From The United States To South Africa, World Cup Fans Can Stay Connected With Verizon Wireless Tweet

Promotional Rate for Voice Calls in South Africa Available from June 7 to July 31.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Whether they call it football or soccer, fans around the globe will celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup from June 11 to July 11. For fans heading to South Africa to see every kick live, Verizon Wireless has them covered with access to International Services. Verizon Wireless customers staying in the United States can watch the action from home with exclusive World Cup mobile content on their phones.

With the following International Services from Verizon Wireless, customers can stay connected to friends and family while in South Africa or while traveling around the globe:

* Global Phones and Smartphones – Make voice calls in South Africa and more than 220 countries worldwide. Verizon Wireless has a wide array of options to choose from, whether it’s the LG Fathom™ or a feature phone such as the Verizon Wireless Escapade™.
* GlobalEmail – Use a global smartphone to access data coverage in 200 countries, with more than 110 offering 3G speeds, including South Africa. All of the World Cup host cities have GSM voice and data access for corporate LAN e-mail and attachments and personal POP3 e-mail accounts.
* GlobalAccess – Use a global-capable USB modem such as the UMW190 or AD3700 or the HP Mini 311-1037NR netbook to access e-mail and data.
* GlobalAccess Connect – Tether the new BlackBerry® Bold™ 9650 to a notebook or netbook and use it as a modem for wireless Internet access in 200 countries worldwide.
* Global Travel Program – Ideal for an occasional globetrotter. Call 800-711-8300 to request a global phone for short-term use. Customers can keep their regular phone numbers and voice mail accounts when abroad, plus the service doesn’t require daily rental fees or security deposits.

Verizon Wireless is offering a promotional $1.69 per minute voice rate in South Africa for customers who purchase a Global Value Plan for $4.99 per month. This promotional rate will be effective June 7 through July 31. In addition to the promotional rate in South Africa, the Global Value Plan provides customers a voice rate reduction in 150 additional countries.

For fans staying in the United States, exclusive 2010 FIFA World Cup mobile content from Verizon Wireless will make them feel like they’re still part of the action. V CAST Video customers will be able to see pre-tournament highlights, interviews and news. When the tournament starts, they will also be able to see live streaming broadcasts of their favorite matches.

For more information about Verizon Wireless’ international products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store or go to www.verizonwireless.com/international.

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See For Yourself How Verizon Wireless Is Ready To Serve Customers When It Matters Most Tweet

New Video Offers Behind-the-Scenes Look at Ongoing Preparations for Hurricane Season, Other Natural Disasters and Emergencies.

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Verizon Wireless doesn’t wait for hurricane season, severe weather forecasts, wildfire warnings or power outages to focus on keeping its service up and running. Verizon Wireless network teams work year-round to ensure customers can rely on the Verizon Wireless network and use their wireless devices when they need them most.

Go Behind the Scenes with Verizon Wireless – Video Available
A new video from Verizon Wireless takes viewers to Verizon Wireless cell sites, mobile cell sites, switches and other network operations in Florida to show how the company prepares for hurricane season and other natural disasters and emergencies. Those are times when customers turn to their wireless service and count on it most.

View the Video Now
“We Keep You Connected When You Count on Us the Most” is available now and can be viewed:

* On Verizon Wireless’ YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/VerizonWirelessTV
* In the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia

Verizon Wireless’ Year-Round Network Focus
Verizon Wireless has invested more than $59 billion since it was formed – $5.7 billion on average every year – to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services. In 2009 alone, Verizon Wireless invested $7 billion to expand and advance its network.

More Information Available

* Learn more about Verizon Wireless’ ongoing preparations for hurricanes and other emergencies in the Verizon Wireless Emergency Information Center at http://news.vzw.com/Emergency/Overview.html.
* Ongoing network updates, enhancements and information are available on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNetwork.
* Video footage and images of Verizon Wireless network preparations in hurricane-prone areas are available in the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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Master Multitasker: DROID Smartphones From Verizon Wireless Run The Apps You Want Simultaneously Tweet

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — Do you ever need to tackle more than one thing at a time? DROID does. All of the devices in Verizon Wireless’ family of Android smartphones – with the constantly evolving Android platform – can run multiple applications simultaneously, making multitasking simple for customers.

The number of Android smartphones from Verizon Wireless continues to grow, with five currently available – DROID by Motorola, DROID ERIS™ by HTC, Motorola DEVOUR™, DROID Incredible by HTC, and LG Ally™. The ever-expanding Android Market™ is also constantly growing, now with more than 38,000 cool apps that customers can use every day or once in a while. This week’s highlighted apps include:

* Qik Video Camera allows customers to record and share video with friends and family via their favorite social networks, including Facebook®, Twitter and YouTube.
* Mediafly Video + Audio Podcasts offers high-quality video streams of popular channels, including NBC and ESPN, and gives customers a way to organize and discover their podcasts and audio, video and radio streams.
* TuneWiki Social Media Player shows subtitled lyrics as customers listen to music, watch music videos or stream songs.
* Twitter, the official Android app, allows customers to tweet; send direct messages; share photos, videos and links; search; and more.
* Dropbox allows customers to create a Dropbox folder on their Android devices, which they can sync to their computers to browse and share files.
* Mint.com Personal Finance is the top financial management app. Customers can view all of their accounts in one place, set budgets, track their spending and find personalized savings.

For more information on Android devices from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

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Pontiac, Illinois, Residents To Benefit From Verizon Wireless Network Enhancement Tweet

Verizon Wireless Adds Cell Site to Stay Ahead of Customer Demand.

PONTIAC, IL — Verizon Wireless has activated a new cell site in Pontiac, Ill., that expands network coverage, enabling more customers in the area to use their wireless phones concurrently to make calls; send and receive e-mail and text, picture and video messages; access the Internet; view high-quality videos; and download music, games and ringtones, while enjoying clearer reception and fewer dropped calls.

The new cell site, which is equipped with a permanent backup generator for times of emergency, expands Verizon Wireless’ voice and data network from E 2000 North Road in the north to County Highway 8 in the south, and from Route 23 in the west to N 1900 East Road in the east.

“This cell site was built to ensure that our customers in and around Pontiac can continue relying on their phones for everything from making calls and sending messages to surfing the Internet and getting email,” said T.J. Fox, president – Illinois/Wisconsin Region, Verizon Wireless. “The most advanced device is only as good as the network it runs on. That’s why we aggressively invest in our Illinois network to increase coverage and capacity for our customers and to continue to raise the bar in network reliability.”

Verizon Wireless has invested more than $59 billion since it was formed – $5.7 billion on average every year – to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network and to add new services. Since 2000, Verizon Wireless has invested $1.3 billion on improvements to its wireless network in Illinois.

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Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini review: Shrink to fit Tweet

Gsmarena have posted their review of the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini. Here are the phone's key features, main disadvantages and their final impression.

Key features:
* Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support
* 3G with HSPA
* Customized Android OS v1.6 with Timescape UI
* Ultra compact body
* 2.55" capacitive touchscreen of QVGA resolution
* Qualcomm MSM7227 600 MHz CPU
* 5 megapixel autofocus camera with LED flash and VGA video recording
* Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g
* Built-in GPS receiver and digital compass
* Accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate and turn-to-mute
* Standard miniUSB port for charging and data
* Stereo Bluetooth (A2DP)
* microSD card slot with support for up to 8GB cards (2GB card included)
* 3.5mm-compatible audio jack
* Direct access to the official Android repository

Main disadvantages:
* QVGA resolution doesn’t do Android graphics justice and limits the number of compatible apps
* Non-removable battery
* Limited Android homescreen functionality
* No smart dialing
* No virtual on-screen QWERTY keyboard
* No Bluetooth file transfers
* No Flash support for the web browser
* Very basic camera interface

Small phones are special, no doubt about that. The Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 might just be too special to have mass appeal but we don’t think it’s what this phone is trying to do. The X10 mini is an experiment, which works out well.

It’s hard not to like the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 mini. It’s equally hard we think to not notice its limitations. But we should make it clear: it delivers on the main promise it made when it first appeared in public – it’s a capable smartphone that every pocket can take. Better yet, it isn’t outrageously expensive either.

The user-interface has been well optimized for the little (in touchscreen terms that is) display and while this has involved some functionality sacrifices, they aren’t too bad. Granted, you won’t be able to edit documents or read maps as comfortably as on the full-size XPERIA X10 but the mini is by no means a poor relation.

No review can help you make up your mind about a phone like this one – if you haven’t already. You might think it’s a cool and cute li’l droid – or see no point in it whatsoever. After all, there’s plenty of smartphones out there that will do the same things (and better) within the same budget.

Anyway, to put things into perspective, let’s check some of the potential challengers in the lightweight division.

