Author: RPadTV

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T-Mobile HSPA+ 21 vs. HSPA+ 42

Last month T-Mobile released its first phones that support HSPA+ 42 data speeds. To give you an idea of how much of an improvement HSPA+ 42 is over HSPA+ 21, I ran a bunch of tests using Ookla’s SpeedTest.net Mobile app. On the HSPA+ 21 side, I used an LG G2x. Representing HSPA+ 42 was the Samsung Galaxy S II. I ran speed tests 10 times at four different locations. Only one phone was turned on at a time in order to reduce interference. Check out the average results below.

Los Angeles (Union Station)

Ping Upload Download
LG G2x 501 ms 1.696 Mbps 4.846 Mbps
Samsung Galaxy S II 712.8 ms 1.52 Mbps 9.238 Mbps

Los Angeles (LAX Airport)

Ping Upload Download
LG G2x 396 ms 1.146 Mbps 6.082 Mbps
Samsung Galaxy S II 393 ms 0.966 Mbps 10.852 Mbps

Chicago (ORD Airport)

Ping Upload Download
LG G2x 181.4 ms 1.02 Mbps 3.868 Mbps
Samsung Galaxy S II 625.2 ms 1.982 Mbps 5.422 Mbps

Los Angeles (Koreatown)

Ping Upload Download
LG G2x 480 ms 1.434 Mbps 5.592 Mbps
Samsung Galaxy S II 484.4 ms 1.45 Mbps 9.948 Mbps

There are several takeaways here. First, the biggest advantage of HSPA+ 42 is superior download speeds. Secondly, upload speeds and ping rates — both of which are important for an optimal Internet experience — aren’t improved at all and certainly much worse than what LTE networks offer. Lastly, your mileage may vary depending on how well T-Mobile coverage is in your area. I was actually shocked by the great speeds I got in Koreatown when I tested; service in K-Town has sucked for three months and I was used to disappointing speeds of 2.5 Mbps down and less than 1 Mbps up on the G2x.

While there’s certainly a noticeable difference moving from HSPA+ 21 to HSPA+ 42, moving over to AT&T or Verizon LTE is an even bigger difference. I’ve used several Verizon LTE phones that offer upload speeds and ping rates that blow HSPA+ 42 away. High download speeds are great for downloading files (duh), but everyday activities like web browsing, forum trolling, etc. get a huge boost from low ping rates and high upload speeds. For example, the web site you’re currently reading pings more than 10 sources multiple times during a page load; fast pings and upload speeds help decrease load times.

When you have a chance, please let me know what you think of these test results. Anything pop out at you? If you’re currently using an HSPA+ 21 phone on T-Mobile, do the numbers make you anxious to jump to an HSPA+ 42 phone? Also, enjoy this photo of T-Mobile’s Carly Foulkes…who isn’t nearly as cool my buddy Virgin Mobile Sarah Carroll.

Coffee Talk #424: Your Black Friday Goals and Wishes

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here! The next week is going to be nuts for brick-and-mortar stores as well as online retailers. Today I wanted to see if there are any deals you’re looking for. Are you hoping to snag some great games for a…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the awesome Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Hua right at UFC 139, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s return to the ring, or the ESRB starting a new rating system for mobile software, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here! The next week is going to be nuts for brick-and-mortar stores as well as online retailers. Today I wanted to see if there are any deals you’re looking for. Are you hoping to snag some great games for a cheap price? Perhaps you’re in the market for a new console. Maybe you want a new phone, tablet, or other consumer electronics device? Kindly share your Black Friday/Cyber Monday goals and wishes with your fellow RPadholics.

As for me, I’m actually going to be on a Black Friday shoot in Chicago. Paying me was pretty much the only way you’d get me to a shopping mall on Black Friday. I greatly prefer online shopping. I’ll be keeping an eye out for deals of all sorts, but the only thing I’m really looking for is a soundbar. I don’t have enough room for a full 5.1 or 7.1 system. A soundbar would be a step up from my TV speakers without taking up too much space.

