Soft Digets - Software Reviews: May 2011

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Android Still Trails iOS as a Money Maker for Devs

By Ryan Kim May. 27, 2011, 6:37am PT 31 Comments

While Android Market is on pace to overtake Apple’s App Store in overall apps later this year, it’s trailing far behind as a money-making platform for developers. New analysis from app research firm Distimo found the Android Market is still dominated by free app downloads, and that paid downloads do much better on the iOS platform.

The latest Distimo report found that just two paid Android apps have ever eclipsed the half-million milestone, while six iPhone apps did that in two months in April and May. In a comparison of paid game downloads, Distimo found there are five games in Google’s Android Market with over 250,000 downloads worldwide, while the Apple App Store for iPhone had 10 games that hit 250,000 downloads in the United States alone in two months. This isn’t that surprising because Apple’s App Store has about three times as many paid apps as Android.

Overall, 79.3 percent of all paid Android apps have been downloaded less than 100 times, and only 4.6 percent of paid apps were downloaded more than 1,000 times. Among free apps on Android, only 19.6 percent of apps have been downloaded less than 100 times, and 48.2 percent were downloaded more than 1,000 times. Android users appear more likely to download free apps, something we’ve noted previously.

Historically, only 69 Android free apps have been downloaded between 5 and 10 million times, and 27 apps have been downloaded more than 10 million times. Only one, Google Maps, has eclipsed the 50 million mark. This suggests than even among free apps, there are few outright successes.

One of the issues appears to be that there is less turnover in the top rankings for the Android market. In April, in the App Store for iPhone, there were 843 distinct applications in the top 300 free rankings, and 584 unique apps in the top 300 paid applications. For the Android Market, there were only 388 distinct applications in the top 300 free apps, and 363 apps that appeared in the top paid 300 paid apps in April. Among top-10 applications, there have been only 26 free and paid apps in the top 10 rankings for April in the Android Market, while 94 iPhone applications were in the top 10 free and paid in the App Store in April. That lack of change in the rankings can be hard on developers, who look to the charts as a way to get attention and free marketing.

Free apps can still be monetized through advertising, but that works best when you have a lot of downloads, as does Rovio’s Angry Birds, a level of success many developers don’t achieve. Or there’s the potential for in-app purchase revenue, something Google has addressed by recently turning on its in-app purchase payment system. Google has been taking steps to improve the overall Android Market experience with more charts and better curation. It has also been tinkering with its ranking algorithm to reward more engagement. As I recently reported, Android is still a popular place for developers, especially those looking to push boundaries, and it’s growing as the primary platform for some devs. And with Android device sales soaring, it makes sense for developers to target the platform. But it will take some more time before the platform becomes a real money-maker like Apple’s App Store.

Report: Apple’s Cloud Music Service Will Mirror and Augment Your Library

By Darrell Etherington May. 27, 2011, 6:29am PT 12 Comments

Apple’s hard work at winning over record labels may well be rewarded, according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek. The publication says Apple’s upcoming cloud music service will offer the ability to scan your hard drive, and then mirror your music collection on its own servers, according to three people “briefed on the talks” between Apple and the labels. Not only that, but if some of your tracks are of poor quality, Apple’s service would automatically replace it with a better version, the sources said.

If accurate, these reports describe a service that would have a weighty advantage over the recently released competitors from Amazon and Google. Both of those require users to upload their collections before making music available in the cloud, although Amazon makes new music purchased through its MP3 store available automatically on the web. Apple’s method would save those with existing music libraries huge amounts of time.

But time isn’t the advantage to Apple’s service. According to BusinessWeek, the scanning process wouldn’t differentiate between music acquired from legitimate and illegitimate sources — meaning even tracks downloaded illegally would be mirrored in the cloud, and even upgraded depending on the track’s quality.

Why would the music industry agree to a service that basically rewards pirates? Because Apple’s service won’t be free, says BusinessWeek. It will likely incur a monthly cost, since the licensing fees Apple would have to pay for the arrangement described above would be enormous. But if labels are getting a chunk of revenue partially derived from pirated music, they’re actually reclaiming some of the original loss on that theft.

But will users pay for cloud access to their entire music collection from PCs, iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices? We asked that exact question of users back in April, when we weren’t sure of what the cloud service would provide. While a majority answered “no,” it wasn’t a landslide; 43.26 percent reported that they would be willing to pay. Amazon’s service carries a fee structure dependent on how much storage space you use (5 GB of storage is free), and while Google’s offering is free, it’s still a beta product and has a hard 20,000 track cap. Even with a subscription model, if Apple’s offering is unlimited and also offers full library mirroring and upgrading, it will be very strong competition.

Labels are reportedly banking on the fact that this deal will cause Amazon and Google to get on board with similar licensing deals, but Apple will benefit from being first out the door, and it could gain significant early lock-in advantage if it offers longer-term subscriptions, like the yearly one it uses for MobileMe.

Why Samsung’s Wi-Fi Galaxy Tab 10.1 Will Outsell 3G Models

By Kevin C. Tofel May. 27, 2011, 8:00am PT 7 Comments

Folks that have already decided on Samsung’s biggest Honeycomb tablet still have one more choice to make: Will their Galaxy Tab 10.1 have an integrated mobile broadband radio or not? According to an FCC filing found by Engadget, the tablet model GT-P7310, already known to be a Wi-Fi only tablet, has undergone device testing, which is a good sign the tablet will be sold here in the U.S.

Samsung’s Honeycomb tablet isn’t yet for sale, although in an update earlier this week, the company said the device would ship with Android 3.1 “in a few days,” so availability should be close. The launch scenario is very different from the company’s first Galaxy Tab, a 7-inch model, which first arrived with 3G radios in September of last year. It wasn’t until April that Samsung finally debuted a version without the mobile broadband capabilities.

Although Samsung could hold off on selling the Wi-Fi model, there’s no reason to do so. Unlike when it debuted the smaller model eight months ago, consumer awareness of Android tablets is on the rise due to devices from Motorola, LG, Acer, ASUS, HTC and others. Back in September, Samsung needed the carriers to show off the small slate, else risk the device becoming overshadowed by other gadgets on electronic retailer shelves.

A Wi-Fi model of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is likely to be similar to the limited edition version handed out to all Google I/O event attendees earlier this month. That device has a customized back, covered with the Google Android logo, and has no mobile broadband capabilities. The GT-P7310 model would likely be identical except for the limited-edition covering. Our first look at the device is here and I just received the tablet yesterday, so a full review is forthcoming:

The question of Wi-Fi or mobile broadband in a tablet is one we’ve asked before. Back in March, more than three-fourths of our poll respondents interested in a tablet said they’d prefer a Wi-Fi model over a device with mobile broadband.

There are several likely reasons for this preference. Although the promise of connectivity practically everywhere is appealing, the prospect of another monthly data charge isn’t. An increasing number of handsets have the ability to share their 3G or 4G connection, so a Wi-Fi tablet can be used online in conjunction with such smartphones. And the larger the tablet, the less likely the need to use it anywhere: An April survey of 1,500 tablet owners showed 82 percent of respondents primarily use their tablet at home.

This group, likely made up of folks who own an Apple iPad, can surely get by on a wireless home network. My guess: If Samsung breaks out Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales numbers six months from now, at least two-thirds or more will be the Wi-Fi model.

What If Everyone on Twitter Read the Same Book?

By Mathew Ingram May. 27, 2011, 9:01am PT 2 Comments

Social activity around books and reading used to be limited to Oprah-style book clubs or the occasional reading by an author, but social tools like Twitter and Facebook have amplified and extended the ability to discuss and recommend books in new directions. Now Jeff Howe, the author and journalism professor who coined the term “crowdsourcing,” wants to take that a step further and use Twitter to create the world’s largest virtual book-reading club. Howe is partnering with The Atlantic magazine on a project called 1book140 that starts on June 1 and will Twitter-fy one book a month as selected by users.

Howe’s venture is an extension of a project he pioneered last year called One Book, One Twitter, which saw more than 12,000 people participate in a Twitter-based discussion about Neil Gaiman’s book American Gods. Howe has said he was disappointed when the project ended, and the venture with The Atlantic is an attempt to turn that phenomenon into an ongoing effort instead of a one-off.

After sorting through suggestions from more than 1,400 users, the project settled on a new book from Canadian author Margaret Atwood called The Blind Assassin. And the choice of Atwood is an interesting one, because the author — who was convinced to try Twitter as a promotional effort several years ago — has taken to the real-time social information network like few other authors with such a long and successful career. And judging by a tweet from the author on Thursday in response to the launch of the 1book140 project, Atwood is hoping to take part in the discussion of her novel, which could be fascinating.

As the book industry continues to evolve, it seems almost inevitable that books and writing will become more social (whether authors like it or not). Amazon has taken some steps in this area by adding the ability to share the passages that you highlight while reading books on the Kindle. And there have been many other moves toward “socializing” the reader experience — including some involving things that are not specifically books, such as the addition of social-sharing features to #longreads, which started as a Twitter hashtag and has become a full-fledged service.

As we’ve written before, the whole idea of the “book” is being disrupted by ventures such as Longreads and Byliner. And with more authors taking their cue from self-publishing sensation Amanda Hocking — who was able to pull in more than $2 million by publishing her own books before signing with a major publisher — being able to connect with readers is likely to become even more necessary. While some authors may want to remain aloof, J.D. Salinger-style, and let their works be consumed and discussed without them, that is likely to be less and less appealing to publishers or readers.

