MobileCrunch |  |
- Sprint Cuts Quarterly Losses, Bets On iPhone For Subscriber Uptick
- Get To Know The All New Nokia Windows Phone(s) In 9 Videos
- Nokia Upgrades Its Augmented Reality Browser ‘Live View’
- Nokia Debuts Their First Windows Phones: The Lumia 800 and Lumia 710
- Nokia Aims To “Connect The Next Billion People” With Budget-Friendly Asha Series
- Kik Debuts New Symbian, Windows Phone Messaging Apps At Nokia World
- Exhibit 4G II Is T-Mobile’s First No-Contract 4G Android Phone, Launches Oct. 27th For $200
- Impatient Nexus S Owners Can Play With Ice Cream Sandwich Now
- Android Smartphone Round-Up: October Edition
- HTC Rezound To Debut At November 3 Event?
- Leaked: Are These Nokia’s New Windows Phones?
- Siri Gets Scary With ThinkGeek’s IRIS 9000
- BBM Music Gets Pre-Release Shout Out From Best Buy Canada
- Device Identification Startup BlueCava Lands $9.5M From S3 Ventures, Mark Cuban
| Sprint Cuts Quarterly Losses, Bets On iPhone For Subscriber Uptick Posted: 26 Oct 2011 04:39 AM PDT  Sprint Nextel, the no. 3 carrier in the United States, reported its quarterly earnings today, and they’re quite solid. In Q3 2011, the company generated consolidated net operating revenues of $8.3 billion, up from $8.15 billion in the same period last year and relatively flat compared to Q2 2011. The company booked a quarterly loss of $301 million (or 10 cents per share), roughly a third the loss it reported in the same quarter a year ago ($911 million). For the quarter, Sprint added nearly 1.3 million net wireless customers but notably lost roughly 44,000 net postpaid subscribers, more than analysts had expected. The company in a statement posits that the decline of subscribers under contract is “likely due to customer expectations of a fourth quarter iPhone launch”. Sprint Nextel also said that the response to the introduction of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, which launched October 14, surpassed its initial expectations both with current and new customers. From the quarterly earnings report (emphasis ours):
All eyes on Sprint’s next quarterly earnings report. Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving almost 49 million customers at the end of the second quarter of 2009; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone.
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| Get To Know The All New Nokia Windows Phone(s) In 9 Videos Posted: 26 Oct 2011 03:04 AM PDT  Nokia this morning introduced a series of ‘basic smartphones’ (Asha) and higher-end Windows Phone-powered smartphones (Lumia) at the Nokia World 2011 event in London. The company has put up a whole bunch of videos featuring the phones on its YouTube channel, and also a few weird ads. Below, you can find a few videos that highlight the Lumia phone(s), which I personally think actually look quite compelling, the longest video ad and the obligatory designer’s story. The first one provides us with a general overview of the Lumia line of phones: This one dives deeper, featuring ‘People and Messaging’ on the Lumia 800: This one showcases ‘Marketplace and Games’ on the Lumia 800: This one demonstrates ‘Music and Entertainment’ on the Lumia 800: This one features ‘Office and Mail’ on the Lumia 800: This one shows ‘Drive and Maps’ on the Lumia 800: This one features ‘Browsing and Search’ on the Lumia 800: This video brings you the Lumia designer’s story: And here’s one of those peculiar “Amazing Everyday” ads: Nokia is a Finnish multinational communications corporation. It is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries. They make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Nokia is the owner of Symbian operation system and partially owns MeeGo operating system.
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| Nokia Upgrades Its Augmented Reality Browser ‘Live View’ Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:26 AM PDT  One of the minor but noteworthy things Nokia announced today at its Nokia World event in London is the release of an updated version of its augmented reality browser Live View, previously available in early beta. You can download the app here. Note that the app is still in beta, but the updated version brings many goodies if you’re into the whole augmented reality thing (and if you use a compatible Nokia phone). Live View, like other augmented reality browsers like Layar, uses your phone's camera viewfinder to spot nearby places and shows what's around you: landmarks, ATMs, restaurants, bars, shops, public transport stations and more. These are the new features introduced today:
For other announcements on the apps/services side of the equation, click here. Nokia is a Finnish multinational communications corporation. It is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries. They make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Nokia is the owner of Symbian operation system and partially owns MeeGo operating system.
