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58 '4G' stories June 2011 - September 2012

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Droid Razr M lands on Verizon’s 4G LTE network today for $99 with contract

Élyse Betters Sep 13 2012 - 8:03 am PT

Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility unveiled its new line of Droid Razr smartphones just last week, and now the Droid Razr M is officially available at Verizon Wireless for $99 on a two-year contract.

Check it out: Verizon Wireless

We recently reviewed the device and dubbed it our “favorite little Droid.” It packs a Super Amoled Advanced 4.3-inch display with 40 percent more screen real estate and a 40 percent more powerful battery than the Apple iPhone 4S. It also notably features a Corning Gorilla Glass display, DuPont Kevlar fiber and a splash-guard coating on the outside, while the software on the inside comes equipped with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich (with an upgrade to Jelly Bean by “the holidays”) and access to Google Play. It also touts Chrome for Android, Google Maps, Voice Actions for Android, Google, YouTube, and an easy-to-use tutorial for interactive help with customization

Additional premium specs include 4G LTE and NFC capability, a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and 1080p HD recording, front-facing camera for video chatting, mobile Hotspot and a microSDcard slot with support for up to 32 GB. The Droid Razr M comes in either “sleek black” or “stand out white.”

The new Razr M commercial:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3mdkqOiuyg&feature=plcp]

In related news, Motorola also released a new Razr Maxx HD commercial (below):

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Virgin Mobile’s clever ‘happy accidents’ video shows new ways to need an upgrade

Seth Weintraub Aug 24 2012 - 5:43 am PT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8pdaEgXENE&feature=youtu.be

Oh, and Virgin is having a sale on its selection of Androids: $35 a month is probably less than you are paying now. (and it offers the iPhone for an industry low $30/month unlimited data plan)
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Verizon: You might be a Redneck if you still don’t have LTE, opens 34 markets and now covers 75 percent of the US

Élyse Betters Aug 15 2012 - 1:42 pm PT

Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network will blanket more than 75 percent of the United States population after it lights up 34 new markets and expands 38 other markets, bringing the carrier’s total U.S. LTE markets to 371, on Aug. 16.

The new markets include (via Verizon Wireless):

Hot Springs, Ark.; Redding, Calif.; Valdosta and Waycross, Ga.; Centralia and Danville, Ill.; Parsons, Salina and Topeka, Kan.; Alexandria and Monroe, La.; Pittsfield, Mass.; Battle Creek and Muskegon, Mich.; Mankato and Worthington, Minn.; Joplin and Sedalia, Mo.; Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot, N.D.; Chillicothe, Ohio; Reading, Pa.; Aberdeen, S.D.; Laredo, Odessa and Texarkana, Texas; Brattleboro and White River Junction, Vt.; Charlottesville, Va.; Longview, Wash.; and Eau Claire, La Crosse and Manitowoc, Wis.

The expanded areas include (via Verizon Wireless):

Los Angeles and Santa Barbara/Santa Maria, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; Macon/Warner Robins, Ga.; Bloomington, Champaign/Urbana, Decatur/Effingham and Springfield, Ill.; Elkhart, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa City and Sioux City, Iowa; Dodge City, Garden City and Great Bend, Kan.; Lexington and Louisville, Ky.; New Orleans, La.; Boston, Mass.; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.; Missoula, Mont.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Manchester/Nashua, N.H.; Las Cruces, N.M.; New York, N.Y.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Greenville/Spartanburg, S.C.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; and Salt Lake City/Ogden, Utah; Roanoke, Va.; Charleston, W.Va.; and Green Bay, Wis. Additional areas include: Little Rock, Ark., expanding into Batesville, Ark.; Tallahassee, Fla., expanding into Thomasville, Ga.; Burley, Idaho, expanding into Twin Falls, Idaho; Chicago, Ill., expanding into DeKalb, Ill.; and Cedar City, Utah, expanding into St. George, Utah.

“Our 4G LTE network is currently in more markets than all other U.S. wireless providers combined, and our team is continuing to expand the network so that more customers across the nation can take advantage of 4G LTE speed and capabilities,” said Verizon Wireless’ Chief Technical Officer Nicola Palmer. “We are ahead of schedule with our 4G LTE market roll out and will provide 4G LTE network coverage to more than 400 markets in the near future.”