Not long ago, authors were being pushed to try Twitter and other social tools solely for promotional and marketing-related purposes, but in the future they may choose to actually reach out to their readers and engage with them as they read and digest a book. Could we be looking at the future of authorship?

Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr users Jeremy Mates and Marya

Startup Open 2011 Kicks Off Search for Most Promising New Companies

By Colleen Taylor May. 27, 2011, 10:00am PT No Comments

Attention startups: Now’s a good time to be on your best behavior. The entrepreneurship-focused Kauffman Foundation nonprofit is officially on the hunt for the 50 most promising startups from around the world for its second annual “Startup Open” competition.

The Startup Open is a part of the Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), a Kauffman Foundation initiative aimed at fostering new business innovation through events in more than 100 countries. Applicants have from now until Sept. 15, 2011 to submit their startups for consideration for this year’s GEW, which will kick off on Nov. 15, 2011.

Any entrepreneur worldwide who has had a “startup moment”– defined by the Kauffman Foundation as any action related to launching a new business — since the last GEW on Nov. 22, 2010 is eligible to apply for Startup Open 2011. The top 50 startups will be chosen based on their concept, growth projections, and demonstrated industry knowledge.

The 2010 Startup Open’s first place winner was Olivier Ceberio, founder of Boston-based startup Resolute Marine Energy, which is developing technologies to produce clean energy from ocean waves. Ceberio received a trip to visit Richard Branson’s Necker Island for a day-long networking pow-wow with Branson and other entrepreneurs. “The day flew like a dream: a race in hobby cat with Sir Branson as personal pilot; a trip around the island in the Necker Belle, a catamaran that looks more like a floating resort than a sailboat; a casino night; and several networking sessions where I could mingle with some of the brightest people I ever met,” Ceberio wrote in a blog post.

This year’s grand prizes haven’t been announced yet, but if you have a brand-new startup, it could pay off to throw your hat into the ring.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Simon Peckham

Is YouTube for the Enterprise Ready for Its Close Up?

By Jessica Stillman May. 27, 2011, 8:02am PT 3 Comments

For several years at least, experts have predicted that so-called “YouTube for the Enterprise” will be the next big thing in corporate communications. There are plenty of offerings in the space, but what do actual workers think of the idea? In broad research looking at use of video at work in several contexts, including videoconferencing and quick, YouTube-type videos for demonstration and training purposes, Forrester found 72 percent of those surveyed “don’t want desktop videoconferencing at work” and generally concluded that many workers have a weak appetite for video — including “YouTube for the Enterprise.” So is the technology ever going to live up to the hype and make a real impact on the way we work?

Paul Miller, founder of the Intranet Benchmarking Forum, for one, believes that when it comes to sharing short videos with organizations, the answer is yes. Speaking to WebWorkerDaily about the recent success of the IBF 24 event, he used the occasion to make a prediction about video:

In three years time we will see YouTube for the enterprise be something that’s well established and well used in all major organizations for training, for communication, and it will be available and being used through smart phones and so on.

Miller went on to argue that “YouTube shows that videos capture interest and attention that words simple can’t,” and that “video is always popular because it’s dynamic and fresh.” And to those who are concerned about the governance and quality issues that unleashing an army of employees with Flip cameras might produce, Miller suggests that a natural learning process will solve these issues:

Governance around publishing standards eventually caught up with the written word on the intranet — and the same will happen with video. You want to publish, great, but here are the quality standards — technical specs, quality content levels it must meet, questions that you need to answer “yes” to before it will go live – and some best practice videos that show what “good” looks like.

The future, according to Miller, involves video as the answer to everyday business issues and the challenge of sharing knowledge in a dispersed workforce. “How should cabin crew on British Airways flights remove coffee machines that get stuck on long haul flights – watch this clip for 60 seconds and you have your illustrated answer. What is the best way to handle an angry caller to a call center at AXA – here is a call center manager talking you through the best approach,” he offers as illustration. But Forrester paints a very different picture of reluctant employees resisting top down efforts to push video a work, saying “the workforce overall has little interest in and access to desktop video.”

Whose perspective do you find more convincing?

Image courtesy Flickr user Artotem

Meet Facebook, the Web’s Social Entertainment Operating System

By Michael Wolf May. 27, 2011, 12:09pm PT 3 Comments

Earlier this week, when networking goliath Cisco all but confirmed it had shut down an ambitiously named Entertainment Operating System (EOS), I suspect some folks at Facebook may have chuckled quietly to themselves. After all, the big social network, which is reportedly in negotiations with all sorts of entertainment companies to integrate their services, may have designs on becoming for real what the Cisco product was only in name: a social entertainment operating system for consumers.

Okay, sure, while Facebook and its sign-on, presentation, app platform and commerce only represent a portion of what a true OS would be — as Tim O’Reilly points out so well — it is perhaps the most important and unavoidable layer of the Internet OS, one that consumers will increasingly go through to find, purchase and even consume their entertainment content on the social Web.

The growing importance of Facebook as a social entertainment layer is due to two main factors. First, the social Web is becoming the new EPG for a generation of consumers. Fading is the old-world model of corporate-programmed guides and tastemakers; ascending is a world where entertainment is personalized and social, and where much of it will be driven by Facebook.

Second, time and place restrictions on media are going away, making way for anytime, anywhere on-demand consumption across any screen. And as these linear models break down and anytime-anywhere media consumption rises, Facebook can become the recommendation and consumption layer that enables, organizes and make sense of the media chaos.

So which types of media will flow through Facebook? In short, all of them. Below I break down where I think each content type is, both in terms of the maturity of Facebook’s strategy today (x-axis) and how big the potential opportunity is for the company (y-axis).

As you can see, Facebook has tackled certain content types with more gusto than others, in part because it looked to take on those media types with less complexity and lower licensing barriers. Photos — a content type to be sure but largely personal media — was the first media Facebook integrated (and dominated) in a big way. Gaming, in particular casual gaming, was the first premium content type that Facebook set its sites on; as a result it’s become the dominant social gaming platform by enabling companies like Zynga to create huge value atop the Facebook platform.

Over the past few months, it’s become apparent that Facebook is now looking to extend its platform to video and music entertainment services, capitalizing first on the strong adoption of Facebook Connect and, over time, possibly integrating the actual third-party services themselves to varying degrees.

To be certain, in the war of platforms for entertainment distribution and consumption, Facebook isn’t the only game in town. In many ways Apple already has a true entertainment OS in iOS, owning the entire stack from hardware up to application platform. Google is certainly a contender here as well, with Android and its strong adoption across many devices.

But it is Facebook, in becoming the indispensible and ubiquitous social layer across the Web, that occupies a unique position of attack in the battle to win its place as the social entertainment operating system.

To read more about my analysis of Facebook’s entertainment prospects, see my Weekly Update at GigaOM Pro (subscription required).

How the Smartest Android Keyboard Got Even Smarter

By Kevin C. Tofel May. 27, 2011, 12:30pm PT 6 Comments

I’ve long recommended SwiftKey as a third-party keyboard for Android smartphones, and many others agree. According to the Android Market, the paid version has enjoyed between 100,000 and 500,000 installs, while the free version has seen between a half-million and a million downloads.

The keyboard shows intelligence by predicting the next word before tapping a single letter. But the new SwiftKey X, a private beta version now open to the public, is even smarter. The demos in this video show the improved personalization that’s made possible through the cloud.

The original version is customizable through scanning a user’s SMS messages. In that way, the software can learn how you communicate, then leverage that information for improved word prediction. The new SwiftKey X expands upon that concept by learning from your Gmail, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Yes, you’re giving access that data, but in turn, you receive a more personalized keyboard experience, which can save time. SwiftKey’s privacy policy may help the squeamish in terms of data use:

In relation to our Apps such as SwiftKey, learned language data generated and stored on your computing devices, such as mobile phones and tablets, is never accessed by, or transmitted to us unless you wish to use additional features or services which would require the use of such data. Where we offer any additional services or facilities that do require use of data which might include personal information, such as server-based personalized services, then we will always seek your consent to the use of such data before providing such services or facilities.

By allowing this learning process, word prediction can be even faster than auto-correction, considering you might not have to type any letters in the next word. Using TouchType’s Fluency Prediction Engine, the company says one-third of next words are predicted correctly without any characters typed, and 80 percent of words can be predicted with just two characters.

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Another improvement is how SwiftKey X virtually expands the size of the keys most likely to be tapped next. This is akin to how Apple designed the iOS keyboard: the sensor area around the keys most likely to be tapped next is actually expanded. SwiftKey X also supports multiple typing profiles: one for precise typists and one for the fast and furious that rely heavily on auto-correction or prediction. Essentially, these features mean that even the most cramped software keyboard can work for more people because of the intelligence built in to the product.

I’ve installed SwiftKey X on my Nexus One, and there’s no going back to the stock keyboard for me. I’m already used to the word prediction, thanks to the original SwiftKey, but I’m already seeing personalized improvements. Thanks to the cloud and access to my other communication methods, SwiftKey X is pretty good at guessing family names and even the devices I use. I’m sold on it for Android phones and since it’s a no-cost beta, I highly recommend you look at this intelligent phone keyboard.

The Silicon Valley’s Real Old School Incubator

By Cortney Fielding May. 27, 2011, 3:00pm PT No Comments

These days, it seems like there’s a new incubator for just about every pair of 19-year-olds working on a mobile-payment startup.

But long before there was a Y Combinator or a 500 Startups, there was SRI International: the old school, non-profit research and development organization that’s had a hand in the creation of everything from Disneyland to the Internet. Started by Stanford University in 1946 as a way to drum up enterprise in the sleepy Bay Area, SRI is best known for churning out a smorgasbord of inventions like Technicolor (for which it won an Academy Award in 1959), to the first computer mouse, created there in 1968.

