Sprint Might be Winner If ATT Occupation of T-Mobile

If you didn't already know by now, ATT made a surprised bid to gobble up T-Mobile for $39 billion. And after a couple for bloggers, tech pundits, and myself to digest all the information, here is where many stand.

Regulators will have to look at this very carefully. Competitors will make demands. Politicians will chime in with their usual buffoon-ish manners. Consumer advocates will have their day that is like going to be ignored.

Right now, the meat is fresh and bloody and everyone will wait a piece of this in the morning. Dozens of blog posts and online newspaper articles have already been written about this.

And Sprint had already had its say. But let me offer this opinion about the deal with respect to Sprint.

Earlier, as I sat thinking about this, I said to myself that if ATT takes away from me the better deals and options that T-Mobile now has, regardless of whether I am taking advantage of it or not, I'll head on over to Sprint.

So there. If ATT does bungle this deal by alienating current T-Mobile customers like myself who have been happy with things the way they are, we will head on over to the no. 3 mobile provider who offers WiMax and competitive plans/options.

In the end, Sprint may benefit to some extent. Sprint has to continue to be aggressive and now may be a great time for it to launch an offensive campaign for the hearts and minds of confused (betrayed) T-Mobile subscribers.

However, keep in mind that no one knows just how this deal, when and not if it will go through, is going to look like when it is finally wrapped up. Though I am not hopeful, one such as myself hopes that T-Mobile will have a better influence on ATT and not all the bad things and worst case scenarios will come to pass.

More important than regulators, it will be the bloggers with legions of readers who can shape how this deal takes place. And we will work hard to make sure that if politicians allow themselves to be bought and a bigger badder ATT is looking out to screw more users, we will point to other options as best as we can.

Are the Days of Unlimited Wireless Internet Over?

Those of us who are fortunately enough to have relatively unlimited wireless Internet, and I say relative because our definition of unlimited is not the same as those of wireless providers, we need to remember these days when we tell our grandchildren about them. Because like ATT, Verizon Wireless (VW) is looking to rid themselves of us freeloaders and institute a similar pricing and limitation on data like Ma Bell.

How will this play out?

More at Onxo.

What I Learned At T-Mobile Store: Vibrant And HSPA+

I went to the T-Mobile store today to check out the Samsung Vibrant.  I'm still kind of on the fence about it.  But while I was there I thought I'd share a few things the employees there shared with me regarding HSPA+ and what T-Mobile has planned for it.

Right now, the HSPA+ network is still being built out and my neighborhood just got upgraded in the last month (which of course means nothing to you).  T-Mobile hopes to capitalize on the new network by offering data cards first for laptops where they can charge more for it.

Currently, there are no HSPA+ ready mobile devices.  As you probably know, the Vibrant isn't HSPA+ ready and the T-Mobile folks at the store aren't sure when the devices will be out to support it.  Well, as disappointed as I was, I really appreciate the  honesty.

Then I came across this Boy Genius Report post updating T-Mobile's HSPA+ plan for the rest of the year:

• New "4G-like speed" network will cover 185 million users by the end of the year.
• webConnect Rocket USB stick will get a broader roll out soon.
• Dell Inspiron Mini 10 will be available in store so you can use it with the webConnect.  I'm not sure why this is a big deal.  Can't you use it with other laptops or netbooks?
• Provided a list of cities that are currently HSPA+ ready.

As for myself, I really liked what I saw in the Vibrant and features and capabilities that I had the opportunity to play with.  I also asked the folks there about the battery life.  Now, they're there to make a sale so you'll have to take what they say with a grain of salt.  But they charge the Vibrant's battery overnight and it gets used and abused through the business hours by customers and it never needed an afternoon nap or anything like that.

If true, I'm impressed given what every is saying about Sprint's HTC EVO.  Oh, and the Vibrant took great pics and videos for a handset.  And playing "Avatar" on the 4" screen was absolutely incredible.  

