Nexus One Coming to Sprint and AT&T March 18, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , add a comment
There has been much talk about the Nexus One coming to Sprint and AT&T, and over the last two days, those rumors became fact. Google yesterday announced that those interested in an AT&T 3G version of the latest and greatest Android device, without the need to switch to T-Mobile, can now buy their own for $530 without contract, the same price as the unlocked, no-contract T-Mobile 3G version (T-Mobile also has a subsidized $180 with a new 2 year contract and special plan).
Additionally, Sprint announced today that they too plan to carry the Nexus One very soon– though unlike the AT&T-capable version, the Sprint Nexus One is still in the same territory as the Verizon Nexus One: we now know it’s coming, we just don’t know exactly when and for what price.
Both the Sprint and AT&T versions of the Nexus One will be sold only and directly from Google’s online store– google.com/phone.
So, anyone out there excited for the Nexus One to come to your carrier?
To learn more about the Nexus One, see our initial post here.
NFL Mobile Coming to Verizon Next Month March 10, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, sports , add a comment
NFL RedZone– coming soon to Verizon Wireless
We know, it’s March. All our focus should be on Selection Sunday next week and March Madness (and baseball, for those who only care about the pros) and not so much on football for the next couple of months, with football taking a seat in the way back. (And don’t worry, we’re gonna have a lot of ways for you to use tech to keep up with both March Madness and the MLB season very soon).
Today, however, we’re gonna keep the focus on the NFL– as what Verizon and the NFL announced today is pretty sick for all you Verizon users out there. Not only will you guys soon get exclusive Skype, but for the next 4 years (at least, according to the Wall Street Journal) you will soon be getting exclusive access to the NFL Mobile. Starting next month with the NFL Draft, Verizon users will not only be able to follow live on their phones (we’re talking live video, not just an ESPN livecast), but also will have access to on-demand video of NFL Network analysis of the Draft, pick-by-pick Draft tracker updated in real time, and in-depth prospect profiles, blogs, news and more.
And come next season, users will be able to not only watch Sunday and Thursday night games, NFL RedZone, and the NFL Network live from your phones, but also game highlights and an extensive collection of on-demand video featuring analysis and inside access from NFL Network and NFL Films, live radio broadcasts of every regular season and playoff game from both home and away teams, access to fantasy information, news, and player and team statistics, and customizable NFL alerts, ringtones and graphics.
All I can say, if your a football fan on Verizon, than today truly is your lucky day. We’re not yet sure exactly which phones will get the app or how much the app will cost (which again, is a Verizon exclusive, so sadly all you Sprint users that had the NFL Mobile Live app look to be out of luck now), but hopefully we’ll know more info before April 22nd.
In the meantime, who you think goes number one next month?
Is This A BlackBerry Slider?!? March 4, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Rumors , add a comment
Is this the BlackBerry Slider?
BlackBerry fans out there- brace yourself. What we’re about to tell you is pretty HUGE news. Like seriously HUGE.
As you can see in the pic above, pix are leaking out all over the web of this– a BlackBerry that isn’t just touchscreen and isn’t just a regular BlackBerry with a full QWERTY keyboard– BUT BOTH, in a sleek-looking slider design.
Unfortunately, all that we have to go on is the pix (thanks to a site called BBLeaks)– which look to feature a touchscreen (though no SurePress as with the Storm), the new trackpad, and of course that awesome slide out full QWERTY keyboard. All in a design that doesn’t look to be much thicker than a Curve.
The BlackBerry Slider– closed and with the Curve
Ok, now for what some of the rumors on what else could be in this mysterious device. According to Boy Genius Report, this phone will run BlackBerry OS 6.0 (today’s BlackBerrys like the Bold 9700 are on 5.0, hopefully this new OS begins to separate itself from the same old BlackBerry OS we’ve been seeing for years), as well as pack WiFi capability with wireless N, for getting onto the latest and greatest WiFi networks out there. The device is also expected to use GSM/HSPA, the tech for networks like AT&T and T-Mobile, unlike the Storm, which is a Verizon exclusive (though that does not necessarily confirm nor deny the phone, or a version of it, to any of the networks). Additionally, according to CrackBerry, the Slider will also be a part of the Bold line– not the Storm.
