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Sprint readies FM Radio and Entertain Me packages for Android and Windows Phones
Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Music,
Sprint is bringing FM radio to select Android and Windows Phone devices this year with the NextRadio tuner app. This move makes Sprint the first US carrier to herald FM radio in such fashion, and shows the amount of faith the carrier puts in a format some might say is already dead.
Sprint also revealed an application bundle for the Sprint Zone on Android dubbed "Entertain Me." The bundle will feature Sprint TV and Movies, Sprint Music Plus, Spotify, Slacker, iHeartRadio, Shazam, and Rumpus.
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Fulton showcases method to charge your smartphone with your tablet, wirelessly
Posted by John Kilhefner Categories: Smartphones, CES, CES 2013, Handhelds,
Fulton Innovation, known for its advancements in wireless power, is making yet another run at wireless power in 2013. What's in store this year: Using your tablet to wirelessly charge your smartphone. Fulton showed off its "two-way technology" at CES 2013, displaying a tablet that doubles as a wireless charing pad for other devices and Qi-compatible phones. Fulton demonstrated its two-way technology's flexibility with a printed poster of aDj console that is played by tapping elements of the poster to create sounds, all powered by its two-way tablet, as instead of powering lights it powers the speakers. The circuits of the poster are implemented in conductive inks that create the wireless power coil. Lastly, Fulton showed its multi-device power mat that allows multiple Qi-compatible devices to charge on a single surface.
Read More 
| The Verge
The ever-shrinking SIM card
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Editorial, Features,
What you see in the image above is the evolution of mobile phone SIM card design over the past four years. The largest in the image, known as the mini-SIM, was used for quite a while as the standard in GSM cell phones. However, as smartphones began to rise in popularity, drop is cost, and brought increased functionality, it was determined that the mini-SIM just wasn't mini enough. It took up too much of the precious real estate that mobile phone manufacturers needed for other things. Thing like a GPS radio, Wi-Fi, larger batteries, dock connectors, graphics chips, and more. And so began the start of the shrinking SIM card.
Click to continue reading The ever-shrinking SIM card
Was your iPhone 5 damaged out of the box?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Design, Handhelds,
When we picked up our pair of iPhone 5 units on launch day, one black iPhone 5 and one white iPhone 5, the black unit was damaged right out of the box. It was subtle enough that I didn't notice it at first, and I definitely didn't make mention of it during our iPhone 5 unboxing episode. Luckily, Taylor caught it, showed it to Apple Store staff, and they replaced it with a new model immediately. Later that day, we got reports from other buyers who had a similar experience. So, our question today goes out to those who didn't purchase on launch day. Are people out there still getting black iPhone 5 models that have chipped or faded anodized aluminum?
Be sure to check out our iPhone 5 review!
Microsoft is working on a first-party Windows Phone device
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Handhelds, Microsoft, Rumors,
Last week we received a tip from a fairly close source that Microsoft would likely be introducing its own first-party Windows Phone device. We decided not to report on this one, because it seemed to make no sense. Why would Microsoft release a first-party phone that will be in direct competition with the Windows Phone 8 devices that its partners will be selling later this month?
Click to continue reading Microsoft is working on a first-party Windows Phone device
WSJ: The iPhone 5 will support 4G LTE in multiple areas worldwide
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Rumors, Wireless / WiFi,
This afternoon, the WSJ is reporting that Apple's iPhone 5 will indeed support LTE. There's additional good news for frequent travelers: it will support more LTE bands for global coverage throughout the United States, Europe, and Asian markets. Currently, Apple offers two flavors of LTE for the third generation iPad, which also runs on both Verizon and AT&T networks.
Click to continue reading WSJ: The iPhone 5 will support 4G LTE in multiple areas worldwide
Read More | WSJ
iPhone 3GS to get Shared Photo Stream and VIP Email in iOS 6
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
iPhone 3GS users are set to be on the receiving end of a little more love with the release of iOS 6 later this fall. How so? Well, the latest iOS 6 beta 3 that was released yesterday includes both Shared Photo Streams and the new VIP Email feature. That means that 3GS owners will get pretty much all of the new major iOS 6 features, with the exception of FaceTime over Cellular (no front camera,) Offline Reading Lists, 3D Maps, and Siri, which is relegated only to the iPhone 4S and new third-generation iPad. Not too shabby for a smartphone that was released three years ago.
Read More | MacRumors
Sprint LTE network is now live in Texas, Georgia, and Missouri
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Broadband, Smartphones, Wireless / WiFi,
Sprint has officially announced that the first 15 cities to be lit up with its LTE service are now live. Unfortunately, it's a slow start, but at least it's something. If you are in select areas of Georgia, Texas, or Missouri, then you're in luck if you've also got a Sprint LTE device. The full list of cities:
Atlanta, GA; Athens, GA; Calhoun, GA; Carrollton, GA; Newnan, GA: Rome, GA; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Granbury-Hood County, TX; Houston, TX; Huntsville, TX; San Antonio, TX; Waco, TX; Kansas City, MO-KA; St. Joseph, MO
Let us know how it's working for you!
Read More | Sprint
Twitter 4.3 for iOS and Android brings expanded tweets and more
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Social Networking, App Updates, Free Apps,
Today Twitter for iPhone 4.3 was released on the App Store, a major update to the official Twitter client that brings with it the ability to view enhanced and expended tweets right in the app. Here's a rundown of the features:
- Expanded Tweets -- when you view Tweet details containing links to partner websites, you can now see content previews, view images, play videos, and more (rolling out gradually)
- Enhanced experience around selected events with the bets Tweets and photos from those involved
- Push notifications for Tweets -- choose to receive notifications from people you follow any time they tweet or retweet
- Ambient notifications -- enables you to see brief non-interruptive notifications in the status bar while you're using the app
- Improvements to search autocomplete for users
- Discover -- now indicates when new stories are available for you to view
- Tappable avatars take you directly to user profiles
- Performance improvements
- Support for password entry in app when experiencing authentication issues
- Support for the Hungarian language
- Icon (image at right) features the new Twitter bird!
You can download the new Twitter for iPhone and iPad now, completely free.
AT&T will block stolen phones and tablets starting next week
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News,
In a bold (and welcome) move, AT&T will be instituting a new policy that will block stolen devices from connecting to its network, utilizing a new database that the carrier will manage.
As announced in April, AT&T is creating a stolen phone database to prevent devices reported stolen from accessing wireless networks. We will install this availability next week for AT&T phones on our network and are working toward a cross-carrier solution later this year.
Any stolen phone or cellular tablet device may be added to the stolen database, and only the person who requested that a device be added may have it reinstated.
Read More | The Verge
