"Oh background push, how I yearn for you. You bring tidings of fun and communication, whether the application is in the foreground or not. Imagine: the ability to receive instant message notifications, even when the application is off screen. This is the future, people. Our jet packs arrive next week.
As of last night, select developers have begun receiving the tools required to create constantly-aware applications. By tying the applications to Apple’s Push Notification Service server via a persistent connection, applications can continue to receive notifications even when they’re pretty much closed."
SMobile Systems and Sybase iAnywhere Alliance for Mobile Enterprise Security.
"SMobile Systems today announced that it has partnered with Sybase iAnywhere, to deliver advanced mobile security solutions for Information Anywhere Suite's Afaria mobile device management and security platform. Together, Sybase iAnywhere and SMobile will work to secure a broad range of smartphones from the latest intrusions and threats, leveraging SMobile's antivirus, firewall and mobile spam protection."
Consider the Phone Company for Tech Help.
"Land-line phone companies across the country are wading into the tech-support business, seeing it as a way to hold onto customers while developing a new revenue stream. As they have gotten deeper into selling Internet services, as part of bundled packages with TV and voice, technicians are often already in the house installing routers and other devices, making tech support a natural add-on."
T-Mobile helps parents set wireless limits.
"The service works on any T-Mobile phone and lets parents set and change limits for minutes, messages and downloads using an online tool. Once the set allowance is reached, the feature shuts off service and parents receive a notification. However, parents can still stay in contact with their child by establishing certain 'always allowed' numbers that will continue to connect even after the allowance has been spent. In addition, unlimited calling features, such as the numbers included in T-Mobile's MyFaves or in-network calling, can still be accessed."
The challenges of WiMAX service activation.
"Subscribers can activate their subscription in real time, without the assistance of the operator's customer service representative. New devices can be detected at time of activation and the required firmware can be remotely installed automatically by the operator. Firmware and device configuration settings are pushed to the device, enabling subscriber-selected services. Future firmware updates can be automatically downloaded as required. "
BT Acquires Ribbit For $105 Million.
"BT announced that it has acquired Silicon Valley based Ribbit for $105 million in cash. "
also see: Silicon Valley startup Ribbit wants to take on the Telcos.
also see: Silicon Valley startup Ribbit wants to take on the Telcos.
Start-Up May Aid Telecoms' Reach.
"As the telecom industry gears up to reach billions of potential mobile-phone users in developing countries, a Swedish-Indian start-up has developed an innovative piece of equipment: a build-it-yourself radio tower that consumes about as much energy as a light bulb...
VNL's base station will cost $3,500 and require 100 watts to run, about the same as a light bulb. By contrast, the GSM stations most widely used today can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000. The most energy-efficient models require around 600 watts; others may need several thousand watts....
The tower is designed to make it easy for people with little professional training to install. The equipment comes with a pictorial instruction manual similar to those for Ikea's do-it-yourself furniture. It has just one button, used to turn it on. Once the pole is erected, the base station beeps intermittently until the radio antenna is rotated manually to face the direction of the mobile network. When the antenna is perfectly aligned, the sound steadies."
VNL's base station will cost $3,500 and require 100 watts to run, about the same as a light bulb. By contrast, the GSM stations most widely used today can cost anywhere from $40,000 to $100,000. The most energy-efficient models require around 600 watts; others may need several thousand watts....
The tower is designed to make it easy for people with little professional training to install. The equipment comes with a pictorial instruction manual similar to those for Ikea's do-it-yourself furniture. It has just one button, used to turn it on. Once the pole is erected, the base station beeps intermittently until the radio antenna is rotated manually to face the direction of the mobile network. When the antenna is perfectly aligned, the sound steadies."
Users may help to vet Android apps.
"Mobile operators are concerned primarily about two types of applications, Miner said: ones that can harm phones, the network, or subscribers' personal data, and ones that are buggy or frustrating to use. They are concerned the latter will generate a high volume of calls to the carrier for support, he said."
Should Android, Symbian combine?
