Ctia2010
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Wi-Fi Alliance touts first ten 802.11n-certified mobiles, some likely headed to Sprint / Verizon
Bona fide 802.11n took long enough to get here, but now it's just a matter of time before it becomes all-too-familiar on everyday smartphones. We've already seen a handful of 802.11n smartphones hit from LG and Samsung, but here at CTIA the Wi-Fi Alliance has come out swinging with an announcement touting the debut of ten WiFi n-certified handsets. Granted, the release is focused more on the blossoming of 802.11n as a whole rather than specific details about those ten mysterious phones, but a separate report from PC Magazine notes that those that have already passed through the FCC are all packing CDMA radios. Put two and two together, and you start to realize that Sprint and Verizon may soon be trumpeting the carriage of some of the planet's first 802.11n phones. But hey -- who needs WiFi when you've got WiMAX, right Dan?
Samsung trots out Modus Bluetooth headset, complete with dual mics and multipoint
And you thought the Bluetooth headset was gone forever. Samsung Mobile's keeping the dream alive here at CTIA by introducing the "convertible-style" Modus -- a noise cancelling BT headset that's able to convert for Bluetooth stereo connectivity on a whim. It's also equipped with a pair of microphones and multipoint technology, the latter of which enables users to have the device synced to two handsets and respond to whichever rings first. Samsung's also tossing a stereo earbud headset in the box for those times when monaural just ain't cuttin' it, and the built-in rechargeable battery (which gets juiced via micro-USB) can go for six hours strong before petering out. Shame there's no mention of a price or ship date, but it's probably for the best -- remember that pact you made with your SO to keep your ear free of foreign objects?
Verizon vs. AT&T: Pre Plus edition
Sure, Verizon and AT&T shout at each other across our TV airwaves all the time, but how often do we get to see two exactly same phones running on both carriers? The Pre Plus and Pixi Plus have just such a distinction, and we stopped back by the Palm booth with our Verizon Pre Plus in hand just to prove to ourselves we weren't dreaming. Naturally we couldn't keep ourselves from a little browser battle (check out the video after the break, the winner may or may not surprise you!), and we even caught the two phones commiserating about that dismal plastic USB jack flap of infamy. Sure, we're longing for a new webOS device, and have a hard time thinking AT&T will reverse Palm's fortunes alone, but there's something special about this new era we're entering with the likes of Palm and Google where you can (almost) choose your device and then your carrier, not the other way around. %Gallery-88849%
Motorola i1 video tour
We checked out Motorola's i1 last night at a dinner event, but didn't get any decent video for you so we went back to the booth and sorted that out. The i1 is definitely an interesting device, though whether its rugged mil-spec feature set -- we were playing shuffleboard with them last night, seriously -- will appeal to its intended market is still kinda up in the air. Don't get us wrong, it's not like the set is missing a pile of features, but it's essentially a giant glass display and we worry it'd eventually suffer a shattering end. Check out the video tour below and chime in, if you use iDEN let us know what you're feeling about this.
HTC EVO 4G vs. HD2 and Desire... fight!
Now that the excitement of the EVO 4G announce has finally worn off, it's time to get down to more practical matters -- in a street fight, would the WiMAX-powered beast hold its own against an HD2 and a Desire, for example? We had all three in a room just now, and here's what we've got to say: It feels significantly beefier than the HD2, but in reality, it's not -- it's just a single millimeter thicker. The brushed metal back of the HD2 is a little sexier, but just by the tiniest of margins; it's hard to argue with soft touch and a kickstand, obviously. We would've never noticed this without the Desire next to it, but the EVO's text is pretty huge, a side effect of the fact that it's running the same resolution on a screen 0.6 inches larger. It's not annoying, really, but it struck us that they could've comfortably fit quite a bit more information on the screen without getting cramped. The Desire's display is more vibrant, too, but that makes sense -- we're indoors under artificial lighting and the Desire has AMOLED on board. The EVO's got touch-sensitive buttons below the display that function much like the Nexus One's, but no worries: they work quite a bit better. We think this might be because there's more touch-sensitive bezel real estate below the keys; on the Nexus One, you've got to be far too accurate for comfort. Interestingly, this is the first EVO we've seen today with a silver earpiece grill -- Sprint's have been red. We've confirmed with HTC that production devices will be silver. Want to draw some of your own conclusions? See the shots for yourself in the gallery below. %Gallery-88852%
T-Mobile USA reiterates that 'breadth' of 3G footprint will get HSPA+ this year
It's easy for something as grandiose as a national wireless network upgrade to get delayed ad nauseam, so we're happy to hear here in March of 2010 that T-Mobile is still looking to blanket the "breadth" of its existing 3G footprint with 21Mbps HSPA+ service by the end of this year, covering over 100 market areas and about 185 million peeps. That's an extraordinarily aggressive timeline for a carrier that was way, way late to the 3G game, and realistically, it's exactly what they needed to stay competitive in the face of 4G deployments coming down the pike from all of its national competitors -- in fact, they're specifically calling out the deployment as being "4G-like" and touting the fact that they'll be hitting way more pops this year than Sprint's WiMAX network will. Them's fightin' words to be sure, but hey -- competition is extremely healthy when it comes to fast, widely-deployed wireless, isn't it?
