Hasta La Gadget!

T-Mobile said it was “working to deliver” hotspot support to T-Mobile G2 users, and now we might know the reason for the delay — an allegedly leaked document details Magenta’s scheme to offer a comprehensive data tethering plan for a $14.99 monthly fee. According to the convincingly worded internal memo, the new feature will let you tether over WiFi, Bluetooth or a physical USB cable at both 3G and HSPA+ speeds, though only on a $20 or higher unlimited data plan — so if you’ve got just 200MB, you’ll have to spend them on the small screen. The doc also says it’s subject to T-Mobile’s recent throttling efforts, so don’t expect to enjoy HSPA+ on your tethered tablet for long: “Customers who purchase a T-Mobile mobile broadband product like the upcoming Galaxy Tab should activate with a webConnect plan to ensure the best experience,” the document specifically suggests. The plan’s apparently coming November 3rd, a date which is associated with another likely rumor, too — TmoNews has a leaked email of its own suggesting the new myTouch will hit November 3rd as well. With Verizon, AT&T and Sprint all already charging for connection sharing, we suppose the writing was on the wall. The days of ambiguous wireless freedom are just about over, folks.

T-Mobile launching data tethering / wireless hotspot plan on Nov. 3rd for $14.99? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Boy Genius Report  | Email this | Comments

We always thought it was peculiar that T-Mobile’s third myTouch phone would be simply called “myTouch,” especially when earlier leaks tacked on “HD” for good measure. Aspects of the device’s ROM leak suggests that isn’t necessarily the case — or, at least, it wasn’t always. A teaser video (presented in a phone-friendly, portrait resolution) was found wading through the lines of code, serving to both highlight key features (genius button, HD camcorder, video chat, screen sharing) and conclude with a differentiating designation: myTouch 4G. That 4G would be in reference to HSPA+, of course, whether or not its competition sees things as such. For all we know, though, this could be an earlier version of the footage and 4G has since been dropped from, rather than added to, its official handle. Then again, what’s in a name? That which we call a myTouch by any other name would surely run as swift. Video after the break.

Continue reading T-Mobile myTouch 4G ROM leak includes teaser video, speed-enhanced moniker

T-Mobile myTouch 4G ROM leak includes teaser video, speed-enhanced moniker originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 22:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  Android Central  | Email this | Comments

Creepy stalkers, annoying telemarketers, jilted lovers: The list of people whose calls you don’t want can get long. And you might feel short on options for keeping their profane digits from polluting your sacred caller ID. You’re not. More »

The low-end LG Optimus S that wowed us earlier the other day has a magenta twin — the LG Optimus T, headed to T-Mobile with very similar hardware. Considering that both carriers’ phones will come in similar shades of purple and black, you could easily be excused for confusing the two — aside from a prominent logo and the physical button arrangement, they’ve got the exact same build. That’s not a bad thing, mind you, as it means the Optimus T is similarly solid as a rock, but there are a few differences here and there, like the lack of dedicated camera and voice buttons this time round. Whether it’s extra bloat (of which there’s some) or a slower chip, the T’s also not as wonderfully lag-free as the S, though both phones would handily beat most of the other low-end Androids we’ve seen.

The 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen’s just as responsive, though the physical buttons here aren’t quite as nice — we prefer Sprint’s distinct, textured keys to the slick plastic rocker for Home and Back and the Menu and Search buttons here. We weren’t able to download Quadrant on the T for benchmarking like we did for its sister phone nor verify the same exact specs inside, but paging through menus we spotted mobile hotspot functionality and WiFi calling, just as originally foretold, not to mention support for old-school FM radio. Now we just wait to see if T-Mobile follows Sprint’s lead and offers the phone at a similarly fantastic price.

Update: It’s a bit of a shame, but LG just informed us the Optimus T won’t have WiFi calling after all — it was originally considered for the device, but the software we saw was apparently a old, out-of-date build. T-Mobile reps wouldn’t confirm or deny that, but told us that the option is something they’d like to bring to more devices later on, though they said it might require Android 2.1 or higher to function properly.

LG Optimus T hands-on (update: no WiFi calls) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

If this little puppy looks familiar, well, it should — it’s basically an Americanized version of the Optimus One announced earlier this year. In that regard, T-Mobile’s Optimus T is a bit of an anti-myTouch — a relatively low-end Android smartphone fit for the masses with a 3.2-inch HVGA display (touted as being fashioned of tempered glass), a 3 megapixel cam with video capture, Froyo, and Swype pre-installed. As you can see from the press shot up there, the UI isn’t quite stock — but happily, it doesn’t look like LG has done anything too egregious to muck it up. We don’t have a price yet, but needless to say, we’re sure it’ll be reasonable… and it’ll be ready in time for the holiday season. Follow the break for a picture of the burgundy version.

Continue reading LG Optimus T budget Android phone comes to T-Mobile

LG Optimus T budget Android phone comes to T-Mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments