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Weather app Fahrenheit does what every other weather app has failed to do – placed an icon badge displaying the current temperature. Read the rest of this entry »

Read my full post and review about the new symbian software ‘Anna’ and my hands-on experience with the Nokia E6 and Nokia X7 here. Read the rest of this entry »

HTC’s net profit for this first quarter, nearly triples that of last year. In the race from traditional phones to smartphones demand remains strong among consumers. HTC’s value US$33.88 billions, slightly above Nokia, the number one handset manufacturer by shipments US$33.8 billion.

HTC is a Taiwanese company whose phones run using Google’s operating system.

Yuanta analyst Bonnie Chang said she expects HTC’s handset shipments to grow 20% in the second quarter from the first quarter because the company will ramp up production of its 4G dual-core processor Android smartphones and 3G Android handsets.

Market-research firm Gartner Inc. forecasts Android phones will account for 49% of the smartphone market by 2012, up from about 23% in 2010. The Android platform allows device makers, including HTC, that may not want to or be able to create their own operating system to manufacture smartphones.

“We don’t expect to see supply chain issues (stemming from the March 11 Japan earthquake) to hurt HTC’s shipments in the second quarter as it has adequate inventories. It still has two months to build up inventories for the third quarter,” said Chang.

Following my earlier article here yours truly has been cordially invited to ‘lunch and chat’ with friends from Nokia by the nice people from WomWorldNokia on the same day.  The launch promises to be exciting news though speculation is rife that it is the long-awaited symbian^3 update, now renamed the ‘summer update’. However, as you all know, my  hopes are for a hybrid qwerty/touch symbian^3 device. Jay brings us more thoughts on the forthcoming occasion here.

Jade brings us a taste of the Nokia N8′s camera under real life test conditions. Jade mentions ‘the N8′s video shot is dynamic in lighting due to the camera sensor and optics and the N8 proved its versatility as a device from phone to camera” with its Carl Zeiss lens.

Read more on Jade’s take on the Nokia N8 and view the full gallery of images here.

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Let’s take a look back at some of Nokia’s more iconic designs of the past. First in line is the Nokia 6600 (known as the egg). With it came my introduction to s60, the second of Nokia’s symbian handsets, the first being the Nokia 7650.

The following handset, despite its odd keypad layout was a firm favourite. Can you name it?

The next handset received exclamations of ‘wow’ due to the beauty, design, size, weight and lack of a keypad.

Who can EVER forget the matrix phone.

The 7110 was the eventual handset to arrive from the original matrix phone.  The phone used in the movie is an adapted 8110, then known as the banana phone because of the curvature between the face and the cheek.

So, as not to forget that the future is ahead of us, Nokia takes a fresh look at some of its futuristic concept phones here.

Last, but by no mean least, who can forget the iconic Nokia N95! Number 1, in all my ratings the Nokia N95 came equipped with a two way slider, gps receiver and so much more. It still remains the favourite Nokia phone both in design, looks and in its innovative specifications at the time. What are your favourites handsets from the past?

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Something is coming but as yet we do not know what it could be. Perhaps the new firmware pr.2 has finally arrived or is the announcement connected with a new handset? I think it is too early for a Nokia/Microsoft device to be realised and therefore, my hopes are that it will be a symbian^3 qwerty device. It is something I would like to own in the interim to a windows device. Keep your fingers and toes crossed that my premonition is the one that bears fruit.

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Near Field Technology (NFC) seeks to break the stalemate between card payments by incorporating this within a mobile phone.

While chequebooks and cheque guarantee cards vie for supremacy in the ‘death march’ later this year, technology has slowly been creeping up to dispose of the attachment to the bank card.  The aim is that NFC will allow two devices, when placed almost within touching distance, to communicate with one another to process a payment.  Is NFC due for a smooth transition or are there obstacles to be overcome?  Check here for Akash’s views on both sides of the argument.

A timely arrival of ‘The Royal Wedding by Hello’ is very apt.  The application takes over coverage in the lead up to the event, including the budding romance between Prince William and Katherine Middleton. Images and information about past royal weddings, gifts and much more is included.  Read my full article here.