AT&T’s LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250

 

In case you forget that AT&T's latest LTE-equipped smartphone hit shelves today, consider this a friendly reminder from your mobile obsessed friends here at Engadget. We're talking about the LG's Nitro HD, the 4.5-inch device we lovingly handled last week -- loaded with a skinned version of Android 2.3.5 Gingerbread, running atop its peppy 1.5 GHz Qualcomm APQ8060 dual-core processor. If you'll recall, it's notably packing a 1280 x 720p screen resolution with an ultra-crisp looking 329ppi, an 8 megapixel rear camera (1.3 MP up front) and a healthy 4GB of internal storage supplemented by an included 16GB microSD card (expandable to 32GB). Thankfully, bloatware on the Nitro is at an all time low, but we'd be remiss if we didn't mention that's it's been confirmed to be loaded with the ickyness of Carrier IQ. Sure, it's not as tasty as an Ice Cream Sandwich, but if your hungering for LTE-enabled 4G speeds on Ma Bell, at least you now have a third option. It can be yours now for $250 with a two-year renewal of service, and you'll find more info at the source link below.

AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Dec 2011 21:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T's LG Nitro HD goes up for sale, LTE-enabled Gingerbread pep for $250
Joe Pollicino
Mon, 05 Dec 2011 01:34:00 GMT

Verizon Gobbles Up $3.6 Billion Worth of Spectrum From Comcast, Others

 

In a $3.6 billion deal, Verizon Wireless just bought a large chunk of wireless spectrum from Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. As spectrum sales go, it’s rather large — just a billion less than the record-setting $4.74 billion Verizon paid for part of the former UHF band in 2008.

The 122 licenses that Verizon’s picked up potentially reach about 80% of the U.S. population, or 259 million people. Comcast and the others, under the joint venture SpectrumCo, originally picked up the spectrum in a 2006 government auction for $2.37 billion.

The terms of the sale go beyond just a simple exchange, however. According to the press release, the cable companies and Verizon will effectively become agents for each others services. Comcast et al. will eventually have the option of selling Verizon service on a “wholesale basis.” The companies also are partnering to develop technologies that better integrate wireless and wireline services.

While the agreement has potential to create many new product innovations, the implications may conflict with some fundamentals of Net Neutrality, which generally holds that services should should not be given preferred status over an Internet connection, regardless of who’s providing that connection. In the Federal Communication Commission’s recently published rules on Net Neutrality, however, some exceptions are made for wireless services.

In the release, Neil Smit, president of Comcast, says the agreements will enable the company to focus on providing mobility for the company’s Xfinity services. Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead said the new spectrum will enable the company to improve its rapidly growing 4G LTE network.

The spectrum is exclusively in the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) band, which involves microwave frequencies from 1,710 to 1,755 MHz as well as 2,110 to 2,155 MHz. The band is intended for data use on mobile devices. Back in 2006, the FCC auctioned of big parts of the AWS band to various wireless companies (most notably T-Mobile) as well as SpectrumCo, a joint venture between Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Sprint, and Bright House.

Cox and Sprint have since exited the partnership. Comcast is the big fish in that pond, owning 63.6% of SpectrumCo, netting it $2.3 billion on today’s sale. Time Warner’s and Bright House’s slices amount to $1.1 billion and $189 million, respectively.

The deal is subject to approval by the FCC and review under the Hart-Scott Rodino Act, which deals with antitrust law.

Verizon Gobbles Up $3.6 Billion Worth of Spectrum From Comcast, Others
Peter Pachal
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:03:09 GMT

Verizon Gives a First Look at the Motorola Droid 4

 

Although Verizon has yet to officially announce the Motorola Droid 4, that didn't stop the carrier from giving the world a sneak peek at this upcoming high-end Android smartphone.

Verizon Gives a First Look at the Motorola Droid 4
info@brighthand.com
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:42:34 GMT

LG Nitro HD For AT&T: Hands-On

 

Tonight at LG’s media event in New York City, we were lucky enough to get some quality time with the LG Nitro HD. The third in AT&T’s line of LTE-capable phones, the Nitro HD was announced earlier this week with a launch date of December 4 for AT&T. Some of its spec highlights include a 4.5-inch 720p display (like the HTC Rezound), a 1.5GHz dual-core processor, an 8-megapixel rear camera and 4G LTE support from AT&T, of course.

