Saturday, March 26, 2011

MobileCrunch

MobileCrunch

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A Trip Into The Network: A Look Inside A Verizon Superswitch

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 12:58 PM PDT

Ever wonder how all those data bits, naughty sexting messages, and angry voice calls get from point A to point B?

Most folks are perfectly content with chalking it up to magical fairies and space dust, but it’s really a bit more complicated than that. The signal hops from your phone to the nearest cell tower, which then forwards everything on to the local “switch”. The switch, essentially a massive building filled ceiling to floor with routing boxes and back-up power generators, is the unsung hero of the cellular network — it’s also the thing that the least people get a chance to see.

The guys over at Geek.com got a chance to tour the Orlando “superswitch” (dubbed “super” because of its ability to withstand insane weather conditions, not because it’s particularly huge), and brought back a bevy of photos and details. If you’ve got any interest on how things work behind the scenes, be sure to check out their debriefing right over here.

Apple Releases iOS 4.3.1 For AT&T iPhones, Verizon iPhones still on 4.2.6

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 11:06 AM PDT

If you’ve got an iPhone (well, an AT&T iPhone) and a burning desire to upgrade something today, you’re in luck: Apple has just pushed out iOS 4.3.1 for iPod Touches, iPads, and GSM iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4s. As for all those shiny new Verizon iPhone 4s out there? No update for you, just yet.

But don’t fret, Verizoners — you’re not missin’ too much here. As the itty-bitty numerical hop from 4.3 to 4.3.1 implies, this update is a pretty small one. It fixes a graphical issue on iPod Touches, nixes an issue related to connecting to some cell networks, kills off the flicker that some folks reported with the Apple Digital AV Adapter, and cleans up a few enterprise authentication bugs.

You can find the new patch by hittin’ the “Update” button on your iPhone’s profile screen in iTunes.

Sprint ditches Mail-In Rebates, goes with Instant Rebates indefinitely

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:46 AM PDT

Hurrah!

Back in January, word got out that Verizon was ditching mail-in rebates in favor of instant rebates on their more expensive handsets. We hoped, from the very geekiest depths of our heart (we’ve been burned by the mail-in rebate that never arrives just one too many times), that this would be a trend that other carriers would follow.

Sure enough: Sprint has just confirmed to Phonescoop that the company will be making the switch from mail-in to Instant as of March 27th. Oddly, the company isn’t sayin’ whether or not this is a permanent switch — and if it’s temporary, they’re not sure how long it’ll stick around. In other words, they’re testing the waters and aren’t wanting to make any promises.

Hackers Give Bada The Boot, Finagle Android 2.2 Onto The Samsung Wave

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 10:37 AM PDT

You know, it really doesn’t matter how many dozens of devices there are built to run Android — the modding community is still going to see if they can get it up and running on other devices. It’s pretty much a hacker pastime at this point, along the lines of forcing a microwave to run DOOM.

The latest non-Android device to succumb to the bot? The Samsung Wave, originally powered by Samsung’s own Bada platform. It’s not perfect yet by any means (as with any hand-hobbled Android build, there are driver issues to workaround) — but for any Wave owners itchin’ for some Android, it shows a ton of promise.

[XDA-Devs via EngadgetMobile]

Droid X To Get Android 2.3 This Sunday?

Posted: 25 Mar 2011 07:54 AM PDT


Attention, Droid X owners and lovers. Word is that your handset of choice is getting some tasty Gingerbread as soon as next week. Business phones will get the update first starting on Sunday, but a general roll-out seems imminent. Droid Life states via a friend in the business that 2.3 is done and it’s just up to Verizon/Moto to roll it out. The new version will bring 2.3 and a refreshed Blur interface that should remake the seven month old Droid X into a lite version of the Droid Bionic.

We’ve reached out to several Verizon sources but haven’t heard anything yet. File this in the rumor folder right now, but as a Droid X owner myself, I can’t help but get as excited as Al Roker.
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