11/06, 9:50pm
iPhone may have CDMA option next year
An analyst report sent today hints at Apple producing an iPhone that would work with both GSM and CDMA networks. The OTR Global note obtained by AppleInsider claims to know of an iPhone in development with a hybrid Qualcomm chipset that will support the two normally incompatible standards. It would support UMTS-based 3G on carriers like AT&T and would presumably support EVDO-based 3G on Verizon and similar CDMA carriers.
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11/06, 5:20pm
Droid tethering to cost $30, have 5GB cap
Verizon late Thursday confirmed that it would add tethering to the Motorola Droid but clarified its plans. Contradicting a prior statement, it now says tethering when ready will cost $30 in addition to the phone's existing voice and data plans. It will also have a 5GB bandwidth cap before overage fees begin, though the tethering rate will be separate from the Droid's regular data.
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11/06, 3:00pm
Verizon wants stready Droid sales instead
The absence of long lines at most Verizon stores for the Motorola Droid is a positive sign, company spokesman David Samberg claimed today. According to the representative, Verizon believes early queues as "not really the goal" and that they are "flashy" more than a sign of actual built-up demand. The carrier would prefer to see a regular flow over coming weeks rather than an initial rush.
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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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11/05, 4:55pm
Casio G'zOne Brigade gets QWERTY keyboard
At a press event in New York City on Thursday, wireless provider Verizon showed off the still-unannounced Casio G'zOne Brigade handset. Photos reveal that this is Casio's first rugged push-to-talk device to flip open vertically to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. This keyboard has four rows of keys that include a shortcut key for messaging along with a dedicated row of number keys.
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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, 4:05pm
Verizon offering prepaid bundled data packages
On Thursday, Verizon Wireless said it has added three new prepaid mobile broadband data plans. Users can now opt for a $15 daily data allowance that includes 75MB of data, a $30 weekly package that includes 250MB of data and a $50 monthly offering with 500MB of data. These will be sold alongside a Verizon Wireless USB760 modem, priced at $130.
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11/05, 3:20pm
BlackBerry Curve 8530 announced for Sprint
After making its appearance at Verizon earlier today, Sprint also announced that the BlackBerry Curve 8530 smartphone is coming soon to its lineup as well. Potential customers can register now to receive updates on the handset. Preloaded apps are the primary difference for Sprint's Curve 8530 and include the Sprint Music Store, Sprint TV and Pandora radio.
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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, 10:50am
Verizon offering LG Chocolate now, Convoy later
Verizon on Thursday introduced two new handsets, including its first touchscreen Chocolate handset from LG, the Chocolate Touch, along with the rugged Push-To-Talk Samsung Convoy flip phone. While not as advanced as the Chocolate BL40, the Chocolate Touch is being billed as a capable music phone, sporting Dolby Mobile sound processing, an integrated FM radio with 12 presets and song ID, as well as a dedicated key on the side of the device for quick access to music.
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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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11/04, 6:55pm
One Voice initiative aims for interoperability
A long list of cellular providers and manufacturers, including players such as AT&T, Verizon, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia Siemens, Ericsson and Samsung, have all agreed on standards for voice calls and SMS messages distributed across LTE networks. The companies have collaborated on a technical profile, the One Voice initiative, that aims to ensure widespread compatibility between different products.
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11/04, 6:05pm
Sony VAIO P gets US upgrade
Sony tonight upgraded its extra-small VAIO P netbook in the US to keep in sync with Windows 7. The new models now all run Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional and with this change alone should run much faster than the older models bogged down by Vista's steep requirements. They likewise have been brought into step with Japanese updates and have the option of up to a 2GHz Atom, a 256GB solid-state drive and a champagne-colored shell.
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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, 6:05pm
Verizon promises cheap Droid tethering
Verizon today noted that it plans to add a data tethering option for the Motorola Droid. A representative tells Gearlog that, regardless of the open nature of Android, the new smartphone will eventually support the same $15 Broadband Connect add-on plan as other devices and can share its 3G connection with others. The support should go live in early 2010 and will carry the same 5GB transfer cap as Verizon's regular tethering and 3G modem plans.
