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Posted
Jun 24 2008, 06:41 AM
by
Kim Peterson
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Nokia is buying Symbian, a company that makes operating systems for mobile phones. Nokia already uses Symbian software in its smartphones, so the move isn't a huge surprise. But in an unexpected twist, Nokia is going to make Symbian open and royalty-free for software developers. In doing so the company is clearly going after Google for the future of mobile phone systems. Nokia was already paying Symbian some $250 million a year to use Symbian's software in phones, analysts say. So buying Symbian outright for $410 million is smart business. Nokia shares were up slightly in morning trading to $24.48, and Google shares are down just slightly to $543.36.
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Posted
Jun 23 2008, 09:47 AM
by
Kim Peterson
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Google's trying to herd cats with the development of its Android mobile phone platform, and it's no surprise that the project is running into delays. The mobile industry is notoriously slow, and hammering out phone and software agreements with carriers is a laborious process. The Wall Street Journal says that cell phone companies are "struggling" to meet Google's timelines and may end up blowing the deadline altogether. It doesn't help that Apple's iPhone is king of the industry getting the industry's attention right now, which presents two problems for Google. Software makers are putting the iPhone at the top of priority lists. And second, the iPhone has raised the bar, increasing pressure on Google to create a worthy rival. Google shares are up just slightly to $546.66 at 10:30 a.m. PST.
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Posted
Jun 09 2008, 01:02 PM
by
Kim Peterson
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Why were Apple shares down Monday, with all the big iPhone news? Chalk it up to the typical storm of hype that surrounds Apple announcement. Expectations ratchet up so high that CEO Steve Jobs would have to juggle 10 iPhones on one foot to impress investors.
Apple stock was weak all day, but recovered in the final hour of trading. It closed down 2.2% on heavy volume to $181.61. Here's how Apple's news affected other stocks:
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Posted
May 21 2008, 10:33 AM
by
Kim Peterson
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Sprint Nextel has a problem keeping customers happy, according to the latest numbers from the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Sprint's numbers are so bad, in fact, that the index's founder wonders how the company can even stay afloat. "Business is unsustainable in a competitive marketplace when customer satisfaction scores are as low as Sprint Nextel's," said the founder, Claes Fornell. Sprint's satisfaction level dropped 8% from last year to 56 on the 100-point index. Verizon scored the best in the industry, at 72. Commenters on this blog regularly slam AT&T for its service, but the company's cell phone division gained 4% to score a 71. You can see the full customer satisfaction index here.
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Posted
Mar 26 2008, 12:10 PM
by
Kim Peterson
Filed under: Google, Comcast, Time Warner, Sprint, wireless, Intel, Verizon, AT&T, Kim Peterson, Clearwire, WiMax
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Lots of big numbers are being tossed around today in support of WiMax, a wireless technology that can deliver high-speed Internet access over several miles. Clearwire is a leader in developing WiMax, and has been trying to hammer out a partnership with Sprint for months. But working out a deal hasn't been easy, partly because building out WiMax is so expensive and partly because both companies have their own struggles to deal with.
Now, the two biggest U.S. cable companies are stepping in with loads of cash. According to the Wall Street Journal, Comcast and Time Warner are talking about funding a new WiMax company, one that would be run by Sprint and Clearwire. The company would operate a nationwide WiMax network. Comcast is reportedly offering $1 billion and Time Warner is adding $500 million. Bright House Networks, a small cable company, might pony up between $100 million and $200 million.
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Posted
Nov 05 2007, 12:50 PM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
When Google came on the scene 10 years ago, the PC business was pretty much figured out. Lots of companies made computers, but Microsoft monopolized the operating systems that ran on them. It was Microsoft's world, and as a software developer Google had to learn to live in it.
Not so with cell phones. There are lots of handset makers, and several companies make operating systems and other software for the devices. Google either has to play ball with those companies or control the mobile environment on its own.
Enter today's announcement of a Google operating system that will prominently feature the company's applications -- mail, maps, search and so on. And Google is going to entice handset makers by giving them the system for free. The phones probably won't have the name Google anywhere on them, and the first ones won't be available until the second half of '08.
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Posted
Nov 05 2007, 07:22 AM
by
Kim Peterson
Rating:
 Google might introduce its highly-awaited G-phone today, but don't get too excited. It's not some slick device like Apple's iPhone. In fact, it's not really a phone at all. And it probably won't be called the G-phone.
From what I've read, the phone itself is pretty irrelevant. The hardware could come from any company, really. It's the software inside the phone -- more specifically, the phone's operating system, that Google is concerned with.
According to USA Today, the operating system will heavily promote Google's mobile offerings -- it has tweaked search, Gmail, chat and other programs for the phone.
That's all pretty standard. But what's got the wireless world worked up is that Google also wants an open system on the phone that would let developers create different programs for it. So far, that's pretty unheard of. If you buy a Sprint phone, you only get to use the programs on the phone that Sprint has specifically approved. (Sprint, by the way, is reportedly supporting the G-phone but not to the point where it will offer the phone to subscribers).
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