Chris Stalker's Wireless World

Been gone for a while!

2011-02-04T23:45:00.001-05:00

Testing

A quick look at Twitter for BlackBerry

2010-02-12T19:23:00.003-05:00

A quick look at Twitter for BlackBerry: "

Look, we know it’s an early beta and we’re extremely greatful to RIM for letting us try out this app before the masses load it onto their devices, but we’re not exactly impressed with Twitter for BlackBerry. We were intially planning to go all out and review the hell out of this app because a lot of people have been begging us for information on this app, but having tinkered with it this morning we’re ultimately concluded that we’re going to do this point-form style:

To our eye, the app is cluttered in that so much stuff is packed into a small amount of space. We have to be honest and say it’s actually a bit overwhelming to look at after a while. Less is more. Less is more.
There are no keyboard shortcuts we can find except for “R” for reply, “C” for direct message (umm…) and “L” for all. Okay, fine. There’s also “T” for top and “B” for bottom.
Tweets are not cached, meaning each time you open up the app you have to sit tight while your timeline is populated.
Since installing the app, our device has been randomly locked up no fewer than 5 times. Each instance lasts up for 5 to 10 seconds at a go.
Loading tweets is slow in terms of the app itself lagging and the pulling of data. Running the app with Wi-Fi honestly offers no advantage over 3G.
You can search for people, keywords (and narrow them down by location), view trending topics
Have we mentioned this app is laggy?
You can compose tweets and DMs from the standard Messages app, but it’s actually a bit of a pain in the ass because you have to hit Menu, scroll down and select Twitter and then pick either Direct Message or Tweet.
Lag.

Okay, that’s enough talk because for the life of us we can’t think of anything else worth noting. We’re going to duck out for a few and grab some coffee, but make sure that all of you make like good BlackBerry addicts and hit the jump for some screenies.

Disclosure: BGR makes a BlackBerry application called TweetGenius.

Report: MetroPCS hires advisers for possible Leap purchase

2010-02-12T19:23:00.002-05:00

Report: MetroPCS hires advisers for possible Leap purchase: "
Prepaid wireless player MetroPCS hired a pair of high-powered investment banking firms to advise it on a potential purchase of longtime rival Leap Wireless, according to a Reuters report. Citing unnamed sources, the report said MetroPCS hired JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Credit Suisse for advice on the action.

Representatives from MetroPCS did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Leap Wireless spokesman said the carrier does not comment on rumor and speculation.

The news comes just weeks after the Wall Street Journal reported that Leap Wireless hired Goldman Sachs and formed a special committee of its board to consider various strategic options, including selling the company or merging with another carrier. According to the report, the advisers have been talking with other wireless carriers, including AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, about possibly buying Leap, but the talks have not led to any kind of deal.

A tie-up between MetroPCS and Leap has been a constant topic of discussion since Leap rejected a $4.7 billion takeover bid from MetroPCS in 2007. However, some analysts have discounted the likelihood of that marriage ever coming to pass, given the companies' reciprocal roaming agreement--inked in the fall of 2008--and their sometimes contentious relationship. But both operators have been stung by increased competition in the prepaid unlimited market by the likes of Sprint Nextel's Boost Mobile unit and TracFone's Straight Talk service.

Indeed, in the third quarter of last year Leap added just 115,000 subscribers and Metro added 66,000 subscribers--numbers paltry in comparison with their performance during the same period a year ago. Both Leap and Metro are scheduled to report fourth-quarter results Feb. 25.

Interestingly, it seems Wall Street doesn't have much interest in the latest twist in the long-running Leap-Metro soap opera; MetroPCS' stock remained relatively unchanged in trading this morning at around $6 per share, while Leap's stock rose slightly to around $15 per share.

In other MetroPCS news, law firm Robbins Umeda LLP said it launched an investigation into 'possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law by certain officers and directors at MetroPCS Communications.' The firm said the carrier misled investors about its performance during much of last year. The firm said it it pushing a lawsuit filed on behalf of shareholders who owned MetroPCS stock between Feb. 26, 2009, and Nov. 4, 2009.

MetroPCS representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the issue.

For more:
- see this Reuters article- see this Robbins Umeda release

Related Articles:
Report: Leap looking for a buyer
Report: Leap may be considering merger plans
Leap: Mobile broadband driving growth
Leap's subscriber growth slows in Q3
"

Windows Mobile 7 to be announced at MWC 2010, Project Pink phones to arrive this spring?

2010-02-12T19:21:00.003-05:00

Windows Mobile 7 to be announced at MWC 2010, Project Pink phones to arrive this spring?: "

The Wall Street Journal has chimed in and offered their inside information on the Windows Mobile and Project Pink rumors that have been circulating recently. Though it lacks the details of the earlier leaks,
the Wall Street Journal confirms that Microsoft will publicly announce Windows Mobile 7 at MWC 2010 and are flying out Steve Ballmer to head up the show. As rumored, the latest generation of Microsoft’s mobile platform is expected to radically change the look and feel of Windows Mobile bringing a whole new Zune-like UI to this currently lackluster OS. Project pink was also confirmed by the WSJ and, as rumored, is a new series of handsets based upon Danger’s Sidekick line of mobile phones. The Project Pink phones are said to be social networking powerhouses which will appeal to a teen-aged audience. Though not expected to be announced at MWC 2010, the “Pink” handsets are slated for a spring launch on both Verizon Wireless and Vodafone.

Read

"

FCC docs hint at a May launch for an AT&T branded Palm Pre

2010-02-12T19:21:00.002-05:00

FCC docs hint at a May launch for an AT&T branded Palm Pre: "

In a series of discoveries that would make Sir Arthur Conan Doyle proud, Pre Central forum member ToniCipriani may have uncovered the release date for the AT&T version of the Palm Pre. Both the Sprint and the Verizon version of the Pre have passed through the FCC with a confidentiality date that ended on or about the actual launch date. Buried within the FCC documents for a third version of the Palm Pre,
with AT&T friendly 850/1900 GSM and WCDMA bands II/V, is a short term confidentiality end date of May 10th, 2010. If history is any indicator, then we can expect the Palm Pre to drop on AT&T in May, a mere 11 months after the handset’s original launch. Anyone up for an AT&T Palm Pre Plus Plus?

[Via PreCentral]
Read

"

Report: Microsoft pushes 'Project Pink,' mulls RIM acquisition

2010-02-10T00:42:00.001-05:00

Image via CrunchBase

Report: Microsoft pushes 'Project Pink,' mulls RIM acquisition: "
Microsoft's mobile ambitions are still bright, even though its Windows Mobile platform has lost momentum to other players such as Research In Motion's BlackBerry and Google's Android OS.

The company is continuing development on its 'Project Pink' multimedia touchscreen device. According to the blog AllThingsD, a team that includes some workers from Danger--the Sidekick creator that Microsoft purchased in 2008--is hard at work on the phone's hardware and software. A device will be released later this year--a timeframe that coincides with ZDNet's 'Project Pink' report last month.

However, Microsoft may be looking outside the company to help it regain its footing in the mobile market. Citing multiple unnamed sources, the blog said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has repeatedly conveyed his interest in purchasing RIM. The possible marriage, which previously has been floated by various industry watchers, makes sense, considering both companies' strong position in the enterprise market. However, RIM would represent a large bite for Microsoft to swallow; the BlackBerry maker commands a $36 billion market cap.

Interestingly, Ballmer has dismissed the idea of buying Palm. Microsoft has been rumored to be a potential Palm suitor in the past.

A Microsoft spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In other Microsoft news, the Redmond computing giant teamed with Taiwanese chipset vendor MediaTek to help it position smartphones for China and other emerging markets. MediaTek, which also works with Android phones, has married its hardware with Windows Mobile software, a move the companies said will provide Chinese handset makers with a reference point for new Windows Mobile phones.

'There is a huge thirst for smartphones in emerging markets,' Microsoft said in a statement, according to IDG News Service. 'For many people, the phone rather than the PC is the main entry point to the Internet, resulting in a high demand for rich communication devices. In order to meet this demand, we have teamed up with MediaTek to facilitate the provision of affordable smartphones.'

For more:
- see this AllThingsD post
- see this IDG News Service article

"

Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

2010-02-10T00:41:00.001-05:00

Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level: "

Google just announced that it's bringing some serious location-based integration to its services, all centered around the new Buzz social networking tool built into Gmail. Google's going to do location better than the usual latitude / longitude coordinates -- it's able to snap those to actual place names and then take context-aware actions depending on where you are. The new location services is integrated into the main mobile Google.com search page and the new buzz.google.com page for the iPhone and Android
, and into maps for Android, S60, and Windows Mobile. Buzz is rolling out starting today, and it should hit everyone within 'the next few days.'
Continue reading Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level

Google Buzz takes mobile location services to the next level originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Google working on voice-to-voice translation for cell phones

2010-02-10T00:39:00.001-05:00

UK-based Times Online is reporting that Google is developing a mobile phone service that will have the ability to translate speech, from one language to another, on the fly. Google’s hoping to build off of their text-to-text translation engine — which is currently capable of translating 52 languages
— and voice search technologies. “We think speech-to-speech translation should be possible and work reasonably well in a few years’ time,” said Google’s chief of translation services. Industry experts remain skeptical, however, about the proposed timetable, “The problem with speech recognition is the variability in accents. No system at the moment can handle that properly,” said David Crystal, professor of Linguistics at Bangor University. “Maybe Google will be able to get there faster than everyone else, but I think it’s unlikely we’ll have a speech device in the next few years that could handle high-speed Glaswegian slang.” It certainly is an aggressive goal, and one we are pretty excited about. We’ll stay on top of this story and report back as more becomes available.

