Nokia, Samsung and Apple Now 1,2,3 Top Smartphone Vendors    [ 02-02-2012 21:17 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: IDC     Translation by: Paul Smith     

The top three smartphone manufacturers globally are now Nokia, Samsung and Apple, in that very order. The difference between Nokia & Samsung and third placed Apple is actually quite stark when you look at the figures. Nokia is sitting pretty with 26.6% of the market and Samsung is holding onto 22.8%. Apple is in third place yes, but a distance third, with just 8.7% of the market. LG and ZTE are duking it out for fourth place, but with 4.1% and 4% respectively they're a good way behind the top three.

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iPhone Update Schedule Apparently Back On Summer Time    [ 02-02-2012 20:00 ]

Author: Irina Turina   Source: DigiTimes     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Apple are set to unveil their latest incarnation of the iPhone at their WWDC event this June according to a report from Taiwan based DigiTimes. The report cites an analyst from Daiwa Securities and the report also noted that the device would utilise the same glass to glass touch panel technology as used previously. The new iPhone is strongly suspected to feature a new design and there has been some chatter as to when the new model would be announced. The iPhone 4S was announced late last year, breaking with the tradition of announcing the devices in the summer, but if this report is true then it woul seem the iPhone 4S was very much the exception to the rule and the standard summer iPhone update is back on track.

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iPad 3: Leaked Pictures Giving The Game Away    [ 01-02-2012 20:41 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: BGR     Translation by: Paul Smith     

BGR has maanged to get its hands on some screenshots that are reportedly from the anticipated iPad 3 (or whatever it will be called). The source of the images informed BGR that he was in posession of an iPad 3 prototype and had taken the following screenshots using a development/de-bug tool called iBoot.

The screenshots themselves give us some insight into the device. For starters there are two models references, with model numbers of J1 and J2. These aren't actually separate iPads so much as they are variants of the same device. One will be WiFi only whilst the other looks to feature additional support for GSM/CDMA/LTE. The screenshots also ched some light on the processor running the show, namely the A6. This new chip looks to be a quad-core effort, which ties in with some of the rumours that have appeared concerning the device in recent months.

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Microsoft Running Anti-Google Newspaper Ads    [ 01-02-2012 20:13 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: BGR     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Google is currently taking a bit of flack of its recent privacy policy changes. Now a good competitor never lets such an opportunity pass them by and Microsoft is nothing if not sharp eyed when it comes to exploiting an opportunity to get one over on its rivals. To that end Microsoft is running anti-Google newspaper ads in major American newspapers.

Google claims that its new privacy policy doesn't actually collect any more data on users than its previous policy. This doesn't seem to be finding much support at Microsoft, whose ads read:

To be clear, there's nothing inherently wrong with wanting to improve the quality of an advertising product. But, that effort needs to be balanced with continuing to meet the needs and interests of users. Every business find sits own balance and attracts users who share those priorities. Google's new changes have upset that balance, with users' priorities being de-prioritised. That's why people are concerned and looking for alternatives ... If these changes rub you the wrong way, please consider using our portfolio of award-winning products and services.

Well there you have it. How effective will such ads be? It's hard to say really, but it's doubtful that they will have any real impact upon Google, especially when it comes to search. The ads will be appearing in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and USA Today.

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Samsung: We Want Customers To Love Us As Much As Apple    [ 30-01-2012 19:54 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: AllThingsD     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Apple's loyal fanbase is well known, notorious some might say, and even though others may scoff and mock the brand loyalty pple engenders is the envy of the industry. Hell, it's the envy of many industries. That sort of fascination felt by consumers is something that Samsung's head of marketing, Younghee Lee, wants to emulate. She told AllThingsD:

Especially in the U.S., people are obsessed with Apple. It's time to change people's attention ... [and] ... how I can engage with consumers from the bottom of their heart, and not just be a big and functional and rational and reasonable brand.

