IntoMobile » Carriers

Swype bringing ‘genius texting’ interface to Verizon Samsung Omnia II next month, Android on the way

Will Park — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:35:32 +0000

The Verizon Samsung Omnia II’s launch isn’t going to be exciting just for Windows Mobile fans, it’s going to be exciting for anyone that’s been to Swype’s continuous finger-motion typing interface. That’s because Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s Samsung Omnia II will be the first production device to support the innovative Swype typing interface, which Samsung has dubbed “Genius Texting.” Rather than having you tap our individual letters on an on-screen keyboard to form words, Swype allows the user to trace paths between those letters. The software analyzes your finger’s path to determine your desired word, increasing accuracy and increasing your typing speed.

The Swype-powered “Genius Texting” feature will be built into the Omnia II when it launches next month. The innovative keyboard still allows you to tap out words like you’re probably used to doing on a touchscreen smartphone. Should you feel so inclined, you can start tracing your word with a single continuous “swipe” motion. Gestures are also supported for tasks like capitalizing a letter – just swipe an upside down “V” motion onto the keyboard and off you go!

Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional might not be enough to get you to buy the Omnia II, but Swype’s new keyboard sure makes a strong case for putting an Omnia II in your pocket. Or, if Android’s more your style, we’re hearing that Swype will soon make its way to your favorite Google (NSDQ: GOOG) mobile OS. Word on the street has Swype hitting the Android platform in the first quarter of 2010.

Say good-bye to the decades-old typing paradigm and make room for the new wave of Swype-powered keyboards!

This is how Swype works:

[Via: MocoNews and MobileCrunch]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

HTC’s holiday gift: $100 for new smartphone purchases!

Will Park — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:31:47 +0000

Smartphones are going to be hot sellers this holiday season. With the holidays fast approaching, HTC will be pushing hard to cash in on the smartphone boom. How, you ask? By giving $100 to anyone buying a qualifying HTC handset between November 27th and December 31st! If you’re shopping for a new smartphone, better deals will be hard to find.

As part of HTC’s “YOU” marketing campaign, the smartphone maker will mail you a $100 check for buying an HTC smartphone from Verizon (NYSE: VZ), T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) or AT&T (NYSE: T). The only catch, you have to send your old smartphone to HTC – think of it as a trade-in program for your aging mobile phone.

Details after the break.

Here’s how it works:

Buy and activate an eligible HTC smartphone from Verizon, T-Mobile or AT&T.
- HTC Tilt2, HTC Touch Pro2, HTC Imagio and the HTC Ozone are all eligible.
Hit up HTC’s smartphone trade-in page and enter the appropriate promo code.
- Verizon – Trade-in page with promo code
- T-Mobile – Trade-in page with promo code
- AT&T – Trade-in page with promo code
Enter all the required information about your used/old smartphone and print out your free shipping label.
- HTC is asking that you trade-in your old smartphone – shipping is free.
- You also need to mail in your new HTC smartphone’s UPC code and invoice.
Once HTC receives the eligible trade-in smartphone, UPC code and invoice, they’ll mail you a check for $100.
Use your $100 to recover from all your holiday shopping!

Keep in mind, not all of HTC’s new smartphones cost $100 when purchased with new 2-year contract. That means HTC will actually end up paying you to buy a new smartphone from them. For example, the HTC Ozone costs $50 from Verizon. If you buy an Ozone and trade-in your old smartphone, you can actually make $50 profit!

Find details for Verizon here, T-Mobile here, or AT&T here.

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

O2 and HTC bring the big screen to you!

Ben Robinson — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:56:02 +0000

O2 (NYSE: TEF) has announced that the HTC HD2 will be on sale in-store (in the UK) from today. Available from free on O2 Pay Monthly, the HD2 packs in a pretty massive 4.3-inch touch screen, fast processor and camera with LED flash – all into a package just 11mm thick and weighing in at 157 grams!

“The HTC HD2 is the first HTC branded phone to be sold on O2. We love the large screen and combination of Windows Mobile 6.5 with HTC Sense,” said Steve Alder, General Manager Devices for O2 in the UK. “We are proud to be the home of smartphones and the HTC HD2 adds a new dimension to the range of devices we offer to our customers.”

The HTC HD2 is powered by a 1Ghz processor and has built in Wi-Fi, GPS, and FM radio. It also has YouTube, Facebook and Twitter integration and a MicroSD card slot, along with a standard 3.5mm audio jack, Bluetooth and microUSB charging port. ??The HTC HD2 will be available in-store and over the phone. To find your nearest O2 retail store, visit http://www.o2.co.uk/shop/retailstores. O2 has announced that the HTC HD2 will be on sale in-store (in the UK) from today. Available from free on O2 Pay Monthly, the HD2 packs in a pretty massive 4.3-inch touch screen, fast processor and camera with LED flash – all into a package just 11mm thick and weighing in at 157 grams!

