v-cast

An app for Google Android is allegedly wiping SD cards clean, which has some folks shouting malware! Stephen Shankland points out it's probably not malware, just suckware. We also cheer on the House of Representatives for not delaying the digital-TV transition. And Gmail goes offline, which is good news for those with flaky internet connection.

Gmail offline http://gmailblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-in-labs-offline-gmail.html http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10151096-2.html

House votes no on DTV bill http://www.ktvu.com/digital-tv/18583035/detail.html?treets=fran&tml=fran_natlbreak&ts=T&tmi=fran_natlbreak_1_12090101282009#-… Read more

The reviews are in on the Storm, the new touch-screen phone from Research In Motion, and nobody loves it. Check out takes from CNET, Engadget, Gizmodo, and Time for a sample.

In particular, the mechanics of the touch screen--you have to press areas on the screen with some force, as if they're actually keys--have been greeted with almost universal frustration.

But for a would-be iPhone killer, the reviews are remarkably light on the Storm's music features. It's true that BlackBerry users are traditionally e-mail junkies, and the phone's communications features (apart from the touchscreen weirdness) are … Read more

As the CTIA Fall 2008 show opened, Verizon Wireless announced new channels for its V Cast streaming-video service, some of which will feature full-length programming.

The new channels include Scooby Doo & Friends, DC Comics, Relix, G4 Mobile, HGTV, The Food Network, The WB, ES Musica and Rock On: Altitude from GoTV, Comedy Time Latino, TLC, Animal Planet, Planet Green, and Discovery Kids.

While the above channels will feature mostly short clips, full-length programming will be available from shows like Comic View: One Mic Stand and Hell Date from BET and Score Center and MMA Live from ESPN. You'll … Read more

Verizon Wireless is getting a head start on CTIA by announcing a new mobile Web site for V Cast video content. The site, m.vcast.com, will allow users to browse content by category, channel, or show and then watch that content on their phone. You'll also be able to access and share content using social networking sites like Twitter. Accessing m.vcast.com will incur normal data charges, but you will need a device with a full HTML browser. At present, that's limited to the LG Dare or the LG Voyager but Verizon says more such devices … Read more

The story originally stated that Verizon's over-the-air music service downloaded DRM-free MP3 files directly to the user's handset. It was later learned that Verizon's direct-to-phone music download is not in the MP3 format. The copy delivered to the user's computer, however, is in the MP3 format.

Read the updated story here.

A correction was made to this story. See details below.

RealNetworks on Sunday announced several improvements to its Rhapsody music service, including a new online music store and integration with Verizon's V Cast mobile phone music service.

Taking a cue from competitors such as Amazon and Napster, Rhapsody's new Web-based music store sells a catalog of universally compatible (DRM-free) MP3 files from all four major music labels (Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner, and EMI), as well as a selection of independents.

The new Rhapsody store represents a departure from the strictly software-based music subscription model on which … Read more

Verizon Wireless has upped the ante in its efforts to take on Apple's iTunes store in the digital music market by offering DRM-free music for all purchased music plus a new subscription service. But will it be enough to make a dent in Apple's dominance?

On Monday, Verizon Wireless will announce the revamped V Cast music store, which will be loaded with digital music that is free of the pesky digital rights management encryption on all songs that are purchased through the store. Verizon is joining Amazon as the only other digital music distributor that will be selling … Read more

NEW YORK--Verizon Wireless wants to make music.

Or at least it wants to help record labels and artists make music. More importantly, it wants to provide new, innovative ways for them to make money from the music they create.

"Artists are frustrated with the traditional music-producing model, which is broken," said Ed Ruth, director of digital music for Verizon. "They are frustrated that labels aren't innovating. And we think we can help. We think we can bring some innovative approaches to the whole process."

In addition to its music store, V Cast Music, which is … Read more

At CES a day before it opens, and although I've been able to sneak into some of the exhibition halls with my press pass, security's wised up and closed the others off to all but people setting up. So I spent a few minutes in the Verizon-sponsored portion of the press booth playing with LG's Voyager 10000, a would-be competitor to the iPhone. They're asking $300 plus a two-year contract commitment--that's $99 cheaper than the least-expensive iPhone, but the Voyager comes with much less memory (this one had 300MB on board), so you'll have … Read more