Tag Archives: Windows Phones

Computers

Microsoft releases Office Mobile for Android phones (tablets need not apply)

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Office Mobile for Android PowerPoint

Microsoft Wednesday added Android to the list of mobile operating systems now supported by Office Mobile. But Office Mobile for Android only covers phones, not tablets, limiting its utility.

The Android version, Office Mobile for Android, is also arguably the weakest of the bunch, in terms of compatibility with Microsoft Office. Microsoft is still tacitly encouraging users to buy Windows Phones, which come preloaded and activated with Windows Mobile and don’t require an Office 365 subscription to use. The problem is, within the Android world, there are a number of other office solutions that provide very good direct competition to Microsoft’s offering.

Microsoft
Holding your phone vertically allows you to edit your PowerPoint slides.

Nevertheless, Office Mobile for Android is free and downloadable from the Google Play Store. The only requirement is that your phone must contain Android 4.0 or higher, and you must already have purchased Office 365.

In a break with Office Mobile for iPhone, Microsoft doesn’t even offer the option to purchase Office 365 from within the app; instead, users must sign up outside the application itself. And without Office 365, Office Mobile for Android is virtually useless.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at PCWorld

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Did Microsoft Just Shoot Down a Surface Phone?

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By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

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Following a big, bold bet on first-party tablets, a Surface Phone simply seems inevitable. If it is pursuing such a device, Microsoft is playing it close to the chest. At AllThingsD’s Dive Into Mobile conference earlier this week, Windows Phone exec Terry Myerson downplayed the idea of the software giant jumping directly into the smartphone hardware ring.

Myerson said the only reason the company would do so would be if current hardware partners like Nokia or HTC weren’t providing an experience in line with Microsoft’s standards. Nokia’s been a “great partner” thus far, according to the exec, and he’s happy with the Windows Phones that Nokia has in its pipeline.

Still, just because Microsoft may not need to get into smartphone hardware yet doesn’t mean it’s not prepared to. In November, The Wall Street Journal reported that Microsoft was exploring first-party smartphone designs with Asian component suppliers. Preliminary steps, but steps nonetheless.

Steve Ballmer has made it quite clear that Microsoft’s future is becoming a devices-and-services company, which is hard to do without more devices. Ballmer also specifically said that Microsoft would “obviously” jump into other hardware markets if there were “opportunities to set a new standard.”

In tablets, Surface RT launched alongside Windows 8, so Microsoft didn’t really even give OEMs a chance to prove themselves before the company stepped up. In smartphones, Nokia is the dominant seller of Windows Phones, selling nearly three-quarters of all smartphones on that platform in the fourth quarter.

Nokia has even acknowledged the inherent risk, even if CEO Stephen Elop has said Microsoft’s entry could serve as a “stimulant” for the platform. For example, this is listed as a risk factor in Nokia’s most recent annual report:

Microsoft may make strategic decisions or changes that may be detrimental to us. For example, in addition to the Surface tablet, Microsoft may broaden its strategy to sell other mobile devices under its own brand, including smartphones. This could lead Microsoft to focus more on their own devices and less on mobile devices of other manufacturers that operate on the Windows Phone platform, including Nokia.

I interpret Myerson’s comments as indications that Microsoft isn’t planning on pulling the smartphone trigger anytime soon (a 7-inch Surface is more pressing), but that doesn’t mean it can’t be locked and loaded should the need arise.

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is looking to make a splash in this booming market. In this brand-new premium report on Microsoft, our analyst explains that while the opportunity is huge, the challenges are many. He’s also providing regular updates as key events occur, so make sure to claim a copy of this report now by clicking here.

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/17/did-microsoft-just-shoot-down-a-surface-phone/

Computers

Microsoft is making a mistake by passing on a Surface Phone

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Microsoft may, repeat may, be whipping up a smartwatch, but according to the company’s Windows Phone honcho, a self-made Surface smartphone isn’t in the cards quite yet.

Speaking at the AllThingsD Dive into Mobile conference, vice president Terry Myerson said flat-out that he doesn’t see a reason for Microsoft to muck up the Windows Phone waters, The Verge reports.