It looks like folks only in the most rural of areas will lack LTE after tomorrow’s massive rollout.

Read all the individual pressers at Verizon Wireless.

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Verizon launching Galaxy S III on July 10 for $200

Jordan Kahn Jul 3 2012 - 12:06 pm PT

[tweet https://twitter.com/VZWnews/status/220229199443668992]

After beginning to accept preorders for the device in early June, Verizon Wireless confirmed today that Samsung’s Galaxy S III would officially launch on July 10 at $199 for the 16GB model and $249 for the 32GB model with both on the usual two-year contract. Verizon’s full press release is below.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ and DALLAS — Verizon Wireless and Samsung Telecommunications America (Samsung Mobile) today announced that the 4G LTE-powered Samsung Galaxy S^® III will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online at www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 starting July 10. Galaxy S III customers will have access to the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network which is available in 304 markets across the United States. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE will be in 400 markets covering 260 million people by the end of this year.

Customers can take advantage of 4G LTE-optimized apps like Color to share live video broadcasts of life’s special moments with their Facebook^® friends. Sharing live video with audio is an exclusive feature of the Color app on Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network. Customers can broadcast real-time footage of a newborn’s first step with family members who are miles away or share a beautiful view of a vacation spot to make friends at home jealous. Combining America’s largest 4G LTE network with the Galaxy S III’s 4.8-inch HD Super AMOLED^™ display creates the perfect duo to watch movies, television shows and other video content with apps like viewdini. Viewdini brings the power of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network to the screen by streamlining access to videos from a wide range of content providers, including cable operators, websites and other popular video sources. The viewdini app can be downloaded from Verizon Apps and Google Play.

Additional features:

Android^™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich
Mobile Hotspot – Share a 4G LTE connection with up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices
1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 2 GB RAM
Share Shot – Create a temporary photo sharing network with a group of friends who are nearby at the same party or event; photos can be taken by any member of the group and shared with the entire group
S Beam – Share pictures, videos, documents and more by simply touching two Galaxy S III devices’ backs together
S Voice^™ – Featuring natural language recognition, you can control the apps and services used most with words instead of touch
Pop Up Play – Videos can be played in a small window while customers use the rest of the display to complete other tasks such as typing emails, organizing calendars and updating their social networks
Evolved camera capabilities – Burst Shot mode instantly captures 20 continuous shots and Best Photo feature selects the best shot to display
Enhanced camera – 8-megapixel rear camera with zero-lag shutter speed and a 1.9-megapixel front camera so customers can capture pictures and videos of themselves or video chat with family and friends
microSD^™ card slot for expandable memory

The Samsung Galaxy S III is available in 16 GB and 32 GB models for $199.99 and $249.99 respectively with a new two-year customer agreement. The 16 GB model will be available in stores and online starting July 10 and the 32 GB model will be available online starting July 10 and will be in stores in the coming weeks. Customers will also have the choice of the Galaxy S III in two colors: Marble White or Pebble Blue. Customers can visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxys3 for more information on the Samsung Galaxy S III for Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless launches Share Everything plans

Élyse Betters Jun 28 2012 - 12:56 pm PT

Verizon Wireless’ Share Everything plans go live today.

Current Verizon customers can upgrade, but new customers must choose a Share Everything plan. Verizon is scrapping the family plans and individual tiered plans for incoming subscribers, because the new options provide unlimited talk, unlimited text, and shareable data with pricing based on how much data is consumed.

Unlimited plans are not profitable for Verizon, which stopped offering unlimited data last year, due to growing smartphone usage clogging the carrier’s pipelines. The new standard is quickly becoming 4G LTE, so Verizon is likely trying to capitalize on every bit of data funneled through its network.

Verizon’s new strategy is the first of its kind in the U.S. It notably allows users to share data with up to 10 devices through a single account, but users can also fly solo with plans starting at $30 for 2 GB of data.

Visit the Share Everything website for all the details, or check out the full price sheet at Verizon’s Share Everything Calculator page.

This aside is cross-posted on 9to5Mac.

