Archive for: 4g
The upcoming 6-8 weeks are going to be busy for U.S. Cellular and friends as the company is prepping their official LTE network launch as well as two new LTE devices, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy S Aviator. Both devices will feature LTE support to make use of the new super speedy network, which according to U.S. Cellular, will cover a full 25% of their network from day 1.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 will ship with Android 3.2, a 10.1″ WXGA display and the rest of the usual specs from Samsung’s 10″ tablets. The Aviator S will (sadly) ship with Android 2.3.6, a 4.3″ WVGA Super AMOLED display, 8-megapixel/VGA (rear/front) facing cameras, and again, standard hardware for a high-end Android device filling out the rest of the specs.
But the real meat of the store is U.S. Cellular’s new LTE network. In partnership with King Street Wireless, the duo will flip the switch in a number of cities in “select cities in Iowa, Wisconsin, Maine, North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma”. More specifically, some of the higher profile markets include: Milwaukee, Madison and Racine, Wisconsin; Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa; Portland and Bangor, Maine; and Greenville, North Carolina.
Look for the LTE airwaves to go live beginning in March with the Galaxy Tab 10.1 launching around the same time. The Galaxy S Aviator smartphone will come a month later in April.
What do you say, U.S. Cellular customers? Ready for some LTE action?
We love it when big tech companies screw up and release software/hardware early. Today’s tech gaff leaving many Android users very happy is brought to us compliments of Sprint. It seems someone had a small case of itchy clicky fingers and posted the Nexus S 4G’s upcoming Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM online. Sadly, it was quickly removed, though not before an eagle-eyed XDA member snagged it and subsequently re-shared it with the rest of the internet.
While we’re not yet certain if this Android 4.0.4 (yes, 0.4) build #IMM26 is the actual final to be released copy or not, it’s a lot better than the 2.x crap many Nexus S 4G users are currently making due with.
If you happen to venture over to XDA and download the ROM in question, be sure to let us know how it goes. We love that kind of stuff.
- January 19, 2012 11:14 pm
AT&T seemingly stole the show this week with the announcement of new data plans. And while they go a little ways towards making heavier data users happier, it is T-Mobile pulling out biggest surprise.
On January 25th the carrier will quietly launch two new promotional, “premium” and “ultra” data plans. Get ready for it — 5GB and 10GB data plans with tethering/mobile hotspot for free. In total, you’re looking at a solid ~$20 in savings. Oh, and the best part is that new and existing customers can get in on the fun.
We’re a bit disappointed T-Mobile isn’t broadcasting the upcoming data plans on every possible medium. Both plans are leaps and bounds better than any other major carrier. At the same time, we can understand the carrier wanting to protect their network. A bajillion people jumping online at the same time thanks to the crazy promotional data plans could bring things to a halt.
T-Mobile. Come on. Brag about this!
In case you hadn’t heard, details regarding AT&T’s upcoming data plan revamp were leaked last night. For those that didn’t see it:
Smartphones
- 5 GB – $50/month (With mobile hotspot + tethering)
Tablets
While we’re slightly upbeat that we can now pay $5 more every month for 3 GB of data instead of $25 + $10 when we go over, it’s hardly a vicotry. What most people will gloss over is the fact that AT&T just made it $5 more expensive to own a smartphone on their network…
The 3G/4G tango VZW (and pretty much every other LTE operator) must endure is reportedly coming to an end, according to sources of Light Reading. By “early 2013″, Verizon will begin rolling out nationwide VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) across their LTE network. The beauty of this: No more data/cellular (SMS + Voice) separation. Everything will effectively be transmitted and counted as data.
The same sources also say that VZW is currently doing wider scale testing in two U.S. cities.
The above report is somewhat disappointing depending on how you look at it. On one hand, 2013 isn’t really that far away. Conversely, previous VoLTE rumors involving Verizon claimed the carrier would begin rolling on said service in the 2H of 2012.
We’re eagerly waiting for the day that we can go into full data mode and drop the stingy minutes thing.
It’s that time of the month — time for Verizon Wireless to unleash LTE on more cities and expanding a couple to boot!
New Cities: Glens Falls and Utica, N.Y.; Lawton, Okla.; and Brownsville and McAllen, Texas.
Expanded Coverage: Atlanta, Georgia; Houston, Texas and Spokane, Wash
Did your city make the latest cut.
- January 10, 2012 11:28 am
You can only do so much to a hard drive to make it unique — up storage capacity, use some new fancy type of memory, or simply shrink down the tech to unbelievable levels. Or you could be like Seagate and something truly “out there” such as stuffing an LTE modem inside of an external hard drive’s enclosure. The as of now unnamed prototype also features a battery tucked away inside that reportedly allows for up to 5 hours of 802.11b/g/n streaming.
Here’s to hoping this mystery device doesn’t end up as another piece of CES vaporware or, that any attached data plans don’t cost more than the GDP of some developing countries. Agreed?
Everybody loves them some LTE. Really. Compared to the alternative, LTE is the tech junkie/road warriors single, saving grace. And today Verizon made sure to cater to that very group with two, new LTE hotspots, or as they call them, “Jetpacks”.
The MiFi 4620L features an OLED display that displays battery life, security settings, and connected devices whereas the ZTE-made Verizon Eu-Fi890 which like the former, features an OLED display to display a bevy of device information as well as integrated keyboard to make navigating and using the Jetpack way easier.
Both Jetpacks can support up to 10 simultaneously connected devices and are global in nature, giving users wireless coverage in over 205 countries, 125 of which are on 3G speeds.
Look for booth Jetpacks to hit Verizon’s website in the coming weeks.
Sprint doesn’t have any time to lick their wounds on WiMAX’s loss to LTE. They’re already dangerously close to being brushed under the rug of irrelevance. But they aren’t giving up. Today during Press Day just before the official start of CES 2012, Sprint unveiled three new LTE products that will (hopefully) help the nation’s third largest carrier once again climb into the main mobile arena.
The Viper 4G is an Android 2.3 Gingerbread device that features respectable 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, 4″ WVGA (480 x 800) display, and 5/VGA (rear/front) facing cameras. Where the initial specs may leave a bit to be desired, The Viper 4G does have one new addition that should appeal to feature hounds — NFC w/ Google Wallet support.
Moving onward, if the Viper 4G is a bit too plain for your tastes, we’re almost certain that Sprint’s own Galaxy Nexus variant will more than satisfy your palate. In the first time in many months — since the Nexus S at least — Sprint has a pure Android experience that rivals most other Android competitors. True to form, the Galaxy Nexus on Sprint will ship in a “pure” form meaning no skins, no fluff. Android and nothing else.
The third and final LTE Sprint news for today revolves around not a phone, but a wireless hotspot. The Sierra Wireless tri-network hotspot will reportedly be the first tri-network (3G/4G WiMAX/4G LTE) hotspot available on the market, and support up to 8 connected devices. Hand-offs between networks should be as smooth as butter once the device launches later this year.
