According to Verizon CTO Nicola Palmer, the company will finally start to utilize the AWS LTE spectrum they own before the end of the year. They currently only have 700MHz spectrum (band 13) in play, but as they continue to build that out, with hopes of covering 90% of the country by the end of the year, they’ll start their growth strategy which includes AWS (band 4). 

Once they hit their mid-year goals for 700MHz, they’ll take to 5,000 sites and equip them with AWS antennas. The AWS spectrum will allow them to handle an ever-growing capacity demand for 4G LTE.

From a device standpoint, Palmer mentioned that they have already advised partners on strategy and are expecting devices to ship with AWS support in the first half of the year. As she points out, you can’t have a network if you don’t have devices that can connect to it.

With Verizon creating a multi-band LTE network, I can’t help but think this will be a blessing for those of us who love unlocked phones. While new phones will need to be multi-band in order to support both of Verizon’s bands, this also should mean that chipset makers are going to really focus in on making global multi-band LTE chips that cover all sorts of frequencies. In fact, Qualcomm is already working on one.

Palmer wrapped up by pointing out that their goal remains to have VoLTE service up by late 2013 or early 2014. After that, it’s on to LTE Advanced and the mega-speeds and LTE improvements it contains.

Fun times ahead in the advanced mobile data network game, indeed.

Via: Fierce Wireless | The Verge

Verizon to Utilize AWS Spectrum This Year, Ship Supported Devices First Half is a post from: Droid Life

Moments ago, a somewhat minor update was approved for the LG Spectrum on Verizon to build VS920ZV8. This is the first official update since it received Ice Cream Sandwich last October. Verizon appears to be removing some of the bloat on the device like Rhapsody and V Cast Apps (which is dead), while also improving dialer performance and updating keyboard actions. 

Typically, when these documents go live, the update starts to roll out within a matter of days. Be sure to let us know when you receive it!

Via: Verizon

Verizon Approves LG Spectrum Update – Removes Bloat and Brings Other Minor Enhancements is a post from: Droid Life

Quite the week for Verizon, I’d say. The LG Spectrum Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.4) was approved moments ago, making this the third of the week from Big Red. This update was due months ago, so owners of the Spectrum are probably ecstatic with this news. That is, if they haven’t chucked their phone into a wall and picked up a Galaxy S3 yet.

The update introduces an update UI, with lockscreen shortcuts, new ICS multi-tasking, data management, better notifications, quick settings in the notifications pulldown, power saving modes, Verizon’s Remote Diagnostics tool, and more. As one would expect, this update is massive and should completely re-enhance the user experience on the Spectrum.

Typically, when these documents go live, the update starts to rollout within a matter of days. Be sure to let us know when you receive it!

The update is 384MB in size. 

More info.

LG Spectrum Ice Cream Sandwich Update VS920ZV7 Approved by Verizon! is a post from: Droid Life

According to Verizon’s Equipment Guide, they are planning to introduce follow-ups to two of their late-2011, early-2012 devices. The Samsung Stratosphere, aka the first 4G LTE slider, will get a refresh and be released as the Stratosphere 2 (SCH-I415). We aren’t seeing much for specs that would impress, but are assuming it’ll sport a Snapdragon S4. What 4G LTE phone doesn’t these days, right? Otherwise, we know it’ll have a 4″ Super AMOLED display, and carry the exact same form factor as its predecessor. 

The LG Spectrum is the other device that apparently still has a refresh in the works, known as the Spectrum 2 (VS930). As with the Stratosphere 2, we know almost nothing other than the model number from this Equipment Guide shot. Thankfully, we have been tracking this phone on benchmark sites and in other leaks for months now and are pretty sure that this will be similar to the LG Optimus LTE2. It should sport a 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S4 processor, 1GB of RAM, an HD display, and an 8MP camera. It should be a solid offering.

It’s starting to appear as if Verizon is 100% invested in the Snapdragon S4 processor as it is efficient enough to do wonders with LTE radios and battery life. All of last year’s phone running anything less are getting phased out. We know that Motorola has two devices on the way to replace the original RAZR and MAXX, both that run the S4, along with the LG Intuition. And as you all know already, the Galaxy S3 runs the S4.

Any takers?