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 shipping April 1st with integrated Clear WiMAX
Dell's vanilla Atom N450-based Mini 10 just started shipping a couple of months ago, and if you'll recall, we spotted one slip through the FCC's oh-so-vulnerable database with WiMAX built-in. Today at CTIA, Clearwire spilled the news that it'll be providing the service for a 4G-infused version of the netbook come April 1st. What's interesting is that Clearwire only mentions it being for sale "through select Clear retail locations, telesales and Clear.com," so it's still unknown if it'll be offered up through the Round Rock powerhouse itself (as the Studio 17, Studio XPS 1640 and Latitude E4300, etc. are). The machine will be sold for $249.99 after an instant rebate, though no specifics were mentioned concerning a per-month data plan price. If we were the betting type, we'd say it'll probably run you 40 bones for every 30 days based on existing rates.
Samsung Galaxy S hands-on with video
Samsung dragged the Galaxy S out for us to gawk at this morning at CTIA and after the 30 minute video presentation, we were itching to actually check it out in our hands. Let's just get this out of the way right off: the 4-inch WVGA 800 X 480 Super Amoled display on the Galaxy S is nothing short of stunning. Put side by side with an iPhone under some very harsh lighting, the difference between them -- feel free to have a peek at the video after the break -- is pretty astounding. Everything is bright and crisp, text legible, and the colors are jaw-droppingly beautiful. Touchscreen performance? This is another standout on this Android 2.1 device and coupled with Samsung's 1GHz Application Processor, not only is it responsive but the UI is smooth and fast. The Galaxy S can shoot HD video at 720p using its 5 megapixel cam, plays it back with aplomb, and did we mention the display? The spec sheet lists this as triple-band HSPA device living in the 900 / 1800 / 1900 realm -- and while US availability was announced for this year, no word on what carrier -- so we hope to see that 900 swapped out with 850. This is one for the wish list friends, and we're seriously hoping that wish gets filled long before this year's holiday season. %Gallery-88833%
HTC EVO 4G is Sprint's Android-powered knight in superphone armor, we go hands-on
We've been rumoring a WiMAX "HTC Supersonic" for a while now, and Sprint just dropped the hard news: the phone will be dubbed the HTC EVO 4G, will be released this Summer and it's easily the best specced phone we've ever witnessed. The hardware is of quite obvious HD2 descent, but with Android onboard and some nice aesthetic tweaks, the EVO 4G takes on a life of its own. The handset is centered around a 480 x 800 4.3-inch TFT LCD, with a Snapdragon QSD8650 1GHz processor under the hood (the CDMA version of the QSD8250 in the HD2 and Nexus One), and even a helpful 1GB of built-in memory and 512MB of RAM -- hello app storage! Even the battery is bigger than the HD2, and the camera is an 8 megapixel monstrosity with flash, that's capable of 720p video, and is augmented by a 1.3 megapixel front facing camera for good measure. The phone features HDMI out (though you'll need an adapter for turning it into a TV-familiar HDMI plug), 802.11b/g WiFi, and an 8GB microSD card. There's that still-rare Android 2.1 underneath an updated version of HTC's Sense UI. But... despite all these wild features, what actually sets the EVO 4G apart is the fact that it's Sprint's first 4G phone. The handset runs a combo of EV-DO Rev. A and WiMAX, with calls still being made over CDMA and the EV-DO / WiMAX options for data. Interestingly, it sounds like concurrent data and voice use might be possible for the first time on CDMA carrier in this way (killing AT&T's well-advertised differentiator), though Sprint says that's still in the testing phase. One other new feature is the Sprint hotspot app, another MiFi-style connection sharing number, which is obviously aided greatly by the WiMAX on board and can support up to eight concurrent users. Follow after the break for our hands-on impressions and videos of the phone in action, including an up-close-and-personal test of the touchscreen keyboard. Below you'll find galleries of the phone by its lonesome and up against the Nexus One and iPhone 3G. Update: We've got a graph comparing the Nexus One and Droid with the EVO spec for spec, and there's also a pictorial shootout with the Desire and HD2. Pick your comparo poison! %Gallery-88840% %Gallery-88836% %Gallery-88834%
Live from Sprint's CTIA 2010 press event
We're hanging out in a Greek theater-style auditorium waiting for Sprint's CTIA event to get underway -- we've been assured that whatever is about to happen is a Big Deal, so you'll want to pay close attention to what's about to go down. Very close attention.
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 with T-Mobile webConnect launches tomorrow, $199.99 on contract
T-Mobile's selected CTIA 2010 this week as the venue to launch its customized version of Dell's Mini 10 netbook that's been infused with -- you guessed it -- T-Mobile-compatible 3G service. It's got a 10.1-inch WSVGA display, 1.3 megapixel webcam, three USB ports, VGA port, Windows 7 Starter Edition, and an Atom N450 core humming along at 1.66GHz with a claimed battery life of "up to" eight hours using a six-cell 56WHr pack. In terms of frequencies, you've got quadband EDGE alongside quadband (yes, quadband) 3G with support for Bands I, II, IV, and V, which means you'll be able to roam in 850 / 1900MHz markets and internationally. It's available starting tomorrow in "select T-Mobile retail locations" in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Los Angeles as well as through the carrier's site and sales hotline for $199.99 on a two-year deal.
AT&T's Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus hands-on
We just spent a few fleeting moments with AT&T's just-announced Pre Plus and Pixi Plus from Palm, and they're pretty much exactly what you'd expect: GSM remixes of the models available on Verizon (we weren't allowed to take a peek at the SIM slots, but rest assured, there's an AT&T carrier logo up there at the top left). Both devices seemed relatively zippy -- yes, even the Pixi -- though that can naturally change pretty quickly once you've got a few cards chugging away. We were delighted to see that Palm loaded our very own Engadget app on their demo devices -- a good way for booth stoppers-by to catch up on show news, eh? Check out the gallery below, and keep an eye out for more coverage throughout the day!%Gallery-88818%
Samsung announces Galaxy S Android smartphone
That's right, the Galaxy S is officially official, as are its 4-inch Super AMOLED display, 1GHz processor, and "Smart Life" ecosystem integration, and more. It'll be available worldwide -- including the US -- this year, and as we type this our hard-working team on the ground is rushing off to get a hands-on with the device. In the meantime, check out the image gallery below and PR after the break. %Gallery-88815%
Live from CTIA 2010's day one keynote with Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin!
We've just been seated in an extraordinarily large keynote hall -- as big as anything you'll find even at CES -- for CTIA 2010's first day keynote session featuring AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega and J. K. Shin, president of Samsung's mobile business. It should be an interesting shindig, so keep it locked!
BlueAnt intros rugged T1 Bluetooth headset, sophisticated Android app
BlueAnt's been slinking along in the shadows of the (thankfully) dwindling Bluetooth headset market for years now, and aside from that one voice-controlled V1 that popped two years ago, we haven't seen much from the outfit that really got our juices flowing. Until today, naturally. The rugged, May-bound T1 headset ($79.99) doesn't look drastically different (or smaller) than the aforesaid V1, but it's the firm's first to feature Wind Armour Technology -- something that's engineered to "deliver clear audio in wind speeds up to 22mph." It's also built to withstand the occasional drop and bout with dust / moisture, and in case that's not enough, it'll also audibly announce who's calling so long as they're in your address book. As you'd expect, A2DP streaming audio is fully supported, as is multipoint (which allows it to remain connected to two phones at once and respond to whichever rings first). In related news, the company also announced its new Q1 app for Android (due April 1st), which helps Q1 headset users by reading text messages aloud to you via a presumably flawed text-to-speech system. Hit up the source links for the fully skinny on each, or just hop on past the break for a pair of superbly informative videos. %Gallery-88732%
Motorola i1 first hands-on!