Since the Nitro was announced before its dedicated media event (and since it’s basically the Optimus LTE we’re seeing over in Europe), there’s really no reason to hash out all the specific deets. So let’s just get down to business, shall we?

First impressions:

• Right off the bat the first thing you’ll notice is the Nitro’s size. It’s a hefty little beast with that 4.5-inch screen and a waist line of 10.4mm. That’s not terribly thick but not what I would call thin, either. For some perspective, it’s thickness falls right between the Droid Razr and the HTC Rezound.
• The screen, as expected, is pretty slick running at 720p. With a resolution of 1280×720 on 4.5-inches of real estate, the LG Nitro HD actually has a slightly greater pixel density than the iPhone 4, at 329ppi as opposed to 326ppi. It’s not the best display I’ve ever seen, but it can certainly compete with many other recently released phones.
• As far as performance is concerned, we have no complaints here. The NitroHD is snappy and super responsive, and web browsing was pretty enjoyable. We haven’t gotten a chance to test out AT&T’s LTE network as New York City isn’t quite on the list yet, so unfortunately reflections on that will have to wait.
• The textured back finish feels nice, and gives the Nitro a much pricier feel than its plastic casing would imply. Still, the strip of brushed plastic around the edge lets loose the secret that back panel was keeping.

• The Nitro HD doesn’t take prints well at all, whether it’s the textured back panel or (most noticeably) the display.
• The 8-megapixel rear-facing camera performed very well, handling white balance and movement between light and dark settings well. Shutter lag was a bit annoying, but it’s certainly no worse than most Android phones.
• This particular LG device has an LG Optimus skin running over Android. It isn’t terribly obtrusive but does seem to slow things down a bit from a strictly vanilla experience.
• I’m somewhat bothered by the fact that the charging port is square on the top of the phone, as that makes it pretty difficult to play around with in landscape mode while plugged in. It also has a plastic covering protecting the port, which will probably snap right off after a couple weeks of use.

All in all, I’d call the LG Nitro HD a fine option, but not necessarily my first pick. It packs specs that can compete on paper, but simply can’t keep up on the hardware front. The Nitro HD will show up on AT&T shelves December 4 for $249 with a two-year contract.

 

LG Nitro HD For AT&T: Hands-On
Jordan Crook
Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:28:57 GMT

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread

 

It took a long time for the Galaxy S phones in the US to receive Android 2.2 Froyo, so it’s no surprise that Gingerbread would take just as long as well. For those of you who own the Samsung Fascinate on Verizon, it looks like the day has come for you to finally get Gingerbread on your phones – provided you haven’t already done the job yourself by loading a custom ROM. We all know that Ice Cream Sandwich is already out, but since it’s not going to arrive on this phone anytime soon (unless Verizon/Samsung prove us wrong) and you don’t plan to get your hands dirty – you might as well just enjoy the official Gingerbread update first.

According to reports online, it looks like the update also fixes the phone’s GPS and signal strength issues. So if you own a Samsung Fascinate, keep an eye out for the update notification for your phone or try pulling it manually. As usual, back up your phone just in case, and do let us know how the Gingerbread update goes for you.

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : Asus Transformer Prime Review,

 

Verizon Samsung Fascinate receives Gingerbread
George Wong
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:43:10 GMT

Sprint admits receiving CarrierIQ data but says its not spying

 

CarrierIQ supplies Sprint generalized data about how its customers’ smartphones perform on its network, but Sprint does not snoop into the private contents of those phones, Sprint said on Tuesday. While Sprint is primarily using that information to optimize both its network and how phones behave on it, the operator isn’t – and technically incapable of — tracking or viewing the contents of any message or media in the device, Sprint spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge said in an email. Here’s her full statement:

“Carrier IQ provides information that allows Sprint, and other carriers that use it, to analyze our network performance and identify where we should be improving service.  We also use the data to understand device performance so we can figure out when issues are occurring. We collect enough information to understand the customer experience with devices on our network and how to address any connection problems, but we do not and cannot look at the contents of messages, photos, videos, etc., using this tool. The information collected is not sold and we don’t provide a direct feed of this data to anyone outside of Sprint.

