Smartphone

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April 18, 2012
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HTC One S launches on T-Mobile for $199.99 on April 25th

By on April 18, 2012 at 5:00 PM.

HTC One S launches on T-Mobile for $199.99 on April 25th

T-Mobile on Wednesday announced availability details for the HTC One S smartphone. The handset will be the carrier’s first device powered by Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and the first to run Sense 4 as well. HTC unveiled the One S a few months back at the annual Mobile World Congress trade show. The sleek device features a 4.3-inch qHD Super AMOLED display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of internal storage plus 25GB of free cloud-based Dropbox storage for two years, an 8-megapixel rear camera and HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity. It’s all packed within a unibody aluminum case that measures only 7.95 millimeters thick, making it T-Mobile’s slimmest smartphone to date. The HTC One S will be available on April 25th for $199.99 with a new two-year agreement. Read on for T-Mobile’s press release, and be sure to check out our full review of T-Mobile’s HTC One S. More →

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mobile
April 17, 2012
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Wireless data traffic grew 123% in the U.S. last year

By on April 17, 2012 at 6:50 PM.

Wireless data traffic grew 123% in the U.S. last year

As sales of smartphones and tablets reach all time heights, consumers in the United States are streaming more movies, downloading more apps and viewing more websites on their wireless devices. According to a recent report from the CTIA, annual wireless data traffic in the U.S. grew 123% from 388 billion megabytes in 2010 to 866.7 billion megabytes in 2011. The survey also found that the number of active smartphones in the U.S. increased by 43% to 111.5 million units in 2011 compared with 78.2 million in 2010. “As the President, bipartisan members of Congress, FCC Chairman and Commissioners and other policymakers have repeatedly advocated, the U.S. wireless industry must have access to more spectrum so we can continue to improve our nation’s economy and meet our consumers’ demands,” Steve Largent, president and CEO of CTIA, said in a statement. In order to handle the massive demand for wireless data, U.S. mobile carriers are continuing to invest in their networks through 4G upgrades and increased coverage and capacity with more cell sites. Read on for CTIA’s press release. More →

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mobile
April 17, 2012
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European carriers say Lumia phones can’t compete with iPhone and Android

By on April 17, 2012 at 2:05 PM.

European carriers say Lumia phones can’t compete with iPhone and Android

Nokia’s attempt to regain the traction in the mobile market is turning out to be more difficult than the company once thought. Four major wireless carriers in Europe have said that Nokia’s Lumia smartphones are “not good enough” to compete with Apple’s iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones, Reuters reported on Tuesday. Nokia bet big on Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform last year, however the gamble has yet to pay off according to the report. “No one comes into the store and asks for a Windows phone,” said an executive in charge of mobile devices at a European operator. The company is now playing catch up with Apple and Google after suffering a huge decline that hurt its image in the high-end market, and according to Reuters’s sources, Windows Phone might be making matters worse. “Nokia have given themselves a double challenge: to restore their credibility in terms of making hardware smartphones and succeed with the Microsoft Windows operating system, which lags in the market,” the executive said. “If the Lumia with the same hardware came with Android in it and not Windows, it would be much easier to sell.” More →

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mobile
April 16, 2012
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High-definition version of Motorola’s RAZR in the works

By on April 16, 2012 at 7:00 PM.

High-definition version of Motorola’s RAZR in the works

The name DROID RAZR HD has appeared in the EXIF data from a series of images uploaded to Picasa by a Motorola employee. The EXIF data shows that the handset is running Android 4.0.3 and its camera is equipped with a f/2.4 aperture camera. The photos in question were uploaded by Vic Yu, who is a software engineer and program manager at Motorola Mobility according to his Google+ and LinkedIn profiles. Last month, the first image of what was believed to be the unannounced DROID Fighter surfaced on a Chinese forum. The handset is said to be equipped with the same massive 3,300 mAh battery that is found in the RAZR MAXX and a 4.6-inch high-definition display. The phone also lacked the Android navigation buttons found on earlier RAZR models, suggesting that it makes use of the on-screen buttons found in Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The DROID RAZR HD could possibly arrive on Verizon Wireless as the DROID Fighter, although nothing is confirmed for the time being. It should be noted that EXIF data can easily be manipulated, but an image of the data can be found after the break. More →

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mobile
April 16, 2012
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Sprint Galaxy Nexus pre-orders begin today, available April 22nd for $199.99

By on April 16, 2012 at 10:50 AM.