I'm on a budget so I'm not going to go back in there until later in August at the very earliest.  Plus, I'm considering experiment going without wireless for a few months just to see how I adjust to a "normal" life.  But from ten to fifteen minutes I spent with the Vibrant, you can't go wrong with it.

Also, if you go on the Web to read reviews and hand-ons, you'll notice a lot of folks company about the lack of an LED flash for the camera and a frontal facing camera for video conferencing.  First, the vid chat.  There is no official Android protocol from Google for this feature.  Only Facetime from Apple works well from my experience.  Fring does not come close.  Vid chat is not going to take off for another year or two anyway.

But I can see the deal breaker being the lack of LED flash for the camera.  I don't understand the omission.  Other than that, the Vibrant lives up to its name.

More at BGR on the HSPA+ update.

WiMax In Los Angeles?

Being in LA is a good thing at times.  We're close to Hollywood, sunshine, beaches, and hotties all around.  But when it comes to tech, we're almost always the last to get it. High speed bandwidth like DSL and cable in the 90s.  We can pretty much forget about fiber optics.  That seems to be the came for wireless connection as well.

I went to Radio Shack today to play with the EVO and also order an iPhone 4 for my cousin.  In talking to the fellows who work there, they noticed my extreme interest in the EVO.  But I complained about having to pay for the 4G surcharge when we have no idea when I'll see WiMax being supported in my neighborhood.

So he said he understood which is why he's waiting as well.  He'll be jumping ship to Sprint from Verizon.  But he expects it soon. According to him, West LA already has WiMax coverage (I didn't know that) and my area is currently being tested.

He thinks it'll happen end of summer.

Anyway, I thought I pass that along in case anyone in LA is wondering about WiMax.

As for my impression with EVO, there was no working one to play with. But I did like the size.  I am not sure I like the plastic nature of the device.  While I don't like Droid's keyboard, I do like the toughness it conveys.

Galaxy S will be out for T-Mobile in July and I play on giving it a good look through because another Galaxy version will be available for Sprint that supports WiMax later this year.

I'm still waiting to see what the iPhone 4 has to offer when I pick it up for my cousin on the 24th.  I like to stay with T-Mobile and I'll be rooting for the Galaxy big time.  But that depends on when HPSA+ is available.  I imagine it'll happen around the same time as when WiMax becomes available for Los Angeles.  I'll pit Sprint's 4G versus T-Mobile's supercharged 3G network to decide then.

Meanwhile, my G1 is hanging in there.

Sprint's HTC EVO Can't Chew Gum & Walk At the Same Time

There's bad news folks. When Sprint debuted the EVO at last week's CTIA conference, there was drool in front of every computer of every blogger and reader who were following the event.

Frontal camera. Running the latest Android version. And more importantly, it does WiMax. In the US, Sprint and Clearwire are the only one operating a viable semi-national 4G network.

But alas, while the EVO is a brilliant mobile device, there are some bad news.

The EVO can only make a call or surf the Web but it cannot do both. HTC said “If you’re using 4G for data, you can’t use CDMA for voice. Currently the only way to do simultaneous voice and data would be through a third-party VOIP solution. However, this is not due to strict hardware limitations, so it’s possible this could change with future updates.”

Since, HTC qualified the situation with the possibility that a fix is possible, I honestly wouldn't hold my breath. If you need to be able to make a call and look up things on the Internet wirelessly, the EVO isn't for you. It certainly isn't for me. I don't know if a fix would be forthcoming and I think Sprint and HTC would rather sell you an upgraded version than offer a feature that should have been available to begin with.

Anyway, I'm sure if there is a lot of concern about this, Sprint and HTC will work something out.

Source: Android Community.

State of the Android

Here's a quick post on this matter. Many folks are looking into the Android phones that are available for purchase now and coming our way. So what are you waiting for? G1ers, you upgrading?

Well, I don't imagine a lot of folks upgrading from the G1 to MyTouch, which is basically a keyboardless G1. Then you've got the Hero coming to Sprint this fall and the current media darling, the Motorola Cliq.

