vzw
Latest
Verizon says (almost) 'all' future phones and tablets will be LTE
In case you hadn't noticed, Verizon is going all in on LTE. And that doesn't just mean investing heavily in its network and snatching up spectrum left and right -- it also means making the 4G tech a "hard requirement" for all future devices. Outside of a few exceptions, primarily limited to its push-to-talk offerings, all upcoming phones, tablets and mobile hotspots will boast an LTE radio. Verizon's associate director of device marketing, Keith Lampron, assured CNET that the company isn't going to turn into an iPhone and Android only outlet -- Windows Phone and BlackBerry offerings are welcome to join Big Red, so long as they hop on the 700MHz train.
VGo telepresence robot gets Verizon LTE, we go eyes-on (video)
The idea of a telepresence robot isn't exactly new in the tech world, considering there's been a few going to school in the place of teenagers for over a year now. But the VGo 'bot -- a chest-high roving device that has a display and camera built-in and allows patients and others to interact with a remote operator -- is at CES this year to show off its inclusion of Verizon LTE, instead of the WiFi-only model we've seen in times past. Certainly, the robot can default to WiFi in the absence of Big Red's next-gen network, but the nationwide coverage definitely gives the robot a lot more appeal... even if it is a mere $6,000. Expect to see the 4G-enabled Johnny Five available in the next two or three weeks. To see exactly what the robot's capable of, check out the gallery below and the video after the break.
LG Spectrum hands-on (video)
We got our first glimpse of Verizon's latest LTE family member, the LG Spectrum, yesterday at the manufacturer's event. At the time, however, we weren't given an opportunity to get our own smudge marks on the glossy black device. That's all changed now, as we've spent time on the showroom floor getting know this Android handset -- a veritable twinner of the LG Nitro HD. So click on past the break as we parse through our first impressions.
Verizon teams with In Motion Technology, transforms whips into rolling 4G LTE hotspots
Looking to get a bit more 4G LTE access in your Maybach than what your Galaxy Nexus affords you? The wait may soon be over as Verizon and In Motion Technology have announced the "first" wireless mobile router tech for use in vehicles. Making use of the latter outfit's onBoard system, Aventadors everywhere can be converted into secure mobile hotspots along with a network management that monitors the status of the whole kit. VPN security is also present, in all its mobile-optimized glory. The In Motion Technology has been widely used in public safety scenarios, including the onBoard Mobile Gateway in ambulances and other municipal vehicles. If you're looking to find out more on the duo's announcement, hit the full PR just beyond the break.
Motorola Droid 4 hands-on (video)
Fresh out of Motorola's oven is this Verizon Droid 4. Well, when we say "fresh"... anyway. From our brief hands-on just now, there wasn't anything too surprising with the software and performance from the 1.2GHz dual-core chip, but the hardware was almost top notch. We'd safely say that the physical keyboard is by far the best in the Droid series -- each key is neatly laser cut to give that even blue glow from the keyboard back light, and the tactile feedback was reassuringly comfortable. Alas, like its predecessors, the sliding mechanism isn't spring-assisted, so it'll take first-time users some getting used to with their thumb. On the bright side, the Droid 4 is lighter than the already-obsolete Droid 3 so it's less work for the hand. Stay tuned for pricing info, and take a gander at our hands-on video after the break for the time being.
Verizon launches BlackBerry Curve 9370
If all the Windows Phone and Android news isn't really striking your fancy and iPhones hold no appeal then, perhaps, your interest will be piqued by the BlackBerry Curve 9370 which was just announced. Verizon unveiled the latest budget-friendly RIM device for CES and it doesn't depart too much from the QWERTY, candybar mold. In addition to CDMA radios it's also got GSM for globetrotters and NFC for those that want to hop on the next wave of mobile payment tech. Around the back is a 5-megapixel camera, probably not capable of shooting 1080p. The 9370 will run you $99 with a two year contract after a $50 mail-in rebate. And, most importantly, it'll be upgradeable to BlackBerry OS 7.1 -- the most advanced in 20th century smartphone technology.
