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The name's Force, SandForce. Corsair's making it kinda easy on us to spot its first SandForce-controlled SSD, and there's no reason it should be bashful about it, given that the SF-1500 is currently the fastest SSD processor around. The F100 in question has the SF-1200 onboard, offering a lesser 285MBps read and 275MBps writes (oh, such measly specs!), but that also means you might, might, actually find a way to afford one. The TweakTown crew took one for a spin recently and were happily surprised to find little in the way of performance difference between SandForce's supposedly enterprise-class SF-1500 and consumer-class SF-1200 -- both sped ahead of the Intel X25-M G2 and Indilinx Barefoot-controlled drives. The speed conclusion was clear cut, and with pricing for the 100GB F100 projected to be as low as $400, the value proposition doesn't look too bad either. The 200GB variant is expected to land somewhere around $700 when Corsair's Force SSDs make it out to retail in a few days' time.Corsair's 100GB Force SSD scorches the test bench with its blazing speed originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | TweakTown | Email this | Comments

We've been hearing that China Telecom would be grabbing hold of Palm and RIM's respective stables of smartphones since early last year, but at long last we've some official quotes to prove those whispers correct. According to a new report over at the Wall Street Journal, Chairman and Chief Executive Wang Xiaochu has affirmed that it will offer an undisclosed amount of BlackBerry devices in China this May, while Palm's Pre (no word on the Pixi) will hit this July. These deals could certainly bode well for the carrier; as it stands, it's going up against China Mobile -- which already sells BlackBerry handsets -- and China Unicom, which is home to Apple's iPhone. Unfortunately, pricing details weren't available, but we're guessing those will pop sooner rather than later.China Telecom launching Palm Pre, BlackBerry handsets this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 02:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink Pre Central | Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

Yes, we know you haven't exactly been champing at the bit to make use of Windows 7's Device Stage, but that might just be because you haven't had an opportunity, as manufacturers have to proactively register their hardware to let you make use of the streamlined device management service. Thankfully for mobile broadband users, Sierra Wireless has just volunteered. Starting today, all Sierra Wireless AirCards will automatically integrate with Windows 7 to allow you one-touch access to connectivity, support and firmware updates -- with the tradeoff that it also provides carriers a branded spot on your computer that "can be remotely updated to support marketing campaigns." We're not terribly worried about Verizon and kin selling us new phones, to be sure, but we're always a wee bit cautious of providing another back door into our road warrior lives.Sierra Wireless pledges undying affection, support for Windows 7 Device Stage originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink Windows Experience Blog | Sierra Wireless | Email this | Comments

Rumors of a low-end BlackBerry Pearl 9100 have been swirling (or at least slightly agitating) as far back as November of last year, but it looks like we're now finally starting to get a clearer picture of some of the phone's actual specs. As we'd heard previously, this one comes equipped with a SureType keypad (no QWERTY version to be seen yet), and a trackpad instead of a trackball. According to Tech Digest, it will also boast 3G connectivity, along with a 3-megapixel camera, and a design that's said to be a "fair sight sleeker" than current BlackBerry Pearls. Still no indication of pricing or availability, unfortunately, but it seems like this one is getting about due for a release.BlackBerry Pearl 9100 surfaces yet again, this time with specs originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Tech Digest | Email this | Comments

Thought AT&T's Zero charger was going to cruise along with no competition? No sirree. Ventev has shown up here in Las Vegas to launch its (seemingly superior) competitor, the EcoCharge. Designed to (nearly) eliminate vampire power draw when no device is connected, this here charger one-ups those "other guys" by having room to invigorate a pair of mini-USB / micro-USB devices (one of those, plus a full-size USB at the top), and best of all, it won't take up 1.5, 2 or 2.5 slots on your power strip. The company claims that its approach to cutting down on vampire power drain -- the energy that's wasted when you leave a charger plugged in with no peripheral connected -- is better than AT&T's, as a unit that completely kills the power when it's left alone requires an on / off switch or a "wake up" period before it storms into action. The EcoCharge continually pulls 0.025 watts, while Energy Star chargers can go up to 0.3 watts when not in use. Oh, and did we mention that it's shipping right now? Indeed it is -- in micro-USB or mini-USB flavors for $29.99 a pop. We stopped by the company's booth tonight at CTIA's MobileFocus event, and we learned that an Apple-centric version is just weeks away from shipping. As you'd expect, the bottom plug will be a dock connector, though the USB port behind the flip panel will remain all the same. We're told that the company will be doing its best to get the charger into Apple's sales channels, but you'll be forced by pay $5 more for that version over the other guys. Guess that 10 percent Made for iPhone tax hasta be paid by someone, right? Gallery: Ventev EcoCharge hands-on at CTIA 2010 Ventev EcoCharge's whacks vampire draw, charges two devices for the price of one originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Ventev, PR Newswire | Email this | Comments

