Mereja

Author: Kevin C. Tofel

  • Adobe CEO Has His Own Reality Distortion Field

    Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen recently told Fox Business News in a video interview that he expects to see Flash on mobile phones in the second half of this year. What he didn’t say was that the original plan was to deliver Adobe Flash on webOS handsets in 2009, so it appears that the plans have changed. The concern is that with each passing day Flash isn’t available on a wide range of smartphone platforms, its relevance on handsets decreases, mainly due to Apple’s iPhone OS. Below is the full video interview, although the conversation around Flash is mainly in the second half.

    Whether you agree with Apple’s steadfast refusal to allow Flash on its mobile devices, the lack of Flash doesn’t appear to be hurting Apple device sales. Even without Flash support, Apple recently reported it has sold a total of 50 million iPhones and in only a few days, 500,000 iPads, not to mention a vast number of iPod touch devices. Some consumers do refuse to buy an Flash-less Apple device, but I’d wager that they’re in the minority. Simply put: the lack of Flash on Apple hardware might hurt sales, but not in a meaningful way.

    Making matters worse — if you’re Adobe or a fan of Flash, that is — major media outlets aren’t waiting around for Flash on handsets. YouTube began to transcode its video library to support Apple’s iPhone platform in June of 2007. In time for the recent iPad launch, the New York Times adjusted its website to accommodate the H.264 video codec and HTML5, the still-evolving next generation web protocol that supports video playback without Adobe Flash. CBS is yet another standout example — the network was found testing HTML5 for playback of full television episodes. While it’s true that Flash is still widely used, and probably will be for some time to come, the tremors of a seismic shift away from Flash are now starting to be felt.

    Flash faithful are quick to point out that the plug-in is installed on over 95% of all computers — with such a large footprint, how could Flash go away? The argument has little merit in this context, because the desktop world is different than the mobile world — a point that may be lost on Adobe. For example, in the Fox interview Narayen attempted to justify the need for Flash by saying it accounts for “70% of the casual gaming on the web.” That may be true, but in today’s smartphone app economy, it’s also largely irrelevant. Instead of playing casual games on the mobile web, developers are cranking out software titles and consumers are buying them — there are over 50,000 games in Apple’s iTunes App Store alone.

    Need another example of Adobe being out-of-touch? Narayen vaguely referenced his own video interview to justify his defense by saying, “[i]f I want to go to Fox Business News or watch a Fox show on my smartphone, I’m going to be capable of doing that on certain devices (with Flash) and not other devices.” While I wouldn’t expect Narayen to know which web sites use Adobe Flash and which don’t, it’s very telling that I watched and heard him say this just fine on my Apple iPad – without Flash.

    The one potential saving grace for Adobe right now is Google’s Android platform. It will be among the first mobile platforms to see Flash support and it’s the fastest growing platform in terms of market share right now. A private beta of Flash 10.1 on Android is now complete and Android device owners can now sign up to be notified for the public beta, although no specific timeframe on when the beta will begin is available. If Adobe can convince content partners and developers not to abandon Flash just yet, while at the same time making quick progress towards stable Flash support for Android, there’s hope for Flash. Otherwise, the entire Apple vs Adobe fight could end in a T.K.O. as an expected new iPhone arrives this summer and even more Flash-less mobile devices hit consumer hands.

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  • Cutting Through the Fog of Google’s Cloud Print

    Google introduced its new approach to printing yesterday with the announcement of Google Cloud Print. But “cloud” in this case is equating to “foggy” for some because the entire solution is still at a high-level description. A web-based printing solution hasn’t been implemented yet by Google — instead, the company is positioning for what it hopes to deliver for its Chrome OS, due out in the second half of this year. And by Google’s own admission, it’s going to need help. So for now, Google has simply outlined the plans, checked in some publicly available code and floated an innovative idea. So what is Google Cloud Print, exactly?

    Essentially, Google is attempting to remove the computer from the middle of the print equation. In today’s world, we use an application to send a print job to the print server running on our computer. That software manages the task by communicating through a driver (more software) to the physical hardware of the printer. In the Google Cloud Print solution, the computer and accompanying print server software go away and are replaced by the cloud. Google handles the print job and communicates directly with a cloud-aware printer — these don’t exist yet, which is why I said the solution isn’t implemented yet. You may not need to replace your current printer with a cloud-aware one, though — Google will include a proxy software solution in the Google Chrome browser, which will register a legacy printer with the cloud.

    What’s the use case?

