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Verizon iPhone: Hardware is still the iPhone 4
Sure, it would have been more exciting if Verizon launched its version of the iPhone with an incremented version number and splashy new hardware capabilites -- LTE! Super-Retina display! Downward-facing camera! -- but as expected, the new beastie is essentially the same as the existing iPhone 4 model. The primary difference is that Verizon's iPhone 4 is a CDMA unit, not GSM. This of course means that users cannot migrate their handsets between AT&T and Verizon; they have different radios and will only work on their respective network flavor. (Worthy of note, though, the Verizon agreement is non-exclusive, so a Sprint-centric CDMA iPhone is not an impossibility.) The CDMA phone is also far more limited for international roaming, so if you plan to travel overseas with your phone please think ahead. As Steve notes, CDMA is still not capable of simultaneous voice and data, so phone calls will interrupt your data sessions; you might consider letting the calls go to your voicemail, and using a Google Voice mailbox so you can get those messages while you're surfing (although it's possible Visual Voicemail will work when a data-only session is active; we'll have to try it out and see). Along with the different radio config comes a slightly different antenna arrangement, with another infamous air gap associated with the 'grip of death.' It's not clear yet whether this will have any bearing on the phone's connectivity, but since the working assumption is that Verizon's network > AT&T's network, dropped calls and dead spots are theoretically going to be less of a problem on Big Red than on Big Blue. The new VZW phone also sports the ability to behave as a MiFi hotspot, giving WiFi connectivity at 3G speeds for up to five devices. Although this isn't available on AT&T's plans as an official capability, the $10 $19.99 Cydia app MyWi for jailbroken phones already enables it, so it's reasonable to think that there's not a hardware-specific change in play; Verizon already offers the capability on several Android phones. Be aware, though, it will chew through battery like a gopher in a cabbage patch. That's another reason to be happy the VZW iPhone isn't shifting form factor at all; existing cases, battery packs and audio accessories should all continue to work unmodified. If only that were true! Laptop Mag and Slashgear both confirm that the mute switch and volume buttons have moved, meaning many (but not all) existing cases won't fit (see here). D'oh. Developing story: stay with TUAW today for all the Verizon iPhone news.
4G at CES 2011: AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile make big moves
Traditionally, CES isn't a huge mobile event -- the biggest phone news has historically been saved for MWC in February and CTIA in March -- but that changed in a huge way this week. Looks like 2011 is shaping up to be the year of 4G, and both carriers and manufacturers alike wasted no time jumping on the hype bandwagon with a variety of announcements that promise to make the next few months exciting... and really, really fast. AT&T kicked things off early in the show, but it was just the beginning of a relentless torrent of mobile news that lasted for days and ultimately left us with a pile of devices and network upgrades that should take us at least through the middle of the year. Read on for the recap!
Novatel Wireless 4G MiFi LTE and WiMAX hands-on
Novatel Wireless just keeps pumping out the MiFis, and this year's CES offerings didn't disappoint with both a WiMAX and an LTE version on offer. So first up is the Sprint WiMAX version of the MiFi that replaces the previous MiFi 2200 with a tenfold increase in speed -- of course there is an asterisk next to that figure -- an external electronic ink display for signal strength, battery, and number of connected devices, and the balance of the features pretty much jibe with what we've already seen in the past. Verizon's 4510L LTE MiFi -- the faster and larger of the two -- packs the same e-ink display tech, LTE download speeds between 5 and 12 Mbps, and upload rates from 2 to 5 Mbps. No mention of battery life on either of these capable little toys, but if we had to guess we'd recommend you drag along a charger wherever your roaming may take you. %Gallery-113304%
Verizon's 4G LTE line: Samsung and Novatel MiFi, 4G Galaxy Tab, netbooks (hands-on)
