Verizon to sell BlackBerry Classic; Apple ordered to pay $532.9M to Smartflash

Quick news from around the Web.

"Going to #MWC2015? Interested in the #connectedhome? If so, check out our event at the show! http://bit.ly/1x9yU6F  #FierceConnectedHome" --@FierceWireless

> Verizon Wireless will sell the BlackBerry Classic phone starting Feb. 26. Release

> Bridge Alliance and Ericsson announced a partnership aimed at the Internet of Things market. Release

> New leaks appear to show the rumored HTC One M9. Article

> Pebble announced its new Time smart watch, with a color screen. Article

> Google acquired the Facebook marketing startup Toro. Article

> T-Mobile US introduced a new website that shows subscribers whether the software on their Android device can be updated. Article

> 3D augmented reality technology from Magic Leap may eventually make its way into smartphones, the company said. Article

> Apple has been ordered by a jury to pay $532.9 million to patent licensing firm Smartflash. Article

Online Video News

> Views of video ads on long-form content jumped 43 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to FreeWheel's latest report. Article

> As many as 1.4 million U.S. households either cut their pay-TV subscription or never had one in the first place last year, a number that "appears to have markedly increased" over past years, according to analysts Michael Nathanson and Craig Moffett. Article

> Over-the-top service provider Kaltura and IBM are providing platform and infrastructure support to Turner Broadcasting as it launches an authenticated multiscreen service in Latin America and Brazil. The partnership is IBM's first hybrid cloud services foray into the media and entertainment industry, according to The Street. Article

Telecom News

> Windstream believes the ongoing buildout of its long-haul optical network will enable it to further offset the ongoing headwinds it faces in its wholesale and carrier business segments, particularly as more of its wireless carrier customers migrate off of TDM-based circuits to fiber and Ethernet. Article

> TDS Telecom's ongoing buildout of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and bonded VDSL2 broadband into new and existing markets has helped drive up both its broadband and IPTV subscriber bases. Article

Cable News

> Cablevision reported slightly accelerated subscriber losses of 34,000 in the fourth quarter, ending the three month period with 2.68 million Optimum TV customers. Article

> Broadband services provider Frontier Communications has struck a deal with TiVo to market the DVR maker's Roamio OTA set-top to its high-speed Internet customers. Article

European Wireless News

> Huawei hailed the success of its researchers in developing new air interfaces for 5G technology that it plans to demonstrate at the forthcoming Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona, but rival Ericsson is keeping it in check with a new 5G test bed. Article

> Vodafone said it will become the first operator to introduce low-cost technology for connecting devices that have very low demands for power and bandwidth to the Internet of Things. Article

And finally… Hillary Clinton is not really interested in wearable devices. Article