NEW ORLEANS–Theoretical speeds are one thing, but the majority of smartphone owners will agree that real-life data speeds are what count. Comprehensively charting each carriers’ data network is the subject of RootMetric’s quarterly report. So far, the company scouts have systematically combed 42 urban and suburban markets to compare 3G and 4G data speeds. More …
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NEW ORLEANS–Moshi is taking Apple’s magnetic iPad case a step further, with origami. The hard plastic Moshi iGlaze with Versacover case totally surrounds the iPad, combining both a protective screen that helps minimizes glare (but not as much as the separate iVisor product) with a back panel that wears a microfiber flap like a blanket. Related stories Apple reportedly working …
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NEW ORLEANS–A year ago, tablets were on the rise, and the industry forecast looked promising for expanding a market that Apple essentially pioneered. So why aren’t non-iOS tablets doing better? That’s the question posed at CTIA 2012 by All Things D’s Walt Mossberg, who moderated a panel exploring the topic. “Here we sit in May 2012, and it’s still heavily …
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NEW ORLEANS–Mark your calendars for May 18, Sprint customers. That’s the day that the HTC Evo 4G LTE goes on sale for just about $200 with a new, two-year contract. If you didn’t preorder the device on May 7, you’ll have about a week to make your move with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone. A variant of the …
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U.S. Cellular launched the Pantech Verse yesterday, a messaging phone with a vertical slide-up QWERTY keyboard. Phone like the Verse may seem a dying breed when you consider all the smartphones making a splash at shows like CTIA and on store shelves, but there’s an audience for those looking for simple and cheap. The Pantech Verse, for texting lovers (photos) …
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NEW ORLEANS–Sprint has gone to great length to explain to its investors and the press how it’s consolidating its various network technologies into one. Its latest 4G hot spot is a perfect example of the concept in practice. The 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot, made by Sierra Wireless, will support three of Sprint’s data networks: 4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 3G. …
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T-Mobile USA may be going from acquisition target to acquirer. T-Mobile made a splash when it agreed to be bought by AT&T more than a year ago. Now, it may want to make a splash of its own, with parent company Deutsche Telekom weighing the acquisition of MetroPCS, according to Bloomberg. Deutsche Telekom could merge MetroPCS and T-Mobile under a …
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NEW ORLEANS–Cricket’s booth was a still, calm field of familiar phones here at CTIA, but come summer, things will be chirping once more for the prepaid carrier. Between July 31 and October, Cricket plans to launch “upwards of 10 devices,” according to Cricket spokesman Greg Lund. You can bet a fair number of them will feature the all-you-can-download Muve Music …
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NEW ORLEANS–The carrier networks aren’t the only 4G LTE game in town. Qualcomm today announced its intention to support Clearwire’s forthcoming TDD-LTE network in a select line of chipsets that power mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Qualcomm already has what are called multi-mode, multi-band LTE chipsets, which enable devices to ride more than one LTE frequency. Related Stories Why …
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NEW ORLEANS–What if there were an accurate way for your phone to help you time your commute on a given morning? “Take Highway 280 today instead of 101; there’s an accident” for instance, or “It will take you 10 minutes longer than usual today, so you’d better leave by 7:30 in order to make that 8:30 meeting.” Unfortunately, our phones …
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