Nokia is taking quick steps to expand its multimedia portfolio and as a step in that way, it has announced its intention to acquire Novarra Inc. Novarra Inc is famous for its microbrowser work for mainstream handsets.
The acquisition of this Chicago based company is being done at an undisclosed sum. This acquisition process is supposed to be completed by second quarter of this year and the service offerings of this newly acquired company are supposed to be integrated into Nokia’s service offering later this year.
Using Novarra’s multibrowser technology, Nokia is planning to offer enhanced internet services to all its lower end handsets also. The company is planning to start these internet services for lower and mid end handsets with series 40 phones, as series 40 phones are more famous among mid and lower end phones.
Novorra technologies is 10 years old in market with around 100 employees and has a list of revered clients (mobile service providers) like TeliaSonera AB, Vodafone UK and Yahoo Inc for enhancing its internet search capabilities.
Nokia is planning to carry its “Comes with Music” brand in UK, with the name changed from Nokia Music Store to Ovi Music.
In UK and Ireland Nokia Music Store will be branded as Ovi Music store and the plans are that Nokia Music stores in all other countries will also be upgraded to Nokia Ovi Stores by 2010. Though the release date in the UK is not yet confirmed, Nokia has confirmed that the transition from Nokia Music Stores (Comes with Music stores) to Ovi Stores will be automatic and users need not to do anything from their side to get this upgrade.
Currently Nokia Music stores are in operations in 22 countries and all these will be migrated to Ovi stores by the end of this year. This transition is a part of its global strategy and Ovi rollout is happening in many areas not confirmed only to music stores. Nokia maps are also moving to Ovi Maps. Ovi Music transition was first triggered in Russia in 2009.
The Nokia Beta Labs guys are ready with their experimental work to introduce a new service, Here and Now that helps in providing location based information through the GPS of your Nokia smartphone. You can know more about Here and Now in the Ovi Store.
Through this Here and Now service, you can gain information from your Smartphone about a new place in your town as to what is happening there within no time.
As an added advantage, it is been observed in a posting about Nokia Beta Labs that Here And Now service has been revised with few changes to make it more user friendly by making it web-based.
However, you can’t enjoy this service in all the available Nokia handsets for the moment. Nokia N97 which has a larger screen has been barred of this service. You can however make use of Here and Now in the touchscreen handsets like Nokia 5800 Xpress Music, Nokia 5230, Nokia 5235, Nokia X6 and Nokia N97.
It is not limited to just touchscreen handsets as you can enjoy this service even on the Non-touchscreen handsets like Nokia 6710 Navigator, Nokia E52, Nokia e55, Nokia E72. The Nokia Ovi Store is offering this service for free download.
Looking at high acceptance of Android operating system and a whole lot of new applications and libraries built over it, Myriad (middleware developer for mobile applications) has come up with a new conversion tool to translate Java MIDIets into Android applications.
Myriad J2Android is the name of the tool. This tool is built to capitalize the popularity of Android Operating System, with a key principle to convert non Android based most popular applications into Android based applications. This conversion activity revolves around working on new features of Android like flexible screen and virtual keyboard capability. Myriad is trying to make most of this market, before the market gets saturated.
Virgin Mobile has already announced its support to this new set of Android based applications for its new four yet to be launched mobile phones and in this band wagon we have LG touch Max, Samsung Galaxy Portland, HTC Desire and Sony Ericsson Xperia X10.
Motorola Quench is Motorola’s Android based Smartphone made built up of MOTOBLUR technology that has youth appealing features and is specifically targeted to access social networking features with ease and simplicity.
This is all set to hit UK market with market support of a market assessment that touch screen based mobile phones are much anticipated technology in UK. In addition to that, technology that revolutionized contact management and texting capability is MOTOBLUR. This Motorola Quench is hybrid of these two features, touch screen and MOTOBLUR, in addition to social networking capability, which makes it most awaited release in UK.
It also comes with full QWERTY keyboard that supports all these high-end features. While QWERTY keyboard allows enhancing text capability, its 3.1 inch high resolution touch screen with turn heads allows users to high quality images. This touch screen comes with turn heads which simplifies user’s navigation features through zoom and touchpad capabilities. Packaged with all these features, Motorola Quench is a real dynamite of Smartphone features in user’s hand.
T-Mobile
Customers are the confused lot as T-Mobile is being not very clear about the delivery of the much ballyhooed Smartphone, the HTC Desire. Gadget fans are posting the news about the delay in the delivery of the Nexus One look-alike handset. Customers are being told about the delay via text message for reasons like quality control.
The Mobile World Congress this year witnessed and appreciated the HTC Desire alongside two other Smartphones. T-Mobile has constantly vouched for the Android platform over a period of time and customers are obviously in no mood to wait any longer before they lay their hands on it.