“Sprint is well known for our serious commitment to respecting and protecting the privacy and security of each customer’s personally identifiable information and other customer data. A key element of this involves communicating with our customers about our information privacy practices. The Sprint privacy policy makes it clear we collect information that includes how a device is functioning and how it is being used. Carrier IQ is an integral part of the Sprint service.  Sprint uses Carrier IQ to help maintain our network performance.”

Sprint, like many of its operator brethren, is in the firing line as a new research from Android developer Trevor Eckhart discovered what he termed a “rootkit” buried in the guts of many Android phones. The CarrierIQ software tracks every keystroke in on the phones it is installed on, recording that information for CarrierIQ’s analytics purposes. It’s not clear if the information collected goes directly to the operators, handset makers or to CarrierIQ. But the applications cannot be disabled or uninstalled, and there’s no way opt out of its recording activities. (Kevin Tofel wrote earlier about how to detect CarrierIQ in your phone).

Verizon Wireless emphatically stated that it does not use CarrierIQ data and that the application is not installed in any of its smartphones. Other carriers and both Google and Nokia have made similar statements about not using CarrierIQ data, though it’s still unclear if the root app still resides in their customers’ devices. We’re still waiting to hear from the rest of the U.S. operators.

---

 

Sprint admits receiving CarrierIQ data but says its not spying
Kevin Fitchard
Thu, 01 Dec 2011 18:55:50 GMT

AT&T debuts 4G LTE-capable LG Nitro HD

 

The carrier continues to bolster its 4G LTE lineup with a top-tier Android smartphone from LG.

AT&T debuts 4G LTE-capable LG Nitro HD
Scott Webster
Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:31:12 GMT

AT&T to Offer Smartphones for One Cent on Black Friday

 

If wireless products are topping this year’s present wish lists, AT&T has you covered with a Thanksgiving weekend of promotions.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. on Black Friday, AT&T’s website deals page will unveil sales on touchscreen devices (yes, including tablets) with new gadget deals rolling out each day through Monday. The rest of the weekend features:

• Saturday, Nov. 26 - All Windows 7 and certain Android devices are available for one cent.
• Sunday, Nov. 27 – The BlackBerry 9860 is one cent and HTC’s Red Inspire is $30.
• Monday, Nov. 28 - Select smartphones including the Motorola Atrix, Samsung Infuse, and HTC Inspire sell for one cent.

The deals come with a few strings; all require a two-year service plan, smartphones require AT&T voice and the minimum $15 monthly data plan, and messaging devices must be purchased with a minimum $20 monthly messaging plan.

Be sure to check out our Black Friday deal roundup page for more Black Friday deals.

AT&T to Offer Smartphones for One Cent on Black Friday
GeekSugar
Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:47:05 GMT

Verizon Wireless lets you opt-out of ad-targeting effort

 

It is nice to hear that companies still respect your privacy, as with the case of Verizon Wireless who recently sent a rather polite email to their subscribers that just about all the stuff that they do on their phones will be used to target them with ads. Basically, policy changes which were put into effect in October gave Verizon Wireless the power to make use of browsing history, search terms, location, app and feature usage, as well as demographic information that they purchase from other companies to run a power targeting campaign. You, however, will be able to exercise your pro-choice consumer rights by opting out by phone or Verizon’s website. (more…)

Verizon Wireless lets you opt-out of ad-targeting effort, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : iPhone 4S Review,

 

Verizon Wireless lets you opt-out of ad-targeting effort
Edwin Kee
Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:50:30 GMT

Sprint’s Superphone, Motorola Photon 4G Impresses

 

The Photon 4G features a 1GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor along with 1GB of RAM and Android 2.3 "Gingerbread". The Photon 4G is the first WiMAX equipped phone from Sprint to feature global GSM roaming.

