Verizon open network gets first, unsexy device
July 11th, 2008 By PETER SVENSSON , AP Technology Writer
In this undated photo provided by SupplyNet Communications, wireless modems used in monitoring supply levels of chemicals used at a plant near Charlotte, N.C. are shown. The battery-powered modems connect to a sensors that dip into large storage containers inside the plant. When a tank runs low, the modem zips off a text message to SupplyNet, which alerts the customer that it needs a refill. The modem is the first device to be certified under Verizon's Open Development Initiative, the companies confirmed Thursday, July 10, 2008. (AP Photo/SupplyNet Communications)
(AP) -- When Verizon Wireless announced in November that it would open up its network to any company that wanted to make a device for it, industry watchers had visions of innovative features like cheap international calls and Google applications.
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Personally, I'm shocked that they decided to participate in any sort of "open development" at all considering their overly restrictive practices in the past. As a customer, I'm still not completely engrossed with them, but there's hope for them yet.
Very nice.
Looking forward to android though!
The real "standardization" falls to the level of one vendor dominating a given field and thus forcing the issue: e.g. Intel and the PC's Instruction set; Microsoft and the Windows system, browsers, etc.