If you’re familiar with Carly Foulkes, T-Mobile’s spokeswoman that has appeared in the carrier’s ads since 2010, but you haven’t watched the news lately, you might be in for a real shocker today.

“The cute girl in the pink dress” is now Bad Girl Carly and two recent ads promoting T-Mobile’s HTC One S are set to raise your blood pressure significantly in a matter of seconds. While the One S should have been the star of the new TV commercials, T-Mobile has risked a bit, attracting all male eyes on Carly, who is rocking a leather suit on an even sexier Ducati motorcycle.

We have a smoking hot young woman in a leather suit, a fantastic black-and-pink Ducati, and these ads are part of a campaign promoting a phone? I know, it might sound weird, but if you think about it, it’s quite smart. Both videos have the potential to become viral and to attract very large audiences, which should be the number one target of any advertising campaign. And even though not everyone will remember the ads as promoting T-Mobile and HTC’s One S, at least for some that might stick.

The first of the two ads, called “See It Again” (released a while ago), uses an advertising technique that I for one usually find cheap. T-Mobile’s HTC One S is compared with AT&T’s iPhone 4S, which is uncool from two reasons. First of all, I think that if you have a good enough product that you really trust, you should be able to promote it without attacking your competitors. Secondly and more importantly, I feel that T-Mo is taking a cheap shot at the iPhone 4S, which overall is a much better phone than the HTC One S, but that has some issues with connectivity speeds.

That being said, the actual commercial is not at all bad and you can see that it has cost T-Mobile some dough. I like the idea of the replay, showing exactly how faster is T-Mo’s One S in comparison with AT&T’s iPhone, and I loooove Carly’s cheeky smile and the way she “peaces out” the dude on the blue motorcycle.

The second ad, called “Fast Songs”, is not as controversial as “See It Again”, and only concentrates on a couple of the One S’s strong points, but then again it’s clearly less creative than the first commercial. Sexy Carly is showing off the phone’s Google Play Music capabilities before running off into the night on her snazzy bike.

All in all, this ad might actually do its job better than the first one, even though it won’t be as debated, as it shows off the HTC One S more. There’s also more Carly for us, so what’s there not to like?

What do you guys think of T-Mobile’s new ad campaign? Do you like the commercials? Do you like Carly better as a bad girl than as a cute girl in a pink dress?

NEXT: T-Mobile tries to save sinking ship. Image re-branding on the way [Updated]

T-Mobile Android 4.0 update schedule leaked, finally some good news for T-Mo users Our HTC Desire review – as good as it gets today

You probably all know that Sprint’s 4G WiMax network was a total fiasco, causing the carrier to lose ground in the competition with Verizon and AT&T, both of which deployed LTE networks. Sprint abandoned WiMax, accepted defeat, and announced the launch of its own 4G LTE network a while back. But it seems that its old Wimax network will not be completely shut down after all.

Sprint’s subsidiaries Virgin Mobile and Boost Mobile will offer a slew of Wimax-enabled “affordable high-end phones” in the near future. The first such device has already been officially unveiled and will hit the market on May 31.

The HTC EVO V 4G will cost $299.99 with no contract, which seems like a good price to pay for what the phone has to offer. On the other hand, you should know that, while you don’t have to sign a carrier agreement, Virgin Mobile will offer some no-contract plans starting at $35 a month.

The $35 plan offers unlimited data and messaging plus 300 minutes of talk time, which, again, looks like a pretty good deal to me. It’s true, you will only be able to enjoy 2.5 GB of “full speed” data traffic each month, with speed dropping once you hit the limit, but that should still be enough for most regular users.

Virgin Mobile’s first ever 4G phone, the HTC EVO V 4G, might sound familiar to some of you, but is actually an exclusively branded device. The reason why it might sound familiar is that its name resembles the name of other HTC phones, including the original HTC EVO 4G from 2010, the more recent EVO 4G LTE, expected to hit Sprint during the coming weeks, or the One V released last month.

The HTC EVO V 4G will not be identical to any of those phones, however. It’s actually a rebranded version of last year’s HTC EVO 3D. Yeah, I know, this branding is extremely confusing and has gotten a bit out of hand, but what can we do?

In terms of features and specs, the EVO V will be a more than decent mid-ranger. Running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with HTC’s Sense 3.6 user interface on top, the EVO V 4G will feature 1 GB of RAM, 4 GB of on-board memory, 5 MP/1.3 MP dual cameras, a 1,730 mAh battery and a microSD card slot. The screen will be a 4.3-inch qHD with 960 x 540 pixels resolution, while the phone’s processor hasn’t been officially unveiled, but we expect it to be a dual-core 1.2 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon.

