HTC Flyer tablet lands at T-Mobile

The popular 7″ HTC Flyer tablet has finally made a safe landing at T-Mobile this week. Way back in June it cleared the FCC with T-Mobile bands but that was the last we’ve heard of it until today. While not for sale from T-Mobile themselves you can buy the T-Mobile powered HTC Flyer right now from HTC’s website. With a new 2-year agreement the price is just $299, like it’s been for a while at Best Buy.

The Flyer is a 7″ Android 2.3 Gingerbread tablet (no official Honeycomb) with a 1024 x 600 resolution display, 1.5 GHz single-core Qualcomm processor, front and rear facing cameras, and stylus support with the HTC scribe pen . While it runs Android 2.3 Gingerbread we do have a leaked Honeycomb build for those wanting to enjoy some tablet OS on the Flyer.
The slate is priced at $299.99 when purchased with new compatible individual plans for the tablet ranging from $39.99 for 2GB of data to $79.99 per month for 10GB of data and a 2-year agreement. Users can also choose to upgrade an existing plan or add the Flyer to it but that will run you a more painful $450 or so. The HTC Scribe stylus pen is still sold separately so that will be another purchase for those interested. Either way fly on down to HTC.com to pick up your own T-Mobile powered HTC Flyer tablet.

Related articles

• Verizon Wireless issues HTC ThunderBolt Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) update (tech-gadget.co.in)

Read more »

Republic Wireless tries to change the game with VOIP and Android

Raise your hand if you love your wireless carrier. Anyone? Consumers fed up with spotty service and limited terms have been complaining for years about lack of transparency and competition, and on November 8th, they might just have a next-generation alternative to the likes of Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile. Republic Wireless is a new Mobile Virtual Network Operator that uses a combination of conventional cellular lines and Voice Over IP via Wifi.

So what’s the difference between Republic and simply using Skype on your current phone? The magic comes via “Hybrid Calling,” which keeps a constant connection to a Wifi hotspot and the cellular network. Calls will default to Wifi, then switch over to cellular only when necessary. This will require some new hardware and software so unfortunately, you’ll have to get a new Android phone along with the service. On the plus side, it’ll use a single mobile number no matter what system the phone is currently using.
This isn’t the be-all, end-all future of wireless, for a few reasons. One, only The Now Network will be supported at launch, and as its current customers know, that’s a lot of roaming territory. Republic Wireless will try to get agreements with other carriers as well. The current carriers don’t really have a reason to help Republic succeed, so you almost certainly won’t see the MVNO get agreements for LTE and unlimited data. But for a very specific subset of people – those who are nearly always in a range of Wifi and don’t require consistent mobile data – it will significantly lower the barrier to entry in the form of monthly payments about half as expensive as current carriers.
Details are still sparse. The company is getting its Beta launch on November the 8th – we’ll be watching with interest.
[via TechCrunch]

Read more »

T-Mobile Samsung Exhibit II 4G lands with no contract pricing

It’s only been a few days since we talked about the Samsung Galaxy W smartphone that surfaced on a video demo showing off its gaming chops and more. We knew at the time that the smartphone would be sold as the Samsung Exhibit II 4G. The device has now gone official on T-Mobile with launch dates and pricing in tow.

The smartphone will be the first 4G offering to be sold in Walmart stores that can be had without a contract according to T-Mobile. Granted the smartphone connects to the HSPA+ 4G network not a real LTE network. Folks shopping for a no contract Android device should like the Exhibit II 4G well enough. The smartphone will land in Walmart stores sans contract on October 27. If you like the idea of the device, but want a contact for some reason you can get that too.

The phone has a 3.7-inch WVGA TFT touchscreen and a 1GHz Snapdragon processor. It will be able to access the Android Market, T-Mobile TV and the Samsung Media Hub. The device has WiFi and while Bluetooth isn’t mentioned in the press release, I would assume that it is included as well. The phone comes in blue only and has a 3MP rear camera that has flash and video recording capability. The no contract price for the smartphone will be $199.99 and the 2-year contract price will be $29.99 after a $50 MIR.
[via SlashGear]

Read more »

SpringBoard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 get official release dates on T-Mobile

T-Mobile customers have been waiting patiently for their version of the ubiquitous Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and come November 2nd, they’ll be able to pick them up online or in retail stores. The T-Mobile (Huawei) SpringBoard will go on sale a few days later on November 7th. T-Mobile revealed the dates on its website, but unfortunately hasn’t let the prices out just yet.

