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JUNE 2012
Celebrating
Convergence
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Vol. 9
Issue # 1
GETTING SMARTER WITH Mobility Enterprise
MOBILITY
Video Conferencing Gets Bigger with MOBILITY Next-Gen smartphones
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Mobility Analysis
Smart Phones Vie for www.mobilityindia.com Smart Applications
Trends in Convergence
Ascend & Descend ofJune Blackberry 2012 | 31
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32 | June 2012
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MOBILITY
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MOBILITY
Content
Mobility Voice
2
Enterprise News
3
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Mobility Enterprise
Cisco WebEx Social Brings Social Collaboration ... LG Launches Optimus 3D MAX and Optimus L7 MTS Appoints Aravind Santhanam as COO... Smartphoines to take 32% of China handset..... Reliance 3G is your Personal Blockbuster Theatre Shyam Networks Appoints Zia Askari as Head B2B. IMI Mobile powers Sky News Arabia iPad app 'Money-on-Mobile' launches mobile payment.... AMOLED panel market forecast 2012-14 Reliance Communications launches 'Master Plan'
Mobility News
7
ELECOM Debuts "Multi-Function Bluetooth.... Zync Z-990 Polus Launches in India, for `6,490 Panasonic unviels water-proof tablet ToughPad A1 Motorola Razr Maxx launches in India for `31,590 Samsung Launches dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos... BlackBerry launches Prosche Design P'9981..... HTC One S launched in India for `33,590 SICT Presents Ivory–A feature rich phone Airtel launches 'Behat Zindage' IVR-based VAS.... Lava to launch new products; plants to invest... Microsoft tackles iPad with Surface tablet DIGISOL launches two IP Surviellance Camera...
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COVER STORY
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Mobility Analysis
Smart Phones Vie for Smart Applications
Trends in Convergence Ascend & Descend of Blackberry
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Mobility Review
Getting Smarter with Android MOBILITY
Video Conferencing Gets Bigger With Next-Gen smartphones
Sony Xperia U – Full of Promise Nokia 808 PureView – Pure Please Samsung Galaxy S3 – Superb Performer HTC One V – Full on Style Motorola Atrix 2 – The Averge Runner Samsung Galayx Tab 620 – Expensive NXG Xtab A10 – Complete Value for Money iberry BT07i – The Budget Tablet Zync Z-990 – Style with Performance
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Mobility News
Editorial Front Editor Chief Editor Asst. Editor
: Swapan Roy : Manoj Jha : S. Goswamy
Design Desk Art Director
:
Anit Kumar
Acct. & Finance Finance
:
Sandip Sarkar
Marketing & Sales Marketing Manager : Marketing Executives : Circulation Manager : Production : System Manager :
Tridip Dey Pratap Biswas Tenzin Kunkey S. Dutt Raj Kumar P. Biswas Ashish Ghosh Ashok Paul Ajay Biswas
H.O.: Delhi / Editorial Office Roy Mediative S-39, 1st Floor, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-II, New Delhi-110020 (INDIA) Mob: 09810380882, 09811346846 Ph: 91-11-41602841, 65683896, 40536384-87 Redg.Off.: 38-B / 56 Block, C. R. Park, New Delhi-110019 (India). Branch Office: Mumbai: E-mail: roy@ mobilityindia.com Kolkata: 105/12B, Dum Dum Road, Sil Colony, Kolkata-74 Contact: 09330922965; 09903392620 E-mail : roy@ mobilityindia.com Orissa: Krushna Nagar, 5th Lane, Lalji Palli, Berhampur-760008 (Orissa) (India) Contact : Raj Kumar-09338410809 Email : info@mobilityindia.com ncn_reporter@yahoo.com Mobility monthly News Paper, Printed, Published & Owned by Swapan Roy at 38-B / 56 Block, C. R. Park, New Delhi-110019 (India). Printed at Pushpak Printer, C-96, Okhla Industrial Area-I, New Delhi-20. Retail selling price of News Paper Rs. 20/-. Annual subscription Rs. 240.
VOICE
New Form factors to redefine Mobile space
Digital imagery is set to get a new look
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s we move ahead in our quest for that perfect device and that perfect form factor, global IT and telecom majors are always working their way towards providing better devices that can get well with the masses. On June 14, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals one of their research projects involving a camera device that provides the user with configurable viewing choice. This device could either represent a next generation iPod touch as a means of differentiating it from the iPhone or a standalone camera that Apple has been playing with since 2009. While Apple has always toyed with the idea of adding various lenses to handhelds via an external accessory in the past, their concepts were never in-line with Apple's great design ethic. Camera Limitations In today’s context, digital image capturing devices include cameras, portable handheld electronic devices, and electronic devices. Often these digital image capturing devices are highly compact. They may be integrated as part of a multifunction device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA) or mobile telephone. A digital imaging subsystem that includes a lens and an image sensor may be provided as a single subassembly for building the device so that all components requiring high precision optical alignment are pre-assembled. And as the quality of digital images that could be obtained with highly compact devices increases, there is increasing demand for sophisticated features previously found only in high-end digital cameras, such as digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. Hence it becomes necessary to offer a number of different models of a compact device if a range of camera features is to be offered. In addition to this, the camera features of a model are limited to what could be provided with a single optical configuration. Moving forward this type of innovation to capture better quality images is surely going to set global standards and encourage better form factors in the mobility space.
Editor : edit@mobilityindia.com roy@ mobilityindia.com Marketing : tridip@mobilityindia.com marketing@mobilityindia.com Info : info@mobilityindia.com Subscribe : subscription@ mobilityindia.com
Swapan Roy
Web : www.mobilityindia.com 2 | June 2012
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www.mobilityindia.com
MOBILITY
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Cisc
Cisco Extends W
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Swapan Roy
MOBILITY
Cisco WebEx Social Brings Social Collaboration to Mobiles Cisco Extends WebEx Beyond Web Conferencing to Now Include Social and Telepresence, Giving Customers Ways to Use Social and Video to Increase Employee Innovation and Engagement
C
isco has unveiled a variety of innovations that will make it possible for people to participate in social collaboration, regardless of where they are working, by bringing social capabilities to the devices and applications that workers use most often. The innovations pertain to what’s now called Cisco WebEx® Social (formerly known as Cisco Quad) and build upon existing offerings that help employees share knowledge, find experts and information, and form effective virtual work teams. With this release of WebEx Social, Cisco is introducing the following capabilities • Microsoft Office Integration: Cisco is announcing integration with WebEx Social and Microsoft Office that will empower workers using Word, PowerPoint or Excel to jointly edit and post updated documents, presentations and spreadsheets back to WebEx Social. • Email: Email no longer has to be a siloed application. With enhanced e-mail integration, workers can stay in e-mail clients such as Microsoft Outlook while also creating and posting updates to WebEx Social. • Mobility: Cisco is introducing enhancements to the WebEx Social iPhone and iPad client that will give workers the ability to transition from social networking to real-time IM, Web conferencing, and voice calls directly from their mobile application. • Video: With new browserbased video calling, people can seamlessly escalate to a high-definition (HD) video conferencing session, without going to a separate application. These sessions are compatible with a wide variety of video endpoints, including Cisco TelePresence®, IP video phones, mobile and soft clients. • Flexible deployment models: With this release, customers will have a choice of deployment models. WebEx Social is available as an on-premise (WebEx Social Server) offering, partner-hosted (through Logicalis, ACS and Alphawest) and a Ciscohosted cloud-based solution. • Extending social to where people work – WebEx Social helps broaden participation by enabling employees working on mobile devices, email, and personal productivity applications to easily engage in social collaboration with their colleagues. In addition, the new WebEx Social software developer kit (SDK) allows developers to extend core WebEx Social capabilities, such as Activity Streams, MOBILITY
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Murali Sitaram, Vice Present & General Manager, Cloud Collaboration Technology Group, Cisco
Watch List, and Open Search, to critical business applications. • Integrated real-time communications and video – WebEx Social also unifies social and real-time collaboration solutions – like video, voice, instant messaging (IM), presence and web conferencing -- into a single, integrated user experience. This not only gives users immediate access to the right tools at the right time, but can drive higher and faster adoption of new collaborative ways of working. WebEx Social offers new compelling real-time video experiences and deeper integration with WebEx conferencing. o HD Video Calling: While accessing WebEx Social via a Web browser, people can initiate voice and HD video calls without going to a separate application.
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o WebEx Integrated Calendar: WebEx Social includes an update for unified calendaring and an integrated WebEx experience. Users can view, join and start meetings directly from the WebEx Social personal calendar. • Familiar, Personalized User Experience– o New Web and Mobile Interfaces: Both the Cisco WebEx Social Web interface and the mobile client feature new, highly intuitive user experiences that make it simple for anyone to get started. On the Web interface, employees can easily personalize their experience by adding approved applications and choosing layouts. Organizations can also custom brand the WebEx Social Web and mobile interfaces to align with their corporate branding. This simple and intuitive user experience can also help promote greater end user adoption. • Simple and Powerful Expert Q&A– In addition to helping employees locate experts and information, WebEx Social now helps problem-solving by finding answers to specific questions. New Expert Q&A crowdsources answers by intelligently routing questions to identified experts within an organization. • Availability: WebEx Social Server is targeted for availability worldwide in July while the cloud-based solution is targeted for availability in North America in July. Murali Sitaram, vice president and general manager, Cloud Collaboration Technology Group, Cisco: “More than ever, companies are rethinking the way they have traditionally done business to take a more social approach. With today’s announcements, Cisco is marrying the best of consumer social network features with a complete set of integrated collaboration cloud services for a seamless and integrated user experience. This new experience gives customers the option to securely participate in social business from the device and application of their choice.” Peter Westerveld, CIO, Minter Ellison: “Designed for the enterprise, Cisco WebEx Social has enabled us to introduce social technologies in a highly secure, managed way not possible with consumer collaboration services. The collaborative communities in Cisco WebEx Social let us warehouse our intellectual capital and encourage lawyers to share their knowhow with colleagues. Doing things more efficiently provides better value for our clients.” June 2012 | 3
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Enterprise News
Reliance
LG Launches Optimus 3D MAX and Optimus L7 Style you can see, performance you can feel
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G Electronics, a leading mobile phone manufacturer, today announced the enhancement of the Optimus family with the launch of LG Optimus 3D MAX and Optimus L7 Smartphones. These beautifully designed, lightweight smartphones combine an unmatched viewing experience with incredible performance. Consumers no longer have to restrict themselves to the limited capabilities of an average smartphone, as the newly launched Optimus phones allow them to design their own smart lives. If you simply can’t get enough of 3D in the Cinema or in your swanky home theatre, LG Optimus 3D MAX is the answer that promises 3D on the go without glasses. It has a 4.3-inch screen with WVGA resolution & NOVA Display. Specs include a Tri-dual 1.2Ghz OMAP4430 processor (Dual Core, Dual Channel & Dual Memory), 1GB of RAM, 8GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot, two 5 megapixel cameras, and a 1,520mAh battery. The phone runs on Android 2.3, Gingerbread and is 9.6mm thin. According to Mr. Soon Kwon, President South West Asia Region & MD LG India, “LG Optimus 3D MAX is a natural and powerful
evolution of LG Optimus 3D. Building on the phenomenal success of the original Optimus 3D, we are proud to unveil this ultimate Smartphone. In 2012, we will take LG’s leadership in Speed, Screen and Content to a whole new level. With the Optimus 3D MAX, we want to set new standards of
quality viewing and powerful performance on mobiles packed in a slim and modern design”. LG has also customized some of the software on the phone to take complete advantage of the glasses-less 3D capability. The 3D Converter takes 2D content of any available media (Videos, Pictures, Games)
MTS Appoints Aravind Santhanam as COO for TN Circle
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istema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) that nationally operates its telecom services under the MTS brand with over 16 million wireless customers today announced the appointment of Aravind Santhanam as Chief Operating Officer for Tamil Nadu Circle. Reporting directly to Cheenu Seshadri, Chief Operating Officer, South & West Regions - MTS India, Aravind will be responsible for further strengthening the expansion strategy of the company in the circle. According to Aravind Santhanam, COO, Tamil Nadu Circle, MTS India - “I am glad to be a part 4 | June 2012
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of MTS India family which is expanding its business at a fast pace. Tamil Nadu is an important market and I am looking forward to this new role in further strengthening MTS’ presence in the region by providing innovative products and value for money propositions to our customers”. Recently, MTS India adopted a regional operating structure in view of the company’s rapidly expanding voice and data services across the country. The structure was put in place to enable faster decision making and ensuring flawless execution of the company’s data centric- voice enabled strategy.
and converts them to 3D for your viewing pleasure. A 3D video editor is also included, allowing you to edit your video footage in 3D in real-time, and a 3D Hot Key allows you to quickly switch between 2D and 3D views. L-Style’s design philosophy is comprised of five aesthetic elements: Modern Square Style for a comfortable grip, Floating mass technology for a slimmer look, Seamless layout for a more intuitive arrangement of keys, Harmonized design contrast utilizing metallic accents and sensuous Slim shape that naturally draws one’s attention. “Design is consistently an important factor for customers when choosing a mobile phone and with L-Style we’re going to go back to our roots as a company focused on products that fit into the lifestyle of customers. Building on the success of the LG Smartphones, we are proud to unveil the LG Optimus 3D Max & Optimus L7. Optimus series has been testimony to customers’ requirement and latest features makes it an award-winning range” Mr. Soon Kwon emphasized. These brilliant set of gadgets by LG are available in various stores across India. The LG Optimus 3D Max is priced at MOP of Rs.30, 500 /- and the LG Optimus L 7 is priced at MOP of Rs.19, 900 /-.
Smartphones to take 32% of China handset market in 2012
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igitimes Research estimates that China handset shipments will grow to 430 million units in 2012, with smartphones likely to take 32% of the market, equivalent to 143 million handsets. Given that China already accounted for 22% of global handset shipments in 2011 and the country's mobile user base is projected to hit 1.13 billion people in 2012, the potential of the country's smartphone market is staggering. The boom in China's smartphone market that began in 2011 was sparked by the expansion of 3G service coverage and falling budget smartphone prices. Carriers have driven this change in an attempt to bolster flagging
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ARPUs, which stood at just CNY37 (US$6) per month for 2G users of China Unicom in 2011; the ARPU for the carrier's 3G subscribers was a much more respectable CNY110, according to an upcoming Digitimes Research Special Report on China's smartphone market. Carriers have been able to entice China's priceconscious consumers to make the 3G switch chiefly by offering extremely cheap smartphones priced at around CNY1,000, a figure which could yet fall as low as CNY599 in 2012. This concentration in the low end of the market is a major contributing factor to the dominance of Android in China. MOBILITY
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eliance Comm second largest i provider in the co their partnership of Reliance Gro entertainment b provide premium movies to all subscribers at R movie. This premi available with No D or HIDDEN Cost. To avail this ec all that the Relianc have to do is log vod.rcom.co.in Reliance Mobile. O can access an ex powered by BIGF can now choose a let a completely s movie viewing exp Mobile enthrall th subscriber will g their mobile phon
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Enterprise News
Reliance 3G is your Personal Blockbuster Theatre
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eliance Communications Limited, the second largest integrated telecom service provider in the country, today announced their partnership with BIGFLIX, a part of Reliance Group’s digital entertainment business to provide premium full length movies to all Reliance 3G subscribers at Rs 30/- per movie. This premium service is available with No DATA charges or HIDDEN Cost. To avail this economic offer all that the Reliance subscribers have to do is log on to http:// vod.rcom.co.in using their Reliance Mobile. On this link, the subscribers can access an extensive movie catalogue powered by BIGFLIX. Reliance subscribers can now choose a movie of their liking and let a completely seamless and crystal clear movie viewing experience on their Reliance Mobile enthrall them. Now, every Reliance subscriber will get a chance to convert their mobile phone into their own personal
BLOCKBUSTER THEATRE offering them ultimate movie watching experience. Commenting on this partnership, Kunal Ramtekke, Senior Vice President and Head – Value Added Services (VAS), Reliance Communications Limited said, “We are thrilled to offer the first of its kind full length movie streaming service to our customers powered by BIGFLIX fulfilling the needs and desires of all the movie buffs on our superior Reliance 3G network with incredible affordability. Every movie lover will surely love to avail this service as we are now the home for full length mobile movies and experience seamless video on demand streaming through our superior 3G network.” “This unique service requires an exceptional 3G QOS for supporting an uninterrupted movie experience and we have been rated as one of the best telecom operators in QOS by TRAI,” he added.
IMImobile powers Sky News Arabia iPad app • Innovative features include 3D photo carousel and automated news updates • App is already a hit with a 4*+ review rating
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MImobile, a global provider of digital media solutions to telecom operators, media companies and enterprises, today revealed it is behind the hugely successful Sky News Arabia iPad app that has achieved a 4*+ rating in just over a month. The bespoke app delivers Arabiclanguage breaking news videos and articles by geographical region or category. The custom built tablet interface displays a unique rotating photo wall carousel, allowing users to select live-streaming news videos in a 3D environment. News stories are automatically uploaded to the app via an open API to ensure users have seamless access on the move to breaking news as it happens. Working in conjunction with Sky News Arabia’s content management and editorial teams, the app was launched on May 3rd 2012. The close integration with Sky’s content management system allows the news organisation to free up internal resource to focus on core business tasks and reduce cost. “IMImobile had an exciting vision for the app that revealed not only a deep understanding of the rapidly changing media landscape in the Middle East and North Africa but also our business objectives,” said Thair Soukar, Head of Digital Strategy at Sky News Arabia. “This, coupled with its outstanding reputation in the media sector, meant that after a MOBILITY
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stringent selection process IMImobile emerged as the clear winner. The reviews on the app store and number of downloads to date are a testament to the app’s compelling user experience.” “We’re proud that Sky News Arabia commissioned IMImobile to develop their iPad application. Sky News Arabia set very high expectations for quality and needed the app to replicate its vision for the launch of the TV channel in terms of audience experience and design innovation. We delivered against these expectations both on time and under budget. Our approach to app development has given the team at Sky News Arabia confidence in our ability to deliver and has subsequently engaged us to provide its forthcoming Android tablet products,” said Steve Godman, Commercial Director, Brands and Media at IMImobile.