If you can do without smartphone capabilities you might want to check out the Samsung M5650 Lindy and the LG GD880 Mini. Both are lookers (we do admit though to a particularly soft spot for the LG mini) and offer plenty of connectivity in compact form factor. They certainly aren’t as small as the XPERIA X10 mini but will perhaps cost substantially less.

If smartphone is a must, but it doesn’t have to be Android, Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is another affordable handset that will easily slip in any pocket. Again, the size comparison is undoubtedly in the X10 mini’s favor and the Nokia 5530 skimps on 3G but essentially it’s a compact smartphone that will save you a good deal of cash.

If you would like to stick around in droid land, you have the HTC Tattoo to check out. It gives similar performance but comes in a larger body and trades the Timescape UI for Sense.

You can always go for some QWERTY-ness with the XPERIA X10 Mini Pro or the Nokia N97 Mini. Because, let’s face it – text input is not among the X10 Mini’s strengths.

Well it does look like there is plenty of choice in the compact class, but not a single one goes quite as far as the XPERIA X10 mini. If size really matters this is the ONE real mini, and basically your best option.

Reading your mail, browsing the web or watching video will be better on almost any other touch phone out there. But the X10 mini doesn’t want you to be sensible and practical. It hopes you’ll appreciate the idea behind it. Getting smaller and better – isn’t this the life story of mobile phones.

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Revenue from Networked Audio Devices Expected to Top $10 Billion in 2015 Tweet

Revenue from Networked Audio Devices Expected to Top $10 Billion in 2015
Connected Home Research Service | Networked Home Audio.

For today’s audiophile, the traditional home entertainment component rack holding CD player, tape deck, tuner, amplifier, equalizer and turntable is increasingly archaic. According to ABI Research practice director Jason Blackwell, “Today it’s all about bringing audio content from other sources and distributing it around the home. So many people have music on their PCs as well as on MP3 players and other portable devices (not to mention Internet radio) that it’s just a small step to using the PC or a dedicated device as a server to send that content to other locations in the home.”

Such will be the demand for this kind of audio networking setup that a $10+ billion market is expected by 2015, the result of a 2009-2015 compound annual growth rate of more than 32%.

Wi-Fi and Ethernet are the most common connectivity standards, and the research suggests that wireless options will boost consumer demand.

“Audio is still a viable device category,” Blackwell notes. “Networked audio had for some time taken a back seat to distributed video solutions within the home, but the market opportunities for networked audio devices are once again showing resurgence.”

Huge numbers of vendors are involved, ranging from traditional networking companies such as D-Link to specialized firms such as Sonos, which has built a solid reputation for dedicated networked audio devices. Traditional CE vendors such as Philips and smaller players such as Grace Digital Audio round out the vendor landscape.

One obstacle facing this market is consumers’ lack of understanding about the possibilities. Retailers have a role to play here by featuring networked audio prominently and providing as much education as possible. Vendors should also remember that consumers have a threshold for purchases of CE devices, which must be accounted for when pricing devices and systems.

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Samsung Tops New ABI Research Mobile WiMAX Base Station Vendor Matrix Ranking Tweet

Samsung has been ranked at the top of the latest Vendor Matrix released by ABI Research.

Motorola and Alvarion claimed the second and third spots in the company’s most recent evaluation of worldwide WiMAX base station vendors.

The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors’ positions in specific markets. Vendors are assessed on the important parameters of “innovation” and “implementation” across several criteria unique to each vendor matrix.

“Samsung and Motorola have maintained the respective market leadership positions they established in our 2008 Matrix,” comments research analyst Xavier Ortiz. “This year, they ranked very close to one another. Each has a decent amount of R&D invested in this area, as well as comprehensive 802.16 patent portfolios.

“Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Nortel, and Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) have all exited the market since 2008, for differing reasons. The result: Alvarion, previously ranked eighth, has risen to take third position as it has gained contracts, and partnered with some of the vendors who left the market. Huawei has also become a major player, when it wasn’t even a significant part of the lineup two years ago, by gaining substantial business with Clearwire.”

For this particular matrix, under "innovation," ABI Research examined the vendors’ early product development for mobile WiMAX, their end-to-end telecom product offerings, and their intellectual property holdings for OFDMA, MIMO and beamforming. Other Innovation factors were the companies’ demonstrated commitments to 802.16m, and the number of 802.16m trials under way.

Under "implementation," ABI Research scrutinized the following criteria: vendors’ market share and major customer wins; the number of trials acquired; the degree of the vendors’ focus on high-growth developing countries; and their partnerships with other companies in the mobile WiMAX ecosystem.

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