According to a leaked T-Mobile roadmap (which has been on the nose for pricing so far), the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be going for $399, while the 7-inch SpringBoard can be yours for an economical $199. TmoNews is reporting that the SpringPad might be going for as low as $179. Both of those prices include a two-year data contract, unfortunately. The good news is that both tablets will be taking advantage of T-Mobile’s “4G” HSPA+ network, meaning that in most T-Mobile areas they’ll be surfing and downloading at a pretty good clip. Both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the SpringBoard use Honeycomb, though the exact version isn’t disclosed.
Both devices feature 16GB of on-board storage, and though the SpringBoard’s exact “HD” resolution isn’t listed, it’s probably at least 720p like the Galaxy Tab 10.1′s 1280 x 800 panel. While the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is clearly sporting Samsung’s standard TouchWiz interface, the SpringBoard appears to be running stock Honeycomb, though the pre-loaded Netflix app will probably have a few companions when the tablet goes on sale. We’ll be keeping an eye out for an official price on both the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the T-Mobile SpringBoard.

Read more »

LG DoublePlay launching November 2nd on T-Mobile

Have you got a hankering for a unique dual-screen form factor and a T-Mobile account? Then you might want to mark November 2nd on your calendar. TmoNews got a hold of a T-Mobile inventory screenshot that says that’s the day the LG DoublePlay (AKA the Flip II) will be released on the carrier.

If you’re not familiar with the DoublePlay, it’s a Gingerbread phone with a slide-out keyboard dominated by a tiny secondary screen. The phone itself is mid-range by today’s standards, with a 3.5-inch main screen at 480 x 320, 1GHz processor and a 5MP-720p camera. In addition to basic app shortcuts, LG’s custom APIs will allow apps to take advantage of the lower screen for custom apps. Like most of the new phones on T-Mobile, it takes advantage of the carrier’s HSPA+ “4G” network.
There’s still no official word from T-Mobile about pricing or availability, but the new leak lines up with a previous leak that places the “Flip II” on the same date with a 149.99 price. Naturally, that’s with a two-year contract. The phone is unique to say the least, and one of the really cool things about Android’s open source nature is that it allows for these little oddities that might not make it to market otherwise.
[via Phandroid]

Read more »

T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II Successfully Rooted

I have some good news for all you ROM and flashing addicts out there. The T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S II has been successfully rooted and the process is almost scary easy. Now, I don’t think there are any custom/modified ROMs just yet but this should give GS2 users the ability to remove any and all pesky bloatware included on the device. Just to prove to you how non-difficult this is check out the directions:

1. Make sure windows recognizes your phone in ODIN.
—- adb reboot download
-or- Turn phone of, and hold both Vol up + Vol down, and plug the USB cable in.
2. Select the PDA button and browse to the recovery-cwm-hercules.tar
3. Select Start
4. It should flash the file to Recovery and reboot the phone.
5. After it has rebooted, mount USB storage and copy the Superuser zip to the sdcard
6 Reboot into recovery
— adb reboot recovery
-or- Power off phone, unplug USB, Hold Both Vol up + Vol down and Hit power
* PERFORM NANDROID BACKUP :D *
7. Select Install zip from sdcard, choose the superuser zip and let it finish.
8. Reboot!

Did you get all of that? For the download links on everything referenced in the directions, hit up the source link below and as always — BE CAREFUL. Good luck and godspeed!
Thanks, Quinten!
[Via RootzWiki]

Read more »

Huawei MediaPad hits FCC en route to T-Mobile

Our pals at the FCC give us more insight into the gadgets that are coming down the pipe than anywhere else. Since all the hardware that hits store shelves packing wireless anything has to come through the FCC on the way to launch, the first pics of the device often come by way of the FCC. Such is the case with the new Huawei MediaPad that has hit the FCC. The tablet will apparently be headed for T-Mobile when it gets the approvals it needs.

