AT&T Heavyweights: HTC One X vs Nokia Lumia 900 (Video)

If you haven't noticed, AT&T has really turned up the heat in advertising its latest smartphoneheavyweights. Now feeling the pressure from two other iPhone-carrying competitors, it's working hard to maintain a diversified smartphone portfolio, and it's doing a pretty good job of it, too. 

In line with that goal, AT&T has been heavily marketing its version of the HTC One X, as well as the Nokia Lumia 900. Of course, those of us who make the mobile industry our occupation, hobby, or obsession know the differences between these two high-end devices, but most people don't. So if you're an AT&T customer in the market for a great top-of-the-line smartphone experience, and you're weighing your non-iPhone options, what's the story on these beauties? 

Fortunately, thanks to the friendly folks at AT&T, we happen to have an HTC One X and a Nokia Lumia 900 here. Why don't we put them side by side and compare a few elements of the user experience on each? Better yet, why don't we roll a camera while we're doing that? 

I think we're onto something with this idea. 

HTC Golf Shows Up In Real-Life Pictures As Wildfire/Desire C

First we've seen an image taken by the HTC Golf and then we've taken a look at the first devicepress shot but today we have some live pictures with the phone which seems to borrow many of the new design principles applied by HTC to its One line-up. 

The phone is believed to be also known as the HTC Wildfire C -- and now, from the source of the images, the Desire C -- and it is believed to land with a sub-gigahertz processor. Ice Cream Sandwich will be the OS powering it and Sense 4.0 will try to make it more usable. There's also a 3.5-inch, 480 x 320 pixel display believed to be on it as well as 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage onboard. 

HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon hands-on at CTIA 2012 (update: video)

This handset didn't surprise anyone when it was officially announced at CTIA Wireless 2012, but we're still happy to spend time with the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE for Verizon Wireless regardless. After catching enough glimpses of the smartphone over the past few months, we already had a good idea of what to expect: Big Red's latest LTE device will have Ice Cream Sandwich dressed in Sense 4, a 4-inch Super LCD qHD panel, a 1.2GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 (Krait), 1,700mAh user-removable battery, microSD support and an 8MP BSI f/2.2 camera with a 28mm lens.

If you're familiar with either the OG HTC Droid Incredible or its sequel, you'll instantly recognize the trusty hump on the back of the third iteration -- Verizon and HTC haven't strayed too far from the design formula here. Aside from the Sense 4 firmware hiding inside the phone, the Incredible 4G LTE has little in common with its cousins, the One X and One S. Frankly, we're still left pondering if the carrier will come out with a version of its own, since we've seen the other three national powers get a high-profile device from the Taiwanese manufacturer.

We had a very similar feeling when holding the new Incredible, one easily related to how we felt with its predecessors. It's quite light, and it actually feels thinner than it really is. All in all, the phone is very comfortable to hold, and from our few minutes of using it, it seemed to be rather smooth. Naturally, as we expected, Verizon reps warned us that it's running on preliminary firmware at the moment, so we don't take a lot of stock in its performance, good or bad. All in all, it's exactly how we thought it would be -- a refreshed version of the Incredible 2, with a much better processor and a few other notable bumps in specs. Head below to check out a few images of Verizon's newest darling.

Update: Our hands-on video is now live after the break.

HTC Incredible 4G LTE hands-on

Myriam Joire contributed to this report.

Virgin Mobile USA and Boost take WiMAX live, ship HTC EVO V 4G and EVO Design 4G on May 31

In sync with Sprint's plans to get its sub-brands on 4G using its legacy WiMAX network, both Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile have trotted out their initial 4G lineups. The early Virgin mix includes retreads of two Sprint data-only devices -- a Broadband2Go-badged version of the Sierra WirelessOverdrive Pro 3G/4G hotspot and a matching version of the Franklin U600 previously seen at Clear. Virgin's real star, however, is the HTC EVO V 4G: though it's ultimately the EVO 3D with a slightly more 2D name, it's shipping with Android 4.0 from the start and has HTC's Frankenstein-like Sense 3.6 rather than the 4.0 of the One series. The network upgrade and all three new devices swing into action on May 31, and while your $35 minimum monthly plan will stay in effect even with unlimited on-device 4G, you'll need to spend $300 (contract-free) to take home an EVO V 4G, $150 on the Overdrive Pro or $100 on the U600 stick.

