Uncategorized Archive

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AT&T ‘streamlining’ text messaging plans, drops $10/mo service

By
Michael Collado
– August 18, 2011

AT&T is poised to remove the individual $10 per month text messaging plan it currently provides, for 1,000 messages in and out, on Sunday, August 21st.

The news was first reported by Engadget which received a screenshot of an upcoming AT&T policy which showed the company would only offer the $20 unlimited plan for individuals, the $30 unlimited family plan, and the pay per message plans.

In a statement, AT&T said “we’re streamlining our text messaging plans for new customers … The vast majority of our messaging customers prefer unlimited plans and with text messaging growth stronger than ever, that number continues to climb among new customers. Existing customers don’t have to change any messaging plan they have today, even when changing handsets.”

So for the Samsung Focus, LG Quantum, HTC Surround and HD7S customers out there: you’ll be grandfathered in the text messaging plan but for future Windows Phone users, you’ll have to choose unlimited or pay as you text.

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‘Dilbert’ creator Scott Adams chooses Windows Phone over iPhone, Android

By
Michael Collado
– August 18, 2011

Director of Windows Phone Apps Brandon Watson recently offered Dilbert creator Scott Adams and CNET’s Molly Wood to take on the Windows Phone Challenge: both were frustrated by their Android phones, so Watson gave them a device and if they didn’t like it he would donate $1,000 to charity. Watson just this week offered that same deal to LA Clippers’ Blake Griffin.

Molly Wood is offering her thoughts on Windows Phone week by week on her Molly Rants blog. But the self-proclaimed not-as-tech-savvy Scott Adams has published his decision in its entirety.

“If you want a smartphone that is easy to use, performs well, has a good battery life, and doesn’t frustrate you,” he writes, “the Windows Phone is the best choice [between iPhone and Android].” But, Adams digresses, if you want a phone that has a cool factor: you’re not getting that with Windows Phone.

“Even the names Microsoft and Windows feel dated to me,” he argues.

Adams used six factors to decide a victor: call quality, user interface, onscreen keyboard, battery life, apps, and the “intangible cool factor.” Windows Phone reigned in the call quality and user interface categories (something he described as “intuitive, simple”), tied with iPhone in battery life, and failed in apps (with an “okay-ish” label) and onscreen keyboard (though, it was a three-way tie).

I suppose that means that Watson, and Microsoft, doesn’t have to donate $1,000 to charity — although, that doesn’t exactly sound like a winning combination. Adams’ verdict can be the first in a potentially proving marketing strategy; though, we’ll have to see what Molly Wood thinks and maybe even Blake Griffin someday.

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Report: Microsoft was in talks to acquire Motorola Mobility

By
Michael Collado
– August 15, 2011

Google announced it had entered in a definitive agreement to acquire Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion this morning, but reports are claiming that Microsoft wanted to buy the company as well.

GigaOM reports that the software company was in talks with Motorola to acquire the company. Certainly that would have helped with potential Motorola Windows Phones that the company’s CEO hinted was, in fact, a possibility, but just like Google, Microsoft’s intentions were less about creativity and more about litigation.

“Microsoft was interested in acquiring Motorola’s patent portfolio that would have allowed it to torpedo Android even further,” GigaOM states. But Google, which actively promised it would help out its Android partners through the patent wars they were battling, would not let that happen. “The possibility of that deal brought Google to the negotiation table, resulting in the blockbuster sale.”

“Motorola found a Google deal more digestible because Microsoft had no interest in running a hardware business and was essentially interested in Motorola’s vast collection of patents,” they continue.

Microsoft had been in talks with Motorola for more than a month but eventually Google’s $40 per share deal outweighed that of Microsoft’s.

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Motorola Windows Phones likely won’t happen: Google to buy company for $12.5B

By
Michael Collado
– August 15, 2011

Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha may be open to switching his focus from Android to Windows Phone, but we’re guessing Google isn’t exactly okay with that strategy. Neither will whoever takes over Motorola Mobility, as Google is poised to acquire the company for a very cool $12.5 billion, they announced via blog post.

Whether that’s here nor there (re: Motorola Windows Phones) is another argument entirely, as Google stated its main reason for the buyout is to “supercharge” the Android user experience.

“Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies,” Google CEO Larry Page said in a statement. “Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners, and developers.”

That experience will cost Google $40 per share, or the aforementioned $12.5 billion, with a 63% premium of the Motorola closing price as it was last Friday, a move that was unanimously agreed upon both companies’ board of directors. But could the Android experience enhancement of acquiring Motorola, which uses the Google OS extensively on its mobile devices lineup, just be an afterthought?

“Our acquisition of Motorola will increase competition by strengthening Google’s patent portfolio, which will enable us to better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple, and other companies,” Page stated in the blog post. Google previously made promises to its Android partners that it was determined to help these companies fight the patent battle. Things really got heated when Google called numerous companies anticompetitive on their blog.

Whatever the case may be, Google says competition within Android will still remain fierce and the company will continue to keep the operating system open source; HTC’s CEO welcomed the news, stating the acquisition “demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android.”

Google will operate Motorola as a separate company.

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Joe Belfiore calls September 1st Mango release date ‘just a rumor’

By
Michael Collado
– August 12, 2011

Yesterday, Zunited updated about a report from Pocket-lint that claimed Windows Phone 7.5, also known as Mango, would be released on September 1st. The report, however, did not indicate if that was a software launch or a launch of a Mango device.

Though, that could be neither here nor there; it seems either Pocket-lint’s sources aren’t exactly credible or Microsoft’s Joe Belfiore isn’t in the loop. Belfiore took to Twitter to state that the supposed release date for Windows Phone 7.5 is just a rumor.

“Mango September 1st?” he tweeted. “Just a rumor.”

Microsoft has stayed mum on an exact release date for Windows Phone 7.5 Mango, only offering “fall” as their timeline for the update to its mobile operating system. To be over-analytical, autumn equinox doesn’t exactly fall until September 23rd — but we hardly think anyone would mind, either way, if Mango was released a bit early.

Reports indicate that LG, Samsung, and HTC are planning to launch their devices in September; Nokia is planning to launch its device in October. And an accidental confirmation from a Microsoft Twitter profile hinted at a September release for Mango, too.

via PCMag

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Xbox 360 will transition from glossy to matte finish

By
Michael Collado
– August 12, 2011

“If you really love the idea of a glossy console: don’t wait much longer.”

Those are words from a blog post update on Larry Hryb’s Major Nelson website, that’s because starting soon — very — Microsoft will be transitioning all Xbox 360 S consoles from their glossy (user-called “fingerprint magnets”) incarnation to a more original matte finish.

“I wanted to set the record straight and let everyone know that … We are actively transitioning all [of] our Xbox 360 S consoles to a matte finish,” he writes. “The consoles will start to arrive in stores over the coming weeks.”

But if you like a glossy console, don’t be too worried. Hryb states they may still offer glossy consoles for their future special edition models.

via Neowin

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Xbox LIVE Rewards glitch gives users extra Points; Microsoft letting users keep them?

By
Michael Collado
– August 11, 2011

User Minago2 screenshots the abnormal activity with his account.

Some Xbox LIVE users started noticing that Microsoft was adding extra Points to their accounts out of nowhere on Thursday. These users saw increases in the thousands to their accounts sporadically.

It all began with Xbox user bentleyma who started a thread on the official Xbox Forum after he realized a more than 1,300 Points increase. Quickly thereafter, other users started posting that they saw gains and increases of Points in their accounts, as well. Of course, it’s no surprise that some users were a little scared that someone could have hacked their accounts or stolen their credit card information.

“Naturally my initial concern was someone had gotten my card details (that are attached to my account) and were buying points,” wrote Xbox user Dark Caesar. It turns out that was not so.

“So like I said, I called [Microsoft] support and told them what was happening,” the user continued. “Anyway, it transpired that Xbox Rewards had glitched on some accounts, which led to some people getting more points than they were entitled to….”

Though one other member claims he or she called and got the same information, nothing has been stated to the entire public. And get this: because of good faith, Microsoft let the users keep the Points, according to the postings.

“[Because] I had called up and had been honest with them, I was told I could keep the aforementioned points as a gesture of goodwill,” Dark Caesar posted. Another user, Varakharne backed up the story.