"Gold noted that many of the same companies are sponsors of both the OHA and the Symbian Foundation, and some of them have stated that competing for operating system superiority is 'not where they need to be,' he said. Combining Symbian with Android would require a combination of the two code bases.
If Android and Symbian were joined, Gold said it is highly likely that other open source mobile operating system efforts will join in, such as the LiMo Foundation in London."
also see: MobileCrunch » Nokia: No plans to merge Symbian with Android
"During the Mobile Web Wars roundtable today, an audience member asked for opinions on the merger rumor. David Rivas, VP of Technology Management for S60 Software at Nokia, just so happened to be on the panel, and he stated (twice) that there were no plans to merge the two platforms."
If Android and Symbian were joined, Gold said it is highly likely that other open source mobile operating system efforts will join in, such as the LiMo Foundation in London."
also see: MobileCrunch » Nokia: No plans to merge Symbian with Android
"During the Mobile Web Wars roundtable today, an audience member asked for opinions on the merger rumor. David Rivas, VP of Technology Management for S60 Software at Nokia, just so happened to be on the panel, and he stated (twice) that there were no plans to merge the two platforms."
Microsoft to get more narrow-minded.
Steve Ballmer to Microsoft employees: "Today, we’re changing the way we work with hardware vendors to ensure that we can provide complete experiences with absolutely no compromises. We’ll do the same with phones–providing choice as we work to create great end-to-end experiences."
Rampaging Consumers Overrun Corporate IT.
"My friend Rich Mogull (ex-Gartner) recently posted an article in Dark Reading called 'iPhone Smackdown: Security v. Consumerization' that nicely summarizes the security problems that will arrive when employees [bring] powerful consumer devices (like the iPhone) to work. His basic point is, 'get over it; this stuff is coming whether you like it or not.'"
NEC and Motive Form Femtocell Alliance.
"Motive's service management software will be combined with NEC's Femtocell Access Point Management System, which offers end users plug-in-forget installation and provisioning, and is under trials with several operators around the world."
iPhone 2.1 Update to Bring Turn-by-Turn GPS?
"What this update does show us is that, despite a buggy beginning, iPhone 2.0 has the ability to turn the world of mobile devices upside down. Now that there are a 3G and a GPS chip inside, and now that the App Store is up and running, the iPhone can mimic pretty much any other class of handheld device with the simple addition of software.
It won't just be a phone, a web browser and an iPod in your pocket. It'll be everything in your pocket."
It won't just be a phone, a web browser and an iPod in your pocket. It'll be everything in your pocket."
Apple’s App Store: The New Walled Garden.
"But don’t be so sure that they are not trading one walled garden for another. The home deck is being replaced by the iPhone App Store on iTunes. And Apple controls which apps get virtual shelf space in that store, and which ones get featured."
5 ways the iPhone 3G still lags in enterprise.
"The iPhone 3G may have a lock on the Sexiest Gadget Alive title for 2008, but in the frumpy and boring world of things that matter to enterprise IT managers, it's no pinup.
Despite Apple's improvements upon the previous iPhone, primarily through its licensing of Microsoft's ActiveSync technology, the 3G and its iPhone 2.0 software remain less competent and less tested than its BlackBerry and Windows Mobile counterparts."
Despite Apple's improvements upon the previous iPhone, primarily through its licensing of Microsoft's ActiveSync technology, the 3G and its iPhone 2.0 software remain less competent and less tested than its BlackBerry and Windows Mobile counterparts."
Apple Launching App Store Beta Program.
"As Craig Hockenberry, one of the people behind the popular app Twitterific explains:
Now we’re hearing from an app developer that Apple is finally going to start rolling out a new beta program in the next few days. Details are slim, but it seems like Apple is capping the total number of beta participants at 100 per app. In order to download a beta app, users will need to submit their iPhone’s serial number to the developer, who will then need to flag its eligibility in the store itself. All betas will still be distributed through the App Store - you won’t be able to download one on an external site."
The big problem here is that the only way to install software on an iPhone or iPod touch is with the App Store. There are also no provisions for beta testing… The only way to “test” a fix is to release the changes to tens of thousands of users. It’s the developer equivalent of playing Russian roulette.
Now we’re hearing from an app developer that Apple is finally going to start rolling out a new beta program in the next few days. Details are slim, but it seems like Apple is capping the total number of beta participants at 100 per app. In order to download a beta app, users will need to submit their iPhone’s serial number to the developer, who will then need to flag its eligibility in the store itself. All betas will still be distributed through the App Store - you won’t be able to download one on an external site."
Microsoft SCMDM: Troubleshooting "Remote Wipe Now."
"A key security feature of SCMDM is the ability to wipe a device remotely. Often time is of the essence, so it is important to know if a wipe was successful or not. Here we will discuss how remote wipe works and how to troubleshoot it...
- An administrator or user submits a wipe request through the console, MDM Shell, or Self Service Portal.
- The wipe request is stored in the DM Engine database for the device to pick up at its next scheduled OMA session... If we were to stop at this point it would be a 'Wipe Soon' and the device would connect at its regular interval (4 hours, for example) and pick up the wipe. Wipes submitted are always submitted as a 'Wipe Now' now command, and thus we have to go a step further.
- In parallel to adding the wipe request for retrieval, the wipe driver also calls the Alerter component to inform the device of a pending wipe request."
The 7 centres of gravity in mobile.
Andreas Constantinou writes: "As the dust is clearing after the storm, a new landscape is unveiling in the mobile industry; one where the balance of power is concentrating around 7 centres of gravity: Adobe, Apple, Google, LiMo, Microsoft, Nokia and Qualcomm. In other words, the industry is transitioning from a horizontal structure of operating system offerings circa 2002 to a vertical structure of complete offerings circa 2008."
Where Are the Smartphone Standards?
Tim Bajarin writes: "Look at the mobile operating systems available today: Apple's OS X, Google's Android, Microsoft's Windows Mobile, Nokia's Symbian, Qualcomm's Brew, RIM's BlackBerry, Palm's current OS and its future Linux OS and Limo. As a software developer, which do you back—since in most cases, it's impossible to support all of them? If history repeats itself, perhaps only two or three will really thrive. By the way, while 275 to 300 million PCs are being sold each year, annual sales of cell phones amount to about 1.2 billion, and many researchers believe that the worldwide market for smartphones or mobile PCs will represent as much as 70 percent of the cell phones sold annually by 2013.
If I were a betting man, I'd wager that Apple's platform will be one of the major ones. And given its incredible lead in this area now, Apple will force its competitors to follow its lead in hardware and software designs just to stay competitive. I also believe that Nokia's sheer market strength will make Symbian another major OS. And Microsoft already has a strong position with the Windows Mobile platform; I'd be surprised if the company doesn't optimize this OS for a broader world market for smartphones."
If I were a betting man, I'd wager that Apple's platform will be one of the major ones. And given its incredible lead in this area now, Apple will force its competitors to follow its lead in hardware and software designs just to stay competitive. I also believe that Nokia's sheer market strength will make Symbian another major OS. And Microsoft already has a strong position with the Windows Mobile platform; I'd be surprised if the company doesn't optimize this OS for a broader world market for smartphones."
Android Not Open: No XMPP, No Source, No SDK For Some.
"Android started as an idealistic open source platform, with a large number of hardware manufacturers lined up supporting it. It is now becoming just a Google platform for mobile, as forcing Gtalk on developers has a chain effect of enforcing Google ID’s on users and all communication to pass through Google servers. Developers are becoming increasingly frustrated by first denying Android SDK updates to some and now by closing up and deciding what can and can’t be done on the platform. Instead of being an open platform, they seem to want to funnel everything through Google services."
Hold off on WiMax investments, Gartner cautions.
"Overall, Gartner projects that while WiMax networks in the United States will start operating commercially over the next two years, WiMax itself will remain a 'niche technology' that will best serve emerging or rural markets that don't already have access to broadband services."
Sales of Nokia’s low-cost Phones Increasing.
"With developed countries reaching the saturation point, mobile phone manufactures have to look to developing countries for increased sales. Nokia is selling more and more single-chip mobile phones in these nations. Sales numbers should reach into the tens of millions."
