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Mobile Miscellany: week of July 15th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week, Samsung added two new colors to its GS4 LTE-A lineup, Motorola teased its manufacturing facility for the upcoming Moto X and @evleaks spilled the beans on a new smartphone for Verizon. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of July 15th, 2013.
Cricket's Muve Music 4.0 moves music onto internal storage, sports redesigned look
It seems like a common sense Muve (sorry, we couldn't resist), but with this latest service redesign, Cricket's letting smartphone users store their Muve Music tracks internally. The storage swap isn't as simple as it sounds and applies only to handsets with more than 4GB of internal storage. For less robust handsets, any SD card will do, which is a break from Cricket's former practice of requiring a specific Muve-compatible SD card. In addition to getting a UI facelift, Muve Music 4.0 will now also let users play songs as they download, access menu options from a newly added sidebar and discover music through curated mix playlists. In case you want in on this version bump, you'll need one of a few select Samsung devices offered by Cricket (i.e., GS III, GS4, Galaxy Discover and Admire 2), although the carrier's planning to preload the service on all future Android devices. Or, if you already have an active Spotify premium account, then there's nothing to see here, folks. Just keep it Muve-ing (apologies, once again).
AT&T to buy Leap Wireless for $1.19 billion
AT&T dropped an interesting bit of news this afternoon: it's going to purchase Leap Wireless in its entirety for $15 per share, which translates to roughly $1.19 billion in cash. For many, Leap is best known by its consumer-facing brand, Cricket, a prepaid wireless provider that holds nearly 5 million subscribers. In exchange, AT&T will acquire Leap's customers, retail stores and network licenses, which span 35 states across the PCS and AWS bands. Leap's stock closed at $7.98 today, but shot past $16 in after hours trading. The transaction must still be approved by Leap shareholders, and then both the FCC and Department of Justice. As it stands, 29.8% of Leap's outstanding shares are in favor of the transaction, and ever optimistic AT&T expects to wind up the deal within six to nine months. Better luck this time?
Mobile Miscellany: week of May 20th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought hints of a revitalized Galaxy Exhibit for T-Mobile, news of two additions to the lineup at Cricket and a peek at the next GoPhone for AT&T. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of May 20th, 2013.
Cricket launching Galaxy S 4 on June 7th, starting at $55 down
The Galaxy S 4 is now readily available in the US, but it hasn't had much sway with the prepaid crowd so far. Cricket should be addressing that deficit soon, as it just narrowed down its launch of the Samsung flagship to June 7th. The contract-free carrier is making up for being late to the party with a low up front price: customers can plunk down $55 to start an installment plan rather than pay the GS4's full $600 cost in one shot. Would-be adopters will need to live in one of Cricket's LTE coverage areas to pick up a GS4, but those who do may get a rare discount on a (mostly) fresh device.
Mobile Miscellany: week of April 29th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a leak of the BlackBerry R-Series smartphone in red, a clever new notification system from the Paranoid Android team and quarterly earnings from Leap Wireless, the parent company of Cricket. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of April 29th, 2013.
Cricket intros $40 per line family plan with unlimited talk, text and data, updates iPhone plans
Cricket's already firmly established itself as one of the more budget-minded carriers in the US, and it's now tweaking some of its plans a bit further in the hopes of attracting more customers. Leading those changes is a new family plan that will give you two lines for $40 apiece per month, each with unlimited talk, texting and data -- the catch, as is becoming increasingly common, is that the data gets throttled to a slower speed after 1GB. On top of that, the carrier has also now brought its iPhone plans in line with its Android offerings, giving folks the same options as that family plan for $50 a month. More demanding users can also opt for 2.5GB of unthrottled data for $60 or 5GB $70, both of which also add unlimited international messaging to the mix.
Mobile Miscellany: week of March 11th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought a new smartphone to Cricket, insights from Verizon about its forthcoming AWS deployment and even a rugged accessory from Nokia. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore all that's happening in the mobile world for this week of March 11th, 2013.
