Mar 16

Verizon Models Now Around 12% of iPhone Market – Report

Posted in: iPhone, Today's Chili, verizon
Thumbnail image for iphone 4 flat.jpg

A month after launch the Verizon iPhone now comprises around 12 percent of Apple handsets currently in use (the number is fluctuating between 12.7 and 10.4 percent) , according to new numbers from analytics firm Chitika Insights.

The numbers are pulled from data gathered by the Chitika ad network, collected over a 24 hour period. The firm put Verizon’s share of the market at around three percent of the market a day after the phone was launched. 
Not quite the apocalyptic numbers for AT&T that many expected, but still, a fairly impressive gain in a fairly short period of time, particularly given the fact that the iPhone 4 was already six months old by the time the device debuted on Verizon.

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Mar 15

Verizon offers unlimited LTE data plan for HTC Thunderbolt, don’t expect it to stick around

Posted in: 4G, lte, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Verizon execs have been clear as crystal that unlimited smartphone data will follow the dodo — perhaps as soon as summer of this year — but in the meanwhile you can drink your fill of the best as the HTC Thunderbolt will launch this Thursday with an unlimited LTE data plan. While we’ve no guarantees how long it will last, or whether you can grandfather the $30 monthly option into bigger and better devices down the road, it does open up a whole new avenue of opportunity for the Thunderbolt. Considering that Verizon’s 4G USB modems top out at 10GB of LTE data for $80 a month, the HTC handset just became the most powerful, affordable MiFi you could possibly own. Assuming battery life is decent, of course. Find the full PR below.

Continue reading Verizon offers unlimited LTE data plan for HTC Thunderbolt, don’t expect it to stick around

Verizon offers unlimited LTE data plan for HTC Thunderbolt, don’t expect it to stick around originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 15

Verizon waives Xoom and Galaxy Tab activation fees on contracts from March 1st in a limited time offer

Posted in: GalaxyTab, motorola xoom, MotorolaXoom, samsung, samsung galaxy tab, SamsungGalaxyTab, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw, xoom

In an unforeseen act of generosity, Verizon has decided to scrap the $35 activation fee it charges with purchases of the 3G-equipped Motorola Xoom and Galaxy Tab tablets, leaving customers’ wallets a little heavier and hearts a little lighter. This change will be effective on month-to-month contracts starting from the first of this month or later — meaning a nice little refund for anyone acquiring an Android tablet through Big Red after March 1st — however we’re also hearing it’ll be a limited time offer. The intel has been communicated via email to Mobile Burn, and Droid-Life has also obtained a document saying as much, while we’re in the process of confirming it ourselves. All the same, it looks safe to get the (modest) celebrations going.

Verizon waives Xoom and Galaxy Tab activation fees on contracts from March 1st in a limited time offer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 15

Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Comcast, More Nominated for “Worst Company”

Posted in: Apple, att, Microsoft, Miscellaneous Tech, Today's Chili, verizon
wcia_bracket_header_2011.jpg
Watchdog blog Consumerist this week announced the nominations for its sixth annual Worst Company in America competition. The list, which is is broken down in full March Madness bracket-style, features a number of high profile tech companies. 
In the first round, Apple will be competing with Microsoft, Facebook will be duking it out with Time Warner, DirecTV and Dish Network will be going head-to-head, and Sony and Dell will be doing battle. Also on the list: Tickemaster v. Paypal, Verizon v. AT&T, Radioshack v. Best Buy, Comcast v. Charter, and GameStop v. Wal-Mart.
BP makes a notable debut on the list this year, after an oil spill that proved one of the biggest man-made disasters in U.S. history. The oil company will be facing stiff competition in this round from Toyota–the car maker recalled millions of vehicles in 2010, over pedal-related problems.
Not surprisingly, in light of continued economic woes, banks and credit card companies had a big showing on this year’s list, with Chase, Wells Fargo, American Express, Capital One, Bank of America, and Citibank all making the cut. Interestingly (also in light of the year’s events), the number of airlines dropped to two, with only Delta an United making the final list.
The 32 companies will begin squaring off tomorrow. 
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Mar 15

Verizon Wireless stops being coy, confirms HTC Thunderbolt for March 17th at $249.99

Posted in: 4G, Android, breaking news, HTC, lte, smartphone, thunderbolt, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw
Verizon Wireless stops being coy, confirms Thunderbolt for March 17th at $249.99

We said it’d be coming on the 17th, but you didn’t believe us. Why didn’t you believe us? No matter, Verizon‘s finally fessing up and letting us know the good news: the HTC Thunderbolt drops on March 17th for $249.99. In the PR, which is conveniently embedded below, VZW predictably talks up the phone’s status as the first 4G LTE device on its network, offering up to 12Mbps down and 5Mbps up, a connection that can be shared with up to eight Wi-Fi devices — if you pay the extra $20 per month for Mobile Hotspot service. Verizon is generously including a 32GB microSD card, which means you can take video along in a format that will do that 4.3-inch WVGA display justice. In case you haven’t looked at a calendar lately the 17th is just two days away, which doesn’t leave much time to find pants with pockets big enough for this beast.

Update: If you’d like to save 50 bones and are setting up a new account for handset, Emilie wrote in to let us know that you can get a little thunder for $199.99 at Wirefly.

