Hasta La Gadget!

In two years, we’ll mark the thirtieth anniversary of the first commercially available cellphone — built by Motorola, incidentally. Given this week’s big news from Google, and other big events that we can only presume are yet to come, those two years may also prove to be some of the most interesting yet for the mobile industry.

One of the more telling things about Google’s acquisition announcement on Monday was the response from Motorola’s competitors (and Google’s partners). Immediately following the news, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC and LG all came out to praise Google’s commitment to “defending Android,” which presumably also means that they remain committed to using Android. What’s more, as Google itself has made explicitly clear recently, it’s not just defending Android as any company would defend its own product, but defending it against what it’s described as “hostile” and “organized” threat from Apple and Microsoft (and, to a lesser extent, Oracle).

That increasingly hostile footing and a further-bolstered Google (assuming the acquisition goes through) also now creates some clearer lines and an entirely new dynamic between the major players in the mobile industry. Google and Microsoft are now taking similar approaches by licensing out their operating system to others while also having a hand in hardware development (by proxy with Nokia in the case of Microsoft). Neither are about to go as completely independent as Apple has, of course, but they both seem to have decided that it’s no longer enough to just focus on software and leave manufacturers entirely to their own devices.

That leaves RIM and HP who, like Apple, are each trying to go it alone with their own hardware and mobile operating system — although HP is apparently open to the idea of licensing webOS if it has any takers (an option that seems to be getting less and less likely). The question now is will they succeed by staying out of the fray, or will they be forced to join it and choose sides?

Continue reading Editorial: Google, Microsoft and the incredible shifting mobile landscape

Editorial: Google, Microsoft and the incredible shifting mobile landscape originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 17 Aug 2011 17:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is Microsoft preparing to fill in Google’s old mobile boots? It could very well be, now that the search king has firmly committed to the hardware side of the mobile business. According to a report on GigaOM, MS was one of many potential suitors circling Motorola’s treasure trove of patents, effectively forcing El Goog to swoop in for the $12.5 billion kill. Moto’s portfolio of 17,000 patents and 7,500 patent applications would have significantly strengthened Redmond’s attack on the Android platform, but it appears the loss might actually benefit MS in other unintended ways. Despite the cheery, public well-wishing from handset makers, insider rumblings indicate a possible mass OEM defection to Windows Phone 7 could shortly be afoot, paving the way for a fierce, three-way mobile OS fight. For its part, Google doesn’t seem too worried about the competition, considering the deal’s hefty $2.5 billion break-up fee — a percentage three times that of the AT&T / T-Mobile merger penalty — a confident financial sign it intends to win this wireless race.

Google’s Moto Mobility deal may have had Microsoft roots, comes with $2.5 billion break-up fee originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 19:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For those who’ve longed for Twitter integration and multitasking capabilities on your Windows Phone, the folks at xda-developers have a weekend project you’re bound to flip over: the final version of Mango has leaked, and it’s available for download today. Internally, it’s known as build 7720, and it requires the post-NoDo update dubbed 7392. Alternately, users of Mango beta versions 7661 and 7712 may hop on board, too. If you’ve got a couple hours to spare, a full list of instructions — along with the operating system itself — is included in the source. So far, the software has been confirmed to work on the HD7, Mozart, Trophy, Focus, Arrive, Venue Pro and Optimus 7. As always, proceed at your own risk, and best wishes for your tropical getaway.

[Thanks, Leonidas]

Windows Phone Mango RTM leaks into the wild, offers tropical sweets for the daring originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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HTC Mazaa’s awarded in dev contest, winners promptly splay (and auction) them to world originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Windows Phone’s Mango update was released to manufacturers for testing two weeks ago, and you know what that means — it’s time to speculate on what’s lined up after the still-unreleased refresh. Mary Jo Foley’s dishing out some juicy rumors from sources that the next version of Windows Phone is codenamed “Tango,” and has a few tricks up its sleeves. The new OS would have a tighter focus on Nokia’s desire to bring lower-priced phones to the fold; it’ll also apparently target the Asian market “largely or even exclusively.” This prediction sounds as though Tango would only be pushed to inexpensive handsets, effectively turning Windows Phone into a two-tiered platform — but as many rumors go, we’re still waiting for a little more meat to chew on before making such a conjecture. If the new codename sticks, however, we expect to see a video chat service that won’t be too happy with the news. We’ll grab the popcorn and get a good seat for the (lopsided) duel that’s sure to come.

Windows Phone ‘Tango’ may be Mango’s successor, geared toward less-expensive handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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