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Solavei offers unlimited, no-contract phone service for $49 per month

It costs me around $80 per month to operate my iPhone 4S, which will soon be out of contract.

When that joyous day comes, I will very likely ditch AT&T in favor of something like Solavei, one of a growing number of companies offering cheaper, no-contract mobile service.

Specifically, Solavei gives you unlimited voice, text, and 4G data for $49 per month. OK, there's an asterisk next to "unlimited": the 4G data bounty ends at 4GB, after which Solavei throttles you back to 2G-level service. More on that in a bit.

Unlike Walmart's AT&… Read more

Ultrapixels? Karaoke? Where HTC's 'M7' could go next

HTC's rumored M7 smartphone will usher in cutting-edge audio and photography features, if recent clues are an accurate indicator. A close look at an official HTC infographic teases a "new sound and camera experience" and provides hints of what to expect.

While the last line of the infographic might be the most fun to read, it is the lead-up that tells us where HTC is focused. HTC makes a point of saying that Apple did not change the image sensor size for the iPhone 4S in 2011.

What's more, the handset maker opines that it doesn'… Read more

AT&T adds four markets to 4G LTE network

AT&T announced today that it has added four new markets to its 4G LTE network.

Now, customers in Albany, N.Y.; Calhoun and Dalton, Ga.; and Norfolk-Virginia Beach, Va. will be able to experience the carrier's faster network speed.

With these four new areas, this brings AT&T's total coverage to 141 markets, which includes 170 million people.

While it's great to see AT&T's network expanding, the numbers still lag behind those of Verizon Wireless. Its 4G LTE network covers 476 markets and 273.5 million people.

Alleged T-Mobile road map shows LTE devices arriving March 27

T-Mobile is reportedly readying a harvest of LTE-enabled devices for this spring, suggesting that T-Mobile's 4G LTE network will be operational by that time

The wireless carrier is expected to release the BlackBerry Z10, Samsung Galaxy Exhibit, and Sonic 2.0 LTE mobile hot spot on March 27, according to a purported road map leaked to TMO News. A screenshot of the road map also lists an LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy S3 launching either March 27 or April 3.

Pricing for the devices was not included.

T-Mobile, which does not yet currently offer 4G LTE, has said before that it … Read more

Quick fixes for Wi-Fi connection issues on the LG Optimus G

Are you the new owner of an LG Optimus G on AT&T? Now that you've taken your toy home, it's time to hook it up to Wi-Fi and start customizing. But wait, the Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting randomly when you enter the information for your home network. Or worse, it won't even let you save your home network to try reconnecting.

Luckily, there's an easy fix that will let you stay connected and keep information for Wi-Fi networks of your choosing. Here's how to fix it:

First you'll want to open the app … Read more

LG Spirit 4G now available on MetroPCS

Today, MetroPCS and LG announced their newest handset, the LG Spirit 4G for $199.

The 4G LTE device features Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, a 4.5-inch Corning Gorilla Glass touch screen, and a 1.2GHz dual-core processor.

It also houses a 5-megapixel camera with LED flash that's capable of shooting 1080p HD video. On the front is a 1.3-megapixel camera for video chatting and vanity shots.

Powering the Spirit 4G is a 2,150mAh battery, which has a reported talk time of 4 hours and a standby time of 200 hours. Users will also get 4GB … Read more

The Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G runs a less-than-admirable OS version

At just $100, the Samsung Galaxy Admire 4G has a number of things going for it. It delivers a consistent 4G LTE experience, it has an attractive, compact build, and it's ideal for customers looking for a simple, no-contract smartphone.

Unfortunately, one huge oversight with the device is that it runs on the Android 2.3 operating system. In the smartphone world, this is ages old (after all, there have been two updates since then). And the fact that MetroPCS carries plenty of other devices with Android 4.0 for about the same price, if not cheaper, doesn't … Read more

U.S. Cellular dials up $300 rebate for new family plans

U.S. Cellular is offering a limited time "Family Switcher Bonus" for new customers who activate at least two lines on a Family Plan. The deal, which runs through April 1, provides consumers with a $300 MasterCard debit card.

The catch? At least one of the new lines must be a smartphone.

To sweeten the deal, U.S. Cellular has discounted a number of smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy S 3 for $150 and the Huawei Ascend Y, which now sells for just a penny.

What's more, the carrier is tossing in a free 4G LTE Samsung … Read more

Dear HTC, here's how you can become popular again

commentary Dear HTC, I have been a fan of your hardware since my time with the T-Mobile MDA back in 2007. When you became the first company to produce an Android smartphone (T-Mobile G1), I upgraded my loyalty status to "die-hard" and enjoyed releases such as the T-Mobile myTouch 3G, HTC Hero, and HTC Evo 4G.

With relatively few companies competing in the Android space in the first few years, I could not see myself going with any other brand. Between 2007 and 2011, my wife and I owned nothing but HTC products. Sadly, neither of us owns … Read more