1. Flight status searches = You can now enter the airline and flight number and get the latest departure and landing times of the respective flight.
2. Live NFL stats = Now you can type a team or player and see all the upcoming games, stats, and scores etc. And while the game is on, you can get real-time updates on the score as well. (U.S. only)
   
3. An Optimized Version for Touch devices = Bing has been now optimized for touch navigation to make the most of your phone, and there is a new feature called “Movies” feature for all the US Bing-ers.  You can search for Movies in your city, and you will see the movies playing nearby, showtimes, overviews, and even trailers and video clips. Note this optimized version works only on the iPhone, Zune HD, T-Mobile G1, Verizon Imagio, and Samsung Omnia. They will be adding support for all the remaining devices over the next couple of months.
   

Looking at these new features, I feel Bing keeps up adding such good features, then it will definitely be in the reckoning for the top mobile search website very soon. What do you feel? Do share your views.

• Bing Visual Search: An Awesome Search Engine for iPhone Apps
• Google Adds Turn by Turn Navigation. Releases Maps Navigation for Android 2.0
• Android 1.6 SDK is now available for download
• Access Googles Blooger from Sony Ericsson Mobiles
• Nokia to bundle Google talk on internet tablet

Ajay Sharma, Country Head, HTC India said, “The HTC Touch2 is a compact Windows Mobile device which delivers a familiar touch experience that our consumers relate to, have experienced in the past, and expect in the future from the house of HTC,” said . He further added, “The Touch2 expands HTC’s portfolio of touch-based phones and will deliver an advanced touch experience to a broader group of people whether it’s making a call, chatting with friends on Facebook or simply responding to an important email, the HTC Touch2 gives you an immense sense of control”.

Vrajesh Shelat, Head – Wireless Data Business said, “Through this cutting-edge device, our customers will be able to enjoy a host of Windows Mobile Applications on our 3G ready network. Our association with HTC and Windows Mobile is a crucial step towards achieving our goal of having a leading market share in the fast-growing smartphone segment.”

HTC Touch2 basic features include:

• 7.11cm touchscreen
• 3.2 megapixel camera
• dynamic messaging
• browsing and productivity capabilities
• download games
• Outlook
• Calendar
• Contacts
• Bluetooth
• Wi-Fi
• download applications available at the Windows Marketplace
• supports 3.5G and equips an internal GPS antenna that supports navigation solutions like Google Maps

Major Features:

• The HTC Touch2 ensures that everything is at your fingertips in an attractive design that fits comfortably in your hand. It integrates the upgraded TouchFlo user interface with several features. The interface includes 11 color icons and aweather clock to view local time and weather.

• In order to give the users a superior mobile internet experience, HTC touch2 Opera Mobile and IE Mobile allows users to experience desktop-style viewing of Web pages. Internet Explorer Mobile also supports Adobe Flash, enabling Flash video content, like YouTube, to be viewed easily. Offering a best in class e-mail experience complete with the ability to synchronize with Microsoft Exchange, you have the ability to check and manage multiple e-mail accounts.

• With the Zoom Bar, users can simply swipe their fingers over the Web page or a photo to get a clear enlarged view.

• The Microsoft’s new My Phone service ensures easy and automatic backup and synchronization of photos, music, contacts and text messages from the Touch2 to the Web for free.

HTC Touch2 Price  and Availability
HTC Touch2 comes with a special Free Data Usage of 200 MB per month for Reliance GSM Mobile customers as an introductory offer. The compact HTC Touch2 on RCOM’s GSM is available for Rs.24,490 for users in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh while the rest of the country can buy it for Rs.22,490 from all top authorized HTC resellers.

• Reliance Mobile launches GSM services in Punjab
• Xperia X1 not getting Windows Mobile 6.5 Update

Microsoft has been working on a new project called Project Pink.Its been a long time since we started hearing rumours about a Microsoft phone in the works to compete against Apple’s iPhone and other smart-phones. Now Project Pink involves two smart-phones, codenamed Pure and Turtle.

