Showing posts with label Evolved HSPA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Evolved HSPA. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Nexus 4 Magic Waiting To Happen

Nexus 4
Nexus 4 (Photo credit: sukiweb)
This feels like lining up online to get a ticket to the New York Tech MeetUp. You get there a few minutes before and hit refresh, refresh, refresh.

The Best Christmas Gift One Can Hope For

Nexus 4 selling out within minutes on November 13, I then guessed and now have determined, was a marketing gimmick. That was meant to whet the appetite. Task performed. Now gimme gimme, gimme my fone!

Nexus 4: Sold Out

I am not the kind of person who gets excited about shopping, but Nexus 4 is doing it for me.

Nexus 4: My First Smartphone

With the last Nexus phone an immediate issue was the camera was not 8 MP. With this Nexus phone the obvious issue looks like is speed. But I am not bothered. I expect to use it on Wi-Fi a lot.

Nexus 4 At $299: Really?

My next purchase is going to be the $99 Nexus 7. Make it happen, Google.

The Top Free Android Apps

What I am really, truly eager to get is the Google-Dish network: Google-Dish Wireless Service: Can't Wait.

Google’s Speedy-Seller Nexus 4 Smartphone Back In Stock In U.S. Play Store — From Noon PST Today
After A Few Days Of Use, The Google Nexus 4 Proves A Very Strong LTE Smartphone
Google’s done a great job creating an untouched Android experience in an attractive hardware package thanks to OEM partner LG .... the LTE network here is orders of magnitude faster than the standard HSPA+ 3G one. ..... The one sore spot for the Nexus 4 initially was that for some reason, being on a true 4G network disabled Google Now from refreshing. Since this is actually one of my favorite things about Android Jelly Bean, I was more than a little disappointed. Switching to 3G or Wi-Fi got it to refresh .... I’ve found that I can at least make it from morning til night with my usual usage habits, which as you might imagine can be fairly demanding. .... my experience with the Nexus 4 as an LTE device gives me plenty of hope that Google will officially support it in an update, and possible release LTE versions compatible with U.S. and international networks down the road .... a $300 smartphone this good is a triumph, but with LTE included, it’s a nearly unbeatable package.


How To Enable 4G LTE On The Google Nexus 4
the Nexus 4, Google’s latest flagship Android smartphone, supports LTE via a relatively easy software hack ..... the Nexus 4 only supports LTE on the AWS band (1700 or 2100MHz), which is currently used for LTE networks in Canada, and for some areas served by T-Mobile’s fledgling 4G network. ..... download speeds exploded, as did upload rates. ..... turns out that enabling LTE breaks Google Now’s ability to connect to the network for some reason
Google Returning Month Of December To Nexus Devices With Android 4.2.1 OTA Update


