Continue reading FCC Fridays: June 1, 2012

FCC Fridays: June 1, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The FCC has created a new forum for corporations, experts and activists to scrap over web laws: The Net Neutrality Advisory Committee. Members have been tasked with "tracking and evaluating the effects of the FCC's Open Internet rules," as well as making policy recommendations. The new group is to be led by Harvard professor and long-time defender of an open internet, Jonathan Zittrain, whose appointment echoes that of Tim Wu -- another expert in a senior advisory position over at the FTC. Harvard University is no stranger to what can go wrong when open access is stifled, so perhaps the good professor can shake things up a bit.

Outspoken Harvard professor Jonathan Zittrain to head FCC's open internet advisory panel originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Archos' line of Android tablets aren't really known for setting consumer tongues a-wagging; those honors are typically reserved for more bold-faced OEMs. As a low-cost alternative to pricier offerings, however, they make mighty fine sense. And one such slate's just swung by the Commission's gates, showing off its shiny black posterior, FCC ID (SOVAC80CO) and Arnova branding. The 80 Cobalt, as its referred to in the docs, appears to be a WiFi-only affair in keeping with its market positioning and, judging from its measurements, is likely to join the ranks of other 8-inch tabs. Hit up the source below to scour the dense fog of RF tests and legalese, if you're so inclined.

Archos Arnova 80 Cobalt sidles up to the FCC, leaves little to the imagination originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

FCC docs can, from time to time, turn up some welcome device surprises. Not so in this recent RIM filing, as we're treated to yet another in a long line of leaks for the company's Curve 9310 / 9320. The BB OS 7.1 handset, bearing the FCC IDs L6AREY20CW and L6ARFD30CW, has already made several appearances around the globe, preparing for a low-end market berth in Australia, India, Vietnam and the UK. So, aside from RF testing data indicating WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth radios, our familiarity with the phone's specs come from its prior in-the-wild jaunts. Should a single-core processor, 512MB RAM, 3.2-megapixel camera and hardware QWERTY tickle your mobile fancy, then by all means click on the source below to fill your cup of this U.S. pre-release federal formality.

BlackBerry Curve 9310 / 9320 turns up at FCC, fails to keep a low profile originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 04:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The 7-inch ASUS Eee Pad MeMO ME370T we saw in early prototype form during CES just passed through the FCC. It's still only showing WiFi radios with no trace of a cellular connection, although if it's going to be the $249 standard bearer NVIDIA and ASUS were so excited about, that's to be expected. A juicier rumor that has surfaced in the intervening period however, suggests this device will actually be released as a Google Nexus 7-inch tablet (or just sold from a Google store), and could even feature the next version of Android, codenamed Jelly Bean. It could also sell for as low as $149, although the cheaper reworked version might swap out the Tegra processor for one from Qualcomm. We didn't spot anything in the filings to back that up, but you can paw through the PDFs yourself at the link below, or just get an idea of what it looks like in non-line drawn form with our gallery of pics from CES 2012.

Gallery: Asus Eee Pad MeMO 370T

ASUS MeMO 370T 7-inch tablet clears the FCC, leaves no trace of Ice Cream or Jelly behind originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 May 2012 02:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The wait for the Sony Xperia Ion in the US has been a long one, but that summer release feels considerably closer now that the Android flagship has swung by the FCC. As we'd hope, the Ion is passing through in full AT&T regalia, carrying the 700MHz and 1,700MHz 4G LTE bands it needs to run on Big Blue -- albeit with a legacy Sony Ericsson label. Along with the expected 850MHz and 1,900MHz HSPA 3G frequencies, we're also seeing an odd instance of 1,700MHz 3G that would normally be reserved for T-Mobile. Given that there isn't matching 2,100MHz support, we're more inclined to see the 1,700MHz block as related to AT&T spectrum refarming or other, more practical purposes than as a ghost of attempted mergers past. An FCC approval still doesn't provide any direct clues as to the release date, although removing that one major hurdle gives AT&T the option of launching sooner in the summer rather than later.

Sony Xperia Ion hits FCC with AT&T LTE intact originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2012 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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, it was revealed that the HTC EVO 4G LTE likely supports simultaneous voice and data connections on Sprint's network, Samsung's Galaxy Ace 2 landed at Three in the UK and Vertu revealed a refresh to its Constellation series of luxury phones. 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 May 21st, 2012.

