All About Cell Phones

Google phone is a myth

2008-07-15T01:18:00.000-07:00

Of late, there has been a lot of talk about Google coming up with its own mobile phone and things like that. But folks, let me assure you. Google does not have any idea of coming up with the so-called 'Google Phone'.

Eric Schmidt, in a recent interview, clarified the misconceptions about the Google Phone. He clearly stated that Google does not plan to release its own phone. It's focusing on Android, its mobile software which is expected to release later this year. Google will be better off with Android as it can reach a huge number of handsets through different operators, rather than having to stick to just one handset, even if it is its own.

Google has already laid a strong platform for Android thanks to the Open Handset Alliance which includes over 30 big names which are working on Android.

If you think about it, it's actually a no-brainer. Google is basically an advertising company and it doesn't have any experience in manufacturing sector. So, it will make good profit by sticking to just mobile advertising through Android rather than developing its own mobile phone, which in turn could actually curtail its profits.

So, I'll say it one more time. No Google phone. Only Android. Clear?

Is AdMob the next big thing in mobile advertising?

2008-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

AdMob is one company which deserves a special mention when it comes to mobile advertising companies. The company, though started on a small scale, has made it big in a short time and has become the top dog in the market much to the surprise of pundits who predicted otherwise. It now has a significant market share and a very respectable gross annual revenue of $42 million.

Matt Marshall has a very good article on mobile advertising and AdMob's future. He actually predicts that if AdMob continues to grow the way it does right now, it might soon mint money big time. Check it out. It's worth a read.

Nokia signs deal with Warner Music

2008-07-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Nokia signed a deal with Warner Music Group which allows Nokia to have Warner Music’s titles in its “Comes With Music” service and Nokia music store.

Nokia has been very active in pushing music content through its music series phones. If you remember, it signed a similar deal with Universal last December and another deal with Sony BMG in April.

It will be very interesting to see how smaller music companies react to this move from Nokia. Since the company has got three of the biggest names in music industry, the smaller players, in my opinion, will have no other option but to join the bandwagon.

This move from Nokia becomes particularly important because of the state the music industry is in right now. In 2007, the total value of pay-to-download music came only around $2.9 billion. In contrast, Nokia alone sold around 150 million music mobile phones last year. Just imagine, if Nokia were to charge an extra $10 or $20 per phone for its music edition, it would surpass the total value of the downloaded music market. It will be interesting to see what Nokia is up to, as it has already got the big players in its pocket.

Nokia buys Symbian - What can we expect next?

2008-06-30T04:30:00.000-07:00

The breaking news all over the world for cell phone enthusiasts is that Nokia has acquired Symbian. Most importantly, it has made Symbian software free of cost.

Nokia is planning to integrate Symbian, Nokia Series 60, the UIQ standard, and the MOAP platform from a Japanese carrier into a sophisticated open source mobile software which will be the first of its kind.

What this means to mobile app developers around the world is that they can develop lots of cool apps for this new software. With more and more developers developing apps for this software, this will become even more popular. In other words, Nokia will be able to sell more cell phones than ever. Now, you do get the drift as to why Nokia made it free in the first place, right?

More on this here and here. Check it out.

The Amazing Story of Cell Phones

2008-06-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

When you think about the cell phone, its story is nothing short of amazing. I still remember the handset I had about ten years back. It felt like a brick – both in terms of size and weight. And what I have right now is an ubercool handset which has a high quality camera, music player, FM radio, Bluetooth, Infra red, mobile internet facility, and some other features that I can’t remember right now. Amazing, isn’t it?

And it’s not just about the size, features, or the slick look. The cost of buying and maintaining a cell phone back then was scary, to say the least. I used to pay a ton of money for my text messages and calls. Hell, not just for the messages I sent and the calls I made, but even for the messages I got and the calls I received. But now, I have a data plan which offers me unlimited free text messages and a very small charge for outgoing calls. It has changed so much that I see almost everyone – right from a big businessman to a smalltime vegetable seller – sporting a cell phone. It’s no longer a luxury; it has become more of a need.

So much has changed in the past decade that it’s almost impossible to predict what will happen to cell phones in the coming years. I mean, we can already take pictures, shoot videos, send and receive emails, surf the net, get direction assistance, listen to music, send and receive data, and even write blogs from our cell phone. So, what more could the next gen cell phone possibly offer? Any idea? Well; I’ll talk about it soon. :)

Hello World

2008-06-22T05:02:00.000-07:00

It feels surprisingly strange that I'm a little nervous. I've been a web content writer for quite some time now and I even have a website which I regularly contribute to. Still, a blog is different. Thankfully, I've started this blog on a subject which I regularly read about and keep in touch with. So, writing regularly should not be a problem.

The blog is about cell phones. Particularly, cell phone advertising and the latest technology that transforms the cell phone into a multifaceted device. I already have a website which is dedicated to cell phone advertising. But still, I think a blog is absolutely necessary to reach people more effectively. I'll try to keep things simple and will try to provide as much information as possible on cell phones.

So, blogsville, here I come. :)