Mobile Platform Wars - Blackberry Ups The Ante

Posted by: PatrickJ on May 12 2008 - 292 views

The platform wars are going mobile. Whether it’s the iPhone, Blackberry, Android or Windows Mobile, the mobile platform that will win in the end will be the one with the best and broadest collection of applications.

I hope that thought - from TechCrunch’s Erick Schonfeld - proves true.  I think in the mobile space there have tended to be other big factors in determining success and failure for individual devices and even platforms, and many smartphone users have barely scratched the surface when it comes to mobile apps usage. 

Hopefully we’ll see that change as more and more of our computing activities are done on mobile devices, and as more great mobile applications are developed.

Today, Blackberry became the latest mobile platform vendor to throw some *serious* money into the ring to help spark development of apps for the Blackberry (and other) mobile platforms.  Google started this recent trend with their $10 million Android Developers Challenge, then Apple’s iPhone SDK launch event brought news of a $100 million iFund for iPhone platform development ventures - and now RIM and its partners have upped the ante even further, with a $150 million venture capital fund "to invest in mobile applications and services for the BlackBerry(R) platform
and other mobile platforms."

That’s an awful lot of money being thrown out there for enterprising mobile developers.  Anybody else wish they had even an ounce of coding talent right about now? 

Very soon we should start seeing some of the results of all this funding and encouragement to all these mobile platforms.  I feel sure we’ll see some great apps, and hope that some of them will even start winning over some of those mobile users who’ve never gone past phone calls and texting up to now …

Via: Gizmodo

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iPhoneRingToneMaker MobileHeist Deal - Only $4.95!

Posted by: PatrickJ on May 07 2008 - 234 views

Here’s another fantastic MobileHeist deal - on a very popular iPhone ringtone making application.  This is a special offer from our partner, Efiko, for a major discount on their most popular product, iPhoneRingToneMaker.

iPhoneRingToneMaker 1.4.4 is a handy (Windows only) tool that let’s you create custom ring tones for your iPhone using music from your music library.  It’s the top rated ringtone maker for the iPhone and consistently receives rave reviews for ease-of-use and functionality.  This application is consistently one of MobiHand’s best-selling applications that normally retails for $14.95 but …

for two days, this Thursday and Friday, May 8th & 9th, we’re going to sell it for only $4.95.  That’s $10 off the retail price ! This special pricing will be in effect starting at 7PM PST on Wednesday, May 7th and running until 11:59 PST on Friday, May 9th.

You don’t need to use a coupon code to get this deal - just add iPhoneRingToneMaker to your shopping cart and you’re good to go.

Just go HERE to check out iPhoneRingToneMaker and get your savings …

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Touch Diamond Will Be HTC’s Big Announcement?

Posted by: PatrickJ on May 04 2008 - 748 views

 

HTC has a ‘big’ event scheduled for this Tuesday in London, and there’s already been plenty of speculation about what they may be announcing at it.  This weekend Engadget has a post up on another exciting possibility - and this time it’s a very high-end Windows Mobile device - the HTC Touch Diamond. 

The rumored specs for this thing are:

    * 2.8-inch VGA display
    * WinMo 6.1 Pro
    * WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0
    * eGPS, FM tuner
    * Quad-band HSDPA 7.2
    * 4GB internal flash, microSD slot
    * 528MHz CPU
    * 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus
    * 10.7mm (0.47-inches) thick
    * Supposedly also features an orientation sensor / accelerometer

That’s one heck of an impressive list, and sounds like it would be a real flagship device for HTC as well.  If those pics are close to accurate, it’s also pretty damn sharp looking.

Tuesday should be interesting - and hey it’s just nice to have someone other than Apple generating a little bit of buzz and speculation ahead of an event right about now

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Huh? I Completely Agree with Phone Company Advice …

Posted by: PatrickJ on May 01 2008 - 231 views

To that end, a new study commissioned by Vodafone UK found that over 70-percent of all workers "talk business on their mobile phones in public, with one-in-five talking about business-critical subjects such as sales leads." Worse still, 15-percent admitted to "openly discussing confidential new products or services whilst traveling," while 26-percent admitted that they have actually followed up on a lead in which they received via listening in to another’s public call. Not surprisingly, the company recommends that individuals utilize more discreet methods of communicating in public, suggesting texting and emailing in particular.

That’s some advice from Vodafone in the UK, for business folks talking trash, and sometimes revealing confidential information along the way, on cellphones.  Nice.  Good advice from a phone company.  Please shut up or talk quieter, or send a written / typed form of communication instead. 

How many times have you *wished* some suit would do that instead of regaling you and everyone around you with their latest triumph in a crowded public place?  Lots would be my quick answer.

I really like the SHHH cards produced by Coudal.com (like the image top of this post) as well. 

Via: Engadget

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Where Did The Arcade Go? It’s Right Over Here

Posted by: PatrickJ on Apr 27 2008 - 337 views

A lot of you have been long-time fans of The Arcade, Doug Goldring’s excellent monthly roundup of freeware games.  And you may have been wondering where it has gone since Doug’s move away from JAMM and over to MyTodayScreen.

Well, I’m happy to say … it’s right HERE, over at MyTodayScreen, where it will continue to be a regular monthly fixture.  Doug’s got a great intro on his post, covering the change of home for The Arcade, and filling you in a little on how close to his heart the series is.  I’ve always known that, and it’s a big part of why the series is so great and popular. 

This month’s featured *free* games in The Arcade include a mathematics game, a puzzle challenge, and even a great-looking role-playing game that used to be a paid-for application.

For any of you who aren’t yet familiar with The Arcade, where have you been??? Well, nevermind that - here’s a good Intro to the series from Doug:

Each month, I scour the web, searching for free games.  There are a lot out there and finding good ones is rarely a problem.  Then, at the end of each month (on my calendar, it falls on the fourth Sunday), I post a roundup of five free games. 

Oh, and if you need one more reason to check out the latest incarnation and installment of The Arcade, it’s also got a snazzy new animated graphic! So head on over and check it out at:

The Arcade

 

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Zune Finds THE Answer

Posted by: PatrickJ on Apr 20 2008 - 537 views

Reebok and Zune have teamed up for the first time to bring you a limited edition Allen Iverson sneaker - the Answer XI Zune. The sneakers will be sold with a customized Zune 8g black Zune, featuring etched AI graphics on the back, and loaded with special AI content. Only 60 will be produced and sold.

Cool.  This limited edition offer comes out to coincide with the start of the NBA Playoffs, where unfortunately AI’s team probably won’t be hanging around very long - as the Lakers should make it a short series. 

I think it’s good to see Zune branching out a little on the subject matter for a limited edition series - and Iverson is a great pick as a first sports figure to feature.  He’s been one of the NBA’s most electrifying and hardest working players for a long time.  Definitely one of the top players I’d go out of my way to see playing.  Not sure how any of that ties back into Zune’s brand image - but I’d go for one anyway if I had some spare funds laying around, although I might have to accidentally forget the sneakers box when walking out.

If you want one, there might still be some left at these participating stores:

* Complex/Training Day Store (NYC)
* Commonwealth (VA)
* Major Commonwealth (DC)
* Wish (ATL)
* The 400 (Denver)

How can there not be a Philadelphia store in there???

Via: Gizmodo and Zune Insider

Tags: Zune, limited edition, Allen Iverson, AI, Reebok, The Answer

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