CEOs Sacked, Cloudy Forecast. Consolidation Coming?

Here are the new kids on the block: Samsung, Motorola, HTC. Maybe LG.

Here are the guys who don't get it. Let's call them the "old guys": Asus, Acer, Lenovo, Dell, HP...though HP gets a pass because its Palm acquisition has yet to play out. RIM probably belongs here too given the limitations they've put on Playbook and the weird marketing.

Wild Cards: Amazon And Barnes and Noble. Sony And Nintendo Should be with the Old Guys but I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt.

So far, the new kids are doing well. Dazzling the market with new Windows Phone 7 and Android gears. And just completed 3 months of 2011, we'll see more Android 3, Honeycomb, tablets hit the market and continue what the iPad did last year: putting a hurt on the laptop market and possibly finishing off the netbooks.

The old guys spew a lot of double talk about how their experience in enterprise will ultimately demonstrate that they new guys's tablets, including the iPad, will not have a chance. They came out with fuzzy math to show how the tablet is more expensive.

And yet, so far, vaporware.

Because it's a Friday afternoon, let me put this out there. Dell is going to fail. The rest of the old guys probably will struggle bit time as well as the mobile market shifts in terms of needs and what the new type of computing the tablets represent.

And like HP having to go out and buy Palm for the Web OS, I wonder if others will need to do the same to stay viable over the next decade.

Dell has to make an acquisition or two. As an old guy, Dell is still making loads of cash. And the PC market isn't just going to disappear overnight. And of the new guys, Motorola Mobile (MMI) is the weakest and smallest.

Can Dell come in and scoop them up and instantly gain strong street cred with Xoom and Droid? It has done that in the past with the gaming laptop maker, Alienware. On top of that, there's talk that Motorola is making their own OS to distance themselves from Android and Windows Phone 7.

Dell will probably see what their lineup will do against others. It will gain no traction and the blogs and investors will demand action. They'll probably have to go out buy what they need. All that matters is when Michael Dell pulls the trigger. I'm predicting it'll be Motorola because RIM will be too expensive. Plus, RIM's got a couple of erratic co-CEOs that might clash with Dell.

For the other old guys, 2011 will be exciting not because of their new products which are largely based on old thinking but what they will do once they fail. Aside of HP's Touchpad, the rest of the Android tablets will be hard to differentiate. And though some might hope that a Windows tablet OS might save them, that is probably a 2012 thing, more likely 2013 given Micrsoft's track record to promise but under deliver.

The ebook sellers and the gaming guys, Wildcard guys, present a very interest dynamics going forward. And they have an opportunity to play big roles or completely disappear into nothingness. I'm looking foward to speculate what could come of them.

Right now, the situations for the old guys are more dire. HP has to succeed with the Touchpad and the next Web OS smartphones. Dell will fail miserably and look for an answer through a buyout.

The same is probably true for the rest of the old guys. Their only opening is in Asia where many of these old guys can still count as their stronghold. However, that window will close quickly once Apple has its iPad 2 supply issues figured out (Steve Jobs has $60+ billion in the bank to do just that) and more Apple stores start opening up.

RIM In Conflict With Carriers Over Where To Store NFC Data, How About Device Makers?

Supposedly, RIM is butting heads with some GSM carriers over where near field communication data, NFC, would be stored. The bottoms here is who will have control over the customer, the data, and what promises to be a very lucrative revenue stream for both carriers and device makers.

NFC capabilities will increasingly become available in not just smartphones but regular cell phones as well. This NFC is important for mobile payments. And billions in transactions will be made this way.

Gone may be the credit cards. So who will win this fight? And where does Apple's closed iOS system and Google's Android fit in all this?

More at Greejava.

RIM: Will Ship 4th Gen Playbook In Weeks, Months, This Decade (It's a Joke But Must Read)

RIM's Playbook is kinda tied into the Blackberry for some services and it's not as severe as some in the media is misrepresenting it.

What the media really missed is that the Playbook has gone through so many changes since we heard about this back in the fall of 2010, October 25th to be exact. And Yes, in a couple of months, we will be in spring of 2011. And it's possible that the Playbook will not ship until summer, fully 9 months after the Playbook was announced.

That is the sin that the media committed. And you know why this is and allowable? Because RIM is now perceived as the underdog. Even yours truly have been giving RIM waaaay to much rope. And it's not a good thing. All that rope will only allow RIM to hang itself it it doesn't deliver.

So, when is the Playbook shipping? In weeks? Months? With 5G wireless access? More at Greenjava.

Tablet News: RIM Introduces Playbook, iPad Killer (Okay, hit bait right?)

RIM introduces its tablet, Playbook. yeah!!!

Won't be ready until 2011. Boo!!! What a downer...

RIM's Torch Launch Over, Now Windows Phone 7 - Video Tour

Now that RIM has broken my heart by revealing it's been giving out copies of key to its kingdom, not even the news of the new Blackberry Torch is enough to make people happy and excited. Just ask the blogs and the market as investors priced down the stock.

Bottom-line: RIM is likely to hold serve and keep fans happy but its version of OS 6 doesn't have what it takes to attract new users.

Well, security issues aside, RIM will likely continue to grow at a nice pace. We'll see what the fallout of the United Arab Emirates shutdown is going to do.

Now, the focus will be on Windows Phone 7. Here a 4-part video on what we can expect. There's nothing new here that we haven't seen from Microsoft and even other mobile platforms. But the looks is a bit different. That's always good.

Enjoy.









Convincing?

More at WMpoweruser.

RIM: Security For Customers or Not

When Google said they were leaving China, I, for one, supported their decision. But now, they're back and censoring seemed to be back. "Do no evil", Google's motto, seemed to be "so long as the bottom-line isn't affected". However, RIM doesn't have this luxury as it is faced with a decision on working with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

UAE has anounced by will but Blackberry services by October and Saudi Arabia may take similar actions unless they have the ability to control access. The reason is control of information. Mostly censorship but, to be fair, a bit of crime fighting (terrorism).

So what should RIM do?

Do Some Mobile Fans Feel Like Their Favorite Platforms Is Under Sieged At Times?

I’m an Android and iPhone fan. I wouldn’t call myself a fanboy though I’m fine and ready to defend my mobile platforms against stupid and outdated modes of arguments. I especially like that Apple and Google are going at it because in the end, we, the mobile warriors, win because it’ll for them to innovate and be very very competitive.

More than that, it shift and moves ideas and against conventions smart folks like Steve Jobs are at the head of these battles.

But how does it feel to be RIM or Palm fans? Or even Windows Mobile enthusiasts? Day in and out, it’s Android this and iPhone/iPad that. I will admit, it can get sophisticating on some days when the blogs (and even mainstream media) all regurgitating the same thing over and over.

But with Palm’s buyout offers being rejected by Lenovo and HTC, it can’t be a good feeling for Pre fans. Sure, it got picked up by HP but only because they realized their HP Slate running Windows 7 wouldn’t stand a chance next to the iPad (this isn’t the fan in my talking. It’s HP’s decision to pull the Slate talking).

This harkens back to the days when Apple was about to be unplugged from financial life support. Before Steve Jobs came in and Microsoft’s $150 million morale booster. Folks were just bailing in OS 9 and PowerPC that supported the Macs at the time. It was ugly and everyone was wondering why I stuck with it. It was Windows, Windows, Windows.

Apple was on the verge of collapse as developers like Adobe (hence the Flash war today) and users, even those traditionally loyal in the creative and education circle, left for Microsoft.

To make matters worse, Apple continued to relied on older OS designs while a modern OS capable of such tasks as multi-tasking existed only as vaporware (remember Copland, anyone?). Plus, let’s admit it, the PowerPC 603 and 604 chips were underpowered compared to the highflying Pentiums.

And yes, during those dark days, loyalists still recognize the ease of use and lack of viruses as reason to pay a premium for underpowered Macs and Powerbooks.

