PhoneTalk

Deal of the Week

by Michael Cera
Tuesday, October 07, 2008 (permalink)

What is it? The LG Rumor is a texting, calling, and picture taking machine all-in-one. Text lovers will appreciate the full sliding QWERTY keyboard for the always important conversations without talking. The 1.3-megapixel camera/camcorder with 2x digital zoom, helps make those nights out on the town more memorable than ever. And, with integrated Bluetooth for hands-free calling and an MP3 player for those times when you need to hear your favorite tunes, the LG Rumor won’t disappoint. The Rumor comes in four colors (black, blue, green, and white) and is compact in size. You can also download NFL Mobile Live free, Sprint's exclusive service that brings the NFL to your cell phone anytime, anywhere.

How much? The LG Rumor cell phone is available for free when purchased with a new 2-year Sprint Service Contract or free after a Sprint Mail-in-rebate with a 2-year Contract Extension.

Why is it such a good deal? The LG Rumor is a text-centric, music toting, Internet surfing device all-in-one. It’s not only free, but it also comes with a free 2GB MicroSD memory card for storing more pictures and music on this cell phone. This Rumor is one to be spread around.

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What does an open mobile OS means to existing mobile OS players?

by Guest Blogger
Friday, October 03, 2008 (permalink)

Following the unveiling of the first Google Android cell phone, the HTC G1 for T-Mobile, we asked Bloggers around the Internet for their opinion on having multiple open-source platforms available for cell phones. Our next post comes from Joseph Hunkins. To read more from Joseph, check out his Duck blog.

I think open sourcing Symbian was probably a good strategic move given the explosive potential for Google Android to shake up the market as it becomes widely adopted. Nokia appears to be trying to maintain the market share for Symbian at some initial cost - Symbian gets about 2.50-5.00 per mobile device and this may go down, perhaps even to zero, with the competitive pressure from Android.

I think initially there will be competition but as developers work with both systems there will be pressure to adopt increasing levels of standardization, so I see Symbian and Android as the two key mobile OS flavors going forward. Users should be winners here as the pressure from Android and consumers and the abundance of new mobile devices force all players to create highly innovative new devices. With the iPhone as the *starting point* of the new innovation, look for large numbers of great new phones to hit markets by Christmas of 2008. Sprint's new touch phone is a quality addition to the landscape, and many more will be coming soon. Rather than device differentiation, I think there will be a lot of attempts to bring every possible feature into single devices - sort of the Swiss Army Knife approach. I think this will succeed thanks to the small form factor innovation we have already seen, where very powerful phones can be packed very tightly and stylishly.

How will the closed software systems fare in a landscape where "open innovations" are the new "proprietary innovations"? They will open, and probably fast. iPhones have already opened somewhat and this trend will continue.

As the key market leader for mobile operating systems Symbian is likely to be around for a long time, but it will face increasing challenges from Android to innovate and work with developers to bring users a great mobile experience.

Lastly, note the following consumer technology benchmarks which are a very clear indication of how much broader this market will become in the coming years:

• 291.6 million mobile phones shipped in Q1 2008
• 1.7 million iPhones shipped in the quarter ending March 2008
• 10.6 million iPods shipped in the quarter ending March 2008
• 2.18 million BlackBerry subscriber accounts and 4.4 million devices shipped in the quarter March 2008
• 1.24 billion (Read more)

  Tags:	Somethin' To Talk About	Nokia	Blackberry	Symbian
  	Smart phones	GPS

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Is Linux a good example of the path for open source mobile operating systems?

by Guest Blogger
Thursday, October 02, 2008 (permalink)

Following the unveiling of the first Google Android cell phone, the HTC G1 for T-Mobile, we asked Bloggers around the Internet for their opinion on having multiple open-source platforms available for cell phones. Our next post comes from David Mould. To read more from David, check out his Orient Expression blog.

Direct parallels between movements towards open source mobile operating systems and Linux can be drawn. How many consumers think to use Linux over the traditional offerings of Windows or Mac OS? it's still very much the remit of technically minded individuals. Despite the best efforts of communities like Ubuntu with their more user friendly solutions the take up is low.

