Is Verizon Testing iPads?

Verizon does not currently offer service for any Apple devices, but a new report suggests it might be at least testing one out.

The Boy Genius Report quoted Wednesday that according to one of its "highly placed sources," Verizon is testing the iPad on its network.

"We have been told that the model they are testing is a CDMA-compatible device, and while our source mentioned LTE in some capacity (possibly another model), we haven't been able to independently confirm that part of it," the BGR report says.

A Verizon spokesman said the company had no comment on the report.

Verizon is one of a few wireless networks that uses CDMA. AT&T is currently the only wireless operator in the U.S. that offers 3G service for the iPad, and it employs GSM technology. LTE (which stands for Long-Term Evolution), which several carriers including Verizon and AT&T are adopting, is a 4G technology that promises peak download speeds of at least 50Mbps.

It's important to remember that companies test devices all the time, and Verizon looking at how any device operates on its network does not necessarily mean it will offer it.

The timing of the source's tip to BGR is interesting, however: it comes the same day that AT&T announced it is changing its mobile-data plans, including the plan for the iPad. Instead of the original choice of $15 for 250MB per month and $30 for unlimited mobile-broadband use, AT&T now says iPad users can pay $15 for 200MB of data per month, or $25 for 2GB each month, with no unlimited-use option.

[via CNET]

Is Verizon Testing iPads?

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The 5 Best Android Smartphones Out Now

According to a report from PCWorld earlier today, the HTC Droid Incredible, Motorola's Droid, and other Android-based smartphones are strong competitors to Apple's iPhone. Here are their top 5 most worthy iPhone competitors.

1. HTC Droid Incredible

Verizon's HTC Droid Incredible runs the Sense interface on top of Android OS 2.1. The Droid Incredible ($200 with a two-year contract) features a 3.7-inch AMOLED touchscreen display, a fast 1GHz processor, an 8-megapixel camera, MicroSD-card expansion up to 32 gigabytes, multitasking, and the Friend Stream social network aggregator.

The Droid Incredible lacks a physical keyboard. Its touchscreen provides the primary user interface; voice command is also an option for calls, search, and GPS navigation.

2. Motorola Droid

Verizon's Motorola Droid features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.7-inch, 480-by-854-pixel touchscreen display, Android OS 2.1, MicroSD-card expansion up to 32 gigabytes, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 support, a 5-megapixel camera, and hardware-accelerated graphics.

The Droid ($200 with a two-year contract) features an excellent and surprisingly fun voice-enabled search and GPS navigation capability. This makes the Droid stand out from older Android smartphone offerings.

3. Motorola Cliq

The T-Mobile Motorola Cliq features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.1-inch, 320-by-480-pixel capacitive touch display, and the MotoBlur social network aggregator. The Cliq ($150 with two-year contract) has Wi-Fi support, turn-by-turn GPS, a 5-megapixel camera, and a standard 3.5-mm headphone jack.

It runs the now-dated Android OS 1.6, so don’t expect some of the latest Android OS 2.1 apps to work.

4. Samsung Moment

The Sprint Samsung Moment ($100 with a two-year contract) features a slide-out keyboard, a 3.2-inch, 320-by-480-pixel AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, a 3.32-megapixel camera, and Android OS 2.1.

5. Samsung Behold II

The T-Mobile Samsung Behold II has a brilliant 3.2-inch, 320-by-480-pixel AMOLED capacitive touchscreen display, a 5-megapixel camera, and TouchWiz 2.0, a touch-friendly user interface running over the now-outdated Android OS 1.5.

Note: the newest Android Market apps may require Android OS 2.1 for full functionality.

The 5 Best Android Smartphones Out Now

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46 Million Media Tablets to be Released by 2014

In a trend kick-started by the Apple iPad, more than 46 million media tablets are expected to ship in 2014. This is according to the new "Worldwide and U.S. Media Tablet 2010-2014 Forecast" released by IDC on Thursday.

Up substantially from the 7.6 million tablets likely to ship this year, that forecast points to a compound annual growth rate of 57.4 percent. Of course, that includes not just the iPad but other tablets following its lead and competing in the marketplace, including the new Archos 7 Home Tablet, a tablet from the likes of Intel, and a potential tablet from the team of Google and Verizon.

IDC's definition of a media tablet is one that sports a 7-inch to 12-inch display, is powered by an ARM processor, and runs a lighter operating system such as Apple's iPhone OS or Google's Android. Such tablets don't offer built-in hardware keyboards but instead ask you to use a stylus or your finger to navigate. That description sets them apart from tablet PCs, such as the Archos 9, which are powered by x86 processors and run full PC operating systems.

