4g lte
Latest
Intuition by LG hands-on: a pen-enabled competitor to the Galaxy Note for Verizon (video)
It's a silly name as smartphones go (and one that conjures images of lady-focused razors), but regardless, LG's Intuition is now officially a member of Verizon's lineup. The 4G LTE device, shown off today at the manufacturer's launch event, is nigh unchanged from the South Korean model we reviewed this past July (known as the Optimus Vu). With a 5-inch 1,024 x 768 True-XGA IPS capacitive display, dual-core S3 CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, 8-megapixel rear camera, NFC, 2080mAh battery and that Rubberdium pen, the only thing separating this stateside iteration from its SK Telecom cousin is the skinned Android Ice Cream Sandwich OS onboard and $199 on contract price. So how does it fare in this Big Red debut? Follow along as we attempt to find what's been lost, if anything, in translation.%Gallery-164889%
WSJ: 2012 iPhone to support global 4G LTE
Now we're intrigued. It's a common (if unconfirmed) belief that the next iPhone will support LTE-based 4G, but the Wall Street Journal now understands through the ever-present "people familiar with the matter" that Apple is taking 4G worldwide. Where the current iPad only supports two LTE frequencies and drops to HSPA+ outside of the US and Canada, the new iPhone will supposedly cover parts of Asia and Europe as well. The exact countries haven't been outlined, although it's easy to imagine Apple going for those countries where 4G speeds matter the most: there's been rumblings of talks with KT and SK Telecom in South Korea, but we could also see France, Germany, Japan and Scandinavian countries in the mix. The rumor hasn't been confirmed, of course. That said, the iPhone was already purported to be using a new cellular chipset -- and a number of carriers, most often in the US, have long said they won't carry new smartphones unless LTE is part of the package. We'll know the full scoop on Wednesday.
Motorola Droid RAZR HD hands-on: a 720p Android ICS update with 2,500mAh battery life
The curtains have finally been pulled back on Motorola's Droid RAZR HD, revealing little in the way of surprise. Abysmal attempts at secrecy aside, the Verizon-bound handset pushes the line forward with an incrementally larger 4.7-inch screen, 720p display, dual-core 1.5GHz S4 CPU and, most importantly, a 2,500mAh battery to temper LTE's juice-sapping ways. So does this less-than-wafer-thin device live up to its predecessor's legacy? Follow along after the break as we deliver our first impressions.%Gallery-164426%
Motorola Droid RAZR HD unveiled: 4.7-inch 720p display, ICS, dual-core S4 for Verizon (video)
It's been a day of big smartphone reveals, but Motorola's not one to let the glory shine too long upon rivals. At its press event today in New York City, the Google-owned manufacturer gave the public its first official look at the Droid RAZR HD. Unless you've been living off the grid, it's hard to find much about this announcement fresh and / or exciting, as specs, photos, tutorials, FCC docs and even sample pics have been leaking since the start of April. Surprise already blown, the handset falls in line with previous reports, running a lightly-skinned version of Android 4.0.4 (upgradeable to Jelly Bean) and bearing a 4.7-inch 720p display, dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor clocked at 1.5GHz, 8-megapixel rear camera, NFC, as well as a massive 2,500mAh battery. So, what's changed in this RAZR refresh? Well, the phone's back may still be Kevlar-coated (in this case, it's pretty much fully wrapped), but a few cosmetic differences have been made to the Droid RAZR HD's body. For starters, its front face almost spans from edge to edge, with just a little bit of bezel surrounding that display. Dimensions-wise, it's 131.9mm tall, 67.9 mm wide and still pretty thin at 8.4mm. It's definitely a coup for design-focused consumers that prefer to have their devices appear as a sea of seamless black glass. While it'll be hanging out on Verizon's 4G network, we're still waiting on pricing -- but we're promised that it will arrive "before the holidays." Mat Smith contributed to this report.