The reason is that of time and effort spent making it all work together. Having many versions of seemingly similar operating systems will confuse the average consumer. Cell phone usage is so ubiquitous that the vast majority of users want something they buy, charge up, turn on and start using. They don't want to or even know how to reinstall a component that hasn't worked properly. The average user's approach to upgrading their operating system (if they care at all) is to buy a new phone, not to update the firmware.

Some form of standards will be required if true interoperability is to be achieved but this doesn't even happen in the well established Linux communities.

The net effect will be the major players sticking with what they know, or an open version of it, i.e. Symbian. Potential uptake of niche handsets for the uber-geeks that want to play with features, assuming they will work on their network.

The bottom line is that a phone is designed to be used. Many operators with branded handsets disable some phone features as they know they won't work on their network. Therefore any open source projects will need to either limit the functionality they deliver or run the risk of their applications only working on one (or limited numbers) of operators around the world.

At some point open source phone operatong systems will be absorbed by the phone companies. This is already happening with Linux (Suse to Novell, MySQL to Sun etc) so any open source movement will have a finite life. I would question the need to add to the momentum.

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7 Keys to a successful Open Mobile Platform

by Guest Blogger
Wednesday, October 01, 2008 (permalink)

Following the unveiling of the first Google Android cell phone, the HTC G1 for T-Mobile, we asked Bloggers around the Internet for their opinion on having multiple open-source platforms available for cell phones. Our first post comes from Matt Jansen. To read more from Matt, check out his metaViper blog.

Open Mobile Platforms are Worthless Without a Vibrant Community. Even though a clear cut recipe for success may not exist for building and growing an open source community, there are some common patterns that emerge when considering currently successful projects. Though mobile devices really are a different and unique medium, many concepts that drive open source overall apply here too, especially as platforms like Google Android, Symbian and Openmoko continue to seek new talent and expand their communities.

First and most important, any new open source project that's looking to add quality members needs to seek them out in sufficient numbers to create a diverse set of perspectives. Once that's in place the conversations tend to take on a life of their own. Google Android began its community by relying on the search giant's ubiquitous reputation in creating easy-to-use and free software. Google generated lots of buzz by making an announcement that it would be supporting an open source mobile platform and people flocked toward the idea.

But, even with Google's name behind the project, Android is facing delays.

Another feature that Google emphasizes in most of its projects is easy communication between members. That's key because then the exchange of ideas and points and counterpoints encourages innovation and the discovery of new efficiencies.

A problem that occurs more frequently with open source projects than with their commercial counterparts is the availability of documentation. How will a new user learn to use the system? Are there easy-to-understand manuals that speak in a language anyone can understand? Sometimes open source projects have a very active and large communities but they begin to ignore new visitors, instead just expecting everyone to begin at their water level. Nothing will push a new visitor away faster than a difficult to understand interface with no appropriate documentation.

Here is a list of items that will significantly influence the success or failure of an open source initiative -- including mobile open source platforms like Google Android, Symbian (new to the open source landscape) and Openmoko.

• Large, regularly active community
• Direction for the hive mind, provided by a core team of respected experts
• Tools for easy communication d2d and d2c
• Public change log to publish changes between versions
• Easy-to-use documentation that quickly brings a new user up to speed
• Strong marketing arm that creates a unique brand identity and ensures the community is easily findable online
• Forum moderators that make sure questions by end users are answered and a baseline of professionalism is established

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Deal of the Week

by Guest Blogger
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 (permalink)

This week's deal comes from LetsTalk.com's Merchandising Manager for AT&T, Jack Cooper.

What is it? The AT&T Mercury USB Connect wireless modem provides enhanced mobile broadband performance for quick and easy access to email, the Internet and business applications from your computer while on-the-go. AT&T Mercury USB Connect’s compact USB drive form factor is designed with the latest in wireless data technology for use on the nation's fastest 3G network. The integrated microSD card slot provides a portable file transfer and storage solution, eliminating the need for additional hardware. The Mercury is backwards compatible to the national EDGE network ensuring network coverage wherever you roam.

How much? Get the AT&T Mercury USB Connect for FREE when purchased with any two year AT&T wireless data service plan.

