InformationWeek Mobile Weblog

iPhone Coming To Verizon Q3 2010

Ed Hansberry — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:15:00 -0500

Apple will be releasing an iPhone that will work with all cell phone networks in the third quarter of 2010 according to an industry insider. This means that instead of making a CDMA and GSM version, they will make one UMTS/CDMA hybrid phone, and it also means Verizon will be the likely beneficiary in the US.

Google: No More Money For Clearwire

Eric Zeman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:26:58 -0500

Over the weekend, Sprint and a number of other companies agreed to invest another $1.5 billion into Clearwire, the growing provider of WiMax services. Notably absent on the list of financiers was Google, which has previously given cash to Clearwire.

Apple Prepping $99 iPhone 3GS To Battle Competition?

Eric Zeman — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:59:53 -0500

Right now, AT&T offers the iPhone 3G 8GB for $99, and the iPhone 3GS 16GB and 32GB for $199 and $299, respectively. Despite word from Apple's own Phil Schiller that the company's lineup is set for holiday sales, reports of a $99 iPhone 3GS 8GB model have hit the 'net.

Vulnerabilities In The Apple iPhone

Ed Hansberry — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:40:32 -0500

Apple has two recently discovered vulnerabilities that can put user data at risk. One is implemented by a developer that has accessed a backdoor to transmit user data back to its servers without Apple's or the user's knowledge. The other is an exploit in the wild that logs in with root access. Just as Windows' popularity on the desktop has made it the target of hackers and unscrupulous software developers, it seems the iPhone's popularity has made it a target as well.

Verizon Attacks iPhone With Holiday Ads

Eric Zeman — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:48:38 -0500

The gloves are still off. Verizon Wireless has unleashed another volley aimed at AT&T and the iPhone. In this latest round of anti-iPhone advertisements, the iPhone is banished to the Island of Misfit Toys and substituted for "coal" in the stockings of "naughty people."

Android Gets App Love From Photoshop And Slacker

Eric Zeman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:20:28 -0500

Coinciding with the availability of the Motorola Droid and the HTC Eris at Verizon Wireless stores today, the Android Market is featuring two juicy, new applications. Photoshop.com Mobile and Slacker Radio mean more photo editing and Internet radio powers for Android lovers.

Inventor Of Cellphones Says They're Too Complicated Now

Eric Zeman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:10:35 -0500

Former Motorola researcher Martin Cooper -- one of the inventors of the cellphone back in 1973 -- says that the devices do too much these days, and don't do any of them well. Is a JitterBug in Cooper's future?

Best Buy Agrees To Distribute Google Mobile App

Eric Zeman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:09:45 -0500

Not sure what to make of this one, as it feels slightly oily. Google and Best Buy announced a new program whereby Best Buy employees will help customers download and install the Google Mobile app on their brand new cell phone.

Sprint And T-Mobile Headed The Wrong Direction

Ed Hansberry — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:01:42 -0500

Sprint and T-Mobile are in the "big four" club of American carriers, but it seems Verizon and AT&T continue to grow while Sprint and T-Mobile are losing out. T-Mobile just reported that they lost 77,000 net subscribers in the third quarter and Amazon has killed the Kindle that works on the Sprint network.

Sprint And Verizon To Offer BlackBerry 8530 Curve

Eric Zeman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:59:38 -0500

Buried in the coverage of Verizon's second Android phone (HTC Droid Eris) today was news about a new, entry-level BlackBerry that's headed to both Sprint and Verizon Wireless. The 8530 is a smaller, less expensive Curve that should appeal to the mass market more than the enterprise user.

Droid On Sale At Midnight In Some Stores

Eric Zeman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:25:34 -0500

Verizon Wireless stores are planning to open early tomorrow morning -- and in some cases at midnight -- to let eager customers purchase the Motorola Droid. Anyone think the Droid is going to stir up iPhone-like excitement?

HTC Droid Eris Kneecaps Motorola Droid At $99

Eric Zeman — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:45:00 -0500

If you thought Verizon Wireless was going rest easy with the Motorola Droid launching Friday, you've got another thing coming. Today, Verizon Wireless announced that the HTC Eris -- a.k.a, Hero -- which hits stores November 6, too, for $99.

