Verizon Wireless purchased $315 million worth of spectrum from Cox Communications

Verizon Wireless has added more spectrum to their portfolio this week in a deal that cost the company $315 million. Included in the deal is the fact that Verizon and Cox Communication will resell the services each company provides to the residential and commercial customers. Verizon has just completed a similar deal with other cable companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks. The deal also gives Cox the option to resell Verizon services under their own brand name and the company will also be included in an innovation technology joint venture.
The President of Cox Communications, Pat Esser, said “These agreements provide Cox customers with key enablers to mobility, such as access to Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network and iconic wireless devices. We look forward to the many benefits this will bring to customers.” Cox Communication got the spectrum from a partnership with Spectrum Co., but after the spectrum auction, the company was looking into developing its own wireless network and left the partnership. The company then made a deal with Sprint Nextel and started selling wireless phone service in 2010.
Verizon has slowly been expanding its 4G LTE network further into each corner of the country and this deal will add another 28 million people under that coverage. Cox Communications subscribers will also get the benefit of the premium services that Verizon Wireless provide. In the deal made earlier this month with Spectrum Co, Verizon was able to expand their 4G LTE services to over 250 million more people at the cost of about $3.6 billion. Dan Mead, who is the President and CEO of Verizon Wireless said, “Spectrum is the raw material on which wireless networks are built, and buying the AWS spectrum now solidifies our network leadership into the future, and will enable us to bring even better 4G LTE products and services to our customers.”
With an agreement like this you can clearly see that Verizon Wireless is set on taking up as much spectrum and reaching as much of the country as possible to expand their fast 4G LTE service. It’s an easy business decision on Verizon’s part and it also shows that by partnering up with cable companies throughout the country, those companies are not into developing their own wireless networks. This leaves the market wide open for current mobile carriers without the threat of another company taking market share from them.

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Verizon Galaxy Nexus: Significant signal issues arise

Many of us, including myself, have been waiting months for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus to finally hit the US. And now that it finally has on Verizon Wireless, my experience has been less than perfect. The signal has continued to drop since purchase, and my previous 4G phone on Big Red had great signal strength.

When the signal doesn’t drop – it just hangs in 3G and an “Airplane Mode” toggle is required to get 4G back up and running. But here’s the catch, the signal was excellent for the 4 hours I used it before installing the 4.0.2 update. I thought it may have just been my device or even area, but many others are experiencing these issues over in a thread at XDA Developers.
Now one user, mastibeta, spent time on the phone with Verizon tech support and they seemed to not only fix the 4G lock on his device, but also double his data speeds. Lets hope it’s a software issue and not hardware; the Nexus S 4G had its share of signal issues and hopefully the Galaxy Nexus doesn’t follow suit. All of us here at Android Community using Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus are having similar signal problems – so we know there is an issue at hand.
Are any of you having signal issues? If so, please let us know in the comments below.

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Motorola DROID RAZR Maxx appears in Verizon System

We’ve heard the name Maxx before and now it appears that the RAZR Maxx is indeed real and coming, we just don’t know when. The RAZR Maxx name was first spotted earlier this month and could be one of the many different variants of the RAZR we’ve seen online. Today it has appeared again giving it even more mystery.

According to some new screenshots from Verizon we now have even more confirmation that the device does exist and Verizon is getting prepped. The image below is the name clearly being added into the Verizon system at some point yesterday. If we see another RAZR before the end of the year I wouldn’t be surprised. If it’s better than the DROID RAZR I have a feeling there will be some angry people with buyers remorse.

For now we mostly just have rumored specs but being MAXX it would need to be better than the original you’d think. We’ve heard a few reports of a larger display with a 1280 x 720p HD display and that huge 13MP camera like China’s model of the RAZR. For now the RAZR Maxx has been bumped up above the “rumor” category but that is as far as we’ll take it until we get further details.
[via Droid-Life]

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Here’s what the Verizon Galaxy Nexus looks like on the inside

These days it’s a rite of passage for every new and high-profile gadget: the moment when its tender casing is torn from its frame and all its silicon guts are spilled for the world to see. That time has already come for the HSPA+ version of the Galaxy Nexus, and ZD Net has given Verizon’s LTE version the teardown treatment as well. If you’re wondering what the inside of the very first Ice Cream Sandwich phone looks like, well, here it is.

