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DataWind Ubislate 3G7 mystery tablet visits FCC with HSPA in tow
DataWind's no stranger to making inexpensive tablets (India's Aakash immediately comes to mind) but to date its products (including the iconic PocketSurfer) have only featured 2G connectivity -- in addition to WiFi, of course. This appears to be changing with the Ubislate 3G7, an unannounced 7-inch, 3G-enabled tablet that recently sauntered through the FCC. According to the test reports, it supports quadband GPRS and tri-band HSPA (2100 / 1900 / 850MHz), making it compatible with AT&T "4G" in the US. Little else is known about this mystery device beyond what's outlined in the FCC documents. From what we've been able to gather, it features WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 3.0, a microSD card slot plus front and rear (2 MP) cameras. Follow the source link below to check it out for yourself.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 returns to the FCC with 3G inside
When Samsung's Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 first passed through the FCC for approval, it was still shrouded in mystery. It just came back to the US agency with a familiar face... and a 3G twist. The GT-P5200 variant we have here supports built-in HSPA data that works with AT&T and bigger Canadian carriers. Unfortunately, it doesn't have LTE -- which all but rules out deals with American providers for this edition of the Android slate. We'll look out in the off chance that a more appropriate model comes along, but the FCC approval should at least please some globetrotting tablet fans.
T-Mobile improves '4G' coverage and signal strength in Chicago, SoCal and more
While many T-Mobile customers may be champing at the bit to get their hands on LTE, some might be content just to see faster HSPA+ speeds at all. Which is why we applaud the carrier's latest effort at spreading its "4G" joy to five new metros, notably to large swaths of Chicago and Southern California -- Sacramento, Fresno and Reno make up the rest. The speed boost is just one upgrade; other enhancements include improved signal strength and better coverage inside buildings. Along with earlier expansion efforts, this ratchets up the number of "enhanced networks" to 23 and around 100 million people, according to a blog post from Neville Ray, T-Mobile's CTO. He also promotes the push of unlocked AT&T devices to the land of magenta, which could be a not-so-subtle hint at the future. Check the source to see if your neighborhood made the list of updated areas.
Samsung Galaxy Premier reaches the FCC without the LTE we crave
Samsung is learning to navigate the US regulatory maze quickly; its Galaxy Premier has already passed through the FCC mere days after it hit the newswires. The approval is very much a mixed blessing, however. While it helps confirm the hinted-at Superior codename and shows that HSPA 3G will work on AT&T and larger Canadian carriers, it's clear from the frequency mix that there's none of the LTE-based 4G that North American providers would demand for an official deal. While we weren't bracing ourselves for the Premier crossing the oceans, it does mean that Americans wanting Samsung's not-quite-a-Galaxy-S-III will have to either score a cheap import or hope one of the US networks has a change of heart.
HP ElitePad 900 travels to the FCC, brings pros closer to Windows 8 tablet utopia
HP couldn't help but harsh the mellow of cutting-edge workers when it revealed the ElitePad 900 wouldn't ship until January. Still, there's less chance of any setbacks now that we know the FCC has rubber stamped the Windows 8 tablet. The version passing through the agency is a 3G model for mobile road warriors and touts the 850MHz, 1,700MHz and 1,900MHz bands we'd expect to for HSPA on AT&T, T-Mobile and Canadian networks. Few other surprises exist; we're mostly happy to know that NFC exists alongside dual-band 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0. No, the approval won't be much consolation to the suits and ties wanting a tablet of their own as of yesterday, but it should be a relief to IT managers planning a much more creative use of the company budget in 2013.
New Apple iPad mini, 4th-generation iPad reach the FCC
Apple's iPad mini and 4th-generation iPad didn't arrive alone. In the company's time-honored tradition, it has timed the FCC filings for both devices to show up alongside the products themselves. Each iOS tablet has been approved in both singular WiFi and dual cellular editions: the iPad mini has appeared as the WiFi-only A1432 as well as the A1454 and A1455 for worldwide HSPA+, EV-DO and LTE coverage, while the full-size iPad has been cleared in directly paralleled A1458, A1459 and A1460 versions. Not surprisingly, the frequency range matches that of the iPhone 5 and suggests that we're dealing with the same Qualcomm MDM9615 chip. We'll know more once the two iPads are in our hands and those of teardown artists, but for now you can explore Apple's regulatory gymnastics in full at the source links.
Nokia Lumia 820, 920 for AT&T swing through the FCC
Hopefully AT&T subscribers weren't spooked when the Nokia Lumia 920 first passed through the FCC in only its non-US guise, and its lower-end 820 cousin only as the (currently unofficial) Verizon-ready Lumia 822. The two Windows Phone 8 flagships have had follow-up approvals in GSM versions that are unmistakably destined for AT&T and Canadian carriers. Never mind the slightly distracting RM-820 model number on the Lumia 920; it reveals the 920's distinctive curved design, 700MHz LTE in AT&T's range and AWS-based LTE for both AT&T as well as its Canadian neighbor. The Lumia 820 is equally identifiable as the RM-824, even if it limits the LTE access to AT&T's network. We haven't seen any shocking revelations from either device, although we weren't expecting any from phones that hew so closely to the original templates. The filings mostly set expectations for Microsoft's October 29th event -- now that the likely stars of the show are cleared to make their appearances, the companies involved should breathe more easily.
Samsung Galaxy Camera swings past the FCC with AT&T-capable 3G
Samsung made much ado of the Galaxy Camera coming in both 3G and 4G versions, but it wasn't clear just which carriers would let us upload photos when away from WiFi. The FCC might have just given out a big clue with approval filings for two 3G editions. As it's been tested for US clearance, the Android point-and-shoot in its EK-GC100 and EK-KC100 guises has support for HSPA-based 3G on the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands used by AT&T and larger Canadian carriers -- a possible hint of Big Blue's ongoing connected devices push, but not a very promising discovery for most T-Mobile users or any CDMA customers. Before anyone bemoans the absences of LTE or support for more American networks, however, we'd note that this is just one filing and might not represent the totality of Samsung's US plans, if we're indeed looking at one or more US-bound examples. We'll keep an eye out ahead of the Galaxy Camera's international launch in October to see if there's anything more in the FCC's cards.
Sony Xperia tipo and tipo dual reach the US in unlocked form, give Americans a taste of dual SIMs
Few of us who live outside of Asia or Eastern Europe know the potential convenience of a dual SIM phone. Own one and you can globetrot, or else keep separate home and work lines without the bulk of an extra device in the pocket. Sony is gambling that enough Americans have that multi-line desire by selling the Xperia tipo dual and its regular, single-SIM counterpart in the US as unlocked GSM models. Neither of the Android 4.0 phones is what we'd call a powerhouse with the same 3.5-inch screen, 3.2-megapixel camera and 800MHz Snapdragon inside, but both can latch on to HSPA 3G on AT&T, refarmed T-Mobile coverage and 2100MHz carriers abroad, even if the single-SIM tipo curiously has 900MHz 3G support that the tipo dual lacks. It's undoubtedly price that Sony is counting on more than anything: at respective contract-free prices of $180 and $190 for the tipo and tipo dual, the pair of Xperias may be sold most often as travel-only phones for the jet set.
Qualcomm reveals quad-core Snapdragon S4 Play processors, ramps up entry smartphone speeds
Don't think Qualcomm is limiting its quad-core processors to superstar phones. The Snapdragon S4 Play line is growing to include the MSM8225Q and MSM8625Q, parallels to the existing two Play chips that bring four cores to entry-level devices. Besides the speed improvements that you'd expect from all that extra parallelism, the Q variants support the extra bandwidth of low-power DDR2 (LPDDR2) memory and can handle both 720p displays and movie-making. Neither is quite an all-encompassing solution, although the two will cover the bases for much of the starter demographic: while local wireless such as Bluetooth, FM radio and WiFi have to remain separate from the main processor, the two newcomers manage to pack either single-mode UMTS 3G (in the 8225Q) or dual-mode CDMA and UMTS (in the 8625Q) for their cellular fix. Along with the already promised, China-focused S4 Plus MSM8930, test samples of the faster S4 Play editions will be ready before the end of the year, with shipping phones on the way in early 2013 -- just in time to go head-to-head with a similar push by MediaTek to make quad-core the norm for a much larger slice of the population.
