A Word On Tech Rumors - Nexus One and iTablet

I love rumors as much as the next mobile warrior.  As you know here, Onxo doesn't talk about rumors but we're okay in blatant, even wild, speculations.  And right now, folks in the Internet are going nuts over Apple's iTablet and Google's Nexus One.

Fine, I just want to tell everyone to enjoy the holidays and the new year celebrations along with a healthy diet of tech rumors.  But come next Tuesday when Google's press event unveiling its own Android phone and then again on January 26th when Apple's likely to unveil the iTablet, be prepared for some indigestion.

First, Google's going to show the world on January 5th what Android 2.0 and its own hands at mobile design can produce to change the world of mobile computing and experience. That much we know is a fact.

But last night, rumors started flying around about pricing and contracts and I can tell you a lot of folks are going to be disappointed come Tuesday. See, before that, along with others, I was really giddy over the prospect of Google changing rules of the mobile market the way Apple did with the iPhone and now it is beginning to look less like Google's going to be doing much of that.

I remain hopeful that the latest disappointing rumor is merely an attempt to mislead the public and we'll still be wowed. Honestly, $530 for an unsubsized Nexus One and $180 for a very restricted voice and data plan from T-Mobile isn't going to wow people next week.

Now, for the iTablet. Haha, jokes on us if Steve Jobs wakes up on the morning of the 26th and decides the iTablet (or iSlate) isn't good enough for him and uses the 26th event to talk about the great Christmas Apple just had and walks off the stage and leaves his minions to introduce the next Macbook update.

That is the reality of Apple rumors. It takes one guy to start speculating (like us but someone more influential) and for the rest of blog world to catch fire. I've got my own iTablet speculations but I always make sure people know that. For some tech folks, they like to report what they talk about to Wall Street guys as if they've seen the Apple tablet. You know as well as I do that Wall Street guys mostly take their cues from the blog guys. And when the analysts simply talk out of their behinds, they're almost always wrong about Apple.

So, I simply want to put a dose of reality into all this going-ons. I love to see Nexus One at $99 with no contract running on Google's secret white spaces network supported by ads. I love for Apple's iTablet to be 10" running OS X as well as iPhone apps for 15-18 hours of rigorous use while weighing in at 1 pound or less with iChat video and VOIP while giving me the option to watch streaming video from iTunes. All for $500.

Chances are that a majority of that ain't gonna happen. Nevertheless, I insanely hold out hope. Heck, I still believe in Santa, it's just that he doesn't visit me because I've been naughty.

iHologram: 3D Depiction Beyond Gaming Implications

It'll be a while before we see true 3D holograms the likes of Star Wars but even without lasers and mirrors, simulated holograms can be created. On the iPhone that is. iHologram is an app for the iPhone but certain, this can be achieved on other mobile devices as well.

With the iPhone 3GS' compass, the iPhone can display realistic 3D images of moving objects. This enables the user to see the object from a variety of angles. Of course, I wouldn't go as far as to call this a hologram as the app's title would like us to think. Nevertheless, this is a clever use of the built-in compass.



Having said all this, it would be prudent for hardware developers to include chips or digital compasses in their future designs. Yeah, I'm talking to you, Sony and Nintendo.

More than that, an intelligent camera capable of pasting together images will allow a multitude of applications.

• Doctors can see 3D images of patient scans.  I'm think of when Apple (or others) come out with its tablet.  Apps like iHologram with multitouch support can allow a physicians to see very detailed images of, say, a brain scan by zooming in and out.
• An architect or real estate agent can provide detailed of home or buildings
• Military commanders can look at the battle field from various angles for tactical informations on troop movements and supplies.
• When the time comes, perhaps Hollywood can allow the audience to watch movies from a variety of perspectives, providing the view a deeper level of emersion that a 2D screen will never be able to provide.

Those are just a couple of examples.  I'm sure you can think of more.  For now, simply be amazed by what a couple of clever developers are capable of coming up with.

More at Macrumors.

Qik: Live Video Streaming For Mobile Warriors

Qik. I like you to meet the company that’s going to be on the forefront of mobile video streaming. And it’s not just ordinary stream I’m talking about here.