Continue reading Verizon Wireless stops being coy, confirms HTC Thunderbolt for March 17th at $249.99

Verizon Wireless stops being coy, confirms HTC Thunderbolt for March 17th at $249.99 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 08:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 15

Motorola Droid 3, Droid X 2 and LTE-equipped Targa pictured?

Posted in: 4G, Android, droid, in the wild, InTheWild, leak, lte, moto, motorola, rumor, speculation, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

The Motorola Droid 2 and Droid X are both headed toward their one-year anniversaries this summer, which has pretty much become the culling hour for a smartphone of any creed these days. Their successors, ingeniously titled the Droid 3 and Droid X 2, have seemingly made an appearance over at HowardForums, courtesy of longtime forum member wnrussell. He’s also kindly provided imagery of a heretofore unknown device, called the Targa, which promises Verizon 4G LTE and has a protrusion on its rear that looks to be dedicated to accommodating an outsized camera sensor. It reminds us most of Motorola’s XT720, though it sports a chrome outline to its body similar to what you see above on the purported Droid 3. Click past the break to get an eyeful of this Targa device and its Droid X 2 brandmate.

Continue reading Motorola Droid 3, Droid X 2 and LTE-equipped Targa pictured?

Motorola Droid 3, Droid X 2 and LTE-equipped Targa pictured? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:55:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 14

Wirefly: ‘no Skype’ on Thunderbolt, but simultaneous 3G voice and data is a go; ships on March 17th

Posted in: 4G, HTC, lte, skype, thunderbolt, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Wireless retailer Wirefly is pushing ahead with pre-orders for the beleaguered HTC Thunderbolt starting at midnight Pacific Time this evening with the promise that they’ll start shipping this Thursday, the 17th; that lines up with a whole lot of noise we’ve heard recently, so we can’t really argue with it at this point. They’re also confirming a couple rumors that have been floating around since the phone’s January debut: first, they’re saying “no Skype,” which we’re taking to mean that the promised Skype video calling app won’t be installed out of the box. We’re also assuming (or at least hoping) that you’ll be able to install the standard voice-only version. Secondly, they’re saying that the phone definitely does simultaneous voice and data over 3G, a feature that was just recently made possible on Verizon’s CDMA network through software upgrades — and the Thunderbolt, it seems, will be the first retail device to have the pleasure of taking it for a spin.

Wirefly: ‘no Skype’ on Thunderbolt, but simultaneous 3G voice and data is a go; ships on March 17th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 14

HTC Thunderbolt tipped to launch March 17th, again

Posted in: 4G, Android, HTC, thunderbolt, Today's Chili, verizon, Verizon Wireless, VerizonWireless, vzw

Well, it looks like the seemingly unending saga of the HTC Thunderbolt launch could really, finally be drawing to a close. Following up a fairly solid hint earlier today, we now have some actual tangible evidence that the 4G-equipped smartphone will indeed be launching on Thursday, March 17th courtesy of some helpful tipsters. Of course, that’s still not completely official, but HTC has promised that an announcement is coming “soon,” so we should be hearing more from both it and Verizon any day (or moment) now if it the 17th really is the launch date. One more shot after the break.

Continue reading HTC Thunderbolt tipped to launch March 17th, again

HTC Thunderbolt tipped to launch March 17th, again originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mar 14

AT&T and Verizon Allow Free Calls to Japan

Posted in: att, Japan, Miscellaneous Tech, Today's Chili, verizon

Japanese Flag

In the wake of last weeks’ devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan, AT&T and Verizon have stated they’re waiving the costs of all calls and text messages to Japan until March 31st and April 10th, respectively. 
AT&T subscribers also have the benefit of a 60 minute credit for direct dial calls to Japan that they can have applied to their bill if they made calls to Japan prior to the 11th, when the fee waiver took effect. 
This means that people in the US who are AT&T and Verizon customers can reach out to their loved ones in Japan and check in on them without worrying about racking up massive international long distance fees in the interim.
Both companies are also leveraging their television networks as well, with AT&T opening up free access to TV Japan for subscribers to AT&T’s U-Verse television service, and Verizon giving all FiOS TV subscribers access to Japan TV as well. Both companies will keep the television network on the air for their subscribers for free until March 17th.
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Mar 14

AT&T makes calling Japan free until the end of March (update: Verizon and Sprint, too)

Posted in: att, free, Japan, Sprint, Today's Chili, verizon, Wireless

We imagine that many of you, like us, have been making frantic calls to friends and family in Japan over the last few days without regard to the costs. Now, in the face of otherwise devastating news, we have some good news to share courtesy of AT&T. Ma Bell is offering wired and wireless billing relief for calls made on AT&T between March 11th and March 31st. Under the plan, AT&T wireless postpaid customers will not be charged for international long distance or text messages to Japan from the US and Puerto Rico. Likewise, residential wireline customers can seek credits for up to 60 minutes of direct dialing to Japan. Sure it’s a shameless publicity grab but this one seems genuinely helpful.

Update: Sprint and Verizon have both now elected to waive call and text message fees (in Verizon’s case, the move applies both to landline and wireless numbers).

Continue reading AT&T makes calling Japan free until the end of March (update: Verizon and Sprint, too)

AT&T makes calling Japan free until the end of March (update: Verizon and Sprint, too) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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