By Editor on March 25, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Research In Motion (RIM) has promised to get rid of a Blackberry software program designed to help drunk drivers avoid police checkpoints.
The move came a day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and fellow Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg and Tom Udall urged Google Inc., Apple Inc. and Canada-based RIM to remove such third-party software from shops stocked with applications for smartphones.
According to the senators, drunk drivers will soon have one less tool to avoid law enforcement and endanger their friends and families. They appreciate RIM’s immediate reply and urge the other smartphone makers to quickly follow suit.
The senators want to purge smartphones of applications that use driver-generated databases of speed traps, speed cameras, or even drunk driving checkpoints to help drunk drivers avoid police.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Apple Inc, Blackberry, Canada, Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, drunk driver, Frank Lautenberg, Google Inc, Mobile, police checkpoints, Research in Motion, RIM, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, software, Tom Udall, U.S
By Editor on March 3, 2011 · Leave a Comment
AT&T Inc. has announced that its YP.com online directory is planning to offer daily discounts similar to Groupon Inc. within the next two months, as it looks to tap into the red-hot local deal market.
The success of Groupon, which turned down a $6 billion takeover offer from Google Inc. last year and could be worth nearly three times that amount if it goes public, has attracted a horde of large companies and start-ups hoping to emulate its model. AT&T is hoping its large network of local salesmen, advertisers and users will give it an edge.
According to AT&T Interactive Chief Executive David Krantz, they think they can be a fast follower. It’s about getting the pieces together.
Groupon and other sites including LivingSocial offer deep discounts to everything from clothing stores to wine classes. By promoting one deal a day in each market and capping how many of those deals can be purchased, the sites create demand and interest. Retailers benefit because consumers typically have to pay in an advance, guaranteeing income.
Krantz added that AT&T is still working out a deal with a smaller technology company to help manage the distribution and tracking of each coupon. Similar to Groupon, AT&T plans to offer one deal a day in each local market on YP.com, which was previously known as YellowPages.com.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with AT&T Inc, AT&T Interactive, Chief Executive, daily discounts, David Krantz, Google Inc, Groupon Inc., LivingSocial, Mobile, online directory, YellowPages.com., YP.com
By Editor on March 2, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Google Inc. executive has revealed that the online display advertising market could top $100 billion over the next several years and represents a pretty enormous opportunity for the company.
According to Neal Mohan, Google’s Vice President for product management, the company has some 1,000 engineers around the world working to eliminate complexity and challenges from the Internet display advertising market, an effort that will prompt more advertisers to spend more of their budgets online. They really believe that the overall market is at a tipping point.
Mohan, who is responsible for Google’s display advertising products, noted that the global online display ad market is currently estimated at about $20 billion to $25 billion. He didn’t provide a specific timeframe for his $100 billion forecast.
By Editor on March 2, 2011 · Leave a Comment
KT, South Korea’s mobile operator, has launched nationwide high-speed WiMax service to help meet surging data demand from smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
The country’ top fixed-line carrier KT seeks to further sharpen its competitive edge to counter threats from bigger rival SK Telecom, which will join KT in offering Apple Inc.’s iPhone.
According to KT, it plans to offer a series of smartphones, tablet PCs and laptops compatible with the high-speed WiBro network, which covers 85% of the country’s population, including Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab WiBro, which runs Google Inc.’s Android 2.2 operating system.
WiBro (Wireless Broadband) is a South Korean version of Mobile WiMax, a 4G mobile broadband technology that competes with Long-Term Evolution (LTE).
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with 4G, Android 2.2, Apple Inc, Apple Inc.'s iPhone, Apple iPhone, Galaxy Tab WiBro, Google Android 2.2, Google Inc, High-speed, iPhone, KT, LTE, Mobile, mobile devices, Operating System, Samsung Electronics, Samsung Galaxy Tab WiBro, smartphones, South Korea, tablets, WiBro, WiMAX, WiMax service
By Editor on March 1, 2011 · Leave a Comment
The parent company of China Unicom Ltd. has announced a new mobile phone brand that will use the company’s own operating system, placing it in competition with Apple Inc.’s iPhone and devices using Google Inc.’s Android operating system.
The launch of China United Network Communications Group Co.’s “Wophone” brand comes after rival network operator China Mobile Ltd. in 2009 revealed its own mobile phone platform, called “OPhone,” which failed to attract much interest.
China Unicom is in competition with China Mobile and China Telecom Corp. to attract more users of their 3G mobile services, which generate more revenue and offer faster data speeds than older 2G services.
According to Unicom’s patent company’s statement, companies that will offer Wophone devices include Chinese firms such as ZTE Corp., Huawei Technologies Co. and TCL Corp., South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co., Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. of the U.S. and HTC Corp. of Taiwan. The launch of the devices is imminent.
The statement added that the Wophone platform that has an operating system with a Linux core is meant for “smart terminals” and will help shorten product development cycles for mobile phone makers. That could help China Unicom expand its range of attractive handsets to gain users for its 3G services quickly.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with 2G, 3G, Android, Apple Inc, Apple iPhone, China, China Mobile, China Telecom Corp, china unicom ltd, China United Network Communications Group Co., Google Android, Google Inc, HTC Corp, Huawei Technologies Co, iPhone, Mobile, Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., Operating System, Ophone, Samsung Electronics Co, South Korea, Taiwan, TCL Corp., U.S, Wophone, ZTE Corp
By Editor on February 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.’s sales to Verizon Wireless grew to 28% of revenue last year, highlighting the carrier’s importance to the mobile-phone maker as Verizon begins selling Apple Inc.’s rival iPhone.