There are no real surprises in the teardown. The micro SIM card (as opposed to a mini SIM card) is still slightly novel, but hardly unique. Samsung phones are pretty slim, but hardly impossible to crack as smartphones go; the DROID RAZR, with its armored construction and teeny tiny seams, is a lot harder. A couple of non-standard screwdrivers is all it takes to separate pretty much every bit of plastic, metal and circuit board.

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What Mods Have You Applied to Your Verizon Galaxy Nexus

So with the device being out in the United States for just over 24 hours now, we’re wondering what you new and even existing Galaxy Nexus owners have been doing to your phones? Personally, I’ve already unlocked the bootloader, applied Paul’s superboot script for one-click root, installed a custom recovery and even installed a custom ROM (though I did roll back to my stock rooted build after a few hours).

More than ROMs, there are a few little things you can apply to your device to make your experience that much better. We’ve got the search button embedded into the navigation bar, constant menu buttons in the navigation bar, a mod that lets you get rid of the constant Google Search bar on the homescreen, custom kernels and a whole lot more. Let’s hear what you’ve done in the comments section below!

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And Just Like That – Google Wallet Has Been Successfully Installed On The Verizon Galaxy Nexus

Not sure if this is more of a “Booyah!” or “In your face!” moment but despite Verizon’s greatest efforts, Google Wallet has successfully been installed on the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. You can even take advantage of Google’s bonus $10 of spending cash to get you started on your new NFC journey. As usual, all the fun stuff comes after rooting your device and this is no different with the Galaxy Nexus. Google Wallet can be found and flashed using the ROM Manager app found in the Android Market.
Thanks to @myz06vette and @dl_evans!
[Market Link]

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Amazon Now Offering Verizon Galaxy Nexus for $150 to New Customers, $200-$250 for Existing Customers

After scoping out some deals from rival retailers Amazonhas updated their pricing for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. New customers of Verizon’s can get the phone for a low $150. If you’re an existing customer on an individual line, a still-attractive $200 price tag awaits you. If you’re on a family plan you’ll get $50 off its retail price at $250. Not bad at all, but be sure to consider the backorder date Amazon is currently displaying – it might be more than a week before you even see the thing. Head over there now to check the deals out for yourself. [Amazon, Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

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ClockworkMod Recovery now available for Verizon Galaxy Nexus

Alright, so now you’ve got your Verizon branded Samsung Galaxy Nexus – finally. What’s the first thing you’re going to do? Root it and install ClockworkMod recovery of course! A compatible CWM recovery was available for the international unlocked version of the Galaxy Nexus, but until recently the LTE model wasn’t supported. For those of you that don’t know what CWM is – the rest of this post may not be for you.

This morning, the first thing I did was keep refreshing the Galaxy Nexus Android Development forum for updates to the CWM port – yet the development team was still having some issues. Mainly with the Android 4.0.2 update Google recently pushed out; users were reporting that root wouldn’t stick, and neither would CWM. But XDA Developer open1your1eyes0 posted a “Final Version” – ClockworkMod 5.5.0.4 for Galaxy Nexus *CDMA Edition* – and it works great.
You may have been through a similar process with your previous device (and practically identical if you’re coming from a Nexus), but if not here are the general installation instructions. First you’ll need to unlock the bootloader, as most retail versions ship locked down. Next, flash CWM recovery. Reboot – and then boot into fastboot mode by holding both volume buttons down and then pressing power. You should then be able to select Recovery! It has been confirmed to be working by many, but as always flash with caution – and good luck!
[via XDA Developers]

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Verizon 4G LTE hits 11 new cities today, available to over 200 million people

Who wants some 4G LTE to go along with the Galaxy Nexus? In the same fashion as they’ve done all year Verizon has flipped the switch and gave the green light to 11 new cities to access their 4G LTE spectrum starting today. Verizon’s 4G LTE recently celebrated its 1 year birthday and in that short amount of time they’ve reached almost 200 markets and offer 4G LTE to over 200 million Americans nationwide.

