PhoneDog.com - The latest about 3g

ARTICLE: B&N takes on Kindle with new 3G eReader, the Nook (AT&T)

10/20/2009 5:58:00 PM

If I could layer in some old 60s Batman-style audio of “Smashes,” “Booms” and “Blams” into these posts, I would. This would be a great place to use them.

In a move that may frighten Amazon’s Kindle department, Barnes & Noble's debuted the $259 Nook today.

The Nook is the first eReading device with both 3G (via AT&T) and Wifi for downloading content from B&N online. Most interestingly, it runs on Android, so the future could bring plenty of third-party app development. As for now, the device offers a full-color touch/scrollable navigation screen that displays book cover art underneath the standard grayscale E-Ink e-paper screen. The display, which shows content lists and a touch keypad, also goes dark to prevent distraction.

Specs include 2GB of memory (for up to 1500 e-books), a microSD slot, MP3 player and picture viewer. Nooks can also share ebooks with other users, which makes the practice of lending titles to friends easy.

With B&N behind this, Amazon may have something to worry about here. Users have access to more than a million titles (Amazon carries less than half as many), in addition to magazines and newspapers, from both its online store and Fictionwise.

“BAM!” Take that, Kindle.

ARTICLE: AT&T quietly launches 3G microcell in Charlotte

9/21/2009 3:15:00 PM

The good news? After several weeks of speculation and Twitter rumors, AT&T is quietly rolling out its 3G MicroCell. The bad news? As of right now, it's part of a public trial that's only available in Charlotte (with more markets on the way by the end of the year). For $150, those in the Charlotte metro area can pick up the device, which is said to enhance voice and (3G) data coverage for up to 5,000 square feet. Three unlimited minute plans are available for use with the device: unlimited MicroCell calling for free if you subscribe to AT&T's home phone and internet services, $9.99 per month if you have one of the aforementioned two AT&T services, and $19.99 if wireless is your only AT&T-branded service.

AT&T becomes the forth (and final) nationwide carrier to implement some sort of signal-enhancing solution. As a comparison, here's what the other carriers offer:

Verizon Wireless: Once you purchase the unit ($250), there are no additional charges. Their device isn't 3G, however, and there is no unlimited option.
Sprint: In addition to the $99.99 charge for the device, the Airave costs a mandatory $4.99 per month, but is often waived in the instance of a customer complaining of poor service. The unlimited calling option starts at $10, but is optional.
T-Mobile: The carrier's Hotspot @ Home service costs $9.99 per month for unlimited calling via Wi-Fi (compatible phone required).

Personally, I'm considering picking one up for testing, as I happen to be 1.6 miles outside of Charlotte's 3G coverage area and drop calls on a fairly regular basis. But I'm torn. I'm not really sure how I feel about dropping $150 to boost coverage that AT&T can't provide for me. On one hand, yes, the fine print does say that coverage isn't guaranteed everywhere. On the other hand, shouldn't the carriers be offering this solution free of charge as a retentions tool? What do you think?

Source: Engadget Mobile

ARTICLE: Due to 3G issue, AT&T pulls Nokia Mural off of store shelves

9/16/2009 5:30:00 PM

A 3G phone that doesn't work on 3G bands? What kind of foolishness is that?

The Nokia Mural becomes the second Nokia device in two months to be recalled on AT&T - bad publicity for both the manufacturer and carrier, and frustrating for end users. Apparently, the initial batch of Mural's aren't connecting to AT&T's 3G network; a problem, given that the phone is marketed as just that - a 3G device. Unfortunately, it looks to be a hardware issue, so those affected may want to go back to the AT&T store for some direction on what to do with their defective handsets. According to a tip received earlier in the week, new (and fixed) devices will be available late next week.

Source: Engadget Mobile

ARTICLE: Tidbit Tuesday: New iPhone rumors; mysterious Palm devices at Sprint

9/1/2009 7:00:00 PM

Since we can’t actively cover every news article that breaks (as much as we would love to), PhoneDog compiles various announcements and press releases that have been published throughout the week and places them in one easy to read article. Enjoy!

(Formerly known as "Weekly News In Review")

AT&T launches network upgrades in New York, New Jersey
If you've read reports from wireless news websites that are based out of the New York City area, you're well aware that AT&T coverage is less than spectacular. After all, they have been operating primarily in the 1900 MHz band, which historically does a poor job of building penetration. The nation's number two wireless carrier today announced the availability of 3G in the popular 850 MHz spectrum in New York City, Long Island, New Jersey, and the surrounding areas. With the new spectrum launch, expect to see better in-building penetration, resulting in better call quality indoors. Via IntoMobile

New developments: iPhone to land on other carriers in 2010?
Yes, it's an age old story, but new developments lend credence to the potential of the iPhone landing on competing US networks in 2010. According to research conducted by Piper Jaffray Sr. Research Analyst Gene Munster, the iPhone has a 40 percent marketshare in France, primarily due to the company's willingness to offer the device to more than one carrier in the country. The United States, on the other hand, sports a 15 percent iPhone marketshare. Munster went on to speculate that Apple is making up for the lack of revenue sharing agreements in France by selling to multiple wireless carriers, thus receiving their profits from the distribution of the devices themselves. Verizon executives have spoken highly of the iPhone in the past, and with the company's LTE network set to launch in 2010, the iPhone would make for a perfect launch device. Via PhoneArena

New Palm devices mysteriously appear in Sprint's inventory system
Two new devices have mysteriously made their way into Sprint's inventory system, and no one quite knows what they are. The P100 is the Palm Pre, priced at $549.99 full retail, but what is the P120 and the C40? Guesses range from a 16 GB Palm Pre and the Palm Eos (respectively) to a camera-free version of the Pre and an unknown device. Via PreCentral

T-Mobile raising per-minute rates, allowing customers to cancel their contracts ETF-free
Effective today, T-Mobile is raising per-minute rates to the following:

Overage for single line plans under $59.99 will increase to $0.45 per minute; all others will increase to $0.40 per minute.
Overage for family plans under $89.99 will increase to $0.45 per minute; all others will increase to $0.40 per minute.
Note: This only applies to postpaid plans, not FlexPay or business/government plans

With this change, it officially constitutes a "material adverse change" as written in your contract, so you will be able to cancel your agreement without paying a termination fee, if you're so inclined. Via TmoNews

ARTICLE: Latest T-Mo 3G markets

6/13/2009 8:00:00 PM

In accordance with T-Mobile's 3G rollout plans, the following cities now have access:

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Denver, Colorado (expansion of current coverage area)
Des Moines, Iowa
Austin, Texas (expansion of current coverage area)
San Antonio, Texas (expansion of current coverage area)
Salem, Oregon

For those who missed it, T-Mo is already working on their own 4G network, with help from Comcast. I'm not sure how I feel about that alliance, but anything that brings us closer to round-the-clock, omnipresent UMA access is a good thing, I suppose.

Via Into Mobile

ARTICLE: T-Mobile launches 3G in parts of Florida and Texas

6/11/2009 11:45:00 AM

The boys over at TmoNews are always working hard to find the latest T-Mobile news, and today is no exception. In a news announcement sure to please some magenta users in Florida and Texas, new 3G coverage areas have been announced. If you live in College Station, Beaumont, Bryan, or Galveston, you now have the ability to surf on your phone at 3G speeds. In Florida, T-Mobile was generous enough to provide 3G to Lakeland, Sarasota, Spring Hill, Bradenton, and Weeki Wachee (a tourist trap complete with mermaid shows, according to a comment).

While it still confuses the life out of me as to what criteria T-Mobile uses for 3G market launches, it's nice to see that the expansion continues.

Source: TmoNews

ARTICLE: T-Mobile 3G rollout schedule

5/21/2009 11:50:00 AM

The good folks at TmoNews have a reliable source (and when TmoNews says that, you can pretty much take it to the bank) that has leaked the 3G rollout plans for 2009. There's a photo detailing May, and a list covering the remainder of the year. It's not too specific but I'd rather get a rough idea than set my sights on a particular date only to see it pushed back three times. Wouldn't you? Let the copy/paste begin!

Q2:

    * Mesa, AZ
    * Peoria, AZ
    * Scottsdale, AZ
    * Tucson, AZ
    * Colorado Springs, CO
    * Pueblo, CO
    * Daytona Beach, FL
    * Des Moines, ID
    * Rockford, IL
    * Springfield, IL
    * Shreveport, LA
    * Springfield, MA
    * Portland, ME
    * Manchester, NH
    * Henderson, NV
    * Columbus, OH
    * Eugene, OR
    * Salem, OR
    * Beaumont, TX
    * Brownsville, TX
    * Bryan, TX
    * College Station, TX
    * Corpus Christi, TX
    * Laredo, TX,
    * Lubbock, TX
    * McAllen, TX
    * Wichita Falls, TX

Q3:

    * Montgomery, AL
    * Little Rock, AR
    * Bakersfield, CA
    * Corona, CA
    * Escondido, CA
    * Fairfield, CA
    * Fontana, CA
    * Fresno, CA
    * Oxnard, CA
    * Merced, CA
    * Moreno Valley, CA
    * Oceanside, CA
    * Redding, CA
    * Riverside, CA
    * San Bernardino, CA
    * San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
    * Salinas, CA
    * Santa Rosa, CA
    * Simi Valley, CA
    * Fort Collins, CO
    * Bridgeport, CT
    * Hartford, CT
    * New Haven, CT
    * Stamford, CT
    * Waterbury, CT
    * Cape Coral, FL
    * Albany, GA
    * Athens-Clarke County, GA
    * Augusta-Richmond County, GA
    * Columbus City, GA
    * Peoria, IL
    * Bloomington, IN
    * Evansville, IN
    * Fort Wayne, IN
    * Lafayette, IN
    * Indianapolis, IN
    * South Bend, IN
    * Topeka, KS
    * Wichita, KS
    * Ann Arbor, MI
    * Lansing, MI
    * St. Louis, MO
    * Rochester, MN
    * St. Cloud, MN
    * Omaha, NE
    * Cary, NC
    * Charlotte, NC
    * Durham, NC
    * Greensboro, NC
    * Raleigh, NC
    * Winston-Salem, NC
    * Albuquerque, NM
    * Buffalo, NY
    * Rochester, NY
    * Syracuse, NY
    * Akron, OH
    * Cincinnati, OH
    * Cleveland, OH
    * Dayton, OH
    * Toledo, OH
    * Medford, OR
    * Allentown, PA
    * Lancaster, PA
    * Charleston, SC
    * Columbia, SC
    * Knoxville, TN
    * Nashville, TN
    * Abilene, TX
    * Amarillo, TX
    * El Paso, TX
    * Lake Charles, TX
    * Longview TX
    * Tyler, TX
    * Provo, UT
    * Salt Lake City, UT
    * West Valley City, UT
    * Chesapeake, VA
    * Hampton, VA
    * Norfolk, VA
    * Portsmouth, VA
    * Richmond, VA
    * Virginia Beach, VA
    * Spokane, WA
    * Tacoma, WA
    * Milwaukee, WI

Q4:

    * Palmdale, CA
    * Lancaster, CA
    * Santa Clarita, CA
    * Thousand Oaks, CA
    * Honolulu, HA
    * Lexington, KY
    * Louisville, KY
    * Grand Rapids, MI
    * Fayetteville, NC
    * Greenville, NC
    * Wilmington, NC
    * Springfield, OH
    * Oklahoma City, OK
    * Erie, PA
    * Reading, PA
    * Pittsburgh, PA
    * Vineland, PA
    * Victoria, TX
    * Waco, TX
    * Clarksville, TN
    * Bellingham, WA

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson w760a 3G Walkman Phone (AT&T) - Unboxing

10/22/2008 11:00:00 AM

Noah continues on through the pre-holiday phone madness. Today it's the Sony Ericsson W760a for AT&T, a sliderphone with the Walkman music player, 3G, GPS, and a 3.2MP camera.

