Smartphones - Opinions

Appropriate technology and the humble mobile phone

It's not often you read a book and find that, 10 years on, it remains central to your thinking. Ideas come and go, paradigms shift and many books -- particularly in the rapidly evolving "ICT for Development" space -- become dated and surpassed by new...

Despite iPhone rumours, users still stuck with their POMPs

Local IT industry rags and tabloid media have been abuzz this past week with 'news' that Apple will launch the iPhone in Australia in June.

Making the phone-PC connection

It seems these days that every Tom, Dick and Harry -- or, more accurately, every Dell, Acer and Apple -- wants to get into the mobile phone/handset business.

Ten Questions I Still Have About iPhone Software

Apple answered a lot of questions about iPhone apps today. But its announcement also left me wondering about a bunch of things.

Inside Google's mobile future

Android is Google's foray into the handheld OS realm. It follows a path trodden by -- among others -- Symbian's Quartz, the SavaJe operating system, and J2ME. In fact, one of Android's stated goals is to overcome some of J2ME's shortcomings. Whether ...

Could a touch-screen BlackBerry be in the offing?

Is there ever going to be a touch-screen BlackBerry 9000 from Research In Motion Ltd.?

Microsoft's mobile mistake

By the standards of its US$45 billion offer for Yahoo, Microsoft could have found the $500 million it is rumored to have paid Danger in Steve Ballmer's couch.

Microsoft chases Paris Hilton wannabes

Thwarted, at least temporarily, in its attempts to buy up Yahoo and buy itself back into the search engine game and fight back against Google's dominance, Microsoft has fired off another salvo.

Who wants a custom mobile phone?

Two different companies this week announced two different visions for customizable mobile phones. Are we entering a new era, where mobile phones are used and sold like laptops -- where you snap on extra functionality on the fly or have them built to ...

A new iPhone this year?

Apple Inc. reported record sales, record profits and record revenue Tuesday. The company sold 2.3 million computers, 22.1 million iPods, and 2.3 million iPhones in the fourth quarter of 2007.

CES - Another batch of gadgets

Just when you've figured out the settings on your latest smart phone, digital camera or GPS device from last holiday, along comes this week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas with a whole new batch of electronic goodies to get you ready f...

Happy new ear! My picks among Bluetooth headsets

In my September roundup review of mobile devices, I neglected a vital category of technology: Bluetooth headsets. It's a given that no one wants to hold a bricklike cell phone or PDA to their ear, and with so many blister-packed headsets hanging from...

Google vs the telcos: the new industry Food Fight

There is nothing we industry pundits love more than a good food fight. Cisco vs. Lucent. Google vs. Microsoft! Intel vs. AMD! Cable vs. Satellite! SAP vs. Oracle! But the Fight of The Future is what is going to happen on your mobile phone and in your...

iPhone season? Or open season on the iPhone?

Well, it's the moment of truth for this year's holiday shopping season: iPhone, yes or no? Tracy Mayor put the Question of the Year to Computerworld Editor in Chief Scot Finnie, PC World Editor in Chief Harry McCracken, Computerworld Online News Edit...