One of the more interesting conversations the Smartphone Experts team had at CES 2010 was with Root Wireless, who monitors the performance of Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile in the US. Their overall message is that there’s no single best carrier, because it varies so much from place to place, but they did try to determine which carrier survived CES the best.

Here’s the bottom line:

• AT&T started out providing the fastest service, but quickly fell to 4th place.

• Verizon better maintained its consistency of service, performing particularly well on the event's busiest days.

Loading its proprietary Root Mobile™ crowdsourcing application on smartphones purchased off-the-shelf from each of the 'Big Four' carriers, Root Wireless conducted stationary tests at a fixed location immediately adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center, constantly running Root Mobile from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., January 5-8. The linear tests determine data transmissions speeds, cell tower hand-off rates and network connection failures, as monitored and reported by Root Mobile. It is noteworthy that the findings differ from others data transmission speed tests conducted using PCs, precisely because Root Mobile is engineered to determine wireless consumers' real-world experience using smartphones, not PCs. Also worth keeping in mind: Results reported here are local to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Root Wireless network mapping software has confirmed that all network performance is local; it varies from neighborhood-to-neighborhood, from service provider to service provider.

CrackBerry Kevin shot some video at Root Wireless’ booth, so if you’re curious for more (and the techies among you should be!) go check that out on CrackBerry.com.

My experience after the break!

Now make no mistake, there were a lot of iPhones at CES. Tons of BlackBerrys too spread over all the carriers, and a few DROIDs here and there, but the iPhone and AT&T definitely had one of the most visible presences at this convention. For my part, I brought my Rogers iPhone 3GS with me (and yes, it was very expensive). That meant I roamed between AT&T 3G and T-Mobile EDGE (something several Americans told me they wished they could do!).

Anecdotally, not just at CES but at the airports in between, I would walk down a hall and lose all signal on one network and have to wait for my iPhone to roam back to the other. Same in Vegas, the hotel had zero T-Mobile EDGE, but fine AT&T 3G, while the Convention Center was AT&T fail and solid T-Mobile EDGE. Sympathetically, I don’t know how you Americans suffer through any of your GSM/HSPA carriers (and Dieter might add Sprint to the list, given his MiFi failures during the show).

Fake Steve was right, you live in one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world, and quite often you can’t connect a call or pull any data. And worse, even when a cell tower gives you 5 full bars of signal, there’s no telling wether the backhaul has any actual bandwidth left behind it. (Imagine having a powerful WiFi router lit up at home, but your cable or DSL modem was dead behind it).

O2 is apparently suffering now as well, so you’re not alone, but it’s going to take massive investment and brilliant innovation (including solid 4G coverage) to ride the upcoming tsunami-like data demands.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

How Did AT&T Hold Up at CES 2010? Root Wireless (and TiPb) Report!

Every week a few of us from team TiPb, bloggers and forum crew alike, will bring you our current favorite, funnest, most useful App Store apps, WebApps, jailbreak apps, even the occasional accessory, web site, or desktop app if the mood strikes us. As long as they’re iPhone (or iPod touch) related, they’re fair game.

So who’s on deck this week and what are our picks? Find out after the break!

Chad’s Pick: FourSquare

I am really getting into the whole location-based check-in concept. There are several tools out there but my favorite right now is foursquare. The app and service is free, it scans Twitter, Facebook and your iPhone’s address book for friends. This makes finding friends that use foursquare easy. You have weekly leaderboards to compete with friends and a todo list of places to check out. Give foursquare a try! [Free - iTunes link]

Chris’ Pick: Ramp Champ

After all the buzz, I decided to download and try Ramp Champ, the skee ball style game. And I have to say it is a blast. Graphics are great, game play is smooth, background music is entertaining, and you even get tickets to trade in for prizes! This is a fun little game that.can be used as a quick diversion, or spending time to hone your skills. Add in the fact that you can use in-app purchases to add additional levels (or games) and we have ourselves a winner! [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Derrick’s Pick: Let’s Golf

Recently Let’s Golf was free and I decided to check it out. I don’t know why I didn’t buy it sooner. Let’s Golf is a fantastic golfing game for the iPhone. It’s a very well designed and I’d suggest it to anyone looking for play a few rounds on their iPhone. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Matt’s Pick: Video Panorama

Video Panorama allows you to take a video with your iPhone or use a pre-recorded video. It then automatically selects frames from the video to be used in the panorama, stiches them together and then allows you to save the image to your library. A great way to quickly get panoramas! [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Rene’s Pick: Consume

Consume is another in a long list of simple, elegant apps from Bjango that shows how many voice minutes and how much data you’ve used on your iPhone. This may not matter to people on unlimited plans in the US, but those of us in other countries with tiered service, or those on pay-as-you-go plans (and reward cards) may just find it very welcome. Sure, some carriers SMS you when you get to 80% or 100% of your monthly limit, but being able to check any time, and as often as you like right from the comfort of your iPhone — priceless. [$1.99 - iTunes link]

Your Pick?

