Apple does not own "iPad" in China

Apple, Inc. lost a trademark dispute inChina against local monitor vendor Proview Technology. Proviewregistered 'iPAD' and 'IPAD' as its trademarks in 2000 in China andseveral other countries.

Last Apple filed two lawsuits againstProview claiming that the latter infringed on its trademarks. 

In 2009, the Taiwanese subsidiary ofProview sold the 'iPAD' and 'IPAD' trademark to UK company IPApplications. In 2010, IP Applications  sold them to Apple forabout $55,000.

However, the Court in China ruled thatthe transfer of the trademarks was not valid since it was theTaiwanese subsidiary which carried out the sale and not the Chineseparent company. and thus the parent company retained the right to usethe trademarks on the Chinese mainland. Am a bit hazy with this partsince it seems that the court recognized the transfer of the iPadTrademark, just not its use in China.

Proview has filed its own trademarkinfringement lawsuit against Apple, and is after US$1.5 billion incompensation.

Apple can appeal the decision, but it  may have to settle with Proview if it want's to sell its iPad under the "iPad" name in China now.

Smartphones and tablets could cause neck and back injuries

Ever since we started typing, repetitive strain injury, or an injury of the musculoskeletaland nervoussystems that may be caused by repetitive tasks, forcefulexertions, vibrations, mechanical compression (pressing against hardsurfaces), or sustained or awkward positions has become a fairly large problem (Source: Wikipedia). Typing and use of a mouse causes pain in the hands, wrist and even the shoulder. But it appears that too much reliance on smartphones and tablets may lead to a more serious form of RSI. 

The AFP reports that:

"Health experts in Britain have warned that strain injuries stemming from long periods spent staring at small screens and tapping at tiny keys can be debilitating. And such injuries are becoming more common as high-tech gadgets grow ever more popular.

x x x  

I had a patient who developed inflamed tendons in her thumb from using her smartphone and was unable to use her hand for weeks due to pain," said Tim Hutchful from the British Chiropractic Association. Sammy Margo of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy said that people's bodies are not designed to be used like this.

The phones are far too small, with keys that are too small."

Injury to the hands is an old problem, but it looks like RSI now comes in a more serious from, called text neck.

"As well as hand injuries, experts point to problems among smartphone and tablet users arising from hours spent leaning over tiny screens. 

The weight of an average human head is between 10 to 12 pounds (4.5 to 5.5 kilogrammes)," said Hutchful. In an ideal posture, where a vertical line can be drawn from your ear through your shoulder, hip, knee and ankle, 'the weight is carried efficiently', he noted. 

But if the head is constantly held forward to squint at a screen, then the unusual posture makes the head feel up to four times heavier, increasing strain across the whole body, he explained."

Unlike laptops which have screen angled to keep ones head erect, tablets are kept flat on a table or slightly raised only to allow access to they virtual keyboard forcing the users to bend their head forward.  It looks like smartphones and tablets have brought RSI to our necks and back as well.

It is pretty much impossible to avoid computers these days, for both work and pleasure.  Ergonomically designed devices should reduce injury. In the meantime, keep your head erect while using your smartphone or tablet, and it looks like it is not time yet to ditch your desktop and laptop as your primary computing device.

Apple iPhone 4 catches fire in-flight

GSM Arena reports that an Apple iPhone 4 burned on a flight to Sydney, just as the place was about to land. The device has now been turned over to the Australian Transport and Safety Board.

This is not the first Apple iPhone to catch fire, and neither is it the first mobile phone to catch fire. In 2007 a Nokia phone reportedly exploded while charging. In 2009, the European Commission examined reports of exploding iPhone and iPods. In 2010, there is a report of a exploding Motorola Droid 2.

However, earlier this month Apple issued a recall of first-generation iPod nanos sold between September 2005 and December 2006 because of the possibility that the battery may overheat. Recalling a product five (5) years after it is no longer in production seems like pretty much a useless gesture. The main concern here is that it was recalled for an overheating battery. 

The question in our head is how many iDevices have overheating batteries, and do we have to wait five years to find out.

Is your iOS or Android device at risk from virus attacks and malware? - Part 2

Part 1 of this article is here.

The primary source of Android Apps is Google Android Market. By default most Android devices can only download apps from the Android Market. However, the settings allow you to download apps from different sources, like Amazons App Store for Android or directly from the publishers of an App, or even to install apps from the SD card. 

Android Market. Google does not pre-screen apps uploaded to the Android Market, so it is not too difficult to upload an app with malicious content. Instead of pre-screening apps, Google relies on its kill switch. If a malicious app is detected, Google removes it from the Android market, and if necessary wipe it from Android devices remotely. Yup, they can erase malicious apps on your Android device. Any security holes will likely be fixed by a patch.