Verizon has no plans to re-lock iPhone 5's GSM and 3G sides
When we learned that Verizon wouldn't lock the GSM-related components of the iPhone 5, we were waiting for a "gotcha" moment. Surely the carrier would clamp down and steer us back towards its more expensive roaming plans, right? Not according to Verizon spokeswoman Brenda Raney: she says there's no plans to lock Apple's handset at a later point. In other words, you should be free to use a Verizon-locked iPhone 5 on any compatible GSM and HSPA+ networks for as long as you'd like, including with AT&T and Canadian carriers. Of course, this still brings the caveats of having to both buy a Verizon model, either at full price or with a contract attached, and track down a nano-SIM for the carrier of choice. It could nonetheless settle the question of what carrier to pick if you regularly need a passport when you travel -- especially knowing that neither AT&T nor Sprint will be quite so open-minded.
iPhoneTrip (KeepGo) SIM rental review: the best way to keep your smartphone connected while abroad
In the seemingly unending quest to remain connected while traveling abroad, we recently decided to try yet another option when departing the US for a lengthy amount of time: iPhoneTrip. In a way, it sounds like the perfect solution. A single rental SIM, mailed to your address anywhere in the world, that you don't even have to return when you're done. There are claims of supporting "200+ countries," and if you don't have a smartphone or mobile hotspot at the ready, the company will rent you one of those, too. Of course, we've long since learned to take grandiose claims with an adequate amount of salt. Care to see how iPhoneTrip's rental SIM service stacks up against similar alternatives from Tep Wireless and XCom Global? Read on.
iPhone 5, updated iPod touch and iPod nano models reach the FCC right on cue
Apple has a tradition of timing FCC filings for new wireless mobile devices so that they appear just as soon as they've been announced, and it's not about to let up now. We've got a trifecta of approvals on the way for 2012 that start with the iPhone 5. What's hard to miss is the absurd number of cellular bands at work: as Apple had to make separate iPhone 5 models to cover every LTE carrier it supports, on top of the usual alphabet soups for CDMA and GSM, the filing combining the two devices is one of the largest we've seen to date. The addition of 5GHz WiFi support only compounds the situation. A pair of iPods also made their appearances today, and they've been given the regulatory once-over as well. The iPod touch has the 5GHz WiFi band included and isn't special by itself, but the new iPod nano is noteworthy simply for showing up at all -- the inclusion of Bluetooth means a spin past the testing facility in addition to some wireless audio. We're still digging to see if the iPhone or new iPods have any surprises, although you can have a first-hand look through the source links. Brad Molen contributed to this report.
iPhone 5 confirmed to use nano-SIM, current SIMs not compatible
While Apple was busy announcing the iPhone 5, it left out mention of whether the device would use the recently approved (and Apple-designed) nano-SIM standard. Sure enough, the leaks were right once more -- Apple is relying on that even tinier subscriber module for GSM, HSPA and LTE networks. The company also makes clear that there's no going back, so you'll have to chuck your earlier micro-SIM card if you've got one. Such is the price of progress. [Thanks to Johannes Knapp for the nano-SIM] Myriam Joire and Brad Molen contributed to this report. Check out all the coverage at our iPhone 2012 event hub! %Gallery-165164%
Marvell PXA988, PXA986 chips support 3G for China, the world without reinventing the wheel (or phone)
Whenever we see a smartphone optimized for China Mobile's TD-SCDMA 3G, it usually represents one of two things: it's either a China-specific variant of a phone we already know, or it's a local-only model that's unlikely to ever travel abroad. Marvell has just unveiled a new mobile processor platform that could allow for a lot more globetrotting with those basic designs. The PXA988 is limited to China Mobile's technology for data, but its PXA986 doppelganger can fit the same slot to offer regular HSPA+ 3G without forcing phone makers back to the drawing board. Both run on a dual-core, 1.2GHz ARM Cortex-A9 at their heart -- nothing exciting in mid-2012, although they're well-enough equipped to capture 1080p video and tout extras like NFC. Only test samples exist today, but there's a chance we'll soon see phone designs that are just as much at home in Berlin as they are in Beijing.
