Amazingly, the FCC still hasn’t released the full text of the net neutrality rules it passed by a contentious 3-2 vote yesterday, so we can’t really say much about what’s in them — and while this sort of delay is typical of the Genachowski FCC, it hasn’t stopped the carriers from issuing statements on the new rules. We’ve got to say, responses to the new rules range all over the map: Sprint commended the FCC, T-Mobile needs some time to look things over, AT&T called it a “fair middle ground” but railed about “radical voices” and “heavy-handed government regulation” (seriously) and Verizon — well, Verizon issued what appears to be a veiled threat to sue everyone. That’s pretty interesting, since it sure looks to us like the FCC all but rubber-stamped last summer’s Google / Verizon neutrality proposal, but you never know what’s happening behind closed doors — and remember, Verizon’s last major policy statement was a call to revamp the entire Telecommunications Act, so Big Red might have bigger plans in store. We’ve rounded up all the reactions below — check ‘em out.

Continue reading Net neutrality: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile react

Net neutrality: Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile react originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Let’s be real: it should come as little surprise that Sammy — a company with multiple Android phones on Verizon already — would be joining LG, Motorola, and HTC in prepping a new model for its LTE network. Sure enough, Gizmodo has scored an alleged shot of said phone, showing Froyo (Android 2.2.1, to be specific) along with a front-facing camera and a model number of SCH-i520; it’s said to feature TouchWiz (as most non-Nexus S Android phones from Samsung tend to do) and, fortunately, lacks the Bing integration that Verizon’s been pushing on its low- and midrange smartphones lately. Given the company’s iffy track record on getting Froyo deployed in a timely manner to the Galaxy S line, we’re not sure how we’d feel about buying a new Froyo model when Gingerbread’s now available — especially with all these other LTE models that Verizon’s going to have on top — but options are good, we suppose.

Samsung LTE phone with front-facing camera headed to Verizon? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

And in case you’re wondering, they’re ripping the Oppo logo.

The worst name for a knockoff cellphone, ever originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 12:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Thought the launch of the Kin ONEm and TWOm was strange? Here’s another oddity with a Microsoft tie-in: Canadian startup Mobilicity has just announced the “Mobiflip,” a phone that the carrier’s own press release calls out as being “similar to the Sidekick LX.” It’s unclear whether what’s left of Danger will be supporting the device — the Sidekick line basically pioneered mobile cloud computing, after all — but what we see of the interface certainly rings true to the Sidekicks of days gone by. It runs CAD $99.99 ($98) contract-free, which is a whole heck of a lot cheaper than its American doppelganger launched for — $250 on contract, if you recall. Yowza! Follow the break for the press release.

Continue reading Sharp Mobiflip channels Sidekick LX’s vibes for Mobilicity

Sharp Mobiflip channels Sidekick LX’s vibes for Mobilicity originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Nexus S gets its first update over the air originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Good news for those early adopters burdened by an underperforming Sony Ericsson’s LiveView: help is on the way. According to the official Sony Ericsson Product Blog, the company will roll out an update via its SE Update Service in January that should address connection issues between the wrist-worn display / remote control and Android phones. Other “minor issues” will be solved with updates to the LiveView Application in the Android Market, though SE isn’t clear on when those might be made available — hopefully soon because we can’t wait for this device to finally achieve its potential.

Sony Ericsson LiveView getting much needed January update originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 22 Dec 2010 05:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Out of the box, many Windows Phone 7 devices aren’t really equipped to deal with the reality that you might want to use a network other than the one the phone launched on. The oversight sort of makes sense since Microsoft’s launches have been closely tied to carriers so far — but it’s still an oversight that needs to be fixed on the double. Indeed, they’re working on a fix — probably to be included in future firmware revisions, we’d guess — but in the meantime, Samsung has followed HTC’s and LG’s suit by releasing an app that keeps your MMS functional when you insert a third-party SIM. The version that Sammy had let loose previously apparently didn’t work too well, but an update this week promises to handle its business a little better — though as you might expect, it explicitly warns you that it may not work if you’re on a contract (and presumably locked) phone.

Samsung launches improved network config tool for unlocked Windows Phone 7 handsets originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Continue reading Sprint inks another three years’ worth of iDEN infrastructure support with Motorola, ‘several’ new phones coming in Q1

Sprint inks another three years’ worth of iDEN infrastructure support with Motorola, ‘several’ new phones coming in Q1 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 17:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

You remember iGloLEDset, right? How could you forget? The multicolored, WiFi-enabled strip of LEDs is basically a party waiting to happen — assuming you’re ready and willing to pony up the $300 entry fee — but until now, they’ve only been controllable with iOS devices. Well, good news, Android users: your ticket to ride the light wave just arrived, and iGloLEDset’s makers have celebrated with a little demo video you can see after the break. The new app’s available now.

Continue reading iGloLEDset is now ready to rave Android-style

iGloLEDset is now ready to rave Android-style originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

Palm promised that webOS 2.0 would hit all of its devices in the “coming months,” and it looks like work is trucking right along — we were just sent these shots of the updated OS running in beta form on the original Sprint Palm Pre. Obviously there’s not much here that we didn’t pore over in our exhaustive webOS 2.0 review, but we’re noting the addition of voice dialing and some preferences for the screensaver-like Exhibition View — we’re told just the time works right now, but photos, agenda view, and Facebook are all listed.

Interestingly, this first beta is labeled “HP webOS Nova-Barley” and carries the version number of 2.0.1, with builds for the unlocked Pre and AT&T / Verizon Pre Plus also available — the Pixi and Pre 2 variants of this build haven’t been completed. Performance is said to be solid, although “not fast enough,” and things are a little buggy, which makes sense for a first beta. The final build that goes out as an OTA update will apparently be version 2.1, although that’s not totally confirmed yet — we’re told that there are references to a “Nova-Barleywine” in the code, but it’s not clear if that’s another 2.x version or something else entirely. Yes, it’s all very exciting, but unfortunately none of this is what we really want: new phones and new tablets. Let’s get cracking, Palm.

webOS 2.0 for the Sprint Palm Pre leaks out, added features in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink