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FreedomPop Burst router offers 1 GB of free 4G data per month
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Internet, Wireless / WiFi,
FreedomPop provides free 4G data to mobile customers, and has now launched the Burst home router. The FreedomPop Burst provides a free 1 GB of WiMAX data each month to buyers, after they pay an $89 deposit to get the router itself. Users can purchase additional buckets of data if need be, but FreedomPop also allows you to earn more free data by adding friends to their network through email and social media, as well as through signing up for partner promotions. It's an interesting approach. Check out the video after the break for more on FreedomPop.
Click to continue reading FreedomPop Burst router offers 1 GB of free 4G data per month
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Sonos Playbar review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Home Entertainment, Music, Product Reviews, Videos, Wireless / WiFi,
The Sonos Playbar is a product that filled us with excitement when it was announced, and we are back with our Playbar review. With the Playbar, Sonos enters the home theater market with a pretty sound strategy--provide a soundbar that puts out a 3.0 sound signal, and allow it to be paired with the Sonos SUB for those who want 3.1 sound…then, make it even better by allowing two Sonos PLAY:3 speakers to be used as a full on 5.1 surround sound system.
Of course, for the ultimate Sonos 5.1 setup, you'll have to pay an additional $699 for the SUB and $598 for the two PLAY:3 units, an additional $1,397 above the $699 price of the Playbar. So, while we will touch on the 3.1 and 5.1 configurations, we are here to bring you a Sonos Playbar review that focuses on the standalone abilities of the ambitious soundbar. Has it been worth the wait? We explore the answer in our full Playbar review--read on.
Click to continue reading Sonos Playbar review
Sonos enters home theater with Playbar
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Home Entertainment, Music, Wireless / WiFi,
Gear Live's love affair with Sonos is no secret - we love the product dearly, and with today's introduction of the Playbar, it's grown even more. With the Sonos Playbar, the company is effectively entering the home theater space, providing a soundbar that's capable of pumping out massive sound through its nine drivers (size mid-range drivers and three tweeters.) Simply connect it to your television through optical TOSlink, and you are ready to go.
The Playbar isn't just a typical soundbar speaker--it's a Sonos product, and that means it ties right in to the Sonos ecosystem. You can use it to play music streamed from your iTunes library, streaming music subscription services like Rdio and Spotify, Pandora, and many more.
It gets better, too. Sonos says you can pair the Soundbar with the Sonos SUB and/or a couple of Play:3 or Play:5 units for a full-on 5.1 surround sound experience. It'll be expensive, but it leaves us salivating. You can pick up the Sonos Playbar next month for $699, and it's available for pre-order right now.
Read More 
| Sonos
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Belkin FastFit Bluetooth keyboard for iPad mini announced
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Handhelds, Peripherals, Wireless / WiFi,
Belkin has announce its FastFit Bluetooth keyboard case for iPad mini. Measuring in at 7mm thick, the FastFit Bluetooth case provides about three months of battery life, equating to about 150 days of active use before its 200mAh battery needs to be charge. It attached to the iPad mini magnetically, and automatically wakes the tablet when opened. Belkin also touts the TruType keyboard layout, which is says has well-spaced keys for fast and accurate typing. No word on a ship date, but it'll be available from Belkin soon for $79.99.
Read More | Belkin
AT&T now allowing FaceTime over Cellular for iOS users on any tiered plan
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,
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AT&T has just announced it is making good on its promise to allow devices like the iPhone 4S, as long as it's on a tiered or data share plan, the ability to utilize Apple's FaceTime video calling service on its cellular network. The rollout is slated to take several months and will be applied automatically by AT&T for eligible customers. Still, those out there like myself who have a kung-fu grip on their unlimited plans are left out in the cold. AT&T did state in their blog recently that they would assess FaceTime impact for unlimited users on its network. So, hopefully, the AT&T network isn't as fragile as they are alluding to and can hold up enough so that their most loyal customers, like myself, won't be out of the loop for too long. Fingers crossed.
When FaceTime over Cellular launched in September 2012, we explained that we wanted to roll it out gradually to ensure the service had minimal impact on the mobile experience for all of our customers.
