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WinMo 6 ROMs for HTC Star Trek bring it out of the graveyard
HTC's Star Trek can now be safely categorized in the "classic" file, but it'd be a big mistake to put this interesting footnote in HTC's history out to pasture just yet. The handset, after all, ranks among the smallest Windows Mobile phones ever made, among the only clamshells, and arguably, among the most attractive (alright, maybe that's a bit of a stretch). But with that stale Windows Mobile 5 build on there hastening its death, what's an owner to do? Turn to the wizards at xda-developers, of course, who've come out swinging with a number of different Windows Mobile 6-based ROMs for a variety of Star Trek flavors, including the Cingular 3125 likely owned by many American customers, and it's all available for download. Always fun to see new life breathed into perfectly decent hardware, ain't it?[Via pocketnow.com]
AT&T gets slapped for deceptive third-party charges
Suffering a rash of complaints after allegedly free ringtone downloads from shady random companies started showing up on AT&T subscribers' bills, the state of Florida stuck it to the carrier -- and they've agreed to pay up. AT&T and the state have jointly announced that as much as $10 million or more could ultimately be refunded to customers, depending on how many folks file claims, in addition to a $2.5 million fine payable to the state itself and $500,000 for educating consumers on "safe internet use." What's really funny about the whole deal is that Florida's attorney general has flat-out admitted that they went after AT&T only because the actual offenders -- the fly-by-night shops operating the free ringtone schemes -- were too difficult to round up and sue. The carrier has said that it has since made unauthorized charges more difficult to rack up, and is quick to point out that other carriers have been just as guilty of allowing the shady dealings; indeed, Florida says there are other investigations underway.
Samsung a737 about to get spectrum'd for AT&T
It's crazy enough that AT&T offers Samsung's a737 slider in four wild colors -- red, lime, orange, and blue -- but apparently, that's not nearly enough. Who knew? We've heard that the phone is about to get done up in hot pink, electric blue, white, and purple, so just sit tight if you like the phone but didn't like (inexplicably, may we add) any of the current color choices.[Thanks, Kal]
A look at AT&T's pipeline, early March 2008 edition
We've already mentioned that the LG Vu is looking solid for a late March release after being held up (or so they say, anyway) to work through a few MediaFLO issues; we've now received independent confirmation that it's true -- assuming no more issues arise, of course -- but that's not all. No, far from it, in fact. The Sony Ericsson Z750 is apparently inbound for a release within two weeks, and along with the rugged Motorola W760 "Hurricane" (pictured), that should close out AT&T's March docket.Moving on to April and beyond, the Pantech "Breeze" is expected some time next month, but don't get too excited -- it's an entry level flip that should move out the door free on contract. The Motorola Z9 slider should lackadaisically stroll into stores in late April, and finally, we've heard that the Nokia N95 has been approved by the carrier's powers that be (!!!) and should be available in the second quarter; no word on whether it's the standard N95 or the N95 8GB, though. How about an N96 with MediaFLO while you're at it, guys?[Thanks, Kal]Update: We've just heard from another tipster that the N95 in question is the original for the North American market, the N95-3. It apparently just started going through the arduous approval process last week, a testing marathon that takes roughly 400 hours -- four to six months -- to complete. By then, we'll all have 4G radios embedded directly within our brains and be living in terraformed colonies on Mars, but it was a nice thought on AT&T's part nonetheless.
Select AT&T stores selling refurbished iPhones?
Oh sure, Apple's been offering up a couple of refurbished iPhones on its own web store for some time now, but actually finding one in stock has proven to be quite a challenge. Nevertheless, a purported internal memo has explained that select AT&T stores in the New England region (sorry, rest of the solar system) will be stocking refurbished iPhones for $199 (4GB) and $249 (8GB) -- of course, the deal only applies to new activations. Has anyone actually seen this go down first hand? We wonder how quickly it'll be before this offer bleeds out from the Northeast.
LG Vu tracking for a late March release?
We knew there had to be a good explanation for the Vu's name starting to show up on AT&T's wares, and this just might be it. We're hearing rumblings that the device, one of AT&T's likely inaugural MediaFLO handsets, is apparently now set for a March 18 release into distribution channels with March 20 availability in stores. Of course, AT&T originally wanted this thing out at the beginning of this month, so we'll believe it when we're standing at the cash register with a box in our hands.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
AT&T may not have the LG Vu yet, but it has Vu accessories
We're still waiting on the Vu to make its grand entrance on account of legal and technical woes, or so we hear. We guess we can hold ourselves over for a bit by staring at those two simple letters on the packaging for this lovely mono earbud, though, and deciding to ourselves whether we prefer the "voo" or "view" pronunciation.Please hurry, AT&T. We beg you.[Thanks, anonymous tipster]
U-verse bets on Vegas on Demand
Whether you've never been to Las Vegas at all, or you've been there but somehow missed your "Vegas experience" (take the Engadget team's CES week, for example), AT&T's U-verse is offering to help. Yes indeed, you can fill in that cultural void now that U-verse is offering the VOD (video on demand) programming aptly named "Vegas on Demand." Each month, you can expect about 50 of the more than 1,000 archived programs to come tumbling to you like quarters from a slot machine. In true Vegas fashion, the features will be "comped." Stretched metaphors aside, Las Vegas seems like a great place to grab some HD footage, so we're hoping the Players Network steps up to the task; then we'll see if people prefer HD Vegas to the real thing.
3G iPhone rumored to be Infineon-powered, hitting "mid-year"
Hold the presses: Apple may be releasing a new iPhone this year... with 3G! Crazy, we know. The latest iteration of this rumor comes to us courtesy of UBS analysts, who say Infineon will likely be building chips for the phone -- they're powering the current iPhone, so no real surprise there. UBS is also betting on a mid-year 3G iPhone launch, and thinks that EDGE production will ramp down early so Apple gets a chance to clean out inventories. We've got a good feeling about this one, guys. [Thanks, Tim G.]
ACU dishing out iPhone / iPod touch to all incoming freshmen
Never heard of Abilene Christian University? We're guessing a wide majority of the general public hasn't either, but the institution is definitely getting its name out there by promising each incoming freshman this fall an iPhone or iPod touch. Granted, these aren't being explicitly marked as "free," but similar to Duke's efforts in years past, ACU plans on using these devices for educational enrichment. Reportedly, the handhelds will enable students to "receive homework alerts, answer in-class surveys and quizzes, get directions to their professors' offices, and check their meal and account balances" -- and that's just for starters. Interestingly, we aren't told whether or not the folks already enrolled will be left out -- nor what determines which Apple you get -- but we do know that the entity is hoping to "expand the program in the future."[Thanks, Byzil]
Realtors bring suit against U-verse
In case you've been hiding in a cave, you know the real estate market in the US is experiencing a kind of meltdown these days. It's probably no coincidence, then, that The National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NARB) has turned to a classic alternative revenue stream -- the lawsuit. NARB has brought suit against AT&T, citing the exploding batteries in some U-verse cabinets as damper on property value. NARB claims that sales in areas near the affected cabinets "will show a dramatic drop-off until their security is ensured," which will in turn negatively impact the livelihood of realtors. Oh, if only blame could be laid at the feet of "supply and demand" issues instead!
Palm's GSM Centro tested for FCC a long, long time ago
We don't mean to harp here, because we understand how long it can take to get a phone through a government bureaucracy like the FCC -- not to mention that little issue of Sprint exclusivity -- but we were just a little shocked to see that the Centro 685 (the technical full name for the GSM Centro) was tested a hot minute ago. How long ago, exactly? Well, as early as May of last year, according to the test report documentation, though the label shows a first revision of December 11 of frickin' 2006. Ah well, nothing to get too worked up about; at least it's available now, right? Also notable is that someone in either Palm or the testing firm slipped up and made references to the Treo 800w in the label document, so yeah, we can pretty much gather that it's stone cold real at this point (as if there was any doubt).
A more buttoned-up color combo inbound for AT&T's Centro
We're used to carriers typically releasing conservative hues first and resorting to the more wild goods down the road in an effort to revive sales and reach new target demos, but for whatever reason, AT&T is taking quite the opposite approach with its Palm Centro. A gander at AT&T's business site for the low-cost smartphone reveals that "Obsidian Black" is the next stop on the Centro train following the initial launch in Glacier White, so if your job calls for green keypads to be kept to an absolute minimum, hang tight. Right now they're just listing it as "coming soon," but we can't imagine it's too far off.[Thanks, Leor B.]
