My Mobile Zone

Amazon sold 6m Kindle Fires in Q4 2011, analyst claims

2012-02-12T22:52:00.000-08:00

Most people seem to agree that Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet has done reasonably well since launching in the US in the autumn, but so far we haven't seen anyone put an actual figure on it.

Well, one analyst willing to put his head on the block is Stifel Nicolas' Jordan Rohan, who reckons Amazon shifted six million of its cut-price slates in Q4 of last year.

That's not bad considering this time last year there was no Kindle Fire, no Amazon App store and pretty much no hint at all that Amazon was even interested in the mobile market – though considering the form factor similarities between e-readers and tablets, it seems fairly logical in hindsight.

Anyway, 12 months down the line and the Kindle Fire has shot from nowhere to become the best-selling Android tablet around, mainly thanks to its loss-making $199 price-tag. Like the Kindle e-reader, Amazon is subsidising the hardware side of things to sell more units and make increased profits on the software side - Rohan's estimate is that app sales turn a $10 loss per unit into a $10 profit.

Annoyingly, however, Amazon is following the strongly US-led roll out pattern that has frustrated us international types with the Kindle over the years.

There's still no hint of an international roll out for the Kindle Fire, and while the good and the great of the mobile world are gearing up for Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the end of Feb, if Amazon's planning on being there it's doing a good job of keeping it quiet.

Why the delay? It's a complication of that same basic business model that sets the Kindle Fire price tag so low, as Amazon needs guaranteed sales through its App store to offset the loss it's making on the tablet itself, and with each market presenting a different proposition on that front, getting the sums right is a complex process.

Samsung to reveal 11.6in Galaxy Tab at Mobile World Congress?

2012-02-10T22:48:00.000-08:00

We’re still getting used to the idea that Samsung might not launch the Galaxy S III at Mobile World Congress after all, but it might have another high-specced beast up its sleeve.

German site Tabtech reckons Samsung is planning to reveal a spanking new Galaxy Tab, with a mammoth 11.6in display. That’d make it the world’s biggest Android tablet, right?

Other rumoured specs for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 11.6 include a 2GHz dual-core Exynos 5250 processor, and an eye-melting resolution of 2560x1600. The screen will also welcome stylus input.

The rumour is corroborated by Android and Me’s Taylor Wembley, who was asked to delete pictures he took of a prototype Exynos 5250-powered tablet at CES in Vegas. Said prototype had Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) on board.

To be honest, we’d rather see the Samsung Galaxy S III. Also, this will be the fifth Galaxy Tab (7, 7.7, 8.9, 10.1 and now 11.6) from Samsung, adding to our concerns that Sammo might “do an HTC” in 2012.

HTC Sensation coming soon in Ice White

2012-02-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

White smartphones are all the rage these days. We’ve got the iPhone 4S, Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Galaxy Note, BlackBerry Bold Touch and loads more that I can’t recall at the moment.

Anyway, HTC is about to jump on board the white train with an Ice White HTC Sensation.

Oddly enough, after cheering us up with the realisation that less is more, this’ll be a white HTC Sensation – that’s the original guy as opposed to the higher-specced HTC Sensation XE.

Unsurprisingly, the specs on the Ice White HTC Sensation will remain the same, so you’re looking at a 4.3in 540x960 display, 1.2GHz dual-core Qualcomm processor and an 8MP camera with 1080p video recording.

By the time it lands on March 1, the HTC Sensation in Ice White will be packed full of Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0) goodness.

What do we think? A bit silly and a tad contradictory?

iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III to be waterproof?

2012-02-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

In the fast-paced modern world, there just aren’t enough minutes in the day. As such, it’s often necessary to multitask, and a great way to make up some time is to text while you pee.

Of course, there’s always the fear that you’ll drop your phone in the toilet, but if this latest rumour is to be believed, you’ll be able to fish your iPhone 5 or Samsung Galaxy S III out of the bend and keep on texting - Amazing - hm?

According to a “previously reliable source” of Cult of Android, both the Samsung Galaxy S III and iPhone 5 will be waterproof. However, the source serves the rumour juice “with a side of caution”, and presumably some fries.

Supposedly it’ll be CES attendees Liquipel getting the big money contracts for waterproof goodness. That’ll no doubt come as a shock to rivals HZO, who seemed to think that both Apple and Samsung were interested in their waterproof tech.

In any case, it looks like waterproof action will be the norm for high-end smartphones in future.

Fujitsu lifts the lid on Stylistic Android tablet

2012-02-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

If there’s one thing we’re really looking forward to at Mobile World Congress, it’s a host of spanking new much-the-same Android tablets. You really never can have enough of those bad boys.

