We’re not going to go as far as the Silicone Alley Insider and declare the Nexus One “a flop” but the sub-par sales numbers do tell us something… launching with the 3G bands of the #4 U.S. carrier and selling exclusively through a web portal may not be a wise go-to-market strategy. Mobile research firm Flurry estimates that only 135,000 Nexus Ones have been sold after 74 days on the market. As a comparison, the Motorola DROID sold 1.05 million units and the iPhone sold around 1 million units in the same time period. The DROID had a rumored $100M marketing push, and the iPhone was a full $599 out of pocket at time of launch, which make these Nexy’s sales figures even less impressive. We’re sure the N1’s sales numbers will improve as it launches on Verizon Wireless and Vodafone in the coming months, however… we just thought the insane AdWords push from Google would have yielded better results.

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T-Mobile already has a very diverse lineup of smartphones, but the tail end of March will see “Magenta” (as some people lamely call it) release a trio of smartphones that appeal to the low, mid and high end markets. We’ve been saying it for the longest time and now it’s as official as can be without a full-blown press release: the HTC HD2 will be available from T-Mobile on Wednesday, March 24th. Going for $199.99 on a 2-year or $449.99 outright, the HD2 will easily be the best handset ever offered by T-Mobile in terms of sheer brawn. Of course now that we’re 100% certain it won’t be upgradeable to Windows Phone 7 Series, we have to wonder if a bit of the luster has prematurely worn off, but it’s not like those put off don’t have more than half a year to save pennies for the next greatest Windows Phone. On the same day, Nokia will also have a handset debut on T-Mobile. This is of course the Nuron and it will go for $69.99 / $179.99, a price that is quite mind blowing when you consider the fact it’s running S60 5th Edition. Last but not least in today’s T-Mobile update is the CLIQ XT. We’ve known for quite some time it is going to be available in time to drown in a pitcher of green beer, but now we’re hearing it will be $99.99 on contract as opposed to $129.99 (no contract pricing is presumed to still be set at $329.99).

Good job, T-Mobile.

Read [CLIQ XT] Read [HD2] Read [Nuron]

One of our T-Mobile connects just blessed us with some HTC HD2 unboxing shots. With a looming release date, it should help cut down on some of your healthcare costs. You know, for those of you that have been hyperventilating since the official announcement. Hit the jump for the shots!

Last night was easily the best night of the year for the celebrity-crazed paparazzi. It also turned out to be a pretty darn good night for the smartphone paparazzi as well for two upcoming T-Mobile handsets were given the star treatment on their very own red carpet. First up was the HTC HD2, the infinitely lovable Windows Phone with a 1GHz Snapdragon processor and gargantuan 4.3″ WVGA display, which looked as stylish as ever in Sense UI by HTC. Never one to miss an opportunity to show support for those in need, the HD2 took a moment to show off its Blockbuster app which will allow proud owners to download movies on demand. Immediately following the HD2 was the Nokia Nuron. Although the general consensus was that it was dressed more for the Kids Choice Awards than the Academy Awards, the Nuron made a bit of a stir when it shrieked at the top of its lungs how it had seen the light, converted to Buddhism and was now on a mission to convince everyone that less is more and that all other smartphones cannot possibly be as happy as it is living with S60, an OS that is on its way out. When will us ordinary folk get a chance to meet these stars? The Nuron is still a mystery, but we’re still very confident on a March 24th debut for the HD2.

Read [HD2] Read [Nuron]

TmoNews is reporting that come March 14th, T-Mobile will be launching its much-awaited HSPA+ service in a few more markets. These are rumored to include Miami, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and presumably Philadelphia while supporting the launch of a new 3G data device as well — the webConnect Rocket. Additionally, it looks like T-Mobile has finally started to overhaul their hideous cellular coverage maps by adding more zoom layers, population guides, and additional color coding for different network technologies (like the new HSPA+ service). Anyone excited to get their mobile 21Mbps on?

