Skyfire, makers of Webby award-winning, PC-like web-browser for mobile devices, has launched the next generation of its Skyfire browser, version 1.5, for Symbian S60 3rd and 5th edition smartphones. See below their video explaining what is new about it :

Skyfire who is up against browsers like Opera mini or the newly released Firefox mobile is a mobile only browser. This has the advantage that they do only this and so are super focused on a smooth mobile experience. Of course there is the advantages of players like Firefox as they can sync between you PC and your mobile.

Whatever the case it is great to have players like Skyfire focussing directly on making the mobile internet a “turn-on” experience rather than the often “turn-off” browsing on your mobile device often is.

A Korean news report claims that a new 4G iPhone will be coming out as soon as this spring.

KT, a company partnered with Apple to sell iPhones in South Korea, revealed its plans to begin selling the 4G iPhone as early as April. We can obviously expect the phone to include new radio hardware for connecting to 4G networks, and KT’s reports indicate the phone will feature a new dual-core CPU for a speed boost. The screen is to be switched from a standard LCD to an OLED model, which could mean a brighter picture and reduced power consumption. There could also be a front-mounted camera for video chat and a battery that’s finally removable by the end-user.

According to Goldman Sachs’ Robert Chen, it won’t lack new features. “Apple’s going to put a lot of innovation, not just on the hardware, but also on the software of the new iPhone,” he said.

There is also rumors that the back of the iPhone will be touch sensitive much like the touch panel used for the Magic Mouse or like the Motorola Backflip, an Android smartphone that can be controlled via a touchpad on the back of the screen.

Apple, of course, doesn’t comment on “rumors and speculation.” But according to Chen, the new iPhone will go into production in April and should be available to consumers in June or July — just enough time for the rumor train to go into full speed.

At a press gathering on Tuesday, Google unveiled the Nexus One, a Google-branded smartphone that will run on the search giant’s Android operating system. Some analysts say Google’s new device, which is being built by HTC of Taiwan based on Google’s specifications, will deal a stiff blow to Apple’s hegemony in the smartphone arena.

At first glance, it’s so sleek, stylish and sexy, we were almost wondering: Where’s the Apple logo?

Call it the Google challenge: After a few hours with the new Nexus One, a long time Apple fan will be willing to trade this iPhone. It’s very, very tempting.

Specifications of Google NEXUS ONE

Where could Google succeed, where other competitors have failed?

The Nexus One boasts speed improvements and enhanced camera capabilities, and the device will be sold unlocked.
The unlocked version of the Nexus One, which will be sold directly to consumers via a new web store hosted by Google, will cost $529. A locked version of the phone, which will be sold initially by T-Mobile, will cost $179 with a two-year contract that will cost roughly $80 a month.Apple’s iPhone 3GS now costs $199 with a two-year contract with AT&T.

Still, some new details emerged, so here’s a quick scan:
* In addition to T-Mobile the Nexus One will be supported by Verizon and Vodafone come spring.
* Some of those Android 2.1 goodies — expanded voice controls, including speech-to-text capability for tweets, texts and e-mail; a revamped photo gallery; more homescreen panels; interactive wallpapers; and a Google Earth app.
* In using the Nexus One to launch an online storefront intended eventually to allow consumers to choose from a raft of unlocked handsets and then pick a carrier and a calling plan, Google is revolutionizing the mobile phone marketplace. Or maybe not.

Courtesy of Brian J. Friedman

courtesy of Fab Poller

Many interesting developments during 2009 in this mini sector (literally and symbolically) of the movie industry.

The Sundance Institute operators of the Festival of the same name, have announced launching not it’s own mobile film festival but rather a well thought out iPhone App that allows art film fans from around the world to participate in the festival.

The app can be used both at the festival at Park City with program guide trailers, event schedules, GPS venue locator and the like. For those fans who can’t attend but wish nevertheless to participate they can follow via Facebook, Twitter and Flickr as well as get exclusive interviews and trailers.

This is just one example of course of how the movie industry is learning to harness the power of the mobile media channel.

Added to this are the games that often accompany movies. Of course this has been there before but 2009 has confirmed this trend. Example the blockbuster Avatar which looks set to bust all records of viewers and earnings launched it’s own game across all platforms as well as on mobiles such as the iPhone/iTouch platform.

The game play is surprisingly good and engaging as it is built on the Assassins Creed 2 platform.

It is interesting to see of course how the mobile heavy weights such as LG or Nokia continue to use movies as a platform to promote their hi-tech devices.

