Sprint

Sprint announced today that CellTrak Technologies Inc. was the first member of Sprint’s Professional Developer Program (PDP) to receive Sprint certification of its application, CellTrak(TM). CellTrak enables home care and hospice providers to schedule their visits and be able to locate staff as they travel from home to home using GPS technology, which improves patient satisfaction, reduces errors and enables accurate reporting of visit data, mileage and more. Using access to location-based services and technology support provided through the Sprint PDP, CellTrak ported their application from Nextel phones to Sprint phones to meet the needs of their growing customer base.

“With the Professional Developer Program, Sprint is offering serious developers enhanced tools to encourage them to create new content for Sprint devices, be able to move quickly from ideation to final product, and ensure the quality of those applications for our customers,” said Len Barlik, vice president of wireless and wireline services for Sprint. “We’re seeing those tools pay off as several PDP members have received certification to offer their applications to Sprint customers, just a few months after the launch of the program.”

“CellTrak was honored to be the first application to pass the Sprint Professional Developer Program’s on-boarding process,” said Steve Wegner, chief technology officer for CellTrak Technologies. “The PDP is a must for any company that is serious about delivering a quality product on the Sprint network.”

Eleven additional PDP members also have completed certification of their applications:

• Acuity Mobile received Sprint certification for its application, which offers businesses a context-based mobile marketing solution that enables Spot Relevance(TM), sophisticated content targeting based on consumer or loyalty program data and user location.The solution provides the ability to create Spot Relevant content and promotional offers that are distributed through an application, text message or WAP site.
• Blue Systems received Sprint certification for blue mobile(TM), a real-time financial market data application that provides professional and retail investors with one of the fastest, smartest ways to analyze global stock market information around the clock. blue mobile(TM) provides more content and coverage, over more handsets than any other provider worldwide.
• ChaCha received Sprint certification for its application, which is a revolutionary new free mobile answers service for people on the go. ChaCha allows people to ask any question in conversational English and receive an answer as a text message in a few minutes. ChaCha is available by calling 1-800-2ChaCha or by texting 242242 (ChaCha) (standard text messaging rates apply).
• Citrix Systems Inc. received certification for its XenApp Plugin for Windows Mobile devices. With more than 100 million users and 99 percent of the Fortune Global 500 as customers, Citrix(R) XenApp(TM) is the industry’s de facto standard for delivering Windows-based applications with some of the best performance, security and cost savings.
• MobiWatch received Sprint certification for its personal safety services. Users who need assistance can press the button on the revolutionary Bluetooth MobiFob to speak with professional emergency responders. They’ll use the customer’s confidential personal profile and real-time location tracking to get the user the help they need. MobiWatch is inexpensive, works with most Sprint phones and requires no software downloads.
• Oomble received Sprint certification for its mobile client, which interacts with the Oomble Web site to provide users a real-time view into the content that resides on their mobile phones. Through the Oomble Web site, users are able to manage that content, such as uploading mobile photos to the Web or downloading personal music to the handset, without ever touching the phone.
• ROAM Data received Sprint certification for ROAMcommerce, which allows direct selling professionals to enter orders, perform inventory lookup, check commission status and process payment (credit cards and personal checks) — all in real time and directly from their mobile phones.
• SnapNow(TM) received Sprint certification for SnapApp, a mobile visual search application. SnapNow, using its patented process, provides a powerful mobile marketing solution that connects the real world to the Web through the snap of a camera phone. SnapNow links images taken by any camera phone to content on the mobile Web, similar to the way other search engines link words to search results.
• Useful Networks received Sprint certification for Sniff, a friend-finder enhancement to open social network applications. The application is designed to allow registered, consenting friends to invite and locate each other via their Sprint handsets using the location capabilities of the Sprint platform.
• WellDoc Communications Inc. received Sprint certification for Measures Of Success, a rich offering of services to help make living with asthma easier.
• YouCaddy received Sprint certification for YouCaddy, a mobile phone application for golfers to improve their golf game with GPS range-finding, course map-viewing, game tracking, replaying, sharing, and money saving on discounted green fees and equipment.
• In addition to the 12 companies with PDP-certified applications, 17 additional PDP member companies are currently testing new products to reach certification, and another 25 companies are in the process of becoming members of the PDP.

The PDP is part of Sprint’s Application Developer Program, which was first established in 2001. Sprint’s Professional Developer Program provides advanced tools for members to create, test and certify wireless applications that customers can use on Sprint phones. The advanced capabilities include:

• Access to the majority of Sprint’s restricted APIs (including GPS, address book, messaging) required to permit more sophisticated applications
• Dedicated technical support
• Access to the certification process

The PDP’s certification process is a way for members to create applications and communicate to customers that the product has been tested and approved to function correctly on Sprint phones.

