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LG VL600 LTE modem review
SlashGear Week in Review – Week 49 2010
Nexus S unboxing and hands-on

Posted: 12 Dec 2010 09:21 AM PST

Our initial speed benchmarking with Verizon’s LTE service was enough to get us seriously interested in the high-speed 4G network, but there’s more to a mobile broadband service than just raw throughput. Has the LG VL600 LTE modem lived up to expectations? Check out the full SlashGear review after the cut.

Hardware

The LG is undoubtedly a big USB modem, feeling oversized in comparison to the thumbdrive-scale 3G versions we’re used to seeing. We can forgive the bulk given the combination of 3G and LTE hardware packed inside – unlike some WiMAX modems, the VL600 can roll back onto Verizon’s EVDO Rev.A network when LTE coverage isn’t available – though if you’ve a notebook with tightly positioned USB ports you may have issues plugging something in alongside the LG.

The most likely victims are Apple’s MacBook and MacBook Pro ranges, the USB ports on which are closely clustered on the side. Still, at the moment there’s no point in hooking up the VL600, since there are no Mac drivers for the modem. Verizon tells us they’re “working quickly” to address that, but there’s no public timescale for their release. On a PC, we were up and running in seconds, and we’ve noticed no greater battery drain than with a regular 3G USB modem.

One ongoing frustration was the handover between 4G and 3G. Sometimes the VL600 would switch automatically, other times we had to physically unplug and reinsert the modem before it would transition from 4G to 3G. It was an intermittent problem, and one that hopefully fresh drivers will address.

Performance

Our first impressions of the VL600 were that it offered regular broadband levels of speed, and over our longer testing that’s certainly been borne out. Obviously you’ll require LTE coverage to get 4G speeds, and right now Verizon claims to be serving 38 markets and over 60 airports. Their aim is to cover their current 3G footprint with 4G by the end of 2013; until then, you can check out coverage here [http://network4g.verizonwireless.com/#/coverage].

We tested the service in three locations: Phoenix, AZ; Charlotte, NC; and Philadelphia, PA. In Phoenix, the figures generally kept to the top end of Verizon’s rough guidelines of 5-12 Mbps downlinks and 2-5 Mbps uplinks, with an average download speed of 12.21 Mbps and a healthy 6.18 Mbps upload speed.

Things improved considerable in Charlotte, with uplinks taking a 100-percent jump according to SpeedTest.net. Downloads on average reached 11.37 Mbps, while uplinks blasted to 12.24 Mbps. Ping times were also less variable than in Phoenix.

Finally, Philadelphia, achieving average download speed of 20.92 Mbps, while uplinks were 5.63 Mbps.

Now, it’s worth bearing in mind that right now the LTE network is seriously under-utilized, and these speeds most likely won’t persist as load increases and more users get online. Still, they’re considerably higher than we encountered with HSPA+ and WiMAX in their first bloom, and that bodes well for longer-term performance.

Pricing

Both the LG VL600 and its Pantech UML290 equivalent are $99.99 with a new, two-year agreement. Alternatively, Verizon is offering them at $249.99 apiece contract-free, with the same choice of data plans.

Verizon had originally promised innovative pricing for LTE service, with talk of bandwidth-related tariffs and communal data allowances. We’re still waiting for that to happen; the first 4G packages on offer stick to the tried & tested concept of a single monthly allowance and overage fees. There are two plans, one offering 5GB per month for $50, the other 10GB for $80, and a further $10 per GB over those allowances.

That’s at the top end for non-unlimited 3G plans, certainly, but when you factor in the high speeds involved with 4G, it’s not difficult to burn through 5GB or 10GB in double-quick time. If you’re simply checking email and surfing the web then it’s not going to be a problem, but realistically that sort of usage pattern is unlikely among LTE early-adopters. We can understand Verizon’s caution in the early stages – it’s easier to start off conservative and then ease open the floodgates, rather than try to take things in the opposite direction – but the sooner we see more accommodating plans (that offer data bundles which live up to the speeds on offer) the better.

Wrap-Up

There’s no denying that LTE is fast, although we’ll be returning to benchmark the service in a few months time when the network will presumably be under heavier loading. Still, if you demand the fastest mobile broadband around and live or work in an area with Verizon 4G coverage, LTE certainly lays takes on the challenge set by HSPA+ and WiMAX and rises to it admirably.

We’re less enamored with Verizon’s reticence over game-changing data plans, and the 5GB/10GB limits are likely to disappoint those considering LTE as a fixed broadband alternative. The absence of Mac support and occasionally temperamental 3G/4G handover is also frustrating, though both could be readily addressed with a software update.

Verizon has promised 4G mobile hotspots, and they may be more realistic options for the sort of user tempted by LTE. Still, until they arrive, the LG VL600 is a solid way to get your PC online while on the move, and do so at a rapid pace as well. Verizon may not have been first to market with their 4G offering, but the wait has been worth it.

LG VL60 LTE Modem unboxing and hands on

SlashGear Week in Review – Week 49 2010

Posted: 12 Dec 2010 07:25 AM PST

Welcome to this week’s edition of the SlashGear Week in Review! As always, there was a lot going on this week so let’s jump right in. Verizon announced the first cities that will be getting LTE service. Many folks have been waiting for the blazing fast 4G LTE service and if you are lucky enough to live in one of the initial areas, you can get your 4G fix now.

We spotted the world’s largest floating Christmas tree early in the week that is on display in Rio de Janeiro. The giant tree has 105km of lights on it and stands 85 meters tall. Early in the week Radio shack announced with discounts and trade-in you could get a new iPhone 4 for $25. If this is the first time you are hearing about the deal, you are too late to take advantage.

Analysts announced that they believe Verizon might pay Apple to block other carriers from getting the iPhone. That will really suck if it’s true, a bunch of iPhone fans have been waiting for the thing to hit all carriers in the US as it has in the UK. Google officially announced the Nexus S smartphone this week. The thing has some nice specs like a 4-inch screen 1GHz processor, 16GB of storage and a lot more.

Thanko offered up a crazy office chair that might get you fired called the AnyChair. The chair looks normal enough, but folds flat to make a bed for taking some naps on company time. A crazy custom iPhone 4 surfaced this week hat has diamonds and a T-Rex tooth on it. The price of the special iPhone 4 was $62,700.

Macy’s is moving 85 of its locations around the country to green LED lighting. The move is expected to save the company millions over the coming years. Insiders are hinting that the iPad 2 will ship in April of 2011. According to the rumor, Foxconn is making the new iPad and 400,000 to 600,000 units are said to be in the initial shipment.

Scientists have announced that the famous sonic screwdriver used by Dr. Who may in fact be possible to make. Engineers think that it is possible to move small objects using ultrasonic waves. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 launched this week with a MSRP of $349. The video card has 480 CUDA cores, 732MHz graphics clock, and a 1464MHz memory clock.

Google announced the chrome OS officially this week and along with it revealed the chrome notebook program as well. The first of the notebooks is the CR-48 and Google has partnered with Verizon, Samsung, Acer, and Intel to bring notebooks to market. We spent some hands-on time with the Google Nexus S smartphone this week. We think from our time with the device that it has a lot of cool to it, but right now the smartphone is a bit hard to judge.

I always wondered what they do with all those old movie posters at the theater. One geek is taking them and making some really cool iPad sleeves out of them. The Notion Ink Adam Android tablet hit pre-order on December 9. If you have been waiting for the cool Android tablet to land you might want to order yours up right now.

Monster has created a special edition Daft Punk Tron Legacy headphone set. The headphones are white with glowing blue LEDs and look really cool even if they are expensive at about $350. Insiders are pegging the launch of the PlayStation Phone to start in March of 2011. The device is still pegged to be seen officially for the first time at MWC.

Google’s Andy Rubin bragged via Twitter that there are over 300,000 Android phones activated each day. That is a lot of Android phones in consumer hands. Apple has finally fixed the MacBook Air screen glitch. The fix is part of the MacBook Air EFI Firmware update v2.0 that can be downloaded right now.

Apple is reportedly testing Sandy Bridge parts from Intel tipping a big CPU and GPU refresh for Mac fans. If you have your eye on a new Mac, you might want to wait a few months lest you be stuck with hardware that will soon be replaced by better stuff. Intel is expecting 35 Android tablets to land in 2011. At the same time Dell’s Android tablet plans were offered up making 2011 a good year for Android tablet fans.

A dude named Andrew Chase has built a really cool mechanical steampunk horse that gallops. The thing looks like the Trojan horse to me. When the Notion Ink Adam tablet hit pre-order this week the price was lower than expected. The entry-level tablet with WiFi landed at $375.33 rather than the expected $399 with the 3G version going for $425.33.

A software engineer from Apple built an awesome creation from Lego this week. The guy reproduced a working model of the Greek Antikythera Mechanism with 1500 different Lego pieces. What may be the world’s coolest coffee table surfaced called the Rock Paper Robot Float. The tablet can be purchased for a cool $2000 and uses magnets to make the individual blocks float.

A cool 3D printer called the Thing-O-Matic surfaced that can create 3D objects by carving the from a block of MakerBot ABS plastic. You can get your own for $1225. That’s all for this week’s edition, have a great week and Happy Holidays!

Nexus S unboxing and hands-on

Posted: 11 Dec 2010 04:38 PM PST

Despite the speculation beforehand, Google launched the new Nexus S last week with little fanfare: no big press event, no gathering of Samsung, Android and T-Mobile execs on-stage to talk about how pleased they are to work together. A noticeable difference from the first-gen Nexus One, then, so does that make the Nexus S a minor update rather than another Android game-changer? Check out the SlashGear unboxing and some first-impressions after the cut.

Google’s packaging is broadly similar to that of the Nexus One, and you don’t get much in the way of accessories. A USB to microUSB cable, USB AC adapter and wired hands-free headset is your lot. The plastic back cover pops off to reveal the SIM card slot and the removable battery, but there’s no microSD card slot, only 16GB of internal storage.

In with the phone there’s also one of Google’s NFC stickers, as announced for the new Google Places Business Kits. Hold the Nexus S up to the sticker with the new Tag app open and it’ll automatically scan it and take you to a Google video on the Nexus S. When they become more common, Google envisages NFC being used for payments, checking business information and more, basically turning your Android smartphone into a digital wallet among other things.

Android 2.3 Gingerbread automatically pulled in our previously-downloaded apps and even restored our wallpaper when we logged in with our regular Google credentials, and we were quickly up and running. The smartphone feels speedy, certainly faster than a Galaxy S family device despite running on the same 1GHz Hummingbird processor.

Unboxing Nexus S:

Nexus S (Android 2.3) Hands-on demo:

We’ll be putting the Nexus S – and Gingerbread – through its paces ahead of the full SlashGear review, so until then enjoy the unboxing video and hands-on demo, and let us know what questions you have about Google’s new superphone!