Forget the Mac-PC ad war – Verizon Wireless has launched three new Christmas-themed ads mocking AT&T’s 3G network and the “naughty” iPhone that runs on it. This Holiday season we are watching the unforgiving fight between the red hot challenger Verizon in one corner and the powerful marketing machine Apple and its long-time companion AT&T sweating in the other.

After the nation’s #1 wireless company taunted the 3G coverage of the #2 wireless operator, derided the iPhone’s weak spots, and aired a high-tech DROID by Motorola advertising campaign, Verizon Wireless is again taking aim at Apple and AT&T with three new Christmas-themed ads all targeting the AT&T’s supposedly poor 3G coverage. Verizon Wireless ads combine computer animation, catchy holiday tunes, and entertaining ideas, creating moments that certainly stick in mind in the run-up to Christmas.

The first ad depicts the iPhone among Misfit Toys on the North Pole (Misfit Toys). The poor iPhone shrugs helplessly as the AT&T 3G coverage map appears above it. The second ad, dubbed “Elves,” shows a factory where elves are packing Christmas presents moving along on a conveyor belt (VZW Elves). When Steve’s name is announced for the next present, the power shuts down and the lights go out. Another worker has to turn the power switch back on. The worker filling the box announces “Naughty!” as the AT&T 3G map appears. The female supervisor mutters “Good luck browsing the web with THAT one!”

The third ad explores the classic Christmas theme – Dad trying to connect to his family. It’s snowing, he’s frustrated and (again) the AT&T’s 3G coverage map hovers above him. (VZW Blue Christmas). When he arrives home, we see his son running joyfully to hug him. Glancing at the table, Dad notices a small red-wrapped present labeled with “Dad.” Verizon’s 3G coverage map pops up, with the following voice-over: “Want 3G web browsing in more places? There’s a map for that!” The Verizon Wireless network has saved Christmas and brought the family together.

Interestingly, we’ll watch to see how AT&T responds and if the conversation shifts from the network to iPhone vs Android. For a comparison of how the iPhone stacks up to some of the most popular Android phones, check out our comparison page.

1. Connect your Android phone to your computer using the microUSB to USB cable.
2. If you are using a PC, you will see an installation bubble pop up in the bottom right of your screen. Wait for the computer to successfully complete installation.
3. The critical step: On your Android phone, pull down the notification window (aka ‘window shade’) and tap USB connected.
4. A notification window will appear. Tap Mount. Your phone will enter USB storage mode.
5. Find the removable storage drive. On a PC, navigate to My Computer and look for a new removable storage drive. On a Mac, the drive will appear on your desktop.
6. Drag-and-drop the desired file(s) to the drive.
7. In your phone’s notification window, tap Turn off USB storage.
8. Unplug your phone and you’re all set.

Severe Storm Warning: BlackBerry Storm 2 to be $.99, Bold 2 FREE at Wirefly

As Black Friday and Cyber Monday rapidly approaches, Wirefly is cautioning consumers to seek shelter from Category 5 lines and stratospheric cell phone prices. On Black Friday, the BlackBerry Storm2 for Verizon Wireless will be just $.99 and the BlackBerry Bold 9700 will be FREE for new AT&T customers and just $29.99 for upgrading AT&T subscribers. Both deals will blow in with $0 activation.

BlackBerry Storm2 (Verizon Wireless):

$.99 ($9.99 Saturday through Monday) for new Verizon customers and $29.99 for upgrading subscribers on Black Friday (24 hour sale) Plus Free Activation

BlackBerry Bold 9700 (AT&T):

FREE for new AT&T customers and $29.99 for upgrading subscribers 11/27-11/30 Plus Free Activation

Samsung Moment (Sprint):

$79.99 for new Sprint customers and $99.99 for upgrading subscribers on Black Friday

The iPhone drives a lot of interest in the cell phone market these days. And newly arriving on the market is the much anticipated Palm Pre from Sprint. So, for those customers who need the full-featured power of a smartphone, we compare four strong PDA alternatives to the iPhone and Palm Pre.