Samsung Galaxy Stellar available through Verizon beginning Thursday, free after rebate
Samsung's decidedly grounded Stellar smartphone just got the official nod from Verizon, launching on Thursday with a $50 price tag (before a $50 mail-in rebate). The "free" handset packs a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon, Ice Cream Sandwich, LTE connectivity, a 4-inch WVGA display an a rather modest image capture duo -- a 1.3-megapixel camera up front and an autofocus-capable 3.2-megapixel snapper on the rear. There's also 802.11n WiFi and support for microSD cards up to 32GB. As unimpressive as they may be, none of these specs comes as a surprise, following the smartphone's early debut on Best Buy's site last week. Still, if you're in the market for an upgrade with a non-existent equipment budget, this little Galaxy may be just what Big Red ordered.
LG Intuition with Verizon 4G LTE gets official: $200 on contract starting September 6th
Just as rumors predicted, the LG Intuition for Verizon has been made official in time for a September 6th launch date. The phone, which is essentially the Optimus Vu with the carrier's 4G LTE connectivity thrown in, will be available for $200 on contract on Verizon's website starting tomorrow, and it will hit stores on September 10th. To jog your memory, the handset runs Android 4.0 on a 5-inch display, with a dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor under the hood. The phone features the LG Tag+ app, which uses NFC to control phone settings, and two reprogrammable NFC stickers are included. Check out the press release for more info.
LG Intuition 4G LTE may become available on Verizon September 6th
The day of September 6th is gearing up to be a rather hefty one for Verizon: earlier we reported that the Samsung Galaxy Stellar is slated to launch on that date, and it's also the day after Motorola unveils its latest lineup for Big Red. Why not throw in another device that we've heard so much about, such as the LG Intuition? Indeed, docs detailing the CDMA-clad Optimus Vu is now beginning to make the rounds in Verizon's internal system -- and its intended launch date is among the trove of treasures to be found within. According to the docs, we should expect to see the 5-inch device available online in time for the 6th, while all channels won't be ready to go until the 10th. We can't imagine that too many people will be upset over having to wait another four days, however. In terms of specs, here's what we can anticipate from the Intuition: Ice Cream Sandwich, a dual-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm MSM8660 (Snapdragon S3) processor paired with MDM9600 LTE modem and 1GB RAM, Gorilla Glass, a 5-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1024 x 768, 15 hours of talk time, 8MP rear camera with 1.3MP front-facing cam and no microSD expandable storage option. Ultimately, the Intuition is Verizon's variant of the Optimus Vu, and boasts that commonality right down to the components and design -- you won't find much difference in specs, weight or dimensions between the two. We've compiled a few images for your enjoyment, so head below to see. As before, we had to be creative in how we treated these images to protect the identity of everyone involved. %Gallery-164101% [Thanks, Anonymous]
More Samsung Galaxy Stellar details spill, September 6th launch appears likely
More details about the Samsung Galaxy Stellar 4G LTE, Verizon's upcoming budget offering, are now surfacing from the midst of the carrier's internal systems. Our source has confirmed that the Stellar is now expected to launch on September 6th, and has provided some documentation that reveals the vast majority of the phone's spec sheet. Starter Mode once again gets mentioned here -- according to the docs, it's a "new, simple way to interact Access apps and control device settings with ease." As far as specs go, these docs back up the details leaked on Best Buy's website earlier: Android 4.0, a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 3.2MP rear camera and 1.3MP front-facing cam and 800 x 480 WVGA display. Additionally, Amazon Kindle, Audible and Zappos apps are mentioned, as well as Bluetooth 4.0 and 4GB internal storage. Dimensionally, the phone will weigh 4.73 ounces and measures 121.92 x 63.75 x 11.94mm (yes, that last measurement is for thickness). Given the lower-end specs, the Stellar likely won't launch to a grand amount of fanfare -- especially if the $100 price point is accurate. Check out our gallery below to see a few more images of the crucial docs. As a sidenote, many of the images will have creatively blurred-out sections in order to protect the identity of our source. %Gallery-164042% [Thanks, Anonymous!]
