DigitMemo.com

Any device, any application sounds impressive, but skeptics see a play for new spectrum.

Executing a neat reverse-field, Verizon (NYSE: VZ) declared last week that it will throw open its cellular network to third-party devices, applications, and services. Once considered to be one of the strictest gatekeepers of its network, the No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier is now setting an example for other carriers to open their systems to outside hardware and software.

Industry observers remain skeptical, to put it mildly. Verizon will never let itself become just a dumb-pipes provider for other companies’ devices and services, they maintain, and anyone who says otherwise is either a fool or a liar. Tactically, Verizon’s move could be another maneuver on the chess board that is the FCC auction of valuable 700-MHz spectrum for wireless broadband networks, now scheduled for January. On Dec. 3, companies planning to bid must file a “short form” license application for that auction, which is seen as the last, best chance for fully open and accessible wireless broadband networks in the United States.

Click for more on Verizon Opens Its Network »

Google Plans to Bid 4.6 Billion on 700MHz Band

Google Inc was set to announce on Friday it will bid on coveted airwaves to launch a U.S. wireless network, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The Silicon Valley-based company had said several months ago it was considering bidding in the auction of 700-megahertz wireless spectrum due to begin January 24. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission deadline for companies to declare their interest in joining the airwaves bidding is December 3.

Click for more on Google ready to bid on mobile airwaves »

“I cannot think of any other cause of his death other than his mobile phone exploding”

A 33-year-old South Korean quarry worker was found dead with a burning mobile phone stuck to his chest, police and the doctor who examined the man said on Thursday.

The man, who was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital, had burns on his chest, fractured ribs and internal bleeding, the doctor said.

Click for more on Mobile phone may have killed Korean quarry worker »

Just like the good folks promised, the early look software development kit for Google’s soon-to-be huge phone OS has hit the streets… er, internet. From what we can tell, the OS is as comfortable on larger, VGA devices as it is on more traditional smartphone layouts. Oh yeah… and it plays Quake. Here’s what we know the software will support out of the box:

• Touchscreen
• 3G
• Webkit-based browser
• Optimized Java runtime layer (known as Dalvik Virtual Machine)
• Threaded text messaging
• MPEG-4, h.264, MP3, and AAC file formats
• Accelerated 3D graphics

Click for more on Google’s Android OS early look SDK now available »

Google has unveiled software it hopes will power a variety of future mobile phones and boost the web on the move.

The software could lead to cheaper phones as it is designed to speed up the process of making mobile services.

Google is working with four mobile manufacturers - Samsung, HTC, Motorola and LG - but a Google branded phone was not announced. The first phones using the so-called Google “software stack” will be available in the second half of 2008.

Click for more on Google pushes into mobile phones, codename Android »

Stop. I mean, don’t stop reading this, but stop thinking what you’re about to think. Or, O.K., I’ll think it for you:

The thing is hard to type on. It’s too slow. It’s too big. It doesn’t have instant messaging. It’s too expensive. (Or, no, wait, it’s too cheap!) It doesn’t support my work e-mail. It’s locked to AT&T. Steve Jobs secretly hates puppies. And—all together now—we’re sick of hearing about it! Yes, there’s been a lot of hype written about the iPhone, and a lot of guff too. So much so that it seems weird to add more, after Danny Fanboy and Bobby McBlogger have had their day. But when that day is over, Apple’s iPhone is still the best thing invented this year. Why? Five reasons:

Click for more on Time labels iPhone as Invention of the Year »

Google will unveil its long-anticipated plan to bring its software to cell phones within the next two weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday

The “Google-powered” phones are expected to make it to market by mid-2008, possibly from Taiwan’s HTC, South Korea’s LG Electronics, Deutsche Telekom AG’s T-Mobile USA, France Telecom’s Orange SA and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.’s 3 U.K., the report says. In addition to the ad-supported phone services bundling Google Maps, YouTube and Gmail, the operating system would be open to developers to build additional features.

Click for more on More Google Phone rumor »

The exact details of AT&T’s revenue-sharing agreement with Apple have not been disclosed, but one analyst thinks that over the two-year life of a user contract, the amount exceeds the actual price of the iPhone.

Silicon Alley Insider spotted a research note from Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster estimating that Apple is receiving $18 per month for each iPhone subscriber, under the revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies. Apple has confirmed that such an agreement exists, but has not shared the details about exactly how much cash it’s getting from the revenue AT&T makes on iPhone customers using the carrier’s data network. In July, Munster estimated Apple was receiving just $3 per iPhone subscriber and $11 per iPhone customers new to AT&T, but he’s rethought the numbers after Apple’s latest earnings release.

Click for more on Analyst: AT&T paying Apple $18 per iPhone, per month »

Microsoft Corp., facing new competition from Apple Inc., is working with sellers of its Windows Mobile phones to cut prices below $100.

AT&T Inc. began offering the 3125 Windows Mobile model for $49.99. Another phone will go on sale for less than $100 next month, Microsoft said, declining to name the company selling the device.

Microsoft, the world’s largest software maker, competes with Apple and Symbian Ltd. in developing phones that handle e- mail and surf the Internet. More consumers are buying such devices, so-called smart phones, which had been the domain of corporate customers. As competition grows, Microsoft is cutting prices to appeal to a broader range of shoppers.

Click for more on Microsoft, Facing iPhone Challenge, Plans Phones for Under $100 »

Google has released a new version of its Gmail for mobile application, which works on most phones that are Java ME enabled as well as BlackBerry devices.

The new version is faster than before (30% faster overall and 80% faster for some tasks), consumes a lot less data and boasts a fair bit of new features. The latter includes a contacts viewer, an outgoing mail footer, click-to-call phone numbers, emails that are saved for later re-editing and Gmail keyboard shortcuts to perform tasks faster (on phones with full keyboards). The list sure sounds like a lot of useful features have been added without slowing down the program; has anyone tried the new version and begs to differ?