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Symbian OS Goes Open Source with Symbian^3 (S^3)

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Symbian OS, one of the biggest mobile platform thanks to Nokia has just gone open-source with its latest iteration – Symbian^3(S^3).  This latest version is touted as a “feature complete” mobile platform with major features such as increased usability and advanced interface, faster networking capability, 3D graphics support and 2D acceleration engine and more.

As early as now, members of the Symbian community such as device manufacturers, network operators, hardware and software developers and other stakeholders have started engaging with Symbian S^3 with the first device sporting the new platform expected to be released in Q3 this year.

So as mobile phone users, what should we expect from the newly open-sourced Symbian S63 platform? There are several innovations actually such as:

  • HDMI support  – lets  you watch 1080p movies from your phone to your LCD TV
  • music store integration embedded within the radio –   allows you to identify a song, learn more about it and purchase it directly via a “buy now” button
  • more efficient memory management – lets you to run more apps in parallel providing you with faster multi-tasking experience
  • new 2D and 3D graphics architecture – takes full advantage of hardware acceleration for delivering faster and more responsive user interface.
  • 4G networking architecture – balances individual application needs such as bandwidth, latency and jitter.
  • one click connectivity – simplifies the process of connecting to the Internet and allows you to configure platform-wide behavior.
  • usability enhancements – allows adoption of a direct “single tap” interaction mode to make it easier to do common tasks on your device, include multi-touch gestures.
  • enhanced phone homescreen – supports multiple pages of widgets and simple flick gesture navigation

Symbian Foundation hopes that interested parties will continue to create more compeling products and services now more than before as Symbian S^3 is now easier to deploy and accessible to all.

Twelve Mobile Companies to Form Global App Market, Should Apple Be Afraid?

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This could perhaps be one of the biggest, if not the biggest announcement that comes out of the Mobile World Congress. It’s big because twelve mobile operators have teamed up to form the world’s biggest, unified mobile apps market.  Dubbed “Wholesale Applications Community“, this global alliance aims to establish a simple route to market for developers and give them access to customer base of over 3 billion users, forming an ecosystem based on openness and transparency for the benefit of everyone.

The Wholesale Applications Community already has the support of twelve mobile industry players who just signed a memorandum of understanding at the ongoing Mobile Web Congress. These companies include – América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, China Mobile, China Unicom, Deutsche Telekom, KT, Mobilkom Austria Group, MTN Group, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, Orascom Telecom, Softbank Mobile, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telenor Group, Telia Sonera, SingTel, SK Telecom, Spint, Verizon Wireless, VimpelCom, Vodafone and Wind, as well as Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson.

The alliance aims to benefit mobile phone users by providing broader choice of innovative mobile apps and services on a wider choice of mobile devices. For application developers, the alliance will provide an environment where they can flourish and create straight-forward apps. It will also provide developers with a gateway to market their apps. Additionally, the alliance will use existing technical standards such as APIs to make it easier for participants to develop useful mobile apps. This also means that developers will just need to create one version of their apps which can be used on multiple device including Android, Symbian and Others.

Interestingly, the iPhone was not mentioned. So, many are quick to react that the Wholesale Applications Community is being geared to challenge Apple’s Apps Store. Should Apple be afraid? What do you think?

iPad Frenzy is Spiking Interest to iPhone OS Anew

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Mobile Analytics company, Flurry has released some interesting data points relating to the sudden spike in the number of iPhone developers adding their mobile tracking code to new projects.  Flurry observed the sudden spike especially when the hype over the launch of the Apple iPad started to build up prior to the launch in February. The very controversial iPad if you still remember will be running on the same OS used by the iPhone.

Flurry observed that the number of developers adding their analytics tracking code to new iPhone OS apps projects increased by three-fold in January as compared to what was supposed to be a waning interest as observed in the early part of December. During that time, developers seem to have been focusing more on the Android platform.

The mobile analytics firm attributes the spike, which incidentally they claim is the biggest so far in the company’s history to the imminent arrival of the iPad. According to Flurry:

“Historically, Flurry has measured surges in new application starts within its system in anticipation of new device launches, including for the Motorola Droid and iPhone 3GS. As such, we hypothesize that excitement generated by Apple’s iPad event in January is driving this growth. For developers who get a jump on customizing their applications for the iPad, there may be an opportunity to stand out early on, and earn more downloads.”

