Coincidence?

Is it just a coincidence that Sprint willingly as part of a lawsuit settlement offers to unlock it’s network and then a couple of weeks later Google announces it’s big mobile strategy? Add this one to “I told you so.” There are too many things happening here to be ignored. The Wall Street Journal claims that Google and TMobile USA “…it has the most traction with Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA.” But is this really the case? Which carrier has publicly announced a partnership with Google? I don’t think it was T. I believe it is Sprint per the press release from July 26, 2007 that announced “Sprint and Google to Collaborate on WiMAX Mobile Internet Services”

Here’s a great blog post by David Ingram.

InformationWeek writer Richard Martin has a good article that pulls a lot of the speculation together also. “Google Unplugged: gPhone Or Not, Google's Going Mobile”

This is the start of an evolution in the U.S. wireless industry. The unlocking of phones to be used across networks is the just the start. Google Mobile platform and devices will be on the next wave. Will we see devices launched with GSM, CDMA, HSDPA, and Wi-MAX? Why not. Verizon Wireless and Sprint both have world phones/pdas/blackberrys that will work on GSM, why not allow access to T-Mobile USA and AT&T Mobility in the U.S. via these devices? What about the MID (Mobile Internet Device) a user could avoid the use of a traditional wireless voice network all together and use VoIP over a mobile broadband connection and pay once and get everything said user could need. Instead of having a broadband aircard and a separate wired broadband at home a user would have one broadband service that is with them wherever they roam. This will also push voice response software systems to be employed in vehicles or mobile devices so the user can respond to email while spending those two and half or three hours in their vehicle either on the way to or home from the office. This should also usher in video calls so do people really even need to go in to the office? Can’t they work from home office, den, vehicle, or kitchen table? For those that work too much as it is this may be even worse, since there will be no down time or time when broadband service is not available. Instead of “crackberry’s” we’ll have crackMIDs. This could reverse the way a user utilizes a “docking station.” Instead of docking a mobile device to a wired connection it could be the mobile device providing the connectivity. Could these things really come about due to an open source device or device category? The writer believes it will. Let’s just see what Google announces in the next 90 days and then see what the world of gadgets and broadband looks like in a year. The future is bright!

Bluetooth Watch That Might Really Work

Citizen released 5 new bluetooth watches today that look really usefull. They sport LCD displays capable of viewing SMS messages, emails, and a past call list. Four of the watches are basically the same with the color being the only thing that's different. The really cool one is made of titanium. If these are released in the states I might be tempted. From japwatches.

Palm Centro Review

I must declare my fandom for Palm right off. I love Palm and have since my first 3x device back in 1996 or was it 1997? After owning and using several PDA devices including a few HP products with WindowsMobile I really like the new Palm Centro. The Centro is small and has some great attributes. I currently have a Treo 755p which replaced my Treo 700p and the new Centro delivers all the goodness of the 755 and adds some. The new keyboard has a great tactile feel the buttons are soft. The screen is super sharp and bright and in my opinion is the best screen I've seen on a Palm device. I did not find any functionality gap between the 755 and Centro. The bad news is that Sprint Nextel will soon be releasing the Blackberry 8130 "Pearl 2" and that device will compete with the Centro. I do think Sprint is on the right path with the Centro and with the launch of the LG Rumor slider and the Pearl 2 Sprint will be providing consumers with options to the VZW EnV and the TMobile Sidekick. I give the Centro 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Wi-MAX Update

The first part of this post will be about Sprint and Xohm. Secondly I'll write about the news about the classification of Wi-MAX.

The Wallstreet analysts are a buzz about what will happen to Sprint Nextel and the new Xohm service with the hiring of a new CEO. The best article I've read about this was from SmartMoney. The author of this article spent a great deal of time considering what the future holds for Xohm and the conclusion is that Xohm will continue and thrive due to the "ecosystem" that has been developed by the collaboration with such companies as Intel, Motorola, Samsung, and Nokia. Read the full article: SmartMoney

UN Telecoms Agency Approves WiMax As Mobile Wireless Standard Friday October 19 the U.N. telecommunications agency met and approved WiMAX as a new 3G standard. AP writer Frank Jordans writes:

GENEVA (AP) -- The broadband technology WiMax has been added to a global standard for mobile devices, boosting its chances of becoming the preferred system for the next generation of high-speed wireless Internet access.
The decision Friday by the U.N. telecommunications agency means that airwaves designated for other technologies in the standard known as IMT-2000 can now be used for networks based on WiMax. That's likely to spur development of the wireless technology, attract new investors and eventually drive down hardware costs, analysts said.

