From May to August of this year, Samsung and Apple continue to grow handset sales in the U.S. while Motorola, Research in Motion and LG are losing ground. Making matters worse for the laggards: the smartphone is becoming central for more activities in our lives. Read more »
Quite a few commentators expressed a sense of deflation when Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) finally announced its newest device yesterday, the iPhone 4S… Read more at paidContent »
Major names in the mobile industry continue to line up behind mobile-payments strategies, but Google (NSDQ: GOOG) may be perturbed to see a… Read more at paidContent »
At Mobilize, VMware CTO Steve Herrod laid out a mobile plan that reeks of success on par with what VMware has achieved in server virtualization. The trick to accomplishing that might be VMware’s quest to make its hypervisor technology a part of the core Android kernel. Read more »
As our demand for data increases, so too do the number of mobile devices and services. Add to that the infrastructure needed to support such connectivity, and a wide, complex picture of the mobile industry emerges. This report examines the various sectors of the mobile landscape and what the future holds for each. Hardware, cloud services, mobile search, advertising, location-based services and the growing ubiquity of the Internet of Things will all play an important role in the concept of mobility as it shifts and evolves over the next several years. With the help of more than a dozen contributors, GigaOM Pro presents a comprehensive analysis of the companies and trends that will lead us into the next era of mobile. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The stock market loves Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), and so, it seems, do consumers falling over themselves to get news about the latest iPhone. But i… Read more at paidContent »
The number of connected devices is steadily on the rise, but it’s not smartphones or computers that will lead us to the 50 billion connected devices expected by the year 2020. Rather, the Internet of Things — numerous smart objects that speak to the web and ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
The LG ST600 set-top box doesn’t just offer access to Netflix, VUDU and Amazon VOD, but also integrates with Plex, the media center solution of choice for many cord cutters. Check it out in this episode of Cord Cutters. Read more »
A look at some of the big stories in mobile today:
» Amazon could have two sizes of tablet in mind for a launch: a seven-inch mod… Read more at paidContent »
VMware, long synonymous with servers, today began its encroachment into mobile devices with a new product and two new projects aimed at getting enterprise access onto mobile phones and tablets. The products offer consumer-like web services while giving corporations control over access. Read more »
Smartphones are increasingly becoming the remote controls of our lives. Car owners can use theirs to check on the battery level and driving range and adjust the climate control system. An MIT project explores new ways to use smartphones to help drivers cut fuel costs. Read more »
The team approach is becoming popular in the electric car development space. General Motors and LG Group announced Thursday a plan to co-develop electric vehicles in order to speed up their deployment. Read more »
Apple intends to invest in a Sharp plant in order to bring the Japanese company aboard as an LCD supplier for iPhone and iPad manufacturing, according to sources. If accurate, this is only the latest sign that Apple is looking to distance itself from Samsung. Read more »
Google rocked the mobile world on Monday, August 15, with the news that it will buy Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, marking a 63-percent premium for the handset manufacturer. It’s a move that ushers Google into the exclusive club of companies that control both the hardware and software elements of their smartphone offerings, and it will enable Google to design handsets that are more closely integrated with Android. However, the deal doesn’t come without its risks, and it remains to be seen just how it will affect other handset makers, competition from Microsoft and the crucial patent issues currently surrounding Google. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Research In Motion and Samsung. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Google’s $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility today shows that the company is all-in with Android, paying a 63-percent premium to acquire Motorola. But what does it show to hardware partners now that Google essentially will be a smartphone and tablet hardware competitor? Read more »
The non-iPad tablet market is relatively young, but the iPad is still running away with the lion’s share of the tablet market. Aside from the iPad, consumers and enterprises can choose from tablets running on Android, BlackBerry and webOS. But are they buying? Here are a ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Got an LG G2x handset and looking for a new version of Android? LG has created Android 2.3.3 firmware for the smartphone, which hopefully addresses some performance glitches. The software will eventually be pushed over the air to phones, but you can get it now. Read more »
Samsung is about to knock off Nokia as the top smartphone seller thanks to its calculated Google Android strategy. HTC and LG hope to help their own cause with glasses-free 3-D smartphones. And Swype has a better keyboard for everyone’s Android handsets and tablets. Read more »
LG is continuing its bet on 3-D technology, today announcing availability of its Optimus 3D handset first in Europe and later in 60 other areas around the world. The dual-core handset uses a stereoscopic display, so no 3-D glasses are needed for stills or videos. Read more »
The NBA’s effort to increase the amount of video available to fans in the latest season, with the league reporting more website visitors and video streams watched over the course of the 2010/2011 season and postseason than ever before. Read more »
The Internet provides companies with a great way to gather new ideas. But it’s also important to think about how you ask for ideas, and what you do with them once you have them. Idea generation is generally the first step in an organization’s innovation process. Read more »
Plex just published a beta version of its Roku channel, making it possible to access media stored on your computer as well as Internet content sources on the popular media player. The channel is currently considered beta and still seems to have a few kinks. Read more »
Android proves that iOS isn’t the only game in town; it’s the common thread among companies such as HTC, Motorola, LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. While Android adoption has helped all five companies, those who embraced Android fully and early on have reaped the biggest benefits. Read more »