Here's my recommendation for potential Android adopters. Wait for the Cliq. It's only a month or so away from shipping with T-Mobile. The same goes for the Hero as well but for Sprint. By October or so, you will have at least four Android phones to chose from.

But how about G1ers? It's a little more complicated. If you want to stay with T-Mobile, you've got MyTouch, which isn't an upgrade considering that you're going from having a keyboard to no keyboard. So, my recommendation is to sit tight until the Cliq comes out and see where it goes from there.

With the Cliq, we're looking at a nice camera upgrade, more memory, and better battery life. Best of all, Motoblur of course.

But let's slow down a for a second. I'm excited but I'm kind of torn. The inside of Hero, Cliq, and a couple of other rumored Android devices have similar chips at the G1. We're not really looking at a big jump in performance. Not in the same way when Apple upgraded the iPhone 3G to 3GS.

Here's the bottom line, if you're looking to jump into the Android realm, you're in for some treat. Basically, your choice increase by 4-folds from last year when there was only the G1. For G1ers, it's more complicated. Hero and the Cliq has skins from THC and Morotola respectively that takes the Android to another whole new level. We're not looking at a huge speed increase or battery life but as far as functionality, you will definitely see something that will make some G1 owners contemplate upgrading.

Personally, I'm waiting for the pricing on the Cliq before making that call. Word is that it maybe free to $199 with a two-year contract. I don't know if T-Mobile will love us enough to give G1ers an upgrade path.

More about the Cliq at T-Mobile. And let's not forget HTC Hero at Sprint.

G1er: Upgrade Or Wait Till the Contract Runs Out?

T-Mobile hasn't provided much information publicly for G1 owners to upgrade to newer Android-based phones.  Perhaps, there is no upgrade option until the two-year contract runs out.  For US users, there still isn't a whole lot of selection.  For that matter, there is only one option besides G1.

HTC Hero, a very compelling reason for anyone to get an Android phone, won't be coming to the T-Mobile but will be available this fall for Sprint.  But this winter, there could be more Android devices coming our way.

So, as first generation adopters, will you be satisfy with to see your friends and others watching around with a spiffy new Google device?  Personally, I think the G1 is a great device that only shows the potential of mobile computing, not the fruits.  It's always like that with first or second generation technology.  However, as I travel the Web, I'm beginning to see more meat being added to Android.  I don't know if we'll see it with Android 2.0 or the next version after that but it's good to see Google putting a lot of resources into this.

I was a bit worried when they announced Chrome OS earlier this summer.  For instance, we know that VOIP should be support in up coming Android upgrades.

Will I upgrade from the G1 if I can?  Definitely.  I think what I'll be interested in seeing is how Hero does with Sprint with Pre being their flagship device.  Also, word is that Motorola is looking to get into the Android game as well.

It'll be a year or so when a lot of these devices come out.  I'm a T-Mobile guy so I hope many of these devices will also come our way.

WiMax And Android

Did you know that Google was part of a group of companies that invested $3.2 billion in Clearwire, company that is bring WiMax to the markets?

So, it stands to reason that perhaps there is more in stored for Android in 2010 as Spring and Clearwire bring deployment to more than 50 cities.

Oh, you're probably wondering what what Wimax is?  Essentially, it's a 4G network that competes directly with the future LTE network from ATT and Verizon Wireless.

More on WiMax and LTE comparison at Onxo Mobile Society, including a video and some highlighted information that Android phones should know about.

Android Update

Word on th blogs is that an Android update is coming.  There's a name for it.  There are even screen shots.  Just as on Onxo and On Apple, we don't traffic in anything but concrete data though we certain have no qualm about wild speculations and such.

Where am I coming from on Android and my beloved but subpar G1?  Let me first say that I'm one of the first mobile warriors to have a G1.  3G.  Sure, love it!  But at the time I went from an iPhone to a G1.  Folks, Android shows promise but is not the iPhone.  Let's be honest.  But I've got a lot of hope for what Google and company will be able to develop and improve on what we're getting currently from T-Mobile.

