Maria de Villota Comba, former F1 test driver, dies at 33 in Spain

Formula 1 reserve racing driver Maria De Villota died from natural causes, a post-mortem examination has confirmed.

De Villota, 33, was found dead in a hotel room in Seville, Spain on Friday. "I can confirm that her death was due to natural causes. The family has been informed," Dr Joaquin Lucena Romero, head of forensic services at the Institute for Legal Medicine, said.

Spaniard De Villota lost her right eye in a crash in July 2012 while testing for the Marussia team.
She suffered severe head and facial injuries after colliding with a lorry at Duxford Aerodrome, Cambridgeshire, but had been cleared to resume driving.

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Marriott is Banning Adult Movies from Its Hotels

Hotel giant Marriott won't be putting pay-per-view porn in any of its new rooms and says it plans to eventually phase out adult offerings altogether. What does the company have against porn?

Well, Marriott says it's because adult content isn't making as much money as it used to bring in. These days lonely executives have enough smut downloaded on their computers, smartphones, and iPads that they no longer need to endure the embarrassment of submitting hotel receipt with a charge for Anal Encounters 3: Just Bumming Around on it.

It's hard to argue with that claim, but it seems like there has long been an uneasiness within the Mormon-run company about profiting off of something that some people like devout Mormons, consider dirty and sinful. Now, Marriott Hotel can appear more family-friendly and conservative to its uptight guests, and it won't have to worry about the decision having much of an impact on the bottom line. However, think about all the bored travelers who don't bring their own porn and just want to get off in a nice, clean hotel room. They'll probably be driven to hiring hookers now. I'm no Mormon, but I'm guessing that's worse.

Via: USAToday

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Adult Magazine Playboy Goes Private

Playboy magazine’s publisher has agreed to accept a sweetened buyout offer from a partnership headed by founder Hugh Hefner, allowing the original playboy to fulfill his plans to take the Playboy Enterprises Inc. private.

The printed Playboy magazine has strived with rivals from the Web and has lost both advertisers and readers. In November 2010, the Playboy Enterprises Inc. reported a wider third quarter loss than a year ago as its revenue fell 7 percent to $52.1 million.

To stop this bleeding condition, the management of Playboy has been trying to make important transformation such as driving the company’s core business from a TV business and publishing into a "brand management" company, leaning more on revenue from licensing out the Playboy fancy-name and bunny ears for a range of products, such as g-string underwear, bra, bikini, c-string underwear, lingerie, transparent underwear, handbags, sunglasses and etc.

Hefner is Playboy's largest shareholder with about 70 percent of Playboy Enterprises Inc.'s voting shares and 28 percent of the nonvoting stock. By leading a buyout for a larger portion, the 84-year-old known for his penchant for pretty young blond girls and silk pajamas is betting that the racy magazine he launched in 1953 can still reap profits in the digital age.

Hefner, who serves as the magazine's editor-in-chief and chief creative officer, said: "I believe this agreement will give us the resources and flexibility to return Playboy to its unique position and to further expand our business around the world."

Hefner-controlled Icon Acquisition Holdings LP is offering $6.15 a share for Playboy, an 18 percent premium over Friday's closing price. Shares rose 89 cents, or 17 percent, to close at $6.09 on Monday. The Playboy’s stock has been traded in the 52-week range of $3.04 and $6.10.

The accepted bid values the Chicago-based company at about $207 million and tops Hefner's offer of $5.50 per share in July, though it's just shy of an offer made by a group led by Penthouse magazine that's valued at $210 million.

As part of the deal completed Sunday night, Scott Flanders will remain Playboy Chief Executive Officer and keep what the company called a "significant" equity investment in Playboy, the company said. Icon Acquisitions is paying for the purchase with equity commitments from Rizvi Traverse, a private investment firm, and a debt commitment from Jefferies & Co.

In an e-mail message, which is referring to Playboy's decision in 2009 to outsource the magazine's business functions, except editorial, to American Media Inc., and its deal with IMG Worldwide Inc. to oversee licensing in Asia and Europe, Flanders said the deal has several advantages. He wrote, "One, we are a small company and a partnership with Rizvi Traverse does for our capital and management structure what AMI and IMG did for our operations."

