Ramon Llamas

Verizon Wireless hopes to debut its first 4G smartphone in the middle of next year, months earlier than planned, a company executive revealed Wednesday. The new handset will debut about three to six months after its Long-Term Evolution network launches, Verizon Wireless CTO Anthony Melone told The Wall Street Journal.

That timetable suggests Verizon sees 4G as a significant way to outpace its leading rival, AT&T.

With only a slight nod toward business clients during the launch of Microsoft's latest mobile-phone operating system this week, CEO Steve Ballmer fueled speculation that the software giant wants a bigger slice of the consumer pie.

Google has enhanced the user experience of its HTC-manufactured Nexus One smartphone by adding a iPhone-like feature. Pinch-to-zoom functionality is now available for the Nexus One's Android browser via an over-the-air download. The function also works with Google Maps and the phone's photo gallery.

The feature, already available on some third-party Android apps, is an idea Google may have, well, pinched from Apple.

After being flooded with complaints that the Nexus One can't stay on 3G networks, a Google employee has told users that it will soon offer a patch to repair the technical glitch responsible.

"Our engineers have uncovered specific cases for which a software fix should improve connectivity to 3G for some users," a Google employee named Ravi posted on the Nexus One Forum, which is not affiliated with Google but describes itself as an "enthusiast site."

Fueling speculation that an unlocked iPhone is in the cards, Oppenheimer telecommunications analyst Tim Horan predicted Monday that Apple will not renew its exclusive agreement with AT&T when the wireless carrier's contract expires in May.

"We believe AT&T's iPhone exclusivity arrangement with Apple will be expiring by mid-2010," Horan wrote. "For wireless carriers, customers are demanding the device and they need to remain competitive."

AT&T has been the exclusive carrier of the iPhone since its debut in 2007.

Verizon is ramping up the testosterone in its newest ad campaign against the Big Man on Campus, Apple's iPhone. Falling just short of saying other phones are for girlie-men, Verizon's ads tout their phone's "racehorse taped to a Scud missile" speed as opposed to that of a "digitally clueless beauty pageant queen."

The enemy phone, never mentioned by name, is briefly shown in two scenes. In one, young people gaze at it shrinking in a display case before they are all engulfed in a blast of flame. In another, the device erupts into something that looks like a mixture of cement and milk.

Verizon is ramping up the testosterone in its newest ad campaign against the Big Man on Campus, Apple's iPhone. Falling just short of saying other phones are for girlie-men, Verizon's ads tout their phone's "racehorse taped to a Scud missile" speed as opposed to that of a "digitally clueless beauty pageant queen."

The enemy phone, never mentioned by name, is briefly shown in two scenes. In one, young people gaze at it shrinking in a display case before they are all engulfed in a blast of flame. In another, the device erupts into something that looks like a mixture of cement and milk.

Apple will soon begin offering its iPhones through carriers in South Korea. On Wednesday, Apple jumped its last hurdle in getting the iPhone into the hands of mobile-phone users in South Korea.

Third-quarter reports from Gartner and IDC show that the smartphone market is alive and well -- indeed, very well -- despite the bad economy.

Gartner, which released its report Thursday, said mobile-phone sales ticked up .01 percent compared to last year's third quarter, finishing at 308.9 million units. The numbers would have been considerably worse if the smartphone category hadn't saved the day: The number of smartphones sold increased 12.8 percent compared to the year-ago quarter, totaling more than 41 million units.

Having a device that enables users to take pictures, e-mail colleagues, browse the web, and send text messages is no longer a nice-to-have device but a need-to-have device. That mentality is creating a recession-proof smartphone market.