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Shyam Networks Appoints Zia Askari as Head B2B Marketing The company has appointed Zia Askari to revamp its marketing effort for its business to business product line which involves its networking p r o d u c t s , surveillance solutions and P2P & P2MP radio products With an aim to enhance its marketing effort, Gurgaon based Shyam Networks Limited (SNL), a data communications focused company has appointed Zia Askari as its Head of Marketing for B2B segment. Zia holds over 12 years of experience in technology writing and communications. Before joining Shyam, Zia has worked with Huawei Telecommunications and prior to that he worked with RAD Data Communications for over two years as its Marcom Manager for Indian region. He started his career with CyberMedia, India’s IT specialty media house in the year 2000 and worked with its different publications like CyberMedia News, DQ Week, DQ Channels and Voice&Data ConnecT. “We are very happy to welcome Zia Askari at Shyam Networks. Utilizing, digital, PR, ATL and BTL activities, he will be playing a very important role for us in terms of positioning our brand and creating a marketing platform for us in India as well as internationally,” explained, Nafis Kazim, Executive Vice President, Shyam Networks Limited. “I am extremely delighted to start my innings with Shyam Networks. One of my biggest priorities would be to register Shyam’s brand on international turf and create that winning edge for the company’s operations in Middle East, Africa and Latin America,” said, Zia Askari, Head (B2B) Marketing, Shyam Networks Ltd. Fostering leadership in self reliant India through IP creation and innovation, established in 1974, the Shyam group specializes in the design and manufacturing of sophisticated telecommunications equipment for a wide range of applications. June 2012 | 5
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Enterprise News
'Money-on-Mobile' launches mobile payment services
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y Mobile Payments Ltd (MMPL), a mobile payment service provider, today announced the launch of ‘Moneyon-Mobile’ (MOM), an M-Wallet service which permits a mobile phone subscriber to purchase a wide range of goods and services using the mobile phone instead of paying by cash, cheque, debit or credit cards, for the Indian market. MOM allows the Indian consumer to load their mobile phones with cash of various denominations, minimum being INR 20, at retail touch points and then use this virtual money to top-up any prepaid mobile recharge and DTH recharge, pay postpaid mobile bills, utility bills such as electricity and gas and purchase airline, bus and movie tickets. MOM’s service operates independent of the consumer’s mobile operator or bank, and hence any mobile subscriber can avail of its services through the SMS or mobile application-based platform. MOM was launched for the B2B market in India in 2010, and in the year 2011 received RBI’s permission to offer the semiclosed m-wallet for the consumer market nationally. With a strong network of 82,000 retailer touch points pan-India and a presence in 300 cities, MOM has successfully boarded 500,000 subscribers and touches a
AMOLED panel market forecast 2012-2014 Approximately 178 million handsets will have AMOLED panels this year and the number will increase to 465 million by 2014. While AMOLEDs are becoming increasingly popular, production remains a concern and is dominated by Korean makers, with Samsung's SMD dominating the small- and medium size market and LGD set to lead the market for large-size OLED TV panels. This Special Report compares and contrasts the different technologies used by industry players, as well as looking at the developments and plans of makers in Japan, Taiwan and China. Abstract Approximately 178 million handsets will have AMOLED panels this year and the number will increase to 465 million by 2014. While AMOLEDs are becoming increasingly popular, production remains a concern and is dominated by Korean makers, with Samsung's SMD dominating the small- and medium size market and LGD set to lead the market for large-size OLED TV panels. This Special Report compares and contrasts the different technologies used by industry players, as well as looking at the developments and plans of makers in Japan, Taiwan and China. 6 | June 2012
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business volume of INR 20 million per day. Elated about the entry in the consumer market, Mr. Shashank Joshi, Managing Director of Money-on-Mobile expressed, “We are happy to launch our services in one of the fastest growing mobile markets. In a country like India where mobile phones are more widespread than the financial
systems, mobile payment is the next big alternative payment method. MOM does all paperless transactions and it is in line with RBI’s vision of making 70% of the financial transactions paperless by end of 2012. MOM is committed to ensuring consumers the ability to make safe, convenient and flexible payments thus empowering them to – ‘Stop at nothing. Pay for anything’.” MOM recently received a funding of $29.7 million from Calpian, Inc. (CLPI. OB), a Dallas, Texas-based U.S. public company. Speaking at the event, Mr. Harold Montgomery, Chairman and CEO
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of Calpian, Inc. said, “We wish Money-OnMobile the best and will extend our support to the team to help them achieve their vision and expansion plans. We believe that MOM is well-positioned to take advantage of the promising mobile payment market in India. Calpian’s management team has been associated with the electronic payment processing business for the last twenty-five years in the United States and we are glad to enter the Indian market by partnering with MOM.” MOM is focused on the unbanked market that has no alternate to payments except cash. “With fifty percent of our population having no means to formal banking sources, an innovative customised solution like MOM will boost financial inclusion in India. Moreover, India is pre-dominantly a cash economy and MOM is in the centre of the Indian mobile payment revolution.” added Mr. Sundara Rajan, Ex CMD of Indian bank who recently joined the MMPL board as a non-executive director. With a growing team of 150 employees, MOM is looking to add over 2,00,000 retail touch points to its network by end of the year. MOM is determined to effectively contribute to the RBI’s desire of increasing electronic financial transactions in India.
Reliance Communications launches 'Master Plan'
eliance Communications, India's fully integrated telecommunications service provider, today announced the launch of its best value ‘Master Plan’ for GSM prepaid customers in Karnataka. Master Plan - its unique multi-benefit recharge offer packs for its new and existing GSM prepaid customers in Karnataka with recharge packs that are available in three denominations - Rs. 46/- and Rs. 101/- for new customers and Rs. 74/- for existing customers, with a validity period of six months. The Master Plan is the only prepaid plan in the market that offers local calling as low as Rs. 5paise per minute within the Reliance network along with local calling as low as Rs. 30paise per minute to any other network. The customer gets the benefit of full talk time on all top-ups along with 500 MB data usage free per month and all local and national sms to be charged at Rs. 5 paise only. This best value product offers a unique facility to its prospective customers whereby on recharge of Rs. 46; customers can avail 4,500 seconds www.mobilityindia.com
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of free calling to any network with one month validity whereas on recharge of Rs. 101, the customer gets 10,000 seconds of free calling to any network with two months validity. Commenting on this best value product in Karnataka launch, Hemant Dadlani, Hub Head, Karnataka, Reliance Communications Limited said, “We are always looking to introduce the best in class products and services for our customers and with the launch of ‘Master Plan’ – a best value based product, we intend to excel in our quest for the same. Every Reliance GSM subscriber can now enjoy the best Local and STD call rates along with uninterrupted Data and SMS services at the lowest rate across networks in Karnataka.” This best value prepaid product is specifically customized to attract new subscribers on the Reliance GSM network as well as increase AON of the existing subscribers and promises to meet the insatiable demands of customers with high Local and STD calling, Data and SMS usage with a single recharge in Karnataka. MOBILITY
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ync Global Priv the launch of tablet which can be of Rs. 6,490. The new Z-990 features and bett 1.5Ghzprocessor an with a glossy outer portable design feat and symmetrical m
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Mobility News
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ELECOM Debuts “Multi-Function Bluetooth Keyboard”
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network with one reas on recharge omer gets 10,000 ng to any network dity. this best value a launch, Hemant arnataka, Reliance ited said, “We are ntroduce the best d services for our e launch of ‘Master based product, we our quest for the GSM subscriber can Local and STD call terrupted Data and lowest rate across a.” prepaid product is d to attract new ance GSM network ON of the existing mises to meet the customers with high Data and SMS usage in Karnataka. MOBILITY
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LECOM India has launched groundbreaking “Multi–Function Bluetooth Keyboard” for Apple & Android Devices, which lets you “Type, Talk and Listen” all with one device. This innovative and elegantly designed product packs multiple features into a single device. It can be used as an external Bluetooth® Keyboard (TK-MBD041 Series) to “Type” lengthy e-mail messages or type notes. It also has an in-built Mic with Speakers to be able to receive incoming calls and “Talk” as an external Bluetooth® headset. In addition, this device also has an Audio feature with a 3.5mm Headphone Jack, for plugging in headphones, and be able to “Listen” to your favorite music streamed wirelessly from the Apple / Android device. This product is compatible with a handsfree speech profile, and has a ‘Receive Call’ and ‘End Call’ button, just like a handset. There is an appealing Organic EL Display that shows the Battery Level, Wireless Pairing Status, and also displays the number of incoming calls. It also displays Volume Levels as well as Play / Pause in Music
Mode. There is a Vibration function for call alerts as well. The compact size makes this Multi-Function Bluetooth Keyboard an ideal ‘Convergence’ gadget for your favorite Smartphone or Tablet PC. The product has an in-built Lithium Ion battery, which can be conveniently recharged with a Micro-USB Data Cable, and can last for approximately 3 days on a full charge. It is compatible with "Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR", compatible with all Apple and Android devices that are compatible with
HID profiles. Available in three elegant colors - Black, White and Blue, the TK-MBD041 Product is priced at an MRP of INR 11,899. The Product is available for demo, test and purchase at the ELECOM Experience World Showroom, G-1, Sahyog Building, 58, Nehru Place, New Delhi - 110019.
Zync Z-990 Plus Launches in India, for ` 6,490
Z
ync Global Private Limited has announced the launch of Z-900 Plus a new model tablet which can be bought at a nominal price of Rs. 6,490. The new Z-990 plus comes with additional features and better upgrades such as a 1.5Ghzprocessor and a high resolution screen, with a glossy outer casing. It also has an ultraportable design featuring realtime multitasking and symmetrical multiprocessing capabilities. The tablet will be available at various r e t a i l outlets through
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Balaji Solutions across 22 states in India. It will be available for purchase on various e-commerce websites. . The 7-inch Zync Z-990 plus has a high resolution screen which can be used for the best multimedia usage, downloading and watching movies, play multi-player games etc.Loaded with a 1GB RAM for excellent performance, the device 4GB in-built memory, can be expanded to 32 GB. Its size, light weight of 380 gm and excellent battery life make it ideal for long hours of use. The Zync Z-990 plus comes with best in class Wi-Fi connectivity, 0.3 MP front camera, full-sized USB port that supports pen drives, external keyboards and 3G USB dongles, HDMI port, and micro USB port.
www.mobilityindia.com
Panasonic unveils water-proof tablet ToughPad A1
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anasonic's first Android-based computer tablet designed for tough environments such as battlefields was unveiled at CommunicAsia Exposition, in Singapore. It was the first time the “Panasonic Toughpad A1" was showcased in Asia, where company officials said there is a huge demand for such a rugged device.
June 2012 | 7
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Mobility News
HTC On
Motorola Razr Maxx launched in India for ` 31,590
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ith the longest battery life of any smartphone, this device has enough juice for 17.6 hours of talk-time – on a single charge. And because it’s in the Motorola RAZR family, it has the same incredibly thin, fast and light pedigree as the groundbreaking original Motorola RAZR smartphone. It has a vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display that features a wider range of colours than most LCD
HDTVs. Plus at just 8.99mm, Motorola RAZR MAXX is still impossibly thin. For aspiring filmmakers, forget about
buying expensive, clunky equipment to shoot your first masterpiece.
Samsung launches dualSIM Galaxy Ace Duos in India
Samsung has launched its latest smartphone dual-SIM Galaxy Ace Duos in the Indian market. Galaxy Ace Duos sports a 3.5-inch TFT touchscreen with a 320x480 pixel resolution. The phone runs on Android 2.3 operating system (OS) powered by powered by an 832 MHz processor coupled with 512MB RAM and 3GB internal memory, which is expandable up to 32GB. The phone features a 5MP auto focus rear camera and packs a 1300 mAh battery. As of connectivity the phone supports 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0 and FM Radio. This phone is available in the market at a price of Rs 15,090.
Instead, take advantage of Motorola RAZR MAXX’s 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture for crisp, clear, cinematic-quality images. Or, simply use it to chat with a friend using the frontfacing HD video camera. Motorola RAZR MAXX is also “Business Ready,” meaning it features governmentgrade encryption that protects your email, contacts and calendar. Even the strictest IT manager will be impressed.
H
TC has official in India. It wa at MWC 2012 and from online retaile has 4.3-inch (540 display, 1.7 GHz d processor, 8MP auto 1080p HD video re facing. It runs on A
BlackBerry launches Porsche Design P’9981 in India
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orsche Design and Research In Motion (RIM) has launched the Porsche Design P’9981 in India. It is made of exclusive materials such as forged stainless steel frame, handwrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and crystal clear touch display and has exclusive Porsche Design UI on top of the latest BlackBerry OS 7. It was announced last October and was showcased at MWC 2012. It features a 1.2 GHz processor and has 2.8-inch display with Liquid Graphics
technology, which enables a highly responsive touch experience with incredibly fast and smooth graphics. It has 5MP camera with HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution graphics. It has built-in NFC support, 768 MB RAM, 8 GB of on-board memory, 32GB expandable memory with microSD and 1230 mAh battery. The BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone is priced at Rs. 1,39,990 and will be available at select BlackBerry Premium and BlackBerry Exclusive stores in India.
