The life of a gadget lover tends to involve
a lot of waiting, so it's always nice to be surprised by a roadmap getting shorter rather than longer. Sprint has told
Forbes that its very first
WiMAX phone will be arriving in the first half of this year, which will be somewhat earlier than many had expected. We're likely talking about that A9292 "bar handset" from HTC that was spotted
in January, as
Forbes goes on to note that it's likely to be a
HTC-built Android device. The aptly-titled
Supersonic seems like the obvious, albeit unconfirmed, prime candidate here. Further word from Paget Alves, Sprint's president of Business Markets, indicates that businesses and government agencies might be the first adopters, which must mean whatever handset's being discussed will be at least somewhat business-friendly. Finally, CEO
Dan Hesse himself is cited as saying Sprint will be bringing out "dozens of devices" with embedded WiMAX this year, so even if you don't like the first one, there should be plenty of options come the holidays.
[Thanks, Douglas]
posted February 19th 2010 3:15AM
WiMAX is cool. Just make sure you don't try to access the network while you're in motion.
@midkay Finally sprint is making new's..They have been lagging lately we saw at CES what At&t is coming out with all those Android phones and T-mobile with the HD2 coming and verizon getting the N1 but sprint has been pretty silent lately lets hope we can see some good handsets coming out with them..I want a successor to my Pre already
@midkay . Wait, are you implying that you can't access WiMAX while moving? If you are, you are naive and have not the slightest clue at what WiMAX is. Oh, and if you somehow still believe that, here's a vid showing employees from Intel driving while using WiMAX on a laptop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me-lGd3-BGM
@liftedngifted1 I am also on the Pre and I'm dying for an upgrade! I think we're getting ready to hear a Palm/Sprint announcement here real soon... Ya know, to the tune of a bigger screen, snapdragon processor, bigger screen, 4g, bigger screen ;) and on and on... Anything less will disappoint... If not, this Supersonic is lookin' real good...
@midkay Should be able to fall back to EVDO Rev.A anyway...not going to get Wimax speeds but Sprint's network is pretty fast anyway.
I hope they give this a keyboard (or a keyboard version)...and a 1.5Ghz snapdragon...and let you dual-boot Windows 7 and Android...bwahahaha.
@majorhunadadun
it looks like the palm c40 may be a wimax device
@liftedngifted1 Finally! Wimax sprint coming... As for the htc supersonic, The device will be similar to the HTC HD2 and equipped with 4.3-inch display and fast processor (that still remains unknown) integrated into a really thin body. The HTC Supersonic will be running Android 2.1 and HTC Sense interface. Although rumors suggest it will run the 3.0? Interesting! http://bit.ly/htc-supersonic-view
I'm just ready for the Supersonic, 4g or not. I have Clear wimax and it is not ready for prime time yet, not even close. I just want the Supersonic!!
Give me a Windows Phone Series 7 with WiMAX baby!
*Reads post
*immediatley renews Sprint contract
@chnwa3 why would u renew you contract immediately when the phone isn't out yet..you won't be able to upgrade...
@redman12 * means sarcasm, which only applies to my comments
@redman12 your contract doesn't determine your upgrade eligibility. It's a cycle. Customers get an upgrade every 22 months, 12 for premier customers. So you could sign a new contract today, but if you haven't taken an upgrade since early 2007, you would still qualify. This contact-dependent stuff is the biggest myth in the wireless industry.
@chnwa3
*That was hilarious.
@chnwa3 So you sarcastically read the post.
I'm with Calldon. Why Supersonic?
1. 4.3" Android 2.1 with htc sense
2. 1GHz Snapdragon
3. Hopefully 512MB+
4. 720p video recording with 30fps+ and appropriate compression
5. 10.1 Flash enabled
6. 5Mpix camera with semi decent flash.
7. All the above that can last at least a day of generous use.
I guess I could also want a physical keyboard but that'll do. Then after supersonic my next phone will be able to do RAW pics :p
@airbag888 Should be an even better version of Android than 2.1 when it comes out.
I would like a Palm Pre Max please
@(Unverified) Hear hear!
@dcoaster
I hear you on this! A Palm Pre with a 4.3 inch screen, 1.5ghz processor, all touch screen.
While reading headline, i felt supersonic waves hitting me very hard.
Thanks engadget
@PENGADGET
i fight the monsters with my supersonic waves
i send the zombies back into the grave
DDR FTW!
If it truly lives up to the hype and is the Android equivalent of the HD2, the Supersonic could easily be one of the most badass mobile devices ever.
@Shoemeister It's going to have to be better than just the HD2 hardware with Android since it's coming out months after the HD2 in the US (and almost a year after the HD2 came out worldwide). HTC doesn't sleep. It's going to be even better. Maybe Snapdragon 2, maybe some internal storage, but most definitely an OLED screen.
Do devices on the Sprint Network use SIM cards? Or are they CDMA?
@fuz1987 Sprint uses CDMA. No SIM cards
@fuz1987 There CDMA like Verizon, At&t and T-mobile use GSM (Sim cards) but sprint does use SIM cards for there IDEN Nextel handsets
@fuz1987
I have a Sprint Touch Pro 2, and they do indeed utilize a form of SIM card for traveling overseas. Keeping the sim in the phone will cause the phone to "auto-configure". To alleviate any potential confusion or issues, I just removed it.
@liftedngifted1 I see... i hope they make a GSM version for us here in the UK! Ever since i saw the first leaked shots and then the render it's literally the only phone I can think of getting.
@fuz1987
They do make some "world phones" mostly blackberry and windows mobile phones, that are both CDMA and GSM (SIM card) so that you can use it on Sprint in the US and roam everywhere else in the world.
@fuz1987 Sprint does make world phones, but so far none of their Android phones have been world phones. I really hope they change that. If they're gearing the Supersonic for the business crowd, it would almost have to be a world phone.
Can't wait to ditch my Sprint TP2 for the Supersonic.
man finally sprints coming out with some good news. They have not been doing anything all other carriers have except sprint. Hopefully they come out with some better phones
Hopefully the HTC Supersonic will be released in the UK!
fu*k! I can uprade till christmas... Patience... Patiencen. Dammit!
goodbye HTC Bravo!
@threetee14 I think the desire was the bravo.. looks like it.
Glad to see Sprint stepping up to the plate with a push towards something that is a distinct advantage for the carrier, 4G. I'm really hopeing the handset is indeed the Supersonic, aswell as hopeing it makes the move to a 4.3inch AMOLED instead of the HD2's LCD screen, as it's been compared to the Nexus One's screen and found to be slightly behind excluding sheer size. Can't wait to upgrade.
If clear/wimax open san Francisco and NY and Sprint launches a dope phone Sprint might finally gain Subsribers for the first quarter in years. Glad I'm on Sprint's premier plan and can upgrade every year!
@INsano
Last I heard, New York, Boston, Houston and the San Francisco Bay area are the areas that should get 4G in sometime 2010.
@krische
I don't get too excited about 4g rollout claims. I stand between two 4g Clear towers and cannot get usable reception. And they claim they are finished out in my area, no more improvement. It's useless even as close as I am.
When I bought my hero they gave me an upgrade immediatly so I am just waiting for this beauty. hopefully WiMax comes to the bay area soon. **crosses fingers**
*immediately
Well I also really hope we get NY coverage ASAP....
& boy do I second the hope of Pre 2 having WiMAX!!
Well I also really hope we get NY coverage ASAP....
& boy do I second the hope of Pre 2 having WiMAX!!
UGH! Gosh darn it. Summer. Can they just release a 3G only device NOW? I want Sprint but I don't want to wait this long after being 2 years with T-Mobile on a Curve.
Their everything plan is much cheaper and useful than T-Mobile's. Darn it!
@godwheel Have you looked into T-Mo's Even More Plus plans?
@godwheel
You could get a used Sprint phone off of ebay and join Sprint with that. You should be hardware upgrade eligible until a new phone comes out that you want then you can get that.
@merovingian Yeah. I was going to go THAT route BUT, I would need the 1,500 minutes to be affordable enough. BUT T-Mobile does not support my-faves with that anymore, so the only option is the unlimited everything plan. But for some reason every line with that plan is $29.99 per month without internet or text.
@krische I'm interested in doing a 5 person family plan... but this is interesting if I can get a good deal on those phones. I havent made the switch because I KNOW a N1-like device is coming soon. I don't want to be tied down to 2 years with a Hero. But man, summer is far away.
Now if that bad boy has 'SUPER Amoled' ...
Sometimes it's like HTC is taking its sweet time because they're scared that this phone would be the holy grail of phones...