BARCELONA, Spain — 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 RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the...
BARCELONA, Spain - LG Electronics Co. Ltd. said it will make smartphones running both the Windows Mobile and Android operating systems, and will release an application storefront in the second quarter.LG also announced a new touch-based, 3D user interface - dubbed "3D S-Class" and...
Ahead of next week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced two new innovations the company hopes will set it apart from the inevitable trade-show noise. Specifically, the company unveiled its "Blue Earth" touchscreen phone, which features a rechargeable solar...
The wireless pundits are chattering about a new offer from Verizon Wireless. The nation's largest carrier is offering a buy-one-get-one-of-equal-or-lesser-value-for-free promotion on the most popular smartphone brand - Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry - in the United States. That's technically a BOGOOEOLVFF offer, or...
Betting that a touchscreen interface and high-resolution camera phone will lead to more photo-sharing - and accompanying data revenue - T-Mobile USA Inc. said today it would soon launch Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.'s Memoir.The carrier has not provided pricing or a launch date for...
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 RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
Apple Inc.'s threat to sue competitors over multi-touch capabilities that violate its patents, a warning made during the company's earnings call last month, may not be wise or even have a solid foundation, according to a leading telecom analyst. "Initiating multi-touch infringement litigation may...
With full fourth-quarter results in for the top two U.S. wireless providers, one thing is clear, Apple Inc.'s iPhone is still playing a large role in AT&T Mobility's success. The carrier posted 2.1 million net adds during the fourth quarter and 1.9 million 3G...
Mobile handsets bolstered sales and profits at Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. in the fourth quarter, as the Korean handset vendor cemented its No. 2 global position.The company shipped 53 million handsets in the quarter and garnered 18% global market share, its highest ever. That...
Verizon Wireless today announced its new Verizon Hub, a touchscreen device that integrates wired and wireless home communications.The device is meant to replace stand-alone home phones by providing a touchscreen that displays access to all home communications. Running on a broadband connection, Verizon Hub...
Apple Inc. is not immune to the economic downturn, as it reported a massive slowdown in iPhone 3G sales in its earnings call this afternoon, after markets had closed.The first fiscal quarter of 2009, which ended Dec. 27, 2008, saw Apple selling 4.4 million...
LAS VEGAS-Following a one-on-one meeting with Palm Inc. executives today and a chance to play with the company's new Pre device, I found the new operating system to be pretty well baked. For instance, the accelerometer worked very quickly to rotate pictures, much faster...
Looking to turn around its struggling handset division, Motorola Inc. unveiled three new handsets it plans to show off at this week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.The company, which has had to cut its workforce amid a company restructuring, is touting its new...
The holidays are over and that usually calls for a sigh of relief. Unless of course you're a retailer who lost money. Each year, from Black Friday until the end of December, retailers in the wireless industry shove products, rate plans and accessories down...
Just in time to miss the annual retail orgy, the aptly named Phenom Communications Inc. has launched the latest cellphone-and-everything-else-on-your-wristwatch gadget. "The Most Innovative Gadget in the World" (Phenom's words) can be yours for only $295!The name of the SpecialOPS model reflects the intended...
In 2009, the wireless industry is apt to suffer many of the same consequences exacted upon others by the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression: layoffs (likely giving way to stepped-up outsourcing), reduced capital spending, lower revenues and slimmer profit margins, tight credit,...
Hello! And welcome to a special edition of our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. As 2008 draws to a close and we take stock of all the changes that have happened in the wireless industry, we can't help but wonder how things will...
The Swedish subsidiary of Neonode Inc. - Neonode AB - filed for bankruptcy this week and the parent company said it too would restructure and continue life as a touchscreen-licensing operation."For the past six months, we have focused on turning the business around and...
Regional carrier Cellular One released an unlimited monthly wireless plan priced at $80, undercutting similar offerings from its nationwide competitors.The carrier's new "All of America" plan includes nationwide unlimited voice and text with no roaming or long-distance charges. Because Cellular One is a GSM...
Various metrics for how the handset market is faring at this juncture are swirling like the snow in a paperweight designed to be shaken for pleasant effect. But this swirl of metrics is anything but pleasant. And how and when they settle could well...
Virgin America is the latest airline to offer travelers in-flight Internet services powered by Aircell's network.The service is available on select flights and the airline is expecting to add additional routes by the end of the year. Virgin America also said the service will...
Nokia Corp. will deliver its second touchscreen handset by June of next year, the company said at the opening of its Nokia World exposition in Barcelona.
The N97 is a touchscreen, horizontal slider with QWERTY keypad that will sell unsubsidized for $700. It was...
Similar to its like-named weather phenomenon, the launch of Research In Motion Ltd.'s Storm at Verizon Wireless has left mixed results. Sure, the resulting moisture and strong sales are needed, but the shaken nerves and rattled shoppers are after-effects that may take time to...
