Hasta La Gadget!

Verizon has never totally been on the Google Wallet bandwagon. First, Big Red refused to support the mobile payment system, citing a lack of secure hardware. Months later, folks managed to gain official access through the Play Store, but it looks like that the VZW GNex is, once again, Wallet-free. Word on the web has it that those Nexus owners are now, upon opening the app, greeted by a message saying that their version of Google Wallet is no longer supported, and that they need to update the app. Problem is, the Play Store is telling folks that their devices are no longer supported. We’ve confirmed the issue ourselves, but we don’t know if this a temporary problem, or if it’s a permanent move. We’ve reached out to both Google and Verizon for comment, and we’ll let you know as soon as we hear back.

[Thanks, Tim]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Verizon Galaxy Nexus owners lose Google Wallet access originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple’s new iPhone 5 went up for pre-order today, and demand has already been huge: new orders from Apple’s online store face a two week wait, as day-one supplies were snapped up within an hour. Yet, with three different models to choose between – before you even get to color and capacity – there’s a big decision upfront if you’re not going to get increasingly frustrated over the course of your two-year agreement.

Apple probably would have liked to have offer a single iPhone 5 SKU and simply vary it by color – black or white – and capacity – 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB – but the hassles of LTE connectivity forced its hand. In fact, there are three different hardware variants, each equipped with slightly different radios and antennas, to handle 4G LTE networks (among other things) in different locations and with different carriers.

Each of those variants has its advantages and its compromises, however. AT&T’s model, the GSM A1428, supports the US carrier’s LTE network as well as those of Bell (and Virgin), Rogers, (and Fido), and Telus (and Koodo) in Canada. However, its two LTE bands and absence of CDMA support mean there’s no slapping in a Verizon LTE SIM and using that carrier’s network, nor indeed roaming onto LTE networks in Europe or Asia.

In fact, take the AT&T iPhone 5 out of North America, and the best you can hope for is HSPA+ or DC-HSDPA, depending on the capabilities of the network you’re roaming onto. That doesn’t necessarily mean tiny speeds – DC-HSDPA is capable of up to 42Mbps download rates, in theory at least – but it’s certainly slower than LTE can manage.

In fact, when it comes to roaming, Verizon’s CDMA A1429 iPhone 5 comes out on top. That version supports five LTE bands – including three commonly used in Europe and Asia among LTE operators – as well as HSPA+/DC-HSDPA roaming. However, you won’t be able to use it on AT&T’s LTE, even if you somehow managed to persuade Verizon to unlock it, and – more frustrating in day to day use – there’s no support for simultaneous voice calls and data. Instead, Verizon expects iPhone 5 users to rely on WiFi for their data needs while they’re making calls.

Finally, there’s the single international version offered outside of North America. That, the GSM A1429, supports multiple LTE carriers in Europe and Asia; however it also lacks all support for North America LTE, meaning no 4G fun if you’re roaming in the US or Canada. The spray of different bands supported by European LTE roll-outs so far means that you’ll be working with HSPA+/DC-HSDPA on the majority of carriers actually offering the iPhone 5.

Interestingly, according to ExtremeTech, there are really only two versions out there: the A1428 and the A1429, with the GSM version of the latter simply having the CDMA and two bands of the LTE radio disabled. Meanwhile, FCC documents seemingly confirm that the A1428 secretly has LTE band 2 (PCS, 1.9GHz) and LTE band 5 (Cellular 850, 850MHz) support, despite Apple not actually mentioning it.

Of course, arguably most pressing is the fact that you really get what you’re given. In the US, you can’t buy the GSM A1429 version of the iPhone 5, so if you want the best option for international roaming then you probably should opt for the Verizon model. If you plan on making calls while simultaneously browsing over 3G/4G, however, the Verizon model’s lack of support for that means the AT&T version is your friend. And, if you’re in Europe or Asia, you’re stuck with no option to buy the Verizon handset, even though it’s arguably a more flexible version.

Let us know if you plan to pick up the iPhone 5 in the poll below.

Choose carefully: Each iPhone 5 version has its compromises is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

While the focus might be on Android and iOS at the moment, let’s not forget that as far as smartphones are concerned, RIM’s Blackberry devices used to reign supreme. However lately the company has taken quite a bit of hits, although many are hoping that the upcoming Blackberry 10 OS and its accompanying devices will be amazing enough for RIM to regain some market share. Verizon appears to be rather supportive of RIM’s efforts, and when asked about the possibility of keeping their options open when it came to operating systems apart from iOS and Android given the whole Apple versus Samsung legal battle, Verizon’s CFO Francis J. Shammo was quoted as saying not to count RIM out yet as there was a chance that they could come into the marketplace with an innovative product. We guess this isn’t too surprising since Verizon did confirm they would have Blackberry 10 devices on hand at launch in 2013.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Verizon’s CMO confirms that the carrier will offer Blackberry 10 devices at launch, Blackberry 10 demo video surfaces, shows off app switching and swipe gestures,

If you’re still struggling to decide which carrier to use for your iPhone 5, you may have had some of the decision made for you. Following statements by Verizon that hinted simultaneous voice and data still wouldn’t be an option despite the inclusion of LTE, which theoretically frees up CDMA for calls, we’ve confirmed with Apple spokesperson Natalie Harrison that this is indeed the case. It’s “not yet possible” to do side-by-side CDMA voice and LTE data on a “single-radio” design like the iPhone 5, she says. That’s technically true, although it may be a case of Apple wanting to keep hardware differences to a minimum between CDMA and GSM users. AnandTech founder Anand Lal Shimpi tells the New York Times that Verizon phones like the Galaxy S III, which don’t have this limit, follow a different approach: where Apple uses a second antenna to improve overall reception for a single connection, Samsung and other phone makers use theirs to keep both data and voice flowing in harmony. While it’s a tradeoff with its own benefits, the choice means that iPhone 5 units for Verizon, Sprint, and every other CDMA carrier still won’t let you check your e-mail in mid-call without WiFi. If that’s an issue, you’ll have to turn to AT&T (or T-Mobile with an unlocked phone) to get your fix.

Filed under: Cellphones

Apple confirms iPhone 5 won’t do simultaneous voice and LTE data on CDMA networks originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 20:37:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In news that’s a serious bummer but not all that surprising, Verizon’s iPhone 5 will not be able to talk and surf the web on LTE at the same time. Like the iPhone 4S and most Verizon phones before it, the iPhone 5 will not support simultaneous voice and data. More »