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Mobile World Congress 2012: best of show

Sean Cooper — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST

Mobile World Congress 2012 was a massively exciting show and true to form brought us so much new kit to be excited about in early 2012. From Intel's Medfield launch, a 41-megapixel smartphone, a new generation of personal hotspots and even engineered metals using micro arc oxidation, there was never a dull moment. Highlighting what was best, most innovative, or interesting is a tough nut but we've done our best to point out the highlights using our impressions -- and the occasional arm-wrestling match -- to chose the finalists amongst the products and our Editor's more notable achievements. Fly through to the next page and have a look at our takeaways from this, the most intense mobile tech show of the year.

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Mobile World Congress 2012: best of show originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia establishes stance on conflict minerals in formal policy

Amar Toor — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:43:00 EST

Recent weeks have seen a swell of interest in corporate responsibility, particularly with regard to technology manufacturing and supply chains. Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook affirmed his company's commitment to ethically and environmentally sound practices, evoking sentiments that were echoed today in a similar announcement from Nokia. Seizing the opportunity to establish some goodwill among socially conscious consumers, the Finnish manufacturer has just released a policy outlining its philosophy on conflict minerals -- metals like gold, tungsten and tin that have played a direct role in fueling civil violence and unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In the document (linked below), Nokia acknowledged that it doesn't play a direct role in obtaining these materials, but emphasized its strict traceability requirements. All suppliers, Nokia says, must provide detailed information on the sourcing of its metals, going back to the smelter phase, at a minimum, and even to the mine itself, if necessary. The company also highlighted its adherence to guidelines established by the EICC-GeSI Extractives Work Group, which both Apple and Intel have already joined. Granted, it's impossible for a single company to wipe out civil strife and human rights abuses in one fell swoop, but with this codified approach, Nokia hopes to at least "increase transparency, ensure responsible procurement by our suppliers and sub-suppliers, and drive positive change."

Nokia establishes stance on conflict minerals in formal policy originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds (video)

Myriam Joire — Wed, 25 May 2011 09:31:00 EST

So the MeeGo Conference is winding down here in San Francisco and we have prowled the exhibitor area over the past couple of days to bring you a taste of what's stimulated our eyes and ears at the event so far. We got to play with the Indamixx 2 music tablet -- basically an iiView M1Touch Pine Trail tablet running an audio-optimized build of MeeGoo 1.2 Tablet UX, which features a customized kernel for more real-time control and better audio scheduling. It's expected to ship for $700 in "June or July" complete with DAW and DJ apps.

Next we came across a MeeGo-based in-vehicle entertainment system that's currently available in cars from Chinese manufacturer Hawtai Motor. The device is Atom-powered, includes 3G connectivity, and provides navigation, communication, audio / video playback (for both stored and streamed content), along with Internet access. We saw a MeeGo app that gathers contact information on a form, sends it to an NFC-equipped Nokia C7, and writes it to a blank RFID tag. The tag can then be read by any NFC-capable phone, such as Google's Nexus S.

A fun conference isn't complete without some games, and we were treated to a homebrew, QML-based Dance Dance Revolution clone running on MeeGo, written using just a few hundred lines of code. Speaking of QML, we got a demo of another in-vehicle entertainment system with built-in instrumentation. This MeeGo app was designed to interface with a MegaSquirt open source ECU and display engine and other car data on a set of virtual gauges -- this in addition to performing the usual audio and navigation tasks. Check out our gallery below, then grab a snack and hit the break for our 15-minute hands-on video.

Gallery: MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds

Continue reading MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds (video)

MeeGo Conference 2011 sights and sounds (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 May 2011 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition released for Nokia N900, wants to go where you go

Zachary Lutz — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:23:00 EST

Feeling a bit wily with your aging N900? If so, today at the MeeGo conference in San Francisco, MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition was released just for you (and the attendees, of course). Although it's not a daily driver, intended more as a developmental snapshot, you stand to have a lot of fun by tinkering with this open source OS. If you're a programmer with some spare time, the news is even better: the group is currently focusing on improving the voice dialer, SMS, camera and WiFi experience. Unlike the general release of MeeGo 1.2, the Developer Edition is designed specifically for the N900. So, if you're suitably equipped and reasonably interested, grab that Nokia, push Android aside, and check the source for everything you'll need.

MeeGo 1.2 Developer Edition released for Nokia N900, wants to go where you go originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 May 2011 03:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel promises smartphones in 'first part of next year,' we put fingers in our ears

Sean Hollister — Tue, 17 May 2011 13:46:00 EST

After Intel's early smartphone ambitions failed to bear fruit, experiencing delay after delay, the company seemingly decided it'd be a bad idea to give reporters so much as a ballpark release date. Well, the company's confidence must have returned, because CEO Paul Otellini just told investors that those 32nm Medfield smartphones are indeed on the way. "You'll see the first Intel-based phones in the first part of next year," he said at the company's annual investor meeting today, adding later that there will be "phones shipping in the market from major players" at that time. Here's hoping.

Why all the delays? Intel blamed its partnership with Nokia, calling it a mistake. "In hindsight, Nokia was the wrong partner to have picked," said Otellini, but told attendees that the time both companies spent working together won't be wasted entirely: Intel is currently shopping around their co-developed handset as a reference design.

Intel promises smartphones in 'first part of next year,' we put fingers in our ears originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 17 May 2011 13:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Linux Foundation announces MeeGo Smart TV Working Group, Intel, Nokia and others sign on

Donald Melanson — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:03:00 EST

The future of MeeGo may not look quite as bright as it once did, but there's plenty of folks still committed to it, and the Linux Foundation is now starting to place an increased emphasis on one area in particular: smart TVs. To that end, it's just announced the formation of the MeeGo Smart TV Working Group, and it's already signed up quite a few companies as members, including Intel, Nokia, Nokia Siemens, Sigma Designs and others. Not surprisingly, there's not much more than some generalities at the moment, but the working group has committed to meeting twice a year (the first meeting is next month), and it's promising to "begin defining software components providing platform standardization," while also encouraging "competitive differentiation within the TV market segment with tools such at Qt." Full press release is after the break.

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Linux Foundation announces MeeGo Smart TV Working Group, Intel, Nokia and others sign on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel CEO Paul Otellini flip-flops, says he 'would've gone Android' if he were Elop

Darren Murph — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:01:00 EST

It's hard to say if Intel CEO Paul Otellini was simply misquoted the first go 'round, or if he really had a change of heart in the course of 48 hours. Either way, the most recent quotes coming from the highest of highs at Chipzilla paints a very different story than the one we first heard, and it's beginning to look like Intel and Microsoft may eventually wage some sort of war -- even if it's one that remains strictly at the software level. Reuters is reporting that Otellini had this to say when questioned about Stephen Elop's decision to select Windows Phone 7 as the future of Nokia's handset business:

"I wouldn't have made the decision he made, I would probably have gone to Android if I were him. MeeGo would have been the best strategy but he concluded he couldn't afford it."

That contrasts starkly with comments made just days ago, where he was quoted as saying that he would've made "the same or a similar call" if found in Elop's shoes. Continuing on the topic of differentiation, Otellini noted that "it would have been less hard on Android, [but] on MeeGo he could have done it." That said, he's confident that Intel "will find another partner," noting that carriers "still want a third ecosystem and the carriers want an open ecosystem, and that's the thing that drives our motivation." Now, the real question: which Paul can be believed?

Intel CEO Paul Otellini flip-flops, says he 'would've gone Android' if he were Elop originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft

Donald Melanson — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:18:00 EST

We've already seen some evidence that Intel was still pushing strongly ahead with MeeGo despite Nokia's deal with Microsoft, and now CEO Paul Otellini has chimed in on the matter to reassure folks that the company is still committed to the mobile OS. Speaking with Bloomberg at Mobile World Congress this week, Otellini said that he doesn't see that "Nokia changing its strategy changes the industry strategy," and added that "operators still look for an open, operator-friendly operating system." Otellini further went on to say on a panel discussion that he "understood" why Nokia made the decision it did, and even said that if he were in the same position he would have made "the same or a similar call." That doesn't mean he wasn't disappointed by it though -- in fact, he revealed that he used a word that Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz "has often used" when he first received the news from Stephen Elop himself (we'll let you look that up if you don't know it).

Intel's Otellini insists company is committed to MeeGo, says he 'understood' why Nokia moved to Microsoft originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's marginalization of MeeGo came as a surprise to Intel

Vlad Savov — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:37:00 EST

Yesterday's announcement by Nokia that it's switching to Windows Phone 7 as its primary smartphone platform has already had, and will continue to have, great repercussions for plenty of parties besides the Finnish company and its new best bud Microsoft. One of the biggest effects of that deal was that Nokia now no longer considers MeeGo -- the open-source OS it was co-developing with Intel -- an item of priority, classifying it as a "learning project." No prizes for guessing Intel's nowhere near happy about that, but would you have also guessed Nokia kept Chipzilla in the dark about its new direction until the day it announced it to the world? Such is the word from TechCrunch's well placed sources, who also say that Nokia dedicated only a three-man external team to the development of UI customizations for MeeGo. Not exactly the hugest investment in the world, we'd say, and when you consider Nokia and Microsoft already have concept devices drawn up, you've got to think plans to abandon MeeGo as a sincere flagship strategy were materializing in Espoo a long time before this event. It would probably have been nice to tell Intel, though, just to be classy. Hit the source link for more detail, including confirmation that Nokia's N9-00, its first planned MeeGo device, was canned -- apparently due to complaints from operators about its hinge.