The LG Revolution, HTC Thunderbolt and Samsung's SCH-i520 were the obvious stars of Verizon's 4G LTE presser today, but a truckload of lesser devices are sure to delight end users when they ship later in the year. 4G mobile hotspots were on hand from both Novatel Wireless and Samsung (with the former working on both 3G and 4G networks), as were a pair of netbooks from HP and the LTE-enabled (and Hummingbird-powered) Galaxy Tab. The MiFi devices were decidedly thicker than our existing MiFi 2200 (shown left, above), but it's a price we'd be willing to pay for the ability to surf on both of VZW's networks. Gallery's below for those seeking a closer look, and you should expect the whole lot to hit your local VZW store between March and July. Myriam Joire contributed to this report. %Gallery-113097%
Sprint 3G / 4G MiFi hands-on
We sat down for a few moments of quiet introspection today with Sprint's recently-announced 3G / 4G MiFi, and while it's definitely a touch thicker and heavier than the 3G-only model it replaces, we're pretty sure the more luxurious look makes up for it. Okay, correction -- the appearance of a device that you don't ever look at or interact with other than to turn it on is kind of irrelevant, but regardless, it's a surprisingly nice-looking little device. We especially liked the E Ink status indicators above the power button (what can we say, we're always suckers for a creative E Ink application) and the front-loading microSD slot is a new feature -- GSM versions of the original MiFi always had this, but it's new on the CDMA side. On a related note, we've learned that the Overdrive -- Sprint's first 3G / 4G mobile hotspot -- has been discontinued, so the MiFi will be your only option by the time it launches next month. Considering the Overdrive was plagued from the start by high run temperatures and long boot times, we'd say that's a good thing: when we turned the MiFi on, it finished booting within about 15 seconds and stayed cool to the touch, though we'd need to punish it for a few hours before making a call on whether it'll actually burn our pockets with regular use. Stay tuned for a full review as soon as we can score a unit! %Gallery-112747%
Sprint trots out HTC EVO Shift 4G and new 3G / 4G MiFi from Novatel
It's been leaked all over the place, but Sprint has just confirmed its second EVO: the EVO Shift 4G. The big new addition is obviously the slide-out keyboard, but otherwise, while specs are solid, there's nothing as revolutionary as the original EVO. The Shift has a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 LCD, Android 2.2 (with HTC Sense), and the same great 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 processor that's in the G2 and myTouch 4G. Naturally there's WiMAX 4g, in addition to EVDO Rev A., and HTC hopes to keep those radios alive with a 1500mAh battery. There's a 5 megapixel camera around back, capable of 720p video, but oddly no front-facing camera -- something we assumed was part of the definition of EVO. The phone will be available on the 9th for $150. Meanwhile, Novatel Wireless is cooking up its own WiMAX goodness, putting 3G and 4G in a brand new MiFi device, the MiFi 3G / 4G Mobile Hotspot. It includes a display for tracking status of the device, unlike Novatel's 3G MiFis, claims 4 hours of active use and 60 hours of standby, and can share storage from its microSD slot with connected devices. It should be out on February 27th for $50 with a two-year contract. %Gallery-112467%
Sprint's 3G / 4G MiFi 4082 revealed?
Wasn't long ago that we found hard evidence of a WiMAX-capable MiFi from Novatel in the FCC -- and now, we might have the first press shot of it. Of course, press shots are always prettier than the actual devices, but even if you beat this image with the ugly stick for a minute or two, we're pretty sure it'd still be a good deal more handsome than the first-gen 3G MiFi that Sprint, Verizon, and others are using currently. No word on when this might launch, but with FCC certification under its belt, it's plausible that we'll see it next week at CES -- probably without the tipster's own professionally-Photoshopped status light below the battery indicator, we'd bet. [Thanks, r0fl]
T-Mobile finally getting in on the mobile 3G (or 4G) router craze next March?
Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T have all deployed MiFis (and MiFi equivalents) at this point, leaving T-Mobile as the sole US national carrier to do without a dedicated mobile router -- some sort of device you can throw in your pocket and turn on for those occasions when you need to turn a cellular data signal into a nice little pocket of WiFi. Looks like that's finally changing, though, with TmoNews leaking some shots suggesting that a device codenamed "Lil Wayne" -- yes, Lil Wayne -- will be introduced in March of next year, offering full 21Mbps HSPA+ speeds, followed by a second model in the second quarter of the year. The move makes a whole lot of sense for T-Mobile now that they're offering WiFi tethering on select phone models... and really, shouldn't we be using that shiny, new "4G" network in as many data-intensive ways as possible, anyway?
