From a post on Cicso’s blog:

“Cisco has demonstrated a commitment to delivering innovative software like Cisco Jabber and Cisco WebEx across a wide spectrum of operating systems, tablets and Smart Phones. We’re seeing tremendous interest in these software offerings. Customers see the value in how these offerings enable employees to work on their terms in the Post-PC era, while still having access to collaboration experiences.

Based on these market transitions, Cisco will no longer invest in the Cisco Cius tablet form factor, and no further enhancements will be made to the current Cius endpoint beyond what’s available today. However, as we evaluate the market further, we will continue to offer Cius in a limited fashion to customers with specific needs or use cases.

Moving forward, we intend to double down on software offerings, like Jabber and WebEx, that provide the anytime, anywhere, and any device experiences. We will leverage key learnings and key collaboration experiences native to Cius in our other collaboration products.”

I recall when my colleague Stacey covered the initial Cius tablet news. She and I discussed the product at length and while it was interesting and newsy enough to report on, I remember pointing out numerous reasons the product had “fail” written all over it.

The main reasons were that mobile technology cycles were revving too fast for a company such as Cisco to keep up, it had little to no differentiation from any competing tablets and the specifications were just plain terrible. Initially the product was slated to run on Intel’s Atom CPU and offered super VGA, or 800 x 600 resolution — for a video communications device! The 7-inch screen is now 1024 x 600 but an Atom Z615 chip powers Android 2.2.2, which is software that debuted two years ago.

Instead of focusing on hardware, I mentioned to Stacey, Cisco should stick with software services that enable collaboration. Lo and behold, as the Cius tablet dies a slow, painful death, Cisco is doing exactly that.

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In fact, Bump now has a coveted place on my smartphone home screens and not just for the original sharing feature. The team added a share to desktop feature for photos, and it’s stellar. To use it, you have to open a browser window to http://bu.mp — which I now have as a dedicated bookmark in my browsers. Then, using the mobile application, you choose what objects you want to move from phone to computer. Finally, you “bump” the phone with the space bar on your computer’s keyboard. BOOM! Bump transfers the files to the computer in a split second.

This type of technology is welcome because at this point, we really shouldn’t be attaching smartphones to computers via a USB or other cable for data transfer. Our pocketable computers have multiple connectivity methods built in so to transfer a photo from one place to another, for example, wireless is the way to go. And the key feature here is the simplistic interface and action to initiate the transfer. There’s no network configuration, no IP addresses, and no pairing numbers to enter. That’s important for those new to smartphones.

Welcome back to my phone, Bump; I’ve missed you!

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The 15-second video is embedded here in a Google+ post and was taken by someone wearing the prototype glasses while doing flips on a trampoline. The video quality of such action isn’t stellar, but it’s not bad when you consider the hardware is in constant motion and the lighting is variable. Here’s a screen cap:

I see that the video is available in 720p format, suggesting that Project Glass supports high-definition video recording. It’s clear to me that Google is working on the image capabilities of the hardware as most of the snapshots in the Google+ post show vast improvements from prior examples.

It’s interesting that so far, most of the Project Glass news is on input technologies, such as image capture. The concept was originally touted with more focus on output; providing useful, quick information at a glance. I noted this when the project was announced, saying:

“Touchable user interfaces have reinvented how we use mobile devices, but hardware design is advancing to the point where the interfaces are starting to disappear. Instead of holding an iPad or other tablet, people are interacting directly with an app, Web page, photo or other digital object in a reduced interface, with either voice or minute gestures. In essence, such glasses would allow people to digitally interact with the physical world around them without a device or user interface getting in the way.

Clearly, there’s no interface in the way of capturing images here, as a button tap is all it takes to snap photos. And although Project Glass will provide output in the form of directions, data and other information, the camera will clearly be a large factor when it comes to input, although a microphone will surely supplement it. Based on that, it makes sense to me that we’re seeing so much about the camera capabilities of the project.

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To show how — dare I say it — sexy this is, the company’s latest ad shows what happens when you put a female model wearing a camisole top and shorts that are two sizes too small in front of a Smart TV. Of course this is in front of a window where everyone can see her. Hilarity and racy themes ensue. See for yourself how Samsung smartly makes good us of it’s “Look, don’t touch” tagline. Oh and be on the lookout for a previous comedic ad star: It looks like the Old Spice guy is in the mix!

