Highlights from Mobile World Congress 2011

Yet another MWC got over. A record 60,000+ visitors, 1400+ booths and all that. Though I expected that the recently announced Nokia-Microsoft deal would be a dominant theme amongst visitors, I was wrong. It was Android, Android and some more Android. Sign of things to come.

Lets look at the keynotes of Google and Microsodt CEO. The first keynote speech was delivered by the outgoing Google Chairman and CEO, Eric Schmidt (watch the video here). He starts off by claiming Android is the fastest growing smartphone computer. With hundreds of devices and over 150,000+ apps, there is no need to validate his claim. With advances in hardware and data networks, he feels the next big thing would be cloud computing. He reminds that the smartphone sales has over taken PC sales (An year ago he thought it would take 2 years). He said that the futures is for masses and not for elites as information access is no more the privilege of a few elites.
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer in his keynote (video here) said that WP7 would be the most-operator friendly platform and would be good not just for Nokia, but for all. Stephen Elop talks about the Synergy between Nokia and Microsoft (OS features that are operator friendly, development tools for developers from Microsoft and all these combined with Nokia's strength is Industrial Design and Hardware).

Now, let us look at some new devices, starting with Samsung.

Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II seemed to attract a lot of people. LG also had several new devices, including Optimus 3D. The LG Optimus Black is an Android smartphone, packing a  new NOVA display. Sony Ericsson had XPERIA Play. HTC announced 5 new devices and a tablet. Motorola showcassed its Atrix smartphone powerhouse and PRO QWERTY bar. Here is the complete list of new devices.

Over to MWC 2012.

What Nokia should do?

Good for me that I'm not Stephen Elop. That shouldn't stop me from having an opinion though on what Nokia should be doing to become a dominant force again, while waiting curiously on what Elop would announce today.

1. Get rid of Symbian. Also, this can't happen overnight and a long transition time might be needed.  This questions comes with what to replace it with. Haven't seen WP7 much, but feel thats not a great choice, having some experience in the earlier WinMobile platforms. But both Microsoft and Nokia are under siege. It could be a great opportunity for both companies to work as a team and get some wonderful results. Both companies together has the resources and wherewithal to take on the likes of Google and Apple. Atleast from this perspective, some arrangement with Microsoft sounds like a logical choice. Also can it be Android? Perhaps. Would Nokia be able to swallow some pride in exchange of the eco system it brings (note Elop talks about the advantages of the eco-system in his memo). I don't think MeeGo will get to next level and won't be surprised if it is scrapped altogether.

2. Segment focus. Nokia has lost high-end segment to Apple and low-end to local manufacturers in India and China. Can Nokia work on a game changer on the high end segment in the long run and focus to get back the market share in low and mid segments where it has done extremely well in the last several years.

3. Service opportunities: Are there any really? I saw some teaching apps etc., which weren't that exciting. What about their music platform. Something lacks both of these and needs serious revamp.

4. Accessories: Nokia need to build a strong hardware eco-system right away similar to the lines Apple has (speakers, docks etc.,).

5. Mindset: I'm told they have a strong culture and its very difficult to change the mindset (which brought the crisis in the first place). Products should come out a lot faster, designs that should appeal a lot longer and phones should cater to local needs (in the low and mid segment).

Lets see what Elop does,

Nokia's burning

Had never seen/heard such an intense, brutally honest communication from any CEO. Yes, I'm referring to the leaked memo of Nokia's new CEO Stephen Elop. Interesting to wait the strategic shift he plans to announce on the 11th Feb. We will know whether Symbian would die, whether Nokia would embrace Android or as rumors suggest they would go with Windows Phone 7.

Thank you very much,


RamP!
ramp [dot] ramp [at] gmail [dot] com

Why Galileo?

Coming soon.

CES 2011 Highlights

Yet another CES concluded last week. Another big one, with over 2700 booths and 140,000 attendees makes one believe the economy is alive and kicking. Here are some highlights:






Tablets
iPad can expect to have some serious competition.  Analysts estimate that there are now over 80+ iPad clones including Asus (Eee Pad Slate), Lenovo (LePad) and Sharp (Galapagos). CNET chose Motorola's Xoom as best in show for 2011, but Moto wasn't alone in entering the Android tab fray. BlackBberry's tablet entry, the Playbook, also made its first appearance to massive crowds - and it stood apart from most other players simply because it's not built on Android, but rather on BlackBerry's operating system.