TIP: iPhone: Create free ringtones with your own music from iTunes (without hacking!)

10/7/2008 12:00:00 AM

Go To My Computer
Go to documents and create a folder called iPhone ring tones or any other name that you want for your ringtones
Go to tools ( its all the way on the top of the screen)
Go to folder options
Go to the view tab
Scroll down to hidden folders and files and then select show hidden files and folders
After you completed the 6th step Uncheck the box thats says hide extensions for known file typesOpen iTunes
Select the Song you want to be a ringtone
Right Click the song and select get info
Go to Options and select the start time and the end time of the ringtone make it around 30 second
After you complete step 11 you click the ok button and you get back to the song list screen with the highlighted song. Right click the song and covert to acc
After the song is finished converting you right click the song and hit copy
Copy the song to the folder you made in your documents
Go in to iTunes and delete the song you made ( DO NOT DELETE THE ORIGINAL SONG)
It will ask you to remove the song click remove and then a nother screen will pop up and say put in recycle bin or keep file you want to keep the file( The ringtone will be saved in the folder)
Navigate to the folder you created for you ring tones and right click the ring tone and change the extension from .m4a to .m4r a pop up warning you that the file may become unusable just ok(The icon will change from Mpeg 4 to ring)
Open iTunes and open the ringtone folder under library(if the ringtone folder is not there go to edit preferences the check the selection that says Ringtones)
Drag the ringtone to your iTunes ringtone library and your finish all you have to do is sync your iphone and select the ringtones you want to sync on the sync screen and select apply and sync

ARTICLE: Here comes Android: T-Mobile lights Bay Area up with 3G

9/22/2008 5:50:00 PM

We knew it was coming, we just didn't think it'd be here so soon. According to T-Mobile's coverage maps, my home, my office, and the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area is now blanketed with 3G data coverage. According to my Sony Ericsson TM506, one of my network options is now "T-Mobile 3G." Sweet.

T-Mobile News has a nifty page up with thumbnails of the coverage maps for 10 of T-Mo's new 3G areas: check it out.

Can't wait for that Android phone launch tomorrow :-)

ARTICLE: 3G: T-Mobile USA confirms 21 3G markets in October, 27 by year's end

9/18/2008 11:55:00 AM

I'm still trying to find out if "San Francisco" includes "where Noah from PhoneDog dot com hangs out in the East Bay." Meantime, here's the official word from the T-Mo press release:

T-Mobile USA Announces Commercial 3G Network Availability
in 21 Markets By Mid-October

Company Confirms Launch of UMTS/HSDPA in Major Markets Across the Country and
Details Plans for Additional Markets in the Fourth Quarter

BELLEVUE, Wash. Sept. 18, 2008 T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced highlights of the company's wireless network expansion plans, including the deployment of its third-generation (3G) wireless broadband service to 27 major markets in the United States by the end of 2008. The planned expansion is expected to deliver T-Mobile 3G services to more than two-thirds of T-Mobile's current data customers, with meaningful expansion to additional customers and markets through 2009.

T-Mobile's UMTS/HSDPA high-speed data network is currently available across 13 major metropolitan markets: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York (including northern New Jersey and Long Island), Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio and San Diego. The company plans to expand its service by mid-October to additional markets, including Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco and Seattle. An additional six markets — Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis and Tampa — are expected to have the network available before the end of the year, increasing the number of markets with T-Mobile's 3G network to 27 markets.

"With the faster data speeds delivered by our 3G network, T-Mobile looks forward to offering mobile products and services that place the full power of the Web in our customers' hands," said Cole Brodman, chief development officer, T-Mobile USA.

T-Mobile's 3G network supports multiple UMTS capable-phones as well as the HSDPA-enabled
Sony Ericsson TM506, a mass-market flip phone. In the coming months, T-Mobile plans to offer new and compelling data-centric, all-in-one devices that will help make the most of T-Mobile's HSDPA network, which can deliver download speeds of up to 1 Mbps. The faster speeds allow T-Mobile customers to take full advantage of new and emerging applications from social networking to sending live video.

The launch of the 3G network also enables T-Mobile to accommodate and serve customers more efficiently through the use of its AWS spectrum, effectively doubling T-Mobile USA's spectrum position and laying the foundation for the company's future growth.

T-Mobile and the U.S. government, namely the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, continue to work closely and effectively together to make available AWS spectrum that will give our customers access to T-Mobile's 3G network.

As the 3G service rolls out in targeted major markets, T-Mobile will continue to build upon its
T-Mobile® HotSpot Wi-Fi network — its wireless high-speed Internet offering that launched in 2002 — and its nationwide voice and data network, to empower customers to effortlessly stay connected using the best available network.

ARTICLE: Woo-Hoo!: T-Mo 3G for ME in Mid-October

9/18/2008 11:40:00 AM

Say it's so, T-Mo! I just got word that T-Mobile will be lighting up the San Francisco area with 3G HSDPA service to coincide with next month's launch of the Android-powered HTC Dream. Whether or not "San Francisco" will include the East Bay, where I live and work most of the time, isn't yet clear to me. So I should probably stop with the Woo-Hoos and find out some more details.

T-Mobile is also planning to roll 3G out in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, Orlando, Philly, Sacramento (the capital of CA), and Seattle sometime right around the weekend of Friday, October 17. Birmingham, Denver, Detroit, Kansay City, Memphis, and Tampa are in line for their own 3G service before the end of this year, if "sources close to the project" (ahem) are to be believed.

I'm currently messing around with T-Mobile's first official 3G device, the Sony Ericsson TM506. It's a pretty cool flip phone, but I'm getting no 3G love here in Oaktown.

