Posts Tagged ‘AT&T’
Friday, August 21st, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, ATT, Apple
Whoa — we were just sent AT&T response to the FCC’s investigation into the rejection of Google Voice apps from the iPhone app store, and Ma Bell isn’t pulling any punches: according to the letter, AT&T “had no role in any decision by Apple to not accept the Google Voice application.” That puts the ball pretty firmly in Apple’s court, but it doesn’t close the door on AT&T’s involvement in App store approval shenanigans entirely, since the letter also says “AT&T has had discussions with Apple regarding only a handful of applications that have been submitted to Apple for review where, as described below, there were concerns that the application might create significant network congestion.” Not only did that result in CBS and MobiTV killing the Final Four app’s ability to stream video over 3G, it also explains what happened to SlingPlayer Mobile — we’ll see what the FCC says about that.
Update: And here come Apple and Google’s responses as well! We’re digesting everything as fast as we can, we’re going to do this semi-liveblog style after the break, so grab a frosty and dive in.
Update 2: Okay, so we’ve read through all three filings and broken them down after the break. Our main takeaway? Apple’s being pretty hypocritical by claiming on the one hand that the iPhone is at the forefront of a mobile revolution and then saying iPhone users can’t figure out how Google Voice is different than the iPhone’s built-in functionality on the other. Either your customers are paradigm-busting visionaries or they’re not very smart at all, Apple — you have to pick one. As for AT&T, well, it just seems like it’s worried about its network above all else, and while we think it’s ridiculous that it enforces the VoIP and SlingPlayer ban on the iPhone and not, say, Windows Mobile devices, we can see why the carrier would push those contract provisions hard. In the end, we’re just hoping the FCC forces everyone involved to be more open and transparent about what they’re doing and the deals they’re making — Apple’s not necessarily exaggerating when it says these are entirely new problems, and whatever happens next will set a precedent for a long time to come.
Continue reading AT&T, Apple and Google respond to the FCC over Google Voice and the iPhone App Store
AT&T, Apple and Google respond to the FCC over Google Voice and the iPhone App Store originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: App Store, Apple, appstoreapprovalprocess, AT&T, breaking-news, browser, fcc fridays, games, google-voice, googlevoice, messaging, player-mobile, review
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Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Palm, ATT, GSM, EDGE, EV-DO, HSDPA, UMTS, CDMA, webOS
Two months post-launch, the Pre remains the only official game in town for webOS, but we all know how Palm rolls — there are unquestionably other phones in the pipeline, and they’re going to be available on a variety of carriers. By all accounts, the so-called Eos (or Pixie, if internal codenames are more your thing) for AT&T is going to be the next model to come out of the chute, and now that we’ve all gotten bored with our Pres, the world seems to be turning its attention to more pressing matters like a release date. To that point, we’re dealing with two ends of the spectrum right now: at one extreme, Digital Daily cites a Morgan Joseph analysts as saying he believes the Eos will hit AT&T at some point beyond the holidays, thanks in part to the $99 iPhone’s continued strength. On the other end, China’s Commerical Times says an HSPA-powered version of the Eos will rock a 2.6-inch display and start volume deliveries from ODM Compal to Palm in October of this year with a CDMA variant following on in the first quarter of next year. Ultimately, both reports have the reassuring solidity of Jell-O — so what have we learned? The Eos (or whatever it’s called) will ship when it ships.
Read – Analyst likes Eos launch next year
Read – GSM Eos in October, CDMA version Q1 ‘10?