Google has activated the kill switch to remove over 100 apps from users phones and has removed more from the market. With over 500,000 apps released during the life of Android, 100+ apps is not a very large number. Again, go to your favorite Android Forum and try to find the thread of users complaining about security. 

 

I think pre-screening should be done. In the absence of pre-screening, I would recommend not downloading new apps unless they are from reputable developers. Wait a few weeks before downloading apps from lesser known developers and even than, if no one else has been downloading it, or there is no user feedback, wait a bit longer. 

Other sources. The Amazon App Store for Android does pre-screen apps, so it is probably the safest place to download apps from. As for third party developers, you will have to evaluate if these developers are reputable.

Google maintains an open system. The price of more freedom is a little more responsibility. I do not use a virus or malware scanner on my Android. If you don't download new apps from unknown developers as soon as they are released and only download apps from reputable third parties, there is no need for a virus or malware scanner.

In the end? In the end, no system is completely secure. Given the data we store on mobile devices and the transactions we do on them, a little prudence is needed. I think iOS offers a bit more security, on the front end. Once something malicious gets through it is harder to fix. Android, well they have the kill switch to wipe out anything that gets through.

Is your iOS or Android device at risk from virus attacks and malware? - Part 1

There has been a lot of talk the past few weeks about malware for iOS and Android. A few weeks ago white hat hacker and security expert Charlie Miller successfully uploaded malware into Apple iOS App Store. Google has over the past year used its kill switch to remove about 100 malicious Android apps from user devices. 

You have VirusBarrier iOS in Apple's App Store and over a dozen different anti-virus anti-malware apps in the Android Market and the companies behind them hoping you install or buy their apps. Should you be concerned about virus and malware issues on you iOS or Android device?

How Apple protects you. Apple vets the apps found in the Apple App Store. It checks the app to make sure it does not contain a virus or malware before it is allowed to be posted in the App Store. Okay, one made it in and it was a pretty scary app.

The app Miller introduced in the Apple App Store was Instastock. Once Instastock is installed, the connects with a server in Miller's home and  allows Miller to run commands on the infected iOS device. These commands allows data to be stolen and device settings to be modified without you knowledge.

Exploiting a bug on iPhone is nothing new. That is how a iPhone is jailbroken in the first place. iOS security vulnerabilities have been found and patched in the past, and more will be found and patches in the future.

Is it something I would worry about? No. One app in 500,000 is nothing I would worry about. If another one did get through, Apple will send an over-the-air fix ASAP. No system is perfect, but a 0.000002% failure rate is something I would be happy to live with, and that 0.000002% figure actually is too high. It assume all iOS device users would download each and every app in the App Store.

Go over to you favorite forum and try to find a thread of someone who is complaining about iOS malware on their device. Than decide if you need anti-virus protection on your iOS device.

Does Jail-breaking add to the risk in iOS? Well yes, jailbreak your phone, install apps from unauthorized  sources, and yes, there is a additional risk depending on where you get your apps from. Apple's closed system designed to protect you won't be of much use one you get out of it. In this cases some form of anti-virus and malware protection is advisable.

Part 2 of this article is here.

Adobe is ceasing development for the Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers

Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers. Adobe is ceasing development for the Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers. What does this mean for users?

If you have a Flash enabled Android or BlackBerry device it will continue to work. Adobe today release one more feature update to Abobe Flash Player 11 for mobile, version 11.1. After that Abobe will release  security updates and bug fixes for Abobe Flash Player. When version Flash Player 12 rolls out, there won't be a browser plugin for the mobile browsers.

If you have a device that does not support the Abobe Flash Player 11 for mobile at the present time, well the Flash plugin for the mobile browser is not coming to your device ever.

One day we won't need Flash...

... but for the next 2-3 years or even longer, it is still great to have it.

HTML5. The Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers promised a common web experience between desktop browsing and mobile browsing. A large segment of the community has been against Flash because it is a proprietary format owned by Adobe. Apple banned Flash from its iOS devices. More recently, Microsoft announced that the Windows 8 Metro browser will not be supporting Flash. On the Android camp, many Android devices do not support the Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers. HTML5 is the web standard which the opponent of Flash have supported as its replacement. 

Premature departure? HTML5 will probably develop to the point where it could replace Flash.  It  looks like it will be trust to the limelight a year or two early. The strength of Flash was that it was run on a third party plugin from a common source. Whether you run Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera, Flash content was run by the a single common plugin so it operated the same across all browsers.

While the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera all support Flash,  each browser interprets things in its own way. Basically, in a way it is like going back a decade. We are going back to the days where sites announced "This Site is Optimized for Internet Explorer".

... or maybe "This Site Does not Run on Internet Explorer. Amazon's HTML5 KIndle Cloud Reader page does not run on IE, iPhone's and Android phones and tablets.