That is a very tall order to be frank. Creating that sort of brand interest and loyalty isn't something that can be done overnight. Apple have built up their fanbase through years of effort and through arguably unique approaches. Samsung on the other hand has basically been another tech firm selling gadgets. Not that Samsung has been unsuccessful, far from it; they shipped 36.5 million smartphones during the festive quarter. However, sales figures do not a brand make.

Samsung's approach to re-inventing itself is perhaps a little odd if they are trying to emulate Apple. For example, they released an advert mocking the obsession consumers have with Apple. A tad odd for a company looking to replicate that effect. Perhaps more importantly though they are trying to be like Apple, whereas Apple doesn't try to be like anyone except ... well Apple. That might be a better lesson for Samsung to follow.

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RIM: We Were The Xmas No.1 In The UK    [ 30-01-2012 18:14 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: Gizmodo     Translation by: Paul Smith     

RIM is claiming to have been the top selling manufacturer for smartphones in the UK in the month of December. That claim may seem a bit hard to swallow given the state RIM is currently in, but they are using sales data from analyst firm GfK to support their claim. The data apparently shows RIM holding a 26.3%  share of the UK smartphone market in December. That stems from ana verage market share throughout 2011 as a whole of 27.7% according to RIM. Unfortunately RIM didn't say what the share for rivals such as Apple and Android were so we can't compare.

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iPhone 5 Going Into Production Soon    [ 26-01-2012 21:45 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: 9to5Mac     Translation by: Paul Smith     

9to5Mac has been having words with an employee at Foxconn, Apple's Chinese parts supplier. The employee alledges that production of the much anticipated iPhone 5 is about to start and that several prototype handsets are in existence. These prototypes are said to all be different to one another, not an uncommon occurrence for Apple prototypes, but each has certain features in common. For example, they all apparently have a screen that is at least 4 inches, and possible larger. There is also a different form factor than the current iPhone 4/4S model, leading to speculation of longer and wider iPhones. If production is about to start it would hold to the pattern established by the iPhone 4S, which was manufactured beginning in late spring of 2011. Of course that meant the device was launched in the autumn rather than the more traditional summer date so it could be that the iPhone 5 will be introduced around the same time this year.

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RIM 2012 Roadmap    [ 26-01-2012 19:08 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: BGR     Translation by: Paul Smith     

A few days ago BGR reported on RIM's product strategy for the year ahead. It wasn't too impressive to be blunt, with the products either feeling lacklustre or an age away. Well today BGR have posted up a table showing the various products and their potential release dates. Of particular interest is London, scheduled to be RIM's first BlackBerry 10 device. That device is tentatively looking at a September release, but there is the possibility of it being pushed into October. To be frank neither date is soon enough, especially when you look at the products RIM has up its sleeve leading up to London's release. None of those seem to have much oomph to them to keep RIM's already teetering momentum going.

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Jailbreak Hack Gets Siri Translating    [ 26-01-2012 18:52 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: The Verge     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Hackers and modders often bring out the best in apps and hardware and it's no different for Siri. Apple's locked down version is all very well and good and generally works pretty well at what Apple has set it to do. However, a jailbreak hack for Siri turns it into a translation service. It's pretty much what you would imagine; ask Siri to translate a word or phrase, name the target language and watch as Siri gives you the translation. The hack uses Microsoft's Bing Translate API, which has support for 30 languages. Unfortunately Siri doesn't actually speak the translation, but even so this is a pretty cool mod, and one that might actually be geneuinely useful.

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Nokia Q4 Figures: Profits Down, More Than 1 Million Lumias Sold    [ 26-01-2012 18:46 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: Nokia     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Some interesting numbers from Nokia today as they released their Q4 earnings report. Top of the table is the sale of over a million Lumia handsets, or as Nokia put it 'well over' a million. That's the good news, but unfortunately it's mostly downhill from there. For starters sales in Q4 totaled 10 billion euros, which represents an 11% increase from Q3, but is still 21% lower than back in 2010. Profit too took a nose dive year on year; 90% up from Q3, but a massive 56% down year on year. Indeed this meant that Nokia suffered an operating loss of almost a billion euros. Liquid assets dropped by 1.4 billion euros, a 20% decline.