Palm Eos coming in October, or next year, or some other time, or never originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 19 Aug 2009 02:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: accessories, AT&T, CDMA, daily, engadget, GSM, network, Nokia, pixie, podcasts, time, webos, Windows Mobile
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Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Filed under: Software, Palm, ATT, Palm OS
Once upon a time, Palm released a big firmware update for AT&T’s branded version of the venerable Palm OS-powered Treo 680 (we know we just tossed a mind-boggling array of obsolete words and phrases at you, so feel free to take a couple minutes to catch your breath — we’ll wait). Okay, now fast forward to mid-2009. Treo 680s are still in the field — and apparently, some of those haven’t been updated to that 2007 vintage firmware. For some reason, AT&T has just now started really turning up the heat on these holdouts, apparently sending out text messages saying they’re required to apply the update by the 15th of next month to continue using their phones on the network. We don’t know if AT&T plans on doing an IMEI lockout or what here, but at any rate, it’s a pretty big slap in the face of the “open network” concept these guys have been espousing for the past couple years. Then again, the update’s seriously got a lot of good stuff in it, so it’s totally unclear why anyone with a 680 wouldn’t just bite the bullet and submit to AT&T’s will this time around.
[Via Palm Infocenter]
AT&T lays down the law, says Treo 680 users must update firmware originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: AT&T, breaking-news, culture, games, messaging, Palm, podcasts, stumbleupon, Treo, treo 680, treo680, update, upgrade
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
Filed under: Software, Apple, iPhone OS
As history tells us time and time again, iPhone apps / updates submitted to Apple aren’t a sure deal for approval. Still, we can’t help but like where SlingPlayer Mobile is going with the recently-submitted version 1.1. In addition to providing true 16:9 widescreen support that stretches across the whole screen, Slingbox owners with DISH Network can now navigate using a touch-supported native browser, instead of pushing through the TV-standard browsing screen being streamed in. That last bit’s great for US customers, but it’s what the rest of the world might get that has our interests very piqued. The company’s submitted a version for use outside of AT&T’s homeland that would finally allow for streaming over a 3G connection — again, not a certainty for approval, but we’ll be most interested to see if that one makes its way through the system.
SlingPlayer 1.1 for iPhone promises DISH integration for US, 3G streaming elsewhere (maybe) originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: AT&T, culture, dish, dish network, dishnetwork, iphone 3g s, iphone3g, network, sling, slingbox, slingplayer, virgin-mobile
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Monday, August 10th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, ATT, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS
If you’re looking for a Palm Pre that’s made by Samsung, not running webOS, and AT&T branded… well, bless your heart, because today’s your lucky day. Craigslist (of all places) has unveiled the first shots of what’s said to be the Sammy a797, a full-touch feature phone with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard — a form factor arguably popularized by Palm’s baby. We don’t know a blasted thing about this phone other than what you see here, but we do know that the lucky individual that currently has it is pawning it for a bargain-basement price of $115… which is probably a good deal less than AT&T will sell it for, whenever it launches. Totally legit, right?
[Via Unwired View]
AT&T’s Samsung A797 pawned on Craigslist, definitely under the table originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: a797, accessories, AT&T, browser, chris-ziegler, craigslist, culture, games, handsets, messaging, Palm, podcasts, QWERTY
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Thursday, August 6th, 2009
Filed under: ATT, Bell Mobility, HSDPA, HSUPA
Networks in the GSMA’s technology path have an easier time roaming around the world (whether pricing is easy on the wallet is another story altogether) — but naturally, you’ve got to have the roaming agreements in place to make the globetrotting a reality. Up in Canada, Bell’s wasting now time getting those deals lined up so that customers are good to go the moment it flips the switch and lights up its brand-spanking-new HSPA network as it makes the transition from CDMA; specifically, it’s announced during its second quarter earnings call that it has hooked up with AT&T for a symbiotic relationship that’ll let Bell customers roam on AT&T’s network and vice versa. Interestingly, the agreement allows Bell’s phones to roam both on HSPA and legacy GSM in the States while AT&T customers will be strictly HSPA when they’re on Bell, reinforcing two things: one, Bell’s likely lined up to be North America’s first commercial UMTS network without legacy compatibility, and two, Bell’s phones — at least some of them — will rock GSM / EDGE for use abroad (we should certainly hope so).
