AT&T vs Verizon: What do the experts think?
Iyaz talked a little earlier about the drama surrounding AT&T and Verizon, but when it comes right down to it, what do the guys who know what they're talking about think of the two companies? We ask Matt Buchanan from Gizmodo and Ross Rubin of The NPD Group exactly who wins this epic battle of cell phone supremacy.
Guests:
Wired thinks the Droid Eris is tired
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The mag for all things tech gave the Droid's younger brother, based on the HTC Hero, a paltry 5 out of 10, citing poor voice quality, slow processor and a lackluster UI. Given the phone is Android 1.5, whereas the Droid is 2.0, we're willing to concede some of Wired's points, but also would throw in it's the cheaper of the two.
Verizon upsets senator with $350 early-termination fee
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Representative Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota wrote an angry letter to the FCC asking the oversight agency to look into Verizon's new ETF structure, which takes effect for so-called "advanced devices" like the Droid or other smartphones on the expensive side.
Verizon Wireless to raise termination fee to $350
Verizon raised the early termination fee for advanced devices, such as the Motorola Droid smartphone, from $175 to $350 today. The $350 cost will reduce by $10 for every month you are into the contract. Verizon have done this to combat people who enter into a contract with a free device, then cancel and sell the phone. This takes effect on November 15th.
Verizon unveils Motorola Droid [UPDATE]
Verizon unveiled the hotly-anticipated Motorola Droid smartphone, available for $199 with a two-year contract beginning November 6th. Featuring a 3.7-inch 16:9 touchscreen, a 5-megapixel camera, and all the normal trimmings, the Droid comes with Android 2.0, bringing Facebook integration, voice-activated search, and a physical keyboard.
UPDATE: Some Verizon stores will be opening an hour early for the Droid release on friday.
Palm unveils unique app strategy, Google and Verizon cozy up
It's been a fairly eventful day in the mobile industry. Palm kicked it off by announcing an extremely unique app store strategy, and Google and Verizon continued the fun by announcing a pair up. What's all this commotion mean for the wireless industry at large? We ask LaptopMAG writer Todd Haselton, and JKOnTheRun's Kevin Tofel.
[Sidenote: Yes, the audio has problems. We had audio ghosts yesterday, and it looks like they returned for today's show. We'll get it locked down for tomorrow, thanks for bearing with us.]
Guests:
Qwest gets out of the MVNO business
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Qwest has announced that it is killing its Qwest Wireless business after it only generated $10 million in revenue in the last quarter. Qwest got into the MVNO game over a year ago when it decided to resell Verizon Wireless service as Qwest Wireless. Qwest said the service's 185,000 customers will have 60 days to switch their number to another carrier with no early termination fee.
Verizon drops smartphones to $99
Industry watchers take note: Verizon has dropped all of its smartphone portfolio to $99 with a two-year contract. The bargains likely signify a move by Verizon to clear inventory ahead of more significant product launches, like the upcoming BlackBerry Storm 2.
Amazon launches Amazon Wireless
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Amazon has announced the beta launch of Amazon Wireless, their new portal to purchase cellphones and wireless plans. While the service is in beta, they will only be selling phones and service plans for Verizon Wireless and AT&T. The portal is designed to simplify the purchase of phones and service plans so expect to see changes as Amazon receives feedback from customers.