Sprint's Nexus S 4G Now Up For $199 Pre-Orders At Best Buy

Are you looking to get an Android powered smartphone with NFC, stock "Gingerbread", and WiMAX? Well, you only have one option and you can pre-order it now. The Google Nexus S 4G is now up for pre-order on Best Buy if you're interested and it'll cost you $199.99 on a 2-year contract. Shipping is somewhere in between April 18th and the 21st. Check it out on Best Buy.

[Phandroid]

Sprint Confirmed To Get a WiMAX-Capable Motorola XOOM

BGR has just reported that Sprint will be getting a new tablet fairly soon and it's going to be a variant of the Motorola XOOM with WiMAX connectivity. Yup, a "Honeycomb" tablet with 4G connectivity is headed to Sprint and it's looking like it'll be here before the LTE upgrade for the Verizon model. If you want to take a look at the case for it then check it out below.

[BGR]

Sprint Announces the HTC Flyer As the EVO View 4G, Launching This Summer

Sprint has just made it official. So, "the next big EVO thing. Only bigger." has turned out to be the HTC EVO View 4G - as expected. This tablet is exactly like the Flyer with its 7-inch 1,024 x 600 resolution display, a 1.5GHz CPU, a 5MP camera, a front-facing 1.3MP camera, 32GB of internal storage, and Sense UI over top of Android except that this one has WiMAX capabilities to take advantage of the carrier's 4G network. The display is capacitive but Sprint is throwing in a capacitive stylus with it as well so you can use that if you don't want to dirty the screen with your greasy fingers. This will be available in the Summer for an unknown price.

[Engadget]

HTC EVO 3D Officially Hitting Sprint This Summer, Glasses-Free With 4G

If you never picked up an HTC EVO 4G then you might be in luck. Sprint officially announced the EVO 3D today and it's a huge upgrade over the old model. This one features a 4.3-inch glasses-free 3D display, a dual-core 1.2GHz CPU, WiMAX connectivity, dual 5MP cameras on the back to take 3D video, a front-facing 1.3MP camera, and Android 2.3 with the Sense UI. The price wasn't announced and it'll be available in the Summer.

[Engadget]

BlackBerry 4G Playbook Page Now Live On Sprint, Still On Track For Summer

Sprint has just put up a new page for the 4G BlackBerry Playbook. This one should be like the original Playbook but this one will, obviously, feature WiMAX connectivity. Unfortunately, this one's still scheduled for a Summer launch so don't think that this one's coming sooner just because the page is up. We should be seeing more of this tomorrow at the carrier's CTIA event. Check it out on Sprint if you don't believe me.

[BGR]

Sprint Announces the Nexus S 4G, Launching This Spring For $199; Integrated Google Voice

It was expected and it's now official. Sprint has just announced the Google Nexus S 4G and it's exactly like the original Nexus S except that this one has WiMAX connectivity. This will be available in the Sprint for $199.99 on a 2-year contract. Don't forget that this one will also have integrated Google Voice.

Update: Another Engadget post has just mentioned that Sprint will pretty much be Google's official carrier now. The carrier has just announced that you can now use your phone for tight Google Voice integration and it'll let you use your current number if you want to. Pretty awesome stuff!

Update: BGR has just pointed out that if you head over to Best Buy then you can actually pre-order this one right now! The deposit is just $50.

[Engadget]

Sprint's CTIA Announcements Leak: HTC EVO 3D, EVO View 4G, Motorola XOOM, BB Playbook

Well, Sprint's CTIA announcements have just been spoiled. BGR has just broke the news that they'll be announcing the HTC EVO 3D, EVO View 4G, Motorola XOOM, the Samsung Rant 3, and a WiFi-only BlackBerry Playbook as well as one with WiMAX connectivity. Pretty awesome stuff. Now, let's get into the specs, shall we?

First off, we have the EVO 3D which is said to feature a 4.3-inch qHD 3D display (960 x 540 resolution), a dual-core 1.2GHz Snapdragon 8660 CPU, a 5MP camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, a 1,730mAh battery, an HDMI port that will output 1080p and even 720p video, 1GB of RAM, 4GB of ROM, and Android 2.3 with the Sense UI. The smartphone is also said to have the Blockbuster 3D app as well as YouTube 3D. If you're buying into the 3D trend then this may actually be the phone for you.

Next up is reportedly the EVO View 4G. This one will be sporting a 7-inch display (1,024 x 600 resolution), an aluminum unibody, a 5MP camera, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, WiFi b/g/n / Bluetooth 3.0 support, a 4,000mAh battery, DLNA, HDMI output, and Android 2.3 "Gingerbread" with the Sense UI. It's pretty much exactly like we've been hearing. An HTC Flyer with WiMAX capabilities. Not exactly the best tablet on the market.

Moving along we have the XOOM which will be exactly like the Verizon model but it'll have WiMAX capabilities instead. No clue if it'll initially ship with the device. There's also word on the Samsung Rant 3 which is the most uninteresting of the bunch. This one is said to be a 3G touchscreen handset which is reportedly eco-friendly since it'll have a solar panel on the door... or something like that. The last one is the BlackBerry Playbook which Sprint will be announcing. It'll come in two models, like I said: WiFi-only and WiMAX. I'm assuming there'll be a regular 3G model as well. Definitely quite a big showing for Sprint, so this event should be exciting.

