March 20th, 2010
When I penned down “the going ahead for Palm“, I had a feeling that its a little incomplete. Still waiting for a hands-on with the WebOS and reminiscing my days with the Treo 650 (heck, I bought 3 of those one after the another every-time it gave up on me); it couldn’t have been a better time than this to read this piece on Engadget. Called the survival guide for Palm, it echoes a lot of my own thoughts.
I still remember the excitement after the Pre announcement and the numerous pings I made to Palm on twitter for an India release. What I heard from friends at Vodafone, the Pre was shown to them before the iPhone 3GS was announced and I still await a result. Anyways, here is a new (and better) Ad by Palm – video downstairs (more…)
Categories: Tech Industry News, smartphones |
Tags: palm, palm 2010, palm future, palm smartphones, pre, webos | No Comments
March 19th, 2010
Palm isn’t doing particularly well, even though it has a impressive product with the WebOS. Last quarter they sold just over 400,000 smartphones and lost $22 million. With a refreshed Palm Pre / Pixi and new carriers going live, Palm would have expected better sales, but they themselves had cut the guidance a while back. IMO part of this can be blamed to the poor advertising of the Pre compared to the Droid or Nexus One and at the same time as Jon Rubinstein himself points out – delay in getting on Verizon (i.e. going on sale after Droid).
What excited me is the fact that Palm (at-least as per Jon Rubinstein’s statement) is making good progress on future products and they are looking to come up with new carrier partners when these products go on sale. Another interesting perspective is the possibility of Google (or any other smartphone maker) buying out Palm which would be valued below $1 billion. Given the aggression Apple has shown with patent disputes with HTC and Nokia, Palm certainly has a good patent (more…)
Categories: Market Watch, Tech Industry News, smartphones |
Tags: jon rubinstein, palm, palm 2010, palm pre plus, palm pre sales, palm revenue, palm review, palm smartphones, pre plus sales, sales | 1 Comment
March 17th, 2010
Google might have to look for different names for its super phone, now since the US Trademark Office has rejected its application to trademark “Nexus One”.
The reason for the refusal is that the name conflicts with another Nexus mark, given to Integra Telecom back in Dec 2008. The mark owned by Integra refers to “the provision of telecommunication services and the transmission of voice and data”. But Google might argue that theirs is a product and not a service.
The Trademarks office says that (more…)
Categories: Android, Google, Tech Industry News, smartphones |
Tags: Google refused Nexus One trademark, nexus one, nexus one name controversy, Nexus One Trademark refused, nexus one trademark rejected | No Comments
March 16th, 2010
Nokia has launched the Design By Community project wherein Nokia is inviting anyone across the globe to give their input for the “smartphone concept device of the future”. The 8 week project would involve a new design widget every week and users can give their input for the design. The design widget also takes care of the feasibility of your design through a needle hovering in three zones – Red, Yellow and Green. Where Green obviously means ‘Perfect Mix’. Not exactly like the Sony Ericsson Dot, but seems like crowd-sourcing is the new mantra.
Week 1 of the project involves design aspects related to the phone’s display and UI, covering features like screen size, screen type, screen ratio and secondary buttons. The entire 8-week schedule is as follows – (more…)
Categories: Tech Industry News, nokia, smartphones |
Tags: ask the community, community, design by community, meego, nokia, nokia crowd sourcing | No Comments
March 16th, 2010
Opera has released the final versions of its mobile web browsers – Opera Mini 5 and Opera Mobile 10. Opera Mini 5 is the mobile web browser for Java and BlackBerry handsets while the Opera Mobile 10 is for Symbin S60 and Windows Mobile devices. Opera Mini 5 was recently released for Google’s Android OS too. An iPhone version of the browser is also in the making. (more…)
Categories: Launch Pad, mobile app, smartphones |
Tags: launch, opera, opera mini, opera mini 5, opera mobile, opera mobile 10 | No Comments
March 15th, 2010
It started out as a low-cost touchscreen device and is now spiralling into a rather vast family that has everything from total touchscreen to a non-touchscreen and touchscreen-QWERTY avatars. Samsung’s Corby might have boosted the company’s handset sales and redefined what people expect from devices in the lower-middle price segment, but it seems to be in danger of spinning out of control. As of now, we have close to half a dozen different Corby handsets and while the ones on the lower end will appeal to the value-for-money crowd, the higher-end affairs, like the Corby Plus and the Corby Pro, are getting into smartphone territory.
Some people would say there’s nothing really wrong with that, but I think that Sammy might just need to rethink its strategy here. A high end phone coming out with a lower cost version (like all the Minis seen nowadays) might appeal to consumers but try the same thing in reverse and the stark fact is that high-end users are unlikely to invest in a brand that is associated with a value-for-money proposition rather than high performance. And that is exactly where the Corby range could stumble – there are already users who are opting for Samsung’s own (more…)
Categories: samsung, smartphones |
Tags: corby, corby range, corby series review, samsung corby, samsung corby series, series review | 1 Comment
March 11th, 2010
LG is out with a refresh to its successful touchscreen series Cookie. Its amazing to see how companies like Samsung and LG have seen a great market in the low end touchscreen market after the iPhone came and swept the smartphone industry. The LG Cookie Pop would give competition to the Corby range and hopefully keep up the momentum that Cookie KP500 had set (yes the Cookie range has got new blood after a little delay IMO).
Design:
In this segment, what sells more than the features is the looks. LG has gone with a very simple bar shaped design, but managed to keep the phone housing a 3.0” screen very handy and compact. This thing weights just 87 gms and you will actually feel that when handling the phone. The buttons on the side have some chrome and all of them are pretty clickable and neatly placed. Press the camera button the the right once to open up favorite apps and long press to go to the camera mode. The button on the front enables a lot of single key operations like return to home screen, answer or disconnect a call etc. On the top you have the power button which also performs the wake / sleep function.
Features: (more…)
Categories: First look, LG, Launch Pad, Reviews, smartphones |
Tags: 2010 cookie, cokie pep, cokie pop, cookie, india, LG, lg cookie, lg cookie india, lg cookie pop, lg cookie pop india, lg cookie pop review | 4 Comments
March 11th, 2010
As this is Oscar week, we will just start this post with an instance from Jerry Maguire in which football star Rod Tidwell tells his agent Jerry Maguireto shut up and “show him the money!” Well, we can understand how he felt after hearing Sony Ericsson make YET another comment about the Xperia X10. We first heard of the Android-driven device in early November when we were told it would be available in Q1 2010. At the recent MWC in Barcelona, we were shown Mini and Mini Pro versions of the device and told it would be coming a bit later.
And NOW we have a Sony Ericsson spokesperson telling CNET that it could come in the second half of the year with a new version of Android. Honestly, we were very impressed by the specs of the X10 (a 8.1 MP shooter, 4.0 inch touchscreen, and every connectivity option in town) but the inordinate delay in its arrival is really making us wonder if like the original Xperia, it would be actually outdated by the time it arrived. It must be one of the few smartphones in cellphone history to have three different avatars, none of which happen to be in the market.
So allow us to paraphrase Rod Tidwell and say, “Enough talk, Sony E. Show us the X10 in the market. Please!”
Categories: Android, rumor, smartphones, sony ericsson |
Tags: 2010 android, Android, android by se, se xperia, sony ericsson, x10 android, xperia launch, xperia x 10, xperia x10 | No Comments
March 9th, 2010
It would not be wrong to say that LG was the first to introduce economy touchscreen smartphones. LG managed to create a new segment with LG Cookie. The segment also has developed interest by many other cellphone manufacturers like Samsung with its Corby and now Nokia introducing the C-Series. After LG Cookie and LG Cookie Plus GS500, now there is a new member under the Cookie umbrella - LG Cookie Fresh GS290.
(more…)
Categories: First look, LG, Tech Industry News, smartphones |
Tags: cokie, cokie gs290, cookie, LG, lg cokie, lg cookie, lg cookie fresh, lg cookie series, LG fresh touchscreen phone, lg gs290 | No Comments
March 9th, 2010
Blackberry remains the highest selling smartphone in the US, thanks to the plethora of business handsets it has to offer. One company that is fast catching up (and currently in no 2 position) is the Apple iPhone. Analyst prediction says that the iPhone would overtake Blackberry in sales sometime in 2011.
RIM’s touchscreen attempt with the Blackberry has failed to matchup and failed to counter the touch hype that iPhone has created. Meantime the iPhone 3GS has went on to be the best selling iPhone ever with Apple unable to go ahead with its global roll out as scheduled due to stock issues. Apple is expected to nab a 11% market share where as RIM Blackberry is seen at 8% in 2011. While a lot (more…)
Categories: Apple, Market Watch, Tech Industry News, iphone, smartphones |
Tags: iphone vs blackberry, market share of iphone, rim and apple, smartphone industry, smartphones 2011 | 1 Comment
March 8th, 2010
GigaByte’s GSmart Android is yet to hit the streets and here is another android phone from the Taiwanese cellphone manufacturer. Dubbed GSmart G1305 Codfish, the handset has been leaked by French website PointGPhone with a few pictures and specifications of the phone. The website calls it “good manufacturing quality” and is “very responsive”. The leaked specifications include a Android 1.6 Donut with a custom UI, 5MP camera, 3.2″ touchscreen and other ‘decent features’. In terms of specifications, the handset sure looks better than the GSmart Android, but nothing in particular impress us (including the v1.6 of Android).
