Microsoft Might Acquire RIM BlackBerry

Following the recent moves by Google to acquire Motorola, Microsoft was being speculated to approach Nokia and BlackBerry!??

This is to ensure that Google- Motorola will not be the only option around to bring entertainment to the living room. Apple has integrated AirPlay to ensure the smartphone could stream music and video to the living room entertainment system whilst Google-Motorola will work closely to ensure this is achieved in the near future!!??

This gives the Microsoft reasons to acquire Nokia or RIM BlackBerry to have vast resource and patent available to have the technology to stream and even inside in car-entertainment system if feasible!!??

Nokia chief says Android makers should be wary of Google-Motorola deal

By Christopher Williams, Technology Correspondent
Last Updated: 11:51AM BST 18/08/2011
Nokia's chief executive has backed claims that Google's $12.5bn acquisition of Motorola Mobility could mean problems for other Android smartphone makers.

Stephen Elop, who earlier this year signed and exclusive deal with Microsoft so that Nokia smartphones will run only Windows Phone 7, commented on the implications of the acquisition for Samsung and HTC, Motorola's Android rivals.

"If I happened to be someone who was an Android manufacturer or an operator, or anyone with a stake in that environment, I would be picking up my phone and calling certain executives at Google and say 'I see signs of danger ahead,'" he said.

Independent analysts have also suggested that Google may give preferential treatment to Motorola once the acquisition is complete.

Google has however presented its move as one designed to defend all Android makers in the ongoing smartphone patent litigation war, in which they are being sued by Apple, Microsoft and Oracle.

Motorola holds about 17,000 patents and Google released statements from all its major Android partners welcoming the strategy when it was announced on Monday.

Mr Elop also claimed the all-cash deal vindicated his decision to work exclusively with Microsoft.

"The very first reaction I had was very clearly the importance of the third ecosystem and the importance of the partnership that we announced on February 11, it is more clear than ever before," he said.

Google's move has prompted renewed speculation that Microsoft could acquire Nokia or RIM, the maker of BlackBerry.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

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BlackBerry Bold 9900 Review

The BlackBerry Bold 9900 is being given bad review when Telegraph give unjustified comments on the new model recently released by RIM.

Although the system is not comparable to gaming platform, the BlackBerry Bold 9900 is a unique model on its smartphone platform.
Apple and Samsung has its dispute and the IP injunction is in place in Germany and throughout Europe except for the Netherlands.

RIM definitely is in a different development paths and cannot be compared with Android and iOS Device. There is no Jailbreak and Root available for BlackBerry compared to both Android and iOS where it shows that BlackBerry has no flaw or incorrect programming to Android and iOS!!

I still prefer BlackBerry Bold compared to Samsung or HTC running Android!!

Apple iOS Device is too expensive for what I could still achieve on my BlackBerry!

By Matt Warman, Consumer Technology Editor
Last Updated: 10:57PM BST 18/08/2011

BlackBerry has made its best smartphone to date with the Bold 9900 – but the market has never been more competitive and other devices still outstrip it

The new BlackBerry Bold 9900 is a beautiful piece of engineering: it feels solid, expensive even, with its metal rim round the edge and its carbon fibre-esque backing panel. The keyboard is as good as a physical keyboard can get. The camera, the speakers, everything impresses and feels right. Turn it on and the vivid, bright screen looks as good as any on the market, iPhone included, and the touchscreen is responsive.

And the software, version seven for those who keep count of BlackBerry OS, is rather good. It renders web pages with speed and accuracy, email and BBM is as robust as ever. But that, in the age of Windows Phone, iOS and Android is simply not good enough.

The Bold's screen may be lovely but it is too small to do justice to anything. Its app store is called App World, but BlackBerry's world, like its share price, is shrinking fast in comparison to its rivals. Who would build apps for this platform, when the company's own PlayBook tablet already uses a new operating system, and all of its other forthcoming devices are set to do the same?

The 9900 uses a 1.2GHz, single-core Snapdragon CPU and has 768MB of memory along with 8GB of storage. The effect is to make the software on the device as good as it can be: everything from an almost imperceptible shutter lag on the camera to the speed with which menus appear or documents can be edited is excellent. And yet that's not enough either.

Use any Android or iOS device and the flexibility of a modern operating system is immediately apparent: the vast numbers of apps or widgets makes them feel like so much more than a mobile phone with email and the internet. Any user of Boris Johnson's London cycle hire scheme has, via their mobile, access to immediate information on where the nearest bike is, for instance. These devices can be life enhancing; the Bold's simply a lovely, somewhat enhanced phone. From a few years ago.

But there's hope for BlackBerry: they can make hardware this good and they've got a new OS in the works. If the two mesh well together and the firm doesn't go totally to pot in the meantime, it will be BlackBerry v Windows v Android v Apple. And for that completion, consumers should all give much thanks.
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device via Vodafone-Celcom Mobile.

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Sony announce new budget PSP model

The new model is believed to be wifi-less.  