Read

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For the first time ever- Unemployed

2010-02-03T11:34:00.000-05:00

Its one of the hardest things to deal with, but its a reality that americans face by the thousands every day...NO JOB.

Its difficult to wrap my head around after working successfully in the wireless industry for almost 14 years, but I am in a way optimistic about what the future holds.

I will use this site as a way to show my progress as I search for my next home. I think its theraputic for me and possibly beneficial for my readers to see the process and how I network.

For any of my readers looking for a Wireless Retail executive with a massive amount of experience, success, and a reputation for results, please see my resume here or email me.

Chris

Report: Leap looking for a buyer

2010-02-02T17:07:00.005-05:00

Report: Leap looking for a buyer: "
Leap Wireless has hired outside advisers and formed a special committee of its board to consider different strategic options, including selling the company or merging with another carrier, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The report, citing unnamed sources familiar with the issue, said the flat-rate carrier hired Goldman Sachs to advise the company while it "reassesses its alternatives and checks its options out there right now," according to a source. In January, DealReporter.com reported that Leap was considering such a move.

In recent weeks, according to the report, the advisers have been talking with other wireless carriers, including AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless, about possibly buying Leap, but the talks have not led to any kind of deal. Additionally, Leap has formed a three-person committee on its board to look at other strategic options.

Rival prepaid carrier MetroPCS has often been mentioned as a potential merger partner with Leap, and merger speculation has picked up from time to time since Leap rejected a $4.7 billion takeover bid from MetroPCS back in 2007. However, some analysts have discounted the likelihood of that marriage ever coming to pass, given the companies' reciprocal roaming agreement, inked in the fall of 2008, and their sometimes contentious relationship. Both operators have been stung by increased competition in the prepaid unlimited market from Sprint Nextel's Boost Mobile unit as well as TracFone's Straight Talk service.

At least one group appeared cheered by Leap's efforts though; investors sent the company's stock up from around $13.68 per share before the WSJ report to a high of $15.24 per share shortly thereafter, though the company's share price has since fallen back to around $14.50 per share.

A Leap spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

For more:
- see this WSJ article (sub. req.)

Related Articles:
Report: Leap may be considering merger plans
Leap: Mobile broadband driving growth
Leap's subscriber growth slows in Q3
Leap launches new plans, expands distribution
"

Rumor Mill: Verizon will still get the iPad

2010-02-02T17:07:00.004-05:00

Rumor Mill: Verizon will still get the iPad: "
Some industry watchers were surprised last week when Apple announced that its latest innovation, the iPad tablet, will launch on AT&T Mobility's wireless network--instead of Verizon Wireless' (Verizon long had been rumored as an Apple partner for the gadget). However, a report from Silicon Alley Insider, citing an unnamed Verizon source, said a Verizon/Apple iPad deal is still in the works and that Apple will announce the partnership later this year.

At least two analysts are backing up the Insider's claims, arguing the Verizon/Apple deal might be unveiled at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The event has historically served as a launching pad for Apple's new iPhone iterations.

Verizon Wireless declined to comment on the report.

Rumors of an Apple-Verizon tie-up are by no means new. However, despite widespread reporting on the topic, neither company has announced anything concrete. A deal with Verizon could significantly increase Apple's sales in the U.S. market, but would require the manufacturer to incorporate CDMA technology into its products.

For more:
- see this Silicon Alley Insider article
- see this AppleInsider article
- see these photos

Related Articles:
Apple's iPad brushes aside AT&T
Apple unveils tablet, dubbed iPad, starting at $500
Rumor Mill: Is AT&T losing its iPhone hold this week?
Rumor Mill: Verizon a partner for Apple's tablet, next iPhone
Analyst says media conflicts will halt Verizon iPhone deal

"

Nexus One over-the-air update begins today, brings multitouch

2010-02-02T17:06:00.001-05:00

Nexus One over-the-air update begins today, brings multitouch: "

Good news for early adopters of the Nexus One, you’re getting your very first software update! Aside from some bug squshing, Google has included a few extra, and highly requested, features in the update:

Google Goggles: this mobile application will now be available directly on your device by launching it from your All Apps menu. Just use your Nexus One camera to start searching the web