We have no idea when the tablet will launch, but it will likely be soon since the FCC is often the last hurdle to clear for launch. The MediaPad will use a 1.2GHz processor, a 7-inch screen with 1280 x 800 resolution, and it will have dual cameras. The MediaPad will also pack HDMI and run Android Honeycomb 3.2. The T-Mobile version will pack in 3G and HSPA+ connectivity as well.
One of the more important features of the tablet will be the price. The MediaPad is said to sell for $200 on contract making it a very nice deal. The normal price is said to be $500. That $500 tag will be a very hard sell and most people that buy will end up getting it on contract.
[via Pocketables]

Read more »

Samsung releases source code for T-Mobile Galaxy S II

And just like that, the source code for the T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S II is now available for developers to download and play with. Samsung has always been good with releasing the source code for their devices; sometimes they even do it before the device goes on sale.
If you’re a developer, hit up Samsung and download the source code for the T-Mobile Galaxy S II. The Android community is eager to see what type of magic you will create with this in your hands. Thanks for everything, as always.
via Samsung

Read more »

T-Mobile Monthly4G unlimited plans are available starting today

T-Mobile has recently released a few awesome smartphones to their portfolio like the Amaze 4G and the Galaxy S II, but today they have officially announced and started their brand new Monthly4G unlimited and contract free plans. Earlier this month we mentioned the T-Mobile and Walmart exclusive $30 unlimited data plan and now we have more details regarding that, and other contract free offerings from T-Mobile.

Today the company announced four new plans, the Monthly4G unlimited plan as well as three different pay by-the-day plans. The Monthly4G plan costs $60 per month and offers unlimited talk, text, and 4G data. This plan also features no annual contract and just like any other “unlimited” plan from most carriers you’ll get throttled once you pass 2GB of data, most of T-Mobiles current plans have a 5GB limit but then this is new and requires no contract.
Next, the pay by the day plans are quite nice and they give us three options. The first includes a $3 per day unlimited talk, text and web plan that provides 4G speeds on data up to 200MB, while this may not be a lot it is plenty for the average user that doesn’t do anything data or web intensive. Then they have another PBTD plan that offers the same unlimited talk, text, and web but this is only on 2G speeds so you wont be doing anything extremely fast, but you’ll get there — this is only $2 a day. Last but not least we have the $1 per day plan for unlimited text and 10-cents per minute for talk. I don’t see a huge need for this plan but I’m sure some will find it useful.
These are all officially available starting today from T-Mobile and you can call or head to your nearest store for more information. That deal is pretty impressive and for $30 a month (off contract) you get unlimited text and web with 100 talk minutes and 5GB cap for only $30 dollars. For someone that texts and uses the web the most this is an awesome deal if you can stay under 100 minutes.
[via SlashGear]

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy W headed to T-Mobile as the Exhibit II 4G

Samsung recently unveiled a few mid-range phones to complete their lineup, one in particular is the Galaxy W. We first saw it on video back in August but new details are starting to leak and we can expect to see the new Samsung Galaxy W hit T-Mobile as the Exhibit II 4G. More details can be seen below on this new phone coming soon.

What we have here is a pretty well rounded mid-range offering. The original T-Mobile Exhibit 4G was decent and this looks to start off right where it ended. The Galaxy W (aka Exhibit II 4G) should come with a 3.7″ AMOLED display, a 1.4 GHz single-core processor, 5 megapixel camera on the rear with 1.3 MP on the front, and run on T-Mobiles 4G HSPA+ network. Basically this is a great phone that should come in at a decent price and fit nicely between the original Galaxy S and the new Galaxy S II.
The Galaxy W is codenamed the “Ancora” and was just spotted on the recently leaked T-Mobile roadmap showing a launch date of November 2nd for just $99. While roadmaps aren’t completely official and are subject to change most likely we can expect to see the new Samsung Exhibit II 4G with its 1.4 GHz processor hit T-Mobile early next month, and at a great price. We will update once we hear more.

