Prepaid

Has the iPhone lost its cool factor?

commentary Let's face it: the iPhone just isn't cool anymore.

It's sad, but true that there's a reverse correlation between availability and coolness. The harder it is to obtain something, the more highly coveted it is.

Apple's decision to offer the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 to prepaid wireless provider Cricket may have tipped the scales away from the cool end. With Cricket in the fold, the iPhone is virtually everywhere (T-Mobile, sadly, is still left outside looking in), hitting a critical mass of availability. The iPhone has gone from a gadget of the tech … Read more

Apple iPhone enters prepaid world with Cricket

Apple's iPhone will make the leap to the prepaid world through Leap Wireless's Cricket wireless service.

The regional prepaid carrier plans to sell the iPhone on June 22, although its no-contract plans means a higher upfront cost. The 16GB iPhone 4S will cost $499.99, while the 8GB iPhone 4 will cost $399.99.

The iPhone moving to Cricket marks the continued expansion of the availability of Apple's blockbuster device, highlighting the company's push to get the device in as many hands as possible. The iPhone is an unusual device to hit the prepaid world, since … Read more

Samsung Galaxy Appeal boosts AT&T's prepaid Android options

AT&T just announced plans to add the Samsung Galaxy Appeal to its ranks of prepaid GoPhone handsets. That should come as good news to Android fans, since despite its cuddly name, inside the Galaxy Appeal beats the cool, calculating heart of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. … Read more

T-Mobile's 665 makes calls and not much else

It's not a shock when a prepaid phone doesn't offer much, but the new T-Mobile 665 takes simplicity to an extreme. With a simple flip design and only the basic features, its focus is on what a phone should do.

Clad in a muted gray color and resembling a skipping stone, the slim T665 has rounded edges and few distractions. The vertical external display is straight out of 2007, but it shows the usual information like the time and caller ID. Inside below the 1.7-inch, 262,000-color display is an extra-large keypad for easy dialing and texting. … Read more

AT&T considered buying Leap, Reuters says

AT&T buying Leap Wireless? It could happen.

The latest acquisition rumor comes courtesy of Reuters, which reported yesterday that AT&T and Leap have been in talks over the past few months regarding a potential deal.

Such a deal would give AT&T more spectrum -- an asset it has been actively looking for since its deal with T-Mobile collapsed, as well as a decent base of prepaid customers. The report comes just days after Bloomberg reported that T-Mobile had considered buying MetroPCS. The speculation frenzy underscores the acquisitive posture of most of the wireless carriers, … Read more

AT&T Avail by ZTE hands-on: A compact Gingerbread GoPhone

NEW ORLEANS--In addition to showing off its V96 tablet this year here at CTIA, ZTE also displayed its AT&T Avail. The device is a prepaid GoPhone that retails for $129.99.

Equipped with a 3.5-inch TFT touch-screen display, the Avail has a 600MHz processor and includes 512MB of RAM.… Read more

T-Mobile CEO: We're not interested in Verizon's spectrum

NEW ORLEANS--T-Mobile USA isn't looking at Verizon Wireless's proposed spectrum auction as the answer for its needs.

"For us, this spectrum is not interesting," T-Mobile CEO Philipp Humm said during a conference call with reporters today.

With T-Mobile working toward an upgrade of its existing network as well as a move to 4G LTE, the carrier is in need of spectrum, which provides wireless capacity and allows it to deliver mobile services.

T-Mobile's dilemma is shared by all of the carriers, and has been a common theme at this year's CTIA Wireless show. Verizon … Read more

T-Mobile reportedly in talks to buy MetroPCS

T-Mobile USA may be going from acquisition target to acquirer.

T-Mobile made a splash when it agreed to be bought by AT&T more than a year ago. Now, it may want to make a splash of its own, with parent company Deutsche Telekom weighing the acquisition of MetroPCS, according to Bloomberg.

Deutsche Telekom could merge MetroPCS and T-Mobile under a single entity, or it might sell off the business entirely, an option that has long been proposed for the U.S. carrier that's been steadily losing customers, according to Bloomberg.

T-Moblie and MetroPCS declined to comment.

The … Read more

T-Mobile's quiet silver lining: Monthly 4G prepaid

T-Mobile USA isn't a prepaid carrier, but it might as well be.

While the company's base of contract subscribers -- still a majority of its business and greatest source of revenue -- has been shrinking over the past few quarters, its prepaid business continues to sign up new customers.

In fact, it's been one of the rare bright spots at a carrier that is struggling to get back on its feet after a failed takeover attempt by AT&T. With higher-end customers looking to the other national carriers for better phones (read: iPhone) or 4G LTE … Read more

Microsoft's got the hots for Nook

Every weekday afternoon, CNET Update delivers the top tech stories of the day. The show keeps a close eye on emerging trends, hot devices and new apps. And it's all in less than three minutes.

In today's show, Microsoft's got the hots for Nook, LG has its head in the cloud, and we're battling pigs in space! (space! space! space!):

Microsoft is investing $300 million in a new Barnes & Noble subsidiary that will handle digital and college business. With this investment, expect the Nook to become a stronger player against the Kindle and iPad.

A … Read more