Rumor: Nokia heading to AT&T and T-Mobile with affordable devices, Verizon with the high-end?

The Nokia Blog (which is unofficial by the way) has an interesting piece of gossip about Nokia's upcoming Windows Phone strategy in the United States. For one, their "very reliable source" claims the Sea Ray will not make its way stateside which is a surprising move. However it could be that carriers have had some influence over Nokia's devices and so the Sea Ray design may not have made the transition. The second piece of the rumor organizes how Nokia devices will be represented on each of the major carriers. AT&T and T-Mobile are said to receive "affordable" devices, which probably equates to a mid-range handset for between $100 and $150 on contract. Meanwhile Verizon, who was the very last to enter the Windows Phone race, is going to carry a high-end model. Nothing else was mentioned so we don't know what to make of this.

If this is true, how do you feel about AT&T and T-Mobile, the original Windows Phone launch partners, getting the shaft on a new Nokia while Verizon swoops in to yank the high-end? What about the seemingly left-out Sprint users out there?

Via: WMPU
Source: The Nokia Blog

Verizon product roadmap for September & October leaks, no Windows Phones in sight

Uh oh. We don't want to see another Verizon Trophy debacle on our hands, but we're beginning to worry that may happen yet again. IGN received a photo of Verizon Wireless's inventory plans for September & October and there are quite a few devices in the works for Big Red customers. There's the much delayed but still eagerly awaited DROID Bionic, a possible Galaxy S II device in the Samsung Stratosphere, the female-friendly HTC Bliss, and plenty more interesting phones. However, we can't help but notice that one little thing is missing: a Windows Phone!

Many (including us) were expecting Verizon to be ready from the get-go this time with Microsoft's impending Mango hardware onslaught, but judging from the photo it doesn't look like that's going to happen. Now don't grab your pitchforks just yet -- this roadmap is for September & October only from what we can tell, so there's still a chance we could see a CDMA (and possibly LTE) Windows Phone riding Verizon's airwaves before the year closes. There's also the notable omission of any iPhone 5 which is likely being kept out of their inventory systems by Apple, so it's not unreasonable to think Microsoft may be doing the same.

Still if this information does prove accurate and if Microsoft isn't hiding the phones from these lists, the lack of a Big Red Mango at launch will surely be a big disappointment to many budding Windows Phone bandwagoners.

Source: IGN

Rumor: Verizon Officially Killing Unlimited Data on July 7th, Tiered Plans Starting at $30

We warned you before and now it looks like it's really going to happen: Verizon Wireless could be killing off their unlimited data plan for good by July 7th. What plans will be replacing such a precious value proposition? Here are the details:

• Standard Data Plans:
• 2 GB for $30
• 5 GB for $50
• 10 GB for $80

• Tethered Data Plans:
• 4 GB for $50
• 7 GB for $70
• 12 GB for $100

As you may be able to tell, these new options are not very good. These are actually even more expensive than AT&T's tiered data plans, which offers 200MB for $15 or 2GB for $25 per month. The only positive thing to come from this rumor is that Verizon is said to be charging the same amount for 4G users, which is great knowing the potential 'premium' plans that could have arose from the new technology.

So if you want a Verizon HTC Trophy or if you want to upgrade your plan then make sure you do it before July 7th. Otherwise you'll miss out on sweet, sweet unlimited data forever.

Source: Engadget

Verizon Giving Away Trophy, Xbox 360 console, Games, Gift Card and more!

Want to get a Verizon HTC Trophy but don't have the cash? Well Big Red has got your back, and now you can try your luck for a giveaway sweepstakes for the first Windows Phone on their network. Oh, but that's not all. If you win the grand prize you're going to get a Trophy in addition to a Xbox 360 console, three Xbox 360 games, a voucher for 8000 Xbox Live points (worth $100), and finally a $125 Verizon gift card to get some discounted accessories for your phone too. If you don't win the grand prize, you'll still have a chance to be one of 10 first place winners that will receive 1600 Xbox Live points (worth $20).

Sign up for the giveaway here but hurry up because submissions close on July 13th, 2011.

Source: Verizon Wireless

Deal: Microsoft Online Store Selling Windows Phones for $0.01 for New or Existing Customers

Microsoft has decided to join T-Mobile, AT&T and the other 3rd-party retailers offering deep discounts on Windows Phones with some offers of their own. Right now via the Microsoft online store you can purchase either a Sprint HTC Arrive, T-Mobile HTC HD7, or Verizon HTC Trophy for $0.01, plus free shipping which always rocks. However, unlike those other places offering discounts these deals are not limited to new customers only; you can also pick up a free Windows Phone if you're adding a new line or upgrading your contract! If you just can't wait until Fall, feel free to check out the offer for yourself (expires July 2, 2011) and take the plunge knowing that your device will be upgraded to Mango regardless of old hardware.

Via: WPCentral
Source: Microsoft

Deal: Get a $25 Amazon Gift Card When You Purchase a Windows Phone

Man is it a good time to pick up a Windows Phone! AmazonWireless just began a pretty sweet promotion on their already cheap Windows Phone selection: if you pick one up from them before June 30th, 2011 you will receive a free Amazon Gift Card worth $25. We shop on Amazon pretty frequently, and $25 is a pretty nice incentive. Plus Amazon has every Windows Phone available for much lower prices, except for the AT&T HTC HD7S. Don't lose hope if you were planning to pick up that behemoth: the terms and conditions of the deal clearly states that all Windows Phones sold by AmazonWireless are eligible. So when the device officially launches June 5th, you should be able to pick it up and snag that $25 gift card as well. Here's the list of phones available along with pricing of each on a new 2-year contract and if you see something you like, hit up the source link.

• AT&T - HTC Surround - $0.01
• AT&T - LG Quantum - $0.01
• AT&T - Samsung Focus - $0.01
• Sprint - HTC Arrive - $0.01
• T-Mobile - HTC HD7 - $29.99
• Verizon - HTC Trophy - $99.99

Via: WPCentral
Source: AmazonWireless

HTC Trophy for Verizon Now Available!

We can't believe we just wrote that headline either. But it's here...it's really here!

If you want to prove to your friends that a Verizon Windows Phone really does exist, the HTC Trophy is now available in-store starting today. If you're actually planning on buying the phone, a new 2-year contract will get you the Trophy for about $149.99 (after $50 mail-in-rebate). Purchasing the phone itself without a new contract or renewal is going to cost $429.99.

Sure it sounds like a lot of money, but Verizon has a pretty decent deal going on as a promotion for the Trophy. First of all, the phone is launching about $50 less than the full retail price of other Windows Phones when they launched. Second, if you pick up a Trophy before June 15th you can nab a free copy of Halo: Reach, Kinect Sports, or Lode Runner for the Xbox 360. Also there's another good reason not to hesitate: Verizon is planning to discontinue unlimited data plans by this Summer. So your dreams of streaming all of the Zune Pass music in the world could come to a screeching halt if you don't act fast.

If you want to know more about the phone's specifications, check out our announcement post. For the rest of you: head on over to Verizon's website or your local store to get some long-awaited Windows Phone love.

Source: Verizon

Verizon Ending Unlimited Data This Summer, Get That Trophy Fast!

It's a good thing the Verizon HTC Trophy was just announced, because if you're living solo and want an unlimited data plan you better be first in line to pick one up! Chief Finamcial Officer of Verizon Wireless, Fran Shammo, told Reuters that they will be fulfilling their promise to end unlimited data plans by this Summer. Instead Verizon is looking to introduce tiered data to all of their plans, and Shammo specifically mentioned shared family data as a possibility.

"We had individual minutes for individual users. Then we eventually got to what we call family share where everyone in the family shares the same minutes," Shammo said.

"I think it's safe to assume that at some point you are going to have mega-plans (for data) and people are going to share that mega-plan based on the number of devices within their family. That's just a logical progression," he said, but did not provide a time frame for such mega-plans.

