Mobile Miscellany: week of August 27th, 2012
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, MetroPCS welcomed the Coolpad Quattro 4G into its stable and we also caught wind of a redesigned Huawei Mercury for Cricket. 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 August 27th, 2012.
MetroPCS voices support for Windows Phone 8
Last time we checked in, MetroPCS offered only a wait and see attitude toward Windows Phone 8. That changed this week, as the carrier revealed to FierceWireless that it has engaged an unnamed manufacturer to bring a Windows Phone 8 handset into the MetroPCS portfolio. [FierceWireless]
Sprint LTE coverage goes live in Baltimore
Residents of Baltimore can now consider themselves among the lucky few to receive LTE coverage from Sprint. As promised, the Now Network also lit up three rural areas with its LTE service: Gainesville, Ga. (pop. 33,804); Manhattan / Junction City, Kan. (pop. 127,081); and Sedalia, Mo. (pop. 21,387). In the next few weeks, Sprint will also extend its LTE network to Sherman / Denison, Texas (pop. 120,030). Not to take away from the fine residents of rural America, but with priorities like these, does anyone get the impression that Sprint's next aiming to bring LTE to a few ghost towns in Wyoming? [Sprint]
Coolpad Quattro 4G debuts at MetroPCS
Coinciding with its announcement of the Galaxy S III just two weeks ago, MetroPCS let it slip that a new smartphone from Coolpad would be joining its lineup. That day has come, with the debut of the Quattro 4G, an Android 2.3 handset that'll sell for $149. The smartphone includes a 4-inch WVGA display, a 3.2-megapixel rear camera and a 1GHz CPU. Users will also find a front-facing VGA camera, a microSD expansion slot and a 1,600mAh battery. [MetroPCS]
Huawei Mercury Ice for Cricket leaks cover
The Huawei Mercury has graced Cricket's retail shelves for some time now, and as a rebadged version of the Honor, it's actually one of the carrier's most respectable smartphones. Now a leak courtesy of Android Central suggests that a white variant will be used to help launch RadioShack's No Contract Wireless service on September 5th. Known as the Huawei Mercury Ice, it's unclear whether the new color will be exclusive to RadioShack. We hope that's not the case, however, as Cricket no longer includes the black Huawei Mercury in its online inventory. [Android Central]
Other random tidbits
Schott, competitor to Corning, reached out to us this week with news that the first smartphones that include its Xensation glass would come on the market for consumer availability this month. Unfortunately, the company couldn't yet divulge which products make use of the Gorilla Glass alternative. [Schott]
Sony introduced the Xperia T and Xperia TX this week, two smartphones that are set for availability in Europe. Now it seems that those in the US may get a taste of Sony's premiere handset, as the company has filed for trademark of the name Xperia TL. It's thought that this smartphone may be exclusive to the states, as the Xperia TL name has yet to be registered with European authorities. [Xperia Blog]