Virgin Mobile will be throwing in a free 8 GB memory card, starting May 31. All in all, if you’re willing to put up with WiMax and you’re on a tighter budget, the HTC EVO V 4G might just be the smart choice for you. Do you agree?

NEXT: HTC Hero and Samsung WiMAX Android phone heading to Sprint?

Virgin Media and T-Mobile UK Announce HTC Wildfire LG Viper, Sprint’s first LTE phone, to go on sale on April 15 for $99.99

Although the blazing fast LTE is still quite far from becoming a widely-available technology, while LTE Advanced is even farther from reaching the consumer market, it doesn’t mean that engineers aren’t looking for ways to come up with even faster data speeds. On that note, Huawei recently announced that they have developed a wireless technology that will enable peak transfer rates of about 30Gbps. This technology is being referred to as “Beyond LTE”.

While it is too soon to call it 5G technology, if the limited amount of specs Huawei have detailed for its “Beyond LTE” turn out to be real, it would seem like we are looking at a technology that delivers 20 times the speed of currently available LTE commercial networks, and up to 6 times the transfer rates of LTE Advanced. On a side note, it should be mentioned that less than 7% of smartphones sold in the US during Q4 2011 use LTE, as this recent study points out.

Unfortunately for spec buffs, Huawei has not detailed the exact bandwidth requirements. Instead, the official presentation focused on the relatively low power consumption rates (a problem that plagued some of the first LTE handsets) and implementation costs:

“Key features include: innovative antenna structure [that] greatly improves performance and meets wideband requirements [and] next generation direct radio frequency technology [that] reduces costs and power consumption, and realise ultra broadband carrier aggregation.”

The LTE technology uses 20MHz bands to ensure transfer rates of up to 300Mbps, while LTE Advanced (estimated to become commercially available somewhere around 2014) uses up to 100MHz of bandwidth to ensure download rates of about 3.3Gbps. Common sense dictates that Huawei’s Beyond LTE will use wider bands than both LTE and LTE Advanced, but I’m sure detailed specs on this new technology will surface soon enough. As you probably are accustomed by now, we’ll be here to report when that happens.

Obviously, Huawei has a lot of convincing to do ahead of them if they really want their “Beyond LTE” technology to be adopted as a 5G standard. Tech standards are historically not only about providing the best technology around, as the main factor in these situations rests in the number the major players one tech or the other is able to bring on-board.

NEXT: New Li-on Batt Vows Faster Charge, 10 Times Longer Life

Huawei Giving Away Free Trip to Tokyo, Cash, Huawei Honor Handsets Huawei Honor U8860 Flagship Phone Has HSPA+ Powers, 1930-mAh Battery

In the ongoing debate about 3G vs WiFi-only slates, the verdict is finally in (at least according to industry analyst Chetan Sharma) and the results are not entirely surprising. According to his recent market update report summarizing the US wireless industry, almost 90% of consumers currently prefer WiFi-only tablets over the 3G versions. Mentioning that his chart compares U.S. 2011 sales of WiFi-only tablets against cellular-equipped versions, Sharma suggests that mobile network service providers, like AT&T, T-mobile, Verizon, and Sprint are not essential for a thriving tablet ecosystem.

There are a number of causes for this situation, of which we will discuss the following below.

COST

Most WiFi-only tablets cost around $100 less than their 3G-enabled counterparts. This figure does not include the extra cost required to subscribe to a data plan. In the United States, getting data connectivity on your tablet implies a contract for a minimum of two years. The big exception is represented by iPad users, who can opt for a month-by-month subscription from AT&T.

Sharma’s research brings up the question of the feasibility of such long term contracts. With most devices seemingly dated after only a year due to the rapid pace of hardware development, committing to a two year contract is a hard pill to swallow, and the early termination fees of hundreds of dollars don’t help either.

In addition, market studies suggest that most users are likely to leave their tablets at home. Since a lot of homes have access to WiFi Internet, the additional cost of owning a 3G-enabled tablet is simply too high for most consumers.

Data LIMITS

Most data plans will set you back $49.99 for between 2GB to 5GB ‘free’ monthly usage, with additional charges being tacked onto your bill when the limit is crossed. Only Sprint offers a truly unlimited data plan, but with a hefty price tag of 99.99 USD. These limits are in place due to bandwidth limitations, and, according to the carriers, so as ‘not to disrupt the quality of data service available to other customers.” Right.

While the reasons for these limits are understandable, they certainly seem too low. Devices on Wifi are usually connected to home broadband services. This gives the user the advantage of truly generous data limits, a 100GB being the average of amount of data available on a lot of the popular internet data plans these days.

