These plans were originally announced back on February 1st and at that time they came with options for either 500MB or 2GB of data. In the data-centric world that we currently live in, 2GB may be low for some and 500MB may even cause you to limit your smartphone usage. With that in mind, Verizon has bumped the allowances to 2GB and 4GB.

Specifically, the $60 plan has 2GB and the $70 plan has 4GB. Each of these plans also offer unlimited talk and text messaging. And for those keeping track, while the data has increased, the price of the plans has remained the same. Customers who are already signed up will see the new data allowance immediately.

Otherwise, new customers choosing these plans will have to wait until June 6th to see the 2GB ($60) and 4GB ($70) limits go in effect. Seems the better option here may be the 4GB plan, after all that is only a $10 per month increase and it offers double the data. Of course, for some 2GB may be enough to feel comfortable and not have to worry about going over.

Aside from Verizon upping the data, AT&T has also recently announced Aio Wireless. While the AT&T offering isn’t available in all markets just yet, it does seem to be one worth watching. For now Aio Wireless is available in Orlando, Tampa and Houston. The Aio smartphone plans begin at $55 per month and offer unlimited calling and messaging as well as 2GB of data. In other words, they seem to be fairly close in price to the Verizon prepaid options.

SOURCE: Verizon Wireless

The WiFi-only version will arrive in May with a global launch planned, and tips the scales at 302g. That will be followed by the slightly heavier – 306g – 3G model, which will have quadband HSPA+ support (850/900/1900/2100) and is due in June; Samsung is yet to confirm exactly where the 3G model will and won’t be sold.

Both tablets get a 3-megapixel rear camera and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, as well as WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz) with channel-bonding and WiFi Direct support. There’s also Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS, GLONASS, and a microSD card slot to add up to 64GB to the 8GB or 16GB of internal storage.

RAM is 1GB, while sensors include an accelerometer, digital compass, and light; the 3G version also has a proximity sensor, which we’re presuming will turn the screen off as you hold it to your face. That would imply voice calls, assuming your social life can withstand the horror of holding a 7-inch tablet up like a phone.

Samsung is yet to confirm pricing for either version of the Galaxy Tab 3.

This represents a fairly drastic rise in numbers, with subscribers hitting a million a tad over a year ago. Of course, just because an individual subscribes to 3G in North Korea does not mean they have access to the Internet – quite the contrary. Subscribers are able to make voice calls and send text messages, and cannot access the world wide web and cannot communication internationally.

Long-term visitors have different access that is a bit more free, but still regulates international access. And both of these are different than the 3G regulations that visitors were briefly under earlier this year, which allowed for access to the Internet in addition to texting and voice calls. The network availability spurred a flood of photos from within the closed-off nation on Instagram, one of which is featured above.

Sadly, the Internet access wasn’t available for even a solid month before it was cut-off from visitors, leaving them with just voice connectivity and nothing else. No official reason was given for why the Internet access was pulled, with some speculating that the amount of content from within the nation being published online fueled the decision.

[via North Korea Tech]
Image via Joseph Ferris III

According to JoyStiq, they called every Sony Store that was open, and nearly all of them have the PS Vita 3G for the discount price as part of a bundle that includes an 8GB memory card and a free PlayStation Network game. Only a handful of stores said they didn’t have it for the discount price, and the price change is not reflected online.

When asked about why the price had dropped, various stores had different explanations. Some said that the PS Vita is being discontinued and so the price drop is permanent as a result. While some stores didn’t have a time frame listed for the discount, a store in Seattle said that the price drop was temporary and would disappear this coming Sunday.

Needless to say, Sony hasn’t said anything about the discount, not surprising considering that its website doesn’t reflect the price drop. Regardless, if you’re in the market for a PS Vita 3G, call up your local store and ask if they’re having the sale. Stores throughout Los Angeles, as well as Orlando, Tampa, Houston, and Seattle, for example, are all offering the discount.

[via Joystiq]

The activation of its 3G network followed a law that was passed allowing visitors to bring their own smartphones into the country, new freedoms not bestowed onto the nation’s residents. The network is provided by carrier Koryolink, and while it provides visitors with a much-needed way to connect with the outside world, it doesn’t come without a hefty price tag.

The data network can be accessed by purchasing a SIM card that is available at the airport and at Koryolink retail stores for $70 USD. The card needs to be used with the visitor’s own smartphone, and is reported by the Associated Press as having a rate of 5 Euros per minutes for calls placed to the United States. Calls cannot be made using the SIM to South Korea.

For those more interested in the data connection aspect of the network rather than the voice capabilities, the service can also be used with a monthly-billed mobile broadband plan, which supports USB modems. For more Instagram pictures from within North Korea, check out the hashtag “#pyongyang”.

[via Digital Photography Review]

If you didn’t already catch it, these new plans are only for 3G smartphones, meaning that newer devices with LTE capabilities are out of the question, which means you’ll have to be rocking an older Android device or an iPhone 4 or 4S in order to take advantage of these new plans. That’s certainly not terrible news by any means, considering that you probably have an older device anyways if your current contract is about to expire.

While these new prepaid plans still might feel like highway robbery, the carrier only had one prepaid plan available at the time, which was an $80-per-month plan that got you unlimited talk and text, but only 1GB of data. This time around, you can get 2GB of data for $10 less per month. That still might not be the greatest deal, but it’s a much better option for those looking to save a bit of cash.

Personally, 2GB of data for $70 per month isn’t that bad, but considering how you could get unlimited data for $30 per month (on top of your voice and text plan, of course) just a year ago is pretty sad. Many people are switching to regional carriers in order to save cash, and many smaller wireless providers, like Straight Talk or Pure Talk, offer unlimited everything for under $50 per month.

That will change later in the year, however, with EE saying that it “will make 4G available for LIFE Mobile customers later in 2013.” Until then, subscribers will get the run of EE’s combined Orange and T-Mobile UK airwaves, which were coupled together back when the Everything Everywhere partnership was settled.

Details on the LIFE Mobile service itself have not been revealed, with Phones 4u saying that it will have more news – including pricing – closer to launch. However, the MVNO is described as “great value” and to “include data packages as standard.”

Thanks to the combined network, LIFE Mobile will be able to boast 98-percent 3G coverage of the UK population when it launches. Meanwhile, Phones 4u will continue to sell service from the existing UK network players – including EE – alongside its own LIFE Mobile options.