That's surely a disappointment to those of you planning to abuse the People Hub with your shiny new Trophy, but this isn't an official announcement yet so if you want unlimited data you still have a chance to get it now. Then again, the idea of shared data may not be too bad and should end up being a little more affordable if you've got a family. Good enough for a silver lining?

Via: Engadget
Source: Reuters

Official: Verizon Launching the HTC Trophy on May 26 for $149.99

Next week is going to be an exciting one for Windows Phone fans, especially for those waiting for Verizon. America's largest network finally made the long-teased HTC Trophy, making it the first Windows Phone to hit Verizon Wireless and completing the presence of Windows Phone on all four major carriers.

The HTC Trophy strictly follows Microsoft's previous generation Chassis 1 specifications, so the specs aren't going to be much of a surprise. The only thing we weren't expecting to see was global support, meaning this baby is ready out-of-the-box to go international. For those who need a refresher here's the details:

• 1 GHz Snapdragon processor
• 3.8-inch LCD with a 800x480 resolution
• 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 720p HD video capture
• Virtual surround sound with SRS WOW HD
• 16 GB on board storage
• Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
• Global ready (CDMA + GSM Support)

Verizon also let us know about the HTC Trophy's pricing, which is a surprise: $149.99 on a two-year contract (after $50 mail-in-rebate). Verizon is also throwing a bone out to any console  owners out there: if you pick up the Trophy before June 15th, Big Red is going to throw in a complimentary Xbox 360 console game with your purchase. Not bad!

The HTC Trophy is going to be available to order online May 26th and you can get your grubby hands on it inside a Verizon store the week after, starting June 2nd.

If you want to check out the press release, you can find it after the break.

Combine Business and Play with a Smartphone That Lets Customers Do What They Love

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., May 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Trophy™ is the first Windows Phone 7 device to come to Verizon Wireless, bringing a new dimension of gaming and entertainment to the nation's most reliable 3G network.

Windows Phone is the only phone that lets you play games with Xbox LIVE. Customers can sync directly with Xbox LIVE mobile to access their avatar, profile and gamer score to keep track of their wins.  HTC Trophy also allows consumers to play by themselves or challenge friends in turn-based games.  In addition to the many mobile gaming features, customers who buy an HTC Trophy before July 15 get a free Xbox 360 console game.  Game enthusiasts can choose from Halo: Reach, Kinect Sports and Lode Runner – up to $60 value.

HTC Trophy features the Music + Video Hub, giving customers quick access to music and movies on their device.  Customers can stream or download millions of songs with a Zune Pass subscription and access over 15,000 quality apps and games in the Windows Phone Marketplace through the Marketplace Hub.

Additional features:

• 1 GHz Snapdragon® processor
• WVGA 3.8-inch touchscreen
• Surround sound through SRS WOW HD™
• 5-megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
• 720p HD video capture
• 16 GB on-board storage
• Wi-Fi connectivity: 802.11 b/g/n
• Global ready - allowing customers to enjoy wireless voice and data service in more than 200 countries, with more than 125 with 3G speeds
• HTC Hub-customization through downloadable applications that offer even more entertainment and productivity
• View and edit Microsoft Office® documents, including Excel®, Word® and PowerPoint® with the Office Hub and data access on SharePoint® servers

Pricing and availability:

• HTC Trophy will be available online at www.verizonwireless.com on May 26, and in Verizon Wireless Communication Stores on June 2 for $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement.  Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
• HTC Trophy customers will need to subscribe to a Verizon Wireless Nationwide Talk plan and a smartphone data package.  Nationwide Talk plans begin at $39.99 for monthly access and an unlimited smartphone data package is$29.99 for monthly access.
• Verizon Wireless customers traveling outside of the United States should contact Verizon Wireless' global customer support team at 1-800-922-0204 before embarking on their trip to ensure their phones have the right features for global usage.

