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Clear app updated, new themes and helpful tweaks
Clear made a big splash when it was first introduced because the interface was a bold experiment in user interaction. Instead of icons and buttons for functions, most of Clear's interface relies on gestures, or sliding and pinching items to make things happen. It wasn't for everyone, although it was a delight to tinker with. Clear 1.1 maintains that approach, while adding some new features. Clear won't fit the bill for avid "to do" users, as there is still no sync, iPad version, etc. But I use Clear for simple "punch lists," and for that it works great. Here's what's new in Clear 1.1 • Shake to Undo now allows you to quickly retrieve list items you may have accidentally removed. • No more character limit! Type as much as you want. • New themes to discover and further customize your lists with. • All-new UI for alerts that match Clear's unique design. • Even more inspirational quotes to show when you've cleared everything from your lists. • Minor tweaks and bugfixes TouchArcade has info on unlocking some other stuff, and a note about a few gamification aspects in the app you might not know about.
Sprint will activate LTE on the 800MHz band in 2014
Sprint's Steve Elfman has said that the company's intending to activate an LTE service over its 800MHz spectrum by 2014. Big Yellow's already received 3GPP certification to turn Band 26 into super-fast mobile internet, the only remaining regulatory hurdle left to overcome is a thumbs-up from the FCC. The due date isn't set in stone, as it'll depend entirely on how quickly the company can force current iDEN users to migrate to its CDMA Direct Connect service. Meanwhile, LTE service in Atlanta, Baltimore, Houston, Dallas, Kansas City and San Antonio will activate across next year, with the company confident that it'll be able to keep pace with AT&T and Verizon's services by offloading traffic onto Clearwire's TD-LTE Network which should go live by June 2013. We can only guess that after that the announcement was done, Mr. Elfman looked at a picture of Philip Falcone and had to step outside for a little cry.
NetZero launches '4G' wireless service, we go hands-on
Remember NetZero? Today the company announced that it's launching NetZero 4G Mobile Broadband, a wireless service rolling out in 80 US cities and offering value-priced monthly data plans without activation fees, contracts, commitments or overage charges. Customers can chose between two levels of service -- Lightspeed (up to 1Mbps down / 384Kbps up) to conserve data and Warpspeed (up to 10Mbps down / 1.5Mbps up) for maximum performance -- and can switch back and forth by simply logging into NetZero's website (this can take up to 15 minutes). Five monthly data plans are available: Free, $0, 200MB (limited to Lightspeed and limited to one year) Basic, $9.95, 500MB (limited to Lightspeed) Plus, $19.95, 1GB Pro, $34.95, 2GB Platinum, $49.95, 4GBTwo devices are offered -- the NetZero 4G Stick ($49.95 + shipping) is a Windows and OS X-compatible USB modem and the NetZero 4G Hotspot ($99.95 + shipping) is an eight device-capable WiFi hotspot with an LCD and a 2,200mAh battery.So far, so good -- NetZero is becoming an MVNO. Yet strangely, there's no mention in any of the PR as to which network the company is using. We test drove NetZero's new wireless service over the weekend using the WiFi hotspot and figured out that it's using Clearwire's WiMAX network. In fact NetZero's 4G Stick is identical to the Clear 4G Mobile USB modem (manufactured by Ubee), and its 4G Hotspot is the same as the Clear Spot Apollo (a rather bulky unit made by Gemtek)-- see the FCC links below and read on for our impressions after the break.
FCC to Verizon Wireless: You need more spectrum? Prove it by March 22nd.
By now, we hope you're plenty familiar with the ongoing saga between Verizon Wireless and the FCC -- no, not that little kerfuffle about data roaming complaints, but the biggie -- the proposed transfer of 122 AWS spectrum licenses from three cable providers to Big Red. While the FCC's latest move is merely a sign of due diligence, it's now pressing Verizon to supply additional information regarding its business, spectrum holdings and the proposed transfer -- all with a deadline on or before March 22nd. While many of the information requests are boilerplate material, the regulator specifically presses Verizon to substantiate its claims that it'll require additional spectrum in some markets as early as 2013. Further, Verizon must also provide an analysis of the proposed spectrum transfer between itself and Leap Wireless and its impact upon the deal with the cable operators. Regardless of Big Red's response, it seems safe to assume that Sprint and T-Mobile will each have some additional thoughts on the matter.[Tower photo via Shutterstock]
Sprint raising $2 billion, may throw some dough Clearwire's way
Sprint is looking to sell $2 billion in notes to raise cash, a large chunk of that likely earmarked for network upgrades. The money will come in handy too, as making the leap from WiMAX to LTE won't be cheap. Then, there's its partner Clearwire. After Sprint's board shot down a quest to snatch up MetroPCS, the carrier is even more reliant on the former WiMAX champion -- a company that just saw Google announce plans to dump its shares at a $450 million loss. According to Bloomberg, Sprint may take some of the $2 billion it plans to raise and use it to prop up Clear, which is making the transition to TD-LTE. At this point, we're beginning to think the carrier's cash infusions are the only thing keeping the wireless wholesaler going.
Google plans to sell off stake in Clearwire at a steep loss
It was just under four years ago that Sprint and Clearwire brought together an impressive group of companies as part of a multi-billion dollar partnership to back the WiMAX service provider, but it's safe to say that things haven't quite worked out as planned in the years since. While Clearwire is of course still up and running, its WiMAX-based network has faced an uphill battle against other carriers' LTE-based networks, which even Sprint and Clearwire itself have been switching to. Now one of those partners, Google, has decided to offload its stake in Clearwire at a steep loss. According to an SEC filing, Google will be selling off its shares at a price of $1.60 each, or just over $47 million in all -- that's compared to the $500 million it spent to invest in the company. Not surprisingly, that has caused Clearwire's stock to take a bit of a tumble. As of this writing, shares in the Washington-based company were down almost six percent.
Daily Update for February 23, 2012
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Clear: 350,000 sales in 9 days, iPad and Mac versions coming soon
Clear, the new todo list iPhone app from Realmac software, got a lot of buzz thanks to very impressive demos during Macworld in January. Interest in the app was so high that at least one opportunistic ripoff artist copied Clear wholesale and put a copycat app on the App Store before Clear even debuted. Our own review of Clear found that its simple but intuitive interface definitely lived up to the weeks of hype, and in my own usage I've found Clear an invaluable tool for organizing my day. It turns out Clear has been extremely successful so far, having sold 350,000 copies in just nine days according to The Guardian. Those are extremely impressive numbers for a simple todo app; Clear joins Epic Games' Infinity Blade and its sequel as two of the few apps I've heard of that have gained so many new users so quickly. Widespread press coverage, a low introductory price of US$0.99, and Apple featuring it as App of the Week on the App Store helped propel Clear to the success it's seen thus far. Realmac isn't resting on its success, though; an update to the iPhone version is in the works, and Realmac confirmed to The Guardian that iPad and Mac versions will follow. Realmac is "open to the idea of taking it to other platforms" -- Android and Windows Phone 7, in other words -- but they reiterated that Apple's devices are their first priority. If you haven't checked out Clear yet, I highly recommend it if you're looking for a simple todo/list maker app with a streamlined interface that doesn't get in your way.
Clearwire says it plans on launching TD-LTE network by June 2013
Clearwire's been promising us that speedy LTE network for quite some time now. The good news is, we may have a clearer view of when to expect the waves to start flowing. During yesterday's Q4 earnings call, CEO Erik Prusch said his company plans on rolling out its LTE tides by June of next year, with the help of 5,000 wave sites around the US and a "longer-term" plan of adding about 3,000 more. The 2.5GHz spectrum will take over the WiMAX regime you've grown to love, and while we're still many handsets and slates away from testing it out, it's something all you Now Network users can happily look forward to.
