Proposal for a "plan B" Nokia is a recipe for disaster

February 15, 2011-10: 28

A group of shareholders of Nokia sent a public letter with a suggested "plan B" for the company that was developing with the Microsoft deal, CEO Stephen Elop and commit essentially the company strategy, go-it-alone. On paper, looks pretty. In real life, would rush to yesterday, not a path to tomorrow.

The following two tips, taken from the Group's public letter, are the core of what I believe will save the company:

Return the company to a strategy that aims for high growth and high profit margins through innovation and overwhelming products with unrivaled user experience.

Maintain ownership and control of software of Nokia products. The software is where innovation, differentiation and value to shareholders more easily can be created.

To this end, the Group suggests doing away with the Microsoft deal and have a Windows Phone 7 arrangement to focus only on the North American market, standardize on MeeGo smartphone platform, prolonging the life of Symbian, get rid of the leadership team, and essentially doing better overall software development work.

In the ideal world, these are all very smart steps. But the Group ignores one basic fact: Nokia has already tried all this--and failed. MeeGo has been the company's Symbian smartphone platform was slated for a longer life and software development was in-house.

Nokia is not able to do all this, and that is why they are looking for a new direction. What the Group wants to Nokia to do is simple to say, and at this point impossible to do. It would take years and years, not by Nokia. Needs something today, why has signed the agreement with Microsoft.

Change is difficult, but only companies willing to accept their failures will learn from them and go on a new path to success. Perhaps the most obvious example of this technology is IBM, which before was shocked by the death of the mainframe business, then made his bet on PC and go south for it as well. It has rebuilt itself essentially as services, technology and business consulting and succeeded wildly.

Nokia Elop was smart enough to recognize the company needed to go in a new direction dramatically. The proposal "plan B" would relegate the company once again to make the mistakes of his past.

The metric system

Pilot fish works for IT Director of a non-profit organization and together with the usual things his Department also processes thank-you gifts for people who donate money.

"A year, the Organization decided to tie all the reviews of the performance metric for managers," says fish. "I sat down with my boss to discuss meaningful metrics that would make sense for the areas of reporting to me.

"Gift processing, suggested that we should have a metric to increase the number of gifts for my staff placed be higher compared to the previous year, with a stretch goal of 10 per cent more than 5 percent.

"I had to explain to you that we are only 100 percent of gifts arrive, not more and not less. It took several attempts to get her to understand why. "

Sharky's performance measurement is all based on true tales of IT life. Send me yours at sharky@computerworld.com. You will have a sleek shark shirt if you use it. Add your comments below, and read some great old Sharkives stories in.

The Best of Shark Tank includes more than 70 tales of it woe inserted by you, our readers, since 1999. Which all goes to show, conclusively, that users and hapless idiot boss are phenomena in the world. Free registration is all that is required Download for the best of Shark Tank (PDF).

The police seized more than $ 10 million in fake iPod, iPhone, PSP

The Los Angeles port police broke an operation illegal selling fake iPhone, iPod, PSP and other gadgets. The $ 10 million included seized products worth an estimated street value of over 1.4 million dollars stolen electronics, toys, blankets, worth about $ 2.5 million and confirmation of bank account, showing that it had raised more than $ 7 million in profits until it is stopped.

"This was a task well funded and counterfeits look very authentic," Ron Boyd, Chief of police force, he told the Los Angeles Times. "Our multi-layered approach, cooperation in investigations of security and theft has led to success. We are proud of the teamwork that happens on an ongoing basis to combat consumer fraud, keep our safe haven and activate our agencies to prosecute cases to fruition and penal sanctions ".

The case began with stolen goods that led officials at several downtown Los Angeles and Vernon positions in 2010 December and January 2011. Brothers Edward and Bahram Zahab, 40, 45, Zahab were arrested in Los Angeles. Edward has been charged with three counts of perfidy sale of counterfeit goods, and Bahram has been charged with a felony count of the offence itself.

A buyer may not have noticed anything wrong with the products until he or she went home and tried to connect up with your computer. The goods were dispatched from Asia as the parties meant to be reassembled and labelled before being sold. In addition to officials, the investigation has also involved the Department of Homeland Security immigration and Customs Enforcement Office, the border enforcement Security Task Force, the California Highway Patrol on Cargo theft interdiction program and Vernon Police Department.

Warm, powerful smartphone tablets: Mobile World Congress 2011 begins officially

Largest largest wireless telecommunications show in the world, Mobile World Congress, is only the beginning here in Barcelona, Spain, where this week, dozens of new handsets and tablets will make its debut. Every February, thousands of journalists, people in the industry and enthusiasts gather at the Fira de Barcelona to find out what the hottest upcoming smartphones, tablets and apps will be in the year to come.

Before the show officially kicked-off also Sony Ericsson has already announced his game of Xperia phone (aka the "Playstation"), the game Samsung unveiled the Galaxy card 10.1 smartphone's Galaxy II and LG announced a 3D smartphone and Tablet PC. We are looking forward to seeing more tablets, possibly including one from HTC and of course more phones 4 G with dual core processors. The show officially opens today and runs through Thursday.

(See: adapter Samsung Galaxy 10.1: first look and Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Gaming Phone: Hands On)

Most news from Mobile World Congress Europe impacts before and the United States at the end. For example, last year HTC has introduced a new line-up of Android phones that debuted in Europe in the first place, but then came to the United States under several different names and slightly tweaked specifications.

But the show is not entirely Europe-centric; some really big news that has affected the entire industry have been announced here. Two years ago, the second Android phone, the HTC Magic (known as the myTouch States) made her debut, and last year, Microsoft announced its new Windows Phone 7 operating system.

Mobile World Congress draws people, as well as companies from around the world. For example, in a Japanese aircraft carrier Docomo occur, RIM Blackberry and Ireland-based developer app. In terms of scale Mobile World Congress is great about how CES--except for just about every stand is a showcase something mobile-connected.

LG will make an announcement this morning and HTC will hold their press conference tomorrow morning. Check back here for exciting news from both of these companies as well as more news and hands-ons straight from the show floor.

