virgin mobile
Latest
Virgin Mobile preparing to alter pricing, send love to BlackBerry users?
With price hikes trending as the mobile industry's latest fashion faux pas, it appears that Virgin Mobile is readying its latest summer styles -- and yes, it may cost you. Sir Branson's minute misers will pay an extra $10 each month ($35 total) for the same 300 minutes, and casual chatters will pay an additional $5 each month ($45 total) for their familiar 1,200 minutes. Fortunately, those with an unlimited voice plan will actually pay $5 less, thanks to the new $55 plan, and the company seems prepared to eliminate its $10 monthly tax on Blackberry users -- not a bad move, since they've got it hard enough already. Hey, at least a few will be thankful for the Rebel Billionaire's latest move.
Spotify partners with Virgin Media to stream music to UK TVs, smartphones
Spotify, the Rhapsody of Europe, may still be an unfamiliar brand stateside, but the service just inked a deal with Virgin Media to bring streaming music to Virgin's broadband customers, set-top boxes, and mobile phones in the UK. The deal will bundle Unlimited (£4.99) or Premium (£9.99) monthly Spotify tiers, at to-be-determined discounted rates, allowing new and existing subscribers to access millions of tracks from any of their compatible home and mobile devices. Open (free) Spotify customers will reportedly need to upgrade to a paid version, but only to access the service on Virgin's set-top boxes, we presume -- don't expect to see a blanket ban on all devices. Until pricing is announced, the partnership appears to be more of a win for Spotify than for customers, who will still need to pay up before rockin' out, but set-top integration is likely to be a boon with digital TV subscribers, letting them bring those infamous Euro house music raves to an actual house.
Samsung Galaxy S II gets official for Canada on Bell, Virgin Mobile and SaskTel
We've already had some indication of where and when the Galaxy S II would land in Canada, and three carriers have now finally made things fully official (even if they haven't yet got completely specific). That includes Bell and Virgin Mobile -- neither of which are confirming a price at the moment -- plus regional carrier SaskTel, which plans to offer the phone for $79.99 on a three-year contract. SaskTel and Virgin Mobile both also say that the phone will be available in the coming weeks, while Bell isn't offering much more than a chance to win the phone in a contest that ends July 19th -- we've previously heard that the phone will be hitting Bell on July 14th. Perhaps not surprisingly, it's looking like the phone will also alternatively be known as the "Galaxy S II" or "Galaxy S II 4G" depending on the carrier.
Motorola Triumph for Virgin Mobile goes up for pre-order at Best Buy for $300
Fans of Virgin Mobile's prepaid plans were mighty jazzed over the Motorola Triumph, a 4.1-inch, vanilla Froyo-packing handset that might seem ho-hum on paper, but is a marked improvement over what you'd normally be able to score without the shackles of a two-year service agreement. At the time, more than a few of our readers swore that once they dutifully fulfilled their contractual obligations, a Motorola handset sans Motoblur would be enough to send them packing to Virgin. Well, it's time to put your money where your mouth is: she's up for pre-order at Best Buy for $299.99. In the world of unlocked phones, of course, that's a steal. Why, the Droid Charge costs the same with a two-year contract, and the (admittedly higher-end) Dell Venue fetches $500 unlocked, with the iPhone 4 topping it at $649. Order now and you're in for several weeks of thumb-twiddling -- Best Buy estimates it'll arrive sometime between July 19th and July 26th. As always, commitment-phobes, hit the source link to order and peep the spec list while you're at it.
Motorola Triumph release date leaked by 'People' magazine, coming to Virgin on July 19th
You've seen many views of the Motorola Triumph in our recent hands-on segment, but perhaps no angle is so tempting as the release date itself. Fortunately, that tidbit arrives courtesy People's current issue, where Virgin Mobile's July 19th release date is outed on page 77 -- in the StyleWatch Concierge section, if you just have to know. Given the "379 hot summer looks" to fawn over, it's easy to overlook this Blur-less handset, but the proof awaits at your local news stand. Sadly, we're still waiting on pricing for this newcomer, but perhaps it'll show in the next edition of The Economist, no?
