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Samsung Galaxy S Relay 4G announced, arriving at T-Mobile in the coming weeks
The rumors didn't lead us astray this time around: T-Mobile's latest QWERTY device, the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze Q Relay 4G has been officially announced. While we're still waiting to hear pricing and availability (aside from the usual "coming weeks," that is), we have confirmation that the 4-inch Super AMOLED device will offer ICS, HSPA+ 42Mbps connectivity and a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor. Additionally, it has a 5MP rear camera, 1.3MP front-facing cam, 5-row keyboard and it's been certified for SAFE (Samsung Approved for Enterprise). We're still wrapping our brains around the name, but fortunately we have some time to do so before the device officially drops onto store shelves. Update: TmoNews has gotten word that the Relay 4G is actually carrying a Snapdragon S4 processor, not an S3. Enjoy the extra horsepower.
O2 UK rolls out 42Mbps DC-HSPA+ 3G, gives that new iPad fast data in Old Blighty
The UK might be champing at the bit for 4G auctions to finish and give the country a taste of sweet, sweet LTE, but O2 UK is at least offering a panacea with a launch of dual-carrier HSPA+ 3G, or DC-HSPA+ in less wordy form. The British carrier has started deploying a full 42Mbps to "major" cities on the isle, most likely including London as one of them. Vodafone would argue that going dual-carrier is old hat, having started a year earlier, but it's also peaking at 28.8Mbps -- and frequent data advocate Three doesn't start its own proper 42Mbps deployment until the summer. As such, if you're a Brit looking for the speediest path to the Internet for a new iPad or one of the few other devices that supports DC-HSPA+ at full bore, O2 looks to be your best bet for now.
New iPad has 'world ready' 3G, LTE for Verizon, Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T
At Apple's ongoing press conference, the company has just revealed its new retina display-equipped iPad will feature high speed LTE connections on Verizon, Rogers, Bell, Telus and AT&T networks, as well as 3G that works around the world. It brings "the most bands ever", but it looks like we'll still be looking at separate devices that work with either Verizon and AT&T, but not both. Besides the 3.1Mbps EV-DO and 7.2Mbps HSPA that were on the iPad 2, the new slates add 21Mbps HSPA+, 42Mbps DC-HSDPA and 73Mbps LTE connections. Not sure you need that speed on your tablet? Maybe your other devices will appreciate it, since these also have personal hotspot functionality built-in.For more coverage of Apple's iPad event, visit our hub!
HTC Amaze 4G, Samsung Galaxy S II sign-up pages go live on T-Mobile, 42Mbps speeds within reach
You can buy it on Sprint, snag in on October 2nd at AT&T, or just sit tight and wait for Magenta to get its Galaxy S II release ball rolling. Hot on the heels of yesterday's Mobilize announcement, T-Mobile's thrown up a product page for its particular variant of Samsung's uber-hyped handset, in addition to a landing page for the recently unveiled HTC Amaze 4G (a rebranded Sensation XE for the states). The operator's set an official October 12th launch date for its 42Mbps HSPA+ smartphones, with concrete pricing that pegs HTC's amazing device at $260, and Sammy's TouchWiz-inflected beast at $230 -- both after a $50 rebate on a new two-year contract. If you're as jazzed about these closer to 4G fine, faux-G phones as we are, be sure to hit up the source link below to sign-up for an early order notification.
