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This year's International Consumer Electronics Show, which opens in Las Vegas, Nev., Thursday, is shaping up to be less of what's brand new in the industry and more about new twists on technology still struggling for the limelight.

Evolutionary technology to be highlighted includes an emerging class of mobile devices called smartbooks, tablet PCs, and 3D television, each of which is expected to be in sharp focus at CES. While the product categories are not exactly new, vendors are still trying to win the hearts and wallets of consumers.

Bay Area Internet Solutions Get the latest dope on Microsoft's updated Windows Mobile 6.1 -- the fast growing operating system for mobile devices. Yahoo aims at mobile developers with an open developer platform called Yahoo Go.
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Smartbooks and tablets are mobile computing devices that have been around for awhile, but have yet to excite mainstream consumers. With the latest wave of devices, vendors are targeting teenagers and young adults, who may consider an inexpensive device with a larger screen than a smartphone for quick access to social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, and to Web browsing. The new products are also marketed as entertainment devices that can play back Web video and downloaded movies, as well as be used to buy and play digital music.

Among the vendors showing off a tablet PC is Freescale Semiconductor, which released this week a reference design for a model with a seven-inch touchscreen, optional keyboard, and support for Wi-Fi and 3G mobile broadband. The device would have a starting price of about $200.

While Microsoft will be at CES to talk about Windows 7, the company is also expected to discuss its Courier tablet. HP, Lenovo, and an Indian startup called Notion Ink are also expected to introduce tablet PCs at CES.

On the smartbook side, Lenovo has already grabbed some pre-show attention with the introduction of the Skylight. Scheduled to be available in April, the clamshell device weighs less than two pounds and has a custom interface for quick access to online services. The device has a starting price of $499.

But the company that has probably done the most to re-energize interest in devices that fall between a smartphone and mini-laptop won't be at CES. That company is Apple.
SOURCE-http://www.informationweek.com

NEW DELHI: Mozilla, the world’s second-largest Internet browser firm, is all set to release its Firefox web browser Fennec for mobile phones next
year, in order to compete with existing rivals including Opera Mini, Safari, Chrome, Nokia, Netfront and Internet Explorer for mobile. The war for browser market share is set to be shifted to the mobile market, experts say.

Globally, on the mobile front, Opera commands the largest market share—about 26%, followed by Safari (22%), Nokia web browser (19%) and iTouch (10%). Other web browsers which may face competition from Fennec will be Netfront, Android, Blackberry and Sony PSP.

However, on desktops Mozilla’s Firefox browser commands a global market share of about 25%. Internet Explorer, commands a majority share of almost 63% while Safari has a market share of about 5%. In India, however, Opera is the clear leader on the mobile with a market share of 63%, followed by Nokia at 26%.

The statistics may change next year as Firefox launches Fennec. On the desktop side Firefox has already captured a market share of 30% in India after Microsoft’s Internet explorer which has a market share of 50%.

Indian market is also quick to adopt new technologies. It’s evident from the fact that relatively new Chrome already has a share of about 11% in India, compared to 5%, globally.

Firefox mobile is expected to be available for most open environments like Android, Nokia’s Maemo, Symbian and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile. Apple’s Safari for iPhones will however be in safe territory as Fennec may not be available on iPhone.

Fennec is expected to include touchscreen support, pop-up blockers with a tabbrowsing interface. Mozilla’s Fennec may also be available for desktops based on Windows and Linux, but the prime focus of it will be the mobile phone, for which it will be optimised.

The earlier browser wars were fought from 1995 onwards when Internet Explorer made Netscape vanish from the marketplace by its sheer dominance in operating systems. The years following 2000 saw erosion of IE’s market share by Google, Opera and Firefox and extinction of Netscape Navigator.

Microsoft has still got the largest market share on desktops. But mobile phones being a generally non monopolistic environment may see more upheaval.


source-http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

Image via CrunchBase

Apple has kickstarted a major 12-day-long Christmas promotion where they’re giving away iTunes music, movies, and iPhone
apps. And guess what – there’s an app for that.

Apple has posted a new iPhone app made in-house to accompany a major Christmas promotion called “12 Days of Christmas.” The Cupertino firm will be giving away iTunes freebies in the 12-day period beginning with December 26. The free iPhone app reminds you each day of a free item via Push Notifications alerts that arrive even when the program isn’t running. In addition, the app also connects with Facebook so you can recommend free downloads to your friends. Here’s how Apple described it:

12 Days. 12 Free Downloads on iTunes.

The 12 Days of Christmas app will allow you to download a free gift from iTunes every day from December 26 – January 6 direct from iPhone or iPod touch.

You’ll receive an alert each day when your gift is available and get the chance to connect to Facebook to recommend free downloads to your friends.

Like the music, TV, apps and movies you receive? The app also offer recommendations of other content that you might like.

The freebies are downloadable for 24 hours and are yours to keep once downloaded. Make sure you turn on Push Notifications when prompted. The app is provided in five locales (English, Dutch, French, German, and Italian) and works on any iPhone or iPod touch that run iPhone OS 3.0 or later. It surfaced at press time on the UK App Store so don’t panic if you don’t see it in the US store yet – it typically takes a few hours for a software
to propagate throughout iTunes servers.
Christian’s Opinion

This promotion is a great idea that will undoubtedly put lots of iTunes content into the hands of consumers. It’s a well-thought promotional vehicle considering that you’ll get recommendations for paid items based on the free stuff, so some folks may end up buying some iTunes content this holiday season. If you ask me, this one has an AppVent Calendar written all over it.

It could be just a coincidence, but I think that Blacksmith’s high-profile holiday promotion, where they’re giving away an iPhone app each day, hasn’t gone unnoticed with Apple. Make sure you download the 12 Days of Christmas app and grab your freebies. This Apple’s promotion is definitely more than most of us could have asked for this holiday season.

source-

http://www.geek.com/articles/mobile/merry-apple-christmas-twelve-days-of-free-itunes-music-movies-and-apps-20091223/