Nokia may have divorced the MeeGo platform, but that means LG can start dating it. The company will show developers how to port MeeGo to LG devices at a conference next month, so it can start hedging its Android bet and reverse a declining sales trend. Read more »
LG, the South Korean makers of phones televisions, household appliances and a variety of other consumer devices has licensed the ARM-based chip cores that can be found in devices from handsets to set-top-boxes. Once again, a vendor has forgotten to invite Intel to the party. Read more »
Google’s open video format WebM has some new backers, with companies like Cisco, LG and Samsung joining a cross-licensing initiative to insure themselves against patent-related litigation. However, the need for such an initiative also shows how serious Google has to take any threats of patent lawsuits. Read more »
Is the greentech industry headed for a breakout year or is it retrenching for hard times to come? The first three months of 2011 provided evidence that could support both assertions, with a big rise in venture capital investment and a big drop-off in global energy financing. Solar power remained the largest green technology sector in terms of venture capital investment, while in the world of electric vehicles, GM’s Chevy Volt hybrid and Nissan’s all-electric Leaf — the first two mainstream plug-in vehicles — hit the showroom floors in significant numbers. Meanwhile the smart grid sector’s relative dearth of VC investment was more than made up for by the massive round of acquisitions. Companies mentioned in this report include NRG Energy, Microsoft, Silver Spring Networks, Tesla and BrightSource Energy. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Cloud computing, a surge of smartphone growth and increased wireless connectivity have created an ideal environment for the introduction of the media tablet — a consumer-grade device best suited to leisure-based computing activities such as gaming and social networking. This report forecasts the media tablet market, which is expected to grow at a 54 percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. We forecast revenues and regional growth, including China’s growing importance in the market, and provide a competitive analysis of tablets from Cisco, Research in Motion, Apple, HP and others. Additional companies in this report include Samsung, Dell, Microsoft and Motorola. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Vudu has rapidly expanded the number of devices that offer its video on demand service. But the one place you couldn’t find it was in your web browser. That changes today, as full video streaming of all titles will now be available on Vudu.com. Read more »
Online video distribution firm Ooyala is beefing up its TV Everywhere capabilities, adding new DRM and authentication features, and expanding distribution to new connected device platforms. The new capabilities will give more flexibility to content providers who want to provide authenticated access to their content. Read more »
Within the next five years, smartphones will account for more than one-third of all handsets sold worldwide, thanks largely to platforms like Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. This research covers the global handset platforms market for the period between 2011 and 2015. We first examine the factors contributing to this worldwide growth, from a slowly recovering economy to the rise of technologies like 4G and LTE. Regional factors affect growth, too, and our research includes a forecast for the following areas: the Americas; Europe; the Middle East and Africa; and Asia-Pacific. Forecasts are on a global and regional basis for the most important platforms: Android, Apple iOS, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows Mobile. Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Google, Nokia, Research in Motion and Microsoft. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
AT&T is adding both an older device and a new handset to its network: Windows Phone 7 fans can look forward to the HTC HD7S, which gains a Super LCD display over the old HD7, while the LG Thrill 4G brings glasses-free 3D visuals. Read more »
Europe has halted shipments of PlayStation 3 game consoles as Sony battles with rival LG over intellectual property associated with Blu-Ray. It’s the latest salvo in a growing patent war that’s spreading across the technology industry — and the only real losers are customers. Read more »
Does iPad 2 live up to the enormous amount of hype surrounding it? The answer is yes, and this research note explains why. We examine new features on the device and how they will help Apple grasp an even tighter hold on the tablet market, what that means for competitors like Google and Samsung and why the device could be the best example yet of computing in what Steve Jobs calls “the post-PC world.” Companies mentioned in this report include Apple, Motorola, Samsung and Google. For a full list of companies, and to read the full research note, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Brightcove is working hard to help publishers using its online video distribution platform to reach viewers through connected TVs. The latest evidence is a partnership with LG that will make it easier for publishers to build applications for and deliver video to LG Smart TVs. Read more »
Today on the Net: YouTube is using the power of the cloud to process videos faster, Netflix investors are having a really good day and LG partners with YouTube on 3D phone. Read more »
T-Mobile’s G-Slate made the briefest of appearances at last months Consumer Electronics Show. Today the carrier provided more details on the new 4G tablet running Honeycomb, the most surprising being the display: it’s smaller than that of an iPad but can show 3D video! Read more »
Greentech marked its best year ever in 2010, and part of that is thanks to the wealth of activity across sectors during the fourth quarter. Global investment in clean energy surged, and while wind power remained the biggest greentech area, solar power saw the fastest growth. The energy efficiency sector appears to have more room for smaller players to make their mark amidst a rapidly maturing market. Meanwhile, China’s stance as a growing greentech giant continued to complicate its relationship with the United States. Companies mentioned in this report include General Electric, Intel, ZigBee, iControl, People Power and EnerNOC. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
In one of the first indications about manufacturer satisfaction with the Windows Phone 7 launch, an LG executive said the big Microsoft roll-out was, “less than we expected.” But he said the platform still has a chance as an easy-to-use alternative to Android. Read more »
