The Prepaid Press - April 15, 2008 - (Page 10)

PREPAID WIRELESS April 15 · 2008 - 10 CTIA 2008: New Handsets Abound An Editor’s Choice By Joe Pawlikowsi Trade shows are often the catalyst for companies to announce new products and services. At CTIA 2008, we saw a number of handsets introduced by manufacturers, big and small. These ranged from simple candybar phones to state of the art smartphones, and were announced by nearly every major U.S. carrier. suit. To make a simple, loose analogy, the Spex is to the C78 as MyShot is to the C79. The MyShot is another AWS phone that features a 1.3 megapixel camera and Bluetooth. However, where it falls short of the C79 is that it does not have a media player. With Leap, it will run $149.99, so it’s a bit more expensive than the Spex. But it will fill the camera phone needs of people who want to upgrade to the AWS spectrum. Leap plans to announce further AWS markets through 2009, and I expect MetroPCS will as well. messages each month, I would think Motorola would make button-tapping easy. Alas, it’s the only significant blemish on an otherwise quality phone. Expect a release in the near future through AT&T. on the VX6900 is that it can compete with the iPhone. I’ve heard that plenty of times, with few devices living up to expectations. It will be available in April for $349.99 after a $50 mailin rebate. Samsung Spex The Samsung Spex was actually announced the week before CTIA by Leap Wireless, but we found out early in the conference that MetroPCS was announcing it as well. Like the C78, it is a simple candybar that isn’t too deep in features beyond Bluetooth. There is no camera on board. H owe ve r, l i ke the ZTE models, it does operate on the AWS spectrum. The folks from Leap Wireless describe it as their entry level phone. While it will come in at a price point a little north of $100, it will be the cheapest model so far to feature the AWS technology. Samsung MyShot Leap announced this phone at the same time as the Spex, and MetroPCS followed Motorola Z9 Motorola seemed very up on their newest model, the Z9. The company is reportedly looking to sell off its handset division sometime in 2009, so they could stand to put out a quality handset or two this year. The Z9 is a sleek-looking slider that comes in a metallic maroon color. The 2-megapixel camera will make some people happy, as will the presence of Windows Media Player 11, complete with a microSD slot. The only problem I had was that the keys, though aesthetically pleasing, are tough to get used to. In an era where we’re sending billions of text Motorola Q9c If you never picked up the phone, you’d probably never be able to tell the difference between the Motorola Q9m, which was released last August, and the Q9c, which was announced by Verizon, Alltel, and U.S. Cellular this week. The difference is in the software package, which is geared a bit more towards the business user -- or as one Motorola representative put it during the Smartphone Summit, the “Home CEO”. The Windows Mobile device features a 1.3-megapixel camera and Bluetooth. Even better, it has a healthy 128 megabytes of Flash memory on board. All three carriers will get the device in black, while Alltel and U.S. Cellular will a l s o fe a ture a lime green version. Pricing varies across carriers, though Verizon is eyeing a $249.99 price point. Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 This isn’t a new announcement, though Sony did tell us during CTIA that the XPERIA would run Windows Mobile 6.1. However, for most people, it was the first time they could get their hands on the device. It’s an arc-slider design, which separates it from many of its sliding brethren. The 3.2 megapixel camera is also an upgrade from many other camera phones, though it certainly adds to its relative heaviness: 5.1 oz. It features a media player, Bluetooth, and GPS. Also impressive is the 400 MB of onboard memory, as well as microSD expansion. Look for a release in the second half of 2008. Prepaid Wireless in Brief kajeet, the prepaid cell phone service made for kids, has unveiled a new GPS Phone Locator service to help both kids and parents find the kajeet phone. The kajeet GPS Phone Locator uses satellite technology to help find your child’s phone and gives subscribing families easy-to-use information regarding the location of their kajeet phone via Web-based maps. Parents can schedule automatic location checks at specific times of the day, so they know where their kid’s kajeet phone is at any given time. Kids can also use the service to help find their phone, addressing another concern of parents and kids who want to find a misplaced kajeet phone. kajeet – www.kajeet.com The new Slingshot service does not require any contract or credit check and has no cancellation fees. Slingshot’s pay-as-you-go plan charges customers only for what they use. The new Slingshot product will be available beginning June 1, 2008 at the various retail locations nationwide or online. Slingshot - www.slingshot.com comScore, Inc. has released the results of a study evaluating the behaviors and attitudes of wireless phone subscribers. The findings, published in the March 2008 comScore Wireless Report, are based on a survey of more than 2,000 U.S. wireless cell phone users. The study – conducted from February 29 to March 5, 2008 – found that price has become an increasingly important factor in the purchasing decision and that the use of Mobile Internet among existing subscribers continues to grow, with of the majority of these users accessing the Web at least once a day. comScore – www.comscore.com Virgin Mobile USA (NYSE:VM) is now leveraging Dial Directions’ voice-activated “Directions Assistance” service to let customers request driving directions by phone, then receive them by text message. As the first voice-activated and text messaging based service, Dial Directions lets Virgin Mobile USA customers simply speak their location and destination into the phone and receive turn by turn directions instantly by text message. The initial trial will include a new “Directions” link on the deck of select Virgin Mobile USA phones. After clicking the link, callers are then prompted to speak any address or intersection for both their start and destination. Callers will receive the driving directions by text message. Dial Directions – www.dialdirections.com Virgin Mobile USA – www.virginmobileusa.com Slingshot Communications Inc. will offer a prepaid wireless broadband access service in the United States. The service will provide Internet through a wireless connection on a prepaid or pay-as-you-go basis. Users only pay for the Internet access they use. According to CTIA, the wireless data market is growing rapidly with revenues that topped $23.2 billion in 2007. In addition, the wireless data market is growing faster than both the DSL and cable modem markets combined. L ea p Wi re l ess I nte r n at i o n a l , I n c . (NASDAQ:LEAP), the parent company of Cricket Communications, Inc., a provider of innovative and value-driven wireless communications services, says Cricket will offer its unlimited wireless services in Oklahoma City beginning April 8, 2008. Oklahoma City, which is the first of Cricket market to operate on the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum band, includes approximately 1.1 million new covered POPs, bringing Cricket’s national covered POPs to approximately 55.1 million. Leap Wireless – www.leapwireless.com BlackBerry Curve 8330 Since its release in 2007, the BlackBerry Curve has been one of Research In Motion’s more popular models. It’s a nice break from the 8800 series, as it features a camera, a rarity for nonPearl BlackBerry models. Rumors began circulating earlier this year of the release of a CDMA version of the Curve, and we finally got word on which carriers will offer it. Sprint made the announcement before CTIA, but Verizon waited until the show was about to begin for its unveiling. It won’t feature WiFi like the T-Mobile Curve did, but it’s still a powerful device. It’s got a 2-megapixel camera, and will feature GPS. However, the folks at RIM could not verify whether or not the GPS unit would be tied to a particular carrier’s software. Verizon Wireless XV6900 You might recognize this phone as the HTC Touch, and you wouldn’t be mistaken. This is Verizon’s version of the increasingly-popular touchscreen model, which runs on Windows Mobile. It features a heavy-duty microSD slot, with support for up to 8 gigabytes. It also has a 2-megapixel camera and Bluetooth 2.0. The hype ZTE C78 The C78 comes from ZTE, a Chinese manufacturer that made its debut with the C88 on MetroPCS in February. The C78 isn’t all that impressive at a glance. It’s a basic candybar featuring a VGA camera and Bluetooth. However, despite its meager features, the C78 is designed to work on the Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum, a 3G platform that was auctioned off back in 2006. Both Leap Wireless and MetroPCS announced AWS launches during CTIA, though ZTE’s partnership with MetroPCS suggests that they’ll be getting these handsets. ZTE C79 It’s difficult to look at the C79 and not think of the Motorola RAZR. It’s a bit slimmer, though, and, although it didn’t feel quite as thin as the RAZR, it won’t leave a lump in your pocket. It also operates on AWS, though it is a bit more feature-rich than its C78 counterpart. Its camera is upgraded to a 1.3-megapixel model, and it has stereo Bluetooth capabilities. An MP3 player comes stock, and includes a microSD slot so you can store more music. There is no word yet on pricing or availability of these ZTE models. For more details on other cellular phones as well as reviews on the prepaid wireless offerings of wireless carriers, visit Prepaid Reviews at www.PrepaidReviews.com Joe Pawlikowski is a Senior Editor for Prepaid Reviews, an independent website that reviews prepaid cell phone providers and reports on the prepaid wireless industry. He can be reached at info@prepaidreviews.com http://www.slingshot.com http://www.kajeet.com http://www.dialdirections.com http://www.virginmobileusa.com http://www.comscore.com http://www.PrepaidReviews.com http://www.leapwireless.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Prepaid Press - April 15, 2008

