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Mobile: 10 predictions for 2013

If nothing else, 2012 has shown that the mobile industry is a pretty tough business to be in.

Many handset manufacturers, wireless carriers, and component suppliers felt the pressures of mobile business sink in, and as a result, there were a lot of shake-ups this year.

The same pressures and competitive dynamics are expected to persist next year, so expect a lot more action. The following predictions are based on conversations with industry sources over the last few months, market trends, speculation, and a little wishful thinking.

One thing's for sure, the industry should keep us all on our … Read more

Customer claims Sprint worker said his fingers 'too fat' for iPhone

It's possible you might put on a few pounds during this holiday season.

Might I suggest you perform additional exercises with your fingers? You know, so that they don't get too large.

This would seem to be extremely sane advice if you want to buy an iPhone from Sprint.

At least that's what one Sprint customer would have you believe. This customer says he billowed his way into his local Sprint store in order to get a replacement for his damaged phone.

As told to Tom's Hardware, when he discovered he could get a free replacement … Read more

Sprint offers ultra-tough Sonim XP Strike

Sprint announced today that it's now offering the rugged handset Sonim XP Strike for $129.99 after a two-year carrier agreement and mail-in rebate.

The XP Strike includes push-to-talk Direct Connect and has an extra-tough design to withstand even the harshest of elements.

Its Corning Gorilla glass screen is 1.8 millimeters thick, the phone itself meets military specifications for dust and shock resistance, and it's covered by a three-year warranty.

You can also submerge the device in 6.5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes and drop it on concrete from a height of 6.… Read more

Sprint's 4G LTE network reaches 49 markets

Sprint announced 4G LTE coverage today in six new areas, bringing the total to 49 markets.

Effective immediately, subscribers in parts of Indiana, Pennsylvania, and California will find the faster data speeds awaiting them.

Reaching 49 markets in total, Indianapolis/Carmel, Ind.; Santa Rosa/Petaluma, Calif.; Vallejo/Fairfield, Calif.; York/Hanover, Pa.; and Franklin County, Pa. are the newest members of the club. Parts of southern Puerto Rico, including Ponce, Coamo, and Guayama are also seeing 4G LTE coverage today. In addition to these new cities, Sprint is also celebrating expanded LTE coverage in Chicago.

After having just launched the … Read more

Sprint to buy out Clearwire: Why it matters (FAQ)

Sprint Nextel took another step toward securing its future by coming to an agreement with Clearwire to buy all of the remaining shares it doesn't already own.

The deal gives Sprint full control of Clearwire's impressive swath of spectrum, as well as its existing 4G WiMax network, which the company was planning to upgrade to 4G LTE next year. It also ends years of drama between the two companies, with Clearwire getting absorbed into Sprint.

So why does this matter? This deal has ramifications for consumers of both Sprint and Clearwire, and could have an impact on the … Read more

Sprint to buy rest of Clearwire for $2.2 billion

After rumors suggested a deal was near, Sprint announced today it has signed an agreement to acquire the shares of Clearwire that it does not already own.

According to Sprint, the companies have agreed to a per-share price of $2.97 on the approximately 50 percent stake in Clearwire it does not currently own. The total price will hit $2.2 billion, giving Clearwire a value of $10 billion when its debt and lease obligations are taken into account.

Rumors have been swirling for months that Sprint would acquire Clearwire, which owns spectrum and sells service to carriers and cable … Read more

Softbank puts cap on how much it'll pay for Clearwire, report says

Japan-based Softbank is limiting how much Sprint can pay to acquire Clearwire, a new report claims.

Sprint Nextel yesterday confirmed in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it's willing to pay $2.90 a share to buyout the remaining shares in Clearwire. The total cost would be $2.1 billion. Some Clearwire shareholders, however, are saying that Sprint should up its bid to $5 per share.

But there's just one problem: according to Reuters, citing sources who claim to have knowledge of the dealings, Softbank has banned Sprint from paying any more than $2.97 per share … Read more

Crave giveaway: Sprint LG Optimus G smartphone

Congrats to Oliver M. of Anaheim, Calif., for winning a copy of Symantec's Norton 360 Multi-Device security suite in last week's giveaway. Now, for this week's prize... Is your smartphone starting to look (and act) a bit shabby? You're in luck! We're offering up a free LG Optimus G from Sprint (please note: you'll be responsible for your own voice and data plan; Sprint includes an unlimited data plan among its choices).

CNET reviewers love this quad-core Android smartphone, calling it "undoubtedly the best phone LG has ever offered." In particular, they're fond of the phone's zippy Snapdragon S4 Pro quad-core processor, attractively bright 4.7-inch display, and 13-megapixel camera. The device is also 4G LTE-enabled. … Read more

Sprint's HTC Evo 4G LTE joins the Android 4.1 club

The HTC Evo 4G LTE is the newest member of the Sprint family to receive an Android 4.1.1 update.

Sprint will release Jelly Bean in stages over the next few weeks, but anxious users can manually install the update starting today.

As is the case with other 4.1 updates of its kind, the Sprint smartphone will see new features such as enhanced notifications, camera improvements, and a smarter keyboard.

The Evo 4G LTE will get a few HTC-specific tweaks as well, such as the Tap and Go function that pairs the handset with select Beats Audio speakers. … Read more

Sprint: It'd cost us $2.1B to buy Clearwire

Talks between Sprint Nextel and Clearwire are heating up.

Sprint confirmed via a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission made public today that it is in talks with Clearwire to buy out the remaining stake in the upstart wireless provider that it doesn't already own.

The company said it believes that it would cost $2.1 billion to buy out the remaining 49 percent stake in Clearwire, valuing the company at $2.90 a share, or a 5.5 percent premium to its closing price on Wednesday.

Clearwire also submitted a filing confirming the talks, but declined to … Read more