Fans of the Lincoln-Kennedy coincidences can appreciate similarly contrived dynamics in comparing Nokia and RIM (neither of which, contrary to the occasionally expressed opinion, has been murdered despite “Apple and Android” consisting of three words and 15 letters). Both companies are former smartphone market share leaders — RIM in North America, Nokia globally. Both have had success in developing economies with efficient operating systems that they plan to support indefinitely. Both developed reputations for high build quality and good antenna design, and both were initially dismissive of the iPhone as they continue to see Android as the path to commoditization. And after precipitous market share declines, both hired new CEOs. Nokia, a European company, hired a CEO raised in Canada. RIM, a Canadian company, hired a CEO raised in Europe. These men now struggle with keeping their companies part of a viable alternative to the two dominant marketplace offerings.

Since embarking on their new operating system strategies, though, there have been many contrasts. While Nokia hired an outsider as a CEO, RIM hired an insider. Nokia decided to adopt a licensed OS; RIM decided to build its own (based largely on acquisitions). And now that both the Mobile World Congress and BlackBerry World conferences have passed, there’s an opportunity to assess their comeback progress.

Continue reading Switched On: Clash of the troubled titans

Switched On: Clash of the troubled titans originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 18:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The augmented reality power ring. Illustration: USPTO

Head-mounted wearable computers present a bit of an interface problem. Voice-based head-mounted systems impart the impression that a person is murmuring to him or herself, and accelerometer-based systems that rely on head movement make users look like they have a nervous tic.

One solution to the head-mounted-computer user interface conundrum involves hand gestures. Enter a new Google patent that seems to be the search giant’s answer to controlling its Project Glass augmented reality system. Titled, “wearable marker for passive interaction,” the patented system, which just went public Tuesday, would use a reflective infrared identifier placed on a user’s hand to track and identify the user’s gestures.

The IR identifier would be invisible to the human eye and could be placed on a ring or glove, or even affixed to a fingernail. (Whether the fingernail identifier would be bejeweled isn’t defined in the patent’s language.” An IR camera integrated into an HMD (head mount display) would be used to track the IR image.

Using hand gesture patterns, the HMD would be controlled by a user’s hand movements. For example, a certain gesture pattern could be used to launch an application or open a document.

In addition to interacting with a wearable system that looks suspiciously like Project Glass, the IR identifier could also be used to identify individual users. For example, the system could offer pre-determined, custom eyewear settings for each user: You put on your Google glasses, look at the IR identifier on your finger, and the system would activate your user pre-sets.

Of all the input systems that could be used to control Project Glass, hand gestures would seem to make the most sense. That is, if you’re comfortable looking like you’re conducting an orchestra while walking down the street.

Despite Motorola’s Android 4.0 rollout schedule, not every one of the manufacturer’s devices are ready for dessert — some, the outfit says, will be put on a diet. “Obviously we want the new release to improve our devices,” the company said in a recent blog post, “If we determine that can’t be done, well, then we’re not able to upgrade that particular device.” Handsets that are bogged down by Ice Cream Sandwich simply won’t get an update. Even so, Motorola affirms that it’s working closely with Google to keep its hardware up to date.

Motorola skipping Ice Cream Sandwich for some devices, worries it’ll make them fat originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 20 May 2012 19:25:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Whether it’s a phone or a tablet, using these mobile devices to pass the boring parts of the day is probably the best feature (besides being connected to the ones we love of course). Today my mission was to find an application or game on the BlackBerry PlayBook that features three key attributes. These attributes where attractive UI, low cost – or free, and addicting gameplay. The first game to pass these was Minesweeper Reloaded.

Features

• Adjustable mine count
• Adjustable field size
• Multiplayer coming soon
• Sound effects coming soon

If you’re a windows PC user I’m sure you have probably stumbled across the Minesweeper game that has been pre-loaded on almost all Windows machines since … well, the beginning of time. Minesweeper Reloaded is no different from the classic you’ve come to love.