Love in the Time of Smartphone

Here is a disturbing fact: the average user spends 79 minutes per day on their mobile phone for Web browsing or use of applications (source: AdMob). Who has time for love and meaningful relationships, when there are post Twitpics and levels of angry birds to fly?

But it's not exactly like that. Contrary to popular belief that technology has destroyed human interaction is significant, you can use your phone in a lot of ways to meet new people and date or improve your existing reports. But beware: sometimes using the telephone as a means of finding love can work against you.

Text messaging

Think of it--when dinner with plans for a date or with your partner or spouse, did you call or text them? Chances are that you did probably most planning via text. Texting is certainly preferable if you are planning a date with someone you don't know very well. Let's face it: calls are awkward, and it is less stressful to send 140 characters telling them where and when to meet you.

But texting can have some interesting implications for budding romances. For example, some people feel the need to text their love interests relentlessly. Whether it's commonplace on their day or texts of type "U Mission," this person show their affection through SMS.

So tread lightly: If you don't respond immediately, they'll probably take it personally. If you're the type who doesn't like a lot of text (or may not have a telephone keypad), is going to have to explain that to them — or gently moves.

Dating site Apps

Meeting people online thought as taboo, desperate and slightly creepy. Thanks to these advertising ubiquitous eHarmony, we now know that normal people, attractive-looking even find love online. And these days, it's even easier to find your future partner on the Internet thanks to mobile versions of your favorite dating sites. Sites like Match.com, OKCupid, and Plentyoffish all have applications for mobile devices that are compatible.

Basically, these applications are designed to provide access to frequently used features of the sites. For example, the app OKCupid alerts you whenever you have a new message, and allows you to match and see who was scoping out. You will also have access to IM clients within OKCupid.

The application allows you to control the Plentyoffish your e-mail messages and display the matches. It also uses a location-based technology to show the games in your area.

One app that may not be familiar with Flirtomatic, part social network and dating site. Most popular overseas in the United States, allows Flirtomatic "flirt" with strangers (or friends) or via the dedicated mobile app or mobile Web (for non-smartphone users who deserve love too). Make a profile, and immediately you are connected to thousands of other profiles. The service seems more like a fun way to lose more time to find true love, but if you're looking for your soulmate seriously, you can find people near you, who share similar interests.

But be wary. That sweet guy with big green eyes who loves puppies as may prove to be an ex-con a-bear who never met a puppy that he does not hate. When I meet people on one of these services, make sure you get in a public place, well lit and friends of alarm in case of necessity to bail.

Location Based Apps

Location based apps that let you control a bar or a restaurant, like Foursquare or Gowalla, are all the rage right now, especially since Facebook has jumped on the bandwagon. Can help friends find each other during a night on the town and are useful for sharing tips on a special hot beverages in the neighborhood.

But these applications are also a good way to keep tabs on your partner. Facebook allows users to control the people are with in a specific place, indicating not only where they are, but they're with. So if your girlfriend just checked in slanted door with her ex-boyfriend, you should check that.

I have also heard of people using these applications to avoid. You are about to hit the gym decked out in your sweat grossest, but--oh, wait--the ex-husband and his new girlfriend just checked. Better to wait until after dark to avoid a confrontation embarrassing.

Facebook will also send you a notification on your mobile phone when one of your friends stores in the same place that occurred. This is nice, because if that girl hot from your club bird-watching stores at your local dive grimy, you can have a small window of time sober and brushing her hair.

For the truly desperate, a handful of apps may indicate places where you might score a date. The lamely called where the Lord to app for iPhone uses the Foursquare API to determine exactly where the most "ladies" are concentrated. Apps like this can help you track other demographics of people, but I'll let you discover those on your own.

Video Chat and other applications

For those with spouses or partners travelling or working abroad, the next best thing to actually around you video chat with them. And now, shouldn't be tied to the PC to get some face to face with your loved one. Most of the high-end smartphones today, as the iPhone 4 G or EVO 4, front cameras have and are preloaded with video-chat software such as Skype or Yahoo Messenger.

Other applications may not be intended for romantics, but can still be used as such. For example, applications that allow you to share grocery lists--as grocery Gadget--are also a means to slip a cute "Love ya!" Note between "bread" and "lettuce."

And what is the most romantic way to ask someone out more by sending them a Google Calendar invite for dinner at Chez Panisse 8 PM? Or take a step further and send your guy or girl a calendar invitation for "Our Wedding" next year, Location TBA? OK, maybe not.

LG Smartphone details Optimus Pad, with 3D screen

LG Electronics has provided detailed information on some of his most anticipated mobile gadgets on Sunday, including the Tablet PC and smartphone LG Optimus Pad, that 3D Optimus will be shown this week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The Optimus Pad comes with an 8.9-inch touchscreen and built-in 3D camera, according to a statement of LG. Designed to take on Apple's new tablet iPad, LG has the latest version of Google's Android mobile OS on board, honeycomb and a dual core processor from Nvidia Tegra 2 1 GHz.

The device screen has a resolution of 1280 x 768. Pictures and videos taken with your camera, 3D can be observed on 3D TVs or shared on the Web via YouTube 3D, LG said.

LG Optimus 3D smartphone, with 4.3-inch screen without 3D glasses, features a dual lens camera to take photos and videos in 3D, the company said.

LG has used a parallax barrier technology applied to create the effect without 3D glasses on the screen. Technology poses a series of slots in the front of the LCD screen that block the light in a way that ensures a user left and right eye see different images, creating the illusion of depth of the 3D image.

Optimus 3D is based on a 1 GHz processor dual core OMAP4 Texas Instruments. Has a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) and supports the DLNA network (Digital Living Network Alliance) that enables easy transfer of pictures and video between devices.

LG did not say what kind of operating system uses the phone and could not be reached immediately for comment.

The electronics giant in South Korea will also show two additional Smartphones at Mobile World Congress, the Optimus 2 X black and Optimus, details of which were announced earlier. Optimus 2 X has a dual-core processor with Nvidia Tegra 2 on board for multimedia powerhouse, including web browsing and smooth 1080p HD video playback, LG said. The black Optimus is a smartphone Android slimline and lightweight with a 4-inch display designed to read under any lighting situations.

