Negri Electronics Blog

Apple Ipad’s presence is thriving in the enterprise tablet market. Because of this, Apple has enormous share of enterprise tablet market as compare to its competitors.

According to enterprise mobile services vendor Good Technology, Apple’s iPad accounted for 96% of tablets activated at the 2,000 plus companies that use the company’s services. Not only iPad but also Apple’s enterprise popularity extends to the iPhone as well with 53% of new activations at companies that utilize Good Technology’s services. In the whole, these figures shows that iOS devices owning 71% of the total market-share of mobile enterprise devices.

Apple’s enterprise history hasn’t always been so peachy. Earlier iterations of the iPhone lacked true push email with an inability to activate it. Future iOS iterations continued to add more enterprise support. This coupled with the massive explosion in popularity of iOS devices in the consumer world created a healthy atmosphere for Apple’s products to infiltrate boardrooms, offices, work-sites, and other atmospheres.

Good Techonology provides push messaging, device management and security products for corporate mobile users, serving as an alternative to RIM’s BlackBerry Enterprise Server. As such, Good Technology supports mobile platforms outside of RIM’s own, including Microsoft’s Windows Mobile, Symbian, iOS and Android.

According to Good Technology, Apple’s five iOS models accounted for the top five slots in the top ten devices activated in the last quarter of 2011. iPhone 4S took the lead, quickly jumping to 31 percent of all activations in that quarter.

Here is the list of devices and their ranks which were activated during last quarter of 2011.

1. iPhone 4S
2. iPhone 4
3. iPad 2
4. iPad
5. iPhone 3GS
6. Samsung Galaxy S II
7. Motorola Droid Bionic
8. Motorola Droid 3
9. Sprint EVO 4G
10. Motorola Droid X2

There is a good news for Galaxy Nexus users in Canada and US. Previously Galaxy Nexus was available on Canadian networks Bell and Virgin Mobile but now it is coming on Telus and Rogers’s networks as well on January 13. The date is confirmed but the price and tariff is not confirmed yet.

Don’t feel jealous if you are in US because soon Sprint will be offering the Galaxy Nexus as well. This information actually comes from an Internet ad found on the web page of CNET and noticed by the eagle’s eyes of The Verge.

The government of Argentina has banned the import and sales of Apple’s iPhone and all Blackberry Smartphones. The ban is originally for all foreign-made phones but Apple and RIM is the most effected makers. Apple and Blackberry don’t have factories in Argentina that is why they are in focus.

This ban didn’t affect the Nokia, Samsung, LG and Motorola because they have already built plants in Argentina, so they all escape the recent Government ban.

This is really a bad news and a big loss for Apple and RIM. Apple and RIM reportedly hold about 60% of the Argentinean smartphone market so this is no minor blow. The only option for Apple and RIM is to build a factory in Argentina. RIM is already looking for the partner to solve this problem but there is no news about Apple what they are going to do.

This is basically a temporary ban and a part of the government’s anti-crisis policy until the Argentinean economy heals.

Stay tuned to Negri Electronics for having more updates on latest gadgets & Smartphones.

The announcement for the launch of Google music buried is one of important news among all other important updates from Google like the launch of Ice cream Sandwich which is expected to sew up the gap between Android 2 and Android 3 used for tablets and phones separately. Ice cream sandwich is expected to stop the growing difference between mobiles and tablets which does not support the other android applications. So, our very own Ice Cream Sandwich will create such an OS system which will be used across all the devices.

By the end of this year, the developers will start building one such OS application and which will enhance not only the tablets and the phones but also the other android devices. Ice cream sandwich is also looking forward to making such applications that will be applicable for both tablets and mobiles since many companies have taken out applications that work with either mobiles or tablets, so Google really needs to integrate the differing ideas and applications in this field.

One might think that is this end of the Honeycomb line, but it is not! Ice cream is believed to be a successor of Honeycomb and will not only be able to bridge gaps but will also allow new developers to pull out the best inside them with promises of new and varied applications to suit the needs of all kinds of people. This new smartphone is said to be launched by the quarter end of this year. An example of this new application which is much talked about is its new Music software that breaks the barriers between phones and tablets and has the ability to make adjustments according to the screen size.