Boost Mobile is also going the Sprint rebadge route through the HTC EVO Design 4G. As with its bigger brother over at Virgin, the single-core EVO Design 4G is identical in hardware to its Sprint equivalent but slaps Android 4.0 and Sense 3.6 on top to keep the software fresh. The update does mark the first time a Boost phone gets Visual Voicemail, so you can feel slightly less guilty when you miss a call. HTC's phone will oddly cost the same $300 off-contract as the more advanced EVO V 4G, although Boost is likely counting on customers sticking around long enough for an all-inclusive unlimited plan to drop to $40 per month and make it worthwhile.

Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile 4G devices

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Virgin Mobile USA Introduces 4G with No-Contract Plans Starting as Low as $35 per Month

First 4G smartphone on Beyond Talk is the HTC EVO™ V 4G, part of the award-winning EVO family

Overdrive Pro 3G/4G mobile hotspot by Sierra Wireless and U600 3G/4G USB Stick by Franklin Wireless come to Broadband2Go

WARREN, N.J. (BUSINESS WIRE), May 08, 2012 - Virgin Mobile USA continues to demonstrate how it's answering to A Higher Calling with the speed of 4G, by offering customers who prefer a no-contract option the fully loaded HTC EVO™ V 4G on Virgin Mobile Beyond Talk monthly plans. The data-centric offers start at $35 per month for unlimited data and messaging. HTC EVO V 4G will be available for $299.99 beginning May 31.

Virgin Mobile USA Introduces 4G Speed with the HTC EVO V (Photo: Business Wire)

As Sir Richard Branson states in his video manifesto for A Higher Calling, "Why pay for minutes when it's unlimited data you really want?" Now customers will be able to enjoy unlimited 4G data where available and messaging on an iconic Android™-powered device, all for just $35/month.1 Virgin Mobile USA was recently "Highest Ranked Customer Service Performance among Non-Contract Wireless Providers" by J.D. Power and Associates.2

"'Higher Calling' means we continue to look for ways to give our customers the best products possible at a great price, and we know our hyper-connected Beyond Talk customers will appreciate the real affordability paired with the innovative technology of the HTC EVO," said Jeff Auman, vice president for Virgin Mobile USA. "You just can't beat the value of EVO V 4G with plans starting at just $35 per month."

On the mobile broadband side, Virgin Mobile's Broadband2Go continues to offer no-contract plans ideal for people who need internet access when they're out and about. The versatile Overdrive Pro™ 3G/4G mobile hotspot by Sierra Wireless ($149.99) and the powerful U600 3G/4G USB Stick by Franklin Wireless ($99.99) provide customers two ways to stay connected at 4G speeds. "The launch of these two devices demonstrates our commitment to bring 4G speeds and innovation to our Broadband2Go customers who chose to forgo a contract as well," said Auman.

All three devices will operate on Sprint's 3G and 4G (WiMAX) network and be available beginning on May 31 at VirginMobileUSA.com. They will then be available in June at major retailers and at select independent dealers nationwide.

Going Beyond Talk

The HTC EVO V 4G strengthens Virgin Mobile USA's Android-powered smartphone lineup by adding such features as Android 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich and HTC Sense 3.6 user interface.

Proving that customers don't have to sacrifice technology to choose a prepaid smartphone that keeps them connected, HTC EVO V 4G specifications also include:

* Mobile hotspot capability – Connect up to five Wi-Fi devices
* 5MP camera with video and 3D HD imaging, and 1.3MP front-facing camera
* 4.3-inch qHD touchscreen
* 1730mAh battery (up to six hours of talk time)
* 1GB RAM/4GB ROM
* External micro SD memory card slot up to 32GB (8GB card included)
* HDMI and Bluetooth-capable

HTC EVO V 4G customers will enjoy Virgin Mobile USA Beyond Talk plans starting at just $35 a month for 300 minutes of voice with unlimited messaging and data.4 And the mobile hotspot on the HTC EVO V 4G can be added for this device on any Beyond Talk plan for an additional $15 per month.

