HTC Thunderbolt vs. Droid Bionic-CNET

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Wireless subscribers looking for the fastest data network available have been waiting with bated breath for Verizon Wireless's first 4G smartphone. And now the HTC Thunderbolt is here. But one reader wants to know if he should wait for what might be an even snappier 4G phone on Verizon.

In this week's Ask Maggie column, I answer the age-old question of whether to buy now or wait. I also help another reader determine if he should compromise luxury phones for more affordable service fees. And I discuss whether I think we'll all be buying stuff with our mobile phones using Near Field Communications technology.

Ask Maggie is a weekly advice column that answers readers' wireless and broadband questions. If you've got a question, please send me an e-mail at maggie dot reardon at cbs dot com. And please put "Ask Maggie" in the subject header.

Dear Maggie,
I've been holding out for a 4G phone for quite a while now. With the HTC Thunderbolt finally here, does it make sense to purchase this one and finally fulfill my smartphone desires, or should I wait a few more months for the release of the Droid Bionic?

It seems the big advantage the Bionic will have is the Dual Core processor. However, the effect that will have on battery life is a bit of a concern for me. Do you think it makes sense to wait or should I go for the Thunderbolt? Also, I'm excited to see Verizon is keeping the $29.99 for unlimited data, even with 4G plans. If I lock into a 2-year contract on the Thunderbolt, does that mean I'll have that pricing plan for the remainder of my plan? I'm worried if I wait for the Bionic, Verizon will by that time move to a tiered (and pricier) 4G policy.

Thanks!
Neal

Dear Neal,
This is a difficult question to answer, because it's hard to say when the Motorola Bionic will finally hit store shelves. As you might have noted from my column last week, I had given up on the HTC Thunderbolt being launched before June. And then Tuesday, Verizon said it would launch the device on March 17.

To help you make your decision, I chatted with CNET Reviews editor Bonnie Cha. She just got the Thunderbolt for testing this week. Her full review of the phone will be up today. First, she said that Verizon's LTE data speeds are fast. In fact, she said Verizon's LTE network is faster than Sprint and T-Mobile USA. (AT&T isn't even in the same category yet with the phones she's been able to test.)

So in either case, you should be very happy with the network performance of either the Thunderbolt or the Bionic.

But she and I agree that if you have waited this long, you might want to wait a little longer, just to see what the Bionic is like. The dual core processor will make the Bionic a snappier phone, Bonnie said. When the Bionic comes out, then you can really test them for yourself side by side. And reviewers, such as Bonnie will have a better idea of how the battery life of each device stacks up. Bonnie said she's a little concerned about the Thunderbolt's battery life, but when I spoke to her she hadn't completed her testing. If you'll remember, the HTC Evo for Sprint's 4G WIMax network also initially had battery issues, but they were alleviated by a software upgrade.

Now for the second part of your question: How will Verizon's possible data pricing change in the future? If you sign up for an unlimited data plan now, you will have that plan for the duration of your contract. So you won't have to worry about Verizon getting rid of the unlimited plan or jacking up the price, because it won't apply to you if you get the Thunderbolt now. Also, from now until May 15, Verizon is offering the hotspot feature for free. This is a promotion that's supposed to give subscribers a taste of the service. After the promotion period ends, customers can sign up for the service, which costs $20 in addition to the data service fee.

Verizon has indicated that it plans to offer a tiered data plan for wireless eventually. But it hasn't said when it will introduce this plan. Since I don't know when the Bionic will launch or whether Verizon would keep the $30 a month unlimited plan for that device, it's hard to say what you should do. But if I was deciding, I'd probably wait. I don't think that Verizon's new data plans will be so unpalatable for consumers that you'd regret waiting for a more advanced phone.

Dear Maggie,
I recently "broke up" with Verizon Wireless in favor of Virgin Mobile's $25 smartphone plan. I was paying much, much more with Verizon. And I thought that I could be happy with a lower-end phone. I chose the LG Optimus V, downgrading from my Droid X.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Optimus V, but I miss the quickness and 'luxury' feel of the Droid X.

