New Nexus/Android 4.2 Anticipation Thread--October 29th
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Google’s Director of Business Strategy for Android Calls $299 Nexus 4 “Revolutionary”
For Google, offering today’s top technologies in a package that is affordable for all is their number one goal, made clear by their Director of Business Strategy for Android. John Lagerling, the man pictured above, was recently interviewed by The New York Times, and shed plenty of light on their ideas behind the Nexus lineup, Google’s work with Motorola, and working with their partners to create revolutionary devices for prices that crush the competition’s.
When asked how they went about lowering the price of their devices from what people are used to seeing, Lagerling offered up an easy answer:
“Basically we felt that we wanted to prove you don’t have to charge $600 to deliver a phone that has the latest-generation technologies. Simply that level of margin is sometimes even unreasonable, and we believed that we could do this. Between us and our partners we have a very good understanding of supply chains. We’ve all done the best we can to really reach these prices — $399, $299 is pretty amazing, if I may say so.”
The interviewer didn’t shy away from asking about Google’s intentions with Motorola, which was met with a quick, “The way I understand it is, it’s mostly about the patents, the way you can sort of disarm this huge attack against Android.” Although, he did point out that Motorola doesn’t exactly see eye-to-eye on Google’s idea of competitive pricing for consumers. Manufacturers, Motorola included, want to keep pricing high so carriers can subsidize devices highly, which means larger profit margins. You can’t blame them, but Google has much different plans.
We simply believe there’s a better way of doing it without extracting that much payment from end users, because there are other ways to drive revenues. Patents were used as a weapon to try to stop that evolution and scare people away from lower-cost alternatives. And I think with the Motorola acquisition we’ve shown we’re able to put skin in the game and push back.
To read the full interview, which I would recommend, then follow the via down below. You have to admit, a $299 Nexus 4 is incredibly awesome, even without LTE.
For Google, offering today’s top technologies in a package that is affordable for all is their number one goal, made clear by their Director of Business Strategy for Android. John Lagerling, the man pictured above, was recently interviewed by The New York Times, and shed plenty of light on their ideas behind the Nexus lineup, Google’s work with Motorola, and working with their partners to create revolutionary devices for prices that crush the competition’s.
When asked how they went about lowering the price of their devices from what people are used to seeing, Lagerling offered up an easy answer:
“Basically we felt that we wanted to prove you don’t have to charge $600 to deliver a phone that has the latest-generation technologies. Simply that level of margin is sometimes even unreasonable, and we believed that we could do this. Between us and our partners we have a very good understanding of supply chains. We’ve all done the best we can to really reach these prices — $399, $299 is pretty amazing, if I may say so.”
The interviewer didn’t shy away from asking about Google’s intentions with Motorola, which was met with a quick, “The way I understand it is, it’s mostly about the patents, the way you can sort of disarm this huge attack against Android.” Although, he did point out that Motorola doesn’t exactly see eye-to-eye on Google’s idea of competitive pricing for consumers. Manufacturers, Motorola included, want to keep pricing high so carriers can subsidize devices highly, which means larger profit margins. You can’t blame them, but Google has much different plans.
We simply believe there’s a better way of doing it without extracting that much payment from end users, because there are other ways to drive revenues. Patents were used as a weapon to try to stop that evolution and scare people away from lower-cost alternatives. And I think with the Motorola acquisition we’ve shown we’re able to put skin in the game and push back.
To read the full interview, which I would recommend, then follow the via down below. You have to admit, a $299 Nexus 4 is incredibly awesome, even without LTE.
Chrome for Android Updated, Brings Support for Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 Devices
This morning, the Chrome team pushed an update to Android devices that brings improved stability as well as support for the upcoming Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 devices. According to the changelog posted on their official Chrome Releases site, that appears to be it for now. You can grab the update from Google Play right now.