It's not all doom and gloom though. Even though the figures are down year on year, and hugely in some cases, they do, in general, show an upswing from the previous quarter. Some of that will no doubt be because of the Christmas period, which is always a big driver of sales, but Nokia can at least take some comfort in that bounce.

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Kindle Fire Made No Impact On iPad Sales    [ 25-01-2012 20:44 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: BGR     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Apple CEO Tim Cook has gone on the record as saying that Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet had no impact on the iPad whatsoever. The Kindle Fire certainly had a good festive period with some analysts reporting that it had sold as many as 4 million units. The Kindle Fire's low price tag of $199 led many to believe that it could seriously impact Apple's iPad sales over the Christmas period, but that doesn't appear to be the case. Indeed one analysts predicted that the Kindle Fire might even end up costing Apple as much as $1 billion in lost sales. With Apple having just posted the most successful quarter results for a technology company ever that obviously hasn't panned out.

Tim Cook even went as far as to say he had been personally monitoring the iPad's sales figures every week after the launch of the Kindle Fire. The result: he saw no change in iPad sales. That actually isn't all that surprising when you think about the two devices. The Kindle Fire, with its relatively low price tag is, in all probability, appealing to a different section of the market than the iPad, which has a much higher price tag. In most markets there is plenty of room for both the high priced and low priced to grow and prosper, the smartphone market should be proof enough of that.

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Nokia Sells 1.5 Billionth S40 Device    [ 25-01-2012 18:21 ]

Author: Irina Turina   Source: Nokia     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Nokia's venerable S40 line is still going strong with the company having just sold it's 1.5 billionth device. The S40 range of handsets kicked off with the Nokia 7110 way back in 1999 and 13 years later a 21 year old Brazilian woman purchased the 1.5 billionth unit in that series. Mary McDowell, Executive Vice-President for Mobile Phones at Nokia gushed "Having 1.5 billion Series 40 devices sold is a hard-to-reach mark, let alone one attainable in a single line of products. At a time when we are maintaining our commitment to connecting the next billion customers around the world - it is gratifying to consider how Series 40 devices have made mobile technology accessible and help continue to change people's lives for the better".

It is a very impressive milestone to be fair an shows the incredible longevity of the S40 line. In a world full of iPhones, Android devices and Nokia's own Lumia Windows Phone handsets it is worth remembering that many people still opt for the simpler devices. Nokia hopefully won't forget that as it gets cozy in bed with Microsoft.

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iPhone Outsold All Android Devices Combined In Q4    [ 25-01-2012 16:42 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: Reuters     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Apple have just posted a stunning set of results for Q4 of last year. The company recorded revenues of $46 billion, which translated into a profit of $13.06 billion. Now those numbers are indeed amazing, and will no doubt be like catnip for market analysts, however, what is of special interest to the geeky crowd like us is how Apple achieved those numbers. It seems they might have just stepped past Android as the market leader in smartphones.

Shipments of iPhones surpassed 37 million in Q4. That's a pretty big number, and it's especially impressive when you remember that Apple currently only offers three models of the iPhone, two of which are older models, and all of which aren't exactly super cheap. Analysts at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech are saying that the launch of the iPhone 4S drove sales to the point where the combined total of iPhone sales across all three models surpassed that of the combined sales of Android handsets in Q4. Apple's market share is being placed at 44.9% by Kantar, whilst they have downgraded Android's marketshare from 50% to 44.8%. It's definitely a slim lead for Apple, just 0.1%, but a lead nevertheless. It also represents a doubling of Apple's marketshare from Q4 2010.

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Dutch Authorities Refuse To Ban Galaxy Tab 10.1    [ 24-01-2012 22:40 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: via Engadget     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Apple suffered a blow to their legal assault on Android as a Dutch court has ruled that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 should not be banned from sale in the Netherlands. It was only last August that the Dutch courts banned both the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II from sale, but the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is apparently unique enough not to face the same fate. This mirrors the situation in Germany where Samsung is still able to sell its tablet device, albeit only after having created the Galaxy Tab 10.1N, which is a tweaked version of the original to differentiate it suitably from Apple's products. Even if this is a setback for Apple the war rages on across the world unabated with lawsuits still active in France, Germany, the United States and elsewhere.