“It would have to be something where Nokia or HTC was not providing the consumer experience we think is possible with our platform,” he said when asked about a possible Surface smartphone. He went on to say he’s “incredibly proud of the work [Nokia’s] done.”

“Seeing Nokia and HTC successful with their Windows Phones… and, you know, Huawei… that’s important right now,” Myerson continued. Long-time platform dollars before short-term Surface cents seems to be the mantra at Microsoft, at least for today.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

From: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2034758/microsoft-is-making-a-mistake-by-passing-on-a-surface-phone.html#tk.rss_all

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Did You Know That BlackBerry 10 Exists?

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By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

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It’s now been nearly three months since BlackBerry unveiled its new BlackBerry 10 platform — the same operating system that the entire company is riding on. The company has also boosted its marketing efforts in the hopes of regaining consumer mindshare and relevance, attempting to shed the perception that it’s stuck in the past.

A new survey conducted by MKM Partners analyst Michael Genovese doesn’t bode well for the smartphone maker. Genovese polled 1,500 domestic consumers regarding smartphone ownership and purchasing plans. An incredible 83% of respondents weren’t even aware that BlackBerry had launched BB10 in Canada and Europe in January. As a follow-up question, 68% of respondents said they weren’t even interested in or curious about the new platform.

BlackBerry isn’t the only one being ignored; Microsoft Windows Phone hardly fared better. Of respondents, 61% didn’t know that the software giant had released its new Windows Phone 8 platform, with 64% not really caring to learn more about it. That lack of interest will hurt Nokia more than anyone else, since the Finnish company is the predominant seller of Windows Phones.

Unsurprisingly, Apple and Samsung earned the highest ownership scores. Within the sample size, 51% of people own a smartphone, with another 37% planning on making the plunge within the next year. Of current smartphone owners, a third own iPhones and 28% own Samsung devices.

The data reinforces the continued duopoly in the U.S. smartphone market, which mirrors the Apple and Samsung hegemony throughout the rest of the world. That’s in part why the analyst has “sell” ratings on both BlackBerry and Nokia. BlackBerry shares fetch a $10 price target, while Nokia shares are worth about $3, according to Genovese.

Both companies are in the midst of attempted turnarounds, but they will only be possible if consumers actually know and care about their new platforms.

It’s incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out “Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?” in The Motley Fool’s latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

The article Did You Know That BlackBerry 10 Exists? originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Evan Niu, CFA, owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Microsoft's Raising the Bar on Smartphones

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By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool

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The latest word on the street was that Microsoft will issue an update to its Windows Phone software later this year that brings 1080p compatibility and support for new quad-core processors. 

The Verge first reported on the possible changes, along with the rumor that Microsoft will introduce a 5-inch displays or greater, which would push the Windows Phone OS into the phablet realm. Surprisingly, the current version of Windows Phone only supports 720p HD and doesn’t work with high-end quad-core processors.

Adding these two enhancements would be a big plus for handset makers selling phones with the Windows Phone OS. Apple‘s iPhone and many Android phones are compatible with quad-core processors, which is where the future of smartphone processors is going. Qualcomm and NVIDIA are two of the biggest names in the quad-core processor game, and both companies recently announced the latest versions of their high-end processors over the past few months. 

The shift to quad-core means that smartphones can work on more tasks at once, making apps and calculations much faster. Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 has the company’s own Exynos 5 Octa processor, and is sold as a quad-core phone in some locations and 8-core in others.  Qualcomm is the only chip maker licensed to provide processors for Windows Phones, and with the company continually building faster quad-core processors, Windows Phones need to catch up.

Adding quad-core capability may help Windows Phones compete against rival smartphone software from Apple  (iOS) and Google  (Android). The most important play for Windows Phone OS, though, is to try to take the third spot away from BlackBerry . Here’s a breakdown of the current OS market share in the United States:

Source: Kantar Worldpanel. 

Obviously Apple and Android dominate the OS market, but Windows Phone and BlackBerry seem to be on a back-and-forth path to take the No. 3 spot. Updates to Windows Phone would certainly make it a stronger competitor, but it’s still unclear if it will rise up and beat the BlackBerry OS. BB10 hasn’t been on the market as long as Windows Phone has, so investors will need to wait a little longer to see how it all plays out. 

Better late than never
It’s good to see Microsoft updating its OS to keep up with the fast-paced changes of the mobile environment, but I can’t help but feel that the OS is just playing catch-up with iOS and Android. With an upcoming release of Windows “Blue” coming later this year or in 2014, maybe Microsoft will launch an OS that truly is ahead, or at least on par, with high-end smartphones. But until then, the company is making a step in the right direction, even if it’s been slow to make it.

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

BlackBerry and Windows Phone Fight for No. 3 Spot

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By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool

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After a quick look at latest numbers from Kantar Worldpanel, investors will see that over the past three months Microsoft  Windows Phones have made some significant gains, Android units are continuing to take more market share, and iPhone sales remain stable across the board. But according to the research, there is one smartphone maker falling behind the pack — but maybe not for long.

Where they all stand
Kantar took a look at the latest smartphones sales over a three-month period ending in February and found these interesting, but not entirely surprising, stats. 

Source: Kantar Worldpanel. 

This chart may not be new information for many investors, considering that its not news that Apple‘s iOS and Google‘s Android dominate the U.S. market. It’s worth pointing out the 3.5% drop in iOS’ share and increase of 5.8% for Android, but the most important change is the flip-flop from BlackBerry holding the No. 3 smartphone spot to Windows Phone taking it with 4.1% of the market by sale over the three-month period.

What isn’t fully reflected, though, is BlackBerry’s latest product launches and its new BB10 operating system (more on this in a moment).

Looking at the U.K. numbers, we see a similar picture with a growing Android share, stagnant iOS share, and BlackBerry losing its place to Windows Phone.

Source: Kantar Worldpanel. 

This graph shows that BlackBerry’s drop has been much more dramatic in the U.K. than in the U.S. The company lost 11.7% market share in the U.K. during those three months compared the same three months last year. Meanwhile, Android shot up 10% and Windows Phones went up 3.7%. But as we mentioned a little earlier, there’s more to BlackBerry than the charts may show.

Let’s find out why.

A possible silver lining for BlackBerry
Kantar Worldpanel‘s research only encompasses one month of BlackBerry’s latest operating system and Z10 smartphone launch in the U.K. and basically zero time for sales of the new product in the U.S. So while Windows Phone has made definite gains in both markets, and BlackBerry’s numbers have fallen, it’s still may be too early to truly give Windows Phone the No. 3 smartphone market share spot.

Obviously, BlackBerry faces stiff competition from Windows Phones in a market that’s completely overshadowed by Apple and Android. The coveted third position is the only place that Windows Phone and BlackBerry can contend for, which will likely lead to a back and forth between the two operating systems for the near future.

Looking ahead
Investors need to consider a few things that have yet to be revealed for BlackBerry. First, the Z10 just launched in the U.S., and although it’s doubtful the device has tons of pent-up demand, it’s still hard to say that Windows Phone takes third place before a much longer period of sales have been factored in.

Second, BlackBerry still has markets where its BB10 operating systems hasn’t launched yet. Until the new system is rolled …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Say What!? Windows Phone Out-Ships iPhone in These Countries

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By Chris Neiger, The Motley Fool

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It appears that there are some countries, albeit just a handful, where Microsoft‘s Windows Phone is out-shipping iPhones. Where in the heck this is happening?

According to The New York Times, Windows Phone shipments are higher than Apple‘s iPhone in Argentina, India, Poland, Russia, South Africa and Ukraine. Earlier this week, Microsoft published a blog post that stated “Windows Phone has reached 10 percent market share in a number of countries, and according to IDC‘s latest report, has shipped more than BlackBerry in 26 markets and more than iPhone in seven.”

Source: Microsoft.

That seventh country actually turned out to be a collection of smaller regions, including Croatia, which IDC lumps all together, according to the Times.

