News has been breaking that HTC struck a deal to invest $300 million in the Beats by Dre company, making it a majority shareholder Beats Electronics.  The partnership is a reflection of HTC’s ambition to elevate the audio quality delivered on mobile phones.  And with the integration of Beats by Dre audio technology, the mobile phone could become the next boom-box.

According to BGR, On Wednesday, HTC announced that it had invested $300 million in Beats by Dre, which will see its audio tech integrated into HTC phones moving forward. Now, rumor has it that HTC’s first smartphone to include Beats technology could be the Vigor, a device that is said to resemble the HTC Thunderbolt on Verizon.

Beats by Dre on Amazon

And according to Billboard.biz, Interscope Geffen A&M Records chief Iovine said in a statement Wednesday, “The HTC and Beats by Dr. Dre partnership is an opportunity for two world-class companies to redefine the smart phone industry and define the future.

“For Beats by Dr. Dre, this represents a critical step in our continued mission to clean up the destruction of audio caused by the digital revolution; and reengineer how sound is delivered so that the consumer feels the music the way that the artist intended.”

HTO Corporation CEO Peter Chou said, “Beats has found a unique way to harness popular culture in a manner that is unlike any other brand today. It’s an exciting brand that has been built around providing something very special, and we believe our strategic partnership will provide customers with unbeatable sound on HTC phones. We obsess over every detail of a consumer’s mobile experience and audio is a critical part of that experience.”

Beats by Dre on Amazon

Jimmy Iovine, Beats co-founder, believes the future of music is in mobile phones.  It’s quite possible the future of a lot of things are in mobile phones… but I digress.  Iovine believes the future of music consumption is the mobile phone, and the deal with Beats will allow people to experience music in high quality fashion.

“It’s so important for the record industry that we make that transition to phones globally,” he told Billboard.biz shortly after the deal was announced. “We need a global impression and a global service that is really high quality, and works.”

Otherwise known as The Facebook Phone, the HTC Status just went on sale at AT&T for $50.  With it of course, you’ll need a new 2 year agreement and data package.  But $50 is a solid low price for something coming out of AT&T.

However, I’ll give Sam’s Club a quick plug here.  You can actually get the Samsung Galaxy S (Captivate) for only $0.97 – that’s right, with tax included it comes to $1.03 out the door.

But I digress…

The HTC Status is called The Facebook Phone for a reason because it has a button dedicated exclusively to launching Facebook.

This is designed to allow you to quickly update your status and let your friends know what you’re doing, like updating your status on your new HTC Status Android phone.

via Gizmodo

Last week, Sprint released news stating that their 4G WiMAX network would be coming to New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Well just yesterday, people were reporting from San Francisco that they see 4G lighting up on their 4G enabled devices such as the HTC EVO 4G, Samsung’s Epic 4G, and the Sprint Overdrive. Although the speed tests being reported were maxing out at 4mbps (4G should be pushing at least 9 or 10mbps), the 4G sign was lighting up on their devices.

So has anyone from Los Angeles seen 4G activity?

via CNET

Sprint, in conjunction with partner Clearwire, has released their fast 4G wireless internet connection in the metro Orlando area. This will now be the 53rd city that is online with Sprint’s 4G network, and Orlando makes the third city in the state of Florida. The other two cities in Florida with Sprint’s 4G coverage is Daytona Beach and Jacksonville.

If you are in Orlando, and have 4G enabled device, let us know what kinds of speed you are getting.

At 7am EST tomorrow morning, HTC has a special press conference scheduled to introduce their new lineup of Android mobile phones. Gizmodo has announced they will be there, at the press conference, and shooting photos of the new HTC Android devices. It is expected that HTC will be announcing the Desire Z and possibly the Desire HD. Tune into Gizmodo tomorrow morning to take in the HTC Android announcement’s live.

via Gizmodo

News broke a couple of hours ago that Best Buy has just announced some details about the T-Mobile HTC G2. The T-Mobile G2 will set you back a solid $199. You can pre-order the HTC G2 at Best Buy starting tomorrow (Friday). And the release date / shipping date for the T-Mobile HTC G2 is set for October 6th. I mean, what other details do you want regarding the highly anticipated HTC G2? Some people may refer to the HTC G2 as a 4G phone, however as you know with T-Mobile, you only get the 4G in cities that are 4G enabled.

via Android Central

The HTC “PD42100” has just passed the FCC. At this time there’s no information on the tech specs of the handset. But the handset will run on CDMA 2000 frequencies & 850 MHz GSM frequencies as well as EV-DO Rev. A. The handset will support Wi-Fi for 802.11 b/g/n & Bluetooth.

