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Best Buy Connect wireless service is official, offers contract-free plans
We'll admit that we never took Best Buy as the kind of company to sell its own wireless service, but you know what Best Buy does sell? Laptops with unlocked WWAN modems, and to that end, the retailer's Best Buy Connect offering seems to be a pretty attractive one. Monthly plan pricing is about what you'd expect from anyone else, and you'll be able to choose between two-year, one-year, and contract-free packages for the same price -- the only difference is how much subsidy they'll throw in for you upfront. On a two-year deal, you'll get $275 off the compatible laptop of your choice, which compares favorably against all of its competitors -- AT&T at $150, Verizon at $200, and Sprint at $250 -- while you'll pay $60 for 5GB of data, $40 for 500MB, or $30 for 250MB (only available without a contract). Sure, you might not attract the glitz, glamor, and curious stares that a high-fashion name brand like Verizon might... but seriously, who are we kidding? Data is data, and if this works well, it sounds like a square deal. Hit up the source link for all the details. [Thanks, Christian]
TeliaSonera gears up to ship first dual-mode LTE / 3G USB WWAN modem
Care about Samsung's GT-B3730? Probably not... but what if we told you that that very device is the planet's first commercially available dual-mode LTE / 3G WWAN modem? Now that we've got your attention, you may be interested in knowing that overseas operator TeliaSonera -- hailed as the first carrier on the planet to fire up an LTE network and make it available to Joe and Jane last year -- is just about ready to start shipping the aforesaid Samsung. As of now, the only way to hop onto their LTE superhighway is with a 4G-only modem, and while it had promised a two-faced stick in the second quarter of 2010, we're elated to finally put a face to a promise. The primary downside is that there's no current way for the USB modem to switch from LTE to 3G (or vice-versa) on the fly; instead, you'll need to kill the connection and start a new one when you leave / enter a 4G zone. Purportedly, the stick will play nice with both Windows and OS X, and it can hit real-world download rates as high as 80Mbps and upload rates of 16Mbps. Suddenly, a relocation to Sweden seems altogether more inviting, no?
Sprint ships dual-model 3G / 4G 250U USB WWAN modem, invites Mac to the party
Remember that cute-as-a-button 3G / 4G dual-mode WWAN stick that Clearwire outed a few days back? That little guy just made its way over to the Sprint side of things, giving folks yet another option when it comes time to pull the trigger on a device to get you onto the WiMAX superhighway. The Sierra Wireless-built 250U is available now through Business Direct and Business Solutions Partners followed by full channel availability by mid-July, with this bugger being the first in Sprint's arsenal to offer native dual-mode support in OS X as well as twin antenna ports. Naturally, Windows machines are also compatible, and the minuscule design sure makes it more attractive than those prone-to-snapping alternatives. It's available for precisely nothing so long as you sign a two-year data plan.