Verizon's Droid 4 finally official
We knew it was coming, and now it's here, Verizon's Droid 4. It's running Android 2.3.5 currently, but don't fret ICS fans, the fourth Droid will get the fourth version of Android in an update later. As with most phones these days, it strikes a slim profile for a QWERTY slider -- it's only half an inch thick -- but Moto managed to squeeze a 1.2GHz dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, and 16GB of memory underneath its 4-inch qHD display. Naturally, it runs on Verizon's LTE network, and has an 8 megapixel camera capable of 1080p video. Unfortunately, pricing remains a mystery even though the handset is scheduled to hit store shelves in the coming weeks. You'll find full PR after the break.
LG to out VMWare phone on Verizon, split home and work better than you ever did
VMWare is on a mission to stop you having to carry separate home and work phones, by letting you flick between totally separate and secure OS environments with the tap of a button. We already tried out its slick virtualized Android OS on an LG phone back at MWC last year, but now The Verge has learned that a finished product is coming to Verizon and Telefonica in a matter of "months." More details soon as we get them.
CyanogenMod 9 may feature a 4G LTE toggle switch for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus
We were slightly disappointed when we discovered the Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus didn't come with an easily-accessible LTE toggle switch, but we had a feeling it wouldn't be long before the development community came in with an acceptable solution. Thanks to Gregory Sarrica, we may be seeing a fast toggle button for the next-gen internet connectivity included in a future build of CyanogenMod 9. According to Gregory, it's getting tested right now and still needs to be reviewed before it gets accepted into the build, but he hopes it'll show up in builds as early as next week. There's no guarantees yet, of course, but he's provided us with video evidence of the new functionality to whet our appetites for now.[Thanks, @gsarrica]
Did you fire off a bunch of texts this Christmas? Welcome to the museum
Finland might be the spiritual home of the SMS, but it also proves that this ancient form of communication is going the way of the rune stone. A mere 8.5 million texts were sent over the country's Sonera network on Christmas Eve, versus 10.9 million on that festive day in 2010. The same trend was spotted on other Finnish networks and also on the other side of the world: Christmas Day texts in Hong Kong were down nearly 14 percent on the year before, and Telstra in Australia experienced a nine percent year-on-year decline over the whole of 2011. Things are different in America, where texting has continued to grow, but that growth seems to be slowing down and some analysts expect "SMS erosion" to hit Verizon and AT&T by 2014. The obvious culprit is mobile internet: social networking apps, BBM, iMessage and a host of other 'free' options, but you won't find carriers complaining -- data contract ARPUs suit them just fine.
Refresh Roundup: week of December 26, 2011
Your smartphone and / or tablet is just begging to get updated. 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 from 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!
Verizon backs down from convenience fee, values your two cents
The people (and government) have spoken and Verizon has listened -- and issued a press release. The carrier has officially backed off of the "single payment fee" that drew almost universal ire amongst subscribers and nabbed the attention of the FCC. Says Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead, "we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time." Looks like the company's gonna have to get a couple of bucks from you another way. No word yet on whether the FCC plans to investigate Sprint's similar long-standing fee. Official statement after the break.
Verizon's $2 convenience fee inconveniences the FCC
Just like hard working humans, giant companies like to get paid consistently and on time for services rendered. But Verizon's method for motivating customers to pay up -- in the form of a $2 convenience fee -- isn't sitting so well with consumers, or the FCC. A Federal Communications Commission official confirmed that the fee hasn't gone unnoticed, saying "on behalf of American consumers, we're concerned about Verizon's actions and are looking into the matter." The $2 "payment convenience fee" is scheduled to hit consumers beginning on January 15th, but if the FCC doesn't step in before then, you can still skip the toll by signing up for AutoPay, or making your way to a different carrier.
Verizon offers vague statement, no apology for LTE downtime
Earlier this week, you may have noticed that your Verizon Wireless LTE smartphone couldn't do inconsequential things like update your inbox, or pull up a webpage. This happened once. Then twice. And finally a third time this month. And what's the root cause? "Growing pains," according to the carrier's latest statement. And since growing pains are a natural consequence of adolescence, there's no reason for Verizon to issue any kind of apology to its paying customers, who naturally expect such inconsistencies from "the most advanced 4GLTE wireless network in the world." Now, some of you also reported issues connecting to the 3G network, which Verizon reps claim didn't experience any downtime. Instead, your hiccups were a result of being "unable to connect to the 3G Network as quickly as [Verizon] would have liked." Have any questions? Of course you don't. Such can be expected from any carrier, just like the requirement to fork over two bucks for the convenience of paying your monthly bill.
