Nokia offers Microsoft e-mail on smartphones

SAN FRANCISCO--Nokia took aim at smartphone rival Research in Motion Tuesday with plans to expand the number of devices that will automatically be capable of accessing Microsoft corporate e-mail.


Nokia N81

On the eve of the CTIA I.T. & Entertainment tradeshow here, Nokia announced it will embed Microsoft Exchange Activesync on all Nokia phones that use the S60 Symbian operating system. As a result, 43 different models of Nokia phones will have easy access to Microsoft corporate email. Nokia will also add the Microsoft Exchange support to all new N-Series and E-Series phones that hit the market in the future.

Until this announcement Nokia offered Microsoft email support as a download for only a handful of devices. But the feature wasn't well publicized, and it was somewhat difficult to download.

Now Microsoft's ActivSync software will be automatically available for 80 million of Nokia's already shipped devices, and it will be available as a standard feature on all new Nokia N-Series and E-Series phones. Having the software embedded on the phone or as an automatic software update makes setting up corporate email access on a Nokia phone so easy that most people can do it themselves without the help of their IT department, said Bill Plummer, vice president of sales and go-to-market for Nokia Americas.

The enhancement is a big deal, especially in the U.S., where Nokia has not made significant traction in the smartphone market. Instead, Research in Motion has dominated the smartphone category in the U.S. with its BlackBerry devices.

The integrated Microsoft email support will now make Nokia a more appealing choice for corporate users. But winning over corporate customers may still be difficult. Nokia rivals such as Palm and Motorola , already have ActiveSync available on their smartphones, and BlackBerry continues to beat these companies. Apple has also introduced Microsoft ActiveSync for its iPhone users.

What's more, most of Nokia's phones that will offer the embedded e-mail software are not sold through carriers in the U.S., which means they aren't subsidized. And with price tags in the range of $450 to $950, Nokia smartphones could be out of reach of some U.S. consumers, especially when all four of the major U.S. carriers offer subsidized BlackBerry's for around $100.

Casio announces EX-Z300 - EXZ250 and EZ-Z85 cameras

The Casio Exilim range of cameras has been expanded by the company in order to obtain a larger market share in the digital camera market. The Casio EX-Z300 is our favorite one amongst the three cameras.

The Casio Exilim EZ-Z300 is a 10.1 megapixel camera with 4x Zoom and about 40MB of internal memory. The camera comes with a neat 3inch LCD display which guides you in taking good photos with high quality.

The Casio Exilim EZ-Z250 has a 9.1 megapixel camera with almost the same features mentioned above in the Z300.

Both these cameras run on the Exilim Engine 3.0 which offers high noise reduction, good quality images. Face detection to an extent and shake reduction as well. The Z300 and the Z250 both have movie modes which can record video with H.264 codec which is same as MP4 and can be played on your iPods or Zunes.

The Casio EZ-Z85 is also a 9.1 megapixel camera with similar features except the 2.6 LCD screen instead of the 3inch screen.

The EZ-Z300 will cost you around $300, EZ-Z250 around $250 and the best bet for value money buy is the EZ-Z85 for less than $180.

160GB PS3 and PSP coming in October

Details on the new PlayStation 3 have been revealed officially by Sony today. Among the announcements was the crucial release date of 31st October 2008. This launch date is for Europe only, it will hit the streets in the US in November. We could see the new 160GB PS3 coming to India only in 2009.

The new technology in the PS3 includes the wireless keypad which enables you to type on it.

On the other hand the new PlayStationPortable will come with a built-in microphone and an anti-reflective screen.

"Consumers also are utilising PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive," said Jack Tretton who is the head of the America Sony gaming division.

The 160 GB PS3 will cost about 450 Euros, and close to $500 in the USA. The PSP will be launched at an introductory price of $200.

BenQ launches E2200HD in India

BenQ corp has launched the first 22 inch or so to say 21.5 inch 1080p Full HD LCD monitor. The monitor is equipped with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution with 300 cd/m2 brightness. It comes with VGA and HDMI inputs with a headphone jack.