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Analyst: iPhone ‘under pressure’ at Verizon as Droid RAZR MAXX takes top spot during the quarter

Jordan Kahn Jun 14 2012 - 12:58 pm PT

William Blair analyst Anil Doradla (via Barron’s) wrote in his notes today that the iPhone is still the best-selling smartphone across the United States, but it is coming “under pressure, particularly at Verizon” due to the carrier’s aggressive marketing of 4G-capable devices. Citing his checks of sales for the current quarter as of June, Doradla claimed the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX outsold the iPhone on Verizon:

Since Apple’s iPhone launch in North America, we believe this was the first quarter where the iPhone was not the best‐selling smartphone at a North American mobile operator (where it was available). While Apple continued to maintain its top position at AT&T and Sprint, Motorola’s Droid RAZR MAXX was the best‐ selling smartphone at Verizon. Our checks also indicate that at this stage consumers are not pausing in front of the iPhone launch as it is not influencing their purchasing decisions (but we expect it to start impacting over the next couple of months).

While the RAZR MAXX took the top spot, Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus grabbed third position behind the iPhone, according to Doradla. He backed his “outperform” rating on Apple by saying he is “not worried” given the next generation iPhone, which is likely due in October, is expected to include 4G LTE capabilities:

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Verizon to introduce shared data plans June 28, reflects reality of multiple device users

Jordan Kahn Jun 12 2012 - 6:03 am PT

According to a report from AllThingsD, Verizon Wireless will soon change the way it charges customers for cellular/data plans in a major way. Rather than charging customers for phones calls or messages sent, the report claimed Verizon would charge “almost exclusively based on how much data” is consumed. The new “Share Everything” plans will also be the first in the United States that allows users to share their data with up to 10 devices through a single account:

The plans, known as “Share Everything,” allow users an unlimited number of calls and texts and also allow data usage to be pooled among up to 10 devices on one account. With the move, Verizon becomes the first U.S. carrier to offer the ability for customers to share a bucket of data across multiple devices.

AllThingsD noted that AT&T also has plans for shared data options, but it did not provide more details. As for Verizon’s new plans, which will apparently kick-in June 28, the report explained the cost of the data plan and pricing metrics based on a per-device fee. In other words, you will have to pay roughly $40 per smartphone ($10 per tablet), and then opt for either a $50 1GB data plan or a $100 10GB plan. While the report claimed the new pricing should not impact the cost of plans for users who continue consuming the same amount of data, it is clear that those signing a new plan for a single smartphone are getting a bit less for their money:

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First leaked images bring the Motorola Droid Razr HD to life [Photos]

Élyse Betters Jun 8 2012 - 1:36 pm PT

A couple Motorola Droid Razr HD pictures just hit the Web.

Droid-Life posted the leaks (above), mentioned the smartphone’s upcoming arrival to Verizon’s 4G LTE network, and detailed its visualized design and rumored specs:

While it maintains a bit of the RAZR look of last year, the back plate is now full kevlar without the extra rim of plastic around it. The camera (likely 13MP) has been centered in the middle with flash and speaker on each side. From the picture below, you can see that there isn’t much of a hump left and that is thought to be because of the 3300mAh battery that Moto has included inside. Our source claims that the screen is “amazing” and that the phone also has the expected on-screen navigation keys. They were not able to confirm the processor, which is thought to be Qualcomm’s 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4, but we would be surprised if it was something else. What’s interesting is the move from Motorola to put the micro HDMI and USB ports on the bottom side of the device again, similarly to what we saw from multiple devices like the Bionic and DROID X/X2.

There are no official details on a release date for the newest Razr offering, but rumors indicate a late summer launch.

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Samsung announces dual-core Galaxy S3 for five US carriers starting this month

Seth Weintraub Jun 4 2012 - 3:00 am PT

Qualcomm seems to have the lock on U.S. processors for high-end phones. Just like the HTC Ones before it, Samsung also uses the dual-core Qualcomm S4 processors in its U.S. versions of the Galaxy S3 phones—trading out its own Exynos quad-core processor. Qualcomm dual-core S4 processors have the LTE and 42MB HSPA+ speeds that U.S. smartphone owners expect while keeping up with quad-core processors.

