verizon wireless
Latest
LG Optimus Vu coming to wide-minded Americans by summer's end
If you're enamored with the 4:3 ratio of the Optimus Vu but remain disappointed that there isn't an American model to call your own, LG is bringing some sunshine to your day. The Korean company has confirmed plans to port the LTE-equipped version of the extra-wide phablet to the US sometime during the third quarter of the year -- in other words, anytime between now and the end of September. Thanks to our friends at the FCC, we even know that it's headed to Verizon first, if not exclusively. Most of the other details are scant. The timing makes it likely that Android 4.0 will ship with Big Red's edition as a matter of course; LG's me-too Q Voice interface won't speak English until 2013, however. We mostly know that, between LG's American plans and Samsung's next Galaxy Note, the Great PDA Revival of 2012 is still very much in full swing. [Thanks, FT]
Google, PayPal, VeriFone and US carriers band together to form Mobile Payments Committee
There's little doubt that mobile payments hold a ton of potential for the future of commerce, but without proper direction (and willingness for adoption), the technology remains little more than an impractical curiosity for the majority of consumers. In an effort to define a way forward for the mobile payment industry, a large number of heavy hitters have banded together under the umbrella of the Electronic Transactions Association to form the Mobile Payments Committee. Not only does the group include all four of the top US carriers, but also Google, Isis, VeriFone and PayPal. Add to that financial institutions such as Wells Fargo and Capital One, along with American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa, and you'll quickly realize that this group is playing to win. Primary goals of the Mobile Payments Committee include fostering relationships with merchants, ensuring consumer access to modern payment methods, exploring best practices and ensuring interoperability of networks, equipment and financial institutions. The group will also engage in lobbying activities with legislators and regulators, and will additionally work to educate both merchants and consumers about the potential of mobile payments. With so many key players (and competitors) sitting around one big table, what wouldn't you give to be a fly on the wall during those meetings? For a little extra insight, just hop the break for the full PR.
Verizon's Galaxy S III gets global roaming workaround, packs its bags
What's the point of owning Samsung's shiny new flagship if you can't take it on tour? Well, prior to Verizon's Galaxy S III launch, customers were promised that global roaming would be enabled sometime in the future via an OTA update. That unspecified date has yet to come, but if it's something of a priority for you, XDA Developers forum member lair12 has discovered a way make it happen without Big Red's involvement. We feel we should add a warning here -- switching from LTE to GSM isn't a simple process and goes far beyond a basic rooting (which, of course, is required). It includes a fair amount of preparation, including manually adding GSM network identifiers, and several steps to switch allegiances once abroad. But if you're a jet-setting Android tinkerer interested in giving it a go (at your own peril), the step-by-step guide is just a source link away.
MetroPCS lights up Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services, starts selling LG Connect 4G
MetroPCS may not be grand in scale, but it's certainly not lacking for ambition. Just over a year after announcing its eventual transition to Voice over LTE, the carrier has officially launched its VoLTE services. Moreover, it's announcing the first sale of a VoLTE-capable handset at one of the company's Dallas / Fort Worth store locations. The Android-powered LG Connect 4G is the outfit's first (and only, for now) VoLTE-capable phone, but the operator's promising more rollouts and phone options "in the coming weeks." For the consumer, those in range of LTE signals should notice clearer calls, and it's become something of a trend to see carriers (Verizon and Sprint, for instance) moving in this direction as 2G / 3G networks start to show their age. So, DFW residents -- anyone been able to try it out? Let us know in comments below.
Verizon adds Office 365 to Small Business Essentials, gives small businesses more mobile productivity tools
Fresh off unveiling Office 365's cloud app model last month, Microsoft has teamed up with Verizon to add the productivity suite to Big Red's Small Business Essentials service. Similar to the Governmental version of Office 365, small businesses can gain access to Office web apps, SharePoint website design tools, Exchange email and calendar service, plus Lync messaging. Best part is, it's just six bucks a month per user, and most all enterprise customers are taken care of: the tools are available on Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Windows Phone. Want to know more? PR awaits after the break.
Refresh Roundup: week of July 30th, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 30th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the Galaxy Nexus for Sprint and Verizon Wireless each became available for free, while in the MVNO world, Simple Mobile dropped the price of its high-speed unlimited smartphone plan to $50. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 30th, 2012.
Verizon-branded Galaxy S III wireless charging kit starts showing up at retail stores
Back when we met the Galaxy S III for the very first time, Samsung promised a wireless charging solution would be coming soon to its sleek and potent slab. Unfortunately, Sammy's power-boosting companion's been hit by hapless delays that have prevented it from seeing the light of day. Now, thanks to a few recent shots from Phone Arena, it looks like at least some S3 owners could see a bundle in the near future, albeit not the official one from the Korean outfit. According to the site's kind tipster, Verizon's allegedly pricing the charging station at $50, while the rear case is expected to be around $40 -- making it about $90 for the entire kit. Naturally, this could change at any given moment, but hey, at least we know it's out there.
