Sprint
BlackBerry 9670 Clamshell Not Exclusive to Verizon, Headed to Sprint Soon?
Aug 17th
Remember the BlackBerry 9670 Clamshell? You know the one that we showed off forever ago and also the one that just had its simulator leaked online. Knowing that, it’s pretty obvious that the device’s launch has to be coming up soon, and until now we thought the destined carrier would be Verizon. BGR just let the word out that the 9670 is actually headed to Sprint and is therefore not going to be available exclusively for Verizon subscribers. They also report that live, Sprint-branded units are already out in the wild for carrier testing. I don’t think most people are crazy about the form factor of the 9670 so this phone will need all the help it can get to sell well, and another carrier to call home is a step in the right direction. Still, I’ve got to wonder who is going to buy this over Sprint’s other offerings such as the HTC EVO 4G and the upcoming Epic 4G.
[Via BGR]
Android is the best. Or, at least, it’s the most popular. Up 886% year over year.
Aug 2nd
Android is a phenomenon. We know this, I’ve talked about it before, but the proof is in the numbers. And Android is up over 886% since last Q2. It now owns 34% of the US smarthphone market, which isn’t a dent, since RIM only has 32%. And Apple at a staggering 21.7%. How terrible!
But seriously, the reason for its explosive growth is likely the November 2009 release of the Motorola Droid on Verizon, followed by several high-profile devices on Verizon and Sprint. On Verizon, the Droid Incredible, Droid X and the Samsung Fascinate, and on Sprint the EVO 4G, the Epic 4G are all top tier phones. Their specs speak for themselves. On T-Mobile, their only major player has been the MyTouch 3G Slide, which has done very well, and they now have their own Galaxy S variant, the Vibrant. AT&T isn’t floundering, either, after launching their somewhat-crippled Galaxy S version, the Captivate, last month.
Each carrier has done well bringing Android to its customers, but none better than Verizon. The Droid 2 will be launching this month as well on Froyo. Android’s growth won’t be slowing down any time soon, but with great power comes great responsibility. Android 2.2 is being pushed to most recently-released devices such as the EVO 4G, Droid X, Droid, Vibrant and more. While it brings the platform closer to competing directly with the iPhone 4, it does not yet have the polish that iOS displays in all facets of the operating system. Apps crash or freeze, the keyboard often doesn’t register input, and it generally fails to perform flawlessly.
iOS4 has not been without its own problems, but since it is built on the solid framework of iOS 3.1.3, it appears more reliable in daily use.
As long as it continues to be AT&T exclusive, however, the iPhone will never reach the incredible sales heights of Android. Bring it to Verizon, however, and we are playing a different ball game.
Evo 4G Software Update Rolled Out To Some Users
Jun 28th
This is the second EVO 4G update to be rolled out. No surprises there however, as Sprint and HTC even before launch of the EVO stated they would be updating the device quite frequently. The latest update sent out to users is said to have fixed the weak WiFi signals some were seeing in addition to improvements to the Exchange ActiveSync security policies, and network improvements to address battery life. Battery life and weak WiFi is likely highest up there on end users list so be sure if you have been experiencing issues with that, might want to give it a look. Keep in mind it may not be available to everyone as of yet, so you’ll need to keep checking. Version 1.47.651.1 is what you should be looking for.
Source: Androidcentral
HTC EVO 4G and HTC Droid Incredible Hit With Screen Issues
Jun 15th
While the HTC Incredible may be immune to the screen issues that affect the Nexus One, it looks like there is a new and potentially more annoying issue which affects not only the Incredible, but it’s new big brother, the HTC EVO 4G. The new problem has to do with faulty grounding in the screens of both HTC devices causing the upper portion of the screen to become unresponsive when not being held. As you can see from the picture above, this causes some serious problems when you’re not actually holding the device and can make simple tasks like pulling down the notification shade impossible.
Seriously, can anyone actually push out one of these “superphones” without all the hiccups we’re currently seeing. Maybe Motorola? Samsung? Anyone?
Hit the break for the depressing footage.
[Via Engadget]
Unreleased Samsung Galaxy S Already Has a QWERTY Cousin?
Jun 14th
The picture above may or may not be real, but it goes without saying that a Galaxy S, with its 4″ AMOLED screen, 512MB RAM, blazing 1GHZ processor and custom TouchWIZ 3.0 UI on top of Android 2.1, is going to be a HOT seller when it is released later in the year.
The Galaxy S Pro is apparently the same phone, but with a slide-out hardware keyboard. Though the styling of the phone is strange, and definitely un-Samsung like, it’s fair to say that if this is real, we are going to have a lot of panting Android fanboys lining the streets to get it when it arrives. As you can see, however, this particular model is Sprint-branded, and the leaker claims it to have a front-facing camera and support 4G. So, if and when it does come to Sprint, it will have similar specs to the EVO 4G, but when it released elsewhere, it will be a lot of carriers’ flagship device.