Nokia's marginalization of MeeGo came as a surprise to Intel originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia N9 to bust loose with MeeGo on Intel Atom power?

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:52:00 EST

Nokia has to do something big if it wants to crack the US smartphone market. We can agree on that, right? And believe us, Nokia wants this -- nothing will make the mighty Finns (and the company's global investors) prouder than to gain some traction in the home of Apple pie and Google desserts. So how will the company do it? With Symbian? Oh, hell no. By introducing another MeToo handset? Nope, with MeeGo on a rockin' platform like the rumored N9 slider pictured above.

Nokia announced its hardware plans for Maemo 6 a long time ago. At that time, the company was clear that it would continue using TI OMAP processors. Much has changed since then, however. In addition to several key leadership changes including a new Canadian-born CEO who spent much of his time working in the US, Nokia has joined Intel to roll up Maemo 6 and Moblin into MeeGo with Nokia's first ~~Maemo 6~~ MeeGo/Harmattan handset pushed into 2011. Simultaneously, Intel has also been doing its best to show its new Moorestown platform as a powerful ARM alternative, even showing off MeeGo handsets exploiting a Lincroft SoC and Atom processor core. And Intel has said that Medfield-based smartphones (Moorestown's successor) would arrive in the middle of 2011.

So why the build-up? Well, we've just been tipped to a claim by Prosessori, a respected Finnish technology magazine, that the Nokia N9 will launch with a 1.2GHz Atom processor. Better yet, it could be unveiled as soon as Mobile World Congress in February, presumably during Stephen Elop's keynote. Do we believe it? Not entirely, but it is possible given the chain of events that have taken place. And you can bet that the first commercially available Intel smartphone with a brand new Nokia user experience would certainly grab headlines in the US and around the world. Something that should translate into high-end market share (and profits) if it's as "exciting" as Elop claims.

[Thanks, Janne]

Nokia N9 to bust loose with MeeGo on Intel Atom power? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video)

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:38:00 EST

Following hot on the heels of the PR 1.3 update for the N900 comes the official MeeGo v1.1 build for handsets with U-Boot support. For developers, or anyone who simply likes to hack around, that means that the Nokia N900 is now ready to dual-boot into your choice of Maemo or MeeGo environments. If that sounds like fun then boy do we have the image repository for you (Hint: it's in the source link below). We'll let everyone else know when the community has made the process idiot-proof. Until then, why not play an unmodified webOS game or catch a glimpse of the dual-boot process in action in the video after the break.

Continue reading MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video)

MeeGo v1.1 for handsets is out, let the N900 dual-booting begin (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 28 Oct 2010 05:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New official MeeGo screenshots show promise, influence

Chris Ziegler — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:09:00 EST

MeeGo's official user interface guidelines could easily end up determining whether the platform sinks or swims -- no one wants a phone whose UI looks like junk, after all. The minions at Nokia and Intel's little pet project have posted new OS shots as examples of how to properly implement the interface in third-party apps, and we've got to admit -- things are looking a lot cleaner, prettier, and generally more modern than the first round of pictures we saw back in June, thanks in part to a demonstration of the platform's comprehensive theming capability that can totally revamp how UI elements look. We're definitely seeing shades of webOS in the task switcher (pictured above), but then again, Nokia's no stranger to borrowing ideas it likes. That's all well and good as long as it makes for a great platform... and obviously, we'd need some hardware to do that. O N9, where art thou?

New official MeeGo screenshots show promise, influence originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Sep 2010 13:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia and Intel build a joint research lab, plan to create the mobile 3D future

Joanna Stern — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:00:00 EST

Thought Nokia and Intel's partnership was just some fleeting MeeGo fling? Just a carefree hookup in their times of mobile panic? Not quite. The companies are certainly in this thing for the long haul and today's announcement of their new research lab in Oulu, Finland is all the evidence you'll need. The Intel and Nokia Joint Innovation Center -- as it's been dubbed -- is part of the University of Oulu and will now be home to about two-dozen researchers. What exactly will the white coats be working on? Well, the 3D mobile internet, of course, technology that Nokia's been dabling with for awhile. The focus of the initial work will be on three-dimensional virtual reality platforms as well as on mapping. Sounds pretty neat and futuristic, but for some reason all we can keep thinking about is the immediate future of getting our hands on Nokia's MeeGo-running N9. Hit the break for the full press release and a few more details on the lab itself.

Continue reading Nokia and Intel build a joint research lab, plan to create the mobile 3D future

Nokia and Intel build a joint research lab, plan to create the mobile 3D future originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia's treatment of MeeGo smartphone UI revealed?

