sprint

Another HTC Arrive with Mango shows up at a Sprint store

September 25, 2011 | By Surur

HTC Arrive with mango at Sprint

We strongly suspect Mango will be rolling out next week in USA, but if you have been waiting for the update before buying an HTC Arrive it seems you could walk into a Sprint store right now, as another one running Mango just turned up there.

The above handset was spotted at the Sprint store in Boulder, Colorado and is clearly showing off a bit of fast app switching.

Have any of our readers seen Mango handsets being retailed already? Let us know below.

Update: We had a tip from a Sprint store manager saying while the demo handsets are running a build of Mango, the ones in the boxes are all unfortunately still solidly NoDo

Picture thanks to WolfGallery.com

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Is the Samsung Omnia 7 coming to USA with a front-facing camera in tow?

September 8, 2011 | By Surur

The Samsung Omnia 7 is one of the most attractive Windows Phone 7 handsets, and so far could be found mainly in Europe.

Now a dual mode GSM/CDMA version of the handset, the SGH-i708, has just passed though the FCC sporting a front facing camera.

The handset sports an extra button on the left of unknown purpose, and has a 2000 mAh battery, but otherwise seems to be the same Samsung Omnia 7 we know and love.

The handset may be coming to Verizon or Sprint, where I suspect it would have done well earlier in the year. However, despite the handset never being available in USA, we are in a global village, and I believe most potential Windows Phone 7 users will know it is an old design, which rather suggests either laziness on Samsung’s side or a massive delay.

Would our CDMA-using readers still buy the handset? Let us know below.

And then there were three: Sprint drops the HP Pre3

July 10, 2011 | By Surur

dead-pre_1_270x182 According This is my Next’s trusted sources Sprint has refused to carry the HP Pre3, Palm’s latest webOS handset. The carrier has apparently been burned by high support costs for webOS handsets, which has suffered from very high hardware failure rates and a laggy OS.

While the CDMA carrier is still carrying the low profile Palm Pixi , which it is giving away for free, this does in fact spell the death knell for the OS on USA’s 3rd biggest carrier. WebOS is not being offered on T-Mobile at all.

While This is my Next contends that Sprint will be concentrating on Android instead, the effect will be that if one is looking for a device which is not Android on Sprint, the choice will be between the waning Blackberry and an increasingly competitive Windows Phone 7, which already has much higher customer satisfaction rates than both Blackberry, webOS and even Android.

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Spectrum Sprint released for WP7

June 16, 2011 | By ludibrium

Turku, Finland — June 15th, 2011 — Finnish independent game developer Ludibrium Ltd announced today the launch of their second Windows Phone 7 game Spectrum Sprint. The game is available world wide for free on the Windows Phone 7 Marketplace.

Spectrum Sprint is an old school arcade-style game where you try to get the high score by running and jumping as far as you can. Buttons on the screen can be used to change the color of the sprinter. The sprinter must be the same color as the platform he is landing to or he will fall trough! Gray platforms are always solid no matter the color of the sprinter.

Game features:

hours of addicting old school arcade action
3 difficulty levels
global leaderboards
awesome rainbow pixel graphics

Spectrum Sprint can be found in Marketplace here.

About Ludibrium LTD:

Ludibrium Ltd is a newly founded, independent game development studio based in Finland. The company focuses on creating fun and high quality games for Windows Phone 7 and for other mobile platforms.

Contact:
[email protected]
http://www.ludibrium.fi
http://twitter.com/LudibriumLtd

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PCMag’s salesman against WP7 research is premature

June 13, 2011 | By andrewbares

PCMag recently made the bold statement that cell phone sales representatives were pushing customers away from buying a Windows Phone. From a tiny sample of only four retail stores, PCMag claimed that “retail salespeople aren’t enthused about selling Windows Phones”.

To make things worse, their claim was based off ”research” findings which showed that only half of the stores they visited actually pushed people away from Windows Phone 7! They even said themselves that the AT&T employee was “enthusiastic about WP7 devices”. In the T-Mobile store they visited, the employee praised WP7 for being highly regarded by techies. Only in the Sprint and Verizon stores did the representatives push Sara away from Windows Phone 7.

And remember that this was only four stores. My medium sized city has 10 AT&T stores alone! Therefore, PCMag’s results should definitely be taken with little significance.

However, I decided to take things into my own hands and help increase the amount of research by visiting some stores myself.

A day ago, I visited a T-Mobile, AT&T, and Sprint store. I had hidden cameras with me, hoping to document the experience on video, but the store employees didn’t give me permission to use the film footage. Nevertheless, here is my experience: Continue reading →

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PCMag confirm cell phone sales people against Windows Phone 7

June 9, 2011 | By Surur

Cellphones sales reps are turning potential Windows Phone buyers away.

PCMag has done a secret shopper on some carrier cell phone stores, presenting as a customer looking for a Windows Phone. Near universally the shopper was guided away from the handset they wanted to an Android handset in the main.

They write of their experience:

At AT&T, the salesperson was a recent iPhone to Android convert. She was enthusiastic about WP7 devices, saying that Netflix was on WP7 and not available on her Android, and looked embarrassed when she walked me over to AT&T’s unkempt WP7 display shelf. The newest WP7 phone, the HTC HD7S, didn’t have a demo device. The only live demo I saw was an LG Quantum with a damaged screen (below right).

Next at a T-Mobile kiosk, the only WP7 device on display was an HTC HD7. The salesperson said the WP7 platform was well-regarded by techies, but that he couldn’t personally recommend it as he carried an Android device. He was obviously more knowledgeable about the Android platform, and eventually the session turned into an iOS-bashing fest.

