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Fonera SIMPL aims to ease 3G overload, give smartphones a better way to upload
If you've never heard of Fon, its mission is pretty simple: to equip the world with Fonera routers, and thus blanket the planet in WiFi that no one is scared to share. Over at Mobile World Congress this week, the company unveiled a new device that exploits the impending bandwidth crisis that operators all over the globe are attempting to deal with. The all-new SIMPL is a palm-sized router that has just two Ethernet ports and could be doled out by carriers in order to provide a city-wide WiFi network that can be accessed by any WiFi-enabled phone, thereby easing the demand on its 3G network. Equipped with 802.11n, a faster CPU than the Fonera 2.0 and a shiny white shell, we're told that an order has already been placed by an undisclosed customer for 400,000 of 'em, though it's unclear when these will be made available to the general public and for how much. Hop on past the break for a five minute showcase video.
Beceem's BCS500 4G modem splices WiMAX and LTE into one chip, sampling later this year
When we were told market research pointed to WiMAX and LTE standards for 4G connectivity coexisting, we didn't expect they'd do it quite so closely. Beceem, the maker of the WiMAX chips inside "every device in Clearwire's network," is working on a 4G modem that can handle both WiMAX and LTE, with the added extra of being able to move seamlessly between the two networks in order to find the best signal possible. The mashup of the two standards makes sense in light of all the equivocation from Clearwire and Sprint on the subject of which one they'd prefer, and would be a more than welcome simplification of our collective 4G future. Anyhow, the latest development is that Beceem and Motorola are working to pair the BCS500 to the latter's WiMAX 4G infrastructure, with the first dual-mode chips set to start sampling "later this year" and hit mass production in early 2011.
Battery-powered Wi-Reach Classic turns any USB 3G / 4G modem into portable WiFi hotspot
Mobile broadband routers certainly aren't new, but Connect One's take on the whole thing just might be our favorite (yeah, even more than Cradlepoint's offerings). Of course, we'd pick up a MiFi of some sort if we were buying into the space today, but for those still under contract with a USB WWAN stick, the Wi-Reach classic adds a whole new level of utility. Put simply, this minuscule device boasts its own battery and a sole USB socket, which is used to connect with whatever 3G (and after a future firmware update, WiMAX / LTE) USB card that you slap in there. Once in place, you're now in possession of a mobile WiFi hotspot which can be shared with up to ten WiFi-enabled devices. We're told that the device can last for up to five hours on a full charge, and it can even be re-energized via USB. Interested? Prove it. It's up for order right now for $99.
Netgear partners with Ericsson for a 3G-receiving, WiFi-emanating router
Had enough of dealing with oligopolistic wired broadband suppliers? Well, with Netgear's brand spanking new MBRN3300E you can just ride off into the 3G sunset and say goodbye to those pesky wires. Like the majority of wireless routers today, it comes with 802.11n WiFi and a built-in firewall, but what sets it apart is the integrated 3G modem provided by Ericsson. With it, you can suckle down broadband straight from the ether and transport it throughout your home, whether you live in New York City or some remote part of Minnesota. Netgear is announcing it with immediate availability, and there will be optional car charger and battery pack accessories to maximize the mobility of the unit. Okay, it'll never be as small and portable as a MiFi router, but it's always good to have options, right? Full PR after the break.
Japan certifies its first LTE device, LG says 'whoa, ours?'
In a country whose carriers' phone lineups are dominated by domestic giants like NEC, Sony, Sharp, and Fujitsu, you wouldn't necessarily think that the road to 4G would begin elsewhere -- strangely, though, South Korea's LG has garnered the honor of becoming the first company to have an LTE device certified by Japan's TELEC, a necessary, FCC-like step to getting cellular equipment deployed in those parts. NTT DoCoMo, which intends to launch commercial LTE service later this year, is undoubtedly stoked to hear that the LD100 external modem is the lucky recipient of TELEC's seal of approval (following FCC certification last year, coincidentally), meaning the carrier now has the green light to use it in trials. Considering that TeliaSonera's already beaten DoCoMo to the punch with a live, customer-facing LTE network, are the days of being shocked and awed by Japan's mobile tech drawing to a close, or are we just witnessing a little fluke here?
