legion125

Gilligan's Island

I'm beginning to wonder if there is a issue with the TDD/FDD hand off testing or if Clear is taking an under promise over achieve stance or as macinjosh said; Is it an LTE Advanced issue? I read that DISH is telling the FCC that LTE-A equipment isn't ready yet. The iPhone and the slow down of WiMax device sales is definitely starting to hurt Clear, and Sprint will be on the hook for another cash infusion.

Here's a little more info on what Clears financials are doing that ties in with my previous post. As was mentioned in other conversations, Clearwire was suppose to have plenty of money to do this overlay, and taking over a year to complete a limited version that Sprint wants in lieu of converting the entire network baffles me. I just wonder if trial with the TDD/FDD hand offs are not going as well as planned, or is there some other snag? http://www.cedmagazine.com/news/2012/02/clearwire-boasts-strong-q4-weakness-ahead

Here's what I though was a good commentary on the patent wars that we've been sharing on different threads and gives you a good understanding of what's really going on. Makes you wonder who the bad guy's really are. A little long article so if it's a chilly night for you, sit back get some hot cocoa or jack & coke if that's your preference. Sit back for a intellectual read. http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/16/2786970/FRAND-smartphone-industry-apple-motorola-samsung

Wow, ICS is just shy of being 90 days old and there's talk of Jellybean already. I think this is hype, especially the comments of working with Windows 8. MS doesn't even open its system up to let Google access it. I think Gooble may start talking about features it wants to see, but the actual OS won't see the light of day for us until this fall. http://www.bgr.com/2012/02/16/android-5-0-jelly-bean-could-push-fragmentation-to-new-heights/ Android 5.0 ‘Jelly Bean’ could push fragmentation to new heights Despite the fact that Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is only found on a handful of Android devices — Ice Cream Sandwich penetration currently sits at 1%, just as it did more than one month ago — a new report suggests Google is preparing to launch the next major build of its mobile platform as early as next quarter. Citing unnamed sources within Taiwan-based component suppliers, DigiTimes on Thursday reports that Google is likely to launch Android 5.0 (Jelly Bean) in the second quarter. While details are still limited, the report claims Android 5.0 will again focus on tablets and introduce an interesting new feature. Read on for more. Seemingly wary about the potential threat from Microsoft’s Windows 8 platform, Google’s next-generation Android OS will feature a new dual-boot function according to DigiTimes. Jelly Bean will reportedly be optimized for tablets and it will “integrate [Google's] Chrome system functions to push dual-operating system designs.” Google is supposedly planning to encourage vendors to build dual-boot devices, which would be able to run both Android 5.0 and Windows 8. The report also suggests Google may be eying the notebook and netbook markets with Android 5.0. Android 3.0 Honeycomb was a tablet-only OS, and Google then unified its mobile platform with Android 4.0, which is optimized for both smartphones and tablets. This new report seems to suggest Google is shifting the focus of Android 5.0 back to tablets and maybe even to notebooks in light of Chrome OS’s slow adoption. Android 5.0 may already be facing challenges, however, as the report claims Google’s Android partners are “turning conservative about Android 5.0″ due to Android 4.0″s slow adoption thus far. A number of vendors are currently working on updating their recent devices to Android 4.0, and several Ice Cream Sandwich-powered smartphones and tablets will be unveiled later this month at Mobile World Congress. If DigiTimes’s report turns out to be accurate, Google could be pushing Android fragmentation to new heights with Jelly Bean. Vendors like Motorola plan to roll out Android 4.0 updates for their devices over the course of the second and third quarters, and Ice Cream Sandwich may already be obsolete by the time it finally arrives on these smartphones and tablets.

Banquet dinner

I just don't understand what is so special about iOS. Since you can't do too much of anything to it in its pristine state and I haven't seen anything that it does out of the ordinary, I just get the feeling its a glorified app launcher once you take the phone and messaging capabilities out of it. Maybe I haven't played enough with one and need a true fanboy to enlighten me on the experience.

One good thing that would come of an AT&T buyout of Leap is the instant closure of all these low rent store front Cricket stores and shabby kiosk's you see. Not to disparage the needy, but you can count on standing room only at Cricket on the 1st & 15th when the government checks come it. These places are so small and shady looking and look like a fire hazard. An AT&T buyout would be a public service.

No push for ICS today. Rumors are floating around that this rollout of ICS was for internal Sprint use. Hopefully that means their testing to see if there are any bugs to work out.

I don't know where LS2 keeps finding these rabbits to pull out of its hat, but I give them credit in trying to hang around. Just when I think they're down to the last straw, They try something different. http://www.bloomberg...ghtsquared.html

You can find it at the Dollar store in the aisle right next to the spray on hair.