Airtel lau V
A
irtel has launc new IVR-based (VAS) for farmers across Rajasthan with VAS prov Technologies Pvt. This service w access a wide var and useful inform market prices, cropping adviso advisory, weather a Since it is based Voice Response (I to use and com information th medium. Airtel mobile dial 556780 (toll these service at a for 30 days. It is 8 | June 2012
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www.mobilityindia.com
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Mobility News
HTC One S launched in India for ` 33,590
of Motorola RAZR ear-facing camera ure for crisp, clear, es. Or, simply use d using the frontamera. RAZR MAXX is also Ready,” meaning ures governmente encryption that otects your email, contacts and calendar. Even the strictest IT manager will be impressed.
H
TC has officially launched the One S in India. It was announced the One S at MWC 2012 and it went on sale in India from online retailers earlier this week. It has 4.3-inch (540×960 pixels) AMOLED display, 1.7 GHz dual-core Snapdragon S3 processor, 8MP auto focus camera with flash, 1080p HD video recording and VGA frontfacing. It runs on Android 4.0 ICS with HTC
Sense 4 UI. It is 7.9 mm thick, has Beats Audio integration similar to other One series of phones and comes with 25GB free Dropbox space Other features include, 3.5 mm stereo audio jack, Stereo FM Radio with RDS, 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory. The connectivity features include, 3G, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, GPS / aGPS. It has 1650 mAh battery. The HTC One S is available in India at an MOP (Best Buy) of Rs. 33,590. Check out our HTC One S unboxing and hands-on images.
e Design
enables a highly experience with d smooth graphics. ra with HD video high resolution
NFC support, 768 on-board memory, emory with microSD tery. The BlackBerry P’9981 smartphone 39,990 and will be BlackBerry Premium usive stores in India.
Airtel launches 'Behtar Zindage' IVR-based VAS for farmer in Rajasthan
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irtel has launched ‘Behtar Zindagi’, a new IVR-based Value Added Service (VAS) for farmers and their communities across Rajasthan in partnership with VAS provider Handygo Technologies Pvt. Ltd. This service would lets them access a wide variety of relevant and useful information including market prices, agricultural & cropping advisory, livestock advisory, weather and finance etc. Since it is based on Interactive Voice Response (IVR), it is easy to use and communicate key information through voice medium. Airtel mobile customers can dial 556780 (toll free) to avail these service at a charge of Rs 30 for 30 days. It is available 24x7 MOBILITY
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and 365 days of the year and supports a wide range of dialects and is available in Hindi and 17 other regional languages.
www.mobilityindia.com
SICT Presents Ivory–A feature rich phone iVK in continuing to fulfill its promise to introduce new innovation, is now coming with ”Ivory” a very attractive touch model with Free 2 GB SD card loaded with new a bollywood movie/Songs and screen Savers. iVory is full multimedia mobile phone with extra large full touch 8.1 cm display and 1400 mAh big battery. The handset is enabled with the King Movie technology that can use to store up to 50 movies in 2GB limited space free SD card which can store 5-6 movies in mp4 and 2-3 movies in AVI format. Available at Rs.3600/The phone has a 16 GB Expandable memory coupled with 1.3 mega pixel primary camera with torch light to take pictures in night time also and VGA Front Camera. Ivory is well equipped with other splendid features like Caller Blacklist, Torch Light, and Mobile tracker, FM player, Video player ( play all major video formats .kmv,3GP, mp4 and Avi) , Audio player play all audio formats with crystal clear sound. To make Ivory use as a audio gadget it is enriched with 3.5 mm universal audio jack. Video recorder and audio recorder makes it a unique gadget in this latest technology world. Ivory support Bluetooth A2DP facility to talk and listen music on Bluetooth enabled devices. Image viewer facility makes Ivory good to watch your all Ivory is jeweled with latest games which initially were coming with High end mobile handset only like Talking Tom, Angry Bird, Puff and more. With excellent features like Smart Phonebook, SMS and contacts back up. Java is supported by the handset user can install their light JAVA files on the T card. Unique feature of the phone is that Ivory supports Live Video Wallpapers. The user has the option of using either a gif image or jpg as wallpaper. Ivory is Java enabled enabling the user to download and run external Java applications which will be saved in your T flash card. Keeping our trend “value for money” for our customer, we are providing torch light with camera used as flash light , a unique feature” commented Anil K Kaushik Cofounder and Director, iVK Mobile. June 2012 | 9
7/4/2012 11:58:58 PM
Lava to la
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obile devices to invest ab this year to stre capabilities, and w PC in August pric below Rs 10,000. It also has pla to launch tw smartphone mode by September. "This year w are investing clo to Rs 55 crore...Ne month, we will lau the price range of Lava Co-founder Rai said. The tablet wi inch capacitive t Ghz processor, a
Microso
M
icrosoft has in line of tablets strategic shift for as it struggles to co and re-invent its franchise. The new tab Surface, includes a aimed directly at th another, larger ma compete with lig Both include a keyb as a cover, and bot by versions of the operating system. The move break operating model years, which has re manufacturers to machines running
10 | June 2012
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Mobility Event
Lava to launch new products; plans to invest ` 55 crore
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obile devices maker Lava plans to invest about Rs 55 crore this year to strengthen its R&D capabilities, and will launch a tablet PC in August priced below Rs 10,000. It also has plans to launch two smartphone models by September. "This year we are investing close to Rs 55 crore...Next month, we will launch tablet PC in the price range of Rs 7,000-8,000," Lava Co-founder and Director S N Rai said. The tablet will have a seven inch capacitive touchscreen, 1.2 Ghz processor, and 4GB internal
and 16GB external memory. Experts have forecast that market for Indian tablet PC, will grow to a million units in volume in the next 12 months. Besides the tablet PC, Lava is planning to launch two smartphones powered by Intel's processor in September. The company had launched Intel powered 'Xolo X900' smartphone in April. "Sometime by September, one will in the range of Rs 35,00040,000, while the other will be somewhere in the Rs 15,000 range," Rai said.
Microsoft tackles iPad with Surface tablet
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icrosoft has introduced its own line of tablets, marking a major strategic shift for the software giant as it struggles to compete with Apple and re-invent its aging Windows franchise. The new tablet line, named Surface, includes a consumer device aimed directly at the Apple iPad, and another, larger machine designed to compete with lightweight laptops. Both include a keyboard that doubles as a cover, and both will be powered by versions of the new Windows 8 operating system. The move breaks with Microsoft's operating model of the past 37 years, which has relied on computer manufacturers to make and market machines running Windows. It could
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throw the world's largest software company into direct competition with its closest hardware partners such as Samsung and HP. The new software is the biggest overhaul of Windows in years, and features a new touch-friendly interface dubbed "Metro". It is scheduled to be available for the Christmas shopping season. The lighter, thinner version of the Surface tablet, built on an Nvidia chip designed by ARM Holdings, will be the first to market at the same time as the general release of Windows 8, and will feature Microsoft's popular Office suite of applications. It is comparable to Apple's new iPad, heavier but slightly thinner. It has a 10.6 inch screen and comes in 32GB and 64GB memory sizes.
www.mobilityindia.com
DIGISOL launches two IP Surveillance Cameras with 3 Mega pixel image sensor
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IGISOL has introduced two new IP Surveillance Cameras DG-SC3800 & DG-SC3800P. The DGSC3800 & DG-SC3800P are Pan/Tilt IP camera with 3 Megapixel image sensor. With its 3 Megapixel image resolution and H.264 compression, users can stream high quality video at low bandwidth. The Pan/Tilt function allows the camera to monitor a much larger & wider area. DG-SC3800P supports PoE, which helps in easy installation by eliminating the need of a dedicated power source for the camera. These cameras are ideal for monitoring huge areas on a 24x7 basis. These cameras have 9IR LEDs and a light sensor for better visibility under low light environment and dark areas. The light sensor automatically triggers the IR LED when environment is dark. These IP cameras support QoS parameters which can help prioritize the video traffic along with the Managed switches/ Routers in the network to ensure best delivery of the video when running multiple applications over IP network. The IP camera can either white list or blacklist an IP address. This restricts unauthorized access to the IP Camera. These IP cameras supports a range of high quality video formats like QXGA, 1080p, 960p, 720p, D1, VGA and frame rates up to 30fps for better video quality. This gives flexibility for setting an appropriate resolution for video streaming/ recording purpose. DDNS allows viewing the IP camera over Internet with the help of a domain name. UPnP will allow Windows users to access the camera with the click of a mouse even if the IP address of the camera is not known. Key Features • 3 Megapixel Sensor • Pan-Tilt Function • Day/Night functionality • H.264/MPEG4/MJPEG multiple streaming • Build-in SD/SDHC memory card slot for local storage • Two way audio • IPv6 support • QoS and IP filtering • ONVIF compliant • DDNS & UpnP • 3GPP Mobile Surveillance Support Price: DG-SC3800 & DG-SC3800P are available in the market at MRP of Rs. 23,335/- and Rs.27,223/respectively USP: For DG-SC3800 & DG-SC3800P service and support is provided from 64 locations across the country by DIGICARE the service division of Smartlink Network Systems Ltd. June 2012 | 11
7/4/2012 11:59:06 PM
Cover Story
Getting Smarter w
With global Smartphones vendors such as Samsung and Huawei e is set to rule the mobility gam 12 | June 2012
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www.mobilityindia.com
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arter with Android
Samsung and Huawei etc accepting Android in a big way, Android o rule the mobility game now MOBILITY
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June 2012 | 13
7/4/2012 11:59:06 PM
Cover Story
A
s more and more smartphone users opt for Google’s Android operating system, Apple’s iOS and other systems such as Symbian are set to loose out of this smartphone opportunity. According to market research company, ComScore, more than 107 million Americans now own smartphones, up 6 percent from the three-month period ending in January. Android commanded 50.8 percent of the U.S. smartphone operating system market, up 2.2 percent, according to CNET’s report on ComScore’s study. The No. 2 smartphone operating system, Apple’s iOS, came in with 31.4 percent of the market, up 1.9 percent. Both Android and iOS have benefited as BlackBerry maker Research in Motion continued to struggle. RIM remained No. 3 in operating system market share but took a major hit due to its troubles, falling to 11.6 percent of the market from 15.2 percent. Commenting about the Android scenario globally as well as in India, Victor Shan, President India Device Business, Huawei said that according to various market agencies, Android currently has approx 56% share of the global smart phone OS market. “As per GFK, in Year 2011 total sales of handsets was 174Mn of which Smartphone sales contributed 8.03 Mn. Android Smartphone in India was 1.8Mn contributing approx 23%. Android is expected to capture over half of Indian Smartphone Market Share by end of 2012. As per one of the studies, Indian Smartphone user spends 2.5 hours a day using their phones with 72% of their time spent on activities such as gaming, entertainment, apps and internet related content. Only 28% of their time is now used for voice calls and text messaging. According to Huawei studies connecting to 4 cities in India nearly 40% of the users are not aware about operating system on the their phone, suggesting that consumers are not very well informed about the technical specs on their phones. OS vendors like Google and micro soft need to take greater initiative and educating users about the features available on the platform. In the same study Huawei found Entertainment 72% and Games (71%) are the two more important segment users access on their 14 | June 2012
