Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

Today Cingular officially took the wraps off their release of the BlackBerry 7130c, the latest SureType message machine from RIM that we were expecting an announcement at any moment. It’ll come with the usual 64MB flash and 16MB RAM, a not-quite-QVGA 240 x 260 display, and EDGE data with rates ranging from the absurd ($29.99 limited access) to the hilarious ($49.99 monthly for unlimited EDGE). Of course, Cingular has another thing coming if they think a 7130c is going to get people to fork over $50 a month for unlimited data when even Verizon does it cheaper with the Q, and is asking the same $200 for the phone. Guess they’ll have until June 12 to think it over before it hits the street.

[Via Pinstack]

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Filed under: Ringtones, Cingular

How do you make an annoying service even more unbearable? In the case of Cingular's Answer Tones (better known as ringback tones), you give customers the option of torturing their callers with "personalized" celebrity greetings to go along with the current catalog of low-quality song snippets. The wireless services provider has just a launched a program called "Say My Name" that offers subscribers the dubious ability of having celebrities like Juvenile, Ice T, Jamie Kennedy, and a bunch that we never head of, repeat a $2 canned message -- complete with the owner's first name (if they're lucky enough to have one of the 40 or so names deemed popular enough for this promotion, that is) -- while they're digging around pockets and purses for their phones. Note to our friends: the first time we hear a "Wassup, this ya boy Juve the Great..." when we call one of you, you'll be immediately kicked out of the Circle of Trust.

[Via Mobiledia]

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Cingular, GSM

An invitation for a six-day, six-city series kicking off June 13th in Houston on getting the most out of your BlackBerry also seems to reveal the launch of RIM's 7130 candybar-style smartphone for CIngular's network. Called "Own Your Day," the event is described as beginning with "an introduction to the latest BlackBerry device" complete with "exclusive hands-on demonstration." which almost certainly refers to the 7130c that we've spotted several times before. Still, until we get official word from Cingular, you've gotta file this under "speculation" for the time being.

[Via Pinstack forums]

Filed under: Cellphones

Claims about the quality of wireless networks are all fun and games until someone gets taken to court. Cingular has done just that in a May 9 court filing against Sprint Nextel, setting the stage for a legal showdown that could ultimately spell the end of ridiculous and meaningless claims that a network is “most powerful,” “most reliable,” or “l33t.” It seems the spat started after Cingular began spreading the word that its network has the “fewest dropped calls” (you know, the commercials that cleverly drop out the sound, making you think your television’s busted). Sprint Nextel, with its “most powerful” claim, took issue with that, and brought it before the Better Business Bureau’s National Advertising Division to sort out. Cingular, in response, told Sprint to go big or go home, bypassed the BBB entirely, and filed a lawsuit counter-claiming not only that they have the fewest dropped calls, but Sprint’s network isn’t the most powerful, either. (Oh, snap!) For the record, Cingular cites data from a 2004 report thrown together by Telephia, but they won’t say what data exactly, as they refuse to release the report itself (sound familiar?). Don’t expect this fight to end any time soon, folks, and don’t be surprised if Verizon eventually gets dragged into the mud, too.

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Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Cingular, GSM, GPRS

We’re not entirely sure when it’s to hit the streets, but we got our grimey gadget groping mitts on some internal Cingular launch docs for the Motorola RAZR V3i — that’d be the RAZR with iTunes and MicroSD. Yep, that 100 song cap is still present, and the phone isn’t anything more than it used to be (1.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, quad-band GSM / GPRS), but at least somebody’s bringing the damned thing to the US.

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Filed under: Cingular, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless

If you make most of your calls via cellphone, there's a good chance your call records aren't being provided to the National Security Agency -- if, that is, you're using Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile and most of your calls are between you and other cellphone users. Both companies say they haven't supplied data to the government, with T-Mob specifically stating that it was not involved "in any NSA program for warrant-less surveillance and acquisition of call records, and T-Mobile has not provided any such access to communications or customer records." If you're a Cingular or Sprint Nextel customer, well, it looks like you're in the same boat as the vast majority of landline users: those companies refused to deny participation in the NSA program.

