When Verizon says it won't charge $2 for online payments, it's saying it'll get $2 out of you in some less obvious manner. Some victory.—
Harry McCracken (@harrymccracken) December 30, 2011

Verizon Wireless today confirmed to Phone Scoop via email that it plans to institute a new $2 charge for customers who make single bill payments online or by telephone. The change goes into effect starting January 15. Verizon said that the fee will be waived in a number of circumstances, including: electronic checks sent through My Verizon Online, My Verizon Mobile, or via telephone; autopay enrollees who pay using credit/debit/ATM cards or electronic checks; payments made through customer home-banking services; credit/debit/ATM card or electronic check payments made at in-store kiosks; Verizon Wireless gift cards or Verizon Wireless device rebate cards to pay a bill in-store, online or by telephone; or a standard paper check or money order mailed directly to Verizon Wireless with a monthly invoice/bill. The telephone and online single payment fee will be disclosed up-front and throughout the transaction so that customers know it will be levied at the time of payment.

Many of the sites reporting on this are assuming that Verizon is charging extra for an option that actually costs it less money to provide. I’d love to know the exact math: How much does it cost the company in total when it sends you a paper bill which you then mail back to it? How much when you pay by credit card and it needs to pay a processing fee to Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or Amex? Does the $2 merely cover Verizon’s costs, as it seems to say, or is it padding its bottom line?

Here’s a Verizon page that gives the bad news and details the various options for avoiding the fee.

Although the Verizon Galaxy Nexus will run a mostly unmodified version of Android 4.0, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich, the carrier will block Google Wallet, which lets you pay at some retailers by swiping your phone in front of a payment terminal, Computerworld reports. Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T are working on their own payment system called Isis, and Google Wallet, backed by Sprint, would be a threat. Isis isn’t launching until next year, though, so Verizon Galaxy Nexus users won’t be able to use NFC payments at all.

Verizon will also install bloatware on the phone. Two apps are confirmed: My Verizon Mobile and Backup Assistant. The former is somewhat understandable, as it lets Verizon customers pay and manage their bills, but the latter is redundant given that Google also backs up your contacts automatically (and makes them available on other, non-Verizon devices). Fortunately, Android Ice Cream Sandwich has a bloatware removal tool to prevent unwanted software from gobbling up system resources.

Verizon hasn’t confirmed a release date or price for the Galaxy Nexus yet, but unnamed sources tell the Wall Street Journal that the phone will launch this month for $300, and a rumor from Droid Life says the phone will launch on December 9. Verizon’s meddling aside, the Galaxy Nexus still looks like the Android phone to beat. Our own Harry McCracken called it“a worthy rival (to the iPhone) in a way that previous Android phones have not been.”

[This post republished from Techland.]

“This news underscores the need for Congress to act swiftly to protect the location information and private, sensitive information of consumers”, he says. “Right now, Carrier IQ has a lot of questions to answer”.
Since the story came to a head over the past week, several companies have come forth to clarify their position on Carrier IQ. Verizon has denied the use completely in any of its smart devices, while Sprint and AT&T both admitted to use of the software.
 
“In-line with our privacy policy, we solely use CIQ software data to improve wireless network and service performance”, AT&T spokesperson Mark Seigel says, calling it a network management tool. Sprint echoed AT&T’s position, calling the software an “integral part” of its network management.
 
The biggest question remains as to what exactly Carrier IQ is doing. While the researcher — Trevor Eckhart — makes claims of keylogging, at no time does he actually prove what is being sent. This is crucial to the entire story. If this software is just sending behavior, it’s no different from the data many of us agree to opt-in to for those “customer experience” surveys. If its actually sending content, that’s completely different.
 
Here’s the thing, as John Graham-Cumming puts it:  “What isn’t delved into is what the application does with the information. Without that it’s not possible to tell if there’s something really scary going on or not”.  And that’s very important, because if we don’t know this, it sounds a lot like Chicken Little.
 
[UPDATE: A Carrier IQ executive gave All Things D's John Paczkowski more information on what the software captures and transmits--and says it doesn't involve any personally-identifiable information. Just data on issues such as dropped calls.]