O2 has announced that the HTC HD2 will be on sale in-store (in the UK) from today. Available from free on O2 Pay Monthly, the HD2 packs in a pretty massive 4.3-inch touch screen, fast processor and camera with LED flash – all into a package just 11mm thick and weighing in at 157 grams!

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Droid’s Google Maps Navigation hacked to work outside USA

Will Park — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:47:21 +0000

One of the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid’s headlining features is its Android 2.0 OS and the Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps Navigation app. Sure, the Droid’s huge display and geeky-cool design make it one of the coolest Android phones on market, but the turn-by-turn GPS navigation feature allowed the Droid to truly stand apart from the crowd. Not anymore, though. The ambitious hackers over at XDA Developers have figured out a way to port the Google Maps Navigation app to other Android devices (like the T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) G1). Then, to take it one (huge) step further, they’ve managed to get the app working outside the US!

The latest set of instructions allows your G1 to work with Google Maps Navigation for directions outside US borders. Until now, even the Droid would stop dead in its tracks if you tried to get GPS navigation directions to, say, Canada. But, for those of you fearless enough to mess around with the some terminal commands and risk bricking your G1, you can trick GMN into giving you voice-guided directions to any destination in the world.

Here are the instructions from XDA, but we strongly recommend you read through this entire thread first:

If you have root, uninstall the current Maps app.

adb remount
adb shell rm /system/sd/app/*Maps*
adb shell rm /system/sd/app/*maps*
adb shell rm /system/sd/dalvik-cache/*Maps*
adb shell rm /system/sd/dalvik-cache/*maps*
adb shell rm /data/app/*Maps*
adb shell rm /data/app/*maps*
adb shell rm /data/dalvik-cache/*Maps*
adb shell rm /data/dalvik-cache/*maps*
adb shell rm /system/app/*Maps*
adb shell rm /system/app/*maps*
adb uninstall com.google.android.apps.maps

Next, install the SpeechSynthesis Data. You can do this either by going into the market and searching “SpeechSynthesis Data Installer”, or on some ROM’s, like CM 4.2.5, Menu -> Settings -> Speech synthesis -> Install voice data

If you have root, download http://drop.io/rxbqaw4/asset/maps-root-aligned-apk
If you do not have root, download http://drop.io/rxbqaw4/asset/maps-no-root-aligned-apk

Install the new file:
adb install -r maps-root-aligned-apk
or
adb install -r maps-no-root-aligned-apk

Be warned, you are taking a risk by modifying your smartphone’s code. We do not take responsibility for anything bad that might happen as a result of your hacking efforts. But, if you get GMN working and you love it, feel free to thanks us!

[Via: GadgetVenue]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Video: Hands-on the Samsung Behold II

Will Park — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:52 +0000

This holiday shopping season is dominated by Android. Smartphones running Google (NSDQ: GOOG)’s mobile operating system are flooding the market, and we really couldn’t be happier. The latest Android smartphone to find its way into our eager hands is the Samsung Behold II. Just in time for the holidays, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) is offering the Samsung Behold II for $229.99 when purchased with new 2-year contract. It’s slightly pricier than the iPhone and the Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid, but with a sleek design and a quirky new 3D Cube UI, you might not mind shelling out the extra bucks for the Behold 2.

Unlike the original Samsung Behold, the Behold II sports Android 1.5 OS. It sports an impressive 5-megapixel camera (with LED-flash), 3G data, WiFi, GPS and microSD card slot. But, the one feature that outshines them all is the Behold 2’s 3.2-inch capacitive AMOLED touchscreen. The display doesn’t need a backlight, so it draws less power than traditional LCD displays, but manages to deliver a brighter, crisper, more color-rich picture.

The camera is a bit laggy, but serves up some impressively crisp and well-balanced pictures. The 3D Cube UI is quirky, to say the least. We’re sure some people will find it useful, but we just don’t see ourselves using it for more than just showing off to our friends. But, with a speedy browser and an incredible OLED display, the Behold II will more than make up for its confusing UI.

Enjoy the hands-on/unboxing gallery and video!

