Mobile data increased very much last year. I expect the growth to continue. If operators do not invest enough to their network and/or find suitable charging schemes the network can become more congested than before.
4G mobile device speeds becomes the new standard. As competition move to that end, there will be fast growth there. Shipments of ’4G’ LTE devices, that is handsets, dongles and tablets, reached almost 103 million units in 2012, according to figures published by ABI Research. It interesting that almost 95% of the devices shipped went to North America and the Asia-Pacific.
3G will become the low-cost option for those who think 4G option is too expensive. What is interesting to note is that not everyone who upgraded to an LTE-capable device last year took out an LTE subscription; in fact, only around half of LTE device owners also have an LTE subscription.
The shift to 4G can take many more than year to fully happen even in USA. ABI expects the rate at which 3G subscribers with LTE handsets upgrade to LTE connections will gather pace over the next two years. And even longer in Europe. Carriers should not be panicking. And 3G will live and expand besides 4G for quite a long time. For many of those living outside cities, 3G internet connections are still hard to come by.
Apple and Samsung will continue to make money this year as well as people rate Apple and Samsung more highly than ever. Accountant Deloitte predicts that Smartphone sales to hit 1bn a year for first time in 2013.
Samsung is currently the world’s leading seller of phones and televisions. Those leaders should be careful because competition is getting harder all the time. Samsung boss has given warning on this to employees. Remember what what happened to Nokia.
Android will dominate smart phone market even stronger than before. Digitimes Research: Android phones to account for 70% of global smartphone market in 2013.
Windows Phone 8 situation is a question mark. Digitimes predicts that Shipments of Windows Phones, including 7.x and 8.x models, will grow 150% on year to 52.5 million units in 2013 for a 6.1% share. There is one big force against Windows Phone: Google does not bother doing services for Windows Phone 8, Google’s sync changes are going to screw Gmail users on Windows Phone and there are issues with YouTube. Does Windows Phone even have a chance without Google? For active Google service users the changes are pretty that they get this phone.
Competition on smart phones gets harder. It seems that smart phone business have evolved to point where even relatively small companies can start to make their own phones. Forbes sees that Amazon, Microsoft, Google, will all introduce branded mobile phones.
Patent battles are far from over. We will see many new patent fights on smart phones and tablets.
Mobile phones still cause other devices to become redundant. Tietoviikko tells that last year mobile phone made redundant the following devices: small screen smart phones (4 inch or more now), music buying as individual tracks or discs, navigators (smart phone can do that) and a separate pocket size camera. Let’s see what becomes redundant this year.
Many things happens on Linux on mobile devices. Ubuntu now fits in your phone. Firefox OS phones from ZTE will come to some markets. ZTE plans to make Open webOS phone. Meego is not dead, it resurrects with new names: Samsung will release Tizen based phones. Jolla will release Sailfish phones.
Cars become more and more mobile communications devices. Car of the future is M2M-ready. Think a future car as a big smart phone moving on wheels.
Nokia seemed to be getting better on the end of 2012, but 2013 does not look too good for Nokia. Especially on smart phones if you believe Tomi T Ahonen analysis Picture Tells it Better – first in series of Nokia Strategy Analysis diagrams, how Nokia smartphone sales collapsed. Even if shipment of Windows Phone 8 devices increase as Digitimes predicts the year will be hard for Nokia. Tristan Louis expects in Forbes magazine that Nokia abandons the mobile business in 2013. I think that will happen this year, at least for whole mobile business. I have understood that basic phone and feature phone phone business part of Nokia is quite good condition. The problems are on smart phones. I expect that Windows Phone 8 will not sell as well as Nokia hopes.
Because Nokia is reducing number of workers in Finland, there are other companies that try to use the situation: Two new Finnish mobile startups and Samsung opens a research center in Espoo Finland.
Finnish mobile gaming industry has been doing well on 2012. Rovio has been growing for years on the success of Angry Birds that does not show slowing down. Supercell had also huge success. I expect those businesses to grow this year. Maybe some new Finnish mobiel game company finds their own recipe for success.
Late addition: Wireless charging of mobile devices is get getting some popularity. Wireless charging for Qi technology is becoming the industry standard as Nokia, HTC and some other companies use that. There is a competing AW4P wireless charging standard pushed by Samsung ja Qualcomm. Toyota’s car will get wireless mobile phone charger, and other car manufacturers might follow that if buyers start to want them. Wireless charge option has already been surprisingly common variety of devices: Nokia Lumia 920, Nexus 4, HT, etc. We have to wait for some time for situation to stabilize before we see public charging points in cafeterias.
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Tomi Engdahl says:
App could transform farming and address food shortages
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24957131
A 29-year-old developer from Ghana
Edison Gbenga Ade created the platform, which provides access to markets and information about prices, to help farmers negotiate better deals and improve the timing of getting their crops to market.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watch sells 800,000 units in 2 months [u]
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/18/samsung-galaxy-gear-smart-watch-flops-with-just-50000-units-sold—report
Since its debut in late September, Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smart watch has sold 800,000 units — far more than the 50,000 originally claimed by an erroneous rumor [updated].
Daily sales of the device to date are between 800 and 900 units, according to a story published Monday by BusinessKorea. According to the publication, those sales are “far below the initial expectations” market watchers had for the wearable device.
The Galaxy Gear was widely panned in reviews at launch, as critics cited a high $300 price tag, limited functionality and poor battery life as significant knocks against the wrist-worn accessory. The device was also initially limited to connectivity with the Galaxy Note 3 smartphone, but support for the Galaxy S3, S4 and Note 2 was eventually added.
Earlier reports also indicated that resellers such as Best Buy were seeing exceptionally high return rates on the Galaxy Gear of up to 30 percent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
This startup’s tech verifies your identity by scanning your eye with your smartphone
http://venturebeat.com/2013/11/19/this-startups-tech-verifies-your-identity-with-an-eye-scan-on-your-smartphone/
Eye scanner identification systems are the stuff of spy movies, but EyeVerify is bringing them to the mainstream.
EyeVerify’s biometric software verifies your identity on your phone with your “eyeprint.” Using a smartphone camera, the technology captures images of your eye and creates a template with information about blood vessels, vein patterns, and other physical things.
EyeVerify developed a SDK that software developers integrate into their applications to enable eyeprint verification. Rather than using a password to log in to an app, you could “sign in” with EyeVerify.
CEO Toby Rush said the goal is to “take passwords down for the count.”