According to Flanders, the decision to go private will also eliminate the costs of being a public company and allow Playboy to take a long-term view and focus on what is best for Playboy’s businesses and not on the near-term earnings demands of Playboy’s public shareholders.

Playboy has said that a group of board members had been evaluating Hefner's offer and decided to support the deal to shareholders. A tender offer is expected to begin by Jan 21, 2011 and the deal is expected to close by the end of the first quarter 2011.

Currently, Hefner is facing a big task to turn around Playboy Enterprise Inc. into a cash-generating machine. Playboy's most popular years are well behind it – Playboy magazine enjoyed its heyday in the 1970s. Nowadays, Playboy faces tough and rough competition that ranges from other men's magazines such as Maxim to far racier content available on the Web without charge. In recent years, Playboy has found it difficult to lure advertisers and readers as the Internet supplants print as the top purveyor of adult materials content. Falling revenue has forced several rounds of layoffs at the company since three years ago.

Marc Bell, the CEO of Penthouse owner FriendFinder said: "needs to be run like a 21st century company." Therefore, it was not the era of the paper-magazine – yet, this is the era of paperless, the era of digital – on the Web and on mobile devices.

Via: NYTimes

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Apple iPhone and Android get Inc. Magazine Application

Inc. magazine is taking its content mobile as the publication for entrepreneurs has released an application for several platforms. Now available for iOS and Android, a version for the BlackBerry operating system should be coming soon. The Inc. magazine is partnering with Thumb Media Group to offer the application.

For only $2.99 per month, the user will see content from the magazine and the publication's online website, breaking news, online feeds, blog posts, and many more including Inc. TV. With the latter being a major draw of the online website, Mike Cartabiano, the Thumb's CEO, said, "Inc.’s video content is a huge draw online, so we knew the importance of carrying it over to the mobile platform."

Android users can find the Inc. magazine application in the Android Market while iOS users can click here.

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Barack Obama: Steve Jobs, a Symbol of the American Dream

Barack Obama, the American president has reserved some special praise for Steve Jobs, citing him as an example of the American Dream and someone who Americans should "expect to be rich". Here are the exact words of Mr. Obama concerning Apple's $1 CEO:

"And something that's always been the greatest strength of America is a thriving, booming middle class, where everybody has got a shot at the American dream. And that should be our goal. That should be what we're focused on.

How are we creating opportunity for everybody?

So, that we celebrate wealth. We celebrate somebody like a Steve Jobs, who has created two or three different revolutionary products. We expect that person to be rich, and that's a good thing. We want that incentive. That's part of the free market."

Well, just to remind you that recently Steve Jobs was declared "CEO of the decade" by MarketWatch and likened to Bell and Edison. What's your opinion, though - do you see Jobs as a role model to follow or the American president's words are "a little bit meh", as some people like to say.

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Nokia Has Cancelled NFC Handset

Nokia has scrapped its third NFC (Near Field Communication) handset, which has already delayed, the Nokia 6216. The 6216 has never got released despite being scheduled for last year and despite China Unicom’s plans for an NFC launch.

The 6216 would have been Nokia's third NFC handset. However, the first to have handed control of the payment system to the operator's SIM through the Single Wire Protocol (SWP): exactly the architecture that China Unicom will be deploying in the next six months, as NFC World reports.

Nokia remains pretty tight lipped on the reasons behind its cancellation, citing that it felt "the quality of the consumer experience was not what it needed to be". Despite that setback, Nokia leaves the door for future NFC-enabled handsets open by stating that its "commitment to NFC remains as strong as ever."

NFC is a system, which allows a handset (phone) to be used as a proximity-payment system, waved near a reader for small-value transactions such as public transport for example. Those compliant with the NFC Forum's specification can operate through induced power (so work on a battery-dead phone) and are compatible with existing ticketing systems such as London's Oyster card.