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Samsung Omnia II Goes Official on Verizon: December 2, $199

Simon Sage — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:17:49 +0000

Good news for those who have been following the rumors about the Samsung Omnia II i920: Verizon (NYSE: VZ) has set a pricetag and release date! Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface built on top of Windows Mobile 6.5, a 3.7-inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen, 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and dual-LED flash, GPS, and Wi-Fi all round out the Omnia II. Initially, we thought it would be launching with Windows Mobile 6.1, but it’s possible that originally-planned release dates were pushed back to include 6.5. You can expect to pay $199.99 on contract after mail-in rebates to pick up the i920 from Verizon stores on December 2.

[via Verizon]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

T-Mobile Holiday Pricing Leaked… Maybe.

James Falconer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:10:42 +0000

My bud David at TMoNews has managed to get his hands on what looks to be a holiday pricing guide. Please note I’ve filed this under ‘rumors’ for now. I’ve heard mixed reports of these deals actually becoming available… so lets let this ’shake down’ until we get to the bottom of it.

Take a gander at the list above for all of the rumored goodness. Moto CLIQ for $50? I’ll take 2. BlackBerry Bold 9700 for $50? I would have taken 3, but it looks like I missed the sale by a day. How about the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Curve 8520 for $25 following Christmas? Yessir! Looks like the ‘biggie’ for the holidays is going to be the Motorola CLIQ, which goes back on sale December 21st through 24th for $50. Awesome.

Note: Apparently these prices are available on all rate plans. New 2-year activations qualify as well, but the customer must be eligible for the discounted rate.

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 heading to AT&T?

Dusan Belic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:57:14 +0000

File this under “we hope so,” as it’s clear that the version of Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE)’s first Android smartphone that can sing along AT&T (NYSE: T)’s 3G bands will be available. The official X10 page has been updated to reflect that, clearly showing a U.S. centric model that works on UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900 MHz frequencies. Yap, those are the ones that work on AT&T (and Canada’s Rogers (NYSE: RCI) Wireless for that matter). Here’s what it says:

UMTS HSPA 800/850/1900 only available for phones sold in Americas (except Brazil) and Australia. UMTS HSPA 900/1700 not available for phones sold in Americas. UMTS HSPA 1900/2100 available worldwide.

Nothing is confirmed at this stage, but it’s not like AT&T doesn’t offer any Sony Ericsson’s phones, already — i.e. the channel is somewhat open. And getting such a high-end device in the U.S. market is also of interest to the now struggling Swedish-Japanese handset maker. The only problem I see is how this reflects on the exclusivity of the AT&T-Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) releations. AT&T certainly can’t afford to miss the Android bandwagon, but Apple has the negotiating power more than any other company at the moment. We’ll certainly watch this carefully and let you know as soon as we hear something new. Stay tuned…

[Via: phandroid]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Japan: NTT DoCoMo to kill their 2G network in March 2011, Softbank to do the same in March 2010

Stefan Constantinescu — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:53:13 +0000

While the United States is still struggling to roll out 3G, Japan’s number one mobile operator NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM) has said that they’re accelerating their plans to turn off their 2G network. What was supposed to take place during December 2012 has now been pushed forward to March 2011. For those of you counting, that’s only 16 months away. Japan’s third largest operator, Softbank (OTCPK: SFTBF), is even more ambitious and plans on terminating their 2G network in 4 months. With Japanese consumers using 3G handsets exclusively, and the entire country of Japan being a little smaller than the state of California, it’s no surprise to see the nation with the most advanced wireless networks on the planet is eager to move forward and abandon legacy networks. What’s funny about all of this is what NTT DoCoMo and Softbank are calling “legacy”, AT&T is calling “the best network” America has to offer.

Makes you stop and think.

[Via: Communities Dominate Brands]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Palm, BlackBerry devices coming to China Telecom?

Dusan Belic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:46:02 +0000

The Chinese mobile market is ever interesting. Now that all carriers have rolled out 3G, it’s time to build a differentiating portfolios. China Unicom is known to carry the iPhone, China Mobile (NYSE: CHL) is betting big on their flavor of Android – OPhone, and China Telecom… well, they seem to work to get some Palm (NSDQ: PALM) and BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) devices ’till the end of this year or early 2010, according to a Reuters source.

RIM already sells some of its devices in the world’s fastest growing economy, whereas Palm is a virgin when it comes to China. For them [Palm], unveiling the Pre and Pixi would certainly be beneficial and would help the once proud Treo maker get some decent numbers its shareholders desperately want. Moreover, if Palm does get in, it should establish a developer portal to spur webOS app development. There’s a plan!

[Via: Engadget]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

AT&T adds HP Mini 110 netbook

Dusan Belic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:11:16 +0000

AT&T (NYSE: T) has added a new netbook in its offering – HP Mini 110, which the carrier is offering for $199 with a two-year contract, after mail-in rebate; and which BTW is also available on Verizon.