The 2,400-employee organization celebrates its 65th birthday this year. Today, the federal government is the organization’s bread and butter, accounting for 70 percent of the $500 million in revenue from sponsored research SRI brings in annually. The Department of Defense is the company’s biggest client by far.

But while research contracts keep the electricity turned on and the robots powered up, the revenue doesn’t provide for extras like an endowment fund. Nor does it allow for the type of financial compensation a team of top-shelf scientists, business development specialists and executives could make in private industry.

That’s what SRI Ventures and the in-house incubator is for.

Over the last 20 years, SRI has been spinning off major bio-tech, Internet technology and advanced material companies created by its own researchers, who then must decide if they will stay at SRI and keep creating or head for the new venture and an opportunity for riches.

The Menlo Park, Calif.-headquartered company has created more than 50 spin-off ventures based on breakthrough technologies developed within its laboratories. Three of the ventures — Intuitive Surgical, Nuance Communications and Orchid Cellmark — are now public companies with a total market-cap value of more than $20 billion.

More recently, a government contract to develop an intuitive, automated personal assistant program for military personnel resulted in a huge deal with Apple: Last April, SRI sold online personal assistant app Suri to Apple for an undisclosed sum that “made us very happy, very very happy,” said Norman Winarsky, VP at SRI Ventures.

This monetization model was a result of the 1980 Patent and Trademark Law Amendments Act (otherwise known as the Bayh–Dole Act), which gave universities and non-profits intellectual property rights for commercial applications resulted from government grants.

In 1993, the Sarnoff Corporation, (previously an SRI subsidiary and now fully part of SRI) began a ventures strategy. An iris recognition company called Sensar was the first official spin off company. Within two years, all of SRI had adopted the venture strategy.

Researchers who work on projects are encouraged to think about the commercial applications of their projects and to approach the SRI Ventures board with their ideas. The company incubates its spin-off ventures within its own facilities to provide seed money, work space, infrastructure support and business-development resources that include early access to white-shoe VC firms that have invested in multiple SRI enterprises and will weigh in early on the commercialization potential.

“We want to distinguish ourselves from academic institutions. We are not here to educate people,” said Winarsky. “It’s an unnatural act for an academic institution to bring together diverse solutions to market opportunities and integrate them into something that can be delivered into the marketplace, and for us its a natural act.”

When a venture spins off or a product is licensed, 66 percent of the funds go to an SRI endowment fund, which was an empty bank account 15 years ago. The remaining 34 percent goes to SRI staff. The biggest chunk goes to the team that worked on it, while 7 to 8 percent goes to senior staff “that suffered the five years of effort they had to put in” and 4 percent goes to all employees in a profit-sharing deal, Winarsky said. He credits this model with preserving SRI:

I personally believe SRI would have been hollowed by by Google, Apple and everybody else you can image for its great researchers. But as a result of having spinoff strategy for royalty and equity — by the way that’s vested so we keep the golden handcuffs on them for three to four years — by having spinoff strategy we can offer stock even though we are a company that’s non-profit and has no stock. An employee has to decide: Do you want to stay here and do great research and keep your equity and royalty or do you want to leave and keep all your eggs in that basket?”

Materials research laboratory director Angel Sanjurji has been faced with that choice more times than most. A 30-year veteran at SRI, he’s been involved in at least five spinoff ventures to date. And while some of his co-workers have chosen to go the entrepreneurial route, Sanjurji says he will be staying put.

“Here you really have the freedom to do research and implement your own ideas. Basically, you’re only budgeted by your imagination,” he said. “I think at SRI, we have the best of the both worlds. You may not make as much money as you could on the outside, but at the same time, you are not taking that risk. And for me, at the end of the day, everyone that stays has the same driving force. They want to develop new things.”

NYT Reporter Shows the Power of Twitter as Journalism

By Mathew Ingram May. 27, 2011, 3:11pm PT 4 Comments

Updated: Anyone who has been following the protests and revolutions in the Middle East for the past few months has probably heard of Andy Carvin, the NPR editor who has been using Twitter to curate news from the region. A number of journalists — both from traditional media and “citizen journalists” — have also used the real-time information network to report from conflict zones such as Libya and disaster areas such as Haiti. Now those who see Twitter as a powerful tool for real-time journalism have another example of how it can be done: New York Times reporter Brian Stelter has posted a thoughtful and compelling account of how he used Twitter to report on the aftermath of the recent tornado in Joplin, Missouri.

In his post, Stelter describes how he was woefully under-prepared for reporting on his first disaster for the newspaper. Among other things, he didn’t even bring a pen, and his shoes got soaked within hours of being in the tornado-struck region (something he says his mother chewed him out about later). On top of those issues, Stelter also writes about how the cellular telephone system was almost unusable because of the damage, so he resorted to sending virtually everything via text message, and to posting his observations about the effects of the disaster on Twitter.

I started trying to tweet everything I saw — the search of the rubble pile, the sounds coming from the hospital, the dazed look on peoples’ faces. Some of the texts didn’t send, but most did. Practically speaking, text messages were my only way to relay information.

As he walked around the town trying to determine how many people had been injured and find people to interview, Stelter kept posting his thoughts and observations to Twitter, whether they were about his own shock at the carnage or simply facts about the destruction and the response of the local residents and authorities. He also describes how he tried to get the New York Times to incorporate his Twitter feed into the coverage, because it was the most real-time version of those events, and then he says:

Looking back, I think my best reporting was on Twitter.

This is an incredible admission for a New York Times reporter to make in some ways, but even more evidence of how the media business and the process of journalism are being disrupted by these new tools. And it’s also interesting to me that Stelter didn’t just post his thoughts and observations about the disaster on Twitter (which he has since archived here), but he also posted updates and photos to his Tumblr blog, and through the mobile image-sharing service Instagram, which is where I first saw them.

Other New York Times writers have used social media well, the most famous of which is foreign correspondent Nicholas Kristof, who has used both Twitter and Facebook to great effect in writing about events in Afghanistan as well as Libya and elsewhere. That Stelter has made use of Twitter and a personal Tumblr blog and Instagram — i.e., three things that are not controlled by the New York Times in any way, nor hosted by the newspaper — seems like a significant event to me (I asked Stelter whether he got approval from the NYT to do this and will post a response if I get one: Update: Brian said that he didn’t ask for permission because “prior experiences” assured him it wouldn’t be a problem).

It’s not surprising that Stelter might be the one most willing to experiment with a new form of reporting, since he has written about a number of new-media ventures in his time at the paper — including a Media Decoder blog post about how Andy Carvin had turned his Twitter stream into a one-man news wire service about the turmoil in the Middle East. Not only that, but before he joined the NYT, the young writer was already well-known for his blog about the media industry, which routinely broke stories other mainstream media outlets could not, before Stelter had even graduated from university.

Although I have been critical of the Times in the past for their persistent lack of links and what I think is the defensive move of launching a paywall, there are encouraging signs that the paper is becoming more open to the social web: It has begun experimenting with Tumblr, among other things, and has also moved to turn its Twitter feed into a human-curated stream instead of just a robotic posting system. Perhaps Stelter’s example will encourage the NYT to experiment even more with these kinds of tools — and then the Times in turn could encourage other media outlets to do so.

Post and thumbnail photos courtesy of Flickr users See-ming Lee and Yan Arief Purwanto

Keith Rabois: Square Will Be Way More Valuable Than PayPal

By Ryan Kim May. 27, 2011, 4:00pm PT 2 Comments

While Square kicked off a busy week in mobile payments with its new Square Register and Card Case products, the latter part of the week was dominated by Google’s new NFC Wallet and PayPal’s trade-secret lawsuit against Google, which appears to be a prelude to a big mobile-payments announcement soon.

But even with all this activity from heavyweights such as Google and PayPal, Square apparently isn’t sweating over the added competition. The company announced this week that it has shipped 500,000 card readers and is nearing $1 billion in payments processed since launching eight months ago. I talked with uber-angel investor and Square COO Keith Rabois about the increasingly busy mobile-payments space, how Square will fare over time and the challenges facing both Google and PayPal.

Google Wallet vs Square

Rabois said he doesn’t see Google’s new Wallet platform as much competition because it is meant to work with large retailers, but has little value for the smaller local businesses that Square targets. Google Wallet is designed more to push advertising than solve major pain points for merchants, he said, which is a critical piece of the puzzle for mobile payments, something we’ve mentioned before.

“Google Wallet is about improving ad performance, not about improving lives,” Rabois said. “We’re about improving the value proposition for both buyers and sellers and connecting the two. Google’s approach has merit, but it’s a totally different approach.”

That said, however, Google’s Wallet will compete with Square’s Card Case in delivering local deals and offers and Google will likely extend payments further down the chain eventually — so Square will go head-to-head with the web giant at some point. The startup, which has taken $37.5 million in funding to date, is also about to face more competition from PayPal, which has been readying a mobile payment and point-of-sale offering for merchants.

PayPal Brand Struggling?

But Rabois, who was an early employee at PayPal, dismisses the threat from his old company — saying its payment assets and fraud models are more relevant in online sales, not real world transactions. And he said he doesn’t hear too many people talking about PayPal for payments like he once did. “The brand has atrophied in the last decade and there are not a lot of users who wish they could use a PayPal account,” he said. “That may have been true a decade ago but not today.”

