Mobility & Email Blog » Tutorials & Guides

Is 2011 the Year that RIM Makes a Comeback?

Ozgur — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:30:04 +0000

Though RIM has maintained a reputation for good, solid handsets, they have lagged behind Android and Apple with having the latest and greatest innovations that consumers now demand. But it looks like RIM will be a competitive force again, after all. Their latest offerings in the BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry Bold Touch, along with the acquisition of the operating system QNX, will make them far more competitive for the foreseeable future.

RIM has stayed in the game with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 and BlackBerry Torch, but onlookers were unprepared for, though pleasantly surprised by, their latest offerings. The BlackBerry Bold Touch impresses with a 1.2 GHz Snapdragon processor, 8 GB internal storage, 768 MB RAM, micro SD expansion slot, NFC, 5 mega pixel camera, a backlit 35 key keyboard, both touch screen and Qwerty entry and 640 x 480 pixel screen at 287 dpi. It is the most powerful offering yet from RIM, and also the slimmest.

The 7 inch BlackBerry PlayBook did not disappoint, either. With a 600 x 1024 pixel LCD screen, 1 GHz dual core Cortex A9, 1080 p HDMI output, dual 1080 HD camera for video (the front camera is 3 mega pixels and the rear camera is 5 mega pixels) 64 GB internal storage, 1 GB RAM, Wi Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) connectivity and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR support it is ready to play with the big boys. The on board browser for the PlayBook impressed many as one of the best available in its class of computers.

The icing on the cake is RIM’s recent acquisition of the operating system QNX. Before, it had only powered nuclear power stations, space stations, tanks and the like. It will now be RIM’s unified OS for their devices. Even Android remains fragmented in terms of operating systems. This is good news for ddp developers. With symmetric multi-processing, it allows apps to run parallel and each core remains at maximum performance.

The BlackBerry OS 7 was the last upgrade for that operating system. From here on out, QNX is the future of the operating system for all RIM devices. Many people had given up on RIM becoming once again competitive. While dethroning some of the current popular picks seems like a daunting task, RIM has brought some offerings to the market that will be hard for consumers to ignore. Tech addicts are already begging for more.

Introducing the Samsung Chromebook

Ozgur — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:03:22 +0000

At Google I/O 2011 in San Francisco, California, the new Samsung Chromebook was exhibited. Attendees were allowed to touch and play with the new notebook, not just a new product but a whole new idea, according to Google executives. The product is expected to get far better with subsequent releases, but spectators were surprised and impressed with the high quality of the small machine, and tech enthusiasts were excited about its potential.

The Chromebook is 12.1 inches and is to be released to the market on June 16. The notebook does not use local storage, but rather relies on internet access as a cloud based server. This is apparent as soon as you see the keyboard. Where the function keys are usually located, this keyboard has keys for web browser navigation buttons. Instead of F1 or F8 you will have keys for refresh page or new window.

The machine comes in two color selections, Titan Silver and Arctic White. It weighs 3.3 pounds, which is a little heavy for the size it is, but it is a durable, sturdy, high quality made machine. The battery is one of the most impressive things about the Chromebook. It has an 8.5 hour battery life during active use, and the battery will last about 5 hours for high consumption activities such as videos. It is supposed to be good for over 1,000 battery cycles.

The multi gesture track pad is one of the best seen on a notebook. It will boot up in a mere 10 seconds. Samsung and Google have promised that there will be no security issues at all related to the Chromebook, something they will have to prove to many.

Verizon Wireless is the mobile provider for the Chromebook, named for its Google Chrome operating system. It was expected that Verizon would provide 100 mb per month for free, but they will only provide this for two years, not the life of the product as was expected.

The screen resolution is 1280 x 800 and onlookers were pleasantly surprised at its crispness, sharpness and clarity. It is clearly visible from a wide angle. It is one of the best offerings in the less than $450 price range.

It is still not clear how readily the general public will receive the new cloud, web based technology. There are a lot of benefits, such as no local memory and storage problems and easy access on multiple devices. The cons are that you cannot get to anything if you do not have internet access. And many people are worried about security issues associated with keeping all of your information remote to you.

BlackBerry Touch – Codename Monaco: What’s New? What are the Rumors?

Ozgur — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:36:30 +0000

The announcement by RIM of the new BlackBerry Touch is expected to come in mid May at BlackBerry World along with the release of the BlackBerry Bold Touch, BlackBerry Torch 2 and the new Curves. Photos of the phone, some in Verizon red, have already hit the Internet techie gossip sites. Photos of the phone have been available on the Internet since mid February of this year.

The BlackBerry Touch will run OS 6.1. The screen is 800 x 480 pixels. You will have to get a BlackBerry ID account to use some of the key functions instead of just a PIN number. The rumor is that this is required because some non Blackberry platforms are getting BBM. Rumor also has it that it will not be called the Storm, as some early gossip indicated.

The entire phone will be 120 mm x 62 mm x 11.5 mm. It will have a Qualcomm 1.2 GHz processor. The display is 3.7 inches with a 15:9 aspect ratio and 253 DPI. The camera is 5 MP flash. With HD video recording (720 p). The navigation is Captive touch with BlackBerry navigation keys and optical navigation module. There is one convenience key.

In terms of memory, the BlackBerry Touch will have 4 GB of storage with 768 Mb of RAM and up to 32 MB SD. In terms of navigation, it will have a Wi Fi 802.11 b/g/n and GPS with Bluetooth 2.1 EDR and Mobile Hotspot. For connectivity it uses Micro USB, Bluetooth and NFC.
Software will include Enhanced BlackBerry SW v6.1, BlackBerry Evolution 6, Open GLES 2.0, APIs for magnometer and augmented reality applications.

New technology on the BlackBerry touch includes a digital compass, NFC, HD video recording and management and improved HTML5 media support. It will also have open GL support, mobile hot spot capability, 24 bit color, and improved web browser and an over hauled virtual keyboard by BlackBerry OS 6.1.

The BlackBerry is a different option from the iPhones and Androids. Some people prefer the interface of the BlackBerry and say that is more user friendly for their purposes. Others claim that people do not buy Blackberries, only companies do. The BlackBerry has been adopted by many companies and provided to their executives for business use. However, BlackBerry still has a large following of individual users who are excited about the new BlackBerry offerings.

Lenovo Android Tablets: What can you expect?

Ozgur — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:00:26 +0000

Lenovo’s big plans to release the LePad Idea Pad Tablet K1 globally slipped out when their FCC application got (predictably) leaked to the online media. Only a drawing of the device is currently available online. It is a Compal device. The LePad is only available in China for now. Leveno has confirmed reports that they expect and intend to launch the device on the global market in June.

It is not yet clear whether the globally released LePad Idea Pad will have the Honeycomb OS or Froyo. It will have a 10.1 inch screen, 1.3GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset, 1 GB of RAM, 16 GB or 32 GB of flash storage, a screen resolution of 1,280 x 800 pixels, a 2 mega pixel web cam, Wi Fi, Bluetooth and 3G.

The device is expected to cost between $399 and $499 US dollars. The LePad Idea Pad Tablet K1 was designed at the same time as its 2nd generation. Two separate teams of designers developed the products so that the 2nd generation will be available a mere 9 months after the first one is released to the public. The 2nd generation LePad Idea Pad is slimmer, according to Levano, but not many more details were released or leaked to the press.

Levano also has plans to release the U1 Hybrid, a sleeker LePad, but it will probably be called the Skylight slate, named after Levano’s notepad that never was actually released.

The Lepad Idea Pad was available for photo opportunities at the Mobile World Congress this year along with a lot of other Android tablets. Most of the models sported Android 3.0, which is optimized for running on tablet computers, and many hope that Levano is able to give the LePad Idea Pad upgrade from Froyo to Honeycomb before its June release. Android 3.0, or Honeycomb, is Google’s mobile operating system.