Connected Home
More and more devices would now be connected over your home network. Internet is now built into TVs, Ovens and Refrigerators.  Samsung and LG showcased their own versions of "SmartTV," both ripe with basic applications meant to enhance the TV viewing experience and keep the viewer connected. It will be really interesting to see how manufacturers and developers bring social functionality to the big screen. Facebook and Twitter are already there, but that's only the beginning. There were several new versions of networked  home theaters too, and some were going to support Apple's AirPlay technology. GE showing up for the first time in CES, had its focus on “smart” home technologies aimed to give attendees of the mammoth trade show an idea of how the company believes the “Connected Home of the Future” will operate. According to GE, the technologies showcased at CES 2011 “will help consumers reduce health- and energy-related costs and redefine the benchmark for household performance.”

Mobile Phones
The highlight clearly was Motorola's Atrix, a standard Android phone, but has several firsts, atleast for a mobile phone.  It plugs into a laptop shell to afford the user a full keyboard and larger screen. Moto is also making docks for other devices like TVs. The Atrix can output full 1080p video via its dock, making it an impressive machine for both productivity and entertainment. There was also a buzz of a slew of 4G devices from AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and other wireless carriers.

TVs
3D TVs made their debut in last year's CES. For the second year in a row, blurry, double-vision flat panels were visible everywhere - televisions that looked sharp only when you put on ridiculous-looking 3D glasses. Many of those glasses are just as big, heavy and expensive. Further, with new technologies, shrinking form factors shrinking and prices plummeting, the television biz is clearly ready for primetime in 2011. Some models go bigger, e.g. Mitsubishi’s new 92-inch 3D Home Cinema unit. Others, including the LG LW9500, add full-array LED backlighting for better colors and contrast, plus super-thin dimensions. But the most progressive promise glasses-free 3D or add WiFi compatibility for streaming music, movies and TV, or access to social networks, online video and games through downloadable apps.

There were some other small tidbits too:

• Apart from the iPad clones there were plenty of iPad cases, iPad holders, iPad keyboards, iPad chargers, iPad alarm clocks. Also, iPads had displaced laptops/PCs in the booths for presentations.
• Ultra-thin laptops and Blu-ray players such as Samsung’s 9 Series and BD-D7500 (a scant 1.1 inches deep, despite boasting WiFi connectivity and 2D-to-3D image upconversion). Other ultra-thin gadgets include: Smartphones like the 9.2mm thick LG Optimus Black, external hard drives such as Seagate’s minute GoFlex HDD and gizmos including Casio’s adjustable frame-sporting Tryx camera etc.,
• Some companies introduced Smart energy monitoring, as more and more devices in the home will start getting connected.
• Connected cars. Ford Sync continues to innovate and Hyundai was showing a very cool demo of an augmented-reality interface that's projected onto the windshield as you're driving. Toyota owners can soon enjoy in-car online searches, restaurant reservations and Internet radio courtesy of multimedia app system Entune. 

Thank you very much,


RamP!
ramp [dot] ramp [at] gmail [dot] com
 

Technologies behind Networked Audio

There are several technologies/standards that are needed to realize the next big thing - the networked audio. In a series of posts I'd be giving an overview of some of the following:

• Networking (Ethernet, WiFi, TCP/IP, UDP stacks)
• Streaming Protocols (WMS/MMS, Radea, Shoutcast etc.,)
• Audio decoders (MP3, WMA, FLAC, OCG, AAC etc.,)
• DRM (Cardea, Janus etc.,)
• Music Services (vTuner, Rhapsody, Napster, Sirius)
• UPnP/DLNA
• Win7/WLK

First we would be looking into UPnP/DLNA.

Apple buys Lala

In a very interesting move and sign of things to come, Apple confirmed that it has bought Lala.com for an undisclosed sum. With these Apple enters into streaming music which would increase its revenue. Lala.com has about 8 million songs available for streaming and purchase. Users can listen to a song in full before buying. Unlimited plays of a song on the Web cost 10 cents, and an MP3 download can be had for an additional 79 cents (as against iTunes price which ranges from 69cents to $1.29 per song.