As more information comes my way on this new Android phone I will let all of you guys know.

I just wrote about how MetroPCS is bringing 4G to Dallas and Las Vegas next month (September).

Well guess who else just so happens to have 4G running in Dallas and Las Vegas?

You guessed it… Sprint’s 4G network is already running in those two metro areas.!

So if I’m not mistaken (which I admit, can happen from time to time), this means the 4G mobile internet wars have official began.

And the battle grounds begin in Dallas and Las Vegas.

This is going to be exciting to watch as two of the mid-size mobile phone carriers battle for 4G dominance.

But just wait until one of the giants shows up for battle – that being Verizon or AT&T – that will be like a nuclear bomb being dropped on both MetroPCS and Sprint.

That’s what I think anyway…

Thoughts?

Eli Manning took a serious hit first from his own running back and teammate Brandon Jacobs, and then from the New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace. Brandon Jacobs first hits Eli and knocks his helmet lose, and then Calvin Pace comes in from behind, hits Eli, and Eli’s helmet gets knocked off. At this point, Eli then collides with another Jets defender and gets a nasty cut over his eye.

Here’s the Eli Manning injury video (it’s a bit bloody, so be warned):

The growing influence of the Android OS (Google Android mobile operation system) cannot be ignored any longer. Devices powered by Android seem to be hitting the market daily. HTC has two new devices coming out, the HTC Bee and HTC Lexikon. Both mobile phones are set to be released with Android 2.2 Froyo release. Below are the specs that have leaked for the HTC Bee and the HTC Lexikon:

The HTC Bee is suppose to come to Verizon and Cellular South with Froyo (Android 2.2), Sense UI, and a small (3.2-inch) screen and a 528 MHz processor.

The HTC Lexikon is rumored to be heading to T-Mobile with a larger 3.8-inch display, QWERTY keyboard, and a factory-underclocked MSM7630 Snapdragon processor.

Thoughts?

via Android Central

Just leaked photos of a new possible Verizon / HTC Android phone is hitting the web via AndroidGuys.com.

The Verizon branded Droid phone comes with a 4 inch display and full 4-row slide out keyboard.

So think HTC EVO 4G with a slide out keyboard – sounds pretty strong indeed.

The rumored Verizon / HTC phone is being called The World Phone due to its Vodaphone SIM card, which indicates it will run on both CDMA and GSM networks.

The Verizon / HTC Android World Phone is also rumored to have a 1.2 Ghz processor.

You can check out some more photos of the World Phone at AndroidGuys.com.

HTC Glacier #4 on GLBenchmark Pro 1.1 charts

Engadget is reporting that the HTC Glacier data phone has re-emerged and is currently at the number four spot on the GLBenchmark Pro 1.1 charts, where only one variant of Samsung’s Galaxy S and a pair of Tegra 2 tablets managed to keep it from claiming the top spot. You can also see an image of the GLBenchmark chart at Engadget [read more].

Milestone to Get Android 2.2

The European Milestone, which is very similar to the Verizon Droid, will be able to get the Froyo update (Android 2.2), as early as September 2010. The Milestone is also said to be getting Adobe Flash 10.1 [read more].

19 year old Brian Wong gets $200k investment in startup

True Ventures has just invested $200,000 into a young, 19 year old entrepreneur names Brian Wong who has founded Kiip.com which is a mobile advertising platform for the gaming world  [read more].

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Where’s the 4G coverage in New York?

I just had someone post a comment on one of the articles I wrote about Sprint’s 4G coverage.

The question was this:

“are these right there should new york come on”

And I thought – you know what… great question!

Why in the world has Sprint left out the biggest city in the United States from their 4G coverage?

Is it because of New York politics?

Does Sprint not have enough resources to move into a market like New York?

