Ramon Nuez | Ramon B. Nuez Jr.

HTC Sense coming to Windows Phone 7, after all

July 25, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

I find this article and statement by Bamford curious. The Windows Phone 7 UI is the key reason why Microsoft is so excited about this new OS. The company has spent an inordinate amount of resources on the UI. Which is rather slick. In all honesty if HTC is allowed to skin UI then what’s the sense (no pun intended) of having the Zune interface.

When I spoke with Microsoft they explained that the Windows Phone 7 UI would not be modified by the OEM or the MNO. Obviously, either party could add their own “bloatware.”

Amplify’d from www.engadget.com

Some cried and some cheered when Microsoft revealed that handset manufacturers couldn’t reskin Windows Phone 7 devices wholesale. But as it turns out, at least one major OEM is still banking on software to help differentiate its phones. HTC’s Drew Bamford told Forbes that Sense UI will still appear in the company’s Windows Phone 7 creations, and believes it will live on in Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) as well. “Microsoft has taken firmer control of the core experience,” acknowledged Bamford, who added that Sense wouldn’t be fully integrated into WP7 phones, but that HTC would “augment” the Microsoft experience with as-yet-undisclosed functionality of its own. As long as it doesn’t eat up too much memory and processor time, right?

See more at www.engadget.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/b8GpAK

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: drew bamford, htc sense, microsoft, sense ui, windows phone

The #Mobile App Economy Is Huge

July 24, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

I would say that the past few months we have seen the mobile market fleshing out. Between the rash of Android handsets, iPhone 4, Windows Phone 7 (imminent release) and HP’s acquisition of Palm — I see a market entering a renaissance periode. A cultural movement that Morgan Stanley’s Mary Meeker was presenting at the Events@Google series in April.

Meeker explained that part of the success of the mobile market is mobile commerce. It is also no surprise — to some — that 90% of mobile app developers do not make a sustainable ROI but that mobile games are the most profitable apps.

Amplify’d from www.businessinsider.com

See more at www.businessinsider.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/daRbF5

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Android, android apps, iphone, mobile, online mba

Mary Meeker on the #Mobile #Internet

July 24, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

These are very curious infographics by Morgan Stanley’s Mary Meeker. The report is from April of 2010 but still incredibly relevant.

Meeker is claiming that in 2014 there will be a massive climate shift — where the mobile Internet will over take the fixed Internet. Meeker explains that part of this shift is thanks to social networking, Apple and mobile commerce.

From the presentation at Google it seems that Japan is one of the most mature markets with nearly 96% mobile penetration. I would love to see the analysis on why Japan is such a mobile progressive society.

Amplify’d from gigaom.com

And what does Meeker see in her crystal ball this year? Two overwhelming trends that will affect consumers, the hardware/infrastructure industry and the commercial potential of the web: mobile and social networking. Such a conclusion is hardly earth-shattering news to GigaOM readers, for we have been following these trends over the past year or two, but Meeker puts some pretty large numbers next to those trends, and looks at the shifts that will (or are likely to) take place in related industries such as communications hardware. She also compares where the rest of the developed world is in terms of mobile communications and social networking with Japan. Again, not a radically different approach to the one many tech forecasters take, but Meeker has the weight of some considerable research chops on her side.

Meeker says that mobile Internet usage is ramping up substantially faster than desktop Internet usage did, a view she and her team arrived at by comparing the adoption rates of iPhone/iPod touch to that of AOL and Netscape in the early 1990s. According to Meeker, adoption of the Apple devices is taking place more than 11 times faster that of AOL, and several times as fast as that of Netscape. Helping to drive this is 3G technology, which Morgan Stanley says recently hit an “inflection point” by being available to more than 20 percent of the world’s cellular users (although penetration is only 7 percent in Central/South America and 13 percent in Asia/Pacific — excluding Japan, where it’s 96 percent).

See more at gigaom.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/aSw0r0

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Internet, mary meeker, meeker, mobile, Morgan Stanley

July 23, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

TweetI am always looking up telecommunications definitions. I have found a rather decent site — http://www.phonescoop.com/glossary/. I just thought I would share. Enjoy http://bit.ly/d6P19m

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: converts, conviction, digital literacy, equality, Fcc, fundamental ingredient, handset, hopefuls, impartiality, internet study, internet users, median age, mobile technologies, necessary technology, perimeter, susannah fox, time in history, ubiquity, underserved neighborhoods

#mobile Consumers fuming over Android smartphone bloatware

July 23, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

I understand the consumer distaste towards bloatware. I am also a consumer and I find it annoying – at times. Unfortunately, bloatware is not some new feature that OEM’s and MNO’s just decided to install. We have lived with bloatware for years — on your PC’s, feature phones and pocket PC’s. So why are consumers now up in arms?

Is it because our iPhone cousins don’t have this issue?

Amplify’d from www.fiercemobilecontent.com

Android smartphone users are voicing their displeasure over a growing number of preloaded third-party applications and trial software that cannot be deleted by consumers. Known as “bloatware” in PC parlance and a catch-all for non-essential software and media files bundled with hardware to boost revenue and introduce users to new services, the preloaded Android apps include services like mobile television, location-based search and games–according to Wired, specific examples include the new Samsung Vibrant, which ships with MobiTV, GoGo Flight and Electronic Arts’ The Sims 3, along with the Motorola Backflip (including location-based solution Where and Yellow Pages app YPMobile) and the HTC Evo (featuring Sprint TV and Sprint Football).