Additionally WirelessWeek has a great write up about the meetings and provide more details about the specifics and significance of this decision. What does this mean to Sprint Nextel - Xohm which has been touted as 4G? It's now part of the 3G standard! WirelessWeek

Google Phone Update

There have been several articles over the past three weeks about the supposed gPhone. There hasn't been anything new written, but the buzz is still around. The overall feel is that Google is preparing a Linux based OS and a "platform" that will enable all of the Google apps to run including VoIP, YouTube, GoogleMaps, GoogleDocs, etc.... I still think this maybe less of a phone and more of a hybrid phone/MID(Mobile Internet Device). We just have to wait and see what Google has up it's sleeve. When will we see something? My bet is the next three months.

Sprint CEO Resigns/Fired

Sprint announced Monday (Oct.8) that they will miss previously provided guidance of $11.0 to $11.5 billion of adjusted OIBDA and $41 to $42 billion of consolidated operating revenue and expects to report a net loss of approximately 337,000 post-paid subscribers in the third quarter. Oh and CEO Gary Forsee is stepping down as the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Check out the press release.

A lot has been written about this move by analysts and the common theme is that Sprint needs to re-evaluate the Xohm/4G/WiMAX effort. Many analysts feel that spending $5billion on a new network with an "unproven" technology is not a wise decision for a struggling wireless company. I for one feel that scaling back or shutting down the Xohm effort is a bad choice. Xohm has the potential to separate Sprint from it's competition and establish it as the technology leader in the mobile wireless broadband segment, which doesn't exist today. To stall or slow down Xohm is very short-sighted. The wireless phone market has all but reached it's saturation point, so a growth company would be wise to move to the next great thing. Intel has designed new chip sets for the Mobile Internet Device, Google is working on a new Mobile OS or OS standard for Linux mobile devices. Imagine if Palm, Google, HTC, and Intel all worked together to create this new line of devices that provide MP3, PMP, GPS, Phone, and enterprise application support. It's basically a cross between an UMPC and a PMP in size with maybe a 3 in wide touch screen with a slide out qwerty. The possibilities are endless for something in this space. If I can leave my laptop and smartphone at home and utilize an MID with bluetooth and voice service? Why wouldn't I do that?

I just hope that whomever the Sprint board finds to fill the CEO position does not chop things up, but takes a long hard look at all the assets within the portfolio and then makes decisions based on the future not just based on the past or present time. Only AT&T and Verizon have an equal set of assets.

Verizon Wireless Holiday Phones

My friends over at engadget Mobile spent sometime with Verizon Wireless's new phones. The device that is getting all the pub on the net is the new LG Voyager which is touted as an iPhone killer. I like the design, but let's wait and see how the production model functions. I like the Voyager, but actually think the LG Venus is more revolutionary with a dual touch screen and slider key pad. Take a look at the photo galleries on engadget Mobile.

LG Voyager from VerizonWireless



















LG Venus from VerizonWireless

New GPS Service from Garmin

Wouldn't it be nice to have GPS maps and turn by turn directions on your mobile phone without paying a monthly service fee? Well now you have a new option. If your device has a built in GPS receiver then you are in luck. If your device is a Palm Treo then you can get a GPS receiver from Garmin and utilize this new software. Here's an excerpt from the press release.

OLATHE, Kan., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), today announced Garmin Mobile XT, a unique, all-in-one software solution that turns select smartphones with internal GPS into high-end Garmin navigators. This mobile phone software application seamlessly pairs the phone's built-in GPS with Garmin's software so that customers have the benefits of navigation anywhere in North America or Europe. Unlike other mobile phone applications, Garmin Mobile XT offers convenient preloaded maps and includes access to dynamic content like premium real-time traffic alerts and fuel prices, but does not require any monthly fees or subscriptions of any kind.

Garmin press release