There are no other real surprises in the announcement. Samsung said S3s would deliver starting at $199 later this month on Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. Capacities will vary between 16GB to 32GB of expandable storage, a whopping 2GB of RAM, and a 2100mAh battery. Each will also have that lovely 4.8-inch 720P Super AMOLED display.

The press release follows:

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T-Mobile announces no-contract broadband passes starting at $15

Jordan Kahn May 17 2012 - 1:44 pm PT

T-Mobile announced new “worry-free No Annual Contracts” today for its mobile broadband service that is expected to launch through T-Mobile retail stores and online May 20. The plans start at $15 per one-week pass capped at 300MB and $25 per one-moth pass capped at 1.5GB. The carrier is also offering 3.5GB and 5GB one-month passes at $35 and $50, respectively.

T-Mobile’s website currently lists no-annual contract broadband plans at $100 for a 100MB week pass, $30 for a 1 GB month pass, or $50 for a 3GB month pass. We are assuming the new plans will replace the old ones on May 20.

Starting at just $15, T-Mobile’s lineup of No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes delivers a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution that offers an allotment of mobile data, making it possible for customers to choose a pass that best fits their data needs without committing to a two-year contract.

The full press release from T-Mobile is below:

T-Mobile Introduces New No Annual Contract

Mobile Broadband Service Passes

New Passes, Available May 20, Offer Flexible, More Affordable Access to High-Speed Internet on the Go on an Advanced Lineup of 4G Tablets, Mobile Hotspots and Laptop Sticks

Bellevue, Wash. — May 17, 2012 — T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced that its new, flexible and worry-free No Annual Contract mobile broadband service passes will debut May 20, making it easier for customers to enjoy access to high-speed Internet on the gowhenever they want. With T-Mobile’s new, more affordable No Annual Contract data passes, customers can experience T-Mobile’s blazing-fast 4G network speeds across a variety of mobile broadband devices including tablets, mobile hotspots and laptop sticks – with no strings attached.

Starting at just $15, T-Mobile’s lineup of No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes delivers a pay-in-advance, overage-free solution that offers an allotment of mobile data, making it possible for customers to choose a pass that best fits their data needs without committing to a two-year contract:

300MB 1-week pass for $15
1.5GB 1-month pass for $25
3.5GB 1-month pass for $35
5GB 1-month pass for $50

“Although most of our mobile broadband customers choose postpaid rate plans for the best device prices and data rates, we know that many of our customers want the flexibility to be able to experience mobile broadband without committing to an annual contract up front,” said Jeremy Korst, vice president of marketing, T-Mobile USA. “With better pricing and new features like an auto-refill option and a simpler purchase experience, T-Mobile’s No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes make it easier and more affordable than ever to experience high-speed Internet on the go on a range of devices.”

T-Mobile^® offers a variety of 4G mobile broadband devices that, when connected to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network, offer customers fast access to the Web, e-mail, gaming, movies and more, while on-the-go.

T-Mobile’s lineup of mobile, connected tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab^™ 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab^™ 7.0 Plus and the T-Mobile^® SpringBoard^™with Google^™, deliver a premium on-the-go entertainment and Web experience, making it possible to stream movies on a road trip or shop online while the kids play at the park.
The T-Mobile^® Sonic^™ 4G Mobile Hotspot and the T-Mobile 4G Mobile Hotspot are ideal for staying connected on-the-go with colleagues and clients or providing Internet on the go for the family on vacation. Providing simultaneous access to T-Mobile’s 4G network for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices, customers can use their mobile hotspots to connect their iPad^® devices, laptops, music players, portable gaming devices and e-readers, among other devices, to T-Mobile’s high-speed 4G network.
T-Mobile’s laptop sticks, including the HSPA+ 42-enabled Rocket^™ 3.0 USB Laptop Stick, are perfect for customers looking for a blazing-fast mobile Internet connection on their laptop.

Availability

T-Mobile’s new No Annual Contract mobile broadband passes are expected to be available beginning May 20 at T-Mobile retail stores, select dealers, national retailers and online at http://www.t-mobile.com. More information on T-Mobile’s mobile broadband offerings is available at http://mobile-broadband.t-mobile.com.

