Apple can today celebrate a marketing coup over Google, as the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said the firm's App Store really does have a mobile application for everything.
The ASA said 10 people complained about a television advert for the Apple iPhone, which said "There's an app for just about anything. Only on the iPhone". The complaints noted that Google's Android-based phones have the Android Marketplace with similar applications, suggesting the Apple ad was misleading.
The ASA noted that Apple's store has a "far higher" number of applications than its competitors, with over 50,000. By contrast, the advertising watchdog said the Android Marketplace had just 2,100 for phones like the G1.
The ASA found that it was clear Apple wasn't saying it was the only company to offer mobile applications, but that it was referencing the wide range it had available.
"Because Apple had shown there were far more applications available for the iPhone than the G1 phone, and user-experience of the iPhone and the app store was distinct from its competitor, we concluded the claim 'Only on the iPhone' was justified and not misleading," the watchdog said.
Apple sparked off the mobile application trend, with Google, Nokia and Microsoft launching app stores of their own. They have some catching up to do, however, as the App Store has notched up 1.5 billion downloads in the year since its launch.
Click here for the ten best productivity apps for your phone.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
and now.... Phone News!
The mobile entertainment industry is still confident of revenue growth despite the global recession, according to a report released today.
The quarterly Mobile Entertainment Forum Business Confidence Index (MEF BCI) has predicted a 28 per cent growth in revenue for mobile content over the next year.
The research surveyed member companies of the MEF asking them 15 questions about their confidence in the mobile phone environment.
Andrew Bud, global chair of MEF, said: “In spite of an incredibly difficult economic landscape, the prediction for average revenue growth in the mobile content sector is up one per cent on the annual growth prediction from the last BCI to 28 per cent. This echoes the finding that 81 per cent of respondents are as confident about the future of their organisation as they were at the end of last year.”
Social networking is one of the leading areas keeping the industry’s head above water during the recession.
Rimma Perelmuter, executive director at MEF, comments: “The mobile entertainment industry is relatively stable due to proven business models, with more than 50 per cent of total revenue generated from consumer purchased content.”
“Social networking looks set to be the biggest area for growth; followed by games and video; music and ‘infotainment’. It is encouraging to see an optimistic outlook throughout the mobile entertainment value chain, despite uncertainties around forecasting and budgeting.”
The results were compiled by KPMG who cited the rising popularity of smartphones as another reason why the industry is sustaining growth.
Mark Harding, director of Digital Content at KPMG, added: “The revenue growth and confidence shown by the sector proves that, despite tougher economic times, consumers are still prepared to spend money on mobile content. The coming of age of the smart phone has no doubt helped to support this, by improving the customer experience and access to exciting mobile applications.”
The quarterly Mobile Entertainment Forum Business Confidence Index (MEF BCI) has predicted a 28 per cent growth in revenue for mobile content over the next year.
The research surveyed member companies of the MEF asking them 15 questions about their confidence in the mobile phone environment.
Andrew Bud, global chair of MEF, said: “In spite of an incredibly difficult economic landscape, the prediction for average revenue growth in the mobile content sector is up one per cent on the annual growth prediction from the last BCI to 28 per cent. This echoes the finding that 81 per cent of respondents are as confident about the future of their organisation as they were at the end of last year.”
Social networking is one of the leading areas keeping the industry’s head above water during the recession.
Rimma Perelmuter, executive director at MEF, comments: “The mobile entertainment industry is relatively stable due to proven business models, with more than 50 per cent of total revenue generated from consumer purchased content.”
“Social networking looks set to be the biggest area for growth; followed by games and video; music and ‘infotainment’. It is encouraging to see an optimistic outlook throughout the mobile entertainment value chain, despite uncertainties around forecasting and budgeting.”
The results were compiled by KPMG who cited the rising popularity of smartphones as another reason why the industry is sustaining growth.
