TechCrunch » Matt Hickey - Staff Archive

The Cisco Cius Enterprise Tablet Hitting Verizon Later This Summer

Matt Hickey — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:08:32 +0000

The Cisco Cius tablet is nearing release a full year after its announcement. The enterprise tablet is set to set the IT world a blaze this July 31 and Verizon will be one of the official retailers along with AT&T. The $750 tablet will hit Big Red sometime this summer; the press release didn’t confirm or even mention the July 31st date. Instead, the presser states that the tablet is coming late summer.

Still, the Cius tablet might become one of first tablets outside of the iPad to successfully infuriate the world of enterprise communication. Cisco knows their market probably better than anyone else and smartly choose to sell in the lucrative enterprise market rather than the cutthroat world of consumer gadgets. Presser after the break. Oh, and yeah, it’s a wild one complete with references to Moses and ill-fated attempts to make Verizon’s 4G LTE hotspots relevant to the Cius.

Verizon Combines the Power of 4G LTE with the Cisco Cius Tablet to Improve Mobile Enterprise Collaboration
Helps Businesses Employ Tablets for Industry-Specific Applications
News Release

NEW YORK – July 13, 2011 –

The ancient Greeks relied on them. So did Moses when it came to accomplishing one of his most significant deliverables. And now businesses are equipping mobile workforces with tablets of their own to boost productivity and speed customer service.

To meet this newest trend in tablet use, Verizon is combining the power of its 4G LTE network with the Cisco Cius™ to help customers decentralize and accelerate decision-making for better business outcomes.

The Cisco Cius will be available to Verizon enterprise and government customers around the world later this summer, and those located domestically will be able to combine the device with a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE mobile hot spot. Designed for the enterprise, the Android-based Cisco Cius combines voice, video, collaboration and virtualization capabilities on one device. When powered by Verizon’s 4G LTE network, mobile workers will be able to easily use bandwidth-intensive video applications – including between devices – for more effective collaboration.

“Mobile applications over intelligent high-speed networks will continue to eliminate barriers in the workplace,” said Mike Smith, vice president for Verizon enterprise communications, network and mobility sales. “We’re forecasting a perfect storm where advanced enterprise tools such as the Cisco Cius mesh with the speeds made possible by 4G LTE to make the virtual office a more robust reality than ever.”

Putting Tablets to Work

In general, industries such as retail, financial services, healthcare and government can employ tablets to change the pace of their business.

Retail: Sales associates can employ tablets while out on the floor to look up product and inventory information for customers, in addition to processing transactions on the spot.

Financial Services: Bankers and financial advisors can take advantage of the video capabilities of tablets for face-to-face meetings with clients, saving the time it takes to meet up at physical locations.

Health care: Medical professionals can use tablets to collaborate on patient care and speed critical decision-making.

Government: Tablets can increase productivity of government users – from military to civilian government field workers to emergency first responders – allowing them to enter information or share it quickly with remote offices to complete the business of government more efficiently.

Through Verizon’s Managed Mobility portfolio, enterprise customers can securely deploy a wide range of devices to employees. Capabilities include device management; expense tracking management; lock and wipe features for protecting sensitive data; and mobile delivery of popular business and consumer apps from the cloud. In addition, the company offers a full suite of professional services to help organizations create policies and design mobility programs to suit varied requirements.

Verizon is a global network communications leader in driving better business outcomes for enterprises and government agencies. Verizon delivers integrated IT and communications solutions via its global IP and mobility networks to enable businesses to securely access information, share content and communicate. Verizon is rapidly transforming to a cloud-based “everything-as-a-service” delivery model that will put the power of enterprise-class solutions within the reach of every business. Find out more at www.verizonbusiness.com.

Comcast Xfinity On-Demand Now Streaming To The iPhone, iPod touch

Matt Hickey — Mon, 23 May 2011 16:06:47 +0000

Comcast just rolled out a major update to its seven month old Xfinity iOS app that brings streaming access to the Xfinity on-demand library just like iPad users have had for several weeks. This opens up a massive database of streaming content for iPhone and iPod touch. But there’s a catch here. Only users that pay for Comcast’s digital TV service for their home will have access to the service.

The revamped app also has access to more shows. There are now 6,000 hours of content from 25 programmers available through the iOS app. Plus, just as before, the app can also change the channel and manage a user’s set-top boxes. Get it free here.

Comcast Now Brings Thousands of Hours of TV Shows and Movies to the iPhone and iPod touch for Free to Customers Through Its Xfinity TV App

Nearly 6,000 Hours of On Demand Content From 25 Programmers Now Available to Enjoy While On-the-Go or at Home; App Also Features New Personalization Capabilities

PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) today announced its digital subscribers using the Apple® iPhone® and iPod touch® now can stream thousands of hours of On Demand video on their devices through the company’s popular Xfinity TV® app, which has been downloaded more than two million times since it launched in November. Beginning today, customers using these devices and the iPad® can download a new version of the Xfinity TV app, and have access to a vast collection of entertainment in the palm of their hands for free.

“Our development team will continue to add even more choices and personalized options to the Xfinity TV app, giving our customers access to the entertainment they want, where and when they want it.”
Comcast introduced On Demand content for viewing both inside and outside of the home on the iPad in February. During the past three months, Comcast has nearly doubled the amount of entertainment available to stream through the app, now totaling almost 6,000 hours. To reach this milestone, Comcast has recently added several new programmers, bringing in top video selections from 25 content partners.

“Whether our customers are relaxing around the house or traveling around the country, we’re bringing them a huge selection of great content at their fingertips, all for free,” said Matt Strauss, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Comcast Interactive Media. “Our development team will continue to add even more choices and personalized options to the Xfinity TV app, giving our customers access to the entertainment they want, where and when they want it.”

The ability to view On Demand content on the iPhone and iPod touch now enables customers to watch Xfinity TV offerings across Apple’s smartphone and computer product lineup. Users of Mac® products can view thousands of movies and hit TV shows through Comcast’s Xfinity TV online destination, www.XfinityTV.com, also for free.

This latest release of the app is the fourth significant update since it launched only seven months ago. Additional enhancements have also been incorporated into this version to help further personalize the customer’s experience, including enabling users to filter their content choices by genre and network. For first-time users, the app will automatically populate with the customer’s channel lineup, eliminating the need for a manual set up process.

In addition to these features and its On Demand video streaming capabilities, the Xfinity TV app also can be used as the ultimate remote control and discovery tool – it gives users the ability to browse and discover content across multiple platforms, whether it be available on online, On Demand or on TV; change TV channels in real time; and remotely program and manage multiple DVRs at home.

Comcast will continue to expand the features and functionality of the Xfinity TV app and add even more content on a continual basis. To learn more about the Xfinity TV app, please visit www.xfinity.com/tvapp.

Droid X2 Is Hitting VZW May 19th For $199

Matt Hickey — Wed, 18 May 2011 12:59:04 +0000

The Droid X2 launch saga is finally over. Verizon just made it known that the Droid X2, you know, the successor to the Droid X, will hit its online stores on May 19 for the $199 with a two-year blood oath; VZW stores will get it May 26th.

The device hits with same specs that previously leaked: 4.3-inch qHD screen, dual-core 1GHz, 8MP cam, HDMI-out, and Android 2.3. Interestingly enough, battery life wasn’t mentioned in the presser, which, as a Droid X owner, I’m very curious how the dual-core CPU will affect the life. My Droid X can make it through a solid day of use with a couple of bars to spare.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ, and LIBERTYVILLE, IL — Verizon Wireless and Motorola Mobility, Inc. (NYSE: MMI), today announced the second-generation DROID X2 by Motorola, designed for the consumer who does everything on their smartphone.

Fly through the Web with the DROID X2, which boasts Verizon Wireless’ first dual-core 1 GHz processor for fast webpage loading and Adobe® Flash® Player, allowing Verizon Wireless customers to experience rich content online. The 4.3-inch scratch-resistant and anti-reflective qHD display delivers a sharp, clear view ideal for watching movies, typing emails and playing your favorite games. Never miss a moment using the 8-megapixel camera with continuous autofocus and stunning HD video capture. Use the new Gallery app to view, tag and post photos on sites like Flickr® and Facebook®, all from one place.

Additional features:

Powered by Android 2.2, to be updated to Android 2.3
Mirror Mode allows you to view and share your photos, videos and downloaded movies on a larger TV via HDMI output
Enterprise-ready with security and IT-grade policies, allowing you to use your DROID X2 for work and play
Support for Google™ Mobile Services, including Gmail™, YouTube™, Google Talk™, Google Search™ and Google Maps™, as well as access to more than 200,000 apps available to download from Android Market™
Mobile Hotspot capability, allowing you to share your 3G connection with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices
Virtual QWERTY keyboard featuring SWYPE technology for quick and easy typing of messages and emails
Pricing and availability:

The DROID X2 will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 19 and in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on May 26 for $199.99 with a new two-year customer agreement.
DROID X2 customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package. Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data plan is $29.99 for monthly access.

Motorola Goes White And Blue Collar With The Motorola XPRT And Motorola Titanium

Matt Hickey — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:23:25 +0000

When security and toughness is paramount, call the Navy Seals. When you need a phone with similar attributes, Sprint and Motorola hopes you look towards the just-announced Android XPRT and Titanium.

The XPRT is Sprint’s first Android phone with enterprise-class security, which comes by way 256-bit AES data encryption and enterprise-controlled security schemes and functions including remote wipe, password recovery and enabling various locks. A 3.1-inch HVGA screen rests above a full QWERTY keypad with a 1GHz processor running A Motoblur’d Android 2.2. The XPRT is hitting all of Sprint’s retail channels June 5 for $129.

The Titanium keeps Direct Connect alive with a full Qwerty keypad, 3.1-inch touchscreen and Android 2.1. The iDEN device of course meets military specs for dust, shock vibration, solar radiation — pretty much anything Hal Jordan could manifest. The Titanium is the successor to the Motorola i1 launched last year and will probably make some push-to-talk loyests happy to finally join the cool kids with their own Android 2.x phone. Pricing and availability wasn’t announced.

HP Veer 4G Hitting AT&T May 15th For $100

Matt Hickey — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:52:27 +0000

The itsy bitsy HP Veer, or rather, HP Veer 4G as it’s now officially called, will sneak into AT&T stores on May 15th. Nothing has changed since the last time the Veer made an appearance — well, besides the somewhat deceptive 4G label.

The Veer is still a basic HSPA slider with a 2.6-inch 320 x 400 screen, 5MP camera, 8GB of storage and a 800MHz Snapdragon CPU running webOS 2.1. Still, for only a $100, it’s a solid webOS device that shouldn’t have that much of an issue sneaking into customer’s hands. [AT&T]

RIM Announces BlackBerry OS 7, Hits This Summer On The Bold Touch

Matt Hickey — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:53:05 +0000

RIM just pulled the virtual sheet back on OS 7. The user experience is familiar but RIM promises a system that’s both faster and better suited for managing a personal and professional life with a new feature called Balance. OS 7 packs voice activated searches and a retooled browser to better handle JIT JavaScript and HTML5 video. It seem RIM is most proud of Balance, which “presents a unified view of work and personal content…while keeping the content separate and secure.” Sounds a bit Nokia to me. Expect OS 7 first on the just-announce BlackBerry Bold Touch.

Unknown GSM HP/Palm Phone Passes Through The FCC Featuring webOS 2.3, Inductive Charging (Palm Pre 3?)

Matt Hickey — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:59:36 +0000

The Palm Pre 3 might have just passed through the FCC. The document package in question is mostly locked under a confidentiality agreement so there’s no way to be certain. However, while there are no pics or user manual, there is a wireless test report that lists some specs and names the software version as “WebOS 2.3.” The wireless chipset specs in the FCC docs match up nicely with the specs found on the Palm Pre 3 product page. There’s even a brief mention of an inductive charger in the FCC docs, which lends to the thought that this is the Palm Pre 3.