This morning, the Chrome team pushed an update to Android devices that brings improved stability as well as support for the upcoming Nexus 4 and Nexus 10 devices. According to the changelog posted on their official Chrome Releases site, that appears to be it for now. You can grab the update from Google Play right now.
Yesterday afternoon, Matias Duarte – the UX master of Android – took to Google+ to field your questions on all things Nexus and Jelly Bean. A number of people responded, prompting Duarte to answer two questions thus far. He tackled the idea of the new tablet UI in Jelly Bean, plus the lack of SD card slots in Nexus devices.
I’ve copied and pasted his entire responses, as to not diminish or miss any point that he was trying to get across. The first one has to do with the tablet UI that has confused some after seeing the Nexus 10. As you know, it looks like a stretched out version of the phone and Nexus 7 UI, something that was done on purpose.
Why did you make the system buttons and status bar consistent across all devices in Jelly Bean?
Consistency and usability are really important to us, and that’s something we strive to improve in every new version of Android. With Honeycomb we first introduced the idea of a completely onscreen navigation UI which gave us unprecedented flexibility in how that UI adapts and transforms – both when you turn the device in your hands and when the software changes and has different control needs. Now in Jelly Bean we’ve made the universal software navigation buttons and system bar consistent across all screen sizes.
This new configuration is based on usability research we did on all of the different form factors and screen sizes that Android runs on. What mattered most of all was muscle memory – keeping the buttons where you expect them, no matter how you hold the device.
Phones are almost always used in portrait mode, flip sideways occasionally, and never go upside down. As screen sizes get larger though, any which way goes. Imagine the frustration you’d feel if every time you picked up a tablet off the table ‘the wrong way up’ you found yourself reaching for a home button that wasn’t where you expect it to be? That irritation adds up and over time like a tiny grain of sand in your shoe and undermines the rest of your experience.
The Jelly Bean system bar always keeps the same 3 buttons where you expect them. This happens dynamically for every screen size, up until you get to small handheld screens where stacking the bars in landscape mode would leave too little vertical space.
The second thing we discovered was that there are almost as many different ways of holding our devices as there are people. In fact people love to use their Nexus so much that they use them for such long periods of time that having a single ‘correct grip’ is actually counter productive and increases hand strain. The Jelly Bean navigation buttons work equally well for left handers and right handers, one handed use, or two handed use, and for devices you’re carrying, resting on your knee, or putting on the table.
Last but not least, by unifying the design we are now able to put Notifications and Quick Settings right where you’d expect them, and only one swipe away.
The second question he answered had to do with SD card slots. As you know from previous Android team talks, Nexus phones haven’t had SD card slots in some time. While there are technical reasons for doing so, Matias puts reasoning squarely on user experience. If you add in an SD card slot, you potentially make it confusing.
Why don’t Nexus devices have SD cards?
Everybody likes the idea of having an SD card, but in reality it’s just confusing for users.
If you’re saving photos, videos or music, where does it go? Is it on your phone? Or on your card? Should there be a setting? Prompt everytime? What happens to the experience when you swap out the card? It’s just too complicated.
We take a different approach. Your Nexus has a fixed amount of space and your apps just seamlessly use it for you without you ever having to worry about files or volumes or any of that techy nonsense left over from the paleolithic era of computing.
With a Nexus you know exactly how much storage you get upfront and you can decide what’s the right size for you. That’s simple and good for users.
Google’s New Wireless ‘Charging Orb’
Matias Duarte coming to Google to head up Android’s user interface was a huge acquisition for all us Android fanboys. Not only has he helped Android to grow up and into its own, but he has influenced many things about the OS since he arrived to help with Ice Cream Sandwich. His former job at Palm has never been more evident before today with Google’s new Charging Orb for the Nexus 4, which looks eerily similar to the Touchstone Charger.
Using the Qi charging standard, Google has created a half-orb that magnetizes to the back of the Nexus 4 for easy charging by just setting your phone on it. The new feature in Android 4.2 named “Daydream” will be activated when set on this dock and the phone will display information from Google Currents and Google Now. There has been absolutely no word on pricing or availability for this accessory but if you’re like us, you are waiting impatiently until it is announced.
