advantage
Latest
T-Mobile's latest UnCarrier move: removing employer discounts (update: existing customers keep theirs)
Over the past year, T-Mobile's new policies have ushered in a new wave of changes to the way the US wireless industry works. It was the first national operator to introduce phone-financing plans, early upgrades and free international roaming; additionally, it also offers to pay your cancellation fee if you break another carrier's contract to move over. It appears that such practices must come at a cost: CEO John Legere announced that beginning April 1st, T-Mobile will no longer offer its Advantage Program, which features monthly employer rate plan discounts, to new customers. Existing beneficiaries will see the deduction removed from their accounts on April 25th. As a consolation, affected subscribers will now receive a $25 reward card every time they get a new phone. Update (4/2): According to Legere and CMO Mike Sievert, T-Mobile has listened to its customers, and will let current users keep their discounts. More details are apparently coming tomorrow, but the new plan will only apply to new customers. Update (4/3): The updated blog post is now available, and confirms that anyone in it, or who applied before April 1st will keep their discounts, however customers will need to verify their employment annually. Going forward however, the plan will work as described, with new customers under those plans getting a $25 reward card when they buy a phone.
HTC offering free screen replacements within the first six months, but only in the US
HTC clearly doesn't think that promising two years of Android updates is enough to win over American smartphone buyers. It's launching HTC Advantage, an upgrade to its US support policy that goes beyond the usual warranty limits. In addition to delivering on earlier promises of OS upgrades and extra cloud storage, the Advantage program replaces one cracked screen for free within the first six months of ownership. You're only covered if you buy a One series phone from today onward, but the initiative could be just the reassurance you need if you're worried about dropping a shiny new handset.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Bringing power from one LoL lane to another
In most of the League of Legends games that I win by a landslide, I win because my mid lane takes an early lead and uses it to help win our other lanes. Lately, my main role in League of Legends has been the jungler, and while it's nice to be fed as a jungler, I often can't win the game for my team even if I'm 6/0. However, my mid lane can simply by making things happen elsewhere. If you're ahead in your lane, you have to make your presence known, and sooner is better than later. It's nice to be 2/0 in mid lane or be up several kills as the support. However, if all you do from there is push the enemy team members to their turret and let them farm safely, you're not doing much to win the game as a whole.
iFrogz's Caliber Advantage iPhone 5 gaming case hands-on
It's no secret that iOS mobile gaming leaves us wanting when it comes to physical controls. Fortunately, at CES 2013, iFrogz is out to fill that void with the Caliber Advantage iPhone case-gone-console. The Caliber Advantage, an iPhone 5 and fifth-generation iPod touch accessory, uses Bluetooth 4.0 to connect to the corresponding enabled application rather than the phone itself. iFrogz mentions that a deal with Epic Games and Chair Entertainment to build the basis for the Caliber software powered by the Unreal Engine is in the works. In fact, later this April the company will host its own developer conference aimed at seriously expanding the platform and hopefully adding support for previously released titles. Marrying a case with a full-fledged controller certainly adds some bulk, but after handling the prototype, the approximate half inch of added girth honestly didn't incite any ill feelings. The chassis, while clearly heavy on the plastic, felt more sturdy than anticipated, and fairly natural to our hands. As for the buttons? Crisp and responsive, hard though that may be to believe. The unit is set to retail at $70, and curious iOS gamers can feel free to take a closer look in the gallery below. Kevin Wong contributed to this report.
Report: Apple developing exclusive iTunes purchase tracking for iAds
TechCrunch has the word that Apple may be implementing a "VIP" ad program within its upcoming iAd service. An email reportedly sent from a Quattro sales representative mentions a "Verification of iTunes Purchase" program, in which an advertiser for a certain app would be able to see his or her users' iTunes purchases, and deliver ads based on that information. Quattro is the mobile ad company purchased by Apple a while back, and presumably the division overseeing iAds. That verification process would allow app creators to not only know which of their customers has already bought other apps of theirs, but it would enable them to only show you ads for apps you haven't yet purchased. In Flick Baseball Pro, for example, you wouldn't see ads for Flick Fishing if you'd already bought it from the store. That might give Apple the advantage against other ad programs on the App Store, and even if not, it would let them charge a premium price. Since everyone else is guessing at iTunes sales data, Apple would actually be able to deliver real numbers for iTunes purchases, and help app developers target app ads.
Samsung's WiMAX-packin' Mondi sized up against brothers, cousins and enemies
It's one thing to see a Samsung Mondi and just imagine how sweet it'd feel between your palms, surfing on the blazing WiMAX superhighway whilst providing an almost dangerous level of satisfaction. It's another to see just how chunky / slim / ostentatiously lofty it is when sized up against its greatest competition. The good folks over at Pocketables took the time to disconnect for a few brief moments in order to photograph the 4G-capable MID alongside a few other mobile internet devices, smartphones, UMPCs and defunct wannabes. Heck, there's even a side-by-side with a stapler. Yeah, it's a can't miss piece, and it's all there for the taking in the read link.