My question is: Do you know of or think that there might be any high-end phones headed to Virgin Mobile? I also hear that the LG Optimus line of phone may be getting the 2.3 Gingerbread update. Do you know if this includes the Optimus V? If so, do you think that this would improve the performance of the lower-end phone? I assume that it would still not support Adobe Flash 10.1, since the hardware is still outdated.

Help! I am thinking about switching back to Verizon, but I just don't want to pay that much per month when I can get the same experience out of a $25 plan.

Regards,
Matthew

Dear Matthew,

Break-ups are rough, especially when you're second-guessing yourself. So I feel your pain.

Services such as Virgin Mobile, MetroPCS, and Cricket are great for offering customers terrific value on basic service. But unfortunately, these companies don't get the latest and greatest smartphones. Those devices are reserved for the biggest carriers. Even Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA have a hard time getting the most cutting-edge devices over AT&T and Verizon Wireless. And the reason is pretty simple: AT&T and Verizon simply have more customers. And for handset manufacturers, this means more potential sales for their hot devices.

With wireless penetration above 90 percent in the U.S., wireless operators are duking it out for customers. And right now, having exclusive rights to certain devices is one of the ways carriers compete against one another. So unfortunately, I'd say that it's unlikely Virgin Mobile will get any of the hottest or most advanced smartphones anytime soon.

My colleague CNET Reviews editor Nicole Lee agrees with me. But Nicole said she thinks that phones like the Optimus V and the Samsung Intercept are a pretty good value for the price. Nicole, who tests and reviews many of these phones for CNET, said LG has promised that all of its entry-level Optimus phones will be upgraded to the Gingerbread version of the Android operating system. But the company has yet to roll out any sort of upgrade schedule. She added that Gingerbread will bring a few interface improvements to the Optimus V, but if Flash isn't in a particular phone now, it probably won't be there with Gingerbread, owing to hardware limitations.

Nicole recommends this link to get more details on Gingerbread features.

So the short answer to your question is this: If you really want a "luxury" smartphone, you should probably leave Virgin Mobile and go to one of the big carriers. Sorry to break the bad news to you.

Dear Maggie,
What are your thoughts on NFC chips for mobile payments? I'm skeptical about security, and quite frankly, I rarely see anyone using them with current credit cards. Do you think this is really the future of payment systems?

Best regards,
Chris

Dear Chris,
I think Near Field Communications, or NFC, which is the wireless technology that makes mobile payments possible, has been improving. And eventually I do see mobile payments taking off. That said, there's no question that the industry has been talking about this for a long time. And the start has been slow.

My colleague CNET Senior Writer Elinor Mills, who covers security for CNET News, recently wrote about using Near Field Communications on smartphones to replace credit cards for payments. Her article was specifically about Visa's implementation called PayWave.

One of the problems with broad adoption of mobile payments is the fact that device makers haven't added the necessary NFC chips in enough phones. Retailers have also dragged their feet on getting the necessary NFC readers to allow for the payments to be taken.

The GSM Association has helped move the effort along with a standard, but only now are NFC-enabled devices starting to hit the market. But Visa isn't waiting for these devices to land in the marketplace. Its PayWave system allows wireless subscribers to put NFC-enabled "skins" and stickers on their phones to start using mobile payments with existing phones. Visa plans a commercial rollout of this service in the U.S. in the second half of this year. Wells Fargo, Chase, U.S. Bank, and Bank of America are each running trials of the service now in the states.

As you point out in your question, there are some security concerns. And Elinor's story discusses these issues. That said, according to her reporting, using an NFC-enabled phone for payments may actually be more secure than using a credit card.

"Anyone can swipe a credit card or steal the credit card number off a charge slip," she writes in her story. "Credit cards can also be cloned, and skimming devices and videocameras hidden in ATMs and gas station terminals can snatch both the credit card number and the PIN."