The release of the LePad Idea Pad to the global market should coincided nicely with Computex 2011 to be held in Tiapei. The LePad should feel at home, it was also featured in the 2010 Computex convention.

Email Unitasker: An Introduction to Peek 9ine

Ozgur — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 14:33:24 +0000

Peek started as an email only mobile device. Since texting and SMS messaging have become such an important part of doing business, Peek 9ine has added those features. Peek is a device that excludes phone calls and chit chat associated with most mobile devices for business in order to promote higher productivity of employees.

The Peek device is incredibly durable. You can drop it every day and do not have to worry, because there is no glass or fragile components. It is made to be tough and durable for on the go business professionals. Peek 9ine also offers stronger cell reception. Unlimited texting to other cellular devices is included.

Peek makes it easy to access your Facebook and Twitter accounts. It also has Google Maps and instant local weather. Peek 9ine is faster than previous releases, and the device is super thin. It has Outlook and Exchange and also supports streaming content of RSS feeds. Peek allows you to build and deploy apps from the device quickly and easily.

With Peek you can also view attachments, such as PDF files and Word documents. It also allows you to connect with your corporate email account. You can have your email account set up on Peek 9ine in one minute or less. Peek also offers custom cloud apps. There is no contract obligation, the device is very affordable ($69.95 and $99.95) and you can get a monthly service plan as low as $10 per month.

One of the most incredible things about Peek 9ine is the battery life. Even though the device is on all of the time, the battery will last up to 16 days without needing to be charged. It has real time push mail and responses to your SMS messages go directly to your email inbox. The device works anywhere that you need to go.

Dell Tablets: Android vs Windows 7

Ozgur — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:25:31 +0000

So, which one is better? Depends on who is asking. At least we know the names, the release dates and the general specs on each tablet computer. Upcoming are three releases from Dell, including the Android 3.0 tablet, called the Streak Pro, the Latitude XTS convertible tablet and finally the Latitude ST with Windows 7.

The Windows 7 is called the Latitude ST. It will have Oak Trail chips from Intel. It is “Wintel” (Windows and Intel) powered with a respectable screen resolution of 1,366 x 768. It boasts 2 GB of RAM and 128 GB SSD. It also has a GPS, accelerometer and both front and rear facing cameras. It will also have an 8 hour battery that is removable. And it has a 108 op video output, which we are guessing is HDMI output. The Latitude ST is scheduled to be ready for consumers in October of this year. The Latitude XTS convertible tablet will be released in July of 2011.

The Andriod 3.0 Streak Pro will have Tegra T25. The resolution is a less impressive 1,200 x 800. It has the same two camera configuration as the Latitude ST with two microphones handy for video chatting. The mobile broad band radio is of yet unspecified. It will also have Dell’s Stage 1.5 UI (user interface) layered on top of Honeycomb, good news for some and not so exciting to others.

To date, no conclusive word on prices. Both are the 10 inch models, down from the usual 12 inch tablets that are currently in use, for the most part. Michael Dell, CEO of Dell, predicts that Android will “squash” the iPad. Huh. That is a pretty big boast. So far, iAnything has been pretty much untouchable in the market place.

The companies entering the market today have a lot of tough competition. Not only are the big names in computers putting out a multitude of offerings in the small portable computer market, but some names more associated with mobile phones are throwing their name in the hat as well. BlackBerry is getting in on the tablet action with their PlayBook about the same time as HP is introducing their Slate.

The tablet market is heating up almost before it gets started. But competition is a good thing, and maybe we will all get better products as the companies vie for top seller, top dollar and winner of the ultimate prize – our money.

Android Tablet: ViewSonic 7X with Honeycomb

Ozgur — Mon, 23 May 2011 18:15:37 +0000

The new Android tablet will be powered by Honeycomb. It will be ViewSonic’s first attempt at the market for 7 inch screens, and will join the ranks with their other three tablet offerings. It will also be Honeycomb’s first 7 inch attempt, but reports hold that the interface looks good in the size.

