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Technology - SCITECH

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T-Mobile Exec: No iPhone 5 For Us

According to a leaked internal memo, T-Mobile USA CMO Cole Brodman said quite bluntly, "We are not going to get the iPhone 5 this year." The statement was made as part of a company communique to T-Mobile USA employees. What does this mean, if anything? 

T-Mobile Introduces Two 4G Android Phones

T-Mobile USA announced the forthcoming availability of two new 4G phones at the GigaOM Mobilize conference on Monday.

Free Sprint Samsung Nexus S 4G Phone at Best Buy

If you like Sprint and also would like to get your hands on a free Samsung Nexus S 4G Google phone, then you may want to head on over to Best Buy.

Microsoft to Follow Apple's Example for App Store

Metro apps for Windows 8 will be available only through Microsoft's own store, the company said at its BUILD Windows conference last week.

Windows 8 on ARM Won't Run Legacy Windows Apps

Microsoft executives said this week that Windows 8 tablets using an ARM chip will not be able to run legacy Windows 7 applications, with the possible exception of Office.

FTC eyes updates to online child privacy rules

In an effort to keep up with changing technology, the FTC is proposing changes to online privacy rules that give parents control over the type of information that Web sites can collect from kids under 13.

Getting to know Sprint's Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch

With the sheer number of Android phones coming out these days, it's rare to see a new device and immediately think: "This is gonna be huge." After 10 minutes with Sprint's new Samsung Galaxy S II phone, I couldn't help but hear those words in my mind.

Apple Patent Win to Be Reviewed by U.S. Agency

A U.S. trade agency said it will review a judge’s finding that HTC Corp. (2498) infringed two Apple Inc. (AAPL) patents, a decision that could lead to a ban of HTC’s Android- based phones in the country.

Phone rivalry drives down RIM earnings

Shares of Research In Motion plummeted more than 18 percent after hours after the BlackBerry maker reported its net income and revenue declined sharply in its fiscal second quarter.

Echoing Apple, Microsoft bans Flash from Metro IE10 in Windows 8

Microsoft will not support browser plug-ins, including Adobe's Flash, in one of the two versions of Internet Explorer to be bundled with Windows 8, a company executive said today.

AT&T launching LTE on Sept. 18, at long last

At long last, AT&T is preparing to launch its first five markets to inaugurate its 4G LTE data network.
The second-largest carrier will flip on LTE on Sunday September 18 for Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, according to Fierce Wireless. The nationwide carrier plans to expand to 15 markets by the end of 2011.

Already, AT&T's LTE plans are slightly delayed. The carrier stated a year ago that it would premiere its LTE network in mid-2011, rather than a few months before the year's end.


It's true that AT&T is new to LTE, but it hasn't been idle in marketing its '4G' network prior to the rollout. AT&T's HSPA+ network offers faster speeds than typical 3G, but until the International Telecommunication Union settled the semantic dispute over what does and does not constitute 4G, many regarded AT&T's as HSPA+ claim as a long, technically undeserved leap onto the 4G bandwagon (CNET included).

The long road ahead

Although AT&T has a keen eye on converting its HSPA+ network to true 4G LTE, there are hurdles ahead.

AT&T lags far behind its rival Verizon, which launched its own LTE network in December last year. Since then, Big Red's 4G network has grown by leaps and bounds. It now serves up LTE to over half of the U.S.

Verizon's significant advantage isn't lost on AT&T. The carrier knows its planned takeover of T-Mobile must succeed if it's to gain the spectrum it needs to more rapidly roll out LTE. In fact, the glittering promise of T-Mobile's spectrum was the shiny coin that caught AT&T's interested eye in the first place.

Whether the FCC will allow the merger to continue is yet to be determined. Already, AT&T is fighting against the U.S. Department of Justice's suit to block the merger on the grounds of stifled carrier competition, and Sprint, the carrier with the most to lose, has taken its own legal action in hopes of forestalling the deal.

Without T-Mobile's assets, AT&T is reliant on the FCC's auctions to buy the spectrum it needs to support its urban, data-hungry subscribers, a move that could yet be years in the future. Even with T-Mobile's spectrum safely tucked into its belt, AT&T will need time and money to convert T-Mobile's spectrum to LTE, no small task.

While AT&T's spectrum fate is still up in the air, what is certain is its need to push ahead with LTE or risk losing customers, and access to the data-gulping devices they adore.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-20106793-94/at-t-launching-lte-on-sept-18-at-long-last/#ixzz1Y2znpuiE

TechCrunch founder Arrington officially moves on

After a bloody public battle, TechCrunch's Michael Arrington has officially severed ties with the startup blog he founded.

Microsoft Talks Evolution of Windows Server 8

The excitement that Microsoft's Server 8 team generated over the upcoming release of the latest iteration of its OS was infectious. Yet, the man leading the Server 8 effort resonates nothing less than calm, cool confidence.

