WiMAX Uno hasn’t been fully deployed in the U.S., and wouldn’t you know it, WiMAX Dos is on the way. Samsung and UQ Communications recently demoed WiMAX 2 — 802.16m — at the CEATEC exhibition in Japan. The two companies showcased dozens of HD and 3D videos simultaneously streaming to four large-format displays. The WiMAX 2 standard should be finalized sometime next month; speeds of up to 330 Mbps have been achieved using the beta version of WiMAX 2.

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Today, Gateway announced an update to its NV series of notebooks, the NV59C66u. As the press release explains, “Customers can pair the Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX hardware, and then choose a WiMAX service provider to connect to networks in a growing number of cities and metropolitan areas around the United States for a fast and reliable connection to the Internet.” The NV series of laptops are configurable with Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, AMD Athlon, or AMD Turion processors. The 4G integrated NV59C66u starts at $699 and is available immediately.

[Via SlashGear]

GATEWAY LAUNCHES NV59C66U NOTEBOOK WITH INTEGRATED WIMAX, NEW PREMIUM DESIGN

New model available now with WiMAX wireless connectivity and a deluxe look and feel; Entire line updated with latest performance technology at affordable prices

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 29, 2010 – Gateway today unveils the Gateway NV59C66u notebook, the newest model in its Gateway NV Series line of notebooks, which features integrated WiMAX capabilities, a premium chassis design and a robust configuration.

Customers can pair the Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX hardware, and then choose a WiMAX service provider to connect to networks in a growing number of cities and metropolitan areas around the United States for a fast and reliable connection to the Internet. WiMAX is the next-generation of wireless technology designed to enable pervasive, high-speed mobile Internet access at an affordabe cost, and is the first all-IP mobile Internet solution enabling efficient and scalable networks for data, video, and voice.. The WiMAX card in the Gateway NV59C66u is the Intel® 6250 wireless card, which provides a reliable connection to both WiMAX and Wi–Fi networks. As a result, customers using WiMAX on the Gateway NV59C66u will be able to connect while moving around their coverage area, making the notebook ideal for small business owners that move about a specific urban area, such as realtors and salespeople, as well as students and other tech-savvy individuals that want to remain connected.

“The availability of the Gateway NV59C66u comes at an opportune time for customers who want a consistently reliable and fast connection to the Internet through either WiMAX service, which is rolling out this year in more metropolitan areas or 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connections to hot spots and WiFi networks,” said Ray Sawall, senior product marketing manager for Gateway notebooks. “In addition, the performance, feature-set and affordability of notebooks have increased dramatically to make them an even more appealing option to customers who want an all-purpose PC – and that’s incredibly evident here in the entire Gateway NV Series and with the new Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX.”

Complementing the new WiMAX capabilities, the Gateway NV59C66u features a new design with an attractive tone-on tone patterned espresso chassis that is visually interesting and stylish. The metal chassis and palm rest both appear to be dramatically textured, but feel subtle and comfortable to the touch.

The Gateway NV59C66u will soon be followed by additional new models in the Gateway NV Series line that come in a range of configurations and prices to meet the needs of a different types of PC customers such as small businesses, families and students.

Latest Technology for Staying Productive and In Touch
With reliable and fast processing technology, the Gateway NV Series notebooks deliver tangible benefits to customers, including the ability to handle multiple applications at once. The Gateway NV Series feature Intel Core i3 and Core i5 as well as AMD Athlon and AMD Turion, processors, supported by up to 4GB of DDR3 memory that is upgradeable to 8GB. Ample storage space is available for with high-capacity hard drives ranging from 320GB to 500GB(1).

In addition to featuring an Intel Centrino Advanced-N+WiMAX 6250 WiMAX Wireless Card for a connection to WiMAX networks, the Gateway NV59C66u also has integrated 802.11b/g/n WiFi Certified connectivity for a convenient connection to hot spots and wireless networks, as do other models in the Gateway NV Series line. The integrated High Definition webcam allows web chats and video emails in incredible clarity thanks to its 1280×1024 resolution. Also, Gigabit Ethernet LAN connectivity ensures a fast wired online connection.

Visually complementing the performance technology in the Gateway NV Series’ is the High Definition LED-backlit TFT Widescreen display. Delivering crisp and clear video with vibrant color and detailed images, the Gateway NV Series have models in two sizes: The Gateway NV Series with a 15.6-inch display deliver 1366×768 resolution, while the Gateway NV Series with a large 17.1-inch display provide even more clarity with 1600×900 resolution. Customers who want to share video on the go can use the HDMI port to connect the Gateway NV Series to a home theater or external LCD to deliver crisp high-quality visuals and high-fidelity audio with a single cable.

Extra Features Make Life Easier
The Gateway NV59C66u and Gateway NV Series are complemented by extra features in the line that make it incredibly enjoyable and useful. Navigating websites, moving between documents and even inputting characters is incredibly enjoyable thanks to the notebooks’ multi-gesture touchpad, touchpad lock, and dedicated numeric keypad.

The Gateway NV Series comes with either DVD or Blu-Ray drives, giving customers a way to view the latest movies. Also, digital media can be downloaded to the notebooks through the media card reader and USB ports. Protecting media and other files on the PC is easy, since the Gateway NV Series includes MyBackup functionality that gives customers a way to quickly and easily back-up all important files to another location such as a USB drive or another hard drive.

Gateway’s popular “social networking” button is integrated into the NV Series, so customers can access their social networks, including Facebook, YouTube and Flickr, with a single touch of a button.

Gateway NV Series Availability, Price and Configuration
The Gateway NV Series will be available at retailers nationwide over the coming weeks at prices starting at $479.99. The Gateway NV59C66u with integrated WiMAX is priced at $699.99 and is available now.

PCMag is reporting that wireless broadband company Clearwire is beginning to make 4G resources available to customers in New York City and Los Angeles. The report reads, “The company is giving selected “early adopters” dual-mode 3G/4G modems, but warning that 4G isn’t fully built out in either city. Early adopters who want to try Clearwire’s service will pay $35 for the first two months and $55 for each following month, with a two-year contract required.” Clearwire hasn’t stated when a fully built-out iteration of its 4G network will be available in NYC or LA, but the availability of WiMax spectrum can’t hurt the chances of it being sooner rather than later. The company also stated that: “During this construction phase, owners of CLEAR 4G devices may also experience 4G coverage while traveling to other cities that Clearwire plans to launch commercially later this year, including: San Francisco; Tampa, Miami, and Orlando, Fla.; Nashville, Denver, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Pittsburg.” Customarily, Sprint launches 4G service in a given area one to two months after Clearwire.

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Just a quick follow-up to a story we published on Friday. Clearwire has officially announced “the nation’s first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers.” The new, prepaid, cellular-data service offers customers daily, weekly, and monthly access rates; priced at $5, $20, and $50 respectively. Clearwire will provide this service on two new pieces of hardware, the Puck and the Stick. The Puck is a round, uh puck-like, mobile hotspot that can provide connectivity for eight Wi-Fi enabled devices on Clear’s 4G network. The Stick has a more familiar USB modem look to it and will get your laptop hooked up to the prepaid wireless fun without all that panache. The Puck will retail for $149.99 and the Stick will set you back $99.99. We’re loving the idea of prepaid 4G services, however the fact that both devices lack 3G radios — making your Puck and Stick useful in only 49 markets — is a slight cause for concern. We’ve got the full press release for you after the break.

Clearwire Introduces Rover: Instant Gratification to the Internet Addicted

KIRKLAND, Wash., Aug 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ:CLWR) today unveiled Rover(TM): the nation’s first pay-as-you-go 4G mobile broadband service for tech-savvy Gen Y customers. The Rover brand is designed for digitally addicted youth who refuse to settle for long-term contracts, overpriced internet service, or speeds slower than what they’ve become accustomed to at home.

