Let’s look at some of the latest offerings from the industry’s finest.

LG’s 4G smartphones

LG Mobile showcases a wide range of cutting-edge mobile devices that features 4G LTE speed, advanced 3-D technology, and an enhanced user experience unlike any other.

CTIA attendees who will drop by their booth can experience the affordable LG Viper 4G LTE with its eco-friendly features, the display’s super-sharp true HD Spectrum, the high-speed, multitasking LG Lucid, the ultra-fast LG Nitro HD, and the compact yet easy-to-view LG Connect 4G. LG Mobile has an LTE smartphone to fit any lifestyle.

Aside from the wide range of mobile devices to choose from, LG Mobile is offering 50GB of lifetime-free cloud storage from Box to US LG users so they can share and store their files whenever they want.

“LG Mobile has solidified its presence as a true innovator in LTE technology,” said Tim O’Brien, vice president of marketing for LG Mobile Phones. “Our next-generation mobile devices allow users to take full advantage of available 4G LTE networks by delivering the ultimate speed, power, and task efficiency to provide a totally streamlined user experience. We will continue to push the boundaries of LTE and future technologies for years to come.”

Kyocera’s Hydro and Rise

Japanese company, Kyocera, unveiled two new Android ICS-based handsets, the Hydro and the Rise, that are much affordable than brands with devices equipped with the Android ICS.

Hydro sports a 3.5” HVGA display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8655 processor clocked at 1GHz, 512MB of RAM and is waterproof up to depths of 1m for a maximum duration of 30 minutes. While the Rise features the same specs but it features a slideout QWERTY keyboard along with the same waterproof design.  Both devices come with a “Tissue Conduction” audio technology which enhances voice calls via the piezoelectric transducer that transmits sound through air as sound waves, and soft tissue as vibrations.  The technology was previously used on hearing aides and the use of this technology on smartphones will improve conversing on smartphones in noisy environments.  The devices may arrive on Sprint or Verizon later this year though the price hasn’t been announced yet.

AT&T’s cheap Windows Phone

AT&T announced that on May 20, the Samsung Focus 2 will be available on their network for less than $50 for a tw0-year contract.

The Samsung Focus 2 features a 4-inch, Super AMOLED touch screen, a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera with HD 720p video capture, a VGA front-facing camera, runs a 1.4-GHz processor, Windows Phone 7.5, LTE, measures 10.98mm thick and weighs 4.3 ounces and will be available in “glossy pure white.”

Verizon offers a comfortable smartphone

HTC’s Droid Incredible 4G LTE will soon be available on Verizon.  Though this device may not impress a lot of people, Verizon can assure you of one thing: it fits comfortably in one hand.

The Droid Incredible 4G LTE features a 4-inch screen, dual-core 1.2 GHz Snapdragon S4 processor, an 8-megapixel sensor with zero shutter lag, a front facing camera for video chat, 1 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, a MicroSD slot and a 1,700 mAh battery.

Lookout Mobile Security

According to the latest Pew study, one in four teenagers owns a smartphone, which means that 38% of kids between the ages of 13 and 17 own a smartphone, and more than 75 percent of kids ages 2 to 13 have regular access to a smartphone. This may not be such a big deal for some, but teenagers owning a smartphone can be a cause for sleepless nights for some parents.

In order to offer security to every member of the household, Lookout Mobile Security will be extending their existing relationship with Sprint to deliver Lookout Family – an app that helps families manage their phones’ security, and provide support for locating missing devices and backing-up data.

Lookout Family will be available through Sprint Guardian and will be available for Sprint family customers and individuals across the U.S., and will be accessible through the Sprint Zone.

“We’re excited to share that we’ve teamed up with Sprint on a new family product,” Lookout said in a statement.  “Meet Lookout Family, a new product that will be available to Sprint customers that enables people to manage their phone security, find a family member’s missing device when it is lost or stolen, and backup precious data. Lookout Family is part of the recently launched Sprint Guardian, a product that provides a simple way for families to protect their children, and every mobile device in the household, with security and safety applications.”

With the Lookout Family App, parents can safeguard their families against mobile threats including malware, spyware and phishing in addition to tracking down lost phones and backing up precious data like family photos.  Plus it offers an easy way to set up and manage the security of multiple devices in the household.

Power your devices with myCharge

CTIA attendees will be carrying a lot of electronic devices with them.  But the problem with bringing a lot of electronic devices is the lack of power.  So in most events, you’ll see attendees slumped on floors near wall sockets, juicing up their phones, tablets and laptops.

But trade shows aren’t meant to be experienced slumped on floors, they’re meant to be experienced by actually roaming around and seeing what every booth offers.

myCharge Portable Power Bank delivers an easier, practical and portable solution to keep your electronic devices charged.  myCharge is a collection of lightweight, on-the-go extended batteries with built-in cords that delivers instant power and offers up to double, triple or quadruple the run time for Apple, LG, HTC, Blackberry, Samsung smartphones, tablets and hundreds of other digital devices.

“Mobile technology is advancing so fast, requiring more and more power, while consumers demand smaller and smaller devices. Internal batteries just can’t keep up with the need for power and that’s why we created myCharge,” said Ron Ferber, President, RFA Brands, creator of myCharge. “It’s a practical, convenient solution to what is rapidly becoming a very common problem in our mobile digital lives.”