Fido switches on LTE, gives Canadians a taste of slightly more budget-minded 4G
Canadians have had fairly limited options for LTE-based 4G if they didn't want to turn to the three main carrier brands: they could go to a Bell-owned Virgin Mobile, and that's it. While there isn't a truly independent LTE carrier yet, Rogers' lower-cost Fido label has just taken its promised LTE access live to at least offer some competition among the smaller names in the field. Calgary, Montreal, Ottawa, St. John's, Toronto and Vancouver can immediately hop on the network at speeds of up to 100Mbps. Bring-your-own-device users don't have to pay a premium to get the faster speeds, although there's currently little choice in hardware if you want to buy straight from the source: the lone LTE device on offer is Sierra Wireless' AirCard 763S hotspot, which costs $50 on a two-year contract. The flexible rate data-only plan also isn't the greatest deal, starting at $22 for a gone-in-five-minutes 100MB per month to $92 for 9GB. All the same, light data users in the True North will be glad to know they don't have to be relegated to 3G to save a few dollars.
Motorola RAZR M 4G LTE pics and specs revealed: 4.3-inch qHD display, ICS, 1.5GHz dual-core
We've been hearing about the Motorola XT907 -- an LTE device bound for Verizon -- for quite some time now, but we just got our hands on a full set of specs and even a few pics to go along with it. Let's get started: the Droid RAZR M 4G LTE, as Big Red is planning to call it, will sport a 4.3-inch qHD (960 x 540) Super AMOLED Advanced display -- this will likely be the same ColorBoost panel we recently saw on Sprint's Photon Q -- as well as a dual-core Qualcomm MSM8960 Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB RAM, 8MP rear camera capable of taking 1080p video, a 3MP (yes, three) front-facing shooter, full GSM / UMTS / HSPA+ global roaming and 8GB internal storage with microSD support. Additionally, the RAZR M will offer NFC, Android 4.0 with a virtual row of navigation keys (much like the Atrix HD and Photon Q) and will weigh 4.44 ounces. Gorilla Glass 2 protects the display from scratches, while the back offers the same kind of Kevlar seen on the Droid RAZR and RAZR Maxx. At 8.38mm deep, its thickness appears to be right in between the two aforementioned phones. So that takes care of the mystery behind this particular smartphone, and it's quite likely we'll be getting some quality hands-on time with it alongside the RAZR HD at Moto's September 5th event. Check out the goods in the gallery below. Note: Several commenters have observed that a watermark is blurred out on the image above (as well as one of the gallery shots). These marks reveal personal employee information and have been blurred to protect the identity of the tipster. Several of our gallery shots, however, do not feature these marks. %Gallery-163478% [Thanks, Anonymous]
LG Intuition spied in press shots, leaves one piece of the puzzle left to go
The LG Intuition may be one of Verizon's more poorly-kept secrets of recent memory. Apart from LG itself having confirmed that an Optimus Vu rebranding is due for the US within weeks, there's been pricing and even an uncannily detailed FCC filing to fill in the gaps. Why not throw official press images into the mix? From the renders DroidDog has managed to obtain, the Intuition is a bit more than just a one-for-one port of the original Korean phablet. While Verizon's influence is light outside of that attention-grabbing logo, there's a switch-up in the navigation keys to reflect that Android 4.0 will be there from the beginning -- a nice break from the ancient-feeling Android 2.3 layout of the original. About the only question left at this stage is that of the exact release date. There's a September 15th mention in one of the images, but we all know how dates in press imagery can be misleading.
