Google’s wireless service will only charge you for the data you use. Users will be able to claim a refund for the unused data if they opt for packages. This is a great feature which will imbibe a number of users towards Google’s new services because the current carrier are bad when it comes to user satisfaction.

Initially, Google’s wireless service will only be available for the Vanilla devices—- the Nexus devices which are developed by Google. But the search engine giant has its plans to expand the services across the US.

The best part of Google’s wireless services is that you will be able to switch in-between different carriers. So if you see that the signal strength of Verizon is strong in a specific area, you could quickly tap and switch to Verizon.

The pricing model of the Google’s new wireless service hasn’t been revealed yet. Google has confirmed that it has plans to launch its own wireless service. Google will route your calls and messages via Wifi to reduce your bills.

WildCat is a four-legged robot being developed to run fast on all types of terrain. So far WildCat has run at about 16 mph on flat terrain using bounding and galloping gaits.

This thing is intense!  Imagine what it will look like when they can compact the design and make it look like an actual Cheetah (partially serious).

In an effort to attract more business and to answer the calls of its customers wanting a more affordable tablet, Microsoft Surface Pro price drops $100, a discount that applies to the 64 and 128 Gigabyte models. Along with the tablets, Microsoft is also including a discount bundle which includes a Microsoft Surface Pro, Home and Office Student 2013, a two-year warranty, type protector, screen cover and carrying sleeve. The discounts are a way to get people interested in RT machines again and it will last until the end of the month, so people still have plenty of time to purchase a Surface Pro before the discount is no longer applicable on August 29, 2013. Given its newly affordable price and how short the discount’s duration will run, those people who are wanting to purchase this tablet should do so, before the $100 price decrease has run its course.

The Microsoft Surface Pro is described as being a “tablet in laptop form,” meaning that it is a tablet computer that comes with a stylus and keyboard. It runs on Windows 8 and is both Wireless Internet and Bluetooth compatible. It can use a MicroSDXC card if more memory is needed, it has one USB port and a headphone jack. It runs on an Intel processor, like most Microsoft computers do. Despite its appearance though, the Surface Pro is not to be mistaken for being a laptop, as it is a tablet. The Surface Pro is quite similar to an iPad, even though it is not an Apple product, which should make fans of tablet computers quite happy. There are quite a few different accessories that can be purchased for it as well, ranging from carrying sleeves and keyboard covers (called Type Protectors and Touch Protectors), to additional power supplies and adapters. As it is a Windows 8 tablet, the Surface Pro can use any software that other Windows 8 tablet computers can.

Do you think this is because Microsoft is struggling with their tablet competitors, ie: Apple Ipad?

Your iphone 5 will display an update message alert today with a fix for it’s wi-fi update bug.  I wasn’t aware of anything wrong with mine but of course there are a million factors that could influence a bug.  Luckily they caught this early to prevent any problems updating your iphone 5 using a wireless network connection.  Just click “learn more” then update your iphone 5 to the latest.

With all of the hype about a new model, updated screen size, different glass, different buttons, the iPhone 5 didn’t happen as everyone expected.  In fact, Apple release the second model of the iPhone 4, the iPhone 4S.  Similar to the second unveiling of the iPhone 3g to 3gs but in a grand fashion with tremendous hype. I guess the answer to our article, “Will the iPhone 5 be a flop” was finally answered.

Should I upgrade from my iPhone 4 to iPhone 4S?

There’s a simple answer to this question in my opinion.  After looking at the new features of the phone, I can’t justify myself paying to upgrade from my iPhone 4.  There are updates to the screen resolution, camera, and video, but other than that it’s not very impressive.  Hopefully the next version of the iPhone is actually an iPhone 5 (completely new model)!

Take a look at the press release and video below to judge the phone for yourself…

Official iPhone 4S Press Release

Apple Launches iPhone 4S, iOS 5 & iCloud

iPhone 4S Features Dual-Core A5 Chip, All New Camera, Full 1080p HD Video Recording & Introduces Siri

CUPERTINO, California—October 4, 2011—Apple® today announced iPhone® 4S, the most amazing iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including Apple’s dual-core A5 chip for blazing fast performance and stunning graphics; an all new camera with advanced optics; full 1080p HD resolution video recording; and Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. With the launch of iPhone 4S also comes the launch of iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system with over 200 new features; and iCloud®, a breakthrough set of free cloud services that work with your iPhone, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices.

“iPhone 4S plus iOS 5 plus iCloud is a breakthrough combination that makes the iPhone 4S the best iPhone ever,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “While our competitors try to imitate iPhone with a checklist of features, only iPhone can deliver these breakthrough innovations that work seamlessly together.”

iPhone 4S comes with iOS 5, the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, which includes over 200 new features including Notification Center, an innovative way to easily view and manage notifications in one place without interruption and iMessage, a new messaging service that lets you easily send text messages, photos and videos between all iOS 5 users. iOS 5 will also be available as a free software update for iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS customers allowing them to experience these amazing new features.*

iPhone 4S also introduces Siri, an intelligent assistant that helps you get things done just by asking. Siri understands context allowing you to speak naturally when you ask it questions, for example, if you ask “Will I need an umbrella this weekend?” it understands you are looking for a weather forecast. Siri is also smart about using the personal information you allow it to access, for example, if you tell Siri “Remind me to call Mom when I get home” it can find “Mom” in your address book, or ask Siri “What’s the traffic like around here?” and it can figure out where “here” is based on your current location. Siri helps you make calls, send text messages or email, schedule meetings and reminders, make notes, search the Internet, find local businesses, get directions and more. You can also get answers, find facts and even perform complex calculations just by asking.

