2009-03-07

HTC A296 is disgustingly ugly, fake

Chinese handset makers are getting worse with the day. Lately we've spotted their new "work" called HTC A296. Not surprisingly, this device (pictured above) has nothing to do with the famous Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer. The "designers" behind the ultra-ugly phone only "borrowed" few lines from the HTC Diamond, yet decided to place the sliding numeric keypad between the navigational pad and screen. The end result is as ugly as one can get. Still, some of you may opt to grab it for $128 through Solomobi. If that's what you want, well, I don't know what to say ― don't email me when you have problems, k? ;)

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

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  • A Chinese flip phone with WQVGA screen
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  • HTC patent application shows off unique dual-slider

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Google Taiwan adds Android engineers to support Android-based product development

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 03:45 AM PST

Google logo

Google (NSDQ: GOOG) has a new team in Taiwan, set to support handset makers in the country in the process of integrating Android on their devices. HTC is headquartered in Taiwan and providing them with additional "on site" technical support is never a bad thing in order to produce devices that work as best as possible.

However, according to Google Taiwan's Chien Lee-feng, the search giant will help manufacturers support other products ― not just mobile phones ― as well. He mentioned netbooks and embedded systems! Android on a netbook is a great idea, and especially if it's powered by Snapdragon or some other similar CPU, it can have a promising future, don't you think?

Anyway, it's very early to predict what will come out of Google Taiwan's Android office, but we're hoping to see more devices running Google's mobile OS this year. HTC are you reading this? ;)

[Via: DigiTimes]

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  • Google Planning to Take Over the World… One Android-Powered Device at a Time
  • Qualcomm's Snapdragon - gonna be big for netbooks…
  • Android delayed to Q4 2008 and later

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S60 5th Edition SDK 1.0 now available!

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 03:37 AM PST

Forum NokiaNokia has released the full version, 1.0, of the S60 5th Edition SDK (previously available was version 0.9). Available through Forum Nokia (NYSE: NOK), the new version adds support for keypad-off display in the emulator, additional languages, a start-up progress indicator for the emulator. In addition, a number of bugs, issues and deficiencies have been fixed, and many new plug-ins were made available.

For the record, the SDK enables development in Symbian C++, Standard C/C++ (Open C/C++), Java (JME), Web Runtime (WRT) and Python (via a plug-in) for devices based on the S60 platform. It is based on Symbian OS 9.4 and includes documentation, API reference, emulator and associated development tools. IDE is not included, though you can work with Carbide.C++ for C++ developments; and/or NetBeans IDE 6.0, 6.1 and 6.5 or Eclipse 3.3.1 with EclipseME 1.7.7 and MTJ for Java development.

More information is available on the Forum Nokia website.

[Via: AllAboutSymbian]

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User interface galore: Gigabyte g-Smart S1200, Toshiba TG01, Sony Ericsson Idou and LG KM900 Arena

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 03:17 AM PST

Check what I've found on Vimeo - cool videos exploring UIs of 4 cool devices. Among the demos you're about to see are such popular devices as Gigabyte g-Smart S1200, Toshiba (OTCPK: TOSBF) TG01, Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE) Idou and LG KM900 Arena. First comes the g-Smart S1200, while the rest is following after the jump. Enjoy!

[Via: GSMarena]

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Gresso Lady Diamond phone comes in 8-unit limited edition; Costs $5,500!

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 03:08 AM PST

Gresso Lady Diamond phone

Super rich folks just got a new idea for the present for their special ladies. And special they gotta be, since the Gresso Lady Diamond costs a whooping $5,500!

Only 8 of these ultra-luxurious devices will be produced, each one sporting "high-tech ceramic of Magenta Diamond color," 18-carat gold, genuine leather and 4 white diamonds that are used on the navigation keys. Moreover, the back of the device has that Gresso-standard transparent sapphire crystal cover.

As for the specs ― in case anyone cares ― there's a 2-megapixel camera on board, GSM/GPRS connectivity, Bluetooth, music player, 2GB of on-board memory. Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition is running the show.

Finally, some of you may want care to know about the availability (or not) �the Gresso Lady Diamond is already available, though it seems you can grab it Russia, only.

[Via: Unwired View]

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Meizu M9 coming for CDMA and TD-SCDMA networks

Posted: 07 Mar 2009 02:55 AM PST

Meizu M9 coming for CDMA and TD-SCDMA networks

Meizu is looking into opportunity to introduce more devices for different market segments. More precisely, the company behind the world's famous iPhone clone is working on CDMA and TD-SCDMA versions of the device, which will be called M9c and M9t, respectively.

Not much details are known at this stage, except that the M9 will use pretty much the same hardware as its predecessor - M8. Sadly, we expected some boost in the specs, but guess that will have to wait for some other chance. Moreover, it's not like we're able to buy these phones in the Western hemisphere, anyway…

[Via: Engadget Mobile]

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  • iRiver Wave coming to Korea in March 2009
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  • Willcom announced Sharp Advanced/W-ZERO3, the "X" smartphone

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The Signal (IntoMobile Podcast: Episode 18)

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 03:44 PM PST

Is it just me, or are the a lot of phones catching on fire this week?

Seriously, we've got Quickfire taken off shelves, the Bold is warming up, even the iPhone is on fire! Regardless, the biggest thing happening this week is the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) App World, but Will and I do chat about Motorola (NYSE: MOT), and how they're recession woes versus Nokia (NYSE: NOK). Two new phones, the Versa and 8 GB Renoir caught our eye as well, and generated some good discussion about design versus horsepower. There's plenty of other news items we didn't cover, but you can see the full link list after the jump.

Hop on through for IntoMobile's Pyro Edition podcast…

Music by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, as featured on Tap Tap Revenge for the iPhone.

Filler by Krazy Baldhead.

The Signal is a part of the Tech Podcasts Network.

Download The Signal ( Episode 18 ) - iTunes - @LINK3@ - (25:48)

Headlines

BlackBerry App World Pricing Structure Revealed

LG unveils LG Renoir 8GB Black

Verizon LG Versa Now Available in Stores and Online

Motorola co-CEO fesses to corporate blunders, looks to brighter future

Nokia trades 1,000 resignations for severance packages

Rumours

Sprint Releases Leaked, Featuring Camera-Less BlackBerry 8350i

Samsung s366 Coming to Rogers Before End of First Quarter

Black HTC Magic Images Spotted on the Web

First Snaps of the BlackBerry Niagara 9630 Emerge!

Did Toshiba leak upcoming Windows Mobile flip-phone to the FCC?

Remainder of HTC Lineup Specs Leaked

Palm Treo Pro on Sprint Coming March 15th

LG Viewty 2 Announcement Soon?

Sprint LG Rumor 2 leaked, looks pretty much the same as the original device

HTC Maple Looks Conspicuously BlackBerryish

Samsung Instinct Mini Passes FCC

Expansys shows Nokia N97, HTC Touch Diamond2 release dates, pricing

Nokia E55 spotted in Red!

Releases

Low-end Samsung r211 lands on Cricket Wireless

LG GD330, GB125 coming to Russia

Alltel's Palm Treo Pro now available online

BlackBerry 8230 Pearl Flip goes official on Telus website!

Motorola ZN300 Quietly Goes Public

Sanyo SCP-2700 Headed to Sprint?

Mio Announces Navigation-Oriented K70

Samsung Propel and Gravity Now Available at Rogers

Sony Ericsson W595 gets a Cosmopolitan Flower edition

Samsung S3500 gets all official in Russia


ASUS Announces Wi-Fi Hosting P835

BlackBerry 8900 Released in Spain on Orange

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  • The Signal (IntoMobile Podcast: Episode 4)
  • The Signal (IntoMobile Podcast: Episode 8)
  • The Signal (IntoMobile Podcast: Episode 15)

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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

UK: T-Mobile G1 accounts for 20% of contract sales

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 03:01 PM PST

t-mobile-logo1According to ZDNet.co.uk, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT)'s G1 now accounts for 20% of contract sales! Wow!

This nugget of information was revealed when the Operator announced it's financial results recently. The results also showed a 3% drop in T-Mobile's customer base, to 16.8m - of these, 12.7m are Prepay customers. Mobile broadband shot up by 250%!

Of course, T-Mobile's exclusivity in the UK with Android will be coming to an end relatively soon, as Vodafone (NYSE: VOD)'s "Magic" is due sometime around spring. We'll see what effect that has on T-Mobile's next set of numbers - although I'd imagine there will be several more "uber-devices" by then!!

[Via: ZDNet.co.uk]

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UK: T-Mobile boosting its HSPA

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:55 PM PST

t-mobile-logoAccording to ISPReview, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) has hinted that it will upgrade it's HSPA network speed to a downstream of 14.4Mbps. Of course, this is the quickest that "vanilla HSPA", but HSPA+ is lurking round the corner, and in trials is hitting speeds around 20Mbps. After that, we are starting to talk LTE, a.k.a. 4G!