Clearwire intros new WiMAX mobile hotspots, Mac-friendly 3G / 4G USB WWAN modem
Lookin' for yet another avenue to hop on the 4G superhighway? Fret not, as Clearwire has just doled out a trio of new products intended to help you do just that. Prior to today, you had only a smattering of options to actually tap into Clear's WiMAX network, but the Clear Spot 4G (WiMAX only), Clear Spot 4G+ (dual-mode with 3G / 4G support) and Clear 4G+ Mobile USB stick have all arrived to give choosy moms more choices. The prior two are simply mobile broadband hotspots (think MiFi, but for 4G), with the 4G+ offering support for Sprint's 3G network if you happen to leave one of those few WiMAX zones already lit. The USB stick is particularly interesting, as it's the first dual-mode device hawked by Clear that's fully compatible with Apple OS X. The Clear Spot 4G will be made by InfoMark and available to purchase for $99.99 next month; those who hate committing can also lease one for $4.99 per month. The Sierra Wireless-built Spot 4G+ (a rebadged Overdrive; shown left) demands a hefty premium for that 3G support, with an MSRP of $224.99 (or least for $5.99 per month) and a similar July ship date. The 4G+ Mobile USB stick (shown right) will support OS X 10.5.x and 10.6.x (along with Windows, of course), and can be snapped up today for $114.99 or leased monthly for $5.99. Head on past the break if you're thirsty for more. %Gallery-95571%
How-to: stay connected while traveling internationally
It's a harsh reality that every avid traveler faces, and unless you're fortunate enough to have been born in a generation where you're not expected to check your inbox every half-hour, glance over Twitter updates every 7.23 minutes seconds and tell the world where you're at this very moment via Foursquare, you've probably found yourself wondering how on Earth you're going to remain connected once your swipe that passport and leave the comfy confines of a native network. Staying connected while traveling abroad is no easy task, and while the internet may feel ubiquitous to tech-savvy smartphone owners who remain planted within the borders of their home nation, the world wide web suddenly becomes a whole lot less easy to track down once you plop down on foreign soil. Looking to splurge on a little international travel this summer, but can't figure out how you're going to (affordably) upload those Twitpics and YouTube videos once you get there? Fret not, young jetsetter -- we've got the keys to keeping you connected whilst overseas just beyond the break.
iPhone OS 4.0 beta 4 includes AT&T tethering option
See that screen there? That's from the minty fresh beta 4 of iPhone OS 4.0, which was just released to developers moments ago. Unless our eyes are badly mistaken, that's an option to setup internet tethering on AT&T, something that WWAN warriors have been waiting for since... oh, forever. We're downloading the new build as we speak, and we'll let you know if we find anything out. Oh, and don't get your hopes up too high -- AT&T proclaimed that it was "still waiting on better network performance" before enabling iPhone tethering just three weeks ago. Update: There's a video of the screens after the break, just in case your belief was temporarily suspended for any reason. Thanks, Jerish! Update 2: Well, this is interesting -- we just updated an iPhone 3GS in Chicago, and we're not seeing the tethering option. We're guessing this is a glitch or just a mismatched carrier setting file, since so many others are seeing it, but we'll do some digging and see what's up. Update 3: Okay, we've got it sorted -- all it took was a quick network settings reset. Thanks, Gray! [Thanks, Pete]
Cellphones purportedly used more now for data, Gossip Girl blasts than calls
Ever notice how easy it is to find mobile plans with unlimited minutes these days? Yeah, it's because they're about as valuable as pea coats in the dead of summer. With more and more consumers disconnecting their landlines in favor of using their cellie for everything, the art of communicating via voice is also becoming lost. According to "government and industry data" cited in a New York Times report, the growth in voice minutes used by consumers has "stagnated," with 2009 being the first year ever in which the "amount of data in text, email messages, streaming video, music and other services on mobile devices [in the US] surpassed the amount of voice data in cellphone calls." Dan Hesse, Sprint's head honcho, even chimed in with this nugget: "Originally, talking was the only cellphone application; now it's less than half of the traffic on mobile networks." We also learned that the average length of a mobile call was just 1.81 minutes in 2009, a drop from the 2.27 minutes per call seen in 2008, with many individuals feeling that other communication methods (email, SMS, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) were far less invasive of someone's time, being that they could respond to those messages at their convenience. Of course, on the Upper East Side (where all the richies use Verizon dumbphones, apparently), we get the impression that yakking away about a cornucopia of drama is still the hotness.
