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Motorola Droid Xyboard 10.1 hands-on impressions (video)
Don't call it a comeback, it's a Xyboard -- Motorola's rebranded (for the US, anyway) Xoom 2. A 10.1-inch attempt at sidestepping the original Xoom's notoriety. With baked-in LTE of the Verizon variety, a slimmer waistline and a distinctive design, this Android 3.2 tablet could very well inject a dose of excitement back into the company's flagging category appeal. But with the spotlight-stealing ASUS Eee Pad Transformer Prime already on the map and dazzling consumers with its notebook-like functionality, will anyone even notice Moto's second swing at Honeycomb? Are LTE speeds and an improved silhouette enough to lure wayward users back into the company's willing embrace? Does anyone even care about non-Ice Cream Sandwich tablets? Read on as we explore the odd ends and angles of this curiously-shaped slate. %Gallery-142343%
Verizon sidesteps Galaxy Nexus antennagate, claims signal indicator is to blame
This is just hilarious. Remember when Verizon Wireless stated rather unequivocally that its Galaxy Nexus suffered from a "signal strength issue" and that a fix was coming? Worry not, dear readers, because the company now claims that it's identified the issue: apparently, there's really no problem at all. According to Big Red, the Galaxy Nexus doesn't suffer from poor reception, but simply reports its reception poorly. To resolve these 'perception' issues, the carrier states that it will deliver a software update that "will adjust the signal strength indicator to more closely match other Verizon Wireless devices." So, whether or not there really is a problem with the Galaxy Nexus (LTE), one thing is for certain -- very soon, its owners will have more bars to look at. Huzzah, indeed?
Verizon confirms LTE data services fully restored, 3G never affected
Several hours after service issues were first reported this morning, Verizon Wireless has confirmed that 4G LTE service has been restored throughout the country, and that 3G CDMA services were never affected. So that miserable half-day of reliving the pain of 3G speeds is now behind us, hopefully never to return.
Justice Department antitrust division probing Verizon cable spectrum deals
Looks like AT&T isn't the only major carrier having issues with the guv'ment lately. Remember that 20MHz AWS spectrum that Verizon got from Cox Communications for a cool $315 million this month? How's about that juicy spectrum Big Red scored from Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for $3.6 billion? Well, it turns out those deals are raising an eyebrow or two over at the Justice Department, which just launched an investigation into the matter. A spokesperson for the department confirmed the probe with Bloomberg News but declined to provide further details. A source familiar with the investigation, however, says the antitrust division is involved. Apparently, there's concern that the deal puts too much control of the airwaves in the hands of Verizon. For its part, Verizon declined to comment, saying it has yet to receive information about the investigation.
PSA: Verizon users reporting data outages across the US (update: back up)
If you're having trouble getting a data connection on your Verizon-branded handset this morning, you're not alone. We've been receiving a bevy of tips from disgruntled Verizon customers, due to an apparently widespread outage across the carrier's mobile data network. Based on what we're seeing on Verizon's @vzwsupport Twitter feed and forums (linked below), it looks as if both 3G and 4G networks have been affected. We tested some handsets in the San Francisco area, and can confirm that data connections there are indeed down at the moment. We've reached out to Verizon for comment, and will let you know as soon as we hear more. Update: Verizon's 3G CDMA network appears to be up, but 4G LTE services are still unavailable. Meanwhile, Verizon reps confirmed to us that the company is looking into the outage. Update: LTE users in New Jersey are reporting that the service is back up, and we're online in New York City as well. Update (again): And now for something completely different: a statement from Verizon. Verizon Wireless 4G LTE service is returning to normal this morning after company engineers worked to resolve an issue with the 4G network during the early morning hours today. Throughout this time, 4G LTE customers were able to make voice calls and send and receive text messages. The 3G data network operated normally. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Verizon confirms Galaxy Nexus 'signal strength issue,' says a fix is in the works
Well, there's good news and bad. Per usual, we'll kick it off with the latter. The LTEified version of the Galaxy Nexus has signal problems. Or, more specifically, a "signal strength issue." According to Verizon Wireless' Support account on Twitter, the issue is currently being investigated, and while there's no ETA at the moment, a software update is "being developed" to remedy it. We haven't seen a flood of gripes regarding the call quality (or lack thereof) with this particular handset, but it's not exactly uncommon for carriers to work on these types of things soon after a hero device hits the masses. Naturally, we'll keep you abreast of any release details.
After legal battle, MSG HD channels finally arrive on Verizon FiOS
When the MSG Network was founded in 1969, the New York Knicks were just a few months away from their first NBA championship. The franchise would go on to win a second crown in 1973, after which it embarked on a gut wrenchingly long title drought that persists to this very day. The MSG Network, on the other hand, has been busy employing Mike Breen and expanding its Ewing-esque regional media reach to new platforms, including (rather begrudgingly) Verizon's FiOS TV. Last week, the carrier announced that both MSG HD and MSG+ HD would be coming to its FiOS TV lineup, with select markets receiving the channels as early as Thursday. The move doesn't come without some grumbling, though, especially on MSG's part. As Verizon puts it, the network had previously "refused" to provide its HD channels, but was ultimately forced to do so when the FCC ruled in Big Red's favor. MSG's ownership tried to stay the decision, but a federal court this week denied its request. As a result, New York subscribers can now spend their evenings watching the Knicks in HD, and trying to remember the good ol' times.
