Current Analysis Reports - Consumer Devices

HTC - myTouch 3G Slide Black - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00

T-Mobile’s myTouch 3G Slide takes the original overpriced myTouch 3G and adds a sliding physical QWERTY keyboard and even more numbers to the price point. What is T-Mobile thinking?

HTC - myTouch 3G Slide Red - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00

T-Mobile’s myTouch 3G Slide takes the original overpriced myTouch 3G and adds a sliding physical QWERTY keyboard and even more numbers to the price point. What is T-Mobile thinking?

HTC - myTouch 3G Slide White - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00

T-Mobile’s myTouch 3G Slide takes the original overpriced myTouch 3G and adds a sliding physical QWERTY keyboard and even more numbers to the price point. What is T-Mobile thinking?

Motorola - A555 (Devour) - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00

Motorola’s Devour stands out based on its form factor (reminiscent of Motorola’s Sidekick Slide) and BLUR software. It was never priced properly and now faces tough competition from LG’s Ally.

Nokia - 5230 (Nuron) - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-27T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia’s Nuron was the first Symbian S60 handset at T-Mobile USA in years (since joined by the E73). At $49 it is a fair value as a featurephone alternative and includes free turn-by-turn navigation, but the user interface is extremely frustrating.

HTC

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-26T00:00:00-04:00

HTC quietly became a leading global smartphone vendor by letting carriers brand its devices, but the silence has ended now that it has launched an effective branding campaign and is introducing products with strong software differentiation.

Weekly Web Handset Alert

Akyuz, Brad — 2010-07-26T00:00:00-04:00

This was a busy week in terms of new handset debuts as every nationwide carrier added a new model to their selections this week. AT&T picked up the new Sharp FX. Notably, this is the first Sharp device at AT&T, and the first handset that carries Sharp’s logo rather than the logo of the operator as in the case with the SideKick or the KIN. Sprint launched the Motorola i1, the first Android-powered handset catering to its iDEN crowd. T-Mobile added couple new LG clamshell phones as well a prepaid-exclusive QWERTY messaging phone from Samsung. Verizon Wireless introduced the Samsung Haven, a basic voice-only device in replacement of the old Knack, which also targeted seniors.

Nokia

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-23T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia’s global power has not helped it tackle the U.S. market, so it restructured its U.S. business to account for carriers’ control. So far, that has not helped one bit. Maybe the products aren’t any good?

Featurephone

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-20T00:00:00-04:00

Smartphones get all the attention, but most handsets sold are still featurephones. QWERTY and touchscreens have taken over, and a new focus on apps for runtime environments like Qualcomm’s BREW is coming as carriers try to monetize this segment.

Weekly Web Handset Alert

Akyuz, Brad — 2010-07-19T00:00:00-04:00

T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless were the only two nationwide carriers updating online handset prices this week. These carriers also launched a new flagship model each. Verizon Wireless picked up the new Motorola Droid X ($199), while T-Mobile introduced the Samsung Vibrant ($199), based on the vendor’s new Galaxy-S line. AT&T joined T-Mobile to debut a new Galaxy-S model from Samsung, the Captivate, which also carries a $199 price tag. Incidentally, regional carrier USCellular updated the online prices of the majority of its selection this week.

Apple - iPhone 3G S (8GB Black) - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-16T00:00:00-04:00

With the launch of the iPhone 4, Apple reduced the storage on the 3G S to 8 GB and dropped the price down to $99. Apple’s product and pricing strategy may be predictable, but it is quite effective.

Apple Offers Free iPhone 4 Cases, Hopes Everyone Leaves it Alone Now

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-16T00:00:00-04:00

After an unprecedented tsunami of bad publicity, Apple grudgingly admitted that a small percentage of iPhone 4 users are experiencing antenna problems, and offered free cases (or refunds). Will this make the problem go away?

LTE: Silicon Needs to Mature Before Mainstream Adoption Can Occur

Ogle, Jeff - Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-16T00:00:00-04:00

Carriers are talking about LTE and some are planning H2 2010 deployments, but clues to how soon LTE will make the leap from trials to initial handsets to mainstream adoption can be found by examining the state of today’s LTE silicon offerings.

Samsung - SGH-T939 (Behold II) - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-16T00:00:00-04:00

Samsung’s Behold II never made much sense. The mid-range specs did not justify an incredibly high launch price, and even at lower prices the TouchWiz overlay is actually inferior to plain vanilla Android.

HTC - Aria - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-13T00:00:00-04:00

With the smartphone market maturing, handset vendors are beginning to segment their offerings. While HTC is getting the most attention for the huge EVO 4G at Sprint, the Aria at AT&T takes Android into a new, compact form factor.

Mission Accomplished – LG is Finally in the T-Mobile Lineup

Akyuz, Brad — 2010-07-13T00:00:00-04:00

It’s been a tough nut to crack, but LG is finally in the T-Mobile lineup with the debut of the new Sentio touchscreen phone. The vendor now offers handsets to all four nationwide U.S. carriers.

Nokia - E73 (Mode) - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-13T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia’s E73 is based on the E71, an old design that has slowly made its way first to AT&T (as the E73) and now to T-Mobile. At $69, it is a fair value, but it will not help Nokia reverse its slide.

Weekly Web Handset Alert

Akyuz, Brad — 2010-07-12T00:00:00-04:00

Sprint was the most active nationwide carrier in terms of online price updates as it adjusted the online prices of almost 20 SKUs including the LG Lotus Elite (down from $99 to $49). The carrier also launched a new Android smartphone, the Intercept, from Samsung. Incidentally, Sprint converted all mail-in rebate offers (except the $100 MIR on the Evo 4G) to instant savings promotions for online shoppers. LG finally succeeded in penetrating the T-Mobile lineup as the carrier picked up the new Sensio touchscreen phone. T-Mobile also began promoting the Nokia E73 smartphone for free. AT&T, on the other hand, cut the price on the Motorola Backflip smartphone from $79 to $49.

HP - iPAQ Glisten - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The HP iPAQ Glisten isn’t a bad choice for a Windows Mobile handset, but the Samsung Jack is $30 less expensive and the Glisten doesn’t offer much to distinguish it from AT&T’s other QWERTY smartphones.

HTC - Droid Eris - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The HTC DROID ERIS never got the marketing push that Motorola’s DROID received, but it does include a version of HTC’s Sense software and a low price.

HTC - Droid Incredible - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: HTC’s DROID Incredible lives up to its name with fast performance and a terrific form factor. Motorola’s DROID X brings additional competition, but the real problem is that HTC has been supply constrained.

