Carrier News
T-Mobile shows some Android love
Feb 19th
Remember that update we spoke about coming for the Motorola Cliq? Well, according to Android Central it seems as though T-Mobile customers should start receiving their upgrades starting yesterday Feb 18. Sweet eh? Well, I got even sweeter news for you. The Samsung Behold 2 will also start being pushed updates as well beginning yesterday so keep a look out for it. The Motorola one shouldn’t come as much surprise being that Motorola already confirmed it, but its nice to seem them staying true to their word.
If you are a user of either phone and receive an update leave a comment and let us know!
If you are interested in finding out what the updates are for either phone. Click more.
Motorola CLIQ:
- Improved battery life
- New Manage SIM card application
- Support of .WMA and .WAV media files
- Removal of the imeem mobile application
- Improved software performance and stability
- Improved widget response
- Decreased ‘force close’ error messages
- Other various fixes
Samsung Behold 2:
Known issues solved:
- Bluetooth error: Unable to Pair or Unable to connect device
- Battery indicator may display more charge than the phone has
- Holding menu opens keypad, but does not respond, now goes to contacts
- Phone constantly vibrates
- Memory Card un-mounts and re-mounts intermittently
- Music plays automatically when accessing the music player
- Incoming e-mails do not show the return email address
- Corporate emails stop syncing
Updates:
- Apps added (Evernote, Where’s Waldo & Midnight Bowl 2)
- Music Player auto-play upon launch corrected
- “About” phone menu added to Settings, Quick List>Settings>About Phone
- Boot screen animation change (now Samsung logo)
- Delay reduction for proximity sensor while on a call
- Battery icon status in notification bar now matches screen lock battery status
Verizon pushing BOGO hard. Lowers price of Pixi Plus.
Feb 18th
You know how much Verizon loves to offer its BOGO deals. First they pushed it hard with BlackBerry and feature phones like the ENV line, then with the DROID series and now with WebOS devices. Verizon has now extended their DROID and WebOS BOGO offerings to include free Motorola DROIDs and Palm Pre Pluses. Before the deals only applied to the lower priced DROID Eris and Pixi Plus. On top of this news Verizon has lowered the price of the Pixi Plus from a previous $99.99 to $79.99 with a two-year agreement. That’s certainly nothing to complain about though the Pre Plus is still the obvious buy for me.
Who’s ready to get themselves and their best buddy a shiny new DROID or Pre Plus?
Storm2 released by T-Mobile UK…US far behind?
Feb 17th
We just got word that T-Mobile UK has officially launched the Blackberry Storm2 9520.
Is this an indication of it hitting T-Mobile US? Kinda hard to say at this point but I’m sure some T-Mobile US users wouldn’t mind. However, historically a lot of T-Mobile UK devices never end up seeing a T-Mobile US release. Time will tell.
Are you a T-Mobile user and thinking about getting one from the UK? Let us know!
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More Verizon BOGO Excitement
Feb 16th
Just a heads up, Verizon Wireless started up another BOGO sale today.
This sale includes it all – BlackBerry, Android, webOS as well as their entire line of 3G phones and internet devices.
Verizon one ups AT&T
Feb 16th
Fresh on the heels of AT&T officially releasing the Slingbox for iPhone App, Verizon Wireless, not to be outdone by their competition has announced a partnership with Skype. Engadget is reporting that starting next month, all Verizon Wireless customers with smartphones (and an accompanying data plan) will be able to make and receive unlimited Skype-to-Skype voice calls to any user in the world over its 3G network. Verizon Wireless, which has always been known (somewhat like Rogers in Canada) to be an extremely controlling company is now opening its 3G Network for unlimited Skype calling. The best part of this being that the app will not use any of your plans airtime. Though the Skype client will not use your data plan once the call is in progress, a data plan is still required to tunnel the initial call from the data network to the voice network.
The Skype Mobile application will also support Skype Out calling, instant messaging between Skype users and an ability to “remain always connected… to see friends’ online presence.”