Expect to see a HTML5 standards war for the next year or two. At present, there is still no single common standard for HTML 5. On this matter, IMC Germany writes:

It is important to understand that HTML is (not yet) a medium which can make content available in the same format on all browsers and end devices. The more complex the content becomes (animations, interactions, sound, video etc.), the more complex is the development and quality assurance process to guarantee the correct display in the required browsers and on end devices. It is therefore also important to hold an intensive discussion with the project participators before beginning the project, asking the question: Which features need to be implemented and in which browsers and on which end devices should it then be possible to access the content?

As the HTML5 standard develops, expect web developers to build a safer more conservative web to minimize browser compatibility issues.

There are other features still missing on HTML5. HTML5 still does not support Digital Rights Management protection. So if a video were posted in the web using HTML5, anyone could right click and save the file on their computer. It would appear Flash will still be use for displaying copyright protected work online.

eLearning is another area where HTML5 is not yet ready to tackle. If you build an online exam in HTML5 a student could right click on the browser and view the page source to reveal the answers. Given that low cost mobile devices are important for eLearning, this gap can be bridged by apps instead.

There are many more examples, but basically HTML5 is not ready to replace Flash for all uses.

Dual web? Having killed Flash Player plugin for mobile browsers, I think it would probably better if Flash were killed all together. Adobe is not getting out of Flash altogether. The direction it wants it developers to go is to create Flash apps using Adobe AIR and HTML5 for mobile. One desktops, Adobe plans to use its Flash Player plugin and HTML5.

If Abode succeeds in its now direction, there will never be a common web for mobile and desktop devices and things will continue as they do today with many websites have dedicated mobile and desktop versions.

While a "compromised" version of the web is probably acceptable to most on a mobile phone, tablets with their larger screens should offer a full web experience. Right now it would seem the only way for a tablet to offer a offer a full web experience is not for Flash to come to the tablet browser but for Flash to get out of the web altogether. BlackBerry has announced it will continue to support Flash on its own PlayBooks browser.

Even if Flashed use did stop altogether, it will be a long time before all the Flash content on the web becomes irrelevant.

Battery-gate? Apple iPhone 4S / iOS5 battery drain issues

We first heard about battery life issues with the Apple iPhone 4S, and iOS5 upgraded iPhone 4's and 3GS's, from PhoneArena almost two weeks ago. Back than, I figured it was really just a result of iOS5 five being more Android like since it now sync's to the cloud, updates location data and has notifications. I figured people may also have just been using Siri too much. A week later Chris Breen of Macworld wrote about his efforts to diagnose the problem. 

But when we see things like The Inquirer writing that the Samsung Galaxy S II has longer batter life than the iPhone 4S, we really start to wonder. The Galaxy S II does after all have a much larger screen than the iPhone 4S and the biggest battery drain on an Android is the power consumed by the display.

Today, TechRadar reported that Apple is contacting iPhone 4S users about battery drain issues. I guess, this confirms that there is a problem with iOS5 or the battery in the iPhone 4S, which is not caused by excessive Siri use.

Having engineers look into it, rather than a quick public denial, only to back-track, later is a much better way for Apple to handle this kind of thing. So what while it does Appear that there is a problem with the iPhone 4S  battery or an issue with iOS5 which affects a fair number of users, I don't think we should label this one battery-gate. The denial factor is missing.

November 3, 2011 update. Laptop Magazine reports Apple has confirmed that a "small number" or users are experiencing battery life issues and will be issuing a fix in a few weeks. Laptop Magazine reminds readers that the dual core Apple iPhone 4S does consume more power than the older iPhone 4,

One area which may have caused confusion confusion was when Tim Cook announced during the iPhone 4S launch that the iPhone 4S had one hour more of 3G talk time without mentioning anything else on the battery life.

The new iPhone 4S, based on Apple's released specifications has 33% less standby time and one hour less web browsing time over WiFi. 

Samsung overtakes Apple as the biggest smartphone seller in Q3 of 2011

The BBC citing data from Strategy Analytics reports that Samsung how now overtaken Apple as the biggest smartphone maker in the world. For the third quarter of 2011 Samsung accounted for 23.8% of of all smartphones shipped in the quarter. Apple came in second with 14.6% and Nokia came in third with 14.4%.

Market share Q3 2011

Samsung - 23.8%
Apple - 14.6%
Nokia - 14.4%

This time last year Nokia had a 26.5% share with Apple coming in with 14.1% and Samsung with 7.5%. 

Market share Q3 2010 

Nokia - 26.5%
Apple - 14.1%
Samsung - 7.5%

Source: CNET

One thing which should be noted is that Samsung and Nokia offer smartphones at all price points while Apple, and other top manufacturers like HTC and Motorola, only compete only up to the mid-level market.

Some things may change the equation in this quarter.

1. Apple has a lower cost offering. Traditionally Apple only kept two models in the market at one time. Now they will keep three models, which means they will be offering the iPhone 3GS which becomes the cheapest iPhone in history.

2. Nokia has launched their Windows Phone 7.5 device. A 14.4% market share shows that Nokia brand is still strong, and now its name, and Windows Phone 7.5, could help them regain market share. 

3. Android handsets are now getting cheaper than ever. Last year Symbian and Bada smartphones where cheaper than Android alternatives. Now Android smartphones can be found at prices matching even the cheapest smartphones. This would put more pressure on Nokia.

Does Apple now think it invented the Apple?

Apple and patent lawsuits is starting to border on the ridiculous. But this one takes that case. New.com.au reports when a small the owner of a small cafe in Germany, Apfelkind, was trying to register her trademark, she received a letter from Apple sent her a letter from California headquarters last month saying its logo would be damaged by any trademark rights she might win for her apple and that in particular, the choice of the color red, the leaf on the apple stem and the shape of the apple could confuse consumers.

Here are the two marks, you decide:

Microsoft Android license fees and Apple gestures

As a user of Windows Mobile as far back as 2003 I am not too surprised by the fact that the majority of Android smartphone makers are paying license fees to Microsoft. My first Smartphone had an informational homescreen, easy to identify icons, a file manager and other features I appreciated which became something I looked for in my later phones, whether a Windows, Symbian or Android device. I am not sure what the Microsoft-Android licensing agreements cover,  but I think a long look should be taken before branding it unfair. Microsoft does license. It does not block innovation.

While the Open Source community is all riled up about this, the question is why? Not everything has to be free. 

Apple on the other hand, likes to claim that it invented the innovations which led to todays smartphones. I will let you be the judge of that. Here is a Windows CE based touchscreen phone from 2005.

Here is a review of the Neonode N1m which uses Apple gestures two years before the Apple iPhone.

   

Apple does not license. It does not want to compete in the open market. It want's to keep prices of technology high.   

If Microsoft and HTC inked a deal, what is wrong with that? Apple, there is plenty of wrong with what they are doing. 

Why you won't be reading about Sony-Ericsson Xperia's here anymore

We got this sad piece of information from TechCrunch: Sony Ericsson Forces A Fan Site Into Submission.

Sony Ericsson has sued two Sony Xperia fan sites, XperiaX10.net and Xperiablog.net.  The owner of the sites has decided not to fight the issue out, after for most of us this is a hobby. Here is his statement:

It is with great sadness that we have to bring you the news that this will be the last post on this website. Sony Ericsson has filed a formal complaint about the use of the trademarked ‘Xperia’ name in our domain name and have requested that the domain names, including that of XperiaX10.net, be transferred to them. 

Sony Ericsson is alleging that we have used the domain names in “bad faith”. We are stunned and disappointed that Sony Ericsson, a company that we have spent much of our free personal time in promoting, especially the Xperia brand, has decided to take this formal action against us. After all we are just like you, passionate Sony Ericsson users, who have strived to bring the community breaking news and an independent viewpoint. 

We do not have the resources to fight Sony Ericsson on this and therefore this is the last you will hear from us. Sony Ericsson has made great strides in its Xperia portfolio, especially in listening to the community. This makes it all the more confusing as to why Sony Ericsson would want to shut us down. We genuinely believe that 2012 could be a bumper year for the company, we just wish we could have been there along for the ride. 

All the best. 

Tej

If Sony-Ericsson is not fond of the free publicity it gets from blogs and fan sites, I am very willing to accommodate them. We wont be using the word Xperia in this blog after this article, hence we wont be covering any products which have that as part of its name.

Imagine Apple sued sites it numerous fan sites which use the word Apple or Mac as part of their name or if Google sued the fan sites and forums that use Android as part of their name.

Update. XperiaX10.net and Xperiablog.net. are back!

We are delighted to report that we have come to an agreement with Sony Ericsson that means our two affected blogs (XperiaBlog.net and XperiaX10.net) will remain open. The downtime we have experienced since October 18th was unfortunate but necessary whilst we were in communication with Sony Ericsson to resolve this matter.


Sony Ericsson contacted us to let us know that it appreciates our support of its products and the efforts we have put into developing these blogs. They also appreciate the engagement of blogs like these and consumers who visit these sites. Sony Ericsson dropped the initial complaint and we have instead reached an agreement so that we can keep the domain names and continue to work on the site. Just to reassure you, there will be no change to our editorial independence under this arrangement. We will continue to give you our honest opinion about Sony Ericsson’s strategy and its smartphones.

Alls well that ends well.

HTC partners with Dropbox to give 5GB of online storage to HTC Androidphones

HTC has entered into a partnership with Dropbox to give 5GB of online storage to HTC Android phones. HTC posted this on their Facebook page. I am not sure if this offer only applies to new HTC devices or even older HTC Android phones.

