Google building a Nexus One for enterprise

Once an Apple engineer, Andy Rubin went on to co-found mobile computing outfits Danger and Android. He sold the former to Microsoft and the latter to Google, where he is now vice president of engineering. He's also the guy quarterbacking development of Google's Android mobile operating system and the Nexus One--the smartphone with which Google hopes to fundamentally change the way people buy cell phones.

In conversation with All Things Digital's Walt Mossberg Friday, Rubin talked about the mobile space, Google's plan for an enterprise version of the Nexus One, and its vision for the … Read more

FCC chairman pushes policy agenda

LAS VEGAS--On his first visit to CES as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski on Friday reiterated key policy objectives to free up more wireless spectrum and encourage competition in the TV set-top box.

Top on the chairman's list of issues to emphasize while chatting with Consumer Electronics Association President Gary Shapiro here at 2010 CES was the need for more wireless spectrum to be used by wireless broadband providers. He said spectrum scarcity is a key issue that he faces on a daily basis as he deals with communications policy. And he said it was crucial … Read more

Nexus One a test of Google's customer service

The launch of the Nexus One is giving Google's approach to customer service a workout.

Days after Google started selling the Nexus One exclusively through its Web site, IDG News Service noticed that Nexus One support forums were flooded with questions, complaints, and more than one rant about distribution and technical problems. It's always hard to tell the size and scope of a problem from Internet message boards, but comments were flying in at an astonishing rate: almost one a minute around midday Pacific on Friday.

Much of the confusion stems from T-Mobile's upgrade policies for existing … Read more

Nokia talks up business in the developing world

Editor's note: This speech was blogged live, so be sure to scroll down for updates.

LAS VEGAS--Nokia President and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo is just taking the keynote stage at CES Friday to discuss the company's strategy for reaching the world's developing markets with its products.

Update at 9:15 a.m. PST: Nokia is the world's leader in cell phones. And while the company has struggled over the past year to hold its dominance in the high-end market, it clearly dominates the emerging market with low-cost phones tailored to the millions of customers who live on … Read more

Why the White House is backing away from Net neutrality

Editors' note: This is a guest column. See Larry Downes' bio below.

LAS VEGAS--The Obama administration and its allies at the Federal Communications Commission are retreating from a militant version of Net neutrality regulations first outlined by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski in September.

That's my reading of a number of recent developments, underscored by comments made by government speakers on a panel on the first day of a Tech Policy Summit at CES in Las Vegas.

Genachowski had initially described his vision for the future role of the FCC as a "smart cop on the beat preserving a … Read more

Local TV could spur mobile TV adoption

LAS VEGAS--Mobile TV may finally hit the mainstream when cell phones throughout the U.S. are able to access local TV for free.

The Open Mobile Video Coalition, an organization made up of consumer electronics companies, broadcasters, and mobile TV companies, has finished a standard for new chips that will allow mobile devices, such as cell phones, to receive broadcast TV signals. The new technology is already making its way into prototype devices and is being shown off here at the Consumer Electronics Show.

Starting in March, broadcasters in Washington, D.C., will be the first to test the mobile … Read more

Sprint exec. on 3G/4G hot spots (podcast)

LAS VEGAS--On the eve of CES, Sprint announced its Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot, a 4.5-ounce device measuring 3.15 by 3.14 inches by .61 inch that creates its own Wi-Fi hot spot.

The Overdrive can serve up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices with a range of about 150 feet. I'm using it now with my laptop, an iPhone, and the new HTC Nexus One smartphone, which runs Google's Android operating system and supports Wi-Fi connectivity.

The device, which is manufactured in an unlocked state, can support Sprint's 3G and 4G networks. 3G connectivity, which supports … Read more

Come on, Google, subsidize me

$529. That's the price of Google's new Nexus One and admittedly a small price to pay for the eternal bliss promised by its backers.

For $179, you can get the same device through T-Mobile, because the wireless carrier expects to charge you $79.99 per month for at least two years. (For those who think AT&T's wireless service couldn't get worse, you're wrong. Try T-Mobile.)

If T-Mobile is willing to subsidize the cost of the Nexus One in return for a services contract, why isn't Google subsidizing the device, given that it'… Read more

Sprint announces 3G/4G wireless Wi-Fi router

LAS VEGAS--Sprint Nextel introduced a 3G/4G wireless router Wednesday night called the Sprint Overdrive that will allow subscribers to share their wireless broadband connection among Wi-Fi devices.

The Overdrive router, made by Sierra Wireless, uses Sprint's 4G WiMax network, where it's available, to allow customers to access the Internet and then it shares that bandwidth among Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Where 4G service isn't available, the router connects to the Internet using Sprint's 3G EV-DO wireless network. Subscribers can connect up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptops, cameras, game consoles and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

Sprint, which … Read more