Clear WiMAX USB modem impressions
Clearwire (along with Sprint and Comcast, just to name a couple) has been fiercely expanding its WiMAX network across America for months on end now, and while select citizens in select cities have had access to the 4G superhighway for just over a year, we haven't actually had the opportunity to find ourselves in one of those locations for any amount of time. Until recently, that is. The Clear 4G service was lit up in Las Vegas late last year, which gave the Engadget squad just enough time to scrounge up a gaggle of Motorola 4G USB sticks and really test out the network while at CES. Meanwhile, the North Carolinians among us were also able to test the boundaries of the 4G patches that have been setup here, and we're finally ready to dish out a few opinions on the fourth generation of cellular data. Eager to know if it's the best thing since sliced bread the invention of the MP3? Read on to find out. %Gallery-84164%
Clear releasing two new WiMAX modems with integrated VOIP functionality
We were recently lucky enough to experience Clear's WiMAX service in Las Vegas for a week and, after having 4G available whenever we wanted it, we were a little sad to go back to our 3G domiciles. For those who live every day in a WiMAX wonderland, Clear has a pair of new modems for you, both featuring built-in ATA compatibility meaning those signing up for Clear Voice VOIP can jack their phones straight in. The devices are the Gemtek Series G, available in Vegas, and the Motorola CPEi 725 Series M, available in Portland. Both are $80 up-front or $5 per month on lease, and neither are available where we are, so if you'll kindly excuse us we're going to go pout in the corner for a bit.
LG M13 LTE modem hands-on
We've just busted through LG's glass wall that protected its M13 LTE modem, but alas we're still no closer to deciphering how good or portable this little 4G connect-a-gadget is. The first thing to note is that although it looks like a big stand with an embedded LG mobile handset, that's all for looks and in fact it's just a big chunky modem -- make of that "styling" what you will. Gallery below gives you some closer shots of the device, which was a plastic prototype glued to the table, as well as LG's Vd13 USB dongle. Go enjoy! %Gallery-82014%
Netgear intros EVA9100 media streamer, DGN2200M WiFi / WWAN modem and more at CES
Some crazy stuff is going down in Vegas -- fancy that, right? Netgear is doing its darnedest to make its own scene with the introduction of three new items here at CES, so we won't waste any time in breaking 'em down. Up first is the now-available $249 Digital Entertainer Express (EVA9100), which incorporates the media prowess found in the EVA9150 in order to give users instant access to "Blu-ray quality digital video up to 1080p, MP3s and high-resolution digital photos from PCs, Macs or NAS devices." Portals to YouTube, Flickr and RSS feeds will be readily available, and the free trial of PlayOn will provide access to Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Video On Demand, BBC iPlayer and CBS. Next, we've got the $179.99 DGN2200M wireless router (available in April), which actually pulls double duty as an 802.11n-enabled DSL modem and a WWAN modem. Hailed as the only wireless-N product on the retail market with dual WAN capabilities, this one can get users online via a 3G or 4G USB dongle whenever they leave their home broadband connection. Finally, the $159 Powerline 200 AV+ Adapter (XAV2501) -- which will ship early next month -- enables homeowners to create a 10/100 Ethernet connection from any ordinary electrical outlet that already supports a powerline network. This one's also a HomePlug AV-certified device, so it should have no issues pushing through data at up to 200Mbps. We'll be scouring the show floor for a little hands-on action, so stay tuned! %Gallery-81231%
Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot leaks into the wild (update: $50 U301 on contract?)
Move over, MiFi -- this Sprint Overdrive dual-mode WiMAX / EV-DO mobile hotspot that just hit our inbox has taken over as our new object of broadband desire. Our tipster says internal training on the Sierra-built device has already begun, and that the unit itself features a microSD slot, support for location services, and has a 100-foot Wi-Fi range -- but sadly we don't have pricing or availability deets to share yet. We're hoping we find out more at CES -- and we'd bet that new dual-mode U301 WiMAX modem that leaked a couple weeks ago makes an appearance as well. Fingers crossed. Update: The same tipster that sent us the information to start with is back with a few tidbits on the U301. According to the anonymous individual, that USB modem will be launching in February for $49.99 on contract. Also on the horizon? A WiMAX home desktop modem with a special price plan of its own.