Elinor talked to security experts Collin Mulliner and Karsten Nohl for their opinions. Mulliner had done research on ways to attack NFC mobile phones in 2008. But he said attacks that he had suggested as possible then would likely not be an issue using the Visa implementation. Still, he wondered if a Trojan horse could be created to get inside a phone via a malicious Web link or download and then hijack transactions.

Visa technology partner DeviceFidelity said there are ways to mitigate these attacks. For example, digital keys used for authentication are encrypted on the chip. What's more "neither the three-digit security code on the back of credit cards nor the cardholder name are stored on the microSD card. Unauthorized apps cannot communicate with the device, and no digital keys are stored in the app--they come from the Visa network."

There is still room for improvement, according to security expert Karsten Nohl, who is well known for exposing security weaknesses in RFID (radio-frequency identification) wireless smart card chips and mobile phones. He said in an e-mail to Elinor that NFC is just a form of RFID and carriers "the same promises, opportunities, and weaknesses as any other RFID incarnation."

But he noted that, like the Internet, which is also prone to attacks and security issues, solutions can be designed to mitigate these problems.

"Several evolutionary technology waves have led to secure transaction protocols over the Internet," he said in his e-mail to Elinor. "Let's hope NFC takes fewer iterations and years to become mature."

I hope this helps answer your questions. Check out Elinor's story for even more information on this subject.

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Report: in fact, the iPhone 5 Have NFC-PC Magazine

Responding to British news report published Monday, said Forbes magazine Friday, Apple's next-generation iPhone will actually support near field communication (NFC) technology, a mobile default, users can pay with their smartphones.

"What I hear, it is possible the iPhone 5 will include the NFC. A business manager who is working on a top-secret NFC product told me today that he thinks the iPhone will have 5 NFC and cited a friend who works at Apple as a reliable source of information, "writes Elizabeth Woyke. "If you want to further strengthen his statement, the entrepreneur said that manufacturers of NFC readers – whom he has spoken to for its own product – also expects iPhone 5 have NFC."

Recently used (MRU) rumor contrary to a report from the Uk, The Independent, who claimed Apple decided against including the NFC due to the lack of a clear standard in the industry.

It has not prevented the rivals Google and research in motion from tackling NFC. Google is reportedly testing service in New York and San Francisco in the next few months. In November showed Google Chief Eric Schmidt from an unannounced Android phone running "Gingerbread", included a NFC chip. The following month revealed Google Nexus S, the first smartphone to feature Android 2.3 "Honey cakes." NFC was a great new feature in Nexus S; Your phone comes with a demo app, collects NFC tags and displays the results.

At Mobile World Congress in February said rim co-CEO Jim Balsillie most new BlackBerry devices his years will include the NFC. Nokia has turned from an NFC concept phone years ago but made not a commercially available yet.

Air carriers are also trying to get with lucrative mobile payment company. Last November, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon launched an NFC-based mobile payment network national called Isis.

In the meantime, with the NFC in the iPhone, Apple could connect mobile payments via iTunes.

If you want to know more about NFC, check out "what is the NFC, and why should you care?"

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T-Mobile offers more Sidekick 4 G details-PC Magazine

T-Mobile really wants you to know Sidekick 4 G is coming. In a new video shows product manager Joe Fernandez phone's sliding mechanism and Android interface. We have captured some pictures from T-Mobile video for your viewing pleasure below.

The new user interface in the Sidekick is definitely based on Android 2.2 and Samsung's TouchWiz, although it has some unique Sidekick hand, just as these links on the right side of the screen. Samsung's "Feeds and updates" social network widget appears in the video, but.

The screen slides up with one click to reveal 5-row QWERTY keyboard. The black version of the phone is a mat, soft-touch material, said Fernandez.

According to Phone Scoop, will the new Sidekick also offer a mobile hotspot and tethering mode.

Sidekick 4 G allegedly comes out "Spring", but we are sure to learn much more about it in the CTIA Wireless trade show next week.

To the top stories in tech, follow us on Twitter at @ PCMag.

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Google: no plans to review apps-ZDNet Asia

In spite of revelations, more malicious apps had appeared on its Google Android market, sticking to its original developer agreement framework, which does not involve safety study apps before they are published. Analyst invited to give a better app download authentication system to reduce risks, its open app ecosystem, but.