Mobility june2012.indd 14
smart phone, typically used more by younger segment , . social networking is gaining momentum with 61% of the users accessing it. Business and life style is used 22% to 23% respectively,” he explained. And talking about Huawei’s app store, Shan said that Huawei has Hi-Space Huawei App store available exclusively to Huawei Smartphone owners. “We have over 2000 top apps for work, play and everything in between. The apps that come in the Huawei Smartphone is just the beginning. You can download more apps from Hi-Space and experience more on your phone. Hi-space caters to Indian taste. Hispace provides the best in the industry apps categorized to ease your search and experience on the app market,” he added. As being put by Nafis Kazim, Executive Vice President, Shyam Networks, Android is surely moving ahead with holding great promise for the end user as well as smartphone vendor community. “According to a recent report by analysis firm Convergence Catalyst, the Indian smartphone market is expected to grow by 100 percent with 18 to 20 million devices being sold in the year in comparison to 9.5 million units sold in 2011. Moreover, the report also says that smartphones will be responsible for 12 to 14 percent of the total handset sales. In the present situation, Symbian platform holds about 46 percent in market share while Android holds 28.3 percent market share, however this is likely to change in the coming months. As far as mobility space is concerned, Android is moving in the right direction. Development of Android application is already happening different segment of users. Shyam is getting sector specific Android applications development for the users of Tablets,” he adds on. Android is Ruling The Mobile Market Android is operating system built on Linux OS and developed by Google and Open Handset Alliance. It is a software www.mobilityindia.com
pile for mobile devices that consists of an operating system, key applications and middle-ware. It is a highly strong platform and in-depth knowledge of Android SDKs and NDKs helps android developers to build number of best applications. Android provide support of Java language for the developers so that they can make 3rd party applications on java which can easily run on device that is Android based. Team of Android developers have been working on development since Google has released the first version of SDK. SDK provides great tools and APIs essential to start building applications on Android using Java language. Android SDK comes with applications that are hugely useful for Android developers though Developers use these applications to simplify reuse of framework APIs for building cutting edge
android applications. Having knowledge of Android’s features, Android application developers very well understand the limitations of the Android and this ensures to easily create work around for those limitations. Android is the second giant ruling the mobile market because of its great beneficial features for users and high flexibility for developers with its open source development environment. It has market which is open application distribution channel that guarantees more flexibility and assurance to fast application development. Its Advantage Android Talking about the advantages of Android Shan from Huawei said that MOBILITY
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the biggest ad is that it is an o platform. “Manufa developers can software’s and load If you have a pho you can download applications from p mobile also serves power and efficien multitasking, custo outstanding web based mobile p preferred choice f personal and com R&D continuousl technologies whic performance and the overall user ex Some of the path initiatives by have been introdu Cloud+ with a r next generation like 16GB Cloud Message+, Stream finder, SNS, Integration and an any device acc content saved o Emotional UI for be experience, integr useful applications Traffic Manager a Killer etc,” he expl Speaking abo advantages of platform, Nafis from Shyam sa there are some clear advantages Android system to the table for MOBILITY
Cover Story
s that consists of key applications s a highly strong h knowledge of DKs helps android number of best provide support of developers so that ty applications on n on device that is
developers have evelopment since he first version of eat tools and APIs ng applications on guage. s with applications eful for Android Developers use simplify reuse of lding cutting edge
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the biggest advantage of Android is that it is an open and royalty free platform. “Manufacturers and application developers can design a variety of software’s and load on the Android system. If you have a phone with Android then you can download and install several free applications from play store. Android based mobile also serves great in terms of speed, power and efficiency. With their ability of multitasking, customization capability and outstanding web compatibility, Android based mobile phones have become preferred choice for individuals for both personal and commercial use. Huawei’s R&D continuously keeps working on technologies which further enhances the performance and improves the overall user experience. Some of the path breaking initiatives by Huawei have been introduction of Cloud+ with a range of next generation features like 16GB Cloud+ drive, Message+, Streams, Phone finder, SNS, Contacts Integration and any where any device access for content saved on drive, Emotional UI for better user experience, integration of useful applications such as Traffic Manager and Task Killer etc,” he explained. Speaking about the advantages of Android platform, Nafis Kazim from Shyam says that there are some pretty clear advantages that the Android system brings to the table for the end MOBILITY
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customers, and this has put the customer’s comfort level to a new height. This is the primary reason for the success of Android market, globally as well as in India. “One of the biggest advantages of Android platform is that it is opensource. This means instead of just one company working on the code, an unlimited number of people can work on the core of the platform. Open sourced software is usually more secure than proprietary software because it catches thousands of eyeballs every day and hence, any holes in the software security system are quickly found and patched accordingly. Most importantly, a device running on android platform unlike the Apple iPhone can run multiple set of Applications at the same time. Android users benefit greatly from this feature as they can receive notifications, listen to music, or even record data without keeping the application open,” he explains. What vendors offer in India in Android “Huawei’s main focus for India market is on the Smart phones, Data
Cards and Tablets. Our all the operational Smart phones in India are based on Android OS. Our portfolio of devices can be checked at www.huaweidevice. co.in. Huawei Smart phones comes with Cloud+ with a range of next generation features like Cloud+ drive, Message+, Streams, Phone finder, SNS, Contacts Integration and any where any device access for content saved on drive. These features help the phone user to experience the future,” Shan adds on. Huawei R&D has created Emotional UI for better user experience. We have many 3D Designs. There are many exciting features such as you can create your own Folders in the menu and delete, the phone unlock pattern is unique with shortcuts to Camera, Call Logs and Messages along with Home Screen. R&D has integrated applications such as Traffic Manager and Task Killer. With Traffic Manager Application you can monitor usage of your data. Task Killer application helps you close all those applications which keep running in the background and keeps eating up the phone battery. Huawei Phones has Fast boot feature so that you can power on your phone in just 5 seconds. R&D has developed Hi-space-Huawei
“As per GFK, in Year 2011 total sales of handsets was 174Mn of which Smartphone sales contributed 8.03 Mn. Android Smartphone in India was 1.8Mn contributing approx 23%. Android is expected to capture over half of Indian Smartphone Market Share by end of 2012. As per one of the studies, Indian Smartphone user spends 2.5 hours a day using their phones with 72% of their time spent on activities such as gaming, entertainment, apps and internet related content. Only 28% of their time is now used for voice calls and text messaging. According to Huawei studies connecting to 4 cities in India nearly 40% of the users are not aware about operating system on the their phone, suggesting that consumers are not very well informed about the technical specs on their phones." – Victor Shan, President India Device Business, Huawei www.mobilityindia.com
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• • • •
• •
App store available exclusively to Huawei smart phone owners. It has over 2000 top apps for work, play and everything in between. The apps that come in the Huawei smart phone are just the beginning. You can download more apps from Hi-Space and experience more on your phone. Hi-space caters to Indian taste. Hi-space provides the best in the industry apps categorized to ease your search and experience on the app market. Riding high on Android platform, Shyam Networks is set to introduce an interesting array of smart devices in the Indian market. “We have got complete range of tablets and smart TV boxes. We have different sizes of tablets available which are designed keeping in mind different market needs with WiFi and 3G connectivity options. Smart TV boxes in different Android versions convert normal TV to Smart TV. This enables the user to use 16 | June 2012
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normal TV as internet browser with the help of extending existing WiFi and Ethernet connectivity,” Nafis Kazim adds on. Application Development in Android Android application development varies from simple Android games to complex android applications. More and more businesses are investing in Android
application development to reach huge number of Android users. Also, if you have idea, you can get android application developed and start selling it to maximum number of Android users. Features of Android Application Development: • GSM Telephony • Application framework allowing
•
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"According to a recent report by analysis firm Convergence Catalyst, the Indian smartphone market is expected to grow by 100 percent with 18 to 20 million devices being sold in the year in comparison to 9.5 million units sold in 2011. Moreover, the report also says that smartphones will be responsible for 12 to 14 percent of the total handset sales. In the present situation, Symbian platform holds about 46 percent in market share while Android holds 28.3 percent market share, however this is likely to change in the coming months. As far as mobility space is concerned, Android is moving in the right direction." – Nafis Kazim, Executive Vice President Shyam Networks www.mobilityindia.com
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Cover Story
•
• • • •
• •
nt to reach huge sers. Also, if you android application ing it to maximum rs.
•
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•
Application
mework allowing
replacement and reuse of components Integrated browser based on the open source Web kit engine SQLite for structured data storage Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G and Wifi Camera, compass, GPS, touch screen, magnetometer and accelerometer Media support for audio, video and still image formats Comprehensive libraries for 2D and 3D graphics that allow the developer to bring in the desktop effect into Android based mobile applications Optimized graphics powered by custom 2D graphics library; 3D graphics based on OpenGL ES 1.0 specification Rich development environment consisting debugging tools, device emulator, memory and performance profiling and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE
According to IDC, Google and Apple have both consolidated their position. Android has a market share of 59.0% in 2012 Q1 (growing from 2011 Q1's 36.1%, with increased shipments from 36.1 million units to a whopping 89.9) while Apple has grown the market share if iOS to 23% from 18.3% (shipping 35.1 million units versus 18.6 last year). Samsung accounted for 45.4% of the total Android-based smartphone shipments and the iPhone 4S keeps the numbers high for Apple.