iCloud is a breakthrough set of free cloud services, including iTunes® in the Cloud, Photo Stream and Documents in the Cloud, that work seamlessly with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC to automatically and wirelessly store your content in iCloud and push it to all your devices. When content changes on one device, all your other devices are updated automatically and wirelessly.

iPhone 4S includes an all new camera with the most advanced optics of any phone. The 8 megapixel sensor has 60 percent more pixels so you can take amazing high quality photos with more detail than ever. iPhone 4S includes a new custom lens, a larger f/2.4 aperture and an advanced hybrid IR filter that produce sharper, brighter and more accurate images. The Apple-designed image signal processor in the A5 dual-core chip is built for performance, and coupled with the features built into iOS 5, makes the camera one of the fastest on any phone. With iPhone 4S, the Camera app launches much faster and the shot to shot capability is twice as fast, so you’ll never miss another shot.

New features in the Camera and Photos apps give you instant access to the camera right from the lock screen, and you can also use the volume-up button to quickly snap a photo. Optional grid lines help line up your shot and a simple tap locks focus and exposure on one subject; and the new Photos app lets you crop, rotate, enhance and remove red-eye, and organize your photos into albums right on your device to share them on the go. New iOS 5 features include built-in Twitter integration and iMessage, so you can instantly share your photos via Twitter directly from the Photos app and send photos via iMessage to individuals or groups. And with iCloud’s innovative new Photo Stream service, a photo you take on your iPhone is sent to iCloud and automatically pushed to your iPad, iPod touch, Mac or PC. You can even view your Photo Stream album on your Apple TV®.

iPhone 4S can also now record video in full 1080p HD resolution and with the new video image stabilization feature, you can take richer, smoother videos. Other iPhone 4S video camera improvements include increased sensitivity, sharpness and an increased ability to capture video in low light conditions. With the new iMessage service in iOS 5, you can now instantly share videos with family and friends.

iPhone 4S has the same beautifully thin glass and stainless steel design that millions of customers around the world love, while being completely redesigned on the inside. Apple’s dual-core A5 chip delivers up to twice the processing power and up to seven times faster graphics than iPhone 4, all while maintaining incredible battery life—now up to 8 hours of 3G talk time.

Improving on the innovative stainless steel external, dual-antenna design of iPhone 4, iPhone 4S is the first phone to intelligently switch between two antennas to send and receive. iPhone 4S now supports twice the download speed with HSDPA of up to 14.4 Mbps and iPhone 4S is a world phone, so both CDMA and GSM customers can now roam internationally on GSM networks.**

Pricing & Availability
iPhone 4S comes in either black or white and will be available in the US for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) for the 16GB model and $299 (US) for the 32GB model and $399 (US) for the new 64GB model.*** iPhone 4S will be available from the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores and through AT&T, Sprint, Verizon Wireless and select Apple Authorized Resellers. iPhone 4S will be available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the UK on Friday, October 14 and customers can pre-order their iPhone 4S beginning Friday, October 7. iPhone 4 will also be available for just $99 (US) and iPhone 3GS will be available for free with a two year contract. Siri will be available in beta on iPhone 4S in English (localized for US, UK and Australia), French and German. iOS 5 software will be available on October 12 as a free software update via iTunes 10.5 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch customers.

iPhone 4S will roll out worldwide to 22 more countries by the end of October including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Verizon Wireless has decided to not release the forthcoming Samsung Galaxy S2 Android smartphone next week, a decision that could be reflective of the patent infringement law suits that Apple has filed against Samsung.

Verizon Wireless is showing the world where their allegiance lies in high competitive smartphone market space.

Verizon Wireless decided to not present the Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphone when it’s released next week.

Verizon Wireless competitors such as AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile all plan on selling the Galaxy S2 Android smartphone, which is building off the success of the first generation Galaxy S.

With Verizon Wireless making the decision to forego the Galaxy S2, it seems the wireless giant could be trying to show favoritism toward Apple, and perhaps find a way to make Apple favor Verizon Wireless in some way – exactly how and why, or what that would look like, I have no idea.

The Samsung Galaxy S2 is set to be unveiled on AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile next week, on Aug. 29, 2011 in New York City.  However, with Hurricane Irene threatening the NYC area, this even could quite possibly be delayed.

via IBT

British Airways is currently testing iPad usage with flight attendants, hoping that iPads will allow attendants to be more responsive to flyer’s needs, and more knowledgeable about who’s on the flight.

The airline industry is moving quickly to adopt the latest technology and gadgets to not only allowing frequent flyers to have a better experience, but also to equip crew members with tools to be better informed about who’s on the flights.

British Airways has been testing the iPad with their in-flight attendants to see if the iPad will help them be more informed about who’s flying, and help them serve the customers better while in flight.

The iPads allow the flight attendants to know information on travelers, including their location on the plane, Executive Club status, previous travel arrangements, travel companions, special meal requests and other preferences.  The iPads also come preloaded with airline documents, safety manuals, and schedules for crew members.

Because of the success so far with testing the iPad with flight attendants, British Airways is planning to distribute iPads to all senior crew members.  And with the airline having 3G wireless access, the iPads can be humming away with continually data access.

via Mashable

Breaking news in the tech acquisition space this morning shows that Google will be purchasing Motorola Mobility for $40 per share, or $12.5 billion in cash.  This acquisition will solidify Google as an official phone manufacturer, producing Motorola smartphones running the Android OS.