Pairing Broadband2Go with 4G

Virgin Mobile's new monthly 3G/4G Broadband2Go plans, combined with these new devices, allow customers to hook up their tablets, laptops, and other wireless devices. Starting at just $35/month, customers can enjoy access to unlimited 4G data. Where 4G coverage is not available, the $35 plan keeps you connected with 2GB of 3G data. For $55/month, customers benefit from unlimited 4G data and a whopping 5GB of 3G data.

The Overdrive Pro 3G/4G mobile hotspot connects up to five Wi-Fi enabled devices, making it ideal for families on-the-go and independent professionals. The compact device has top battery strength and a 1.7-inch LCD screen that makes setting up a cinch. It also offers a microSD slot for up to 32GB of shared network storage.

* The U600 3G/4G USB Stick supports Mac OS and Windows, and a rotating connector makes it easy to fit in most laptop configurations.

* Setting up your Broadband2Go account is extremely simple, and there are no activation fees. Top-Up can be handled online with a Virgin Mobile Top-Up card, debit or credit card.

Sprint 4G (WiMAX) is currently available to 120 million people in 71 markets across the country with average upload speeds of between 3-6 Mbps, with bursts of more than 10 Mbps.

Boost Mobile Pairs the Speed of 4G and Android Monthly Unlimited for as Low as $40 with HTC EVO Design 4G

IRIVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Boost Mobile, ranked Highest in Purchase Experience among Non-Contract Wireless Providers by J.D. Power and Associates¹, today announced the May 31 release of HTC EVO Design 4G™, a member of the award-winning EVO family. This robust Android smartphone will operate on Sprint's 3G and 4G (WiMAX) networks, bringing 4G speeds to Boost Mobile customers in 71 markets across the country with average upload speeds between 3-6 Mbps with bursts of more than 10 Mbps.

This will be the first device that pairs the speed of 4G with the value of Boost Mobile's award-winning, no-contract $55 Android Monthly Unlimited plan with Shrinking Payments. For every six on-time payments, the cost of Boost Mobile's Monthly Unlimited plan shrinks by $5, eventually getting down to as low as $40 a month for unlimited nationwide talk, text messaging, Web, email and calls to 411. Payments do not need to be consecutive to qualify for the next savings milestone.

HTC EVO Design 4G will be available on May 31 for $299.99 (excluding taxes) at Boost Mobile's exclusive retail stores, select independent wireless dealer locations nationwide and at www.boostmobile.com with free shipping. It will be available in June at Best Buy, Radio Shack and Walmart.

"We are telling our customers to 'Be Heard' and not sacrifice technology or speed for value," said Andre Smith, vice president-Boost Mobile. "HTC EVO Design is a strong match with Boost's $55 Monthly Unlimited plan enabling our customers to enjoy the features of this robust device. With our shrinking monthly plans, customers will be able to enjoy an unlimited experience on an EVO device for as low as $40 a month – an industry first."

Launching as a no-contract exclusive with Boost Mobile, HTC EVO Design 4G boasts many of the "must-have" features of its post-paid predecessors, including a 4-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display, while sporting a slim, pocket-friendly aluminum unibody design. HTC EVO Design 4G combines the acclaimed HTC Sense™ experience with Android™ 4.0, Ice Cream Sandwich. Additional features include:

* 1.2GHz processor

* 5MP rear-facing camera/camcorder with flash and HD video recording and 1.3MP front-facing camera for video chat

* Stereo Bluetooth

* Visual Voicemail

* Wi-Fi hotspot capable

* External memory slot for up to 32GB (2GB card included.)

For the first time on Boost Mobile, this device will include Visual Voicemail, powered by Smith Micro. At no additional cost, users can listen to messages in their order of preference and manage them with a simple tap of the screen.

This is also the first Boost Mobile device enabled with built-in mobile hotspot functionality allowing up to five 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. Use of this feature requires an additional fee of $10 per month.

Later this year, in order to provide the best value and customer experience, Boost Mobile will move to reduce 3G/4G data speeds to 3G speeds of 256kbps when a customer's data usage exceeds 2.5GB in a month. Customers who go over the 2.5GB threshold may experience slower page loads, file downloads and streaming media. Data speeds will restore to full 3G/4G speeds when a customer's new monthly plan begins.