(via Android Community)
We Giveth You EVO 4G Root, and We Taketh Away
Jun 4th
Interesting developments from the EVO 4G launch this morning: Sprint is releasing an OTA update to fix a bug in the reading of SD cards on the device, which would sometimes cause the phone to be unable to read anything put into the MicroSD slot. This small fix, however, has the added bonus of patching the root that was discovered and outed yesterday.
UnrEVOked, a person/site that has emerged to promote the root, is urging people NOT to download the OTA update if they mean to keep their root.
And the phone looks to be doing extremely well, judging from all the lineups around the US.
Now Live! Twitter for iPhone, Sprint Hero Gets 2.1
May 19th
What a night! First, Twitter for iPhone is released (well, it’s kind of released) and Sprint Hero customers finally get theirs!
According to various sites, T4i is being propagated through various App Stores around the world, and has yet to reach these shores. What we do know is that there are tons of new features and UI improvements, but is essentially a rebranded Tweetie 2. UPDATE: Get the app now from the app store!
In other news, Sprint has gone official with its 2.1 update for the HTC Hero. Again, nothing OTA, but you can download it from their support website.
Sprint Samsung Moment Updated To Android 2.1 – Happy NOW?
May 14th
So Sprint still hasn’t given the 2.1 update to HTC Hero owners, much to their chegrin, but what they have done is given the update to the many impatient Samsung Moment owners.
According to Android Central, the update comes with most of the niceties that Eclair affords, sans Live Wallpapers, which need a beefier processor to run without slowdown.
Hit up the download and let us know what’s new.
HTC EVO 4G Employee Training Lit From Radio Shack – So, So Sexy
May 11th
A tipster has generously forwarded us a few scans from the Radio Shack training manual employees are expected to peruse and get to know for the EVO 4G debuting next month on Sprint.
Not a lot of new information here, but it just reinforces what we already know: the HTC EVO 4G is going to be one screaming fast, sexy phone. Remember, this is going to debut just after the iPhone HD is announced, and the latter’s front-facing camera will likely influence other people to use video conferencing apps. The EVO 4G has a front-facing camera, and everything else about it screams HD quality: its kickstand; its HDMI out; its Flash support (though it’s only Flash Lite); its 8MP rear camera with 720p video capture.
And it has built-in 4G Mobile Hotspot! Allows eight devices to connect to its 4G connection through Wi-Fi.
This is going to be one kick-ass phone.
Hit the break the week two to four.
RIM Officially Announces The Bold 9650 Smartphone
Apr 26th
The real news of the day at WES was the official announcement of the Blackberry Bold 9650. No, not the Tour2, as RIM has dropped the Tour name completely, but it’s still the same device. Well, not the same device, as they have generously added 256MB more RAM into the handset.
The Bold 9650 is the new CDMA device that was expected for months prior to its announcement this morning; in fact, people have actually been using pre-release devices for many months.
Now that it is official, Sprint and Verizon will definitely offer the device in the US, and it is possible, though not probable, that Telus or Bell will offer it in Canada (both carriers have changed to predominantly HSPA+ devices in the new year, and both already offer the Bold 9700).
Sprint has announced availability of the Bold 9650 on May 23rd for $199 after $100 mail-in-rebate on a two-year contract, which is extraordinarily expensive for an introductory price, but I’m sure they anticipate a high demand for the product, and they will likely sell quite well.
Sprint press release after the break.
Follow me on twitterAdvanced Features and Refined Style of BlackBerry Bold 9650 Smartphone Coming to Sprint
Available in all Sprint sale channels May 23, the new BlackBerry Bold 9650 offers international roaming for a global smartphone experience
OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Apr 26, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) –With an extensive array of high-end communications and multimedia features, compact and highly refined design and international roaming capabilities, the new BlackBerry(R) Bold(TM) 9650 smartphone will be available from Sprint (NYSE: S). It will operate on Sprint’s nationwide 3G Network domestically, and roams on other high-speed wireless networks around the world for reliable voice and email communication.The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone will be available for $199.99 with a new two-year service agreement, after a $100 mail-in rebate (taxes & surcharges excluded). It can be purchased in all other Sprint sales channels, including Web sales (www.sprint.com), Telesales (1-800-SPRINT1), Sprint Business Sales, Sprint stores, national retailers and third-party dealers, Sunday, May 23.
BlackBerry Bold 9650 provides instant access to email, calendar, contacts, robust business and entertainment applications and location-based services, leveraging the best performing wireless networks in the United States and abroad. It is also ideally suited for those who want to stay socially connected and share moments through pictures and videos over MMS and popular IM services like BlackBerry(R)Messenger. It also offers easy access to social networking sites like Flickr(R), MySpace(TM) and Facebook(R), with smooth integration, providing a great view of what’s happening both personally and professionally.
“BlackBerry Bold 9650 extends Sprint’s position of offering the best portfolio of BlackBerry smartphones in the industry with a powerful mobility tool for those who want to stay connected, both domestically and abroad,” said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. “Our customers will appreciate its fast Web browsing, downloads and streaming as well as social media and productivity enhancing applications. This is an ideal smartphone for juggling busy personal and professional lives.”
