HP Veer (teen phone), HP Pre 3 (Super Smartphone), and HP Touchpad (Tablet Unleashed!)

HP announced three new Mobile products this past week on February 9th in San Francisco, CA. After the buy out of Palm last year for $1.2 Billion dollars. The mighty Hewlett Packard decided to throw their gauntlet into the Mobile Ring space by purchasing a mobile Pioneer named Palm. Why you may ask? Well, with the mobile space heating up and the room for growth exponentially available. Hewlett Packard sees an opportunity for the company to enter a market that its so far been unable to compete in. HP decided to buy PALM for two of the following major reasons:

1. The very Intuitive and TRUE MULTITASKING webOS Mobile Operating System platform.
2. The multiple patents that Palm has in the Mobile Marketplace.

Since acquisitions normally take time to complete and also the integration of two companies with talent pool fallout and new hires into HP/PALM, the company has finally announced three new products: HP Veer, HP Pre 3, and HP Touchpad. From what i've read and watched about the new products, i've come up with the following PROS and CONS for the new products:

PROS

1. The HP Veer is a nice 800MHZ small form factor original Pre type slider that is meant for the teen market. Not a bad small phone.
2. The HP Pre 3 is a great style phone. It takes the original form factor of the Palm Pre/Pre 2 by enlarging the screen size to 3.6" screen. Just a 0.1" bigger screen then Apple's Iphone which is the most popular smartphone on the market.
3. The HP Pre 3 packs a whopping Qualcomm 1.4Ghz Processor
4. The HP Touchpad is pretty much spec for spec when it comes to the Ipad when it comes to size and weight, but when it comes to Processor Speed and Support, we are talking about a Qualcomm Dual Core 1.2Ghz Snapdragon Processor and full FLASH SUPPORT!!! (Gimme a Break Apple, you may be able to fool the rest of the world with your no-having Flash Support mobile products, but not me. HTML 5.0 will not be majority of the websites till about 2-3 years from now if you are lucky). Therefore, i will take my HP Touchpad which supports HTML 5.0 and Adobe FLASH!)
5. Touch-to-Share Technology built-in the HP Pre 3 and HP Touchpad. What is this? This is a cool new feature that allows you to share files, webpages, contacts, and many other things by just TAPPING your Smartphone and Tablet together!! It's that easy!
6. A brand new Touchstone Inductive charger that enables you to put your HP Touchpad at an angle in a new Exhibition Mode which will allow you to use your HP Touchpad as a PHOTO FRAME, CLOCK, CALENDAR, SPORTS, STOCKS, etc.
7. Hints of a Cloud Basic Music service coming to the HP Touchpad and Pre 3
8. HP Touchpad will feature Beats Audio Technology by Dr. Dre for great sound!
9. HP has signed partnerships with Dreamworks, Time Inc., and Amazon to launch for the HP Touchpad.
10. HP Touchpad offers the first customized On-screen virtual keyboard to fit different hand sizes such as XS, S, M, and L. Yes, you can adjust the size of the ON-Screen keyboard. HP has also put the numbers above the keyboard for less keystrokes for typing things.
11. Seamless work flow by allowing messages, calls, and emails to go back and forth beween your Super Smartphone (HP Pre 3) and Tablet (HP Touchpad).
12. New Marketing with heavy emphasis on "Everybody ON".
13. HP did some heavy marketing through the Grammy Awards which is cool. They are starting to get the word out on HP webOS!

CONS

1. The HP Pre 3 and HP Touchpad will be released this Summer!?!?!?
2. No Pricing Information has been announced
3. No Carrier Information has been announced
4. Making people wait longer for their products means chances of losing even more webOS faithfuls to Android, Iphone, WP7, Blackberry, etc..
5. No phones featuring 4.0" screens. Yes, some people want 4" or higher screens.
6. No new phones with just a touchscreen and no Keyboard. Yes some people wanted HP/PALM to come out with a new Smartphone that would have NO KEYBOARD! What the hell people? Palm phones have always had a Keyboard.