Verizon confirms latest LTE outage restored, again claims 3G operated normally
Verizon Wireless appears to be standing behind its claims of operating "the nation's largest, most reliable 3G network and the nation's largest 4G LTE network," following this month's latest nationwide data outage. A Verizon spokesperson wrote in to inform us that "the 4GLTE issue was resolved overnight. 3G operated normally; calling, texting were unaffected." We were unable to access data on both LTE and 3G CDMA networks with our Galaxy Nexus yesterday, however. Verizon may be working furiously to add cities to its LTE coverage map, but with repeated outages and little clarification this month, it may be a very long time before the carrier can include 4G reliability in its corporate maxim.
Leaked memo details Verizon's $2 fee for paying your bill; autodraft or ACH the only way out (update: confirmed)
A couple of years back, AT&T offered select customers a $25 prepaid MasterCard to switch their billing over to autodraft. Soon, Verizon Wireless will be following Sprint's footsteps and charging you for every month that you aren't using that very system. Tactical differences aside, the leaked memo shown above details what has to be one of the most consumer-unfriendly policy changes since the carrier boosted its early termination fee for "advanced devices." Effective January 15th, any customer that opts to pay their wireless bill online or over the phone will be charged an extra $2 each month, and the only way to sidestep it is to sign up for AutoPay or to pay by electronic check, where there's no credit card fee passed on to the carrier. For those unaware, AutoPay automatically drafts the most recent amount from either a linked checking / savings account or a credit card on file, and while we can understand VZW's desire to better control when it's getting paid, charging customers to make it happen is just downright ludicrous. Here's a thought, Verizon: enforce stricter penalties on late payments, or just offer those that shift to AutoPay a small discount for going out of their way to make your life a little easier. Or, you know, for all those hours that your network has been down during the holidays. Update: Verizon has officially confirmed the change to its policies and the $2 surcharge you'll be hit with each month if you're not using autodraft or some other small subset of payment options. Head after the break for all the details straight from the horse's mouth. [Thanks, Alex]
Verizon experiencing nationwide data outage? (update: Verizon confirms)
That phone on Big Red having problems with data? Apparently you're not alone, as the carrier appears to be having issues again judging by the metric ton of emails we've gotten from you experiencing LTE, and in some cases EV-DO, blackouts across the country. Our Galaxy Nexus in New York is chugging along with 1xRTT while a Thunderbolt in Washington DC is doing just fine with EV-DO. We've just pinged Verizon and will update if we hear back. Update: Verizon wrote in with the following statement: We are investigating reports of some customers experiencing trouble accessing the 4GLTE network. The network itself continues to operate and all customers continue to be able to make calls, send text messages and utilize data services. 3G devices are operating normally. Update 2: And it's back. Both our our Droid RAZR and Rezound are getting LTE goodness here in chilly San Francisco. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia's diagnostics app secretly contains CDMA, AT&T LTE test screens
A bit of detective work can certainly go a long way. Some little-known sections of Nokia's Windows Phone diagnostics app were found by Nanapho as it analyzed its XAP file, lending credence to rumors that AT&T-branded Lumia phones are being tested at present time. The site uncovered screens dealing with "LTE TX" and "LTE Band Lock," with the latter adding references to Band 4 and Band 17 -- AT&T-specific radios. The last interesting piece of evidence was dug up in the MMS settings tool, which offers code that refers to CDMA. We've heard past rumors suggesting Verizon would be getting a Lumia as well, but there were no indications that LTE Band 13 is in testing here; Big Red is reportedly hesitant to launch new Windows Phones without 4G connectivity now, so choosing to go without it would suggest the carrier is willing to make a few compromises in the hopes of adding the Lumia to its ranks. Hopefully we'll find more clues in the days leading up to CES.
HTC Fireball and LG Spectrum may bring global awesomeness to Verizon's LTE lineup
Separately, the HTC Fireball and LG Spectrum have made their appearances in Verizon's internal system before. But together, in the screenshot above, they're actually much more than just a couple silly names -- they're responsible for ushering in the beginning of an era (potentially). We have yet to see an LTE device on Big Red's lineup that can double as a world phone, but these two phones appear to have the international roaming capability. We're expecting to see them show up at CES, so we'll keep our fingers crossed. In the meantime, we'll just assume the "O" listed in the Global Phone category stands for ohhhh yeah.
Mobile Miscellany: week of December 19, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of December 19, 2011:
