Enterprise OS wars: Symbian v Windows Mobile.

"What network administrators desperately need is a consistent management platform capable of addressing the idiosyncrasies of each mobile platform.

It is only recently, however, that such a platform seems to be even close to realisation.

One major step in this direction came when HP recently bought mobility management vendor Bitfone... Bitfone's Enterprise Mobility Suite currently provides remote management of around two dozen devices, with the majority being Windows Mobile-based and just four models -- the Nokia E61, E62, E70 and 9500 -- based on Symbian OS.

Whether HP will expand the device compatibility of EMS remains to be seen, but its interest in Bitfone reflects the growing imperative for mobile devices to be brought into the fold. Other standalone tools -- such as BlackBerry management tools from BoxTone, multi-platform solutions like Sybase's Afaria and InnoPath's iMDM Device Suite -- so far don't integrate tightly with mainstream enterprise platforms."

InnoPath eyes two MDM deals in 2008 [in Latin America].

"InnoPath's platforms deal with the general consumer and enterprise segments. For the former, the platform helps operators reduce the time needed for a person to handle a problem with the subscriber and avoid the recall of a terminal. This includes providing application updates remotely over the air.

In the enterprise market, platforms allow better management of handsets and have more of a focus on security issues.

InnoPath also provides a self care portal, allowing the customer to find solutions to many of their problems without having to talk to an assistant."

Report: Cable MSOs to invest in Sprint-Clearwire.

"Several publications are reporting today that cable TV players Comcast and Time Warner Cable may invest in a WiMAX network joint venture being discussed by Sprint Nextel and Clearwire. "

It's official: Motorola to spin out handset biz.

"Motorola announced today that it will split itself into two independent and publicly traded firms, one focused on broadband and enterprise mobility, and the other focused on mobile devices."

Google Asks FCC to Open "White Space" for Broadband.

"Mountain View-based Google is now urging the FCC to allow unused portions of the TV spectrum -- or 'white space' -- to be used to provide wireless Internet access nationwide."

Australian Company Calls WiMax a Disaster.

"After warning the audience that WiMax 'may not work' and that it was still 'mired in opportunistic hype,' [Garth Freeman, the CEO of Australian company Buzz Broadband] proceeded to slam particular shortcomings of the technology, saying its non-line of sight performance was 'non-existent' beyond just 2 kilometers from the base station. He also said that indoor performance decayed at just 400m and that latency rates -- a measure of the delay before any given data transmission begins -- reached as high as 1000 milliseconds."

700 MHz auction results.

"Verizon, AT&T Big Winners In 700 MHz Auction; Verizon Wins Much-Discussed C Block; No Spectrum For Google...

Verizon, as many had expected, was the biggest spender. The company won the rights to the much-discussed C block, which could be used to create a nationwide broadband network. A quick analysis of the bidding by Tech Trader Daily of the 1091 blocks that were auctioned off finds Verizon spent a total of $9.4 billion in the auction, buying parts of the A and B spectrum blocks as well as the C block.

AT&T spent $6.6 billion in the auction, all of it in the B spectrum block."

Alcatel-Lucent's WNG tracks mobile apps' traffic demands.

"The WNG can track all types of IP (Internet Protocol) traffic and determine how much of the network's resources each session is consuming. Using that information, carriers can modify or expand their networks to better accommodate new applications and block certain kinds of attacks, said Mike Schabel, general manager for the WNG at Alcatel-Lucent Ventures."

Mobile device management: past, present, and future.

The content that originally appeared here can now be found here.

T-Mobile Venture Fund Buys Siemens Wireless Module Arm.

"Deutsche Telekom's venture capital arm T-Mobile Venture Fund and private equity investor Granville Baird announced the planned acquisition of Siemens' Wireless Modules business... Siemens Wireless Modules, earlier part of the Siemens Sensors and Communication business, develops and markets mobile communications modules for the machine-to-machine communications market. The products are used in automatic meter readouts, building monitoring, transport logistics systems, payment systems, remote maintenance, and automotive communication."

Apple: iPhone To Support Exchange; Unveils SDK; Debuts App Store; June SW Update; Kleiner Sets $100M iFund.

"Enterprise customers want: push email integration; calendar integration; push contacts; global address lists; VPN; certificates and identities; 802.1x; enforced security policies; device configuration; remote wipe... [Apple is] doing all of these things in the next release of the iPhone software...

You will also get automated notices when apps you have purchased are updated, over the air, all automatically. It will be exclusive way to distribute iPhone applications."

related: Live Blogging (via iPhone) of Apple iPhone SDK Event
"Q: How can companies distribute internal applications to iPhone users? A: We’re working on a model for enterprise to distribute to end users in a private way...

Applications notify you automatically of updates, you can review information and update if you like. The app store is the exclusive way to distribute iPhone applications... can browse applications, or search - wirelessly download any app to the phone; they have also built a section into iTunes [to] sideload apps into the iPhone."

related: Apple SDK Event: No iPhone WiFi Apps Over Cellular Net; No App Distribution Outside App Store, iTunes
"Schiller says it will be easy to convert from Blackberry to iPhone for IT. Less service to manage; actually easier to use, he says. He also says they will give IT managers tools to configure devices, to make it simple to automate the process...

Q: Will IT organizations have ability to disable functionality - like downloading programs from App Store? Steve: 'I hope we have that problem.' Forstall says there are parental controls, to turn off Safari, or other applications, on the iPhone. Could do that for enterprise as well.

Q: Carrier role? Steve says 'we have great relationships with our carriers.' But he also seems to be saying this does not have that much to do with them. 'We define the software on the phone, we run the developer program, we’re distributing the apps. This is our program, and we’re running it.'"

Apple hints at enterprise future for iPhone.

"In the fourth quarter of 2007, more iPhones were sold than Windows Mobile devices in the U.S., according to recent research from Canalys. Among smartphones, only Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices sold more than iPhones in the U.S. during the quarter."

Open Source 3-D Printing from OpenMoko.

"OpenMoko, a developer of open source mobile devices, is offering its phone case CAD files to the world. With these files and a 3-D printer, anyone can make plastic parts for their mobile phone. Users will be able to customize handsets to unique specifications."

Nokia and Microsoft, sittin' in a tree...

"INokia said that it's going to make Microsoft Silverlight available for all of its mobile platforms -- Series 40 (the low-end phone OS), S60 (the high-end OS), and its Maemo Internet tablet. (It's not clear if Silverlight will be bundled or just offered as a download.) Silverlight is a web app graphics and interface layer, intended to displace Adobe Flash."

Google Gears Goes Mobile.

"Google is bringing offline apps to mobile phones - and this has nothing to do with Android. Google Gears, which allows developers to create apps that run on Firefox and Internet Explorer when offline, is supposed to launch later today under the name Google Gears for mobile... It will support only Pocket IE running on Windows Mobile devices to start (Windows Mobile 5 and 6), but will expand to other mobile browsers eventually."

Sierra Wireless Selects Red Bend for OTA Mobile Software Management.

"Sierra Wireless has licensed Red Bend's device management solution, vDirect Mobile(TM), for Sierra Wireless's USB modems, PC cards, embedded modules and machine-to-machine (M2M) products. Sierra Wireless is the maker of the popular AirCard modems that connect consumers to mobile broadband networks in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The company is also a leader in fixed and mobile wireless data solutions for industrial, commercial, public safety and M2M applications."