LG said pre-orders 2 million have already been released for black Optimus, since it was unveiled at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.

Operations phone LG has struggled last year due to a focus on emerging markets. The company captured on the rise of smartphones lag behind rivals, but worked hard to make a comeback.

At Mobile World Congress opens on Monday in Barcelona.

Lenovo earns first gold rating in the new green certification system

It seems that there is a certification of new types IT can look at when it comes to ratings for green IT.

Maker Lenovo notebooks known has earned the first gold rating for laptop under the UL environment sustainable production certification (CPS). The rating has been granted for the next ThinkPad420, a laptop that is expected to be launched later in the month of February.

The video below provides some perspectives, but some of the factors that have contributed to Lenovo earn this distinction were a focus on the use of low-halogen and post-consumer recycled content in the product, and the choice of a design that make this notebook than the average for dismantling for recycling or reuse after his life. Some expected to release the ThinkPads this year have more than 10 percent post-consumer content, while some ThinkCentre and Lenovo ThinkVision contain recycled up to 65 percent of things. Specific things that are examined during the review process of UL environment include product documentation, compliance with Energy Star 5.0 and production facilities. The evaluation programme is based on IEEE standard 1680 sustainability, who leads the process of certification of EPEAT green technology more familiar.

As I reported earlier this month, UL environment is spearheading the development of standards for mobile phones.

Heather Clancy is an award-winning business journalist with a passion for green technology and corporate sustainability issues.

LG Announces 3D and medium-sized Tablet Smartphone

LG fired two shots are important in the Tablet PC and smartphone wars here at Mobile World Congress, announcing Optimus 3D smartphone and the LG Optimus Pad, an Android-based Tablet PC honeycomb.

LG Optimus says that 3D is the first dual-core processor, dual, 3D phone. The dual-core processor Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 in phone, LG says, helps your shoot and display 3D HD video while going easy on battery life. Upload Web pages and navigate through the tasks faster, the processor helps even the phone, the company says.

3D without glasses Dorky

The phone has a VGA 3D Optimus 4.3-inch display for 3D video playback. And best of all, you don't need to wear a dorky 3D glasses to view the video. LG showed videos of people using 3D video to keep important family events (baby taking first steps), by watching the video training and to make presentations.

Click to ZoomThe new phone has two 5-megapixel camera on the back to shoot the multiple dimensions of HD video. Shoots 720 p video in 1080p video and 3D in 2D. The video can be viewed on TV using a HDMI output, or wirelessly to DLNA-enabled home entertainment components. LG says it has a new deal with YouTube 3D video being uploaded to permitting easy and with special features.

The phone will be sold by carriers in may, but no u.s. carrier was announced, and there is no information available on prices.

"Everything is going to change this year. Smartphones are set for skipping in 2011, "said Dr. CEO of LG Jong-seok Park. "2011 will be the year that LG becomes a key competitor for smartphones".

LG Optimus PAD

LG is predicting a "real war of Tablet PC" starting in 2011, and so is launching a serious competitor in the fray--LG Optimus PAD.

The Tablet is a dual core processor and Nvidia runs Android 3.0, which adds support for Google Books and Google navigation for the Google operating system.

The PAD has a 8.9-inch display; the Tablet is bigger than a Galaxy Samsung and smaller than an Apple iPad. LG believes Tablet PC hits the sweet spot between portability and optimal screen space. Weighing 630 grams compared to 730 grams of iPad.

The PAD, like 3D, the smartphone has two separate cameras for shooting video on the back. A 2 megapixel camera on the front of the Tablet-PC can be used for conferences.

LG Optimus Pad: first look

Another day, another Android Tablet PC dual core Honeycomb. LG unveiled the Latest Android-based Tablet to hit the Mobile World Congress 2011, LG Optimus Pad. The Optimus Pad is unique from other tablets, however, as has a 8.9 inch display, rather than a 10-incher as the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tab.

I've never been a big fan of tablets simply because the ones I've used have felt a little awkward. The Galaxy 7 inches is too small for my taste while managing iPad 10.1-inch always makes me feel a little nervous, as if you could drop it. LG has hit a sweet spot with 8.9 inch: Optimus is a convenient size and easy to handle.

Another standout feature is the ability to record video in 3D. The Optimus Pad has a dual-lens 3D camera, as well as an HDMI port, so you can view 3D content on the TV 3D--that is, if you are bringing in pasta and has a 3D TV. I couldn't test this feature on the show floor, unfortunately, as LG have no one linked to a 3D TV. The Optimus Pad also provides Full HD 1080p decoding so that you can transfer high-quality video from your Pad to the TV without any loss of image quality.

So what tablet Honeycomb appeals to you more: Motorola Xoom, Samsung Galaxy card 10.1 or LG Optimus Pad? Capture 3D video in front of the pack put LG? Sound off in the comments below.

LG Optimus 3D is black, but 3D is misleading: Hands On

One of the most buzzed about phones here at Mobile World Congress is LG Optimus 3D, the first phone to use the 3D display technology. How black Optimus and Optimus 2 X, which we saw at Mobile World Congress, Optimus 3D is powered by a dual-core processor and a 4.3-inch display. 3D as it appears on a mobile phone? Well, I'm honestly not all that impressed.

3D is slowly becoming more popular in other categories such as TV and cameras, but certainly is not a mainstream technology. Luckily, you don't have to wear glasses goofy to see up to 720 p 3D video on 3D Optimus. The effect, however, is disappointing. Images are not exactly jump at you from the display and the quality is a little grainy and odd looking.

I like the fact that you can create and share 3D content. Optimus 3D has a 5 megapixel camera with dual so you can capture 3D video, upload it to YouTube 3D (LG also announced a partnership with video sharing service from Google) and share with other 3D devices. You can also connect your phone to a 3D TV via the HDMI port. But once again, how many people have 3D TV?

Unfortunately, the phone doesn't ship with the latest version of Android, otherwise known as gingerbread. Also there is a 4 G phone, which is disappointing.