    Trying to see through all of this the fog, I had a phone conversation with Om this afternoon and we tried to make sense of it all. On one hand, I believe that Google’s cloud printing concept has merit and solves a problem that could otherwise hamper adoption of Chrome OS devices. And yet Om made a good point with the opposite point of view: What’s the point of sending a print job up to the cloud only to pull it back down to the printer sitting three feet away? Indeed, it’s not the most effective use of valuable bandwidth, no matter how small the print job is. But I see that situation as the exception and not the rule because Chrome OS is meant for mobile use much more so than home use.

    Google may ultimately want to push Chrome OS in every market it can – business, home and mobile — but I’d argue it’s best suited for mobile. Chrome OS is essentially a web browser built on a Linux core and won’t support the desktop apps found in the home and workplace. Instead, Chrome OS leverages web services and browser-based applications as shown in my early preview video. These light apps in a browser are perfect for mobile use in areas of Wi-Fi or 3G connectivity. Put another way, people using Chrome OS in the manner it’s intended won’t have as much of a printing need as desktop or laptop users, and in the rare cases they do, Google wants to be prepared. This same reasoning justifies HP’s foray into a similar offering on a smaller scale with its Mobile Printing application for Apple’s iPhone.

    Does this advance printing or is Google just trying to control even more?

    There’s a point to be made about Google’s control over our data and it’s a point that scares people away from using Google’s web services. I’m not one of those people as I use Google for nearly everything: personal and work email, my Android phone, document editing on my iPad and more. But I respect the people and business entities that won’t entrust their information to Google. And in fairness to those in this category, I haven’t seen anything in the limited Cloud Print documentation that pertains to data security and privacy, aside from logging in with a Google account. Since the Cloud Print idea is only just floating around now, we should be watching for how print data will be handled. For now, I can only assume that Google will maintain the same level of privacy and security that it does with its other services.

    Perhaps that’s too big an assumption on my part, but once you get past it, I see some advancements in printing, which really hasn’t changed much in recent years. Once we see cloud-aware printers, what’s to stop the ones nearest to you from advertising their service? I could easily envision a “Nearby Printer Available” message on my future Chrome OS device just as I see “Nearby Wireless Network” messages on my phone, iPad and notebook today. Printing is only a localized event because printers are chained to the computer today. By breaking those chains with cloud printing, Google is simply looking forward to meeting the needs of mobile users.

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  • Two Android Tablets Streaking from Dell

    Just this morning on the podcast, we were wondering where all the smartbooks are, but the question could easily apply to consumer tablets too. Microsoft and HP jointly announced a slate at the Consumer Electronics Show, but the product isn’t available yet. Add Dell to the list with a pair of Streak tablets found by Engadget. We probably won’t see them for months either, but it looks like these devices will run on Google Android, along with a custom Dell interface like Dell’s Aero phone.

    Aside from the sizes of 7″ and 10″, there isn’t much else to know at the moment. Unlike Apple’s iPad, both tablets look to have a widescreen aspect ratio — that sounds good for video, but I’m wondering how the narrow width will handle a web site in portrait mode. Given the solid Android browser, it’s probably not a concern, but I prefer not to zoom when possible. My other hope is that these slates aren’t hobbled by restrictions on the Android Market and other Google services — I’ve pointed that out before by saying that Google is missing an opportunity in this market. Hopefully, that’s a non-issue and these tablets streak to market soon.

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    Image credit: Engadget

  • Apple Builds a Customer Base Before Building a Retail Store

    Is there a method to the madness that Apple uses when choosing cities for retail locations? After reading an Experian Simmons report that ranks designated market areas by the number of Apple customers in each, I suspect as much.

    Using data collected with its Experian’s Micromarketer Generation3 analytics tool, Experian Simmons created an index that calculates a consumer propensity to own or use Apple products. A geographic market with an index score of 100 indicates the middle ground; higher scores reflect an area where consumers are more likely to use Apple wares while those with lower indices are less likely to do so. As the numbers make clear, markets with the highest scores generally have a greater number of Apple retail locations.

    Source: Experian Simmons

    Some notable markets from the report:

    • San Francisco – Oakland – San Jose, Calif. — With the highest index of 149, consumers in this area are nearly 50 percent more likely to buy and use Apple products than the average U.S. consumer and as such, is home to 12 retail locations. Given that this is where Apple’s headquarters is located, this makes perfect sense.
    • Boston — 31.3 percent of the Boston adult population uses Apple, earning it a spot just behind Apple’s home turf with an index of 145. Number of Apple retail locations: 11
    • New York City — Nearly one in three adults uses an Apple product — nearly 4.9 million people — truly justifying the Big Apple name. An index of 141 might be worth many Apple Stores, but the four in New York are spread out to attract the most traffic in densely populated areas.
    • Bluefield – Beckley – Oak Hill, W. Va. — With the lowest index score of 41, residents here won’t find an Apple Store within the state. Instead, they’d have to travel over 200 miles to either North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia or Pennsylvania for the Apple retail experience.

