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Verizon's CEO sidesteps questions on iPhone, Android handset

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 24th 2009 @ 7:58AM

The last time we heard from Ivan Seidenberg, he was letting Sprint know precisely what he thought of it. This go 'round, in a new 'Charlie Rose' interview, the Verizon chief is being entirely more coy. In speaking to recent political happenings, he mentions that the communication coming from the citizens of Iran is "a great thing," and he also notes that attempts to block internet use "can't work long term" as the "power of the people will override that without any question." Sort of comical given VZW's prior persistence to cripple phones in spite of consumer backlash, but we digress. He also dodged (with great skill, might we add) questions on whether Verizon Wireless would carry the iPhone, noting that it was "Apple's decision" on whether it would build one to support the company's forthcoming LTE network. As for Android? He did confess that recent reports of a Motorola handset coming its way "might be true," which is CEO speak for "oh, that's absolutely happening." Hop on past the break for a video of the whole shakedown.

Continue reading Verizon's CEO sidesteps questions on iPhone, Android handset

Garmin "getting very close" to a US Nuvifone launch... or so it says

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 5th 2009 @ 5:41PM

If you've a proven track record of delivering solid products to consumers (much like Garmin has), we'll cut you some slack for awhile if you happen to hit a snag or two along the way while bringing a completely new device to market. But after more delays than we care to count and a 1.5 year gap between announcement and right now, the benefit of the doubt vanishes. To that end, we couldn't be happier to report that Garmin's president and COO Cliff Pemble feels that it's "getting very close" to a carrier launch (AT&T, perhaps?) in the US. Said statement was given at a shareholders meeting today, and he also mentioned that the Asian market would see the Nuvifone "this month or in early July." We appreciate the update, but at this point, the burden of proof is squarely on you, Garmin.

[Via Electronista]

Nokia N97 pre-order falls to $524.25 in the US

by Chris Ziegler, posted May 8th 2009 @ 3:01AM

Yes, technology tends to fall in price as it ages, but is the still-unreleased N97 prematurely getting on in the years or something? Did we miss that memo? Nokia USA is already blowing out N97 pre-orders for $174.75 off the $699 retail price after having originally gone up for sale just earlier this week -- and you still get a free BH-703 headset thrown in for good measure. Considering that this means you're getting the most full-featured device Nokia has ever made for the same price as a NAM E75, it seems like a no-brainer; hurry up, though, because we suspect this discount is a limited-time sort of deal.

[Thanks, Trudy]

Update: With code CARTP409N, the price falls to a ridiculously low $454. Seriously, what's up with the fire sale? Thanks, Lee!

Update 2: Sadly, the code's no longer working, but it seems like Nokia may honor pricing for those that ordered -- here's hoping. Thanks, everyone!

Cincinnati Bell lands Nokia's XpressMusic 5800: $149.99

by Darren Murph, posted May 3rd 2009 @ 12:14PM

Good one, Cincinnati Bell -- you totally got us. Oh, wait. This isn't a joke? For the second time in as many months, the aforesaid carrier has somehow managed to land a white-hot Nokia handset before any other operator in America. This go 'round, the company is becoming the first in the US to offer a subsidized version of Nokia's polarizing XpressMusic 5800, bringing it to customers in the Ohio region for $149.99. Those looking to do without any strings can procure one for $349.99 (which is still $50 less than what Nokia's asking), but it's the bragging rights here that make it all worthwhile. So, how long before a real carrier follows suit?

Update: And here's the press release.

[Thanks, Adam]

Nokia throws up "pre-order soon" logo on US N97, drives the kids crazy

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 30th 2009 @ 9:26AM

Thanks to the always revealing FCC, we knew good and well Nokia's painfully expensive N97 had Carolina (and probably the other states, to be fair) on its mind, but now we know the moment of truth is drawing near. As of right now, Nokia's US website has a teaser block informing us Yanks that we'll be able to pre-order this here smartphone "soon." Hitting the link only directs us the European legalese that we've digested before, but surely it'll lead to something meaningful in due time. Patience... it's a virtue.

[Via phoneArena]

T-Mobile brings $50 unlimited voice plan to rest of America

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 2nd 2009 @ 2:57PM

Well, that "trial" didn't last long at all, now did it? Just days after teeing up a $50 unlimited voice plan in the great city of San Francisco, T-Mobile USA has reportedly taken said plan nationwide. Users are already buzzing about the widespread availability, though it should be noted that the same "loyalty requirements" from the San Fran pilot are still in effect for the rest of the nation. In other words, you have to have been a T-Mob subscriber for at least 22 months and have been in good standing the whole time. Oh, and being cute probably helps.

Nokia's Comes With Music service plans world tour

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 20th 2009 @ 3:01AM

Nokia's all-you-can-eat Comes With Music service has been humming along quite nicely across the pond, but until now, we've been left in the dark about its plans for world domination. No more, as a recent Reuters report has it that the unlimited music service should be headed to Australia, Asia and Singapore later this quarter and Latin America / USA sometime this year. We're also told that more corners of Europe should get served in the future, though no window of time was handed out there. It should be interesting to see if any carriers jump in to subsidize these, but our gut feeling says they'll be sold for a premium unlocked at your nearest Nokia flagship.

