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Was 2009 the year of the smartphone? Or will it be 2010? Either way, a new Forrester report confirmed a surge in smartphone ownership last year and expects more growth and more competition this year.
Around 17 percent of mobile phone subscribers now own smartphones, up from 11 percent at the end of 2008 and 7 percent at the end of 2007. Those numbers are even more impressive than they sound, Forrester said Monday, because new technologies typically enjoy a growth spurt in their first year and then trail off in subsequent years. Smartphones are doing the reverse.
In 2009, Research In Motion's BlackBerry was still king of the smartphone castle, at least in terms of market share. Though the iPhone may get all the buzz, Forrester points out that RIM kept up its two-to-one advantage over Apple throughout the year. The sustained popularity of the BlackBerry may stem from its price, availability from a range of carriers, and its full QWERTY keyboard, Forrester said.
To clarify which devices Forrester is discussing here, the market researcher pegs a smartphone as a mobile phone or connected handheld device running a high-level operating system, such as iPhone OS, BlackBerry OS, Windows Mobile, PalmOS, WebOS, Symbian, or any Linux variant, including Android.
Forrester also looked at quick messaging devices such as the LG Xenon and Samsung Magnet. Sometimes lumped in with smartphones, quick messaging devices typically sport a keyboard, a touchscreen, or both, but they run proprietary software instead of a standard smartphone OS. Fifteen percent of adult subscribers owned one at the end of 2009, versus 9 percent in 2008.
Though acknowledging that 2009 was a banner year for smartphones--an opinion shared by CNET--Forrester believes 2010 will truly be the year for this device.
As more carriers hit the market with Google Android devices, both handset maker Nokia and mobile OS maker Microsoft will need to beef up their products to keep their customers happy. Of course, rumors also abound about the Apple iPhone jumping ship from AT&T to another provider, such as Verizon Wireless. Google is also set to unveil its own smartphone on Tuesday.
iHome's iP49 will hit stores in early spring with a list price of $169.
(Credit: iHome)Last year, iHome came out with a higher-end iPod/iPhone audio system called the iP1 as part of its new Studio Series line. That compact system had an arresting design and good sound. Now the company is expanding the line with the more affordable iP2 ($199) as well as a portable unit, the iP49 Rechargeable Audio System with Alarm Clock & FM Radio for iPhone/iPod.
Like the iP1 and iP2, the iP49 is equipped with the patented Bongiovi Acoustics DPS technology that the company describes as a "complex, chip-based algorithm, custom-tuned to each and every product to maximize performance and provide studio quality sound, the way the artist intended it to be heard."
The iP49 will be released in early spring 2010 with a list price of $169.
The iP49 folds flat and has a rechargeable battery.
(Credit: iHome)
The iP2 arrives this summer with a list price of $199.
(Credit: iHome)Last year, iHome came out with a higher-end iPod/iPhone audio system called the iP1 as part of its new Studio Series line. That compact system had an arresting design and good sound. Now the company is expanding the line with the iP2, which isn't quite as sexy as the iP1 but carries a lower price tag of $199.
The iP2 is equipped with the patented Bongiovi Acoustics DPS technology that the company describes as a "complex, chip-based algorithm, custom-tuned to each and every product to maximize performance and provide studio quality sound, the way the artist intended it to be heard."
The iP2 will be released in the summer of 2010.
The Pure Sensia headlines the company's lineup of Internet-connected radios.
(Credit: Pure)Late last year, Pure, a global company based in the U.K., released a family of Internet-connected radios overseas. Now it's bringing them to the U.S. market.
While the company is offering several products, including the Evoke Flow, Sirocco 550, Siesta Flow, and Oasis Flow, it's highlighting the distinctly designed Sensia, which features a 5.7-inch color touch screen and costs around $350.
The company says its digital and Internet-connected range of radios work together with Pure's proprietary radio and media portal, the Pure Lounge, which "enables a two-way flow of information between the radio, the portal, and the broadcaster." While the radios and the Lounge function on their own, when combined they enhance the user-experience by enabling "the organization of favorite stations into shared folders and automatically syncing content choices on both the radio and the portal."
It's also worth noting that the Pure Lounge also contains custom content such as Pure Sounds, a library ... Read more
(Credit:
Lenovo)
Do you believe in smartbooks yet? Smaller than Netbooks, running custom OSes and miniature smartphone processors, these newly-coined devices are supposed to offer the best of smartphone convenience with the form factor of a Netbook. They're ready to start appearing on the scene, and Lenovo has one of the first with their Skylight.
