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Motorola CEO Sees Opportunity Of Verizon iPhone

Guest Author ∙ August 11, 2010

This story fits into the category of a CEO saying what sounds good, but with little believability in what they've said. MacWorld reports that Sanjay Jha, Co-CEO of Motorola's Mobility group said, "I'm comfortable with the dynamic that (Verizon iPhone) would create". I don't know what kind of comfort he's referring to, but the way I see it, Apple will be benefiting far more than Motorola from such an acquisition.

As we reported this week, more iPhone-to-Verizon rumors have been floating around the web-waves. The same Verizon who has pumped a lot of energy and money into the promotion of the operator owned OS. Android was first featured on Motorola, thus Jhasays doesn't see Big Red deviating from their big investment, even with an iPhone on their roster.

I agree that the Droid is here to stay. I also agree with the CEO when he says he's confident in continuance of loyalty regarding the promotion of Droid-driven Moto devices. What I don't buy into is the chipper level of comfort that he proclaims, when it comes to the inevitable competition that a Verizon iPhone would bring. To be blunt, they would undoubtedly lose out on potential customers. How could they not?

I know Jha is saying what any decent CEO would say when he faces tough competition. But for those of us who don't have to keep the shareholders and carriers happy, I say different. It would be like a starting quarterback saying he's happy that his team just acquired a better rated QB to compete for the job. It sounds noble, but the level of truth behind it is questionable. Clearly a Verizon iPhone would mean more money for Apple, and less for Motorola. Again I ask, how could it not?

The EU Joins the Flash Flood

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Steve Jobs must really hate Flash. Aside from his public comments on the software, which he basically cited that Adobe's prize-fighter wasn't good enough to adapt into productive mobile use, he just (seemingly) won't give in. His hand might be getting forced, however, as it seems the European Union regulators have joined forces with the Federal Trade Commission, regarding "mobile software developers". This, of course means Flash.

The guys over at 9 to 5 Mac brought this ever evolving story to our attention, which cites the New York Times reporting, the European Union has brought itself into what it calls, a "Digital Agenda". Sounds scary. The "agenda" is aimed to (forcefully) encourage interoperability between technology. Basically they're making sure everyone plays nicely together.

Whether or not this correlation of forces will be what finally tips Apple's hand in the never-ending game of Rummy, only time will tell. We at iDB will continue to bring you the latest and greatest from this evolving beast. Until then, Apple and Adobe will have their respective lines drawn in the sandbox, as assurance to not let their balls into each other's playpen.

Next iPhone Made to Morph?

Guest Author ∙ August 10, 2010

It has been a relatively slow couple of days in iPhone land, however it's been brought to our attention that Apple is interested in some Terminator material. The newest SEC discovery states that the folks in Cupertino are in the market for some liquid metal. For what? Nobody is sure, however my imagination feels a morphable iDevice would do just fine.

In all seriousness though, the report states Apple has come to terms with Liquidmetal Technologies, whose speciality is amorphous metals. The alloy materials the company produces could have benefits that are, but not limited to, hardness, elasticity and acoustical features.

Not much more to report on this arrangement, but I will leave you with word for word filing. Just so you know, Arnold could not be reached for comment.

On August 5, 2010, Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Liquidmetal”), entered into a Master Transaction Agreement with Apple Inc., a California corporation (“Apple”), pursuant to which (i) Liquidmetal contributed substantially all of its intellectual property assets to a newly organized special-purpose, wholly-owned subsidiary (the “IP Company”), (ii) the IP Company granted to Apple a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in the field of consumer electronic products in exchange for a license fee, and (iii) the IP Company granted back to Liquidmetal a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to commercialize such intellectual property in all other fields of use (together with all ancillary agreements, the “Master Transaction Agreement”).

How Much Time a Day Do You Spend on Your iPhone?

Guest Author ∙ August 9, 2010

The title says it all folks. One recent night, I was about to plug-in my iPhone 4, and I did my usual check of battery life before the USB went in. For the day, I had spent about 7 hours on my favorite toy. Sure this included some iPod time in the car, and of course the research "work" I must do for my role here at iDB. However it seemed like an awful lot of my time eaten up by my "phone". Of course this is what Apple likes to hear, and I know I'm kind of enthralled by the device, but how does this compare?

My use has certainly gone up from that of my 3GS, however the experience is more enjoyable. I can't be the only one who gets "lost" in his Retina Display. My use of camera/photo apps has seen the biggest hike, largely due to the screen and camera combo. Is this the trend, or am I that big of a geek?

What does your usage entail, and how many hours per day does your settings app reveal to you? I'm not so much interested in battery life as I am in where your battery life goes. So step up, and let us know in the comments what is you do on that iPhone of yours, and for how long each typical day. Now, back to mine I go.