However, wireless communications are only half the story - such a system also needs a safe place to store the current balance and the various certificates necessary to secure the system. The obvious place for that is inside the SIM, and operators lobbied hard for the SWP standard which would connect a SIM-based NFC system to the outside world, but despite being a standard for more than two years SWP-compatible handsets still do not exist in significant numbers.

Companies like Nokia would much rather see the secure module embedded in the handset, tying the user to the phone rather than the SIM, and operators have not provided any discouragement. Therefore, the Nokia 6216 would have been a significant phone, if it had been released, which Nokia has now admitted will not happen.

On the other hand, China Unicom has announced it will be launching an NFC-Forum-compatible service, based on SWP, later this year. That is going to have to compete with China Mobile's, incompatible, RF SIM system. However, as China's second network operator Unicom still has more than 125 million subscribers - enough, one might think, to make Nokia think again about the 6216.

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Google Keeps Using the Name 'Android' and Sues Back Erich Specht

Recently, Google is facing its own problems using the Android name, like Apple's initial problem with Cisco using the "iPhone" name.

In 1999, Illinois entrepreneur Erich Specht started a company called Android Data Corporation, and began selling various software under the Android name. Then, in June 2000, Erich filed for trademark protection over the name "Android Data." The registration was granted in October 2002 by the US Patent and Trademark Office.

This past April, Erich filed a lawsuit over trademark infringement of the name Android against Google, Samsung, Motorola, and Sprint Nextel. He also wanted $100 million dollars in damages. Since then, the court has dismissed those charges, leaving Google the only defendant left.

The latest: Not one to back down from a legal challenge, Google's lawyers have responded by counter-suing Erich Specht. Google wants punitive damages, attorney fees, denial of payments requested, and an order for the US Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Erich's "Android Data" registration.

Right now, both lawsuits are still in process. However, given the amount of brand equity Android has built with Google, it's unlikely they will let it go.

Well, here are some interesting facts being alleged by both sides:

In February 2008, the US Patent and Trademark Office denied Google's attempt to register "Android" for use in computer hardware and software. Google's subsequent appeals were all denied.
Google's application for the Android name is now suspended.
Google alleges Erich never properly renewed the Android trademark and effectively abandoned it from disuse.
Google alleges a stranger at first tried to use Erich's trademark to extort money from Google's legal department.
Erich alleges that Google has collected more than $50 million in Android developer registration fees and that Google has sold more than $1 billion worth of Android equipment since 2008.
Erich also alleges T-Mobile G1, the first Android phone, took more than $10 million and almost three years to develop.
Google has denied both financial allegations and claims because it does not sell equipment directly it is not materially benefiting from any Android sales.

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Nokia to Shutdown N-Gage Platform

Finally, Nokia is planning to shutdown the N-Gage platform. It is all going down in September 2010, but the publishing of new games has stopped as we speak. Moreover, the gaming on Nokia phones will continue evolving under the Ovi Store umbrella.

N-Gage’s website along with the N-Gage Arena community will be left running throughout the whole 2010, while the N-Gage store will continue selling games until September 2010. After that the only place to buy S40 or Symbian S60 games will be the Ovi Store, which will come preinstalled on all upcoming Nokia devices. Nokia has promised to bring similar community options for the apps in the Ovi Store.

However, do not worry, because all the N-Gage games you have purchased so far will continue to work long after that.

After all these years, the N-gage platform has delivered some of the best mobile games we have seen for Symbian smartphones and we are quite surprised that Nokia is ditching all the development losing a strong differentiating factor. We will see how it goes, let us hope it is all for the better.

Source

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The Upcoming Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10

Preparing ourselves for the upcoming Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 announcement next Tuesday (3 November 2009), We would like to inform you that the Sony Ericsson have just published a teaser video of their upcoming Android uber smartphone.

Well, just check it out the new Sony Ericsson's landing promo page that mysteriously appeared to arouse the interest of the general public about an upcoming announcement on Tuesday. We know for sure that this is when the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 will get its official unveiling after so many leaks such as this.