Previously, it was reported that Google had pulled 58 malicious apps out of its Android market, but not before it was retrieved by around 260,000 units. The company said it was remote killed apps in all of these units, and, although harmful, only device-specific information such as a phone IMEI number was compromised. No personal data or account information was leaked. Apps targeted known vulnerabilities existing in units installed with Android 2.2.1 or earlier, the report noted.

Despite the attack, Google told ZDNet Asia via email, it had no plans to pre-screen apps before you publish it on the Android market and abide by its original developer distribution agreement guidelines. It also said defective security patch, which caused the malicious apps event, had been fixed in versions 2.2.2 corporate profits tax.

Myla Pilao, Director of core technology marketing at Trend Micro, said that the incident at the end of the day was "not so serious".

"With an open ecosystem Android offers a less restrictive platform that has the potential to publish innovative apps to market faster.  Apply restrictions in the app release would defeat the open ecosystem Android trying to achieve.  Each system has its benefits and risks, "she commented in an e-mail message.

That said, the recent wave of Android Trojan horse means cybercriminals now recognise the potential of Android phones as objective, Pilao added.

Some of these Trojan horses include ANDROIDOS_ DROIDSMS.(A), which was disguised as a Windows Media Player, and is used to send text messages to premium mobile numbers, while the pressure tubing was programmed to send a user-GPS location to a remote controller. This allows the controller to monitor the infected user device residence.

Permission-based approval process
Deal with these risks, Canalys main analyst Daryl Chiam suggested that Google could strengthen its authentication process, depending on the apps ' need for user datådgang.

"Apps, which requires only basic access as the location can be approved quickly. For those who need access to user data and address of the phone book, from the control before making them available on the market, "he suggested in an interview from the phone.

Pilao, considered, however the current explicit "permission" system that displays information for the app will need to have access to before users download an app, Android allows to fulfil its responsibility towards the users.

"This way, users will not only have an idea of what the app does, but they can also have an idea of what it should not do. The user can then decide based on permissions to install the app or not, "she noted.

Users, developers, responsible for
Google is based not on its laurels, invites developers to be responsible merchants to their customers. It said: "on all computing devices users necessarily confer at least some of their information to the developer of the program they use. Android has taken steps to inform users of this trust relationship, and limit the amount of confidence in a user must authorize any given application developer. "

Google stressed that developers must comply with their developer distribution agreement for the transfer of an application for Android market.

"If users believe that an application is harmful or inappropriate, you can flag it, give it a low rating, leave a detailed comment and, of course, remove it from their device. Applications shall be deemed to be in violation of our policies has been removed from the market.  Abuse developers can also be blocked from using Android market for repeated or extreme violations of our policies, "the spokesman commented.

These efforts, said Chiam that Google can do more for the user awareness. But phone owners also have to take the initiative to learn more about an app before downloading, he added.

He and Pilao stressed to read "as much information as possible" about a particular program before it is recommended to install it, and users should take note of the application permissions to control the use of which will have access to only the information required to perform its tasks.

"If it is a chess game, you play against the computer, there is no reason to obtain access to your address book. Also, it is a weather app, then the location can be anything, it requires "Canalys analyst said.

"Download the applications from the official Google Android market can only be safely help filter out potentially malicious programs. Have a mobile security suite installed to help protect users against threats, which can be received through various vectors, "added Pilao.

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iPad experience: a week with iPad 2 clears all my doubts-ZDNet (blog)

I do not personally buy music from iTunes and prefer to use either my Zune Pass on WP7 or service Amazon MP3. I must, however, use iTunes for podcasts, video content (movies and tv shows), and programs. ITunes ecosystem and ease of use with the iPad is a huge seller, IMHO. While I have several ways to get movies, I find the ease of discovery and download of movies to rent and the reasonable price (normally $ 3.99 for iPad) in order to win out every time. Film also look good on a 9.7 screen while the plane or even in a hotel room. I am not even connected throughout the Apple home integration with AirPlay and Apple TV, I understand even better shows how a complete ecosystem worth considering an Apple iPad.

