geekosystem

Redbox and Verizon have teamed up to take on the likes of Netflix with their new Redbox Instant streaming partnership which launched publicly today. This is a big move for Redbox, but with so many streaming sites already out there, is there even room for a new player? Verizon and Redbox seem to think so, and they'll give you a free month to think it over. I'm not convinced.

In a happy surprise, iDownloadBlog confirms that Verizon's iPhone 5 comes GSM unlocked out of the box. Now, you can't just decide "I want it on AT&T," you have to do a bit of handy work to get it on your service of choice.

Mobile phone carriers have long flirted with unlimited data plans -- offering them and then not -- in order to trick convince customers to come to their side of the fence. This is nothing new, as both AT&T and Verizon have played this game before, but what is honestly the tiniest bit shocking is how these companies seem to think that unlimited plans aren't the future of their industry. Speaking at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference yesterday, Fran Shammo, Verizon's CFO, said "that whole unlimited thing," in his opinion, "is going by the wayside."

We've previously seen reports that Apple will be holding a conference on September 12 to introduce the next iPhone and a new, smaller version of the iPad. TechCrunch is reporting that a source within Verizon has confirmed that Verizon will be employing a vacation blackout for all employees starting September 21, and running through September 30. No, Verizon didn't suddenly become a terrible place to work that revokes standard vacation time, but rather, they're most likely preparing for the launch of the next iPhone.

Most mobile phone carriers have gotten into the habit of blocking tethering applications by default. Gone were the halcyon days of using your smartphone's data connection on your laptop. Some of them, like Verizon, instead decided to charge for this service. Now, after a settlement with the Federal Communications Commission, Verizon customers will once more be allowed to tether as much as they like on their Android phones without having to pay anything extra.

It's all but confirmed that Verizon is looking to raise their FiOS internet service plan rates. Due to their prevalence in markets where it's available -- and the fact that it's simply one of the fastest services out there -- it shouldn't come as any surprise that they're looking to improve on their revenue by charging more for what they consider to be a superior product. What isn't quite as solid is whether Verizon will soon be improving their FiOS service plans as well.

We knew Verizon was removing unlimited data plans in favor of tiered pricing plans, but as a very cheesy, extremely repeatable line in a certain movie once said, "Not like this." Verizon CFO Fran Shammo has declared that Verizon will be nixing all unlimited data plans that have been grandfathered in. Yikes.

Because we can't help incite enough wireless network flame wars, we're going to start the morning with what we'll call an "update" to the usual comparison between wireless network speeds in the United States. PC World performed a little test between major carriers, and the results are actually a little more surprising than what you might've guessed.

If Verizon is your service provider, upgrading your phone is about to get a little less exciting. Starting April 22nd, Verizon Wireless is implementing a $30 upgrade fee to cut your new-gadget joy with a little "aw man" sadness. Up until now, Verizon had been the only big four provider not to have an upgrade fee, but Verizon customers' day in the sun -- in that respect at least -- is now over. Granted, it's only 30 bucks, but on the other hand, it used to be zero bucks.

AT&T has caught a lot of flak recently for throttling unlimited data plans down to practically unusable speeds. AT&T stopped offering unlimited data plans a while ago, the only remaining users with unlimited plans being those who were fortunate enough to be grandfathered in. AT&T asserted that the throttling is to keep their network from being overtaxed, but many users feel more like AT&T is just trying to shove them over to a tiered plan. A new study by Validas, a wireless bill analysis firm, sides with the users showing that data usage on unlimited plans is comparable -- almost identical -- to usage on unlimited plans.

A recently leaked memo indicates that Verizon really wants its customers to use autopay or electronic checks. So much so that it's going to start charging a $2 convenience fee to all customers who utilize the pay by phone or online payment option. The big idea, from Verizon's perspective, is to push their customers into modes of payments where Verizon won't have to foot a credit card fee. Of course, with a $2 fee rolling out, it might actually turn consistent, forgetful fee-payers into a better cash cow, but either way, the fee will make the situation a win-win for Verizon. That is, if they don't mind getting their customers a little bit angry.

Yesterday, Verizon Wireless users in New Jersey's Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties got a terrifying text message that the coming global superpocalypse was not only coming, but had arrived. The message, completely devoid of context, urged recipents to "Take Shelter Now" and purported to be a direct order from the "U.S. Govern[ment]." Of course, the text left a lot of questions unanswered, like "what's going on?" and "why is there such a specific end time?" and people naturally started freaking out. Fortunately, the police were able to send out a message explaining that there was not, in fact, a civil emergency.

In an interesting move, Verizon has announced plans to release a turbo button API to app developers. Once in place, it would allow users to press a button on their screen that allegedly provides more bandwidth to help take the edge off those data-hungry apps, or pick up the slack when data networks are congested. Unfortunately, it will come at a cost in the form of microtransactions handled by Verizon. 

It's a frequently quoted truism that despite a huge market for consumer electronics and an insatiable appetite for the Internet, the U.S. has lagged behind other countries in adopting super-fast data connections. However, a recent blogpost from Pyramid Research suggests that could be changing. According to their study, by the end of 2011 the bulk of  worldwide LTE connections will be handled by U.S. companies accounting for 47% of worldwide LTE traffic. Additionally, 71% of LTE handset sales will be in the U.S.. Most of these LTE connections will be handled by MetroPCS, AT&T, and Verizon. The last of these is particularly significant, since Verizon launched its LTE network in late 2010 and now provides the most coverage across the country with the standard -- some 60% of the nation. Verizon expects to have 185 million LTE users by year's end. AT&T, though only recently entering the LTE fray, expects to add 70 million users of their own users to the standard by the end of 2011.

In an obvious attempt to battle the iPhone 4S that arrives tomorrow for those who pre-ordered it, Amazon Wireless is offering a pretty amazing deal for current and new Verizon customers. They are selling every Verizon phone for one cent. Yes, the iPhone is on Verizon, but Amazon Wireless doesn't carry it, so it seems they figured this sale is the least they can do to combat the release of the 4S. This sale isn't limited to last-gen flip phones or the cheapest smart phones available; as one can see from the above screenshot, even the LTE-capable Droid Bionic is marked down a cool $699.98. The Bionic isn't the only LTE-capable phone being offered, as the HTC Thunderbolt and Droid Charge are thrown into the mix. On top of the low, low price of one penny, Amazon Wireless is providing free two-day shipping as well.

However, one can't simply buy up every single phone being offered for a grand total of barely any money in order to throw them all in a drawer and create a fancy phone drawer, as the offer is only available for new lines. The offer is available from now until Monday, October 17.