Samsung Galaxy Stellar rumored to hit Verizon for $100, hopes to lure you in with Amazon apps
Regardless of the situation, it's relatively safe to say Samsung will never, ever run out of Galaxy monikers. Now it's the Korean outfit's Galaxy Stellar making the internet rounds yet again, though there's a little more information attached this time around. Per Droid Life, Sammy's purported Verizon-bound Galaxy Stellar will be joining the carrier's LTE-equipped smartphone lineup with a $100 price tag (of course, that's assuming you sign a two-year deal) and is, as you can see above, said to be carrying an "easy-to-use" Starter mode to help folks get started, plus a compact design that "fits comfortably in hands." Most notably, however, are the tidbits flaunting Amazon apps rather than, say, the Android maker's Play offerings -- an interesting plug, to say the least. At this point nothing's quite set in stone, so we'll have to wait for more details to spill before making any assumptions.
FCC approves Verizon deal to buy cable company spectrum, asks for concessions
Verizon received the Department of Justice's blessing for its cable company spectrum purchase last week, and now it's the FCC's turn to rubber stamp the plan. The agency has followed Chairman Julius Genachowski's recommendation and voted that Verizon can snap up the relevant AWS airspace as part of its LTE network expansion. Some riders are attached to the deal, although they're not all weighty. Verizon has to make an "unprecedented divestiture" of spectrum to T-Mobile in addition to its swap with Leap, promise certain coverage levels in the newly acquired zones at 3- and 7-year milestones, guarantee some roaming deals and provide updates on how its DSL service adoption is impacted by all that 4G. That Verizon has 45 days to finalize the T-Mobile deal gives some idea of how quickly everything has to move, although it could be a long while before we see AWS-ready Verizon devices in the shops. To no one's surprise, advocacy groups are still upset: the Alliance for Broadband Competition believes the FCC decision "does not go far enough" to keep a level playing field, for example, and wants to voice its problems to the FCC. Anxiety still exists that just about any deal concentrates too much spectrum in the hands of Big Red. Still, there's a sense among groups like these that Verizon has had to at least partially address worries over unfair competition.
LG Optimus Vu to bow on Verizon as the Intuition, stylus not included?
Could this 5-inch LG handset be Verizon's answer to the Galaxy Note? Our Intuition tells us otherwise (get it?), but that screenshot above and corresponding FCC docs deign to differ. Really though, that lady razor name's the purported new moniker for Big Red's rebranded Optimus Vu: the heretofore Korea-only phablet we recently reviewed. While we found the outsized handset's worth as a true S-Pen rival hampered by its lack of a digitizer and 4:3 aspect ratio, it could catch on with folks eager for a 7-inch tablet alternative. However this one eventually shakes down in the crowded Android marketplace, it appears subs are in store for a 4G LTE ride and the carrier's typical $199 on two-year contract pricing. Curiously, the leak makes no mention of an included stylus, so perhaps the operator's opting to spin this one as a more traditional smartphone release. Smart move, that.
Samsung Galaxy Metrix 4G hits US Cellular this Friday for $180
There are plenty of (terribly named) stars in Samsung's Galaxy, but despite the overcrowding, its stateside constellation's showing no signs of slowing. Joining US Cellular's lineup as early as this Friday, the Metrix 4G packs a mix of yesteryear's specs for a budget LTE alternative to the GS III. The 4-inch handset, outfitted with the OEM's preferred Super AMOLED display tech, runs the incredibly stale Android 2.3 Gingerbread atop a single-core 1GHz processor and packs a dual 1.3-megapixel front facing / 5-megapixel rear camera setup into a slide-out QWERTY form factor. If you happen to live within the operator's 4G footprint, you'll be able to snag this handset for $130 with a mail-in rebate, otherwise outliers will have to chalk up an additional $50. Skip on past the break to check out the company's official PR.
