901am » Announcement

New Nano-SIMs to Enter The Market by Next Year

901am — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:55:09 +0000

SIM cards are an integral part of mobile phones and even though it is one of those use it and forget it pieces of technology it is also evolving as new technologies emerge to change it. The SIM is now poised for another evolution as a new one is going to be introduced very soon.

The new SIM, called the nano-sim, will be introduced by GieseckÂ & Devrient (G&D), the same company that released the first commercial SIM card two decads ago. The nano-SIM is slated to be displayed to the public at a trade show that will be held in Paris from November 15 to 17.

The new nano-SIM brings the miniaturization of the SIM to new levels. It is going to be 30 times smaller than micro-SIM cards â€“ the small SIMs that iPhone owners are quite familiar with. The nano-SIM will also be 60 times smaller than the popular standard SIM size that is used on a majority of phones. The nano-SIM will not only be smaller, it will also be slimmer. IT is going to be 15 percent more svelte than the standard SIM.

So what are the ramifications of a very small SIM? Apparently plenty. If phone manufacturers adopt the nano-SIM it will give manufacturers more space that they can then utilize for developing larger batteries and smaller and slimmer phones.

G&D shared that phones that use nano-SIMs will begin appearing as early as next year. Thereâ€™s talk that Apple may be one of the first to use the nano-SIM because of Appleâ€™s interest in using extremely small SIMs for their devices.

Adobe to Stop Development of Flash for Mobile

901am — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:34:18 +0000

Adobe will not be supporting Flash for mobile anymore.

This was inadvertently revealed through a memo sent to analysts. The memo was acquired by ZDNet. In the memo, Adobe mentioned that development of Flash for mobile browsers will be effectively stopped and all efforts will be refocused on developing for HTML 5. The rumor became an actual reality when Adobe officially announced that it will indeed stop development of Flash for mobile devices saying that moving forward, HTML 5 is the best solution for â€œcreating and deploying contentâ€ across different mobile platforms.

Steve Jobs had been championing HTML 5 over Adobe Flash, and he has famously refused to include Flash support for any of the iOS devices, saying that the future is in HTML 5. The new technology allows for content to show the same content regardless of the browser or the operating system, which is the same thing that Flash does, but it will not rely on any kind of proprietary technology to do this, which is the case with Flash (you need to download a plugin for Flash to work).

Adobe looks like it has finally acknowledged what Jobs has been saying all along. By removing support for Flash for mobile, the inevitable question now comes out â€“ are the days of Flash for the PC also numbered? The signs are pointing to the demise of Flash on the PC. Apple already doesnâ€™t include Flash as a default installation on its computers, and it owns five percent of the global PC market share. Microsoft, which owns the overwhelming majority of PCs worldwide with its Windows operating system, has announced that it too will not include Flash as a default install for its upcoming Windows 8 operating system.

Ubuntu To Go Mobile: Whatâ€™s In Store For Us

901am — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:45:55 +0000

Linux is the poster child of open source computing. It is valiantly standing its ground against Microsoft and has been able to carve a niche for itself in the operating system market. But in order to thrive, Linux needs to go and expand its market. It is doing that by going mobile. It was recently announced that Ubuntu, one of the most popular Linux distributions, is venturing into other devices like tablets, phones, TV and other smart screens that will be installed in offices, kitchens, and other spaces. The announcement also indicated that all these mobile Ubuntu powered devices can connect â€œcleanly and seamlessly to the desktop, the server and the cloud.â€

This announcement from Ubuntu is a tall order. The picture being painted is one that majority of gadget users are actually asking for. But will it be able to deliver?

Ubuntu has been able to provide computer users a great alternative to the Mac OS/Windows environment. A great Linux based operating system that is easy to use and, most importantly for a lot of people, free.

Ubuntuâ€™s mission to make using Linux easier to use has been a success and now the inevitable move is to conquer the mobile world. The decision to conquer the mobile space is not rash decision. There have been indications that Ubuntu is slowly readying itself for mobile platforms. For instance, it has already incorporated support for multitouch gestures and also making sure that Ubuntu will work with ARM processors â€“ the preferred processors for a majority of mobile devices.

