There was little surprise in this one, but Sprint’s officially launched that LG LX550 as the Fusic. Sure, maybe it’s not the most skillfully named (or styled) phone we’ve laid eyes upon, but it’s got EV-DO, A2DP, an FM transmitter and radio, 1.3 megapixel camera, and MicroSD (bundled with 64MB) for $179.99 after rebate and two-year contract.

[Via Phone Scoop]

We've been really tossed every which way on this "who's shipping the 700p first" debacle, but it looks like Sprint wins in the end. Even though Verizon just "announced" 700p availability, their phones are shipping shipping in 3-4 weeks, while Sprint is still on track for the end of this month. These ship dates are from Palm itself, and we think they'd be in the know if anyone is, so we're going to put our necks out one more time and proclaim Sprint as the (probable) first to ship the 700p.

[Thanks, Dave Z.]

We've been really tossed every which way on this "who's shipping the 700p first" debacle, but it looks like Sprint wins in the end. Even though Verizon just "announced" 700p availability, their phones are shipping shipping in 3-4 weeks, while Sprint is still on track for the end of this month. These ship dates are from Palm itself, and we think they'd be in the know if anyone is, so we're going to put our necks out one more time and proclaim Sprint as the (probable) first to ship the 700p.

[Thanks, Dave Z.]

As much as we'd like to blame other parties for the long wait for Palm's Treo 700p (and we will, we will), there's one source for at least some of the wait: the FCC. According to public filings, the smartphone just cleared the government agency, paving the way for its impending rollout. Of course, Palm did file a confidentiality request with the FCC, so we're not entirely clear exactly when this baby got the thumbs up, but the important thing is that it did, which means nothing (short of mobs at Sprint and Verizon's stores) should stand in your way if you're planning on picking one up very soon.

We’ve been hearing for some time now that the Motorola Q would be coming to Verizon and Sprint first, with versions for other carriers out later in the year. Now, it looks like Verizon may have scored a coup, and shut Sprint out of that initial launch. According to a teaser that’s now up on Verizon’s site, the long-awaited smartphone will be available “exclusively from Verizon Wireless.” We don’t know how long that exclusive is going to last; we still expect Sprint to roll out a version pretty quickly. In the meantime, though, if you absolutely must get your Q next week, it looks like you now know where to go.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Sprint Nextel is set to officially spin-off its landline unit tonight -- at one minute before midnight, specifically. The new company, dubbed Embarq, will then begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday morning, and will also join the S&P 500. As we reported earlier, Embarq plans to offer dual-mode handsets that can transfer seamlessly between WiFi and cellular networks, pitting it against T-Mobile and Lucent in that area. Embarq also offers high-speed Internet service in addition to local and long distance phone service and will rank as the 5th largest local communications company in the United States, the company says.

[Via CNET Broadband Blog]

If you were hoping to play Sprint and Verizon off of each other and try to get a better deal on the Treo 700p, the jig is up. Verizon's pricing is now out, and the company is charging the same price as Sprint for the new Palm-based smartphone: $400 (with a two-year contract, that is). Calling plans with unlimited data start at $80 a month, and if you want to use your Treo as an EV-DO modem with your laptop (which we suspect you just might), be prepared to add an extra $15 a month. And, no, it still doesn't have WiFi.

Remember a ways back when we told you that the Motorola Q was due for May 22nd? Well that might not have been so far off after all. Turns out Motorola has just announced that they will be releasing the Q "next week," a week which turns out to include May 22nd among its numbered days. The EV-DO phone will be out first for Verizon and Sprint, but there should be a Cingular UMTS version out by the end of the year -- a bit earlier than they previously stated -- and possibly even a HSDPA version if we're really lucky. They're billing the Q as a "BlackBerry killer," which is fine, but we're just glad they finally realised that releasing a product is an important part of the BlackBerry killing process.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sprint may have missed out on an exclusive Treo 700P offering, but at least they plan on being first to market. Sure, the 700P is missing WiFi support and a few other notable exclusions, but if EV-DO and the promise of watching Sprint TV on that 320 x 320 screen is your PalmOS siren song then get ready — Sprint will be kicking these out the door at the end of the month for $399.99 green after available discounts and promotions. Meaning, you’ll likely have to sign up for a two-year commitment which is pretty much what we expected anyway and exactly what the WinMo 700W went for when it was launched.

[Via PalmAddicts]

Sprint may have missed out on an exclusive Treo 700P offering, but at least they plan on being first to market. Sure, the 700P is missing WiFi support and a few other notable exclusions, but if EV-DO and the promise of watching Sprint TV on that 320 x 320 screen is your PalmOS siren song then get ready -- Sprint will be kicking these out the door at the end of the month for $399.99 green after available discounts and promotions. Meaning, you'll likely have to sign up for a two-year commitment which is pretty much what we expected anyway and exactly what the WinMo 700W went for when it was launched.