As a result of ongoing testing, we’re announcing AT&T will enable FaceTime over Cellular at no extra charge for customers with any tiered data plan using a compatible iOS device.
This means iPhone 4S customers with tiered plans will be able to make FaceTime calls over the AT&T cellular network. AT&T previously made FaceTime over Cellular available to customers with a Mobile Share plan and those with an LTE device on tiered plans.
Of course, FaceTime over Wi-Fi remains available for all customers who have a compatible iPhone or iPad.
We have already begun updating our systems and processes and expect to start rolling the update out to customers on an ongoing basis beginning in the next couple of weeks. Customers do not need to do anything—the update will be applied automatically over the next few months.
Only AT&T offers benefits like the ability to talk and surf at the same time, the fastest download speeds using AT&T 4G LTE, and a variety of flexible plan options to meet customers’ needs. - AT&T
Read More | AT&T
Samsung reveals HW-F750, world’s first vacuum tube soundbar, at CES
Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: CES, CES 2013, Home Entertainment, Wireless / WiFi,
Samsung's latest audio line, revealed at CES, comes with a bold claim: it's are the first in the world to use a soundbar with a built-in vacuum tube amplifier, and Bluetooth to connect to your TV, ditching the wires if you use it alongside a 2013 Samsung television (or other Bluetooth-enabled TV, we'd imagine.) As you can see, it also has a subwoofer, making it a 2.1 solution.
This feat is apparently achieved by a wireless Bluetooth speaker (DA-F60) using the apt-X audio codec and NFC to connect to devices such as your TV. Furthermore, its 7.1 channel surround sound system should also please the home theater crowd, which will work with Samsung's 2013 television line-up. The system also uses a Gallium Nitride amplifier to enhance the sound quality.
Samsung also revealed a "premium" Blu-ray player capable of upscaling DVD content to 4K.
Read More | Samsung
Sonos Playbar set to enter your home theater
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: CES, CES 2013, Home Entertainment, Music, Rumors, Wireless / WiFi,
We've declared our love for Sonos multiple times here on Gear Live, which is why we're excited about the prospect of the company bringing its product line into home theater. An FCC filing reveals that Sonos has indeed submitted documents related to a soundbar with integrated Wi-Fi (like all other Sonos products) that should play nicely with the Sonos SUB that was released earlier this year. Perhaps we'll get a look at this one at CES next week, pretty please?
AT&T pick up WCS spectrum for LTE expansion
Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Broadband, Smartphones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi,
The airwaves are running out, and you may've noticed it from the data diet your phone company has probably went on, or from the inability to send texts from busy areas in the city.
The FCC has approved the transfer of 608 spectrum licenses to AT&T that cover about 82 percent of the US population. Don't start streaming those 1080p movies from your data plan just yet, as the new spectrum isn't going in effect any time soon. It'll be years before any of us can take advantage of it, we're afraid.
Click to continue reading AT&T pick up WCS spectrum for LTE expansion
Read More | FCC
Apple releases iOS 6.0.2, zaps Wi-Fi bug
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Software, Wireless / WiFi,
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Just like that, Apple has released iOS 6.0.2, which looks to fix a Wi-Fi connection bug that affected some iOS devices. So, if you were one of the lucky ones with that problem, let us know if this update resolves it.
iOS 6.0.2 Software Update
This update contains improvements and bug fixes, including:
- Fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi
Read More | Apple
2012 Holiday Gift Guide: Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5K
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Cameras, Features, Wireless / WiFi, Family, Women, Men, Techies, Under $250, Under $500,
The nice thing about smartphone cameras is that you can instantly share photos using your data plan--but the quality of a point-and-shoot like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5K trumps your phone shots, and we're recommending it in our 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. Even better? The SZ5K packs onboard Wi-Fi that allows you to take great pictures, and then share them immediately to your smartphone for sharing (it works with both iOS and Android devices.) You can a 14.1 megapixel sensor with 720p video recording and 10x optical zoom. They sell for $199.99, but you can pick one up on Amazon for $189.99, saving yourself 5%.
Read More | Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5K
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