Verizon Wireless to start selling Apple's iPad by month

Verizon Wireless, the largest wireless carrier in the U.S., is to start selling Apple's runaway hit, the iPad tablet computer. Until now, Apple has made the iPad available only through its stores and at some Best Buy stores. But given the smashing success of iPad and the frenzy it has created among a wide array of devices makers to come up with a tablet of their own, Apple felt compeled to widen its lead in the category by making it available through more outlets. Working towards that goal, Apple has recently decided to have all Best Buy stores carry the iPad and concluded deals with Target, Wal-Mart and its parent company Sams Club to let them carry the prized tablet. But the the recently news that Verizon Wireless, the U.S. biggest wireless carrier will soon include the iPad in its line up, may be the biggest of them all. There seems to be two reasons for that: for the first time, Apple is breaking from its exclusive relationship with AT&T as network partner; second, by patterning with Verizon Wireless, Apple is hoping to ride the waves of the carrier' reputation of coverage quality among cell phones users. Another smart phones maker that has ripped the profits of associating with Verizon Wireless, is Google whose Android phones has recently taken the first spot from Apple in the last quarter as the best selling in the market.
Verizon Wireless will start offering the iPad October 28 the same day it will be offered at ATA&T own stores too for the first time.
Unlike AT&T,Verizon Wireless won't sell a 3G version of the iPad. Instead, users will have to buy a device called MiFi about the size of a business card and roughly 0.4 inches thick, that connects to cellular networks and creates a portable Wi-Fi hot spot that can support up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices.
Verizon Wireless's iPad/MiFi bundle is priced the same as iPads with AT&T's 3G service, ranging from $630 to $830 depending on the size of the device's memory. AT&T offers a cellular data plan with a 250 megabyte limit for $15 a month, and a 2 gigabyte cap for $25 a month.
Actually, Verizon Wireless will offer customers the option of bundling their iPad with its "MiFi" gadget for about $130, less than half the current cost of the device.
Verizon Wireless is also cutting the price of its data plans for the iPad, offering users 1 gigabyte of data for $20 a month, compared with current options of $40 for 250 megabytes and $60 for 5 gigabytes. Users can pay more for bigger plans, including a $50 a month plan for 5 gigabytes according to the Wall Street Journal.

For more, see WSJ.com

Skype deal with Verizon to make it available on the carrier's 3G network.

Back in February, Skype signed a deal with Verizon Wireless that will make the former VoIP telephone service available on the latter 3G network.
With Verizon Wireless, Skype mobile is now available in two carriers' networks in the U.S.
Until now, Skype was only available on Apple's iPhone over AT&T Wi-Fi service.
But the deal with Verizon comes with some strings attached: "Skype users will have to buy voice and data plans from Verizon Wireless and also one of nine smartphones sold by the operator. Also, any Skype calls placed to United States residents who do not have Skype accounts will be deducted from the caller’s package of Verizon voice minutes" said the New York Times.
Outside the U.S., Skype mobile is available in certain European countries.

For more, see the NYTimes.com

Skype internet calling is coming to Verizon Wireless soon.

Verizon Wireless has announced last week that beginning in March, it will offer free Internet -calling service on some of its smart phones. But the offer comes with a catch as the users will need to subscribe to a Verizon data and voice plan. If users decide to settle with Verizon cheapest data and voice plan, it will cost them a minimum of $70 a month ($40 for 450 voice minutes and $30 for a data plan.)
The Skype app will made available in late March to nine smart phones on the Verizon network, including Blackberry models and Google's Android models, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For more, see WSJ.com

Droid, Motorola newest smart phone is a nice alternative to the iPhone.

