Verizon

Verizon and Apple have always had an odd relationship when it comes to cellular devices with the former trying to one-up the later by downplaying the iPhone’s success and introducing new touchscreen based competitors. However, Verizon has something positive to say about the iPhone this time around.

The carrier posted a multi hundred million dollar loss for its latest quarter and also had a smaller number of new subscribers when compared to AT&T. That hasn’t stopped Verizon from giving credit where it’s due with the iPhone.

“When you think about what Apple has done in bringing the iPhone into the marketplace, it truly has accelerated innovation. And as we talk to all of our manufacturers, everybody has come out with their own iconic device, and I think that this has been very good overall for our customers.”

Via: The iPhone Blog

Verizon has been known to show it’s disproval for the iPhone by touting its network and competing smart phones. This time Verizon is actually fine with something AT&T did.

In a letter to Rick Boucher, representative of a “crucial telecommunications subcommittee”, Verizon stated it is comfortable with phone exclusivity deals such as the one Apple has with AT&T over the iPhone. For a competing carrier to even bring this up, let alone Verizon, means it has something up its sleeve. Verizon probably has a slew of smartphone that it thinks will compete toe to toe with the iPhone which would explain its lack of interest in pursuing another carrier exclusive deal with Apple.

Via: iPhone Freak

AT&T is set to purchase cellular equipment from leading competitor Verizon’s acquisition of Alltel Wireless to improve call reception in many rural areas formerly unavailable in the carrier’s reach across 18 states.

The deal is a loose end from Verizon’s acquisition of Alltel wireless (which now puts Verizon as the largest US cellular carrier) and mandated by the FCC. While users will have to switch from CDMA based phones to GSM based devices when AT&T acquires any remaining Alltel customers, the deal is well worth it thanks to an addition of new cellular towers in areas covering 18 states including Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

Via: iPhones Talk

One of the great things about living Down Under is we have a choice of three carriers for our iPhones. Well, rumors are gathering that the US may finally join the civilized world once Apple’s initial exclusive agreement with AT&T ends in 2010. Without a doubt, multiple carriers give Apple greater sales of the iPhone. So, although it’s happy enough with its deal with AT&T, you can bet that behind closed Apple doors, it can’t wait to get the iPhone onto other carriers in the US.

And to that end, USA Today speculates that Apple is in talks with Verizon. As US Today says, a lot of Verizon’s 80 million customers would never go over to AT&T, so there’s a lot of iPhone sales opportunities for Apple just waiting over at Verizon.

AT&T, unsurprisingly, are keen to maintain and extend their exclusive agreement for as long as possible, but with the success of the iPhone in other multi-carrier markets, Apple would be keen to bring Verizon on board ASAP.

Always one to boast about its network or bemoan rivals, Verizon has made a bold statement about the iPhone: they’d retract their stance on the iPhone and offer a model that runs on its upcoming 4G network.

All wireless carriers in the US are switching to the more advanced 4G network (based on LTE) and will eventually dump their 3G networks in the coming decade. While Verizon and Sprint utilize CDMA for their wireless connection in lieu of AT&T and T-Mobile using GSM, having an LTE connection would make phones much more universal with other carriers. This is what Verizon’s CEO, Ivan Seidenberg, is hoping for, that Apple will reconsider their approach to the iPhone and offer a 4G model so it can be used on their network with ease. Verizon later revealed he regretted choosing other touch screen phones over the iPhone.

Via: Apple Insider

You’re familiar with inexplicably popular things. You know, stuff that sucks yet remains popular. American Idol, Nickelback, Garfield. Stuff like that. If you thought the Storm would turn out to be one of those things you don’t have to worry, the Storm not only sucks it isn’t very popular.

Just how popular is the Storm? About 500,000 units popular. Compare this to the number of iPhones sold in the same quarter (about 2 million) and you see the trouble. The Storm started out looking like a sure thing. It was made y a company that normally makes fantastic products (RIM) and was coupled with a carrier many people find superior (Verizon). So what went wrong?