iPad plus free mobile hot spot at Best Buy
Best Buy is offering a sweet bundle on the WiFi-based iPad which includes your choice of a free companion AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint mobile hotspot. 9to5Mac reports that the available mobile hotspots include the WiMAX-enabled Sprint Overdrive, the Global-ready, 3G Verizon Wireless Fivespot and the 3G AT&T MiFi 2372. The promotion requires a monthly data plan and a two-year customer agreement. The monthly cost of the data plan for each carrier is not listed, so it is not clear whether data plans will be the carrier's standard MiFi rates, which can be as high as US$80 monthly, or a special discounted, iPad-specific rate. If you have plans to purchase an iPad-MiFi bundle from Verizon, you may want to re-consider and swing by your local Best Buy instead. Verizon Wireless recently began offering the WiFi iPad with a MiFi 2200 hotspot for the same price as the 3G+WiFi iPad which starts at US$629 for the 16 GB model. The iPad data plans do not include a contract and start with a reasonable 1 GB of data for US$20 per month and increase gradually with a $35/3 GB, $50/5 GB, and a $80/10 GB plan. While the data plans are attractively priced, the MiFi 2200 is an older model hotspot and does not include GSM bands for use outside the U.S. The Best Buy promotion may offer a better deal as it saves you $130 off the cost of the iPad and you receive the newer, dual mode (GSM/CDMA) Fivespot mobile hotspot device. Data plans for the Fivespot start at US$35 for 3 GB of usage, which is not as low as the $20 plan but not outrageous either. Of course, this Best Buy promotion includes a two-year contract which may or may not be a deal-breaker depending on your usage.
Best Buy offering free mobile hotspots with iPad purchase
Planning to pay Verizon an extra $130 for an iPad + MiFi 2200 bundle? Hold on a sec, because Best Buy's planning to give away hotspots free of charge when you purchase Apple's tablet. This advertisement, obtained by 9to5 Mac, does mention that you'll need to shackle yourself to a carrier for two years to qualify -- unlike Verizon's original arrangement -- but in exchange you get a free Verizon FiveSpot, AT&T MiFi, or perhaps most excitingly, a WiMax-capable Sprint Overdrive. Fine print in the lower-right hand corner suggests that the promo will begin immediately and run through January 2nd. What better way to spend your leftover Hanukkah gelt than on gigabytes of wireless data?
TUAW's Holiday Gift Guide: Choosing the right iPad for you
Welcome to the TUAW Holiday Gift Guide! We've sorted the treasure from the junk and are serving up suggestions to make your holiday gift-giving a little easier. Are you planning on purchasing an iPad for someone else (or for yourself) this Christmas? First, congratulations on your taste, discernment and generosity. Second, you're probably asking yourself "Which iPad should I buy?" and "How much is my spouse/friend/gift recipient going to love me now?" With only six variants on the basic theme, there aren't a lot of different choices. Still, you'll want to make sure that you answer these two questions: Do you or the recipient of the iPad need 3G wireless? How much storage do you need in the iPad? Follow along as I take you through some simple questions. Answering them will help you make your buying decision. For some of you, this may already seem like a simple choice, but there may be more factors going into the decision than you think.
Novatel's MiFi 4082 is the WiMAX-capable hotspot the Overdrive has been dreading
Sprint's Overdrive from Sierra Wireless has been handling the WiMAX mobile hotspot duties on Sprint for most of this year, but it's been walking that road alone. Novatel, which took the mobile hotspot concept mainstream with its venerable MiFi line -- has been absent from the 4G race so far... but it looks like that's about to change. We just witnessed a so-called MiFi 4082 earn an FCC filing a few minutes ago, offering both CDMA / EV-DO and WiMAX in a single package, presumably prepping for a launch on Sprint to either replace or supplement the Overdrive. Considering the Overdrive's size, stability, and boot time, another entrant would be more than welcome -- and if Novatel can stuff all these radios into a package no larger or heavier than the original MiFi, we'll submit that they probably have a winner on their hands. Stay tuned for an announcement on this one -- CES, perhaps?
Novatel sues ZTE and Franklin over MiFi-related patents
Smartphones aren't the only mobile devices caught up in patent warfare, it seems: Novatel's just sued ZTE and Franklin over five patents related to the "key architecture and functionality" of its MiFi series of mobile hotspots. What's interesting is that Verizon carries the MiFi and ZTE-built Fivespot, while Sprint's MiFi lives alongside the ZTE Peel and carrier-branded Franklin modems, so we're curious to see if any of the carriers step in to mediate the dispute. We also took a quick skim of the complaint, and it looks like the five patents in question are broad enough to cover WiFi tethering from phones, so we've got a feeling this suit could affect more than ZTE and Franklin -- we'll see what happens.
Laptop data plans: comparing LTE, WiMAX, and HSPA+ by speed, price, and value
Now that Verizon's gone official with its LTE pricing for an initial launch in some 38 markets this Sunday, we wanted to take a quick look at how it compares to the other players in the laptop data market -- after all, how much you're paying month to month can be just as big of a determining factor (if not a bigger one) in choosing a carrier than the speeds you're seeing. So how do Sprint, T-Mobile, AT&T, Clear, and Rover stack up? Let's break it down.
