T-Mobile LG Optimus L9: an affordable ICS smartphone with a decent spec sheet

T-Mobile has a convincing and affordable mid-level Android phone to offer this holiday season, the LG Optimus L9.
The device was officially launched yesterday but, it initially didn’t become available on T-Mobile’s website due to some technical issues. The issues seem to be fixed by now, so you are free to order it if the Optimus L9 tickles your fancy.
The mid-range device comes with a price tag of $79.99 with a 2-year contract, and after a mail-in rebate of $50. The L9 is available both through T-Mobile.com and brick-and-more stores.
For 80 bucks, we dare to say that the Optimus L9 is a pretty good deal, thanks to the host of unique features it supports. The L9 comes with Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich and features a dual-core 1GHz processor. It also boasts a decent 4.5-inch qHD IPS display, 1GB RAM, and a 5 MP main camera along with a front facing VGA camera. It also carries 4GB of internal memory extendable up to 32GB through a microSD card slot, a 2,150mAh battery, and T-Mobile’s unique Wi-Fi calling feature.
Overall, the features of the L9 are quite similar to those offered by the Galaxy Nexus. If the stars align, LG’s latest mid-ranger could be a hot seller from T-Mobile this holiday season. Will you buy one for yourself or your loved ones?

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T-Mobile, AT&T open networks for Hurricane Sandy victims

In a press release today, T-Mobile and AT&T announced that they will be entering a temporary agreement to allow roaming for customers of either network in the areas hit by Hurricane Sandy.
While the worst of the storm has passed, Hurricane Sandy left a lot of damage in its wake, and at one point millions were without power. While a lot of people are working to help get things back in order as quickly as possible, some of the hardest hit areas are still looking at a difficult time ahead. There is no doubt that T-Mobile and AT&T had this in mind when they began their temporary agreement.
Customers of either network don’t have to do anything special to take advantage of the additional coverage. Just place a call as you normally would, and whichever network is working best in your area will automatically carry the call. Both voice and data are covered by this agreement, so there is no need for customers to worry about being hit with hefty fees if their phone connects to the wrong network by accident.
While the press release states that this agreement applies to New York and New Jersey, it may be worth checking to make sure your area is covered before connecting to avoid any unwanted fees.
Are you located in an area that was hit by Hurricane Sandy? Will this roaming agreement make it easier for you to stay in touch with friends and relatives in areas hit by the storm?

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T-Mobile will not support WiFi calling on the LG Nexus 4

Google’s recently announced Nexus 4 will go on sale later this month for $299 unlocked and unsubsidized. There is one American operator who will be offering it on a contract however, T-Mobile. They’ll gladly sell you a Nexus 4 with a 2 year contract for $199, which sounds appealing, but the folks at TmoNews have recently learned that WiFi calling will not be supported on the device. Some background: T-Mobile has a service whereby you can make phone calls over your wireless network at home instead of having to go through the cellular network. It’s useful if you live somewhere that has spotty coverage, if you’re traveling abroad, and the best part is you don’t get billed for the minutes you make when on WiFi.
Now that we know the Nexus 4 isn’t going to support one of T-Mobile’s best features, this poses an important question: Should you buy this phone on contract? Buying phones unsubsidized is commonplace in many parts of the world, but for Americas it’s still considered a taboo for reasons we don’t quite understand. The amount of money you can save by going with a prepaid operator and then buying a phone unlocked is startling.
Take Straight Talk for instance, which lets you pick whether you want to use AT&T’s or T-Mobile’s network. They’ll give you unlimited everything for $45 per month. That’s half what the big boys charge. We can’t stress this enough, when using Straight Talk you’re on the same network that your friends and family are paying double to use! How is it so cheap? Straight Talk doesn’t have retail stores, they don’t subsidize phones, their customer service leaves a lot to be desired, and they go out of your way to be a dumb pipe.
When was the last time you called the company that provides you with electricity or water? Exactly. That’s what prepaid operators are like.

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LG Nexus 4 will support HSPA+ 42, Google and T-Mobile both confirm

Yesterday Google posted the official specs for the LG Nexus 4 on its Google Play Store and in doing so created more than a little confusion. The problem was that Google’s specs claimed the Nexus 4 would only work with HPSA+ 21. This was in stark contrast to T-Mobile’s press release, which suggested the Nexus 4 did in fact have HSPA+ 42 support. Essentially this meant that either LG had more than one version of the Nexus device or someone had made a mistake. The good news is that Google was at error here, not T-Mobile.
Google has since confirmed that the they had posted incorrect specs and that the LG Nexus 4 did in fact offer 42Mbps support through HSPA+. This is great news for T-Mobile users planning on purchasing the LG Nexus 4. The only news that could be better is if Google and LG announced that the Nexus 4′s lack of LTE was just a typo, too. We can dream at least.
Are you excited for the upcoming LG Nexus 4? If so, are you buying it off-contract from Google or will you get it at a subsidized price?

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T-Mobile Galaxy Note 2 comes with dormant LTE, only software activation needed?

Given differences in 4G technology support, carriers across the U.S. are adopting a gradual roll-out of their 4G technologies. T-Mobile, for one, has promised network-wide LTE support for 200 million U.S. customers by end of 2013. While T-Mobile currently doesn’t support LTE, it seems the Galaxy Note 2 only has LTE deactivated through the firmware.
The Verge reports that the T-Mobile variant of the Galaxy Note 2 is essentially identical to the one offered by AT&T, including hardware support for LTE. It seems activating LTE is only a matter of switching it on through the firmware. T-Mobile was sought out for an answer, and gave this response:

The Galaxy Note II features a Qualcomm 9215M chipset which provides the hardware capability to support both HSPA+42 and LTE. T-Mobile plans to reach more than 200 million Americans with LTE by the end of 2013. The Galaxy Note II will not automatically access T-Mobile’s LTE network. We will share more information on how and when the Galaxy Note II will support T-Mobile’s upcoming LTE network when the network is available.

As such, the Note 2 will not automatically support LTE once T-Mobile rolls out its higher-speed network implementation. Support will likely come along with a software update. But given that carriers are usually bottlenecks when it comes to Android patches and updates, will it be easy for T-Mobile to simply flip the “on” switch for its Galaxy Note 2 LTE support?

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LG Optimus L9 heading to T-Mobile on October 31 for $79.99

As Sprint and AT&T are preparing to welcome the LG Optimus G, T-Mobile is opting to carry its smaller and less-equipped cousin, the LG Optimus L9. Before the budget phone was even listed on T-Mo’s website, a leak suggested that it will be priced rather aggressively. Now, the price has been confirmed by the carrier.
Starting next week, specifically on October 31^st, you can buy the LG Optimus L9 on T-Mobile retail stores and online. If you choose the two-year classic voice and data plan, new customers only have to plunk down $79.99 for the phone (after a $50 mail in rebate). Qualifying customers can opt for the equipment installment plan, where you need only pay $49.99 for the device, and then an additional $15 monthly over the next 20 months.
The LG Optimus L9 boasts a 4.5-inch qHD display, dual-core 1GHz Snapdragon S3 processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, microSD support, 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 1080p HD recording, 1.3MP front-facing camera, Wi-Fi calling, Bluetooth 3.0, 2,150mAh battery, and Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.
Given the price, this phone will surely attract folks who want a phone with a big display, but are not too concerned about the rest of the specs or future software updates.
Would you recommend the LG Optimus L9?

 

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