Mobile posts

Microsoft and Nokia have one thing in common: they like to do things extraordinarily slow. It appears that their newfound relationship which makes Nokia the future hope for Windows Phone 7 is also going to take it slow. Any hope for a WP7-powered Nokia device this year is fading fast. The managing director at Nokia revealed that the company has a 12-month plan to integrate WP7 with Nokia devices. This would put a release date around the first quarter of 2012 if all things go according to plan. Only then will we learn if WP7 and Nokia was a wise decision. Until then, Nokia has around 20 Symbian-powered…

In the age of the pervasion of mobile devices, it would seem traditional wrist-mounted chronometers have fallen by the wayside. Citizens itching for the time tend to check their phones more than their watches, and even iPod Nano wrist straps aren’t catching on like the wildfire one would have expected. So the big question is this: what’s a wrist for, now that the mobile scene has laid claim to time itself? Core77 asked Lunchbreath this very question, and he had a few ideas of his own. I fully expect for mobile devices to corner the market on some of these concepts eventually, too. Come to think of it,…

As the rush to get hands on the iPad 2 starts, there are still some who want to make a decision based upon reviews and opinions before jumping for another Apple product. While their track record has been exceptional, it hasn’t been perfect and there are definitely competitors who may or may not be better buys. The Motorola Xoom is one such competitor, one that many consider the only one around right now that could put a dent (even if only a minor one) in the iPad frenzy. Below, you will find several videos and links to reviews on other high-quality tech sites. If you want to make the smartest decision, take…

Rumors by an anonymous source reported by BusinessWeek are revealing that two of the top four U.S. wireless providers are considering a merger. This would combine the third- and fourth-place wireless carriers into one entity and could give both companies a fighting chance against the likes of AT&T and Verizon. It would impact consumers heavily and reduce competition in the States further. If true, the first question is over the value of T-Mobile USA. While Deutsche Telekom might be interested in selling the entity, getting what they believe it is worth might prove to be difficult: T-Mobile…

Let the money exchange flow both ways. That’s what is starting to transpire in the Nokia/Microsoft deal and there are a lot of zeros involved in the transactions. Microsoft is set to pay Nokia Oyj over $1 billion for the development and promotion of Windows-based phones. In exchange, Nokia pays Microsoft for each copy of Windows used in its phones. Stocks have fallen over 25% since the announcement of the agreement between the two companies less than a month ago. According to Colin Gillis, analyst at BHC Partners, “This gives Microsoft scale and allows Nokia to rip out costs. Microsoft is getting…

You have to hand it to the Android Developers team. They deliver the goods when it comes to news and eye-candy. This video they produced gives an awesome visual depiction of Android activations from October, 2008, until January, 2011. First, the overview, then they focus on North America, Europe, and West Asia. Kudos, ladies and gentlemen, for putting together such a strong video as well as for becoming the best-selling mobile operating system. …

One aspect of geek credibility is knowing random facts and figures pertaining to the most powerful weapon in the universe: the Death Star. The Empire’s planet-blasting weapon from Star Wars has captivated us for decades and continues to pop up in cultural references even after it’s been blown up… twice. This graphic by Geeks are Sexy gives us the skinny on the massive weapon all the way down to construction costs. If you ever get the desire to build one, good luck. Compiled by Car Insurance Guide and Geeks are Sexy | Picture hosted on imgur…

In a recent test using Speedtest, the AT&T iPhone proved to be around twice as fast as Verizon for 3G speeds. This isn’t a shock – Verizon has always claimed to have a more reliable network, not a faster one – but the huge differences makes one wonder if they should carry 2 iPhones: 1 for calls and one for media. One sidenote: while AT&T proved to be faster on data, it was also much more prone to losing connection in other tests, a problem that has plagued them and likely caused the shift by Apple to include Verizon in their club. Verizon never lost connection despite the slower connections. “I…

Gemalto has released the first SIM card with built-in Facebook functionality – meaning pretty soon, every GSM handset, regardless of its base functionality, will have the ability to connect one to Facebook. Said a spokesperson for the social network: We worked closely with Gemalto on their Facebook for SIM product and believe it will be another easy and affordable way for people to stay connected through Facebook on the mobile phone of their choice. Facebook for SIM creatively combines technologies from some of our existing mobile solutions that especially are attractive for people with…

If you’re not an iPhone-toting Macolyte, you may be following the adventures of Windows Phone 7, the little operating system that could – and in particular, Nokia’s recent decision to ditch Symbian (the little operating system that couldn’t) to the curb in favour of it. Most tech heads, shocked at the partnership, cried foul, decrying the move as bad for both Nokia and Microsoft. But come on, guys, Windows Phone 7 isn’t that bad. It’s functional (in this blogger’s opinion, every bit as much as iOS) and if it isn’t the most gorgeous, chrome-free interface a phone’s ever seen, nothing is. Anyway,…