Read more »

T-Mobile HTC Amaze 4G vs Galaxy S II [Video]

Today is the day, the HTC Amaze 4G and Samsung Galaxy S II are both available right now at T-Mobile. Before you run down to your nearest T-Mobile store or head to the online shop and pick one up, we figured you’d like a little hardware comparison video showing off the goods both phones have to offer. Today I present you with a quick little Amaze 4G vs Galaxy S II hardware comparison video, check it and all the pictures out below.

We have covered both of these phones plenty in the recent past and before you watch the comparison video  If you are considering either of these phones then you most likely already know plenty about them. We have 1.5 GHz dual-core processors in both along with 1GB of RAM, 16GB internal storage, 8 MP rear and 2 MP front cameras. Basically they are pretty similar in regards to the internals. Its the hardware on the outside that is different. The looks, feel, size, and then the software of course. Both are running Android 2.3 Gingerbread and feature a few slight UI changes by their respectable creators. For now lets just check out the video shall we?
HTC Amaze 4G vs Samsung Galaxy S II video


With two powerhouse top tier smartphones such as these, this will most likely come down to user preference. Some might love the Sense UI or amazingly great build quality of HTC with the Amaze 4G, others might be interested in having a super sleek and lightweight phone from the Galaxy S II. Two large factors are the AMOLED display in the SGSII, vs the higher resolution qHD Super LCD in the Amaze 4G. Then you have battery life and performance, benchmarks and more. I go over all of this in extreme detail in both of the device reviews linked to above so feel free to read over them and see all the pictures to help you decide.

Happily provided is the video above as well as a few pictures in the gallery below. Instead of getting into details about the battery life or benchmark results I’ll just once again urge you to check out our full reviews. Benchmarks don’t mean everything and both phones perform extremely well for daily use and I’d be happy with either one over on T-Mobile.
The choice is yours, what phone would you rather buy from T-Mobile today — the Galaxy S II or the Amaze 4G?

Read more »

HTC Amaze 4G now available from T-Mobile

HTC's latest Android powerhouse, the Amaze 4G, is now available for purchase from T-Mobile USA. The Android 2.3 Gingerbread smartphone features a 4.3-inch, qHD (540 x 960 pixel) display and a dual-core, 1.5GHz Qualcomm processor. It has HTC's Sense 3.0 interface and supports T-Mobiles 42Mpbs HSPA+ network. Its real claim to fame, though, is its camera, as it features an 8 megapixel unit with a 28mm, f/2.2 lens and backside illuminated sensor. It can also record 1080p HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) video. Interested buyers can pick up the Amaze 4G for $259.99 with a new two-year contract.
source: T-Mobile

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S II now available in T-Mobile USA stores

The T-Mobile version of the Samsung Galaxy S II smartphone can now be had in the carrier's stores across the country. Early buyers have been able to order the phone online since Monday, but now anyone can walk into a T-Mobile store and purchase it. The T-Mobile version of the Galaxy S II is the third edition to be released by American carriers. It features a 4.52-inch Super AMOLED Plus display and a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor that is different from other Galaxy S II phones. It also has support for T-Mobile's 42Mbps HSPA+ network. Buyers will have to part with $229.99 and sign up for a new two-year contract should they decide the Galaxy S II is the right phone for them.
source: T-Mobile

Read more »

T-Mobile Bobsled VoIP service comes to Android

T-Mobile has a VoIP service that has been in use on Facebook for a bit now. Bobsled has been extended to cover more platforms with the service on the iPhone and more important available on Android now as well. The service is used via a free app that you can download and the app allows calls to me made to Facebook contacts at this point.