CTIA 2012 Kicks Off With New LTE Devices and Security Apps is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

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Apple filed claim for iPhone 5 domain

It looks like Apple will be naming the next iPhone the “iPhone 5” as they filed a complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization for the iPhone5.com domain name.  Anyone who visits the site will be seeing smartphone ads and forums with discussions regarding the rumored iPhone 5.  Apple doesn’t own the site, but they want to.  Currently, there’s an on going forum as to whether Apple should be given the rights to the site, while another forum is asking people to help stop Apple from getting the rights to the domain.

Apple has a history of filing claims to domain names that are closely related to their brand or their products, even if they don’t actually use them.

In other Apple news, the iPhone maker agreed to drop their patent claims against Samsung in California just so the case could be ready for a hearing in the Summer.

Apple “offers a truly impressive narrowing of its infringement claims in that action, roughly cutting them in half, and five hours later, Samsung offered to drop five of its 12 asserted patents but argued that Apple’s case is still far too big to go to trial this summer,” said Florian Mueller in his Foss Patents blog.

“Apple’s filing accused Samsung of being uncooperative in the build-up to these filings, but Samsung puts all the blame on Apple and says the case still isn’t ready for a summer trial.”

T-Mobile to offer Passpoint

T-Mobile, the fourth largest carrier in the US, is planning on deploying Passpoint – the technology that allows wireless users to automatically access Wi-Fi hotspots from 3G and 4G cellular networks.

Carriers who commit to Passpoint-certified devices and gear, users will be able to seamlessly access WiFi hotspots without the need to set it up or enter a password, drastically reducing the cost of browsing for consumers.  The Wi-Fi Alliance will start certifying network gears and end-user devices, like smartphones and tablets by June.

TwitPic for iPhones

TwitPic launched their iPhone app to provide their users an easier way of sharing photos and videos, see photos of the people they follow, and view popular content across the network.

“We’ve always relied on third-party developers … but we wanted to provide a better experience for our users,” said TwitPic founder Noah Everett in an interview with VentureBeat.

TwitPic is very popular among Twitter users, as it is one of the most convenient ways of sharing photos on the the microblogging site.  They now have a reported 35 million users, and the TwitPic for iPhone app is expected to lure in more users.

AT&T app for shoppers

VeriFone GlobalBay Solutions from AT&T launches today to help shoppers checkout their items quicker.

VeriFone GlobalBay Solutions works like this: sales associates armed with mobile devices roam in retail stores and they can scan items, apply coupons and discounts, and complete credit card transactions from any location in the store.  Aside from the roaming sales associates, the tablet-based solutions provide the ability to sell items from inventory not available in the store – helping to prevent lost sales.  With this solution, associates can remain engaged with their customers, quickly and efficiently.

“Customers don’t want to wait in line or stand around as a sales person runs off to find information on a product — they want great service in a timely manner,” said Chris Hill, Vice President, Advanced Mobility Solutions, AT&T Business and Home Solutions.

“The addition of VeriFone GlobalBay Solutions(TM) from AT&T to our mobility portfolio helps businesses complete transactions efficiently and attentively, ultimately helping to drive new revenue generation and increase competitive advantage.”

Qello HD streaming now available on iOS

Qello, the streaming HD concert app, debuts for iOS devices to bring the world’s largest library of the highest quality concert films and music documentaries to Apple users.

“Qello represents a new dimension in HD concert entertainment that offers music lovers an easy-to-use way to engage in the live music experience whenever they want to – on any iOS device,” Qello CEO Brian Lisi said.

Qello is a premier source for HD concert films and music documentaries streamed on demand across multiple touch points. Outfitted with an extensive selection of HD concert films, from the hottest new shows to a vast vault of legendary concerts, Qello brings music aficionados to the front row of the concert anytime, anywhere.

Apple and Samsung Lower Patent Claims, Apple Seeks iPhone 5 Domain is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

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Nokia PureView available in May 2012

At the Mobile World Congress last February, Nokia unveiled the 808 PureView, which features a large, high-resolution 41-megapixel sensor with high-performance Carl Zeiss optics and new pixel oversampling technology.  The device is able to capture an image, then zoom, reframe, crop and resize afterwards to expose previously unseen levels of detail.  It works very well in low-light, and has the ability to save in compact file sizes for sharing in email, MMS, and on social networks.  It promises professional-looking photographs in any condition, everytime–that’s why it was named as the Best Mobile Device at MWC2012, and was also given an award for Best Imaging Innovation for 2012 from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA).

Consumers won’t have to wait long to get their hands on this well-appointed device, as the Finnish company confirmed that it will be available this month.

“PureView has completely raised the bar on imaging performance for the whole smartphone industry – and Nokia is not stopping here,” said Jo Harlow, Head of Smart Devices at Nokia. “We’re going to carry on developing PureView for our future smartphones in ways that will again revolutionize the imaging experience.”

NFC-ready B&N stores

Microsoft and Barnes and Noble recently announced a partnership that would strengthen the digital offering, and it appears B&N already has a plan for how to use the $300 million to — transform their physical stores into showrooms for digital books via near field communication technology.  B&N plans to have NFC-equipped Nooks in their stores so when customers drop by, they would just need to tap the NFC device to shelved volumes, which were already electronically tagged by the publishers at printing so that they respond with relevant information over radio waves.

Tapping would bring up reviews from B&N’s online shop and allow instant purchasing,  so the physical shop becomes a showroom for digital purchases.

Staten Island’s FDR Boardwalk gets free AT&T WiFi

In line with the Bloomberg Administration partnership last June to offer free AT&T WiFi service in parks across the five boroughs, Staten Island’s FDR Boardwalk is the 21st New York City park location to turn on the free service.