According to Apple, there are now over 65,000 iPad apps in the App Store. Applications and related services for some of these apps, has me convinced iPad 2 is made much more useful to me than my Samsung Galaxy tab. As you can see in my application screenshot gallery I love under programs, let me follow March Madness, and full Major League Soccer season, including live video coverage of the complete game. You can see not this full-featured applications and complete on any other mobile platform and this is an area where even Android has some great work in front of them.

I know, you can see some tv content on Android devices through some apps and browser thanks to Flash support, I still find the ease of looking modern family ABC player on the iPad be a superior experience. I have also Netflix, my Slingbox and SlingPlayer application and Hulu + see other video content on the go, so there is no shortage of video content on the iPad 2.

My other favorite programs on my iPad 2 includes Quickoffice (my favorite Office app just added the ability to print to PDF from a iPad!), USAA (I can easily manage my finances and pay bills from iPad 2), OliveTree BibleReader (a tablet even Moses would be proud of) Evernote, Twitterific, words with friends (I'm a palm solo if you want to play), infinity Leaves, plants vs zombies and slick Apple applications.

I have a folder on my iPad 2 mark Apple fun that includes Photo Booth, iMovie and GarageBand. My family discovered Photo Booth on my iPad one evening and I have not heard gut-Busters laughter like in years. The trøde, it was the most fun you could have with a device and could not stop the faces and the weft. This exposure on iPad 2 then had them popping over my 5-year-old MacBook Pro to try it out on this device also. Although it has been on the MacBook Pro all the time, it was not until they are used to the iPad 2 discovered application and how much fun it can be.

GarageBand was never an application, which I found necessary on my MACS, but I enjoy it on the iPad and there are a lot of potential there hours to do some original creations. I plan to use it more and try to do some background music to use with some of my audit videos and slideshows I do for my family and friends. iMovie is another Apple application that is completely functional and I plan to use it to create content on the go. IPad 2 becomes really both content consumption and the establishment of the unit and with these iPad apps 2 really may be the only computer in a House for many, many people.

Is a new iPad 2 lowest costs $ 499, and it is likely that this WiFi only model will continue to be the best selling Apple Tablet model. Did you know that there is a whopping 18 different models of iPad 2? There are black and white colors, WiFi and 3 G models in three memory configurations (16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB) and two different carrier variants so make sure you know which one you buy in the store. I have a white AT&T 3 G 64 GB model running $ 829 and although I intended to buy a 16 GB WiFi white one I regret it not pay so much for this device and is convinced Apple has the right mix of price and specifications for its own tablet space time.

I see that the Apple iPad currently has a 4-5 week shipping estimate for online orders so that the find would be quite a challenge. I probably should have kept my 16 GB WiFi order and resold for a profit, but it just doesn't feel right so I canceled it after picking up my own 64 GB 3 G model.

Motorola Xoom to get $ 799 for a Verizon model and $ 599 for a with a 2-year-old contacts and for the new 32 GB WiFi only model. This $ 599 price is the same as the 32 GB WiFi iPad 2, but I still believe that people will look at the $ 499 price point first. Perhaps should Motorola launch a 16 GB model $ 479 and finally show people they can be cheaper than the iPad. Even then is the Apple iPad user experience much more refined and stable than if we look at this time with Android 3.0. It will probably improve on Android and I look forward to see it happen, but it will take time.

Last year when Apple iPad announced many of us questioned the need for such a device and wondered how it can fit in between the smartphone and the computer. over 15 million iPads sold in the past, and I think it is pretty clear that the iPad is more than a luxury device for those with too much money on their hands. Thanks largely to the application selection, iPad is a very useful tool, and also an incredibly fun and friendly unit for humans to use. My brother said his family has not down in iPad since they bought it from me a few months ago and probably are thousands more stories like this around the world..

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How to switch from an Android phone for the iPhone-PC Magazine

About Android? Here is how to switch from Google's mobile OS to Apple's mobile OS as smoothly as possible.

