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By mrwit May 26, 2011
This business is not in Hixson and should not be the Mayor of Hixson. They should use there correct zip code. ...read more
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The Truth About Ditching The iPhone For Android in Chattanooga
The Truth About Ditching The "iPhone" For "Android in Chattanooga" To switch, or not to switch? It took me a long time to build up the courage to get rid of my iPhone and buy an HTC Droid Incredible. The iPhone is an amazing accomplishment, and I had a great few years with it. But there were a few things that kept driving me crazy. It's been a few months since I took the plunge now, and I'm ready to deliver a final verdict. Here's what you need to know if you're thinking of making the switch. AWESOME: Android gives the user much more power to customizeSwitching from the iPhone to Android is all about getting control. Apple is all about figuring out the right way for things to look and work, and making them look and work that way. Android lets you decide for yourself. You can add widgets to your home screen that give you updates without your having to launch a dedicated app. You can add direct links to songs, pictures, websites, or whatever else you like. If there are settings you frequently adjust, you can set up icons to toggle them straight from the home screen, instead of searching through menus for them every time (a pain in either iOS or Android.) Or you can install a third-party app that completely replaces your home screens and does all of this its own way. AWFUL: You NEED to customize, because your phone just isn't that smooth out of the box The power to do all that customization is great, but most users won't ever want to think about any of it. Which is too bad, because Android phones just aren't set up that well by default. That varies a lot based on your phone manufacturer and your carrier, since both tend to make some tweaks, and in many cases install custom UIs (Blur, Sense, etc.) But many people find the default layout on their phone to be excessively cluttered. Managing your files isn't so nice until you download Astro. And -- again, depending on the phone -- battery life can be a complete disaster if you don't load some widgets that let you quickly turn off wifi and GPS when you aren't using them. AWESOME: Your Android phone is synched with your online life With all due respect to Ping, Apple doesn't operate any of the services that are central to many consumers' online lives. Many people, on the other hand, use Google products that are great to have synched up on mobile devices: Gmail, Calendar, even your search history. And Android is better integrated with Facebook, which is actually huge. When you first set up your phone, Android asks for your Facebook info. If you provide it, your contacts are pre-populated with all your Facebook friends, complete with phone numbers if they happen to list theirs on the social network. Extremely convenient. AWFUL: Let's face it, Apple still designs the best hardware I got rid of my iPhone because I didn't like how little control Apple gives its users. That is essentially a software complaint. I have absolutely no complaints about Apple as a hardware company. iPhones are pretty amazing objects. The latest and best Android phones are getting pretty close. HTC and Motorola both have some very nice phones. But none of them quite nail it the way the iPhone does. Look at this picture of our HTC Incredible. If it's plugged in, it's incredibly awkward to hold. How do you blow something so simple? Antennagate notwithstanding, Apple gadgets just don't have flaws that basic. AWESOME: Life without AT&T; The most obvious reason to make the switch, the one that has probably tempted some of the most dedicated Apple fans, is that Android phones come on all carriers, not just the dreaded AT&T. AT&T's 3G network was absolutely overloaded by its exclusive iPhone deal. Though the carrier has done its best to keep pace, here in New York, it's still pretty crummy. And in San Francisco, it's an absolute disaster. After a few years locked in to AT&T, I couldn't be happier to have the company out of my life forever. AWFUL: You still need a carrier, and it WILL make your life worse As huge an upgrade as Verizon is over AT&T, it's still the worst thing about my mobile experience. The latest version of Android lets you use your phone as a mobile hotspot, letting you wirelessly access the Internet from your computer using the phone's data. Except that in most cases, carriers deactivate that feature unless you pay extra for it. Carriers also load useless bloatware and prevent users from un-installing it. Android has native turn-by-turn navigation, yet the universally panned VZ Navigator is