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Samsung's Focus 2 arrives at AT&T today, a slice of LTE-equipped Mango for $50
Not long after Samsung's SGH-i667 "Mandel" looked like it would never see the light of day, the Windows Phone 7.5 device made its official debut at CTIA, dubbed as the Focus 2. As expected, the phone is officially on sale today at AT&T retailers across the US, giving folks another option aside from the HTC Titan II or flagship Lumia 900 for a fix of LTE and Mango on the network. To refresh your memory, you'll find a 4-inch Super AMOLED display and VGA camera up front, and a 5MP shooter on back that capture 720p video. Internally, there's a 1.4GHz single-core CPU (exceedingly par for the course for Windows Phone at this point) and a 1,750mAh battery to hopefully ensure you'll have enough juice to get through the day. Despite the speedy connectivity, we'd be remiss not to mention that the Focus 2 packs a paltry 8GB of non-expandable storage and only comes in Glossy Pure White -- but for fifty bucks under a new two-year agreement, we won't kvetch too much. Our full review is coming soon, so hit the source link for more details in the meantime.
AT&T stockholders vote down net neutrality proposal
AT&T stockholders took to the ballot box today at their annual meeting and voted not only to reelect the entire board of directors, but also on a number of measures concerning how the company should conduct business. Chief amongst them was a provision that would have required the carrier to operate its network according to the tenets of net neutrality. Unfortunately for you (unless you're an AT&T exec), the proposal was voted down by a pretty stunning margin. 94.1 percent of shareholders opposed, with only 5.9 casting their voice in favor of true network neutrality. For more info check out the PR after the break.
AT&T reports Q1 earnings: $31.8 billion in revenue, 5.5 million smartphones sold
Sure, there was no new iPhone to boost its smartphone sales this quarter, but the carrier still managed to push 5.5 million of the devices out the door, while activating 4.3 million Apple-branded handsets. The company beat analyst predictions by raking in $31.8 billion in revenue and pocketing $3.6 billion of that as income, up from $3.4 billion over the same time period last year. Things are looking good for the company as both U-Verse and its wireless business grew revenues dramatically -- by 38.2 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively. Growth on the cellular side is in large part thanks to the 726,000 net subscriber adds. Of particular interest is the growth in so-called "branded-computing" subscriptions, which includes tethering plans and tablets. There, AT&T has seen a growth of 70 percent over last year, reaching 5.8 million customers (including 460,000 added last quarter). For more financial fun check out the PR after the break.
'4G' Sony Tablet P coming to AT&T on March 4th for $400
Sony's odd, dual-screened, folding Tablet P is finally getting a "4G" version here the US, courtesy of AT&T. In this case, those 4G speeds are being "delivered" by an HSPA+ radio, a fact that carrier managed to bury in the PR. The Honeycomb device will be bringing its unique set of 5.5-inch screens to Ma Bell starting March 4th for the rather steep price of $400 with a two year contract. If you don't want to sign your soul over you can pick one up unsubsidized for $550, which is still quite a bit less than the cost of importing one of its £500 UK siblings. Check out the complete announcement after the break.
HTC One X exclusive to AT&T in the US, brings LTE, Beats, ICS and Sense 4 to Ma Bell
Just frothy thinking about HTC's recently unveiled superphone, the One X? Well, for those of you that call the US home, outside of importing HTC's latest, you're going to have only one network choice, and that's AT&T. Unlike the global Tegra 3 version announced today, Uncle Sam's variant swaps out that quad-core goodness for an LTE radio paired with a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 by Qualcomm -- specs which curiously match a video titled One XL, which we've embedded after the break from its YouTube page. This also marks the first occasion a Beats by Dr. Dre-powered handset has made an appearance on the carrier. Other then that, you're looking at the same gorgeous 4.7-inch 1280 x 720 HD screen, 8-megapixel f/2.0 shooter and Sense 4 running atop Ice Cream Sandwich. As for when it'll land? The duo's playing coy, only mentioning it'll come in the "coming months." Stay tuned for a hands-on. Update: If you're wondering how the dual-core switcheroo will impact performance, AnandTech lays out some thoughts on the brain swap.
