The Wizard of Oz can change his mind, it seems. Apple Inc. said that its forthcoming iPhone product will run applications created with Web 2.0 standards, opening the device to extended capabilities from third-party suppliers-a change in direction from the company's initial product announcement...
Editor's Note: Welcome to our Monday feature, Analyst Angle. We've collected a group of the industry's leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry. In the coming weeks look for columns from Compete's Miro Kazakoff, Jupiter Research's Julie...
Hedge*hog*ing v. Interrupting conversations in an office environment by poking your head over the top of the cube.The Coca-Cola company announced it will offer a mobile social networking service based on its Sprite soda-pop brand. To be honest, some of us really don't understand...
Executives at Palm Inc. appear to believe they've bought the time and talent to move from less than 3% of the smartphone market to leadership in mobile computing.To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, that's a giant leap . for any company, analysts said. This is perhaps...
HTC Corp., the nimble, Taiwan-based smartphone maker that is a leading purveyor of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system, announced its new HTC Touch, a phone that employs touchscreen technology. The move is notable as Apple Inc.'s iPhone, which also features a touchscreen and...
When civil unrest threatens the established order in Casablanca-at least in the famous movie of the same name-one of the authorities gives the order to "round up the usual suspects."So may it go with those lining up June 29 and thereafter to buy the...
Welcome to our new Friday feature, Week in Review. Every Friday, RCR Wireless News will run through the major events of the past week, outlining what happened and speculating on what to look for in the coming weeks. Check below for news about carriers,...
The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available.--Airband Communications: M/C Venture Partners invested $12.5 million in Airband as part of the company's third round of funding....
The following list includes ratings changes and financial information for wireless companies announced this week by investment-banking and financial-services firms.Carrier --Standard & Poor's Ratings Services affirmed its CCC rating on Cricket Communications Inc.'s $1.035 billion of senior unsecured notes due 2014 and affirmed its...
HTC Corp., the nimble, Taiwan-based smartphone maker that is a leading purveyor of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile operating system, announced in London its new HTC Touch, a phone that employs touchscreen technology. The move is notable as Apple Inc.'s iPhone, which also features a...
Long-running speculation that Palm Inc. has been a takeover target may abate now that the company has received a $325 million infusion of private capital from Elevation Partners-a 25% stake-in a recapitalization effort to move the company ahead in smartphone and mobile computing markets.The...
Even a casual observer of the wireless industry can't fail to notice that newer handsets are sporting larger, clearer, more colorful screens. Simply put, the advent of mobile multimedia and consumer e-mail is driving increases in size, resolution and "color depth" of mobile-phone...
Whether it's through a transistor radio, a Walkman or an iPod, on-the-go music has an impressive track record as a business model. But when it comes to revenues from full-track downloads, their may be little room on the dance floor for carriers. Mobile music...
AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. see opportunities ahead for their international operations, according to remarks by company executives at last week's Lehman Brothers Worldwide Wireless and Wireline conference. Meanwhile, Sprint Nextel Corp. is doing its darnedest to convince Wall Street that the company...
The top two handset vendors made small ripples this week in near-perfect juxtaposition. They both want something the other has-and gettin' some is going to be difficult. Nokia Corp. announced yesterday that it will make two of its premium N-series devices available for sale...
Helio sought to capture the hearts, minds and wallets of its target market-young, affluent, tech-savvy, Web-browsing and messaging enthusiasts-by designing a handset that would deliver ease-of-use in a stylish package. Pantech, which has sought a higher profile and greater sales in the United States,...
If you believe the talk on the street, Google Inc. is eyeing everything wireless from becoming a mobile virtual network operator to building Google-branded handsets. But it's the company's recent work with the Federal Communications Commission that stoked the gossip mill last week.The Internet...
Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There's a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCR Wireless News to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the...
AT&T Inc. made a major re-branding push by stripping a number of its company-owned stores of Cingular-related trappings overnight and replacing them with AT&T logo and signage.The company said in a statement that the change in about 1,800 wireless retail locations reflects research indicating...
Verizon Wireless is hoping to spur its full-track mobile music sales with a new music-identification application.The carrier launched Vcast Song ID, allowing users to play a tune into their phone to discover the name of the song as well as the musician. The free...
This summer is starting to look pretty good.First of all, "The Simpsons Movie" is coming out in July. That's reason enough to get excited. But that's not the only reason to stay conscious, oh no, not by a long shot.Also this summer the iPhone...
Location-based application developer uLocate Communications Inc. pocketed $11 million in a funding round led by Venrock. Existing investors GrandBanks Capital and Kodiak Venture Partners joined the round, and Venrock partner Mike Tyrrell joined uLocate's board under terms of the deal. The Framingham, Mass.-based firm...
Editor's Note: Welcome to our Monday feature, Analyst Angle. We've collected a group of the industry's leading analysts to give their outlook on the hot topics in the wireless industry. In the coming weeks look for columns from Compete's Miro Kazakoff, Jupiter Research's Julie...
T-Mobile USA Inc. appears to have refreshed its handset lineup by discounting most of its Motorola Inc. Razrs-four models dropped to $30 from $50-and discontinuing the Moto Pebl.The Pebl had once been one of Motorola's flagship devices, and T-Mobile USA was the only major...