Hands-on with HTC's Amaze 4G for T-Mobile (video)
So how does HTC's Amaze 4G stack up to its European counterpart, the Sensation XE? Pretty well actually. The 4.3-inch qHD smartphone also features Qualcomm's 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon CPU, but bumps the RAM from 768MB to 1GB. It's also HTC's first NFC toting device and joins T-Mobile's Galaxy S II as the other 42Mbps HSPA+ -capable handset on Magenta's network. More noteworthy is its trick eight megapixel shooter, which features the same backside-illuminated sensor, f2.2 wide-angle optics and 1080p video recording capability as the myTouch 4G Slide. Similarly, the Amaze 4G hangs on to quite a bit of that phone's camera software, including a new composite mode that automagically creates one stellar image out of five less than fabulous snapshots. We also liked the addition of two physical camera buttons, one for stills and the other for video. First impressions of the Sense-laden, Gingerbread smartphone? It's very much like a Sensation on steroids, with a definite T-Mobile flavor. Take a look at our gallery and hit the break for our hands-on video from Mobilize 2011. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-134939%
T-Mobile reveals HTC Amaze 4G, flaunts better camera and faster HSPA+
Europe may be enjoying the Sensation XE, but today at Mobilize, T-Mobile's announced that it's getting the exclusive on HTC's Amaze 4G ($259.99 on a two-year contract), while also confirming the hardware whispers we've heard. With its 4.3-inch qHD screen and 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, it's one of the first smartphones able to connect to T-Mobile's upgraded 4G (HSPA+ 42Mbps) network and is the first HTC phone featuring an NFC chip -- something we didn't gather from those early spy-shots, but the manufacturer promised a while ago. Pushing its photography credentials, the Amaze 4G's eight megapixel shooter can record 1080p video, with a dedicated camera button (and even a direct-to-camcorder button) to make the most of the handset's promised "zero shutter lag." Its also got that backlit sensor found in its sibling, the myTouch 4G Slide, so we're expecting admirable low-light performance, too. On the software side, it's running Android 2.3.4, coated in the inevitable Sense veneer and supporting the likes of HTC Watch and T-Mobile TV. Will it be enough to steal the network's king of Android crown away from the Galaxy S II when it ships October 12th? You tell us, as you check the PR after the break. Keep up with our Mobilize 2011 coverage here! %Gallery-134900%
4G Samsung Galaxy S II X coming to Telus, still as Herculean as ever
It looks like the Samsung Hercules name won't live on in mobile infamy, after all. Canadian carrier Telus is now the second (and last) company to shed the Greek God title in favor of the more traditional Galaxy S II moniker -- albeit with its own unique twist, of course. The company's got an official page up for its forthcoming flagship, dubbed the "4G Samsung Galaxy S II X." Talk about a mouthful, right? The device mirrors T-Mobile's version rather closely, improving upon the original model with a 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus display, HSPA+ download speeds of up to 42Mbps and -- here's where it gets interesting -- a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU. We're still unsure of the chipmaker responsible for supporting the AWS 4G radio, but our money's on the Qualcomm APQ8060. The ever-frustrating "coming soon" is attached to the page, which seems to be fairly common practice with new phones lately; regardless, we imagine enough people will be willing to forgive and forget once their future toy decides to show up.
HTC Amaze 4G gets snapped with the lights on, confirms 1.5GHz dual-core CPU
The only images we've seen of the upcoming HTC Ruby Amaze 4G, the high-powered smartphone inbound for T-Mobile, have left us eager for more substance; few pictures show the phone powered on, and even those offer no visual evidence of its rockin' specs. Our thirst for more info about the beast has been slightly more quenched, as Droid Sans snapped some pics of the prototype proudly displayed at a public gathering. From what we can tell by the snapshots, the device's "about" screen confirms the presence of a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 4.3-inch qHD display and an 8MP rear camera (2MP front) with dual-LED flash. The source tells us that it will come shipped with HTC Sense 3.5 running atop Gingerbread, so don't let these photos -- showing off stock Android -- get your hopes up so fast. All in all, though, it looks like the Samsung Galaxy S II may have a fierce battle on its hands for the title of T-Mobile's Next Top (smartphone) Model.
Samsung Hercules confirmed as a T-Mobile Galaxy S II variant
The picture almost says it all: the Galaxy S II is coming to T-Mobile. Except it's slightly more complicated than that. According to TmoNews, you're actually looking at the back of the new Samsung Hercules -- a handset rumored to possess godly specs, which we already knew was heading to both T-Mo and Telus, and which is now confirmed as an honest-to-goodness Galaxy S II variant. It's similar to the original superphone in many respects, but it has a slightly larger 4.5-inch Super AMOLED Plus screen like the Infuse 4G, a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that's possibly a Qualcomm instead of Sammy's own Exynos, and a 42Mbps HSPA+ radio. The rounded corners of the back cover also look distinctly similar to the Within -- the GSII variant coming to Sprint. You'll find full-frontals after the break, which also recall the design of the Nexus S. The only thing missing is any mention of NFC, which featured in the initial rumors, but this is still a hotch-potch of the best Samsung phones around and we can't wait for it to arrive.
Samsung Hercules snapped in the wild, powering its way to Telus soon?