The service does support free landline calls to the US, Canada and Puerto Rico via a browser apparently. To make those free browser calls you need to log in through the browser interface. The Android app will allow you to make Bobsled-to-Bobsled calls only. The good news is that with Android and iOS apps most of the people you know are probably callable using bobsled.
You can leave voice mails and the voice mails are sent to the contacts Facebook wall. You can record a voice message as well that will be penned to the wall. I wonder if that means everyone can read or hear the message you leave. If you want free calls, this will do the trick. The Android app can be grabbed on the Android Market now.
[via SlashGear]

Read more »

Samsung Galaxy S II from T-Mobile pre-orders start today

For all of you on the magenta carrier we know and love as T-Mobile, today is the day you can finally pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S II. The T-Mobile version of the SGSII was announced last month and will be officially for sale starting Wednesday, October 12th for just $229. You can get the early jump on all the buyers and pre-order today at T-Mobile.com

T-Mobile retail stores have plenty in-store and in stock already so feel free to head down and pre-order the new Galaxy S II now. They might even accidentally let you leave with one today — doubtful, but worth a try right? The T-Mobile version looks different from the rest with its large 4.52″ AMOLED display and powerful 1.5 GHz dual-core processor.

I’m sure we all know plenty about the Samsung Galaxy S II and its impressive spec sheet but just in case you’ve forgot we have a 4.52″ Super AMOLED Plus display, a dual-core 1.5 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, Micro-SD support, 8MP rear and 2 MP front cameras and more. This phone has it all and can be yours for just $229.

Galaxy S II order page

Read more »

T-Mobile announces Springboard and Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablets, available this year

It looks like the leaked T-Mobile roadmap from last week is progressing right no track. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and the “T-Mobile Springboard”, which is almost certainly the Huawei “Tallsome” tablet we espied a while back, are both coming to the carrier before the holidays. T-Mobile wasn’t forthcoming with an exact release date or price on either, but we’ve got a pretty good idea.

First, the familiar Galaxy Tab 10.1. If you’ve kept up with Samsung’s current-generation tablet line, you know the drill: an ultra-thin, ultra-light Honeycomb tablet that takes all comes and then some. Not much has changed in this version, save the addition of T-Mobile’s “4G” radio bands. You still get the familiar 1GHz Tegra 2 processor, a full gigabyte of RAM, and a 1280x 800 LCD screen. T-Mobile declined to mention how much storage it’ll have, which probably means the default 16GB. According to the leaked roadmap (which is, of course, subject to change) the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will make its grand entrance on October 26th for $399.
The Springboard is the latest of T-Mobile’s subsidized devices from a lesser-known OEM to forgo manufacturer branding. Its 7-inch screen is describes as “HD” from the carrier, which hopefully means 1280 x 720. T-Mobile is emphasizing the tablet’s affordability, which lines up with the leaked $199 price tag. It will have an impressive (for a tablet) 5 megapixel camera with 720p video recording along with an unspecified 1.2GHz dual-core processor, GPS, 4G and Honeycomb 3.2. The Springboard should be available at retail on November 2nd. $199 for a 4G Honeycomb tablet is hard to argue with, if you’re in the mood for a 7-inch screen and a new 2-year contract.

Read more »

Google & T-Mobile file to support HTC in Apple lawsuit

T-Mobile and Google have both filed friends of the court briefs supporting HTC against Apple’s patent lawsuit. The two corporations are protecting interests in the Android platform and its manufacturers, as both of them are actively supporting Samsung in a similar case. The reasoning behind their support briefs is the public interest, and both claim that if Apple keeps HTC from selling competitive devices, various negative effects will be felt by American consumers.

The move mirrors amicus curiae briefs filed by both Verizon and T-Mobile last week in support of Samsung, which is also being sued by Apple in the United States and countries around the globe. Apple contests that both HTC and Samsung have violated their hardware and software design patents, and have filed injunctions to stop sales of devices competing with the iPhone and in some countries the iPad as well. Apple has already secured injunctions against Samsung in both Germany and Australia.
The reasoning behind Google’s brief raised eyebrows at FOSS Patents, a popular blog covering the legal aspects of free and open-source software. Google touted Android’s expansion of the mobile market into low-income ares and its effectiveness during natural disasters, as well as its use by important infrastructure such as the U.S. Army. Google claims that Apple is using the patent system as a means of creating a monopoly, and that their attempted injunction against HTC threatens competition.
Google also highlighted Android’s status as “the only open mobile computing platform.” Editorial note: say Google, Honeycomb came out more than six months ago – would you mind releasing the source code for this open mobile OS you’re so keen on?