right there on my phone (with a disturbingly broad set of permissions) and can't be removed. That's not because Verizon is a bad carrier -- it's the best carrier we know of. It's because carriers have an oligopoly on delivering data to mobile devices. Unfortunately, they've discovered that it's easier to extract the value of that oligopoly in all sorts of indirect, irritating ways, than by simply charging more for data. AWESOME: Great apps you can't get elsewhere The Android Market is still much smaller than the App Store, but lots of my favorite mobile apps are Android only, starting with some of the ones Google makes itself. Google offers plenty of apps on other platforms, but its most impressive apps are often late to hit the iPhone, either by design, or because they are banned. In particular, I think Google Voice and Google Goggles are both must haves. Voice, which lets you set up a second phone number for free and tie it to your phone, has been struggling for App Store approval for ages. Google Goggles has been blowing minds on Android since last year, and just hit the App Store yesterday. There are also lots of powerful third-party apps that wouldn't be allowed on the iPhone. I really like Tasker, for instance, which can trigger a wide range of actions based on changes in your phone's state. That's more multitasking, energy-hogging activity than iOS allows. AWFUL: Android is still second on most developers' priority lists Unfortunately, for most app developers, Android is still a distant second best. BlackBerry is still number one in install base, and Android is growing faster than anyone, but the App Store is where developers make money. So generally, people develop for the iPhone, then expand to Android when they can. That's very irritating, especially if you need to write about the latest features coming out of software startups. But, wait! This is all nitpicking I thought very long and hard before switching to Android. And, because it's part of my job to care about the relative merits of gadgets, the little pluses and minuses of making that switch have been a big deal. But here's the truth: An iPhone and a high-end Android phone are very, very similar. And for the 99.9% of people on earth who have never owned either (or one of a handful of other super smartphones), the difference is pretty insignificant. Sure, there are differences between the iPhone 4, the Droid Incredible, the BlackBerry Torch, etc., but compared to the feature phones and quasi-smartphones that still dominate the market, these differences are pretty insignificant. The truth is that, when you take a step back, all of these devices are pretty similar: magic, touch-screen computers that fit in your pocket. This is the future, and I think it's awesome. They aren't perfect, but our basic complaints apply to all of them: the battery life isn't good enough yet (but the iPad gives us hope). The touchscreens are amazing, but not typing is still harder than it could be (and they get streaky too easily). And the carriers you have to deal with to use them are awful, and slow the pace of innovation. But, again, they're awesome, and I recommend getting one if you don't already have one. So, which? The #1 reason to stick with the iPhone is that it's easier to use, and a cleaner experience On the iPhone, everything just works. You don't have to know anything about technology to use one. Even if you do, the experience will just feel cleaner and simpler. Android still has some rough edges, and if you don't want to deal with them, the iPhone is a good choice. Buy an Android for the freedom, or as a bet on the future There are two main reasons to go with Android. First, as we covered, you have a lot more freedom to set your phone up the way you like. That is a big deal to me, and to a small but substantial minority. If you're in it, get an Android. The second reason has to do with where things are headed. I believe that Android will be the dominant mobile OS before long, that it will get easier and cleaner, and that it will end up being the first thing companies develop for. That is, I think the iPhone will be like the Mac -- hugely popular in its niche, but a niche nonetheless. Just as most people have PCs, I think most people will have Android phones. That doesn't mean you should have one now. But if you're on the fence, it might be time to start using the OS that will be on the phone you buy four years from now. ...read more
By T-Mobile October 14, 2010
Sprint Pushes Smartphones to Prepaid Via Boost, Virgin