Well, good news if you can’t wait another three weeks, as Fujitsu has fired out a press release detailing the Stylistic M350/CA2.

The press release is fairly light on the spec front, but tells us the Fujitsu Stylistic M350/CA2 will weigh in at 420g with a 7in 1024x600 display, “Android OS” (thought to be Gingerbread) and 6.1 hours of battery life.

Fujitsu is keen to emphasise its "NX! Input powered by ATOK" character input technology, allowing users to switch between numeric, QWERTY and hand-written input.

The Japanese manufacturer suggests that the Stylistic M350/CA2 would be ideal “as a mobile sales terminal, as a handset for displaying digital catalogs at a retail store, and as an e-book reader in a classroom setting.” Exciting.

Will the Fujitsu Stylistic M350/CA2 be in attendance at Mobile World Congress? Does anyone care?

Asus TF300T leaked

2012-02-05T22:32:00.000-08:00

All we know about this new chap is that it has the model number TF300T. Cripes knows what I’m gonna write next. Come join me. It’ll be fun.

We have absolutely no specs to go on at this stage. Well, looking at the pics, there’s a rear camera of unknown megapixelage, the back is blood reddish, and there’s a headphone jack. And that's all-we-have-in-our-knowledge! :-)

Nothing can be taken from the model number either. The original Asus Eee Pad Transformer is the TF101 and the cursed Asus Transformer Prime is the TF201, however a redesigned variant of the latter carries the model number TF700T. Great stuff.

So what the hell is it? A proper successor to the just-released Asus Transformer Prime? A little 7 in guy? We're not even sure if it runs Android.

SpoofTexting app for Apple's iPhone

2012-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Image From: Redmond Pie

We laugh at all the iPhone, and other instant messaging services, sometime hilarious and most time embarrassing auto-correcting screen caps that show up on the web. For the most part, especially if you use one of the sites out there that can generate fake screens, the results from this silliness are fairly benign. The same can’t be said for a new app that has been released for the iPhone called SpoofTexting. The idea is that this app will let you send a message to someone from your iPhone but make the recipient think that it came from someone else.

When you install the SpoofText “tweak” as it is being called it allows for alterations to be made to the native messaging application on the iPhone with a new option added to the top navigation bar. Then when you write up some smartass, or cruel and nasty, message you will now have the ability to send that message to any number you choose from any number you choose.

As noted in the post at Redmond Pie:

Whilst I do agree that the SpoofTexting plugin could provide some light hearted entertainment when used purely for pranking friends, I somehow get the feeling that a large portion of users would actually use this for something a little more sinister which in all honesty makes me a little uneasy.

SpoofTexting is available to download free of charge via the BigBoss repository for iOS 4 or higher. Now you will need to have a jailbroken iPhone and this will only work within the US.

[src: inquisitr]

Android driven tablets are gaining market share - trying to 'snatch' it from Apple's iPad

2012-01-26T04:03:00.000-08:00

Google-powered devices closed in on Apple in the tablet market in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to new research. The data from research firm Strategy Analytics showed Android’s market share jumped to 39 per cent from 29 per cent in the same quarter a year earlier.

“Global Android tablet shipments tripled annually to 10.5 million units,” said Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston.

“Dozens of Android models distributed across multiple countries by numerous brands such as Amazon, Samsung, Asus and others have been driving volumes. Android is so far proving relatively popular with tablet manufacturers despite nagging concerns about fragmentation of Android’s operating system, user-interface and app store ecosystem.”

Apple’s iPad remained the clear leader in the market, at 58 per cent for the three-month period, despite the threat from lower-cost Android devices. However, that was about 10 per cent lower than the 68 per cent recorded in 2010. Microsoft’s share of the market was 1 per cent, but its upcoming operating system, the tablet-friendly Windows 8, may help boost that.

Almost 67 million tablets were shipped last year, compared with 18.6 million in 2010, as consumers turn away from netbooks and entry-level PCs. Almost 27 million were shipped in the final quarter of the year, up 150 per cent compared with a year earlier.

Wallpapers for HTC Desire - Free Download

2012-01-23T01:09:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys!
Here are few wallpapers for your Mobile Phones.

★How to Download?
• Right Click on any wallpaper and click "save link as".

New Wallpapers - Free

2012-01-21T01:23:00.000-08:00

Here are some new Wallpapers for you, to download right click on the image and select "save link as".

