Tuesday, September 30, 2008

IBM Offers Lotus Notes For Apple's IPhone

IBM Offers Lotus Notes For Apple's IPhone

IBM said Tuesday it was making its Lotus Notes tools, including email and calendar applications, available for Apple Inc.'s iPhone. The latest version of Notes would allow customers to access the software via the Safari browser on the iPhone.

The iPhone, has begun to attract the interest of corporate customers as a competitor to Research In Motion Ltd.'s (RIMM) BlackBerry device, since Apple launched a software developers' kit allowing anyone to develop applications for the phone and making it easier for the phone to be connected to corporate IT systems. Network operators have begun offering corporate tariffs for the iPhone.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Developing Applications for Android


Developers can create applications for the platform using the Android SDK.

Applications are written using the Java programming language and run on Dalvik, a custom virtual machine designed for embedded use, which runs on top of a Linux kernel.
A beta version of the Android SDK is available for download. Along with the Android framework and application libraries, it includes sample projects with source code, a device emulator, and development tools for monitoring and debugging your code and GUI layout.

Android, for publishers and advertisers


Google and T-Mobile officially unveiled the new G1 – the first Android powered mobile phone.

What does it mean for publishers and advertisers? In short, more exciting mobile opportunities. Powerful devices that open the door to the possibilities of mobile for consumers are a key factor in growing both usage and engagement with data services. But they are not the only factor. Dramatically increased usability of devices, greater processing power, and faster network speeds have also played a role in pushing the industry forward.
Openness is another big factor and the launch of Android and the G1 will add velocity to an important trend in mobile. We are watching the progression from tight industry control over the data services to the open access that I believe will drive the future of mobile. We’ve seen that as devices become more powerful and open, data usage skyrockets. The iPhone was the first real proof point. The dramatic increase in consumer adoption, usage and engagement with data services on the iPhone shocked many people and opened a lot of eyes.
This pent-up consumer demand has lead to the explosion in the range of content and services available on mobile devices that we see today. Developers, small publishers and big media companies are taking advantage of this opportunity and embracing the mobile platform as a way to deliver great experiences for consumers. For advertisers it is expanding their ability to reach engaged mobile consumers in rich environments with unique functionality that other platforms can’t match.
As these great user experiences drive greater usage companies can deliver even more highly relevant ads. We can also create new interactive advertising formats that take advantage of the capabilities and mobile context of these powerful new open devices.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The new Googl Phone called the G1is here.


The new Google (GOOG) phone, called the G1, made its long-awaited debut on Tuesday in New York, officially marking the arrival of Google to the big-stakes game of global wireless.

T-Mobile is the first U.S. carrier to offer the device, which will cost $179. Consumers must sign a two-year contract for data and voice. Data plans will start at $25 a month. The device won't be available until Oct. 22, but buyers can pre-order on T-Mobile's website.

What does this mean to you, dear Search Engine Marketers and Website Owners? It means that you have to start paying attention to the mobile internet.

You'll need mobile versions of your websites. And I don't mean with .mobi extensions, no, you'll need the ability to know what device your visitors are browsing from - whether it's an iPhone, G1 or other device - and be able to send them to a mobile-friendly site accordingly.

The mobile site will need also to compatible with the mobile browsers. G1 will be using a browser built on Webkit, something Chrome uses too. Developing mobile applications that reside on the phone itself will become a marketing tool all on its own.

Mobile will advance all of these initiatives. iPhone got the ball rolling. But G1 may just take it to the next level, if for no other reason but reaching those, who, for whatever reason (phone contract, pricing, touch-screen only, etc) are not on board with the iPhone.

Are you ready?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

The First Android Phone Will Be Launched Next Week


The First Android Phone is Launched

T-Mobile USA plans to begin selling the first smart phone powered by Google Inc.'s new mobile software late next month, according to people familiar with the matter, facing off against Apple Inc.'s iPhone and Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry with a device that blends aspects of both.

