iPhone in China

Apple's launch of the iPhone in China doesn't have the sheen of its tightly controlled product launches in the U.S. and other parts of the world. In fact, it seems downright awkward. The company chose to launch a hobbled version of its hot product instead of waiting a few months to give consumers the real deal. And Apple made it more expensive than the fully functional iPhones already available on the gray market.

When Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) officially released its iPhone in China last week, it presented Chinese consumers with what could be a difficult decision: Pay more for the official device --which currently lacks WiFi -- or obtain a cheaper, WiFi-enabled device from the gray market.

With some 700 million mobile-phone subscribers, China is the largest untapped market for the iPhone, and holds the potential to expand Apple's global market share dramatically.

Yet the company's entry into that market has been fraught with challenges.



A Temporary Ban

There could be as many as two million unauthorized iPhones already in use in China, according to many press accounts. Those unlocked devices are WiFi-enabled and reportedly can be significantly cheaper than the 4,999 yuan (US$730) to 6,999 yuan ($1,025) prices set by China Unicom, Apple's authorized Chinese partner.

The Chinese government placed a temporary ban on WiFi in iPhone-type devices, which caused Apple to manufacture its first round of products without that critical feature. That ban was reportedly lifted in May, according to the Associated Press, but now Chinese consumers are faced with the result.

'A Fairly Severe Disadvantage'

"I think what they wanted to do was comply with the local government, but this is a lesson that governments are incredibly fickle, and anyone can end up on the wrong side of a government decision," Rob Enderle, president and principal analyst with the Enderle Group, told MacNewsWorld. "It could have happened to anyone, but this time it happened to Apple."

The result, however, is that "it will put them at a fairly severe disadvantage," Enderle added.

The good news, however, is that "Chinese buyers generally will pay more for brands they recognize as valid," Enderle noted. "There's so much junk in that market, and piracy levels are so incredibly high, consumers will often pay more for a bona fide brand."

A Line of 300 Buyers

Indeed, though Chinese consumers' reception to the release wasn't anything like the frenzy that met the iPhone's arrival in the United States two years ago, there were still significant crowds lined up to obtain the new, official device, Jeff Gamet, managing editor of The Mac Observer, pointed out.

Some 300 consumers lined up at China Unicom's flagship Beijing store, Gamet noted, despite cold temperatures on Friday night.

"The reason this first batch came out without WiFi is simply because Apple was already ramping up production when China decided to lift the ban," Gamet told MacNewsWorld.

Nevertheless, it seems likely the next batch of iPhones sold to China will have the feature built in, he added.

'That's Still Saying a Lot'

Overall, the partially handicapped nature of the iPhone's official Chinese debut will have a minimal impact on the device's prospects in the long run, Gamet asserted.

"A lot of the iPhones people can get through the gray market have WiFi, and lots of people will buy those," he explained. "But China is a really big country, and lots of people are still lining up to buy the device through legitimate channels, even without WiFi.

"For a country that's had access to gray market iPhones pretty much since the iPhone was originally launched -- and at cheaper prices -- that's still saying a lot," he added.

'A Big Boost' Globally

"China is one of the largest markets in the world for cellphones," Gamet concluded, "so this is going to be a big boost for iPhone market share worldwide."

Now that Apple no longer has to make a special version of the device for China, it could conceivably roll the next -- WiFi-enabled -- generation into production any time, he added.

Apple did not respond by press time to MacNewsWorld's requests for comment.

'Worse Problems to Have'

"Wifi is new and hot and has the potential to transform wireless for voice as well as data," wireless and telecom analyst Jeff Kagan told MacNewsWorld. "However, there are many questions and much uncertainty."

Apple wanted "to grow and move in China," Kagan noted, but the lack of WiFi won't hurt it in the long run.

"When this issue is put to rest, they will make whatever changes they need; in the meantime, they win market share," he explained.

"The worst that will happen is new customers then want an upgrade," he predicted. "There are much worse problems to have."

This article is from www.technewsworld.com

Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0

Google has stepped into the smartphone navigation app market with Maps Navigation, which is based on its Maps for mobile app and gives the user live turn-by-turn directions, among other features. Though Maps for mobile is available on many smartphone platforms, for the time being, only Android 2.0 phones like the upcoming Droid will be able to use Maps Navigation.

Google  on Wednesday announced the beta release of a GPS navigation application for Android 2.0 devices.



Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0

The application is part of Google Maps for mobile. Android version 2.0 will appear on the upcoming Droid handset from Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and Verizon, and other manufacturers also plan to release handsets carrying the updated, Google-backed mobile OS.