T-Mobile has reportedly answered enquiries over the delay saying that the devices are in stock and that it is shipping them to punters. T-Mobile has had a good track record in delivering handsets on time but this hullabaloo might leave some of the eager customers frustrated and with no other option than to look elsewhere to get hold of the handset.
Vodafone has just got the stunning Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 up its sleeve and pre-orders are being accepted. The innovative Android Smartphone from Sony Ericsson is just a week away.
The Xperia X10 carries Sony’s tradition of powerful embedded cameras by having 8.1 megapixel camera with all high end features like autofocus, compact digital camera, smile and facial detection, geo tagging and ‘send to web’ feature to instantly upload or share the pictures over flicker, Picasa or Facebook. The Xperia 10 also comes with all powerful connectivity features like Wi-fi, Bluetooth and 3G.
To view pictures captured with such a high end camera, Xperia X10 comes with 4 inch touch screen, large enough to view high quality images. Precise dimensions of phone are 4.7 x 2.5 x 0.5 inches, while weighing 135 g. Vodafone is offering the Xperia X10 for £35 monthly deal on a 24-month contract with 900 free minutes, unlimited text messages and 500MB of data.
Vodafone’s official website announced that the handset will be available starting April 6th but the press release differs the date to be April 2nd, which is just a week distant from now.
Have you been waiting for the Nokia’s next high-end handset? If yes, your wait time is now over as its images have already been displayed starting yesterday over the interweb. This high-end handset which is powered by Symbian ^3 is said to be called as N8.
You will be happy to know that N8, which comes with a large touchscreen front and a 12 megapixel camera to its rear, might enter the market as early as next month. It is believed that its camera might have Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss optics and its screen’s resolution would be WVGA. As such, N8 would be the second phone having an HDMI port, first of course was announced yesterday as HTC EVO 4G. N8, which also comes with a 3.5mm jack, is expected to capture about 720p videos at 30fps.
Although a date has still not been fixed for the launch of N8, some believe that the phone might probably capture the market this September as there is no event of the cellular industry taking place this April. Contrary to this, some believe that April would be more appropriate to launch N8 as Nokia’s Annual General Meeting is going to take place then.
Sony Ericsson is planning to launch its Android Based Smartphone Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 in UK during April through Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile.
Amid speculations and setbacks with news around of Sony and Ericsson’s divorce, Sony Ericsson is all set with a launch of powerful Android based Smartphone Sony Ericsson Xperia X10. This one is a really power packed dynamite with a super fast 1 GHz Snapdragon processor running on Android OS. This Smartphone comes with 1GB of default external memory, with a provision to extend using microSD cards.
It carries Sony’s tradition of powerful embedded cameras by having 8.1 megapixel camera with all high end features like autofocus, compact digital camera, smile and facial detection, geo tagging and ‘send to web’ feature to instantly upload or share the pictures over flicker, Picasa or Facebook. The Xperia 10 also comes with all powerful connectivity features like wi-fi, Bluetooth and 3G connectivity.
To view pictures captured with such a high end camera, Xperia X10 comes with 4 inch touch screen, large enough to view high quality images. Precise dimensions of phone are 4.7 X 2.5 X 0.5 inches, while weighing 135.0 g.
This new Sony Ericsson powerhouse to be launched by Vodafone, Orange and T-Mobile is a real pack of explosive features.
Samsung has come up with a hybrid of Samsung Genio Touch and Samsung Genio QWERTY called Samsung Genio Slide.
This is fusion of all successful features of Samsung Genio Touch and Samsung Genio QWERTY. It combines large touch screen display feature of Samsung Genio Touch and QWERTY keyboard capability of Samsung Genio QWERTY, which wrapped in colorful panels and sports all features, which are targeted to attract youth.
Genio Slide has much more acceptance, when compared to its other Genio family members as it has more powerful and youthful features, when compared to them. While social networking capabilities like ability to launch facebook, twitter are youth targeted features, 3G capability, and wi-fi connectivity makes it a more powerful. It is also equipped with A-GPS to find locations.
Genio Slide also comes with live TV feature and has inbuilt BBC iPlayer application installed. It has two cameras on both the sides to support video calling capability, while powerful rear camera with 3.2 mega pixel capability allows users to capture memorable moments.
Last but not the least; you will be elated to know that a Mobile search engine has been made available by Google for its handsets Blackberry Storm and Storm2. This application which is a free download provides excellent features like Voice Search and Search history.
Through this Google’s search application, you can look out for all the stuff required from your mobile. This application is available in different versions which can be used on almost all Smartphone platforms like Android, iPhone and Blackberries. Though earlier Blackberry Storm and Storm2 were not into this category, now even they have been invited by Google.
A latest version of this search application has been specially designed for the Storms’ touch screens with awesome features like Voice search. As per this, you can directly speak to the handset and ask for your search queries which are later translated by Google into text. It then makes a quick search of the query all over the web and returns with the result to the handset.
As an added advantage, it provides Google Suggest that makes your search easy by suggesting search queries once you start typing. This application even allows you to access previous search results as it stores search history.
Another good thing is that the BlackBerry Storm and Storm2 can download this application free of cost. You will be even more bewildered to know that this application comes in 7 different languages which are spread over 20 different countries.
Here comes LG with its new range of touch-screen Smartphone GD510 “Cookie Pep”. GD510 can be thought of like a BlackBerry Lite, Nano or an iPhone.
It comes with a sleek dashing look in either metallic or black body with a large screen. It is light in weight and easy to carry. It satisfies all the needs of a video recorder, powerful camera and large storage for music. Its inbuilt browser provides you with internet access and mail. In addition to this, an inbuilt facebook and a twitter application are also available in this phone.
Even navigation of the main menu is very simple in this LG phone. Straight lines arrangement of the icons has been made based on their category. The applications of a group can be viewed by a sideways flick. In spite of all these attracting features, there is a small drawback due to its very small scroll bar and the narrow strip. This makes you feel as if you are touching it thought you are not actually not doing so.
This phone comes with a “three-screen” feature which is very confusing. The other astonishing things about this phone are its multimedia features, clear video recordings and picture quality. There are few options for photo and video editing as well. Simply speaking, owning Cookie Pep could be a a good thing.
2009 saw the HTC Hero as one of the very popular Smartphones running on the Google’s Android operating system. And now there is good news to cheer up the users of the HTC Hero, thanks to the announcements from Orange and T-Mobile that they would officially update the Android platform to 2.1 version on 16th of April.
A lot of customers in other countries across Europe will also get benefitted from the update much earlier as the roll-out starts from 2nd of April.
But if you have got the HTC Hero by virtue of a 3 contract you would have to wait a weeka longer as the upgrade happens on 22nd of April.
Meanwhile the news that the HTC Legend is also gearing up to launch with Android 2.1 operating system should excite a lot many gadget freaks out there. However, the price-conscious consumer could tilt towards the HTC Hero despite it being an older model because it is to get the same OS albeit at a much lower price.
The XDA Developers forum was the place where the news about Android 2.1 roll-out on HTC Hero.
3 Mobile
3 is all set to add the business phone Nokia E72 to its array of offerings, as per confirmed reports from 3 mobile. The repeated requests from a lot of customers has now got materialised as 3 finally agreed to get the Nokia E72.
As per 3, they received a lot of comments on their blogs about the much anticipated Nokia E72, which is not a big surprise considering the astounding success that the Nokia E71 enjoyed.
Nokia E72 has got a lot of business use cases satisfying the business users including GPS, Wi-Fi and 3G. To top it all, Ovi maps will be accessible for free and that can lure a lot of customers.
Come May 2010, 3 customers can pick the E72 for monthly tariffs and that would surely provide options to the business-centric customers away from the Blackberry business handsets.
High-end Android is the buzzword these days and Motorola does not want to be left behind in the race only to catch up with competition later. The fact that Motorola is launching umpteen numbers of handsets over the last few months does not seem to have any adverse effect on its support to the older devices.
Motorola Milestone was launched only towards the fag end of 2009 and it is not too old in the mobile phone market as such. However the fact that it was released on Android 2.0 doesn’t augur too well and Motorola wants to bridge that gap.
Android 2.1 has got nice features like interactive wallpapers. For those who own Motorola Milestone in Europe, the upgrade to Android 2.1 is on its way within few days.
Hong Kong and Macau markets have been the first ones to get it and if you cannot really wait, you can tweak your mobile and download the update. Even otherwise, you’ll be able to experience a faster and slicker Moto Milestone by Easter.
Dreaming about laying your hands on the stunning Nokia X6 for free? You could make your dream turn true if you have got a Twitter account and you carry your luck along thanks to Vodafone for offering you the chance to win a Nokia X6.
The X6plorer treasure hunt is set up by Vodafone on its own and it expects you to solve the puzzle to reach the Nokia X6 smartphone. The only thing you need to do is to follow the @x6plorer Twitterfeed, get hold of the clues provided there and try to locate the Nokia X6.
The game has just got started and will be on till the 22nd of April. To top it all, there are three Nokia X6 handsets which will be won by the three contestants who reach closest to the Nokia X6.
Nokia X6 is powerhouse of power packed features as expected from Nokia. The handset comes with 3.2 inches wide touch screen and considerably large amount of storage capacity. It also has all preferred pack of features needed for a mobile phone and Vodafone will definitely increase that popularity of the handset in UK.
Radio with FM capability, Bluetooth, GPS receiver, Nokia maps and accelerator sensor are some of those packed features, which makes Nokia X6 to be most awaited release for this year.