AT&T doubling its upgrade fee to $36 on February 12th (update: confirmed)
What do you do after reporting "blow-out" earnings and instituting larger, pricier, data plans? If you're AT&T, why not go for the jugular by doubling upgrade fees? Per the above leaked memo, that's exactly what Ma Bell plans to do come February 12th, upping the existing $18 fee to a new high of $36. That might sound familiar, as it's much in the same vein as cross-town rival Sprint, who went through the same kerfuffle back in September. We've pinged AT&T about the price hike and will update when we hear back.Update: AT&T sent us the following statement confirming the increase: Wireless devices today are more sophisticated than ever before. And because of that, the costs associated with upgrading to a new device have increased and is reflected in our new upgrade fee. This fee isn't unique to AT&T and this is the first time we're changing it in nearly 10 years.[Thanks, Anonymous]
AT&T reports 'blow-out' Q4, revenues up 3.6 percent, 7.6 million iPhones activated
AT&T is all smiles again, as it announces a quarter in which it managed to sell 9.4 million smartphones. It nearly doubled handset sales from Q3 and managed -- perhaps unsurprisingly -- 7.6 million iPhone activations, with the majority being Apple's latest flavor of phone. It looks like the loss of its exclusivity tag hasn't hurt its sales, with Ma Bell quick to note that it sold far more iPhones than its Big Red rival. Total consolidated revenues were up $1.1 billion from last year, that's a 3.6 percent increase and it's up just over $1 billion from last quarter. However, due to the failed T-Mobile acquisition (and the subsequent pay-off) net income was a loss of $6.7 billion, with $4.2 billion of this going to its previously potential partner. Aside from bumper smartphone sales, AT&T's attributed its revenue increases to a year-on-year increase in wireless subscriptions in all their forms -- including wireless internet. An additional 208,000 AT&T U-verse TV subscribers has tipped the viewer count to 3.8 million. See AT&T's own take on its results below.
PSA: Pantech Element and Burst get bundled together at AT&T, $250 on contract
In case you forgot, both Pantech's new dual-core smartphone and waterproof tablet have arrived and Ma Bell's bundled the pair together to form some kind of middleweight Android tag-team. The price of a matching tablet and smartphone? Expect to pay $250 on contract, and you'll need plans for both the Element and Burst. Those feeling flush can grab the full details at the source.
AT&T abandons T-Mobile merger plans (updated)
AT&T has officially given up on its plans to buy out T-Mobile. In a statement, the company said it had agreed with Deutsche Telekom to cease pursuing a merger, which has come under increasing scrutiny from both the government and advocacy groups. The failed attempt to snatch up its smaller, German-owned competitor will ultimately cost Ma Bell $4 billion and it's not paying those dues without some grumbling. In the release the FCC and DOJ bear the brunt of AT&T's ire, which are accused of harming customers and exasperating the already looming spectrum shortage. Of course, this also hurts the carrier's ability to compete with Verizon which has been on a spectrum buying spree as of late. As a consolation prize Deutsche Telekom and AT&T have entered a roaming agreement, though the structure of that deal and whether it's purely international or domestic roaming remains to be seen. The complete press release from AT&T can be found after the break.
AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250
In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.
AT&T plans to sell exercise apparel that tracks your vitals, performance
It's not enough for AT&T to simply sell cellphones, its emerging devices unit also traffics in everything from GPS dog collars to connected pill bottles. Now the company wants in on the fitness tracking craze. Forbes is reporting that Ma Bell will start offering apparel that could track GPS routes, heart rate and other vital stats -- similar to the E39 shirt above from Zephyr and Under Armour. The clothing isn't just for athletes though, the military, first responders and seniors could also benefit from the technology. Sadly, no firm release date or prices were announced, so don't expect to wander into a Modell's and pick up a wicking t-shirt that uploads your workouts to RunKeeper any time soon.
HTC Holiday hits the FCC, ready to deliver AT&T's LTE to 3-percent of Americans
We're not sure how much longer it'll be before the tiny fraction of Americans that can take advantage of AT&T's LTE network will actually be able to put the HTC Holiday in their hands, but we imagine it won't be too much longer. It looks like the dual-core super-phone just stopped by the FCC to have its radio checked out, and we're happy to report the PH39100 came out unscathed. Though photos and specific branding were missing from the filing, we're pretty confident that this 1700/2100/700 LTE device from HTC is, in fact, the Holiday. We're also certain that Ma Bell is working like mad to get this 4.5-inch beast out the door real soon. Hit up the source link if you're into things like RF exposure reports and label placement diagrams.
Momentum and Elevate 4G on sale now, pushes AT&T closer to the LTE era
It's August 21st, and that means that the first batch of AT&T's dedicated LTE devices are officially here. The Momentum 4G and Elevate 4G are now on sale at the carrier's site and in stores for $50 and $70 (with a two year contract, of course) respectively. Both the USB modem Momentum and mobile hotspot Elevate will have to settle for an HSPA+ connection for the time being, as Ma Bell has yet to flip the switch on its LTE network -- but we wouldn't expect the company to wait much longer before making the move. Picking up either of these 4G data devices would be useless without the DataConnect plan, which nets you 5GB for $50 with a $10-per-GB overage charge. Now it's just about waiting for someone to push the button in Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Antonio to light up those first LTE markets.
