3g

Less than a month after allowing foreign visitors to access 3G wireless networks, North Korea has reportedly severed tourists' connection to the mobile Internet.

The reclusive country announced last month that it would soon relax restrictions on visitors' access to the Internet via mobile devices within its borders, rules that long required visitors to leave their handsets at the border or airport when entering to the country. Residents were expected to have access to certain voice and text services on the 3G network, but not the mobile Internet.

Koryolink, a 3G mobile provider partially owned by the North Korean government, … Read more

Just one month after North Korea relaxed restrictions on tourists' cell phone use, the country will soon allow foreigners to access the Internet via mobile devices.

3G service will be operational within the country's borders by March 1, but North Koreans won't have access to the mobile Internet, according to the Associated Press. Koryolink, a 3G mobile provider partially owned by the North Korean government, on Friday began informing foreigners living in Pyongyang that they will soon be able to subscribe to monthly data plans.

The move comes a few weeks after North Korea announced it would allow foreign visitors to use cell phones within the country, … Read more

commentary Dear HTC, I have been a fan of your hardware since my time with the T-Mobile MDA back in 2007. When you became the first company to produce an Android smartphone (T-Mobile G1), I upgraded my loyalty status to "die-hard" and enjoyed releases such as the T-Mobile myTouch 3G, HTC Hero, and HTC Evo 4G.

With relatively few companies competing in the Android space in the first few years, I could not see myself going with any other brand. Between 2007 and 2011, my wife and I owned nothing but HTC products. Sadly, neither of us owns … Read more

The Lenovo Idea Tab A2107 is now available for purchase through AT&T for $99 with a two-year contract or $199.99 without a commitment.

The 7-inch tablet runs Android 4.0, has a 1,024x600 pixel resolution, 16GB of internal storage, 1GB of RAM, and 1.0 GHz Cortex-A9 SC CPU. The Idea Tab A2107 also has a microUSB port, a VGA front-facing camera, and a 3-megapixel rear-facing camera.

The AT&T version of the tablet operates on 3G or Wi-Fi, but Lenovo also offers a Wi-Fi-only model. The Wi-Fi-only option, now available in stores, differs in … Read more

Some Verizon Wireless subscribers will do almost anything to keep their unlimited data plans. And that includes buying a new device at full price instead of signing a two-year contract and taking a sweet subsidy on that new phone.

But what happens when a Verizon subscriber who bought a 3G iPhone realizes she may still see her unlimited data service slowed? In this edition of Ask Maggie, I explain the finer points of Verizon's unlimited data policy and why 3G device users need to be careful. I also help another reader decide if the Verizon Share Plan could work … Read more

InterDigital is on the patent warpath again.

The company, famous for holding a boatload of patents on wireless products, filed a complaint yesterday with the United States International Trade Commission against the usual round of tech players.

Citing infringement against seven of its patents, InterDigital wants the ITC to ban the U.S. import of products made by Samsung, Nokia, ZTE, and Huawei.

Specifically, InterDigital alleges that the companies in question have engaged in unfair trade practices by selling certain 3G and 4G wireless devices that violate the seven patents. Without naming any specific products, the complaint points to mobile … Read more

What the iPad 4 loses in style, it gains in performance versus the Mini.

As I wrote last week, the Mini's style, size, and weight make it hard to put down. But after upgrading from the third-generation iPad 4G/LTE model to the fourth-generation iPad with 4G/LTE and after a week of pretty constant use, I found the 4's performance compelling.

It feels fast and benchmarks fast. In most -- but not all -- cases, Web pages pop, apps load, and graphics render faster than the Mini.

And the 4's performance is supported by my own … Read more

The newest version of the Nexus 7 tablet is already sold out on Google's online store, Google Play.

The AT&T HSPA+ model, which went on sale Tuesday, marks the first time a Google tablet is being sold with 3G capability (or 4G, depending on how you define AT&T's HSPA+).

The $299 tablet comes with 32GB of storage, 1GB of memory, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, and a 7-inch 1,280x800 display.

In the latest month of sales, the Nexus 7 sold at a clip of about 1 million per month, according to Asus, which … Read more

Sprint's Phone Connect device will now find its way to more people anxious to get rid of their landlines.

Known as Sprint Phone Connect, the "plug and play" device operates via Sprint's 3G network. Users can simply plug their home or office phones into the device, and calls are then carried over the network instead of the traditional landline.

Sprint already sells the product directly. But now the company is offering it to its MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators), wireless providers that buy network services from the major carriers and then sell them to customers. This … Read more