The Prepaid Press - April 15, 2008 Motorola to Split Mobile Payments: The Saga Continues Contents The Retske Report: Election Year and Woody Hayes Regulatory Rundown: 2008 First Quarter Mobile Update 5 Minutes with Mark Herrington tppEXPO’08 Spotlight New Handsets Announced at CTIA Prepaid Wireless in Brief Prepaid Wireless Roundup Virgin Mobile Reports Earnings of 6 Cents Movida Files Chapter 11 LiveWire Mobile Acquires Groove Mobile Boost Selects Vesta for Transactions RadioShack to Offer Trumpet Mobile Service Virgin Offers New Pay as You Go Plans Book Review: Webster’s New World Telecom Dictionary Management Changes at IDT Spot Rates Calling Cards in Brief The State of Prepaid Technology: Productive Coexistence FTC Asks Court to Halt Prepaid Calling Card Scam Louisiana Community Mulls Tax on Prepaid Cards Pactolus Wins VON Magazine Award iBasis Lowers Pakistan Rate for Pingo The Legal Line Biometric Update: Keep Your Shirt On AccountNow Ends Upfront Fees Evolution Benefits Acquires SmartFlex Payments in Brief NetSpend to Offer Bill Payment and Top-up Union Bank Introduces Contactless Card Ingenico Announces Development Kit Prepaid 101: Stupid Card Tricks PLS Offering Walk-In Bill Payment Spend Gift Cards ASAP Credit Card Breach at Hannaford Bros. NACS Withdraws Opposition to Tobacco Bill Study Finds Gift Card Packaging Increases Sales NACS Names International VP Inflatable Display Provides Inexpensive Signage Retail Focus in Brief Our Advertisers Contact Us

The Prepaid Press - April 15, 2008

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