Mobility

The only saving grace for 3G+ tablets is the mobility they offer consumers. Daily commuters nowadays prefer to ‘flip’ through newspapers available on their tablets. It also helps consumers avoid boredom on long journeys, or waiting in airports (without free Wifi available). Business professionals on the go may not have ready access to a Wifi network, and 3G connectivity enables them to have access to urgent e-mails, presentations, and documents available online. Still, it’s important to remember that elsewhere in the world, you can purchase a tablet, plug in your SIM, and you have data on the move.

Alternatives

With most high-end smartphones being 3G/4G enabled and offering a portable WiFi hotspot feature, or mobile tethering, allowing users to connect their Wifi enabled devices to use the phone’s data to connect to the internet. MiFi (Mobile WiFi) as this called, provides consumers with an alternative to requiring a 3G enabled device. This saves the user the hassle of requiring another long term contract with a carrier and also requires just one data plan subscription to run multiple devices.

Conclusion

With data speeds on the rise with the introduction of 4G LTE networks and with costs hopefully hitting a downward trend at some point in the future, this recommendation might change. But, for now, WiFi only tablets is the more logical choice. Unless carriers minimize the cost of adoption and change the contract to one year, it’s likely that this scenario is likely to continue. What say you? 3G/4G tablet with 2 year contract for $499 and a monthly fee? How does that sound?

NEXT: 8 Things Android Tablets Need To Get More Users

Schmidt Teases Users; New Google Tablet Arriving in Six Months Upcoming Movit Mini WiFi Android tablet by GiiNii

After spending the whole day running constant LTE speed tests, today is a bit different. In places that normally have 4G coverage by Verizon, we are lucky to be getting any data connection at all on our Galaxy Nexus. 3G is working fine for the most part in Silicon Valley around the Googleplex, but the same cannot be said in other parts of the country.

This is not the first time Verizon admitted to having data troubles. In fact, exactly a week ago today, Verizon’s 4G LTE network was having the same troubles like the ones today. But rest assured, Verizon is working hard to fix the problem, and you should start seeing your fourth “gee” again soon.

Engadget reports that Verizon’s statement on the issue is as follows:

“We are investigating reports of some customers experiencing trouble accessing the 4GLTE network. The network itself continues to operate and all customers continue to be able to make calls, send text messages and utilize data services. 3G devices are operating normally.”

As of about 10PM Pacific Time, my Galaxy Nexus is picking up 4G once again. Therefore, I presume that the Silicon Valley and Bay area are back online with 4G LTE.

Are you having the same data troubles? Or are you back to getting 4G coverage? Let us know in the comments below.

NEXT: Verizon to Place Cap on Data Usage, Discards Unlimited Data Plan

Verizon Wireless is rolling out the 2.0.1 update for the Motorola DROID Verizon Shared Data Plans Coming in 2012 Says Verizon CEO

During my trip to New York City over the weekend, I was sure that my Galaxy Nexus would be picking up LTE speeds. Using Ookla’s Speedtest.net application, I tested my data download and upload speeds numerous times. The results varied depending on my location, but no matter where I was, it was easy to see difference between 3G and 4G. More specifically, once you hit a 4G zone, your almost guaranteed speeds over 3 mb/s. Therefore, going from page to page in your browser, downloading apps and video, and going on Facebook, all become quicker and easier. Now, with 4G speeds, the only thing holding back your phone from being instant, is you processor. So without further ado, below is a list of the 7 tests I ran on my way into the city and in the city.

Latitude and Longitude

F – 40.90577 -74.09794
E – 40.75933 -73.98077
D – 40.74953 -73.98814
C – 40.73021 -73.99228
B – 40.73362 -73.99356
A – 40.73060 -74.00219

Are you getting 4G speeds? Compare your results to mine in the comments below.

NEXT: AT&T LTE to Launch in New York City Along With Others

Official: T-Mobile Android phone launches September 23rd at 10:30am in New York City Droid Bionic Impresses With Speed Test, Zippy Boot Animation

Three has a very exciting announcement for our UK friends that are using or thinking about switching to Three. Today, Three announced they will be rolling out a 42.2mbps HSPA+ network by the end of 2012. They also announced they have already deployed their 21.1mbps HSPA+ network over the majority of their 3G network, and plans to roll it out to all of their 3G network by early next year.

Some of the other UK carriers have not made as much noise about their HSPA+ networks, but they have been rolled out on other carriers already, like T-Mobile UK and Vodafone. This is especially exciting for those with HSPA+ capable phones like the Galaxy Nexus and Samsung Galaxy S II.