In the next few months, Android will not only be going up against the iPhone 3G and Storm as has been in the last quarter but it'll have to go up again resurging Palm's Pre (assuming Apple doesn't sue them out of oblivion). 

From what I've seen, the Palm Pre could be going after the same folks G1 has been going after.  Pre will be debuting on a fledgling network, Sprint, just as G1 did on T-Mobile (not as in bad a shape as Sprint).  Just as the G1 was a stopgap against the iPhone, the Pre will be preforming the same role for Sprint, against everyone else.

However, Pre feels new, fresh, and fast.  And the form looks pretty cool.  G1, well, is a bit beta-ish.  And this is why I'm hoping with the new Android update, we'll finally get out of beta and see promises of Android fulfilled.

Once we get the update and have had a chance to play with it, then I think I'll finally write my G1 review.  But I hope there are a few features I like to see coming out of this update:

• Background apps.  Right now, not all the apps run in the background as it should.  Since Android's native IM doesn't stay logged in, I tried with Meebo.  No luck there.  Strangely, other apps like Twidroid and DoggCatcher had no problems running in the background. 
  
• Fix IM - my gTalk account is able to stay connected.  I'm sure everyone else would like to see their Yahoo, MSN, or AOL Messenger accounts stay connected as well.  Not everyone use gTalk.  Not everyone who has a Google account use gTalk.
• Leaner OS.  More optimization.  My G1 runs out of memory from time to time and it takes more time to go from task to task, app to app.
• Ability to use more than one Google account.
• Better e-mail implementation.  
• Somehow, squeeze more out of the battery or greater efficiency.  I'm charging the G1 twice a day and, luckily, I am always near an outlet.  
• On screen in put.  A keyboard.  
• Better calculator.  It's not something I should have to download a 3rd party app for an adequate calculator.
• Not really Android related but here's hoping future G1 or other Android phones will have more than just 1GB of memory.
• More crisp touch implementation.  Multi-touch would be nice (to be implemented without being sued by Apple).  More and more games are coming that may require touch and variety of gestures.
  

 We'll know soon how much improvement my G1 will offer.

Note:  Anyone interested in an Android-based phone, it's my opinion that you wait a bit and see what the new update offers.  We might be surprised with a new Android phone. 

Another note:  Some good news.  App development on the Android seems to be picking up steam.

Android Netbooks

Android would be a perfect OS for a netbook, wouldn't you think?  Okay, maybe not today given how I've bitched about the G1 and the beta feel to Android.  In fact, I've been getting quite a bit of app crashes of late.

But once a netbook manufacturer like Asus or Acer can get Android to work properly with power management, add a full  web browser like Chrome, you can be looking at a really mean and lean mobile platform that is competitive with the XP and Linux offerings on the market today. 

Once an Android netbook hits the market, users will already have access to hundreds if not thousands of apps available.

And good thing going for netbooks with Android.  Google has a good relationship with Sprint and is a WiMax supporter.  I wouldn't be surprise if the first Android netbook will support WiMax out of the box.  And if you didn't already know, Google is a white spaces backer. 

Today seems to be netbook days as I've posted at Onxo about a potential Apple answer to the netbook segment of the laptop market and Acer teaming up with ATT in providing subsidized netbooks.  But the trend is clear.  Mobility.  Wireless.  Googleness.  Well, the last one is a bit subjective and biase on my part.  So again, why Android netbook?

• Strong alternative to XP. 
• Made for mobility.  That means speed, power saving features, portability.
• Google apps - this is especially useful for folks who live and die by Google.
• Apps already available.
• Cloud computing with Google. 
• Push mail, Android marketplace, support for Google Docs
• Wireless connectivity.  Wi-Fi, 3G, WiMax, white spaces, LTE. 
• An expanded market for developers
• Light weight device with great flexibility.