Soon after Android’s latest update – version 2.3 or Gingerbread – was released, a post on LG USA’s Facebook page said that the new OS would not be coming to LG’s Optimus series, although these phones were released just this year on the Android platform. LG said this since Gingerbread requires 1GHz of processing speed, while the Optimus line uses processors clocked at 800 MHz.
This post was in response to a question on the company’s Facebook page, and quite understandably sent Optimus users in a tizzy because these supposedly next generation devices cost more than $200 or Rs 12,000.
LG Optimus gets Gingerbread
Things seem to have ended reasonably well, however, both for LG Electronics and for its Optimus smartphone users. HTC’s G2 Android device, which is bundled with a T-Mobile connection in the USA, is able to upgrade to Gingerbread though it too runs on an 800 MHz processor.
This might have been why people had wondered whether Optimus would be compatible with Gingerbread as well, and therefore ventured to ask LG about it in the first place. It later emerged that the 1 GHz processing power that Gingerbread presumably demanded was a recommendation rather than a requirement.
Processing power for Gingerbread
While it’s correct that there are no hard and fast requirements for the CPU, as the software grows mature, older hardware will tend to prove inadequate. That is the way technology works. Even if 800 MHz processors run Gingerbread, the machine’s computing speed might be sluggish. Subsequent updates, assuming they can be installed, will certainly stall the machine altogether.
LG made a late entry into the smartphone market this year and subsequently suffered some corporate setbacks as well. The company now intends to make up by aggressively promoting its Optimus series of smartphones (2D animated ads of which you might have come across on Yahoo and other popular websites), and by making timely moves with regard to the tablet market.
Android Gingerbread on LG Optimus
Gmail Priority Inbox on Android 2.2 Froyo
The Gmail App on Android 2.2 Froyo now has Google’s Priority Inbox feature, which automatically filters and flags messages received by you.
It was in August that Priority Inbox was first launched and according to Google, the time that users spend reading emails has reduced by about 15 per cent after this feature was introduced. Till now Priority Inbox was not available on Android although the OS had the Gmail app.
Priority Inbox default in Gmail
Those who have used Priority Inbox on desktops or laptops will find it pretty easy – messages in the inbox that are deemed important by Gmail have an arrow next to them. If you want to go through only important messages, you can choose the Priority Inbox label, which can also be set as the default email filter in your Gmail account.
Gmail app’s priority email alerts
There are other exciting options as well: a Gmail account can be set to notify you with a sound or vibration whenever you receive a new message in your Priority Inbox, and it won’t send you alerts when you receive less important messages or spam.
More Gmail app updates on Android 2.2 Froyo
Google has also made a few other Gmail features available on mobile devices. For instance, selecting the Reply All button on a smartphone is now simpler.
The Gmail app on Android now gets updates more frequently than it used to. This is because the Gmail app was earlier tied to the operating system, which meant that each time Gmail was to be upgraded, the entire operating system would consequently have to be upgraded as well.
Updating an OS is a cumbersome process, so additions to the Gmail app were made in one go and only occasionally. Now, you can expect Gmail to download updates more often, which could be a bother if you don’t have fast and unlimited internet access.
Apple seeking CDMA expertise
Rumors of Apple working on a CDMA variant of the iPhone have been doing the rounds for a while.
Now, a recent job posting on the company’s job board seeking engineers who are familiar with CDMA or code division multiple access technology, has added fuel to the fire.
Many people believe that Apple is considering developing a CDMA iPhone for subscribers of Verizon Wireless, a CDMA operator in the USA. It has been speculated that the CDMA iPhone will be released early next year in that country.
There’s also been some news of China Telecom talking with Apple regarding the CDMA iPhone 4 for the Chinese market.
In addition, a couple of months ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was holding discussions with CDMA operators Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices for bringing a CDMA iPhone to India as well.
Mobile phone companies most searched online
If Google is to be believed, maximum brand searches in India are on mobile phone companies and telecom operators. The findings are part of Google Zeitgeist 2010, which is based on the aggregation of search queries people typed into Google this year.
As per the data, seven in ten most popular brands in India, five are mobile handset companies and two are operators. The most popular handset brand is Nokia, followed by Samsung, Micromax, Apple and Sony Ericsson, in that order. The most searched operators include Airtel and Vodafone.
This definitely says a lot about our mobile crazy country. No doubt we have 600 million plus mobile consumers!
Nokia had always been the most sought-after mobile phone brand in India as it caters to both high end and low end customer base. But 2008 saw the rise of Micromax, which started giving tough competition to Nokia with its range of low cost feature rich phones.
