Tag: handset

Nokia 1100 is Still the Biggest Selling Handset in the World

How surprised would you be if we told you that the world’s best selling phone is not the iPhone but something very old and not a smartphone at all? Remember the classic old Nokia 1100, the phone we all perhaps began with? While the iPhone 6 may have sold 71 million units in about three months, the numbers have nothing on the Nokia 1100.

The Nokia 1100 was an entry-level handset that came out in 2003. At the time it was perhaps the best thing to ever hit the mobile market. Lets consider this a 2003 post and talk of the specs that makes the phone a true badass. The handset does not come with two cameras, a curved screen or a snapdragon processor. What it does feature is a torch-light, a pair of no-slip grips, dust-proof case, monochrome graphic with, wait for it, 96 x 65 pixels, monophonic ringtones (36 pre-installed, 7 user-made), interchangeable covers, and an unbreakable will (we mean it).

This smooth handset can also store up to 50 contacts and 50 messages (25 sent, 25 received) and gives a whopping 400 hours standby time between charges. But the one thing that really tied this phone together was Snakes II and Space Impact – those 8-bit games that were played by 250 million people around the world.

We say 250 million because that’s how many units of the Nokia 1100 were sold by 2008, becoming not only the world’s best selling phone, but also the best selling consumer electronics device. There are many reasons behind why the 1100 was the craze at the time. For one thing, the phone was highly affordable at about $100 with all the features mentioned above, which were all that one needed at the time.

The phone was discontinued in 2008 because of the next wave of phones that were coming in, However, in 2009, the obsolete device became something of a collectors item as they were being sold for obscene amounts of money – say $32,000 a piece.

But if you thought you had seen the last of the Nokia 1100, think again. There are rumors that the classic handset might come back with a technological makeover. In March this year, the Nokia 1100 was seen in a GeekBench’s database and suggested that the 2016 Nokia 1100 will feature a quad-core 1.3GHz MediaTek MT-6582 processor and will reportedly run on Android 5.0. However, this could all be an elaborate ruse by Nokia to use an old model since under the terms of its deal with Microsoft, Nokia cannot offer a new smartphone under the last quarter of 2016. It would be fun, though, to see what the 1100 would look like fitted with all the new toys today.

Would you like to see the classic Nokia 1100 back in the market? Let us know in the comments below.

October 5, 2015
Asus PadFone 2 Specs leak again, hinting massive overhaul, Launch on 16th Oct

The Asus Padfone came and went faster than we could say hello, but its successor may stay on. The revision includes a 1.5GHz quad-core Qualcomm processor, 2GB of RAM, a 4.7-inch display with a 1280 x 720 resolution, 13-megapixel rear camera, and a 2,140mAh battery.The Padfone will operate GSM 1900/850 MHz, WCDMA 2100 MHz and comes with NFC. But, these specs are no different from the box specs that leaked out in the past. Image below.

The company will announce the Hybrid on 16th October in Milan.

October 5, 2012
LG Q2 2012 earnings : Loss on Mobile Phones , Overall profit

LG Q2 earnings are out as it registered net profits of $138 million, up 46 percent from the same period last year. The mobile division struggled after a strong Q1 and took an operating loss, however the positive takeaways are a rising percentage of smartphone shipments and plans to launch new LTE-connected models in North America. LG is also banking of future deployments in countries like India and China.

the home theater segment came out strong with an operating profit of more than double last year at $187.5 million despite slightly lower sales due to an increase in sales of premium products like its Cinema 3D HDTVs. LG also expects to be the top 3D display maker in 2012.

LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company posted operating profit of KRW 70 billion (USD 60.76 million), a 17 percent increase year-over-year. Revenues increased 21 percent quarter-to-quarter but declined year-over-year to KRW 1.47 trillion (USD 1.28 billion) due to weak residential conditioner sales in Korea and low demand in developed markets. However, profitability improved year-over-year led by higher contribution from system air conditioner sales.

LG Home Appliance Company saw its second-quarter 2012 operating profit nearly triple to KRW 165 billion (USD 143.23 million) from the same period last year thanks to a better product mix and improved cost efficiency. Revenues also increased year-over-year to KRW 2.88 trillion (USD 2.50 billion) from growth in developing markets. The company still expects improved results in the second half compared to the previous year despite ongoing weak demand in developed markets.