Continue reading Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012

Mobile Miscellany: week of May 21st, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

While we're no champions at "pin the tail on the donkey" we're pretty sure we're close to the mark with this one. An FCC report for a new Samsung phone bearing an SGH-I747 model number? Sporting HSPA+ and LTE bands that play nice with AT&T, Rogers, Telus and Bell? While it's not explicit, if this doesn't sound like the GSIII coming to town, we don't know what does. After all, it's not like we didn't know it was on its way.

Samsung phone lands on the FCC table, GS-three guesses which one originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 May 2012 09:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012

FCC Fridays: May 25, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 22:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sprint might not have its 4G LTE network up and running to power your EVO 4G LTE, but it's already getting more headroom. The FCC has just tweaked the rules around the ESMR (Enhanced Specialized Mobile Radio) spectrum to let Sprint, and the considerably more regional SouthernLINC Wireless, run their CDMA voice calls and LTE data on the 800MHz band they're currently using for their soon-to-end iDEN networks. In practice, the extra frequency access should be a tremendous help to at least Sprint, which hasn't had the low-level, indoors-friendly airspace that AT&T and Verizon enjoy with their 700MHz networks. Just don't expect your EVO or the rest of the initial Sprint LTE devices to take advantage any time soon, as you'll need to both get an 800MHz-ready phone as well as endure the long, long wait until Sprint switches on the extra LTE band in 2014.

FCC clears Sprint to run CDMA, 4G LTE on 800MHz iDEN airwaves originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 20:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

What's in a name? Well, from the looks of this FCC filing, it could be something quite significant for everyone who knows the Netgear appellation. This N300R router has emerged from the commission's Washington enclave bearing On Networks branding, along with a spiffy new logo and less boxy look. We found that the new handle was trademarked by the company back in February, so maybe we'll see a corporate rebranding or this is the genesis of a new marque. As far as we're concerned, it can call itself whatever it pleases, as long as it still lets us roam free.

Netgear passes On through FCC with new router, name originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 25 May 2012 15:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

ASUS Transformer Pad TF300TL hits the FCC with AT&T-friendly LTE originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Talk about being tardy to the party: a month after its keyboard-less twin, the Huawei Ascend G312 QWERTY has finally received approval from the FCC. While this particular name may not sound very appealing to the average US customer, perhaps its other designation -- the T-Mobile myTouch Q -- will. Indeed, this is the 2012 iteration (the slide-out keyboard version, at least) of the carrier's annual series, and it sports quadband GSM / EDGE and 850 / AWS / 1900 / 2100 HSPA+. Most of the specs are already known: you can expect to find a 4-inch WVGA display, 1.4GHz MSM8255T chip with 1GB RAM and 4GB of onboard storage and room for microSD expansion. If you're a fan of the myTouch series -- or even hardware keyboards in general -- you likely won't have to wait too much longer.

T-Mobile myTouch Q makes its mark on the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Huawei's putting a whole bunch of oomph behind its 2012 lineup, and it's finally beginning to get noticed here in the US. Not too long after getting the Ascend D1 approved by the FCC, the Chinese manufacturer has returned to Washington to push the Ascend P1 through the government agency. Regarded as a close sibling to the slimmer P1 S, this particular Platinum-class device comes offering gifts of pentaband HSPA+ / UMTS, which means there's a chance we could see it show up on AT&T or T-Mobile (neither carrier has made their intentions known as of yet). The OMAP 4460-powered Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone will, however, be available in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Australia by the end of the month, with Europe and Latin America following soon after. If you enjoy poring through federal documents, you'll love peeking at the source link below.

Huawei Ascend P1 slips through FCC with pentaband goodness for all originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 11:24:00 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.

What's a spankin' new Android phone to do hot off its CTIA 2012 debut? Why, stop by the FCC for an inside-out coming out party. The Kyocera-crafted handset outlined in the docs looks to be the recently unveiled Hydro, as the device's model number -- C5170 -- matches that of the unit we got hands-on with in New Orleans. The filings don't spill much of the middleweight mobile's guts, but we were able to discern radios for CDMA 1900MHz, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, as well as the existence of a 1,500mAh battery. We're still in the dark as to where this waterproofed, ICS-laden phone'll end up, but if our magic 8-ball's any indication, all signs point knowingly to Sprint. Hit up the source below to rifle through the RF tests for yourself.

