Posted 04/27/09 at 10:14:05 AM by Paul Lilly

Citing people familiar with the situation, USA Today claims Verizon and Apple are at least talking about developing an iPhone for Verizon. If that were to happen, it would be the first time Apple has produced an iPhone for a CDMA wireless network, and come as a blow to AT&T, who has exclusive U.S. distribution rights until sometime in 2010.

"Breaking the iPhone exclusivity with AT*T is a huge thing," says Roger Entner, head of telecom research for Nielsen. "That would send shivers into AT&T's stock and senior leadership."

AT&T's iPhone deal has proved to be a lucrative one, as evidenced last week when the telco posted impressive wireless numbers. According to AT&T, it has signed up 1.6 million iPhone customers during the quarter, with 40 percent of them beng new to AT&T. It's mobile revenue was also up 40 percent.

AT&T would still boast the faster network if Verizon started selling iPhones, but Verizon's aggressive ad campaign, combined with the iPhone's immense popularity, would likely be a recipe for success, even if a bitter one for AT&T.

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Posted 02/02/09 at 10:41:11 AM by Paul Lilly

Rumors that Dell would release a smartphone have been swirling for some time, and the OEM system builder did little to dispel that notion last summer when it said "we're not ready to publicly disclose our plans there...we're kind of working on that."

According to AlleyInsider.com, who claims to be receiving tips from someone "close to Dell," the OEM will offiically enter the smartphone market on September 9, 2009. The tipster says the new gadget is being called the MePhone, at least internally, and that the focus is being put on "customization." If the rumor turns out to be true, then it would appear Dell feels confident it can compete with Apple's iPhone.

Other details remain a mystery, including what software platform Dell would use, though Wired.com argues that when Dell enters the smartphone market, it will likely use the Windows Mobile platform due to the company's strong relationship with Microsft.

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Posted 12/26/08 at 10:16:37 AM by Paul Lilly

What happens when you pit the 3G networks run by AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon against each other in a coast-to-coast battle royal? That's exactly what Gizmodo purported to find out as it put the three companies' networks to the test in a variety of locations. Using 3G USB dongles, Gizmodo FedExed its testing package from one staff member to another in eight different cities across the U.S. map, each of which tested the networks in three to five areas, including a suburban spot.

As might be expected, the testing results were mixed. When looking at download speeds, Gizmodo's roundup showed AT&T coming in a distant last place in Boston, but topping the charts in Raleigh and Austin. On average, Sprint put on the best showing, particularly in New York.

When switching gears to upload performance, Sprint pulled a 180 and lagged behind both Verizon and AT&T on average, while AT&T "kicked ass here, winning six cities and barely losing to Sprint in the other two."

According to Gizmodo, AT&T would be the best choice for sending big files or running a mobile torrent service. The site also breaks down its results into fairly detailed summaries by location.

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Posted 10/29/08 at 12:11:43 PM by Paul Lilly

Sprint may not be impressed with Google's Android in its current form and be content to sit on the sidelines, but that isn't stopping Asus from getting in the game with an Android-powered handset of its own. Citing un-named "company sources," news outlet DigiTimes reports Asus will launch an Android-based Google phone sometime in the first half of 2009. It remains unclear what Asus' marketing strategy will be, but speculation suggests the company may initially release the new phone under its own brand name in Taiwan followed up with customized models in other markets later on.

Asus isn't new to the handset game and has already shipped 30,000 units in Taiwan so far this year. The company expects that number to reach 40,000 by the end of the year. Asus will ride those shipments into 2009 with a 3G model using Qualcomm's dual-core solutions planned for Q1.

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Posted 10/28/08 at 11:31:24 AM by Paul Lilly

The next time you're out shopping for toilet paper, kitty treats, motor oil, and a gigantic jar of pickles, you can add a G1 Android-powered smartphone to your list and save money on that too, all without ever having to leave the store. That is, provided you're shopping at Wal-Mart.

Starting Wednesday, the mega-chain will begin selling the G1 phone to both new and existing T-Mobile customers in 550 of its stores, but there's more reason to buy the phone at Wal-Mart than just convenience. According to Wal-mart spokeswoman Melissa O'Brien, the G1 will run $149 for new customers, or $31 less than what you'd pay T-Mobile, who's selling the same phone for $180.

For those of you just coming out of a coma, the G1 is the first Google Android-powered smartphone on the market. Demand for the phone with an open-source OS has been high, with an estimated 1.5 million units already sold through pre-order sales.

Plan on picking one up? Hit the jump and sound off.

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Posted 10/27/08 at 07:40:08 AM by Paul Lilly

T-Mobile scored a big win by partnering with Google and handset manufacturer HTC to become the first provider to offer a smartphone powered by Android, Google's open-source OS. The pre-release buzz was so strong that initial estimates indicate as many as 1.5 million HTC G1 phones were gobbled up through preorders alone. It would seem illogical to scoff at those kind of numbers, but that's what Dan Hesse, Sprint's CEO, has done.

According to a report on Reuters, the cynical CEO told the National Press Club in Washington that the current iteration of Android isn't "good enough to put the Sprint brand name on it." Is he hating on Google or pouting over being passed over? Likely not. Initial reviews of the recently released G1 show Android as having promise, but as Engadget points out, Android "has a lot of ground to cover before it's really making the competition sweat," namely platforms like the iPhone and Windows Mobile devices.

Don't fret of you're a Spring subscriber. Despite Hesse's unenthusiastic comments, he has promised to sell an Android-powered phone "at some time in the future." Of course, at some point in the future, other manufacturers besides AT&T will also carry Apple's iPhone, so perhaps this is a case where time is of the essence.

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Posted 10/24/08 at 12:29:54 PM by Paul Lilly

AT&T this week launched the Samsung Epix, the first smartphone with a built-in optical mouse, which sits above a QWERTY keyboard. The integrated rodent gets paired with a 320x320 touchscreen measuring 2.5 inches on the i907 Epix, giving users an epic amount of control over navigation. Other specifications include:

• GPS navigation
• 3.6Mbps HSDPA connectivity
• 2 megapixel camera
• WiFi
• Bluetooth
• Video Share support

No surprises on the software front, as at the heart of it all sits Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional. Storage duties are handled by a microSD slot with support for up to 32GB. Samsung claims up to 7 hours of talk time on the 4.4-ounce device, and up to 14 days in standby time.

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Posted 10/13/08 at 11:31:55 AM by Paul Lilly

It doesn't matter that the first-generation iPhone lacked 3G functionality or that early adopters were slapped in the face so quickly after its release. Even intentional bricking through a firmware update hasn't been enough to knock Apple's iPhone off its pedestal as the must-have cellular phone for geeks and hipsters alike. Can T-Mobile's HTC G1 Android phone deliver the right hook and make this a fight?

It's far too early to tell, but early indications look promising. According to the Motley Fool, T-Mobile subscribers have already gobbled up all of the available preorders for initial shipments of the G1, prompting T-Mobile to triple its order with handset maker HTC. Those have sold out too. All tallied, roughly 1.5 million G1s are already accounted for, with another couple million reserved for retail sales.

That still puts the G1 far behind the 10 million iPhones Apple said it would like to sell this year, but it's a good start for a phone that hasn't even been released yet and still won't be for another couple of weeks. And if the G1 is going to have any chance at taking a bite out of Apple, it's going to need to come out strong and convince buyers there's more to the Android platform than hype.

Anyone plan on picking one up or already placed a preorder? Hit the jump and sound off.

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