Virgin Mobile lets Android run Blur-free on the Motorola Triumph
Motorola hopes to rescue its tarnished MOTOBLUR UI with a name-change. We, however, think the rust runs deeper than that -- and it seems we're not alone. Virgin Mobile has decided to give its prepaid customers the "true Android experience" from now on, which means you'll find no proprietary shell whatsoever sitting atop its new Motorola Triumph handset. Aside from a few bits of Virgin bloatware, the Triumph escapes with a relatively standard install of Android 2.2. Meanwhile, MOTOBLUR will still be foisted on pay-monthly customers who buy a Photon 4G or XPRT from Sprint, Virgin Mobile's parent company. Some of them might like the shell and its add-ons, but others will be better off without such OS contamination.
Motorola Triumph for Virgin Mobile hands-on (video)
We're live here at Motorola / Sprint's press event in New York City, and while most of the folks are swarming around the newly minted Photon 4G, we wanted to give some love to the Motorola Triumph, the first Moto handset to land on Virgin Mobile's network. While the 4.1-inch, Froyo-packing phone and its 2GB of storage might seem ho-hum to spec junkies, it's a shockingly solid option for a prepaid carrier. And it comes Motoblur-free! How many Photon 4Gs have that to say for themselves? Take a stroll past the break for a tour, and see why we think the Triumph could actually be a pretty solid score for those who detest strings and fine print. Update: Looks like it's coming in July, per Virgin's site. %Gallery-125986%
Virgin Mobile welcomes 4.1-inch Motorola Triumph, brings Froyo to the prepaid side
Fear not, pay-as-you-go fans -- Virgin Mobile saw a hat tip of its own at today's Sprint / Motorola event in the form of the Triumph, a 4.1-inch Android 2.2 handset that perhaps doesn't quite live up to it's hyperbolic name. Virgin Mobile's first-ever Motorola handset has 2GB of built-in storage, 512MB of RAM, a five megapixel camera, WVGA display, 1400mAh battery, A-GPS, WiFi, a Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU and HDMI output. It also comes pre-loaded with Virgin Live 2.0, a musical social networking feature that gives users access to exclusive musical content -- not quite the stuff victory laps are made out of, but it's certainly a welcome addition to the prepaid market. Triumphant press release after the break, which is triumphantly devoid of any pricing / release information. %Gallery-125986%
Smartphone buyer's guide: the best phones for Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and more!
The world of smartphones changes mighty quickly, and if you blink, you're bound to miss the latest and most delectable devices. That's where we come in, to provide timely roundups of everything your friends expect you to know, along with the insight that you crave. To bring you up to speed, in our December buyer's guide, at first blush you might have thought we were doing an overview of the best Android phones on the market. That's because of our 16 highly-esteemed handsets, a whopping 13 of them had Google's operating system at the core. As you'll see, the landscape has changed somewhat, and these new contenders that have come out swinging. We've broken down this buyer's guide by mobile carrier, each including the best handset money can buy, our favorite QWERTY alternative, and the most well-rounded budget phone available (with $79 as the absolute ceiling). For smaller US providers, we're providing a single selection, though we're confident it's a good one. You'll definitely be presented with some difficult choices, but that's merely a testament to the abundance of stellar phones that aggressively compete for your dollar. With that said, let's dive in -- it's roundup time.
Virgin Mobile announces new Broadband2Go plan, doles out 500MB for $20
Having an exclusive plan all to yourself deserves bragging rights -- just ask Virgin Mobile's ZTE Peel. When introduced last month, the Peel came with a brand-new monthly option that offered 500MB of data for $20, earning the envy of its broadband brethren. Starting today, Virgin Mobile is changing course to offer this plan on the network's other Broadband2Go devices, the Ovation MC 760 USB and MiFi 2200. What's a bit puzzling here is that this new plan will be simultaneously offered next to Walmart's deal -- which doubles the capacity to 1GB for the same monthly fee. Confused? Us too. Anyway, if you're still interested, look for the new plan to go live at 10 AM ET.
