Verizon Ally owners see Froyo update, while Fascinate owners continue to wait

LG Ally users can rejoice: the Verizon smartphone, which was rumored to get an update to Android 2.2 (Froyo) in February, has just begun receiving OTA updates. It's humorous that the device, a mid-range smartphone, is able to receive a Froyo update OTA while Samsung's top-of-the-line Galaxy S cannot.

It's unclear exactly when the updates began rolling out, but based on the fact that Friday people were still speculating as to when the update would come, it had to begin being pushed out sometime late Friday / early Saturday.

The update (VS740ZVD, Android 2.2.1) brings a ton of improvements to Android, including performance improvements, the ability to move apps to the SD card, improved security, and more.

Verizon LG Ally owners can now wave their devices in front of their Verizon Samsung Fascinate brethren. The only Galaxy S smartphone, of which the Fascinate is one, to receive a Froyo update is the T-Mobile Vibrant, and that requires a cabled install using Samsung's Kies desktop software.

(Adobe) Flash-y Toshiba tablet teaser site mocks the iPad

Toshiba's yet unnamed Android tablet has a new teaser site. The site shows off the tablet's features, confirms a few things, but at the same time, in its Flashiness, mocks the iPad as well.

If you use an iOS device to access the site (TheToshibaTablet.com), the site detects it and tells you that you can't watch the video, because it's Flash. It says:

“Such a shame. Add this to the list of interesting places on the Internet you can’t see on your device. Of course, if you had a Toshiba Tablet, you would enjoy the entire Internet. Yep, Flash sites too.”

The specs on the Toshiba tablet are:

• 10.1" display
• Tegra 2 dual-core processor
• Android 3.0 Honeycomb
• 2MP front facing camera
• Stereo Speakers
• Landscape mode dock
• HDMI out
• USB 2.0 port
• MiniUSB port
• Headphone and microphone jacks
• User-replaceable battery
• Combined volume, screen orientation, and power buttons
• Full-size SD card slot

The Toshiba tablet (come on; name it already) will face plenty of competition when it emerges. Not just other Android tablets like the Motorola Xoom, but the iPad 2, RIM's BlackBerry PlayBook, and perhaps even a webOS tablet.

Apple is pretty sure who will win, but after the way Android took on the iPhone in smartphones, that battle is far from certain.

Motorola apologizes for bootloader comment gaffe, promises change

Motorola's bootloader policy on its recent Android phones hasn't been received well by Android fans who love custom ROMs and rooting. A recent response to a comment on Motorola's YouTube account inflamed things more, and Motorola responded on Wednesday with an apology on Facebook.

A locked bootloader pretty much prevent customs ROMs on Motorola devices.  Rooting is still possible, but custom ROMs are popular among many on Android.  The original FUBAR occurred when a Motorola employee responded on their YouTube account (the comment has been replaced with something apologetic):

@tdcrooks if you want to do custom roms, then buy elsewhere, we’ll continue with our strategy that is working thanks.

Considering Motorola Nobility is only now making a comeback from its doldrums, it hardly seems good to direct them to another company. Their Facebook apology reads:

We apologize for the feedback we provided regarding our bootloader policy. The response does not reflect the views of Motorola.

We are working closely with our partners to offer a bootloader solution that will enable developers to use our devices as a development platform while still protecting our users' interests. More detailed information will follow as we get closer to availability.

The edited comment at YouTube, while not word-for-word the same, provides pretty much the same answer.

While we doubt there will be many, or any, changes to older devices, it will be interesting to see how and if Motorola follows through with this. The upcoming Atrix 4G and its dock attachments were well received at CES, with the only problem for us being AT&T as the carrier.

Starbucks mobile payment service goes national

Starbucks is taking the mobile payment system it has been testing in a limited number of stores in Seattle, New York and San Francisco national. The system, which enables iOS and BlackBerry users to "pay by phone" has expanded to nearly 6,800 company-operated Starbucks stores in the U.S., starting Wednesday.

Once the application is installed onto an iOS or BlackBerry phone, users can load their Starbucks card information onto the device. The app will display a barcode that is scanned for payment, just as with customers' Starbucks cards. Customers can check their balance and reload cards, as well.

Although Starbucks could have opted for the near-field communication system (NFC) that Google is touting as a potential future replacement for credit cards, it decided to go with its own custom system.  NFC, the company said, is too limited in adoption and too new, at least for now.  Google recently added NFC support to Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).