Dropbox provide free online storage to all Android, BlackBerry and iOS devices, although only 2GB free storage is given. You can earn additional storage by completing some tasks or referring other users to get up to 10GB.

HTC Windows Phone 7 devices do not get this. Dropbox does not have a Windows Phone 7 app. Windows Phone 7 devices do have 25GB of Skydrive storage, but it is not the same thing as having Dropbox storage.


Dropbox syncs your offline files to online storage whenever you have an internet connection. If you have several desktops or laptops it will sync your files across your devices. You can also share files to other Dropbox users. You can also access your online files via any web browser. Dropbox works across multiple platforms which include Windows, Mac OSX and Linux making even it more useful.

Basically, Skydrive only allows you to upload files, and share what you uploaded.

Windows Phone 7 - The Nokia reboot coming soon

Apple's iOS 5 integrates features better Twitter integration. Android's Ice Cream Sandwich updates it's Contacts app to People. In reality, both operating systems are playing catch-up. Apple has a long way to go. Ice Cream Sandwich is knocking on Windows Phone 7 door.

Windows Phone 7 has always been activity-centered rather than app-centered. It created a concept of  hubs where you focus on an activity like "people" or "pictures" rather than what app would I need to post a message to Jane Doe on LinkIn or what app should I use to upload a picture to Facebook. In fairness, Android user interface like HTC Sense. 

HTC Sense integrated Twitter, Facebook, LinkIn, Flickr, Plurk and Twitter into your People and Friend Stream apps long before Windows Phone 7 came out. If you were wondering why so many people like HTC's Sense, well it is mainly the way it links you contacts across all the services you actually use to contact that person, and does everything under a common looking interface.  Still it is not as good as baking it into the OS. That is what Windows Phone 7 did. 

About eleven months ago, I saw my first Windows Phone 7 device, and I liked it a lot. Other then the People hub there are a lot of smart innovations on Windows Phone 7. iOS 5 requires you focus on 20 elements on screen at a given time without giving you any relevant information without having to open an app. In fairness iOS 5 has now added two non-customizable widgets and Android like notifications which greatly improves the operating system. 

Android has its informative widgets which can be pleasing to use in well integrated systems like HTC Sense, or can become like a cluttered desktop when you start using widgets from different apps which display things and operate in different ways.

Windows Phone 7 created a Live Tile system, where which basically limits you to having focus at between 4 to 8 elements at a time, and basically integrates the concept of an Icon and a Widget. Still a lot of work to be done, but it does strike a nice balance between simplicity and complexity. 

What Windows Phone 7 lacks is up to date hardware support. Like Apple's iPhone, you won't see any true 4G Windows phones this year. Windows Phone 7 also does not support screen resolutions higher than 480 x 800. Windows Phone 7 also does not support dual core processing, which means no 1080p  video recording and playback. There is nothing that can be done about that. 

In a few days time, we will see the Windows Phone 7 operating system gets it second public launch.  While Windows Phone 7 launched a year ago, many people do not even know it exists. The mistake Microsoft made last year was not getting phones into the hands of consumers.

When the first Windows Phone 7 device came out in the Philippines last year, the HTC 7 Mozart it was priced at the same level as Apple's iPhone. As you can expect, adopting was slow, almost to the point of non-existence. In eleven months I do now know anyone personally who own a Windows Phone 7 device. As against HTC's own Android offerings, it was priced at the same level as  the HTC Desire HD (at least locally) which has a larger screen, supported faster 3G connectivity and Angry Birds. I know it is a small thing, but did you really want to buy a phone in 2010 that could not run Angry Birds?

It is a year later. Nokia is set to launch its first Windows Phone 7 device, and really no one cares about the fact that it is a Microsoft Windows Phone 7 device. When Nokia launches it new phone people will be looking at the new Nokia phone. I have no doubt they will be amazed by the operating system. The hardware will be underwhelming mainly for lack of dual core and higher screen resolution support.

What will make or break this re-launch is price. If the Nokia 800's price bumps heads with the  iPhone 4S and the Samsung Galaxy S II, it will be a repeat of last year. No doubt, many will buy it simply because it is the best Nokia Phone in the market. 

But if Nokia, and Microsoft get together, and place it at price point where is challenges phones like the HTC Desire S, Apple iPhone 4 or LG Optimus Black, I think it will sell like hotcakes in Nokia's bailiwick markets.

Basically, Nokia, and Microsoft needs to get the prices of the phones right, even if they have to subsidize handset costs. Nokia and Microsoft needs to get Windows Phone 7 devices into actual peoples hands. It is only in this way that people will finally get to see what is probably the best mobile phone operating system in the world. It really could be their last chance. Google's Ice Cream Sandwich will be on phone in the market in a month and will be common place by the first quarter of next year. And, yes Android has pretty much caught up on Windows strengths, and has features that Windows Phone 7 still cannot touch.   

