Palm’s Pre Power Play?

Evidently the world is moving over to the smartphone. The increasing power of the wireless internet enables smartphone users to do more things, be it social networking, TV, music, navigation, remote working, commerce or gaming. But two years after the arrival of Apple’s iconic iPhone is the powerful new Palm Pre the next definitive step forward in smartphone performance?

Smartphone sales accelerated in the fourth quarter of 2008 growing 26% higher than the previous year, and 36% above for the whole of 2008. The fierce fight for customers sees RIM BlackBerry Storm and BlackBerry Bold, T-Mobile G1 and the HTC Touch HD, Arena, Nokia E71 and N97, Samsung Omnia HD, the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 all challenging the 3G iPhone as brands such as Google, Apple, Nokia, Microsoft and Palm battle across the smartphone range.

Palm Pre comes with WiFi, and 3G (HSDPA) internet connectivity and features a 3.1 inch touch-screen, a slide-out Querty keyboard, accelerometer, and gesture bar. Its multitasking capability allows different applications like text, chat or IM to be used at the same time. Pre's Webkit browser is the same as the Android and iPhone. Palm’s Linux-based Web OS is designed for use without a stylus and uses a Card system to display applications on the phone desktop. You can drag an application onto your phone desktop and close it by a simple upward flick.

With its links to Amazon store Palm Pre continues the central role the internet plays in smartphone applications. But whether it proves a match for the 3G iPhone and its Apple store remains to be seen. Feature for feature it arguably excels. Game on!

Google Android G1 Phone Game Changer?

When Apple launched its iconic iPhone expectations of the mobile internet was changed for good. As T-Mobile became the first operator to launch the Google Android-powered G1 phone, business and IT managers must take note. So is the Google phone a game changer or simply another handset in an increasingly crowded market?

More people in the world now have access to a mobile phone than a computer. Driven by widespread availability of high speed wireless networks from WiFi hotspots, growth of city and rural wireless zones, increasing rollout of 3G and other "Mobile Broadband" initiatives, and more user-friendly advanced handsets, the migration of eyeballs away from the TV and Personal Computer to the mobile internet is accelerating.

The G1 phone is the first based on the Google Android mobile platform. Featuring a touch screen, full slide-out keyboard and a host of built-in Google applications, it reflects Google´s intent to dominate the mobile internet and monopolise its huge mobile advertising potential.

The G1 is aimed at consumers more than business users. There is no initial support for Microsoft Exchange, and many web services and applications are yet to be added to the Android platform.

It may not look sophisticated alongside smartphones like the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1, Blackberry Bold, or Apples iconic iPhone. But with the mobile internet experience finally beginning to deliver its promise and the mobile phone overtakes the laptop as the device of choice the Google G1 phone could have a profound a longer term impact.