Don’t go pop the cork yet
This is good news for Microsoft, considering it’s not easy to ship more phones than Apple. Part of the success for Windows Phones in these countries is due to the fact that many of the markets are Nokia‘s old stomping grounds and the company still has strong brand recognition in these areas.

One of the most interesting countries on the list of shipments is India, where experts estimate smartphone growth will hit 70% this year and where smartphones account for less than 10% of the mobile market. But investors should keep the fact that more Windows Phones shipped in India than iPhones in perspective. If we look at the current smartphone revenue share in India, Nokia only has 7.3%, and Samsung and Apple hold more than 54.4% combined.


Source: CNN.

Investors may remember Apple CEO Tim Cook’s words from the company’s latest earnings call where he said, “I love India, but I believe that Apple has some higher potential in the intermediate term in some other countries.” Apple has set its sights on China rather than India right now, which may be part of the reason why the Windows Phone made some headway this past quarter.

Apple and Samsung have a commanding lead, at least in revenue market share, so it could be a while before the Windows Phone starts doing some serious damage against Apple in India, if at all. 

Small step for Microsoft, giant leap for Nokia 
Windows Phone shipments may have surpassed iPhones in a few countries this past quarter, but investors will need to see a few things before they get too excited. First off, Microsoft and Nokia need to see several quarters where they out-ship iPhones in other countries, not just one quarter. Second, the actual sales numbers need to be compared, not just shipment numbers. And finally, the companies need to show investors that the Windows Phone can compete in the larger markets like Europe, the U.S., and China.

It’s good to see the Windows Phone making some headway in a few countries, considering Nokia’s future is banked on the platform, but positive shipment numbers in one quarter won’t be enough to sustain the company.

This latest shipment …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

FAB Universal To Discuss 2012 Fourth Quarter And Year End Results

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By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

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FAB Universal To Discuss 2012 Fourth Quarter And Year End Results

PITTSBURGH–(BUSINESS WIRE)– FAB Universal Corp. (NYSE MKT: FU), today announced that Chris Spencer, CEO, and John Busshaus, CFO, will host a conference call on Tuesday, March 19th, at 11:00 a.m. ET to review and discuss 2012 fourth quarter and year end financial results, which will be filed after market close on Friday, March 15, 2013, and provide a brief business update. First quarter and full year 2013 earnings guidance will also be discussed as well as a brief review of a published financial business model.

Shareholders and other interested parties may participate in the conference call by dialing 1-877-407-0778 (U.S. callers); 201-689-8565 (international callers) a few minutes before the call start time. The call will be broadcast simultaneously and archived on the Internet at:

http://www.investorcalendar.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=170677

Questions for consideration for the call can be emailed to ir@fabuniversal.com prior to 10:00 a.m. ET, on March 18th, 2013.

About FAB Universal Corp:

FAB Universal Corp. is a global leader in digital media entertainment sales and distribution. FAB delivers media to its customers worldwide through Intelligent Kiosks, Retail Stores, Retail Licensees and online through Apple iTunes and Google Android through three business units: Digital Media Services, Retail Media Sales and Wholesale Media Distribution. We distribute billions of movie, music, podcast, TV show and other digital files to consumers in 240 countries. Sales of digital media are generated through kiosks networks, subscription sales for mobile devices, smartphone Apps and Netflix-like subscription models. In 2012, we distributed billions of downloads of copyrighted music, video games, ringtones, ebooks, movies and podcasts to over 50 million people worldwide through iPods, iPhones, iPads, iTunes, Blackberrys, Windows Phones, Androids and many other devices and destinations. We are a publicly-held, Pittsburgh based company with thousands of shareholders and a world-class team. Visit us on the web at www.fabuniversal.com, email us at contact@fabuniversal.com.

Legal Notice

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: “Forward-looking Statements” as defined in the Private Securities litigation Reform Act of 1995 may be included in this news release. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. These statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future results or events. We disclaim any intention or obligation to revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. There are important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in forward-looking statements, including, but not …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Nokia Goes Bigger With Big Red

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By Evan Niu, CFA, The Motley Fool

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Late last year, Microsoft and Nokia hooked up with Verizon Wireless. The triad was notable because Big Red had mostly abandoned Windows Phone for a year and a half, focusing its efforts on Google Android.