O2 launches HTC Advantage as Xda Flint, curiously aims at education sector
How do you make a niche handheld that's been out for over a year relevant again? Why, aim it at the unsuspecting education market, of course! The Xda Flint, which we first saw emerge back in early December, is officially being introduced to the world today by O2. If the device looks at all familiar, it's because it is -- we're looking at a re-branded Advantage X7510, with 16GB of internal storage, a 5-inch VGA display, quad-band connectivity, WiFi, HSDPA, a 3 megapixel camera and Windows Mobile 6.1 running the show. The odd thing here isn't that the Advantage is getting a new life, it's that O2 is targeting youngsters with a yearning to learn; it's suggesting that this device is perfect for reading eBooks, taking electronic notes and accessing knowledge portals. Of course, we'd argue a netbook with a non-mobile OS would be far more suitable, but what do we know?
HTC Advantage emerges as Xda Flint for O2
Believe it or not, the polarizing HTC Advantage is still kicking around, and now it has sashayed its way over to O2. Based on a relatively informative product page hosted up by the carrier, we're looking at a pretty standard Advantage X7510 with a swank O2 logo (though rechristened the Xda Flint), detachable QWERTY keyboard, 5-inch VGA touchscreen, a 624MHz processor, ATI graphics chip, Windows Mobile 6.1, 16GB of internal storage space, a 3.0-megapixel camera, HSDPA, built-in GPS and quad-band GSM connectivity. Mum's the word on a price or release date, but we'll keep you posted.[Via coolsmartphone]
HTC sets Window Mobile 6 upgrade deadline for October 31st
Back in April of last year, HTC came clean with its Windows Mobile 6 upgrade plans. Fast forward to now, and the very same company is getting official with the cutoff plans. October 31st will be the very last day (no tricks, folks) for select Windows Mobile 5 users to get a free upgrade to WinMo 6 via HTC's website. More specifically, October 31st at 12:00PM GMT -- after the clock strikes 12:01PM, the download link will be removed for eternity. The affected handsets are the S621, S620, P4350, P3300 and HTC Advantage, and while we'd typically encourage you to stop procrastinating and get on with the upgrade, we know in our hearts there's no way you're still rocking WinMo 5. Right? Right.[Via phonescoop]
Penny for a thought: HTC's Advantage X7510
As with last week's How Would You Change, this iteration too involves the mobile crowd. Unlike last week, this rendition revolves around a much less pervasive device: HTC's Advantage X7150. For those of you who coughed up some serious cash in order to claim one, how would you like to see it tweaked? Deposit your comments right over here.
How would you change HTC's Advantage X7510?
There's no denying that HTC's Advantage X7510 fills a narrowing niche -- after all, how many of these things have you seen out and about in the subway / underground? Still, there's just something very enticing about a 5-inch VGA display, built-in GPS, HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth and a full-blown QWERTY keyboard, is there not? For you folks who plunked down quite a few bills in order to bring this home, how has your experience been? For you folks in America who have just recently decided to bite the bullet and jump in, was it worth it? How would you tweak this do-it-all conglomerate (besides making it way more affordable)? Here's your shot to get it out, don't let it pass you by!
HTC Advantage X7510 available to USers for $1,300
It doesn't sound like Qualcomm has all of its legal woes here in America worked out just yet, but apparently that won't stop fat-walleted USers from snapping up the forthcoming HTC Advantage X7510 real soon. Both Dynamism and On The Go Solutions are expecting stock any day now, and they'll be shipping to your US-based address so long as you're willing to accept a $1,299 charge on your preferred piece of plastic. Before you brush this off as absurd, listen to that devil on your shoulder whispering things like "5-inch VGA display" and "HSDPA." Hmm.[Via Pocketables]Read - DynamismRead - On The Go Solutions
HTC Advantage X7510 won't be sold in US
Even though we've seen a couple of US e-tailers offering HTC's latest Advantage, the X7510, up for pre-order, it seems that the handheld won't actually be sold here for at least awhile. According to jkOnTheRun, the X7510 possesses one of those hotly-debated Qualcomm chipsets that cannot be sold on American soil -- presumably due to all those legal issues the firm is currently wading through. Of course, folks that just can't fathom living another quarter without one can cough up the requisite dough to snag one from an importer, but otherwise, it looks like you USers are clean out of luck (at least for the moment).
