This comes via 151 Advisors, a strategic advisory and
consulting firm for mobile, wireless and web-based software and
technology companies, with clients that have included Verizon, Motorola
Mobility, Clearwire, LogMeIn, Sensorlogic and more.
Blackberry 10: Too Little, Too
Late?
Research in Motion (RIM) is
essentially betting its entire company on the success of Blackberry 10. But, as
they continue to make a number of small announcements in hopes of generating
excitement before the New York City January 30th launch, are there enough
BlackBerry fans remaining to embrace a new kind of smartphone with innovative
new software and apps from a company that has fallen behind the competition, or
even the status quo? Is it too little, too late?
Many BlackBerry users
in the United States are stuck with the device because it is issued by their
employer (many of which relied on BlackBerry due to mobile security issues with
other platforms), which has led to a trend of people carrying two devices: a
work phone and a personal phone. Several of us at 151 Advisors were long-time
BlackBerry users and diehard fans of the platform and its QWERTY keyboard, but
after months and then years went by without upgrades to its operating system or
new devices, some of us felt we had no choice but to make the switch to other,
non-RIM devices.
BlackBerry 10 is
expected to continue to cater to its core business customer – the corporate
professional. BlackBerry has always been synonymous with work productivity and
the recent release of BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 preserves much of the
management control offered in RIM's now-retired Mobile Fusion platform. In
addition to providing productivity, BlackBerry has added another benefit of an
easy-to-use console and ability to support company-issued devices as well as
employees' personal smartphones.
But, retaining
existing customers is not enough and RIM will have to entice back previous
BlackBerry users who have moved on to other platforms.
Next week, RIM is
expected to introduce two devices -- one joining the mainstream with a touch
screen display and another keeping the original QWERTY keyboard. Both devices
are rumored to include some flashier features with a new corporate app
storefront, hub for centralized messages, a voice assistant and BlackBerry
balance (a way to manage corporate data on a device without interfering with the
user's personal content).
However, in a world
where agility and speed to market are essential, has BlackBerry demonstrated it
is a player who can’t keep up, let alone think ahead? Will the masses that
jumped ship be willing to give BlackBerry another chance? Plus now we are
hearing rumours about the possibility of Lenovo buying RIM, what is next? We
think it will be a close call and only time will tell. All we know is that
BlackBerry 10 will have to be pretty impressive to move the needle.
Using QR Codes to Deliver Maps Electronically - cartographers
are tapping into technology in the form of Quick Response Codes (QR
codes) to help promote, sell and deliver maps electronically. Ted
Florence discusses QR codes, what they are and how they are useful for
maps and map producers.
10 Resources To Help You Get Started Programming with Python-
There's no question that if you want a head start in your career as a
GIS Analyst, programmer, or other technology professional that Python
programming is a must. Just look around on twitter, follow some geo
hacks on Google +, check out the developer resources, and attend a
GeoGeek meetup of WhereCamp and you'll hear about python.
58% Use Location-based Apps Despite Privacy Concerns- A telephone poll of 1,000 Americans shows that many people are concerned
about geolocation, which uses data from a computer or mobile device to
identify a physical location
The Really Big List of Mapping, Geo location Mobile developer resources, APIs and Tools - The Mobile Ecosystem... no question that mobile is huge and
the opportunity for developers, in particular, geo developers! There's
loads of developer resources on the web so to help the developer,
here's a listing of just some of the fine dev resources, blogs,
toolsets and more to consider when developing or porting your app to a
smartphone or Tablet.
Mobile Technology Feature - Top 10 Business Apps for Android - Android has become one of the most popular mobile operating systems
in the world due to advanced software, competitive manufacturers, and an
app market that is filled with exciting and useful applications. Read
on for this fine Top 10 List compiled by tech writer, Blake Sanders
ArcGIS.com Mashup Tutorial with Flickr and Foursquare data-
Here's a simple "how to" tutorial on working with the free ArcGIS.com
to easily import KML or RSS data from Flickr and foursquare into ArcGIS
to create your own custom map mashup.
Most Users of Free Photo Apps Say Adding Cool Effects is Most Useful - Adding cool effects
to photos was rated as the most useful thing by more than halfof
consumers surveyed using free online photography services, according to
CatchFree a free
online service that helps people find the best free mobile and web applications
to perform useful tasks.
Flickr GPS Photo Tag Tip - Here's a tip for Flickr users who want to share their GPS information
with their photos. note, in order to do this you'll need to be
capturing photos using a GPS-enabled or GPS-aware camera (see you're
smartphone hardware settings to ensure that GPS or location sharing is
turned "ON)".
Featured Events
Location Business Summit USA - The biggest meeting place for hands on knowledge and networking within
the mobile and location industry. Continuing on from the massive success
of last year’s events in Silicon Valley and Amsterdam, join the biggest
and best companies in the community at the most influential LBS focused
summit in the world. San Jose CA
Wavefront Summits - Wavefront Wireless Summits Week 2013 connects
technology solution providers with global business leaders to
accelerate ideas and market opportunities.
The Underground Guide To The iPhone:
The iPhone is – if I may say so – one of the greatest mobile
revolutions of the past decade. More and more, mobile phones seem to
materialize out of our wildest dreams. Because of the tight integration
of third-party applications, you can do nearly everything with your
device — be it gaming, working, fooling around, and of course phoning.
10 Resources To Help You Get Started Programming with Python