Another similarity in the two Android handsets from GigaByte? No one knows the pricing and availability details of both (i.e. if they would be available).
via [PointGPhone & Engadget]
Categories: Android, Leaked / Spyshots, smartphones |
Tags: Android, android 1.6, codfish, Gigabyte, gigabyte android, gigabyte android phone | No Comments
March 7th, 2010
Yes weird as it sounds and geeky for sure! The idea of combining several cellphone displays by just placing them next to each other is certainly impressive and Motoorla is on it (the only problem is I don’t see a very practical use of this). According to this patent (“Reconfigurable Multiple-Screen Display”) filed by Motorola you can stream a video in parts on more than one cellphone at once and thus create a larger output by aligning the displays of these cellphones next to each other. See the diagram below to get some clarity:
So next (more…)
Categories: Concept / Educative, Future WIP, motorola, smartphones |
Tags: future mobiles, innovation, motopatent, motorola patent, smartphone patent, video on mobile patent | No Comments
March 2nd, 2010
Apple isn’t content with just counter-suing Nokia over patents, Cupertino has actually gone ahead and filed a suit against HTC for infringing 20 of its patents. While nothing is very clear as of now and just as the Nokia vs Apple battle seems long drawn with ITC and multiple suits coming in picture, we can expect similar action between Apple and HTC in coming weeks / months.
All Apple discloses officially is that the patent infringement is related to the “iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware.” Here is the official release: (more…)
Categories: Apple, Tech Industry News, smartphones |
Tags: Apple, apple lawsuit, apple sues htc, HTC, htc lawsuit, iphone patents, patent, patent fight, patents | 4 Comments
March 2nd, 2010
Nokia C series has finally gone official with Nokia showing the C5 officially. Leaked earlier, we already had a fair idea of what the C5 can offer and here is what Nokia says: We are introducing the new Nokia C5, an affordable smartphone optimized for social networking and sharing.
The image gives out the obvious details in the form of compact design, large comfortable keypad and the UI that flaunts favorite contacts, email and app shortcuts on homescreen. The features as we hear are the same as rumored before with Symbian S60v3, 3.2MP camera, AGPS, 2.2″ screen, etc. The price is rumored to be sub $200. More as it comes…
Via TechKnots / Nokia FaceBook
Categories: First look, Launch Pad, nokia, smartphones |
Tags: 2010, C series, c5 preview, cebit, cseries, nokia, nokia c5, smartphone | No Comments
February 27th, 2010
Dell had previously shown its rumored tablet device to only a few lucky journos at CES this year. Now, Mr. Neeraj Choubey, the company’s GM of tablets division, has told Wired.com that Dell Mini 5 won’t be a single tablet PC, instead a family of tablets varying in sizes, along with other advances over iPad which will help in truly creating a separate category of tablet PCs. We really hope they see value in adding a sliding QWERTY to the design.
Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Inc., says that the Mini 5 will debut “in a couple of months” and will run on Android (2.0 or higher).
Dell Mini 5 specs:
(more…)
Categories: Android, Market Watch, eReaders & Tablets, netbook, smartphones |
Tags: android tablet, apple ipad, dell mini, dell mini 5, dell mini 5 vs the ipad, dell mini series, ipad, ipad competitor, tablet | 1 Comment
February 26th, 2010
One of the biggest hit of the latest MWC in Barcelona and the Platinum Event Sponsor; the Windows Phone 7 paired with the LG is finally gearing up to be rolled out. As the reports flowing in from Engadget Chinese suggest that they are readying the phone to be shipped as early as September. This was apparently confirmed by officials at LG Mobile HongKong during the Chinese New Year event. Though LG has kept the suspense going by just stating that the phone will be dished out somewhere between September and November.
Given the current market scenario with Android, iPhone, Palm and others making rapid updates, Microsoft will sure hope that the new OS doesn’t get any more delayed. For LG they would hope to be the first one to roll out a Windows Phone 7 series device.