Google Maps: the Maps application with be updated to a new version, Google Maps 3.4, which will include:

Starred items synchronized with maps.google.com – access your favorite places from your phone or computer
Search suggestions from your personal maps.google.com history – makes it easy to search for places you’ve searched for before
Night mode in Google Maps Navigation – automatically changes your screen at night for easier viewing and driving

Pinch-to-zoom functionality: devices will now include a new pinch-to-zoom mechanism in the phone’s Browser, Gallery and Maps applications

3G connectivity: we will provide a general fix to help improve 3G connectivity on some Nexus One phones

The biggest improvement on this list is obviously the addition of pinch-to-zoom functionality in the browser, picture gallery, and maps application; however the “night mode” in Google Maps Navigation is a nice refinement. The update, which will be rolled out throughout the week, will present you with a message in the notification bar when Google decides it is your turn. Hit up the official press release to read the official announcement.

Read

"

Verizon Finally Advertising Pre Plus ...to your Mom

2010-02-01T14:56:00.003-05:00

Verizon is finally advertising the Palm Pre Plus. This time around Palm and Verizon decided that rather than give you the creeps directly, they'll give you the creeps by scaring you with visions of the past.

Verizon Finally Advertising Pre Plus ...to your Mom: "

We like the target market here, but, well, "The 3G smartphone smart enough for mom" is completely true, accurate, but perhaps a little too ...direct? Swing of the pendulum, we guess: instead of a vague, hazy brand message we get "buy this for your mom." Roger that, will do, and she'll like it. She may not like the stereotype, though, even if it is presented just to be shoved aside by the Pre Plus.
Women (and especially moms): What do you think?
One more commercial after the break, thanks to windzilla for the tip!

read more

Tracking the latest handset design trends

2010-02-01T14:55:00.002-05:00

Tracking the latest handset design trends: "
As the handset market regains some of its momentum, what handsets and phone functions are leading the charge? Every month, research firm Strategy Analytics issues a report on the new handsets released during that month, and provides rankings based on the specifications of those handsets.
Thanks to a partnership between the firm and FierceWireless, we'll bring you some of these key figures. In November, another 101 new handsets and seven new USB dongles were announced globally by 33 vendors. One of the highlights from the report is that NTT DoCoMo launched 13 high-devices from various Japanese handset OEMs, all with 7.2 Mbps HSDPA capability. Check out the other trends: Special feature
"

Steve Jobs disses Adobe and calls BS on Google

2010-02-01T14:54:00.002-05:00

Steve Jobs disses Adobe and calls BS on Google: "

If you had any doubts about Steve Jobs’ confidence and convictions after returning to Apple from his sick leave, it’s time you leave those at the door. The revered CEO announced a hotly anticipated device last week and followed up by burning the competition.
On Google, Steve Jobs said that its motto “Don’t be evil” is bullshit (Steve’s words, not ours). Clearly, Steve-o isn’t phased by the Nexus One while he boasts the three billion apps sold from the Apple app store. Regarding Adobe, Steve apparently went on to say they’re lazy and are squandering so much potential. Wow. And Flash? According to Steve, no one will be using Flash in the future; it’s going to be all about HTML5.

Is Steve Jobs’ boisterous attitude completely without warrant? Or is he just telling it like it is? Let us know your thoughts.

Read

"

An open letter to wireless carriers....ill fix everything

2010-01-30T12:18:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

So I am thinking, What would I do differently if I owned a major wireless carrier? While I may not be qualified to do so, I have been in the business long enough to give some really good, blunt advice. So please read below my open letter to each wireless carrier I felt important. I wrote these as though I had a quick paragraph to tell each company what they need to do. A quick summary if you will.....

Dear T-Mobile,
Keep focus to on-boarding higher end customers. Keep the new handsets flowing and continue coverage build-out. Your reputation for coverage is not great compared with the other guys (even though I think its pretty solid in Philadelphia). Continue to embrace Android and Blackberry devices. Be first to market with new and innovative devices. Stop dressing employees in pink, its embarrassing them and they are afraid to tell you.

___________________________________________________________

Dear Verizon,
Keep making clever commercials, I enjoy watching them. Send lunch and flowers to FCC chairman every day. Don't go cheap on the spread either.

___________________________________________________________

Dear AT&T,
Keep whoever negotiates with Apple for their devices and give them a raise. I cant believe Apple is using you for the ipad and neither can anyone else. Steve Jobs is sicker than I thought. Fix the coverage and capacity issues and prove us wrong. Stop making commercials about talking and e-mailing at the same time....no one cares. Luke Wilson is wrong for that job also, hire Carmen Electra quick.

