Smartbooks Revue, Voila !

Latest from the final frontier

Samsung / LG readies Smartbook ?

Qualcomm is hoping to boost the processing speed of more mobile devices after it announced it will be bringing a smartphone and smartbook based on its superfast Snapdragon chip.

For those that don't know / don't care about the smartbook category, it's a device that bridges the shrinking gap between a smartphone and a netbook, so basically high performance in a smaller package. (And yes, we hate the name too).

Compal's Snapdragon-powered smartbook

As if it wasn't clear already, smartbooks are one of the big trends (if not the biggest) to emerge out of this year's Computex, be they Snapdragon or Tegra-powered. Just as interesting as the devices themselves, however, is the fact that a number of manufacturers are looking at using Android as an OS for 'em, including big players like ASUS, and now Compal. While's ASUS' Snapdragon-based offering was impressive enough, Compal looks to have slightly outdone it by adding a customized interface at start-up, which is apparently just a taste of further "optimizations" to come

Nokia and Intel in a partnership that will define smartbook market ?
The companies will work on a new class of devices for the emerging smartbook or MID space


4 companies leading the mobile revolution. Qualcomm is one of them

QCOM is bridging the gap between smartphones and notebooks by creating a device called a smartbook. Smartbooks are mini-laptops that are similar to netbooks, but differ such that they operate on mobile phone chips (thus QCOM chips) as opposed to PC microchips, such as Intel’s (INTC) Atom microprocessors. This device will have “the portability and intuitive feel of a smartphone combined with the versatility and capability of a notebook.” Smartbooks will come in various forms “from larger, sub-notebook designs to compact, touch-screen tablets.”

New smartbook offerings coming this year on the wings of Intel / Nokia deal

"We would expect new netbook/smartbook offerings in coming months from other traditional handset vendors such as Motorola, Samsung, and LG. Intel announced a MID deal with Korean handset maker LG at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February of this year, with the launch of the first Intel MID by LG expected in 2010. In addition, we expect traditional PC players such as Acer, Asus, Dell, and HP to come forward with smartbook/smartphone like devices using applications processors from Intel, Qualcomm, and Nvidia in the next few months."

Nokia order Snapdragon smartbook

As for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset, that caused no small amount of fuss back at Computex for its role in the new ARM-based smartbook niche. A rival to Intel-based netbooks, smartbooks promise all-day battery life together with full wireless connectivity and HD media playback with HDMI connectivity.

After unhappy netbook users, there's place for happy smartbook users

The Linux segment is far from dead -- it's just getting started. But that's technically a "smartbook"..

NETBOOK AND MOBILE INTERNET PLAN

Mini laptops to rock


What's the catch with netbooks ? NY Times writes about this phenomenon that will reshape PC industry. Great research. Still, wireless plans seems to be problem these days ( slow connection ).

A netbook (a portmanteau of the words Internet and notebook) is a class of laptop computer designed for wireless communication and access to the Internet.

I used to write about mobile internet devices on this blog before which is something similar. Part 1 and part 2.

G1 messphone

You still need a Sherlock Holmes for internet service on the phone

Who cares ? It's a fridge.
Not mobile phone but close to something more like console. Has somebody clicked ''ctrl+alt+del'' and erase the mobile internet ?
Let's just say it is an empty fridge :))
Now it is clear to me, we do not have a crisis of mobile hardware or design, but mobile content ;)) Another Google bluff :D

I wanna make special song ( the very first in the World , IMHO ) for G1 phone. Let's sing a song all the way to your retailer.

Modu, a personal mobile device

Old fashion victim or the real gadget ?

Could it be more to ModuMobile than some strange avanguard/fashion experience or an extreme customisation experiment ( jackets ) for mobile phone ? Pics from Barcelona 2008. Have not too much hopes.

Some investors seem to think that way and they could be ready to take ( $ 100 million ? ) a second round ? ( The first round was raised by Gemini Israel Funds and Genesis Partners. )

I have mixed feelings . This phones can take many forms, but at the same time I ask myself could these devices become an engine for the array of mobile apps ( deal with Universal Music ? )
Personalising your mobile phone is an individual ( social ) statement which is an old news ( people want more flavors for his mobile toy ).