There’s has to be something that is keeping them from covering New York in 4G.

But yet cities like this DO get 4G coverage:

• Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
• Reading, Pennsylvania

I mean really… Reading, PA gets it but New York City is left out?

There’s got to be something more going on here that Spring isn’t telling us.

Any thoughts?

This could be attributed to the news that Sprint has actually made an gain in the number of subscribers it added in the second quarter of 2010.

Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) is current up +0.11 (2.38%) at 4.94.

What are some of the factors that may have contributed to this feat?

Let’s run through a few that I think are relevant:

1) Sprint had the first 4G network

Say what you will about Sprint, no one can take away the fact that they blazed a trail into the world of 4G data.

The Sprint 4G coverage map is ever expanding. And Sprint is aggressively pushing more metro areas to it’s list of 4G enabled locations.

However, all of this effort into expanding their 4G network might be trumped by a possible 4G satellite that places a cloud over the entire United States.

2) 4G enabled mobile phones

Along with being the first 4G data provider, Sprint can also claim to provide the first 4G enabled mobile phone.

The HTC EVO 4G was Sprint’s first 4G experience, and the device has captured everyone’s attention simply because… well… it was a first to the market.

3) Possible acquisition of T Mobile to become 3rd largest US carrier

Finally, I see Sprint as being a great candidate to acquire the struggling the T Mobile carrier.

T Mobile would be great acquisition for Sprint and would, in essence, make Sprint the third largest US mobile phone carrier behind AT&T and Verizon.

So what do you think?

Is Sprint gearing up to be a true, long term competitor in the mobile phone and carrier market, or will they simply be plowed over by those with more resources and exposure?

Ready for a 5 inch touch screen mobile phone!

The widely discussed Dell Streak is going to be available for purchase tomorrow on the Dell website.

Signups for pre-orders have stopped, but you can move right on up to purchasing the Dell Streak tomorrow.

The Dell Streak is a combination between a tablet (think the iPad), and an Android OS powered phone (think HTC EVO 4G). This phone is massive with a 5 inch touch display screen and like I mentioned, powered by the Android mobile OS.

Here’s what the Dell website was showing earlier today:

Our Dell Streak pre-sale sign-up opportunity is no longer available. Please visit www.dell.com/streak tomorrow to purchase your Dell Streak.

However, if you visit the Dell site now that message is no longer there.

Is it possible they were just testing their message?

Or can we really expect to see the Dell Streak available tomorrow?

The Dell Streak will be serviced by AT&T.[source BGR]

The revolutionary Dell Streak is schedule to hit AT&T stores any day now. In fact, you can now sign up to receive a text message from Dell when the pre sale of the Streak kicks off at AT&T.

Sign up for Dell Streak pre sale alert here.

Dell Streak Hitting AT&T This Week, Tablet Meets’Mobile Phone

The Dell Streak is a combination between a tablet (think the iPad), and an Android OS powered phone (think HTC EVO 4G). This phone is massive with a 5 inch touch display screen and like I mentioned, powered by the Android mobile OS.

This data phone trumps the new Samsung Captivate that just hit AT&T this week with it’s 4.3 in touch screen. And up to now, the Captivate was considered a monster of a handset compared to other more popular mobile phones.

The Dell Streak, if it does in fact hit AT&T this week, will become AT&T’s fourth Android powered mobile phone behind the Samsung Captivate, HTC Aria, and the Google Nexus One phone.

When Steve Jobs have held his special press conference on Friday, the objective was to mitigate the damaging PR that’s resulted from the iPhone 4 antenna mess. One of the ways Jobs did this was to first talk about how Apple is focused first and foremost on customer satisfaction.

Next, Steve Jobs went into a long dialogue over how the iPhone 4 antenna issues are not really any different than what other mobile devices experience. Blackberry, Nokia, and HTC were some of the mobile devices that were targeted in Steve Jobs presentation and comparison to the iPhone 4 antenna problems.

Well, as can be expected, these mobile companies did not appreciate Steve Jobs making mention of their devices – especially comparing the iPhone 4 antenna issues with their own technology.

