Ranesh was a Nokia fan for a long time and had owned few Nokia’s including an E70. But he made the transition to Verizon for a decent deal on a Voyager two years ago (because he likes qwerty keyboards and that was the only one he liked at the time). Ranesh couldn’t wait for a decent Nokia device to hit the market he liked, so he took the plunge. When he tested out the N97, he was terribly disappointed with the overall OS and decided to hold out for the Christmas season of this year to see what was around the corner and settled on the Motorola Droid running the Android 2.0 OS.

Nokia is readying the release of their flagship handset, the N900. Unfortunately, Nokia posted it’s first loss in 10 years.(We know Nokia Siemens Networks was to blame.) The problem wasn’t lack of phones worldwide but the Chinese “bandit” or known as “shanzhai” manufacturers eating away at Nokia’s bottom line. Several of these manufactures including Shenzhen Evien Co., Ltd., SZ Telstar Co Ltd., T-Link Industrial Development Company Limited, ZTE Corp., Lenovo and Huawei Tech have already infiltrated the Chinese market with a variety of cell phones. This doesn’t include big boys like HTC and Dell, among others that are making a splash into the worldwide market.

Nokia is the largest mobile phone manufacturer but is feeling the confined spaces of the Mobile market more than ever. RIM’s Blackberry (the business mainstay), Apple’s iPhone (of course) and Palm’s Pre (and soon to be Pixi line), have all cut into Nokia’s overall market share. Not to mention Google’s Android is having huge success with HTC building some great quality phones and across other manufacturers too. While still fighting off fierce competition in the high end cell phone range, Nokia has to contend with middle and low end all at the same time. A feat never before performed for his Helsinki, Finland company.

Step in Maemo: Nokia decided to strike back with the flagship N900 which runs its latest OS based off of Linux called Maemo. This new handset is set to change the direction for Nokia in the mid to higher end device range. Nokia began shipments on November 10^th and are expected to hit retailers shortly, for an estimated price of EUR 500 ($746.00 USD).

Will Nokia be able to break through the obstacles of intruders into its once dominant domain? The N900 comes packed with plenty of features WAY ahead of phones in its class: ARM Cortex-A8 processor, up to 1GB of total application memory. widgets, contacts and shortcuts all on the desktop,. Pictures and videos taken with the 5Mpx Carl Zeiss camera automatically are tagged where they were taken, SMS and IM, standard built-in 32 GB storage is big enough to store up to 7,000 songs or 40 hours of DVD-quality video, and it can be expanded up to 48GB with an external microSD card.

Image Courtesy of tnkgrl

The phone is amazing and packs an MMA like punch compared to other phones in the market place at this time, but Nokia will have to bring the beautiful Maemo OS down to the mid and perhaps even lower range handsets to regain what market share has already been lost. If anyone can do this, Nokia can and with the N900, where they proved that they are listening to the consumer.

• Hello Moto becomes Hello Samsung as Motorola looses global market share
• Motorola launches Made in India phone
• Ebooks coming to your nokia smartphone
• Motorola Droid Enjoys Great Sales!
• Nokia N900 Fondle Video

The Advertising Service will enable developers to integrate advertising into their BlackBerry applications, helping them generate revenue and simplifying the business of mobile advertising. The other services offered in this advertising category are ads compliant with the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) guidelines, real-time, detailed, consolidated reporting of advertising across ad networks, including ad impressions, clicks, conversions and earnings, as well as integration into the Omniture Online Marketing Suite for more advanced analytics.

The Payment Service will help developers to monetize applications by selling digital content such as premium, monthly or annual subscriptions, and additional levels or upgrades for games and other entertainment applications from within their applications.

The Push Service allows developers and content providers to deliver time-sensitive alerts and up to 8 KB of data to applications.

Also RIM will introduce three new location-based services for developers to build highly responsive, location-aware applications for BlackBerry smartphones. The three new location-based services include

• Cell site geolocation - provides developers with an alternative to GPS, providing an estimate of a smartphone’s location based on cell tower triangulation,
• Reverse geocoding – converts geolocation coordinates to a specific address for use in BlackBerry applications and
• Travel time - which will incorporate estimated travel time within their applications for almost any destination in the US and Canada.

Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion(RIM) said,  “The BlackBerry ecosystem is thriving and with the new services platform announced today we will help developers further monetize their applications and build breakthrough, highly responsive, location-aware applications for BlackBerry smartphones,” .“RIM is continuing to provide the tools, technologies and business services that developers need to create and market even more powerful and successful applications on the BlackBerry Application Platform.”

• RIM and Adobe tieup to bring Adobe tools to Blackberry
• Aircel and RIM partner to offer BlackBerry Services
• Unlimited Email and Instant Messaging plan for Rs.499 on Airtel BlackBerry
• BlackBerry to get Google Local Google Talk
• BlackBerrys on IDEA – What an Idea!

The upcoming versions of Adobe Creative Suite will help the designers to create optimized graphic assets, such as image and video content, from tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After Effects, for the BlackBerry platform.

The other products of Adobe such as Dreamweaver, Fireworks and Device Central software will also be enabled to support the creation and testing of BlackBerryWidgets and web content optimized for the BlackBerry® Browser. Additionally, users will be able to directly import photos and video captured on their BlackBerry smartphones and edit them using Adobe’s consumer offerings including Photoshop Elements and Photoshop.com.

The aim of this collaboration is to accelerate the mobile application and content development workflow between BlackBerry application and web content developers and creative professionals that use Adobe tools. It will also minimize the re-creation of graphic assets and iterations that designers and developers have to go through to generate rich application user interfaces, animations, images and video content when supporting multiple platforms.

Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO, Research In Motion said, “There is tremendous opportunity for RIM and Adobe to align our platforms to help developers create BlackBerry applications that are highly engaging and deeply integrated in order to deliver the best user experience in the market”. He continued, “We are working closely with Adobe to enable our developer communities to build rich content services and BlackBerry Widgets that leverage the latest runtime environments, APIs and network services through Adobe’s industry leading design and development tools.”

Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO of Adobe said, “RIM is at the forefront of driving smartphone innovation, and it’s only natural that further integrating our respective platforms will set new standards for engaging content and applications”. He also said, “The expanded partnership between both companies will open up great new opportunities by making it even easier for content designers and mobile application developers to create rich and compelling content for the BlackBerry platform.”

The recent announcement is that the two companies are working together as part of the Open Screen Project to bring the Adobe Flash Player browser runtime to BlackBerry smartphones. The two companies will also be collaborating to adapt other key components of the Flash Platform including Adobe AIR.

• Adobe Flash coming to all phones except iPhone
• RIM unveiled a new service platform for Blackberry developers
• Blackberry Maker RIM , Fastest Growing Company Worldwide
• RIM Launches BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac Users
• BlackBerrys on IDEA – What an Idea!

App world is RIM’s answer to the App Store game.  Its the official App Store for BB smartphones  to download free apps to their handset and there are some india centric apps too ( we’ll try getting more details of that soon)

India-specific applications at launch include Hungama MyPlay, CNBC TV18 Moneycontrol, Mundu Radio and Arrowmatics.

Users can get Blackberry AppWorld on their BB but hitting mobile.blackberry.com or www.blackberry.com/appworld from the phone browser.

Users will be automatically presented with apps compatible with their BB. Good news is that the app store will work over Wi-Fi and Cellular networks.

“The BlackBerry platform provides a truly unparalleled mobile experience for millions of people and we are thrilled to enhance that experience with BlackBerry App World,” said Frenny Bawa, Vice President, India, Research In Motion. “Consumers in India can now easily discover and download a wide variety of applications, including a range of ‘made for India’ apps, directly from their BlackBerry smartphone.”

Requirements to run App World

• BlackBerry smartphone  that includes a trackball, touch-sensitive trackpad or touch-screen
• BlackBerry OS version 4.2 or higher.
• Users require an active BlackBerry data service plan with Internet access to access BlackBerry App World. Data charges may apply for customers that have a limited data plan.

• Mobile Big Wigs to roll out their own desi application stores
• Airtel and RIM bring the BlackBerry Curve 8520 Smartphone a.k.a Gemini to India at an incredible price Rs.15990
• Nokia App Store to be launched at MWC2009
• Microsoft Launches OneApp Platform for entry level phones
• Apple’s App Store Soon to hit 1 Billion Downloads!

Vodafone and Research in Motion(RIM) have officially announced the BlackBerry Storm2, a touchscreen smartphone device. The BlackBerry Storm2 is a thinner and sleeker device with new technology and new features to let customers stay easily connected. Customers in the UK will be able to get the new smartphone first through Vodafone. It is also expected to be offered in Ireland, followed by Germany, Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy and South Africa in November or December.