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LG ANNOUNCES SECOND-QUARTER 2012 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Solid Performance in Home Appliance and Home Entertainment
Helps Offset Difficult Quarter in Mobile Phones

SEOUL, July 25, 2012 –- LG Electronics (LG) today reported a 46 percent increase in net profits for the second quarter of 2012 versus the same period a year ago. Despite the continuing recessionary conditions, LG’s operating profit in the most recent quarter increased significantly year-over-year. Stronger performance in home entertainment and home appliances compared to the second quarter last year helped offset profit declines in LG’s mobile business.

Due to a combination of more premium products, strategic focus on developing markets and aggressive cost reductions, second-quarter net profit increased 46 percent year-over-year to KRW 159 billion (USD 138.02 million) while operating profit more than doubled to KRW 349 billion (USD 302.95 million) from the same period last year. Revenues, while 5.2 percent higher than in the first quarter, declined from last year’s second quarter by 10.6 percent to KRW 12.86 trillion (USD 11.16 billion) due to declining feature phone sales and weak demand for IT products.

LG Home Entertainment Company posted significantly improved operating profit in the quarter compared to the same period in 2011. Due in large part to an increase in sales of more premium products and improved supply chain management, operating profit more than doubled to 216 billion (USD 187.5 million) year-over-year. Sales declined 5.8 percent from the same period a year ago to KRW 5.48 trillion (USD 4.76 billion) but increased 2.8 percent from the first quarter of 2012. LG’s popular CINEMA 3D TVs will continue to drive sales in the second half as it pushes ahead to become the top global seller in the 3D segment.

LG Mobile Communications Company, after a positive first quarter, struggled somewhat in the most recent quarter with an operating loss of KRW 57 billion (USD 49.48 million) mainly due to greater marketing expenses related to new model launches in the quarter. Overall revenues declined 28.5 percent year-over-year to KRW 2.32 trillion (USD 2.01 billion) as a result of shrinking feature phone sales but smartphone shipments rose to 44 percent of unit sales, up from 36 percent the previous quarter capitalizing on LG’s strength in LTE phones. The company is planning to introduce new LTE models in the second half in developed 4G regions including North America and parts of Europe and Asia.

LG Home Appliance Company saw its second-quarter 2012 operating profit nearly triple to KRW 165 billion (USD 143.23 million) from the same period last year thanks to a better product mix and improved cost efficiency. Revenues also increased year-over-year to KRW 2.88 trillion (USD 2.50 billion) from growth in developing markets. The company still expects improved results in the second half compared to the previous year despite ongoing weak demand in developed markets.

LG Air Conditioning and Energy Solution Company posted operating profit of KRW 70 billion (USD 60.76 million), a 17 percent increase year-over-year. Revenues increased 21 percent quarter-to-quarter but declined year-over-year to KRW 1.47 trillion (USD 1.28 billion) due to weak residential conditioner sales in Korea and low demand in developed markets. However, profitability improved year-over-year led by higher contribution from system air conditioner sales. The company will focus on improving profitability by introducing more energy-efficient products and by accelerating growth in its commercial air conditioner systems business.

2012 2Q Exchange Rates Explained
LG Electronics unaudited quarterly earnings results are based on IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards) for the three-month period ending June 30, 2012. Amounts in Korean Won (KRW) are translated into US Dollars (USD) at the average rate of the three month period in each corresponding quarter: KRW 1,152 per USD (2012 2Q) and KRW 1,084 per USD (2011 2Q).

Earnings Conference and Conference Call
LG Electronics will hold a Korean language earnings news conference on July 25, 2012 at 16:00 Korea Standard Time at the LG Twin Tower Auditorium (B1 East Tower, 20 Yeoui-daero, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Korea). An English language conference call will follow on July 26, 2012 at 10:00 Korea Standard Time (01:00 GMT/UTC). Participants are instructed to call +82 31 810 3069 and enter the passcode 9084#. The corresponding presentation file will be available for download at the LG Electronics website (www.lg.com/global/ir/reports/earning-release.jsp) at 13:30 on July 25, 2012. Please visit http://pin.teletogether.com/eng/ and pre-register with the passcode provided. For those unable to participate, an audio recording of the news conference will be available for a period of 30 days after the conclusion of the call. To access the recording, dial +82 31 931 3100 and enter the passcode 142660# when prompted.

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[LG 2Q 2012 Performance Results (PDF)]

July 25, 2012
Sony Ericsson split complete : Sony Mobile Communication is the new name
The big split is finally, final. Sony and Ericsson have finally spilt up, to name the new company Sony Mobile Communications. Sony has finally taken over Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson’s 50-percent stake in the pair’s former joint venture, reported to have cost €1.05 billion ($1.37 billion). The reports of this split started to appear in the last months of 2011.