Now it’s your turn! Kindly share your Black Friday wish list. Are there any stores you’re going to be scoping out? Any of you going to brave the midnight opening?

This Week’s Videogame Releases (WWE 12, Tekken)

The onslaught of excellent games has slowed down, but there are still some hot game releases left in 2011. Leading the way is WWE 12. I’m sure it will be another fine wrestling game from THQ, but I’m also sure there’s at least one good reason the writing won’t be as stellar as the Shakespearean scripts found in previous games. Fighting-game fans have a pair of releases to look forward to this week. Tekken Hybrid offers loads of Tekken gameplay in one package. The King of Fighters XIII takes a storied fighting franchise to the next level.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #423: The Muppets Movie and You

Last night I went to a screening of The Muppets and left the theater completely charmed. It’s a fun and cute movie that mixes the classic feel of the Muppets previous musical adventures with several modern twists. As expected, Jason Segel’s…

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Demi Moore filing for divorce, George Clooney possibly playing Steve Jobs, or 720p phone screens, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last night I went to a screening of The Muppets and left the theater completely charmed. It’s a fun and cute movie that mixes the classic feel of the Muppets previous musical adventures with several modern twists. As expected, Jason Segel’s screenplay was respectful and reverent to Jim Henson’s timeless creations. What surprised me was several twists that could have felt dated, but were executed with a boldness that said, “Screw it. We’re going to do it the classic way and have fun with it!”

I loved the musical numbers. I loved the self referential jokes. A lot of the cameos were awesome (Dave Grohl’s was amazing, given the context), though some of them were weird (James Carville?!?). Most of all, I just loved the movie’s feel. It was positive and uplifting while being silly and humorous. It made me want to buy The Green Album. While some of the original Muppet puppeteers have problems with the new movie, I think that Jim Henson would have been proud.

I’m extremely curious to see how the movie performs and what reactions will be like. Older viewers that grew up with The Muppet Show will love it. Little kids will enjoy it. I’m not so sure about teens and young adults (the Twilight crowd). They’re too young to have Muppet nostalgia and old enough to find foam actors kind of stupid. Will a movie that centers around a variety show (not the most popular genre in America) and musical numbers appeal to them? I have my doubts, but I also hope the positive nature of the movie will appeal to children of all ages.

What are you thoughts on the movie? How will it play with the Twilight crowd? Any of you planning to see The Muppets next week?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I so want to be playing Skyrim this weekend, but I have a shoot in Chicago. Yes, it’s another one of those trips that has me spending more time in the air than on the ground. Good thing I enjoy flying. I’ll be counting on iOS games to entertain me in the friendly skies. The usual suspects of Civilization Revolution, Quarrel Deluxe, and Jetpack Joyride will be joined by newcomer TubeHero. It’s a cool music/rhythm game with futuristic graphics. Think of it as Guitar Hero meets Wipeout. Plus, the name totally cracks me up. I can picture Beavis and Butt-Head giggling for hours saying, “TubeHero.”

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Hands On With Google Music (Not a Review!)

I’ve been playing with Google Music and Google’s Music Store on Android Market for the last day. It’s a mix of cool features and annoying quirks. There are some aspects of the experience I really like and some areas where Google Music puts Apple iTunes on its ass. There are also some aspects of the experience that are stupid and annoying. Let’s break it down!

Buying and Browsing: I love the shopping and browsing experience of the Google Music Store. It’s bright, there are lots of pictures, and the big-time acts have sweet videos. Most of what you want can be found, as Google has signed up three of the four major companies (Warners is still holding out). There’s lots of free music and a “free song of the day” that encourages repeat visits. Buying is a snap if you already have a Google Wallet or (the soon to be dead) Google Checkout account. Compared to iTunes and Amazon’s MP3 store, I prefer the shopping experience of Google Music.

