Tag Archives: cellular

Nokia adds Skype to the N97

Posted on February 17, 2009 by John Brownlee

For years, mobile phone companies have done their damnedest to discourage Skype leaping across the vacuum between PCs and cellular networks. The reason’s obvious: why pay 20 cents per minute for a local call when you can pay one cent … Continue reading →

Why Japanese cell phones suck

Posted on October 29, 2008 by Rob Beschizza

Often we post a strange, high-specced foreign device only to lament that it will never be made available in the west. The reason, often assumed to be some hypothetical propensity for Asians to buy 20 cell phones a year and … Continue reading →

Verizon and AT&T provide cellular to Cindy McCain’s ranch; So what?

Posted on October 16, 2008 by Joel Johnson

The Washington Post examines the installation of mobile cellular towers — COWs, or “cellular on wheels” trucks — that extend wireless coverage to Cindy McCain’s Sedona, Arizona ranch which has served as a getaway from presidential candidate John McCain. Verizon … Continue reading →

Sprint sells its cellular towers (so it can lease them back)

Posted on July 24, 2008 by Joel Johnson

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jul 23, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) today announced an agreement to sell approximately 3,300 towers to TowerCo for approximately $670 million in cash. Additionally, the two companies have entered into a long term leasing … Continue reading →

Review: A week with Novatel’s U727 EVDO stick

Posted on May 2, 2008 by Rob Beschizza

(Photo: Trancepriest) Novatel’s U727 EVDO Rev. A USB cellular modem is small, fast and works seamlessly with Windows PCs and Macs. Though an improvement over earlier models like the U720, it’s still larger than most thumbdrives and those looking for … Continue reading →

What Do Cell Phone Reception Bars Mean?

Posted on January 13, 2008 by Joel Johnson

Excellent—and I’m going to presume accurate because it has the Stink of Science™—answer from an Ask Metafilter reader about what those five bars actually indicate on your phone. The technical term is “EC/I0″ (pronounced “ee-see-over-eye-naught”) and it refers to the … Continue reading →

Wes Anderson’s AT&T Commercials

Posted on September 18, 2007 by Joel Johnson

Whether you like Wes Anderson or think he’s a pretentious twerp—and really, couldn’t it be both?—you have to admit the man knows how to put a commercial together. While these new spots for AT&T aren’t as tongue-in-cheek as his previous … Continue reading →