For more information about Windows Phone, visit www.windowsphone.com.  For additional information on Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's fastest, most advanced 4G network and largest, most reliable 3G network. The company serves 104 million total wireless connections, including more than 88 million retail customers.  Headquartered inBasking Ridge, N.J., with 85,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE, NASDAQ: VZ) and Vodafone (LSE, NASDAQ: VOD).  For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

About HTC

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative wireless devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.  

Rumor: Verizon Trophy Gets a New Release Date, Life Goes On

As we approach the eve of the second rumored release date for the Verizon Trophy, up comes another rumor that the elusive HTC slate won't be coming until next Thursday, May 26th. WPCentral noticed in its forums that a member is said to have learned of the new date from an HTC representative. They also claim that the rep said "the phone just finished its official testing yesterday".

However we have a few issues with this rumor. First of all, it's just a person online saying they talked to someone who would know--that's rule number one for creating a fake rumor on the internet. Second of all, Verizon just confirmed today that the equally-as-elusive Motorola Droid X2 would be launching in retail stores on the same day. It's far more likely that Verizon would like to dedicated this week and next in order to hype up their next Droid which is sure to be a hit, instead of launch a Windows Phone at the same time.

But despite how weak of a rumor this is, we know a ton of people are still expecting the Trophy to come to their favorite CDMA carrier soon. So basically we're saying you should take this rumor with a couple of spoonfuls of salt because while it could happen we've been burnt before.

Source: WPCentral (Article), (Forum)

Verizon Trophy Makes a Cameo on Ebay, Bidding On It Doesn't Prove It Exists

We think the wait for Verizon to announce the HTC Trophy is starting to drive us a little crazy. We don't think we should tell you this, but we're starting to see things. Just today we could have sworn we saw the Verizon Trophy listed on eBay Classifieds. It even had all of the details from a mysterious "seller", who claimed the ESN (electronic serial number) is squeaky clean and Verizon verified that the phone is activation-ready. But how is that even possible? We all know Verizon has kept the phone so tightly under wraps and we wouldn't even know when it's going to be released.

We just saw the Verizon guy outside our window. Oh God they're coming for us. Quick, tell everyone about the conspiracy to hide the Tro--

Via: WPCentral
Source: eBay Classifieds

Another Sighting of the Verizon Trophy, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

For those unfamiliar with the 1963 film It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, we can sum it up briefly: a dying thief tells a few bystanders of his fatal car accident that there's a large amount of money hidden in Southern California. After learning about this, those bystanders begin an intense race to seize the money first and hilarity ensues.

One could just look at the Verizon Trophy situation in the past few weeks and think of a similar plot. Verizon teased us with a flyer months ago and since we've been going on the word of hearsay, site slip-ups and in-the-wild photos. Just today, WPCentral discovered yet another tease of the Verizon Trophy from Best Buy on their site.

Maybe we as Windows Phone fanatics are the foolish bystanders in pursuit of something that may not even exist. It could be that Verizon is the audience and they've recreated It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World with us in it. Either that, or as WPCentral's Daniel Rubino theorizes:

We're starting to think that this is just one big psychological experiment, meant to induce mass hysteria...on like five tech blogs.

Via: WPCentral
Source: Best Buy

Rumor: Verizon Trophy Launch Moved to May 19?

We were planning to tell you guys this yesterday, but thanks to the Blogger outage, we didn't get the chance until now: the Verizon Trophy didn't launch yesterday on May 12th. Zero, zlich, nada -- no shiny new toy for the extremely patient Verizon customers to take home yet. Now Windows Phone Metro is reporting that the Trophy could still be on its way to your eager hands relatively soon. Like, May 19th soon (aka next Thursday) thanks to a helpful Best Buy representative saying the date is registered in their inventory. WPCentral has heard a similar claim from one of its readers learning of the date from a Verizon rep. Their rumor adds a little icing on the cake, saying that Verizon will launch the Trophy with, "a voucher for a free Xbox game that can be played on Xbox and phone." So hopefully Verizon will finally end this cruel, sadistic game of cat-and-mouse they've been playing with our hearts...since last December.

