DataRates
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Researchers use GPS, accelerometers to boost smartphone data rates
Well, this might be a good reason for The Powers That Be to know your exact whereabouts. According to a team of MIT researchers, speeding up data rates on mobile devices could be as easy as tapping the various motion sensors found in run-of-the-mill smartphones. The scientists believe our wireless infrastructure is at the root of bottlenecks, with a handful of weak transmitters clumsily "handing off" data to one another as you move out of range. The solution: use GPS radios, accelerometers, and even gyroscopes to infer where you're headed, and then choose an access point near where you're likely to end up. The difference, they report, is dramatic: a 50 percent boost in throughput, along with improved success in choosing the best bit rate. To boot, if a base station is armed with location-based info, it can better predict when the devices connected to it are on the verge of losing contact. That's all good news, but sadly we doubt any amount of promising science is enough to make the pink lady go away.
Verizon crushes AT&T on iPad entry-level data rates
Well, I wish I didn't travel internationally so much after seeing the data rates both AT&T and Verizon are offering iPad users for monthly, non-contract plans. If you are deciding on whether to get a Verizon iPad or an AT&T one and will use 1 GB or less of data per month, Verizon just decided for you. As you can see from the chart that AllThingsD assembled, Verizon offers substantially better 3G data rates for the iPad than AT&T does -- at least for those users who want to be on the lowest tier. For $15, AT&T will give you 250 MB of data per month, whereas for a mere $20, or just another five bucks, Verizon will give you 1 GB of data -- that's four times the amount from AT&T. If you want to keep it on the lowest tier, Verizon is the way to go.
iPad data cost by country analyzed and charted
Sure, you may already have a general idea of how countries stack up when it comes to iPad data costs, but sometimes there's nothing like a good chart to drive a point home. Thankfully, the folks at Tableau have done just that and, while there may not be a lot of surprises, the differences in cost are certainly striking. As you can see in more detail in the interactive chart after the break, the United States just barely cracks the top five with a minimum cost of $12.50 per gigabyte, leaving it behind only the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and France, which comes out on top at a hefty $25.47 per gigabyte. As for the cheapest iPad data in the world? That honor goes to Singapore, where you can use a gigabyte of data for a mere 51 cents. As PC Magazine notes, that figure is a tad misleading, since it's based on SingTel's cheapest pre-paid plan that gives you unlimited access for three days -- although that itself is still a welcome change from most other countries.
Canadian iPhone: Consumer Revolt against Rogers tariffs
When Rogers/Fido announced the iPhone voice/data plans a few days ago, the proposed rates were not received warmly. Over ten thousand people are letting their eDispleasure be heard on the "Rogers + iPhone3G == Ruined" protest website. Canadian petitioners are unhappy with the high plan rates and the lack of affordable data. The site offers a list of Rogers/Fido contacts and suggests consumers take action, sending an email or letter, or calling. The petition itself is full of impassioned feedback, suggesting that Rogers is killing a potential new market by exploiting demand with subpar overpriced service. Are you Canadian? Let us know what you think of the the data rates in the comments. Thanks, heath