Another strange-and possibly irregular-what I experienced in my practice is that the phone crashed repeatedly. I try and open an application, like for example the 3D Gallery, and the phone would be stopped. I don't know if this is due to the fact that this was a demo and a lot of hands was on it or if it were pre-production and unstable. I tried to use another phone, but that one wouldn't even turn on. When stand LG is less than a lunatic asylum, I'll give it another shot.

ITU wants to help the Government to avoid the bottleneck Mobile

Whitespace devices, LTE, femtocells, Wi-Fi automatic handover, optimized backhaul networks: wireless operators already distributes a wide range of techniques to increase the speed of the flow of data to our Smartphones, and equipment manufacturers are showing many more at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week.

But all this still won't be sufficient to ensure that the data continues to flow, as the number of Smartphone rises from 500 million to almost two billion by 2015, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), an agency of the United Nations.

ITU wants Governments to act now, additional spectrum licenses for mobile communication networks and making it easier for operators of fixed networks intended to roll out fibre links that mobile operators need to connect to the growing number of mobile phone base stations.

"Mobile operators have invested billions to upgrade and improve capacity and performance of their networks, but in some cities with a high rate of use, as San Francisco, New York and London, we're seeing more users frustrated by chronic problems of network outages," Secretary General Mr Hamadoun Touré ITU warned Friday.

If help more government intervention is questionable: for the city of high-use Touré CITES, Governments are already well ahead of the pack.

One of the strategies that he suggests, forcing TV stations to switch to digital transmitters more efficient, freeing up spectrum for other uses, has already been adopted in the United States and United Kingdom. In 2008, the Government of the United States to auction former analogue TV spectrum in the band 700 MHz and Verizon Wireless has already started to offer its mobile broadband service LTE (Long Term Evolution) in New York, San Francisco and other cities.

The United Kingdom too has analog TV transmitters turned off (France will follow suit this year) and is the roll-out of fibre-optic connections at home: as many as 600,000 Uk homes could be connected to fiber later this year.

While analogue TV spectrum was an easy target, other frequencies may be released for mobile communications. For convenient mass produce mobile telephones and modem, but the same frequencies must be available on all continents. This availability is decided at the World Radiocommunication Conference, a three-week event intergovernmental-long, organized by the ITU every three or four years. The last WRC ended on November 16, 2007: the next begins on January 23, 2012, in Geneva, and mobile operators will undoubtedly keep a very close eye on the debates.

Peter Sayer covers open source software, the legislation on intellectual property and General technology breaking news for IDG News Service. Send comments and suggestions of news to Peter at peter_sayer@idg.com.

W3C: HTML5 will be finished in 2014

Those who are curious about the final release date for the heated debates HTML5 need wonder no more: the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) intends to finalize the standard by July 2014, the Organization announced Monday.

"This is the first time we were able to answer the questions of when it will be done," said Ian Jacobs, W3C head of marketing and communication. "More and more people from industries are increasingly asking when it will be done. They require very high levels of stability and interoperability standards.

HTML5 is the next version of the HyperText Markup Language, a platform-independent standards used worldwide for rendering Web pages. Concerns when should aim to have increased in recent years, as Apple, Google and Microsoft touted yet unfinished standard as a basis for creating Web applications.

Despite the enthusiasm of those companies and others, many have warned against using the standard before it is finalized. Due to its complexity, the estimates as and when it should be finished HTML5 ranged wildly, from a year or two for not until 2022.

The last call for feedback has been announced for 22 May this year.

From then until 2014, the HTML Working Group will have different tasks to complete before the standard is finalized, Jacobs said. The Group has to review and address the comments submitted until may expire. The feedback from this "Last Call" should be quite substantial and could cause another revision of the document.

The Group also for the design of a test suite, one that can understand the wide range of different browsers and platforms that renders pages and Web applications written in HTML5.

Such interoperability is crucial, given the expanding range of devices accessing the Web, including TVs, tablets and phones. "The goal is a broad interoperability," said Jacobs.

The W3C expects any new features to be added after the last call. Since that time the Group held only by implementers and feedback for the W3C interaction domain, which oversees the development of HTML, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) and other Web standards, through the test suite tests, said Philippe Le Hégaret, lead.

As the HTML5 working group will start evaluating Finalizes new features and improvements for subsequent versions. While the members of the Working Group have decreed that will do away with the standard version numbering, Jacobs, nor would definitely say that Hégaret there will be future releases are numbered, e.g. HTML6 or HTML5.

For now, the Organization will classify his work with the title "HTML .next", said Jacobs.

The W3C also announced Monday that it has extended the Charter of the HTML Working Group to 2014. The HTML Working Group is composed of more than 400 members from browser vendors, software developers and other organisations rely on Web standards.

Joab Jackson covers enterprise software and General technology breaking news for the IDG News Service. Follow Joab on Twitter at @ Joab_Jackson. E-mail address of Joab is Joab_Jackson@idg.com

Intel's Medfield Smartphone Chip now in production

Intel on Monday said his chip Medfield, designed for low-end smartphones, is in production and will ship later this year.

Compressed using Oak Trail Intel chips will ship this year, before Medfield will appear in products, in accordance with

Anand Chandrasekher, senior vice president and general manager of Intel Ultra Mobility Group, who spoke at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Chandrasekher gave few details of Medfield different from saying that he will have the fastest processor on the market, the standby time same as chips from competitors and for the longest active power of any chip. Intel in the past said that the new chip, which includes an Atom CPU, will deliver even better graphics capabilities.

Medfield is a chip that combines an Atom CPU with a number of specialized cores for functions such as graphics accelerators. Medfield will first Intel chip for smartphones, code-named Moorestown, who was unable to find traction in the smartphone market.

But it remains to be seen if Intel can get manufacturers to adopt Medfield. No Smartphone with Intel chips are still available. LG Electronics has shown a smartphone Moorestown based last year, but was never sold. Intel Friday said a phone with chip Intel will ship later this year, but has not made the name of the creator of the phone.