    One could easily take a chicken-and-egg approach to the data and argue that perhaps there are more Apple customers in certain areas because there are more retail locations to begin with. I don’t think that’s the case, though. Customers from any market can simply purchase Apple products online — but folks in West Virginia don’t seem to be doing so. I have little doubt that adding a retail location helps Apple’s sales, but I’m inclined to believe that the company puts more of its stores in markets where it already has a captive audience. And Apple stores are also service centers for Apple products — adding stores where you don’t have products to service may not be the best strategy for growth. Instead of repeating the mistake made by many retailers by building a store and hoping for audience, Apple builds the audience which helps support the store.

  • MobileTechRoundup 205 — That’s Incredible!


    A downloadable MP3 of show will be available right here approximately 2 hours after the live show.

    HOSTS: James Kendrick (Houston), Matthew Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (Philadelphia)

    TOPICS:

    • Microsoft Kin
    • Zune HD 4.5 updates
    • HTC Incredible coming soon
    • Hands on with some AMD notebooks
    • iPhone OS 4.0
    • What happened to the smartbooks?
    • MeeGo tries to fit in a crowded market
    • How much life is left in Palm?

    CONTACT US: Email us or leave us a voicemail on our SkypeLine!

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  • Glympse Adds Real-Time Location Tracking To Facebook

    Glympse today added Facebook support to its user-controlled location-based personal tracking service on its iPhone and Android software. Previously, the Glympse client could only send a user’s whereabouts to friends via an email, SMS or Twitter link that opened a mobile browser window to show location data for a specific time. The updated service now supports real-time mapping directly in a Glympse users’s Facebook page. The dynamic map indicates location, speed and the estimated time of arrival if a destination is entered within Glympse.

    Normally, the idea of having one’s location tracked or broadcasted raises valid privacy concerns. But as Glympse has told us before — the company presented as a LaunchPad participant at our Mobilize ‘09 event — it offers total user control to alleviate privacy issues. Instead of an “always on” tracking approach, Glympse users specify when to enable tracking, for how long and who to share the location data with. Having used the service, I can best sum it up by saying: it’s a quick and simple real-time way to temporarily let your friends know where you are, where you’re headed and when you’ll be there.

    Prior to the latest client update, Glympse already simplified the hassle of telling friends or peers where you are on an as-needed basis. In less than 30 seconds, you can shoot a Glympse to friends you’re scheduled to meet or ping the office so your colleagues know when to expect you. Adding Facebook support with real-time maps, simply makes sense — for many, Facebook is a de facto database of the very friends you want to share your location with.

    Glympse’s updated client is now available for free in both the iTunes App Store and the Android Market.

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  • India’s Bharti Airtel to Enter Telecom’s Top Five

    India’s Bharti Airtel will become the fifth-largest telecom provider in the world by purchasing 15 African markets from Zain in deal valued at $10.7 billion, according to Wireless Intelligence. Combining the 15 new markets with the three that Bharti held prior, the purchase will give it just under 170 million subscribers out of a potential customer population of 450 million in all 18 areas. Unless a regulatory issue holds up the deal, the newly acquired markets will include: Burkina Faso, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

    As I review the largest mobile providers in the world, I’m reminded that I need to spend more time looking beyond my backyard in the U.S. It would take the combined subscriber counts of the two largest carriers here — Verizon’s 91 million and AT&T’s 85 million — to rival Bharti’s new size. Perhaps Nokia’s focus on emerging markets isn’t such a bad strategy after all. This worldwide approach is rubbing off on others as Dell just announced a deal with Telfonica Group in Latin America, the world’s No. 3 three mobile provider, to provide services and smartphones such as its Android-powered Aero handset. Now if we could only get the carriers to work out better international roaming agreements so that no one ever gets another $10,000 monthly bill, we’d be in business.

    Here’s a look at where Airtel will fit in among the top mobile providers in the world:

    Worldwide Mobile Telecom Rankings
    Rank Provider Total Connections Markets
    1 China Mobile 525,331,266 2
    2 Vodafone Group 309,580,257 23
    3 Telefonica Group 202,333,430 20
    4 America Movil Group 186,544,900 17
    5 Airtel Group 169,468,523 18
    6 China Unicom 147,587,000 1
    7 Deutsche Telekom Group 127,919,986 12
    8 Telenor Group 101,367,838 10

    Table Source: Wireless Intelligence

  • In a Social World, BlackBerry’s Browser Looks Rotten

    Apple’s iPad is already nearly even with the BlackBerry line of devices when it comes to mobile device browser market share, Computer World reports this morning citing data from NetApplications.com. With just 500,000 iPads sold in the U.S. so far compared to millions of BlackBerry devices worldwide, the numbers underscore a huge problem for Research In Motion. While BlackBerry devices are the indisputable king when it comes to pocketable email machines, the world is moving to the web, applications and social networking, which their browsers simply aren’t powerful enough to support.