Verizon has continued to unleash their blazing fast speeds on new markets almost every 2-3 weeks for the better part of 6 months and now offer 3G LTE to 190 markets across the US. Not only that, but many markets that already have 4G LTE also got an update today with expanded coverage. Here’s the list provided by Verizon below.

New Markets:
Dover, DE
Lafayette, IN
Fitchburg/Leominster, MA
Duluth, MN
The Rochester Area, MN
St. Cloud, MN
Manchester/Nashua, NH
Poughkeepsie, NY
Findlay/Tiffin, OH
Youngstown/Warren, OH
Indiana, PN

Expanding Markets:
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Washington D.C.
Savannah, GA
Chicagoland, ILL
Baltimore, MD
Hagerstown, MD
Speaking of 4G LTE, Verizon’s newest 4G capable phone as you all know is the Samsung Galaxy Nexus — just launched today.  Verizon has far exceeded their goals for the 2011 LTE rollout and no other carrier at the moment even comes close. I’m sure we’ll have more cities to add to this list within the next few weeks so stay tuned. Below is a Timeline that should give you a “complete picture” of Verizon’s 4G LTE lately.

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Verizon Releases Official Statement Regarding Galaxy Nexus, But It Doesn’t Get Us Off of Square One

So Verizon has finally communicated regarding the Galaxy Nexus launch. Android & Me got a statement from the folks at Big Red stating that the device is still on track to launch this year and that they will indeed be issuing a press release to announce availability (which kills my quiet launch theory). There’s just no word on when that press release will be issued. Here’s their full quote:

The Galaxy Nexus is still on track to launch this year. We will definitely send a press release to announce availability. Feel free to visit www.verizonwireless.com/galaxynexus to sign up for email alerts to be one of the first to know.

And there you have it – the communication we all asked for but not exactly the answer we were looking for. We have no choice but to accept it anyway.

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Verizon’s white DROID RAZR on sale tomorrow, mum’s the word on the Galaxy Nexus

If you’ve been holding on to your three hundred bones, waiting on the prospect of chillier version of the Motorola DROID RAZR to land in time for Christmas, you needn’t wait much longer. Verizon announced availability for the white variant via press release, just one day shy of its December 15th debut. Speed freaks and fashionistas can pick one up tomorrow at the regular $299 on-contract price.

There’s also the deal for a select group of consumers who want both a Verizon 4G LTE smartphone and tablet: buy a new DROID RAZR and you can take an extra hundred dollars off the price of a DROID XYBOARD tablet. Since the cheapest 8.2-inch XYBOARD is $429.99, that makes for an attractive offer – but only if you really want two multi-year contracts. 

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Netflix could get scooped up by Verizon for 4.6 Billion

Rumors suggest video streaming service, Netflix, could get purchased by Verizon Wireless for $4.6 Billion. The source also revealed Verizon has been currently looking for a way to minimize costs for video streaming, thus Netflix sounds like an excellent company to get involved with. Netflix is already available for practically every capable Android device, so syncing it within a service would be amazing.