	iPhone 3GS	Palm Pre	BlackBerry Curve 8900	BlackBerry Storm	BlackBerry Tour	BlackBerry Flip
Camera Megapizels	3 MP	3 MP	3.2 MP	3.2 MP	3.2 MP	2 MP
Applications Available	App Store	Sprint Digital Lounge	BlackBerry App World	BlackBerry App World	BlackBerry App World	BlackBerry App World
Productivity Apps *	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Entertainment Apps ++	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Voice-dialing	YES	NO	YES	YES	NO	YES
Music Options	iTunes	Sprint Music Store	MP3	V CAST with Rhapsody	MP3	V CAST with Rhapsody
Memory Card Slot	NO	NO	YES	YES	YES	YES
Removable Battery	NO	YES	YES	YES	YES	YES
Network	HSDPA/EDGE	EV-DO Rev. A	EDGE	EV-DO Rev. A	EV-DO Rev. A / HSDPA	GPRS/EDGE
Top Data Speed	7.2 mbps	3.1 mbps	2.4 mbps	3.1 mbps	3.6 mbps	2.4 mbps
Weight	4.8 oz.	4.8 oz.	3.9 oz.	5.5 oz.	4.6 oz.	3.6 oz.
Dimensions	4.5" x 2.4" x 0.5"	3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7"	2.4" x 4.3" x 0.5"	4.4" x 2.5" x 0.6"	4.4" x 2.4" x 0.6"	4.0" x 2.0" x 0.7"
Price	$199 for 16 GB version or $299 for 32 GB version with a new account and 2-year activation with select AT&T iPhone plans	$99.99 after instant discount with a new Sprint account	FREE after instant discount with a new AT&T or T-Mobile account	FREE after instant discount with a new Verizon Wireless account	$29.99 after instant discount with a new Verizon Wireless account $99.99 after instant discount with a new Sprint account	FREE after instant discount with a new Verizon Wireless or T-Mobile account
Service Plans (unlimited)	$99.99 – voice; $30.00 – data; $20.00 – messaging	$99.99 – voice, data, and messaging	AT&T: $99.99 – voice; $30.00 – data; $20.00 – messaging; T-Mobile: $59.99 – voice; $30.00 – data; $10.00 – messaging	$149.99 – voice, data, and messaging	Verizon: $149.99 – voice, data, and messaging; Sprint: $99.99 – voice, data, and messaging	Verizon: $149.99 – voice, data, and messaging; T-Mobile: $59.99 – voice; $30.00 – data; $10.00 – messaging
Total Cost over 24 months (excludes taxes)	$3,800 for 16 GB or $3,900 for 32 GB	$2,500	AT&T: $3,600; T-Mobile: $2,400	$3,600	Verizon: $3,630; Sprint: $2,500	Verizon: $3,600; T-Mobile: $2,400
See More Phones	AT&T	Sprint	AT&T T-Mobile	Verizon Wireless	Verizon Wireless Sprint	T-Mobile Verizon Wireless

*Productivity Apps include, but are not limited to, mobile banking, instant messenger, shopping, ReCall and TurboPasswords.

++Entertainment Apps include, but are not limited to, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Pandora Radio, YouTube, Need for Speed and Fandango.

Wirefly is the Internet’s #1 authorized dealer for AT&T Wireless, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. This offer is fulfilled by Simplexity, LLC, an authorized dealer for Alltel Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. This offer is only available with select service plans and a two-year subscriber agreement, and is subject to eligibility check by Alltel Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, including credit approval or deposit for new customers. Discounted phone offer applies to primary and second lines only. Discount will be invalid if the rate plan is changed to a lower monthly service rate, or if this equipment is transferred to another line of service. Not all US markets are served by Alltel Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. Activation and early termination fees apply. Additional restrictions apply. See full offer for details. Offer valid for a limited time only.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other AT&T marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Verizon Wireless Surcharges (incl. Fed. Univ. Svc. of 9.5% of interstate & int¹l telecom charges (varies quarterly), 7¢ Regulatory & 85¢ Administrative/line/mo., & others by area) are not taxes (details: 1-888-684-1888); gov¹t taxes & our surcharges could add 4% – 36% to your bill. Activation fee/line: $35 ($25 for secondary Family SharePlan lines w/ 2 yr Agmts). Verizon Wireless and the Verizon Wireless logos are trademarks of Verizon Trademark Services LLC © 2009 Verizon Wireless.

The Behold II is equipped with a crisp 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, full Microsoft Exchange support, WiFi, GPS, and a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and video capture capabilities.