Humans have unique and stable patterns of blood vessels that are evident in the whites of their eyes. One eye has two eyeprints, one on each side of the iris, and basic smartphone cameras can capture these.
The concept of identifying people based on these veins was developed by Dr. Reza Derakshani in 2006 and patented in 2008
The more complicated and varied your passwords are, the more secure they are. However, most people don’t want to keep track of a large number of passwords.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Free Poster – Malicious Mobile Apps – A Growing Threat
http://subscriber.emediausa.com/Bulletins/BulletinPreview.aspx?BF=1&BRID=58316
With the exploding use of mobile devices and BYOD, mobile apps represent a major new threat.
Below are some key highlights:
73% of IT pros expect mobile threats to their networks will increase in the next 12 months
Mobile threats account for 59% of all malware
12% of all Android Apps are now malicious
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: New Directions in Wearable Tech
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=269780&cid=nl.dn14
wearable and other fabric-based technology is on the rise, with solutions ranging from electronics-enhanced clothing to a ring that can pay your subway fare electronically to smartphone-enabled anklet baby monitors starting to make their way into the commercial market.
The community of electronic engineers recently chose eight competitors to build wearable or every-day carry-with-you electronics products on the FLORA design platform for its Adafruit + element14 FLORA “Get Closer” Challenge. FLORA is an open-source wearable electronics design platform created and supported by Adafruit, a company that was founded by an MIT graduate to create learning-based electronics.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Qualcomm slips out new Snapdragon hardness to gush 4K vids into palms
New 805 system-on-chip is the Google Nexus 5 CPU’s big brother
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/21/qualcomm_slips_out_new_snapdragon_to_bring_4k_video_to_mobes/
While the media industry is convinced 4K televisions are the next big thing, Qualcomm claims its new Snapdragon 805 processor will bring 4,000 pixel content to smartphones.
“Using a smartphone or tablet powered by Snapdragon 805 processor is like having an UltraHD home theater in your pocket, with 4K video, imaging and graphics, all built for mobile,” said Murthy Renduchintala, VP of Qualcomm, said in a canned statement.
“We’re delivering the mobile industry’s first truly end-to-end Ultra HD solution, and coupled with our industry leading Gobi LTE modems and RF transceivers, streaming and watching content at 4K resolution will finally be possible.”
Qualcomm’s 800 series is currently running in Google’s Nexus 5 smartphone but the new processor should be more suited to the fast-growing phablet market
Tomi Engdahl says:
Windows Phone Now Sees 10M Transactions And 500 New Apps Daily, Has Served 3B Total Downloads
http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/20/windows-phone-now-sees-10m-transactions-and-500-new-apps-daily-has-served-3b-total-downloads/
Today Instagram and Waze came to the Windows Phone platform, bringing two applications to Microsoft’s smartphone venture that it has long lacked.
Microsoft also released a set of numbers that outline the platform’s growth, and yet modest size. Windows Phone has seen 3 billion applications downloads, a fine number for the platform, but something that pales in comparison to iOS’s more than 60 billion aggregate downloads.
The platform tallies 10 million app transactions each day, or 300 million per month.
The release of Windows Phone 8 remains the crux moment for the platform, with “monthly paid app revenue” up 181% since its launch.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart glasses let nurses see veins through skin
Eyes-On Glasses System from Epson and Evena helps nurses locate hard-to-find veins
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9244205/Smart_glasses_let_nurses_see_veins_through_skin
he Eyes-On Glasses System is based on Epson’s Moverio Smart Glasses Technology, an Android-based, see-through wearable display launched earlier this year that allows users to interact with apps and games.
Evena Medical, a maker of high-definition imaging for precise venous access, said the new glasses incorporate its multi-spectral 3D imaging and wireless connectivity.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The tablet memory mark-up scandal
http://blogs.which.co.uk/technology/tablets-2/the-tablet-memory-mark-up-scandal/
It costs tablet manufacturers such as Apple less than £6 to add an extra 16GB of tablet memory. But they’ll charge you as much as £80 for the privilege.
Which? research has uncovered outrageous pricing mark-ups in the tablet industry. If you buy a tablet with extra space for storing your apps and files, you could pay up to £80 for a piece of extra storage that costs manufacturers less than £6 at market prices.
There can be huge differences between tablet manufacturers in what they choose to charge customers for extra storage space.
Most tablet manufacturers don’t produce their own Flash storage. Instead, they buy it from third-party component manufacturers. Although individual deals between suppliers and manufacturers remain secret, Flash memory is a traded commodity, and prices are tracked by market watchers such as DRAMeXchange.
According to market prices of Flash memory tracked by DRAMeXchange from August to October this year, the memory used in tablets costs on average £5.95 for a block of 16GB of storage.
These shocking figures are backed up by industry insiders who buy blocks of storage from the same supply chains used by tablet manufacturers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Don’t PANIC, but these SMARTWATCH-stuffed boxes are going NOWHERE
Unstylish, pricey, no apps – Xmas shoppers to stick with slabs
http://www.channelregister.co.uk/2013/11/21/smart_watches_gartner/
Santa’s sack may be bulging this Chrimbo but it’ll be slabs rather than smartwatches weighing the old boy down.
Analysts have given the wrist jewellery – described just a few months ago as “the most important new product category in consumer electronics since the iPad defined the market for tablets” – a thumbs-down. They claim sellers will struggle this year to shift pallet-loads of the things, with the premium price and a lack of apps reasons why shoppers will steer clear.
Annette Zimmerman, principal beancounter at Gartner, said big names from the tech world, including Samsung, had entered the market but said the gadgets have failed to capture the imagination of consumers.
“The products we’ve seen so far have been rather uninspiring in terms of design, available apps and features,” she said.
On top of the chaebol, Sony is on its third-generation smartwatch, and Pebble has its iPhone and Android compatible device. ZTE is also getting into the game with market talk that Apple and Qualcomm will too
Looking into the crystal ball, Gartner predicted wearable devices will remain “companion devices” to mobes through to 2017, with fewer than one per cent of mobile users opting for a tab and smartwatch instead.
“Application, range and price will hold back Xmas sales. In that order. Wearable will take off in 2014. Application is key,” he told us.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Netflix, YouTube video killed the BitTorrent star? Duo gobble web traffic
File-sharing officially on the wane
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/11/bittorrent_gets_the_boot_as_netflix_and_youtube_win_the_web/
When it comes to mobile traffic in the US, YouTube is the top downstream site, wolfing up 17.69 per cent of the total traffic, followed by Facebook with 15.44 per cent. With mobile traffic, the top two are reversed, probably due to the number of people uploading selfies to Zuck’s advertising empire. Facebook accounts for 20.62 per cent of upstream traffic, compared to YouTube’s 13.20 per cent.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Sony patents LASER-FIRING Wi-Fi SMARTWIG with sideburn buttons
This is no bald-faced lie, the CHROME DOME is real
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/22/sony_smart_wig_patent/
Sony has been granted a patent for something it’s pleased to call a “SmartWig”.
The device is no mere thought bubble. The patent says: “The proposed wearable computing device has been demonstrated several times in internal meetings of the applicant.”
Sony’s also imagined the device could be used as a “navigation wig” that works alongside a GPS unit to deliver “… tactile signals and/or tactile feedback signals to the user”. Those signals would come from actuators or the vibration motors used in mobile phones placed close to the skin.
Tomi Engdahl says:
U.S. to Consider Cellphone Use on Planes
Proposal Would Allow for Calls Above 10,000 Feet
http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702303653004579212210178774516-lMyQjAxMTAzMDIwMTEyNDEyWj
The Federal Communications Commission said it will soon propose allowing passengers to use their cellphones on airplanes, setting up a debate that will pit the technically possible against the socially tolerable.
While cellphone use would still be restricted during takeoff and landing, the proposal would lift an FCC ban on airborne calls and cellular-data use by passengers once a flight reaches 10,000 feet.
That would remove a regulatory hurdle to in-flight calls, but it would be up to the airlines themselves whether to allow them. Airlines have said they would approach the matter cautiously because of strong objections from their customers. The carriers also would have to install equipment on their planes to communicate with cellphone towers on the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration said last month that it would allow expanded use of electronic devices during flights. Technical concerns about the airborne use of gadgets have faded. But the debate about the social merits of allowing people to make phone calls with a captive audience in the close confines of an airplane cabin promises to be vigorous.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Everything you need to know about in-flight cellphone rules
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/11/21/everything-you-need-to-know-about-in-flight-cell-phone-rules/?clsrd
It’s been a whirlwind month for air travelers. On Oct. 31, the Federal Aviation Administration relaxed a longstanding ban on in-flight electronics. Then, Europe expanded passenger access to 3G and 4G data services on aircraft. Now, it seems the Federal Communications Commission may be ready to allow phone calls from cruising altitudes.
The combination of new rules and cross-cutting jurisdictions is pretty confusing. What exactly am I going to be allowed to do on a plane? How does that technology even work? To help, we’ve put together some answers we hope will help.
What can I do with my phone right now?
For the moment, the range of activities is still pretty limited. You can use your personal electronics — music players, tablets, e-readers and so on — during all phases of flight, but that comes with several caveats. First, not all airlines support the relaxed rule. That’s because each carrier has to go through a separate government approval process.
Second, even though you can use your smartphone during takeoff and landing, you can’t use it to surf the Internet or make actual phone calls. You can play offline games with it. You can open up your e-reader app and catch up on your novel. But anything that requires an active cellular connection is strictly verboten. You must keep your phones (and tablets) on airplane mode during the whole flight.
Wait. But didn’t you just say the FCC is allowing in-flight calls?
Not quite. The FCC has said that the issue may be discussed at its next open meeting. In other words, it’s thinking about thinking about it. If the rule actually passes — which seems likely given everything else that’s happened in aviation recently — then airlines will be allowed to start offering wireless services at 10,000 feet and up.
FAA, FCC, whatever. How is all this going to work?
Most likely, the system will look a lot like what Europe has. (Shock: Europe is ahead of us.) Air travelers over there have had access to in-flight data ever since 2008. Granted, you could only surf on 2G speeds until last week. But still!
Europe calls its technology MCA, or Mobile Communications On-board Aircraft. Every plane that supports it is equipped with a base station that creates a mini cellular network called a picocell. All the wireless signals from your phone or tablet get collected by the base station, then transmitted to a commercial communications satellite. The satellite then beams those transmissions down to Earth, where they link up with terrestrial networks and continue on their way like normal.
Sounds great. What’s the catch?
It’s pretty costly. As long as you’re on the picocell, your cellular provider charges you at international roaming rates. These extra fees go toward paying for the satellite connection and other costs.
What about signal interference? Won’t this crash the plane?
Well, planes haven’t started falling out of the sky in Europe yet, so I think we’re okay
Tomi Engdahl says:
IoT on a Fingertip Is Researcher’s Goal
In search of the virtual keyboard
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1320172&
“In a world where the display is on your glasses and the computer is in your pocket, you want your accelerometers on your fingertips. That way, you’ve got your keyboard, mouse, and air guitar whenever you want them.”
The Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center, where Pister works, currently makes prototype devices “the size of big, ugly college rings,” he said. “I am certain we will have single-chip nodes. We are very close.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
BYOG: Why You NEED A Google Glass Policy
http://www.forbes.com/sites/netapp/2013/08/13/google-glass-policy/
Don’t look now, but here comes BYOG: “bring your own Glass.” Soon enough, employees and executives will be showing up for work wearing Google’s innovative new headset.
What are the security, privacy and reputation management implications for a world in which eyeglasses have cameras and microphones, controlled by downloadable apps?
Today, there are probably between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the world who have Google Glass (full disclosure: I’m one of those people, and I wear them every day). They cost $1,500. And they don’t exactly look like an elegant designer accessory (although combined with the included sunglasses accessory, they don’t look too bad).
Why You Should Care
It’s easy to dismiss Google Glass as an overpriced geek toy that will never go mainstream. But that would be a mistake. In fact, the coming product will be very unlike the current prototype you see here.
Reasonable estimates say that when Google Glass ships into the consumer market—late next year at the earliest—they’ll cost only $300. That price is unlikely. But it will probably cost less than, say, an unlocked iPhone.
Google Glass will never be as ubiquitous as the smartphone, but it will be mainstream. You need to start preparing now for the inevitable introduction of this technology into your offices and inside the firewall. (In fact, since developers were among the first group of people to be invited to try Glass, someone in your Dev department may already be wearing them.)
Is Glass Half Empty Or Half Full?
There are clear benefits and risks to Google Glass in the workplace.
Your IT department will use them for alerts and notifications as they used to use pagers and currently use smartphones. They’ll be able to see the alert, and in many cases respond to it, while continuing to do whatever it is they were doing, even if they were in a meeting.
Drivers, warehouse workers and others who use both hands during work will benefit enormously. Glass will essentially give them the basic tools of a white collar worker sitting at a desk as they are in the factory or in the field.
It will prove to be a massive benefit to the visually impaired and other disabled employees.
But Glass will also introduce new risks and challenges.
For starters, it has a camera on the front. It takes only a second to snap a picture or begin recording a video.
The biggest wildcard is that, like smartphones, Google Glass runs apps. And you can’t know what app is running on any particular user’s device.
Are they recording what they see and sending it to your competition?
Are they harvesting equipment serial numbers?
Are they watching porn?
There’s almost no way to know. (Note that none of these activities requires an Internet connection — keeping them off the network doesn’t eliminate the risk.)
Here’s one scenario to consider. Right now, smartphone apps, head-mounted camera systems and car dashcams have the ability to record the past. Apps will give Google Glass this ability. That means after a private conversation involving company secrets, personnel issues or other sensitive topics, a user running such an app will be able to walk away, press a button, and the audio or video of that conversation can be preserved, and uploaded to the cloud.
Tomi says:
NYPD: Thieves still really love Apple Inc. devices
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/24016575/nypd-thieves-still-really-love-apple-inc-devices
the NYPD says, that Apple products are among the biggest targets for thieves.
The NYPD says that in 2012, nearly 20 percent of all burglaries, robberies and grand larcenies involved apple products. In total almost 16,000 apple items were stolen. That is 14 percent of all the crime in the city.
Bob Strang, a former FBI and DEA agent, is now CEO of Investigative Management Group. He said the items have a high resell value. He said these Apple thefts are not petty crimes: the criminals have a network.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Eric Schmidt says only Samsung and Google are Apple’s equal
Google daddy’s iPhone-to-Android migration guide has a backhander for many mobe-makers
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/25/eric_schmidt_iphone_to_android_migration_guide/
Google daddy Eric Schmidt has shown that as a marketer, diplomat and technical writer he makes a pretty good figurehead/chairman/CEO/roving-technology-talker-upper, by releasing Eric’s Guide: Converting to Android from iPhone.
There’s precious little in the guide you would not expect from Schmidt, who kicks off by saying that many of his friends are migrating and that “The latest high-end phones from Samsung (Galaxy S4), Motorola (Verizon Droid Ultra) and the Nexus 5 (for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile) have better screens, are faster, and have a much more intuitive interface. They are a great Christmas present to an iPhone user!”
His overall intention, however, is crystal clear as the guide makes no attempt at balance: Schmidt assumes you’re going Google from end-to-end and offers instructions accordingly.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt Thinks Cell Phones Can Stop (And Start) Wars
http://www.businessinsider.com/google-chairman-eric-schmidt-thinks-cell-phones-can-stop-and-start-wars-2013-11
Google chairman Eric Schmidt has a solution for global conflict: smartphones.
The book, which Schmidt co-wrote with Jared Cohen, discusses various technological revolutions – the printing press, the fax machine and so forth – and posits that the Internet (and interconnectedness) can solve many of the world’s problems.
The U.S. “could have airdropped a million [smartphones] into Afghanistan or Iraq as a thought experiment,” Schmidt said.
“Would that have altered the course America pursued 10 years ago? I think so. All of a sudden you have a very different political situation inside.”
Lest you think smartphones are only for preventing foolish wars, they could also help oppressed citizens. Schmidt argued the phones and the web could help foment a revolution in Iran — and would induce one in China within the decade.
Tomi Engdahl says:
How much should an ethical phone cost? An extra penny? Or $4bn
Ending slavery in Africa needn’t cost this much
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/25/what_would_it_cost_to_sort_out_congo/
A penny apiece then: and with the global production of phones around the billion a year mark, this will cost us all $10m. And indeed that’s the sort of number the Enough Project has used as the total cost of making sure that there’s no blood in your mobile. Blood in your mobile being the tagline they used to get this campaign going.
Now I’ve been dismissive of whether their plan will actually work or not but $10m does seem a reasonable price for the world to pay to sort out that slave labour problem. However, it’s not going to cost $10 million, not at all.
But here’s what the SEC itself says about the costs:
“The SEC estimates that 6,000 U.S. issuers will be directly affected by the new requirement to trace the conflict minerals (gold, tantalum, tin, and tungsten) in their supply chains. The SEC has estimated initial compliance costs of $3 billion to $4 billion as end users of the four conflict minerals attempt to find out whether their raw materials originated at mines run by warlords in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) or its nine adjoining neighbors (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia).”
That sure is a long way from that initial $10m estimate, isn’t it?
As I’ve been saying these long years now there’s always been a simple way to sort this out: indeed, the metals industry has pretty much done it already.
So maybe 50 companies around the world that need to be a little more careful about what they buy from whom and we’re done, we’ve fixed our perceived problem.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Smart Glasses Help the Blind See
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1386&doc_id=269873&cid=nl.dn14
The advancement of technology has helped improve the quality of life for many people around the world.
About 15% of the people all around the world are now living with some sort of disability, compared to 10% 40 years ago. This has given rise to an increase in technologies to help people with everyday tasks
The next big technology, which is being developed to help disabled people, is glasses to help blind people see. Created by Dr. Stephen Hicks of the University of Oxford, the glasses will use simple visual images along with descriptions of nearby signs to help the blind navigate.
Many people who are registered as blind still have the capabilities to perceive some light and motion. Previous attempts at creating a product to help the blind see include silicon chips which had to be implanted in the eye to produce stronger visual signals. Due to the chip having to be placed in the eye, it was dangerous, and an expensive procedure.
The cameras and distance sensor work together to display an image onto transparent OLED displays, which acts as the lenses of the glasses.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Revealed: The amazing BlackBerry wizardry that created its ‘better Android than Android’
The ingenious hack that throws the company a lifeline
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/25/revealed_how_blackberry_made_its_better_android_than_android/
ome remarkable technical wizardry lies behind BlackBerry’s Android coup. When it was launched in January, BlackBerry’s new OS was brand new BlackBerry 10 and largely app-less. But today it can execute Android apps at impressive speed. How did they do it? Thanks to some helpful inside knowledge, The Register will reveal it all.
Android runs Java applications on a JVM called Dalvik, which runs on a Linux kernel. As it’s open source, Dalvik was straightforward to port to QNX, the sophisticated embedded Unix that RIM acquired in 2010, and which powered its PlayBook tablet
there was an insurmountable stumbling block in the way. Android apps may also call native extensions, which are ARM Linux binary libraries.
But one or two RIM engineers were convinced they could bridge this gap between native QNX and Linux code. They would attempt to run the Linux extensions natively on QNX, without recompilation or pre-processing.
While Linux and QNX are “Unix like”, that hardly helped.
“Linux and QNX used the same ARM SWI instruction, but passed the syscall number in different registers.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Wearable Computing: Business Effects Of Google Glass And Smartwatches
http://www.forbes.com/sites/netapp/2013/07/11/business-google-glass-smartwatch/
Some say Google Glass represents the next phase in computing. Others say it’s just a geeky fad.
It’s the same with smartwatches, and other forms of “wearable computing.” So much attention is being paid to this new trend that it’s time to understand what it really means—especially for businesses.
Here’s my take.
Google Glass has a camera on the front, capable of taking pictures or video without pointing or shooting. Although the camera is the focus of discussion, it’s really the least interesting or relevant thing about Glass.
Expect a Google Glass-like product on the market from Google sometime next year at the earliest.
The Glass headset is similar to a smartphone.
But there are three main things Glass has that smartphones don’t. First, Glass has no screen. Information is bounced off a tiny prism mirror, into the right eye.
Second, sound is transmitted via a bone-conduction feature that vibrates the skull
And third, Glass has a touch-pad on the outside surface of the device.
But What Is Glass For?
Google Glass does many things, but mostly it lets you use the Internet. That usage is more limited than with a smartphone, but the fact that you wear the device and see its information in your normal field of vision makes it powerful and frictionless.
In its early phase, much of the emphasis is placed on its ability to take pictures and video.
But the true promise of Google Glass is unpredictable. It can run apps. And it’s very hard to tell what kind of apps will be created.
It’s not about the Glass hardware: It’s about wearable computing combined with a virtual assistant—a proactive assistant (not a reactive one, such as we see in today’s Apple Siri).
Smartwatches And Other Wearable Devices
Smartwatches are already on the market, but they’ll become a mainstream phenomenon next year.
Just about every major technology company has shipped, announced, or is credibly rumored to be planning a smartwatch. These companies include Acer, Apple, Dell, Google, Intel, LG, Microsoft, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, as well as dozens of startups and small companies.
The magic behind Glass—and probably some future smartwatches—is called Google Now.
The Bottom Line
When you hear about Google Glass, understand that it’s just one small part of a much larger wearable-computing revolution, which will change everything for business, and for you.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Futuremark Delists Android Devices Allegedly Cheating 3DMark, Samsung and HTC Ousted
http://hothardware.com/News/Futuremark-Delists-Android-Devices-Allegedly-Cheating-3DMark-Samsung-and-HTC-Ousted/
Benchmarking is serious business
Buying decisions are often made based on how well a product benchmarks, which is why we spend so much time putting hot (and sometimes not-so-hot) hardware through their paces. However, benchmarks are only meaningful when there’s a level playing field, and when companies try to ‘game’ the business of benchmarking, it’s not only a form of cheating, it also bamboozles potential buyers who (rightfully) assume the numbers are supposed mean something.
We bring this up because Futuremark just delisted a bunch of devices from its 3DMark benchmark because it suspects foul play is at hand.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Motorola turns to 3D printing to bring its ambitious modular smartphones to life
http://venturebeat.com/2013/11/22/motorola-turns-to-3d-printing-to-bring-its-ambitious-modular-smartphones-to-life/
Motorola’s futuristic smartphones now have an equally futuristic manufacturing method: 3D printing.
Motorola announced today that it’s inked a deal with 3D printing giant 3D Systems to put together its Project Ara smartphones, which the company announced last month.
Essentially a Lego take on hardware, Project Aura’s modular design will give owners almost complete control over their phones’ features, letting them swap out components without buying entirely new phones. That level of customization is perfect for 3D printing, which excels at letting companies manufacture custom items in small batches.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple patents Lytro-like refocusable camera suitable for iPhone
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/11/26/apple-patents-lytro-like-refocusable-camera-for-iphone
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday awarded Apple a patent for a camera system that uses a microlens adaptor to enable refocusing of an image after the initial shot is taken, much like the Lytro light-field camera.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung updating Galaxy Gear this week with enhanced notifications and gestures (updated)
http://www.engadget.com/2013/11/26/samsung-galaxy-gear-update/
When we reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch, we were concerned about the lack of third-party notification support. If we received a notification from any app that wasn’t officially made by Samsung, we wouldn’t actually get to read it on the watch; instead, we’d get alerted to the fact that something was waiting on the phone for us, and we’d be given the option to press a button and have that app open up on the phone itself. Fortunately, Samsung has heard our feedback and will be pushing out an update sometime this week that now allows third-party app notifications to show up in full; you’ll now be able to read your incoming Gmail messages, Facebook Messenger pings, Twitter mentions and Google Hangout messages, to name a few.
Tomi Engdahl says:
IDC Finds Worldwide Smartphone Shipments on Pace to Grow Nearly 40% in 2013 While Average Selling Prices Decline More Than 12%
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24461213
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. November 26, 2013 – According to a recently published mobile phone forecast from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, worldwide smartphone shipments are expected to surpass 1.0 billion units in 2013, representing 39.3% growth over 2012.
Despite a number of mature markets nearing smartphone saturation, the demand for low-cost computing in emerging markets continues to drive the smartphone market forward.
By 2017, total smartphone shipments are expected to approach 1.7 billion units, resulting in a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.4% from 2013 to 2017.
“Just a few years back the industry was talking about the next billion people to connect, and it was assumed the majority of these people would do so by way of the feature phone. Given the trajectory of ASPs, smartphones are now a very realistic option to connect those billion users.”
“The key driver behind smartphone volumes in the years ahead is the expected decrease in prices,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
ZTE Jumps On Smartwatch Bandwagon
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2013/11/25/zte-jumps-on-smartwatch-bandwagon/
When Samsung Electronics Co.’s Galaxy Gear launch in early September created a hype around the potential market for smartwatches, it was certain that we would soon see cheaper versions from Chinese competitors.
Now, ZTE Corp., mainly known for its telecom equipmentbut also a smartphone maker, plans to launch a smartwatch in the second quarter of next year, according to Lu Qianhao, head of the Shenzhen-based company’s handset marketing strategy.
Mr. Lv said that ZTE’s smartwatch will offer technological features that are similar to existing products such as the Galaxy Gear, but will sell for lower prices as it tries to appeal to China’s cost-conscious consumers. “We are focusing on the mainstream market,”
ZTE isn’t the first Chinese company to sell smartwatches. In late September, Coolpad, another major Chinese smartphone vendor, launched a waterproof smartwatch called the cWatch, according to Engadget.
Rarely heard outside of China, Coolpad is one of the largest smartphone vendors in the country.
With more Chinese brands jumping on the smartwatch bandwagon, the fledgling market may soon get crowded with more affordable models, similar to what has already happened to smartphones.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Moto G: Google’s KitKat bruiser could knock out, bury Landfill Android
‘Loss leaders’ and competitive advantage
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/27/googles_loss_leader_wants_to_bury_landfill_android/
Two weeks ago Motorola launched a cheap-as-chips Android phone that by common consent, isn’t actually nasty. Quite rightly, the new Motorola Moto G has shot to the top of the picks of smartphones in the sub-£150 price point. In fact, you can pick one up without contract from Amazon for £135.
Android has been this cheap before. In fact, in China, Android handsets can be bought for $30 – but Android has never really been cheap and not nasty. Here at El Reg, we’ve been calling it “Landfill Android” (after “Landfill Indie”), by which phrase we define cheap handsets tricked out with meagre processors, meagre battery and sub-par screen.
What makes the G a steal? A couple of things, I think. There’s plenty of thought put into the design – it’s comfortable and nice to hold. The screen is bright and sharp. Moto hasn’t skimped on the processor, and even the camera is OK. Certainly, corners have been cut: £135 will buy you a handset with just 8GB on board
But across the industry there are a lot of raised eyebrows about how Motorola has managed to make the G so cheap.
“If there is any margin, it must be razor thin,”
Google has watched while Microsoft grabbed 10 per cent in major markets with Nokia making better phones in the sub-€100 and sub-€150 points, and it knows the experience is sub-par. Not only is it continuing to optimise Android for cheap hardware – it’s buying its way out of Landfill Android.
Apple has certainly helped here: it’s done everything it could to help Android to 80 per cent global market share. Apple has retained its premium pricing and big margins, and the long-awaited, much needed makeover for iOS7 is an amateurish mess.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Almost a third of Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatches are being returned
A leaked document claims
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2303366/almost-a-third-of-samsung-galaxy-gear-smartwatches-are-being-returned
ALMOST A THIRD of Samsung’s Galaxy Gear Smartwatches sold are being returned, a leaked document has revealed.
The figures come from information in a leaked document sent to Geek.com and suggest that over 30 percent of Samsung’s wrist gadgets are being returned after sale at Best Buy locations in the US.
Powered by an 800MHz processor with 512MB of RAM, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch works along with a smartphone via Bluetooth connectivity.
in Samsung Galaxy Gear review we found that despite its premium design, the functions and settings it brings to users, especially the lack of social network integration don’t really justify its hefty price of £299.
Up until now the Galaxy Gear would only work with Samsung’s latest phablet, the Galaxy Note 3, as well as the latest edition of the Galaxy Note 10.1,
Tomi Engdahl says:
Newkia appoints CEO, first phone in development
http://www.zdnet.com/newkia-appoints-ceo-first-phone-in-development-7000023674/
Summary: Singapore-based company that rose from the sale of Nokia’s devices business has appointed its first CEO, Urpo Karjalainen, who is also a Nokia alumnae, and reveals it’s “moving rapidly toward deployment” of its first phone.
Karjalainen said: “I see a huge opportunity for Newkia in the current market, and I am very excited to be part of creating something new built on Nokia’s incredible legacy. We are building a team that will carry forward the best know-how and qualities of phones that made Nokia the world-leading mobile phone brand for 14 years.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
Stolen smartphone database is complete, says CTIA
But will it make a difference?
http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/27/5153694/stolen-smartphone-database-is-complete-says-ctia
AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless launched a database for stolen smartphones last year, and today the wireless industry says that database system is complete. CTIA president and CEO Steve Largent announced that the database now allows carriers to block activation of LTE smartphones as well as 3G devices, hopefully deterring their theft, and has been integrated with international databases so foreign carriers can assist the effort. “As more countries and more carriers around the world participate in the 3G and 4G/LTE databases, criminals will have fewer outlets since these stolen phones would be blacklisted and could not be reactivated,” wrote Largent in a press release.
That point about international carriers is more important than you might think. While the US database has been active for a year, New York City officials say it hasn’t made a real dent in smartphone thefts. Since foreign carriers weren’t included in the original effort, organized crime syndicates are literally fronting truckloads of cash to ship stolen smartphones overseas where they can be sold without fear.
prosecutors launched the “Save Our Smartphones Initative”, hoping to convince US carriers and smartphone manufacturers to install a “kill switch” in their devices that could completely deactivate them if they were stolen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
First Jolla smartphone from former Nokia staff goes on sale
http://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/2309655/first-jolla-smartphone-from-former-nokia-staff-goes-on-sale
Jolla, the smartphone startup founded by ex-Nokia engineers, is set to sell its first handsets from today in Finland, with availability in other countries to follow.
The Jolla handset runs the Sailfish OS, which is itself based on the former MeeGo platform developed by Nokia and Intel several years ago to produce Linux-based smartphone software.
Tomi Engdahl says:
CyanogenMod Installer Application Removed from Play Store
http://www.cyanogenmod.org/blog/cyanogenmod-installer-application-removed-from-play-store
Today, we were contacted by the Google Play Support team to say that our CyanogenMod Installer application is in violation of Google Play’s developer terms.
They advised us to voluntarily remove the application, or they would be forced to remove it administratively. We have complied with their wishes while we wait for a more favorable resolution
To those unfamiliar with the application, it has a single function – to guide users to enable “ADB”, a built in development and debugging tool, and then navigates the user to the desktop installer. The desktop application then performs the installation of the CyanogenMod on their Android device.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia Lumia 525 unveiled as successor to the most popular Windows Phone
http://www.theverge.com/2013/11/27/5150754/nokia-lumia-525-specifications-features-price-release-date
Nokia’s Lumia 525 Windows Phone has long been rumored, and the Finnish smartphone manufacturer is making it official today with little fanfare. Designed as a successor to the popular Lumia 520, Nokia’s Lumia 525 looks almost identical. Inside there’s not many changes either. It has the same 5-megapixel camera without flash and no front-facing addition, and Nokia has opted for 8GB of storage with a 4-inch WVGA display and a dual-core 1GHz processor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung hauls in chiefs for ‘CRISIS awareness’ confab – report
Are sales of the Galaxy S4 as bad as rumors suggest?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/28/report_samsung_summoning_global_managers_for_crisis_awareness_meeting/
Reports have surfaced that Samsung is calling together 600 of its global managerial staff for a “Crisis Awareness” meeting to be held in mid-December.
There have been a flurry of reports that sales of Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone have fallen behind expectations – a situation that one company staffer identified as a “crisis” when speaking with Korea’s ETNews a few months back.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Fixya Report Smartphones
http://blog.fixya.com/fixyareport/nov2013/smartphone-report.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
Analysis: No checkouts, no chocolate: Online shopping hits impulse buys
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-retail-consumer-checkouts-analysis-idUSBRE9AQ0GG20131127
That is because online shoppers search for what they need, usually sticking close to their shopping lists. They don’t spontaneously buy magazines they opened while waiting to pay, or chocolate to eat on the go.
“In the supermarket, obviously you walk past it and you see a special offer and you think ‘Oh, I’ll have that’,” she said.
Even though retailers try to do the same thing by flagging special offers at online check-out, it doesn’t usually work.
But smartphones also provide new opportunities for location-based promotions that are already driving sales.
Another test, using in-store sensors, tries to turn browsers into buyers by delivering audio or video content to smartphones based on a shopper’s gender and approximate age, what products they’re looking at, how long they dwell and the time of day.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Battery power runs out, the screens crack and no signal is found. A new study shows what really frustrates mobile phone users. The battery life is the biggest complaint. One in three, or 37 per cent of mobile phone owners shall appoint a battery number one problem.
Battery after causing frustration on the list of topics were varied reception (14%) and high data rates (12%). Long battery life is the single most important feature that is desired from the new phone. It calls for 71 percent of the respondents. Another wish list for access to the internet (57%) and the third camera features high (41%).
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=721:akku-on-suurin-murheenaihe&catid=13&Itemid=101
Tomi Engdahl says:
The fourth-generation LTE technology has clearly been the fastest growing mobile technology. GSMA association study, by 2017, LTE will increase the number of users in a billion. At that time one of eight user have 4G phone.
Source: http://www.etn.fi/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=706:miljardi-4g-kayttajaa-jo-2016&catid=13&Itemid=101
Tomi Engdahl says:
Are Unnoticed Forces Brewing to Create a Mobile Market Disruption?
Posted Nov 26, 2013 at 11:00 am
http://www.eeweb.com/blog/embedded_developer/are-unnoticed-forces-brewing-to-create-a-mobile-market-disruption
History shows that disruptions in the mobile market can happen when least expected. Is the current OS duopoly created by Apple and Google a prime target for disruption? Is an industry with six to eight competing operating systems (or variants) preferable to an industry with only two or three dominant platforms? Here is a look at some of the forces that may be creating the next mobile phone disruption.
We are witnessing a duopoly in the mobile market, where two device platforms, iOS and Android, make up 90 percent of the smartphone operating system market. Apple and Samsung are the two dominant manufacturers that capture most of the volume and profits. Nokia with Windows Phone and BlackBerry are far behind. In the current market no analyst is betting against Apple, Google or Samsung to foresee any dramatic shifts. However, history shows that market disruptions can happen when least expected.
One emerging trend that could potentially change the status quo is the Android ecosystem fragmentation. Increasingly there are non-Google certified Android devices. Typically these come from Chinese and other regional manufacturers that are using Android without Google services.
The other new development is the emergence of several new device platforms, all based on Linux OS at the core. There are various new platform initiatives, each with its own heritage, uniqueness and supporters but the following four are the most advanced:
*Tizen*– Is an open source platform backed by Samsung, Intel and several mobile operators.
Firefox OS – Is developed by Mozilla, backed by Telefonica, and several OEMs are committed to launch devices including ZTE, Huawei and Sony.
Ubuntu Touch OS – Is developed by Canonical, the Linux vendor.
Sailfish OS – Is developed by Jolla, a company started by ex-Nokia employees, who built a new platform on top of Nokia’s discontinued MeeGo OS.
Availability of applications and developer mindshare – In today’s ecosystem-driven market, a limited third party application catalog might kill a platform. The new Linux platforms, which are naturally disadvantaged, appear to be tackling this issue by adding virtualization or compatibility layers that enable Android apps to run on the platform (Tizen, Ubuntu) or via promoting broad Web/ HTML5 development (Firefox OS, Ubuntu).
Consumer mindshare and positioning – To capture consumer attention and overall industry mindshare the new platforms need to find unique differentiation
Dominant OEM support – The new Linux platforms are not brought to market by deep pocketed industry giants such as Apple or Google.
Operator support – While operator support does not ensure a platform’s success, as seen with past failed operator group initiatives like LiMO and WAC, the lack of operator support can be fatal for a new platform. Firefox OS, Ubuntu and Tizen all have supporting operator groups.
Software and device management capabilities – As proven by iOS and Android, to succeed, a modern smartphone platform must equip itself with the infrastructure for software updating and device management capabilities so that OEM and operator partners can keep the platform constantly updated via over-the-air services.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Samsung’s marketing splurge doesn’t always bring bang-for-buck
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/27/us-samsung-marketing-idUSBRE9AQ18720131127
Samsung Electronics Co is expected to spend around $14 billion – more than Iceland’s GDP – on advertising and marketing this year, but it doesn’t always get value for money.
And Samsung, which has a market value of $227 billion, has made no secret of keeping up its aggressive marketing and promotion splurge as it seeks to make its brand as aspirational as Apple Inc’s. But the money it’s spending doesn’t always bring the desired result.
“Samsung’s marketing is too much focused on projecting an image they aspire to: being innovative and ahead of the pack,” said Oh Jung-suk, associate professor at the business school of Seoul National University. “They are failing to efficiently bridge the gap between the aspiration and how consumers actually respond to the campaign. It’s got to be more aligned.”
Samsung’s ‘Next Big Thing,’ and ‘It’s Time to Change’ marketing campaigns stress that its products are cutting-edge, and even trumpet its technology ‘world firsts’ before they’re ready for prime time, such as curved smartphones, available only in South Korea, and curved TVs that cost nearly $10,000.