[Via AndroidAndMe]

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J.D. Power and Associates has given T-Mobile the highest ranking in wireless retail customer satisfaction among the major U.S. carriers. The “2010 Wireless Retail Sales Satisfaction Study – Volume 1” reports that T-Mobile edged out Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and AT&T in the retail study with an overall score of 723; Verizon had an overall score of 722. The categories considered were: overall retail sales performance, retailer’s facility, merchandise display, sales staff, and cost. The study did not take into account how satisfied people were with the quality of their wireless network or phone selection, just the retail experience itself. Congrats to T-Mo on their second consecutive victory. We’ve got the official press release all queued up for you.

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After rearing its ugly head on a leaked T-Mobile pricing sheet a few days ago, the Nokia 5320 Nuron has gotten the official nod from both Nokia and T-Mobile. For those that are dying to find out what $69.99 will buy you, here are all the details on this classic handset:

• Classic candybar form factor
• 3.2 inch touchscreen display at 16:9 640×360 resolution
• GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
• WCDMA 1700/2100
• 2 megapixel camera with 3X digital zoom and video recording
• Bluetooth 2.0
• aGPS and Ovi maps with turn by turn directions and maps for US, Canada, and Mexico
• Ovi Store pre-installed
• MicroSD expansion (up to 16GB)
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• White on White color with changeable colored battery covers

The Nokia Nuron will hit the shelves of T-Mobile in the upcoming weeks with an exact date yet to be determined. Though pricing details were not confirmed, a previous leak suggests the Nokia Nuron will be ultra-affordable, coming in at a mere $69.99 after rebate with a two year agreement or $179 for those that prefer to go contract-free. Any potential buyers lured by the promise of free Ovi Maps turn-by turn navigation at a sub $200 price tag?

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One of our ninjas just dropped some tantalizing and blurry details for us to feast on. We’ve been informed that T-Mobile will be releasing the Motorola CLIQ XT on March 10th, the HTC HD2 (listed as “Dark Handset” on the screen capture) is confirmed on March 24th, and a Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook, complete with T-Mobile broadband access, on the 24th as well. Our connect also mentions the launch of Even More 1.5, but no details were given. Looks like it is going to be a pretty busy month for the number four carrier in the U.S. Hit the break for one more shot!

Thanks, Taliban!

TmoNews has acquired what looks to be some legit pricing information about the yet-to-be-released HTC HD2, Motorola CLIQ XT, and Nokia Nuron… and the pricing looks pretty good.  The HD2 will reportedly retail for $199 with 2-year contract and $449 contract free. The $199 price point on the HD2 will also presumably be mail-in-rebate-less if you sign up for a data plan at time of purchase. Moving on, the Motorola CLIQ XT will retail for $129 with 2-year contract and $329 contract free. Again, the $129 is the price you will pay at the register if you sign up for a data plan when you purchase your shiny new CLIQ XT. TmoNews adds: “the Nokia Nuron which was cut off from the image…[will be] $69.99 after rebate. No contract? No problem. That’ll be $179.99.” How about it? Do any of these offerings excite you T-Mobile customers?

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If you never got around to installing this weeks software update on your Motorola CLIQ, you might want to hold off for at least a few days as it appears that update 1.3.18 has a tendency to break more than it fixes. So far as we can tell, the most common issues have to do with the inability to log into MOTOBLUR, SMS-related lagging and crashing, spotty Bluetooth connectivity, dimming displays, virtual keypad issues and, perhaps most bizarrely, having the devices date and time set to 7PM, 31 December 1969 (aka “0″ in Linux Land). Both T-Mobile and Motorola have not put out an official statement on the matter, but here is what an official T-Mobile forum mod had to say:

“Hi Everybody!

Thanks everyone for informing us on what the latest Motorola Cliq OTA update has brought to light. We want to let everyone know that we have been reading your comments, and we hear you. We have forwarded your concerns to the appropriate people and are working hard on them.

As of now, we advise you not to Master Reset your phone if your OTA update did not download or if you are experiencing issues at this time.

