Verizon to roll out 4G LTE Droid Xyboard Tablets

Verizon Wireless said that it will be rolling out two high-speed tablets from Motorola Mobility for use on its 4G LTE network later this month. Called the Droid Xyboard 8.2 and Droid Xyboard 10.1, the new models are less than 9mm in thickness and weigh 13.9 oz and 1.3 lbs, respectively.

Sporting magnesium-reinforced bodies and aluminum housings, the 8.2-inch and 10.1-inch Droid Xyboard tablets will first ship with Android 3.1, also known as Honeycomb. The tablets will be upgraded next year over-the-air to Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich.

The other good news for Verizon's enterprise-class customers is that both Xyboard tablets integrate a number of business-friendly features. Among other things, the tablets feature "device encryption, VPN, remote device management and feature blocking," said Motorola Mobility spokesperson Kira Golin.

"This is also the first tablet with 3LM software, which enables a powerful level of control and security over the device," Golin said.

Tablet Features:
Both of Motorola's tablets ship with Active Sync for work e-mail, contacts and calendar. The mobile devices also will arrive with apps aboard that are squarely aimed at business professionals, such as Quickoffice HD for document editing and creation, Citrix GoToMeeting for collaboration and productivity, and Google Talk for videoconferencing.

The Droid Xyboard 10.1 also has been optimized for use with a stylus that ships with the device to enable business professionals to make notes or mark up documents by writing directly on the device's screen. A wide range of accessories such as multiple docking options and a Bluetooth-enabled keyboard with integrated track pad make it even easier to work while on the go.

The Droid Xyboard 8.2 and 10.1 are equipped with high-definition, 1080-pixel displays protected by scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass as well as a coating of water-repellent nano-particles.

Under the hood, both devices integrate 1.2 GHz dual-core processors, 1 GB of RAM, a 5-megapixel rear camera that doubles as an HD camcorder and a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera in support of two-way enterprise videoconferencing.

Beyond offering a full range of cellular radios from standard GSM to 4G LTE, the Droid Xyboard sports Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1 radios, together with an infra-red transmitter. Wired connectivity options include separate MicroUSB and USB 2.0 HS ports as well as a HDMI connector for interfacing with compatible high-definition displays and other home entertainment gear.

Entertainment Options:
For prosumers who wish to use their tablets for both work and play, the Droid Xyboard tablets also offer a range of multimedia entertainment enhancements. For example, both devices arrive preloaded with a universal remote control app called Dijit.

On the audio side, Motorola's new tablets deliver a virtual surround sound experience. Also on tap is MotoCast - an app that will enable users to remotely access the non DRM-protected music, photos, videos and documents stored on their hard drives at home or work.

Verizon's Droid Xyboard 8.2 models with 16 GB and 32 GB of storage will be priced at $430 and $530, respectively. Verizon will also offer three Droid Xyboard 10.1 models with 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB storage priced at $530, $630 and $730.

All five Droid Xyboard offerings require two-year Verizon service commitments. Moreover, buyers will need to subscribe to one of Verizon's Wireless Mobile Broadband data plans, which range upward from $30 per month for 2 GB of data.

However, prospective buyers should keep in mind that it won't take them long to run through 2 GB of data on Verizon's 4G LTE network. According to the carrier, users can expect web browsing speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps.

Verizon Wireless to block Google Wallet in new phone

Verizon Wireless is blocking Google's new flagship phone from supporting Google's attempt to make the smartphone the credit card of the future.

In blocking the Google Wallet software from running on the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Verizon Wireless said that it was waiting to provide a wallet application until it can offer "the best security and user experience." Verizon and rivals AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA are part of a consortium called ISIS that is planning its own payment system.

Google confirmed that Verizon had asked it not to include the wallet function in the Galaxy Nexus phone, due out soon.

The new smartphone is the latest iteration of the Nexus line, which showcases new features and capabilities for phones running Google's Android software. In this case, the phone is the first to run a new version of Android, called "Ice Cream Sandwich."

The previous Nexus phone, sold by Sprint Nextel Corp., is the only phone yet to work with the Google Wallet application. That means the phone can be used to pay in some stores, by tapping it to payment terminals. Sprint is not part of ISIS.

Phone companies have generally had veto rights on the features sported by the phones they sell. Because of the clout Apple Inc. has gained by making the world's most popular smartphone, it has been able to dictate terms to them. Google doesn't have the same leverage.

Examinations by Wired and other publications reveal that the international version of the Galaxy Nexus has the "Near-Field Communications" chip necessary to run Google Wallet. It's unclear whether the U.S. version will be lacking the chip or whether it will simply be blocked from running the Wallet application. Samsung Electronics had no immediate comment.

Google and Verizon Wireless united in 2009 to push Android phones as the major alternative to the iPhone. Verizon Wireless' "Droid" advertising campaign set the tone, to the extent that many people still call all Android phones "Droids." The Google-Verizon Wireless relationship has cooled this year, as the carrier started selling the iPhone.

Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc. of New York and Vodafone Group PLC of Britain.

Apple recalling some Verizon iPad 2 tablets

Apple Inc is recalling some of its iPad2 tablets that is designed to run on Verizon's network for connectivity issues.

"Duplicate MEID codes were flashed onto an extremely small number of iPad units for the Verizon 3G network," an Apple spokeswoman has said.

MEID, which stands for mobile equipment identifier, is a unique number that is used to identify a mobile device when it connects to the network. Two devices cannot have the same MEID code.

Apple is replacing the affected units that were already sold with new ones.

Verizon launches three new smart phones

Verizon’s ramping up its smartphone roster with a new lineup of devices, all featuring entertainment perks, speed boosts and new features. The four new devices include the Xperia Play, LG Revolution, HTC Trophy and Motorola Droid X2.

The Xperia Play is the darling of the bunch, manufactured by Sony Ericsson, and donning the PlayStation mark. It’s a gaming phone, connected to the PlayStation Network, and designed to handle high-end games, making it a hefty gaming device that happens to have phone capabilities. With a 4-inch 480x854 display, 1GHz CUP and an 8GB memory card, the long-awaited Xperia Play will cost you $199 if you give Verizon two years of your life.

LG’s hoping to make a splash in the device arena with the Revolution, touting LTE capabilities as one of its selling features. This makes the Revolution a speedy phone, with faster data transfer on the go. It’s slightly bigger than the Xperia Play, with a 4.3-inch screen, a single-core 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 5-megapixel back camera (and 1.3-megapixel front camera), and 16GB of storage. You’ll pay a premium for the speed, however, with the Revolution’s price tag of approximately $250 with a two-year contract.

The HTC Trophy, on the other hand, is the device maker’s latest Windows phone, boasting WP7 OS. It’s the cheapest in this freshly launched group, costing about $150 with a two-year contract. It’s also on the smaller side, with a 3.8-inch display, a 1GHz Snapdragon CPU, a 5-megapixel back camera and 16GB of storage memory.

Finally, there’s the Droid X2, which is roaring with power. It’s got the dual-core 1GHz CPU, with an 8-megapixel back camera and a 4.3 inch, 960x540 display. There’s no LTE on this phone, however, slightly dropping the price down to about $199 with a two-year contract. For all its beauty and brawn, the X2 is really missing out with no support for Verizon’s 4G capabilities, leaving it to city outskirts, while making way for faster phones.

Verizon to launch voice over LTE service

Verizon Wireless has revealed that they're set to launch a new feature on its recently launched 4G LTE network that will, among other things, let users make voice calls and access data at the same time.

Slated to arrive next year, Verizon's Voice Over LTE service (or VoLTE) would also boost call quality, as well as handle native video chat that's tied to your cell phone number rather than, say, to a Skype account.

Verizon will demonstrate its upcoming VoLTE at the Mobile World Congress confab in Barcelona in the coming week on the LG Revolution, an Android-based smartphone that Verizon unveiled last month at CES in Las Vegas.