Daily iPhone App: Clear uses iPhone's intuitive interface to its advantage
We got a sneak peek at Clear last month, and fellow TUAW editor Steve Sande and I have been happily playing with the beta ever since. The collaboration between Realmac Software, Milen and Impending, Inc. has turned enough heads that it caused a knockoff to briefly appear in the App Store over the weekend. Clear lives up to the hype. It's a simple to-do list and that's it. Don't expect to be able to schedule reminders, time-specific appointments, or even create complex layers of lists and tasks like OmniFocus or Things. Its strengths lie in its interface and innovative use of the iPhone's gestures. If you're a fan of basic lists and want to jot stuff down, then you will love Clear. I personally wish the lists went down another couple of layers, just enough to tuck a grocery list under "go to grocery store" in an errands list, but that's a very minor quibble. If you revolve your life around the Getting Things Done system, you might not care for Clear. I like it because I can just make a list and not worry about priorities or due dates. We've done a video demonstration of Clear to demo a new process of creating app reviews. Watch the full video to see Clear in action. Clear is 99 cents on the App Store, and even if you're not interested in it as a to-do list, it's worth checking out for the interface and innovative use of gestures.
H2O Bolt promises unlimited 4G internet for $50, pretends it's never heard of Clear
It's not everyday that an MVNO decides to offer up unlimited data courtesy of Clearwire's WiMAX network, but H2O's latest entrant known as Bolt makes us wish the practice were far less frequent. The $50 no-contract service essentially replicates Clear's own offering at the very same price point that's been available to customers for years. Furthermore, both companies share Best Buy as their most significant retail channel. Now, for whatever reason, H2O's Bolt Flash (the $100 USB modem) and Bolt Spider (the $150 mobile hotspot) will sit side-by-side Clear's own offerings at the big box retailer, where it'll be up to those in Smurf shirts to explain the difference -- there's none. You'll find the PR after the break, but if you're living in Detroit, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Louisville, New Orleans, Memphis or Albuquerque, none of this even remotely matters. Frustrating, isn't it?
Ripoff of upcoming Clear app appears in App Store (Updated)
Days before the launch of Realmac Software's Clear to-do manager, developer Reejo Samuel, who is not on the Real Mac team, has ripped off the software and released it on the App Store. Clear has gotten quite a bit of buzz, and we got a sneak peek at it during Macworld | iWorld 2012. With the interface that is intuitive and simple to use, it's bound to be a hit for the Real Mac folks when it comes out. Samuel's app appears to copy everything about Clear. It's a Xerox from the logo and basic functionality right down to the color scheme, but it doesn't appear to have some of the more intricate functions of the app. It's not the first ripoff to appear in the App Store, by far, and it won't be the last. But for readers thinking Samuel's app is the real deal, it's not. We hope Apple takes notice and bans him as quickly as they approved the app, which went live today. As for the real Clear app, it'll be released Wednesday. We'll have a full hands-on review of it then as well. Update: The knockoff app has been pulled from the App Store. The developer's only other app remains available.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me share my iPhone data to my iPad
Dear Aunt TUAW, I find myself in an interesting position. I am going to be traveling for several weeks within the US. I have my iPhone on a grandfathered unlimited data plan and a wifi iPad 2. I would like to be able to use my iPad while away not only for FaceTime but also general use and even using my slingbox. I would rather keep my unlimited data plan, have thought about using an airport express but that might be cost prohibitive given hotel charges. Is there anything I have missed? If you post this to the blog I would prefer to remain anonymous. Thanks for the help and the great website! Your loving nephew, Anonymous Dear Anonymous, It's pretty easy to share a connection between a non-jailbroken iPhone and a Mac using any of the iProxy-style SOCKS proxy solutions. You can Google up web pages galore about these solutions -- and a new proxy client seems to appear weekly on App Store before it gets pulled a few hours later. At the same time, it's rather hard to share between an iPhone and an iPad without jaibreaking. That's because you need some sort of shared Wi-Fi network and the iPhone cannot create an ad hoc connection without being jailbroken. There are various solutions around but most of them rely on you having a laptop along as well as the two devices, to create that ad hoc network. That makes things even clumsier and harder to set up. In general, you'll do best either by jailbreaking and using MyWi or by buying or renting a third party Wi-Fi hotspot (like Clear or MiFi). Unfortunately, if you do enable iPhone tethering through AT&T, you will give up your unlimited plan. Some TUAW folk have done exactly that -- freeing themselves from feeling they must hold onto the unlimited plan for dear life. Hugs, Auntie T.
To-do list manager Clear demoed at Macworld iWorld 2012 (video)
There are tons of to-do list managers in the App Store, so many that you'd need another list manager just to keep track of them. Fortunately, a collaboration between Realmac Software, developer Milen Dzhumerov, and developer Phill Ryu's new studio Impending Inc. has created a to-do list management app that looks like it will make the rest of 'em obsolete. In the video embedded below, you'll see a quick demo of the gesture-driven UI that makes Clear so different from the competition. TUAW App Editor Megan Lavey-Heaton and I spent a few minutes with Realmac Product Manager Nik Fletcher on the floor at Macworld | iWorld 2012, and we have since had the thrill of putting Clear through its paces. While this isn't a review, let's just say that I wish every developer put this much time and attention into making apps that are intuitive and simple to use. Clear should be "shipping soon" at an as-yet undisclosed price. You'll hear about the release of the app as soon as it's in the App Store, and a review will follow close behind.
Clearwire unveils $99 Clear Hub Express and $129 Clear Spot Voyager hotspots
Clearwire's impending LTE rollout isn't going to happen overnight, so why not continue to milk the proverbial cow that is their existing WiMax network? That's exactly what the wireless provider is doing today, with a fresh duo of hotspots. The first, the Clear Hub Express, is a $99 WiFi router-mobile hotspot combo which is destined for home or office duty. The second is the Clear Spot Voyager, which for $124 will hawk WiMax to eight devices for up to six hours of continuous use off its internal rechargeable battery. Those are identical specs to last year's model, the Clear Spot 4G Apollo, albeit sans-screen and in a thinner package. They're available today from Clearwire, and either can be kitted with "unlimited 4G" plans that start at $35 a month. Get acquainted with them in the PR after the break.
Justice Department antitrust division probing Verizon cable spectrum deals
Looks like AT&T isn't the only major carrier having issues with the guv'ment lately. Remember that 20MHz AWS spectrum that Verizon got from Cox Communications for a cool $315 million this month? How's about that juicy spectrum Big Red scored from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for $3.6 billion? Well, it turns out those deals are raising an eyebrow or two over at the Justice Department, which just launched an investigation into the matter. A spokesperson for the department confirmed the probe with Bloomberg News but declined to provide further details. A source familiar with the investigation, however, says the antitrust division is involved. Apparently, there's concern that the deal puts too much control of the airwaves in the hands of Verizon. For its part, Verizon declined to comment, saying it has yet to receive information about the investigation.
Verizon scores new spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for $3.6 billion (update)
Verizon has a pretty serious head start in the LTE race. To make sure it stays at the front of the pack, Big Red has entered an agreement with SpectrumCo (a joint venture between Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House) that sees 122 AWS spectrum licenses transferred to the carrier for $3.6 billion and some commercial agreements. The deal will allow the companies to become authorized retailers for each others products, eventually giving the cable companies the ability to offer Verizon Wireless service as wholesalers. For its part, the House that Droid Built scores a boat load of new spectrum that may become crucial in expanding its network and ensuring that speeds don't drop off significantly as more customers transition to 4G. Check out the full PR after the break. Update: Wondering how this impending love affair affects Comcast and Time Warner's existing deals reselling Clear's mobile broadband? Per CNET, not great, as the duo will gradually shift those using the WiMax provider to alternatives in the next six months.
