Mobile Miscellany: week of April 2nd, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, CyanogenMod gained a new logo, Google acquired a mobile payments company and we learned that the HTC EVO 4G LTE for Sprint will include an embedded SIM card. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of April 2nd, 2012.
Lumia 900 and 610 available for pre-order in UK
Whether you want a taste of Nokia's high end or simply need a new phone on the cheap, the UK retailer Clove has begun accepting pre-orders for both the Lumia 900 and 610. Both handsets are unlocked, but as you'd expect, there's quite a price disparity between the two. The Lumia 900 retails for £460.80, whereas the Lumia 610 is a mere £214.80 -- naturally, both of these prices include the value added tax, and you can reasonably expect these prices to fall once that shiny new luster begins to fade. Unfortunately, there's no word on when the devices will actually ship. [My Nokia Blog]
Verizon Wireless expanding LTE to greater Columbus area on April 19th
Live on the outskirts of The Discovery City and have a thirst for speed? Good news, because Verizon Wireless will extend its 4G LTE network to the areas of Newark/Heath, Granville, Hebron, Buckeye Lake and Circleville on April 19th. In the meantime, well, you can always go downtown. [Verizon Wireless PR]
HTC EVO 4G LTE features embedded SIM card
Sprint impressed us all this week with its own derivative of the HTC One family. Known as the EVO 4G LTE, it features several nice enhancements such as a kickstand, a protected camera lens, a dedicated camera button and a 2,000mAh battery. With its status as an LTE device, many of you might've reasonably assumed that it'd feature a removable SIM card -- not so. Among many of Sprint's design quirks, it's embedded the SIM card into the phone's internals. Certainly not a deal-breaker, but we sure would've loved international support on this handset. [BriefMobile]
Wikipedia updates Android and iOS apps, adopts OpenStreetMap
Wikipedia released an overhauled version of its iOS app this week, designed to bring it to parity with the Android version -- which also saw an update this week. Both versions feature new search functions and "Did you mean?" search results, and the Android version also sports a reworked interface for tablet users. Most curiously, however, the Wikimedia Foundation dropped Google Maps from both apps and replaced its functionality with OpenStreetMap -- a service that's said to be more in line with the beliefs and goals of the group. [Wikimedia Foundation]
Google acquires TxVia to bolster mobile payments
Google Wallet hasn't exactly become a smash hit since it was first introduced in May of last year, but that's not to suggest the mobile payment service has been forgotten. Google announced this week its acquisition of TxVia, a New York-based payment processing company that specializes in prepaid and gift cards. Its said to boast over 100 million accounts and offer direct access to the major payment networks. [AllThingsD, Google Commerce blog]
Meet Cid, the new CyanogenMod mascot
Wave hello to Cid, everyone. This character's about to become rather familiar around these parts as the new mascot for CyanogenMod. Cid will replace the project's current cheerleader, the skateboarding Bugdroid, which leaders felt was too similar to Google's creation. Rather, Cid -- which is short for CyanogenMod ID -- is intended to reflect the system's unique characteristics that can't be found in stock Android. [Talk Android]
Nokia TV announced, will arrive only in Finland
Nokia has a new entertainment app on the horizon to supplement its Music and Reading efforts, but this one's only going to be available in its home country of Finland. Known as Nokia TV, the free service will allow users to catch up with some of their favorite television shows. Given Nokia's tendency to source content locally, it speaks to reason that we may see this app debut in other regions as the company builds a network of partners. [Nokia Conversations]