Mobile Miscellany: week of December 12, 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 12, 2011:
Samsung Stratosphere review
Once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, Verizon was still in phase one of its LTE lineup, which consisted of nothing but 4.3-inch slate phones with questionable battery life and very little to stand out from the rest of the competition. Now that we're seeing the second generation of devices coming into the 4G fold, Big Red appears to be pushing choice -- not just in terms of size and feel, but price as well. The Pantech Breakout was the first to, well, break out of the mold, offering a smaller form factor for a much more reasonable cost. It was nothing to write home about, but the fact that it existed gave us hope that we'd see a slew of phones in the same price range, finally making high-speed connectivity a more affordable option. Shortly afterward, the Samsung Stratosphere sneaked up and snatched the spotlight away from Pantech, offering the very first QWERTY keyboard on an LTE-capable device for a cost similar to that of the Breakout. But when we first saw the phone, something felt eerily familiar: it looked almost exactly like the Epic 4G, a Galaxy S-era device that was released on Sprint's WiMAX lineup nearly a year and a half ago. Looks are one thing, but what about the internals? Does the brand new Stratosphere perform like an old phone, or does it give a completely fresh perspective on a 2010 classic? Read on for the full scoop. %Gallery-141746%
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 rolls through the FCC packing Verizon-friendly LTE
Samsung's Galaxy Tab 7.7 is certainly no stranger to the good people at the FCC, as both WiFi and HSPA+ versions have already run the Commission's gauntlet of radiation tests. The third time's the charm for Verizon customers, however, because a new model dubbed SCH-i815 has made its way to the FCC bearing CDMA and LTE radios built to surf Big Red's network. So, it looks like the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will be making its way to American store shelves sometime soon. The question is, did Sammy have to beef up the Tab's profile to cram in the LTE gear like its Nexus cousin?
Cox Communications sells 20MHz wireless spectrum to Verizon for $315 million
Hot on the heels of its acquisition of a glut of AWS licenses from cable giants Comcast, Time Warner and Bright House for a few billion, Verizon's at it again. This time, Big Red's grabbing a swath of 20MHz AWS spectrum from Cox Communications for a tidy $315 million. In a separate agreement, Cox and VZW will begin selling each other's services as well. Of course, this is all pending FCC approval, but it looks like this latest purchase will have Verizon only further extending its LTE lead over Ma Bell.
Verizon Galaxy Nexus review
It's the Galaxy Nexus. It has LTE. It's the phone we've been waiting (and waiting) for. Sure, some of our more globe-trotting members of the staff were suitably sated by the HSPA+ version that shipped a few weeks ago, but the rest of us domestic types simply need more bandwidth. Or, at least, we like to think that we do, and this $300 (on-contract) Verizon release certainly has that in spades.However, there's something missing: Google Wallet. That company's attempt at reinventing commerce isn't here and, while nobody's saying for sure, it surely has something to do with Verizon not wanting to kneecap the Isis payment service it has invested in. That leaves us wondering: with restrictions on what apps can be installed, and some rather prominent carrier branding on the back, is this really a Nexus device at all? And, more importantly, is it a good phone? Those answers and more wait for you below.%Gallery-142006%
Galaxy Nexus for Verizon LTE unboxing and speed test (video)
After weeks of waiting, rumoured launches and even a few accidental sales, the elusive Verizon Wireless Galaxy Nexus is finally here. We dropped by a New York City retail store to try out Google's first Ice Cream Sandwich smartphone in the flesh, before bringing one home for a proper unboxing and LTE performance test. As expected, the production version that we finally got our hands on today is virtually identical to the sample that popped up at the Samsung Experience earlier this month, but with one major exception: there's a Micro SIM installed, letting us try out core functionality, such as placing phone calls and accessing data without a WiFi network in range.The Verizon Nexus arrived with Android 4.0.1 pre-installed, but prompted us to update to 4.0.2 just a few minutes after we added a Google account. It is noticeably thicker and heavier than its HSPA+ counterpart, but this thing is fast when it comes to transfer speeds -- not quite as speedy as we've seen with some LTE devices on AT&T's budding 4G network, but it's definitely in line with competing handsets from Verizon, and the MiFi we used for a comparison speed test. Our salesperson wasn't willing to let us leave without first confirming that the phone was in fact working, so he had the honor of first peeling back the phone's plastic cover. Ready to check it out? Roll up your sleeves and join us after the break for our unboxing and speed test.%Gallery-141918%%Gallery-141932%
PSA: Verizon's Galaxy Nexus getting Android 4.0.2 update today
Big Red confirmed as much in yesterday's under-the-radar announcement, but we're now receiving reports that some users are being prompted to update their LTE-enabled Galaxy Nexus to Android 4.0.2. It's taking around two to three hours after activation for the update to hit, with ICL53F bringing an optimized mobile hotspot when used with VPN, a few notification fixes and visual improvements to the lock screen. It'll also now automatically reconnect to known WiFi access points, and those wonky email attachment issues that a few folks were having are gone. Oddly, DivX support has actually been yanked, though the company promises to support it "in a future upgrade" -- we're guessing the support that was baked in simply had too many issues to go to market with. It weighs in at 10.7MB; let us know how your installation goes in comments below.