Listening: After you’ve purchased your music, it’s available in seconds on the web-based player or your Android device. The instant gratification will make you want to kiss the cloud (which isn’t actually a tangible thing you can kiss). Listening on my PC was great thanks to my zippy cable Internet connection. Listening on a Samsung Galaxy S II through T-Mobile required a little more waiting because of the slower connection, the sound quality was still good. I did have some quirks with the HTML 5 version of Google Music on my iPad, but that’s something I’m going to talk about more on Padvance.com.

Downloading: If you want to download a few individual songs onto your PC then you can easily do so on the web-based player. If you want to download a large batch of purchased music then you’re better of using the Music Manager app. The app works fine for uploading and downloading music to and from the cloud, but it’s way to slow. The upload speed I can understand, but downloads should be much faster. Hopefully this will get better in the future, but for now the Music Manager app’s sluggishness is disappointing and annoying.

Social: Google Music features heavy Google+ integration. You can post a song or album through “+1” buttons. People that read your post get one free listen and a link to buy the song or album. Compared to the extremely weak Ping features on Apple iTunes, Google Music’s social aspect is deep and robust. I love how it can lead to discovering new music. There are also some potentially great music discssions that can be generated by Google+ and Google Music.

Verdict: I can easily see myself visiting the Google Music Store several times a week, similar to how I visit the Amazon Android App Store daily to see if there are any good freebies. As for purchasing, it’s all about the price and convenience for me. Apple iTunes is the easiest way for me to buy music, but it’s often the most expensive. Amazon is usually cheaper and its software makes it easy to sync with all my devices. The Google Music Store has a ton of freebies and some sweet deals, but the Music Manager could be better. I like Google Music a lot and will definitely give it a look every time I’m thirsty for new sounds, but the experience isn’t good enough (yet) to push Amazon and Apple off my menu.

If you’ve been tinkering with Google Music, I’d love to hear about your experiences. Please let me know what you think of Google Music and the Google Music Store on Android Market when you have a chance.

Sony Wants You to Replace Your Cable Box with Your PS3

Sony Corp. is rumored to be exploring an Internet-based television service that would use devices like the PlayStation 3 to replace traditional cable and satellite receivers. This could be a major disruptor to the American market; most consumers have two choices for premium television (cable or satellite), while a limited number of consumers have access to fiber services like AT&T U-Verse and Verizon Fios. Here’s more from The Wall Street Journal:

Sony Corp. is considering launching an Internet-based alternative to cable-TV service, people familiar with the situation said, posing the latest threat to the cable and satellite operators that dominate pay TV. The Japanese electronics and entertainment company has approached several big media companies to negotiate the rights to offer their TV channels over the Web in the U.S., the people said. Sony is proposing to beam the channels over Internet connections to Sony-made devices, including PlayStation gaming consoles, TV sets and Blu-ray players, the people said.

To me, cable and satellite companies are the same as mobile phone service providers — they all suck. While Internet services like Netflix and Hulu have given consumers more choices than ever, I’m still dreaming about a true disruptive service that would put cable and satellite companies on their collective asses.

Apple and Microsoft are rumored to be exploring an Internet-based TV services, and I’m thrilled to see Sony in the mix. These alternatives can’t get here fast enough. I’d love to cancel my Time Warner Cable subscription for a modern and more cost-effective service. It’s good to have dreams.

How about you? What do you make of the rumor? Would you be down with a Sony Internet TV service that ran through your PlayStation 3?

Source

Coffee Talk #422: Happy Birthday Shigeru Miyamoto!

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, stupid Pacquiao fans making ignorant excuses for their man even though he “won”, guessing Lisa Munn’s muff, or Android getting the new Netflix UI before iOS, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today is Shigeru Miyamoto’s birthday! The legendary Nintendo game designer has been making amazing videogames for decades. Few people in the world perform at such a high level for so long, especially in entertainment. He’s truly incredible. I’m not saying he does it all by himself, but a significant part of what makes Nintendo so great and lovable is Shigeru Miyamoto’s “magic”. To me, he’s the Jim Henson or Steve Jobs of videogames.

Let’s celebrate this gaming treasure by talking about your favorite Shigeru Miyamoto games and what he means to you as a gamer. Fire away!