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Huawei Honor gets knighted by the FCC, beelines it straight for Cricket as the Glory
Huawei's four-inch flagship has appeared at a rigorous FCC screening, and this one comes with several radio band changes since its formal reveal. This new CDMA 800/1700(AWS)/1900 variant, making it through the Commission as the M886, indicates the Honor will be making a showing in the US on Cricket as the Huawei Glory. You can expect to see the Gingerbread-running device come with a 4-inch FWVGA (854 x 480) screen, a 1.4GHz single-core CPU, 512MB of RAM, a sizable 1,900mAh battery, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front-facing cam. If its expected November release remains true, this may easily be the best-selling device on the prepaid carrier for the holiday season. Check out more pics in the gallery below. %Gallery-135815%
Amazon Silk browser spins a faster mobile web, courtesy of cloud servers (video)
Part of Amazon's new Kindle Fire pitch is its promise of Amazon Silk -- a "split browser" exclusive to the tablet that gets the heavy lifting done on its EC2 cloud servers and promises faster access as a result. Dubbed Silk to represent an "invisible, yet incredibly strong connection", it takes advantage of Amazon's existing speedy connections, and that so many sites are already hosted on its servers to speed up web access. Another feature is its ability to learn from previous web surfers and use their data to determine how to render a page, and which sites to precache on the device before you even select the next link. While mobile browsers like Skyfire and Opera have offered speed boosting proxies before, Amazon thinks its AWS prowess and the addition of "dynamic decisions" about what to render locally or in the cloud takes it to another level. Read our live blog of the event for more details, or check out the video explanation and press release after the break.
Samsung's Galaxy S II for T-Mobile proves that unicorns do exist (hands-on video)
After eluding our grubby little paws at its launch in New York and again this morning at Mobilize 2011, we're happy to report that we've finally caught up with T-Mobile's Galaxy S II. To recap, the carrier's permutation rocks the same WVGA 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display as Sprint's Epic 4G Touch, but replaces Samsung's in-house 1.2GHz Exynos CPU with Qualcomm's dual-core 1.5GHz Snapdragon S3 processor. T-Mobile tells us the brain swap was necessary as it wanted its variant to support 42Mbps HSPA+ on the network's AWS band (just like its cousin the Amaze 4G). Oh, and like AT&T's variant it comes with a little NFC glitter sprinkled on top. So is it the same delectable Galaxy S II as its European and Sprint counterparts? From our brief time with the handset, the transplant doesn't appear to have impacted performance at all -- it's just as snappy as ever. In terms of appearance, the phone sports a soft-touch matte black finish in back and its bezel is a lighter shade of chrome than used on its siblings. Check out our gallery below, and peek after the break for our hands-on video.Myriam Joire contributed to this report.%Gallery-134940%
Huawei makes Honor official, forgets to mention its other virtues
Sure, we love it when phones and spec lists leak out into the wild, but there's nothing like an official announcement to set the record straight. When we last saw the Huawei Honor, it claimed to have a single-core 1.4GHz processor, a 4-inch FWVGA (854x480) capacitive screen, and a radio primed for European and Asian bands. The official word? It's got all of that, but it's also packing an 8 megapixel rear facing camera (2MP up front), 512MB of RAM (with 4GB ROM memory, and expandable up to 32GB) and a hefty 1900mAh battery. The Gingerbread powered handset is a hair thicker than we expected as well, measuring in at 10.9mm at its thinnest point. What else is new? Oh, just a handful of new frequencies, including GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 /1900 and the WCDMA/HSPA+ 900 / AWS / 2100 bands (compatible with T-Mobile's US 3G). No word on price just yet, but the DLNA-certified powerhouse should be hitting Asia-Pacific, China, Russia, and the Middle East in "Classic Black" the fourth quarter, with more colors (and hopefully, regions) dropping sometime during the Christmas season. Want the full PR and official spec list? Skip on past the break.
Huawei Sonic reappears at the FCC, ditches AWS 3G and NFC functionality
If this is the same "T-Mobile Sonic" we saw a month back, it's safe to assume Huawei took the Gingerbread slab back to the drawing board and away from a Magenta debut. Popping up, once again, over at the FCC, and bearing a different model number -- U8652 -- the new Sonic sports a similar rounded-edge design, although this current incarnation takes on a definite rectangular shape. Gone are both the formerly included NFC functionality and AWS bands, in favor of quadband GSM, UMTS 850 / 1900 / 2100 bands, 3.2 megapixel rear-facing camera, WiFi and Bluetooth. The handset's radios are tipping us in the direction of an AT&T destiny, but could also very likely indicate a bow on the networks to our north. Will this Sonic ever see the light of day, or will Huawei lob off more bands for an overseas-only birth? We'll keep an eye out for any new developments, but in the meantime, jump past the break for a closer look.
