Everything Everywhere to show off 4G LTE at brand event

EE may bring 4G LTE connectivity out of the box for iPhone 5 buyers

Everything Everywhere, which owns T-Mobile and Orange in the UK, will launch a new network at a branding event in London next week.

The company sent out invites on Friday to its Brand New event, which will be on September 11, on the evening before the iPhone 5 launches in the United States.

EE will also discuss the "latest innovation in network technology," meaning we're likely to hear more about its plans to roll out a 4G LTE network later this year.

The date of the event is significant, because Apple's iPhone 5 is largely expected to be the first to have 4G LTE internet speeds.

Massive leg-up

If that's the case, it would give Everything Everywhere a massive leg-up on the competition, during the annual network scrap for the attentions of iPhone fans.

Android central reports that the 4G LTE network will be switched on, in some capacity, on September 11, which means some new iPhone 5 owners could get next-gen internet speeds out of the box.

Whether any further 4G LTE-capable devices will be announced at the event, remains to be seen.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/everything-everywhere-to-show-off-4g-lte-at-brand-event-1095741

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Nokia Lumia Flame, a 710 replacement, in the works?

Nokia led the Windows Phone 8 assault with two high-end parts - the Lumia 920 and 820 - with rumors that mid- and low-end parts will launch early next year. The first of these devices to enter the rumor mill was the Zeal with cut down 820 specs, now there's the Flame.

According to The Verge, the Nokia Lumia Flame will be a Windows Phone 8 device with a 4" screen (judging by the 820, it will likely have WVGA resolution). The chipset is said to be the same one as in the Zeal - dual-core 1GHz processor and 512MB RAM.

Other known specs on the Flame is a 5MP camera and 4GB of built-in storage with a microSD card slot.

While the Zeal and Flame will take over from the Lumia 710, there's also talk of a Lumia Glory to replace the 610. It is said to be a Windows Phone 7.8 device, not 8, and have a 4" screen, 800MHz CPU and 256MB RAM.

The three phones - Zeal, Flame and Glory - are expected in the first quarter of next year.

Source

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_lumia_flame_a_710_replacement_in_the_works-news-4778.php

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Google Earth/Maps adds new satellite, aerial and 45-degree imagery for locations worldwide

Google has updated its Earth and Maps products with a stack of new and refreshed satellite, aerial and 45-degree imagery.

As competition intensifies in the world of online mapping, Google continues to refresh and add to its existing data, on Friday rolling out ever more detailed satellite and aerial imagery for a plethora of locations around the world.

Detailed in a post on the Web giant’s Lat-Long blog, Google geo data strategist Eric Kolb said users would be able to enjoy “another extensive refresh to our high resolution aerial and satellite imagery, as well as new 45-degree imagery in Google Maps spanning 30 new cities.”

Google Earth is already showing new aerial shots for over 20 locations, together with refreshed satellite imagery for over 60 different regions around the world. In his post, Kolb said the new aerial and satellite data isn’t yet showing on Maps but will be soon. However, Maps is already showing the 45-degree imagery.

Countries with refreshed high-res satellite data include the US, Brazil, Morocco, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Bordeaux in France, San Sebastian in Spain, Rome in Italy, Salzburg in Austria and the UK’s Olympic Park are just a few of the locations featuring new high-res aerial imagery, together with a bunch of places across the US.

New 45-degree imagery has been introduced for 23 US cities – among them Bend OR, Buffalo NY, Cincinnati OH and Wilmington NC – as well as seven international locations, including Bordeaux and Marseille in France, and Blanes in Spain.

The entire list of places displaying new or updated imagery can be found in Kolb’s blog post here.

Google is continuing to work hard on improving its map-based offerings, with new features and updates being introduced all the time. Other companies are beginning to move into the space, encouraged by businesses and app developers looking elsewhere for Web-based mapping data following Google’s decision to start charging for it.

