There has been lots of speculation in recent months that Microsoft was working with Verizon on unleashing an iPhone killer, based on the company's Zune MP3 player. But as Engadget reports, no such model appears to be in the works.

That's just as well. While Zunes are competent MP3 players, they lack the panache to help a phone go toe-to-toe with iPhone, with its superb, touch-based interface. (Complete details in our Ratings of MP3 players, available to subscribers.) Besides, Verizon is also reportedly working on lassoing an iPhone, or at least Apple phone of some sort, for its customers.

Moreover, Verizon, one of the few carriers seemingly not yet hurt by the recession, already has phones that run on Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system, including a touch-screen model called the Samsung Omnia. Windows Mobile phones generally do well in our tests. They allow you to easily create and edit documents, run multiple programs, and switch easily between them. Those advantages are likely to improve when Microsoft finally releases Windows Mobile 6.5. —Mike Gikas

As we've previously noted, sales of plasma TVs have waned as LCDs have become a more popular choice, so that nine out of every 10 TVs now sold in the U.S. are LCD models. Given that the best plasma TVs (available to subscribers) are still great choices, we've been wondering: Can plasma sales rebound?

Based on the latest numbers from Austin-based market research firm DisplaySearch, the answer is apparently no. Blaming the poor economic climate and the exit by several brands from the business, DisplaySearch reports that shipments of plasma panels—the glass panels used to make plasma TVs—fell 22 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same time last year.

While a lot of the decline was due to the 32-inch screen size—offered by brands such as Vizio and Insignia—being discontinued, DisplaySearch says that even 42- and 50-inch panel shipments were down, as Pioneer exited the TV business altogether, and other brands, including Vizio and Hitachi, are now focused exclusively on LCD. That leaves just Panasonic, Samsung and LG Electronics as the major panel makers left in the plasma business.

“As bad as plasma unit shipments were in Q1’09 relative to a year ago, plasma panel revenues were even worse, declining 36 percent [year-to-year], as falling prices were needed to stem even steeper demand falloff,” noted Paul Gagnon, DisplaySearch director of North America TV market research. He expects plasma manufacturers to try and implement more efficient manufacturing and production processes to help remain competitive with LCD sets.

DisplaySearch also noted that 1080p plasma shipments dropped slightly, as more manufacturers focused on lower-priced 720p models in the 42- and 50-inch screen sizes to entice cost-conscious customers. Also, one-third of all plasma shipments are now 50 inches or larger, a size where they compete more effectively with LCD sets.

Personally, I hope that plasma TVs remain a viable choice for some time to come. We're currently testing several new plasma TV models from the leading manufacturers, so stay tuned for the results.

And if you'd like more info about DisplaySearch's latest findings, check out its global TV forecast, or send an email to the company at contact@displaysearch.com.—James K. Willcox

The next time you use an ATM, look before you swipe. There’s a good chance the machine was tampered with, say an increasing number of experts.

Savvy crooks are once-again trying to attach skimmers—phony card scanners that fit over the ATM’s real card swipe—in hopes of reading your debit or credit card and send its data to the criminal. A cleverly concealed spy camera, records your secret PIN code. Increased awareness of ATM skimming scams have banks doubling their efforts to protect their customers, reports ABC News.

Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when you use an ATM:

1. Beware of your own bank’s ATMs. Earlier this month, three skimmers were found in one week, all at ATMs located within Chase bank lobbies or vestibules. Criminals know that well-known bank machines are trusted and highly trafficked. But, they're not closely monitored—especially during off hours, when thieves can place their very cleverly-crafted and –concealed contraptions.

2. Know what to look for. Scam artists are adroit at camouflaging their devices to look legitimate. (See how convincing these doctored ATMs look by checking our sister blog, The Consumerist.) If you see an extra mirror or shoddy looking card-reader, give them a tug. They might pop right off. If you see something suspicious, don't use the machine and alert the bank branch's manager. If it's after hours, call your bank and alert them to the problem. Many ATMs will also have a local or toll-free number (printed on the machine itself) to call if you're having problems or issues with a particular machine.

3. Make safe ATM use a regular practice. Cover your hand when entering your PIN. Take your receipt (if you opt to have one printed) and always make sure your session has ended before you walk away from the machine.