Set these cute Dogs as your mobile's wallpapers - Free Animal Wallpapers

2012-01-18T18:58:00.000-08:00

Do you love Dogs and want to see them on your mobile's screen? Then you are at right place. Here are a few such wallpapers for your mobile phone.
★How to Download?
• Right Click on any wallpaper and click "save link as".

Talking Tom 2 iPhone 4S app - mobile9

2012-01-18T03:59:00.000-08:00

Tom is back with an all new adventure!
Tom is your cat that responds to your touch and repeats everything you say in a funny voice. Since Tom is now an international celebrity, he's moved out of the alley and into a cool apartment. But everything is not perfect for Tom, his neighbour Ben teases and pesters him constantly.

DOWNLOAD LATEST VERSION HERE

★★★ HOW TO PLAY ★★★

✔ Talk to Tom and he will repeat everything you say with a funny voice.
✔ Pet Tom's belly or head and make him purr.
✔ Poke his head, belly or feet.
✔ Slap Tom's face left and right.
✔ Pull or touch his tail.
✔ Press the fart button to see Ben fart and Tom grab his nose in disgust. After that Tom repeats what you say with his nose closed for a while.
✔ Press the bag button to make Ben pop a paper bag and scare Tom. It's hilarious.
✔ Press the phone button to make Tom play with the original Talking Tom app and repeat after himself in a funny loop.
✔ Press the feathers button to see Ben hit Tom with a pillow.
✔ Press the ? button to make Tom pull random items from behind his back.
✔ Record videos of Tom and share them on YouTube, Facebook or send them by email or MMS. Enjoy hours of fun and laughter with Tom.

★★★ SCREENSHOTS ★★★

★★★ IMPORTANT ★★★

➔ iPod Touch 1st, 2nd & 3rd generation owners: Your earphones must have a microphone otherwise Tom won't be able to hear you!

Wi-Drive gives Amazon's n Apple's gadgets more capacity

2012-01-16T03:32:00.000-08:00

Kingston Technology Co. is helping pack more entertainment into Apple gadgets and Kindle Fire tablets. A Wi-Drive demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show by the computer memory specialty company allows data-devouring iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Kindle Fire fans easily tote more movies, music, pictures or digital documents.

"Kindle Fire only gives you one gigabyte of usable storage," Kingston marketing manager Randy Marsh told AFP as he cradled a 16-gigabyte Wi-Drive in the palm of one hand. "If you get one of these bad boys you automatically expand to 17 gigs."

Apple devices come with a variety of memory storage capacities but more is usually welcomed among people who increasingly turn to mobile devices for entertainment or information.

Wi-Drives are the same size and shape as Apple's latest iPhone and come in models of 16 gigabytes for $60 or 32 gigabytes for $90. A 64-gigabyte version is scheduled to be released by mid-year with no price announced yet.

Fountain Valley, California-based Kingston is testing a model set for release soon that is designed for smartphones or tablets powered by Google's Android software, Marsh said. Free applications that can be downloaded to gadgets connect them to drives using the same built-in Wi-Fi capabilities that link to Internet hotspots. As many as three different devices can be synchronized with a Wi-Drive simultaneously, each accessing different movies, music or other data

Winter Survival Kit - An app aimed to provide help to drivers in winter season

2012-01-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

When a powerful blizzard ripped through North Dakota last winter, hundreds of drivers were stranded as white-out conditions shuttered interstates spanning the state. Snow whipped up by wind marred the lines between pavement and grassy drop-offs, leaving some scared motorists unsure what to do. Two local software developers figured they could help. Bob Bertsch, an employee with the North Dakota State University Extension Service, and Jake Joraanstad, an NDSU computer engineering major, had just finished developing an app to help residents during floods when the blizzard hit in March, convincing them to shift their attention to winter disasters.

Winter Survival Kit was born. The free program, available for iPhones and Android smartphones, is both a primer to help motorists prepare for winter driving and a beacon when things go badly.

It can pinpoint a motorist's location, call 911, notify friends and family, and monitor how long the gas will hold out. The app also gives potentially life-saving alerts when users tap a big red button on its simple home screen that reads, "I'm Stranded!" Among the advice: stay with your vehicle and keep the tailpipe clear of snow, since a backup can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

"It's our sincere hope that no one ever has to use it," said Bertsch, an NDSU Extension Service web technology specialist who led the team that developed the app. "But if one person does have to use it and it keeps them in their car or keeps them from succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning, then it is definitely worth the time and effort that was spent on the app."

The app also helps drivers prepare for bad weather by inputting phone and policy numbers for insurance and roadside assistance, and designated emergency contacts. And it gives guidance on putting together a physical survival kit to keep in vehicles in case of emergencies.

"Any tools developed which arm people with information that will help keep them safe is of value," North Dakota Emergency Services spokeswoman Cecily Fong said.

The app does have limitations. Joraanstad said some especially rural areas of the country - particularly in the Great Plains -- have shoddy cellphone coverage that could impede some features such as GPS. At that point the app would tell users that their location couldn't be pinpointed and instruct them to call 911.

Still, the app has emergency numbers handy, allowing users to send text messages for help. Text messages often can be sent by weaker signals than are needed for clear phone calls. And the app would give emergency advice on braving the elements - even telling users how to use parts of a vehicle to keep warm.

The Midwest hasn't seen much heavy snowfall in the last few months, so the app's developers haven't heard of any success - or horror - stories yet. But they're convinced that when the time comes, their app will help.

"This app can literally save someone's life. We take great pride in that," said Joraanstad, the 22-year-old chief operating officer for Myriad Devices, a startup company in NDSU's research and technology park that produced the app.

Bertsch, Joraanstad and two colleagues who teach at NDSU have become experts in disaster apps. Last year they developed a program to help residents deal with flooding that has overwhelmed North Dakota in the last few years. The H2O app provides news feeds, river levels, road closure maps and other information.

Winter Survival Kit, which works in the U.S. and Canada, joins several apps from other developers that were designed to help smartphone users in a bind, such as Help I Crashed My Car, Emergency Radio, iMapWeather Radio, iTriage, Close Call and pMonitor. As of this week, there didn't appear to be other winter survival-specific apps in either iTunes' or Android's app stores.

"I think we hit a particular niche," Bertsch said.

About 12,000 people downloaded the app in the first week it was released, and Joraanstad said that at last check, there were another 3,000 downloads. The early returns have been mostly favorable. Out of 16 user reviews on the Android website, 13 gave 5-star ratings. "Practical ... yet simple," reads one review. It had a 4-plus average rating among Apple iPhone users. People posting lower ratings reported trouble with the app crashing. Joraanstad said those glitches are being addressed as they arise with updates.

The app is being promoted by Texas, where it can be downloaded directly from the Texas Extension Disaster Education Network website. In an unusual climate swap, Texas saw snow this winter before much of the rest of the country.

"With the amount of snow and ice during winter in the Panhandle and North Texas, plus the possibility of unusual cold weather occurrences elsewhere in the state, we felt it would be helpful to many Texans to make this app accessible," said Joyce Cavanagh, Texas extension service spokeswoman. "People here aren't used to driving in that kind of weather. It gives some peace of mind while traveling," she said.

Cavanagh also said she felt more at ease knowing that many students traveling for the holidays had downloaded the app before hitting the roads.

College student Jessica Rush said she could have used such an app in March. The 21-year-old and a friend were traveling in separate cars in North Dakota when the fast-moving storm left her so blinded that she was on the highway's left shoulder when she thought she was driving over the warning bumps on the right. She figured she was about a half-mile from her friend's car.

"I called my dad and told him I was going to get out and walk to her car and he said, 'Do not leave your car. You don't know where she is,'" recalled Rush, who had cellphone coverage where she was stuck. Rush stayed in her 2000 Oldsmobile Alero for four nerve-racking hours until she was rescued by a truck driver, and she came away with a new appreciation for the dangers of winter driving. "When your parents tell you not to go somewhere you should probably listen," Rush said. "I guess this app is the next best thing."

[src: Pantagraph]

Android Remains Top Mobile Platform in the U.S.

2012-01-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

Web metrics firm comScore reports that 234 million Americans above the age of 13 were using mobile devices during the three months prior to Thanksgiving. The Web metrics firm's new survey of more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers also demonstrates that Google's Android remained ahead in the mobile OS platform race with a 46.9 percent market share. In the U.S. mobile handset market overall, Samsung was the top device maker with a 25.6 percent share. Second-place LG achieved a 20.5 percent share, and Motorola Mobility came in third with a 13.7 percent share.

Apple's share of the market overall rose from 9.8 percent in August to 11.2 percent in November, driven by pent-up demand for the iconic device maker's new iPhone 4S. By contrast, Research In Motion's BlackBerry sales slipped from 7.1 percent in August to 6.5 percent in November.

During the three months through Nov. 24, 72.6 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers used text messaging on their mobile devices -- a rise of 2.1 percentage points from last August, comScore reports. And 44.9 percent of all U.S. mobile subscribers downloaded applications during the latest survey period -- up 3.3 percentage points.