Via AkihabaraNews
Categories: Announcements, Tech Industry News, smartphones, windows mobile |
Tags: LG to ship Windows Phone 7, LG Windows Phone 7 in september, Windows Phone 7, Windows Phone 7 in September | No Comments
February 21st, 2010
Nokia did disappoint a lot of techies by not releasing any new handset during the MWC 2010. Nokia did announce the new OS, dubbed MeeGo but that wasn’t enough. Was it? Well, for all those who are keen to see some new handsets from Nokia here is the leaked Nokia X10.
We did hear some news about the new naming scheme from Nokia which mentioned the X series that focuses on entertainment and music for young audience. The leaked X10 belongs to the same X series. The handset has been released by a video on YouTube that shows a few documentation of the Symbian^3 powered Nokia X10.
The specifications of the device mentioned in the video includes a (more…)
Categories: Leaked / Spyshots, nokia, smartphones |
Tags: AMOLED, capacitive, leaked, nokia, nokia x10, nokia x100, rumor, symbian 2010, symbian^3, x10, x100 | No Comments
February 18th, 2010
Sony Ericsson has gone live with a new initiative called ‘SE-dot’. SE dot is aimed at crowdsourcing and developing new ideas. As the company informs us, the idea behind SE-dot is to jump the focus from technology and come down to practical ways in which mobiles can make things easy. On the site you would find ideas being put up, discussed and taken right upto prototype stage. Most of these ideas seem to be problems that developers can offer a solution to via a mobile app, but given the strength of community, Sony Ericsson can really get some good inputs from power users. Using collaboration between users Dot does better that other attempts that we have seen, like Palm asking you to give them ideas.
One cannot buy innovation but hope SE-dots sparks some good ideas though!
Here is the introduction video: (more…)
Categories: Launch Pad, smartphones, sony ericsson |
Tags: crowdsourcing, dots, ideas, mobile app ideas, se dots, smartphone | 3 Comments
February 18th, 2010
Nokia has finally done something that makes us feel that they aren’t really heading towards the platform confusion mode as we have constantly been thinking. After juggling 3 different OS (Symbian, Maemo and oFono with Intel), Nokia has announced MeeGO which merges the Maemo project with a solo Intel project called Moblin (remember the Linux based OS?). Though this still leaves us wondering what would be the fate of oFono project that Intel and Nokia kicked off some time back.
While Maemo brings a PC capable platform, Moblin was aimed as the fastest booting OS by Intel. What would be the result of combining the two? Hope better than what they are doing individually! At the same time we also have a official promo video of the UI for Symbian 3 by Nokia, (similar to what has been seen earlier) bringing on-board multiple homepages, pinch to zoom etc. While we ain’t a 100% impressed, it seems that Nokia would finally get capacitive love. (video downstairs)
(more…)
Categories: First look, Softwares, nokia, smartphones |
Tags: maemo + moblin = meego, meego os, mobile world congress nokia, Moblin, mwc, nokai ui, oFono, symbian 3, symbian 3 ui | 1 Comment
February 14th, 2010
No I ain’t speculating, but fact remains that both android and iPhone comes from really sophisticated Internet + software companies, I may be wrong but I doubt if Samsung can deliver that level of a smartphone os. The touchwiz UI powered Bada OS IMO would be good support for Samung’s media rich devices. Having handled the Omnia pro recently, I can very well see the need for Samsung to have it’s own software powering it’s taste if UI (the WinMo is horribly modded with the widgets interface).
One thing that has brought tremendous success to Samsung is the iPhone wannabes strategy. They have artfully catered to the sub $200 market with good looking touchscreens. The Corby & Star i.e. These phones aren’t about rich experience in terms of mobile internet or smart apps, but they give what the Rs 10k junta wants – good looks, iPhone style full touchscreen & feeling of a smartphone. If Samsung can pack a better OS (a much more matured OS as I like to call them) in a $200 full touchscreen like Corby, the potential is killer!
But that might not be the real reason Samsung wants the Bada OS. A great motivation behind the Bada OS might well be the apps market. Mobile apps is now raking in billions and Samsung sure wants to monetize this segment with it’s own OS>developers>apps ecosystem. With over 50 million Samsung touch phones by Samsung being out In the market, the opportunity is certainly exciting.
So will Samsung crack the app store model for itself? Probably yes. But will Bada really bring in competition for Android and iPhone? Unlikely!
Categories: Market Watch, Softwares, samsung, smartphones |
Tags: bada, bada os, iphone vs android vs bada, platform wars, samsung, samsung bada os, samsung bada vs iphone, smartphone os | 2 Comments