 

Sprint's Superphone, Motorola Photon 4G Impresses
Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:44:01 GMT

Samsung and AT&T Announce Galaxy Tab 8.9, Six new LTE Markets

 

Not to be outdone by Verizon with its LTE-enabled Galaxy Tab 10.1 (which we reviewed), Samsung and AT&T today announced that it's introducing an LTE enabled Galaxy Tab 8.9 of its own. The specs are basically what you'd expect for a Galaxy Tab, though interestingly enough the AT&T Tab 8.9 comes with a 1.5 GHz dual core snapdragon, undoubtably of the APQ8060 kind, likely paired to an MDM9200 (just like the Samsung Skyrocket on AT&T). 

Galaxy Tab 8.9 AT&T LTE

SoC
1.5 GHz Dual Core Snapdragon (APQ8060)

Baseband
MDM9200 (LTE, HSPA+) (?)

Memory
1 GB LPDDR2

Storage
16 GB NAND, Expandable to 32 GB

Camera
3.2 MP rear facing, 2 MP front facing

Display
1280x800 PLS, 8.5"

Mass/Size
15.9oz, 8.6mm thick

OS
Android 3.2

The Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE will go on sale November 20th for $479.99 with a two year contract. AT&T will also be running a promotional offer and give you either of their Galaxy S 2 variants (the Skyrocket, or the more vanilla international-looking version) for free if you buy their Tab 8.9. 

Gallery: AT&T LTE Galaxy Tab 8.9

The other real news is that AT&T will be expanding LTE coverage to six new markets also on November 20th. New markets are Charlotte, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, which brings the total number of markets AT&T LTE covers to 15. Our own Anand Shimpi spent the weekend testing AT&T LTE in Washington, DC on a Samsung Skyrocket and came away decently impressed with speeds on AT&T's 10 MHz FDD LTE network there. We'll have much more AT&T LTE related news as coverage (and devices) continues to grow.

Source: Samsung

Samsung and AT&T Announce Galaxy Tab 8.9, Six new LTE Markets
Brian Klug
Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:22:00 GMT

HTC Rezound: Verizon’s 4G LTE Smartphone with Beats Audio Now Available on Wirefly.com

 

America’s first Android-powered smartphone with Beats Audio technology now available at Wirefly

(PRWeb November 14, 2011)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/11/prweb8957561.htm

HTC Rezound: Verizon’s 4G LTE Smartphone with Beats Audio Now Available on Wirefly.com
Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:11:24 GMT

BlackBerry services hit a glitch, but RIM says it is not an outage

 

Research In Motion (RIM) might not be going great guns at the moment, but they still have a respectable user base when it comes to their signature BlackBerry smartphones. Just recently, we read about a worldwide outage that affected millions of BlackBerry users worldwide, and today there is another glitch in the BlackBerry service as users claim that they experienced delays. RIM says that this is not an outage, and here is their official statement. “There is no system-wide outage, however we are investigating reports that some users in EMEIA (Europe, Middle East, India, and Africa) have experienced delays.”

Later in the day, RIM mentioned that all systems and services were operating normally in EMEIA, although they did not reveal what was the cause of the problem, whether it was some sort of electrical gremlin being the source of all the mischief. Were you one of those affected by some downtime in RIM’s BlackBerry service, or did you not notice anything at all as it was all peaches and cream for you?

BlackBerry services hit a glitch, but RIM says it is not an outage, By Ubergizmo. Top Stories : iPhone 4S Review, Epic 4G Touch Review,

 

BlackBerry services hit a glitch, but RIM says it is not an outage
Edwin Kee
Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:54:06 GMT

Verizon Wireless rolls out BlackBerry smartphone torch 9850

Smartphones, dime a dozen these days – in fact, if you do not own a Smartphone, you can get funny looks whenever you pull out your phone from the pocket of a jacket. Feature phones are a staple of the developing countries and those who are on an extremely limited budget, so smartphone-the way to go if you want to stay connected to the rest of the world, even when you're on the road. Having said