Virgin Mobile USA partners with Walmart for Broadband2Go offer, $20 a month for 1GB
If you took a gander at Virgin Mobile USA's latest Broadband2Go plans you might have noticed a bit of a hole between $10 a month for 100MB and $40 a month for unlimited data. Consider it plugged, with a new $20 monthly 1GB plan that starts today. That's quite a bit nicer than the previous $20 for 300MB plan, but of course there's a catch: it's available only at Walmart, and only to owners of a Novatel MiFi 2200 or Ovation MC720. We hate to say it, but this might just be worth putting aside your hate of all things Walton and making a run over to your local big box -- though a trip to Walmart.com would certainly be easier.
AT&T starts selling Novatel MiFi at long last: November 21st for $50
AT&T's finally taking a cue from its mobile hotspot-equipped archrivals at Verizon and Sprint, launching a branded version of Novatel Wireless' MiFi 2372 this Sunday, November 21st, for $49.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate. The device is a little more advanced that the one you're used to using on American CDMA networks, featuring an integrated microSD slot that can be shared among connected devices and support for built-in, browser-based widgets that can take advantage of the unit's AGPS for providing weather, local search, and so on. The unit tops out at 7.2Mbps on the downlink, which you'll be able to enjoy via AT&T's standard array of DataConnect plans: $35 a month for 200MB or $60 a month for 5GB, plus contract-free plans ranging from 100MB to 1GB.
Verizon iPad commercial hits the air
You didn't think Verizon would start selling its iPad / MiFi bundle without an ad blitz, did you? Big Red's running a new commercial called "Breakaway" that features a dude using the combo to tear down the walls of his unfurnished home and wind up sitting alone on a bluff in a plastic chair. The magic of iPad, the power and reliability of Verizon. Video after the break. [Thanks, Nick]
Deltenna's WiBE rural broadband device: swans and geese now free to browse
At last, progress. We've heard whispers of "rural broadband expansion" thrown from halls of politicians for months on end, but it looks like a small company across the pond is cutting through the red tape and getting down to business. Deltenna's WiBE -- described as a device to deliver fast broadband to rural areas that are far from the phone exchange -- is available starting today in the UK and Ireland. It's purpose? It connects to nearby 3G networks and creates a mobile hotspot, not unlike a MiFi. The difference is that it delivers a data throughput around 30 times greater than a 3G USB modem, and the connection range is "typically between three and five-times that of the 3G dongle." The theoretical maximum is 7.2Mbps, with extensive testing demonstrating a typical download rate of 2.8Mbps in rural regions. Cetag Systems in Ireland and Buzz Networks in the UK will be first to offer it, with pricing set at £425 (less with bundles) in England and €299 through Cetag. Wildfowl sold separately, though. %Gallery-105993%
How the iPad is benefiting Sprint's mobile broadband sales
Sprint recently noticed an increase in sales of its Overdrive (3g/4g) MiFi wireless hotspot, and it seems the iPad is behind it all. In an interview with GigaOM, Sprint's chief executive officer, Dan Hesse, noted that most iPads sold are Wi-Fi only. Since their introduction, his company has seen an increase in sales of the Overdrive. When asked about the iPhone, Hess refused comment, stating that Sprint policy is to refrain from commenting on its relationship with vendors. He also noted that Sprint is banking its future on great customer experience, a simple value proposition and finally the actual devices (in that order). Currently, Sprint is carrying BlackBerry and Android phones, while arch-rival Verizon is almost a lock to be selling the iPhone next year. Meanwhile, Verizon is addressing the iPad-plus-hotspot trend directly by offering iPad/MiFi bundles in its retail stores. For those who want to support an iPad in addition to a few other devices, it's not a bad way to go.
iPad now on sale from Verizon Wireless and AT&T
You didn't forget did you? Today's the day that the WiFi-only iPad makes its inaugural appearance at Verizon. Whether it's the beginning of better days between the two US giants remains to be seen. As a reminder, Verizon's offer bundles a MiFi 2200 mobile hotspot with your choice of 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), or 64GB ($829) iPads and 1GB ($20), 3GB ($35), or 5GB ($50) of data per month without contractual commitment. Of lesser interest is the fact that AT&T will also begin selling the WiFi + 3G version of the iPad today in 16GB ($629), 32GB ($729), and 64GB ($829) with contract-free data plans for 250MB of data ($14.99) or 2GB of data ($25) per month with free access to AT&T's 23,000+ domestic WiFi hotspots. AT&T's also offering international plans ranging from 20MB for $24.99 per month on up to 200MB for a staggering $199.99 per month. Hit the appropriate source link below if either of these offers tickles your kraken. [Thanks, Michael R. and Tyler P.]