However, we just heard yesterday Verizon was preparing a service with RedBox termed “Project Zeotrope”. This service would allow subscribers to pay for credits prior to a media purchase. Then of course, the media would be available for up to 24 hours after a rental. Could Veizon be dealing with both RedBox and Netflix? It seems like they would pick one of the two.
Verizon using Netflix technology to stream both movies and TV shows would practically eliminate the need for their Verizon Video application. Verizon Video already has a great selection with the latest TV episodes on many channels, and tied in with the vast Netflix library it couldn’t get much better. Of course, it helps to operate all of this over a WiFi connection – streaming video takes quite the toll on your allowed data usage.
[via TalkAndroid]

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Any Verizon 4G phone marked down $100, but there’s a catch…

This may be some excellent news for those of you looking to pick up a Samsung Galaxy Nexus (or any other Verizon 4G phone for that matter). Verizon has been contacting some of its customers with a $100 instant rebate to any of their 4G phones if their customer was previously the owner of a 3G-only smartphone. Though they’ve been contacting select customers – all Verizon subscribers that fall into this situation are eligible.

The source comes directly from Verizon via Reddit user Prevo. They state that “The discount will apply if you are upgrading to a 4G phone and currently do not have one”. Now those of you interested in signing up for a new line of service with Verizon may not fall into this category; however, carriers are known for sweetening the deal to lure you into a new 2 year contract. So if you’re like me, on Thursday when you roll into your local Verizon retailer, you’ll mention this deal and see if they will honor it for new customers as well.
This will put the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Motorola DROID RAZR both at $199.99 – a great deal indeed. And seeing as how the DROID Bionic was already reduced, this promotion will let you nab one for only $99.99. I’m not sure how long this deal will last, but I certainly presume throughout the holiday season. Many OG DROID users are finally out of a contract, and Verizon is surely eager to keep them on their network.
[via Reddit]

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Galaxy Nexus delayed because of Google Wallet conflict

After Verizon Wireless partnered with ISIS to support their future NFC payment service, there was skepticism whether or not this was indeed the reason Google Wallet was to be unsupported on the Galaxy Nexus. It turns out this little feature may be the cause for the seemingly infinite delays, and until Verizon and Google sort it out – we may not see the Nexus on shelves. A source over at Phandroid mentioned the new target date for the Galaxy Nexus will be December 15th, but don’t get excited quite yet.

The misunderstanding between Google Wallet needs to be mended soon, because many loyal Google Nexus fans are quietly rioting throughout the net. No, this is in no way destructive. But they all have one thing in common – they aren’t pointing the finger at Google, Verizon is taking all the heat. Considering an unlocked version is already available in Canada or internationally, Nexus fans can easily jump carriers if they’re due for an upgrade.
Verizon should at least show some courtesy and announce their future plans of the Galaxy Nexus, not to just keep subscribers from changing carriers, but to let us know what the hold up is. I’m sure many would be more than understanding from the delays if there was a legitimate reason to postpone the device. It would only suit them to reach out to the public at this point.
[via Phandroid]

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Verizon reseller says the Galaxy Nexus releases December 15th

Once more, with feeling. After Verizon apparently cancelled the December 9th launch of the highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the rumor mill is buzzing with December 15th as the popular date for the latest non-delay delay. After some independent investigating from Android Community, this appears to be the case. This is not a confirmation, but a second-party Verizon reseller said that the phone would be released next Thursday. We’ve also heard December 15th from another source, who wishes to remain anonymous.

This morning we called up Verizon’s customer support looking to order the Galaxy Nexus, on the off chance that the rumors surrounding its continued delay were greatly exaggerated. While we couldn’t order the phone itself, the Verizon representative said that it had indeed been scheduled for release today, but that the date had been changed at the last minute. The representative did not have a new date available to her, or would not give it.
We then called a second-party retailer, which has its own chain of stores but also sells Verizon devices and service. The store had Verizon’s LTE version of the Galaxy Nexus in stock, but couldn’t sell it due to restrictions from Verizon. When we pressed for a release date, the manager kindly called Verizon on our behalf. The manager responded that Verizon would authorize them to sell the Galaxy Nexus at the opening of business on Thursday, December 15th.
Once again, we stress that this is not a solid, confirmed date – it’s information acquired second-hand from someone who’d like to sell the Galaxy Nexus just as much as you’d like to buy it. But this new date jives the reports from other sites and we’ve now heard it from multiple sources, so it’s the best we can hope for at the moment. There’s nothing keeping Verizon from bumping its internal date back once again, if indeed Thursday is the day that the phone is scheduled to go one sale.