OpenStreetMap has been gaining a lot of fans recently, and at next week’s Apple event we should be getting a launch date for iOS 6, which will bring the Cupertino’s own Maps app to the home screen of millions of iPhones and iPads around the world, replacing Google Maps as the default map provider.

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-maps-adds-new-imagery-for-locations-worldwide/

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Trouble ahead? 4G LTE Kindle Fire doesn’t yet have FCC approval for sale

Amazon is marketing its new 4G LTE Kindle Fire HD tablet despite the fact that it hasn't yet received approval from the Federal Communications Commission. The situation has been described as unusual by attorneys and analysts familiar with the FCC's procedures.

You’d hope Amazon knows exactly what it’s doing, but the fact that it announced its new high-end 4G LTE Kindle Fire HD tablet before receiving approval for sale from the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) will strike some as a little odd, and has been described as unusual by attorneys and analysts with knowledge of the FCC’s procedures .

The FCC tests all new wireless communication devices to discover if they interfere with other signals. Once cleared, the product is allowed to go on sale. According to a Reuters report on Thursday, Amazon has yet to get the green light, despite promising to ship the product on November 20.

The report said that a confirmation email from the e-commerce giant in response to a pre-order for the 8.9-inch 4G LTE Kindle Fire HD said: “We will send you an email asking you to confirm your pre-order of Kindle Fire when it is approved for sale by the Federal Communications Commission.”

Speaking to Reuters about the situation, John Jackson, a wireless analyst at CCS Insight, said, “I can’t think of an instance where a device has been offered by a US carrier or an independent retailer that has not had FCC approval yet.”

Charles Golvin, a wireless analyst at Forrester Research, suggests that failure to get FCC approval prior putting the device on the market can probably be put down to Amazon’s lack of experience with wireless products.

It’s not just the selling of the device which is prohibited prior to FCC approval – marketing is also banned, unless a disclaimer is included in the promotional material.

Amazon is, however, clear about the situation with its new high-end tablet, stating on its website, “The 4G device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.”

Mitchell Lazarus of law firm Fletcher told Reuters that in most cases companies with new wireless communication products go through the procedures with the FCC “so they don’t have to make these awkward disclaimers.”

It’s being suggested that approval may be taking a little longer than usual as the 4G wireless modem being used in Amazon’s tablet is of a new type, whereas many gadgets sent to the FCC for approval contain modems used in products previously passed by the FCC, and so go through the process more quickly.

The other Kindle Fires announced by Amazon on Thursday are Wi-Fi only devices and are fit for sale.

If the FCC does find some serious issues with Amazon’s priciest Kindle Fire, the company will have limited time to sort it out before the holiday season kicks off. Failure to have it on the shelves by then would be hugely damaging for the Seatlle-based company as it attempts to increase its share of a market still dominated by Apple with its popular iPad tablet. 

Source : http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/4g-kindle-fire-doesnt-yet-have-fcc-approval-for-sale/

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Report: iPhone 5 will have international LTE support

Apple's LTE is going global

The Apple iPhone 5 may support LTE globally, allowing users to jump from country to country and continent to continent without losing their lightening fast connectivity.

This is according to a recent report, with sources telling the Wall Street Journal the device can pick up on LTE in places like the U.S., Europe and Asia.

While this is exciting in terms of connectivity and speed, the sources also said not every carrier will offer the service.

Showdown at the LTE corral

Apple needs to watch itself, however, as Samsung has threatened to sue if the Cupertino releases an LTE device.

Samsung holds 819 LTE patents and while the iPad 3 has LTE connectivity, the Korean company seems to be lying in wait for the iPhone 5, likely as payback for the $1.05 billion in damages it's supposed to pay Apple in lawsuit damages.

Apple has picked up several hundred LTE patents (434, to be exact) over the last year to cover itself against Samsung's potent patents, but that doesn't guarantee Samsung won't engage in a long, drawn out court battle with their rival.