The phones are being manufactured by Sharp and they will share the branding along with Microsoft.The phones will also have a Marketplace for application similar to what Apple has done for the Apple iPhone.

The specifications are not known and so are the prices and release dates. But one thing is for sure, these phones don’t look like they will be able to beat the iPhone. Let’s just wait and see.

Source

• Is the Microsoft Zune Phone Coming this June?
• Microsoft Launches OneApp Platform for entry level phones
• Zune phone is coming
• Gartner says to Nokia : start making Windows Mobile phones or forget North American market altogether
• Seamlessly Sync Data in Your Windows Mobile with Microsoft MyPhone

Bing recently launched a new feature called Visual Search through which you could search for any gadget/movie/books etc visually, whose names you finding it difficult to remember.

So you might ask, how is this relevant in a Mobile blog? Well, Bing’s Visual Search has a specific section for iPhone apps as well wherein you can find applications for your iPhone or iPod Touch without opening up the iTunes App Store.

Just head over to Top iPhone Apps section in Bing’s Visual Search Website and then hover over any app for its Name, Description, Price, Popularity and Release Date. You can also check out the various sections on the sidebar of the website such as Top 10 Free Apps, Top 10 Paid Apps, Newest Apps, Most Expensive Apps etc.

You can also narrow down to your search by preferred category viz Books, Business, News, Productivity, Entertainment, Games, Social Networking etc.

or by Price or by your favourite iPhone publisher.

In the case of paid apps, you can also narrow down the apps based on a price range in which you are looking out for. And Voila! You then will have all the apps in that specific category from which you can choose from, to download onto your iPhone/iPod Touch.

(via)

Note: You would have to install Silverlight 3 to enjoy Bing’s Visual Search and its marvellous iPhone apps catalog.

• Apple App Store Hits 2 Billion Downloads!
• Apple Crosses One Billion App Downloads Thanks a Million Times
• Apple cuts iPhone price by 200 USD
• Premium section on App Store to sort applications
• The AppStore is finally out on the iPhone 2.0

Keeping in mind that the Nokia Booklet 3G is a netbook, the price point seems to be a bit towards the higher side but a look at the specifications of the netbook makes the price of around Rs 30,000 seem justifiable if 12 hour battery life and HDMI support(Full HD playback) are indeed true.

The second rumored price point seems to be way above the normal netbook prices. At Rs 38,800 Nokia Booklet 3G  will be hard pressed for buyers.

While the price of 399 Euros(Rs 27,700) is from the most credible source that you can find- Eldar of Mobile Review, but he to maintains that this price is not the retail price but a whole sale one. So to arive at the retail price all sorts of taxes and duties are to be added which shall take the price of the Booklet 3G to above Rs 30,000.

However we again assert that these are just speculations, thought the price put forward by Eldar i.e. Rs27.700+taxes might actually come out true. Only two days remain till the announcement of the details about Booklet 3G at Nokia World, which shall be covered in detail by us.

Do keep visiting us to know more about Nokia Booklet 3G and Nokia World

• Nokia Booklet 3G Live Pics
• Nokia enters Netbook market with Booklet 3G, a mini laptop promises 12hr battery life in just 1.25 kg
• Nokia Booklet 3G Retail Packaging
• Nokia Booklet 3G Official Pics ! Its Not a Phone but a Mini-Laptop
• Nokia bringing ARM-based smartbook in 2010 ?

Hmmm, Somehow the blue color doesn’t seem to fit this machine. Don’t you think? Wonder if they have some more colors coming up on this netbook.

Image Source: Reuters

• Nokia Booklet 3G Live Pics
• The Nokia Booklet 3g and its price speculations…
• Nokia enters Netbook market with Booklet 3G, a mini laptop promises 12hr battery life in just 1.25 kg
• Nokia Booklet 3G Retail Packaging
• Nokia Booklet 3G Available to Customers!

While only the premier mobile phones like the iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Nokia S60 phones enjoy a lot of attention in the mobile application domain, most of the mobile subscribers around the world use only an entry level phone or any basic feature phone.

