Telecommunications

November 6, 2008

A No-Nonsense Phone from China's ZTE

China's ZTE is stepping up its assault on the U.S. market. In February the maker of wireless gear introduced the C88, its first U.S. cell phone (BusinessWeek.com, ...

November 3, 2008

Who Killed the VoIP Revolution?

"VoIP is dead," Skype General Manager for Voice and Video Jonathan Christensen declared at an industry conference a few weeks ago. He spoke figuratively, of course, ...

November 3, 2008

The Recycled Cell-Phone Trap

The sales director of a large Japanese company thought he was doing a good deed when he donated his BlackBerry for recycling. But later a group of British and ...

November 3, 2008

The Recycled Cell-Phone Trap

The sales director of a large Japanese company thought he was doing a good deed when he donated his BlackBerry for recycling. But later a group of British and ...

October 31, 2008

Motorola's Turnaround Plans Meet with Skepticism

The latest flurry of turnaround plans for Motorola is being met with about as much enthusiasm as previous attempts to revive the company's foundering mobile-phone ...

October 30, 2008

Google, FCC, Broadcasters Fight for White Spaces

Besides the Presidential election, there's another big political battle brewing in Washington on Nov. 4. This one is over the airwaves that are used to deliver ...

October 29, 2008

Craving Motorola's Krave ZN4 Touchscreen Phone

Motorola (MOT) has made a habit of falling behind in recent years. The money-losing handset maker arrived late to the music-phone craze and camera-phone party. And the...

October 26, 2008

Letting Wi-Fi Do More With Less Energy

In the quest for a truly mobile device, we've managed to cut the phone cord and the Ethernet cable, but the power cord? Well, that's still a problem. While some ...

October 23, 2008

AT&T's Troubling Trends

At first glance, third-quarter results from telecom giant AT&T (T) appear strong. The Dallas-based phone service provider posted net income of $3.23 billion, or 55¢ a ...

October 22, 2008

Steve Jobs: Apple Will Be 'Fine'

Steve Jobs may not be sure how much the economic slump will hurt Apple, but he's clear on this: It won't be as bad as pessimists predict. And for the first time in ...

October 20, 2008

Motorola Readies Its Own Android Social Smartphone

As the wireless world awaits the Oct. 22 debut of the first phone based on the Google-backed Android software, engineers at Motorola (MOT) are hard at work on their ...

October 19, 2008

Debt-Heavy Telecoms Won't Escape the Credit Crunch

The $1 trillion telecommunications industry has long been one of the most resilient parts of the economy. But as the financial crisis has intensified, it has recently ...

October 17, 2008

Carriers Buy into Startups to Boost Their Networks

As consumers increasingly pick up smartphones rather than feature phones, wireless carriers are investing more cash in startups, hoping to make such devices more ...

October 10, 2008

Social Networks Go Mobile with Handset Makers

Facebook and MySpace have found a new way onto your cell phone. Eager for airtime on the electronics device most commonly used by many consumers, social networks are ...

October 9, 2008

Sleek, But Don't Touch: Samsung's Glyde Disappoints

Touchscreen cell phones are everywhere these days. Yet precious few offer the finger-swipe scrolling and dragging of the iPhone's display. Most of these phones merely ...

October 7, 2008

Verizon Wireless, RIM Unleash a Storm

Until recently, Verizon Wireless was the undisputed leader of the U.S. wireless industry. While AT&T (T) claimed more subscribers, Verizon Wireless came out ahead on ...

October 2, 2008

Apple: A Product Plateau?

Where does Apple go from here? The question lies at the heart of the media and industry buzz that so often surrounds a company adept at surprising and confounding even...

October 1, 2008

Again! Tech That Doesn't Work Won't Let Us Work

Yes, I am an angry guy. I yell at other drivers. I roll my eyes when I have to stand in line for more than two minutes. I complain about Wall Street's greedy ...

September 26, 2008

Cell Phones and Cancer: More Research Needed

On Sept. 25, while many legislators on Capitol Hill were debating how best to confront potential dangers of the financial crisis, a handful of lawmakers and physicians...

September 26, 2008

Research In Motion's Costs Are on the Rise

Research In Motion (RIMM) gave investors a jolt when it reported quarterly earnings on Sept. 25. Margins in the current period will shrink and earnings won't match ...

September 24, 2008

As Apple Shares Slide, What About Sales?

Apple Inc. tends to prove unstoppable even when other computer makers falter. In the most recent quarter, shipments of Macs surged 41%. That's nearly three times the ...

September 22, 2008

Wireless Companies Struggling with Data Demand

Alexander Krasnitsky loves all the cool things he can do on the Web with his new Apple iPhone 3G. But he hates the 75% surge in the monthly bills he pays his wireless ...

September 18, 2008

Nortel: Would a Breakup Be Best?

Wall Street securities firms aren't the only bearers of bad news these days. On Sept. 17 telecom equipment maker Nortel (NT) trimmed growth forecasts and said it's ...

September 18, 2008

Bringing Broadband to Rural America

Sandra Thornton is eager to generate new business for the sewing plant she manages just outside Centerville, Tenn. When the machines at Southeastern Pant are running ...

September 15, 2008

Digital Content Wherever You Want It

How do you make digital entertainment more entertaining? A sprawling consortium of Hollywood content providers, consumer electronics companies, and Internet players ...