Another Mobile Patent Bidding War Brewing

Google lost to Apple in the Nortel round but it looks like Patent Bidding War II is coming real soon.  According to MacdailyNews via Bloomberg, a company most of us never heard of, InterDigital Inc, has hired a banker to help them auction off 1,300 mobile related patents.  

The value is considered to be worth more than $3.1 billion.  Considering that the Nortel bidding opened with a $900 million bid from Google and ended up being $4.5 billion offered by Apple and friends, this could cost the winner quite a bit.

Apple and Google are obvious contenders as are the parties involved in the Nortel bid.  And judging by the sickening $11 billion added to the bank by Apple in the third quarter, Apple and a couple of anti-Android companies can go nuts (Google added $3.5 billion...which in and of itself is no small change either).

What I like to see is that HTC, Samsung, Motorola, and maybe Lenovo help Google out.  The last time, Sony, an Android device maker, sided with Apple while Intel was the only one  with deep pockets to side with Google.

On another point, will Apple, Microsoft, and RIM work together to thwart Google again?  RIM, despite losing share in the marketplace is still very rich and Microsoft has enough cash to throw $8.5 billion at Skype.  

It would so awesome if someone could live-blog the bidding.

Source: MacDailyNews, Bloomberg

Beginner Tips On Recording Video With Mobile Devices - Stability and Editing

Hundreds of housands of people join the rank of becoming mobile warriors by activating a various of mobile devices - Blackberries, Androids, and iPhones.  And they're treated with 720p video capture and some very decent camera for still shots.  But it's the video that is become more and more popular each day.

iSmashPhone has some simple tips for beginners on capturing video. Head over for a read.  they provide some common sense tips that we sometimes don't think about all that much if we are in the middle of trying to capture a moment.

Stability, stability, stability.  That is key for anyone trying to capture video or take a still shot.  I'm notorious for making people feel ill after looking at my video.  But I'm working on making better video.

Also on editing, you might want to consider spending a few bucks (I wouldn't pay for more than $5 - iMovie for the iPhone is $5) and do some quick edits.  Seriously, raw footages are sooo 2000s.  These days, you'll want to be able to jazz your video up with your own music, some scene changes, and even themes.  

Why Are Blogs Suddenly Waking Up To Old T-Mobile Data Plans; New Value Plans Is Where Focus Should Be

T-Mobile supposedly released new data plans that do no include penalties if the subscriber goes over the limitation of the data plan.  I thought it was like this all along.  Interesting that this is just now getting attention by several blog sites.  It's the upcoming value plans that allow family or multi-line plans to share data that is more significant.

In the past, T-Mobile had always advertised its plans as unlimited.  And once a certain allotment of 3G access has been reached, T-Mobile will throttle the user down to EDGE speed  Of course, this pales in comparison to true unlimited data plans offered by Sprint.  Still, what T-Mobile is doing is better than the two biggest and most greedy mobile carriers, ATT and Verizon Wireless do:  they charge customers extra for going over their data rations.

What is more significant is the new value plans is T-Mobile is offer. They offer data plans even for family with different amounts of 3G data.  Once those limits have been reached, T-Mobile will throttle everyone back down to EDGE speed until the beginning of the next billing cycle.

I can totally be convinced of this of going this route.  I just recently got a new Virgin Mobile plan with 300 minutes of talk time and unlimited data for $25.  I also picked up an iPhone with unlimited data with Verizon.  I had plan on switch over from our family from T-Mobile to Verizon but this could change things for me.

T-Mobile has always been a strong supporter of Android especially with the awesome HTC Sensation.  And I wonder just how the rumored T-Mobile iPhone will fit into this.

Source: TmoNews, Light Reading

Apple's Stock Up - Not As Much As You Think

Apple' stock is now up on a slow Wall Street day.  And after blowing even the most ambitious estimates out of the water, Apple's stock isn't doing as well as Google did when their quarterly earning also vastly exceeded estimates.

As of this post, Apple is up little more than 3%.  Seriously, Wall Street, show some respect here.  What other company are you going to find that has this kind of earnings potentials for years to come.$7.3 Billion in profit and $11 billion more added to its piggy bank.  

What more do you want?

Loop Insight Chat With Apple Execs

Loop Insight was lucky enough to chat with some Apple executives regarding today's Lion release and the refreshed Macbook Airs and Mac Minis.

I came away from the post thinking "differently" regarding Thunderbolt cinema display.  As mentioned in the post, it is the perfect docking station.  There isn't a whole new device that you have to hook your Air or Macbook Pro to.  Just a cord.  

I suppose it is one of those things that you don't think about until someone mentions it.  Maybe a Mac Mini with 8 GB could be in play here...

More at Loop Insight

Looking For a Mobile Device Is Like Playing the Bachelor or Bachelorette Show

Someone on Google+ shared with me this post about the Bachelor or Bachelorette Show and how it relates to mobile.  And it's a brilliant analogy.  

We shop, research, inquire about potential mates.  And we pretty much do the same with our mobile devices.  Android with its freedom better or the ease-of-use and coolness of Apple's iOS ecosystem? Or is the Blackberry your preference choice with the excellent messaging and 

But unlike picking our significant others, smartphones have a 14 to 30 day return policy.  So it got me wondering.  Wouldn't the world better if we could return our partners/spouses if things don't work out within 30 days?  I can see a slew of excuses:

• Sorry, I have to return him.  It takes a while for him to wake up from his sleep mode.
• His/her battery life just doesn't last...if you get my drift.
• Let's just say I was unable to disable the excessive "notifications".

Anyway, picking the right mobile device is very important.  You will have to "marry" to it for at about 2 years at a time. 

So, what do you look for in a smartphone?

Source:  Blackberry And Beyond.

2011 Macbook Air: Processor Upgraded, Max RAM and Battery Remains the Same

Here is the spec page for the new Macbook Air, the new heir to the Macbook and all that is cool about Apple design, ergonomics, and lightness.

Specifically, I was concentrating on two things.  Memory and battery life. For either the 11" or the 13" model, the maximum of allowable memory is still at 4 GB while the battery life remains the same - 5 hours for the 11" and 7 hours for the 13".

Until one or both of those specs improve, I think my refub late-2010  Macbook Air from last year stands out pretty well.

I know that the processor has been given a great upgrade.  For someone who uses his MBA, to hack out writing, I won't be too jealous of proud owners of these 2011 Macbook Airs.  Well, maybe just a bit.