[BGR, Android Central]

Sprint To Announce Nexus S 4G, EVO 3D, and EVO View Tablet At CTIA This Year?

By now you should've already heard that Sprint will be announcing a couple of devices at CTIA this year. Coming from an Engadget tipster is word that the carrier will be announcing the Samsung-built Nexus S 4G at the event. Hopefully, it won't just be a Nexus S with WiMAX - let's hope they upgraded some internal components as well (dual-core CPU, please!). The other two devices are said to be the EVO 3D and the EVO View tablet - both should be coming from HTC. The EVO 3D should feature some high-end specs along with a 3D display (and hopefully WiMAX), while the EVO View tablet could just be the Flyer's CMA variant. We'll see what happens in a few weeks.

[Engadget]

ZTE Teases A Bunch Of Devices; 4.3, 7, and 10-Inch Form Factors

ZTE showed off a bunch of devices here but we have no clue if they'll ever hit North American land, but they'll likely be available somewhere in Asia in the future. They announced the 7-inch ZTE Light and Light 2. These are going to be running 1.2GHz dual-core CPUs, while the Light 2 is packing WiMAX and even LTE connectivity which is pretty awesome. The company wasn't big on announcing full spec sheets because all they did was tease their devices.

Moving along they also announced the Light10 which features a 10-inch display a 1.2GHz CPU, and Android "Honeycomb". They also brought the ZTE Skate to their booth which was actually inspired by a skateboard. Interesting. It features a 4.3-inch display, an 800MHz CPU, an Adreno 200 GPU, a 5MP camera, and stock Android 2.3 (at least for now). They also briefly mentioned an "Internet Box" which could be hinting that they're planning to launch Android-based set-top box. That's all guess work right now so we'll just have to see what they company announces. Maybe it's Google TV?

[Phandroid]

HTC EVO Shift 4G Gets Spotted In the Real World, Sporting 800MHz CPU

Live photos of the HTC EVO Shift 4G has just leaked out and this one's definitely headed to Sprint. This one clearly has a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and inside you'll find WiMAX connectivity along with the new Qualcomm 800MHz CPU - also found in the T-Mobile G2. This smartphone will definitely sell pretty quickly, let's just hope that HTC has made enough of them to keep up with the demand. This should be launching in Q1 2011.

[Phone Arena]

Test of T-Mobile HSPA and Sprint WiMAX Networks

One has to take mobile broadband speed tests with a bit of circumspection, as experienced throughput can vary enormously at any single location, at any point in time, when using only one device.

But in a recent test of the T-Mobile myTouch 4G and Samsung Epic 4G in Philadelphia and Trenton, N.J., the T-Mobile USA and Sprint WiMAX networks performed virtually the same in Philadelphia, with the Sprint network performing much better in Trenton, N.J.

The tests also showed differing speeds at various test points in each city, as well. You probably can argue the merits of each network (HSPA+ and WiMAX) based on these tests. They do suggest that HSPA+ can offer comparable throughput to WiMAX, at some times and places.

T-Mobile HSPA vs Sprint WiMAX - Phone Arena

HTC EVO Shift 3G (Speedy / Knight) Pictured Again, This Time Shows Us the QWERTY Keyboard

What you see above is a picture of the HTC Evo Shift 4G (or the Knight or the Speedy). This time we finally get a look at the slide-out QWERTY keyboard of it and it definitely looks like a modification of the Touch Pro 2 which is great news! It looks very easy to type on and even throws in a trackpad in the bottom right corner so that you'll be able to edit whatever you type in case you made a mistake. Rumoured specs are said to be an 8MP camera with 720p HD video recording, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 3.7-inch LCD WVGA display, Android 2.2 "Froyo", and WiMAX connectivity since it's hitting Sprint.

[Android Guys]

HTC Smartphone With CDMA / WiMAX, Probably the EVO Shift 4G

Another HTC smartphone has just hit the FCC and it looks like it's a high-end one (model number PG06100). Said smartphone features CDMA along with WiMAX (4G) connectivity. Everyone's saying that this is the HTC EVO Shift 4G (aka the Knight) which would be quite accurate since we really haven't heard of another phone from HTC that will have WiMAX. Check it out at the FCC if you're interested.

Update: According to BGR, they have just been tipped the EVO Shift 4G (or the Knight) will feature a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a 3.7-inch display, an 8MP camera, 4G (of course), and possibly a dual-core CPU (originally supposed to be a single-core 1GHz CPU). Let's see if this turns out to be true.

[Android and Me, Engadget]

What Does "4G" Mean, Now that ITU Has Defined it Out of Existence?

The International Telecommunications Union has settled on a definition of "fourth generation" networks that requires 100 Mbps in a mobile deployment and 1 Gbps in a fixed deployment. None of the actual 4G networks now in operation or planned are actually going to run that fast. So now users have to decide whether standards are set in the marketplace or by standards bodies.