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| Nokia Debuts Their First Windows Phones: The Lumia 800 and Lumia 710 Posted: 26 Oct 2011 02:10 AM PDT  It’s nice and early in London, and Nokia CEO Stephen Elop has finally put to rest months of speculation by unveiling Nokia’s first batch of Windows Phones at the Nokia World conference. It’s been a long time coming — news of a Nokia/Microsoft partnership first broke back in February — but Nokia has at long last debuted the Lumia 800 and the Lumia 710. Lumia 800It’s been hinted at for months now, but the handset formerly known as the Searay has finally been revealed as the Lumia 800. Stephen Elop has called it the “first real Windows Phone” — quite a lofty claim, but does the hardware live up to it? The 800 sports a curved 3.7-inch WVGA ClearBlack AMOLED display, a single-core 1.4GHz processor, and 512MB of RAM. Mobile photographers will find much to like about the 8-megapixel camera with a f/2.2 Carl Zeiss lens, and the 16GB of onboard storage should hold quite a few cat pictures. The specs won’t exactly set anyone’s world on fire, but the design might: like the N9 before it, the Lumia 800 features a stunning unibody design that’s shaped out of a slab of durable polycarbonate material. The style-conscious among you will also be glad to know that the Lumia 800 comes in three colors: black, cyan, and magenta. Surprisingly, the Lumia 800 is already on its way to France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK in time for a November launch. Customers in Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan will be able to nab one by the end of the year, but domestic Windows Phones fans will have to wait until early 2012. Lumia 710The 710 (formerly known as the Sabre) is the chunkier of the two, but that doesn’t mean it’s a slouch when it comes to hardware. It repackages the same 1.4GHz processor as seen in the Lumia 800, and pairs it with a 3.7-inch WVGA screen, and a 5-megapixel rear camera. It’s meant to be Nokia and Microsoft’s effort to capture a more budget-conscious audience, and it’s heartening to see Nokia give it the same performance potential as their more premium offering. Though the 710 only sports 8GB of internal storage, it beats out its brother by including a microSD card slot that can accept up to 16GB of additional flash storage. It also bears the distinction of being one of the few Windows Phone with physical navigation keys, which is sure to please fans of tactile feedback. Expect to see it hit shelves in both stealth black and crisp white, with multiple colored backplates to please the chromatically indecisive. It looks like the Lumia 710 will be headed first to Hong Kong, India, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan, alongside its more expensive brother. Nokia-Exclusive AppsOh, you thought Nokia was only bringing new hardware to the table? Perish the thought! Nokia has loaded both Lumia devices with a few new apps in an attempt to make their mark on Microsoft’s mobile OS.