At present, Sony Ericsson have added a promo video to that page as a sneak peak to what is coming. If you have lived on a foreign galaxy the last several months, we will remind you that the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 (previously rumored as XPERIA X3 and Rachael) is Sony Ericsson's first Android smartphone. It is based on a blazing fast Snapdragon CPU and has a 4-inch display and an 8MP built-in camera.


Source

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Motorola Will Carry Windows Mobile 7 in 2010

Recently, Sanjay Jha, Motorola co-CEO, stated that his company's phones would eventually carry Windows Mobile 7.

In answering an analyst's question during the Q-and-A portion of Motorola's earnings, Jha said: "Yes, we are still committed to Windows Mobile. As you know, Windows 6 series is available in 2009 and as compared to Android, we believe in 2009 Android is more competitive; more of our effort and focus in 2009 is going to Android, but in 2010 when Windows 7 will become available, we will then participate in a more focused way in Windows Mobile 7 in 2010."

A Microsoft representative said the company has "nothing to announce today." Moreover, in September, CNET News reported that Microsoft told its partners not to expect Windows Mobile 7 until at least the second half of 2009. Jha's statement seems to indicate that the deadline has been pushed back even further.

The software developer has been counting on the next version of Windows Mobile to enable devices that better rival Apple's iPhone. Among the features widely expected to be part of the release is advanced gesture recognition, perhaps along the lines of the iPhone, but possibly also using the camera as a means for reading gestures.

Microsoft has been quiet for some time on the Windows Mobile front, but that's expected to change later this month when CEO Steve Ballmer gives a keynote speech at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona. Microsoft has said to expect news on the operating system, partner, and mobile services fronts.

Although Windows Mobile 7 is probably a ways off, Microsoft has said it is working on some sort of interim release, dubbed Windows Mobile 6.5, and has also promised better browsing and other features will come this year. Last month, mobile unit head Andy Lees has acknowledged the company has some catching up to do. Lees said, "You are going to see a bunch of announcements at Mobile World Congress but also it is going to be the beginning of a 12-, 18-month period where you are going to see a whole bunch of different stuff."

Nowadays, Microsoft has a fairly secretive "premium mobile services" group under Roz Ho that has been working on a variety of projects over the last couple of years. That group also includes the team Microsoft picked up when it bought Sidekick maker Danger. Separately, Microsoft's Windows Live unit is also working on a new wave of services for Windows Mobile.

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Apple Prevents the Palm Pre from iTunes

Apple has just fired another salvo in its battle with Palm, by preventing the Pre phone from synchronizing with iTunes 9.

This is the second time recently that Apple has deliberately prevented the Pre from connecting to its video and music organization and sales application. In July, iTunes 8.2.1 prevented non-Apple devices from connecting to iTunes by checking the USB Vendor ID and blocking any device that did not use the Apple ID.

Palm followed this up with an update of its own that fixed the issue and made its phones compatible with iTunes again by altering the USB Vendor ID to match Apple's.

It is not just Palm that Apple seems to object to. Updates to iTunes, often break compatibility with other iTunes-compatible devices, such as the free NAS operating system FreeNAS that has a built-in music server.

There is no explanation yet as to how Apple is blocking devices with iTunes 9, but any changes must be deliberately designed so as ensure that iPhones and iPods continue to synchronize without problem.

It is hard to see how Apple has continued and deliberate attack on any device that is not made by Apple can be seen as anything other than anti-competitive. In my opinion it is about time that the European Commission turned its focus to Apple and forced it to make iTunes compatible with third party.

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Most Apple iPhone Users Download 10+ Applications

It has been long established in the mobile world that applications are the key selling point for Apple's iPhone. At the end of June, Apple reported a record 5.2 million iPhones sold in its third quarter, which is a 600% increase over the same time-period a year earlier. Steve Jobs, Apple Chairman, was proud to announce that more than 1.5 billion applications had been downloaded from the App Store. Unsurprisingly, according to a new survey released by Compete, 72% of iPhone users have downloaded 10 or more applications to their gadgets. On the other hand, in comparison only 27% of Blackberry users have downloaded five or more applications.