Developers who would like to join the PDP can visit the Sprint Application Developer Program Web site at www.sprint.com/developer and click “Working with Us.”

Sprint is committed to offering mobile content and applications to its customers when, where and how they want them:

• Sprint has employed an open Internet approach, and the Sprint Application Developer Program has been providing tools for third-party developers since Sprint first launched the Wireless Web on its phones in 2001.
• Through relationships with third parties, hundreds of non-Sprint-branded applications, games and other digital media may be downloaded from the mobile Internet to operate on Sprint phones.
• More than 200 different non-Sprint-branded devices, from machine-to-machine to telemetry, operate on the Sprint network through a widely respected device certification process.
• Sprint is a member the Open Handset Alliance, along with more than 30 other participating companies, supporting the free and open mobile applications platform named Android.

Although holiday sales are projected to be dismal, consumer electronics still have a place on holiday wish lists. New research from Sprint (NYSE:S) reveals that almost half of Americans surveyed (45 percent) would like to receive or are planning to give consumer electronics of some sort this holiday season. Approximately one-third of those gift list wishes are for a smartphone, which is not just for the professional crowd anymore. Of those surveyed, 35 percent would consider buying a smartphone for someone between the ages of 13 and 17.

While smartphones are showing up on more holiday lists than last year (18 percent want to receive or are more likely to give a smartphone this year compared to last year), consumers remain concerned that the devices are hard to set up and use. The number of people who would consider giving a smartphone as a gift increases significantly if the device were ready to use right out of the box (62 percent) or came with a one-on-one training session (45 percent). With a Sprint smartphone, both of these are possible.

“Our survey confirmed that nearly seven in 10 Americans are hesitant to give a gift they think might be returned,” said Kim Dixon, senior vice president of retail for Sprint. “There’s a perception that smartphones can be difficult to use, but holiday shoppers can be confident when they give someone a Sprint device. Each phone comes with a personalized session with a Ready Now-certified associate, so your gift recipient can feel comfortable using our product and get the most out of features that are important to them.”

Understanding the latest consumer devices and all their bells and whistles is not always easy. More than one-third of those surveyed have been frustrated because they couldn’t set up an electronic gift they received within the first 24 hours of receiving the gift. In fact, when it comes to setting up a new electronic device, 26 percent would rather review their latest 401(k) balance, and 22 percent would rather clean a toilet.

For Sprint customers, setting up and learning to use a smartphone can be easy. Through Sprint’s Ready Now program, Sprint customers can choose how much or how little they want to learn about any of the features and applications on their phone. Customers have the choice to sit down with a Sprint retail associate while in the store, or they can make an appointment for a later time. For additional customer convenience, Sprint customers have the flexibility to schedule appointments either in the store, or online via Sprint’s store locator tool. Customers can visit www.sprint.com/readynow to schedule an appointment and find the closest participating store.

Ready Now helps customers fully realize the benefits of everything the Now Network(TM) can do for them. In addition, Sprint offers the ease of use of the award-winning One Click wireless user interface. As simple to use as speed dial, One Click allows users to personalize their home screen and bring the Now Network right to their fingertips by selecting and organizing features and content, such as text messaging, Google search, Sprint Navigation, pictures, favorite Web sites, music, and a call log.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This data is the result of a telephone survey conducted among a national probability sample of 2,008 adults, comprising 1,007 men and 1,001 women, 18 years of age and older, living in private households in the continental United States. Interviewing for this CARAVAN(R) Survey was completed during the period of Nov. 6-10.

The saga that is Sprint Nextel’s WiMax division is now one step closer to finalizing its merger with Clearwire now that an agreement has been reached with iPCS.  iPCS of Schaumburg, Illinois had filed an injunction against the joint venture alleging that the new Clearwire would be violating a deal it has with Sprint Nextel to operate exclusively in some markets.  To satisfy the terms of their deal and have iPCS withdraw the injunction, Sprint Nextel promised to give two months notice before they launched services in its markets.

Despite withdrawing the injunction a trial will still go forward in Illinois courts in December to determine whether Clearwire will be able to operate in those markets.  What’s next for the Clearwire merger?  This Thursday the Clearwire shareholders will vote on whether to approve the merger.

Sprint Nextel is instituting a voluntary separation package for its employees, giving them until Dec. 3 to leave the company voluntarily.  The beleagured carrier, which lost 1.3 million net subscribers in the third quarter, has not announced any layoffs as part of the plan.

“What is happening is Sprint is offering a personal decision for employees to take advantage of a voluntary separation package,” said Lisa Zimmerman-Mott, a Sprint spokeswoman. Zimmerman-Mott said the offer was made to most employees that don’t have direct access to customers.