Samsung Stratosphere 2 and LG Spectrum 2 Also on the Way to Verizon is a post from: Droid Life

At the end of last week, an LG employee notified members of their forums that the Spectrum’s Ice Cream Sandwich update is ready to be rolled out. All they are waiting for is Verizon to press “Go.” The following day, it appears as if they were trying to prove how ready it is by uploading a new user guide for the device which includes all sorts of Android 4.0 tips and tricks. 

Included in this guide, LG details the standard ICS stuff, like task switching, notification swiping, and simple folder creation. They also talk of new and improved features though, some of which we wish other OEMs would adopt. LG has apparently built in the ability to create or use custom icons (without requiring a 3rd party launcher) and a “Clean View” gesture for temporarily hiding everything on your home screen.

From reading through bits and pieces of this new user guide for the Spectrum, you can tell that LG is doing everything in their power to make their phones more appealing, even it has to be through software.

Still no word from Verizon on when this update will roll out. If you are keeping track, this would be two Android OEMs that have grown sick of waiting for final approval and went ahead and published details for their Android 4.0 updates, the other being HTC and their Rezound.

Via:  LG [Download]

Cheers Phillip!

LG Posts Spectrum User Guide as if the Device Runs Ice Cream Sandwich is a post from: Droid Life

According to an LG “employee” over at their support forums, the Spectrum should receive its Ice Cream Sandwich update any day now. From what this employee has said, we are “very close to release” and basically waiting for Verizon to give us a date. He made this claim 6 days ago after returning from vacation, but joined the party again yesterday to remind the 6 Spectrum owners to keep an eye on LG’s “Company Updates” page.

It sounds to me like this update is done, but as usual, is waiting for Verizon to give it the final approval, something Galaxy Nexus owners know too well.

LG Spectrum update before the Bionic? How does that feel?

Via:  LG

Cheers Phillip!

LG Spectrum Ice Cream Sandwich Update Arriving Any Day Now According to LG Employee is a post from: Droid Life

The first Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0.4) build for the LG Spectrum has been leaked this weekend over at XDA. The build number is VS920ZV7 (Android build IMM76D) which is only 1 build number higher than the last OTA update that the device received. It sort of seems unlikely that the Spectrum would see the jump to ICS so quickly after seeing a sizable Gingerbread update just over a week ago, however, we were promised “first half” of 2012 by LG and Verizon when the phone was announced at CES. That gives us a little over a month before we can start calling it delinquent. 

All of the files needed to update your Spectrum are available at the XDA link below.

For the Galaxy Nexus fans keeping track, this would put the Spectrum ahead of you as well, in the Android build game.

Via:  XDA | Phandroid

Android 4.0.4 Leaks for the LG Spectrum as Build VS920ZV7 is a post from: Droid Life

The 127MB (VS920ZV6) update for the LG Spectrum that we found out about last week has started to roll out to all users this morning. If you have not been prompted to update yet, simply head into Settings>About phone>Software updates and pull it yourself.

It may not be Ice Cream Sandwich, but LG sure packed in the bug fixes, app updates, and enhancements. You can read all about it here.

Cheers Travis and Dana!

LG Spectrum Update to VS920V6 is Rolling Out Now is a post from: Droid Life

A new update as VS920V6 is primed and ready to be rolled out to the LG Spectrum on Verizon. According to the changelog, it appears to be pretty major yet somehow is not Ice Cream Sandwich.

After updating though, users will find calendar improvements, Google as the default search, new Google apps (Play, YouTube, Gmail, and Talk), and a whole bunch of bloatware. Your version of Android will be 2.3.6. Typically when we see these changelogs go live, you can expect the update to be made available shortly thereafter.

Check out the full list below. 

The update is 127MB in size. More info.

LG Spectrum Set to Receive Major Update to VS920V6, Still Isn’t Ice Cream Sandwich is a post from: Droid Life

The LG Spectrum will receive a substantial update in the coming weeks as build VS920ZV5. After updating, the phone will run Android 2.3.6, have Google Search set to default for “a better user experience,” freshly polished bloatware (VZ Nav, NFL Mobile, VCAST Apps, etc.), and a whole bunch of other enhancements which you can read about in the image above.

The Spectrum seems to have been forgotten about for the most part, but if you are in need of a smartphone with a beautiful screen, decent camera, and 4G LTE for a reasonable price, it’s worth a look. You can read our full review of the Spectrum here.