Photo credits : telegraph

Unlike the ill-fated PSP Go, which would only play digital download titles, the PSP E-1000 will feature a UMD drive compatible with all of the PSP’s disc-based games. The new model will not feature Wi-Fi, but gamers will still be able to download digital titles onto the new console by connecting to a PC through Sony’s Media Go service. The new console is reportedly heavier than other PSP models, and will come in a matte black finish.

Tom Hoggins, Video Game Editor , Telegraph

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Samsung Galaxy Tab Copied iPad Elements?

Photo credits : Samsung

In Germany the ban was lifted for Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is banned in Germany but not in Europe. This is due to injuction performed as per Apple claimed that Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 copied elements from iPad. The injuction is in response to an intellectual property claim by Apple and covers all Europe except for the Netherlands where separate lawsuit will be carried out.

Source: Telegraph

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Air Asia Kills Fireflyz After the Share Swap Deal!!???

The truth behind the share swap?  As per now, Firefly will not fly to KLIA anymore which reduce the competition to Air Asia which will land permanently at LCCT.  Firefly is a cheap low cost flight by MAS targetting no-frills flight and passengers.  This is the target market for Air Asia.  Having the allowance to land at KLIA is an advantage to fireflyz but now it seems that Air Asia has manipulated the tables and fireflyz might be terminated from service.  This will cause fear to 20 000 employees of MAS whilst Air Asia will not be affected at all !!

Read more at Muda Tengah

AirAsia and Malaysian Airlines agree a share swap deal

Posted  bbc.co.uk 10 August 2011 Last updated at 03:48 GMT

AirAsia and its rival Malaysian Airline System (MAS) have agreed a deal to swap shares in a bid to boost growth.

Tune Air, the parent company of AirAsia, will exchange 10% of AirAsia shares for 20.5% of MAS stocks with the state-owned firm Khazanah Nasional.

The two carriers said they will co-operate in areas such as purchasing planes and opening new routes.

MAS will also convert its low-cost FireFly brand to a full-service airline to avoid competition with AirAsia.

"Why do we do this? I think it will help us make a lot of money," said Tony Fernandes, the chief executive of AirAsia.

Mutual benefit?

The deal could help reposition and turn around MAS as a premier long-haul carrier” Juliana Ramli HwangDBS Vickers Research

The two carriers have been competing against each other for past decade. However, their fortunes have taken completely different paths.

While Malaysian Airlines has gone through some tough times, AirAsia has grown robustly to become the biggest low-cost carrier in Asia.

Analysts say the rise of AirAsia has intensified the two carriers' competition and rivalry.

"Malaysian airlines decided that they want to take on AirAsia directly on routes where the later flies," said Siva Govindasamy of Flight Global.

"That effectively meant price competition, which is not good for business."

Mr Govindasamy said the deal will reduce direct competition, helping both airlines to concentrate on their area of specialisation.

His views were echoed by Juliana Ramli of HwangDBS Vickers Research who added "the deal could help reposition and turn around MAS as a premier long-haul carrier."

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Google to Acquire Motorola

Larry Page the Google CEO announced that they will acquire Motorola on 15 AUG 2011.  This is due to the success story behind Motorola strong foundation and innovation driven strategy.  

However the acquisition will not change Android and Motorola.  Motorola will be under a separate business and still maintained as the licensee of Android.  Android will continue to be an open platform and Google will look forward to work with hardware partners that have contributed to Android's success.

The combination of Google and Motorola will not only supercharge Android, but will also enhance competition and offer consumers accelerating innovation, greater choice, and wonderful user experiences. I am confident that these great experiences will create huge value for shareholders.

I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.

Larry Page Google CEO

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UTM is Malaysia's Top-ranked University

Posted on nst.com.my 2011/07/31

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia is now the country's highest ranked university, according to two online-ranking systems.

The two -- Webometrics (www.webometrics.info) and 4 International Colleges and Universities (www.4icu.org) -- determine university rankings based on the institute's material contents, references, visibility and scholarships through cyber-based activities.

UTM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang said high ranking universities' contents and scholarly works almost always acted as a reference point for others.

"In today's context, where information technology and communication is the preferred method of information gathering, referencing is mostly done via online portals," he said in a statement yesterday.

The positions determined by Webometrics were announced on July 30. Coming behind UTM are Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

UTM is in 419th position in the world ranking.

USM is 428th, UKM at 462nd, UM at 552nd, and UPM at 589th.
 

According to Webometrics, universities in the United States hogged the top 10 positions with Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the helm.

The list continued with Harvard University in second place, followed by Stanford University, Cornell University, University of California, Berkeley and others, all based in the US.


Australia-based www.4icu.org placed UTM at 280th place against other universities in the world.

Zaini said UTM's success in attaining the top-position in the country was the result of the university's team spirit and hard work.

"The university focuses on our 'high impact and differentiation strategy' to enable the organisation to function smoothly and competitively."

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