One of the cool features of the PS Vita, Sony’s new handheld gaming console, is 3G connectivity. This allows for online features to be built into the Vita without the need for WiFi. Of course, with a 3G feature, it’s logical that that this new console will be offered through mobile service providers.

Last year, Sony said that the PS Vita will be offered through AT&T. No further information were given up until this week when AT&T finally revealed the details of the PS Vita 3G service. The plan is actually similar to what AT&T already offers. More →

In a move that surprised tech pundits, business insiders and the press, AT&T announced that they have purchased all of T-Mobile USA for almost $40 billion.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Deutsche Telekom AG (FWB: DTE) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom in a cash-and-stock transaction currently valued at approximately $39 billion. The agreement has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies. [...]

With this transaction, AT&T commits to a significant expansion of robust 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) deployment to 95 percent of the U.S. population to reach an additional 46.5 million Americans beyond current plans – including rural communities and small towns.  This helps achieve the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Obama’s goals to connect “every part of America to the digital age.” T-Mobile USA does not have a clear path to delivering LTE. (via Mobilize Everything by AT&T).

AT&T will face an uphill battle getting this deal approved by the feds as acquiring T-Mobile will make the company the sole GSM carrier in the US (not to mention make it even harder to resurrect net neutrality).

Although a majority of T-Mobile customers have expressed outrage regarding the deal upon Facebook, there are at least a few reasons why they may end up loving their AT&T overlords (at least in the near future). More →

The oft rumored Verizon iPhone has finally made its debut to the public to the delight of many frustrated AT&T users.

While the iPhone’s are practically identical save for the different radio chips (as Verizon uses CDMA), AT&T’s nemesis is promising one feature that may convince users to ditch Ma’Bell for Big Red.

The Verizon iPhone 4 will launch on February 3 exclusively first for current Verizon customers. It will launch on February 10 for everyone else. It will be the same $199.99 price for the 16 GB model and $299.99 for the 32 GB model. One key difference from the AT&T version is that will be able able to be used as a personal hotspot. (via TechCrunch)

Currently AT&T customers can only tether their iPhone to a laptop through a wire unless if they want to use it as a personal modem.

The fact that Verizon is allowing users to use the device as a hotspot means that users will potentially be able to connect more than one device to the iPhone as well as give them one less item to carry around with them.

While users can create a hotspot with an AT&T iPhone, they have to jailbreak (or hack) the device in order to utilize it.

Verizon’s iPhone page is already live, and it will be interesting to see if AT&T offers customers the ability to create hotspots in the future (as simply reducing iPhone prices may not convince many users to stay).

Update: Just talked to a Verizon representative, and it looks like FaceTime is unfortunately not available over Verizon’s network.

AT&T has launched its newest interactive product called Buzz.com. Interestingly, aside from the similarity with Google Buzz, it seems that both service might tend to overlap in terms of function and purpose. AT&T’s Buzz is a social recommendation site with a dash of local search function. It’s a new service for sharing local tips or “buzz” with your friends.

Similar to most social media sites, Buzz.com also taps into the growing social networks. Hence you can register using your Facebook credentials. So, once you register to Buzz.com using your Facebook profile, you don’t really need to build a new community of friends or sift through rants and raves from strangers.

Buzz.com also provides personalized local search based on the recommendations of people you know and trust. Again, another vital ingredient of a successful social recommendation site.

David Krantz, AT&T President and CEO Interactive said that Buzz.com was built on the strong foundation influnced by AT&T Interactive’s leadership and success in local search.

“By offering buzz.com alongside our other local search properties like YP.COM, we create opportunity to reach a broader – and growing user segment that relies on their community to make decisions. For favorited businesses, it means immediate recognition of a loyal customer and positive exposure among a network of friends,” said Mr. Krantz.

More →

Knowing the lackluster performance of Palm’s dynamic duo, the Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus did not discourage AT&T from getting the two smartphones. AT&T just announced that it will be releasing the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus with all the goodness of WebOS under its various data plans.

And are these data plans enticing enough to convince you in getting one if not both of these phones? Let’s see.  AT&T is offering the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus for just $149.99 with $49.99 discount and a $100 mail-in rebate if you opted for a two-year contract.  You will also get AT&T Wi-Fi access at U.S. hotspots as part of their unlimited data plan.

Both Pre Plus and Pixi Plus will support AT&T services such as AT&T Navigator, AT&T Address Book, YPMobile for finding local businesses. And of course, you’d also get to enjoy the specs and features of both Pre Plus and Pixi Plus smartphones running on Palm webOS.  Among these features as multitasking on apps, Palm Synergy, unobtrusive notifications, and universal search.

In addition, Palm webOS apps can be integrated into core webOS functionalities includng contacts, layered calendars, notifications and GPS. You might as well add the rich catalog of apps available at the Palm webOS applications store.

So, what will it be? Palm Pre Plus and Palm Pixi Plus on AT&T or Google Nexus One?

