November 11, 2009
Samsung to offer open Android alternative
Register Hardware
James Sherwood shares details about Samsung’s new open mobile platform called Bada, which is an alternative to Google Android.
“The platform only allows developers to write applications for Samsung handsets, the firm said, yet is apparently ‘simple to use’ and ‘developer-friendly.’ Coders will be able to create ‘a rich smartphone experience.’ Pictures of the OS in action are still under wraps, so it’s impossible to verify Samsung’s claim that Bada – it means ‘ocean’ in Korean, says Samsung – has a ‘ground-breaking UI.’”
Apple IDs the next-generation iPhone
The Register
Bill Ray writes about signs that Apple may soon embed Near Field Communications (NFC) into its next iPhone product.
“For the last few months there have been rumours that Cupertino has been showing renewed interest in Near Field Communications. This is backed by an Apple patent from two years ago, which covers a ‘Touch Screen RFID Tag Reader’ and recent comments from an NFC group that Apple has been testing an RFID-equipped prototype. But Nokia has been pushing NFC for years, so why could Apple succeed where Nokia has failed, and more importantly, why might it choose not to?.”
Gartner seeing huge adoption of software-as-a-service
Network World
Jon Brodkin writes that according to recent Gartner research, customers are gaining interest in cloud-based software applications.
“Software-as-a-service revenue (are) set to reach $7.5 billion in 2009 – an increase of nearly 18 per cent over last year, according to new research from Gartner. Worldwide, software-as-a-service revenue will continue growing, totaling over $14 billion in enterprise application markets by 2013, according to Gartner. The biggest chunk of SaaS revenue is going to content, communications and collaborations applications, which are set to pull in $2.6 billion in revenue in 2009. Customer relationship management tools came in second with $2.3 billion.”