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:17:00 EST

We've already gotten a glimpse at MeeGo's prerelease stock UI for handsets, but just like Symbian, there's no guarantee that the experience is going to be consistent across manufacturers -- and a new video apparently captured from an online survey makes it seem like Nokia might be looking to go in a slightly different direction. The one minute, twenty-nine seconds of footage walks us through five parts -- starting up, the "powerful multitasking UI," getting connected, the Ovi Store experience, and the music player -- and as you might imagine, it's the Ovi Store portion that has us feeling like this is a thoroughly Nokia-customized experience (not to mention the copyright in the lower left). It generally looks richer and more functional than what we've seen before, and parts -- like the webOS-esque multitasking -- remind us of Maemo 5's thumbnails, which makes perfect sense considering MeeGo's roots. Follow the break for the full video.

[Thanks, MTA]

Update: The video has since been removed from YouTube. New embed posted.

Continue reading Nokia's treatment of MeeGo smartphone UI revealed?

Nokia's treatment of MeeGo smartphone UI revealed? originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Aug 2010 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo becomes infotainment operating system of choice for BMW, GM, Hyundai and more

Sean Hollister — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:36:00 EST

It's getting to the point where it's not terribly easy to keep track of all the in-car entertainment initiatives our wondrous connected future has in store, but here's two names you'll want to remember: GENIVI and MeeGo. The former is an industry alliance that now includes automakers GM, BMW, Hyundai and Peugeot Citroen alongside the likes of ARM, NVIDIA, Nokia and Intel, and MeeGo is the Linux-based OS that they've just decided will soon be powering our cars. Don't expect this to affect your daily drive anytime soon, but in the long run we wouldn't be surprised to hear that the Moblin-Maemo base underpins future revisions of Terminal Mode and OnStar.

MeeGo becomes infotainment operating system of choice for BMW, GM, Hyundai and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aava Moorestown phone running MeeGo hits the wilds

Thomas Ricker — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:31:00 EST

If you don't understand the significance of what you're looking at then you're probably not paying attention. First off, that Aava slab of WoW slaying smartphone is underpinned by Intel's Moorestown processor. Yes, Intel, not ARM, as Chipzilla gets serious about taking its silicon mobile. Second, that's the freshly minted MeeGo OS for handsets that just made its first alpha appearance last week. And it just happens to be the OS that Nokia, the world's largest handset manufacturer, will be building its future generation of super smartphones upon. We'll give you a second to take it all in.

Fortunately for us, the device is in the hands of Steve "Chippy" Paine over at Carrypad / UMPC Portal. As such, this is just the first of many revelations to come. Hit the man up on Twitter if you want to follow his adventure first hand.

Aava Moorestown phone running MeeGo hits the wilds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Did Nokia just confirm a MeeGo tablet?

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:21:00 EST

We've heard the rumors, hell, we've even seen Intel reference designs (pictured) running the MeeGo OS. But now we seem to have confirmation that a proper MeeGo tablet built by Nokia is on the way. Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia's newly crowned chief of Mobile Solutions, said the following in an interview captured by the Wall Street Journal:

Due to the spread of cloud computing and new advances in electronics and network technology, mobile devices will increasingly move beyond smartphones to include other computer-like gadgets such as tablets, and the MeeGo platform will be an important asset for Nokia.

Remember, Nokia already makes a netbook and the smartphone qualifier would seem to remove any speculation that Anssi is referring to its Internet Tablet class of Maemo devices. So maybe, just maybe that rumored 7- or 9-inch Nokia tablet is real. Did we say maybe?

Did Nokia just confirm a MeeGo tablet? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance

Nilay Patel — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:07:00 EST

As promised, Nokia and Intel have revealed the pre-alpha version of MeeGo for handsets today, supporting the Intel-powered Aava reference phone and the Nokia N900. What's most interesting at this early stage is the UI, which appears to have taken a big Nokia-influenced step away from the Intel-designed MeeGo netbook and tablet UI -- and we're definitely detecting some hints of Android and webOS here and there. Seriously, just check out that task switching interface. Of course, MeeGo is open-source, so we're sure Nokia has some deeper UI customizations in store -- like homescreen widgets, which are notably missing here.

On a deeper level, this build of MeeGo includes the base MeeGo APIs, including Qt and the MeeGo touch frameworks, the Firefox-based browser, a photo viewer, and some basic UI elements like the status bar, app launcher, and virtual keyboard. There are pre-built images for the Atom-based Aava handsets available now, but N900 owners will have to do a little building until someone makes an image available. Be warned, though: there's a long enough list of known bugs, and while that's totally fine for pre-alpha code, it might not be too fine for your device. That's not going to stop us from installing this thing, but you be careful, alright? And let us know how it goes. Video of the UI after the break.