Now, the same goes for RIM and Blackberry fans. RIM is doing well but it constantly is being made to look like a douche that only does e-mail well after failing to come out with a competitive touch mobile device. And to make your days worse, a new report just out today says that Incredible & Droid is killing Blackberries at VW while HD2 is mopping the floor with Bold. And we know how the iPhone is doing over at AT&T.

So I can relate.

At the end of the day, we’re all in the same camp. We want Apple, Google, Palm (HP now), Microsoft, RIM, and Nokia to fight like there’s no tomorrow through competition and innovation. Believe me, what’s good for the iPhone folks is good for the Android guys. And that’s also good for WebOS and Blackberry fans too.

Note: I hope to be a Windows Phone fan too when the day comes and it measure up to the gadgets that I’ve got at the time. Also very excited about WebOS too.

Nokia And Sony Ericsson - Can They Return To Prominence?

My initial intention was to try talking about Nokia and Sony Ericsson with the mention of the you-know-what that has a fruit for its corporate symbol.

Nokia just recently posted a loss of nearly $850 million while Sony Ericsson faired a bit better but still doesn't seem to have an answer to get back into the black. The public line is the economy. And while Sony Ericsson did fare a bit better than what analysts were expecting, it was still not the same thing as actually announcing a positive earnings.

I've long ago given up hope of trying to understand corporate reporting as allowed by regulatory agencies but that's now the issue here. Others in the industry have managed to do well despite the depressed global economy. So, how are Nokia and Sony Ericsson different from say RIM and Apple's mobile offerings?

The main difference I see here is the lack of a cohesive mobile plan on the part of Nokia and Sony Ericsson. Just ask Motorola. It's difficult to see how Nokia plan on turning things around but folks like Sony and Motorola are moving away from Windows Mobile to Android to power their devices and hoping that will solve their problems.

Still, it is difficult to ascertain if that will work as planned. The differentiating factor between Android and Windows Mobile (WM) is that both platforms have different backers and that Android is open source and free while WM is Microsoft's offering and isn't free. And as Android devices flood the market, there won't be much in terms of differentiation among themselves.

In essence, many of these companies using Android will not be able to differentiate themselves other than adding their own proprietary skins to run on top of Android. The underlying operating system remains the same. Not only will Android devices in the future have to contend with Palm, WM 7, Blackberry OS, and others, they will have to compete among themselves.

Sony will need to fend off HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and other Android hardware developers.

However, Nokia stands to have a better chance than Sony Ericsson since it offers its own mobile platform. The only thing that's lacking from Nokia is a mobile vision for its users and prospective mobile users.

Obviously, time will tell. We'll know into 2011 where things stand. By then, Android devices will be in their second or third generation hardware and OS improvements. We'll know if Sony Ericsson and others who chose to back Android was the right decision. And even as the smartphone market continue to grow and adoption accelerates in an improving global economy, it will be interesting to see if Nokia is able to hold its fort against the onslaught of smaller innovative mobile players.

RIM Sells Soul To Verizon To Compete

The title of Yahoo's tech article "Verizon Debuts VCast App Store, Partners With RIM" isn't what mobile warriors can except when the time comes to actually using it.

I can't believe this to be the case.  RIM shouldn't be in bed with Verizon or any other wireless carrier this way.  RIM has its own app store, Blackberry App World, and, somehow, it sold its users to the leading wireless gatekeeper and for what?

I am not sure this is good for mobile users in the long run.  Verizon Wireless talks a nice talk but so far their actions don't jive with their words.  In the past, they spoke about having an open network but actual practice says otherwise.

Just so you know, VCast App Store will be the default app store on all smartphones sold by VW.  Users will have to add other app stores on their own if they don't wish to use Verizon's.  What does that say about VW's definition of "open"?

Didn't the federal government as well as others around the world sued Microsoft for using its position to push IE on computer makers and, thus, users?  What exactly is VW doing differently?

You can bet that when the iPhone finally makes it onto the VW's LTE network, Apple will be operating its own app store.  Otherwise, there you won't see the iPhone there.

And right now, Blackberries are all that VW has that's holding the line against ATT.  Other than the fact that people don't like ATT.  So RIM should have been in a stronger bargaining position.

VW said its app store promises greater visibility and traffic.  No, duh.  It'll be the only store allowed when the phone is sold to the user.  VW said it wants to differentiate itself from other app stores.  What's the point?  It's the only store allowed unless the users figure out how to add other stores.

Oh, RIM, what are you doing to us?

Source:  Yahoo News

Can There Be One Dominant Player In The Smartphone Market?

When people think about the OS market, it's Microsoft.  When people think about MP3 players, it's iPod.  There's no question about that.

When people think smartphone, you probably get quite a different picture.  And it matters who you  talk to.  Blackberry.  Windows Mobile.  Symbian.  Am I leaving anyone out?  Hmmm....probably.

Palm's newly minted CEO, Jon Rubinstein, believes there can be multiple winners in the smartphone and mobile device market.  It's an assessment that many folks including myself also believe in.

There was a time when Palm had the whole PDA market to itself after Apple withdrew with the Newton all the while people begged Jobs to buy Palm.  Of course that didn't happen.  Today, Palm is struggling to be relevant in the mobile market.

As for Apple, it'll be years before we know if the iPhone has enough attraction and Apple has the ability continue to innovate ahead of its competitors.  We know Apple has planned years ahead.  Nevertheless, iPhone exclusivity deals will keep Apple from an encore performance with the iPhone as it did with the iPod.  It's likely that if Apple will dominate a market outside of MP3 players, it'll have to be a market of mobile devices it creates all to itself.  For now, Apple will have its followers.  A good number to be sure but nothing like the iPod market.  But Apple products tend to generate a loyal following.

RIM likely has the best chance to be a dominant player in the market along with Nokia.  The problem is both of these companies lack the passion it once had.  Nokia with the cell phone market and RIM with the smartphones.  Without reasons for mobile users to stay loyal to these two brands, they will continue to find users looking else where for their mobile needs.  However, if either of these two companies do find that spark of passion to truly innovate, watch out, folks.  Nokia has the best name recognition but RIM is looking to make a big move in China.

That leaves Android and Windows Mobile.  It's hard to say at this point for these two wild cards.  Wild cards?  Because we know so little about how Windows Mobile 7.  We don't know if Zune will be included in the mix or not with Windows Mobile.  Has Microsoft found a cohesive mobile strategy?  We know Android is cheaper in terms of licensing but it seems to lack focus.  Google and its superfriends have had only one Android device, the G1, on the market.  There is also talk about Android in netbooks.  As far as I'm concerned, Android needs more work and until Android 2.0, anything else is beta.

So perhaps, Palm's CEO has is correct.  There will be many winners in the mobile market and there's will be not one super dominant player in the market.  Still, the potential is there for one or two companies to make a move to put a hurt on its competitors.

Pre - $199 (After Rebate) On June 6th

According to Yahoo (Via Reuters), Palm and Sprint will try to upset the mobile device world with the Pre for $199 on June 6th. However, expect to pay $299 at the store because you won't get the $199 price until you mail in the rebate and get the rebate check back. How does this compare to the other smartphones and mobile devices?

I can't tell you that because Palm has yet to release a whole host of information regarding its usage such as the battery life.

However, this is a very important announcement as Palm attempts to revive its fortunes, not to mention those of Sprint's.

For a while, I had expected a boring two to six weeks until the iPhone is released but this has certainly made things interesting. At the end of the day, this is not really about the iPhone. It is about whether Palm can deliver as hyped. Already, Palm is trading more than 5% lower as investors find the information not to their likely. Matching iPhone's entry-level pricing is a no-brainer. I suspect that the Pre's challenge in the comping months will be competition with Blackberries priced from free to $199. Oh, there's another "storm" on the horizon as RIM readies Storm 2.

For Palm to finally get Pre out the door is the easy part. Convincing fans like myself who have left it for other platforms will be the difficult part. So Palm, I'm not very happy with my G1. Get me to switch.

Via Yahoo News

Note: Again, we mobile warriors win at the end of the day. And expect Palm's competitors to welcome the Pre with a party of new hardwares, competing rates, and misdirections. And possibly a $99 iPhone.

Another Note: The rebate thing is stupid, Sprint. Stop that nonsense.

Android's Future Needs To Include Tablets

While folks are still lamenting not seeing an Apple netbook or tablet from Macworld, it leaves a lot of room for others to make their move.

Sony did it at CES with the Viao P. But what's more interesting is this device I spied on Gizmodo. This is the future of Android. Android isn't just smartphones but the netbooks and the wave of touch tablets likely to come at us wave after wave.

Now, netbooks are fine but I think tablets is where people will gravitate towards eventually. Lighter, smaller form, and, if things go right, longer battery life. And for mobile warriors, without the battery life to support your life style, netbooks will only take you so far.

On the other hand, Android tablets offer an uniqueness because of its ties to Google. I'll go even further in saying that Google needs a gTablet. It would make sense for Google to create such a device because it would show the market confidence in not just the search engine but its whole computing philosophy.

Let's face it. A lot of readers out there know and use Google services and apps. Position the Android and devices it powers as an everyday necessity. Think of it as the mobile user's wallet. Apple is positioning it's devices for gaming and push into enterprise (I'm putting this in very simple terms), Microsoft and RIM are battling it out and trying to hold their ground, and Palm is simply trying to survive, this gives the Android tablet to change how mobile warriors think about computing and accessing data that affect their lives.

With a gTablet, Google can begin to corner the market all to itself and move millions of desktop bound users into the mobile realm. On its terms.

Note: Remember white spaces. Guess who's a big support of it. Google. Get gTablet to work with white spaces and Google will never have to rely on wireless providers again. Also remember GrandCentral? Trust me. Google is not letting it languish in some backroom and forgotten. I think I'm on to something here.

Quick Mobile News Bits and CES Expectations

Here's a couple of mobile news bits to keep in mind as we enter the new year.

The CES, Consumer Electrontics Show, in Las Vegas is merely a few weeks away.  For those of us who didn't find this year's mobile gear offerings too compelling, 2009 should be pretty good. 
Word on the street is that Palm will finally make a serious effort to retake the mobile market it once dominated with a new mobile platform and devices.  Also, it helped that they received an $100 million cash infusion that should sustain them.  Boy, this Cobolt thing better be good.

RIM also got in on a bit of news last week by announcing a great quarter.  I think they've regain their footing.  Watching out, folks.  And by folks, I mean Microsoft, Google, and others. 

Then there's Android news.  New features.  For sure new phones in 2009.  G2, G3...you get the idea.  I do wonder if Android will break out and get into the netbook market. 

Certainly Sony is getting into the hype and secrecy business with a new Vaio.  Folks seem to believe it's a netbook.  The only reason I'm putting this bit of info on Onxo is that it's not a rumor.  However, your speculation is just as good as anyone's at this point.  Netbook, Viao tablet (I hope!), or something totally different.  I'm hoping for a Viao with PSP capability.  And since I just mentioned it, I know that it'll never happen. 

We're likey to more information trickle out in the next couple of weeks leading up to CES.  With Macworld seemingly dead (largely because Steve Jobs will not be the keynote speaker), more attention should be on mobile offerings from other tech companies.

LINKS:

• $100 million for Palm.
• Revolutionary Viao
• Sony's secret Viao page

Blackberry Storm - Where Are The Sales Figures?

I could have posted this on On Apple or On Android but I figure folks in those camps are just as galvanized and passionate about their mobile devices so I'm posting it.

Where are RIM's figures for Storm?  Why isn't Verizon saying how sales numbers are saving Christmas for its stockholders? 

I'm not insinuating anything here but the BB crowd can sure use good news right about now.  Initial sales for the Storm numbered between 100K-120K on the weekend it launched.  That's a very good number and it could pick up steam as the Holidays and Christmas rush is factored in. 

