mobilized

In what appears to be one of the first public cases of a mobile operator approaching a smartphone operating system provider to amend how its software operates, Japan’s NTT DoCoMo is reportedly to ask Google to reduce the amount of data its mobile OS consumes, Reuters reports.

According to the report, DoCoMo has already taken issue with an Android VOIP application that allows free voice communication, which assisted in bring down its service on Wednesday, but will also campaign for Google to increase the periods between when the Android operating system requests new data for its applications.

With some Android applications polling for new data every three to five minutes (even when not in use), Android devices are pulling around ten times as much traffic as a normal mobile phone, increasing the strain on smartphone-intensive mobile operators.

Android is said to transmit control signals every 28 minutes; DoCoMo will ask that Android does that less regularly, as doing so would enable it to offer its service to more Android device owners and reduce disruptions on its networks.

DoCoMo also intends to work with Google and other mobile operators to ask Android app developers to reduce the frequency of their control signals, which could not only anger software creators, it could also have an impact on smartphone users, who invested in Android because of its open nature.

Because Android is an open platform, operators have more control over how the operating system operates on devices that they sell. Some are able to limit certain features, include their own applications and modify the software to brand devices. However, with tools available to users, some of these customisations can be wiped at launch.

It’s an interesting request by DoCoMo, one that could see other operators across the world requesting the same changes in order to better serve their customers.

The question remains, is limiting how often an Android device requests information better serving customers or should the operators ensure investments are made in their networks to cater for users?

Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.Although Mithun Darji, the creator of this watch phone concept says that this is a Windows 7 device, I tend to believe it’s either based on Windows Phone 7 or Windows 8, considering those tiles. It’s still a pretty cool device, that Dick Tracy would wear in a heartbeat. The wrist watch with phone functions can do many tasks, it integrates media playback keys, Bluetooth and WiFi.

It also integrates an earpiece, volume buttons and 4 shortcut keys at the bottom, that looks like call/end call keys, a button for the web browser and probably a Back button. I guess that there’s also a camera on board and at least 8GB of storage should be available on the watch phone. The designer says that the styling of the device is inspired by the retro-futurist trend and the Matrix movie, as far as form factor is concerned. I’ve always thought that the tiles from Windows Phone would be great on a watch, considering they can take up a small space and still be easy to use.

After all, this will be the idea behind the future generations of low end Windows Phone models, that Windows Phone Tango will support with 320 x 240 pixel resolutions, according to rumors, plus QWERTY keyboards. I’d see Windows Phone running on a watch, especially since it only requires a small resolution , a mere 1GHz CPU and only 512MB of RAM. Also, the price will be decent if someone like Huawei or LG makes it…

[via Coroflot]

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News from DailyMobile.se:

Developers will apparently be receiving the stable build of Windows 8 for the ARM platform in February.

Microsoft surprised everyone when they showed an unstable version of the upcoming OS for ARM.   Apparently the bugs have been worked out and it’s running smoothly.  These reports are coming from hardware partners and not Microsoft themselves.  They’ve been told to expect a February timeframe for release.  The reason it’s so important to have Windows 8 running on ARM based devices is that they tend to cost a lot less than other devices on other platforms.

[VIA]

 

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All of new RIM CEO Thorsten Heins' fresh ideas will apparently still be revealed to the company's board in a couple of weeks, but he's already dropped some gems in interviews with the Wall Street Journal and Reuters. First item on the agenda? Getting current users upgraded to the latest and greatest BlackBerry hardware. Citing internal statistics that indicate 80- to 90- percent of the company's customer base aren't running BlackBerry 7 hardware yet, it will work closely with US carriers to promote upgrades until the new BB10 devices hit later this year. There's no word on what the carrier deals include, but he hinted at device or preloaded app bundles. He also promised an LTE version of the PlayBook would arrive this spring, with LTE connected handsets also planned for the BlackBerry 10 lineup. Is that enough to turn around RIM's fortunes in the US, where he acknowledged the company is "a turnaround candidate"? We'll find out, but as obvious as the need to placate the already BBM-addicted may be, execution of the plan is everything.