[Via MobileSyrup]
Bell signs HSPA roaming agreement with AT&T originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: AT&T, bell, bellmobility, browser, canada, culture, engadget, features, games, HSDPA, hspa, mobile, roaming
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Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, ATT, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS
If you’ve been searching your soul and the shelves of your local AT&T shop for the perfect replacement for that Samsung Eternity in your pocket, the new Solstice might be the answer; granted, you lose a megapixel of camera resolution and AT&T Mobile TV support, but in exchange, you get a sleeker package, an updated UI, and the constant comfort that comes with knowing that your phone isn’t more than six months old. Is it any good, though? Brighthand seems to think so, having checked it out recently and concluding that the UI is snappy — important for any phone, but particularly critical for full touch models. The browser and call quality are also apparently quite good, so at under a hundie on contract, it certainly seems like it might be worth a look-see down at the store if you’re in the market.
Samsung Solstice briefly observed, enjoyed originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: accessories, Apple, AT&T, culture, engadget, engadget-mobile, fcc fridays, games, handsets, messaging, music, podcasts, Samsung
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Filed under: ATT
If you find yourself frequently dialing Guadalajara, Chihuahua, or La Paz, you might take a gander at a newly-introduced calling plan from AT&T that’s offering a package of features custom-tailored to the needs of the carrier’s largest long-distance destination. The so-called “Viva Mexico” plan bundles 1,000 anytime minutes for use in the US and Mexico, a total annhiliation of international long-distance charges, and the ability to benefit from rollover on the Mexico-friendly minutes. This all only applies to voice — messaging and data are still on the hook for international fees — but if voice is your thing, it’s might be worth the $54.99 AT&T is commanding for individual plans (or $84.99 for two lines on a family plan).
[Via Phone Scoop]
AT&T’s new ‘Viva Mexico’ plan serves up bucket of minutes originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: Apple, AT&T, culture, engadget, engadget-mobile, fcc fridays, messaging, mexico, mobile, music, plan, softbank-mobile, virgin-mobile, vivamexico
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2009
Filed under: Handsets, Nokia, ATT, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS
We haven’t heard a peep about the so-called Nokia Mural flip since May — basically an eternity (as opposed to an Eternity) by mobile standards. Was it canceled? Did AT&T get distracted playing Call of Duty 4 and forget to release it? It’s possible — crazier things have happened — but we’re taking some comfort this week in the knowledge that the Bluetooth SIG hasn’t forgotten about the darn thing anyway. What’s more, they’re showing it with the AT&T logo up front, the first time we’ve actually seen it there; the FCC docs where we first learned of the phone had it blurred out (though there was plenty of other evidence to gather that AT&T was the destination from day one). Given that the Mural doesn’t seem to be running S60, we’re having a hard time getting too worked up about the fact that it hasn’t launched — but we’re sure they’d manage to sell a few if it was actually on a shelf somewhere.
[Via Unwired View]
Nokia 6750 Mural for AT&T still exists, because the Bluetooth SIG says so originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: 6750, AT&T, Bluetooth, bluetooth sig, bluetoothsig, clamshell, fcc fridays, flip, games, handsets, HSDPA, messaging, News, Nokia, podcasts
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Friday, July 31st, 2009
Filed under: ATT, Studies, Apple
You know, there’s something to be said about making something easy: people usually take advantage. So seems to be the case with AT&T’s WiFi connections after the release of iPhone OS 3.0, which finally became useful when users could seamlessly connect to one of the thousands of AT&T hotspots around the nation rather than having to stumble through a painfully long process on iPhone OS 2.x. According to an AT&T spokesperson speaking with AppleInsider, the amount of iPhone users linking up with AT&T’s WiFi network tripled in June, and overall, it saw a 41 percent increase in connections compared to the prior quarter. It comes as no surprise to hear that AT&T is working feverishly to expand said network in order to relieve strain from its house of cards-styled 3G network, and while we’d definitely prefer a bit more reliability with the latter, we’ll happily accept more WiFi in the meanwhile.
Captain Obvious reports: AT&T sees surge in WiFi use post-iPhone OS 3.0 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Tags: accessories, AT&T, culture, iPhone 3G, iphone3g, messaging, mobile, rogers-wireless
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