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All posts tagged "android"


Monday, January 2, 2012

What Is Holding Back Windows Phone 7?

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 12:30 PM

http://ceklog.kindel.com/2011/12/26...t-it-taken-off/

"People ask me all the time why, if I think Windows Phone is such an excellent product, sales appear so lackluster. My belief is Microsoft's approach with WP7 has a impedance mismatch with the carriers & device manufacturers while Google's approach reduces friction with carriers & device manufacturers at the expense of end users. The question is: will end-user dissatisfaction with Android's inconsistencies and fragmentation be strong enough to allow the better product to succeed."

There is an interesting post over at the cek.log blog site that asks the question "Windows Phone is Superior; Why Hasn't it Taken Off?". Needless to say, this is not a trivial question and opinions will be broad. What is particularly interesting about the post is the market analysis that is provided. The post segments the market players into four categories or "sides": users, carriers, OS providers, and device manufacturers. The post continues on to suggest how Apple, Google and Microsoft have interacted or played with each market category. A critical aspect of the market interaction, according to the post, is that Microsoft has thumbed its nose at "both the device manufacturers and mobile carriers. WP (Windows Phone) says "here's the hardware spec you shalt use" (to the device manufacturers). And it says "Here's how it will be updated" (to the carriers).". The suggestion is that this strategy has, to this point, impacted Windows Phone's ability to develop better market acceptance (in particular, actual sales).

What are your thoughts? Is Microsoft facing too much of an uphill battle to continue on with Windows Phone, or will we see the relationship with Nokia and potentially others sway the market to make it a more viable success?


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Which Smartphone Operating System do You Prefer?

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)" @ 10:30 AM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/...ext-smartphone/

"In a recent report from Nielsen, Google snagged 40 percent of the smartphone market, while Apple captured approximately 28 percent -- up just barely .01 percentage point from last year."

The only thing that surprises me about this is that there are so many that desire RIM for their next smartphone operating system. Maybe that and the fact that 30% of the late adopters aren't sure what they want. You would think that with all of the information out there, this percentage wouldn't be as high.


Friday, September 23, 2011

Get a NASA Ringtone for Your Phone, Be It Android or iPhone or ...

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa...+Alley+Insider)

"Space geeks take note -- NASA has just released several audio samples of famous moments in space history for use as ringtones on your smartphone."

Head on over to this site and see the list of all the ringtones available, including sounds from shuttle missions as well as Apollo and Mercury missions. Once you get the one you like, they also offer a handy walk through guide for putting them on your iPhone. If you have an Android, the best way to do it is to get the NASA Android app here.


Monday, August 22, 2011

Mozilla Has Another Option (They Hope) For You App Fans

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple Software (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)" @ 03:00 AM

http://9to5mac.com/2011/08/19/mozil...t=Google+Reader

"Apple and Google are clearly the two front-runners competing for market share in the mobile world, which is why it's no surprise we think of iOS and Android when we think of apps. With the growth of the smartphone industry also came the resurgence of native apps (thanks largely in part to Apple's App Store which still dominates the space). However, Mozilla hopes that web apps will soon mature to provide a comparable experience for end users and an even better alternative for developers."

It's no secret that some are switching to web-based versus app based access due to what they deem restrictive guidelines in the Apple App store. This would make this move by Mozilla a pretty astute one, and since it is across all platforms it would appear to be a benefit regardless of your phones operating system. The plans are for the APIs to interact with your phones address book, contacts etc so you would have the same functionality as if you were using a native app. The only difference is that it would be in your browser and would work the same on an iPhone, Android or Windows phone platform. I really don't have a preference per se, since I use very few apps that work with Internet access anyway, so if I'm using a browser or an app, as long as it functions the same why would I care? The only reason I can think of would be one of security or stability, since the apps on the iPhone go through approval process. What are your preferences? Or does it matter to you? If it does matter, I'm curious why.


Wednesday, August 17, 2011

A Mobility Market Crystal Ball

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 06:00 PM

http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/17/...hifting-mobile/

"In two years, we'll mark the thirtieth anniversary of the first commercially available cellphone -- built by Motorola, incidentally. Given this week's big news from Google, and other big events that we can only presume are yet to come, those two years may also prove to be some of the most interesting yet for the mobile industry."

If you read this site regularly then you likely enjoy tracking the mobility market and smartphone industry. In all of technology could there be more interesting and as fast changing sectors as these? We all tend to speculate these days on RIM's future, Google's moves, and Microsoft's challenges, not to mention the plethora of Android devices that are continually released. The folks over at Engadget must feel much the same. Donald Melanson posted an editorial today, citing statistics from such stalwarts as Gartner and Nielsen regarding the smartphone market. He speculates on what changes we might see in the future. What do you think of Microsoft buying HTC? What about HP getting out of the smartphone business? Where will Dell settle it's focus in the future? There are some juicy statistics and interesting ideas proposed in the editorial, not to mention in the comments from readers. It's a fun piece to peruse, and will stimulate debate for, well, at least another 24 hours or the next major market development, whichever comes first.


Ilium Software Offering eWallet GO! for 99 Cents/Free

Posted by Jason Dunn in "Windows Phone Software" @ 03:03 PM

http://www.iliumsoft.com/ewalletgo

"Do you have too much info to remember? Do you wish you could take all your passwords, credit cards, account information and logins with you - so they're handy when you want them? But keep them safe - so you don't have to worry about intruders finding them? You need eWallet GO!TM If you want secure, easy, mobile storage for all your info, just grab eWallet GO! and take your passwords with you everywhere you GO!"

Well now...here's a good deal! Effective now and running until the 21st of this month, you can get eWallet GO! for a mere 99 cents on Windows Phone 7, Android, and iPhone/iPod Touch devices. On Windows and Mac versions, the software is free. Sweet! Jump here to find the version you need. The OS X version is in the Mac App store, and the Windows version requires registration for the free download. On iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7, you'll find it in their respective app stores.


Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Ad Revenue Comparison For App On Android And Windows Phone

Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 06:00 PM

http://www.wpcentral.com/android-vs...rts+(wpcentral)

"Case studies are always fun. You can't necessarily extrapolate the information and say it will apply to all cases equally, but you can gain some inferences from such cases and look for trends across others. In this instance, one app called 'Mortal Kombat Tactics' by Neuralnet was released both on Android and Windows Phone and offered for free. What's the difference in ad revenue?"

While I wouldn't want to draw too many conclusions from this, it is still interesting to see the comparison of ad revenues from a free app offered for Android phones and for Windows Phone. Hit the Read link for the data collected by wpcentral.


Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Android Getting Windows Live

Posted by Nurhisham Hussein in "Windows Phone Software" @ 07:00 PM

http://androinica.com/2011/07/micro...-dont-know-why/

"According to a post on the Windows Team Blog, Microsoft has given developers the tools for Windows Live integration across all major mobile platforms, including our beloved Android. The team in Redmond is giving you a use for that Hotmail account you made in the 90s, and they are bringing Messenger and SkyDrive along with it."

Never mind the snarky tone of the article - this is good stuff for both Windows Live, Android and Windows Phone 7 (kinda). I'm reminded of Microsoft's 1990s move to port Office to the Mac. This widened the user base, but also helped make the user transition between Mac OS and Windows easier. Did MS lose users on the OS side? Certainly, but I'd bet they more than made up for it in sales of Office. Same thing here, mostly. Android's currently the bigger and more popular platform, so offering Live integration makes a lot of sense from a narrow business viewpoint. Would this impact adoption of WP7? As the late-comer I don't think so - Windows Live integration isn't that much of a differentiator for WP7, so the main effect would be to make the transition between WP7 and Android easier. But hey, I could just be blowing smoke here - what do you guys think?


Friday, July 22, 2011

Contacts in Your Phonebook Come Alive: Application Announcement – LiveContacts – for iOS, Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian OS

Posted by Darren Blade in "Windows Phone Software" @ 10:07 AM

http://www.facebook.com/pages/LiveC...225523594142852

"Appfortel, the Russian developer of mobile applications is proud to announce the release of a unique Beta-version service for organizing your contacts – LiveContacts – in mid-summer 2011. The LiveContacts application will contain a number of functions aimed at livening up your address directories and supporting the contacts in your phonebook in an actual and “animated” way. Today, from hundreds to thousands of contacts are stored in phonebooks of large megacities’ representatives. Many of them quickly become outdated – time has an impact on all kinds of information. Changes can be observed in surnames, workplaces, addresses, jobs and positions, telephone numbers, and other contact data."

A new way in presenting your contacts (Livening them up!) is on its way to you from "Appfortel" LLC, a Russian start-up who wants to breathe life into the staid contact apps on a number of handset platforms, namely Windows Mobile, Android, iOS & Symbian. I contacted Denis Pushkar to confirm whether their Press Release was correct with Windows Mobile, and it is. It looks like the Appfortel code warriors are giving some love back to the Windows Mobile device users; Windows Phone 7, at this point, is not getting the App. The service and respective platform apps are due to start appearing around the end of July.

I still have my Omnia II hiding in the paper tray on my desk. I may just, get a chance, to Liven it up with LiveContacts when released. The scant details hint that a web service is used, and pulling contact details like contact linking on WP7. More details when Appfortel's website goes "Live" soon, here and here.

The remainder of the press release is after the break. Read more...


Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Exomount, The Only Mount You Will Need

Posted by Jeff Campbell in "Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad" @ 01:00 AM

http://www.exogear.com/products-exo...unt-holder.html

"A simple car mount that won't fall mid-drive is all anyone really needs. Still, there's something to be said for one that can stick firmly to almost any surface."

ExoGear sells the mount for $29.95 USD, and it is pretty versatile as you can see from the photo above. Granted, all the photos show an iPhone 4 but if you visit their site you will see that it will work with any device up to a 5-inch screen (thinking tablet here). They even have it adapted to use as an iPad holder or stand by flipping the suction cup around. A one size fits all mount if you will and the price certainly is affordable.


Friday, June 10, 2011

In New Survey Developers Pick Android Over iPhone

Posted by Karey Westfall in "Android News" @ 10:00 AM

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile...prefer-android/

"A new survey from Vision Mobile and Bluevia finds that Android is the most popular mobile platform amongst developers, with 67 percent of mobile developers indicating they're developing for Android in 2011-that's an 8 percent improvement over 2010."

We have a winner, folks! A new survey just released from Vision Mobile and Bluevia found that Android is the most popular platform for developers! But not far behind is development for iPhone. Does this mean that Android is slated to be the market leader in years to come?


Sunday, May 8, 2011

WP7 To Beat Android...Really?

Posted by Nurhisham Hussein in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 09:00 PM

http://www.wpcentral.com/wp7-overtake-android-2015

"Pyramid Research's Senior Analyst and Practice Leader for Mobile Devices, Stela Bokun, has compiled the firm's latest Smartphone Forecast, which reveals some interesting predictions...Despite the fact that Android will be the mobile OS at the center of surge, Bokun reports that Windows Phone will actually continue to gain marketshare, until it finally replaces Android at the top in 2015."

That's a pretty optimistic forecast. Even assuming Apple and Google stand still, it's a tough call to make especially given WP7's current momentum. Speaking as someone with some experience of statistical forecasting, the error rate that far out will be pretty big. On the other hand, I really respect someone who has the guts to put their opinions out there, especially one that goes against the grain.


Saturday, April 16, 2011

Looking for a Good Rant on Windows Phone 7? Here's One...Maybe?

Posted by Steven McPherson in "Windows Phone News" @ 11:30 AM

http://www.ithinkdiff.com/hey-micro...indows-phone-7/

"I love trying out new operating systems and gadgets. That's why I blog on technology. So despite any doubts I had on Microsoft's latest effort in the mobile arena, despite their history with Windows Mobile 6.5 (could have been way better than what it was) and KIN (duh!), I decided to give Windows Phone 7 a try."

If you are looking for a good rant on Windows Phone 7 you might want to check this out. I went through each one of the rants in this article and while I find most of them accurate I also find that most of the comments are more related to this being a generation one OS than anything else. In fairness, he points this out but I think by and large this is a great list of things that Microsoft could improve on.

