In October 2012 the Library of Congress’s Copyright Office made a decision which gave consumers 90 days to unlock their handsets without carrier permission, and in January cellphone unlocking became illegal. This was followed by a petition to the White House which got over 114,000 signatures and the response also came. Now, a bill has been proposed by a US senator to legalize phone unlocking for using it on other networks.

Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said via Twitter, “You bought it, you should be able to use it. My Wireless Device Independence Act ensures you can unlock your device“. The proposed bill is for amending Section 1201(a)(1)(B) of title 17 of the United States Code which deals with circumvention of copyright protection systems.

And more responses have come in:

Rep. Anna Eshoo, a California Democrat: “The ban on unlocking cell phones puts consumers in the back seat when it comes to choosing the mobile device and service that best suits them. Competition and consumer choice are equally fundamental to a vibrant mobile marketplace, which is why I intend to introduce legislation eliminating the ban on unlocking cell phones and other mobile devices“.

Sen. Patrick Leahy: “I agree with the Administration that consumers should have the flexibility to use their devices on any network they choose, provided they comply with the terms of service. I intend to work in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to restore users’ ability to unlock their phones and provide them with the choice and freedom that we have all come to expect in the digital era“.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz: “You own the phone, you should be able to unlock it“.

FCC: “The FCC is examining this issue, looking into whether the agency, wireless providers, or others should take action to preserve consumers’ ability to unlock their mobile phones. I also encourage Congress to take a close look and consider a legislative solution“.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

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Nokia’s Lumia 920 is available with AT&T exclusively in the United States at the moment, but if you are waiting for a Verizon Lumia device your wait is going to be over sometime soon. It appears like a high end Windows Phone 8 handset is headed to Big Red, as expected.

As you can see in the leaked screenshot above supposed to be from Verizon’s internal system, a Nokia Lumia 928 will arrive on the carrier and this device might be Verizon’s version of the Lumia 920, although there’s no way to confirm that presently. We do have an FCC filing for a model RM-860 which could be our Lumia 928. But the sketch available from FCC suggests that the device will not look like the 920, but more similar to the 720.

920 or not, this new device is expected to be from the high end side as it belongs to the 900 series. The rumored specs of the Lumia 928 include a 4.5 inch WXGA LCD 1280 x 768 display, an 8.7 MP cam with PureView technology, a 1.2 MP front cam, and powered by a dual core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor.

We will let you know as soon as more info on the device arrives, so stay tuned to Mobile Magazine.

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Recently we reported on the Panasonic P-02E showing up on server logs. It was believed this could be a Panasonic 1080p handset designed specifically for the Japanese market. Interestingly enough, an FCC sighting now confirms the device.

Despite the FCC entry, it remains unclear whether or not Panasonic will actually launch the device outside of its home country. The entry gives us hope, but more than likely if it does reach its way out of Japan, it will be some time after the official Japanese launch.

So what do we know about the smartphone? It has a 5-inch 1080p HD display, a 1.5GHz quad-core S4 processor and Android 4.1.2. Other features confirmed include wireless charging, microSD, LTE and NFC support.

Based on what we know so far, what do you think of Panasonic’s 1080p smartphone? Would you be interested or are you more compelled by other upcoming 1080p devices like the Oppo Find 5?

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The post Panasonic P-02E Confirmed via FCC Sighting appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

An FCC filing has been made on Intel’s behalf for a new tablet codenamed “Red Ridge,” and with CES just around the corner, it is more than likely we will be seeing the tablet soon enough.

So far we know that Intel has shown a fair amount of interest in the mobile space, but have only released a very small amount of devices with their x86-based chips. The new Red Ridge tablet will most likely feature a dual-core Medfield Intel chipset, and will be running on Android 4.0.

Specs-wise, the only other information we can pick apart from the FCC filing is that the device will come with WiFi, Bluetooth and NFC, which is clearly not surprising.

Currently, Intel is in production stage for the product, which could mean anything from Intel having a simple prototype of the device, or that they have a full and final product very near to completion.Traditionally, Intel doesn’t make its own tablets, so who is building this one? We have no clue who the hardware partner is at the moment, though we probably will know more in early 2013.