AT&T Palm Centro gets reviewed
Now that the GSM Palm Centro has finally landed on AT&T, it's time to check in with the reviewers to see if the EDGE-only model is still worth the $99 -- and for the most part, it seems like it is. Everyone agrees with us that the green keys are funky-fresh, and old as it is, Palm's Garnet OS is still functional and fast enough to make using the thing relatively pain-free, and it seems like the drop from Sprint's EV-DO to AT&T's EDGE isn't a major hit -- after all, you're still using Blazer. All in all, it looks like the Centro is basically the same on AT&T as it is on Sprint: a solid low-end smartphone at an attractive price. Read - Laptop: "AT&T customers looking for an easy-to-use smart phone should be satisfied." Read - TreoCentral: "There are more powerful smartphones out there, but few are as cheap, easy to use, and fun as this little guy." Read - MobileTechReview: "For those who don't need everything... the Centro is worth a look."
Palm Centro for AT&T unboxing and hands-on
Well, you knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. We've gotten our mitts on Palm's latest entry to the AT&T lineup -- a white, gray, and neon-green unicorn known as the Centro. We can't say we're surprised about anything that happened when we opened it up and turned it on, as this model is pretty much identical to the Sprint version we manhandled a few months ago (save for that pesky difference in networks). Of course, the proof is in the Garnet-flavored pudding, and we're not seeing any big differences there, except that this model is sporting the Treo 680 phone tabbed phone interface. Check out the gallery below and experience the thrilling "you are there" feeling of getting a brand-spanking-new phone.%Gallery-16514%
Palm Centro for AT&T unboxing and hands-on at Engadget Mobile
If you've been feeling like you don't have enough Palm in your diet, maybe it's time to look into the Centro for AT&T. Not sure? Then perhaps our handy unboxing and hands-on could help cement your decision. Head on over to Engadget Mobile where it's all going down, big time.
AT&T routs U-verse services to Northeastern Ohio
Not only did Clevelanders get blessed with a full-time HD channel to check out their Indians this season, but consumers in the area now have yet another option for acquiring content. Announced today, AT&T has strung U-verse service up to Northeastern Ohio, giving Columbus residents one less thing to brag about. Citizens in 135,000 living units within Cleveland, Akron and surrounding areas can now phone up the carrier and order their own fiber-based TV and internet service, but ironically enough, SportsTime Ohio HD has yet to land a carriage deal with AT&T. Decisions, decisions.
AT&T feels a little left out, launches unlimited plan, too
There's no telling whether Verizon's recent announcement had anything to do with it, but something lit a fire underneath AT&T today as they've announced an unlimited plan for the same $99 Verizon is charging (well, $99.99, if you want to get down to the nitty gritty). The plan will be available starting this Friday, February 22, and much like Verizon's setup, it only includes voice calling -- data and messaging will still require an additional package. The plan will be available to both existing and new customers, and anyone can get it month-to-month with no contract extension necessary. When you add in all-you-can-eat bytes and texts, you're looking at a total package that falls roughly in line with Verizon's so-called Premium Plan, so the industry appears to be settling on a fair asking price for this kind of deal. Whether consumers agree, well, that remains to be seen.
Palm Centro now official on AT&T
Wow, sure enough, those green buttons are straight up legit -- who'd have thought? The long-rumored GSM cut of the Palm Centro is now officially available on AT&T in the wake of Sprint's expiring exclusivity, giving a whole new world of customers access to the freakishly small (yet strangely adorable) Garnet handset. Unlike Sprint's version, the GSM Centro tops out with EDGE data for a moderately less snappy browsing experience; otherwise, though, your $99 on contract is going to buy you a 1.3 megapixel camera, microSD slot, Bluetooth 1.2, support for AT&T's push-to-talk service, and a full (albeit miniaturized) QWERTY keypad. So who's liking this more than the white / gray scheme we'd seen before?%Gallery-16374%
AT&T loses its cool over GoPhone unlockers
AT&T's mad as hell that people are buying its prepaid phones in quantity for the sole purpose of unlocking and reselling them, and it's not going to take it anymore. The megacarrier has filed a lawsuit in Texas targeting so-called phone traffickers who are allegedly sending boatloads of people -- "runners" as they're called -- into AT&T's retail locations to pick up GoPhones and circumvent its per-person purchase limits. To AT&T's credit, the DMCA's exemption on phone unlocking doesn't protect those looking to profit from the sale of unlocked phones, so the lawsuit looks pretty straight on the surface; TracFone has made a killing recently in its legal pursuits, and it turns out that one of TracFone's lawyers is involved with AT&T's case, too, so the defendants might be staring down the barrel of a big ol' fine here. Besides AT&T and TracFone, AT&T's court filing claims that T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and Nokia (huh?) have all filed similar lawsuits recently, and the legal team promises there are more in the pipe. Anyway, let's try to keep the GoPhone purchases to under a hundred units a day until this all blows over, okay?
