Daily Archives: March 7, 2011

Business
March 7, 2011
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Nokia to sell QT commercial licensing rights to Digia

By on March 7, 2011 at 11:11 PM.

Nokia to sell QT commercial licensing rights to Digia

In a recent press release, mobile device giant Nokia announced a tentative, signed agreement that will jettison the commercial licensing rights of the Qt development platform to Digia. “Through the proposed acquisition, around 3500 desktop and embedded customer companies from various industries are targeted to be transferred to Digia,” reads the announcement. “The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of March 2011.” Digia notes that Nokia will continue to “invest in the future development of Qt,” which has been under the LGPL license framework since 2009. The deal will hand control of commercial licensing and service operations over to Digia, who will broaden its global reach by opening offices in both the U.S. and Norway. The full release is after the break. More →

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Tablets
March 7, 2011
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ViewPad 10 dual-boot tablet now available from ViewSonic

By on March 7, 2011 at 9:34 PM.

ViewPad 10 dual-boot tablet now available from ViewSonic

ViewSonic announced on Monday the immediate availability of its unique dual-boot tablet, the ViewPad 10. First announced this past November, the ViewPad 10 is an Atom-based tablet that features a 10-inch 1024 x 600-pixel touchscreen display, a 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor, 2GB of memory, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera for video chat. Most notably, however, it features a dual-boot configuration that allows users to boot either Android 1.6 or Windows 7 on demand. ”The lines of professional and personal life are blurring, which creates a need for devices that are suited for both sides,” said Adam Hanin, vice president of marketing for ViewSonic Americas, in a statement. “The ViewPad 10 delivers just that by enabling users to merge business productivity with personal enjoyment anywhere, anytime.” The ViewPad 10 is available immediately for $599 (16GB SSD, Windows 7 Home Premium) or $679 (32GB SSD, Windows 7 Professional). Hit the break for ViewSonic’s full press release. More →

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Rumor
March 7, 2011
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Apple shipped 1.1 million MacBook Air laptops last quarter, analyst claims

By on March 7, 2011 at 8:01 PM.

Apple shipped 1.1 million MacBook Air laptops last quarter, analyst claims

Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed on Saturday that Apple shipped a total of 1.1 million MacBook Air units over the course of the refreshed laptop’s first quarter of availability. Though the firm’s figure is most certainly not confirmed by Apple, Ming-Chi cites channel checks in Asia in revealing shipment numbers, which would make the new MacBook Air one of the fastest-selling Mac computers in Apple’s history. Ming-Chi notes that sales have likely begun to slow in the first quarter of 2011, and Concord estimates that Apple will ship approximately 700,000 units this quarter. Shipments of Apple’s newly refreshed MacBook Pro computers are expected to make up for the slowing Air sales, however, and Concord notes that demand for the new Pro line will help offset slowed MacBook Air shipments. More →

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Software
March 7, 2011
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Skype adds ads to desktop software

By on March 7, 2011 at 6:31 PM.

Skype adds ads to desktop software

Skype announced on Monday that it will soon add advertisements to its desktop software. The move is thought to be an effort to introduce a new revenue stream ahead of the company’s IPO, which will occur this year. The new display ads will be rolled out in the U.S., U.K. and Germany this week, and they will appear on the Home tab of Skype’s desktop software. Initial ad buys that will begin running as soon as Skype’s new ads go live come from companies including Groupon, Universal Pictures and Visa. While Skype’s long-term plans remain unclear, the company said that it will initially only display ads from a single brand each day. For the time being, Skype’s ads will appear only in its Windows client, not its Mac application. More →

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Business
March 7, 2011
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Microsoft paid more than $1 billion to keep Nokia away from Android?

By on March 7, 2011 at 5:11 PM.

Microsoft paid more than $1 billion to keep Nokia away from Android?

According to a report filed by Bloomberg, Windows Phone maker Microsoft will pay Finnish handset manufacturer Nokia more than $1 billion as part of the two companies “smartphone software agreement.” The publication cites “two people with knowledge of the terms,” and goes on to note that Nokia will be responsible for paying Microsoft a “fee for each copy of Windows [Phone] used.” It’s widely assumed that the purported agreement, and fee, were part of Microsoft’s campaign to keep Android off of Nokia hardware. The duration of the deal is being reported as “over five years.” Nokia’s CEO, Stephen Elop, has publicly stated that he wants Nokia branded hardware running Windows Phone software in market before the close of 2011. More →

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mobile
March 7, 2011
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RIM makes its App World signup process easier

By on March 7, 2011 at 3:51 PM.

RIM makes its App World signup process easier

RIM has started emailing developers to inform them that its BlackBerry App World sign-up process is now much more streamlined; a welcomed change, we’re sure. Before the program tweak, RIM required a notarized proof of identity – yes, you’d literally have to get a document notarized before RIM would accept you as a developer into BlackBerry App World. After a rather lengthy blog post by a frustrated developer, the Canadian company seems to have gotten the message loud and clear. We’re not sure why Research In Motion felt that they could make their app store harder to sign-up for when they are notably behind Apple and Google in that area, but again, it’s great to see some progress being made here. More →

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Software
March 7, 2011
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Google adds real-time traffic routing to Maps for Android; aims to keep you out of jams

By on March 7, 2011 at 2:42 PM.