Sprint Galaxy Nexus pre-orders begin today, available April 22nd for $199.99

Sprint on Monday announced the availability of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. The Android 4.0 handset can be pre-ordered today and will be available beginning Sunday, April 22nd for $199.99 with a new two-year agreement. “Galaxy Nexus is a beautifully designed smartphone that combines the Pure Google experience with the speed of Sprint’s upcoming 4G LTE network,” said Fared Adib, Sprint’s vice president of product development. “It represents the cutting-edge features and applications that customers expect and pairs perfectly with Sprint’s unlimited data plans to let our customers enjoy their wireless experience without worrying about overage charges or throttling.” As an extra bonus, Sprint is offering customers who register a Google Wallet account within a week of activating their devices a $10 instant credit, along with an additional $40 of credit to be delivered within three weeks. Customers who pre-order the Galaxy Nexus will begin receiving the device as early as Friday, April 20th. Read on for Sprint’s press release. More →

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mobile
April 11, 2012
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T-Mobile’s HTC One S event on April 18th suggests imminent launch

By on April 11, 2012 at 11:25 PM.

T-Mobile’s HTC One S event on April 18th suggests imminent launch

T-Mobile on Wednesday sent out invitations to a special event that will allow attendees to “be amongst the first to experience the HTC One S,” suggesting the carrier will soon launch its flagship Android phone for the first half of 2012. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 18th, about a week before the handset is rumored to launch on April 25th. HTC unveiled the One S alongside the One X at the Mobile World Congress trade show in February. The device features a 4.3-inch qHD Super LCD display, a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 16GB of internal storage, the same stunning 8-megapixel camera found on the One X and Sense 4.0 atop Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

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mobile
April 10, 2012
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U.S. carriers partner with FCC to track stolen cell phones

By on April 10, 2012 at 5:10 PM.

U.S. carriers partner with FCC to track stolen cell phones

The four major wireless providers in the United States have partnered with the Federal Communications Commission in an effort to curb cell phone theft, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The wireless companies will build a central database of stolen cell phones, which will track phones that are reported as lost or stolen and deny them voice and data service. The goal of the database is to reduce crime by making it very difficult to use a stolen device. Verizon Wireless and Sprint currently block phones that are reported stolen from being reactivated. AT&T and T-Mobile do not, although all four carriers have now agreed to be part of the new database. Members of Congress are also expected to propose legislation to make it a crime to alter a cell phone’s unique identification number, according to the report. Similar stolen-phone databases are already in place in the U.K., Germany, France and Australia. While crime hasn’t completely stopped, the number of incidents has apparently declined. Carriers will roll out individual databases within six months that will be centralized over a 12-month period, with smaller regional wireless providers expected to join the database over the next two years. More →

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mobile
April 9, 2012
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AT&T will spend more promoting the Lumia than it did on Apple’s iPhone [updated]

By on April 9, 2012 at 6:30 PM.

AT&T will spend more promoting the Lumia than it did on Apple’s iPhone [updated]

In the coming months, AT&T will spend as much as $150 million to help promote Nokia’s latest flagship smartphone, the Lumia 900. According to Ad Age, the massive advertising budget is even greater than what the carrier spent promoting Apple’s iPhone, which continues to be the company’s top selling device. Since losing its exclusive partnership with Apple, AT&T has been adding smartphone subscribers at a slower rate than rival Verizon Wireless. With other revenue streams drying up, carriers are looking to add new smartphone users to propel growth from profitable data plans. “The bulk of the growth for carriers is coming from smartphone subscribers,” said Chris Larsen, telecom analyst for Piper Jaffray. “They generate higher monthly recurring fees and more revenue.” With Verizon nipping at the heels of AT&T’s smartphone users base — thanks to numerous high-end exclusives —the carrier needs to push its own exclusive smartphones to counter Verizon’s growth. “You can tell when you walk into a Verizon store they’ve made a lot of money selling Android—that’s what they’re promoting,” Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps told Ad Age.

UPDATE: BGR has confirmed with a trusted source that AT&T’s marketing plans for the Nokia Lumia 900 are not in line with this report. More →

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mobile
April 9, 2012
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LG reportedly prepping flagship phone to rival Samsung’s Galaxy S III

By on April 9, 2012 at 12:10 PM.

