News

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Apple Enables iTunes Music Downloads Over 3G  

Today, 1:46 PM   by Rich Brome

Apple today announced that iPhone users can now buy music from the iTunes Store app and download the songs directly over 3G networks. Downloading previously required a Wi-Fi connection. The company also announced that all music will be now available in a DRM-free AAC format. A wider range of pricing was also announced, with songs available at 69 cents, 99 cents, or $1.29 starting in April.

SlingPlayer Coming to iPhone  

Today, 10:55 AM   by Rich Brome

Sling Media today announced SlingPlayer for iPhone, allowing SlingBox users to access their home TV and DVR from anywhere. The software is being demo'd this week, and will be submitted to Apple for approval this quarter.

HTC Brings S740 to US  

Today, 10:13 AM   by Rich Brome

HTC today announced the S743, a version of the S740 with support for US 3G networks. The phone is a non-touch Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard device with a bar form factor and numeric keypad, plus a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. The phone features a 2.4-inch QVGA display, 3-megapixel camera, memory card slot, WiFi, GPS, and 528 MHz processor. Network support includes HSDPA 7.2 in the 850/1900 bands - suitable for AT&T's 3G network - plus quad-band GSM. The S743 will be available through independent retailers such as dell.com and cdw.com later this quarter.

Motorola Rolls Out Eco, Touch and PTT Phones  

Today, 12:00 AM   by Eric M. Zeman   updated Today, 11:00 AM

Today Motorola announced three new handsets that will become available through several different carriers over the course of the next few months.

• Renew W233: According to Motorola, the W233 is the first phone made from recycled water bottles. It has a carbon neutral footprint for those who are interested in keeping their carbon consumption to a minimum, it also cost 20% less to manufacture. In order to offset the energy used to produce, ship and power the W233, Motorola is making investments in renewable energy programs. The bar-style phone has dual-band 850/1900 GSM/EDGE radios, is rated at nine hours of talk time, and uses CrystalTalk for good call quality. It can support microSD cards up to 2GB and has basic messaging features.
• SURF A3100: The A3100 is a touch-based replacement for the Ming device that has been available in Asian markets. It runs Windows Mobile Professional 6.1, but has a new user interface created by Motorola that allows users to interact with most features of the phone on the 2.8-inch display. It has quad-band GSM/EDGE as well as 850/1900/2100 tri-band HSDPA 7.2Mbps 3G. It also carriers stereo Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Other features include a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus and VGA secondary camera, support for 32GB microSD cards, and a-GPS. It will be available in select Asian markets during the first quarter. No North American release date has been set.
• Tundra VA76r: This mil-spec, ruggedized clamshell is bound for AT&T's network and offers push-to-talk service via AT&T's Kodiak technology. It is the first phone from Motorola to offer CrystalTalk Plus, which uses a second microphone to filter out and reduce background noise. The Tundra runs Motorola's MOTOMAGX platform, and carries quad-band GSM/EDGE and dual-band 850/1900 HSDPA 3.2Mbps. It also has a 2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, aGPS and support for a 4GB microSD card.

Sprint Can't Offer Service In iPCS Regions  

Yesterday, 2:12 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

A judge upheld an earlier decision that bars Sprint Nextel from providing wireless services in areas covered by iPCS. iPCS had sued Sprint and Clearwire in hopes to block the merger of the two companies' WiMax businesses. iPCS is a Sprint affiliate. It offers Sprint-branded service in 80 markets, including portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. iPCS currently has about 675,000 subscribers.

UIQ Files for Bankruptcy  

Yesterday, 9:11 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

UIQ's CEO Johan Sandberg told Reuters in a recent interview that the company has filed for bankruptcy. UIQ was jointly owned by Sony Ericsson and Motorola, and supplied a version of Symbian to some mobile handsets. UIQ's bankruptcy comes partly as a result of Nokia's purchase of Symbian, which it plans to make available for free. Sandberg said, "There are no opportunities to create a new line of business in the current financial climate." Symbian had been reducing staff levels, but still has 200 employees as of last month.

Verizon: Alltel Deal to Close Jan. 9  

Sunday, 9:15 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

Verizon Wireless indicated in regulatory filings that it plans to close its acquisition of Alltel on Friday, January 9. Verizon is paying $5.9 billion for Alltel, as well as taking on $22.9 billion of debt. The acquisition will make the merged entity the largest wireless provider in the U.S., with 78 million customers.