[Via UnwiredView]

AT&T forced to pay $2 million for violating court orders in Dobson acquisition

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 15th 2009 @ 3:01PM

You just thought that whole AT&T-Dobson Communications tie up was completely over. Turns out, AT&T is now being asked to pay $2 million as part of a civil settlement for violating a pair of court orders related to the acquisition. According to a petition filed by the Department of Justice, the carrier failed to fulfill its obligations when divesting mobile wireless businesses in three rural service areas (two in Kentucky and one in Oklahoma). In essence, AT&T personnel reportedly obtained "unauthorized access to the divested businesses' competitively sensitive customer information, and in some situations used it to solicit and win away the divested businesses' customers," and it doesn't take a lawyer to understand how sketch that is. Tsk, tsk, AT&T.

[Via RCRWireless]

Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1a now available at SonyStyle

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 6th 2009 @ 11:46AM

It's been tough getting out of the starting gate for Sony Ericsson's X1a (that's the Americanized version of the X1), particularly when you realize that it was supposed to ship en masse way back on Black Friday of last year. Oh sure, a select few have managed to procure one of the QWERTY-packin' WinMo powerhouses, but we've heard far more complaints about "no stock" than tips on excess inventory. Now, however, SonyStyle.com has the handset listed as in stock, with an estimated ship date of tomorrow. Furthermore, UnwiredView is reporteding that many of Sony's retail locations are also well stocked with the unlocked smartphone. Of note, SonyStyle is offering up the X1a in silver, but there's always spray paint if you're lusting after a black model like the one we tried out.

[Via UnwiredView]

Sony Ericsson C905a does its thang in the FCC

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 10th 2008 @ 5:02PM

We had darn good reason to believe that a Sony Ericsson C905 was destined for US turf, but now we have reason to be completely and utterly enraged if SE doesn't make it happen. How so? Because the FCC just gave us permission. The C905a has indeed found itself a home in the deep, deep lairs of the agency's website, and while there's not much here to salivate over just yet, there is an 85-page User Manual attached for those eager to pre-learn keyboard shortcuts and the memory card insertion process. Oh, and would you check out that Lyra ruler? Sweet stuff, we tell ya.

[Via CellPhoneSignal]

Nokia's North American N85 now shipping

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 9th 2008 @ 8:40AM

Just days after Nokia's highly desirable North American N85 emerged for pre-order at Amazon (and Nokia, for that matter), we're now seeing reports that some of the earliest orders are beginning to ship out. The N85 NAM, of course, includes that lovely tri-band GSM support with NA 3G compatibility baked right in, and the US warranty doesn't hurt either. So, has your pre-order shipped out yet? No? Then get on the horn and find out why!

Study sez Americans send twice as many text messages as Europeans, twice as prone to thumb failure

by Darren Murph, posted Dec 5th 2008 @ 12:49PM

Okay, so maybe that "thumb failure" bit isn't in this particular study, but it's definitely a logical conclusion to draw, right? At any rate, a recent survey from Portio Research has found the mobile messaging market will likely bring in some $130 billion in revenues by the year's end, and that figure could climb to $224 billion by 2013. Also of note, Americans are said to send "double the number of messages that Europeans average each month," and that's despite the fact that 82% of USers never even use the service. Looking for one last tidbit to chew on? SMS was found to be the mobile messaging weapon of choice in every researched nation save for Japan, which (on the whole) relies more on mobile email than texting.

[Via textually, image courtesy of JFDaily]

Nokia's N85 drops by the FCC, dips head, inquires about what's good

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 31st 2008 @ 9:17AM

Not that we ever (okay, maybe there was a moment of weakness in there somewhere) doubted that Nokia's N85 was North America-bound, but the handset dubbed superior to the flagship N96 by one Italian reviewer is indeed coming to US soil. And we've found the FCC documentation to prove it. At this point though, there's little the User Guide, external / internal photos and SAR report can tell us that we don't already know, so again, the takeaway here is that we're one (huge) step closer to having an N85 to call our own. Now that's what's up.

Nokia survey finds that many Americans work on the can

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 21st 2008 @ 3:33PM

We already know that a solid chunk of Britons use mobile internet while in the throes of passion, and now Captain Obvious (today known as Nokia) has awkwardly landed to tell the world that Americans do too. A recent survey, which we can only imagine was absolutely thrilling to conduct, found that some 53% of working Americans "have been interrupted by a work-related phone call or e-mail while in the bathroom." Furthermore, some 23% have allowed a call / e-mail to interrupt them while on a date, but that's probably because 59% of those polled never, ever turn off their mobile. Just think -- the next time your buddy answers with a hint of stress in his / her voice, there's a statistically significant chance that you're barging in on some seriously personal business.

[Image courtesy of fletchy182]

Sonim's ultra-rugged XP3 headed to US in March, looking for trouble

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 11th 2008 @ 7:08PM

When you're completely waterproof, able to function in temperatures ranging from -4 to 140°F and withstand body slams from six feet above the concrete, you pretty much roll however you please. Thankfully, Sonim's bringing its latest ultra-rugged handset, the XP3, into the United States in March, meaning that you can finally abuse your handset without feeling all guilty afterwards. Specs wise, the US version of the GSM phone will pack quad-band EDGE support, GPS, Bluetooth, "flashlight mode," a glare-resistant 160 x 128-resolution display, an Opera Mini web browser, 3-megapixel camera and a 3-year no-questions-asked guarantee. Sadly, we've no price to share, but we don't suspect all that rigidity will come cheap.