T-Mobile Encourages Unlocked iPhone Owners To Switch To Its Network

In response to AT&T’s new policy of unlocking iPhones, T-Mobile made a statement to 9to5Mac encouraging those customers who unlock their device to make the switch to its network — all they would need to do is purchase a T-Mobile micro SIM card and sign up for one of the carrier’s plans. While folks with iPhones on T-Mobile won’t enjoy 3G speeds, due to different frequencies, the carrier said it is introducing 1900 MHz PCS spectrum which will be compatible with a broad range of devices, including the iPhone. If that’s the case, and you happen to be in an area that receives the new spectrum, it might not be a bad idea to switch if you want to save a few bucks each month.

HTC bootloader unlock for anything released after September

Well, it’s about time. HTC has decided to unlock the bootloaders on every phone launched since September 2011. The announcement came quietly in the sidebar on HTC’s Developer site, and in addition to the newer phones the company is also working to expand unlocking to older phones as well:

"All HTC Android devices launched after September 2011 are unlockable. The website will be updated accordingly to reflect this in the coming weeks. We continue to work on models launched prior to September 2011, please check back often for the status of older devices."

Unfortunately, the current listing on HTC’s website doesn’t include every phone, the HTC Vivid and Rezound aren’t listed. There’s no doubt the Taiwanese manufacturer is trying to get back into the good graces with Android hackers and fans of custom ROMs. This process may be a little confusing, but HTC deserves credit for getting it done and finding a way to make sure that carriers didn’t block it.

Honestly, more manufacturers should follow suit because most people like when companies cater to its customers and not resort to hoodwink, or just flat-out ignoring them. Props to HTC for coming through on its promise.

Unlock Bootloader

Sony Ericsson releases alpha Android Ice Cream Sandwich ROMs

Sony Ericsson’s developer community has come up with an alpha ROM of Ice Cream Sandwich for unlocked versions of Xperia devices, including the Arc S, Neo V, and Ray. What should be noted is that alpha ROMs aren’t made for daily use because there are functions that aren’t working correctly. Here is a list of the things that aren’t working, as provided by Sony Ericsson in the company’s official blog post:

• Google Mobile Services (GMS) apps are not included (for example, Gmail, Google Maps, etc.).
• Modem is turned off and SIM card will therefore not be recognized (this also means you can’t make any phone calls).
• Bluetooth is turned off.
• Wi-Fi is turned off.
• ANT+ is turned off.
• FM-radio is turned off.

I know, this doesn’t look too good, but you can still get a feel of what ICS will be like on your select Xperia handset. There is a list of features you can take out in this alpha ROM, which include:

• New “Roboto” font.
• New “Holo” theme is supported (you are able to test apps written to make use of the Holo theme).
• Music player control from lock screen.
• Updated UI in the Settings menu.
• Updated UI in the web browser.
• Updated UI and interaction with the new messaging action bar.
• Updated UI for improved multitasking.
• Swipe to dismiss notifications, tasks and browser tabs in the Notification menu.

If you’re the tinkering type, you can flash this build by heading over to the SE Developer’s Blog. Remember, this alpha build will only work with the Xperia devices I mentioned up top. Also be aware there are risks associated with rooting your phone and flashing it with another ROM, so take some precautions, like backing up anything important.