If Nokia’s naming scheme is any indication, then the 710 and the 800 are just the tip of the iceberg. Interestingly, rumors of a high-end 900 series device made the rounds yesterday, but never materialzed on stage. Taking a no-holds-barred approach to their first Windows Phones would’ve gone a long way in helping Nokia cast off their stodgy reputation. Still, the Lumia series is a promising start for the Finnish phone giant, and we’re very much looking forward to seeing these devices in the proverbial flesh. Developing…
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| Nokia Aims To “Connect The Next Billion People” With Budget-Friendly Asha Series Posted: 26 Oct 2011 01:44 AM PDT  We’re all waiting for Nokia to unveil their new Windows Phones already, but Nokia’s clearly going to make us wait a bit longer. The Nokia Asha series is the first to take the stage, and according to Nokia’s Blanca Juti, it’s all about being “affordable, irresistable, and easy to use.” The Asha series is made up of four different models: from left to right, we’ve got the 200, 201, 300, and 303. Nearly all of them have QWERTY keyboards, and they all have Nokia Maps, but the specifics vary a bit between each. The Asha 200′s main claim to fame are the dual SIM card slots that allows users to swap between phone numbers on the fly, but it also packs some solid music performance and battery life (Nokia claims 52 hour of music playback). Those with one-track minds need not worry though, as the 201 takes the same hardware but strips out that second SIM card slot. The Asha 300 is the oddball in this scenario, as it skips the full keyboard in favor of a traditional nine-key layout and a touchscreen. It does however pack a 1 GHz processor, a 3G radio, and a 5-megapixel camera into a relatively tiny body. The Asha 303 is easily the flashiest of the three, as it combines a large capacitive touchscreen and a spacious 4-row keyboard. A 1GHz processor sits under the hood, and a pair of Wi-Fi and 3G radios ensures that users can get better connections in more places. Nokia states that their goal here is to “connect the next billion people” — in other words, they’re trying to get web-connected phones into the hands of another billion people who’ve thus far gone without. Developing…
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| Kik Debuts New Symbian, Windows Phone Messaging Apps At Nokia World Posted: 25 Oct 2011 11:59 PM PDT  Exclusive - Kik is today launching new Symbian and Windows Phone apps at the Nokia World event in London. The nifty cross-platform messaging app is making its debut on Symbian, albeit in private beta, and the Windows Phone 7 has been updated and redesigned specifically for version 7.5 (Mango). Also see: Why Kik Loves Windows Phone 7 (Spoiler: It Boosts Android And iOS User Growth) The fledgling company behind the Kik Messenger application, which is also available for iOS, Android and BlackBerry, will thus in one fell swoop expand its availability to essentially all five major mobile platforms used throughout the world. The Symbian app, in particular, aims to expand Kik’s reach in emerging markets and regions where the platform is still popular. Currently in private beta, the Symbian app boasts support for sent, delivered and read notifications, group chat with any kik user across all supported platform, and photo sharing. Version 2.0 of the Windows Phone app, meanwhile, takes advantage of Mango's new features by adding fast app switching, list scrolling, address book contact matching and other improvements. This is what the Symbian app looks like: Kik Interactive develops mobile smartphone applications. This Waterloo, ON startup company is developing a mobile smartphone application that is used for sharing and connecting smartphones worldwide. Currently released is the data mobile messenger, Kik Messenger. With sent, delivered and read receipts and “…is typing” notifications, Kik Messenger provides the best real-time chat experience on your phone. Snapshot sharing and group conversations are a perfect addition to the instant mobile messenger. With over 3 million registrations and growing Kik...
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| Exhibit 4G II Is T-Mobile’s First No-Contract 4G Android Phone, Launches Oct. 27th For $200 Posted: 25 Oct 2011 09:20 PM PDT  I’m no proponent of cheap phones (after a few years of monthly dues, that money you save up front is a drop in the bucket) — but if you insist, T-Mobile’s got a new one for you. They’ve just announced the Exhibit 4G II, a mid-range Android handset that’ll set you back just $30 with contract — or, if you’re looking to steer clear of commitments, a still rather-wallet-friendly $200. While no powerhouse, the specs don’t fall too short for the price. Hell — a year ago, these would’ve been edging toward top tier. The Exhibit 4G II has a 3.7″ display (800×480), with a 1Ghz Snapdragon CPU tucked inside. It’s got a 3 megapixel camera on the back, and a camera of unspecified resolution (presumably VGA) around front. It’s all powered by Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) for now, with no word on whether or not they’ll ever bump it up to the just announced Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). The Exhibit 4G II will hit the shelves on November 2nd, though Walmart has a few days of exclusivity beginning on October 27th. T-Mobile is a mobile telephone operator headquartered in Bonn, Germany. It is a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom. T-Mobile has 101 million subscribers making it the worlds sixth largest mobile phone service provider globally.
