Break it Down Blog

We’ve been covering the Nexus One 3G connectivity problems for a while now. 2 weeks ago Google declared they got to the bottom of the problem, issuing an OTA update for the device to improve what we assumed would be connectivity behavior while in a 3G-covered area, but made it clear that this wouldn’t improve [...]

Update #1: Google has responded to the long thread with an announcement that an over-the-air (OTA) update to help make the 3G connections more stable in 3G-covered areas will be coming out, but if you are outside of T-Mobile’s 3G coverage area (which is small) there will be no change in experience for you. Release [...]

Update #5: Slashdot poster jtownatjunk.net made an interesting point in this comment, stating that cell phones are designed to constantly search for and lock into the strongest signal, not the fastest signal. Which was sensible logic up until about 2005 when high speed data networks started getting rolled out en-mass. Would be interesting if that [...]

Summary [8.0 out of 10]
The T-Mobile Sidekick LX is well-built piece of hardware combined with a customized Windows Mobile interface that some may love (teenagers?) but we don’t see it replacing any mobile warrior’s BlackBerries, iPhones or G1’s anytime soon.
Review
T-Mobile has released it’s latest iteration of the sidekick, the revamped 2007 version, the “Sidekick LX [...]

We recently posted how to use the T-Mobile $20/mo EDGE data plan with your G1 (instead of the more expensive $24.99/mo T-Mobile G1 data plan), but it looks like this may not be all roses and flowers.
As it turns out, there is another workaround similar to this using the T-Mobile “Total Internet” data plan package [...]

For all the 10 trillion people that got T-Mobile G1 phones today, you will have an Android 1.1 update pushed out to you over the data network tomorrow. We have no idea how this will work for folks that are still in non-3G areas, it’s possible the phone will detect no 3G connection and prompt [...]

Update #1: The BlackBerry ‘Thunder’ is now called the ‘Storm’ and is slowly being released on networks all around the world, with Verizon having first-rights here in the US. Check out the story.

Well it looks like BlackBerry was working on a touch-screen smart phone after all! Pictured above is the new BlackBerry Thunder (9500-series); details [...]

Well the lucky bastards over at The Boy Genius Report got their hands on an 3G iPhone and posted their unboxing shots of it.
For anyone interested… it pretty much looks like an iPhone. It does look a bit curvier though. Anyway, dig in!
Thanks BGR!

Get ready to take it up the yoo-hoo… AT&T has finally released pricing for the 3G iPhone.
The Basics (Prices for 8GB and 16GB)

For Plan Renewal: $199 or $299
For Early Upgraders: $399 or $499
For No Plan: $599 and $699 (Launched Later)

For full plan in formation, check out the following tables:

Individual plans

Price
Voice
Data
Night and weekend
Additional minutes

$69.99
450
Unlimited
5000
$0.45

$89.99
900
Unlimited
Unlimited
$0.40

$109.99
1350
Unlimited
Unlimited
$0.35

$129.99
Unlimited
Unlimited
Unlimited
N/A

Family plans

Price
Voice
Data
Night [...]

Gizmodo put up a 3G iPhone True Cost comparison that I found interesting, especially given the shenanigans surrounding the 3G iPhone upcoming release (pertaining to AT&T’s lockdown).
It looks like when you consider the SMS fee and 3G fee, the new 3G iPhone will cost you a total of $160 more dollars in a 2 year [...]

Update #1: Chris Hunkele has provided an analysis at the end of the post that seems to suggest the iPhone 2.0 is fundamentally incompatible with the T-Mobile 3G network that is rolling out now, check it out.
Update #2: Chris Hunkele has confirmed that the 3G iPhone will not work on the 3G T-Mobile network, see [...]

We have covered it here before that Apple got the long… really-long end of the stick when they partnered up with AT&T for the iPhone 1. Not only were they getting full price for their devices on each sale, but also a portion of the service contract, while AT&T got the rest.
It seems that with [...]