AT&T Reveals Five New Android Smartphones

by Stan Schroeder
from http://mashable.com/

The folks at AT&T weren’t kidding when they announced plans to introduce 12 Android devices this year. The company just unveiled five Android smartphones, which brings AT&T’s total Android lineup to 19.

The new smartphones are Motorola Atrix 2, Samsung Captivate Glide, Samsung DoubleTime, Pantech Pocket and AT&T Avail (pre-paid customers).

Leading the pack is the powerful Motorola Atrix 2, with a 4.3-inch, 960×540 (qHD) screen, 1 GHz dual-core CPU, 1 GB of RAM, a 8-megapixel camera capable of full HD video capture and an additional camera for video chat.

Samsung Captivate Glide, as its name suggests, has a side-slide QWERTY keyboard. It also packs decent specifications: a 4-inch, 480×800 Super AMOLED screen, a 1 GHz dual-core Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU, 1 GB of RAM, and two cameras, a 1.3-megapixel one at the front and a full HD 8-megapixel one at the back.

Both devices support AT&T’s HSPA+ fast data transfer standard and both are running Android 2.3.

The Pantech Pocket is a mid-range device running Android 2.3, with a 1 GHz CPU, a 4-inch screen, a 5-megapixel camera. To like it, you’ll have to appreciate its form, as the device’s dimensions are 114.7 mm x 7 8mm x 11.3 mm, which makes it a lot wider than most candy bar phones.

Samsung DoubleTime is a device for those who want something different. Its specifications are nothing to write home about — a 600 MHz CPU, 3.2-inch screen and Android 2.2 — but its candy bar form opens to reveal a second 3.2-inch screen and a full QWERTY keyboard.

Finally, the AT&T Avail is for those that don’t like contracts (the other pre-paid smartphone in AT&T’s roster is LG Thrive). It’s a fairly standard candy bar mid-range smartphone, with Android 2.3, a 3.5-inch screen, a 5-megapixel camera and 512 MB of RAM.

Pricing and availability is unknown at this point, but we can expect all five devices to hit the market in 2011.

The IPhone 4S On AT&T Vs. Sprint Vs. Verizon: Which Network Is Best?

From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

The iPhone 4S went up for pre-order late Thursday night, and for the first time ever the new iPhone will be available on the three largest cell phone networks in America: Verizon, AT&T and Sprint. Perhaps, with these mobile carrier options, you're trying to decide which network to choose for your new Apple phone; the information below should help.

For Talkers: VERIZON and AT&T

Are you a talker? A recent survey suggests that you probably aren't, but if you are a chatty Cathy, the cheapest voice plans for anytime minutes are on Verizon and AT&T. For 450 minutes of talk time, Verizon and AT&T charge $39.99, compared to $69.99 on Sprint. Upping your minutes, you get the same price spreads, with Verizon and AT&T being $30 cheaper than Sprint:

Verizon: $39.99 for 450 minutes, $59.99 for 900 minutes, $69.99 for unlimited minutes
AT&T: $39.99 for 450 minutes, $59.99 for 900 minutes, $69.99 for unlimited minutes
Sprint: $69.99 for 450 minutes, $89.99 for 900 minutes, $99.99 for unlimited minutes

For Data Hogs: SPRINT

With the iPhone 4S, Sprint has famously become the only U.S. mobile carrier to offer unlimited data with Apple's smartphone. While AT&T and Verizon have canceled their unlimited data plans for new customers, Sprint recently announced its plans to keep unlimited data plans even with the iPhone 4S. Savings for those who use a lot of data--people who stream movies on their phones, download and send graphics-heavy web pages or photos, or generally do anything that requires constant web refreshing--could be huge on Sprint:

AT&T Data Plans: 2GB for $24, 4GB for $45, 5GB for $55, 7GB for $75, 10GB for $105, 12GB for $125
Verizon Data Plans: 2GB for $30, 4GB for $50, 5GB for $50, 7GB for $70, 10GB for $80, 12GB for $100
Sprint Data Plans: $10 unlimited

Fastest Network: AT&T

This is surprising, considering that AT&T is consistently ranked as the worst network in most parts of the United States by J.D. Power and Associates. But thanks to a new chipset in the iPhone 4S that only works on AT&T's HSPA+ network, the much-maligned carrier stands poised to have the fastest network of the three iPhone carriers.

Here's the thing: The iPhone 4S chipset, as noted during the Apple media event where the device debuted, can supposedly get close to 4G speeds. But that chipset only works on the HSPA+ network that AT&T has deployed (while its competitors have been building up their 4G networks). According to AT&T, this means wireless speeds that are twice as fast as those on Verizon and Sprint; according to cnet, we should believe this claim when we see it, saying AT&T still has some mechanical work to do before these speeds will be seen by their entire network. It will be interesting to see whether these HSPA+ speed claims hold true and could certainly bolster AT&T's reputation if they do.

Most Reliable 3G Network: AT&T

PCMag did some testing on mobile networks in America earlier this year, and while Verizon's 4G network defeated its competitors nationally, the iPhone 4S is not a 4G LTE device. On 3G networks, AT&T was judged to be the best in terms of "3G Success" (simply, its ability to connect to the Internet where a 3G network is present) edging out Verizon's 3G network and fairly well destroying Sprint's 3G network. Again, if these test results hold up on a national level (and, fair warning, certain cities are notorious for having poor 3G coverage from AT&T), then AT&T could be the most reliable and fastest mobile Internet network for the iPhone 4S.

Text Messaging: Sprint

The release of iMessage for Apple's new iOS 5 means that iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners will be able to text each other over 3G or WiFi in real-time for free, a la BlackBerry's popular BBM feature. Using iMessage will eat up data, however, rather than your monthly text messages, which is one reason to search out good text message rates when choosing a network, especially if u r a big-time txtr.

