Mobile

ORLANDO, Fla.--Sprint and Google on Monday announced a partnership that turns your Sprint number into a Google Voice number and gives you access to visual voicemail and call forwarding to multiple devices. Yet it wasn't until yesterday that the two stood together here to discuss the merits of the deal for both sides.

We heard from Vincent Paquet, Google's product manager for Google Voice, but it was Sprint's Kevin McGinnis, Vice President of Product, who made the biggest case for the team-up. "This is an extremely important event for Sprint," he said at … Read more

Orlando, Fla.--T-Mobile had more than the LG G2X and Sidekick 4G to show at CTIA 2011. And no, we're not talking about a plan as to how customers will be affected form the planned merger with AT&T.

No, T-Mobile also introduced four products for its HSPA+ network: a portable W-Fi hot-spot and three USB laptop sticks. The devices are optimized for the carrier's "4G" network--we know T-Mobile's definition of 4G is a little fuzzy--but they're compatible with the carrier's 3G and EDGE networks when you're not in a HSPA+ … Read more

ORLANDO, Fla.--Sony Ericsson didn't offer any new phones at CTIA 2011, but we did get the chance to handle the official Verizon Wireless version of the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. What's more, Sony Ericsson also revealed that the gaming Android phone will land in the United States either late next month or in early May.

In fact, Verizon Wireless may be the first carrier in the world to get the Xperia Play. Rogers in Canada may beat it with a release of the GSM handset on April 14, but either way it means that North America will … Read more

Following yesterday's letter from four U.S. senators that asked Apple, Google, and Research In Motion to remove applications that could help drunken drivers evade police checkpoints and other law enforcement efforts, RIM has agreed to the request, saying such applications will soon be removed from its BlackBerry App World.

"RIM's decision to remove these apps from their online store proves that when it comes to drunk driving, there should not be an app for that," Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said in a statement this morning.

Schumer had been joined in the effort by … Read more

Connecting to public Wi-Fi hot spots can be a challenge, but the Wi-Fi Alliance is hoping to ease some of the pain.

Responsible for certifying Wi-Fi products and technology, the Wi-Fi Alliance said yesterday that it's working on a new certification program that should make it easier to access and use public hot spots. Various members of the alliance, including service providers and device makers, have already formalized the requirements needed to test such a certification program.

Once in place, the new hot spot program would offer several benefits to Wi-Fi users.

Computers, phones, and other connected gadgets would … Read more

ORLANDO, Fla.--LightSquared, a company that is building a nationwide 4G wireless network, said Wednesday that it has signed a deal with Best Buy to offer 4G wireless service.

The announcement follows a roaming agreement LightSquared announced Monday with wireless carrier Leap Wireless.

LightSquared is building its new wireless network using spectrum that had been designated for satellite communications. The company received a waiver from the Federal Communications Commission in January to use the spectrum to build its LTE-based network. And it plans to offer the service commercially by the end of the year. The service will offer both a … Read more

Nokia will start negotiations over job cuts with employees and union representatives in April, the company has said.

"We have communicated to employee representatives and employees that we are currently targeting to announce the implications of these changes towards the end of April," a spokesperson told ZDNet UK today. "At present we have not given a specific date."

The cuts stem from Nokia's big tie-in with Microsoft, which will see the Finnish handset maker adopt Windows Phone 7 as its primary platform. Nokia's work on MeeGo will be severely downgraded--the company intends to … Read more

Since AT&T announced its $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA, wireless consumers have been asking: What does it mean for me?

In a nutshell, consumers will have fewer choices when it comes to wireless service. But current AT&T and T-Mobile customers may experience improved service quality.

To provide more in depth answers to some common questions from consumers, CNET has put together this FAQ. T-Mobile and AT&T have also put together FAQs and other material to help explain to customers the issues surrounding the merger.

Will my cell phone bill go up if this … Read more

ORLANDO, Fla.--Day one at CTIA 2011 is done and despite a certain merger hanging over everyone's head, carriers and manufacturers didn't disappoint the crowd with new devices. A few announcements trickled out yesterday, but today was the day when companies rolled out the big guns. Here's a review of what we've seen so far.

For more day one coverage, check out Maggie Reardon's post on spectrum and this morning's keynote with the CEOs of AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless.

Sprint Like it has done the past few years, Sprint did its best to throw one of CTIA's biggest bashes. It started Monday making news even as much of the wireless nation was flying to Florida. The news that it would offer the first 4G (and first CDMA) Samsung Nexus S will please Android purists while Google Voice fans should welcome Sprint's plans to integrate the service into all of its phones.

Today, Sprint unveiled two additional Android devices, the Evo View and the Evo 3D. The former is a slightly revamped version of the HTC Flyer tablet that debuted last month as Mobile World Congress. Sprint kept almost everything, including HTC's Scribe technology, while adding WiMax support and a black finish. The Evo 3D meanwhile is a Gingerbread-equipped smartphone with the ability to record 3D video and shoots 3D still photos. … Read more