    Indeed, BlackBerry devices lost market share in the final quarter of 2009, while iPhone OS and Android, whose browsers are both based on WebKit — grew. And this week a Morgan Stanley trend report indicated that social networking users surpassed email users back in July of 2009. Research in Motion clearly understands the changing trends, but it’s taking a long time to react. In August of 2009, the company purchased Torch Mobile, a development firm that at the time had already created Iris, a WebKit-based browser for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices.  Immediately following the purchase, Torch Mobile announced that all work on the Windows Mobile client would cease, presumably so the company could focus efforts on a BlackBerry web client. Eight months has produced a “coming soon” announcement and a video demo, but no new web client for customers to use.

    Although WebKit browsers arguably offer a better browsing experience on mobiles, one could argue that it’s not fair to compare the iPad to BlackBerry handsets since browsing on a 9.7-inch display is so much more enjoyable than on the small screen of a handheld device. And given that Apple — citing the “runaway success” of the iPad — yesterday postponed international iPad orders due to overwhelming U.S. demand, I wouldn’t be surprised if the devices succeeds in trouncing most smartphones when it comes to browser market share. That aside, Research In Motion needs to get in motion on its web browser, because the attention of mobile device users is focused on web activities.

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  • Intel, Nokia Attempt to Woo Developers for MeeGo Handsets and Netbooks

    The Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit, a 3-day event for open source developers and mobile partners, kicks off today. Among the various agenda topics are both a keynote and multiple workshop sessions devoted to MeeGo, the platform created when Intel’s Moblin project and Nokia’s Maemo operating system merged at February’s Mobile World Congress. With the workshop sessions, Intel and Nokia are fighting for the attention of developers, much like other platforms are, as exemplified with the Twitter and Facebook programmer events as well as Apple and its new iPhone 4.0 OS. So why might a developer be interested in MeeGo?

    For starters, MeeGo offers opportunities in both the smartphone and the netbook or tablet space. There are two MeeGo user experience frameworks — one for handsets and one for netbooks — but applications designed for MeeGo aren’t constrained to one device type. While smartphone software could require visual adjustment to run on the larger display of a netbook, for example, the software itself is created with Qt, a cross-platform development tool. Think of Qt, which Nokia purchased in January 2008, like Java’s write-once, run-anywhere approach. Nokia’s VP of MeeGo devices, Ari Jaaksi, explains the benefits best in a Linux.com interview from earlier this morning:

    “Qt is a cross-platform application and UI framework used by hundreds of thousands of developers worldwide looking to create amazing user experiences on Windows, Mac, Linux, Windows Mobile, Symbian and Maemo devices. Qt will be the primary application framework for MeeGo and both Intel and Nokia are committing their investment in it.  For developers interested in MeeGo, Qt helps increase the scope for their applications and services across multiple platforms, all using consistent application APIs.”

    Two more carrots dangling in front of potential MeeGo developers are the Linux tie-ins and application stores. Intel’s documentation from its Beijing Developer Forum, also in progress now, points out MeeGo support for potentially thousands of native Linux software titles. And those titles targeted for MeeGo, as well as those built with the Qt framework will be available through two partner storefronts. The Intel App Up store offers software for netbooks, while Nokia is leveraging its Ovi store for handset titles. The Ovi store shelves were a little bare when I last checked on Nokia’s Maemo-powered N900 handset, so the handset maker is looking to boost the available titles.

    MeeGo devices are expected in the second half of this year and 27 partners ranging from Acer to Xandros are expressing support. Notable members of the partner list include high-profile software shops like EA Mobile and Gameloft. But industry friends alone won’t turn MeeGo into a contender against the likes of Apple, Google and others with established mobile platforms. As Stacey alluded last summer in her interview with Peter Farago, the VP of mobile analytics firm Flurry, developers are the new kingmakers. The programmers attending this week’s Linux Foundation Collaboration Summit will likely decide if MeeGo gains a royal crown or simply becomes a mobile bard just passing through.

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    Images courtesy of Intel

  • BlackBerry Bold 9700 Gains Slingbox Support on Wi-Fi and 3G

    Good news for BlackBerry Bold 9700 handset owners — SlingPlayer Mobile is now supported on your device! Obviously you need some SlingBox hardware to stream live television from the home to the handset. But if you have that, you can download and install the software for remote media control and playback. The SlingPlayer Mobile client works on both AT&T and T-Mobile 9700 phones and isn’t restricted to Wi-Fi only. That means you can watch live or recorded television on the go over 3G networks.