The underdog Sprint once again has the best prices, by a long shot, for text messaging plans. It's almost not even worth comparing, but here it goes:

AT&T: 20 cents per text message, and 30 cents per picture or video message; $20 for unlimited
Verizon: $5 for 250 texts, $10 for 500 texts, $20 for unlimited
Sprint: Free unlimited text messaging with voice plan

Customer Service: Verizon

According to the most recent U.S. Wireless Customer Care Performance study from J.D. Power, published in July 2011, Verizon has the strongest and most highly-rated customer service among full contract U.S. mobile carriers, defeating Sprint and AT&T handily. Verizon received 5 out of 5 "Power Circles," while both Spint and AT&T were awarded 2 each. In the February 2011 survey, Sprint and AT&T received 2 out of 5 Power Circles while Verizon got 4, losing out to T-Mobile; Verizon won the overall customer care survey for all of 2010.

Talk & Surf: AT&T

You may have seen the commercials: AT&T is the only carrier that allows you to talk and surf the web on the iPhone, and the addition of Sprint to the competition does not change that. It is one of the biggest differentiators and advantages over Verizon and Sprint.

Early Termination Fees: AT&T or Sprint, depending

If you decide you don't like the service you're getting with your iPhone, how much will it cost you to jump ship? AT&T and Sprint are the winners here, with:

AT&T is $325 minus $10 for each full month you've had your iPhone.
Verizon is $350 minus $10 for each full month you've had your iPhone.
Sprint is $350 minus $20 for each full month you've had your iPhone after four months.

***

To be very reductive, when it comes to the iPhone 4S, Sprint is the cheapest, AT&T has the best network and Verizon has the best customer care and, statistically, you're probably already on their network, as they have the most customers in the United States by a margin of tens of millions. Which network you choose should largely be decided by what you value in your phone--cost, or service, or reliability, or speed--and all of these carriers have both their pros and their cons for prospective iPhone 4S buyers. There is not one "best" network for the iPhone 4S, and you should be very skeptical of anyone who tells you otherwise.

Lookout Verizon, Sprint Rumored to Retain Unlimited Data Plan with iPhone 5

by Paul Lilly
from http://hothardware.com

Poor little Sprint stands to be the biggest loser if AT&T's proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile is allowed to go through in what some fear would effectively create a duopoly with Verizon and AT&T/T-Mobile controlling the market. But regardless of what happens with that deal, Sprint has an ace up its sleeve: Unlimited data.

Sprint is the only major carrier to still offer a true unlimited data plan, one that's devoid of overage fees, data caps, or throttled service once a user goes over a certain threshold. No other wireless carrier has deemed such a plan to be financially feasible, so surely Sprint will cave in like the rest of them did, right? Maybe not. According to a Bloomberg report, Sprint will retain its unlimited data plan for the upcoming iPhone 5 launch.

Citing "people familiar with the matter," Bloomberg says the device will go on sale in mid-October, and that Sprint will be the only one offering an unlimited data plan for iPhone 5 users. If true, this could be a huge deal for Sprint as it looks to compete with all the major wireless carriers who plan to carry Apple's upcoming flagship device. Even just carrying the iPhone puts Sprint in a better position.

"It's a competitive disadvantage if your two larger competitors have the iPhone and you don't," Matthew Thornton, an analyst at Avian Securities LLC, told Bloomberg in an interview. "Getting the iPhone closes the gap."

None of this is official, of course, and Apple hasn't announced when the iPhone 5 is coming and which carriers will have access to the device. But it's believed the iPhone 5 will end up in everyone's hands (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile). With streaming video (Netflix), FaceTime, cloud-based storage lockers for music, and other data consuming services becoming commonplace, Sprint is setting itself up to be one of the more attractive carriers in the next iPhone round.

T-Mobile 3G Handsets to Be Rendered Obsolete by AT&T Merger

by Kevin Krause From: http://phandroid.com/

In case you have been resting under a rock somewhere, AT&T is in the process of buying out T-Mobile and merging the two companies into a singular (no, not Cingular) wireless conglomerate. As part of the deal, AT&T plans to re-purpose all of TMo’s 3G towers for the roll out of their LTE network,which should cover 95 percent of the country within two year’s time. The catch? Your 3G T-Mobile handset will be obsolete when that time comes, as confirmed by AT&T.

Seeing as how far off the problem is there is no news to share as to whether AT&T plans to compensate TMo subscribers locking into new two-year deals, but if you are a fan of magenta it may be wise to consider shorter-term contract options if you plan on picking up a new handset anytime soon.

[via Gizmodo]

Sprint complains of antitrust risk; T-Mobile out of keynote

By Electronista Staff

From: http://www.electronista.com/

Sprint warns ATT T-Mobile deal antitrust concern

Sprint and T-Mobile late Sunday quickly issued formal reactions to the AT&T buyout of T-Mobile. As expected, Sprint objected to the $39 billion deal and said it would "alter dramatically" the US cellular landscape. It would put too much power in the hands of AT&T and Verizon, making them gatekeepers for things such as backbones and roaming deals.

"If approved, the merger would result in a wireless industry dominated overwhelmingly by two vertically-integrated companies that control almost 80% of the US wireless post-paid market, as well as the availability and price of key inputs such as backhaul and access needed by other wireless companies to compete," Sprint wrote.

Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller stressed to the Department of Justice and the FCC that it was "absolutely essential" the deal be investigated. He added that the Commerce Committee would be involved.

AT&T originally insisted the deal would be competitive as 18 of 20 major cities had five or more networks to compete from. Critics, however, have responded that the added clout gives AT&T an unfair advantage in device selection. T-Mobile also has unlimited-with-throttling data and doesn't block non-Market apps on Android devices, both of which would likely go away without the FCC imposing price and openness regulations on the deal.