AT&T Downplays Possible Loss Of Exclusivity

Guest Author ∙ August 8, 2010

Following suit with the rumor mill, AT&T drops hints that the carrier exclusivity with the iPhone will be no more. What doesn't match up with consumer opinion, is the companies confidence that it won't be an issue. Apparently they know something we don't, or they're doing their best to save face amongst shareholders. I anticipate it's not the former.

In a recent SEC filing, Wireless chief for AT&T Ralph de la Vega stated that around 80% of customers are locked into family or corporate plans. To switch the entire group, he says, would be a difficult task. Truthfully, he's correct. Your family plan is (almost always) renewed when just one line upgrades its phone.

The document makes a point of avoiding any mention of the iPhone directly, however previous quarters' said nothing about exclusivity. Many will say this could be evidence that Apple's contract is up, or nearing the end. Factually the last mention of the contract was Apple, confirming the agreement to last until 2012. Various rumors of an iPhone coming to Verizon and T-Mobile, have been enough spark to this fiery debate.

Whether or not AT&T will admit the potential catastrophe of losing the deal, they have lined their ducks in a row, to make sure those who are current, stay that way. They recently upped their Early Termination Fee, from $175, to $325. Yea, they (nearly) doubled it.

What is horrendous for AT&T, is ultimately awesome for Apple. Widening their market will only put the full court press on its competitors. I do understand what AT&T is doing, really. They are doing the only thing they can do, which is attempt to ease inevitable concern. We cant' expect them to come out and say, "Hey guys, we are so freaking screwed". But the fact that they are saying something says something, don't you think?

Mixed Statistics For iPhone 4

Guest Author ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

It's no secret that the iPhone 4 has been selling better than hotcakes. As of today, it will be 3 weeks shipping time on Apple's online store. With the web publicized "issues" surrounding its release, some hard data (as Steve Jobs would call it), has been released courtesy of Change Wave Research. So lets take a look, shall we?

72% of iPhone 4 owners say they are Very Satisfied, while another 21% stated they were Somewhat Satisfied. For the mathematically challenged, that's 93% giving a favorable rating of the new iDevice. How does this compare to the 3GS you ask? Well, 82% went with Very Satisfied, while 17% said Somewhat Satisfied, totaling a 99% favorable opinion. On the cuff you could say that the iPhone 4 fell a bit short, however it's pretty tough to go anywhere but down from 99%.

Dear Apple, Don’t Release It Early… [Rant]

Guest Author ∙ August 6, 2010

While iDB reported on a rumor regarding an early iPhone 5 release yesterday, I feel a further-ado to its idiocy is warranted. So many questions come to head at the very sound of this. To start, we look no further than eligibility. If this were to come out under AT&T, who could buy it? Most everyone who wanted an iPhone 4, either bought or ordered one, which reset their upgrade date. I know I don't speak alone when I say I'd be royally ticked off if a newly designed iPhone was released, and I wasn't eligible for subsidized pricing.

The rumor in question states that similar features would be included, however the antenna would be placed differently, and a 64GB model would be offered. Say What? Not only would the "problem that isn't a problem" be fixed, but just to add insult to injury, the capacity would be doubled? This would completely negate everything Apple said and "did", concerning the antenna. If you thought the original issue was a PR director's bad dream, this fiasco would be a nightmare.

An Adobe Flash Flood Headed Apple’s Way?

Guest Author ∙ August 5, 2010

Here we go again. The ongoing feud between Apple and Adobe just will not go away. Especially if Adobe has anything to say about it. The Federal Trade Commission's office denied a request from Adobe, which was to see a near 200 pages of information relating to the lawsuit the company has against Apple. The request was made under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA.

The FTC's reasoning is that making such documents public, "could reasonably be expected to interfere with the conduct of the Commission's law enforcement activities". This is a nice way of saying they don't want to screw themselves if they in fact act upon the lawsuit. This is where Apple enters the picture. Whether or not the suit has any merit is still in question, however, to refuse access is an indication that this isn't good for Apple, and certainly suggests that the investigation is very real.

The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg news reported in May that the FTC received a formal complaint from Adobe, concerning Apple's denial of the company's ability to port software such as Flash to iPhones and iPads. Apple implemented a device-wide ban on the software, after Adobe tried doing just this, which promoted the suit.

Steve Jobs went public about this via a letter in April, in which he degraded Adobe's software, calling it "unfit for the modern mobile area of computing". Also included in the not so loving letter was Job stating that porting such programs, would hinder performance, and leave users with "sub-standard apps". He obviously hasn't downloaded any fart machines. Nevertheless, I'd guess that Jobs wishes he would have went about this differently.