Previously, FaceTime was only available over cellular to customers with LTE or Mobile Share plans, and now, those who own the iPhone 4S and are on any tiered data plan can now use the carrier’s HSPA+ network to use Apple’s video chat tool. There’s no word on whether customers with unlimited data plans can use FaceTime over cellular, though, so it looks like the feature is still only good for those with tiered data plans.

AT&T says that it has already begun updating their “systems and processes,” and expects to start rolling the update out to eligible customers “beginning in the next couple of weeks.” Previously, back in November, the carrier announced that iPhone 5 users with tiered data plans would be allowed to use FaceTime over its LTE network.

The good news is that any AT&T customer with an older Apple device can now use FaceTime over cellular, including the iPhone 4S and previous-generation iPads. With the popularity of discounted older-gen iPhones, more and more budget-minded consumers are buying Apple’s older gear, and with AT&T’s lift on FaceTime over cellular, more users will finally be able to chat with their friends and family while on the go.

We saw and got our hands on the original version of this 7.68 x 4.92 x 0.47 inch, 14.11 oz machine back in August of 2012. Back then our impressions were that Lenovo was taking on the Google Nexus 7, though not exactly directly due to the underpowered nature of the slate. Though the form factor had us impressed, what with its soft-touch rear cover and its friendly size and shape, the innards did not make for a perfectly pleasant software experience.

Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich is also a bit of a surprise as the bulk of the Android universe is now releasing devices with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or higher with new hardware across the board. We’ll expect some software updates rather rapidly after the release, but won’t be betting too much cash on that possibility. Lenovo’s Android experience is unique one way or the other though, bringing widgets and cloud connections galore to the game. You’ll be able to pick up the Lenovo IdeaTab A2107 from AT&T for $199.99 with a two-year contract starting right this minute (if not very, very soon).

Have a peek at our Lenovo IdeaTab A2109 review from this past October to see how the software experience treats you. Then head down the Lenovo rabbit hole to see everything you may have missed from this hardware-heavy company over the past week at CES 2013!

The device is designed to provide high-speed wireless Internet access using 802.11n technology. The mobile hotspot has a high capacity internal 2000 mAh battery to power its internal 3G modem. The device promises operate for 7 to 10 hours per charge.

The device can also be powered by a micro USB cable connected to a laptop, portable charger, or an included power adapter to extend runtime and recharge the device. The portable hotspot has a SIM card slot supporting HSPA+ 3G broadband connectivity with download speeds of up to 21 Mbps. The portable modem also supports upload speeds of up to 5.7 Mbps.

Other features include an internal microSD card slot supporting cards up to 32 GB allowing the hotspot to function as a portable hard drive. That storage space can be shared with any device is connected to the portable modem. Little device also supports multiple security formats including WEP, WPA, and several others. Pricing and availability are unknown at this time.

That’s down to incompatibility between the iPad mini cellular’s 4G modem and the LTE networks in operation in China, an issue that has affected usability elsewhere in the world since the 7.9-inch tablet’s release. Still, the 3G will be supported, making for easier connectivity on the move.

The cellular version is already up for preorder in China, in both black and silver, with pricing beginning at 3,488 Chinese yuan ($560) for the 16GB version. Apple’s online store gives no indication of specific release date, only saying that there’s currently no supply.

Demand for the iPad mini in China had been expected to be high, and according to Cook that strong interest is indeed panning out. The CEO has previously suggested that China is the next big growth market for Apple – not an unusual opinion in the consumer electronics industry today – and is visiting the country to meet with suppliers, regulators, and others to discuss Apple’s further expansion.

[via CNET]

The change of heart means an end to the ongoing lawsuits a change to the ongoing lawsuits in the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Italy, where Samsung had accused Apple of refusing to pay up for wireless technology. Previously, Samsung had claimed that Apple knowingly infringed, whereas Apple argued that it had used a different approach to reach the same 3G functionality.

“Samsung remains committed to licensing our technologies on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, and we strongly believe it is better when companies compete fairly in the marketplace, rather than in court. In this spirit, Samsung has decided to withdraw our injunction requests against Apple on the basis of our standard essential patents pending in European courts, in the interest of protecting consumer choice” Samsung

Samsung’s willingness to reach for 3G-essential patents as a legal weapon has already landed it in hot water with regulators. The EC is currently investigating Samsung over potential antitrust behaviors, with similar investigations ongoing in the US and in Korea.

“The European Commission has opened a formal investigation” the EC said in January 2012, “to assess whether Samsung Electronics has abusively, and in contravention of a commitment it gave to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), used certain of its standard essential patent rights to distort competition in European mobile device markets, in breach of EU antitrust rules.”

Whether Samsung’s decision to drop amend the litigation is hinged on escaping allegations of patent misuse is unclear, though it would seem likely to be related. Apple is yet to comment.

Update: As FOSSPatents points out, Samsung’s announcement today doesn’t actually say it’s dropping all lawsuits. Instead, it’s only dropping its attempts to have Apple products banned: it is still chasing financial compensation.

Update 2: Samsung has confirmed to SlashGear that its lawsuits over standards patents remain in place, and that the company has simply withdrawn its request for injunction, or product sales ban, against the Apple products.

[via FT]

Femtocells, for the uninitiated, are a way for carriers to fill in small areas of poor network strength – such as basements – by helping subscribers create their own, personal bubble of coverage. Hooked up to your broadband connection, they allow (pre-registered) phones to connect as if to a regular base station, but calls and data are funneled over the internet to the carrier.

Compared to the first-gen model, as well as being smaller the new Sure Signal supports more simultaneous users and can now have up to 32 devices registered as “approved” to use it. A minimum broadband speed of 1MB is required for stable use, though obviously the width of the pipe demanded will depend on how many people are using it at the same time.

Vodafone is offering the Sure Signal now, priced at £100. Some might find paying to fill in the carrier’s dead spots frustrating, but if it’s a case of paying up or being forced to step out into the cold every time you need to make a call, it’s probably worth it.

The most expensive Nexus 7, the HSPA+ model supports pentaband 3G (850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz) for use across most of the European 3G networks, and comes without a SIM or data plan. Instead, buyers are left to shop for their own plan of choice, whether that be a cheap pay-as-you-go deal for intermittent use, or a more sizable bundle for heavier users.

While not quite as speedy to sell out as the Nexus 4 smartphone, Google’s limited supplies of the 3G variant of the Nexus 7 didn’t hold up to prolonged interest, and the slate has been unavailable for the past week or so. That’s in no small part because of its affordability: it’s £130 less than the cheapest iPad mini WiFi + Cellular, though Apple’s tablet does support 4G on select networks.