Storm2 Basic Features:

• 3.25-inch 360 x 480 resolution
• 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera
• Video recording
• 1400mAh battery that provides approximately 6 hours of talk time on 3G networks and 280 hours of standby time
• 3.5mm stereo headset jack
• 2GB of internal memory
• 256 MB of Flash memory
• dedicated volume controls
• Bluetooth (2.1) and Wi-FI 802.11 b/g
• High speed 3G
• Games,IM
• microSD card slot

Notable Features:

• Inertial Scrolling w/Snap Back
• Faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets
• BlackBerry Handheld Software v5.0
• Enhanced SMS UI – notifications, emoticons, threaded chats
• Updated spin boxes
• Built-in GPS for maps and other location-based applications, as well as photo geotagging

Major Features:

• RIM’s Storm2 features improved SurePress technology, which gives a tactile response when pressing on the phone’s capacitive touchscreen(INFO) display. The technology responds equally to pressure placed on the screen. Typing-speed response has also been enhanced. It allows the user to type a letter with one thumb even while their other thumb may still be touching or resting on another letter, enabling faster typing and multi-key actions such as Shift or Alt -key combinations.

• Users can enjoy their music with standard headphones that utilize a 3.5mm stereo headset jack or Bluetooth for use with stereo headphones after synchronizing the music to the device from iTunes using BlackBerry Media Sync,.

• More responsive experience and includes usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons and more use of animation.

• Manage Microsoft Exchange email folders (Add, Rename, Move, Delete) on the handset. Allows users to access remote files shares (Windows Shares), Save, View, Edit, and Email documents from remote file shares, Forward appointments and view calendar attachments on the handset.

• Features a proximity sensor that powers down the display when the phone is next to your ear on a call. As soon as you pull the phone away from your ear the screen powers on and you can enable calling feature.

Pricing is said to depend on each country’s operating company. Vodafone UK will be offering the BlackBerry Storm2 free from £35 per month on a 24-month contract that includes 600 minutes talk-time, unlimited BlackBerry Internet Service, unlimited text messaging, as well as unlimited access to VMI (Vodafone Mobile Internet) and broadband.

• Blackberry Storm Touchscreen unveiled
• Blackberry Storm Preview
• Will the Blackberry Storm 2 Launch by this month end?
• BlackBerry Storm 9500 Touch Screen with Springs
• Blackberry Storm 2 (9550) Video Leaked!

The news is now out that Blackberry Bold 2 ie Blackberry 9700 Onyx will be released to T-Mobile customers on November 11th.According to earlier sources, both AT&T and T-Mobile are scheduled to make an official announcement on October 21st.

The main changes to the Bold2 over the first Bold are as follows

1. Trackball replaced by optical trackpad like in the 8520
2. 3.2 Megapixel Camera
3. Improved Battery Cover and Memory card slot.
4. 480×360 pixels screen.

Price is not yet known. Hopefully it will get announced on October 21st. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Source

• Blackberry Curve 8520 Announced!

Blackberry Tour Feautures

• Dimensions : 112mm x 62mm x 14.2mm
• Weight: 130g
• 2.44 inch display with 480×360 pixels resolution
• Large QWERTY keyboard
• 3.2MP Camera with Flash and Video Recording
• 3.5mm audio jack.
• microSD Slot
• 1400mAh battery with 5 hrs of talktime and 14 days of stand by time.
• Enhanced background noise cancellation.
• Built-in GPS
• and the usual Blackberry Suport like BES , BIS and Messenger !

Prebooking Offer

Reliance users who Pre-book the Tour from Oct 7th to Oct 31st will get a 2 months of Blackberry Internet Service free of cost on Reliance’s CDMA Network. A GSM Version is also in the pipeline.