Samsung Galaxy S 4 launching on 327 carriers in 155 countries, starting at the end of April
Samsung has announced some of its launch partners for the Galaxy S 4 which will include some 327 carriers in 155 countries. According to JK Shin, it will include global LTE roaming, with 3G and LTE models in multiple bands (up to hexa band, according to the slide). Samsung's PR reveals it will be on all four major US carriers, plus US Cellular and Cricket, while European carriers include Deutsche Telecom, EE, H3G, Orange, Telenor, Telia Sonera, Telefonica, and Vodafone. Update: AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint have all issued official statements to along with the launch which are included after the break. Look below for links to early registration for launch details from Samsung and the various carriers. Update 2: Mobile Syrup has obtained a list of confirmed Canadian carriers which includes Bell, Eastlink, Fido, Koodo, Mobilicity, Rogers, SaskTel, TELUS, Videotron, Virgin Mobile and Wind Mobile. Check out our event hub for all the action from Samsung's Galaxy S 4 event.
Mobile Miscellany: week of February 25th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought news of a new direction for Muve Music, the arrival of a budget smartphone at Sprint and a whole lotta LTE expansion. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 25th, 2013.
Leap Wireless struggling to sell off-contract iPhones
Leap Wireless took a gamble when it started offering the iPhone at almost full retail prices in a US market that is dominated by inexpensive phones with high carrier subsidies. This is one bet that may not be paying off for the wireless carrier, says a report in the Wall Street Journal. Leap Wireless, which owns and operates the Cricket brand, confirmed in an annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this week that it was struggling to sell the iPhones it had committed to sell. The carrier is offering the latest model iPhone for $449 without a contract, but customers are not buying it. If sales don't improve, Leap could be left holding the bag on $100 million worth of unsold iPhones. Leap is in discussions with Apple and is working to improve marketing efforts to get people to jump on the Cricket/Leap bandwagon. It's not a lack of demand for the iPhone that is hurting Leap. It's the lack of demand for an almost $500 iPhone on a network that doesn't have a robust nationwide presence. At least in the US, customers are accustomed to buying a phone for $200 or less along with a two-year contract. It'll be a difficult task to wean customers off that purchasing model and persuade them to spend more money up front on a phone, especially when the ability to switch carriers at the drop of a hat is not valued in the US.
Mobile Miscellany: week of February 4th, 2013
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This week brought the arrival of Cricket's first waterproof smartphone and Three introduced an updated Galaxy S III known as the Ultrafast. Not to stop there, we'll take a trip to India to highlight the latest value-oriented smartphone. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of February 4th, 2013.
HTC One SV goes on sale at Cricket with a slight price drop
Cricket gave us a pleasant surprise when it committed to carrying the cheap-yet-cheerful HTC One SV this month, and it's making good on that promise today. The Android 4.0-touting smartphone is on sale now for a lower than expected $330 contract-free, albeit only for those shopping online. It's not the most powerful device on the network, but it also strikes a balance between bargain pricing and speed: buyers get LTE, rapid-fire photography and a modern dual-core processor without having to splurge on a flagship like the Galaxy S III. Hit the source link if the middle road sounds like the best road.
HTC One SV on Cricket 4G hands-on (video)
Ready to make its debut on Cricket Wireless, we've spent some time with the One SV here at CES. In a great flame red finish, the specification sheet matches what we've seen on the Desire X and Desire C. There's a strong-performing 4.3-inch Super LCD 2 display with a UI that has that familiar HTC sheen. Yep, there's that Sense overlay and those bonus camera features (burst photography and the like) that we've seen from the Taiwan phone maker's 2012 catalog. Like the Desire X, the curved size and (relatively) small screen-size mean it's easy to handle, while LTE connectivity and a 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 processor made easy work of browsing on Chrome and navigating Android 4.0. We'll be bringing you our full review of Cricket's new 4G phone later this month, but until then we've got a hands-on video after the break. %Gallery-175146% Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
HTC One SV lands in the US on Cricket Wireless January 16th, $350 off-contract
HTC's mid-range One VX just recently made its debut on AT&T, and we now have some official word on the US debut of its slightly smaller counterpart, the LTE-equipped One SV. It will be available solely on Cricket Wireless starting January 16th, where it will set you back $349.99 off-contract. That will buy you a 4.3-inch WVGA display (of the Super LCD 2 variety), a 1.2GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, front and rear-facing cameras (5 megapixel, f/2.0 and 1.6 megapixel, f/2.2, respectively), a microSD card slot and Android 4.0 with HTC's Sense 4 interface. As you can see, it also comes in a bright Flame red color, which is the only option for the time being.