I had a few issues with the game – one being that often the animated transitions would take long to complete causing you to hit one of the icons a second and a third time. The issue is every time you hit the one of the option buttons, it tries to complete the action again. For example, if you click the options icon and then click again because you thought you didn’t, it will open and then reopen the settings page because of the slow transitions.  The other issue I found is more of a feature request and it is that the game is missing sound effects — something that would add more excitement to the gameplay. I’ve taken the time to read in the developer’s notes on App World and he is certainly looking to add sound effects and it should be coming in a future update, so do not panic.

With mines placed strategically throughout the playing field and with almost no way of knowing where one lies, you’ll be on the edge of your seat as you test the waters with Minesweeper Reloaded on the BlackBerry PlayBook, give it a download, it’s free.

Download Minesweeper Reloaded for the BlackBerry PlayBook

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Rid the field of mines with Minesweeper Reloaded for the BlackBerry PlayBook

Amazon could be stoking a bigger Fire. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Wired.com

If rumors are to be believed, Apple and Amazon are both working on tablets that would invade each other’s turf. The latest scuttlebutt has Amazon preparing for a 10-inch Kindle Fire: DigiTimes reports that “market rumors” are pointing to a 10-inch Amazon tablet launching in the third quarter of this year.

While Amazon is notoriously tight lipped about its sales figures, the Kindle Fire has been pegged as the number one selling Android tablet on the market, with a 54 percent share among a vast field of competitors. With such a commanding lead, it makes sense that Amazon would set its sights on expanding the Fire line, and taking on the iPad in the 10-inch tablet market.

The irony, of course, is that Apple is rumored to be working on a 7-inch iPad mini. The smallish 7-inch form factor — once blasted by Steve Jobs as being dead-on-arrival — is actually doing quite well for Amazon’s Fire, and conventional wisdom says Apple is finding the prospect of lucrative 7-inch iPad sales too hard to ignore.

Both companies’ tablets support robust digital ecosystems that make money on their own. Apple makes a tidy profit on all its iPad sales, but also takes a 30 percent cut of all iOS app sales. And of course Apple makes money on iTunes movie, TV show and music sales as well.

Amazon, meanwhile, takes a different route: It doesn’t make any money on its rock-bottom-priced, $ 200 Kindle Fire, but recoups everything on the back end (and then some) via all the digital and physical goods it sells via the tablet, a veritable gateway drug to rampant consumerism. Thanks to this pricing model, the company could effectively subsidize a 10-inch Kindle Fire, selling it for cost at between $ 300 and $ 350. At this price, consumers could wave off the iPad and its heady $ 500 entry fee, and save a bit of cash.

Of course, the 7-inch Kindle Fire isn’t in the same league as the current 10-inch iPad in terms of performance, U.I. and available apps. So, if Apple were to release a 7-inch iPad, Amazon could find itself up against a true competitor in the mini-tablet space. Apple has shown that it can sell hardware at a premium price and still garner a healthy profit.

With each company allegedly looking to drink from the other’s milkshake, the tablet market could get very, very interesting by the end of the year.

Features

• Send greetings via SMS, email or PIN
• Holidays, Personal Occasions, Casual and Invitation greetings with more added all the time
• Both animated and non-animated greetings available

Make someone’s day by sending them an animated greeting with j4funzies. I’ve used j4funzies to send birthday party invitations, a few Mother’s Day greetings as well as random little notes to my kids and husband. It’s a great way to send a short note just to let someone know you’re thinking of them.

For more information / download j4funzies

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Put the fun back into your messages with j4funzies animated greetings

For some reason, I don’t like the leather holster that RIM ships with the BlackBerry Bold 9900. Maybe it’s because I find it restricts quick access to my device, or maybe it’s the style, heck perhaps it’s both. So I set out on a mission, a mission that would end my holster torment forever. A quest to find the best holster for the BlackBerry Bold 9900. Now, the question is did I find that mythical holster? Continue reading the review of Seidio’s Spring Clip Holster for the BlackBerry Bold 9900.