    A SlingPlayer Mobile license will set you back a one-time $29.99 fee, but Sling says you can transfer an existing license key at no charge. The only exception to that rule is for iPhone or iPod Touch version keys. I don’t have a Bold 9700 — and I’m still waiting for the Android version of SlingPlayer Mobile — but I’d imagine that live television would look awful nice on the small but high resolution 480 x 320 display of a 9700.

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    Image credit: Sling Media

  • Apple Delays the International iPad — Too Many Wi-Fi Orders?

    If you live outside the U.S. and are waiting to experience Apple’s iPad, your wait just became longer. Citing the product’s “runaway success,” Apple is postponing an international iPad launch by one full month. Pre-orders and pricing information for international iPad purchases will become available on May 10. Here is Apple’s full statement:

    “Although we have delivered more than 500,000 iPads during its first week, demand is far higher than we predicted and will likely continue to exceed our supply over the next several weeks as more people see and touch an iPad™. We have also taken a large number of pre-orders for iPad 3G models for delivery by the end of April.

    Faced with this surprisingly strong US demand, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the international launch of iPad by one month, until the end of May. We will announce international pricing and begin taking online pre-orders on Monday, May 10. We know that many international customers waiting to buy an iPad will be disappointed by this news, but we hope they will be pleased to learn the reason—the iPad is a runaway success in the US thus far.”

    So is this just a simple supply and demand issue? I don’t think so. My suspicion is that Apple didn’t predict the right product model mix between the Wi-Fi and 3G versions of its iPad.

    Early sales estimates showed that nearly two of every three iPad orders were for Wi-Fi models. I personally find the device better suited to use in the home, where typically a Wi-Fi signal is available. Additionally, all early reviews and video demonstrations are based on the Wi-Fi model, which could be further generating consumer interest in it. Or it could just be that the first wave of buyers couldn’t wait until the end of April to get their hands on the device.

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  • 5 Things Google Must Do to Make Its Tablet Competitive

    Google is said to be planning a rival device to Apple’s iPad that will be powered by Android. Assuming this is true, what does Google need to do in order to make its slate to competitive with the iPad?

    • Size matters — A “Google Pad” should target the sweet spot of screen sizes, that of 5-8 inches. Any larger and some will complain that the device is too heavy — as is already happening with the iPad — while smaller devices simply don’t offer enough benefit over current smartphones, some of which have displays of 4 inches or larger. Google would have to subsequently adjust how Android and its apps run on larger displays — my own porting of Android to a 7-inch touchscreen computer offered a less-than-ideal experience because the user interface is optimized for small screens.
    • Fix the Market — Other companies already offer Android-powered tablets, but those devices are mysteriously hobbled by limitations that include not having access to the Android Market for software. Obviously, Google wouldn’t similarly constrain its own product, but it still needs to make finding and installing software from the marketplace easier than it is now. One small tweak that would yield huge benefits is an “update all” function. Users don’t want to have to update software one app at a time.
    • Sync or swim — Unlike its competitors, Google doesn’t offer software to synchronize data between Android devices and computers. One could correctly argue that the sync solution Google offers is the cloud — mail, contacts, calendars and other data is all available through an over-the-air web connection. But not all consumers are ready for a true wireless data sync. Google should either bundle solutions like DoubleTwist for media and application synchronization or perhaps the Missing Sync for personal data.
    • Boost productivity — While most people don’t buy tablets to replace the productivity offered by a traditional computer, if it’s making one, Google should leverage its Google Docs platform for it. Currently, Android supports document viewing, but not much in the way of editing aside from limited spreadsheet changes. A native Android application or enhanced Google Docs functionality in the browser for basic document editing would rival Apple’s iWorks software for the iPad.
    • Court developers — Apple has already got the attention of third-party developers, so Google will have to offer an equally if not more compelling development environment in order to have blockbuster applications on hand at launch. Netflix is a fine example — Apple successfully convinced the company to build media-streaming software for the ARM-powered iPad, enabling consumers to watch video wherever a web connection could be found.

    As someone who switched from an iPhone to a Nexus One earlier this year — yes, I bought an iPad, too — I find the Apple experience more refined than that of Google. But Android still has much to offer, namely the lack of an ecosystem lock-in, easy integration with Google services and a growing number of software titles. If the company addresses the five areas I’ve outlined above, a Google Pad could be a very worthy alternative to Apple’s iPad indeed.

