Families and businesses can share a bucket of minutes, so why can’t they share a bucket of data? Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam appeared at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference today, and revealed that customers may be able to do just that in the near future.
From Verizon’s end, the shift toward a shared data plan could potentially simplify their data tracking and billing process for family and business plans: instead of having to track each individual user’s data usage against their own monthly allotment and generate a bill, Verizon would be able to track each customer’s usage against a single data bucket. If priced right, rolling out a shared data plan could be what finally gets people to migrate off of their grandfathered unlimited data plans, too. → Read More
Cable TV and internet giant Verizon is planning a streaming media service similar to Netflix, according to a Reuters report. The service is in the planning stages and people close to the matter, but apparently not that close, described it to Reuters variously as limited in scope, focused on movies, and focused on children’s programming. While it can’t be all three, it probably will feature on-demand movies and premium show streams, presumably delivered with that signature Verizon style. → Read More
Yesterday news broke that Verizon would be blocking Google’s flagship Galaxy Nexus phone from including Google Wallet, the NFC-based system that will let you tap your phone against special sensors to pay for goods and services. The decision was almost certainly spurred by Verizon’s support of a rival NFC-based payment solution called ISIS.
We’ve now learned more details.
Some reports, including one in the WSJ, state that while the phone won’t launch with Google Wallet, users may be able to download it from Android Market in the future. This isn’t the case, we’ve learned. As things stand now, even once Google Wallet rolls out more broadly, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus won’t be able to download it from Android Market. This could change down the line should the two parties reach another agreement (or Google just decides to tell Verizon to buzz off), but that’s where the dust has settled at this point.
And now, despite all this, Verizon is striking back with a statement that it is not actually blocking the app from the Galaxy Nexus. Except it is. → Read More
Verizon’s been teasing us with them for weeks now, but today the company has finally made things official: Motorola’s LTE-capable DROID XYBOARD tablets will be hitting Verizon stores this month.
For those of you who have managed to miss all the news about Motorola’s latest tablet venture, here are a few of the salient details. → Read More
No, this isn’t a turkey-induced hallucination: ads for Verizon’s LTE-capable Galaxy Nexus have begun to pop up on a number of Android fan sites, and they clearly state that Samsung and Google’s latest joint effort will retail for $199. → Read More
You know, I’m beginning to think that Samsung’s factory lines are rigged up like the bus in Speed. If at any time they drop below 50 newly created Android phones per month, bam! Factory falls down and Keanu Reeves never hooks up with Sandra Bullock.
Alternative Intro: Samsung and Verizon are incredibly excited about their latest handset, the Samsung Illusion. You can always tell a company is excited about a product when much of the press release is dedicated to the riveting details, like its Underwriters Laboratory score. → Read More
Happy 11/11/11 boys and girls! Verizon is preparing to open the release their latest 4G smartphone into the world promptly at 11:11 this morning, but those of you whose wallets ache when they see that $299 price tag may want to check out Amazon Wireless’s launch day deal.
Running with Verizon’s all-11s schtick, Amazon has the Droid RAZR for $111.11 with a two-year contract. → Read More
Verizon’s new 4G data plan promotion sounds awfully generous, but CFO Fran Shammo said at an investors’ conference yesterday that it’s more than just a way to push 4G hardware during the holidays. The deal is also meant to reduce congestion on the company’s 3G EV-DO network, so iPhone users will be able to enjoy a more consistent network experience.
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The pending launch date of the next Google phone, Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus, has been a bit of a mystery up until now. “November” has always been a sure thing, but when exactly we’d be able to get up close and personal was as yet unknown. However, Droid-Life seems to have stumbled upon a Verizon roadmap, which should give us a clear peek at the Nexus’ availability, as well as that of couple other forthcoming phones.
Let’s take a look, shall we? → Read More
The HTC Rezound (formerly the Vigor) has been on our radar for what seems like forever now, but we’re here in New York City for HTC’s big event, and they have just officially pulled back the curtains on their next Gingerbread-powered smartphone. Fear not though, Ice Cream Sandwich fans: the Rezound will ship ready for Ice Cream Sandwich, and HTC and Verizon are aiming to push it to the Rezound early next year. → Read More
Few devices have inspired a following quite as devoted as the Galaxy Nexus, and those fans will be glad to know that a recently leaked Verizon document pegs Samsung and Google’s latest collaboration with a post-Black Friday launch window. → Read More
Remember that one time Motorola and Verizon announced the new Droid RAZR, but failed to offer up any in-store availability dates? A date as vague as “November” can only tide over the masses for so long, which may be why Verizon “passed along” this internal document (full-size below) to Droid-Life, which details in-store availability across “all channels” on November 10. The beastly 4G-LTE packin’ RAZR will go for $299.99 on-contract. → Read More
By now it’s no secret that HTC’s Verizon-bound Rezound will debut shortly, but the stars seem to have aligned recently, because we’re absolutely swimming in Rezound-related news. Most notably, a video demoing the Rezound in action has begun to make the rounds, and it gives us our best glimpse yet Verizon’s next holiday heavyweight. → Read More
Motorola fans may still be riding high on the announcement of the Droid RAZR, but Droid-Life has just gotten their hands on images of yet another Motorola handset in the works: the DROID4.
The DROID4 apes some of the RAZR’s industrial design (like the funky corners and non-removable battery), but it sadly isn’t quite as svelte thanks to the spacious slide-out five row keyboard. → Read More
This morning the Droid RAZR — the world’s thinnest smartphone according to Motorola — is now available for pre-order from Verizon. The phone is still listed as available on Verizon’s website, but it’ll surely go fast. So if this is what you’ve been waiting for then we recommend moving fast. → Read More
Move over Motorola and Samsung. It’s HTC’s turn to send out invites to a mysterious press event, and we’re fully expecting to see the HTC Rezound (a.k.a. the Vigor) take the stage come November 3.
The Rezound, for those of you who have missed my near-obsessive coverage, is HTC’s next Verizon-bound LTE device. It’s slated to be the first stateside device to pack Beats audio technology, but it also confirms its geek cred with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 4.3″ 720p display. Here’s hoping that the battery is up to snuff for this one. → Read More
Soon-to-be Droid RAZR owners, this one’s for you. If you’re looking for a reason to be angry this Monday morning, I’ll do you one better with a reason for anger and a target toward which you can direct that rage.
Ausdroid reports that Motorola has provided a bootloader unlock solution for its new Motorola Droid RAZR (which is a shock in and of itself after the way Moto has previously handled the bootloader unlock situation). The catch? Our good old Verizon has decided to remove said solution from its models. . → Read More
Get ready, Verizon subscribers. You may have reason to upgrade to a brand new LTE-capable device — like the freshly announced Motorola Droid RAZR — now that Verizon has extended its 4G LTE coverage to 22 new cities.
The LTE extension into these 22 new cities will bring Verizon’s 4G coverage to a total of 165 cities today, with 13 more areas lighting up on November 17.
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If you remember from a teaser video posted a few days ago, today is a big day. Verizon and Motorola have finally announced the much-anticipated Droid RAZR, the next LTE beast to grace big red’s shelves. Here at the launch event in New York City, we’re hearing four words over and over again: faster, thinner, smarter, and stronger. And that’s exactly how we’d describe the new Droid RAZR. → Read More
Sorry to ruin the surprise, but if you’ve been enjoying the thrill of refreshing Motorola’s teaser page until something happens, you can stop right now. Droid-Life has gotten their hands on a full version of the image that’s still mostly shrouded in mystery on Motorola’s site. → Read More