Although Google makes other mobile applications that work on a variety of mobile platforms, it's unclear when or if its new nav app will make its way to Android rivals like the iPhone or Research In Motion's (Nasdaq: RIMM) BlackBerry devices.

About Google Map Navigation

Built to leverage a smartphone's Internet connection, Google Maps Navigation provides users with up-to-date maps and business listings from Google Maps. The updates are free; GPS system vendors such as TomTom and Garmin (Nasdaq: GRMN) often charge for their updates.

To search, users have the option of entering the name of a business or landmark into the search box instead of the exact address of a location.

Travelers may like the following features, which leverage their smartphones' Internet access: Live traffic data; satellite view; street view; and search along route.

A blinking light in the corner of the smartphone's screen will glow green, yellow or red depending on traffic conditions along the user's route. Users can get more details by zooming out to an aerial view. Like other GPS systems, Google Map Navigation lets users choose alternate routes.

While driving, users can search for a business by name or type, or they can locate gas stations, restaurants or parking by activating pre-installed layers on the map. Double-tapping the map takes users into Street View. Google Maps Navigation can also show travelers a picture of their destination so they know what to look for when they arrive.

Doing It by Voice

Google Maps Navigation also has a search-by-voice function that lets users navigate through voice commands. That sounds like it could be helpful when driving a car and typing in commands may present a dangerous distraction, but it might not be quite as useful as it sounds, according to Allen Nogee, a principal analyst at In-Stat. "I've been using voice recognition for many years," he told TechNewsWorld. "It's not so easy in the best of conditions, and it's going to be even worse in your car because there's lots of ambient noise."

Voice recognition issues are common and should eventually be resolved, according to Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "This is a technology in progress across all devices, and it will likely take five or more years to fully refine it," he told TechNewsWorld.

Beating the Tom-Toms

Although the idea of using a smartphone for navigation is interesting, for now, users may still prefer standalone GPS systems such as those from TomTom and Garmin, Enderle said. "Standalone GPS systems are preferred because they are relatively inexpensive, they have larger displays than smartphones, and they don't interfere with phone use," he explained.

Eventually, users might opt for smartphones instead. However, the smartphones must be better integrated with car screens and sound systems. "These changes haven't been made yet," Enderle pointed out.

Smartphones may have to make a technological quantum leap before they can replace standalone GPS devices. "Navigation is old hat," In-Stat's Nogee said. "The next stage will be incorporating your location in the rest of your life. Say you're traveling to the airport, and your device will know that and warn you ahead of time that traffic is heavy and you need to leave earlier."

Spreading the Navigation Love

Google describes its Maps Navigation app as "part of Google Maps for mobile." Maps for mobile is a general mapping application available for a wide variety of smartphones, though as a standalone program, it does not offer the same features as Maps Navigation. As far as Google Maps Navigation is concerned, the company has only promised that it will be available for Android 2.0 devices.

Whether the nav application makes its way to other mobile platforms will depend on whether Google will develop versions for those platforms and whether the controllers of those platforms will approve.

For example, Google Maps Navigation may be delayed on the iPhone since the software will have to gain the favor of Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) App Store managers. Though iPhones are sold with preinstalled Google apps like Maps for mobile and a YouTube portal, not every Google application gets an automatic Apple rubber stamp -- a Google Voice app, for instance, has still not been approved by the App Store. Google did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

On the other hand, Google may extend the navigation app beyond just Android phones. "Android is being put on e-books and other devices which actually might be better for navigation, depending on the display size and primary use of the device," Enderle explained.

This article is from www.technewsworld.com

Verizon's Motorola Droid sells for 200 USD

Today is the official unveiling of Verizon's first Android-based smartphone. The Motorola Droid, scheduled for release next week, will be packed with high-end features, like a WVGA+ touchscreen, hardware keyboard, mobile broadband, Wi-Fi, and much more.

Verizon has been aggressively advertising this model -- it has been the subject of a TV ad campaign for the last several weeks that seeks to highlight its advantages over Apple's iPhone.

An Overview of the Motorola Droid

This smartphone will be a slider, with a landscape-oriented QWERTY keyboard. It is going to have a 3.7-inch, 854-by-480-pixel (WVGA+) capacitive Touchscreen with haptic feedback.

It will run Google Android 2.0 on a 550 MHz processor, and will come with a suite of applications that can wirelessly synchronize with this company's services, including Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, and Maps.

Verizon is promising advanced speech recognition to allow user to make calls and search the Web with voice commands.