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RIM 2012 Roadmap: 2 Boring Handsets, A Couple of BlackBerry 10's And A Tablet    [ 24-01-2012 20:57 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: BGR     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Boy Genius Report are running a report detailing RIM's upcoming products for 2012 and even into 2013. Reading through the products I can't help but be unimpressed to be frank. It all sounds so predictable, so limited and frankly so boring. For example, RIM is apparently planning to introduce two new Curve smartphones within the enxt few months, the Curve 9230 and the Curve 9320. The former is an EDGE based product whilst the latter packs in HSPA. Both handsets look to be running BlackBerry 7, and even though they will be targeted more towards emerging markets, this is still a bowl of weak sauce considering the goodies the competition is handing out in developing markets.

The first BlackBerry 10 handset probably won't see the light of day until later in the year according to BGR and allegedly there will be another BlackBerry 10 handset launching in December as part of the Bold line of handsets. This handset is said to feature a touchscreen display and QWERTY keyboard. It's still 11 months away though. Moving into 2013 there are plans for a QWERTY slider using BlackBerry 10, but 2013 is even further away.

On the tablet front the details are a bit sketchier, but a new PlayBook tablet seems destined to be released. It will perhaps pack in a 1.5 GHz processor, HSPA+ support and NFC. A launch date of May or June is being bandied around. Whether it will be more successful than the original PlayBook remains to be seen, but it could hardly be any worse.

All in all it doesn't sound like a very appealing line-up to me. Sure there could be some surprises down the road, and I sincerely hope there are, but just going on these products alone it's looking a bit weak. RIM really needs a shot in the arm right now; they're loosing market share, their stock price isn't doing so well to put it mildly, and even with the departure of the company's founders from the CEO positions the company still seems to lack a bold path forward (pardon the pun). Maybe 2012 will work out well for them after all, but then again maybe RIM just doesn't have enough steam left to keep up with the rest of the pack.

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Android To Overtake iOS As Top Developer Platform    [ 23-01-2012 20:56 ]

Author: Serge Novikov   Source: CNET     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Android is already the world's most popular smartphone amongst consumers, but with developers iOS is still king. That will be changing over the next year, according to research firm Ovium, as Android becomes the prefered choice for smartphone developers. It's not doom and gloom at camp iOS though as Ovium points out that the vast majority of develoeprs will support both Android and iOS, no doubt owing to the size of both platforms.

Even on the subject of the smaller platforms Ovium remains bullish, saying that there is growing interest Windows Phone, and oddly enough BlackBerry. Ovium explained:

The growing momentum behind Windows Phone indicates that Microsoft has amange to convince developers that its platform is worthy of investment, it's challenge now is to persuade consumers.

Of course Microsoft's ability to stump up cash for developers doesn't hurt their chances either! Even so Microsoft have been smart in terms of trying to ensure a strong developer base for their platform, something that can undermine a smartphone platform if it isn't present in sufficient force.

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Video: LG 'Smart Thief' Ad - Simply Brilliant    [ 23-01-2012 17:59 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: LG     Translation by: Paul Smith     

As I was watching this I was thinking "Boooooring!". However, it isn't until right at the end that you 'get it'. Justw atch and see and be impressed by the simple brilliance of this ad for LG's OLED tellys.

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Selling A Book In The iBookstore?? You Won't Be Selling It Anywhere Else!    [ 20-01-2012 19:15 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: Venemous Porridge     Translation by: Paul Smith     

iBook Author promises to let the average user churn out a bona fide book that can be sold through Apple's iBooks store. Sounds great doesn't it? Well there is usually a catch with these things and the catch here is a pretty big one. If you use the iBooks Author system Apple will be the only place selling your book. One author, Dan Wineman from Venemous Porridge, cooked up a book using iBooks Author, but was met with the following notification:

(ii) if your Work is provided for a fee (including as part of any subscription-based product or service), you may only distribute the Work through Apple and such distribution is subject to the following limitations and conditions: (a) you will be required to enter into a separate written agreement with Apple (or an Apple affiliate or subsidiary) before any commercial distribution of your Work may take place; and (b) Apple may determine for any reason and in its sole discretion not to select your Work for distribution.

