This morning I got an email from GBM Reader poppacracker: Here’s the body of that email: I have seen many reviews on quality of reception for a multitude of phones. All have dealt with one phone at a time and most of the time it turns into service that is available and excuses. I would [...]
Users who live in rural areas without access to cable and DSL connectivity must compare internet connection speeds in kilobytes, not megabytes. Verizon HomeFusion brings fast internet speeds to rural areas and suburbs too far away for traditional wired Internet with the speed of 4G LTE. That means users can enjoy speeds of 5 – 12 [...]
The inevitable is here and quite frankly I’m glad. Quite a few new iPad owners are experiencing the faster speeds provided by Verizon or AT&T’s LTE network and enjoying streaming HD video on that new Retina display. Some of those are realizing that the faster speeds combined that video streaming means they can burn through [...]
Last year, when the iPad 2 came out, AT&T allowed customers with the unlimited data plan offered for the iPad 1 (but discontinued before the iPad 2 launch) to keep using that plan with the new tablet, much as they’ve done with iPhone and other smartphone customers. Though recently those same customers are feeling salty [...]
AT&T’s data throttling policy, aimed at curbing consumption of those grandfathered into unlimited data plans, has drawn the ire of smartphone owners on one of the nation’s largest cellular providers. However, one man decided to take his frustrations a step beyond customer service and beyond the forums where most complaints take place. Matt Spaccarelli has [...]
Sprint announced three new 4G LTE devices as CES kicks off. The carrier, which has in the past operated on rival 4G WiMax technology, is now beginning its transition to LTE technology as part of its Network Vision strategy to offer customers more robust and faster mobile broadband speeds, which will allow faster downloads and [...]
Satellite TV provider Dish Network wants to build a mobile broadband 4G LTE network with its existing spectrum, which when it had acquired was earmarked for satellite services. Dish Network wants to better compete with phone and cable companies that are now offering high speed Internet, paid TV offerings, and phone into a package. The [...]
The ‘cloud’ is becoming a big feature of our digital lives today–anywhere from the most recently launched Spotify for cloud-based streaming music to cloud-streamed videos like those on Netflix and Hulu. All of this is driven by the increasing access and availability to the Internet and broadband, either through mobile like on 3G and 4G [...]
The Associated Press has recently reported a number of cautionary, yet scary, incidents of homeowners being wrongfully accused of downloading child pornography. One New York resident, who had not set up a password on his router, woke up to federal agents raiding his home. Last year, a Florida man experienced a similar visit when someone [...]
Well this just arrived. It’s the new Sprint MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot from Novatel. I ordered it right after the went on sale and I’m looking very much forward to checking it out. I’ve been a big MiFi user for quite some time with the earlier Sprint model. It works well when I travel, especially [...]
If you’ve been waiting to hear when Sprint would announce its 3G/4G MiFi card you can stop waiting. Sprint made the announcement recently. The new card from Novatel, now called the Sprint MiFi 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Novatel Wireless, will cost $79.99 with a two year contract or eligible upgrade. Data plans start at $49.99 [...]
4G connectivity is destined to be something we all have sooner or later. Probably about the time that we start hearing about 5G. The major US carriers have all rolled out their versions in some markets and unfortunately they’ve all rolled out their own definitions about what 4G actually delivers. Or not. Sascha Segan at [...]
4G is all the rage. And there was some rage when 4G first debuted on Sprint when there was a $10 charge to use it’s version of 4G if you picked up an EVO even in areas where 4G wasn’t turned on. Well, I’m guessing today’s news is going to cause a bit more rage. [...]
Ouch. I’ve been expecting a move like this somewhere, sometime and it looks like it is here. At least in Great Britain. On February 1 T-Mobile will impose a 500MB “fair use” limit on streaming or downloading video on mobile users. (Don’t confuse the phrase “fair use” here with how it is used when talking [...]
Wow. That’s all I can say. I read some of the transcripts and watched some of the video from the D: Dive Into Mobile conference last night. Interviews with some of the big wigs who run the carriers and their strategies were nothing if not illuminating and one with RIM that equally sheds light on [...]
Have you ever scratched your head in wonder or frustration or anger at how 3G data plans are priced by the carriers? It often seems like a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma to quote Winston Churchill. Certainly there’s no consistency and to be frank, my opinion is that is just the way [...]
To me my thinking about routers has always been similar to how I think of printers. They are utility devices that I spend a lot of time researching before making a purchase, then make the purchase, hook them up, and forget about them. Until they fail. Then the process starts all over again. Of course [...]
Interesting. Samsung is receiving some mixed but usually positive reviews for the Galaxy Tab. There are reports that they’ve cut back on production, which I dismiss as wrong, if not curious, given the timing. Now we’re hearing that the WiFi Galaxy Tab has been delayed by manufacturing issues thanks to an eagle eye from Jeff [...]
It’s not often in the mobile tech sector that US consumers have a choice between the major carriers when it comes to the introduction of a new device. The Samsung Galaxy Tab is one of those opportunities. All four carriers are rolling out plans to support the Galaxy Tab and hoping to woo you. Engadget [...]
On the one hand Peter Rojas should be applauded for proposing that the broadband carriers adopt a multi-device plan instead of having each device tied to a contract. On the other hand he’s tilting at windmills even though he’s proposing what many have proposed before. And much like Don Quixote, he’s on a fool’s errand [...]
My wife dropped her phone the other day and it met an untimely end. Fortunately I pay for insurance on her phone. Not that she drops them often, but she’s hard on gadgets. So we headed to the Sprint Store to get a replacement. That part of the plan went off without a hitch. Phone [...]