Curious about app compatibility? While most Android devices run on ARM processors, Intel processors have proven reasonably compatible with a wide range of Android apps. Sure, some apps will not work, but overall, compatibility is pretty good.

If all of this proves true, would you consider an Intel tablet?

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The post Intel and Unnamed Partner are Working on an Android Tablet? appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

With their smaller screen sizes and personal design, a tablet might seem like its meant for one person, not a family. While early tablets tended to function only as a business tool used by one individual, the advent of app stores, and the games and programs that come with it, have changed all of this. Many families share tablets, whether its an iPad or a 7-inch Android device.

When it comes to sharing a tablet for the whole family, 7-inch, 9.7-inch or even 10.1-inch might be a little restrictive. Most families tend to stick to these sizes though because they are readily available and are the most affordable option. Sure, bigger screen tablets like the Excite 13 do exist, but at a premium price. This is where Archos steps in. Archos might not be the most popular brand around, but they are known for sticking to relatively budget-friendly price points. A new FCC filing suggests that Archos is preparing for a larger-screen tablet with family sharing and use in mind- the 13.3-inch Archos FamilyPad.

The specs on the tablet are nothing to get excited about, but they are certainly functional enough for most apps out there right now. The FamilyPad is powered by an AllWinner A10 1.5Ghz processor and has 8 or 16GB storage, WIFI, an SD card for expansion, two USB ports and a front-facing camera. At the moment there is no word about pricing or which markets this might hit, but it could certainly be worth keeping an eye out for. While this certainly isn’t a portable device you’d want to lug around everywhere, it could be great for pairing up with a kickstand and using around the house.

While this might be more expensive than typical Archos budget devices, the specs suggest it won’t likely have an extremely high price tag, even if it is a larger screen that usually. How much? That’s hard to say. While the 13-inch Excite is $650, it also has the power of Tegra 3, instead of this basic 1.5Ghz chip. I’d say it is more than likely going to hit at under $400, maybe even under $350. Keep in mind that’s just a semi-educated guess.

If this thing manages to be affordable enough, would you consider a 13.3-inch tablet for the family?

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The post Is there a Market for a Family targeted 13.3-inch Tablet? Archos Seems to Think so appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

One of the best things about Android devices is that they come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, and what you see above is one of the two landline based DECT cordless Android powered phones from Motorola. The question is, what’s the point?  Everyone has cell phones these days and we’re not sure where the market is for something like this.

Regardless, the two devices are named the HS1101 and MBP2000PU, they run Ice Cream Sandwich OS and feature a 3.2 inch LCD display with a resolution of 400 x 240.  The Wi-Fi-equipped handsets are virtually identical, differing only in color – while one is silver and white, the other one is glossy black. The phones are also coming with a front-facing cam with video capture, stereo 1.5-watt speakers, microSD storage, micro-USB and a standard headphone port. You will be able to download apps, while a few like Aldiko E-book Reader and a Digital Answer Machine come preloaded.  Ok, so maybe they will be good for video calls over Wi-Fi. But we have to admit, when it comes to the design, the devices do not look that pretty. They certainly appear to have the qualities to be smart home phones. Those who haven’t yet abandoned their landlines can check the devices out, and since they have just passed through the FCC, we are expecting both models to arrive sometime soon.

Just to let you know, Archos also has a home phone that run Android, but it is running the now ancient Froyo.

The post Motorola’s Cordless Android Ice Cream Sandwich Home Phones appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Research In Motion (RIM) filed a patent for a technology back in November 2007 and it was granted to them today after 5 long years. The technology allows for the smartphone to automatically adjust earpiece volume based on the “estimated degree of seal of an ear about a speaker port”. That’s really convenient, but is it really safe?

The handset will perform this task by using the touch sensor and at least one proximity sensor.  If you are someone who loves to walk and talk, the technology will let you stay away from the volume button when you move between quiet and noisy environments.

Although the new feature sounds like a cool addition, it doesn’t look like it will be enough to help RIM’s smartphones become popular. And in fact, it might become a burden. We believe that the technology will result in RIM smartphones with increased levels of SAR. Just in case you are new to that, SAR or Specific absorption rate is a measure of the rate at which RF energy is absorbed by the body when using a mobile phone.