Demand for media tablets will be hugely fueled by the amount and variety of third-party apps that give users the content and services they crave, noted IDC.

"The availability of apps unique to media tablets and that differentiate the experience of using one compared with a PC or smartphone will be crucial for driving consumer demand," IDC program director Susan Kevorkian said in a statement. "As the category matures and more media tablet-optimized apps become available, IDC expects that media tablets will evolve beyond nice-to-have devices and become necessities for many consumers."

Beyond just tablets, touch screen devices in general are proving a hit with consumers, according to DisplaySearch's "2010 Touch Panel Market Analysis," released Wednesday.

Total shipments of touch screens hit 606 million last year, a 29 percent boost from 2008. Demand for mobile phones, MP3 players, and GPS units have driven much of that recent growth. Phones proved the biggest factor, with 376 million touch screens shipped for cell phones in 2009. But consumer appetite for all-in-one PCs, Netbooks, and tablets will also spur further gains, according to DisplaySearch.

[via CNET]

46 Million Media Tablets to be Released by 2014

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Verizon Wireless and Google Working on Tablet PC

Hoping to shake things up a bit in the world of touchscreen tablet computer technology and provide some competition for Apple's iPad, Google is set to launch a new device in collaboration with Verizon Wireless, hopefully soon.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Verizon Wireless Chief Executive Lowell McAdam has confirmed this and says that the tablet is just part of a deepening relationship between them and Google, which has created much success in mobile devices with its Android operating system.

"We're looking at all the things Google has in its archives that we could put on a tablet to make it a great experience," he said.

Details including name, manufacturer, release date and operation system are still unknown, however McAdam also stated that, "We're looking at all the things Google has in its archives that we could put on a tablet to make it a great experience."

With Apple and AT&T selling over a million units of the iPad already in the first month alone, Google and Verizon are going to have to really step their game up if they hope to create some worthy competition.

Verizon Wireless and Google Working on Tablet PC

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Top 3 Verizon Wireless Cell Phones

Nowadays, trying to shop for the perfect cell phone can be an overwhelming task. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, prices, operating systems, and user interfaces, plus they are capable of a whole lot more than just making phone calls. Every individual is different and phone companies are realizing that customization and plenty of options is key when creating new phones. Based upon the user ratings via Amazon.com, here are the 3 best Verizon Wireless cell phones currently available:


1. HTC DROID Incredible

The new Droid Incredible with Google by HTC is the future of computing in the palm of your hand. It features a super sleek design with a 3.7" HD screen on the outside and an 8-megapixel camera and 8GB of memory on the inside. The 8–megapixel camera includes auto focus, 2x power LED flash, and a variety of effects options, so capturing your favorite moments in super–crisp detail is now a reality. Droid Incredible uses a 1Ghz Snapdragon processor combined with the 8GB internal flash memory to provide you with incredibly fast performance. This phone also allows you to keep everything clean and tidy with HTC Sense, a new feature that automatically organizes all of your incoming emails, texts, Facebook messages and tweets by sender so all of your latest communications remain in their proper order.

2. Motorola DROID

The first Android-powered phone for Verizon Wireless, the 3G-enabled Motorola DROID smartphone offers a full package of powerful mobile connectivity at lightning speed. View websites in their original format, access all of your favorite social networks, and receive spoken turn-by-turn directions thanks to the new Google Maps with Navigation application. Snap digital camera-quality photos with a 5-megapixel camera loaded with features including dual-LED flash, auto-focus and image stabilization, or capture video in 16 million colors with DVD-quality video capture and playback. And with an included 16GB memory card, you will have plenty of storage room for your music, photos, and videos.

3. Blackberry Storm 2

Stay connected to everything that matters most to you with the Blackberry Storm 2, the second generation of RIM's innovative and award-winning touchscreen smartphone. The Storm 2 features Blackberry's OS 5.0 with Wi-Fi networking capabilities (802.11b/g) and hundreds of hardware and software enhancements. It has a significantly improved touchscreen interactivity with the new SurePress technology, which is based on an electronic system that provides the user with tactile feedback when the touchscreen is pressed. The elegantly designed Storm 2 offers a smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate. Additional features include a 3.2-megapixel camera/camcorder, Bluetooth connectivity, 2GB of internal memory with an included 16GB microSD memory card, and easy access to favorite social networking and instant messaging services.

Top 3 Verizon Wireless Cell Phones

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