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  • RIM presents BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10

    RIM has announced their plans about BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, hoping that businessmen will stick to Blackberries and buy their new BB10 devices.

    Research in Motion does not seem to lose hope, despite the fall in Blackberry's sales the last years. Although iOS and Android have conquered the market, RIM knows that they still have part of the businessmen on their side. That's why they announced BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10, which simplifies any service that entrepreneurs might need.

    According to RIM:

    "BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 represents a consolidation of our enterprise mobility management (EMM) product portfolio, which includes our mobile device management (MDM), security, infrastructure, and app management products. It will prepare your organization for the future of mobile diversity, as well as integrate with your existing BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) deployment. From a single unified web-based console, BES 10 will manage the following devices:

    – BlackBerry 7 OS and prior smartphones
    – BlackBerry 10 devices
    – BlackBerry PlayBook tablets
    – iOS and Android™ smartphones and tablets

    BES 10 will be the ultimate management solution for all BlackBerry platform devices, as well as iOS and Android devices. BES 10 will launch with the first BlackBerry 10 devices in Q1 of calendar year 2013. "

    As it seems, RIM understands that their focus should be on enterprise customers and they decided to entice them with a great idea.

    "RIM remains committed to our enterprise customers by providing advanced, innovative, and flexible options for a straight-forward migration to BlackBerry 10 smartphones, as well as cross-platform management of your mobile device deployment."

    We just have to see whether this could boost their sales.

  • Goophone I5: a Chinese iPhone 5 lookalike

    If you are among the Apple fans that simply cannot wait about the iPhone 5, imagine your reaction on hearing that you can get a first impression on it before anybody else.

    That's what some iPhone fans thought when they saw an iPhone 5 lookalike leaking on the Web, which is known as  Goophone.  Well, don't be fooled, this is not the iPhone 5, but it really looks a lot like it. Although Goophone seems identical to iPhone 5, it is definitely not one. Goophone I5 is a Chinese phone from the company Goophone that might look like an iPhone 5, but ironically it runs on Android software!

    Goophone I5 has a 4-inch screen, a 1280×720 pixel display, a Tegra 3 quad-core processor of 1.4GHz and a RAM of 1GB. What's more, it has an 8MP back camera and one in front of 1.3MP.  Except for the Android, the other difference with the iPhone 5 is that it does not have a bigger screen, which is expected on iPhone 5. As you can see from the picture, the resemblance with the iPhone is quite obvious, although we are not sure whether this will have any implications on them, similar to the ones that Samsung had recently. Apple knows that iPhone 5 is a much anticipated product and they significantly count on it for their annual sales.

    In addition, the Chinese market is really big to be ignored and the fact that some people will already hold such an iPhone 5 lookalike might affect their sales. However, Apple is planning a big collaboration with China Mobile in the near future, which might turn things around. For the time being, Apple fans are counting down the days to the release of iPhone 5 and hop they won't be disappointed!

  • iPhone 5 to sell 250 million units?

    iPhone is about to be released very soon, but the rumors keep going about it. This time there is an estimate of the units it will sell, which seem pretty impressive, if they are achieved of course.

    According to Craig Berger, an analyst from FBR Capital Markets, iPhone 5 will sell 250 million units, which will bring for Apple a revenue of $144 billion! And the numbers can be even more impressive, if you consider that Apple has made $50 million from the sales of all the previous iPhones in the US market, over the last 5 years!

    If you are wondering how he justifies his claims abou such a big increase in the sales, there are two major factors. The first one has to do with the loyalty of Apple's customers. When you own an iPhone you feel the need to buy the new one, evn though you might not need it and even more, even though it might not add any impressive features. This loyalty is important in the smartphone market, since Apple knows that their customers will follow them.

    However, it's not just loyalty that could boost so much the sales. The second factor is Apple's intention to cooperate with Chine Mobile, the biggest carrier in the world. This deal is expected in the beginning of 2013 and it will definitely boost Apple's sales in China, which is a huge market.

    Bearing these two factors in mind, Apple might see a rise in the sales with iPhone 5, but can they really sell 250 million units? Nobody can tell yet, but nobody would be really surprised either. We just have to wait for now!

  • Samsung to Pay $1 Billion to Apple

    Apple is finally the winner in the big patent war with Samsung, since the juries found that Samsung infringed Apple's patents.