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11/03, 4:40pm
ATT claims Verizon ads misleading
AT&T on Tuesday sued Verizon for allegedly misleading customers with its "there's a map for that" ads. The complaint argues that Verizon is deliberately exaggerating the gaps in AT&T's coverage through its map of 3G networks, making it seem as though some areas have no coverage at all, not just 3G. The campaign has already had to alter maps after some earlier protests from AT&T.
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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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11/02, 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, 10:55am
Subsidized Sony VAIO P at Verizon
Wireless provider Verizon will soon add the Sony VAIO P netbook to its subsidized lineup, according to a Monday Phone Arena leak. Thus far, Verizon offers the Gateway LT2016U, HP Mini 311 and Mini 110 netbooks, but the VAIO P would be the smallest and lightest of the four. The system should be the standard 8-inch netbook but will have a built-in modem with both EVDO and GSM support.
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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, 7:55am
FiOS Internet, TV users get 720p online
Verizon this morning became the first provider to offer EpixHD streaming video as part of its service. Those who have both a FiOS Internet connection and a FiOS TV subscription with the Epix TV channel can watch an unlimited amount of movies on the web at up to 720p. About 150 titles will be in rotation online, but the service will emphasize major, recent movies from MGM, Lionsgate and Parmaount; it should scale to include about 15,000 titles both old and new.
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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, 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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10/29, 8:30am
Sprint loses $478m cash, 135K customers
Sprint today reportedsignificant losses for its summer quarter. The carrier's net losses widened from $326 million a year ago to $478 million but were softened by losing a relatively modest 135,000 cellphone customers; the number is Sprint's smallest loss in customers in the past two years. It now has a total of 48.3 million subscribers and remains the third-largest provider, above T-Mobile but well below AT&T's 81.6 million.
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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, 12:05pm
Tradeoff may be worthwhile, says analyst
Apple will lose its current "sweetheart" US carrier subsidy if and when it signs an iPhone deal with Verizon, says Brian Marshall of Broadpoint.AmTech. The analyst argues that a Verizon iPhone will arrive in the second half of 2010, but with Apple unable to pressure the carrier into paying the same subsidy per phone required of AT&T, thought to be $450. A more likely Verizon figure is pegged at $300, which may contribute to thinning Apple margins.
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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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10/28, 8:35am
Verizon ships Storm2 but now criticized
Verizon as promised has begun selling the BlackBerry Storm2 online and, later today, through its retail stores. The touchscreen smartphone costs $180 after an immediate online discount but only reaches the same price at retail after a $100 mail-in rebate. Notably, however, the carrier is already putting the phone in its Buy One, Get One promo and will let buyers get a second Storm2 for free.
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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, 12:55pm
Verizon leak confirms BB Curve2 branding, more
Leaked images from Verizon confirm that the very recently slipped BlackBerry Curve 8530 will be known as the Curve2 at the wireless provider. The handset is a CDMA version of the Curve 8520 already offered by T-Mobile in the US and Rogers in Canada. The brochures have a decidedly holiday-oriented theme to them, which, together with a private sale slated for late in November, hint that the Curve2 will be out in time for the holiday season.
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10/26, 7:45pm
RIM's CDMA counterpart to the 8520
The BlackBerry Curve 8530 has surfaced in a hands-on look ahead of its launch on Verizon. The smartphone represents RIM's CDMA counterpart to the Curve 8520, although the latest model offers a few extras. The pre-release device, obtained by CrackBerry, was contained in a box labeled Curve 2, although it remains unknown if the company will use the moniker with official marketing.
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10/26, 6:05pm
Genachowski says mobile data in crisis
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski in a talk published today warned that mobile data is facing a "spectrum gap" that could significantly damage Internet access on cellphones. He considers the iPhone a leader in a wave of devices that are straining 3G networks enough to create severe accessibility problems and that the FCC is considering "more creative" steps to solve the problem. Among these steps may include exploiting unlicensed spectrum or even allowing second licenses that have two companies share the same frequency.
