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Sprint flips the switch on LTE in Kansas City, your Galaxy S III just got a whole lot better
A few weeks back, Sprint had said its fresh Long Term Evolution waves would be hitting a total of five markets by July 15th, but it looks like one lucky city is seeing the changes kick in a wee bit earlier than expected. According to S4GRU, the site's been hit with endless tips from folks like yourself, all claiming The Now Network's LTE signal is now live in Kansas City, while others are also noticing the speed boosts in places like St. Joseph, Manhattan and Missouri. How about you, though? Is your shiny new LTE-capable slab (read: Galaxy S III or EVO 4G LTE) now getting the "true 4G" treatment? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
Sprint's Palm C40: the Pre 2 that never made it
Take a look through the trousers of time at what might have been; a Palm Pre 2 on Sprint. WebOSNation managed to grab the very rare prototype from a Palm employee and it fortunately worked on the Now Network without the need for any screwdrivers or warranty busting. Despite its second-hand status, the phone cheerfully handled webOS 2.2.4, albeit without a licensed webOS Doctor. Aside from the swap to a CDMA radio, the rest of phone hardware chimes with the Verizon version that did arrive. A handful of bloatware Sprint apps are on the device, including a ringtone store -- how quaint! Take a closer look at the source below.
Sprint introduces My Wireless STS service to assist folks with speech disabilities
Sprint's had text-to-speech services on devices like the Samsung Epic 4G for quite some time, and now, looking to build up on that, the company's introducing its My Wireless STS feature. The new speech-to-speech service aims to help people with speech disabilities by giving them access to an operator-assisted line every day of the week and all year round. Folks wanting to use the My Wireless STS will have to dial *787 from their device, after which a Now Network rep will start a call and repeat every spoken word -- or ones that are unclear -- depending on users choice. Relay Director, Michael Ellis, says Sprint is "the first in the industry to bring this service to market," and that the project was developed closely with the help of speech disabled communities. If you're interested in learning more, there's a mighty presser waiting on you just past the break.
Sprint LG Viper 4G up for pre-order now, coming on April 22nd
Just as promised when we first met the carrier's Viper 4G, Sprint's placing the device up for pre-order today. Notably, rumors of an eventual April 22nd release date can now rest comfortably, with The Now Network saying it'll do its best to get the Gingerbread handset on all early-adopting hands before Sunday. For being one of Sprint's initial LTE slabs, the Viper bears a flexible $99 price tag -- of course, that's with a two-year deal, a $50 mail-in rebate and an understanding that the carrier's LTE waves aren't even live yet. If you're not due an upgrade just yet, though, then you'll have to part ways with around $400. Sound good? Head over to the source below to give it a last gander before you decide to add it to your cart.
Is this the LTE-ready Sprint HTC EVO One?
Did the likes of HTC's One X and One S catch your attention? Well, those looking for something with a seasoning of Sprint might interested in the phone nestled in the middle. According to Pocketnow, this is a press shot of the HTC EVO One, supposedly packing a 4.7-inch 720p display, a dual-core Snapdragon processor and LTE capabilities. We have our reservations on that name (EVO HD?) and those slightly dated style lines, but know that the Now Network and HTC are primed to show off something tomorrow. Rumors add that a 2650mAh battery and (hopefully intelligently placed) kickstand could also be part of the offering. Expect to hear some definitive answers at Sprint's big reveal -- we'll be there.
Sprint outlines LTE coverage plans at RCA Expo
Sprint customer? Still supping from the 3G cup? Well if you were wondering if you'll ever get to try the sweet taste of LTE, wonder no more. The Now Network revealed a coverage map at the RCA Expo, and the image above was kindly grabbed by PC Mag's Sascha Segan. Those green areas are the locales that'll be getting LTE, and as you can see it's a fairly comprehensive -- though not altogether surprising -- spread. The rollout is said to be planned for completion by 2014, so you've still got time for that handset upgrade. Those of you in Montana or one of the many other blue areas on the map aren't entirely forgotten, though, as these regions will have roaming agreements in place, so no need for an extra contract just yet.
Leaked Sprint memo reveals upcoming Direct Connect Now app for Android
It's been nearly a year since The Now Network ditched iDEN and unveiled its CDMA push-to-talk menu, the latter of which could see a major boost in the near future. A recently leaked doc would suggest Sprint's got a Direct Connect Now Android app in the works -- one that wouldn't have you rockin' some ruggedized hardware. The memo also reveals the application is set to "launch in 2012," with the Samsung Transformer Ultra being the first device to carry it. Naturally, the alleged PTT goodies will adjust to touchscreen handsets, bringing new controls alongside group calling and support for both Sprint and Nextel's Direct Connect services. Let's just hope Sprint doesn't bail on this like it did on QChat...
Sprint offering free 3G / 4G Plug-in-connect, clears space for faster dongles
Over the weekend, Sprint announced it's handing out one of its 3G / 4G dongles free of charge to its customers -- with a catch, though. The gratis U602 Plug-in-connect can be yours now if you're rockin' an American Express Prepaid Reward Card, getting a new line or willing to sign a fresh two-year deal. And, if those options aren't tempting enough, you'll unfortunately have to part ways with a mere 50 bucks in order to take one home. However, don't expect this Now Network USB connector to let you surf on those promised LTE waves, since beloved WiMax speeds (with 3G as a fallback option) are all you can get. Sound good? The Plug-in-connect is up for grabs now at your local store or via the source link below.
Sprint goes a little crazy with new Pre advertising
We hadn't necessarily taken the Pre crowd as the attention-span-of-a-gnat sort, but in case our psychology is dead off, Sprint has formulated a truly mind-blowing 60 seconds of video that runs down a series of meaningless stats -- the number of emails just sent containing "miracle banana diet," for example -- and ties it all together neatly at the end as a plug for the carrier's 3G and 4G networks. Perhaps more importantly, the Pre makes two brief appearances in the ad -- but if you're looking to take your visual overload to the next level, you can have a peep at Sprint's updated "Plug into Now" site, which blasts you with a seemingly endless series of widgets that keep you abreast of stats like the number of lung transplants that occurred today, the number of shopping days until Christmas, and the current national debt. Clicking on the Pre takes you to a dedicated series of Pre widgets complete with a spinning Pre -- nothing new, really, but if you simply must have fast access to Pre mentions on Twitter, this might just be your dream come true. Follow the break for Sprint's ad, but make sure you're not too amped on caffeine first. [Via PreCentral, thanks James]