Intel showed off some Oak Trail tablet at the Consumer Electronics Show last month. PC makers said that tablets based on the chip can run for up to eight hours on a single battery charge and play high-definition 1080p video.

Chandrasekher also said that Intel is accelerating the development of communication chip LTE (Long Term Evolution). The company plans to sample them this year in time for inclusion in products for the holidays year-end in 2012. Intel chip HSPA + is in production now, he said.

Intel last month completed the acquisition of $ 1.4 billion wireless division of Infineon, which was announced in August. Intel said in the future that will integrate the chips such as the radio 3 G and 4 G acquired by Infineon in its Atom processors.

Intel also announced a dual SIM product that enables users to run two SIM cards in one device. That is useful for those who want to have a phone number and personal account, as well as a series of works, but use the same device.

Intel also announced an agreement with Korea Telecom and Samsung under which the company will use Intel chips in all their LTE network installations combined.

Intel pledged to MeeGo, Nokia despite the defection

Intel has put up a brave face on Monday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, insisting that there is continued strong support from it and many companies for MeeGo, the open source software platform that last week Nokia said that he would have dropped in favor of Microsoft Windows Phone 7.

"Intel is disappointed to Nokia, but life goes on," said Renee James, senior vice president and general manager of Intel's software and services, during a press conference. "Our decision and resolve on MeeGo is just stronger."

You pointed out a long list of companies that are participating in the development of MeeGo including competitors Advanced Micro Devices, Texas Instruments and Ericsson ST; operators including Orange, Telefonica and Sprint; and software companies, including Novell and Wind River.

Intel expects to see MeeGo Tablet shipments this year based on its Atom chip, a low-power chips designed for smartphones and other mobile devices. Phones will follow, said James.

Despite Nokia's announcement that it would gradually use of Symbian and MeeGo, it will still send its MeeGo phone this year.

To demonstrate the progress software, Intel showed off a new user interface for MeeGo running on tablets. It is a set of columns that users can scroll. Columns include one called "My Friends", "which pulls in data from friends by Twitter, email and other social networking sites.

Other columns display photos, videos, and recently visited Web pages.

Booth MeeGo Tablet demonstration includes an application that provides users with remote access to your Windows PC or Mac computer, so that any application running on your computer can access it from the tablet. This unit also included demonstration Swype, software that aims to make typing on the touch screen faster.

An Executive from Orange spoke at the press conference, reaffirming the support of the operator for MeeGo. He said that Orange decided prior to support MeeGo because it represents an open environment. "The vision that we shared [Intel] was that this industry needed a truly open ecosystem that provides a level field for all players," said Patrick Remy, vice President of devices for Orange. "This need is still there."

He may have been subtly refers to Android, which is open source but essentially developed exclusively by Google.

Although the first MeeGo phones have yet to reach the market and only a few tablets are shipped with the software, Intel has high hopes. As a minimum, Intel would like to be in third place, from Apple and Android already far ahead, James said.

Despite his enthusiasm, Intel is sure to be negatively impacted by the decision of Nokia. Intel has progressed very little in the mobile market. It probably hoped that support Nokia MeeGo it would sell its low power Atom chip. Now that the creator of the world's largest phone is passed to Windows phone, Intel will lose this opportunity. Windows Phone 7 does not work with Intel Atom processors.

YouTube partners with LG Mobile 3D Videos

YouTube is working with LG Electronics to make it easier for users to capture 3D images and videos on mobile devices and load directly over the Internet with the new LG smartphone 3D Optimus.

Optimus 3D, that uses the Android mobile OS, Google has a double lens for capturing video and 3D images. Videos can be uploaded directly to YouTube through a dedicated YouTube videos 3D application, said a spokesman Nanako Kato, LG.

4.3 inch touchscreen Optimus 3D also allows users to view images in 3D, and video without the use of glasses.

"The new partnership is part of a broader push into 3D entertainment from LG and online video community in the world", the company said in a joint statement. "YouTube and LG partnered to allow delivery and sharing of 3D video on mobile devices in a way that makes it simple and easy for consumers."

YouTube has started to provide a place for 3D video in July 2009 in the 3D Gallery of YouTube and also sells special 3D glasses on the site.

Partnering with LG takes mobile 3D video, making it easily loadable and easy to share.

LG Optimus armed with a 1 GHz 3D OMAP4 dual core processor from Texas Instruments, Dual-Channel memory so that users have enough power to work on 3D video on the laptop. People can share 3D videos and images through a range of wired and wireless connectors, including HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). Additionally, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) certified network.

Screen without 3D glasses on 3D Optimus was made with a parallax barrier technology applied, that raises a number of slots on the front of the LCD screen that block the light in a way that ensures a user left and right eye see different images, creating the illusion of depth of the 3D image.

LG Optimus Pad tablet also has a built-in 3D camera, but its 8.9-inch touchscreen is not made for viewing 3D without glasses. Pictures and videos taken with your camera, 3D can be observed on 3D TVs or shared on the Web via YouTube 3D, LG said.

Friends for IPhone gets better interface

Taptivate has updated his friends, his iPhone app that saves you from "social fatigue" allowing you to manage all your contacts, photos, status updates and social media in a convenient place pals.

If you haven't used friends, lets you control you feed on Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. You can synchronize contacts from such services (and other) with the device's address book, Mark contacts as Favorites for easy access and post to multiple services simultaneously.

The updated app is a redesigned user interface that provides a high-level overview-overview of your Facebook and Twitter feeds on the homepage, as well as the faster access to filters for a specific service and its contacts. Now you can save links to your account, Read It later (in addition to existing support for Instapaper) and synchronize your phone's contacts with LinkedIn has been improved. Users can now sort their contacts by first name and last name, rather than just the surname. A number of bugs fixed in this update, too.

Friends is on sale now for just $ 1 (down from his usual price $ 2) and is compatible with devices running iOS 4.0 or later.

For other Macintosh computing news, visit Macworld. Story copyright © 2010 Mac Publishing LLC. All rights reserved.

Future PC and the TARDIS in this week in GeekTech

Alex and a robot ... something ...Welcome to this week in the GeekTech, your roundup of the best stories of the past week (or so) from the PCWorld GeekTech blog! We're a little late this Go-around, but we will move on Friday afternoon, starting this coming week. Let's get started.