Panasonic gifts Toughbook CF-T8 and CF-52 with much-needed spec bump
We've witnessed Panasonic update its Toughbook C1 and H1 Field earlier in the year, but two of the line's long-standing stalwarts have been hobbling along on last year's latest and greatest for far too long. Today, all that changes. Panny announced that the Toughbook CF-52 and business-minded Toughbook CF-T8 were both seeing long-overdue refreshes today, with the former being equipped with a 2.53GHz Core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM on the baseline model and up to a 250GB shock-mounted hard drive with quick release. It's also packing WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, internal 3G (from Gobi, so it rolls both ways) and a magnesium alloy case that's immune to basic bumps, bruises, shocks and splatters. As for the 12.1-inch CF-T8? That one's getting served a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 CPU, Windows 7 Professional, Bluetooth 2.1 and a battery good for some eight hours of use. Both machines are available now across the pond, with special bundles including your own personal David Hasslehoff knockoff to parade around with for the day.
Sierra Wireless AirCard 890 does 7.2Mbps on AT&T, slides into PC Card or ExpressCard slots
Talk about being flexible. Sierra Wireless' newest 7.2Mbps-capable AirCard (the 890, if you're curious) obviously isn't content with fitting into just one slot. Rather than forcing users to choose between compatibility with PCMCIA (PC Card) or ExpressCard, this particular WWAN card actually fits into both... but not at the same time, naturally. It's the first DataConnect card on AT&T's network to boast a 2-in-1 form factor, and moreover, it touts integrated GPS functionality for use with location-based services. 'Course, you won't be using one of these with your shiny new 15-inch MacBook Pro (smart move on that SD-for-ExpressCard swap, Steve-o), but everyone else can procure one starting May 5th for $49.99 after mail-in rebate and a new two-year DataConnect contract of at least $35 a month.
Clearwire CEO mentions that WiMAX could join LTE as one, Verizon Wireless CTO says no way
It's no huge secret that the differences between LTE and WiMAX aren't exceedingly drastic, and with the right support, the two could theoretically form one big, happy family. During this morning's CTIA keynote with Dan Hesse (Sprint's CEO) and Bill Morrow (Clearwire's CEO), the latter noted that he wasn't interested in waging a war with LTE, suggesting that his spectrum is "designed and built so we can add on LTE should we need to." 'Course, one would suggest that Clearwire's in no position to get angry with the standard that boasts larger industry support, but we digress. A few hours later during Verizon's LTE roundtable, the carrier's CTO (Tony Melone) responded to an audience question related to LTE and WiMAX becoming one. His brutally honest opinion? It'll never happen, and the "only big happy family" he can think of is the 3GPP to LTE crew, of which Verizon Wireless is obviously a member. He wouldn't elaborate on the whys or whats, only noting that it was his frank opinion on the matter from his knowledge in the field, but we can't candidly say that we'd love for the war to rage on -- competition is stellar, but joined efforts to create a larger, more robust 4G network sounds a lot sweeter to our ears than the clanging of swords.
Verizon Wireless: 'all' 4G WWAN devices will support 3G, too
Hear that, kids? Tony Melone -- Verizon Wireless' Senior VP and CTO -- confirmed to us during a one-on-one meeting after the company's CTIA roundtable discussion that every last one of its data-only LTE WWAN devices (aircards, MiFi-type products and USB data sticks, for example) would also support 3G. Not too surprising given the natural ties between the two technologies, but it's still refreshing to hear that every 4G data-only product that launches (at least initially) on VZW will also be able to hop onto the company's 3G network if you just so happen to break away from an LTE area. Can't say that for a smattering of existing WiMAX products. In related news, Tony also affirmed that Verizon would be "interested" in getting a smartphone on its LTE network that could double as a mobile hotspot, exactly how the Palm Pre Plus does now (but on 3G, obviously). As for pricing when it comes to LTE data rates? Tony wouldn't give us any indication of the carrier's plans, but if it's anything similar to whispers we've heard in the past (not to mention rates already seen through Clearwire), it'll probably be at least marginally more expensive than what you're paying today for third-generation access.