Mark Harding, director of Digital Content at KPMG, added: “The revenue growth and confidence shown by the sector proves that, despite tougher economic times, consumers are still prepared to spend money on mobile content. The coming of age of the smart phone has no doubt helped to support this, by improving the customer experience and access to exciting mobile applications.”
Getac is for your clumsy-ness!!!
We take a look at what the ruggedised Getac PS535F GPS device has to offer.Windows Mobile might not be flavour of the moment when it comes to consumer mobile phones, but when it comes to specialist applications, it still has a lot of appeal.
One reason for that appeal is the huge range of devices that run on Windows Mobile. Getac's PS535F, for instance, which runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile 6.1 Classic operating system, is designed with GIS field work in mind. It's rough and tough, and will go places consumer devices such as an iPhone won't go.
It certainly feels built to last. Clad in thick, heavy-duty plastic with rubber corners and trim, the PS535F is independently rated to IP54 and the US military standard MIL-STD 810F, which means, though you can't immerse it completely in water, it'll survive a fair amount of abuse. You can drop it from a height of 1.52m, and chill it to -20 degrees Centigrade among other things, without doing it any serious damage.
To prove it, we poured a glass of water over it, put it in the freezer for 20 minutes, dropped it on the floor and generally treated it with contempt. It came through with flying colours with nary a scratch. And, as a bonus, this PDA isn't that bulky or heavy either, measuring a utility-belt friendly 144 x 82 x 29mm and weighing 300g – we've used portable, ruggedised PDAs before, but none that are this light or compact.
The controls also feel tough, without being awkward to operate, with four sturdy buttons flanking a large, inset joystick. And, all the flaps – covering the SDHC card slot and 3.5mm headphone socket on the left and the mini-USB and mains input socket on the bottom edge – are either rubber sealed or screwed firmly into place.
What really sets this PDA apart from the crowd, however, are its navigational features. It comes equipped with a 20-channel SirfSTAR III GPS radio – not unusual in this day and age, you might think – but unusually it's also SBAS-enabled, which means it can take advantage of EGNOS – the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay service.
It's a system that uses ground-based transmitter stations to enhance the accuracy of GPS so that (principally) aircraft can use it safely. In the case of this PDA, where you can receive the EGNOS signal (usually in open spaces), its means the accuracy of position the PS535F receives can be precise to within two metres, compared to an accuracy of around 20m for GPS; critical for industrial applications where accuracy is paramount.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Nokia E series not so hot review..
Is the latest smartphone in Nokia's Eseries a business force to be reckoned with?
Our first impressions of the latest in Nokia’s Eseries device line-up was more “So what?” than “Wow” and we’ve certainly seen more impressive handsets to tempt the business person’s eye.
The review unit we got to test out was dark blue but the handset is also available in red, which is more the sort of colour one tends to associate with school pencil cases for some reason rather than briefcases. We doubt many business users will therefore be demanding the latter hue.
On the big screen
We were pleasantly surprised by the E63’s screen. At 2.36in, metrics alone dictate it’s not going to be much of a crowd pleaser. But, in reality, the screen is more than adequate and dominates the handset’s outer shell. While a fairly low resolution, we also found the display to be very crisp and bright.
The QWERTY keypad features raised keys, with pads that are sensitive enough to respond but aren’t so OTT as to react when you’ve accidentally stroked the wrong button.
Those with larger-than-average digits may also find the size of the keys a bit irksome, particularly for the speed texters out there who are used to typing without even looking at the keyboard.
It’s obvious to see that the E63 is clearly related to the E71. Although, based on the previous observations about colour, we felt it wasn’t as classy in appearance as its older sibling which could put some professionals off.
Call quality is good and, as with most Nokia handsets, the E63 is well built and finished, and feels solid in the hand. The E63 also has a good built in speaker and, as much as any speaker of that size can be deemed “good” it ticks the right boxes.
Bigger, better?