Boost Mobile will continue to provide unlimited data access without a contract, usage cap, overage or activation fees. Based on recent usage patterns, approximately 95 percent of Boost Mobile customers use less than 2.5GB of data usage per month and will not experience any difference in their experience. Boost Mobile is committed to ensuring an unlimited robust data experience and intends to maintain 3G data speeds of 256 Kbps even after surpassing 2.5GB in a given month.

HTC Sensation 4G ICS Update Coming "Very Soon", Says T-Mobile

With Ice Cream Sandwich already available for international versions of the HTC Sensation, T-Mobile users have been rightly curious as to when their own Sensation 4Gs might be seeing a similar release. Delays getting the update out had started taking a nasty turn last month, with some users accusing T-Mobile of intentionally withholding the updateto drive sales of new ICS models. The carrier firmly rejected that claim, and pointed to the need for adequate testing before the update could be released. It looks like that day may end up being quite soon, with T-Mobile announcing today that it's finished testing the Sensation 4G's ICS update. 

According to the carrier, the smartphone's ICS update should "be available very soon". Sadly, today's news doesn't go into anything more specific than that, but if testing really is totally completed, an OTA release within the course of week doesn't sound too unreasonable. 

A leaked roadmap from late last week suggested that T-Mobile was planning the Sensation 4G's ICS update for June 16, when it would release the code alongside the ICS update for the Amaze 4G. It's pretty hard to marry the idea of waiting another six weeks with the news that testing on the update is already done, so we're inclined to think the information conveyed in that leak may have been off. 

Could Sprint Get HTC's EVO 4G LTE As Soon As Next Month?

HTC's One series of Androids are currently generating some of the most buzz of any smartphones around; based on our experiences with them, we can certainly understand why. The most recent model to be announced is the EVO 4G LTE for Sprint's new LTE network, featuring some upgraded One XL hardware. Sprint revealed the EVO 4G LTE just a couple weeks ago, and while it announced that pre-orders for the phone would open on May 7, it didn't have an actual retail launch date to share. A new rumor suggests that there will only be a short delay between the start pre-orders and retail sales, with the EVO 4G LTE arriving on May 18. 

Back when the EVO 4G LTE still looked like it might be launched as the EVO One, we heard a rumor that said the phone wouldn't see its release until sometime in early June, with both June 6 and June 10 floated as possibilities. 

Without knowing more about the source behind this new rumor, and how close he or she may be to the release plans, it's difficult to weigh its validity. Certainly, there's nothing about the idea of a May 18 release that sounds particularly unreasonable, but we can say the same about those June dates, as well. For the moment, it's just one more to consider as we wait for official confirmation. 

HTC EVO Design 4G Coming to Boost Mobile

We recently learned that Virgin Mobile would soon be offering the HTC EVO 3D (as the HTC EVO V 4G), and now a reliable source has revealed that sister brand Boost Mobile will begin carrying yet another Sprint handset, the HTC EVO Design 4G. This pair of smartphones will be the most premium devices ever offered by the two prepaid carriers, which have only recently begun to sell Android smartphones -- and have only very recently started stocking mid- to high-end phones like the LG Marquee (Boost) and Motorola Triumph (Virgin). Virgin has also been tipped to add the HTC One V to its lineup. 

As for the EVO Design 4G -- long known by its codename, Kingdom -- consumers can expect the same 1.2GHz processor and 768MB of RAM pushing a four-inch, 960x540 qHD display as found on the Sprintversion of the handset. However, this WiMax-capable phone, with dual five-megapixel and 1.3-megapixel cameras, will apparently run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, and not 2.3 Gingerbread as with Sprint's Design 4G. Hotspot capabilities should also be available. 

Look for Boost's EVO Design 4G to launch before the end of this quarter.