Google has attempted the position of smartphone manufacturer in the past with it’s Google Nexus One smartphone.  This venture turned out to be a disaster, both from a customer service and standpoint and from a manufacturing stand point.  Google even, at a certain point, was overcharging on the taxes being paid on each Nexus One smartphone.

But this is something totally different.  With the purchase of Motorola Mobility, Google is acquiring an established manufacturing line that is already geared toward producing high-end smartphones.  Perhaps Google realized they couldn’t get into the mobile phone manufacturing business alone, and only a solid acquisition would like Motorola Mobility would allow Google to enter the space.

Here’s the news on Google acquiring Motorola Mobility from Business Wire:

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. & LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”

Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility’s stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile at Google, said, “We expect that this combination will enable us to break new ground for the Android ecosystem. However, our vision for Android is unchanged and Google remains firmly committed to Android as an open platform and a vibrant open source community. We will continue to work with all of our valued Android partners to develop and distribute innovative Android-powered devices.”

Webcast Information

Google and Motorola Mobility will hold a conference call with financial analysts to discuss this announcement today at 8:30am ET. The toll-free dial-in number for the call is 877-616-4476 (conference ID: 92149124). The call will also be webcast live at http://investor.shareholder.com/media/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=101369&CompanyID=ABEA-3VZHGF&e=1&mediaKey=A21887C59EBAAC12F1BCF4D43C080953. The webcast version of the conference call will be available through the same link following the conference call.

About Google Inc.

Google’s innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google’s targeted advertising program provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.

About Motorola Mobility

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as Google, Motorola or management of either company “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “foresees,” “forecasts,” “estimates” or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements herein that describe the proposed transaction, including its financial impact, and other statements of management’s beliefs, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. It is uncertain whether any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do, what impact they will have on the results of operations and financial condition of the combined companies or the price of Google or Motorola stock. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the ability of the parties to consummate the proposed transaction and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to consummation of the proposed transaction, including the ability to secure regulatory approvals at all or in a timely manner; the ability of Google to successfully integrate Motorola’s operations, product lines and technology; the ability of Google to implement its plans, forecasts and other expectations with respect to Motorola’s business after the completion of the transaction and realize additional opportunities for growth and innovation; and the other risks and important factors contained and identified in Google’s and Motorola’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), such as their respective Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Reports on Form 10-K, any of which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. Neither Google nor Motorola undertakes any obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Additional Information and Where to Find It

Motorola intends to file with the SEC a proxy statement in connection with the proposed transaction with Google. The definitive proxy statement will be sent or given to the stockholders of Motorola and will contain important information about the proposed transaction and related matters. SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT CAREFULLY WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. The proxy statement and other relevant materials (when they become available), and any other documents filed by Motorola with the SEC, may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website, at www.sec.gov. In addition, security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement from Motorola by contacting Investor Relations by mail at Attn: Investor Relations, 600 North U.S. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048.

Participants in the Solicitation

Motorola and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from Motorola stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about Motorola’s directors and executive officers is set forth in its proxy statement for its 2011 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on March 15, 2011, and its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010, filed on February 18, 2011. These documents are available free of charge at the SEC’s website a twww.sec.gov, and by mail at Attention: Investor Relations, 600 North U.S. Highway 45, Libertyville, IL 60048, or by going to Motorola’s Investor Relations page on its corporate website at http://investors.motorola.com. Additional information regarding the interests of participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the transaction will be included in the proxy statement that Motorola intends to file with the SEC.

The strike occurred when Verizon Communications workers could not reach an agreement with Verizon, and as of Saturday night at midnight, 45,000 contracts expired.

Union representatives were unable to reach a compromise with Verizon on issues including heath care costs and pensions.

The strike affects the Verizon wire line divisions which consist of landline phones, cable, and internet services.  This division in Verizon has been declining steadily as more people are using their mobile phones in place of home phone lines.

This strike has no impact, and no disruption of services in Verizon Wireless.

However, this does give more unwanted press toward Verizon.  Just recently, Verizon was getting hammered by the press, and investors, for its lack luster iPhone sales.  Verizon’s response was that it’s actually Apple’s fault because Apple was taking so long to ship the next generation iPhone.

via WWLP.com

Before attempting to increase the speed of an internet connection, it helps to download a speed tester that can give an indication of how fast the connection is in general. With this reading, testing can be done for increases and decreases in speed. A speed tester can also indicate if a connection speed is already at its maximum for the highspeed internet connection type and provider.

Tip 1:  Take Care Of Your Router

First of all, the wireless router and the condition of a wireless network can have a big impact on a person’s internet connection speed. Certain routers have better performance and range than others, so it is important to do some research when choosing which router to buy.

The range of the wireless router, as well as any obstacles such as walls or doors can have an effect on a router’s connection, so it should not be too far away, or have too many solid objects to pass through. It is important to make sure that a router is clearly transmitting its signal, so it should not be near devices that emit signals such as wireless phones.

The security of a wireless network can have a big impact upon internet connection speed as well. If unauthorized users are tapping into a network, it will slow it down, so simply having a network securely protected from outside sources is essential to faster connection speeds.

Tip 2:  Keep Your Computer Cache Cleared

The second tip is to keep clearing the computer’s cache. Keeping the computer clean is a good way to increase internet speed. Every time a website is visited, the computer’s RAM and hard drive will save certain images that allow it to load the pages quicker the next time the site is visited.