This criticism from Jobs drew out a direct response from HTC’s Eric Lin, head of Global PR for HTC. When Lin was asked just how many customers have complained about the antenna issue, Lin said, “Approximately .016% of customers,” and noted that “we have had very few complaints about signal or antenna problems on the Eris.”

So Lin was talking specifically about the Droid Eris here, but still .016% is a very small number, especially when compared to the 2% of the 3 million iPhone 4 customers.

Well for those T-Mobile subscribers that are still holding on to their T-Mobile G1’s, in hopes for a good Android handset to replace it may not have to wait much longer.

According to LightReading.com T-Mobile USA is planning on releasing a high-end handset in September.  The handset will be manufactured by HTC and will be able to run on T-Mobile HPSA + network.  Which mean the handset could reach download speeds of up to21 Mbps.  According to a leaked road map some websites are saying that it could be called the HTC Vanguard. A lot of sites have been saying that the picture above could be the handset.

As the mobile phone market grows more competitive, less popular phones find themselves in an interesting position. They either keep up with the trends, and latest mobile operating systems, or they fall by the wayside.

The HTC Magic is an example of the mobile phone industry forcing lower level (less popular) phones to keep up with the pace.

So later this summer, around the end of July or sometime in August, the HTC Magic is expected to be upgraded to the Android 2.1 OS.

Other popular phones such as the HTC EVO 4G are already running at least Android 2.1, and so phones like the HTC Magic need to innovate and upgrade, or they will find themselves out of interested customers.

Well it seems like the guys at AndroidSpin has got their hands on a leaked image for T-Mobile’s handset line up for the remainder of the year. Now it is possible that this could be fake, but since the Motorola Charm was just announced and it’s listed in the line up it just might not be.  According to the image a Dell netbook should be coming out between July & August. And the HTC Vanguard, which is due out in September, their is not a lot of information about the handset. There’s also an update going out to the Mytouch 3G,CLIQ & CLIQXT in August.

HTC EVO Update – Is The HTC EVO 4G The Future?

Every mobile phone on the market is designed for 3G. Every mobile phone except one – the HTC EVO 4G.

But wait a minute – 4G isn’t even implemented on a large scale yet. In fact, when you purchase the HTC EVO 4G, you have to pay for 4G coverage even though, statistically speaking, most HTC EVO users won’t even have access to 4G coverage.

So what exactly is Sprint, in collaboration with HTC, attempting to achieve by releasing the HTC EVO 4G?

And not only does the HTC EVO 4G have capabilities to deliver 4G speed throughout the US, the new device has literally been plaguing users with problems since day 1. Massive updates have been released to keep up with the problems, and users discontent has been expressed extensively online.

So what are we suppose to think then about the HTC EVO 4G?

Is this a revolutionary phone, or mobile device, that is attempting to redefine the mobile and data phone market?

Or is the HTC EVO 4G just a poorly designed, poorly executed data device?

I’m of the opening that Sprint is trying to simply establish themselves as the leader and innovator in what is becoming a highly competitive market place.

HTC Evo 4G Updates Coming, HTC EVO 4G Issues Continue

As we are seeing with the new iPhone 4 problems, technology can (and in most cases will…) come with continuing glitches. Take the HTC EVO 4G for example. Sources are claiming that yet another round of updates are scheduled for the HTC EVO 4G on June 28th. These latest updates are designed to fix issues that were unresolved from the previous HTC EVO 4G update released.

The latest HTC EVO 4G update that is coming supposedly will fix issues with battery life when using Facebook Mobile, improve Wi-Fi reception (with the possible activation of Wi-Fi N support) and fixes to Exchange email support.

Despite the coolness of the HTC EVO 4G, there are some people who believe the device just isn’t quite ready for mainstream implementation quite yet. Issues such as the 2 way video chat not working properly, and the fact that 4G isn’t yet adopted on a large scale makes the HTC EVO 4G seem a bit unprepared.

If nothing else, Sprint seems a bit behind the curve with their EVO 4g coverage. Customers are still having to pay the $10 per month for 4G coverage, even if they are not actually located in a 4G coverage area.

For those that aren’t in a 4G coverage area – you still get pretty good 3G coverage, according to the early adopters of the HTC EVO 4G.

Forget The White iPhone 4, How About The White HTC EVO 4G?