ZTE Peel 3200 joins Virgin Mobile's broadband bargain bin
If you own an iPod Touch, you know that finding a wifi hotspot in the outside world is more precious than gold. How much would it be worth to have such a treasure with you all of the time? Virgin Mobile thinks it's worth $100, the cost of the quietly-launched ZTE Peel 3200. If the name sounds familiar, that's because Sprint has been offering the 3G mobile-hotspot-in-a-case since November. The only difference between the two -- aside from the logos -- is the number that follows the dollar sign. Compared to Sprint's $80 offering, Virgin's model tragically demands a larger share of your wallet than its twin brother, and only offers one prepaid plan of 500 MB per month for $20. That's not too shabby if you're a casual user looking for a bargain, but it certainly isn't ideal for those of us data guzzlers who voraciously download every Engadget podcast. And we almost forgot the important part: the Peel will only fit on second and third-gen iPod Touch models, so take a quick glance at your device to make sure it's compatible before you click that "buy now" button. [Thanks, Eli]
Sprint plays the green card, drops $10 data surcharge on Froyo-based Samsung Replenish
Sprint's been playing the all-encompassing Eco-Friendly card for some time now, and it looks as if last year's Restore (now available on Virgin Mobile USA for $79.99 off-contract) is gaining an ultra-green sibling. Samsung's newly unveiled Replenish feels a bit like an Android 2.2-powered, somewhat matured BlackJack, boasting a 2.8-inch QVGA display, 2 megapixel camera / camcorder, inbuilt WiFi / GPS, a microSD card slot, an optional solar door charging accessory and a trio of color options (black, blue and -- our personal favorite -- "raspberry pink"). Curious about eco-cred? It'll ship May 8th for $49.99 (on a two-year contract) with fully recyclable packaging and a casing that includes 34.6 percent post-consumer recycled plastic content. Oh, and there's a postage-paid envelope to recycle your old phone, too. Folks opting to throw Ma Earth a bone by picking one up must activate it on an Everything Data plan, but the carrier will be waiving the $10 monthly premium data add-on charge to -- get this -- "make it easier for customers to make eco-friendly buying decisions." Translation: you'll buy whatever's cheapest. Full release is after the break. %Gallery-121381%
Virgin releases Froyo for Samsung Intercept, users' phones lock on target
Samsung Intercept users will notice their messaging handset snaring a Froyo update in the coming weeks courtesy of Virgin Mobile, which effectively brings the device back to par with the Android community. While the 2.2 release comes a bit later than we'd originally anticipated, Virgin's discount subscribers will finally delight in the improved responsiveness, auto-updates and expanded app storage that Sprint's Intercept users have enjoyed for months. As you wait for this frozen dessert to be dished your way, perhaps you'd consider writing a quick 'thank you' to a certain rebel billionaire. (Just a suggestion, but we're sure he'd love it).
Sprint's Common Cents brand falls into the sofa cushions, replaced by Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk
It was some... curious timing. On May 6th of last year Sprint's new boy toy Virgin Mobile announced the Beyond Talk prepaid plan. Then, just a week later, Sprint launched its own, separate prepaid plan, Common Cents. Beyond Talk started at $25 a month for 300 minutes while Common Cents was $.07 per minute, all contact free. The latter of those two is now dying away, never catching on despite what must be said is a rather catchy name. Its users are being lumped into the Virgin payLo scheme, while Beyond Talk will take over the kiosks and marketing avenues currently occupied by Common Cents. There, with its rag-tag group of featurephones and data plans, it will continue the fight against the evil TracFone empire.
