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Sprint Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot launches March 20
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Wireless / WiFi,
Sprint today announced that the Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless will be available on March 20. It is the next generation of Sprint's previous Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, increases the number of shared users from five to eight, and has a 45 percent larger LCD screen.
Sprint claims the Overdrive Pro offers a number of enhancements over its predecessor, focused mostly on performance and usability. There is a 35 percent improvement in power-up and power-down times. The integrated LCD screen is now 45 percent larger to provide a greater viewing area, while the device itself is actually smaller for easier portability. And the LCD can now display detailed connection and device information through additional screens that can be accessed by double-pressing the power button.
The Overdrive Pro allows users to connect up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously–including laptops, tablets, eReaders, gaming devices, cameras and even smartphones from other carriers–through a single connection (via Wi-Fi) to Sprint's 3G or 4G networks.
Click to continue reading Sprint Overdrive Pro 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot launches March 20
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Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi model launches March 27
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
The Wi-Fi version of the Motorola Xoom will be available at various retailers starting March 27, the company announced Wednesday.
The 10.1-inch tablet will be at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Costco, RadioShack, select Sam's Club locations, Staples, and Walmart - both in-store and on their Web sites.
The Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi with 32GB of memory will cost $599.
Motorola said the Xoom Wi-Fi will also be available to commercial IT channels and regional retailers through a distribution agreement with Synnex Corporation, and regional carriers through Brightpoint.
Click to continue reading Motorola Xoom Wi-Fi model launches March 27
T-Mobile offering 10 GB data plan for $85 a month
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Smartphones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi,
T-Mobile announced a new 10GB cellular data plan for heavy modem and tablet users today, but obsessive downloaders will pay a high price of $84.99 per month.
As wireless carriers have sped up their networks, data caps have remained firmly in place. The industry standard is 5GB, after which you're either charged overage or your speed gets choked down for the rest of the month. Fast new networks make it easier to reach that cap; we once proved that in an extreme circumstance, you can download 5GB with Verizon's new LTE network in 32 minutes. Of the major wireless carriers, only Sprint, on its 4G WiMAX network, currently offers a truly unlimited laptop modem plan.
Less than 5 percent of wireless data users exceed 5GB, T-Mobile spokesman David Henderson said - but it's not clear whether that's because they don't actually want more data, or if that's their limit.
Click to continue reading T-Mobile offering 10 GB data plan for $85 a month
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Wi-Fi reduces broadband speeds by 30 percent
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Wireless / WiFi,
Wired broadband is nearly 30 percent faster than wireless broadband within the same household, an Internet research company has found.
UK-based research firm Epitiro surveyed 2,761 U.S. broadband consumers between November 2010 and February 2011. Forty-five percent used a wired connection to their broadband routers and 55 percent connected via Wi-Fi. The respondents were asked to embed a speed test application on their computers in order to measure download times.
Wired download speeds were 29.7 percent faster than Wi-Fi connections. The average actual speed was 7.4 Mbps for wired connections, compared to 5.2 Mbps for wireless ones. Furthermore, latency was 10-20 percent higher over Wi-Fi. Packet loss and jitter were also detected.
Why is Wi-Fi so much slower than older wired technology? According to Epitiro, wireless speeds are degraded because most wireless routers, by default, are set to the same channel, which causes "radio congestion." Signal strength is also hindered by physical objects like walls, doors, floors, furniture, even people. Other common radio-based devices, like microwave ovens and baby monitors, also hog your home's wireless spectrum.
With more consumers now using wireless connections than the technically superior wired connections, Epitiro concluded that consumers prioritized "quality of experience" over the "quality of service." Put another way, consumers still prefer the convenience of mobility over the extra minutes of download time saved. Furthermore, Web browsing times were roughly the same between types of connections.
Click to continue reading Wi-Fi reduces broadband speeds by 30 percent
AT&T iPhone download speeds beat Verizon
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Wireless / WiFi,
When it comes to data speeds, one research group claims that the AT&T iPhone 4 is a nosehair faster than Verizon's iPhone.
Downloading data with the AT&T iPhone, which runs on a 3G HSPDA network, is twice as fast as downloads with the Verizon iPhone, which runs on EVDO, according to mobile research firm Metrico Wireless. But the average load time for an "average Web page" is the same on both devices.
