Is the iPhone 4.0 enterprise worthy?

So I get a lot of questions about iPhone 4.0 and whether it's now "enterprise ready".

Hard to tell at the moment, although Apple seems to definitely go towards the right direction. After all, iPhone is already used in the enterprise, mainly due to the amazing popularity of it (over 50 million iPhones sold already!) and the fact some IT managers simply don't care about security as long as they get to play with the best toy in town…

Let's see what new stuff are there which can improve the way iPhone 4 will be accepted by enterprise companies:

Data Protection

Security enhancements in iPhone OS 4 protect email messages and attachments stored on iPhone 3GS by using the device passcode as an encryption key. New data protection APIs can be used for custom and commercial apps so that business-critical information is protected even if a device is compromised. One important security enhancement any IT manager will embrace.

Wireless App Distribution

iPhone OS 4 enables enterprises to securely host and wirelessly distribute in-house apps to employees over Wi-Fi and 3G. Apps can be updated without requiring users to connect to their computers or go through the AppStore – this is a basic demand by the enterprise, and finally organization will get some decent control over their iPhones.

Improved Mail

iPhone OS 4 allows users to set up multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts and now works with Exchange Server 2010. With the new unified inbox feature, users can see messages from all their email accounts conveniently displayed in a single inbox, or they can quickly switch between inboxes to see messages from any single account. If users receive an attachment that they want to save or edit, Mail now lets you open attachments with compatible apps from the App Store.

Once again, such a basic feature I would ask myself: "how did we use it so far without that one?"

Mobile Device Management

Deploying and managing large iPhone fleets will be even easier with iPhone OS 4. New Mobile Device Management APIs can be integrated with third-party solutions to wirelessly configure and update settings, monitor compliance with corporate policies, and even wipe or lock managed iPhone devices.

SSL VPN Support

SSL VPN support in iPhone OS 4 gives users another way to securely access enterprise resources. These new protocols can even be leveraged to connect seamlessly to a corporate network via VPN on Demand. Forthcoming apps from Juniper and Cisco will support SSL VPN on iPhone.

Cool…

So I guess my job here is done…

See you all in a few months when we will all be carrying an iPhone and all other vendors will completely disappear… :-)

More about the iPhone 4.0 Enterprise features

This post was originally published at the MobileFever.

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So I get a lot of questions about iPhone 4.0 and whether it's now "enterprise ready".

Hard to tell at the moment, although Apple seems to definitely go towards the right direction. After all, iPhone is already used in the enterprise, mainly due to the amazing popularity of it (over 50 million iPhones sold already!) and the fact some IT managers simply don't care about security as long as they get to play with the best toy in town…

Let's see what new stuff are there which can improve the way iPhone 4 will be accepted by enterprise companies:

Data Protection

Security enhancements in iPhone OS 4 protect email messages and attachments stored on iPhone 3GS by using the device passcode as an encryption key. New data protection APIs can be used for custom and commercial apps so that business-critical information is protected even if a device is compromised. One important security enhancement any IT manager will embrace.

Wireless App Distribution

iPhone OS 4 enables enterprises to securely host and wirelessly distribute in-house apps to employees over Wi-Fi and 3G. Apps can be updated without requiring users to connect to their computers or go through the AppStore – this is a basic demand by the enterprise, and finally organization will get some decent control over their iPhones.

Improved Mail

iPhone OS 4 allows users to set up multiple Exchange ActiveSync accounts and now works with Exchange Server 2010. With the new unified inbox feature, users can see messages from all their email accounts conveniently displayed in a single inbox, or they can quickly switch between inboxes to see messages from any single account. If users receive an attachment that they want to save or edit, Mail now lets you open attachments with compatible apps from the App Store.

Once again, such a basic feature I would ask myself: "how did we use it so far without that one?"

Mobile Device Management

Deploying and managing large iPhone fleets will be even easier with iPhone OS 4. New Mobile Device Management APIs can be integrated with third-party solutions to wirelessly configure and update settings, monitor compliance with corporate policies, and even wipe or lock managed iPhone devices.

SSL VPN Support

SSL VPN support in iPhone OS 4 gives users another way to securely access enterprise resources. These new protocols can even be leveraged to connect seamlessly to a corporate network via VPN on Demand. Forthcoming apps from Juniper and Cisco will support SSL VPN on iPhone.

Cool…

So I guess my job here is done…

See you all in a few months when we will all be carrying an iPhone and all other vendors will completely disappear… :-)

More about the iPhone 4.0 Enterprise features

This post was originally published at the MobileFever.

HP will acquire Palm

 

So now it's official. Not HTC, not Lenovo, it's HP.

HP, what do you mean "what HP?", the one that used to create the iPaq devices, remember them?

“Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “And, Palm possesses significant IP assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market.”

HP will purchase Palm at a price of $5.70 per share of Palm common stock in cash or an enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion.

Palm's webOS might get a serious boost now, with a powerful company such as HP pushing it. It may also mean HP will stop developing Windows Phones, therefore another piece of bad news to Microsoft…

You can find the formal press release in here.

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So now it's official. Not HTC, not Lenovo, it's HP.

HP, what do you mean "what HP?", the one that used to create the iPaq devices, remember them?

“Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “And, Palm possesses significant IP assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market.”

HP will purchase Palm at a price of $5.70 per share of Palm common stock in cash or an enterprise value of approximately $1.2 billion.

Palm's webOS might get a serious boost now, with a powerful company such as HP pushing it. It may also mean HP will stop developing Windows Phones, therefore another piece of bad news to Microsoft…

You can find the formal press release in here.

Smartphones reviews at the MobileSpoon

With so many smartphones out there I am often being asked for my opinion about the new ones; Droid, Nexus, HD2, BlackBerry, iPhone etc.

