AT&T to be First US carrier with BlackBerry Bold
Posts with tag att
3G iPhone to Be Discounted to $199 by AT&T?
by Joshua Topolsky, posted Apr 30th 2008 at 9:05AM
In addition to these discounts, the source says the new iPhone will be 2.5mm thinner than the previous iteration, although we understand that right after telling Fortune this information, the "person" burst into a cloud of rainbow-colored sparkles and went flying off into the night sky. [Source: Fortune]
[Thanks, Penny]
Blackberry 9000 Release Rumors Swirl
We're a little more inclined to trust BGR on this stuff -- the man's got a point when he says he's gotten pre-release versions of every RIM device since the Pearl 8100, and if the 9000's faster processor and 3G are indeed causing power problems, he's likely to notice. Let's just hope this all gets sorted soon -- we're ready to move on up.
Read - Fortune: "Delay seen for RIM's new Blackberry"
Read - BGR: "Cleaning up those BlackBerry rumors"
3G iPhone Expected On June 9?
We've been awaiting the announcement of the 3G iPhone since, well, the announcement of the first-gen iPhone ages ago. Many were disappointed at that first announcement that Apple's first phone wouldn't take advantage of the fastest wireless network features of the day and felt sure that the company would rectify it later with an updated phone. Now, analysts believe, we're not far from the release of the newer, faster iPhones, and they also believe we'll see some other, cheaper iPhone models as well.
A few weeks ago AT&T's Mobility CEO indicated that the 3G iPhone was coming within three months, and this latest report backs that up. Then there's the rumored "2.5G" iPhone, which will feature the same basic features as the original iPhone in a slightly redesigned package, also at a lower price: between $299 and $349. It's expected that these phones will be announced on June 9, during a Worldwide Developers Conference keynote that Steve Jobs will give, and, in typical Apple style, will find its way to retailers not long after.
So, again, while we'd hate to hinder Apple's plans to sell 10-million iPhones this year, we also say that right now seems like a really bad time to upgrade if you were thinking of investing in one of Apple's wunder-phones. Wait a couple of months -- you'll thank us later. [Source: PC World]
AT&T Says Internet to Hit Full Capacity By 2010
by Evan Shamoon, posted Apr 20th 2008 at 10:28AM
Where, you ask, is the end of the Internet?
Well, in the time-space continuum that is virtual existence, the real question is when. And according to AT&T, without investment, the Internet's current network architecture will "reach the limits of its capacity by 2010."
The comments were made at a Westminster eForum on Web 2.0 this past week in London, where AT&T's vice president of legislative affairs Jim Cicconi warned that the systems currently in place will not be able to handle the increasing amounts of content (read: homemade movies of your cat break-dancing).
He said that at least $55 billion worth of investment was needed in new infrastructure in the next three years in the U.S. alone -- and that it would require $130 billion to improve the Internet worldwide.
Most outlandish quote:
"The surge in online content is at the center of the most dramatic changes affecting the Internet today," he said. "In three years' time, 20 typical households will generate more traffic than the entire Internet today."
Psshhhyeah right. [Source News.com]
Hands-On: Microsoft Surface at the AT&T Store
by Thomas Houston, posted Apr 17th 2008 at 6:52PM
This version of the Surface doesn't offer the breadth of features shown a year ago -- it only shows information on plans, AT&T's network, and a select group of phones. Still, we're thrilled to finally see a Surface in the wild. The device excels at letting users see and explore AT&T's network coverage on the responsive interactive map. Similar to the iPhone's map interface, the Surface's map lets you easily swipe and slide your way around the U.S., and you can select a 3G overlay to see where AT&T offers greater network speeds.
The Surface only works with eight phones -- more are coming soon -- but we liked the comparison feature. Place two phones on the Surface and windows will "slide" out of each phone with information comparing battery life, media features, size, and more. These windows, as well as most others that we came across while testing the Surface, can be easily resized, dragged, and launched across the workspace with a simple flip of the wrist.