Skype mobile will be available on millions of best-selling Verizon Wireless 3G smartphones with data plans, including:
- Blackberry Storm 9530
- Blackberry Storm2 9550
- Blackberry 8530
- Blackberry 8330
- Blackberry 8830 World Edition
- Blackberry 9630
- Motorola DROID
- Motorola DROID Eris
- Motorola Devour
Are you a Verizon customer who makes a considerable amount of long distance calls? Let us know what you think!
Official 5.0.0.484 OS for Blackberry Tour 9630 now available via Sprint website
Feb 16th
Last week we reported that the Official 5.0 release for the Tour 9630 was available for upgrade via Blackberry Desktop Manager. Well, Crackberry is reporting that it has finally been made available now through Sprint’s Blackberry software download page for those who haven’t upgraded yet. The install will work if you have a Tour on another carrier as well, just be sure to delete the vendor.xml file before trying to update.
To Download the OS direct from Sprint click here
***DISCLAIMER***
As with all OS releases, whether official or not, please be aware that it is to be installed at your own risk. TheCellularGuru.com cannot be held responsible if you break or damage your phone in any way due to the installation of this software on your device. Installation of this software is intended for the distributing carrier, and if you do not belong to the distributing carrier, please do your due diligence before installing this software on your device
Introducing the Motorola Milestone from Telus
Feb 16th
After long last Android OS lovers no longer have to drool over our American counterparts on Verizon. The Motorola Milestone (Essentially the Canadian version of the ever popular VZW Droid) has officially been launched on Telus HSPA+ network in Canada. Yes, thats right for $199.99 on a 3 year term ($599.99 no term) you can start using one of the best Android based devices to be released to date. For all you envious Rogers customers all this means is a simple unlock to use it as well.
If you are one of the lucky ones to have it already please leave us a comment and let us know how you like it!
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Telus posts 4Q loss, gears up for future
Feb 12th
Telus (TU here in the States, T up north)stock took quite a big 4th quarter hit, reporting a $156 million (45%) drop in profits. But don’t be too worried about the Vancouver-based telecom company, as this loss seems to be the result of them gearing up for the future. In an act similar to Manchester United’s sale of soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo to Spanish giant Real Madrid (MU sold Ronaldo for $131 million, but used that money to pay off debt, rather than have it contribute to profit), Telus has been busy improving infrastructure, including their HSPA network, and preparing to fight off new entrants into the Canadian market, not to mention simply fighting through the rough global economy.
While earnings per share have dropped farther than analysts predicted (55 cents per share expected, 49 cents per share actual), Telus isn’t likely to be going away, with its $1 billion earnings for the year.
GSM Palm Pre coming to AT&T in May?
Feb 12th
PalmCentral.net is reporting that they have come across FCC Articles regarding the rumored GSM version of the well known Palm Pre handset. Considering that both the Sprint Palm Pre and Verizon Pre Plus sport the FCC ID number of O8F-CASC, we’re wagering that the O8F-CASG is the US-bound GSM version of the Pre. We’ve known for a while that the Pre’s internal codename was Castle, and when combined with a CDMA phone we get CASC, whereas GSM would lead us to CASG.
They offer us a release date on around May 10, which based on the photo availability date for the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus was dead-on with the launch date. And that lines up pretty well with AT&T CEO Ralph de la Vega’s “first half of 2010” for webOS on his network. Would you use the GSM version of the Pre? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!
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Changes To Local Calling Areas for Rogers Wireless Customers On the Horizon??
Feb 9th
We were just tipped that beginning Monday March 15th, 2010, Rogers will be changing its local calling areas in the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area). What is a local calling area you may ask? A local calling area is the area in which customers can make and receive calls without incurring any long distance charges.
This means that some of your “local calls” now, may in fact start to be billed as long distance. Make sure to check the link before incurring potential overages.
To find out if you are affected click here
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