HTC EVO 4G LTE vs. Nokia Lumia 900 (Video)

We had a few moments to put the recently-announced HTC EVO 4G LTE up against the new Windows Phone-powered Nokia Lumia 900 at the EVO 4G LTE launch event in New York. These phones are very different. The EVO 4G LTE runs with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich and utilizes HTC's Sense 4.0 interface, while the Lumia 900 is running Windows Phone 7.5 Mango with a small handful of software additions made by Nokia. 

The Lumia 900 is certainly heavier than the EVO 4G LTE, despite being less tall and wide. The Lumia 900 also has a less precise screen due to its WVGA resolution, but if you like the deep contrast provided by an AMOLED screen, the Lumia 900 will look better to your eyes. And in our unscientific web browsing speed test, the Lumia 900 beat out the EVO 4G LTE, perhaps because of network connectivity issues. 


Another thing to consider is price. The Lumia 900 can be had for $99 or less on contract, while the EVO 4G LTE, when it ships in June, will cost twice as much at $199. That said, if you use a lot of data, you might save money with Sprint's unlimited data plan.

HTC One X Gets SuperBoot Root Before Release, Sort Of

Ok, rule number one about rooting a product: If you cracked the code, keep it to yourself until the product gets launched or you'll probably see an OEM gaining their lead on you. The HTC One X is probably a month away from getting released to the public and already it seems that MoDaCo has figured out a way to get SuperBoot to do some rooting fun. It's sadly not the one-click solution that every mortal like you and me love, but hey, it's still there. 

Probably my only concern about this success is talking about it so early in the game. They just gave HTC a full month to go back to their code, review it again and make sure that they don't release it unless it's root-proof. That's the only reason why we consider that even if SuperBoot support exists, it sort of doesn't guarantee that it'll work on the finally released product. 

Anyway, join me in crossing our fingers for things to continue working once you and I hit the "Buy Now" button. The HTC One X is probably one of our favorite devices launched at MWC and you can bet we'll do our best to not only get it, but to root it for your viewing pleasure. 

HTC Droid Incredible 4G Stops By The FCC Before Reaching Verizon

HTC may only plan to stay in the market with "One" series, but that doesn't mean that they plan to ditch their previous projects. Leaks of the HTCDroid Incredible 4G have been among us for the past couple of months, and especially because of that LTE band 13 which belongs to Verizon's own piece of speedy heaven at 700MHz. 

Sadly, well, the image doesn't do any better than the past leaks we showed you. It may just be just another Incredible on a new set of steroids, since we've expected this to become the final name for the HTC Fireball that we've been drooling over since CES. Sadly no final images, no specs and a tad of Gingerbread from the previous leaks may disappoint, but who knows, we might be in for a surprise. 

Smart Screen Off Uses the Proximity Sensor to Stop Pocket-Dialing

One of the benefits HTC builds into many of their devices is a feature that turns the screen off based on input from the phone's proximity sensor. Doing so helps save precious battery life and prevents accidental screen taps (no more "butt dialing"!). Additionally, HTC's implementation allows you to turn your smartphone face-down to not only turn off the screen, but silence your alerts as well. Great for meetings! 

Non-HTC phones probably don't have this feature. That frustrated one particular developer, and he decided to do something about it. His app is called Smart Screen Off, and it simply turns your screen off when yourphone is in close proximity to something. That something could be a pocket, a purse, or even being set face-down on a table. 

You're thinking, hey, why not just hit the lock button? Sure, you could do that, but not only is that two actions, it also puts the phone to sleep. This solution simply turns off the screen (both the display and the touch-sensors). Resuming from that condition is MUCH faster than resuming from sleep. Unfortunately, it doesn't mute the alerts like HTC's solution does. 

Even still, it's intriguing, and I gave it a try. 

The app comes in two flavors: "Lite" and "Pro". They're basically the same app, but the "Lite" version doesn't let you save any settings. The "Pro" version costs under US$1.50 and provides the following options that the "Lite" version does not: 

- Start on Boot 
- Disable when in LandScape mode 
- Vibrate when screen is turned OFF 
- Vibrate when screen is turned ON 
- Hide Icon 
- Hide Notification Messages 
- Enable/Disable on shake 
- Don't screen on after screen Off 

If you're curious, give the Lite version a try. If you like it, uninstall it and purchase the "Pro" version. 

Smart Screen Off LITE 

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