As per usual, Mobile Broadband is going to be one of the big drivers here, eradicating slowly the point of WiFi hotspots - at this rate, Broadband dongles and contracts are going to be so cheap it's just going to become another utility….

Well roll on the HSPA+ wars between UK Operators - let's see who can go fastest!

[Via: ISPReview]

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Orange: Retro phone hunt!

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:44 PM PST

nokia-7110Orange's "The Feed" Blog is always a good place to hit up if you fancy a bit of a read - alongside our very own IntoMobile of course! ;-)

A recent post on there invited readers to hunt down their old phones, and post up about what they find! Suffice to say there are some great comments on there for some classic (in many ways) phones!

BTW, for all you Phone-reconition geeks out there, the pic is of the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) 7110 - NOT the phone in the Matrix film, as many people seemed to think ;-)

[Via: The Feed]

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The state of the wireless industry - by the father of the Mobile phone

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:36 PM PST

At a recent conference (the Embedded Systems Conference in Boston), someone called Dr. Martin Cooper picked on five problems with the wireless industry. Interesting enough you might think, but this chap invented the Mobile Phone!!

Below are the five problems he picks on, courtesy of CrunchGear. Dr. Cooper also suggested some solutions, but for those I am going to suggest you follow the link to CrunchGear, who have eloquently described them. It's not everday you get to see things clearly laid out by someone so key to the development of the industry, so it's worth a read!

1. Most cell phone conversations are held indoors, yet all the base stations and towers are located outdoors.

2. The Internet proved that an open network will invite a myriad of applications to serve the needs of just about everyone, yet the wireless industry still clings to the "walled garden" idea of closed networks and development.

3. The idea behind efficient wireless signal transmission is to deliver radio frequency energy to specific individuals at the time each individual's device needs to transmit or receive information, yet wireless signals are constantly broadcast every which way, in all directions, which is a really inefficient way to connect.

4. Phones are primarily used (70% of the time) to talk and listen, secondarily for text messages (which use small bandwidth), and tertiary for e-mail (which uses small to medium bandwidth), yet we, as consumers, get constantly bombarded with marketing for expensive high speed data services that people don't use all that often.

5. When purchasing devices, consumers are persuaded that they are getting something for nothing and then urged to throw their old devices away.

Follow this link to the CrunchGear article.

[Via: CrunchGear]

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More Mobile Learning - by GlobalEnglish

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:22 PM PST

globalenglishFollowing on from the post I wrote about the BBC World Service and its Mobile learning service (here), it's good to see that other learning providers are also leveraging the power of the Mobile (and MP3 players….).

GlobalEnglish has developed a mobile feature � the Mobile Learning Network � for its online business English training system. Professionals can take their English instruction with them on the plane, train or bus � using the convenience of any MP3 devise.

As more and more companies go global and feel pressure within new markets, GlobalEnglish provides training software that builds competitive advantage:

  • One surveyed company gained 25,000 days of productive work in one year
  • Another company saw an average of 3.5 hours of increased productivity PER worker after the program
  • Still another company cited $2.2 million in hard cost savings over a 3 year period of using the program
  • Online language training costs 90% less than traditional classroom instruction

The 15 to 20 minute audio and visual podcasts align with GlobalEnglish's online software. The podcasts deal with a variety of real-world scenarios and help listeners advance their English comprehension skills.

Well it all sounds good to me - only problem is I am looking to learn Spanish at the moment!

[Via: globalenglish.com]

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Mobile Data Infrastructure Market to See Sharp Decline in 09

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:06 PM PST

ims-research-graph

The mobile data infrastructure market is forecast to experience a double digit decline in revenues in 2009 according to a recent study by IMS Research. Mobile WiMAX may be hardest hit as credit markets dry up, jeopardizing many of the smaller pure WiMAX vendors' most important customers.

Coincidentally, this economic downturn comes at a time when many operators are outlining their plans to either upgrade their existing 3G networks or migrate to next generation networks. Before the economic crash, many thought 2009 would be a year defined by aggressive expansion of mobile data networks and large investments in 4G.