This past Wednesday, Verizon Wireless introduced the much anticipated Motorola Droid slated to be a serious contender to the iPhone. The Motorola Droid would be the first device to use Google Android 2.0 operating system which is an open source. Describing it, PC World magazine said: "It boasts a beautiful high resolution screen, multitasking apps, free turn-by-turn GPS navigation system and both a touch keypad and hardware keypad."
All those above mentioned five features are a stab into the heart of the iPhone's core given the fact that the iPhone doesn't offer either of them. Take the case of the free GPS navigation that come with the Motorola Droid for instance, not offered by iPhone, it can be had in the form of an app costing $100.
As mentioned above, one of the most attractive aspect of the Droid phone is the fact that it runs on a open source, which allows interesting features to be added to the phone. One of those features is the integration of multiple social networking and e-mail accounts into the phone's contact list.
This means that contact and calendar information can be synced with Microsoft Exchange e-mail services and also other Web e-mail accounts, as well as, social-networking sites like Facebook. The new version of the software has support for Microsoft Exchange, which is huge because it means that corporate users can sync their work e-mail with their phones.
Also, a search function was added to the SMS and MMS messaging feature and the software has been updated to support a camera that includes a built-in flash, a digital zoom, a scene mode etc.
The new Droid will go on sale November 6th, costing $200 after a $100 rebate and requiring a two year contract and a $30 monthly data plan.

For more, see PC World.com

Femtocell devices extend and enhance cellphones coverage.

Most cellphone users have one time or another experienced with spotty coverage or simply dropped calls regardless of which carrier they get their service from. Over the years, there have been a number of devices intended to help with the problems by extending or enhancing cellphone service. In the past year, some of the biggest wireless carriers in the U.S. have begun offering new devices called femtocells that are small boxes that act like miniature cellular towers to improve the network's coverage. While Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel sell femtocells, AT&T does not. But here is a catch:the wireless carriers who do sell femtocells, do not market these devices as doing so would give a hint to a sensitive subject they rather do not want to talk about, coverage problem. So the catch is that if a subscriber really feel like he or she needs one, he or she will have to expressly demand for it. And usually carriers use the option to offer it as a last resort to retain subscribers who threaten to switch carriers.
According to the Wall Street Journal, "femtocells don't require special cellphones as they use the same radio spectrum as carrier's cellular towers to extend their cellular coverage by taping into a landline connection and routing calls over the Internet."
One femtocell can handle up to three simultaneous calls, covers up to 5,000 square feet and the owner can grant access to other cellphone owners that use the same carrier.
Sprint femtocell device called Airave is offered at $100 plus a monthly fee of $5, while Verizon unit called a Network Extender, goes for $250.
AT&T is said to be testing it's version of femtocell in three different cities without any mention of possible roll over date.

For more, see WSJ.com

Maybe feeling the pressure from Congress and some consumer groups, Verizon wireless, the U.S. largest carrier in term of subscribers, shocked the cell phone world by announcing last month that it will in the future, limit the length of its exclusive deals with handset manufacturers to no more than six months.
The new measure would opens the doors for small wireless carriers to the most sought after and therefore profitable handsets in the market. However, the new arrangements would not affect existing deals like Verizon's exclusive one to carry the Blackberry Storm made by Research in Motion Ltd. Also, some mid-size carriers like Virgin Mobile and U.S. Cellular Corp do not qualify to benefit from the measure.
Other large carriers have yet to respond to Verizon latest move, but you bet they do not have a choice but to follow suit.

For more, see WSJ.com

Subsidized netbook with cell service offered by Verizon Wireless.

Starting this past Sunday, Verizon Wireless has begun offering a subsidized HP netbook for $200 after a $50 mail-in-rebate. Just like with its cellphones subsidies program, customers must sign a two years contract and agree to pay between $40 and $60 a month for data access.
The netbook model name H-P Mini 115NR, comes with a built-in cellular and WI-FI modems, a webcam, but lacks a DVD drive. The data level included in the plan is not unlimited and it will cost you extra if you exceed your limit; also, the service speed is slower than many WI-FI connections, minus the WI-FI access fees of course.
And for even less, you can go for a similar netbook made by Acer and available at RadioShack for $50, plus $36 activation fee, and a two years service contract at $60 a month with AT&T.

For more, see WSJ.com