At a Verizon reseller kiosk, a salesman clearly tried to deter me from buying a WP7 device altogether. Not only did not he appear to know the fundamental difference between Windows Mobile and WP7, his kiosk didn’t even offer WP7 devices and said you’d only find WP7 demo products at a few of Verizon’s big retail stores.

"Honestly, only 1 out of 500 customers comes in here asking for a Windows phone," he said. "Verizon won’t roll them out to kiosks until it performs better on the market."

At Sprint, a salesperson was impressed by my insistence on trying a WP7 device (Sprint has only on Windows Phone 7 model, the HTC Arrive), but still tried to sell me the Android-powered HTC Evo (like the one he held). When I told him I’d rather wait for another WP7 phone to hit Sprint, he tried to convince me to return on June 24 for the HTC Evo 3D.

Although he said he liked the WP7 platform, he told me, "We sell what people want. There hasn’t been much demand, but I think it’s growing. Just yesterday somebody came in looking for this phone."

While PCMag attributes the issues to poor training and carrier relations, we prefer to look at solutions. The answer is simple – Microsoft should offer bounties for salesmen selling the most Windows Phones. It will likely be a whole lot more effective than any multi-million dollar marketing campaign which brings buyers into stores just to be turned into Android customers by sales reps.

Read the full PCMag article here.

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HTC Arrive now getting the May update

May 25, 2011 | By Surur

arrriveupdate

WPCentral reports the Sprint HTC Arrive is now getting the post-NoDo May update, which brings revokes a number of fraudulent certificates.

The update should be available on connecting your phone to Zune desktop.

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HTC Arrive now available for a penny on Amazon.com

May 20, 2011 | By Surur

If you want a keyboard with your CDMA Windows Phone Verizon will not be helping you out on the 26th, when the HTC Trophy arrives.

Sprint on the other hand has your back, and are now offering, for a limited time, the HTC Arrive for only 1p on contract.

The HTC Arrive is a solid Windows Phone 7 handset, which we have reviewed in full here.

The HTC Arrive can be found at Amazon here (Affiliate link).

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HTC Arrive getting May security update on the 24th?

May 19, 2011 | By Surur

1HTCWP7Update1

A leaked support page for the HTC Arrive appears to indicate the May security update (build 7392) is set to arrive on the HTC Arrive on the 24th, the same day as Microsoft’s VIP Mango meeting.

The HTC Arrive has so far been excluded from the upgrade mill due to being released with NoDO in place already, so this would be the first test of an upgrade on a CDMA device. Hopefully it will go as smoothly as the updates have been so far on all other HTC devices.

Via Spantechular.com

Thanks Joy for the tip.

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MIX 11 demo device the HTC Mazaa

April 25, 2011 | By Surur

Nanapho.jp reports that, according to a Microsoft rep at a meet up in Japan, the device being used in the MIX 11 demoes was not in fact the HTC 7 Trophy but really the HTC Mazaa.

The HTC Mazaa is, according to an XDA-Developers leak, a CDMA device heading for Sprint. Likely the same device is only waiting to show up on Verizon, but that has obviously been a long time coming.

The revelation does raise an intriguing question – what if the CDMA device is in fact subtly different from the HTC 7 Trophy, for example being equipped with a gyroscope. Would that make the wait worthwhile for our CDMA readers?

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HTC Arrive: Video Review

April 16, 2011 | By andrewbares

The HTC Arrive is basically the CDMA equivalent of the HTC 7 Pro, and is available on Sprint. It features a large slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a tilt-up screen, and 16 GB of internal storage. Watch our video review of the HTC Arrive embedded above, or continue reading below for the written review below.

Overview

The HTC Arrive is another solid WP7 device, but it does have some disappointments. The screen is really tough to see when you are in direct sunlight, the camera has the typical HTC issues of frame rate problems, and the thickness of the phone is somewhat shocking. However, the benefits do mostly outweigh the negatives, and the Arrive is a great choice for anyone on Sprint. The keyboard is a joy to type on, the screen is vivid (when not outside), and the phone runs butter smooth.

Sprint-exclusive Benefits

While many versions of the HTC 7 Pro offered by other carriers outside of the United States only have 8 GB of internal storage, the Sprint version has 16 GB, plenty of space for your music and games. Also, Sprint includes navigation for free with their data plans, so you can use TeleNav GPS to help you arrive at your destinations. The phone itself costs $200 with a two-year contract, the typical price for new smartphones.

Hardware

The Arrive doesn’t feature anything jaw-dropping, but it does have a nice keyboard. Continue reading →

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HTC Arrive From Sprint Is Available For $0.01!

April 16, 2011 | By Pradeep

Amazon Wireless has this limited time offer for new customers. HTC Arrive Windows Phone with will be available for $.01 for a limited time under Sprint service contract. Without any contract, the device will cost $469.99 and existing Sprint customers who want to upgrade will have to pay $149.99.

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HTC Mazaa is the HTC 7 Trophy heading for Sprint?

April 15, 2011 | By Surur

XDA-Developers have leaked a handset which they call the HTC Mazaa and which their tipster said was heading to Sprint within the next 6 months.

Of course regular readers would know the device appears 100% identical to the HTC 7 Trophy, a originally GSM device which is still waiting to appear on Verizon as a CDMA world phone.

It therefore looks as if the device may also be coming to Sprint eventually, and at the rate Verizon is moving possibly even before big red gets it.

XDA-Dev notes the handset has an IMEI number, suggesting just like the Verizon version it will be a world phone. The Verizon phone is said to have 16 GB storage, rather than the 8 on the GSM version.