A collective of ex-Nokia employees and MeeGo affacionados form Jolla-- a Finand-based mobile company aiming to continue what Nokia started with the MeeGo smartphone OS.

COO Marc Dillon leads the company, who has an 11-year history with Nokia including a stint as principal MeeGo engineer. A number of Jolla members are "directors and core professionals" from the Nokia MeeGo N9 division who left the company earlier this month.

"Nokia created something wonderful - the world's best smartphone product," Continue reading...

Microsoft follows the Surface tablet reveal with another mobile-related announcement-- Windows Phone 8 (aka Apollo), the next full-blown version of the smartphone OS, currently at version 7.5.

The biggest change Windows Phone 8 has is the NT kernel, meaning the mobile OS shares a kernel, file system, media foundation, device drivers and partial security model with Windows 8.

The NT kernel also provides multi-core processor support, removable storage (via microSD cards), NFC capability and even Continue reading...

iPad case maker Clamcase promises to add laptop functionality to smartphones with Clambook-- an ultra-thin processor-free laptop connecting with Android and iOS devices.

The Clambook has a MacBook Air-style look, with a thin aluminium body, widescreen display, 3D Cinema Sound, wireless QWERTY keyboard and multitouch trackpad. It connects to smartphones via MHL cable, meaning it charges the connected device when in use.

While looking and acting like a laptop, the Clamcase has no processor or RAM Continue reading...

DigiTimes reports Intel and Samsung's Tizen OS is coming out sometime in H2 2012 inside a variety of devices-- including smartphones, netbooks and even in-vehicle infotainment systems.

Vendors to supposedly sell Tizen-based devices include HTC, Acer and Asus. Apparently Acer and Asus will be testing the waters by launching a Tizen netbook in emerging markets by Q3 2012.

Announced on September 2011, Tizen is an Intel and Samsung co-development borrowing code from Intel's MeeGo and Samsung's LiMo Continue reading...

Will a BlackBerry upgrade help a struggling RIM turn fortunes around? New RIM CEO Thorsten Heins surely hopes so as he unveils the next-gen BlackBerry 10 platform at the BlackBerry World conference.

BlackBerry 10 is a shift from earlier versions, being an entirely new platform with a focus on virtual keyboards. The prototype device seen at Blackberry World has no physical keyboard-- it is a 4.2" iPhone-style device lacking in physical buttons.

RIM says the virtual keyboard "learns" how users type Continue reading...

Samsung reports record profits for Q1 2012 as it gains mobile market share through Galaxy and Note sales while beating Japanese rivals in the TV stakes.

Operating profits for Q1 2012 total $5.15 billion (or 5.85 trillion won), with 98% Y-o-Y growth. Accounting for 73% of total profits is a strong mobile division, with profits reaching $3.8bn.

The Galaxy Note proved to be something of a dark horse for Samsung, emerging as the surprise consumer hit of recent months. The company should also launch the next Galaxy S flagship smartphone later this week.

Total Q1 Samsung handset sales reach 93.5 million-- or 25.4% of the global mobile market according to Strategy Analytics. Such numbers make Samsung the current WW biggest mobile vendor, as Q1 2012 Nokia sales reach 82.7m units (with 22.5% market share).

As European and US Blackberry sales plunge, RIM is going for other territories-- specifically MEA, as it prepares to open a flagship BlackBerry store amongst the glitzy malls of Dubai.

The Dubai store will measure up to 140 square metres and will be the first of series of stores across the Middle East, Bloomberg reports. RIM is still doing good business in the M. East, and plans to open stores in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar.

Customising the M. Eastern BlackBerry stores is mobile phone distributor Continue reading...

Fact: Samsung devices come in a bewildering variety of sizes. 10.1-, 8.9-, 7- 5.2-inch... now the company adds a new size with the 2.8-inch Galaxy Pocket, a very simple handset aimed at customers with tighter pockets.

It has a basic feature set-- Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) as OS, an 832Mhz processor, 3GB internal storage (expandable via microSD card), 2MP camera, and wifi, 3G and FM radios.

So yes, it's a very average phone with the equally average (low) price of $140, making it one of the cheapest Continue reading...