P.S. Given that the N8 is destined to be the last Symbian N Series device, we can't help but feel it's being overshadowed by MeeGo before it's even out. Can we pre-pour one out? Is that a thing? It is now.

Gallery: MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance

Continue reading MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance

MeeGo for handsets makes its first appearance originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia 7- or 9-inch MeeGo tablet rumored to be running ARM (not Moorestown) in Q4

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:05:00 EST

While DigiTimes has been known to get a rumor correct now and again, its success rate falls off dramatically when dealing with companies HQ'd outside of its native Taiwan. Keep that in mind when you hear it discuss a Nokia tablet with either a 7- or 9-inch screen. DigiTimes, speaking with "upstream component makers," claims that the Foxconn manufactured device -- of which, about 100 engineering samples have already been produced -- will be ARM-based with a Q4 launch targeted. If true (and that's a big IF) then it would certainly be running the MeeGo OS (that's a Quanta-built prototype above) when it ships. Of course, DigiTimes has been rumoring an ARM-based smartbook from Nokia due in mid 2010 for almost a year. And guess what? It's mid 2010, with smartbooks/netbooks now out of style and tablets all the rage. Thing is, we'd have thought that Nokia would be more likely to opt for Intel's Moorestown in support of their partnership given the Q4 timing. But hey, it's just rumor, let's not get too carried away.

Nokia 7- or 9-inch MeeGo tablet rumored to be running ARM (not Moorestown) in Q4 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meego handset UI guidelines offer details aplenty, suggestion of WebOS, Android influences

Donald Melanson — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:36:00 EST

Sure, you can already download MeeGo 1.0 and try it out on your netbook or N900, but Nokia also has some grander designs for the mobile operating system, and a new Handset Interaction Guidelines document published on (and then pulled from) the official MeeGo wiki has now offered some more details on exactly what's in store. Among the highlights are confirmation of support for both portrait and landscape keyboards, and some pretty strong evidence of WebOS and Android influences, including a task manager that's similar to WebOS's card system but becomes a grid view with a multitouch pinch, and a notification system and taskbar that are apparently similar to Android's -- not to mention some centralized account management. There's pages and pages of details beyond that, however, so hit up the link below to dive in (courtesy of Google Cache, of course).

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Meego handset UI guidelines offer details aplenty, suggestion of WebOS, Android influences originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 18 Jun 2010 16:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Telefonica gets behind MeeGo, says 'smartphones, netbooks, tablets, and internet connected TVs' are possibilities

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:58:00 EST

Virtually all of the MeeGo buzz since Intel and Nokia's tie-up back in February has been focused on high-end smartphones, tablets, and netbooks, but Telefonica reminds us that there's another potential target for the platform, too -- connected TVs. The Spanish wireless, fixed internet, and cable operator has thrown its weight behind MeeGo this week (which is a pretty big deal considering that the company has global reach across 25 countries and about a quarter billion subscribers), hinting that "services could potentially include content and applications that can be accessed from devices such as smartphones, netbooks, tablets, and internet connected TVs for Telefonica's wireline and wireless operations." We've yet to see any set-top box announcements in the MeeGo space, but with Google trying to light fires under the connected TV market, we imagine some competitors are bound to emerge -- and it's probably a good sign that they've got the backing of a cable company.

Telefonica gets behind MeeGo, says 'smartphones, netbooks, tablets, and internet connected TVs' are possibilities originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ASUS launches netbook App Store eying a MeeGo future

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:25:00 EST

ASUS didn't make much of a fuss over it, but its ASUS-branded App Store for netbooks did launch today. Not much to get excited about unless you're already pumped by Intel's AppUp store at the heart of ASUS' offering. The best part might be the announced MeeGo support, whenever the Intel / Nokia OS mashup is ready. Just what the world needs: an EeeMee, right Mr. Anderson?

ASUS launches netbook App Store eying a MeeGo future originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 May 2010 13:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia will kick off MeeGo effort with ARM-based silicon, not x86

Chris Ziegler — Sun, 30 May 2010 21:58:00 EST

We've heard a similar message from Nokia dating all the way back to MeeGo's introduction at MWC back in February, so it comes as little surprise that Espoo is apparently trumpeting the virtues of ARM for its first MeeGo-powered device that's still targeted for the tail end of 2010. What might make this particularly interesting is the fact that MeeGo 1.0 is clearly further along for Atom devices than it is for the Cortex A8-based N900, not to mention that Nokia has already warmed up to Intel thanks to its Booklet 3G -- but regardless of the silicon, getting the platform solid enough for any sort of retail device by the end of 2010 still seems like a tricky proposition when you figure that the ARM build doesn't even have a proper user interface yet. Ultimately, it might come down to a question of size; Intel still hasn't proven that it can scale Atom down far enough to tackle the smartphone market head-on, so if Nokia wants to go small with its first MeeGo hardware, that alone could be impetus enough to go ARM.

