ctia

Sprint phones get smarter about Wi-Fi, battery usage

NEW ORLEANS--Many Sprint Nextel customers aren't proactive enough when it comes to taking advantage of speedy, power-efficient Wi-Fi networks, but the company is aiming to change that.

Sprint has been quietly rolling out an "intelligent client" called the Sprint connection optimizer designed to help phones locate and remember Wi-Fi networks. The software, which has already been rolled out to the original Samsung Epic, is making its way through the various smartphones via an over-the-air software update.

While Wi-Fi clients and assistants aren't exactly new, they are typically used by the more tech-savvy crowd. Fared Adib, head … Read more

Sprint runs through shutdown of Nextel iDEN network

NEW ORLEANS--Sprint Nextel is preparing to bid adieu to the Nextel side of the business.

Sprint executives today ran through its Network Vision upgrade plan, which includes the decommissioning of its Nextel iDEN network. The company has already shut down 1,900 cellular sites and plans to turn off 9,600 sites by the end of the third quarter, Bob Azzi, senior vice president for networks at the company, said here today. The entire network will go dark by the middle of the second half of next year, he added.

By shutting down its Nextel network, Sprint can reuse the … Read more

Sprint's Tri-Fi Hotspot will do LTE, WiMax, 3G on May 18

NEW ORLEANS--Sprint has gone to great length to explain to its investors and the press how it's consolidating its various network technologies into one. Its latest 4G hot spot is a perfect example of the concept in practice.

The 4G LTE Tri-Fi Hotspot, made by Sierra Wireless, will support three of Sprint's data networks: 4G LTE, 4G WiMax, and 3G.

I got my first glimpse of the Tri-Fi Hotspot a few months back at CES, and despite all the jokes I cracked about a data three-way, it isn't a very sexy device if you're not looking … Read more

HTC Evo 4G LTE shipping May 18 for $199.99

NEW ORLEANS--Mark your calendars for May 18, Sprint customers. That's the day that the HTC Evo 4G LTE goes on sale for just about $200 with a new, two-year contract.

If you didn't preorder the device on May 7, you'll have about a week to make your move with the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone.

A variant of the CNET Editor's Choice winner HTC One X, the Evo 4G LTE features a 4.7-inch HD display, a dual-core Qualcomm Snaprdragon S4 processor, an 8-megapixel camera, Beats audio integration, and HTC Sense 4.0.

Sprint'… Read more

Cricket Wireless plans to launch 10 phones by October

NEW ORLEANS--Cricket's booth was a still, calm field of familiar phones here at CTIA, but come summer, things will be chirping once more for the prepaid carrier.

Between July 31 and October, Cricket plans to launch "upwards of 10 devices," according to Cricket spokesman Greg Lund. You can bet a fair number of them will feature the all-you-can-download Muve Music plan.… Read more

Want a global LTE phone? Clearwire may have the answer

NEW ORLEANS--Clearwire, often seen in the industry as the odd duck of the wireless providers, may actually be on the unlikely path to offering a globally compatible device.

At least that's what CEO Erik Prusch believes. With major carriers in China, India, and Europe supporting the same spectrum band and variant of LTE, it's possible that a phone running on Clearwire can hop on to international networks with little fuss.

The advent of LTE was supposed to bring a universal standard to carriers. But the wide variety of technology standards and different spectrums has left the carriers as … Read more

Wide range of new smartphones kick off CTIA day 1

NEW ORLEANS---The steady drumbeat of mobile phone news picked up tempo today at CTIA. Matching the rising temperatures in the Big Easy, hot handsets were unveiled or shown to us for the first time.

We also laid our hands on interesting mobile security solutions and on a collection of compelling accessories. Read on for some highlights of what the CNET gang uncovered on site. … Read more

Cadillac launches CUE iPad app

NEW ORLEANS--After introducing its CUE touch-screen instrument panel at CTIA last October, Cadillac has returned to the 2012 wireless trade show with more services.

When CUE is introduced in the 2013 Cadillac XTS next month, buyers will be able to test the system on a new iPad app. According to Cadillac, the app will replicate many of the system's features and make them available anywhere.

XTS buyers in the United States will receive a new iPad loaded with not only the CUE app, but also the MyCadillac App and OnStar RemoteLink. And to help drivers get started, Cadillac dealers … Read more

PayAnywhere is like Square, but more so

NEW ORLEANS--If a new player in mobile payment has its way, PayAnywhere will soon be everywhere.

If you've heard of Square, then you pretty much already know everything you need to about PayAnywhere's point-of-sale product for mobile devices, which I saw for the first time at CTIA. The service consists of three parts: a credit card reader you can attach to a mobile device, a mobile app interface for customers and for merchants to manage, and a processing platform to tie it all together and offer analytics.… Read more

Monster ClarityHD Micro: hands on

NEW ORLEANS--As you may already know, I'm a big sucker for Bluetooth gadgets. That's why when I spied the Monter ClarityHD Micro from a far at CTIA 2012 I couldn't resist checking them out. Squarely targeted at the same audience who think the Jawbone Jambox is groovy, this wireless speaker is small, super-portable, yet built to belt out loud tunes. … Read more