Verizon Wireless sales staff allegedly dissing the iPhone
When Apple goes head to head with Android, it's vying not only for consumers, but also for the sales people who recommend the phones. According to Verizon customer Jeff Stern, Apple is losing that battle in at least one retail store. Stern recounts a recent visit to his local Verizon Wireless store and mentions how the employees were down-selling the iPhone -- getting rather nasty about it, in fact. The sales associates allegedly said Apple "released the iPhone 4S because Steve Jobs died so they just threw in a couple more features and pushed it out." One associate didn't like the layout of the phone and remarked that "every icon looks alike on your homescreen and it's really hard to find applications." And one was misinformed when he or she said that "Apple's servers are really small and when you use Siri it normally redirects to Google anyway." My experience at my local Verizon store has been the exact opposite of Stern's experience. All the associates I've encountered praise the iPhone; they look at me quizzically when I pull out my iPhone and then ask about possibly switching one of my lines to an Android phone. This isn't the only case of a carrier's retail team getting sideways with iPhone; BGR reported that AT&T's regional sales leads instructed stores to slow down iPhone sales in favor of other models. (AT&T issued a strong denial.) [Via Daring Fireball]
PSA: Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners now have direct access to Google Wallet
Nobody puts Google Wallet in the corner for long, not even Big Red. Though the carrier courted controversy late last year by withholding support for the burgeoning NFC-based platform amidst security concerns, it appears to have finally changed tack. Owners of that LTE Galaxy Nexus variant are now reporting the ability to access the app from the Play store, no workarounds necessary. Though we weren't able to verify the success of that particular method -- no results surfaced during a quick store search -- we did have success downloading the application to our stock, unrooted device using a direct market link. We've since reached out to Verizon for official comment on the matter, but have yet to hear back. In the meantime, if you've been itching to give Mountain View's brand of mobile payment a go, hit up the source link below and let us know how you fare in the comments. [Thanks, Keith]
Updated Verizon Galaxy Nexus Jelly Bean binaries added to AOSP
CDMA variants are, invariably, the redheaded stepchildren of the Nexus line. That is to say, those units nearly always trail behind their GSM counterparts where updates and official support are concerned. But it appears Google's picking up the pace, having just released the latest Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean (JRO03H) binaries for Verizon-branded handsets three weeks after welcoming Toro devices back into AOSP. What does this mean for the average user? Not much, since there's no real way to gauge whether or not this signals an imminent carrier-sanctioned OTA rollout, although it does bode well for those prospects. But for rooted users, the new addition is a boon, as it should pave the way for devs to cook up even more stable ROMs for your flashing enjoyment. So, that's the good news. The bad? Well, if you're on the Sprint side of the LTE Nexus divide, your handset's still not invited back to the party -- indefinitely.
HTC Trophy for Verizon prepares to Tango as soon as tomorrow
Stage fright is a problem for many, and perhaps it's for that reason that the HTC Trophy has yet to show us its interpretation of the Tango. We've received a bit of good news, however, as Verizon's own documentation reveals the update is on the way. Meanwhile, a leaked tidbit courtesy of AndroidGuys suggests that we may see the refresh come as soon as tomorrow. Whether the specific date pans out remains to be seen, but whenever Tango actually arrives, it'll bring newfound WiFi hotspot functionality, multi-picture and video MMS attachments, and the ability to send / receive ringtones. As for that little blurb about the Trophy catching a piece of Apollo... well, let's just chalk that up to codename confusion.
Verizon to stop blocking tethering apps, settles with FCC for $1.25 million
In May of last year, our free ride came to an end. US carriers started blocking third party tethering apps in the Android Market. Not long after, the built in feature was turned off on most phones. Our fortune may be reversing, however. The FCC has ruled that Verizon violated the rules governing the C Block of LTE spectrum by preventing consumers from using any application of their choice. The end result: Big Red will have to open up its airwaves and allow customers to circumvent its $20 a month tethering plan using apps from the Play store -- so long as you're on a "usage-based pricing plan." Though it's not explicitly stated, we assume that means those of you lucky enough to be grandfathered in to the unlimited data plans are left out. In addition to unblocking apps such as PdaNet and Barnacle, Verizon must pay a $1.25 million settlement to put an end to the investigation. For a few more details of the plan put in place to ensure compliance with the ruling, check out the PR after the break.
T-Mobile urges the FCC to approve Verizon's spectrum deal
It's strange to see another network provider stepping up to the plate for Verizon, but some of T-Mobile's big hitters have visited the FCC to do just that. The company wants Verizon's acquisition of AWS spectrum licenses from SpectrumCo, Cox and Leap to be pushed through as quickly as possible, and its motives are pretty obvious: it comes just a month after the companies agreed to some friendly bandwidth-sharing once the deal's done. T-Mobile has also challenged comments from the Rural Telecommunications Group (RTG), which argues that Verizon's acquisition will hurt competition. Oh, how things have changed since T-Mobile was battling in completely the opposite direction.
Verizon may cut what's left of Alltel data starting January 10th, 2013
Alltel customers brought under the Verizon umbrella have been getting more and more signals that it's time to let go of that legacy phone. The latest red flag is a letter that Droid-Life understands is making its way to holdout customers. According to one copy, Verizon will start shutting down the remnants of Alltel's data service on or near January 10th, 2013. Alltel's mobile data should be completely inert after April that year -- and those still clinging to the past will be down to basic phone calls and SMS until they get Verizon-blessed devices. At least corporate customers are getting incentives to cross the divide, so you can't accuse Verizon of forgetting to use the carrot along with the stick. We'll admit that we aren't exactly mourning the eventual loss ourselves: customers by that point will have had four years to make the leap, which in this era can feel like an eternity.
Google Wallet hack hits Verizon Galaxy S III
Verizon may not want you to have Google Wallet on your phone, but that won't stop intrepid rooters and hackers from shoehorning the app into Big Red's handsets. Mike Beauchamp and Dustin Evans took some time away from their recent Kansas City trip (to check out Google Fiber, of course) to get the Mountain View mobile payment solution up and running on a Galaxy S III. Is it more difficult than rooting your device and installing the app? Just a bit. Beauchamp's video doesn't offer much in the way of instruction, but it does show it being used to buy breakfast at Mickey D's. Thankfully, it looks like some folks over at the XDA forums have documented the solution, just check out the more coverage link.
Refresh Roundup: week of July 23rd, 2012
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging for an update. From time to time, these mobile devices are blessed with maintenance refreshes, bug fixes, custom ROMs and anything in between, and so many of them are floating around that it's easy for a sizable chunk to get lost in the mix. To make sure they don't escape without notice, we've gathered every possible update, hack, and other miscellaneous tomfoolery we could find during the last week and crammed them into one convenient roundup. If you find something available for your device, please give us a shout at tips at engadget dawt com and let us know. Enjoy!
Engadget's smartphone buyer's guide: summer 2012 edition
Despite the sweltering heat waves, our spirits are high at Engadget, and for good reason: it's time for our summer edition of the smartphone buyer's guide. Here, you'll find our top recommendations for the best smartphones across several US carriers, along with the best QWERTY and budget alternatives. In many ways, it's now easier than ever to find a world-class smartphone, but unless you've developed a strong brand preference, choosing one is likely more difficult than ever before. It's no secret that the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III have firmly cemented themselves as the premier smartphones of the day, but if you're torn between the two, we'll reveal our preference in this latest installment. Summertime also brought a bit of a shock, as Microsoft revealed that Windows Phone 8 apps won't be compatible with the current generation of Windows Phone hardware. For this reason, we've excluded all Windows Phone handsets from consideration in the latest buyer's guide. While the future of Microsoft's mobile platform looks incredibly bright, a purchase now would guarantee obsolescence in the short-term. Instead, all prospective Windows Phone purchasers must wait for the next generation of handsets to become available -- you'll regret it otherwise. Naturally, there is no shortage of rumors surrounding the next Apple iPhone, and given the handset's current lack of LTE connectivity, the iPhone 4S is certainly showing its age. While cautious purchasers may choose to bide their time, the iPhone remains top-notch in many other respects, and its arrival at a number of prepaid carriers brought a breath of fresh air to an otherwise stagnant environment. If you're curious to see how it all unfolded -- and we know you are -- join us after the break, where we round up the very best smartphones of the season.
Samsung Galaxy Stellar pops up in Verizon docs, might light up our skies soon
Having launched an all-out blitz on the high-end of US smartphones, Samsung must be eager to conquer the mid-range as well. A Verizon rebate list finding its way to Droid-Life has the previously unknown Galaxy Stellar showing up amongst the carrier's more budget-minded smartphones for a $50 discount sometime between now and an August 19th expiry date. There's little we can definitively attach to that starry-eyed name so far, although we have our hunches: first and foremost is that it's the Jasper, the Snapdragon S4-touting spiritual successor to the Droid Charge. It might alternately be the even more mysterious SCH-i415, which just showed up at the FCC this weekend and could be a world-roaming sequel to the Stratosphere (SCH-i405) with CDMA, LTE and GSM all rolled into one. Whether the Galaxy Stellar is one of these two devices or something entirely off of the map, there's a strong indication between this, Sprint's mystery SPH-L300 and the slightly more tangible Galaxy Reverb that Samsung will leave no CDMA corner unturned in the near future.
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 16th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, the Chief Operating Officer of Leap Wireless made his departure from the company and a new LTE handset was leaked for MetroPCS. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of July 16th, 2012.