Tops for me out of this article are:

  • Stop the Scrolling Madness: The author has a lot of apps as do I and unfortunately I end up scrolling A LOT! I realize this is more due to the clean simple UI of Windows Phone 7 and there is definitely a trade-off as soon as you start adding folders or drop down list or whatever. I am not a UI genius, but I would love to see this improved.
  • Camera Settings Don't Save: This one was always a "Really?" to me. I don't get it. I don't think there is a good reason for the camera settings to not save.
  • Dead Marketplace, Music and Video: I know this one is being worked on in "No-Do" but man that's aggravating and needs to be fixed.

Read more...


Monday, April 11, 2011

To Swype or Not to Swype ? Is That The question ?

Posted by Chris Hordley in "Android Software" @ 08:00 AM

Product Category: Keyboard app (for Android and Windows Mobile touchscreen devices)
Manufacturer: Swype Inc.
Where to Buy: Pre-installed or Beta release from www.swypein.com
System Requirements: Android, Windows Mobile platforms and certain new Nokia smart phones, but not on iOS devices as at time of review. It requires 500k to 900k depending on options.

Pros:

  • The original slide/trace touchscreen keyboard for Windows Mobile and Android platforms;
  • Can enable faster and more flexible input, especially on phones in portrait screen orientation;
  • Good interactive tutorial and support on website (which is professional and on-going).

Cons:

  • Still only available as a beta release for many phones and not at all for iOS devices;
  • Rival slide/trace keypads available;
  • Many people do not see any reason to change from tapping.

    Summary: Swype is a slide-to-type touchscreen keyboard, installed on devices such as Galaxy Tab and My Touch 4G and available again (as of December 2010) in beta version for many others. First released a year ago, it is designed to work on a wide variety of devices. It was hailed (or was it hyped?) as the input software that would revolutionize the way we use touchscreens and the first beta release was over-subscribed and closed until recently. World record texting speeds were set using Swype, yet, many have still not heard of it and it is only in beta version for most of us. So, the question is to Swype or not to Swype ? I hope that this review will help you to answer it. Read more...


    Friday, April 8, 2011

    Survey: Who Would Buy a Windows Phone?

    Posted by Danny Simmons in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 08:30 AM

    http://www.businessinsider.com/smar...e-survey-2011-4

    "We'd love to learn more about your smartphone purchasing thoughts. Do you have a smartphone now? Will you buy one soon? Which kind? And why? Please fill out our survey below. We'll publish the results in a few days."

    Take a moment to share your thoughts at this surevey here. BusinessInsider wants to know what Smartphone you plan on buying next. Let's make our Windows Phone presence made known...


    Monday, April 4, 2011

    Patience May Be All That Is Needed For Strong Market Positioning For Windows Phone 7

    Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 07:00 PM

    http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/03/b...?_r=1&src=busln

    "Make way, however, for Windows Phone. Yes, Windows Phone. Despite Microsoft's multiple, abject failures with mobile phones since 2002, many software developers and industry watchers expect Microsoft to become the second-largest smartphone player worldwide."

    Predictions in the smartphone world are risky business at the best of times, so you may want to take this New York Times article with a fair bit of trepidation. But, it does seem plausible when you read their logic. Their analysis is that at year-end Android will have a 39.5 percent share of smartphones worldwide (based on projections from IDC). Symbian (from Nokia) would be second, at 20.9 percent, while Apple's iOS, would be third, at 15.7. Windows Phone 7 and its predecessor, Windows Mobile, would be at 5.5 percent. They believe this will change dramatically as Nokia switches from Symbian to the Windows Phone 7 platform. Their projections are that by 2015 Android will hold slightly over 45 percent of the market, while Windows Phone 7 will occupy second place, at 20.9 percent. Third will be Apple's iOS, which is projected to stay near 15 percent. BlackBerry, then as now, would be No. 4 at slightly less than 14 percent.

    So, what do you think? Can this possibly happen?


    Microsoft-Google About To Spar Over YouTube App For Windows Phone 7?

    Posted by Brad Wasson in "Windows Phone Talk" @ 06:30 PM

    http://gizmodo.com/#!5788172/micros...windows-phone-7

    "Microsoft is getting involved with the European Union's antitrust investigation regarding Google, mostly regarding the lack of information Google provides search engine competitors for indexing YouTube videos. But even more interesting is Microsoft's claim that their app is lacking because Google won't provide the Windows Phone 7 team with the necessary data for the YouTube app that the versions on Android and iOS have."

    Ok, here's a little potential mudslinging between industry behemoths to whet your appetite. It seems that Google may have enabled its own Android phones, and the iPhone, to access YouTube metadata in a different way than Microsoft has access to. The net result, reportedly, is a more advanced set of YouTube features for Android and iPhone smarthphones than Microsoft would be able to produce. These features would include the ability to search for video categories, find favorites, see ratings, and more. In short, Windows Phone 7 users would have a less feature-rich experience than at least some other platforms. Is this fair? Is Google playing nice here, or is it protecting it's own intellectual property? Microsoft doesn't think this is very fair and is, in fact, getting involved with the European Union's antitrust investigation regarding Google.


    Tuesday, March 29, 2011

    IDC Predicts Windows Phone Will Be Number Two Smartphone OS by 2015

    Posted by Danny Simmons in "Windows Phone News" @ 07:00 PM

    http://www.slashgear.com/windows-ph...s-idc-29143143/

    "Android will take the top spot for smartphone OS worldwide in 2011, analysts IDC have predicted, pushing iOS into third place behind Symbian. As for Microsoft, while the Symbian-faithful aren't entirely convinced by Nokia's decision to climb aboard the Windows Phone train, IDC is more confident in the two companies' partnership. "By 2015, IDC expects Windows Phone to be number 2 operating system worldwide behind Android," senior research analyst Ramon Llamas predicts."

    This is a pretty bold prediction. It has been the topic of much debate since this article was released. With Symbian phasing out of the picture as Nokia embraces Windows Phone as their OS of choice, there's bound to be a new number two. Will all Symbian users shift over to Windows Phone to stay with Nokia? Will some of them move to Android or iOS? I personally think we'll see a good mix of users jumping from one platform to another over the next few years until they find the one that suits them best. Each OS provides unique experiences that may appeal to some, but not to others. It will definitely be an interesting few years, especially once Nokia starts flooding the market with Windows Phone. What do you think will happen?


    Friday, March 11, 2011

    WP7 Survives Pwn2OWn Event Unscathed

    Posted by Nelson Ocampo in "Windows Phone News" @ 08:00 PM

    http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...82&pageNumber=1

    "Apple's iPhone 4 and RIM's BlackBerry Torch 9800 both succumbed to hackers today at Pwn2Own, but two other smartphones running Android and Windows Phone 7 were unchallenged, the contest's sponsor said."

    Yes, we're aware that having nobody trying to hack a Windows Phone 7 device sure helped.

    What we can take from this is that Windows Phone 7 devices aren't exactly easy to exploit. That's not to say that it can't be done. I'm sure it can. But it wasn't easy enough for someone to figure out in the few short months that the operating system has been released.

    It's only a matter of time before hackers do figure out an exploit. But hopefully Microsoft will have updates to close exploits as soon as they are discovered.

    One advantage I will say that may be in Microsoft's favor is that they have been very open to working with home brew developers. These developers often are the ones discovering exploits.

    Imagine that. Embracing hackers to increase security.


    WP7 Just 60 Apps Away From 10,000 Marketplace Apps, Hits That Milestone Faster Than iPhone or Android

    Posted by Danny Simmons in "Windows Phone Software" @ 11:30 AM

    http://wmpoweruser.com/60-apps-away...one-or-android/

    "The excitement is palpable as the number of apps in the Windows Phone 7 marketplace edge towards 5 figures. WindowsPhoneapplists.com reports nearly 1200 applications have been added in the last 2 weeks, which is an acceleration on the usual 1000, and should guarantee we pass over the 10,000 mark today."

    This is quite an accomplishment, and definitely bodes well for the future of Windows Phone. Only 4 1/2 months since it was released to the public, and developers have showered us with great applications faster than we could have imagined. I think the smartphone war is going to heat up significantly over the next year or two.


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