PRESS RELESE :
- The previously announced divestment of Ericsson’s share of Sony Ericsson to Sony, including the broad IP cross-licensing agreement, completed on February 15, 2012
- Ericsson’s gain on the transaction will be approximately SEK 7.5 billion and reported as ‘Other operating income’
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has today completed the divestment of its 50 percent stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (“Sony Ericsson”), including the broad IP cross-licensing agreement, jointly announced by Sony Corporation (“Sony”) and Ericsson on October 27, 2011. This makes Sony Ericsson a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. The agreed cash consideration for the transaction is EUR 1.05 billion.

Ericsson’s gain on the transaction will be approximately SEK 7.5 billion and will be reported in the first quarter result on April 25, 2012, as ‘Other operating income’ in the income statement.

[via]

[Sony]
February 16, 2012
Gartner: Apple leads, Android level dips

According to a recent report by Gartner Apple leads as the world’s top smartphone vendor by market share (19 percent), majorly thanks to the holiday quarter. During the season Apple sold some 35.5 million handsets to end users, a 121.4 percent increase from Q4 2010.

Apple now also overtook LG as the Third largest seller of mobile handsets with 7.4 percent market share in the past holiday quarter right behind Nokia (23.4 percent) and Samsung (19.4 percent).

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Gartner Says Worldwide Smartphone Sales Soared in Fourth Quarter of 2011

Apple Became Top Smartphone Vendor in Fourth Quarter of 2011 and in 2011 as a Whole

Egham, UK, February 15, 2012-

Worldwide smartphone sales to end users soared to 149 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 47.3 per cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2010, according to Gartner, Inc. Total smartphone sales in 2011 reached 472 million units and accounted for 31 percent of all mobile devices sales, up 58 percent from 2010.

Smartphone volumes during the quarter rose due to record sales of Apple iPhones. As a result, Apple became the third-largest mobile phone vendor in the world, overtaking LG. Apple also became the world’s top smartphone vendor, with a market share of 23.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011, and the top smartphone vendor for 2011 as a whole, with a 19 percent market share. “Western Europe and North America led most of the smartphone growth for Apple during the fourth quarter of 2011,” said Roberta Cozza, principal research analyst at Gartner. “In Western Europe the spike in iPhone sales in the fourth quarter saved the overall smartphone market after two consecutive quarters of slow sales.”

The quarter saw Samsung and Apple cement their positions further at the top of the market as their brands and new products clearly stood out. LG, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Research In Motion (RIM) again recorded disappointing results as they struggled to improve volumes and profits significantly. These vendors were also exposed to a much stronger threat from the midrange and low end of the smartphone market as ZTE and Huawei continued to gain share during the quarter.

Worldwide mobile device sales to end users totaled 476.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011, a 5.4 percent increase from the same period in 2010 (see Table 1). In 2011 as a whole, end users bought 1.8 billion units, an 11.1 percent increase from 2010 (see Table 2). “Expectations for 2012 are for the overall market to grow by about 7 percent, while smartphone growth is expected to slow to around 39 percent,” said Annette Zimmermann, principal research analyst at Gartner.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, Nokia’s mobile phone sales numbered 111.7 million units, an 8.7 percent decrease from last year. “Samsung closed the gap with Nokia in overall market share,” said Ms. Cozza. “Samsung profited from strong smartphone sales of 34 million units in the fourth quarter of 2011. The troubled economic environment in Europe and Nokia’s weakened brand status posed challenges that were hard to overcome in just one quarter. However, Nokia proved its ability to execute and deliver on time with its new Lumia 710 and 800 handsets. Nokia will have to continue to offer aggressive prices to encourage communications service providers (CSPs) to add its products to portfolios currently dominated by Android-based devices.”

Apple had an exceptional fourth quarter, selling 35.5 million smartphones to end users, a 121.4 percent increase year on year. Apple’s continued attention to channel management helped it take full advantage of the strong quarter to further close the gap with Samsung, which saw some inventory build up for its smartphone range. Apple’s strong performance will continue into the first quarter of 2012 as availability of the iPhone 4S widens. However, since Apple will not benefit from delayed purchases as it did in the fourth quarter of 2011, Gartner analysts expect its sales to decline quarter-on-quarter.