This cache system is meant to help increase internet loading time. However, as more and more websites are visited, the cache can begin to slow down the computer. Therefore, either clearing a cache altogether, or eliminating files related to sites that are no longer visited can help web users obtain faster internet speeds.

Tip 3:  Get Rid of Resource Sucking Applications

Certain applications can be a factor in slow internet speeds as well. The third tip is to keep an eye on these programs. Often, software will automatically update in the background, without a user being immediately informed. By keeping an eye on what certain programs are doing, users can keep track of automatic updates, and by either choosing to wait for the program to update, or commanding the program to hold off on updating until later, faster connection speeds can be achieved.

Furthermore, many applications will run quietly in the background without the user knowing. Peer to peer software, for example, will often continue uploading and downloading files even when the program has been exited. Many applications have hidden processes that can slow down the performance of a computer. Being sure that these programs are completely disabled while using the internet can be another excellent way to increase speed.

Tip 4:  Chose The Right Browser (Like Chrome)

Another tip concerns which web browser is being used. The web browser is a major factor in how quickly a person’s internet connection speed is. Different web browsing programs have differing strengths and weaknesses. Some are geared towards quick browsing, while others specialize in the integration of programs such as social networking or media software.

No matter what web browser is chosen, though, it won’t matter if it isn’t kept up to date, as newer browsers will load pages quicker than older ones. In order to maximize the efficiency of a web browser it is important to check for updates often. Updated software will not increase the speed of the internet connection itself, but does increase the speed at which pages can be viewed.

I personally recommend you use Google Chrome.  It is by far the fastest, most efficient web browser available.  Some people will say that Firefox is the best.  However, I’m afraid that most of that camp probably hasn’t tried Google Chrome.  I can open and close Chrome 5 times before Firefox loads once on my computer.

I’m just saying…

Tip 5:  Chose The Right Internet Provider

The last tip for obtaining higher internet speeds is to simply go with a new internet provider. A person with dial up internet can only achieve a certain amount of speed. Upgrading to a better type of internet service can help, but the provider can be just as much of a factor.

The further away a connection is from the source of its provider, the slower the connection will be. Looking around for not only the best deals, but also for the best location is of major importance in increasing the speed of an internet connection. Before abandoning a provider all together, though, it can sometimes help to get in touch with customer support to see if there is any possible way to increase the connection speed without having to drop them.

Often times, small interferences can go unnoticed, and as a provider is in a competitive business, they should be more than happy to lend some sort of help to those in need.

Have more tips that we missed?

So what about you?  Are there other tips that you’ve found that improve the internet speed and and efficiency of your computer?

Share your tips in the comments below.

Verizon Wireless announced the 4G version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab will be available for purchase on July 28th (that’s Friday).  The Verizon Galaxy Tab will be available on Verizon’s 4G LTE network and will reportedly push download speeds between 5Mbps to 12Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps and 5 Mbps in areas where Verizon 4G is covered.

Here’s a pricing breakdown of the Verizon 4G Samsung Galaxy Tab:

• 16 GB – $529.99
• 32 GB – $629.99
• 16 GB WiFi only – $499.99

Data packages & pricing:

• 2bGB – $30 per month
• 10 GB – $80 per month

Here’s a link to current list of Verizon 4G LTE enabled cities.

My only question is, if you had this much money to spend on a tablet, why wouldn’t you spend the money on an iPad instead?

Just wondering…

via USAToday

According to incoming Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, the iPhone 5 is not expected until the fall, “and I think you will see a significant jump there when we get to that point,” said McAdam, whose promotion from COO to CEO was announced also yesterday (via NYPost).

But if that’s the case, then wouldn’t the same scenario be happening on at AT&T?

You’d think… however, AT&T’s iPhone sales are continue to plow ahead at a much faster rate than Verizon’s.

Everyone’s waiting for the iPhone 5 to hit sometime in September.  The name of the game now is, for AT&T and Verizon, figuring out how to clear out previous iPhone version’s inventory.

Right on the heels of the news that AT&T is slashing the prices on iPhone 3’s to clear out inventory for the coming iPhone 5, there is now news out that Verizon is following suit.  Except this interesting twist from Verizon Wireless involves the dumping of iPhone 4 accessories and iPhone 4 accessory bundles.

Of course clearing out iPhone inventory – both iPhone 3 and 4 devices and accessories – seems logical in order to make room for the coming iPhone 5. But what’s interesting is when looked at a little deeper, you realize that if Verizon Wireless is dumping iPhone 4 accessories then we must know that the Apple iPhone 5 is going to have a different shape and design.

There’s been talk before about the iPhone 5 being thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4.  And with Verizon Wireless dumping their accessory bundles, this seems even more logical.

If all of the iPhone 5 rumors are true, and the release date is somewhere around September, then you can expect to see a lot more dumping of older iPhone devices and accessories – especially if the iPhone 5’s design is dramatically different than all previous models.

via BGR

Yesterday I wrote about where 15 million iPhone 5’s have been ordered for September.

Well today, we may have more insight into the upcoming iPhone 5 – or it may even be called the iPhone 4s.

The next generation iPhone is expected to be a much lighter, and much thinner version compared the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3 series.

Along with this news, it is expected that the iPhone 5 could be hitting the shelves by the 3rd quarter of 2011.

According to AllThingsD:

Some suppliers of components to Apple say the new version of the iPhone is expected to be thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4 and sport an eight-megapixel camera. One person said the new iPhone will operate on Qualcomm Inc.’s wireless baseband chips.