___________________________________________________________

Dear Sprint,
Hold Boost Mobile in your arms. Hug them and love them. Hire marketing person from Verizon and product manager from AT&T ASAP. Why cant you market how good your network is as effectively? Sell Nextel on ebay with no reserve. If that doesn't work, list it on Craigslist. Have Dan Hesse stop showing up in commercials and calling my friends to tell them they are eligible for an upgrade. Write nasty letter to Palm for giving the Pre and Pixi PLUS to Verizon. In same letter , thank them for not promoting it one little bit or training Verizon employees on the device.

___________________________________________________________

Dear Metro PCS,
Keep riding the new "all-in" plans.They are a good value but it will take some time for customers to get over the shock of not having their first month free anymore. Get LTE before Cricket does. Merge with Cricket and get it over with. Go on match.com and you enter your profile. You will see that Cricket is perfect fit for you and that you should date immediately.

___________________________________________________________

Dear Cricket,
Be pro-active, not re-active. Bring us something to the market we have never seen before. By the way, we advised Metro PCS to call you up for a date. Say yes. Better yet, beat them to the punch and ask them out. Have dinner (make them pay) and get to know each other ,but don't let them get past second base on the first date.
___________________________________________________________

Dear Tracfone,
Please advise your marketing department that the correct spelling is PHONE. Thats with a "P-H" at the front in replace of the "F". I'm surprised your still around, but I guess your business model quietly works.
7-11 stores have done you well. Maybe you should double date with Metro and Cricket.
___________________________________________________________

Dear Page Plus,
Im not sure where you are going with all of this, but hey! welcome aboard. As you could see , the MVNO model has done really well in the United States. Just look at strong companies like AMP'd mobile, Helio, Disney Mobile, and ESPN Mobile. Give them a call and ........oh wait.

The Unlimited monthly market and where it should go now...

2010-01-30T11:35:00.003-05:00

Image by Leo Reynolds via Flickr

2009 brought with it a lot of buzz on the streets with Unlimited Monthly plans by such companies as Cricket Wireless, Metro PCS, Virgin Mobile, Boost Mobile, and the big four. At the end of 2009 and this year , the competition for this sector of the business is heating up and has become more competitive than ever before.

As I wrote about in my article Wireless Predictions for 2010, I stated that there needed to be some consolidation in the market for the "Tier B" carriers. Since then , big carriers like Verizon Wireless and AT&T have reduced their monthly unlimited plans to reach into the little guys pockets. Here are the points that I feel are important to show just how much this is heating up....

1. Verizon Wireless and AT&T lowering their unlimited rate plans. Verizon throwing the gauntlet down first shows just how much importance carriers are placing on this. Verizon normally feels they don't have to change any pricing because they are the best. For them to start this pattern really tells a strong story. AT&T simply found out about this and went "oh crap, we better react to this after all of those witty 3G coverage commercials"

2. Metro PCS rate plan change. Metro revamped all of their rate plans to include taxes, so $40 means $40 (thats before the $3 fee for paying your bill in a store). This is in response to Boost Mobile selling the $50 all in plan that included taxes. The handset prices have gone down to offset the fact that they don't offer 30 days of service free anymore. You must pay your first month up-front.

3. Boost announces CDMA (again). Boost is in a nice position right now and they are really the only thing keeping parent company Sprint from not showing a really bad net add loss on their quarterly reports. With Sprint bleeding Iden subscribers like crazy, Boost picks up some of the slack. Whats funny about this is a lot of the Nextel subscribers hopping off are experiencing dropped calls and coverage issues. The dropped calls are notoriously from not enough capacity from the Iden system , which is mostly from the huge on-boarding of Boost customers. CDMA brings some nice advantages to the consumer.... Better network, great 3G coverage, better devices, better price points, and a Blackberry device for $249.99 that will be $60 a month ALL IN. No contract, no credit check. To duplicate this on Sprint would be $99.99 plus tax monthly.

4. Cricket Wireless waiting to strike. Rumors are starting to show up again that they are discussing a merger of sorts with Metro PCS. While this is smart in my book (It gives them great distribution, the ability to launch LTE faster, and a better handset portfolio), it has challenges. Think about how many dealers there would be in cities where both co-exist. Someone has to cut some doors somewhere. Whats funny about Cricket is they are somewhat "re-active" when it comes to changes, but they are probably sitting back waiting to see how it all plays out. I do know there are some good surprises coming in the first half of 2010 that will make them more competitive than ever.

5. T-Mobile launches project Black. It didn't make huge waves, but there is some good things here. The price points are fair, great handsets, no contracts if you like (pay more for the phone, but get more phone), and pretty good distribution model. They are doing it right with the T-Mobile Express stores if they hold the standards.