With a 10.1-inch screen, it's not exactly a supersmall device compared to an iPhone--but it is much thinner than nearly any Netbook. With built-in 3G and Wi-Fi, Lenovo promises a seamless browsing experience. The OS, however, is not Windows, or even Ubuntu: it's a Linux-based custom OS with "web gadgets" for accessing functions such as Gmail and Facebook, sounding much like a smartphone's apps. The Skylight comes with 18 built in, including Amazon MP3 and Roxio CinemaNow to add music and movie purchasing.
A promised 10 hours-plus of battery life sounds tempting, but of course we'd have to see that for ourselves. And how well does it play videos? That
... Read more
(Credit:
Lenovo)
Lenovo is having a field day this CES with reinventing portable devices. As if smartbooks and hybrid tablet/notebooks weren't enough, the newly-announced IdeaPad S10-3t sounds even more enticing to purchase.
While many swivel-screen Netbooks have shown more promise than actual performance, the details here are eye-catching. New Atom processors up to the Atom N470 and a 10.1-inch screen are accompanied by up to a 320GB hard drive and a four- or eight-cell battery.
The "Natural Touch" panel is multitouch and, to our excitement, capacitive like an iPhone's, avoiding the awkward world of pressure-based resistive displays used in stylus-based touchscreens. The Dolby sound and hi-def screen suggest the S10-3t could be a decent media machine as well, especially when folded over into a very commuting-friendly form. 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, and WiMax are supported. 2 USB ports, VGA-out, and a multi-format carder round out the features.
At a starting price of $499, the S10-3t isn't cheap--but it could be an excellent set of features
... Read more
(Credit:
Blackfire Research)
Wi-Fi speakers have made some appearances over the last few years, in the form of prototypes and high-priced novelties. Finally, San Francisco-based Blackfire Research will release the Wi-Fi speakers we've been waiting for.
When the SmartSpeaker launches this summer, consumers will be able to stream audio, including Internet radio and movies, from Wi-Fi-enabled cellphone and computers.
Software for the speakers is still in development and will be available for the iPhone, Zune, Palm, Android, iPod Touch, and Blackberry by the time of launch.
Ravi Rajapakse, CEO of Blackfire Research, became interested in audio at the age of 12, when he built his first speaker. But despite extensive experience in speaker engineering, he faced difficulties streaming audio over a packet-based Wi-Fi protocol.
After years of research and the help of several Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, Ravi succeeded in building proprietary technology that he plans to apply to the greater speaker market.
He created the BearClaw Smart Amps, amplifiers that attach to regular speakers and enable them to operate over Wi-Fi. Blackfire is working ... Read more
BMW's M Power app is actually quite useful.
(Credit: BMW)BMW has launched the M Power iPhone app, the Bavarian automaker's second free application to promote its brand. However, unlike its previous offering, this app is actually sort of useful.
The M Power app measures vehicle acceleration using your iPhone's (or iPod Touch's) built-in accelerometer. After securing the iPhone (via a windshield mount or just tossing it in a cup holder), the app will measure 0-60 mph times other user-customizable speeds in mph or kph. The app will also measure forward and lateral G-forces for users who want to take a spin on a skidpad. Users can also unlock different skins on BMW's Web site to customize the look and feel of the app.
Although branded with the BMW M badge, the M Power app will work for any car that you can fit an iPhone into. Unlike my favorite paid iPhone accelerometer-based speed computer, Dynolicious, BMW's app doesn't look like it will calculate your vehicle's ... Read more
If you've been wanting to test-drive an iPhone navigation app but didn't want to invest $34.99 on CoPilot Live, $49.99 on TomTom U.S.A., or $59.99 MobileNavigator, here's good news: Now you can get Gokivo GPS Navigator for just 99 cents (iTunes link).
Just to clarify, that 99 cents buys you 30 days' worth of navigation (complete with real-time traffic). After that, Gokivo will cost you $4.99 per month or $39.99 if you pay annually (a considerable savings).
It will cost you more over the long haul than a flat-rate app like CoPilot or MobileNavigator, but Gokivo might be a more attractive option for infrequent drivers--since there's no contract, no commitment.
If you're like me and only occasionally need turn-by-turn navigation assistance, you can, literally, pay as you go. Gokivo now supports in-app transactions, so if you're leaving for a road trip or happen to get lost somewhere, just tap out $4.99 and presto: You've got another month of GPS.
If ... Read more
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(Credit: Gizmodo--art by Jesus Diaz; copy by Mark Wilson and Jesus Diaz; extra documentation by Eric Sheline)The 102-year history of the Times Square New Year's Even Ball is one filled with technology, death and, of course, pretty shiny lights. See it all unfold in our historical timeline.
Of course, for those who don't appreciate the festivity of the ball drop, despite all of the hard work behind the scenes, feel free to ignore the ball's 32,256 glimmering Philips LEDs and turn your attention to your iPhone...because, yes, Waterford has made an app for that.
Happy New Year everyone!
This story originally appeared on Gizmodo.