Either way, i am happy to see that HP is doubling down on webOS like it said it would during the Earnings Conference Call last year after it purchased Palm. So far, i see HP putting their money where their mouth is! Thats all i can ask. Please continue the fight HP!

Sunil

Google's New Leadership (Larry Page) and his Entourage inside Google 3.0!

Sergey Brin, Larry Page, and Eric Schmidt in Sun Valley, Idaho, last summer

This article from Bloomberg BusinessWeek was probably one of the best articles I've read in a while. Unlike most articles about Google, it doesn't focus on the usual Eric Schmidt, Larry Page and Sergery Brin (The Three Musketeers of Google). Instead the focus of the article is on key leaders of what it calls "Google 3.0": Vic Gundotra who is heading up a secret initiative to take on Facebook and Social Networking under something called "Google +1", Andy Rubin who is the man behind ANDROID (Mobile Operating System Platform), Salar Kamangar who is the man behind everyone's favorite on the net: YOUTUBE!, Susan Wojcicki who is the advertising lead and interestingly enough a person who rented her garage to Sergey Brin and Larry Page when starting up Google and her sister is married to Sergey Brin, Sundar Pichai who is leading the Chrome Initiative, Udi Manber and Amit Singhal who are leading the KEY part of Google's business: SEARCH!!! It's a must read article for all and i strongly encourage you to take 10 minutes and check it out.

Enjoy,
Sunil

Sources: Engadget, Bloomberg BusinessWeek

Your Gateway to Interesting Things on The Grid: SUNILNIN.COM

HP spent $1.2 Billion on Palm's webOS. What does HP's Personal Systems Group Executive VP Todd Bradley have to say to CNBC (Maria Bartiromo)?

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It was 18 months ago that i decided to make the major upgrade to the Smart Phone market (No, i don't count my Samsung Instinct as a Smart Phone because the phone was horrible. That phone should be called a Dumb Phone). On July 9th, 2009 i went out to the Sprint store and purchased the Palm Pre. Why you ask when the IPhone was dominating the market and Blackberry's were in everyone's hand. Android was just getting there feet on the ground at that time. Well, i love the IPhone's iOS operating system, but as always, i hate the fact that i am under Apples umbrella. I mean NO FLASH, had to go with AT&T. Too things i hated the most so i decided to wait. Upon purchasing my Palm pre, i immediately noticed the fluidity and ease of use that the Palm webOS had on it's competitors (iOS, Android, Blackberry, etc..). Unfortunately what i also noticed was that webOS needed good Processing power and way more memory. Palm webOS did however offer TRUE multitasking, SYNERGY of web apps, and a pure Webcentric Linux Based Mobile Platform! I was taken back by the operating system. You have to understand that i went through hell for one year with the Samsung Instinct's operating systems so this was a welcome change. Now, lets fast forward to April 28, 2010 when HP decided to buy Palm for $1.2 Billion Dollars. Some people may as why? Well, as HP's Personal Systems Group Executive VP Todd Bradley said to Maria Bartiromo's CNBC Analyst, "It was for webOS"! Lets see what HP will announce on Feb9th. I'm so excited!!

Peace,
Sunil

The Chipset market is about to get a major shake-up. Intel bows to NVIDIA because of pressure in regards to ARM HOLDINGS!

