Verizon Galaxy Note II to have the carrier's logo on its home button

It's not unusual for US carriers to put their branding on the backs of the smartphones they offer. We've even seen them above the displays on the backs, on wallpapers and what not. However, Verizon has just reached a new level of tackiness and put its logo on the home button of the latest Android flagship it will offer - the Samsung Galaxy Note II.

The device is currently available for pre-order for $300 with a 2-year plan and can be ordered in black or white flavors. However, the extra color choice Verizon is offering would likely be enough to make up for the extra branding both on the front and the back.

According to our humble opinion, the carrier logos on various smartphones aren't anything out of the ordinary. They sure don't help looks, but they aren't too bad and, given that the US carriers invest quite in subsidizing the smartphones they offer it's normal to try and improve the return by using them as ad space. In this case however the result is quite ugly and we really hope the trend doesn't pick up.

Source | Via

Source : http://www.gsmarena.com/note_ii_on_verizon_sports_the_carriers_logo_on_the_home_button-news-4996.php

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Number of BlackBerry users stagnate, possibly declining

Consumers turning their backs on BlackBerry

For the first time in BlackBerry's history, its users have stopped growing as RIM struggles to maintain a foothold in the smartphone market.

The Globe and Mail cites comments from analysts, who claim the total number of BlackBerry users has stagnated, and may even be in decline.

Kris Thompson of National Bank Financial said: "This is the first quarter we are expecting zero subscriber growth – a loss in enterprise [customers] offset by a small gain in international consumer subs.

Downward spiral

"Starting next quarter, we see the sub base in a downward spiral with BlackBerry 10 potentially slowing [the losses], but we're not holding our breath."

As Thompson hints, BlackBerry 10 is likely to be the make or break point for the Canadian firm, as it pins its hope on the new operating system and prays it will be well received.

The launch of BB10 was initially pegged for earlier this summer, but it was then pushed back to the end of the year, and then RIM CEO Thorsten Heins announced the first BlackBerry 10 devices would launch in January 2013.

TechRadar has contacted RIM who said: "we do not comment on speculation".

Thorsten Heins is due to make a keynote speech at RIM's Jam Americas later today, where details on user growth may be revealed.

Source : http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/number-of-blackberry-users-stagnate-possibly-declining-1099499

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