When the iPhone user is on the move, AT&T's iPhone completed "around 10 percent more data download sessions than the Verizon iPhone. The opposite was true when the iPhone was stationary," Metrico found.
"There are many factors that determine Web performance. Speed isn't the only one," a Metrico spokeswoman said. "There's also OS trends, rendering time, latency on the network, etc. This report's findings are based on a standardized average Web page. Larger Web pages may offer different results."
Click to continue reading AT&T iPhone download speeds beat Verizon
Ubiquisys attocell will be a personal femtocell for the iPhone
Posted by Reza Malayeri Categories: Accessories, USB, Smartphones, Wireless / WiFi,
Today Ubiquisys announced a new smartphone accessory called attocell; a personal femtocell for the iPhone and other 3G mobile phones. "This remarkable device is a personal mobile phone signal, with a range so tiny it can be used anywhere that your laptop has an internet connection. It provides a great mobile service anywhere in the world, and calls are made and received as though on the home country network."
Depending on the local signal regulations, the device can operate in either the 5mm mode, or it can broadcast a signal within a room. This allows the attocell to intelligently scan the surrounding cellular networks and make sure that it does not have any negative impact on the local operators cell signal.
Travellers across the globe will soon be able to carry the attocell along on their trips, and avoid paying those hefty international roaming rates.
Read More 
| Ubiquisys Attocell
Verizon to charge $20 per month for iPhone personal hotspot
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi,
One of the features touted during the Verizon iPhone announcement was the inclusion of Personal Hotspot. This allows you to use the iPhone as a Wi-Fi router, which in turn lets you connect up to five other devices to your Verizon data connection. The one thing they left out, though, was price. Today, Verizon filled in that gap with the announcement that the iPhone personal hotspot feature will cost $20 per month. That's in addition to your calling and data plans. No bid surprise there though, as that's the same price they charge on all their other smartphones with the same feature. The nice thing about this, though, is that when compared to AT&T, Verizon gives you more value for the dollar. AT&T only allows Bluetooth and USB tethering, and only to one device at a time. Further, you don't get any additional data for your $20. With the Wi-Fi hotpsot, you get up to five devices at once, and you also get a dedicated 2 GB of data specifically for tethering. Each gigabyte over the limit will cost an additional $20.
Are you planning on picking up the Verizon iPhone?
Verizon forcing $30 unlimited data plan on new smartphone customers
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi,
Verizon Wireless will cease offering its monthly 150MB data plan, which costs $15, and by default will require all new smartphone users to adopt its existing $30 unlimited data plan.
During Verizon's fourth quarter earnings call on Tuesday morning, chief operating officer Lowell McAdam said the company was scrapping its $15/month 150 MB data plan this month.
A Verizon Wireless spokesman declined to offer any more details but confirmed Verizon would continue its $30 unlimited MB plan.
The announcement deals a direct blow to the original Apple iPhone carrier, AT&T, which had to scrap its unlimited data plan last summer. AT&T's metered data plans begin at $15 a month for 200MB. At the time, AT&T argued that 98 percent of its smartphone users consumed less than 2GB per month, and 65 percent consumed less than 200MB per month.
Click to continue reading Verizon forcing $30 unlimited data plan on new smartphone customers
Motorola Xoom priced at $800
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Handhelds, Rumors, Wireless / WiFi,
Multiple leaks from Verizon point to a $800 Minimum Advertised Price for the Xoom, the upcoming tablet from Motorola. The Xoom is the highly anticipated Android device that'll be running Honeycomb, the latest version of Android. This likely means it will be unsubsidized, available without contract, since the same sheet points to a much lower $250 price for the HTC Thunderbolt. Still, this is quite a high price for a tablet, especially when compared with the market leader right now, the iPad, so it's a bit of a surprise. The price will likely go down over time, and deals might be announced (like lower prices with data plan subscription,) but the high cost may impact the Xoom's success.
Read More | Android Central
Pay with your smartphone at Starbucks nationwide
Posted by Patrick Lambert Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Software, Wireless / WiFi,
It looks like Starbucks will start offering a new way to pay for all that caffeine nationwide starting this week. Using an iPhone or Blackberry app called Starbucks Card Mobile, users will be able to use their phone as tender at 6,800 locations in the US. The app lets people add payment cards to it, and then simply scan their devices when they want to buy something. The program has been operating as a pilot at select locations, and the company believes customers will appreciate the easier and faster way to pay.
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