Smartphone Ownership Climbs

According to comScore, 91.4 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones at the end of the firm's latest three-month survey period. Smartphone ownership rose by a robust 8 percent between August and November. Android's share of the smartphone market segment rose 3.1 percentage points between August and November. Though Apple's iOS remained in second place with a 28.7 percent share, the platform's 1.4 percentage point rise did not keep pace with Android's steeper growth trajectory.

RIM ranked third in comScore's latest survey with a 16.6 percent share -- down 3.1 percentage points from August. Microsoft's Windows Phone platform also lost one-half of a percentage point during the same period.

Though Microsoft's new Mango release hit the U.S. market during the survey period, the Windows Phone platform trailed behind the market leaders with a 5.2 percent share. Additionally, Nokia's Symbian platforms still held on to a 1.5 percent smartphone market share.

Mobile Browsing Growth

The number of handset users accessing social-networking sites or blogs on their devices grew 2.1 percentage points to 33 percent of all U.S. mobile subscribers, comScore said. Moreover, 29.7 percent reported mobile gaming activities, while 21.7 percent said they listened to music on their handsets.

On the browser front, comScore said 44.4 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers were surfing the Internet on their handsets - up 2.3 percentage points since August. According to Net Applications, Apple's Safari mobile browser for smartphones and tablets led the field with a 55 percent share at the end of November, while Android's browser ranked third (16.4 percent) behind the Opera Mini mobile browser (20.1 percent). More than 80 percent of U.S. mobile users 18 to 22 years of age access the Internet outside the home, with 67 percent using the mobile Internet at least monthly, Forrester Research reported last month. Still, U.S. adults 23 to 31 years of age have the highest uptake of smartphones and are most likely to use the mobile Internet on their mobile device.

"They use their mobiles for a wide range of activities, from playing games and listening to music to looking up directions," wrote Forrester Research analyst Gina Sverdlov in a blog post. "Two in three online 'Gen Yers' fall into our SuperConnecteds Mobile Technographics segment."

By contrast, only 33 percent of U.S. residents between the ages of 46 and 55 own a smartphone. Additionally, only 20 percent of Americans 56 to 66 years of age use the mobile Internet regularly, Sverdlov noted.

[src: Yahoo News]

Apple looking to expand iPhone and iPad accessories support

2011-12-29T18:54:00.000-08:00

Apple has shown interest in expanding support for third-party accessories for the iPhone and iPad, with a new system that would detect an external device and recommend compatible applications available on the App Store.

The concept was unveiled this week in a new application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Entitled "Method and System for Locating an Accessory and an Application for Use With a User Device," the filing describes a system that would identify a range of applications usable with a connected accessory.The system could also work in reverse, and let users know of available hardware accessories that are compatible with applications they already have installed on their iOS device. Such accessories could include game controllers, wireless headsets and external speakers.

Apple's filing even describes a system where a kiosk at a store could connect to a user's iPhone and analyze the applications that are installed on it. From there, a user could be given a list of compatible accessories and their exact locations in that store, such as the aisle and bin numbers.

Accessories could also be sold through online vendors in the same manner. A user could find out on their iPhone what accessories are compatible with their installed applications, and Apple would provide links to online stores where the compatible accessories could be purchased.

"With the number of available accessories growing at an exponential rate," the filing reads, "it is often difficult for a user to determine which accessory supports which software application and vice versa."

Apple has had more limited accessory support in its iOS mobile operating system for years. Starting with the release of iOS 3.0 in 2008, some compatible hardware accessories have automatically prompted users to download a necessary application from the App Store.

The "Application Not Installed" notification alerts users that "This accessory requires an application you do not have installed. Would you like to install it from the App Store?"

But Apple's proposed invention would go multiple steps further, providing users with an extensive list of compatible applications once an accessory is connected. And it would also allow users to discover and purchase accessories compatible with their currently installed software.

Plantronics Explorer 320 Bluetooth headset - Review

2011-12-28T22:26:00.000-08:00

The good: Comfortable fit; stylish design; user-friendly controls; acceptable call quality.

The bad: Troublesome pairing process; dim LED light; not great in windy conditions.

The bottom line: Although it's not perfect, the Plantronics Explorer 320 is a solid lower-tier Bluetooth headset.

Although the Discovery 640 and Voyager 510SL were top-range models that came with loads of accessories, the Plantronics Explorer 320 is better suited for novice and low-maintenance Bluetooth users.

