Despite experiencing less than stellar sales, Microsoft is committed to Windows Phone 7 which they believe is their ticket towards combating the rise of Android (which ironically is making more money for them than WP7).
As far as Windows 6.x devices however, it looks like Microsoft has decided to slowly starve their archaic OS, starting with their app store.
Last week Microsoft began notifying Windows Mobile 6.x developers that the company will no longer accept new Windows Mobile applications for the Windows Marketplace for Mobile starting July 15, 2011.
The company also announced a transition plan to move Microsoft My Phone customers onto Windows Live SkyDrive storage service. (Redmond Developer News)
Microsoft plans on cutting support for customers on Windows Mobile 6.x in January of 2013 and will end distribution for the software on Halloween of the same year.
Since the mobile OS is no longer noteworthy, Microsoft should try to convince customers still running devices powered by Windows Mobile 6.x to upgrade to a WP7 smartphone (perhaps by giving them a 50% discount to help sweeten the deal).
For those of you who grew up on Windows Mobile, what are your thoughts of Microsoft beginning to phase out the OS? Also, was Windows Mobile your first smartphone device?
Even though Android has already proven itself by dominating the smartphone market, Google has yet to realize a single Android device that can match iPhone sales.
That could potentially change as Google is rumored to unveil the Nexus 4G phone, which could help the search giant launch a device that can go head-to-head against the rumored iPhone 5 and win.
We have been told that the Google Nexus 4G will feature a next-generation dual-core 1.2GHz or 1.5GHz CPU, and contrary to reports about it featuring an NVIDIA Kal-El processor, our source indicates it’s most likely an OMAP 4460 or a, ultra low-power 28nm Krait-based Snapdragon. The display is said to be a 720p HD “monster-sized†screen, and it won’t feature physical Android menu buttons below the screen anymore — everything will be software-based. (Boy Genius Report) More →
As an iOS fan boy I’ll be the first to admit that Windows Phone 7 (or WP7 for short) is an impressive OS.
In fact every single one of my friends (both geeks and non-geeks) who have tried a WP7Â device have become addicted to it, with a few ditching Android in order to partake of it’s glory.
That said, this former Microsoft VP’s behavior of blaming others for poor sales is at best pathetic. More →
Apparently Apple isn’t invincible after all as it looks like the dying brand known as Nokia has actually beaten the Cupertino giant at something.
Apple has settled a lawsuit with Nokia, infusing the company with some fresh cash as well as future earnings via royalties paid out by the Cupertino giant.
While this episode concludes the Apple-Nokia war that seemed destined to drag on into the next decade, it may embolden Nokia to go after Android manufacturers according to FOSS Patents (who predicted Apple would settle).
Although Google is already embroiled in several Android lawsuits (including one with Oracle), Nokia may limit their targets to companies who have yet to embrace Windows Phone 7 as Microsoft is known to protect OEM’s from legal attack (to a certain extent of course).
Currently HTC, Dell, Samsung, and LG all sell Windows Phone 7 devices as well as Android, which means that unless Nokia wants to disrupt their relationship with Microsoft the Finnish company may have to “overlook” patent infringements from at least half of the Android industry.
Even though Nokia could go after companies like Motorola for violating their IP, it might be wiser for the company to focus their energy into making a decent smartphone as the latter will help boost Nokia’s global image (not to mention their coffers as well).
“We believe RIM has now squandered nearly every opportunity and competitive advantage it enjoyed through ineffective R&D resource management, delayed product launches and misreads of the competitive environment,†Morgan Stanley analyst Ehud Gelblum wrote in a note to clients on Friday. (Wall Street Journal)
While it’s still too early to write off the company as the next Titanic, if RIM doesn’t find a way to change their current state of affairs, they will end up suffering Nokia’s fate (who ditched their home grown OS MeeGo for Windows Phone 7). More →
After watching Motorola’s more expensive iPad 2 rival fail spectacularly, Toshiba is attempting to attract consumer attention by selling their Android tablet below the $500 price point erected by Apple.
Toshiba is selling their Android tablet for the low price of $429 (for the 8 GB model), with their high end device being offered to customers for $579 (for the 32 GB model).
Although it’s unclear how much profit Toshiba is sacrificing in order to gain market share, their cheaper prices could help set Toshiba apart from rivals like Samsung (who is rumored to be matching Galaxy Tab 10.1 prices against iPad 2′s).
While the price of  Toshiba’s Thrive might be right, the Android tablet’s success heavily depends upon Google perfecting Honeycomb (note: no more Flash issues please), as well as convincing developers to take a second look at building Android tablet apps.
For those of you considering buying a decent tablet this summer, would you consider owning a Toshiba Thrive over rival Android tablets? Or are you holding out for HP’s TouchPad instead?
Google has just released an update for their 100 million plus mobile Map users (as well as desktop fans), which will please those of you who choose to commute via public transportation.
Starting now, Google Maps for mobile and desktop can tell you when your ride is actually going to arrive with new live transit updates. We partnered with transit agencies to integrate live transit data in four U.S. cities and two European cities: Boston, Portland, Ore., San Diego, San Francisco, Madrid and Turin. (Google Mobile)
Google has yet to announce when they will expand live transit to more cities throughout Europe as well as America, although hopefully the company will consider releasing this feature beyond the western world (as a few Asian economic powers could benefit from this as well).
Not surprisingly Google has blessed Android devices (running version 1.6 or higher) with the update while fans of iOS, webOS, etc. have to use their browser in order to receive similar functionality upon their device.
Note: I wonder if Google will consider expanding this service to the private transportation sector such as taxis and limo services?
Today at WWDC, Apple unveiled slew of new products and features ranging from iCloud to Twitter integration (which explains why Twitter was eager to partner with Photobucket for image hosting).
While Apple did reveal that it boasted over 425,000 iOS apps, the mobile giant also disclosed how many of those were designed to work with the iPad. More →
Reports are coming in that the Syrian government has shut down most (or at least large portions) of the internet after suffering months of protests from citizens.
Starting at 3:35 UTC today (6:35am local time), approximately two-thirds of all Syrian networks became unreachable from the global Internet. Over the course of roughly half an hour, the routes to 40 of 59 networks were withdrawn from the global routing table.
This image shows the current state (green: reachable, red: unreachable) of each network prefix in the Middle East this morning, visualized as a packed Hilbert-curve representation. (Renesys Blog)
Apparently the Syrian regime hasn’t learned from the (now obsolete) dictatorship of Egypt, whose former leader tried a similar stunt only to end up hastening his own demise.
Syrians still might be able to access the digital web via the phone lines (which will be extremely slow), although those lucky enough to afford satellite phones might be able to keep the world updated through various tweets.
Note: If anyone has any ideas on how those outside Syria can help feel free to let us know in the comment section below.
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 (similar to it’s little brother) will be making it’s public debut soon to the delight of Android fans everywhere.
While expectations will be high for the Android tablet in light of Xoom’s dismal launch, Samsung unfortunately is making their first (and perhaps only) mistake in marketing their iPad contender. More →
Despite experiencing less than stellar sales, Microsoft is committed to Windows Phone 7 which they believe is their ticket towards combating the rise of Android (which ironically is making more money for them than WP7).