While some wireless companies working with Google's Android mobile software have hit delays, the T-Mobile phone is coming out on schedule. Backers are optimistic Android-based handsets can take sales from rivals.

T-Mobile USA is introducing the high-profile device as it begins to upgrade its network nationwide to support third-generation broadband services. Google hopes that hundreds of phone models will be built around Android, giving the company another way to deliver advertisements and drive revenue.
The phone will be available at the end of October, but you can see a demo from Google Developer Day in London.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Official Google Mobile Blog: New magical blue circle on your map

Official Google Mobile Blog: New magical blue circle on your map

Last November, Google introduced its My Location feature in Google Maps for Mobile. It uses cell tower IDs to triangulate the location of the phone and then identifies that location on the Google Maps interface. With a bit less precision, it essentially does the same thing that GPS does: eliminate the need to enter a geomodifier to find things nearby.

Get ready for mobile social networks

Get ready for mobile social networks

Mobile social networking makes sense because mobile devices are personal and they are taken everywhere, offering the potential for transmission of quick ideas or images. Mobile social networks will (and some already do) put video, GPS, text, voice and collaboration into the palm of a user's hand.

For example, a business traveler at a conference in an unfamiliar city could be walking past an appealing restaurant. Using mapping and location technologies, the traveler could almost instantly send a quick note to 10 friends in her workgroup to "meet here in 15 minutes for a meal." Or the hungry traveler could record a video of herself standing in front of the restaurant and send the video clip along with the message so her workgroup friends would know what kind of restaurant to expect.

The future of mobile social networks became a major topic of discussion in seminars and forums at the CTIA trade show this week. Device manufacturers, network operators and social network providers debated how the services will be paid for and by whom, and what steps must be taken to protect user privacy and safety.

Mobile social networks have not been widely adopted in the U.S., where between 5% and 10% of mobile users are participating, said Karsten Weide, an IDC analyst who spoke on a panel about the trend. But Weide said the number of users could easily double in a year, given the amount of interest in the concept by so many industry players. Adding to the reason for optimism, prominent vendors, including Verizon Wireless and Nokia Corp., announced a variety of tools at CTIA to help users aggregate social networks into a single interface.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Will Chrome go to Android?

By Odd J. Vik

If you don't know what Google Android is you should, I recommend you look it up. If you are one of those brave souls that downloaded the new Google Chrome browser then you will be happy to know that Chrome will most likely be the browser of Android mobile phones according to Google developers.



With three major players—Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Mozilla’s Firefox and Apple’s Safari—fighting the latest iteration of the browser wars, Google is set to elbow its way into the game today with Chrome, the search giant’s new, open-source software for browsing the Web.

Chrome will be a pretty aggressive piece of software. Since each new tab is effectively running a new program, the overall application will consume more and more system resources with each tab you launch. Google has amassed an army of talented programmers who put a premium on architectural simplicity. So we’re assuming this will be done with a degree of elegance. But by giving each tab in its own process, Chrome should allow Java and Flash developers to design their applications to a higher level of complexity, knowing that a glitch in their Web app will not bring down the entire browser. And if your browser can run the most sophisticated new Web applications and your competitor’s can not, that’s a pretty compelling reason for people to switch browsers




Optimized browsing is a dangerous game. If Google Apps starts to work better in Chrome than in Internet Explorer and Firefox, then I’m just as likely to stop using Google Apps as I am to start using Chrome exclusively, and I doubt this will happen. Chrome is based on the open-source WebKit architecture, and Google claims that its code will be open source, so it’s unlikely that the company is trying to corner the market on browser functionality, since innovations are eminently copyable. Instead, I’m guessing that Google will try to use its new browser to steer the direction of Web development. That’s a mighty big ship to steer, and one that tends to find its own path. And as that all plays out, Chrome will take its place as one of many browsing tools in the collective Web arsenal