Over the following months, it was clear that Verizon was giving Windows Phone another shot as it continued to expand its product portfolio on that platform, adding HTC’s Windows Phone 8X and Samsung’s ATIV Odyssey shortly thereafter. That brings Verizon’s Windows Phone lineup up to 4 devices. For some inexplicably strange reason, the priciest by a long shot is the HTC Trophy, a device that was launched in May 2011 and runs the un-upgradeable Windows Phone 7, while the rest run Windows Phone 8.

The Nokia device that heralded the renewed vows was its Lumia 822, a mid-range model initially priced at $100 on contract (currently free on contract). The Finnish vendor’s flagship Lumia 920 was still exclusive to AT&T at the time, but now The Verge is reporting that the Lumia 928 is debuting on Big Red‘s network next month.

Lumia 920. Source: Nokia.

That device is more than just a variant of the Lumia 920, and is reportedly getting a fancy aluminum casing of higher quality than the polycarbonate used in the 920. On top of that, the 928 should get a xenon and LED flash combination for the shutter bugs out there. The overall weight and thickness should both be reduced as a result of these changes, even though the overall design is still very similar. The 928 will have a 4.5-inch OLED display, while the regular 920 doesn’t use OLED.

Nokia’s Lumia sales have been on the rise, lifting Windows Phone‘s market share in tow. The company moved 4.4 million units last quarter, which was the majority of the estimated 6 million Windows Phones sold. Getting distribution of a high-end device on the largest domestic carrier will add to that momentum.

Nokia’s been struggling in a world of Apple and Android smartphone dominance. However, the company has banked its future on its next generation of Windows smartphones. Motley Fool analyst Charly Travers has created a new premium report that digs into both the opportunities and risks facing Nokia to help investors decide if the company is a buy or sell. To get started, simply click here now.

var FoolAnalyticsData = FoolAnalyticsData || []; FoolAnalyticsData.push({ …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Linux

Google & ActiveSync, Microsoft & CalDav: Pure irony

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Android_robot

Today Microsoft announced plans to implement CalDav and CardDav support in Windows Phone. That will enable users to still sync with Google services once these shut down their ActiveSync support in Summer. That is highly ironic and almost ridiculous, since Google itself does not support CalDav and CardDav in Android.

It all started with Google’s Winter cleaning: Google announced a couple of weeks ago that their services will soon be no longer offer an ActiveSync interface. That means: all client devices accessing Google’s services via ActiveSync need to switch to some other way of synching. Btw., read carefully: this has nothing to do with Android. Not at all! Also, iPhones don’t have to bother because they can simply switch to CalDav and CardDav which is natively supported in iOS. However, id does affect users of Microsoft’s Windows Phone. They only had ActiveSync as an option.

Now Microsoft announced they are going to implement CardDav and CalDav support in their Windows Phone. So that users can happily sync their Windows Phones with Google services.

And here comes the irony: Google itself does not support CalDav nor CardDav on client side. Google’s Android operating system does not offer it, not at all! Google only supports its own, proprietary sync way used in the Google apps, and has support for ActiveSync, albeit pretty limited support.

So, to summarize: Google forces others to use open standards which they do not support themselves.

While it is good that Microsoft is forced to implement open standards, Google’s acting nevertheless looks ridiculous, that is just sad. I wish Google would have the guts to just add CardDav and CalDav support and have a party with the people fighting for open standards. I mean, how bad would it look like if a Microsoft operating system would support open standards better than a Google operating system?

Filed under: …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Planet KDE

News, Politics, Government

Nokia Gets A Big Holiday Boost As Lumia Sales Beat Expectations

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By Trefis Team, Contributor The Q4 guidance does lift a fair bit of that uncertainty and with Windows Phones finally outselling Symbian and Meego models (by 2:1), a new era at Nokia seems to have finally begun. Moreover, as a result of the solid performance, Nokia expects its devices division to regain underlying profitability in Q4 2012.
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest