Each week, we share a collection of Verizon news and stories from your neighborhood that you may have missed in the past week. Here’s what’s new with Verizon in the Midwest from the week of May 6.

KANSAS / MISSOURI REGION

Samsung Galaxy S IV Loaded with New Features – KSGF-AM – Springfield, MO (May 4, 2013)

Luke Davis, host of the weekly “Tech Talk: program on KSGF Radio in Springfield, MO, discussed some of the new features he expects to find on the new Galaxy S IV smartphone once it hits Verizon Wireless store shelves later this month. Among the features he cited were: the ability to set up multiple user profiles; the ability to invoke a number of new features “hands-free;” and the ability of the phone to track gestures and eye movements. Truly the definition of a “smart” phone.

Tech Gifts for Mom  – KTVI Fox 2 – St. Louis, MO (May 9, 2013)

Verizon Wireless’ Matt Baliva stopped by the KTVI-TV Fox 2 studio to show off some great new accessories that would make a great gift for tech-loving moms.

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Each week, we share a collection of Verizon news and stories from your neighborhood that you may have missed in the past week. Here’s what’s new with Verizon in the Midwest from the week of April 29.

ILLINOIS / WISCONSIN REGION

App-titude: Discussing the Apps Banjo, Mint and Pocket – WMTV – Madison, WI (April 28, 2013)

Middleton, WI, store manager Adam Jonathan joined WMTV’s Amy Carlson to discuss three free apps: Banjo, Mint and Pocket. 

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Our own Rodney Turner recently met with anchor Liz Reed of WNWO to discuss the UP by Jawbone, a dynamic exercise tool that attaches to the wrist and helps owners actively monitor their physical activity. The device interfaces with mobile devices via sync features to provide a seamless fitness monitoring system.

To see the feature and find out more about the UP by Jawbone, click play on the video below:

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Each week, we share a collection of Verizon news and stories from your neighborhood that you may have missed in the past week. Here’s what’s new with Verizon in the Midwest from the week of April 22.

MICHIGAN / INDIANA / KENTUCKY REGION

Review: The Jawbone UP Activity and Sleep Tracking Wristband  – GadgetNerdly – Muncie, IN (April 22, 2013)

Jawbone first released their UP fitness-tracking wristband towards the end of 2011. I can still remember the pre-launch hype and excitement surrounding the product back then, and I even considered buying one. The only thing that stopped me was the fact that the Jawbone UP wasn’t compatible with any of the phones that I had at the time. That incompatibility turned out to be a blessing in disguise though, because the first generation Jawbone UP was plagued with other, more serious problems. It leaked, the rigidity of the internal parts caused premature hardware failures, users reported non-existent battery life and some units would just software brick themselves for no apparent reason. By December of 2011, Jawbone had pulled the UP from store shelves and offered a no questions asked refund for anyone that had already purchased one.

Verizon’s LG Lucid 2 is an Average but Capable Smartphone Aimed at First-Timers and People with a Tight Budget – Oakland Press – Pontiac, MI (April 24, 2013)

When it comes to technology, the current hype is about big-name new smartphones such as the Galaxy S IV, HTC One and even folks looking ahead to the newest iPhone later this year.

But not everyone wants the biggest and best phones, especially at the higher prices they command, and there’s a whole different group folks out there who want more affordable options.

With that in mind, the LG Lucid 2 aims at this other segment of the market, by sacrificing in some spec areas but also keeping down the price (In fact, it is free with a 2-year contract, as opposed to the $200 or $300 you might pay out of pocket for a bigger-name phone).

 I recently spent some time with the Lucid 2, and I’m back with a full report on how it performed.



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Each week, we share a collection of Verizon news and stories from your neighborhood that you may have missed in the past week. Here’s what’s new with Verizon in the Midwest from the week of April 15.

GREAT PLAINS REGION 

For the Fashionista in All of Us – Brainerd Dispatch – Brainerd, MN (April 12, 2013)

The University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Violence Prevention, in partnership with Futures Without Violence, HopeLine from Verizon and the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention, will host The Y Factor Iowa, an inaugural summit April 19 on the UNI campus. The morning session, set for 9 to 11 a.m. at the McLeod Center, features Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby as the keynote speaker, who will discuss the importance of men and boys stepping up and taking leadership roles in preventing bullying and gender violence. 

Bowlsby to Speak at Violence Prevention Summit – Waterloo Courier – Waterloo, IA (April 14, 2013)

The University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Violence Prevention, in partnership with Futures Without Violence, HopeLine from Verizon and the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention, will host The Y Factor Iowa, an inaugural summit April 19 on the UNI campus. The morning session, set for 9 to 11 a.m. at the McLeod Center, features Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby as the keynote speaker, who will discuss the importance of men and boys stepping up and taking leadership roles in preventing bullying and gender violence. 

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