waiting impatiently for the ability hook your laptop in to T-Mobile’s blazingly fast 42Mbps HSPA+ network, you are going to have hold tight just a little bit longer. But here’s some good news to tide you over: the 21Mbps capable Rocket 4G USB stick is here, and available starting April 17th with new prepaid data plans for those who prefer not to chain themselves to a two-year contract. The $30, 30-day plan will jump from 300MB to 1GB, and the $50 plan will be bumped from 1GB to 3GB. It’s not as flashy as the 4G Mobile Hotspot nor as fast as the 42Mbps Rocket 3.0, but it’s priced at a reasonable $59.99 — and controlling the destiny of your mobile broadband soul must be worth something.

T-Mobile blesses contract-averse with Rocket 4G modem and better data plans originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile's Galaxy S 4G, one of many new smartphones that require a data plan.

T-Mobile’s latest cellular plan offers a lot to customers at a reasonable price. But there’s one caveat for data-heavy users: there will be throttling.

With a two-year contract and the purchase of a subsidized phone, new T-Mobile users can now opt for the company’s “Even More” plan for $80 bucks per month.

It boasts unlimited everything — domestic minutes, text messages and data on what T-Mobile calls “America’s largest 4G network.” The catch is found in the fine print: You actually only get allowed 2GB of high-speed data transfer each month on this “unlimited” plan.

After you pass that two gig mark, “data speeds will be reduced for the remainder of that billing cycle,” according to T-Mobile’s press release.

Some “unlimited” plan.

Also, keep in mind that 4G isn’t what it used to be. Until last year, T-Mobile’s network, which offers 5-10Mbps downloads, was considered 3G. The only thing that’s changed since then is its name.

For those who don’t want a new phone or contract, the “Even More Plus” plan is available for $60 per month.

T-Mobile was careful to add in its statement that its customers “consume about 1GB of data per billing month,” on average. AT&T pointed out a similar stat when the company killed its unlimited data plan last year, saying that “98 percent of its smartphone customers average less than 2 GB per month.”

While T-Mobile’s new plan includes restrictions, it’s not unreasonable compared to the competition. Sprint’s solution to the increase in data-hungry smartphones on its network was to add a $10 “Premium Data” fee to newly-purchased 3G and 4G smartphone data plans. AT&T has already switched to a tiered system, and Verizon has signaled it has similar intentions.

According to data in a recent Consumer Reports study, T-Mobile plans cost subscribers anywhere from $15 to $50 less than comparable AT&T plans, on average.

Of course, if AT&T ends up acquiring T-Mobile, plans and pricing are subject to change.

See Also:

• AT&T Tells Free Tethering Customers It’s Time to Pay Up
• AT&T Adds iPhone Tethering, Kills Unlimited Data for iPad
• AT&T to Buy T-Mobile, Becomes No. 1 U.S. Wireless Company
• Known Hole Aided T-Mobile Breach
• T-Mobile Claims Right to Censor Text Messages
• T-Mobile’s G1 Android Phone: Neither Open nor Exciting

HTC revealed its latest high-end Android smartphone offering, the Sensation 4G, on Tuesday. Along with the phone, the Taiwanese electronics manufacturer is also debuting its new mobile media rental-and-purchase service, HTC Watch.

The Sensation will debut in Europe in mid-May alongside HTC’s tablet offering, the Flyer, and in Britain, Germany and other European markets in June. HTC Watch will be available on both devices, and will launch with over 500 titles. Users have the option to either rent or buy movies on Watch, but purchased videos can be viewed on up to five different HTC devices.

The Sensation and Flyer will arrive on American shores later — in the summer. The Sensation 4G will be exclusive to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network. (Whether you consider HSPA+ to be 4G or not, however, is another issue.)

The new media service, HTC Watch, highlights the media-hub qualities of the Sensation’s hardware. The phone will sport a massive 4.3-inch LCD screen, and the 8-megapixel back-facing camera is capable of recording HD video at 1080p resolution. For quick editing of your footage, the phone will also include the Video Trimmer tool which allows for clip cropping straight from the handset.

The Sensation will also launch with a new version of HTC Sense, the company’s custom interface for Android.

HTC recently launched another high-end Android smartphone on Verizon’s 4G LTE network to much acclaim: the Thunderbolt. The phone has been reportedly selling well since its debut, and is said to be outselling the iPhone 4 in a number of Verizon stores.

HTC wouldn’t provide pricing details on the new video service, or the Sensation, when we asked. The company says it will make that info available closer to the phone’s release date.

The Sensation is HTC’s second announced device to feature a dual-core processor, the 1.2-GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon. The company’s upcoming Evo 3D also sports a 1.2-GHz Snapdragon, though it has yet to launch.

Rival device manufacturers have also debuted dual-core smartphones this year. The Motorola Atrix and LG Optimus 2X were announced in January — carried on AT&T and T-Mobile, respectively.

For a hands-on first look, check out Wired UK’s initial impressions of the Sensation.

HTC's Sensation 4G will debut on T-Mobile's network this summer.

See Also:

• HTC Thunderbolt Outselling iPhone 4 at Verizon Stores, Says Analyst
• Report: HTC Planning Three Android Tablets in 2011
• HTC Video Reveals Hot Android Tablet Details
• HTC Inspire Is Short on Looks, Big on Everything Else
• HTC ThunderBolt Launches on Verizon’s 4G Network With a Bang
• Android Phones Fuel HTC Growth; More Planned for 2011

Before hitting the states this summer, the Sensation will launch in the UK, Germany, and the rest of HTC’s “key” European markets in mid-May, with Vodafone scoring a Europe-wide exclusive for “a couple of weeks.” We can’t wait to put the Sensation through its paces in a full review, but happily we already scored some hands-on time with a near-final unit. Continue below the break for some early thoughts, full specs, and close-up shots of this superphone in action.

Update: We scored some hands-on time with a European model over at HTC’s launch event. Check the video here!

Continue reading HTC Sensation 4G official: 1.2GHz dual-core, qHD display, and Sense 3.0

HTC Sensation 4G official: 1.2GHz dual-core, qHD display, and Sense 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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