ARTICLE: Official: HTC Launches Touch HD, Touch 3G, and Touch Viva

9/15/2008 12:00:00 AM

Enough with the leaks, rumors, and uncovered spec sheets. HTC just got official with the (overseas) launch of the Touch HD, Touch 3G, and Touch Viva. From the horse's mouth:

The HTC Touch HD is an entertainment focused mobile handset that features a large 3.8 inch wide-screen VGA display, 5 megapixel camera and 3.5 mm audio jack creating a great multimedia device. The HTC Touch HD will be available across major European carriers in Q4 2008 and be introduced in other global markets shortly following.

The HTC Touch 3G provides powerful Internet capabilities including wireless download speeds up to 18 times faster than standard 3G. The device allows users to zoom and pan Web sites using only one-hand, search and watch YouTube video streaming, get up to the minute directions from Google Maps and stay updated on the latest news with the integrated RSS reader.

The HTC Touch Viva is an affordable phone, easy to use phone leveraging HTC's TouchFLO technology, Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional and provides an optimized mobile Internet experience.

Both the HTC Touch 3G and Touch Viva will be available in early October 2008 in a variety of markets. The Touch 3G will be available in four colors: sophisticated black, noble gold, sparkle blue and modern brown while the HTC Touch Viva will be available in Storm Gray.

Key Touch HD product specifications:
·         Size: 115 x 62.8 x 12 mm
·         Weight: 146.4 grams/5.164 oz with battery
·         Connectivity: Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHzWCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz.
.         HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
·         Software/Operating system: HTC TouchFLO 3D with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
·         Display: 3.8 inch Wide Screen VGA screen (480 x 800 WVGA)
·         Camera: 5.0 megapixel with auto focus Second Camera: VGA
·         Internal memory: 512 MB flash; 288 MB RAM
·         Memory card: microSD™ memory card (SDHC™ capable)
·         WLAN: 802.11b/g
·         Bluetooth®: 2.0 with EDR
·         GPS: GPS/AGPS
·         Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
·         Battery: 1350 mAh
·         Talk time: WCDMA: Up to 390 minutes*** / GSM: Up to 310 minutes***
·         Standby time: WCDMA: Up to 450 hours*** / GSM: Up to 390 hours***
·         Chipset: Qualcomm® MSM7201a™ 528 MHz

Touch 3G & Touch Viva specifications:
HTC Touch 3G
·         Size: 102 x 53.6 x 14.5 mm
·         Weight: 96g
·         Connectivity: GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz & WCDMA / HSPA: 900/2100MHz. HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
·         HSDPA 7.2 Mbps
·         Software/Operating system: HTC TouchFLO with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
·         Display: 2.8 inch QVGA screen
·         Camera: 3.2 megapixel
·         Internal memory: 256 MB flash; 192 MB RAM
·         Memory card: microSD™
·         Bluetooth®: 2.0 with EDR
·         GPS: GPS/AGPS
·         Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
·         Battery: 1100 mAh
·         Talk time: WCDMA: Up to 360 minutes*** / GSM: Up to 400 minutes***
·         Standby time: WCDMA: Up to 450 hours*** / GSM: Up to 365 hours***
·         Chipset: Qualcomm® MSM7225™ 528 MHz

HTC Touch Viva
·         Size: 104.5 x 59 x 15.75 mm
·         Weight: 110g
·         Connectivity: GSM/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
·         Software/Operating system: HTC TouchFLO with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
·         Display: 2.8 inch QVGA screen
·         Camera: 2 megapixel
·         Internal memory: 256 MB flash; 128 MB RAM
·         Memory card: microSD™
·         WLAN: 802.11 b/g
·         Bluetooth®: 2.0 with EDR
·         GPS: GPS/AGPS
·         Interface: HTC ExtUSB™ (mini-USB and audio jack in one; USB 2.0 High-Speed)
·         Battery: 1100 mAh
·         Talk time: GSM: Up to 480 minutes***
·         Standby time: GSM: Up to 270 hours***
·         Chipset: TI OMAPä 850, 201 MHz

VIDEO: RunKeeper for iPhone 3G - CTIA Fall 08

9/10/2008 1:45:00 PM

Noah gets a demo of RunKeeper, a new GPS-enabled fitness application for iPhone and iPhone 3G. Check it out, live from Showstoppers the night before CTIA Wireless Fall '08.

ARTICLE: HTC Updates: Best Buy Diamond is 3G, What is the QUAR100?

9/9/2008 12:20:00 PM

Two quick updates on the HTC front:

First, that HTC Touch Diamond that's available for pre-order via Best Buy? According to Engadget it is a US-spec 3G version, after all. It's still $699 and its status is still pre-order, but apparently an Engadget reader combed through BB's RSS feed long enough to notice "HTCTOUCHDIAMOND UNLKD 3G" lurking in a product description. Sounds good to me.

Second, something called the HTC QUAR100 has shown up on the Bluetooth Special Interest Group's Web site. This time credit goes to CellPassion for unearthing/reporting on this one. What is the QUAR100? Looks like it's a phone with WiFi and, interestingly enough, its planned only for North America. Hmm. Could it be a special name for the CDMA version of the Touch Diamond? Could it be a mysterious new device like a second Android phone?

If only I had a meeting with HTC tomorrow afternoon so I could ask them about it. Oh, wait ... I do :-D

ARTICLE: SE TM506: T-Mobile officially launches first 3G handset

9/5/2008 7:15:00 PM

T-Mobile USA finally got all official and stuff with their forthcoming 3G network by launching the Sony Ericsson TM506 today. Okay, okay, they've acknowledged the 3G business before, but they've also launched a few AWS-capable handsets in the past few months without actually mentioning the 3G bit in any online or press materials. Not so, anymore, as the press release reads:

The TM506 is a sleek flip phone available in a black gloss finish with emerald green or chrome with amber accents. The phone delivers a robust Web experience, features a 2.0 megapixel camera with My Album access, stereo Bluetooth and TeleNav maps. The TM506 also supports T-Mobile's 3G network and is the company's first HSDPA-capable handset.

