AT&T to Buy T-Mobile USA for $39 Billion

The acquisition could take a year to close, but after, T-Mobile USA customers would get access to AT&T's phone line-up. (AP)

NEW YORK — AT&T Inc. said Sunday it will buy T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom AG in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $39 billion that would make it the largest cellphone company in the U.S.

The deal would reduce the number of wireless carriers with national coverage from four to three, and is sure to face close regulatory scrutiny. It also removes a potential partner for Sprint Nextel Corp., the struggling No. 3 carrier, which had been in talks to combine with T-Mobile USA, according to Wall Street Journal reports.

AT&T is now the country's second-largest wireless carrier and T-Mobile USA is the fourth largest. The acquisition would give AT&T 129 million subscribers, vaulting it past Verizon Wireless' 102 million. The combined company would serve about 43 percent of U.S. cellphones.

For T-Mobile USA's 33.7 million subscribers, the news doesn't immediately change anything. Because of the long regulatory process, AT&T expects the acquisition to take a year to close. But when and if it closes, T-Mobile USA customers would get access to AT&T's phone line-up, including the iPhone.
The effect of reduced competition in the cellphone industry is harder to fathom. Public interest group Public Knowledge said that eliminating one of the four national phone carriers would be "unthinkable."

"We know the results of arrangements like this — higher prices, fewer choices, less innovation," said Public Knowledge president Gigi Sohn, in a statement.

T-Mobile has relatively cheap service plans compared with AT&T, particularly when comparing the kind that don't come with a two-year contract. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said one of the goals of the acquisition would be to move T-Mobile customers to smart phones, which have higher monthly fees. AT&T "will look hard" at keeping T-Mobile's no-contract plans, he said.

Sprint: $69.99 Cell Phone Plan is a Money Saver

Sprint clears the confusion created by recent claims from AT&T and Verizon about pricing by launching a new marketing campaign where Sprint says, “Our $69.99 is worth more than their $69.99.”  The advantages consumers get with Sprint’s $69.99 Everything Data plan are highlighted in print and online advertisements and they include nationwide unlimited text and picture messaging, unlimited Web, unlimited GPS navigation and unlimited calling to any mobile in America, compared to AT&T and Verizon’s $69.99 pricing plans, which are good for unlimited talk only. And Sprint’s $69.99 plans are available with any phone while AT&T and Verizon’s are limited to lower-end phones. Customers can learn more about the value of Sprint’s plans by visiting any Sprint store or going online to www.sprint.com/anymobileanytime. 
Sprint also features the return of CEO Dan Hesse in a TV advertisement as part of the campaign, building on previous successful campaigns that featured Hesse. In the spot, Hesse talks about how most people today use their phone for more than just talking but that with the $69.99 plans offered by AT&T and Verizon all you get is unlimited calling and none of the extras Sprint provides.

“Recently AT&T and Verizon have attempted to confuse the marketplace by lowering their pricing to $69.99, but theirs are for calling only,” said Mike Goff, Sprint’s vice president of corporate marketing. “This campaign will resonate with consumers by showing all the additional benefits consumers get beyond just calls with Sprint’s $69.99 plan. In today’s economic environment customers are interested in more than just voice pricing. They also want the best value for all the other things they rely on their wireless phone for and Sprint delivers.”

Everything Data plans start at $69.99 per month and include Any Mobile, Anytime for unlimited calling with any U.S. wireless user, plus unlimited text, picture and video messaging, e-mail, Web browsing, social networking and more. For individuals and families, Sprint Everything Data plans include more value than competitors:

• Unlimited GPS navigation and exclusive applications, such as NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup MobileSM, are included in Sprint Everything Data plans at no additional charge.AT&T and Verizon charge an additional $9.99 per month for GPS navigation.
• Everything Data plans automatically enroll customers in the Sprint Premier loyalty program, which provides annual device upgrades, discounted accessories and other benefits.

In the print advertisement, the graphic included in this press release highlights some of the differences.
To find the Sprint plan that best fits their needs, customers can use the Sprint Plan Optimizer, available by logging into their My Sprint account at www.sprint.com. The Sprint Plan Optimizer analyzes the customer’s past wireless usage and recommends the best plan based on that usage. Existing customers can switch Sprint plans at any time without extending their contract. New activations require a two-year service agreement.

The Hottest Droid and iPhone App Ever: Layar - Augmented Reality

What is Layar?
The Layar Reality Browser shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of the real world as seen through the camera of your mobile phone. This technology is called Augmented Reality. We augment the real world as seen through your mobile phone, based on your location.
How does Layar’s Augmented Reality work?

The idea is simple: Layar works by using a combination of the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data to identify the user’s location and field of view, retrieve data based on those geographical coordinates, and overlay that data over the camera view.

I have this on my HTC Evo 4G from Sprint and it is the Bizness!
Asa

Lasonic's iPod Boombox

The iPod has certainly become the primary option for listening to music. But some of us miss the good ol' days when we used to pop in a cassette and haul a boombox down the block while listening to "Fight The Power." For those of you that are too young, just watch Spike Lee's "Do The Right Thing" and check out the legendary Radio Raheem. Lasonic was one of the first to blend the digital advancements of the iPod with the nostalgia of the boombox with their i931 model. Originally released back in 2008, the Ghetto Blaster may have flew under the radar but its unique style is something worth noting. It has an iPod dock, AM/FM radio, alarm, supports SD and USB flash, EQ adjuster, and uses AC power or batteries. The company also announced that they will be releasing a new model this year that is compatible with the iPhone and iPod Touch. You can cop the older model now at Lasonic's online store for $129. More models after the jump.