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Monthly Archives: April 2010
Top 10 must-have apps for the Nokia N900
If you have bought yourself a Nokia N900 and are wondering what to do with it (like many I imagine), check out the Top 10 must-have apps for the Nokia N900 article over at The Nokia Guide- “The N900 has admittedly fewer available apps outside the Maemo Extra-devel and Extras-testing catalogs, but the numbers are quickly going up . Compared to Symbian apps, Maemo apps seem more advanced and in some cases have a lot more eye candy. As apps step out of the Extra-devel and Extras-testing catalogs, we’ll be seeing more cool apps ready for Prime time, but in the mean time, these are our top 10 picks for the must-have apps for the Nokia N900.”
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HP’s smartphone history and what it can do with webOS
HP does not have the best smartphone history in the world and has produced a mixed bag of devices over the years. The 69 series was horrid and although it was one of the very first Windows Mobile smartphones, it had far too many usability issues to be a serious contender. The only reason it sold was because it was the only real alternative to the Palm Treo at the time.
The iPAQ 614C was another quirky smartphone which took all of the bad bits from other phones and stuck them all together in a device which was out of date before it was even born. I can’t even bring myself to discuss what happened when the iPAQ name made its way over to HP, but the result was not good.
However, the purchase of Palm puts HP back in the smartphone game in an instant and the potential here is enormous. For all of its recent failings, Palm has imagination and webOS receives almost universal praise. The hardware is the big problem and so is the marketing, but with some genuine boardroom alliances this could work out well.
The Palm people are more than capable of good smartphone design, but seem incapable of using materials which match up to the aesthetics. The HP people have never designed a really good smartphone, but are capable of exceptional build quality and on hardware alone this appears to be a good mix. With the software sewn up already the mix looks very strong indeed.
It is indeed a positive step for anyone with even a mild interest in smartphones and all that will be left is for HP/Palm to get the marketing right, something that neither has managed well so far.
The fact that HP manufactures laptops and Netbooks (and tablets?) adds another twist to the tale. Could we see a webOS totting Netbook or tablet in our future? Ultimately webOS had no future in the minds of most this morning and all of a sudden it is looking quite rosy. I don’t doubt for one minute that RIM, Apple, Google and Microsoft ears pricked up at this news and it adds a whole new dimension to the smartphone industry that few of us expected.
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HP buys Palm
HP has bought Palm for $1.2 billion. This has come out of the blue and not many had HP near the top of the list of potential buyers. The really good news is that webOS should have life left in it and that HP has the money and clout to push it forward and become a bigger player in the market.
HP has a long history of unimaginitive hardware on Windows Mobile, but I am positive about what is to come in the future. Good news all round if you ask me. Thanks to Justine.
PALO ALTO, Calif. & SUNNYVALE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–HP (NYSE: HPQ – News) and Palm, Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM – News) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which HP will purchase Palm, a provider of smartphones powered by the Palm webOS mobile operating system, at a price of $5.70 per share of Palm common stock in cash or an enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion. The transaction has been approved by the HP and Palm boards of directors.
The combination of HP’s global scale and financial strength with Palm’s unparalleled webOS platform will enhance HP’s ability to participate more aggressively in the fast-growing, highly profitable smartphone and connected mobile device markets. Palm’s unique webOS will allow HP to take advantage of features such as true multitasking and always up-to-date information sharing across applications.
“Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “And, Palm possesses significant IP assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market.”
“We’re thrilled by HP’s vote of confidence in Palm’s technological leadership, which delivered Palm webOS and iconic products such as the Palm Pre. HP’s longstanding culture of innovation, scale and global operating resources make it the perfect partner to rapidly accelerate the growth of webOS,” said Jon Rubinstein, chairman and chief executive officer, Palm. “We look forward to working with HP to continue to deliver industry-leading mobile experiences to our customers and business partners.”
Under the terms of the merger agreement, Palm stockholders will receive $5.70 in cash for each share of Palm common stock that they hold at the closing of the merger. The merger consideration takes into account the updated guidance and other financial information being released by Palm this afternoon. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of domestic and foreign regulatory approvals and the approval of Palm’s stockholders. The transaction is expected to close during HP’s third fiscal quarter ending July 31, 2010.
Palm’s current chairman and CEO, Jon Rubinstein, is expected to remain with the company.
Microsoft Announces Patent Agreement With HTC
This is interesting. Microsoft has entered into a patent agreement with HTC concerning Android and this can be looked at in many different ways. It offers protection for both and the fact that they arguably need each other means that the deal had to happen regardless of any concerns. HTC will have to pay Microsoft for the Android handsets it sells (with a free OS on board?), but it may offer a small shield against Apple’s lawyers…
“Microsoft Corp. and HTC Corp. have signed a patent agreement that provides broad coverage under Microsoft’s patent portfolio for HTC’s mobile phones running the Android mobile platform. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will receive royalties from HTC.
The agreement expands HTC’s long-standing business relationship with Microsoft.
“HTC and Microsoft have a long history of technical and commercial collaboration, and today’s agreement is an example of how industry leaders can reach commercial arrangements that address intellectual property,” said Horacio Gutierrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft. “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with HTC.”
Vodafone makes the Android powered 845 official
Vodafone has made the 845 official and it is its first Android powered unit to bear the network brand. The latest OS version, a 3.2 Megapixel camera and a 2.8″ screen in a small package will appeal to many. Expect it to be cheap too.
“Make your phone your own with the Android-powered Vodafone 845. Customise your home screens. Choose from over 30,000 apps in the Android Market. And browse faster – it’s built for speed.
There’s also Vodafone 360 which gives you MyWeb – great for browsing, and Music that brings you all the latest tracks and albums from just 49p.
Want more? Check out the 3.2 megapixel camera – and the bright, clear 2.8 screen to show off the shots you take with it. All on our most affordable touchscreen phone.”
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Pool Pro Online 3 for iPhone: free for today only
Pool Pro Online 3 for the iPhone is free for today only. By all accounts it is a very good game and worth picking up to see what you think- be quick though.
“Enter the virtual pool hall with your friends across the world to win fame and in-game “scratch”. Put your money where your mouth is and challenge wannabee players wagering in-game cash. Customize your game by spending your winnings on table felts, cue sticks, and new pool halls! See how you rank against the elite pool sharks on the global leader board! Share your achievements with your friends with Facebook connect. Play for keeps world-wide with Pool Pro Online 3.”
QOTD: Are you still excited?
Does the release of a new smartphone still excite you? With so many devices hitting the market, do they all seem too similar or is the gadget lust still there for you?
Did Gizmodo go too far?
You cannot have failed to be aware of the Gizmodo / iPhone 4G prototype story which made its way to all of the big news providers including the BBC. The story first gained attention because it blew the lid on the design and new features of the next iPhone, if that really is the case, but then took a darker turn as the authorities got involved and realised that the purchase of this phone may not have been lawful. I do wonder what affect this has on Gizmodo in the long run, but also wonder if it is suffering more because it is a website rather than a newspaper.
I can think of numerous incidents with major newspapers over the years where this kind of behaviour is seen as perfectly acceptable and often they will get away with it in the ‘cause’ of journalism. One issue is that websites are rarely viewed as journalistic for no other reason than they are on the web. In theory, at a stretch, anyone can be a journalist and anyone can publish news and thoughts on current events so depending on how you view websites the argument will continue to rage on.
As for the specific issue of Gizmodo buying a phone that they conceivably knew was not the property of the person selling it, that is another problem. Let’s ignore the legal aspect and consider what it has done to its reputation. Maybe it is just me, but Gizmodo feels like less of a valued resource to me now. There is something not right about paying $5000 just to get a few more visitors. From a commercial point of view it has worked extraordinarily well so far, but smells of the gutter journalism that diminishes the reputation of decent newspapers.
Many websites pull stunts every day to attract visitors. MSMobiles is a classic example; visitor grabbing headlines that often bare no relation to reality or which are gleamed from the smallest potential rumour. The main writer will then happily insult his visitors if they disagree with him. Many other sites ‘steal’ content to put up entire articles as their own. I have had this happen to me many times and complaints usually result in a ‘What are you going to do about it?’ style response.
However, most sites abide by the virtual rules and will credit the originator of an article and they are happy to help each other out when needs must. I must stress that the sites that play by the rules make up 99% of all that I have dealt with, and this is why the whole Gizmodo situation is a real shame because it tars everyone with the same brush.
Send a snap, win an app!
“That ’70′s JPEG” Shot with iPhone 3GS.” Dave.
We are running a new competition on 247 each week for the forseeable future. All you need to do is send in a photo taken with your smartphone, tell us what phone it was taken with (and / or with which software) and the best one received each week will receive $10 of smartphone software of their choice. A new photo will be published every day and the decision on the previous week’s winner will be made each Monday. Photos needs to be sent to shaun (at) mailstm.co.uk. Good luck!
After lots of head scratching, last week’s winner is Maureen who sent in this picture taken on an iPhone. It was difficult because there were some great ones last week, but the colours in the sky are magnificent.
Out of the mouths of babes: Apple
I had a conversation with my 9 year old son last night about mobile phones and some of what he says makes sense. He is into mobile phones (no idea where he gets that from?) and just maybe he sums up why adults like Apple as well.
Dad: What’s your favourite phone?
Tom: The iPhone
Dad: Why?
Tom: Because it has loads of games, videos, music and easy to use. Doodle Jump, GT Racing and stuff like that.
Dad: Other phones have loads of games and video.
Tom: But they are horrible to use.
Dad: What do you think of Apple?
Tom: Apple are great because their laptops last a long time and they hold their value.
Dad: Are they cool?
Tom: Yes
Dad: Why?
Tom: Um… the logos, they are shiny, they work well and anyone can use them.
Dad: Is Steve Jobs cool?
Tom: Yes for computer stuff. He is clever. I don’t like his clothes though.
Dad: Is Bill Gates cool?
Tom: Who is Bill Gates?
Dad: Do you like any other phones?
Tom: I like BlackBerry.
Dad: Why?
Tom: It has lots of features and looks good. Games are rubbish though.
Dad: Is BlackBerry cool?
Tom: Yes apart from the Pearl which is ugly.
Dad: Do you want to visit an Apple store?
Tom: Yes!!!
Dad: Why?
Tom: Because it would be interesting because they are big and you can use the Macs and play with things.
Dad: Do you want to visit PC World?
Tom: No.
Dad: Any other words of wisdom on mobile phones?
Tom: I like HTC as well.
Dad: Why?
Tom: Because their phones are quick.
When your iPhone talks back
Tom recommended I try Talking Carl and SmackTalk over the weekend and the experience has turned out to be one of the best £1.18 I have ever spent. They are both so silly and completely pointless, but they have already caught on and many people at work now own the apps. Give one of them a try- pointlessly funny!
“Carl, repeats anything you say with an hilarious voice, he can also be poked and pinched and you can even tickle him to make him laugh out loud.”
“SmackTalk! is a voice-altering app that features an animated guinea pig, puppy, kitten, and chihuahua that repeat what you say in high-pitched squeaky and now low-pitched freaky voices *in real-time* for hours of hilarious laughter. Works in every language!”
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Palm webOS App Catalog iPhone App
Here’s a bizarre iPhone app. It is designed to display the webOS App Catalog on an iPhone. I guess it could be useful for those who own both devices, but the market for that must surely be slim. I do wonder how Apple can reject it though so this story could develop over the next week or so. Thanks to Mary.
“I was watching a podcast with two of the lead Palm developers, you see, and I realized (bam!) that the whole webOS App Catalog is publicly available via a simple RSS feed. What I’m doing is taking that ~20MB RSS feed file, compressing it down to ~2MB as it’s downloaded, and wrapping it in an iPhone App Store-esque experience. So far it’s going very veeeeery well, this might be my UIKit masterpiece. It really does look like the App Store, and it’s efficient too. I’ve been testing and the memory warnings are few and far between because I’ve been keeping things really clean. It’s interesting because, apart from the RSS downloading happening in the background once daily, there’s no client-server interaction, I just cache it all on the device making it LIGHTNING fast.”
webOS Docs To Go at a ‘standstill’
Dataviz has made the following statement on it’s corporate blog- “We at DataViz would like to apologize for not responding sooner to our loyal Palm customers about the availability of Documents To Go for webOS. We have felt it best to keep our public webOS discussion to a minimum until we had concrete information about our webOS products to offer you.
We are continuing our efforts to work with Palm to clear the path for a full editing version of Documents To Go. However, given the current environment at Palm, as well as the necessary collaboration with the device manufacturer that is required to bring an app like ours to a platform like webOS, our Documents To Go editor product for webOS is essentially at a standstill.
As soon as we have any additional information, we will inform you immediately.”
Source: PIC.
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Nokia N8. Connect. Create. Entertain.
Nokia has announced the N8 which is due in quarter 3 of 2010. I always worry when companies announce devices so far ahead of time because it gives them little room over the next few months. Looks quite good though.
Espoo, Finland – The Nokia N8, Nokia’s latest smartphone, intuitively connects to the people, places and services that matter most. With the Nokia N8, people can create compelling content, connect to their favorite social networks and enjoy on-demand Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps. Available in select markets during the third quarter of 2010, the estimated retail price of the Nokia N8 is EUR 370, before applicable taxes or subsidies.
The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras. Additionally, the Nokia N8 offers the ability to make HD-quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite. Doubling as a portable entertainment center, people can enjoy HD-quality video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound by plugging into their home theatre system. The Nokia N8 enables access to Web TV services that deliver programs, news and entertainment from channels like CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. Additional local Web TV content is also available from the Ovi Store.
Social networking is second nature to the Nokia N8. People can update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen. Calendar events from social networks can also be transferred to the device calendar.
The Nokia N8 comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, guiding people to places and points of interest in more than 70 countries worldwide.
Symbian^3 in action
Powering the Nokia N8 is Symbian ^3, the latest edition of the world’s most used smartphone software, which introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers multiple, personalizable homescreens which can be loaded with apps and widgets. The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture in the platform takes full advantage of the Nokia N8′s hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface. Symbian^3 also raises the bar in performance by delivering greater memory management allowing more applications to run in parallel for a faster multi-tasking experience.