Apple decided it was best to not release the white iPhone 4 for pre order last week when the iPhone 4 debuted on the Apple website and on AT&T’s website for pre order. Not only did the missing white iPhone 4 upset a bunch of people, it made a whole lot of us ask, “why in the world doesn’t Apple open the white iPhone 4 for pre order?”

White HTC EVO 4G

According to Fortune, Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G will be coming in White.

The white HTC EVO 4G is expected to be a Best Buy Mobile exclusive until August, and orders are supposed to begin today.

Pricing is expected to be the same, $199 with a two-year Sprint 4G plan.

Should Apple be worried?

I’m of the opinion that Apple may have purposely withheld the white iPhone 4 from the market in an effort to create artificial supply and demand constraints. These artificial, or man-made supply shortages would have a psychological effect on the market place and make the white iPhone 4 in much higher demand.

Of course, I don’t know for sure if this was Apple’s purpose or not.

But with a white HTC EVO 4G coming to market shortly (expected availability for pre order is July 11th via Best Buy Mobile), then perhaps people will eject from the pursuit of a new white iPhone 4 and instead take the easier route of getting a white HTC EVO 4G?

Even though Apple might be trying to create an artificial supply / demand constraint, the HTC EVO 4G is ready to step in and offer consumers an alternative to Apple’s supply games – especially with the white iPhone 4.

I find this all ironic because wasn’t it the white iPhone 3GS that Apple couldn’t give away?

Source: AP

Josh Uhlemeyer
Former Author of Mobile News Now
Twitter: twitter.com/joshuhl
Authors FaceBook Page

I was talking with a friend last night about the new iPhone 4 when he asked me, “so are you planning on getting the new iPhone?” And to which I replied, “I really don’t want to – what I’d like to get is the new HTC EVO 4, or some other high end Android powered phone.”

To that, my friend immediately replied with, “yeah, but you know  you’re going to end up getting the iPhone 4!” And immediately, almost without hesitation I jabbed back saying, “you’re probably right, because AT&T will kill me with their ETF (early termination fee) if I try to eject before my contract is up”.

So after about 5 minutes, I got to thinking – you know, why in the world is Apple so obsessed with AT&T anyway? I mean, don’t they (Steve Jobs and whomever “they” are at Apple who sway decisions) realize that:

1)  If Apple opened up the iPhone to more carriers, Apple would probably increase sales by at least 50%

2)  The market (customers like me) want to have more options and variety, more phones to chose from – not be bogged down with corporate politics and carrier choices.

It just doesn’t make any sense to me as to why in the world Apple continues to remain attached to AT&T like a baby to his / her mama…

So what I really “want” is the new HTC EVO 4G. Why? Because I’ve had the iPhone since day and I would just like to try out a new device, new operating system, and new experience.

But because of Apple’s obsession with AT&T, I’m stuck. Granted, I decided to purchase my iPhone 3GS and get into a new contract with AT&T. But why can’t the mobile phone market be more open, more choices for consumers, more flexible so someone like who wants to move on from the iPhone can without having to pay dearly for it….?

I’ve heard it said that Sprint’s 4G WiMax network is capable of hitting speeds up to 10Mbps (10 megs) of download speed on a mobile device such as the HTC EVO 4G.

That is a pretty aggressive number if you ask me, especially since the Charter cable internet in my house was only getting about 5 megs of speed just about a year or so ago.

So now I’m curious to know if anyone out there with their new HTC EVO 4G, and of course you’d have to be in a 4G coverage area, has been able to hit 10 megs download speed?

Use SpeedTest.net app

A great way for you to test your 4G – or really any mobile phone internet speed – is to get the Speedtest.net app for your mobile device.

The Speedtest.net app will test your download and upload speeds of your current mobile data speed.

For iPhone owners, just go the App store and search for “speed test”, and for Android owners, I’m not sure actually… you can probably just type SpeedTest.net into your mobile browser.

So anyway, I’m wondering if anyone is able to even come close to 10 meg download speed with their mobile phone?

There are news reports of stores not being able to keep up with the demand for the new release of the HTC EVO 4G.