Google adds real-time traffic routing to Maps for Android; aims to keep you out of jams

Oh Google Maps, is there anything you can’t do? Via a blog post just moments ago, Google announced an incremental update to its Maps application for Android. The update, which is still technically in beta, brings real-time traffic routing right to your smartphone. “You don’t have to do anything to be routed around traffic; just start Navigation like you normally would, either from the Navigation app or from within Google Maps,” reads the announcement. “Before today, Navigation would choose whichever route was fastest, without taking current traffic conditions into account.” The software will work in both North America and Europe, and is waiting for you in the Android Market. Enjoy. More →

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Tablets
March 7, 2011
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Samsung denies Galaxy Tab 10.1 overhaul, says tablet will ship as scheduled

By on March 7, 2011 at 1:38 PM.

Samsung denies Galaxy Tab 10.1 overhaul, says tablet will ship as scheduled

Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported last week that Samsung was considering making changes to its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet following the unveiling of Apple’s iPad 2. “We will have to improve the parts that are inadequate,” Samsung’s executive vice president of mobile was quoted as having said, leading many to speculate that the tablet might not launch on time. But Samsung denied the report this past Saturday, saying it plans to release its second Galaxy-branded Android tablet on schedule. We took a hands-on look at the Galaxy Tab 10.1 last month and found that it might even best the Motorola XOOM in some areas. We also thought Google’s Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) OS still needed some refinement, however. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 is expected to launch later this month through Vodafone in Europe, and launch details in the U.S. market are not yet available. More →

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Tablets
March 7, 2011
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Grandfathered unlimited iPad data plan will be transferable to iPad 2

By on March 7, 2011 at 12:36 PM.

Grandfathered unlimited iPad data plan will be transferable to iPad 2

iPad Wi-Fi + 3G users who have been paying $30 each month for unlimited data can now rest assured that they’ll have the option to continue doing so if they opt to upgrade to the new iPad 2. AT&T made an unlimited data plan available to early iPad owners last year, but decided to pull the plan in favor of the capped options we have now. Users who purchased their iPad on or before June 7th had the option to grab the unlimited data plan, however, and as long as they kept paying for it each month since, the plan is still alive and kicking. Now AT&T has confirmed that these data-hungry iPad owners will be able to transfer their grandfathered unlimited plans to the new iPad 2, should they choose to upgrade. While the iPad 2 is thought by some to be a modest incremental update, current iPad owners yearning for that sleek new case and Apple’s speedy A5 processor can now remain calm knowing that they won’t lose their data plans when they buy the new model. More →

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Tablets
March 7, 2011
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GSM-capable HP TouchPad gets hands-on treatment [video]

By on March 7, 2011 at 11:34 AM.

GSM-capable HP TouchPad gets hands-on treatment [video]

Oh boy, HP’s corporate security team is not going to be happy with this. Courtesy of blog tinhte.vn, we have been treated to a handful of high-resolution photographs and a two-plus minute video of a GSM-capable HP TouchPad frolicking free in Vietnam. The blog notes that the tablet — a 3G GSM version with 32GB of memory — seems to be void of any useable software and, for whatever reason, doesn’t like power chargers from third-parties. The TouchPad is due out this summer at an undisclosed price. Have a look at the video after the break and let us know what you think! More →

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mobile
March 7, 2011
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Leaked roadmap reveals BlackBerry OS 7, BIS updates, more

By on March 7, 2011 at 10:33 AM.

Leaked roadmap reveals BlackBerry OS 7, BIS updates, more

We already know just about everything there is to know about RIM’s upcoming GSM and CDMA BlackBerry smartphones, and now it’s time for an up close and personal look at the BlackBerry software we can all look forward to in 2011. Enthusiast blog N4BB has obtained what it claims to be RIM’s software roadmap for the 2011 calendar year, and it certainly looks the part. The biggest revelation on the leaked slides is undoubtedly the mention of BlackBerry OS 7, which the roadmap reveals as being set for core integration this coming November. It is unclear whether or not we’ll see OS 7 on devices this year but all of that empty space on the third quarter makes it look like RIM will be very focused on the next version of its OS in the second half of 2011. Also set for launch this year are two BIS updates — one this month or next month (BIS 4.0), and a second due toward the end of summer (BIS 4.1). Finally, we can see a bunch of apps set to be updated in the near future, including Twitter, Facebook, RIM’s Social Feeds app and more. Hit the break for a few more slides. More →

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mobile
March 7, 2011
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Samsung Galaxy Pro unveiled; low-end Android phone with BlackBerry form factor

By on March 7, 2011 at 9:34 AM.

Samsung Galaxy Pro unveiled; low-end Android phone with BlackBerry form factor

British cellular carrier Three on Monday unveiled a new Android device from Samsung that will launch soon in the UK. While pricing and availability have not yet been detailed, the Samsung Galaxy Pro appears to be an entry-level Android smartphone that will target enterprise users. The phone features a 2.8-inch touchscreen display, Android 2.2 (Froyo), HSDPA, Samsung Hub compatibility, a 3-megapixel camera and a BlackBerry-like form factor with a full QWERTY keypad. Like many Nokia devices, however, the keypad layout on the Galaxy Pro places letters in columns instead of staggering them properly, which could be a problem for some potential customers. Hit the break for a video of the Samsung Galaxy Pro in action. More →

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