nokia

Gartner: 85 percent of companies using open source

Paul Mah — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:21:20 -0500

The analysts at Gartner say that 85 percent of 274 companies surveyed are already using open-source software, with the remaining 15 percent expected to do so by next year. The companies surveyed are end-user organizations from around the world; cost is consistently identified as the primary motivator for switching to open source (so much for the freedom of choice, though to be fair, some did mention OSS as a balance against vendor lock-in).

More revealing from the survey though, is the revelation that very few organizations have formal policies in place to protect against intellectual property violations, inadvertent or otherwise. As a result, Gartner says that the biggest barrier preventing the adoption of OSS has to do with area of governance. This includes issues like deciding which applications will be supported by OSS, as well as identifying risks in terms of supportability of OSS. This is important, as an increasing number of companies such as Google to Nokia are releasing open-source software.

To read more about this story:
- check out this article at ZDNet

Live from CTIA Wireless 2008

Mehan Jayasuriya — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:37:57 -0400

The crowds on the show floor are starting to thin, the seemingly endless parade of panels is coming to a close and exhaustion is finally starting to set in. Yep, it's the final day of CTIA Wireless 2008. If you didn't check in with us throughout the week, here's a quick recap of show highlights that you missed:

If that's not enough for you, make sure you check out the full CTIA coverage at FierceWireless, the official online show daily of CTIA. It's been a fun couple of days out here in Vegas--we'll see you again at CTIA IT in the fall! -Mehan

Nokia to close plant, 2,300 jobs at risk

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:59:57 -0500

Bad news, Nokia fans. The Finnish wireless giant has announced plans to shut down its Bochum, Germany manufacturing plant by mid-2008 and some 2,300 jobs could be cut in the process. Apparently, the world's number one manufacturer of cellular handsets is looking to cut manufacturing costs by moving operations to cheaper locales like Romania, where the company has invested some $89 million in a new plant. As always, anyone who is affected by this announcement has DailyTechRag's sympathy; we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

For more on the job cuts:
- see this Engadget article

XOHM WiMAX goes live in April

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 06:59:59 -0500

XOHMG! Sprint has just announced the launch details of their hotly-anticipated XOHM WiMAX network and it's going live a lot sooner than most of us expected. Sprint CTO Barry West told a CES panel that the service will be available to consumers at the end of April, with around ten devices lined up for launch, including a laptop data card and desktop modem. Of the ten devices, only one was confirmed by Sprint: an Internet device from Nokia (N820, anyone?), though we do know that a WiMAX-equipped Eee PC and OQO UPC are forthcoming at some point. And what of the price for XOHM service? "People will be excited about our rates," West said. "They won't be ecstatic about them because we're not going to give it away." I think we all know what that means--start saving up those pennies now.

For more on the XOHM announcement:
- see this Gizmodo article

Nokia N95 8GB coming to America

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

We've spilled a lot of ink over Nokia's 8GB N95 uber-phone, so we're glad that it's finally come to this: Nokia has broken down and announced a U.S. version of the handset. As you might expect, it's nearly identical to its European counterpart--that is to say 2.8 inch display, HSDPA, WiFi, A-GPS, and 5-megapixel camera--save for the 3G radio, which has been replaced with a U.S.-friendly 850/1900Mhz radio, for surfing those high-speed wireless Intertubes in the land of the free. Arriving some time this quarter for the wallet-draining price of $750. Class dismissed.

For more on the U.S. 8GB N95:
- see this Engadget story

Will Android live up to the hype?

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:59:53 -0500

Will Google's Android prove to be the wireless industry game changer that everyone seems to think it'll be? All signs point to "yes." After all, by this time next year, you'll likely be able to get an Android phone no matter what carrier you use. Both T-Mobile and Sprint will carry Android devices, Verizon will likely "certify" a few for use on its network and AT&T customers will be able to simply pop their SIM card into an unlocked unit. From everything that we've seen, Android's OS definitely has a lot of that attention-getting "wow" factor and that will force other developers to play catch-up with their mobile UI. The same goes for third party application support: with Android serving as an open alternative, everyone from Apple to Nokia will have to loosen restrictions on user-installable applications. It's not yet clear whether or not Android will be an unqualified success, but there's little doubt as to whether or not it will move the industry forward.

Nokia's N96 revealed in spy shot?

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

First came the Nokia N95. Then there was the U.S. version of the N95. Then there was the 8GB N95. Now what? If rumormongers on the Internet are to be believed, the next in line is the N96. Unfortunately, there are no tech specs to go along with these leaked product shots, which appeared over at Mobile-Review. Still, the photos are surprisingly clear for spy shots and offer a number of different views of the product. Here's what we can tell from the images: this thing looks to be thinner than the N95, sports a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and takes a design cue from the iPhone (shiny black finish with metal rim all around). Overall, this looks to be one sweet little number, though only time (or a particularly loose-lipped Nokia exec) will tell whether or not this is the true successor to the N95.

For more leaked images:
- head over to Gizmodo

Nokia N95 gets firmware update

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Did you run out and buy the U.S. version of the Symbian S60-based Nokia N95? If so, I've got some good news for you: the little device just saw its first firmware upgrade. Version 11.2.009 of the N95-3 firmware is now available from Nokia's website, so go forth and download, N95 fans. It's not clear yet exactly what changes the new firmware brings, though Engadget notes that the device's webkit-based browser seems to have gotten an overhaul, with a history list and new font sizes now among the features included. Notice any major changes, bug fixes or new features? Hit us up in the comments and let us know.

For more on the N95 update:
- head over to Nokia's website and download the firmware

T-Mobile Katalyst has WiFi, awful name

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:59:53 -0500

Move over Motorola RAZR, there's a new terribly-named phone in town. You're looking at the Samsung Katalyst (seriously, how do they come up with these?), which just landed on T-Mobile's network. This little slider packs a 1.3 megapixel camera, music player, microSD slot for up to 2GB of storage and stereo Bluetooth. The real feature of note, however, is the phone's WiFi, which should help you catalyze some savings on your monthly bill thanks to T-Mobile's innovative HotSpot@Home service. If you're hoping to pick up this little number, you'll be looking at $80, after rebates and a 2-year service agreement. And if that's not to your liking, you can always snag a cheaper option (the Nokia 6086) or a more full-featured one (the BlackBerry Curve 8320), for use with HotSpot@Home.

For more on the Katalyst:
- check out T-Mobile's website

ALSO NOTED: Moto Q9 with WiFi coming to AT&T?; Nokia launches green handset;

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 06:59:51 -0500

> Comcast and Time Warner will not bid in the 700Mhz auction. Article
> iPhone Safari closes in on 0.1 percent browser marketshare. Article
> WiFi-equipped Motorola Q9 coming to AT&T? Article
> Back up your iPhone SMS messages on your computer. Article
> Nokia launching green handset. Article
> Hands-on with the Pleo dinosaur robot. Video

And finally... A CD-R shaped like a 3.5" floppy disk. A more charming anachronism there may not be. Article