Verizon’s Prepaid Plan Cut By Nearly Half

Tomorrow Verizon Mobile will begin to offer a new unlimited prepaid plan at almost half the price of the current plan.

Steve Ballmer Admits Lackluster Windows Phone 7 Sales

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer expressed disappointment at Windows Phone 7 sales during Microsoft’s financial analyst meeting Wednesday.

Infamous Anti-iPhone Game Goes To Android

A few months ago Michael Pineschi was struck with a rather subversive idea. He’d been reading news coverage about the spate of suicides by workers at two factories run by Foxconn in China where iPhones and iPads were assembled. “I thought it would be a great idea to make a game, an iPhone game, to stop all these people falling out of the building, and shuffle them back into the factory to keep profits up,” he says matter-of-factly from his home in San Francisco.

iOS 5 Beta: 20 Existing Android Features that Could Power iPhone 5 and iPad

Apple's iOS 5 operating system, which is going to power the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod touch 3rd generation, iPod touch 4th generation, iPad, iPad 2 and iPhone 5, is now under beta testing.

AT&T intros Windows Phone Mango devices from Samsung, HTC

The HTC Titan is one of three new Windows Phone Mango devices headed to AT&T this fall.

(Credit: HTC)

Today, AT&T announced plans to bring three new Windows Phone 7.5 Mango devices to its lineup this fall, the HTC Titan, Samsung Focus S, and Samsung Focus Flash. The carrier did not reveal specific release dates and pricing for the smartphones at this time, but here's a preview of each device.

Six Android Handset Features that iPhone 5 Could Lack

Apple is gearing up to introduce the most-anticipated device of the year iPhone 5 to hungry consumer crowd. A new report from Bloomberg has emerged suggesting Sprint will begin selling Apple's fabled iPhone 5 this October.

Another Way To Share Randomness Blogs

If you enjoy reading my posts, first, thank you, second, if you want to spread the word about the blogs, there is now another way, via QR codes.  If you don't know what a QR code is, that's OK.  They are fairly new to the US, although they've been around for a while in Japan and parts of Europe.  They are kind of boxy as you can see below that can embed just about anything, the only limitations are that it can only hold 256 characters and there are no phones, that I know of, that have an app preloaded that can read QR codes.  If your running Android, a good app is Barcode Scanner by ZXing Team.  If your running iOS, a good app is QR Reader for iPhone by TapMedia LTD.  I don't have devices that run any other OS but I will be doing research to find good QR code apps for OSes like BlackBerry OS, and WindowsPhone.  

The follow QR codes go to Techjunkynews.blogspot.com and random-stuff-on-my-mind.blogspot.com

Blazing-fast 4G phones from Verizon (roundup)

Verizon Wireless meant business when it promised a big push for 4G LTE at CES 2011. The carrier unveiled four new devices: the HTC ThunderBolt, the Samsung Droid Charge, the LG Revolution, and the Motorola Droid Bionic. All four promise fast 4G speeds, and indeed, they deliver. However, they aren't all the same. Here's our roundup of all four Verizon 4G handsets.

AT&T To Get SE's Xperia Play On September 18 For $49.99 On Contract

Remember Sony Ericsson's Xperia Play? It's back!

Can Microsoft Make Windows-Based Tablets Work...this time?

Next week sees the BUILD conference kick off, and it is expected that Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows division at Microsoft, will be showing off Windows 8 on a tablet. Many people are wondering if Microsoft’s focus on tablets will pay off. I’m wondering if Microsoft’s focus on tablets will work … this time.

Apple, Samsung top J.D. Power satisfaction survey

Phones from Apple and Samsung topped a J.D. Power satisfaction survey, which cited size, screen quality, battery life, and processing speeds as crucial. The survey also said satisfaction was high for 4G-capable phones.

How to access Gmail Offline

Google has been on-again, off-again with providing its Gmail users with offline access, but today it announced a new, HTML5-based solution for people who need to manage their inbox off the grid.

iPad Culture Shock for IT

Thanks to the iPad, the traditional IT culture is about to be upended.

Google bought Motorola to guard Android: Sony Ericsson

Smartphone vendor Sony Ericsson said it saw Google's acquisition of rival Motorola Mobility as a move to protect Google's Android software from legal attacks by rivals.

Prototype iPhone 5 lost in bar, right on schedule

Apple has to wonder if it's really hiring the cream of the crop when another of its employees manages to leave a another prototype iPhone in a bar.

Justice Department sues to block AT&T takeover of T-Mobile

An antitrust lawsuit is filed to prevent AT&T from acquiring T-Mobile USA and displacing Verizon as the nation's largest wireless carrier, a deal that the Justice Department says would lead to less competition, higher prices and fewer choices for consumers.