T-Mobile Offering Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data Starting September 5

September is shaping up to be a very interesting month for the mobile industry, even if a certain Cupertino company named after a fruit doesn't release a new iPhone. Case in point: T-Mobile is returning to "truly unlimited" data plans beginning September 5.

T-Mobile USA has announced "truly Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data," arriving September 5 as part of a new plan "designed to satisfy both data-hungry customers who want to experience all their smartphones are capable of and those wanting the peace of mind of never having to keep track of their data usage."

That's right: No throttling, no data caps -- the new unlimited plan appears to be exactly what it claims to be, and kudos to T-Mobile for that.

Sprint aside, T-Mobile's return to unlimited data plans is in marked contrast to larger rivals Verizon Wireless and AT&T, both of whom appear to be sticking with their new data sharing plans rather than moving back to the unlimited plans that helped launch the iPhone in the first place.

Of course, T-Mobile doesn't have the iPhone, at least not officially -- there are plenty of prepaid users with unlocked handsets on the magenta network, of course, but they've historically been chained to slower EDGE data speeds. That's changing quickly as the carrier rolls out upgrades to allow iPhones to tap into its current "faux G" data network, which is what's being sold with the new unlimited plan.

Speaking of which, T-Mo's new Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan costs a mere $20 when added to a Value voice and text plan, which starts at $39.99 for 500 minutes with unlimited text or $49.99 per month for unlimited talk and text. Unlimited data can also be added to Classic voice and text plans for only $30 per month.

The new Unlimited Nationwide 4G Data plan will be available from T-Mobile beginning September 5 -- and yes, you can buy a SIM-unlocked next-generation iPhone and use them with these plans. You know, assuming that one is actually being released as rumored next month

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Google Introduces Nexus 7 Tablet, Starting at $199 for 8GB (Updated)

Google I/O kicked off with a keynote address Wednesday morning in San Francisco, and following the introduction of Android 4.1 "Jellybean" and Google Play updates, the search giant announced its own branded tablet, the Nexus 7.

Google took a bold leap into hardware manufacturing on Wednesday morning with the Nexus 7, the search giant's own stab at a seven-inch Android tablet which promises to go head-to-head with Apple's iPad.

Built in conjunction with Asus, the Nexus 7 features a 1280x800 HD IPS display with a 1.2 megapixel front-facing camera, 1GB RAM and 4325mAh battery. The seven-inch tablet is powered by a Tegra 3 processor running Android 4.1 "Jellybean," Google's latest operating system update revealed at the I/O keynote.

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC all come standard with the Nexus 7, which is capable of playing back nine hours of HD video and 300 hours in standby. Google Play is at the front and center of the Nexus 7, with all of your cloud-based content synced to a user's Google account.

Available in an 8GB model for a Kindle Fire-busting price of $199 or a 16GB model for only $249, Nexus 7 fans can also order a $19.99 cover for the device -- although the device is only available for residents in the U.S., U.K. and Canada at this time.

We managed to order an 8GB model for $199 before the keynote even started, although the tablet will arrive in mid-July. Purchases made from the Play Store include a $25 credit for content from Google Play as well as a free movie (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) and a selection of free magazine titles.

Android 4.1 "Jellybean" includes a number of notable features including better home screen arrangement, the new "Project Butter" for improving frame rates and improved search, which now includes Google Now for using a device's search history, calendar and other apps to help find information. Android 4.1 will be available as an over-the-air update on Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Nexus S smartphones as well as the Motorola Xoom tablet in mid-July.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

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Virgin Mobile USA Announces Prepaid iPhone, Available Starting June 29

One thing’s for sure: Apple isn’t going to waste any time at Monday’s keynote talking about new carrier deals for the iPhone. As widely rumored earlier this week, Virgin Mobile has announced that it will begin selling the iconic handset on June 29.

Virgin Mobile USA has made it official: The Sprint-owned subsidiary is now the second prepaid carrier in the United States to offer a prepaid iPhone, which will be available beginning Friday, June 29.



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Starting a Tech Business Post-Grad: Big Chance or No Chance at All?

EDITOR'S CHOICE Obama Campaigns Hit Romney Hard on Outsourcing Call Center Jobs to India Houston, We Have Disruption Graduation, Sunscreen, Green Algae and Batman Techzone360 Week in Review

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