    This decision is forcing all the manufacturers to avoid creating any smartphones that might even resemble to Apple's products, in order to avoid the consequences.

    Samsung is now expected to pay $1 Billion, which is a big loss for them. The fact that they were rising on the smartphone market is forcing them to reconsider on their future phones. As for the patent war and Apple's victory, they mentioned in a statement:

    "It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.”

    Apple on the other hand should feel relieved from this decision, which might also boost their sales even more. According to Katie Cotton, Apple's spokeswoman, and her words in New York Times:

    "The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were about much more than patents or money. They were about values. At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right.”

    What is the future in the smartphone market after this decision?

  • Windows Phone to win Blackberry in US market

    Times are changing and so does the smartphone market. Gone are the days when Research in Motion was dominating the smartphone market. Now, Blackberry seems to decline in the US market, with Windows Phone being willing to take over its place.

    According to a chart from Statcounter, posted by WMPoweruser, Windows Phones are expected to overtake Blackberries in the US market until November. The fact that Windows Phone is on the rise and Blackberry seems to decline might justify the graph's validity. What's more, Windows Phone 8 smartphones are about to be released in September, which raises the competition even more. And the graph is further enhanced by the fact that Blackberry 10 is not expected before the beginning of 2013.

    With all these in mind, Microsoft should be happy about their recent progress in the smartphone market. Although many were questioning whether Windows Phone could make it in such a competitive market, the numbers are proving them wrong. Microsoft's collaboration with Nokia is already considered rather successful, since it was a combination of Nokia's experience in the smartphone market with Microsoft's fresh air. If you consider that the first Windows Phone has been released in US market only 2 years ago, and is currently about to overtake a well established name like Blackberry, then it is definitely a success.

    Blackberry on the other hand hopes that Blackberry 10 will help them recover, since they keep on losing their share in the market. Two years ago they held the 34.3% of the US market, a number which now seems really distant to them. Times are changing, Apple is dominating and Blackberries are only used by a small, but loyal, group of people that are satisfied with them and do not seek a change.
    However, are these people enough to hold such a big name?

  • KeKu Celebrates 500,000 Users With Group Calling App

    KeKu, the VoIP telephone service only launched early this year, but is already reaping the rewards of a fantastic service. With 500,000 customers internationally using their service on both iOS and Android devices, the sky seems to be the limit for this New York-based startup.

    KeKu’s apps allow free VoIP calls within their system, as well as inexpensive international rates for both mobile and traditional phone lines. The secret is that they provide local numbers to their users, which can be dolled out amongst their family and friends, regardless of their calling area.

    According to Manilo Carrelli, the company’s CEO, their success relies heavily on an exciting viral growth, especially in areas you wouldn’t expect that to occur within. The Middle East has been one of their biggest markets, probably due to the incredible expense of calling both locally and long distance in that region. Canada has also been a key area for them, with a 400% growth since the app’s launch.

    The international calling feature seems to be at the heart of their expansion. Users have found that they can use KeKu for local calls and often receive a better rate than they would from their area’s traditional phone service. And fans of Google Voice have been integrating with the KeKu app to direct Google Voice calls to an international phone line while abroad, a feature that Google does not yet provide on its own.

    With all of this unexpected growth, KeKu has been able to turn their attention towards additional services for its fans. First down the pipe is an iOS-based group calling app. All you have to do is drag the contacts you want to include into a group folder and tap the call button. It’s simple at the moment, without a lot of bells and whistles, but it certainly gets the job done.

  • Imo Pairs VoIP Capabilities With Its IM App

    Imo has been widely used for years now by fans of instant messaging looking to bring all their various accounts under one umbrella. The company recently announced that it is expanding its free VoIP calling service from an Android-only option to users on iOS devices as well.

    The Imo app can aggregate the eleven top IM applications into one easy service. And while Android clients have enjoyed free VoIP calling on top of all of that, any Apple users running iOS 3.1 or later who also have a 3G or better wireless connection will now be able to make their own VoIP calls.

    Users should take note that calls made while on your own 3G or 4G service will sap your data plan, and could be costly if you’re not too careful. Simply switching to an available Wi-Fi service will remove that concern.

    According to Imo representatives, the quality of the calling service should stand up to any traditional phone. Add that to the app’s voice-based IM service, photo sharing capability, and group messaging through Google Talk, Skype, Facebook Chat and many others, and you’ve got one powerful tool on your mobile device.