LG Electronics - VS740 (Ally) - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: LG’s first Android phone in the U.S., the Ally, has to compete head-to-head with Motorola’s Devour at Verizon Wireless. Fortunately, the Ally is better subsidized, and, at $49 it makes sense for entry level smartphone buyers.

Palm - Pixi Plus - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Palm’s Pixi (and Pixi Plus) is aimed at messaging-oriented teens and women, but the shrunken touchscreen and tiny keys are turnoffs. Verizon Wireless’s full smartphone data plan requirement trumps a rock bottom price.

Palm - Pre Plus - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Palm’s webOS created something of a sensation when it was launched at CES in January 2009, but when the same phone arrived at Verizon Wireless a year later largely unchanged, the opportunity was lost.

Samsung - SCH-i920 (Omnia II) - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-07-09T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: By late 2009, no amount of skinning could save a Windows Mobile 6.5 phone, and certainly not one with an inconsistent TouchWiz-based user interface. It’s too bad, because the hardware is nice enough.

Hulu Goes Mobile – and Direct to Connected TVs – with Hulu Plus

Greengart, Avi - Hettick, Larry — 2010-07-01T00:00:00-04:00

We have often held up Hulu as the holy grail of OTT services, but the streaming TV service has been restricted to PC clients. With Hulu Plus, that is broadened to connected TVs and mobile devices.

Apple iPhone 4 “Death Grip” Problem: It’s Real, It’s a PR Disaster, but It Won’t Affect Sales

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-25T00:00:00-04:00

Apple is under fire for an antenna design on the iPhone 4 that compromises signal quality when the phone is held left handed. The issue is real and Apple should address it before the bad press gets out of control, but it will not affect sales.

LG Electronics - VX11000 (enV Touch) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-24T00:00:00-04:00

The LG VX11000 (enV Touch) was launched on June 5, 2009 for $149.

Sony Ericsson - W518a Red - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-24T00:00:00-04:00

A Red version of the Sony Ericsson W518a was launched on February 9, 2010 for $0.

Microsoft Wins E3; Nintendo Comes in Second

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

We’re back from E3 and have analysis on all the major announcements, including game consoles that act like set-top boxes, new methods of controlling consoles (and potentially PCs), and how Nintendo intends to counter Apple in portable gaming.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8330 (Curve) - Boost Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Though the RIM 8330 (Curve) is outdated, it was one of the vendor’s most popular models and is the Boost’s first and only smartphone. Even with expected upcoming Android competition, the Curve should hold its own.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Black) - MetroPCS

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The RIM Blackberry 8530 (Curve) is expensive for a prepaid phone, but Virgin’s service plans are appealing. Even with expected upcoming Android competition, the Curve should hold its own.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Black) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

The RIM BlackBerry 8530 is a nice refresh of the Curve, and at $49, it should thrive as the least expensive BlackBerry.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Black) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

The RIM BlackBerry 8530 is a nice refresh of the Curve, and at $49, it should thrive as the least expensive BlackBerry at the carrier; however, with Android on the market, it will face tough competition that it has not encountered before.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Black) - Virgin Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Royal Purple) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

The RIM BlackBerry 8530 is a nice refresh of the Curve, and at $49, it should thrive as the least expensive BlackBerry.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Ruby Red) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

The RIM BlackBerry 8530 is a nice refresh of the Curve, and at $49, it should thrive as the least expensive BlackBerry.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8530 (Curve Smoky Violet) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-23T00:00:00-04:00

HTC - EVO 4G - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: After months of hype, HTC’s EVO 4G has arrived at Sprint. We have been testing the phone since before launch in areas with and without 4G coverage and find it largely lives up to the hype.

LG Electronics - GW820 (eXpo) - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: LG’s eXpo had some potential as the first projectorphone in the U.S, but has unfortunately had too many things working against to be any semblance of a successful handset.

Motorola - A855 (Droid) - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Motorola’s DROID launched as Verizon Wireless’ flagship device, but since it was based on an unenhanced version of Android 2.0, we knew that as soon as a rival provided better software, the DROID would no longer be interesting. That day has come.

Motorola - CLIQ Titanium - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: At any other carrier, Motorola’s CLIQ would be an entry-level smartphone, but at T-Mobile it is still priced near the top of the line.

Motorola - CLIQ Winter White - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: At any other carrier, Motorola’s CLIQ would be an entry-level smartphone, but at T-Mobile it is still priced near the top of the line.

Motorola - CLIQ XT - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: While recently launched at $129 – at least $50 too high for an entry-level smartphone – T-Mobile has dropped the price on the CLIQ XT down to free. That’s a pretty good deal.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon Platform: How Should the Competition Respond?

Westfall, Ron — 2010-06-18T00:00:00-04:00

The Qualcomm Snapdragon platform continues to generate significant industry buzz due to its use in smartphone vendors’ halo products. How can rivals best position their competitive offerings against Qualcomm in this area?

DIRECTV

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-06-17T00:00:00-04:00

DIRECTV launched a whole-home DVR service and 3D TV in June, with more 3D content and more HD channels planned this summer. Unlike cable competitors that continue to lose video subscribers, DIRECTV added 100,000 new customers in Q1 2010.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8520 (Curve Fuchsia Red) - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

T-Mobile has launched the RIM BlackBerry 8520 (Curve) in a new color - Fuschia Red.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9700 (Bold Flash White) - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-16T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: T-Mobile has launched a its RIM 9700 (Bold) in a new color - Flash White.

COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2010 Round-up: Major Mobile Device Silicon Developments and Takeaways

Westfall, Ron — 2010-06-15T00:00:00-04:00

COMPUTEX 2010 did not disappoint with over 120,000 in attendance providing a forum for vital new sales and marketing initiatives among the key mobile silicon players. What were the key themes at this year’s show?

HTC EVO 4G: Hands On

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-09T00:00:00-04:00

After months of hype, HTC’s EVO 4G has arrived at Sprint. We have been testing the phone since before launch in areas with and without 4G coverage. Does it live up to the hype? Can it live up to Sprint’s expectations?

Apple iPhone 4: Apple Extends its Lead Over the Competition

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-08T00:00:00-04:00

After attending the WWDC keynote and getting hands-on time with the iPhone 4, this report will attempt to convey what the iPhone 4 experience is like and assess what it means for carriers and handset vendors.

Motorola Brings Android to Prepaid with the i1 at Boost Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-06-07T00:00:00-04:00

Not only is Motorola’s i1 coming to Sprint, the Push-To-Talk device is now being launched at Boost Mobile as well. The first Android device in the prepaid market, it may make a bigger splash at Boost than at Sprint.

Research in Motion (RIM)

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-04T00:00:00-04:00

RIM is seeing much better competition than it has had in the past, and if RIM doesn’t update its user experience soon, it will find its brand cannot protect it indefinitely. In the meantime, sales are strong and all are happy in Waterloo.

Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10: Hands On

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-04T00:00:00-04:00

Sony Ericsson’s XPERIA X10 is shipping in Europe and has terrific hardware, but the company should make some software upgrades before bringing it to the U.S.

AT&T’s New Tiered Data Plans Will Bring New Users to Smartphones

Ho, William - Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-03T00:00:00-04:00

Unlimited data plans overload carrier networks and cost more than the average consumer is willing to pay. AT&T is breaking this cycle with tiered data plans that should satisfy the majority of users while bringing new ones to the smartphone party.

Motorola

Greengart, Avi — 2010-06-03T00:00:00-04:00

Motorola’s handset division lost nearly $200 million last quarter, but it is delivering on its promise to revamp the line with Android. If these products sell well, the wireless icon will not disappear.

Sprint Analyst Day Insights

Weldon, Kathryn - Ho, William — 2010-06-03T00:00:00-04:00

Sprint’s analyst event was upbeat, with momentum in financial and customer numbers and improved customer satisfaction and network performance. A 4G lead, cool devices, and price/value messaging all sound good, but customer losses need to stop.

Yahoo! and Nokia Announce a Mostly Meaningless Co-Branding Deal

Karthikeyan, Deepa - Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-26T00:00:00-04:00

Yesteryear powerhouses Yahoo! and Nokia are collaborating for mapping and messaging services on mobile devices. Will this alliance help perk up their sagging presence in the U.S. market?

Cable Show 2010 Wrap-up: Subtle Messages Point to MSO Progress

Hettick, Larry — 2010-05-24T00:00:00-04:00

The Cable Show 2010 demonstrated what the industry will embrace. Among the key trends was MSO’s adoption of IPTV. Content remains king, but its storage and presentation are evolving. DOCSIS 3.0, 3D TV, and wireless integration march forward.

GoogleTV: Good Idea, Bad Execution

Hettick, Larry - Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-24T00:00:00-04:00

Google is the latest company to try to marry Internet content with the TV, but for now there isn’t enough value in GoogleTV’s search-based channel guides to justify the expense and hassle of the system.

DISH Network

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-05-19T00:00:00-04:00

DISH Network’s promotion of a value-based television service against archrival DIRECTV and cable TV is starting to bear fruit. The satellite TV provider now has over 14.3 million subscribers with channel packages as low as $19.99 a month.

Google Kills Its Online Retail Efforts Ahead of I/O

Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-18T00:00:00-04:00

Google’s online retail strategy for the Nexus One seemed designed specifically to hurt its relationships with its carrier partners, and now – just ahead of its I/O developer conference – Google is backtracking.

HTC - HD2 - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-17T00:00:00-04:00

HTC’s HD2 at T-Mobile has incredibly advanced hardware; nonetheless, it feels a bit like a failed science experiment. T-Mobile has been having trouble keeping the phone in stock, but we believe it will have a relatively short shelf life.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8520 (Curve Black) - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-05-17T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: AT&T brought the RIM BlackBerry 8520 (Curve) to its lineup four months after T-Mobile. At $99, the entry level Curve is being sold at a not-so-entry level price. Customers would be wise to opt for T-Mobile’s version for free.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9700 (Bold) - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-05-17T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The BlackBerry 9700 (Bold) offers the best combination of features and form factor of any RIM model; the only thing missing is an appropriate price point.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9700 (Bold) - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-05-17T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The BlackBerry 9700 (Bold) offers the best combination of features and form factor of any RIM model and T-Mobile is offering its version for $70 less than AT&T.

Sony Ericsson

Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-17T00:00:00-04:00

Sony Ericsson is struggling in Europe to compete with Nokia and Apple, but it has too few products at national carrier retail stores in too few categories to matter in the U.S. market at all.

Ally is LG’s First Competitive Smartphone, Coming to Verizon Wireless Next Week

Eitt, Meredith - Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-13T00:00:00-04:00

After two previous lackluster smartphones, LG is back in the game with the Ally at Verizon Wireless, its first Android phone in the U.S., and first competitive smartphone anywhere.

Samsung - SCH-i770 (Saga Gray) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-05-13T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Verizon Wireles has launched a new color of an old model; the Samsung Saga is now available in Gray.

Apple

Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-11T00:00:00-04:00

Apple is on a tear. The iPhone continues to set the bar all other smartphones must clear and it only gets better with each new update, the iPad is the first mainstream tablet device, and Apple has redefined itself as a mobile devices company.

Featurephone Trends: Exploring the Impact of Mandatory Data and Messaging Services for Featurephones

Eitt, Meredith - Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-10T00:00:00-04:00

Service requirements aren’t just for smartphones anymore! All four top carriers, in one form or another, now mandate service add-ons with the purchase of select featurephones, and Verizon Wireless is confusing the category with the KIN.

Smartphones

Greengart, Avi — 2010-05-07T00:00:00-04:00

While featurephones still make up the majority of phones sold, the competitive dynamics are sharpest in smartphones, where multiple platforms vie for attention from consumers and application developers alike.

Google Changes Nexus One Sales Strategy in Europe – For Now

Greengart, Avi - Mohr-McClune, Emma — 2010-04-30T00:00:00-04:00

Google’s decision to allow European operators to retail the Nexus One through their own channels is more a strategy hiatus than a fully-fledged admission of e-tailer defeat. This isn’t where the story ends.

HP Saves Palm, Reintroduces Itself to the Mobile Device World

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-29T00:00:00-04:00

Every PC vendor needs to be competitive in smartphones because that is where the growth – or the potential for cannibalization – lies. HP should be a happy home for Palm and could mark a radical change in HP’s direction overall.

Palm

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-23T00:00:00-04:00

Palm is gambling its future on webOS. The multitasking, Web-oriented, touchscreen OS is exceptional, but the Pre and Pixi are not selling well enough yet to support the company, and nearly every industry player is rumored to be buying the company.

HTC’s DROID Incredible Lives Up to Its Name at Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-20T00:00:00-04:00

HTC’s DROID Incredible goes beyond excellent hardware specifications with a terrific new version of Sense on top of Android 2.1. This is easily the best Android phone on the market today.

T-Mobile’s HTC HD2: Awesome Hardware, Awkward Software

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-20T00:00:00-04:00

Cisco Flip Video SlideHD Is Too Much of the Same Thing

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-15T00:00:00-04:00

While understanding the rationale behind Cisco’s Flip Video SlideHD – in-person video sharing – but the SlideHD is too expensive, and Cisco is moving too slowly to broaden its base.