Sprint Board Members Depart Clearwire

Sprint Nextel Corp. executives serving on the Clearwire Corp. board of directors have left the board, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Sprint Chief Executive Dan Hesse and fellow executives Keith Cowan and Steven Elfman have resigned from the Clearwire board. A spokeswoman for Sprint said the company plans to appoint independent successor directors in the next few months. In the meantime, Sprint has named its general counsel, Charles Wunsch, as an independent observer to the Clearwire board.

Clearwire said that the resignations were prompted by recent changes in antitrust laws, but the move could also could provide Clearwire added flexibility to pursue a deal of some sort that might bring T-Mobile USA into Clearwire as an equity owner, for example.

On the other hand, some speculate that Sprint might also have an opportunity to increase its stake, as other shareholders such as Comcast Corp. have signaled they are unwilling to provide additional funding Clearwire requires. A move of that sort might not require a greater arms length relationship with Clearwire, though.

Clearwire said the move came "out of an abundance of caution to address questions raised by Clearwire

Clearwire's board structure allows for 13 members, seven of which Sprint has the right to appoint. The remaining four independent Sprint appointees to the Clearwire board remain.

Since Clearwire and Sprint compete at the retail level, the current board membership has proven awkward, observers note.

In some ways, it is hard to see any long-term solution that does not have Sprint acquiring a larger stake in Clearwire. Whether a firm the size of Sprint can live, long term, with buying its crucial 4G services from a firm it also competes with is open to question.

Sprint Nextel also faces the complexity of operating several different air interface networks (iDEN, CDMA and WiMAX). Those problems are not directly related to the size or control of the Clearwire network, but could become even more complicated if Sprint adds Long Term Evolution services at some point.

Gateway Releases Two All In One PCs and Two NV Series Notebooks With WiMAX Support

Gateway has just announced and released three new devices, two of which are all in one PCs. These first two, the ZX4951 and the ZX6951, and sports a 21.5 and 23-inch, respectively. Both models sport a touchscreen Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 resolution) display, a VESA mount, Intel Pentium to Core i3 CPU options, optional Blu-ray, an integrated TV tuner, 4GB of RAM (up to 16GB), an integrated webcam, WiFi support, 5.1-channel audio, and a 500GB / 640GB HDD. They're available right not for $899 and $999, respectively.

The last device that they've unveiled and released is part of their NV Series, the NV59C66u. This notebook comes in 15.6-inch (1,366 x 768 resolution) and 17.1-inch models (1,600 x 900 resolution) along with integrated WiMAX connectivity. Specs include Intel Core i3 / i5 CPU options, 4GB of DDR3 RAM (up to 8GB), up to a 500GB HDD, WiFi b/g/n support, DVD / Blu-ray drives, and Windows 7. You can get these notebooks right now for $700.

Gateway Announces Two All In One PCs: Slash Gear
Gateway Releases Their WiMAX-Capable Notebook: Crunch Gear, Engadget

Toshiba Satellite A665 3D Notebook Shipping In October For $1,299, Optional WiMAX

Toshiba has just unveiled their latest 3D notebook, the Satellite A665 3D. This notebooks has 3D capabilities using Nvidia's 3D Vision technology and it comes with a pair of active glasses in the box. Specs include a 15.6-inch LED-backlit display, Core i5-460M / Core i7-740QM CPU options, Nvidia GeForce GTS 350M graphics, up to 6GB of RAM, up to a 640GB HDD, WiFi / WiMAX support, an HDMI 1.4 port, and optional Bluetooth. Of course, the standard battery is a 6-cell one with an option for a 12-cell battery if you want. This notebook will be available sometime in October for $1,299.

[Slash Gear]

Clearwire to Launch Prepaid Services

Clearwire plans to launch a new prepaid service for users of its WiMAX fourth-generation (4G) network. The apparent effort likely will attempt to entice more-casual users to buy service before competing HSPA+ and Long Term Evolution networks launch and basically eradicate the bandwidth advantage Clearwire has had since 2008.

http://sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1442505/000095012310081459/v56755e8vk.htm

WiMAX and HSPA+ Speeds About Equal, in This Test

At least according to this test of the T-Mobile USA network and the Sprint 4G network in Philadelphia, Sprint's WiMAX network and T-Mobile's HSPA+ network delivered roughly similar download speeds, just shy of 3 Mbps on average.

These are real-world, average speeds, not "up to" numbers. By some estimates, 3 Mbps is easily twice as fast as the typical real-world speed with 3G, and faster than many home DSL connections.

4G Networks Tested: WiMAX vs. HSPA : The Numbers (Phone Scoop):

WiMax 2: 100 Mbps Downstream Bandwidth

A second-generation standard for WiMAX now under development by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers promises 100 Mbps downstream bandwidth.

The 802.16m standard will significantly boost first-generation WiMAX speeds. Sprint's Xohm network generally supports speeds between 3.7 Mbps to 5 Mbps.

Significantly, the speed boost will be possible over the same distances WiMAX now operates over. WiMAX covers about 31 square miles from each access point.

WiMax vs LTE: What WiMax 2 promises - Feature - Techworld.com: