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Amazon drops its unlimited cloud storage plan
For a couple of years now, Amazon has had one of the more desirable cloud storage plans out there, offering infinity terabytes for just $60 per year. If you were taking advantage of that to store your 8K RAW video, however, you now need to pay more: Amazon has officially killed the plan. Instead, you get a not-as-generous 1TB for the same price, and up to 30TB for an addition $60 per terabyte -- an eye watering $1,800 per year.
Comixology adds Marvel to its all-you-can-read service
Digital comic retailer ComiXology offers an all-you-can-read service for $6, which nets you stacks and stacks of virtual graphic reading from Image, Dark Horse and IDW. The big two — Marvel and DC — have been notably missing from the Netflix-style app for a while now, as both offer their own digital systems. Today, however, Amazon-owned ComiXology announced that it had finally harpooned one of the big white whales, adding select Marvel titles to its library. You'll also be able to grab several Marvel collected editions via Amazon's Prime Reading service and Kindle Unlimited.
Verizon's $80 prepaid plan is unlimited but also imperfect (updated)
Verizon has launched a new prepaid plan that sounds more enticing than many of its competitors'. At $80 a month, it offers unlimited data, talk and text in the country. The carrier also tacked on unlimited text to 200 other international destinations and unlimited talk if you're calling numbers in Mexico and Canada. However, it's not as "unlimited" as we all would want. For starters, it can only stream videos in 480p, putting your new phone's HD screen to waste. More importantly, tethering and mobile hotspot aren't part of the package, meaning you won't be able to share your phone's connection with your other devices.
Jaguar follows Chevy with unlimited LTE for your car
In-car WiFi is only worth having if you've got enough mobile data to make use of it. Following Chevy's lead, Jaguar Land Rover will offer a pre-paid, unlimited AT&T data plan for $20 a month. The luxury automaker says that you can connect as many as eight devices to the LTE network via the InControl feature on certain models, including the Jaguar XE. If that car sounds familiar, that's because it's one of the few that you can make in-car, cashless gas payments from. Would you pony up for the mobile data service? Let us know in the comments.
AT&T tweaks its unlimited data plans to offer tethering
Remember when AT&T announced that it would once again offer unlimited data packages, and they were a little underwhelming? Sensing its error, the company has taken the opportunity to roll out a tweaked plan to ease the pain of your wallet. AT&T Unlimited Plus offers unlimited calls, texts and 22GB of high speed data before you hit the throttling wall for $90 a month. Even better, the plan now offers 10GB tethering data per line -- something that was omitted from the prior set of plans.
Why is Verizon offering unlimited data again?
As soon as Verizon dropped the unexpected news that it was bringing back unlimited data plans, I immediately started searching for the catch. The company has a rightfully earned reputation for nickel-and-diming its customers to death, even though some would argue its excellent network is worth the premium. But aside from being more expensive than T-Mobile's offering, Verizon's unlimited plan seems to be a good option. In fact, the new Verizon plan forced T-Mobile to do away with the incredibly annoying way it dealt with streaming HD video on its network. It's been awhile since T-Mobile was forced to follow another carrier's lead, but Verizon appears to have learned from T-Mobile's misstep.
Verizon revives its unlimited data plan (updated)
Here's a nice Sunday surprise: Verizon is bringing back the unlimited data plan. As of February 13th, the carrier is launching a Verizon Unlimited tier that gives you unlimited US data, calls and texting for $80 per month ($45 per line for a family of four). You do face the risk of throttling after 22GB of use in a given month, but Big Red is promising that you won't see the catches that come with T-Mobile's standard One plan: HD video streaming and hotspot support (up to 10GB at LTE speeds) are included, for example. And if you travel to Canada or Mexico, you'll get calling and texting to those countries as well as 500MB per day of full-speed data.
ComiXology Unlimited offers all of the comics for $6 a month
ComiXology, Amazon's online comic book service, unveiled a new unlimited content subscription option on Tuesday. The $6 per month ComiXology Unlimited plan gives subscribers unfettered access to the service's archive, which includes titles from Image, Dark Horse, IDW and a bunch more -- basically every notable publisher outside of Marvel and DC. ComiXology will continue to sell individual issues from the Big Two, it just won't offer them on the unlimited plan.
AT&T's unlimited mobile data plan is back
After discontinuing its unlimited mobile data plans back in 2010, AT&T has brought them back as a bundle with its U-Verse TV and new DirecTV services. If you're a subscriber on either of those, the plan costs $100 for a single smartphone, with additional lines at $40 each. That's a far cry from the $30 that grandfathered subscribers of the older Unlimited plans pay, though AT&T will also lop $10 off of your DirecTV or U-Verse bill. New subscribers will get throttled at the same 22GB limit as older users, but will also get unlimited texts and talking.
Sprint's latest family plan offers two unlimited lines for $100
Sprint is trying to do everything it can to compete with T-Mobile's audacious, budget-friendly plans. As such, the carrier's introducing a new plan called Best Buy One Family, featuring two lines with unlimited data, talk and text for $100 per month -- each additional number (up to eight total) will cost $40. Back in March, Sprint also announced a Best Buy-only plan that gives people a smartphone and all-you-can-have service for a flat monthly rate, so this isn't the first time the network and retailer have teamed up. Naturally, if you're interested in taking advantage of this offer, you'll have to visit a Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile store.
TalkTalk's unlimited everything SIM is £12 per month but laden with fine print
The UK mobile market is undergoing a serious makeover, with two huge acquisitions on the horizon and new MVNOs popping up left, right and centre. Quad-play provider TalkTalk is already known for its low-cost broadband, TV and mobile deals, but now's a more important time than most to show you can stay relevant and competitive. Hence the company's latest promotion, which sees the launch of a SIM-only mobile tariff that gives you unlimited everything -- that's minutes, texts and 3G data -- for just £12 a month. Better yet, it's being offered on a 30-day rolling contract, meaning you don't need to sign up for a year or more of service to take advantage of the deal. Cheap, easy and tempting, right? Well, yes, but before you go cancelling whatever contract you're on now, know that there's a heap of terms and conditions attached to this otherwise attractive offer.
Cablevision's WiFi-only unlimited mobile phone service is live
The all-WiFi phone service Cablevision announced in January is now available. Unlike the usual mobile carrier, the Freewheel phone (currently a $100 second generation Moto G) only operates on WiFi -- to keep costs down it doesn't look for 3G, LTE or any other kind of signal. Of course, if you're consistently in the range of wireless hotspots then that's not a problem, and it's pre-programmed to log in to any of 1.1 million Optimum hotspots in the New York area or "Cable WiFi" hotspots elsewhere. As promised, it's $10 per month for customers with Cablevision's internet service or $30 without, all to get unlimited calling, data and text messaging with no annual contract.
FTC says Straight Talk's promises of unlimited data were crooked
If you were seduced by offers of "unlimited" phone data on prepaid carriers like Straight Talk or Simple Mobile only to find your service unbearably slow after a certain point, the Federal Trade Commission has your back. The carriers' owner, TracFone, has agreed to pay the FTC $40 million to settle charges that it misled customers by advertising unlimited data that was really throttled into oblivion. In other words, Straight Talk was being... less than straight. Beyond the payout, TracFone has to avoid making sketchy claims in its ads and provide refunds to anyone who's been burned. The settlement won't affect a huge number of people, but it could serve as a warning sign to AT&T and other big carriers trying to avoid penalties for similarly shady throttling practices.
AT&T invokes Title II status to dismiss FTC data throttling suit
AT&T definitely doesn't want to be regulated as a Title II "common carrier" internet provider, but it's happy to use that status to dodge charges of throttling customer data. The carrier just filed a motion to dismiss a recent suit by the FTC over "deceptive" mobile data throttling. It claims its common carrier status for providing voice services exempts it from the FTC's jurisdiction over data as well -- and that it should instead fall under the FCC's writ. The suit resulted after AT&T said that certain unlimited data plan customers would see throttled speeds, despite the fact that they paid for that to not happen. AT&T said that its common carrier designation, rather than specific services it provides (like data), means that "the FTC cannot rewrite the statute to expand its own jurisdiction."
Amazon gives UK Prime members unlimited photo storage too
When Amazon announced that it was extending Prime subscription perks to include unlimited photo storage, the online retailer continued its tradition of making features available to US customers only. While we've been made to wait longer for other products and services, the company today saw it fit to open the service to us Brits, allowing you to upload your entire photo library (in full resolution) to its cloud. Amazon lets you upload your images one of three ways; via the web, using its iOS or Android apps, or by downloading its dedicated PC app (a Mac app is on its way). You'll then be able to view them using Amazon's Fire TV, console apps and selected smart TVs -- perfect for when the in-laws arrive at your door unannounced and you need to provide some quick entertainment.
FTC sues AT&T for throttling unlimited data plans
According to the Washington Post, the Federal Trade Commission is suing wireless carrier AT&T for throttling data plans that were advertised as being unlimited. AT&T instituted throttling in 2011, targeting unlimited users who used too much data. The FTC reportedly received thousands of complaints about throttling, which reduced the speed of the customer's cellular data connection by as much as 90 percent. AT&T allegedly used the practice 25 million times against more than 3.5 million customers who, on average, experienced slower internet speeds twelve days each month. FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez led the investigation that found AT&T was aware of consumer dissatisfaction with the practice and chose to ignore it, advising the marketing team that "saying less is more" is crucial when selling wireless plans. "AT&T promised its customers 'unlimited' data, and in many instances, it has failed to deliver on that promise," said Ramirez in a statement. "The issue here is simple: 'unlimited' means unlimited." AT&T responded to the suit, calling the allegations "baseless" and claiming the government was overstepping its bounds by trying to change an industry accepted network management technique. "It's baffling as to why the FTC would choose to take this action against a company that, like all major wireless providers, manages its network resources to provide the best possible service to all customers," said AT&T senior executive vice president Wayne Watts, "and does it in a way that is fully transparent and consistent with the law and our contracts." This throttling issue isn't AT&T's first wrangling with the FTC. The wireless carrier recently reached a $105 million settlement with the government agency over allegations it was stuffing customer bills with fake third-party charges. These bogus fees reportedly netted AT&T hundreds of million of dollars over a five-year period.
Bitcasa drops its unlimited cloud storage due to underuse (and abuse)
If you were thinking of milking Bitcasa's unlimited cloud storage for all it's worth, you'd better have an alternative lined up. The company is dropping its signature Infinite storage option after November 15th, in tandem with an upgrade to new infrastructure. You'll have to migrate to a limited tier (such as the new 10TB, $999 per year Pro plan) if you want to keep all your content. Why the sudden clampdown? According to Bitcasa, you probably weren't using it -- only 0.1 percent of its accounts chew through more than 10TB. Moreover, some of those that are consuming that much space are reportedly abusing it at a level which "seems impossible" for any one person. The company hasn't elaborated on what these nogoodniks are doing beyond violating the terms of service, but it's easy to see a company trying to use Bitcasa as a makeshift storage server.
Verizon won't be throttling unlimited LTE data plans after all
If you were worried that Verizon would start throttling your unlimited data plan because you use it a lot, you can relax -- Big Red just had a last-minute change of heart. The carrier tells Droid-Life that it has decided against pursuing "network optimization" (read: throttling) for uncapped LTE users. There's no direct explanation for the about-face, but Verizon says that it "valued the ongoing dialogue" on slowdowns. In other words, it's likely trying to avoid a clash with the FCC, not to mention angry customers, over a potential violation of net neutrality guidelines. Whatever triggered the provider's second thoughts, it's good news if you've felt that the unlimited service you pay for shouldn't have any strings attached. Check out the full statement below. Update: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler approves, saying in a statement that "I salute Verizon Wireless's decision. This is a responsible action and I commend Verizon's leadership on this issue." Clash averted. [Image credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo]
Sprint offering new unlimited plan for $60 a month
One of the major issues with moving all your media to the Cloud is how expensive data plans can be for mobile devices. You don't want to pay hefty overages just to stream your favorite Sam Smith song all the time when you can store it on the device. Of course, that doesn't have to be a problem anymore if you're a Sprint customer. The mobile service is rolling out a new unlimited data plan, at $20 less a month than their closest competitor T-Mobile. Sprint's unlimited plan costs $60 a month, per line. That's a savings of $240 a year over T-Mobile. Sprint has experimented with unlimited plans in the past, but this is their simplest one yet. Today also marks the official start of the Sprint Spark enhanced LTE service program, which is designed to increase wireless data speeds across devices for all users. Sprint Spark is only available in 27 markets right now, but offers users average wireless speeds of 6-15Mbps on compatible devices. As we rely more and more on our mobile devices, it's good to see mobile carriers start to realize how unhappy customers are with data caps on mobile services. Now if they'd just do something about how expensive our coverage is in comparison to the rest of the world, we'd all be set.
Amazon testing Netflix-style subscription service for e-books
Ever heard of Kindle Unlimited? Us either, at least not until now. Originally spotted by kboards, a forum site that welcomes Kindle chatter, this previously unknown service appears to be an upcoming all-you-can-read subscription service from Amazon. For $9.99 monthly, as described by the image above, Kindle Unlimited is said to offer access to more than 600,000 books and "thousands" of audiobooks. Not surprisingly, that healthy digital library doesn't appear to include any of the major US publishers (Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Shuster) -- something e-book subscription service Scribd is very familiar with, since it only carries titles from two of the "Big 5." Amazon has yet to announce Kindle Unlimited, but after seeing these ads slip through the cracks, we can safely say it's only a matter of time before it becomes official.