Check out Wirefly’s video review (at right) for a comprehensive look at the ups and downs of the Samsung Behold II.

If you’ve been been debating adding another line to your AT&T account, Wirefly is making your decision a tad bit easier. For a limited time, get a free LG Neon, Vu or Incite when you add a new line to your existing AT&T account. The holidays aren’t here just yet, but as they say, “The early bird gets the worm.”

Click here to take advantage of this special offer.

]]> /learn/company_news/att-add-line-free-lg-phone/feed/ 0 /learn/uncategorized/samsung-behold-ii-unboxing-hands-on/ /learn/uncategorized/samsung-behold-ii-unboxing-hands-on/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:01:52 +0000 Ari Driessen /learn/?p=4929 By Ari Driessen

While the nation’s other major carriers are just getting around to launching their first Android-powered smartphones, Android veteran T-Mobile continues to lead the charge, releasing their fourth Android handset in the form of the Samsung Behold II.

As of late, Samsung has been incorporating its ubiquitous TouchWiz interface into virtually every new phone it pumps out — and the Behold II is, surprisingly enough, no different. Following in the footsteps of HTC’s Sense user interface and Motorola’s MOTOBLUR, TouchWiz brings a changed look and feature set to the Android platform, including a unique interactive cube for navigating media content.

The Behold II is equipped with a crisp 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, Microsoft Exchange support, WiFi, GPS, and a 5-megapixel camera with auto-focus and video capture capabilities.

Check out Wirefly’s unboxing at right for a quick look at the Behold II and what goodies come along in the box, and stay tuned for a full video review of Samsung’s latest Android-loving phone.

The sleek and slim Palm Pixi, fondly referred to by some here at Wirefly as the little brother to the Palm Pre, is Palm’s second webOS-powered phone. Despite some notable downgrades from the Pre, the Pixi boasts many of the Pre’s features and offers the very same innovative user interface as its older sibling.

The Pixi adopts a candy bar form factor instead of the Pre’s unique sliding design. Positioned as a more entry-level smartphone, the Pixi is WiFi-less and has a smaller touchscreen display than the more premium Pre, a downgraded camera, and a slower processor.

While the Pixi may indeed be an entry-level handset and priced like one to boot, Palm’s latest delivers an arguably better keyboard than the Pre, an impressively slim profile, and the full range of webOS features including Palm’s Synergy contact synchronization, refined web browsing experience, and support for corporate and personal email. To learn more about webOS, take a look at Wirefly’s full review of the Palm Pre.

Check out Wirefly’s full video review for a closer look at the Pixi.

Like every other Android-powered phone on the planet, the Droid can have its hunger for your music, video, and pictures satisfied by the ol’ drag-and-drop method of transferring files. But, if you picked up a Motorola Droid and your 16GB microSD card is still yearning for your iTunes media library, Motorola has kindly decided to give your index finger a rest with its Motorola Media Link software.

Motorola Media Sync will let you transfer and organize your music, photos and video with your Motorola Android-powered phone. Here’s how:

1. Browse to Motorola’s Media Link website.
2. Click the Download Now button.
3. Locate and run the downloaded installation file.
4. After installation has completed, you will be prompted to restart your computer. Restart.
5. Plug in your Droid using the USB to microUSB cable.
6. Mount your Droid so you can copy files. To do so, pull down the notification window (aka ‘window shade’) from the top of the screen and tap USB connected. When prompted, tap Mount.
7. Launch Motorola Media Link.
8. The Profile Wizard should automatically launch. Follow the on-screen directions, selecting the folders where your various media types are stored. Be sure to select iTunes on the Link Your Music screen.
9. Click the Sync button.

The Samsung Mythic a897 for AT&T is a multimedia phone built for maximum entertainment. The brilliant 3.3-inch touch screen is perfect for streaming AT&T Mobile TV anywhere or video conferencing with AT&T Video Share.

Use the virtual QWERTY keyboard and widget tool bar to quickly access your email, favorite social networking sites and instant messenger chat services. And with a 3.2 megapixel camera/ camcorder and support for picture and video messaging, there are even more ways to share with friends. Take the Samsung Mythic anywhere with international compatibility, and always find your way home again thanks to the GPS, which supports AT&T Navigation. Could the mythic make you a legend among your friends and family?