I like NDK, so much for the raw power . This release of NDK would be a great addition to Game Developers for Android and would seed some cool games for Android. So far iPhone and Symbian based Mobile OS phones were poised to dominate as great gaming platforms. Now it doesn’t have to hold true.

For now, lets just assume Google doesn’t get forced to trade Java for C/C++ layer, of the Android OS stack. Go Native!!!

Plans of Nokia with Maemo 6 is now very much questionable, for it makes no business sense to create a new version of a OS that won’t align with a strategic relationship. The LG GW990 Will Become an Intel MeeGo Phone.

Native code (C/C++) is only reason for my new born affinity towards MeeGo. My journey towards MeeGo would probably wait for a while, till the new official/generic UI layers and screenshots are ready.

I get the impression that the “master” build, from the git, supports more Microsoft Exchange than the regular/out-of-the-box ROM that came with the device. I guess thats OK, since I got all my contacts synchronized from my Exchange Contacts folder.

Let me see how this setup of my phone goes for a month. Hopefully I don’t have to load any out-of-the-box OS image to my phone. Now the challenge is to customize this to an extent it would become my phone. I am planning to donate some time to “my little precious” .

The “GSM: SRSLY” topic is very hot and practically pulled me into one of the black-hole topics. Yes, even discussing wiretapping tools can be illegal in few countries (especially the “so-called” developed ones). Success in a distributed code break effort on GSM technology is not surprising. This vulnerability is very much exploited by government and private intelligence work (may be both legal and illegal). Things we see in the movies on cellular wiretapping aren’t really fictional…they are a reality.

Source of this vulnerability resides in a 64-bit encryption algorithm we have deployed in about 80% of GSM cellular networks around the world. So, technically speaking, if you aren’t a customer of the off-the-shelf intelligence products (like Semi-Active GSM Monitoring System), don’t feel left out. At the demonstration held in 26C3, we have got some interesting findings that show that with few advanced systems engineering effort, one can build something like that from ground-up, with just 3 months of data mining.

There has always been a need for looking at security and privacy a little bit more closely. Makes me also recollect what happened recently, when enterprises opted for a 512-bit encryption setup using BlackBerry infrastructure in INDIA. When we know that 64-bit encryption can be broken in real-time, we must accept that organized outfits (like government agencies) can/already do real-time hacking of 512-bit encryption with distributed hacking techniques.

I think that privacy and safety of individuals are governed and not provided/available as a choice (a.k.a. freedom). I know that I have no privacy when using my cell phone. I still use it, because it doesn’t pose any risk to my personal life or business. I would rather use a cell phone to talk than get stuck to phone booth every time (we know what privacy we have on wire-line phones ). May be that’s the choice I have and have chosen to go mobile.

“Opting-out for privacy” also sounds freedom to me. But there has to be a situation where I “Opt-in for privacy” and there exist a legal infrastructure to make me feel safe in doing business communications. Hope GSM Alliance can do something about it…or else we will have to have Telcos provide just the pipe and let us go the IP way at some-point (VOIP calls anybody?).

Consumers get power ,based on the options they get. It is better to have more options. Too many options would, at some point, get to equilibrium anyway (based on market response and other factors like absorption, adoptions, and acquisitions).

Developers get the power, based on the reach that their applications can get. “Reaching mass/heavy user base” is the key, not the number of mobile OS the applications support. I doubt whether application developers would care about an unsupported mobile OS, if their current application, running in mobile OS “x”, is used by 1M or more users in an emerging market. Does anyone care about selling/writing software for a mobile phone costing INR 1,500.00 used by 10M users?

“Write once and run everywhere” technologies are great, but they haven’t reached their potential yet. Products like alcheMo from Innaworks are great in terms of bridging the gap among mobile OS/Platform implementations. Yet, there is a lot we can/should expect in getting a synergy to help consumers and developers alike reap the rewards.

There is no need to be complacent after agreeing to a Universal Charging Solution (UCS). It would be great to witness the day, where we can buy a phone and choose the OS to load on it, just like the way we use our PCs/Laptops/Server nodes. Now, that would be a goal that the mobile OS and hardware manufacturers can shoot for.

Let the consumers win and help developers win customers!!!

User Interface

• Qt Framework is the next thing to invest on. Try to keep away from Symbian Avkon framework and GTK+ as much as possible
• Use Adobe Flash Lite for UI as an alternative to C++, if have very few C++ experts in your team.
• Nokia Widget Development (Web Runtime/WRT) is also an great alternative to the current UI frameworks, if you have good web developers with HTML, CSS and JavaScript experience
• Maps are getting lot of attention. Maps integration is a significant plus point for Nokia, since its free for use within Nokia devices.