After Apple, ZTE and Huawei were the fastest-growing vendors in the fourth quarter of 2011. “These vendors expanded their market reach and kept on improving the user experience of their Android devices,” said Ms. Cozza.

In the fourth quarter of 2011, ZTE moved into fourth place in the global handset market. ZTE posted a strong smartphone sales increase of 71 percent sequentially. The company was able to extend its portfolio to three CSPs in its home market and benefited from consumers’ interest in low-cost smartphones. Huawei moved ahead of LG in the Android marketplace to become a top-four Android manufacturer, thanks to strong smartphone growth in the quarter. Huawei has made significant progress in moving to its own-branded devices, and it has continued to expand its portfolio into higher tiers as its tries to build more iconic products.

RIM dropped to the No. 7 spot in the fourth quarter of 2011, with a 10.7 percent decline. RIM’s delay with its BlackBerry 10 platform will further impair its ability to retain users. However, RIM’s biggest challenge is still to expand the developer base around its ecosystem and convince developers to work and innovate with BlackBerry 10.

In the smartphone OS market (see Table 3), competition between Google and Apple intensified. Android’s share declined slightly sequentially. This was due to strong iPhone sales, driven in particular by the iPhone 4S in mature markets and the weakness of key Android vendors as they struggled to create unique and differentiated devices. Samsung remained the main contributor to Android share gains in the second half of 2011. iOS’s market share grew 8 percentage points year-on-year, but Gartner analysts expect Apple’s share to drop in the next couple of quarters as the upgrade cycle to the iPhone 4S slows. Nokia’s first Windows Phone smartphones, the Lumia 710 and 800, made their debut, but, as expected, sales were not enough to prevent a fall in Microsoft’s smartphone market share.[/box]

February 16, 2012
Windows Phone 7.5 SMS bug found, requires a Hard Reset to fix

A new SMS bug has been found in the Windows Phone 7.5 devices, WP devices that receive a text containing a certain string of characters will reboot and return with a non-functional messaging client which can only be restored via a hard reset. The bug does not affect any particular device, but the OS. The funny bit is that the same bug message could be received via Facebook messenger or MSN messenger.

Android and iOS have had their fair list of SMS bugs, But never one that disables the messaging interface all-together.

December 16, 2011
Pogoplug Joins many clouds to offer free 5GB cloud storage to new Users, Free Apps (PR)

Pogoplug joins the long list of free cloud services with its new Pogoplug cloud. With apps for all major platforms for smartphones as well as computers. The new cloud offers seamless connectivity b/w all platforms.

The first 5Gb is free and you can upgrade to a bigger 50GB or 100GB for US $ 9.95 & $19.95 / month respectively. You also have the ability to make and share folders just like dropbox, and if you are the social type you can even share your activity of Facebook and Twitter.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Pogoplug Introduces Free Cloud Storage for Mobile Phones
Share and Stream Directly From Your Phone

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pogoplug, creators of the award-winning line of streaming and sharing devices, today unveiled a new service: Pogoplug Cloud. The service provides users with a secure online space to store personal content and instantly share and stream it from their mobile device. Users sign up directly from any mobile phone, tablet or web browser and immediately receive their free 5GB Pogoplug Cloud.

Pogoplug is the only service to offer infinite expansion. Users can purchase additional online storage from Pogoplug, or host a private, unlimited cloud for no monthly fees by buying a Pogoplug box and connecting it to a home or office network.

Pogoplug Cloud enables users to:
– Store: Automatically upload photos and videos from your mobile phone to your Pogoplug Cloud-no sync required.

– Share: Instantly share anything in your cloud through email, Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Create shared folders and collaborate with friends and colleagues.

– Stream: Stream HD videos, photos and music from your Pogoplug Cloud to your phone.

“Mobile users are asking for more storage for their devices,” said Daniel Putterman, CEO and co-founder of Cloud Engines. “We designed Pogoplug Cloud to give everyone the freedom to interact with all of their personal content straight from their mobile phone.”

Pricing and Availability
Pogoplug offers 5GB of free cloud storage. 50GB and 100GB of additional cloud storage are available for $9.95/month and $19.95/month, respectively. Pogoplug Cloud is available today at www.pogoplug.com. Pogoplug’s iOS and Android apps are FREE and available for download in the iTunes Store and Android Marketplace. The full range of Pogoplug hardware and software products are available at www.pogoplug.com.

ABOUT POGOPLUG

Pogoplug is cloud storage for your mobile life. The service enables users to store, share and stream personal content from any mobile device. Pogoplug is the only service that provides flexible expansion options by allowing users to purchase additional cloud-based storage or to host a private unlimited cloud for no monthly fees by purchasing a Pogoplug box.