Rabois says he is confident in Square’s prospects because unlike PayPal — which went after the much smaller e-commerce market — Square is tackling the bigger market for real-world transactions. That’s why he didn’t blink when he said that Square will be worth more than eBay’s $1.5-billion sale price to eBay and will ultimately be more valuable than PayPal is today. “Because the market opportunity is so vast I actually believe there’s no chance we’re less valuable than PayPal,” Rabois said.

Now the Real Battle Begins

There’s no question that Rabois is stirring the pot with his comments. And PayPal and Google are also equally confident as well: PayPal spokesman Anuj Nayar said in an interview earlier this week that PayPal has proven itself as a payment leader while Square still needs to convince people to use it. “Existing models don’t go away until they are replaced by models that work better,” Nayar said. “I think people are getting held up in the technical possibilities, and are forgetting that at the end of the day, the consumers have to choose to use it.”

Nayar is right that Square still has a lot to prove. But it’s showing some impressive success for such a young start-up. Having seasoned entrepreneurs like Rabois and CEO and founder Jack Dorsey certainly helps too. Now, the company just needs to live up to the confident talk as its very well-financed rivals ramp up. This is where we find out if Square’s got what it takes.

The Price of Hackers, Spammers and Abuse: When Is It Too Much?

By Colleen Taylor May. 27, 2011, 5:00pm PT 8 Comments

Google announced Thursday it will shut down its Translate API entirely later this year, “due to the substantial economic burden caused by extensive abuse.”

While the issue of whether the company is justified in shutting down the API (and cutting off a resource upon which developers have based important features and even entire companies) is already a major source of debate, the news raises an interesting general question. When it comes to dealing with the ever-present threat of hackers and spam abuse, when should a web company cut its losses?

Any tech company offering web services in a sizable capacity has to deal with the threat of hackers, spammers and abuse. Just like national defense budgets, it seems that the bigger the tech superpower, the bigger the cost of keeping the hackers at bay. Indeed, Google is certainly not alone in facing expensive security needs of late. Earlier this week, consumer electronics stalwart Sony reported it has already spent more than $170 million dealing with last month’s PlayStation Network hack, adding it will likely spend additional money responding to class action lawsuits stemming from the attack.

The tech industry’s rising stars have found that as they’ve grown, their security needs have expanded in kind. Twitter has said it’s “constantly battling against spam” on its system. “Like it or not, as the system becomes more popular, more and more spammers will try to do their thing,” the company wrote in a blog post last year. And as many as 20 percent of Facebook’s employees are reportedly tasked with focusing on security-related issues.

Hacking and other online abuses will almost certainly become a bigger problem in the coming years as more and more of the world comes online. Weighing the cost of fending off the proverbial barbarians at the gates will continue to be a constant dance for tech companies large and small. And whenever the risk/reward balance of running a certain unit tips into unprofitable territory, it’s within the company’s right to cut it off — regardless of who else it effects. If nothing else, it’s a reminder of the dangers of building a business on another company’s API, especially in today’s increasingly volatile world of online security.

Poised for IPO, Kayak Reports Sales Boost and Global Growth

By Colleen Taylor May. 27, 2011, 6:00pm PT 2 Comments

Kayak kicked off 2011 with major sales growth in the run-up to its planned initial public offering, according to an update to its IPO filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission made Friday.

The travel search company made $52.6 million in the first three months of 2011, representing a 43.4 percent increase over the same period in 2010, the company reported in the S-1 amendment.

The filing also reflected the Norwalk, Conn.-based company’s stronger focus on the international market. Kayak reported spending $9.5 million on its April 1 acquisition of JaBo Software, described in the filing as a “leading travel metasearch website in Austria.” It looks like the JaBo buy was just one part of a larger global growth strategy: International operations accounted for 14 percent of Kayak’s revenue in the first quarter of 2011, up from eight percent in the first quarter of 2010, the company reported. Kayak, which opened its European headquarters in Zurich last month, now expects its international revenues to increase at a faster rate than its sales in the U.S., according to the filing.

Kayak’s report of impressive growth comes at a good time for the IPO-bound company, as the Internet industry is on a roll with solid stock market debuts. Last week, professional social networking site LinkedIn listed its shares on the New York Stock Exchange to impressive demand, more than doubling its share price on the first day of trading from $45 to a close of $94.25. And Russian search engine Yandex raised $1.3 billion in an IPO on the Nasdaq exchange earlier this week, representing the biggest public offering for a dotcom since Google’s listing in 2004. While Memorial Day usually represents the start of a pretty sleepy time for the stock market, the summer of 2011 could shape up to be a busy one.

Image of Kayak CEO Steve Hafner courtesy of the company

Android This Week: Google Wallet; Smarter Keyboard; Flyer Lands

By Kevin C. Tofel May. 28, 2011, 6:00am PT No Comments

Six months after debuting a handset with mobile payment capabilities, Google this week launched it’s Google Wallet service with Sprint as its carrier parter. The operator’s Nexus S handset, with integrated near-field communications (NFC) chip can be used for wireless purchases at MasterCard PayPass terminals, initially in New York City and San Francisco. Consumers with the Nexus S and a Google Wallet account can pay for goods or services simply by entering a PIN on their phone and tapping or waving it near the wireless terminal at check-out.

Consumers outside of the two trial areas will have to wait for Google Wallet, which will also support merchant reward cards and digital coupons, but Android device owners don’t have to wait for a smarter third-party keyboard. SwiftKey has long been a popular input option due to its ability to predict the next word when typing. The software does this by learning from past input as well as scans of a user’s SMS conversations. SwiftKey X, a new public beta, leverages the cloud to become even smarter.

To improve word prediction, SwiftKey X can scan and learn from conversations in Gmail, Facebook and Twitter, in addition to SMS on the handset. Users can choose which, if any, web services SwiftKey X can access, and the company’s privacy policy ensures the personal information will not be transmitted from the handset. Within just a few minutes of setup, the software is already predicting the correct word in my usage more often than not.

The folks at SwiftKey have a tablet version of the keyboard in the works, but its not yet available. While waiting for it, I’m getting acquainted with the HTC Flyer; the newest 7-inch slate from the company that makes a wide range of Android handsets. My first impressions are generally favorable: The slate fits in a back pocket, has unique touch buttons that rotate between portrait and landscape mode and runs on a fast 1.5 GHz processor.

A full review of the Flyer is forthcoming, where I’ll take a closer look at the tablet in every day use. I’m most curious to see how HTC’s newest version of Sense software adds value, and also interested in the digital pen support for the device.

In Legal Battle With Google, PayPal Faces Uphill Battle in California

By Cortney Fielding May. 28, 2011, 9:00am PT No Comments

Here’s a phrase PayPal might want to keep in mind as it wages a civil battle against two former executives who defected to Google: Location, location, location.

Because when it comes to employment breach of contract and trade-secret cases, California can be a much pricklier state for a spurned employer to prevail within than many others.

“California law is very hostile to these types of suits,” said Jason Shultz, acting director of the Samuelson Law, Technology & Public Policy Clinic at the UC Berkeley School of Law, “I’d say over at PayPal, they have a little bit of uphill battle.”

While much of PayPal’s allegations against Stephanie Tilenius and Osama Bedier revolve around alleged breach of employment contract and non-compete violations, provisions within the California Business and Professional Code actually limit the enforceability of non-compete disclosures that companies like Pay Pal make employees sign.

The result — regardless of whatever contracts an employer forces a worker to sign when they start a job — is that contracts often fall apart when they get in front of a judge.

“California is very pro-competition, especially here in the Silicon Valley. Think of startup culture. We like to entice employees to jump ship and compete with former employers,” Shultz said. “This state has a very free-trade approach to labor markets. You can’t lock in your employees forever. You have to compete to keep them.”

PayPal filed suit in Santa Clara County Thursday, accusing former employees Stephanie Tilenius and Osama Bedier, as well as Google, of misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract, and a host of other claims related to the recruitment of PayPal employees and the alleged improper use of PayPal’s confidential information.

Other aspects of PayPal’s claims could be held up to extra scrutiny in California as well. In its legal complaint, the company argues Bedier’s defection from PayPal’s mobile payments division to Google’s will result in the ”inevitable disclosure” of unspecified proprietary trade secrets. It’s called the inevitable disclosure doctrine. “Essentially they are saying he’s the man who knows too much and can’t leave and work elsewhere,” Schulz said. “California has rejected that doctrine as well.”

Samsung Galaxy Fit The Best Price Smartphone

Samsung is a well known name in mobile industry and this is apparent from the number of people visiting Samsung mobile shop to see the latest phones. One of such phones that have attracted more eyeballs than any other phone in the market is Samsung Galaxy Fit. The handset looks small but is able to perform a multitude of functions. And this is why S5670 Galaxy is a real hit among mobile users. The smartphone carries less weight but more features in comparison to any other phone in its category. The Korean manufacturer should really be appreciated for making such a gorgeous phone.

The phone comes with 600 MHZ processor and runs on Android OS. Add to that 3G support, GPRS, WLAN, Bluetooth and USB port. The TFT screen is 3.3 inch and reflects 16 million colors. It will not be an exaggeration to term the Samsung Galaxy Fit a true pocket computer. You will find this assumption true when you will look at other features namely HTML browser, JAVA enabled, document viewer/editor and image viewer/editor. With these capabilities, the S5670 Galaxy can render even the most efficient laptop redundant. If you want your new phone to work like a pocket computer then consider buying the Galaxy Fit.

