smart-phones
Latest
Nintendo president: Expect 'Nintendo-like' profits in 2016 [Update]
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently acknowledged the long rebuilding process the company is mired in to become increasingly profitable again in the coming years. While unable to offer specific numbers, he toned down expectations for the coming financial year (FY 2014) as well as the next one (FY 2015) in a fiscal 2013 financial results briefing with investors, stressing that "instead of seeing a great and sudden recovery in our profitability in the next fiscal year, I am rather expecting to be able to report Nintendo-like profits from around the following fiscal year," referring to 2016. Nintendo posted a $229 million loss for the year, with Wii U estimates down 60 percent. Part of the company's expected transition involves the outlook it receives as "a video game company." Iwata believes "the intrinsic nature of entertainment is much broader than how we see it today," and that Nintendo "may be able to establish some sort of new core business if we consider our role as an entertainment company in a broader sense." While that may involve Nintendo's "quality of life" initiatives, it also relates to the company's "active utilization of character IP" as well as its expanding definition of video game platforms. It also relates to Nintendo's use of smart phones, as Iwata echoed the company's plans from January to branch into the mobile space: "Moreover, I feel that we will be able to further stimulate our platform business by taking advantage of smart devices," Iwata said. One of its first major pushes into mobile comes in the form of a Mario Kart TV companion app for Mario Kart 8, screens of which were included in Iwata's presentation, as seen above. Nintendo also recently unveiled a near-field communication (NFC) reader for the 3DS as well as plans to use the Wii U Game Pad's built-in NFC functionality with new character figurines. Update: As it turns out, Iwata was referring to the fiscal year 2015 (2016) when he spoke of the company being able to report "Nintendo-like profits from around the following fiscal year," as opposed to 2015. We've updated the language in the article to reflect this. [Image: Nintendo]
Nokia reaffirms WP 7.8 support for existing Lumia handsets, announces handful of features
Nokia's legacy Lumia devices won't be graced with Windows Phone 8, but the company has reaffirmed its support for keeping them fresh with version 7.8 of Microsoft's handset OS. In addition to a revamped start screen, the introduction of City Lens and other expected perks, Espoo is tossing in a few extras. Among the new additions are the Cinemagraph GIF creator, a ringtone maker app, updates to Smart Group Shot and Bluetooth support for both file transfers and the firm's Contact Share application. Yearning to load up your smartphone with the raft of new features? Elop and Co. say the upgrades will be be rolled out in phases for the Lumia 610, 710, 800 and 900 models, but promise more details when their ETAs close in.
EcoXPower charges a smartphone, bicycle headlight and tail light with pedal power
Bicycle rigs for charging cellphones have lit up our radar before, but now the EcoXPower is being billed as the first device of its kind that can simultaneously juice up LED lights and a smartphone with the power of your pedaling. Packing a headlamp, a red tail light and a lithium-ion rechargeable battery, the contraption attaches to a bike's front wheel hub with the help of a universal mount. When clamped on, the apparatus' clutch engages between the velocipede's spokes so it can generate electricity. A USB adapter cable runs up the two-wheeler's fork to a water-resistant, touchscreen-friendly case that can house iPhones, Android handsets and "all major GPS devices" perched atop the handlebars. Cyclists yearning to charge their electronics with the dynamo can pick one up for $99.99. Roll past the break for the full press release.
Huawei Ascend Q hands-on (video)
Huawei's taken to the Taste of Chicago event in Chicago to introduce its fresh pair of myTouch phones to the world, but it also had another gem at its booth: the Huawei M660, also known as the Ascend Q. An upcoming smartphone that's poised to hit the US in August, the company plans to launch the device on Cricket as a prepaid handset. It's certainly not high-end, but we weren't exactly expecting it to take the no-contract carrier by storm in that sense. In fact, spec junkies may be a little disappointed at what they see in the portrait QWERTY phone: a 3.2-inch HVGA touchscreen display, Android 2.3.6, an 800MHz CPU, 1,500mAh battery, microSD storage slot and a 3MP fixed-focus rear camera with no LED flash. The device will also feature Muve Music, a Cricket staple that's starting to be included on most of its smartphone lineup. The keyboard, while small, actually closely resembles a BlackBerry Bold -- its keys are pretty close together, but each key offers a ridge that gives our fingers a little more travel and makes it easier to type than most other 'boards its size. The one concern we had with the keyboard was its placement of some of the keys -- for instance, there's a messaging access button on the lower right corner of the device, which we accidentally hit on multiple occasions when we were attempting to hit the much smaller enter key just above it. For a Gingerbread device with an 800MHz CPU, the Ascend Q actually runs pretty smooth, with minimal lag when going in between various tasks. And in our limited time with the device, we were able to do a quick SunSpider test, which yielded a score of 4,800. In terms of the user interface, the Gingerbread UI on the Q is reminiscent to the skin we've encountered on previous Huawei phones such as the Honor and Mercury. Overall, this will likely be a good device for prepaid fans interested in a smaller messaging device. Huawei wasn't able to give us any mention of pricing yet, but we imagine it will be quite a reasonable cost on Cricket. Check out our hands-on gallery and full video below. %Gallery-160126%
Apple granted patent for accelerometer-aided theft-detection system
Despite the added risk brought on by Apple's Find My iPhone feature, the iOS handset remains a frequent target for smartphone thieves, thanks to the device's resale value and compatibility with networks around the world. There's not much you can do to deter sticky fingers short of keeping your iPhone or MacBook in view at all times, but the issue does appear to have crossed the desks of Apple's design team, which was just granted patent number 8,217,792 for a sophisticated anti-theft scheme. The acceleration-based system would detect a "known theft condition" based on acceleration characteristics, sounding an alarm and disabling the device. The smartphone or laptop would ignore vibrations from passing cars or those caused by items being dropped onto a nearby surface, instead focusing on undisclosed scenarios that likely involve direct movement. The device owner would use a GUI to configure and disable the system, at which point the handset or computer would return to its pre-disturbed mode. Overall, it sounds like a fairly straightforward hardware/software solution, with the added benefit of a technique to filter out regular motion in an attempt to reduce the number of false alarms. You'll find the full patent at the source link below.