We're shmoozing with Motorola's team and Mike Rowe -- yes, the Dirty Jobs guy, who's been fittingly selected as the rugged i1's spokesperson -- and we're starting to get our first fleeting moments with Motorola's first Android-powered iDEN handset in the flesh. Believe it or not, it might be the best-feeling Android phone from Motorola to date, besting the CLIQ XT and Droid with a tasteful mix of black chrome and rubber around the edges; if it weren't for the lack of bona fide 3G, we could realistically see putting this in our pockets over, say, a myTouch 3G, Hero, or Behold II. We've been able to confirm that they've basically taken the UI look and feel introduced by Blur and subtracted... well, the things that actually make it Blur, namely the integration with Blur servers that brings social service aggregation into the fold. Will it appeal to the iDEN demographic? Hard to say, but Mr. Rowe certainly seems amped on it. Check out the gallery below! %Gallery-88751%
Sprint to announce 'groundbreaking new device' (HTC Supersonic?) tomorrow
Sprint Premier customers are being treated to a rather tantalizing account alert tonight: "Visit us tomorrow for an exciting announcement about a groundbreaking new device." No other details provided, but if we had to make an educated guess, we'd say all signs are pointing towards HTC's Supersonic, the long-rumored WiMAX smartphone with a 4.3-inch screen and Android 2.1 with Sense UI. A 4G device would certainly fit the billing as "groundbreaking," and we've already heard of plans to unveil the phone at CTIA, which officially kicks off tomorrow. A web chat transcript found on the Sprint Community seems to corroborate, but we can't at this point verify the validity of the screen capture. You can view the entirety of the purported web chat after the break. If we do wake up tomorrow to a shiny, large-screened WiMAX phone, care to take bets on what Sprint CEO Dan Hesse is gonna talk up in his Wednesday keynote? [Thanks, Jackson R and Aggrey J]
LG Remarq combines QWERTY, not being mean to the environment in one package for Sprint
Looking for a little more Lucky Goldstar to go with your eco-friendly leanings on Sprint than the Samsung Reclaim can offer? No problem -- look no further than the newly-announced LG Remarq, featuring a form factor decidedly similar to Sammy's entry without straying from the recycled casing and packaging that made the older device so easy for Mother Nature to get behind. It's got a 1.3 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, IM capability, and microSD expansion up to 16GB to go along with a music player -- not mind-numbing specs by any stretch, but you'll only be paying a big, fat zero for it when it launches on May 9. Oh, and you'll be doing your little part to help the environment, too, which is really the only feature you should need to see on the spec sheet anyway -- right?
Engadget is live from CTIA 2010!
We're live from CTIA Wireless once again, ready to bring you pretty much non-stop coverage of the goings-on in Las Vegas until we collapse, the show runs out of goods, or we get completely lost in the embrace of some heretofore unannounced handset. So what are we expecting to see, exactly? We've already seen Motorola's i1 pop up, heard rumors of a potential HTC Supersonic appearance, and the Samsung Galaxy S is a possibility as well, but that's just scratching the surface -- the other big names in the industry will likely make a showing, and we'll be covering everything as it happens. We've set up a special CTIA 2010 page to help you keep track of the never-ending barrage of coverage, so have a look and get ready for an action-packed week!
Samsung to announce Galaxy S smartphone, content initiatives this week
We've just received a veritable cornucopia of information around Samsung's supposed announcements out at CTIA this week -- and seeing how this is the biggest wireless show the US has to offer, you might imagine that the reveals are fairly US-focused while still hanging onto some global relevance. Here's what we know: The company's so-called "Smart Life" philosophy for smartphone design and differentiation -- something we've heard referred to as S Life in the past, including here at CTIA -- will be formally introduced. It won't so much be a product or a smartphone platform (as far as we can tell) so much as an overarching strategy. A 1GHz applications processor will be announced as the "new standard" in Sammy's premium smartphone segment for 2010; in all likelihood, this is the Cortex A8-based core announced in the middle of last year. A huge content push will be announced (US market mercifully included) with full-length movies and shows that are "optimized" to take advantage of the company's new Super AMOLED displays. You'll also see some book and magazine deals get struck for straight-to-mobile delivery, but it sounds like we won't get the straight dope on how it'll all work (and who's involved, exactly) this week. Kicking off S Life from the hardware side will be the Galaxy S, Samsung's big phone announcement for the week. As far as we can tell, it'll be an Android device taking advantage of Super AMOLED and the company's homegrown 1GHz core -- and it'll be available in the US this year. That's all we've got so far, but Sammy's mobile prez J.K. Shin has a keynote tomorrow morning along with an event immediately afterward, so we expect to get this fleshed out in the next day or so. Stay tuned!