“Apple’s sales estimates of the new iPhone is quite aggressive. It told us to prepare to help the company meet its goal of 25 million units by the end of the year,” said a person at one of Apple’s suppliers. “The initial production volume will be a few million units … we were told to ship the components to assembler Hon Hai in August.”

Apple just released iOS 5 Beta 2 for developers.  One of the hot topics around this release is wireless syncing.

This means, no more having to plug your iPhone in to your computer or laptop to sync it up with iTunes – wireless syncing takes care of it for you.

For those who desire to free themselves completely from their PC can actually start backing up your iPhone, iPod, or iPad to the cloud through iCloud services.

More to come on iOS 5 Beta 2.

Developers can download iOS 56 Beta 2 here.

Last Friday, Verizon announced 7 more cities / metro areas that have been added to their fast growing list of 4G LTE enabled cities.

7 new cities with Verizon 4G LTE:

1. Charlotte, NC
2. Wilmington, NC
3. Columbia, SC
4. Hilton Head, SC
5. Clarksville, TN
6. Cleveland, TN
7. Greater Lehigh Valley, PA

Current cities with Verizon 4G LTE:

Arizona

• Phoenix

California

• Oakland
• San Francisco
• San Jose
• Los Angeles
• San Diego

Colorado

• Denver

District of Columbia

• Washington

Florida

• Jacksonville
• Orlando
• Tampa Bay
• West Palm Beach
• Fort Lauderdale
• Miami

Georgia

• Athens
• Atlanta

Illinois

• Chicago

Indiana

• West Lafayette

Louisiana

• New Orleans

Maryland

• Baltimore

Massachusettes

• Boston

Michigan

• Detroit / metro area

Minnesota

• Minneapolis / St. Paul

Missouri

• St. Louis

Nevada

• Las Vegas

New York

• New York City
• Rochester

North Carolina

• Charlotte
• Wilmington (new)

Ohio

• Cincinnati
• Akron
• Columbus
• Cleveland

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma City

Pennsylvania

• Pittsburgh
• Philadelphia
• Greater Lehigh Valley (New)

South Carolina

• Columbia (new)
• Hilton Head (new)

Tennessee

• Nashville
• Clarksville (new)
• Cleveland (new)

Texas

• Dallas / Fort Worth
• Houston
• San Antonio

Washington

• Seattle / Tacoma

So this is the most up to date list as of today, April 24th, 2011.

I will try to keep this list updated as Verizon expands to more cities and metro areas in the future – which will be a bunch.

Airports with Verizon 4G LTE:

Arizona

• Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX)
  
• Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA)

California

• Bob Hope, Burbank (BUR)
• John Wayne Airport-Orange County, Santa Ana (SNA)
• Long Beach/ Daugherty Field, Long Beach (LGB)
• Los Angeles International, Los Angeles (LAX)
• Metropolitan Oakland International, Oakland (OAK)
• Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International, San Jose (SJC)
• Sacramento International, Sacramento (SMF)
• San Diego International, San Diego (SAN)
• San Francisco International, San Francisco (SFO)

Colorado

• Denver International (DEN)

Delaware

• Wilmington / New Castle (ILG)

District of Columbia

• Washington Dulles International, Dulles International Airport (IAD)
• Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)

Florida

• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International, Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
• Jacksonville International, Jacksonville (JAX)
• Miami International, Miami (MIA)
• Orlando International, Orlando (MCO)
• Orlando Sanford International, Sanford (SFB)
• Palm Beach International, West Palm Beach (PBI)
• St. Augustine, Saint Augustine (SGJ)
• St. Petersburg-Clearwater International, Clearwater (PIE)
• Tampa International, Tampa (TPA)

Georgia

• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL)

Hawaii

• Honolulu International (HNL)

Illinois

• Chicago Midway International (MDW)
• Chicago O’Hare International (ORD)

Louisiana

• Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Metairie (MSY)

Maryland

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshal, Glen Burnie (BWI)

Massachusettes

• Laurence G. Hanscom Field, Bedford (BED)
  

Michigan

• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)

Minnesota

• Minneapolis-St. Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain, Minneapolis (MSP)

Missouri

• Kansas City International, Kansas City (MCI)
• Lambert-St. Louis International, St. Louis (STL)

Nevada

• McCarran International, Las Vegas (LAS)
• North Las Vegas (VGT)

New Jersey

• Newark Liberty International, Newark (EWR)
• Teterboro, Teterboro (TEB)
• Trenton Mercer, Trenton (TTN)

New York

• Greater Rochester International, Rochester (ROC)
• John F. Kennedy International, New York (JFK)
• La Guardia, New York (LGA)

North Carolina

• Charlotte/Douglas International, Charlotte (CLT)

Ohio

• Cleveland-Hopkins International, Cleveland (CLE)
• Port Columbus International, Columbus (CMH)
• Rickenbacker International, Columbus (LCK)
• Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International (CVG)

Oklahoma

• Will Rogers World, Oklahoma City (OKC)

Oregon

• Portland International, Portland (PDX)

Pennsylvania

• Philadelphia International, Philadelphia (PHL)
• Pittsburgh International, Pittsburgh (PIT)

Tennessee

• Memphis International, Memphis (MEM)
• Nashville International, Nashville (BNA)

Texas

• San Antonio International, San Antonio (SAT)
• William P. Hobby, Houston (HOU)
• George Bush Intercontinental/Houston, Houston (IAH)
• Dallas/Fort Worth International, Fort Worth (DFW)
• Dallas Love Field, Dallas (DAL)
• Austin-Bergstrom International, Austin (AUS)

Utah

• Salt Lake City International (SLC)

Washington

• Boeing Field/King County International, Seattle (BFI)
• Seattle-Tacoma International, Seattle (SEA)

Wisconsin

• General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)

via Verizon.com

AT&T has finally humbled itself and admitted that the iPhone simply overwhelmed their data capacity from 2007 thru 2010. And they said that the problem is only going to get worse as more consumers purchase and use smartphones and tablets.