Ready to move to wireless charging yet with your Nexus 4?
Matias Duarte coming to Google to head up Android’s user interface was a huge acquisition for all us Android fanboys. Not only has he helped Android to grow up and into its own, but he has influenced many things about the OS since he arrived to help with Ice Cream Sandwich. His former job at Palm has never been more evident before today with Google’s new Charging Orb for the Nexus 4, which looks eerily similar to the Touchstone Charger.
Using the Qi charging standard, Google has created a half-orb that magnetizes to the back of the Nexus 4 for easy charging by just setting your phone on it. The new feature in Android 4.2 named “Daydream” will be activated when set on this dock and the phone will display information from Google Currents and Google Now. There has been absolutely no word on pricing or availability for this accessory but if you’re like us, you are waiting impatiently until it is announced.
Ready to move to wireless charging yet with your Nexus 4?
Andy Rubin Talks About the Lack of LTE in the LG Nexus 4
Google’s new Nexus 4 is official as of this morning. While the device itself has almost every top-of-the-line spec in the business, there is one that was left out that has a few scratching their heads. Why doesn’t the Nexus 4 have LTE support? According to Andy Rubin, there are a number of reasons, most of which they learned after releasing the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon with LTE.
“We certainly have a desire to offer devices on every carrier on the planet,” Rubin said. “The tactical issue is GSM vs. LTE. A lot of the networks that have deployed LTE haven’t scaled completely yet — they’re hybrid networks. They’ll do their old thing and they’ll do LTE, which means the devices need both radios built into them.”
“For now we’re gonna sit back and watch those networks evolve. Two radios in a device right now certainly raises the cost, and diminishes battery life.” This point seems to frustrate him. “When we did the Galaxy Nexus with LTE we had to do just that, and it just wasn’t a great user experience. It’s possible to do it right, but that’s not where we’ll put our resources initially. Tactically, we want to make sure the devices are available for every network on the planet.”
So Rubin admits that the Galaxy Nexus with LTE was a horrible experience for most users because of battery life. I think most of us would tend to agree with him on that. Unfortunately, he also mentioned that it probably would have been possible to still put LTE in the Nexus 4 and “do it right,” however, they have decided to put their resources elsewhere for now. At this time, they are letting these new “hybrid” LTE networks mature before diving in fully.
I don’t want to shatter dreams, but that sounds like we may not see a new LTE-equipped Nexus until the next one arrives next winter. Since many of you are Verizon and AT&T customers, this means your upgrade will have to wait or you’ll have to decide on a non-Nexus phone. Unless those of you on AT&T are willing to drop back to HSPA+ from LTE.
Google’s new Nexus 4 is official as of this morning. While the device itself has almost every top-of-the-line spec in the business, there is one that was left out that has a few scratching their heads. Why doesn’t the Nexus 4 have LTE support? According to Andy Rubin, there are a number of reasons, most of which they learned after releasing the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon with LTE.
“We certainly have a desire to offer devices on every carrier on the planet,” Rubin said. “The tactical issue is GSM vs. LTE. A lot of the networks that have deployed LTE haven’t scaled completely yet — they’re hybrid networks. They’ll do their old thing and they’ll do LTE, which means the devices need both radios built into them.”
“For now we’re gonna sit back and watch those networks evolve. Two radios in a device right now certainly raises the cost, and diminishes battery life.” This point seems to frustrate him. “When we did the Galaxy Nexus with LTE we had to do just that, and it just wasn’t a great user experience. It’s possible to do it right, but that’s not where we’ll put our resources initially. Tactically, we want to make sure the devices are available for every network on the planet.”
