News

Here's the scoop from Verizon's special event in NYC: a CDMA-compatible version of the Apple iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon Wireless and Apple stores on February 10, 2011. Pre-ordering for existing customers will commence on February 3, 2011. Subsidized prices with a two-year service agreement will run $199 for the 16GB iPhone 4 and $299 for the 32GB model.

The Verizon iPhone 4 has a redesigned antenna, which is a CDMA optimization. Verizon employees will start getting the iPhone 4 this week, and Verizon has been working on scaling up its systems to prepare for a flood of data demand.

Google has updated the Google Mobile app once again, this time to version 0.7.3.5675. The notable changes are added functionality to the Google Goggles part of the app centering around photo recognition. For those not familiar with Goggles, the app recognizes images and allows users to search using a photo taken with their iPhone camera.

The new version will recognize print ads from August 2010 forward, making it possible to simply snap a photo of a magazine or newspaper ad to get more information about a product or manufacturer online. Not only this, but Google has incorporated a Sudoku puzzle solver into the mix. Snap a photo of the puzzle that has you stumped and Goggles will show you the solution.

Remember when AT&T required that all iPhone users pay for an unlimited data plan? Now that the carrier restricts new iPhone contracts to a choice of capped data plans, Verizon Wireless will initially offer its own unlimited plan to iPhone users for $30 per month.

Although this is slightly more expensive than AT&T's 2GB DataPro plan for $25, Verizon is banking on the strength of its network to lure subscribers to a CDMA-compatible iPhone. Analysts have estimated that Apple could sell up to 12 million Verizon iPhones in the first year of release.

After only four months, VLC Media Player is no longer available on the App Store. This free app makes it possible to play a variety of media formats on iOS devices without first converting them to the normal iPhone video format. If you haven't already downloaded the app, you've missed the boat.

The problem stems from incompatibilities between Apple's App Store Digital Rights Management (DRM) policies and the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) that governs distribution of some open source software including VLC. In fact, many observers were surprised to see Applidium's port of VLC appear in the App Store in the first place.

After years of speculation, rumors and false alarms, it looks like Verizon Wireless fans are finally about to get their own iPhone. Invitations went out today for a special news event in New York City hosted by the president and COO of Verizon himself, Lowell McAdam.

Although the invitation itself is vague, reports about the content of Verizon's presentation have gone wild on the Internet. This message comes on the heels of an iPhone-less CES just days ago, when the company disappointed Verizon-watchers with little news. Notably, CNET blogger Rick Broida reported on a tip he received two days ago stating that 1/1/11 would indeed bring a Verizon iPhone announcement.