Lastly, Google has also joined hands with the other leading mobile companies and have signed a contract where Google will keep them updated about its new android developments for 18 months so that the others can get guidelines to update their own devices with the launch of the newest version of Android. It is amazing to realize how fast mankind is improving its technology and making applications to make things not only easier for its consumers but also for themselves. In the rat race of standing first, the developers, technicians and designers come up with one new thing or the other, the benefit might be awarded to the customers but has anyone ever thought that where half the world is struggling for food, the other half is struggling with technological advances. It is now for us to decide the importance of life!

Stay tied to Negri Electronics for more updates and news about latest applications of Smartphones and Gadgets.

Android Honeycomb

Bad news for Galaxy tab users! There has been some  bad news regarding the hot cake of CES 2011, “Android Honeycomb”! News tells us that less efficient tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab will not be able to upgrade to the “Android Honeycomb” as it will require much more efficient processor, dual-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor- to be more precise. The news came at such a time when all users of Android based tablets were eagerly waiting for the Android Honeycomb to unveil at CES 2011.

A statement was given by Bobby Cha, managing director of Korean consumer electronics firm Enspert  that along with a efficient processor like the ARM Cortex –A9 the tablet will also require a minimum of 1280×720 screen resolution to run properly with all the features of the ‘Honeycomb’. I believe this will create a huge frustration among the users of Android Tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab as The Android team made them to wait for an OS that will change the way they have thought about Android and now they are infront of the truth that their tablets may not be able to upgrade to the Honeycomb! But surely it will make the developers delighted as they seem to have much more opportunities now. They can work separately on both earlier versions and the upcoming Honeycomb and deliver amazing software’s for all the OS version of Android. So although there will be official launch or disclosure of many tablets but only a few (May be only the Motorola Tablet) will have the “Android Honeycomb”.

Android Honeycomb 2.4 ??? or 3.0 ???

It’s getting real frustrating now! There were much speculation on the version of the long awaited Android Honeycomb! Will it be 2.4, the successor of Android Gingerbread 2.3 or will it be 3.0? Both sides had ‘Trusted’ sources pointing towards their own view and making speculations. But  those who supported “Android Honeycomb 2.4” seems for the time being has taken the upper hand as the evidence in favor  of Android Hneycomb 2.4 is now stronger than ever and this time there has been an insider that leaked that Google is preserving the number ‘3.0’ for something special allowing 2.4 for the upcoming  Moto Tablet . It is said to be coming in public in CES 2011 and there we can only be sure whether it is 2.4 or 3.0.

But should that be a real concern? I don’t think so! I think the key concern should on the changes that were made in this version and I strongly believe that this version of Android OS Will change the way we think of Android.  As the CES is knocking at the door so I believe we don’t have to wait longer for the version of the Android Honeycomb! What will it be 2.4 or 3.0 ? Stay tuned with Negri Electronics for more news on smartphone  technologies.

Great news for the cheerers of Dell as it gets its Wi-Fi certification form the Wi-Fi Alliance. They are the body who ensures proper Wi-Fi support in devices. They have granted Dell certification for a ‘mobile internet device’ under the category of Smartphone, dual-mode having both Wi-Fi and cellular. Controversial tough as it is too large for a phone and too small for a tablet! Still, because of its new features it can be a new market superstar!  It’s thought to be a sequel for the earlier Dell Streak as the earlier had model number of M01M and it has M02M and so named the Dell Streak 2.

Not much is known about it though but it includes support for Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n which is a huge upgrade as the current Streak only supports Wi-Fi b and g. The rest is a mystery for the time being, though new info will be soon in the air as the Dell Streak 2 release date is rumored to be January 6th at CES 2011. It is also heard that this device could be  larger and most probably be a 7 inch Looking Glass and it is expected to have much better performance than its predecessor.

It’s a little weird though to place the Dell Streak 2 in the category of as ‘mobile internet device sports’. It’s more of a tablet, but since it packs 3G support so maybe it really is a smartphone. Whether it is tablet or smartphone battery power has always been a big issue. Though little known but it is heard that  Once charged, the battery of Dell Streak 2 will be far better than the original Streak and will take us right through the whole day, even with Wi-Fi and 3G running all the time.

The current streak is 5 inches, with a 1GB processor and has been pretty popular but we all expect the upcoming model to up the CPU a bit and go with a 7-inch screen. The Dell Streak is a pretty good smartphone/tablet although the sales weren’t as high as expected. The problem was that Dell didn’t advertise the Streak as good as it should have been. Hopefully, things will be different with the Dell Streak 2 as Dell is taking the marketing pretty seriously.

