Tag: AT&T

AT&T and LG Team up to Offer a pre-paid Android Smartphone: Meet the Thrive

by BrothaTech

If you feel a certain kind of way about wireless contracts, but want to take advantage of all the business and productivity capabilities found in a full-fledged smartphone, well look no further than AT&T and LG as they bring you the first pre-paid Android smartphone to run on the AT&T wireless network.

With traditional wireless contracts, you are subjected to credit checks, a hefty deposit if you are establishing credit, and lengthy contracts. AT&T GoPhone pre-paid services skips all of the former and offers customers the ability to pay only for the days and minutes they choose to use, add to the plan as needed, or cancel at anytime. Previously there was a wide range of cell and feature phones you could choose from with the GoPhone service.

On April 17th AT&T, will begin selling the LG Thrive Android smartphone that you can use in conjunction with the GoPhone service. Features include:

– Android 2.2 OS
– Exchange email support
– Unlimited WiFi usage
– 3.2 megapixel camera
– 2GB microSD card installed
– Text/Picture and Video Messaging support
– Access to over 100,00 apps on the Android Market

In order to utilize all of the smartphone goodness, you will need a data plan. AT&T has got your back and is offering special data plans starting at $5 for 10mb of data usage, up to $25 for 500mb. To add these data plans, customers must sign up for either the Smartphone $0.10/min or $2/day plans. The LG Thrive Android smartphone will be available for purchase nationwide at AT&T company-owned retail stores and in select national retail locations on April 17th.

What all of this means is whether for business or personal, smartphone and mobile device users are starting to see options and if they choose to, can break away from their sometimes restrictive wireless contracts but STILL play Angry Birds stay productive on the go.

Choose a FREE Mobile Internet Solution on AT&T Premier

by Shy Mukerjee

Sure, Wi-Fi is great, but it isn’t everywhere. What if you need a guarantee that anywhere you go, you can get your computer online? The AT&T USBConnect Shockwave 4G connects to your laptop and allows you to work virtually anywhere.  Or, you can connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices with the AT&T Mobile Hotspot MiFi® 2372.

Both are FREE for a limited time:  Check it out!

(2-yr. agreem’t on min. $50/mo. DataConnect plan req’d. 4G in ltd. areas. Add’l restr. apply. This message brought to you by our sponsor, AT&T)

Jailbreakers Beware of Your Tethering Activity-Don’t lose your unlimited data plan

by BrothaTech

Word is that time will soon be up for those of you who are using the popular MyWi app to turn your iPhone into a hotspot for other devices.

If you are one of the those type of users, you may have seen a letter to you suggesting that you opt-in to one of their data tethering plans. Failure to do so just may prompt AT&T to do it for you. Below is the partial letter with instructions on how to bring your plan up to snuff:

Dear [Name of Account Holder],

We’ve noticed your service plan may need updating.

Many AT&T customers use their smartphones as a broadband connection for other devices, like laptops, netbooks or other smartphones– a practice commonly known as tethering. Tethering can be an efficient way for our customers to enjoy the benefits of AT&T’s mobile broadband network and use more than one device to stay in touch with important people and information. To take advantage of this feature, we require that in addition to a data plan, you also have a tethering plan.
Our records show that you use this capability, but are not subscribed to our tethering plan…

…If we don’t hear from you, we’ll plan to automatically enroll you into DataPro 4GB after March 27, 2011. The new plan – whether you sign up on your own or we automatically enroll you – will replace your current smartphone data plan, including if you are on an unlimited data plan.

If you discontinue tethering, no changes to your current plan will be required.

The letter also outlines AT&T’s current pricing structure for tethering plans and offers key advantages to using the plans.

In the end, Federal regulators have said that jailbreaking is not illegal, it can however, according to Apple, void your warranty. And be advised, you are at risk if you decide to jailbreak your phone, and the companies reserve the right to treat you differently if you choose to do so. So opting into one of AT&T’s data plans for small business can keep you on its “nice list”.

