Social networking in Latin America and Africa is set to increase ten-fold to 527 million users by 2015, according to research by Frost & Sullivan and Colibria. Within six years, the research company estimates the combined market will be worth almost $2.4 billion, with growth being driven by increased availability of the mobile internet.
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Social networking set for explosive growth in Latin America and Africa due to increased use of mobile phones
As we near the end of the month, it is time to read the latest “ State of the Mobile Web ” from Opera. Thanks to Opera Mini’s server-client architecture, the Opera folks in Norway have the ability to provide detailed analytics and insight as to what is popular in various parts of the world.
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Opera State of the Mobile Web October 2009: 39.6 million people accessed 17.2 billion pages
Hey, hey, HEY! Just a little more T-Mobile ( NYSE: DT ) 3G expansion love to tell you about at this ungodly early hour in the morning (at least it’s very early over here ) I just happened to notice that Montgomery Alabama, Topeka Kansas, and Clarksville Tennessee have been added to the 3G launch list over at the T-Mobile forums . Congratulations to all of the T-Mobile customers in the area. Enjoy the new 3G speeds, ya hear?
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T-Mobile Expands 3G Coverage in Alabama, Kansas and Tennessee
Launched today, 4iThumbs is a clear, tactile typing aid for the iPhone’s touch screen that apparently facilitates faster and more accurate typing, enables blind typing, reduces glare and supposedly is the strongest screen protector on the market. The clear screen has tactile ridges that guide thumbs for accurate input to ease the transition from other smartphones to the iPhone, making the device more accessible for those who need tactile feedback when typing. The attachment enhances the iPhone user experience without disrupting the sleek design and can remain on the screen at all times without impeding screen or app functions.
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4iThumbs Launches Tactile Keybord for iPhone
Google Apps (a hosted service which manages corporate contacts, calendar, and mail) plugged in to BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM ) Enterprise Server last spring , but it was targeted to mid-range companies. Well, App Connector has been updated to version 1.5, and with it has come better scaling both for larger and smaller enterprises. For the higher end, Google ( NSDQ: GOOG ) has bumped up the per-server support to 500 from 250 devices, and for the smaller companies, Google Apps has embraced BlackBerry Professional Software , for rollouts of 30 and under. Just keep in mind that there were rumors awhile back that RIM was going to be ditching BPS , although Unite! was the only thing that ended up getting cancelled
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Google Apps Connector for BlackBerry Supports Larger and Smaller Enterprises
The original XPERIA Pureness If you thought Sony Ericsson ( NYSE: SNE )’s high-fashion XPERIA Pureness was pretty enough to make up for its low-tech attitude and nothing-to-cough-at price, you’re in luck. Sony Ericsson is apparently planning to launch a follow-up to the XPERIA Pureness with a Pureness 2. According to Electricpig , the Pureness 2 isn’t anywhere close to an official announcement (let alone a launch), but early reports indicate that Sony Ericsson is looking to create a more simplified and stripped-down Pureness phone.
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Sony Ericsson working on stripped-down XPERIA Pureness 2
Aside from being preloaded on the BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM ) Storm2 and getting rolled out on the original Storm , Microsoft ( NSDQ: MSFT )’s search engine, Bing, is continuing its spread on mobile. An over the air download link for the BlackBerry Tour 9630 version has bubbled up, the 8530 Curve2 is apparently preloaded with it (though I don’t see it on my unit), and a knowledgebase article is talking about new features in the 8300-, 8500- and 8800-series.
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Bing Available on More BlackBerrys
RIM’s desktop app for syncing up your BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM )’s media card with iTunes and Windows Media Player has just been updated to version 3.0, now allowing two-way picture syncing. That means not only will your pictures be automatically offloaded to a particular folder, but if you’ve taken some nice pictures with a real camera and want to have them on your BlackBerry, they’ll be pulled in.
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BlackBerry Media Sync Updated to 3.0, Now with Two-Way Picture Sync
If there’s one thing I’ve always missed about MacBooks it’s the lack of gut-thumping bass. I mean the kind of bass that curdles your insides and causes them to blow out in a wet, pink slurry. I’m talking about bass that will make your parents come down into the basement and ask just what do you think you’re doing and then when they come down they’ll be all like “GLARGGLE!” and then they’ll melt like the Nazi’s in Raiders of the Lost Ark .
It stands to reason that a general purpose mobile computing platform, like the iPhone or iPod Touch, will engender a host of special purpose niche applications. Pet Acoustics is one such application: “Pet Acoustics music has been specifically designed for the hearing sensitivities of your pet, both in frequency, volume and rhythm to calm and soothe your pet anytime, anywhere.” This $1.99 app includes music for dogs, cats, and horses, and includes a timer feature for scheduled playback.