As for the Nexus 4, Google’s smartphone still has no estimated availability date for UK shoppers from the Play store. That leaves either patience or a comparatively expensive carrier deal the only two options.

According to SlashGear’s checks with UK orders, the change in shipping estimates appears to have impacted the cheapest WiFi + Cellular model, the 16GB version. That, as per the screenshot above, now lists a December 4 delivery date; however, the same constraints don’t appear to have affected more expensive versions.

A separate order for the 32GB iPad mini WiFi + Cellular – placed at the same time as the 16GB order – shows that it is expected as much as a week earlier than its cheaper counterpart. Apple suggests it will arrive between November 26 (in keeping with the “late November” timescale originally promised) and December 3.

Sales of the iPad mini with 4G kicked off in the US at the end of last week, though demand for the tablet means that new online orders aren’t expected to ship for another two weeks. A similar delay is listed for new international orders.

Update: Looks like the delays could be color dependent, too. Al Sutton‘s order for a 32GB white & silver iPad mini WiFi + Cellular has also been pushed back to December 4:

The 3G-enabled tablet is shipping now, and Google says that it’ll take 3-5 business days to reach your front door. The Nexus 7 has a 7-inch 1280×800 HD IPS display (216 ppi) with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor and 1GB of RAM. It also comes with 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth, and even NFC capabilities.

The Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean out of the box, but it’s upgradeable to Google’s latest Android version, which is 4.2 Jelly Bean. The tablet weighs just 0.75 pounds and is only 10.45mm thick, which might not be as impressive as the iPad‘s thinness, but for a $300 tablet, you still really can’t go wrong.

The 3G version of the Nexus 7 is shipping now, and it costs $299. This will get you the 3G, as well as 32GB of storage, and an AT&T SIM card, but the tablet comes unlocked out of the box and is compatible with GSM, UMTS, and HSPA+ networks. Get it now in the Google Play store while it’s still hot.

That brings the total number of new markets to five, with Kansas City and Las Vegas already on the list. T-Mobile says it will be equipping several more metro areas before the end of the year, as it transitions old 2G service on the 1900MHz band over to HSPA+ use.

It’s a long process, though for T-Mobile it could be a valuable one if it can coax over iPhone users in those areas to its all-you-can-eat unlimited plans. Subscribers with Apple devices are known to drive significant monthly per-user revenues for AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers, and that’s a pie T-Mobile would desperately like a piece of.

Of course, step outside of the fledgling 1900MHz coverage, and the speed situation gets a whole lot more miserable. The full list of new areas is as follows:

• Washington D.C.: Alexandria, VA; Arlington, VA; Chevy Chase, MD; Falls Church, VA; Laurel, MD; McLean, VA; and Silver Spring, MD.
• Baltimore: Glen Burnie and Towson, MD
• Houston: Cypress, Jersey Village, Humble, Kingwood, and The Woodlands.

Google isn’t apparently working with any one specific carrier with the 3G version of the Nexus 7. Instead, it’s offering it as a SIM-free, unlocked device – just as the Nexus 4 will be sold - for users across the world to slot a SIM into. In fact, Google says, it should work with more than 200 carriers.

Otherwise the specifications are the same, so NVIDIA’s Tegra 3 chipset, a front-facing camera for video calls (but not camera on the back), and 1GB of RAM. It’ll be loaded with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, the latest version, too, just like the Nexus 10.

The 16GB Nexus 7 is priced at $199, while the 32GB version comes in at $249. As for the HSPA+ version, there’s a single 32GB model with 3G inside, priced at $299 and offered unlocked.

Google will be offering the WiFi-only tablet via Google Play in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Canada, and Japan, in addition to in-store sales at Gamestop, Office Depot, Office Max, Staples, and Walmart in the US. The 3G version will be sold in the US, UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, and Canada, online through Google Play from November 13.

That European Commission inquiry was announced back in Januay, with Samsung coming under the microscope after complaints that it had tried to strong-arm rivals by threatening to withhold licensing to various 3G patents. That IP is part of standards-essential technology, however, and must be licensed under “fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory” (FRAND) terms, something Samsung’s competitors accuse the company of not doing.

“The EC has opened a formal investigation to assess whether Samsung Electronics has abusively, and in contravention of a commitment it gave to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), used certain of its standard essential patent rights to distort competition in European mobile device markets,” the EC said back in January, “in breach of EU antitrust rules.”

This new turn apparently confirms that US authorities are also looking into similar allegations. According to the report, Apple says Samsung has used some of its wireless patents “as a basis for improper legal actions that seek to block the sale of competitors’ products.”

A similar investigation is apparently also underway into Google, to decide whether the search giant inappropriately used Motorola Mobility patents added to its portfolio when it acquired the smartphone manufacturer.

The 32GB WiFi-only iPad mini will be $429, while its WiFi + Cellular cousin will be $559. Finally, the 64GB iPad mini will be $529 for the WiFi-only model, and $659 for the WiFi + Cellular. The iPad 2 will remain on sale, priced at $399 for the WiFi-only 16GB, and $529 for the 16GB WiFi + Cellular.

Preorders for the iPad mini will begin on October 26, with shipping of the WiFi-only model kicking off the following week, from November 6. There’s a considerable number of countries getting that model, too:

As for the WiFi + Cellular iPad mini, that will start shipping a couple of weeks after the WiFi version, beginning in the US. International availability will follow after that. More details on the smaller tablet here.

That extra hundred bucks gets you integrated Verizon 3G, together with 100MB of mobile data allowance per month for two years. After that – or if you want to use more than 100MB a month, which given Chrome OS’ cloud-centric focus wouldn’t be too unlikely – you’ll have to pay for it yourself. No sign of LTE as an option, unfortunately.

Otherwise, the specifications are the same as what was announced yesterday, so an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 display, Samsung’s own Exynos 5 1.7GHz dualcore ARM procrssor paired with 2GB of DDR3L memory, and 16GB of solid-state storage. WiFi a/b/g/n is still onboard, as is an HDMI output, one each of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, a memory card reader, and a VGA-resolution webcam.

All in all, it’s a far cheaper way to get on the 3G-enabled notebook ladder than usual, even if there are some cloud compromises to be made with the OS, and the 0.69-inch thick Chromebook itself is a slick little looker. Samsung’s 6.3 hour battery estimate is impressive for the price too.

No word on shipping dates in the US, though a UK listing – which has the 3G model at £299.99, though claims it’s running Windows 8 rather then Chrome OS in the description – suggests it will hit shelves Friday, October 26.