Verizon talks commercial LTE deployment details: data devices first, smartphones in '1H 2011'
We just spent a tick talking with Verizon Wireless' Senior Vice President and Chief Technical Officer Tony Melone (shown speaking) after the company's LTE roundtable here at CTIA, and while we've heard a lot through the grapevine recently, we wanted to set a few things straight for ourselves. For starters, VZW affirmed that data-centric devices would be splashing down on its commercial LTE network first, possibly as early as the end of this year. When we asked specifically what kinds of devices he meant, he stated that "aircards, USB data sticks and MiFi-type devices" would be first out of the chunnel, with smartphones being "about a quarter behind." Naturally, we asked why there would be a delay, and he stated that getting a smartphone onto a new network is more difficult than a simple data-only product; there are obvious voice-related issues to work through that aren't present when you're only sucking down torrents, and it'll take some time before full-on phones join the fray. He assured us the earlier data-only device launches wouldn't be "a public trial," and he noted that a conservative estimate as to when we'd see LTE phones on Verizon would be "the first half of 2011." Though, he did confess that folks would likely be pushing for earlier ship dates, and we may see a few phones drop closer to January than July if all the stars align.
Dell Inspiron Mini 10 shipping April 1st with integrated Clear WiMAX
Dell's vanilla Atom N450-based Mini 10 just started shipping a couple of months ago, and if you'll recall, we spotted one slip through the FCC's oh-so-vulnerable database with WiMAX built-in. Today at CTIA, Clearwire spilled the news that it'll be providing the service for a 4G-infused version of the netbook come April 1st. What's interesting is that Clearwire only mentions it being for sale "through select Clear retail locations, telesales and Clear.com," so it's still unknown if it'll be offered up through the Round Rock powerhouse itself (as the Studio 17, Studio XPS 1640 and Latitude E4300, etc. are). The machine will be sold for $249.99 after an instant rebate, though no specifics were mentioned concerning a per-month data plan price. If we were the betting type, we'd say it'll probably run you 40 bones for every 30 days based on existing rates.
JooJoo hits the FCC, reveals NVIDIA Ion, 3G card
Well well. We'd always suspected that the JooJoo tablet was hiding something extra to run HD video and Flash, and it's just hit the FCC with full documentation and a teardown confirming that there's an NVIDIA Ion GPU paired with an Atom N270 packed inside. We're also seeing a 3G card in there, although it's unclear whether it'll be active or installed at launch -- we've been told the 3G version won't be ready until sometime later this year, but things have been changing fast, so that may be in flux as well. There's also a picture showing it running Windows, but we're assuming that's just for testing purposes -- we'd also bet it'd be an easy little hack. But back to Ion for a second: our experience with first-gen Ion netbooks has been one of decreased performance and drastically reduced battery life, so we're very curious to see how the JooJoo holds up compared to modern netbooks running Intel's Pine Trail chips and NVIDIA's Optimus-based Ion 2. We'll see -- it's supposed to ship in just a few weeks. Two more pics after the break. P.S.- Oh, and Fusion Garage got back to us yesterday with a list of supported local video formats, and it's pretty decent: AVI, MPEG-4, MOV, WMV and WMA, FLV (Flash Video), VOB, OGG, OGM and OGV, MKV (Mastroska), DiVX and XViD. We'll see how the battery holds up, though -- our very own Joanna Stern predicts a best case of 3.5 hours with WiFi on and a video playback time of two hours.
AT&T selects LTE equipment suppliers, 'commercial deployment' planned for 2011
Aw, snap. We knew good and well that the iPhone's exclusive home in America (cue groans) was planning to hopscotch right around HSPA+ and move straight to LTE, but it's always good to see a little confirmation from the carrier, you know? AT&T has today confessed to selecting its two LTE suppliers (Alcatel-Lucent and Ericsson), and better still, that it will begin its LTE rollout in 2011. As expected, field trials are slated to get going later this year, and for those of you concerned about the outfit's (admittedly lacking) 3G network, we're hearing positive things on that front as well. Purportedly, 3G equipment delivered to AT&T by the suppliers starting this year will be "easily convertible to LTE," and Ma Bell has assured us that it "plans to make the nation's fastest 3G network even faster in advance of LTE networks and devices scaling." Shame that whole "plans" thing can change without notice, but we won't jump to any conclusions just yet.