AT&T's use of the Surface may draw customers in and improve the in-store shopping experience, but we're still waiting to see what the Surface can really do when pushed to its limits (e.g. file transfer between digital devices, music downloads, restaurant information). For now, check out our gallery of photos from the premiere below:
Gallery: AT&T and Microsoft Surface
What's 4G and Should You Even Care?
by Will Safer, posted Apr 9th 2008 at 5:23PM
When people talk about the future of wireless communication, they sometimes speak of 4G, which is short for Fourth Generation Communications System. This is a still pretty much undefined area of wireless communications, but simply put, it means fast data, voice, and streaming content everywhere you go at any time. And so its also the topic of much interest for wireless companies, such as AT&T and Verizon, which just announced some of their goals for the bigger, better, faster wireless Internet. The FCC is starting to let these companies talk about their plans for the standard, which they say will allow better applications to be developed for wireless gaming, smartphone functionality and remote control of digital video recorders, among other tasks.
While 4G functionality and devices are still a ways off from being available (and 3G is still really in the implementation stage, as well), the fact that the wireless spectrum is being made available for use and development is a big step that could lead to powerful applications being created for personal and business use -- and, of course, to new revenue streams for the service providers (and we all know that's one of the biggest motivating factors for these companies).
The 4G standard will be able to provide speeds from 100 megabits per second to 1 gigabit per second both indoors and outdoors, with the promise of greater quality and security (and we all know that's something personal and business users want).
What could this mean for you, dear reader? Well, right now, not a whole lot. But soon you'll start to see devices and products, both wireless and plugged in at home, that are more completely integrated.
From BetaNews.
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New Anti-Theft Technology to Make Stolen Computers Unbootable
Intel is joining forces with a bunch of other heavy weights in the computer industry, including Absolute Software Corporation (a data protection and hardware tracking company), BIOS maker Phoenix, Utimaco (a data security company), and McAfee, along with manufacturers Lenovo and Fujitsu, to create ATT (Anti-Theft Technology).
Company representatives were short on details about the technology, only saying that it would go further than just hard disk encryption, which makes your personal data unreadable, but leaves the rest of the laptop intact. ATT will supposedly make the entire laptop a useless hunk of plastic and metal if someone tried to boot the laptop with out the owners permission.
Intel is hoping that ATT will deter thieves from even bothering to steal your laptop since it would render the computer un-bootable, even a new hard drive was installed. But just in case the company is also looking into incorporating tracking technology to help users locate and reclaim their hardware.
The coalition is hoping to debut the technology by the end of the year, but don't expect to see it in consumer level products until well after that.
From Ars Technica
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AT&T Warms Up to Google's Android For Mobile Phones
Well, they're a little late to the party, but AT&T is finally warming up to Google's phone OS, Android. T-Mobile and Sprint and members of the Open Handset Alliance, which champions Google's new Linux-based platform, and Verizon has promised to make its network open to any device, a move that likely had Android devices specifically in mind.
At the CTIA wireless show in Vegas AT&T Mobility chief, Ralph de la Vega said,
"I like it a lot more than I did before... It's something we would want in our portfolio."
His conversion on Android came after Google executives showed him that AT&T would be able to load its own applications on any Android handset it sold. Previously, the company had been fearful the handset would be geared too much towards the Google brand. Too be fair, however, AT&T's tepid response would not have prevented Android devices from getting on its network. AT&T's network has long been open to any device that operates on the right frequency, is GSM based (as opposed to Verizon's CDMA cellular technology), and can accept a SIM card.
Regardless, this means it looks like most of the major carriers are on board with Android, which means we may see a more open system for creating user--friendly (i.e. Google-like) cell phone applications that work on all phones (with Android, of course).