HP previously stated that the Palm Pre 3 would drop sometime in the summer. That’s about the right timeline for the device to just now be passing through the FCC’s testing facilities. Chances are the device, whether it’s the Palm Pre 3 or not, will launch prior to the confidentiality agreement’s 180 day limit.

The Tiny HP Veer To Get A Big Launch Party On May 2nd

Matt Hickey — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:46:35 +0000

Here comes the Veer! Is the world ready for a 2.6-inch touchscreen phone? Who knows! That’s the fun part. HP just sent out invites to a May 2nd “Launch Party” which, as the name suggests, is likely for the launch of the Veer. However, Monday May 2nd might not be the day the Veer hits the general retail market although the first week of May sounds about right. Now this doesn’t seem like a press event — at least we didn’t get an invite. Instead it seems that this is for retail associates of some level because after registering, a note pops up indicated that a Best Buy or AT&T ID or business card is required to attend. AT&T, eh? Yeah, the small phone hitting the ol’ telephone & telegraph company.

Of course the rest of the pertinent launch info is missing. Pricing and exact launch date isn’t mentioned in the invite. Hopefully HP and AT&T doesn’t price this phone out of its likely niche market. Anything more than the $50 iPhone 3GS will doom the Veer in a Kin-sort of way. [Cvent via PreCentral]

The Droid X Gingerbread Update Brings A Little But Welcome Fix To The Dock Clock Mode

Matt Hickey — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:22:58 +0000

Huzzah! I loaded the leaked Gingerbread release on my Droid X last night and have fantastic news to report. The stupid colon doesn’t blink when the phone is docked now. Gingerbread as a whole is a tasty update, but this single change makes me a happy little boy. Before the colon would blink as quick as a strobe light. It was major distraction as the dock rests right between my two monitors and the damn colon would always grab my attention inadvertently.

I wasn’t alone in my annoyance, either. It was a common complaint and there are tons of forum posts of users seeking to modify the dock clock mode. By the way, the Droid X dock is only $23 on Amazon and is totally worth it especially thanks to this update.

Droid X To Get Android 2.3 This Sunday?

Matt Hickey — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:54:22 +0000

Attention, Droid X owners and lovers. Word is that your handset of choice is getting some tasty Gingerbread as soon as next week. Business phones will get the update first starting on Sunday, but a general roll-out seems imminent. Droid Life states via a friend in the business that 2.3 is done and it’s just up to Verizon/Moto to roll it out. The new version will bring 2.3 and a refreshed Blur interface that should remake the seven month old Droid X into a lite version of the Droid Bionic.

We’ve reached out to several Verizon sources but haven’t heard anything yet. File this in the rumor folder right now, but as a Droid X owner myself, I can’t help but get as excited as Al Roker.

The HTC Thunderbolt To Hit Verizon On March 17th For $249

Matt Hickey — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:19:04 +0000

Finally. The HTC Thunderbolt hit the scene back at CES but HTC and Verizon has been uncharacteristically mum about it sense. No more. The $249 Thunderbolt superphone is set to debut on big red this coming Thursday, March 17th. This will be the network’s first 4G LTE device, but if that doesn’t win over buyers, the rest will: a 32GB microSDHC card, the gorgeous 4.3-inch WVGA screen, a8-device hotspot and the solid feel that comes along with nearly every HTC phone. Too bad the VZW premium pricing sort of chills the lightning-hot phone as the 4G package runs $30 a month and the hotspot function an additional $20 spot. So yeah, that’s $50 a month Verizon will get from buyers that wanna take full advantage of the next-gen phone. Ouch. Click through for our hands-on video demo.

Honeycomb Ported To The Nexus One

Matt Hickey — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:28:57 +0000

This one is only for die-hard modders that only use a Nexus One for shits and giggles. But if that’s you, how about installing Honeycomb on your Nexus One? Of course you sort of need to know how to install these sort of things, but you’ll certinally be the coolest kid on the block if your Nexus One runs Honeycomb.