Pogoplug is led by experienced entrepreneurs from the digital media and security space and backed by Foundry Group, Softbank and Morgan Stanley. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with a satellite office in Tel Aviv. For more information, please visit http://www.pogoplug.com.[/toggle]

November 15, 2011
LG Slaps rumors, Says Optimus 2X to Get ICS Android 4.0

Worried that your recent LG Optimus 2X purchase may not be future proof? Think again, LG has confirmed that the Optimus 2X will intact be getting the Android 4.0 update, and this information was put up on their FB page. There are no details as to when this will happen, or how, since most are still awaiting the 2.3 version of the LG firmware.

“[LG Official Statements on Ice Cream Sandwich OS Update]
LG firmly denies the rumors that claim LG will not be providing the Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) OS update for the LG Optimus 2X. These rumors are NOT true. LG is currently in the process of planning the ICS OS update for the LG Optimus 2X as well as other LG high-end smartphones. Detailed information on the ICS OS update schedule for specific models will be announced, once the ICS OS is publicly released by Google. Please stay tuned for more updates from LG.
Thank you very much.”

[LG (Facebook)]

November 2, 2011
HTC Releases Profit Reports for Quarter 3 profit up 68 percent
HTC has issued its Q3 results and their profits are up by 68%. The total net income rose to $624.6 million this quarter

Revenue rose by 79 percent on the year toaround $4.54 billion

The reasons cited by HTC for this growth are :

“strong brand recognition, leading product portfolio and expanded distribution channels.”

“We aim to lead the way as the smartphone market continues to expand and change rapidly,We pride ourselves on anticipating market and consumer needs and addressing them before they are realized. We are growing rapidly and responsibly around the globe and continue to expand our leadership in new areas, such as LTE.”

– Peter Chou, CEO of HTC.

HTC saw the strongest growth in China where the sales were up nine times, which may also possibly the main reason for the increase in handset shipments, which increased 93 percent over the year, to 13.2 million units.

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PRESS RELEASE

HTC REPORTS 3Q 2011 RESULTS

QUARTERLY REVENUES, NET PROFITS AND EPS ALL HIT NEW HIGHS

Taoyuan, Taiwan, R.O.C. October 31, 2011 – HTC Corporation (“HTC”, or the “Company”, TWSE: 2498), a global leader in smartphone innovation and design, today announced consolidated results of the Company and its subsidiaries for the third quarter of 2011.

3Q Highlights
After-tax profit was NT$18.68bn, up 68% year-on-year; EPS was NT$22.07

Total revenues grew for the sixth consecutive quarter since 1Q 2010 and reached

NT$135.82bn, up 79% year-on-year

Handset shipments totalled 13.2mn units, up 93% year-on-year

ASP was US$344, up 0.6% year-on-year

Gross profit margin and operating margin were both in line with original guidance at 28.0%

and 14.9%, respectively
3Q 2011 Results

HTC’s diverse product offerings, expanded distribution network and growing global brand recognition, have helped the Company deliver a record-high quarterly revenue of NT$135.82bn in the third quarter of 2011, resulting in after-tax earnings of NT$18.68bn and EPS of NT$22.07.

HTC sold 13.2 million smartphones in 3Q 2011: 93% more than the same period last year, and 9% more than the second quarter of this year.

New products launched during 3Q addressed a wide variety of customers and market segments. Co- branded with Beats, HTC Sensation XE and HTC Sensation XL offer a studio-quality experience to consumers. HTC Rhyme bundled a new HTC Sense experience and sleek accessories to create a lifestyle device. The Company expanded its entry-level offerings by launching HTC Explorer into emerging markets, such as India, on the heels of HTC Wildfire’s success. And HTC Titan and HTC Radar were the first smartphones to launch with the new Windows Phone “Mango” platform.

China is one of the most important growth regions for HTC, and China reported top sales growth across all regions this quarter – 9x more than its sales volume in the same period last year. HTC Wildfire has become an iconic, mainstream smartphone in the region, and HTC launched the flagship HTC Sensation into two major operators (China Mobile and China Unicom) networks. Two highly- customized social networking devices – HTC ?? with Sina Weibo and HTC ChaCha with QQ – showed HTC’s strong committment to deepen Chinese comsumers’ experience. The Company aims to capture early brand preference in China, as smartphone penetration is at an early stage.