AT&T admitted their shortcomings in a new filing explaining it’s intent to purchase T-Mobile. Their statement is summarized by them saying, simply, their network wasn’t ready for the iPhone, and won’t be able to handle the new smartphones and tablets that hit their networks.

In the filing, AT&T is quotes as saying a smartphone generates 24 times the mobile data traffic of a conventional wireless phone, and the explosively popular iPad and similar tablet devices can generate traffic comparable to or even greater than a smartphone.

According to the filing, AT&T’s mobile data volume exploded by a whopping 8,000% from 2007 to 2010.

And they claim that by 2015, their network will consume more data in the first five to seven weeks of that year it did in all of 2010.

via BusinessInsider

Breaking news from Bloomberg – somehow there’s been a breakthrough in the white iPhone 4 distribution chain and apparently Apple will be releasing the white iPhone 4 within the next few weeks.

The new white iPhone 4 will be available from AT&T and Verizon Wireless by the end of April, said one of the people close to the matter who requested to remain unidentified because these plans aren’t public.

Again, by the end of April, AT&T and Verizon Wireless will be selling the white iPhone 4!

Is this just another rumor gone mad, or has Bloomberg received solid information?

Appia, which provides ready made app store solutions for Blackberry, Android, Windows Mobile, Palm, Symbian, and others, is announcing that it has secured $10 million in a new round of funding from Venrock, according to TechCrunch.

Previously known as PocketGear, Appia operates as an independent marketplace where companies can launch their own app store using Appia’s platform.  The company currently provides app store solutions to over 40 partners to include four of the world’s top five handset manufacturers (Samsung, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon Wireless).

Appia is said to be valued at $100 million in this latest round of funding.

Verizon has a reputation for being the most stable wireless phone carrier in the United States. And although companies like Sprint have been aggressively expanding their 4G coverage, Verizon is quickly becoming the dominant player in this hyper competitive market.

Below is the currently list of Verizon 4G LTE enabled cities in the U.S. along with the list of additional cities that will be turned on by the end of 2011:

• Phoenix, Ariz.
• Los Angeles, Calif.
• Oakland, Calif.
• San Diego, Calif.
• San Francisco, Calif.
• San Jose, Calif.
• Denver, Colo.
• Washington, D.C.
• Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
• Jacksonville, Fla.
• Miami, Fla.
• Orlando, Fla.
• Tampa, Fla.
• West Palm Beach, Fla.
• Athens, Ga.
• Atlanta, Ga.
• Chicago, Ill.
• West Lafayette, Ind.
• New Orleans, La.
• Baltimore, Md.
• Boston, Mass.
• Detroit, Mich.
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.
• St. Louis, Mo.
• Las Vegas, Nev.
• New York, N.Y.
• Rochester, N.Y.
• Charlotte, N.C.
• Akron, Ohio
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Columbus, Ohio
• Oklahoma City, Okla.
• Philadelphia, Pa.
• Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Nashville, Tenn.
• Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
• Houston, Texas
• San Antonio, Texas
• Seattle/Tacoma, Wash.

Additional areas to be covered by Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network in 2011 include:

• Decatur, Ala.
• Huntsville, Ala.*
• Mobile, Ala.*
• Montgomery, Ala.*
• Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark.
• Fort Smith, Ark.
• Little Rock, Ark.*
• Tucson, Ariz.
• Bakersfield, Calif.
• Fresno, Calif.
• Modesto, Calif.
• Sacramento, Calif.
• Salinas-Monterey, Calif.
• San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Santa Barbara, Calif.
• Stockton, Calif.
• Colorado Springs, Colo.*
• Fort Collins, Colo.
• Fairfield, Conn.
• Hartford, Conn.
• New Haven, Conn.
• Daytona Beach, Fla.
• Fort Myers, Fla.
• Gainesville, Fla.*
• Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.*
• Pensacola, Fla.*
• Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.*
• Tallahassee, Fla.*
• Augusta, Ga.*
• Hilo, Hawaii
• Honolulu, Hawaii*
• Kahului-Wailuku, Hawaii*
• Lahaina, Hawaii*
• Davenport, Iowa
• Iowa City, Iowa
• Boise-Nampa, Idaho*
• Bloomington/Normal, Ill.
• Carbondale, Ill.*
• Champaign, Ill.
• Rockford, Ill.
• Springfield, Ill.
• Fort Wayne, Ind.
• Indianapolis, Ind.
• Lafayette, Ind.
• Wichita, Kan.*
• Louisville, Ky.
• Baton Rouge, La.*
• Hammond, La.*
• Springfield, Mass.
• Worcester, Mass.
• Hagerstown, Md.
• Flint, Mich.*
• Grand Rapids, Mich.
• Lansing, Mich.
• Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.
• Starkville, Miss.
• Asheville-Henderson, N.C.
• Fayetteville-Lumberton, N.C.*
• Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, N.C.*
• Raleigh-Durham, N.C.*
• Wilmington, N.C.*
• Fargo, N.D.
• Omaha, Neb.
• Albuquerque, N.M.
• Las Cruces, N.M. Santa Fe, N.M.
• Reno, Nev.
• Albany, N.Y.
• Ithaca, N.Y.
• Syracuse, N.Y.
• Dayton-Springfield, Ohio*
• Lima, Ohio
• Toledo, Ohio
• Tulsa, Okla.*
• Portland, Ore.
• Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, Pa.
• Erie, Pa.*
• Harrisburg, Pa.
• Johnstown, Pa.
• Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Pa.
• State College, Pa.*
• Charleston, S.C.*
• Columbia, S.C.*
• Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.*
• Hilton Head, S.C.*
• Sioux Falls, S.D.*
• Chattanooga, Tenn.*
• Clarksville, Tenn.*
• Cleveland, Tenn.*
• Dyersburg-Union City, Tenn.
• Jackson, Tenn.
• Kingsport-Johnson City, Tenn.-Bristol, Va.*
• Knoxville, Tenn.*
• Memphis, Tenn.*
• Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas*
• Bryan-College Station, Texas*
• El Paso, Texas
• Temple-Killeen, Texas
• Provo-Orem, Utah*
• Salt Lake City-Ogden, Utah*
• Olympia, Wash.*
• Centralia, Wash.*
• Spokane, Wash.
• Charleston, W.Va.*
• Madison, Wis.*
• Milwaukee, Wis.*

* Indicates a metro area previously announced in 2011

via Verizon.com

In the wake of AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile, Verizon is set to expand their 4G LTE network aggressively in the United States.  Verizon plans on expand the 4G network to an additional 59 cities by the end of 2011.

Here’s the press release from Verizon yesterday:

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Today, Verizon Wireless unveiled an additional 59 markets that will benefit from the world’s first large-scale 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network by the end of this year.  These newly named areas, added to the 39 initial markets launched in December 2010 and 49 markets announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, mean that consumers and businesses in at least 147 U.S. cities will have access to the fastest, most advanced 4G mobile network in America.

David Small, chief technical officer for Verizon Wireless, said, “Aggressively expanding this powerful network beyond major metro areas reflects the reality that the 4G LTE ecosystem is growing quickly. Our commitment to reach deep into medium-sized cities and smaller communities by the end of 2011 means the power of 4G LTE can be harnessed and provide advanced services to law enforcement, healthcare workers, educators, and other professionals, as well as to individual consumers, sooner than many thought possible. So whether you spend time in New York and San Francisco, or Harrisburg, Penn., Saginaw/Bay City, Mich., Huntsville, Ala. and Las Cruces, New Mexico, you can connect to the most advanced 4G network in the country.”

via Verizon.com

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AT&T is on a tear!

Just yesterday, AT&T announced the purchase of T-Mobile for around $39 billion.  And now today, right on the heels of the big acquisition news, AT&T issues a press release announcing the LG Thrill 4G smartphone.  The Thrill 4G will be the first smartphone in the US market with a 4.3 inch stereoscope 3D display that does not require special 3D glasses.  The Thrill 4G is powered by Android 2.2 (Froyo), with no word on an upgrade to the 2.3 (Gingerbread). According to AT&T, the Thrill 4G will launch “in the coming months.”

Below is the AT&T press release issued this morning:

Apple’s latest iteration of the iPad, the iPad 2, went on sale at Apple stores, AT&T and Verizon Wireless outlets, as well as Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy, and by Saturday evening, the iPad 2 was completely sold out.  The reports coming in on Saturday put the sales figures for the weekend at 1 million units.  The first iPad that was launched in April of 2010 took 28 days before it sold 1 million units. Crowds of fans waiting for hours, sometimes even days, outside of the flagship Apple stores in both New York and San Francisco just be a part of the frenzy that surrounded the iPad 2 launch.  The iPad 2 is a serious upgrade from the first iPad with it being lighter, faster, and has front and page cameras for Facetime (video conferencing and chat).

via Reuters

The Verizon iPhone is immenent, and Verizon customers apparently cannot wait to get their hands on it February 10th – the official day of the Verizon iPhone launch.

The Verizon iPhone started pre-selling at 3am EST on Thursday, and by 8pm EST (17 hours later), Verizon sold out of the limited supply stock.

In fact, Verizon not only sold out, but they broke a company record by selling more iPhones than any other device in Verizon’s history.

Despite the amazing velocity of iPhone sales, Verizon shares (NYSE:VZ) closed down 7 cents, or 0.19%, at $36.31 on Friday.

As I mentioned in a previous article about Verizon’s stock price declining despite the iPhone arrival, the iPhone is quite frankly becoming old technology.

Android smartphones are starting the leave the iPhone beyond, and in a major way.

Now granted, I’m no stock analysts, so take it for what it’s worth, but the iPhone 4 is pretty much the iPhone 3GS

with the exception of a front facing camera and Facetime.

Android devices have advanced far beyond that!

via The Street

The United States is moving closer to a whole new paradigm of WiFi connectivity and speed with what’s called White Space.

White space could be the key to moving the United States toward ubiquitous WiFi coverage – meaning, WiFi coverage in all places within the US.

What is white space?

It’s the unused public airwaves (TV bands) that literally fill the air in the United States. And it’s believed that these airwaves (white space) will lead to the next generation of WiFi connective and wireless device technologies.

Just yesterday, the FCC released an order designating nine companies – including Google – to take the role of administrator over the white spaces database.

The FCC order also outlines specs as to how these nine companies can manage, experiment, and test the white space.

Here’s a list of all nine companies:

Google calls white space “WiFi on steroids”.

via Google Public Policy blog

The long awaited Verizon iPhone announcement might just be coming this week, according to a recent press conference “invite” select reporters are receiving.

