DirectConnect Archive

  • Sprint bails on QChat, goes back to iDEN for all its PTT needs

    Sprint bails on QChat, goes back to iDEN for all its PTT needs

    Posted on December 2, 2009 | No Comments
    We saw the writing on the wall here for a while, but Sprint's now gone ahead and made it official that it'll be phasing out its push-to-talk offerings based on Qualcomm's QChat technology in favor of -- what else? -- good ol' iDEN. For Sprint, the move makes sense; when the EV-DO Rev. A-powered QChat system was introduced last year, a Sprint / Nextel schism was a very real possibility -- but since, the company has ended up pouring money into its Direct Connect network, sprucing it up, and placing a renewed emphasis on its prepaid Boost Mobile brand which shares Nextel's airwaves. There really isn't much use for two incompatible PTT systems on any network, so one had to go -- and yes, QChat is getting the boot. Existing customers will continue to be supported, but Sprint says that it won't be offering new models; good thing iDEN phones just got pretty for the first time.

    Sprint bails on QChat, goes back to iDEN for all its PTT needs originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Motorola i680 gets FCC clearance

    Motorola i680 gets FCC clearance

    Posted on November 13, 2009 | No Comments

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    If there's one thing we can promise when a Moto starts with "i" it's that it'll be an iDEN phone, so when you hear that there's an i680 in the FCC, you can pretty much gather what's going on here. Taking a look at the documentation, the newest push-to-talk clamshell out of Schaumburg looks way different than what we're used to -- but then again, so did the i9, so we can't say we're surprised to see 'em push the boundaries of iDEN design yet again. It's got a camera of unknown resolution and appears to be pretty well ruggedized (we'd expect no less from your average iDEN set) on account of that beefy thumbscrew holding the battery cover on around back, but it's hard to say when it's launching, so we're trying to keep our excitement level to a dull roar at this point. More as soon as we get it.

    [Via Phone Scoop]

    Motorola i680 gets FCC clearance originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Motorola i856 Debut now available on Nextel

    Motorola i856 Debut now available on Nextel

    Posted on October 12, 2009 | No Comments

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    Perhaps recognizing that the average Boost customer is more interested in the latest, greatest trendy handsets than the average Nextel customer (read: construction worker with a penchant for putting mil-spec certifications to the test), Sprint has launched a couple recent groundbreaking models -- the Clutch, Moto's first QWERTY iDEN device and the Debut, its first slider -- on Boost first before bringing them over to the big daddy. Don't fret, though, Nextel subscribers, because the i856 Debut is now available to you, bringing that crazy red / black color combo, integrated music player, and network-first slider form factor to a more grown-up audience. It's available now in all sales channels for $99.99 with a $50 rebate on contract.

    Motorola i856 Debut now available on Nextel originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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