Operating profit continued to grow from NT$12.40 billion in the same period last year, to NT$20.18 billion this quarter- up 63% year-on-year and 5% quarter-on-quarter – on the back of expansion inoperating scale and increased revenue. HTC is focused on driving economic scale to achieve efficient operating leverage and a healthy operating margin level.
“We aim to lead the way as the smartphone market continues to expand and change rapidly,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC. “We pride ourselves on anticipating market and consumer needs and addressing them before they are realized. We are growing rapidly and responsibly around the globe and continue to expand our leadership in new areas, such as LTE.”

LTE technology is expected to be the next generation wireless communication technology for high- speed data. Since 2009, HTC has maintained its leadership position in 4G, developing and shipping more 4G devices than any other company. An LTE device upgrade cycle is foreseeable in 2012 in both the United States and some advanced markets in Asia (e.g., Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong). HTC is poised to capture an advantage in this market.

In addition to LTE, HTC has invested in delivering innovation to the entry-level smartphone sector. HTC Wildfire has become one of the Company’s top selling products, and the newly-launched HTC Explorer continues to attract first-time smartphone buyers. The Company is committed to drive innovation, not only with high-end LTE devices, but also to the mass market.

Despite uncertainties in the macro-economic environment, HTC believes in its ability to continue to drive strong growth, and is committed to continue investing in marketing, operations and R&D. Going into fourth quarter this year, HTC’s retail presence in China is expected to expand, totaling up to 2,000 outlets. A new factory in Taoyuan is scheduled to complete beginning of next year, which has the potential to increase capacity by up to 40 million units per year. Last but not least, the Company continues its focus on creating global brand preference and emotional connection with customers.

4Q 2011 Outlook

The Company’s outlook for the fourth quarter of 2011 is as follows:

4Q revenue expected to be around NT$125 to 135bn, up 20% to 30% year-on-year

4Q shipment expected to be around 12.0 to 13.0mn units, up 31% to 42% year-on-year

Gross margin expected to be around 28.0%±0.5%

Operating margin expected to be in the range of 14.5%±0.5%

Conference Call and Webcast

HTC will host its quarterly conference call in Chinese beginning at 4 p.m. (Taiwan Time, GMT+8), and quarterly conference call in English beginning at 8 p.m. (Taiwan Time, GMT+8) on Monday, October 31st, 2011. The conference call in Chinese will be webcast live with audio and slides at:

http://www.mzcan.com/cancast/taiwan/index.php?id=tw2498_143&version=c and webcast link for the call in English is http://www.mzcan.com/cancast/taiwan/index.php?id=tw2498_143&version=e.

About HTC
PRESS RELEASE

HTC Corporation (HTC) is one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile industry. By putting people at the center of everything it does, HTC creates innovative smartphones and tablets that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under ticker 2498. For more information about HTC, please visit www.htc.com.

###

HTC, the HTC logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks
of their respective owners.

HTC IR & PR Contacts

HTC IR / Finance & Accounting Division

Disclaimer:
This press release contains forward-looking statements which may include projections of future results of operations, financial condition or business prospects based on our own information and other sources. Our actual results of operations, financial condition or business prospects may differ from those expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to market demand, price fluctuations, competition, international economic conditions, supply chain issues, exchange rate fluctuations and other risks and factors beyond our control. The forward-looking statements in this release reflect the current belief of HTC as of the date of this release. HTC undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements for events or circumstances that occur subsequent to such date.

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November 2, 2011
End Of Days: Sony Buys out stake from Sony Ericsson at €1.05 billion

Rumors are all out, and put to an end. Sony has confirmed that it will buy out its stake from the JV of Sony Ericsson for a whopping €1.05 billion in exchange for its 50 percent. This will give Sony full ownership of the company soon to be rebranded worldwide. This will also enable the company to have a more systematic alignment with the arsenal of tablets and PCs it plans in the future.

The buyout will also give IP cross-licensing agreement and ownership of “five essential patent families” to ensure they stay in the mobile phone business. The separation will be finalized in Jan 2012.

[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Ericsson: Sony to acquire Ericsson’s share of Sony Ericsson

October 27, 2011, 08:16 (CEST)

Sony Ericsson to become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony and integrated into Sony’s broad platform of network-connected consumer electronics products
The transaction also provides Sony with a broad IP cross-licensing agreement and ownership of five essential patent families
Ericsson to receive EUR 1.05 billion cash payment
Sony and Ericsson to create wireless connectivity initiative to drive connectivity across multiple platforms
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and Sony Corporation (“Sony”) today announced that Sony will acquire Ericsson’s 50 percent stake in Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (“Sony Ericsson”), making the mobile handset business a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony.