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CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Keep your BlackBerry at your side with the Seidio Spring Clip Holster for the BlackBerry Bold 9900

Nokia's share prices from May 2007 to today. Image: Google Finance

Curious about how to burn through $ 2.5 billion in less than a year? Nokia might have some suggestions. According to a Reuters poll of analysts, Nokia is on track to lose 2 billion euros, or $ 2.5 billion, of its cash pile in the next three quarters — after already losing $ 2.7 billion of its cash reserves in the past five quarters.

And that’s not even the most pessimistic of outlooks.

More bullish analysts predict that the Finnish mobile company will wipe out the entirety of its 4.9 billion euro, or $ 6.2 billion, cash pile by the end of 2012. It’s a worsening outlook for Nokia, which suffered a $ 1.7 billion loss in Q1. And less than a month ago, the once-largest mobile handset company lost its position to Samsung and had its bonds downgraded to “junk” status.

“I would not rule out the possibility of Nokia being downgraded further,” Nancy Utterback, credit strategist at Aviva Investors, told Reuters. “The company is in a negative spiral that will be hard to reverse.”

Nokia declined to comment on the poll’s findings.

There is, however, still hope for Nokia, according to the 30 banks and brokerages polled by Reuters. The poll found that, on average, analysts believe Nokia will end the year with an actual cash buffer, albeit a small one, of 2.9 billion euros, or $ 3.6 billion.

It’s a significant loss compared to the company’s 2007 cash pile of more than 10 billion euros, or $ 12.7 billion. But at least there’s a sliver of hope that Nokia can survive longer than a couple of years.

And Nokia still has the potential to bounce back with its Lumia line of smartphones and the growth of Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform. The polled analysts predict that Nokia will sell a total of 46 million smartphones next year, more than double the expected 20 million units for this year.

Looking to get a little gaming in this week? Then look no further than Somyeol Jump and Run for the BlackBerry PlayBook. Somyeol Jump and Run is a 2D side scrolling game in which your mission is to save a group of Somyeols as Metroid’s attacks their home planet. The game features 100 levels, Scoreloop integration, various control options and more.

Features:

• Totally FREE
• Unique Jump&Run
• Over 100 fun and challenging levels
• 11 different types of Somyeols
• Collect and find hidden trophys
• Scoreloop online highscore, compete with friends or players all over the world
• Different input methods

Essentially what you’re doing is controlling a group of about 10 Somyeols, and have to successfully move them from point A to point B, but that’s where the simplicity ends. The issue is that the other Somyeols don’t have a mind of their own, and just follow the leader and when you’re faced with fire, spikes, and water this makes for a slightly more complicated game. If you’re thinking “ah, that’s easy”, remember that you need to ensure that all of the drone Somyeols make their way back to the rocket ship…..alive. The more you leave behind or the more that die on the way the lower your score is and the harder it is to continue.

I was impressed to see the developer add Scoreloop into their game, really does adds to the fun factor when playing and competing against others. Somyeol Jump and Run is available on the BlackBerry PlayBook and is available in BlackBerry App World for the low-low cost of free, and you can’t beat that.

Download Somyeol Jump and Run for the BlackBerry PlayBook

CrackBerry.com‘s feed sponsored by ShopCrackBerry.com. Save the Somyeols before it's too late with Somyeol Jump and Run on the BlackBerry PlayBook

Going by Microsoft’s Greater China COO Michel van der Bel, the launch of Windows Phone in China is off to an auspicious start — enough to give Apple the shakes. He claims that devices like the Nokia Lumia 800c have helped Windows Phone reach seven percent of the Chinese market, or just enough to get past the six points of the iPhone. We’re waiting on hard data before we take van der Bel’s word: the top smartphone makers worldwide aren’t depending much or at all on Windows Phone, and the iPhone has a thriving gray market in China that masks some of its real numbers. Having said this, we’ve seen signs of Windows Phone enjoying a bit of a surge even in an iOS- and Android-loving Europe, so we’ll be watching to see if there’s an uptick in the number of buyers saying ni hao to Microsoft in the near future.

Continue reading Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China

Microsoft exec says Windows Phone outselling iPhone in China originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 May 2012 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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