“No one is being forced to do anything,” she said. “There are no forced reductions. There are no layoffs in store. It’s a matter of employees having the option to exercise discretion. No targets have been announced.”

Separately, SK Telecom announced that it was dropping plans to form a business tie-up with Sprint because of worsening economic conditions, according to the South Korean news agency Yonhap.

The South Korean telecom giant had been in talks with Sprint over a possible alliance since late 2007.

We had confirmation last week that Sprint Nextel would be locking in a December 1st release date for the BlackBerry 8350i from a loyal reader, Tritan.  Today we now have additional confirmation thanks to a screen shot showing the upcoming iDEN & PowerSource Equipment Rebates.  The 8350i will be available for $479.99 sans-contract, $329.99 on a 2-year agreement before $80 instant savings and $100 Mail-In Rebate for a Net price of $149.99.

In just over two weeks those of you loyal Nextel BlackBerry 7100i owners out there will finally have your upgrade.  Time to dust off the plastic because the credit crunch is not going to stop this well-deserved upgrade.

Via EngadgetMobile

Sprint Nextel BlackBerry users looking to rid themselves of their aging BlackBerry 7100i should pay very close attention.  The BlackBerry Curve 8350i has just been cleared by the FCC and along with the usual test reports and external photos is the complete User Guide (277 pages).  With a notification page already up on Sprint’s website and an FCC approval a launch is not far off (December 1st) but unfortunately an exact date is still up in the air.  In any event, who else is ready for an updated push-to-talk BlackBerry with WiFi and GPS for the Now Network?

BlackBerry Curve 8350i User Guide

Via FCC

Now that we have two 5.0-megapixel camera phones being offered in the US through subsidized pricing (T-mobile Motorola ZN5 and Samsung Behold SGH-T919) we are finally closing in on a device which will perform well enough to leave the digital camera at home. While we are still years away from replacing our DSLR, today we are going to look at 4 cell phones which are a good representation of the current imaging capabilities on the market: T-mobile Samsung Behold (SGH-T919), HTC Touch Diamond, Nokia E71 and Apple iPhone 3G.

About This Test

For testing purposes we used a standard point-and-shoot Canon Powershot SD20 as the baseline for comparison and ultimately our goal in camera phone imaging.  To ensure that each device received proper representation we used automatic settings with the exception of close-up (macro) mode where applicable.  We took 4 photographs from each situation and used the best image as our final result.  Continue reading

The undercover gods have been good to the mobile community this morning with spy shots surfacing for Sprint’s Motorola i9, BlackBerry 8350i and the At&t Quickfire.  Compliments of EngadgetMobile, we’ll start off with the iDEN-capable Motorola i9 which at the moment still has not been announced by Sprint.  We first saw this device in a FCC filing last month featuring a 3.1-megapixel camera, GPS and morphing keys similar to what we’ve seen on the MOTOZINE ZN5.

Next on the undercover report is the much needed update to Sprint’s iDEN BlackBerry lineup, the 8350i.  With an official announcement by Sprint last month, the BlackBerry 8350i will be the Direct Connect-capable version of the BlackBerry Curve already on the Sprint network and will replace the aging BlackBerry 7100i.  To put things into perspective, the BlackBerry 7100i was released almost 3 years ago so to say the update is well deserved is an understatement.

The final device showing up today is the messaging powerhouse, the At&t Quickfire.  Most of you will notice the alarming similarities in style to the current generation Sidekick, but the Quickfire brings an interesting twist, a touchscreen.  Packing a 2.8-inch touchscreen, Quadband GSM and 3G, GPS, 1.3-megapixel camera and a price tag of just $100 on 2-year contracts after rebate, At&t has our attention.  The device is manufacturered by PCD (formerly UTStarcom) and with a little luck its performance will match the smooth form factor.

Via BGR and Engadgetmobile

The past year has been tough on Sprint Nextel and Q3 2008 financial results shows signs that times might be worse before they start getting better.  The carrier posted a Net Loss of $326 Million in Q3 2008 anda year-to-date Net Loss of 1.175 Billion.  With 3.5 million subscribers leaving Sprint between September 2007 to September 2008, the carrier will need all of their remaining 50.5 million subscribers to continue to have faith in the recovery being orchestrated by CEO, Dan Hesse. 

Despite poor performance, Sprint has made serious steps in re-inventing their presence in the wireless industry.  To start they revamped their support staff and as a result were recently awarded top honors for customer service.  Sprint also became the first US carrier to launch HTC Touch Pro and Touch Diamond and in a short time they will add the BlackBerry Curve 8350i for their Nextel subscribers.  The big question is what will it take device wise to bring customers in droves to join the ‘Ready Now’ network? Continue reading