Microsoft Launches KIN, Innovative Feature Phones That Will Succeed Only If Priced Like Feature Phones

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-14T00:00:00-04:00

Microsoft’s innovative KIN could present a major threat to LG and Samsung at Verizon Wireless (and to Nokia and INQ in Europe), but only if Verizon Wireless and Vodafone treat the KINs like the feature phones they are.

Apple Fights Back Against Google, Microsoft, Palm and RIM with iPhone 4.0 Update

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-09T00:00:00-04:00

Competitors hoping Apple would stand still will be disappointed. With its upcoming 4.0 update, Apple is addressing the biggest gripe against the iPhone – multitasking – while potentially opening up an enormous new revenue stream with in-app ads.

Hands on with Apple’s iPad: A Competitive Assessment

Greengart, Avi — 2010-04-05T00:00:00-04:00

We got an iPad ahead of launch and now have a clear view of its strengths, weaknesses, and target market(s). There are a lot of iPad reviews out there; this report focuses on its competitive impact.

HTC - myTouch 3G 2010 Black - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-03-31T00:00:00-04:00

The new and improved HTC myTouch 3G gains Swype and a 3.5mm jack, and it has twice the included external memory storage. Though its improvements are welcome, the price remains unchanged.

HTC - myTouch 3G 2010 White - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-03-31T00:00:00-04:00

The new and improved HTC myTouch 3G gains Swype and a 3.5mm jack, and it has twice the included external memory storage. Though its improvements are welcome, the price remains unchanged.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9550 (Storm2) - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-31T00:00:00-04:00

The original BlackBerry Storm sold well despite being terribly buggy. RIM fixed the bugs just in time to launch its successor, the Storm 2, which adds little to the formula and is outclassed by Android devices.

Samsung - SPH-M900 (Moment) - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-31T00:00:00-04:00

Samsung’s Moment originally sold based on its form factor and it remains the sole Android phone at Sprint with a QWERTY keyboard, but it now competes on value as well.

The Kindle2, the iPad and the eBook Reader Market

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-30T00:00:00-04:00

With the iPad about to launch, we explore why Amazon’s Kindle has been successful when earlier eBook efforts failed, next steps for eBook reader vendors, and whether the iPad will kill the Kindle.

CTIA 2010: HTC EVO 4G May be the Phone that Saves Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-25T00:00:00-04:00

Sprint needed something over the top to break through all the smartphone clutter, and the HTC EVO 4G delivers. Sprint also did a good job showing how the EVO 4G’s extreme specifications combined with a 4G network creates a unique user experience.

CTIA 2010: Kyocera Re-enters the Smartphone Market with the Underwhelming Zio

Akyuz, Brad — 2010-03-25T00:00:00-04:00

Kyocera marks its re-entry into the smartphone market with the Zio Android phone. Unfortunately, even after a year of lead time for development, the Zio barely matches early Android devices, let alone bringing anything new to the table.

CTIA 2010: Samsung Shoots for the Moon with the Galaxy S

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-03-25T00:00:00-04:00

The Galaxy S is Samsung’s first smartphone that combines exclusive hardware features with a mainstream OS (Android 2.1) and a layer of custom software that genuinely enhances the user experience.

LG Electronics

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-25T00:00:00-04:00

LGE continues to sell high volumes of touchscreen and QWERTY featurephones for both GSM and CDMA. However, Samsung is proving a formidable competitor in those markets and LGE continues to struggle in smartphones.

Samsung

Greengart, Avi - Eitt, Meredith — 2010-03-25T00:00:00-04:00

By participating in every market segment from entry level clamshells to multimedia smartphones across every carrier, Samsung is now the largest handset vendor in the U.S. However, its competitive position in smartphones is eroding.

CTIA 2010: Palm Will Bring the Same Old webOS Phones to AT&T “in the Coming Months”

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-24T00:00:00-04:00

With AT&T picking up the Pre Plus and Pixi Plus in the coming months, Palm will have distribution at the top three U.S. carriers. Unfortunately, the phones have not sold well, and Palm badly needs something new to talk about.

Microsoft MIX10: Microsoft Reveals Windows Phone 7 Series is an Apple Clone

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-17T00:00:00-04:00

At its developer conference, MIX10, Microsoft launched the Windows Phone 7 Series SDK, which breaks backwards compatibility with Windows Mobile, relies heavily on Silverlight, and copies Apple’s closed system approach exactly.

Samsung - SPH-i350 (Intrepid) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith - Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-15T00:00:00-04:00

The Samsung Intrepid brings a souped up version of the ACE to market, and while Windows Mobile is still the preference of many business users, WebOS and Android are ruling the roost in multi-tasking, social networking and entertainment.

Motorola - Backflip - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-12T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: Motorola’s Backflip is out, and it’s strange. The reverse folding design is impractical but should ensure that the Backflip stands out at retail even after it is joined by other Android competitors on AT&T’s shelves.

Motorola Backflip Bends Over Backwards to Be Different

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-12T00:00:00-05:00

The reverse folding design on Motorola’s Backflip is impractical, but at least it will ensure that the Backflip stands out at retail even after it is joined by other Android competitors on AT&T’s shelves.

HTC - Imagio - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-11T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: The HTC Imagio has a nice complement of technology and is the only smartphone with V CAST Mobile TV (MediaFLO), but it is hard to justify at $199.

HTC - Pure - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-11T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: HTC’s Pure suffers from direct comparison with the iPhone, but is also in a tough spot among Windows Mobile smartphones at the carrier.

Garmin Asus - Nuvifone G60 - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-10T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: Garmin-Asus’ nüvifone G60 is an average GPS navigation device and a terrible smartphone. Most consumers will be better served with a better smartphone platform – the direction Garmin-Asus is going for future nüvifones.

HTC - Hero - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-10T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: HTC’s Hero was the first Android phone with HTC’s Sense UI overlay, which improved usability and added social network integration. However, the similar DROID ERIS at Verizon Wireless launched at a lower price.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9630 (Tour) - No Camera - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-10T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: RIM’s BlackBerry Tour is the best CDMA BlackBerry and also comes in a version without a camera for those who work in secure environments where cameras are prohibited (courtrooms, R&D centers, many government offices).

TiVo Premiere Improves UI, but Gives Consumers No Clear Reason to Buy

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-05T00:00:00-05:00

Is TiVo’s Premiere the best DVR ever made? Almost certainly, but is that enough to get people buying a TiVo instead of renting a DVR from their cable company? The answer is almost certainly not.

HTC - myTouch 3G 2010 Fender Limited Edition - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-03-04T00:00:00-05:00

Analyst Quick Take: The HTC myTouch Fender is a Limited Edition that add a 3.5mm jack to the original myTouch, comes preloaded with music from Eric Clapton and 16 GB external memory. Despite a $30 price bump, the fiery orange Fender is on fire.