[Via PalmAddicts]

Yep, we were expecting it any day now (well, today actually) — now here it is. Looks like Sprint was definitely more the leaky ship on Palm Treo 700p‘s impending launch, being that we only caught wind of Verizon’s version a few times, but it looks like neither carrier snagged the exclusive on Palm’s latest PalmOS (not ALP) based smartphone. The latest step in unifying the Treo family as a hardware platform, the 700p (like the 700w) features EV-DO, 312MHz Xscale CPU, 128MB flash memory (60MB usable), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and SDIO. Unlike the 700w, however, it works it with the same 320 x 320 resolution screen as the 650 (remember, WinMo 5.0 doesn’t support that res), so there’s at least one tangible benefit to this device if you’re not sure whether Palm or Windows is your bag. We’re just glad this thing’s finally announced — it’s not like we didn’t know, you know? Stay tuned for official launch dates and release prices.

Yep, we were expecting it any day now (well, today actually) -- now here it is. Looks like Sprint was definitely more the leaky ship on Palm Treo 700p's impending launch, being that we only caught wind of Verizon's version a few times, but it looks like neither carrier snagged the exclusive on Palm's latest PalmOS (not ALP) based smartphone. The latest step in unifying the Treo family as a hardware platform, the 700p (like the 700w) features EV-DO, 312MHz Xscale CPU, 128MB flash memory (60MB usable), 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and SDIO. Unlike the 700w, however, it works it with the same 320 x 320 resolution screen as the 650 (remember, WinMo 5.0 doesn't support that res), so there's at least one tangible benefit to this device if you're not sure whether Palm or Windows is your bag. We're just glad this thing's finally announced -- it's not like we didn't know, you know? Stay tuned for official launch dates and release prices.

Update: Interesting info. Phone Scoop called to let us know a few hurtful details about the 700p. First, their SDIO slot won't support WiFi (which is like, half the point). Apparently they think EV-DO should be enough. It also does not support voice dialing over Bluetooth, nor does it officially support SD cards over 2GB. However it does come with a basic version of PocketTunes -- but lacks PlaysForSure support. D'oh indeed.

After completely failing to keep this device on the DL for the past month or so, Palm has managed to even blow the official announcement, since TechWorld accidentally posted the release a bit early. The article, titled “Palm version of Treo 700 arrives,” confirms that the phone will be announced on May 15th, just like CNET said, and will be released by both Sprint and Verizon for operation on their EV-DO networks. The piece also mentions a 1.3 megapixel camera, 128MB of memory, a 312MHz Intel XScale processor, and DUN capability. The 700p is referred to as the second of four devices to be released this year, which bodes well for people holding out for the other rumored models.
[Warning: PDF link!]

[Via Treonauts]

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.

By now pretty much everyone (at least everyone who cares) knows full well that Sprint is getting ready to intro Palm’s new Treo 700p sometime later this month, but what’s been a little less clear is when (if ever) Sprint was going to get the Treo 700w, the Windows Mobile-powered version which Verizon currently has an exclusive on. Well, we don’t have an exact release date, but a highly reliable source has been able to confirm for us that Sprint will indeed be getting the Treo 700w and that they’ll be launching it about four to eight weeks after they launch the Treo 700p.

P.S. – Yup, that’s the Verizon version of the 700w pictured above; we have yet to see any images of the Sprint-branded version.

We’ve heard just about every date imaginable for the long-awaited launch of the Palm Treo 700p, so nothing will really shock us now. But according to CNET, the 700p is due to arrive next Monday, May 15th. That’s nearly two weeks earlier than the last rumored launch date we heard about, May 28th, but is consistent with earlier rumors that pointed to a Sprint rollout next Monday. At this point, we won’t be surprised if both dates turn out to be correct, with an announcement on Monday, and availability in Sprint stores on the 28th.

We've heard just about every date imaginable for the long-awaited launch of the Palm Treo 700p, so nothing will really shock us now. But according to CNET, the 700p is due to arrive next Monday, May 15th. That's nearly two weeks earlier than the last rumored launch date we heard about, May 28th, but is consistent with earlier rumors that pointed to a Sprint rollout next Monday. At this point, we won't be surprised if both dates turn out to be correct, with an announcement on Monday, and availability in Sprint stores on the 28th.