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Confirmed: DROID Xyboard Tablets Will Be in Stores December 12th; Already Available Online

Verizon’s confirmed what we’ve all been hearing regarding the DROID Xyboard’s release date. As we saw yesterday, they became available for purchase online. Usually when Verizon does an online only release, an in-store launch follows just three days later. In a press release today, they have confirmed that the device will indeed be available for purchasein stores on December 12th, just as rumors have said.

While Verizon refers to the DROID Xyboard as if it’s just one tablet, there are actually several different configurations to choose from in both size and storage. You can get 8.2 inch models with either 16GB or 32GB of data, while 10.1 inch models will be available with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage, bringing the total amount of configurations to five.

• The DROID XYBOARD 10.1 will be available in three models: 16 GB for $529.99 and 32 GB for $629.99. The 64 GB model will be available online for $729.99. All three with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 will be available in two models: 16 GB for $429.99 and 32 GB for $529.99, both with a new two-year customer agreement.

All models are equipped with Verizon’s 4G LTE radios alongside some other common specs. We’re looking at a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, Android 3.2 (Android 4.0 coming later) and more. Read on for more details and consider purchasing one online if you can’t wait until Monday to check one out in stores.

DROID XYBOARD Tablets Available Today from Verizon Wireless

12/09/2011

The DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and DROID XYBOARD 8.2 by Motorola are available online starting today at www.verizonwireless.com. Both tablets will be in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Monday, Dec. 12. For a limited time only, customers can take advantage of a special promotion and receive $100 off a DROID XYBOARD tablet with the purchase of a DROID RAZR™ by Motorola with a new two-year customer agreement.

Lighter than a paperback book and thinner than an AAA battery, the DROID XYBOARD tablets feature Android™ 3.2 Honeycomb, the blazing speeds of Verizon Wireless’ 4G LTE network, enterprise-grade security and the power of dual-core 1.2 GHz processors. Both tablets will be upgraded to Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Plus, they are equipped with MotoCast™ for remote access to non DRM-protected music, pictures, videos and documents stored on work or home computers’ hard drives. DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and 8.2 customers can soar through the Web at blazing download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of 2 to 5 Mbps within 4G LTE Mobile Broadband coverage areas.
Pricing:

• The DROID XYBOARD 10.1 will be available in three models: 16 GB for $529.99 and 32 GB for $629.99. The 64 GB model will be available online for $729.99. All three with a new two-year customer agreement.
• The DROID XYBOARD 8.2 will be available in two models: 16 GB for $429.99 and 32 GB for $529.99, both with a new two-year customer agreement.
• Customers that purchase a DROID XYBOARD tablet will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband data plan starting at $30 monthly access for 2 GB of data.

Customers can visit www.droiddoes.com/xyboard for information about the DROID XYBOARD tablets by Motorola. For more information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go towww.verizonwireless.com.

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Samsung Galaxy Nexus boxes arriving at Verizon and RadioShack. Still not for sale.

It’s almost cruel running this story, but news is news. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus has already begun shipment to a few Verizon and RadioShack stores – and there’s a picture to prove it. The bad news is – we’re not getting one. Another leaked email states retailers must not under any circumstances sell these units unless they receive word from corporate.

It’s really starting to look like December 14th as the final launch date, but lets not kid ourselves – we still haven’t a clue. Yet, we have come away with some very important information from all this. One, we know the device exists – and two, we know precisely where it is! The fact may be that Verizon didn’t want to launch three superior phones in such a short timespan. The Motorola DROID RAZR and HTC Rezound are amazing devices, and they may just want our Galaxy Nexus to shine on the pedestal it rightfully deserves. However, there’s no excuse for the lack of advertising and absence of information.

