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.
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.
Nexus One Coming To AT&T and Sprint? February 3, 2010
Posted by Zev Rosenbaum in : Cell Phones , 3comments
The Nexus One Google smartphone (for more info see here) got a lot of buzz when it was released last month for T-Mobile. Now, you can also buy an unlocked Nexus One, but you only get EDGE or 2.5G, not 3G when using it on say, AT&T instead of T-Mobile. However, CNET and other sites are now reporting that Nexus Ones have been ordered with 3G for WCDMA bands that will allow for 3G on AT&T (which has 3G in many more places than T-Mobile).
Not only that, but CNET also reports that Google has said that there will be versions of the Nexus One coming out in the spring for Verizon (which Google and Verizon mentioned at the Nexus One launch) and possibly Sprint as well.
So are you pumped for the Nexus One coming to a network near you? Or are you satisfied with your current phone? Let us know in the comments.
Sprint About to Release a 3G/4G Portable WiFi Hotspot? (UPDATE: It’s Official) January 4, 2010
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : CES and Macworld, Cell Phones, Rumors , add a comment
The Sprint Overdrive 4G hotspot shown in a Sprint online ad
With CES only 2 days away, the news and rumors flying out of Vegas are crazy.
Among the older ones is that Sprint is releasing a 3G/4G portable WiFi hotspot — basically a 4G-capable version similar to the MiFi 2200 we saw last year. For those unfamiliar with the MiFi, it takes the 3G/4G Sprint signal and turns it into a WiFi network, where any other device with the ability to connect to WiFi (iTouch, Zune HD, laptop– heck even iPhones) can get internet connection. In other words, let’s say you got your iTouch or laptop and want to get an update on the Jets-Bengals game this Saturday, but you don’t have any WiFi networks to connect to. With this new device attached, all you got to do is turn it on and you’ve got all the latest updates streaming down to you on Sprint’s fast 3G and really fast 4G network (think speeds close to the ones you get on your home broadband network, and much faster than the current 3G networks).
The device, called the Sprint Overdrive, does all that and is also quite compact, so it should be no problem for you to carry this in your pocket. Other specs on the device are said to include a microSD card slot (perhaps for sharing files over your portable network), support for location services (like a GPS), and has an 100 150 foot range (which is definitely not bad for such a small device).
Now while Sprint hasn’t yet confirmed any of this, some of their 4G ads online just so happen to be showing this off (that’s how we were tipped off on it), and going to sprint.com/overdrive takes you too a Coming Soon page, so an announcement and official details (like price and release date) can’t be too far off now.
UPDATE (1/06): With CES now really starting to get underway, Sprint has come out and made this official. Updated specs include sharing your 3G/4G connection with up to 5 WiFi devices– like the MiFi– a built in GPS, and support for up to a 16 GB microSD card which can be used as shared storage over your network. The Overdrive will be available online and in Sprint and Best Buy stores starting January 10th for $99.99 after a $50 mail in rebate and a new 2 year contract (with a $59.99 a month 3G/4G data plan).
BlackBerry Tour2 Spotted– New Trackpad and All December 24, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Rumors , 1 comment so far
The BlackBerry Tour2, on left, next to the original BlackBerry Tour
Sprint and Verizon BlackBerry lovers listen up (and those who got the first BlackBerry Tour, you may wanna look away from this), as we got some news for you on a new version of the popular BlackBerry Tour. The Boy Genius Report has posted a brief first look and some pix of an all new BlackBerry Tour2 9560 (not sure if that a final name for the device), that looks to take everything that’s great about the first Tour, and well you know, make it even better.
So what’s better in this new Tour? A few things according to BGR a faster processor t0 make everything faster (always good), WiFi (this is great considering it was one of the biggest downsides of the first Tour), and of course that all new trackpad found on all the latest and greatest BlackBerrys. The keyboard is of course nothing short of the great keyboards BlackBerry is known, and the size is said to be about equal to that of the first Tour (meaning it should be more than comfortable to carry around in your pocket).
This is a solid update to the Tour line, and we’ll of course keep you updated as more info comes out on this new BlackBerry– but what you think possible Tour owners, you willing to hold off on that new holiday Tour for a Tour2 and willing to hold off for this to come to your carrier (said to be coming to Sprint and Verizon probably sometime next year)?
Pix and info from Boy Genius Report
Ask TeenTechBlog: What Does “Unlocked” and “Jailbroken” Mean? December 2, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Apple, Ask TeenTechBlog, Cell Phones , 2commentsAsk TeenTechBlog is where we try to answer your questions on technology– from computer problems, to cell phone questions and everything in between.
What does it mean to “unlock” your iPhone?
Here’s a question we’ve been getting a lot lately: “if I unlock my iPhone will it work for Verizon/Sprint? It should, right, because it’s unlocked?” Sorry anxious reader, just because your iPhone is unlocked doesn’t mean it will work for you on Verizon and Sprint.
Let me explain.
Sprint Announces their Second Android Phone– the Samsung Moment October 9, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in : Cell Phones, Google , 1 comment so far
The Samsung Moment for Sprint
In a couple of days, Sprint will be releasing it’s first-ever Google Android-powered phone: the awesome HTC Hero. Now if you were interested in getting an Android powered Sprint phone, but were more into something with a real full QWERTY keyboard, like with the T-Mobile G1 or Motorola Cliq, listen up– Sprint is prepping something for you too.
Meet the Samsung Moment (also known to some as the InstinctQ)– a pretty solid looking phone, that also is nicely spec’d. Let’s take a look at what we got here shall we?
- 3.2 inch AMOLED touchscreen with slide out full QWERTY keyboard and trackpad– Think of this as kinda like the G1 or Cliq in terms of design, just with a better screen than both (the screen, just for comparision’s sake, is like that on AT&T’s Samsung Impression– which is awesome). There also is a trackpad, like on the new BlackBerry 8520, which should help with navigating the device.
- 800 MHZ processor– This thing should run REALLY fast (the iPhone 3GS by comparison clocks in at 600 MHZ, and the Cliq and G1 are both around 528 MHZ– so your getting A LOT more power here)!
- Sprint 3G
- WiFi and GPS
- Google Android OS with Google– The “with Google” part means that unfortunately don’t expect a TouchWiz or any other type of customization like MOTOBLUR on the Cliq or HTC Sense on the Hero. You only get the standalone Android here. That’s not all bad though, as you still get the….
- Android Market and other Google apps like Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, etc.– You’ll get access to the thousands of apps already in the Android Market, and Sprint even has their own Android versions of Sprint TV, Sprint Navigation, and NFL and NASCAR apps already pre-installed onto the device.
- 3.2 Megapixel camera with Flash, video camera and auto-focus
- Support for Sprint Any Mobile, Anytime– This is Sprint’s new calling feature added to the Everything plan, and for $69.99 a month you get the usual unlimited data and text, but now the ability to call anyone in the country– no matter if their on AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, whatever– without the need to worry about minutes. It’s now also got unlimited calling!
You can check the full press release here, and you can expect in Sprint stores November 1st for the same price of the Hero– $179.99 with a 2 year contract and $100 mail in rebate– which requires a Sprint Everything plan. Hit the more link for a quick YouTube of the phone in action, and click here to sign up for Sprint to keep you up to date (though don’t worry, we got you covered right here).