Finland’s Nokia is still the largest mobile handset manufacturer in the world, but its influence in the high-end (and high-profit) smartphone market is increasingly falling short of competitors like RIM and Apple, in part because Nokia can’t seem to capitalize on features and capabilities consumers want in a smartphone. But Nokia is determined to forge ahead in the smartphone marketplace—and the company is placing its best on the Linux-based Maemo mobile OS, rather than the tried-and-true Symbian OS that has powered most of the company’s devices for years. At a gathering in London, Nokia marketing executives told Maeomo developers that Nokia plans to drop Symbian from its high-end N-series Internet-capable mobile devices by 2012.
Category: Software
Samsung Bada: Yet Another Open Mobile Platform
South Korean electronics giant Samsung has produced devices for platforms like Windows Mobile, Symbian, and most recently Android. But apparently that’s not enough for the company: Samsung has just announced “bada,” a new open mobile operating system for smartphones. According to Samsung, bada will enable consumers to have a “fun and diverse” mobile experience while offering the sorts of hooks and customization capabilities developers and device manufacturers look for in proprietary phone systems.
For the curious, “bada” means “ocean” in Korean.
Best Buy To Help Install Google Mobile on Phones
Leading electronics retailer Best Buy and announced a new partnership with Google that will have the company offering to help customers install Google Mobile App on smartphones they sell. To help convince customers Google Mobile App is something they want, Best Buy will be offering live demonstrations, and Best Buy staffers will assist in getting the software up and running on a new phone. Both the application and the installation service will be free.
What is Augmented Reality (AR): Augmented Reality Defined, iPhone Augmented Reality Apps and Games and More
As you wait anxiously in the motionless horde of cars tangled in rush hour traffic, you gather surrounding statistics through your digital LED contact lenses. Tom’s Pizzeria is five blocks ahead and was ranked four out of five stars by customer reviews. As for the woman in the beige Honda beside you, she has a Jack Russell Terrier named Charlie, is originally from Texas, and her favorite book is Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights. The pack loosens up and you finish your commute home.
Motorola CLIQ Arrives in T-Mobile Stores Today
T-Mobile announced that the Motorola CLIQ was released to stores and available nationwide today. This is Motorola’s first Android phone, but the release seems like ancient history with the Motorola Droid constantly overshadowing this Moto-Android pioneer. The CLIQ includes Motorola’s MOTOBLUR, a device managing feature that integrates various communications—from work e-mail to social networking activity. MOTOBLUR updates to contacts, posts, messages, photos and more are streamed together and synced from sources including Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Gmail, work and personal e-mail, and automatically delivered to the home screen of the CLIQ in easy-to-view streams.
Xperia X3 aka Rachael by Sony Ericsson Debuts in a New Video
Sony Ericsson has been teasing Android lovers with its vague website dedicated to its new Android Xperia phone debuting on November 3rd. This top secret smartphone has a seductive video adding to the lure of the Xperia X3, aka Sony Ericsson’s ‘Rachael.’ The Rachael is expected to be loaded with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 1GHz processor, an 8MP camera with AF, 3D graphic capabilities and 7.2Mbps HSDPA.
Here are some specs from androidguys.com:
- 1GHz processor
- 4.1″ OLED capacitive touch screen
- 8.1MP camera w/ touch focus, smile shutter, face detection, ISO settings, and more
- 32GB internal storage
Nokia to Disengage N-Gage Gaming in 2010
Finland’s Nokia has announced it plans to shut down its struggling N-Gage mobile gaming service in 2010, rolling games and other entertainment offerings into its broader Ovi Store, where it also offers mobile applications, music, and other mobile content. Nokia plans to keep N-Gage running for most of the next year, shuttering the service in September 2010. However, Nokia will be migrating the N-Gage Arena and community features to the Ovi Store, and does not plan to launch any new gaming titles for N-Gage.
N97 Mini By Nokia Debuts in Europe’s Stores
Nokia announced today that its new N97 mini is making its debut in stores across Europe this week. This mobile mini also features Nokia’s new V2.0 Firmware. The N97 mini features a tilting 3.2″ touch display, QWERTY keyboard and fully customizable homescreen. The device features the same software with the Nokia N97 and will be retailing with an estimated price of £400 before taxes. Here are some N97 mini specifications from Nokia Europe’s release:
- Resolution: 640 x 360 pixels (QVGA)
- Resistive touch screen
- Dimensions: 113 x 52.5 x 14.2 mm
- Weight (with battery): 138 g
Android 2.0 Provides a Free Google Maps Navigation Feature
What has Google done with Android 2.0 that’s making mobile reviewers squeal in delight? Simple: Google has added free Google Maps Navigation GPS software to its new Android operating system (OS). The Droid is the first device with Google Maps Navigation, providing turn-by-turn voice guidance as a free feature of Google Maps. The service is powered by Google and connected to the Internet—also, this free navigation feature is constantly updated, providing the most recent maps, so the driver can avoid road blocks, traffic accidents and road construction in their local area.