Filed under: Ringtones, Cingular

Cingular Wireless has pulled a ringtone that mocks Latin American immigrants from its site, after being contacted by an advocate from a group called the League of United Latin American Citizens. The $2.49 ringtone, called "La Migra," ridiculed Latinos, with wording such as "Step away from the telephone-o. I'm deporting you back home-o." According to reports, a Cingular exec was "nearly speechless" after listening to the ringtone.

Update: Thanks to Sascha Segan for pointing out that the ringtone was actually a bit of satire put together by Latino comedian Paul Saucido. You can catch Sascha's interview with Saucido here.

Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

While not quite as hot as the $75,000 diamond-encrusted version, Cingular new pink SLVR L7 will surely find a market among the hoards of people that seem addicted to devices in that most feminine of colors. Even though its sporting a different shade, this model has the exact same features as the black L7 — iTunes, Bluetooth, EDGE, MicroSD, and a VGA cam — and costs the same too, priced at $199 with a two-year service agreement and pledge of eternal loyalty to Cingular/AT&T Wireless.

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Filed under: Handsets, Reviews, RIM, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

Despite Cingular's claim of being "the network with the least dropped calls," PC Mag's Sascha Segan finds that T-Mobile's version of the BlackBerry 8700 smartphone, the 8700g, actually outperforms its 8700c cousin in terms of call quality. Other improvements upon the Cingular model are T-Mobile's addition of two key software features: the OZ semi-universal IM client (no Gtalk, and AIM users are restricted to their small mobile buddy group) as well as the first implementation of the Yahoo!/RIM partnership we heard about last month, in the form of a handy Y! Mail icon pre-loaded in the launcher. Besides these small differences, however, Sascha finds the 8700g to perform almost exactly the same as the 8700c -- that is, very well. Email and texting are a pleasure, attachment support is good for all but PDF files, and the crisp screen delivers web pages cleanly (albeit at EDGE speeds), making this seem like the new go-to device for the Mob's business clientele.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

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Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Cingular, T-Mobile, GSM, EDGE

Thank you for once again making our lives interesting, oh gracious FCC. Your freshly unearthed filings from Research in Motion have divined us a small bounty of BlackBerry 7130s, which turned out to be where those other pics of the Cingular 7130 popped up from. Including the already launched 7130e, we've got four models on our hands now with the 7130c, 7130g, and 7130v. Each of the GSM devices should have quad-band EDGE as per the filing, as well as Bluetooth 2.0, 64MB flash and 16MB RAM, and the usual mini USB port. We'll let you know more as these things get prices and launch dates -- we're assuming it won't be too long now that the cat's out of the very holey FCC bag.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: Handsets, RIM, Cingular

RIM's rumored 7130cfor Cingular isn't much of a secret anymore, since a whole slew of pics have recently surfaced on a forum, including the Cingular branded promotional pics shown above. There are also promotional pics of an unbranded version of the 7130 that look more like the leaked shots we saw before of this device, along with a few other pics that all but confirm this device is right around the corner. Among other documents there are listings of 7130v and 7130g devices, which aren't explained, but it looks like Blackberry lovers of all sorts might be getting a new device offering from RIM before long. There's still not really any info on phone specs, but things are looking good. Make sure you check the read link for all the leaked imagery.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Games, Multimedia, Software, Cingular, Verizon Wireless