Mobile phone tracker firm IDC has released the latest numbers of worldwide smartphone shipment for the first quarter of the year. This period has all but confirmed the dominance of two particular mobile platforms, Android and iOS. The dynamic duo secured a combined 82% share of the 152.3 million smartphones shipped in Q1 2012 and made it tougher for other mobile platforms, such as Symbian, BlackBerry, and Windows Phone 7/ Windows Mobile, to stop falling further down the chart.
rt by analysis t, the Indian ted to grow by million devices parison to 9.5 Moreover, the phones will be ent of the total ent situation, out 46 percent oid holds 28.3 wever this is ng months. As rned, Android on." – Nafis Kazim, Vice President yam Networks MOBILITY
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June 2012 | 17
7/4/2012 11:59:15 PM
Mobility Enterprise
I
Video Conferencing Gets Bigger With Next-Gen smartphones 18 | June 2012
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www.mobilityindia.com
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t is true that th conferencing m straight out of any other sci-fi m movement to bring to devices such a underway today. And in this dire and Android mobi flurry of internal a development that interesting break mobile video confe The two gr the development conferencing, hard have been in lar advances in phone And on top o 3G mobile netw improved data tran where real-time dig feasible, and with rolling out across video conferencing in terms of the qua offer. At the same manufacturers hav ever more powerfu along with accesso video cameras t device’s user – a part of providing conferencing expe In this scenari a few software ap emerged which ha able to take advan this confluence of n bandwidth, p handsets and calle video cameras. A users were the first onboard the mobi conferencing mo thanks to Fring, s which allowed fo conferencing b Skype contacts on Sprint EVO 4G pho Apple iPhon followed Android p conferencing path such as FaceTime, communications ap 4. Phone to p between iPhone u Android and iPho possible using thes And as a res MOBILITY
Mobility Enterprise
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gger nes MOBILITY
t is true that the idea of mobile video conferencing might seem to be coming straight out of the plot of Star Trek or any other sci-fi movie to some, but the movement to bring video communications to devices such as smart phones is well underway today. And in this direction, both the iPhone and Android mobile phones have seen a flurry of internal and third-party software development that has led to some recent interesting breakthroughs in personal mobile video conferencing. The two greatest limitations to the development of portable video conferencing, hardware and bandwidth, have been in large part overcome by advances in phone and network design. And on top of that, the advent of 3G mobile networks has dramatically improved data transfer speeds to the point where real-time digital video data is finally feasible, and with 4G networks slowly rolling out across the country, mobile video conferencing continues to expand in terms of the quality and features it can offer. At the same time, global handset manufacturers have been able to push ever more powerful chips inside handsets, along with accessories such as miniaturized video cameras that face the mobile device’s user – a critical part of providing a video conferencing experience. In this scenario, only a few software apps have emerged which have been able to take advantage of this confluence of network bandwidth, powerful handsets and caller-facing video cameras. Android users were the first to jump onboard the mobile video conferencing movement thanks to Fring, software which allowed for video conferencing between Skype contacts on devices such as the Sprint EVO 4G phone. Apple iPhone customers soon followed Android phones down the video conferencing path thanks to applications such as FaceTime, an Apple-sourced video communications application for the iPhone 4. Phone to phone communications between iPhone users and even between Android and iPhone users is now also possible using these applications. And as a result, the mobile video MOBILITY
Mobility june2012.indd 19
conferencing segment of the industry is still taking baby steps, but major players like Cisco are likely in the midst of developing a fully featured smartphone video conferencing strategy. It is important to note that global networking major Cisco has already expanded its Unified Communications suite to include WebEx functionality for mobile phone users, which is no doubt a good indicator that new mobile video communication capabilities will soon follow. As far as the high definition mobile telepresence is concerned, the greater bandwidth demands associated with this quality of video transmission will most likely mean waiting for 4G networks to catch up with 3G in national distribution. It will also require that smartphone manufacturers commit to using top notch camera components and state of the art processing hardware to provide the extra digital horsepower required to for this type of service. Enabling Smart Conferencing If your operator provider supports video calling, you may use your smartphone to make video conference calls. Check to make sure that your phone's processor is at least 1 GHz, and that it has video software installed on it.
For example, the Apple iPhone 4 comes bundled with the video application FaceTime. When the software is activated, the digital camera on the phone is used to establish a video conference call over a WiFi Internet connection. Step 1 Check the "Settings" icon on your smartphone's Home screen. Use your finger to scroll down the screen until you see the option "Phone" and tap it. Check www.mobilityindia.com
to make sure that the phone feature is turned on. Step 2 Enable the video software application. Look for the video software application icon on the Home screen and tap it. The video software application icon looks like an image of a video camera. Step 3 Check the "Camera" icon on the Home screen to activate the digital camera. Press the "Video" button to switch the camera to video mode on your phone. Step 4 Check the "Phone" icon on the Home screen. Select the name of the person that you want to call from your contact or phone book list. Press the "Video Call" button, or the video software application icon located next to the name of your contact. If the person that you're calling is available, they will see a video conference invitation displayed on their phone from you. Step 5 Wait for the person that you're calling to accept the video conference invitation. The video call will begin after your contact tap the video conference invitation that's displayed on their phone. You should see a live image of the person that you're calling on your smartphone when the phone connection is made. Step 6 Press the "End" button on your smartphone when you're finished with the video conference call. Deactivate or turn off the digital camera on your phone. It is important to note that not all smartphones have the capability of making mobile video conference calls. However, if you own one of the latest smartphone models, and the person that you're calling also has the same type of phone, you will be able to make and receive video conference calls from that person. Moving forward, this trend is likely to define a new realm of smartphone focused video based conferencing capabilities well within the reach of common masses. June 2012 | 19
7/4/2012 11:59:16 PM
Mobility Analysis
Smart Phones Vie for Smart Applications
W
ith more and more end customers looking up to having better mobile applications that can help them in their day to day challenges, most of the mobility related vendors are trying their best to incorporate better applications. Mobile applications still have a largely horizontal character, but 20 | June 2012
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new developments and capabilities are beginning to show how certain vertical markets can gain unique business benefits from mobility. The growth of mobility-enabled applications is driven essentially by the same factors that are driving IT and business process change, namely the www.mobilityindia.com
need to be more responsive, optimize the efficiency of staff resources, and shorten the cycle time of key processes throughout their value chain. Another driver of industry-specific mobile application adoption is the evolution of the technology, including the development of platforms such as MOBILITY
7/4/2012 11:59:16 PM
the Research In M Enterprise Server, Service (MDS) extension of ent mobile employees in security and applications from m Customer rela (CRM) packages largely because of the needs of cust and the strengths as the Smart devic Even though have been for pushing informati less customer-cent enterprise resourc supply chain ma more likely promo in areas such as inventory managem bringing in and inc from the field fas extension of ente mobile devices ha increased respons decision making. Here we are specific factors provides examples using these applic in some cases, tr processes. The key mobile application one or more pro a particular indus Under this defi communications a wireless email — though they clear as improved prod customer satisfacti Instead, the f elements of spec specific industrie altered by mobile nuances and simila across industries, making this distinc of "field services." Although it is a range of busin and onsite print to insurance com providers — each unique process e mobility in differe transactional and (e.g., ordering pa broken printer), s content viewing MOBILITY
Mobility Analysis
art
nsive, optimize the urces, and shorten ocesses throughout
f industry-specific adoption is the hnology, including platforms such as MOBILITY
the Research In Motion (RIM) blackberry Enterprise Server, whose Mobile Data Service (MDS) feature enables the extension of enterprise applications to mobile employees as well as improvements in security and the availability of applications from major ISVs. Customer relationship management (CRM) packages have led this trend largely because of strong overlap between the needs of customer-facing employees and the strengths of mobile devices such as the Smart devices. Even though mobile applications have been for the most part about pushing information out into the field, less customer-centric applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply chain management (SCM) will more likely promote process optimization in areas such as production planning, inventory management, and logistics — by bringing in and incorporating information from the field faster. In both cases, the extension of enterprise applications via mobile devices has tightened processes, increased responsiveness, and improved decision making. Here we are exploring the industryspecific factors driving this rise and provides examples of how enterprises are using these applications to enhance and in some cases, transform their business processes. The key distinction of industry mobile applications is that they facilitate one or more processes associated with a particular industry or vertical market. Under this definition, "pure" mobile communications applications — such as wireless email — do not qualify, even though they clearly deliver benefits such as improved productivity and increased customer satisfaction. Instead, the focus is on how core elements of specific processes, within specific industries, are fundamentally altered by mobile enablement. Given the nuances and similarities of business models across industries, subtlety is important in making this distinction. Take the example of "field services." Although it is a critical process for a range of businesses — from utilities and onsite printing service providers to insurance companies and IT support providers — each one has its own set of unique process elements that leverage mobility in different ways. Some have a transactional and order-entry component (e.g., ordering parts remotely to fix a broken printer), some require advanced content viewing (e.g., pipeline charts, MOBILITY
Mobility june2012.indd 21
technical diagrams for utility workers), and some require remote data entry (e.g., insurance assessments for adjusters). Thus, mobile applications clearly still have a largely horizontal character, but new developments and capabilities are beginning to show how certain vertical markets can gain unique business benefits from mobility. At a high level, the growth of mobilityenabled applications is driven by the same factors driving IT and business process change initiatives by companies, namely the need to: ! Be more responsive to their customers and to changes in their operating environments (related to their competitors, suppliers, partners, and customers) ! Optimize the efficiency of their staff resources Shorten the cycle time of key processes throughout their value chains Each of these factors, in turn, is driven by the increasing intensity of competition in nearly every industry and the importance of integrating processes and information to meet this competition. Another factor driving the adoption of industry-specific mobile applications is the evolution of the technology itself, which has laid the necessary groundwork for mobile enterprise applications to take off. At the infrastructure level, one such factor is the development of platforms such as RIM’s Smart devices Enterprise Server, whose Mobile Data Service (MDS) feature enables the extension of enterprise applications to mobile employees. Another factor is the improvement of mobile application security, which had posed a barrier. Still another factor is the increasing availability of mobilityenabled applications from major ISVs such as SAP. With this foundation in place, mobile applications have become more prevalent across a number of vertical markets. The drivers and patterns of mobile application adoption vary across industries, but a common framework has begun to take shape that explains these activities. Put simply, organizations have started to apply mobile technology to those processes where the integration of realtime information can drastically improve process quality. Although the definition of process quality varies by industry, some general characteristics include the following: ! Better Decisions. To many field employees, the value of information is situational — having the right materials www.mobilityindia.com
