July, 2011

• 8 July

  Why things are looking good for Verizon

  

  Verizon Wireless is expected to end up as the carrier with the most momentum in the second quarter when the dust settles after earnings reports, which will begin in earnest in two weeks. 4G service and smartphones such as the HTC Thunderbolt are seen as sparking Verizon’s growth in the second quarter. Verizon An impressive …

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• 8 July

  Oracle might seek fees from Android handset makers

  

  Oracle may be looking to collect royalties from Google handset makers, according to an analyst. Oracle has directly asked handset makers, which currently don’t pay anything to use the Google operating system for smartphones, to pay $15 to $20 a handset to license the technology for which the company claims it owns patents, said Deutsche Bank analyst Jonathan Goldberg in …

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• 8 July

  Ask Maggie: Apps for tracking smartphone data use

  

  The unlimited data buffet enjoyed by many smartphone subscribers in the U.S. is ending. So now what? As Verizon Wireless ditches its all-you-can-eat data plans, fear has spread among many smartphones users. People are scared that without unlimited access, they are doomed to pay more each month for data service. In this week’s Ask Maggie, I try to allay those …

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• 8 July

  Unlocked Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc now on sale, but do we care?

  

  Telling no one but its Web site, Sony Ericsson has begun offering the Xperia arc to U.S. consumers with an unlocked, no-contract $599 price tag. Listed as having support for AT&T’s 3G bands (850MHz/1900MHz/2100MHz), it’s very possible that it may arrive later at at the carrier. T-Mobile subscribers can pick up an unlocked Arc as well, though it won’t support …

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• 8 July

  Oracle and Microsoft could cash in big on Android

  

  With allegations that Google infringed on several patents in its Android operating system, two of the biggest beneficiaries of sales of mobile devices that use the technology could well be Oracle and Microsoft. Both companies are seeking as much as a $20 licensing fee per device from handset makers that choose to use Android. That’d be roughly double the amount …

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• 8 July

  Tegra

  

  The Samsung Galaxy S II has already taken off in global markets, becoming Samsung’s fastest-selling phone with sales of 3 million units in 55 days, according to a Samsung press release issued July 3. CNET certainly appreciated the dual-core, 4G-capable Android handset enough to give the unlocked version a coveted Editors’ Choice Award ahead of its official U.S. launch. Although …

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• 8 July

  Google Maps 5.7 for Android finds your way even without a phone signal

  

  We don’t know what we did before Google Maps, and it has just got even better. Google Maps 5.7 for Android adds offline maps, so you can still find your way even when you haven’t got a phone signal. The experimental feature means you can download your chosen section of map onto your phone. Then you can search the map, …

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• 8 July

  FCC closer to finalizing Net neutrality rules

  

  The Federal Communications Commission registered its Net neutrality rules with the Office of Management and Budget yesterday, which is the next step in making the new regulations official. The rules, which were adopted in December, will now be available for comment for the next 30 days. At the end of the comment period and assuming that the OMB issues its …

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• 8 July

  Rumor: HP Pre 3 not coming to Sprint

  

  The HP Pre 3 is expected to be one of the summer’s biggest smartphone releases, but it looks like the WebOS-based smartphone won’t be coming to at least one of the major U.S. carriers. According to This is My Next, Sprint will not offer the Pre 3 and there’s even some doubt over Sprint and HP’s future together. The source …

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• 8 July

  Verizon accounts for a third of all U.S. iPhone 4s

  

  Apparently, the Verizon Wireless iPhone hasn’t been as disappointing as initially feared. Verizon MobileBeat, citing a study by Localytics, reported yesterday that Verizon’s version of Apple’s blockbuster phone made up 32 percent of all U.S. iPhone 4s, an impressive stat given that it began selling midway through the first quarter. That would run counter to the growing belief that the …

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