Included in the package are just the headset and a compact wall charger, with no additional parts to confuse things. Fittingly, it also comes at a reasonable price less than $30. The headset itself has a clean and stylish design with silver and black coloring, rounded edges, and an overall streamlined look. It's relatively compact and lightweight (2.5 by 0.3 by 0.75 inches; 0.67 ounce), and since there's no extendable boom mic, you won't look too conspicuous when it's on your ear.

The Design:
The Plantronics Explorer 320 employs a traditional over-the-ear fit with a flexible, rubberized ear hook. We had no trouble slipping it on and off quickly, and switching the ear hook for wearing on either ear was a simple process. The minimalist form factor should also please users with smaller ears, longer hair, or earrings. A soft earpiece protrudes only slightly into the ear, which makes the overall fit comfortable and secure. Controls on the Explorer 320 are unique in that a single two-way toggle activates all functions, including turning the headset on and off, readying it for pairing, adjusting the volume, and managing calls. The toggle could be larger, but it was exceptionally user-friendly and easy to locate when the headset was in use. The final feature in the headset is a tiny status-indicator LED light.

Motorola Xoom tablet gets Android Ice Cream Sandwich Update

2011-12-27T21:00:00.000-08:00

Only a day after Google released Android version 4.0.3, one XDA developer has already installed it on his Motorola Xoom WiFi tablet -- making it the first slate to run the frosty Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade. Of course, trendsetting is nothing new for the Xoom, which was also the first to ship with Honeycomb's sweetness back in February. Being first does have its disadvantages, though, as some of the features like the camera don't work, and there seems to be a green overlay on the screen from time to time. If you're willing to overlook these early adopter flaws, head on over to the source to satisfy your ICS-inspired sweet tooth and try it for yourself.

Google to introduce new Android Tablet to compete with Apple's iPad

2011-12-27T00:26:00.000-08:00

Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has revealed that the company is planning to bring its flagship Android tablet to the market in the next six months to rival Apple’s iPad.

“In the next six months we plan to market a tablet of the highest quality,” Schmidt told an Italian newspaper.

Google has already had a hand in the development of the Motorola Xoom, but like other Android tablets, it suffered disappointing sales in a market dominated by the iPad. Since then Google has itself become a major hardware manufacturer via its 12.5 billion dollars acquisition Motorola’s devices division, which is currently under consideration by competition authorities.

According to The Telegraph, Schmidt paid tribute to Steve Jobs'' role in kickstarting the tablet market, describing the iPad as “amazing”.

“Steve Jobs was the Michelangelo of our time. A friend of mine and a unique character, able to combine creativity and visionary genius with an extraordinary engineering ability,” the paper quoted him, as saying.

“Steve realised the revolutionary potential of the tablet and created an amazing product like the iPad,” he added.

Schmidt said that competition between Android smartphones and the iPhone will be “brutal”.

In the smartphone market, Google designs the Nexus range as both a testing ground for new versions of Android and to show off cutting-edge hardware. Samsung manufactures the most recent device, the Galaxy Nexus.

Apple's App Store hits 500,000 app milestone - revealed in a press release by Apple

2011-12-26T14:00:00.000-08:00

Google’s Android Market may be going great guns at the moment, but Apple has just delivered a timely reminder that its own App Store is as popular as ever by revealing it has just hit the 500,000 app milestone.

It’s testament to just how fundamentally Apple has changed the face of the mobile industry that before the iPhone came along – or the iPhone 3G to be specific – app stores didn’t even exist.

But Apple changed all that by introducing the App Store in July 2008, and it set up a mobile ecosystem blueprint that the entire industry has followed. Apple has since applied the same formula to its Mac OS X desktop software, and it’s clearly been a success, as the Mac App Store has taken just a year to rack up a whopping 100 million app downloads.

“Apple revolutionised the app industry with the App Store, which now has more than 500,000 apps and where customers have downloaded more than 18 billion apps and continue to download more than 1 billion apps per month,” Apple revealed in a press release to announce the twin milestones.

“In just three years the App Store changed how people get mobile apps, and now the Mac App Store is changing the traditional PC software industry,” Apple vice-president Phil Schiller adds.

These days the App Store is playing second fiddle to the Android Market, however, with Google’s OS marketplace having gone past the half a million apps landmark at the end of October. But Apple will argue that quality is more important than quantity, and it’s telling that while iOS users have now downloaded 18 billion apps in total, Android has only this week manage to pass the 10 billion mark.

Samsung sold 300 millions handsets in 2011

2011-12-26T03:23:00.000-08:00

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd said on Sunday its annual mobile handset sales this year had exceeded 300 million units for the first time in the company's history.