Thank you for using the T-Mobile forums and we will keep you updated as we gather more information.”

Are you or anyone you know with an updated CLIQ facing some of the above issues?

[Via Android and Me]

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T-Mobile held its position as the #4 carrier in the U.S. by adding one million new subscribers to its coffers in 2009 and ending 2009 with a total of 33.8 million customers. Catherine Zeta Jones’ favorite network gained a total of 371,000 new subscribers in Q4 2009, a number that was achieved by the addition of 488,000 pre-paid subscribers and the loss of 117,000 net contract subscribers. Despite the yearly and quarterly growth in its subscriber base, yearly revenue declined to $21.5 billion, a 1.6% year over year drop and quarterly revenue dropped to $5.41 billion from $5.72 billion in Q4 2008. T-Mobile’s net income also took a hit, dropping from $483 million at the end of 2008 to $306 million in 2009. Though overall revenue and income declined, T-Mobile’s mobile data business was lucrative as total data revenue reached $598 million in Q4 2009 and $2.2 billion for the full year, a 35% and 37% year over year increase. Additionally, the Magenta network’s infrastructure was also on the rise; its entire 3G network has been upgraded to 7.2 Mbps HSPA, select markets are being upgraded to 21Mbps HSPA+, and its 3G coverage now reaches 205 million people nationwide.

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Before we begin let’s just get this out of the way: if you are a customer of AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon it is most likely because that particular company provides a service you want, need, and/or like. The following article is based on tests done by PCWorld in December of 2009 and January of 2010 and may not necessarily reflect your experience with, or preference of, mobile providers. Now, let’s continue…

The PCWorld tests, from December 2009 and January 2010, were done as a follow up to tests done last spring in an attempt to see if the major U.S. mobile networks had made any improvements to their wireless data infrastructure. The speed tests were conducted in: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, New York City, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle on both mobile phones and laptop data cards. We’ve linked to PCWorld’s thorough article for your scrutiny, however, here is the high level overview.

In the Spring 2009 tests the companies results were as follows:

• AT&T: average download speed 812 Kbps, average upload speed 660 Kbps
• Sprint: average download speed 808 Kbps, average upload not listed in article
• T-Mobile: not tested, no significant 3G footprint at time of testing
• Verizon: average download speed 951 Kbps, average upload speed 426 Kbps

In the Winter of 2009/2010 tests the companies results were as follows:

• AT&T: average download speed 1410 Kbps, average upload speed 773 Kbps
• Sprint: average download speed 795 Kbps, average upload speed 396 Kbps
• T-Mobile: average download speed 868 Kbps, average upload speed 311 Kbps
• Verizon: average download speed 877 Kbps, average upload speed 434 Kbps

As you can see, AT&T’s network, in PC World’s pretty rigorous tests, has improved tremendously and is over 67% faster. Not bad for less than a year, no?

Read [Spring '09 tests] Read [Winter '09/'10 tests]

According to him, T-Mobile is in “final stages” of planning out their webOS device launch with Palm. Apparently the first device we’re looking at seeing is a Palm Pixi-like handset, but we don’t have much more to report on besides that.

Today at Mobile World Congress, Motorola announced the CLIQ XT with MOTOBLUR. Having nearly identical specs to the original CLIQ, it features a 3.1″ HVGA capacitive display, 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, A-GPS, 3.5mm headphone jack, FM tuner, e-compass, 7.2Mbps HSDPA, and Android 1.5. Yeah, that probably sounds familiar. The big differences between them are that the CLIQ XT has an optical trackpad, lacks a QWERTY slider, supports Flash Lite and features “pinch and zoom” multitouch throughout the system. Besides that, than there’s really not much else to say other than we hope this isn’t all we’re going to see from Motorola because, well, talk about forgettable. The CLIQ XT with MOTOBLUR will be available from T-Mobile USA next month, while the Global version, QUENCH with MOTOBLUR, will be available in multiple regions by the end of this quarter.