[via Engadget]

Design

I have to say that I really like the design of the Electrify 2. It’s nothing revolutionary, but it’s still a good-looking device. It’s a super slim phone, coming in at only 0.33” thick. That doesn’t mean it’s the slimmest smartphone on the market – nor the slimmest Motorola phone around – but it’s still pretty thin. It has a height of 5.06-inches and width of 2.59-inches, and the whole package comes in right around 4.6 ounces in weight. That means it’s very slightly on the heavy side as far as smartphones go, but that helps it feel sturdy despite its thin design.

The 4.3-inch screen may not be as big as some people would like it, but naturally that decreased screen size means that the Electrify 2 is smaller than devices with a 4.5 or 4.8-inch screen (like the Motorola Atrix HD and the Galaxy S III, respectively). Because of this, the Electrify 2 feels great in the hand – the screen is large enough to get the job done, but small enough that the Electrify 2 avoids feeling bulky. That’s definitely a big plus.

On the upper right side of the device is where you’ll find the volume buttons. On the left side is a multi card slot, and on the top is where the power button, 3.5mm headphone jack (which is right in the middle) and micro USB port – for charging and data transfer – are located. The Kevlar back that has become so common on Motorola phones is present on the Electrify 2, and that backing helps it feel more like a higher-end handset. Even though the rest of the phone is just plastic, the silver trim and the angles on the face help make the Electrify 2 look pretty sleek.

Hardware

As stated above, we’ve got a 4.3-inch screen with multi-touch functionality that is running at 960×540 resolution. Personally, I like the screen a lot, but 4.3-inches is about as low as I’m willing to go when it comes to smartphones. It doesn’t boast HD resolution, but the items on screen are still plenty sharp. Overall, I think the display is good, though as I said, 4.3-inches is getting to be a bit on the small side for me. Any smaller and typing tends to be a hassle, but thankfully the Electrify 2 avoids that problem. Typing on the screen is easy for the most part, and though you’ll inevitably run into a few errors every once in a while, you can still type up a storm while staying pretty accurate. Ease of use while typing is something that can’t be understated, and I’m pleased to report that typing is a joy on the Electrify 2’s screen.

Overall, the display is nice, and the backlighting is excellent as well. You can pop it on auto brightness if you want – and indeed, the Electrify 2 defaults to auto brightness out of the box – but I prefer to turn auto off and waste a little more battery power to have a screen that’s brighter all the time. Turn the screen up to 50% brightness and the phone looks great, and having it at that setting doesn’t kill the battery much faster than auto brightness will (more on that later). At the end of everything, the screen probably isn’t anything that will get you jumping for joy, but it’s a solid display that will get the job done for anyone who doesn’t mind its lack of HD.

On the inside, we’ve got a 1.2GHz dual-core processor that keeps the phone chugging along at a nice pace. Sure, it isn’t as good as, say, a Snapdragon S4 quad-core would be, but I don’t think you’ll need that extra power when using the Electrify 2. The processor is more than capable of handling the apps and games you’ll download from the Google Play Store, and I doubt there will be many times where you’ll notice the decreased clock speed over processors running at 1.5GHz

That processor is working alongside 1GB of RAM, so with those two put together, you’ve got a speedy phone on your hands. Swiping between home screens is fluid and lag-free, and apps open up relatively fast. I don’t have any complaints about the speed of the phone, and for most mainstream users who just need a quality phone that doesn’t lag every time you try to do something, the Electrify 2 will be satisfactory.

You’ve got 8GB of internal storage at your disposal, but when the Android OS and pre-installed hardware is accounted for, that drops down to right around 5GB of free space. Of course, the Electrify 2 comes with a microSD slot on the left side of the device, so you can expand on that internal memory by quite a bit if you want. I’m very happy that Motorola went with 8GB instead of 4GB – it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it drives me nuts when manufacturers only put 4GB of internal storage in the phone, then take up 3GB with bloatware. If Motorola had gone with 4GB, it would have lost some points with the Electrify 2, especially since you can’t delete a lot of the pre-installed software that comes packed in with the phone. Thankfully, the remaining 5GB should hold you over for a while, and if it doesn’t, you’re still in the clear so long as you have a microSD card on hand.

Call quality on the Electrify 2 is pretty good – voices come through loud and clear, though they do have a tendency to sound a bit tinny from time to time. It’s worth pointing out that I actually get better service on US Cellular’s network in my apartment – which is mostly underground – than I do with AT&T, though naturally the quality of the coverage will vary depending on where you live in the country. The speakers aren’t much to write home about, but then again it’s a pretty rare thing to find yourself impressed with smartphone speakers. They can get pretty loud, but again the problem with tininess rears its ugly head once you crank up the volume, so it might be a good idea to keep the volume at about the midway point to strike the perfect balance between loudness and quality.

Motorola has also done some invisible splashproofing work on the Electrify 2, and while it won’t keep your phone safe if you drop it in the toilet – as so many smartphone owners are prone to do – it will help protect against things like getting caught in the rain and having your phone fried. It’s nice to have it around, and it means that the Electrify 2 will be a little more resilient than a lot of other phones on the market.

Software

The Electrify 2 comes running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich out of the box, which isn’t entirely unexpected but still kind a bummer. It would have been nice to see it running Jelly Bean, but until Motorola gets around to pushing an update for the phone (if it ever does), Ice Cream Sandwich will have to do. Still, it isn’t as if Ice Cream Sandwich is a bad thing – we all love ICS, it would just be nice to have manufacturers opting for Jelly Bean since we’re now a few months out from its release.

The Electrify 2 comes loaded with a fair amount of bloatware that you probably don’t want. Of course, having things like the Google Play Store, Play Music, Google+ and Google Maps on the phone is essential, and their inevitable presence makes the inclusion of Amazon Apps, Kindle, Amazon Shop, and IMDB a little pointless. I’m sure some consumers will like the fact that Amazon’s suite of apps is right there along all of the Google stuff, but it seems like it would have been a better idea to let consumers install the Amazon stuff on their own instead of clogging up the Electrify 2’s internal memory with them from the start.

Here’s a good example of unnecessary apps on the Electrify 2: you’ve got Google Maps and Navigation, but for some reason US Cellular decided that wasn’t enough and included its own navigation app too. I understand why the carrier did it, but with Google Maps, Latitude and Navigation standard on nearly every Android phone, there is no reason at all for US Cellular to put its own Navigation app on the phone as well. You’ve also got apps like US Cellular Daily Perks – an app that collects all sorts of news in one place – Tone Room Deluxe (for ringtones), Zappos, and City ID, which all may come in handy for a select few people, but will amount to nothing more than an annoyance for most.