Kyocera Hydro bares all for the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 04:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dish Network might not start up its LTE-based 4G network until as late as 2016, but that hasn't stopped MetroPCS and T-Mobile from jointly telling the FCC that the would-be carrier needs to make some concessions for small carriers to rest easy. Both of the complaints have a common proposal that would see Dish give up 20MHz of its 40MHz space in the 2GHz range to prevent the satellite giant from using its abundant airwaves as part of a cash grab: MetroPCS and T-Mobile are worried Dish will just try for a "windfall" and sell the spectrum it doesn't need to AT&T or Verizon. While it's not asking for a sell-off, the Rural Cellular Association is still jittery about concentrations of power and wants the FCC to make Dish hit certain build-out targets, offer roaming at wholesale rates and require FCC approval for any roaming deal that would go to Big Blue or Big Red. The big carriers' advocacy group, the CTIA, is unsurprisingly against build-out demands as "unduly burdensome." FCC officials have been silent by comparison, although the agency has encouraged spreading spectrum around and proposed its own expansion requirements. You'll likely see smartphones with 2GHz frequencies at some point in the future -- it's just a matter of whether Dish or someone else slaps its logo on top.

MetroPCS and T-Mobile want Dish to give up half of its wireless spectrum, worry about AT&T and Verizon swooping in originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 May 2012 01:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Remember that high-resolution variant of the Transformer Prime ASUS trotted out at CES? The federal government just finished putting it through its paces. The WiFi version of the firm's upcoming Transformer Pad Infinity (formally numbered TF700T) sauntered its way through the FCC, revealing itself as the slate's Tegra 3 option, if only for its lack of having a cellular radio. The tablet's LTE equipped sibling, however, was nowhere to be found -- though we're sure the feds will put it through the official gauntlet soon enough. Hit the source link below to dive into the official report.

ASUS Transformer Pad Infinity Series hits the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 May 2012 00:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dish has been tranquil about facing a longer FCC review period for its planned LTE-based 4G network, and now we might have an idea as to why. The satellite TV giant is telling the FCC that it only expects coverage to reach up to 60 million potential customers "within four years," or about 2016 -- six years after MetroPCS and Verizon first flicked their respective 4G switches. This is also assuming that the 3GPP cellular standards group clears the AWS-4 frequency band for LTE use. There's speculation that Dish is giving the extra time so that it can sell the spectrum later, but we'd take the safe road and assume Dish is serious. After all, AT&T wouldn't be trying to set tough conditions for Dish's LTE if it didn't think there was possibly significant competition on the way.

Dish warns the FCC its 4G LTE might come in earnest as late as 2016 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 18, 2012

FCC Fridays: May 18, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 23:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There's been hints of it coming as early as February, but we now have a smoking gun at the FCC: the Galaxy S III is coming to T-Mobile. A Samsung SGH-T999 has popped up at the agency sporting newly added 1,700MHz AWS support that's the telltale sign of a T-Mobile device, along with the T999 name itself (the T989 is the network's Galaxy S II). It also totes 850MHz and 1,900MHz WCDMA bands being used for HSPA+ data rather than just voice, a clue that the phone is ready for refarmed GSM spectrum. Just in case there was any remaining doubt, we've further spotted a related T999V entry at the Bluetooth SIG with a rather familiar-looking image as well as a Samsung-hosted T999 user agent profile on the web that matches what we know about the Android 4.0 hardware. We have yet to get a look at whether or not the T-Mobile version is any different on the outside, but with the FCC's help, there's not much left to know before the expected summer US launch.

Samsung Galaxy S III for T-Mobile hits FCC, brings future-proofed HSPA+ for good measure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 May 2012 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LG's latest 4.7-inch wunderphone may not have received an official release this side of the Atlantic, but that doesn't mean the Feds aren't putting it through its paces. A global version of the LG Optimus 4X HD made its way through the FCC test labs recently, revealing a quad-band GSM / EDGE radio with 3G support over AT&T's 1900 / 850 bands. In other words, feel free to import an unlocked slab when they hit Europe next month. Check out the federal filings yourself at the source link below, or check out our own hands-on coverage right here.