Sounds good to me. Now if only October 1st (or whatever the actual launch date is) can roll around so we can really get rolling with that 3G love across the land. All of these T-Mo rumors are getting me excited ... In the meantime, you can pick up the TM506 for $79.99 on contract after a mail-in rebate.

VIDEO: PhoneDog Mailbag 9/4/08: Glyde, iPhone 3G, Voyager Titanium

9/5/2008 1:50:00 PM

Installment #1 of the PhoneDog Mailbag. Noah answers your questions on Samsung Glyde, Apple iPhone 3G, LG Voyager Titanium, and new T-Mobile phones.

ARTICLE: Future Talk: Netbooks and MIDs will have 3G/3G built-in. So what?

9/4/2008 12:00:00 AM

There's been a lot of talk over the past several months about Netbooks and now MIDs. Netbooks are ultra-light, ultra-portable, low cost laptop computers like the Asus Eee PC, MSI Wind, Lenovo S10, and Dell Inspiron 910 Mini - they generally have screens in the 7-10" range, run an Intel Atom or similar low-powered chip, and cost in teh neighborhood of $400-500 (or more, depending on the configuration). MIDs are smaller tablet-like devices like the Nokia N810 that are less like laptops than oversized cell phones, and generally feature a touchscreen and/or sliding QWERTY thumboard. While few MIDs are actually shipping in America, Intel recently showed off a host of the devices at the Intel Developers' Forum in San Francisco.

So why do I bring this up? Well, first there was word that Xohm, the Sprint/Clearwire WiMax venture, will finally be launching this Fall with the Nokia N810 WiMax Edition on board as its first standalone device (alongside of some USB modems and portable routers). Then I heard that two cellular carriers in Europe will soon be offering 3G-capable Netbooks: T-Mobile will carry the Eee PC while Vodafone looks to be onboard with the Dell Inspiron Mini.

But is there really a market for two new classes of connected mobile devices? While I totally get it - Netbooks and MIDs both offer greater power and larger displays than smartphones, and are more portable than full-sized laptops - I'm not entirely sold on the idea that enough people will see huge advantages in carrying these devices in addition to or instead of smartphones and conventional laptops. Wireless broadband is available to laptop users by way of USB and ExpressCard modems that connect to cellular carriers' EV-DO and HSPA networks, and WiMax, LTE, and other 4G solutions will involve similar laptop-based solutions, as well.

So why the need for a Netbook or a MID? Me, I ordered a Netbook partially out of professional curiosity and partially in hopes that it can serve as my "Trade Show Machine." While my Apple MacBook isn't all that heavy, after three 10 hour days on the show floor, every extra ounce in my shoulder bag takes its toll. The prospect of a 2.5lb Netbook standing in for my 5 lb laptop is thus an appealing one. I also like the idea of carrying a $400 machine all over Vegas for four days while leaving my $1,000 machine (which, more imporantly, houses lots of precious data) at home where it's safer and sounder. Whether or not a Netbook can handle basic video editing remains to be seen, but the point is that for me, anyway the Netbook has a potential niche use in my professional life. A 3G/4G-enabled Netbook would be all the better, though WiFi is ubiqitious enough where I usually go that it doesn't matter all that much.

A MID, on the other hand, might not do that much for me. But I can only imagine niche uses similar to my personal case for the Netbook that have other folks all excited about this new form factor - particularly if it comes with always-connected wireless broadband.

So I turn to you, fair reader, to ask: Netbook? MID? Do you want one? Do you care? Why or why not? Would you rather see a WiMax-enabled Nokia N810 tablet or Lenovo S10 Netbook, or a WiMax-enabled Android phone or Windows Mobile powerhouse? Or is there room in your gadget bag for a smartphone, laptop, and one of these new-fangled Internet devices?

VIDEO: iPhone 3g v HTC Touch Diamond v Samsung Omnia Part 3

8/29/2008 11:00:00 AM

It's the third and final part of the battle of the beasts. This episode focuses on messaging and overall impressions. Specs? UI? Flexibility? What really does matter in a phone? Voice quality, even?

VIDEO: iPhone 3g v HTC Touch Diamond v Samsung Omnia Part 2

8/28/2008 7:30:00 PM

Three of the heaviest heavyweights take center stage in part two of this PhoneDog Dogfight. In this corner - the iconic iPhone 3G. In that corner - the "Windows Mobile with a cherry on top" HTC Touch Diamond. And in, uh, that corner - the super-spec'd Samsung Omnia. Whose cuisine will reign supreme?

VIDEO: iPhone 3g v HTC Touch Diamond v Samsung Omnia

8/26/2008 1:25:00 AM

Three of the heaviest heavyweights take center stage in part one of this PhoneDog Dogfight. In this corner - the iconic iPhone 3G. In that corner - the "Windows Mobile with a cherry on top" HTC Touch Diamond. And in, uh, that corner - the super-spec'd Samsung Omnia. Whose cuisine will reign supreme?

ARTICLE: iPhone 3G speeds: Wired study reveals network weaknesses

8/25/2008 9:00:00 AM

Awhile back I ran a few 3G data speed tests on video, comparing iPhone 3G to a few other high-speed Web capable devices. My results led me - and some of you - to wonder if I was nuts, had somehow screwed up the testing, or maybe had just received a lemon of an iPhone from Apple and AT&T. Well, according to a survey just published by Wired, none of those things is true; instead, I merely live in one of the worst areas in the world when it comes to data throughput on Apple's new cell phone:

In some major metropolitan areas that are supposedly 3G-rich, 3G performance can be very slow. For example, zooming in on San Francisco, you'll see that 10 out of 30 participants reported very slow 3G speeds -- barely surpassing EDGE.

This pattern is linea up with femtocell developer Dave Nowicki's explanation that in major metropolitan cities where the most iPhone users reside, 3G towers are getting overloaded, resulting in slowdowns or delivering EDGE-like performance as a result.