Once bought, you will never repent your decision to go for the Galaxy Fit because the smartphone has something for everyone. Most of the time a phone is used for calling but the new Samsung S5670 Galaxy Fit is built to do more than just calling. You can surf internet pages and communicate with friends and associates via social networking sites. It provides Gmail, YouTube and Google Search options to make your task easy. The cool apps like Social Hub are embedded in the phone so that you find no hassle in connecting to Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. ThinkFree Office suite will make sure that you get some work-done while on the go.

Camera figures among the prominent features in new age smartphones and probably for this reason Samsung has equipped its Galaxy Fit mobile with one of the best camera. The smartphone carries 5 MP as a primary camera with autofocus, Geo-tagging and smile detection features. The phone also has a QVGA camera for making video calls. These features indicate that the manufacturer really wants to deliver a quality camera phone to its users. When using the camera, you will find no hassle in taking pictures or making videos.

The list of features included in Samsung Galaxy Fit is very long. But any discussion on this smartphone is a gossip until its entertainment features are underlined. Today people like to play game and mobiles whenever they have time. The Galaxy Fit allows its users to download intriguing games from Internet to play in free time. In addition, you can listen to radio programs, enjoy latest hits or watch videos or YouTube when going on a long journey. The phone's battery is exceptionally strong. It supports almost 11 hours when the phone is not in use.

The S5670 Galaxy Fit is released on UK's most popular networks on which you can compare mobile deals at best prices. Log-on to any online shop and start looking for affordable contracts according to your monthly expenditure.

A Closer Look At The Feature Packed LG Optimus 7 With Super Fast Wi-fi Internet Browsing

The Windows Phone 7 operating system from Microsoft has proven to be popular since it came out last year, and certainly provides a great alternative to the Android and iOS devices which dominate the smartphone market. The LG Optimus 7 was one of the first handsets released to showcase this software.

In this article I will take a look at some of the benefits of this operating system for users of the LG Optimus 7.

One of the first things users will notice about Windows Phone 7 is the tile interface. iOS and Android display their applications in blocks of icons, but the Windows Phone 7 interface displays them in a much more user friendly way; application and widget icons are very large, with only two fitting the width of the screen. As you can imagine, this makes it very easy for users of the LG Optimus 7 to find the application they need, and this was one of the main goals when the software was designed.

Another advantage of this setup is that live updates are displayed within the icon of certain widgets. So when you unlock your LG Optimus 7 screen, you are instantly presented with the icons which will let you know whether you have new emails, social networking notifications, missed calls etc. This offers the ultimate in convenience, and saved having to open applications to check whether you have any updates.

Of course there is much more to the LG Optimus 7 than just the operating system. Although this is one of its major selling points, the rest of its spec list is very impressive. A 5 megapixel camera with the ability to shoot HD video in 720p is included, as is an impressive web browser which allows users to utilise both 3G and Wi-Fi networks. An advanced touchscreen provides an interactive and intuitive means of navigating the user interface, at the same time producing spectacular display quality of the onscreen imagery. The LG Optimus 7 is a very versatile phone, a statement backed up by the fact that the features included as standard range from Microsoft Office compatibility, to Xbox Live which allows users to play online games using their existing Xbox Live profile. The handset also runs a powerful 1 GHz Scorpion processor with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset resulting in a speedy user interface, and all the computing power the device will ever need to run demanding applications.

There is a lot to like about the LG Optimus 7, and it is the perfect handset to showcase the Microsoft Windows Phone 7 platform. As an added bonus, the handset is surprisingly affordable and available on some great deals through various UK networks.

When should you quit your job to start your website? Try the 'just do it' model

What's your greatest failure in your career?

I'm not talking about your greatest failure as a journalist. We all blow a story from time to time, and some newsroom errors, obviously, cause more harm than others. But I'd like you to think selfishly about my question. I'm not asking about your failures as a reporter or editor. I'm asking about a failure in managing your own career.

What did you do - or didn't do - that hurt your career most?

It's important to think about failure. Don't ignore it. People who do, lose opportunities to learn. Lost opportunities can be failures, too. It's important to think about those, as well, so that you might be better able to see new opportunities when they approach.

A missed opportunity might have been my biggest failure as a news publisher. Looking back, I wonder how my career would have turned out had a I walked into the Los Angeles Times with a resignation letter in hand the day after I got my first four-figure monthly check from Google back in 2003. (Or, at least, if I'd taken the next available buy-out at the Times, instead of waiting two more years to leave.)

While I was earning some good money from Google ads and hotel commissions back then, it was too easy for me to bank that as additional income, while not giving up my day job, with its regular paychecks, benefits and industry status. But my inaction cost me. In the years before I started working on my own sites full-time, competitors entered and grabbed a lot of market share - viewers that I might have been able to attract into the communities I managed, had I devoted more time and attention to them. Instead, I took the easy, secure extra paychecks from a dead-end job at a soon-to-be-bankrupt newspaper.

In short, I traded some extra money then for what could have been a lot more additional income today and into the future.

I thought about that when coaching some of the start-up news publishers at the KDMC News Entrepreneur Boot Camp last week. Some of them wrestled with questions about when to quit their day jobs, or whether to move to a new community to start their dream publication.

It's a reticence I see often in would-be news entrepreneurs. You don't want to quit too early, and be left with no income, and no way to support your family, while you wait for advertisers, foundations or other customers to come around.

Unfortunately for the risk-averse among us, you need to face the prospect of no income, or even just not enough income, when starting a business. It's that pain that forces you to get out there and start talking to potential customers.

As a publisher, you primary job is to bring money into the organization. As much as you might love reporting and writing, if you're not bringing money in - first - then you're not working as a publisher. You're just working like an employee, instead.

It is possible to do great journalism as an independent publisher. But that will be the second part of your job, behind bringing in the income that will allow you (and, potentially, a staff) to do that great work. Remember, lots of television shows, commercial magazines and even a newspaper or two have launched with advertisers signed and paid before the first viewer or reader has seen the work. People for years have been selling advertisers, investors and foundations on potential and promise. You don't need to establish an audience before you go after income.

You won't be a successful news publisher until you believe in your ability to bring in that revenue. And if you can make the money that you need going forward, it shouldn't matter how much you have in your bank account to start. That sum will only go up once you do.

Friday, May 27, 2011

More lessons from the News Entrepreneur Boot Camp, in 140 characters or less

For those who weren't there and not following in real time on Twitter, here are some of the top tweets that came out of last week's KDMC News Entrepreneur Boot Camp here at USC. They include some great nuggets of advice for anyone starting, running or looking to expand a news website publishing business.

The tweets are drawn from coverage of five discussion sessions at the camp, one by me, two by Tom O'Malia of the USC Marshall School of Business, and two led by guest faculty at the camp: Mark Potts and Rusty Coats. You can find links to many of the presentations at the camp on the KDMC website.

Robert Niles on The News Publisher as Community Organizer:

"When the music stops, always have a chair" - @robertniles at #kdmccamp
@michelemclellan

#kdmccamp "I am an entrepreneur today because I am the only person who would hire me"--@robertniles
@susanmernit

#kdmccamp wise words from @robertniles on moving from reporter to publisher as journos develop web media projects
@susanmernit

#kdmccamp Great discussion on how to identify community needs and opportunities in local communities @robertniles
@susanmernit

"As an entrepreneur, the status quo is your enemy" -- You need community to turn to you and dump the status quo -- @RobertNiles #kdmccamp
@ojr

"Model the behavior you want from your community" emphasizes @RobertNiles #KDMCcamp
@kdmc

#kdmccamp @robertniles recommends every online publication have a #facebook page cc#mybxb
@michelemclellan

#KDMCcamp QA: What is the most important analytic? asks @robertniles. A: MONEY!! #mybxb
@susanmernit

Mark Potts on Show Me the Money:

Execution [is] more important [than] a good idea, talent attracts capital - Mark Potts #kdmccamp
@michelemclellan

What's your value proposition: What problem do u solve? You'd better be able to answer that - @pottsmark at #KDMCcamp.
@ojr

Non-profit is a tax status, not a business model, says @pottsmark. Thank god someone said it. #kdmccamp
@kimbui

Non-profit is not a magic bullet. You still need to go out and raise money. - @pottsmark #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Adapt, iterate your biz model until it works. You learn something from every pitch. Refine, try, refine, try...#KDMCcamp
@kdmc

Potts: Problem w/ newspapers wasn't giving content for free, it was giving away advertising for free. #kdmccamp
@PattersonFdnNMJ

Don't feel nervous about pricing your ads. You can negotiate down, but not up. Ask 4 what u can with a straight face. @pottsmark #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Campers urged by @pottsmark not to overlook advertiser services (data, social media help), mobile services, events, classes. #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Look for incubator opportunities, also local govt aid/loan programs for small biz. @pottsmark #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Rusty Coats on Non-Profit $$$exy :

Nonprofit doesn't mean non-revenue. You're still a small business. You still need sustainability @rcoats #kdmccamp
@ojr

Hearing about the underpants gnomes business model from @rcoats #KDMCcamp. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBiSI6OdqvA
@ojr

If you are 70-80-90% grant-funded, you're sitting on a one-legged stool. @rcoats #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Non-profits can take advertising through underwriting messages, but there are rules about what those ads can say. @rcoats #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Underwriting ads must stay away from calls to action, pricing and comparisons. @rcoats #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Underwriting is capped at 30% of revenue for non-profits. @rcoats #KDMCcamp
@ojr

If you want to take advertising in addition to underwriting, the non-profit publisher has to pay taxes on that ad income. @rcoats #KDMCcamp
@ojr

@Rcoats: Sustainability is the new hotness within the foundation world. #kdmccamp
@PattersonFdnNMJ