The Chipset Market is about to get a major shakeup and that's because the Mobile Market (i.e. ARM HOLDINGS) is forcing the industry into greater competition. The once dominate Intel powerhouse who has dominated the Chipset market for years is now having to bow down and pay out licensing rights for grahpics chipset designs in order to be competitive in this growing mobile landscape. NVIDIA who has been in litigation with Intel for many years now won a major battle and is now going to be offering some new chipsets of there own to compete with Intel in the mobile landscape. Intel who has dominated the PC Chipset market for years is now trying to get into the mobile market. A company by the name of ARM HOLDINGS has been shaking up the mobile market (i.e. tablets, phones, midi's,etc..) for quite sometime. ARM HOLDINGS has always been known as the dominate player in the mobile market, but now INTEL notices the market shifting from a PC SOCIETY to a MOBILE SOCIETY (i.e. Smartphones, Tablets, etc..). Another major shakeup was Microsoft who recently shifted the next version of the popular Windows Operating system to work better with ARM chipset designs along with Intel and AMD who normally dominated the PC industry. Therefore, Intel has decided to fight back and get into the mobile market as well. AMD also took action by forcing there CEO to resign in order to grow the company quicker. What does this all mean for us, the consumer>? Greater competition always means better pricing and choices for the consumer so sit back and ENJOY the ONSLAUGHT of Mobile Marketing from NVIDIA, INTEL, ARM HOLDINGS, and AMD over the next 10 years. Mark my words, ten years from now, people will be looking back and saying, wow i actually used to sit at a desktop? HAHA

Peace,
Sunil

RIM CEO lays out plans for QNX Powered Blackberry SuperPhones, but they are in no hurry??

Blackberry has been recently getting a lot of flack in the mobile industry lately for their lack of SuperPhones or High End SmartPhones. Google's Android mobile Operating System has been sky rocketting in the US handset market over the last 9 months according to ComScore. Apple's IPhone is still dominating the US Market as well.

RIM's CO-CEO Mike Lazaridis recently had an interview with PC MAG's journalist about BlackBerry's 10 year plan in the mobile industry. It's a very interesting read. Check out with they have to say. As i've said a 1,000 times before, Blackberry needs to change up there Mobile Operating System. Sure the current version does great for Emailing, BBM'ing, and most general web stuff, but those days are gone. People want all that plus MORE, hence the Iphone, HTC EVO, Samsung Epic, etc... The most major announcement out of CES 2011 in Vegas have been all the Dual-Core powered phones coming out this year. Our days of having the Best and most Powerful Desktop or Laptop computer have changed to having the most powerful and best Smartphone. It's going to be an interesting and competitive landscape this year with the launch of Verizon's Iphone due to maybe occur next week, new Windows Phone 7 phones coming soon, Google's Android just growing like a weed, and last but not least my personal favorite (only because i use one) HP/PALM holding there big press event on Feb 9th for their new line of Smartphones.

However, with all that said, i am very impressed with BlackBerry's new QNX powered Tablet. It's one of the coolest devices i've seen from this company in a long time. Therefore, lets see what Blackberry brings down the pipeline later this year.

Peace,
Sunil

Wall Street Journal is reporting that Verizon may launch the Iphone on 01/11/11 at 11:00 a.m. Believe it or Not?!?

It was January 9, 2007 when Steve Jobs introduced the Iphone to the world at the Macworld Conference. The Iphone was entering it's name into the Smartphone market and basically set the BAR for what a Smartphone should be able to do. The sleek design, user interface, and huge Application storefront has helped APPLE retain a stock market value of $300 Billion dollars.

Now exactly 4 years to the date, Wall Street Journal is reporting that Verizon will hold a Press Conference in NY at 11:00 a.m. on 01/11/11. Hmmm, will it be the big announcement we've all been waiting for, the Iphone is coming to Verizon Wireless!?!? Also, Verizon Wireless has always been regarded as having the best call reception out of any network. Will Verizon's network reliability start to go down because of the onslaught of users who have the Iphone from AT&T and jump over to Verizon's Network. AT&T spent millions of dollars last year upgrading there network to have better bandwidth for their user base. Unfortunately the network upgrade was done last year, but AT&T has been having problems handling the mobile network load. Will the same affect happen to Verizon? Lets hope not, but stay tuned next week to see if Verizon will finally make the big news. Here is a link to Endgadget's Live Blog Event.

Peace,
Sunil

Great News: HP/Palm to host own event in San Francisco on Feb 9th to launch NEW Phones, Tablets, and webOS 2.0!!!