NavFree software is releasing a new free app for the iPhone that will allow its users to navigate its maps without an Internet connection. The new app will provide third-party gPS services, featuring turn-by-turn navigation. The app will store its own map information on Flash memory, and is the first ever offline-mapping service for iOS users.

This new app from NavFree is yet another addition to iPhone navigation software, but is the first offline source. Many iPhone users live in places where connections are not readily available, and have the added stress of hopping from network to network while you drive.  In addition to basic mapping information, users will be able to add-on products like traffic and speed camera information, but this will be at additional cost. This app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store.

This new iOS app is similar to one released for Nokia’s Symbian operating system, Ovi Maps. Ovi Maps provide downloadable maps for multiple countries around the world and are stored locally on Nokia devices.

Android phone users have the ability to use Google Maps, for free, but this service is not available offline, like in NavFree for iPhone and Ovi Maps for Symbian.

Apple is rumored to be acquiring technology that will allow them to include offline mapping  in their installed software offering for their iPhone. Hopefully we will see a pre-installed navigation app or widget with their next version release of the iPhone.

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SoundCloud, the popular music app has released an Android version of its popular software. Android smartphone users will now be able to “put [their] sound at the heart of communities, websites and even apps,” (as touted by the app maker’s website) just like iPhone users.

SoundCloud has become so popular with iPhone users that Apple dubbed this app, the top cloud app of 2010.

With SoundCloud users are able to record sounds on the fly and then share them socially. SoundCloud creators say that users can “see how the shape of your sound starts a conversation,” through the social nature of the program. The app connects with over 100 apps to offer integrated sound improvements.

Critics are commenting that the Android version was ruhed to production and lacks popular features of the iOS version for iPhone. Nonetheless, the new SoundCloud app is being heavily downloaded by Android users.

Both users feature the popular new ‘record’ feature, which allows users to easily record sounds on the go, to be shared with friends. Through this new feature users are able to record and store sound live from their smartphone, from the web and from other apps.

Android apps are on the rise as Google’s operating system gains in recognition, and many apps created originally for the iPhone are being released for Android users.

For avid SoundCloud users, additional storage space is available through the purchase of a premium account.

Taiwanese smartphone makers HTC are both a crouching tiger and a hidden dragon. The company currently is poised to ferociously attack the American market in not only cell phones, but possibly handhelds and tablets as well.

According to an interview from MobileBusinessBriefing with HTC CEO Peter Chou, the company will launch its first US-based LTE handset in 2011. Chou says “We think that the US mobile operators will be taking the lead and pushing 4G LTE in the US market… We are working on LTE devices for next year.”

This is great news for technology nuts, as HTC has been making leaps and bounds in the smartphone space, producing some of the best phones on the market. Their LTE offering will tap into the currently expanding market of US providers who offer LTE services. MetroPCS switched on LTE in September and will be expanding their 6 metropolitan areas into greater market space. Verizon just launched just this month, with 38 markets, and AT%T is expected to begin with an LTE roll-out in 2011.

The new HTC LTE smartphones will be based on both Google’s Android system and Windows Phone 7 OS.  This choice of OS systems is part of a strategy to allow users to customize their HTC phone to their needs. Chou says “[Customers] may want Windows or Android; or they may want big screen or small screen, they may want keyboard or tablet; HTC will let the consumer decide.”

From the interview, MobileBusinessBriefing deduced that the largest smartphone vendor in Taiwan that has already spread across Asia, especially into Korea, will be setting their sights on America. In 2011 they will be seriously attacking the US market, bringing their variety of low cost but high end HTC smartphones, LTE phones, and possible other electronics to the American space.

Also announced in the interview is Chou and HTC’s new commitment to cloud computing. With announcements from Google to move to a cloud computing-based OS, many other manufacturers are jumping on board, HTC included.  HTC recently launched HTCSense, “which allows users of HTC’s Android-based devices to manage smartphone data such as messaging on a regular website,” says MobileBusinessBriefing.

“HTCSense is a very important step for the HTC brand,” says Chou. “We see HTCSense as an extension from the device to the cloud, [allowing users] to manage their portfolio, their data and their user experience from the cloud.”

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