For professionals, the Droid will offer Exchange ActiveSync and a Microsoft Office file viewer. For everyone, it will have video and audio software.

Android is known for its very powerful WebKit-based web browser, and the newest version is going to support HTML5, plus Adobe Flash 10.1 when it's released in 2010.

Verizon is going to bundle a 16 GB microSD card, and users will have the option of switching this out with a 32 GB card when these come on the market next year.

More Hardware Features

This smartphone will support Verizon's high-speed mobile broadband EV-DO Rev. A service. It will also include Wi-Fi b/g and Bluetooth for short range connections to the Internet and accessories.

The Droid will have a 5 megapixel camera, with auto-focus and dual LED flash. This will be able to handle high-resolution images and 720-by-480-pixel video at up to 24 fps.

It is also going to include a 3.5 mm headset jack, a GPS receiver, and an accelerometer.

This Motorola model will have a 1400 mAh battery, which Verizon says will be good for either 385 minutes of talk time or up to 270 hours of stand-by time.

Overall, this device will be 4.6 inches wide, 2.4 inches wide, and 0.5 inches thick (116 x 60 x 14 mm).

Additional details on the Motorola Droid can be found in the official datasheet (PDF)

Pricing & Availability

Those who are interested in the Droid won't have to wait much longer; Verizon promised today that this cutting-edge cell phone will debut next Friday, Nov. 6. It will be available exclusively at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores and online.

This high-end cell phone is going to sell for $200 with a new two-year customer agreement after a $100 mail-in rebate.

This article is from www.brighthand.com

All about BlackBerry Storm2

Less than 12 months have gone by since Verizon debuted the original, much-anticipated BlackBerry Storm. This was to be the ground-breaking, iPhone-killing hybrid boasting all the best qualities of a BlackBerry with a large touchscreen borrowed from RIM's Cupertino counterpart. In reality, this smartphone offered slow performance and crashed frequently.

The BlackBerry Storm2, slated for release later this week, seeks address many of the problems Verizon and RIM experienced with the first Storm, and I was optimistic as I opened my demo unit box. Unfortunately, my initial impressions are that this device fails to deliver on all the promises. Though the Storm2 fixes a lot of problems, there are still areas seriously lacking.

I've only been playing with the Storm for a little more than a day -- check back early this week for a complete review.


BUILD & DESIGN

Hardware-wise the device looks pretty much like the first generation, minus the chrome trim on the sides and the four physical keys (the talk, hang up, return, and BlackBerry keys). These are now an extended part of the screen, with sensors beneath them.

The Storm 2 also boasts its "SurePress" clickable display. This new clickable screen is more responsive than the first generation Storm, and seems to support multi-touch recognition.

Though more responsive, the new screen still has some misses, which at times has left me wondering if there bottom four keys are broken due to my inability to click them. Additionally I've noticed the phone refuses to switch from landscape to portrait when it's laying on my desk.

Like the original, the Storm2 lacks a physical keyboard, instead offering an on-screen one. While this generally works fine, there are still issues. After pulling up a page that requires typing it's not always apparent how to hide the keyboard. Similar problems calling up the keyboard are apparent when trying to enter numbers during a call.


PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Storm2 9550 does indeed correct many of the issues that plagued the old Storm. The original was lag-laden and screens froze regularly. The Storm2 answers back with what seems like plenty more horsepower to make portrait-to-landscape switches, menu scrolling, screen switching faster, more responsive, and the new OS even adds some visual pizazz to the process.

The Storm2 also boasts Wi-Fi (b/g), whose lack was a major detraction from Verizon's first Storm.

BlackBerry OS 5
Perhaps one saving grace of the device however, is BlackBerry OS 5.0, which gives us a peek at what's to be the new standard for RIM's smartphone.

The latest version of this operating system provides a lot of nice features for the new device. Chief among these are the ability to sync contacts over the air with a service like Google's contacts, the option to choose one of three keyboards in portrait mode -- multi-tap, sure-type, or full qwerty (like the first generation iPhone) -- an enhanced ability to customize notifications, and tweaks that improve the overall user interface.

A BlackBerry OS 5.0 upgrade is expected to be available for current Storm users later today (Sunday October 25) or tomorrow -- and will be a welcome addition for all of you users.

The new operating system version will be covered more extensively in the full review, along with the other features of this smartphone.