That annoyance is compounded by the fact that you can’t delete most of the software that comes pre-installed on the Electrify 2, so you’re stuck with a lot of unimpressive stuff right from the get-go. You’ll also see ads pop up on your home screen once in a while, which is by far the biggest headache. Still, at least some of the software that comes pre-installed on the Electrify 2 is stuff that you’ll probably want to use at some point, so I can’t complain too terribly much.

Battery

The Electrify 2 comes equipped with a non-removable 1,780mAh battery, which isn’t the best but also isn’t the worst. Motorola says you should be able to get up to 11 hours of talk time out of it, but as you can probably imagine, it’ll be a rare thing to get that much out of the battery. If you turn mobile data off when you aren’t using and keep the phone’s screen on auto brightness, you’ll be able to get a full day of use out of a single charge and have some juice left over when you’re headed to bed. Even if you leave mobile data on, you should be able to squeeze a day of life out a full battery, as long as you aren’t constantly on your phone.

For my tests, I turned the screen brightness to 50%, left 3G on (Wi-Fi when I was at home), and used the Electrify 2 like I would use my regular day-to-day device. I played a few games on it, used it to look up some stuff on the Internet, watched some videos on YouTube, and naturally used it to make calls. All in all, I was able to make it a full day on one charge, but by the time I woke up the next morning, the phone was dead. Keeping mobile data turned on all the time will do its part in draining the battery, and it’s probably a good idea to keep the phone’s brightness on auto if you want to squeeze as much juice as you can out of a single charge.

Of course, this being a Motorola phone, you have access to Motorola Smart Actions, which you can use to preserve battery life. With the Electrify 2, it’s probably a good idea you make use ofSsmart Actions, as it will help you get more out of a single charge than just making sure you switch mobile data off and keeping the screen on auto brightness. The battery could be a bit better, but if you use Smart Actions, you probably won’t notice the battery’s shortcomings as often.

Camera

Like a lot of phones these days, the Electrify 2 sports an 8MP rear-facing camera, which is pretty decent as far as snapping pictures go. I’ve never been crazy about the idea of using a phone as my main camera, but if you were going to use the Electrify 2 as yours, it would probably fare well enough. The pictures it takes certainly are decent, and the fact that it can record 1080p video is a nice bonus. Have a look at the sample pictures below to get a better idea of what I’m talking about, and be sure to click the thumbnails in the gallery at the end of the review to see larger versions of the sample shots.

Benchmarks

The benchmark tests we carried out on the Electrify 2 tell us that it isn’t a bad little phone as far as technical specifications go. In AnTuTu, the Electrify 2 was given a score of 6,455, which puts it just under the original Samsung Galaxy Note in terms of power. Naturally, there are a few other devices that manage to beat it out, including the Transformer Prime, the Galaxy SIII, and the Galaxy Note 2, but the Electrify 2 was still able to top its fair share of devices. These include the Galaxy Nexus, the Galaxy S II, the LG Optimus 2X, and the original Kindle Fire.

In Quadrant, the Electrify 2 was given a score of 2,981, which places it above the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus by a respectable amount. Essentially, these benchmarks tell us that you’re not getting the best if you go with the Electrify 2, but you still get a solid device that’s capable of holding its own as far as technical specifications go.

While the hardware in the Electrify 2 isn’t bad, the phone is 3G-only, which means that if you buy it, you’ll be missing out on those super-fast 4G/LTE speeds. Now, before you have a heart attack from the Speed Test results below, I have to clear something up: no, US Celluar’s 3G network is not that bad. The reason you’re seeing such terrible results with those speed tests is because the closest US Cellular store to me is 137 miles away from where I live. As far as I can tell, it’s the only US Cellular store in my state (Michigan), and it’s so close to the border that it might as well be in Illinois. It makes a lot of sense, then, that US Cellular’s 3G network doesn’t cover my area very well.

Obviously, if you live near a US Cellular store, your 3G speeds will be much, much better than mine. US Cellular isn’t going to put a store where it doesn’t have 3G coverage, and alternatively, its 3G network isn’t going to be as much of a priority in places where it doesn’t have any stores set up. That being said, we know that 3G is slower than 4G, and by picking up this phone on contract, you’re essentially locking yourself into using an already aging mobile data standard for two years.

Ultimately though, it’s up to you whether or not you can live with plain old 3G. It certainly isn’t a dealbreaker for me, as the Electrify 2 does have some solid specs, but I know that’s going to be a major hurdle for a lot of consumers. It’s also important to consider the fact that 3G is being left in the dust as carriers all across the country are rushing to beef up their 4G networks. As those networks start getting more and more attention, are you going to be okay with the fact that your phone is stuck in the past? Keep that in mind if you’re thinking that you might want to pick up the Electrify 2.

Wrap-Up

What we have with the Electrify 2 is a phone that is solid all around as far as the specs go, but there’s one thing holding it back: 3G. It’s such a shame to see a phone that’s stuck in the 3G era when we’re currently in the middle of a huge push for 4G LTE, and I have a feeling that will be a major barrier to entry for a lot of consumers. At $170 from US Cellular, you can pay just a little bit more to get a phone that comes with 4G capabilities and has equal-if-not-better specs.

If you don’t have a problem being limited to 3G, though, have at it. As I said, the Electrify 2 is a phone that looks sleek, feels good in the hand, and a has a nice screen that doesn’t feel too big or too small. It’s a quick phone that has some respectable hardware running under the hood, and that invisible splashproofing gives you a little extra defense against accidents. From a hardware and design standpoint, I don’t have much to complain about with the Electrify 2, but I still can’t get over the fact that this phone is limited to just 3G.

That alone makes it hard for me to recommend this phone. 3G is already a thing of the past, meaning that in some ways, the Electrify 2 is a dated handset right out of the box. For some, that won’t matter in the least, and if that’s the case for you, I think you’ll be perfectly happy with the Electrify 2. For everyone else, I’d suggest at least weighing your options and having a look at what other handsets are available for less than $200 before settling on the Electrify 2.

If you’re still relying on the carrier’s 3G network, you have approximately nine years to make the switch to 4G. which shouldn’t be too much a problem for most users. If you have an iPhone, then you’re still using 3G unless you recently upgraded to the iPhone 5. But if you’re on Android and you’ve upgraded phones within the past year or so, chances are you’re already good to go.

