Sprint Nextel -- Engadget Mobile

sprint-nextel posts

Sprint keeping its options open with LTE?

by Darren Murph posted Mar 10th 2009 @ 5:01AM

Sprint hasn't been coy about its love and adoration for all things WiMAX, and while it obviously has a vested interest in seeing the next-gen wireless protocol thrive, even it isn't completely ignoring the possibility of dabbling in LTE. Or, at least that's the impression we get from a recent spokesman answer to a question on whether it was "evaluating LTE equipment." Speaking on behalf of the carrier, John Polivka wouldn't go so far as to confirm nor deny whether it was actually dipping its toes into LTE testing while its Clearwire buddies weren't looking, but he did affirm that "as a prudent technology development organization, [Sprint] is always collecting competitive information about various technologies / equipment to monitor and asses the competitive landscape and any potential impacts to Sprint's plans." We've already seen a few CDMA mainstays admit to siding with LTE for 4G, and honestly, we wouldn't be shocked to see Sprint eventually cave too. Whatever stops the bleeding, right?

Sprint "seriously considering" spinning off Nextel

by Darren Murph posted May 5th 2008 @ 4:00PM

We'd take this with half a tablespoon of salt for now, but The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sprint-Nextel Corp. is "seriously considering spinning off or selling its ailing Nextel unit." That's according to undisclosed people "familiar with the situation," though Sprint did decline to comment on whether it actually was considering a sale of Nextel. Also of note, Cyren Call is reportedly attempting to "assemble a consortium of investors to acquire Nextel as part of its plans to create a nationwide wireless network for public safety communications," and while it can't be confirmed, we are hearing that Sprint is "contemplating other possible buyers such as private equity firms." Still, these same sources made clear that "no deal was imminent and that Sprint was preoccupied for the moment with other matters." It's no secret that the firm would be way more attractive to suitors (read: Deutsche Telekom) if the flagging Nextel division was detached from the deal, but we guess we'll have to wait and see how it all plays out. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in, image courtesy of Flickr]

Sprint, Clearwire to cooperate on WiMAX build-out

by Chris Ziegler posted Jul 19th 2007 @ 12:42PM

Sprint's open mindedness to hooking up with Clearwire for a national WiMAX network has blossomed into something just a little more serious, it seems. The two companies have announced that they'll be collaborating on making mobile WiMAX a reality in a comprehensive agreement that covers roaming and combined marketing efforts under a single to-be-announced brand name. Specifically, Sprint will be responsible for covering about 185 million potential customers with Clearwire swooping in for another 115 million over the next few years; 100 million total are expected to be covered by the end of 2008, which is curiously the exact same number Sprint had been throwing around on its own accord before the agreement was announced. This is a pretty serious deal, too -- the two are bound in holy matrimony for at least 20 years with options for up to three 10-year renewals. Looks like that hot WiMAX smartphone from Palm might still be in the cards, eh?

Sprint announces Muziq from LG

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 26th 2007 @ 11:21AM

Shoring up its music-friendly line alongside the UpStage from Samsung, Sprint has announced its "Muziq," the Fusic's spiritual successor from LG. While it'll face some serious musicphone competition from across the CDMA / GSM divide later this week, the Muziq holds its own with some interesting features including an integrated FM transmitter that can send tuneage to any FM radio within ten feet. It also offers up stereo Bluetooth, a microSD slot supporting up to 4GB of expansion (a 64MB card is included in box), 1.3 megapixel camera, and sideloading of DRM-free music via USB. Look for it to hit on July 15 for $99 on contract.

Sanyo Katana II in the flesh

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 25th 2007 @ 10:31AM

Any excitement we would've had for the coming of the Katana's replacement has been tempered by a totally bogus lack of EV-DO -- but as a thin, inexpensive flip, it looks like the Katana II should be able to hold its own against the competition. This here is the first decent picture we've seen of the device -- or devices, seeing how it'll apparently be available in black, pink, and silver -- showing a reasonably attractive shell with the same VGA cam as its predecessor. The display's apparently up a fifth of an inch to 2 inches in total, but there ain't much else to talk about without upgrading to the slightly higher-end Katana DLX. Look for the Katana II to hit next month for a shade under $50 on contract.