Why is it such a good deal? The AT&T Mercury USB Connect wireless modem puts AT&T's 3G network at your fingertips. Don't let its small size fool you, the Mercury USB Connect wireless data modem enables you to surf AT&T's 3G network on your laptop at monster speeds!

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California drivers get new text and driving laws

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Thursday, September 25, 2008 (permalink)

This past July, hands-free driving laws went into effect in California. However, one item action seemed to be missing from the laws and that is texting while driving. Well, that soon will change according to this LA Times article. Starting January 1, 2009, all drivers in California will not be allowed to text and drive. If a driver does get caught texting while driving they will have to pay a $20 fine for a first offense and a $50 fine for any subsequent violation. Just like the other cell phone usage while driving offenses, I'm betting that $20 fine won't just be $20 after additional county and state fees are applied.

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Cell phones In action: The HTC G1

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 (permalink)

Check out ShopSavvy on the HTC G1 for T-Mobile. Use it to find out the best price on a particular item, just by snapping a pic of the barcode.

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Top 5 things that make the T-Mobile G1 Android cell phone compelling

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 (permalink)

The T-Mobile G1 launch event was packed today. Everyone covering cell phones and tech in general seemed to be on hand at the New York event. There will inevitably be a ton of different takes on the G1 floating around the web today, well, let's face it for the next few weeks. Instead of reiterating the specs (which I will list in a separate post), here are my top 5 picks of what makes the G1 such an interesting cell phone:

1. Google maps on steroids. OK, this is just cool and really needed on the Amazing Race. If you already like Google Maps this will floor you. Not only is the application already on this cell phone it's also a compass with pictures to help improve navigation. So you can essentially stand in one spot and get a picture of where you are with arrows of where you need to go. In short what you see on the phone is what you see on the street.

2. The price is definitely right. T-Mobile announced pricing will be $179 for the G1 cell phone. That is a pretty competitive price, but more impressive are the data plan costs. Though there were no details about the $25 data plan, except to say that it includes unlimited data and some messaging, the next plan up is quite reasonable at $35 for unlimited data and unlimited messaging. Of course, you'll still need a voice plan.

3. Touch and tap keyboards - a heavy texter's best friend. While I do like the slickness of a touchpad, there are moments when I yearn for a QWERTY keypad as well -- especially, for those longer messages or emails. That's why I particularly appreciate that both are available on the G1.

4. The cell phone is not re-inventing the Web, it's working with it. A huge issue with the mobile Web has been that it's just not functional on a cell phone. There, of course, have been work arounds such as creating mobile web sites. As Senior Vice President, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Cole Brodman mentioned in his opening remarks it's "bringing the phone and the Internet together." He's right, it is. I do think it will take people a little bit of time to get it: that you can easily zoom in on a page, or move around a page, or even open multiple pages. In many ways, it's probably how people would expect to deal with the Internet on a cell phone.

5. We only have to wait a month before it arrives. Unlike many other cell phone launches, the G1 will be available to the world fairly soon. That's right next month on October 22nd you'll be able to buy the cell phone.

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Get to know the G1 menu system

by Joni Blecher Follow me on Twitter
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 (permalink)

The T-Mobile G1 launch event is barely over and already there are videos all over YouTube showing off the first Android cell phone. This video should give you a good idea of how the G1 works. Check it out:

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Deal of the Week

by Guest Blogger
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 (permalink)

This week's deal comes from LetsTalk.com's Merchandising Manager for T-Mobile, Gary Kishida.

What is it? The Linksys Hi-Port Router does all the heavy lifting for the T-Mobile @ Home service. You can use this router with the right telephone $9.99 a month T-Mobile @ Home service to dramatically cut your home telephone service and you can even transfer your landline telephone number to the T-Mobile @ Home service. That’s not all, you can also use the router to set up a wireless network for your home.

How much? The router is free when you sign-up for the $9.99 T-Mobile @ Home service.

Why is it such a good deal? WiFi routers are far from free and the Linksys Hi-Port Router can be used for more than just setting up a WiFi network in your home. Coupled with the $9.99 a month T-Mobile @ Home service, you get unlimited nationwide calling from home without using your minutes while improving service at home if you also have a WiFi-enabled T-Mobile cell phone.

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