Dell and Wal-Mart Offer Tech Support to Customers.
"Dell has unveiled a pilot scheme with retail giant Wal-Mart to provide technical services for customers including home set-up services, home theatre installations, computer repair, and advice on wireless technology."
Total Telecom: Tech briefing: Mobile device management: Mixed blessings.
"Ovum has carried out research on mobility device issues with the EVUA, the ICT network user group for multinational companies. Among the EVUA members which took part, and with an average of over 40,000 employees, the biggest device management method was simply limiting the range of devices and the people allowed to use them [see chart]."
Google offers Android updates only to contest winners.
"David McLaughlin, Android advocate at Google, apologized on an online forum for accidentally sending a note intended for winners of a developers' contest to a wider list of developers. The note implies that Google has been privately offering updates to the SDK only to a subset of developers, even while the broader developer community has been complaining about a lack of updates to the SDK."
Free laptop-tracking system becomes available.
"...Adeona, an open-source service aimed at helping businesses and individuals track the movements of lost or stolen laptops. When installed on laptops, Adeona will set up an encrypted connection to the open source OpenDHL storage servers. Should a laptop become lost, installing Adeona on another computer with the correct password will allow the victim to track his device via IP addresses. "
Announcing the Sun Java System Mobile Enterprise Platform.
"Key features of MEP:
- Out-of-the-box connectivity to many enterprise application platforms
- Support for a wide variety of mobile devices
- Offline access to data when there is no network coverage
- Encryption and data fading/wiping, which extend enterprise application security to mobile devices
- Support for over-the-air provisioning of mobile clients
- Tools and templates that simplify the development and customization of mobile applications
- Based on open industry standards and robust and scalable Java technologies"
SK Telecom In Talks To Buy Sprint, CNBC Says.
"SK Telecom is in talks to acquire Sprint Nextel, according to CNBC. This is not a new theory; rumors that SK Telecom might want to buy Sprint have been around for at least a year."
The Battle for the New Customer Service Experience.
"Bob Johnson, Sprint’s chief service officer, eliminated limits on the amount of time customer service representatives (CSRs) can spend on the phone with customers. Now, Sprint is tracking how frequently CSRs can solve problems on the first try, and bonuses are tied to solving a maximum percentage of issues on the first call...
Customer service calls for basic voice problems take, on average, only a few minutes — and a few dollars — to resolve. But calls for problems with smartphones and the advanced data applications on them can take 10 times as long to resolve at a cost of up to $100 per call. Strategy Analytics estimates that compared to a 5-minute support call that costs the operator $7 for voice phones, customer care tends to spend 20 minutes on average ($30-$40) on support calls for feature phones and upward of 45-minutes ($60-$70) on support calls for smart devices."
Customer service calls for basic voice problems take, on average, only a few minutes — and a few dollars — to resolve. But calls for problems with smartphones and the advanced data applications on them can take 10 times as long to resolve at a cost of up to $100 per call. Strategy Analytics estimates that compared to a 5-minute support call that costs the operator $7 for voice phones, customer care tends to spend 20 minutes on average ($30-$40) on support calls for feature phones and upward of 45-minutes ($60-$70) on support calls for smart devices."
Mobile Phone Sales Predicted to Slow Down.
"As long as a global depression is fended off, sales should increase about 10% this year, which sounds good. But much of this growth will be in the low-end market, with increased sales of cheap models."
Sprint's Xohm taps Mformation for remote device management.
"Sprint's WiMAX division announced a deal with device management software company Mformation Technologies to deliver device management capabilities for new Xohm-branded WiMAX-enabled mobile devices. Sprint plans to use Mformation's software to remotely manage the WiMAX devices on its network. The operator is commercially launching WiMAX in Baltimore in September...
Still, device management software is not fully optimized for WiMAX-only devices, noted Matt Bancroft, chief marketing officer with Mformation. Since most of the devices running on Sprint's network will be dual-mode CDMA/WiMAX devices, Mformation is conducting the remote device management capabilities via the CDMA connection, which has been fully established.
