at&t

Isis, yet another mobile-payment outfit, to launch trials Oct. 22

Isis, the wireless carrier joint venture created to push mobile payment services, said today that it would launch its trials in Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas, on Oct. 22.

There will be as many as 20 compatible handsets by the end of the year, the company said in an e-mailed statement.

Isis is an effort by Verizon Wireless, AT&T, and T-Mobile USA to create a standard platform that would allow consumers to pay for goods and services with their smartphones. It's just one of several mobile payment initiatives -- one of the most notable being Google … Read more

AT&T's LG Optimus G available November 2 for $199.99

AT&T announced today that it will be offering the quad-core LG Optimus G starting November 2 for $199.99 after a two-year carrier agreement. Preorders for the 4G LTE device begin tomorrow.

We had a chance to review the device recently, and we have to admit, this device is fast. Its zippy quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU make it a snap to handle, and its 4.7-inch screen is gorgeous. Pictures and videos appeared crisp and bright, and gameplay was vivid and speedy.

The phone did have a few missteps, however. AT&T's Optimus G … Read more

AT&T set to start six-strike anti-piracy campaign?

Alleged documents obtained by TorrentFreak assert that Internet provider AT&T has begun internally training its personnel in a new anti-piracy campaign.

Warning notices will begin to be sent out on November 28, according to the documents. If subscribers are caught downloading content protected by intellectual copyright -- including videos, games and music -- they can expect to have access to frequently visited Web sites blocked.

So, can a subscriber expect a court summons to arrive in the mail? Perhaps not, at least, for now. Instead, you'll have to complete an "online copyright course," according to … Read more

Supreme Court closes door on warrantless eavesdropping suit

The long-standing warrantless spying case ended at the hands of the Supreme Court today. After six years of working its way up through the courts, the Electronic Frontier Foundation's lawsuit against the National Security Agency -- which aimed to hold telecom companies liable for allowing government eavesdropping on U.S. residents -- was terminated.

The Supreme Court declined to review a lower court ruling on the case today, closing the door on further appeals. Its decision did not address the merits of the case.

Hepting v. AT&T was a class-action suit filed by the American Civil Liberties … Read more

Windows Phone 8 pre-orders said to start October 21

Although Windows Phone 8 handsets aren't expected to launch until October 29, rumor has it that several will be ready for pre-order from AT&T as early as October 21, according to The Verge.

Inside sources have revealed to The Verge that the carrier will begin taking pre-orders on the HTC 8X, Nokia's Lumia 920, Samsung's Ativ Smart PC, and the Asus Vivo Tab RT.

AT&T is slated to sell both Nokia's Lumia 920 and 820 Windows Phone devices, which are the latest in the carrier's lineup of mobile devices. The Lumia … Read more

Is the Xperia TL worthy of James Bond?

Friday's CNET Update is highly classified:

In today's tech news roundup, we're trying to not feel overwhelmed with the number of smartphone choices at AT&T this holiday season. AT&T showcased its upcoming gadgets at a New York event Thursday night, which included Sony's Xperia TL. You'll find the Xperia on the big screen this November in "Skyfall." Other high-end phones to keep an eye on include the HTC One X+, the LG Optimus G, and the Nokia Lumia 920. If you're looking for something with trendy features (like … Read more

Sprint will have the Optimus G, too

Turns out AT&T won't be alone in selling LG's flagship Optimus G phone. Sprint, the nation's third-largest carrier, will also be offering the device.

The Optimus G is one of the first phones to run Qualcomm's quad-core Snapdragon processor, allowing it to handle complex tasks such as pinch-to-zooming a high-definition video clip as it's running, or working in a second application with video playing in the background.

LG has struggled to make a mark in the U.S. with its smartphones, and the Optimus G has a rough road ahead of it. While … Read more

Windows tablets from Samsung, Asus head to AT&T

AT&T said today it would sell two Windows tablets, Samsung's ATIV Smart PC and Asus's VivoTab RT.

The tablets are just the latest mobile devices to be unveiled by AT&T in the last few days. Both 4G LTE products, which run on the next-generation Windows operating system, will be available for the holiday season, although the company didn't specify when or at what price.

While the iPad has been a runaway success, few other tablets, particularly ones connected to a cellular network, have been successful. AT&T is hoping for a change … Read more

How Nokia hobbled itself with an AT&T-exclusive Lumia 920

Nokia just shut its coolest phone out of more than half the U.S. market.

The Finnish handset manufacturer's decision to strike an exclusivity agreement with AT&T for its flagship Lumia 920 means much of its hopes of breaking into the U.S. market rides on just the one carrier, which isn't the smartest decision when said carrier has a huge wave of other smartphones coming out this holiday.

While exclusivity deals were in vogue a few years ago, they've grown increasingly passé as heavy hitters such as Apple and Samsung Electronics have opted … Read more

Pantech Burst, Element for AT&T get Android 4.0 update

Pantech's Burst and Element will be getting the Ice Cream Sandwich treatment starting today.

Both phones can be upgraded to Android 4.0, AT&T said in a blog post published today. The update brings the phones to the second latest version of Android, behind Jelly Bean, or Android 4.1.

To download the update for the Burst, go here. To download the update to the Element, go here.

The two Pantech phones are mass market smartphones and part of AT&T's strategy to widen its smartphone base with more attractive pricing.