EV-DO

Verizon debuts a slew of new devices

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:59:57 -0400

On the eve of CTIA Wireless 2008, Verizon Wireless introduced five new devices including the BlackBerry Curve, the LG enV2, the Motorola Q9c, the XV6900 and the Samsung Alias. The XV6900 smartphone has a touchscreen user interface and uses Microsoft Windows Mobile 6. The phone retails for $349.99 with a $50 rebate and a two-year contract.

The enV2 is redesigned to be slimmer and is featured in a black and maroon finish. The phone will be available in April for $129.99 after a $50 rebate with a two-year contract.

The Blackberry Curve 8330 will be available in May and will operate on the carrier's EVDO network. The phone will retail for $269.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.

The MOTO Q 9c smartphone is targeted at business professionals and features the VZ Navigator service. The phone uses Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 and retails for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement.

Finally, the Samsung Alias will be available in mid-April and features the same dual-hinge design as on the SCH-u740. The phone retails for $129.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. -Brian

For more:
-see our photo slideshow of new releases

See these releases:
BlackBerry Curve
LG enV2
Moto Q9c
XV6900
Samsung Alias

White House declines to veto ITC's Qualcomm ban

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:59:58 -0400

The Bush administration on Monday declined to overturn the International Trade Commission's ban on importing mobile devices containing Qualcomm chips found to violate patents controlled by rival Broadcom. Barring judicial intervention, the import ban will go into effect Tuesday, according to U.S. Trade Representative Susan C. Schwab. "In this case, after carefully weighing these considerations, advice from agencies, and information received from interested parties, I have decided to permit the limited exclusion order and cease and desist order that the USITC issued in its investigation," Schwab said in a statement issued late Monday.

Qualcomm actively lobbied President Bush to reject the ban, recommended in June after the ITC determined that some Qualcomm EVDO chips, chipsets and circuit board modules infringed on Broadcom's intellectual property holdings. Per U.S. trade laws, the president is empowered to overturn ITC rulings, although such cases are extremely rare. Qualcomm's sole remaining hope is to successfully petition a federal appeals court to overturn the ITC's decision--in a statement released in the wake of the White House's decision, Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs said, "We will pursue all legal and technical options available to us to minimize the impact of the ITC order on consumers, our customers and the entire wireless industry."

Short of a last-minute appeals court reprieve, it seems probable Qualcomm will be forced to negotiate a long-term settlement with Broadcom. Despite support from its carrier partners and wireless industry association CTIA, Qualcomm's bargaining power is virtually nil--in mid-July, Verizon Wireless inked a deal to pay Broadcom $6.00 for each 1xEV-DO handset, PDA or data card including the contested technology, with a maximum payment of $40 million per calendar quarter and a lifetime maximum payment of $200 million. The agreement also provides Verizon a license to the six Broadcom patents in question.

For more on the Bush decision:
-read this Forbes article

Related articles:
Appeals court rejects Qualcomm request
Qualcomm rejects Broadcom settlement offer

Sprint, LG duet on MUZIQ

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Sprint and LG Electronics launched the new MUZIQ, a multimedia device including over-the-air song downloads, a 4GB microSD memory card slot and a built-in FM transmitter enabling consumers to listen to their music libraries wirelessly through any FM radio within 10 feet. The successor to the FUSIC handset debuted by LG last year, MUSIQ also includes dedicated music controls, A2DP Bluetooth stereo audio and a 1.3 megapixel camera. In addition, MUZIQ arrives complete with the Sprint Music Manager service, which promises users the ability to sideload music from a PC to the handset via USB cable--while the device includes a 64MB MicroSD memory card, it is capable of managing 4GB of memory, or roughly 4,000 songs. MUZIQ by LG measures 3.80" x 1.94" x 0.61" and weighs 3.14 ounces, and is priced at $99 with a two-year service agreement.

For more on the LG MUZIQ:
- read this release

Related articles:
- LG's answer to the iPhone
- LG unveils VX-8600 EVDO flip phone

Sprint launches Moto SLVR L7c

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:01:37 -0500

Sprint has finally announced that the Motorola SLVR L7c will be appearing on its network. The L7c is a CDMA phone with a VGA camera and microSD slot. The phone also supports EVDO data, so it will work with Sprint Music Store and Sprint TV

LG unveils VX-8600 EVDO flip phone

Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:01:37 -0400

The LG VX-8600 EVDO clamshell phone is destined for Verizon. The phone manages to squeeze a microSD slot, 1-megapixel camera and multimedia controls into a slim package. Release date is still unknown. Blog

Sprint launches EVDO Rev. A card

Mon, 28 Aug 2006 20:01:38 -0400

Sprint has launched its first laptop card capable of supporting the EVDO Revision A standard. The Novatel S720 card claims faster upload and download speeds and lower latency over existing EVDO technology. Release

QUICKLINKS: Expect a smaller E3 this year; Nokia tests UMTS in Finland; Much more...

Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:01:35 -0400

Rumors of E3's demise were (slightly) exaggerated. FierceGameBiz

Nokia tests UMTS calling in Finland. Article

Motorola launches MOTOgames in China. Article

Verizon's "unlimited" EVDO service is anything but. Blog

The Rolling Stones' asinine mobile music offering. Blog

THQ's first-quarter financial results. Article

Pheeder offers simple, mass voice messaging. Web site

Sprint Nextel offers full-length movies

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 19:01:36 -0500

Sprint Nextel is set to offer full-length movie downloads on its handsets using technology from MSpot Movies. Due to the high competition for broadcast rights, most of the initial 10 movies available might generously be called classics. Sprint will offer two versions of the service: a low-bandwidth version for Sprint Vision CDMA 1x subscribers and a higher-quality version for Power Vision EVDO subscribers. Customers can view unlimited movies for $6.95 per month, plus any additional data fees. Article

It's official: EVDO Motorola Q

Mon, 12 Dec 2005 19:01:35 -0500

Motorola has confirmed that an EVDO version of its super-slim Q smartphone will ship in the first quarter of 2006. Since its EVDO, the phone will probably be offered by Verizon Wireless. Blog | Pictures

QUICKLINKS: Nokia offers push email client; T-Mobile's EDGE network nearly complete; Much more...

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 20:00:50 -0400

Nokia takes aim at BlackBerry with Business Center push email client. Blog

T-Mobile's EDGE network nearly complete. Blog

Handmark raises $5 million in venture capital. Release

News Corp. buys IGN Entertainment for $650 million. Article

Movies on mobile phones -- delivered via kiosks. Article

Cingular kicked out of local BBB due to outstanding customer complaints. Article

Report: European music downloads will be worth $640 million by 2010. Blog

Cingular, Sprint give Katrina victims a break on their bill. Article

Can't get EVDO to work on your Verizon phone? Blog

"Mobile phones are not just bad browsers on resource-constrained devices with crappy connectivity and non-free voice." Blog