Whatever this refusal means, one thing is certain. There is more to this story than anyone is privy too. It seems strange that if the document was meaningless, the FTC wouldn't have a problem making it public. The FOIT isn't something you'd deny unless you have feel you might compromise its content, legally. We here at iDB will continue to follow this closely and update you as the information comes our way. Until then, enjoy your Flash free iPhone's.

Any thoughts?

[Apple Insider]

Early Release of an iPhone 5?

Guest Author ∙ August 5, 2010

Yesterday TUAW reported on an iLounge leak, concerning several possibilities around new iPods, iPads, and yes, an early release of an iPhone 5 type device. Now, even iLounge themselves stated that they think such a device would be "highly unlikely", however my blood started to boil just thinking of such a scenario. The rumor is that Apple would be releasing the device 6 months earlier than its previous summer cycle.

This would be entirely due to the well documented antenna issue. The speculation doesn't stop there though. The "story" continues with saying that the likelihood of an "iPhone 4.5" would be more of a possibility. Having the device be similar in design, minus the antenna placement, come in a 64GB model, and run on Verizon's CDMA network. Are you getting mad yet?

Let's be real for a minute. It wasn't that long ago when rumors of an iPhone Nano were flooding throughout the grapevine. Obviously we know what came of that. I will say that if Apple thinks releasing a bigger capacity, differently placed antenna device designed to run on Verizon as a way to "not disrupt the Apple faithful", they are sorely misguided. Time will tell if there is any substance to this, but keep your torches handy.

What do you think?

How Much Your iPhone Really Costs

Guest Author ∙ Updated November 25, 2016

If you were asked how much you paid for your iPhone, I suspect the common answer, (contract free phones aside), would be either $200-300 plus tax, depending on the capacity you opted to purchase. After politely hanging up on Best Buy today after I was told I would have to pay $13 to have an already $30 InvisibleShield "installed", I started thinking. About what you ask? I got to thinking how much cash has just my current iPhone 4 cost me, in the 6 weeks or so I've owned it.

I went with the 32GB model for the logic stemming from the "it's better to have unused space than too little space" module. So let us take a quick tally type glance at how much my iPhone 4 has really cost me, so far:

iPhone 4 + tax+ upgrade fee - $330 Applications/Music since launch day - $125 Belkin Vue Grip Case - $25 2 generic cases from Hong Kong - $8 Car charger + cable to plug into the Mazda 3 - $40 2 months worth of data (petty, but real) - $60

Total: $588

Now, I didn't include my monthly AT&T bill simply because I would have a phone of some sort, even if it wasn't an iPhone. This comes to an average of $100 per week thus far! Don't worry, I know there are readers here who paid more than just to walk out of the store with their current iPhone. However just like it is with them, it's all personal choice. No one, (that I'm aware of) has ever been "forced" at gunpoint to buy an iPhone and its accessories. That would be a pretty far-out stick-up though.

So, how much as your current iPhone cost you since you bought it? Obviously if I went off the numbers of my 3GS, the number would be much steeper (& painful). Nevertheless, post your numbers in the comment box if you dare see what your precious piece of history has cost you.

Intel Inside (Your iPhone?)

Guest Author ∙ August 5, 2010

Computerworld is reporting that the tycoon chip company Intel, is leading the pack of potential buyers of the German semiconductor company, Infineon Technologies. It goes without saying, (but I'll say it anyway), that this would be a nice payday for the company. Samsung and Broadcom have also shown interest.

Currently, Infineon produces chips for some iPhones and the iPads. Blackberry, Samsung, and Nokia are all buyers and users of the German company as well. In case you crawled out from under the a rock this morning, that's a LOT of cellphones. While nothing comes painless when making a gigantic deal (platform differences in Europe), the risks are believed to be outweighed by the benefits.

It's no secret that Intel has been figuring out a way to get themselves into the lucrative smartphone game, and it seems like buying the farm is their best shot at milking the cow.

Vonage Offering Free Calls to Facebook Friends

Guest Author ∙ Updated May 11, 2018

So you've probably added all your old friends from your hometown via Facebook. While it's fun to "like" their latest pictures and status updates but you really don't want to waste your minutes on them, your problem is solved. Vonage has teamed up with Facebook, creating an app for your iPhone, (& Android), entitled Vonage Mobile for Facebook that allows free calls over Wi-Fi or 3G to anyone domestic or overseas, for free.

After you download the free app, just sign in with your Facebook account and you'll see a list of your friends who've done the same, and are ready to be called for free. You will also see whom you can chat with over IM. If you don't have unlimited 3G, or a Wi-Fi subscription, your first move should be checking with your carrier to figure out any charges that may apply to you.

Of course the program has its own Facebook page, which will allow you to invite your friends to the download the free app. This all sounds great, but I have one question. How many people are actually going to do this? Are you?