Micromax has also recently joined the Android bandwagon with the launch of its affordable Android-based smartphone called A60.
In order to stand firm in this highly competitive market, Nokia launched phones with Dual-SIM facility, much later than Indian players, but failed to capture the segment. However, the Finland-based company is still growing strong with its loyal customers.
Samsung too has created a buzz in the mobile phone market with its attractive smartphones such as Star, Corby, Galaxy S, Galaxy 5 and now, a tablet – Galaxy Tab.
Apple, unlike its popularity in the West, failed to charm Indian customers. Due to the high price of its iPhones and the issue of unavailability without bundling, Apple could not make it so big here. At present, one can buy an iPhone in India only through Airtel or Vodafone stores.
Another interesting trend that we see in Google Zeitgeist 2010 is that among the top ten fastest rising brands on Google search in India two are handset players Micromax and Samsung Mobiles, and free SMS service Way2SMS.
RCom launches 3G services in metros, Chandigarh
Reliance Communications (RCom) today announced the launch of its next generation 3G mobile and data services in four cities namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chandigarh.
The pan India operator is the second private operator after Tata Docomo to launch the services in the country.
3G services in the remaining nine circles where the operator has won the spectrum, will be launched in the next three months and expects to have a pan India footprint by the end of next year.
Mahesh Prasad, President, Reliance Communications said, “We are talking to like minded partners to make the 3G services available pan India by the end of next year.”
Reliance customers can now have access to various 3G enabled applications namely Mobile TV, Video Streaming, faster data speeds etc. Reliance 3G network is capable of offering speed of up to 28 Mbps.
As of now video calling facility is not available for RCom subscribers due to absence of government clearance, however, the company is hopeful that it will get the clearance in a few day. The tariffs for video calls will be announced subsequently.
RCom’s mobile TV offering will include over 120 channels and will be supported by electronic programme guide. The prices have not been announced.
Mobile subscribers currently availing RCom’s 2G services and have a 3G enabled device will automatically upgraded to the 3G network. While voice tariffs remain the same, data service tariffs will vary depending on whether services are used on mobile phone or through the dongles.
The operator has tie ups with Nokia for devices and applications and Getjar and Ericsson for applications.
Tata DOCOMO and Sony Music come together with ‘Michael’
Michael is the flavour of the season as far as the mobile companies are concerned. Tata Docomo in partnership with Sony Music has launched the keenly anticipated album from Michael Jackson, called “Michael” for its subscribers.
Rishi Mohan Malhotra, head value added services, Tata Docomo said, “Our customers will have the exclusive privilege rights to listen to his last few recorded songs, even before the launch of the album in India.”
This album carries 10 tracks which are likely to be a treat for the fans of Michael Jackson. It also includes Hold My Hand, a duet with R&B singer Akon, which was recorded in 2007.
A handwritten note by Michael Jackson indicates that he desired this song to be the first single in his subsequent project, but the song leaked out, still unfinished in 2008. Akon recently completed the production of Hold My Hand and that version of the song and nine other tracks from the album “Michael” are now available for Tata Docomo subscribers for downloading.
The Tata DOCOMO subscribers can access Michael’s songs through call me tunes, my song, full songs, videos, wallpapers and ringtones. All these services can be accessed on 55500 by paying a nominal charge of two paisa per second. Users can also set the call me tunes by sending an SMS MJ to 55500. This SMS is toll free for the users.
This is the first posthumous release after the legendary singer passed away. Tata Docomo has got a first mover advantage with the release of this album though Nokia also attempted to pull off a similar feat, by offering a free download of just one track ‘Hold My Hand’ to its users through Nokia Ovi music store. Ovi Store is accessible to internet enabled Nokia phones.
Is there enough space for Nokia’s MeeGo?
The ambitious Linux based operating system (OS) from Nokia and Intel, MeeGo, had seemed to hit a roadblock since there was very little information about it in the market. Interest in the OS increased after a recent event organised by Intel in Moscow, especially since the Intel official allowed journalists to take pictures of a prototype smartphone and tablet.
People could not figure out much about the tablet just by its appearance except that it looks like the iPad, but a glimpse of the smartphone revealed more.
Toward a new MeeGo ecosystem
As of now, the game seems to be open only to quick movers in the market because the marketplace may change beyond recognition between the time when an idea is conceptualised and when it is implemented. The vision is to give developers a platform to create applications which can be marketed through Intel’s AppUp Center and Nokia’s Ovi Store.
