Hasta La Gadget!

After months of stoking anticipation and dealing with criticism, RIM will finally reveal BlackBerry 10 to the world on Wednesday. It’s got to be a heady moment for everyone involved — this is the company’s big shot at redemption and relevance — but until then the rest of us will just have to make do with another batch of leaked BB10 hardware photos.

The subject this time around though is the white Z10, an oft-rumored version of the device that’s popped up in rumor posts and renders (including one that appeared as part of a leaked Verizon Wireless promo page) but generally not out in the wild. Longtime readers may know that I’m a bit of a sucker for a white phone, but the black bezel that runs around the white Z10′s 4.2-inch display is a neat little touch that makes the thing look visually distinct — certainly not a bad thing now that RIM preparing to wade once again into the middle of a heated smartphone conflict.

Naturally, the rest of the technical particulars are still under lock and key right now, but that hasn’t stopped leakers and rumormongers from disseminating a tentative spec sheet in recent days. Should it hold true, the Z10 will include 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, and 1800 mAh battery, and an 8-megapixel rear camera. BGR reports that the Z10 will make its retail debut with a sub-$199 price tag as well, with editor Jonathan Geller pointing to a $150 price point as a distinct possibility.

Wednesday’s event will be the first time that the world at large can get better acquainted with BlackBerry 10 and the hardware that runs it, but it certainly won’t be the last. RIM has sunk an undisclosed amount of money into a 30-second spot due to run during the Super Bowl this Sunday, so it’s clear that RIM is gunning to make a real splash in the market over the weeks and months to come.

I’ve always hated BlackBerry phones. Disgracefully ugly bricks they were—until the BlackBerry Z10. The BlackBerry Z10 is hot. Truly beautiful, elegant hardware. If the OS is as nice as it seemed at CES, I will totally snatch one up. More »

Lenovo was a hot topic last week after it was reported that CFO Wong Wai Ming said that the company was looking into an acquisition of RIM, as well as possibly a couple of other companies. However, the company has released an official statement downplaying the significance of the quotes from Ming, saying that Ming “was speaking broadly about M&A strategy” and the interviewer specifically asked about RIM.

So, it turns out that Lenovo may not actually be seeking a RIM acquisition, but Lenovo didn’t provide a straight “no” either, simply just saying that the company does “not comment on M&A rumors or speculation,” and that they’re “very focused on growing its business, both organically and through M&A.”

Furthermore, RIM has also issued a statement about the miscommunication, and they too, didn’t give a strict “no” concerning the acquisition rumors, saying that they “continue to examine all available options,” but the company currently doesn’t “have anything new to report on our Strategic Review at this time.”

Essentially, this doesn’t add any more to the rumors, but it also doesn’t take anything away. Sure, both companies were quick to downplay the quotes made by CFO Ming, but neither company flat out said “no” to the rumors. Both Lenovo and RIM say that they’re always evaluating different opportunities for growth and making decisions that best benefit the two companies.

[via The Next Web]

Lenovo discredits RIM acquisition rumors is written by Craig Lloyd & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Lenovo turned a few heads last week when its CFO mentioned RIM as a possible acquisition target or partner, and with many eyes peering in its direction, the company’s felt the need to clarify its relationship with the BlackBerry maker. An English-language statement — courtesy of The Next Web — says Wong Wai Ming was “speaking broadly about M&A strategy,” and only included RIM in this comment as the interviewer asked about Lenovo’s interest in the company specifically. While it doesn’t provide any more fuel for the speculation fire, there’s no denial here, and it’s worth remembering that Wong mentioned the two have talked about potential arrangements, according to the original Bloomberg report. Damage limitation statement deployed, we doubt Lenovo will be bringing this up again unless anything formal happens. In the meantime, RIM’s got slightly more immediate matters to concern itself with.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, RIM, Lenovo

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Source: Sina Tech, The Next Web

This week we’re having a bit of a double-take on the IDC’s release outlining the fourth quarter mobile device market share breakdown for the end of 2012, with none other than Huawei taking third place. This is absolutely surprising as all get-out as Huawei has never before cracked the top 5 smartphone vendors in the world – it’s only been inside the top 10 before now. Groups like LG, Motorola, and Nokia do not appear in the top 5 for smartphone sales in the quarter, while Nokia sits pretty in second place for total mobile phone “Vendors, Shipments, and Market Share” for 2012 (that includes non-smart phones).

According to the IDC, Huawei’s strategy including the high-end Ascend lineup which continues through 2013. IDC also notes that Huawei has “demonstrated its innovative skills” with such releases as the (at that time) world’s thinnest phone with the Ascend P1. The Ascend Mate is also on the way here in 2013 with the world’s first 6.1-inch smartphone display.

You’ll also find Samsung and Apple right up on top of the smartphone market this fourth quarter of 2012, as it was expected, with a 29% and 21.8% market share respectively. Compared to these numbers, the third place entrant (Huawei) brings on a tiny 4.9%, while Sony and ZTE come in fourth and fifth with 4.5% and 4.3% respectively, the all-encompassing “Others” category gathering up the rest with 35.5% of the market total. This is all accounted for with a total of 219.4 million smartphones sold over the fourth quarter of 2012 all around the world, a 36.4% jump from Q4 of 2011.

As for smartphone sales recorded over the entirety of 2012, Samsung and Apple once again reign supreme with 30.3% of the market and 19.1% of the market respectively. Third, fourth, and fifth place may be surprises to you, on the other hand: Nokia, HTC, and Research in Motion (RIM, BlackBerry). Of course it’s only with less than 15% of the market between the three of them that they exist on the list, less that one percentage point separating each of them, but there you have it – they’re still up there!

[via IDC]

Huawei shocks smartphone market with 3rd place finish in 2012: IDC is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.