For a company long seen as a follower, this is now a big sell on it being an innovator.
But, while Samsung has become the world’s biggest advertiser, spending $4.3 billion on ads alone last year, its global brand value of $39.6 billion is less than half that of Apple, which spent only $1 billion on advertising, according to Interbrand and ad researcher Ad Age.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Baidu says Android now has 270 million daily active users in China. Mobile Internet statistics galore
http://www.unwiredview.com/2013/11/27/baidu-says-android-now-has-270-million-daily-active-users-in-china-mobile-internet-statistics-galore/
Reliable data about Chinese smartphone users is hard to come by. There is no centralized app store there, and since most of Android smartphones in China do not use any of its services, Google does not report activations in world’s biggest smartphone market.
Today China’s main search company –Baidu – issued “Mobile Internet Trends Report” for Q3 2013, which provides some info on what is happening with Android over there.
According to Baidu, there are now 270 million daily active Android users in China. However, its growth is starting to slow – only 13% in Q3 2013, compared to 55% in the same quarter a year ago.
Most Android device sales – 52% – now come from the old users upgrading old Android phones, while 48% buy a smartphone for the first time.
A big part of Android growth –45% – is now concentrated in rural areas and small, third and fourth tier cities. Last year this number was 35%. Android owners now spend 150 minutes a day on their smartphones (an increase of 26 minutes from a year before), checking the device 53 times a day (compared to 47 in 2012).
44% rely on Wi-Fi for their Internet access. That’s especially true for video and other heavy traffic applications, since Wi-Fi makes up for 80% of Mobile Internet traffic. 31% get their data through 2G networks, and only 23% use 3G. This has an interesting implications for the 4G services that are launching in China in a few weeks.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Looks like Google may ask you to PAY for YouTube music – report
No ads on millions of songs, but plenty of ads on millions more?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/28/google_youtube_subscription_service/
Google appears to be readying YouTube for a music subscription service, after intriguing references were spotted in the app by the Android Police blog.
It posted a series of strings detailed in the 5.3 version of the YouTube app, which tantalisingly mentions a number of juicy terms, including “Music Pass”, “Offline playback”, “Take your music everywhere” and “Uninterrupted music”.
There’s also a “No ads on millions of songs” option from the ad giant
Google didn’t deny that it was working on such a service.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Seraku Shows Off Smart Mirror That’s Android Infused, Let’s Hope It Doesn’t Take Pictures of Our Bedhead
http://www.droid-life.com/2012/05/11/seraku-shows-off-a-smart-mirror-that-has-android-infused-lets-hope-it-doesnt-take-pictures-of-our-bedhead/
A company named Seraku showed off a mirror recently, that through a series of hookups, connects to an Android tablet and then projects an interface onto the reflective surface of the mirror. Plus, so you don’t smudge up the nice clean glass with your greasy hands, the mirror uses RF proximity sensors to react to your touch without needing to contact the glass.
The display can show weather, sports scores, and even the temperature and force of the faucet that it’s working above.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Want Android and Firefox OS in one phone? Geeksphone has something lined up for you
http://gigaom.com/2013/11/28/want-android-and-firefox-os-in-one-phone-geeksphone-has-something-lined-up-for-you/
Spain’s Geeksphone is a scrappy little manufacturer that started off making Android handsets for open-source cognoscenti before becoming the first creator of Firefox OS developer devices. On Thursday it announced it will be bringing both of those worlds together with a smartphone called the Revolution that will run either operating system — or both, if you’re an “advanced user”.
This is the latest stage in what we may term a rapid evolution of Geeksphone’s roadmap. The company’s Peak Firefox OS handset went on sale in April and barely 3 months later Geeksphone took it off its virtual shelves, encouraging people to buy the souped-up Peak+ instead. Now those who already pre-ordered the Peak+ are being offered the Revolution at the same €149 ($203) price, which will be just over half the price others will pay.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Lumia had a 90 per cent slice of Windows Phone market
Nokia’s share of the market of Windows Phone devices have already risen to 90 per cent.
Online advertising company AdDuplexin November, reflecting the situation of the most recent survey, Nokia’s Windows Phone devices in November broke the 90 per cent limit on all Windows Phone devices. HTC has 7 per cent of devices and Samsung’s 1.8 per cent.
The most popular Windows Phone handset is even more still by far the cheapest Nokia device, the Lumia 520, with more than 35 per cent of all Windows Phone 8 devices (25% of all Windows Phone devices if you count in also version 7 phones). Lumia 520, Nokia has clearly been a breakthrough product for Windows Phone in the market.
The next most popular devices are the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 620
Source: tietoviikko.fi/kaikki_uutiset/lumia+jyraa++jo+90+prosentin+siivu/a950715
Tomi Engdahl says:
4G networks are BIG TIME SUCK for us videogame-obsessed Brits
Meanwhile, at the mall: have you ever caught yourself ‘showrooming’?
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/29/orange_exposure_research_4g_in_spain_uk_france/
Brits with 4G mobile contracts are wasting more time than ever by crunching their way through content – with over a quarter of them using their gadgets to download videogames.
More people are also using the faster mobile networks to shop online, especially to track down the best deals.
That’s the findings from market research outfit TNS, which was commissioned by Orange to talk to 1,000 customers in the UK, France and Spain online, after it conducted initial face-to-face interviews with 6,000 mobile media users.
It found that mobile apps were “increasingly becoming the de facto route to the internet, over the browser,” Orange said:
The gap between the two access methods stands at only 1 per cent now in France, with the browser only slightly ahead. This demonstrates the impact of better designed apps for mobile and we can expect that apps will be the predominant access point in the future. This finding will be significant for advertisers and retailers alike.
Beefier bandwidth is obviously helping us Brits consume more stuff online, and apparently we’re doing just that.
4G fans also appear to be more relaxed with shopping online, with 53 per cent of those questioned using their mobiles to pay for goods in the last six months compared with 34 per cent of 3Gers.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Schmidt: ‘Android mobes are a great Christmas present to an iPhone user!’
Plus: ‘Being banned from Xbox Live for saying cr*p and plonker is just stupid’
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/11/29/quotw_ending_november_29/
This was the week when Eric Schmidt had a lot to say for himself, first posting an informative guide for all the many friends he has who’ve been trying to migrate from iPhones over to Android.