The update is 127 MB in size. More info.

LG Spectrum to Receive Sizable Update to Android 2.3.6 – Google Search Defaults, Bloatware Updated, and More is a post from: Droid Life

Our LG Spectrum review, almost 3 months in the making. Why the delay? Was the device so good that we couldn’t bring ourselves to give it up? Or was it that bad that we couldn’t force ourselves to use it enough to put together a full review? If I told you up front, that would ruin the magical anticipation that is built when I attempt to leave you hanging with some fun line like, “We will find out after the break!” With that said, jump past the break to find out. 

The Good:

• Specs:  With its 1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor, 1GB of RAM, 4.5″ HD display, 8MP shooter, 4G LTE capabilities, and decent sized battery, the Spectrum should be considered a “top tier” phone. LG wanted to make a splash with a high end phone on Big Red and they have done that here, at least on paper. The specs match up to the HTC Rezound, DROID RAZR and Galaxy Nexus for the most part, yet the price falls below 2 of the 3.
• Display:  At 329ppi, the Spectrum’s 4.5″ HD display is nothing short of beautiful. As you will see in the macro shot below, this is one of the better LCD screens on the market, rivaled only by the Rezound and maybe the iPhone. The IPS displays that LG is using on almost all of their phones now should be seen by all tech obsessed consumers. When compared to the Galaxy Nexus, I found the Spectrum to have far brighter whites and overall crisper view of just about everything. This is obviously a personal take after comparing the two side-by-side.

• Price:  At $199 on 2-year contract, this phone is priced well. Most 4G LTE phones from Verizon with these kinds of specs start at $249 and go up from there. Got to give it up to whoever made the decision to undercut everyone else on this one.
• Cameras:  The cameras aren’t anything to write home about, but they also won’t disappoint. In the few photos I snapped, I wasn’t disappointed nor was I overly impressed. The Spectrum has a good enough 8MP shooter on the back and an upgraded 1.3MP camera in the front for video chatting. Both will get the job done while also not embarrassing you should you decide to share your photo adventures with friends.

• Weight:  This phone is incredibly light. It feels amazing in hand as long as you try to ignore the cheap plastic materials that got it to this point. Heavy phones were once unavoidable, so I’m glad that companies have realized that tanks only belong on battlefields and not in your pocket or hand. LG did a nice job at packing in top tier specs while keeping the phone in the slim and manageable category.
• Battery:  We have written about this more than a dozen times, but the current crop of 4G LTE radios are going to kill batteries at feverish rates. Companies like LG have realized this and started trying to pack in as big of a battery as they can into new handsets. The Spectrum boasts an 1830mAh battery that should come close to getting you through at least a work day. It won’t take you into 2 or 3 days like the DROID RAZR MAXX, but very few phones will. In our battery tests, even with the massive 4.5″ HD screen, this phone was on par with the Galaxy Nexus and Rezounds of the world.

• 4G LTE:  Since Verizon has decided to not accept anymore non-4G LTE phones onto their network, we can probably stop giving props to phones that have it. Well, maybe not until other carriers finally roll out real LTE networks in more than 12 markets. Since Verizon is covering the U.S. faster than most of you can type “long term evolution” it’s definitely a selling point. Big Red’s LTE network is awesome (assuming it isn’t down for today) and the Spectrum takes full advantage of it with its HD screen and exclusive HD content, like ESPN’s Scorecenter.
• HD Content:  Speaking of that exclusive HD content, it wouldn’t be fair to the Spectrum if we didn’t mention it specifically in its own bullet point. Watching full 720p HD ESPN highlights on this 4.5″ display is wonderful. And since no other phone currently has access to it but the Spectrum, you have to give it a +1.
• Gaming:  With its dual-core Snapdragon processor, 1GB of RAM and big 4.5″ HD display, gaming on the Spectrum is a bonus. As devices have grown in size, playing games on them should be more fun, right? At 4.5″, this is creeping towards being a mini tablet, but gaming on tablets has replaced most handheld gaming devices, so that’s not a negative. Fruit Ninja with multiplayer, the new Angry Birds Space, and your other favorite titles will all look amazing on this phone.