Vice president of global strategy for M2M at Verizon, Aparna Khurjekar, said that the carrier is “giving a decade worth of pre-warning” before it starts to shut down its 2G and 3G networks. This is certainly more than ample time, and we’d be surprised if most users weren’t using 4G LTE by then.

Verizon plans to cover its entire 3G network in the US with 4G LTE coverage by the end of next year, so the new data technology will easily become mainstream well before the planned 2021 shutdown of 3G. I’ll still be relying on 3G, though, well after the end of next year, since my iPhone 4S contract doesn’t end for another year-and-a-half.

UPDATE: Verizon has gotten a hold of us regarding some “inaccuracies” on the 2G/3G shutdown. The proposed 2021 date is merely just a “guideline” to give enterprise customers time to plan a transition over to the carrier’s 4G network. They said they plan to keep their 2G/3G networks up and running in order to support customers who have “mission critical projects.” Read the full statement below.

“The Verizon Wireless 2G and 3G networks will be available into the foreseeable future. Recently published dates are guidelines that we are giving customers who have to plan, fund, and transition large enterprise projects to the faster speed networks. The Verizon Wireless 2G and 3G networks will be available as long as necessary to support customers who may have mission critical projects on those networks.”

[via FierceWireless]

A Ukrainian iPhone news blog leaked the photos that were supposedly taken by someone who was close to the Apple production line. The images show the back panel of an iPad Mini that’s colored black, which can only mean that we’ll hopefully see some kind of all-black model of the iPad Mini, matching the iPhone 5‘s all-new color scheme. The back panel also reveals a nanoSIM tray, which means that 3G capabilities may come to the iPad Mini, just like its bigger brother.

Other details from the photos reveal that the headphone jack will be mounted on the top-left of the device, with a plastic WiFi shield spanning the width of the iPad Mini. The inevitable Lightning connector is also present, which will be placed at the bottom of the device in the center between two speakers. It’s also said the material that the back panel is made out of is the same anodized aluminum that you can find on the iPhone 5.

If most of these rumors are true — including the announcement date — we should be officially hearing about the iPad Mini as early as next week. While most of these rumors aren’t surprising in the least, we’re still excited to see this thing in action for real, and you’re darn right that we’re gonna get our hands on it as soon as possible.

[via Gizmodo]

Apple’s argument, it’s believed, is that Samsung is aggressively using patented technology around 3G connectivity that it should, according to regulations, be offering to license on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. That hasn’t happened, Apple insists, and in fact Samsung has used its 3G patents as a counter-suit in various court cases across the globe.

It’s not the first time the argument has been made. Samsung is under investigation by the EC over the same issue, and the South Korean antitrust team has said it will be taking that – and recent court rulings – into consideration before reaching a final verdict.

Unsurprisingly, Samsung denies any wrongdoing. “Samsung has at all times met its obligations to the fair licensing of its telecommunications standards-related patents” the company said in a statement; Apple declined to comment on the new investigation.

Although the Nexus 7 was widely praised for its $199 sticker price, dramatically undercutting rivals such as Apple’s iPad, the absence of a 3G/4G version left some mobile tableteers frustrated. Instead, only WiFi/Bluetooth models were offered, able to tether to smartphones and mobile hotspots, but otherwise unable to connect while on the move.

According to the source, ASUS is currently ramping up production of the new model. Demand for the $199 tablet has been strong, seeing Google forced to freeze new orders shortly after the slate went on sale.

Pricing and availability for the 3G Nexus 7 have not been confirmed, and nor is is clear whether Google and ASUS will opt for 3G connectivity such as HSPA/HSPA+ or 4G like LTE. We wouldn’t be surprised to see a roughly $50-70 mark-up in return for the cellular modem, however.

When we say that the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is super-thin, we mean it. The ultrabook comes in at just 18mm thick, and weighs around 3 pounds. That isn’t too shabby for an ultrabook that sports a 14-inch screen and an Intel Ivy Bridge processor. Lenovo is looking to go after tablet users with this iteration of the ThinkPad, and with those specs, it just might.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is intended to find a happy medium between size and power, just like a number of laptops the company puts out these days. As a nice little bonus, it’s made from carbon fiber (hence the name), so it should be able to take a few hits as well. That isn’t something you can often say about these light ultrabooks, and with 3G connectivity, Lenovo just got one step closer to releasing a laptop that can challenge the popularity of tablets.

Even better is the fact that Lenovo is planning to offer 3G service itself, so instead of going through a carrier, you can just get your 3G access right from the company. We wouldn’t be surprised to see many more people using the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s 3G capabilities because of that, so if Lenovo plays its cards right, it could make quite a hefty chunk of change from 3G service. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is definitely one to pay attention to if you’re an ultrabook enthusiast, so keep an ear to SlashGear for more information about its fast-approaching release date!

That’s because of the accurate S Pen Samsung uses, which differs from existing capacitive styli by using an active Wacom digitizer for precise digital inking. The performance has seen a boost since the original Galaxy Note ”phablet”, and Samsung will preload Adobe Photoshop Touch as well as its S Note app.

In fact, S Note – or any other app – can be set to load automatically when the S Pen is removed from its silo in the body of the slate. There’s also support for split-screen use, keeping two apps visible simultaneously; Samsung expects that to be useful for those wanting to browse the web and watch video, as well as for digital notetaking when the ability to clip screenshots and grab sections of text to the digital notebook could be handy.

Samsung’s Learning Hub, meanwhile, is currently available in Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, China and Singapore, with Samsung promising more availability soon. The US will get the Samsung Media hub, meanwhile.

Other hardware includes a 5-megapixel main camera and 1.9-megapixel front camera, 2GB of RAM, a choice of 16, 32 or 64GB of storage (with a microSD slot), and a 7,000 mAh battery. There’s also WiFi a/b/g/n (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 with apt-X high-quality audio, USB 2.0 Host, MHL-HDMI output and even an IR transmitter for using the slate as a universal remote. The usual sensors – accelerometer, digital compass, light and gyroscope – are onboard, along with S-GPS on the WiFi model and A-GPS on the 3G version.

No word on pricing for individual countries at this stage [Update: TabletsMagazine.nl says it will be €479 ($593)for the WiFi-only 16GB model or €599 ($741) for the HSPA+ version]. More details on the Note 10.1 in our full hands-on.

Unsurprisingly, the two companies don’t agree on whether those changes – and the meeting itself – was appropriate. Samsung’s counsel, Katrina Howard, described the process as “most inappropriate” and petitioned the court for the opportunity to cross-examine the specialists, PCWorld reports, while Apple denies that it did anything wrong.

