Microsoft’s Defeat and the Evolving Mobile Operating System War
Well, as
predicted 3 months ago here, the Microsoft-Yahoo deal is off. It just made no sense, and despite threats of
taking the deal into a proxy fight, Still, the aborted attempt is enough for Microsoft’s board to consider a change in the leadership, and try to produce some kind of innovation with its assets...
As far as mobile goes, unless
(Especially given Apple’s impending enterprise push...
New SDK Stokes Potential i-Phone Sales Growth
In the same way
the i-Phone challenged the marketplace to innovate phone design and UI, the
recently-released software development kit (SDK) and it’s surrounding ecosystem
will challenge Microsoft, RIM, and Nokia (the principle owners of Symbian)
to match the kind of access developers need to make their work worthwhile. Most notably, that would include access to
potential customers.As with all the mobile operating systems (OS) owners, there’s a co-dependent relationship between them and the developers who create applications (apps) which enhance or extend the OS and the device which runs it. In the case of the i-Phone, Apple had to provide the tools to let developers create certified apps for the i-Phone in order to capture revenue for distributing those software products (it’s another revenue stream for them). The happy by-product will be...<< MORE >>
Poisson d'Avril is Hottest New Mobile Game, Wins "Green" Stamp of Approval
As far as mobile applications go, this one should not be overlooked. While shrugged-off by many
wireless carrier executives as a mere “toy”, Poisson d’Avril is gaining
major traction in the wireless world.Forget BrickBreaker, which consumes precious battery power and requires lateral dexterity, not to mention a significant mobile-phone purchase; “Poisson” has appeared out of nowhere to take the Best Mobile Game of the Year award at a recent CTIA event. The game’s demand for constant water swishing button pushing (thumb usage recommended) has become an addiction even the most responsible executive cannot deny...<< MORE >>
With Yahoo In Play, Google Mobile Advances
Looking at
Yahoo’s future in wireless is a bit presumptuous without consideration of the
hostile mega-merger attempt launched by Microsoft last week. So before we get to the wireless skinny,
let’s talk merger for a minute.Should any merger be eventually worked out, it would be great news for Google shareholders. MSFT-YHOO would need at least 2 to 3 years to integrate their businesses and eliminate some 8000 jobs, mostly through layoffs.
As morale slumps at the joint behemoth, Google would speed ahead, especially with its wireless business, possibly building its own network. And Android promises a shot of innovation into the wireless space that many a user have been hungry for.
We’ve known for years that mobile represents the biggest growth opportunity for the web, and hence on-line advertising...<< MORE >>
I can’t believe I just bought a Blackberry !
Last week, I returned the
AT&T Tilt (with Windows Mobile 6) basically because I have no 3G coverage
at home (you can read more details here).Prior to the return, while in the Verizon store to get ported back and return to my cluncky Samsung i-730, I spot the Pearl 8130. What a gem!
Long story short, to go back to “the V” I had to do a 1-year contract, so thought I should get something for it. (i.e. a phone subsidy)
So, I went for the 8130.
I’ve done the Symbian thing, lived with a Palm OS Treo, done Windows Mobile 2003, 5 and tried 6. And now Backberry completes my tour of operating systems.
I had turned my nose up at Blackberries for years:
They were too wide, obliged you to buy their server service
Well, the 8130 has none of these drawbacks.
Here is my initial reaction...<< MORE >>
Sprint Looking More Vulnerable. Where Is Carl ?
With the horrid
results Sprint reported today, plummeting its share price to $8.7 from a
high 6 months ago of $22.9, the stock
has now fallen some 60% (whereas the NASDAQ is down about 13% over the same
period)So, I’m wondering when someone like Mr. Icahn might put them into play.
(the stock is down 41.6% over the last 5 years, where the NASDAQ is up 31.5% over the same period)
I’m not talking about the buy-and-chop-up kind of takeover, but rather the buy and turn-around kind. As in consolidate operations, unify the branding, get the product offering back on track, and fix customer service...<< MORE >>
The Un-Tilting Factors
Despite one’s
glazed-over eyes and zombie smile that seem to go along with the purchase of a new
PDA-phone, the reality simply cannot be known until some weeks later. Thankfully, the wireless operators acknowledge
this, and allow a 30-day trial. Although I didn’t
have 3G coverage in my home village (a place I often work, as well), I tried to
rationalize keeping the Tilt.
“It has WiFi-g,
maybe that will fill the gap”, I thought.
“I can even drop the data plan altogether”, I further reasoned, except
that that would rendered Google maps useless when I needed it the most. Besides, nothing beats "anywhere" internet access...<< MORE >>
No 3G iPhone yet, but here are some cool vibrating icons...
Seems like the
biggest wireless news lately is the no-news of no 3G iPhone announcement at
Macworld 2008.
The iPhone
remains the object of desire for many, but also simply unjustified for
most.
The fact is that
while one can deal with a slower Edge connection even for most data-centric
activities, when it comes to surfing full web pages on that big beautiful
screen, you’ve got to have the speed.
And no firmware update will give owners of the original iPhone the
speed they need.
Surfers are
better off using a proxy server which parses their pages accordingly.
As for those with iPhone-envy who are waiting for the iPhone 2, my bet is that they will have to wait until June to get to pay a premium for
some 3G love. And early adopter iPhonies looking for a speedy connection
will have to rather focus on consuming the occasional firmware-upgrade bone they get thrown, until summer.
I score a very cool little "burner" for 29€
Why can't some US operators offer sleek little gems like this to pre-pay customers for under $40? Don't they want a competitive advantage?I am traveling in Europe to, among other things, bring home some prospective on which continent is truly ahead. Wirelessly-speaking, of course.
Early into this adventure (which is due to wrap up Jan. 8th), I procured a wafer-thin Sagem 220 to keep me in mobile voice contact. The marked price of only 19€ attracts me to this sleek little jewel, but that price involved turning in an old phone for a 10€ credit. Huh? Even my oldest relic is worth more than that to me, when I think of the conversations I've had with them...<< MORE >>
Some Nice Tilt Things, Some Annoying Things
There are some
nice improvements with Windows Mobile 6, which make the AT&T Tilt a nice
phone to use.
There is a task
manager which is ever-present in the upper right of the Today screen, allowing
you to close any application without 6 screen taps, as before. This, like other improvements, accomplishes
what 3rd party applications did for Windows Mobile 5. Another example is the icon which lets you
change the orientation of the screen in one shot.
Also, there are more
direct links to applications than before on the Today screen.
But an essential function of any phone is the ability to press a button to engage voice dialing...<< MORE >>
I Get Tilted
I felt like the
13th was a lucky day for me, as I finally pulled the trigger and went
for the AT&T Tilt. It was a tough call, as the new BJ2 is very
capable, but it would have been too hard for me to give up the large touch
screen I had on my Samsung i-730. So, I braved the snow and ice to trek to an AT&T store, and close the deal prior to my trip abroad. Now I have a mini-laptop, 3G compatible even in Europe, to take along.
When I saw the phone on display, I couldn’t believe it...<< MORE >>
The Wireless Story of 2007: Open Handset Alliance / Android
When I
first read some snippets about Google’s Android project and Open Handset
Alliance (OHA) initiative, I thought, “People are going to have phones that are accessible to all developers,
allowing them phones which are incredibly flexible and original. And,
users will be able to customize their phone right down to the main screen
layout!” I dreamt of a day where Skype could run unfettered on a phone, making international conversation air-time free, and mobile surfing became practical and speedy. And that swift connection (with low latency) truly opened a world of information and web-based applications to all mobile humanity, myself included. And to pay for it all, I would see (and ignore) ads along the way.
But while most operators have joined OHA, they are the gatekeepers...<< MORE >>
Why I like the Blackjack 2
It’s
no secret that I am in the market for a new PDA-phone, and the Blackjack II (BJ2), which hit last week at
AT&T, has caught my eye.
I tried the Motorola Q, a
similar PDA-phone, for a couple of weeks back in August and was definitely
digging the ultra-thin form-factor. What I didn’t like was that it’s too
wide (the BJ2 is 2.3 in. wide versus the Q’s 2.6 in.), which made it less
attractive for talking and perhaps pocketing.
The slim profile is a happy result of avoiding the ubiquitous slider, which
only adds thickness to a phone. After
all, there are always tradeoffs, in this case between the practicality of the
keyboard being always at the ready and in preserving the design line.
But what else is it that makes me want to buy a Blackjack II?...<< MORE >>
The Kindle is a $400 E-book reader from Amazon.
Just not sure who will buy one. It’s got an odd (retro?) form-factor, has a monochrome screen, and will likely break within 2 years (“last as long as a Blackberry” is how Mr. Bezos put it).
The coolest thing about the Kindle is it’s wirelessness! A free 3G connection (via Sprint’s network) allows users to shop for and download books, magazines, and newspapers, with only the device and the desire.
I’ve often wondered why electronics didn’t integrate phone chips. We can only hope this is the start of a deluge.
Hey, reminds me of a great product idea...
The Perverse Reality About Stereo Bluetooth Headsets
A stereo Bluetooth device
promises not only early adopter prestige, but previous-track and next-track
controls which you don’t see on corded headsets. And there is the freedom from those dang tangly wires!But while stereo Bluetooth headsets have their advantage, I’m disappointed by their sound...<< MORE >>
Maybe Wires Beat Stereo Bluetooth
After slicing and dicing my
original wired headset which came with my Samsung i-730, in an effort to
restore it’s stereo goodness, I realized 2 things...<< MORE >>
Bluetooth Solution Part 2: the Voyager 855 Judgment Day
As part of my search for the
ultimate stereo Bluetooth solution, I surfed around, finding the following potential suitors:- Moto S9
- Helium Digital’s HDBT-700
- Sony DBRT21
- JabraBT8010
Sprint Played Softball for Too Long
In observing the events leading up to Gary
Forsee’s removal as Sprint CEO in October, and the company’s ensuing
abandonment of their WiMax-service partnering with Clearwire, one thing becomes
obvious. Well, 3 things. The first is so obvious I don’t even have
to say it: Large mergers rarely work in tech (see HP-Compaq, Alcatel-Lucent,
etc.), and equity is destroyed.
Sprint-Nextel is no exception...<< MORE >>
In Search of Stereo Bluetooth Solution: the Plantronics Voyager 855
After 2 months of naked irradiating
talk without a wire or Bluetooth, I went seeking the ultimate Bluetooth
solution. (I detest wires, anyway)
And having spontaneously
purchased a Jabra 125 for hands-free use, a static prone starter set, I decided
it was time to go exchange it.
This time, I went for a
relatively expensive Plantronics Voyager 855 stereo Bluetooth headset. (I’ll
refer to any stereo Bluetooth headset simply as “BT”)
The word was, as I read BT reviews online, that BTs cannot touch the sound quality you get with a wire. That would probably explain why Apple is so anti-Bluetooth regarding their mobile products. Fair enough...<< MORE >>
I'm Holding Off On the i-Phone
I am completely
dissuaded from the i-phone. I’ve awoken
from the spell...<< MORE >>