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    Thumbnail tablet rendering image courtesy of the Chromium Blog

  • Steve Rubel Faces the iPad-Only Challenge

    It wasn’t that long ago when I actually used an ultra-mobile PC or a netbook as my primary machine. For my meager computing needs — I tend to live in a browser and don’t often use third-party apps for work — the scenario worked out reasonably well. I haven’t repeated the experiment with the iPad I purchased, but Steve Rubel has. In fact, he already has a week of “iPad only” under the belt for both personal and work life at Edelman and he’s sharing the experience.

    “In short, it’s going really really well. I believe that when this experiment ends I will continue to use the iPad as my primary computer, though I may use my PC more than I do now, especially when I am in the office. I am also looking forward to trying out other slates, like HP’s (an Edelman client.)”

    One advantage I see with the iPad over my UMPCs is the display size — any smaller and it becomes a challenge to use in a full-time role. When using my 7″ touchscreen tablets or  10″ netbooks, I often attached them to a larger, external display. You can’t do that while mobile, so I’m finding the 9.7″ iPad screen to be better in that regard, even if the resolution is only marginally better. There’s the keyboard factor with both the iPad and other slates, but I’ve never had an issue carrying a Bluetooth keyboard in the past. Steve notes the ergonomic and keyboard challenges as well:

    “One important observation is that the iPad’s ergonomics really are not ideal. If you use it without an external keyboard you’re basically looking straight down all the time. It reminds me of when I wrote papers in college on electronic typewriters. It’s ok for shorter writings but not longer ones.”

    Obviously, the same constraints I had when using a UMPC for a primary device apply equally to using an iPad in a similar role. The only possible way such a setup can work is if you don’t require heavy-duty computing apps, can use the web for most of your work and find additional apps to fill in any workflow gaps. This last point is key, and in my opinion, the most interesting aspect of the challenge. Steve is routinely seeking, finding and evaluating software to help meet his needs. I’d even argue that the maturity and scope of apps is better suited to this challenge than when I last took it.

    While I wouldn’t recommend the iPad as a notebook replacement for many, the journey to see if it’s viable can actually be more enjoyable than the final destination. I doubt most readers are following in Steve’s footsteps — which I fully understand — but if anyone is, I’d be curious to hear your observations. I’m betting Steve would too.

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    Image credit: The Steve Rubel Stream

  • So Opera Mini Is Now on the iPhone — So What?

    Opera yesterday accomplished something many thought would never happen: Its Opera Mini 5 browser was approved for sale in the iTunes App Store. The popular browser boasts more than 50 million users worldwide thanks to several key features: fast browsing speeds, a tabbed interface and Opera Link, which synchronizes user bookmarks from Opera on a desktop. In other words, owners of iPhone OS devices now have a viable alternative when it comes to surfing the web on their handset, iPod touch or iPad. But how many people will actually use it?

    Opera Mini brings a desktop-like browsing experience to feature phones that don’t already offer one. Thanks to the server-side compression — Opera serves up pages it optimizes on the fly — using Opera Mini is fast and uses less wireless bandwidth than native browsers. If you have a feature phone with a marginal browser or you’re watching your data usage, Opera Mini is a boon. But do iPhone users fit into either of those categories?

    To find out, I installed Opera Mini for iPhone last night and took the browser for a spin. It’s fast — faster than Safari, in most cases. But unlike on other mobile devices, I didn’t have anything close to a desktop-like experience with it. And overall, I spent more time trying to get at information on the web, not less, as the fast loading and rendering speeds were negated by unreadable text. Essentially, I had to zoom in to read any text at all, and it was so small that most of the time I didn’t even know what I was tapping. Plus, it’s a scroll-fest to navigate. The comparison screen caps below illustrate the visual challenges, but let’s just say I was left convinced that devices running the iPhone OS don’t need Opera Mini.

    The iPhone’s native Safari browser is already optimized for a high-quality mobile browsing experience. The same unreadable sites in full screen on Opera Mini are quite readable in Safari (see below). Safari may render more slowly, but you spend far less time guessing at what you want to tap, and in many cases, you don’t need to zoom at all.

    Make no mistake: Apple allowing an alternative browser is important and it’s a coup of sorts for the Opera team to get a second browser on the iPhone OS. But Opera Mini’s greatest strength — offering a solid browsing experience on devices that are incapable of delivering the mobile web — is diluted on the iPhone, which already provides a capable web experience. Some will adopt Opera Mini on their iPhone for speed and throughput savings, but I don’t think Opera’s victory will equate to more than a historical footnote when it comes to most everyday iPhone users.

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  • Microsoft Aims New Kin Handsets at Twittering Teens

    Microsoft today launched its Kin line of handsets — web-enabled touchscreen phones built around social networking features, messaging, video sharing and the company’s Zune music offering — with two initial models. The new line is aimed squarely at the pre-smartphone demographic — a group that few competitors are targeting.