Would demigods feel honored that smartphones are getting named after them? The Samsung Hercules, from what we can tell, seems to fit its given title appropriately; he was, after all, famous for his behemoth strength. Sadly, we've known more about him than his technological counterpart, though that may be soon changing. MobileSyrup found someone clutching onto the still-unannounced device at a VIP event and snapped a quick pic for the world to see. While they didn't get any hands-on time, they indicated that it was running on Telus, it appeared to have a 4.5-inch display (as rumored), and is a design mashup of the Galaxy S II, Nexus S, and the Infuse 4G. This still leaves us with nothing but spec rumors -- which include a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, Super AMOLED Plus display, 16GB of flash storage, 42Mbps HSPA+, and an eight megapixel camera -- but it's nice to have a face to go with the famous name. For somebody who likes to go the distance, its superphone namesake sure seems awfully close.
T-Mobile brings 42Mbps HSPA+ to 56 new markets, now tops 150 locales
True to its promise of bringing 42Mbps service to 150 million Americans by mid-year, T-Mobile will double its 4G speed in 56 additional markets today -- thereby surpassing its self-imposed goal (and leaving the door open for greater ambitions). Of course, the Category 20 Rocket 3.0 USB modem is currently the only way to experience this brisk performance, but the magenta-clad carrier seems intent to bring a 42Mbps HSDPA smartphone to market by year's end, or much sooner. Cities such as Ann Arbor, Baltimore, Boise, Boston, Charlotte, Hartford, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Washington D.C., may count themselves among the fortunate, where T-Mo-packing citizens should benefit from the network's newly increased capacity and reliability, whether or not they're wielding ZTE's stick. A complete list of cities is included in the PR just beyond the break.
Huawei Sonic with AWS endorsed by FCC, fittingly given T-Mobile nametag
Turkey may have had the first yuckle with the Huawei Sonic, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll get the last laugh. The Gingerbread handset received warm welcomes on TurkCell due to its inexpensive cost -- and included NFC functionality included doesn't hurt either. Just as it officially launched there, however, we were pleasantly surprised to see the Huawei UMG587 -- labelled the "T-Mobile Sonic" -- get pushed through the FCC. The docs not only confirm 850 / 1900 / 2100 3G bands thrown on top of T-Mobile's AWS, but also bluntly mention HSPA+ download speeds will be maxed out at 42Mbps. We found it interesting that Turkcell's model only reaches 7.2Mbps, so we're hoping the full maximum speeds aren't tweaked or throttled here. The T-Mobile (or "T-Moblie," if you believe the image above) branding makes it difficult to dispute this phone's US destiny, but inclusion of AT&T frequencies has us curious if the Sonic will eventually Rethink Possible.
T-Mobile doubles speed in 42 of its HSPA+ 4G markets
T-Mobile's choice of fast just got doubly faster in 42 -- clever, right? 42 new markets for its 42Mbps service -- of its HSPA+ markets. With this addition the tally for the faster service now stands at 97 centers -- when added to the 55 we saw launched back in May. To answer the question about how fast, T-Mobile's stating that average download speeds approach 10Mbps with a purported peak of 27Mbps on its Rocket 3.0 sticks. So if you're lucky enough to call Albuquerque, San Diego, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, or any of the other 38 new spots home, you're golden -- and maybe reading this a little quicker than that fella next to you. If you've missed this ship, fear not, this expansion won't be over anytime soon as T-Mob has it has its sights set on covering 190 million users by mid-year. Full PR is just a click away.
T-Mobile flips on 42Mbps HSPA+ across 55 markets, launching Rocket 3.0 modem stick tomorrow
Fellow road warriors, we bring you good news: starting today, T-Mobile customers across 55 markets -- including Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Pittsburgh, Miami, and many more -- will have immediate access to a faster HSPA+ "4G" network. This means anyone with compatible devices can achieve theoretical download speeds of up to a whopping 42Mbps, as opposed to just 21Mbps from the good ol' days. But of course, only time will tell whether this upgrade will deliver its promise -- you may recall that even AT&T's LTE demo last week delivered "realistic" download speeds of up to just 28.9Mbps, when in theory it should be capable of hitting up to 100Mbps. Anyhow, if you want to soldier on and be a guinea pig an early adopter, then help yourself to ZTE's Rocket 3.0 USB modem stick starting tomorrow -- the entry price is $99.99 after a $50 mail in rebate, but tied to a two-year broadband plan of 2GB or higher; or you can opt for the contract-free price of $199.99. Hit the press release after the break for the full list of activated markets.
Unannounced Samsung 'Hercules' headed to T-Mobile, bearing demigod-like specs?
The Samsung Infuse 4G is a beautiful 4.5-inch tabletphone, but it's not for the spec junkies of the world -- a single-core processor and Android 2.2 just don't impress such folk these days, regardless of actual performance. However, This is my next reports Samsung's cooking up a $350 handset that ticks all the boxes on the superphone list -- a beast of a smartphone it's tentatively calling the "Hercules." Mind you, we're still in rumor territory, but feast your inner speed demon on the possibility of these: a dual-core 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8060 processor (the same as the HP TouchPad), a 42Mbps HSDPA radio, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of flash storage and Android 2.3, along with the same 4.5-inch 800 x 480 Super AMOLED Plus display as the aforementioned Infuse 4G. The same whispers say it'll have a 8 megapixel camera with 1080p video capture, MHL support and NFC, and should play for T-Mobile... assuming the buyout doesn't succeed. Our existing smartphones are already preparing to seethe with jealousy.
ZTE gets tight with T-Mobile, launches Rocket 3.0 modem and 4G Mobile Hotspot for HSPA+
T-Mobile's 42Mbps HSPA+ coverage is expanding and expanding, and ZTE is helping to bring it back down to earth. The company has launched two new wireless devices especially for the T-Mo's 42Mbps service, the first being the Rocket 3.0, a USB modem that's due this spring. The second is the simply titled 4G Mobile Hotspot, the same we got a little quality time with earlier, which beams out WiFi connectivity for up to five devices at one time. If you can't handle all that speed, ZTE also has the Jet 2.0 and Rocket 4G, both of which top out at 21Mbps. All should be available in the next few weeks, and all should help you get your bits on from anywhere.
Ericsson does HSPA+ plus some, achieves 168Mbps downloads
Back in 2009, we squealed like giddy schoolgirls when the hotshots over at Ericsson crushed standard HSPA+ speeds with 56Mbps downloads, but even then we wondered if the standard would last much longer. Two years later, HSPA+ is still around and Ericsson is still crushing records -- three records, to be exact. At a recent demonstration in Stockholm, the company showed off multi-carrier HSPA with 168Mbps downlinks and 24Mbps uplinks, dual-carrier HSPA with peak speeds of 84Mbps, and single-carrier HSPA sporting 42Mbps. We'll admit, we're impressed, but considering Korean researchers have hit speeds of 600Mbps on LTE, we're afraid we won't be busting out the Cristal for this one. Ericsson expects to roll out single-carrier HSPA with 42Mbps and dual-carrier HSPA with 84Mbps sometime later this year.
T-Mobile upgrading HSPA+ network to 42Mbps this year
Seems like T-Mobile's fed up with claims that its network isn't truly 4G -- starting today, it's doubling the bandwidth of HSPA+ to 42 megabits per second as promised. They've conducting a live test in Las Vegas on the CES 2011 stage, playing some online multiplayer Need for Speed, but it won't be limited to the City of Sin for long -- fully two-thirds of its 200+ million person coverage zone will find blazing transfer speeds by the end of the year as the improvements roll out. Next stop -- 650Mbps.
Novatel's Ovation MC545 modem suggests extremely fast things come in small packages
The next (and most likely last) step in extending the lifespan of 3G data is dual-carrier HSPA, a technology not unlike using two modems at the same time to effectively double the width of the pipe. Novatel's got a new dual-carrier-capable USB stick out that it claims to be the world's smallest -- and it's launching as a Movistar exclusive in Spain initially where the company demonstrated speeds this week topping out at a face-melting 40.5Mbps downstream. Who needs 4G when you're getting those kinds of numbers? After its tour of Spain, the Ovation MC545 will launch with other carriers around the world, though with just 900, 1900, and 2100MHz 3G support onboard, we wouldn't expect to see it grace North America -- at least, not without a radio swap back at the factory. Follow the break for Novatel's full press release.
Telstra boasts it's got the first live HSPA+ Dual Carrier network
It may not be the fastest live HSPA network today, but Telstra -- a carrier with a history of world's firsts -- is touting that it's now the first operator on the face planet to flip the switch on HSPA+ Dual Carrier, the very same tech that Ericsson has been demoing recently. That means that customers will be able to expect about double the peak 3G speeds they get today (so Telstra claims) once they latch onto Sierra Wireless' new modem, expected to be available "later this year." The fun doesn't end there, though: Telstra says this is just the first stop on a wild ride up to 84Mbps once MIMO is added into the mix with expected commercial availability in 2011, cutting deeply into the territory enjoyed by first-gen LTE networks. Any chance we could have the modem in something besides Smurf Blue? No worries if not, Sierra; just figured we'd ask.