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I’m not a fan of the term ABI is using, but there is some recent precedent for the research firm’s sales estimates, which also include a tenfold rise in shipments this year from last. Samsung’s Galaxy Note is probably the best-known example of such a device, due to its 5.3-inch display. By the end of March, the company sold 5 million Galaxy Note handsets in just five months, with the bulk of those sales overseas. AT&T began to sell the Note with LTE support in mid February, and my review showed a capable Android device that’s large but still pocketable.

Regardless of what we call these devices or exactly what the range of screen sizes should be for them, I think ABI is on to something here. With rich media consumption on the rise on mobile devices — particularly as we get faster 4G networks and more Wi-Fi networks to supplement them — a larger display is desirable. The same can be said for Web browsing, which is one of the most popular activities on a mobile: Why scroll and zoom when a larger display minimizes such efforts?

Provided these handsets are still pocketable, consumers will adopt them because they combine the portability of a smartphone with the more immersive experience found in a tablet. That’s not to say 10-inch slate sales will fall; these fit a totally different use case for most, as they are less portable and are better suited for casual computing or consumption in a given location. A recent Viacom study, for example, found that 74 percent of tablet use is in the home.

As far as the definition of a “phablet,” I think ABI is spot-on with the screen size. Why? This gets back to the key question I suggested people ask themselves with regards to the Galaxy Note’s size: Are you a one-handed or two-handed smartphone user? Screens this large will require many to use two hands for typing and navigation, much like a tablet. I have always been a two-handed smartphone user, so the Note and my 4.65-inch Galaxy Nexus work perfectly for me. But if you’re set on one-handed smartphone use, these aren’t the devices for you, as I illustrate here:

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I was leery when I heard the news about Axis, mainly because Yahoo’s mobile strategy has arguably been second-rate by comparison to Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Then I took Axis for a spin on my iPhone and I was pleasantly surprised. In my opinion, Yahoo has accomplished its stated goals with Axis, and its peers could learn something from the venerable search company.

First, I’m very impressed with the user interface implemented in Axis. It’s simple and fast to use once you understand it. Essentially, the browser has a number of sliding panes — both horizontally and vertically — that you swipe to get around the web.

You start out with an address bar that’s also a search field and results begin to appear immediately. Swiping left to right shows more results, which are essentially thumbnails of visual information; far richer than just text results. Tap a thumbnail and a bottom panel rises, showing the a web page. Bookmarks are available with a right to left swipe (or a tap) of a small ribbon icon. Tap an icon on the bottom of the browser and thumbnails of open tabs appear for your to navigate through or view.

The entire UI is seamless and very focused on swiping as opposed to tapping. Yahoo clearly spent time figuring out the best way to take advantage of the touchscreens found on today’s smartphones, and the effort shows. Although geared for mobile devices, I really like how Axis allows you to switch views optimized for iPhone, iPad and desktops from within the settings. I never expected to say this, but Google, Microsoft and even Apple could learn from Yahoo’s UI approach here. That’s debatable and open to personal opinion of course, but I really like what Yahoo did here.

How much will Axis matter in the grand scheme of things? Probably not too much because even with the well designed user interface, I don’t expect a significant number of iOS device users to switch browsers. Some might use Axis — or Opera, Dolphin HD or another third-party browser — on occasion, but since all links in iOS open Safari, few will likely bother to open up Axis on a regular basis. That’s a shame because Yahoo has delivered a solid browser for mobile devices in Axis.

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Since trying the service, I’ve received a number of questions about it and the company noticed. So in order to help me answer them intelligently, Straight Talk sent me a loaner unlocked iPhone 4, two AT&T SIMs (regular sized and micro SIM) and some pre-paid monthly service cards.

Unlimited isn’t quite unlimited, except for voice and messages

So here are some follow up experiences I’ve had with both my phone and the loaner iPhone 4, which hopefully helps you decide if Straight Talk’s $45 month to month service is an option for you. First, let me point out the two key exceptions that I’ve found.

1. Apple’s Visual Voicemail isn’t supported by Straight Talk, so if you go this route, you’ll be calling in to hear your messages. I don’t think that’s a huge issue, at least not for me personally as I use Google Voice for all communications. However, some folks may not be happy with the feature loss.
2. For $45, Straight Talk advertises unlimited voice minutes, messages and HSPA+ data (There’s no LTE support, even if your phone is capable of using AT&T’s LTE service). Based on user-reported experiences, Straight Talk won’t cut you off provided you keep your monthly usage to 2 GB or about 100 MB per day. Hit either of these and you might get a message about excessive use, along with the threat of service termination. History shows that I use about 1 to 1.5 GB of mobile broadband a month on my phones (I use Wi-Fi a ton), so this works well for me. If you want truly unlimited data or use more than 2 GB per month on your phone, this isn’t the plan for you. Don’t even try it, would be my recommendation.

Note: I asked Straight Talk about the limit and was told that company is trying to “focus on trust and communication with customers.” It’s likely that TracFone has no way to throttle after any limits, since it doesn’t operate the networks. As a result, the company will warn folks for excessive use and potentially disrupt service if you don’t limit your usage.

Good value or no?

If you can live with those two caveats, I think the service is a great value. I was using a $30 data-only T-Mobile SIM in my Galaxy Nexus paired with low-cost VoIP calling but due to coverage issues with dropped or missed calls, I’m much happier with the Straight Talk SIM. My first month of service ends next week and I’ve already added 3 months to my account for $130 thanks to a $5 bundle savings. And because my kids have T-Mobile Sidekick 4G handset and share 1,000 minutes, I ordered a pair of Straight Talk SIMs for them as well. They use very little data but tons of minutes and messages. Now I’ll save on their service and not worry about voice minute overages.

Some questions people have asked me along with answers:

• How hard is it to set up a Straight Talk SIM on an iPhone? Great question since you can’t directly access the network or APN settings on an iPhone without jailbreaking it. It’s quite easy to set up the new SIM. Just pop it in your iPhone and hit this site in mobile Safari over Wi-Fi: http://unlockit.co.nz/ Here you’ll get a small file to download after choosing Straight Talk as your provider. This file will set up the phone to work with the new SIM and the process takes all of two minutes.
• Is it difficult to set up the service on an Android or other phone? Nope, this is super easy as you can access the APN settings directly on most smartphones. You simply enter the settings provided with your SIM card. It takes a minute or two at most to type the data in.
• What about MMS on the iPhone? The above setup solution doesn’t enable MMS, so there are several manual methods to enable both data and MMS. First, back up your iPhone in iTunes with its current SIM. Then swap SIM cards and restore your iPhone backup with the Straight Talk SIM in the handset. Again, this isn’t an issue for me personally as I use Google Voice for messages. There’s plenty of information on Straight Talk setup in this wiki page if you need it. If you have a cut-down T-Mobile SIM, you can follow these simple instructions as well. Or you could jailbreak your phone to get access to the settings.
• Are the network speeds the same? According to my testing: Yes. I’ve used my Galaxy Nexus with both a T-Mobile SIM and Straight Talk SIM for T-Mobile’s network and found the speeds to be equal. On T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network where I live, I routinely see between 6 and 8 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up and ping times around 120 milliseconds. The same test on my iPhone 4S with a SIM from AT&T and then from Straight Talk showed no difference either.
• How’s the coverage? Since Straight Talk is paying AT&T and T-Mobile for their networks, the coverage is the same as if you were paying those operators directly. I haven’t seen any coverage differences at all. If you get good coverage now from one of the two carriers, you should get the same with a Straight Talk SIM.
• If I can save money with this SIM, why wouldn’t I do it? First, if you’re a heavy data user, I wouldn’t recommend this option, as stated above. Second, you’re bringing your own phone. That means you either pay full price for your phone — which can be anything from $400 to $700, if not more — or you keep your current phone and close out your contract with an early termination fee. You’ll have to check with your carrier to see how much that will cost. I’ll be closing my T-Mobile contract on the two Sidekicks, for example, so my break-even point is a few months out. Lastly, if you use a CDMA phone (such one from Sprint or Verizon) or you want LTE service, this plan won’t work for you.
• What about tethering or using the phone as a mobile hotspot? That’s expressly forbidden in the terms of service. You might get away with it for a short bit here and there, but once you bump up against some heavy usage in a single day, you’re raising the red flag to Straight Talk’s systems.
• Can I port a number to Straight Talk? Yup, not a problem. You do this when you activate your SIM card online. I didn’t do this for my account. Although I now have another new phone number, nobody knows it because of Google Voice. I will, however, port my kids’ phone numbers next week.