The LCD has a 16:9 aspect ratio and has a 10,000:1 contrast ratio.

The E2200HD comes with integrated speakers and can render content from STBs, camcorders and DVD players. The LCD Monitor will be available for only Rs. 13,500 which is a pretty neat price for what you are getting.

Microsoft's Mobile App Market in the Sky

If a job posting that was here one day and gone the next is to be believed, Microsoft intends to take on Apple's iPhone App Store at some point in the near term. The rumor seems to have some wind behind it, especially in light of the fact that an app store for Android phones is also in the works.

Another front may be opening in the battle for mobile platform supremacy. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Free Trial. Security Software As A Service From Webroot. Latest News about Microsoft is rumored to be planning to launch its own mobile application store -- a rumor that began after some bloggers, including Mike Elgan at ComputerWorld, talked up an ad Microsoft apparently ran seeking talent to assist in the endeavor.

The ad was eventually taken down, but not before it was captured by the media. Microsoft's talent search, according to Elgan's post, suggested the job would focus on the following areas:

* Definition of the product offering, pricing, business model and policies that will make the Windows Mobile marketplace 'the place to be' for developers wishing to distribute and monetize their Windows Mobile application.
* Responsibility for the business model and key elements that will drive the optimal experience for developers and monetization of the service by Microsoft.
* Preparation and driving the cross-group collaboration for the initial launch of the marketplace offering to the developer community this fall.
* Preparation and driving the cross-group collaboration with stakeholders in the commercial launch of the marketplace service with the launch of Windows Mobile 7.
* Definition and management of the consumer, developer and mobile operator value proposition and supporting materials for use by PR, MCB's developer outreach organization, and other teams across Microsoft.
* Collaboration with multiple stakeholders (product team, product planning, developer outreach, business operations, legal and more) in definition on the process, policies and terms of use through which developers and consumers take part in the marketplace.
* Teamwork with product planning on prioritization of consumer, developer and mobile operator scenarios.
* Support for business development on engagements with mobile operators and integration of the marketplace offering into broader Microsoft services offerings or discussions.
* Liaison with the Mobile Communication Business developer outreach organization.
* Management of KPIs for the service post launch.

It will be a while before Windows Mobile 7 comes out, but when it does, it now seems it will be accompanied by the app store, apparently code-named "Skymarket." It will likely offer thousands of applications and games for Windows Mobile.
What Took So Long?

Microsoft isn't talking about these alleged plans -- it told the E-Commerce Times it had nothing to announce. Even with the scanty and unconfirmed information available, though, the market is betting that Microsoft's Skymarket will look very similar to Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple App Store for the iPhone, a platform that has proven to be very successful.

More than 60 million applications have been downloaded since it opened, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced last month.

Then there is Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Latest News about Google, which is getting ready to launch its Android Market -- the open source counterpart of the App Store.

Rolling out a similar platform makes sense for Microsoft, Joel Comm, a principal with InfoMedia, a developer for the iPhone platform, told the E-Commerce Times.

"I can't believe it has taken them this long, actually. Windows has been a major mobile platform for years," Comm said.

Microsoft's lag in this area, he added, "is just another example of how the company dominates the desktop but is behind the curve in mobile and Web 2.0 technologies."

This move was expected, Scott Anthony, partner with Innosight and coauthor of The Innovator's Guide to Growth, told the E-Commerce Times.

"The only surprise is that it took them this long," he said.

"Apple is poised to do interesting things in the mobile phone space -- Google is poised to follow," Anthony noted. "To Microsoft's credit, its mobile phone software is on a lot of handsets. If its developers have an interesting platform to distribute applications and games," then Windows Mobile could dig even deeper into the market.
Apple in Their Sights

Microsoft may not be as late to the party as some would think. Android hasn't yet debuted. Apple, for its part, is facing push-back on many fronts.

"Apple is going after some big companies with a lot to lose," Anthony said. "All of the handset manufacturers are fighting it; Google is fighting it. Apple may wind up winning, but it sure has picked a tough fight."