With the Qik app for the iPhone and Android devices, any mobile warrior can become a broadcaster.

Qik has been around for a bit now but it was only recently when Apple allowed Qik to stream live video from the iPhone app that it has suddenly gained a lot of attention in the media and blogs.

For instance, I was able to provide a live stream from my iPhone 2G tethered to the G1 via Wi-Fi Tether and show off a couple of minutes of video from last night’s dinner to a friend overseas.

There is a wide range of implications for this new mobile app. Forget citizen journalists providing near instant updates with still pictures, now folks can report on news right from their mobile device.

How about for folks who can’t make it birthday parties and weddings? No problem if someone at the event is kind enough to provide some live video of the vow or candles being blown out.

The video quality for Qik was good enough consider where we are today with streaming technology and I’m confident that we’ll get to play with better quality videos as mobile devices become apt at handing the load and wireless speed improve with additional 3G upgrades to 7.2mbps or 4th generation wireless. Keep in mind that I was streaming through a tethered iPhone over 3G.

But there is something that I have to come back to: battery life. Wow, did Qik kill my battery on the iPhone. It wasn’t the app’s fault. It’s a fact of life, you know? If live user-provided content are to make inroads, battery life has to improve vastly. I’m going to try this weekend to see what kind of battery life I’ll be able to get out of this.

I’ve got an external battery glove for the iPhone and I’m also able to stream directly from the G1. And I’ve got an extra battery for the Android phone.

Kindle 3.0: Apple iTablet Killer

That's right. Forget the Kindle killer from Apple. Obviously, Apple's forthcoming iTablet can kill the Kindle with ease. No doubt about it. The Kindle 2 and the DX are mere ebook readers. And not even out (nor is there concrete evidence that it exists), the iTablet is already being dubbed to be the ereader that any serious book reader will need and then some.

You know, the Kindle killer. Well, I submit the following: Kindle 3, an iTablet killer.

Alright, it's not likely but it's not out of the realm of possibility. First, Kindle has a wide following if you believe Amazon that it is the most gifted item ever in its store. Second, it's got a wide lead on anything else on the market.

The original Kindle was lame but Kindle 2 did get enough folks onboard. With Kindle 3, with more features, than the original Kindle and Kindle 2, it ought to get even more folks interested in digital reading and the thousands of Kindle owners to upgrade.

So what features will Kindle 3 need in order to stop the iTablet in its tracks:

• Color - the iTablet will have color and the Kindle needs it as well
• Touch - needs touch.  The iTablet will support Apple's famed multi-touch features
• App store - will need to support apps.  also, allow users to order Amazon items directly.
• ePub support.  Get rid of DRM
• Long Battery life - needs to exceed iTablet's own battery life rumored to be in the mid-teens of hours.
• Something to match the iPod Touch models.  Maybe 3-4 inches.  Call it "Kindle Mini"
• Needs better wireless support - bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and better data plans.
• Needs a full browser
• Needs to have Google apps or something along that line to match MobileMe
• Launch its own cloud services for the Kindle.  

You're going to say "a lot of these features are things that the iTablet will have and Amazon is simply playing catch up". Well, you would be correct in a manner of speaking. However, I think that simply by keeping apace with iTablet, Amazon should manage to shift some of the craziness to the Kindle and establish it as an alternative to the iTablet.

Look at RIM. Even with the iPhone craze, Blackberries as a whole still outsell the iPhone, albeit with some clever "buy one get one free" deals.  I am betting if Amazon creates a viable counterattack to the iTablet, it can use the momentum Apple's tablet creates for its own use.

And Perhaps with Kindle 4, Amazon will really be able to establish the Kindle brand as a tablet that also reads books.

Bing-flavored Android and Yahoo-Skins

Bing-flavored Android? That’s what I’m talking about here. With Google coming out with its own phone, the Nexus One, I wonder if its partners won’t feel jilted by this move no matter now much assurances that Google might have offered on that front.

So, I’ve got a solution for Motorola, Verizon, Samsung, and others. Replace Google’s webapp services with those from Microsoft or Yahoo’s offerings. Perhaps Microsoft isn’t necessarily going to be satisfied with this solution but Yahoo ought to consider given that of the three big search engines, only Yahoo has no mobile platform of its own.