T-Mobile, meanwhile, has chosen to back out of the official CTIA opening keynote. It was to have participated in an event at the Orlando show on Tuesday, March 22 at 9AM alongside the heads of other major carriers AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. A statement said only that the exit was due to "extenuating work demands," though it's most likely either due to work relating to the merger or the complications of having to present after its position had suddenly changed.

A conference call discussing the AT&T and T-Mobile buyout is due to take place Monday at 7:30AM; Electronista hopes to provide live coverage.

AT&T Acquires T-Mobile, Rockets Up to More Than 130 Million U.S. Users

By David Murphy
From http://www.pcmag.com/

Breaking news in the mobile world: AT&T has acquired competitor T-Mobile, shrinking the "big four" carriers in the U.S. to a mere three. But it's a mighty three. The $39 billion purchase now summons forth the largest combined carrier in the U.S., one which already has its own nickname mere minutes after the transaction was announced: "AT&T-Mobile."

In total, AT&T and T-Mobile's combined operations will carry roughly 130 million users. Or, in layman's terms, a heckuva lot more people than now-second place Verizon and its users numbering in the mid-90 million.

But what does that mean for consumers? According to PCMag.com's Sascha Segan, expect less competition in the mobile market to hit harder on the ol' bank account. Not to mention a greater lack of device diversity as a result of AT&T and T-Mobile creating a combined (and more efficient) product line.

AT&T's paying $25 billion in cash for the acquisition, with the rest of the $39 billion purchase price coming from shares of AT&T common stock. As part of the deal, T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom will gain an eight percent ownership interest in AT&T, and a Deutsche Telekom representative will join AT&T's board of directors.

The also move creates a monopoly on U.S. GSM carriers: There's just one now, AT&T/T-Mobile, to serve as the sole rival against the CDMA networks of competitors Sprint and Verizon. The mash-up between AT&T and T-Mobile—a combination of the worst and second-worst U.S. carriers, as ranked by this year's Consumer Reports customer survey–will mash together their wireless spectrums as well. This should give AT&T a stronger footing to deploy and expand its own 4G LTE network, which the company intends to launch mid-year.

"This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation's future," said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO, in today's press release. "It will improve network quality, and it will bring advanced LTE capabilities to more than 294 million people."

According the release, issued today, AT&T needs as much spectrum as it can get its hands on to fuel its growing wireless network. The company claims that its mobile data traffic has grown more than 8,000 percent since 2006, and the company expects its 2015 traffic to be eight to 10 times that of today's values.

"Put another way, all of the mobile traffic volume AT&T carried during 2010 is estimated to be carried in just the first six to seven weeks of 2015," reads the statement.

Doubling off of that, the T-Mobile acquisition comes at a time when AT&T is seeing good subscriber growth—the company announced in January a gain of 2.8 million subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2010, making for a total count of 8.9 million subscribers gained within the full fiscal year.

T-Mobile, on the other hand, has been bleeding its business as of late. The company lost more than 300,000 contract subscribers in its fourth quarter, down a net of 23,000 customers in total. That's quite a drop compared to the same time period in 2009, when T-Mobile was actually in the black by around 371,000 total customers.

A March report by Bloomberg's Tara Lachapelle and Rita Nazareth indicated that T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom has been shopping around T-Mobile for some time now—especially since the $28.5 billion the company invested in the American carrier has since shed its value by approximately three-fifths. Deutsche Telekom was allegedly in talks with Sprint to pawn off T-Mobile, but whatever deal was possibly in the works clearly didn't come to pass.

But that's not necessarily bad for T-Mobile: Instead of shacking up with the third-place carrier, it's now teamed up with the big dog in the park.

For more information on the transaction, consumers can check out the new AT&T/T-Mobile information site at www.mobilizeeverything.com.

AT&T says thank you to iPhone users with 1000 bonus minutes

This Does Work!!

AT&T is continuing to say thank you to their iPhone users who are sticking with them. Last week was a 20% off an accessory coupon and this week is a free extra 1000 rollover minutes. Some readers have sent in screenshots of the above, let us know if you received one, too. Thanks, Vinod.
Update: We are hearing that if you did not recieve the text just send the word “yes” to the 11113020 number and you will recieve a text that says your account has been credited!  Anyone want to verify?
Update 2: Confirmed below!
Update 3: There was some concern it was a scam but we’ve now verified it with AT&T – It’s legit.

AT&T Relabels Their Data Network, Proves '4G' Doesn't Really Mean Anything

Posted by Joshua_Kopstein

From: http://motherboard.tv/

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To the average consumer, the intricacies of the wireless technologies used by cellphones and other mobile devices are confusing. Fortunately, cell phone carriers have made it easier on us by inventing the “G,” a nebulous standard that makes people think they understand what they’re getting when they sign up for that two-year contract. The bad news: The carriers themselves typically don’t care about what a 3G or 4G network should actually be. And now, as proof of concept, AT&T has re-branded their existing 3G network as a 4G network.

At least now we’re clear on exactly what ‘4G’ means: Essentially, nothing.

By definition, 4G network “standards” like LTE (Long Term Evolution) run at speeds of 1 Gbit/s for low-mobility connections like cellphones. But it doesn’t mean they have to. That doesn’t matter much to carriers, however, since most consumers don’t know enough about how cellular tech works to wonder or even care about the actual capabilities of the network they’re shelling out for. After all, chances are that even if they could, those under-trained representatives aren’t going explain to you the difference between HSPA Plus (what AT&T uses currently) and LTE. Like always, they still only want to do two things: Sell you a phone, and sell you a contract with a network that operates on muddied and arbitrary wireless standards.
Threatened by other providers touting presumably faster networks, AT&T’s new ‘4G’ branding will run on the same old HSPA Plus tech that you’ve been using to get oft-congested connections on your iPhone. Their excuse for doing this? “We won’t notice.”