LTE iPhone could revolutionize UK mobile market
The Verge is reporting that today's a big day in the UK mobile market. The UK regulator of telecommunications, Ofcom, granted approval for carrier Everything Everywhere to roll out 4G LTE service in the UK on its 1800 MHz spectrum before the official 4G auction that is expected next year. Everything Everywhere is a joint venture of T-Mobile and Orange, and they're now free to offer LTE to UK customers beginning on September 11. While competitors Vodafone, O2 and Three are not very happy about this, there's a possible scenario that probably scares the heck out of those three carriers: what if Apple announces the next generation iPhone on September 12 as planned, and it supports 1800 MHz LTE? That would give Everything Everywhere an exclusive lock on LTE iPhone service in the UK. For the rest of the carriers, there's a wait until early 2013 for the spectrum auction to happen, with actual implementation by the others expected no earlier than the third quarter of 2013. Does that give Everything Everywhere an unfair advantage? In the opinion of Ofcom, EE would have an advantage, but it's better to have some sort of 4G service in the UK as soon as possible. An 1800 MHz LTE iPhone would, however, give Everything Everywhere a killer advantage for at least a year. September 11 and 12, should be very interesting days in the UK for fans of 4G and iPhones.
LG Optimus Vu goes global, trades Snapdragon processor for NVIDIA Tegra 3
LG's extra-wide handset appears to be embarking on a world tour, and its packing a new processor for the trip. The Optimus Vu will be taking NVIDIA'S Tegra 3 chip to select markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America this September. It's still rocking that 5-inch 4:3 ratio IPS display, of course, but gone is any mention of LTE connectivity. There's no word yet if we'll see an LTE-equipped Tegra 3 handset hit Yankee shores when our time comes, but we certainly wouldn't bat an eye. Read on for LG's official press release.
Motorola Droid RAZR HD guides slip out to the web, pop the hype balloon (video)
Not that we were on pins and needles wondering what Motorola's September 5th event would contain, but what vestige of mystery was left may just have been sapped away. A quartet of Motorola tutorial videos newly uncovered by YouTube user revowii walk users through the unannounced XT926, better known in unofficial circles as the Droid RAZR HD. It's all about the looks in this leak: other than the conspicuous link to Verizon, what's mostly validated here is the expected use of a customized Android 4.0 with on-screen navigation keys, much like the Atrix HD in AT&T's corner of the universe. Earlier murmurings have the Droid RAZR HD carrying the same Snapdragon S4, 720p screen and LTE as well, which could leave the CDMA voice network, NFC and possibly increased storage as the only real differences. We'll know the full truth in about two weeks' time, but those who don't mind a peek into the possible future can hop past the story break to indulge in some video time traveling.
Pantech Flex teased for AT&T LTE, will be available in the 'coming months'
Well, this is one of the more... creative ways to tease a forthcoming product. Pantech is ready to show off its latest AT&T LTE device, the Flex, but it's taking to its popular Dew Tour to do so. Pantech is quite scant on specific information and isn't providing photos yet, but it did mention that the new device will be available in the coming months. Hopefully this is the handset we saw go through the FCC not too long ago, but we'll keep you posted as more information comes in. In the meantime, the Flex will be exhibited this weekend at the Pantech Beach Championships in Ocean City, MD. Check out the full press release after the break.
DOJ, FCC clear Verizon buyout of cable companies' spectrum, require giving up some airwaves (update: not quite for the FCC)
Verizon has been fighting hard to get its acquisition of cable companies' wireless frequencies past legal hurdles, and it just surged over the most important of the bunch: both the Department of Justice and the FCC have signed off on the agreement. To get the $3.9 billion deal through the door, Big Red will have to offload some of its spectrum to other companies, the FCC argues. The DOJ, meanwhile, is more concerned that Verizon is getting a little too cozy with Bright House, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner Cable in terms of marketing and reselling bundles that include cellular and cable access. Closing the deal also requires setting up a new joint venture in technology research. We're still working to learn the full details of the deal, but the spectrum handover will likely give a swift kick to Verizon's 4G capacity -- and anger a few rivals who wouldn't have wanted any handover to go through. Update: Since we posted, it's become clearer that FCC chairman Julius Genachowski has only recommended a vote in favor of the deal; the agency hasn't formally greenlit the deal just yet.