"Skimming" and other forms of ATM fraud are a growing, worldwide concern. Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has released a great visual guide to identifying skimmers at ATMs. Download the PDF here. Also check out the embedded video, above, from the BBC show The Real Hustle.

Do you have other ATM safety tips and practices? Or an experience with a compromised ATM? Share it here. —Nick K. Mandle

Speculation of a Verizon/Apple deal for a phone spiked again this week, with some new information emerging via a host of reports. The upshot: Such a deal is more alluring than ever to consumers, and may happen sooner than was once thought—though no sooner than next year, at the earliest.

Here's a roundup of what's creating buzz and a growing sense of tangibility about a Verizon/Apple cell phone:

• Consumers like Verizon. The proof is not just the company's perennial high standings in our Ratings of cellphone service (available to subscribers). In spite of a recession, the company this week announced it had snagged 1.3 million new customers in the first quarter of the year. That's more than AT&T, a middling performer in our Ratings, who said they added 1.2 million customers, most of whom got iPhones (AT&T having exclusivity over the Apple smart phone).

• AT&T's deal reportedly expires in 2010. The iPhone launched in late 2006, with a supposed five-year exclusivity for AT&T—a factor raised in a number of comments to our blog of a few months ago on an Verizon/Apple phone. But several sources, including the New York Times, this week reported that the deal actually appears to expires in 2010, and that AT&T is now negotiating with Apple for a one-year extension of the deal into 2011.
• Any deal will likely wait for new, faster LTE networks. It might appear that Apple, which rarely comments in advance on possible new products, seemed to squelch the idea of a Verizon-Apple phone last week, when a spokesman said it was unlikely Apple would build a phone that works on a CDMA network, like that used by Verizon (AT&T's network uses a competing technology, GSM). But Verizon and other carriers, including AT&T, plan to replace so-called third-generation (or 3G) networks with faster so-called Long Term Evolution, or LTE, networks. And Verizon's president and CEO, Denny Strigl, this week told the Wall Street Journal that Apple “should consider an LTE arrangement, and my guess is they would.”

In February, Verizon announced it planned to become the first wireless carrier to offer LTE service, starting in 2010. But many analysts we've talked to think that's an optimistic date for the first LTE networks. They say launches in 2012 or later are more likely, with limited coverage, and that CDMA networks will likely remain in place alongside LTE ones for years to come.

The best guess? For at least the next year-and-a-half or so, any Apple phone is overwhelmingly likely to remain an iPhone, and from AT&T. That exclusivity might even continue over to 2011, if Apple extends the iPhone's exclusivity to AT&T through that year—and if Verizon has not yet built out its LTE network sufficiently to support a splashy new product launch like an Apple phone. And when that launch does come, it may not be a shift of the iPhone across the street to Verizon but a distinct and different product, with both Verizon and AT&T selling Apple phones.

What do you think? Are you eager to see a Verizon/Apple phone? Bummed if AT&T retains its exclusivity into 2011? —Paul Reynolds

When it comes to energy consumption, you might be surprised how much more expensive a plasma TV can cost compared to an LCD. It’s a fact Consumer Reports knows well. Our lab techs measure the energy consumption of each TV we test. How? With a nifty little device called a “watt-ammeter,” at right. (Click to zoom in.)

One of our testers, Chris Andrade, rigged one to a 46-inch, 1080p LCD for me. The box on the bottom (with the gauge) provides a controlled voltage. The left number on the top box—the watt-ammeter—indicates the energy consumption of the TV, about 177 watts. A typical 1080p plasma of the same size would average about 400 watts.

How much will each set you back? Depending on how much you TV watch, the LCD could average more than $50 a year. The plasma, more than $120. For more sizes, see our chart on what it costs to run a big-screen TV. Fortunately, it’s likely those numbers will come down. Energy consumption should probably drop in TV models released later this year, as editor Paul Reynolds discusses in our video from CES 2009.

(If you really want to see how much juice your appliances are quaffing, check out our claim check on plug-in energy monitors.)

Energy costs shouldn’t be the only deciding factor when buying a TV. Big-screen plasmas do tend to cost less than similar-sized LCDs, and are generally better for theater-like viewing. There are plenty of other considerations before buying. Check out our TV Buying Guide for more on TV types, brand profiles, and shopping tips. —Nick K. Mandle