Well, just a few days to go to find out whether mobile will be a three horse race (yup am counting BlackBerry out) or whether it is time to write the epitaph for Windows Phone 7 and Nokia.

Apple iPhone 4S and Samsung Galaxy S II drop tests

Johnny Ive of Apple talking about the iPhone 4 design stated that Apple developed "a custom glass that is comparable in strength to sapphire crystal but about 30 times harder than plastic."

Apple website also states on its website:

All the breakthrough technology in iPhone 4 is situated between two glossy panels of aluminosilicate glass — the same type of glass used in the windshields of helicopters and high-speed trains. Chemically strengthened to be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, the glass is ultradurable and more scratch resistant than ever. It’s also recyclable.

The guys at ElectronicsBreaks decided to test this by doing drop tests on a aluminosilicate glass Apple iPhone 4S and a plastic Samsung Galaxy S II with a Gorilla Glass display.

The iPhone's glass may be 20 times stiffer and 30 times harder than plastic, but it looks like it is 20x more like to crack too and 30x more like to get shattered, too.

App developers beware, your days could be numbered

The recent release of iOS 5, Apple latest version of its software for its iDevices should serve as a warning to some app developers.Your days could be numbered. 

iOS 5 includes Siri and iCloud. Siri is a virtual assistant application developed by SRI International, which is now is owned by Apple. Siri Competitors like Vlingo probably have little chance against a pre-installed, free and Apple supported SIRI. iCloud is the name for a combination of Apple provided Cloud services. Dropbox and Box.net should find fewer customers in the iOS world. iOS 5 also integrates Twitter... in time Facebook and other social networking sites might also be more deeply integrated. Apple is looking to go into movie streaming. 

Actually, this is nothing new. Windows Phone 7 already features voice commands, cloud services and social networking integration out of the box. With Windows Phone 7, the operating system is the super app. Google Android developers have to compete with Google apps, which include Voice Actions and Google extensive array of cloud services. Google even has its own social networking site Google+. Google is now starting its own music service.

While the popularity of mobile phone platforms has been driven by the number of apps created for each platform, with each passing year, mobile operating systems are making productive third party apps less necessary. I think we are just two years from the day when most non-integrated apps will be games and trivial entertainment related apps. 

Google's Android is likely to be the most open, which will allow third party developers to compete. An  app developer having to compete with Google is not a ideal situation. Microsoft Windows Phone 7 while more controlled in nature, is on several hardware platforms with know specifications, so third party app developers can stay in the game. Still do they hold a tight reign on their app market. Competing with Microsoft is not going to be all that much fun. Apple developers. Well they really better look at their future. Apple controls both their software and hardware, and even has complete control on app distribution. Apple app developers who are into projects that Apple is interested in, better how that Apple will buy them out. You really won't be able to compete with Apple.   

Google Nexus Prime to be launched on October 19, 2011

The launch date of the Google Nexus Prime has been confirmed for October 19, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The Google Nexus Prime, called by some now, the Samsung Galaxy Nexus will be the first phone to installed with Google Android 4.0 operating system - Ice Cream Sandwich.

A livestream will be available at: youtube/android.

Apple iPhone 4S manufacturing margin at 71% to 73%

GSM Arena reports that "As for the promised Bill of Materials (BOM),  the Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore says that the iPhone 4S costs between $170 and $220 to build, depending on its capacity. That adds up to a manufacturing margin of 71% to 73%, which is the highest in the industry, but then again, Apple gear has hardly ever been the most reasonably priced around."

Yikes. No wonder Apple makes so much money. In fairness, not all Apple products have such a high margin.

iPhone 4S (16GB) - BOM: US$170  ---  Retail Price: US$649 

iPad 2 (16GB WiFi) - BOM: US$320  ---  Retail Price US$499

11.6" MacBook Air (64GB) - BOM: US$718  ---  Retail Price US$999

Apple probably makes as much money as it makes from selling three iPads or two MacBook Airs.

Will the sun shine on Nokia's Sun

We have seen the new Apple's new iPhone 4S, which from a technology standpoint is the best iPhone ever, but did not meet the hopes and expectations for a next generation device. Apples iOS5 which is to be released in less than two days bring many needed updates, like over the air updates and multiple notifications, Android phone users for some time now.

We are still awaiting the official announcement of the Samsung built Google Nexus Prime. From all indications, unlike the conservative Google Nexus S of 2010, the Nexus Prime will be a next generation Android handset, and will be powered by the next generation Android software, Ice Cream Sandwich.

But there is one more major player, that is Nokia. The sun is setting on Nokia, and they have said their goodbyes to Symbian and Meego with one last round of phone releases. Aptly, Nokia calls its first Windows Phone 7 handset the Sun. Will the Sun herald Nokia return to the top of the smartphone world? Will Nokia make Windows Phone 7 a mainstream platform.