This article is from www.brighthand.com

Samsung 360 H1 to be released on October 30

Vodaphone's specially created Samsung 360 H1 handset to be released on October 30, free on £35, 24-month contracts. Network also launches website for parents to understand 'Twitter' generation

Vodafone has announced that its 360 Samsung H1 handset can be pre-ordered today online.

The handset will be out on October 30.

Tailor made for Vodafone, the device is the first in a range which delivers Vodafone's new 360 web portal proposition.

The 360 Samsung H1 has a touchscreen, 16GB memory, Wi-Fi, GPS, and a 5 megapixel camera. It also features a 3D display that displays a user's contact list in a gallery-style card stack, with the most frequently contacted friends and family at the front.

Vodafone 360 automatically syncs all contacts from a user's phone, Facebook, Windows Live Messenger and Google Talk, and will soon also include Twitter. It also automatically backs up all phone content to the internet

The 360 Samsung H1 will be free on 24 month contracts of £35 and above, including unlimited data.

Meanwhile, the network has also launched a website aimed at parents to help them understand and support their children's online activities.

The website aims to help parents play an active role in their children's digital world and to understand how they use their mobile phones, and online social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

Vodafone global head of standards content Annie Mullins said: "Many parents tell us that they are baffled by what their children are doing be it on their on their mobile, on Facebook or via their iphones. They say it's hard to keep up with the pace of change.

"Their desire is to get simple, clear information on everyday matters, such as knowing what age a child should be given a mobile or setting the rules for using Facebook, and very practical advice about what to do."

This article is from mobilenewscwp.co.uk

Blackberry Storm2 Smartphone

Waterloo, Ontario -- Vodafone and Research In Motion today introduced the BlackBerry Storm2(TM) smartphone for customers in seven European countries as well as South Africa.

The second generation of RIM's innovative and award-winning touch-screen smartphone, the BlackBerry Storm2 significantly improves the BlackBerry touch-screen platform with new technology and new features to let customers stay easily connected to the people, places and things that matter most.

In the busy holiday gift buying period, customers in the UK and Ireland will be able to get the new smartphone first through Vodafone, and it will be offered exclusively by Vodafone in Germany, Netherlands and Spain. It will also be made available in France, Italy and South Africa in time for Christmas.

The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry OS 5 evolves the BlackBerry touch-screen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements.

The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone (model 9520) from Vodafone features:

New SurePress Technology

The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone introduces a new SurePress(TM) technology based on an electronic system that provides the user with tactile feedback when the touch-screen is pressed. The new system responds equally to gentle pressure applied anywhere on the surface of the screen and makes clicking the display practically effortless. Typing on the smartphone's virtual keyboards is easier, more comfortable and more accurate. The new SurePress technology also allows the user to type a letter with one thumb even while their other thumb may still be touching or resting on another letter, enabling faster typing and multi-key actions such as Shift or Alt -key combinations.

Hardware Features

- Smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate

- Large (3.25"), dazzling, high resolution 360 x 480 display at 184 ppi

- Capacitive touch-screen with integrated functions (Send, End, Menu, Escape) and new SurePress technology that makes clicking the display practically effortless

- Global connectivity support: UMTS/HSPA (2100Mhz), quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM and Wi-Fi? (802.11 b/g) networks

- 3.2 MP camera with variable zoom, autofocus, flash and video recording

- 256 MB of Flash memory

- 2 GB of onboard memory storage and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot that supports up to 16 GB cards today and is expected to support 32 GB cards when available

- Premium and easy-to-access phone features, background noise suppression technology, loud distortion-free speakerphone and face detection (proximity sensor) that prevents accidental clicks and blanks the screen while the user is on the phone

- Media player for videos, pictures and music, plus BlackBerry Desktop Manager for both PCs and Macs, and BlackBerry Media Sync for easily syncing iTunes and Windows Media Player music with the smartphone(i)

- Vodafone's music client pre-installed, giving access to an extensive catalogue of artists

- A 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and dedicated volume controls

- Bluetooth (2.1) with support for Secure Simple Pairing, hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals

- Built-in GPS for maps and other location-based applications, as well as photo geotagging

- Access to BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones. Categories include games, entertainment, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more. Applications developed for the original BlackBerry Storm are fully compatible with the BlackBerry Storm2

- BlackBerry Internet Service and BlackBerry Enterprise Server support

- Removable, rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides approximately 6 hours of talk time on 3G networks and 280 hours of standby time

BlackBerry OS 5

- More responsive experience and includes usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons and more use of animation

- Typing accuracy and selection have been significantly refined

- BlackBerry Browser improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets

- Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5 will gain the ability to:

-- Set follow-up Flags on the handset like they can in Microsoft Office Outlook

-- Manage Microsoft Exchange email folders (Add, Rename, Move, Delete) on the handset

-- Access remote files shares (Windows Shares); Save, View, Edit, and Email documents from remote file shares

-- Forward appointments and view calendar attachments on the handset

-- Benefit from wireless sync improvements for Contacts, including sync for multiple contact folders, personal Distribution Lists and contacts in Public/Shared folders

(i) Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

Pricing

Pricing will be announced by the individual in-country operating companies. As an indication, Vodafone UK will be offering the BlackBerry Storm2 free from GBP 35 per month on a 24-month contract that includes 600 minutes talk-time, unlimited BlackBerry Internet Service, unlimited text messaging, as well as unlimited access to VMI (Vodafone Mobile Internet) and broadband.

This article is from www.mobiletechnews.com

New Products from Acer: Liquid A1 touchscreen smartphone and Aspire One netbook (349.99USD)

Acer has unveiled two new Android products: a dual-OS netbook and a touchscreen smartphone. Acer is a "fast follower and is probably going into where it sees other significant activity," observed Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney. Android has become the mobile platform to watch, with a slew of smartphones hitting the market this fall. More netbooks are sure to follow.

Acer has announced details surrounding two hotly anticipated mobile devices running Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android mobile operating system: the Liquid A1 touchscreen smartphone, which Acer first said it was developing when it joined the Open Handset Alliance earlier this year; and the Aspire One netbook, which is available for preorder at Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) for US$349.99.

Aspire One will run both Android and Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Windows 7; users can toggle back and forth between the two operating systems. It has a 10.1 inch screen and nine hours of battery life, according to specs on Amazon. It runs on a 1.66 GHz Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) N280 Atom Processor and weighs 2.8 pounds.


Besides joining a select -- but growing -- universe of Android-based smartphones, the Liquid A1 is among the few built with a Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) Snapdragon processor. Qualcomm demoed Snapdragon chipsets powering Android at the International Consumer Electronics Show this January, highlighting the graphics support, tight integration, low power consumption and connectivity capabilities.

Acer did not respond to LinuxInsider's request for comment in time for publication.

Android Fever

The Liquid A1 and Aspire One join the growing number of mobile devices -- particularly smartphones -- that are using Android as the platform. In fact, Android is expected to be the No. 2 mobile platform within just a few years, according to Gartner (NYSE: IT) .

By 2012, the expected rank order will be Symbian, Android, iPhone OS, Windows Mobile, RIM OS, Linux and webOS, the research firm predicted.

Acer's enthusiasm for Android comes as a bit of a surprise, Gartner's Ken Dulaney told LinuxInsider. However, it "is a fast follower and is probably going into where it sees other significant activity."

Eventually, he predicted, Acer will be a very minor player. "They have not yet established themselves in the smartphone area and have to build many relationships with carriers -- and they are up against some very big players, such as Samsung and LG ."

Indeed, in many ways this is a story about Android -- not Acer.

Android has become the platform to watch, Patrick Gilbert, president and CEO of 4SmartPhone, told LinuxInsider. "As far the other players are concerned, such as RIM or Nokia (NYSE: NOK) , I think it will certainly eat into their markeshare -- and likely slowdown growth of popular phones like the BlackBerry."

Besting Apple

Android's open platform could possibly best Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) with its closed, proprietary approach to the iPhone -- and presumably whatever netbook product it eventually rolls out, Charles King, principal with Pund-IT, told LinuxInsider.

Acer A1 Liquid Android-powered smartphone

"We are starting to see increasing demand for smartphone and mediaphone devices built on Android," he said. "Google's decision to move forward with open source technology -- that is, making it available to a wide variety of manufacturers -- is beginning to pay off."

For a while, the market believed that Android would only gain traction through the HTC line of smartphones provided by T-Mobile (the Dream, aka "G1," and the Magic, aka "G2")," said King -- "but that view is definitely passé now. The market sees Android as having great potential no matter who the carrier."

Its openness will be a competitive differentiator against the iPhone in the medium term, he predicted.

Acer's Liquid A1 will be joining a lineup of competing phones: There will be Verizon and Google's Android product rollout, announced earlier this month; Sprint's (NYSE: S) two Android phones, including its forthcoming Moment; and possibly a Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) smartphone built on the Android for AT&T (NYSE: T) Wireless.

Examples of Android based netbooks are fewer, but if demand and recent history are any guide, they are bound to proliferate as well.

This article is from www.technewsworld.com