Access apps from any device
With the new ecosystem in place, users will be able to access their applications from any device running MeeGo OS, which could be tablets or smartphones. However, whether this ecosystem will work or not has still to be seen since there are many players aiming for the same segment including Apple and Google. Therefore, it is difficult to predict how much ground will be open for MeeGo.
Probable Nokia smartphone features
The phone reportedly comes equipped with an Intel Atom processor and, of course, the MeeGo OS. Its other notable features are a 5.0 mega Pixel camera, WVGA resolution screen and a camera for video calls. The OS itself sports faster boot time, supports Flash and provides easier access to social networking websites. It is also reportedly more secure because of the Linux legacy.
There is already some talk that Nokia N9 will be the first device featuring this new OS. It is also rumored to have features of N8 and more.
Best and worst case scenarios for MeeGo
It was reported in February this year that Intel and Nokia decided to merge Maemo and Moblin on a Linux based platform to come up with an OS that would work well with major devices including netbooks, laptops and phones. In the best case scenario, MeeGo may be adopted by a wide range of companies including developers, software vendors, device manufacturers and network operators.
It’s true that as a project, MeeGo is relatively young. However, it is based on established and mature technology that first saw the light of day in 2005 as something called Maemo. Given the fact that MeeGo is from Nokia, which still controls close to 50 per cent of the mobile phone market, and Intel which is the biggest in terms of processors for PCs, the likelihood of success is decent.
However, Android and iOS have already established themselves and Nokia and Intel will have to ensure that MeeGo delivers a better experience to the end user and a better deal to developers who are crucial in nurturing the ecosystem.
Opera Software launches Opera Mini for Samsung Galaxy S
According to an Opera Software announcement, the Opera Mini mobile Browser will now come preloaded on Galaxy S smartphones. The browser will be pre installed on the smartphone in select markets initially, and can also be downloaded from Opera’s website.
Samsung has been one of the top partners for Opera since 2006, launching numerous Opera-powered handsets. Now Opera Mini, which is among the fastest and most popular browsers, can bring a smooth web browsing experience to Samsung’s Galaxy S.
Opera Mini performs efficiently on mobile devices because it can compress web pages by about 90 per cent, thus initiating them to load faster. The data load is also drastically reduced, which means lower browsing costs for users (especially useful when the user is roaming). Opera Mini already boasts of having 76.3 million monthly users across the world.
However, some users exposed to other operating systems and browsers suggest that while Opera Mini is faster than Internet Explorer Mobile, it is not comprehensive or detailed like Skyfire is.
The good part of Opera Mini is that the address bar can be accessed directly in Opera Mini whereas accessing the address bar on the Android browser is a cumbersome process.
RCom, Airtel showcase 3G services at India Telecom 2010
There has been a lot of hoopla surrounding the launch of 3G services by private operators in India. While Tata Docomo has already launched 3G, other operators will soon follow suit and are currently promoting and advertising their third generation networks.
Two operators, Reliance Communications and Airtel, have exhibited their 3G services at the ongoing India Telecom Summit 2010 and these include video calling and live mobile TV.
Reliance mobile TV currently has around 60 channels of which 16 are news channels and 32 are regional.
Airtel too put up an exhibition of its 3G services. The company’s Mobile TV includes 110 channels at present and is growing.
Mobile TV enables the transmission of on demand, recorded and live television content to a mobile phone. Mobile operators can either broadcast or stream content to users’ handsets.
While streaming, low Bandwidth causes the mobile TV experience to be hindered if multiple handsets are accessing the same program at the same time. In a normal scenario there are several players who work in the mobile TV business, such as content and broadcast companies, mobile service providers, infrastructure providers, handset manufacturers and technology providers. All these companies work together to enable TV on mobile phones.
Neither Airtel nor RCom divulged when they’ll launch 3G services. It seems we’ll just have to wait and watch.
mig33 for Android
mig33, a mobile based social networking and entertainment application is now available for Android devices.
mig33 has 40 million registered users and wants to tap the Android space for further growth. With the launch of low cost Android phones such as Micromax A60, the company is looking at a big Android market in emerging markets such as India.
The Android version of mig33 will provide games, chat features, virtual goods and other social entertainment services on any Android mobile. The company also plans to pre install its App on new Android mobile devices manufactured by handset makers in China, Taiwan and beyond. mig33 will offer a share of revenue to device manufacturers who pre install the app on their devices.
“In our world, an Android customer and a mig33 fan are veritable soul mates, and this will become only more true in coming months,” said Steven Goh, the chief executive officer and co-founder of mig33. “Both are social, savvy, mobile centric, and entertainment oriented, and both are just as likely to prize value as higher-end devices.”