Sony Ericsson jumps onto NFC bandwagon

Joining Internet behemoth Google in the increasingly crowded near-field communication (NFC) hot tub is mobile company Sony Ericsson, who is putting NFC chips into its Android phones, the Times of India revealed (see also uses for NFC).

A while back, we reported that a tech blogger discovered some NFC functionality on the Google+ mobile app. Google has also been actively implementing the technology for its Google Wallet and Google Places services. Read more

Apple iPad’s dominance to continue

The Apple iPad 2′s rivals from mobile vendors like Samsung and Motorola are having trouble breaking into the tablet market, says analysts from International Data Corp (IDC), comScore, and Canaccord Genuity.

According to the IDC, sales of tablets through mobile carriers face an obstacle of getting customers to sign up for their 3G or 4G data plans that are a requirement for purchasing these devices. As a result, they have only seen moderate success. Read more

Singapore’s Chalkboard launches widget for HTC handsets in Malaysia

Chalkboard, a location-based mobile advertising platform, has inked a deal last week with mobile phone company HTC to offer its widget exclusively to HTC customers in Malaysia. The widget allows consumers to receive updates about daily deals, promotions, and product launches through their mobile phones. Read more

65Bits #180: We Love To Queue

Our friends at Tech65 starts off this week with their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape with their thoughts [1] Official: HTC rolling out Android 2.2, 720p video, iTunes sync to unlocked Euro Desires this weekend, [2] HP Won’t Make Any Windows Phone 7 Devices, [3] Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas, [4] StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty – 12 Years of Wait – StarCraft II : Wings of Liberty, [5] iPhone 4 and 3 Mid-night Launches, [6] RSVP to Tech65 Party 2010. Note that the Tech65 are catching up with editing and publishing new episodes for listeners and do bear with them. Do click and check out their latest podcast here (and they jump forward 3 episodes this time). You can now also listen to the Tech65 podcast here as well by coming to the blog post directly. Read more

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65bits #175: NOTHINK, nothink is left

Our friends at Tech65 starts off this week with their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape with their thoughts [1] iPhone 4, [2] Nokia N8 to be final Symbian N Series device, [3] Palm files 8-K with SEC on merger, VP of PR Lynn Fox leaving, [4] Adobe Flash gets its full launch on Android, [5] HTC Hero Eclair 2.1 Release in Singapore. Note that the Tech65 are catching up with editing and publishing new episodes for listeners and do bear with them. Do click and check out their latest podcast here. You can now also listen to the Tech65 podcast here as well by coming to the blog post directly. Read more

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TWIA #60: Melvin Chua from HTC Singapore

As a prominent Asian brand, HTC has been producing mobile handsets with three different platforms: Windows Mobile, Android & Qualcomm’s Brew OS. What is the roadmap and what may be the new phones coming out in the next quarter? With Melvin Chua, the country manager from HTC Singapore, we discussed all these issues together with the adoption of the various mobile platforms and whether the new explosion of Android handsets have an impact in the smart-phone market. You can go directly to TWIA website or listen the podcast here in SGEntrepreneurs. Read more

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65Bits #169: HTC Strikes Back

Our friends at Tech65 starts off this week with their weekly podcast on the following issues that dominated the tech landscape: [1] Apple iPhone Gains Market Share, BlackBerry Slips, [2] HTC files patent complaint against Apple, asks for ban on iPhone, iPad, and iPod, [3] Valve to Deliver Steam & Source on the Mac, [4] Is Europe’s cure for wireless “bill shock” right for the US?. Do click and check out their latest podcast here. You can now also listen to the Tech65 podcast here as well by coming to the blog post directly. Read more

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Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? HTC Singapore Quits Facebook After Customer Complaints

Recently, HTC Singapore withdrew customer service support from its Facebook wall. While this move seems to be part of efforts to improve the overall customer service experience, it does not seem to address customers’ wants, nor does it take into account how the Internet has changed the consumer landscape. The voices on the Internet fora will not change unless and until companies can deliver on their promises. Read more

TWIA #27: What’s the deal with Softbank?

The TWIA crew returns without our moderator, John Lim. In his place, our co-producer Mike Foong has taken the helm and drive the discussion on the important news that rocked Asia this week. With our guest, Chew Lin Kay (@BlinkBl_nk) from BlinkBl-nk.com and Hackerspace SG, we surveyed the happenings from Barcamp KL, BlinkBl_nk to the launch of Amazon AWS in Asia, and moved to the important news of the week: (i) Ushi.cn, a Chinese Linkedin clone after BL’s rant in the live show that there is no linkedin clone in China from the live show? (ii) Yahoo! Japan and DeNA to run social game site, Yahoo! Mobage, (iii) Japan to adopt Chinese standards for 4G, (iv) Microsoft plans to invest in Kaixin001 and finally (v) Baidu filling up the vacuum for Google China now. You can go directly to TWIA website or listen the podcast here in SGEntrepreneurs. Read more

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TWIA #26: Live from Barcamp KL Part 1

Finally, our first live show for This Week in Asia has happened in Segi College, Kuala Lumpur. With John Lim as our moderator together with our co-hosts Bernard Leong and Daniel Cerventus and Michael Smith Jr, our highest recurring guest in the show, we talked about the journey of TWIA till today and future plans and the proceed to hit the three top news of the day: (1) Apple iPhone has taken 4.9% of the mobile market and 72% of the smart-phone market in Japan, (2) Lenovo as the sole candidate left after HTC dropped the bid for Palm and (3) the acquisition of iHipo to Potentialpark in Singapore. You can go directly to TWIA website or listen the podcast here in SGEntrepreneurs. Read more

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