T-Mobile basically repeated their support for Samsung, claiming HTC as a major business partner and that an injunction would cause irreparable damage to their future sales. T-Mobile called out Apple’s suggestion that companies supplement a lack of Android devices with “iOS for iPhone, Blackberry OS, and Microsoft Windows” as unreasonable. The company also said that an injunction against HTC would damage its continuing rollout of a 4G network.
So, will these supplementary briefs help HTC and Samsung? It’s hard to say. Patent cases like this end in a settlement more often than not, but it looks like Apple won’t be satisfied with anything less than a ban on Android devices from both major manufacturers. Apple’s refusal to settle in the Samsung Australian case indicates that the worldwide patent battle won’t be ending any time soon.

Read more »

Nexus Prime hits the FCC with AT&T and T-Mobile bands

What exclusive? Thanks to a forum tipster, we now know that the Samsung GT-I9250, which is thought to be the Nexus Prime, is passing through the FCC’s wireless certification process. What’s confusing about it is that this particular model features a GSM radio with wireless bands for both AT&T and T-Mobile. According to all the leaks and rumors heard thus far, the Nexus Prime was supposed to be a Verizon exclusive  – that was thought to be part of the reason the carrier was the only one in the United States to pass up on the Samsung Galaxy S II.

The device being examined by the Federal Communications Commission lacks any sort of CDMA radio, ruling out a universal model a la the recently-announced iPhone 4S. Unfortunately, it also lacks any HSPA+, aka “4G” bands, which is odd, since there’s already a 4G model of the Nexus S. A possible answer is that we’re talking about two separate phones, perhaps with different code names – Nexus Prime, Galaxy Nexus, Droid Prime and Droid Nexus have all been bandied about lately. At this point it’s difficult to say which carrier might get the phone first, or how long it might be exclusive to any carrier.
The only thing we can say with any certainty is that Samsung has a new high-profile Android phone in the works, with a release date nebulously set for “soon”. Samsung had planned to unveil the device at CTIA in San Diego next Tuesday, but due to the untimely passing of Steve Jobs, the announcement has been indefinitely postponed. Rumor has it that Samsung and Google may reschedule the Unbox event for October 27th, with a possible London venue.
[via Phandroid]
)

Read more »

T-Mobile myTouch and myTouch Q are now official

Yes, we knew that T-Mobile was about to roll out a couple of myTouch devices earlier yesterday morning, but here is an official statement from the mobile carrier themselves on the myTouch and myTouch Q – whereby both LG smartphones were specially designed to be easy to use, and is touted to be an introductory handset to those who are about to plunge into the world of smartphones for the first-time.
In order to make them accessible rigth from the get go, LG decided to throw in two different styles of hardware – the myTouch comes with a 3.8″ touch screen display and a virtual keyboard with Swype, while those who prefer a physical QWERTY keyboard to go along with the 3.5″ touch screen display can always settle for the myTouch Q.

Read more »

T-Mobile myTouch and myTouch Q by LG are official, coming before the holidays

After weeks of leaks and teases, T-Mobile just let us know that the newest members of the myTouch line will be arriving “in time for the holiday season” – which probably means November 2nd. The T-Mobile myTouch and T-Mobile myTouch Q are both manufactured by LG, the first myTouch phones not made by HTC. We’ve finally got full specs for you to check out below.

Both phones feature Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 1GHz processor and 5-megapixel cameras with 720p recording capability. Happily, both will operate on T-Mobiles’ HSPA+ “4G” network. That’s where the physical similarities end: the myTouch is a 3.8-inch slate phone with a Swype virtual keyboard, while the myTouch Q is a slider with a full QWERTY keyboard and a 3.5-inch screen. The myTouch also features a front-facing camera with Qik integrated.
The T-Mobile branded phones will have Netflix’s Android streaming app and T-Mobile TV built-in, along with the line-standard “Genius Button.” T-Mobile neglected to mention the price for either phone, but according to a recent roadmap leak, they’ll both be $129.99 on-contract. You’ll be able to get the myTouch in either black or white, while the myTouch Q will come in gray or violet colors.
)

Read more »