in front of a sales prospect, knowing what parts will be needed to fix a remote problem, figuring out which products to cross sell based on what the customer is using. ! Faster Decisions. Not having information in the field can impede responsiveness to customer needs. Insurance adjusters can’t adjudicate claims in the field, brokers can’t provide "instant" price quotes based on credit scores, and financial planners can’t view a customer’s portfolio in real time. ! Shortened Cycles. Bridging the gap between the field and the office can shorten core process cycles. Remote reporting of retail inventory can shorten replenishment, the ability to customize contracts in the field can shorten the sales cycle, and the ability to track logistics in real time enables manufacturers to shift their production plans more quickly. Although mobile email made some inroads into these areas, the mobile enablement of enterprise applications represents a quantum shift in capabilities. CRM packages have arguably been the front line of this trend. One big reason is the strong overlap between the needs of customer-facing employees and the key strengths of mobile devices such as the Smart devices, including customer-specific alerts and the ability to access and update customer records. Thus far, the main emphasis of application mobility has been getting information "out" into the hands of field personnel. Increasingly, however, this emphasis is shifting toward more "inwardly directed" (i.e., less customer-centric) applications such as ERP and SCM, in which the rapid incorporation of information from the field enables the optimization of such processes as production planning, inventory management, and logistics. In both cases, the extension of enterprise applications via mobile devices has tightened processes, increased responsiveness, and improved decision making. Examples of mobile applications in specific industries are outlined below. Within the government sector, mobile applications are being used to support public safety, law enforcement, and municipal compliance activities. To improve its responsiveness to disasters, a state emergency response agency employs Smart devices to update damage assessment databases remotely, thus enabling key decision makers to assess the situation on the ground and optimize cleanup and recovery efforts. June 2012 | 21
7/4/2012 11:59:17 PM
Trends in Convergence
Ascend & Descend of Blackberry BlackBerry Climbs up a Hill but goes down a Mountain
22 | June 2012
Mobility june2012.indd 22
www.mobilityindia.com
MOBILITY
7/4/2012 11:59:21 PM
N
ot so many Motion, the BlackBerry s of the most accla technology compa in this segment, smartphone marke business world. Am handset company and keeping a bla as a great status sy However, now out to be not that f smartphone make to the iPhone a R.I.M.’s smartpho plummeted; in th one industry estim four per cent in cent last year. The addictiveness now era; a recent stud third of users plann next time they upg R.I.M.’s stock p five per cent in th recent enough, th was forced to brin easy explanation to R.I.M. is that, companies, it got cult products and i But the real c technology world a fast pace and as to keep a close developments and into your product and R.I.M. simply BlackBerry was de Its true custome but the people information-techno The BlackBerry ga wanted most: relia was a closed system network. The pho easily be tinkered w So businesses lov assumption was t embraced the te would, too. This scheme of and government reaching consumer The telephone, tho with consumers r first used principa The typewriter’s offices. The Intern MOBILITY
Trends in Convergence
of
untain
MOBILITY
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ot so many years ago, Research in Motion, the global maker of the BlackBerry smartphones, was one of the most acclaimed mobile focused technology companies in the world. And in this segment, BlackBerry dominated smartphone market and was a staple of business world. Amazingly profitable, the handset company became a cult in itself and keeping a blackberry was regarded as a great status symbol. However, now the situation is turning out to be not that favorable for the global smartphone maker these days. Thanks to the iPhone and Android devices, R.I.M.’s smartphone market share has plummeted; in the U.S., according to one industry estimate, it fell from fortyfour per cent in 2009 to just ten per cent last year. The BlackBerry’s reputed addictiveness now looks like a bygone era; a recent study found that only a third of users planned to stick with it the next time they upgraded. R.I.M.’s stock price is down seventyfive per cent in the past year, and quite recent enough, the Canadian company was forced to bring in a new CEO. The easy explanation for what happened to R.I.M. is that, like so many other companies, it got run over by Apple’s cult products and its style & panache. But the real challenge is that the technology world keeps on changing at a fast pace and as a company you need to keep a close tab on technological developments and inculcate the same into your product and business plans and R.I.M. simply could not do this. The BlackBerry was designed for businesses. Its true customers weren’t its users but the people who run corporate information-technology departments. The BlackBerry gave them what they wanted most: reliability and security. It was a closed system, running on its own network. The phone’s settings couldn’t easily be tinkered with by ordinary users. So businesses loved it, and R.I.M.’s assumption was that, once companies embraced the technology, consumers would, too. This scheme of winning over business and government markets and then reaching consumers is a time-tested one. The telephone, though it became popular with consumers relatively quickly, was first used principally as a business tool. The typewriter’s biggest users were offices. The Internet originated in the MOBILITY
Mobility june2012.indd 23
military-industrial complex, and first found an audience among academics and scientists. The personal computer, though popular with hobbyists early on, came to market dominance only once I.B.M. introduced models targeted squarely at businesses. Historically, new technologies have been very expensive—when phone service was introduced in India – New Delhi, it cost over Rs 16 per minute to receive calls – forget about the outgoing tariffs. And so early adopters have generally been
for R.I.M., because the company has seemed clueless about what consumers want. R.I.M. didn’t bring out a touchscreen phone until long after Apple, and the device that it eventually launched was just an imitation of the iPhone. The consumerization of I.T. has deep economic and social roots and is unlikely to go away. Technological innovation has dramatically lowered the cost of computing, making it possible for large numbers of consumers to own powerful new technologies at reasonably low
companies that could make money by using them. In 2006, it looked to R.I.M. as if the story of the smartphone market would echo the story of the telegraph. As the BlackBerry was at the height of its popularity, we were entering the age of what’s inelegantly called the consumerization of I.T., or simply Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). In this new era, technological diffusion started to flow the other way—from consumers to businesses. Social media went from being an annoying fad to an unavoidable part of the way many businesses work. Tablets, which many initially thought were just underpowered laptops, soon became common among salesmen, hospital staffs, and retailers. So, too, with the iPhone and Androids. They’ve always been targeted at consumers, and tend to come with stuff that I.T. departments hate, like all those extraneous apps. Yet, because employees love them, businesses have adapted (and the iPhone and Androids have upgraded security to make themselves more business-friendly). As a result, the iPhone and Androids now control more than half the corporate mobile market. Consumerization has been disastrous
prices. (Apple’s products seem pricey, but despite the weak economy it has sold more than a hundred million iPhones and more than forty million iPads.) The workplace is changing, too. The barrier between work and home has been eroded, and if people are going to have to be constantly connected they want at least to use their own phones. Companies have quickly come to love consumerization, too: a recent study by the consulting firm Avanade found that executives like the way it keeps workers plugged in all day long. And since workers often end up paying for their own devices, it can also help businesses cut costs. One way or another, consumers are going to have more and more say over what technologies businesses adopt. It’s a brave new world. It’s just not the one that the BlackBerry built to brave and help its users win an edge.
www.mobilityindia.com
June 2012 | 23
7/4/2012 11:59:23 PM
Mobility Review
Samsu
Sony Xperia U - Full of Promise
K
orean electr smartphone arguably the No matter how seems to feel the n Samsung phones, sides painted in a m The 4.8" Supe Gorilla Glass 2 an display renders imp It's sharp, bright, a This handset is chipset, featuring Mali-400MP GPU. •An 8 MP main •1 GB of RAM •16 GB interna •MicroSD card GB •Wi-Fi, GPS, B •A micro-USB the Go) support Samsung has c from the lock scr shortcuts. The hom
A
fter leaving Ericsson aside, the Japanese technology major, Sony has managed to impress its fans with the latest Xperia series. While the Xperia S is targeted at the high-end market, its younger sibling, Xperia U is meant for budget buyers. This handset brings the power of dual-core to the mid-rage segment. The Xperia U is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core CPU, coupled with a Mali-400MP GPU. Other specs include: •A 5 MP rear and VGA front camera •Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB OTG, and 3.5 mm jack •4 GB internal storage •1320 mAh battery •A standard set of sensors. The gadget's 3.5" LCD panel has pixel dimensions of 480x854, with the pixel density being as high as 280 ppi. The screen is bright and sharp. However, its viewing angles are very limited. I wasn't impressed with the display's sunlight legibility either. The Xperia U features Sony's custom UI on top of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Sony has done a good job of adding enough eye-candy to the interface, while keeping it virtually lag free.
` 17,400
HTC
Nokia 808 PureView – Pure Pleasure
F
or quite some time now, the Nokia N8 enjoyed the status of being an unbeatable camera phone. However, it's time for it to make way for the 808 PureView, whose camera sensor is about 2.5 times physically larger in size than that of the N8. The phone sports a 4" AMOLED screen containing 360x640 pixels. Thanks to Nokia's ClearBlack technology, its sunlight legibility is very good. It produces rich colours and deep blacks. Additionally, the viewing angles are excellent. Due to its low pixel density though, you can easily spot jagged edges around icons. Fortunately, this jaggedness is not at all apparent while viewing images. The 808 is powered by a 1.3 GHz CPU and features 512 MB of RAM. Other specs include: •A 41 MP rear and VGA front camera •16 GB internal storage and microSD card support up to 32 GB •Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 3.0, NFC, FM transmitter, and GPS •HDMI port, USB OTG, and 3.5 mm jack •1400 mAh battery •A standard set of sensors. The Belle OS allows up to six homescreens, with separate wallpapers for each. While it's a clone of Android's notification bar, the status bar is a 24 | June 2012
Mobility june2012.indd 24
good addition. Like any other Symbian handset, the 808 struggles in the gaming department. What's worse is the limited number of quality games available in the Ovi Store — but then again, nobody is going to buy this phone for its apps. Nokia claims that the reason is that the PureView technology was in development for close to five years, well before the availability of Windows Phone 7 to developers. Moreover, Microsoft's camera API is not customisable, so Nokia had the choice of either waiting till it ported PureView to WP, or going ahead and releasing its phone with the current Symbian platform.
www.mobilityindia.com
G
lobal han concentra competes battles it out in t offers Android 4 The phone's with pixel densi offers wide vie
` 35,000
MOBILITY
7/4/2012 11:59:24 PM
MOBILITY
Mobility Review
Samsung GALAXY S3 – Superb Performer
K
orean electronics major, Samsung's latest and greatest smartphone has finally arrived in India. Needless to say, it's arguably the hottest smartphone in the market. No matter how classy its rivals might look, Samsung never seems to feel the need of changing its boring designs. Like most Samsung phones, this one features an all-plastic body, with the sides painted in a metallic colour. The 4.8" Super AMOLED screen is protected by Corning's Gorilla Glass 2 and has pixel dimensions of 1280x720. The display renders impressive colours and has wide viewing angles. It's sharp, bright, and capable of delivering deep blacks. This handset is powered by the much-hyped Exynos 4212 chipset, featuring a 1.4 GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 CPU and Mali-400MP GPU. Other specs include: •An 8 MP main and 1.9 MP front camera •1 GB of RAM •16 GB internal storage •MicroSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB •Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0, and NFC •A micro-USB port with MHL and USB-OTG (On the Go) support Samsung has customised the Android 4.0 installation right from the lock screen, which now features four quick-launch shortcuts. The homescreens seem to be inspired by Motorola's
MotoBlur UI, but are less ugly. Thanks to the powerful Exynos chipset, the Android experience is very pleasing. The phone runs extremely smooth most of the time, except for the multitasking menu, where it sometimes skips a frame or two. Every game that I tried worked without any noticeable lag. The music player interface has received a major facelift, and the resultant changes are good. As usual, Samsung has provided a plethora of equaliser settings. The sound quality is great, and the bundled earphones are good too. The GS3 can handle MP4, AVI, and MKV videos up to 1080p without a problem.
