Offline 3D Maps Next for Android?

Not to be outdone by recent rumors about Apple, Google now says Android will offer 3D map images and full offline navigation...'soon'.

The announcement came as part of today's The Next Dimension of Google Maps event, in San Francisco. Promoted as a "behind-the-scenes look at Google Maps", it was supposed by many to be a pre-emptive strike ahead of news that Apple would be dumping Google Maps for iPhone in favor of their own, in-house mapping solution.

Nokia World: Smaller, Cheaper, Farther

Nokia Conversations announces major changes to Nokia World 2012.

First held in 2006, Nokia World is traditionally a grand affair playing host to thousands of attendees -- a diverse group that includes Nokia's retail partners, mobile analysts, developers and journalists of all nations -- in a space suited to industry trade shows.

Apparently, this year will be very different tho' the official explanation is a bit vague...

Skype on Nokia's Lumia 610 = HUGE FAIL

Nokia's Lumia 610 has unfriended Skype

More bad news for Microkia.:

After a full month's field-trial (with real customers acting as their unpaid testers), Nokia has decided they were right the first time: Skype won't run properly on Tango-level Windows Phone devices. Some users reportd a 'low system RAM' warning after installing Microsoft's VOIP app, while others complained of laggy performance.

Call it an oversight or call it poor QA, but even MobilePhonesFan would not dare to call it fragmentation...

Does New Apple Patent Threaten Android ?

According to rumor, Apple plans to patent 'patents'.

On Tuesday, Apple Inc. became the lucky recipient of "Method, system, and graphical user interface for selecting a soft keyboard", U.S. Patent 8,179,731.

This +5,500-word beauty starts off by discussing the typical soft ('virtual') keypad found on every smartphone and tablet. Specifically, it's concerned with a common keyboard function: clicking a virtual button to alter the keyboard's layout...for example, switching from letters to symbols or from Russian to English.

And it was at this point where MobilePhonesFan was struck by a horrible thought, "Holy crap -- has Apple patented keyboard layout controls!?"

Google's Android Army Seems Unstoppable

They look like me...but they are not...me.

In spite of big numbers posted by Apple, Android smart phones outpaced iPhone during 1Q2012, more than doubling Google's market-share in some countries.

Meanwhile, Windows Phone has made some long-promised gains, the most notable being in Germany (6% share, + 3 pts.). Microsoft's mobile platform now sits at 3-4% share in the United States, France, Italy and Great Britain (United Kingdom).

Here's a quick sampling of the significant numbers...

Apple 'Fixes' Siri on 'Best Cell Phone' Issue

"According to my database, Blackberries have cooties."

Well, that didn't take long.

After a day of ribbing from giddy Windows Phone fans, somebody at Apple gave Siri a lecture in brand-loyalty. Or maybe they employed the old duct tape, screamed abuses and rubber hose method. Either way, she's been 'corrected'. Now, if asked 'What's the best phone', Siri gives a coy, playful response but basically demurs.

And Siri absolutely, positively does not check in with Wolfram Alpha.

Video History of Windows OS ...in 77 Min.

Let's all be thankful that he skips 'Windows ME'

Ah, Microsoft's Windows™ -- love it or hate it, we've all been forced had occasion to use it. If you're older than the age of consent, then you likely grew up doing 100% of your computing in a Windows PC environment. Even after Apple Computer entered their renaissance period, anyone engaged in serious commerce -- anywhere in the world -- still needed ready access to the Windows Office™ Suite, on occasion.

Of course, nothing lasts forever. MobilePhonesFan kicked the Microsoft habit a few years back, after a disturbing experience with the black sheep of the Windows family, Vista. Still, we do have fond memories of PCs past. Assembling your first Windows box from scratch is a character-building experience. And we were plenty excited about the release of Windows 95, especially after the Rolling Stones commercials.

So this YouTube "History of WIndows" video by thePatrickMonroe takes MobilePhonesFan back...

Siri Says: Lumia 900 'Best Cell Phone'

"Whoops...did I mistakenly print that to screen?"

Well, we guess it's official: Nokia's Lumia 900 is 'best cell phone'. Apple's Siri says so.

Despite arranging her (its?) program so that Siri has snappy comebacks to dozens of clever questions, looks like the know-it-alls in Cupertino forgot one. Whoopsie...

No More Tweets from Windows Phone?

'Windows Live' falls, can't get up.

Probably a sad day for some marketing people in Redmond.

Their latest Windows Phone firmware signs tweets 'via Microsoft', dropping the 'via Windows Live' signature they've been using since Windows Phone's introduction, in 2010...you know, way back when Microsoft had a sense of humor about WP.

Nokia Dev City (Rack City parody)

Catch a falling phone and put it in your pocket...

n.b.: Some links have changed. Be sure to read our updates, at the end.

To help spread the word that their Windows Phone platform desperately needs 3rd-party developers (developers, developers, etc.), Nokia and Microsoft are sponsoring a whirlwind tour they're calling the Ready.Set () {Code} Challenge.

It's a series of fourteen hackathons in 13 North American cities, beginning in Ohio this Saturday (12 May) and finishing with a date in Vancouver (BC), mid-June. Each event will last ~12 hours, with winners announced same night.

To kick things off, the Nokia Dev Forum offers a parody of Tyga's hit song Rack City. With the subtitle 'Nokia Lumia Rap', it turns the subject from Las Vegas (AKA: 'Rack City') to...well, developing for Microsoft's Windows Phone mobile OS...

Have Fun with Windows Phone, Win a Prize!

For once, the folks in Redmond may be onto something here. Unlike previous offerings,  Microsoft's Free Time Machine is a fun contest ...with a neat twist...

Verizon: We Said '4G Only' and We Meant It

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here...

Back in January, you might have read about Verizon Wireless' 'hard requirements' for new devices, moving forward into 2012. Basically, the company said they planned to go 100% 4G LTE, with no 3G-only phones beyond the older, push-to-talk models.

As long-time Verizon Wireless customer MobilePhonesFan could have told you, they weren't kidding around. Much like Vulcans, Verizon never bluffs.

Nokia Targeted by Investor Lawsuit ...Shareholders Unhappy with WindowsPhone Results

Bring us the head of Stephen Elop!

(image: The Simpsons)

Yesterday, we learned that some Nokia investors -- for years, a group largely composed of US banks and hedge funds -- are feeling grumpy. Apparently, they no longer believe the hopeful talk of fanboys and analysts (like this one) who say the phone maker's share-price will recover, 'soon'. So, these investors have filed suit against Nokia and CEO Stephen Elop.

Some people just have no faith, I guess.