'WiMAX is more challenging because of the way the technology is architected,' said Bancroft. 'It's an all-IP technology, which means that the architecture doesn't support SMS technology that is commonly used today to initiate a device-management session. There are well-defined standards in cellular that makes it straightforward to understand what device a users is using. With WiMAX, users will be connecting in a multiple mac address environment. So there are a bunch of new challenges that have to be overcome.'"
also see: Mformation Bags a Showcase WiMAX Deal With Sprint
Still, device management software is not fully optimized for WiMAX-only devices, noted Matt Bancroft, chief marketing officer with Mformation. Since most of the devices running on Sprint's network will be dual-mode CDMA/WiMAX devices, Mformation is conducting the remote device management capabilities via the CDMA connection, which has been fully established.
'WiMAX is more challenging because of the way the technology is architected,' said Bancroft. 'It's an all-IP technology, which means that the architecture doesn't support SMS technology that is commonly used today to initiate a device-management session. There are well-defined standards in cellular that makes it straightforward to understand what device a users is using. With WiMAX, users will be connecting in a multiple mac address environment. So there are a bunch of new challenges that have to be overcome.'"
also see: Mformation Bags a Showcase WiMAX Deal With Sprint
iPhone 3G aftermath: Apple sells 1 million devices in 3 days.
"Glitches with Apple's iTunes activation server may have caused delays but it didn't stop Apple from selling 1 million 3G iPhones in its first three days of availability. This compares to the launch of the original iPhone, which took 74 days to sell 1 million devices. Of course, one major difference between the first-generation iPhone and the iPhone 3G is that the iPhone 3G was available in 21 countries on July 11. "
Apple and AT&T Stores Having Difficulty Activating iPhones (UPDATE: It's the iPocalypse).
"The source of the iTunes crash/slowdown seems not be those buying iPhone 3Gs from Apple/AT&T stores at all but the millions of people updating to the new firmware at home. Firmware 2.0 isn't like other firmwares in that it needs to update the phone and reauthenticate the service. And in turn, when the servers are slammed and the phone reaches for reauthentication, the server isn't always there to reactivate the service. This is how some of those newly bricked iPhones are occurring, and a source tells us that even first gen iPhones are susceptible."
Apple iPhone 3G kerfuffle.
Michael Gartenberg - iPhone 3G and 2.0 Upgrade - First Thoughts
"As I've talked about before here Exchange support is super important for Apple. Yes, the iPhone is already a business device (if the CEO has one, it's de-facto a business device) but Exchange support will now make it much easier for Apple to get the iPhone into business users hands. Exchange works exactly as it should and I had no problems syncing my information to the device. For folks dependent on Exchange for their information, the iPhone is now a first class corporate citizen. IT managers can now also remotely configure and control iPhones on their networks, which is super important to those folks. Look for the iPhone to make new inroads into the Enterprise and for the iPhone to act as a Trojan horse for other Apple devices and services. IT departments of the world, you have been warned, beware geeks bearing gifts :)."
Epic Fail: Six Million iBricks… and Growing
"Well this is a fine kettle of fish. iPhone activations have essentially gone down and everyone - from folks updating their old phones to new 3G activators - are stuck with bricks until traffic dies off."
Tech Trader Daily - Barron’s Online : Apple iPhone 3G: Another Year, Another AT&T Retail Mess
"Some may think that people who wait on line for a phone are idiots. Especially those who wait at a 'kiosk' in a 'food court,' where supply can be expected to be relatively small. That may well be true, but it doesn’t excuse a business from granting its customers certain basic courtesies. One of those basic courtesies is informing customers in a prompt and careful manner, to help them avoid wasting even more of their time."
"As I've talked about before here Exchange support is super important for Apple. Yes, the iPhone is already a business device (if the CEO has one, it's de-facto a business device) but Exchange support will now make it much easier for Apple to get the iPhone into business users hands. Exchange works exactly as it should and I had no problems syncing my information to the device. For folks dependent on Exchange for their information, the iPhone is now a first class corporate citizen. IT managers can now also remotely configure and control iPhones on their networks, which is super important to those folks. Look for the iPhone to make new inroads into the Enterprise and for the iPhone to act as a Trojan horse for other Apple devices and services. IT departments of the world, you have been warned, beware geeks bearing gifts :)."