So first, I must say, I have been changing my mind from time to time, phones are evolving, companies are changing their design, operating systems are changing and fast.

I can tell you that 2 years ago I was using a Windows Mobile phone, then I switched to an iPhone, went all the way to a BlackBerry device and now I'm back to the iPhone.

Every now and then I change my main phone to be a new model for the same of investigation and research, and therefore, my view of things evolves together with the changes in the mobile world.

Here's a list of some of the smartphones reviews we had here at the MobileSpoon – Enjoy!

iPhone vs. Android vs. WinMo vs. WebOS vs. BlackBerry – Fight! Why settle with a single review when we can compare them all together!? Here's some thoughts about the different mobile OS out there…

MobileSpoon Reviews The Nexus One: I was excited to put my hands on this precious gadget, but I was very much disappointed. It's not that bad, but my expectations were high, and I'm definitely not a fan of this one.

Samsung Omnia 2 – The Magic Is Gone: Same here, high expectations, very low satisfaction from a company I really like and a device that in its' first version made me really happy. Here too, I didn't find what I was looking for.

Review- One Night Stand With HTC HD2: what can I say? The beast of Windows Mobile, the animal, amazing specs, great shell disguise but same old Windows Mobile beneath it.

Review- HTC Touch Pro 2: I did not like the first Touch pro too much, this one is much better, but still a bit chubby for my pocket…

The Truth About The BlackBerry Bold: One of my favorites. Nothing fancy, nothing fun, but a working machine, that works, just like old refrigerators…

One night stand with BlackBerry Storm: The proof that RIM is not free of making mistakes… at least in my opinion. I would stick with the current form factor and leave the screen only style to Apple…

Other Smartphones Reviews:

HTC Touch HD Thoughts - Part #1
HTC Touch Pro is in the house!
Samsung Omnia Thoughts - Week #2

History of PDAs - Part #1
History of PDAs - Part #2
History of PDAs - Part #3

Enjoy the read!

Gil Bouhnick

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With so many smartphones out there I am often being asked for my opinion about the new ones; Droid, Nexus, HD2, BlackBerry, iPhone etc.

So first, I must say, I have been changing my mind from time to time, phones are evolving, companies are changing their design, operating systems are changing and fast.

I can tell you that 2 years ago I was using a Windows Mobile phone, then I switched to an iPhone, went all the way to a BlackBerry device and now I'm back to the iPhone.

Every now and then I change my main phone to be a new model for the same of investigation and research, and therefore, my view of things evolves together with the changes in the mobile world.

Here's a list of some of the smartphones reviews we had here at the MobileSpoon – Enjoy!

iPhone vs. Android vs. WinMo vs. WebOS vs. BlackBerry – Fight! Why settle with a single review when we can compare them all together!? Here's some thoughts about the different mobile OS out there…

MobileSpoon Reviews The Nexus One: I was excited to put my hands on this precious gadget, but I was very much disappointed. It's not that bad, but my expectations were high, and I'm definitely not a fan of this one.

Samsung Omnia 2 – The Magic Is Gone: Same here, high expectations, very low satisfaction from a company I really like and a device that in its' first version made me really happy. Here too, I didn't find what I was looking for.

Review- One Night Stand With HTC HD2: what can I say? The beast of Windows Mobile, the animal, amazing specs, great shell disguise but same old Windows Mobile beneath it.

Review- HTC Touch Pro 2: I did not like the first Touch pro too much, this one is much better, but still a bit chubby for my pocket…

The Truth About The BlackBerry Bold: One of my favorites. Nothing fancy, nothing fun, but a working machine, that works, just like old refrigerators…

One night stand with BlackBerry Storm: The proof that RIM is not free of making mistakes… at least in my opinion. I would stick with the current form factor and leave the screen only style to Apple…

Other Smartphones Reviews:

HTC Touch HD Thoughts - Part #1
HTC Touch Pro is in the house!
Samsung Omnia Thoughts - Week #2

History of PDAs - Part #1
History of PDAs - Part #2
History of PDAs - Part #3

Enjoy the read!

Gil Bouhnick

BlackBerry 6.0 Images Leaked

With all the fuss around Nexus One, Droid, iPad, iPhone 4.0 and Windows Phone 7, it seems like the second best biggest smartphones maker RIM has been completely forgotten.

Well, don't let the silence fool you: according to BGR, the sixth version of BlackBerry OS is in the making and first images start to leak.

 

BGR made some good points about the new UI:

"Something big for OS 6.0 is the homescreen. While we didn’t see any sort of widget support, it appears RIM has made the homescreen completely customizable with pages. You can have your applications on the main page, then slide left or right to another page with different applications and browse that way. In the homescreen screenshot above, you’ll see a sliding field towards the bottom, and you can slide that up, and reveal the first page of applications, and you can then slide that to show the different groups which correspond to the different homescreen page. Favorites, all, home, etc.

Another big thing for OS 6.0 is modal popups with gestures. If you tap and hold (obviously a touchscreen device is required), you’ll get a 9 icon group centered on the screen which is basically a pretty context menu. For instance, you could be composing an email, and instead of pressing Menu + Send, you could tap and hold on the email, see the popup window, and hit the send icon there. Another use would be when emailing photos or videos from your device, just tap and hold on an item there, see the popup, and then just send the item. That way you don’t have to deal with going through the normal menu options which has gotten convoluted with all the various social services/networks available."

You can read more about it in here.

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With all the fuss around Nexus One, Droid, iPad, iPhone 4.0 and Windows Phone 7, it seems like the second best biggest smartphones maker RIM has been completely forgotten.

Well, don't let the silence fool you: according to BGR, the sixth version of BlackBerry OS is in the making and first images start to leak.

 

BGR made some good points about the new UI:

"Something big for OS 6.0 is the homescreen. While we didn’t see any sort of widget support, it appears RIM has made the homescreen completely customizable with pages. You can have your applications on the main page, then slide left or right to another page with different applications and browse that way. In the homescreen screenshot above, you’ll see a sliding field towards the bottom, and you can slide that up, and reveal the first page of applications, and you can then slide that to show the different groups which correspond to the different homescreen page. Favorites, all, home, etc.

Another big thing for OS 6.0 is modal popups with gestures. If you tap and hold (obviously a touchscreen device is required), you’ll get a 9 icon group centered on the screen which is basically a pretty context menu. For instance, you could be composing an email, and instead of pressing Menu + Send, you could tap and hold on the email, see the popup window, and hit the send icon there. Another use would be when emailing photos or videos from your device, just tap and hold on an item there, see the popup, and then just send the item. That way you don’t have to deal with going through the normal menu options which has gotten convoluted with all the various social services/networks available."

You can read more about it in here.

So this is iPhone 4!

Gizmodo has some exclusive pictures of what seems to be the next iPhone model. Appearantly one of Apple’s prototype model was lost and the person who found it was “kind” enough to make some money out of it…

Still, if you are into some gossip, news and iPhone, you wouldn’t want to miss that one: http://gizmodo.com/5520164/this-is-apples-next-iphone?skyline=true&s=i

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Gizmodo has some exclusive pictures of what seems to be the next iPhone model. Appearantly one of Apple’s prototype model was lost and the person who found it was “kind” enough to make some money out of it…

Still, if you are into some gossip, news and iPhone, you wouldn’t want to miss that one: http://gizmodo.com/5520164/this-is-apples-next-iphone?skyline=true&s=i

JAMM Interviews SPB Software

Our friends over at JAMM have recently published an interesting interview with the men behind SPB Software, CEO Sebastian-Justus Schmidt and COO Vassili Philippov.

SPB Software delivers the best Windows Mobile applications and shells in my opinion, worth reading.

Check out JAMM interviews SPB Software

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Our friends over at JAMM have recently published an interesting interview with the men behind SPB Software, CEO Sebastian-Justus Schmidt and COO Vassili Philippov.

SPB Software delivers the best Windows Mobile applications and shells in my opinion, worth reading.

Check out JAMM interviews SPB Software

Why should HTC buy Palm?

Well, firstly, because I want it to. Secondly, because it makes sense.

You see, HTC may prove to the world it is capable of developing and executing when it comes to cutting edge design, great specs and modern mobile technology. but in my opinion, HTC's work lacks a good innovation; in most cases, the company's so called "innovation" is more about taking good ideas that other invented. In the cases when the ideas are really original – they suck (take the bizarre zoom bar of the Diamond/Pro 2 as an example, or the worst-ever-created-D-Pad that was part of the first Diamond/Touch Pro versions.

Palm, on the other hand, is a company full of innovation and genuineness (just the kind of stuff HTC tries to "steal" according to Apple's lawsuit…) . But as much as the company tries to, it just cannot execute well…

So here's my proposal: HTC, you buy Palm. No no no, I don't want to hear a word about it! Sure, it's not cheap, but you can effort it…
You will let the Palm guys do the creative thinking while your folks will be responsible of the efficient execution and the high performance work. (oh, and passing all those patents to HTC of course to solve some of the mess with Apple…).

Together, it might even work!

Great design, best specs, a dedicated operating system, a bunch of new devices (think about the Nexus One running webOS…) – it's going to be cool.

Last time you worked together we got the Treo 750 – still my favorite WinMo device ever!

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Well, firstly, because I want it to. Secondly, because it makes sense.

You see, HTC may prove to the world it is capable of developing and executing when it comes to cutting edge design, great specs and modern mobile technology. but in my opinion, HTC's work lacks a good innovation; in most cases, the company's so called "innovation" is more about taking good ideas that other invented. In the cases when the ideas are really original – they suck (take the bizarre zoom bar of the Diamond/Pro 2 as an example, or the worst-ever-created-D-Pad that was part of the first Diamond/Touch Pro versions.

Palm, on the other hand, is a company full of innovation and genuineness (just the kind of stuff HTC tries to "steal" according to Apple's lawsuit…) . But as much as the company tries to, it just cannot execute well…

So here's my proposal: HTC, you buy Palm. No no no, I don't want to hear a word about it! Sure, it's not cheap, but you can effort it…
You will let the Palm guys do the creative thinking while your folks will be responsible of the efficient execution and the high performance work. (oh, and passing all those patents to HTC of course to solve some of the mess with Apple…).

Together, it might even work!

Great design, best specs, a dedicated operating system, a bunch of new devices (think about the Nexus One running webOS…) – it's going to be cool.

Last time you worked together we got the Treo 750 – still my favorite WinMo device ever!

Meet Microsoft's Kin One and Kin Two

Microsoft has announced what we've been calling "project pink" as the Kin One and Kin Two. (which reminds me that few months ago I doubted if the rumors are true or not, but it seems that ALL RUMORS ARE ALWAYS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

Anyways, back to Microsoft and the new Kin Phones:

The 2 new social network focused feature phones were manufactured by Sharp.
According to EngadgetMobile "The devices are being marketed as Windows Phones, and while they're ultimately based on most of the same underpinnings of Windows Phone 7, it's a distinctly and totally different experience -- the entire user interface is custom to Kin with a heavy social media slant, a custom browser (we're told it's based on the Zune's browser), and surprisingly, zero support for third-party apps. The displays are capacitive with support for multitouch (yes, you can pinch and zoom in the browser), but there's no support for in-browser Flash or Silverlight."

  

What else do we know?

Sliding keyboard for both devices, Silverlight anywhere – as part of the main shell and apps. Cloud based pictures app synching the pictures with the website (plus the Kin Studio, which is the desktop application to sync details with your computer), 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 4GB internal storage for the Kin One, 8GB for the Kin Two which also has an HVGA landscape display.

The shell is based on the Zune, but seems to be a customized UI on top of it. It's definitely not Windows Phone 7 and it has not development tools so far.

The main UI is based on rectangles with social network panels (called the loop) and the special sharing spot (called the… spot… surprisingly…) where you just need to drag an item and drop it on the spot in order to share it with your virtual geeky friends.

Check out the following video from MobileCrunch

Visit MobileCrunch for some really important notes about those feature phones.

Loads of details and videos in http://kin.com/

Bottom line: not a new operating system, just a couple of nice features phone, one of them even looks nice, focused on social network, user experience and a good camera. That's all.

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Microsoft has announced what we've been calling "project pink" as the Kin One and Kin Two. (which reminds me that few months ago I doubted if the rumors are true or not, but it seems that ALL RUMORS ARE ALWAYS ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

Anyways, back to Microsoft and the new Kin Phones:

The 2 new social network focused feature phones were manufactured by Sharp.
According to EngadgetMobile "The devices are being marketed as Windows Phones, and while they're ultimately based on most of the same underpinnings of Windows Phone 7, it's a distinctly and totally different experience -- the entire user interface is custom to Kin with a heavy social media slant, a custom browser (we're told it's based on the Zune's browser), and surprisingly, zero support for third-party apps. The displays are capacitive with support for multitouch (yes, you can pinch and zoom in the browser), but there's no support for in-browser Flash or Silverlight."

  

What else do we know?

Sliding keyboard for both devices, Silverlight anywhere – as part of the main shell and apps. Cloud based pictures app synching the pictures with the website (plus the Kin Studio, which is the desktop application to sync details with your computer), 5 megapixel camera with LED flash, 4GB internal storage for the Kin One, 8GB for the Kin Two which also has an HVGA landscape display.

The shell is based on the Zune, but seems to be a customized UI on top of it. It's definitely not Windows Phone 7 and it has not development tools so far.

The main UI is based on rectangles with social network panels (called the loop) and the special sharing spot (called the… spot… surprisingly…) where you just need to drag an item and drop it on the spot in order to share it with your virtual geeky friends.

Check out the following video from MobileCrunch

Visit MobileCrunch for some really important notes about those feature phones.

Loads of details and videos in http://kin.com/

Bottom line: not a new operating system, just a couple of nice features phone, one of them even looks nice, focused on social network, user experience and a good camera. That's all.

10 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Selecting and Deploying a Mobile Solution

ClickSoftware's MobileFever blog has a detailed 10 chapters guide discussing common mistakes organization may perform when selecting and deploying a mobile solution.

The guide is currently being built (a new tip every day) and so far the following mistakes (followed by actions how to avoid them) have been published:

Mistake #1: Neglecting the Field Users 
Mistake #2: Being the first to try new technologies 
Mistake #3: Selecting the wrong mobile device
Mistake #4: Compromising on usability

Check out the site for some other mobility tips such as the Mobile Field Testing section and the How to select a mobile device section.

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ClickSoftware's MobileFever blog has a detailed 10 chapters guide discussing common mistakes organization may perform when selecting and deploying a mobile solution.

The guide is currently being built (a new tip every day) and so far the following mistakes (followed by actions how to avoid them) have been published:

Mistake #1: Neglecting the Field Users 
Mistake #2: Being the first to try new technologies 
Mistake #3: Selecting the wrong mobile device
Mistake #4: Compromising on usability

Check out the site for some other mobility tips such as the Mobile Field Testing section and the How to select a mobile device section.

iPad…

Found it accidentally while searching for something...

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Found it accidentally while searching for something...

The best gadget in the world

I would like to present to you the best gadget in the world. The thing that every gadgets fan must have, the gadget that no gadgets collection is complete without it.

Nope, it's not the iPhone.

And no, it's not that great looking Nexus One besides the iPhone.

It's that thing in the middle – the amazing Decepticon Ravage Memory Stick.

And it's mine.

Yep, you may recognize that ring by now, that's my hand holding this piece of beauty.

Thank you 'Y'  for this lovely gift. It's a keeper.

Oh, and it's 2G memory too!

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I would like to present to you the best gadget in the world. The thing that every gadgets fan must have, the gadget that no gadgets collection is complete without it.

Nope, it's not the iPhone.

And no, it's not that great looking Nexus One besides the iPhone.

It's that thing in the middle – the amazing Decepticon Ravage Memory Stick.

And it's mine.

Yep, you may recognize that ring by now, that's my hand holding this piece of beauty.

Thank you 'Y'  for this lovely gift. It's a keeper.

Oh, and it's 2G memory too!

iPad – get used to the Lego…

The Flash Blog published an effective list of screenshots presenting the problematic no-flash-support of Apple's iPad. Here's my own version of it (tribute to one of the classics…):

Original screenshot can be found in here.

Oh, and regarding the blue Lego, I just want to comment that Lego was one of my favorites games when I was a child, it's a brilliant way to develop and encourage creativity for kids…

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The Flash Blog published an effective list of screenshots presenting the problematic no-flash-support of Apple's iPad. Here's my own version of it (tribute to one of the classics…):

Original screenshot can be found in here.

Oh, and regarding the blue Lego, I just want to comment that Lego was one of my favorites games when I was a child, it's a brilliant way to develop and encourage creativity for kids…

How to: change the location of the lock slider in Windows Mobile 6.5

Windows Mobile 6.5 includes a lot of great UI improvements meant to make the good old OS more finger friendly and up to date.