Nexus 4 Review: Not Exactly Perfect, But Close Enough For Me
the Nexus 4 feels great. ..... When you first see Android 4.2’s Gesture Keyboard in action, it’s damn near impossible not to think of the Swype keyboard. After all, the concept is identical — instead of pecking out missive with your thumbs, you sweep them across the keyboard to trace out words and phrases. I’ll admit it: it’s been a while since I’ve used anything of the sort, but I’ve been having a grand ol’ time with the gesture keyboard so far — it’s fast and fluid, not to mention a bit more accurate than I remember Swype being. I don’t know that it’ll replace my two-thumbed tapping approach, but it could (and the fact that I don’t have to jump into the settings and change keyboards is a distinct plus). ..... Multiple User Accounts .. It doesn’t exist in the phone version of Android 4.2. This needs to be addressed — I’d love to be able to hand my phone to a friend in need without secretly wondering whether or not they’ll find my stash of jaunty Cole Porter tunes. ..... the camera UI has been drastically decluttered, leaving only a big blue shutter button, a shooting mode toggle (for bounding from photos to videos to panoramas), and a shortcut for the new radial menu. ...... Low-light performance is always questionable when it comes to the sorts of small sensors seen in smartphones, but the Nexus 4 did an above-average job in keep the noise down. ..... the Nexus 4’s screen is awesome. ...... While roaming the streets of San Francisco, the Nexus 4 managed to achieve speeds that ranged between 3.8 and 14.5Mbps down, and between 1 and 2Mbps up. ...... When it came to overall day-to-day use though, the Nexus hung in there with for a full working day dashing through airports, firing off emails, and checking vainly to see if my flight had been cancelled. ..... The Nexus 4 is a device that tickles me on many levels — it’s got a class-leading spec sheet, it’s completely unlocked, and as far as devices sold without contracts go it’s pretty damned cheap. More simply put, it’s the sort of device that’s designed to kick my salivary glands into action and it certainly succeeds on that front. .... If you’re an Android enthusiast, a tinkerer, someone who hates signing multi-year contracts for high-end hardware, or just enjoy experiencing the bleeding edge, you really can’t buy this thing fast enough.
Why Android Jelly Bean 4.2′s Multiple User Account Switching Is Tablet-Only? (Hint: Nokia Patented It For Phones)
One of the coolest (and most useful) features of Google’s Android Jelly Been 4.2 update is multiple user account switching, offering up the option to have several users share access to a device, while keeping their settings and content walled off from each other. It’s something we’ve been used to on PCs forever, so it’s bound to be welcomed by Android users. ...... Everyone can have their own homescreen, background, widgets, apps and games – even individual high scores and levels! And since Android is built with multitasking at its core, it’s a snap to switch between users – no need to log in and out.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean Has Arrived: Photo Sphere Panoramic Camera, Gesture Typing, Wireless HDTV Streaming
Android 4.2 will finally offer multiple user accounts, allowing family members to share the device while maintaining their own unique settings. And speaking of settings, Android 4.2 will have a “quick settings” section if you click the icon on the top right, allowing you to switch between user accounts, toggle Wifi and Bluetooth, adjust brightness, go into airplane mode, etc. .... the major introduction here is Photo Sphere ..... Android 4.2 will include gesture typing, a lot like Swype, letting you glide your finger over the letters instead of tap them. Google Now has also seen an update, adding cards for flight information, restaurant reservations, hotel confirmations, and shipping details.
How and why the Google Nexus 4 is so cheap
Google’s Nexus 4 is one of the cheapest flagship devices the market has ever seen. As USPs go, Google has really nailed it this time, selling a high-end flagship device at the same price-point as a mid-to-low-tier handset. ...... On paper it rates better than the Galaxy S3 – sort of. And In the hand it feels just as good. So what exactly is going on here? How can Google sell the Nexus 4, with its top of the line quad-core Qualcomm S4 Pro chipset, Android 4.2 OS, and high-res 4.8-inch display for so damn cheap? ..... the Nexus 4 is what it is: a high-end smartphone priced at a below-rock bottom price. ..... It’s simply cheaper to buy direct from Google and pick and choose which network you go with. ..... it’s not just networks that will suffer at the hands of Google’s Nexus 4. The company’s hardware partners – Samsung, HTC, Motorola, and LG – will also be affected by Google's reactive pricing. ...... Google has a sprawling business and huge levels of capital at its disposal. It also controls Android and its Play store, taking a cut of all the content that’s sold through it. ...... the advent of the Nexus 4 is likely to impact on Samsung and Amazon more than Apple. Samsung because it won’t be able to compete on price with Google and Amazon because charging so little for a phone will tempt many users over to Google and its Play store. ...... Here, the long game is the popularisation of Google’s Nexus brand – both tablets and smartphones – and its Play services – apps, movies, games, and books. ...... The mobile space is changing at an unprecedented rate with software companies venturing into hardware (Microsoft and Google) and retailers like Amazon attempting to take on Google at its own game. .... to compete with the big boys – Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon – you need to control everything: hardware, software, and content distribution. ...... most definitely a game-changer. It turns everything in the space on its head. No one else, including the world’s biggest phone manufacturer, Samsung, can produce a smartphone with such good specs and retail it at such a low price point. It’d be suicide. ...... Going forwards, things will never be the same again inside the Android space. It’ll be interesting to see how Google’s key partners react and how the Nexus 4 impacts on sales of handsets like Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S4 ..... The Nexus 4 could very well be the handset that turns Google’s Nexus brand mainstream. And that could spell bad news for everybody else inside the space. ..... the game has now been changed. From here on out it's going to be all about low-cost high-powered handsets and cashing in on services. Google and Amazon have wised up to this, Apple is already making a killing doing the same thing. Now the only question is where do HTC, Samsung, LG, and Motorola fit in?
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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