Cricket and MetroPCS now offering financing on select smartphones
Taking a very "un-carrier" approach, Cricket and MetroPCS recently introduced financing programs that allow prepaid customers to purchase high-end smartphones with a reduced upfront cost. Cricket has partnered with Progressive Finance to cover the cost of its devices, while Metro is using Billfloat as its lending option. Keeping things unconventional, these new programs do not use credit checks and instead only require that customers have a valid checking account. Cricket customers whose purchase exceeds $200 can apply for financing at retail stores and authorized dealers. The program covers up to 90 percent of the premium with the upfront charges being the remaining balance and the first month of service. Loans are amortized for up to nine months, with interest waived on accounts paid off within the first 90 days of financing.
Cricket announces LTE-capable LG Optimus Regard, Galaxy S III coming later this month
CDMA-based Cricket has announced its first LTE smartphones, launching the Optimus Regard this week, while that rather popular Samsung Galaxy S III will shake hands with the carrier's new 4G network on November 23rd. The Optimus Regard features a 1.2GHz processor, Android 4.0, 3.5-inch screen and 5-megapixel camera, with that humble spec sheet setting you back $250. Meanwhile, a few weeks later, Samsung's flagship will land priced at $550 off-contract. Cricket is offering both devices on its new Double Data plan that offers (for now, at least) double the monthly data allowance of its 3G plans. The $50 plan nets your 2GB of data, while $60 gets 5GB and $70 will offer 10GB of data. If you're mildly tempted by either the Galaxy S III or the humbler (cheaper) Optimus can read up on the full offering at the sources below.
Mobile Miscellany: week of November 5th, 2012
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, Virgin introduced a WiFi calling service in the UK, a new smartphone leaked for Cricket and RIM announced a free app giveaway for Canadian residents. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of November 5th, 2012.
Mobile Miscellany: week of October 29th, 2012
If you didn't get enough mobile news during the week, not to worry, because we've opened the firehose for the truly hardcore. This past week, Cricket added a compact smartphone to its lineup, new press images landed for Verizon's next QWERTY-enabled handset and Canadian carriers grabbed a rugged smartphone from Samsung. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of October 29th, 2012.
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: fall 2012 edition
Shopping for a smartphone can be an exciting and arduous experience. Along with the promise of something new and fantastic, it brings the fear of commitment, and even worse, the prospect of saddling yourself to a lousy device for two years. Fortunately for you, Engadget spends tons of time playing with the latest gear and we're constantly on the lookout for what's coming next. If you're wanting to take the pain out of shopping for a smartphone, you've come to the right place. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: your one-stop resource to finding the best and most exciting handsets on the market today. Before you dive in, however, we've introduced a few changes to the buyer's guide, so take a minute to prepare yourself for what's in store. First and foremost, you'll now find alternate selections to supplement our top picks. This should already be familiar to many of you, which is the same format we use for our seasonal gift guides. The next one is a biggie: we've dropped the QWERTY selection. By and large, manufacturers and carriers alike have shifted their focus away from keyboard-equipped smartphones, and you'll rarely find more than one option on any given carrier. That said, if you still insist on the tactile experience, you'll always find everything you need to know in our reviews. Finally, whenever possible, you'll now find prices from Amazon Wireless, which allows us to provide you with more compelling budget selections and highlight the substantial savings that you can score by circumventing the carriers. It's not like they need your charity, anyway. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.