“The whole industry has come to equate more speed with 4G,” said Ralph de la Vega, chief executive of AT&T’s wireless unit. He says consumers generally won’t notice the difference in speed between AT&T’s HSPA-plus and upcoming LTE networks, so it makes sense to call both 4G.

John Donovan, AT&T’s chief technology officer, said speeds on HSPA-plus and LTE phones will feel similar now, but users will start to notice a difference in the two technologies once richer applications become available.

I had to re-read that first part at least 3 times because it is so absurd that I could not wrap my brain around it. Essentially this is AT&T saying, “we don’t need to wait for a faster network, because we’ve been sufficiently awesome this whole time — we just forgot to give to tack on that cool name that everyone’s using.” And as for applications not being “rich” enough, that too sounds like a massive cop-out. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that’s seeing the apps on their smartphone choke on current data speeds.

AT&T’s not the only one making semantic upgrades, however — T-Mobile, which still runs on the same ‘3G’ HSPA Plus networks as AT&T, has also recently switched to the “4G” nomenclature. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly possible to get faster speeds on a 4G handset using the same old networks, but it’s hard to imagine the boost being anything but marginal.

So in the end, it’ll be up to us to find out just what the heck our carrier’s ‘4G’ network actually is. Lifehacker’s got a pretty decent guide. Read up and don’t be a sucker.

Hacker snoops on GSM cell phones in demo

Intercepts mobile-phone data on the GSM networks used by AT&T and T-Mobile

By Robert McMillan, IDG News Service
From: http://www.networkworld.com/

Despite concerns that federal authorities might fine or arrest him, hacker Chris Paget went ahead with a live demonstration of mobile phone interception at the Defcon hacking conference Saturday.

Using several thousand dollars worth of equipment, Paget was able to intercept mobile-phone data on the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks used by AT&T and T-Mobile. He did this using a home-made system he calls an IMSI (International Mobile Subscriber Identity) catcher.

Within minutes of activating his IMSI catcher in test mode, Paget had 30 phones connected to the system. Then, with a few keystrokes, he quickly configured the device to spoof an AT&T cell tower.

"As far as your cell phones are concerned I am now indistinguishable from AT&T," he said. He predicted that every AT&T device in the room would connect to his tower, within the next half hour.

Cell phone interception is illegal in the U.S. And while the U.S. Federal Communications Commission had raised questions about his talk, Paget believes that his demonstration was legal because his device was operating in the 900MHz band used by Ham radio devices. Coincidentally, that 900MHz band is used by GSM devices in Europe "As far as your cell pones are concerned I am a European radio transmitter."

Not all GSM devices will connect to Paget's IMSI catcher, however. Quad band phones will connect, but U.S. phones that do not support this 900MHz band will not, he said.

By the end of the demo, Paget actually had fewer phones connected to the network -- just 17 -- something he was at a loss to explain. He said that it was possible that he had mistyped the AT&T network ID and that phones were rejecting his system because of the typo.

Android and iPhone systems would connect, however, he said. "In my experience it's generally the iPhones that connect most easily," he said. "It's actually been the bane of my existence trying to keep the damned iPhones away."

People connected to Paget's system would get a warning message, but they could dial out as normal, but anyone trying to call them would go straight to voicemail.

Paget didn't record or play back any calls, but he could have. His IMSI catcher can get around cell phone encryption by simply telling the connecting phones to drop encryption. "If I decide not to enable encryption I just disable it," he said. "It's that simple."

Earlier this week, it wasn't clear that Paget's talk would go ahead. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) got in touch with Paget Friday morning to express concern and inform him of relevant federal regulations, he said.

The agency raised concerns that Paget's device might transmit over licensed frequencies and that he might unlawfully intercept mobile-phone calls.

On Friday, FCC spokesman Eric Bash said the agency doesn't comment on the legality of specific matters until it fully investigates and takes enforcement action.

(Nancy Gohring in Seattle contributed to this report.)

Robert McMillan covers computer security and general technology breaking news for The IDG News Service. Follow Robert on Twitter at @bobmcmillan. Robert's e-mail address is robert_mcmillan@idg.com

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.

Cell-Phone Carriers like AT&T and Verizon Killing Unlimited Data Plans

Vassily

From: http://www.infernodevelopment.com/

AT&T killed its unlimited data plans recently due to large volumes of data, most probably from the Apple iPad. From $30/month for unlimited plan to $25/month for 2 GB of data bandwidth transfer per month for the Apple iPad. $20/month for iPhone limited to 2GB as well. For some it may seem like 2GB is enough, but it really depends on how often you use your data services. How often are you using your email?

Apparently, this bandwidth payment deal started around June 7th.

Engadget reports that Verizon will be switching to this limited data system soon as well (that they've hinted at for a while). No word or confirmation on pricing or whether it even will happen but Verizon will probably not miss out on this opportunity to make extra cash, especially if their biggest competitor is doing it.

This is where I'm glad I still use T-Mobile--I hope they won't follow these other company leads.

If consumers want to actually make a difference, they need to use their purchasing power to force these companies to get rid of these rip off offers. For example, all airline companies now charge $25 for the FIRST bag; Southwest doesn't, so it makes sense for consumers to start using Southwest. Similarly, we need to switch cell-phone carriers to unlimited plans to make those limited plan ideas crawl back under the rocks from whence they came.

The only way capitalism can work perfectly is through informed consumers who will punish those companies that find loopholes and ways to charge more money. Informed consumers like yourselves need to take a stand and switch to the competition no matter what. Another example, almost every cell phone company makes 2-year contracts; well then we should try to switch to providers who don't have any contracts (if they exist).