Keeping that in mind and to cater to the entry level mobile phone users, Microsoft has just introduced the “OneApp platform” with its primary goal, being able to allow developers to develop mobile apps for handsets which have a very limited processing power and low internal memory.

Some of the demo apps which are already available to download are Lite versions of Facebook, Twitter, Windows Live Messenger and many other programs which consume very minimal data usage.

The OneApp application will be compatible with most feature phones that has support for Java and is also very lightweight with an on-phone footprint of just around 150 KB which makes the installation very easy and very fast. Also it will launch only the part of the application which the user wants to use, hence saving on the precious system resources of the phone. Microsoft has also added that, if need be, they will store some of the programs’ data on its own servers to ease constraints on mobile phones.

This OneApp platform comes as a great news to all the mobile application developers since mobile apps are now quickly becoming the driving force in a mobile phone rather than the hardware, all thanks to the immense popularity of iPhone’s App Store and Nokia’s Budding Ovi Store.

So what do you think about this new venture from Microsoft? Do you think this will finally fill the void present in the app world of Basic Mobile phones. Pass on your valuable Comments.

For more details on the OneApp Platform, you can check the OneApp FAQ or you could browse its application gallery.

• Seamlessly Sync Data in Your Windows Mobile with Microsoft MyPhone
• Mobile Big Wigs to roll out their own desi application stores
• Apple App Store Hits 2 Billion Downloads!
• Blackberry App World aka BB App Store finally goes live in India
• Premium section on App Store to sort applications

Specifications

• Weight 1.25 kg
• Battery life 12 hours
• 3G/ HSDPA / Wi-Fi , Bluetooth
• 10 inch HD Ready Display with HDMI out
• Webcam with Mic and 3.5 mm audio port
• SD Card Reader
• Windows 7

Nokia Booklet 3G official teaser video

More details of the Booklet 3G including detailed hardware specifications and price will be announced at Nokia World next week and FoneArena would be reporting live from the event.

Nokia World 2009 Coverage

• Nokia Booklet 3G Videos
• The Nokia Booklet 3g and its price speculations…
• Nokia Booklet 3G Available to Customers!
• Nokia Booklet 3G Live Pics
• Nokia World 2009 Video Tour

In a hour long interview Sumeet spoke about Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 , Marketplace and also answered our queries about Windows Mobile. Dive in to catch the text of the interview.

Can you please tell us what is Windows Marketplace for Mobile?
Windows Marketplace for Mobile represents a tremendous opportunity for the developer community to generate revenue by enabling them to reach millions of Windows mobile phone users directly .

The  applications will be made available to customers after a simple security and compatibility check from Microsoft. There are over 50 million Windows  Mobile-powered devices worldwide. The Marketplace will help the developer community reach this large user base. It will also work as a centralized repository of applications for users to browse, experience and purchase applications.

How do developers get started ?
Windows Marketplace for Mobile has opened for developers to submit their applications starting May 1, 2009 for a period of three months. All that the developers need to do is log on to http://developer.windowsmobile.com/ and register. There is an annual registration fee of $99 for developers to participate in Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Once they have submitted their application Microsoft will do the vetting and certification of the application. 

What is the revenue share developers would get ?
Developers will receive a 70 per cent revenue share of the application, once chosen by Microsoft. 

Student Community has always been special for Microsoft , anything for students in store ?
For students enrolled in the DreamSpark program, the registration fee will be waived.

Criteria for Approval of Apps
Some application types may be blocked from the marketplace, in order to ensure security, privacy policies, and a friendly use of the mobile operator network resources. Further, there are some things that the developer must keep in mind while developing the application, specifically that the application should not have any pornographic content, the application should not be over 10 MB etc.

• No offensive content 
• should be less than 10 Megabytes
• No VOIP and GPS Turn by Turn Navigation.

Free and Paid Apps in Marketplace . Pricing 
We want Indian Mobile Developer community to build applications for the global market. Cannot comment about pricing of individual apps.