Don’t say you weren’t warned. According to an Engadget report, Verizon’s tiered pricing plans for data will take effect on October 28 If you dwell in the land of Smart Phones you’ll have your choice between 150MB for $15 with a $0.10 per MB overage or $29.99 for unlimited access. Yeah, there’s that unlimited word [...]
Maybe Sumocat is a little happier this morning. Sprint and Clearwire are announcing dates when they will flip the switch on WiMax in three big US cities. New York City gets lit up on November 1, Los Angeles on December 1, and San Francisco later in December. That last one is still a little porous, [...]
Anyone who follows the mobile technology scene with any degree of regularity knew this was coming in some way shape or form and coming soon. Now it looks like AT&T is giving it’s flavor of a Pay-As-You-Go plan a roll out with three new devices. The two netbooks and one notebook include the Acer Aspire [...]
Tell me you didn’t see this coming. Verizon is reported to be moving to capping its data services. This of course follows with what AT&T did after it realized its failed network can’t handle the data traffic that it advertises. These companies love to tell us how great their networks are but then play poor [...]
This has been an insane week for me. We’re opening a production of Always Patsy Cline at a different venue from our home theatre, Historic Jordan Springs Event and Cultural Arts Center. It is a lovely venue, almost idyllic in its rural setting. At the same time we’re in the second week of rehearsals for [...]
So, I’m just curious here. Everyone who is pushing anything in the mobile scene always utters one big word. That one big word is advertising. It can be argued that iPads and Tablet/Slates are basically being positioned as new advertisement delivery mechanisms, given that we’ve developed a culture that is hesitant to pay for content [...]
Sprint seems to be going all out with its quasi 4G push and the Overdrive. For those that don’t know the Overdrive is the portable modem that allows you to suck down Sprint’s broadband signal and use it with up to 5 devices as a WiFi connection. If you’re in an area where Sprint’s WiMax [...]
If you’ve ever thought you weren’t getting the broadband speeds your ISP or provider promised, you might want to try these tools that the FCC has just made available. First up is a tool you can use on your laptop or desktop that tells you upload and download speeds along with measuring latency and jitter. [...]
Get ready for some form of tiered broadband pricing. There is certainly nothing wrong with paying for what you use as a concept. But the problem that broadband providers have is backing away from phrases like “unlimited” that they used to use to attract customers. In a Wall St. Journal article touting Verizon’s 4G service [...]
Sharing Internet connections has been one way to spread the broadband love for some time. There are certainly options to do so with hardware such as the MiFi card (still in the running as one of my favorite gadgets of the year.) But here is a software solution that can all you to turn your [...]
I say it over and over again. The Achilles heel of most of the innovation we are seeing in computing is how broadband develops to keep pace with the demands we are placing on the pipes. To be honest, I’m not overly optimistic that the pipes will ever be big enough to keep up. The [...]
With government initiatives underway to hopefully improve our broadband lives here in the US, the first item on the list appears to be defining exactly what broadband is. Or rather, what definition the government will use. Some say it has to do with speed, some see it as a different picture. The FCC is looking [...]
It is in the early stages and nothing may come of the review but the US Department of Justice is going to take a look at the Telcom industry to see if there is any abuse going on. Again, things are very early, but the Wall St. Journal is reporting that the DOJ will be [...]
Both Sprint and AT&T are trying to carve out some new territory in your home or office by offering 3G Femtocells, presumably later this year. A Femtocell is a device that provides you with a mini-base station that basically route your calls and data, somewhat like a wireless router. The attraction here is for those [...]
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Sprint HTC EVO 4G LTE Review: A Worthy Successor to the Original (Video)
When Sprint had debuted the original WiMax-capable HTC EVO 4G nearly two years ago, it was an instant hit on the Now network. Not only was the HTC EVO 4G the first 4G smartphone in the world taking advantage of Sprint’s then speedy WiMax network, but it brought some new features and pizzazz to the [...]
Last year Toshiba waded into the Android tablet market with the Thrive, a 10.1-inch slate that served as the company’s response to what they deemed missing in the then current crop. Thus, it had several full-size ports, a rugged-ish exterior, and a thick chassis to accommodate both. Though a decent tablet, the Thrive didn’t generate [...]
Samsung Shows That It Is a Software Company
As exciting as it has been to talk, postulate, and speculate about the Galaxy S III’s hardware and specs before the third-generation Galaxy flagship smartphone was announced on May 3rd in London, once the device was announced one thing became apparent: Samsung is now a software company. That doesn’t mean that Samsung is shying away [...]
Autumn Dynasty Review: A Great RTS for the iPad
With its large touchscreen, the iPad seems like the perfect platform for Real Time Strategy games, and Autumn Dynasty proves it, mostly. Autumn Dynasty is an RTS iPad game with art that looks like tradition Chinese painting. The story involves quelling a rebellion while solving a mystery of shady noblemen. The story though, just serves [...]
Griffin GuitarConnect Pro Review: Record Your Jams with Ease
The Griffin GuitarConnect Pro interfaces with your Guitar and your iPad or iPhone so you can record your music easily using apps like Apple’s GarageBand. My son Daniel, who’s learning to play guitar, helped me test it out and he loved it. When he gets as good as Jimi Hendrix, I’m sure he’ll steal my [...]
Google Search App iPhone and iPad Update Looks Beautiful (Video)
Google just delivered a beautiful update to the company’s Google Search app for the iPhone and iPad The Google Search app for iPhone and iPad replaced Safari as my browser of choice, earning a spot in the iPhone and iPad dock. It’s faster and offers a beautiful new full screen image search which looks awesome on the [...]