“Between new AT&T 4G LTE service and now free Wi-Fi at the FDR Boardwalk, we are committed to keeping Staten Island residents connected, whether at home, at work or in the parks,” said Tom DeVito, AT&T vice president and general manager for New York and New Jersey.

“We look forward to bringing even more parks online with AT&T Wi-Fi in the coming months so that more smartphone and tablet users can take advantage of this service as we head into the summer.”

Apple rumor

Apple is said to be looking at expanding their offerings by becoming a network carrier and compete with the networks who sell their products, such as AT&T and Verizon, said industry analyst Whitney Bluestein during his presentation at the Informa MVNO Industry Summit in Barcelona.

It is no secret that the late Steve Jobs was not satisfied  with network carriers’ costly data plans that may inhibit the full utilization of Apple’s iTunes and iCloud services.  Jobs wanted to offer cheaper data plans so Apple’s services can be better utilized by device owners.  The only reason this hasn’t happened yet is because of the subsidies that current networks give to Apple for their devices.  Without the network subsidies, Apple products would be more expensive.  Apple is still thinking of a way to become a network carrier and still be able to offer affordable devices.

Spotify for iPad

Cloud-based music service Spotify finally launched their app for the iPad.  It’s free to download on iTunes and they offer a 48-hour free Premium trial.

The iPad app makes it easy to explore the Spotify catalogue, features Retina graphics for iPad and high-definition album art, search for playlists, users and music – all from the same view, discover what’s hot, and find trending playlists & songs among your friends, Inbox grouped by user for easy searching, and the app turns your iPad into the perfect living room stereo with full-screen view and AirPlay integration.

They’ve also added gapless playback and cross fading, and fixed existing bugs, such as offline synced playlists can no longer be removed by the system, and crashes related to updating playlists or starring tracks.

Nokia to Sell the Well-Appointed 808 PureView this Month is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

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I’m talking about Google selling unlocked Android phones directly again, bypassing the cellular carriers.

Those of you with decent smartphone memories will recall that Google jumped into this strategy once before, in January 2010, with the Nexus One.

The alleged reasons why Google quietly backed away from that strategy was some combination of the following two:

1. Google couldn’t handle the customer support. Although this isn’t surprising for those who try to get customer support from any of the other free Google services, one would like to think that Google could have walked and chewed gum at the same time, compartmentalizing this product. Or, more likely, it was just a terrible execution debacle on Google’s side. I mean, simply offering telephone support, if nothing else, is not rocket science.
2. Google was pressured, or easily bowed to, the carriers such as Verizon Wireless (a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone.) Again, this seems like a flimsy argument, because other devices are also sold outside carrier channels. Apple(AAPL) will sell you an unlocked iPhone, and Nokia  will do the same. Although these unlocked devices haven’t been that popular in the U.S., they can be sold, and U.S. carriers seem to have had nothing to fear here.

Anyway, Google is back for a second bite at the apple here. Starting earlier this week, you can buy the HSPA+ version of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus SIM-unlocked and contract-free directly from Google for $399.

Then you can head to your local Walmart and get a T-Mobile SIM card for $30, which gives you 5 gig of HSPA+ data, unlimited overage, unlimited SMS, and 100 minutes for circuit-switched calling.

Over two years, you’ll spend a fraction of what a device like this would cost you on a major carrier contract.

Just as a reminder, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is one of the few Android smartphones shipping with Android 4.0 — and it was the only one until about a month ago.

So why now? Last August, Google announced its intent to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings.

As I wrote last August, this acquisition means Google will attempt to become a more vertical company by incorporating a direct sales model, perhaps all the way to the point of opening stores similar to the Apple and Microsoft ones.

What we saw from Google this week may be an indication that it may have some big plans in this regard after it closes this acquisition, something rumored to happen within the next 30 days.

What is Google’s dilemma here? The eternal dilemma of an operating system provider is that it is extremely difficult to try to be “open” and to have one’s own hardware. Apple had a big debacle trying to thread this needle in the early 1990s, and Palm had the same problem in the late 1990s. These initiatives are widely believed to have been monumental disasters.

There is one difference between the Apple/Palm stories from 15-20 years ago, and Google’s situation today: Apple/Palm started out as integrated stories and then opened up the OS to other hardware guys. Google today would be doing the opposite by going from a pure OS player to making its own hardware.

Google has stated emphatically that it can both walk and chew gum at the same time. It says it will keep a Chinese wall between the Android team and the acquired Motorola business.

Everyone in the industry is very skeptical. The largest Android licensee — Samsung — must consider charting its own course, perhaps by acquiring Research In Motion. It is making everyone uneasy, except of course Microsoft and Apple, who would both thrive if Android stumbles. RIM would also benefit as the last remaining alternative.

Chances are that if the Motorola acquisition closes on time, Google will unveil its new strategy at its annual I/O conference in San Francisco on June 27-29.