“I can confirm this[;] I thought someone got my credit card and added points to my account or something,” he or she posted. “Whatever [Microsoft] I am very grateful!”

Xbox Support on Twitter even replied to user @voteDC who asked about the increase in points: “We appreciate your honesty. Enjoy your points.”

But not all ends well. Some users as of the time we wrote this, in the same thread, have noticed that the points have decreased in their accounts (pictured above). So it’s not entirely clear whether Microsoft will re-add them or leave it be. Though, with a public statement that they can keep the points, it seem their hands could be tied.

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Motorola ‘completely open’ to defocusing on Android and using Windows Phone

By
Michael Collado
– August 10, 2011

During an appearance Tuesday at Oppenheimer’s Technology & Communications Conference in Boston, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said he “is completely open” to creating a relationship with Microsoft and Windows Phone despite the patent battles both companies have been fighting against each other.

Motorola has been making a name for itself past the RAZR era by almost exclusively using Google’s Android operating system and nothing else.

“I would have to consider whether defocusing from Android to Windows Phone will be the right thing for us to do,” Jha said. “But if the capabilities on Windows are such that that is the right thing for us, I think we will consider it.”

What could push Jha and company over the edge? At a time when the company is focusing entirely on Android while still trying to differentiate itself from competitors, a Nokia-like deal could be the answer.

“Nokia seems to be disproportionately well positioned in that ecosystem. I actually don’t understand that deal with precision, but if our position in that ecosystem could be made to be somewhat equivalent, that would be an interesting option for us to consider,” he stated before getting back on track: Android.

Motorola plans on releasing another device of its Droid series later this year, alongside Mango device releases.

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HTC enters exclusive partnership with Beats Audio, invests $300 million

By
Michael Collado
– August 10, 2011

HTC is poised to make an announcement on Thursday about an exclusive partnership the company has entered into with Beats Audio. Though the details were scarce when word of the announcement hit, HTC CEO Peter Chou spoke of it with AllThingsD.

Beats already has a partnership with HP, where the company has its electronics in its laptops and tablets, and that relationship will continue. This $300 million deal, however, makes HTC the exclusive cellphone manufacturer to have Beats Audio in their devices, a move AllThingsD says will help the company create an “emotional connection” with consumers while strengthening the brand and creating a household name, all at once.

The first device to have Beats Audio will debut “later this year.” Could it be a Windows Phone device?

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Google regains market share lost from Bing

By
Tyler Rowe
– August 10, 2011

Last month, Google took a slight hit in market share as it fell from a massive 66.1 % to a still massive 65.2 % from November of last year to July of this year. All the while Google was dropping slightly, Bing was picking up a lot of slack by growing from 11.8% to 14.4% from November to July. Before Microsoft could celebrate its gains, Google, Yahoo, AOL (yes, America Online from when dinosaurs used computers), and Ask all experienced slight increases in market share at Bing’s expense this last month. Bing slipped from 14.14% to 13.39% from July to the beginning of August. AOL’s recent purchase of the Huffington Post may be helping the ex-internet giant in their attempt at a rebrand. Whatever they are doing, I’m sure they are going to keep doing it because despite their slight gain in search marketshare, it actually shows a huge gain in revenues that AOL has not seen in quite some time.

Yahoo mail has always been successful and always a huge draw to its front page. Yahoo has effectively positioned itself out of the way of Google to become a very user friendly topic specific search engine. Set up two computers, and try to find movie times, prices, and locations for a movie that you want to see on both Google and Yahoo. Yahoo is the undisputed winner when it comes to things of this nature, and has done right in moving out of the way of Google and becoming its own item.

Contrary to what the last Zunited podcast would have you believe, it is very unlikely that Bing, in its current form, will ever be extremely successful. Bing has made great strides of integrating itself into several websites, but Bing has been lacking in bringing something new to the game. Bing is doing what Google has had perfected for many many years. As long as it is sitting in front of Google, it will be mowed over every day of the week. It will take a lot more than clever marketing to make huge gains on Google in the search engine market. Let’s see what happens to Bing and if any, what innovations are made to make it the best place to go to get the information from the web.

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