Still, the iPhone juggernaut is unlikely to be stopped, no matter how much the mobile industry tries to resist.

"iPhone App Store has been a smashing success," Paul Travis, a partner with OneAccord and former participant in Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Program, told the E-Commerce Times. "I've watched people who had never wanted to be on the "crackberry" or the Treo -- my platform of choice -- feel like the iPhone 'fit' them, and let them get add-ons without being a geek."

Part of the reason for Apple's success is its insistence on owning and controlling the user experience, he added.

Ironically, Microsoft is positioned between Google's open source strategy and Apple's controlled environment.

"What does this mean for Microsoft? It could and should follow with its own App Store, since customers will now understand that is how they extend their phone," Travis said. "However, having worked inside Microsoft as both staff and consultant, I can tell you that Microsoft has a hard time following."

If a job posting that was here one day and gone the next is to be believed, Microsoft intends to take on Apple's iPhone App Store at some point in the near term. The rumor seems to have some wind behind it, especially in light of the fact that an app store for Android phones is also in the works.

Another front may be opening in the battle for mobile platform supremacy. Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) Free Trial. Security Software As A Service From Webroot. Latest News about Microsoft is rumored to be planning to launch its own mobile application store -- a rumor that began after some bloggers, including Mike Elgan at ComputerWorld, talked up an ad Microsoft apparently ran seeking talent to assist in the endeavor.

The ad was eventually taken down, but not before it was captured by the media. Microsoft's talent search, according to Elgan's post, suggested the job would focus on the following areas:

* Definition of the product offering, pricing, business model and policies that will make the Windows Mobile marketplace 'the place to be' for developers wishing to distribute and monetize their Windows Mobile application.
* Responsibility for the business model and key elements that will drive the optimal experience for developers and monetization of the service by Microsoft.
* Preparation and driving the cross-group collaboration for the initial launch of the marketplace offering to the developer community this fall.
* Preparation and driving the cross-group collaboration with stakeholders in the commercial launch of the marketplace service with the launch of Windows Mobile 7.
* Definition and management of the consumer, developer and mobile operator value proposition and supporting materials for use by PR, MCB's developer outreach organization, and other teams across Microsoft.
* Collaboration with multiple stakeholders (product team, product planning, developer outreach, business operations, legal and more) in definition on the process, policies and terms of use through which developers and consumers take part in the marketplace.
* Teamwork with product planning on prioritization of consumer, developer and mobile operator scenarios.
* Support for business development on engagements with mobile operators and integration of the marketplace offering into broader Microsoft services offerings or discussions.
* Liaison with the Mobile Communication Business developer outreach organization.
* Management of KPIs for the service post launch.

It will be a while before Windows Mobile 7 comes out, but when it does, it now seems it will be accompanied by the app store, apparently code-named "Skymarket." It will likely offer thousands of applications and games for Windows Mobile.
What Took So Long?

Microsoft isn't talking about these alleged plans -- it told the E-Commerce Times it had nothing to announce. Even with the scanty and unconfirmed information available, though, the market is betting that Microsoft's Skymarket will look very similar to Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple App Store for the iPhone, a platform that has proven to be very successful.

More than 60 million applications have been downloaded since it opened, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced last month.

Then there is Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Latest News about Google, which is getting ready to launch its Android Market -- the open source counterpart of the App Store.

Rolling out a similar platform makes sense for Microsoft, Joel Comm, a principal with InfoMedia, a developer for the iPhone platform, told the E-Commerce Times.

"I can't believe it has taken them this long, actually. Windows has been a major mobile platform for years," Comm said.

Microsoft's lag in this area, he added, "is just another example of how the company dominates the desktop but is behind the curve in mobile and Web 2.0 technologies."

This move was expected, Scott Anthony, partner with Innosight and coauthor of The Innovator's Guide to Growth, told the E-Commerce Times.

"The only surprise is that it took them this long," he said.