Devices

• More touch sensitive devices are going to show-up in 2010.
• Most likely get dedicated Graphic Processors like what we have in N95 and N900, for accelerating applications using OpenGL ES.
• Smartphones would use Symbian, while Mobile Computers use Maemo.

Operating Systems

1. Symbian
   • Still stays strong inside Nokia
   • Will continue to empower Smartphone devices
2. Maemo is great in a lot of aspects.
   • Standard Unix port
   • Porting GTK+ applications is very easy
   • Localization road map to Indic languages is not visible yet

Other highlights

• Good showcase on Agile project execution. This was very helpful with tips and techniques for mobile development projects.
• Nokia is going after local app store market approach for INDIA and other emerging markets. So, there is a strong support from Nokia, if you are interested in making money in INDIA market.
• Nokia is positively different from other vendors, when it comes marketing approaches towards making mobile application vendors profitable.

Overall, I was very glad to have participate in this event.

RIM, Monocle collaborate on $1,500 BlackBerry Bold 9700

http://www.nokia.com/press/press-releases/showpressrelease?newsid=1358666

Nokia CEO sketches the plans/offerings to cheer mobile users.

Current and Projected Sales

Projected Cost and Sales Expectations

Per the press release, we can now expect Symbian 4 and Maemo 6 in the middle of 2010. Announcement of a new version release, ahead of completing global launch of Maemo 5 with N900, tells us that Nokia is serious on Maemo. I like the way Nokia addresses the market based on device capability (hardware and software) in terms of economic viability (cost).

In areas where we still need mobile devices below INR 2,000.00, S40 series phones does make sense. Not every body needs the delight of having their phone knowing which direction it is pointed at. The theme is still on emerging markets, which is a great thing, considering the 300 Million active users target that they have.

Mobile Phones…Smart Phones…Mobile Computers

Sony VAIO would get a good competitor. Now that Nokia is looking at a small and compact mobile computer as lucrative as the Netbooks, mobility offerings in the next few years should be very interesting.

We need innovations like what Maemo brings to the table…well…the pocket. I hope Nokia keeps Maemo for their high-end products.

Mobile Number Portability regulation has been approved. It will be in effect from 31st December 2009 (31/12/2009).

Now, moving from one Telecom Operator to the other would cost only INR 19.00. The only constraint in this regulation is that the mobile user (the consumer) has to use services from the Telecom Operator for ninety (90) days.

Pros

With MNP scheduled:

• Telecom Operators would be forced to think different to retain customers.
• Some of the unreasonable charges that are forced on us today must be reduced, if not removed completely.
• Telecom Operators are already looking for some other ways to get some out of our wallet. I am sure one of you reading this already would have Ringtones set, for your mobile phone number, and pay them some money, as if they are a music store.
• New service providers in the mobile area are coming-up to bust the mythical situation of “Telecom Operator should get paid for this”

Cons

We have already opened-up our country for OUTSIDERS TO RUN THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR COUNTRY. Added to that regulations allow Overseas Corporate Bodies and Elements to own up to 72% of an INDIAN Telecom Company. Being a PRO-INDIAN paranoid of new “East India Companies” getting created, I am very much concerned.

In USA, it became a diplomatic issue some time back and due to the nature of the ownership take over transaction, National Security related agencies forced the government to get control over the situation. At last an USA based organization AIG made the real transaction, for an undisclosed amount (Ref.: Dubai Ports World controversy).

Our INDIAN Government has already allowed/floated way too many Foreign elements into the country in the name of Telecommunication Infrastructure Support. In one way, this law has given all the capabilities to Foreign elements to lure the current Mobile using citizens into their network.

Its only a matter of  time when we all get to a situation, where all the money collected in the name of Infrastructure goes as a profit for someone PAYING TAXES to an FOREIGN Government.

Finally

Some food for thought:

• Are you ready for the changing your operator (Backup your contacts, messages, photos, music, etc.,)?
• In case you have subscribed for Value Added Services (VAS) with your current operator, will the next operator give you the same/something similar ?
• As a patriotic Citizen sitting in INDIA, do you like the basic utility payments get outside of INDIA to enrich some other FOREIGN Government?
• Shouldn’t the repatriation clauses, for these non-INDIAN share holders, be revisited?
• Do you think External Affairs wing of our country has to do a little more to secure our national interests?
• Do you think someone outside the country could be watching us, because of the nature of FOREIGN stakes in these Telecom Operators?
• We have operators and other entities all over the world trying to take a piece of INDIA (business). Do you think we are seeing some more East India Company scenarios?

I have been working on this “INDIAN Telecom Infrastructure and East India Company” analogy for a while. I think I will post article on the same next month.

Sybase has gone one step further and has anounced their product “Afaria for iPhone” to also support the “SQL Anywhere for iPhone” product. I think it is good way to cross-sell the applications.