While there is an army of excellent Android phones now, there was not always the case. Early models were sluggish, inelegant and defective. For comparison, the iPhone from the beginning was a shining example of a beautiful design and an excellent experience. Today, but the platforms budgetary procedure, it shall be open on equal terms. But for many, the iPhone 4 still draws with its classic design and unparalleled user interface. Apple's massive third-party app catalog contains hundreds of thousands of applications to amp up your smartphone experience, and the iPhone still contains the best iPod ever made. There is much to suffer.

And now, the iPhone 4 is available on both Verizon and AT&T, complete with mobile hotspot capability, it is much more tempting to switch. Thinking to make the transition? This wizard will help to ensure that the transition from Google's ecosystems to Apple is as smooth as possible:

Get ready for your iPhone

Use Google Sync. If you have committed some or all of your digital life to Google services, like Gmail, contacts, and calendar, you can still synchronize them with the iPhone using the free Google Sync. Skip Apple MobileMe service; It is too expensive for what it does, and I think it is still somewhat unreliable.

Centralize your media in iTunes. Love it or hate it, iTunes is still the dominant app for listening to music on PC and Mac. iTunes makes it fun to collect, organize, and play your media. It is also a great music and video store, and it is perfect for browsing, iPhone's huge third-party app store. Some find iTunes clunky and dissuasive, but it causes the task.

Easy-to-USB cable pain. Unlike on Android, you must regularly connect your iPhone to a PC to get software updates. There is no way around this, and the iPhone user aproprietary cable. Make the process easier by picking up a small desk dock, keeps the ugly wires out of sight, and makes it super-easy to pop iPhone in and out.

Cradle the phone in a case. If you hold the iPhone 4 in a certain way with the fingers are placed in a specific position, you will degrade the phone reception. No matter what. Millions of people already go around with the iPhone 4s. Most do not seem to care. Any protective clothing or bumper will solve the problem, so get one and make calls with confidence and keep your phone protected delicate at the same time.

When you have your iPhone

Learn UI. The IPhone is missing function keys and a message line. Instead a swipe you between multiple menu bars, which contain icons for everything you want to do. A single button at the bottom when you return to the home screen; hold down the CTRL key, and you can move icons around or in folders. Multitasking is done automatically in the background; You can kill individual tasks by bringing up on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, but you need. Messages pop up in front and center, which is slightly annoying, but mitigated by how you don't get nearly as many people as you do with Android phones. Don't forget to metal balls in beautiful lack of bloatware.

Dive in the App Store. In our opinion, is the best reason to switch to the iPhone App Store. Android market can obtain, but as a general rule, there are better apps in all major categories in the App Store. You can find many more games, plus useful apps like Netflix, which you can't get on Android and apps tend to appear on the iPhone first before the other platforms. Most of this is, in fact, down to the economy, as opposed to a religious war between the two platforms (although some are due to competing DRM standards). It is just easier for iPhone developers to sell apps and get paid. There are also far fewer hardware inventory items to worry about with the iPhone, which significantly reduces the development and QA time. In both cases, you can win.

Enjoy seamless, stable OS updates. Android OS revisions was a huge mess over time, as different phone manufacturers and wireless carriers delayed updates for several months. In the meantime, get all the iPhones free updates with major new features at regular intervals. It was not until recently, the very first iPhones began to lose out on some promised updates, but even they are still updated on a regular basis. Better yet, have almost all of Apple's iOS updates been stable out of the box.

Buy a GPS navigation app cheaply. The IPhone does not come with free voice-activated navigation. Airlines TeleNav-powered apps are expensive $ 10 per month. You can find a better deal in the Navigon MobileNavigator for the iPhone, TomTom or Magellan RoadMate, are all one-time purchases work forever. All three companies also run regular sale, especially if you don't buy a version that only contains U.S. maps. For more information, see our guidance on buying GPS navigation apps.