One of the annoying things Microsoft has done was to place the Lock slider button so high, you practicaly need to stretch your finger every time you unlock your phone.

PocketNow.com found 2 solutions: the Lock Slider on the bottom of the screen for those who like it to be a-la-iPhone style, or Slider at the middle of the screen to get the results in the image below:

 

[Source]

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Windows Mobile 6.5 includes a lot of great UI improvements meant to make the good old OS more finger friendly and up to date.

One of the annoying things Microsoft has done was to place the Lock slider button so high, you practicaly need to stretch your finger every time you unlock your phone.

PocketNow.com found 2 solutions: the Lock Slider on the bottom of the screen for those who like it to be a-la-iPhone style, or Slider at the middle of the screen to get the results in the image below:

 

[Source]

JooJoo Tablet UI Overview

Tablets fashion continues, and Engadget had a nice video review of the JooJoo tablet.

I can't say I'm too impressed…

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Tablets fashion continues, and Engadget had a nice video review of the JooJoo tablet.

I can't say I'm too impressed…

iPhone 4.0 Vs. Future Windows Phone 7

It's no secret that Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 seems to be designed according to many of the Apple'e iPhone principals (many of the limitations are the same, stressing out the consumer side of the platform neglecting the "mini computer" approach of Windows Mobile).
 
Some Windows Mobile fans may not like this direction Microsoft is taking, but on the other hand, there are so little true Windows Mobile fans left in the world – it may not be such a bad idea to change the direction…

EngadgetMobile had recently published a very interesting comparison between iPhone 4.0 and the anticipated Windows Phone 7.

Head over and check out the entire list in here.

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

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It's no secret that Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 seems to be designed according to many of the Apple'e iPhone principals (many of the limitations are the same, stressing out the consumer side of the platform neglecting the "mini computer" approach of Windows Mobile).
 
Some Windows Mobile fans may not like this direction Microsoft is taking, but on the other hand, there are so little true Windows Mobile fans left in the world – it may not be such a bad idea to change the direction…

EngadgetMobile had recently published a very interesting comparison between iPhone 4.0 and the anticipated Windows Phone 7.

Head over and check out the entire list in here.

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

iPhone 4.0 Features Summary

OK, so what do we have here? iPhone 4.0 is now official, will arrive this summer. It will bring much of the things we all wanted and knew it will bring, and probably a new hardware as well.

Here are the key enhancements we've collected:

Email improvements: multiple email accounts, ability to open attachments with specific application. An obvious thing to add considering the competition…

Obvious Enterprise relates enhancements: mobile device management, wireless ad-hoc app distribution, and SSL VPN support. I'm saying obvious, because whether Apple planned it or not, their baby is getting some enterprise love but was not optimized for it, now with the latest enhancements there are no more excuses.

Folders: Ha! I had this working (hack) a year ago!
Folders help users better organize and quickly access their apps. Simply drag one app icon onto another, and a new folder is automatically created. The folder is automatically given a name based on the App Store category of that app, such as "Games," which the user can easily rename. Using folders, users can now organize and access over 2,000 apps on their iPhone.

5x digital zoom: Probably means a better camera is coming over with iPhone 4.0, nice improvement.

Game Center: Hey, can it be that Microsoft has yet again missed the train with this one? Apple now has its very own hodgepodge clone of Xbox Live and the Playstation Network. Game Center offers services like: leaderboards, game achievements, and the ability to make and keep tabs on friends. Not sure I will ever use it, but it's there.

iAd: Google, meet your enemy; Apple. Apple, this is Google, your arch-fiend. Apple will be paying 60% of the ads income to the developers. That's a LOT.

The iAd seems to be an interesting concept, probably the biggest item in this list: The theory here is that instead of relying on links to external websites, which pull users out of apps whenever they tap on an ad, developers can use Apple's new tools to keep people in the app while still showing them advertising—sort of like popover browser windows. You can watch videos, play games, and even buy apps from within these ads. This is in the iPhone OS 4 developer tools, but it's not explicitly a part of OS 4, so you won't see apps with iAds until later this year. Full details here.

Obvious Multi-tasking: well well well, we finally got to the biggest enhancement. The thing that was lacking in any previous iPhone version. We feel the implementation is pretty elegant in terms of the user experience, but since all the poor developers now must implement it in their apps, we feel a slight disappointment. The fact that it will only be supported from iPhone 3GS does not make it better of course…

Fast app switching: All apps can now be frozen, in full, so that when you reopen them, they're restored to exactly the state they were in when they were closed.
Switching between apps will be simple, using double click on the home button.

Bottom line: no innovation this time, just some basic things missing from the original version of the iPhone.

If you ask my opinion – iPhone still leads the smartphones way, but, gaps are being closed. Apple needs to find something new to innovate with. Most of the list above are things that exist in other platforms.

On the other hand, all the other platforms are simply not iPhone.

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OK, so what do we have here? iPhone 4.0 is now official, will arrive this summer. It will bring much of the things we all wanted and knew it will bring, and probably a new hardware as well.

Here are the key enhancements we've collected:

Email improvements: multiple email accounts, ability to open attachments with specific application. An obvious thing to add considering the competition…

Obvious Enterprise relates enhancements: mobile device management, wireless ad-hoc app distribution, and SSL VPN support. I'm saying obvious, because whether Apple planned it or not, their baby is getting some enterprise love but was not optimized for it, now with the latest enhancements there are no more excuses.

Folders: Ha! I had this working (hack) a year ago!
Folders help users better organize and quickly access their apps. Simply drag one app icon onto another, and a new folder is automatically created. The folder is automatically given a name based on the App Store category of that app, such as "Games," which the user can easily rename. Using folders, users can now organize and access over 2,000 apps on their iPhone.