"Apple is poised to do interesting things in the mobile phone space -- Google is poised to follow," Anthony noted. "To Microsoft's credit, its mobile phone software is on a lot of handsets. If its developers have an interesting platform to distribute applications and games," then Windows Mobile could dig even deeper into the market.
Apple in Their Sights

Microsoft may not be as late to the party as some would think. Android hasn't yet debuted. Apple, for its part, is facing push-back on many fronts.

"Apple is going after some big companies with a lot to lose," Anthony said. "All of the handset manufacturers are fighting it; Google is fighting it. Apple may wind up winning, but it sure has picked a tough fight."

Still, the iPhone juggernaut is unlikely to be stopped, no matter how much the mobile industry tries to resist.

"iPhone App Store has been a smashing success," Paul Travis, a partner with OneAccord and former participant in Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Program, told the E-Commerce Times. "I've watched people who had never wanted to be on the "crackberry" or the Treo -- my platform of choice -- feel like the iPhone 'fit' them, and let them get add-ons without being a geek."

Part of the reason for Apple's success is its insistence on owning and controlling the user experience, he added.

Ironically, Microsoft is positioned between Google's open source strategy and Apple's controlled environment.

"What does this mean for Microsoft? It could and should follow with its own App Store, since customers will now understand that is how they extend their phone," Travis said. "However, having worked inside Microsoft as both staff and consultant, I can tell you that Microsoft has a hard time following."

Celebrities Take a Spin on Spore Creature Creator

In the buildup to the release of the long-awaited "Spore" video game, the game's creators invited a handful of celebrities -- including David Arquette, Richard Branson and "Heroes'" Masi Okato -- to create their own creatures using the Spore Creature Creator. Visitors to the "Spore" Web site can vote for their favorites.

Just days before the release of the much delayed and long-anticipated "Spore" -- the latest endeavor of "The Sims" creator Will Wright -- gaming publisher Electronic Arts (Nasdaq: ERTS) Latest News about Electronic Arts has enlisted the help of some Hollywood and technology heavyweights.

EA will add the celebrity critters to the Sporepedia, a catalog of all the creatures users have created and published on the game's Web site, which will be available for download. "Spore" fans can also vote for their favorite celebrity monster.

After a more than three-year wait, "Spore" will make its bow on Sept. 5 in the UK and on Sept. 7 in the U.S.
Sowing Seeds

"Spore" puts the power of evolution and the universe in the hands of its players. Developed for PCs and Macs, the game follows a species as it evolves from a single-cell organism bathed in primordial ooze into a sentient race with intelligence and a social culture that ultimately develops into a society of intergalactic explorers who interact with alien life forms.

"Creature Creator," released in June, serves as an introduction to the open-ended game Wright created. Its users -- in this instance, celebrities -- mix and match up to 228 drag-and-drop flexible parts; shape them and then add a splash of color to create a singularly unique customized creature.

"The 'Spore' celebrity campaign is pretty interesting," said Mark DeLoura, a gaming technology consultant.

"I found it really fun to hit that Web site and look at the creatures that celebrities created. Gives you a bit of insight into them, I think. Great stuff!" he told TechNewsWorld.
Who's Who of Critters

Celebrities such as "Heroes'" Masi Oka and Greg Grunberg, Stan Lee, Mario Lopez, Margaret Cho, Adam West and even Will Wright himself have signed up to craft their own Spore creatures using the "Spore Creature Creator," released in June.

Leading the vote, as of 4:30 pm on Tuesday, was Philip DeFranco's "DeFranco." The host of the online "Philip DeFranco Show" has racked up more than 135,000 views and received nearly 113,000 "like" votes for his horned creation. Advertising executive Alex Bogusky has the fewest "likes," 35, for his "Gluto Geminus," a biped with a long neck and spines running down its back, with just 221 views.

Although not inspired by the list of celebrities pegged to put up their creature creations, Michael Goodman, an independent gaming and digital media analyst, said SporeVote is a "nice marketing thing."

"It's not groundbreaking. What would be interesting is to see what [Stan Lee] creates and compare it to what other [celebrities] have created. How creative is he going to be versus others?" wondered Goodman.