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| Impatient Nexus S Owners Can Play With Ice Cream Sandwich Now Posted: 25 Oct 2011 04:21 PM PDT  Google has already confessed that the Nexus S would get the Ice Cream Sandwich update, but if you’re not the type to wait — and really, who is these days? — you can load up a mostly complete version of Android 4.0 right now. Yep, thanks to some intrepid folks on the xda-developer forums, you too can enjoy Ice Cream Sandwich on the Nexus S before its official release. Before you dive into the deep end though, be aware that your device has to be rooted to even take part. Like the ICS-powered Nexus One before it, this Nexus S is running a SDK port so don’t expect a fully fleshed-out experience. It isn’t exactly what you’d call a feature-complete build, but nearly all of the eye candy has made the transition without too many hiccups. Sure, your data connection may be a bit finicky, and you won’t be able to unlock your Nexus S with your face, but it’s a small price to pay to be the envy of all your Android-loving friends for a while. A fair number of users are reporting that the ersatz update is pretty stable, but play it safe all the same if you intend to take the plunge. After all, the last thing you need is to brick your phone right before it gets this update the official way. [via Phandroid]
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| Android Smartphone Round-Up: October Edition Posted: 25 Oct 2011 12:59 PM PDT  Even with Ice Cream Sandwich on the way, Android Gingerbread devices are still as hot as ever. That said, there are way too many Android handsets on the market to parse through each and every one, but that’s why we’re here. We’ve looked through all the latest Android smartphones to give you our brief thoughts on the pick of the litter. These aren’t full-length reviews, but rather a way for you to easily compare what we think to be the most full-featured Android handsets released this month. Hopefully, your shopping research just got way less intensive. For the glorious and spooky month of October, we’re putting the following handsets on the table: Samsung Galaxy S II (AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint) Motorola Droid RAZR (Verizon, and maybe AT&T), HTC Amaze 4G (T-Mobile), and the Samsung Stratosphere (Verizon). While each of these phones run Android 2.3 Gingerbread, they all have something different they bring to the table, along with varying price tags. Let’s take a closer look, yes? Samsung Galaxy S II:The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the hottest selling handsets in the world, and with good reason. The specs are pretty heavenly along with the design, but it’s not all rainbows and sunshine with the S II. Since it launched earlier than the rest of our options, it may be a bit more “outdated” (at least here in the world of smartphones) than the rest.
Pros:
Cons:
If you’re nearing the end of your contract, here are some things to consider about the three carrier variants. Sprint’s big advantage is its unlimited data. Its model basically keeps the same design as the global version, with the exception of four capacitive buttons where there used to be an optical trackpad. T-Mobile, on the other hand, has decided to differentiate on a design level, which is something I usually frown upon. In this case, T-Mo rounded out the back and the corners, which (in my opinion) gives the handset a much less “Galaxy S II” feel. AT&T’s S II separates itself from the herd with a smaller screen, and thus better pixel density. The RAZR is the newest in our October lineup, and also the thinnest smartphone in the world according to Motorola. The specs are sure to get your endorphins pumping, but you should know that Verizon and Motorola have put quite a hefty price tag on this form of happiness.
Pros:
Cons:
Overall the Droid RAZR has a lot going for it. The specs speak for themselves, but even beyond that, the RAZR has a way of feeling solid and super light at the same time, which seems to be a difficult balance to strike. The only real catch is the price tag, especially in a world where the “world’s thinnest phone” or “the world’s most durable phone” gets it title swiped by something new in about a month. HTC Amaze 4G:The Amaze 4G’s claim to fame is its beastly camera, but as far as looks go this thing will definitely get insecure sitting next to the Droid RAZR or the Galaxy S II. It’s pretty hefty, weighing in at 6 ounces, and has a chunky design that’s only amplified by its white casing. Everyone knows not to wear white if you want to look slim, right? Still, the Amaze 4G has its benefits too, with a snappy processor and support from T-Mobile’s 4G network (with theoretical speeds of 42Mbps).