Nokia will kick off MeeGo effort with ARM-based silicon, not x86 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 30 May 2010 21:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo 1.0 demoed on MSI netbook, looks shockingly stupendous (video)

Darren Murph — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:56:00 EST

You've already watched pre-release versions of MeeGo fly around on a number of netbooks, but if you're still wondering if it's worth your while to install v1.0 on your own machine, you owe it to yourself to have a look at the video posted after the break. The fine folks over at Liliputing have installed the fresh-out-of-the-lab operating system onto their MSI netbook in order to showcase some of the features, and frankly, we're duly impressed by what we're seeing. It's clearly light on its feet, with an Expose-like shifting of screens happening at speeds which we previously only dreamed of seeing on an Atom-based rig. We can't say the rest of the world is really ready to ditch Windows 7 for something as niche as this, but judging by this vid, you should probably give it a whirl. What's to lose, right?

P.S. - Phoronix was able to run the new OS through the benchmark gauntlet, and it certainly showed up Ubuntu.

[Thanks, Rafael]

Continue reading MeeGo 1.0 demoed on MSI netbook, looks shockingly stupendous (video)

MeeGo 1.0 demoed on MSI netbook, looks shockingly stupendous (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 May 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download

Darren Murph — Wed, 26 May 2010 18:33:00 EST

You've seen it teased, and now it's time to shelve whatever you had planned for this evening (or morning, depending on your current coordinates) and slap the first bona fide 1.x MeeGo release onto whatever device you've got handy. As of right now, MeeGo v1.0 for Netbooks and v1.0 for Nokia N900 are available for download, with the former supporting Atom-based machines and the latter supporting... well, we'll let you take a stab there. The API that's being released includes Qt 4.6, and while the current SDK is tailored for netbooks, the next version -- slated to hit devs in June -- will support "touch-based devices, such as handsets and tablets." We're also told that v1.1 will be outed in October, with the development tree already being open. We're certainly digging the layout shown here at a glance, but why not give that source link a visit and find out how it suits you in real life? We heard Snooki totally digs it, too.

[Thanks, Ernst]

MeeGo 1.0 for netbooks and N900 now available to download originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 May 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel gives MeeGo 1.0 its first public performance (video)

Thomas Ricker — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:44:00 EST

Here we go open source fans, the first debut of MeeGo 1.0 running on Intel silicon -- an Acer Aspire One netbook (the 532h, from the looks of it) with a Pinetrail processor to be precise -- sporting a simplified UI that looks to have inherited far more Moblin DNA than Maemo. You've got tasks, appointments, most-used apps, and a quick-launch bar all up front. We're also seeing 3D gaming support; Zones, Applications, People, Internet, Media and Settings tabs; and real-time social networking integration for Twitter, Facebook, and instant messaging with task bar alerts. Can't wait to see how the MeeGo user experience translates to a smaller, say, 4.8-inch Moorestown device or the TI OMAP-based followup to the Nokia N900 later this year. Until then, check the video after the break.

Update: Second video added showing MeeGo running on a TV, an ~~unidentified~~ AAVA Moorestown-based smartphone (see after the break), and digital coupon machine. It's worth mentioning that this is Intel's take on the MeeGo UI and Nokia's will likely look much different. [Thanks, Atlantian, pdexter]

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Intel gives MeeGo 1.0 its first public performance (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First cut of MeeGo available today for N900 and Atom devices

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:11:00 EST

While making it crystal clear that this is only intended for developers that want a mega-early look at the platform, Intel and Nokia's MeeGo team has just announced that the very first cut of the melded Moblin / Maemo mobile platform is available for download. Specifically, users of N900s, Atom notebooks, and Atom-powered Moorestown MIDs have all been gifted with their own distributions, which will boot off a USB stick or directly on the devices themselves. Sadly, the MeeGo user experience -- the good stuff, that is -- isn't included here, so if you flash your N900 you're going to end up booting into a terminal console, but hey, some of you sickos are into that sort of thing, aren't you? Next up for the team is a release billed 1.0 that will come in May, and we're told details on the road to that version will be unveiled over the coming days. Take care of yourselves if you go for it, alright?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

First cut of MeeGo available today for N900 and Atom devices originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900

Chris Ziegler — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST

Valtteri Halla -- Nokia employee and one-half of MeeGo's Technical Steering Group -- has blogged up a storm this week about the first baby steps that'll get the platform off the ground from its Moblin and Maemo roots, and from the sounds of things, we'll be able to get our first glimpse at it on production hardware before the month's out. Currently, the plan is to open up MeeGo's code repository to all comers "by the end of this month," targeting both Atom boards and the N900. Now, we certainly wouldn't say that MeeGo's decision to use the N900 as an early target device is indicative of an official upgrade down the line -- but this is particularly interesting in light of the fact that we've never gotten a commitment out of Nokia to bump its latest MID to Maemo 6. And besides, considering that the average N900 customer is a bit of a hacker in his or her own right, let's be honest: a code repository that supports the phone is just about as good as an official gold build anyhow.

MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG GW990 to be among first MeeGo phones

Nilay Patel — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST

Intel and Nokia certainly surprised a few of us yesterday when they decided to merge Moblin and Maemo into the new, more terribly-named MeeGo OS, but it looks like LG is ready to roll with it -- the Moorestown-powered LG GW990 we saw at CES will be one of the first MeeGo phones when it launches later this year. Of course, that doesn't mean much of anything beyond branding, since the GW990 uses a custom UI on top of the x86-based Moblin core and we doubt there's any of Maemo's ARM-based code involved there, but it's a definite sign of things to come. So, Nokia -- are we going to see a Moorestown N900, or what?

LG GW990 to be among first MeeGo phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:52:00 EST

Well this one is a... doozy? Today Nokia announced a rather bizarre partnership with Intel. Namely, the two companies are merging their odd, half-finished, Linux-based OSs into one crazy little package called... MeeGo. No, really. Intel is mixing its peanut butter Moblin with Nokia's chocolatey Maemo to create a "software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across the broadest range of device segments, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems." That broad enough for you? According to the company's press release, the new platform will begin baring fruit (AKA devices) later this year, though the specific types of devices weren't touched upon. Nokia's CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo claims that the union will "create an ecosystem that is second to none" through openness, though at this point it's largely bluster. Why the two monoliths have decided to pair up on these decidedly niche platforms rather than focusing energies on their front and center products is anyone's guess, but luckily you can attempt to decipher more detail in the PR, included for your convenience after the break!

Continue reading MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin

MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from Nokia's (and Intel's) MWC 2010 press event

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:35:00 EST

We've just been sent into an Auditorium here at ONCE in Barcelona -- just seconds away from the Fira convention center -- and we're about to get underway. Keep it locked!

Continue reading Live from Nokia's (and Intel's) MWC 2010 press event

Live from Nokia's (and Intel's) MWC 2010 press event originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel to be part of Nokia's MWC press conference -- a new Booklet, or something more?

Nilay Patel — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST

Well, this is interesting -- Intel just sent us an invitation to Nokia's press event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week. We're told that the two companies will update us on the "latest developments" from their relatively new relationship, before Nokia launches into its solo presser directly afterwards. That could mean pretty much anything from a ho-hum Atom N450 refresh of the Booklet 3G to a fire-breathing Moorestown Maemo 5 phone, so we're obviously extremely curious to see what goes down -- our money is on the more conservative side of things, since we're thinking Intel just wants to have a presence at MWC, but we do love to be surprised.

Intel to be part of Nokia's MWC press conference -- a new Booklet, or something more? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Atom-based Nokia netbook reportedly on track for Q3 release

Darren Murph — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:28:00 EST

So much for Nokia and Intel keeping quiet on actual product announcements, huh? Just yesterday, the two mega-corps joined hands in what they called a technical collaboration, and while they wouldn't go into detail about what products would sprout from the partnership, it seems that Commercial Times has done the honors. Reportedly, Nokia has already ordered up a few machines from Compal and Quanta, two OEMs that are largely responsible for most every netbook on the market today. Not surprisingly, we're told that the Nokiabook will rely on one of Intel's Atom processors, and considering that the new wave of Atom chips aren't slated to land until 2010, you can pretty much put money on a N270 or N280 configuration. In related news, we're told that Compal will engineer a Qualcomm Snapdragon-based Nokia smartbook, though there's no word on what kind of OS (Symbian, perhaps?) will be included.

Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops

Atom-based Nokia netbook reportedly on track for Q3 release originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel and Nokia officially partner on mobile devices: "the possibilities are endless"

Darren Murph — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:54:00 EST

Just as we heard, Intel and Nokia have today announced a long-term partnership that just might / might not revolutionize the way you live. The all-too-mysterious release doesn't go into great detail about what exactly the partnership will lead to, but it's clear that the two are joining hands in order to "shape the next era of mobile computing." Indeed, the duo has stated that they expect "many innovations to result from this collaboration over time" and they are hoping to "define a new mobile platform beyond today's smartphones, notebooks and netbooks, enabling the development of a variety of innovative hardware, software and mobile internet services." It's hard to say if we'll be seeing a Nokia UMPC, MID or smartbook in the near future, but we have to wonder if the world is even interested. An Intel-powered smartphone? Color us interested. An Intel-powered Nokiabook? Meh.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Intel and Nokia officially partner on mobile devices: "the possibilities are endless" originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Intel making 'important announcement' today -- a Nokia netbook / MID?

