So with T-Mobile launching it’s HSPA+ network in select markets this month, Verizon figured it would test it’s new data technology, LTE, in a market and post some numbers.

Verizon’s LTE technology is supposed to reach peak speeds of 40-50 Mbps (compared to HSPA+’s 21Mbps). Verizon engineers are also reporting average download speeds of between 5-12Mbps (compared to T-Mobile engineers 5-6Mbps) in actual tests.

The thing to understand here though is that LTE is a 4G technology, and as such requires new hardware to be put in it’s phones to utilize any of the speed, just like WiMaxx. So even though they are testing it in one market, there still aren’t any devices that support it coming anytime soon so it is a ways off.

On the other hand, HSPA+ requires new technology in the handset to get the FULL speed increase, but unlike LTE it is based on 3G technology instead of 4G and so all current 3G handsets will benefit from the speed increase as well (just not as much as an HSPA+ enabled handset would).

So while LTE is definitely the faster technology (and I’m sure Verizon’s engineers will optimize it more and more and the average download speed will increase from this report), T-Mobile’s approach is a nice way to get some benefits sooner than later.

Of course, once Verizon gets their LTE up and running with handsets that support it, T-Mobile data speeds will be left behind. But again, we have to give it to T-Mobile for going from an EDGE only network to HSPA+ in a very short time frame. And since HSPA+ is still a 3G technology, it is very possible that they could be using it as a stepping stone to a newer technology like LTE as well; giving people faster internet now while they work on LTE, or some other 4G technology.

Hopefully T-Mobile can keep up their break neck pace of upgrading their network and possibly be working on 4G when Verizon is launching theirs. That would be tough, but so was getting from EDGE to HSPA+ as quickly as they did.

Now if T-Mobile could only increase their coverage…

Source

According to Engadget, they have gotten word that the Microsoft Pink phones; the Turtle and the Pure, are headed to Verizon and should become available around April 20th.

These phones have always been viewed as the replacements for the Sidekick line up that has previously always been on T-Mobile USA. Microsoft bought Danger (the makers of the Sidekick software) a while back and we haven’t heard of much from Danger since (besides the good ol’ Sidekick Data Outage, yikes).

Since these are considered replacements for the Sidekick lineup, it seems odd that they are headed to Verizon, but we have heard rumors that there are GSM and CDMA varieties of these devices so who knows.
One thing that the Pink phones will have in common with the Sidekick line up is that they will be marketed to tweens, teenagers, and young adults.

Check out the pics:

UPDATE: Engadget got word that those GSM versions are headed to Vodafone, so sorry T-Mobile.

Source

The Telegraph newspaper in the UK and Neowin have each released separate reports about the Nexus One, one referring to Vodafone and one to Verizon.

According to the Telegraph, sources say that the Nexus One will be available on Vodafone in the UK in April (happens to also be the same time the HTC Desire is expected to be released there as well).

Then at the same time, sources over at Neowin, say “Verizon will release Google’s Nexus One Android device on March 23 according to sources familiar with the matter.” This also coincides well with the FCC documentation that approved the CDMA version of the Nexus One earlier this week.

Verizon users, 24 days or so and counting? Anyone excited?

Source

So according to some sources at AndroidandMe, all US Android devices will be getting an upgrade to Android 2.1 this year. This is in contrast to what was previously thought about how older phones couldn’t handle Android 2.1 (which we’ve seen to not be true already because of custom Android 2.1 ROMs being loaded onto G1s etc.).

There is something about this though that I find odd. Android 2.1 can’t just be loaded on all of these devices as it is. The carriers have to add their own proprietary apps into the OS, manufacturers have to load their custom user interfaces on top of the OS (like Sense UI and Blur UI), etc. So I find it very unlikely that all of these manufacturers, carriers, and Google are planning to release all of these things together at the same time…

So while Android 2.1 might be on its way to US Android phones, I have a feeling that depending on your phone, it could be at very different times during the year.

Whose ready for 2.1 already?