Dell leaves its US phone plans blank after ending sales of the Venue and Venue Pro here
While Dell may still be releasing Streaks and Venues in other countries, a company spokesman tells PC World that its last remaining phone stateside, the Venue and Venue Pro are no longer on sale. While the short lifecycle of mobile products was cited in the pair's time with us drawing to a close, the lack of replacements means Dell is out of the smartphone game in this country less than two years after entering with the Aero and Streak 5. While the spokesperson confirmed Dell would introduce more mobile devices in the US later this year, they could not say whether or not phones would be among them. We're not sure what the reboot of its product lines will entail -- other than a lack of connection to departed section head Ron Garriques -- but at least it still has those Thunder, Smoke, Lightning and Flash names in their pocket whenever something new arrives.
Spacetime announces industry-first cross-platform implementation
If you've ever wondered about the feasibility of cross-platform MMOs, Spacetime Studios is here to tell you that it's a reality. The company announced an industry first earlier today when it removed the barriers between players who use different devices and operating systems. The company's Pocket Legends and Star Legends mobile MMOs share a single global server, and access to said server is now open to users of desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets. "There have always been technical walls between players on different platforms," said CEO Gary Gattis. "Now, people are free to play on the device they choose with anyone, anywhere, anytime, whether they are at home or on-the-go." [Source: Spacetime press release]
Apple grabs nearly 50 percent of handset industry profits
For the better part of a decade, Apple has consistently shown that having a comparatively small market share by volume is no impediment to making money, and lots of it. Despite the company's PC share hovering in single digits through most of the 2000s, Apple has been far and away the most profitable computer hardware maker for many years (and generally coming second only to software-centric Microsoft in generating cash). Now that inverse relationship between share and profits continues into the mobile space. Analysis firm Canaccord Genuity estimates that Apple accounts for only 3.9 percent of total global volume sales of mobile handsets. However, the iPhones sold in the third quarter of 2010 accounted for approximately 47 percent of all profits in the industry. While the vast majority of handsets sold around the world still fall into the feature phone segment, smartphones are where the money is. Smartphone specialists Apple, HTC, and RIM grabbed 71 percent of the net profits. Even Motorola -- which has had a long string of money-losing quarters -- has finally returned to the black thanks to its emphasis on Android-based smartphones. Nokia may be outselling everyone else by a wide gap, but they certainly don't seem to be making it up on volume. Even with Android as a whole gaining market share, the proliferation of different phones will limit economies of scale for manufacturers -- so Apple looks likely to continue its cellphone profitability for some time to come.
HP not making Windows Phone 7 devices, focusing on webOS instead
No big surprise here, but HP Personal Systems Group VP Todd Bradley just flat-out confirmed to CNBC that HP will not be making any Windows Phone 7 devices, preferring instead to focus on the newly-acquired webOS for its line of smartphones. Here's the entire exchange: Q: Can you make webOS successful with developers when you're selling Windows Phone 7, maybe Android or Linux at the same time? A: We continue to be Microsoft's biggest customer, and we continue to believe we will drive innovation with Microsoft. At the same time, I think it's clear to say, that we're very focused on the customer, and giving the customer the experience that's important to them. We won't do -- will not do a Linux / Android phone. We won't do a Microsoft phone. Q: So no Windows Phone 7? A: We will continue to more broadly deliver the webOS-based phones that are in the market today, and Jon and his team have driven a strong roadmap for the future. Q: So does that mean you're going webOS only for phones? A: For smartphones it does. Our intent is to focus those resources and really make webOS the best OS it can be. That's a big ouch for Microsoft -- it has to sting when your biggest customer turns its back on your fledgling mobile efforts -- but we can't exactly see HP spending a billion dollars on Palm only to turn around and support multiple platforms. There is a small silver lining for Microsoft, though -- Bradley also reiterated that HP's tablet plans aren't so locked in, and once again hinted that the Windows 7-based HP Slate has become an enterprise product, which is at least better than being killed off entirely. Lose some, lose some slightly less, we suppose. Full video after the break -- the good bit starts around 5:20.