The current ViewSonic tablets range in price from just under $300 to almost $600. No word yet on where the Android tablet will fall in the price range. The Android tablet is expected to be introduced at the Computex convention in May 2011. It is possible that the mobile device will be available to customers as early as June of this year.

The 1 GHz Tegra 2 powered Viewpad will be Wi Fi ready with HSPA+ mobile broadband connection support. This could give users up to 4 G capabilities with mobile providers like AT&T and T Mobile. The phone weighs a mere .84 pounds with a HDMI port and a triangular design on the back that has drawn a little criticism among techie bloggers. Looks have played a surprisingly large role in the sale of electronics and mobile devices, a fact the Apple designers can attest to.

The phone will be an Android 3.0 (rumor had it a 2.2, but that was debunked) with a camera in the front and a camera on the back. LED flash. It is not yet clear if ViewSonic is planning to phase out their ViewPad 7 to avoid competing in an already tight market with its own products, or whether it will continue to offer both in hopes that the share of the market will get to them somehow.

Some say Google rushed the launch of the Android 3.0 to compete with the Apple iPad and that the OS was lacking in its 10 inch version. Many of the details are not yet clear, but it will not be long before we find out. The convention will be in Tiapei this month. With all of the new technology, pictures of the latest and greatest will likely reach consumers before the registration process is complete.

The tablet era is officially being ushered in at this year’s Computex convention. According to Computex, the tablet computers are drawing the most interest, with models from Tiwanese manufacturers having some notable mentions. Consumers are looking for light weight, thin replacements for their laptop and notebook computers.

The Smartphone Revolution: The Growth of Smartphones & Exchange ActiveSync

Ozgur — Thu, 12 May 2011 23:07:28 +0000

Technology has made such an impact on society that most people won’t leave home without their cell phone, and their computer has become their best friend. This is why one of the most life-changing pieces of technology for many has been the smartphone — an all-in-one, portable device that combines the functions of a cell phone with the functions of a computer.

Brief History of the Smartphone

Smartphones are actually a relatively new piece of technology.

1992 – The first smartphone was invented by IBM in 1992. It was nicknamed, “Simon,” and had a plethora of features including a calendar, address book, calculator, email service, and even a touch screen. At $899.00, though, most people could not afford it.
1996 – Nokia launched a series of smartphones in the late ’90s that were basically a cross between a cell phone and a PDA.
2000 – Ericsson developed the R380, a touch screen smartphone that used the Symbian operating system and had a foldable keyboard. It was the first all-in-one device to actually be called a smartphone.
2002 – This was the year the smartphone revolution really took off. Blackberry was introduced with its email services, as well as the Palm Treo and its full QWERTY keyboard and Ericsson’s P800 model. Several new features were added to smartphones including the MP3 player, camera, and wireless technology. Exchange Email also became popular.
2005 – The N-Series of smartphones was introduced to the market by Sony Ericsson. These devices were targeted at business people because of their computing capabilities.
2007 – Apple’s coveted iPhone was introduced with its massive app store.
2008 – The open-source, Android operating system started to take off, supported by Google, Intel, HTC, and a variety of other developers.
Now – New smartphones are constantly being introduced to the market by all the major players. The focus is currently on getting faster Internet speeds.

Why Are Smartphones so Popular?

The popularity of the smartphone grew, in part, because of services like Exchange, and their ActiveSync and Push Email services. People loved the idea of being able to access their email and do business while on the go. With the first smartphones, it was difficult to manage a calendar and contacts because they had to be updated on too many separate devices. Exchange allowed people to update information once and have it show up on all the other device they used instantly.

Smartphones have come a long way in a short period of time. Now, we’re anxiously awaiting the technology that comes next.

The HTC Evo 3D: Bringing Your Android Smartphone into the Third Dimension

Ozgur — Thu, 12 May 2011 13:44:02 +0000

In the summer of 2011, HTC is slated to release the 3D version of its popular Evo smartphone. It runs on the Android OS and brings some pretty cool new features to the world of smartphones — the most prominent one being 3D viewing without the need for 3D glasses.