Shocker! New RIM CEO targets existing BlackBerry users for upgrades originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MasterCard is all over the map when it comes to mobile payments. The credit company will partner with anyone, anywhere, anytime if it means getting new customers and making a buck on the deal. Its latest offering is called QkR, an Australian effort with support from the Hoyts chain of movie theaters and Commonwealth Bank. The initial trial run will be at La Premiere cinemas, where customers will be able to order and pay for food and beverages right from their seat with the QkR app. To initiate the transaction a you scan the QR code or tap the NFC tag attached to the arm rest, and a staff member delivers the trough of popcorn and kiddie pool of coke right to your seat. Now all we need is this sort of high-end treatment in American movie theaters. Check out the video after the break to see it in action.

Continue reading MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia

MasterCard's QkR mobile payment system enters trial in Australia originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Asus is reportedly working on Windows 8 laptops that are equipped with Microsoft’s Kinect technology. The Daily recently reported that it was able to “check out” two different prototype laptops that “appeared” to be made by Asus. The Kinect sensor was built into the area where a notebook’s camera would typically reside, and The Daily also noted a set of LEDs below the screen. Microsoft reportedly confirmed that the notebooks were Kinect-enabled prototypes. As The Daily points out, a Kinect-enabled notebook could allow a user to interact with Windows 8 or play games using motion controls, much like Xbox 360 Kinect users are able to do now. It is unclear when, or even if, the notebooks will ever be released.

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Verizon released the DROID RAZR MAXX on Thursday for $299.99 with a new two-year agreement. The device features a massive 3,300 mAh battery and a slightly thicker frame than its predecessor, the DROID RAZR. Other than that, the handsets are identical. Droid-Life confirmed on Friday that both devices run the same exact software, in fact — the Android version on both devices features the same build number, same kernel and same baseband version. We have seen similar products in the past (DROID 2 and DROID R2D2), but they all carried slightly different software versions to accommodate various changes. With the DROID RAZR and DROID RAZR MAXX however, it looks like everything is interchangeable, so savvy users already have a wide range custom ROMs to choose from.

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Global mobile phone shipments grew 14% annually to shatter the previous shipment record in 2011. Market research firm Strategy Analytics estimates that 1.6 billion cell phones were shipped last year, representing more than one-fifth of the world’s total population, which surpassed 7 billion in late October last year according to the Population Reference Bureau. An earlier report from the GSMA estimated that there are now more than 6 billion total mobile connections worldwide. Read on for more.

Handset shipments grew 11% to reach 445 million units globally last quarter according to Strategy Analytics, 155 million of which were smartphones. Nokia retained its No.1 position globally with mobile phone shipments totaling 113.5 million units, and Samsung followed with 95 million units. With just one smartphone line that includes just three models, Apple was the world’s No.3 cell phone vendor last quarter with shipments totaling 37 million units.

Nokia was also the top vendor for the full year, having shipped 417.1 million phones globally according to Strategy Analytics’s figures. Samsung shipped 327.4 million units in 2011 and Apple sold 93 million iPhones into distribution channels.

“Smartphone specialist Apple shipped 93.0 million handsets worldwide in 2011, nearly doubling the previous year’s volumes,” Strategy Analytics analyst Tom Kang said. “Currently in just its fifth year of participation in the handset market, Apple is on track to ship well over 100 million units during 2012. China is becoming a key market for Apple this year, and we expect Apple’s share to grow rapidly in 2012, despite countless copycat rivals.” The firm’s full press release follows below.

Strategy Analytics: Global Handset Shipments Reach 1.6 Billion Units in 2011

Boston, MA – January 26, 2012 – According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global handset shipments grew 11 percent annually to reach 445 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011. Apple was the star performer, capturing a record 8 percent market share worldwide during the quarter. Full-year handset shipments reached 1.6 billion units globally in 2011, with annual growth of 14 percent.

Alex Spektor, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Despite continued macroeconomic difficulties in major markets like Western Europe, global handset shipments grew a reasonable 11 percent annually to reach 445 million units in Q4 2011. Apple was the star performer, shipping 37.0 million iPhones worldwide and capturing a highest-ever 8 percent market share. Apple’s growth was fuelled by intense demand for its refreshed iPhone 4S, as well as the availability of three generations of iPhones at a variety of price points at operators like AT&T in the United States.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Nokia’s global handset shipments declined 8 percent annually to 113.5 million units in Q4 2011. Volumes were buoyed by the sales of Nokia’s low-end dual-SIM models in emerging markets like Southeast Asia, but were a little soft overall, as initial shipments of Microsoft Lumia phones could not offset declining Symbian sales. Hot on Nokia’s heels, second-ranked Samsung captured 21 percent share with shipments of 95.0 million units. Samsung’s 18 percent annual growth was fuelled by robust shipments of its broad Galaxy-branded 3G portfolio, headlined by the Galaxy S2 superphone.”

Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Smartphone specialist Apple shipped 93.0 million handsets worldwide in 2011, nearly doubling the previous year’s volumes. Currently in just its fifth year of participation in the handset market, Apple is on track to ship well over 100 million units during 2012. China is becoming a key market for Apple this year, and we expect Apple’s share to grow rapidly in 2012, despite countless copycat rivals.”

Exhibit 1: Global Handset Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q4 2011

[See chart above]

The full report, Global Handset Shipments Reach 445 Million Units in Q4 2011, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Strategies (WDS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/3tbnzb6.

Although Apple outsold all Android vendors in the fourth quarter, the Cupertino-based company’s share of mobile internet usage is reportedly beginning to slide. An analysis of last year’s Internet usage shows that in the United States, the proportion of Android mobile web visitors overtook Apple users by the end of the year, according to 51Degrees.mobi. The share of Apple’s iOS web traffic in December fell to 34.1%, while Android increased to 36.6%. In Europe, Apple remained ahead with 42.6% however, despite an increase in Android traffic that pushed the platform to 25.5% by the end of 2011. RIM’s BlackBerry devices remained stable in both regions with roughly 9% of all mobile web usage. “The battle for mobile operating system dominance is far from over”, said 51Degrees.mobi CEO James Rosewell. “Apple experienced record sales of iPad2 and iPhone devices, yet its share of mobile web traffic declined in the US and Europe – indicating just how many more Android based products were used online in the same period.” The firm’s full press release follows after the break.

Decline in Apple share of mobile internet usage shows battle to dominate mobile phones and tablets is far from over

Apple’s dominance of mobile web traffic appears to be fading

Android traffic now ahead in the US; Apple still leads in the UK

BlackBerry share of web traffic remains stable

Nokia starting to slide in India

51Degrees.mobi, the leading provider of device detection and web optimisation solutions, has today published an analysis of the mobile devices its online partners detected browsing the internet last year.

The 51Degrees.mobi Mobile Web Trends 2011 white paper shows that the proportion of mobile web visitors in the USA with Android devices overtook Apple users by the end of the year. The share of Apple iOS web traffic in December 2011 fell to 34.1% in the US, while Android increased to 36.6%.

In Europe, Apple remained ahead with 42.6% of mobile web visits despite an increase in Android usage to 25.5% by the end of 2011.

Figures for RIM’s BlackBerry OS were stable in the USA and Europe throughout the second half of 2011, varying by just a fraction of a percentage point. Both regions saw BlackBerry usage remain at around 9% of all mobile web traffic.

Unlike the mobile market in Europe and the USA, mobile phone use in India has been dominated by Nokia and its Symbian operating system for several years. Nokia mobile web visits fell in H2 2011 from 57.3% of the total figure to 50.6% by the end of the year.

The data has been collated from customers who use 51Degrees.mobi free and premium device detection services.