No, this service isn’t for everyone. Heavy-duty data users, folks that want LTE, use a CDMA phone or don’t want to pay full price for their handset are unlikely candidates. But for someone like myself that buys unsubsidized hardware, doesn’t want a long term contract and can supplement mobile broadband with Wi-Fi usage, the BYOP plan at Straight Talk offers solid savings and the same level of service found from national carriers.

Disclosure: The free 30-day service provided by Straight Talk was for testing purposes, not for my personal use, and the iPhone will be returned, per our editorial policy. I pay for my own phone service and provided my own Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 4S  smartphones, which I bought out of pocket last year.

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This follows Samsung’s own statements early in the month; the company announced 9 million pre-orders from carriers at that time. Without actual numbers from Vodafone, it’s not possible to compare the Galaxy S III to Apple’s iPhone 4S, which launched late last year, but the figures show that Samsung has a potential hot seller in hand. That’s good news for the company, which recently took the top spot for global mobile phone sales, but as I previously noted, could lead to another long, slow rollout for the handset.

Samsung says it can only produce 5 million Galaxy S III phones per month, which sounds like a lot — it is — but compared to the overall global rollout plans, may not be enough for all who want one. Samsung expects the Galaxy S III to hit 290 carriers across 145 countries around the world, so it will have to maintain a high production level over the next six to 12 months in order to avoid inventory shortages or delayed release dates in some countries.

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“Rapidly converging technlogies accelerate the benefits of consumer delivery,” McQuivey said, and that benefit is digital content and entertainment. “It’s all about the software,” he said, because software services make the content easy to access across a wide number of devices, such as the 35 million e-readers also owned by consumers. “The big thing happening is a platform promise between device makers,  service providers and consumers.” That’s why the iPad is a hit: It’s a solid blend of hardware, software and ecosystem support.

This “platform promise” is bringing unprecedented use of devices for content, particularly with the iPad. Consumers are looking for a full package; not just a nice piece of hardware. And until others can offer that full, “everything” package, Apple will continue to lead. But don’t count out Microsoft, McQuivey said, given the 70 million Xbox 360 devices connected to televisions.

“The platform is the new throne where content reigns and content is king,” he notes. “And the platform promise can make or unmake a king at any time.” The iPad might be sitting on the throne now, but as competitors build up the promise of their platform, the game of thrones rages on.

Tablets: Not Just an iPad Worldhttp://www.scribd.com/embeds/94546961/content?start_page=1&view_mode=list&access_key=key-kcbm7z74vhennn7m52k

Check out the rest of our coverage of paidContent 2012. Full archived video on livestream (registration required).

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While the NFC support is appealing to me, I also like that you can remotely unlock the door with a mobile app or by text message. That’s handy for when you need to let someone in the house or have a package dropped off inside. Of course, I wouldn’t open the door for just anyone; that’s why I have a web-connected camera too.

Installation of the Lockitron appears to be a snap as well because the lock doesn’t require any wiring for power or connectivity. Instead, 4 easy to replace AA batteries are used in the lock and it receives wireless commands over a home Wi-Fi network. Most other wireless locks I’ve investigated require some electricity rewiring, which I’m not looking to do. After installing the Lockitron, you simply connect a small server unit to the wireless router in your home.

Obviously if the lock’s batteries run out or your home loses electricity — and therefore, the wireless network — you can’t open the door with an app or text. In that case, you’ll still need a key, but I don’t mind carrying one around in my wallet. And for all of the services to work — key issuing, revoking, access from any internet connection — the lock must be in communication with Lockitron. However, the company is working on a software option that allows homeowners total management of the lock on their home network.

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