According to the company, Motorola’s revenue from Verizon Wireless and parent Verizon Communications Inc. increased from 17% in 2009 and 13% in 2008. Sprint Nextel Corp. accounted for 13% and 7% of revenue in those two years.
As per the company, the loss or a significant reduction in revenue from one or more of these customers could have a negative impact on their business.
According to Motorola CEO, Sanjay Jha’s previous statement, Verizon Wireless began selling the iPhone this month, ending AT&T Inc.’s exclusive hold on the device in the U.S. The iPhone had already triggered some slowdown.
Jha is relying on the growing popularity of Google Inc.’s Android mobile-phone platform to sell more models of its phones at Verizon Wireless, AT&T and Sprint.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Apple Inc, AT&T Inc, Google Inc, iPhone, Mobile, Motorola CEO, Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc., Sanjay Jha, Sprint Nextel Corp, Verizon Communications Inc, Verizon Wireless
By Editor on February 17, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Google Inc. has unveiled a digital-content service that will provide publishers a bigger cut of subscription sales as compared to Apple’s program.
According to Chief Executive Officer, Eric Schmidt, Google will keep about 10% of the fees charged by publishers. Apple stated that it’s keeping 30%.
Google is also giving access to more information about users, publishers claimed.
According to Nina Link, CEO of the Magazine Publishers of America, publishers would certainly like the option where they’re paying 10% instead of 30% which is a significant difference. Also, they love the fact that there’s some choice, and they think there will be even more.
According to sources, content providers are working with Google and Apple to make their wares available in more ways, including on mobile devices, as sales of paper magazines and newspapers slump. Google’s concessions on price and user data make it a more alluring partner.
Sources added that Google’s proposed 10% fee is much closer to something they would find to be sustainable based on the margins that they are operating under.
By Editor on February 17, 2011 · Leave a Comment
It is believed that Microsoft Corp.’s Windows Phone 7 operating system has enticed an increasing number of application developers since the software maker announced a partnership with Nokia Oyj last week.
According to reports, in the four days after the Feb. 11 deal, 4% of new app projects started were for Windows Phone, compared with 1% in the previous four days.
New projects for Windows Phone passed Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerry and now rank third behind new apps for Apple Inc.’s iOS and Google Inc.’s Android. Microsoft, which agreed last week to have its Windows Phone software power Nokia handsets, is working to turn around market-share losses to Apple and Google. A wide variety of applications is critical to attracting mobile-phone users.
Apple’s software for the iPhone was the platform for 69% of apps started in the 4 days after Feb. 11. Android had 25%t. BlackBerry was fourth with 2%.
It is predicted that most developers will build apps for three operating systems. Hence, RIM and Microsoft are likely to compete for the No. 3 spot.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Android, Apple Inc, Blackberry, Google Inc, IOS, iPhone, Microsoft Corp, Mobile, Nokia, Nokia Oyj, Operating System, Research In Motion Ltd., RIM, Windows phone 7
By Editor on February 17, 2011 · Leave a Comment
NEC Corp has announced its plans to begin selling a mini-netbook based on Google Inc’s Android O/S and featuring a keyboard, as it looks to take on the might of Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices in a market where demand for tablet devices is exploding.
NEC is launching seven models onto the market and aims to sell 100,000 units in the first year by March 10.
According to NEC Manager, Toshihiro Watanabe, the clamshell-type devices will start retailing from about US$479.
NEC’s LifeTouch devices will compete against the iPad, the cheapest version of which sells for US$583.89 in Japan, and Samsung’s Galaxy which typically costs between US$478.6 and US$598.25.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Android OS, Apple, Google Inc, iPad, iPhone, Japan, keyboard, LifeTouch, mini-netbook, Mobile, NEC Corp., NEC Manager Toshihiro Watanabe, Samsung Galaxy
By Editor on February 15, 2011 · Leave a Comment
Index Ventures is revving up investment in companies that tie their fortunes to Google Inc.’s Android mobile operating system.
According to Mike Volpi, a partner at the Geneva-based venture-capital firm, a significant portion of their investment dollars in the next five years will go to Android. Index may pour as much as $125 million into mobile-related businesses in that time frame.
Volpi added that Venture investors are starting to view Android as a big opportunity — a reversal from a few years ago, when many balked at funding startups focusing purely on the software.
According to sources, the operating system’s surging growth has piqued their interest. Google accounted for 33% of smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter, as compared to 8.7% a year earlier. Twice as many Google-based devices were shipped as Apple Inc. iPhones.
According to Volpi, Android is poised to become as big a phenomenon on mobile devices as Microsoft Corp.’s software was on personal computers. Windows runs more than 90% of the world’s PCs. Android is the next Windows.
According to Chief Executive Officer, John Hering, Index has already invested in Android-focused companies, including LookOut Inc., which raised $19.5 million in a funding round led by the firm in December. LookOut offers security software and services for devices powered by Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone software and counts McAfee Inc. as a competitor. More than 5 million customers use Android devices.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Android mobile operating system, Apple Inc, Chief Executive Officer, Geneva, Google Inc, Index Ventures, iPhones, John Hering, LookOut, McAfee Inc., Mike Volpi, Mobile