We know which one we'd rather take -- but alas, we came packing the meager 4GB card in our personal phone as we sauntered up to SanDisk's booth at a CTIA press event this evening, not that juicy 32GB bad boy right above it. At the top there you can see the silicon that goes into each and every 32GB microSDHC to come out of the foundry, and it's pretty insane: 8 layers of 32nm 3-bit-per-cell memory. The SanDisk rep we spoke to said that other companies not capable of pulling off the 8 layer trick will be at a significant disadvantage, since they'll need to go with a higher density at the brutal cost of a lower yield rate -- and as we all know, a chunk of silicon that's failed QA is little more than a paperweight (and not a very effective one at that). We'll take three.SanDisk 32GB microSDHC vs. SanDisk 4GB microSDHC... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Mar 2010 00:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Here she is, folks -- Dell's first-ever Android device destined for a Stateside release, and AT&T's second overall handset (the first being the Backflip) with a Google-based operating system. At CTIA's MobileFocus event, we were able to brush up against a fully functional Aero (shown beside a Mini 3, just for your information), but we left without seeing the actual home screen. The closest we came to witnessing Android 1.5 boot up was the typical AT&T intro screen, and once that popped up, our presenter promptly popped the battery out in order to stop what would've otherwise been a truly momentous occasion. We begged and pleaded for a few interface shots, but Dell insisted that AT&T was holding an invisible gun to its head in order to keep the screen dimmed. We were told that the interface was still being tweaked, and the carrier simply wasn't ready for the world at large to take a peek. Outside of that, we learned that this will indeed be the planet's lightest Android phone ever when it ships (believe us, it was light), and while v1.5 will be onboard, Dell seemed confident that 2.1 (and beyond) would be made available shortly after launch. We were also told that it would ship with a 5 megapixel camera (a step up from the Mini 3's 3 megapixel shooter), an undisclosed amount of internal storage, a new color / design scheme (the one you see here will be the only shade available at launch) and a 2GB microSD card bundled in at purchase. You'll also find a good deal of AT&T baked into the OS, but it's not like you should be surprised to hear of carrier meddling. Finally, we were informed that pricing would be set by AT&T, and that it would be shipping "soon" -- far sooner than "six months from now." There's also the possibility that Dell could arrange some sort of Aero / Mini 10 combo deal for those looking to really sink their teeth into a hefty AT&T contract, but there's nothing substantial to go on just yet in that department. Enough chit-chat -- give the gallery below a look to see what's coming your way. Gallery: Dell Aero first hands-on! Dell Aero first hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. Today's smartphones handle voice conversations, short texts, email, instant messages, and tweets from around the globe. They are moving toward real-time translation of languages -- and if the batteries malfunction, they can even send smoke signals. But if there is one staple of communication that has seemed immune from "app-ification," it is the fax machine. This dial-up dinosaur has proven so resilient that it seems certain that the mutant cockroaches surviving humanity may find some use for 14,400 bits per second document transmissions. However, a recently launched $3 app for the iPhone may be the harbinger of the demise of the fax, or at least for one of its most common rationales.Continue reading Switched on: Giving fax the axe Switched on: Giving fax the axe originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Bona fide 802.11n took long enough to get here, but now it's just a matter of time before it becomes all-too-familiar on everyday smartphones. We've already seen a handful of 802.11n smartphones hit from LG and Samsung, but here at CTIA the Wi-Fi Alliance has come out swinging with an announcement touting the debut of ten WiFi n-certified handsets. Granted, the release is focused more on the blossoming of 802.11n as a whole rather than specific details about those ten mysterious phones, but a separate report from PC Magazine notes that those that have already passed through the FCC are all packing CDMA radios. Put two and two together, and you start to realize that Sprint and Verizon may soon be trumpeting the carriage of some of the planet's first 802.11n phones. But hey -- who needs WiFi when you've got WiMAX, right Dan?Wi-Fi Alliance touts first ten 802.11n-certified mobiles, some likely headed to Sprint / Verizon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink PC Magazine | Wi-Fi Alliance | Email this | Comments