Source: Windows Phone Metro, WPCentral

Verizon Trophy Available on Best Buy website, Bigfoot Feels Neglected

Click to enlarge

Another day, another HTC Trophy for Verizon leak. Best Buy is at it again, this time uploading a half-baked order page with a working 'Add to Cart' link. Right now we're not seeing any subsidized options, so if you feel like picking up the first Verizon Windows Phone off-contract, nobody can stop you now.

Has Verizon really not announced the HTC Trophy yet? We saw it in the wild, Verizon launched a support forum for it and added it to their interactive buying guide, press shots were leaked early and Best Buy just got dummy models of it. And somehow we're supposed to still believe the phone is launching tomorrow? Ugh.

This is the final hour, Verizon; just announce it already!

Via: WPCentral
Source: Best Buy

Verizon Trophy at Best Buy, In Reality This Time

Image courtesy of Phone Arena

So the last time we discussed the basically-confirmed-at-this-point HTC Trophy for Verizon, it was showing up in Best Buy's online inventory. Today we found out it's still in their inventory...but this time in physical form, appearing at a real life Best Buy as a dummy model. The lack of an info card underneath the dummy means we still don't know how much the Big Yellow Tag is planning to ask for the first Verizon Windows Phone, but there's a good chance we won't have to wait much longer to find out.

Source: Phone Arena

Verizon Trophy Press Shots Leak, Looking Handsome on Big Red

Verizon's Trophy is shining brighter and brighter as we approach the rumored (and highly likely) May 12th launch date next week. Today Pocketnow got their hands on the first press shots of the CDMA'd Trophy and we quite like the touch of red in the Live Tiles to go with that Verizon logo up top. We can also spot on the screen some product placement for Slacker Radio and the My Verizon Mobile app is a worth noting too. To see one more intimate shot of the Trophy visit Pocketnow. Now that press shots have leaked, we're probably only a few days away before an official announcement so stay tuned!

Source: Pocketnow

Verizon Trophy Teased Once Again

This is getting ridiculous. It's been confirmed since December, spotted in the wild, shown up in the Best Buy database and Verizon website, and has been given two different release dates. If the Trophy doesn't come out on May 12th, Verizon customers would have better luck hunting after Bigfoot than a Windows Phone on Big Red's network. The latest evidence that the CDMA Trophy is finally upon release comes via an interactive smartphone buying guide on Verizon's site. Let's all just hope this will be the last article before Verizon officially confirms the Trophy.

Via: WPCentral
Source: Verizon Wireless

Rumor: HTC Trophy Launching On Verizon May 12th?

Just two days ago we saw two big hints that the HTC Trophy for Verizon could finally be on its way to store shelves. Big Red customers have been waiting since the first leak from way back in December, but now WPCentral reports that the Trophy could only be a few weeks away, allegedly launching on May 12th. Also, according to a user on Twitter, training with Windows Phone 7 will soon begin for Verizon employees. However all of this is unconfirmed so far and based on the Trophy's track record for pinning down a date, you probably shouldn't get your hopes too high.

Source: WPCentral

Best Buy, Verizon Site Hint at Trophy Launch in the Near Future

The Verizon-branded HTC Trophy has been in the works for a long time--Engadget first caught wind of it back in December--but despite missing the rumored March 24th launch date, new signs tease that the wait will soon be over. Early today, PocketNow noticed that Verizon's first Windows Phone showed up in Best Buy's database. Don't be scared off by the $600 price tag though, it's supposed to be a placeholder for the unsubsidized device. Then most recently, WPCentral spotted a new support forum specifically for Windows Phone 7 on Verizon's website. Clearly something is going on in the world of Big Red when it comes to Windows Phones, and hopefully that something will turn out to be a shiny new phone subscribers of the nation's largest carrier have been waiting for since last year.

Via: WPCentral
Source: PocketNow, Verizon