11/06, 12:45pm
IDC Q3 2009 phone share results live
Apple gained market share in the summer but slipped in the face of tougher competition, according to new IDC data. The iPhone's share of smartphones grew from 16.6 percent to 17.1 percent during the quarter but was overtaken by Research in Motion's record BlackBerry sales, which pushed it above Apple from 14.6 percent to 19 percent. The reversal is credited to the BlackBerry's wider distribution and the launch of a pair of key phones, the Tour and the Curve 8520.
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11/06, 11:20am
Dell Android phone greenlit at FCC
Dell's Mini 3iX smartphone has edged closer to the US today with an FCC filing. While the phone itself isn't photographed, a label diagram confirms its identity as it identifies the handheld as a phone with UMTS-based 3G and Bluetooth.
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11/06, 9:10am
Most VZ stores see small Droid queues
(Updated with additional lineup details) Early reports have suggested relatively small lineups for the Droid at Verizon stores. Visitors to most stores have seen lines of several people or less, with others seeing no lineups even with later early opening 8AM openings. The midnight opening at Verizon's 34th Street Manhattan store has also been described as modest, with one report so far suggesting that only 20 were in queue roughly an hour before it opened and no reports of the line growing much larger by 12AM.
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11/06, 12:00am
Droid launches at 34th St store
As promised, Verizon tonight launched the Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris at its primary retail store on 34th Street in New York City. The midnight opening is the first official launch in the country but follows numerous reports from those who have visited Best Buy and Walmart stores and successfully obtained the phone ahead of its official street date. Walmart Super Center stores are also typically opening sales at midnight, though the next earliest opportunity will involve the 7AM and 8AM openings at some non-mall Verizon stores.
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11/05, 9:55pm
Search giant fights with software company
Google has filed a countersuit against Illinois entrepreneur Erich Specht over the use of the Android trademark, according to the Business Insider. Specht in 1999 launched a company, Android Data Corporation, which sold a number of software titles using the Android name. The USPTO later granted the registration for trademark protection over the name "Android Data."
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11/05, 4:35pm
iPhone 3GS 8GB may combat Moto Droid
Apple and AT&T may use an 8GB iPhone 3GS as a 'secret weapon' against the launch of the Motorola Droid if a rumor proves accurate. Two separate sources of BGR's say the two iPhone partners are considering replacing the existing 8GB iPhone 3G with a 3GS variant, preserving the same capacity and $99 price. The move would undercut Verizon by offering the latest iPhone at the same price as the less ambitious Droid Eris.
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11/05, 3:40pm
MOTO ships Android 2.0 MID for developers
The MOTO Development Group is now making its 5-inch Android Media Platform (AMP) mobile Internet device (MID) available to developers. The device can run Google's Android 2.0 mobile OS and lets developers prototype interfaces, develop apps and extend hardware features. The MID is powered by a Texas Instruments OMAP3430 CPU and uses a 5-inch OLED capacitive touchscreen, though an LCD of the same size is optional.
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11/05, 2:30pm
Verizon 34th St store has Droid at 12AM
Verizon in a last-minute update today moved up the launch of the Motorola Droid for just one of its stores. Its flagship store on 34th Street in New York City will open at 12AM tonight for two hours to sell the Droid, the HTC Droid Eris, and accessories like the Droid's horizontal dock. This and other stores in the city will still open early afterwards, with most ready between 7AM and 8AM.
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11/05, 9:45am
HTC Droid Eris and Curve 8530 hit VZW
Verizon this morning preceded the launch of the Motorola Droid two expected new smartphones, including its second Android phone. The HTC Droid Eris, also known as the Desire, is Verizon's interpretation of the Hero and comes in an all-black design with touch-sensitive buttons below the 3.2-inch screen as well as a trackball for one-handed use. It still carries the 5-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi, and still uses HTC's original Sense UI layer and built-in web browser Flash.
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11/05, 8:55am
Telus HSPA launches with new phones
Telus this morning took its turn at launching its own HSPA+ network and new devices, including the iPhone. It sells the iPhone 3G and both the 16GB and 32GB iPhone 3GS units at the same $100, $200 and $300 prices as at Bell and Rogers on a three-year contract. The plans are slightly different than Bell's and start with a $50 Clear Choice iPhone plan that provides 150 minutes, unlimited evenings and weekends after 9PM and 500MB of data with tethering but supplies the perk of either unlimited local calls and MMS/SMS messaging to five numbers, double the minutes, or 1,000 outbound (unlimited inbound) messages.