“It’s different from phone to phone and operator to operator,” said HTC spokesman Keith Nowak. “But in general, the apps are put there to meet the operator’s business and revenue needs.” According to a Samsung representative, the preloaded applications “highlight the key features and performance” of the Vibrant–operator partner T-Mobile USA adds the apps exist to showcase the phone’s processor and display.

Wired notes that the preloaded apps are integrated into Android devices in a manner that blocks users from removing the software short of jailbreaking the handset. A thread on the AndroidForums.com website details subscriber concerns over the trend. “It’s a throwback to the days of the feature phones,” said Forrester Research analyst Charles Golvin. “Handset makers and carriers would bundle messaging and music clients with feature phones hoping to provide some differentiation. They are now trying that with smartphones.” In regards to the inability to delete the applications in question, Golvin said “I suspect that a lot of operators think consumers won’t notice or get to a point where they would want to get rid of them.”

Read more at www.fiercemobilecontent.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/agqPrU

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Android, bloatware, consumers, preloaded, Smartphone

@sprint feeling generous #mobile

July 23, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

I think that this is a great move.

I just wonder what Sprint is getting in return? Perhaps part of the revenue when spectrum auctioning is done?

Amplify’d from www.intomobile.com

In a great show of cross-industry cooperation, Sprint said it has completed its mission of clearing up 35 MHz of broadcast auxiliary service spectrum across the nation.

“Sprint’s completion of the BAS spectrum transition marks an important step toward President Obama’s goal of freeing 500 MHz of additional wireless broadband spectrum,” said Michael B. Degitz, vice president, Spectrum Management for Sprint, in a prepared statement. “This newly cleared spectrum has the potential to be used to create jobs, to enhance the nation’s and the telecommunications industry’s economic competitiveness and to increase productivity. Sprint is pleased that it has been able to support this essential element of the President’s technology agenda and the National Broadband Plan.”

The National Association of Broadcasters praised the move and even called it a “herculean task.” Hopefully, we can get these industries to stop fighting and consumers will benefit with high-speed, highly accessible broadband.

Read more at www.intomobile.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/9NPmKS

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Broadband, clears, President Obama, spectrum, sprint

New Wireless Broadband Network – LightSquared #mobile

July 23, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

Thanks for the education James — most informative.

It appears that LightSquared — who is not a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) wants to build a portfolio of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNO)? It sounds like the company has spectrum to share — which I am assuming will be coming from Big LEO?

Competition is what the FCC wants to foster and if LightSquared can provide spectrum to MVNO’s at a discount then those subscribers should also get discounted services. Oh, and maybe even unlimited data plans? I did say maybe

Amplify’d from www.huffingtonpost.com

NEW YORK — U.S. consumers and businesses may get more options in wireless service starting next year, with the launch of a new wireless broadband network that aims to provide competition to the incumbent phone companies.

Private-equity firm Harbinger Capital Partners on Tuesday revealed details of the launch of its wireless network, LightSquared, which should cover 92 percent of the population by 2015.

Consumers won’t buy service directly from LightSquared. Instead, it will sell access wholesale to other companies that can resell it to consumers. LightSquared hopes to attract cable TV providers, phone companies that don’t have wireless networks of their own and retailers that want to provide wireless service under their own brand.

Read more at www.huffingtonpost.com

See this Amp at http://bit.ly/baSJpU

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: launch in, lightsquared, new wireless broadband network, new york, wireless

iPhone Coming To T-Mobile In Q3 #mobile

July 22, 2010 By Ramon Nuez View Comments

Indeed — more and more rumors on where the iPhone may show up next. Today, Magenta gets some love from the Cult of Mac.

I have been stating this very same claim — T-Mobile is the (technically) logical choice. There are two points that support my claim:

1. T-Mobile International and Apple already have a relationship.
2. T-Mobile USA operates a GSM network.

I do have two questions:

1. What happens to the Apple and AT&T exclusivity contract?
2. With Magenta rolling out HSPA+ will we be looking at a hyprid radio in the iPhone 4?

I know — so many questions and so many rumors.

Amplify’d from www.tmonews.com

Cult of Mac, certainly a trusty and prominent Mac related website is reporting that T-Mobile is in the “advanced stage” of talks with Apple to bring the iPhone to T-Mobile. This “highly placed source” pegs the chances of a T-Mobile iPhone at “80 percent likely that the iPhone will be coming to T-Mobile in Q3.” Those are some damn nice odds in the favor of T-Mobile. Of course this, like any iPhone rumor is to be taken only with the strictest grains of salt.

Obviously, technology favors T-Mobile as we’ve seen with the recent Wired report claiming that Apple gave up on a Verizon iPhone idea because they would have to rebuild the entire device. With T-Mobile and AT&T running the exact same technology (did anyone really need me to write that?) it would be a much smoother experience for Apple to put the iPhone in the hands of Magenta.