Sprint in alleged talks to acquire Clearwire, cablers huddle 'round for some LTE pie
'Tis the season for patent disputes and wireless industry takeovers, or so a recent glut of moves would indicate. Shedding a little light on Clearwire's recently announced allegiance to LTE, Bloomberg is reporting that the company's currently in talks to sell its business to Sprint, and perhaps secure the funding it so desperately needs for a network build out. According to several insider sources, the third place wireless carrier's considering a joint investment (amongst other options) with Comcast, Cablevision and Cox, that would give the cablers a bundled high-speed, wireless broadband competitive advantage, and Sprint an LTE boost in its battle against AT&T and Verizon's rival 4G networks. None of the players in this rumored takeover have yet to comment on the purported transaction, although the business gossip has had quite an uplifting effect on Clearwire's shares. While we can't speculate as to the veracity of the claim, we know one thing for sure -- that LTE network's not gonna build itself.
Clearwire adding 120Mbps 'LTE Advanced-ready' technology to its holdings, restates commitment to WiMAX
Is it really fall? We can't say for certain that this is what Dan Hesse was referring to when he told us face-to-face that something spectacular would be coming our way a bit later in the year, but Clearwire definitely just announced its intent to add "LTE Advanced-ready" technology to its 4G network. In what'll likely go down as the most shocking mobile news this side of the proposed T-Mobile / AT&T merger, America's biggest WiMAX fan has finally caved to the realities of the next-gen wireless war: LTE's winning, and it's picking up all sorts of steam. Verizon Wireless has been building out LTE at a breakneck pace, and soon enough, Ma Bell (and presumably, T-Mob) will be following suit. According to the bizarrely worded release, Clearwire will be leveraging "deep spectrum resources and an all-IP network to meet long-term mobile broadband demands." Translation? An "unmatched LTE network" capable of serving current and future wholesale / retail customers. We're told that the initial LTE rollout will target "high-demand areas of current 4G markets," taking advantage of existing 4G infrastructure in order to reduce expenditures. For those curious about transmission rates, you can look forward to download speeds exceeding 120Mbps (or so it says). In a telling quote, Dr. John Saw, Clearwire's Chief Technology Officer, confesses: "This is the future of mobile broadband. Our extensive trial has clearly shown that our 'LTE Advanced-ready' network design, which leverages our deep spectrum with wide channels, can achieve far greater speeds and capacity than any other network that exists today. Clearwire is the only carrier with the unencumbered spectrum portfolio required to achieve this level of speed and capacity in the United States. In addition, the 2.5GHz spectrum band in which we operate is widely allocated worldwide for 4G deployments, enabling a potentially robust, cost effective and global ecosystem that could serve billions of devices. And, since we currently support millions of customers in the 2.5 GHz band, we know that our LTE network won't present harmful interference issues with GPS or other sensitive spectrum bands." No doubt, that closer there is a direct shot at the dilemmas faced by LightSquared -- a company that Sprint curiously just inked a partnership deal with. It's hard to envision how this unholy love triangle's going to play out, but the company's making it quite clear that its LTE network will be "LTE-Advanced-ready," enabling it to have a leg-up on the laggards here in the States. The dirty little secret in all of this is that Clearwire's still waiting on "additional funding" to fully implement its LTE desires, which involve the use of multicarrier, or multichannel, wideband radios that will be carrier aggregation capable. As you'd likely expect, the company closed with a restatement of its support to the existing WiMAX network, but it's practically a guarantee that you've seen the last expansion effort on that one. In case you've been looking the other way, Clearwire hasn't produced plans for a new WiMAX market in all of 2011. Now you know why.
Clearwire announces $99 Clear Spot 4G Apollo hotspot
We just spotted it at the FCC earlier this month, and Clear customers will now soon be able to get their hands on the company's new Clear Spot 4G Apollo mobile hotspot. Clearwire announced today that the device will be available for $99 (or leased for $6 a month) in "late July," which should mean any day now unless our calendars are off. Built by Gemtek, the hotspot allows for up to eight simultaneous connections, and promises up to six hours of continuous use from its built-in rechargeable battery -- plans to go along with it start $35 a month, with unlimited mobile data running you $45/month (with no long-term contract, of course). Press release is after the break.