The world's second largest handset maker by volume said in a statement it had broken its sales record by the end of last month.

Handset sales in 2010 were about 280 million.

"We look forward to extending this success going into 2012," JK Shin, President and Head of Samsung's Mobile Communications Business, was quoted as saying.

Samsung said the company's flagship Galaxy S smartphone series - Galaxy S and Galaxy S II - contributed significantly to the results.

The GALAXY S II, launched in April, set a new sales record for Samsung, generating 10 million-unit sales.

The Future:

Next up for Samsung in the U.S. is the launch of the hyped Galaxy Nexus, which has a 4.65-inch screen and blazing 4G data speeds but still has not been given a release date. The phone was supposedly delayed because Verizon wanted Google Wallet software removed before the launch. Google, Samsung and Verizon’s last official comment about the release date said the phone would launch before the end of the year.

Johns Phone Provides a Free Johns Phone App for Android

2011-12-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

Smart phone becomes simple phone The Johns Phone app turns every Android smart phone into a simple phone. The Android phone will look like a Johns Phone, with its -very- basic functions: to call, or to be called. And to receive messages. Everything else will be automatically shut down. Nice and easy.

The app is available in colours white, black, pink, green and brown. Only the special Golden Edition will cost the same as the real phone: 100,- Ridiculously expensive? Most certainly. But that does give you a 24-karat virtual golden phone. The app can be downloaded through the Android Market; Download Here

About Johns Phone:
The simplest phone ever. Seriously Johns Phone is the worlds most basic mobile phone. Johns Phone allows you to make and receive calls anywhere in the world: no frills and no unnecessary features such as a camera, text messaging and an endless number of ringtones. Johns Phone keeps things simple.

User friendly:
Johns Phone requires no explanation. Use the phone to call and hang up, turn the sound up or down, and lock or unlock it: it couldnt be any simpler. The speed-dial feature, which allows to save speed-dial numbers under every number key, makes Johns Phone perfect as a kids cell phone.

Large keys, address book, pen Phone is a large-key phone. The back of the phone features a flap containing an address book and a pen this makes Johns Phone perfect for older users too.

Dutch design Johns Phone is designed by John Doe Amsterdam. John's Team has embraced this concept and is responsible for the development and launch of Johns Phone in the Dutch market.

Merry Christmas to all of YOU!

Recover lost contacts on your iPhone

2011-12-22T18:25:00.000-08:00

Accidents happen and sometimes you happen to delete a contact on your phone on accident. It could happen because you’re trying to enter a new e-mail address or phone and accidentally remove a previous one.

Don’t worry too much, you can get those lost numbers back. It’s not lost forever to the ether.

1. Open iTunes on your computer.

2. Plug your iPhone in to your computer using the USB connector cable.

3. Go to “Devices” on the left-side of the iTunes window and click the iPhone tab.

4. Right-click on the iPhone icon in the “Devices” column and select “Restore from Backup”. Select one of the backup versions from the drop-down menu. Click the “Restore” button. This will restore any contacts that you may have deleted since the last time that you synced your iPhone with iTunes.

5. Eject your iPhone. Go to your contact list. Your lost contacts should be restored.

A couple of notes for you to consider for the future:

•It is recommended that you occasionally make separate backups that aren’t the ones that iTunes automatically does when you sync the iPhone. iTunes replaces the previous backup each time it syncs. To ensure that you keep things that you want or as a just in case, it’s good to have different back ups. Create a separate backup by right-clicking on the iPhone under the “Devices” tab in the left column. Then select “Back Up”. You can also restore contacts manually if you sync contacts with your contact list in either Outlook or Address Book (Mac) and re-entering the info by hand.

•If you haven’t synced in a while you might have to re-download any firmware updates or apps that you have added to the iPhone since the last backup. They won’t be kept in the previous backup file.

RIM postponing the launch of next generation phones till late 2012

2011-12-22T18:16:00.000-08:00

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. said Thursday that new phones deemed critical to the company's future will be delayed until late 2012.

Mike Lazaridis, one of the company's co-CEOs, said the BlackBerry 10 phones will need a highly integrated chipset that will not be available until mid-2012, so the company can now expect them to ship late in the year. He disclosed the delay on a conference call with analysts.

Analysts say RIM's future depends on the new software platform. RIM needs to come up with a compelling BlackBerry as U.S. users have moved on to flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple's iPhone and various competing models that run Google's Android software.