Sure, this port doesn’t allow for silly things like placing phone calls, sending text messages, using Bluetooth, WiFi, the camera, or anything that makes a sound, but that should be okay with true Android fanboys. It’s about the experience, right? The rest of us will probably wait until a more polished version surfaces.

[XDA-Developers via PhoneArena]

Droid X 2 Specs And Photos Leak

Matt Hickey — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:45:04 +0000

The Droid X 2 might be nearing its official announcement. The successor to Moto’s first supersize phone is at least alive and well according to a forum post at The MobiZone where a bunch of pics and specs were posted. The post has since been pulled, but thanks to the wonders of the cache, the info survived for your enjoyment.

Cached version of The MobiZone

NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1GHz processor
1GB RAM
QHD LCD Display – 540 x 960 Resolution (Same as Motorola Bionic)
3G Only – No LTE/4G
8MP Rear Facing Camera (No Front Cam)
Froyo (Android 2.2) – Could get Gingerbread (Adnroid 2.3) before launch
New Moto Blur (Same as Droid Bionic)
FM Radio
Locked/Encrypted BootLoader
Launch in Q2 of 2011
No Hardware Camera button

Sounds great, right? The dual-core CPU, high-res screen and the same UI as the Droid Bionic. Well, Engadget apprently dug up slightly different specs that puts the Droid X 2 at a slightly lower tier with a 1.2GHz single-core CPU, 768MB of RAM and 4.3-inch WVGA (854 x 480) display. Either way, it seems the Bionic is set to live as Motorola’s top VZW offering with the Droid X 2 hitting slightly below it.

Verizon iPhone 4: Reservations On February 9th, General Sale At 7AM On February 10th

Matt Hickey — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:11:51 +0000

VZW-day approaches! Current Verizon subs can place pre-orders starting at 3AM on the Verizon Wireless website. Everyone else will need to wait until February 9th to put their name on an iPhone with the official sale kicking off the next morning.

Over 2000 Verizon Wireless stores are set to open at 7AM on the 10th and will no doubt face the customary iPhone lines. Chances are at least a few big city locations will even feature VZW-branded burn barrels in case former AT&T subs want to properly dispose of their past.

The Verizon iPhone Ordering Pages Are Now Live At Apple.com

Matt Hickey — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:03:06 +0000

You’re such a tease, Apple. Even though the Verizon iPhone ordering pages (16GB & 32GB) are now live on Apple.com, it doesn’t mean Big Red’s Jesusphone will get here before earlier. So yeah, all you’ve created is a big time sink for most customers who will no doubt go through the paces of buying the device and selecting various rate plans in a feeble attempt to simulate the real thing. (Like I have four times and I don’t even want one)

Sure, you can actually follow the prompts and buy a Verizon iPhone now, but it likely won’t ship any sooner. You’re probably still going to have until February 10th like the rest of America. It’s not like ordering an iPhone online gives you the full experience anyway. You’re supposed to camp out in the freezing cold for hours with your fellow dedicated brethren. That’s what AT&T subs have done for years and that’s what you should do, too.

And This Is The BlackBerry Storm 3 — Maybe

Matt Hickey — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:23:27 +0000

The BlackBerry Storm might be the most tainted named in RIM’s lineup. A piss-poor launch followed by a slow update process did it in. But RIM is clearly unfazed. The BlackBerry Storm 2 came out this year and was a quality kit with solid software. If this massive leak concerning the BlackBerry Storm 3 turns out to be true, the Storm name might actually mean something — someday.

The whole thing comes from BGR where they list the specs and whatnot. It sports a high-res 800×480 screen, a 1.2GHz unnamed CPU, 3G mobile hotspot and Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE along with Tri-band UMTS/HSPA. It’s said to come out in September of this year although carriers and target price point isn’t mentioned.