Leaked photos of the Nokia Sun? Check them out on pocketnow.com.

The Nokia Sun. Lets wait and see what the Google Nexus Prime before crowning it. The iPhone 4S was less than spectacular, but is still a substantial upgrade. The Windows Phone 7 devices, were looking old when they came out in November of 2010, and for 2011, the new devices are starting to look Jurassic.

Well, at least if you match them up with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S II, Apple iPhone 4S, HTC Sensation and other dual core smartphones.

Nokia's first Windows Phone, the Nokia Sun will run a 1.4GHz single core processor. Basically, it is a 400MHz speed bump from last years Windows Phone 7 devices. But being single core it misses things like 1080p video recording and playback which are supported by all the flagship phones these days.

It does not yet support LTE or 4G (although some now consider HSPA + 14.4mbps as 4G).  

Screen is a relatively small, by todays standards 3.7-inch screen, and the resolution is still limited to 480 x 800 in a world of HD, quarter HD and retina displays. It will be a AMOLED display though.

These hardware limitations are not Nokia's fault. Windows Phone 7, even the new 7.5 Mango update does not yet support these technologies.

It's all about the price. Last year, when Windows Phone 7 came in, they came in targeting the high end market. That approach failed and was doomed to fail from the start. Charging early adopted premium prices in a field with four established leaders was nothing short of suicidal.

It's a year later now, and a Windows Phone 7 buyer, would still be considered as an "early adopter" the Windows Phone 7 platform not having gained any significant traction. Buy it now, and it may be gone from the market by next year.

The premium market is not the place where Windows Phone 7 should try to make a dent. If the Nokia Sun can come in at a decent 15K to 20K price point, I think it will succeed. 

Most tech writers are based in the US, where Nokia never had much of a market share. They do not understand the power of the Nokia name. The Windows Phone 7 platform has a great user interface, better I think than iOS or Android. Nokia is a trusted name. At the right price, Nokia, Windows Phone 7 and the Sun could really shine.

Acer Aspire S3

Ultrabooks. Intel Ultrabook's is a new specification of laptop being promoted by Intel. An ultrabook should meet the following specifications:

• Thin – less than 20 mm (0.8 inch) thickness
• Lightweight – less than 1.4 kg (3.1 pounds)
• Long battery life – 5 to 8+ hours
• Mainstream pricing – under $1,000 USD (for base model)

Ultrabooks are not really all that new. In the 13-inch arena, Apple has its MacBook Air, Sony its Vaio Z, Toshiba its R series laptops, and most lately Samsung has joined the fray with its Series 9. What is common with all these laptops is that they combine 13-inch displays with a weight of 3-pounds or less.

Access to these type of devices has been rather limited. The Sony Vaio Z2 is just an amazing 2.5 pounds, and from a technology standpoint, is by the far the most amazing ultraportable laptop we have even seen. It's price point at over Php100K also ensures that few people will actually get to use it. Toshiba R series laptops are only available occasionally in the Philippines, and are sold at price tags which seem rather inflated when we look at the retail prices abroad. The MacBook Air is actually the 13-inch value for money proposition among the this bunch.

When an Apple laptop is the value for money proposition, well that tells you entering this club is expensive. How much? If you want a 13-inch/3-pound laptop, you have to be willing to shell out over 60K.

So why the Ultrabook? Someone wrote that Intel's Ultrabook's are Intel's answer to the MacBook Air.  That it a utterly ridiculous statement. MacBook Air's run on Intel parts too.The Ultrabook is Intel's answer to the growing threat posed to the personal computer and the x86 architecture by tablets and their Arm processors. 

Every tablet sold might mean, one laptop or netbook that does not get sold. The main advantage to a tablet as a portable device is weight. The typical 10-inch tablet weighs in a 1.6 pounds, with the best examples coming in at about 1.3 pounds. They are also very thin, so they are easy to slip into bags and briefcases.

Once you go outside the the elite of the 13-inch ultraportables above, your typical 13-inch laptop weighs between 3.8 to 4.5 pounds. With the Ultrabook, Intel is hoping that be shedding a bit of the weight and the girth can convince potential tablet buyers to switch to the laptop. At the same time, Intel hope the new for factor, can convince those with 3-5 year old laptops who have not been convinced to upgrade to a newer faster model, that an upgrade to lighter thinner model is worth their money. 

Success? The Verge gives us a preview of Acer's first entry into the ultrabook arena, the Acer Aspire S3.

This 13.3-inch laptop is an imprssive 0.51-inches thick and weighs in at 2.89-pound Aspire. Price is US$899, which puts it US$400 less than a 13-inch MacBook Air.

Inside this slim frame is a Core i5-2467M processor, Intel’s integrated HD graphics, and 4GB of RAM and 340GB of storage.  With 340GB of storage, the US$899 Acer Aspire S3 is really more of a competitor to the US$1599 13-inch MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD drive. This makes it all of US$700 cheaper.  