And you thought the Bluetooth headset was gone forever. Samsung Mobile's keeping the dream alive here at CTIA by introducing the "convertible-style" Modus -- a noise cancelling BT headset that's able to convert for Bluetooth stereo connectivity on a whim. It's also equipped with a pair of microphones and multipoint technology, the latter of which enables users to have the device synced to two handsets and respond to whichever rings first. Samsung's also tossing a stereo earbud headset in the box for those times when monaural just ain't cuttin' it, and the built-in rechargeable battery (which gets juiced via micro-USB) can go for six hours strong before petering out. Shame there's no mention of a price or ship date, but it's probably for the best -- remember that pact you made with your SO to keep your ear free of foreign objects?Samsung trots out Modus Bluetooth headset, complete with dual mics and multipoint originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink Hot Hardware | Samsung | Email this | Comments

Provantage of North Canton (isn't that the birthplace of Marilyn Manson?) is featuring a number of 12-core AMD Opteron processors on its retail website. Obviously, this is well-ahead of the launch -- and subject to the usual caveats -- but if you're a chip-head the info is rather interesting nonetheless. The most expensive of the lot, the Opteron X12 6176 SE (pictured above) is a 2.3GHz processor with an 18MB cache, 105 watts, and it can be yours for $1,485.61. If you're not quite in the mood to break the bank, the X12 6128 SE is a 2GHz chip with 16MB, 80 watts, and it's currently listed at $291. According to PC World, the processors (codenamed Magny-Cours) should start shipping to retailers "around the time Intel announces the eight-core Nehalem-EX processor," later this month -- even if it appears that someone in Ohio has jumped the gun a little bit.AMD 12-core Opterons leaked ahead of launch? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink PC World | Provantage | Email this | Comments

Now that the excitement of the EVO 4G announce has finally worn off, it's time to get down to more practical matters -- in a street fight, would the WiMAX-powered beast hold its own against an HD2 and a Desire, for example? We had all three in a room just now, and here's what we've got to say: It feels significantly beefier than the HD2, but in reality, it's not -- it's just a single millimeter thicker. The brushed metal back of the HD2 is a little sexier, but just by the tiniest of margins; it's hard to argue with soft touch and a kickstand, obviously. We would've never noticed this without the Desire next to it, but the EVO's text is pretty huge, a side effect of the fact that it's running the same resolution on a screen 0.6 inches larger. It's not annoying, really, but it struck us that they could've comfortably fit quite a bit more information on the screen without getting cramped. The Desire's display is more vibrant, too, but that makes sense -- we're indoors under artificial lighting and the Desire has AMOLED on board. The EVO's got touch-sensitive buttons below the display that function much like the Nexus One's, but no worries: they work quite a bit better. We think this might be because there's more touch-sensitive bezel real estate below the keys; on the Nexus One, you've got to be far too accurate for comfort. Interestingly, this is the first EVO we've seen today with a silver earpiece grill -- Sprint's have been red. We've confirmed with HTC that production devices will be silver. Want to draw some of your own conclusions? See the shots for yourself in the gallery below. Gallery: HTC EVO 4G vs. HD2 and Desire... fight! HTC EVO 4G vs. HD2 and Desire... fight! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments

It's easy for something as grandiose as a national wireless network upgrade to get delayed ad nauseam, so we're happy to hear here in March of 2010 that T-Mobile is still looking to blanket the "breadth" of its existing 3G footprint with 21Mbps HSPA+ service by the end of this year, covering over 100 market areas and about 185 million peeps. That's an extraordinarily aggressive timeline for a carrier that was way, way late to the 3G game, and realistically, it's exactly what they needed to stay competitive in the face of 4G deployments coming down the pike from all of its national competitors -- in fact, they're specifically calling out the deployment as being "4G-like" and touting the fact that they'll be hitting way more pops this year than Sprint's WiMAX network will. Them's fightin' words to be sure, but hey -- competition is extremely healthy when it comes to fast, widely-deployed wireless, isn't it?T-Mobile USA reiterates that 'breadth' of 3G footprint will get HSPA+ this year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | T-Mobile | Email this | Comments

