21 4G Markets To Go Live June 16th [Updated With Some Sioux Falls News]

Will Sioux Falls finally go live this time around?

Verizon has just announced on their Twitter page that they will be hitting the 4G switch in 21 new markets on June 16th. As per usual, the tweet doesn't give any details but rumors have the following cities being some of the chosen few. [UPDATED to include more markets]

• Ann Arbor, MI
• Flint, MI
• Grand Rapids, MI
• Lansing, MI
• Indianapolis, IN
• Fort Wayne, IN
• State College, PA
• Erie, PA
• Harrisburg, PA
• Dayton, OH
• Springfield, OH
• Greenville-Spartanburg, SC
• Hartford, CT
• Madison, WI
• Milwaukee, WI
• Racine, WI
• Kenosha, WI
• Wisconsin Dells, WI
• Sacramento, CA
• Sioux Falls, SD!

Those of us in the Sioux Falls area shouldn't give up hope for the 16th just yet as the above does not represent the complete list and mid-June does correspond with the summertime launch we were told to expect when 4G service was first announced for the Sioux Falls area.

UPDATE: It is official. Verizon has just announced that Sioux Falls will go live by June 16th!

Verizon Wireless To Launch 4G LTE In Sioux Falls, South Dakota, By June 16

Customer Inquiries

For customer inquiries, please call 800-922-0204 or go to
Contact Us

Media Contact Info

Karen Smith
Karen.Smith@VerizonWireless.com
763-595-2511
http://twitter.com/KarenVZW


05/23/2011

SIOUX FALLS, SD —

Verizon Wireless announced today that it is bringing the world’s first large-scale 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network to Sioux Falls, S.D. by June 16. Residents in the City of Sioux Falls, including north to Dell Rapids and south to Beresford on Interstate 29 as well as east to Brandon and west to Hartford on Interstate 90 that have 4G LTE smartphones, laptop modems and hot spots will be able to take advantage of speeds up to 10 times faster than the company’s 3G network.

“Our 4G LTE network is revolutionizing the way people communicate, and we know this connectivity will be a key communications and technology enabler for many years to come.” said Seamus Hyland, president–Great Plains Region, Verizon Wireless. “ We are proud to bring the ability for South Dakota consumers to move large files faster and enjoy smooth mobile video conferencing. But, this is only the beginning, and the opportunities with 4G LTE are limitless.”

In real-world, fully-loaded network environments, 4G LTE users should experience average data rates of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) on the downlink and 2 to 5 Mbps on the uplink. Verizon Wireless began introducing the globe’s first large-scale LTE network on December 5, 2010, covering more than 110 million Americans, and is quickly expanding national coverage, currently offering service in 55 metropolitan areas. The company is rapidly building out its 4G LTE network, and is on course to deliver 4G LTE to its entire 3G wireless footprint by the end of 2013.

As the first wireless company in the world to broadly deploy game-changing 4G LTE technology, Verizon Wireless is committed to building its 4G network with the same performance and reliability for which it has long been recognized. Verizon Wireless’ consistent focus on reliability is based on rigid engineering standards and a disciplined deployment approach year after year. The company’s 700 MHz spectrum gives Verizon Wireless specific advantages with 4G, including a contiguous, nationwide network license.

Visit www.verizonwireless.com/lte for more information about Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation’s fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

####

Is It Time For Google To Step In?

News around the net yesterday revolved around an exploit discovered by German researchers that opens up over 99% of the Android devices in the wild to a security breach when on an open wi-fi network.

Android applications can acquire a security token from the ClientLogin authorization process. This token (known as authToken) is then passed back to the device and with its presence the device is authorized to make changes to the user’s Google account. The problem is that this authToken can then be sent from other applications, unencrypted allowing for the authToken to be “sniffed” and stolen over an open WiFi network. The authToken is valid for a whole 2 weeks and is not bound to any specific device, service, or session. Therefore once the token is taken, a “hacker” could potentially steal, modify, or erase the user’s Google contact and calendar data

The exploit which was patched in the latest version of Android is just the most recent example of what is wrong with Google's operating system as it is now and it doesn't necessarily reside solely with Google. Like I said the issue was patched by Google but unless you have one of the few Google branded phones out there (like .3% of the Android phones) you haven't seen the update yet and many of us likely never will. And there is where the problem is.

Google updates Android quite frequently, in fact that latest version of Android, Gingerbread, has been out for almost a year and updated several times since then. Unfortunately though if you were to look through Verizon's stable of Android phones, not one is available with Gingerbread installed including their wallet busting 4G "super phones" the Charge and the Thunderbolt. Ouch...

As an outsider looking in it appears that the OEM's seem to be more concerned with putting their update killing Skins on a phone, ie. Motorola's Blur, Samsung's Touchwiz, and HTC's Sense, than keeping the operating system they run on current. Then if they do get around to updating we still have to wait for the cell carriers to test and add their bloatware before finally get around to pushing it out to our phones. Finally  the OEM's are doing their best to make it more difficult for us to do what they seem unwilling to do, update the OS on our own because of their decision to lock down the boot loaders making root access difficult if not impossible. Sounds like a malicious hacker's dream situation, an immensely popular operating system that is rarely updated.