Dell E6510 / Margaux strolls through the FCC (Update: E6410 too)
Recall, if you will, Dell's aluminum-clad E6500: a mobile workhorse that some rank as highly, if not higher than Lenovo's venerable ThinkPad line (albeit with one slight hiccup in its service history). Well, the company has quite rightly decided that it's time to freshen things up with a new model, so let us all say a big howareya to the E6510. Code-named Margaux and bearing the product code PP30LA, this machine's journey through the FCC reveals Compal as its manufacturer, Intel and Windows as the major hardware and software providers (no surprises there), and a seemingly unaltered touchpad from the previous generation. The battery label seems to indicate a cool 6,700mAh of juice, while connectivity is taken care of with WiFi, WWAN and a UWB/Bluetooth combo card, with the latter two likely being optional extras. All in all, it's looking like a competent new outing from Dell, now let's just jack that Core i5 in there and start selling these babies. Update: The E6410, aka Rothschild, aka PP27LA, has also slinked its way through the American certification committee, though it appears to bear a smaller maximum battery capacity of 4,600 mAh and no UWB option when compared to its larger-screened brother. Skip past the break for a visual of its internal arrangement.
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%
Seven Chevy models eligible for $199 Autonet Mobile WiFi router
Slowly but surely, General Motors looks like it's pushing Autonet Mobile's in-car WiFi option to each and every one of the vehicles it sells, and while we recently heard that it was making its way into a few other autocars for the not-at-all-appealing price of $500 (up front), this offer sounds a wee bit more palatable. Dubbed "Chevrolet Wi-Fi by Autonet Mobile," the add-on is now certified for installation in the Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and Express, and if you get in before December 31st, you'll be able to add internet to your ride for $199 after mail-in rebate -- though a 2-year service agreement (at $29 per month) is also required. Just think how silent your kids will be on that cross-country trek to visit the in-laws this Christmas, though. Totally worth it. %Gallery-80286%
Atom-based PsiXpda UMPC gets handled on video
Remember that retro-looking PsiXpda UMPC we spotted earlier this month? Turns out it looks just as old school in person. That said, we're still curiously attracted to the device, which sort of resembles an enlarged Touch Pro2 with a pinch of 1997 mixed in for good measure. The device was whipped out in the wild over at the LeWeb conference in Paris, and we were told that it was rocking Bluetooth, 3G WWAN, 1GB of RAM and a 16GB SSD, and we also learned that Windows XP was chosen due to its ease of integration within a corporate environment (though Ubuntu, Jolicloud and a host of other Linux-based operating systems can and will work). The QWERTY keyboard underneath is backlit in nature, the CPU is a 1.1GHz Atom and the removable battery is good for 2.5 hours of usage (with WiFi on) or 4 hours if using it offline. Hop on past the break for a peek of it in action, but keep the £500 price tag in mind before getting too excited. [Thanks, Charbax]
Dell Streak is a 5-inch Android 2.0 MID, packs 3G and WiFi (video)
Well, hello there! Those Dell MID rumors we've been hearing have finally received vindication in the form of a nice, picture-heavy leak courtesy of some industrious folks in Vietnam. What we know as of now is that there's an 800 x 480 capacitive touchscreen display (with multitouch zooming), WiFi, Bluetooth and 3G WWAN connectivity, all riding atop an Android 2.0 (aka, Donut Eclair) install. A dual-LED flash 5 megapixel camera adorns the back, and there's a 1,300mAh battery to power all that goodness. See pics below and a video awaits after the break, where an old friend of ours plays with the jumbo smartphone. [Via SlashGear; Thanks, Nicky N.] %Gallery-76104%