Archive for September 5th, 2012

Nokia launches its first Windows Phone 8 smartphones

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

Nokia has unveiled its first hardware running the new mobile operating system from Microsoft.

The Finnish phone maker launched two Windows Phone 8 smartphones – Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 – in a joint media event between Nokia and Microsoft in New York today.

Steve Ballmer (CEO Microsoft) and Stephen Elop (CEO Nokia) brandishing the new Windows Phone 8 Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 smartphones.

Steve Ballmer (CEO Microsoft) and Stephen Elop (CEO Nokia) brandishing the new Windows Phone 8 Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 smartphones at Manhattan today.

The one-and-a-half hour session just ended five minutes ago.

The joint media event saw the unveiling of the Lumia 920 (with PureView) and Lumia 820, with NFC, more powerful processors (1.5GHz Dual Core Snapdragon S4), better displays and new  augmented reality apps (City Lens) for its location suite and enhancements to existing apps (Nokia Drive, Maps and Transport).

Check back at this space for more updates on new features of the two new smartphones.

SWSPG adds new members and announces commercial TVWS pilot deployments

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

The Singapore White Spaces Pilot Group (SWSPG) added six new members today, and launched three commercial pilot deployments of TV White Spaces (TVWS) smart radio technology.

The three founding members of the SWSPG added six new members today.

The three founding members of the SWSPG added six new members today.

The three founding members (Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R), Microsoft Singapore and StarHub) of the SWSPG introduced the following six members today.

  1. Neul Ltd, a Cambridge, UK-based TVWS Solutions and Services Company.
  2. Adaptrum, a Silicon Valley, US-based TVWS technology and solutions provider; whose TVWS System ACRS 1.0 was certified by the FCC and commercially deployed in the US.
  3. Power Automation Pte Ltd (a joint venture between Singapore Power and Siemens) which is a provider of smart grid solutions.
  4. Singapore Island Country Club, a golf and country club in Singapore.
  5. Spectrum Bridge Inc, a developer of spectrum management systems and a provider of spectrum sharing solutions, whose TVWS platform was the first to obtain FCC certification in the US.
  6. ZDW Systems Pte Ltd, an equipment manufacturer and solutions provider for wireless communications coverage enhancement networks.

The group also announced the first series of commercial pilot deployments of TVWS smart radio technology in Singapore.

“The Singapore TVWS pilots are very timely with the on-going digital TV transition and rising trends of the Internet of Things and Smart City regionally,” said Michael Thatcher, Chief Technology Officer, Public Sector, Microsoft Asia Pacific.

This will hopefully introduce a new class of wireless connectivity to Singapore, putting the island nation at the forefront of a new wave of wireless services innovation and Smart City applications.

With the support of IDA, these first three commercial pilot projects will attempt to demonstrate the characteristics and benefits of TVWS solutions in different environments and with different usage applications.

The first demo will penetrate the dense vegetation and challenging terrain of the SICC to enable wireless connectivity.

“IDA welcomes industry-led efforts such as the TVWS commercial pilots by the SWSPG. We will continue to support and provide regulatory guidance to industry initiatives looking at new and innovative ways to deploy TVWS,” said Aileen Chia, Deputy Diretor-General (Telecoms & Post), Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore.

The second demo will provide long-range wireless Internet coverage across the waters at the Singapore harbour.

The third demo will support smart grid applications that will impact the million households in Singapore.

These commercial pilots are conducted under a test licence from IDA and utilise a TVWS Geo-location Database developed by Microsoft, with the advice and inputs from IDA.

Nokia and Microsoft media event in New York

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

Nokia and Microsoft are hosting a media event in New York today – probably to launch one or more smartphones running on the Windows Phone 8 operating system.

Nokia and Microsoft joint media event: 9:30am (ET), 10pm (Singapore Time).

Nokia and Microsoft joint media event: 9:30am (ET), 10pm (Singapore Time).

The joint conference from Nokia and Microsoft will take place at 9.30am (ET) today. That’s 10pm tonight in Singapore.

You can tune in here to follow the live webcast.

RIM unveils details of BlackBerry US$10k Developer Commitment initiative

Wednesday, September 5th, 2012

RIM has announced the details to two initiatives to attract developers to the BlackBerry 10 platform: the US$10k Developer Commitment initiative and Built for BlackBerry initiatives.

RIM BlackBerry 10 US$10K Developer Commitment.

RIM BlackBerry 10 US$10K Developer Commitment.

First announced during BlackBerry 10 Jam Singapore, the US$10,000 Developer Commitment initiative is offered to developers that meet the following criteria.

US$10K Developer Commitment

Developers must certify their apps through the Built for BlackBerry program and submit them prior to the launch of BlackBerry 10.

RIM Built for BlackBerry developer initiative.

RIM Built for BlackBerry developer initiative.

Over the period of 12 months from launch of BlackBerry 10, if the app earns at least US$1,000 on its own but less than US$10,000, RIM will pay the developer the difference between the revenue earned and US$10,000.

Developers are only eligible to receive this one time. In the event where the app earns less than US$1,000 or more than US$10,000, the app is not qualified to be part of the program.

Built for BlackBerry

The Built for BlackBerry program will be initiated this September and allow developers to submit their BlackBerry 10 apps for third-party review.

From productivity apps to lifestyle apps to games, developers will be able to submit their BlackBerry 10 WebWorks or BlackBerry 10 Native app to the Built for BlackBerry program, and when cleared through the review, will receive the “Built for BlackBerry” quality status.

The “Built for BlackBerry” designation will convey to customers the added level of evaluation an app has gone through and that it meets RIM’s high standards for quality and performance.Developers will be able to display this title on their website, on the BlackBerry App World storefront, and anywhere else they market their apps.It is a means for professional developers to differentiate their apps on BlackBerry App World.

The program will be free for now.