Rover is available in all of Clearwire’s 49 4G markets across the U.S. at rover.com. Rover is also available at CLEAR stores, Best Buy stores and select independent wireless dealers in Houston and St. Louis.

“Simple, commitment-free wireless services are wildly popular with the Gen Y crowd, and Rover provides them with the first pay-as-you-go unlimited mobile internet offering at 4G speeds,” said Mike Sievert, chief commercial officer for Clearwire. “We’ve built Rover from the ground up with products, pricing and features designed specifically to serve a younger market who knows how you get connected is just as important as where. Expanding our offers to meet this underserved segment is an important new business opportunity for Clearwire as we continue to extend our leadership in mobile broadband.”

“The opportunity for pay-as-you-go mobile broadband should not be underestimated,” said Carrie MacGillvray, program manager and wireless analyst at IDC. “Prepaid – or pay-as-you-go – data provides an option for consumers to experiment with the power of mobile broadband without being saddled with a two-year commitment. A prepaid mobile broadband service can offer consumers the ability to access and share Internet service, at home or on the go, in an affordable way.”

PUCKS AND STICKS

Friends with Benefits

Rover’s flagship device is the Rover Puck: an ergonomically designed portable Wi-Fi hotspot that lets you share broadband access, or “Puck”, with up to eight devices at home, out on the town or nearly anywhere the feeling strikes you. The Rover Puck can easily slip into a purse or backpack and serve as an on-the-go broadband access point for devices such as laptops, netbooks, the iPad(TM), the iPod touch(R), smartphones, PSP(R) systems, game consoles, and Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras, among others. Users have the option to connect up to eight Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously.

The Rover Puck features mobile download speeds of three to six mbps, with bursts over 10 mbps (up to 4x faster than conventional 3G), using Clearwire’s 4G network. The Rover Puck is available today for $149.99 (plus tax).

Going Solo

The Rover Stick(TM) is a personal 4G USB modem that connects any notebook, laptop or desktop to the Rover 4G Service. The Rover Stick is compatible with MacBook(R) and MacBook(R) Pro laptops using Mac OS X, as well as netbooks and notebooks running Windows(R) XP, Windows Vista(R) and Windows(R) 7. Offering the same super-fast internet speed as the Rover Puck, the Rover Stick is available today for $99.99 (plus tax).

No Commitment Issues

New users receive two free days of service to ensure Rover’s metro-focused 4G coverage fits their mobile lifestyle. Rover has a 14-day no-hassle return policy for any device purchases made on rover.com or in CLEAR stores.

Rover is priced at $5/day, $20/week, or $50/month for unlimited 4G internet usage. Depending on the retail channel, customers will be able to purchase a Rover Re-Up PIN code or physical Rover Re-Up card in $20 or $50 denominations. Rover Re-Up is available online at rover.com, at all retail outlets carrying the Rover Puck or Rover Stick, as well as at Rover Re-Up specific retail locations. Rover does not require a credit card to activate service and is designed to bring broadband internet to a new audience.

GENERATION Y

The Rover brand is designed for a demographic that has grown up in a wireless world. They manage their life through the internet, and their devices signify status. Rover provides products and service to meet their need for all things internet.

“Rover’s target audience has never known life without internet. They love their devices and they want as much speed and capacity as possible, without the limits and commitments of most mobile options,” said Seth Cummings, GM, Rover. “Rover offers iconic devices along with straight-forward pricing, and plans where unlimited truly means unlimited. It is not in Rover’s DNA to be constraining, confusing or complex.”

MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Launch campaign

Rover’s initial communications will showcase the dramatic ways in which 4G mobile broadband can change human behavior in previously unimagined ways. More information is available at www.evology.com.

Life @ 4G

Rover.com invites users to experience “Life @ 4G.” Rover-sponsored athletes and music artists will be profiled, showing how Rover influences their careers and lives as they live Life @ 4G. Sporting a Rover wingsuit, base jumper JT Holmes, who travels up to 150 mph during freefall proximity flying, lives life with the Rover Puck and no strings attached.