See, life isn't all high tech, sunshine and beaches out here in California (especially not in San Francisco, where it's foggy far more than it's sunny much of the time). We've got too many early adopters and trendsters out here, so not only did we have to bear hours-long lines to get our iPhone 3Gs, but now that we've got 'em we're all hammering the network at the same time. And, apparently, the network can't keep up.

The study reveals a few other interesting tidbits as well. For instance, while Australians reported the slowest 3G speeds overall, the U.S. had the highest number of "0" results, likely stemming from dropped connections. Want to know which countries and carriers reported the fastest connections? Click on over to Wired's blog for the full results.

ARTICLE: Summer Round-Up: Apple iPhone 3G - AT&T

8/14/2008 12:40:00 PM

Previous Posts in this series:

Verizon Wireless: LG Voyager, LG Dare, Samsung Glyde, LG Decoy

Apple iPhone 3G - AT&T
The first-gen iPhone set the mobile phone world on its ear with its state-of-the-art multitouch display, best-in-class Web browser, and unprecedented ease of use. Apple also left out many features phone enthusiasts are used to, including voice dialing, stereo Bluetooth and MMS picture messaging. Apple's new release, the iPhone 3G adds 3G connectivity and true GPS to the mix, and features a tweaked industrial design, but doesn't address any of the aforementioned shortcomings found in the first version. But the new version does include version 2.0 of the iPhone OS, which features support for Apple's new App Store for downloading and installing third-party software. And, oh yeah, the pruchase price has been dropped by $200 but the monthly rate plan has gone up $10 ($15 if you want an SMS plan) - you do the math on that one, figuring for the mandatory 24-month contract.

Pros: Best touchscreen, Web browser, and media player currently available on any cell phone; App Store growing by the day; New design features flush mount headphone jack compatible with any earphones.

Cons: Still no voice dialing or stereo Bluetooth; Google Maps GPS system doesn't support spoke directions; Early reports indicate issues with 3G connectivity and some cracking of plastic housing; mediocre camera with no video capture.

Buying Advice: Personally I prefer the metal back of the first-gen iPhone to the new plastic design, but that aside the iPhone is still the weapon of choice if you want the best Web browsing and/or media player experience available on a cell phone. AT&T and Apple apparently have some issues to work out when it comes to 3G connectivity and data speeds, and despite the new, lower pricing the total cost of owning an iPhone over two years has actually gone up. Still, it's hard to argue with iPhone's ease of use, fun factor, and overall experience. If you want a high-end media-centric phone and can live with AT&T, iPhone's a great choice.

ARTICLE: N85: Nokia's Strange Slider Gets North American 3G

8/7/2008 4:20:00 PM

I'm only calling Nokia's new N85 strange because I'm not entirely sure why it exists. When you look at the thing, both literally and figuratively (i.e. on the spec sheet), it's not all that different from the N96. I guess it has a smaller screen and less internal storage, and CellPhone Signal is calling it "a video oriented successor to the Nokia N96." Except that doesn't make sense because it's the N85, not the N97, so it's gotta be positioned lower in the lineup than the N96, right?

Confused? Sorry. Here's the point: The FCC just cleared the N85 for takeoff here in the US, and one version of it features North American-ready 3G on the WCDMA 850/1900/2100 bands. So get ready for some S60, WiFi, GPS, WQVGA display and 5MP camera with dual-LED flash action! But, you know, different than the action on the N96.

ARTICLE: iPhone Watch: iPhone 3G is Available on FamilyTalk Plans

8/6/2008 12:00:00 AM

I got an IM today from a YouTube viewer asking me if the iPhone 3G was available on an AT&T family plan. And you know, I couldn't remember. So I looked it up and figured, if DRZmoney isn't sure, someone else out there probably isn't sure, either. The answer is yes, and here are the details - basically it starts at $130/month for two iPhones sharing 700 minutes and unlimited data. Additional lines are $40/each:

You can get details on all of AT&T's iPhone-compatible plans right here.

VIDEO: iPhone 3G and 2.0: Jailbreak and Unlock and T-Mobile Hack

8/1/2008 12:05:00 AM

Noah's got the iPhone 3G and the old iPhone - the old one's jailbroken, unlocked, and running on T-Mobile. Side by side you can see how the unlocked version works just like the new one (minus 3G). All hail the iPhone-dev team! Also, check out the T-Zones hack for T-Mobile users!

ARTICLE: T-Mobile News: Nokia 5610 on Aug 11 and 3G rollout October 1st

7/31/2008 12:00:00 PM

Quick update for all you T-Mobile fans out there:

Cell Phone Signal is reporting that T-Mobile will finally launch the Nokia XpressMusic 5610 on August 11, which is a week from Monday (aka a week after my birthday). The sliderphone big brother to the recently debuted 5310 will purportedly cost $100 on contract after a $50 mail-in rebate. As I wrote back in April:

The 5610 offers a 3.2 MP camera with 30fps video recording, music player with external controls and stereo Bluetooth, myFaves support, and an Email client in a slider phone body. I really dug this one when I checked it out back at CES (see photos here).

CPS is also targeting 8/11 as the launch day for the 5310 in a new color scheme - Silver. I'm likin' the looks of this one, and have to say once again that the 5310 is a great low-end musicphone. Personally I'd take this one over the MOTO ROKR E8 as it's far smaller/thinner but still features a solid music player with standard 3.5mm headphone jack.

TmoNews is confirming a story I wrote about a few weeks back: T-Mobile will officially launch their nationwide 3G network on October 1st of this year. The rollout will begin with 27 markets across the land, and while no details have been given you've gotta assume the campaign will feature a least a few exciting new 3G handsets. I know, I know, "exciting" + "handsets" hasn't = "T-Mobile" for awhile now ...

And special thanks to CPS for featuring our Sidekick unboxing video. Good lookin' out, guys.

ARTICLE: WordPress available on iPhone

7/23/2008 1:10:00 PM

WordPress, the most used blog tool in its category, announced this week that they are live for iPhone! WordPress for iPhone is now available for download from the App Store. All iPhone blogging junkies have to do is go to the store, download it and start blogging on the go.

