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Verizon has agreed to buy Hughes Telematics for $612 million, bolstering its efforts to hook cars up with wireless service.

The New York telecommunications company said today that the all-cash deal would expand its ability to serve the fleet and automotive telematic industries. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, and Verizon said it plans to retain the existing management team and its headquarters in Atlanta.

The connected devices -- or machine-to-machine -- business is increasingly seen as the next growth area for the wireless industry. The opportunity to connect cars with entertainment, safety, security, and maintenance … Read more

Sprint Nextel wants to be the king of the hill when it comes to providing a cellular connection to any device, whether it is a heart monitor or a dog collar.

Sprint plans to do this not just by offering a wireless connection, but also through a broad offering of advice, maintenance, and other services--supplied by both Sprint and a wide array of partners. It's a proposition the company believes AT&T and Verizon Wireless can't match.

Those are bold words for a company that isn't exactly viewed as a leader in the emerging devices business. … Read more

SAN DIEGO--In case you didn't know, connected devices--or gadgets with a built-in cellular connection--are a big thing.

They've been a focus here at this year's CTIA Enterprise & Applications show. AT&T executive Glenn Lurie called it "the next big thing" in the wireless industry yesterday. His boss, AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega, reiterated the sentiment today at the keynote address. Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead also talked up its position in the connected devices business.

The GSM Association and Machina Research said the addressable market for the wireless industry … Read more

The mobile world moves at a breakneck pace, and it's difficult to keep up--even without the technical jargon most industry insiders throw around. And they do love to toss those terms about.

Earlier this month, I explained the nuances between the different 4G technologies and why you don't want companies cramming you. With the carriers posting their quarterly earnings results recently, I figured it would be a good chance to provide you with a refresher course on telecom jargon that industry executive and Wall Street types like to use.

So for some light reading, here are few terms … Read more

Too busy to keep up with today's tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET for Thursday, June 30.

A hands-on look at Google+, using Google+ The CNET News staff takes a look at Google's new social-networking site. We like how Circles lets users segment friends, but we think the way the system suggests connections is challenging. Check out the new social service. More

Behind the scenes at TechShop (photos) As maker hub TechShop expands with a new location in San Jose, Calif., CNET's Boonsri Dickinson takes a tour of the San Francisco … Read more

Though Sprint is best known as the country's third-largest wireless carrier, the company does a lot more than just deliver voice and data service to your cell phone. Its network also powers M2M, or machine-to-machine, solutions that enable machines to talk to each other without a human getting in the way.

Earlier this week, I visited Sprint's M2M Collaboration Center in Burlingame, Calif. In a nondescript building within earshot of the runways at San Francisco International Airport, the carrier demonstrates various ways an M2M network can deliver services … Read more

Sprint invited media to visit its "M2M Collaboration Center" in Burlingame, Calif., to show off how the company's network is being used to enable machines to talk with other machines.

Among the applications for M2M are ATMs that can be put anywhere there's an electrical outlet (or solar energy source) and bathroom scales that use the network to transmit your weight to a loved one or health practitioner. There are a lot of M2M applications for security ranging from 4G-connected cameras to alarm systems connected to Sprint's older and slower 2G network. One innovative though … Read more

Mainly because of mediocre image quality, the Pico projector market just hasn't taken off as some thought it might. But we're seeing a new trend in mini projectors: go a little bigger and offer improved performance.

That's the idea anyway behind the Aaxa M2, which the company is calling the "world's first" XGA micro projector. It weighs in at a pound, produces a "vivid" 110-lumen image, and has some built-in memory and a media player (you can play files right off the projector). Here are the specs that Aaxa is highlighting (the … Read more

I'm en route to the Marketing 2.0 conference in Paris, one of the most respected gatherings of marketing executives presenting and discussing the latest trends in their field. In a way, the story of the conference is the story of marketing itself. The somewhat yesteryear name indicates that a few years ago, when Marketing 2.0 premiered, it was conceived as a forum for pioneers who were early on embracing digital marketing and social media. Times have changed. What used to be at the fringes of the profession has moved into the mainstream, and both program and attendees of Marketing 2.0 reflect that. That's not a bad thing. Digital marketing IS marketing, social media IS media. You would think...… Read more