LG reportedly prepping flagship phone to rival Samsung’s Galaxy S III

LG is reportedly preparing a new flagship smartphone that will compete directly with Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S III, Digital Daily reported on Monday. The LG handset, code-named D1L, is said to be equipped with a 4.7-inch, 1280 x 720-pixel display and a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz. The publication’s sources also claim the handset will feature 4G LTE and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, with a launch date slated for May. An LG official confirmed the company is “developing a phone with a project name D1L,” though the company did not confirm any additional details. More →

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mobile
April 5, 2012
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ASUS PadFone launches mid-April in Taiwan for nearly $1,000 with accessories

By on April 5, 2012 at 6:25 PM.

ASUS PadFone launches mid-April in Taiwan for nearly $1,000 with accessories

When ASUS announced the PadFone at this year’s Mobile World Congress, the company promised the hybrid device would begin shipping in April. Staying true to its world, ASUS on Thursday revealed that pre-orders will begin on Friday and the device will launch on April 20th in Taiwan, Engadget reported. The 4.3-inch Android-powered smartphone will be priced at NT$17,990 ($610) on its own and the dockable tablet and keyboard will cost roughly $240 and $130, respectively, bringing the PadFone’s total cost with accessories to $980 in Taiwan. ASUS will also be offering an extra battery as a bonus to those who pre-order the device. The handset features a dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, an Adreno 225 graphics processor and an 8-megapixel rear camera. The device also has the unique ability to dock inside a tablet shell that will deliver a 10.1-inch display, a tablet UI and a new range of functionality. The company has not announced further details regarding the PadFone’s global availability. More →

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mobile
April 5, 2012
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Unannounced LG Windows Phone for Sprint revealed by FCC

By on April 5, 2012 at 12:15 AM.

Unannounced LG Windows Phone for Sprint revealed by FCC

The Federal Communications Commission recently published documents that reveal information about an unannounced Windows Phone device from LG. According to the documents, the LG LS831 supports CDMA in the 800 MHz and 1900 MHz bands, indicating that the handset will land on Sprint’s 3G network. Images reveal that the smartphone features a 5-megapixel rear camera, a front-facing camera, a headphone jack and a microUSB port. Sprint hasn’t launched a Windows Phone device since the HTC Arrive was released in early 2011, however the carrier is rumored to be prepping an LTE-equipped Windows Phone for a fall launch. More →

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mobile
April 4, 2012
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Sprint confirms 4G LTE network will have unlimited data

By on April 4, 2012 at 11:10 PM.

Sprint confirms 4G LTE network will have unlimited data

Sprint is known for its unlimited data plans and it is currently the only major carrier that doesn’t throttle excessive data use. Following the announcement that Sprint planned to discontinue its WiMAX buildout and switch to the more widely used LTE standard, however, the company never mentioned whether its upcoming LTE network would continue to offer unlimited data plans. To clarify the issue, Sprint on Tuesday confirmed to TechHog that its 4G LTE devices “will be available on Sprint’s network featuring unlimited data.” While the carrier’s initial 4G LTE rollout will be limited, data-hungry users who are not pleased with AT&T and Verizon’s 2GB and 5GB plans may be tempted to switch to Sprint when the carrier’s LTE services begin to go live in the coming weeks and months. More →

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mobile
April 4, 2012
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Nokia Lumia 900 teardown reveals mediocre hardware

By on April 4, 2012 at 9:00 PM.

Nokia Lumia 900 teardown reveals mediocre hardware

Nokia and Microsoft are betting big on the Lumia 900, hoping the device will help make a name for Windows Phone in the United States. The handset will be exclusively offered by AT&T for a mere $99.99 with a new two-year agreement on April 8th. TechRepublic on Tuesday cracked open the device and examined its internal components. The conclusion: mediocre hardware is the reasons for its low price. With almost every other competing smartphone offering dual-core or quad-core processors, Nokia instead chose a single-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 chipset clocked at 1.4 GHz. The Lumia has a smaller battery, lower resolution display and less RAM than most of its competitors as well. The handset is also thicker and heavier than most, although it has a good build quality according to the site. Despite these shortcomings, Nokia’s Lumia 900 is a terrific smartphone that gives Windows Phone its best shot yet to succeed. More →

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