20 percent of transactions at Starbucks stores are paid for with Starbucks cards. Brady Brewer, vice president of card and brand loyalty, said in a release:

“Mobile payment is just one example of how we’re continually innovating on behalf of our customers to enhance the Starbucks Experience. A growing segment of our customers use smartphones, and through the Starbucks Card Mobile App, we’re providing them with the fastest way to pay.”

One reason Starbucks thinks the program will be successful is that while waiting in line, customers are always fiddling with their mobile devices. Of course, in order to be truly successful, they'll need to add an Android version, and that is reportedly being built. There's no word on any plans for a Windows Phone version.

Samsung promises Froyo status soon; claims not charging carriers for Android updates

Samsung Galaxy S owners in the U.S. remain stuck on Android 2.1, and have waited so long for Android 2.2 (Froyo) that many theories have sprung up, including the latest, which is that Samsung is charging carriers for Froyo updates. That one must have struck a nerve with Samsung, as it has reportedly reached out to quash it.

Phonescoop says that Samsung Mobile emailed it, with the following missive:

"No. Samsung is not charging carriers for Froyo updates to Galaxy S. We hope to have more detail on status shortly. Promise!"

Many other phones have received Froyo updates, so it is unclear why there is a holdup on Samsung's. So far, rumors have flown about fried internal storage with the update, Samsung holding it back (specifically on the Vibrant) because of the upcoming Vibrant 4G Plus, and more. There has even been some saber-rattling at XDA about possible class-action lawsuits.

A public update on the matter would be a great idea, Samsung. Issuing a press release with public details on Froyo, or perhaps even Gingerbread, on the Captivate, Fascinate, Vibrant, Epic 4G, and Mesmerize in the U.S. markets would probably reduce the upset.

14-year-old's game ends up atop Apple's free apps list

A 14-year-old's first attempt at coding a game for the iPhone has landed atop the App Store's top free apps list. Since its launch on Dec. 29, Robert Nay's game, Bubble Ball, has been downloaded 1.5 million times.

The game is graphically simple, but that has nothing to do with its being fun (or not). In Bubble Ball, players try to move a ball across the screen using objects such as a stick or a triangle. The objects are wood or metal, and exhibit differing properties based on their material.

To code the game, the eighth-grader used Corona tools from Ansca Mobile. Corona uses Lua as a programming language, and allows programs to be written once for both iOS and Android devices. Bubble Ball hasn't taken off on Android, but that may change with all this publicity (note that there are two Bubble Balls in the Android Market, but look for the one by Nay Games).

Nay plans to add more levels to the free game and eventually add in-app purchases (to actually make some money). His mother, Kari, helped her son by designing most of the game levels. She also handles things such as submitting the apps to the App Store and Android Market. She said, “I do the grown-up stuff for him."

Watch a trailer below.

Google Voice Numbers Seem to Come, As Google is Testing Settings

We know that Google was considering adding number portability for Google Voice, enabling people to move their currently number to their Google Voice account. That would be a huge plus for the service, and for a time, on Thursday, it seemed it was there, in Phone Setting. Ah, but it was a false alarm.

First noted by Engadget, it turns out the setting was simply a test by Google. It wasn't meant to roll out to end users, just yet. Still, the test means that it will most likely be coming, and possibly soon.

The cost of the service would (and probably will) be $20 to port the number. However, if you are currently on contract with a carrier, that move would cause a cancellation of your contract, and hence, an early termination fee of possibly hundreds of dollars.

The process made it quite clear what was going to happen, though, and users would have to check several checkboxes, and enter their account number, not just their phone number, to make it happen, so it would be hard to accidentally do it. And now that users know this feature is definitely coming, howver, they can start planning if they want to move their number.

Jason Kincaid at TechCrunch has had his number ported to his Google Voice account for over a year (via the Google team). He sees this feature as a major turning point, and we already know that Google has major plans for Voice.

It will be interesting to see how carriers react once this feature rolls out publicly.

Verizon iPhone: too late to kill Android, but it will hurt it

The fanboys have erupted on both sides of an argument that may not be settled for a year, or more, if then. The Verizon iPhone: will it kill Android, or at least, seriously hurt it, or not?

Some are saying this is the first time we will see a real battle between Android and the iPhone. In reality, if it is a battle for subscribers, it should be remembered: Verizon is one carrier, in one country. Since, depending on what market research firm you listen to, Android has already surpassed iPhone globally, it's unclear that Android will lose, at least globally.

In fact, in September of 2010, Gartner forecast that Android would challenge Symbian, for the top spot globally, by the end of 2014. This, of course, is on the global scale. What about the U.S.?

Android

Looking at it from a fanboy perspective, Dan Lyons, Newsweek writer and Android fanboy (he switched to Android in May of 2010). His view is that the Verizon iPhone is too late.

As he notes, a year ago Apple could have crushed Android, which was still pretty new, with a Verizon iPhone. The only big player at that time was, really, the Motorola Droid. Since then, a number of extremely good devices have launched (e.g Droid X, Droid 2, Samsung Galaxy S, Droid Incredible), and with newer Android versions, the software's capability has expanded.

In addition, those who use Google services (Gmail, Maps, Calendar, Voice, more) will never see the same level of support on iPhone as they do on Android. It's obvious why: it's Google in both the cloud and your device. If you don't care about Google integration, that's not as important. If you do, it is.

Lyons also brought up the one iPhone vs. multiple form factors argument. It's true that with iPhone you will have at most two designs a year. You will also, most likely, never have a hardware keyboard. In America, that may not be as much a negative, as many see the iPhone as a status symbol. Clearly, not all think that way, and want something that fits there, and many countries are far more individualistic in terms of devices than the U.S. is.

Lyons also calls Apple a "control freak." His reference here is to the closed model that Apple has: only App Store purchases allowed on the device, again the one form factor, and an approval process for the App Store once called draconian.

Michael Arrington, editor of TechCrunch is another such strong Android supporter, as Lyons notes.

iPhone

John Gruber at Daring Fireball is a well-known iPhone support. He rebuts each of Lyons' assertions. For example, although Lyons compares the iPhone to the Model T because of its limited form factors, Gruber notes that the Model T was a massive hit.

Lyons says he switched to Android to get to Verizon and its superior network. He said that since then he has grown to love Android, and it's too late for him. As Gruber points out, that doesn't mean its too late for others.

While Lyons called Apple a "control freak," Gruber called that attention to detail design, rather than over-control.

Our Take

• Android is great and has a number of different form factors.
• iPhone is great, but comes in one new form factor a year and is very closed.
• AT&T's new Motorola Atrix 4G Android device is powerful, and is bound to attract buyers.
• Verizon is estimated to sell somewhere between 9 and 13 million iPhones this year.

Can't we all just get along? They're both great platforms, and they both have hundreds of thousands of apps. Lyons is definitely right in one thing: the Verizon iPhone won't kill Android. It's too late for that.

One country, one carrier, that's what the Verizon iPhone means. It will definitely impact Android. But this is not a fight that will end quickly.

Google Translate for Android adds experimental real-time audio translation

Google's adding Conversation Mode to one of its products, but it's not the Conversation Mode in Gmail. Instead, Google has added Conversation Mode to Google Translate on Android.

If it was fully baked, you could think of Conversation Mode as the same as the Universal Translator on the original Star Trek. You speak a word or phrase, and Translate translates the words into an alternate language and reads it out loud. For now, Conversation Mode only works between English and Spanish, but the feature is only Alpha, after all.

As the feature is only alpha, Google adds that "factors like regional accents, background noise or rapid speech may make it difficult to understand what you’re saying." Even given that, this sounds pretty exciting, at least it will be when it reaches a release stage.

Google also made a few ease of use changes to the app. Meanwhile, it also noted that now, the majority of use of Google Translate occurs outside the U.S. Google said:

As Android devices have spread across the globe, we’ve seen Translate for Android used all over. The majority of our usage now comes from outside the United States, and we’ve seen daily usage from more than 150 countries, from Malaysia to Mexico to Mozambique. It’s really rewarding for us to see how this new platform is helping us break down language barriers the world over.

Translate supports 53 languages, from Afrikaans to Yiddish, and voice input for 15 languages.

You need Android 2.1 or later to install Google Translate, from the Android Market.

Google demo'ed the feature a few months ago, but now it's giving Android users a chance to try it out. You can see the earlier demo in a video below, at about the 26:24 mark.

As iPhone launch approaches, Verizon to end "New Every Two" program

We wrote earlier that Verizon was planning to "simplify" its device upgrade policy, and it looks like it's going to happen. Not surprisingly, the change, which includes ending the "New Every Two" program will take place prior to the launch of the Verizon iPhone, on Jan. 16, as predicted.

"New Every Two" offers Verizon subscribers a credit of $30 to $100 toward a new phone every two years. New subscribers will no longer be offered a credit if they sign up for Verizon after Jan. 16 (like new-to-Verizon iPhone buyers will), but current subscribers will still get a "New Every Two" credit after that date. That, however, will be the end of it for current subscribers.

Also as predicted, the carrier will be ending its early upgrade program. Customers who were previously eligible for discounted pricing as early as 13 months into a two-year contract will now have to wait 20 months to get a new phone at the subsidized price instead of full retail.

There's no question why these changes are being made well ahead of the iPhone 4 launch on Verizon's network: profits. So Verizon customers win, with the iPhone, but lose with these changes. Hello, iPhone, so long "New Every Two."

Best Buy's new 'Buy Back' return program gets official

Best Buy has made its new Buy Back plan, which we wrote about earlier, official. The plan allows buyers to trade in their televisions, laptops, netbooks, tablets, or smartphones for a percentage of the device’s original value.

Interestingly, when trading in a smartphone, Best Buy will base the percentage on the phone's retail value. That means the program won't use the subsidized price a consumer may pay for a phone with a contract, but rather the unsubsidized price a consumer would pay without one. This could help soften the blow of an Early Termination Fee (ETF), and Best Buy admits it could even mean a tiny profit for a consumer in rare cases.

In order to utilize the Buy Buy program, a consumer must first "buy into it" at the time of purchase. That means he must pay a fee, ranging from 69.99 for portable laptops, netbooks, and tablets, from $39.99 to $59.99 for cell phones and smartphones, and from $59.99 to $349.99 for televisions.

The refund, payable in Best Buy gift cards, is as follows. For items aside from TVs, the maximum repayment is 50 percent of the original purchase price if the items are returned within six months of purchase. The rate decreases from there to 40 percent within 12 months of purchase, 30 percent within 18 months, and 20 percent within 24 months.

TVs are treated differently, as one might expect, due to their price and expected lifespan. TVs can be returned for up to 48 months after purchase, but only for up to 10 percent of their original price.

Naturally the items must be in good working order. Also, they must be returned with all original parts, including chargers and cables. While Best Buy will recycle and resell the returned devices, it won't stock them in its stores, but instead may use some for parts for refurbished items or sell others in online auctions through its subsidiary Dealtree.

It's true that consumers may actually be able to do better by reselling the devices through eBay or other market, but Best Buy is betting the program will do well because it's easier to return a device to a store than set up an auction and deal with it.

Best Buys' press release is below.

Buy Back Program from Best Buy Helps “Future-Proof” Today’s CE Purchases

Customers can buy new gadgets with added confidence from an upfront re-purchase schedule, instant re-payment on redeemed gear

MINNEAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) is launching its first-ever Buy Back Program to help customers embrace new technology with greater confidence. Created for people who want to stay current with their gear but who are concerned about obsolescence, the Buy Back Program provides convenient access to upgrades with the help of a Best Buy gift card from ”buying back” past purchases.

“We recognize that technology is changing faster than ever, and our customers tell us they want to enjoy these devices without worrying about when the next or newest version will launch”
Beginning this month, Best Buy customers can purchase the Buy Back Program in-store or online when buying products in one of five popular categories: laptops, netbooks, tablets, post-paid mobile phones and televisions. Customers may purchase the Buy Back Program when they buy their new devices, with pricing based on the product category. For example, Buy Back protection for any laptop, netbook or tablet is $69.99. Best Buy will purchase the product anytime within two years for laptops, netbooks, tablets and post-paid mobile phones, and four years for televisions. Customers may receive up to 50 percent of the product’s original purchase price paid in the form of a Best Buy gift card if redeemed within six months of the effective date to purchase new products of their choice.

Buy Back Program appeal has been validated by a year of extensive consumer research, and most recently in a study conducted by Impulse Research Corporation. In the study, 40 percent of consumers surveyed agreed that concerns about technology becoming outdated have likely prevented them, or would prevent them in the future, from purchasing products such as laptops, mobile phones, TVs, tablets and netbooks. The study also affirmed the appeal of a Buy Back-like program when deciding on where to shop for popular electronics gear in the coming year. It revealed that 30 percent of consumers plan to purchase a TV or laptop in the next 12 months, and that 73 percent of consumers would consider purchasing these electronics from a retailer that offers a re-purchase type of program.

“We recognize that technology is changing faster than ever, and our customers tell us they want to enjoy these devices without worrying about when the next or newest version will launch,” said Brian Dunn, chief executive officer of Best Buy. “We call this ‘future-proofing’ because our customers can now have more confidence that they’re protecting the value of the products they’re purchasing today. With the Buy Back Program, consumers benefit from assurance, convenience and transparency so they can stay current and stay connected.”

Best Buy customers may purchase the Buy Back Program when buying a new product and redeem it at a later time, as long as the device is in good working condition and includes all original parts. Unlike typical retail trade-in programs customers don’t have to wait for re-payment, and can immediately apply money from their Buy Back product redemption to the purchase of new products at any Best Buy or Best Buy Mobile store. Better yet, consumers know what they’ll be paid up front, with a schedule that is available at the time of Buy Back Program purchase and is based on duration of product ownership:

• Redeem your Buy Back within 6 months from purchase effective date, and get up to 50 percent of your purchase price
• Redeem your Buy Back after 6 months to 12 months from purchase effective date, and get up to 40 percent
• Redeem your Buy Back after 12 months to 18 months from purchase effective date and get up to 30 percent
• Redeem your Buy Back after 18 months to 24 from purchase effective date and get up to 20 percent
• For TVs only, redeem your Buy Back within 48 months from purchase effective date and get up to 10 percent

“A program like Best Buy’s Buy Back should encourage higher consumption by early adopters and fast followers that are considering new technologies, because it gives them confidence that the electronic devices they have just purchased will have real value going forward,” said Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis for NPD Group.Impulse also found that when purchasing personal electronics, 84 percent of consumers say it’s important to deal with a reputable company who will responsibly re-use and re-cycle their old products. Electronics redeemed through the Buy Back Program will be assessed by its built-in team of Geek Squad Agents, and distributed among Best Buy’s aftermarket, trade-in and recycling programs. To learn more about the Buy Back Program and find the nearest Best Buy store, visit www.bestbuy.com.

Android 2.4 (Ice Cream) to be released in the summer: report

Google has just released Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), although only on one device so far (the Nexus S). Meanwhile, we know Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) is destined only for tablets. When will the next smartphone version of Android release, Ice Cream, be released?
Android 2.4, or Ice Cream, is set for a June / July release, according to Pocket-Lint's sources. An announcement on the new version will be at Google I/O at the beginning of May.  The summer, of course, is perfect for Ice Cream.

However, that timing should distract attention away from Android 2.4. After all, June / July is the normal time for an iPhone update, and this year, we're probably going to see both a CDMA version and GSM version of the iPhone 5, or whatever it ends up being called.

Although Honeycomb is meant for tablets only, that doesn't mean that future revisions of Android for smartphones won't incorporate some of the changes. In fact, that was implied in this interview with Matias Duarte, who heads up Google's user experience for Android.

Assuming Ice Cream maintains the 2.4 version, we may see the codelines and features merge post-3.0. It will be interesting to see how Duarte pulls that off.

Latest leak shows PlayStation Phone running PlayStation emulator, 'Biohazard 2'

The so-called Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone, whatever it will end up being called, is being treated to so many leaks, one has to wonder if they are intentional.

The latest leak to hit the online video circuit involves a PlayStation Portable running a PlayStation emulator. The view shows off a number of gaming titles you might recognize, including Biohazard 2 and Rage Racer.

Of note, however, is that they had to use ROM Buddy, a third-party Android app, to load the games. We'd expect that to be unnecessary in the final product, so the PSP might not be as close as some might hope.

Watch it doing what it was meant to do, game, in the embedded video.

PlayStation Phone sees in-depth preview at Chinese website (videos)

The PlayStation Phone continues to get coverage, also known as leaks, and the latest for the Xperia-branded and Android-powered device comes from a Chinese website, IT168. The reported codename for the device has been given as Zeus.

The PlayStation Phone will likely be powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon QSD8255, as in the HTC Desire HD. In addition, its graphics will be powered by a Qualcomm Adreno 205 GPU. The device will sport a 4-inch 854 x 480-pixel display, a 5-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, a 1,500 mAh battery, microSDHC support and 512 MB each, RAM and ROM.

It's unfortunate the PlayStation Phone hasn't see the light of day at CES. ALthough the show isn't over yet, it would have been an early highlight, so it's obviously not going to be shown off. Additionally, the blog noted that the device is buggy, as one might expect at this stage. but benchmark numbers included a score of 1,733 in Quadrant.

You can watch a set of short videos from the site below.