From the Los Angeles Times
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AT&T Suffering Intermittent Outages
Toward the end of last week, AT&T was having some sporadic outages across the Midwest, where users were unable to make calls. There were also reported outages for the provider's data networks -- leaving iPhoners unable to get their YouTube on. As of Sunday, it seemed, things were back down again.
Details are somewhat limited at the moment regarding the extent of the outages, and AT&T has nothing posted on its site. So, this probably isn't as major as the BlackBerry outages that were the bane of many a business user's existence last-summer, but we'll still be sure to keep you posted.
From Engadget
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More Than a Quarter of All U.S. iPhones Are Unlocked
According to a study by Bernstein Research, more than one quarter of iPhones sold in the U.S. are unlocked to work with networks other than AT&T, Apple's exclusive partner in the States. The Apple iPhone has turned out to be a favorite target of hackers and tinkerers. The lack of third-party applications, customization, and the lock in to AT&T's network have driven many home-brew developers to expand the reach and capabilities of the iPhone beyond what Apple and AT&T intended.
A consequence of the significant number of unlocked phones in circulation is not just a loss of revenue for AT&T, but a loss for Apple as well. Apple receives a portion of the contract fees attached to the iPhone from AT&T, so the more iPhones operating off the AT&T network means less money for Apple.
Problems like this may help push forward the so called open access movement, that would allow customers to use any phone or device on any compatible network. The down side is if cellular companies take the open access idea to its logical extreme, it may spell the end of handset subsidies, which means the era of free and ultra-cheap cell phones may be coming to an end.
From BBC
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AT&T Drops 'Fewest Dropped Calls' Claim
You're all probably familiar with the "fewest dropped calls" campaign from AT&T (formerly Cingular). If you're a current or former customer, you know that claim is questionable at best. After a protracted legal battle with Sprint and an investigation by the Better Business Bureau, AT&T is dropping the slogan.AT&Ts original claim was based on part of a report by research firm Telephia that, ultimately, did not conclude AT&T had the most reliable network. In fact, for several years running, AT&T has a place near the bottom of Consumer Reports and JD Power & Associates lists for reliability and customer satisfaction.
However, AT&T's new slogan, "more bars in more places," sounds like more of the same if you ask us.
From Wired
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AT&T Reacts to Outrage Over 300-Page iPhone Bills
Environmentalists everywhere are thanking AT&T for this change of ways that will surely keep countless trees from meeting premature deaths at the hands of texting tweens.
From Technology Live
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AT&T Gives Free Wi-Fi to Subscribers
AT&T has opened up its Wi-Fi hotspots to broadband subscribers for free. If you're a Pro, Elite, or Fast Access subscriber on AT&T's DSL service you can now enjoy free access at its hotspots that can be found in airports, coffee shops, McDonald's and Barns and Noble's. Those with lesser subscriptions can add unlimited access for $1.99 a month, and those who have no AT&T broadband access are saddled with the same $7.99 a day access fee.
This is a great move by AT&T to endear itself to customers, though we would like to see them extend the same offer to its wireless subscribers. It might make that iPhone purchase seem a little less foolish.
From USA Today
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iPhone Definitely Coming in June
by Tim Stevens, posted Apr 2nd 2007 at 7:31AM
Could it be that Apple fans finally have a date to mark on their calendars? According to Engadget (via CNET), that may be the case. AT&T, the mobile provider formerly known as Cingular, has officially confirmed an unofficial release date of June 11th. Normally we wouldn't put much weight behind announcements like this, but given that June 11 just happens to be the same date as Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, there looks to be truth here.If you've not been under a rock or imprisoned, you already know that the iPhone is Apple's foray into the embattled cell phone market, where it hopes to do to phones what it did to the MP3 players with the iPod. The iPhone will have a touch-screen display, built-in camera, and will of course play tunes and videos. For now AT&T will be the exclusive provider of this phone and will sell a 4 gigabyte version for $499 and an 8 gigabyte version for $599 (each requiring a two year contract).
From Engadget [via CNET]