Mobile Apps Key to Small Business Operations, says AT&T

by Shy Mukerjee

Hot off the presses, a new survey from AT&T shows that small businesses (defined here as organizations with between 2-50 employees) are increasingly dependent on mobile technology in their day-to-day operations. According to the survey, 75% of small businesses now use mobile apps for their business “to save time, increase productivity and reduce costs.” Nearly half (49%) of all small businesses are now utilizing GPS/Navigation and mapping apps, making it the largest category of mobile applications currently being used.

What Other Kinds of Apps?

A variety of other apps are making inroads into small businesses as well.  The top app categories include social media marketing, document management, location-based services, time management, expense tracking software, and programs that accept credit or debit card payments in the field.

State of Social Media & Facebook

While social media apps are being utilized by a smaller proportion of companies (26%), a significant number (41%) are now using a Facebook page to promote themselves.

Small businesses feel that Facebook provides an easy and affordable way to promote their businesses., and many feel that it is the best way to communicate with their customers. Certainly, Facebook offers several unique options for businesses, from the low cost of set-up (free), to the ability to directly interact with individual customers, something that websites simply cannot offer. As well, a full 37% have noticed an increase in traffic to their websites, and 29% an increase in phone calls thanks to their Facebook pages.

Post continues after the jump.

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OS 4.3 Will Bring Mobile Hotspot To AT&T iPhone 4

by BrothaTech

It won’t be long before AT&T iPhone users are somewhat right back on the same level with Verizon Wireless iPhone users with the upcoming OS upgrade to the latest iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Within the upgrade to OS 4.3, it has been confirmed by AT&T brass that its iPhone 4 will also get the mobile hotspot feature that will enable up to 5 devices to utilize the iPhone’s wireless signal to get online, check email, etc.

AT&T spokesperson Seth Bloom stated “To utilize this feature, customers will need to subscribe to the DataPro 4GB/$45 tethering data plan.”

I currently use the VZW iPhone and the mobile hotspot feature definitely comes in handy when I need to access my laptop to send an invoice or any other business document that’s not in the cloud. Another added bonus is it cuts down on amount of gadgets if you use BOTH an iPhone AND a seperate MiFi device. But be warned, your battery life will suffer, so make sure you are plugged in if you are using the hotspot feature for an extended amount of time. If the AT&T version is similar in functionality, it will be a very well-received feature for AT&T customers as well.

Whether you praise AT&T for its fast 3G, or praise VZW for its reliable 3G, one thing you can now say about both in regards to their iPhone versions is that both can now (legitimately) share the internet connection; something that I my opinion will be a standard feature on all smartphones within the next year.

[via: intomobile]

AT&T Premier WP7 Phone and Car-kit for One Cent

by BrothaTech

Great Deal on Windows Phone 7 device with Extras

It can’t get any cheaper more monetarily advantageous for you and your business than a shiny new Windows Phone 7 mobile device and a car kit for one penny.

…Yeah, you heard me correctly

For a limited time, AT&T Premier is offering business customers (large and small alike) or individuals a sweet deal on an LG Quantum, running the new WP7 OS AND and a free car kit for the low-low price of one penny, provided you meet eligibility requirements (see legal mumbo-jumbo here).

The LG Quantum is loaded with features that will ensure your ears stay low to the ground all while not taking up every waking moment of your life. Features include:

– View video, applications, and the Web on a vivid 3.5” wVGA touch screen

– Fire off text messages and email with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard

– Multitask quickly via a 1 GHz processor and 16 GB user memory

If you’re an on-the-go business owner, you will appreciate the fact that the offer also includes a free car-kit that will enable you to keep your hands on “10 and 2” while ensuring your clients that everything is running as smooth as a baby’s bottom.

To get in on this deal, all you need to do is meet the eligibility requirements and sign up for a 1 to 2yr contract (voice & data) with AT&T Premier and you will be running your business hands-free while other so called “fast movers” are tied to their desktops/laptops.

For more information and to sign up, check out the AT&T Premier for your Business website.

Word on the Street: AT&T to get a 3G BlackBerry PlayBook

by BrothaTech

The much anticipated tablet device by BlackBerry is starting to see the light of day as it now has an unofficial launch date of “sometime before the end of the first quarter in 2011”. That device will be WiFi only, followed by a WiMax (4G) version of the device sometime this summer.