Unfortunately, most consumers are use to taking whatever is thrown at them and biting the bullet. Imagine the charge amounts when you accidentally download too many attachments (which sometimes automatically get downloaded if they are images). They already double the monthly charge when you accidentally go over your minutes.

iPhone 4 vs EVO 4G: Total Cost of Ownership

From: http://www.billshrink.com/

The iPhone 4, EVO 4G, Droid Incredible, and Google Nexus One; when it comes to choosing a smartphone, there are several worthy competitors on the market to consider. It is important to compare the key features that each phone and its carrier offer before making a decision. By looking at the chart below, you can compare pricing, plans and smartphone features and decide which phone will best suit your individual needs.

Editor’s note: Though the category is listed as “unlimited plan,” you should note that due to AT&T’s recent data service pricing change, they’re no longer offering unlimited data plan for new subscribers. Instead, new users will have the option to a 2 GB plan for $25 or a 200 MB plan for $15. This is rather unfortunate as other carriers may soon adopt AT&T’s tiered rate for data service, and the current a la carte pricing may not really reflect what the average user needs (it’s either too much data given, or not enough).

This cost comparison is also specifically tailored for a balance mix of users. Obviously, if you’re a gadget geek, you know each phone’s specifications and dimensions by heart, but if you’re just average Joe, you may not care if the phone is powered by a Qualcomm 1 GHz Snapdragon or its competitor sports the similar ARM-based Cortex-A8 CPU packaged with a PowerVR SGX graphics chip.

Comparison Notes:

Unlimited plan – Unlimited plan is the maximum plan you can get with each respective carrier to get the maximum service coverage as a new service subscriber.

Minimum plan – Minimum plan is the lowest voice plan you can subscribe to while still retaining all smartphone usage feature (data & messaging). Note: We’re considering changing AT&T’s minimum data plan to the 2 GB offering instead of the 200 MB plan to better match competitor’s offering.

Click to Enlarge

Noteworthy Phone/Carrier Features:

If you’re not familiar with the cell phones below, you should note that the EVO 4G is the only smartphone listed with 4G network speed, though coverage is limited nationwide, and you’ll be required to pay an additional $10 data surcharge. Having said that, you can enable the EVO 4G to utilize its mobile hotspot, allowing you to connect up to eight device. Why pay for AT&T’s questionable $25 3G connection on your iPad when you can just WiFi hotspot with your EVO 4G?

The iPhone 4 is not a 4G device, it is the 4th generation iPhone (hence iPhone 4). Though it has the highest resolution on all the phones listed below, it’s also the phone with the smallest screen size (3.5 inches vs. 4.3 inches is a big difference, so we encourage you to see the difference in person if possible). Having said that, the iPhone 4 comes with Apple’s lovly marketing jargon of “retina display” — which in essence is just very sharp display: an in-plane switching (IPS), thin film transistor (TFT), LCD screen. IPS LCDs certainly aren’t magically produced in recent days, and have been around in many displays for awhile (though at a heavy price). The difference in sharpness though is evident and a majority of users will notice the difference.

The Droid Incredible, Nexus One, and EVO 4G are all made by HTC, so you’ll find some similar aspect to them across the board. All of the phone sports Google’s Android operating system, and in essence is much more “open” in respective to what an end-user and developer can do to the phone. On the other hand, with an iPhone, you’ll be subjected to certain restrictions Apple/AT&T may place on the device (e.g., though the hardware is fully capable, you will not be able to tether your iPhone 4 to an iPad). It’s a personal preference on what type of experience you prefer and enjoy. While many users and developers may dislike Apple’s App Store environment and policy (I’m personally one of them), the average user can certainly appreciate a user experience that’s tightly controlled to engineer the best possible experience — with the recently announced news of 600,000 pre-orders for the iPhone 4 (even though with the heavy glitch and server meltdown), there’s obviously a heavy demand for Apple’s latest smartphone. Feel free to check the links after the comparison graphic below for more detail on each respective phones!

More Links and Resources:

CNET’s coverage on the Apple iPhone 4. A decent, well-rounded review on the EVO 4G from CNET. Engadget’s Droid Incredible review (in brief, it was one of the best Android phone offering right before the release of EVO 4G). You’ll find a nice consolidation of review from PC World on Google’s Nexus One.

Showdown: iPhone 4 vs. HTC Evo 4G

• By Priya Ganapati
• 
  
• From: http://www.wired.com

Updated to include more information on Qik

Apple’s new iPhone 4 is the company’s biggest update yet for the handset and it will have you drooling.

The phone is a snazzily slim, glass-backed slab that boasts some impressive specs: dual cameras, a big operating system update and video chat, among other things.

Apple introduced the phone at its developer conference Monday and said it will be available on AT&T’s network starting June 24.

But when the iPhone 4 hits retail shelves it will have to battle a gaggle of Android devices for consumer attention — the most significant of which is the HTC Evo. The Evo has one big advantage that Apple can’t beat. It runs on Sprint’s 4G network, while the iPhone is stuck on AT&T’s 3G service. Sprint 4G, though, is not available in most major cities, including San Francisco and New York.

If you are considering upgrading to the latest version of the iPhone or getting an Android device, take a look at how the iPhone 4 and HTC Evo 4G compare:

	iPhone 4	HTC Evo 4G
Display	3.5 inch display with 960 x 640 pixel resolution	4.3 inch screen with 800 x 480 pixel resolution
Processor	Apple A4 chip, speed unknown	1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon
Size	4.5 inches in height, 2.3 inches wide, 0.37 inches thick.	4.8 inches in height, 2.6 inches wide, 0.5 inches thick.
Weight	4.8 ounces	6 ounces
Operating system	iOS 4	Android 2.1
Cellular access	3G	4G
Storage capacity	16 or 32 GB flash drive	8 GB microSD card included, supports up to 32 GB.
Camera	Dual cameras. 5-megapixel primary camera. Front-facing secondary camera (resolution unknown).	Dual camera with 8-megapixel primary camera, 1.3 megapixel front-facing secondary camera.
Video Recording	720p, up to 30 frames per second. Built-in video editing.	720p at 25 frames per second.
Video Conferencing	Yes. Native support through FaceTime application, via Wi-Fi only.	Available through Qik app that costs $5 a month for premium features and higher-than-VGA quality. Basic app is free. Can be used over 3G or 4G wireless.
Sensors	Three-axis gyro, digital compass, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, GPS.	Digital compass, accelerometer, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, GPS.
Battery Life	Talk time of up to 7 hours on 3G and 14 hours on 2G.	Up to 6 hours of talk time.
Price	$200 for 16 GB version, $300 for 32 GB (both with a two-year contract).	$200 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) with a two-year contract.
Availability	June 24	June 4
Service provider	AT&T	Sprint