Although the IMS Research report, "Mobile Broadband: 4G Network Evolution" forecasts a slowdown in 2009, a quick recovery is expected in 2010 on the heels of widespread 3G upgrades and next generation network investments. Other report findings include:

  • Installed base of mobile data users is forecast to remain relatively insulated from the economic downturn and achieve steady growth throughout the forecast period
  • Upgradeable base stations will accelerate the adoption of next generation network infrastructure equipment
  • Chinese infrastructure vendors are expected to increase their market share over the forecast period
  • Total mobile data infrastructure market is expected to be worth between $30-35 billion by 2013

Mobile Broadband: 4G Network Evolution also provides detailed shipment analysis of mobile data infrastructure equipment including transceivers, base stations and BSC/RNCs along with the associated revenues and forecasts through 2013. In addition, the report contains subscriber forecasts for EDGE, HSPA, EV-DO Rev. X, TD-SCDMA, mobile WiMAX and LTE.
You can get more info on the report here.

[Via: IMS Research]

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  • Taiwan Mobile plans 3G equipment order from Nokia

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UK: T-Mobile G1 gets software update: people not happy

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 02:01 PM PST

g1Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Android blog site Androinica has an interesting UK-related story this week. Apparently the RC9 update that has begun rolling out for UK is lacking a stack of stuff, including: "voice search, latitude, any MSN/AOL/Yahoo chat options, and … paid applications".

Checking out the comments also that follow the post it's possible to see that UK users are confirming the intial suspicions. Worse, it would appear that other regions have still further differing functionality. Suffice to say the sentiment towards the exclusive operator for the device, T-Mobile (NYSE: DT), really isn't very positive either!

But that's the thing with super hi-tech devices - the plethora of potential options that could/should/would be on the device differ between people, and when some features don't make it, then it can really get peoples' ire…! All that said, differing functionality across regions isn't really acceptable in my view.

Let's see how this one plays out - I'm sure we'll see more commentary surfacing on the InterWeb over the next month or so!

[Via: androinica]

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The O2 Joggler: five-minute fiddle!

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 01:31 PM PST

o2-joggler1

Being lucky enough to be asked to go along to O2 (NYSE: TEF)'s launch, I've had the opportunity to play with the Joggler. As those of you know that follow the "five-minute fiddle" review series, I also like to give initial thoughts on a device, when I've only had five or so minutes to try it out.

On this occasion I had the benefit of two O2 bods, Nick and JP (thanks guys!), to give me a bit of a guided tour of the device, so I can give you an enhanced fiddle report (whatever that is!):

* Concept - I like it. A lot. They've taken the photo frame form factor, which most people know and accept, and added a TON of functionality. I was given a digital photo frame last year, and returned it because it didn't do enough - however, the Joggler is right in the sweet-spot of device usefulness for me :-)

* Touchscreen - really very good indeed - responsive, and capacitive-based (which means no play in the screen, it's a hard surface). UI responsiveness good based on text input and icon selection

* Size/Weight - well it sits on a flat surface so weight isn't critical, but size is perfect

* Hardware - it's basically a netbook without the keyboard, but with a touchscreen added. WiFi or Wired Ethernet connection gives it connectivity. It's mains powered, but then again it needs to be, what with lighting that giant screen and staying on a WiFi network (both notorious power sappers!)

* Calendar - clear, neat, and concise. Probably my only negative of the device, it doesn't sync with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Calendar (yet). However we are promised OTA software updates, so that could well change

* Multimedia - handles audio, images, and video. Apparently AAC audio format not supported, but again that could easily change in time with a software update. 1GB internal memory isn't huge, but USB port on side of device allows to expand memory

So in summary this device is really good - I'd highly advise going and trying it out - because it's connected to WiFi, you are just using your home broadband for the network connectivity. The promised features of Internet Radio and messaging only add weight to it's usefulness, and the mixture of features is well balanced! Well Done O2!

Grade: A- (a couple of minor tweaks and it will be an A+!)

Related News from IntoMobile:

  • New device: The O2 Joggler
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New device: The O2 Joggler

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 01:15 PM PST

o2-joggler

O2 (NYSE: TEF) has announced the O2 Joggler, a first-of-its-kind device which will transform the way families manage their busy lives. Taking the place of all the notes traditionally placed on the fridge door, the O2 Joggler is always on and can be used by the entire family. It sends text message reminders which mean every family member will know who needs to be where by when. The O2 Joggler launches in early April.

The O2 Joggler has been built on the insight that family life is hectic and can be difficult to manage. Appointments, birthdays, school runs, work deadlines and more can all be stored on the O2 Joggler's calendar, which will text handy reminders to family members' O2 mobile phones.

The digital evolution of the traditional family wall calendar, the O2 Joggler is a sleek 7" touchscreen device for the household that keeps the whole family connected. Ideally placed in the kitchen or the living room, O2 Joggler sits at the heart of the family home and is available to customers on all UK networks*.

It connects to your home Broadband either wirelessly or using an ethernet cable. There is no in-built SIM and therefore no ongoing costs or monthly subscription.
Play music, watch videos, catch-up on breaking news

The O2 Joggler is much more than an electronic calendar. It features a wide range of additional features for the whole family, including:

  • Weather � never get caught out in the rain again with updates from Sky News Weather. The O2 Joggler provides a four-day forecast from 60 UK towns as well as most other cities across the world, useful for checking the weather before a holiday.
  • Traffic � get the latest traffic black spot updates from Trafficmaster including the average speed of traffic on major roads**. O2 Joggler remembers the last place that was looked at and centres its traffic information around this location.
  • News and sports ­� catch the latest headlines from Sky News and Sky Sports. Headlines are refreshed throughout the day, making it useful for checking scores and headlines without any hassle.
  • Photos � The O2 Joggler can also be used as a digital photo frame. Up to 200 photos can be stored on the internal 1GB memory or through an external USB memory.
  • Music/ Video � play up to 100 songs or videos stored on the device memory using the O2 Joggler's built-in speakers, or stream it through a home PC.***
  • Games � customers can test their brain skills with a game of Sudoku. And if they need to pop out and pick up the kids, they just touch-save and carry on playing later. More games will be coming soon.
  • Tools � use the O2 Joggler as an alarm clock or calculator.

Coming soon

  • Messaging � The O2 Joggler will let customers send 50 text messages every month to any mobile in the UK for free. It will also be possible to send texts to the O2 Joggler from any UK mobile
  • Radio � A wide array of pre-set internet radio stations will soon be available to listen to.
    As new applications and content become available, they will be sent directly to the O2 Joggler, ensuring it's always kept up to date.

The O2 Joggler will be available from early April at O2 stores and from the O2 online shop at www.O2.co.uk, priced at £149.99, or free if taken instead of a handset at upgrade****. For more information, visit www.o2.co.uk/family
*Text reminders will only be sent to O2 mobiles in the UK
** Traffic alerts for all A roads and Motorways in England, Scotland and Wales

O2 Calendar
The new electronic O2 Calendar is available both on the O2 Joggler and as a stand-alone, free service on the internet. It provides a simple and convenient way for families to better manage their lives and is available to anyone, regardless of network*. Appointments can be included on the O2 Calendar using the Web or via text message.

Related News from IntoMobile:

  • 10 Ways to make SMS text messages work for you!
  • The O2 Joggler: five-minute fiddle!
  • Orb Networks news: YouTube + partnership with 3

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The O2: here comes Michael Jackson

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 01:00 PM PST

mj-o2

I always go on about what a Marketing coup "The O2 (NYSE: TEF)" was for Mobile Operator O2 - they get mentioned with every big act that comes through the venue, and suffice to say they don't come any bigger than this - MJ is coming soon! As the PR says:

The King of Pop returns to reign over London this summer.

Michael Jackson has announced today that he is returning to the stage for a historic 10 shows at The O2 arena performing in London for the last time. The King of Pop performs his greatest hits for the event of the summer, the concerts of 2009 and the decade's hottest gigs. This really is 'It'!

One of the most eagerly awaited returns to the stage of all time, Michael Jackson has not played a series of concerts since he last toured 12 years ago. These dramatic shows promise an explosive return with a band of the highest calibre, state-of-the-art stage show and incredible surprise support acts. "I am coming to London to play the songs my fans want to hear." - Michael Jackson

Opening with 10 nights at The O2 arena on 8 July. Ticket price £75 / £65 / £50 + booking fees.

Starting today visit www.MichaelJacksonLive.com or text 'MJ' to 81707 for your chance to join the presale. Text costs 10p to 12p dependent on network. UK only.

Tickets go on sale to the public at 7am Friday, 13 March.

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Palm Investor Banking on First-Gen iPhone Fallout

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 01:00 PM PST

Elevation Partners co-founder Roger McNamee is especially excited about Palm (NSDQ: PALM)'s launch window, and think a lot of iPhone users will make the jump to the new Pre.

