Portable Briefs

By TWICE Staff On May 21 2012 - 4:01am

Sprint Plans PTT App

NEW ORLEANS — Sprint plans an Android app that will expand the carrier’s Direct Connect push-to-talk (PTT) service beyond phones equipped with built-in PTT technology.

During CTIA Wireless 2012, Sprint product development VP Fared Adib said the app, due “soon,” would perform similarly to Sprint CDMA phones with a dedicated PTT button.

The app-based PTT service is expected to be fully interoperable with its existing CDMA- and iDEN-based PTT phones.

Virgin Launches First NFC Phone

WARREN, N.J. – Sprint prepaid brand Virgin Mobile launch its first cellphone equipped with Nearfield Communications (NFC) and NFCbased Google Wallet technology.

The 3G LG Optimus Elite Android phone became available at $149 on May 15.

With Wallet-enabled phones, users pay for purchases by tapping on a compatible contactless terminal at participating merchants. Sprint offers postpaid phones with the technology.

Sprint Adds LTE Phone

OVERLAND PARK, KAN. – Sprint announced May 18 availability of its third LTE smartphone, the Android 4.0 HTC Evo 4G LTE.

Presales started May 7. The pricing is still $199.

The new phone joins two other recently release LTE phones, the $99 LG Viper and $199 Samsung Galaxy Nexus, oth with Android 4.0.

The new HTC device is thinner and offers more battery life than its HTC 3G predecessor.

Magellan Adds PNDs

SANTA CLARA, CALIF. — Magellan updated its RoadMate line of portable navigation devices (PNDs) with seven new models, which are the company’s first with Landmark Guidance, Traffic Camera Alerts, Best Parking, and Junction View.

Prices on the seven new models range from $99 to $169. Additional PNDs will be announced in June or July.

Screen sizes range from 4.3 to 5 inches. In 4.3-inch models, the $109 model gets lifetime traffic alerts, and the $139 model gets lifetime map updates. The $149 model gets both. In 5-inch models, the $149 model gets lifetime map updates, and the two $169 models get that and lifetime traffic updates.