It is obvious that mobile devices especially the touch ones are great gadgets to watch movies or TV shows while on the move. Following are the words of someone from the industry who sums it up well :

Frank Chindamo, president and chief creative officer, Fun Little Movies: “In 2010, everyone with a mobile phone will realize they’re also holding a really cool video player, and start watching what they want to watch, when and where they want to watch it — instead of having crappy over-hyped TV shows shoved in their faces.”

Link : http://www.funlittlemovies.com/

We look forward to seeing how this will develop in 2010.

by Fab Poller

Apple is set to announce that it has acquired Quattro Wireless for $275 million, several sources confirmed.

With their 100 000 apps and the rising importance of mobile business revenue this makes obvious sense. It follows closely Google’s recent acquisition of AdMob the prize of the fledgling mobile advertising industry a Quattro competitor, which Apple had also made a bid to acquire.

Both ad networks were aimed at the fast-growing market to advertise on smartphones, such as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android devices and the plethora of other and new platforms (read Bada).

Waltham, Mass.-based Quattro has raised close to $30 million from two main venture investors–Highland Capital Partners and Globespan Capital Partners. Founded several years ago, its clients include Ford, Disney and the National Football League.

Competitor mobile networks in the space are still numerous, despite these big acquisitions, such as Millennial Media and Jumptap, both of which are now clearly in play for acquisition.

by Mark Jaffe   www.mobilemandala.com

There was a lot of passionate response to the post a few weeks ago “Will Mobile Phones Replace In-Store Retail Salespeople”. Even more reason that these three announcements this week caught my eye:

■  The Aberdeen Group published a report that stated in 2008, the total of digital signage market revenue stood at $766 million and is expected to reach $2.2 billion by 2014, growing at a healthy CAGR of 20%.
■  The London Daily Mirror reported according to unnamed sources that Nokia is planning to begin rolling out embedded NFC (near field communications) kits into its entire line of Symbian phones beginning Q3, 2010. The Finnish giant already has NFC in selected handsets, such as the 6216 Classic.
■  Malaysian manufacturer Fonelabs will produce two million low cost (under $100) NFC enabled phones in 2010
What do these three items have to do with retail? First, just as a refresher, Near Field Communication (NFC) is “a short-range high frequency wireless communication technology which enables the exchange of data between devices over about a 10 centimeter (around 4 inches) distance.” In other words, if you have an NFC enabled phone and opt-in, your mobile phone will be able to communicate with another proximate electronic device automatically.

Yes there is a new entrant in the app space and even in the OS space. Joining Android, iPhone, Windows, Palm’s WebOS, Blackberry, Maemo and not to forget Symbian… Samsung wades into the battle of the OSs. To get a good share in the mobile market Samsung has launched it’s own Linux based mobile OS named “Bada” which means Ocean in Korean.

Professing to be a totally open platform or OS Samsung says that it enables a richer user experience in applications on Samsung ONLY mobile devices and helps developers to create UI rich applications very easily. Samsung says that the design principles of bada aim to deliver simple, intuitive, and innovative user experiences through innovative visual design. Samsung bada includes a next generation UI framework with feature sets and design elements that facilitate leading-edge user interfaces for every bada application.

by Mark Jaffe

Mobile phones have to be one of the best on the spot, at the moment, information retrieval resources of all time.  How many times have you seen disagreements settled immediately, courtesy of a quick iPhone web research query?  Well, it looks like some companies are ready to capitalize upon our penchant for instant research about things that interest us.

Let’s flash back to a recent industry panel where a senior Best Buy executive said “The right information at the point of impulse increases desired consumer’s behavior, sales, profits and customer satisfaction.” That sure sounds like a description of one of Best Buy’s best in-store salespeople helping out customers standing next to the latest electronic gizmo in one of their stores. 

www.asiamobileawards.com

InMobi is nominated for GSMA Asia Mobile Awards 2009, which will be presented at the forthcoming Mobile Asia Congress, Asia’s leading mobile communications event that is set to take place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, November 18th & 19th. InMobi was nominated in the category of Best Mobile Advertising & Marketing.

The aim of the Best Mobile Advertising or Marketing award is to recognize Asian leadership, and showcase ‘hot’ campaigns that are driving the emergence of this new sector.

Nominees for the Asia Mobile Awards are

http://www.admob.com/google

Yes finally it has happened… we have speculated for years exactly when would Google munch AdMob. I guess that they held out till the right time… the $750 million time.

I am personally very excited to see this finally happening. Having worked with AdMob for several years it is great to see a good idea and great execution paying off in the mobile arena. AdMob have really set up a great business and are pleasant to work with. So for me it is a great news to see them joining with Google who has really made forays into the mobile sphere with Android over the past year or two.