Tokyo is arguably one of the most technologically advanced cities in the world. It has world-class public transport, is home to many of the world’s most innovative tech companies and Akihabara is arguably mecca for nerds. So why can’t I connect to the ‘net using my phone? More »
I’m not too sure what to make of this announcement that iiNet is now reselling 3 Mobile’s wireless internet service. Part of me thinks it’s awesome – even though they’re selling it for the same price as 3, 3′s prices are far and away the best in the country, once you get over the whole coverage thing. Which brings us to the other part of me, which wonders whether iiNet users will be slugged with Telstra’s monstrous roaming charges if they leave the CBD.
In any case, it’s happening now, and as Gus over at Lifehacker points out, don’t actually think that you’ll see unmetered iTunes downloads over the wireless network – that won’t ever happen!
[iiNet via Lifehacker] More »
Sprint’s partnership with WiMax provider ClearWire looks to be bearing some hardware fruit, with the release of the first dongle to combine 3G cellular and 4G capabilities.
Many of you asked for a re-do of Windows Mobile browser testing after our Battlemodo declared the platform beyond worthless for surfing. So here it is, the internet running on Windows Mobile’s finest hardware.
Verizon is so super-serial about beating AT&T in the race to deploy 4G LTE mobile broadband, CTO Dick Lynch said yesterday they’ll start rolling it out next year, ahead of the original 2010 timeframe.
Just the other day it was announced that Dell was partnering with AT&T in the US to offer a Mini 9 Netbook with a mobile data contract. Now David Flynn over at APC is reporting that Dell and Vodafone are shacking up in Australia to offer a free Mini 9 netbook on a $70 contract for 24 months. The deal includes 5GB of mobile data each month, and is expected to be announced next week and be available in December.
Doing a bit of maths, you’re still better off buying the Mini 9 up front and then adding the Vodafone 5GB data pack with USB modem for $40 a month (it works out about $120 cheaper). But sometimes convenience is everything, isn’t it?
Head on over to APC for a full cost breakdown of the bundle, and if you’re in the market for both a netbook and a wireless internet contract, maybe hold off for a week or two until we receive the official announcement…
One of the main reasons I won’t go near prepaid mobile internet options is because I hate not getting what I pay for. I mean, if I buy 1GB worth of data, I should be able to use that 1GB whenever I want, not just within the next 30 days. And although that’s unlikely to change with any of the networks in the near future, 3 has just slightly improved the situation by offering pre-paid mobile internet that has a 365 day expiration period.
For $149, you get 12GB of data that you can use any time you wish over the next 12 months. Of course, you’ll also have to pick yourself up an internet key ($129) to use the service, but that’s not too bad. And if you, unlike me, reckon you could fly through your mobile data within 30 days, there are also a heap of other options for you, which are detailed below the fold… More »
Opera is releasing a preview of the next update to its mobile web browser, Opera Mini 4.2. The beta release offers improved support for YouTube, the ability to play nice with a wider selection of phones, note sharing between phones and PCs and a selection of new skins for greater customisation. Best of all, it’s still free. Download it from the Opera website.
We’ve been loving Sierra’s U597 EVDO card for a while because the form factor is so damn tight, but it looks like they just got one-upped (downed?) by Novatel, whose Ovation MC760 Micro Modem is the world’s smallest EVDO Rev. USB modem. It’s got onboard GPS, an integrated microSD slot, and a dual band antenna system “for enhanced performance on network fringe areas.” We can’t wait to check it out (we’re mobile internet whores)—it’ll be on Verizon or Sprint by the end of the year.
Before T-Mobile customers start cheering for the long-awaited 3G services which began rolling out earlier this year, they might want to stop and think twice as rumours surface that T-Mobile plans to increase their data packages as early as the beginning of November. The cost of supporting the 3G network is now being passed on to consumers.