The Ultimate Cell Phone Plans Comparison

Tony Adam

From: http://www.billshrink.com

On Friday, Verizon Wireless announced pricing plan restructuring that would reduce the cost of voice usage. AT&T Wireless quickly followed suit and unveiled their updated cell phone plans as well. Today is the day that those changes go into effect.
While both carriers announced these changes as efforts to simplify plans, the real truth behind the story is that the profits are in the data: Verizon’s revenue is now up 24% (they reported $15.8 billion in Q309), with 17% coming from data services.
I think that there is still a long way to go before it gets to a point where picking a cell phone plan is simple, even after these various many attempts by the carriers in 2009. There are still way too many plan combination.
This is our best attempt to simplify all of the plan combination and it was painful, but here it is, The Ultimate Cell Phone Plans Comparison:

Click Image to Enlarge

BillShrink can help you find cell phone plans that save you money and fit your needs, without sifting through the madness!

Nokia tells all on Booklet 3G: $299 with a 2-year contract on AT&T

by Paul Miller

Nokia, AT&T, Best Buy and Microsoft are all holding hands and singing the same song about Nokia's Booklet 3G today. The good news is that the device will be subsidized by AT&T, at $299 with a 2-year contract at a $60 a month data plan -- with other rate plans and prices to be announced -- and a $599 non-subsidized price. It'll be out with the launch of Windows 7 on October 22nd and available exclusively through Best Buy through the holidays. Nokia's also pretty strong about stating that 12 hour battery life isn't a "brochure number" but a real number -- though we doubt that since Nokia is using Mobile Mark '07 which doesn't include wireless in its base tests.

AT&T Changes Tune, Allows VoIP Over Cell Network

Dan Moren, Macworld.com

All engines, full reverse! That's the order AT&T seemed to be giving on Tuesday when it announced that it would be altering its existing policy to allow Internet phone applications such as Skype to place calls over the iPhone's cellular data connection.

Previously Skype and other Voice over IP (VoIP) applications for the iPhone, such as Fring, were relegated to Wi-Fi connections, prompting calls of foul play by consumers who often wanted to take advantage of features like the services' cheaper rates for international calling. An FCC investigation was launched in April at the behest of Internet advocacy group Free Press, shortly after the Skype app was released for the iPhone.

Notably, the ban did not apply to non-iPhone devices on AT&T's network. "Today's decision was made after evaluating our customers' expectations and use of the (iPhone) compared to dozens of others we offer," AT&T Wireless CEO Ralph de la Vega told The Wall Street Journal.

While some alleged that AT&T's desire in keeping Skype off its data network was a way of stifling competition and forcing customers to use the wireless company's international calling options, it's also been suggested that AT&T was worried about the amount of traffic the immensely popular iPhone could bring to bear on its network.

Somewhat coincidentally--if you believe in such things--earlier in the day, Google and Verizon held a joint press conference to announce their new partnership, in which the two companies stressed network openness.

The decision today does not apparently affect other applications that suffer from similar restrictions, such as the iPhone version of SlingPlayer Mobile, which allows users to stream video from their home devices only over Wi-Fi connections. Nor does it affect the contentious Google Voice service, which uses the standard telephone functions of the cellular network to route phone calls to and from users.

Near Washington, D.C., construction crews watch for mystery 'black' wire

A Metrorail extension risks hitting communications lines, including some used for top-secret government intelligence operations.

By Amy Gardner
June 07, 2009

Reporting from Washington — This part happens all the time: A construction crew putting up an office building in the heart of congested Tysons Corner in McLean, Va., hit a fiber-optic cable no one knew was there.

This part doesn't: Within moments, three black SUVs drove up, half a dozen men in suits jumped out, and one said, "You just hit our line."

Whose line, you may ask? The guys in suits didn't say, recalled Aaron Georgelas, whose company, the Georgelas Group, was developing the Greensboro Corporate Center. Georgelas assumed that he was dealing with the federal government and that the cable in question was "black" wire -- a secure communications line used for some of the nation's most secretive intelligence-gathering operations.

"The construction manager was shocked," Georgelas recalled about the incident in 2000. "He had never seen a line get cut and people show up within seconds. Usually you've got to figure out whose line it is. To garner that kind of response that quickly was amazing."

Black wire is one of the risks of the construction that has come to Tysons, where miles and miles of secure lines are thought to serve such nearby agencies as the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the National Counterterrorism Center and, a few miles away, the CIA. With work underway on a Metrorail extension, crews are stirring up tons of dirt where the black lines are located.

"Yeah, we heard about the black SUVs," said Paul Goguen, the engineer in charge of relocating electric, gas, water, sewer, cable, telephone and other communications lines to make way for Metro.

"We were warned that if they were hit, the company responsible would show up before you even had a chance to make a phone call."

So far, so good, Goguen added. But the peril remains for a project that will spend $150 million moving more than 75 miles of conduit along a three-mile stretch.

The Tysons corridor is also home to part of MAE-East, one of the nation's primary Internet pipelines installed years ago by the government and private companies. Most major telecommunications carriers link to the pipeline, meaning there's a jumble of fiber-optic wire under the new rail route.