So Rubin admits that the Galaxy Nexus with LTE was a horrible experience for most users because of battery life. I think most of us would tend to agree with him on that. Unfortunately, he also mentioned that it probably would have been possible to still put LTE in the Nexus 4 and “do it right,” however, they have decided to put their resources elsewhere for now. At this time, they are letting these new “hybrid” LTE networks mature before diving in fully.
I don’t want to shatter dreams, but that sounds like we may not see a new LTE-equipped Nexus until the next one arrives next winter. Since many of you are Verizon and AT&T customers, this means your upgrade will have to wait or you’ll have to decide on a non-Nexus phone. Unless those of you on AT&T are willing to drop back to HSPA+ from LTE.
Google's Nexus 10: It's Not An iPad, And That's A Good Thing
ReadWrite – Google's Nexus 10: It's Not An iPad, And That's A Good Thing
Better Than Retina
The iPad’s 9.7-inch display has a resolution of 2048 x 1536, while the Nexus 10's 10-inch display clocks in at a whopping 2560 x 1600. This display is luscious. The aspect ratio is more widescreen, so it’s better for watching movies, too.
The performance is ridiculously fast, though that's true of modern iPad as well. The Nexus 10 is especially fun for gaming because of the front-facing stereo speakers that run along both of the short sides. Unlike the iPad, these puppies actually get LOUD, which is great for a racing game. The sound quality is still fairly terrible for music, though.
ReadWrite – Google's Nexus 10: It's Not An iPad, And That's A Good Thing
Better Than Retina
The iPad’s 9.7-inch display has a resolution of 2048 x 1536, while the Nexus 10's 10-inch display clocks in at a whopping 2560 x 1600. This display is luscious. The aspect ratio is more widescreen, so it’s better for watching movies, too.
The performance is ridiculously fast, though that's true of modern iPad as well. The Nexus 10 is especially fun for gaming because of the front-facing stereo speakers that run along both of the short sides. Unlike the iPad, these puppies actually get LOUD, which is great for a racing game. The sound quality is still fairly terrible for music, though.
Google pushing for Android developers to pay more attention to tablets
The Samsung-made Nexus 10 is certainly a feast for the eyes, especially with that beautiful 2560×1600 display. There’s just one problem: there aren’t many Android developers who fine tune their apps for use on tablets. Instead of making a version of their app for Android tablets, a number of developers will just blow up their smartphone apps, which doesn’t exactly make for the prettiest of experiences. Google is looking to change that, urging developers to focus on the tablet experience when it comes to their apps.
“We’d like developers to think more and more about great tablet experiences. There’s a lot of really good Android tablets out there now,” Google mobile product manager Robert Hamilton said in an interview with The Guardian. “The Nexus 10 is a world-class device that we think will be really successful, so we want more people to take advantage of the tools that Android provides for developers to think about what their tablet experience is.” Hamilton said that some developers are already putting in the effort to make their apps look and run great on tablets, which is definitely an encouraging thing to hear.
According to him, the launch of the Nexus 7 was what made some developers really sit down and think about how they can improve user experience on tablets. Given the Nexus 7′s immense popularity, we have no problem believing his claims. If the Nexus 10 turns out to be as bit as Google hopes, then it stands to reason that even more developers will begin to think about they make their apps better on tablets.
Of course, at the end of the day it’s all about making money, and at the moment, there are many more Android smartphone owners than there are Android tablet owners. With the Nexus 7, we saw Android tablet mania hit in a big way, so if Google can repeat that success with the Nexus 10, it should do a lot convince developers that a significant number of consumers are using Android tablets. We shall see if the Nexus 10 can top the Nexus 7 in terms of popularity soon enough, as the tablet is scheduled to launch on November 13 – are you picking one up?
Story Timeline
The Samsung-made Nexus 10 is certainly a feast for the eyes, especially with that beautiful 2560×1600 display. There’s just one problem: there aren’t many Android developers who fine tune their apps for use on tablets. Instead of making a version of their app for Android tablets, a number of developers will just blow up their smartphone apps, which doesn’t exactly make for the prettiest of experiences. Google is looking to change that, urging developers to focus on the tablet experience when it comes to their apps.