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Does there need to be an app for that? Pet Acoustics, the music app for pets
Just last week we reported that Nokia will be cutting 330 jobs in Finland and Denmark , jobs in the company’s R&D department. Today Nokia ( NYSE: NOK ) has announced that they’re letting go of 220 more R&D employees, this time in Japan: Nokia reduces R&D operations in Japan Tokyo, Japan – As part of its global efforts to align its research and development (R&D) operations to be in line with its focused portfolio of future products, Nokia will be reducing its R&D activities in Japan. As previously announced last week, Nokia plans to reduce some of its R&D activities in Finland and Denmark
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Brief: Nokia getting rid of 220 employees in Japan working on R&D, brings total to 550
So, you might have noticed how Verizon ( NYSE: VZ ) commercials might have sort of , kind of , maybe been taking some potshots at the iPhone. As we all know, Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ) can sling some mud with the best of them, and just launched these two ads that show just how darned handy it is to use voice and data simultaneously
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Apple Unloads Both Barrels into Verizon’s Inability to do Data/Voice Simultaneously
Finland has just finished their auction for the 2600 MHz frequency spectrum that will be used in deploying future high speed LTE networks. Earlier this year Finland held an auction for the 1800 MHz frequency band to be used for LTE, since a lower frequency would do a better job at penetrating walls and give longer range. This move was viewed as strange, and elicited the same kind of WTF reactions people made when T-Mobile ( NYSE: DT ) announced that their 3G would be built on the 1700 MHz band.
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Finland’s 2600 MHz auction is over, total cost: 3.8 million EUR
Yesterday I told you about some rumored T-Mobile holiday deals … and wouldn’t you know it, not long after that one of the fine folks at T-Mo shot me a message to let me know the skinny for Black Friday. So, without further adieu, here is what T-Mobile ( NYSE: DT ) will have up for offer this Friday: Motorola ( NYSE: MOT ) CLIQ with MOTOBLUR – $149.99 with a two-year service agreement (after $50 off) BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM ) Bold 9700 with Wi-Fi Calling – $149.99 with a two-year service agreement (after $50 off) Samsung Highlight – $49.99 with a two-year service agreement (after $50 off) So there you have it… straight from the horses mouth… or something
Here’s the latest HourTime podcast, my little side project with Ariel Adams . Note, there’s a special surprise near the middle of the show so take a listen.
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HourTime Podcast… plus a contest
Nokia ( NYSE: NOK ) has just announced the 6700 Slide , a Symbian powered smartphone coming to market in the first quarter of 2010 for 160 EUR ($240) before taxes and subsidies. For that amount of money you get a 5 megapixel camera, 2.2 inch screen with 240 x 320 pixels of resolution, 860 mAh (tiny!) battery, quadband GSM/EDGE support, and triband WCDMA (3.5G) support. There will be a WCDMA 900/1900/2100 MHz version, presumably for Europe, and a 850/1900/2100 MHz version, perfect for the USA
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Nokia 6700 Slide: Aluminum, 5 megapixel camera, looks like a Microsoft Zune, Symbian, $240
Taptu has grown up quite a lot since I last played with their service. In my September 2007 review I said: “If you’re adapt at Google ( NSDQ: GOOG ) ( NSDQ: GOOG ) than Taptu may or may not be useful to you. Simply adding words such as “wiki” or “lyrics” after a search query usually makes Google get an idea of what it is you’re trying to find.” With the release of their Android application today, things are looking mighty different from the original, almost laughable, user interface
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Taptu releases an Android application, makes mobile search touch friendly [Verdict: Who cares?]
I’m not sure whether to call an end of the mobile coupon services, but when Google ( NSDQ: GOOG ) enters your market, you know there’s a reason to worry. On that note, the search giant is bringing coupons to the mobile local search, just in time for the holiday season. So, if a business adds a mobile coupon to its Google Local Business Center listing, you’ll be able to access it from your mobile phone
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Google adds coupons to the mobile local search
Onebox — a service that brings voice, fax, email and conference calling together into a suite of communications services — is mobilizing its offering with dedicated apps for the BlackBerry ( NSDQ: RIMM ) and iPhone platforms. These applications are designed to extend the functionality of Onebox’s web-based interface for mobile users, adding “Message Center” access, voicemail search/display/playback, voice-to-text transcription display, and Click-to-Call via SpeedDial list or phone-based contact lists.
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Onebox announces BlackBerry and iPhone apps
Motorola ( NYSE: MOT ) is acquiring iDEN business from RadioFrame Networks, which is known as a provider of lower cost, power efficient iDEN technology. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, but we do know RadioFrame Networks’ stuff will be integrated into Motorola’s Home & Networks Mobility business. According to the official press release , RadioFrame’s iDEN products will “further enhance Motorola’s portfolio for multi-channel base stations optimized to support non-contiguous spectrum allocations in the special mobile radio (SMR) business that are especially common outside North America.” Moreover, Motorola says that with this acquisition, it can further enhance its push-to-talk technology roadmap plans for “strengthened operational capability, end-user functionality and cost-effective expansion.” I’m not sure I agree with Moto’s strategy to invest in iDEN technology with LTE rollouts already being planned around the world.
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Motorola acquires iDEN business from RadioFrame Networks
GSMA and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have announced the Green Power for Mobile (GPM) project, targeting operators in developing markets which may operate in some areas in the off-grid environment. So far, these operators relied on diesel aggregators for powering their cellular stations in remote areas that don’t have access to the power grid. In that sense, GSMA and IFC propose development and utilizing of clean energy resources and technologies, which would provide power to those stations.
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GSMA and IFC announce Green Power for Mobile project targeting off-grid operators in developing markets
The PeopleFinders Network unveiled two iPhone apps – “Stud Or Dud” and “Are They Really Single,” along with accompanying websites. Both apps are touted to provide singles with easy-to-view reports that can help them make important decisions about potential love interests. These reports are based on background information including age, marriage and divorce records, criminal history, business ownership, property ownership, evictions and more.
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The PeopleFinders Network launches two iPhone apps for singles in the dating scene