Clue On Who's Getting The iPhone Next: T-Mobile Disses iPhone Carriers But Sprint Doesn't (Second Sprint Post Today)

I don't write a lot about Sprint because it kind of chugs a long but doesn't do much else exciting. And it's on WiMax so it like it is off to one side doing its own thing. So here is the 2nd Sprint post of the day.

And ironically, I am writing about what Sprint isn't doing. While T-Mobile is off dissing the networks that the iPhone runs on on TV and Web commercials, Sprint doesn't seem to say much of anything else about CDMA iPhone.

After all, Sprint's WiMax is faster than what Verizon and ATT's 3G networks. So it has just as much marketing weapon as T-Mobile.

So I wonder if this is indicative of who is getting the iPhone and who isn't? About fourteen months before Verizon go the iPhone 4, it did the same thing with some cute animations.

At this point, I am just not hopeful that my network will be getting the next iPhone. And if Sprint is supposed to get the CDMA iPhone next, it would not make sense to diss a phone that it might be getting next.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

WiMax in Big Cities - SF & NYC

Consider how hard Clearwire had been working on getting WiMax ready against T-Mobile's supercharged HSPA+ and Verizon's LTE, I still wonder why there are still no WiMax in many of the major cities.

Well, wonder no more. San Francisco is getting ready to be turned out while just a bit ago, I learned that New York City's WiMax access is live.

So what about LA where I live? I can only hope that we will soon follow. Personally, I am angling for a mifi instead of an EVO or Epic.

Sure, I can wait for LTE from Verizon which promises to be faster than WiMax. But I would rather go with a T-Mobile wireless data plan since I am a long time customer but I have not heard a peep about a mifi solution from them (they offer three USB modem sticks). And I have not considered Verizon Wireless because of their perpetual evilness and I just don't think they'll will have as compelling plans as Clearwire. Oh and ATT isn't even in the game at all.

So I guess I have no choice but to wait. And it better be freaking worth it. Plus, I am in the midst of my no-wireless experiment.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

Android: Open But For Who?

Android has been billed as open. Based on Linux, it is open-source. Okay. But when we like to compare Android to the iOS ecosystem, we like to say it open. Apple's iPhone and iTunes definitely is not.

But what is this definition of open? And for who?

I have to root my G1 to install the tethering app. Without performing some hairy digital surgery, there was no way to install and use the app. And T-Mobile was not about to provide me with the keys to the kingdom, willingly or otherwise.

And of course, the marketplace is open for most apps and most developers. There is hardly any policing (hence, the increasing regularity of trojan horse apps). There is of course a great number of virtues in this. For developers.

What about for consumers?

When the sales guys at Verizon, ATT, Sprint, or T-Mobile tooted the Android phones as open compared to the iPhone, are we the consumers suppose to know they mean for the developers and not for the consumers to do with the phones as we wish? That certain functions are locked out but the device OS and SDK remains open for developers to create any app they want. And even if can find and download those apps, we, as Android users can't use them.

In that case, isn't the iPhone just as open? As an Android user, I like to feel like I can rely on the strengths of the platform. Mostly, the Google apps and less curating involved. I think that alone is enough to entice users.

Open it is not but Android does offer a plethora of devices. Choices.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPod touch

RIP: Cellular Phone Plans, September 3, 2010

I mark today the death of regular cell phone plans. Well, the beginning of a long but certain process to see the end of mobile phone plans. Why now? Well, if not now, when? If now me, who?

So, let's mark this day. And how?