Look away now, Droid owners, as Motorola's finally uploaded the Milestone's Android 2.1 firmware update to its servers. It's only officially sanctioned for users in Hong Kong and Macau for now, but judging by the inclusion of a Dutch language pack in the new firmware, it looks like it's the same stuff that will shortly be rolling out all across Europe as well. In addition to the funky live wallpapers, users will also get a new feature called Motorola Car Home -- a special interface for in-car usage -- along with some speed improvements. Now, we're not exactly sure what the rollout plan is for each nation, but Moto's Facebook page tells us we'll see an end to the Milestone's upgrade saga before March is through. The source contains a direct link to the fresh firmware file, and you can find a straightforward upgrade how-to at Android World below. We'll be right here for your upgrade stories. [Thanks, Peter]Motorola Milestone gets 2.1 firmware upgrade in Hong Kong, Europe to follow by 'end of March' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink Android World | Motorola (Hong Kong), (Android 2.1 firmware) | Email this | Comments

HTC EVO 4G Google Nexus One Motorola Droid Android OS 2.1 with Sense UI 2.1 2.01 Carrier Sprint All2 Verizon Wireless Network technology 1x / EV-DO Rev. A / WiMAX Various (including 3G) 1x / EV-DO Rev. A Processor 1GHz Snapdragon 1GHz Snapdragon 550MHz TI OMAP 3430 RAM 512MB 512MB 256MB Screen size 4.3-inch 3.7-inch 3.7-inch Resolution 800 x 480 800 x 480 854 x 480 Touch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Capacitive multitouch Physical keyboard -- -- Slide-out landscape QWERTY Internal storage 1GB 512MB 512MB Expandable storage microSD microSD microSD Rear camera 8MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash 5MP w/ LED flash Video recording 1280 x 720 720 x 480 720 x 480 Front camera 1.3MP -- -- Battery 1500mAh 1400mAh 1400mAh WiFi 802.11b/g 802.11b/g 802.11b/g HDMI out Yes -- -- Kickstand Yes -- -- As you've probably noticed, we have something of a propensity for charts -- hey, organization is key to a well-balanced life, right? Since we last tackled an Android device faceoff, the sheer number of competitors has branched out far and wide, but despite the propagation / fragmentation, including today's unveiling of the HTC EVO 4G, three clear frontrunners have taken most of the spotlight for being the pinnacle of the Android experience: the aforementioned, HTC / Google's Nexus One, and the Motorola Droid. Here, the latter device is looking a bit long in the tooth, but that physical QWERTY keyboard and its volcanic rise to prominence gives it some strong staying power. Cold, hard data isn't going to tell the full story, but until you can get to try each of these yourself -- all at the same time, if you're lucky -- it's a great place to start. Notes: 1 A purported 2.1 upgrade has been promised and delayed more times than we care to count anymore. 2 The Nexus One is currently available unlocked for T-Mobile, and on track to hit Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T's 3G network. HTC EVO 4G, Nexus One, and Droid face off on the charted field of battle originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Huawei Shows Off 1.2 Gbps Wireless gigaom.com EU Negotiators Insist That ACTA Will Move Forward And There's Nothing To Worry About techdirt.com FCC Commissioner Wants Two Broadband Offerings In Every Market multichannel.com Cell execs say more steps needed to meet demand ap.org Virgin Media suffers outage in Leeds, UK as thieves steal fiber thinking cables were copper theregister.co.uk Leap goes nationwide fiercewireless.com Greenville, South Carolina holds outdoor Google worship service theregister.co.uk Despite all the talk about racing to 4G, wireless network upgrades slowing down? internetnews.com <br clear=all>

Dell's vanilla Atom N450-based Mini 10 just started shipping a couple of months ago, and if you'll recall, we spotted one slip through the FCC's oh-so-vulnerable database with WiMAX built-in. Today at CTIA, Clearwire spilled the news that it'll be providing the service for a 4G-infused version of the netbook come April 1st. What's interesting is that Clearwire only mentions it being for sale "through select Clear retail locations, telesales and Clear.com," so it's still unknown if it'll be offered up through the Round Rock powerhouse itself (as the Studio 17, Studio XPS 1640 and Latitude E4300, etc. are). The machine will be sold for $249.99 after an instant rebate, though no specifics were mentioned concerning a per-month data plan price. If we were the betting type, we'd say it'll probably run you 40 bones for every 30 days based on existing rates.Dell Inspiron Mini 10 shipping April 1st with integrated Clear WiMAX originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 18:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Clearwire | Email this | Comments