"You know the beautiful thing: June 29, 2009, is the two-year anniversary of the first shipment of the iPhone," McNamee said today in an interview in San Francisco. "Not one of those people will still be using an iPhone a month later. … Think about it ― If you bought the first iPhone, you bought it because you wanted the coolest product on the market. Your two-year contract has just expired. Look around. Tell me what they're going to buy."

Nevermind the ones who swallowed the ETF and picked up the next gen iPhone at launch, will the floodgates really open as soon as those early adopters' contracts or up, or are they more likely to ugprade to the iPhone 3G? While I'm tempted to side with the Pre, folks who have their iPhones love them, and would probably be wary of switching to something where they wouldn't be able to keep using all of those apps they've bought through iTunes. We're also assuming Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) doesn't make another announcement before the summer rolls around, which, although possible doesn't seem entirely likely. What do you guys think: will expiring iPhone contracts be the lynchpin for the Pre's success?

[via Bloomberg]

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eXpansys: HTC Touch Diamond2 Voucher Deal

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 12:55 PM PST

htc-diamond2eXpansys got a great deal on the HTC Touch Diamond2 which I think IntoMobile readers might appreciate. Between the 4th of March and the 15th of April 2009, if you order your HTC Touch Diamond2 from eXpansys, they will give you £30 of eXpansys vouchers* to spend on their site!
For those of you having goldfish memory, like me, the brand new HTC Touch Diamond2 Windows Mobile smartphone is the next generation of device in the HTC Touch Diamond range. Improving on the original, updates include a 5 mega-pixel camera, 512MB RAM and a microSD memory card slot.

Click here to access the offer

(* Important: 2 x £15 voucher codes will be issued to you via email no earlier than 14 days after the HTC Touch Diamond2 has been shipped to you. Terms and conditions apply - click here for further details on them)

[Via: eXpansys]

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Mobile TV: at a critical point now?

Posted: 06 Mar 2009 12:48 PM PST

The N96 is a great handset for Mobile TV

The N96 is a great handset for Mobile TV

Mobile TV seems to have been bubbling away at a simmer for a number of years now. As early back as 2004, there was a lot of noise about how TV services could be offered.. As an early adopter myself, and working for device vendors and network operators, I got to try a lot of the services out there � right from 5 frames-per-second GPRS streaming, through to the newer broadcast variants such as MediaFLO and DVB-H.

The problem has never been with the TV service as such � it's widely accepted that most people would use it on a semi-regular basis, if the content and quality were good enough, and, if the PRICE were right. And that's really been the stumbling block for a while.

Operators, or service providers, have been looking at the cost (both CAPEX and OPEX-wise) of deploying a Mobile TV infrastructure (including broadcast), and found it's hugely expensive. They have also been looking at the revenues they would get back, comparing TV services to those terrestrial/satellite/cable home services, and found that in many cases, the business model doesn't stack up. Even the oft-mooted Mobile Advertising can't fill the gap.

So we have a weird stand-off, where Operators would considering deploying a service but largely won't because COSTS > PROFIT, at least for the short and medium-term. Sure, a few Operators have tried, but they have only served to prove the point for the others. Even those which are profitable, I would bet are not seeing major contribution to ARPU from Mobile TV.

The handset vendors have occupied a strange position too � a number of notables have invested in providing the handsets (and continue to),  but the lack of choice (and relative high cost), mean that they haven't been able to shift volume units in many cases. It's been left to those with the bespoke engineering ability, or the scale of operations, to continue drip-feeding the market.

Now that we have the global economic downturn, the idea of a (broadcast) Mobile TV network is even less attractive � Operators can't be seen to be spending something like $500m+ on network infrastructure for TV, when the revenue-generating upgrades to network tech such as 3.5G, HSPA+, and LTE are all available and waiting for roll-out. In this scenario, peoples' need to be connected, outweighs the need to be entertained.

So what could happen? Well, I genuinely think that the next couple of years could be make-or-break for broadcast Mobile TV as we know it � the window of opportunity is decreasing, and soon we'll have high-bandwidth IP networks that can stream channels with multicasting and good quality. At that point, assuming wide network coverage, the need for broadcast technologies declines a great deal. And with the additional pressure on the economy that is existing, it might just encourage Operator to wait for the next big thing (4G?), missing that window altogether. If progressive-download/streaming services running on these networks continue to improve their user experience, we might even see today's Mobile broadcast TV completely eclipsed.

Related News from IntoMobile:

  • Motorola and Nokia to work together on Mobile TV
  • Hong Kong: SmarTone chooses Ericsson for HSPA
  • Mobile video set for growth; 46 million subscribers by 2010

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