“The battle for mobile operating system dominance is far from over”, said 51Degrees.mobi CEO James Rosewell. “Apple experienced record sales of iPad2 and iPhone devices, yet its share of mobile web traffic declined in the US and Europe – indicating just how many more Android based products were used online in the same period.”

News from DailyMobile.se:

Last year (2011) was not a very good year for Nokia, from the now famous burning platform memo, to the restructuring, to the latest report of 4th Qtr losses.  Even though the Finnish mobile giant is down, it is definitely not out.

According to recent report from StrategyAnalytics Nokia is still the worlds largest phone manufacture by almost 90 million units!

To put into prospective of  just how truly huge Nokia is as a handset manufacturer in 2011 Nokia had a market share of 26.9% while Apple had a meager 6.0% even with the iPhone4s bounce in the 4th Qtr.

This would beg the question where are all these sales coming from? With the Windows Phone announcement Symbian sales started to drop off  almost immediately. Combine that with the fact that  Windows Phone was only available in a few select markets in the 4th Qtr Nokia should have had pretty horrible year. The answer would be low end phones.  Nokia has made a big push this year for emerging markets or what they call “The Next Billion”.

The Next Billion handsets range from super low end Nokia 100′s to the touch screen, full qwerty keyboard Asha 303.  With features like dual sim, flashlight, and batteries that lasts for weeks on stand by not days Nokia is the still the choice for first time cell phone users.

Also Symbian is not as dead as you would think in another report from StatCounter Symbian is still by far and away the world’s most used mobile OS.

The real stunner here is that if you look at the chart more and more people chose to buy Symbian as the year when on knowing it was a “dead platform” and it actually rose in popularity as the year went on.

The real take away here is while Nokia is not as big as it use to be in the  smartphone business, it’s overall business model is working and they should be able to ride out the storm till Window Phone catches on.

VIA

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Seriously, we can't caveat this one enough -- there is no way of knowing if this is in fact the Galaxy S III or, if it is, when it might come to market -- but, it looks like Samsungs "next big smartphone" just made a cameo on the company's support pages. Listed as the GT-i9300, the mystery device reared its head over at the Global Download Center of the United Arab Emerites site. If Sammy is to keep with its naming scheme i93XX would be a flagship device -- the i90XX line was the Galaxy S, i91XX represents the S2 series, while the i9250 and i9220 are the Nexus and Note respectively. As we warned before though, this could be some mid-range device and Samsung could be changing its naming conventions. Or, perhaps, its yet another variation of an existing model. Still, we'll take this as a good sign that Seoul squad has something interesting brewing.

Did the Galaxy S III just pop up on Samsung's support site? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new quote from Nokia’s CEO, Steven Elop, is making the rounds today that outlines how Nokia intends to combat both iOS and Android handsets, and confirms a new strategy that Microsoft is set to employ in the United States. We are of course discussing how the Lumia handsets will be treated in a retail setting.

When a consumer approaches a sales representative at a carrier outlet, asking what smartphone they should select, how is the advice that they receive guided? Two things are the key influencing factors: cash, and opinion. A sales rep who is hot on Android is unlikely to recommend an iPhone, for example. Also, however, certain OEMs will put a payout on their phones, offering to kick any salesperson ten dollars or so if they move their hardware. This is more common than you might think.

Elop had this to say recently, while on a call:

We need to increase the engagement of the retail sales associates in the stores, because it is the retail associate who speaks with our consumers and puts the Lumia device in their hands. For example, in the United Kingdom, where competitive ecosystems are firmly entrenched, we have seen mixed retail execution around Lumia devices with a range of results among different locations, different chains, different stores and so on.

That can be translated to this: we need to get in with retail employees, or they are going to smother our new phones. Microsoft has come to the same conclusion. We brought you the news that the company has plans to lead a two hundred million dollar push for Windows Phone in the United States, which will include:

a per-unit sales incentive for retail employees that sell a Windows Phone handset. This, a solution of a sort to the ‘last mile’ issue that has long plagued the smartphone line, could be the largest functional change to the sales prospects of Windows Phone that we have yet heard of. By directly making Windows Phone more attractive to salespeople, Microsoft et al is using cash to buy friends, a strategy that works so long as the money keeps coming; $200 million goes a long way.

