Archive for: Wimax
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.
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.
- September 19, 2011 4:42 pm
The moment digital wallet junkies have been waiting for — a compatible piece of hardware to make use of Google Wallet. Sprint and Samsung just released the “GWK74″ update for the Nexus S 4G that enables the built-in NFC chip’s Google Wallet functionality. As of writing this is the only hardware device gaining Google Wallet support. That should soon change, however, given the packed schedule for NFC-packing devices coming either later this year and early 2012.
If you don’t see the “GWK74″ verbiage on the “about phone” screen sit tight. The update is rolling out in batches. You could of course go the manual route and snag the update.zip from one of the countless sources growing by the minute.
Let us know how it goes!
- September 5, 2011 10:40 pm
Following previous rumors over the last several weeks saying Sprint will see its own iPhone launching this fall alongside AT&T and Verizon comes new reports that Apple is taking it to the next level. Apple stores are reportedly being retrofitted with Sprint signal boosters in order for the big iPhone 5 launch day so that customers can fully experience the Sprint iPhone 5 without having to worry about indoor cellular reception. Apple has installed similar hardware for AT&T and Verizon in areas where each respective carrier has less than stellar coverage.
The source of the rumor, an electrical contractor from Austin, Texas doesn’t say Apple is exclusively involved. But given the repeaters in question were put directly inside of the Apple Store at the location of choice when many other areas would have sufficed counts for something does it not?
So lets say the fall iPhone 5 launch includes AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. Who would you choose?
If you’re Sprint, now is a very crucial time to make a move. You just lost a rather important exclusive offering by way of HP’s slashing of webOS as well as an ongoing, slow, costly WiMAX rollout. What do you do? Switch to GSM/LTE technology, that’s what! While we’d certainly love to hear those words coming out of Sprint’s mouth, it’s all pure speculation. Sprint, however, will put rumors to rest and outline their future plans come October 7th at a just announced “Strategy Update” and FAQ session in New York city.
To many, the thought of having to transition an entire network of hardware and consumer-end devices from CDMA to GSM seems like a nightmare. And we have no doubt to believe that it is. But two Canadian carriers have already done it — Bell and Telus — so we know it can be done. And quite honesty, if Sprint wants any chance at being successful (and not just relevant) they need to do something drastic before it’s too late.
Stay tuned. Come Octboer 7th things are going to get mighty interesting.
Sprint and Samsung may not be making the Sprint-ified Epic Touch 4G (read: Sprint’s Galaxy S II) official until tomorrow evening at 6pm EST, but that doesn’t mean we can’t gander at the official press shots now. See anything you like?
Most of the time, tech companies at large won’t acknowledge rumors of new products. They simply ignore them. But when one company breaks the norm and plays defense by ordering employees to specifically respond “no comment”, well, the rumors in question begin to carry a bit more weight. And that’s exactly what Sprint did today.
An internal memo that ironically found its way onto the web tells Sprint employees to respond to requests for information about an iPhone 5 fall launch with “no comment” and to refrain from speculating on the aforementioned device. Hiding something, Sprint?
Another one of Sprint’s unique “features” will soon be gone on September 9th if a miscellaneous forum post by an alleged “Sprint insider” is to be believed. Specifically, Sprint will raise device ETFs from their current $200 price point to the now (sadly) standard $350 on all devices activated after September 9th.
From a business standpoint, it makes sense for Sprint given the raising prices of phones, tablets, etc. as it costs Sprint more money in losses when someone cancels their contract. On the flip-side, if ETFs were truly “just for recapturing device subsidization costs” as the carriers claim, the ETF should be $0 by the end of your contract. Unfortunately that’s not how it works. But the ways in which carriers screw customers over is best reserved for another day.
For the record: AT&T’s current ETF is $325 while Verizon’s is the same at $350.
Also interesting to note: Sprint requires a 2-year lock on already purchased phones that you either completely paid for with a previous 2-year plan or “unlocked” phones not sold by Sprint, yet the same $350 ETF will be required — for what?
Need another piece of evidence that suggests RIM’s PlayBook tablet still has major issues? How about new reports that even more carriers are dropping support for RIM’s uber tablet? Sprint just announced that they have cancelled plans to sell a WiMAX (read: 4G) equipped BlackBerry PlayBook. Not only that, Sprint won’t pursing any PlayBook variations from here on out. According to Sprint:
“The PlayBook just hasn’t caught on with business customers.”
Even more damning…
“There are so many tablets in the market, it creates confusion for the average customer.”
While views towards RIM’s tablet ambitions have grown cold, Sprint maintains that their plans to cancel PlayBook Tablet sales “has no impact on our relationship with RIM”
When individual customers take the same stance that Sprint is taking — abandonment — it’s bad. When carriers themselves are running the other way, it’s time to give up. With that said, we desperately hope RIM can get their sinking ship back in order as we genuinely love QNX. So far, however, RIM’s rollout of new features on the first QNX device has been slow at best.
We expect a follow-up head-in-the-sand response from RIM within the next few hours.
Stay tuned…
Update
RIM has published an official response to the above information. Oddly enough, they word their response on such a way that makes it sound like it was they, and not RIM, that made the absolute decision to cancel WiMAX PlayBooks. With that said, their response doesn’t account for WiFI-only PlayBooks on Sprint.
RIM has decided to prioritize and focus its 4G development resources on LTE. We remain excited and committed to delivering innovative and powerful 4G tablets to the US market together with our carrier partners. Testing of BlackBerry 4G PlayBook models is already underway and we plan to enter labs for network certifications in the US and other international markets this fall.