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11/04, 6:35pm
LG targeting iPhone, BlackBerry, Pre
LG now considers the iPhone one of its largest competitors in the smartphone space, CEO Yong Nam said in a Washington presentation today. He dismisses both market leader Nokia and Sony Ericsson as rivals and instead says most of LG's energy is now focused on beating Apple, Palm and Research in Motion. The Korean company is now "investing heavily" in smartphones and is putting most of its focus on touchscreen devices like the Android-based Eve and multiple Windows Mobile phones.
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11/04, 12:45pm
Verizon to double ETFs for smartphones
Wireless provider Verizon is poised to double its Early Termination Fee (ETF) for contracts associated with smartphone devices. Leaked documents show that it will now cost $350 instead of $175 starting on November 15th if subscribers end their contracts immediately, although each month of the contract served will decrease that fee by $10. While it is not known which devices this new higher fee will apply to, it is likely to be all smartphones offered by Verizon, including BlackBerries and the upcoming Android-powered Droid from Motorola.
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11/03, 10:45pm
Ad maintains sci-fi theme of Droid marketing
Verizon has released a new television teaser, Stealth, for the upcoming Droid smartphone. Maintaining the sci-fi theme of other Droid marketing, the commercial begins with stealth aircraft dropping small spheres out of their weapon bays. The spheres are then shown slamming into the ocean and rural areas, spooking horses and confusing the locals. The objects begin to open as people walk closer, exposing the Droid handset inside.
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11/03, 6:55pm
LG Eve becomes Rogers' 3rd Android phone
Rogers scored a minor coup tonight by becoming the first carrier in the world with the LG Eve. Also known as the GW620, the touchscreen slider is LG's first Android phone and hinges on a special Social Network Services app that pools Bebo, Facebook and Twitter updates into a single area. It simultaneously integrates those with the phone's regular contacts to tie phone, e-mail and SMS messages.
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11/03, 3:55pm
Touchscreen phone adoption jumps 159%
The iPhone now represents almost exactly one third of all touchscreen phones in the US, new comScore info says. Of all touch phones in the country, 32.9 percent are iPhones while all others trail significantly behind. Most of the runners-up are Verizon devices and include the LG Dare and Voyager at 8.7 and 7.8 percent respectively. The BlackBerry Storm has just seven percent, while the T-Mobile G1 is both the most popular Android and T-Mobile phone on the list with 3.6 percent.
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11/03, 2:15pm
Verizon confirms Droid launch events
Verizon today confirmed and clarified rumors of a high profile launch for the Motorola Droid. Some of its retail stores will open at 8AM or as early as 7AM on November 6th to accommodate an anticipated rush of early customers. Only mall stores will open as usual.
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11/03, 1:35pm
Developer Zii EGG gets Android, due for ZMS-05
Creative's sub-brand ZiiLABS on Tuesday released the previously unveiled optimized implementation of the Android operating system for its Plaszma development platforms, including the Zii Egg media player and ZMS-05 system module. The Android Plaszma release is based on Android 1.6 and lets supporting handheld devices play back 1080p videos for the first time.
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11/03, 11:30am
Meizu M8 beta leak shows new UI
Meizu's M8 phone is about to undergo a major overhaul that draws on interface elements from at least three major operating systems, a copy of leaked firmware shows. Version 1.0.0.1 will shift its attention more towards Android with an app launcher much like Google's. However, that launcher will also be available directly from the drag-to-unlock screen and like Windows Mobile 6.5 will let users unlock directly to the phone or e-mail apps instead of visiting a home screen. Android's influence is equally evident in a contextual menu showing in the M8's web browser.
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11/03, 7:30am
Spring lawsuit says Nook reader copies Alex
Spring Design late Monday revealed that it has sued Barnes & Noble for allegedly infringing on the design of its two-screen Alex e-book reader. The company claims to have been working with Barnes & Noble in confidential terms since spring of this year but that the bookstore 'stole' the idea, unveiling its Nook reader without telling Spring Design in advance. The latter also says it has been obtaining patents since 2006, well before development of the Nook would have begun.
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11/03, 12:55am
Android-based device features new "UX" platform
Sony Ericsson has unveiled its latest flagship handset, the XPERIA X10, which had been previously referred to by the codename Rachael. The smartphone is promised to be the first of many devices built upon the company's Android-based UX "Open OS" platform. The X10 is the highest-end Android phone to date and features a fast 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 4-inch capacitive touchscreen with a 480x854 resolution, and an 8.1 megapixel camera with LED flash and autofocus.
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11/03, 12:00am
Device similar to 3i launched in China
Dell's Android-based Mini 3iX has surfaced in Brazil with support for Wi-Fi and 3G UMTS/HSDPA on 850MHz, 1900MHz and 2100MHz bands, according to photos posted on the Brazilian site CelularCafe. The integration of 850MHz 3G components adds evidence to rumors suggesting Dell is planning to bring its Mini 3i smartphone design to the US market.
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11/02, 5:20pm
Motorola Cliq now shipping at T-Mobile
As promised, T-Mobile on Monday announced the Motorola Cliq is now available at T-Mobile. The Cliq is the first Android-powered handset to use MOTOBLUR, a feature that brings e-mails, messages, status updates and other information from social networks to the home screen through streams. The Cliq also gets Wi-Fi and has a hardware slide-out QWERTY keyboard along with a 3.1-inch, 480x320 touchscreen.
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11/02, 5:15pm
Verizon adding 15 smartphones in 2 mths
A slip of new data today suggests Verizon may be planning a full assault on AT&T's command of the US smartphone market. One historically accurate contact for BGR says Verizon is watching its launch of the Motorola Droid very closely and, if successful, will accelerate smartphone launches it would have put off until early 2010. These would include particularly advanced devices like the Android-based HTC Dragon and Motorola Calgary, the former of which could launch on November 27th in place of the BlackBerry Curve2.
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11/02, 4:45pm
Acer's Liquid Android smartphone specs confirmed
The specifications for Acer's upcoming Liquid smarpthone have been revealed at a conference in France, Revioo reported on Monday. Despite an earlier report, the phone's Qualcomm SnapDragon processor will not be rated at its full, 1GHz clock speed but instead be limited to 768MHz.
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11/02, 4:10pm
WM 6.5 HD2 with multi-touch screen coming to T-Mo
T-Mobile UK has put up a product page for the HTC Touch HD2 handset, revealing it will be out sometime this month. The device is the first Windows Mobile (6.5) smartphone to use a capacitive multi-input touchscreen. T-Mobile UK site visitors get the option to register and receive updates regarding the device.
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11/02, 9:15am
Moto Milestone due for Europe Nov. 9
Motorola today confirmed an international version of the Droid that should also be the first Android phone with multi-touch. The Milestone uses a virtually identical design with an 854x480 touchscreen, 5-megapixel camera, GPS and Wi-Fi but switches to GSM, EDGE and HSPA for basic calls, 2G and 3G respectively. It currently doesn't support US 3G bands but should be available through at least O2 Germany (PDF) for the equivalent of $596 without a contract but with a discount.
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10/31, 12:45am
Google insists Android 3rd-party only
Google tonight moved to quash rumors that it would make its own smartphone. The company's Android project president, Andy Rubin, says it would be unfair for Google to "compete with its customers" and that it remains dedicated to Android only as an operating system for outside hardware manufacturers. He adds that Google isn't particularly experienced at hardware design and that its influence on the T-Mobile G1's hardware design is more a negative than a positive.
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10/30, 4:50pm
Sony Ericsson posts official XPERIA X3 video
Sony Ericsson is offering a look at a new white version of its XPERIA X3 smartphone thanks to an official video (viewable below) released on Friday. The device will be the first from Sony Ericsson to run on Google's Android operating system. The November 3rd release date for the device is once again touted as part of the clip.
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10/30, 11:55am
Verizon early openings to mimic iPhone hype
Verizon's launch of the Droid next week may involve a carefully orchestrated store opening, a source said late yesterday. Carrier stores will reportedly open at 6AM, or four hours early, to accommodate an expected rush of early buyers on November 6th. The Motorola Android phone is said by BGR be accompanied by the budget-minded Droid Eris at the same time.
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10/30, 9:55am
Sprint talks about future smartphones, changes
A Sprint executive revealed the carrier's plans to release software updates for its smartphones and other news via a web chat on Thursday. David Owens revealed the Android-powered HTC Hero and Samsung Moment will get an update to the OS, though hasn't specified whether it will be version 1.6 or 2.0. Android phones are expected to also go down in price thanks to higher volumes, and Sprint is considering adding an Android handset with an integrated MiFi-style router.
