I thought it would be prudent to do a proper introduction as I’m the new guy and you’ll be seeing my mug around here a lot. I’m a tech reporter who’s written about mobiles for InformationWeek, CNET, Androinica, Know Your Cell and various other sites. I’ve spent a ton of time thinking about smartphones and…
FCC seeks more wireless spectrum for mobile broadband data networks
The FCC is looking to free up to 500 megahertz of spectrum for wireless broadband over the next ten years and it will try to buy the airwaves from broadcasters. The move would help avert what FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski calls a “spectrum crisis” that could leave data-hungry mobile devices like the iPhone, Droid, and 3G-enabled…
AT&T tops 3G speed test
It looks like AT&T’s network upgrades are paying off, as the carrier’s 3G network bested Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon in PCWorld’s 13-city mobile data test. The report said AT&T’s download speeds were 67 percent faster on average than its competitors, with an average download speed of 1410 kbps and 773 kbps upload. This is a…
Google, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon defend ETFs to FCC
Google and the four major U.S. carriers (AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile) told the FCC that early-termination fees are necessary to recoup costs of handset subsidies, and that customers are well aware of these fees. The news comes in response to an FCC inquiry in January that was triggered by Verizon raising its ETF for “advanced…
Sprint expands Buyback program to include more phones, instant credit
Sprint is really pushing the green approach. Its Buyback program that gives credit to customers with old phones has been extended to three phones per account. Sprint hopes to increase the rate of mobile phone recycling by offering more incentive for customers. That will probably work. For those who are in the dark as to…
Verizon and Sprint BlackBerry Tour 9650 delayed?
The BlackBerry Tour 9650 is supposedly en route to Verizon Wireless and Sprint with a new optical trackpad and WiFi in tow, but it’s going to be a little while longer before the updated Tour officially launches. Following spy pics and feature leaks, the latest word on the street has the BlackBerry Tour 9650 being…
Sprint: First WiMAX phone coming within months (Supersonic?)
Sprint may not yet have a truly nationwide WiMAX network up and running in the US, but they’re making preparations to launch the first WiMAX phone in the US this year. Sprint has confirmed to Forbes that the No. 4 3 US wireless carrier will drop some sort of WiMAX phone on the American people…
Sprint fesses up about Android 2.1 availability, coming early Q2 2010
Android updates on the brain, much? Following on Motorola’s Android 2.1 OS update timetable, Sprint has revealed that the long-awaited Android 2.1 update would soon be arriving for Samsung Moment and HTC Hero users. Both of these devices are still stuck on Android 1.5, which is getting outdated rather quickly. The update will be expected early in the…
OS 5.0.0.484 for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 Now Available via Sprint
Not sure how I missed this one, but apparently Sprint released OS 5.0.0.484 for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 via the Desktop Manager last week. While that’s awesome in its own right, now you can grab onto the same OS from the BlackBerry Software Downloads page. If you’re runnin’ a Tour 9630 me thinks it is…
Sprint offers 60,000 free apps from GetJar’s catalog
Sprint is teaming up with GetJar to bring more than 60,000 free apps from GetJar’s catalog to its users. Under the deal, Sprint has linked to GetJar catalog from its mobile portal (in the “downloads” category) and I’m guessing this is only the first step – the final deal should involve making a private-label store…