FCC plays with the Sanyo Katana DLX

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 22nd 2007 @ 12:31PM

So it turns out Sprint's Sanyo Katana is going to be met by no fewer than two successors. Besides the previously-seen Katana II, the FCC's been hooked up with the Katana DLX, a reasonably attractive (from what little we can tell) flip that features EV-DO, Bluetooth, microSD expansion, camera, and a PC modem mode. Of course, the FCC likes to be as coy as possible with details, so we've got nothin' else on this one for the time being -- but if it launches around the same time as the Katana II, we should see it in the next few months.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Engadget Mobile relaunch giveaways: Motorola KRZR K1m for Sprint

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 20th 2007 @ 2:02PM

Believe it or not, we're still celebrating our extraordinarily successful relaunch (thanks entirely to you, our readers), and is there really any better way to say "we love you" than with a Motorola KRZR K1m for Sprint? We think not! The 1.3 megapixel cam and microSD slot are all well and good, but we've gotta say, Sprint's all-black variant of the KRZR is simply beautiful. You gotta be in it to win it, so drop us a line below, k?

A few rules (yeah, there are always rules):

You may only enter this specific contest once. If you enter this contest more than once you'll be automatically disqualified and barred from all future giveaways. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and don't submit more than once, ok?
You may enter our other EngMob relaunch contests, but you can't win more than once; if you happen to win more than once (which is pretty unlikely, but still) we'll ask you to choose just one of your prizes.
The prize is open to US entrants only. Hey, it's a US phone, you couldn't do anything with it anyway.
Contest is open until 11:59pm EDT on Wednesday, June 27th.
We'll be shipping all the phones to winners once all the relaunch giveaway contests are over. (Yeah, we know it bites to have to wait, but dems the breaks!)

Thanks and good luck to everyone! Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: Samsung m610 (the second one)

Sprint announces spectrum of Sanyo SCP-3200 flips

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 20th 2007 @ 1:29PM

Sprint's midrange line gets a little beefier today thanks to the introduction of Sanyo's SCP-3200. Available in Midnight Black, Playful Pink, and Atlantic Blue, the clamshell foregos EV-DO ("Power Vision" in Sprint lingo) but offers Bluetooth, a VGA camera, GPS, speakerphone, traditional Sprint Vision services, and -- if you're really hard up for a tethered modem -- you can still connect it to your lappie in 1xRTT mode. Look for it at $200 contract-free or $50 on a two-year agreement.

Sprint Mogul review roundup

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 18th 2007 @ 3:36PM

We thought the Sprint Mogul was a little bit of alright, but do the 'nets agree? By and large, yeah, it seems the bottom line is that this is the must-have upgrade for PPC-6700 owners. Mobile Tech Review points out that an MMS client is notably missing and picture quality on the 2 megapixel camera could be better, but hey, it's still an improvement over the Apache's 1.3 megapixel unit. Boy Genius Report found that the ridges on the phone's posterior were a little funky, too; just like the Mogul's crazy bright yellow UI, it's probably an acquired taste.

[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]

Read - Gear Diary ("...leaps and bounds above the PPC-6700 that it replaces...")
Read - Boy Genius Report ("...the device is a pleasure to use...")
Read - Phone Scoop ("... flashier design, updated operating and higher resolution camera...")
Read - My iTablet (3.75 / 5 stars, "...a worthy upgrade from the PPC-6700...")
Read - Mobile Tech Review (4 / 5 stars, "A very strong offering from Sprint, and a worthy, if not overdue, successor to the PPC-6700")

Hands-on with the Sprint Mogul by HTC

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 18th 2007 @ 2:49AM

Known as the Titan, the PPC-6800, and the XV6800 in its various forms, Sprint's Mogul from HTC represents arguably the most anticipated piece of CDMA hardware so far this year. Why? Well, for starters, its direct predecessor -- the PPC-6700 "Apache" -- isn't getting any younger. Don't get us wrong, the PPC-6700 was a well-loved device that held its own for a good long while, but let's be honest: aerial antennas and Windows Mobile 5 are getting a little passé (to put it lightly). We've had the good fortune to be able to spend a few quality minutes with a production Mogul this weekend, so let's have a closer look, shall we?

Gallery: Hands-on with the Sprint Mogul by HTC

Continue reading Hands-on with the Sprint Mogul by HTC

Engadget Mobile relaunch giveaways - Samsung m610

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 15th 2007 @ 4:20PM

Feeling a bit nervous that you may not have won our first Samsung m610 for Sprint giveaway? No worries -- we're back with number two. Among the most lustworthy devices in Sprint's lineup, the m610 flip takes its cue from the Ultra Edition series and clocks in at a mere 11.9mm thick -- and with a QVGA display, 2 megapixel cam, microSD expansion, and EV-DO data, the beauty's more than skin deep, too. Have a crack at it, will ya?