    The Kin One and Kin Two contain three software and service features not found on any other Microsoft handsets: Kin Loop, Kin Spot and Kin Studio. Similar to Motorola’s Motoblur, Loop provides a central place to follow contacts on Facebook, My Space, Twitter and Windows Live with constant refreshes. A nice touch is how it allows users to prioritize friends, so that updates from people you’re most interested in take priority over passing acquaintances on the web. Sharing web pages, pictures or locations involves a simple drag and drop of data to the Spot. The Studio, meanwhile, provides web-based timeline-styled backup of all data created on the phones, such as still pictures, videos and messages. It can be used to view any of this data, even if it’s not locally stored, which helps offset the limited local storage capacity on both handsets.

    Although the new Kin services are front and center, Microsoft’s use of the Zune ecosystem is clever in several ways. First, it could bring in revenue via teens’ accessing of unlimited music tracks for $15 a month Zune Pass subscription. And it provides a shot across the bow of Apple, which doesn’t yet offer a music subscription service — an opportunity that, as I noted in a GigaOM Pro report (subscription required)  about streaming tunes from the cloud, the company was missing out on.

    The Kin is clearly a direct descendant from the Sidekick line that Microsoft gained when it purchased Danger two years ago — the Kin offers similar features and targets the same crowd. And that narrow focus on a largely untapped audience is undoubtedly what convinced to finally start selling its own branded line of phones — something it previously said it wouldn’t do.

    So the social teenager who’s ready to move up from a feature phone but doesn’t want or need an expensive smartphone and corresponding app store will be well-served by the Kin line. After that, Microsoft will be more than happy to introduce them to full-fledged Windows Phone 7 devices.

    The two Kin phones debut exclusively in Verizon Wireless retail stores next month; they’ll also be available on the Vodafone network at a future date, which the company declined to name.

  • Buying Palm Would Thrust HTC Into the Smartphone Spotlight

    Palm is reportedly seeking a buyer, and among the top potential suitors being named are HTC and Lenovo. Taiwan’s HTC would be the logical choice, as Palm’s innovative and intuitive webOS platform would make the handset maker a key player in the worldwide smartphone market, lifting it from its current role as supporting cast member.

    HTC may not be a household name outside of Asia, yet it manufacturers 6 percent of all smartphones sold around the world. A longtime Microsoft partner for Windows Mobile devices — it built the first smartphones for Redmond’s platform — HTC also designed and builds Google’s Nexus One handset, which is arguably the best Android device available in terms of specifications. Other HTC handsets running Android include the original G1, MyTouch 3G, Droid Eris and Hero. With so much reliance upon HTC — Flurry says 61 percent of all Android phones sold are made by HTC — a sale of Palm could mean Google would have to find a new hardware partner as HTC would likely leverage Palm’s operating system for its own brand of handsets.

    But hardware isn’t HTC’s only area of expertise. The visually appealing HTC Sense user interface, which was rolled out a few years ago, is a popular software shell atop Windows Mobile whose widgets and menus make the phones easier to use. Unfortunately for HTC, there isn’t room for such software in Microsoft’s future. With its Windows Phone 7 platform due out before year-end, Microsoft is placing more hardware and software controls in place, which could leave custom interface designers like HTC out in the cold. By purchasing Palm, HTC would immediately vault itself to a Microsoft competitor.

    Indeed, buying Palm would mean HTC would stand alone for the first time ever as a viable smartphone company, one with hardware expertise, prior relationships with nearly every carrier worldwide and a new software platform to call its very own. It makes perfect “sense” for HTC to make a play for Palm.

    Related content from GigaOM Pro:

    Image courtesy of HTC

  • Apple’s iPad — Thoughts From a 12 Year Old

    So my son Tyler saved up, sold a gadget and did some extra chores for his Apple iPad. Somehow his arrived before mine last week — go figure. In any case, he’s got a week under his belt with Apple’s new device and wanted to share his thoughts, just like he reviewed the first netbook over two years ago.

    Although I don’t think Tyler will convince anyone to buy (or not buy) an iPad, he offers an interesting perspective — he’s grown up in a world that’s always had personal computers. Plus he likes to be on camera. ;)

    ipad-review-tyler

  • BlackBerry Could Connect Your Next Vehicle

    Research In Motion today agreed to purchase QNX Software Systems from Harman International for an undisclosed amount. The move signals RIM’s further intent to add its products to vehicles, and complements last May’s purchase of Dash Navigation, a maker of Internet-connected, in-car GPS devices.

    QNX Software Systems creates middleware and real-time operating systems for embedded devices such as in-vehicle entertainment systems, but don’t count on RIM to limit its efforts. An interesting connected car project on QNX’s web site expands possibilities far beyond simple audio or video playback. Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO, at RIM hinted at looking beyond the basics with this comment from the news release. “[W]e look forward to ongoing collaboration between Harman, QNX and RIM to further integrate and enhance the user experience between smartphones and in-vehicle audio and infotainment systems.”