Epic Fail: Six Million iBricks… and Growing
"Well this is a fine kettle of fish. iPhone activations have essentially gone down and everyone - from folks updating their old phones to new 3G activators - are stuck with bricks until traffic dies off."
Tech Trader Daily - Barron’s Online : Apple iPhone 3G: Another Year, Another AT&T Retail Mess
"Some may think that people who wait on line for a phone are idiots. Especially those who wait at a 'kiosk' in a 'food court,' where supply can be expected to be relatively small. That may well be true, but it doesn’t excuse a business from granting its customers certain basic courtesies. One of those basic courtesies is informing customers in a prompt and careful manner, to help them avoid wasting even more of their time."
The great Google-Nokia-Apple war.
"When it's finally all over -- when housing prices stop falling, when banks stop taking $10 billion losses, when the stock market bear growls its last growl -- investors suddenly will notice that the technology battle that counts is Google vs. Nokia vs. Apple."
Mobile device management and the user experience.
"Device management technologies enable service providers to anticipate, fix and actively prevent the device problems that impact usability and service usage. This includes enabling devices to adapt their functionality after they have shipped from the factory. Some key MDM technologies include configuration, FOTA, security, software management, diagnostics, backup and restore. They exist in order that users’ devices and services perform as expected, while minimising the need for manual intervention — surely the minimum we would expect of a good user experience. "
Setting the Record Straight on Mobile Security.
"Setting the record straight on mobile security means talking straight about what is actually needed, and what is just hype. Enterprises certainly need the ability to remotely kill devices that have been stolen or lost. And certain kinds of mobile phones will probably also need encryption to keep sensitive contents safe from casual prying eyes. But on-board anti-malware software to prevent phones from contracting hypothetical future maladies? As Mike Rothman might say, 'not so much.'"
Operators Form Mobile Apps Initiative.
"Leading mobile network operators including 3 Group, AT&T, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Telenor, Telefonica, and Telecom Italia have launched an initiative to encourage the development of mobile applications.
The BONDI initiative, supported by Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) members, will provide a secure web services interface that can be used by web developers across multiple device platforms. The initiative aims to expand the market for mobile data services by exposing handset features to web developers for the development of function-rich applications.
The initiative follows last month's launch of the OMTP alliance, an operator-led community that recommends security as a priority for devices used on next-generation mobile networks."
also see: OMTP Advanced Device Management Recommendation Paper
"As the capabilities of the mobile device increase – particularly when it comes to downloading new applications - there’s a greater chance that customer error may adversely affect performance of the device."
The BONDI initiative, supported by Open Mobile Terminal Platform (OMTP) members, will provide a secure web services interface that can be used by web developers across multiple device platforms. The initiative aims to expand the market for mobile data services by exposing handset features to web developers for the development of function-rich applications.
The initiative follows last month's launch of the OMTP alliance, an operator-led community that recommends security as a priority for devices used on next-generation mobile networks."
also see: OMTP Advanced Device Management Recommendation Paper
"As the capabilities of the mobile device increase – particularly when it comes to downloading new applications - there’s a greater chance that customer error may adversely affect performance of the device."
How Will iPhone 2.0 Change The Smartphone Market.
"The smartphone market is going to be transformed throughout the next 12 months - not only because of the iPhone and Mac OS X but also because of the upcoming Andriod from Google, and Microsoft releasing frequent updates for Windows mobile. Defensive moves from Nokia via the open sourcing of Symbian and the ever-present RIM are always threatening to the new entrants and incumbants, although it seems that they are both losing market share to the iPhone, especially with the new enterprise features of the iPhone 2.0.
While currently Nokia leads RIM, Windows and then Apple and others - in a very short time we could see a huge shift in the smartphone platform market of the likes that were never imagined possible in the desktop PC market."
While currently Nokia leads RIM, Windows and then Apple and others - in a very short time we could see a huge shift in the smartphone platform market of the likes that were never imagined possible in the desktop PC market."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)