Rover Activity Badges

Rover believes in loyalty, and will introduce a badging system that rewards users for participating in Rover activities. For example, the “Trendsetter” badge recognizes early adopters of Rover in each market, and the “Friends with Benefits” badge acknowledges users who refer friends to the Rover service. Badges have become wildly popular on location-based apps and are expected to resonate with the youth consumer and motivate usage.

THE BIG PICTURE

4G Network of Networks

Rover is the newest brand connected to the Clearwire 4G network, joining brands which include CLEAR(R), Sprint 4G, Comcast High-Speed 2Go, Time Warner Cable Roadrunner 4G, Best Buy Connect and Cbeyond. Today, the Clearwire 4G “network of networks” is available in select cities throughout the United States, where approximately 56 million people live.

Detailed coverage maps of service availability can be found at www.rover.com/coverage.

For press, broadcast and bloggers: Video footage can be linked from www.youtube.com/rover4g. Product and brand images and company logos can be downloaded from the Clearwire Newsroom at www.clearwire.com/newsroom. To subscribe to Rover RSS news feed, click here.

For more information about Rover, visit www.rover.com. Clearwire company information is available at http://www.clearwire.com.

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A recent SEC filing seems to indicate that WiMax provider Clearwire is planning a new, pay-as-you-go cellular data service. The filing reads, Clearwire “plans to serve a new pay-as-you-go customer segment.” It’s unclear exactly what Clearwire has planned — if anything — but analysts speculate the move was prompted by MetroPCS’ impending entry into the pre-paid 4G market place. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has said that his company has considered offering pre-paid 4G data services, but has yet to make a move; Sprint is the majority owner of Clearwire. Clearwire’s network is resold by Best Buy, Comcast, Sprint, and Time Warner; it is unclear how this move will affect the services offered by those companies.

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Computerworld is reporting that the second iteration of the WiMax 4G technology — known as WiMax 2 or 802.16m — is ready to be finalized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) this November. After approval, the WiMax 2 Forum hopes to see WiMax 2 handsets in the marketplace by the end of 2012. Mohammad Shakouri, the VP of the WiMax Forum, has said that the goal is “to deliver average downlink speeds of more than 100Mbps to users.” The newer, faster WiMax will not saturate areas any better than its predecessor, although it will offer backwards compatibility to the first generation WiMax (802.16e). At it’s current rate, Internet traffic is predicted to double every year from now until 2013. Experts estimate that the world will consume roughly 1.3 million terabytes of data per month… in video alone. Bearing that in mind, it’s good to see the bandwidth threshold of these 4G technologies continue to rise!

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Early this morning, Sprint announced that their second 3G/4G Android phone, the Samsung EPIC 4G, will be available to the masses starting on August 31st. A quick recap of the phone’s vitals: 4-inch super AMOLED display, 1 GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird processor, slide-out QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G and 4G radios, 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with support for 720p video recording, front facing VGA camera, and Android 2.1. The device will retail for $249.99 on-contract and Sprint has launched a micro-site where you can donate your name and email address in order to keep up to date with all the latest EPIC happenings. According to Sprint’s Facebook page, you can reserve yourself one of the new handsets for in-store pickup on the 31st starting tomorrow. There you have it. Who’s excited about this EPIC announcement?

UPDATE: Engadget was tipped to a super sleuthy URL that will allow you to reserve your EPIC today, as in right now. Try this link if you are interested.

Read [Micro Site] Read [Facebook]

The iSpot – a $25 per month 4G WiMax mobile router from Clearwire that will allow you to connect up to eight Apple mobile devices to it — hath been hacked. A website ispotunrestricted.com has been setup to generate an unlocked custom configuration profile that can be loaded onto your iSpot. Once loaded, the profile will enable you to connect any Wi-Fi enable device to the 4G mobile hotspot, not just Apple iDevices. The unlock looks painfully easy, and as the instructions state, “you don’t even have to mess with any shell commands!” The unlock makes the iSpot 4G mobile hotspot a steal — pun intended — with unlimited 4G data costing just $25 per month. Anyone out there own an iSpot?