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:29:00 EST

Possible big news on the way later today. According to Bloomberg, Intel's very own Mr. MID, Anand Chandrasekher, will announce Nokia as a new customer of its mobile processors. This is important because Nokia is a long time friend of ARM and Intel by its own admission can't currently compete with ARM when it comes to the ultra-low power consumption requirements of smartphones. So whatever Nokia's got cooking will presumably be running on Intel's upcoming Moorestown MID platform or its ultra-low power Medfield silicon targeting mainstream smartphones in 2011. On the other hand, Nokia's CEO already expressed interest in entering the laptop race with Intel or the ARM-based Snapdragon rumored to be at the core. But if this announcement results in yet another Atom-based netbook, well, good luck with that Nokia.

[Via IntoMobile]

Filed under: Cellphones, Laptops

Intel making 'important announcement' today -- a Nokia netbook / MID? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono

Nilay Patel — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:11:00 EST

Between Android and the myriad of LiMo builds out there, we're not sure the world needs another open-source phone operating system, but Nokia and Intel seem to think differently: the two behemoths have joined up to develop oFono, a Linux-based mobile OS for GSM handsets. We don't know many details, but he project seems to be pulling people from both Intel's Moblin initiative and Nokia's Maemo project, and job postings from a "major handset company" searching for a GUI designer in either Dallas or San Jose have appeared, so it sounds like something big is in the works. We'll see.

Read - oFono web site
Read - PhoneDog post about the job listing

Filed under: Nokia, Others, Linux, GSM

Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono

Nilay Patel — Fri, 15 May 2009 13:11:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones

Nokia and Intel collaborating on new Linux-based phone OS called oFono originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 15 May 2009 13:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Darren Murph — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Yes folks, we're back to the drawing board. Again. With a litany of wireless technologies floundering about and struggling to find real traction in the market, a cadre of market powerhouses have joined up to take wireless streaming to the next level -- or so they say, anyway. The newly formed WiGig Alliance aims to use unlicensed 60GHz waves in order to stream just about anything you can think of: HD video, images, phone contacts, instant messages, audio, etc. This "unified" approach differs from most other alternatives, which generally pick one niche (1080p video, for instance) and stick to it. If the more than 15 technology firms have their collective druthers, the WiGig specification will find its way into everything from set-top-boxes to telephones to home stereos, ready and willing to stream to other WiGig-enabled devices at a moment's notice.

The group consists of household names such as Microsoft, LG, Dell, Samsung, Marvell, Nokia, NEC, Intel and Broadcom (just to name a few), and when we spoke to executives about the announcement, they told us that plans were to have the specification available to member organizations in Q4 of this year. The sad part is that this likely means we won't see shipping products with the WiGig logo for another year after that -- if we're lucky. We can't argue that some stability would be nice in this volatile sector; after all, we've been waiting for promising products like Belkin's FlyWire to ship for well over a year. The execs we spoke with couldn't speak on behalf of the partner firms in terms of what WiGig products were looming on the horizon, but as we alluded to earlier, the playing field is wide open. Honestly, we'd love for this to take off and finally give high-bandwidth wireless applications the support it needs to flourish, but as we've seen over the past few years, the road ahead ain't an easy one to walk. The full release is after the break.

Continue reading Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Filed under: Industry, Media streamers, Other formats

Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Darren Murph — Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST

Continue reading Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz

Filed under: HDTV, Home Entertainment, Wireless

Heavily-backed WiGig Alliance to stream everything over 60GHz originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Open Patent Alliance WiMAX consortium formed, Qualcomm not so interested

Joshua Fruhlinger — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:46:00 EST

As WiMax-powered 4G networks remain the stuff of holding companies and litigation, a group of providers have gotten together to form an (evil?) alliance that they say will help speed up both development and deployment. In other words, they want Qualcomm on board, which holds the juiciest 4G patents. The Open Patent Alliance (OPA) includes Intel, the recently-formed Clearwire, Alcatel-Lucent, Cisco, Samsung, and Sprint. Similar to the Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NextWave Wireless, Nokia Siemens Networks, Sony Ericsson coalition that is backing Long Term Evolution, this WiMAX group looks poised to take on Qualcomm with some serious collective patents, boardroom politics, and investor cash. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is sitting in the corner saying, "We already have 4G, and it's very nice." This should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Filed under: Wireless

Open Patent Alliance WiMAX consortium formed, Qualcomm not so interested originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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