Bottom line is we need some consolidation and some more excitement quick. These little guys need to act big. Realize that our market has competitive rate plans and the consumer will win at the end. The best thing you can do is focus on the following to differentiate you from your competition...

- Customer Service. Ever try calling up Cricket, Metro, or Boosts customer care? Its big fun. Put a huge focus on this and you can win. Look at T-Mobile, they are not lying when they say its the best customer service in the industry. Do it better than them.

- Handsets, handsets, handsets. Rate plans will always fluctuate and ARPU is how a carrier is judged. However, handsets are what drives people in the stores to look. Just ask AT&T about their 4th quarter. We are handset hungry. Be first to market with the best and people will come. The bonus advantage, REDUCE CHURN. People who love their handset tend to pay the bill more often!

- Be picky on your distribution. Joe's pizzeria should not be selling wireless phones everyone. They should be focused on how to make their crust better. Limit the distribution and really focus on training and support. Take only dealers that are committed to the brand and making it better. Joe's pizzeria is not representing you well !

- Get 4G to market and make it competitive. If Clear(wire) is in your market, you should know they are aggressive. They are introducing 4G to the masses so you don't have to. The opportunity to bring LTE with faster downloads and on the "no contract" model is strong. Make sure you train the dealers well on how it all works, there are too many computer illiterate people selling solutions for computers.

2010 will be a great year with some great changes for consumers. Lets take advantage of the opportunity and make some real headway in making a better customer experience. Whoever does this well, wins the game.

Michael Dell pulls Mini 5 Android tablet from his parka, offers to put one in yours in 'a couple of months' (video)

2010-01-30T10:32:00.005-05:00

Michael Dell pulls Mini 5 Android tablet from his parka, offers to put one in yours in 'a couple of months' (video): "

Hot on the heels of us thinking maybe the Dell Streak / Mini 5 was possibly due for a name change to the 'M01M,' a roving heckler from TechCrunch managed to catch the man himself, Michael Dell, on the street and get a quick demonstration of the thing -- which he with no uncertain terms referred to as the 'Mini 5.' He swiped through a number of home screens and quickly showed the five megapixel camera on the back, mentioned 3G wireless, and then tucked it away again. No price was given, but the biggest news is confirmation that it's coming out in 'a couple of months,' which is something of a surprise given the company was still calling it a concept just a few weeks ago. Video of this choice encounter is after the break.

[Thanks, Mark O.]
Continue reading Michael Dell pulls Mini 5 Android tablet from his parka, offers to put one in yours in 'a couple of months' (video)

Michael Dell pulls Mini 5 Android tablet from his parka, offers to put one in yours in 'a couple of months' (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Handset market bounces back in Q4

2010-01-30T10:32:00.004-05:00

Handset market bounces back in Q4: "
The 'year-long recession' in the handset industry is over--at least according to research firm Strategy Analytics. The firm found that handset shipments rose by 10 percent in the fourth quarter to 324.4 million units, up from 293.8 million in the year-ago quarter
. The future looks bright as well: Both Nokia and Samsung have forecast 10 percent market growth for 2010 compared with 2009. However, not all of the major players have benefited from the comeback: Both Motorola and Sony Ericsson continue to struggle with falling market share. FierceWireless breaks down the handset industry's fourth quarter with commentary from Strategy Analytics and research company IDC. Special feature
"

AT&T nears record with 2.7M net adds in Q4

2010-01-30T10:32:00.003-05:00

AT&T nears record with 2.7M net adds in Q4: "
Verizon Wireless' aggressive holiday ad campaign slamming the quality of AT&T Mobility's 3G network didn't stop customers from signing up for AT&T wireless service. The carrier rounded up 2.7 million net new wireless subscribers during the fourth quarter--the second highest quarterly gain in the company's history.

However, issues surrounding AT&T's wireless network continue to be a sore spot for the carrier, and executives spent much of their quarterly conference call discussing what AT&T is doing to improve it. Specifically, AT&T will spend $18 billion to $19 billion on its network this year, notably above the $17.3 billion it spent in 2009. This includes an increase of $2 billion for improving backhaul capacity.