` 42,500/-
HTC One V – Full on Style
re
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8 struggles in the imited number of — but then again, s. reView technology s, well before the lopers. Moreover, le, so Nokia had ureView to WP, or e current Symbian
lobal handset maker HTC, now seems to release and concentrate on fewer handsets. While its One X competes with Samsung's GALAXY S III, the One V battles it out in the crowded mid-range segment. The handset offers Android 4.0 out of the box to stand out from the rest. The phone's 3.7" screen has pixel dimensions of 480x800, with pixel density being 252 ppi. The screen is bright and offers wide viewing angles. Display sharpness and color
00/
5,000
-
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reproduction is also reasonably good. This handset is powered by a 1 GHz CPU, coupled with an Adreno 205 GPU. Other specs include: •A 5 MP camera •512 MB of RAM •4 GB internal storage (1 GB user accessible) •MicroSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB •Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.0 •A micro-USB port and 3.5 mm jack Keeping in mind the handset's price tag, the user experience is good enough. The phone does lag a bit while using the task switcher, but its rivals aren't any better either. The One V also features the latest version of the Android web browser. It comes with full-Flash support, tabbed browsing, and an option to toggle between mobile and desktop mode. The One V offers a plethora of equaliser settings. Additionally, it comes with Beats audio enhancements. However, despite the branding, the phone doesn't include Beats audio earphones. The handset's sound quality is very good considering its price tag. On the video playback front, it is capable of handling MP4, 3GP, and WMV videos up to 720p. The smartphone's camera UI gives access to the snapper and camcorder at the same time. This means you can snap pictures while recording video. The phone provides many features including Panorama, Burst mode, Group portrait, and HDR. Additionally, it gives access to numerous camera filters such as Vintage, Aqua, and Sepia to name a few.
www.mobilityindia.com
June 2012 | 25
7/4/2012 11:59:25 PM
Mobility Review
Sams sive P
Motorola Atrix 2 – The Average Runner T
he sequel to Motorola's first dual-core smarphone, the Atrix 2, has finally made it to the Indian shores. Atrix's successor doesn't seem like a big improvement, since it still has a dual-core 1 GHz CPU. The screen size and camera has received an upgrade though. The 4.3" screen has pixel dimensions of 540x960. The display is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass and features a layer that helps you wipe off smudges easily. The panel is reasonably bright, but the colours look drab. Moreover, the viewing angles are not wide. This handset from Motorola is powered by a 1 GHz dualcore Cotex-A9 CPU and a PowerVR SGX540 GPU. Other specs include: •An 8 MP main and 1.9 MP front camera •1 GB of RAM •8 GB internal storage (4 GB user accessible) •MicroSD card slot with support for up to 32 GB •Wi-Fi, GPS, and Bluetooth 4.0 •A micro-USB port, HDMI, and 3.5 mm jack •A 1785 mAh battery The device runs Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) with the MOTOBLUR UI on top of it. Those who think that Samsung's TouchWiz is
S
Fi reception was good; however, like most Android device's, the GPS performance was lackluster. The handset's sound quality is impressive. One nice feature Motorola has added to the default player is its ability to display lyrics. Of course, this feature requires internet connection. Equaliser settings are covered, but you can't access them within music player. For that, you have to navigate through device's settings. The 8 MP autofocus lens has an LED flash to keep it company. This snapper is neither fast nor feature packed. What's worse is that the camera has a tendency to add an annoying greenish tint to pictures. Throughout the testing, there were no call drops. The voice quality was also good. However, despite having a bigger display, the portrait keyboard isn't very comfortable to type on.
` 25,000/-
NXG X
T
he Xtab A1 4.0 experie company c The device's 7 The screen isn't competition. Its On the flipside, and has limited v Although th claims to feat processor, the powered by a specs include 51 Fi, 4 GB / 8 GB microSD card VGA camera, 3 mm jack, US OTG-enable mini-USB por HDMI port, an a 3700 360 mAh battery. The Xtab A 10 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out o
ugly, you should check this one out. It's full of gaudy colous, and the UI design is also tasteless. The browser has full Flash support, and it had no problem handling most web videos. During our tests, the phone's Wi26 | June 2012
Mobility june2012.indd 26
www.mobilityindia.com
amsung has its GALAXY r 7" version is t playback, the devi The touch de CPU, Mali 400MP memory. Other b 3G support, 3.5 m rear and 2 MP fro bunch of sensors. The tab sport switch and the vo side features the S jack and the mic a port and the speak Apart from th as Back and Home can check out th and access device clock. The multimedi sound through the
MOBILITY
7/4/2012 11:59:26 PM
MOBILITY
Mobility Review
Samsung GALAXY Tab 620 – Expensive Proposition
S
ndroid device's,
ne nice feature bility to display et connection. t access them vigate through
ash to keep it eature packed. ncy to add an
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amsung has brought out several variants of tablets under its GALAXY range, in multiple screen sizes. Of these, the 7" version is the cheapest of the lot. Boasting of HD video playback, the device makes an impressive initial impression. The touch device is powered by a 1.2 GHz dual-core CPU, Mali 400MP GPU, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal memory. Other bells and whistles include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G support, 3.5 mm audio jack, USB 2.0 charging port, 3 MP rear and 2 MP front cameras, GPS, a 4000 mAh battery and a bunch of sensors. The tab sports only two physical buttons - the power switch and the volume rocker on the left side, while the right side features the SIM card and microSD card slot. The 3.5 mm jack and the mic are placed at the top, whereas the charging port and the speakers are at the base. Apart from the standard on-screen navigation keys such as Back and Home, the tab also features a task manager. You can check out the connectivity options, brightness setting and access device settings from the shortcut next to the digital clock. The multimedia experience of the tablet is very good. While sound through the speakers is pretty average, the earphones are
` 27,000/-
fairly loud. The built in music player has a clean interface, and is very easy to use. It also offers equaliser settings and sound effects, along with playing a variety of formats including MP3, WAV, and WMA files.
NXG Xtab A10 – Complete Value for Money
T
he Xtab A10 is one such 7" tablet that offers the Android 4.0 experience at an affordable price. Additionally, the company claims effortless full HD video playback. The device's 7" touchscreen has pixel dimensions of 800x480. The screen isn't extraordinary, but is definitely better than its competition. Its brightness and colour reproduction is ok. On the flipside, it's quite reflective and has limited viewing angles. Although the official website claims to feature a 1.5 GHz processor, the device is actually powered by a 1 GHz CPU. Other specs include 512 MB of RAM, WiFi, 4 GB / 8 GB internal memory, a microSD card slot, front VGA camera, 3.5 mm jack, USB OTG-enabled mini-USB port, HDMI port, and a 3700 3600 mAh battery. The Xtab A 10 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of
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the box. Surprisingly, the hardware handles the latest software reasonably well. This has been achieved by stripping off a few features, such as the Face Unlock from the ICS. The tablet still has a slight amount of lag, but then it's a part of the standard Android experience.
` 5,700/-
www.mobilityindia.com
June 2012 | 27
7/4/2012 11:59:28 PM
Mobility Review
iberry BT07i – The Budget Tablet
H
ong Kong-based iberry has introduced a 7" tablet called the BT07i. What makes this tablet stand out from the rest, is its 1 GHz CPU that is capable of 1080p video playback. The manufacturer has been generous enough to stuff the retail package with a lot of goodies. It contains the tablet, mini-USB cable, charger, earphones, and a leather cover. Despite being affordable, the device has decent looks. The bezel is too big to my liking, but the back panel has a nice matte finish to it. The 7" touchscreen has pixel dimensions of 800x480. The screen is reasonably bright, but the colours look dull. Like every low cost device, its screen is highly reflective. This becomes more annoying when used outdoors. This budget tablet is powered by a 1 GHz CPU and has 512 MB of RAM.
Other specs include Wi-Fi, 4 GB internal memory, a microSD card slot, front VGA camera, 3.5 mm jack, USB OTG-enabled mini-USB port, and a 3600 mAh battery. The onboard browser supports
Flash 10.3 and it handled web videos pretty well. However, the browser's page rendering speed is very slow, and can take a few minutes to render scriptheavy websites.
` 8,000/-
Zync Z-990 – Style with Performance ` 9,000/-
28 | June 2012
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espite the cut-throat competition, Zync was bold enough to launch its 7" tablet, the Z-990. Now, let's find out whether it has managed to strike a balance between price and performance. The tablet is powered by a 1.2 GHz CPU coupled with Vivante Gc430 GPU. Other specs include 1 GB of RAM, WiFi, 4 GB of internal memory, a microSD card slot, front VGA camera, 3.5 mm jack, full size USB port, HDMI, and a
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3600 mAh battery. Similar to most lowcost Android tablets, the company has done away with the main camera and Bluetooth. The Z-990 runs Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) out of the box. To make it work on this hardware though, ICS has been stripped off a few features, such as Face Unlock. In spite of that, the interface still feels sluggish. The tablet has access to Google's Play Store, which allows you to download a plethora of free apps. On the flipside though, due to a software issue, sometimes a few icons go completely off the screen, in the portrait mode. These software bugs should have been spotted in the testing phase. The device's front facing VGA camera and mic let you make video calls using third party apps such as Fring and Skype. The onboard browser supports Flash and is capable of handling web videos pretty well. The 3600 mAh battery can keep the device powered on for about 10 hours. With heavy use though, it can last up to 4 hours. The biggest downer here, is the Z-990's tendency to overheat while charging. MOBILITY
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