PC 2020: GeekTech contemplates the future of the PC

We are currently running a series of stories where we look at where the PC is now, and where it is headed. Try another pair rate over the next few days, but in the meantime, get caught up with what we have so far ...

Is a TARDIS! Heck Yes! And you might be coming to a campus near you. Check out the photos!

In the future, everyone will be just a robot that makes their offer and order their coffee and muffins.

Wait, what?

That last part is actually true: someone has sent you a telepresence robot from Anybots order a scone from a cafe in Mountain View, CA. Watch the video!

While we're on the subject of Robotics slightly creepy developments, there is this story of an on-line under development that would allow robots to share information with others. No word on if it will be used to organize a robo-revolution.

We have had the privilege of having an email interview with Jason Brush, Executive Vice President of user experience at schematic, the company that Google has worked to develop the art project of Google. Here's what he had to say.

See you next week!

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You are exaggerating the role of social media in Egypt?

A lot is said about the role of social media, Facebook, especially mobilizing and fueling the popular revolt in Egypt. Some are already calling it a revolution of Social Media. Wael Ghonim, activist Internet 30-year-old who has become one of the most recognizable faces of the movement in Egypt, dubbed Egypt 2.0 in an interview with CNN on Friday.  It is difficult to say how much of that credit is earned and how much it is pure hyperbole.

But a quick look at some numbers is instructive.

For a popular movement, the basis of Facebook in Egypt is rather small, if considered as a percentage of the total population. The Egypt has currently approximately 5.2 million users of Facebook, according to SocialBakers a site that maintains detailed statistics on Facebook use around the world. That is less than 7 percent of the total population of Egypt. In other words, less than 7 out of every 100 Egyptians are Facebook users.

On the contrary, in Tunisia, close to 21 percent of the population have Facebook accounts, Quatar use about 33%, Kuwait about 21 percent, while in Facebook in the United Arab Emirates is used by 37 per cent of the population. Even conservative of Saudi Arabia has 12 percent penetration, going by the numbers of SocialBakers.

Sure, the Egypt ranks an impressive 23 213 countries in terms of number of persons from a country who have signed up for Facebook. However, when this number is treated as a percentage of the total population, Egypt drops to 127 place in General.

The statistics are not a lot different from another perspective as well.  Only approximately 31 percent of those who have access to the Internet in Egypt have signed up for Facebook accounts--a lot of them the last few weeks. On the contrary, almost 60 percent of those with Internet access in Tunisia have Facebook accounts, while the number is close to 50 percent in the UAE.

What the figures show that is the hallmark of social media in Egypt--at least as measured by Facebook use--Tis less than one might imagine from everything that is said. It would be interesting to look at the numbers of Twitter, if those were available to see how you stack up.

For a tool that allegedly helped to topple a Government, using Facebook in Egypt seems to be relatively small, even compared to countries in the region. Even if it wasn't, that's really beside the point.

At the end of the day, Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and all other social media services are just tools that enable better communication.  Just as newspapers and radio and TV. They are the means not the message.

Social media has certainly played a role in the dissemination of information about what was going on in Egypt to citizens and to the rest of the world. When the Egyptian police in Alexandria allegedly beat 28-year old Khaled Said to death last June, was the photo of his face changed into a Facebook page called we all Khaled Said, which may have sowed the seeds for the popular dissent. Social media amplified what was happening, because he gave a few citizen journalists a way to show and tell others what they were seeing and experiencing.

The question is how many of those tens of thousands of singing in Piazza Tahir also in recent weeks has seen those images, or messages to Twitter or YouTube videos?  How many still had access to the Internet to know these things? After all, revolutions that occurred throughout history without Twitter or Facebook or TV or newspapers. When people get pushed around long enough, these things tend to happen. And all you need is often only a small spark to turn the whole thing.

This was a victory for the people of Egypt. Not social media.

Flash will dominate Smartphones, Adobe says

BARCELONA--while Apple rejects the value of Flash Player for its smartphones and tablets, which Apple mobile products do not support, the creators of Flash by Adobe Systems are pounding their chests about his promise.

Opera: TaylorAdobe Chip predicts 600% growth in the number of smartphones with the 10.1 Flash Player installed in 2011, reaching Smartphone 132 million and more than 50 models of Tablet PC with installed both the reader and available for download, the company said Monday. For the six months following the launch of Flash 10.1, more than 20 million smartphones were shipped or updated with it.

Platforms that support Flash in 2011 will include Android, BlackBerry Tablet OS and Hewlett Packard WebOS, among others, Adobe said at the Mobile World Congress, which began Monday. Adobe Flash Player 10, which offers new features such as Video Stage to offer better video performance on mobile devices, desktops and TVs on show too.

"Flash is hardly going away," said Anup Murarka, Director of product marketing at Adobe Systems ' Flash, in an interview. "Using points to continued growth."

The first 40 Smartphones with Flash, the most popular in the United States were in the Droid family, such as the x and the droid, Evo, HTC said.

"Apple's View is that users don't need Flash and can get on the Web without it," he said. "But we get comments that users can enjoy more of the Web with Flash".

Murarka does not make the case that customers buy specifically Smartphone for the Flash player, but he added, "is certainly something consumers have shown for the question."

Adobe provides the Adobe Air, a development tool that enables the delivery of applications for the Apple platform for iOS as well as Android, BlackBerry, Tablet OS and applications Air televisions. are available on Smartphones and tablets over 84 million already, Adobe said. More than 200 million smartphones and tablets will support air before the end of 2011, Adobe predicted.

Adobe also announced that its Digital Publishing Suite tools can now be used to create and distribute magazines for Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets through software called Content Viewer for Android. One of the tablets concerned Honeycomb coming to market is the Motorola Xoom.

Publisher Conde Nast magazines, Dennis Publishing, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and National Geographic already use the Digital Publishing Suite.

In a statement, Joe Simon, CTO at Conde Nastezh, said that the suite is already used to produce digital editions of Wired and The New Yorker. "We are pleased to bring you some of the most loved magazines and the world's most influential for the Android platform," he said.

Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handheld and wireless networks for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @ matthamblen or Subscribe to the RSS feed of Matt. His e-mail address is mhamblen@computerworld.com.

To learn more about mobile applications and services in Computerworld Mobile Apps and services topic Center.

For more enterprise computing news, visit Computerworld. Story copyright © 2010 Computerworld Inc. All rights reserved.

What is the Apple iPad plan 2?

Apple iPad 2 is just weeks away from becoming a reality, according to the latest entries. Just what have her Sleeve to entice Apple consumers in 2011?

Read our complete.

Check out our guide to the best upcoming tablets in 2011.

Apple iPad 2 is already in production--according to the Wall Street Journal. The report says iPad 2 is thinner and lighter than the original and will be available with a faster processor, more memory and a more powerful graphics processor.

The article quoted "people familiar with the matter" and also said that iPad second generation will have a front camera in order to use Facetime feature Apple. It also submits that the resolution of your display iPad 2 will be similar to the first iPad, excluding the inclusion of Retinal display used on Apple iPhone 4.

Other rumors about the next generation iPad have included:

--A case of carbon fiber, to reduce weight and increase mobility (can)--Dual cameras; a front camera for video calls and a rear camera Facetime to take photos and record high definition video clips (very likely)--three-axis gyroscope, the same used on the iPhone; 4 (can)--A USB port (highly unlikely)--An SD card slot (can)--A Retina display the same used on the iPhone 4 (unlikely)--design case thinner than current iPad (very likely)--a 7a short version (highly unlikely)--no home button; use of multi-touch gestures instead (unlikely)--iPad 3 to follow iPad 2 September (highly unlikely)

What you want to see in iPad 2? Let us know in the comments below!

5 safety tips for iPad

1. Encrypt, encrypt, encrypt. There are two parts to the challenge of data encryption-encryption of stored data and data encryption that is moving over public networks, says security expert Brian Reed, vice President of products at the BoxTone mobile security provider. SSL encryption on iPad is a fast and convenient way to secure data in motion. "With data at rest, we want to ensure that data is encrypted and protected, but you also want to be able to wipe it remotely, if possible," he added.

[iPad storm the enterprise tech priorities 2011 |: find a place for iPad]

2. centralize the management. IOS Apple 4 allows IPAD can be managed centrally. Companies can set security policy, block or devices are lost or stolen, clean and even create your own catalogs of app, Reed says. Stories about how Apple devices don't play well with corporate departments go back a year, he adds. "What we're seeing now and the reason why this is heating up, is that the management of the built-in features in iOS," she says. "We're seeing the floodgates open for iPad in the enterprise."

3. Isolate personal and company data. Since iPad is a device for consumers, many users are going to want to use it for personal e-mail, reading, shopping online or games. This could be a problem in certain regulated industries such as financial and medical sectors, where sensitive financial data, or medical records must be kept isolated. To keep the regulators happy, employees can carry two devices-one for work and one for personal use. Or they can logically isolate the corporate environment from the environment staff on the same device, Reed says. This would allow employees to bring their personal devices to work. When the employee leaves the company, should be deleted only in corporate environment. "With an employee-owned iPad, I can do a selective deletion and leave all personal data in place-a personal account of iTunes and angry birds," says Reed.

4. Via email through our servers. Out of the box, iPad is designed to work with e-mail services, but can also be configured to only work with corporate email systems-or have access to both on the same device. "The great thing is that you can force all e-mails are routed through your server and have compliance and archiving on the e-mail server," says Reed.

5. authentication and authorization. Companies are accustomed to having a second factor authentication to desktops and laptops-digital certificates, one-time passcodes, smart card readers. "But on a mobile device, is often just a login with your ID and password," says Jeff Kalwerisky, Chief Security Evangelist for Alpha Software. But many systems of two factors can work on as well as iPad, he added. These include the one-time password devices RSA or VeriSign, or confirmation messages to a separate cell phone. "The phone is a second factor very smart," says Kalwerisky. "If someone stole your iPad, but don't have the phone, they would not be able to log in. And it is a mobile phone-everybody's got one. "

Read more about anti-malware in anti-malware Network worldwide.

For more information on the corporate network, go to NetworkWorld. Story copyright 2010 Network World Inc. All rights reserved.

NVIDIA: we have quad core Tegra products soon

Associate Editor

Andrew j. Nusca is an editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet. As a journalist based in New York City, he has written for Popular Mechanics and men's Vogue and his byline has appeared in New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, New York Daily News, Editor & Publisher, New York Press and many others. He also writes the Editorialiste, a media criticism blog.

He is a graduate of New York University and former editor and columnist of the Washington Square News. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. He was named "Howard Kurtz, Jr." by film critic John Lichman despite not having a relationship with him. A native of Philadelphia, he lives in New York with his girlfriend and his cat, Spats.

Follow him on Twitter.

60 watt LED bulb from Philips earns the Energy Star label

Write publicly about what high-tech industry is doing to help herself and the world get greener and more sustainable is one of the ways I can help figure significantly more to that effort. Ià¢ à ¯  ¿â½ à ¯  ¿Â ½ m also a big OMG-type-to-fan of smart leadership, reason people crack that publish this blog let me go on about this topic and because I'm always hunting for ideas of future-oriented corporate management.

My writing day is focused on finding topics for my blog, GreenTech pastures and Business brain. Moreover, often writing emerging technological trends such as laptops, unified communications and cloud computing. Occasionally pop up at a Conference of industry in a sort of ability to speak. In cases where a word commitment involves a sponsor who can be covered in this blog, that fact will not be disclosed under cover as appropriate.

My business writing job usually consists of crafting research white papers on any aspect of technology. If my comment (in written, audio or video) refers to a company for which I provided consulting advice, disclose that fact. However, there is no connection between these projects and topics that Ià¢ à ¯  ¿â½ à ¯  ¿Â ½ m coverage in my blog.