The handset also feels a bit beefier - at 6cm wide and 128g in weight – than the E71 but it doesn’t necessarily pack in that many extra features to explain the additional bulk.
That said, messaging (whether texting or email) is a good experience using the device.
Ease of use is a key focus for the E63. It’s based on the same platform (Symbian) and menu system as other Nokia smartphones, meaning if you’ve owned a Nokia smartphone before it doesn’t take long to get to grips with phone’s functions. Also with Nokia’s Windows-esque desktop icons to access the phone’s many functions, even new Nokia users will find it very easy to navigate.
Surfing the web was pleasant enough too, thanks to the largish screen. Although it’s better suited to regular snacking on website rather than full blown meals. HSDPA is also noticeable by its absence, which is something many business users are like to lament the loss of.
Thankfully, Wi-Fi is on the menu, which should please users who find themselves out of the office en route to meetings or stuck in airport lounges. Set-up in general is easy, and we found it very easy to connect to available Wi-Fi.
Talking of easy set-up, we found email a doddle on the E63. That was a pleasant surprise, although the basic visual format was a tad disappointing.
GPS is also a no-show, with Nokia Maps onboard instead. Although the latter has its merits, GPS would have been a bonus for for business users who go to meetings outside of their comfort travel zone a lot.
Out of office
QuickOffice can also be found lurking around the Symbian OS, meaning users can access basic office-based documents on the move. And with 110MB memory onboard and support for microSD storage, business users should find it easy to move documents around provided they keep file sizes down to a respectable level.
The camera is a lowly 2 megapixels, although photo quality is reasonable for a basic phone-based snapper. And, to be fair, it’s unlikely that anyone will be purchasing the Nokia E63 specifically for its camera prowess. It’s also important to remember that the iPhone’s camera spec isn’t that magnificent but that hasn’t put people off buying it.
When you compare the E63’s camera specs to the E71, which had a 3.2 megapixel snapper, it does make you wonder why it fell by the wayside but it’s something business users are likely to be happy without for the sake of the rest of the package.
RealPlayer is the preloaded media player, making the E63 quite capable of playing a film to a high enough standard to watch as entertainment in between meetings, on a plane, train or just an out-of-work scenario altogether.
All in all, it’s clearly the E63 is likely to be going after traditional BlackBerry fodder. It should definitely have some success, although those who’ve moved onwards and upwards to newer models without keyboards may not have their heads turned so easily.
Our first impressions of the latest in Nokia’s Eseries device line-up was more “So what?” than “Wow” and we’ve certainly seen more impressive handsets to tempt the business person’s eye.
The review unit we got to test out was dark blue but the handset is also available in red, which is more the sort of colour one tends to associate with school pencil cases for some reason rather than briefcases. We doubt many business users will therefore be demanding the latter hue.
On the big screen
We were pleasantly surprised by the E63’s screen. At 2.36in, metrics alone dictate it’s not going to be much of a crowd pleaser. But, in reality, the screen is more than adequate and dominates the handset’s outer shell. While a fairly low resolution, we also found the display to be very crisp and bright.
The QWERTY keypad features raised keys, with pads that are sensitive enough to respond but aren’t so OTT as to react when you’ve accidentally stroked the wrong button.
Those with larger-than-average digits may also find the size of the keys a bit irksome, particularly for the speed texters out there who are used to typing without even looking at the keyboard.
It’s obvious to see that the E63 is clearly related to the E71. Although, based on the previous observations about colour, we felt it wasn’t as classy in appearance as its older sibling which could put some professionals off.
Call quality is good and, as with most Nokia handsets, the E63 is well built and finished, and feels solid in the hand. The E63 also has a good built in speaker and, as much as any speaker of that size can be deemed “good” it ticks the right boxes.
Bigger, better?
The handset also feels a bit beefier - at 6cm wide and 128g in weight – than the E71 but it doesn’t necessarily pack in that many extra features to explain the additional bulk.
