Verizon

We haven’t been getting a lot of updates on the Google TV front lately, but today Google made an announcement on its blog that the Redbox Instant by Verizon movie streaming subscription service is coming to Google TV.

The app delivers the full Redbox Instant by Verizon experience right to your living room. This includes access to your subscription disc and streaming package, and ability to purchase and rent the latest new releases from the Redbox Instant store.

On top of streaming, purchases and rentals, the Redbox app for Google TV will also allow users to reserve a disc for local pickup.

The service will initially be rolling out to select devices including: the 47G2 and 55G2 Google TV-enabled Smart TVs from LG, NETGEAR’s NeoTV Prime with Google TV, the Sony Internet Player NSZ-GS7, and the Vizio Co-Star.

The Redbox Instant by Verizon app for Google TV is available on Google Play now. Google TV users can sign up for the service now through the app on their device or on the web here. 
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Verizon has officially confirmed that the HTC One will finally be available to customers on its 4G LTE network starting later this summer. The initial announcement comes from Verizon’s Twitter account and didn’t provide any other information on pricing or exact availability. We’re thinking Verizon will be releasing a full press release shortly and we’ll update with details when it does.

https://twitter.com/VZWnews/status/341592724161560578
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Bloomberg reports that Verizon’s vice president of network support Mike Haberman confirmed the Galaxy S4 will be the first device to access the carrier’s new AWS spectrum rolling out to major cities such as New York in the coming months.

While Verizon has plans to roll out more devices that can access the higher speeds of its AWS enhanced LTE network, the Galaxy S4 is the first device with a software update planned to activate support for the AWS frequencies:

Verizon is using the AWS airwaves to help increase the capacity of its long-term evolution, or LTE, network. While Verizon will be adding more devices that can use the higher speeds, the Galaxy S4 is the only such phone currently on sale.

Samsung has proven almost effortlessly that the 5-inch smartphone has its place in the hands of the masses as it is on track to selling 10 million handsets in its first month, The Korea Times reports.

The company has plenty of room for sales to exponentially grow upward, possibly past their own already high expectations, as the smartphone that has taken the Android world by storm has yet to actually launch on Verizon in the States.

Verizon seems readily positioned to launch the Galaxy S4 as it announced earlier this week that it plans to sell the Samsung smartphone a week sooner than expected.

Samsung’s co-CEO Shin John-Kyun says the company expects the Galaxy S4 to be the fastest selling smartphone in the company’s history.

“We are confident that we will pass more than 10 million sales of the S4 next week. It is selling much faster than the previous model S3,” Samsung Electronics co-CEO Shin Jong-Kyun told reporters at an industry forum in Seoul, Thursday.

We got our hands on the Galaxy S4 last month for a review and gave it flying colors.
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There’s a good reason I mistakenly referred to the upcoming LG Optimus Exceed as the Lucid Exceed in a recent tweet: the handset really is little more than a prepaid version of the original LG Lucid, whose sequel is now going for free on contract as part of a Mother’s Day promotion at Verizon. Along with the Optimus Zone (a.k.a. last year’s Optimus L3), Optimus Exceed will hit Big Red as a prepaid-only option, even carrying nearly the same model number (VS840PP) as its forebear. Even though the Lucid is currently retired, it still holds some value as an off-contract device, so expect to shell out not more than $100 for the aging handset.

https://twitter.com/VZWnews/status/324990966232645632

Spint and T-Mobile showed their hand earlier this week. Verizon’s isn’t looking good but they do have more LTE than everyone else combined so good things come to those who wait.

From 9to5Toys.com:

Tiger Direct slashes the price of the original 1080P smartphone, the Droid DNA. We reviewed the DNA and loved loved loved its amazing 5-inch 1080P display.

Long before the Chromebook Pixel was released, I, and surely many other Chromebook users, begged Google to create a high-end laptop that would allow technology professionals to use the Chrome OS to its fullest. To really give it a run against our high-end MacBook Pros and PC workstations, Google would have to throw more than the repurposed netbook hardware that OEMs like Samsung, Acer, HP, and others were giving this operating system.

Google’s Pixel is that high-end machine, but does it stack up where it needs to? First, the good:
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During IFA last year we showed you some of the accessories and future accessories launching alongside the Samsung Galaxy Camera. Today at the Las Vegas Convention Center Samsung was showing off its latest iterations of the accessories for the launch of the LTE variant on Verizon, as pictured in the gallery below:

Verizon confirmed today on its website that its variant of Samsung’s Galaxy S III would begin getting access to the latest 4.1 Jelly Bean update starting Dec. 14. While not all users will get access to the update right away, the carrier said it would roll out 4.1 in phases starting tomorrow and users that wish to download the update manually will be able to do so from the Settings menu within a week.

Samsung just confirmed the Galaxy Camera will come to Verizon’s 4G LTE network starting Dec. 13 for $549.99. The Android 4.1-powered camera will land on the carrier in two colors, including the white model we’ve seen before and Cobalt Black exclusive to Verizon. Samsung also noted “users will be able to add the Samsung Galaxy Camera to their Share Everything account for the promotional price of $5 per month.” The device will initially be available online through Verizon.

The full press release is below:

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We knew that Google Play carrier billing would be available “in the coming weeks” for Verizon customers when Google confirmed on Twitter earlier this month. Today direct billing is officially rolling out to Verizon users with the new payment option now available form the Google Play store billing page pictured above (via AndroidPolice). Direct carrier billing is already available to most other Android users in the U.S. on AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile. No word yet on whether or not Verizon will employ the rumored $25 limit for direct billing.
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Samsung is about to officially launch its new Galaxy Note II this week in the United States at a press event in New York City on Wednesday. We know T-Mobile and Sprint will launch the device this week, and AT&T and Verizon sometime in the near future, but today Samsung confirmed we would also get a performance from Kanye West following the presentation. Samsung’s Facebook page is offering its NYC fans a chance to attend the performance. It did not provide details on how to enter, but it said to stay tuned to its Facebook page for more details. We will be live at the event to bring you updates as they happen.

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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HhD5oFYG_1k]

We noted last week that carrier-backed Google Wallet competitor Isis was nearing an official launch when we noticed the T-Mobile ISIS app on Google Play. Today, the app officially launches on all three of its major carrier partners in Salt Lake City, Utah and Austin, Texas. ISIS issued a press release on its website today to confirm the service would be available to nine “Isis Ready” handsets through Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. It will also land on a total of 20 devices by the end of 2012.

“Today’s launch of the Isis Mobile Wallet is a significant achievement in terms of enabling consumer adoption of mobile payments,” said Suzan Kereere, senior vice president and general manager, American Express, Global Network Business.  “Mobile commerce holds the promise of dramatically enhancing consumers’ shopping experience, and American Express’ first priority as a network is to provide choice and flexibility for all industry participants as we work together to influence the speed and growth of mobile NFC payments in the U.S.”

The service will be made available to compatible devices, which the press release failed to list, and it can be activated with a secure element SIM card at one of the partner carrier’s retail stores in Austin and Salt Lake City. We know on T-Mobile you’ll be able to use at least the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Relay 4G. You can see Verizon’s selection here. Isis also has a full list of participating merchants here.

Like T-Mobile, ISIS apps for both Verizon and AT&T are now available on Google Play.

The full press release from Isis is below:
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