Running on Android OS 2.2, the 4G-ready Revolution boasts a jumbo 4.3-inch display, wireless hotspot capabilities, and a pair of cameras - a 5MP one in back, plus a front-facing lens for video chat. Unfortunately, the handset won't do the VoLTE trick when it initially ships later this year.

The news comes just a couple of days before the official, long-awaited debut of the iPhone 4 on Verizon Wireless. While millions of AT&T iPhone users frustrated by dropped calls and spotty connections are expected to jump ship for the Verizon iPhone, the arrival of the iPhone 4 highlights a key deficiency of Verizon's existing CDMA network: it can't handle voice calls and data at the same time.

AT&T's GSM network, on the other hand, does support simultaneous voice and data - a fact that the carrier, which has now lost its exclusive hold over the iPhone.

Verizon's recently launched LTE network only covers about a third of the U.S. so far. At CES last month, Verizon executives promised that it would have most of the country blanketed in LTE coverage by 2013.

Verizon to sell Droid X smart phone

Verizon Wireless has announced that it will begin selling the Droid X, the follow-up to Motorola Inc.'s popular Droid smart phone, on July 15.

Verizon, which made its announcement the day before Apple is set to start selling its latest iPhone, said the phone will cost $200 with a rebate and two-year wireless service contract.

The Droid X runs Google Inc.'s Android software and has a touch screen that is 4.3 inches diagonally and an 8-megapixel camera with a dual flash that can also record high-definition videos. It will also have an HDMI port so you can connect it to a TV and watch content stored on the phone on a bigger screen.

Verizon said that later this summer Droid X buyers will get the newest Android software, version 2.2. They will also get Adobe's Flash Player 10.1 for watching flash videos, something the iPhone cannot do.

Verizon added that the Droid will be the first of its smart phones to come with an application from movie chain Blockbuster Inc. that lets users rent or purchase movies on their phones. Movies will cost $4 to rent and start at $10 and up to buy.

The Droid X is part of Motorola Inc.'s cell phone comeback plan - the beleaguered handset maker had struggled for several years, failing to put out a successful follow-up to its popular Razr cell phone. More recently, the Schaumburg, Ill., company has focused its turnaround efforts on phones that run the Android software.

Verizon's announcement comes as Apple is preparing to start selling its newest iPhone, which has already seen a surge of interest, on Thursday. Apple and its partner companies started taking iPhone 4 orders on June 15, and the next day Apple said they received more than 600,000 orders in 24 hours - the highest number it has ever seen.

Demand was so high that the companies quickly stopped taking orders for shipment by June 24.

Verizon launches Verizon Hub VOIP Phone

Verizon Wireless has launched a VOIP-based, Linux-powered home phone, the Verizon Hub. The Hub plugs into a home broadband line and acts as a family calendar, limited Web browser, messaging center, digital picture frame and, of course, a phone.

The Hub is based on OpenPeak's OpenFrame design. The OpenFrame or the Hub - is an 8-inch, 800x480 touchscreen device. It has a single DECT 6.0 cordless phone that snaps into the base.
The Hub's home screen shows floating, Web-based widgets such as a calendar and the weather, along with details about missed calls and visual voice mail.

Verizon dressed the OpenFrame up with their own proprietary services. The device can stream movie trailers and other video from V CAST; send directions to phones using VZ Navigator; track children's cell phones using Chaperone; view local traffic information, and send and receive text, picture, and video messages. The Hub doesn't require that you get your broadband from Verizon, though – it works with any Internet connection.

By touching buttons on the OpenFrame's panel, you can sync it with the various contact lists and calendars in your life, view TV schedules, send an IM or SMS, check the weather, surf the Web, watch streaming video, play music or do a range of other things. The devices are based on Freescale MX31 processors, with two 600-MHz ARM11 chips doing the heavy lifting.

Verizon has not announced pricing or service plans for the Verizon Hub. The product goes on sale on Feb 1.