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10/30, 8:40am
ASUS chief confirms sub-$200 Android PC
ASUS chief Jerry Shen at an investor conference late yesterday said his company should have an Android-based smartbook on shelves by early 2010. Reversing earlier doubts about a market for such a system, Shen says a portable based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon chip and the Google mobile OS should be the first "secret weapon" for the company and will likely cost just $185. The price is roughly half what most builders charge for an Atom-running netbook.
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10/29, 5:30pm
HTC Droid Eris images leak, specs confirmed
Press images of the upcoming HTC Droid Eris handset have been leaked on Thursday, revealing the final look of the device as well as confirming some of its specs. Also confirmed is the date of when it should hit store shelves, scheduled for November 6th, or around the same time as Motorola's Droid.
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10/29, 2:40pm
HTC chief says HD2 Win Mobile only for now
HTC chief Peter Chou in an interview late yesterday dashed hopes of an HD2 with Android by positioning it as a Windows Mobile phone. Following rumors that have included photos, Chou tells Forbes that the very aim of the HD2 is to "take care" of Windows Mobile and restore the tarnished Microsoft brand. He admits to Forbes that the platform, which still makes up the bulk of HTC's phones, has proven a problem in recent months.
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10/29, 11:35am
Best Buy undercuts Verizon Droid pricing
Best Buy this morning scored a minor win by revealing that it will sell the Motorola Droid for $200 on contract, but without the $100 mail-in rebate that Verizon demands at its own stores. The retail chain adds that it will start taking pre-orders later today, just over a week before Verizon opens sales itself.
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10/29, 9:10am
Motorola set to recover following Q3
Motorola landed a crucial victory today with word of a profit for its summer quarter. The company bounced back from its year-ago $397 million loss to a $12 million profit for the same season this year. Its actual cellphones shipped fell sharply from 25.4 million phones to just 13.6 million but were offset by help from cost cuts as well as boosts in sales for its networking equipment and enterprise-class hardware.
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10/28, 6:35pm
Google Maps helps GPS maker stock crash
Shares of GPS device makers Garmin and TomTom plummeted today through a combination of their quarterly results and the launch of Google Maps Navigation. Following both low guidance for Garmin's next quarter as well as poor results from TomTom, shares for the two fell 16.4 percent and 20.8 percent respectively and remained low through the entire trading day after news of Google's free, turn-by-turn mapping service became public.
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10/28, 5:10pm
European HTC Hero handsets to get Android 2.0
A letter sent back to a curious HTC Hero owner from HTC Customer Support reveals the European version of the smartphone will skip the Android 1.6 update in favor of the latest update do the OS, 2.0. While no dates for the update were given, the HTC letter urges the customer to visit HTC's website regularly for the release. What is also unknown, but very likely, is that HTC Heros in other markets, the US included, will get a similar update and forego 1.6 altogether.
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10/28, 4:15pm
Moto Droid ads to show in NYC heart
A leak today has revealed that Verizon plans to drive home its ad campaign for the Motorola Droid with a major promo in Times Square. Likely timed with the Android phone's launch next week, Verizon is said to be taking over the NASDAQ and Reuters billboards with promos that let visitors temporarily take control of the signs by giving them voice commands, mimicking Android 2.0's feature. A mockup for BGR suggests visitors will call a phone number and enter a queue until the ads are ready.
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10/28, 2:40pm
Droid Eris may undercut Sprint's Hero
The Droid Eris could cost almost half as much as the Hero at Sprint when it goes on sale, a source says today. The "very trustworthy" insider tells gdgt that the HTC Android phone should cost $99 (likely $100) on a Verizon contract when it ships November 6th. The price compares roughly to the Hero at Cellular South but is much lower than Sprint's $180 asking cost for the same phone.
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10/28, 12:20pm
Google Maps Navigation official with 3D
Google today provided added details of the turn-by-turn mapping service found on the Motorola Droid. Google Maps Navigation adds many of the features that would normally exist in a dedicated GPS unit, such as a bird's-eye view and spoken directions, but takes advantage of Google's existing Maps features. Traffic is free in those areas where Google provides service, and Street View can show directions overlaid on top of in-location photos.