“We’d like developers to think more and more about great tablet experiences. There’s a lot of really good Android tablets out there now,” Google mobile product manager Robert Hamilton said in an interview with The Guardian. “The Nexus 10 is a world-class device that we think will be really successful, so we want more people to take advantage of the tools that Android provides for developers to think about what their tablet experience is.” Hamilton said that some developers are already putting in the effort to make their apps look and run great on tablets, which is definitely an encouraging thing to hear.
According to him, the launch of the Nexus 7 was what made some developers really sit down and think about how they can improve user experience on tablets. Given the Nexus 7′s immense popularity, we have no problem believing his claims. If the Nexus 10 turns out to be as bit as Google hopes, then it stands to reason that even more developers will begin to think about they make their apps better on tablets.
Of course, at the end of the day it’s all about making money, and at the moment, there are many more Android smartphone owners than there are Android tablet owners. With the Nexus 7, we saw Android tablet mania hit in a big way, so if Google can repeat that success with the Nexus 10, it should do a lot convince developers that a significant number of consumers are using Android tablets. We shall see if the Nexus 10 can top the Nexus 7 in terms of popularity soon enough, as the tablet is scheduled to launch on November 13 – are you picking one up?
Story Timeline
Thinking Of Leaving Verizon Or Sprint For The Nexus 4? Several GSM Carriers Compared (Pre- And Post-Paid)
The time has finally come: after spending the biggest part of a decade with Verizon Wireless, I'm moving to a GSM carrier. This isn't just because of the Nexus 4, though - I've been debating on making the move for months now. However, Big Red delayed the inevitable change when they turned on LTE in my area.
Still, I'm sick of being tied down to CDMA carrier, and the recent Nexus 4 announcement is the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't want to be locked into a contract any longer, and there's only one economical way to get away from that: buy the Nexus 4 and move to a GSM carrier.
But, having been on VZW for quite a long time, I've had to do some research on which carrier best suits my needs - both pre- and post-paid. While researching this, it occurred to me that many of you may be facing the same quandary. Instead of leaving you out in the cold, though, I decided to share my findings.
Of course, this isn't an all-inclusive guide to GSM carriers, but rather a look at national providers that bring the most bang for the buck. This should give you a good idea of where to start looking, if nothing else. You'll have to check the coverage maps to make sure moving carriers is even a feasible option for you in the first place, though.
With that, let's get to it.
Pre-Paid
Straight Talk Wireless
When starting to look for reasonable pre-paid carriers, Tracfone-owned company Straight Talk was one of the first to come to mind, thanks to its clever commercials (good job, Straight Talk marketing team - mission accomplished).
Without having actually tried the service, ST talks a good talk. For $45 a month plus the cost of a SIM card (a one-time fee of $15), you get unlimited talk and text, as well as "unlimited" data. The latter needs to be in quotes because it's not really unlimited - they throttle after an undisclosed amount of data. From what I gathered, this amount can actually fluctuate between markets, and ST is never clear about the level (which is actually the opposite of "straight talk." Go figure). They'll warn you when you're using too much data, and reserve the right to boot you off their network at any given moment. For what it's worth, though, I've read on several different sites that the limit is "around 2GB." Grains of salt for everyone!
That aside, ST seems to be pretty straightforward: buy a SIM and drop it in your AT&T or T-Mobile compatible phone, activate service, and... done. The coverage map is pretty impressive, too:
Of all the pre-paid carriers I've looked at, Straight Talk is one of the few that is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) of both AT&T and T-Mobile, meaning that it has made agreements with both and can actively use each carrier's network (you choose the appropriate SIM during the checkout process). In theory, this means that ST should be able to provide better coverage than an MVNO that just partners with one carrier. Definitely something to consider.