VBS.TV And Reddit Are Leading Us Into The Golden Era Of Information Discovery

Matt Hickey — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:34:07 +0000

Something just happened online that is highly indicative of where we’re headed in terms of new media. Look at these two stories on VBS.TV and Reddit. They are totally independent from each other and nine months apart, but the two sites are presenting readers with unparalleled access to a fascinating story: how an Oklahoman was inspired by a ’60s-era underwater adventure show, went on to work at NASA to develop self-sustaining habitats, and is now developing an undersea colony off the Florida coast. One did the video and the other is hosting a nearly-live conversation with the NASA engineer right now.

It’s stories like this – stories that would once rate a few feature pages in Discover magazine or Omni (remember Omni?) – that are now percolating through the Internet, to our benefit and to the detriment of old media who can’t keep up. Now we get the real story sans any nonsense graphics, anticlimactic taglines or fluff. It’s the future, everyone.

BlackBerry Dakota Leaked, The Ultimate BB QWERTY Keypad Touchscreen Mash-up

Matt Hickey — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:43:11 +0000

The BlackBerry Dakota is shaping up to be the firms best yet — that’s the way it should be, really. RIM took the classic Bold styling and keypad and then reportable installed a 2.8-inch VGA capacitive touchscreen in the top half. Nice, eh. Oh it gets better.

According to BGR, inside rests a quad-band chip with GMS/GPRS/EDGE and tri-band UMTS along with the goods to run BlackBerry OS 6.1 including 768MB of RAM and 4GB of local storage. It also packs the standard trio of a magnetometer, accelerometer, and a proximity sensor. The big news is this ‘Berry is even said to have an NFC and the ability to pop up a 3G mobile hotspot. No front facing cam, but there is a 5MP camera around back with an HD video mode, image stabilization and a flash.

Of course none of this is confirmed, but seeing how most of RIM’s devices manage to leak, there isn’t a reason to think the Dakota is anything but the real deal.

iFixit Goes Speaker Hunting In HTC Surround Teardown

Matt Hickey — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:17:08 +0000

Spoiler: The inside of a Windows Phone 7 device looks like the inside of an Android or iOS device — just so you know. Didn’t want you proceeding expecting to see something like little Redmond gremlins hobbling around the circuit boards and modems. Yeah, if you’ve seen one teardown, you’ve seen them all. So unless you get a tech chubby from circuit board pr0n, proceed with your daily madness because even the Surround’s big feature is a tiny speaker, iFixit determined that the “[sliding] mechanism provides added complexity for the sole purpose of arguable audio performance gains.”

First Look: HTC EVO Shift 4G

Matt Hickey — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 21:00:13 +0000

Evolution seems to be a bit less violent this time around. The just-announced HTC EVO Shift 4G attempts to build on the brand started with the much-hyped EVO 4G superphone that launched back in 2010′s summer. Instead of forging a new path with a fresh form factor and top-tier specs, the HTC EVO Shift 4G does things a bit more low-key.

That’s not saying the Shift 4G isn’t a quality kit. It is. Inside the somewhat thick body is the same speedy 800MHz Qualcomm MSM7630 CPU found in the fast G2 and myTouch 4G. Up front is a 3.6-inch 800 x 480 LCD which makes the HTC Sense skin running on top of Android 2.2 look bright and crisp. Of course the Shift 4G rocks WiMAX 4G for Sprint’s network along with EVDO Rev A.

As with many mobile phones, proper reviews cannot be written overnight and seeing how we just got home from a long week at CES, what follows is more of a first-impressions. We need to see if this EVO packs a better battery life than the first model and that’s something that’s best tested with real life experiences and long-term benchmarks.

Hardware:

It’s thick and hefty but slightly less than Verizon’s Droid 2
The bezel isn’t black. It’s like a dark royal blue but only noticeable when placed against a black backdrop
The backplate uses the same chintzy tabs found on the original EVO. I already broke one of the tabs.
The keyboard has great tactile feedback and key placement

Software

Uses HTC Sense — a drawback in my opinion but some people like it
Runs quick and smooth without any noticeable lag or hesitation
Loaded with Sprint’s trademark bloatware and Amazon’s Kindle app
Start up: 43 seconds