Now this isn't exactly anything new in publishing circles. If you were going down the traditional route of getting a publisher like Penguin to  to distribute your book they would hardly be happy about letting you use Random House to also distribute it now would they? However, this notification doesn't appear when you first install the iBooks Author software so it isn't exactly an upfront decision. Apple could, indeed should, be clearer on this.

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Absinthe A5 Untethered Jailkbreak For iPhone 4S    [ 20-01-2012 18:11 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: via iJailbreak     Translation by: Paul Smith     

An untethered jailbreak solution for the iPhone 4S (and iPhone 4) is no longer merely a dream folks. The solution, Absinthe A5, was released by 'Dream Team' who used over ten million crash reports from users to help them in their effort. Click here to give it a try or watch it unfold in the video below.

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Microsoft Windows Phone License Higher Than Previously Thought    [ 19-01-2012 19:54 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin   Source: Trusted Reviews     Translation by: Paul Smith     

Handset manufacturer ZTE launched a budget Windows Phone device in the UK this week, but that wasn't the interesting part of the launch. Rather some comments from one of the company's executives that went along with the launch have proved far more interesting. The executive, Santiago Sierra (he sound slike he should star in action films), revealed that ZTE was paying Microsoft in the region of $20-30 per handset for the license to use Windows Phone. The reason this is so interesting is because it was previously assumed that other manufacturers, such as HTC and Samsung, were paying in the region of $10-15 per handset. The conclusion to draw from this is that either these manufacturers are in fact paying a much higher price than was previously thought or Microsoft is triking individual deals with each manufacturer. That last theory does have some merit if you consider that Microsoft may charge lower selling manufacturers more to keep its income up whilst charging bigger selling manufacturers less due to their increased sales volume.

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News:

[ 02-02 21:17 ]Nokia, Samsung and Apple Now 1,2,3 Top Smartphone Vendors

[ 02-02 20:00 ]iPhone Update Schedule Apparently Back On Summer Time

[ 01-02 20:41 ]iPad 3: Leaked Pictures Giving The Game Away

[ 01-02 20:13 ]Microsoft Running Anti-Google Newspaper Ads

[ 30-01 19:54 ]Samsung: We Want Customers To Love Us As Much As Apple

[ 30-01 18:14 ]RIM: We Were The Xmas No.1 In The UK

[ 26-01 21:45 ]iPhone 5 Going Into Production Soon

[ 26-01 19:08 ]RIM 2012 Roadmap

[ 26-01 18:52 ]Jailbreak Hack Gets Siri Translating

[ 26-01 18:46 ]Nokia Q4 Figures: Profits Down, More Than 1 Million Lumias Sold

[ 25-01 20:44 ]Kindle Fire Made No Impact On iPad Sales

[ 25-01 18:21 ]Nokia Sells 1.5 Billionth S40 Device

[ 25-01 16:42 ]iPhone Outsold All Android Devices Combined In Q4

[ 24-01 22:40 ]Dutch Authorities Refuse To Ban Galaxy Tab 10.1

[ 24-01 20:57 ]RIM 2012 Roadmap: 2 Boring Handsets, A Couple of BlackBerry 10's And A Tablet

[ 23-01 20:56 ]Android To Overtake iOS As Top Developer Platform

[ 23-01 17:59 ]Video: LG 'Smart Thief' Ad - Simply Brilliant

[ 20-01 19:15 ]Selling A Book In The iBookstore?? You Won't Be Selling It Anywhere Else!

[ 20-01 18:11 ]Absinthe A5 Untethered Jailkbreak For iPhone 4S

[ 19-01 19:54 ]Microsoft Windows Phone License Higher Than Previously Thought

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