On the revenue side, AT&T posted fourth-quarter wireless service revenues of $12.6 billion, up 9.2 percent from the same quarter in 2008. The carrier's operating income clocked in at $3.4 billion, up 24.7 percent over the year prior. Here's a breakdown of the rest of AT&T's key metrics:

Subscribers: AT&T added 2.7 million net new subscribers in fourth quarter, for a total of 7.3 million net new subscribers in 2009. The company's total subscriber base reached 85.1 million (still behind No. 1 carrier Verizon's 91.2 million). AT&T's net new postpaid subscribers totaled 930,000 in the fourth quarter and 4.3 million for the full year.

iPhone and iPad: Apple's iPhone continued to drive consumers to AT&T. The company activated 3.1 million iPhone users in fourth quarter, and more than a third were new to AT&T. During the conference call with analysts, AT&T executives said the new Apple iPad is a different model for AT&T because the company is not subsidizing the device and because customers will activate it online--thus, AT&T won't have the typical activation and billing costs. However, executives also said they believe iPad users will rely predominantly on WiFi, and therefore it won't drain AT&T's 3G network. "We will monitor the usage as the device gets out there," said Rick Lindner, senior executive vice president and CFO at AT&T. "If it turns out substantially different, we will adapt."

Emerging devices: AT&T's new emerging devices division also posted a strong quarter, adding more than 1 million new devices onto the network. AT&T executives said that, despite smaller ARPU than standard phones, such devices typically carry low churn numbers and high margins.

Data: AT&T's wireless data revenues hit $3.9 billion in fourth quarter, an increase of 26.3 percent over the year prior. Text messages increased 70 percent to 135 billion and multimedia messages doubled to more than 2 billion in the period.

ARPU: Postpaid average revenue per user was $61.13, an increase of 2.6 percent over the year-earlier quarter. Postpaid data ARPU was $19.16.

Churn: Postpaid churn was 1.19 percent, down from 1.2 percent a year ago. Total churn was 1.44 percent, lower than the 1.64 percent AT&T recorded in the fourth quarter of 2008.

AT&T's stock remained relatively unchanged on the news, hovering at $25.74 in mid-afternoon trading.

For more:
- see this release
- see these metrics on AT&T's quarter
- see how AT&T compares with other wireless companies in Q4 earnings

Related Articles:
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AT&T activates 3.2M iPhones in Q3, hints at end to exclusivity
AT&T hasn't decided yet on tiered data pricing
AT&T chief addresses network problems in NYC, San Fran
AT&T CTO defends mobile broadband network
AT&T reveals more femtocell details
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Microsoft hints at Windows Mobile 7 announcement at MWC

2010-01-30T10:30:00.001-05:00

Microsoft hints at Windows Mobile 7 announcement at MWC: "

Yesterday, on Microsoft’s earnings call, CFO Peter Klein briefly mentioned that Microsoft’s “next mobile operating system” would be announced “in a few weeks.” Conveniently, just a few weeks from now, the Mobile World Congress convention will be taking place — beginning February 15th —
in Barcelona, Spain. This latest development seems to be consistent with previous reports that also put WinMo 7’s premier at MWC. We’re not sure about you, but we’re pretty excited to see Apple, Google, RIM, Nokia, and Microsoft all seriously contending for mobile device market share.

Read

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Palm stock rallies 11% after Verizon iPhone not announced

2010-01-28T09:19:00.003-05:00

Palm stock rallies 11% after Verizon iPhone not announced: "

Everybody and their mother thought that a Verizon iPhone announcement was a sure thing for Wednesday’s Jobsnote. While the magical and revolutionary (Steve Jobs’ words, not ours) iPad was unveiled to an overhyped public, the iPhone for Big Red was nowhere to be seen, not even as one of Jobs’ famous “Oh, one more thing” moments.
Judging by the depressed price of Palm’s stock that morning, investors seemed to feel the same way, pushing Palm’s stock down nearly 3% by the time Jobs took the stage.
But by the time the iPad presentation was wrapping up, investors had come to see that Apple’s relationship with AT&T was still strong. The iPad was going to be available with pre-paid data service from AT&T, and using 3G frequencies not available on T-Mobile, the only other GSM carrier in the United States. That alone was enough to trigger a rally in shares of PALM. The stock gained 11% from the day’s low to peak at $11.98 a share, though it eventually settled down at $11.70 by the close of the market. That was a 4.7% gain from the open and a rally of close to 8% from the low of $10.75. For what its worth, Apple’s stock was up a hair under 1% for the day, but it only trended into positive territory after pricing for the couldn’t-possibly-live-up-to-the-hype iPad was revealed.
With neither the iPad nor the iPhone coming to Verizon (or any other US carrier besides AT&T), Palm’s positioning on Verizon with the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus appears to be secure for now. That is, until the Nexus One arrives.

Apple's iPad brushes aside AT&T

2010-01-28T09:19:00.002-05:00

Apple's iPad brushes aside AT&T: "
The iPad is finally here, but it's not quite what the market was expecting. In the days leading up to the event, reports were all over the map: Apple would make the tablet for AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless' 3G networks; Apple would introduce the new version of the iPhone OS; and--one more thing--Apple CEO Steve Jobs would reveal an iPhone for Verizon at the end of the presentation. Admittedly, FierceWireless engaged in this speculation as well.