    Few major mobile platforms have gained a presence in automobiles, but RIM appears poised to try. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s SYNC is making inroads into the nascent market; the system, which is in more than 2 million vehicles, recently added Wi-Fi support. With an increasing number of consumers craving real-time information on the go, connected car systems are the next frontier. And given RIM’s core competency of connecting people with information, the QNX buy, as well as the prior Dash purchase, are making clear the path down which RIM plans to travel.

    Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

    In 2010, EVs Will Need More Than Just an Electric Motor

    Images courtesy of Foundry27

  • MobileTechRoundup 204 — iPad Slated for Consumers?

    CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
    MoTR 204 is 42:30 minutes long and is a 39 MB file in MP3 format.

    HOSTS: James Kendrick (Houston), Matthew Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (Philadelphia)

    TOPICS:

    • iPhone OS 4.0 feature roundtable
    • So what is the iPad good for — or not good for?
    • About that HP Slate and Windows on a mobile consumer device…

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  • Apple’s iPhone OS 4.0 – What You Need to Know

    After announcing the sale of 450,000 iPads since Saturday, Apple today unveiled its iPhone OS 4.0, the next evolution in the company’s mobile strategy. Although several of the new features, due for release this summer, were on my list of expectations two days ago, the bulk of them are indeed evolutionary — on the surface. But the implementation approach and polish of these new features are actually revolutionary because they don’t merely re-purpose the PC implementations of each task but are instead redesigned for mobile use. Here’s a rundown of what iPhone OS 4.0 devices will be capable of:

    Multitasking — Apple has added seven APIs for developers to use in support of multitasking. Audio applications, VoIP programs and location-based services can all run in the background. And if a task isn’t complete when closing an app — say a photo upload — the task will continue until completion. Perhaps most clever is Apple’s re-use of the dock concept from OS X. Double-tapping the home button causes a dock-like tray to rise up on the screen so users can switch to another application. Multitasking and fast app switching will only be available for iPhone 3GS, third-generation iPad Touch, and iPad. “The hardware just can’t do it,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs when referring to the first- and second-generation devices in his presentation today to developers and media in Cupertino, Calif.

    Unified Inbox — The new inbox unifies multiple mail accounts into a single view, making it easier to navigate email. Attachments won’t be limited to QuickView either — you can open mail items in supported third-party applications sold in the iTunes App Store. So a Microsoft Word document, for example, could be instantly opened in a word processing program for editing purposes. Apple also lifted the limitation of one Microsoft Exchange account. That helps both enterprise and advanced power users with a hosted Exchange account or multiple Google accounts. Speaking of Google, Apple adds a useful Google-like function with support for mail grouping by conversation.

    iBooks — Apple’s new e-book platform debuted with the iPad, but will move to iPhone and iPod Touch devices with this update. Taking a cue from Amazon, iBooks will synchronize your place in a book when switching from one mobile Apple device to another.

    Game Center — Now that there are 50,000 game titles for the iPhone platform, Apple is going to leverage them for a social gaming experience. Think Microsoft Xbox Live with achievements, multiplayer matchmaking and real-time leader boards. This feature was described as a “preview” in OS 4 that will be fully available later this year, although Apple wasn’t more specific on the time frame.

    iAds — In another page from the Google playbook, Apple is entering the mobile advertising business. This makes sense, given the company’s purchase of Quattro in January. Developers using the interactive iAd platform –which leverages HTML5 — in their apps, will earn 60% of the revenue, with the rest going to Cupertino. Liz Gannes offers more perspective on Apple’s iAds from her on-site vantage point.

    Folders and Wallpapers — In a very desktop-like paradigm, the new iPhone OS adds support for user-created folders and custom wallpapers. What’s the benefit of drag-and-drop folders? More apps. Instead of a limit of 180, folders can hold apps, raising the limit to 2,160 installable applications. Given how many apps we’re all installing — not to mention how much media we tote — it’s a safe bet that this summer will bring an iPhone with 64 GB of storage, just like the highest priced iPad offers today.

    Apple expects to release the new operating system to iPhone 3GS and third generation iPod Touches this summer, while the release for the iPad follows in the fall. The original iPhone, iPhone 3G and first two iPod Touch iterations will be able to use some of the features, but not all. The new features should quell many critics of Apple’s mobile platform — it just gained the multitasking offered by other phones as well as several new features that make the iPad more of a notebook replacement. You’ll still be locked into Apple’s ecosystem, but that’s a price some are willing to pay for one company’s vision of mobile computing.