So what is a Verizon Android lover to do? We don't have access to a Google Nexus phone with it's consistently updated operating system and even buying a new phone doesn't guarantee getting the latest OS (is it really a new phone if it runs an outdated OS?). All we can hope for it seems is that Google uses its considerable clout to steer the OEM's and cell carriers towards doing what they should already be doing, updating their products.

If and until that happens security flaws like the one exposed yesterday will continue to be an issue even after being exposed and Google will sooner or later become a security joke on par with Microsoft of years gone by. Eventually, and it truly pains me to say this, the security conscious among us might be forced to embrace the closed system provided by that company with a fruit logo.

Please Google, help us.

UPDATE: Google says it will be sending out a server side patch to fix this latest security issue.

Sunday Rant - Asking For Too Much From Verizon? [UPDATED]

As I was standing in line at the Verizon corporate store in Sioux Falls yesterday waiting to replace my Thunderbolt (for the last time!) it hit me. Are we really asking for too much when we buy a phone to actually get a product that works?

Obviously any phone you choose will make and receive phone calls out of the box, though some may dispute even that notion, but considering we pay anywhere up to $300 for a phone and then an extra $30 a month for a pipe to the internet, shouldn't we get a finished product in return?

Take my HTC Thunderbolt for instance. From day one it seemed obvious to me that this thing was not ready for prime time. Sure it looks great and is one of the fastest phones on the market but shouldn't one expect a $249 along with a 2 year obligation "portable" phone to actually be portable? How is being tethered to a charger because of a 5-6 hour battery life portable? Believe it or not my workday is a bit longer than that so shouldn't my portable phone at a minimum be able to get me through that workday? I guess not

Also shouldn't one expect one's internet enabled smart phone to actually be connected to the internet? Again apparently HTC thought that wasn't the case as my Thunderbolt would decide at various times during the day that it's data connection wasn't needed and for some reason would shut down requiring a reboot to turn it back on.

Speaking of reboots, besides the fact that a reboot with the Thunderbolt is a seemingly endless process taking several minutes to complete, HTC has made it easy for you to perform that action.The Thunderbolt does it all for you rebooting several times a day all on its own usually at the worst times imaginable, you know like in the middle of a phone call.

Now before someone says the obvious that it was just a bad phone, let me say that forums are full of people all with the same complaints and after going through 2 phones myself with the same problems I would have say that it is not an isolated issue. In fact HTC just pushed out an update that was supposed to fix the data connection issue, which in my experience it didn't by the way and actually made my rebooting issue worse!

So there I was at the Verizon store once again trying to find a phone that meets a certain set of standards. You know something that gets me through a full day without having to charge it, makes phone calls, stays connected to the internet, and above all stays turned on. Is that asking for too much for ones money? We'll see.

I now have my Thunderbolt sitting on my desk doing what it does do well, being a paperweight, while I setup its replacement, the Incredible 2 which believe it or not early on is also giving cause for concern besides the obvious fact that I just wasted my last available upgrade only a little over a month after using one. I'll give HTC's latest Verizon phone a few days before getting too worried but stay tuned for more on that in the near future.

Anyone want to buy a paperweight Thunderbolt?

UPDATE 5/23: Further highlighting the issue, my Incredible 2 would lose cell signal consistently at my house so back it went to Verizon. Instead of pressing my luck with a different Incredible or another handset I decided to root my Thunderbolt and loaded the BAMF Remix v1.6.3 ROM. So far I have yet to experience 1 reboot and my battery life has been amazing (Ok, not really but by Thunderbolt standards it has been).

Verizon Is Teasing Us Once Again

Last month Verizon sent out a cryptic tweet announcing that a "mess" of new cities would be going live on their 4G network within a day or so. Their idea of a mess ending up being like 5 or 6 cities, none of which were Sioux Falls.

Fast forward to today and Verizon's latest tease intimating another batch of new 4G cities going live. Of course at the time of this writing the link given doesn't give us even a hint of which markets they are talking about so if you are in Sioux Falls and have either the Thunderbolt, the Droid Charge which is supposedly on sale starting today, or one of the 4g modems, keep your eyes peeled and cross all your fingers and toes.

Still More AT&T Issues

To say it hasn't been a smooth transition here in South Dakota for AT&T would be an understatement. Confusion by former Alltel customers trying to convert to the new system, equipment failures preventing customers from making calls and now we are learning that  AT&T customers can't connect to South Dakota's 511 systemwhich gives drivers information on current road conditions. Some callers are even being connected to the North Dakota system by mistake.

The South Dakota Department of Transportation and AT&T Mobility are working to resolve an issue that has prevented some AT&T cell phone customers from connecting with the 511 Traveler Information Service.