You might want to look elsewhere if you were hoping that snazzy new 3G handset of yours with a large screen was going to be conveying any spicy content, or really much of anything some suit might label "controversial." Turns out Verizon and Cingular are really putting the FCC to shame in their clampdown of vulgarities and what not in mobile content. Cingular, for example, has banned the words "lesbian," "condom," "pee pee," (that was getting out of hand, but what about "Wii Wii"?), and all Mature and Adult gaming content. Teen-rated content doesn't even get a free pass, so developers will have to really watch it if they want to be promoted to the largest mobile subscriber base in the country. Verizon is similarly conservative, even though they have taken to some risque advertising methods, featuring the sexy Joanna Dark (pictured at right, censors courtesy of our friends at Joystiq). But they'll have none of it from content providers. Along with the standard sex and vulgarity bans, they don't allow the "glorification or promotion of tobacco, alcohol or drug use," and ban derogatory references to Verizon, Verizon Wireless, or Vodafone. We'd better stop talking about this before we get banned as well.

[Via Joystiq]

Filed under: Cingular, Sprint-Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless

/>Major wireless carriers planning to partner with smaller providers in order to get discounts on the upcoming wireless
spectrum landrush have just been delivered a major blow by the FCC, with the agency announcing a tighter set of rules
and penalties on a practice that had been popular in past auctions. According to the new rules, smaller carriers only
qualify for discounts if they lease less than 50% of their licensed spectrum to other operators, and those discounts
will be "further examined" for carriers sub-leasing as little as a quarter of their spectrum. Furthermore, if
a carrier goes ahead and leases too much spectrum within the first five years after they’ve obtained a license, they
must repay the entire amount of the discount plus interest. What does this all mean for the consumer? We’re not
completely sure about all the specifics, but we wouldn’t be at all surprised if the increased costs to the major
carriers happen to trickle down to our bills.

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Filed under: Handsets, Cingular, GSM, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Filed under: Ringtones, Cingular

All those MySpace groups who don't end up winning Verizon's "Calling All Bands" contest will still have a wireless carrier-sponsored shot at stardom thanks to a new service called Cingular Mobile Music Studio that will turn their songs into ringtones available for purchase from the band's MySpace page. Any MySpace-accredited artist or band whose songs consist of original material may submit one track to project manager InfoSpace for consideration, and if deemed appropriate, it will be transformed into a 30-second downloadable ringtone. Artists will get 25% of the $2.50 that each 'tone will cost, and receive their cut as a check in the mail every quarter as long as revenues for that period exceed $100. This is the second major partnership between Cingular and MySpace, with the carrier's subscribers already able to receive text alerts when someone leaves a comment on their page, and one of several pushes the social networking site has made into the mobile space.

[Via Seattle Times]

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Is it just us, or are RIM's Blackberry devices getting svelter by the minute? The latest pictures to surface are of their unannounced 7130c phone for Cingular. The device shares the keypad ethics of the rest of the 7100 series, though it does seem to have its very own sense of style, a definite departure from the 7130e which was launched last year. The good news is that the phone seems to be trimming the bulk, with its front dominated by the screen and keypad. The bad news is that's all we know so far. We'll keep you posted.

[Via MobileWhack; thanks Jon]

Filed under: Handsets, Features, Palm, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Field report tidbits from Engadget’s mobile insider, the Boy Genius.

We have to say, the Boy Genius is damned good. Ok, now that thats out of the way, Engadget Mobile would like present to you exclusive pictures of a Cingular-branded Treo 750. Yeah, that’s right, that’s the Treo Lennon, and as we found out before from BG, is coming to Cingy. Yes it has UMTS. Yes it has HSPDA. And no, it doesn’t have a front facing camera for video calling — sorry, we’re gonna have to live with it. More pics after the break!

