Mobile Update for September 19, 2008

What not a lot of folks are watching out for is Samsung's bid for Sandisk.  It's really sad, isn't it?  they've got great products and more on the horizon but the market conditions just isn't there.  However, we should be watching this closely.  


There are a lot of biz articles at Yahoo from sources analyzing the bid.  I agree that Sandisk was right in slapping away Samsung's initial bid.  Nanotech believes Toshiba will come in and make a bid.


Personally, I think memory use is just beginning to take off.  Sandisk with it's deals could potentially put itself in a position as a major player when more and more devices use flash memory and less on traditional hard drives.


Another major event today.  Not Android.  I'll be compiling a list of Android links to hold folks over for the weekend.  So here is the news:  Verizon launched it's own mobile store using Flash exactly.  Washington  Post - Gizmodo) - dubbed the Dashboard, it allows LG's Chocolate to gain access to widgets.  Too early to tell if it'll work out.  Recently, VW and Google signed a deal to make Google Search the default search engine in VW's mobile phones.  


In the end, whether it's VW, ATT, or Sprint, it's about control.  We'll see how this pans out.


Mobile Device Update:

• jkontherun  reports T-Mobile will light up more 3G goodness in October, likely in time for the G1 (android) launch.  I see LA!
• GigaOM has answers from captains of the mobile industry chime in on apps.  
• Crunchgear has details on a Skype gizmo that does video.  Available on October for $300 for your grandparents.  
• Could this be the Zune-Xbox-Phone?  It's just a MS patent but we can see where they might go with their mobile solution
• Reuters reports G1 will be $199.  
• Macworld shows Google's new mobile map features.  Coming to most devices but not iPhone.
• JkOnTheRun likes his Wind.  I liked it more since I found out it can run OS X well (Wired).

Mobile Issues:

• Wallstreet problems are also problems for mobile device makers.
• Onxo on 3G modem growth.
• Camerahacker on netbooks for photographers and video guys.
• Electronista reports WiMax launch still on for September.  Twelve days left.
• Electronista reports 170Mbps LTE in moving vehicles.  Closer...closer...oh, but you live in the US...too bad!
• RWW on Amazon's content delivery service.  Looks like it's got more than DRM-free music and Kindle in mind.