Jailbreaking questions. Jailbreaking is not recommended, as a rule, because it could brick your iPhone and lead to any kind of warranty-related issues. But the FCC has declared it legal, many iPhone owners do so, and some swear it is the only way to run certain types of apps, Apple does not like, such as retro game emulators. If you are a heavy tinkerer, you can investigate the matter. Or just stay with Android, which is much more user friendly to the US interference.

Sick of your iPhone already? Control how to Switch from an iPhone to an Android phone.

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Special report: a script for the control of Apple and Google-Reuters Canada

By Alastair Sharp

WATERLOO, Ontario (Reuters)-once upon a time, BlackBerry was King. Then came the iPhone, followed by Android. And BlackBerry apparently lost its way--if not entirely his throne.

Research in Motion keeps profit growth and impressive margins. All consumers complain of Apple products, BlackBerry is still dominant in corporate mobile communications and RIM sell millions of units each quarter its workaholic to a growing global audience.

But the attention of investors, analysts and developers drifting elsewhere and Canadian company in the middle of an important platform and product transition seen holds, but a small window of opportunity to reinvigorate itself and match momentum rival mobile Kings Apple and Google.

Scenario the Tablet computer because of the launch within weeks after a six-month pitch is RANDS first product to use industrial-strength operating system based on XBSD, a powerhouse microkernel (rather than the typical monolithic kernel) as rand bought last year and aims to incorporate in its future smartphones.

XBSD--which also runs nuclear power stations, medical instrumentation and Cisco core routers on the Internet--is the brains behind many of pre-recorded infotainment systems shipping in new cars, and the rim plans seamless interaction between these dashboards, its script and its range of BlackBerry smartphones.

Scenario is a multi-tasking behemoth in a petite package could stream a high-definition video to a tv monitor via a HDMI cable, while a user is simultaneously edit a presentation, or play a captivating game of 7-inch device.

It is also a small revolution for a close company that has long been intolerant risk, say insiders.

"Scenario shows, rand has lost some of its collective fear, but only because it is a proven moneymaker to other companies that have already blazed a path to the rim to take," said an earlier rim software engineer.  

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Microsoft releases faster Explorer fits into Web applications-Bloomberg

Logo Microsoft Corp. Internet Explorer 9 is displayed on a computer screen in Washington, D.C. photographer: Andrew Harrer/  Bloomberg Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft Corp. photographer: Aaron m. Sprecher/Bloomberg

Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) released a faster version of its Internet Explorer browser, which adds privacy controls and video features, an attempt to regain market share lost to Firefox and Google Inc. (GOOG) 's Chrome.

Internet Explorer 9 is dependent on HTML5, the latest version of the language that presents Web content, which lets Web sites handle more multimedia content. The browser designed to run applications within the browser more quickly at the same time, add more powerful protection settings than Google offers. It said can be downloaded today, the company Redmond, Washington-based.

Microsoft is trying to respond to increasing requirements for software that runs online rather than on the Windows operating system. Microsoft's latest browser sluggish performance made it more difficult to use Internet apps and pressure customers against rival products, said David Smith, an analyst in Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner Inc.

"The vast, overwhelming majority of new apps that are developed today is designed to run in browsers--they are not original Windows applications," said Smith. "Every creditor has to have a very competitive offer."

While Internet Explorer is still the leading browser, its dominance has ebbed in the last two years. It had 57 percent share in February, down from 62% a year earlier, according to NET applications, which tracks Internet usage statistics. Mozilla's Firefox had 22 percent, and Google Chrome had 11 percent. Apple Inc. (AAPL) Safari's fourth ranked, with 6.4 per cent.

Microsoft rose 1 cent to $ 25.69 yesterday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The shares have fallen 8 percent this year.

By supporting the HTML5 technology play video, is a fresh blow to the browser, Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE) 's Flash--the most popular software to see the clips on the Web. Apple has limited the use of Flash on its iPhone and iPad, endorse HTML5 instead after CEO Steve Jobs said Flash was too slow to run on mobile devices.