5x digital zoom: Probably means a better camera is coming over with iPhone 4.0, nice improvement.

Game Center: Hey, can it be that Microsoft has yet again missed the train with this one? Apple now has its very own hodgepodge clone of Xbox Live and the Playstation Network. Game Center offers services like: leaderboards, game achievements, and the ability to make and keep tabs on friends. Not sure I will ever use it, but it's there.

iAd: Google, meet your enemy; Apple. Apple, this is Google, your arch-fiend. Apple will be paying 60% of the ads income to the developers. That's a LOT.

The iAd seems to be an interesting concept, probably the biggest item in this list: The theory here is that instead of relying on links to external websites, which pull users out of apps whenever they tap on an ad, developers can use Apple's new tools to keep people in the app while still showing them advertising—sort of like popover browser windows. You can watch videos, play games, and even buy apps from within these ads. This is in the iPhone OS 4 developer tools, but it's not explicitly a part of OS 4, so you won't see apps with iAds until later this year. Full details here.

Obvious Multi-tasking: well well well, we finally got to the biggest enhancement. The thing that was lacking in any previous iPhone version. We feel the implementation is pretty elegant in terms of the user experience, but since all the poor developers now must implement it in their apps, we feel a slight disappointment. The fact that it will only be supported from iPhone 3GS does not make it better of course…

Fast app switching: All apps can now be frozen, in full, so that when you reopen them, they're restored to exactly the state they were in when they were closed.
Switching between apps will be simple, using double click on the home button.

Bottom line: no innovation this time, just some basic things missing from the original version of the iPhone.

If you ask my opinion – iPhone still leads the smartphones way, but, gaps are being closed. Apple needs to find something new to innovate with. Most of the list above are things that exist in other platforms.

On the other hand, all the other platforms are simply not iPhone.

Windows Mobile still worth a medal

PocketNow.com, one of my favorite sites has recently published an interesting article about smartphones OS numbers in US And Europe, in which it seems like despite the fact most of the technology blogs enjoy spanking Windows Mobile almost on a daily basis – it is still among the strongest mobile platforms out there.

The study was conducted by comScore, a leader company in measuring the digital world.

Check out the following charts (sorry for those horrible colors – it's not my work…):

What an amazing difference when it comes to Symbian.

Microsoft is in the 3rd place in both charts.

[Source]

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PocketNow.com, one of my favorite sites has recently published an interesting article about smartphones OS numbers in US And Europe, in which it seems like despite the fact most of the technology blogs enjoy spanking Windows Mobile almost on a daily basis – it is still among the strongest mobile platforms out there.

The study was conducted by comScore, a leader company in measuring the digital world.

Check out the following charts (sorry for those horrible colors – it's not my work…):

What an amazing difference when it comes to Symbian.

Microsoft is in the 3rd place in both charts.

[Source]

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

First Windows Phone 7 Apps Demonstrated

Nice examples of Windows Phone 7 apps can be found in the official site – if you want to get a sneak preview – head over to the Windows Phone site and check it out!

 

More Windows Phone 7 news in here

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Nice examples of Windows Phone 7 apps can be found in the official site – if you want to get a sneak preview – head over to the Windows Phone site and check it out!

 

More Windows Phone 7 news in here

HP Slate Vs. Apple iPad

Tablets, all over. Here, at The Mobile Spoon, we do not plan to change the theme of the site to tablets, but since it is an interesting topic, and the mobile world will soon include those new devices as legitimate mobile gadgets everyone will carry in the bag, I do intend to relate to tablets every now and then.

The HP Slate is not released yet, but running a multi-threaded-powerful-PC-like platform such as Windows 7 – it will probably be stronger than the iPad but as usual, less usable/finger friendly and all the usual stuff…

Recently there has been a specs comparison (made by HP) showing some differences between the Slate and the iPad. (read our first iPad reviews summary)

The noticeable differences are the CPU, camera and battery time. While the first 2 are better in the HP Slate, the battery time might become a problem (5 hours is really short time comparing to iPad's 10 hours or the netbooks standard 8-10 hours).

Still, check out the entire comparison image (click to enlarge):

Check out this HP Slate's introduction video from CES:

 

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Tablets, all over. Here, at The Mobile Spoon, we do not plan to change the theme of the site to tablets, but since it is an interesting topic, and the mobile world will soon include those new devices as legitimate mobile gadgets everyone will carry in the bag, I do intend to relate to tablets every now and then.

The HP Slate is not released yet, but running a multi-threaded-powerful-PC-like platform such as Windows 7 – it will probably be stronger than the iPad but as usual, less usable/finger friendly and all the usual stuff…

Recently there has been a specs comparison (made by HP) showing some differences between the Slate and the iPad. (read our first iPad reviews summary)

The noticeable differences are the CPU, camera and battery time. While the first 2 are better in the HP Slate, the battery time might become a problem (5 hours is really short time comparing to iPad's 10 hours or the netbooks standard 8-10 hours).

Still, check out the entire comparison image (click to enlarge):

Check out this HP Slate's introduction video from CES:

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

U1 Hybrid Mini Tablet

Well, as we anticipated, we are witnessing a true mini tablets "mini revolution". Not yet noticeable in the field, coffee shops etc, but definitely something which is building up.

As part of our search for some interesting Apple's iPad alternatives, we encountered the U1 Hybrid tablet. Looks pretty nice. It's not running Windows 7, but it has a darn cool netbook cover – I like it:

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Well, as we anticipated, we are witnessing a true mini tablets "mini revolution". Not yet noticeable in the field, coffee shops etc, but definitely something which is building up.