Earlier Thursday, RIM said BlackBerry sales will fall sharply in the holiday quarter, providing further evidence that it is struggling to compete. It also has been having a hard time finding a niche in the tablet-computer market, which is dominated by Apple's iPad.

RIM continues to enjoy success overseas, but market researcher NPD Group says RIM's market share of smartphones in the U.S. has declined from 44 percent in 2009 to 10 percent this year.

The company's stock fell 7 percent in extended trading Thursday.

The delay in BlackBerry 10 phones is the latest in a series of setbacks for the once-iconic Canadian company. Its PlayBook tablet computer hasn't been selling well, forcing the company to sell them at a deep discount. A widespread outage frustrated tens of millions of BlackBerry users in October. RIM fired two executives after their drunken rowdiness forced the diversion of an Air Canada flight. The head of its operations in Indonesia faces charges related to a stampede at a recent promotional sale where dozens of consumers were injured.

RIM said its net income sank 71 percent as revenue fell and the company took a large accounting charge on the PlayBook, which uses the same operating software that RIM's new phones will use.

"We ask for your patience and confidence," Lazaridis said.

RIM earned $265 million, or 51 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter that ended Nov. 26. That compares with $911 million, or $1.74 per share, a year ago. The company said revenue fell 6 percent to $5.2 billion. The PlayBook charge was $485 million before taxes.

The company shipped 14.1 million BlackBerry smartphones during the third quarter and 150,000 PlayBook tablets, but its fourth-quarter guidance was what investors focused on because it had warned about the third-quarter results earlier.

Although RIM has said it would sell fewer BlackBerrys in the current quarter, the forecast given Thursday appeared worse than expected.

RIM said it would only ship between 11 million and 12 million BlackBerrys in the fourth quarter compared to 14.8 million in the previous fourth quarter.

RIM also said its fourth-quarter earnings would be in the range of 80 to 95 cents per share on revenue in the range of $4.6 billion to $4.9 billion. Analysts had been expecting earnings of $1.15 a share on revenue of $5.04 billion, according to FactSet.

Peter Misek, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. in New York, said earlier that if RIM reveals that it will ship no more than 12 million BlackBerrys in the current quarter, then the company needs to get its new phones out fast. Otherwise, RIM could lose money in future quarters as it continues to struggle to sell the current, stopgap models.

Misek said late Thursday the BlackBerry 10 phones will now be released three to nine months later than people believed.

BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis said the guidance was terrible and wondered if it was the start of a collapse.

"If consumers abandon this platform it can happen pretty quickly," Gillis said. "Don't think this is the bottom."

Jim Balsillie, the other co-CEO, said the last few quarters have been among the most challenging times in the company's most recent history. He said executives are working to turn it around, but said it may take time.

"We are not satisfied with the performance of the business in the United States," Balsillie said.

Balsillie said he and Lazaridis have reduced their cash salary to $1 per year, though they will continue to earn stock options and other compensation.

RIM's stock fell $1.15 to a new seven-year low of $13.98 in extended trading Thursday after the results were released.

The stock has lost about 75 percent of its value this year. A company that was worth more than $70 billion a few years ago now has a market value of around $8 billion.

"We recognize our shareholders may feel we've fallen short," Balsillie said

Remotely Search PCs or Macs using your Android device - Android app enables remote search of PCs and Macs - Wyse Technology releases Android app

2011-12-17T05:35:00.000-08:00

Wyse Technology has launched an Android app that lets people search remotely for files on their PCs and laptops, then download them, copy them, or send them to another person, all from inside the app.

The idea behind the app, called PocketCloud Explore, is to help people who have multiple computers and can't always remember on which machine they stored something. One snag: The app can't search Apple's iPhone or iPad devices.

Wyse is best known for its thin-client computers, but two years ago it made a bit of a splash at the International Consumer Electronics Show with an app called PocketCloud Remote Desktop Access, which lets people access a Windows desktop from an iPhone by streaming the desktop over the network. A year later, it released a version for Android.

PocketCloud Explore, released Thursday, is an add-on for the Remote Desktop app. Explore lets users type a query on their smartphone, initiating a full-text search of their other computers, as well as the Android phone itself, to return documents, images and any other type of file that matches the query.

"With the range of devices people have today -- computers, smartphones, tablets -- getting to the files you need has become a problem," according to Daniel Barreto, general manager of the Mobile Client Business Unit at Wyse. "The idea is to provide a friendly user interface that makes it easy to search across all those devices."

To enable the search, users must first install another, free app, called PocketCloud Companion, on each of the computers they want to be able to search. It indexes the content on those computers, making it faster to search.