The new personal features, in the meantime, put pressure on Google to respond, Smith said. Microsoft has added the ability for users to create "do not call"-style lists, bar listed Web sites from tracking of users do on the Internet.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has required-not-track settings in browsers, said Smith. Firefox has also developed such a function.

Contact the reporter on this story: Dina bass in Seattle by dbass2@bloomberg.net

Contact the person responsible for this story editor: Tom Giles on tgiles5@bloomberg.net

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Superior apps search Windows phone 7-United States Today

When it comes to supplying the coolest smartphones on the planet, Microsoft has long been an also-ran. So last autumn, giant software fired up a fresh strategy to close the gap on Apple's iPhones, BlackBerrys and Motion's research in Google's Android models. Jason DeCrow, Microsoft

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveils the new Windows phone 7 series during an event in October last year in New York.

Jason DeCrow, Microsoft

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer unveils the new Windows phone 7 series during an event in October last year in New York.

Microsoft's goal is for Windows phone 7 (WP7) smartphones that have the most useful and user friendly applications. The company pursues methodical this goal by catering to the best and brightest app developers. "The jury is still out on whether this turns out to be a decisively winning strategy, ' says software programs analyst Al Hilwa at research firm IDC. "But Microsoft has certainly begun to correct its course".Smartphone apps have been almost as important as the actual phone. The possible on the road to shop, play games, plan their lives and connect to social media.Free apps to do trivial tasks, several hundred thousand iPhones and Androids. More crucial market for higher paid apps of quality — which help people use their phones more as internet-connected computing devices — more than doubled to $ 2.2 billion in 2010, up from $ 828 million in 2009, according to research firm iSuppli. Apple dominates the paid apps marketwith a global market share of 82.7%. The RIM is a distant second, with a market share of 7.7%. Microsoft credit? t even register.You can play computer experiences, Microsoft last October dumped its clunky Windows Mobile operating system and launched an entirely new platform, WP7, plays for one of its nuclear forces: close relationships with top software developers.The company took its.NET framework — a system of family planning policy, development of business applications for Windows server and desktop computers — and grafted it to WP7. Just four months have 25,000 developers registered to create WP7 apps. They have created 8000 apps and is kærning out new apps on average 100 per day, said Larry Lieberman, Microsoft senior product manager. Early successes includes deep integration of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter and Netflix movie service, which users can gain access to these popular services from WP7? s main dashboard without opening a separate app. "Many developers experience that it takes a (much) less time to build similar programs to our phone than the other phones," says Lieberman. last month, Amazon released an app that lets shoppers show content in a continuous stream of reservation guarantees left-to-right on the screen of a WP7 handset. If you want to do the same on an iPhone or Android, you must open and close the new pages.Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of location-based, check-in service Loopt, raves about the help he received create an app, users can quickly find friends who may be nearby. Loopt's app only on WP7 Start with minimal fussing. "They went out of their way to help us with everything we need," says Altman. "No doubt, to the attention of developers is certainly a good Move."Lieberman acknowledge that Microsoft still has a long way to go. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Android operating system commanded a was 32.6% market share of handsets shipped globally, followed by Nokia? s Symbian platform with a 30.3% share, according to IDC. Apple and rim is followed with a share of 16% and 14.4%, respectively. Microsoft had a market share of 3,8%.However, Microsoft recently forged a partnership with Nokia. "It is now a three-horse race," declared Nokia CEO Stephen Elop on London Press Conference Announces Alliance. Nokia and Microsoft face a complex challenge provides a new line of WP7 smartphones, can Grab attention away from Androids, iPhones and BlackBerrys, says Forrester analyst Charles Golvin. One thing seems certain: keeping top app developers committed will be crucial. "Firms must convince the developers to increase the priority of the Windows phone 7 as they bring innovative products to the market," said Golvin. For more information about reprints and permissions, visit our FAQ. Report corrections and clarifications, contact standards Editor Brent Jones. Publication consideration in the newspaper, sending comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, telephone number, city and State for verification. View our corrections, go to corrections. usatoday.com. We updated conversation guidelines. Changes include a short review of the moderation process and an explanation of how you can use the button "report abuse". Read more.

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