Official Site
Welcome | Straight Talk
Net 10
If you take a look at Net 10's SIM card site, you'll notice that it looks eerily similar to the Straight Talk SIM site, but with a different color scheme. There's good reason for this - they're both owned by Tracfone. Also like ST, Net 10 is an MVNO of both AT&T and T-Mobile, so it shares that benefit with its sister provider. Net 10's SIM is equally priced to that of ST, so it'll set you back a one-time fee of $15.
However, the two are not alike in every way. For example, Net 10 costs $50 a month instead of ST's $45. I'm not entirely sure why there's a $5 difference in what appears to be the same basic plan from the same parent company, but it's there regardless.
Like ST, though, Net 10 also throttles your "unlimited" data after a certain amount of bandwidth is used. After a bit of research it looks like this limit is somewhere around 2-3GB. That is, of course, an estimated answer gathered from things I've read across the net and not at all definitive.
Official Site
Simple Mobile
Simple Mobile is a T-Mobile MVNO, so wherever T-Mo has coverage, so will SM. The SIMs will save you a couple bucks over Straight Talk and Net 10, as they come in at $13 for either standard or micro variants. Unlike the previous two carriers, Simple Mobile has a few different plans to choose from, starting with a $25 unlimited talk and text only 15-day plan. Considering that's pretty much useless for smartphone users, we'll jump to the only one that is: $50 for unlimited talk, text, and 3G/4G (T-Mobile HSPA+) web. There's also a $60 plan with all the same features and the addition of unlimited international long distance.
Like the others, Simple Mobile isn't clear about its bandwidth policy. From what I've read, the company does throttle data after a certain amount has been consumed, which is said to be somewhere around 5GB. Again, though, all we have to go on is hearsay and shouldn't be taken as certainty.
Official Site
Solavei
Like Simple Talk, Solavei is a T-Mobile MVNO, but the similarities end there. In fact, the similarities to all pre-paid carriers end there. Solavei is a new take on mobile service, as it relies on a built-in social network to broaden its horizons. This video explains it better than I ever could, so I'll just let you watch it:
[ame=http://youtu.be/ugQgwqLkdgU]What is Solavei?_ - YouTube[/ame]
As you can see, this is a unique take on cell service. Unlike the previously mentioned networks, though, Solavei has a fairly steep activation fee of $49, plus a SIM card fee of $30. That makes your upfront cost $80, whereas it's $15 or less from the other companies we've looked at so far. Ouch.
Solavei's one and only plan is $50 a moth for unlimited talk, text, and data, which is throttled after 4GB.
Of course, you do have the potential of saving money each month by expanding your own personal network. It really just reminds me of a pyramding scheme, only with cell service. Take that however you will, but personally, I'm not sure I'm ready to make that leap.
Official Site
The time has finally come: after spending the biggest part of a decade with Verizon Wireless, I'm moving to a GSM carrier. This isn't just because of the Nexus 4, though - I've been debating on making the move for months now. However, Big Red delayed the inevitable change when they turned on LTE in my area.
Still, I'm sick of being tied down to CDMA carrier, and the recent Nexus 4 announcement is the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't want to be locked into a contract any longer, and there's only one economical way to get away from that: buy the Nexus 4 and move to a GSM carrier.
But, having been on VZW for quite a long time, I've had to do some research on which carrier best suits my needs - both pre- and post-paid. While researching this, it occurred to me that many of you may be facing the same quandary. Instead of leaving you out in the cold, though, I decided to share my findings.
Of course, this isn't an all-inclusive guide to GSM carriers, but rather a look at national providers that bring the most bang for the buck. This should give you a good idea of where to start looking, if nothing else. You'll have to check the coverage maps to make sure moving carriers is even a feasible option for you in the first place, though.
With that, let's get to it.
Pre-Paid
Straight Talk Wireless
When starting to look for reasonable pre-paid carriers, Tracfone-owned company Straight Talk was one of the first to come to mind, thanks to its clever commercials (good job, Straight Talk marketing team - mission accomplished).