This is clearly in the very early stages of rumors (yes, just to make sure it’s all loud and clear– this is still a rumor), but a rumor that looks to be absolutely awesome and one were hoping RIM makes official ASAP. What you think– would you buy a BlackBerry if it was a slider like this, or do you prefer your BlackBerrys to remain the same in terms of design? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Motorola Announces 3 New Android Phones for Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T March 3, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones , 1 comment so far
We briefly mentioned the new Motorola Devour for Verizon in our post on the new Skype-Verizon deal, but that wasn’t the only new Android phone Motorola was getting ready to unveil. Both T-Mobile and AT&T are set to get new Motorola phones of their own very soon as well in the Cliq XT and Backflip respectively.
So what’s new in these 3 phones? Read on to find out.
HTC Announces 4 New Phones At MWC February 25, 2010
Posted by Zev Rosenbaum in : Cell Phones, Mobile World Congress , add a comment
When you want a slim, cool, phone you used to think companies like LG, Motorola, and Samsung. But recently, HTC has been continuously releasing phones which compete with the big phone companies. The Google Nexus One, myTouch and HTC-branded Hero, Touch Pro2, and Imagio are just a few of the big name phones that HTC has released over the last year; and at Mobile World Congress last week, HTC unleashed a few more phones that are sure to be ones you will want to be in your pocket when they become available later this year. Read on for all the details.
Inside Out: The Future of the Cell Phone February 21, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Opinion , 3commentsFrom time to time, we’ll provide our thoughts as to where we think the industry is going, particularly as it relates to teens. We’re calling these posts, Inside Out, because we’ll be looking from where we sit into the outside world.
The future of the cell phone: the Windows Phone 7 Series, iPhone 3GS, BlackBerry Curve 8530, Palm Pre Plus and the Nexus One
Cell phones. We live by them. They’re by our sides 24/7, wherever we are. They are our ways of connecting with the world, through texts, IM’s, or just regular calls. Getting a new one is no longer just picking up a free phone, it’s a choice of style and design. Do we want a full keyboard, something that has a good camera and music player, a simple phone that doesn’t cost much, or something completely loaded with all of the latest features? The choices are endless, no matter what carrier you’re on– Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, or T-Mobile.
But recently there’s been a major shift in the cell phone market, led by new phones like the iPhone, Pre, BlackBerry, Droid and Nexus One. This is the rise of the smartphone (as those phones are called), phones that no longer just do texts but also email, internet, Facebook and Twitter. These phones are growing rapidly and more and more of us are switching to them when we look for new phones. Let’s take a look at why that is and where this is all leading.
Skype and Verizon Join Forces to Bring Skype to Verizon Smartphones February 17, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Mobile World Congress , 1 comment so far
At first you might not think so, but this recent announcement at the Mobile World Congress is BIG news. Today, Skype and Verizon announced a new partnership and smartphone app that will allow Verizon users to chat– both through Skype IM AND through calling– to Skype users around the world. The free app, which will come in late March, will be available on the BlackBerry (models Curve 8830, Storm 1 and 2, Tour, Curve 8330 and Curve 8530), as well as the Android-running Motorola Droid, HTC Droid Eris, and the upcoming Motorola Devour (a phone we’ll have more on soon–think of as less powerful Droid with full keyboard and MOTOBLUR).
The name of the app is Skype Mobile and is an “always-on app,” meaning that it will constantly running in the background. Now here’s the big part of this partnership– the calls made on Skype Mobile are made over Verizon 3G data network and will NOT use your minutes. This is huge in multiple ways– 1) for those close to running over minutes and have one of these phones, you can use this to help keep you from running over. 2) Not only do Verizon users have unlimited calling to the 90 million customers on their carrier, but now they now can also call the 500+ million Skype users, even if those users are online internationally!
Now you will need a data plan to use Skype Mobile (though since the application is only for smartphones, and that Verizon requires data plans for all the phones mentioned above, we don’t see this as much of a problem), and yes, AT&T has recently approved a Skype iPhone app that also allows calls over 3G and not just WiFi (which by the way, this app won’t be able to do)– but this is still definitely a big win for Verizon users if for no other reason than that Verizon is finally opening up their network for Skype and hopefully other services in the very near future.
Via Verizon Wireless and Skype
Microsoft Announces the Windows Phone 7 Series– WOW! February 15, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Mobile World Congress, microsoft , add a comment
Microsoft today has finally announced the long awaited successor in it’s Windows Phone line, as was anticipated; and after watching the announcement unfold all I can say is– WOW! Yeah, if you were thinking this was similar to the tired and true Windows Mobile that we’ve seen over the years you’d be really wrong, like dead wrong. Take notice everyone– Microsoft is back in mobile, and it looks like they’re gonna be here to stay.