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Yeah, T-Mobile didn’t exactly get sexy with naming the myTouch 3G refresh, but hey, with a name so horrible from the beginning, we guess we can’t ask for much. While the name stays the same, the refreshed myTouch 3G definitely brings the slowly-aging device up a notch or two. Here’s a recap of the specifications for the new model:

• 3.5mm headset jack and updated music player
• More memory, with 288MB of RAM and an included 8GB microSD card
• Swype soft keyboard
• Preloaded applications including Barcode Scanner, Music Player, myAccount and Visual Voicemail

The new device is available starting today in T-Mobile locations as well as telesales for $149.99 with a new two year activation, and comes in both white and black color options. Merlot never had a chance.

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In the days leading up to Nokia World 2009, the world’s largest phone maker announced the 5230, an affordable touchscreen Symbian S60 smartphone. At the time there was no official word whether or not it would ever make its way on to American soil, but thanks to the work of a few sneaky devils we now know that T-Mobile is gearing up to release it as the Nuron on March 17th. Pricing has yet to be passed down the corporate ladder, but we can’t imagine it would command a high price on or off contract considering it has nothing going for it in the eyes of the public other than its touchscreen and 3G connectivity. Perhaps this is one best left for the kiddies? T-Mobile’s slide doesn’t think so, however.

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If a slide posted to the PPCGeeks forum is both legitimate and accurate, then T-Mobile customers have two pretty nifty smartphones headed their way next month in the HTC HD2 and Motorola CLIQ XT. The HD2, a device we’re positive that anyone who at least occasionally frequents this site is well-versed on, is said to drop on March 10th with the CLIQ XT two weeks later on March 24th. What on earth is the CLIQ XT? Apparently it’s the Zeppelin, the physical-keypad shunning, pure touchscreen alternative to the somewhat maligned CLIQ. Still not getting it? Well, we did see it in the silicon the other day. The question is: Will we actually see it and the HD2 with T-Mobile branding next month?

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There comes a time in every smartphones life when, after a long and illustrious career in which it has accomplished many things, it just wants to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of daily life and bow out gracefully. According to T-Mobile, the latest to do so is the BlackBerry Curve 8900 as T-Mobile which is now residing in a retirement community in Florida having reached the “end of its life cycle”. It remains to be seen whether its son, the Curve 8520, will take up the family business, but rumor has it that its grandson is just about to come of age and make a splash.

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It seems that every BlackBerry-lover on the Internets is making a big deal over this AWS spectrum-equipped BlackBerry 9100, and while it’s great to have confirmation that the unit is hitting T-Mobile (and maybe even visiting our Canadian friends at WIND, too), all in all, it doesn’t really mean much. Here’s why:

Enter the BlackBerry 9700. RIM has done something incredibly smart. They’ve been using identical hardware for every single BlackBerry 9700, regardless of the carrier it is intended for. Let’s revisit that… RIM has used the same exact hardware for AT&T, T-Mobile, Vodafone, WIND, Rogers, TIM — whatever. How could this be, you’re asking? The chip RIM uses in these units supports practically every 3G band out there, and so do the antennas. What controls the hardware is the vendor/branding of the device. This enables RIM to produce one set of hardware, and brilliantly change the software to enable the 3G bands they desire. This keeps manufacturing costs lower as they only have to manufacture one single piece of the puzzle as opposed to two completely different ones, and this also will apply in theory to 3G devices going forward.

That means that BlackBerry 9100 you see with AWS bands will be able to be flashed with AT&T branding (by RIM, not by you), thus enabling 850/1900/2100MHz 3G bands without any effort. While this won’t necessarily speed up the release of these new smartphones on every carrier (they still have exclusivity agreements), you can at least rest assured that any model 3G BlackBerry from now on, will in theory support your local 3G bands, even if it doesn’t support your local 3G bands.

Guest post by a “connect” in the wireless industry.

