Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Android, Apple, Cox Communications, Google, Google Earth, GPS, iPhone, Sprint Nextel
Google has released
a custom Google Earth application for the iPhone, and it’s stunning. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/27/google-earth-comes-to-the-iphone-and-its-awesome 10/27)
What makes a great Android app? One that melds the virtual world with the real world in a fun or informative way. One app that does that in an impressive fashion is called JOYity and it comes from Zelfi, a German mobile gaming startup. JOYity uses the GPS in the Android phone to let you play games and go on adventures based on your location in the real world. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/27/the-joy-of-joyity-bringing-massive-multiplayer-trans-reality-games-to-android-phones 10/27)
Qik, a startup that allows you to stream live video to the web directly from your phone, has launched support for RIM’s incredibly popular Blackberry platform. The software is currently available in an alpha state (so don’t be surprised if you encounter bugs), and includes support for the Blackberry Bold and Pearl (other phones, like the Flip and Curve, will be available in a later release that the company expects soon). (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/10/26/qik-finally-brings-its-live-video-streaming-to-blackberry 10/26)
Cox Communications today is expected to detail its strategy for building a wireless-phone network that will cover residents in its cable TV footprint, according to this article. The network, expected to be operational sometime next year, would rely on Sprint Nextel for roaming coverage beyond those areas. Los Angeles Times/The Associated Press (10/27)
An increasing number of mobile workers are finding they don’t need to cart around heavy laptop computers all of the time because smartphones are taking on many of the applications they need, such as spreadsheets, word processing and making presentations. While no one is predicting that mobile phones will replace laptops, industry observers point to the emergence of high-speed wireless Internet connections, larger screens with touch interfaces and better keyboards — as well as more robust software — as factors in lightening workers’ loads. The Wall Street Journal (10/27)
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Filed under: TECHNOLOGY | Tags: Blu-ray Disc, Blu-ray Disc Association, HD DVD, HowardStringer, Sony, Sprint Nextel, WiMAX, Xohm
TECHNOLOGY
The trade group representing Blu-ray discs said “sell-in indicators” were pointing to a strong holiday sales season for the Blu-ray products. Movie titles in the new HD format are selling four times greater than a year ago, according to the Blu-ray Disc Association. Pocket-lint.co.uk (10/8)
Notebook PCs with WiMAX capability built into the machines will hit the market in short order as Lenovo Toshiba, Acer and Asus all announced immediate plans Wednesday to sell laptops compatible with Sprint Nextel‘s new Xohm network. Sprint seems to be placing the embedded laptop at the core of its distribution plans: Four more computer makers said they would follow suit as Sprint predicts a total of 20 models will be available by year-end. Telephony Online (10/8) , American City Business Journals/Kansas City, Mo. (10/8)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: BlackBerry Storm, Boost Mobile, iPhone, Sony Ericsson, Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1, Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless, Xperia X1
Research in Motion‘s BlackBerry Storm smartphone will hit the market in the U.S. and Europe next month with exclusive rights belonging to Verizon Wireless and Vodafone, respectively, RIM is expected to announce today. The Storm, which signals RIM’s intent to crash the consumer market, features: a 3.25-inch screen, which is slightly smaller than the iPhone‘s; the BlackBerry’s first touch-screen interface; and 3G network support — but it lacks Wi-Fi access and weighs 16% more than the iPhone. The Wall Street Journal (10/8) , Financial Times (10/8)
Sprint Nextel’s Boost Mobile has rolled out a GPS-enabled Motorola flip phone that is compatible with its walkie-talkie service. The i776 comes with a range of multimedia features and is Boost’s smallest flip phone to date that is equipped with a camera. TMCnet.com (10/7)
Sony Ericsson’s new partnership with Saab will give users of the new Xperia X1 smartphone remote control inside the Saab 9-X Air that will allow them to make hands-free calls, lock the doors, work the lights, adjust the seats and open the rear compartment from the handset. Observers say Sony Ericsson hopes that by displaying the X1′s versatility in the Saab arrangement, developers will be encouraged to make applications for its new flagship device. InformationWeek (10/7)
News Corp. will pay VeriSign $200 million for its share of Jamba, which provides ringtones and games for mobile phones. Variety reports that VeriSign wants to focus on its core business of Internet infrastructure. Reuters (10/7) , Variety (10/7)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Android, Google, Mobile Broadband, Mobile phone, Motorola, Push to talk, Sprint, Sprint Nextel
Considered a hybrid of tough push-to-talk devices and feature-laden clamshell-type cell phones, Motorola’s Renegade V950 is shipping from Sprint Nextel, the carrier said. The device, which operators over Sprint’s mobile broadband and cell networks, contains picture mail, live TV as well as a 2.0-megapixel camera for its $130 price tag under a two-year contract and rebate plan. Computerworld (9/2) , Wireless Week (9/2)
The browser-bearing world was atwitter yesterday
with the announcement of Google’s Chrome browser. Just about overnight, they’ve managed to convince hordes of people that Chrome is the way to browse on your PC. Next step? They’re taking it mobile. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/03/chrome-coming-to-android 9/3)
Symbian on Tuesday released its second quarter financial data. The Nokia-owned company said that it bested last year’s sales mark with 19.6 million units sold. That may seem high, but over the past six months, 159 different Symbian OS-based mobile devices hit store shelves, compared to just a handful from RIM and one from Apple. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/03/can-the-iphone-beat-symbian-os 9/3)
Virgin Mobile announced today that it has inked a deal with Buzzd, a location-based city guide and social network, to equip Virgin Mobile handsets with the ability to allow local entertainment information to be broadcast and shared among Virgin Mobile customers in the same general proximity. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/09/02/virgin-mobile-gets-buzzd-on-location-based-entertainment 9/2)
The CW is the latest television network to add a mobile video component, following NBC and CBS. Its wireless application protocol site, wap.cwtv.com, was placed in a beta test at the beginning of August and is expected to officially launch as the fall season gets under way. (Iwantmedia 9/3, http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/digital/e3ib225d0cb90c027dd4490294333216f99 9/1)
Nokia will continue its assault on the iPhone with the global introduction of its Comes With Music service in the U.K. next month followed by Asia and European versions next year, the company said. Nokia, which has signed three of the four major record labels to its service, will offer an unlimited downloading package in which users can keep the songs on their handsets for a year. Financial Times (9/2) , Pocket-lint.co.uk (9/2)
Handset companies may enjoy 80% of the U.S. market for cell phones, but they are struggling to keep up with Apple and Research in Motion in the lucrative smartphone arena, industry observers are saying. Analysts note that companies such Nokia, Motorola and Samsung have been slow to introduce smartphones in the U.S., opting instead for high-end cell phones that have sold sluggishly. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires (subscription required) (9/3)
(Below) I just checked out the FDR from the comfort of my couch. Very cool. Wonder how it might operate while driving on an Edge network. . .