Tethering for the holiday traveler
I know that many of our readers will be traveling during the holiday season, so I wanted to share a walk-through that will help keep your MacBook of choice connected on the go. This is an article intended for those using iPhones on carriers that do not officially support tethering. TUAW would like to remind you that this is unsupported and is enabled at the user's own risk. This does require jailbreaking your iPhone, so the unadventurous in the audience may want to pass this up. If you're not already jailbroken, you can download the necessary software, like blackra1n from George Hotz or Pwnage from the iPhone Dev Team. Once you've jailbroken your iPhone, install or open Cydia and navigate to the "Featured Packages" section. Find and install the package named "Modem." That's it on the iPhone side of things, on your computer, navigate to iphonemodem.com and download the helper application or register the application for $9.99 to disable the registration reminder in the iPhone app (As far as we know, the free version is fully functional). Drag iPhoneModem to your Applications folder. The setup is really that simple. Now all you have to do is open the application on your computer, click connect, then launch the companion app on your iPhone. The iPhone application will find the network your computer creates and share the Wi-Fi connection between the two devices so you can use your iPhone data plan on your laptop for better browsing. Here's how the developers say it works: On the computer, the helper application creates a new computer-to-computer (or ad-hoc) Wi-Fi network and configures the system preferences to use the iPhone as an Internet gateway and proxy. On the iPhone, the application opens a routing engine, DHCP, DNS, HTTP, HTTPS and SOCKS proxies and connects to the helper on the computer. I've had pretty good success with this application in my time with it. I've been using it on and off for over a year -- it's been a great app in clutch situations. I'd recommend it as a virtual stocking stuffer if you have a friend or family member who's jailbroken their iPhone. Let us know your thoughts or your experiences with the app in the comments. Update As several commenters have pointed out, there are several other free solutions that seem to be just as easy as iPhoneModem. Please read through the comments to see if any of those solutions suit you better.
Sprint puts out fact sheet for dual-mode U301 WiMAX modem, release imminent?
So Sprint just published an official fact sheet for a U301 USB modem with support for both WiMAX and EV-DO -- it's not accompanied by any press release or product page on Sprint's online store, but we can only assume this means that a release is around the corner. Of course, the dual-mode capability alone doesn't set it apart -- the carrier's existing U300 model already handles those duties with aplomb -- but what seemingly sets the U301 apart is its support for Mac OS. We'd just as soon they'd release drivers for the U300, but failing that, alright, fine, we'll take a new modem. If we're sustaining over 3Mbps down, we'll take a lot of carrier and manufacturer abuse, actually.
Sprint's flagship WiMAX desktop modem goes on sale
WiMAX desktop modems have been popping up all over the place lately, and the latest evidence for a major push towards 4G for the home user comes to us courtesy of Sprint. The company quietly made Motorola's CPEi 25150 (the predecessor of the CPEi 100 we saw at CES) available to customers over the weekend, featuring that famous shark's fin form factor, white and yellow Sprint logo, and the promise of "the best radio performance in its class," on account of dual integrated antennas. Of course, this thing also has the requisite ethernet and USB ports for connecting to your home router. If you're lucky enough to have Sprint WiMAX coverage in your area, call your main man to get started. You can look forward to paying $100 (with $150 instant rebate) after signing a two-year contract. PR after the break.
TeliaSonera prices LTE service, offers free modem upgrade next year
It's pretty easy to fall far enough into the 4G mania trap that you lose sight of the important stuff -- like, say, how much cash you're going to be shedding every month for the delightful privilege of delivering 10Mbps-plus speeds straight to your lappie. Sweden's TeliaSonera -- which just launched service in Oslo and its home turf in Stockholm -- has revealed that users will be paying ridiculously low fees to get 'em to sign up before bumping rates mid-contract, a tactic stolen right out of Comcast's playbook. To start, Stockholm residents will be paying SEK4 a month until July 2010, which works out to just 56 cents, while Oslo folks pay a NOK1 (17 cent) pittance until April 2010. After those rates expire, though, watch out: Stockholm goes up to SEK599 ($83) for 30GB of usage and Oslo bumps to NOK699 ($120). That's a hell of an increase -- but then again, 30GB of service at torrent-friendly speeds is a tempting proposition. Anyhow, the other interesting tidbit of this story is the fact that early adopters (read: anyone lining up at the store to sign up today) will get a free upgrade to Samsung's HSPA / LTE dual-mode modem next year once it's available; the current model is LTE-only, which makes roaming a bit tricky. Kind of them, no?