That said, messaging (whether texting or email) is a good experience using the device.
Ease of use is a key focus for the E63. It’s based on the same platform (Symbian) and menu system as other Nokia smartphones, meaning if you’ve owned a Nokia smartphone before it doesn’t take long to get to grips with phone’s functions. Also with Nokia’s Windows-esque desktop icons to access the phone’s many functions, even new Nokia users will find it very easy to navigate.
Surfing the web was pleasant enough too, thanks to the largish screen. Although it’s better suited to regular snacking on website rather than full blown meals. HSDPA is also noticeable by its absence, which is something many business users are like to lament the loss of.
Thankfully, Wi-Fi is on the menu, which should please users who find themselves out of the office en route to meetings or stuck in airport lounges. Set-up in general is easy, and we found it very easy to connect to available Wi-Fi.
Talking of easy set-up, we found email a doddle on the E63. That was a pleasant surprise, although the basic visual format was a tad disappointing.
GPS is also a no-show, with Nokia Maps onboard instead. Although the latter has its merits, GPS would have been a bonus for for business users who go to meetings outside of their comfort travel zone a lot.
Out of office
QuickOffice can also be found lurking around the Symbian OS, meaning users can access basic office-based documents on the move. And with 110MB memory onboard and support for microSD storage, business users should find it easy to move documents around provided they keep file sizes down to a respectable level.
The camera is a lowly 2 megapixels, although photo quality is reasonable for a basic phone-based snapper. And, to be fair, it’s unlikely that anyone will be purchasing the Nokia E63 specifically for its camera prowess. It’s also important to remember that the iPhone’s camera spec isn’t that magnificent but that hasn’t put people off buying it.
When you compare the E63’s camera specs to the E71, which had a 3.2 megapixel snapper, it does make you wonder why it fell by the wayside but it’s something business users are likely to be happy without for the sake of the rest of the package.
RealPlayer is the preloaded media player, making the E63 quite capable of playing a film to a high enough standard to watch as entertainment in between meetings, on a plane, train or just an out-of-work scenario altogether.
All in all, it’s clearly the E63 is likely to be going after traditional BlackBerry fodder. It should definitely have some success, although those who’ve moved onwards and upwards to newer models without keyboards may not have their heads turned so easily.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Acer's Dual-SIM Innovation.
Carry two mobiles phones? Now you can use two SIM cards in one phone with the first dual-SIM mobile in the UK - the Acer DX900.Dual SIM mobile phones have been a bit of a trend in Japan and Korea for quite some time, and now the first dual-SIM smartphone has hit our shores in the shape of the Acer DX900.
The DX900 is a re-branded E-TEN DX900, and the first device to come available in the UK, pipping the X960 to the post.
The Acer DX900 is a chunky beast at 106 x 60.5 x 17 mm (HxWxD) and it’s heavy too with 147g behind it, but heavyweight features make up for the size.
The first impressive point to note is that it’s dual-SIM, so a perfect option if you carry a work and personal phone around with you. It can take one 2G SIM card and a 3G module up to HSDPA speeds and both fit snugly behind the battery in the numbered slots. The top bar of the screen is split in two at the top, with the network status for each displayed clearly.
The dual SIMs work together – so if get a call on either number, you can answer it.The device doesn’t have separate phonebooks, or text message inboxes - all contacts and SMS messages are displayed in the same place.
However, when you write a text, you’re asked which SIM you’d like to send it from directly after tapping ‘send’.
If you tap on the network notification, you’re taken to the connections menu where you can choose which number will be the one that calls will be coming from. You can also turn SIMs on and off. For example if you get home from work and want your personal SIM active and business number inactive, you can do this with a number of taps.
One important point to note on all Acer devices is that the rather sleek looking SPB Mobile Shell is preloaded, hiding the Windows Mobile 6.1 interface. SBP Mobile Shell enables you to flick through different screens, including your customisable homescreen, a quick contacts screen and the main menu. You can revert back to a Windows Mobile-style homescreen by swiping your finger up the screen.
