cdma

Qualcomm's Q4 shows gap between mobile, PC chipmakers

In case the market needs more evidence of the strength of mobile versus PCs, all it has to do is look at Qualcomm.

The wireless-chip maker, which helped popularize the CDMA technology used in cell phones, today reported quarterly financial results that were better than it had anticipated, and it provided bullish projections for the current period and year.

Its strong results -- which sent shares up about 8 percent in after-hours trading -- contrast pretty sharply with the dismal forecasts from many other semiconductor companies, most notably PC chip giant Intel. Intel last month gave a fairly grim outlook … Read more

I can roam the world with a Galaxy S3. So why not the U.S.?

Samsung's latest flagship phone, the Samsung Galaxy S3, is about to launch in the US. I'm excited! But I'm also confused. Is this my dream phone, one that I can use with both AT&T and Verizon? Getting a straight answer has proven tough.

In the past, swapping a phone between the two major networks had been hard because they use different technologies for their 2G and 3G networks. Verizon uses CDMA (as does Sprint), while AT&T uses GSM (as does T-Mobile).

But in the full 4G world, both are using … Read more

Buying a used Android phone? Use PocketESN first

Buying used Android phones can save you a bunch of money, but there are a few things you should check out before forking over your hard-earned cash. Things like water damage, cracks in the phone's body or screen, and of course actual functionality of the device are the obvious things to check -- but what about being blacklisted from a carrier?

That's right, a phone can become blacklisted off a network because it was stolen, or its previous owner neglected to pay a bill or 10. So how can you protect yourself in this case? Luckily, if you'… Read more

iPad 3 may come in three flavors

The iPad 3 will reportedly come in three versions to handle Wi-Fi, 3G, and 4G.

Citing intel from its own sources, 9to5Mac said yesterday that the new iPads will be codenamed J1, J2, and J2a, backing up previous information that it received.

The J1 is likely the Wi-Fi-only model, the blog's Mark Gurman speculates, while the J2 and J2a are probably the cellular versions, offering the necessary mix of GSM, CDMA, and LTE to run on both 3G and 4G networks around the world.

The J1 and J2 codenames have been linked to Retina Display reports, 9to5Mac added, an … Read more

Did Apple and China Telecom strike an iPhone 4S deal?

Apple's dealings in China have been all over the Web lately due to an eye-opening New York Times report blaming Apple for extremely subpar working conditions in its manufacturing plants in southeast Asia. That story has cast a nasty shadow over Apple in China, and now there's some more news of a deal to bring the iPhone 4S to China Telecom, China's third largest wireless carrier.

Earlier this week Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty told investors that Apple would likely strike a deal with China Telecom and China Mobile (China's largest wireless carrier) to bring the … Read more

iPhone 4S approved for use on China Telecom network

China is booming, and Apple knows it. While the only official iPhone carrier in China, China Unicom, is offering free iPhones with long-term contracts, a new competitor may be soon entering the market.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, China Telecom, the third largest wireless carrier in China may soon be offering the iPhone on its network. China Unicom is expected to start selling the iPhone 4S this Friday, though the device it'll be peddling won't likely be compatible with China Telecom's network.

The regulatory agency that approves devices for use on Chinese networks … Read more

How to turn off LTE on the Galaxy Nexus

The Galaxy Nexus has finally landed on Verizon, giving customers their first look at Android 4.0. … Read more

iPhone 4S SIM cards failing, even on CDMA networks

No, that's not a typo. Customers are reporting SIM card failures across all carriers, including CDMA-based Verizon and Sprint, which actually use the micro SIMs included in the iPhone 4S to roam on GSM networks as part of the "world phone" experience touted by Apple.

AT&T customer and Apple Support Communities member "robsdoghouse" experienced SIM card failure just after purchasing the iPhone 4S.

"I started experimenting with Siri and a couple minutes later the phone was hotter than usual and I get Sim Card failure, and Bad SIM messages."

Over 17 … Read more

Apple spending $203 for each iPhone 4S, says report

Apple is shelling out about $200 to make each 32GB iPhone 4S, which the company will ultimately sell for $749, not counting the carrier subsidy.

At least that's the initial estimate from research firm UBM TechInsights.

Analyzing the overall cost history and the breakdown of each major component, UBM has calcuated a manufacturing cost of $203 for each 32GB model of the new phone. That's about the same range as Apple paid to make the iPhone 4 last year, giving the company around the same profit margin. This preliminary projection includes expenses of $26 for the new A5 … Read more