The day my friend bought his iPhone, he has already downloaded more than 10 applications. To deny this curiosity for new features seems weird. While Blackberry's App World selection certainly does not compete with Apple's App Store, the company does offer free fan favorites like Facebook, Pandora and Google Talk. The Blackberry’s low application download numbers has shocked me and as explained by Compete's Danielle Nohe, it appears that the companies have tremendous different cultures.

Said Nohe, "With the massive number of applications downloaded to date, the iPhone has taken an early lead in getting owners to adopt app functionality and make popular applications a part of their daily lives... Once users are hooked, they're very unlikely to give up their device - that makes mobile the next can't miss opportunity for marketers."

Compete affirms ReadWriteWeb's statement that iPhone users are embracing paid apps. The research company suggests that users prefer to pay less than $5 dollars per app with the most popular downloads being social networking, entertainment, music, gaming, and weather applications. With the iPhone's culture of app downloading, it is obvious why developers covet the featured paid app spot in any one of these categories.

The top free application in the App Store's social networking category is Facebook and 71% of those surveyed reported accessing the website from their mobile handset. Nevertheless, Twitter usage appeared remarkably lower than expected. Compete reports that 85% of smartphone users still prefer to access Twitter from their computer rather than their mobile device. "Of the smartphone owners, who do access Twitter via their phones, 41 percent use the application to keep track of what their friends are doing, 32 percent use the service to keep up with current events and 19 percent tweet from their handset to build a fan base or promote their company." Given Facebook's recent slew of Twitter-like features, and the fact that Twitter has no official mobile application, perhaps the microblogging site is seen as a redundancy amongst this group.

Another interesting fact is that nearly half of the group was open to receiving location-based advertisements and discounts. Communities like Brightkite and Foursquare have already been exploring such ads as a revenue model. However, it will be interesting to see if they try to place their own ads or outsource the sponsorships to a location-based ad-serving network.

Related Post: fring is Now Available on the iPhone App Store

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Facebook Mobile to Connect 65 Million People

Nowadays, even when you are away from your computer, you will be always able to share and connect with those that matter to you on Facebook. Facebook had that goal in mind when they launched Facebook Mobile in 2006.

Today, Facebook reached a new milestone with more than 65 million people now actively using Facebook on their mobile devices, which is a significant increase from 20 million just eight months ago.

Recently, Facebook are continuously making updates to their mobile products and working with some of the biggest names in mobile to make sure that Facebook is available on the latest devices and mobile operating systems.

Facebook Mobile first started as a simple mobile website in English with a few of the core website features built-in, such as photo uploads and status updates. Since then, Facebook have grown far beyond what was then a fairly basic mobile website. Facebook have translated the mobile website into other languages, launched Facebook SMS and deployed a wide range of applications for hundreds of mobile devices, including Facebook for iPhone, Facebook for Blackberry and Facebook for Nokia.

Below is a quick tour of all of our options for utilizing Facebook Mobile:

Text Messages

Through Facebook Mobile Texts, we can receive notifications, set our status, send, and receive messages via SMS. This service is now available on 52 operators in 25 countries, on any mobile handset.

Mobile Web Sites

Facebook has two mobile web sites: x.facebook.com, which is designed specifically for touch screen phones like Android, Palm, iPhone and Nokia, and m.facebook.com, which works on any mobile browser. These websites have been translated into more than 60 languages. Moreover, it allow us to update our status, browse our News Feed and our friends' Profiles, comment or "like" stories, and view or update our Facebook Page.

Facebook Mobile for Devices

Facebook applications can be found on an increasing number of mobile handsets; many come pre-installed while others can be downloaded from the Internet. The most recent Facebook mobile applications include major updates for Nokia's N97 and Nokia 5800 and Apple's iPhone. These applications make it easier to update our status, browse our News Feed, share photos and keep in contact with all our friends on Facebook wherever we are.

Also available are Facebook applications from INQ, Palm, RIM, Motorola, HTC, LG Electronics, Samsung and Sony Ericsson. There are also Facebook applications for the T-Mobile Sidekick and phones powered by Microsoft's Windows Mobile.