Acer got the price down by using a flash and hard drive combo. A 20GB SSD to house the Windows 7 Home Premium OS as a hibernation partition and a 320GB, 5400RPM hard drive other tasks.  Apple's US$1,299 level 13-inch MacBook Air use a more expensive 128GB SSD drive. The US$1599 13-inch MacBook Air use a 256GB SSD drive.

If this is what ultrabooks have in store, I think it might be enough to convince some would be tablet buyers that a laptop is still a better option. Problem is, my opinion on the matter is not worth all that much. I write a lot for a living, a blog for a hobby. I need a dedicated keyboard. So a tablet it out for me. I have a second generation (late 2010) MacBook Air with a 256GB SSD, so it is a bit early for me to consider an upgrade. But yes, I am sold on the ultrabook concept. I love the Air's and the Vaio Z's.

But that is me. This thing should hit the market at about 45K. So what do you all think? Is it cheap enough? Will this keep you from buying a tablet? Is it enough for you to want to upgrade your current laptop?

Update: It looks like it launches in the Philippines at the same time anywhere else. Yugatech reports that it is in the Philippines, now at Php44,900.

It's really Apple's and Oranges - iPhone and Android owners don't really just understand each other

Reading the news about iPhone 4S sales on GSM Arena, what was more interesting was not the news of the sales but the angry comments of iOS and Android "fans" in the article. Some Android users are in disbelief about what anybody would buy an iPhone 4S.

If the term one size fits all is fine with you, the iPhone 4S is right up your all.

App investment. If you are an Android user or a iPhone owner thinking of switching to the other platform, of looking at going to Windows Phone 7, one matter to consider is how much you have spend on apps. An iPhone owner upgrading to another iPhone, or an Android owner upgrading to another Android, you get to bring your apps with you. Switch platform and you may have to buy apps you already paid for before on the new platform. For some users, changing devices might be costly. 

With the number of free apps, and add supported apps, on the Android Market, this is less than an issue for Android owners.  Android owners need to understand the iOS users have substantially more money invested in staying in their own ecosystem.

Size matters, in more way than one.  Apple advertises its iPhone 4S by saying "Its the most amazing iPhone yet." So the iPhone 4S is not the best phone available, even Apple admits that it is just "the most amazing iPhone yet". Actually, it is a bit more than that. It is the best mid-sized (3.2-3.7-inch) phone in the world. Some people prefer smaller screens because it means a smaller phone.  It is the only size, and configuration it comes in, so its really a take it or leave it proposition.

Apple is just catching up. iOS 5 being many improvements to the iPhone, but in reality most of it is playing catchup. Many of the iPhone S new features like Notification Center, iMessage, Voice Commands and Cloud storage are nothing new. They have been standard equipment on Android and Windows phones for a long time now. The most interesting thing about the iPhone 4S is whether Apple can take voice command up to another level. The technology has been deployed since the days when Nokia was king, but using it has never been the most convenient thing.

Apple users for the most part are not "geeks". They do not mind that they cannot tweak their phones much. They see no need for informational widgets. They select Apple because it does pretty much want they want and has good software support. And yes, iPhone's actually work. Seriously, it is a pretty nice smartphone platform.

Android users, are (or perceive themselves to be) power users who love hardware and like the ability to tweak their hardware. They comes in many sizes from 2.6-inch units to monster 4.7-inch phones, with the option for physical keyboards, 3D display and capture, 4G/LTE support.   

Two completely different mindsets. When you ask an iPhone owners why he loves his phone he will mention things like user experience and the number or available apps. The truth it that most owners of smartphones now have only used one or maybe two platforms. Objectively, Windows Phone 7 had be best user experience. 

As for apps, iOS has the best games. Well at least they get them earlier. When it comes to productivity, communication and other serous stuff, even the Windows Phone 7, 30,000+ apps is as good as both the App Store and the Android Market. Seriously, count how many apps you use on your smartphone and see if they are not available in the other markets. The Android Market is the "cheapest" of the three, since it has by far, the most free apps. Sometime I wish though they let me pay for the "free" app to get rid of the adds.

If your mindset is, this is pretty cool, but I would really prefer it if _______.
You will find an Android that gives you what you want.

Look at yourself. I use a 4.3-inch HTC Android phone. I toy about replacing it HTC's 4.7 Windows Phone 7 Titan (except I would miss the functionality of the Gmail App). Would I think about going to the iPhone? No. I started with Windows and Nokia smartphones. I have had the equivalent of informational widgets on my home screen for eight years. And no, I don't want a 4.3-inch screen. I have big hands. 

Basically, iPhone owners are happy with their phones, I am happy with mine, hopefully you are happy with your, so why not leave them be.