O2 has joined the bandwagon of service providers who sell Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 but just in black for the moment. Online business partners viz., mobiles.co.uk and dial-a-phone are providing deals from O2 for the first Android phone from Sony Ericsson.
O2 is offering the phone for £30 per month as the lowest rental including 600 minutes and unlimited texts but no free internet access. The total cost of ownership thus works out to be £720 over the two year contract period which is by all means high compared to T-Mobile’s tariffs for HTC Desire.
If you are looking for a cheap monthly tariff, Vodafone offers the X10 Black for £320 upfront payment and a £10 monthly contract for two years. The TCO works out to be £560 though you get insufficient 75 minutes and 250 texts per month.
O2 has meanwhile delayed its home phone service launch which promised to cut down the combined cost of connectivity in all forms including broadband, fixed telephony, and mobile telephony. It is expected for May 2010 launch, now.
Online mobile phones retailer obil.co.uk expects stocks to arrive early April and is already taking in pre-orders on the Xperia X10. The pre-order however does not include O2.
Click here to pre-order your Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 from OBIL.co.uk
Given the pace at which the technology and the devices change and the fact that the Smartphones are very expensive, fancy and a bit complex to use there are people who love to stay away from them. In such a world comprising of traditional phones and Smartphones, feature phones are the best devices to use.
The Sony Ericsson Elm is a feature phone with features mapping to that of a Smartphone like Wi-Fi, 3G, apps, email, etc that too at a very reasonable price. Another fact about this feature phone which comes in a sleek pack is that it is made of recycled materials.
Your first look at the Elm will capture your eyes due its classic design. Also, once you get habituated to use it, you will certainly like it.
Unlike other high cost feature phones that lack certain features in them, the Elm is a well assembled device which comes in light weight and is comfortable to hold. Due to its traditional look many users who prefer flashier might not like the Elm. But, one who is looking for a Smartphone technology with a low price tag will surely go with the Elm.
In spite of its small screen of 2.2-inches, the Elm’s display of texts and web pages is awesome with multiple colours which we can’t expect in its rivals such as the HTC Legend or the iPhone. Another impressive feature of the Elm is its battery life which requires to be charged only once in every 48 hours unlike the Smartphones whose shelf life can’t be more than 12 hours.
Simply speaking, the Elm is a reliable handset for people looking for both functionality and simplicity in their mobiles.
The much talked about Smartphones, HTC Desire and Xperia X10 are being offered by T-Mobile for as low as £10 per month albeit with a high premium payment upfront. T-Mobile has set the buzz by starting to accept orders for both the Smartphones.
Though the operator will ship both the phones starting Friday, it expects seven to ten days delivery time for the Desire and the X10 respectively.
The X10 is being offered for free at £35 per month on two-year contract with a bundle of 900 free minutes, 500 texts and internet unlimited. But if you don’t mind shelling out £226 up front you can get going with £10 per month, with a smaller bundle of 100 free minutes and 100 texts but unlimited internet. The great sounding £10 per month deal is not actually cheap because the total ownership cost turns out to be £466 while the SIM-Free handset by Play.com is available for around £490.
HTC desire specifications are almost the same as its US version Google Nexus One smart phone, which includes snapdragon processor with 1 GHz speed, latest version of Android operation systems Android 2.1 with AMOLED touch screen of 3.7 inch size and 5 megapixel camera. The differentiator from Google N1 is HTC’s in-house Sense interface over Android.
T-Mobile is offering the Smartphone for free if taken on a £35 per month 2-year contract. The contract offers 1200 minutes talk-time, free internet and 500 text messages. T-Mobile is offering similar £10-per-month tariff and at a low upfront cost of £164.
Opera confirmed that it has sent its Opera Mini browser for iPhone to Apple and is awaiting Apple’s nod.
Submission is the beginning for the users to browse in a different way on the iPhone as per Opera Software, the maker of Opera range of web browsers.
The Mobile World Congress, last month at Barcelona witnessed the Opera Mini iPhone for the first time. Its thin futuristic interface and fast browsing speeds were lauded by experts at the conference. Given the fact that Apple has historically been avoiding competition in the face and that Apple considers Safari an integral part of the iPhone we need to keep our fingers crossed about the approval.
Safari’s own mobile version of the browser is reportedly slow. Opera claims that the iPhone is 6 times six times faster than Safari as it compresses the web page by around 90 per cent before sending it across to the phone. Thus, Opera Mini speeds up time taken for page load and helps optimal use of users’ data usage limits.
Opera Mini 5 is already available for the Android Operating system promising faster browsing experience. More than 50 million people across geographies use Opera‘s mobile browsers as per the company. Apple might take some weeks to decide about the Opera app on its iTunes Store.
