Google's new CEO anoints seven-strong inner circle
Google's new CEO, Larry Page, has lost no time in reorganizing the company he co-founded after Eric Schmidt relinquished the chief executive post. And the search giant has acquired Pushlife, a start-up whose technology helps users synchronize their iTunes and Windows Media Player collections with their cellphones. Page has promoted seven managers to senior executive postions to streamline decision making, with the restructuring focused in particularly in key growth areas, mobile and social networking. Andy Rubin, head of Android is one of the new magic circle, which reports to Page, simplifying Google's often criticized bureaucratic structure.
Nokia says Symbian is no longer open source
Nokia has announced that its Symbian platform is no longer open source. The news comes less than a year after the now-defunct Symbian Foundation released the first completely open version of the OS, with Nokia saying that its “open and direct” model referred to its business plan rather than the Symbian source code. With complete control of the platform having reverted to Nokia late last month, the manufacturer announced that “we are not maintaining Symbian as an open source development project.”
Smartphone costs wipe out ARPU gains
Smartphones are driving up operator’s costs in mature markets, resulting in lower EBITDA despite the higher ARPU smartphone users generate, research firm Wireless Intelligence claims. Using Canada as a marker for developed global markets, the firm found that EBITDA margins are being hit by higher operational expenses (OPEX) associated with the larger subsidies operators offer on high-end handsets. Those costs are pushing up the price carriers pay to acquire and retain subscribers, which has lessened the effect of higher ARPU from mobile data revenues. Rogers Wireless, the market leader in Canada, told the firm that smartphone upgrade costs was the single biggest factor in a 5.2% increase in OPEX to C$3.8 billion (€2.7 billion) in 2010, while smartphone subsidies resulted in a 5% drop in EBITDA at number two player Bell Mobility to C$1.7 billion during the year.
US mobile industry forced kicking and screaming into the 21st Century as regulator makes data roaming wholesale and mandatory
Despite all the obfuscation and filibustering on the part of determinedly reluctant or virulently competitive operators, the US regulator, the Federal Communications Commission, (FCC) has ruled that they must offer wholesale data roaming or face severe financial penalties and "other sanctions." What's more, the FCC has spiked the operator's guns before they had a chance to load 'em let alone fire 'em. Thus the operators are legally bound to provide such data roaming on "commercially reasonable terms."
Barnes & Noble courts developers for Nook store
US bookstore Barnes & Noble has reached out to developers to make apps for the new Android-based version of its Nook e-reader. As we reported last week, Barnes & Noble plans to transform the 7-inch Nook Color into “a full-featured Android tablet.” It will retail at just US$249 – half the price of the iPad. The retailer confirmed in a blog post this week that “a major update to the Nook Color firmware this Spring will offer customers the first new apps to discover and enjoy, along with email and other requested features.” This update is thought to add a Web browser (with Adobe Flash support) and an e-mail client. The Nook already features a music player and can play videos in MP4 format.
Telefónica Targets 'Bill Shock' with Sandvine Technology
Telefónica, the global mobile network company behind O2 in the UK, is using Sandvine technology to help consumers keep track of their data use charges when roaming abroad. Sandvine's network policy control solutions provide Telefónica with a number of services, such as reporting of network usage, but the company is also providing services on the consumer side. The idea of 'bill shock' is increasingly familiar in the UK - when people travel, they can find that data usage abroad causes their mobile bill to rocket. Legislation was introduced last year requiring operators to take action to alleviate the problem, and Telefónica's UK subsidiary, O2, is addressing the problem using Sandvine's Quota Management solution, which monitors subscriber roaming usage in real-time and messages them with updates advising them when they are nearing and surpassing their quota.
Asus releases Honeycomb source code
Asustek has released the source code to the Linux kernel used in the Android Honeycomb operating system powering its Eee Pad Transformer. The Asus EEE Pad Transformer was launched in Europe at the end of March and is yet to be launched in the US, despite already being on sale in Best Buy. We had a hands-on look at the device at CeBIT. The Transformer is powered by Nvidia's Tegra 2 ARM-based system on chip and features an impressive 10.1-inch 1280x800 display using In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology.
Gamers less likely to go to university
A researcher at Oxford University has discovered that regularly playing computer games reduces the chances of going to university by a significant amount. Mark Taylor, who performed the research for the Department of Sociology, asked 17,200 people who were 16 in 1986 about their education level, subsequent career and extra-curricular activities that were enjoyed during their teenage years. The study found a correlation between gaming and a decreased likelihood of going to university. Only 19 per cent of male gamers were likely to go to university, compared to 24 per cent for those who did not game or enjoy any other extra-curricular activity. The figure was 14 per cent for female games, compared to 20 per cent who didn't game.
Microsoft Libya boss held by government forces
Microsoft’s Libyan manager has been held in Tripoli by Libyan authorities since late March, according to a statement from Redmond. The company called for the release of Khalid Elhasumi who was apparently picked up by government forces on 19 March in the conflict stricken nation. Khalid Elhasumi joined Microsoft in 2010. He manages Microsoft's operations in Libya which opened in 2006. Microsoft has been working on securing the release of the employee over the past two weeks alongside Elhasumi’s family and international organisations.
Consumers to have access to personal marketing data held by businesses
Consumers should get digital access to data held on them by companies under a scheme to be announced next week. The data would help people switch products and organisations more easily and save money by being able to monitor, for example, their energy usage. Consumer minister Ed Davey will announced on Wednesday the formation of "mydata" – a collaboration between the government and more than 20 businesses across the financial services, utilities and telecoms industries – to give people access to their digital data. The initiative Better Deals: Better Choices aims to encourage collective purchasing, and increase support for vulnerable customers. The government hopes empowered consumers will create competitive markets and public services and feed into its plan for growth.
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