You’re part of team TiPb too, so what’s your pick? What app was your absolute fav last week? Let us — and everyone — know in the comments!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

FourSquare, Ramp Champ, Let’s Golf, Video Panorama, Consume — TiPb Picks of the Week

In Stock: Case-Mate Hybrid Case for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G

The Case-Mate Hybrid Case for the iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G uses the protective power of dual layers.

A form-fitting silicone skin surrounds your iPhone 3GS or iPhone 3G completely, absorbing each impact or hard-knock. Wrapped around the skin is a tough, ABS plastic shell for complete security, adding another level of protection, and making for a firm grip.

Features:

• For active lifestyles
• Enhanced dust-proof protection to controls
• Complete access to all ports and buttons
• Silicone Skin color offerings come with patterned gray ABS plastic shell
• Screen Protection kit included

The Case-Mate Hybrid Case for iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G is available now from the TiPb iPhone Accessory store!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

In Stock: Case-Mate Hybrid Case for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 3G

The Boy Genius brings the iPhone 4.0 hype with some leaks about Apple’s next-generation iPhone OS — confirming some of what we’ve heard before with some new tidbits to light our imaginations:

• Global multitouch gestures, leveraged from similar iTablet OS
• Background apps/Multitasking
• UI enhanced for easier, more efficient navigation
• iPhone 3G/3GS only (and presumable 4th gen iPhone later in June)
• Will put iPhone way ahead of smartphone market, more like “full-fledged computer”
• Apple people “really excited”
• New but nebulous syncing for contacts and calendars

As with anything, especially Apple-related anything, we’ll never know for 100% certain until Steve, Phil, or Scott hold it up on stage at “Come see our latest creation” but, yeah, we can’t wait for next Wednesday either…

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

BGR: iPhone 4.0 to Bring Gestures, Multitasking, More Efficient UI, 3G/3GS Only, New Syncing

Rumors about Windows Mobile 7, or Seven as our sibling site WMExperts is calling it, are near-iTablet level over on that side of the smartphone space. If you read my Windows Phone (based on 6.5) review, you know I had only questions and no answers for Microsoft when it came to what they could do to become competitive in the increasingly important consumer space.

Well, Mal over at WMExperts has put together a ton of whispers, mixed it with keen insights, and unleashed a Windows Mobile 7: What we expect and what we are hearing article of epic proportions. Here are some highlights, but you need to go read the whole thing:

• Two versions, stripped-down Business and pimped-out Media.
• Business Edition will be more like current WM, skin-able by HTC Sense UI and the like, and is more complete right now.
• Media Edition (yes, ME is back, baby!) will be the closest thing possible to a ZunePhone without being a ZunePhone, with maximum Microsoft Experience, but it’s not yet as far along.
• Office 2010 super-integration
• Silverlight (Microsoft’s inversion of Flash), Mediaroom (Microsoft’s TV center), Xbox Live (possibly gaming!), Facebook and Twitter, and Zune Music integration.
• New “Orion” platform to do GPS faster and better.
• 720p (!!) 1280-720 resolution screen on LG “Apollo” handset.
• Dieter and Phil should get the first glimpses for us at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona next month.

Again, go read the full article and then hurry back an let us know if you think this is finally Microsoft getting Xbox 360 and ZuneHD serious with Windows Mobile/Windows Phone, and if it’s enough to make them competitive — or more than competitive — with the iPhone in 2010.

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Windows Mobile 7, Microsoft’s Attempt to Leapfrog iPhone 4 — The Competition

In a guest-post on TechCrunch, MP3.com founder and MP3tunes CEO, Michael Robertson cites a “wide variety of insider sources” when saying Apple will NOT offer subscription services any time soon, but rather leverage their recent acquisition of Lala to take iTunes to the cloud:

An upcoming major revision of iTunes will copy each user's catalog to the net making it available from any browser or net connected ipod/touch/tablet. The Lala upload technology will be bundled into a future iTunes upgrade which will automatically be installed for the 100+ million itunes users with a simple "An upgrade is available…" notification dialog box. After installation iTunes will push in the background their entire media library to their personal mobile iTunes area. Once loaded, users will be able to navigate and play their music, videos and playlists from their personal URL using a browser based iTunes experience.

This, Robertson maintains, will allow Apple to sidestep new licensing agreements and still provide content to the tens of millions of iPhones, iPod touches, Apple TVs, and (presumably forthcoming) iTablets/iSlates. Lala’s involvement in specific, he says, will give Apple a jump-start in rolling out the service, essential in competing with the likes of online-powerhouse Amazon.

And Robertson states flat out we can expect mobile iTunes in 2010.

You want?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

No Subscriptions From Apple, Future iTunes to Upgrade Users’ Media Catalogs to Lala Cloud?

From the Forums is a great way to see what all of the current hot topics are on the TiPb forums. Today we would like to go over some of the popular sub-forums for those of you who may not be familiar with our forum setup. Becoming a member is fast and free, so if you have not already already done so, head on over and register now.

• iPhone OS 4.0 is coming soon so why not discuss it in our forums? Rumor is we will see a sneak peak on the 27th…
• The Smartphone Experts Round Robin continues and this week it is Matt Miller’s turn from Nokia Experts and he needs your help! Participate in this thread for your chance to win a free device! Yes, I said free!
• Speaking of iPhone OS 4.0 why not discuss what the 4th generation of iPhone will bring us in Rene’s thread: 4th Gen iPhone Concept Designs!
• Lastly, be sure to check out iPhone Plans and Carriers, a forum which is home to all of the latest discussions regarding Verizon, AT&T, etc…

See you on the forums!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

From the Forums: iPhone OS 4.0, Nokia Experts Needs Your Help, 4th Gen iPhone Concepts, Plans and Carriers

If you have been searching for a fresh instant messaging client, we have good news for you — eBuddy Pro [iTunes Link - $4.99] is quite a solid performer. For the price, you get a very respectable instant messaging client with a ton of great features that rivals those of higher priced apps.

• Push notifications
• All your friends in one buddy list
• Send pictures to friends
• No ads
• Receive message alerts & typing notifications
• Supports chat for AIM, GTalk, Facebook, MySpace, Yahoo, MSN and ICQ

I personally have been using this application for about a week now and can honestly say I enjoy using it more than the bigger name IM apps but this does not mean there is no room for improvement. The start up time is just too darn slow but we’ve been assured by the developer this is being worked on for a future update. If you want to give eBuddy a try for before you buy, take the free version [iTunes Link] for a spin. Just keep in mind you will be without some of the great features present in the Pro version.

Screen shots after the break!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

Quick Review: eBuddy Pro for iPhone

We’re in the final “away” week of the 2009 Smartphone Round Robin, and since I began the event looking at Nokia, what better way to cap it off than with NokiaExperts‘ Matt Miller looking at our iPhone 3GS.

Matt’s got his thread going at TiPb’s iPhone Forums, trying to figure out if even a applezillion apps can make up for the loss of full-on N900 Mozilla, so hit reply and help him out. Every day you help him on that thread, you’re entered for a chance to WIN AN iPHONE 3GS! (smartphoneroundrobin.com has all your details!)

As for me, I’m over at the PreCentral.net Forums learning me some webOS via the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi. Give me a hand over there, and you could win one of them as well!

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iPhone Hands-on from a Nokia Expert’s Perspective — Smartphone Round Robin

Going all Mentalist on Apple’s Jan. 27 “Come see our latest creation” invitee list has led to conjecture that gaming will be shown off for the iTablet/iSlate, but that perhaps the hardware itself will be US-only at launch.

Gizmodo says that, since Apple invited their gaming-focused sibling site, Kotaku to the party, they may have graphics on the card:

Because the tablet’s not a phone, both in terms of computing capability and input mechanics, people are going to be expecting more from its performance. Especially in the gaming realm, which Apple has been pushing hard in their ads for the iPod Touch and iPhone. If the guess that Apple will include iPhone App Store support on the tablet is true, it’ll at least enough graphical capability to run those games.

9to5mac, meanwhile, speculates that Apple is not holding a simultaneous European media event because, just like the iPod and iPhone before it, the iTablet might be US-only on launch day:

If content and carrier deals form some kind of road block here, then global launch could take time – consider the speed of multiplication of content-selling iTunes Stores as an intimation of such possibility (though Apple now has content connections in most key territories, so the wait might not be so extended).

They hedge by saying some European media are being flown to the US event, but getting e-book deals in the US will be one thing, getting them signed and sealed across even a small group of countries by launch — given the disgusting and disgraceful mess that’s international media licensing — could be beyond even Apple.

And hey, TiPb hasn’t gotten an invite (yet!) but we’re betting that’s just because we’re us, and Apple will indeed give iPhone 4.0 some love on Jan. 27.

But why should all this conjecture be theirs and ours alone — what do you think?

This is a story by the iPhone Blog. This feed is sponsored by The iPhone Blog Store.

iTablet to Have Gaming, be US-Only on Launch? Playing “Come see our latest creation” Guest List Detective!