Nokia Reports Profits and Increased Smartphone Share in Q4

Nokia’s 4th Quarter results are out and they are pretty much happy. Well who wouldn’t be considering that their net income jumped by 65% which is above their forecasted earnings. Additionally, Nokia bared that they grew their smartphone market share to 40% from just 35% last quarter.

From the looks of it, Nokia is seeing brighter days ahead. But don’t tell that to the giant mobile phone manufacturer. They are still looking at conservative figures at least for the first quarter of 2010 with a 12% to 14% target. Yeah right!

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The Google Phone is Out There!

Image via CrunchBase

Is it good for service providers to go into the hardware side of the business? We all know that Google's Android has been slaughtering the competition (except for the iPhone that is) and now Google seems to be branching into the smartphone market with the ominously titled, "Google Phone".

Yep, it's been confirmed and Google employees are getting it--unlocked--as the tweets from the following Google employees show:

We noticed a Twitter message from a Google Program Manager, who writes “Stuck in mass of traffic leaving work post last all hands of 2009. ZOMG we had fireworks and we all got the new Google phone. It’s beautiful.”

Another guy, Jason Howell, says he had his hands on the device, which he says is made by HTC and is running Android 2.1: “The new Google Phone runs on HTC hardware. I saw it w/ Android 2.1. Homescreen has new visual enhancements like animated desktop wallpaper.”

“Supposedly, Google employees were given tons of these phones today. unlocked,” he adds.

What does this mean for current hardware manufacturers and developers like Motorola, etc. and the Android carrying lot? Does this mean that Google will focus more on making their Operating System work better on their phones over the others or will they still support their comrade at arms in the smartphone business? Nevertheless what Google decides, I know it's going to be a game changer in the smartphone industry as the Google brand alone will attract a lot of geeks out there to at least try out.

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Symbian OS Dropped? Casio Cam Roughed Up?

It's just the way of the world I guess: out with the old and in with the new. It's inevitable but the "old" should always be recognized for being a pioneer or trailblazer in its time. This is the case with Symbian and Casio now. Both old brands but which will survive?

Nokia: Goodbye Symbian, Hello Maemo?

With the smartphone market about to explode with the Android and iPhone, one of the first smartphone OS: Symbian, is about to be dropped by Nokia. According to some officials at the N900 meeting, Maemo: a Linux-Debian powered OS, will be eventually released into the market by 2012.

The transition will be a gradual one with further Symbian-based N-Series handsets already in development. Whilst the N900 was acknowledged to be a ‘bridge’ device firmly aimed at the developer and enthusiast community, subsequent devices will target the mass-market and Maemo-based devices will grow to fill all of Nokia’s flagship range by 2012.

Although this just may be a possibility for now, but with Symbian losing its popularity to the Android OS it's not really that much of a surprise. Is it a marketing issue? As far as I've read there's not much problems with Symbian except that it seems to have dropped off the radar and applications development seems to have dramatically decreased. Maybe the Android is the OS of the future with Symbian as the pioneer. Whatever happens the consumer will win in the end.

Casio Does a Rugged Thin Cam: EX-G1

I've always known Casio for their great digital watches and calculators, but they seem to be a good camera company as well! They have created the slimmest camera on the planet: EX-G1.

At just 0.78-inches thick, Casio claims the 12.1-megapixel EX-G1 is the world's slimmest, ruggedized camera. The first in a new Exilim G line, it has a reinforced 2.5-inch rear LCD, non-extending 3x optical zoom lens, microSDHC expansion, and intelligent autofocus.

Not only that but it also seems to be a rugged thin camera as well! It can work underwater for an hour ad be dropped from seven feet and it still works! You can get this come December with a $300 tag.

Symbian Dropped Source
Casio EX-G1 Source