We shouldn’t have to piece together info for months that could easily be conveyed to the public in a matter of seconds.

[via Phandroid]

Related articles

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus to retail for $299 on contract (tech-gadget.co.in)
• Newest Verizon launch dates rumor: Galaxy Nexus December 9, Droid 4 December 22, and more (tech-gadget.co.in)

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ZTE pushes for the high end, starts with 7-inch V66 Verizon LTE tablet

At the moment, ZTE is one in a field of Chinese hardware makers that do well enough on low and mid-range devices here in the US. Like Huawei, the company hopes to change that in the upcoming year, and it looks like their first attempt will be with Verizon. The G-men at the FCC have got their hands on said device, and it looks promising.

The V66 was previously announced with a 1.2Ghz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, plus a 1280 x 800 resolution screen – an absolute must for a tablet that wants to be considered high-end. Android 3.2 will provide the software end, and while an Ice Cream Sandwich update before launch is technically possible, it would be much more likely to come afterwards. You can see from the filing and the logo that it uses Verizon’s LTE network. All these specifications add up to a device that just slightly beats the T-Mobile Springboard, AKA the Huawei Mediapad. That tablet didn’t fare well at all in our review, but not because of the hardware.
Verizon doesn’t currently offer and of ZTE’s Android devices, so a branded tablet could help bump up the company’s mindshare in the US… if it is ZTE branded. There’s nothing in the FCC filing to show the ZTE logo, and carriers have a nasty habit of simply ignoring smaller manufacturers, as in the Springboard, or even larger ones, as in LG’s “T-Mobile” G2x. And of course, it’s got to sell, but then there’s room in Verizon’s lineup for a smaller tablet device. We’ll see when the V66 launches, likely in Q1 2012.
[via Engadget]

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Verizon LTE is back up, Motorola DROID 4 is a no-show

Yesterday Verizon had an embarrassing hiccup in its nationwide 3G and 4G LTE service, with no prospective time for repair. Well, reports are coming in that service has been restored around the country, including the Midwest, where the outage was particularly severe. But there may have been at least one casualty: the Motorola DROID 4, which was set to release today in various internal documents.

There’s no official confirmation on the latest entry in the original DROID line, so it’s not as if the phone is delayed. And perhaps the company had already pushed the launch back, as it appears to have done with the Galaxy Nexus. Again. But a major outage of 4G service just before the LTE-equipped DROID 4 appears in stores may have dampened the company’s zeal for a big release – it’s certainly caused no end of frustration to to its customers. The outage came just a day after Consumer Reports ranked Verizon the most reliable wireless provider in the country.
If you’re craving LTE speeds with a full QWERTY keyboard and cutting edge specs, the DROID 4 is pretty much your only option on Verizon, unless you’d like to settle for the Samsung Stratosphere. The DROID 4 matches the DROID RAZR almost note for note, with the exceptions being its 4-inch LCD screen, removable battery and an understandably thicker profile. It’s quite likely that Verizon will make the official announcement soon, as they’ve already officially shown two new DROID XYBOARD (AKA XOOM 2) tablets and a white-clad DROID RAZR.

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Verizon and Redbox team up for movie streaming

The way this new service may work, termed “Project Zoetrope” for now, is you’ll pay for credits prior to purchase, and then use those credits to attain your desired content. My guess is, you’ll spend a credit on a streamable rental, and then have access to it for the next 24 hours. Below is a device compatibility chart that seems to confirm platforms and services offered. The most interesting feature, that Netflix doesn’t offer, is Live TV. It doesn’t seem like this project will launch with it, but definitely suggests it as a future possiblity.

It’s still too early to tell when we may see the actual app, or even if it will be exclusive to Verizon Wireless customers. Hopefully not, because limiting such a service will drastically minimize subscribers. I also don’t see the app as a feature worth jumping carriers for, especially when Netflix streams HD video to my devices already.
[via Phandroid]

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