T-Mobile Tap and webConnect Jet now available
Looking for a cheap full touch handset or a USB stick with 3G capability for T-Mobile? Heck, why not both? The self-branded Tap intro'd last month has now hit retail, bringing a 2 megapixel cam, GPS, stereo Bluetooth, and a choice of two hunger-inducing colors for $79.99 on contract. Coming alongside the Tap is the webConnect Jet USB modem, which can find its way into your shopping cart for as little as zero dollars -- $50 less than the older webConnect it slides next to in the lineup. Drop Android onto that feisty little Tap, sell it for the same price, and we're pretty sure we'd have a winner on our hands -- next year, perhaps? Read - webConnect Jet Read - T-Mobile Tap (Berry) Read - T-Mobile Tap (Midnight Blue)
AT&T intros USBConnect Lightning for 7.2Mbps service
When you're rolling out a new 7.2Mbps upgrade to your network, it naturally helps if you've got some compliant hardware in the stable -- so to that end, AT&T has announced its USBConnect Lightning from Sierra Wireless today. Apart from 7.2Mbps downlink capability, the new model's little more than a run-of-the-mill USB stick so there's not a lot to say about it, though it features a trick swiveling USB connector that should make the thing more likely to work with unusual (and unusually tight) port configurations. It'll be available on November 22 for free after rebate on contract, just in time for service launches in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami expected by the end of the year.
Verizon broadband data goes prepaid
Heavy users are still going to need the 5GB monthly postpaid option (and really, let's be honest, a lot of us need well more than 5GB), but the occasional "crap, I really have to grab that spreadsheet off the intranet" moment might be well-served by Verizon's new prepaid data option announced today. "Occasional" really is the key word here, because it's not cheap -- $15 per day for 75MB, $30 per week for 250MB, or $50 per month for 500MB -- but hey, we guess we've gotta get Big Red used to the idea of offering a la carte data for a while before it becomes affordable to the masses. In the meantime, it'll be offered bundled with a USB760 modem (pictured) in Verizon and Best Buy locations starting on November 16.
Samsung LTE USB modem winds up in FCC database
Samsung's made some lofty boasts regarding its LTE support before, and here we go with some official documentation of US-bound products care of the FCC. The agency's database lists device A3LSLCU100 (catchy name, eh?) as a pre-production LTE USB modem from the company -- and that's about it. As for the usual fun of looking at over-saturated internal / external photos, good ol' Sammy's got a window of 180 days of confidentiality that started September 24th, so by our count, we've got potentially quite a while before we see something. The best we get now is this label outline above -- one more, equally nondescript shot after the break, if you're curious.
Samsung and TeliaSonera bringing LTE to vikings in 2010
Scandinavian folks tend to be a pretty cheerful bunch during the summer, and now Swedes and Norwegians will have reason to smile through the cold dark winters as well, with Samsung announcing an agreement to provide TeliaSonera with "mobile broadband devices for commercial service next year." This agreement relates to Sammy's Kalmia 4G USB modem and adds to the Swedish operator's LTE push, which already counts Ericsson and Huawei among the contracted hardware providers. So that's 100Mbps mobile broadband, coming to a snow-covered nation near you within the next dozen months or so. All we would ask of our viking friends now is that they remember their world-conquering ways of the past and start spreading that goodness globally. Come on, it's our right! Full press release after the break.
LG gets mysterious AWS LTE device through FCC
If this strange, rather unhelpful FCC label diagram looks vaguely familiar, that'd be because it's in the same product family as another LTE-compatible device submitted by LG to the FCC not long ago: the M13 with EV-DO compatibility. In fact, we'd venture to guess that this newly-passed M4 is basically the same thing as the M13, merely swapping 700MHz LTE and EV-DO for AWS LTE alone, which is the spectrum range that MetroPCS -- which has aggressively committed to rolling out LTE as soon as next year -- will need. LG's been meticulous about making sure it doesn't say anything specific enough in the FCC documentation to let us lay folk nail down exactly what it is, but there are brief mentions of connectivity via USB, so it's conceivable were looking at some sort of data modem here. Either that, or... you know, it's a piece of base station or test equipment that we'll never even come close to seeing in the flesh.