Sprint's turn at the CTIA podium today involved first announcing new expansion markets for Mobile WiMax, but also the unveiling of the first-ever 4G smartphone in the United States: the HTC EVO 4G. According to the Sprint website for the device, the phone will arrive sometime this summer. The initial specs have even the traditionally gadget-bored drooling a bit, and include the Android OS (of course), two cameras (one of which is 8 megapixels capable of 720p video), HDMI output, 1GB of built-in memory and 512MB of RAM, and supports both Sprint's EVDO and Mobile WiMax networks. The folks over at Engadget got to play with the device, and call it "easily the best specced phone we've ever witnessed":We got to play with the phone for an all-too-brief matter of minutes, but everything we saw was frankly breathtaking. The camera does seem to be indeed of a high quality (though we'll still be holding on to our compact shooter, thank you very much), the screen is naturally gorgeous, and the Sense UI was as responsive as we've seen it, and frankly delicious at this jumbo size.No word yet on pricing or battery life, and Sprint isn't getting any more specific than a "summer" release. read comment(s) <br clear=all>

T-Mobile took their opportunity under the spotlight at CTIA today to announce that the company this week is pushing faster HSPA+ wireless broadband service outside of its initial test market of Philly. Users in both the New York City (including New Jersey and Long Island) and Washington DC markets should now be seeing the faster wireless broadband speeds (let us know in the comment section below). According to T-Mobile, the company says they'll be offering the faster speeds in 100 markets before the end of this year -- and the next market to go live should be Los Angeles. From the magenta horse's mouth: T-Mobile successfully launched its HSPA+ network service in Philadelphia last fall providing customers access to one of the fastest and most modern wireless networks in the U.S. T-Mobile now has made HSPA+ commercially available in new markets including major areas of New York City, New Jersey, Long Island and suburban Washington, D.C., with deployment in Los Angeles coming very soon. The company will continue to aggressively expand the availability of HSPA+ in additional 3G markets, putting the necessary backhaul capacity in place to support the very fast speeds. Today, its 3G high-speed data network covers more than 206 million people.T-Mobile says they should have about half of those 100 planned markets up and running by mid year. The total upgrade should cost T-Mobile between $200 million to $300 million, according to executives at CTIA. read comment(s) <br clear=all>

Back in February, Skype and Verizon announced that the two companies had struck a exclusive agreement to offer a Skype client on Verizon smartphones. While that sounded interesting at first, it soon became clear that the client would be packed with restrictions, and that Skype (which had complained ceaselessly about the closed nature of wireless networks) was in several ways helping Verizon keep the wireless sector closed with the deal. The two companies dropped a few more details about their exclusive partnership at CTIA today. Harry McCracken at over at Technologizer breaks down the restrictions:But this version of Skype isn t without meaningful limitations. You can t make Skype Out calls to U.S. numbers if you try, the app will let you route your call over Verizon s voice network, where it ll use minutes from your plan. You also can t use Skype In to receive calls from landlines and cell phones: Incoming calls must come from other Skype users. And for reasons I don t completely understand, Skype Mobile works only over Verizon s 3G network, not Wi-Fi which is the opposite of the situation on the iPhone, where you can only call over Wi-Fi, not the AT&T network.We'll help Mr&#46 McCracken: Verizon wants you paying more money for data. As mobile VoIP and push IM applications begin to erode the idea of traditional voice minutes and SMS, Verizon knows its only choice to keep profits up is to charge an arm and leg for data. Thus, exclusive Skype deals rife with restrictions, increasingly-high ETFs, pricing models that push everybody on to pricier data plans, and mandatory data plans for all phones are now par for the course. The deal gives the impression that Verizon's embracing progress, but in reality they're fighting the inevitable decline of the traditional voice minutes model. Meanwhile Skype, who used to complain about closed networks, not-coincidentally decided to stop supporting Skype for Windows Mobile, and has yet to release a 3G-enable iPhone client. Apparently, Verizon was able to loosen Skype's principles (however briefly) with a handshake and an exclusive partnership, which we're told will be in place for two to three years. Skype insists that the 3G iPhone client and Android support are coming, which suggests the "exclusive" part of this deal is largely stage dressing for a rather bizarre dog and pony show. read comment(s) <br clear=all>