LG G-Slate introduction videos show off far more about Honeycomb

T-Mobile has announced a tablet, the LG G-Slate. The device will carry Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), HSPA+, but size, price, and timing weren't mentioned. Because of the vagueness around the tablet, more interesting to some are the videos of the G-Slate, which give us more views of Honeycomb, the first tablet-optimized version of Android.

Honeycomb seems ready to make Android tablets truly iPhone competitors, if not killers. The UI and experience are indeed tablet-optimized, and make for a much better tablet (Sorry, Galaxy Tab).

Take a look at more Honeycomb videos below; the "T-Mobile® G-Slate with Google, by LG" press release is below, as well.

T-Mobile G-Slate by LG Is Set to Launch in the Coming Months on America’s Largest 4G Network

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today at 2011 International CES, T-Mobile USA, Inc. and LG Mobile Phones announced the upcoming Android™ Honeycomb-powered T-Mobile® G-Slate™ with Google™, by LG. Expected to be available in coming months, the G-Slate will be the first 4G tablet from the two companies powered by Android 3.0 (Honeycomb), the upcoming version of Google’s Android platform optimized for tablets.

“T-Mobile is proud to add a new milestone in the evolution of the Android platform with our first 4G tablet powered by Android 3.0,” said Cole Brodman, chief marketing officer, T-Mobile USA. “The T-Mobile G-Slate with Google will build on our rich history of Android innovation and leadership and deliver deep integration with Google services.”

“LG is dedicated to continuing its role as an innovation leader and is thrilled to announce its entry into the tablet marketplace with the G-Slate,” said Jeff Hwang, president of LG Mobile Phones. “Streamlining everyday tasks and enhancing entertainment with blazing fast 4G speed, the T-Mobile G-Slate by LG will deliver the latest in Android technology and provide users with an advanced tablet experience.”

The T-Mobile G-Slate will be among the first 4G tablets to fully benefit from the tablet-optimized Android 3.0 platform, which was designed from the ground up for devices with larger screen sizes and addresses the unique aspects of tablet use cases and form factors. The Honeycomb user experience improves on Android favorites such as widgets, multi-tasking, browsing, notifications and customization. It will also feature the latest Google Mobile innovations including Google Maps™ 5.0 with 3D interaction, collection of more than 3 million eBooks and Google Talk™ with video and voice chat.

Additional product details will be disclosed at a later date.

T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 4G network not available everywhere. See coverage details at T-Mobile.com.

Verizon Wireless details LTE mobile devices launch: 10 by mid-2011; 175+ markets by end of 2011

Verizon Wireless has had its CES press conference, and they've detailed, at long last, their LTE-enabled mobile devices (as opposed to the laptop data cards which are the only things that can get on their LTE network, for now). "Mobile device" doesn't mean just smartphone or tablet, however.

In addition to smartphones and tablets, Verizon Wireless is going to have LTE-enabled mobile hotspots and laptops, as well.

These 10 devices include 4 smartphones, 2 tablets, 2 mobile hotspots, and 2 laptops, for a total of 10 LTE-enablied mobile devices, all available on the Verizon network by mid-2011. In addition, Verizon said that while 38 markets are covered by LTE currently, in 18 months, they will double the footprint from today, and in 36 months, the entire nation will be covered by LTE. In 2011 alone, they will reach a total of 175+ markets.

Here is the list of devices that Verizon Wireless plans to roll out by mid-2011.

Smartphones

• HTC ThunderBolt (exclusive to Verizon Wireless) – HTC Sense 2.0, Skype mobile™ with video, 1GHz Snapdragon processor, 4.3” WVGA display, Dolby surround sound, 8-megapixel camera and HD video recording, wireless DLNA capability.
• LG Revolution – HD support for streaming, playing and recording video, large 4.3-inch touch screen, Android™ 2.2, video telephony support with front-facing camera and mobile hotspot capability to share a 4G connection with up to eight Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
• DROID Bionic 4G – Android with Adobe® Flash® and HTML5, front-facing VGA camera and See What I See video feature, rear-facing 8-megapixel camera, 4.3-inch HD quality screen, HDMI connectivity, dual-core 1GHz processor, 512 DDR2 RAM.
• Samsung 4G LTE Smartphone – Android 2.2, Google Mobile services, including Google Search™, Google Maps™ and Gmail™, YouTube™, brilliant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Plus touch screen display, powerful 1GHz application processor, HTML5 Web browser, rear-facing 8-megapixel camera with LED flash and front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera to support video chat capabilities, Samsung Social Hub and Media Hub.