TechRadar will have live coverage of Apple's Sept. 12 event from San Francisco, where we expect the iPhone 5 to make its prodigious debut.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/report-iphone-5-will-have-international-lte-support-1095688

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Sources: two lower end Nokia Windows Phone 8s are coming

Lower than the 820?

With the launch of its first two Windows Phone 8 handsets earlier this week - the Lumia 920 and 820 - Nokia's been riding a roller coaster of positive reviews and lowered expectations.

Perhaps the introduction of another pair Windows Phone 8 smartphones, this time on the shallower end of the spectrum, will peak consumers interest even higher and send naysayers packing.

Sources talking to The Verge said the Finnish carrier is planning two such phones, the "Zeal" and "Flame."

The Zeal, first learned about Tuesday, is pegged to fall somewhere in the middle of Nokia's Lumia offings.

It'll reportedly measure 4.3 inches and pack a 1.0GHz dual-core processor. According to the sources, the Zeal will have a Zune-inspired design and fit into Nokia's standard unibody frame.

A microSD slot, 512MB of RAM and 8GB of storage are the only other specs available now for the phone.

Expect to see Nokia launch its zealous mid-ranger in early 2013.

Not a one off

Seemingly stuck on coupling its Windows Phone 8 handsets, The Verge learned Friday another low-spec phone, the Flame, could come early next year as well.

This one should reach 4-inch in length and it too will have a 1.0GHz dual-core processor with 512MB of RAM.

However, it differs from the Zeal - so far at least - as it looks like it features a 5MP camera and has 4GB of storage.

Sources say the Flame may get an optional microSD card boost and to fall into the Lumia 610 and 710's price ranges.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sources-two-lower-end-nokia-windows-phone-8s-are-coming-1095684

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Samsung OS a viable option, Verizon CEO says

Bada bing, bada boom (credit: Samsung)

Samsung has the potential to be a strong No. 3 in the mobile operating system race, at least in the eyes of Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam.

During an investor conference call Friday, he painted the Korean electronics giant as a "dark horse" that could rival Apple iOS and Google Android.

Currently, Samsung's smartphones run either the Android OS or Windows Phone OS.

But by marrying its hardware expertise with new software, McAdam said, the company would free itself from relying on partners like Google and Microsoft.

It's a possibility…

The good news for Samsung is that it wouldn't have to start from scratch. The company has a working smartphone OS called Bada, which runs the Samsung Wave 3 and a few other devices available outside of the U.S.

McAdam didn't extend his speculation by saying whether or not he saw Bada leading this "dark horse" candidate to the No. 3 position.

However, he did cite the Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit verdict as another reason he believes Samsung could go down this path of independence, according to CNET.

Last month, a jury awarded Apple $1.049 billion, ruling that Samsung infringed upon several of the Cupertino company's patents. Appeals and an injunction hearing await.

Microsoft, Blackberry have potential, too

While McAdam referred to Samsung as the "potential elephant in the room," he did take a minute to visit the entire zoo of mobile OS manufacturers.

After all, Microsoft and RIM are two Verizon partners still vying for that No. 3 position that Samsung isn't even fully going after yet.

"What I like about Microsoft, it's not tied to one piece of hardware," he said of the Windows Phone operating system.

So far, Verizon has four phones running either the Windows 7 or 7.5 OS and McAdam said that he's excited about their products.

Likewise, he's not counting out RIM's BlackBerry line. Earlier this week, a Verizon executive said the carrier plans to sell BlackBerry 10 sometime this year.

It's unclear if Samsung will ever enter the fray with a renewed commitment to Bada or a newer operating system.

However, the company has enough electronics (from phones, to tablets, to HDTVs) that could support a mobile OS. Most importantly, Samsung seem to have the backing of at least one top carrier's CEO.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/software/operating-systems/samsung-os-a-viable-option-verizon-ceo-says-1095673

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