HTC Advantage X7510 gets unboxed, still baffles us
If you absolutely, positively haven't seen enough of HTC's newest iteration of its Advantage, the X7510, then boy do we have a treat for you. After the break, you'll find a charming video of one of these odd devices being unboxed. Sure, it looks pretty cool, but we're still trying to figure out just exactly what someone would be using this thing for. We're open to hearing your thoughts on the matter -- maybe you can convince us to make a purchase.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
HTC Advantage X7510 now up for pre-order
HTC still hasn't gotten official with the exact price or release date for its HTC Advantage X7510 handheld, but that hasn't stopped a number of retailers from putting the device up for pre-order, and at quite a range of prices to boot. As Pocketables points out, UK retailers Clove Technology and eXpansys each have the X7510 up for £595 and £700, respectively, although neither are making any promises about when it'll ship. US retailers are also offering the device at similarly varied prices, ranging from $800 at GearTrade to $1,300 at Smart Mobile Gadgets and On The Go Solutions (Google Product Search even turns one retailer by the name of PrestoMart listing it at $550, although that link unsurprisingly goes to a blank product page). For its part, Pocketables speculates that the $800 price tag is closest to the official one (which probably isn't too far off base), but we'll just have to wait for HTC to give us the final word on that.
Hands-on with HTC's updated Advantage X7510
We peeked at the updated HTC Advantage X7510 at Mobile World Congress, there aren't wholesale changes here, HTC has chosen to simply revamp the keyboard and tidy up the face. The result is a somewhat tidier looking -- though still rather large -- device, with more memory -- now 16 GB of flash -- that still gets all of its previous jobs done. HTC has chosen to eschew traditional keys for a smooth touch-sensitive keyboard, and while we weren't huge fans of the first, we're afraid this isn't a whole pile better -- sure, it looks lovely, but feedback from the keys is about nil. Follow the pics below to get at the gallery.%Gallery-16208%
HTC Advantage X7510: now upgraded with 16GB flash memory
HTC's Advantage is getting a new badge -- X7510 -- and a long overdue upgrade, today. Now officially equipped with 16GB flash memory (instead of that 8GB microdrive), the new Advantage features TouchFLO, Opera Mobile 9, and Google Maps, as well as all the rest of the features you've come to know and love: GPS (with TomTom Navigator 6), 5-inch VGA display, 624MHz processor, ATI video acceleration (ahem), 256MB ROM / 128MB RAM, tri-band HSDPA, quad-band GSM / GPRS / EDGE, magnetic QWERTY keyboard, WiFi, Bluetooth, and a "future version of Windows Mobile," which we're taking to mean Windows Mobile 6.1. It'll be out in Europe in March, no price or specific date give, though -- and yes, US users are out of luck (for now).%Gallery-15706%
T-Mobile Germany rolls deep with 16GB version of MDA Ameo
That mighty beast of a smartphone, HTC's Athena -- known better as the Advantage in retail trim -- is getting a modest upgrade in its MDA Ameo guise on T-Mobile Germany. The big news is the bump in the Ameo's hard drive from 8GB to 16GB (would be nice if that was an SSD, but you can't win 'em all) while other changes include a "modified arrangement" of the keyboard (their words, not ours) and the inclusion of Office Mobile 6.1. It'll run €459 (about $675) when it hits in April. And no, we're pretty sure the 16GB hard drive and rearranged keyboard don't make it any less awkward in the hand.[Via the::unwired]
Hands-on with the HTC Advantage X7501
Take a peek inside the mind of a good many mobile power users and you'll find two diametrically opposed, seemingly contradictory voices locked in an eternal struggle: one demanding as much power, speed, and capability as possible, the other crying out for portability (and heck, maybe even fashion). HTC has a long, storied track record of trying its darndest to satisfy every possible smartphone market segment by designing and offering devices spanning the full range of size, appearance, and capability, meeting the needs of those two voices to various degrees. Now that we have that mental imagery set up, let us be clear from the outset -- the Advantage X7501 feeds heaping loads of happiness to the power voice while mercilessly beating the portability voice into submission.%Gallery-6402%
HTC Advantage now available, $899 at retail
HTC today announced official US availability of its mobile monster (and we do mean "monster"), the Advantage. Known alternately as the Athena and X7501, the sucker rocks pretty much every feature one could want in a pocketable device: 256MB of onboard ROM, 128MB of RAM, 8GB hard drive, HSDPA 850 / 1900 alongside quadband GSM, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, 3 megapixel autofocus cam, integrated GPS, and an incredible 5 inches of VGA display madness sitting atop Windows Mobile 6 Professional. Coming in at a hefty 134 x 98 x 16mm (20mm with keyboard attached), the term "svelte" doesn't exactly apply here -- but for folks who think power trumps pocketability, this may just be their soulmate. Find it now at CompUSA and Amazon for a buck under $900.
