boost

Top carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are losing sales of prepaid smartphones to the likes of Boost Mobile, Virgin Mobile, and MetroPCS, according to an NPD report out today.

Third-quarter prepaid smartphone sales for the smaller carriers rose 23 percent over the prior quarter. But sales among the tier-one carriers dropped by 12 percent over the same period. Why? The smaller players won over customers by offering lower prices and a larger selection of prepaid phones, NPD said.

In the third quarter, 70 percent of smartphone buyers who bought their phones through a prepaid carrier had … Read more

Two years is a long time. In that amount of time you can finish a master's degree or, uh...raise a baby into a 2-year-old child. OK, that latter example wasn't the most illustrative, but what I'm trying to say is that for some mobile phone users out there, two years is too long to be locked down in a carrier agreement. That's why I've gathered a few top-notch, recently released phones on prepaid carriers that are ideal for those who want to be contract-free.

Samsung Galaxy Reverb (Virgin Mobile), September 2012 Though it doesn'… Read more

Boost announced today that it has begun offering the LG Venice, a variant of the LG Optimus L7 and U.S. Cellular's LG Splendor, for $219.99.

The handset has a 4.3-inch screen and runs on the Android 4.0 platform.

Its 5-megapixel rear-facing camera is capable of shooting 720p HD video and comes with an LED flash. A VGA front-facing camera is also included.

As a Boost device, users will get access to Boost Mobile ID, which allows users to customize their phones with preselected apps and widgets, depending on what ID package they choose.

The Venice … Read more

Boost Mobile brings another Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich device under its belt with the ZTE Warp Sequent.

Sporting a 4.3-inch qHD touch screen and a 1.4GHz processor, the Sequent is a midrandge device that's ideal for commitment-phobes wary of carrier contracts.

It's also equipped with a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash, a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and Bluetooth 4.0.

Powering this handset is a 1,650mAh battery, which roughly translates to 8 hours of reported talk time.

You can purchase this 3G device from Boost for $200.

Boosted Boards is promoting its electric-powered skateboard as the world's lightest electric vehicle. The Kickstarter project packs 2.6 horsepower onto a 12-pound longboard.

The skateboard is powered by lithium batteries, giving the rider up to 6 miles of range. It takes two hours to fully recharge the batteries and manages a top speed of 20mph. Regenerative braking helps the battery along when you're riding.

The skateboard works with a handheld remote control with a throttle, brake, and battery gauge. The remote is designed to tuck a finger through so you can hang onto it even while doing ollies.… Read more

Samsung Electronics is giving some love to prepaid wireless providers Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile.

The two prepaid players, both units of Sprint Nextel, will each be getting their own Galaxy smartphones.

Boost will be getting its own version of the Galaxy S2, Samsung's next-most-recent flagship smartphone. Virgin Mobile will be getting its first Galaxy smartphone, the Galaxy Reverb.

The carriers are getting the phone as the prepaid business heats up. MetroPCS yesterday unveiled a $55 plan that includes unlimited voice, text messages, and truly unlimited data. Boost and Virgin both throttle, or slow down the connection, of users … Read more

How well do you know your carrier options?

Maybe very well, if you happen to follow the ins and outs of changing plans and perks. However, you may not be aware that Cricket has a roaming agreement with Sprint, or that Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile now have 4G.

If you're a beginner, or just happen to enjoy carrier trivia, check out this quick guide to carriers.

Verizon Wireless' new family share plan has gotten lots of knickers in knots. But is the new plan really as bad as some people fear it is for consumers?

Last week, Verizon's new family share plans went into effect for the carrier's new customers. The plans give subscribers unlimited voice and text messaging and allow people to share buckets of data between different people on the same share plan and among multiple devices on the same plan. But the plans have also caused a lot of confusion -- and outraged many existing Verizon customers.

In this edition of … Read more

BlackBerry Curve 9310 owners will soon be able to IM as much as they want through a new plan offered by Boost Mobile.

Slated to kick off July 10, Boost Mobile's BBM Unlimited plan will provide worldwide and unlimited access to RIM's BlackBerry Messenger service. Unfortunately, most BlackBerry users will be out of luck as the offer is designed exclusively for the BlackBerry Curve 9310, RIM's new $99 smartphone set to debut the same day.

The BBM Unlimited plan throws in unlimited nationwide talking and texting for $45 a month. But customers who make their payments on … Read more