Still it would be reassuring to hear RIM or Verizon come out and do a bit more cheerleading.  I've seen the ads on television, Hulu, and other online avenues but if you do a quick google search, there isn't a lot of information from either companies.  RIM has repeatedly indicated they've added record subscriptions since the Storm debut but it isn't the same as saying 500,000 or 1,000,000 units have sold since.

Regardless, RIM remains the standard bearer in the smartphone segment of the mobile industry.  And it's making the right moves by hiring over a thousand new engineers during this economic downturn.  While others may be looking to shed the workers, Apple and RIM are doing the opposite.  RIM's hirings gives me confidence that they're looking at the long-run and not just a couple of quarters down the line.

I think this alone should be Crackberries a lot to cheer about.

Source:  Fierce Wireless, Unwired View

Note:  Still, a couple of numbers could be reassuring.  And also, I wonder if Storm is helping RIM expand their reach with consumers or is it merely cannilalzing sales of other Blackberries like the Curve or the Bold.

iPhone OS Displaces Windows Mobile Ranking But...

First, let me say I love my first gen iPhone.  Second, I am trying to like my G1 but in my previous posts, I think Google and T-Mobile suckered us into their beta program.  Third, more than anything, I'm a big mobile fan.

So, it's great to see that iPhone has indeed gain a lot of traction among mobile warriors.  Ten to twelve million (depending on how you figure - actual activations, users, or simply pushed into stores).  Very impressive no matter how you want to account for the number.

Still, I want to mention a couple of things before a long-term victory is declared by the Apple camp.  The mobile market is very fluid.  It doesn't change from day to day but quarter to quarter.  The iPhone 3G came at a time when there was not a lot of new competitors on the market.  A lot of the products from RIM, Nokia, or Microsoft were already a bit dated.  And for a time, there was no competition to speak of if you want to talk about touch-screen devices.  And to dte, there is no multi-touch devices like the iPhone out there.

Also, Windows Mobile 7 is still MIA.  I would love to see the iPhone go toe-to-toe with WM7, Storm, and Nokia's N97.  Perhaps we may still.  N97 will be out likely in June of 2009.  There could be a new iPhone by then as well.  Perhaps even Storm 2.  And WM7 should be just around the corner.

Then we'll truly see a slug-fest.  Just the same, the iPhone, as a new comer, is kicking a lot of sand in the eyes of the old guards, changing rules of the game, and really running ahead of competing products on the market.

Nokia still rank first 42.4% of the smartphone market.  Coming in next is RIM with almost 16%.  Apple is third with about 13%.  Only Nokia suffered a bit of a drop from 49% a year ago.

So, new innovative product.  Timing.  And missteps by competitors.  All helped to make the iPhone 3G a success.  What do you think?  How will the game be played out?

Source:  Cult of Mac, MacDailyNews

Impact:  Well, Apple's success in the mobile market has caught people by surprise.  Even more, the extent of Cupertino's reach is all the more daunting.  We'll see smaller launch windows between product refreshes, increase research and development for those who can afford it (Palm and Motorola doesn't seem capable of that now), and lower pricing.  Great for all mobile users.  My only fear is that we may also get a lot of crap as a result.

First, We Find Out Obama Uses A Blackberry And Now...

The last couple of weeks in mobility was dedicated somewhat to the subject of President-elect Barack Obama having to give up his Blackberry due to security reasons.  Makes sense.

While the Jobsian cult was not to happy to learn that the next President of the United States uses a Blackberry but at least they can take comfort in the fact that once he enters the White House on January 20th, 2009, he'll have to give it up.  No iPhone but no Blackberry either.

But now this.  Apparently, someone saw him at a Chicago gym.  Cool, right?  We all know he works out.  We also know he likes music.  Who doesn't? so he must have a MP3 player, right?  President Bush has an iPod.

Well...Apple fans, read no further if you don't want your heart broken by the man you elected to be the next leader of the free world.  You will not like what he uses as his MP3 player.  Macenstein has the details.

Note:  Well, at least we know Obama uses a Macbook or Macbook Pro.

Nokia Drops New Devices For Holiday Seasons

A bit late.  Very late.  Nokia's N97 is looking like a winner, if an expensive winner.  And from the preliminary specs, we are looking at potential (dare I say?) Blackberry-and-Danger killer.   Haha, you thought I was going to talk about that other mobile device.



32GB of internal storage with additional memory slot.  Dude, this is one bad-ass mobile device.  And to top it off, 5MP camera, touchscreen (probably not multi-touch).  Going for about $700 in the Euro zone, it'll be available on the first half of 2009.  It's not something the iPhone, Android, Blackberry fans need worry about this certainly gives Symbian/Nokia fanboys something to cheer about finally.

Source:  Electronista

Note:  iPhone still the top.  Mobility is about simplicity and nothing beats the iPhone at this time.  However, Nokia's new device certainly come close to being the killer on paper.  We'll have to see how it really plays out.

Impact:  For mobile warriors of all favors, it is great to see Nokia in the game and strong.  Innovation, competition, and possibly lower price entries for sophisticated devices on 2009.  I love it.

Microsoft To Compete With iPhone

You're saying it already does with Windows Mobile.  I agree.  Windows Mobile is a very big platform.  Successful?  Well, that's up for debate.  The mobile landscape is always evolving and Microsoft i probably feeling a lot of heat from increased competition (but who isn't).   And we've been predicting that such a situation was likely including Microsoft developing its own mobile device.

Given the changes in the last year (iPhone, more folks developing smartphones for consumers), no longer is Windows Mobile good enough to satisify both the business world and consumers are the same time.

A while back, we said Microsoft warranted watching because everyone was very focused on RIM, Nokia and Apple.  We also said we should watch what Microsoft would be doing for this Holiday Season but our silliness got the better of us.  So, 2009 is definitely a year to watch.

Here's the thing.  MIcrosoft has to make their mobile plstform fun.  I'm not talking about having games and eye-candy customizations.  I'm talking about getting mobile warriors to want to carry it around and use it and make it a part of their daily lives.  Blackberries has the e-mails and messaging, while the iPhone has web-browsing, iPod-features, and generallly friendly UI.

Microsoft has tons of experience with UI and it also has experience with consumer electronics like Xbox and Zune.  Onxo definitely see Microsoft developing a mobile platform that can combine the best of the Blackberries and the iPhone.

So, folks, we are only confirming old news.  Just like the digital music realm, Microsoft has figured out that it can't simply develop a platform and let others do as they please with it.  Like the Zune, Redmond is getting their hands dirty once again to against smaller but more nimble foes.  If you want something done right, you'll just have to do it yourself.

My bet is we'll see something spectacular, provided this new Microsoft mobile device is not handicapped by wireless providers.

Source:  The Inquirer (Must Read)

Is Apple Afraid of RIM's Storm?

That's the questions asked at On Apple.

CNet is saying that Apple released the iPhone 2.2 update on the exact same date that the Storm goes on sale is proof that Cupertino is afraid of RIM and its new Blackberry.

I think Apple, as well as anyone else, should always be concerned about the competition.  Scared?

You be the judge.  Please read at On Apple.  Love to hear what you think about it.

Blackberry Storm - Reviews Are Out

I'll put together a few links that will tie as much of the reviews I can find on the Internet together.
Two things to keep in mind with online reviews.

1. Favorites - some reviews will play favorites.  I'm not accusing anyone of blatant bias.  For example, people on iPhone sites will be used to its quirks when it should be an issue but doesn't mention it in its reviews.
2. Some reviewers are not users.  They send a few days at most with a device and sits down in front of their Macbooks and set to provide their best opinions - I've owned the G1 for a month now and I've avoided providing an in depth review until I've had the time to vet it properly.

So far from what I've read, things aren't good when Blackberry-centric sites are cautioning the same things I've mentioned above.  Usually, fan-sites jump right into the fray if reviews are glowing.  After looking through some of the more objective ones, the conclusion seems to be one of the best Blackberries ever on the market but more work is needed via updates and Storm 2. 

Now just the same, if you are interested in the Storm or any other mobile devices, my best advice is to go down to the local stores and spend some time with it.