The transaction gives Sony an opportunity to rapidly integrate smartphones into its broad array of network-connected consumer electronics devices – including tablets, televisions and personal computers – for the benefit of consumers and the growth of its business. The transaction also provides Sony with a broad intellectual property (IP) cross-licensing agreement covering all products and services of Sony as well as ownership of five essential patent families relating to wireless handset technology.

As part of the transaction, Ericsson will receive a cash consideration of EUR 1.05 billion.

During the past ten years the mobile market has shifted focus from simple mobile phones to rich smartphones that include access to internet services and content. The transaction is a logical strategic step that takes into account the nature of this evolution and its impact on the marketplace.

This means that the synergies for Ericsson in having both a world leading technology and telecoms services portfolio and a handset operation are decreasing. Today Ericsson’s focus is on the global wireless market as a whole; how wireless connectivity can benefit people, business and society beyond just phones. Consistent with that mission, by setting up a wireless connectivity initiative, Ericsson and Sony will work to drive and develop the market’s adoption of connectivity across multiple platforms.

“This acquisition makes sense for Sony and Ericsson, and it will make the difference for consumers, who want to connect with content wherever they are, whenever they want. With a vibrant smartphone business and by gaining access to important strategic IP, notably a broad cross-license agreement, our four-screen strategy is in place. We can more rapidly and more widely offer consumers smartphones, laptops, tablets and televisions that seamlessly connect with one another and open up new worlds of online entertainment. This includes Sony’s own acclaimed network services, like the PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network,” said Sir Howard Stringer, Sony’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President. Mr Stringer also noted that the acquisition will afford Sony operational efficiencies in engineering, network development and marketing, among other areas. “We can help people enjoy all our content – from movies to music and games – through our many devices, in a way no one else can.”

“Ten years ago when we formed the joint venture, thereby combining Sony’s consumer products knowledge with Ericsson’s telecommunication technology expertise, it was a perfect match to drive the development of feature phones. Today we take an equally logical step as Sony acquires our stake in Sony Ericsson and makes it a part of its broad range of consumer devices. We will now enhance our focus on enabling connectivity for all devices, using our R&D and industry leading patent portfolio to realize a truly connected world” said Hans Vestberg, President and CEO of Ericsson.

When Sony Ericsson started its operations on October 1, 2001, it combined the unprofitable handset operations from Ericsson and Sony. Following a successful turnaround the company has become a market leader in the development of feature phones by integrating Sony’s strong consumer products knowledge and Ericsson’s telecommunications technology leadership. The WalkmanTM phone and Cyber-shotTM phone are well known examples.

With the successful introduction of the P1 in 2007, Sony Ericsson early on established itself in the smartphone segment. More recently, the company has successfully made the transition from feature phones to Android-based Xperia(TM) smartphones. By the end of the third quarter of 2011, Sony Ericsson held a market share of 11 percent (by value) in the Android phone market, representing 80 percent of the company’s third quarter sales. During its ten years in operation Sony Ericsson has generated approximately EUR 1.5 billion of profit and paid dividends totalling approximately EUR 1.9 billion to its parent companies. Prominent models include “XperiaTM arc” and “XperiaTM mini” which received 2011 EISA Awards, while recent notable additions to the lineup include “XperiaTM PLAY” and “XperiaTM arc S”.

The transaction, which has been approved by appropriate decision-making bodies of both companies, is expected to close in January 2012, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Ericsson has accounted for its 50 percent share in Sony Ericsson according to the equity method. Following completion of the transaction, Ericsson will have no outstanding guarantees relating to Sony Ericsson and will no longer account for Sony Ericsson as an investment on balance sheet. The transaction will result in a positive capital gain for Ericsson which will be defined after closing of the transaction.

SEB Enskilda is acting as Ericsson’s sole financial advisor in the transaction.[/toggle]

October 27, 2011
Vodafone Launches new Blue handset with dedicated Facebook button for Rs 4950/-
Vodafone has announced the new Vodafone Blue handset at just Rs 4950/-

The phone has a designated F button that lets the user upload pictures, visit profiles and update status in a single click . It basically allows you to do the Facebook magic. The device updates as counters, notifications, and displays Facebook posts regularly in the background.

Additionally, Vodafone Blue will be launched in India, with unlimited access to Facebook for a year from the date of its purchase.