Hang on to your pensions, 401ks, and pocketbooks people, it sounds like the Treo 700p may just have a price. According to some Radio Shack employees -- or people posing as Radio Shack employees -- when the Palm Treo 700p debuts, it'll set you back $679.99 retail with no service agreement, and $529.99 with new two-year contract. Howch -- significantly more than the $399 / $499 two year / one year prices we heard about before. Of course we've now way of knowing whether these prices are real, let alone solid and official, but if they are, boy oh boy are we gonna have to be quick to the draw on asking for a raise.

[Thanks, Mike]

Dieting just got a little easier (or a little harder to cheat at, depending on how you look at it) for Sprint customers with cameraphones, thanks to the company's exclusive rollout of that MyFoodPhone service we first spotted nearly a year ago. Although the cost is much lower this time around -- only $10 per month compared to the pricey $150/month it once was -- the service works essentially the same as before, by providing customers with video feedback based on photos they snap and upload of each and every meal or snack they consume. Besides the bi-weekly vids from nutritional advisers, subscribers also have access to an online food journal, where they can log the all-important dieter's stats of weight lost, exercise performed, and calories burned. Sprint is positioning MyFoodPhone as only one part of an overall health and fitness regimen where your Vision-enabled phone can be of assistance, joining other services such as BIMActive exercise tracking, skynetMD medical info, and Hitech Trainer guided workouts.

[Via picturephoning]

UK cellphone users just got their invitation to join the Mickey Mouse Club. Disney's MVNO, which launched in the US earlier this month, is set to roll out in the UK in partnership with O2. Like the US version of the service, which is powered by Sprint Nextel, the UK service will offer extensive parental controls. Specific handsets for the service have yet to be announced, though Disney has said that the phones will not be include extensive Disney character branding. In the US, the service features phones from a number of vendors, including the LG DM-L200 (pictured). The US service also includes a GPS tracking function; Disney has not commented as to whether the feature will be available to UK customers.

/>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.

Sprint has just launched a new service that employs text-to-speech technology for allowing customers to send text messages to any landline. Called, cleverly, "Text to Landline," the service is compatible with any SMS-capable phone, and allows the receiving party to respond with either a voice message or canned text selectable from their phone's keypad. We sent a message from our PPC-6700 to our landline, and the service worked exactly as advertised, reading the text in a pleasant female voice (one we were already familiar with from Sprint's voice-controlled customer service menus). Even better, sending these types of texts costs no more than a regular SMS, so you can feel free to harass your friends with humorous/vulgar spoken messages on the cheap.

[Via textually]

Sprint’s launched
four new low end handsets today; they’ll run you less than a Benjamin with contract, so don’t expect much. Clockwise
from left: the free Sprint CDM-120 (aka UTStarcom CDM-7025) has a 1.5-inch 65k color display, speakerphone, and MP3
ringtones; the Samsung SPH-A580 has a 128 x 160 65k color internal display, grayscale external display, voice dialing,
1xRTT data, and should run you thirty after contract; the Sanyo SCP-3100 features a 1.8-inch 65k color internal
display, VGA camera, and carries a $50-spot price tag; the highest end of the bunch is the multi-colored LG LX350, with
Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera, 65k color external OLED display and 262k color internal screen, which should run you
$80. Not pictured, like George Martin, is the UTStarcom PM-8920, an oldie from 2004 brought back from the dead with 1.3
megapixel camera, and 262k color displays in tow — now twenty bucks with a contract. Hey, you know what low end phones
are great for? Mother’s day. Just saying!

Nickelodeon just announced their new Nick Mobile deal for Sprint TV subscribers. The new service, presumably pumped out by MobiTV, delivers more of those two minute video clips Sprint TV subscribers are accustomed to, only now from the Nick Jr. library which features kid faves such as Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues, SpongeBob, and so on. So at least your little'ns will be entertained, albeit for a mere two minutes at a time, should you need to hunt 'em down.

We have to admit that we're not big fans of the whole push-to-talk thing -- something about that annoying "chirp chirp" followed by both parties repeatedly querying "where you at?" -- so we were naturally a bit disappointed to learn that Sprint-Nextel will begin releasing dual-network phones that only incorporate iDEN functionality to feed people's nasty PTT habit. As we'd heard last month, Sprint-Nextel will start rolling out a series of these iDEN/CDMA with EV-DO Rev. A handsets near the end of the year, and now the first pictures of two models from Motorola have surfaced. Besides their ability to jump on iDEN for walkie-talkie action, nothing really stands out about these devices; they both incorporate the same function-over-fashion design that we've come to know, if not love, from the Nextel-Moto alliance. PCS Intel reports that these two unnamed handsets could go on sale as early as November, for an unknown price, with more feature-filled (read: multimedia-centric) models popping up in the second quarter of next year.

[Thanks, John R.]