ModuMobile does reminds me about various conceptual handsets made by major mobile phone vendors and looks like a mobile phone still in the lab ( years away from the market ) , but Telecom Italia seems to be already having close co-operation with Israeli start-up.

Going deeper into my research, I can see that the founder is Dov Moran ( he made his fame with DiskOnKey – so he's an USB flash drive expert )

ModuMobile has developed a cellular handset that can be connected to a USB port on any computing device. It is based, among other things, on flash memory technology, and a unique memory technology that interfaces with any device it is connected to, enabling the uploading all forms of data, from telephone numbers to multimedia files.

Having in mind how these days USB sticks for wireless access are all the rage in the 3G world as a selling point, you get a point... connected consumer electronics devices ?

Hmmm....but, as I said, I have mixed feelings ( overstreched expectations by ModuMobile ) about too much avanguard with design forms regarding mobile phones ( we've seen a lot of design failures in this industry ).
How good marketing you need for this to succeed ? Who can pay for that :))

ModuMobile does blog.

iPhone era

A brick for the ''fast'', ''aware'' and ''social'' mobile Web with a better sales touch


Extremely wise choice by Apple for the release of 3G iPhone.

Apple 'Inc. will launch new iPhone 3G in Germany, the Netherlands and Austria July 11. It's in Europe ( T-Mobile empire ) , and what is best of all ; later this year, T-Mobile will start offering the phone to customers in Croatia ( my country ) , the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia ( Eastern Europe )

What does this tell us ? Where's global test bed for brave new mobile world ? Welcome to Eastern Europe.
Just as I preached here on Zec Online Journal blog for years hehehe. Thanks Steve, now I like you more ( before ).

Just a short note, iPhone is now indeed gaining first-mover advantage and with some smart and practical solutions ( Web as a platform, good carrier deals, solving music downloads, SMS services ) could be pervasive in the next few years just like iPod ( but needs to put more flavor to it ) . Nokia and Google won't give up.

''Giveaway'' is expected as well. Go to sleep ;)

First Google Android Devices

Under the Mediterranean sun of Barcelona. Webphone dejour but SMS will rule them all ;)

Unusual suspects like british ARM and Texas Instruments got us first glimpse into practical prototype of Android mobile operating system.
It's not fancy release like iPhone's launch ( thank you ) , but it is of equal importance, IMHO ( although we have seen some of these interfaces few months ago ).

View full gallery. Still rough on the edges but it's no rush , the style will come later with handset makers and ''the switchers''.
( I like this one, tricorder someone ? ;))

The new mobile interface philosophy is beign seeded by Webkit SDK ( thank you iPhone ) . It's a magic carpet for mobile phone- programmable ( fluid ) interface. A webphone DNK.

Smartphone, indeed. Websmartphone ? Webphone ? What gives ;)
Is it finally smartphone for the ordinary people and mass market phones ?
I hope so, but let's wait.

It's a smartphone with ''mirror'' ( touchscreen aka iPhone ) and smarthphone with good ol' buttons. The hybrid approach, just like it should be.
There is plenty of room ( mobile screen ) for advertisers as well ;))

There is a plenty of icons. Someone for buried apps in the phone – those never used ? Could be an issue for some people. Power features might be used by individual preferences ? Yes, but the one thing should be straigtforward – a call.
Simple phone call.

But I have a trouble and doubt of how much progress is made when I see ''applications '' folder. Yes, it's nice for Google. Pure Google trojan horse into the handset. Gmail , Maps and other icons are in the one-button reach ( game-set-match for them ) and in the same ''game level'' like SMS.
But is it illusion made by product designers who put close observation onto current phone usage ? Will this all appeal to average users and be used by them ?

Where's search ? I can't see straigtforward ''search '' feature or something similar ( mashups ) ? Contacts folder with social networking ? Too much expectations, I shouldn't be so pushy ;)) It's not a sinn.