If so, what can we expect for its Motorola smartphone and tablet strategy? I can think of at least five things:

A focus on what has set Motorola apart in recent months. This means battery life. At 3,300 mAh, the Droid Razr Maxx is the only Android smartphone in the market today that provides remotely acceptable battery life with a standard battery. With Apple’s iPhone 5 rumored to have a battery close to 3,000 mAh, Motorola would be wise to go even higher than its current 3,300 mAh. Perhaps we will see a 5,000 mAh smartphone soon! I think something like 3,300 mAh will be “standard” across all mid/high range Motorola smartphones, perhaps with one or two at 5,000.
A focus on “pure Android.” Most people are complaining today about the slow updates to Android, and the fact that most people don’t like the “skins” that essentially all OEMs bake into proprietary implementations of Android. For example, HTC has “Sense”, Samsung has “TouchWiz” and so forth. These skins are widely hated by the users, and Google (through its Motorola division) could differentiate itself by at least offering “pure Android” on all of its new smartphones and tablets. This move alone could chop off the legs of all the other Android OEMs until they decide to copy.
Chrome OS. Why wouldn’t “the new Motorola” also make Chromebooks? After all, Motorola already makes keyboards designed for its Android devices. With Chrome OS being ported to run on the same kinds of ARM Holdings chips already driving Android, from companies such as Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Texas Instruments, it would be all that much easier to do.
Actually, Motorola has also signed up to be one of the first providers of Intel-based Androids, shortly after Lenovo and a few other smaller players. That being the case, just as it makes sense for Motorola to offer Chromebooks based on its current Android silicon providers — Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Texas Instruments — it would also make sense to offer the whole line of Android and Chromebooks based on Intel. In other words, Google/Motorola should simply offer every product — smartphone, tablet and laptop — on all four major silicon providers here: Intel, Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Texas Instruments.

How many basic SKUs does that mean? Well, three basic form factors, four silicon providers… that’s twelve just for starters. And of course, each basic form factor will be sold in multiple variants, so of course Motorola will offer a lot more than 12 high-end SKUs in these three basic categories combined.
What would be the reaction if Google offered “pure Android” versions of Motorola smartphones and tablets from Intel, Qualcomm, Nvidia and Texas Instruments, as well as Chromebooks based on the same four silicon providers? Consumers would rejoice! OEMs such as Samsung, LG, Sony, HTC and others? They would feel very threatened, and legitimately so. Maybe some would jump further into Microsoft’s arms. Maybe someone would acquire RIM. Maybe they would just sit tight with a poker face and continue without change in strategy. Who knows. The strategic implications of Google going vertical (as a result of the Motorola acquisition) have yet to play out.
That’s Google’s strategic move on the device side. But if you’re Google, why stop there? Why not sell all of these products directly, in addition to the cellular carriers? Google can sell all of these smartphones, tablets and Chromebooks contract-free, SIM-unlocked, in addition to distributing them — subsidized or unsubsidized — through all cellular carriers and third-party distributors such as Amazon.com and Best Buy. Perhaps this would persuade U.S. consumers that it’s in their holistic interest to buy unsubsidized in order to be able to switch carriers and stay flexible.

Traditionally, this SIM-unlocked strategy would have been a huge disadvantage for Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel, given their old EVDO networks lacking SIM cards in most instances. However, as they transition to LTE, they too become SIM shops, and a new Google strategy like this is unlikely to be biased against Verizon and Sprint going forward. All carriers would simply become what they were inevitably destined to become anyway: “dumb pipes.”

Over time, Google could even become its own MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) by simply buying data buckets from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile and labeling the service itself. Apple surely has the same idea in mind. Why? Google and Apple both own their ecosystems in a new way that is the dominant way to connect with the consumer. The consumer doesn’t think of himself as a “Verizon” customer anymore. The consumer is either an Android, iOS, Microsoft or BlackBerry ecosystem consumer. If they’re connected to AT&T instead of Verizon, so what?

For this reason, this could be the break in the market that would cause Google to chart its own course with Android, offering its own branded devices and end-to-end services. Apple and Microsoft are likely to follow, if they don’t do it first. Google is best suited to this approach, because it’s got the largest volume of devices, available on every single carrier, unlike Apple so far.

I think the market in general is underestimating the magnitude of Google’s options in terms of moving the balls forward for Android, Chrome OS, the Motorola hardware and new service strategies. It kind of feels like a wave cresting now, just in time for the I/O conference.

For these reasons, I believe the announcements we will see are going to be more significant than most people now anticipate.

[Cross-posted at ]

A First Step in Google’s New Android Strategy? is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

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Samsung overtakes Apple and Nokia, reveals stellar Q1 report

Strategy Analytics reported that Samsung Electronics Co. is now the largest smartphone vendor, having taken the lead from Nokia and Apple Inc.

“Last year Samsung became No. 1 in Europe while Nokia retained the No. 1 position in most emerging markets,” Tom Kang, a Seoul-based research analyst at Strategy Analytics, said in an. “In the first quarter, we expect Samsung took a lot of market share from Nokia in Asia. China and India were the two biggest markets where Samsung gained.”

The report stated that global shipments of smartphones grew by 36% from the previous year to 93.5 million handsets in the first quarter, Samsung devices accounted for 31% market share with shipments rising 253% annually to 44.5 million units while Apple only shipped 35.1 million smartphones worldwide or 24% of the market.  Nokia, who held the title of largest phone vendor for 14 years, only managed to ship 82.7 million. Strategy Analytics stated that the increase in Samsung’s numbers is due to the strong demand in their Galaxy products such as the Galaxy SII, Y and Note.

“The company’s Galaxy range has proven a hit with consumers, and Samsung has leveraged its manufacturing and distribution prowess to meet the consumer demand and in the process has become the Android supplier of choice for operators and other retail channels,” said Ovum analyst Adam Leach.

Samsung’s Q1 net income is at  5.05 trillion won ($4.5 billion), more than what analysts estimated.

iOS and Android achievements to be put on record

The Guinness World Record is set to recognize high scores on iOS and Android games in the Top Mobile Gamer Challenge, which runs today, April 27, until the 29th.

Starting today, players of “Mega Jump,” “Slam Dunk Basketball” and “Monster Shooter,” available on both iOS and Android, will have their high scores uploaded via Klip, known for their Swarm technology rewards which offers real-life rewards for virtual achievements.  The overall highest scores for each game will be eligible for the Guinness records – winners names will be listed in the Guinness World Records 2013 Gamers Edition which will be published in January 2013.

China Telekom’s Q1 slump

China Telekom Corp., one of China’s major carriers, stated in an unaudited report that net profit fell by 6.5% compared to last year – 4.27 billion yuan ($677.2 million), down from 4.57 billion yuan last year.  But Telekom reported an operating revenue increase of 15.7% to 67.93 billion yuan from 58.72 billion yuan.

Though net income was down,  China Telecom Chief Executive Wang Xiaochu remained positive stating that, “mobile services continued to grow rapidly, demonstrating…rapid expansion in mobile customer scale and revenues as well as progressive increase in subscriber market share.”

Cell phone ban while driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that 3,000 fatal traffic accidents nationwide in 2011 were due to distracted driving – i.e. talking to passengers, eating, changing radio stations, and cell phone use.

So in a distracted driving summit, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is pushing for banning cell phone use while driving in the US.  LaHood describes cell phone use while driving as a national epidemic which needs to be dealt with immediately.  Unfortunately, the epidemic can only be resolved through tough federal legislation.

“[E]veryone has a cell phone and too many of us think it is OK to talk on our phones while we are driving,” said LaHood during the summit, sponsored by insurance company USAA, the Texas Department of Transportation and Shriners Hospitals for Children.

But National Motorists Association president Gary Biller states that the US already has laws banning specific actions while driving, as they are covered by existing distracted-driving laws.  Biller argues that it would be better to invest resources  in campaigns that discourage inattentive driving in general rather than focusing on one area alone.

“It shouldn’t matter if the driver is distracted by a conversation with another vehicle passenger, tuning the radio, eating a snack, or talking on a cell phone,” Biller said in a statement. “Existing laws cover all those distractions and more.”

LaHood is also investigating hands-free, internet connected devices that comes with new cars today or can be installed in older cars.  He already contacted CEOs of major car companies and asked them to think twice before equipping cars with too many connected devices.  LaHood and his team are still studying whether these hands-free connected devices distract or help drivers.

Carriers look to Windows Phone devices for profit

Carriers can’t wait to get their hands on more Windows Phone-based devices.  Why?  Though Apple’s iPhone seems to be the top seller for carriers, subsidizing the device actually eats into their profits.  So they want a smartphone that’s comparable to the iPhone but doesn’t cost the carriers if sold with their plans.

“Mobile operators are sick of taking orders from Apple, [which is one] reason why carriers like AT&T and Verizon are backing Windows Phone,” said Yankee Group analyst Katie Lewis in a blog posted Wednesday. “IPhones are occupying an increasingly dangerous share of operators’ smartphone sales,” she wrote.

Samsung Is Now the Largest Phone Vendor, Take That, Nokia! is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

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“When Nokia came to me with the idea to make a building come alive and to perform in Times Square in front of my fans to celebrate the launch of the Nokia Lumia 900, there was only ever one answer,” Minaj stated.  “To see the idea on paper was amazing, but to see it for real blew me away.”

If you’re asking what Minaj has got to do with Nokia or the Lumia 900, I have no idea but nine gigantic screens, a building that came to life with CGI technology plus great music, seemed the perfect combination for an awesome show.  To check out the video and learn more about the Lumia 900, click here.

Unfortunately, though the event rounded up thousands of people, there was only one display that showed off the Lumia 900, making you wonder– was the show’s real focus on the artist or the device?  And if thousands flocked to Times Square on Friday night, Nokia fans, even if they wanted to, weren’t able to buy the Lumia 900 come Easter Sunday, since most of the shops were closed for the holiday.

Last month, AT&T announced that the launch of the Lumia 900 would be bigger than anything they’ve done for any brand before.  And indeed, they delivered during Friday’s event.  But come Sunday, most AT&T store were closed and people looking to buy the device were baffled.  Even those who called AT&T stores were surprised when no one picked up, and even more surprised when recorded messages advertised Apple’s iPhone 4S and not the Lumia 900.

It’s just weird that a brand looking to renter the US market chose to launch during Easter.  It was like they were preemptively making up an excuse in the event they suffered poor first day sales.

On the brighter side, though the Lumia 900 was only available in some AT&T stores on Easter Sunday, it was still available online and by Sunday afternoon, it was already the fifth in Amazon’s list of best selling phones with service plans.  As of today, the black Lumia 900 is on top of Amazon’s list, the cyan Lumia 900 at number 3.

Tero Kuittinen, an analyst and a vice president of Alekstra, a company that helps customers manage their cellphone bills, is impressed at how well the Lumia 900 is doing in online sales despite the strange Easter Sunday release.

“I have no idea why they handled it like this, but I have to say I’m pretty impressed by how it’s doing on Amazon.com,” Kuittinen said.  “Who knows how long that’s going to last? But at least they made the splash.”

Early Lumia 900 issues

Though the Lumia 900 just launched, those who already bought the device reported problems in connectivity like cell data not working.  When they sought help from AT&T, the company’s tech support wasn’t able to figure out what was wrong.

A report from PCMag stated that Phone Arena found a quick fix that worked for some users.  All you have to do is Remove the SIM card > Perform a Master Reset (Settings > About) > Boot up without the SIM card > Turn off the Lumia 900 > Verify that the SIM card is LTE-enabled > Insert SIM and boot up.

The Nokia Lumia 900 is available in AT&T stores, Microsoft stores, Nokia stores and of course online stores.  It sells for only $99.99 with a two-year AT&T contract and $499.99 if you don’t want to be tied to AT&T for two years.

Lumia launch pivotal for Nokia, developers

The launch of the Windows Phone-based Nokia smartphone is not only pivotal for the Finish phone maker but for app developers as well.  Apple’s App store, Google Play, and other Android-app selling markets are quite congested and for new app developers, it’s hard to get noticed.  So app developers tired of competing in those overcrowded markets should take this opportunity to look into developing Windows Phone apps.  Even if Nokia is just now trying for a comeback in the US market, the Nokia brand is still popular in other parts of the world.

“Nokia offers more distribution,” said Marco Argenti, senior vice president of developer experience at Nokia. “We bring the customer base, and developers see the opportunity.”

Microsoft’s app market recently reached the 80,000 app mark.  Most of their apps are based on famous iOS or Android apps as Microsoft paid app developers somewhere between $60,000-$600,000 to make them available for the Windows Phone platform.

Rotten Easter Egg for Nokia Lumia 900 Holiday Launch is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

In the same vein:

• Nokia to Sell the Well-Appointed 808 PureView this Month
• Samsung Is Now the Largest Phone Vendor, Take That, Nokia!
• Samsung Announces Quad-core Processor, Sued By 18 Olympians
• Apple May Settle iPad Case, Skype Comes to More Windows Phones
• Kid Sells Kidney For iPhone and iPad, Suffers Organ Failure
• Nokia Prepares For Lumia 900 Launch, Dell Stops Smartphone Sales

Kid sells kidney for iPhone and iPad

Apple is a household name, along with its popular device, the iPad.  People now refer to tablet computers as iPads.  And that’s how one kid traded his kidney for the said device.

In April last year, a 17-year old teenager with the surname Wang, sold his kidney in order to purchase an Apple iPhone and iPad.  He now suffers from renal failure – his remaining kidney is not able to filter the toxins and waste products from his body.  Xinhua News Agency reported that five people, the surgeon and the medical staff, were charged with intentional injury.

According to reports, the person who arranged the transplant received 220,000 yuan (about $35,000), while 22,000 yuan was given to Wang, leaving the rest of the money to be split amongst the team.  Wang used the money to buy an iPhone and iPad, very popular and sought after devices in China where prices are quite high: iPhones start at 3,988 yuan ($633) and the iPad at 2,988 yuan ($474).

Wang’s health is deteriorating.

In other Apple news, Concord Keystone just launched the Keystone ECO MarineCase, a fully submersible case for iPhone 4S/4 that keeps it 100% dry and safe at depths of up to 20 ft/6m underwater.  The MarineCase caters to people who love to swim but have separation anxiety with their beloved iPhones.  It comes in black or white, a neckstrap and is suited for salt, fresh, and pool or chlorinated water.  And it’s not just a protective case, it’s a fully functioning protective case so you can still capture photos and videos underwater and share them with your friends instantly because of the clear protective silicon cover that supports full iPhone screen and call functionality.  The Keystone ECO MarineCase is priced at $39.

Sony is downsizing

As part of Sony Corp.’s CEO Kazuo Hirai’s restructuring plan, the company will cut their workforce by 6% or laying off 10,000 workers.  The layoffs will be announced in a corporate strategy meeting on Thursday.

Sony’s electronic business, which established them as a brand known for innovative products, is now in its fourth year of losses as it continually fails to keep up with Apple and Samsung products.

Sony already entered into two deals in an effort help the company: they agreed to sell their chemical products business to the Development Bank of Japan, and they spun off their small-to medium-sized liquid crystal display operations to Japan Display Inc. – a newly formed venture, backed by the government, Sony, Toshiba Corp. and Hitachi Ltd.

AT&T’s new theme to show off Lumia 900

In 2010, AT&T adopted the “Rethink possible” theme in hopes of marketing without having to focus on a single brand.  Unfortunately, consumers were overwhelemed by their new scheme, and now, in time for the Nokia Lumia 900 launch, they’re adopting a new advertising theme.  It will include commercials on television and online, and a robust presence in social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

“We did a lot of insight research about how people live with technology,” said Esther Lee, senior vice president for brand marketing, advertising and sponsorship at AT&T in Dallas, which included “ethnographies, shop-alongs and spending time in people’s living rooms.”

It’s AT&T’s chance to regain some of the customers they’ve lost to Verizon and other carriers these past two years, now that the iPhone is no longer exclusive to Ma Bell.  This is a strategy that relies heavily on Microsoft’s mobile OS and Nokia’s hardware, which have both suffered losses in recent years and have teamed up to win back some market share as well.

Kid Sells Kidney For iPhone and iPad, Suffers Organ Failure is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

In the same vein:

• HTC to Launch Android Tablet on AT&T 4G?
• iOS Apps Rule, but Mobile Apps Aren’t All That
• Apple’s Color of the Day: White iPhone Arriving in US Stores, White iPads Tops Black Version
• AT&T’s Pricy 4G Project Kicks off in Las Vegas
• KPCB Mobile Course: The Movers, Shakers and the Will-Be-Forgotten
• AT&T Earnings Rose 3x but iPhone Sales Slack

Nokia and AT&T set the stage for the Lumia 900

On April 8, AT&T will start selling the Nokia Lumia 900 across the US for only $99.99 with a two-year contract.  Aside from the Lumia 900 being the cheapest flagship AT&T will ever sell, Nokia and AT&T will be bringing out the big guns on launch day.

“Before you walk in to the store, you know this is our hero phone,” said AT&T device head Jeff Bradley.

In a span of six to eight weeks, AT&T and Nokia will be going all out with TV ads, posters, and signs to raise awareness for the device.  The Lumia 900 will be the centerpiece in all AT&T stores, each staff will have a device on hand at all times so they can show them to customers immediately, and they will be launching accessories for the device so people will see that it is the “IT” device.

This might be Nokia’s last chance to reenter the US market and prove that a Nokia Windows-based phone is the “must-have device.”

Aside from the Lumia 900’s launch, Nokia released their fix for the battery issue of the Lumia 800.  According to some, the battery’s life increased threefolds or up to 25-30 hours of battery life.

Nokia also stated that they will opt not to license essential SIM-related patents to a new nano-SIM standard if the European Telecommunications Standards Institute chooses Apple’s design over their own.

“As a result of the issues with the 4FF standardization work, Nokia is not willing to contribute its own IPR to the standard, if the Apple proposal is selected in violation of ETSI’s rules,” the statement read.

“We urge ETSI members to resist this behaviour, which is not in the best interests of the industry or, more importantly, of consumers.”

Oracle declines Google’s offer to settle

Oracle sued Google in 2010 claiming the Android platform infringed their Java patents.  District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco set the trial date on April 16th.

Google offered to pay Oracle an estimated $2.8 million in damages on the two patents remaining in the case, covering the period through 2011, and for future damages, Google proposed paying Oracle 0.5% of Android revenue on one patent until it expires this December, and 0.015% on a second patent until it expires in April 2018.

Oracle declined the offer stating that, “Oracle cannot agree to unilaterally give up its rights, on appeal and in this court, to seek full redress for Google’s unlawful conduct.”

Alsup stated that if the two decide to settle, they should settle before noon of April 13 so that potential jurors would not have to make the trip to court.  But personally, Alsup is looking forward for the trial.

“This is the World Series of IP cases,” Alsup said.

Dell throws in the towel

Dell discontinued selling their Venue and Venue Pro smartphones in the U.S. and made no announcement regarding whether they plan on replacing said products with new handsets. A Dell representative said the phones were discontinued because they had reached the end of their lifespans.

“Mobility products have shorter lifecycles than laptops and desktops,” a Dell spokesman said in an interview.

Caps on roaming fees extended

European lawmakers reached an agreement that would extend the Continent’s system of retail price controls on mobile phone roaming charges for five years and enacted price caps on mobile Internet fees paid by traveling smartphone users.

“The new roaming deal gives us a long-term structural solution, with lower prices, more choice and a new smart approach for data and Internet browsing,” said Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner responsible for telecommunications.

Nokia Prepares For Lumia 900 Launch, Dell Stops Smartphone Sales is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

In the same vein:

• Nokia Lumina Will Be AT&T’s Cheapest Flagship Phone Yet at $99
• RIM Launches NFC Music Streaming Device
• Day 3 Of the Oracle-Google Trial: A Blank Page Testimony
• The Larrys Appear in Court: Day 2 of Oracle-Google Trial
• Tips for Waiting in Line for the New iPad and Other Mobile News
• The Mobile Shakedown: Nokia, AT&T Suffer Losses

The Lumia 900 features a Gorilla Glass screen with a 4.3-inch AMOLED display, and unlike the Lumia 800 which lacks a front facing camera, the 900 is equipped with a 1MP front camera.  It’s 4G/LTE ready, and comes with either a blue or black polycarbonate case.  A white version will be available by April 22.

In the beginning…

Nokia launched their first two Lumia phones in October 2011: the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710.  The The Lumia 800 features a Curved glass, 3.7″ touchscreen, a smooth, one-piece body Carl Zeiss optics, an 8 MP camera with HD video and 16 GB mass memory  with no slot for micro-SD cards. It runs Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and is available in cyan, black and magenta.

The Lumia 710 features a ClearBlack display, an anti-glare screen, 3.7″ touchscreen, a 5 MP camera with auto-focus and an LED flash.  It runs Windows Phone 7.5 Mango , and is available in black and white with black, white, cyan, fuchsia and yellow back covers.

And at Mobile World Congress this year, Nokia unveiled the Lumia 610 with the Nokia 808 PureView, their smartphone with the whopping 41 megapixel camera.

The Lumia 610 features 3.7” LCD display, WVGA 800 x 480 pixels, Capacitive touchscreen with pinch zoom,  8 GB  no microSD slot, Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, and is available in cyan, white, black, and magenta.

The Lumia line comes with four Nokia-exclusive applications, not included with the default Windows Phone OS. Nokia Drive, a free turn-by-turn navigation system; Nokia Maps; Nokia Music, a free streaming music service similar to and music store; and App Highlights, a service suggesting software based on location and operator.

The Lumia Performance

A report from CNET states that Nokia’s Windows-based phones are now outselling Nokia Symbian-based phones.

In the last three months, 2.5% of people in the UK said they purchased a Lumia phone, while 2.4% bought devices using the company’s older Symbian operating system.  The Lumia 800 accounted for 87% of Nokia’s Windows Phone sales.

