Mobile Miscellany: week of June 4th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the LG Optimus L7 and Sony Xperia U both arrived at Fido, and Verizon Wireless unleashed some wicked LTE expansion across the US. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of June 4th, 2012.
Fido brings LG Optimus L7 and Sony Xperia U in from the cold
The LG Optimus L7 is just now beginning to gain traction in Canada, and it'll now be sharing a home with Fido. The smartphone offers a 1GHz CPU, a 4.3-inch display and a five megapixel camera. Purchasers may snatch one for free on a three-year contract, or for $50 with a two-year agreement. Those wanting to grab one outright will need to plunk down $300 for the privilege. Similarly, Sony's Xperia U has also joined the doghouse, which is free with a three-year agreement, $30 under a two-year plan and $300 outright. It features a dual-core 1GHz processor, a 3.5-inch screen and a five megapixel rear shooter. [MobileSyrup, Electronista]
LG reveals white Optimus LTE II for South Korea
LG's next big thing -- complete with a 4.7-inch True HD IPS LCD, 2GB of RAM and a 2,150mAH battery -- experienced a bit of a rebirth this week. The manufacturer outed a white version of its handset for the South Korean market, which will be available through the LG U+ network. [LG press release (translated)]
Cricket snaps up BlackBerry Curve 9350
The BlackBerry Curve 9350 joined Cricket's stable of smartphones this week. Available for $200 outright (and just $130 online), the handset offers an 800MHz CPU, a 2.44-inch HVGA display, a 5-megapixel camera, 512MB of RAM and a 1,000 mAh battery. [N4BB]
Nokia Transport 2.1 hits the Beta Labs
Urban commuters should take notice that Nokia's Transport application has just joined the Beta Labs with version 2.1. New in this release, users may pin multiple favorite destinations to the start screen and view upcoming station names and stop times while in transit. There's also new integration with Bing search and Local Scout, along with improved performance. For a complete rundown of the new features, be sure to peep the video above. [Nokia Beta Labs]
Verizon Wireless carpet bombs US with LTE rollouts
...and rudely issues separate press releases for each. Here's a list of the latest regions to be drowned in 4G speed:
Other random tidbits
MobileSyrup has learned through Nokia's Chris Weber that the white Lumia 710 and cyan Lumia 900 will soon join the lineup at Rogers Wireless in Canada. [MobileSyrup]
The BlackBerry Curve 9320 is now available from both Mobilicity and Virgin Mobile in Canada. Both handsets are available for just $150, although Mobilicity's version will later jump to $200 after its special introductory promotion. [Mobile Syrup 1, 2]
A leaked minimum advertised price (MAP) for the HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE has worked its way into the wild, which suggests that the handset may sell for $150 at Verizon Wireless. [Droid Life]
Clearwire has joined the Rural Cellular Association, which it identified as an important step given the current competitive pressures and spectrum battles in the wireless industry. [The Verge]