As part of our search for some interesting Apple's iPad alternatives, we encountered the U1 Hybrid tablet. Looks pretty nice. It's not running Windows 7, but it has a darn cool netbook cover – I like it:

iPhone 4 is coming!

After getting tired of Windows Mobile, bored with BlackBerry, and disappointed with the Android, I am now an official iPhone fan.

I will never replace my iPhone 3G!

Oh, wait a minute… what is that? iPhone 4 is coming?
 
Damn that was fast. Well, I must get this one then… This Thursday we will be able to officially see what is going to come in the 4th version of iPhone:

Nexus One: MobileSpoon Reviews The Nexus One

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After getting tired of Windows Mobile, bored with BlackBerry, and disappointed with the Android, I am now an official iPhone fan.

I will never replace my iPhone 3G!

Oh, wait a minute… what is that? iPhone 4 is coming?
 
Damn that was fast. Well, I must get this one then… This Thursday we will be able to officially see what is going to come in the 4th version of iPhone:

Nexus One: MobileSpoon Reviews The Nexus One

Gadgets History

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40% of Blackberry users are willing to trade in for an iPhone

Crowd Science has recently published an interesting survey results in which it seems like more BlackBerry users are ready to switch their device comparing to iPhone or Android users.

According to the results, "Nearly 40% of Blackberry users continue to prefer Apple's iPhone as their next smartphone purchase, but a third of them would also switch to the Android operating system, according to the second smartphone brand loyalty survey conducted semi-annually via Crowd Science's (www.crowdscience.com) advanced research platform for online audience measurement. The Crowd Scientists also found Android users rivaling iPhone users in loyalty, with about 90% of each user group planning to stick with their current brand when buying their next phone."

Personally, I can understand why BlackBerry users feel a little bit "left out" at the moment. Using both BlackBerry and iPhone, I can really see the difference: while every day I get to try and enjoy new innovative apps or just cool games with my iPhone – all I do with my BlackBerry is sending work emails and… call people. Basic – yes, productive – yes, fun? nope.

Does it mean BlackBerry users will gradually switch to iPhone or Android? I think that the answer is that they are already doing it (by the latest sales results) – but it will not be as fast as it seems, because many BlackBerry users are using BlackBerry as part of they organization mobile strategy, and those policies will not change so fast.

Read the full report in here

0 comments | Read more...

Crowd Science has recently published an interesting survey results in which it seems like more BlackBerry users are ready to switch their device comparing to iPhone or Android users.

According to the results, "Nearly 40% of Blackberry users continue to prefer Apple's iPhone as their next smartphone purchase, but a third of them would also switch to the Android operating system, according to the second smartphone brand loyalty survey conducted semi-annually via Crowd Science's (www.crowdscience.com) advanced research platform for online audience measurement. The Crowd Scientists also found Android users rivaling iPhone users in loyalty, with about 90% of each user group planning to stick with their current brand when buying their next phone."

Personally, I can understand why BlackBerry users feel a little bit "left out" at the moment. Using both BlackBerry and iPhone, I can really see the difference: while every day I get to try and enjoy new innovative apps or just cool games with my iPhone – all I do with my BlackBerry is sending work emails and… call people. Basic – yes, productive – yes, fun? nope.

Does it mean BlackBerry users will gradually switch to iPhone or Android? I think that the answer is that they are already doing it (by the latest sales results) – but it will not be as fast as it seems, because many BlackBerry users are using BlackBerry as part of they organization mobile strategy, and those policies will not change so fast.

Read the full report in here

No series in Windows Phone 7. In the name, that is…

According to the Windows Phone 7 twitter – Microsoft just dropped the name ‘Series’ from Windows Phone 7.

Does it mean we will not have a series of phones and just one? Of course not, but it does mean it will be much easier to talk and write about Windows Phone 7.

I have another suggestion; how about we call it Windows Mobile 7? We are all used to the name already…

1 comments | Read more...

According to the Windows Phone 7 twitter – Microsoft just dropped the name ‘Series’ from Windows Phone 7.

Does it mean we will not have a series of phones and just one? Of course not, but it does mean it will be much easier to talk and write about Windows Phone 7.

I have another suggestion; how about we call it Windows Mobile 7? We are all used to the name already…

HTC HD2 Vs. Nexus One – Fight!

Great video presenting a mobile fight between HTC Touch HD2 and Google's (HTC) Nexus One.

We've been reviewing both devices lately and tend to agree with the results (although I would give less points to both of the contenders…)

The Mobile Spoon reviews Nexus One
The Mobile Spoon reviews HTC Touch HD2

Enjoy the show! (full article)

 

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Great video presenting a mobile fight between HTC Touch HD2 and Google's (HTC) Nexus One.

We've been reviewing both devices lately and tend to agree with the results (although I would give less points to both of the contenders…)

The Mobile Spoon reviews Nexus One
The Mobile Spoon reviews HTC Touch HD2

Enjoy the show! (full article)

 

If you like this post, subscribe to our RSS Feed.

iPad first reviews are out – here is a summary

So Apple's iPad is here, the lines in the stores will soon arrive as well. I've said in the past that without a decent multi-tasking I am not going to get one (and I'm sure multi-tasking will come in a few months too…). I've also said that in a few years we will all have iPad or iPad like device.

The mobile world will probably get something out of it, as it got from the iPod and iPhone. I'm not sure what exactly, but I can imagine a wave of mini-tablets coming with different OS running on it form Windows 7 to Chrome or even Android. It's going to be interesting to see how this market will evolve. 

After reading many of the recent reviews – here are some highlights notes followed by quotes and links:

The highlights:

Wicked fast device - most of the reviewers said that.