The WordPress for iPhone open-source application lets users create and edit content on their WordPress blogs and comes complete with the following features: support for WordPress blogs and self-installed WordPress blogs (version 2.5.1 and higher); embedded Safari for true previews of posts; full support for tags and categories; photo support for both camera pics and library photos; support for multiple blogs; ability to password-protect a post, save as draft, or mark for later review; and an auto-recovery feature that recovers posts interrupted by phone calls.

Now, I just need an iPhone...

VIDEO: Instinct vs iphone 3g vs Dare vs Treo 800w: Speed Test

7/20/2008 10:15:00 AM

Another Internet speed test pitting four 3G phones against one another. The takeaway? 3G coverage is lousy in Oakland. Or ... Noah has no idea what he's doing.

VIDEO: Instinct vs iPhone 3G - Web and Speed Test

7/17/2008 8:05:00 PM

Noah puts Instinct and iPhone 3G head-to-head in a Web and speed battle. First is a raw download speed test, and then a few Web page load tests. Who won? Watch the video and find out ...

ARTICLE: Instinct vs iPhone 3G: Speed Test!

7/17/2008 6:55:00 PM

A few months ago Sprint unleashed a media campaign for the Samsung Instinct that pit Instinct against Apple's iPhone in a series of head-to-head tests. Now that both Instinct and the new iPhone 3G are out on the market and in the PhoneDog "labs" I figured I'd pit the two against one another in a few head-to-head tests of my own (UPDATE: Check out the video of the test, if you like). First up? Speed.

I ran a few speed tests on both phones using the free tools at dslrpeports.com/mspeed. The tests took place in Oakland, CA on a weekday afternoon; the Instinct showed EV-DO connectivity and the iPhone had its 3G on. The winner? Instinct blew iPhone 3G out of the water. First I ran the 400k download test and Instinct was the clear-cut winner, if not quite in a landslide. Then I ran the 1Mb test twice: Instinct was more than twice as fast as iPhone both times around in terms of both kbits/second and total download time. It wasn't even close.

Then I ran a few Web page load tests using three popular sites: NYTimes.com, ESPN.com and, of course, PhoneDog.com. The NYTimes test ended in a disqualification as I couldn't get Instinct to load the desktop version of the page - no matter what I tried (switching from mobile to desktop mode, hand-entering the URL, etc) Instinct would default to mobile.nytimes.com. Oh well.

The next two tests ran without a hitch, and iPhone was the clear winner. I loaded up the ESPN home page and also an interior page (a blog article) and while Instinct seemed to grab the early lead in terms of downloading data, iPhone actually rendered the page faster and finished well ahead of Instinct on both pages. Same with the PhoneDog.com home page: iPhone by a wide margin.

I'm posting the video of the tests as I write this so you can check it out for yourself. And if you have either phone I encourage you to run your own tests using Dslreports.com or another tool and share the results here in the comments section. What do I make of my own results?

Well, first off your mileage will vary depending on the network coverage and conditions during your test. Location (geographic and indoor vs outdoor, etc), time of day, and other factors can definitely impact network performance. That being said, the results weren't particularly suprising to me. AT&T gets a lot of flack for their network performance while Sprint is generally considered to have an excellent network - particularly when it comes to moving data over EV-DO Rev. A, which Instinct supports. On the other hand, iPhone has one of the best mobile Web browsers on the market, and Apple build iPhone using one of the most powerful processors you'll find in any mobile device. As such, it's not suprising that iPhone 3G's Safari Web browser renders complex pages faster (and more accurately) than Instinct.

The takeaway here? Opera Mobile on Instinct would be a godsend! Okay, beyond that it looks like if you're more interested in downloading/streaming media than browsing Desktop versions of Web sites, Instinct's the way to go. It's got the raw network speed which means that downloading tracks from Sprint's music store should be zippy (which it has been in my tests). And mobile versions of Websites load quickly, as do Sprint's Web-aware apps like Weather. On the other hand, Safari's Web browser provides a much more "Desktop-like" experience on the go, and it makes up for some of AT&T's 3G sluggishness.

Things will hopefully get better for both camps. Sprint is working on a firmware update for Instinct and also trying to drum up developer support for more Instinct apps. I know Sprint and Samsung put lots of work into Instinct's HTML Web browser, but I'd love to see an Opera alternative all the same. Meantime iPhone 3G owners can hope that AT&T's simply feeling the strain of those one million new iPhones (or whatever the real number is) hopping on the network in the past six days. Some network tuning and reinforcement will hopefully boost 3G data speeds in the weeks to come.

But don't just take my word for it. Got an Instinct or iPhone 3G of your own? Tell us what you've got, where you use it, and what you think of Web and data speeds on your device. Post your experiences in the comments section below.

VIDEO: iPhone 3g Review: Free SMS and AIM Instant Messaging

7/14/2008 8:35:00 PM

Noah continues looking at the new iPhone 3G. In this video it's IMing using the AIM app, which is free and works on old iPhones and iPod Touches, too. Also, how to send and receive SMSs without paying AT&T for a messaging plan!

ARTICLE: iPWN: Apple Sells One Million iPhones Despite Massive Server Crash

7/14/2008 5:00:00 PM

Despite insanely long lines, device shortages at AT&T stores, and the massive failing of iTunes servers that led to a bunch of bricked iPhones on launch day, Apple claims to have sold a cool one million iPhone 3Gs during launch weekend. By contrast, it took 74 days to sell a million of the original iPhones. That brings Apple to some 7 million iPhones sold since the original model's launch last June, which puts them right on track to hit their self-professed goal of 10 M total sales by the end of 2008.

Beyond that, Apple says that ten million applications were downloaded from the new App Store between last Friday and Sunday. The App Store lets iPhone and iPod Touch users extend their devices' functionality by downloading free and paid software spanning categories from games to social networking to communications. While the idea of user-installable software is nothing new to smartphone owners, Apple's App Store brings 3rd party programs to iPhone owners to the first time -- excepting the "Jailbreaking" community, which has been developing and running 3rd party iPhone/iPod Touch apps for almost a year now.

