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It hasn't quite hit the mainstream sweet spot yet, but adding a mobile broadband connection to your laptop is easier than ever. Many PC makers offer built-in mobile broadband options in their laptop lineups, and aftermarket USB or Express Card solutions are available from your preferred service provider.

Most service plans generally run from $59-to-$79 per month depending on bandwidth, and there are often partial rebates available to cover the cost of adding a mobile broadband modem to your laptop (usually a $150 option, if it's not already included in the laptop's price). Like a free … Read more

Over the last few months, mobile operators have been falling over each other to profess their networks as "open," but a closer look at what they're really doing suggests they have a long way to go.

Traditionally, mobile phone operators have kept a tight grip on their networks. They have determined which phones could be used, what applications could be accessed, which features were enabled, and where subscribers could go on the Internet. But over the past year, Internet companies like Google and Skype have joined with consumer groups to lobby lawmakers and the Federal Communications Commission … Read more

Sanyo only had a couple of basic phones to show at CTIA, but there's still a market for these things, so we're fine with that. First up is the Katana LX, which is a shinier successor to the Katana II, plus it has a translucent OLED display. It only has a VGA camera however. Then there's the Pro Series phones, the Pro-200 and the Pro-700. Both of them support Sprint's new QChat push-to-talk service, and are made for business use. The Pro-700 is the more rugged version, and is military certified to withstand harsh environments like … Read more

Sprint's Samsung Instinct has taken center stage as CTIA, but the carrier has more to offer in Las Vegas. Monday it also unveiled its first series of QChat phones (see our Sprint QChat slide show for the eye candy), which for the first time offer push-to-talk interoperability between CDMA and iDEN networks. There's no mishmash of competing technologies here. The QChat phones make and receive PTT calls through Nextel's Direct Connect service. Oh, and incidentally, QChat marks the final nail in the coffin of Sprints previous ReadyLink PTT service.

The first two QChat handsets to hit stores … Read more

Aside from their two Pro-Series phones, Sanyo and Sprint also announced the Katana LX at CTIA. A replacement to the Katana II, the LX is a fairly basic handset with features such as a VGA camera, Bluetooth, and a speakerphone. It sets itself apart from the other Katanas with a brand new design however; it has a much shinier surface, complete with a translucent OLED LCD right on the front face. It's available in Pacific Blue, Elegant Pink, and Liquid Graphite. Pricing and availability is unknown at this point, but we expect it to be out before the end … Read more

Verizon Wireless isn't the only CDMA carrier to have scored the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330. Sprint also announced at CTIA 2008 that it will offer the popular smartphone later this month. Like Verizon's version, the device features integrated GPS, Bluetooth 2.0 (with A2DP and DUN support), a 2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities, and a microSD/SDHC expansion slot. In addition, it's compatible with the carrier's various add-on services, including Sprint Navigation, Sprint TV, and the Sprint Music Store. Sprint's BlackBerry Curve 8330 comes in a charcoal gray and is priced at $179.99 … Read more

Updated 12:30 p.m. PDT with comment from the Open Internet Coalition.

LAS VEGAS--It seems mobile operators have dodged a regulatory bullet by promising to open up their networks on their own.

On Tuesday, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said he was rewarding U.S. wireless operators for their efforts to open up their networks by not pushing for more regulation.

During a keynote address here at the CTIA tradeshow, Martin said he is going to circulate an order among the FCC commissioners to dismiss Skype's petition to apply Carterfone rules to the wireless industry. The Carterfone … Read more

It's that time of year again when U.S. cell phone executives gather at the semi-annual CTIA Wireless trade show to show off new products and hobnob with each other. But this year it seems like some companies are working extra hard to clear the air before they hit the Las Vegas show floor.

Trade shows are typically where companies make new product announcements. And while I'm sure there will be some new handsets and services announced at CTIA, my feeling is that some of the more troubled companies like Sprint Nextel and Motorola, will use the conference … Read more

Comcast and Time Warner Cable are looking to help bankroll a new joint venture between Sprint Nextel and Clearwire to deliver 4G wireless services, according to a report in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal.

According to unnamed sources, the companies are discussing a plan to provide funding for a new wireless company that would be operated by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire. The new company would use network spectrum and assets from both companies to form a nationwide wireless network using WiMax.

Last summer, Sprint and Clearwire announced they'd be working together to build a nationwide network. In November, they … Read more