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Other users complain of glitches and features buried deeply in multiple menus.

Who’s to blame for the setback? Well, Verizon did manage to run out the Storm so logistics were obviously not optimal. Most opine that the real culprit is the usual suspect: corporate greed. The idea being that RIM rushed the Storm out for the Christmas quarter to move a few more units. Also likely is that RIM didn’t fully… more...

Checking back in at the Verizon around noon the lines were gone. But it is a big store and the place was plenty crowded. I was only there for a few minutes and I didn’t see anyone leaving with a newly purchased Storm. Heck, I didn’t even see a Storm. All I saw was patient people, this didn’t look like it was going with the pay -n- go fun of the original iPhone offering or even with the speed of the pay and f#$%#@^ in store activation of the iPhone 3G. Except for the fact that it was all hands on deck instead of one or two Verizon folks on the floor it looked a lot like any other day in a Verizon store.

Gene, however, was miffed. I met Gene leaving the Verizon store while he was on the way in. Or was going to go in. Gene hadn’t heard of the Storm, didn’t care about it and just wanted his semi ancient cell phone fixed, That didn’t look like it was going to happen on this day. Gene thought about his options and decided to use his lunch hour for lunch instead of what would have been a… more...

In Knoxville TN it is a bit on the cool side. 7:30 AM and the mercury was pegged at 31 degrees with the occasional flurry blowing around. Not the best weather for line standing but yet there they were:

And what were these people standing in line for? Hot coffee? Nope, they were standing in line outside the Turkey Creek Verizon to get the BlackBerry Storm. The store presumably opens at 8 and I didn’t ask when the first person got there but unless something has seriously changed since the last time I got a phone from Verizon the twentieth guy in that line won’t be home in time for dinner. Line standing is always a good indicator that something has caught the imagination of at least a few people so clearly these folks really want an iPhone but are tied to Verizon. At least that is what one person who intends to get a Storm today related to me.

If you want a little perspective this line was nothing compared to the iPhone lines on the original release date and positively paltry compared to the lines on the release of the… more...

Looks like the world is still waiting for an iPhone killer (so far the only successful iPhone Killer has been the smackdown the iPhone 3G put on the original iPhone). The phone everyone suspected might be an iPhone killer, the Blackberry Storm, seems to have been little more than a poorly done experiment by RIM. Let’s check the reviews:

PC World:
BlackBerry’s Storm: Awkward and Disappointing

But people who were hoping for a credible iPhone alternative fortified with BlackBerry’s strengths as a mobile tool for corporate travelers will likely find the Storm a disappointment. When it comes to touch interfaces, Apple still has no peer.

Engadget
BlackBerry Storm review (Hmm, someone needs to head over the Engadget and help them with creative titles)

The only hitch in this plan is a major one: it’s not as easy, enjoyable, or consistent to use as the iPhone, and the one place where everyone is sure they have an upper hand—that wow-inducing clickable screen—just isn’t all that great. For casual users, the learning curve and complexity of this phone will feel like an instant turn off, and for power… more...

I’ll admit it, I’m an iPhone addict. I’m more likely to walk out of the house without my keys than the iPhone so I’m not an objective judge of what makes an legit iPhone killer. There are a lot subtle things that are great on the iPhone that you can’t grasp from looking at a spec sheet or spending three minutes with one.

Side note: This is true of most things. While everyone is happy to throw up a review of an app after using it for 5 seconds to really get a feel for things you have to use it for some time. That’s why iPhonematters all star reviewer Jovan Washington demands to use an app for at least a week before reviewing it.

Back to the topic. The greatness of the iPhone is in the stuff not on the spec sheet but could the Storm be just as great. As mentioned earlier you can have my iPhone when you pry it from my cold, dead hands (in truth you’ll probably have to cut off my fingers) but you’re an intelligent person capable of making your own choice. So you tell me, is the Storm an iPhone killer?… more...