Amazon Web Services' GovCloud puts federal data behind remote lock and key
Uncle Sam's been making his way into the cloud, spurred on in part by the inherent billion dollar cost efficiencies, and Amazon's looking to help with the move. The Seattle-based company recently announced the launch of its new AWS GovCloud, a federal government-only region that offers a remote server solution for organizations bound by high-level data constraints. The service makes use of FISMA, FIPS 140-2 compliant end points, SAS-70, ISO 27001, and PCI DSS Level 1 security controls, providing a secure host environment that adheres to stringent "regulatory and compliance requirements," and restricts physical access to the US-only. NASA's JPL and the US Recovery and Accountability Transparency Board are just two of the 100-plus government agencies already employing AWS' remote servers, with more destined to join Washington's velvet-roped cloud. Jump past the break for Amazon's official PR spiel.
Nokia 701 'Helen' gets a lookover from the FCC, likely includes pentaband support
If you like to play FCC bingo, pull your cards out for the next round; another Nokia phone has made it through the good graces of the US government. This time it's the Helen -- or, going by the new number scheme, the Nokia 701 -- which bears the identification tag "RM-774." This successor to the C7 is rumored to have a 1GHz CPU and come with Symbian Belle preloaded. While the veil that hides the Helen's secrets remains tightly draped over it, the filing indicates that it includes quadband GSM / EDGE and a pentaband 3G radio, a feature Nokia's opted to include in many of its recent smartphones. Of the four new devices on Espoo's leaked roadmap, we've already checked the Nokia 500 "Fate" and 700 "Zeta" off our FCC watch lists, leaving the 600 "Cindy" to bring up the rear at a future date. It's evident that the phonemaker is continuing to push forward with its Symbian plans at an impressive pace; after all, there's still five more years before the company's ready to wave goodbye to the platform, so why not milk it?
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.
T-Mobile myTouch 4G Slide review
Not too long ago, things were pretty simple in T-Mobile's Android land. For us (the nerds, geeks, power users, early adopters, and other misbegotten social deviants) there was the G series of phones with plain Android, culminating recently with LG's delightful G2x. If you wanted to buy your mom an Android smartphone, you'd point her at the myTouch series of handsets with custom HTC Sense-based skins, like last winter's myTouch 4G. Life got a bit more complicated with the introduction of LG's Optimus T, Samsung's Galaxy S 4G, and other devices that don't neatly fit into the carrier's grand branding scheme. Well, fear not! T-Mobile and HTC went ahead and refreshed last summer's lovely myTouch 3G Slide with a dash of dual-core tech lifted right from HTC's Sensation flagship and a bespoke 8 megapixel shooter said to be "the most advanced camera of any smartphone". Those are fighting words... so does the myTouch 4G Slide (as it's called) beat the likes of Samsung's Galaxy S II, Sony Ericsson's Xperia Arc, and Nokia's N8 in terms of imaging performance? Is the sliding keyboard as pleasant to use as its predecessor? And most importantly, is this your mom's next phone? Read on for our full review. %Gallery-129747%
Nokia 500 'Fate' destined for Q3, 1GHz processor and Symbian Anna onboard
If you're a loyalist that hasn't given up hope on Symbian yet, behold the latest attempt to keep the OS alive and kicking. The Nokia 500 is the first handset to usher in Espoo's new numbering system and has a bit of firepower behind it: a 1GHz ARM11 CPU, 256MB RAM, and Anna are running the show on a 3.2-inch, 640 x 360 "nHD" display. It'll also sport a five megapixel camera and offer HSPA speeds of 14.4Mbps down / 5.8 Mbps up using a pentaband 3G radio. Respectable components for a device billed to be a "low-cost, full-function smartphone." Still intrigued? The black version will ship out sometime in Q3, with its white counterpart to follow in Q4. If you need to have more choices to select from the rainbow, several colorful battery covers will be sold later this year -- something you'll need to be aware of when accessorizing your latest Back to School shopping spree. More hands-on pics are available at Hungarian site Technet, and an official vid can be found after the break. [Thanks, Albona]
T-Mobile retail stickers show off possible 4G Windows Phone future
A Windows Phone 7 handset on T-Mobile is the stuff of last year's news. Add a dash of AWS bands to that Redmond-made OS, however, and you've got our tongues wagging in anticipation. Thanks to a pair of leaked shots over on TmoNews, we have some sticker-based confirmation that WP7 and HSPA+ are soon to be bosom buddies. As the pic above clearly shows, there's a conspicuous difference between the magenta-splashed 4G sheet on the left and its vanilla Windows Phone iteration. While we're not exactly sure which device will get the 4G honors, we can safely assume it'll be Mango-flavored when it hits.
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.
T-Mobile's myTouch 4G Slide shows off its camera chops (video)
We've known since its recent announcement that T-Mobile's myTouch 4G Slide will be a mobile photographer's delight and now we get to see the camera UI in action on video. As a quick reminder, the carrier's upcoming Gingerbread smartphone is made by HTC and features Sense 3.0, a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor, a 3.7-inch WVGA Super LCD display, HSPA+ connectivity on the AWS spectrum, and a trick 8 megapixel shooter. The f2.2 wide-angle lens is combined with a low-light capable sensor and a dual-LED flash, but it's the camera software that really shines. Like on the Sensation, you'll find support for 1080p HD video recording, but the myTouch 4G Slide adds multiple scenes, zero shutter lag technology, continuous autofocus, HDR stills capture, plus panorama and burst modes, along with a dedicated two-stage shutter key. While we doubt it will dethrone Nokia's N8 in term of raw picture quality, we're looking forward to putting HTC's latest feature-packed shooter through its paces when the handset debuts this month for $199 on contract.