BlackBerry PlayBook 4G LTE hands-on
RIM's attempts to get a cellular-equipped version of the BlackBerry PlayBook have been troubled, to say the least. The company signalled its intentions around Mobile World Congress last February, only to watch as carriers backed off -- partly as RIM focused its attention on LTE, and partly after carriers grew skittish over sales of the WiFi version. A year and a half later, we finally have an LTE version, and with a faster 1.5GHz processor to boot. But do 4G data and a processor bump make all the difference? And does the upgrade stand a realistic shot in a competitive field that has moved on since the original PlayBook? We'll find out in our hands-on. %Gallery-162114%
AT&T plans to shut down entire 2G network by 2017
AT&T has only just begun the transition away from 2G services with its spectrum refarming in New York City, but it now has a target end date to mark on the calendar: January 1st, 2017. Courtesy of an SEC filing, we know that the carrier hopes that both its GSM voice and EDGE data networks will have gone to the great cell tower in the sky before we're popping the champagne corks about four and a half years from now. The Big Blue Ball expects the transition to be a smooth one, as only 12 percent of its regular subscribers are using 2G-only phones today; if it ever gets bumpy, the company promises to "proactively" steer the holdouts towards 3G and 4G. Don't get too misty-eyed. While the transition will mark the end to what's arguably one of the most definitive chapters in US cellular history, that far-flung date will likely come well after most of us have moved on -- much like the AMPS shutdown, it could be less of a bang and more of a whimper.
DARPA-backed Power Pwn is power strip by day, superhero hack machine by night
Call the Power Pwn the champion of white hat hacking. Underneath that Clark Kent power strip exterior, there's a Superman of full-scale breach testing that can push the limits of just about any company network, whether it takes 3G, Ethernet or WiFi to get there. Pwnie Express' stealthy sequel to the Pwn Plug ships with a Debian 6 instance of Linux whose handy hacking tools are as easy to launch as they are tough to detect. There's just one step needed to create a snoop-friendly Evil AP WiFi hotspot, and the box dodges around low-level NAC/802.1x/RADIUS network authentication without any help; in the same breath, it can easily leap into stealth mode and keeps an ongoing encrypted link to give do-gooders a real challenge. The hacker doesn't even need to be in the same ZIP code to crack a firewall or VPN -- the 3G link lets the Power Pwn take bash command-line instructions through SMS messages and doles out some of its feedback the same way. While the $1,295 device can theoretically be used for nefarious purposes, DARPA's blessing (and funding) should help keep the Power Pwn safely in the hands of security pros and thwart more than a few dastardly villains looking for weak networks.
Apple fined $2.29 million over '4G iPad' claims in Australia
Australia's federal court has fined Apple for "deliberately" misleading customers on local 4G capabilities of its latest iPad. The Cupertino-based company recently agreed to the terms, which included AU$2.29 million fine and a cool AU$300,000 in costs. Despite its 4G claims, Apple's new iPad can't connect with existing Antipodean next-generation phone networks, although it can hook up to US-based networks. Apple offered refunds for any customers that felt deceived and even adjusted its advertising to reflect its cellular capabilities, but the judge still deemed that the company had contravened Australia's consumer law in the ensuing confusion. Fortunately, Apple still has plenty left in the bank.
Sony outs Xperia Ion HSPA for poor 4G-lacking citizens (video)
Sony Mobile casually dropped onto its website that in addition to the expected Xperia Ion flagship, it's also releasing an Xperia Ion HSPA. The handset's only readily apparent feature is its reduced modem, and in every other way looks to match its 4G-enabled brother, with a 1.5GHz dual-core CPU, 12-megapixel camera and Gingerbread. Whilst its designed to consume the same AT&T friendly frequencies, this one's destined for a rest-of-the-world arrival to sate the lust of global Sony fans in countries where they do everything a little slower.