 
What tools does one need to build apps for Windows Mobile ?
The best part about Windows Marketplace for Mobile is that the developers will be able to use familiar development tools and technologies to create global market opportunities for themselves. Most of the developers have been developing on this platform and can leverage their .NET and Visual Studio development experience and connect with millions of Windows Mobile users worldwide. For new developers as well this is a great opportunity as they can use their expertise in Microsoft technologies to develop some cool applications.

What do you think about Windows Mobiles’s Marketplace , OVI Store and Apple App store
Can’t comment about the competitors. But for Microsoft , Software is the stamina . Our developers are our strength.

Can you tell us about My Phone ? Does it work with both WM 6.1 and 6.5 phones ?
My Phone is a brand new and free service for Windows Mobile 6 and newer phones, My Phone allows the user to access, manage and back up personal and professional information onto the device to a password-protected Web-based service. With automatic syncing and backup capabilities for all contacts, appointments, text messages and other information, MyPhone keeps all things up-to-date and easily restores them should the user lose or upgrade their phone. They will also be able to automatically upload photos and video from their Windows phone directly to the My Phone service, making it simple to preserve content that, in the past, would have lived and died on the phone.

Can you tell us about the success of Windows Mobile in India in terms of market share  ,  growth  ?
In India, Windows Mobile is the fastest growing OS with 11 per cent share in the merged device market space and the popularity and growth for Windows Mobile phones remains strong.

What has been your marketing strategy for Windows Mobile considering the fact the its a highly competitive market ?

• We do joint campaigns with brands or for specific handsets . We did a campaign centered around the Digital Lifestyle called  WhatsMyPhoneStyle which was very successful

Why don’t we see multimedia rich phones running Windows?
We try to make all rounder phones for digital life style. We see what’s best for the consumer and suits their lifestyle.

What is the estimated release date for WM 6.5 devices to hit the market ?
You can expect phones running Windows Mobile 6.5 to be available by Sep-Oct 2009

When is Window Mobile 7 coming out ?
it’s in development . We have no word on the release date as its part of our roadmap.

What is your take on Samsung going with Symbian on Omnia HD , the first version of Samsung Omnia ran Windows Mobile
Our device partners have partners the same way we have partners . it’s their wish to go with any platform.
We have a very good relationship with our device partners

Microsoft is  a software company and not getting into the business of making phones . is that a good bet ?
Software and our Developer Community is our strength. Yes, We could continue to build great software and let our device partners consume the same.

What are the popular windows mobile phones till now ? Was Samsung Omnia the most popular ?
We have had great handsets from HTC, O2, iMate , Dopod . Right now we have 7-8 device partners including Samsung , HTC, Sony Ericsson, Acer and Asus

Please comment on your relationship with HTC
We have a strong relationship with HTC in india .They sell the most number of phones running windows mobile in India.

What’s your take on HTC making android phones
it’s the freedom of device manufacturers to choose any platform.

Do you see android as a threat to Windows Mobile
Can’t comment specifically about any particular case but for Microsoft , software is our stamina and developers are very comfortable with our tools and platform.

None Found

This deal means the two companies will bring  Microsoft Office Mobile and Microsoft business communications, collaboration and device management software to Nokia’s Symbian devices.Nokia will soon ship Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones, followed by other Office applications and related software and services in the future. Other possibilities include

• The ability to view, edit, create and share Office documents on more devices in more places with mobile-optimized versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft OneNote
• Enterprise instant messaging and presence, and optimized conferencing and collaboration experience with Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile
• Mobile access to intranet and extranet portals built on Microsoft SharePoint Server
• Enterprise device management with Microsoft System Center

via Press Release

• Quickoffice Named Forum Nokia 2005 Developer of The Year
• Ovi SDK Launched
• Nokia Maps v3.0 released.
• Ovi Mail hits the 1 million mark milestone
• Nokia Ovi Store goes live in some countries, coming soon to AT&T