LG Optimus 4X HD stops in at the FCC, flaunts AT&T bands, global support originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 20:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The FCC has been making a big push towards freeing up the airwaves for medical uses, and it just took one of its biggest steps on that front by proposing to clear space for wireless body area networks. Agency officials want to let devices operate in the 2.36GHz to 2.4GHz space so that patients can stay at home or at least move freely, instead of being fenced in at the hospital or tethered to a bed by wires. Devices would still need the FDA's green light, but they could both let patients go home sooner as well as open the door wider for preventative care. Voting on the proposal takes place May 24, which leaves our tech-minded hearts beating faster -- and if the proposal takes effect, we'll know just how much faster.

FCC wants to set aside wireless spectrum for medical body area devices, our hearts are literally aflutter originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Tegra 3-touting tablet from Acer known as the Iconia Tab A700 hasn't made the rounds since CES, just over four months ago. It's finally hit the federal stage, with the WiFi-only version getting the seal of approval from the FCC, which tells us that its absence from the public spotlight doesn't mean Acer has stopped preparing it for its eventual (and still unannounced) launch date. Sadly, the docs are pretty limited in details, but there's plenty of reason for us to be excited -- the ICS-running tab should ship with a 1.3GHz quad-core NVIDIA SoC and a 10.1-inch 1080p display. Let's hope this is followed up with some news out of Taiwan sometime soon.

Acer Iconia Tab A700 hits FCC approval process head-on, comes out victorious originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking for a rodent to help you frag your way through the competition, southpaw style? The FCC may have just uncovered your new best friend: The Razer Ouroboros gaming mouse. Like the Cyborg RAT series, the Ouroboros features a sliding palm rest and swappable side panels to better fit your mitt. Unlike the RAT, however, Razer's rodent is completely symmetrical, and therefor, ambidextrous. While Ouroboros may not actually devour its tail, it can at least detach it, switching between wired and wireless modes with relative ease. The versatile vermin appears to pack nine buttons (the regular left and right triggers, three buttons on each side, plus the mouse wheel), a toggle for on-the-fly DPI adjustments, left / right trigger locks, compatibility for Windows 7 and MAC OS X and a charging stand. No word yet on the device's max DPI sensitivity or price point, but we'll let you know when Razer makes things official. In the meantime, feel free to browse the rodent's manual at the source link below.

Razer's Ouroboros gaming mouse outed by the FCC, transforms to fit lefties originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 21:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Complaints by Netflix's Reed Hastings and a handful of politicians must have rankled Comcast CTO Tony Werner, as he just posted a particularly detailed explanation of why Comcast believes the Xfinity TV app on the Xbox 360 isn't violating net neutrality. We'd previously heard the argument that the Xfinity app's traffic is simply being routed through Comcast's internal network and isn't the same as the Internet data of Netflix, but Werner now contends that the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) tags that some think are breaking FCC rules by favoring Xfinity video are really just necessary switches. They're not prioritizing traffic, they're setting it aside, the claim goes. Of course, Hastings and others believe that setting Xfinity video aside is prioritizing, and Comcast's point of view sidesteps the practical reality that watching Netflix, Amazon Instant Video or iTunes will lead you closer to that ever-present 250GB cap while Xfinity doesn't. The FCC during its rulemaking warned against special private services being used as end-runs around neutrality concerns; it's up to the agency to decide whether or not that's true here, or whether Comcast is just offering its usual service in a new way.

Comcast fires back over Xfinity TV on Xbox 360, says no way, no how it's violating net neutrality originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Spectrum is the new oil. Or, so it would appear given all the backbiting that's overtaken the wireless industry as of late. One company, however, is perched advantageously to benefit from these squabbles and that's Cox. In separate filings to the Commission dated today, the cabler's begun the official process of seeking approval to transfer portions of its 700MHz holdings in the A and B blocks -- acquired during an FCC auction back in 2008 -- to U.S. Cellular and AT&T, respectively. Barring any (Big Red) opposition, this exchange would put eight licenses in AT&T's fold and four in U.S. Cellular's that would enhance existing voice and data service, while also aiding in LTE buildout across southern CMAs. All three parties still have a ways to go before these deals pass regulatory approval, but if the recent state of the wireless union's any indication, one of the three primary carrier colors is bound to rear its nay-saying head.