Lack of webcam seems to be a major problem.

The keyboard got some positive reviews  but mostly negative ones. It's going to be harder to type with it, that's for sure. But hey, this device is mostly for consuming content, not creating one – right?

Battery life seems to be around 10 to 12 hours.

Browser performs well, screen size makes web site look & feel the way they should, and there is not flash (but we all knew that, right?)

Reading books seems OK in general except for a few reviewers mentioning hard reading in the sun light, or in bed, comparing to regular books or the Kindle. Colors can cause reading issues but who cares, as long as there's this Apple magic UI touch as always.

Form Factor: easy to use, comfortable to place it on the knee when sitting without burning the leg. Not a laptop replacement mainly due to multi-tasking and keyboard, but once again – it's not a laptop killer. 

Satisfaction rate – seems to be high by all the reviewers. Apple just knows how to make a gadget that makes you happy and satisfied when you are doing just the basic things.

Here are some interesting quotes (taken from Gizmodo's great reviews summary):

Andy Ihnatko (Chicago Sun-Times):

The iPad user experience is instantly compelling and elegant. It's not every computer and every function. It's a computer that's designed for speed, mobility, and tactile interaction above all other considerations.

David Pogue (NYT'):

The iPad is not a laptop. It's not nearly as good for creating stuff. On the other hand, it's infinitely more convenient for consuming it - books, music, video, photos, Web, e-mail and so on. For most people, manipulating these digital materials directly by touching them is a completely new experience - and a deeply satisfying one

Tim Gideon (PC Mag):

Is the iPad a perfect product? No. And the omissions will give the anti-Apple crowd plenty of ammo. Why do I need this extra device that's not a full-fledged laptop? Where's the camera? What about Flash? Um, how about multitasking? These are all valid complaints, but one thing I can say about most Apple products, and certainly the iPad: There may be things it doesn't do, but what it does do, it does remarkably well. Aside from the aforementioned limitations, there isn't a lot else to gripe about. And to my great surprise, you can actually get real work done with the iPad

Edward Baig (USA Today):

Apple has pretty much nailed it with this first iPad, though there's certainly room for improvement. Nearly three years after making a splash with the iPhone, Apple has delivered another impressive product that largely lives up to the hype

On the other hand, reviewers such as Walter S. Mossberg from All things Digital, did point out the many limitations of the iPad, but those are mostly missing features that can be added:

"the iPad lacks some of the features—such as a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and multitasking—that most laptop or netbook users have come to expect."

Check out those reviews and device for yourself, is it the next mobile star or is it a passing episode?

2 comments | Read more...

So Apple's iPad is here, the lines in the stores will soon arrive as well. I've said in the past that without a decent multi-tasking I am not going to get one (and I'm sure multi-tasking will come in a few months too…). I've also said that in a few years we will all have iPad or iPad like device.

The mobile world will probably get something out of it, as it got from the iPod and iPhone. I'm not sure what exactly, but I can imagine a wave of mini-tablets coming with different OS running on it form Windows 7 to Chrome or even Android. It's going to be interesting to see how this market will evolve. 

After reading many of the recent reviews – here are some highlights notes followed by quotes and links:

The highlights:

Wicked fast device - most of the reviewers said that.

Lack of webcam seems to be a major problem.

The keyboard got some positive reviews  but mostly negative ones. It's going to be harder to type with it, that's for sure. But hey, this device is mostly for consuming content, not creating one – right?

Battery life seems to be around 10 to 12 hours.

Browser performs well, screen size makes web site look & feel the way they should, and there is not flash (but we all knew that, right?)

Reading books seems OK in general except for a few reviewers mentioning hard reading in the sun light, or in bed, comparing to regular books or the Kindle. Colors can cause reading issues but who cares, as long as there's this Apple magic UI touch as always.

Form Factor: easy to use, comfortable to place it on the knee when sitting without burning the leg. Not a laptop replacement mainly due to multi-tasking and keyboard, but once again – it's not a laptop killer. 

Satisfaction rate – seems to be high by all the reviewers. Apple just knows how to make a gadget that makes you happy and satisfied when you are doing just the basic things.

Here are some interesting quotes (taken from Gizmodo's great reviews summary):

Andy Ihnatko (Chicago Sun-Times):

The iPad user experience is instantly compelling and elegant. It's not every computer and every function. It's a computer that's designed for speed, mobility, and tactile interaction above all other considerations.

David Pogue (NYT'):

The iPad is not a laptop. It's not nearly as good for creating stuff. On the other hand, it's infinitely more convenient for consuming it - books, music, video, photos, Web, e-mail and so on. For most people, manipulating these digital materials directly by touching them is a completely new experience - and a deeply satisfying one

Tim Gideon (PC Mag):

Is the iPad a perfect product? No. And the omissions will give the anti-Apple crowd plenty of ammo. Why do I need this extra device that's not a full-fledged laptop? Where's the camera? What about Flash? Um, how about multitasking? These are all valid complaints, but one thing I can say about most Apple products, and certainly the iPad: There may be things it doesn't do, but what it does do, it does remarkably well. Aside from the aforementioned limitations, there isn't a lot else to gripe about. And to my great surprise, you can actually get real work done with the iPad

Edward Baig (USA Today):

Apple has pretty much nailed it with this first iPad, though there's certainly room for improvement. Nearly three years after making a splash with the iPhone, Apple has delivered another impressive product that largely lives up to the hype

On the other hand, reviewers such as Walter S. Mossberg from All things Digital, did point out the many limitations of the iPad, but those are mostly missing features that can be added:

"the iPad lacks some of the features—such as a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and multitasking—that most laptop or netbook users have come to expect."

Check out those reviews and device for yourself, is it the next mobile star or is it a passing episode?