Facebook Connect for Mobile Web

Beginning today, we will start to see Facebook Connect available on some of our mobile sites and applications, just as we would on the Web. Already, Facebook Connect makes it easier for us to take our online identity with people all over the Web, share what we do online with our friends and stay updated on what they are doing. Soon, we will see prompts for Facebook Connect on mobile sites and applications and have the opportunity to take our Facebook profile information, friends and privacy preferences to our favorite mobile applications, as well.

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Nokia 5530 XpressMusic to Hit UK on 11 August

The newest touchscreen-capable handset coming from the Finnish cellphone maker Nokia, the 5530 XpressMusic, is expected to become available for purchase in the UK through Carphone Warehouse, which will sell the phone exclusively for six weeks.

Carphone Warehouse will have an exclusive deal for the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic for six weeks until the end of September. The handset will be offered at the price of 150 Euros on a prepaid basis, which is much better than the expected price of 190 Euros suggested by Nokia at the announcement, though it might still be locked. Moreover, Carphone Warehouse is also expected to offer the handset on contract, which may take the price down even further.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic was officially announced back in June, though no information on its availability emerged at the time. The handset comes to the market as a cut down version of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, though the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a mid-range handset, while the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic goes to the high-end market segment. The primary differences between this handset and the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is that the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic does not support 3G and it comes with a smaller display and no GPS. Despite not having 3G, the Nokia 5530 XpressMusic does support WiFi and the screen has the same resolution of 640 x 360 pixels that makes it ideal for web browsing.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic sports a 2.9-inch touchscreen display, coupled with a 3.2MP picture snapper with video recording capabilities, Bluetooth, FM radio, microSD memory-card slot for additional storage space, and with the newest Symbian S60 5th edition. Other features of this new handset are a 3.5mm standard audio jack and stereo speakers. Although no official details have been unveiled until now, the handset is expected to reach other European markets too, and it should available there before the end of the third quarter of the year.

Other Related Posts:

• Nokia 5310 XpressMusic Phone for Music Mania


• Nokia 5610 XpressMusic Mobile Phone


• Nokia 5800 Xpress Music vs. Blackberry Storm


• Nokia 5710 XpressMusic with GPS Functionality

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fring is Now Available on the iPhone App Store

If you do not have fring’s latest iPhone version yet, well I have a good news for you that fring is now available on the iPhone App store, which is making it easy for anyone to use fring on the original iPhone, iPhone 3G or iPod touch.

Following Apple’s previous week release of the iPhone 3.0 application update, I am happy to inform you that fring now supports the brand new iPhone 3Gs. You do not need nothing because the version is already on your handset, ready for you to enjoy.

All you need to do is download fring on the App Store and within minutes, you can make free calls with other fringsters or via fring using Skype, Skype-out or any SIP providers you choose.

Using your phone’s Internet connection, you can interact with buddies on MSN Messenger, Skype, Google Talk, SIP, ICQ, Twitter, Yahoo!, and AIM and make your very own fring by adding fringAdd-ons. In short, you can finally interact with all your favorite Internet applications, communities and services from your iPhone. Now that is fringing freedom!

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Nokia to Introduce the New Version of Ovi Maps

Recently, Nokia just announced its next phase of program development services (social locations), presenting a new version of Ovi Maps. Ovi Maps is dynamic and customized base map information that synchronized and supporting joint use as a mobile phone or via the Internet, offers users the ability to add personalized content based on location.

Reported that the new version of Ovi Maps contain new features and services, which offer additional opportunities through better maps: landscape maps of high resolution, and two-and three-dimensional imagery, three-dimensional orientations for more than 200 cities, to rotate, tilt, in view (Night) standby and rapid transition between the points of the route. Ovi Maps also offers more information on the attractions of the Lonely Planet, Wcities, and Michelin, as well as service weather forecast for the next five days.

Nokia also announced the release application programming interface (API) Ovi Maps Player, which is offers a simple way to take advantage of rich opportunities Ovi Maps on any compatible website with the support of the basic version of JavaScript. Through this service, and technology Ovi Maps are available for other companies wishing to add advanced, innovative features to their websites in order to better integrate and work with the audience.