The original HTC Evo is popular because of its sleek design and ease of use. This is carried over in the HTC Evo 3D, which has a 4.3 inch touch screen and is packed with media features that rival other smartphones on the market. The Evo 3D, however, offers additional features not seen on the original Evo.

New Features for the HTC Evo 3D

Three Cameras – There are two 5 megapixel cameras in back and a 1.3 megapixel camera in front for video calling and self-portraits.
Long Battery Life - The HTC Evo 3D has seven and a half hours of talk time, which is pretty good in comparison to other Android smartphones. There is also the option of an extended battery, although it makes the phone thicker.
High Resolution Graphics – 540 x 960 pixels
More Functional Capacity – A 1.2 GHZ dual core processor that runs on the Android Gingerbread OS. There is also 1GB of ram and 4GB of internal memory.
Android Email Support – As with all Android phones, the HTC Evo 3D supports Exchange Email and is perfect for both business and personal use.

The 3D Experience

The 3D experience on the HTC Evo 3D is similar to what is seen on the LG Optimus 3D. There is no need for 3D glasses, making it ideal for general use. The images seem to float off the screen. While it won’t be the same as 3D movies on the big screen in theaters, it is quite impressive nonetheless. The cameras enable the user to take video and pictures in 3D, too.

Android smartphones are quickly becoming the first choice for consumers because of the ever growing app market. As a matter of fact, Android is projected to have the largest app market by the end of 2012. Many Android apps have even been designed to work directly with the 3D capabilities of this phone.

The HTC Evo 3D is an excellent choice for consumers because it combines the power of Android with the power of 3D, complete with all the features that now come standard on smartphones.

Nokia and Windows Phone 7: What to Expect

Ozgur — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:46:16 +0000

The first thing promised by Nokia CEO Stephen Elop is that the prices of the new Windows 7 phones will drop. Quickly. Elop and Steve Ballmer of Microsoft have struck a pretty tight deal that will integrate a lot of the companies’ assets, including the new Nokia Windows 7 phone, now merely a conceptual device. But the marketing potential is there, and no doubt this device will be available for retail sale in the near future.

The phone comes in an array of Technicolors – bright and delightful. The shape is somewhere between the N8 and the C7 Symbian. Nokia is focusing on the windows phone as its primary smartphone business strategy. The deal between Nokia and Microsoft is not surprising, since Stephen Elop of Nokia used to be an executive with Microsoft Corporation.

Other parts of the agreement between Nokia and Microsoft include Microsoft’s Bing providing the search engine capabilities on Nokia phones and ad Center providing the advertising services on the Nokia phones and devices. Ovi Maps will be an integral part of Microsoft’s mapping services. Ovi Maps will also be integrated with Bing. Nokia’s content store is basically merging with Microsoft Marketplace. Xbox Live and Office will be using Microkia handsets.

The Symbian handsets will not be outfitted with Windows 7, but rather phased out as the new Windows 7 phones are lowered in price to be competitive. Elop has been criticized for holding on to his shares of Microsoft stock, but upon announcement of the agreement finally sold his Microsoft stock and invested in his current employer’s stock with 150,000 Nokia shares.

No word yet on the specs for Nokia’s Windows Phone. The only photos that have so far leaked into the online tech blog world are of black, hot pink and electric blue. Perhaps other companies are realizing that Apple’s success with iEverything is their visual appeal.

Both Microsoft and Nokia officials were optimistic about the partnership for mobile devices. If it is possible to get the power of a Microsoft Windows 7 phone in a far less expensive Nokia Symbian price range, there are definite marketing possibilities.

Nokia’s Symbian phones have sold quite well, but Microsoft’s Windows 7 phones have lagged behind market leaders. Not for lack of features, but perhaps for price and overall style. Consumers are flocking to the multi colored devices and most are thrifty enough not to buy top of the line unless their company is picking up the tab.