verizon

Verizon Wireless opens its network

NEW YORK--Verizon Wireless unveiled specifications for its new open wireless program Wednesday as part of a strategy that could change the future of the wireless market. But the road ahead will likely be a long and slow one.

Traditionally, cell phone operators have tightly controlled the entire cell phone experience--from the network to the handsets to the applications running on those devices. But now Verizon, and others like AT&T, are looking for ways to open up their networks.

Verizon first announced plans for an open development network in November with the hope that it would make it easier … Read more

LG VX9700 for Verizon coming our way?

Phone Arena managed to get a picture of what looks like the LG VX9700 slated to come out for Verizon this spring. It's a touch-screen phone in the vein of the LG Prada, and reportedly features a 3.2-megapixel camera, EV-DO support, an MP3 player, and a microSD card slot. It'll be interesting if this comes out at the same time as AT&T's own Prada clone, the LG Vu, since the Vu is also slated to be AT&T's MediaFLO launch device. Looks like we'll have to wait a month or two … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 681: Pi Not Pie

EPISODE 681

Happy Pi day! http://www.piday.org/

Trend Micro’s Web site hacked in massive attack http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9894181-7.html

Verizon embraces P4P, a more efficient peer-to-peer tech http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/ 20080314-verizon-embraces-p4p-a-more-efficient-peer-to-peer-tech.html http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-P2P-Verizon.html

Sweden pursues illegal file-sharers http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080314/ ap_on_hi_te/sweden_file_sharing

Music industry proposes a piracy surcharge on ISPs http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/ 2008/03/music_levy

Google exec: Android will outsell iPhone http://news.yahoo.com/s/cmp/20080314/tc_cmp/206903637

What if Apple really opened up … Read more

LG EnV2 on the way?

We once thought the LG Voyager (which won an Editors' Choice, by the way) was the successor to the much-beloved LG enV, since both of them sported a flip-out QWERTY keyboard. But it seems like we may be wrong--the LG VX9100, which may be dubbed the LG enV2, looks to be the true successor to the LG enV. Indeed, the VX9100 (or enV2) has that same candy bar look when the phone is closed and doesn't have the fancy touch-screen display like the Voyager. Engadget Mobile shows off a few pics of a black and maroon version, and we … Read more

For once, we should applaud Verizon

In the long and arduous battle between P2P file sharing services and ISPs, the former have done all they can to stay on top, while the latter have done all they can to eliminate them as quickly as possible. And just when I started losing hope, Verizon, for once, made me feel just a little bit better about ISPs. Will it last? I doubt it.

According to Verizon, it will do everything in its power to ensure that P2P downloading is brought into the new century and given the kind of treatment it has deserved for years. The company researched P2P file sharing and found that when an ISP cooperates with an P2P file sharer, they can speed downloads by a whopping 60 percent.

"This test signifies a turning point in the history of peer-to-peer technology and ISPs," said Robert Levitan, chief executive of file-sharing company Pando Networks Inc. "It will definitely show ISPs that the problem is not peer-to-peer technology, the problem is how you deploy it. It is possible to deploy P2P to their advantage."

But perhaps what's most important to this test is that Verizon is pledging availability of some of its infrastructure information to P2P file sharing services to increase the efficiency of both services.… Read more

Verizon touts smart P2P software

A real-world Internet test reveals that "intelligent" routing of peer-to-peer traffic can drastically reduce network utilization and speed up downloads for subscribers, according to a new study.

Verizon Communications, which participated in the study headed by researchers at Yale University, plans to release the data on Friday at the Distributed Computing Industry Association's P2P Market Conference in New York City.

Using network topology data from Verizon and Telefonica, Yale University tested a software enhancement to the peer-to-peer protocol that it developed with software developer Pando Networks.

What the researchers discovered was that when using the so-called P4P … Read more

Rumor: Sprint to spin off Nextel

Rumors are swirling today over the future of Sprint. First off, Seeking Alpha is reporting that Sprint has hired Morgan Stanley for a possible spin-off of its Nextel brand. Sprint's ongoing troubles have been widely reported over the last few months and many analysts have named the 2006 merger between Sprint and Nextel as a key cause of the carrier's ongoing troubles. With that in mind, a spin-off of Nextel may be surprising, but it wouldn't be so shocking.

But that's not the only Sprint dish going around today. The Kansas City Star said that Merrill … Read more

Qwest in talks with Verizon about wireless deal

Qwest Communications International is in talks with Verizon Communications to bundle its wireless service with Qwest's broadband and landline voice services, according to a Wednesday report in The Wall Street Journal.

Qwest, the only major phone company without its own wireless service, has been reselling wireless service from Sprint Nextel. But Qwest CEO Ed Mueller said earlier this week at his company's analyst conference that he is not happy with the arrangement and is looking for a new partner.

The problem with the Sprint deal is that Qwest is unable to offer the same services and handsets that … Read more

Verizon Wireless to unveil open network specs

Verizon Wireless on March 19 plans to release the first version of specifications that developers will use to build new devices and applications to run over its open network service.

The company said Monday that it will release Version 1.0 of the specifications at its Open Development Device Conference scheduled for March 19 and March 20 in New York. The specifications will be used by application developers and handset makers so that they can create new applications and devices that will run on Verizon's "Any Device, Any App" network service. Verizon announced in November that it … Read more

Samsung unveils SPH-M520 for Sprint; SCH-U550 for Verizon Wireless

Samsung announced two new CDMA cell phones this week, one for Sprint and one for Verizon Wireless. Both offer similar features, however, each takes a different approach to design. We'll have full reviews of both phones by next week.

First up is the new Samsung SPH-M520 for Sprint. Sporting a typical Samsung slider design in silver, the SPH-M520 is a Power Vision handset with support for the carrier's 3G network. Inside you'll find access to the Sprint Music Store, support for Sprint TV, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a digital music player, a microSD card slot, GPS support … Read more