Specs wise, the HP Mini 110 comes with a 10.1-inch screen, 1GB of RAM, Intel Atom CPU, 160GB hard drive, WiFi… whereas Windows 7 is running the show.

As I said, a mobile broadband (AT&T DataConnect) plan is needed, which starts at $35 per month and includes 200MB of data…

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

U.S. Cellular introduces Overage Protection service

Dusan Belic — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:09:53 +0000

U.S. Cellular has introduced the Overage Protection service, which includes sending users an SMS when they’ve used 75% of available minutes or text messages, and another when they reach 100%. The idea is, of course, to inform customers how they’re managing their pre-paid accounts.

In order to sign-up for the free services, customers should visit the carrier’s retail store, contact customer service or access their account at uscellular.com. Then they decide who will receive the alerts. The service runs nightly, calculating the usage. If a predefined threshold is reached, a text alert will be sent the next day during normal business hours.

We like the idea and I can see virtually every U.S. Cellular customer signing up for Overage Protection…

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

AT&T calls on Luke Wilson to ’set the record straight’

Will Park — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:38:12 +0000

Whoever said, “there’s no such thing as bad press,” obviously never worked for a wireless carrier. For the likes of AT&T (NYSE: T), the kind of bad press that Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless has been sending them could end up hurting their bottom line by way of lost customers. That’s hitting where it hurts. In it’s defense, though, AT&T has filed a lawsuit and is starting to hit back with their own Luke Wilson-ified TV commercials. It seems that lawsuit just wasn’t enough to disuade Verizon from running their ad campaign.

The latest of AT&T’s ads shows the usually funny actor taking a more serious tone to “set the record straight.” Verizon has been on a tear about how their rival’s 3G network pales in comparison to its own. AT&T is worried that some Americans might take Verizon’s claims and depictions of AT&T’s 3G coverage maps to mean that their network just doesn’t have widespread coverage. Their answer, apparently, is to show everyone out in TV-land just how extensive AT&T’s wireless network really is.

Take a look for yourself. There’s significantly more coverage area in AT&T’s map than Verizon’s version. By the looks of it, AT&T has some impressive coverage. So, what gives? Turns out, AT&T is showing off their entire 2G/3G network, while Verizon is focusing on the 3G network. That’s not exactly apples-to-oranges. This is getting interesting…

[Via: Mashable]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

giffgaff to launch next week with free data and user-generated marketing

Ben Robinson — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:36:59 +0000

You might remember not so very long ago I posted on giffgaff, which is a new mobile (virtual) network, launching in the UK. Well, time has passed, and now giffgaff is pretty much ready to go:

The new ‘people powered’ mobile network, giffgaff will launch on 25th November 2009 at giffgaff.com with free data to all members for a limited period. The launch will be supported by an innovative marketing strategy which puts its members in the driving seat.

· Defining a new ‘people powered’ business model, giffgaff launches by asking people to help make the network famous in return for free UK mobile calls, texts and mobile internet for a whole year. The original launch campaign is based on a ‘Tool Hire’ concept, whereby a series of fun and eccentric marketing tools will be available for free hire by the public at tools.giffgaff.com/log.

· The tools are designed to promote giffgaff in an amusing and capturing way, and in true giffgaff sense, those who get involved and simply upload videos of themselves using the tools onto YouTube, have potential to get rewarded – by becoming a V.I.G member (Very Important Giffgaffer) with a SIM that means you pay nothing for UK use of your mobile for a whole year.

The new ‘people powered’ mobile network, giffgaff will launch on 25th November 2009 at giffgaff.com with free data to all members for a limited period. The launch will be supported by an innovative marketing strategy which puts its members in the driving seat

Defining a new ‘people powered’ business model, giffgaff launches by asking people to help make the network famous in return for free UK mobile calls, texts and mobile internet for a whole year. The original launch campaign is based on a ‘Tool Hire’ concept, whereby a series of fun and eccentric marketing tools will be available for free hire by the public at tools.giffgaff.com/log

The tools are designed to promote giffgaff in an amusing and capturing way, and in true giffgaff sense, those who get involved and simply upload videos of themselves using the tools onto YouTube, have potential to get rewarded – by becoming a V.I.G member (Very Important Giffgaffer) with a SIM that means you pay nothing for UK use of your mobile for a whole year

Sounds interesting, no? It’s from the same kind of mould as Blyk (which was ad-funded), whereby the traditional revenue streams that Operators are looking for are not in evidence. Most MVNOs would traditionally look for voice+text revenue streams, but the likes of some very new ‘network operators’ are seeking to run things in a completely different way – giffgaff is certainly an unusual concept, and I for one will be watching to see how things pick up over the next 12 or so months.

