Tag: Mobile Tech

Verizon 4G LTE Launch Cities and Airports

Verizon has announced that its 4G LTE network will launch on December 5, 2010 in 38 cities and 60 airports. According to the company’s press release, the network will achieve data rates in “real-world, loaded network environments” from five to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and two to five Mbps on the uplink. Most mobile companies post theoretical maximum rates. The network will launch with two data modems, with LTE phones expected to be announced at CES 2011.

The 38 launch cities are:

  • Akron, Ohio
  • Athens, Georgia
  • Atlanta, Georgia
  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Boston, Massachusetts
  • Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Chicago, Illinois
  • Cincinnati, Ohio
  • Cleveland, Ohio
  • Columbus, Ohio
  • Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
  • Houston, Texas
  • Jacksonville, Florida
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Los Angeles, California
  • Miami, Florida
  • Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
  • Nashville, Tennessee
  • New Orleans, Louisiana
  • New York, New York
  • Oakland, California
  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Orlando, Florida
  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Phoenix, Arizona
  • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Rochester, New York
  • San Antonio, Texas
  • San Diego, California
  • San Francisco, California
  • San Jose, California
  • Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
  • St. Louis, Missouri
  • Tampa, Florida
  • Washington, D.C.
  • West Lafayette, Indiana
  • West Palm Beach, Florida

The launch airports are:

  • Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin, Texas
  • Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie, Maryland
  • Bob Hope, Burbank, California
  • Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle, Washington
  • Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte, North Carolina
  • Chicago Midway International, Chicago, Illinois
  • Chicago O’Hare International, Chicago, Illinois
  • Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International, Covington, Kentucky
  • Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Dallas Love Field, Dallas, Texas
  • Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth, Texas
  • Denver International, Denver, Colorado
  • Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston, Texas
  • Greater Rochester International, Rochester, New York
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Honolulu International, Honolulu, Hawaii
  • Jacksonville International, Jacksonville, Florida
  • John F. Kennedy International, New York, New York
  • John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana, California
  • Kansas City International, Kansas City, Missouri
  • La Guardia, New York, New York
  • Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford, Massachusetts
  • Long Beach/Daugherty Field, Long Beach, California
  • Los Angeles International, Los Angeles, California
  • Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie, Louisiana
  • McCarran International, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Memphis International, Memphis, Tennessee
  • Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland, California
  • Miami International, Miami, Florida
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Nashville International, Nashville, Tennessee
  • New Castle, Wilmington, Delaware
  • Newark Liberty International, Newark, New Jersey
  • Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose, California
  • North Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Orlando International, Orlando, Florida
  • Orlando Sanford International, Sanford, Florida
  • Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach, Florida
  • Philadelphia International, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, Mesa, Arizona
  • Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Port Columbus International, Columbus, Ohio
  • Portland International, Portland, Oregon
  • Rickenbacker International, Columbus, Ohio
  • Ronald Reagan Washington National, Arlington, Virginia
  • Sacramento International, Sacramento, California
  • Salt Lake City International, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • San Antonio International, San Antonio, Texas
  • San Diego International, San Diego, California
  • San Francisco International, San Francisco, California
  • Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle, Washington
  • St. Augustine, Saint Augustine, Florida
  • St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater, Florida
  • Tampa International, Tampa, Florida
  • Teterboro, Teterboro, New Jersey
  • Trenton Mercer, Trenton, New Jersey
  • Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
  • Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • William P. Hobby, Houston, Texas

I’m impressed with Verizon’s thorough rollout. It’s much more impressive than how Sprint started its WiMax network and how T-Mobile launched HSPA+. Anyone interested in a Verizon LTE data modem? Or are you strictly interested in phones?

PSP Phone Spotted in Greece?

This “spy” video allegedly shows the Sony Ericcson Z1 — the rumored PSP Android phone. It’s super grainy, so it’s hard to tell exactly what it is. The Android part seems accurate, but it’s impossible to tell if the handset can play PSP games. Check it out and share your conspiracy theories (please)!

Source via Engadget

TV Through Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7?

Microsoft is in the early stages of planning a televisions service that can be accessed through devices like its Xbox 360 gaming console. The company has been holding talks with various networks for a service that could end up being like virtual cable or a la carte cable. According to Reuters:

Microsoft Corp has held talks with media companies to license TV networks for a new online pay-television subscription service through devices such as its Xbox video game console, two people familiar with the plans told Reuters.

Microsoft is also exploring the possibility of creating content silos and selling more individual channels directly such as an HBO or Showtime. It already has Walt Disney Co’s ESPN on the Xbox Live online service for example.

This could develop into something huge and game changing. Cable and satellite companies are crap, requiring customers to buy packages containing dozens of channels, most of which are unwanted. If Microsoft sells individualchannels  — particularly premium ones like HBO — through Xbox 360 and its future consoles, I’d drop my cable service in a heartbeat. Being able to pick the channels you want would be brilliant.

Integrating the television service with Windows Phone 7 would be tremendous. Microsoft’s mobile operating system will have a difficult time catching up to Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. Offering premium television through Windows Phone 7 would make the battle easier.

While the service appears to be a year away — if it happens at all — it has a ton of potential. I will dream about features like a la carte channel selection and streaming HBO boxing on a phone, but I fully expect the networks to give the bare minimum.

What do you think of a potential Microsoft television service? What would you want it to have?