Virgin Mobile announces LG Optimus Elite, its first device with NFC and Google Wallet

Jordan Kahn May 10 2012 - 1:15 pm PT

Virgin Mobile just announced the LG Optimus Elite, a 3.5-inch Android 2.3 device featuring a 5-megapixel camera and 800 MHz processor, as its first device with NFC and Google Wallet. The device will officially go on sale on May 15 for $250 and is already available for pre-order (here).

Google confirmed Google Wallet was headed to Virgin late last month with the LG Optimus Elite, which is also available through Sprint alongside the Google Wallet-enabled Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper 4G.

The full press release from Virgin is below:

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Droid Incredible 4G LTE extended battery spotted on retail site

Élyse Betters Apr 27 2012 - 8:17 am PT

The yet-to-be released HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE just received more verification about its pending existence due to two accessories that suddenly appeared on retail website HTCPedia.

The HTC 2150 mAh Extended Battery for HTC Incredible 4G LTE and HTC Extended Battery Door for HTC Incredible 4G LTE for $34.99 and $19.99, respectively, are further indications that this highly-anticipated smartphone is on the way.

Earlier this week, the Droid Incredible 4G accidentally—and temporarily—popped up on Verizon’s “Droid Does” website, and images of the device even surfaced around the Web at the beginning of April. These leaks verify rumors that the latest Droid will pack a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 4-inch display, LTE bands, and Android 4.0 with HTC’s custom Sense 4 on top. Presumably, the device will also feature an 8-megapixel shooter.

(via Android Community)

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Google confirms Wallet for LG Viper 4G LTE, Virgin’s Optimus Elite

Jordan Kahn Apr 24 2012 - 9:38 am PT

In addition to the announcement of an unlocked Galaxy Nexus being made available to purchase directly from Google Play, the company confirmed on the official Google Commerce Blog today that Google Wallet is now available through three devices on Sprint: Galaxy Nexus, LG Viper 4G LTE, and LG Optimus Elite. It also confirmed that Wallet would come to the LG Optimus Elite on Virgin Mobile. Google is continuing to offer all new users a $10 credit for their Google Prepaid Card when accessing the service for the first time.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus and LG Viper launch on Sprint today (9to5google.com)

T-Mobile Test Drives 4G vs 3G in unfair network comparison

Jordan Kahn Apr 18 2012 - 8:03 am PT

Following the launch of its new Alter Ego ad campaign yesterday, T-Mobile just made its new “Test Drive” tool available for comparing the speed of “American’s Largest 4G Network” to other guys— Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon. Unfortunately, as pointed out by TMONews, the carrier is comparing 4G LTE Android handsets, such as the Galaxy S II, to the 3G speeds of the iPhone 4S. This is obviously not a fair comparison of LTE network speeds…

T-Mobile’s TestDrive website is now live and I will say at first glance, I’m disappointed. I’ll just get right to it — T-Mobile, I’m really puzzled by this. The idea that you claim “America’s largest 4G network” and design a new commercial campaign around speed and then compare your “4G” network against “3G” smartphones is a questionable act. Speed should no longer be the focus of T-Mobile’s marketing campaign, Value and Technology should. Speed should be a secondary thought. If you can’t win on speed, highlight where you can, Value, Value, Value.

Report: Four carriers fight for fastest 3G and 4G speeds, only two debut on top (9to5google.com)

Report: Four carriers fight for fastest 3G and 4G speeds, only two debut on top

Élyse Betters Apr 17 2012 - 11:56 am PT

PC World tested 3G and 4G wireless data transfer speeds for the top four carriers —both indoors and outside with multiple devices across 13 major cities in 130 testing locations— and discovered some surprising results.

During average wireless speed tests for 3G networks with the smartphones pictured above, T-Mobile took home the fastest download and upload speed prize at 3.84 Mbps and 1.44 Mbps, respectively. AT&T landed the No. 2 spot with its 2.62 Mbps download speed and 0.85-Mbps upload speed.

The slower 3G network provider reclaimed its pride and rose to fame with its 4G wireless speeds, however. AT&T garnered 9.56 Mbps while downloading and 5.15 Mbps for uploads. Verizon debuted at second with its 7.35 Mbps download speed and 5.86 Mbps upload speed.