With the holiday smartphone smackdown in full swing, the HTC Rezound is stepping into the ring. At $299 on Verizon Wireless, this Android phone will have some tough competition against Motorola’s Droid RAZR and possibly Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus, but HTC’s hoping the addition of Beats Audio will help the Rezound stand out.

The Rezound has a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and a 4.3-inch Super LCD display with 720p resolution, making it the first 720p phone we’ve seen in a screen smaller than 4.5 inches. HTC paid special attention to the camera as well, with an 8-megapixel, an f/2.2 sensor that’s supposedly superior in low-light, dual LED flash and 1080p video camera. There’s also a 2-megapixel camera up front.

The star of the show is HTC’s partnership with Beats Audio, which manifests itself in the form of advanced audio tuning and lightweight Beats headphones included. Engadget reports that the audio tuning is “extremely bass-heavy,” as expected from Dr. Dre’s audio brand. To match the Beats branding, the Rezound is decked out in red trim on the Android buttons, the headset and the camera, fitting nicely with Verizon’s own color scheme.

Other specs include 1 GB of RAM—that’s the high-end of what we’re seeing in smartphones today—and 16 GB of built-in storage, plus a MicroSD card if you need more.

For software, the Rezound runs Android 2.3.4, but HTC says Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest version of Android, will be available for the Rezound in early 2012. Of course, HTC’s also loading this phone with its Sense interface, bringing built-in photo effects, a suite of social widgets and the ability to jump directly to your favorite apps from the lock screen.

Can the HTC Rezound hold its own against the impressive-looking Droid RAZR and the Galaxy Nexus, with its unmodified version of Android Ice Cream Sandwich? That’ll depend largely on the software, and whether you prefer HTC’s vision of Android over Motorola’s and Google’s. You’ll be able to decide for yourself on November 14, when the Rezound launches on Verizon Wireless for $299 on contract.

[This post republished from Techland.]

When I wrote about the new Droid RAZR this morning I hadn’t seen one in person. A few hours later, I visited with representatives of Motorola and Verizon and got a demo and a bit of hands-on time.

A few additional observations:

It looks nicer in person. In the stock photo I ran earlier, it looks pretty much like every other big-screen Android smartphone. In the, um, flesh, the phone is all Gorilla Glass and chamfered edges and Kevlar back, and the fact it’s 7.1mm thin makes it feel like less of a beast than some 4.3″ Android phones. It’s the classiest Droid I’ve seen to date. (There is a little hump at the top, where the camera and ports are, but you won’t feel it when you hold it.)

The battery is built in. I shoulda been able to figure out that a phone that’s meaningfully thinner than the iPhone must seal the battery into the case to conserve space. The rest of the industry has been slow to follow Apple’s lead when it comes to dumping removable batteries; I wonder if the RAZR is a sign of things to come?

Smart Actions are neat. As I said in my first post, battery life is always a concern with LTE phones. (Actually, it’s a concern with phones, period, of course.) The RAZR addresses the challenge in part by packing a huge honkin’ battery, but it also offers a feature called Smart Actions which can automatically tweak settings to eke as much out of a charge. For instance, it can shut off LTE and GPS when you get home, since you probably have Wi-Fi there and know where you are. Some options are preprogrammed and you can create your own ones, including ones that don”t involve power conservation, such as switching wallpapers when an action is triggered.

Motorola is doubling down on LapDocks. The turn-your-phone-into-a-notebook peripheral that debuted back in February with Motorola’s Atrix still has some rough edges, and hasn’t yet changed the world. (I’ve only seen one person using one in the wild.) But I’m glad to see Moto continue on with the concept. The RAZR will work with two LapDocks: a new 11″ model and a 14″ one with a Webcam. And it’s come up with a new design that lets one LapDock work with a variety of phones, with a pull-out cable and slide-out tray.

Motorola hasn’t announced pricing for the new LapDocks, and I’ll be more excited about the concept when someone comes up with a laptop dock that can be used with any phone. ( In fact, I’ve been excited about the idea for years, long before LapDocks existed.) I figure there aren’t any fundamental technological roadblocks standing in the way of it happening at some point.

