Great Network Won't Make Up for Boring Phones

All looks promising, but some think OS is still no match for iPhone

(NEWSER) - Verizon's Droid smartphone—built by Motorola and powered by Google's Android—goes on sale Nov. 6 for $200. Some early opinions on the iPhone challenger:

• The phone is "almost not worth writing about," notes Chris Dannen in Fast Company . It's "fine" but "doesn't advance" the Android platform. About all it has going for it is a cool commercial, "which is cool, if you like commercials, but less important if you like smartphones that do stuff well."

Move to Android seen as real challenge to iPhone, BlackBerry

(NEWSER) - Google and Verizon will partner on a line of smartphones and software running the search giant’s Android OS and served by the carrier. Verizon is the largest-yet wireless network to back Google, and the announcement could complicate what was once a simple smartphone rivalry between Apple and BlackBerry, BusinessWeek reports. Analysts expect a handful of Android phones by the likes of Motorola and Samsung by month’s end. More»

It's not just dead last in general—last in every city, almost every category

(NEWSER) - AT&T may claim to have the largest and fastest wireless network … but it also has the worst one, according to the latest Consumer Reports survey. When it comes to wireless providers, AT&T ranked dead last in general—as well as in every city. Last year, it came in second-to-last. Consumers rated quality of calls, text messages, wireless data, and customer support, and AT&T ranked lowest in almost every category: Text messaging, in which AT&T came in second-to-last, was the only exception. More»

iPhones et al might have more than you need; here are some cheaper alternatives

(NEWSER) - Smartphones may be the future, but you may not need one just now, writes Marguerite Reardon of CNET. The iPhone and its pricey brethren probably have more features than the average user needs. Here are some cheaper feature phones that might meet your needs. Prices are for a 2-year contract:

• AT&T—Motorola Karma QA1—$79: This little 3G wonder features a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and home screen access to Facebook and MySpace.

(NEWSER) - Microsoft and Verizon are in talks to launch a smartphone on the carrier’s network early next year, the Wall Street Journal reports. The phone would likely run on a souped-up version of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile operating system, and have access to Windows Marketplace, its version of Apple’s App Store. A third party will likely manufacture the device with Microsoft input, as with Google’s G1 Android phone. More»