Advice for non-profits and for-profit start-ups: Get an advisory board to help you. #KDMCcamp
@ojr

If you don't take revenue seriously, kittens die - @rcoats final thought at #KDMCcamp
@ojr

Tom O'Malia on Sales, Part One:

Repeat after me. Customers are people who are willing to pay you - stresses Tom O'Malia #kdmccamp #mybxb
@michelemclellan

Tom O'Malia #kdmccamp laying out the importance of QUALIFYING customers as first step in effective sales. AMEN!
@susanmernit

Brilliant lesson from Tom O'Malia on how talking to customers to find their pain can help provide you leads to grow your business. #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Tom O'Malia - Elements of a business are Customer, Benefit, Money (and customer is not the reader) #kdmccamp
@michelemclellan

Tom O'Malia says news entrepreneurs are scared to "think customer" #kdmccamp #mybxb
@michelemclellan

Until you determine $X for each transaction you do, you'll never know how much you can spend. - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Commandment of entrepreneurship: 'Thou shalt not BS thyself' - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Great source of start-up funding: Secure a first customer before launch. - Tom O'Malia at #KDMCcamp.
@robertniles

Tom O'Malia on Sales, Part Two:

God made everyone great salespeople, because we have two ears and one mouth. Listen 2X as you talk when selling - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 1 in selling: Set up meeting in advance Tom O'Malia at #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 2 - Qualification. Find who in customer organization has the power to make a decision. - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 3 didn't come through - Determine their need. Find what they need that you can deliver. Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 4 - Sell your company. Tell abt success. Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 5 - Tell about ability to fulfill their need. Are you right for them? - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Step 6 - What do you need to do to get the order? (i.e. 'If we can do it, can you buy?') Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Look for hidden objections: 'Can you think of any reason that would stop you from buying our solution?' - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

Final message in sales call: "I'm excited, and when would you like me to be back here?" Get the commitment - Tom O'Malia #KDMCcamp
@robertniles

The HTC Sensation Outscores The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo In Most Departments

It seems very hard to keep up with the current range of HTC mobile handsets. One moment it appears that the Desire S sits proudly at the top of the tree but then we are introduced to the Incredible S. This model seems to offer everything that the Desire S does and a little bit extra. So once we have become accustomed to the fact that the Incredible S is the show piece handset we prepare to welcome the new Sensation device. There is no doubt that this model sits at the very top of HTCs line up thanks to its dual core processor, high resolution display and excellent all round specifications. How does this handset however measure up against new models being introduced by other brands. Take Sony Ericsson for example, there new Xperia Neo handset certainly looks very special, but how does it match up to the jaw dropping Sensation?

Both models start out very evenly as they both sport the very latest version of the ever popular Android operating system. This latest version is 2.3 but is more affectionately labelled as Gingerbread within the industry. Gingerbread offers a vastly improved user experience over previous versions with improved graphics and a much faster responsiveness. The fact that both handsets run on the same operating system means that the same range of Applications are available for download from the Android marketplace, however the Sensation receives a great head start thanks to some of the excellent software that HTC fit as standard on their handsets. Perhaps the most noticeable example of this is the excellent Sense user interface which gives users a range of ideas that simplify the way you use your phone. Social Networking fans will be particularly fond of this as it gives them access to Friendstream, a timeline that collaborates information from multiple accounts and presents it to them in one place. So HTC marches into an early lead in the software department and strengthens its position further when we look at the screen. Not only does the Sensation boast a 4.3 inches screen compared to the 3.7 inches that is found on the Xperia Neo it also tops the Sony Ericsson device with its mammouth resolution of 540 x 960. The Neo would not come up against many handsets that could eclipse its quality as it sports an impressive 480 x 854 coupled with Sony Mobile Bravia screen technology, but in the Sensation it has met a phone that could beat all competition in this area.

Once again the two handsets are very similar in the multi media department, but the HTC Sensation again shows enough all round quality to be regarded as the best in this area. Unlike the majority of large screen smartphones which boast 5 mega pixel camera facilities, it is evident that both HTC and Sony have highlighted this area where these phones can really excel and fitted 8 million pixel units on their respective models. Picture quality is very good on both devices but when it comes to video capture the HTC offers the higher grade of high definition footage which is 1080P rather than 720P. This touch of additional quality together with some neat additions on the still camera such as image stabilisation makes the HTC package more complete with ultimately higher quality results.

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo is a handset that would fair favourably against many other models available. In the HTC Sensation however it has come up against a formidable opponent that would put many mobiles to shame thanks to its great design coupled with real top end specification.

The Motorola Xoom And The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 Head To Head

Tablet devices have soared in popularity since the release of Apples famous iPad device. These units offer the perfect compromise between a mobile phone and a laptop with the large screen which is perfect for movies and gaming but together with much of the connectivity you expect from a cell phone. This year sees two of the biggest mobile phone manufacturers launch exciting new tablets. Whereas Samsung have tested the water before with their Galaxy Tab device, the new Tab 10.1 looks to improve upon this original blueprint whilst the Xoom is Motorolas first ever device of its kind. Looking at these two devices closely it is indeed very hard to pick a clear winner between both impressive units.

Size is a key factor when it comes to a tablet device and indeed there seems to be two camps with one team backing the more portable units that boast screens of around 7 inches and the other team who prefer the big screen experience on the models that sport displays that go into double figures. Both the Xoom and the Tab 10.1 fall into the large screen category which in fairness is where most of these models now seem to be aiming. This can partly be attributed to the fact that the largest screen mobile phones are now very close indeed to the smallest tablet devices. The Tab 10.1 is definitely the slimmer of both of the devices and this streamline look certainly does draw some admiring glances. There is however good reason for the extra bulk carried by the Xoom and that is down to the fact that it offers far more in terms of connectivity options. Dotted around the edges of the unit are an array of ports including USB and a micro SD card slot as well as an HDMI which is perfect for linking up to a high definition television. This impresses more than the single charging dock attachment on the Samsung. The internals of both of these tablets is remarkably similar thanks to both of them being driven by a Tegra 2 chipset. This line up includes a 1Ghz processor coupled with a hefty 1GB of random access memory.

Often when looking at such devices as these it is easy to get pre occupied with factors such as screen size and overlook other important factors such as battery life. The Motorola Xoom comes supplied with a battery with a huge 6500mAh battery. Although this may not mean much to the average user when converted into actual time this should equate to approximately 10 hours of actual usage and around 14 days in standby. Although we have not had time to physically test out the battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 the battery measures up slightly larger than the Xoom at 6860mAh meaning the Samsung should at least be on a par with the Motorola and possibly be a little better.

It seems that the tablet market over the coming months is less likely to be dominated by the Apple iPad as it was last year and that a number of models should be vying for their share of customers. The Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 are two of the better models that should fair very well when they finally hit the marketplace.

A Look At The Awesome Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman Phone

Sony Ericsson seems to have been concentrating more on its Xperia smartphones over the last year or so, with several new releases in the range. However they have just announced a new Walkman phone, the Sony Ericsson W8.

This handset sees the introduction of the manufacturer's Walkman technology on an Android smartphone which also boasts touchscreen functionality. This is certainly a handset which Walkman fans have been waiting for. This article will offer an introduction to the W8, and take a look at the features on offer.

Obviously, one of the main draws of this handset is the built in Walkman music player. Sony's music technology has come a long way since the days of the portable cassette player, and its inclusion in this smartphone means that it offers instant appeal to those who like to use their phone to store and listen to their digital music collection. The Walkman player offers easy navigation of the user's music collection as well as supporting multiple file formats, and there is a microSD slot included; this can be utilised by installing a memory card of up to 32GB, meaning thousands of music tracks can potentially be stored in the phone. As you would expect, there is also a 3.5mm headset jack built into the phone which allows compatible headsets to be used.

Aside from the music features, the Sony Ericsson W8 is actually an impressive all round smartphone. The Android Eclair (version 2.1) operating system works alongside a 600MHz processor, powering demanding applications. Users can browse the internet whenever they have a 3G or Wi-Fi connection, and there is a built in digital camera. This boasts 3.15 megapixels, and operates at 2048x 1536 pixels; this may not be the highest resolution available on a smartphone, but provides everything you need to take spontaneous snapshots, with pleasing results. A nice bonus of this camera is that is can also shoot VGA quality video footage at a rate of 30 frames per second.

As you can see, the Sony Ericsson W8 is more versatile than meets the eye. The Walkman aspect of the phone is just one of the many impressive specifications. This is also the first Walkman phone from Sony Ericsson to feature touchscreen functionality. Users are treated to a 3 inch TFT capacitive touchscreen, with a reasonable resolution of 320x 480 which means it offers good display quality of photos or videos etc.

Whilst its specifications are by no means groundbreaking, it is good to see the manufacturer upping the specs of its Walkman phones. The Sony Ericsson W8 will make a great first smartphone or a change from the few models which still dominate the smartphone arena. As with the previous Walkman phones, I'm sure we can expect the W8 to be an affordable option upon its upcoming release; coupled with its decent specifications, this means it is likely to be a popular handset.

The Amazing Motorola Atrix Features A Fingerprint Scanner

The Motorola Atrix is currently being marketed as the world's most powerful smartphone. This is quite a claim, especially given the rate at which mobile phone technology is advancing.

Whether or not the manufacturer's claim is true, one thing is certain; it boasts a spec list which ticks all the boxes and is pretty much unrivalled by the majority of its competition. In this article I will go over a couple of the more unique points which set it apart from its rivals.