Apple: the most valuable tech company in the world

Jason d. O'Grady developed an affinity for Apple computers after using the original Lisa and this affinity turned into an obsession of good faith when he got the original 128 k Macintosh in 1984.

He began writing one of the first websites on Apple (O'Grady's PowerPage) in 1995 and is considered one of the fathers of blogging. He has been a frequent speaker at the Conference to Macworld Expo and a member of the Faculty Conference. He also founded the first dedicated PowerBook User Group (PPUG) in the United States.

After winning a major legal battle with Apple in 2006, together with him the precedent that independent journalists are entitled to the same protections under the first amendment as members of the mainstream media.

O'Grady ISA, author of the Nexus One Pocket Guide, The droid Pocket Guide, The Google Phone Pocket Guide, and the Garmin nuvi Pocket Guide (Peachpit Press), the author of corporations that changed the world: Apple Inc. (Greenwood Press) and a contributor to the Bible Mac (Peachpit Press). In addition, has contributed to numerous publications of Macs over the years, including MacWEEK, Macworld and MacPower (Japan).

When not writing about Apple for ZDNet at The Apple Core, he enjoys spending time with his family in New Jersey.

Samsung Galaxy S II vs Galaxy's original S

By JR Raphael

Grab the nearest cigar, fan Android: Samsung has just delivered a new sibling to its Galaxy S smartphone.

Samsung officially introduced the Samsung Galaxy S II (or Galaxy S2,) If you prefer at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week. The Galaxy S II is a direct successor to the original line Galaxy S and builds upon the concepts used in the popular series phone.

The Samsung Galaxy S II, of course, has several improvements over its predecessor: it's faster, thin and boasts a display bigger and better. And this is only the beginning--check the chart below to compare side-by-side and reading some more specific.

Samsung Galaxy S II comparison

All right--what exactly is going on with the Samsung Galaxy S II? First, the speed: The Galaxy S II, like many Android phones introduced this year, packs dual core processor 1 GHz. (The original's Galaxy was single core). The S2 also double the RAM of his older brother, with a full gigabyte of memory compared to the first phone s 512 MB.

Then there's the display: while the original's Galaxy won fans with its 4-inch AMOLED screen, the Galaxy S II expands to 4.3 inch Samsung AMOLED and uses new Super Plus technology. Super AMOLED Plus is said to offer an image brighter, more vibrant--and Samsung Swears that despite its improved performance, screen, beefed-up will not have a negative impact on battery life of Android.

How ' bout software? The Samsung Galaxy S II, not surprisingly, Android will ship with Gingerbread, latest smartphone-ready Edition Google Android operating system. (Android honeycombs, as now, is limited to tablets--even if it seems that could one day change). S the Galaxy, by comparison, is currently running or Android 2.2 or 2.1 Android, depending on the model; Samsung, as we all know, not exactly been the ball with the delivery of updates Android. The company has not given any indication as if we should expect any improvements in this Department with the new line of S2.

Base operating system, the Galaxy S II comes with a new version 4.0 of TouchWiz user interface, Android owners of Samsung. TouchWiz 4.0 revolves around a series of "hubs"--integrated applications that provide access to social functions, reading materials, games and music--and also includes an integrated voice control application and PC based Kies synchronization utilities. The Galaxy S II introduces a handful of new enterprise-oriented features, too, including Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync functionality built-in and conferencing services provided by Cisco.

Some other noteworthy additions for Samsung Galaxy S II include a 8MP camera updated--compared to previous generation 5--and the presence of a front camera for video chat, which existed only in certain models of the device's original Galaxy. All phones Galaxy S II will be characterized by a 1080p LED flash and video recording. The phone is equipped with NFC Android-friendly technology and support for HSPA + Internet connections.

The Galaxy S II is slightly larger than the original's Galaxy, thanks to its expanded display, but it is also slightly thinner and lighter. Of course, as with the first Galaxy S, carriers are likely to personalize your device and come out with their unique versions--so that some of these specifications can finish variables from one model to another.

The Samsung Galaxy S II is expected to launch in parts of Europe in May. No U.S. release dates have been announced so far. Even the price is still unknown.

Read related updates: Android: which manufacturers you can trust?

JR Raphael writes on Smartphones and other technologies. You can find it on Facebook, Twitter or on eSarcasm, his escape geek-humor.

Article copyright 2011 JR Raphael. All rights reserved.

A wireless radio that can send and receive signals at the same time

Radio waves to make the world go around.  They make it possible for communication and navigation satellites, modern aviation support and provide access to wireless Internet.  A feature of radio technology is that traffic flows in one direction at a time on a specific frequency. This is why pilots, police and others walkie-talkie frequently use "over" as they take turns speaking.

But now researchers at Stanford have developed a way that allows wireless signals being sent and received simultaneously on a single channel. Their research could help build networks faster, more efficiently, at least double the speed of existing networks.

"Textbooks say that you can do," said Philip Levis, Associate Professor of computer science and electrical engineering. "The new system proposes completely our assumptions about wireless networks can be designed," said in a press release from the University.

Levis and his team made the discovery is based on a seemingly simple idea. What if radio could do the same thing that our brains do when we have to listen and speak simultaneously: exclude the sound of our voice?

The main obstacle to simultaneous two-way conversation is that incoming signals are overwhelmed by their radio transmissions, making it impossible to talk and listen at the same time.

"When is transmitting a radio, its transmission is million, billion times stronger than anything else that you may hear [from another radio]," Levis said. "Trying to hear a whisper, while she screams".

The researchers reasoned that, if the signal from its transmitter could filter a radio receiver, weak incoming signal could be heard. "You can make it so that you don't hear your cry and you can hear someone whisper," Levis said.

Each radio knows exactly what is being sent, and then what should filter its receiver. The process is similar for noise canceling headphones.

Up next for the team is to increase both the strength of broadcasts and distances to work before the technology can be of any practical use in WiFi networks.

But even more promising are the implications of the system for future networks. "Once a hardware and software are built to take advantage of simultaneous two-way transmission, there is no estimate the scale of results," said Levis.

Watch the accompanying video to see the set-up wireless in action.

Christopher Jablonski is a freelance technology writer.