There are indications that in the event Ubuntu enters the mobile market, it could actually do well. For instance, Ubuntu has already made headway in terms of having a tight user interface — and couple with it being free â€“ it has two great reasons why users would gravitate towards it. From the development side, Ubuntu is also a winner. As an operating system it is very easy to tweak and this will allow developers to tinker with the OS and improve on it more swiftly.

A big question though is how Ubuntu is going to compete in a space that is dominated by iOS and Android. One thing it has going against it is that itâ€™s not the first Linux mobile operating system â€“ that distinction goes to Android and it has the powerful backing of Google to boot. Additionally, thereâ€™s still the perception that Linux is only for people with hardcore computer skills. — a perception that may have been true for Linux distributions years ago but never for Ubuntu. Hurdling this initial obstacle will play a big role in the publicâ€™s acceptance of Ubuntu as a mobile operating system.

Another issue Ubuntu will have to address is the very same problem Android is experiencing right now â€“ the uniformity of the OS across different manufacturers and devices. Ubuntu, like Android, is open source. This means that device manufacturers can tweak the OS and personalize it, this has created a bit of confusion and makes deployment of updates a problem. But Ubuntu looks like it is making sure that this issue wonâ€™t be a problem by making sure that everything will exist identically across all devices. How it will do that will be interesting to see.

Needless to say, the entry of Ubuntu in the mobile OS market is a welcome one and will help in the further evolution of smartphones and smart devices.

Dell, Baidu enter partnership to produce “Yi” smartphones

901am — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 15:17:28 +0000

China is one of the great untapped markets on earth and any company who does not set their eyes on the Chinese market will only be left behind.
At least that is the common belief that has been passed on for the last few years. There is truth to this because China is an exploding market with consumers that are fast to latch on to trends and have the buying power to follow those trends.

American computer manufacturer Dell is making additional inroads to the Chinese market by partnering with Baidu, one of Chinaâ€™s biggest companies. The agreement is for the manufacturing of smartphones and tablets that will use Baiduâ€™s own Android-based operating system, Yi.

The announcement of the Dell â€“ Baidu partnership was not very rich in detail. No announcements were made regarding schedules on when the first devices are expected to be revealed to the market. But there is speculation that consumers may see the first products of the partnership as early as November this year.

The Baidu Yi is an Android-based system for mobile devices. The Yi will feature built int apps and services. A Baidu product is expected to gain a lot of supporters because the companyâ€™s service is the overwhelming leader in the countryâ€™s search market. The decision for Baidu to go into the electronics business is to provide consumers with products that already have Baidu services built into it. Dell, on the other hand, will further strengthen its presence in the Chinese market because of this partnership.

Ning’s new plans go live

Splashpress Media — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:47:36 +0000

After nixing their free plans and embracing a pure premium model, Ning users are now able to choose the plan that is right for them, although Ning is giving users until the end of August to choose a plan or find a new home.

The three new plans â€“ Ning Mini, Ning Plus and Ning Pro â€“ are now live!

I encourage you to take a look at your choices and decide which plan makes the most sense for you and your members. Youâ€™ll have until August 20th to purchase a plan, which should give you ample time to make a decision. (Official Ning Blog)

Netflix Now Streams TV Shows and Movies to Nintendo Wii

Arnold Zafra — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 02:05:29 +0000

Nintendo and Netflix are treating Wii users all over the world with free streaming of TV and Movies on TV sets via Netflix services. The new TV and movie streaming services are provided free of charge to Wii users with existing Netflix plans starting at $8.99 monthly.

With a Nintendo Wii connected to a broadband service, a Netflix subscription you can practically turn your Nintendo Wii into a multimedia device. We’re talking here of unlimited movies and TV shows delivered courtesy of Netflix. Â You can also opt to receive DVDs delivered straight to your door step.

Certainly this new service will boosts Netflix’s clout in the home entertainment scene. The Nintendo Wii remains to be the most popular gaming consoles, thanks to its motion controls which users find useful for both exercising and gaming controls.