I would suggest only one keyword: connectivity.

I think it's the crucial ingredient for success ( too be truly useful ) of Android platform along the good battery time, IMHO. Android phones will be hungry of being alllways on. Not just allways connected to the internet, but those connection should be fast.
That means only one- fast mobile network services ( HSDPA or UMTS ). It's not something Google can do much about. It's a long, long road.

The mobile carriers will need to create special flat rate plans for Android phones. So, even if we have agile and proactive Google and its partners, I don't see that much agility on the carriers side nor mass enthusiasm among the average users.

Not until the Web on the mobile phone becomes ''status'' issue ;)) Status like ''I am important'' with that thing in my hand and ''status'' like Facebook presence ( mobile edition ) and super-light-fun-apps as well.

Time to wait. Time to explore and think more. Nobody knows...
One thing is for sure, ''the switch'' is going on.

Nokia Search gets more presence in Latin America

Search the content of your phone and in the outer mobile space

Not so visible and important by metrics and measurement I've seen, but mobile search by Nokia is gaining momentum in Latin America.
Nokia made deals with local search providers ( 15 in South America and 38 overall in the World ).

“We’re on a mission to bring everyone the ultimate search capabilities, whether locally or on the web,” says Jussi-Pekka Partanen, head of Nokia Search, Multimedia, Nokia.

Mr. Jussi- Pekka sounds like they try to explain themselves as internet connected mobile multimedia and phone top search.

What about photo and mobile code searches ( visual ) ? Are those engines counted ?
Point and search ? Not type and search.

PC at hand

Not smartphone. Mobile Internet Device. Co-existence and divergence.

Intel with its Mobile Internet Device platform and Nokia’s move towards Internet Tablets, as I wrote in yesterday's post, could bring some shift in our mobility assumptions. At least, I am challenging my dogmas :)

Intel's Paul Otellini said recently:

But Otellini believes that Silverthorne may be one of the most important products in Intel’s history. “The importance of the new Silverthorne chip is only comparable with the 8088 processor or Pentium,” he told the FAZ

Both of these are so called ultra mobile platforms only Intel's has a distinct attributes ( more pocket friendly ) : size - 4'' to 6'' display, target users consumers and prosumers, instant UI .

Intel is focused on delivering an un-compromised Internet experience with an excellent UI, strong performance, responsiveness, battery and memory. They define the usage models as “Stay in Touch,” “Be Entertained,” and “Access Info and Locate.

Nokia is preparing and re-inventing itself to the possibility of being computer company after all.

Iannucci pointed out that Nokia started as a paper mill and has a history of completely changing its industry from time to time -- from rubber boots to monitors to mobile phones. He said it is once again "a company in transition to the next phase." That next phase is mobile computing.

So, having in mind already announced iPhone, Palm Foleo and other similar products, things can get interesting with mobile computing .


Google and Microsoft still haven't showed their muscles.

Market is in the making.

I call it ''PC at hand''- a casual mobile appliance with full access to the network and the range of communication features.

Mobile Web Tablet by Intel

Internet tablets with Intel Inside.

Intel is another company making pitch for mobile computing.
The device is not smartphone but not a laptop as well. They claim Master User Interface ( MUI ) and it is a mobile internet device powered by Linux.

So, who will come up with ''mobile tablet PC'' in the future ? ;))

Follow up:

What if ... Google thinks along the same line ? Google Ultra Mobile tablet with The Grande phone apps on board ?
They just released Google Gears few days ago which will do mobile offline computing and later synch with server data.
What if they are betting against Microsoft Origami that will come up preinstalled with Live apps ?

Uf...

Could be that Alan Kay was right after all when saying after iPhone announcement:

He responded by pulling out a black covered 6×8-inch paper notebook and said that he would like it to be that size.

;))

This might be a path to Google's Metaverse when taking into account Google SketchUp and Croquet project.

Our world modelled in 3D and presented by Google and its Google AdWords advertisers ;))