So the HTC Desire is sexy, I agree, and we know it’s most likely going to AT&T, but what about the CDMA version we heard rumored a while ago? Well, it’s called the HTC Incredible and judging by the video posted on YouTube, it’s definitely going to Verizon and looks to be a pretty final build (also looks like they are in a Verizon store to me, but eh who knows)

Coming soon, possibly?

Here are the specs:

1Ghz Snapdragon
256Mbs of RAM
3.7″ AMOLED Screen
Android 2.1 w/ Sense UI
WiFi, GPS, Bluetooth

And here’s the shaky vid:

So with the Nexus One (hacked with Sense UI running smoothly) on T-Mobile, the HTC Desire coming to AT&T supposedly, and the HTC Incredible coming to Verizon, we have three almost identical devices coming out (or are out in the Nexus One’s case) on 3 different carriers (and the HTC Supersonic with a slightly bigger screen and possibly WiMax for Sprint). So we actually get to choose what carrier we want based on their performance in our area, instead of being forced to choose a carrier because we want a specific phone? Wow, what a concept…

So the Devour, AKA the Calgary, is only a few days away from being launched by Verizon here in the US. So just in time for release, Rick Osterloh of Motorola, has decided to release a seven minute long demonstration of the phone to tide you BLUR lovers on Verizon till then. Take a look:

Source

PocketNow released pictures and a video of the new HTC Incredible (AKA the CMDA Bravo for Verizon). The specs we are being told are as follows:

Snapdragon 1ghz Processor
256MBs of RAM
Android 2.1 with Sense UI
Optical Mouse Pointer
Dual LED Flash
3.7″ AMOLED screen (WVGA)

The phone was also found to be running on Verizon’s frequencies so it is most likely headed there. So is the Nexus One or the Incredible coming out first?

Google unveiled the Nexus One today and called it the “Next Evolution of Android”. Here’s a quick recap of what they went over.

1. Nexus One is a close collaboration between Google and HTC
2. It is the most advanced hardware HTC has put in a device yet (Peter Chou’s words): with it’s 3.7 AMOLED touchscreen, 1GHz processor, etc.
3. Google Earth for Android has just been unveiled.

It’s not all about hardware, Nexus One has new software too:
1. All of the Droid’s apps are there
2. Android 2.1
3. 5 homescreens instead of 3
4. News and Location based Weather Widgets
5. Live/Animated Wallpapers that respond to touch
6. New launcher menu, no pulling up to open anymore
7. New Photo Album, photos float on a surface
8. Search by Voice and Voice Navigation are built in
9. Voice enabled ALL texts fields on the device, so you can talk instead of type

Purchasing the Device:
1. Simple Google Web Store for you to purchase the phone without a contract or with one from a partner.
2. You can buy the phone with T-Mobile USA today.
3. They plan to add more devices to their web store (Motorola was mentioned).
4. Adding more countries to the webstore as well.
5. The Store has a live demo of the phone that you can play with.
6. You need a Google account and a Google checkout account.

Verizon and Vodafone will jump on board with the Nexus One in Spring 2010. So you can purchase it with a contract from either of those companies then.

So the only thing that truly impresses me is the business model for the phone; selling it from Google and you can choose your carrier…

So we thought it would be available on multiple carriers at first. Then they idea died because of the spec sheet only showing T-Mobile 3G, but now according to Google it will be available on T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone by Spring 2010. Interesting indeed. Now the question is, if you order the phone from Google and want Verizon do they send you a CDMA version or is it a dual GSM CDMA phone? Curiouser and curiouser…

Not bad all in all, what do you guys think?

So BoyGeniusReport has gotten some live pictures of the new Motorola Calgary from Verizon. It is an Android device that also has MotoBlur on it (like the CLIQ for T-Mobile).

Some of it’s features include:

• 3MP Camera
• 3.5mm Headphone Jack
• Slide out QWERTY Keyboard
• GPS
• Digital Compass
• WiFi

Check out the pics, what do you think?

Source