29 February, 2012

TechPinas

TechPinas


Windows 8 and Windows Phone Platform Convergence, Imminent?

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 02:28 PM PST

Mark's Thoughts:

The more I see Windows 8, the more I'm convinced that Nokia made the right decision to get into that alliance with Microsoft and favor Windows Phone as its new smartphone platform.


I mean, the plan is already obvious. There will be a convergence in PC, tablet and smartphone Windows experience in the near future. And that experience will be touch-based, app-centric, mobile, local and social.

The goal, I believe, is to bring the powerful Windows experience on a PC to other devices and update it to meet the demands and changing needs of a new generation of mobile consumers not only in terms of aesthetics but more importantly, in terms of localized applications, social networking integration, mobile gaming, touch-centric web browsing, seamless navigation, among others.

Watching these preview videos of the upcoming Windows 8 OS and the recently released Windows Phone platform, it's clear that the convergence should already be imminent --





Hoping for a Halo Effect

Note that, as of writing, Windows is the still the leading desktop and laptop operating system by a clear mile. According to global data gathered by StatCounter from January 2011 to January 2012, Windows 7 is now the leading OS in the world 44.07% of users browsing the net and visiting millions of Statcounter sites on that platform. A combined 45.23% of users, on the other hand, still use Microsoft's aging Windows XP and Windows Vista operating system while only 7.33% are on Apple's Mac OS X.


Interestingly, despite Microsoft's overwhelming success in personal computing software, the company had failed time and again in creating a commercially successful mobile platform. Windows Mobile 6.5 from more than three years ago, if you remember, never got a considerable share of pie in the face of terrifying competition - which included Nokia's Symbian and Apple's iPhone - during its time. I believe Microsoft found itself in that quagmire largely because of the disjoint between the Windows PC experience and that of Windows Mobile; The features that consumers fell in love with on their Windows PC were just not there in the mobile version.

The good news is that Microsoft has learned from those mistakes - it seems - and is finally on the right track. It's quite simple, really: If the company wants consumers to fall in love with Windows Phone as much as they love their Windows PC, then there has to be a convergence. Fix that first and I'm sure all other things will fall in place.


Buy Paid Applications from BlackBerry App World Using Globe Prepaid Load or Postpaid Account : A Reality, Finally!

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:04 AM PST

TechPinas Exclusive!

Research In Motion - maker of BlackBerry smartphones - and Globe Telecom today announced that Globe subscribers can finally enjoy the ease and convenience of making app purchases on BlackBerry App World using their postpaid or prepaid accounts!

The new billing service will enable Globe Telecom subscribers to purchase apps on BlackBerry App World and charge the transaction directly to their monthly postpaid bill or prepaid account credits. Globe subscribers will also be offered the flexibility of charging in-app purchases to their regular bill or deducted from their prepaid load, which allows digital goods to be purchased without interrupting the app experience. The new service is expected to roll out in the second quarter of 2012.


Hastings Singh, Vice President of South Asia at RIM commented: "BlackBerry App World is a great place for customers to discover and download new BlackBerry apps and themes. Today's announcement with Globe is a first for the Philippines and is testament to both companies' drive to continuously improve the customer experience."

"Integrated billing will make it easier than ever for our subscribers to purchase apps for their BlackBerry smartphones," said Peter Bithos, Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business. "Through the secure billing system interface, we are able to provide our subscribers a convenient and worry-free way to purchase premium content on BlackBerry App World without the need for a credit card or direct cash payments. The cost of apps purchased from the app store will be charged to their postpaid phone bill or from their prepaid credits. We are delighted to enable this new level of flexibility and convenience in purchasing BlackBerry apps for our customers."

Great news eh, TP Friends?! So which cool paid apps do you plan on purchasing?


Nokia Asha 302 Price Philippines Php 5,290, Complete Specs, Release Date is Today!

Posted: 29 Feb 2012 01:22 AM PST

TechPinas Exclusive!

Wifi-enabled full QWERTY handset Nokia Asha 302 has just been announced in far-flung Barcelona but believe it or not, we already have the official suggested retail price of the phone in the Philippines! In fact, it's now available at all Nokia Stores across the archipelago! So don't forget to check it out.


Nokia Asha 302 is the first Series 40 phone to support Mail for Exchange, giving consumers access to their emails, calendar and contacts via an exchange server. That and a stylish and easy to use QWERTY keyboard make Nokia Asha 302 an ideal handset for young entrepreneurs and even experienced professionals who seeking a beautifully crafted phone.

On top of that, Nokia Asha 302 connects to popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter and enables chatting through various IM services like WhatsApp. This 'Smartphone Lite' is powered by a 1-GHz processor and supports 3.5G data speeds as well as Bluetooth and Wifi connectivity.


As I mentioned, Nokia Asha 302 is now out in the Philippines via authorized retail outlets. The phone which comes in White, Plum Red, Golden Light, Dark Grey, and Mid Blue has an official SRP of just Php 5,290. Not bad, eh?

To wrap this up, let me say that looking at its full specs sheet, I'm inclined to believe that Nokia Asha 302 the true follow-up to the 2010 best-seller Nokia C3. I mean, check out the table:

TechPinas Smartphone Technical Specs Table (TSTST)
Name Nokia Asha 302
Type Candybar with Full QWERTY Thumb-type Keypad
Price Category Entry Level
Dimensions115.2 x 58.9 x 13.5 mm, 77 cc
Weight 106 grams
Available Colors White, Golden Light, Dark Grey, Mid Blue, Plum Red
Operating System Series S40
Display 2.4 inches (~167 ppi pixel density), 240 x 320 pixels, TFT touchscreen, 256K colors
Processor 1 GHz
RAM/ROM 128 MB RAM, 256 MB ROM
Camera 3.15 MegaPixels, 2048x1536 pixels, fixed focus, no flash
Video Capture VGA 15 frames per second
Audio and Video Playback MP4/H.264/H.263/WMV/MP3/WAV/WMA/AAC player
Ports microUSB v2.0, USB on-the-go support, 3.5 mm audio jack
Connectivity Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth v2.1 with A2DP, EDR, 3G HSDPA 14.4 Mbps, HSUPA 5.76 Mbps
Network 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100
Internal Storage 100MB storage, expandable via microSD, supports up to 32GB
Sensors N/A
Battery Li-Ion 1320 mAh (BL-5J)
Uptime Stand-by of up to 707 hours on 2G and up to 830 hours on 3G, Talk time of up to 9 hours on 2G and up to 5 hours 50 minutes on 3G, Music play up to 50 hours
Value-Added Features Wifi and 3G connectivity support, Microsoft Mail Exchange
Announcement Globally: February 2012
Availability February 2012
Price Official SRP: Php 5,290