But you should know that the FCC has strict rules when it comes to SAR levels of phones. If the new technology is going to result in SAR levels higher than that required by FCC, we have to conclude that the new patent is useless.

The post New RIM Patent Would Result In An Increase In SAR appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Archos has done a pretty good job creating a niche of budget devices like tablets, specifically those under the Arnova branding. The Archos Arnova 9 G3 is supposed to continue the company’s tradition of low-price tablets, but this time around it will come packed with Android 4.0 ICS. Today it showed up at the FCC website, which is probably a pretty good sign that it is about to hit stores sooner rather than latter.

For those looking for a budget device that has ICS, this could fit the bill, but don’t expect a power house. Not too long ago Arnova 9 G2 was introduced and one of my only complaints was that it was a little short in the storage department thanks to just 8GB of space. So was this addressed with the G3? Actually, the G3 has a staggeringly small amount of space at 4GB. Beyond the small storage space it features a 9.7 inch 1024 x 768 pixel IPS display, a 1 GHz Rockchip RK2918 single core processor, and a fairly impressive 1GB of RAM. I’m assuming this device will have SD expansion, and so the 4GB shouldn’t prove a deal-breaker but I personally think they should have at least stuck with 8GB at minimum. At the same time, these are largely budget devices and for the casual crowd they are targeted at, this meager storage might prove enough. I also have to admit that (outside of storage) the G3 does have a lot to offer over the older model, such as ICS for one thing.  If this thing can come out at around $249, there would be many happy tableters out there.

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The post Archos Arnova 9 G3 tablet Hits The FCC Website appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

The reason why most people don’t go after budget devices is that those devices won’t be too impressive on the specs side. But you all should check out the teXet TM-7025, which is a new affordable Android tablet just released in Russia.

Although it is a drawback that the new tablet runs only Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread, ICS has been “promised.” But, get this, the new device is coming with 3D video playback. And it boasts a Boxchip A10 Cortex A8 1GHz processor along with 512MB of RAM, 4GB of internal memory, and a microSD card slot for expanding memory.

It features a 7-inch capacitive TFT LCD display that looks pretty stylish. But for a better viewing experience, you can connect the device to your HDTV via its miniHDMI connector.

Other features include Wi-Fi, a miniUSB port, a 0.3 megapixel front-facing camera, an accelerometer and a 3,100 mAh Li-Ion battery. You can also connect the tablet to a 500 GB hard drive without the need for extra power. It’s just 12.1mm thin and weighs in at only 13 ounces.

And all that will cost only 5,999 rubles (around $200) in Russia. Now that’s a pretty cheap tablet. And if it’s coming to the US, there is a possibility that it will be available with an even cheaper price tag. We will surely let you know if this one reaches the gates of FCC.

The post Russian teXet TM-7025 Budget Android Tablet Is Just $200 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Recently, AT&T’s attempt to merge with T-Mobile received negative attention from the Department of Justice. The Department of Justice filed a suit that would block the deal, due to concern that such a large merger would give AT&T an unfair advantage in the US Market.

Amid the concerns of the anti-trust claim AT&T completely withdrew its application for approval with the FCC, stating that they wished to focus all their efforts into the Department of Justice case first.

Now it seems that AT&T is preparing to offer a deal that will divest as much as 40 percent of T-Mobile’s assets as part of the acquisition. At the moment it isn’t clear which parts of T-Mobile might be shed in the arrangement or even if the DOJ will consider the deal at all.

AT&T hopes that such a divestiture plan will qualm the government’s fears about the merger. You have to wonder who would actually want to purchase just ‘parts’ of T-Mobile, though. It seems even federal officials have similar concerns with the divestiture plan and are preparing to argue against it. The Justice Department is firm on the idea that even a merger with only about half of T-Mobile’s assets would be harmful to the market. They even scoffed at AT&T’s claims that the merger will help it roll out new 4G LTE services faster, thus creating more jobs.

It seems unclear what the future will bring regarding this merger. AT&T seems more than determined enough to make the deal come through, but the DOJ seems just as determined to keep it from succeeding. For now all we can do is wait and see.

The post AT&T Withdraws Its FCC Application For Merger With T-Mobile appeared first on Mobile Magazine.