The App Store launched with some 520+ applications. Owners of first-generation iPhones can use the store after upgrading their devices to the newest iPhone Software version 2.0.

VIDEO: iPhone 3g Review: App Store, Pt 2

7/14/2008 11:00:00 AM

The big news with the new iPhone is price, 3G, and the App Store. Noah takes a look at Super Monkey Ball, Pandora, and Box Office in Part 2 of PhoneDog's look at the App Store.

VIDEO: iPhone 3g Review: App Store, Pt 1

7/14/2008 10:55:00 AM

The big news with the new iPhone is price, 3G, and the App Store. Noah takes a look at installing Apps and checks out a few of them in Part 1 of PhoneDog's look at the App Store.

VIDEO: iPhone 3g Unboxing and Hands-On

7/13/2008 12:10:00 AM

Part one of our extensive coverage of Apple's new iPhone 3G. Noah brings you an unboxing, hands-on, and a comparison with the original iPhone.

ARTICLE: iPhone 3G: Hands on With iPhone 3G

7/12/2008 4:00:00 PM

After a long, unsuccessful day of trying yesterday, I headed back out this morning at 7:45 to try once more to secure an iPhone 3G. I got to the Bay Street shopping center in Emeryville, CA around 8 or so, and there was already a long line at the Apple Store - my best estimate had me staring at a 3 or 4 hour wait, minimum. Then I remembered that there's also an AT&T retail outlet in that mall. So I walked down there and found only a dozen or so people lined up outside. The store wasn't scheduled to open until 10 AM, but an AT&T rep had apparently told the people in line that he had about 60 iPhones to sell. So I took my place at the end of the line and waited.

90 minutes later I had my iPhone. Phew. The process was quick and easy once I got into the store - AT&T had me pick my service plan, and they activated my new phone number but didn't actually open up the packaging and activate my phone. That part I did via iTunes on my home computer just now (Apple's servers seem to be back to normal after yesterday's mega iFail).

So how is iPhone 3G? Uh ... it's good. Seriously, it's quite nice. The black glossy plastic back panel looks and feels good, though I wonder how quickly it'll scratch up, and the flush mounted headphone jack is a long overdue improvement from the recessed version on the original. Apple no longer includes a dock in the packaging, but the new USB AC charger is much smaller than the first-gen version, which should make travellers happy.

The big news here, obviously, is 3G and the App Store. I just finished activating the device and immediately started browsing through the 500+ applications already available on the App Store. This is going to be huge, I think - Apple knows design and marketing, and while Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Symbian users have been installing 3rd party apps forever, the mainstream public has not. Apple has this way of making people think they've reinvented the wheel, and they do so in large part by way of slick design and ease of use.

Purchasing/downloading and installing an iPhone app is the same easy process as buying music or movies from the iTunes store, and people are already familiar with it. But now instead of being able to hear the new Fleet Foxes album they can extend the functionality of their phone into true mobile computer land. It's nothing new, but it's looks all shiny and new thanks to Apple's second-to-none knowledge of manipulating consumer's mindset.

That said, I'm psyched to delve in and see what this baby can do. Much, much more to come, so stay tuned.

ARTICLE: Waiting: Free Pizza but No iPhone Yet

7/11/2008 5:35:00 PM

So honestly this whole iPhone launch thing sucks. After being denied by a sold-out AT&T store this morning, I'm now wasting my afternoon in line outside of the Apple store. Been here almost 90 minutes now and the actual store is still a long ways off.

The Apple employees are passing out free pizza and burritos now, which is nice and all, but how about a purchase and activation process that doesn't suck? That'd be cool, right, not to have to waste an entire day in line just to buy a phone.

ARTICLE: More Madness: Waiting in Another iPhone Line

7/11/2008 4:15:00 PM

1 pm and I'm second to last in line at the Apple Store in Emeryville, CA. Ironically enough I'm blogging on a Sprint Instinct while I wait for my new iPhone. This here's a looong line I'm in. Wish me luck.

VIDEO: iPhone 3G - At the Launch

7/11/2008 2:15:00 PM

Live from the iPhone 3G launch. Folks started lining up at 3AM here at the AT&T store in Berkeley, CA. At least AT&T was giving out free water and candy. Noah interviews some of the folks about iPhone Madness.

VIDEO: Instinct vs iPhone 3G - Preview

6/3/2008 10:30:00 PM

Before June is over we should see Sprint's Samsung Instinct and the new Apple iPhone 3G on AT&T. What's the difference? Which should we get? Noah previews two of the hottest new touchscreen phones.

VIDEO: Unlocked #4 - Samsung Instinct, LG Vu, 3G iPhone, CTIA show

4/9/2008 12:00:00 AM

From the Emerging Technology Awards area at CTIA 2008 Las Vegas last week, Noah recorded Unlocked episode #4. This episode highlights the best phones of the show, other successful devices, and a rumored 3G iPhone coming soon.

VIDEO: Sony Ericsson Z750a AT&T 3G phone hands-on

4/8/2008 12:00:00 AM

Noah got his hands on the U.S. version of the Sony Ericsson Z750a that is now equipped for the 3G network supported by AT&T. Hidden behind a new reflective clamshell design, the Z750a offers a media player, stereo Bluetooth, hidden external LED screen, and much more. Make plans to check out the Sony Ericsson Z750a in 3 flashy colors in upcoming weeks from AT&T.

VIDEO: Nokia N78 hands-on at CTIA Las Vegas

4/2/2008 12:00:00 AM

Hands-on at CTIA '08 with Nokia's latest N-Series device for the North American market. US-ready 3G, WiFi, 3.2 MP Camera, and lots of Series 60 goodness here.

TIP: Picture to your photo album on your iPhone 3G

1/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

If you find an amazing picture that you absolutely love and you want to have it in your photo album just hold the wake up button and the home button and let go and it will take a screenshot and automatically it will send it to your photo album.