The homescreen by default features a large calendar at the bottom of the screen, missed calls, texts and new emails along the top, plus chosen icons – ours features weather and profile on either side. You can edit your homescreen options in SPB settings to suit your lifestyle, plus add extra tools and features if you wish.
Swipe your finger to the right and there’s a contacts screen where you can add frequently accessed contacts. When you tap on any saved here, you can choose from different options depending on how much info you have on that person, including calling them, sending an SMS or email if you have their email address.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Reason to get excited at iPhone's latest??
Why should I get excited about iPhone 3.0?The 3.0 OS brings with it a bunch of new changes and additions. In fact it’s like getting a new phone. Let’s run through the best ones:
• Copy and paste, cut
One of the biggest omissions from Apple’s phone is now here. Select blocks of text with a tap, and you can also copy and paste from the web. At last!
• Landscape keyboard
The onscreen keyboard is easier to use in landscape mode and it now works when you rotate it in more applications such as Mail, Messages, Notes and, of course, Safari.
• Internet tethering – cost
You’ll now be legally able to tether your iPhone to your laptop and use it as an over sized dongle, which could be very handy. Unfortunately in the UK, it doesn’t come cheap and requires an O2 ‘Bolt On’. This costs £14.98 a month for a 3GB cap, and £29.36 for 10GB. You have to have it for a minimum of 30 days and if you go over your bundle allowance, it will cost you 19.6p per MB. And possibly your very soul.
• Voice memos
Business executives love to leave notes for themselves and now they can courtesy of an app complete with an image of an old style microphone. It works with the built-in mic or the one on the supplied headset. Beware people talking to themselves.
• Improved stocks
Viewing stocks and shares is another exec essential. Now you can view charts in landscape mode and get more detail about how far your stocks have plummeted.
• Improved calendar
You can now create meetings over ActiveSync and subscribe to Exchange calendars thanks to support for the CalDev standard.
• Spotlight search
This mimics the Mac, enabling you to find stuff across the whole iPhone from one location.
• Automatic Wi-Fi
If you regularly log into a paid for Wi-Fi hotspot the iPhone now remembers the details so you don’t have to go through the whole setup each time.
Here's what they got to say on today's iPhone 3G S!
The iPhone 3G S looks great doesn’t it?It’s ‘the fastest iPhone ever’ courtesy of a speedier processor and more RAM – the only problem is that if you’ve got an iPhone 3G already, you’re likely to be tied into a contract for a few months at least. And if you’re not, it’s still a touch expensive.
But fret not. The good news is that from Wednesday 17 June (AKA tomorrow), Apple will be rolling out the iPhone 3.0 OS update. This will come pre-installed on the iPhone 3G S but will also come as a free update for iPhone 3G owners – and even for iPod touch owners too – though unfortunately if that’s you then you’ll have to fork out the equivalent of $9.95 – about £6.
So what exactly is iPhone 3.0?
Like computers, all phones run an operating system and the one on the iPhone is called iPhone OS. For the release of the iPhone 3G Apple released the second version, a major update with new features such as support for Microsoft Exchange and support for third part apps – both of which have been a very big deal for the iPhone.
To coincide with the iPhone 3G S, Apple has released iPhone 3.0, bringing a whole host of new enhancements and new features. It’s almost like getting a new phone, without having to upgrade – so great news it you can’t actually upgrade.
What will I miss out on if I don’t get the 3G S?
The actual hardware changes you’ll be missing out on if you stick with the iPhone 3G, or indeed your first gen iPhone, are as follows:
• 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, with ‘tap to focus’ feature
• Video recording, with on-board editing
• Faster overall performance
• Voice control
• Compass
• Longer battery life
• White backing – 3G now only available in black
These are all welcome changes, but not necessarily absolutely essential.
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