So, are apps developers actually jumping onto the iPad bandwagon and preparing their applications in time for the release of the iPad? Well, Flurry’s data seem to show that this is happening. But, we have yet to see and March is just a couple of weeks away.

Apple Starts Counting Down iTunes’ 1 Billionth Song Download

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One billion downloaded songs, wow! This is definitely one big event that Apple needs to mark down.  True enough they are marking this, just like what they’ve been doing with the milestones achieved by the Apps Store.

Apple iTunes is holding a contest where you can win a whooping $10,000 iTunes Gift Card.  Of course you can only  use that card to purchase more songs from iTunes.  To qualify for the draw, all you need to do is to purchase a song from iTunes between now and hopefully before the 1 billionth song is downloaded and you will be automatically entered into contest.  The winner will be drawn right after the milestone is achieved.

And take note, the official rules and regulations say that:

“NO PURCHASE OR DOWNLOAD NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR DOWNLOAD OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.”

But then again, to be entered in the final draw, you need to download a song from iTunes. Like as if you don’t have to pay for it, eh?

Anyway, another way by which you can join the contest is by filling up an online entry form. Well, there goes the part that you says you don’t need to download anything. Good enough then.

So, ready to take a crack at this $10,000 gig? Fill up this form or download a song from iTunes. Good luck and hurry up as the iTunes Music download counter is winding up to 1 billion.

National Geographic’s iPhone Atlas Uses Bing Maps

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In their latest foray into the iPhone apps market, National Geographic is bringing in their version of the World Atlas.  This iPhone app lets you view 7 different levels of cartography, 3 maps styles and a location finder around the world containing 7 million place listings.  In addition, the app also makes use of the Bing Maps platform, embedded right into the heart of the said iPhone application, even serving as a mapping option.

National Geographic claims that its iPhone app utilizes the “highest resolution”  press ready images. Hence giving you the same rich details and graphics quality of the maps it actually has on the printed, published world maps and atlases. In addition, their iPhone app als features a built-in search tool and places directory to help you easily locate even the most remote places eer known to mankind.

Here’s a rundown of the full features of the National Geographic World Atlas for iPhone:

  • High resolution National Geographic cartography, the same used to print our award-winning wall maps and bound atlases!
  • Preloaded with 3 different styles of world maps, down to country detail. Additional detailed zoom levels and Microsoft Bing maps require internet connection to view. Map Library feature allows you to download and save National Geographic maps for faster access and offline use.
  • Easy-to-use and fast place name search tool, with over 6 million database entries (major cities index is preloaded; full search requires internet or cell connection).
  • World Flags and Facts database, expertly edited and up-to-date with concise socio-economic and geographic data.
  • Push pin tool enables you to mark, annotate, and save your favorite places. Push pins come in a variety of colors and can tap into your iPhoto library or camera.
  • GPS enabled iPhones can center the maps to show your current location.

The National Geographic World Atlas for iPhone will cost you $1.99. You may download the iPhone apps from this iTunes Link.

Whitehouse.gov Goes Mobile with iPhone/iPod App

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President Obama’s administration continues to take full advantage of technology in reaching out to millions of Americans who by now are getting into the mobile phone syndrome. The latest of the administration’s foray into technology is by way of an iPhone/iPod Touch app that debuted recently at the iTunes store. The Whitehouse iPhone App (iTunes Link) promises to connect with Americans by delivering real-time content from Whitehouse.gov to American iPhone users.

One outstanding feature of the Whitehouse iPhone/iPod Touch app is the streaming of videos coming from the White House itself. It allows you to watch President Obama’s attendance to public events at the White House, web chats with members of the Administration as well.

It’s a pretty cool app, if I may say so. As an opening salvo to the launch of this app, The Whitehouse.gov iPhone will be streaming Pres. Obama’s State of the Union address happening next week.

In addition to its iPhone/iPod app, Whitehouse.gov is also planning to launch a new mobile-friendly version of its website. It would be interesting to note whether the introduction of a new mobile internet access will be as successful as other top iPhone apps or give Whitehouse.gov more users.