According to CIO.com, a source has obtained a document stating that the WiFi version is still on track to be released before the end of March this year. Additionally a 3G version of the BB PlayBook will be released late March/early April.

Of course all of the is rumor and neither RIM or AT&T has confirmed anything. But maybe (just maybe) the BlackBerry faithful can take a page out of the Verizon iPhone faithful who literally spoke (or blogged) the magical device into existence, and produce enough fanfare to coax RIM and AT&T into releasing the BB PlayBook on the AT&T network.

What do you think? Is there enough demand to bring about a AT&T 3G BlackBerry Playbook, or would it make more sense to just wait (just a little longer) for a 4G version?

AT&T Gets Aggressive and Offers iPhone for $49

by BrothaTech

“Money Talks” is what I would presume AT&T is thinking by aggressively reducing the cost of an 8GB Apple iPhone 3GS down to just $49 online and at more than 2,200 U.S. retail stores.

“We want to deliver the best, most complete package for our customers – from price, to speed, to worldwide access and more…” explained the chief marketing officer at AT&T.

The offer is available for current and new customers, and you will have to sign a two-year agreement, but $49 bucks for a 3G smartphone, specifically an iPhone…designed by Apple; is a good deal. Time will tell if this new offer is good enough to divert just some of the attention that existing and potential customers might be giving AT&T’s major U.S. carriers in the next couple of weeks.

Three New AT&T 4G Phones Announced at CES

by BrothaTech
left to right: Samsung Infuse, HTC Inspire, and Motorola Atrix

This post is more of an update to my earlier post about the HTC Inspire 4G phone and the addition of the Motorola Atrix 4G and the Samsung Infuse 4G that will be available for AT&T customers sometime in the first quarter of 2011. Both are 4G phones and will run on the 4G HSPA+ network as AT&T starts to deploy it’s 4G LTE network in mid 2011.

The HTC Inspire 4G is a Single-core 1GHz Snapdragon processor; 4.3 inch 800×480 resolution screen; front and back cameras with 720p playback; and will be running the Android “Froyo” 2.2 OS.

The Motorola Atrix 4G will be one of the first smartphones to boast a dual-core Tegra processor; with a 4.1 inch 480×854 resolution screen (back down to human-size); with 1080p playback and front and back cameras (pretty much the standard nowadays)

The “Big Daddy” in terms of sheer size is the Samsung Infuse 4G with it’s hefty 4.5 inch screen. The Infuse will have a 1.2GHz processor and and will features a Super AMOLED screen with new technology that is supposed to cut down on glare in the sunlight. The Infuse will also run Android 2.2.

There you have it, AT&T wants to win over the Android folks (just in case “Big Red” does pick up the iPhone) with its announcement of three new 4G phones at CES. We will have to wait and see how smooth they work over AT&T’s HSPA+ network.

Rolling Stone Magazine Outs AT&T 4G Phone, 4G Network Soon To Follow?

by BrothaTech
We see you back there

[photo credit: Android Central]

Yeah, you heard me – It looks like Rolling Stone Magazine got the drop on all of the geeky, tech, sites where you would normally expect info like this to come from.

If you’re a smartphone addict like me, then you should be aware of all the current and upcoming HTC Android OS 4G phones depicted in the Rolling Stone ad:

– HTC EVO (Sprint)
– HTC G2 (T Mobile)
– And the recently announced HTC Thunderbolt (Verizon).

The “new kid on the block” (showing my age) that appears in the back of the other phones in the ad is the HTC Inspire from AT&T. If AT&T is willing to let Rolling Stone of all publications drop tech goodness like AT&T’s first 4G phone, then AT&T’s 4G network couldn’t be too far behind….Right?

All My 2011 CES attendess, keep an eye on HTC and AT&T and let us know (via the comments section) if they announce anything during the conference.

Update: the folks over at BGR have the details on an AT&T LTE (4G) announcement at CES today. (Now that makes more sense)