We knew it was coming, and now we have a concrete date. Starting this Thursday, March 25th, Verizon Wireless customers with one of nine select smartphones (Motorola Droid and Devour, HTC Droid Eris, various BlackBerrys) and data plan will be able to use Skype over the 3G network. As we heard before, Skype-to-Skype calls will not affect your VZW minutes, and now you've got the option to use the app for cheaper international dialing using the mobile app. Full list of compatible devices after the break, a list we're hoping gets expanded in the not-so-distant future.Continue reading Skype mobile heading to Verizon smartphones on March 25th Skype mobile heading to Verizon smartphones on March 25th originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Skype | Email this | Comments

T-Mobile's selected CTIA 2010 this week as the venue to launch its customized version of Dell's Mini 10 netbook that's been infused with -- you guessed it -- T-Mobile-compatible 3G service. It's got a 10.1-inch WSVGA display, 1.3 megapixel webcam, three USB ports, VGA port, Windows 7 Starter Edition, and an Atom N450 core humming along at 1.66GHz with a claimed battery life of "up to" eight hours using a six-cell 56WHr pack. In terms of frequencies, you've got quadband EDGE alongside quadband (yes, quadband) 3G with support for Bands I, II, IV, and V, which means you'll be able to roam in 850 / 1900MHz markets and internationally. It's available starting tomorrow in "select T-Mobile retail locations" in Chicago, Dallas, Miami, and Los Angeles as well as through the carrier's site and sales hotline for $199.99 on a two-year deal.Dell Insprion Mini 10 with T-Mobile webConnect launches tomorrow, $199.99 on contract originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | T-Mobile | Email this | Comments

Ooh wee! Verizon and AT&T are getting all hot and bothered over the forthcoming LTE battle -- a battle which much like the current map wars, you can expect to grow weary of in about two minutes. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal today, both carriers have put reps in the limelight for a volley of tough talk. For starters, AT&T's CTO John Donovan claimed that Verizon was jumping the gun with its first-on-the-scene LTE rollout, suggesting initial devices are "going to drain the battery like crazy, and [they're] going to be a fat brick," noting that "2012 will be the time when you'll have decent handsets." Donovan lumped on the hits by also saying that "Anyone who says their network is ready for the iPhone -- or the broader mobile data explosion that AT&T has experienced -- is being naive." Of course, Big Red didn't just sit there and take it -- spokesman Jim Gerace fired back that "No matter how much our competitors talk, it's not going to slow us down," though he offered no further comment on the insults' stride-breaking potential. Both parties were mum on just how fleeced the consumer would be getting once the LTE pricing plans are announced, of course.AT&T says Verizon's first LTE phone is 'going to be a fat brick' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Wall Street Journal | Email this | Comments

Nielsen's just released some zingers (also known as statistics) for you to chew on while you listen to a YouTube clip (something about Obamacare) drone on in another tab, tell your significant other to "hold on" and track your Domino's pizza in a completely different tab. The annual Three Screens report, as it's called, has some choice data on American habits, such as the fact that television consumption (average number of hours watched per day) has increased to nearly 35 hours per week per person. What else can we glean from this treasure chest of minutiae? Well, about 59 percent of Americans now multitask in front of the teevee with their laptops for an average of three and a half hours a month. A final interesting tidbit here -- flying in the face of popular wisdom, it seems that the older you are, the more television you're likely to watch -- so keep your eye on your great Aunt Dot, folks: it's possible she might be addicted to Gossip Girl. Hit the source link if you want to download the entire report (it's a PDF).Nielsen data: you're probably watching too much teevee originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | Three Screens Report | Email this | Comments

We just spent a few fleeting moments with AT&T's just-announced Pre Plus and Pixi Plus from Palm, and they're pretty much exactly what you'd expect: GSM remixes of the models available on Verizon (we weren't allowed to take a peek at the SIM slots, but rest assured, there's an AT&T carrier logo up there at the top left). Both devices seemed relatively zippy -- yes, even the Pixi -- though that can naturally change pretty quickly once you've got a few cards chugging away. We were delighted to see that Palm loaded our very own Engadget app on their demo devices -- a good way for booth stoppers-by to catch up on show news, eh? Check out the gallery below, and keep an eye out for more coverage throughout the day!Gallery: AT&T's Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus hands-on AT&T's Palm Pixi Plus and Pre Plus hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. <h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6>Permalink | | Email this | Comments