$299 For Phone, Then $30 A Month

And I am thinking this is almost Republic Wireless territory. Granted there is no unlimited talking, but I guess the trick is to use the unlimited data to use your Google Voice app. I have been using Google Voice as my primary phone for years now. It is free. The quality is great. And it is really smart. The integration to my Gmail account is unbeatable. Otherwise I get anxious giving out my regular phone number. My Google Voice is a much cleaner experience. I like my address book in the cloud.

The Republic Wireless price experience with the sexiest phone experience, you can't beat that.

Republic Wireless' $19 Feast
Nexus 4: Sold Out
Nexus 4: My First Smartphone
The Nexus 4 Phone
Nexus 4 At $299: Really?

Nexus 4 is sold out. And the T-Mobile pre-paid SIM card that makes the $30 a month plan possible is also sold out. Interesting. Looks like a lot of people are going for this.

Google's Nexus 4: Understanding your carrier options
If you can manage with a low pool of monthly minutes (and with free Google services, it's more feasible than you'd think), T-Mobile Monthly 4G is about as cheap as you can get for smartphone service. The company's marquee prepaid plan -- which I use myself -- is $30 a month for 100 anytime minutes, unlimited texting, and unlimited data (with the first 5GB per month at 4G HSPA+ speeds). .......... Straight Talk is a Wal-Mart-affiliated provider that offers service on your choice of AT&T's or T-Mobile's network. Its best plan is $45 a month for unlimited minutes, unlimited texting, and unlimited data
How free Google services can help shrink your phone bill
trim back your monthly minutes -- and that doesn't mean you have to talk any less ...... The only number I give out to people these days is my Google Voice number ...... a fee-free VoIP phone line for your home and/or office. No hassle, no bills, and -- at least in my experience -- landline-like call quality. ..... As long as I'm at home, my actual cell phone never rings and I never use any cellular minutes. ........ a VoIP calling app for my Android phone ..... GrooVe IP lets you use the free Google calling service right from your smartphone; instead of using cellular minutes, you place calls over Wi-Fi or your 3G/4G data connection
How free Google services can help shrink your phone bill
Why I'm ditching the Verizon Galaxy Nexus
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Thursday, November 08, 2012

Nexus 4: My First Smartphone

Nexus 4 is about to become my first smartphone. So far I have been a Google Voice person (free calling) and my mobile solution has been a Net10 prepaid. I will very much continue with Google Voice. But the Net10 phone is about to be ditched for a Nexus 4 come November 13.

Finally a phone that meets my high standards. $299 is a cute price point.

You buy the phone for $299 and then go shop for a plan. I think I am looking at T-Mobile's unlimited talk, text, web at $50 a month. I get the impression there is unlimited international calling for $10 more. But international better not mean Europe only. I am looking at Nepal and India.

Rumor has it the Nexus 7 tablet will drop to $99 by the end of the year. That would be tempting. Finally a one laptop per child price.

I am a Google fanboy. The iPhone never competed with the Nexus brand in my world.

Now give me gigabit broadband.