Cox seeks 700MHz spectrum transfer to AT&T, U.S. Cellular originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 18:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This is the same European version we've already spent so much time with, just stopping by the FCC to get its wireless paperwork in order. There's no LTE onboard, but the phone would handle HSPA+ on AT&T or just EDGE on T-Mo if it was (now legally) carried into the States. The regulatory label also helpfully alludes to one of the phone's key selling points: its 2,100mAh battery, which reportedly lasts for a tablet-like ten hours under load. It'll be globally available from May 29th, if you fancy getting into the import / export business.

Samsung Galaxy S III gets permission to enter US, still only with HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 May 2012 03:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The effort to prevent Verizon Wireless from its purchase of AWS licenses from SpectrumCo and Cox just became a bit more intense, as several opponents to the deal have now banded together to form the Alliance for Broadband Competition. The coalition includes T-Mobile and Sprint, along with advocacy groups such as Public Knowledge, the American Antitrust Institute, the Rural Cellular Association and the Rural Telecommunications Group. Today, the newly formed alliance held a press conference in which it called on the FCC and Department of Justice to block the transfer, which it said would lead to an "excessive concentration of spectrum" held by Verizon Wireless. While it's not much of an olive branch, the group similarly suggested that it would support the deal if Verizon were to divest some of its spectrum holdings, establish roaming agreements and agree to a backhaul pricing structure. As you may recall, Verizon Wireless estimates that it'll exhaust its network capacity by 2014. Regardless of how this $3.9 billion proposal shakes out, it's rather clear that something's gotta give.

Alliance for Broadband Competition forms to sway opinion against Verizon's AWS acquisition originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last we heard of the federal government's Wireless Emergency Alert system, only Sprint had signed on to deliver the SMS warnings. Now, with the secured participation of all four major carriers and smaller regional operators, that gratis service is set to go live this month, covering nearly 97 percent of active mobile users. Using a "point-to-multipoint system" that targets at-risk subscribers, the National Weather Service, FEMA, FCC and Department of Homeland Security-backed initiative works by sending location-based messages of 90 characters or less to nearby handsets in the event of an imminent meteorological threat. The mostly opt-out service will also accommodate AMBER and Presidential alerts, although you won't have that flexibility for missives sent from our head of state. So, the next time your phone gives off a strange auditory tone, you'll know to head for shelter.

Wireless Emergency Alert system goes live this month, delivers location-based SMS warnings originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 17:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Of the trio of Huawei's Diamond-class smartphones announced at Mobile World Congress in February, the dual-core Ascend D1 got the least amount of buzz. Today, however, the handset gets its opportunity to bask in the spotlight, since it's the first of the group to obtain the FCC's nod of approval. No huge revelations were given, but the docs confirm quadband GSM and pentaband HSPA+ / WCDMA, a welcome treat for AWS fans. As always, we can't assume any carrier affiliation here, but at least we know the unlocked versions will work on AT&T and T-Mobile without a hitch. It looks like Huawei's still on track for a Q2 release -- let's hope the same is true for the D1's older siblings.

Huawei Ascend D1 hits the FCC with pentaband HSPA+ originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 12:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Acer's Liquid series phones only occasionally reach the FCC, so it's with some surprise that we've just spotted the still-fresh Liquid Glow getting the US agency's approval under its E330 model name. Details are scarce as to whether or not there's been any changes made to the Android 4.0 phone on its way out of Taiwan, however: there's no telltale signs like cellular frequencies or carrier badging. If anything, Acer is hoping to keep information hush-hush by stamping a 180-day confidentiality seal on the manual and photos. It's entirely possible that this is the international GSM model with no 3G support for North American carriers, so we wouldn't get worked up about local release plans. Even so, knowing Canadian carrier Rogers' tendency to offer Acer phones, there's still a possibility that a version of the Liquid Glow might go on sale this side of the Pacific.