Pros:
Cons:
When it comes down to it, the Amaze 4G should really only end up in the pockets of photogs. It can basically fill the role of just about any point-and-shoot, but if you’re looking for a phone that can do it all, the Amaze 4G probably won’t amaze. It’s just too heavy and expensive to justify it as a great all-around phone, especially against the well-rounded feature sets on our other October options. Samsung Stratosphere:The Stratosphere is the cheapest in our lineup, and also the only smartphone with a physical keyboard that we deemed suitable for our October pick of the litter. Its specs can’t necessarily keep up with the beasts above, but for textaholics, speed demons, and penny-pinchers this could be just what you’re looking for.
Pros:
Cons:
As with every smartphone, the Samsung Stratosphere is built with a certain type of consumer in mind. If you shoot a lot of video on the fly, multi-task most of the time, or watch a good deal of mobile video, the Stratosphere is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you can’t stand a slow connection and heart physical keyboards, this mid-range Samsung offering is exactly what you need. Well, that’s it for our October Android round-up, but make sure to keep your eyes peeled for next month’s treasures.
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| HTC Rezound To Debut At November 3 Event? Posted: 25 Oct 2011 12:18 PM PDT  Move over Motorola and Samsung. It’s HTC’s turn to send out invites to a mysterious press event, and we’re fully expecting to see the HTC Rezound (a.k.a. the Vigor) take the stage come November 3. The Rezound, for those of you who have missed my near-obsessive coverage, is HTC’s next Verizon-bound LTE device. It’s slated to be the first stateside device to pack Beats audio technology, but it also confirms its geek cred with a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and a 4.3″ 720p display. Here’s hoping that the battery is up to snuff. Though its specs put it firmly in Verizon’s top tier of devices, it’s a chubby little guy and the design may not win many fans. Still, it’s what’s on the inside that counts (or so I keep telling myself), so we’ll hold off on passing judgment until we get to play with it. Nothing is set in stone yet, but there’s almost no way the Rezound won’t take center stage next week. The timing does seem awfully suspect — leaked Verizon documents have pointed to a spate of new releases on the 10th, with the Rezound being one of them. If the leaks hold true, then Verizon fans will have much to be thankful for next month. We’ve seen some of the other big carriers prepping for a big November push, but between the iPhone 4S, the Droid RAZR, the Galaxy Nexus, and HTC’s Rezound, it looks like Verizon’s got the holiday lineup to beat.
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| Leaked: Are These Nokia’s New Windows Phones? Posted: 25 Oct 2011 11:33 AM PDT  We’re but a mere 14 hours away from the long-awaited unveiling of Nokia’s first ever Windows Phone 7 handsets, and it seems they just can’t keep the spigot plugged. A set of images seemingly detailing not one, but two of the handsets set to be announced has just leaked out. The photos were obtained by WinRumors. They appear to be of an interactive display of some sort, such as a touchscreen kiosk (like you might expect to see at Nokia World) or a site set to go live shortly after the announcement. Of course, it’s still entirely possible that Nokia still has another handset or two up their sleeves. We’ll be on the lookout for any and all further details during tonight’s keynote (which, for the curious, begins at around 1 a.m. pacific, as Nokia World takes place in London.)
The Nokia Lumia 800 (Previously known as “Sea Ray”, and modeled after Nokia’s N9):
The Nokia Lumia 710 (Previously known as “Sabre”):
You can find another pair of images, mostly showing a rather tough to read spec list, over at WinRumors. Nokia is a Finnish multinational communications corporation. It is primarily engaged in the manufacturing of mobile devices and in converging Internet and communications industries. They make a wide range of mobile devices with services and software that enable people to experience music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games, business mobility and more. Nokia is the owner of Symbian operation system and partially owns MeeGo operating system.