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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, 1:20pm
MiFi 2200 now supports BB Curve, Nintendo DS
Novatel's MiFi 2200 has recently benefitted from a firmware update that has upgraded much of its functions. The device connects to either Sprint's or Verizon's EVDO Revision A Internet connection and shares with up to five compatible devices across an 802.11g Wi-Fi network. Most notably, the new software allows the modem to never enter hibernation mode when it is plugged into a wall outlet instead of running off its built-in battery, and is now compatible with the Nintendo DS and BlackBerry Curve.
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10/26, 7:50am
BBerry Storm 2 and BB OS 5.0 for Verizon
After waiting nearly two weeks past the original launch, Verizon today unveiled its own version of the BlackBerry Storm2. Its version adds CDMA and EVDO Revision A for its own phone and 3G networks; quad-band GSM/EDGE and single-band 2,100MHz HSPA 3G give it roaming in most other areas. The US carrier also includes a 16GB microSDHC card in the box to put it more on par with the 16GB iPhone 3GS.
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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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10/23, 5:50pm
Moto Droid previewed well
Although not due to be unveiled until next week, Motorola's Droid stands to be Verizon's best phone to date, a preview finds. The first look at BGR characterizes it as one of the best Android devices to date, with high build quality, a fast processor with PowerVR graphics, good call quality and a long-lasting battery that can run for an entire day. Android 2.0 is also significantly more polished and brings a much improved browser and e-mail.
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10/22, 11:30pm
Moto Droid to use HTML5 web, 550MHz CPU
Motorola tonight inadvertently spoiled its own plans for the Droid by briefly posting a product page (since pulled) for the phone. While most of the features of the phone are already known, they confirm that its Android 2.0 build will include a full HTML5-capable web browser -- the first outside of Safari -- and will get Flash 10.1 support in early 2010. The specs also confirm a slightly faster than usual 550MHz processor and that a 16GB microSDHC card will be pre-installed.
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10/22, 10:15pm
Smartphone said to be similar to the Hero
An image has surfaced that allegedly shows the upcoming HTC Desire handset that will be heading for Verizon. Although the latest image, posted on the Boy Genius Report, appears to have been captured in poor lighting conditions, the overall form matches an earlier photo showing the Android-based handset fondled by Google head Eric Schmidt.
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10/22, 4:55pm
Verizon outs subsidized HP netbooks
To coincide with the release of Windows 7 on Thursday, Verizon has officially released the earlier rumored HP netbooks with a connection to its wireless data network. Only the 11.6-inch HP Mini 311-1037NR sports Windows 7 Home Premium, however, as the 10.1-inch HP Mini 110-1046NR includes Windows XP Home. Full specs of the devices are available, with the HP Mini 311 getting the NVIDIA Ion graphics platform along with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom CPU and 2GB of RAM.
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10/22, 12:40pm
FCC codifies tentative net neutrality rules
The FCC on Thursday published a draft version of its proposed network neutrality rules. The six terms in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would prevent Internet providers from blocking any legal apps, devices or services. They will also ban other forms of discrimination, except for neutral, "reasonable" management, and will require that providers also reveal any steps they're taking for network management, such as throttling or metered service.
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10/22, 8:40am
AT&T adds a high 2m total customers
AT&T today provided results for what it says is one of the best summer quarters in its history. The company says it activated 3.2 million iPhones, the most ever in its history and a steep jump from 2.4 million in the spring. It comes despite the iPhone 3GS having launched the previous quarter and points to increasing demand for the phone between July and September.
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10/21, 5:45pm
Verizon pins down Moto Droid release
(Updated with unveiling date) Verizon today virtually confirmed its release date for the Motorola Droid by shipping a press pack with a date. A box, obtained by Gearlog and likely others, includes just a Star Wars R2D2 toy and a sheet that mentions November while pointing to Verizon's teaser page for the Android phone. The carrier has already alluded to a November release and in a separate invitation has promised a reveal on October 28th.
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10/20, 6:10pm
Moto Calgary Verizon's third Android phone
Motorola's frequently rumored Calgary has been confirmed today through a leak of both images and details. Once thought to be the codename for what became the Droid, the Calgary is now known by BGR to be a second Motorola Android phone for Verizon and will use the MOTOBLUR social networking-centric interface from the Cliq instead of the stock Android 2.0 release on the Droid. The slip further reveals that the newly uncovered smartphone will have an optical trackpad as a backup to the touchscreen.
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