For the moment, it seems like the courts have sided with Apple. Justice Annabelle Bennett, of the Sydney Federal Court, pointed out that “the expert report is a piece of evidence but can be challenged in cross examination” and highlighted the fact that Samsung could question its authors during the so-called “hut tub” testimony stage.

That part of the trial sees two or more expert witnesses giving evidence simultaneously, a process which is said  to be more conducive to explaining complex technical issues than individual testimony. Samsung would therefore have ample opportunity to explore why, exactly, the two changes were accommodated, Bennett said, without needing prior cross-examination time.

The Australian case has been overshadowed in some ways by Apple vs. Samsung in San Jose, California, where Apple accuses its South Korean rival of blatantly copying the design and UI elements of the iPad and iPhone for its Galaxy series of phones and tablets. However, Samsung has fired back with claims that Apple refuses to legally license its standards-essential 3G patents, a similar overlap to the Australian trial.

Samsung’s Australian case argues that the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPad 2 all infringe its patents in the country for 3G packet headers and data rate matching patterns. Apple counters with claims that Samsung devices trample over its touchscreen patents, though that element of the case is yet to be considered.

The joint-venture will specialize in semiconductor products with integrated modem functions “for use in communications equipment” according to the quartet. That equipment is likely to primarily consist of phones and tablets, most likely targeting the Japanese home market initially, but could also expand to laptops from NEC and Fujitsu, as well as mesh-networking in the so-called “Internet of Things.”

All four have already collaborated in the past on development work, and the Access project basically makes that an official endeavor. Fujitsu will control the majority stake, holding 52.8-percent ownership, while Fujitsu Semiconductor will hold 9.5-percent. NEC will control 17.8-percent, and DoCoMo will get 19.9-percent. Initial capital is 100m yen ($1.3m) with a workforce of approximately 85.

Timescales for the first chips to emerge from Access Network Technology Ltd haven’t been revealed, though Fujitsu says the goal is 7-percent of global marketshare for smartphone chips by 2014. Currently Qualcomm dominates that landscape, but Access aims to push ahead in LTE and other next-gen connectivity standards – already advanced in consumer deployment in Japan – to give it an edge.

Intel says that the SMARTi compromises of a 65nm die that incorporates a multi-band HSPA radio transceiver and power amplifiers. Power management and sensor duties are also integrated into the solution, allowing for a direct connection to the battery. Most important, it’s compact and cost efficient enough to fit into devices such as fridges, lights, and other home appliances, further enabling the creation of an Internet of Things.

The company also hopes the chips will find their way into low-cost 3G handsets in developing markets. Any interested parties will be able to get their hands on samples towards the end of the year, and Intel says that it’ll continue to work with certain power amplifier vendors top equip smartphones and tablets with even more efficient solutions.

That’s an odd choice of chipset, given most Android tablets these days are running A9-based processors, but it’s likely a cost-cutting decision for Huawei. Thankfully the company hasn’t spared on RAM, storage or connectivity, with the MediaPad 7 Lite offering 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, and an integrated 3.6Mbps UMTS/HSDPA modem. That can support SMS and MMS messaging too, Huawei promises.

There’s also WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and microUSB port, and unlike the Nexus 7 there are two cameras: 0.3-megapixels up front for video calls, and  3.2-megapixels on the back for photography and video. You also get an accelerometer, ambient light sensor and digital compass. The battery is a 4,100 mAh pack, though Huawei isn’t giving any indication of runtimes.

Style-wise, we’re reminded of HTC’s ill-fated Flyer, though that’s no bad thing. Huawei hasn’t confirmed pricing or availability for the MediaPad 7 Lite at this stage.

[Thanks Cate!]

Users will be able to bring in their iPhone or Android smartphone and use the 3G connection as they normally would, but apparently enabling hotspot functionality is a no-no: “Personal / private wireless access points and 3G hubs (smart devices such as Android phones, iPhone and tablets are permitted inside venues, but must not be used as wireless points to connect multiple devices).”

There are several explanations we can think of for the ban. Interference is the first and foremost: mobile networks are already going to be packed to the brim thanks to the sheer number of people descending on one location, so adding a couple of hundred (thousand?) hotspots into the mix probably won’t help the limited spectrum availability.

Still, GigaOm believes there may be some funny business going on, as BT is the official hotspot provider for Olympic venues, charging £5.99 for 90 minutes or £9.99 for 24 hours worth of access. Draw your own conclusions. If you and your friends happen to be in the area and ride the information superhighway tgoether, make sure to use an inauspicious hotspot name. Something along the lines of “This is definitely not a hotspot” should do the trick.

[via IntoMobile]

In fact, Apple “conservatively estimates” that it is entitled to a total of $2.525bn in damages based on roughly $500m in lost profits from “Samsung’s infringing sales” and around $2bn that the Korean firm has been “unjustly enriched by” itself. A further $25m is fair play for “reasonable royalty damages” for any loose ends, Apple argues.

Meanwhile, Apple has also done some sums on what it believes its various patents would be worth in royalties if licensed out. That includes $24 for any design patent or trade dress rights, and $2.02 for the bouncing-scroll UI element showing the end of a list.

In fact, Apple has even conducted a survey into how much Samsung customers might be willing to pay to get some of the patented tech from the iPhone or iPad. “Samsung customer’s are willing to pay between $90 and $100 above the base price of a $199 smartphone and a $499 tablet, respectively, to obtain the patented features covered by Apple’s utility patents” the research supposedly surmises.

Meanwhile, as for what Apple believes it’s obligated to pay Samsung for FRAND standards-essential patent royalties, that’s a whole lot less than $2.5bn. In fact, Apple calculates that it owes Samsung, at most, just $0.0049 per unit for each infringed patent, based on the fact that the Samsung patents comprise less than 5.5-percent of essential UMTS patents overall. Critically, Apple also argues that its royalties should be based on the value of the baseband chip at the heart of the iPhone and iPad, rather than – as Samsung suggests – the overall value of the device.

That adds up to a difference of basing a percentage on a $499 phone or a roughly $10 chip, which obviously has a significant impact on how much Samsung might receive. The Korean company wanted 2.4-percent of the entire device value, while Apple says “the royalty should be applied to a base equal to the price of the baseband processor, the smallest priceable unit containing the accused functionality.”