Callers in some locations have received messages saying, “Your call cannot be completed as dialed." Others have been connected to North Dakota’s 511 service instead of South Dakota’s.

Of course with the numerous complaints over AT&T's coverage issues when compared to Alltel's, making a phone call of any kind seems to be a much bigger issue for many...

Thunderbolt Update Today?

Rumor number 2 has Verizon Wireless releasing an update for their 1st 4G phone the HTC Thunderbolt sometime today. (my review)

The update supposedly includes enhanced data connectivity for 3G, proper storage of SMS and MMS messages, and improved timing for device activation. The update will also fix the bug causing "Backup Assistant" to display improperly in the app menu as well as data-centric applications such as Facebook, and Yahoo Mail receiving stability improvements. Lastly it should fix the issue of the weather app finding the correct location.

You will notice though, nothing is mentioned about the update doing anything to fix the ridiculously horrific battery life...

UPDATE: Verizon confirms on Twitter.

New iMacs Coming Today?

For you Apple fans out there, the Apple Store is down this morning and the rumor is that a refresh of the iMac line will be forthcoming. According to the aforementioned rumor, the new all-in-one desktop will come in four basic configurations: 21.5-inch, 2.7 GHz quad-core; 27-inch, 2.7 GHz quad-core; 27-inch, 3.1 GHz quad-core; and 27-inch, 3.4 GHz quad-core. All units will start out with Quad-Core Sandy Bridge processors, 4GB ram, and a 1TB hard drive and as is usually the case with Apple, will require that you mortgage your house to get one.

Anyone excited?

UPDATE 7:45am: The store update is complete and the new iMacs have arrived. Press release below

Apple Announces New iMac With Next Generation Quad-Core Processors, Graphics & Thunderbolt I/O Technology

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple® today updated its signature all-in-one iMac® with next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, groundbreaking high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and a new FaceTime® HD camera. Starting at $1,199, the new iMac is up to 70 percent faster and new graphics deliver up to three times the performance of the previous generation.*

“Our customers love the iMac’s aluminum enclosure, gorgeous display and all-in-one design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better.”

The new iMac features quad-core Intel Core i5 processors with an option for customers to choose Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz. These next generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding. With new AMD Radeon HD graphics processors, the new iMac has the most powerful graphics ever in an all-in-one desktop.

iMac is the first desktop computer on the market to include groundbreaking Thunderbolt I/O technology. The 21.5-inch iMac has a single Thunderbolt port while the 27-inch model features two ports for even greater expansion. Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, Thunderbolt enables expandability never before possible on an all-in-one computer. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, Thunderbolt delivers PCI Express directly to external high performance peripherals such as RAID arrays, and can support FireWire® and USB consumer devices, and Gigabit Ethernet networks via adapters. Thunderbolt also supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Freely available for implementation on systems, cables and devices, Thunderbolt technology is expected to be widely adopted as a new standard for high performance I/O.

iMac includes a built-in FaceTime HD camera and Apple’s innovative FaceTime software for crisp, widescreen video calling the whole family can enjoy. The new camera supports high definition video calls between all FaceTime HD-enabled Macs and standard resolution calls with iPad® 2, iPhone® 4, the current generation iPod touch® and other Intel-based Macs. The iMac continues to feature its signature aluminum and glass design, gorgeous IPS LED-backlit high resolution display, SD card slot and comes with Apple’s innovative Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, Apple’s desktop line is a leader in green design. The iMac meets stringent Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold rating.** iMac features LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. iMac uses PVC-free components and cables, contains no brominated flame retardants, uses highly recyclable materials and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Every Mac comes with Mac OS® X Snow Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife®, Apple’s innovative suite of applications for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Snow Leopard builds on more than a decade of innovation and includes the Mac App Store℠ for finding great new apps for your Mac. iLife ’11 features iPhoto® with stunning full screen views for browsing, editing and sharing photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use tools to transform home videos into fun theatrical trailers; and GarageBand® with new ways to improve your playing and create great sounding songs.

Pricing & Availability

The new iMac is available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The 21.5-inch iMac is available in two configurations: one with a 2.5 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6750M and 500GB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,199 (US); and one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,499 (US). The new 27-inch iMac is available in two models: one with a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6770M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,699 (US); and one with a 3.1 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon HD 6970M and 1TB hard drive for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US).

Configure-to-order options include faster Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.4 GHz, additional hard drive capacity up to 2TB, a 256GB solid state drive, additional DDR3 memory and AppleCare® Protection Plan. Additional technical specifications and configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/imac.

*Testing conducted by Apple in April 2011 using preproduction iMac configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/imac/features.html.

**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed within the EPA ENERGY STAR 5.2 energy database as of April 2011. EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple’s PR website (www.apple.com/pr), or call Apple’s Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

© 2011 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, FaceTime, FireWire, iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Snow Leopard, iLife, App Store, iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, Apple Store and Apple Care are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.