As the U.S. wireless industry hurtles toward the critical fourth-quarter holiday shopping season, no-contract carriers are rushing to bolster their smartphone offerings in a bid to challenge postpaid rivals with the latest in flashy, high-end handsets. Indeed, smartphones represented 13.5% of all global handset sales in the first quarter, according to research firm Gartner, and are expected to dominate phone sales in the coming years. The latest indication of smartphones trickling into prepaid comes from two ofSprint Nextel's(NYSE:S)no-contract plays. In the past few days, both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile disclosed plans to offer high-end smartphones with service plans significantly cheaper than those available from parent Sprint. Specifically, Boost today introduced theResearch In Motion(Nasdaq:RIMM)BlackBerry Curve 8530 for $249.99 with unlimited, prepaid plans at $60 per month, just a day after Sprint's Virgin Mobile announced it will sell its first Android phone, the Samsung Intercept, for the same price with unlimited plans also at $60 per month. Interestingly, Virgin's promotion of its new Samsung Intercept Android phone specifically calls out Sprint's pricing of the device. Sprint first introduced the Intercept in July, and it currently offers the gadget for $99 with a contract and unlimited service at $99 per month. In its Intercept promotions, Virgin Mobile points out that the total cost of the device and 12 months of service on Sprint's postpaid plans totals $1287.99, before taxes, while it offers the Intercept and 12 months of service for $969. Sprint last year acquired Virgin for around $483 million. "One of the biggest differences between the postpaid and prepaid segments has been the phone restrictions that prepaid customers have had," wrote Current Analysis' Maidy Whitesell in a recent research note. "As smartphones seeped into the consumer mindset, postpaid customers were the early beneficiaries. However, more prepaid providers have started offering smartphones, though selection remains thin." Whitesell pointed out that T-Mobile USA first introduced prepaid smartphones in 2008 via its FlexPay offering. Boost soon followed with a BlackBerry, andLeap WirelessandMetroPCSjoined the effort this year with BlackBerry and Android devices. Interestingly,VerizonWireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, recently jumped into the game by offering a $30 prepaid data package for its full lineup of smartphones. Aside from a few exceptions, most prepaid smartphones go for around $250 with unlimited service at $60 per month. "As price-sensitive consumers try to find ways to cut their costs, the prepaid segment clearly offers more savings without fear of a long-term commitment," Whitesell noted. "In fact, prepaid wireless subscribership represented over 20% of total subscribers in the U.S. as of 2009." Of course, a few high-end gadgets remain stubbornly attached to postpaid plans, notablyApple's iPhone. ...read more
By T-Mobile October 05, 2010
HTC EVO 4G from Sprint, POPULAR MECHANICS’ Breakthrough Award
HTC EVO 4G Recognized for Industry-Leading Features, Including a 4.3-Inch Touchscreen Display, Lightning-Fast 1GHz Snapdragon Processor, Dual Cameras Enabling Mobile Video Chat and 4G Network CapabilitiesPress ReleaseSource: SprintOn Tuesday October 5, 2010, 5:08 pm OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sprint (NYSE:S-News) made history in June with the launch of the award-winning HTC EVO™ 4G, America's first 3G/4G wireless phone. Packed with industry-leading features, it set first-day and first-weekend sales records for Sprint and was lavished with praise and awards by respected technology and telecommunications media and analysts. The prestigiousPOPULAR MECHANICSBreakthrough Award has just joined the list of honors awarded to HTC EVO 4G. On Sept. 28,POPULAR MECHANICSannounced the winners of its sixth annual Breakthrough Awards recognizing the innovators and products poised to change the world in the fields of technology, medicine, aviation, environmental engineering and more. Awards are given to a handful of new products that set benchmarks in design and creativity to provide a picture of the best technology of today and tomorrow. "HTC EVO 4G has been a tremendous success for Sprint," said Fared Adib, vice president – Product Development, Sprint. "The response from the media, wireless industry and, most importantly, our customers has been overwhelming. Clearly, HTC EVO 4G sets the standard for smartphones with its impressive list of features, including its 4.3-inch display, 1GHz processor, two cameras, HD video capture, video chat and 4G network capabilities. We are thrilled to receive this important award with our partners at HTC." "Together with Sprint, HTC has created one of the most in-demand phones in the market today," said Jason Mackenzie, president of HTC America. "We are pleased with our ongoing relationship with Sprint to deliver and market devices that push the technology boundaries while delivering a quality