The buzz around a Verizon iPhone has been non-stop this past year, but the long anticipated, and widely discussed arrival may be coming to fruition this coming week.

According to reports, Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile phone company, has been sending out invitations for an “event” (aka, news conference) in New York on January 11th (this coming Tuesday).

Analysts familiar with the situation are predicting that this is the Verizon iPhone announcement we’ve all been waiting for.

This will end the exclusivity reign that AT&T has had on the iPhone since it was released back in 2007.

The Verizon iPhone has also been predicted to put about a $6 billion a year dent in AT&T’s bottom line!

Stay tuned, as more information comes available.

via Bloomberg

As a blogger, I obviously spend a lot of time in front of my computer. Doing things like writing new articles, tweeking websites and other web projects, and providing consulting to others has caused me to use multiple browsers.

I use multiple browsers primarily because I want to see that the CSS styles I change are loading properly in the different browsers.

So this morning, my eyes were opened to a scary reality.

I realized I know use 6 different browsers and 2 different operating systems.

My list of browsers:

• Chrome – which I use about 70% of the time simply because it’s super fast.
• Firefox – I use about 25% of the time, primarily for checking Google Pagerank, SEO variables, and mostly for the Firebug addon (a must have for site design and hacking)
• Safari – falls in the 5% of the time somewhere and I use primarily to check how changes look
• Internet Explorer – again, within the 5% piece of the pie and I use for things like access wireless routers (wireless networks) and also to see how site changes look in IE.  To my unending confusion, Internet Explorer is the most used browser in the world, yet every time I open it I’m painfully reminded of why I absolutely can’t stand IE.
• Opera – I actually just started using Opera on my desktop not too long ago, and again I primarily check website changes and configuration. After all, Opera does now have 150 million users worldwide.
• RockMelt – now RockMelt is something I just got an invite to install last week. It is basically a mashup of Google Chrome and Facebook… no lie! The only problem I have with RockMelt so far is when I have the sidebars (Facebook widgets) enabled, the style sheet doesn’t adapt and my text box in my WordPress blog overruns onto the sidebars – something that is very frustrating.

My list of operating systems:

• Windows XP – I use Windows XP most of the time primarily because I do not have a MAC.
• Mac OS X – even though I don’t personally own a Mac, I use a lot of Mac’s throughout the week. I do IT, live streaming, and editing (Final Cut Pro is amazing…) work at my church and help other people out on their Mac’s, so I get a lot of exposure to Mac OS X. What I love more than anything is when adding Fusion or Parallels to a Mac which in essence converts you Mac into a PC – ironic huh?
• Linux – the Linux version I use, and have ever used is Ubuntu. I use Ubuntu mostly on my laptop and primarily just to try to learn more about the Linus environment.

So there is it… pretty scary huh?

I know, I just realized it this morning myself.

6 browsers and 3 operating systems – welcome to my world.

How about you?

Tell me about your world of browsers and operating systems.

Is their one particular platform that you use all the time?

Do you split your time between other platforms?

Anxious to read your responses.

The world of 4G mobile internet speed is about to expand.

Verizon Wireless will be holding a press conference tomorrow, December 1st, to announce their 4G LTE mobile broadband network. The Verizon 4G network is expected to launch, on day 1, in 38 cities throughout the U (see the list of 38 cities below).

According to Mashable, LTE is important for a number of reasons, but most of all, because it has the potential to become the first true global standard in wireless. By contrast, Sprint has embraced WiMAX as its 4G standard, which is mainly prevalent in parts of Asia. Regardless, both technologies are exceptionally fast compared to today’s mobile broadband standards — and let’s face it, that’s really the most important factor.

Several sites online will be covering the Verizon 4G LTE news conference, including Mashable.

Here’s the list of 38 cities that are scheduled to get Verizon’s 4G LTE network:

*Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Initial Major Metropolitan Area Deployment *

• Akron, Ohio
• Athens, Georgia
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Chicago, Illinois
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Columbus, Ohio
• Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Dallas, Texas
• Denver, Colorado
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Houston, Texas
• Jacksonville, Florida
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota
• Nashville, Tennessee
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• New York, New York
• Oakland, California
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Orlando, Florida
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Rochester, New York
• San Antonio, Texas
• San Diego, California
• San Francisco, California
• San Jose, California
• Seattle/Tacoma, Washington
• St. Louis, Missouri
• Tampa, Florida
• Washington, D.C.
• West Lafayette, Indiana
• West Palm Beach, Florida

I’ve had a few people ask me about a release date on the Acer AZ3750-A34D 21.5 inch all in one PC.

After doing some more digging around, I was able to find a Japanese website that claims the Acer PC will be released on March 12th.

Here’s the site translated into English > http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20101126_409578.html&sl=ja&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8

People seem interested in Acer’s new super PC, especially with a price tag of less than $1000.

Some impressive specs accompany this all in one PC from Acer:

1,920 × 1,080 dot (full HD)-enabled 21.5 inch widescreen LCD display (glare)-one PC. The main specifications, Core i3-550 (3.20GHz, onboard video), Memory 4GB, HDD 500GB, Intel H57 Express chipset, DVD burner, 21.5-inch full HD LCD, Windows 7 Home Premium (64bit) equipped with .

Interface USB 2.0 × 8, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN, mini D-Sub15 pin, PS / 2 × 2, SD card / Memory Stick / xD-Picture Card compatible card reader, Web camera, audio input and output equipment. Sound features, equipped with Dolby Home Theater.

via PC.Watch