Source

Cox Launches (Game Changing?) Mobile Phone Service

Cox Communications has launched a potentially game changing mobile phone service. By combining mobile, land line telephone, Internet, and cable television services, the company offers discounted rates through a “quadruple play”. One unique feature of its service is that users can get their unused minutes refunded for up to a $20 rebate per month. Cox is adding other goodies too. Here’s a clip from the press release:

To further sweeten the reward for existing customers, Cox’s bundled customers can choose one free upgrade when they add Cox Wireless. With Bundle Benefits, Advanced TV customers can choose a free premium entertainment channel such as HBO, Showtime, Starz or Cinemax or Cox Movie Pak, which includes Encore, Epix, Sundance and Vutopia; high-speed Internet customers can upgrade from Preferred to Premier; or home telephone customers can add unlimited domestic long distance calling on their Cox Digital Telephone service.

The service is currently available in the Hampton Roads, Omaha, and Orange County markets. It currently works on Sprint’s 3G network, but Cox has plans to roll out its own network in the future. The launch phones include the HTC Desire, HTC Hero, HTC Wildfire, Motorola Milestone, and LG Axis. The phones will feature special software that interacts with various Cox service.

By getting to people pay for multiple services, Cox can offer attractive bundles that can offer better value than paying multiple companies. Other cable companies have similar plans in the works. It will be interesting to see if AT&T and Verizon offer more aggressive packages that combine their mobile, land line, Internet, and television services.

What do you think of Cox gambit? Will it work? Is this the future of telecommunications? Any of you happen to be Cox customers?

Official Google Voice App for iPhone Available Now

One of the two biggest reasons I love the Android platform is its unmatched Google Voice integration. Today, that reason has been (mostly) eliminated thanks to the official Google Voice app for iOS. Currently available for iPhone only, Google Voice for iOS is a pretty excellent implementation of Google’s fine telephony product. According to Google’s blog, the app offers all the functionality of the HTML5 version and adds a few touches:

  • With push notifications, the app will alert you instantly when you receive a new voicemail or text message
  • Most of your calls will be placed via Direct Access Numbers, making them connect just as quickly as regular phone calls

Now that iOS has a strong (and official) Google Voice app, I’m exponentially more interested in the platform for everyday use. If Gmail integration continues to improve and Apple offers bigger screens then I just might head back to the iOS platform.

How about you? Any of you psyched for Google Voice for iOS?

Source

Today’s Poll: Do You Use a Case For Your Mobile Phone?

Do you use a case for your mobile phone? Or do you prefer to keep it naked? Some people are anal about protecting their phones, which is understandable considering what high-end smartphones cost. Others don’t like covering up sexy electronics with unattractive plastic and rubber. As for me, it depends on the situation. If I’m wearing something like the super soft Lulu Lemon pants my future sister-in-law bought me, then I’ll keep the phone naked. If I’m wearing jeans or pants made out of rough material, then I’ll go with case (love Otterbox and Seidio).

How about you? Kindly take today’s poll and share your case options.

[poll id=”85″]

Google Nexus S Heading to T-Mobile?

Engadget Mobile has done a ton of sleuthing on the Google Nexus S and unlike Gizmodo, the outlet didn’t have to buy a stolen phone. I kid, I kid. The Google Nexus S is being made by Samsung and will feature a stock version of Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) and, curiously, T-Mobile’s AWS 3G bands. It has a front-facing camera for video chat and a five-megapixel camera for taking pictures/video. Presumably it will feature Samsung’s vaunted Super AMOLED screen technology and an updated Hummingbird processor.

On paper, it sounds frickin’ fantastic. However, we live in the real world and not on paper. From Engadget’s multiple pictures, the Nexus S looks like Samsung’s other Galaxy S phones — heavy use of plastic and an iPhone 3GS-like look. I greatly prefer the metallic feel of phones like the Droid X and T-Mobile G2. As a T-Mobile customer, I’m interested in the Nexus S since it will always be the first Android phone to receive updates. However, I find T-Mobile’s WiFi calling incredibly useful and don’t expect to see it on a stock Android phone (though I’m sure it can be hacked on).

Any of you excited by the Nexus S? It should be an excellent phone, but is it excellent enough for you to drop cash on?

Source

AT&T Commercial Triples Sales of Cool-Jams

I’m sure most of you have seen that AT&T commercial where a really hot chick professes her love for Cool-Jams. (It’s embedded above in case you haven’t.) The gag was meant to show off the power of AT&T’s mobile network (*snicker*) and poke fun at an uncool product. A curious side effect of the spot is a surge in Cool-Jams sales. According to a company press release:

Recently AT&T casually mentioned Cool-jams in one of their national commercials. Since then Cool-jams monthly sales have tripled.

My theory is that anything will sell if it’s mentioned by a really sexy woman.

Full disclosure: I’m actually friends with the girl in the commercial. This is just an elaborate way for me to say, “Hey! We really should hang out and catch up.” So take that Kim!

Source

Coffee Talk #243: How Much Mobile Data Do You Use?

With the days of truly unlimited mobile data coming to a close, I’ve been curious about my mobile Internet consumption. My last billing cycle ended yesterday and I was pleased that I only used…

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, your favorite Indian dish, the hottest chick on Baywatch, or the horrible TNA belt Jeff Hardy ordered up, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

With the days of truly unlimited mobile data coming to a close, I’ve been curious about my mobile Internet consumption. My last billing cycle ended yesterday and I was pleased that I only used 600MB of data in the last month. However, I was almost always on WiFi. If I’m traveling or working at an office that doesn’t grant WiFi access to contractors then I can see my data consumption going way higher.

With unlimited data nearing extinction, I’m going to keep tabs on my mobile data use. Do you ladies and gents already do that? Is it something you’re going to do? How much data do you use per month? Kindly take the poll, discuss, and be merry!

[poll id=”84″]

Ininity Blade (iOS) Trailer is Ridiculous

Remember last week when I said that Infinity Blade would offer a glimpse into the exciting future of mobile gaming? My opinion has been completely solidified by this incredible trailer. I’m pretty floored that this game is for iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads. I defy you to watch it and tell me you’re not impressed!!!