Details of Samsung’s response to Apple’s arguments are yet to have surfaced. Meanwhile, in Australian courts Apple has argued that it has worked around several of Samsung’s 3G patents and thus should not be beholden to licensing, while a German appeals court granted a Europe-wide injunction against the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 based on it infringing Apple design patents.

Apple’s handling of FaceTime has been shoddy, it has to be said. The company originally promised to open the system up to third-parties, making it a cross-platform service rather than limiting it solely to its own iOS and Mac clients. That hasn’t happened, and beyond revealing 3G support in the upcoming iOS 6 back at WWDC 2012, Apple has been quiet on where, exactly, FaceTime is going.

Leaving out carrier-specific details at the WWDC keynote is a good example of that, though Apple isn’t done any favors by AT&T’s famed reluctance to commit to anything until the last minute. Going by the error messages popping up on devices already running the iOS 6 beta, it’s looking very likely that AT&T will be demanding another tithe for those wanting to use the data they’ve already paid for to make FaceTime 3G calls – on top of mandatory data package fees and, if required, tethering add-ons.

Exactly how much that will cost – if, indeed, it happens at all – remains to be seen. AT&T could go for a pay-per-use fee, either on a per-call basis (say, $0.50 per FaceTime 3G call you make, regardless of length) or based on data consumption. Or, it could opt for a set fee each month for blanket FaceTime 3G calling; say, $10 more on top of your existing data package.

Is $10 too much to ask for the convenience of not using, say, Skype and instead relying on Apple’s streamlined alternative? Would $5 be acceptable? What if AT&T said you could make as many FaceTime calls over 3G as you like, as long as you also upgrade to a tethering package? How much is “too much”?

Listen to the current crop of complaints, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Apple gadget users have been crying out for a video calling, but that the prospect of AT&T fees is going to yank the rug out from under it. Apple hasn’t released usage figures for FaceTime – perhaps indicative that it hasn’t exactly set the world alight, given Apple loves nothing more than loudly proclaiming the numerical evidence of its successes – but is the current lack of 3G support really the blockade, or is it the fact that video calling really just doesn’t rate highly on the priority list of most?

What does rate strongly is the suspicion that fat-cat carriers are preparing to squeeze yet more fees out of us every month. Even if we don’t want to use a feature, nothing enrages us like the possibility that someone might want to charge us for it. So, don’t conflate anger over the possibility of AT&T plan changes with a real appetite for video calling services. Sometimes, subscribers just like an opportunity to blow off steam.

For tethering, AT&T – like many other carriers – requires that subscribers pay for an extra data plan. It’s suggested that, given FaceTime will likely increase the amount of 3G traffic users consume, the carrier will demand they cough up another fee to cover it.

Interestingly, 9to5Mac found that Verizon handsets do not give the same error message as AT&T devices running iOS 6, though it’s not conclusive proof that the carrier will not be demanding an extra tithe for FaceTime 3G calls.

Whether AT&T’s fee is in the form of a set allowance for FaceTime 3G traffic, a pay-per-call charge, or a flat fee covering “unlimited” use each month (though likely with a “fair use” policy) remains to be seen. “We’re working closely with Apple on the new developer build of iOS 6″ AT&T said in a statement, “and we’ll share more information with our customers as it becomes available.”

It’s exact form could have a significant impact on those AT&T subscribers still clinging onto their older, now-discontinued unlimited data plans. If AT&T demands an all-new data package that covers FaceTime 3G, rather than simply adding the service as an account add-on, such users may have to choose between their grandfathered plans or the ability to make video calls over cellular data connections.

[via MacRumors]

O2 took to Twitter not long ago to say that 3G service was restored: “Our tests show that 2G and 3G services are now back for all affected customers.” O2 has also updated its network status page, saying that as of 13:30 BST service should be back to normal: “Following previous updates, our tests now show that all our 2G and 3G services have been fully restored for affected customers. If any customers are still having problems we recommend they turn their phone off and on again.Once again, we are sorry.”

The cause of the fault hasn’t been explained, and there’s no indication of exactly how many people were affected. Here at SlashGear, two London editors use O2, with one losing call and text functionality yesterday while the other was unaffected. If you’ve run into the issue, try your phones once more, and follow O2′s advice of turning off 3G then turning it back on.

Exactly what the nuvi 2598FL will do with all that connectivity isn’t specified, since Garmin has cruelly insisted on confidentiality on the user manual. However, based on previous PNDs it’s not hard to speculate: the Bluetooth is most likely there for hands-free calling with a cellphone, while the 3G connection will presumably take advantage of Garmin’s nüLink! feature.

nüLink!, a riot of umlaut and exclamation point, offers Google Local Search with points-of-interest, live traffic information and fuel pricing, weather and flight news, a currency converter, and White Pages records. There’s also the ability to remotely program the PND from your computer, with a “Send to GPS” feature.

Although internet-connected PNDs have been found elsewhere for some time, the relatively small amounts of data most use has seen them often make do with GPRS connections rather than 3G. It’s not clear whether Garmin will push the envelope with the 2598FL’s faster radio, though we’d be very keen to see what Android, Google Maps, and Google Now might achieve in a PND form-factor.

[via GPSTracklog]

Anyone using Samba can also build up credit by purchasing items that have been referred to them via the adverts, and there’s the more traditional route of simply buying credit too. The service isn’t just restricted to iPads, as users can buy a SIM card for £2.99 (~$4.67) to insert into a USB stick that will allow laptop owners to get in on the action as well, although a browser plug-in needs to be installed before the service will work. Samba will be offering its own dongle in the future.

Still, for that 500MB a month you’ve giving up some privacy. Samba say that cookies will be installed on your device that track your internet usage. That includes “traffic data, location data, weblogs, URLs, search terms and other communication data.” Certain material will also be restricted, like pornorgraphy and copyrighted/offensive material.

[via Gizmodo UK]

Talk of an integrated cellular link first began prior to Google making Project Glass public, when rumors of the wearable display initially broke. Then, it was suggested that Google would equip the headset with either 3G or 4G connectivity, making the unit as a whole self-contained.

Whether that was ever true or not is unclear – Google could have attempted to include WWAN but decided to drop it over battery or size concerns, perhaps – but the current iteration lacks it, according to Olsson. The designer declined to give battery life estimates, though fellow project member Sergey Brin was overheard suggesting a roughly six hour runtime in a post-keynote meeting.

Google was forced to use USB connection tethering with Glass for its live-streamed skydiving stunt, having found the WiFi could not handle the extreme conditions. Otherwise the components are much akin to a regular smartphone, all contained in the oversized arm of the glasses.