HTC Puccini screens leak (again), to be known as Jetstream on AT&T?
HTC's Puccini tablet is shaping up to be the company's worst kept secret. This latest batch of leaked screen shots over on PocketNow show off the tab's skinned homescreen where a clearly visible AT&T widget indicates a missing SIM card, and the Settings menu which points us to the product's possible release name -- Jetstream. The 10-inch slate, said to pack a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and Scribe functionality, appears to have a "true" 4G LTE AT&T destiny ahead of it, with a potential launch coming before the close of this year. Make sure to hit the source below for an additional look at this Android slate.
HTC Puccini screens leak, AT&T bloatware and number pad make an appearance
HTC's 10-inch Puccini tab's been poking its head out from the speculative shadows and now we have a few leaked screens to further whet your LTE appetite. The bevy of shots over on Pocketnow show the AT&T-branded Honeycomb slate packing a serious amount of carrier-installed bloat, with AT&T's Code, Family, MyText and Navigation apps joining the likes of Amazon's Kindle app, Cordy, Let's Golf 2 and NFS Shift. The OEM also appears to have tacked on a number pad to its virtual keyboard solution -- a feature Sony's rumored to include in its own tablets -- taking full advantage of the purported 1280 x 800 display. And, lest we forget that last pic of stylus pairing, the slab's menu dock sports a "pen icon in the tray," confirming those notions of Scribe-functionality. Be sure to check the source for an extra peek at the orange-colored network's future must-have device.
Cisco Cius on AT&T: crystal clear corporate communication coming this fall
Cisco's Cius hopped on Big Red's bandwagon a few months back, and now it's bringing its high-def corporate communications skills to AT&T. And not only will Ma Bell be selling the seven-inch slate, its AT&T Foundry division will make business-friendly apps for the device. Don't go bugging the bossman for one just yet, however, as the Cius won't be riding AT&T's waves of 4G HSPA+ until this fall. PR's after the break.
Sony Ericsson Vivaz coming September 5th to AT&T
In the mood for a good Ma Bell camera phone (emphasis on the camera more than phone)? Sony Ericsson and AT&T have just now decided to bring the Symbian S60-packing Vivaz stateside, still touting a 720p autofocus HD video mode and a 8.1 megapixel camera. Price of entry is $80 on contract (after $50 mail-in rebate) and according to the press release will hit retail September 5th in Galaxy Blue -- or should you like a more specified celestial color, a Venus Ruby option will be offered online for a limited time. Just don't forget it's a resistive screen; lose the stylus or you'll be keeping a fingernail long for about two birthdays. Press release after the break.
AT&T claims it will be 'the premier carrier' for Windows Phone 7
Without question, AT&T's wireless growth these past few years has been largely based on iPhone -- and with apparently good reason, if you look at the numbers. As far as other platforms go, however, it's not been as rosy. Android's relation with the carrier, for example, is a story woven with years of hesitation, some questionable releases, and a rival that's fully embraced it to notable success (releases like the Captivate and Streak suggest a stronger future). So with all that in mind, what we're hearing from AT&T in the wake of Windows Phone 7 is decidedly more committal. Here's what a spokesperson told PC World this week: "We'll be the premier carrier for Windows Phone 7" (emphasis ours). Strong words, but we still haven't heard concrete plans from anyone, including Microsoft, on what's going on with the release. Whispers care of our friend Michael Gartenberg suggest AT&T has "signed up for 8 million" phones and our own eyes have espied some launch materials, but we'll just have to see. Your move, Ma Bell. Assuage our doubts, k? P.S. It's also worth noting that, after the Kin debacle, Microsoft and Verizon aren't exactly BFF, meaning rival AT&T's "premier" claim isn't likely to be contested by the one carrier with more subscribers.
AT&T cries foul over T-Mobile's 'HSPA+ is 4G' talk
No matter how much T-Mobile wants to pretend, HSPA+ is not on the same upload / download pay grade as LTE and WiMAX. Still, that isn't stopping the company from calling its new technology rollout "4G speeds," much to the dismay of another major HSPA+ supporter, AT&T. Cue Ma Bell spokesman Seth Bloom, who recently told Fierce Wireless, "I think that companies need to be careful that they're not misleading customers by labeling HSPA+ as a 4G technology." Of course, AT&T itself is rolling out that technology as an intermediate step between current 3G and LTE, and we know they want to reserve the 4G nomenclature for the latter's unveiling. Hey guys, can we just label it 3.95G and call it day?