America's Top 10 Most Satisfying Phones In August

Ed Hansberry — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:24 -0500

In the phone world, a list of top phones two months ago is really outdated, but it is an interesting snapshot at what is grabbing our mobile communication attention and are satisfying us most. August is particularly interesting as this would be right after the iPhone 3.0 and Palm Pre launched.

Verizon: $350 ETF Is A Go

Eric Zeman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:26:21 -0500

Verizon Wireless has confirmed that it is in fact altering its Early Termination Fee policy. Starting November 15, those purchasing "advanced" devices such as smartphones and laptops, will need to agree to a $350 ETF to get the subsidized price.

T-Mobile Adding Own Channel To Android Market

Eric Zeman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:35:01 -0500

Today T-Mobile CTO Cole Brodman shared a number of data points regarding T-Mobile's Android customers. T-Mobile apparently has high hopes for Android adoption, as it is planning to roll out its very own T-Mobile Channel in the Android Market. It will also make carrier billing a reality later this year.

Tech Pros Want Security, Healthcare, Green Certifications

Marianne Kolbasuk McGee — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:37:45 -0500

Techies are seeking professional certifications in emerging areas like healthcare and green IT, and especially old standbys like IT security, according to a new survey.

Verizon Wireless To Double ETFs To $350?

Eric Zeman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:59:18 -0500

If you thought $175 was a steep early termination fee to pay, get ready for some unwelcome news. In order to ward off scammers, Verizon Wireless is giving serious consideration to doubling its ETF to $350 for "advanced" -- read: expensive -- devices. Whoa.

HTC's Whopper HD2 Smartphone U.S.-Bound

Eric Zeman — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:09:46 -0500

One of the most impressive Windows Mobile 6.5 devices announced in recent months, the HTC HD2, sports a massive 4.3-inch touch display and is powered by a speedy 1GHz Snapdragon processor. If you were worried it would only be available in Europe, rest easy. Today, HTC confirmed that this powerful device is headed to a major U.S. carrier.

T-Mobile Reports Widespread Outage

Ed Hansberry — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:45:32 -0500

T-Mobile has reported a "service disruption" that is affecting most of the country. It seems to be inconsistent. Some people are reporting a total outage while others report that either data or voice works, and a few are reporting no problems at all. As of this writing, the issue still hasn't been totally resolved.

Motorola Explains Why Droid Doesn't Have Multi-Touch

Eric Zeman — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:15:04 -0500

One of the minor complaints that some have voiced against the Motorola Droid is that it isn't capable of performing multi-touch gestures, such as pinching to zoom. That complaint only applies to the U.S. version of the phone, though, as the Droid will support multi-touch in European markets.

AT&T To Verizon: 'There's A Lawsuit For That'

Eric Zeman — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:50:45 -0500

You know the funny ads that Verizon Wireless has been running at AT&T's expense? The ads show AT&T's 3G coverage and compare it to Verizon Wireless's 3G coverage. The punchline of the commercial is "There's a Map for That", which riffs on Apple's "There's An App for That" ad campaign. Well, AT&T doesn't think the commercials are funny, and sued.

Sony Ericsson's Xperia X10 Android Phone A Winner

Eric Zeman — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:58:05 -0500

Today Sony Ericsson introduced its first Android phone, the Xperia X10. Based on the spec sheet, it should be a smash hit. It runs Android 1.6 (Donut) and will have a massive, four-inch WVGA display (480 x 854 pixels). The X10 will be the first in a series of new phones to run Sony Ericsson's home-brewed UX user interface. Let's dive in for a detailed look.

Turn Your Laptop Into A WiFi Hotspot

Ed Hansberry — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:01:55 -0500

If you have Windows 7 on your laptop, you can turn it into a WiFi hotspot allowing other devices to hook up to it as if it were a router and browse the internet. This can come in handy in areas where you have to pay per device to get online, such as a for-pay WiFi hotspot.

iPhone Reception In China Less Than Stellar

Ed Hansberry — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:35:13 -0500

The iPhone was officially released in China on the China Unicom network October 30th. They had a big launch party but reception for the device itself was considered tepid compared with other iPhone launches in other countries around the world.

Google Voice Search Now Speaks Symbian

Eric Zeman — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:58:33 -0500

Today Google finally got around to bestowing the powers of speech unto the Symbian S60 smartphone platform. The newest version of the Google Mobile App for S60 now supports voice-based searching.