Yet only 5 percent of respondents to a poll we put out this week thought Apple would wind up doing what it did: make a tablet for AT&T's network. So the chattering class mostly got it wrong. But to give you an idea of how well Apple's public relations machine whipped the media into a froth over the iPad, consider this: According to Google News, as of 5 p.m. EST on Wednesday there were more articles associated with the iPad than there were with President Obama's State of the Union address.

Putting the media frenzy aside, what does the iPad mean to the wireless industry? Clearly, Apple is confident in AT&T's ability to accommodate the millions of presumed iPad users. Indeed, Apple COO Tim Cook said on Monday that AT&T had presented the company with plans to improve its network, and Apple was pleased by what it saw. Wisely though, iPad users on AT&T will have free access to the carrier's prodigious WiFi network, which should help AT&T offload some traffic.

With the iPad, Apple is making AT&T less a partner and more of a pipe. The data plans run $14.99 per month for 250 MB and $29.99 per month for unlimited use--which presumably comes with a 5 GB cap--and are half the price of what AT&T charges for netbooks. What's more, they are prepaid, no-contract plans that users can cancel at any time. Further, the device is unlocked and compatible with other GSM networks. Take note: I'm saying "users" because they're not really subscribers in the way we traditionally think of them; Apple has made sure that users dissatisfied with AT&T can move elsewhere.

Based on the service pricing, it seems Apple managed to wring some concessions from AT&T. After all, AT&T has come under pressure for its network performance in some metropolitan areas, such as New York City and San Francisco, where there are high concentrations of iPhone users. Perhaps Apple reminded AT&T of that. I have no inside knowledge of this, and it's pure speculation, but it's also possible Apple had Verizon and AT&T bid against one another to be the iPad carrier partner.

I think what Apple has done is similar in some ways to what Google is trying to do with the Nexus One. FierceWireless columnist Mark Lowenstein, managing partner of Mobile Ecosystem, noted the iPad announcement "shows that wireless operators are now running two businesses: a full-service retail business with their own stamp on devices, the user experience, content, and applications; and a wholesale business, where there will be myriad of devices connected to their networks, each with a distinct business model."

With the iPad, Apple has effectively formed a closer relationship with the customer, bypassing AT&T in many respects. I don't know if the device will revolutionize the market for netbooks and similar gadgets, but it is clear Apple is jumping on the bandwagon to revolutionize the way wireless carriers do business. --Phil
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Apple announces the iPad, changes the course of history

2010-01-28T09:17:00.001-05:00

Apple announces the iPad, changes the course of history: "

Today at 10:00AM PST, hundreds of thousands of eyes were glued to computer screens as Steve Jobs made one of the most anticipated announcements in Apple history: the iPad. Some might giggle or scoff at the name, but that’s where the snark stops. The hardware and software had event attendees up on their feet applauding. Before we get into a deep run-down of the device, here are some specs you need to know right off the bat (we’ll continue updating these if there are move developments):

0.5″ thick and 1.5lbs light
9.7″ IPS display, capacitive multitouch touchscreen
Built-in accelerometer, mic, 30-pin connector, 802.11n Wi-Fi, compass, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
10 hours of battery life and one month standby time!
1GHz Apple A4 processor
16GB, 32GB and 64GB Flash storage

On top of all this, the iPad will run the applications you already have for the iPhone. It can appear on the screen one of two ways: pixel for pixel accuracy in a black box or pixel double it and run the application in full screen. Typing on the iPad was made to look like a breeze with a large software keyboard that pops up on the screen when typing is required. That ought to give you all a taste of things to come as the event is still very much in progress, so we’ll get back to you with more details very soon!

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Is this the Motorola MOTOSPLIT?

2010-01-25T12:34:00.001-05:00

Is this the Motorola MOTOSPLIT?: "

Okay, we're not anywhere close to 100 percent on this, but we just got a blurry screenshot of something we're told is the Motorola MOTOSPLIT, a Snapdragon-powered Android set in the vein of the Droid with a totally wild split-horizontal sliding QWERTY keyboard. Yeah, we want one -- it reminds us of the beloved Nokia 6820, although it's much thinner. We're told this thing is coming to AT&T in Q3, which makes sense; we've only pinned down three of Ma Bell's five planned Android devices, and this would be a nice higher-end compliment to the Backflip. We'll keep an eye out -- and you let us know if you hear anything good, okay?

Update: Yes, we know it's a render, sheesh. We have a bit of a history with Motorola and renders, you know.

Is this the Motorola MOTOSPLIT? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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