    The proof is in the numbers. To date, Imo has been downloaded more than four million times. And people are really using it as well. They average more than fifty million messages delivered each and every day, from over 700,000 regular users. Imo added VoIP calling to their Android app in February of this year, and it is a bit odd that it took them so long to figure it out for iOS customers. That delay may cost them some users, as there are now several other VoIP service apps for iOS devices that have already gained traction.

  • LifeSize Communications Launches Virtual Video MCU

    LifeSize Communications is well respected in the VoIP industry for their UVC video conferencing platform, especially since it is entirely software-based. They’ve recently announced some incredible innovations that will make video calls on mobile devices easier than ever.

    According to LifeSize VP and general manager of video solutions Michael Helmbrecht, the software platform will now include a unique bridging capability, allowing for video calling amongst multiple parties in a virtual environment.

    The company launched their UVC software platform back in February, after many years of development. They’ve faced stiff competition from larger companies in the market, such as Polycom and Cisco Systems. But while those behemoths focus on hardware-based systems, LifeSize is taking advantage of the increasingly mobile focus in the marketplace.

    Today’s workforce is all about mobility, so having the option to create a video conference on a tablet or smartphone as well as on a desktop or laptop computer is incredibly enticing. Hence, LifeSize’s UVC Multipoint. The multiparty video conferencing software is incredibly easy to use, and can scale upwards to meet increasing demand.

    LifeSize promises rock solid service, with reliable connections even in the extreme case of a system failure. And with each company employee able to start and manage their own video conference from wherever they are in the world, it’s clear that the UVC Multipoint fills an important void in the market. Each company that purchases the software will have one interface for administration, which means a shorter learning curve, and anyone with the license key can use it.

  • Cloud Storage Supports Genealogists

    The benefits of Cloud Storage have been brought to bear in many different industries, from finance to real estate and certainly personal computing. But genealogists have been taking advantage of the off-site storage with more and more frequency, due to the safety and security it offers.

    Genealogists spend years researching their findings, and the specter of losing all of that effort can be terrifying. Cloud Storage completely removes those fears. If a genealogist experiences a malfunctioning hard drive, it could cost them dearly. With all of their data stored in the cloud, no type of physical storage issue, no matter how extreme, can cause the irrevocable loss of work.

    Another useful benefit of Cloud Storage is the fact that data can be accessed from several different devices, in a variety of locations. That means a genealogist can access the same file and continue his work, whether on a personal computer, an office workstation, or a mobile device in transit between the two.

    File-sharing is also made much easier thanks to Cloud Storage technology. Many genealogists must share their findings regularly with associates, and also want to deliver summations to clients and family. Many Cloud Storage services come with file-sharing built in. If both parties have a Dropbox, SkyDrive or Box account, they can access and download files from any of their devices, making the sharing of even the most complicated or lengthy genealogy report an instant endeavor.

    Cloud Storage probably won’t completely take the place of physical storage, at least not until several more years of consistent, worry-free service are accrued. But at some point, the physical hard drive might end up a relic of the past, much like the names genealogists pour over during their studies.

  • Sony Reader Adds Cloud Storage Capability

    Every major technology company has worked their way into the mobile marketplace, as Sony has found their foothold with the popular ebook Reader device. Now they’re taking that to the next level, with the addition of Cloud Storage capabilities.

    Their new device, the Sony Reader PRS-T2, is now being released a year after the PRS-T1. While that device did gain popularity, it hasn’t been able to push aside Amazon’s Kindle. But these new upgrades may force ebook fans to sit up and take notice.

    The largest change is the incorporation of Evernote in the new device. That’s Sony’s aggregation service, built off of cloud storage, giving users the ability to mark their favorite sections or quotes from an ebook and store them in the cloud. They can then reference each highlighted section at their leisure.

    Evernote also gives users the ability to store video content or articles on the cloud, and then download them on demand to their Reader. That way users can read something on their home computer, and then pick up where they left off later on their mobile device. And a solid Wi-Fi connection is the only requirement.

    The Sony Reader PRS-T2 also comes with much improved battery life, and a promise of two months of continual usage between charges as long as the Wi-Fi feature is disabled. That’s roughly twice the battery life of the PRS-T1, a huge improvement for avid readers.

    Fans of the old device interested in checking out the new model can purchase it with a free download of the first Harry Potter book included. Future ebooks can either be borrowed from your local library or purchased for permanent download.