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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Cingular, Windows Mobile, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

If you’re familiar with the Hermes and you know that it’s coming to Cingular ‘fore too long, these supposed renderings of Cingular’s variant (henceforth known as the 8525) should come with no surprises — except one, that is. Note that the Hermes’ front-facing cam is conspicuously missing here, allegedly removed at Cingular’s request since their video calling infrastructure isn’t quite ready for prime time. Of course, we would’ve preferred that they leave the cam in, disable it, and cut a new firmware down the road to re-enable it when video calling is live rather than ask HTC to cripple their hardware, but we’re sure the corporate suits had their reasons.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

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Filed under: Handsets, Samsung, Cingular, GSM, GPRS

Just a month after making a cameo on the FCC’s website, it seems Samsung’s SGH-C417 has started to filter into the hands of Cingular customers — at least in some randomly allocated parts of the country. Not much to get excited about, but the thinnish flip brings a decent spec sheet to the table considering its budget price, namely an external display, Bluetooth, and the customary (albeit nearly useless) VGA shooter. At $49.99 on contract, we can see the C417 finding its way into a comfortable niche on Cingular’s low end, but c’mon guys, we shouldn’t have to pay a red cent for an internal antenna, should we?

[Thanks, Mordy]

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Filed under: Handsets, HTC, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Cingular, Symbian, Windows Mobile, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

We encourage everyone to take these tidbits with the usual boulder-sized grain of salt, but America’s favorite (read: only) HSDPA carrier has dropped their September launch grid, and on account of our friends’ slippery hands, it’s subsequently found its way over to Engadget HQ. Thanks to our own Boy Genius among countless other tipsters, nothing on the grid has really taken us by surprise — no UMTS 1900 N80s, for example — but we’re encouraged by Cingular’s (foolhardy?) optimism that the 8525 might yet see a release this month. Also allegedly along for the ride are the 3125, the oft-promised but rarely-delivered Nokia E62 (which turns out to be a lifetime exclusive for Cingular), the Samsung SGH-C417 that now appears to be on limited sale, and Sony Ericsson’s middling W300 Walkman flip. And, oh yeah, the Motorola L6 is in there, too. Don’t ask us.

[Thanks, anonymous tipster]

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Filed under: Handsets, Palm, Cingular, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, GSM, GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, UMTS

Dear Palm,

Why is it that you have such a devil of a time keeping a lid on your product pipeline? It seems like in those precious few moments when your carriers aren’t leaking documents describing unreleased Treos, you’re doing it yourself. No bother; we already knew darned well Cingular would be getting a pair of new handsets from you, freshly freed of their pesky external antennas, in Palm OS and Windows Mobile flavors — we just wish you’d make it a little more challenging to scoop the deets sometimes. Anyway, you’ve got a crowd of Palm fanatics anxiously awaiting your 680 and 750 here in the US, so let’s get this show on the road, shall we?

Love,
Engadget

[Thanks, William and Jon]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Handsets, Sony Ericsson, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

Perhaps trying to drown out the repeated cries of “give us our K790,” Cingular’s launched one for the Sony Ericsson fans: the entry-level W300i Walkman clamshell. To be fair, with a Memory Stick Micro slot, relatively generous 101 x 80 external display, Bluetooth, external music controls, and FM radio with RDS support, “entry-level” may not be doing the phone justice. Be that as it may, the handset’s only going to set you back $20 after all the discounts are said and done (provided you’re ready and willing to sign on the dotted line, of course).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.

Filed under: Handsets, Multimedia, Sony Ericsson, Cingular, GSM, GPRS, EDGE

We know this one’s been in the oven for a while, but according to the good folks at HowardForums, Cingular’s finally seen fit to release the Sony Ericsson W810i — and just in time, if we do say so ourselves — though availability seems to be initially limited to brick-and-mortar stores. As a refresher, the brightly-colored candybar does the Walkman thing in style, packing a 2-megapixel camera, that Memory Stick Duo slot we all love to hate, and the obligatory quad-band GSM radio with EDGE; better yet, its predecessors’ joystick is mercifully replaced with a more usable d-pad. Just add A2DP and you’ve got yourselves a winner, guys.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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SPONSORED BY: BOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD Step behind the curtain at Ford Motor. Experience the documentary first-hand.