Three also said in their blog post – which you can read by hitting the source link – that after the 42.2mbps HSPA+ network is rolled out they will be moving on to LTE. Now that is some exciting news.

Are you a Three customer? Let us know how excited you are about getting up to 42.2mbps speed on your Android phone.

Via: Three UK

NEXT: Sprint to Launch LTE Network in First Half of 2012

T-Mobile G2 HSPA+ Android smartphone gets pictured Who Has the Fastest, Most Reliable Network?

It has been just under 6 months since Motorola released the Droid 3, and it has become clear that the fourth device in the Droid series is on its way. Of course, yesterday, December 22nd, was the rumored date of release. However, the day has come and gone without any definitive word from Verizon or Motorola.

Despite the lack of info from big red, a piece of informations, shown above, has escaped from Verizon’s headquarters. It is pretty clear that the Droid 4 will be landing in Verizon on or around February 2nd, 2012. This quick change of release dates should not come as a shock after the agony Verizon put Galaxy Nexus fans through. However, at least there is a date set for the release.

As of now, the rumored specs suggest that the Droid 4 will carry a 1.2GHz dual-core processor with 1GB of RAM, a 4-inch qHD display, a full QWERTY keyboard, LTE connectivity, 8 MP rear shooter, 1080P video capture, possibly an HD front facing camera, and almost definitely Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. In fact, Android 4.0 may be the reason Verizon is holding back the Droid 4. This way, Droid 4 buyers would be able to get the newest version of Android straight out of the box.

Are you looking forward to the slimmest full QWERTY LTE phone? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: PocketNow

NEXT: Droid Bionic, Samsung Galaxy S2 Rivalry Tightens – Same Release Date, Same Selling Features?

Galaxy Nexus Release Date December 8, Says Leak Release Date for Motorola DROID BIONIC, DROID 3 Confirmed

For a while now, AT&T has been making some noise about their 4G network. And no, we’re no longer talking about their fake “4G” HSPA+ network. We are talking about big league connectivity, aka LTE (Long Term Evolution). On their website, AT&T states that they will cover over 70 million Americans and 15 cities by the end of 2011. John Stephens, the wireless provider’s CFO / SVP, announced at the UBS 39th Annual Global Media and Communications Conference that they are currently testing their LTE network in New York City.

Although there is no official date set for the release of the LTE network in the Big Apple, expect to get blazing speeds on your HTC Vivid, Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket, and Nitro HD very soon.

As for the other 14 planned cities, AT&T’s LTE network has already gone live in San Francisco. As you can see in the image below, the speeds are crazy fast. But beware, just because your phone can download data insanely fast, simply means you should keep a watchful eye over what you do choose to download.

Already getting LTE speeds in New York? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to tip us in the comments!

Source: Engadget, AT∓T

NEXT: Official: T-Mobile Android phone launches September 23rd at 10:30am in New York City

New York Times feels left out, offers its own Android launch date rumors Gangstar Rio: City of Saints [Game Preview]

Just recently, we wrote an article about all of the U.S. LTE wireless providers. It was easy to tell that Verizon had a firm grip on the LTE market in America. However, almost every other provider behind Verizon was either working on an LTE network, or building upon its current 4G network. However, Sprint, America’s third most popular wireless provier, was not working on an LTE network to our knowledge at the time of the article’s publication. Instead, Sprint had decided to lengthen their WiMAX deal with Clearwire. As soon as you think that Sprint is going to stay with WiMAX forever, their CFO begins to tell the public otherwise.

Sprint CFO Joe Euteneuer said, “We’re talking about covering 120 million [people] by the end of 2012 — we’ve accelerated this because we believe LTE is really key to our future”. Now that Sprint has announced that they will be stepping into the LTE world, why did they make a deal with Clearwire to extend the life of WiMAX? Since Sprint’s LTE network will not cover all of America yet, they will be keeping their WiMAX network alive until 2015.

As for LTE coverage, Sprint will cover 120 million Americans before the end of 2012. As for their competition, Verizon claims that they are already covering over 186 million Americans and should be covering 2/3 of the entire U.S. population by the end of 2012.

To accompany the new LTE network, Sprint will surely be rolling out some new LTE-capable devices very soon. Stay tuned, and expect to hear more from Sprint come CES 2012.

Source: Engadget

NEXT: Sprint to Launch LTE Network in First Half of 2012

Samsung 4G WiMAX Android smartphone headed to Clearwire (and maybe Sprint) Sprint’s WiMAX dethroned, Verizon’s LTE reigns supreme