As for Nintendo Wii, this new service extends its purposes and functions from a mere gaming machine to a portable multimedia entertainment device. It’s definitely a win-win for both parties.

To have streaming TV shows and movies from Netflix on your Nintendo Wii, you simply need to request for a free instant streaming disc from www.netflix.com/wii. Once you have your CD, you can pop it inside your Nintendo Wii and you will presented with a catalog of movies and TV shows that you can freely watch.

via Business Wire

Apple Announces iPhone OS 4.0, Multitasking, Apps Folder and More

Arnold Zafra — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:49:07 +0000

After only a week of rocking the tech community with the release of the iPad and the opening of the iPad App Store, here comes Apple again with a huge announcement – iPhone OS 4.0! This is a much awaited update and a much needed one for the iPhone OS especially with the threat coming from Google Android which happens to be a far better and more powerful mobile phone OS.

So, let’s get straight to the point and see what iPhone OS 4.0 is bringing in to the table.

Multitasking – Apple is finally responding for the call of many iPhone users. If the Google Android OS can do it, why can’t the iPhone? The iPhone OS 4.0 will give developers access to seven multitasking services that will allow tasks to be performed in the background while at the same time preserving battery juice. Multitasking is multitasking, you know what it means, right?

Folders – Again, another great feature. Something that will put the iPhone ahead of the smartphone rat pack anew. This new feature will let you organize apps into folders with drag-and-drop simplicity. It will also let you get faster access to your favorites as well as browse and manage up to 2160 apps at once – that’s a far cry from the current limit of 180 apps. This is huge!

Unified Mail – This feature will let you see messages from all your email accounts displayed in a unified inbox. It will let you switch between inboxes more quickly, organize messages by threads, and even open attachments in third-party apps. This will make the iPhone a great productivity tool once more.

Other noteworthy features coming with iPhone OS 4.0 – iBooks, iAds and Enterprise support for iPhone, something like the BlackBerry Enterprise Server perhaps?

iPhone Os 4.0 will be compatible with iPhone 3G, 3GS and 2nd and 3rd Gen iPod Touch. But some features will vary across these devices. The update will be available this coming summer.

Yes, this is how Apple rocks our world. And ain’t we all loving it?

Via Apple

Go Red with Google on World Aids Day

Arnold Zafra — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:51:38 +0000

December 1 is World Aids Day. And to commemorate this event Google is higlighting a nice short video featuring cases of AIDS victims who are on their way to recovery, thanks to the valiant efforts of the global movement to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. This movement coupled with a scientific breakthrough which made HIV/AIDS a preventable and curable disease.

The Lazarus Effect, a phenomenon so great enables those afflicted with the disease were able to recuperate and their lives changed. This will be documented in a video documentary entitled Lazarus Effect.

But the battle is not over yet. Many victims still don’t have access to the cure. And that’s where we all come in, including Google’s own World AIDS Day campaign. Check out these sites:

You may also watch and support Alicia Keys Live Concert on YouTube, follow @joinred on Twitter.

Little ways to help, as the world continues to battle HIV/AIDS.

Blinkx being eyed by Google and News Corp.

Dennis Bouchand — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:02:54 +0000

Don’t you just love it when everyone’s after you… especially Google. Reuters is reporting that Blinkx is being eyed as a possible acquisition target by Google and News Corp.

Blinkx is listed in London’s junior AIM market, following a merger with another UK search engine firm, Autonomy.

The speculation of a possible bidding war between Google and News Corp. may have come “in anticipation of a May 24 expiry of a clause which stipulates that $50 million should be paid to Autonomy in the event of a buyout within a year of its initial share sale,” according to a Reuters report.

Signing Off

Minic Rivera — Thu, 01 May 2008 03:59:40 +0000

As I posted last April 1, my time to move has come after Splashpress Media decided not to renew my services. Others thought of that post as an April Fools joke but it’s true. My term ends at the strike of midnight today.

I asked you to continue supporting 901am.com and other Splashpress Media sites. I remain grateful to them for the opportunity. In the same way, I would like to invite you to visit me from time to time as I go back to my roots.