Moving utilities quickly and cheaply is a big part of any construction work. But the $5.2-billion rail project, which will extend service to Dulles International Airport, is particularly complex.

Construction crews have been digging for more than a year to shift the wires of more than 21 private utilities out of the path of the rail line -- and they have another year to go.

And they have snapped, accidentally, dozens of those carriers' lines, because even not-so-secret commercial lines sometimes don't show up on utility maps. Goguen, the utility manager, estimates that the rail project has already hit three dozen lines.

Such issues are likely to resurface this summer, when tunnel construction is scheduled to begin. Above the tunnel's path is a giant microwave communications tower operated by the U.S. Army. And if you want to know what the 280-foot tower is for, too bad. "The specific uses of the system to which this particular antenna is attached" are classified, Army spokesman Dave Foster said.

Other government agencies near Tysons also had little to say. A CIA spokeswoman would not comment. And Mike Birmingham, a spokesman for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, would say only that if a communications line used by the agency was cut, the nation's intelligence-gathering would carry on uninterrupted.

"No particular project puts us at risk -- highway construction, building construction," Birmingham said. "We don't have a single point of failure. Our systems are redundant."

Georgelas, the developer whose company was overseeing the work when the Chevy Suburbans drove up, said he figured the government was involved when an AT&T crew arrived the same day to fix the line, rather than waiting days. His opinion didn't change when AT&T tried to bill his company for the work -- and immediately backed down when his company balked.

"These lines are not cheap to move," Georgelas said. "They said, 'You owe us $300,000.' We said, 'Are you nuts?' "

The charges just disappeared.

Gardner writes for the Washington Post.

What it's like to use the iPhone 3G on Verizon's network

Last week, when Apple introduced its new iPhone 3GS smartphone, it highlighted by omission what many feel is the product's weakest link - that, in the U.S., it's only available on the AT&T network.

When Apple listed the providers who'd be offering tethering and multimedia messaging when the phone is available on Friday, AT&T was noticeably absent. In fact, when the wireless provider was mentioned during the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference keynote, the audience reaction ranged from snickering to outright boos.

Indeed, AT&T is the ubiquitous wireless provider you love to hate. iPhone users complain its data network is slow and congested, that its voice service drops calls frequently, and that its 3G coverage is too limited. As I've written before, I hear all the time from people who wish they could use the iPhone on Verizon, which has a reputation for a speedy, reliable and extensive data network.

Tales of an iPhone on Verizon's network have been around even before the phone was released. Tech legend has it that Apple initially approached Verizon to be the iPhone's exclusive provider, but the carrier turned its nose up at the new device.

So what would an iPhone on Verizon's network be like? Would it be as zippy and reliable at transferring data as iPhone fans hope?

I had a chance last week to find out. Verizon sent me a MiFi 2200, a device made by Novatel that combines a cellular modem with a Wi-Fi router. It connects to Verizon's 3G EVDO network in the same way as the air cards used with personal computers. It then allows up to 5 devices to connect to its 802.11g router. It's tiny - about 2.3-by-3.5 inches and less than half an inch thick - and easily fits in your pocket.

It's a nifty product, particularly for traveling. You can use it to provide everyone in a car with a Wi-Fi connection, turning your vehicle into a 70-mph hotspot.

And that's exactly what I did late last week. We drove to Missouri for my daughter's college orientation, and brought the MiFi along. I used it with my iPhone, and the results were very interesting.

In a major city such as Houston, I found the two networks performed about the same much of the time. AT&T's network could be noticeably slower at peak times, such as during rush hours. But on a Sunday night, when network traffic was light, the two networks performed similarly.

Here's a screen grab from the Speedtest iPhone app from Xtreme Labs. The results on the left are from AT&T; on the right, Verizon. This was typical of what I saw during off hours.

I didn't take screenshots during peak hours, but performance was often - but not always - noticeably slower on AT&T's network. Verizon's network was predictably fast almost all the time.

The major exception to that was in rural areas. On the way to Missouri, we passed through north Texas and eastern Oklahoma, where AT&T has no 3G, and sometimes even the older EDGE network was nowhere to be found. In some of these areas, Verizon's data network was MIA as well. The MiFi often connected to roaming networks (its power button turns blue to signal this) and data transfers then were as slow as on AT&T's EDGE network.

In other words, forget about smoking marijuana or taking trips on LSD. We don't do wireless broadband outside Muskogee, Okla., USA, either.

Of course, there are many variables here. Using the MiFi, I was going through a Wi-Fi connection to get to Verizon's network, but theoretically the 802.11g protocol has plenty of throughput to handle what's coming from the 3G modem. There could be interference for both Wi-Fi and 3G signals. The number of other users on either 3G network is also a variable.

But overall, performance was more reliable on Verizon's network with the iPhone going through Wi-Fi, than on AT&T's network talking directly to 3G.

Still, I don't think frustrated iPhone users can see a version of their phone on Verizon's network as a panacea. However, the coming of next-generation data networks -- and AT&T's plans to increase the speeds of its current 3G network -- hold out some hope for the future. In the meantime, iPhone users will just have to grit their teeth and bear it.

The MiFi, by the way, sells for $99 online, but requires a two-year service contract for a broadband connection that costs $60 a month with a 5-GB cap. If that's too rich for your blood, there's a $40 a month plan with a measly 250-MB cap. You can also buy it with no contract for $270 and pay $15 for individual day usage. None of those plans, frankly, are a good deal.

Angry iPhone owners blast AT&T over upgrade pricing

Thousands sign Twitter petition, want carrier to retreat from $200 surcharge on iPhone 3G S

By Gregg Keizer

Computerworld - iPhone users angry over AT&T's pricing policy for the new iPhone 3G S have taken their campaign to Twitter, where more than 4,400 have added their names to an instant petition.