Acer Liquid Glow hits the FCC, keeps its secrets originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 May 2012 15:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Regular readers will know that the FCC is a bit of a virtual whistle-blower, alerting tech-hungry Americans to when new goodies might soon be landing on their shores. Other times it coughs up the odd thing we weren't even waiting for. Today's offering appears to be a 3G tablet from NEC. There's little in the way of specification, or even pictures, but we do know it's sporting GSM and HSPA radios along with the standard WiFi. The device measures 222.6 mm across, which strongly points to a display somewhere in the 7-inch region. The KMP7R4D1-1A model number isn't ringing any bells right now, but we do remember a few Japanese models that bear a passing resemblance not that long ago.

NEC tablet with GSM and HSPA breaks cover at the FCC originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 May 2012 09:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We here at Engadget tend to spend a lot of way too much time poring over the latest FCC filings, be it on the net or directly on the ol' Federal Communications Commission's site. Since we couldn't possibly (want to) cover all the stuff that goes down there individually, we've gathered up an exhaustive listing of every phone and / or tablet getting the stamp of approval over the last week. Enjoy!

Continue reading FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012

FCC Fridays: May 11, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2012 23:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We're oft treated to fantastic news by the FCC while devices are tested in its immense labyrinth of labs, but what we've not seen much of is the type of equipment contained within them. While the smaller Rhode & Schwarz TS8991 that we had a peek at today is used more for antenna design purposes and not by the FCC, it still offers some interesting -- and frighteningly complicated -- insight into the world of those who make your handsets work. The MIMO test we watched involved two theta positioners (which can be seen in the picture above) that rotate about the handset on the pedestal which also turns to add the azimuth in the test run. Each theta positioner has a quad ridged horn antenna, which -- aside from likely being the greatest-sounding antenna name ever -- captures the signal from the handset and eventually allows the AMS32 management system to generate a 3D pattern of the radio emissions. The system will test 2G, 3G, 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth sets, and rings in somewhere above $1,000,000. Follow on for a video and a detailed explanation that is mostly user friendly.

Continue reading Rhode & Schwarz anechoic test chamber waves-on

Rhode & Schwarz anechoic test chamber waves-on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 May 2012 16:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The first keynote of the week is a doozy. We've got Gary Flood from MasterCard, Patrick Riordan president of Cellcom and Joe Kennedy the CEO of Pandora. Not too shabby. But, the big fish in this four person pond is clearly FCC chairman Julius Genachowski. The chief regulator of the wireless industry here in the US will be taking to the stage to talk... well, we're not entirely sure. But, if the topic of spectrum doesn't come up, we'll be quite surprised.

Continue reading Live from CTIA with FCC chairman Julius Genachowski

Live from CTIA with FCC chairman Julius Genachowski originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 May 2012 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Gogo grabs 1MHz spectrum from JetBlue subsidiary LiveTV, beefs up in-flight bandwidth

Gogo grabs 1MHz spectrum from JetBlue subsidiary LiveTV, beefs up in-flight bandwidth originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 18:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ain't no party like a Genachowski party, cause a Genachowski party don't stop. So long as you've got the spectrum and bandwidth to keep your your Niki and the Dove Pandora station bumpin'. The festivities here at CTIA Wireless 2012 in New Orleans are already underway, unofficially, but the true fun really kicks off tomorrow with a keynote from FCC chairman Julius Genachowski. The event will also feature appearances from Gary Flood of MasterCard, Joe Kennedy (the president of Pandora) and Cellcom CEO Patrick Riordan. What's the topic du jour? You'll just have to check back here at the time listed below to find out.

Join us for FCC chairman Julius Genachowski's CTIA keynote tomorrow at 10:30AM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 15:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Did LG's Optimus L5 handset sneak through the FCC? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 May 2012 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The FCC first outlined its intention to allow texting to emergency services back in 2010, and since then despite more talk of accepting photo and video messages, nothing official came to be. This week, however, Verzion has taken the initiative, and announced its own plans to enable text to 911 for its customers. Working with TeleCommunication Systems, the big red hopes that it can facilitate the sending of SMS messages to emergency call-centers as soon as early 2013. Texting isn't just about adding communication options, it also provides a valuable tool to the deaf, hard of hearing and situations where talking is dangerous, or not possible. The service will use existing CDMA and SMS networks, and therefore should be available to all customers once finally rolled out.

Continue reading Verizon takes the lead on text to 911 services

Verizon takes the lead on text to 911 services originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 May 2012 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.