Without having actually tried the service, ST talks a good talk. For $45 a month plus the cost of a SIM card (a one-time fee of $15), you get unlimited talk and text, as well as "unlimited" data. The latter needs to be in quotes because it's not really unlimited - they throttle after an undisclosed amount of data. From what I gathered, this amount can actually fluctuate between markets, and ST is never clear about the level (which is actually the opposite of "straight talk." Go figure). They'll warn you when you're using too much data, and reserve the right to boot you off their network at any given moment. For what it's worth, though, I've read on several different sites that the limit is "around 2GB." Grains of salt for everyone!
That aside, ST seems to be pretty straightforward: buy a SIM and drop it in your AT&T or T-Mobile compatible phone, activate service, and... done. The coverage map is pretty impressive, too:
Of all the pre-paid carriers I've looked at, Straight Talk is one of the few that is an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) of both AT&T and T-Mobile, meaning that it has made agreements with both and can actively use each carrier's network (you choose the appropriate SIM during the checkout process). In theory, this means that ST should be able to provide better coverage than an MVNO that just partners with one carrier. Definitely something to consider.
Official Site
Welcome | Straight Talk
Net 10
If you take a look at Net 10's SIM card site, you'll notice that it looks eerily similar to the Straight Talk SIM site, but with a different color scheme. There's good reason for this - they're both owned by Tracfone. Also like ST, Net 10 is an MVNO of both AT&T and T-Mobile, so it shares that benefit with its sister provider. Net 10's SIM is equally priced to that of ST, so it'll set you back a one-time fee of $15.
However, the two are not alike in every way. For example, Net 10 costs $50 a month instead of ST's $45. I'm not entirely sure why there's a $5 difference in what appears to be the same basic plan from the same parent company, but it's there regardless.
Like ST, though, Net 10 also throttles your "unlimited" data after a certain amount of bandwidth is used. After a bit of research it looks like this limit is somewhere around 2-3GB. That is, of course, an estimated answer gathered from things I've read across the net and not at all definitive.
Official Site
Simple Mobile
Simple Mobile is a T-Mobile MVNO, so wherever T-Mo has coverage, so will SM. The SIMs will save you a couple bucks over Straight Talk and Net 10, as they come in at $13 for either standard or micro variants. Unlike the previous two carriers, Simple Mobile has a few different plans to choose from, starting with a $25 unlimited talk and text only 15-day plan. Considering that's pretty much useless for smartphone users, we'll jump to the only one that is: $50 for unlimited talk, text, and 3G/4G (T-Mobile HSPA+) web. There's also a $60 plan with all the same features and the addition of unlimited international long distance.
Like the others, Simple Mobile isn't clear about its bandwidth policy. From what I've read, the company does throttle data after a certain amount has been consumed, which is said to be somewhere around 5GB. Again, though, all we have to go on is hearsay and shouldn't be taken as certainty.
Official Site
Solavei
Like Simple Talk, Solavei is a T-Mobile MVNO, but the similarities end there. In fact, the similarities to all pre-paid carriers end there. Solavei is a new take on mobile service, as it relies on a built-in social network to broaden its horizons. This video explains it better than I ever could, so I'll just let you watch it:
[ame=http://youtu.be/ugQgwqLkdgU]What is Solavei?_ - YouTube[/ame]
As you can see, this is a unique take on cell service. Unlike the previously mentioned networks, though, Solavei has a fairly steep activation fee of $49, plus a SIM card fee of $30. That makes your upfront cost $80, whereas it's $15 or less from the other companies we've looked at so far. Ouch.
Solavei's one and only plan is $50 a moth for unlimited talk, text, and data, which is throttled after 4GB.
Of course, you do have the potential of saving money each month by expanding your own personal network. It really just reminds me of a pyramding scheme, only with cell service. Take that however you will, but personally, I'm not sure I'm ready to make that leap.
Official Site