Earlier today, mobile analytics company Flurry published a report about the dismal performance of the Google Nexus One in terms of its day 74 sales from the first day it was released. According to the report, Google was able to ship only 0.135 million units of the Nexus One. Flurry then compared this with the day 74 sales of both the iPhone and Motorola Droid which were 1 million and 1.05 million units respectively.

The report certainly is not a good publicity for the Nexus One especially since Google hasn’t gone all out in terms of marketing its first major fully branded handset.

A couple of hours later, Google announced that unlocked version of the Nexus One that is compatible with AT&T 3G network and Roger Wireless in Canada is now available for sale at the Google online store.  In addition, this new version of Nexus One will also run on GSM operators worldwide.

I’m not saying that Flurry’s report has anything to do with Google’s decision to announce the availability of the AT&T and Roger Wireless compatible Nexus One versions.  But we just can’t discount this fact since Google certainly wants to protect its investment from any bad publicity, whatsoever.

Google also announced that this new Nexus One can now be ordered from Google’s web store and can be shipped to Canada. As you all know,  Google only ships the Nexus One to the U.S., HongKong, Singapore and the UK.

The AT&T and Roger Wireless compatible Nexus One get the same price as the previously released unlocked Nexus One – $529.

If the idea of talking to the camera at the back of your iPhone and then turning your iPhone as soon as you’ve spoken to see the person you’re talking to, sounds cool to you, then you might be glad to know that Fring has just enabled video calling and VoIP through 3G on their iPhone app.

Actually, this was a result of the recent announcement made by Apple opening the iPhone’s gates to VoIP calling. Interestingly, Apple made this decision even if it will affect AT&T’s revenues.

To make free voice or video calls using Fring, you simply need to fire up your Fring iPhone app and hope that the message “voip calls are not allowed…” does not appear anymore. If it does, just click “more”, then “go offline” and then open Fring again.

Meanwhile, Fring was not the first iPhone app developer who immediately took advantage of iPhone’s decision to allow VoIP calls on the iPhone. A few days ago, iCall also went live, allowing free VoIP calls for iPhone users through 3G.

Both Fring and iCall if embraced by mobile phone users would definitely make  the  VoIP through 3G market more exciting. Expect more mobile apps that will allow VoIP through 3G to be developed and hope that mobile carriers will not disallow this feature even if it affects part of their revenues.

 

Thanks to competition between the two major mobile data carriers, U.S. mobile phone consumers stand to benefit starting next week. Verizon took ahead of the race earlier this week when it announced major price drops in its various mobile services. Not long after, AT&T also announced similar price reduction. And so, mobile consumers are more than happy.

Verizon’s unlimited talk and text plans

Verizon announced its new Nationwide Unlimited Talk plan that will allow U.S. customers to call anyone in the U.S. for $69.99 monthly. Likewise a corresponding Nationwide Unlimited Talk and Text Plan was also launched that will allow Verizon customers to call and send text, picture and video messages to anyone in the U.S. for $89.99 monthly. In addition, Verizon is also rolling out a new Nationwide Unlimited Talk Family SharePlans with unlimited options for $119.99 monthly access and Talk and Text Family SharePlans for $145.99.

Verizon is also expanding its 25MB data package requirements with $9.99 cost to include all Verizon Wireless 3G multimedia phones which provides quick access to mobile e-mail, games and internet.  Mobile phones such as LG Chocolate Touch, Samsung Rogue, Motorola Entice W766 among other multimedia phones are now included in the said package. If you’re on a prepaid plan, there will also be a Montly Unlimited Talk plan for $74.99 and the unlimited talk and text plan for $94.99.

AT&T’s unlimited mobile data plans

Responding to Verizon’s price drops, AT&T also announced new unlimited plans that will take effect across its devices including smartphones. In brief, AT&T’s offerings include unlimited talk plan for feature phone for $69.99, Family Talk plan for $119.99, unlimited talk and text plans for quick messaging devices for $89.99 per month, unlimited family talk plans for quick messaging devices for $149.99 per month and unlimited voice and data plans for $99.99 for all AT&T smartphones including iPhone.

So there. Whether you are on Verizon or AT&T network, the heated competition between these two companies are finally taking its effects, positively. Thanks to business competition.

What is it with the iPhone that its rivals keep on attacking it with their iPhone mocking ads? Even AT&T wasn’t spared from Verizon’s anti-iPhone campaign tactics.

So now, Verizon’s latest foray has Motorola’s support, of course mainly because Moto’s got an Android-power phone that directly competes with the iPhone. In their latest concerted effort to mock and put bring the iPhone down, at least to prospective iPhone users, the ad this time belittles and insults the iPhone’s by referring to it as all beauty with no brawns. More →

It’s December folks and both AT&T and Verizon must have already felt the Christmas spirit.  AT&T decided to drop the lawsuit it filed against Verizon for putting up an add that misinform its customer about AT&T’s 3G coverage.

If you will recall, Verizon’s “There’s a Map for That”  alluded that AT&T subscribers cannot access Internet services as compared to Verizon’s superior 3G network capability. This prompted AT&T to file a case against Verizon claiming that such ad was blatantly false and  has caused irreparable harm to AT&T. More →