Blackberry Tour Price

The handset will be available at a price of Rs 27990 and on can consumers can get hold of one from October 12, 2009

• Airtel and RIM bring the BlackBerry Curve 8520 Smartphone a.k.a Gemini to India at an incredible price Rs.15990
• Reliance Communications Planning Massive Expansion in Orissa
• Reliance Communications ties up for Nokia 1255 priced at Rs.2000
• Reliance Mobile launches GSM services in Punjab
• Why I love my BlackBerry

RIM told us during  the 8520 launch that the BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac OS will be out shortly. Now the official announcement is out . All Mac users can manage your Blackberry without having to run towards a Windows PC from tomorrow. You can sync data between your Blackberry phone and Mac OS and Apps using the new desktop software

BlackBerry Desktop Manager features

• Sync Data with iCal, Address Book, Microsoft Entourage
• Add and remove application
• Schedule automatic backups and encrypt backup files
• Install software updates for their BlackBerry smartphone.
• Media Sync to sync you iTunes music collections with BlackBerry smartphone
• Compatible with  Mac computers with Mac OS 10.5.5 and higher and supports BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS 4.2 and higher.

Press Release

New software makes it easy to sync data between Mac applications and BlackBerry smartphones; free download scheduled to be available on October 2

Mumbai — Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM, TSX: RIM) has exciting news for Mac® users that want an easy and reliable solution that syncs their contacts, calendar appointments, tasks and notes with their BlackBerry® smartphones. A new version of the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software has been developed specifically for Mac users. The new desktop software is scheduled to be available for free download from www.blackberry.com/mac on Friday, October 2 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

The new BlackBerry Desktop Manager software allows Mac users to smoothly and seamlessly sync data from Mac applications like iCal®, Address Book, Microsoft® Entourage® and others, as well as add and remove applications, schedule automatic backups, encrypt backup files and install software updates for their BlackBerry smartphone.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software also integrates BlackBerry Media Sync, enabling Mac users to sync their iTunes® music collections with their BlackBerry smartphone*.  From within the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, users simply select the desired iTunes playlists and the music, including song information and album art, is quickly transferred onto their BlackBerry smartphone.

BlackBerry Desktop Manager software is designed to run on Mac computers with Mac OS 10.5.5 and higher and supports BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry OS 4.2 and higher.

* Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies

• Blackberry Maker RIM , Fastest Growing Company Worldwide
• RIM and Adobe tieup to bring Adobe tools to Blackberry
• Airtel and RIM bring the BlackBerry Curve 8520 Smartphone a.k.a Gemini to India at an incredible price Rs.15990
• Blackberry Tour comes to India on Reliance Mobile
• Blackberry Gone?

Tata Docomo currently offers two different plans for the BlackBerry data service — the “Do 299″ plan and the “Do 899″ plan.

The “Do 299″ plan offers unlimited data usage for e-mail and instant messaging, whereas the “Do 899″ plan offers unlimited data usage for Internet, e-mail and instant messaging.

However, the Voice plans have to be  subscribed separately by the user.

• Tata Docomo SIM Card is here
• Mobile Users to soon get per second pulse option now
• Blackberry Bold

Aircel which is one of India’s fastest growing operators has partnered with RIM ( Research in Motion) to offer Blackberry services in India. Aircel will now offer Blackberry services to its enterprise and individual customers. It will also offer a range of 4 BlackBerry smartphones to start with.

Mr.Gurdeep Singh, COO, Aircel said, “We have gained significant momentum in expanding our operations in India and the launch of the BlackBerry solution is of strategic importance for Aircel’s growth. With the availability of a wide range of BlackBerry smartphones on our network, our customers can find the right model for their work and personal needs.”

Ms. Frenny Bawa, Vice President, India at RIM said, “We are pleased to partner with Aircel and extend the many personal and business benefits of the BlackBerry solution to their consumer and enterprise customers in India.”

Services

• BlackBerry Enterprise Server to Corporates which supports IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise
• BlackBerry Internet Service for smaller businesses and individuals,allows customers to access up to 10 supported corporate and personal email accounts.

Handsets offered

• Bold 9000
• Curve 8900
• Curve 8310
• Pearl 8110

Blackberry Data Plans

• Business Plan 2500
• Business Plan 1350
• Unlimited Blackberry Data Plan 999
• Data Plan 499

Aircel Blackberry services are available in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Rest of Tamil Nadu (Coimbatore), Hyderabad, Bangaluru & Kolkata.

• BlackBerrys on IDEA – What an Idea!
• Unlimited Email and Instant Messaging plan for Rs.499 on Airtel BlackBerry
• RIM unveiled a new service platform for Blackberry developers
• Vodafone Comes With Competitive Price for Blackberry’s Unlimited Email Service; Just Rs. 299!
• Blackberry Usage Tariff Announced by BSNL