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Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot rescues iPhone from AT&T hell

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Features, Product Reviews, Wireless / WiFi,

I’ve been playing with the Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot device that the company sent me a few weeks ago, and I’ve gotta say, this thing has come in handy way more often than I thought it would. So much so, in fact, that I find it to be an essential tool and I carry it around in my left jacket pocket everywhere I go at this point, and charge it over USB when I am in the car driving somewhere. I’ll be giving a few examples of how the 4G Overdrive device has come in handy over the next few days, but I wanted to start with this one because I know so many iPhone, iPhone 3G, and iPhone 3GS owners out there that cry to the heavens to be saved from the vile clutches of AT&T and their constant network FAIL.

Click to continue reading Sprint Overdrive 4G mobile hotspot rescues iPhone from AT&T hell

Nexus One now compatible with AT&T and Rogers Wireless!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Google, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,

Looks like Google is finally ready to be serious with the Nexus One. As of today, the device is fully compatible with AT&T 3G, as well as Canada’s Rogers Wireless 3G bands. Previously, you could use the Nexus One with those carriers, but you wouldn’t be able to get 3G speeds, so you were relegated to the much slower EDGE network. You can purchase the new model, which is the same as the upcoming Verizon and currently available T-Mobile Nexus One units in every other way, as an unlocked device without a service plan, directly from Google for $529.

ASiQ Bluetooth Access-point for In-flight Service

Posted by Finnian Durkan Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Handhelds, Transportation, Wireless / WiFi,

ASiQ Bluetooth access point ASiQ Limited has announced the release of the world’s first bluetooth access-point for commercial airlines. According to Ron Chapman, ASiQ’s CEO, airlines will now be able to offer passengers affordable SMS, MMS, Voice-messaging and text email capabilities while in flight via their new SafeCell app. Better still, SafeCell will also eliminate GSM roaming charges since it does not require a GSM connection to deliver its services. Bluetooth access points are far more efficient than their Wi/Fi counterparts, as they operate as a Personal Area Network (PAN) and unlike Wi-Fi do not have to waste time and money logging in to the internet in order to establish a link. The SafeCell App uses file sizes that are so small even a narrow band satellite link can accommodate the SMS/MMS/text-email needs of up to 192 individual passengers. Bluetooth also operates at up to 3 megabits per second making it compatible with any current data or media plan available. Besides giving you more options to drain your battery with whilst in-flight than just playing Bejeweled II, ASiQ’s service will also enable you to completely ignore the fact that you are crammed in a glorified cigar-tube built by the lowest bidder. Hopefully. I’ll be the guy directly behind you faking trying to light his shoe on fire.

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Apple over-the-air 3G download cap increased to 20MB

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Rumors, Wireless / WiFi,

Just a quick update as it pertains to downloading iTunes and App Store content on your iPhone. If you are connected via cell connection (meaning, you aren’t connected to Wi-Fi,) you can now download content that’s up to 20MB in size over the air. Previously, the downloads were capped to apps that were 10MB or less, and iTunes content 12MB or less. With the iPad looming on the horizon, it looks like Apple is pre-emptively preparing for apps that are larger in file size that users would want to download to their tablets while connected to 3G. The changes have taken effect so far in in the US, Germany, and Canada.

AT&T providing iPad 3G service without contracts

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,

If you’re considering picking up an Apple iPad when they launch a couple of months from now and you plan on taking it on the go, you’ll want to know about the extra fees you’ll incur if you choose to go the with AT&T-provided 3G access plans. First, though, your 3G iPad will cost $130 more than the Wi-Fi-only version. Once you get it, you’ve got two options with AT&T:

$29.99 per month unlimited data plan
$14.99 per month for 250MB of monthly data

It’s a good deal for monthly 3G access, especially when you consider the fact that both plans are pre-paid month-to-month plans that don’t require any sort of contract. The other benefit that you get from picking up a 3G iPad model is assisted GPS, which the Wi-Fi-only iPad lacks.

How to fix the Nexus One 3G issue

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Wireless / WiFi,

If you’re a Nexus One owner, you may be well aware of the 3G issue that the device has, where it won’t connect to (or stay connected to) 3G, constantly falling back to EDGE. We know not all have experienced this oddity, but it’s enough of a problem that we’ve been getting emails about it, asking if there was a fix. Luckily, Kevin Tofel over at jkOnTheRun seems to have figured out a fix, and it’s simple to do:

Go into Settings
Select “Wireless & Networks”
Choose the “Mobile Networks” option near the bottom
Go into the “Network Operators” section. The Nexus One will do a search for GSM networks around you.
When the search is complete, tap the “Select Automatically” option. The phone should respond with “Registered on network.”