“The BlackBerry Bold 9650 is a sophisticated and feature-rich smartphone with uncompromising performance that lets you stay connected to the people and content that matter most, whether at home or travelling the world,” said David Smith, vice president of Handheld Product Management, RIM.
In addition to top-of-the-line performance, functionality and features, the BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone comes with BlackBerry(R) OS 5. It is also designed with a smoothly integrated optical trackpad and a distinctive, highly tactile, fretted keyboard and features a large, high-resolution display (480 x 360 resolution at 245 ppi).
Additional features include:
- Access to up to 10 supported email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts such as Yahoo!(R), Windows Live(TM) Hotmail(R), AOL(R) and Gmail(TM)), plus BlackBerry(R) Enterprise Server support offering advanced security and IT administration capabilities for corporate deployments
- Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi(R) (802.11 b/g)
- 3.2 MP camera with flash, variable zoom, image stabilization, autofocus and video recording
- Advanced media player for enjoying pictures, video and music
- 512 MB Flash memory and an expandable memory card slot that supports up to 32 GB microSDHC cards, with a 2 GB microSD card included
- 3.5 mm stereo headset jack
- Support for the Bluetooth(R) stereo headsets (A2DP/AVCRP)
- Sprint Music Store, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV(R), Sprint Football Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
- BlackBerry(R) App World(TM) for access to thousands of applications
The 3G Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming) reaches more than 269 million people, 18,652 cities and 1,838 airports. The Sprint Mobile Broadband Network (inclusive of data roaming) have twice the coverage of AT&T’s current 3G network and 14 times the coverage of T-Mobile’s current 3G network, both based on square miles1.
According to Sprint performance data, Sprint Mobile Broadband connections are successfully connected and maintained better than 99 out of 100 times. According to a recent independent network test conducted by PC World, no one has a more reliable network than Sprint based on a recent 13 city 3G performance test 2.
BlackBerry Bold 9650 for most customers requires activation on an Everything Data plan or a Business Advantage Messaging and Data plan. Additional plan options are available for business customers. For just $69.99 per month, Sprint’s affordable Everything Data 450 plan with Any Mobile, AnytimeSM gives customers unlimited calling with any U.S. wireless user, unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited Web, email and social networking, and unlimited GPS navigation for the same price AT&T and Verizon charge for unlimited talk only. Sprint Everything Data plans also automatically enroll customers in the Sprint Premier loyalty program, which provides annual device upgrades, discounted accessories and other benefits.
Sprint’s Simply EverythingSM plan offers nationwide unlimited calling, unlimited text and unlimited data, including email, social networking, Web browsing, Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV, streaming music, Sprint Football Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile, for only $99.99 per month (plus taxes and surcharges). That is a $480 savings over two years vs. a comparable AT&T iPhone(R) plan3. (Prices exclude taxes and surcharges. Both Everything Data and Simply Everything plans are available to existing customers without extending their service agreement. New lines of service require a two-year service agreement.)
International Travel
The BlackBerry Bold 9650 smartphone operates domestically on the Sprint 3G network, and globally on 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA and quad-band EDGE/GSM/GPRS networks where Sprint has international roaming agreements. With this smartphone, Sprint customers have the power to make or receive phone calls in more than 185 countries and access BlackBerry(R) data services including email, apps and Web browsing in nearly 150 countries.
Sprint offers clear value and simplicity with its Worldwide BlackBerry(R) service plan. The Worldwide BlackBerry plan gives customers unlimited BlackBerry email and Web access in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and other locations using CDMA technology, and with UMTS and EDGE/GSM/GPRS carriers abroad where Sprint has applicable roaming agreements. The plan is available to corporate customers for $69.99 per month, or an additional $40 per month (excluding taxes and surcharges) as an attachable to Simply EverythingSM, Everything Data, Everything Data Family or Business Advantage with Messaging and Data plans.
Sprint international voice roaming rates range from $0.59 to $5.99 per minute, depending on where customers are calling. Customers making frequent calls while in Canada can take advantage of a specific service plan for $2.99 per month which allows calls to be made and received at $0.20 per minute. Additional pricing plans are available exclusively to enterprise customers.
Customers also have the option of using a third-party SIM for international voice and data services.
About Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the fourth quarter of 2009 and the first 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company’s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.
The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.
1 Coverage comparison based on publicly available information as of 04/01/09 inclusive of Sprint roaming partners. Based on square miles.
2 PC World’s test included Sprint, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in thirteen major cities in all regions of the country during December 2009 & January 2010. In all, roughly 9,000 individual tests of Sprint’s 3G service were conducted from 280 testing locations in 13 cities. Testing sessions were one minute in duration per location, and network performance can be highly variable from neighborhood to neighborhood. In laptop-based tests, Sprint tied with another carrier for first in 3G network reliability
3 Savings based on publicly available information comparing AT&T Nation Unlimited plus required iPhone data plan and optional unlimited text messaging totaling $119.99/month for AT&T as of publication date, excluding taxes, surcharges and fees. iPhone is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
SOURCE: Sprint
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