Sprint’s release date for the hot new mobile phone was Friday, June 4th. People were reported camping outside some Sprint stores at 4:30am on Friday just so they could get their hands on one of the first HTC EVO 4G’s.

As people rushed into the stores on Friday to swipe up their new HTC EVO 4G, the high level of demand has been keeping pace throughout the weekend. Now, on Sunday, stores are reporting that they have actually ran out of inventory of HTC EVO 4G’s.

No need to worry though, it won’t take until about tomorrow morning, or maybe even late tonight, for some of these stores to replenish their supply and keep Sprint customers coming back for more of the HTC EVO 4G.

All of this news about the release and sale of the HTC EVO 4G come only days before Apple’s WWDC2010 conference where Steve Jobs is expected to announce a 4th generation iPhone – or as some people are calling it, the iPhone 4G.

One thing is clear, the high speed data phone market is getting intense and I would have to recommend that Apple expand their iPhone carrier from AT&T to Verizon sooner rather than later. At a certain point in the not too distant future, Google’s Android powered phones – like the HTC EVO 4G – are going to take over simply because they are accessible on multiple phone carriers.

For those of you that have been patiently waiting for the HTC Evo 4G the wait is finally over. The HTC Evo 4G will have a 4.3-inch screen, 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, 512MB of RAM, 1GB of ROM, Android 2.1 with HTC Sense UI, Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, 8.0-megapixel camera & a front facing 1.3 MP camera. The HTC Evo 4G is priced at $199.99 after a $150 online discount & a $100 mail-in-rebate with a two-year contract. Below is a Cnet video review of the HTC Evo 4G. So if you’re interested in getting the HTC Evo 4G go to Sprint.com to get more information & to buy one.

Josh Uhlemeyer
Former Author of Mobile News Now
Twitter: Twitter.com/joshuhl
Facebook: Josh Uhlemyer

I just want to clear up a couple of Sprint’s 4G pricing data misconceptions that some people are struggling with. When you purchase the HTC EVO 4G, you will be charged an additional $10 per month for the 4G data coverage, regardless of whether or not you are located in a 4G enabled city.

Some people have been wondering about Sprint’s 4G coverage and data plan cost, and the question has been popping up frequently asking do you have to pay for 4G coverage even if you don’t live in a city that doesn’t yet have 4G?

The answer simply is yes, you will have to pay for the 4G coverage regardless – and the additional cost for that 4G coverage is $10.

Sprint’s 4G Coverage Area

Yesterday, Sprint announced that Kansas City has just come online with 4G data speed. Yet, for some reason, cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles have yet to come online with 4G speed.

It’s been perplexing to me why Sprint would bring on smaller metro areas like Kansas City before bringing on major metro areas such as San Francisco and Los Angeles….?

Anyway, just wanted to clarify the fact that Sprint is going to charge you $10 extra for the 4G coverage, whether you live in a 4G enabled city of not.

According to a representative I spoke to at a Sprint retail store in metro Atlanta, Sprint will be releasing their new, fully updated 4G coverage map at the following web address:

https://www.t-mobile.com/coverage/coverage-map

As it is now, the coverage area for 4G is widely debated amongst bloggers, and even Sprint employees. However, tomorrow hopefully ends the debate and we’ll see a nice, new updated 4G coverage map at Sprint.com.

HTC EVO 4G

From initial reviews, the HTC EVO 4G is a superior phone to the iPhone 3G. Even on only 3G connections, the HTC EVO 4G is said to actually out perform the iPhone.

Mathew Honan of wired.com said that the device did do far better with 3G than the Apple iPhone. Honan used the smartphone at three different locations in San Francisco where AT&T’s network is not very strong. HTC Evo 4G worked well in the places, where the iPhone failed to make call.

The phone has a giant 4.3-inch display, which is much bigger than the iPhone and Nexus One. It has two cameras, an 8-megapixel camera (with flash) on the rear and a 1.3-megapixel camera with sensor in front. The dual-screen action will allow the users to take self-portrait and preview them as well. The camera can shoot 720p video.

Biggest HTC EVO 4G complaint

So far the biggest complain about the HTC EVO 4G has simply been the lack of 4G coverage. However, Sprint is looking to be the leader in the 4G coverage market as they look to expand their current 4G coverage areas.