Fingerprint Scanner

The Motorola Atrix boasts a biometric fingerprint scanner located on the back of the handset. This highly innovative feature is only available on a small number of other handsets, and shows how rapidly mobile phone technology is advancing. Features like this may look good on paper, but how useful is it during day to day use? The vast majority of smartphone users opt to lock their homescreen with a 4 digit PIN code. However, someone may see the code without you knowing, and be able to gain access to your phone and therefore any personal data stored within. The beauty of a fingerprint scanner is that the only person who can unlock the phone is the phone's owner; you simply cannot forge a fingerprint. So security is clearly the main advantage of this feature. Of course, the Motorola Atrix also allows you to disable this option and use the more traditional security settings such as a PIN code, pattern or password.

Laptop Dock

One of the major draws, and certainly something that sets it apart from the crowd, is the standalone laptop dock available for the Motorola Atrix. This is purchased separately from the phone itself, and offers an ingenious way to increase the functionality of the handset. It looks exactly the same as any other laptop computer, but is much thinner and lighter. This is because it is simply providing a larger screen, full keyboard and optical mouse pad to use the phone more efficiently. To use it, you simply connect your Motorola Atrix to the dock, and it uses the power of the phone itself, and simply offers a larger screen and a full keyboard as well as a more user friendly layout of the operating system and user interface. This will make the Motorola Atrix ideal for those who need to do a large amount of word processing on the go, or carry out more complex tasks such as blogging or updating websites. Obviously this is easier with the layout of a standard laptop than using a phone's touchscreen

Of course, there is much more to the Motorola Atrix and its spec list boasts all the features you would expect from a high end Android smartphone. The features outlined in this article show just how innovative a handset it actually is. There are likely to be many people who would find use in the features and accessories available from the Motorola Atrix.

Nokia N8 - An Awesome Handset With Dolby Digital

The aluminium designed Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss* optics and Xenon flash, HD-quality video recording, film editing software and Dolby Digital Plus**.

Sound: Dolby Digital

Nokia N8 is the first device to sport a full implementation of Dolby Digital Plus. This is not just a stripped down version of what you'll find in your living room, this is the real deal. This means the Nokia N8, along with delivering HD quality video, offers full 5.1 surround sound. Of course, it is unlikely the Nokia N8 will take the place of disc spinner at home, but hit the road and together with an HDMI cable, anyone can be watching great movies anywhere he finds himself in front of a TV.

The Nokia N8 can power USB speakers, meaning you can listen to music at a great quality and sound level whilst on-the-go. Thanks to Nokia's USB on-the-go technology. Many people probably didn't think it was possible, however the video below proves otherwise - the Nokia N8 is powering and using the USB speakers without external power.

Double Microphones

Damian Dinning touched on this in his post on the Nokia N8's camera. You'll find two microphones on the Nokia N8: one on the rear of the device and one on its face. Both microphones will record when you're capturing video. The result? Audio that's both rich and clear as day, in video voice-overs, video recording and calls.

Audio outputs

Naturally, the Nokia N8 comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack. Plug in any pair of buds or cans to enjoy your tunes. There is also a micro USB connector for an additional microphone or specialist audio equipment.

Fcam Released For The Nokia N900

Stanford University and Nokia Research Center, Palo Alto, have created and released a new, open-source digital photography platform, called FCam (Frankencamera) for the Nokia N900. FCam allows developers to create new capabilities for digital cameras, and users to take advantage of a whole new class of photography apps.

FCam allows the creation of new digital camera applications that help users overcome some of the shortcomings of their devices or create interesting new types of imagery. It is part of the Camera 2.0 project, created in collaboration between Nokia, Stanford, and other partners.

Nokia Fellow Kari Pulli says that the Nokia N900 is a camera phone, but it runs a version of Linux almost as complete as that installed on personal computers. For this reason, Nokia N900 was chosen as the host device for the FCam platform.

The researchers have already created a series of new photography apps for the platform, some of which will also be free to download. These three will be available from the FCam project pages .

FCamera is an example camera application that uses FCam libraries and drivers. It is released in source code to serve as a starting point for programmers to create their own camera applications like in Nokia N900.

Low-light Assistant helps in situations where there is not enough light to avoid the choice between a quick exposure that will look sharp, but dark and noisy, and a long exposure that will have enough light, but likely be blurry. Instead, the application captures two images in rapid succession and then automatically combines them, resulting in a photo that is both bright and sharp.

HDR Capture helps in situations where there is too much light, such as a portrait of a person with a bright sky behind her. The camera takes up to three images with different exposure settings and combines them to an image that shows the details of both the foreground and background objects, without under or over-exposing any of them.

Nokia E5 - An Awesome Smartphone

One of Nokia's awesome smartphones is Nokia E5 which is highly appreciable by the people around the globe. The most interesting feature incorporated to Nokia E5 is the wide screen of 2.4 inches which is set to replace the Nokia E72. Additional screen features come incorporating the phone are an accelerometer sensor, handwriting recognition and QWERTY keyboard etc.

The Nokia E5 is a fast device which is powered by an ARM11 600 MHz processor* and Symbian OS v9.3, Series 60 rel. 3.2 operating system for fast and easy usage of interface. The perfect simple design gives a trendy look to the awesome smartphone.

The Nokia E5 is a stay-up-all-night, get-the-deal-done, buy-low-and-sell-high handset.

Connectivity and Exploring Web:

Packing the latest version of Nokia S60 3rd edition, the Nokia E5 boasts a suite of home screen features including one-click access to your favorite contacts and your favorite social networks. The internet connecting features well equipped to the awesome smartphone are Class 32 versions of EDGE & GPRS technology. The HSDPA along with HSUPA provide high speed connection. Bluetooth, WiFi and mini USB cable allow you to connect to any other compatible devices to carry out the tasks like sharing media files and downloading etc. This 2G and 3G technological awesome smartphone comes with several other wide options to access social networking sites including Facebook, Flickr and more. Nokia E5, an awesome smartphone, also boasts Facebook updates direct to your contacts list and the latest version of Nokia Messaging. There is support for multiple email accounts, including popular mail services such as Ovi Mail, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Windows Live Hotmail and for the business folk, Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler.

Sony Ericsson Spiro - A Versatile Walkman Phone

Sony Ericsson Spiro, a Sony Ericsson walkman phone, offers hours upon hours f entertainment fr аnу mobile phone user, аnd wіth іtѕ inclusion f Facebook аnd Twitter apps, internal memory, a robust, sleek design, аnd аn affordable price tag, thіѕ mobile phone mаkеѕ fr a more thаn exceptional value.

This walkman phone has a sleek аnd visually stimulating 'threaded' text messaging interface, allowing users thе ability t decipher between hіѕ r hеr text messages аnd hіѕ r hеr friends, mѕt notably seen іn Apple's iPhone series,Packing a punch inside іtѕ small exterior, thе Sony Ericsson Spiro іѕ a contender іn thе Sony Ericsson Walkman Phone line f devices, offering аnу mobile phone user plenty f entertainment wіth іtѕ many features:

Thе inclusion f 5gb f internal storage wіth thе ability t upgrade t 16gb, a muѕt-hае fr music enthusiasts everywhere

Sony Ericsson Spiro has bluetooth support fr wireless headphones аnd speaker sets, allowing mobile phone users thе ability t еnју hours f music n holiday, аt home, іn thе car, r іn thе gym,

This walkman phone includes an FM radio fr even more entertainment, something nt seen іn lots f mobile phones today

A superb camera feature wіth a video option, offering mobile users thе option f taking high quality still images f friends t post t Facebook r taking short video clips t upload t YouTube r Blogger r Facebook.

Thе Sony Ericsson Spiro іѕ perfect nt nlу fr entertainment purposes, but fr ease-f-uѕе аѕ well. Smе users merely want t gеt t music r video r Facebook аnd Twitter apps wіth thе minimal amount f buttons pressed, аnd thіѕ mobile phone offers thіѕ.

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 - Sony Ericsson's First Android Phone

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 is the first Sony Ericsson Phone to use the Android* operating system developed by Google. This Android phone is an incredible gadget made for fashion freaks. Xperia X10 has a taste of latest technology and its looks are awesome. This beauty is measuring 119 x 63 x 13 mm and weighing merely 135 grams. Xperia X10 contains a large 4.0 inches TFT capacitive touchscreen which displays 65K colors. Now its internal storage capacity is 1GB and external capacity is 8GB which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD memory cards. Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Deals can turn out to be a fabulous decision for anyone.

In addition, the Xperia X10 contains many of the features you would expect from a $1000 plus smartphone. This Android phone is loaded with all the latest features like it has GPRS/EDGE support, HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, USB, 8 mega pixel camera, Android OS 1.6 and many more. Even though Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini deals are also quite popular in UK but still with outstanding looks and features Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Deals are on the top spot. A little bit comparsion will surely allow you to pick the best one. So go ahead and make the most of this mindblowing opportunity. *Android, Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, United States in October, 2003 by Andy Rubin, Rich Miner, Nick Sears, and Chris White to develop, in Rubin's words "...smarter mobile devices that are more aware of its owner's location and preferences." Despite the obvious past accomplishments of the founders and early employees, Android Inc. operated secretively, admitting only that it was working on software for mobile phones. Google acquired Android Inc. in August, 2005, making Android Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Google Inc. Key employees of Android Inc., including Andy Rubin, Rich Miner and Chris White, stayed at the company after the acquisition.