They're mad as hell about AT&T's plan to charge them an additional $200 to upgrade to the iPhone 3G S if they haven't fulfilled most or all of their two-year contract with the carrier. "AT&T should give existing customers the same rate for the new iPhone 3G S that they do for new customers," the Twitter petition reads. "New customers or not, another 2-year contract is being made."

Apple's and AT&T's subsidized prices for the iPhone 3G S, which will launch on Friday, June 19, are $199 for the 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB device. Those prices, however, apply only to new customers to AT&T, or to existing customers who are judged eligible for the lower-priced upgrade.

Meanwhile, people who already own an iPhone or have an existing AT&T contract, and are judged by AT&T as ineligible for another subsidized phone must fork over $399 for the 16GB, $599 for the 32GB.

AT&T doesn't reveal the criteria it uses to peg existing customers as eligible or ineligible, but Computerworld staffers who own iPhones have been told that they must run through as few as 12 months, and as many as 20 months, of their 24-month contracts before they'll qualify for the $199 and $299 prices.

That's made AT&T customers mad enough to sign the Twitter petition at a rate of about 250 an hour as of mid-day Wednesday. The petition was first posted yesterday.

They're also venting in other online venues. "This is all a slap to our face!" ranted a user identified as "irishlad1977" on a well-trafficked AT&T support forum thread labeled "No Subsidized Price For Loyal iPhone Users."

"Cry foul, all disappointed iPhone users!" added "tsfroggy" on the same thread.

"Why are we being punished for buying Apple products?" asked "Darksithscorpius" in a post to an Apple support forum. "I love the product, but the way that they let AT&T dictate how their customers are treated is terrible. Charging us the extra $200 for being loyal customers is flat out wrong!"

The company's policy, however, is standard for the wireless industry in the U.S., which ties subsidized phone prices to the completion of long-term contract commitments. That fact was quickly pointed out by others unsympathetic to the complainers.

"You do have a cheaper option once you live up to your side of the bargain," said "DWC1" on the AT&T forum. "If you want to upgrade early then you will have to pay full price with no subsidy discount. You can't blame anyone but yourself for your predicament."

AT&T did not respond to a request for comment about its pricing practices, or what it thought of the Twitter petition and the online postings by iPhone owners.

A similar Twitter-based petition for customers of O2, the U.K.'s exclusive carrier for the iPhone, had nearly 4,100 signatures by mid-day Wednesday.

The hubbub over pricing isn't the only negative press that AT&T's received since Apple unveiled the iPhone 3G S on Monday. The company has also come under fire for its slow moves to support MMS and its lack of a tethering plan to let customers connect laptops to the Internet via the iPhone. Other mobile carriers will offer both MSS and tethering when the iPhone 3G S debuts next week.

AT&T plans to double its 3G network capacity

Many iPhone users complain about AT&T's service -- or lack thereof. Credit: dbrulz123 at Flickr.

It's a common complaint among iPhone users: The device is great, but the much-heralded 3G network, provided by AT&T, needs work. Now, it seems AT&T may be listening.

AT&T is testing increased download speeds on its 3G network, according to spokesman Geoff Mordock. The news first emerged in an interview with Scott McElroy, AT&T Mobility vice president of technology realization, in Telephony Online. The tests, if implemented, would bring the theoretical maximum speed to 7.2 megabits per second -- double the current maximum speed.

AT&T is also increasing network capacity by adding new cell sites and nearly doubling the total network capacity in most markets via an additional spectrum at 850 MHz, according to Mordock. That frequency makes it easier to get coverage inside buildings. Network capacity determines how much information can be sent over the network, including calls and data connections.

AT&T has come under fire lately for its sluggish 3G speeds. It was sued in March for promising faster 3G speeds than were available, the latest in a long line of quibbles over 3G speed. The plaintiff in the March lawsuit said he could connect to the 3G network only periodically.

The news about the increased speeds comes at a strategically beneficial time to AT&T: last week, reports emerged that the wireless company was trying to extend its exclusive relationship with Apple until 2011.

-- Alana Semuels

AT&T moves closer to offering in-home cell base stations

By Glenn Fleishman

AT&T is contacting some of its customers asking if they'd like to test an in-home extension to its cellular networks powered by a subscriber's own broadband—a femtocell. Femtocells use frequencies licensed by the carrier for data and voice, while handling backhaul through a customer-provided service.

An Ars Technica reader forwarded a customer survey question he'd seen after being solicited by AT&T for his opinion: "AT&T's new product is a small, security-enabled cellular base station that easily connects to your home DSL or Cable Internet, providing a reliable wireless signal for any 3G phone in every room of your house. The device allows you to have unlimited, nationwide Anytime Minutes for incoming or outgoing calls."

Sprint Nextel has been offering femtocells since last year; the advantage to the carrier is providing fill-in service in the home without deploying more base stations in an area. (See "Sprint's new femtocells offer cell coverage, backhaul costs," July 30, 2008.) AT&T has apparently been testing femtocells with its own employees since last year as well.

Femtocells differ from T-Mobile's UMA (unlicensed mobile access) approach, which also puts a specialized device in the home. With UMA, specialized handsets must have both cell and WiFi radios, and the firmware to handle seamless handoffs between the two network types. With a femtocells, the radio side is effectively identical with only the backhaul varying. T-Mobile also offers WiFi routers that feature two increasingly common VoIP-oriented protocols (one for power conservation, the other for packet prioritization).

Carriers pay enormously less to transit and account for voice and data over a customer's own broadband, and thus can offer so-called unlimited voice plans (which have some very high monthly limits). T-Mobile's HotSpot@Home service costs $10 (1 or more lines) per month adding to a minimum $40-per-month voice plan; Sprint charges $15 to $25 per month for the same thing.

Femtocells have few disadvantages for home users because the dedicated frequencies means that any WiFi network they may already have in place isn't degraded by cellular use, and vice versa.