The overall winners are named below.

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Verizon expanding LTE network in dozens of cities April 19

Jordan Kahn Apr 17 2012 - 9:15 am PT

Verizon put out dozens of press releases today announcing expansions and additions to its 4G LTE network. The majority of the additions and expansions will kick-in April 19.

Additions:

LaGrange, Georgia, Macon, Georgia, Brunswick, Georgia, Cattaraugus-Allegany Counties (New York), Dodge City, Kansas, Great Bend, Kansas, Garden City, Kansas, Hays, Kansas, Pierre, South Dakota, Ocala, Florida, Provo-Orem, Utah.

Expansions:

Southern Illinois, East and Southeast of Des Moines, Iowa, Wichita, Kansas, St. Louis, Missouri, Southwest Missouri, Columbus, Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, Boise-Nampa, Idaho, Ft. Collins-Loveland, Colorado, Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah.

Cross-posted on 9to5Mac.com

LTE Samsung Galaxy S Aviator available on US Cellular, looks suspiciously like Droid Charge

Seth Weintraub Apr 5 2012 - 7:43 am PT

If you really liked the Droid Charge’s look and feel, with its fast LTE speeds and physical buttons, but did not want to jump on Verizon Wireless, U.S. Cellular has a phone with a similar experience. The Samsung Galaxy S Aviator sticks out with the following features:

· Android 2.3.6 (Gingerbread)
· 4.3-inch Super AMOLED™ Plus touchscreen
· 8 megapixel rear-facing camera
· Front facing webcam
· HDMI port

I am surprisingly a big fan of real buttons, because you can feel them for navigation, and sometimes capacitance gets all out of whack.

Otherwise, the Charge is a solid phone on Verizon, and now U.S. Cellular owners will have a nice option too.

The press release follows:

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Samsung offering free extended battery kit with Galaxy Nexus on contract

Jordan Kahn Apr 2 2012 - 6:39 am PT

If you are considering picking up the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon anytime soon, Samsung is giving you a decent incentive to do so directly through its website. For a limited time, the company is offering a free Galaxy Nexus i515 Battery Bundle Kit with the purchase of a Galaxy Nexus on the usual two-year Verizon contract. The kit, usually worth $50 through Samsung, provides a back casing compatible with the included 21 mAh extended battery. Unfortunately, many report the battery only provides approximately 10 percent extra battery life, but it is definitely worth getting it free before the promotion ends on May 10.

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Qualcomm’s 4G LTE Gobi 4000 chips shipping to Android OEMs likely to land in next-gen tablets

Jordan Kahn Nov 16 2011 - 12:28 am PT

Qualcomm has just issued a press release announcing the commercial availability of their Gobi 4000 chips for 4G LTE and HSPA+ capable devices, variants of which could very well land in any number of forthcoming dual and quad-core LTE Android devices. Qualcomm is already working with OEMs to include the Gobi 4000 platform, which comes in both LTE/HSPA+ and LTE/EV-DO designs, in devices including Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops, and Dell’s Latitude E6420 laptops, in addition to other Android and Windows powered mobile devices. Qualcomm explains:

Qualcomm’s latest Gobi-enabled 4G platform features the Gobi Application Programming Interface (API) with LTE extensions and is compatible with leading connectivity standards, including CDMA2000® 1xEV-DO Rev. A and B, HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE with integrated backwards compatibility to HSPA and EV-DO. The Gobi 4000 platform also includes software enhancements for select MDM™ chipsets that enable a common software interface to help connect, locate and manage 3G/4G devices regardless of wireless interface and operating system.

The new chips, now shipping to OEMs through Novatel Wireless and Sierra Wireless, are based on Qualcomm’s MDM9600 and MDM 9200 3G/4G wireless modems, and as the company notes, have been specially designed for deployment in Android devices utilizing Snapdragon dual-core and quad-core processors. In addition to HSPA+, dual-carrier HSPA+, and LTE support, the Gobi 4000 platform is also backwards compatible with HSPA and EV-DO. You can expect the chip to land in a number of LTE-capable Android devices in the months to come.