If you think about it, it absolutely makes sense and it’ll help Microsoft or Yahoo gain a foothold in the mobile market. So far, Google continues to make inroads into mobile search very much the same way it did with the desktop OS. That isn’t to say that Google will dominate mobile the way it is doing with traditional search but why make it easier for Google?

Where did I come up with this? Bing on the iPhone. I have been using the app for a while now and it’s much better than what Google’s app is capable of. And it looks good too. This also goes the same for Yahoo’s iPhone apps.

Thank Google for making Android available and app and hardware developers mix things up a bit with Bing and Yahoo services.

As for Yahoo, I’d go further and leverage its expertise in building webapps and widgets and craft its own skin for the Android. I love to be able to immerse my mobile experience with Yahoo’s plethora of services.

I think until Microsoft’s WM 7 gets into the game, the battle for the mind-share will be about the iPhone, Android gaining momentum in the market, and RIM’s push in the mobile consumer market. So, Android’s innate customizability provides developers another aspect with which to differentiate themselves from others.

And at the end of the day, we mobile users win because of the added choice for search and other services on a platform that is dominated by Google. We’ve often seen what happens when a company takes consumers for granted.

Christmas Movie Clip: Toy Story 3

Here is this week's movie clip.  It's the upcoming Toy Story 3 that'll debut this summer.



I can't wait for the movie!  Everyone, have a great mobile weekend!

eBook Reader Not For Everyone - My Nook Opinion

eBook readers are another class of mobile devices but a very limited one. I think there are many folks who are in love with the Kindle and other forms of readers like the Sony Reader and the newcomer, Nook. But for what it is, it's quite limited. Here's why.

For mobile warriors like myself who are somewhat also power users, an ereader with its obvious singular function is not going to satify all the other mobile computing needs. Anyone who buys an ereader will know that. Argument closed. But keep in mind that these readers also have wireless connection with mobile service providers. Personally, I think it's just a shame that these devices with dedicated wireless connection are limited to one function.

The Kindle has a rudimentary browser with limited access. The Nook, which I am fortunate to have in my hand, is based on Android, Google's mobile OS, and, yet, all that power is wasted. For instance, the Nook limits me to browse the election of books in Barnes and Noble's ebook store. Where are the apps? Where are the Google web services?

I think once avid readers have had their fill of these readers, ereader developers will need to move to the next step and offer other functions to these reader that will allow users to do more than just read.

• I want to be able to check e-mails. 
• I want Facebook and other social access so I can share thoughts on books with other readers.
• I want basic Internet access.
• I want Google webapps.
• I want multi-touch - it was maddening to trying to press the e-ink screen thinking that I could just touch the selections I want.  I took a while to get used to the fact that I'm limited to the 3" color screen on the Nook.  It was like when I got my G1 and I was constantly trying to do the pinch gesture that I had been used to on the iPhone.

Eventually, these readers will gain enough functions where the link between this class of mobile devices and that of an emerging class of mobile tablets will be blurred.  In fact, I'm hoping that Apple's forthcoming tablet will be the first step towards that. 

A note on the Nook:  Man, is that thing slow.  I love the design and the black and white screen for reading is just superb.  But navigation is just painful.  There ought to be an update in the next week or two.  We'll see if things changed.

Friday Movie on Onxo: Jack Bauer Versus Santa

This is this week's Friday movie (or clip).  I love the show "24".  And Jack Bauer rocks.  Having said that, here's a great inventive clip of Jack "having a conversation" with Santa.



Have a great last-weekend-before-Christmas.

Bing on iPhone - Preview of Windows Mobile 7?

Microsoft released an app that allows iPhone users to use Bing, bring the three major search engines to Apple's mobile platform.  Boy, this is awkward, eh?  I want to be in the room when his guys came to his office and told him that they have to make an app for the iPhone and it'll be Bing.  

Well, it means the mobile search war is now engaged.  Google, by default, is running the mobile search show as it resides on nearly ever major platform.  Not counting Android devices, Google is the default search engine on the iPhone's mobile Safari.  Including those with iPod Touch, 80 million iPhone and iPod Touch users rely on Google for their searches.  

I'm not sure Bing coming to the iPhone is a big deal at the moment but it does mean that Yahoo and Google cannot take the iPhone platform for granted.  And I'm sure we'll see Bing on other platforms in short order.  And for mobile users, this is fantastic.  

Personally, I deleted Google's app months ago.  It was static and it doesn't offer me anything more than what I can get on Safari.  Yahoo's app was more engaging, offering social networks, news, and mail.  With Yahoo, you feel like you've got the whole portal experience on an app.

And what of Bing?  At the home page, you get a very nice interface that reminded me of Pre's own looks.  It was uncanny.  At the top is the search field and at the bottom are options for news, maps, movies, images, businesses, and directions.  

As you can see from the image, this isn't a simple mobile Bing search wrapped an app. The following are more images of searching.  I think the image search is awesome.  

It's promising and Microsoft really can design a good app if it really wants to.  Imagine what's coming for Windows Mobile 7 if Microsoft can do this for the iPhone.  Google, time to step it, man.  

Now, the question is whether Bing will be on Android.

Note:  Keep an eye on this.  Google's the new boogy-man as far as old guard techs are concerned.  Don't be surprised seeing Microsoft and Apple cozy up a bit on certain fronts.  I'm serious about this.  

Killer App Idea: Every Mobile Platform Needs Dedicated Social Network

For those of you mobile warriors who spend a lot of time on the game consoles, you'll know about the communities that Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony created for online gaming, communicating, and buying contents.  You know, like "Xbox Live" or Nintendo's use of "Mii" figures.  So, I ask you all this:  can that experience be brought over to the mobile world?

Suppose Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony duplicate that for the Zune HD, DSi, and PSP.  I think that can go a long way in helping them gain or solidify their place in the mobile world.  Also times to mind is Apple and iTunes.  

More than just gaming, I like to see mobile platforms create a dedicated community that exists on the smartphones or mobile devices, it can create a more loyal customer base.  Such a community can go beyond simply selling, chatting, or tweeting.

Other online society networks like Facebook or MySpace can be invited to participate.  And much like the way Facebook works, dedicated platform social network can allow companies to participate and interact with the base.  I'm sure if Apple offers companies the opportunity to introduce new products and services to the generally cash-rich Apple fans, they'll jump at the opportunity.  

In owning a dedicated social network in a mobile device will enable platforms to own a larger control of their users' mobile experience.  But I say "control" with an asterisk.  Screw this up and it can end badly.  Mobile platforms needs to make sure they provide the best possible experience because they competing with others in the market.  

For instance, Blackberry Messaging is cool but I think it can be a lot more than that.  RIM ought to add a social component a long the line of Facebook or Twitter or simply incorporate them into a larger app.  More than that, RIM needs to be an active participant as well.  RIM can help its tens of millions of users discover new apps, use the Blackberries in new ways.

On Android, I like to see Google make Wave a center of the Android experience.  Right now, it's floundered a bit.  Not much going on but there is a huge potential if Google can make it work.  

Microsoft can Zune all the mobile devices.  Perhaps, we'll see a closer integration with the Xbox Live experience.  To be frank, the Xbox is the only successful consumer-oriented endeavor in a long time, if ever.  It ought to be something Redmond leverages.

Just as Apple has been doing with iTunes.  I imagine with iPhone 4.0, we might see something along that line.  Apple has been doing this with iTunes newsletter and on twitter and facebook where they actively push ideas and suggestions to users.  But that's not enough.  Apple needs to allow iPhone and iPod Touch users to interact with one another by sharing tips, experiences, music, and apps with each other.  Apple can take it a step further by offering some of MobileMe's services like e-mails for free to iPhone and Touch users.  It's the only way I see this working.

As companies become more involved with their users, it may help foster a more intimate mobile experience.  I'll make this prediction now:  More companies will utilize the the app concept to create new opportunities to introduce new products to users, get feedbacks, and, ultimately, foster a better relationship with its customers.  You know that bands use it promote their music and stay in touch with their fans.  And recently, ATT released an app that allows iPhone users to report their network issues.  As basic as ATT's app is, it's a step in the direction I'm advocating.

So, why can't the mobile platforms do this as well and enable a richer mobile experience?