Palm Pre 4G?

tripsbacks · 05/23/2009, 02:46 PM

Could the palm pre ever be a 4G phone with a simple software upgrade or is the actual hardware that would need to be changed?

Reminiz · 05/23/2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

Could the palm pre ever be a 4G phone with a simple software upgrade or is the actual hardware that would need to be changed?

as of right now, it would actually have to be a hardware change. They would have to put a 4g radio in the phone.

StefanP · 05/23/2009, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

Could the palm pre ever be a 4G phone with a simple software upgrade or is the actual hardware that would need to be changed?

sorry mate, you can't just turn a 3g chip into a 4g chip by changing the software.

it's like saying "hey, I've got this 10 year old pc in the basement, it's too slow to work on, but if I put windows vista on it it will be fast!!". doesn't work that way. ok, so maybe vista is not the best example

but you get my point.

tripsbacks · 05/23/2009, 03:11 PM

i just didn't know if the pre was already wired as a 4G phone running on 3G so to speak. Just how some computers have hardware already in place so that features can be used a later date.

ivhs72 · 05/23/2009, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tripsbacks

Could the palm pre ever be a 4G phone with a simple software upgrade or is the actual hardware that would need to be changed?

Since Sprint has been advertising it with their 4G network, my guess is that it is a 4G phone, and will run just fine on a 3G network (or slower), just like current phones run on 3G and slower. Downward compatability is easier to achieve than upward. It will most likely show a 4G symbol when it is on a 4G, etc, etc.

Xyg · 05/23/2009, 07:54 PM

If there was a 4g radio on the phone, we would know based on the FCC filings.

Aridon · 05/23/2009, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivhs72

Since Sprint has been advertising it with their 4G network, my guess is that it is a 4G phone, and will run just fine on a 3G network (or slower), just like current phones run on 3G and slower. Downward compatability is easier to achieve than upward. It will most likely show a 4G symbol when it is on a 4G, etc, etc.

The Pre does NOT have a 4g radio. No 4g access.

NickDG · 05/23/2009, 08:33 PM

If they ever do add WiMax you will see it as a 4th radio in addition to bluetooth, WiFi, and the 3G radio. Think of it as really long range WiFi.

Grim · 05/23/2009, 08:53 PM

Store rep at the local Sprint store told me today that the Pre is both 3g and 4g capable. Truth? Who knows?

deesugar · 05/23/2009, 09:05 PM

I'd wager the next Pre will have it. But even if the current Pre had a WiMAX chip in it you wouldn't likely be able to use it as the coverage is limited right now. You'll start to see 4G phones come out next year.

I haven't played with a EVDO Rev. A phone yet but I'm sure it will be plenty fast and if not you always have WiFi!

nerdtalker · 05/23/2009, 09:09 PM

Stop spreading such blatant disinformation; the phone is 3G EvDo Rev A.

It's already sent off to the FCC, and it's already been scrutinized. It is not WiMAX. Pretty much end of story.

Padre · 05/23/2009, 11:02 PM

I'm not saying I know anything about the Pre's potential in this, but I remember not long ago, Cradlepoint released a firmware patch to upgrade their EXISTING products out in the wild to 4G compatible. Either Cradlepoint had the fore thought to put the radios in their routers, or this is in fact possible with a patch!?!?!?!?!?

CradlePoint bringing WiMAX to existing fleet of portable routers

brum · 05/23/2009, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Padre

I'm not saying I know anything about the Pre's potential in this, but I remember not long ago, Cradlepoint released a firmware patch to upgrade their EXISTING products out in the wild to 4G compatible. Either Cradlepoint had the fore thought to put the radios in their routers, or this is in fact possible with a patch!?!?!?!?!?

CradlePoint bringing WiMAX to existing fleet of portable routers

Maybe the Pre will be compatible with a 4G network but the internal 3G radio will only be able to do 3G speeds.

Does anyone have a link to the FCC filings? I thought this could have been an Ace up their sleeve, though probably not very useful and therefore waste of money - which they are short on.

brum · 05/24/2009, 12:15 AM

Sorry for the double post but never mind: FCC Pre

Request for confidentiality letter

Does anyone know what frequency 4G is?

I saw "SAR Dipole 2450 MHz" is it related to the phone aerial?

crogs571 · 05/29/2009, 01:46 AM

Sprint's Wimax is in the 2.5GHz spectrum. I believe the 2.45 is for Wifi.

NickDG · 05/29/2009, 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivhs72

How do you know that the Pre does not have a 4g radio? What do you mean by no 4G access? It is possible for a higher speed device to run at a slower speed. If it wasn't, none of our current 3G phones would work on a non-3G network. Picture driving your Corvette around the streets at the speed limit. Give it a place where it can open it up, and you'll see lots of speed. Same with any 4g phone.

WiMax isn't based off the same technology as Sprint's 3G (EVDO). It's a completely different design, which requires a separate radio.

We won't see WiMax in this Pre, maybe the next.

ivhs72 · 05/29/2009, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickDG

WiMax isn't based off the same technology as Sprint's 3G (EVDO). It's a completely different design, which requires a separate radio.

We won't see WiMax in this Pre, maybe the next.

I'm aware of WiMax technology. We currently have it in Portland, all over the city. FWIW, their broadcast stations excede allowable FCC exposure limits, and it's posted all over them.

Newly-dubbed "Clear" WiMAX service hits Portland, Oregon

mikesm · 05/29/2009, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NickDG

WiMax isn't based off the same technology as Sprint's 3G (EVDO). It's a completely different design, which requires a separate radio.

We won't see WiMax in this Pre, maybe the next.

You won't see it in the next either, since the 4G network isn't going to get built. That mishmash of ownership by clearwire is not going to be able to deploy the network. They don't have enough money.

All this 4G talk by Sprint is BS...

crogs571 · 05/29/2009, 02:20 AM

It's in philly too. Whoopidee doo...

If you go through the FCC reports there was no testing of a Wimax radio. You have the cellular and PCS bands as well as the Wifi/BT band (they share the same antenna). No testing of anything in the 2.5ghz realm. No mention of Wimax. It's not a 4g phone. The confidentiality mention ended when the info was released on the 20th that made all the testing info public.

The device is even listed as

Quote:

CDMA/1x, EVDO Rel 0, EVDO Rev. A with 802.11b/g and Bluetooth Phone.

ivhs72 · 05/29/2009, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crogs571

It's in philly too. Whoopidee doo...

If you go through the FCC reports there was no testing of a Wimax radio. You have the cellular and PCS bands as well as the Wifi/BT band (they share the same antenna). No testing of anything in the 2.5ghz realm. No mention of Wimax. It's not a 4g phone. The confidentiality mention ended when the info was released on the 20th that made all the testing info public.

The device is even listed as

Read the documents again. There is testing that takes place in the 2.4 to 2.483ghz range. It is mentioned in the SAR test report.

WiMax is a trademark/commercial name, not something that would be used in a legal government document.