Tablets

• Motorola XOOM – 10.1-inch HD 4G LTE upgradable tablet, Android™ Honeycomb, 1080p HD video, Adobe® Flash® Player, front-facing 2-megapixel camera for video chats and 5-megapixel camera to capture video in 720P HD. Mobile hotspot capability provides connection for up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
• 4G LTE-enabled Samsung Galaxy Tab™ – 7-inch enhanced TFT display with 1024 x 600 WSVGA resolution, Android 2.2, Adobe® Flash® 10.1, 1.2GHz Cortex A8 Hummingbird application processor, rear-facing 5-megapixel camera and front-facing 1.3-megapixel camera and camcorder enable video chat capabilities.

MiFi and Mobile Hotspot

• Novatel MiFi® 4510L Intelligent Mobile Hotspot – Small enough to fit in the palm of the hand, share Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE and 3G networks with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
• Samsung 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot – Dual-mode device works as a wireless access point to connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE or 3G networks.

Notebooks

• Compaq CQ10-688nr – 10.1-inch diagonal anti-glare widescreen LED display, Intel® Atom N455 processor, up to 8.5 hours of battery life, multi-format digital media card reader, webcam and multiple connectivity options.
• HP Pavilion dm1-3010nr – 11.6-inches, HP CoolSense Technology, HD 1080p, VISION Technology from AMD, up to 10.75 hours of battery life, 320 GB of storage, full-size, island-style keyboard, multi-format digital media card reader, HDMI port, Dolby Advanced Audio and GPS for mapping and navigation.

Unfortunately, there was no pricing information, not just for the devices, but for the associated data plans, either.  Still, it seems to be a busy year upcoming for Verizon, and the above doesn't even include mention of the assumed CDMA iPad and iPhone.

Viewsonic expands tablet series with ViewPad 4, 10s devices

Viewsonic has introduced an extension to its ViewPad line of tablers at the 2011 CES show. It's hard to understand calling it a tablet, however, as it is as small or smaller then some Android devices dubbed smartphones.

The ViewPad 4 has a 4.1-inch screen, Qualcomm MSM 8255 1GHz platform, 720p HD video recording, playback, and HDMI 720p display output, along with a 5-megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1, 802.11n wi-fi, and Android 2.2. As it has phone capabilities, it's unclear why Viewsonic is calling this a tablet (it's screen is smaller, for example, than a Droid X), but they are.

The company also announced the ViewPad 10s. Unlike the ViewPad 10, which dual-boots Android 1.6 and Windows 7, this tablet is purse Android 2.2. It has a 10.1-inch screen, 1GHz processor, 802.11n wi-fi, Bluetooth, and a 1.3 megapixel webcam.

You can read the full press release here.

'Butt dialing' incident causes SWAT team to be called out

An incident of so-called "butt dialing" caused Winnetka, Illinois police to call out the SWAT team, after an accidental cell phone call led a woman to believe her husband was being held hostage."

"Butt dialing" is the term used for a call made when a user sits on his cell phone, carried in his or her back pocket, and accidentally dials the last number called. We've seen that is possible to do this with a Bluetooth headset, also, if it has an overly sensitive and easy to trigger redial function.

Winnetka police Chief Joseph De Lopez said,

"You know how when you sit on your phone when it's in your back pocket and it calls the last number that was dialed? His wife was the last number he'd dialed. The conversation led her to believe there was someone holding him hostage."

It wasn't really a conversation, but garbled music lyrics, according to Mark Friedman, interim co-superintendent of the District 36 School District where the man works.

"He was listening to music and he had, I don't know, hip-hop … or music like that, where there were lyrics that were gangster-like. So there were lyrics on the radio as he was driving home, and she listened to it and became concerned."

His wife became so concerned she dialed 911, and she communicated her concern to the point that more than 30 SWAT members and police officers converged on Carleton Washburne School, which also houses the District 36 offices where the man works.

Fortunately, by the time the alarm sounded, the more than 500 middle school students that attend the school had already left for the day. The man was eventually found safe at home by police, ending the emergency, but embarrassing him. Friedman said,

"He's embarrassed. Who wouldn't be? He's taking it hard that it created such a response."

The police determined that there was no intent to deceive police, so no charges will be filed.

The easiest way to prevent "butt dialing" is to lock your cell phone, but a Bluetooth headset's redial function will get around that. There are also apps that will prevent a number from being dialing without a confirmation.

Google developing NFC-based mobile payment service: report

Is Google prepping a payment service that would utilize the company's new near-field communication (NFC) feature added to the Samsung Nexus S and future Android handsets? It's possible, and Google's Eric Schmidt actually mentioned the future of NFC when the Web 2.0 conference, although he did not mention Google in the same breath as mobile payments.

Instead, Schmidt did say this much:

"You'll be able to walk in a store and do commerce. You'd bump for everything and eventually replace credit cards."

Business Week says that Google is not just considering a service, but is already building a payment and advertising service that would allow users to pay by tapping or swiping their smartphones at checkout, according to "two people familiar with the plans."

As BW notes, Google Ventures, the company's VC arm, has invested in Corduro, a developer of mobile-payment solutions based in Texas. Meanwhile, in 2010, Google acquired Zetawire, a Canadian startup that has a patent on a method for combining a phone-based "wallet" with a reward-and-loyalty program.

Google doesn't have a monopoly on such technology. There are plenty looking into NFC payment services, and in fact, Japan is ahead of most. A 2009 report showed that already, at that time, 15 percent of Japanese mobile phone users were using their phones to purchase products in stores.

As promised, Kindle for Windows Phone 7 released

As promised in October, Amazon.com has released a Windows Phone version of its Kindle app, bringing its "Buy Once, Read Anywhere" software to the newest smartphone platform. As with other versions, the app is free, and it's downloadable in the Windows Phone Marketplace.

Amazon.com claims the Kindle app for Windows Phone 7 is the first major e-Book app for Windows Phone 7-based devices. You can read more about it at Amazon's site. Amazon's press release is below.

Free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle App for Windows Phone 7 Now Available
Kindle for Windows Phone 7 is the first major eBook app for Windows Phone 7-based devices
Amazon's free Kindle apps give readers access to the largest selection of the most popular books and lets them sync their reading across all major devices and platforms

SEATTLE, Jan 05, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) --(NASDAQ: AMZN)-Customers can already read Kindle books on their Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, as well as their iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and Android-based devices. Today, Amazon's wide selection of free "Buy Once, Read Everywhere" Kindle apps is expanding to include Windows Phone 7 devices. Kindle for Windows Phone 7 is the first major eBook application available for Windows Phone 7, and includes new features built into a Kindle app for the first time, including personalized recommendations integrated into the Kindle app home screen and the ability to send book recommendations to a friend without leaving the app. Customers can learn more about Kindle for Windows Phone 7 at www.amazon.com/kindleforwindowsphone and can download the free app from Windows Phone Marketplace.

"With Kindle books you never have to worry about what to do if you change devices or platforms. Our free 'Buy Once, Read Everywhere' apps make it easy for you to read your books on any device you choose - your Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Android-based device, and now your Windows Phone 7-based device," said Dorothy Nicholls, Director, Amazon Kindle. "We think customers are going to love our new Kindle app on the unique interface of Windows Phone 7 and the convenience of our Whispersync technology, which saves and synchronizes your bookmarks, notes and highlights between all of your devices."

With Kindle for Windows Phone 7, readers can take advantage of the following features:

• Seamless integration with Kindle, Amazon's purpose-build reading device which is light weight, easy on the eyes with a paper-like Pearl e-ink display, and has a full month of battery life.
• Amazon's Whispersync technology lets you read and sync your library, bookmarks, notes, and highlights with the devices and platforms of your choice (Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, PC, Mac, BlackBerry, Android-based devices, and Windows Phone 7-based devices). Read on your Kindle, read on your tablet, read on your phone. We'll keep track of your last page read, and make it easy.
• Access to over 775,000 books in the U.S. Kindle Store - the largest selection of the most popular books that people want to read - including New Releases and 100 of this week's 110 New York Times Bestsellers. Choose from hundreds of thousands of books at $9.99 or less, including many New York Times Bestsellers and New Releases.
• Kindle's Worry-Free Archive automatically backs up your Kindle library on Amazon, so your books can be re-downloaded wirelessly anytime.
• Integrated shopping experience allows you to shop without leaving the app.
• Send an email to a friend with a link to the book you're reading or to any book in your library without leaving the app.
• Customize your reading with five different font size and three background color options.
• Read in portrait or landscape mode, and to turn pages by tapping on either side of the screen or flicking.
• Start reading the beginning of a book for free before buying and receive personalized Amazon recommendations on the home screen of your app.