Nokia's USA Site Shows T-Mobile-Branded 7510 Supernova  

Sunday, 9:02 PM   by Eric M. Zeman   updated Sunday, 10:08 PM

Nokia's USA-specific Web site has listed the 7510 Supernova with T-Mobile branding on it. The 7510 was first announced in June 2008 and is a flip phone with a push-to-open design, quad-band GSM/EDGE and FM radios, and 2 megapixel camera with LED flash. It will support cards up to 8GB in size. T-Mobile has not announced the phone.

Samsung R470 Pops Up On FCC Site  

Friday, 4:57 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

Today new documents seen on the FCC site revealed an unannounced phone from Samsung. The R470 is a dual-band CDMA clamshell with Bluetooth. Photos reveal that the R470 has a dedicated camera key, USB port, microSD slot, dual displays, headphone jack, external control pad, and external speakers. The draft user manual references "easyedge", which is a data service offered by U.S. Cellular.

Nokia N96 NAM Receives Major Firmware Update  

Friday, 11:03 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

Nokia has made a firmware update available to the North American version of the N96. Aside from some major bug fixes (including Bluetooth compatibility, stability, and camera performance), the update also makes the N96 compatible with Nokia's newly-launched Mail on Ovi service.

Google Wants Your Ideas for Mobile Products  

Friday, 9:42 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

Google has set up a new site that allows users of Google's mobile products to submit ideas for new mobile products, as well as rate them. Ideas posted to the site will be visible to everyone, and users can rate each idea. Google will use the site as a resource for gauging what users are interested in, and may take users' ideas and develop them into products.

Android Market to Offer Paid Applications  

Friday, 8:33 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

Google has informed developers for the Android Market -- the storefront for Android-based applications -- that they will be able to create applications that require payment. Up until now, all the applications available in the Android Market have been free. This has prevented some developers from creating applications for the Android platform. With the arrival of paid applications, slated for some time in the first quarter, more developers may be motivated to create applications for Google's mobile platform.

Rent Your Next Phone Rather Than Buy It  

Dec 31, 2008, 8:21 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

A new start-up based in New Jersey is offering people stuck in lengthy wireless contracts the opportunity to switch handsets without paying full price. Rentobile has bought cell phones from the major cellular carriers at full price, and then rents them to those interested in using a new handset even though they are in the middle of a contract. The company has between two and five handsets for each carrier, and rents them out at $20 to $50 per month, depending on the handset. Handsets can be rented for as long as a customer wishes, but Rentobile encourages customers to change handsets often.

FCC Chief Deletes Adult Content Filtering from Wireless Plan  

Dec 30, 2008, 9:28 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin recently said that he is willing to drop the idea of filtering out adult content if it will make his free wireless broadband proposal move forward. He told Ars Technica, "I'm saying if this is a problem for people, let's take it away. A lot of public interest advocates have said they would support this, but were concerned about the filter. Well, now there's an item in front of the Commissioners and it no longer has the filter. And I've already voted for it without the filter now." In order to become a reality, the other commissioners at the FCC would need to approve the revised proposal and then send it to congress. Martin wants to auction off a wide swath of spectrum and require that the winners provide free access to wireless broadband (768Kbps) Internet.

Samsung to Build Its Own WiMax, LTE Chips  

Dec 30, 2008, 9:13 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

Samsung is taking steps to begin fabricating its own WiMax and LTE chips for cell phones and other devices, according to the EETimes. Samsung said the move is being taken, in part, to eliminate the licensing fees it pays to chipmaker Qualcomm. Getting rid of the licensing fees could reduce the cost of Samsung's handsets. Samsung already has a fabrication plant located in Texas, and is one of the world's largest suppliers of memory. Samsung did not provide any sort of timeline for the development and fabrication of these chips.

AT&T Selling iPhones for $99  

Dec 29, 2008, 1:56 PM   by Rich Brome   updated Dec 29, 2008, 3:11 PM

AT&T is currently selling refurbished iPhones on its web site for $50 less than new retail price. Until Dec. 31, the carrier is also offering an extra $50 off, bringing the cost of an iPhone 3G (refurbished, 8 GB) down to $99.