Google's Nexus 4: To buy or not to buy?
will likely be as relevant in 10 months as it is today. ..... Nexus 4 is hands-down the best overall Android smartphone experience and value you can get your hands on right now. ..... software integration and upgrades ..... With the Nexus 4, all that stuff is handled completely by Google. ..... With the Nexus 4, Google has taken the best parts of the Optimus G and polished them to near-perfection. ..... You have an awesome display -- quite possibly the best available on any phone at the moment -- along with absurdly fast performance, a great camera, and a distinctive and cool-looking design that's Nexus through and through. Then, of course, what really makes the Nexus 4 a Nexus: its pure Google Android 4.2 software, with guaranteed fast and frequent updates directly from Google in the future. ..... the real kicker: You get all of that for $300 to $350, unlocked and off-contract. That kind of pricing is unheard of for this caliber of device ..... take it to a prepaid provider for 30 to 50 bucks a month ...... This is market-shifting stuff we're talking about here, folks. ...... Maximum HSPA+ speeds in the States -- via T-Mobile's or AT&T's network -- run from 21 Mbps to 42 Mbps, depending on your connection. With the Nexus 4, I'm regularly hitting speeds around the 18 Mbps mark. ..... The phone comes only with 8 or 16GB of internal space and offers no SD slot for external expansion.
Android off-contract: My prepaid journey, 3 months later
T-Mobile's $30-a-month prepaid plan. .... 100 minutes a month along with unlimited texting and unlimited data (with the first 5GB at 4G HSPA+ speeds). A hundred minutes a month isn't much, but thanks to Google Voice and some crafty location-aware call forwarding I have configured on my phone -- in conjunction with Google-based VoIP "phone lines" I have set up in my home and office -- I rarely use more than that
Nexus 4 vs. Galaxy Nexus: Worth the upgrade?
the Nexus 4 is a vastly superior phone in almost every way. ..... the Nexus 4's construction feels far more solid and substantial than the Galaxy Nexus's plasticky build. (The downside, of course, is that the Nexus 4's glass back could increase the risk of breakage if you drop the device.) ..... The Nexus 4 has a gorgeous True HD IPS screen that pretty much puts the Galaxy Nexus's HD Super AMOLED display to shame. ..... After you've had your eyes on the Nexus 4 for a while, you definitely won't want to go back to the Galaxy Nexus's screen. ...... the N4's screen is also easy to see in direct or indirect sunlight, while the Galaxy Nexus becomes almost useless in those settings. ...... a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM ...... The Nexus 4 boots up about 30 seconds faster than the Galaxy Nexus ..... loads Web pages five to 10 seconds faster .... any task you do just feels zippier on the Nexus 4. ..... The Galaxy Nexus's camera was never great ..... it's better in both areas (significantly so with Wi-Fi while moderately so with GPS). ....... The Nexus 4's speaker is noticeably louder and clearer-sounding than its predecessor's
Smartphone service for $30 a month? Yes, please
bring in your own device and use it at prepaid plan prices. Prices like 30 bucks a month -- a flat rate with no sneaky fees or unexpected overages. ..... he's using a Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile's network, paying just $30 a month for service ...... T-Mobile lets customers use any compatible device with its Monthly 4G prepaid service -- something other prepaid carriers don't allow. ..... For $30 a month, he's now getting 100 minutes, unlimited texting, and 5GB of 4G (HSPA+) data. The closest equivalent on Verizon -- 450 minutes a month, 5GB of 4G data, and unlimited texting -- would cost nearly four times that amount. Even factoring in the unsubsidized cost of the phone, Bowdre's saving nearly $1700 over two years' time. ...... deals with the lower monthly minute limit by using a VoIP app to make calls from work and home; he also keeps an extra prepaid balance on his account so he can use additional cell minutes if he needs 'em. T-Mobile charges 10 cents a minute if you want to go over your monthly prepaid-plan allotment, so you're basically looking at an extra 10 bucks for every extra hundred minutes you use -- all paid in advance, of course
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