One way to get a sense of how much priority Hollywood networks are placing on mobile is to look at the executives on board and how many people are working on their respective teams.The big four networks-ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox-each takes a different...
THE FINANCIAL MARKETS HAVE BEEN JITTERY in recent weeks, absorbing the fallout from the extension of easy credit to both individuals and corporations. Now, the backlash is likely to find lenders more closely scrutinizing business plans, mergers and company strategies to reduce their risks-and...
THE IPHONE HAS given birth to the iEcosystem. Whether that's a good thing, though, is debatable.Apple Inc.'s decision to bar third-party developers from building applications for its high-profile device has drawn scorn in the software world. But there is no shortage of Internet-based applications...
VIENNA, Va.-Barry West believes so strongly in it that he's got it as the personalized license plate on his sports car: Xohm. It's the commercial brand for Sprint Nextel Corp.'s WiMAX effort and, as West explains, "Xohm is about a new business model."Adds West:...
If your idea of mobile navigation applications is limited to left- and right-turn commands, maybe you should test drive one of the newer offerings.Early-adopting road warriors have long depended on stand-alone devices from Garmin Ltd. and other manufacturers to deliver basic maps and driving...
Bringing broadband to the masses is kind of like the weather: Everyone talks about it, but no one is doing anything about it. President Bush's plan of bridging the digital divide is laudable in theory, but problematic in reality.The problem is no one can...
A small study by usability consultancy User Centric Inc. found that first-time users of the Apple Inc. iPhone took twice as long to compose text messages on the device as they did with their own phone, and that many users preferred the feel of...
"Big Brother" is coming to the small screen in a whole new way beginning Sunday. For the final month of the TV show's eighth season, MediaFLO USA Inc. is launching a new dedicated channel to air real-time activity from inside the Big Brother house.This...
Welcome to our new Friday feature, Week in Review. Every Friday, RCR Wireless News will run through the major events of the past week, outlining what happened and speculating on what to look for in the coming weeks, months and years. Check below for...
Nokia Corp. fired yet another salvo at Qualcomm Inc., filing a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission alleging Qualcomm is infringing on five of its patents. The news serves to widen the gulf between the two companies as each seeks to gain leverage...
VIENNA, Va.-Although Sprint Nextel Corp. made headlines yesterday with news of its WiMAX branding and push-to-talk plans, the carrier also-apparently inadvertently-gave its "Technology Summit" attendees a glimpse of several as-yet-unannounced handsets. Although Sprint Nextel representatives refused to allow attendees to take pictures of the...
Nokia Corp. said it will team with online casual gaming destination Shockwave to offer Flash Lite-enabled "mini games" on its handsets in Europe and Asia.Shockwave, a property of MTV Networks, offers about three dozen no-frills, inexpensive titles under the brand Shockwave Minis. Nokia said...
Sprint Nextel Corp. has dubbed its planned mobile WiMAX service "Xohm," and demonstrated use of the technology at an event today in Virginia, detailing some of its plans for WiMAX and reiterating its timeline for the network's launch. The carrier said that Xohm (pronounced...
Sprint Nextel Corp. has reverted to its Nextel branding for all of its push-to-talk products, regardless of whether they run on its CDMA or iDEN network. The Nextel Direct Connect name will represent the carrier's entire portfolio of PTT services and devices, and Sprint...
Clearwire Corp. said it completed the process for a $1 billion secured term loan to refinance existing debt and support expansion plans. The Kirkland, Wash.-based company, which was founded in late 2003 by wireless industry veteran Craig McCaw, has been winning some major deals...
M2Z Networks Inc. said it will take the Federal Communications Commission to court to force the agency to consider its request for 25 megahertz of vacant spectrum.The Silicon Valley-based outfit applied for the spectrum more than a year ago, vowing to deliver free broadband...
Virgin Mobile USA L.L.C. added to its handset vendor list by announcing plans to add LG Electronics Co.'s "Aloha" handset to its lineup later this month. The handset, which is set to retail for $35 , marks the first deal between the two companies...
Network operators increasingly will partner with small handset vendors to offer low-margin, ultra-low-cost handsets, particularly in emerging markets where new subscriber growth remains strong, according to ABI Research. Nokia Corp. and Motorola Inc. currently dominate the sub-$50 handset space, in part due to their...
Hello! And welcome to our Thursday column, Worst of the Week. There's a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRNews.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way....
Mobile virtual network operator Helio L.L.C. continued to expand its handset portfolio with the "Fin" from Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a thin clamshell priced at $175, based on a current discount. According to Helio, the Fin is the thinnest folding phone in the United...
Wireless and telecom reseller TelePlus World Corp. reported weaker second quarter results, which the company said were due to switching back-office providers and the backlash from acquiring mobile virtual network operator Liberty Wireless. TelePlus, which operates in the U.S. and Canada, earned second quarter...
A trio of independent wireless operators have partnered with Interop Technologies to deploy a range of wireless features such as short message service, multimedia messaging, wireless application protocol and over-the-air device management services.Rural Independent Network Alliance, which serves wireless operators in the western United...
Shares of mobile search and content company UpSnap rose slightly after the company said it plans to merge with Mobile Greetings Inc.Mobile Greetings creates and publishes greeting cards, animated clips and other applications for content partners such as Disney, Sony, Warner Bros. and Major...
Major League Baseball unveiled a widget that gives BlackBerry owners one-click access to its wireless Web site.The application can be downloaded free by visiting MLB.com, and is available free aside from carrier data charges. MLB Advanced Media LP, the interactive media arm of pro...