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

For Customers Only: The TELUS 2010 Calendar

James Falconer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:51:56 +0000

Hey TELUS (NYSE: TU) customers… Want to get your hands on the TELUS 2010 calendar, for free? All you need to do is hit up this link, enter your TELUS phone number, and you’re on your way to grabbing your very own copy. TELUS is well known in Canada for featuring cute and cuddly animals in all of their marketing materials. The 2010 calendar is of course no different.

For all the details, head on over to TELUS.

[Via: MobileSyrup]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

BlackBerry Curve 8520 Dummy Units Arriving at AT&T Stores

James Falconer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:41:01 +0000

Last we heard the AT&T BlackBerry Curve 8520 was hitting stores ‘in the coming weeks‘ for $99.99 after rebates (and of course, with that shiny new contract). Well, to add some more fuel to the fire it looks like 8520 dummy units are showing up at AT&T (NYSE: T) stores. Set the countdown timer, because we could see the 8520 go live on AT&T this week or next.

While the Curve 8520 is no flagship device, it is a huge improvement from the original Curve, and features a 2MP camera, 320×240 display, trackpad, and rubber-covered side keys for a touch of awesome.

Stay tuned for more news on the AT&T Curve 8520 as it becomes available.

[Via: CB]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Now Available at AT&T: BlackBerry Bold 9700

James Falconer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Howdy amigos, hope everyone out there is having a pleasant and relaxing Sunday…I know I am! A little bit of AT&T (NYSE: T) news for ya this morning… Looks like the BlackBerry Bold 9700 is now available on AT&T (as Simon so correctly pointed out). Pricing is as follows:

$199.99 on a 2-year contract (after $100 mail-in rebate)
$449.99 ‘No Commitment Pricing’

If you’re a loyal AT&T customer that has been patiently twiddling your thumbs waiting for the 9700, while everyone over at T-Mo got all the glory… Now’s your chance. I was (and still am) a huge fan of the original Bold 9000, and big brother here has numerous updates and extra features… So go ahead and check it out at AT&T.

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Texter-friendly Pantech Impact launched by AT&T; Could be yours for 100 bucks on a contract

Dusan Belic — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:31:49 +0000

AT&T (NYSE: T) has added a new texter-friendly device in its portfolio – Pantech Impact. The phone comes with both full QWERTY keyboard and numeric keypad, which [numeric keypad] interestingly sports haptic-enabled keys. Rest of the specs include a 3G radio, GPS, music player, camera that can take both photos and videos, email and IM clients.

As for the availability, AT&T will start selling the Impact starting from tomorrow, November 22nd, when interested users will be able to grab it for $99.99 on a contract and after $50 mail-in rebate, in either bright blue or soft pink…

[Via: Unwired View]

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Sprint offering YouMail visual voicemail service to BlackBerry and Android smartphone users for free

Dusan Belic — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:58:21 +0000

Sprint (NYSE: S) users with BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) and Android smartphones can now use YouMail-powered visual voicemail service free of charge. You know how it works, right? Just like on the iPhone, plus more:

You can scroll through incoming voicemail messages to see caller information including caller name, time of call, and length of message
Play voicemails by simply clicking on them
Share and forward voicemails as an email or post to a blog
Delete, archive or save voicemails, forever

In order to use YouMail on your phone, you’ll need the YouMail application. Search for it in the BlackBerry App World or Android Market, depending which device you use. Then go to YouMail’s website, sign up for a YouMail account and follow the brief instructions for forwarding unanswered calls to YouMail. It’s that easy.

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this:

Motorola Droid just $119 from Dell

Will Park — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:50:27 +0000

We love seeing hot new smartphones getting their price tags slashed mere weeks after its initial launch. The latest price reduction on the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid comes from Dell.com, making it possible to put a Droid in your pocket for just $119 and a 2-year contract with Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless. The deal also applies to contract extensions, so you don’t have to wait until you’re eligible for an upgrade to take advantage of the low price.

If you like high-tech smartphones and want an Android-powered handset, the Droid fits the bill perfectly. If you’re not sure that the Droid is for you, check out our hands-on impressions and video. Keep in mind that the Droid is so far the only Android smartphone to rock the new Google Maps Navigation app.

To recap: Dell is selling the Droid for $119 with new 2-year contract (or a contract extension for existing customers), and will even ship the handset to you for free via Fedex. That’s one “hot deal,” to be sure.

Dell’s $119 Motorola Droid

Related News from IntoMobile:

Share this: