You probably don't need a 112 slide PowerPoint presentation from Mary Meeker and the venture capital firm KPCB to tell you this, but the Internet, she's getting bigger. Every year more and more people sign on and, not surprisingly, many of the 663 million netizens added over the last three years have come from developing nations like China and India. In fact, since 2008, China has accounted for almost a third of new web users, adding 215 million to the connected population. What also shouldn't come as a shock, is that the boon in connectivity is also being pushed by the broader availability of 3G data connections. Areas like India, China and Vietnam have all seen triple digit percentage growths in 3G penetration since last year. Wireless broadband has really exploded in India, where year over year growth in subscribers was 841 percent, though, that still only equates to a four percent penetration rate. For more info about the state of the internet and the world's 1.1 billion 3G subscribers hit up the source link.

Internet Trends report finds online growth driven by China and India, users increasingly mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 22:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's current iPad is already cleared for China in WiFi trim, but those of us who've wanted to roam through Kunming on care-free 3G haven't had any officially approved choices. That's ending soon, as the Chinese government just gave the cellular version (A1430) the all-clear. Like in most parts of the world, Apple's slate won't use LTE given the lack of any established network in the area; HSPA's as good as it will get. The clearance is slightly odd given that the State Administration for Industry and Commerce is leaning in Proview's direction when it comes to iPad trademark ownership. With the iPad still legally available in the country, though, it's safe to say that official 3G iPad carrier China Unicom is happy to prepare for a rush of customers who want to buy a cellular iPad without using the zipline delivery method.

China greenlights Apple's third-gen iPad for 3G use, China Unicom smiles knowingly originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Huawei has filed an EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital to end its "abuse" of the allegedly standards-essential patents it controls. The company has urged the commission to examine its demands, which are considered too hefty to come under the protection of FRAND terms. The shoe normally resides on the other foot, with InterDigital previously instigating battles with Nokia, Samsung and ZTE. This time, it looks like the Chinese giant was tired of being pushed around by what it's derisorily called a non-practicing entity -- which we've taken to be a polite euphemism.

Update: InterDigital has released a statement, which we've included after the break.

Continue reading Huawei files EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital

Huawei files EU antitrust complaint against InterDigital originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 10:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung's Euro-centric Omnia M has finished its mandated saunter through the FCC. The Windows Phone for the old country will sport a 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz processor -- while the test documents reveal that it'll only carry a GSM and 3G radio, leaving the lucky few with LTE out in the cold. Now that it's passed the regulatory hurdle of being allowed into the US, we can hope that the company will soon start talking about when we can get our hands on one.

Samsung Omnia M stops off at the FCC, Europeans pine for the Focus 2 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 04:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As mobile operators continue to move toward the promised land known as "the future," it grows ever more important for them to make some room for it. AT&T announced today that it has started the process of refarming its 2G 1900MHz spectrum in New York City, which should alleviate some of the growing demand on the carrier's 3G and 4G networks within the city. AT&T isn't volunteering specific details on how long the transition will take, and it's only saying that the freed-up bandwidth will be used for high-speed services. There are still plenty of customers on 2G-only devices that will be affected by the transition -- they may still have service for now, but it will likely degrade as the process goes forward -- but the company is reaching out to them and offering alternative options, such as free 3G-capable phones. Let's just hope those don't come with fresh contracts attached. Drift your eyes below for the full press release.

Continue reading AT&T begins refarming 2G spectrum in New York City

AT&T begins refarming 2G spectrum in New York City originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

VIA is planning to get some serious mileage out of its Eden X2 processor -- in the most literal sense possible. It's now producing the AMOS-3002, a Pico-ITX-sized PC intended for in-car infotainment and other situations where an embedded PC needs to have a little more juice for media tasks. The Eden X2 in question comes in a dual-core 1GHz flavor that's completely fanless, but it's fast enough to show 1080p video (when your car is parked, we hope) and can handle more intensive work like dual gigabit Ethernet jacks, optional 3G and even a 2.5-inch hard drive. That breadbox-sized shell can also take a lot of abuse, surviving temperatures between -4F and 140F as well as 50 Gs' worth of shock. You'll have to wait until your favorite car designer or digital sign maker uses the AMOS-3002 to see it in action, but until then, you can get the full details after the break.

Continue reading VIA unveils fanless, Eden X2-packing AMOS-3002, promises tiny dual-core PC in your car

VIA unveils fanless, Eden X2-packing AMOS-3002, promises tiny dual-core PC in your car originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T's Glenn Lurie sees the end of WiFi-only tablets originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 13:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you've been on the hunt for Sprint LTE devices that won't yet function on the carrier's latest 4G network (that, ahem, isn't even scheduled to go live until this summer), May 18th seems to be the day to call in sick. The company's first LTE/WiMAX/3G hotspot will be making its way from the Sierra Wireless manufacturing line to your door for the princely sum of $99.99 (after a $50 rebate and a two-year service agreement) on that date. Data plans range in price from $35 for 3GB to $80 for 12 gigs, on whichever network happens to be available in your area. There's a 3,600 mAh battery on board, which will reportedly keep you online for up to eight hours, along with an Overdrive Pro-like info screen for displaying key stats, like remaining power and your wireless key. You'll find a hearty list of suggested usage scenarios in the press release just past the break, if for some reason you need a PR push to discover just how such a device will fit into your life.

Continue reading Sprint Tri-Fi hotspot boasts LTE, WiMAX and 3G connectivity, set to ship on May 18th

Sprint Tri-Fi hotspot boasts LTE, WiMAX and 3G connectivity, set to ship on May 18th originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 11:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While we wait for the LTE version of the Samsung Galaxy S III to arrive in the US this summer, UK punters will have opportunities to preorder the new flagship device starting right away on these carriers: Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and Three. Although details and specific availability vary from carrier to carrier, retailer Carphone Warehouse currently lists a SIM-free preorder price of £499.95. While Orange didn't mention any other details than that it will offer the phone, Vodafone has revealed that beyond the 16GB edition, it has a timed month long exclusive on the 32GB version. On Three, preorders open tomorrow, May 4th, with the all-you-can-eat data One plan for £34 monthly. The phone will launch May 30th in the UK, a day after the May 29th global release date. There's a few UK / Ireland specific press releases included after the break and links below, check those out for all details, preregistration and information on preorder bonuses some are offering.

Continue reading Samsung Galaxy S III launching on Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and Three in the UK

Samsung Galaxy S III launching on Vodafone, Orange, O2, T-Mobile and Three in the UK originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 16:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It seems like almost every day that we receive a press release announcing Verizon or AT&T is planning to expand its LTE coverage to three, five, eleven new markets. But in some remote pockets of the country, you'd be lucky to latch onto even a solid 3G signal. In a bid to make sure those folks in the boonies get their due, the Federal Communications Commission is establishing a fund to encourage carriers to roll out 3G and 4G service in sparser areas. All told, the agency plans to award up to $300 million to mobile operators, with funds going to the providers offering the lowest rates. The winners will be decided in a sealed, single-round auction, which opens June 27th and is set to close July 11th. As a condition for receiving the funds, carriers must agree to cover at least 75 percent of the road miles within a given census tract. While it's unclear at this early stage which mobile players will take the bait, the FCC's already signaled which parts of the country will be first in line for upgraded service -- namely, Rocky Mountain states like Utah and Idaho, along with Maine, Appalachia and upstate New York.

FCC to dole out up to $300 million to help carriers expand service in rural areas originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 May 2012 10:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For all the talk of convergence in mobile devices, there's relatively little chatter about the coming together of wireless signals themselves. In other words, why should we have a separate device to interact with each type of wireless signal? And so, with that intriguing question, begins the pitch for a new device call Phi. It's a $750 antennae-laden PCIe card that slots into a desktop and gathers up wireless signals that are flying around the home -- so long as they have a frequency below 4GHz and don't involve bank-busting neutrinos. The card then allows custom apps to re-direct those transmissions as you like: potentially acting as a "base station" so you can make free calls from your cell phone, or receiving over-the-air HD transmissions which you can play on your tablet, or doing whatever else hobbyists and devs can cook up. Phi is still version 0.1 and Linux-only while the startup behind it -- Per Vices -- looks for a Kinect-style blossoming of third-party interest, but with nothing less than a deity-like command over the domestic ether on offer, how could it ever fail?

Continue reading Phi: a wireless re-routing card that puts you in control of the airwaves (video)

Phi: a wireless re-routing card that puts you in control of the airwaves (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 06:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

European Patent Office invalidates IPCom 3G patent, gives good news to Nokia and HTC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 23:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's a good time to be in business. And by "business," we mean, "in the wireless business." Apple and Samsung seem to be selling every smartphone they make, and Qualcomm seems to be outfitting those very devices with quite a few components. After a record-setting Q1, Qually has just revealed that its Q2 2012 earnings made for "another quarter of record revenues and earnings per share." The driving force? "Strong demand for 3G- and 4G-enabled devices across both developed and emerging regions," according to Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, the outfit's chairman and CEO. Mobile device usage isn't apt to start contracting anytime soon, which has pushed the company to increase operating expenses to "facilitate additional 28 nanometer supply."

Getting down to brass tacks, we're told that Q2 revenues reached $4.94 billion, representing a 28 percent uptick year-over-year, while operating income hit $1.9 billion -- a 15 percent increase year-over-year. Net income was reported at $1.76 billion (a 21 percent improvement over Q2 2011), but it's important to note that these figures included $761 million, net of income taxes, for discontinued operations as a result of a $1.2 billion gain associated with the sale of "substantially all of its 700 MHz spectrum." Those looking for more figures can hit the source link; those looking to improve Qualcomm's bottom line can just buy another phone.

Qualcomm breaks records with Q2 2012 earnings, thanks 'strong demand' for 3G- and 4G-enabled devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an effort to stir the interest for Android smartphones in India -- and, to let new customers test drive its 3G network -- the carrier Reliance Communications has partnered with Google to provide 1GB of data usage for all new activations of CDMA Android handsets. The promotion is available to both pre-paid and postpaid customers, who may take advantage of the deal now through June 15th. Once aboard, subscribers will have 30 days to burn through their allotment and discover the joys of a smartphone. Additionally, the carrier will extend a similar offer for new GSM Android activations, which is set to begin on May 5th. Reliance plans to drive its promotion with an ad campaign that sports an Android bot in the carrier's colors -- though, we're still partial to green. Just sayin'.

New Android users in India offered 1GB of free data, courtesy of Google and Reliance originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Hi guys, I'm moving to NYC next month and wanted to know if I should stick with Sprint or switch carriers. I'm aware Sprint's cheaper to AT&T and Verizon and I like unlimited plans. Thing is, coverage is spotty where I am right now, 3G is a joke (no 4G, either). Will this get better when I'm in the city or should I start shopping around for a new carrier? Thank you, Engadget!"

Ask Engadget: best NYC wireless carrier? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Apr 2012 22:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

China officially tops one billion mobile subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Huawei Fusion hits AT&T's GoPhone lineup, prepaid Gingerbread for $125 (update) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Orange says it'll bring LTE to all of its EU markets by 2015

Orange says it'll bring LTE to all of its EU markets by 2015 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 06:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The new iPad: are you buying one? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Hague to Samsung: no injunction for 3G patent infringement if Apple's willing to FRAND license originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We only have dial-up here. You'd be shocked at the speeds. [Laughs.] But it's okay -- as long as I can send and reply to email, I'm fine with it."

"It's still a draft for now, but this is the new tsunami evacuation plan that we're working on. Soon, we'll have this in each fale. It's taking a bit of time to get right, as the drawings are actually done in New Zealand."

Continue reading Bringing wireless to the disconnected: internet tales from the South Pacific

Bringing wireless to the disconnected: internet tales from the South Pacific originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The new iPad vs. iPad 2: what's changed?

The new iPad vs. iPad 2: what's changed? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

New iPad has 'world ready' 3G, LTE for Verizon, Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Mar 2012 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AT&T urging customers to upgrade to 3G, possibly killing off 2G originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Mar 2012 02:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Withings Baby Monitor makes its official, expensive US debut

Withings Baby Monitor makes its official, expensive US debut originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Foursquare PS Vita app (screenshots)

Foursquare PS Vita app hits US PlayStation Store, gives you another reason to consider 3G originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Withings Smart Baby Monitor drops through FCC's chimney originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

German court dismisses Motorola's patent lawsuit against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple asks European standards body for more transparency on FRAND licensing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Russian carrier gives $5,000 vacation to its most data hungry customer originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Motorola wants 2.25 percent of Apple sales, in exchange for patent license originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sony reveals new 3G/WiFi PS Vita bundles: free data, PSN games and memory cards for everyone originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

German court rejects Samsung's second 3G patent complaint against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Orange offers free Wikipedia access to mobile users in Africa and the Middle East

Orange offers free Wikipedia access to mobile users in Africa and the Middle East originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

German court shoots down Samsung's 3G patent lawsuit against Apple originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ASUS says the Transformer Prime won't do 3G, time travel and lasers still on the table originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

France ISP Free builds its own cellular network, offers free service to subscribers originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

T Mobile CTO: next iPhone chipset 'will support AWS' (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Verizon introduces two Jetpack 'global ready' 4G LTE mobile hotspots

Verizon introduces two Jetpack 'global ready' 4G LTE mobile hotspots originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Evigroup drops SmartPaddle Pro price to €699, optional head-tracking feature watches you intently

Evigroup drops SmartPaddle Pro price to €699, optional head-tracking feature watches you intently originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 07 Jan 2012 01:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.