Rogers' first LTE network is live in Ottawa, aims to become fastest in North America
Good news for those of you waiting for Rogers' first LTE network launch in Ottawa, Canada: it happened. Ottawa's LTE debut now puts Rogers firmly at the top of the heap amongst its chief rivals Bell and Telus -- at least where speed is concerned. To start, the only device on offer is the Sierra Wireless AirCard 313U, which retails at $79.99 on a three-year deal or $169.99 completely off-contract. As you're likely aware, LTE is all about the speed, and with that speed comes the potential for cost as this network will see you burning through a gigabyte of data in mere minutes. To help balance that out, Rogers has also introduced a new tiered LTE Flex Rate Plan with prices starting at $45 for 1.5GB to $90 for 9GB -- with every GB thereafter deftly removing another $10 from your billfold. To help the addiction really settle in, the carrier has wisely made the first two months of service free with overage costs also getting the boot. Of course, this all sounds like a recipe for a challenge, so we've arranged to get our hands on one these devices for some first impressions on speed and quality and then begin a two month odyssey of its LTE network -- and fair use policy -- abuse.
EVO 3D at the FCC redux: now with AWS 3G (update)
Well, what have we here? Another HTC EVO 3D, aka the PG86300, has landed on the FCC's doorstep -- only this time it's packing radios similar to those seen in the phone's European edition. This one works on the 1700MHz AWS band, so it appears could be destined for duty in the pockets of T-Mobile's magenta-clad masses, though we can't say for sure. However, now that the government's decreed this EVO's electronics won't fry our brains, it shouldn't be be long before we find out. Update: This FCC filing is most likely for the European EVO 3G, which, like the European Sensation and Flyer, features a tri-band 3G (HSPA+) radio with 2100 / 1700 (AWS) and 900MHz as well as a quadband 2G radio. This means you'll possibly be able to import the handset unlocked from Europe and use it with 3G on carriers like T-Mobile USA or Wind in Canada. Sorry, AT&T customers, no 3G soup for you!
T-Mobile now home to 1 million iPhones
When talking to 9to5Mac, a T-Mobile spokesperson offered up a tidbit of information that suggests the #4 wireless carrier, which does not sell the popular Apple smartphone, is home to over a million iPhones. Most of the devices are older iPhone models, though a fair amount of customers have reportedly trimmed down their T-Mobile SIM to fit in the microSIM slot of the iPhone 4. Since T-Mobile does not offer the iPhone 4 and uses the AWS band for its 3G network, these iPhone models are unlocked and running on EDGE. It's not a pretty situation, but it gets the job done for those T-Mobile customers that must have the iPhone. As for the possibility of a future iPhone, the T-Mobile spokesperson was tight-lipped and would only say there is nothing to announce at this time.
Optimus 2X caught on camera wearing WIND's clothing, it's a G2x in disguise
LG's first foray into dual-core was recently spotted in full WIND Mobile attire, where it appeared ready to soar on the provider's AWS spectrum. Of course, given the LG-P999 designation, this handset reveals itself to be the same as its 1700MHz-capable US cousin -- the T-Mobile G2x -- and we're hoping this version of LG's flagship will also ship with plain Android (unlike the skinned affair on the Optimus 2X). With no firm announcement from WIND, it's difficult to know what customers should expect from this beast -- but as long as those troublesome reboot issues don't interfere, this could be a smooth flight indeed.
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.
HTC Flyer drops by the FCC again, this time with T-Mobile friendly GSM bands
The WiFi-only HTC Flyer tablet touched down last month without a peep from Carly and pals, but those magenta-tinted marketing plans are looking far more likely now -- a GSM-based Flyer just hit the FCC with support for T-Mobile's 3G bands. Visually and functionally, it looks like the same savory slate we saw tested in April, except with the all-important 1700MHz frequency commonly used by T-Mobile for HSPA cellular data. There's still no word on pricing or availability, but Sprint's EVO View 4G variant is pegged for June 24th, and rumor has it that T-Mobile could release the Flyer on the sixth of next month.
HTC Sensation goes to FCC for a second helping, flavored with AT&T bands
At the risk of toying with our ever-so-fragile hearts, the HTC Sensation took a second spin through the hallowed halls (or labs) of the FCC. This time, however, it went through with slightly different innards. The same PG58110 was spotted sneaking a visit to the nation's capital with AT&T frequencies -- 850 / 1900, to be specific -- in tow, rather than the T-Mobile AWS we saw in the first go-round. Now, before any Big Blue loyalists jump too far out of their chairs, know that this doesn't guarantee we'll see an AT&T-branded Sensation adorning the walls of retail stores, but at least there's a chance we'll see an unlocked version to purchase on our own at some point. It seems like a lot for a manufacturer to go through when it could've just included all of the US bands in one phone, but we digress. Follow the break for another FCC image.