Absolutely dread going to your location wireless provider’s store and having to be social? If it’s one of your worst nightmares, hopefully this will help you change that. Here are a few tips that might help you get a better deal on a phone and keep the hurt off your wallet. After all, if you’re like us… you’ll be buying a new phone every 6 months anyways.

Do:

Buy at the end of the month or during bad weather. It’s funny, but the best time to buy a phone  is at the end of the month. Every store has a quota to hit and the sales reps are a lot more tempted to make a good deal if it’s the end of the month. They’ll most likely be offering better discounts to try and get those final sales for their quota. Also, on days when the weather is really bad, the store has probably been slow most of the day and the reps are bored. We’re not kidding. They’ll want to talk to you and want to sell you something. The sales reps have probably made nothing in terms of money for that day and they’ll be eager to try and make a deal for you.

Take the features:

Use them as a bargaining tool. This is a great way to get extra discounts or deals on a phone. Tell the rep you’ll sign up for the data plan (if not already required based on the phone like a smartphone) plus insurance and other extra features if they’ll cut you a small deal on the equipment. ARPU (Average Revenue Per Unit) is always a huge goal for managers and employees, and it adds a large amount to our commission check. You can always take these features off (if they’re not contracted like the smartphone data plans) if you don’t use them. Just know that most wireless carriers require features to be active for a certain amount of time or else the representative won’t get the commission from it.

Also, try to find a rep that is passionate. It might seem like common sense, but we can’t tell you how many people just enter the store and mosey on over to any boring dope and expect greatness. Look for a rep that looks happy to be there. That rep will most likely be an upfront person and be detailed on equipment and plan pricing. If the rep is trained well enough, he or she will know about other carrier’s pricing and plans as well, making this much easier on you.

Ask the representative to be blunt and honest — telling your rep from the get-go to be straightforward and to-the-point will save both of you a lot of trouble. They’ll get the job done faster and you’ll get the info you’re asking for without all the corporate mumbo-jumbo that they’re supposed to shove in your head.

Plus, if you don’t already have a phone in mind, ask the representative what phone they use. If they’re carrying it, it’s most likely a decent phone. Most likely.

Sales reps can usually budge on the equipment pricing, accessories, or waiving activation fees depending on whether you’re at a corporate store or an indirect dealer. But something they can’t do is budge on the plan pricing; that’s something no one can adjust — only the retention department over the phone can.

If you see a better price at another store or online, ask for a price match. This requires a print out of the ad that you saw, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t care, or don’t come prepared. Corporate stores can only price match in this fashion, too. Buying at a corporate store versus a 3rd party store (Costco, Sam’s Club, Radio Shack) has its benefits such as better trained employees and usually original/more encompassing warranties.

Don’t:

Don’t threaten to leave your carrier if the representatives you’re talking to don’t give you a good deal. Sales reps know your contract length and they know you aren’t going to pay that $200 ETF to get little Timmy off your plan and into an iPhone because they won’t give you $50 off that dumbphone he wants. Things like telling them that you’ve been with them for 10+ years and you deserve 5 BlackBerry Bolds for free will only frustrate the poor guy. When it comes to equipment cost, the amount of years you’ve been with a carrier as a customer doesn’t mean too much. Also don’t say that you’ll get a better deal by switching from x-carrier to y-carrier if you don’t know for sure if it’s exactly true. A good rep knows when a customer is lying and they’ll pretty much be done trying to work with you at that point.

Remember to play it smart. Don’t try and ask for a smartphone without a data plan. That’s like buying a brand new BMW and not wanting to put premium gas in it. The reps most likely can’t make that happen due to restrictions with the way those plans work. Also never ask to speak to the manager while negotiating for a better deal. You’re undermining the representative and are only going to annoy the manager.

Upgrades (phone discounts you get when extending your current contract with your existing carrier) mean pretty little to the sales reps in terms of commission. The rep doesn’t make much on these kinds of contracts and if you’re going to give them a really hard time about pricing, they’ll either pass you to another rep or put 0% effort into trying to help you out.

Tips from reps we know:

• “I’ve had high maintenance customers bring a store employee coffee or thank you card after working really hard for them. Doing even the smallest things like that will get us to do pretty much anything you want in the future or fix any problem you might have down the road.”
• “Reps work on commission; it’s how they pay their bills, feed their kids, and pretty much survive. It’s really aggravating when you spend 45 minutes in the store talking to us about plans and pricing and then come back the next day to sign up with our co-worker on our day off.”
• “Reps are people too. We have our good and our bad days. Act like a decent human being and you’ll be treated with the same respect.”

All in all, pretty standard stuff though like we said, you’d be surprised how many people don’t really get the big picture. Hopefully this makes shopping for a new phone, wireless plan, and even carrier a little easier on you the next time around!

While this post tried to encompass all wireless carriers in the U.S., some have different policies and practices and it’s best to visit their respective website to learn about plan/feature requirements, and any sales/rebates they have available before you go to the store.

So, if our tipster is to be believed, the BlackBerry Curve 8900 on T-Mobile might be going on an end-of-life plan. What better device to replace the BlackBerry 8900 than the BlackBerry 8910? RIM sure knows how to slip in those minor refreshes…

We know that many of you T-Mobile Android fans have stuck by the G1 for one reason, and one reason only — a physical QWERTY keyboard. If you haven’t jumped ship to Verizon for the DROID and some button-clicking goodness, you’ll be happy to know that the HTC myTouch 2 for T-Mobile, or myTouch Slide, will have just about everything you want in an Android device and then some. From the images, assuming they’re the real deal, the physical keyboard looks like it might be a pleasure to use with well-defined spacing and will resemble HTC’s Touch Pro2 styling. As far as specs go, here’s what is known so far:

• 1300mAh battery
• MicroSD memory cardslot is accessible without battery removal.  It is a push to insert and push to remove design.
• Optical trackpad.
• Camera with LED flash.
• 3.5 mm Headset Jack
• Slide-out 4 row QWERTY keyboard
• 320×480 screen resolution.
• ARM11 processor.

Nothing terribly impressive as far as hardware, or at least nothing you’re not used to. We’re also hoping that the image is just of a prototype and not a final design, because it looks like it fell from the top of the fug tree and hit every branch on its way down.

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Update: working fine for me on T-Mobile…

Update 2: now it doesn’t. So sad.

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Nothing upsets geeks more than grabbing a gadget the moment it becomes available only to find issues with it. Google feels your pain when it comes to your 3G connectivity woes on the Nexus One. Currently, Google is in the process of testing a software fix and the results look promising. Assuming everything gets sorted and fixed on Google’s end, the software update will become available via an OTA download. However, Google also claims that the 3G issues might be because of T-Mobile’s 3G footprint. Those living in fringe areas, or the edges of T-Mobile’s 3G coverage, can’t be helped because it’s beyond Google’s control. Funny, we didn’t hear too many complaints about 3G connectivity with the G1 or myTouch 3G. Though maybe people just had lower expectations then.

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The information comes from a new tipster so we haven’t independently confirmed it. With that said, we have been told that with the rumored T-Mobile myTouch Slide coming up, T-Mobile will slowly be phasing out all Sidekick sales. Whether this means the Sidekick line will permanently disappear remains to be seen, but we wouldn’t put past Danger/Microsoft to replace them with the infamous ”Project Pink” devices.

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T-Mobile U.S. may have the Nexus One but T-Mobile UK is reportedly getting the HTC Bravo, a multi-touch packing, optical trackpad-toting variant of the Nexus One. Similar to the Nexus One, the Bravo will feature a 3.7 inch WVGA AMOLED touchscreen display, 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, Wi-Fi, GPS, HSDPA and 5 megapixel camera. It is expected to launch with T-Mobile UK in mid-March and will be free with a two-year tariff of €35 ($49USD) or more per month. No double termination fees apply.

[Via Unwired View]

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