Mobile app developer 3rd Dimension, Inc. expanded its mobile traffic cam iPhone App to several new cities. The free app, which integrates with municipal traffic cameras in local department of transportation offices, now helps you avoid traffic jams in Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. The application is also available online. (Cynopsis 9/3)
AOL will let advertisers serve iPhone-specific ads through its Platform-A digital ad unit. The move marks the latest effort by AOL to expand its ad offerings after acquiring mobile ad firm Third Screen Media last year. The new capability will allow marketers to tailor ads to the iPhone. (Iwantmedia 9/3, http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=89725 9/3)
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Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Apple, Handhelds, iPhone, iPhone 3G, Palm, Smartphone, Sprint Nextel, Treo
Now, after a weekend of testing, some hard data on battery numbers are starting to trickle in. But the iPhone is such a complex device that your results will very much vary from the numbers above. (http://gizmodo.com/5025309/nine-takes-on-the-iphone-3g-battery-life 7/15)
Palm has introduced a new Treo smartphone aimed at competing with BlackBerry for business users. The smartphone, available through Sprint Nextel, is priced at $249.99, but its debut was overshadowed by the market entry of Apple’s iPhone 3G. Reuters (7/14)
Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Apple, AT&T Inc, iPhone, Smartphone, Sprint Nextel, Sprint Nextel Corp, Verizon, Visual Voicemail
As of tomorrow (June 20th), Sprint Nextel Corp. will be taking on the iPhone with a lower price for its own touch-screen smart phone, the Samsung Instinct. The carrier said Wednesday that the Instinct will cost $129.99. That compares with $199 for the cheapest model of the new iPhone, which goes on sale July 11 with AT&T Inc. as the carrier. (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIpc0e1gbOvATmcFsYv9VqfL3eIgD91CL3901 6/18)
My favorite part is the Instinct/iPhone comparison. Click below to get you some. In this comparison, they are clearly comparing the current iPhone model to the Instinct. As of July 11, the faster internet and GPS superiority will be nullified. That said, the Instinct will still be able to present live TV, offer music downloads without Wi-Fi and record video which the iPhone won’t be able to do. Oh yeah, and the Instinct is cheaper and looks pretty damn good…because it pretty much looks exactly like an iPhone.
Verizon plans to offer Visual Voicemail (a popular feature on the iPhone revealing a picture of the caller) on a selection of handsets later this summer, including the much-anticipated touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder. (Cynopsis 6/19)
Filed under: WIRELESS | Tags: Cablevision, Data Communications, Datastorm, Qwest, Sprint Nextel, Verizon Wireless, Wi-Fi, WIRELESS
The Apple online store has stopped selling iPhones completely, stating they are currently unavailable. What does it mean? In some way I’m inclined to say “not much.” Apple rarely telegraphs its moves this far in advance. However, since O2 in the UK has stopped selling iPhones and a number of folks have had trouble buying them in stores, Techcrunch thinks we might be seeing a next-gen iPhone in the next few days. (http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/05/11/no-more-iphones-at-apple-store-3g-imminent 5/11)
Remember when Steve Jobs used the excuse that the Apple iPhone is tied to AT&T’s slow EDGE network because 3G web surfing was too power hungry? Well Steve still seems to be concerned about this as the soon-to-be-released 3G iPhone will ship with the ability to toggle back forth between the EDGE and 3G network. (Cynopsis 5/12)
Research in Motion has officially released its new, speedier BlackBerry Bold smartphone, setting up a 3G-network showdown with Apple’s 3G iPhone, which analysts expect the company to introduce in June. Besides its speed, upgrades to the new BlackBerry include a brighter screen and an improved Web browser, said co-CEO James Balsillie, who said the race was on to provider faster processors and faster networks to consumers. (Pocket-lint.co.uk 5/12, Bloomberg 5/12)
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO) Virgin Mobile USA and Helio are in talks to merge, according to a story first reported in mocoNews.net. Virgin and Helio, both of which resell services leased from Sprint Nextel, are two of the last surviving MVNO. Among those who have failed to make a go of it include Disney Mobile, Amp’d and ESPN Mobile. (Cynopsis 5/12)
