Android Makers Making Bids On InterDigital; Google May Leave Motorola At the Altar

This is huge news if Bloomberg's sources are true.  HTC and Samsung are considering a bid on InterDigital's patents.  Intel too.  We can assuming that just about everyone who were at the Nortel party will be there.

Here's the shocker.

More at Clouding Around.

Sprint Says No Vacation For iPhone Launch Between September 30th through October 15th

The title said it all.  And we've known for weeks that Sprint will be carry the iPhone.  All that remains is whether T-Mobile will be joining the party or not.  And it's kind of late in the game to not hear anything about that.

Sprint also will not be getting rid of their unlimited data plans just because the iPhones will soon be taxing its wireless system.  There is no one else who will be able to offer the same deal as Sprint in this respect.

I think they'll begin to turn things around.

Source:  MacDailyNews.

Apple Changed Estimated Ship Time Likely Due to Competition Nosy Around

There was some action in the blog world on Apple’s estimate ship time for it’s products.  Instead of saying how many hours, days, or weeks it takes to ship something, it just says “in stock”.  We don’t know yet what it’ll say if something isn’t in stock, like the forthcoming iPhone.

I reckon this is due to competition.  Apple does not want to let it be known how behind they are.  It will allow its competitors to estimate just how well Apple’s products are selling.  By being able to see what the estimates are and with some clever checks of supply lines, competitors can probably come close to knowing about the sell-through level of its products.

This change comes at a time when the iPhone 5 is about to launch.  On top of that, Macbook Air competitors, the ultrabooks Intel is pushing, are also due to flood the market, just as soon as they can figure out how to come close to Apple’s Macbook Air prices.

Furthermore, "in stock" means just what it means "in stock".

Source:  iLounge.

Time For Retails To Embrace Mobile - Lowe's To Use iPhones To Serve Customers

Retailer businesses using some kind of a handheld to let their employees complete transactions with customers is nothing new.  It's been happening for years.  However, it's Apple's use if iPod touches in their own stores that really got the attention of everyone.  I know, it's unfair but it's Apple.  Everything that they do, even if others have done it before, gets more attention these days.

Now, Lowes has joined the mobile revolution and doing it in a big big way.  According to Bloomberg, Lowe's, the second biggest home improvement retailer, will try to use this new coolness to catch up to Home Depot, better serve its customers, and increase efficiency among its workforce.

iPhone Sales Strong Despite iPhone 5 On the Horizon - Why?

Why would iPhone 4 sales continue to be strong even as the iPhone 5 is only weeks ago?  This is based on some check from a Wall Street firm.  The answer is simple.

I was at the Apple store last weekend trying to get my iPod touch screen fixed.  And it was packed.  Like crazy packed.  the air conditioner was on but folks were everywhere sucking up all the cool air.  The women's store next door was much cooler when you walked by their door.

While I was waiting for my Genius appointment, I saw many exchange of money, well, credit cards.  I was trying to see what they were buying.  I saw a few Macbooks flying out of the back.  And strangely, I also saw a section of the store where folks were being helped by their Apple guys with their iPhones.

And as waited and walked around the store, I continued to see folks buying iPhones.  Obviously, I was happy for them.  Why not.  At 18 months old, it is still the best mobile device in the world.  It's an awesome experience.  

The answer is this:  If you're reading this post, you're not a regular guy off the street.  You're mobile educated.  You will go on the Web to do research and find out more about your mobile device or find out what which device best suits your needs.  At one time, you might be one of those guys on the street but after using an Apple product, you became hooked and wanted to know more about it.

This is why blogs on On Apple exists.  To serve your needs.  

For the people just buying the iPhones now, they're happy and they don't care that the new iPhone 5 will make their new phones obsolete in a few weeks.  And for that, I'm happy for them.  Welcome to the family, guys.

And this is why iPhone 4 sales continues to be strong.

Sprint To Keep Unlimited Wireless Plan Despite Certain Phone (clue: iPhone) From To Its Network

There's chatter this morning, and the good kind that you want to wake up to that Sprint will be be getting rid of the unlimited data plan just because it'll be getting the iPhone as a part of its arsenal against its bigger rivals.  This is very good news.  It shows that for those carriers who have gotten rid of their unlimited data plan, this was about a land grab to for users to pay extra over any data usage and to avoid making sure it has capacity to support its users.

I think Sprint's brilliant move to do nothing will help it generate good will and I'll do everything I can to help push folks towards in them in fall - whether they are getting iPhone, Androids, or Windows Phone devices.  

After all, what more important to a mobile warrior than unfettered data use.  Over all, this is fantastic news for Android, Blackberry, and Windows Phone users as well.  This fall, we'll see new devices like the Galaxy S II and Mango-based Windows Phones coming out.

Note: I know T-Mobile, my current carrier, likes to say it has unlimited data access.  Technically, it's true.  However, depending on your data plan, you are throttled after certain amount of use.  It's not AT&T evil but it's still bad in my book.

Source:  Phandroid.

First Post From Google's Official Blogger App

This is my first post from Google's first iOS Blogger app.

It is basic. Does pretty much what most bloggers can ask for.

I quickly noticed that certain rich text functions are not included nor the ability to include links. Those omissions are very disappointing.

Also note in the title that there are some extraneous text. No. I didn't put that there. The blogger app did it all on its own.

Regardless, I am glad it is finally here and Google should improve on it in short order. Would be nice if it included social integrations to Twitter, Facebook, and, especially, Google+.