There’s an interesting trend story over at USA Today about the impact smartphones have had on traveling. Apps like TripIt and Kayak make it easier to book and plan your trips, you no longer have to ask around for the best restaurants thanks to Yelp or Citysearch, and your phone can double as your boarding…
BSNL launches first urban WiMAX network in Southern India
India’s Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has launched the first urban WiMAX network in Ernakulam, a district of Kerala in southern India, and WiMAX signals also reach Tripunithura, Kalamassery, Aluva and Angamaly municipalities. Currently the network is comprised of 25 base stations and the plan is to bring the figure to 900 to expand throughout…
Nokia, Alpine team for in-car systems, maps
Nokia and Alpine are teaming up to bring the strengths of a smartphone to in-car systems. The technology is dubbed “Terminal Mode” and it connects your Nokia handset with the car’s system via Bluetooth and USB. While many cars can connect to phones, this partnership should lead to deeper integration that can provide entertainment, be…
Google: smartphones will make desktops irrelevant in three years
Google’s European boss made it clear how important the mobile space is to the search giant, as he said smartphones will make make desktops second-class citizens in three years. “In three years time, desktops will be irrelevant,” said John Herlihy, Google’s VP of global ad operations, during a Digital Landscapes conference. “In Japan, most research…
Sony rumored to make PlayStation phone
Here we go again. Sony is reportedly preparing to make a phone that will be able to play PlayStation games. Sony will be working hard with Sony Ericsson to create a mobile gaming device that can make calls, surf the web and listen to music. The handset should be able to connect to Sony’s online…
Bharti explains how it plans to fund acquisition of Zain Africa
India’s Bharti Airtel has explained to analysts how it plans to fund the proposed $10.7 billion acquisition of Zain’s African networks excluding Morocco and Sudan, reports India’s Economic Times. Apparently, the operator is doing the explanation to quell investor fears that it will struggle to make the deal. The idea is fund the purchase from…
Egypt’s Orascom Telecom emerges as the eighth largest mobile network in the world by customer numbers
Global management consultancy PRTM has a new report in which it says that Egypt’s Orascom Telecom has become the eighth largest mobile network in the world by customer numbers. As a result, the company is now ahead of some of the well-established international operators. PRTM’s report shows that seven multinational operators with origins in the…
Cool beans: Spidey comes to your iPhone case
GelaSkins has inked a deal with Marvel to bring your favorite superheroes to your iPhone, Nexus One or virtually any other portable gadget. You can now bring Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men to your favorite device and there are over 75 templates to choose from. An iPhone case with Marvel art will only run…
Mobile ticketing takes off
The printed boarding pass may become a thing of the past, as Trinity Mobile is saying it has seen a 1,200% year-over-year increase in mobile ticketing. The company provides mobile tickets services for airlines like Austrian Airlines and British Midlands Airways and it sent out over 600,000 mobile boarding passes last year. This is obviously…
Research: Smartphone users disappointed with performance
New research from Fanfare said the majority of smartphone users are disappointed with the performance of their handsets and apps. A whopping 57% of those surveyed said the smartphone experience is not up to snuff, particularly when streaming media, surfing the web or using social networking applications. These people didn’t know who to blame but…