Mobile posts

Déjà Vu All Over Again For anyone who’s been around long enough to remember the epic battles for desktop supremacy waged between Apple Computer and Microsoft in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the current situation in the smartphone market has more than a hint of déjà vu.  The players have changed -although Apple is at the center of the comparison in both cases- but the battle lines are once again over proprietary hardware and software. Apple CEO Steve Jobs is fanatical about controlling all aspects of his products and every product the company releases reflects that insistence.  Apple…

If there is one thing that is clear, it is that the iPad has the hype. But it is also clear that it is not as great as we all imagined, and, even then, some think it isn’t particularly great at all. I have my reservations about the iPad too. However, instead of just listing reasons why we like or dislike the iPad, I wanted to offer people a look at some amazing devices that will make the iPad irrelevant — sure, the iPad will always be relevant because it is an Apple product (and Apple has devout fans). But the following gadgets will blow the iPad away in more ways than one. They are remarkable….

Technology is, in general, a great thing. It empowers us with information, entertains us with social activity, and allows us to explore our creativity. The mobile web plays its part in that equation, but it is something that many of us take for granted. Yet it is far more disappointing to realize that many emerging countries don’t have access to these services because of the immense data requirements and poor infrastructure. However, Vodafone and Opera are taking small steps that will have huge impacts, and it starts by leveraging what these companies already have. What these two intend to do…

The iPad may be grabbing headlines everywhere today – it’s hard to find anyone talking about something else – but Apple’s made a few enemies on its way here, and now Nokia plans its own iPad killer, set to ship this fall. Rodman Renshaw analyst Ashok Kumar says Nokia is working with suppliers and design manufacturers on a touch-screen tablet. “Nokia hasn’t fielded any breakaway products in years,” he said as reported by The Street. “This is a new window, and Nokia had better be at the starting gate if and when the product category takes off,” he said….

Microsoft is about to introduce its very own attempt at smartphone, its own-branded phones, hitherto developed by the top secret Project Pink team. We’re learning that the phones are set to be introduced next week, though they won’t be called Pink. They are being described as robust QWERTY-enabled messaging devices with social networking features that will be aimed at younger users. Expect them to be called Turtle and Pure. We think the two Project Pink phones will make use of some of the technologies Microsoft acquired when it got its claws on Sidekick manufacturer, Danger. Reuters tells…

Hard-working disassembly sleuths at iFixIT spent their Easter weekend tearing an iPad apart to explore the Apple-designed A4 processor which powers the device. iSuppli tore an A4 chip apart (above), revealing it to be an ARM processor featuring package-on-package construction to improve the speed and efficiency of internal processes. Inside they found the RAM modules sit close by the processor, a move which speeds access to memory, cuts power consumption and reduces latency….

If you’ve got any spare change left after the long Easter iPad launch weekend, Apple has another surprise on the way – new model MacBooks are on the way. All Apple’s mobile Macs are expected to see an upgrade, including the MacBook, MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. Expect much better battery life, up to 640GB drives, and new (and faster) Intel processors. …

Let me get this out in the open: I have never owned a smart phone. Never! I have thought about purchasing one soon (and am currently having an inner battle over this decision), but I’m not quite sure. Yet there is pressure on me to buy one of these phones too — it is almost expected that geeks own a smart phone these days to keep connected. But if I stick with the dumb phones of today and forego the smart phones of tomorrow, does that make me dumb? It’s complicated. The reasons that I don’t want a smartphone include the costs associated with purchasing a smart phone — actually, it isn’t the cost of the phone…

Adobe’s Flash plugin has become a stalwart in online multimedia content with a massive install base, so why is it suddenly the least popular kid on the block? Back when Netscape ruled the web and Microsoft was the pretentious young upstart nipping at its heels, HTML was the most dominant form of content on the web by a huge margin. Nothing about video, audio or multimedia content made it appealing to work with or serve to visitors, but the demand was great, so great that what ended up happening was inevitable, if not entirely predictable. How Flash Rose To Dominance By version 5 Internet Explorer had…

That iPhone, it’s a beast. A tiger within a kraken wrapped in a minotaur made of exploding gargoyles. Sometimes you wish you had a means of caging this unruly powerhouse. Tie it down. Chain it up out in the back yard, that sort of thing. Kee Utility has got a device for you. Coming straight outta the Retro Revival which began with videogames a few years ago and has since spread to all product sectors, this has got to be one of the sexier designs I’ve seen. I don’t think I need to explain it, but I will add it’s not only a corded phone/charging dock combo, but also can sync with iTunes via a built-in USB…