Voice Coming to WiMAX Networks in Korea  

Dec 27, 2008, 3:04 PM   by Rich Brome

The South Korean government has approved a new standard that will enable voice service on the country's existing and future WiBro networks. WiBro is a Korean brand for Mobile WiMAX technology. Mobile WiMAX networks have previously been limited to data service only.

Sling Media Adds Support for More WinMo Phones  

Dec 26, 2008, 7:06 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

Sling Media has made a new version of SlingPlayer Mobile available for Windows Mobile smartphones. The new version supports more resolutions (800×480, 640×480, 400×240, and 320×320), and more models.

Sprint to Pay More to Virgin Mobile for Customers  

Dec 26, 2008, 7:00 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

Sprint is upping the amount it pays to Virgin Mobile USA from $2.50 per new customer to $4.50 per new customer that Virgin Mobile signs up. The agreement runs from July 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2009 and has a cap of $10 million. Virgin Mobile USA uses Sprint's wireless network to provide services to its customers. The move is meant to entice Virgin Mobile USA to tie more users to Sprint's network.

RIM Sues Motorola Over Jobs  

Dec 26, 2008, 6:52 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

Research In Motion has filed a lawsuit against Motorola, alleging that the U.S. company is improperly blocking it from hiring former Motorola employees. The two companies agreed in February that they would not solicit one another's employees. RIM says that agreement dissolved in August, but Motorola disagrees. RIM is seeking unspecified damages, and cites unfair competition on the part of Motorola.

Rural Carriers Make Push for Reinstating Spectrum Cap  

Dec 23, 2008, 2:44 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

A band of rural network operators, called the Rural Telecommunications Group, has approached the FCC about limiting carriers from owning more than 110MHz of spectrum below the 2.3GHz band in any one market. They feel having that much spectrum gives carriers too much power over the local competition. Wireless network operators such as AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon say that reinstating the limits would kneecap their ability to deploy better networks. The CTIA believes that existing laws already protect the smaller operators from their larger rivals. With FCC leadership set to change hands in early 2009, it is not likely that the FCC will make any decisions on the issue in the near future.

AT&T and Verizon Wireless Finalize Asset Swap  

Dec 22, 2008, 1:46 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

AT&T and Verizon Wireless announced the completion of the FCC-mandated asset swap. AT&T picked up Rural Cellular Corporation properties from Verizon Wireless, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in the Burlington, Vt. metropolitan service area, as well as rural areas of Kentucky, New York, Vermont, and Washington states. In return, Verizon Wireless acquired former Dobson Communications Corporation properties, including licenses, network assets and subscribers, in Kentucky, as well as 10 MHz of PCS spectrum in a number of areas and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Nokia Makes Mail on Ovi Available to the Masses  

Dec 22, 2008, 8:14 AM   by Eric M. Zeman

This morning, Nokia releases a public beta version of its Mail on Ovi service. With the new service, users can sign up for and create email accounts directly from their Series 40 handsets. The new service is available worldwide and available in a dozen languages. Mail on Ovi gives users all the features and functionalities of a PC-based email account. Mail on Ovi works on some 35 different Series 40 handsets, including models such as the 5310 XpressMusic and 5610 XpressMusic, and 3555 and 6555.

Nokia Consolidates Sign-Ins for Internet Services  

Dec 21, 2008, 10:13 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

In order to make it easier to sign up for and manage different Internet services accounts, Nokia has merged all its sign-ins with Ovi.com. Now, users will only need to create one username and one password to access all of Nokia's Internet services. Nokia hopes the change will help increase the adoption of its Internet-based services.

Student's Antenna Tweak Leads to Vastly Improved Battery Life  

Dec 19, 2008, 2:55 PM   by Eric M. Zeman

A student at Canada's Carleton University has discovered a new way to drastically improve battery life on mobile phones by changing the way the antenna is connected to the device. The method eliminates all the wires used to connect the electronic circuit board of the phone with the antenna. Rather than wires, the antenna communicates with the circuit board via a small RF transmitter embedded in the circuit. The method reduces power draw on the battery by 12 times, and will be less-costly to produce when compared to traditionally wired configurations. The inventor, Atif Shamim, an electronics PhD student at Carleton University, has filed for patents on the technology.

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