That should do it! According to Kevin, he hasn’t been able to get 3G access from his home in the 10 days that he’s had the device. After doing the above, he’s been speeding along on 3G non-stop, even after reboots. If you’re experiencing similar issues, give it a try, and let us know how it works for you!

Is Verizon encouraging AT&T users to partake in Operation Chokehold?

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Wireless / WiFi,

My pal Matt Hickey from over at Crave has seemingly connected a few dots as it pertains to the battle between AT&T and Verizon, and this whole Fake Steve Jobs “Operation Chokehold” stunt aimed at taking down the AT&T Wireless data network this Friday afternoon. In case you are unfamiliar, Fake Steve proposed that AT&T customers load up bandwidth-intensive apps on Friday at noon, all at the same time, to saturate the AT&T network to a point of failure as a way of expressing they they are fed up with the horrible performance of the network. Thing is, one of my other pals, John Czwartacki, who just happens to be a contributor to the Verizon Policy Blog and a prolific Verizon personality on Twitter, linked to the movement via a tweet. Some are seeing this as a Verizon official condoning, or possibly even encouraging, the whole “Operation Chokehold” act.

Personally? We think that this is more of a finger pointing statement. It’s John saying “Haha - look at AT&T - their users are so fed up that they want to crush the service that they pay for! Tee hee! Verizon customers wouldn’t do that to us!” What do you think? Was John, and thusly Verizon, out of line here? Either way, we can stomach the rivalry that is happening in the television commercials…but let’s keep the battle outside of our Twitter streams, okay guys?

Edit: John Czwartacki just hit me with an email, pointing out that he certainly doesn’t condone this behavior at all, and even said as much in a few tweets that followed. He was simply linking to industry news, as he normally does. He thinks that if customers are fed up with AT&T, they should vote with their wallets. We agree.

Black Friday 2009: Walmart ad leaked: $78 Blu-ray player!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Displays, GPS, HDTV, Hot Deals, Movies, Video Games, Wireless / WiFi,

We knew that Walmart would be bringing the heat for Black Friday 2009, but we didn’t know they’d be going all-out with the Blu-ray goodness. Seriously, if you are looking for the most inexpensive Blu-ray player on Black Friday 2009, it looks like the Magnavox NB500 will be your best bet, because it’ll cost just $78 at Walmart. Oh, and if you need an HDTV to go with that deal, they’ve got you covered there as well. Check out the entire contents of the Walmart Black Friday 2009 sale after the break.

Click to continue reading Black Friday 2009: Walmart ad leaked: $78 Blu-ray player!

Black Friday 2009: MacMall ad

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Hot Deals, PC / Laptop, Storage, Video Games, Wireless / WiFi,

Here at Gear Live we’re big fans of MacMall. Why? Because they consistently beat Apple in terms of pricing, by way of rebates - and their rebates don’t take forever to process. MacMall will be having a fairly nice Black Friday 2009 sale on a bunch of Apple gear, as well as a few surprises, like a GPS navigation system, video game consoles, Blu-ray players, and more. Hey, when you can pick up a new 13.3-inch MacBook Pro for $1099, you know something special is happening.

We’ve got the full list of the MacMall Black Friday deals for you, after the jump.

Click to continue reading Black Friday 2009: MacMall ad

AT&T boosts Seattle-area 3G coverage with 850 MHz spectrum

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Smartphones, Wireless / WiFi,

This morning AT&T announced that they’ve done a “substantial upgrade” of its 3G coverage in the Seattle area, having deployed additional wireless spectrum using the 850 MHz band. According to AT&T, the upgrade should mean that customers in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Renton, Auburn, and King County should all have better 3G connectivity, performance, and the signal should be much stronger when indoors as well. The move should also increase overall network capacity, which AT&T is hoping will support subscriber growth.

Since Gear Live HQ is located smack-dab in the middle of the enhanced coverage area, we’ll be giving things a try, and we will let you know if the use of 850 MHz spectrum truly helps the dire situation that is AT&T coverage. Seattle iPhone 3GS and 3G users, give it your best!

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