LG eXpo Falls Victim to Windows Mobile, Despite Pico Projector Add-on

Greengart, Avi — 2010-03-03T00:00:00-05:00

LG’s eXpo is a case where hardware engineers were allowed to run amok without a marketing manager providing a clear vision of who wants the product. The processor and projector elements are innovative, but the product overall is not competitive.

Garmin-Asus' nüvifone G60 Is an Ill-fated Detour on the Route to Real Smartphones

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-26T00:00:00-05:00

Garmin-Asus’ nüvifone G60 is an average GPS navigation device and a terrible smartphone. Most consumers will be better served with a superior smartphone platform, the direction Garmin-Asus is going for future nüvifones.

Microsoft Entertainment and De

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-02-25T00:00:00-05:00

Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division created the Mediaroom solution powering 4 million telco IPTV set-top boxes. It is also home to Xbox 360 with over 30 million consoles sold with more focus towards online video and social networking.

Mobile World Congress 2010: Consumer Devices Wrap-up

Greengart, Avi - Akyuz, Brad — 2010-02-24T00:00:00-05:00

Despite some vendors moving offsite or staying away, this year’s Mobile World Congress had plenty of handset news, highlighted by three new mobile operating systems and new smartphones in different sizes, including “mini.”

HTC - Tilt2 - AT&T

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-18T00:00:00-05:00

AT&T’s version of the HTC Touch Pro 2 is called the “Tilt 2,” and we like it a lot more now that AT&T dropped the price from $299 at launch to $199, matching Verizon Wireless.

HTC - Touch Pro 2 - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-18T00:00:00-05:00

Sprint has tied T-Mobile’s pricing on the HTC Touch Pro 2 as the most expensive variant on the market ($349). The few business users who buy one will find it has the best QWERTY keyboard and speakerphone of any phone on the market.

HTC - Touch Pro 2 - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-18T00:00:00-05:00

Verizon Wireless’ version of the HTC Touch Pro 2 is not for everyone, but it is properly priced at $199, and business users will find it has the best QWERTY keyboard and speakerphone of any phone on the market.

LG Electronics - GD710 (Shine II) - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

The LG GD710 (Shine II) launched on November 22, 2009 for $119.

LG Electronics - Neon Black - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

The prepaid-only LG Neon Black launched on January 25, 2010 for $99.

LG Electronics - Neon Blue - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

The LG Neon launched in Blue on December 13, 2009 for $9.

Mobile World Congress 2010: Mobile OS Madness

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

Windows Phone 7 Series is the key news at MWC this year, but Microsoft is not the only vendor showing off a new mobile OS. Samsung made a splash with the Wave, the first Bada OS phone, and Nokia and Intel are merging their mobile Linux platforms.

Nokia - 2320 - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

The prepaid-only Nokia 2320 launched on November 29, 2009 for $29.

Nokia - 2330 - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-17T00:00:00-05:00

The Nokia 2330 launched on November 22, 2009 for $29.

Mobile World Congress 2010: Garmin-Asus Launches New GPS Phones to Navigate Tougher Competition

Greengart, Avi - Eitt, Meredith — 2010-02-16T00:00:00-05:00

Garmin-Asus is finally making good on its promise to put its navigation application on popular smartphone platforms. Unfortunately, competitors are now offering turn-by-turn navigation for free, hurting the nüvifone value proposition.

Mobile World Congress 2010: Microsoft Regains Relevance in Smartphones with Windows Phone 7

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-16T00:00:00-05:00

Microsoft had three challenges: bring the Windows Mobile UI up to par, differentiate using its unique assets, and re-engage developers. With Windows Phone 7, Microsoft has accomplished the first two and put itself in position to hit the third.

Motorola’s New Split Keeps Phones and Set-top Boxes Together

Greengart, Avi — 2010-02-12T00:00:00-05:00

Motorola is splitting itself in two, combining the mobile and home divisions in one “Motorola” and everything else in another “Motorola.” This is a logical split, but it is not being done for the benefit of its handsets or set-top boxes.

Apple iPad: The Launch of a New Device Category

Greengart, Avi — 2010-01-28T00:00:00-05:00

The Apple iPad is basically a giant iPhone with no phone app – and we mean that in the best possible way. At $499 - $829, it should have initial appeal beyond early adopters, but future price drops will drive exponential increases in sales.

CES 2010 Wrap-Up: Digital Home Devices

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2010-01-22T00:00:00-05:00

CES 2010 highlighted three provocative trends concerning the television: 3D, home telepresence and streaming Internet content. While 3D and video conferencing are still immature, Internet-based TV is becoming mainstream.

CES 2010: A Look Back

Greengart, Avi — 2010-01-22T00:00:00-05:00

CES 2010 is over, and before long we’ll be covering whatever Apple is doing and then heading to Mobile World Congress. Before we get stuck on the next new thing, we wanted to share what we saw in Las Vegas, what was significant, and what wasn’t.

LG Electronics - VX9200 (enV3 Maroon) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-01-14T00:00:00-05:00

The LG VX9200 (enV3 Maroon) launched on May 29, 2009 for $129.

LG Electronics - VX9200 (enV3 Slate Blue) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2010-01-14T00:00:00-05:00

The LG VX9200 (enV3 Slate Blue) launched on May 29, 2009 for $129.

Netflix’s Video Streaming Coming to the Wii Sometime This Spring

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-01-14T00:00:00-05:00

Netflix’s video streaming service is coming to Nintendo’s Wii. The Wii cannot offer HD and requiring a disc to stream content is not ideal, but Netflix has now conquered all three major game consoles.

Service Attached Devices

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-01-13T00:00:00-05:00

CES 2010 kicked off the year with more focus on Internet TV and rising demand for better devices to deliver it. More TVs and related devices are now Internet enabled, giving rise to additional entertainment options in the living room.

CES 2010: magicJack Demos Working GSM Femtocell, Plans to Offer Unlimited Femtocell Calling for $20 a Year

Hettick, Larry — 2010-01-11T00:00:00-05:00

If magicJack proceeds as planned, for less than $20 a year it will offer an in-home femtocell substitute service for traditional unlimited local and domestic calling plans -- bypassing domestic GSM networks inside the home.

CES 2010: T-Mobile to Stop Future Sales of @Home Service

Hettick, Larry — 2010-01-11T00:00:00-05:00

T-Mobile is phasing out sales of its @Home unlimited VoIP calling service once stocks of the necessary wireline router are depleted. The Unlimited HotSpot Calling add-on is still available on any open hotspot for users with WiFi-capable handsets.

CES 2010: AT&T Wireless Shows a Strong Hand in Vegas

Greengart, Avi — 2010-01-08T00:00:00-05:00

With a series of announcements at CES 2010, AT&T threw Palm and Motorola a lifeline, resuscitated Qualcomm’s BREW prospects, significantly advanced Google’s Android ecosystem, and breathed life into Dell’s mobile phone efforts.

CES 2010: PlayStation Network Coming to New Sony BRAVIA and Blu-ray Players in February

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-01-08T00:00:00-05:00

Lost in the 3D hype at CES, Sony also unveiled plans to push PlayStation Network movie and TV content on upcoming broadband-connected BRAVIA HDTVs and Blu-ray players. It is a long overdue move, but it does not add much value.

CES 2010: VUDU Expands Hardware Partnerships and Launches Apps

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-01-07T00:00:00-05:00

VUDU is gaining momentum in the digital home market by launching an Internet-to-TV services platform called VUDU Apps with many leading HDTV manufacturers including VIZIO, Toshiba and Sharp.

CES 2010: Syabas Previews Its Next Internet TV Box, Called Popbox, Coming in March

McGregor, Bruce — 2010-01-06T00:00:00-05:00

Syabas, the maker of the Popcorn Hour C-200, announced its next Internet-to-TV box, called the Popbox. Due in March, the Popbox is both cheaper and easier to use than the company’s previous devices in this emerging product category.

Google Nexus One Launch: Terrific HTC Phone, Only Available Online

Greengart, Avi — 2010-01-05T00:00:00-05:00

The Nexus One is an HTC phone, not a “GooglePhone.” It doesn’t live up to blogger pipe dreams, but the phone itself is exciting and well priced. The biggest twist: it will exclusively be sold through Google online.

Ten Things We Are Looking At for 2010

Ho, William — 2009-12-30T00:00:00-05:00

Nothing is more traditional than the end-of-year reading of the next year’s tea leaves. Rather than going the usual prediction route, we are taking a different approach, opting to deal in advice instead of conjecture.

HTC - Touch Pro 2 - T-Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-16T00:00:00-05:00

T-Mobile’s version of the HTC Touch Pro 2 is tied with Sprint for the most expensive ($349), but the few business users who max out their expense report for it will find it has the best QWERTY keyboard and speakerphone of any phone on the market.

Netflix

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-12-14T00:00:00-05:00

Netflix has embedded its video streaming service into a slew of digital home devices from the latest Internet-enabled HDTVs to the $79 Roku Player. With 11 million members strong, Netflix has built a notable entertainment brand.

Boxee and D-Link Forge Partnership for New Internet TV Device Coming in Spring 2010

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-09T00:00:00-05:00

Boxee is finally making its name real by having D-Link build a “Box” to connect its portal software with the TV. The Boxee Box should bring plenty of content to the TV, but it may be too complicated for consumers and it won’t arrive until Q2 2010.

Palm - Pixi - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-09T00:00:00-05:00

Palm brings webOS to a form factor reminiscent of the Centro. That product sold over two million units across four carriers by the time it was done, but the Pixi is entering a more competitive market.

Cisco FlipShare TV Delivers Home Videos to the Television, But Nothing More

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-04T00:00:00-05:00

Cisco’s FlipShare TV moves video captured on its Flip camcorders to the TV. Still, it is a one-trick pony and much too expensive at $149. We expect a company of Cisco’s stature to offer much more in this type of device, or offer it for much less.

HTC HD2 Brings Sense to Windows Mobile

Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-04T00:00:00-05:00

With Sense, HTC has provided consumers with a unique mobile user experience that can be compared favorably to Apple’s iPhone and Palm’s webOS. With the HD2, Sense comes to Windows Mobile on top of extraordinary hardware.

Nokia N900: Lots of Power, But Not Fully Baked Yet

Greengart, Avi — 2009-12-02T00:00:00-05:00

Can Maemo Linux help solve Nokia’s case of "Innovator’s Dilemma"? Not yet.

LG enV Touch Offers Verizon Wireless Customers a Touch of Class

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Though the pricing puts it in conflict with entry-level smartphones, the LG enV Touch offers dual high-resolution displays (the external one is a touchscreen), a full QWERTY keyboard, and a much improved UI over its predecessor.

Holiday Handset Trends 2009

Greengart, Avi — 2009-11-24T00:00:00-05:00

As we gear up for Black Friday, all the handset vendors’ cards are showing. It is time to summarize the most important products hitting the U.S. and Europe, analyze each of the four national carriers, and pick the winners and losers.

Roku Turns Its Netflix Box into a Set-top Box with Channel Store

Greengart, Avi - McGregor, Bruce — 2009-11-24T00:00:00-05:00

Roku debuts its Channel Store, which brings a variety of Internet content to invade the television. The content is weak to start, and the MSOs and content vendors have heard this story before, but they should take the threat seriously this time.

ARRIS’ Recently Acquired Moxi Division Unveils a New HD DVR with Three TV Tuners

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-11-12T00:00:00-05:00

Moxi has cut its two-tuner HD-DVR model price by $300 and added a new three-tuner HD DVR model priced at $799. None of it will likely impact new sales, since the standalone DVR market remains beaten down by cable providers’ DVR services.

Netflix Now Available on Sony PlayStation3

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-11-12T00:00:00-05:00

Sony has added streaming Netflix movies to the PlayStation 3’s long list of features. While a disc is required to get the service to work, Netflix gives the PS3 a competitive weapon to wield against Microsoft and Nintendo this holiday season.

Sony Ericsson X10 Brings Media Focus to Android – Next Year

Greengart, Avi — 2009-11-05T00:00:00-05:00

Sony Ericsson desperately needs to hit a giant “reset” button on its handset lineup, particularly in smartphones. The Android-based XPERIA X10 does that, combining a unique media-centric software layer with extremely high-end hardware.

Best Buy Forges Alliance with Sonic Solutions (CinemaNow) to Develop Its Own Internet Movie Service

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-11-04T00:00:00-05:00

Best Buy is getting help from CinemaNow to create a new online service linked to many of the digital home devices sold in its stores. Selling movies over the Internet is a tough business, and there is no indication Best Buy can do any better.

Motorola - i776 Purple - Sprint (iDEN)

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-11-04T00:00:00-05:00

Sprint (iDEN) has launched its Motorola i776 in a new color - Purple.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 8520 (Curve White) - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-11-04T00:00:00-05:00

T-Mobile has launched the RIM BlackBerry 8520 (Curve) in a new color - White.

Research in Motion (RIM) - BlackBerry 9000 (Bold White) - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-11-04T00:00:00-05:00

AT&T has launched its RIM BlackBerry 9000 (Bold) in a new color - White.

Samsung - SPH-M550 (Exclaim White) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-11-04T00:00:00-05:00

Sprint has launched its Samsung SPH-M550 (Exclaim) in a new color - White.

TiVo

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-11-03T00:00:00-05:00

TiVo has gone well beyond recording live TV to offer its DVR owners video streaming from Netflix, Amazon and others. Yet its popularity continues to fade with most choosing basic DVRs directly from their video provider.

Motorola DROID Launch

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-30T00:00:00-04:00

The DROID is Verizon Wireless’ flagship product for the holidays, the first phone at the carrier with Android, and the first Android 2.0 phone anywhere. Is it an iPhone killer? Is it a Garmin killer? Will it save Motorola?

Motorola - W766 (Entice) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Motorola’s Entice does its name justice as it offers entry-level customers an enticing combination of essential features, an impressing battery life, and an affordable $19 price tag.

Nokia - 2660 - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The $39 Nokia 2660 is competitive at AT&T as the least expensive prepaid Bluetooth phone, but customers who want a camera with their prepaid happy meal best shop elsewhere for affordable Bluetooth options.

Samsung - SGH-T659 - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: As AT&T has been offering 3G handsets for as little as $0 for quite some time, T-Mobile is crazy to think it can sell standard 3G handsets such as the Samsung SGH-T659 for $69 – but it is still trying.

When Will Verizon Wireless Get the iPhone?

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-28T00:00:00-04:00

In analyst calls after their earnings announcements, AT&T Wireless’ CEO talked about life after the iPhone, and Verizon’s CEO said that Verizon Wireless would welcome Apple to its network. Is Verizon Wireless getting the iPhone, and if so, when?

LG’s LH50 High Definition TVs Include Several Built-in Internet Content Options

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-10-26T00:00:00-04:00

LG’s LH50 model HDTVs are jammed packed with online content from Netflix, VUDU, Yahoo! and YouTube that eliminates the need for an external Internet-to-TV box. But will mainstream consumers recognize this as a reason to buy?

RIM BlackBerry Bold 9700 is the Best BlackBerry Ever

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-26T00:00:00-04:00

The Bold 9700 is the best BlackBerry RIM has ever built. It will not dissuade anyone looking for a touchscreen smartphone from buying an iPhone or Android device, but it should make the BlackBerry faithful very happy.

Comcast HomePoint - A Thomson Cordless Internet Phone with Poor Email Access and Little Else

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-10-21T00:00:00-04:00

Comcast is selling Thomson cordless phones that can access Comcast.net email and sports scores – and that’s pretty much it. The phone’s base unit also acts as the house’s cable modem/WiFi router, but it is not a compelling all-in-one solution.

D-Link’s DIR-685 Almost Crams Three Devices (Wireless Router, NAS, and Photo Frame) into One, But Excludes the Necessary Hard Drive

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-20T00:00:00-04:00

D-Link has come up with something new and interesting, with its DIR-685 functioning as a WiFi router, NAS, and digital photo frame in a single unit. Unfortunately, the internal hard drive is sold separately.

Nokia Booklet 3G Gets U.S. Price ($299) and Distribution (Best Buy)

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-15T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia relaunched its Booklet 3G netbook in New York with AT&T (the service provider) and Best Buy (the exclusive retailer). Pricing is still high ($299 with a two year contract) but it is competitive given the extraordinary battery life.

Oracle OpenWorld 2009: Samsung Discovers Its Smartphones Are Bought by Enterprises, Partners with ISVs

Weldon, Kathryn - Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-15T00:00:00-04:00

Who knew? Samsung is focusing on the enterprise mobility market with alliances with Oracle, Sybase, and FMC vendors and plans to deepen channel relationships and support options. This isn’t a full end-to-end strategy, but it’s better than nothing.

Blockbuster Joins TiVo’s Video on Demand Platform, But Brings Nothing New

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-10-14T00:00:00-04:00

Blockbuster comes through and launches its promised online movie service over the TiVo box. It is nothing special compared to Amazon’s offering already available on TiVo or the cable companies’ video-on-demand services through the cable box.

Nokia - 2330 - T-Mobile

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-10-12T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Nokia increases its U.S. presence with the launch of the 2330 at T-Mobile. The model’s sleek look may win over some entry-level customers, but more feature-rich phones such as the Sony Ericsson TM506 will dominate sales.

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2009: Microsoft Updates Windows Mobile a Little

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-09T00:00:00-04:00

Microsoft’s Windows Mobile needs significant improvements on several fronts. The company is still a good long-term bet, but it is quickly losing licensee R&D and carrier attention; Windows Mobile 6.5 is not nearly enough to reverse the slide.

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2009: Sprint and Samsung Have their Moment at CTIA

Greengart, Avi - Eitt, Meredith — 2009-10-09T00:00:00-04:00

The Moment marks Samsung’s U.S. entry into the Android arena, but it adds no software innovation. HTC will also beat Samsung to the punch at Sprint, as the Hero with Sense launches three weeks prior to the Moment.

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2009: Verizon Wireless and Google Issue Joint Press Release

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-07T00:00:00-04:00

The joint announcement notably lacked substance, but Verizon Wireless is committing to delivering Google Android phones, which should help it compete with Apple/AT&T, reduce its reliance on RIM, and greatly expand the market for Android overall.

Samsung Jitterbug J Lets Grandma Get Her Text On

Greengart, Avi — 2009-10-02T00:00:00-04:00

Samsung’s Jitterbug J keeps what made the original senior phone a success and adds text messaging, enabling grandparents to communicate with their grandchildren. The Jitterbug J’s unique design overcomes high pricing and limited distribution.

R.I.P. Verizon Hub, We Hardly Knew You

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-10-01T00:00:00-04:00

Verizon discontinued its Hub device less than a year after launching it in February 2009. Sadly, Verizon could not adequately sell the device’s merits of combining residential VoIP with touchscreen Internet applications.

Verizon Quietly Kills the Hub

Greengart, Avi - McGregor, Bruce — 2009-10-01T00:00:00-04:00

Take two categories that have historically stumbled – kitchen computing centers and enhanced home phones – and combine them with a limited addressable user base and high pricing, and you get Verizon’s now discontinued Hub.

Samsung - SCH-U350 (Smooth Metallic Grey) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-24T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Verizon Wireless has launched its Samsung Smooth in a new color - Metallic Grey.

Samsung - SPH-M330 - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-21T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Though there is nothing special about its feature set beyond a superior battery life, the Samsung SPH-M330 is attractive enough and gets the job done at a $0 price point.

ZillionTV Outlines Its Nationwide Go to Market Strategy, Yet Won’t Happen for a Year

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-09-21T00:00:00-04:00

ZillionTV issued a press release detailing its latest plans how its Internet-to-TV solution will be distributed (via service providers, direct sales and embedded in other devices), should it ever reach the market.

Zune HD Leverages Microsoft’s Position in the Living Room

Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-21T00:00:00-04:00

The Zune HD may not topple Apple’s iPod touch, but Microsoft is giving its digital living room a real shot in the arm with significant upgrades to the Zune HD and Zune Marketplace, which is now the digital content store for XBOX 360 as well.

Pantech - Escapade - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-18T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Pantech’s Escapade is Verizon Wireless’ least expensive world phone, but it does not compete effectively within that category or in the general featurephone category.

Samsung - SPH-M240 - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-18T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Though $19 is hardly expensive, the price point is not warranted given the lack of features on Samsung’s SPH-M240. Even if it were free, the handset would not be competitive with the carrier’s more feature-rich free phones.

Microsoft Zune HD is Ridiculously Good – Is That Enough?

Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-17T00:00:00-04:00

Microsoft’s Zune HD has an exceptional user interface for music playback, it is a strong value and it greatly helps Microsoft’s efforts in the digital home. Seriously, it is an amazingly good product. However, that won’t be enough to unseat Apple.

LG Electronics - VX7100 (Glance) - Verizon Wireless

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-16T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: LG’s Glance is an unremarkable featurephone save for three things: its form factor (one of the few bars on the market), a band of weaved metal on the back (presumably for fashionable effect), and its insanely high price ($69).

Popcorn Hour C-200: A Streaming Media Box with Built-in BitTorrent Client

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-16T00:00:00-04:00

The Internet-to-TV category hasn’t gone mainstream yet, but as one of the few devices designed to connect to a TV with a built-in BitTorrent client, the Popcorn Hour C-200 is uniquely dangerous to established STB vendors and content providers.

Motorola Unveils Its First Android Smartphone

Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-14T00:00:00-04:00

It’s only one phone (CLIQ) at one carrier (T-Mobile), but Motorola is pinning its entire future on this new line of Android phones. MOTOBLUR is not unique, but does appear competitive with other social network software integration efforts.

Apple Special Event: iPod nano Gets Camcorder, iPod touch Just Drops in Price

Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-11T00:00:00-04:00

Steve Jobs was back at Apple’s annual iPod event. The nano gets a camcorder, but the music playback UI remains unchanged (in the face of increased competition from Microsoft) and the iPhone/iPod touch code base is fragmenting further.

Palm’s Pixi Brings a webOS Family Home to Sprint for the Holidays

Eitt, Meredith - Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-11T00:00:00-04:00

It is possible nobody noticed amidst a flurry of Apple and Motorola news, but Palm announced its second webOS phone this week: the Pixi for Sprint. The QWERTY bar aims to replicate the Centro’s success with Palm’s new OS.

NETGEAR Launches a New Media Device for the TV That Doesn’t Rise Above the Rest

McGregor, Bruce - Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-10T00:00:00-04:00

Previewed at CES in January 2009, NETGEAR has finally launched the EVA2000, its answer to the Roku Player. The device has more features and access to stored media files, but the additional software and equipment needed is disappointing.

Can HTC’s Hero Save Sprint?

Greengart, Avi — 2009-09-04T00:00:00-04:00

HTC had said its Hero would arrive in the U.S., and Sprint has now announced that it is the mysterious carrier. Sprint is marketing its data plan value and it needs strong data-centric devices such as the Hero to reinforce that message.

LG Electronics - Rumor2 - Virgin Mobile

Greengart, Avi - Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-04T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: LG’s Rumor2 at Virgin Mobile provides a more refined QWERTY option to messaging-oriented prepaid subscribers, though at $129 it is also the most prepaid expensive handset Virgin Mobile has ever offered.

Motorola - QA1 (Karma) - AT&T

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-01T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Though the Motorola Karma offers a wide array of features as a messaging featurephone, the Karma is going to lose out to less expensive handsets as it is $50 more expensive than AT&T’s core QWERTY competition.

Samsung - SPH-M550 (Exclaim Blueberry) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-01T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The Samsung Exclaim is pleasing to the eye, but not to the wallet. Though the dual-slider feature is nice to have, it is not enough to justify a $30-$50 premium over equivalent handsets at the carrier.

Samsung - SPH-M550 (Exclaim Raspberry) - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-09-01T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia World 2009: Maemo 5 Makes Mobile Linux Consumer-Friendly (for Rich Consumers, Anyway)

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-31T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia keeps launching new products ahead of Nokia World. After indicating it will sell PCs, Nokia is showing the evolution of Maemo Linux into a decidedly consumer-oriented OS, as well as the first Maemo cell phone, the pricey and U.S.-bound N900.

Microsoft Xbox 360 Responds to PS3 Console Price Cut with Its Own $100 Reduction

McGregor, Bruce — 2009-08-27T00:00:00-04:00

Microsoft readies for the holiday season and upcoming Xbox LIVE upgrades with a $100 price cut on the Xbox 360 Elite console. This comes at no surprise since a week earlier Sony made a $100 price cut on its PS3 video game console.

Casio - Exilim - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-25T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: The Casio Exilim is the most expensive device at Verizon Wireless, but its price tag is justified by a unique combination of imaging features and durability.

Samsung - SPH-M560 (Reclaim Earth Green) - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-25T00:00:00-04:00

Analyst Quick Take: Samsung’s Reclaim is not the first eco-friendly phone in the U.S. but it is the first that would be competitive even if its case was made out of virgin plastic and it came in a box made out of Hummer parts.

Samsung - SPH-M560 (Reclaim Ocean Blue) - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-25T00:00:00-04:00

HTC - Ozone - Verizon Wireless

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-24T00:00:00-04:00

Verizon Wireless’ version of the HTC Snap is called the “HTC Ozone” and, at $49, is the only version of the platform that is competitively priced.

HTC - Snap - Sprint

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-24T00:00:00-04:00

Sprint’s version of the HTC Snap is actually called the “HTC Snap” and includes HTC’s innovative Inner Circle email filter, but its $149 price point is completely out of whack.

LG Electronics - LX-370 - Sprint

Eitt, Meredith — 2009-08-24T00:00:00-04:00

The LG LX-370 is well-designed and has an impressive six-hour talk time and a sleek slider look, but it is hurt by a $49 price tag. Sprint has more interesting $49 competition, feature phones and smartphones alike.

Nokia World 2009: Nokia Confirms It is Building a Netbook

Greengart, Avi — 2009-08-24T00:00:00-04:00

Nokia will use its upcoming Nokia World conference to provide details on the Booklet 3G, a premium connected netbook that marks the end of clear distinctions between computing and communications.

HTC - myTouch 3G Black - T-Mobile