Ice Cream Sandwich is on the way. It’s an odd time to be buying an Android phone, because the next version of the OS, Ice Cream Sandwich, should be along very shortly. Motorola says that ICS will be available for RAZR owners, and full details will be announced within six weeks of the phone’s launch.

I plan to do a review of the RAZR; more thoughts then.

The first thing I noticed about Motorola and Verizon Wireless’s new Android phone was the name. The Droid RAZR is a neat nod to one of the most iconic phones of the pre-iPhone era. (What’s next–the Droid Star-Tac?)’

The second notable thing about the phone is how thin it is: 7.1mm, compared to 9.3mm for the iPhone 4S (and 14mm for the old original 2003 RAZR). There’s nothing inherently world-changing about that. But the RAZR is an LTE phone, and the fact that Motorola can squeeze the technology into a case so thin is a good sign that LTE designs are maturing.

I’m also curious about the phone’s battery life, a notoriously problematic area for early LTE phones. (Motorola apparently says it can deliver up to 12.5 hours of talk time, but I don’t know how real-world that figure is, or how long it’ll run for data-intensive tasks.)

Most of the RAZR’s other specs are typical fair for a high-end Android phone: It’s got a 1.2-GHz dual-core processor and a 4.3″ display. It’s $299.99 on contract and will be available on Verizon in early November.

Oh, and one other thing: This is an Android Gingerbread phone, Google still not having announced Ice Cream Sandwich, the next version of Google. I’m reserving any real excitement I might muster for new Android phones for the first Ice Cream Sandwich models, which should ship real http://thisismynext.com/2011/10/18/motorola-droid-razr-verizon-announced/ now…

With three carriers now selling the iPhone, your options have gotten a bit more complex as far as monthly service plans go. We’ll take a look at which carrier’s plans are best for cheapskates, big talkers, big texters, and those who want it all—voice, data and text messaging.

Before we start, some constants between all three carriers:

The iPhone 4S starts at $199 with a two-year contract.

Voice plans include unlimited minutes to people on the same network, so even if you have the 450-minute plan on Verizon, for instance, you won’t use any minutes when calling other Verizon customers.

Apple’s new iOS software features “iMessage,” which lets you send and receive free text messages (for now, at least) between other Apple devices that have the iMessage feature turned on as well.

And with that, let’s get started.

Cheapest Plan

AT&T: $40 for 450 voice minutes + $15 for 200MB data = $55/month

Verizon: $40 for 450 voice minutes + $30 for 2GB data = $70/month

Sprint: $80 for 450 voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

AT&T is the cheapest way to get into an iPhone, especially considering that if all you want is an iPhone—any iPhone—AT&T’s the only carrier giving away the iPhone 3GS for free with a two-year contract.

You give up text messaging with both AT&T’s and Verizon’s cheapest plans. With AT&T, you’ll pay 20 cents per text message (incoming or outgoing) and 30 cents per picture or video message (incoming or outgoing). Verizon charges 20 cents per text message (incoming or outgoing) and 25 cents per picture or video message (incoming or outgoing).

As for data, with AT&T you’ll pay $15 for another 200-megabyte bucket if you go over your initial 200 megabytes. With Verizon, you’ll pay $10 for an additional gigabyte after you go over your two-gigabyte allowance.

Cheapest Plan with Light Text Messaging

Verizon: $40 for 450 voice minutes + $30 for 2GB data + $5 for 250 text messages = $75/month

AT&T: $40 for 450 voice minutes + $15 for 200MB data + $20 for unlimited texts = $75/month

Sprint: $80 for 450 voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

Verizon shows a good mixture of data—two gigabytes should be plenty for most people—and text messages here, though for $5 more per month, you can get the same amount of voice minutes with Sprint and not have to worry at all about data or text messaging overages. AT&T only offers unlimited text messages at a price of $20 per month.