UPDATE: If you would prefer to not mess with the iSpot’s configuration file, you can also spoof the MAC address of your machine to match that of an iDevice. More information on that can be found here.

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Today, Sprint announced the U1901 4G USB WiMax modem. The device is, “compatible with both PC and Mac computers, connecting laptops or netbooks to blazing-fast 4G speeds.” The USB device weighs in at a meager 0.9 ounces, has a Beceem BCSM250 chipset, and has two external antenna ports for a docking cradle (sold separately). Here’s the full release:

Sprint 4G USB Device U1901

High-speed Internet access on the go

Built to work specifically with the Sprint 4G Network, Sprint 4G USB Device U1901 is a small, easy-to-use modem compatible with both PC and Mac computers, connecting laptops or netbooks to blazing-fast 4G speeds. It is compatible with Windows® Vista, Windows® XP, Windows® 7, MAC OS® 10.5 and 10.6. U1901 provides access to Sprint 4G wireless speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G1 in those metropolitan areas across the country enabled with the new 4G mobile broadband service. Visit www.sprint.com/4G for a list of Sprint 4G cities launched to date. U1901 is ideally suited for companies wanting to deliver high-bandwidth solutions to workers on-the-go or for remote offices looking to provide basic DSL-like speeds2 to workers in the metro area. U1901 is also an affordable option for value-conscious, highly-mobile Internet users, such as high school and college students who want to browse the Web, send and receive e-mail, access information, and explore social networking and multimedia entertainment.

The device is billed as “affordable” although no price was listed in the announcement. The real deal-breaker is the device only works on 4G… there is no 3G connectivity at all. Better not leave the confines of WiMax covered areas! Hit up the read link to check out the little 4G-packin’ fella.

Read [Announcement] Read [Support Docs]

So… we’re not sure why Clear decided to make a hotspot that only works with Apple iDevices — or as they put it, “was built and optimized by CLEAR for Apple mobile devices” — but they have. The iSpot is a shiny, white, iDevice exclusive, 4G mobile hotspot that can be purchased directly from Clear for $29 (limited-time offer). The mobile router will provide your iThings with 4G speeds on Clearwire’s 4G WiMax network for the very attractive price of $25 per month.  The device, as advertised, will allow you to “connect up to eight of your favorite Wi-Fi-enabled Apple mobile devices” while on the go. The device does use standard Wi-Fi, but it employs MAC address filtering to only allowing iDevices (iPods, iPad, iPhones) to connect; which is probably why the monthly price is only $25. It looks like the iSpot will match your new white iPhone 4 perfectly… oh, wait…

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Sprint’s second 3G/4G dual-mode handset, the Samsung Epic 4G, now has its very own teaser page. For those of you closely following the genesis of the Epic handset, there isn’t much this new site will tell you. The new micro site, like all hype-sites, will afford you the privilege of volunteering your name and email address… to be notified when the device goes live of course. We’re interested to know, which Android QWERTY-slider phone interests you more? The Epic 4G or the DROID 2? Hit the bounce to vote in our poll!

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If you live in Modesto, CA; Stockton, CA; Jacksonville, FL; Wilmington, DE; or Grand Rapids, MI get ready, because Sprint is about to start pumping sweet, sweet 4G right to your door. In a press release this morning, Sprint announced the newest cities to be blanketed with 4G and that, “later this year, Sprint will launch Boston, Miami, New York and Los Angeles, enabling millions more to harness this powerful new service.” Hit the jump for the full press release.