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10/28, 10:35am
Moto Droid carries Android 2, ships soon
Motorola today officially took the wraps from the Droid, its flagship Android phone and Verizon's primary challenger to the iPhone. The touchscreen slider is the first Android phone anywhere to use Android 2.0 and carries its new web browser, Exchange mail and other boosts. Notably, it also introduces a beta version of Google Maps Navigation, Google's first turn-by-turn app: the service uses voice commands to provide constant, spoken driving directions.
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10/27, 6:00pm
Verizon's Droid Eris to use old CPU
When it's unveiled, the HTC Droid Eris will be significantly less powerful than the Motorola Droid when it ships November 6th, a brief Tuesday leak says. Although cosmetically different, it should use the same 528MHz Qualcomm chip and Android 1.5 build as many of HTC's earlier Android phones, such as the Hero or T-Mobile myTouch 3G. A second HTC phone due later should address the speed gap, BGR adds.
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10/27, 1:55pm
Android 2 has new browser, multiple accounts
Google today at last provided full details for Android 2.0, its first major update to its mobile OS. The platform brings a much improved approach to mail that allows both for multiple accounts and native Microsoft Exchange support. The web browser has similarly been upgraded and is only the second HTML5-capable mobile browser outside of Safari; it further brings some of the earliest multi-touch support and recognizes double-tap zooms.
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10/27, 12:20pm
Google Wave gets web, desktop app sales
Google at a user group meeting in London late Monday revealed that Google Wave will have its own app store. The real-time communication and sharing tool already has a programming kit for add-in features but will eventually have a central location to buy apps that extend its feature. As Wave is primarily web-based, many apps will live there, but its support for non-web use would allow native apps for specific platforms.
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10/26, 11:20pm
Company's first Android-based smartphone
Sony Ericcson has launched a teaser site for its upcoming Rachael smartphone. Although the site does not directly name Rachael, se-blog.com blogger Michell Bak noticed that several references to the project's codename are contained in the page's source code. Sony Ericsson South Africa later confirmed the association between the teaser page and the upcoming device.
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10/26, 3:25pm
Verizon adds just 1.2m new users
Verizon today reported mixed results for its summer quarter and reiterated its invitation to Apple. The carrier said its operating revenue grew year-over-year by more than 10 percent to $27.3 billion but that its actual earnings per shared dropped a sharp 30.5 percent from 59 cents per share a year ago to 41 cents today, or $2.88 billion. Most of the growth came about from added cellphone and FiOS customers.
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10/26, 10:20am
HTC You campaign inverts iPhone tactic
HTC today began its first ever large-scale marketing campaign aimed at boosting its market share. The "You" promos will include TV ads (viewable below), billboards and other spots and is ultimately expected to reach 95 percent of US cellphone users as many as 36 times before the end of the year. The 10 largest markets, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle, will receive particularly heavy advertising.
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10/25, 12:05pm
Even More Plus plans beat AT&T by $30
T-Mobile on Sunday quietly launched its Even More Plus plans in a bid to undermine rival US carriers. The plans provide a simpler and potentially less costly approach to phone service and scale linearly in voice minutes and data features: users pick from 500, 1,000 or unlimited US voice minutes and can add either unlimited messaging alone or messaging plus data. Prices as a result range from as little as $30 for voice only to $80 for an all-unlimited plan.
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10/24, 11:05am
2nd Moto Droid works with N. Amer. HSPA
An FCC filing discovered late Friday has confirmed that the Motorola Droid won't be limited only to a CDMA version. The US agency's tests show it running WCDMA, the foundation for HSPA-based 3G access, on the 850MHz and 1,900MHz bands that are used both by AT&T in the US as well as Bell, Rogers and Telus in Canada. Many Latin American carriers also use the standards.
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10/24, 12:30am
HTC Desire may show Nov. 6 as Droid Eris
The upcoming HTC Desire may become part of what Verizon considers an entire series of devices, multiple leaks tonight appear to confirm. Following a source speaking to Phone Scoop that says all Android-based phones at Verizon will carry the "Droid" name as a brand, gdgt has posted a page for the phone that suggests it will be called the Droid Eris based on the Greek goddess of discord and get an all-black color scheme not unlike the Motorola Droid. The phone is already known to be a touch-only model with a trackball as a backup control and should bring a 5-megapixel camera.
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