The Striking LG Optimus Black Boasts A 5 Megapixel Camera

The LG Optimus range of smartphones has seen a number of releases over the last few months. Each one has its appeal for different reasons. A good example of the manufacturer's new generation smartphones is the LG Optimus Black. Whilst other Optimus handsets have a unique feature as their main selling point such as the LG Optimus 2X (first dual-core processor in a smartphone) and the LG Optimus 3D (first smartphone with a 3D camera and screen), the LG Optimus Black offers a great all round package of premium features.

In this article I will take a closer look at its main specifications and see what this great looking phone has to offer in terms of both hardware and software, and the type of user experience you can expect.

Screen

One of the most impressive aspects of this phone has to be its touchscreen. It is among the brightest screens available on a mobile phone, and incorporates some very impressive technology. IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen technology combined with the ability to display up to 16 million colours (with a resolution of 480x 800) means that the display quality is top notch. Not only is it bright and clear with fantastic detail, but it also offers a highly responsive and interactive means of navigating the user interface, and even uses less battery power than other types of touchscreen technology.

Camera

A smartphone would not be a smartphone without a built in digital camera. The LG Optimus Black offers a 5 megapixel unit with a decent resolution of 2592x 1944 resulting in very good quality still images. Although this may not be the highest resolution available on a mobile phone, the results are still very pleasing. Geo-tagging, face and smile detection and an additional front facing camera (2 megapixels) are also included along with the ability to shoot 720p high definition footage. This makes the LG Optimus Black an attractive option for anyone who finds the camera an important aspect when choosing a new phone.

Operating System

The LG Optimus Black has Android 2.2 (Froyo) installed as standard, but users are able to upgrade this to run the latest version 2.3 (Gingerbread) and any other future updates, making it relatively future proof. There are many advantages to the Android operating system. It is highly customisable, and users are able to download additional applications from the Android market. There are many thousands of apps available from numerous categories. Therefore users are able to customise their phone to suit their own needs, meaning the sky is the limit in terms of functionality. Many of the apps are available free of charge, whilst a charge occurs for some premium apps. The ability to download applications is one of the major draws of owning a smartphone, and the LG Optimus Black has the power to make the most of any apps you choose to download.

There are many more advantages to this handset, but the features I have listed above are among the most important factors to take into consideration when choosing a new phone. As you can see, the LG Optimus Black ticks all the boxes when it comes to these. The handset itself is a very attractive unit, as the name suggests it sports a glossy black finish and is very slimline so sure to turn heads. It may not be groundbreaking in many respects, but offers a fantastic alternative to the few smartphone models which currently dominate the market.

Can Android And The HTC Sensation Match The iPhone 4 White And The iOS

One of the most important yet underrated aspects of any mobile phone is the operating system that it runs on. This determines exactly how you use the phone, how the menus appear and what functionality the handset offers you. We have seen several mobile systems over the years but there are currently two jostling for the bigger share of the market. The first of these is the iPhone operating system or iOS, the programme that the hugely popular iPhone and iPad runs on. The second of these system is the Android platform that was developed by Google. The is a multi brand platform and thus is used by the likes of Motorola and Samsung, but the current flagship model running on the latest version is the new Sensation from HTC. So looking at the OS alone, how does this exciting new model match up to the superb iPhone 4.

The user interface is the screens that we interact with on our mobile handset so it seems only right to look at this area first. There are two ways in which we can look at this. From a simplicity point of view then the iOS is a clear winner. The system offers a series of homescreens onto which you can add widgets and applications of your choice. If you fill up a whole page then another is added which you access by horizontally swiping your finger across the screen. Asides from the icons there is a bar at the bottom which always shows your four favourite features and a thin bar at the top displaying time and battery life. On the other side of the coin you have the Android 2.3 system found on the HTC Sensation, a menu which looks much more full of life compared to the Apple system. Icons are large and the menus incorporate transparency to enable tiles to be stacked and so you can view what is happening behind the tile. Android is the system that you will wow your friends with but iOS remains fantastic thanks to its simplicity.

A key factor with any modern mobile phone is the range of applications that are available for the user to download. These application range from practical utilities to games and can be accessed via the respective online store of the manufacturer. The HTC Sensation together with Android is very much one for the future in this department. The titles available in Android Marketplace are increasing all of the time and at present over 200000 are available. This is less than the 300000 offered on Apples App Store but over the coming years it is predicted that Android will eventually overtake Apple. This prediction is based on the fact that the Google platform is easier for developers as they are not restricted by the strict terms that Apple place on their programmers. A great example of this is how Adobe Flash files can be incorporated into Android apps and not into those made for the iPhone.

Although iOS captivated the market when it was first released it is clearly evident that Android is the platform fro the future and wonderful handsets such as the HTC Sensation are the perfect vehicle on which to show the system off to its full potential.

HTC Excel At Large Displays With The Desire HD And The HD7

The stranglehold that the likes of Android and Apple have on the mobile phone market may loosen slightly with the rise of the new Windows 7 platform from Microsoft. Looking at the number of handsets that have been launched or that are due to launch on the platform it certainly looks like a system that is here to stay. HTC are one of the manufacturers who have developed a number of Windows 7 handsets including the HD7. The HD 7 is the non Android version of the best selling Desire HD. Both models sport awesome processing power coupled with large displays and great multi media facilities. So if you are in the market for a top end device, which of these monster mobile phones should be grabbing your attention.

If you take a look at the build quality found on both handsets then as you would imagine they are very similar. The Desire HD however does fair slightly better thanks to the chassis being constructed entirely of aluminium whereas the HD 7 features a metallic trim with a hard plastic body. This means the Desire HD feels like a slightly more premium device in your hand and gives it a touch more durability than its plastic counterpart. It would be pretty pointless to go in to depth about the physical dimensions on the phones as they are practically identical with just 2 grammes weight difference and all measurements the same apart from the Desire HD being just 1mm taller. To the untrained eye it may appear that these models sport the same screen given that they both measure 4.3 inches and are capable of a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels. If you look a little closer however you will see that the Desire uses S-LCD technology rather than LCD which is used on the HD7. S-LCD offer much better viewing angles and therefore a much more accurate representation of colour. On top of this is the fact that power management is about 5 times better and the result is a display that places far less strain on your battery and therefore gives you longer usage from the handset.

Another area where the HTC Desire HD differs from the HTC HD7 is in the camera department. The HD7 offers users access to a good quality still shot facility which enables the capture of photographs in a high resolution of 5 million pixels. The user also benefits from a number of features that enhance this facility which include a great quality dual LED flash and autofocus. Once again however the Desire HD steps up its game and pitches in with a camera capable of squeezing 3 million more pixels into every picture. The differences are not so apparent when it comes to quality of video capture thanks to both phones offering HD video capture. This means the handsets can record at a quality of 720 progressively scanned lines, or as it is more commonly known, 720P.

HTC are undoubtedly the kings of the large screen devices, and these two high quality models perfectly illustrate their expertise in this field. When closely looking at the phones side by side however it is evident that the Desire HD on the Android operating system is the better model of the two.

A Closer Look At The Motorola Atrix And The iPhone 4 White

If you are in the market for a new mobile phone then you have inevitably asked your family and friends which handset would be best for you. A large number of your responses may have tried to guide you towards the iPhone 4 for many reasons, but mainly because it is the "best phone available". The mobile phone market evolves very quickly however and established manufacturer Motorola have just launched the impressive Atrix handset. It is evident that the developers have attempted to make this machine top specification in every department, but if it came down to a direct comparison between this model and the hallowed iPhone 4, would the Atrix come out on top?

For many months now the iPhone 4 has been streets ahead of the competition when it came to screen technology. The Retina display used on the phone can produce a pixel density that exceeds what your own eye can detect, hence the name. Other manufacturers however have had several months to perfect their own technology and what Motorola have fitted on the Atrix is the first that we can genuinely say exceeds what Apple can offer. At 4 inches the phones display is larger by half an inch and can show a resolution of 540 x 960. Now this resolution is actually lower than the White iPhone 4, however it is fair to say that the pixel count is so high on both models that you will not detect them on either. That puts the screens on a level playing field but the Atrix steals ahead thanks to its extra size which is perfect for web browsing and gaming. There is such a fine line between both of these examples that neither will disappoint in this area. The two handsets are also very similar in terms of the photography facilities that they offer. As you would expect both still cameras are impressive but again the Atrix edges ahead of the Apple. This is not down to the main rear camera as both models offer 5 mega pixel devices, but it is the secondary front camera that gains extra points for the Atrix. The reason behind this is because the iPhone unit can only be used to conduct Face Time calls which is a video call between two iPhones. The Motorola Atrix incorporates a front facing camera than can be used on all manner of video call applications to users on different handsets and operating systems.

One reason why Apple fans love the iPhone 4 compared to previous editions is the speed at which the phone operates. This extra zip can be attributed to the new A4 processor that is incorporated. Clocked at 1Ghz it really gives the device that much needed extra speed over previous versions. Once again however the Motorola Atrix has benefited from the developers holding back a little. Because a release date for the handset was not rushed technology has moved on to such an extent that they can include a chip of the same size in their phone but one which has two cores. This gives a further boost to the general speed and is especially noticeable when it comes to multi tasking. The one area where Apple still hold an advantage over their competitors is when it comes to additional applications. Their App Store currently offers over 300000 downloads which is around 50% more than what can be found on the Android Marketplace that the Atrix uses. Experts predict however that Android is closing in on Apple in this respect and the story could be very different in 12 months time so watch this space.

Upon its release the White iPhone 4 was undoubtedly ground breaking. Technology evolves so quickly however that the Atrix now features a specification sheet that totally eclipses the iPhone 4 and quite rightly make it one of the best handsets of 2011.

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