Reported Problems

Lumia 800

• On-screen keyboard disappears while typing.
• “Sound quality problems” when using low impedance headphones like the supplied ones.
• Poor battery life.
• Problem with camera focus in certain conditions.
• Screen flickering.

Lumia 710

• Disconnecting calls.
• Issues with short battery life

Bug Fix

Some of the issues in the Lumia 800 were addressed in their latest update.  The fix includes:

• Enhanced battery standby and talk time performance
• Battery capacity icon instead of question mark on top right of screen
• Improved bass in audio performance
• Soft-key illumination at all brightness levels
• Fixes for device performance issues including self-reboots, freezes and call-ending.

Nokia Lumina Will Be AT&T’s Cheapest Flagship Phone Yet at $99 is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

In the same vein:

• Nokia Prepares For Lumia 900 Launch, Dell Stops Smartphone Sales
• Samsung Is Now the Largest Phone Vendor, Take That, Nokia!
• Samsung Announces Quad-core Processor, Sued By 18 Olympians
• Apple May Settle iPad Case, Skype Comes to More Windows Phones
• Will Apple and Samsung Finally Settle?
• Rotten Easter Egg for Nokia Lumia 900 Holiday Launch

New iPad’s New Issue: WiFigate

First we heard about the heatgate, wherein consumers complained about the new iPad heating up to 116 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then there was chargegate wherein users complained of an inability to charge quickly if using the iPad while plugged up.  And now, users are complaining about poor WiFi.

Apple’s website is flooded with comments from disgruntled consumers. User ‘stlsteve’ complains, “I am in a hotel with my laptop and new ipad3. The laptop wifi reception is as strong as it gets, but the iPad only registers a weak signal. Anyone else having similar problems? Any suggestions?”

While another, ‘grubbii,’ reported the same issue with Wifi connectivity, saying, “I am seeing this too. I am currently writing this from my Ipad 1 because my new ipad RIGHT BESIDE ME doesn’t pick up my Wifi signal.”

With all these issues surrounding the new iPad, is it really advisable to buy the new Apple device?  And if poor WiFi, heating and charging issues are the price to pay for having an upgraded Retina Display, is it really worth it?  Yes, most consumers would say. The iPad still holds a top spot in consumer market trends, edging out even the top Android tablets on a global scale.

Aside from all the issues on the new iPad, the iPhone maker was fined $1.2 million or €900,000 by the Italian antitrust body for their AppleCare Protection Plan.  The AppleCare Protection Plan extends the warranty of iDevices for two years, but the problem here is that Apple pushes their customers to buy the plan, which violates the law in Italy wherein Apple is required to protect their devices for two years for free.  Apple failed to disclose that information to their customers so many Italians who bought iDevices as well as the AppleCare Protection Plan, for lack of a better term, got duped by Apple.

T-Mobile Cuts Jobs

T-Mobile USA Inc. announced that they are cutting 1,900 jobs nationwide as they consolidate their call centers to reduce costs and remain competitive in the market.  Aside from firing employees, 24 of their call centers will be shutdown by the end of June this year.  Only 1,400 of their 3,300 employees will remain in their 17 call centers.

“These are not easy steps to take, but they are necessary to realize efficiency in order to invest for growth,” Philipp Humm, T-Mobile CEO and president said in a statement.

The call centers to be closed are in Allentown, Pa.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Frisco, Texas; Brownsville, Texas; Lenexa, Kansas; Thornton, Colo. and Redmond, Ore.

Nokia Fires 1,000 workers

In an agreement with union leaders, Nokia cuts 1,000 workers in their oldest manufacturing plant in Salo, Finland as they focus on handling software customization. Their phones will be manufactured in Asia.

There are currently 1,700 workers in the Salo plant and the job cuts will be completed by the end of June.

AT&T Charged With Fraud

The Justice Department announced that they filed a complaint against AT&T under the False Claims Act for conduct related to its provision of Internet Protocol (IP) Relay services.  The complaint alleges AT&T of  facilitating and seeking federal payment for IP Relay calls by international callers who were ineligible for the service and sought to use it for fraudulent purposes.  Those with  hearing- and speech-impairment are the only people eligible for the free service.

“Federal funding for Telecommunications Relay Services is intended to help the hearing- and speech-impaired in the United States,” said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice.   “We will pursue those who seek to gain by knowingly allowing others to abuse this program.”

Is HTC Crossing Over To The PC Sector?

HTC will be attending and participating in its first ever keynote address at the Computex Taipei trade show in June.  Computex is tradeshow geared towards PC vendors.

According to HTC spokeswoman Jessica Pan, HTC will be showing up to the event just for support but they will not be exhibiting any devices.  But we have to wonder, is HTC thinking about PCs?  It’s an interesting consideration for the smartphone manufacturer, as it seeks diversification beyond Android’s OS.  HTC has already shared its plans to extend manufacturing support to Windows devices, as well as rolling out its own mobile platform.  The PC market is a shaky one right now, as even the top PC makers (HP and Dell) look to software and services to supplement slipping PC sales.

New iPad’s Newest Issue: WiFigate is a post from: SiliconANGLE We're now available on the Kindle! Subscribe today.

In the same vein:

• Apple Addresses iPad Issues In Australia and China
• The New iPad’s Chargegate Issue Adds to the Heatgate Problem
• The New iPad Effect: an Opportunity for Android, Rivals
• Tips for Waiting in Line for the New iPad and Other Mobile News
• The Mobile Shakedown: Nokia, AT&T Suffer Losses
• Apple Takes a Bite out of HTC with Latest Patent Court Win