customer experience. We are honored to receive this distinctive award from such a respected and valued publication." As the first national wireless carrier to test, launch and market 4G technology, Sprint made history by launching 4G in Baltimore in September 2008. Sprint 4G delivers download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G. Innovative Features Beyond Compare HTC EVO 4G uses the Android 2.2 platform, offers more than 80,000 apps, as well as a mind-blowing list of features, including: Custom Web browser optimized for the 4.3-inch display and Sprint 4G speeds to deliver a full, no-compromise Internet experience Superfast 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™ processor, ensuring a smooth and quick movement within phone menus Two cameras – an 8.0 megapixel auto-focus camera with HD-capable video camcorder and a forward-facing 1.3 megapixel camera Integrated HD video capture with the ability to capture and share live video via the Qik website, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter™ Simultaneous voice and data capability in 4G or Wi-Fi coverage areas, enabling Web surfing and more during conversation Built-in mobile hotspot functionality allowing up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices to share the 3G or 4G experience on the go with a laptop, camera, music player, game unit, video player, or any other Wi-Fi enabled device Ability to easily watch video with the device on an HDTV via an HDMI cable (sold separately) CNET, LAPTOP MagazineandeWeekgave HTC EVO 4G awards for Best of Show when it was announced at CTIA this spring. It was also recently cited onMobileTechReview'sBest Smartphones and Best Touch Screen Phones lists, andTheStreet.comrated it the #1 Android phone. Sprint 4G is now available in 55 markets:California– Merced, Modesto, Stockton, Visalia;Delaware– Wilmington;Florida– Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando;Georgia– Atlanta, Milledgeville;Hawaii– Honolulu, Maui;Idaho– Boise;Illinois– Chicago;Maryland– Baltimore;Massachusetts– Boston;Michigan– Grand Rapids;Minnesota– Minneapolis-St. Paul;Missouri– Kansas City, St. Louis;New York– Rochester, Syracuse;Nevada– Las Vegas;North Carolina– Charlotte, Greensboro (includes High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (includes Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham);Oregon– Eugene, Portland, Salem;Pennsylvania– Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, York;Rhode Island– Providence;Tennessee– Nashville;Texas– Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco, Wichita Falls;Utah– Salt Lake City;Virginia– Richmond; andWashington– Bellingham, Seattle, Tri-Cities, Yakima. Criteria and Evaluation In selecting the candidates and winners of the 2010 Breakthrough Awards program, the editors ofPOPULAR MECHANICS (PM)canvassed a wide range of experts to come up with a list of worthy nominees. In addition, members ofPM's editorial board of advisers, which includes astronaut Buzz Aldrin and MIT's Amy B. Smith, and contributing editors, includingMythBusterJamie Hyneman, reviewed the nominations to help choose the innovators.PMeditors test hundreds of products in a wide range of categories all year in order to arrive at the true game-changers for the Breakthrough product awards. A complete report of the Breakthrough Awards will be published in the November issue ofPOPULAR MECHANICS(on newsstands Oct. 12). High-resolution images of the winners and full conference coverage will be available upon request atwww.popularmechanics.com. About Sprint Nextel Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 48.1 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2010 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, Common Cents Mobile and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. With its customer-focused strategy, you can learn more and visit Sprint atwww.sprint.comorwww.facebook.com/sprintandwww.twitter.com/sprint. EDITOR'S NOTE:Visitwww.sprint.com/newswroomorwww.sprint.com/presskitsfor more information and images. "Up to 10x faster" based on download speed comparison of 3G's 600 kbps vs. 4G's 6 Mbps. Industry published 3G avg. speeds (600 kbps-1.7 Mbps); 4G avg. speeds (3-6 Mbps). Actual speeds may vary. Sprint 4G currently available in more than 50 markets and counting, and on select devices. Seewww.sprint.com/4Gfor details. Not all services are available on 4G and coverage may default to 3G/separate network where 4G is unavailable. Optional add-on for sharing access to Wi-Fi. Uses data allowance within your base service plan. Connectivity dependent upon compatibility. Contact:Media Contacts:SprintMark Elliott603-621-4511mark.j.elliott@sprint.comorHTC Media Relations425-638-7000htcpr@wagged.com ...read more
By T-Mobile October 05, 2010