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| Siri Gets Scary With ThinkGeek’s IRIS 9000 Posted: 25 Oct 2011 09:56 AM PDT  It’s been proven again and again that Siri has a peculiar sense of humor, but what if there was something more sinister hiding beneath that jovial facade? Well, dock your iPhone 4S into ThinkGeek’s new IRIS 9000 voice control module, and you may soon find out. On paper, the IRIS 9000 is pretty straightforward — once the iPhone is in place, just carry around the included remote, and go about your business. Whenever you need Siri to schedule an appointment (or sing a song), hit the button on the remote and let your request fly. Sure, it’s essentially just a glorified speaker dock, but actually looking at the thing is another story completely. Combining Siri’s unwavering desire to be helpful (even when murder is involved) with the HAL’s iconic red eye is bound to send a chill down the spines of even the hardiest sci-fi fans. My only regret? That the speaker doesn’t distort Siri’s voice into something a bit more akin to the original. Then again, for the sake of my mental wellbeing, I suppose that’s probably for the best. Sadly, the IRIS 9000 isn’t quite ready to ship yet, but that just means ThinkGeek has time to work out all the (homicidal) kinks.
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| BBM Music Gets Pre-Release Shout Out From Best Buy Canada Posted: 25 Oct 2011 08:35 AM PDT  BBM Music has been keeping a low profile since it was announced last August, but a recently leaked image indicates that it may soon see the light of day. Crackberry got their hands on what appears to be a Best Buy Canada circular that touts both the BlackBerry Bold 9900 and RIM’s strangely social music service. Apologies to all the music sharing aficionados out there — it seems like Best Buy’s copywriters weren’t privy to any new information. We’re still left wanting for specifics like availability and release date, but if the ad is any indication, it may be ready for prime time sooner than expected. Though BBM Music could probably benefit from the hype, it seems like an odd move for RIM and Best Buy Canada considering it’s still in beta. It’s possible that its appearance in the ad was just some sort of production gaffe; maybe one of the copywriters needed to fill space and latched onto the first vaguely-interesting BlackBerry tidbit they could find. It’s certainly the easiest explanation, but I’m not sure if I buy it. Producing circulars and buyer’s guides takes a fair amount of lead time, so it’s also possible BBM Music was intended to launch a while ago, and the ad’s layout was put together to highlight it. If you’re a BlackBerry user and all this talk of BBM Music has got you riled up, don’t feel bad: it’s ready for you to play with over in the BlackBerry Beta Zone.
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| Device Identification Startup BlueCava Lands $9.5M From S3 Ventures, Mark Cuban Posted: 25 Oct 2011 05:31 AM PDT  Exclusive - BlueCava, a startup that has developed technology that enables its customers to identify unique connected devices such as smartphones, TV set-top boxes, gaming consoles, computers and more, has raised $9.5 million in funding in a round led by VC firm S3 Ventures. Earlier backers, angel investors and billionaires Mark Cuban and Tim Headington, also participated in the round. BlueCava offers device identification technology that enables businesses to improve online advertising effectiveness through smart targeting, and to minimize the risk of fraud. There’s an interesting background story about the tech, which I’ve outlined in a previous post (it involves INXS’ former road manager, Ric Richardson). Brian R. Smith, Managing Director of S3 Ventures, will be joining BlueCava's board along with Marsh Marshall, Managing Director of Putney Capital and former President of Equifax/IXI Digital, who will serve as the company’s chairman. Its advisory board already includes people like Joe Sullivan, Chief Security Officer at Facebook and Ellen Moskowitz, VP of Fraud Management Solutions at MasterCard. The most recent financing round brings the total of capital raised by the company to $16 million. BlueCava provides advanced technology that enables businesses to identify and profile the devices used by their customers to increase online advertising effectiveness, reduce fraud risk, and improve customer satisfaction. With BlueCava's patented technology, companies can uniquely identify Internet connected devices including computers, mobile phones, set top boxes and gaming consoles, to better adapt and respond to customer needs.
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