Release of the new version of Ovi Maps also means a shift from universal, static raster maps, widely circulated on the Internet, the use of dynamic vector maps Nokia as a tool for viewing and personal work with maps - both through the compatible mobile device or the Internet.

To access to the beta version of Ovi Maps on the Internet, just visit this address: www.maps.ovi.com. You can also download the latest beta version of Ovi Maps in Nokia Betalabs website at: www.nokia.com/betalabs/maps.

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O2 XDA Diamond 2 Promises WinMo 6.5

Recently, O2 Germany has released the XDA Diamond 2, which as people can probably tell is a re-branded HTC Touch Diamond2. Actually, there is not much branding going on, the smartphone comes unlocked and there is an O2 logo on the back.

In short, the HTC Touch Diamond2 is as feature rich as Microsoft Windows Mobile phones go – coming up with a 3.2" WVGA screen, a top-notch 5MP autofocus camera, speedy 3G connectivity, Wi-Fi, GPS and HTC’s TouchFLO 3D. For a more in-depth look of the HTC Touch Diamond2, you should definitely check out this review.

The O2’s XDA Diamond 2 is one of those smartphones that are upgradeable to Windows Mobile 6.5. O2 Germany promise the upgrade will be available free of charge as soon as Microsoft releases the operating system and HTC is done adding their wonderful TouchFLO 3D interface to it.

You can snatch the O2's XDA Diamond 2 now (if you live in Germany that is) for 420 euro without a contract (remember it is unlocked) or for a price of (80/50 euro) with one of the 24-month plans that start at 25 euro.

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Android 1.5 SDK: An Open Source and Fully Customizable Mobile Platform

A couple days ago, I was so excited to hear about the next version of the Android platform. Well, how far do you know about the next release of Android platform? The truth is the next release of the Android platform will not be Android 1.2, but Android 1.5.

This new version of the Android platform, which is Android 1.5 SDK (Software Development Kit), has just been officially introduced, and it is now ready for all the developers all over the world who want to try it. The Android 1.5 SDK is based on the cupcake branch from the Android Open Source Project. This new version introduces Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for features such as home screen widgets, soft keyboards, live folders, and speech recognition. Of course, the APIs you will find in this specific Android 1.5 are not finalized. Therefore, you should not release applications base on it.

At the developer website, you can download an early-look of the Android 1.5 SDK. All you need to do is to read important information about upgrading your Eclipse plug-in and existing projects, and try to learn about what is new and highlighted in the Android 1.5. It is not clear yet when and how the Android 1.5 version of the operating system will be available for the Android mobile phones that are currently on the market.

Well, I encourage you to start coding with this early look SDK. However, once again, please know that the APIs for this version have not been finalized. There may be some changes before the final release. Last but not least, I look forward to seeing all the hot applications that use the new capabilities in the Android 1.5 SDK. Happy fun coding!

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RIM Takeover Bid for Certicom

Research in Motion Limited (RIM) recent announcement of a takeover bid for Certicom Corp. is now open to the shareholders. Back on December 3, RIM offered shareholders 1.50 Canadian dollars ($1.20) per share, which accounts to CA$66 million ($52.6 million) for the outstanding shares of Certicom, which is based in Mississauga, Ontario makes encryption technology for wireless communications.

Certicom has said that they are also looking at a number of other competing bids, and not just from RIM. On the other hand, RIM, which is a Canadian wireless device company best known as the developer of the BlackBerry handheld communication device, has said that their offer for Certicom Corp. will only stay open until 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 15.

RIM is hoping to put their money in other areas, as their shares have fallen yet again. Shares recently fell to 85 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $38.36.

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Apple Launches New Notebooks on October 14

According to the rumor over the net, Apple is going to unveil its new notebooks at a special event in Cupertino on October 14. "The spotlight turns to notebooks," reads the invitation sent to media yesterday. However, details of the Apple's new notebooks are currently unknown. Moreover, the rumor said that Apple would launch an $800 model at the event. The notebook is crafted from single pieces of aluminum using a laser and water jet process known by the codename "brick" reportedly.

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