A few rules (yeah, there are always rules):

You may only enter this specific contest once. If you enter this contest more than once you'll be automatically disqualified and barred from all future giveaways. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and don't submit more than once, ok?
You may enter our other EngMob relaunch contests, but you can't win more than once; if you happen to win more than once (which is pretty unlikely, but still) we'll ask you to choose just one of your prizes.
The prize is open to US entrants only. Hey, it's a US phone, you couldn't do anything with it anyway.
Contest is open until 11:59pm EDT on Friday, June 22nd.
We'll be shipping all the phones to winners once all the relaunch giveaway contests are over. (Yeah, we know it bites to have to wait, but dems the breaks!)

Thanks and good luck to everyone! Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: Samsung m610 (the first one), Sanyo M1

Sprint Nextel still cleaning up merger mess, buys another affiliate

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 13th 2007 @ 2:00PM

Amazingly, Sprint's still trying to keep pace with scrappy regional affiliates miffed in the aftermath of its merger with Nextel; in many cases, the clear-cut violations of the non-compete clauses in place with the regionals have left the company with no option but to buy them. Latest in the affiliate roundup is Northern PCS Services in a deal valued at $312.5 million, ending the war of words (and lawyers) that presumably would've ended with an even larger payout for the affiliate after years of drawn-out courtroom proceedings. Though Sprint's gotta feel good about putting another looming drama behind them, iPCS is still out there lying in wait; no indication yet on whether Sprint's feeling a buyout there, too. Look for the Northern deal to close in Q3.

Engadget Mobile relaunch giveaways - Sanyo M1

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 12th 2007 @ 3:32PM

How does a full gigabyte of internal Flash sound? Maybe throw in stereo Bluetooth, EV-DO data, a purty QVGA display and external music controls, and, well, you've got yourself a contender. Sprint has hooked us up with a Sanyo M1 to pass on to one lucky (hopefully music-loving) commenter, so might we suggest you get on that?

A few rules (yeah, there are always rules):

You may only enter this specific contest once. If you enter this contest more than once you'll be automatically disqualified and barred from all future giveaways. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and don't submit more than once, ok?
You may enter our other EngMob relaunch contests, but you can't win more than once; if you happen to win more than once (which is pretty unlikely, but still) we'll ask you to choose just one of your prizes.
The prize is open to US entrants only. Hey, it's a US phone, you couldn't do anything with it anyway.
Contest is open until 11:59pm EDT on Tuesday, June 19th.
We'll be shipping all the phones to winners once all the relaunch giveaway contests are over. (Yeah, we know it bites to have to wait, but dems the breaks!)

Thanks and good luck to everyone! Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: (PRODUCT) RED MOTORAZR V3m for Sprint (number two), Samsung u620 (number two), Samsung m610

BlackBerry 8830 hitting Sprint next month?

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 8th 2007 @ 12:42PM

This document sure seems to think so. The world-ready variant of RIM's BlackBerry 8800 series -- sporting both CDMA / EV-DO and GSM radios -- saw a recent launch on Verizon, and seeing how these two carriers like (need?) to one-up each other, a July launch makes perfect sense. Looks like the device is pretty much the same as Verizon's variant (Sprint even says right in the slide that price and plans will be "competitive with VZW") though the carrier is touting that its global roaming service will be more user-friendly than Verizon's, offering a single phone number with unified calling and texting.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

Engadget Mobile relaunch giveaways - Samsung m610

by Chris Ziegler posted Jun 8th 2007 @ 11:20AM

We're back with a vengeance from yesterday's giveaway hiatus, and we think you're going to like what we're packing: a Samsung m610 for Sprint. Among the most lustworthy devices in Sprint's lineup, the m610 flip takes its cue from the Ultra Edition series and clocks in at a mere 11.9mm thick -- and with a QVGA display, 2 megapixel cam, microSD expansion, and EV-DO data, the beauty's more than skin deep, too. Have a crack at it, will ya?

A few rules (yeah, there are always rules):

You may only enter this specific contest once. If you enter this contest more than once you'll be automatically disqualified and barred from all future giveaways. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.) In other words, be careful when commenting and don't submit more than once, ok?
You may enter our other EngMob relaunch contests, but you can't win more than once; if you happen to win more than once (which is pretty unlikely, but still) we'll ask you to choose just one of your prizes.
The prize is open to US entrants only. Hey, it's a US phone, you couldn't do anything with it anyway.
Contest is open until 11:59pm EDT on Friday, June 15th.
We'll be shipping all the phones to winners once all the relaunch giveaway contests are over. (Yeah, we know it bites to have to wait, but dems the breaks!)

Thanks and good luck to everyone! Have a look at our other contests, too, before it's too late: Sprint UpStage by Samsung (number two), Samsung BlackJack, Nokia N75 (number two), (PRODUCT) RED MOTORAZR V3m for Sprint (number two), Samsung u620 (number two)