Galaxy Prevail leaked along with other Boost and Virgin Mobile updates
A few hours ago -- mere days before a joint Samsung and Boost Mobile event scheduled April 5th in New York City -- we received a 19-page document from Sprint's Prepaid Group outlining the updates and devices coming to Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile this month. The piece de resistance in this document is the Galaxy Prevail, a Samsung phone that's been rumored for a couple weeks now. Details are scarce, but spec-wise it looks like a low-end Android smartphone with a 3.2-inch touchscreen and a 2 megapixel camera. As such, it's similar to the Galaxy Gio, but with a CDMA radio and a downgraded shooter. The Galaxy Prevail will be Boost Mobile's first CDMA Android smartphone and will be priced at $180. Boost Mobile will also begin volume sales of the Samsung Factor, a simple clamshell phone costing $50, and will offer new international flat-rate packages starting April 11th. The document also highlights a couple of devices for Virgin Mobile that are already available from parent company Sprint: the Samsung Restore, a QWERTY slider that will sell for $80, and the ZTE Peel 3200, an iPod touch case with built-in 3G hotspot that will retail for $100. We don't have any details on availability other than "April", but you can take a look at the leaked document in our gallery below. %Gallery-120277% [Thanks, anonymous tipster]
HTC Incredible S coming to Virgin in Canada for $500?
After reading a heartwarming review of the European-spec HTC Incredible S we're left wondering when we, the colonies, will get ourselves a taste. The US-spec Incredible 2 looks to be coming soon enough, but our neighbors to the north will keep the S moniker, and are said to be getting it soon. It's believed to be hitting Bell on April 4th, and now the above image purports to show the phone also listed in Virgin's inventory system. The price is $499.99, while a carbon fiber shield is going for a bargain $24.95 -- useful if you want that Atrix look but are hoping for PlayStation certification thanks to the Adreno 205 graphics here.
Virgin Mobile's Samsung Intercept getting Froyo around March 25th
Avoiding the troubles parent company Sprint had with its own update a few weeks ago, Virgin Mobile has announced on Twitter that its own version of the Samsung Intercept is signed up to get an update to Android 2.2 "about" March 25th, right around a month from today. Hopefully "about" doesn't give them carte blanche to shift it to April 25th, and then May 25th, and then... well, you get the idea -- but considering that the same hardware already has a retail update in Sprint clothing, we can't imagine there's too much work to get it reskinned with Virgin colors. [Thanks, Zach]
Virgin Mobile teases 4.1-inch Android phone with Snapdragon in survey
Virgin Mobile USA has been all about the low- to midrange in its smartphone efforts thus far, but it sounds like that could be about to change in the not-too-distant future. In a survey to customers gauging their opinions of different potential brand names, the Sprint subsidiary talks about a device with a 4.1-inch WVGA display, 5 megapixel camera, HDMI-out, and a Snapdragon core -- specs that easily put it head and shoulders above the Samsung Intercept and LG Optimus V. We can't think of any CDMA devices out there right now that line up with this, though both Dell and ViewSonic have used 4.1-inch displays on Android devices recently. Would be pretty crazy to see Dell make a CDMA play on Virgin of all carriers, wouldn't it? [Thanks, DJSlipside]
LG Optimus V is seriously, officially official for Virgin Mobile at $150
It was apparently on sale in some locations if you looked hard enough last week, but the latest rendition of LG's ubiquitous Optimus series of midrange Android phones -- the Optimus V -- is now totally official for Virgin Mobile USA. Though it's basically a dead ringer for the Optimus S sold by parent company Sprint, Virgin has naturally red-ified the UI... and it has also inexplicably changed the order of the physical buttons, continuing Android's proud, longstanding tradition of hitting end users with every possible permutation of button order under the sun. It's available immediately online and from Radio Shack for $149.99 off-contract with other retailers picking up stock throughout the month. Follow the break for the full press release.
LG Optimus V for Virgin Mobile starts leaking at retail
LG's been pulling a good old-fashioned Galaxy S with its midrange Optimus line in the States, having launched on Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, and MetroPCS over the past several months -- and the latest to take delivery will be Virgin Mobile, which shouldn't come as a big surprise seeing how Virgin's a Sprint brand. We know this because the so-called Optimus V actually already starting to go on sale in some places, which has led eager buyers to post a few shots and videos of the phone doing its thing in the wild; as you might expect, it's essentially an Optimus S with Virgin software swapped in place of the Sprint stuff. Pricing looks to be $150 off-contract, which is pretty aggressive -- especially when you put it up against the $250 Samsung Intercept. Follow the break for a quick video of this thing out in the concrete jungle. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