Nokia and Microsoft agree: money can buy you love, the Beatles be damned.

The two companies have a single goal: sell oodles of Windows Phones. The money is in place, the handsets are good enough, and now the final challenge, the boots-on-the-ground moment appears to be coming into place. We’ll say it again, this could be the year of Windows Phone.

Twitter announced recently that it now has the ability to, and will begin to, censor content on the social network by country. “As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression,” the company said in a blog post Thursday. “Some differ so much from our ideas that we will not be able to exist there.” Twitter gave France and Germany as examples, two countries that ban pro-Nazi rhetoric from being posted on the Internet. Previously, Twitter would have had to delete specific content worldwide in order to prevent it from being visible, but it can now remove content on a country-by-country basis. Read on for more.

The company’s announcement has caused some to worry Twitter might cross a line that is already blurred. For example, the new policy could prohibit a country’s citizens from using Twitter as a means to band together and stage an uprising. No doubt much of 2011′s Arab Spring uprisings were fueled by social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and censorship could have killed the powerful voices that helped topple a number of regimes.

“We haven’t yet used this ability, but if and when we are required to withhold a Tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know, and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld,” Twitter said. “One of our core values as a company is to defend and respect each user’s voice. We try to keep content up wherever and whenever we can, and we will be transparent with users when we can’t. The Tweets must continue to flow.”

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Note: There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.And here’s yet another design from Bob Freking, this time an iPad 3 imaginary product. We’re dealing here with a collection of pretty realistic specs and pretty much the same form factor as the previous iPad units, plus a Home button that seems tweaked and turned into a capacitive one, according to Bob, the creator of the concept.

The iPad 3 here uses an Apple A6 quad core processor, an 8 megapixel F2.4 camera and the appealing feature of the slate is actually the 9.7 inch Retina Display with 2304 x 3072 pixel resolution. 1GB of RAM is also included and a 2MP front HD camera as well, for Facetime use. I guess that this device will be available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB versions and honestly speaking it’s not that far from what everyone expects the next iPad to be like. One thing’s for sure: everyone wants and imagines a better display and camera on the next Apple tablet.

Will we be disappointed and if so, what will be the biggest thing that Apple will forget to include on the new tablet?

[Thanks Bob]

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As all of you know, the mobile space moves incredibly fast. Our users are changing, and their needs are changing. New devices and new technologies are coming to market seemingly every day, not to mention the rate at which app stores are growing. All of us are looking for the freshest, most interesting apps and content all day, every day.

At Yahoo!, we’re focused on creating deeply personal digital experiences and there’s no doubt that one of the biggest, if not the biggest, priorities for us is to bring those products and ideas to the mobile user, whether they’re using feature phones, smartphones or tablets.

We’ve got some amazing mobile experiences, from News, Sports and Finance, to Mail, Messenger and entirely new products like IntoNow and Livestand. Our commitment is to deliver these products in ways that help all of our users (and advertisers) enjoy engaging and seamless experiences across all the devices they use.

Our plan is to keep moving, to keep innovating, and to continuously measure and scrutinize what’s working and what isn’t – so we can make room for great new products. In that spirit, today we’re decommissioning several of our current mobile apps. We will be sending a notification later today that the following apps will no longer be supported:

• Yahoo! Meme (iPad and iPhone)
• Yahoo! Mim (iPad)
• Yahoo! Answers (Android)
• Yahoo! AppSpot (Android and iPhone)
• Yahoo! Deals (iPhone)
• Yahoo! Finance (BlackBerry)
• Yahoo! Movies (Android)
• Yahoo! News (Android)
• Yahoo! Shopping (iPhone)
• Yahoo! Sketch-a-Search (iPad and iPhone)

We’re moving forward with a “mobile first” mindset. You can expect to see more new Yahoo! mobile products in 2012, especially in areas ripe for innovation that build on Yahoo!’s strengths, such as companion experiences for TV like IntoNow, new ways to experience personalized media like Livestand, and some of our most popular and useful mobile apps like Yahoo! Mail, Messenger, Sportacular and Flickr, which are already being used by millions of people around the world. And we’ll be building these experiences with disruptive technology that’s going to change the mobile game well beyond Yahoo!.

For apps such as AppSpot and Sketch-a-Search, we decided to integrate the key features you know and love into the Yahoo! Search app. For example, we recently announced the app search feature in the Yahoo! Search app for iPhone. Stay tuned for more updates to the mobile search apps for both iPhone and Android.

With more than 700 million users around the world, we’ve got a huge and growing audience. We’re going to bring them the Yahoo! they love on every device in their life.

Stay tuned for a lot of action from Yahoo this year. 2012 has just begun and we’re just getting started.

– The Yahoo! Mobile Team

After the rumored cancellation of Samsung’s Galaxy S III debut at next month’s Mobile World Congress, we were left wondering what the South Korean company will unveil instead. Samsung promised “interesting stuff” in place of the Galaxy S III, according to Android And Me a new Galaxy Tab featuring the updated Exynos 5250 processor may be just that. The next-generation tablet will reportedly feature a dual-core 2GHz Exynos 5250 processor, a display larger than 10 inches with WXQGA (2560 x 1600 pixels) resolution and will run the latest Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The rumor apparently stems from a prototype tablet the site’s staff spotted during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. The Exynos 5250 processor, which was announced last November, is the Samsung’s first mobile processor to feature ARM’s latest Cortex-A15 CPU core. The chip should produce twice the computing power, increased memory bandwidth, and five times the graphics horsepower as the current generation of CPUs, as well as all-day battery life.

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Just wake up from a very restful week-long slumber? First of all, we're envious of your good fortune. Second, Research in Motion made a few changes to its leadership chart. Third, you must be really hungry right about now. So grab a sandwich, come back in an hour and join Myriam, Brad, Sean Cooper and our very special guest Kevin Michaluk (yes, Mr. CrackBerry Kevin himself) as we discuss the northern news, as well as anything else that happened this week. Be sure to send questions or comments you have for us or Kevin via Twitter (we're @engadgetmobile), or make your voice heard in our Ustream chat room during the show! January 27, 2012 5:00 PM EST

Continue reading Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast with guest CrackBerry Kevin, live at 5PM ET!

Listen to the Engadget Mobile Podcast with guest CrackBerry Kevin, live at 5PM ET! originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Titan II works its charm on the FCC with AT&T LTE included originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple, Google and five other technology companies must face a lawsuit for violating antitrust laws, according to a federal judge. The two companies, along with Intel, Adobe, Pixar, Intuit and Lucasfilm, are accused of entering into agreements to not recruit each other’s employees. U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose, California said on Thursday that even if the claims were dismissed, she would give the plaintiffs a chance to amend their complaint and refile it, reports Bloomberg. “They still have an antitrust claim that’s going forward so I don’t want to see any obstruction on discovery,” she told lawyers during a hearing.

The judge’s decision will result in each company being required to provided a detailed account of the agreements made with other companies. “We get to see what really happened,” said Joseph Saveri, a lawyer for one of the plaintiffs. Saveri claims the damages could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Google said in statement to Bloomberg that the company has “always actively and aggressively recruited top talent.” The other companies declined to comment after the hearing.

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Facebook plans to file for its initial public offering as soon as Wednesday next week according to multiple reports from Dow Jones Newswires. Morgan Stanley is expected to win the deal to lead the highly anticipated IPO, which could top $100 billion according to earlier reports. Goldman Sachs is also reportedly expected to play a role. According to Dow Jones Newswires, Facebook is currently looking at a valuation between $75 billion and $100 billion. Following next week’s anticipated filing, it will still be several months until the company goes public. The initial offering is expected to raise as much as $10 billion.

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