The numbers are already out, just not widely known. Clear suffered a drop in WiMAX customers the past quarter and the initial blame is the iPhone. Remember, Clear gets approx. $10 per phone from Sprint, and since just about all Sprint's hi & mid-range phones were WiMAX, Clear was raking in the dough. Now enter the iPhone and Clears percentages begin to drop. Now that Sprint is going to LTE in about 120 days and you can't give a WiMax phone away except for the Epic Touch. Just looking at this scenario, Clear is going to be in trouble again . Thus you hear them trumpeting the addition of new MVNO's and shopping for other wholesale groups. Clear may expect this will be enough to tide them over until next year. I hope so, or they may be forced into bankruptcy. I don't know if Sprint can support that large of a cash infusion to keep them afloat or if Clear has enough cash to keep the engine running until next June. Just my thoughts.

That pesky AT&T. The grave of the T-Mobile merger isn't even cold yet and its going after Cricket. This one may pass FCC muster. http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/16/2801647/at-t-leap-wireless-purchase-spectrum AT&T pursuing Leap Wireless purchase for its spectrum? AT&T has made no bones about its need for more wireless spectrum, and now that it can't acquire T-Mobile, it's considering a myriad of options to fill in the gaps. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the company is in the midst of talks with Leap Wireless, which owns the more well-known brand Cricket, saying that the two sides "have been engaged in talks about a potential deal." The talks are apparently the result of a rapport the two companies built up when AT&T was considering selling Leap some spectrum to make the T-Mobile acquisition more palatable. Though any potential deal is reportedly months away, it could remove out one of the more successful smaller carriers from the marketplace. It's no surprise that AT&T is looking at all options, including possible deals with MetroPCS and even Dish Network, which recently tussled with AT&T in FCC filings over its own wireless plans. Dish might not be interested in selling, the WSJ reports, and MetroPCS is also apparently not looking like a likely partner. While AT&T's spectrum crunch is a problem, it has to be said that the company is still managing to roll out LTE fairly well in the short term. Compared to T-Mobile (which has yet to detail any clear LTE plans) and Sprint (which has to now manage without LightSquared's network), the situation could certainly be worse.

Unknown danger

I hope the E4GT gets it too and soon. That's the phone my wife wants since she's still carrying her Palm Pre. I'm hoping the rumors of the GSll+ come true for Sprint and I'll get that for her instead since it should have ICS on board.

I'll be satisfied with an LTE phone if it at least has 800/1900 on it. I'm beginning to think that Clearwire may not be ready with the handoff systems its been working on, especially now that the news is out that its network won't be turned on until next June.

School zone

Good news for NS4G owners like me! Stock and no Alpha or Beta builds. Hopefully coming to other phones soon. http://www.sprintfeed.com/2012/02/nexus-s-4g-ice-cream-sandwich-update-starts-feb-16th/ Nexus S 4G Ice Cream Sandwich Update Starts Feb. 16th After much debate of which device would be Sprint’s first smartphone to carry Android 4.0, it appears the burning question has been answered. Our pals over at AndroidPolice have gotten hold of an internal screenshot which pegs the highly anticipated Nexus S 4G Ice Cream Sandwich update for a February 16th release. Like most software updates, this will most likely hit over a matter of days. If you’re among the lucky ducks that happen to get hold of the software push during its first wave, be sure to share your experience with us and the rest of the world.

Dirty dancing

I'm with you although I balk at paying Verizon's elitist prices, although I probably would before going back to AT&T. If only T-Mobile didn't have its Swiss cheese coverage where I live. They would become a serious contender if I ever switched.

Should be their new tag line. Copyright it before they think about it.

Saw an article on CNET last week talking about the joys of having permanent batteries like the iPhone and Razr MAXX. Helps with the design of the phone, but no solution if you have to do a battery pull, your stuck doing a hard reset then. The OEM's and carriers haven't thought out a way to support that type of device effectively yet..

Apple is only doing what a good monopolist is suppose to do. Destroy the competition and rule the world. You don't get mad at a wolf who eats your livestock. You just go out and hunt them down & shoot them. Apple is poisoning the waters and my find it has to drink it one day. Piss enough people off and you only have your loyal followers behind you.

LS2 needs to take the remaining funds it has and set up monitoring to see which industry devices bleed over into its spectrum and bill the offender for its use. LS2 could recoup a bunch of money that way. Silly, I know but its a waste to see a good idea and business plan go down the drain because of politicians, sloppy manufacturers and politicians.

NV will help Sprint maintain its customer base, but as far as catching up? It will never happen. Sprint is a distant 3rd compared in size to the other two. Even if they merged with T-Mobile they would still be in third place. Sprint doesn't have to be a "niche" player, but it will have to do something to make it stand out from the rest. Keeping unlimited data is a start if they can maintain it after everyone migrates to LTE 3-5 years in the future. However, they will always be able to attract more subs, especially if it caters to the arrogance of the Big Two. Todays article about AT&T blaming its customers for its data mess is hilarious and Sprint will surely benefit from it with the right timing and marketing. http://www.bgr.com/2012/02/15/att-on-data-throttling-blame-yourselves/