The Not-so-Good:

• LG’s Custom UI:  I’m not sure what they are calling it these days, but LG’s custom skin that has been slapped on top of Android has become the king of spam and unnecessary bloat. It’s slow, it looks like a cartoon, and will frustrate you should be forced to use it. The dock isn’t customizable at all and the app drawer’s layouts make no sense. Thankfully, LG appears to have ditched this version of their skin on their next line of phones that includes the Optimus 4X HD in favor of a much more simplified and stock-looking UI. If you do buy this phone though, you will want to install a 3rd party launcher immediately.
• Build:  During my unboxing, I compared the build of this phone to the DROID Charge and still can’t think of a better way to describe it. The plastic back piece feels just like the one on the Charge, and that’s not a good thing. I don’t know that I’m ready to go as far as to call it “cheap,” but it is close. After using the phone on and off for a month or so, I already managed to scuff the battery cover by simply pulling it in and out of pockets. That is not a good sign for a phone that is meant to last you 2 years. I love how light the phone is, but am not a fan of the products used to make it feel this way.
• Performance:  It’s tough to tell if the UI or something mixed into the hardware is to blame, but this phone lags like none other. And not only that, but screen presses almost always take a second or third press to make something happen. What I mean, is that if you press an icon or swipe down the notification bar, rarely does anything happen on the first press. It takes another swipe or two to get some of these basic smartphone actions to activate. Talk about frustrating on a phone that has one of the biggest and most beautiful touch displays around.
• Gingerbread:  The phone was released in January, so it would have been difficult for LG to put Ice Cream Sandwich on it at launch. However, it’s now March and there hasn’t been a peep from the company as to when this phone might see that update to Android 4.0. We are sure it will happen, but it could be a while as LG is focused on promoting their next line of phones already, that just so happen to run ICS.
• Bloatware:  Since LG’s custom UI groups apps in the oddest fashion, our bloatware count was super easy this time around. The Spectrum has 16 pre-installed “Verizon” apps and another 4 or 5 apps that you wouldn’t find on a stock device, bringing the total to over 20. SMH.

Unboxing:

Click here to view the embedded video.

HD ESPN Content:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Gallery:

The Verdict:

If we go back to our opening paragraph, we should probably give you an answer as to why this took me almost 3 months to complete. Was it because the device was so awesome that I didn’t want to have to give it up or was it so painful that I struggled to find the time to actually review it? Unfortunately for the Spectrum, it had to do with the frustrations I continued to run into while using it. After carrying the device around as my daily driver for about 4 or 5 days in January, I quickly became frustrated and had to put it down for a bit before coming back to fully review it.

The UI on here – if I didn’t make this clear enough already – is the worst in the Android game. For a device that wants you to “ooh” and “aww” over its screen, then pressing on that screen should work the first time. Swiping, pressing icons, and any sort of touchscreen movement on the Spectrum rarely works on the first try because of this awful custom skin. The phone also hated my Google Voice or contacts from Gmail for some reason, as it rarely showed the person’s name during an incoming call. It also managed to pull in contacts from all of my Gmail accounts even though I told it to stick to just one of them. It’s filled with bugs and lag on the software front that could potentially be addressed through an update, however, LG hasn’t had the best track record when it comes to making those happen in a timely fashion.

It’s not all bad for the Spectrum though. In fact, if you read all of the bullet points above, we actually rank most of the aspects of the phone pretty high. The camera is acceptable, LTE is always awesome, the screen is absolutely gorgeous, and the battery life isn’t all that shaky. At $199, this phone is at least worth a quick look if you are not quite ready to toss out 3 Benjamins for a smartphone. A third party launcher could rid you of LG’s skin for the most part, and if LG does get it together and update this phone to Ice Cream Sandwich quickly enough, it could be a decent player.

LG Spectrum Specs | Other Spectrum Coverage

LG Spectrum Review – Verizon is a post from: Droid Life

Not to be outdone by Sprint’s Amazon sale today, all of the Motorola DROID phones are on sale, some even going down to the low low price of $.01. For new activations, you can get the DROID RAZR MAXX for $149.99 and the original RAZR for $49.99, both packing 32GB of internal storage. If a keyboard is more your thing, the DROID 4 is also $49.99 but if you don’t want the 4G the DROID 3 is only one cent. 

We thought it stopped there but upon further inspection it seems that Verizon’s whole 4G lineup is on a discount. The Galaxy Nexus is up for $99.99, HTC Rezound for $79.99 and the LG Spectrum is only $59.99. Better head over to Amazon quick if you are looking to add another line. These deals are pretty good.

DROID Madness | Verizon 4G Sales 

Cheers Kevin!

Amazon Stricken With DROID Madness, DROID Branded and Other 4G Verizon Phones On Sale Today is a post from: Droid Life

Verizon has been silent for the most part when it comes to Ice Cream Sandwich updates for their lineup of Android devices. Many of the OEMs that they deal with have informed us in one way or another, but we were waiting for Big Red to make some things official since they sign off on final software. Their list is now public and is as follows.

For HTC devices, we will see Android 4.0 on the Thunderbolt, Incredible 2, Rhyme and Rezound. Sorry original Incredible owners. For Motorola devices we will see it on the XOOM, Bionic, RAZR, RAZR MAXX, DROID 4 and XYBOARD tablets. Sorry DROID X, DROID X2, and DROID 3 owners. For Samsung devices it looks like only the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 7.7 will see it. No DROID Charge. From LG, only the Spectrum will receive ICS.

Sooo, quite a few devices missing including a couple that should have more than enough power under the hood to run Android 4.0.

Update:  Yes, I see that it says “4G LTE devices currently scheduled” in the press release which has led many to believe that this is simply a 4G LTE only list and that some 3G devices were specifically left out. I’m having a hard time following that logic since the Incredible 2 and Rhyme were also listed and are 3G-only phones. Also, the DROID Charge which is 4G LTE, is left off. This is an assumption of course, but I would tend to lean towards this list being pretty complete.

No dates were given.

Ice Cream Sandwich Coming to Many Verizon Wireless Smartphones

03/06/2012

Verizon Wireless will deliver a tasty treat to many smartphone and tablet customers this year – Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS).

It’s a frozen snack that many in the Android community have been eager to try since ICS launched in December 2011 on the Galaxy™ Nexus™ by Samsung. The redesigned user interface includes many cool enhancements, including upgraded multitasking capabilities, notifications and Web browsing.

Wondering if your device will receive Ice Cream Sandwich? Here’s a list of Verizon Wireless 4G LTE devices currently scheduled to be upgraded.

HTC:

• HTC ThunderBolt™
• DROID Incredible 2 by HTC
• HTC Rhyme™
• HTC Rezound™

Motorola:

• Motorola XOOM
• DROID BIONIC™
• DROID RAZR™
• DROID RAZR™ MAXX™ DROID 4 DROID XYBOARD 8.2
• DROID XYBOARD 10.1

Samsung:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 10.1
• Samsung Galaxy Tab™ 7.7

LG:

• Spectrum™ by LG

We will continue to update this list as additional details become available throughout the year. Also, follow @VZWNews on Twitter for additional upgrade announcements.

Verizon Releases List of Phones to Get Ice Cream Sandwich Updates is a post from: Droid Life

If a new smartphone is in your near future, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a screaming good deal on one. Not only does Amazon drop prices the minute new phones are released, but even Verizon is doing their best to get in on the low-pricing scheme. Two examples are included in their latest “online” only 4G LTE sale. The LG Spectrum and HTC Rezound can be had for as little as $99.99 as long as you extend or add on a new 2-year contract. One phone has been out for a couple of months now, while the other is barely a month old. Both run 1.5GHz dual-core processors and have two of the most beautiful HD displays we have ever seen on a smartphone. If the RAZRs or Galaxy Nexus were never your cup of tea, these two might be worth a look.

Buy.

Cheers Kris!

Verizon 4G LTE Sale: HTC Rezound and LG Spectrum Just $99 on Contract is a post from: Droid Life

If you need are looking to see if a new device has been rooted, you will want to follow @djrbliss aka Dan Rosenberg. You may have heard his name recently in conjunction with Motorola root methods that apply to the RAZR, Bionic, XYBOARD and almost any other Moto device running Gingerbread or Honeycomb. He’s puttin’ in work as we like to say around these parts.

His newest target is non-Moto. The LG Spectrum has fallen to his methods and is now rooted. LG has in the past left their devices wide open to hackers and Dan’s comments on rooting it seem to reflect just that. His Windows and Linux tools to get this job done can be found at the source link below.

Via:  Vulnfactory

Cheers Mike23 and Eric!

LG Spectrum has been Rooted. is a post from: Droid Life