Qualcomm’s senior vice president of produdct management for CDMA Technologies, Cristiano Amon, had this to say about the announcement:

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Sprint announces the EVO Design 4G: $99 world-phone available October 23rd

Jake Smith Oct 19 2011 - 10:42 am PT

Sprint has announced the fifth device in their EVO lineup this morning: the EVO Design 4G. The EVO Design 4G is a world-phone available for $99 October 23rd, and actually has a pretty nice spec list under its belt. Specs for the device include Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), HTC Sense, 1.2 GHz processor, 4-inch qHD display, 5-megapixel rear-camera, 1.3-megapixel front-camera, Wi-Fi, and World Phone capabilities. Pretty cheap for a nice device.

Localytics: One-third of the U.S. Android ecosystem is 4G-enabled

9to5 Staff Sep 27 2011 - 6:53 am PT

A Localytics study issued today helps understand why Verizon Wireless recently sided with Samsung in the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung legal saga. Per Localytics’ data, 4G is one of Android’s key differentiators: More than one in three Android phones in the United States take advantage of fourth-generation cellular networks. In the third quarter of this year, some 36.6 percent of Android handsets in the United States were 4G-ready, a notable increase over the 22.6 percent in the first quarter of 2011.

This number is increasing rapidly – since the beginning of the year, the percentage of Android devices that are 4G-capable has grown by over 50 percent, culminating at a full third of the Android ecosystem. It will be interesting to see whether the iPhone 5 supports any type of 4G network. The drawbacks – bulkier antenna and a much shorter battery life – may outweigh the benefits in speed. Regardless, with the growth in 4G-capable handsets Android has seen, it appears that smartphone users are buying into the value of speed. We’ll see how this continues.

The nation’s most popular 4G handsets in the third quarter were the HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon), the HTC Evo 4G (Sprint), the Samsung Epic 4G (Sprint), the Samsung Droid Charge (Verizon), the myTouch 4G (T-Mobile USA) and the Motorola Atrix (AT&T). A few caveats and the full list of most popular 4G devices in the country right below the fold…

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T-Mobile’s Galaxy S II gets official with support for 4G HSPA+ 42 Mbps network

Jordan Kahn Sep 26 2011 - 2:19 pm PT

After Samsung this morning announced they have sold 10 million Galaxy S II’s into retail channels, T-Mobile has made their own variant official with an October 10th pre-order date and $229 price tag.

While the majority of the specs on the device mirror other Galaxy S II variations, the real story here is support for T-Mobile’s 4G HSPA+ 42 Mbps network thanks to the switch from Samsung’s Exnos processor to a 1.5GHz Qualcom dual-core Snapdragon chip.

Other features are similar to the Epic 4G and other variants including a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED display, 8-megapixel main camera, NFC capabilities, 16GB internal storage, and Android 2.3.4.

The device will officially hit retail stores on October 12th. The $229 price point will of course require the usual two-year agreement in addition to a $50 rebate.

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Verizon announces Pantech Breakout 4G LTE available for $99 right now

Jake Smith Sep 22 2011 - 3:45 pm PT

Verizon has just announced the Pantech Breakout 4G LTE, which is available available right now. The Breakout is available for $99 on two-year contract, making for the first low-cost 4G LTE to hit the market. The specs are nothing spectacular, but pretty good for $99 combined with LTE. The phone features a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB of RAM, microSD support with an 8 GB card included, a 4-inch 480×800 display, Gingerbread, 5-megapixel rear-shooter, and VGA front-facing shooter.

Of course the elephant in the room is that you can get just about any high end Android LTE phone at Amazon for almost free with a two year plan.

A couple more shots after the break:

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HTC’s 4G LTE Jetstream tablet coming to AT&T Sept. 4th for $699 on contract

Jordan Kahn Aug 31 2011 - 10:48 am PT

AT&T’s first 4G LTE/HSPA+ tablet isn’t going to be cheap. In fact, the company just announced the Honeycomb-powered HTC Jetstream will run you $699.99 with a new two-year commitment when it becomes available September 4th. We think the price tag is going to make this one a hard sell, especially if its competition releases a new iteration anytime before the Jetstream sees a significant price cut.

We told you about the Jetstream’s rumored specs a few weeks back, which for the most part seem to jive with the official specs from AT&T’s press release (below):

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