jkOnTheRun has some great news for us: Verizon intends to get a little nicer with their network with a new program called “Any App, Any Device.” The upshot is that any customer can bring any compatible device to the big VZW and VZW will let 'em. This basically means that if you can get Sprint to unlock your phone, Verizon will pretty much take it.

Actually, it really means a whole lot more: If you can build your own cellphone that works on Verizon, Verizon will take it. After they test it and charge a testing fee, of course, they're not madmen. Still - this is great news, though I wouldn't go so far as to call it a seismic shift.

And as jk's Kevin Tofel notes, Verizon is thinking about moving to LTE (which is GSM-ish) for their 4G standard someday - which would mean that “Any Device” would cover a heckuva lot more devices.

Be still my heart - are carriers becoming less evil?

In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network. Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network. Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand. Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.

Read: Verizon Wireless To Introduce ‘Any Apps, Any Device’ Option For Customers In 2008

Since I'm currently using a Blackberry 8310 as part of the Round Robin this week, a cross-platform dig from RIM's CEO Mike Lazaridis is something I absolutely have to comment on:

“The Apple iPhone has severe limitations when it comes to effortless typing. Of course you have more screen space, with more artistic interactions, but that’s not enough. We’ve seen this before when Palm tried virtual keyboards. When they launched the Treo they licensed our keyboard,” Lazaridis said.

Read: intomobile

Ok - fair point about the iPhone's soft keyboard. About Palm, though, well.. let's just say that Handspring (yes, this happened before Palm bought 'em) licensed your keyboard because your company is a Sue - Happy - Madhouse and not because there's something magical about BB keyboards. Although I'm only 3 days into my CrackBerry experience (see the relevant thread over at CrackBerry.com's forums - post there to win too, btw), I'm fairly sure I still prefer the Treo's keyboard. Just saying.

More Smacktalk after the break - Read on.

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