Cheapest Plan with Heavy Text Messaging

AT&T: $40 for 450 voice minutes + $15 for 200MB data + $20 for unlimited texts = $75/month

Sprint: $80 for 450 voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

Verizon: $60 for 450 voice minutes and unlimited texting + $30 for 2GB data = $90/month

For heavy texters, Sprint’s a good worry-free option since you get unlimited data as a bonus. AT&T’s five bucks less but that’s with only a 200-megabyte data allowance.

Cheapest Plan with Heavy Voice Minutes

AT&T: $70 for unlimited voice minutes + $15 for 200MB data = $85/month

Verizon: $70 for unlimited voice minutes + $30 for 2GB data = $100/month
Sprint: $110 for unlimited voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

If you’ll be doing more talking than anything else, AT&T’s your best bet at $85 per month for unlimited voice minutes. Verizon gets you substantially more data, but will cost you an extra $15 per month. Sprint is the most expensive, but you get unlimited data and text messages, too.

Cheapest Plan with Heavy Voice Minutes and Light Texting

AT&T: $70 for unlimited voice minutes + $15 for 200MB data + $20 for unlimited texting = $105/month

Verizon: $70 for unlimited voice minutes + $30 for 2GB data + $5 for 250 text messages = $105/month

Sprint: $110 for unlimited voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

AT&T and Verizon are neck and neck here. AT&T gets you unlimited texts but only 200 megabytes of data; Verizon gets you two gigabytes of data but only 250 text messages. Sprint actually looks pretty good—for $5 more, you don’t have to worry about anything.

Cheapest Unlimited Plan (Voice + Texting + Data)

Sprint: $110 for unlimited voice minutes, unlimited texting and data

AT&T: $70 for unlimited voice minutes + $45 for 4GB data + $20 for unlimited texting = $135/month

Verizon: $90 for unlimited voice minutes and texting + $80 for 10GB data = $170/month

Sprint is the clear winner here, edging out AT&T by $25 per month and Verizon by $60 per month. Sprint’s also the only carrier that offers unlimited data plans. You’re still in danger of overage fees with AT&T and Verizon.

Conclusions

AT&T provides the cheapest path to an iPhone… until you add text messaging. The company’s decision to offer only a $20 all-or-nothing texting plan prices it out of cheapskate range pretty quickly, especially considering that even if you’re not sending any text messages, you can be charged for messages sent to you.

Verizon’s weakness is that its lowest-priced data plan starts at $30. You get more than enough data if you’re a typical user, though, as AT&T’s $15-per-month data plan only provides 200 megabytes to work with.

Sprint actually comes away looking pretty good here. If you can get past the fact that you’re facing a minimal monthly outlay of $80, the peace of mind you get with unlimited data and unlimited text messaging might be worth it. And if you really don’t want to have to worry about anything, you can avoid any and all overage charges with the $110 plan. AT&T and Verizon cost $25 and $60 more per month, respectively, for similar peace of mind, but even their plans aren’t truly unlimited when it comes to data overages.

[This post republished from Techland. Edited on 10/11/11 to correct some inaccurate pricing for AT&T.]

The upgrade process from 3G to 4G is inconvenient. Xoom owners must ship their tablets away for six business days, and are encouraged to back up any personal information on the device before shipping.

But buyers knew about the hassle going in. What they didn’t know was that Verizon Wireless and Motorola wouldn’t be good for their word. First, the upgrade date slipped to the late summer, and then September, with neither company saying it was sorry for the wait. And then Motorola and Verizon have the gall to put out a cheery press release that acts as if the delay never happened.

I agree with Computerworld’s JR Raphael, who wrote on Twitter that Xoom owners deserve some free credit, a free accessory, or at the very least, an apology. But I’m not surprised that Xoom owners are getting nothing. This is, as Harry put it, the era of beta hardware. Gadget makers have no qualms about selling unfinished products with vague promises of eventual fixes. If you get fooled into buying a half-baked Android tablet, well, shame on you.

(UPDATE: The Xoom 4G upgrade page says users who upgrade now can get a free dock–a $35 value–”while supplies last.” The offer wasn’t mentioned in the press release or on the upgrade page until it went live on Thursday, but it does take some of the sting out, provided there are enough docks to go around. Thanks to commenter Steve Landsberg for pointing it out.)