Poll: Are you getting a Verizon Galaxy Nexus?
A Nexus phone on Verizon? We've heard that one before and it didn't end too well. Yet somehow, after all these years, Google's pure Android juggernaut has finally managed to broach the Big Red velvet rope, landing its LTE innards online and in-stores for over-eager mobile diehards today. But this much-anticipated Ice Cream Sandwich flagship launch hasn't been without its hiccups, delays and disappointments (backplate branding and bloatware, anyone?). So, the burning question we have to ask is: Will you or won't you? Hop on past the break to toss in your two cents. Sound off. 1, 2...
Verizon to begin selling Galaxy Nexus tomorrow for $300
Get the conga line going, folks, because Verizon's finally come out of its non-committal shell and announced that its version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, as expected, can be purchased in stores and online starting tomorrow for $300 with a new two-year commitment. If you go through the official site to grab your copy, you may want to stay up late tonight -- they'll be ready to go at 1AM ET. %Gallery-141830%
Verizon posts Galaxy Nexus simulator, doesn't cap your virtual data
Want to be an Ice Cream Sandwich champ before you even have a Galaxy Nexus in hand? Big Red's just opened the e-freezer, launching its Samsung Galaxy Nexus support simulator, complete with programed hands-on tutorials for navigating menus, launching apps, taking beautiful food pictures with creamy bokeh and browsing various single-page Verizon sites. The tutorial isn't a full sim in the traditional sense -- it's merely a microsite with static pages and limited animations -- but it's the closest many of us will get to playing with the real thing; until tomorrow, at least. Clear your schedule for the next five minutes, and hit up the source link for the smoothest smartphone experience you're likely to ever have.[Thanks, Zedster]
Verizon Galaxy Nexus extended battery makes blurrycam debut, shows off its hump
LTE's dirty secret is also an open one -- it's a juice hog. So, if you're planning on snatching up a Big Red-branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you'll probably want to leapfrog that stock 1,850mAh battery for an extended one. Good thing, then, that Mr. Blurrycam stopped by Droid Life to give prospective owners a cure for what's about to ail them. The heftier battery only ups the ante to 2100mAh -- a far cry from the Droid Bionic's 2760mAh -- but, hey, it's better than the alternative. And for the style-obsessed mobile maven, it appears that de rigeur unsightly hump is less severe than you'd expect. You can check it out in the video after the break or in-store -- whenever that is.
Verizon's Galaxy Nexus hitting Costco on December 15? (update: VZW stores too)
That elusive Samsung Galaxy Nexus is still heading to Verizon, believe it or not, and we may actually be nearing the end of our frustrating quest to get our hands on one. While we're still waiting for an official announcement from Big Red itself, the inaugural Ice Cream Sandwich device has shown up in Costco's internal pricing guides with a starting date of December 15th -- a mere two days away. It's priced at $290 with a two-year commitment, which is exactly the same as what we'd originally heard a month ago. Keep in mind that since Costco is an authorized retailer for Verizon, its release date may vary from the official website and corporate-owned stores; that said, we're sure hoping we can waltz into a store somewhere -- anywhere -- and pick one up this Thursday. [Thanks, Anonymous] Update: Thanks to another anonymous tipster, who sent us a screenshot from an internal VZW store computer, it looks like Big Red will be rolling out the Galaxy Nexus on the 15th, too. Not only that, but the alabaster Droid RAZR will land on the same day. Proof's in the photo after the break.
Lucky shoppers pick up Verizon Galaxy Nexus early at Best Buy
Well, this is just a tease. It was bad enough when the original December 9th release date was pushed back to some undetermined point in time. And then our neighbors to the north got their own version. Now a few lucky shoppers have managed to their hands on the Verizon edition of the Galaxy Nexus and, chances are, you're not one of them. It looks like at least one Best Buy didn't get the memo that the Nexus debut had been postponed. Sean Bates was able to stroll in to the big box retailer and snag himself an little slice of Ice Cream Sandwich and offered a photo of the receipt as evidence. Another forum user, who goes by the name dubya.t also managed to get his mitts on one and posted his own pics showing some of the Big Red branded apps. Sadly, you probably won't be able go drop $300 on your own LTE-equipped Android 4.0 handset and we're not any closer to finding out exactly when it'll officially hit the market.