As you all know, I’ve been patiently waiting for a new Palm (UH HUM…I mean now HP/Palm) phone since I got my Palm Pre over 18 months ago (the longest I’ve ever waited..trust me it’s been hard!). I mean I could’ve switched to the HTC EVO or Samsung EPIC six months ago (Which by the way are both KICK ASS PHONES. I give GOOGLE/Android a lot of credit. In two years, Android has blossomed into a bad ass Mobile O.S.). I was playing with the HTC EVO this past Christmas on my cousins phone in Washington D.C./Maryland and that phone rocks! The Google Navigation on an Android phone is by far the best! It’s sooo awesome!!!

Sure, the IPHONE is awesome and the IPAD is great, but no Adobe Flash!?!?! C’mon Steve Jobs, quit trying to brain wash society by telling us that HTML 5 will do away with Flash. We are about 3-5 years away from that happening!! Almost 60 percent of websites use FLASH media players, Flash Menu Systems, and Flash Games/Applications. Don’t BS me! Some of my favorite websites are running on Flash (i.e. Grooveshark.com, sunilnin.com, Comcast.net, Yahoo Fantasy – Stat Tracker, etc..) I have to get Flash compatibility on my next phone. Oh and by the way, all of my friends who think I hate Blackberry. Sure, I am not a big fan of the current blackberry phones. They seem very boring to me, but those Canooks (UH HUM, I mean Canadians) are up to something good. Blackberry just recently came out with the Torch which is the first blackberry phone I’ve ever liked and more importantly Blackberry is re-inventing there company’s mobile operating system by starting from scratch. They are using a brand new QXN (Linux based just like Google’s Android and HP/Palm webOS) operating system on the NEW Blackberry Pad (which looks awesome!) and rumor has it that new phones later in the year might have the same QXN software. Blackberry also hired a Swedish company called TAT who is known for their ELEGANT User Interfaces. My view is that Blackberry will come back with a vengeance later this year!

Anyways, Instead of being overshadowed at this weeks CES show in Vegas (which they will still have a booth). HP is holding their own special event on February 9th in San Fran to announce new hardware and software that’s coming out!! As you all know, my lucky number is 9, so I think it’s just plain fate that I wait to see what they have to offer. If I don’t like what they have to offer, then GOOGLE/ANDROID here I come, but to be honest I hope I like the hardware that HP/PALM has coming out because I love the HP/PALM webOS 2.0 mobile operating system. I personally feel it’s the most intuitive and easy to use mobile operating system on the market, but I am willing to experiment and check out other systems, so that’s why I’ve played with almost every mobile operating System on the market
Hence, this leads me back to my news that I just got on my favorite blog. Check out the POEM HP/PALM put out and the announcement:

'Twas the week after Christmas, when all over Palm
All the creatures were stirring, no mouses were calm;
More smartphones are coming in two-o-one-one,
To bring more mobility to everyone;
Designers are nestled all snug in their cubes,
With visions of webOS (a series of tubes);
We've read all your tweetering (no need for ALL CAPS),
We all know that this ain't a time for no naps.
Yes, out on the blogs there has been so much chatter,
You'd think it was truly a death-or-life matter
The webOS update brings goodies like Flash,
And Just Type and stacking (and won't cost you cash).
More treats that the new year will bring unto you?
(We have heard that you're feeling they're long overdue.)
And what to your wondering eyes will appear?
Not a miniature hint now, but never you fear,
We'll have news to share with you, soon as we can,
I know what you're thinking: "Just tell us your plan!"
I'm sure that you've heard that a tablet is nigh,
And lots more phones, and ePrint, and cool apps, oh my,
"First, Palm Pre! then, Pixi! and, Pre Plus (and Pre 2)!
Next, Whatzis? or Whosit! or, Thingabob? and Yoohoo!"
(Those aren't the real names! they're not even the codes!
You'll have to wait! have to wait! the future bodes!)
But for now I'll exclaim that unless something leaks,
"Happy newness to all...in the forthcoming weeks."



Peace,
Sunil