The mobile internet plays a central role in the daily lives of millions of Vodafone customers, many of whom are avid Facebook users. Vodafone Blue is the answer to our youth’s mobile social networking needs. The phone has been designed to let everyone experience the fun of connecting with friends on the go, at a pocket friendly price. With our unique, fully integrated Facebook customization, the Vodafone Blueoffers a compelling, out-of-the-box experience.”

-Mr. Kumar Ramanathan, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Essar

Facebook wants to make every phone social and Vodafone has taken the integration of Facebook to the next level with the Vodafone Blue. We are really happy that Vodafone has brought the phone to India and enabling people to experience Facebook free of charge from the mobile device for a year”

-Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile Business, Facebook

The device basically is a Qwerty phone with a touch navigation, 2.4″ landscape display and QWERTY keypad with features like a 3.5 mm headset jack, FM Radio, multiple simultaneous Facebook Chat sessions, 2 megapixel camera.

The device is available now.

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Vodafone Essar, one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, in its endeavour to provide differentiated experience to its customers today launched a revolutionary phone –Vodafone Blue. Specifically designed to put the Facebook experience into the heart of the handset,Vodafone Blue will allow users to easily share and connect with their friends anytime, anywhere. The phone is designed specifically to bring an ‘outstanding and affordable integrated mobile Facebook experience’ to pay-as-you-go customers.

The Vodafone Blue, developed in collaboration with Facebook, brings the qualities of a classic Smartphone together with popular social networking functions – from status updates to sharing a photo – into the hands of millions of people in an attractive, intuitive mobile phone, competitively priced at MRP. Rs 4950/- (inclusive of all taxes) only.

The uber-cool Vodafone Blue has a designated F button that lets the user upload pictures, visit profiles; update status at a single click. The phone takes Facebook integration to a different stage by providing all kinds of updates as counters, notifications, and displays Facebook posts regularly in the background. Additionally, Vodafone Blue will be launched in India, with unlimited access to Facebook for a year from the date of its purchase.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Kumar Ramanathan, Chief Marketing Officer, Vodafone Essar said, “The mobile internet plays a central role in the daily lives of millions of Vodafone customers, many of whom are avid Facebook users. Vodafone Blue is the answer to our youth’s mobile social networking needs. The phone has been designed to let everyone experience the fun of connecting with friends on the go, at a pocket friendly price. With our unique, fully integrated Facebook customization, the Vodafone Blueoffers a compelling, out-of-the-box experience.”

Commenting on the launch of the phone, Henri Moissinac, Head of Mobile Business, Facebook said, “Facebook wants to make every phone social and Vodafone has taken the integration of Facebook to the next level with the Vodafone Blue. We are really happy that Vodafone has brought the phone to India and enabling people to experience Facebook free of charge from the mobile device for a year”.

Vodafone Blue: Powering the new era of mobile social networking in India

Every aspect of the Vodafone Blue design reflects people’s desire to stay up-to-date and communicate with their friends anytime, anywhere.
For additional details and other terms and conditions, please refer www.vodafone.in

Notes to Editors
Notes to Editor

About Vodafone Essar

Vodafone Essar is a member of the Vodafone Group and commenced operations in 1994 when its predecessor Hutchison Telecom acquired the cellular license for Mumbai. The company now has operations across the country with over 143 million customers. Vodafone Essar has been awarded the “Best Mobile Service Provider 2011” at the Aegis Graham Bell Awards 2011. Also, in a survey conducted by India’s leading business weekly, Vodafone Essar was awarded ‘Most Respected Company’ in the Telecom Sector for 2010 and the ‘Most Trusted Service Brand’ in India for 2010, by a leading financial daily. Vodafone India, in line with its group philosophy has released the Corporate Sustainability Report for India – Footprints 2010-11. To view the online version of the report, please visit www.vodafone.in

Vodafone is one of the world’s largest mobile communications companies by revenue with over 370 million customers in its controlled and jointly controlled markets as at June 30, 2011. Vodafone currently has equity interests in over 30 countries across five continents and more than 40 partner networks worldwide. For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com

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September 8, 2011
Video Chat Coming to Android 2.3.4

Looks like a bunch of Rumors floating around the web including a tweet which talks about the Nexus S – Video Chat on Gingerbread 2.3.4.

What this means is that all Android Devices with front facing cameras and the latest version of Gingerbread will be Able to use it to Video Chat amongst other with similar availabilities.

April 27, 2011