With the Verizon iPhone, Apple today showcased a new software feature that comes pre-installed with the slightly-redesigned device: Personal Hotspot. Already available for several Android devices running on Verizon’s network and made deeply integrated into iOS with a new software build, Personal Hotspot will allow you to create a mobile WiFi network to share your 3G connection with up to 5 nearby WiFi devices. The feature, put simply, looks great: you can activate wireless tethering with literally two taps and a password, or go with Bluetooth and USB tethering. As suggested by Apple’s Phil Schiller himself, Personal Hotspot makes for a great alternative to popular MiFi hotspots and will allow iPad owners to carry around an iPhone on Verizon’s network and have constant access to the Internet even if the iPad is WiFi-only. Read more
Verizon iPhone, Personal Hotspot and MyWi - Which One?
Verizon To Start Selling CDMA iPad, Too?
It looks like Verizon doesn’t want to stop at a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 that runs on its network. According to Bloomberg, Verizon Wireless will start selling iPads that can connect “directly” to its network. Such an iPad would have to include a CDMA chip to eliminate the need of a portable, external hotspot as in the current iPad configuration Verizon is selling in its retail stores.
Verizon Wireless will sell a version of Apple Inc.’s iPad tablet computer that can connect directly to its network, posing another challenge to AT&T Inc. as the carrier’s exclusive hold on the iPhone draws to a close.
Verizon will get an embedded chip in the iPad for use on its network, Francis Shammo, chief financial officer of Verizon Communications Inc., the parent of the wireless unit, said today in an interview in New York. IPad users currently need an extra device to connect to Verizon’s network. Shammo declined to say when the change may happen.
Verizon started selling the iPad on October 28th, offering the option to bundle the device with a mobile hotspot for 3G connectivity. Verizon’s current pricing for iPad + MiFi is the following: a 16GB Wi-Fi iPad bundled with MiFi costs $630, 32GB Wi-Fi iPad + MiFi is $730, and 64GB Wi-Fi iPad plus MiFi is $830. A CDMA-enabled iPad wouldn’t need an additional hotspot or a SIM card slot as seen in the current iPad WiFi + 3G units, also sold by AT&T.
Amazon Releases Deals App for iPhone
“Never miss another deal.” Amazon has released an official iOS app for their deals called Amazon Deals. I think it’s about time, there are tons of crazy deals that we miss every day until someone tweets about it. No more! The app lets you check availability of current offers, future offers and one you may have just missed (so you can cry over it). You can also schedule reminders for future offers and also purchase from within the app after signing into your account in the Settings tab. You can also share Deals from within the app. Click the ‘share’ icon in the upper right of the detail screen and send via E-mail, Twitter, Facebook or even SMS. Read more
Twitter for Mac Bookmarklet→
Twitter for Mac Bookmarklet
This one’s a useful bookmarklet you can use in your default browser to send the current webpage title and link to Twitter for Mac. Works great – too bad Twitter for Mac doesn’t offer a way to wrap links in your own shortener instead of the not-so-popular t.co.
Install here.
VerizoniPhoneCaseGate - Or, Some Cases Won’t Fit
Amidst the excitement for the finally-announced iPhone 4 on Verizon, here come some interesting news for owners of an iPhone 4 on AT&T willing to switch to Big Red: some cases for the non-CDMA iPhone won’t fit with the new unit. The Verizon iPhone has, in fact, relocated buttons that will make it impossible for some accessories to fit in properly. Namely, the mute switch and volume buttons have been relocated to a lower position to make room for the new antenna design at the top.
Should you worry and start thinking about signing petitions online for Apple to revise its position on the buttons? Not really. While Apple’s own Bumpers may have problems to work with the slightly new design, it’s likely that Apple has already teamed up with accessory makers to provide a variety of CDMA iPhone-compatible cases at launch on February 10. Plus, many cases have a larger opening for the aforementioned buttons than necessary – meaning that even in the new “location”, the cases will be just fine.
So, the Verizon iPhone’s volume buttons and mute switch are in a different position than before. This, however, should not affect most of the cases currently on the market, and we’re sure Apple will provide CDMA-ready solution come the official launch.
#MacStoriesDeals - Tuesday
So are you loyal AT&T iPhone people switching over to Verizon after the big announcement today? I really doubt I leave AT&T. Anyway, here’s today’s deals on iOS & Mac (Store) apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get ‘em while they’re hot! Read more
iOS 4.2.5 To Be Released With Verizon iPhone?
Here’s another interesting tidbit coming from the first hands-on with the just announced Verizon iPhone, which, as you may know, happens to be a regular iPhone 4 running on CDMA.
The Personal Hotspot functionality is located in the Settings app, as noted by Engadget. That lead the Engadget folks to wonder if the unit was running a new firmware and, indeed, the Verizon iPhone they’re testing now is running iOS 4.2.5. Probably, it’s a simple update to iOS 4.2 to make it compatible with Verizon’s chip and enable the hotspot functionality.
A major iOS update that includes the “iTunes app subscriptions” system is expected to be released soon together with Murdoch’s iPad app “The Daily”, but we really don’t know about this iOS 4.2.5. Guess it’ll just ship by default on every Verizon iPhone on February 10?
Why Is There A White iPhone on Verizon’s Website? [Update: It’s Gone]
It’s Official: The iPhone 4 Comes to Verizon
After years of speculation, it’s now official. At the special media event in New York, Verizon has just announced that Apple’s iPhone is coming to their network. “If the press writes something long enough, eventually it comes true”, said Verizon’s Lowell MacAdam before the announcement. “Today we’re partnering with a giant of the industry, and that’s Apple.”
The iPhone 4 is coming to Verizon next month, as the rumors suggested. Apple and Verizon began testing CDMA iPhone in 2008, and Apple then released the iPad on Verizon in 2010. The iPhone is coming in February, it will be CDMA (no LTE) and it’s already listed on Verizon’s website. It’s the same iPhone 4 you know and love, only on Verizon and it connects to CDMA and EvDO networks. Read more