When Google was building its mobile operating system, I am sure it wanted that unfamiliar or small device manufacturers will adopt its OS.
Modu, the Israeli mobile device manufacturer, launched their first device with a closed simple OS. It was in part due to development resources and time constrains and of course because of the poor processing capabilities of the device that could not run heavier and more sophisticated OS. Frankly, from day one I did not understand why Modu is  investing resources to build an operating system, it is not its strength and there are good OS in the market that can be licensed just like the Android.
After struggling with launching the first device and getting rejected in developed countries Modu aimed to, Modu understood that they need to aim higher and introduce a better more modern device if they want a chance to hit deals with European and US operators. Because of the nature of the device, dramatic modification needed to be done but it is worth it. Modu will be using a versatile, more advanced OS with rapid development and constant updates and upgrades.
Secondly the eco-system that is being built alongside the OS (the application store) will contribute to the offer of Modu and will make it a more lucrative device than it could be if they decided to provide only J2ME application support.
Dov Moran told Techradar in an interview that an Android based jacket is being developed and that Modu2 “will be a touchscreen, a very unique concept, and will justify its label of being innovative. It will be a 3.5G product, but will also have a number of other features”.

Modu2 looked like a specially built device for the Android OS, therefore I bet that Modu will abandon its OS and will use the core of the Android operation system from now on until they have other options.
For dessert Modu mentioned that an Android based Netbook will also be released. Nokia watch out you are not alone anymore.

• Motorola’s presence at MWC 2009 made Tim Green want to cry , Today 3 new Motorola devices poped up and one E10 .

• BBC reports that a study shows that SMS improves language skills. That’s absolutely gr8.

• T-Mobile’s Samsung Memoir get reviewed here, here and here

• Israeli operator Pelephone invested 1.2 million dollars in a concept store in Tel Aviv .

• According to ABI Research mobile internet search increased  by 14% this year, Taptu thinks it should be more social.

• If you are looking to burn some time with your iPhone, you should try these 5 apps .

• A great comparison between the n85 and new Nokia N86.

• The Guardian will go fully mobile, boosts with ads on next month.

• Nokia Siemens Networks will supply China with 2G and 3G mobile equipment and services worth 880 million Euro.

• Now you can track how many iPhones visited your site

• One day, one app, this time: Google App for Wimo

Mobiles To Replace Digital Cameras

It was back then in 2002 when the first mobile phones with cameras gradually became a “must have” feature.
In those days those mobile phones began a new era, the era of the MMS.
soon after the mobile phone equipped with a camera transformed the digital photography for ever. Since then, the MMS did not succeed in most markets, mobile services professionals learned about the spontaneous behavior of mobile photography users (as they shoot for fun pictures that are usually are not meant to be printed), and that the mobile phone with their physical attributes cannot replace digital cameras in terms of quality even in cases where they are equipped with good optics from Leica or Carl Zeiss.
2009 now draws as the year that mobile phones aim (again) to officially replace digital cameras (Not all of them, of course).

The  new Samsung i8910 or the Omnia HD equipped with: 8 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash, geo-tagging, Face detection, Smile Shot, Blink  Shot, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) and HD video recording at 24 fps is one of these devices that aims to do so.

But Samsung is not the only one, there are  the Nokia N86 , Sony Ericsson W995 and the soon to come Sony Ericsson Idou with 12 megapixel camera.
Moreover the mobile phone will flourish where the digital camera failed at Geo-Tagging and in connected enviorinment and photos based contextual awareness.

True iPhone Killers

From June 29, 2007 when the first iPhone went on sale until those days the iPhone did not  have the honor to  fight against an appropriate rival.
The amazing multi-touch screen, the full web browsing experience, the slick and intuitive UI and the apps ecosystem all those did not get a comprehensive answer from the manufacturers.
But now it seems that the manufacturers succeeded in fully understanding the success of the iPhone and to create true competitors to the iPhone.
The Nokia N79, Samsung Omnia HD, HTC Diamond2 and the Palm Pre that will probably hit the market on march this year.

Mobile OS War

Now after the missing piece of the puzzle is revealed, and the WinMo 6.5 was ofically announced, the mobile OS war have began.
Microsoft, Nokia and Google are fighting to power more and more devices, and Apple, RIM, and Palm that are trying to create the best OS using thier own devices.
All of them aim at the devlopers, they all offer them a great way to sell their apps and to create apps ecosystem just like apple did.
The day we will choose our mobile device by OS is not far, HTC and other manufacturers are all playing the game.
A game that will do good  to devlopers and to consumers as well.

Social networks have been the greatest phenomenon in the last two years.
Well known Facebook have recently celebrated its 5th birthday with more than 150 million users.
The success soon invaded  the mobile web and for example 15 million users entered their account on Facebook via a mobile device.
In addition, the most popular sites on mobile are social networks , they are even more popular than that on PC internet.
Like it or not the phenomenon has come to the mobile, big time.
Recent developments and the launch of Google Latitude will soon determine if the mobile device will become the “Facebook Phone” too.

As ReadWriteWeb mentioned location based social networks are already available on an increasing number of carriers, but all of the services have yet to hit the mainstream.
The lack of GPS-enabled devices and application awareness contributed to the situation.
Moreover, the mobile social network do not have a web presence, unlike Facebook that grew from the web to  mobile, Loopt and brightkite that have started their way on the mobile.

The evolution of social networks will definitely take place in the mobile world.
That is why  Google Latitude is a true innovation. the Geo Information comes as an additional information for an existed social network, in this case Google “Social Networks” (Google users).
The data will help you locate friends that are already a part of a relationship that is based on email contacts, close friends, etc.
While chatting with a colleague, the information can save him an SMS because he will know already where you are.
The mobile device is used as a tool to enhance the connections and communication ways, connections that are taking place on the web.

Another advantage is that Google can bring  Latitude to the masses by itself or with the help of developers.
The service will automatically be installed on all HTC G1 devices, and will hit all Android based devices from day one.

The launch of Google Latitude was just the opening shot, more and more mobile devices equipped with GPS receivers are soon to come,  and giants like Nokia are already working (and working) on its “Latitude”.
Then the main fight will start, will it be the major web social networks like Facebook that will take control over our mobile devices or will it be Nokia or Google.
Nokia’s intentions for it’s social network is still unclear , but it cannot ignore the momentum of web social networks like facebook, My space etc .
One way or another it seems the “Facebook phone” will be available sooner than we thought.