Sprint Launches 4G Coverage in Delaware, Florida and Michigan and Extends 4G Coverage in California

Modesto, Calif., Stockton, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., Wilmington, Del., and Grand Rapids, Mich., Launched Today

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Today, Sprint (NYSE:S) unveiled 4G service to populous areas of California, Delaware, Florida and Michigan. With today’s launches of Modesto, Calif., Stockton, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., Wilmington, Del., and Grand Rapids, Mich., Sprint boasts 48 metropolitan areas enabled with the new mobile broadband service, which allows for Internet traffic at super fast speeds. Unlike competitors, Sprint is the first national wireless carrier to actually launch wireless 4G technology in cities across the country. Wilmington, Jacksonville and Grand Rapids are the first cities in Delaware, Florida and Michigan to offer 4G service.

With 4G, Sprint customers experience fast mobile downloads, streaming video without the lag, and turbo-charged Web browsing. This new wireless technology boasts download speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G.1 Users can video chat with friends and family via the popular HTC EVO™ 4G, America’s first 3G/4G wireless smartphone. And in the near future, Sprint customers will be able to purchase Samsung Epic™ 4G, the company’s second 4G enabled smartphone.

With the Overdrive™ 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless, users can create a 4G hotspot on the road or at home. With the Sprint Free Guarantee, customers can try 4G for 30 days and if they are not satisfied, they can cancel service and have the opportunity to be fully reimbursed.2 Sprint also offers simplicity and savings vs. competitors with Everything Data plans, which include unlimited Web, texting and calling while on the Sprint network for one low price.

“Sprint customers are the first in the country to use 4G with either a smartphone like HTC EVO or one of Sprint’s other 4G devices like the 3G/4G Overdrive Hotspot to wirelessly connect a laptop to the Internet,” said Matt Carter, president of 4G, Sprint. “Later this year, Sprint will launch Boston, Miami, New York and Los Angeles, enabling millions more to harness this powerful new service.”

As summer travel continues, people will find that 4G is available in many markets across the country: California – Merced, Modesto, Stockton and Visalia; Delaware – Wilmington; Florida – Jacksonville; Georgia – Atlanta and Milledgeville; Hawaii – Honolulu and Maui; Idaho – Boise; Illinois – Chicago; Maryland – Baltimore; Michigan – Grand Rapids; Missouri – Kansas City and St. Louis; New York – Rochester and Syracuse; Nevada – Las Vegas; North Carolina – Charlotte, Greensboro (along with High Point and Winston-Salem), Raleigh (along with Cary, Chapel Hill and Durham); Oregon – Eugene, Portland and Salem; Pennsylvania – Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Reading and York; Texas – Abilene, Amarillo, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Killeen/Temple, Lubbock, Midland/Odessa, San Antonio, Waco and Wichita Falls; Utah – Salt Lake City; Virginia – Richmond; Washington – Bellingham, Seattle, Tri-Cities and Yakima. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/4G.

Sprint is delivering the power of 4G as the majority shareholder of Clearwire, the independent company that is building the WiMAX network.

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Reuters is reporting that retail giant Best Buy has signed a partnership deal with WiMax network operator Clearwire. Beginning in 2011, Best Buy will be offering wireless 4G data plans, on Clearwire’s WiMax network, under their Best Buy Connect service offering. No details on pricing, availability, or hardware have been announced. Currently Clearwire’s 4G network covers 43 major cities around the U.S. More on this as it develops…

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Sprint is slated to announce its Q2 2010 earnings on Wednesday and analysts are weighing in on the expected performance of the nation’s #3 wireless carrier. Though it is still losing customers to its competition, Sprint is expected to show improvement year over year in the important postpaid category, with the carrier losing approximately 425,000 customers in Q2 2010 as compared to the 991,000 loss reported in the same quarter last year. Analyst Brett Feldman of Deutsche Bank notes that part of this improved performance can be attributed to sales of the HTC EVO 4G, which lowered subscriber loss by 100,000 and potentially kept this important financial figure under the half million mark. These numbers would have been better had Sprint been able to meet customer demand for the EVO 4G, but constant shortages have plagued this 4G handset. With the Samsung EPIC 4G slated to drop later this year and, hopefully, the EVO 4G back on the shelves, Sprint’s upcoming performance in the growing 4G postpaid market looks promising. Do you agree?

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