Handango, the smartphone app retail distributor has recently teamed up with Best Buy to sell apps for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm, and Symbian S60 handsets. The apps are available via Best Buy’s in-store Mobile Genie. While downloading the app at the store the Handango’s In-HandT client will also get installed to enable outside the store downloads in the future. Best Buy is also planning to bundle “Mobile App Packs” that offer game titles for Windows Mobile, Blackberry, and Palm handsets.

Nowadays more and more people own a quality smartphone that can handle a variety of exciting apps, but they don’t have a trusted platform to access these apps. This really isn’t quite necessary for Apple iPhone 3G users who have Apple’s own app store for downloading apps, but for other handsets its really quite useful. The partnership of Handango and Best Buy was very much necessary in order to give smartphone lovers the ability to customise their handsets the way they want and get the most of their digital entertainment. This will definitely enhance the experience the users get while working on their smartphones.

According to Scott Moore, Best Buy VP, “With the onrush of exciting new smartphones hitting the marketplace, Best Buy couldn’t have chosen a better partner than Handango to provide the most expansive choice of top applications so our customers can walk out the door with these devices working and personalized for their lifestyle.”

All the leading smartphone makers, including Nokia, Samsung Electronics, Motorola, LG Electronics, Sony Ericsson, Apple and many more, are looking forward to introducing MEMS gyroscope technology in their smartphones that are scheduled for launch in 2009. MEMS gyroscope is a cutting edge technology used by the Nintendo Wii to sense rotational motion and enhance the gaming experience. This technology is also used in image stabilising systems.

Apple has announced that it will introduce this technology in its 2009 iPhones. However, it’s not very clear to what extent the MEMS gyroscopes will be implemented and for what purpose. The Apple iPhone already features an accelerometer to detect the motion, but the MEMS gyroscope is expected to enhance this functionality and help in stabilising the digital images captured via the iPhone’s camera. According to the top smartphone makers, this new technology will make their mobile devices appeal to more consumers.

MEMS gyroscopes will not increase the production cost too much and will account for only 3 percent of the total production cost. The vendors who use MEMS G-sensors in their smartphones are also looking forward to shift to the new technology.

Tags for this article: iPhone, smartphone, smartphones 2009

Till now the smartphones were used to communicate effectively, browse the Internet, share data and enjoy movies, music and photos. But for the first time these devices have been optimised to help medical students at the University of Louisville.

This is all thanks to Sprint, which has signed the contract with the university and agreed to provide Windows Mobile smartphones, such as the Palm Treo 800w or the HTC Touch Diamond P3700, at discounted prices to university students. Using the wireless technology the students will be able to enhance their learning and improve their clinical treatments.

The special things about these smartphones is that they will come loaded with relevant medical applications like ePocrates and medical drug reference databases that can be used by the professors, medical practitioners and students to access the university e-mail programme and address. Edward Halperin, dean of the School of Medicine said, “Sprint’s wireless technology will allow our students to access a virtual library of textbooks and medical references. We believe it is worth investigating whether or not giving medical students these tools and technology will enhance their knowledge and sharpen their decision making. Ultimately, our graduates will require these skills as outstanding physicians. It is important to assess the role of technology in the acquisition of clinical skills.”

According to Stephanie Ferguson, general manager of the Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft Corp, “The wireless industry is experiencing an incredible increase in smartphone adoption within specialized fields such as medicine. Students at the University of Louisville can get the most out of their medical education and professional careers through the use of our familiar, customizable Windows Mobile smartphones.”

It seems as if computer manufacturers the world over have been infected by the Eee PC craze. Only months after the surprising and stunning success of the Eee PC subnotebook, or netbook, an entire new laptop genre was created, with every major computer maker struggling to announce their own competitive model. Recently Lenovo, and Fujitsu-Siemens Computers joined the ranks of companies like Acer, Dell, Gigabyte, and HP, by announcing their Netbooks. It appears as though no computer manufacturer has been left untouched, or are we forgetting one major player; namely, Apple? One might think Apple already has their own dedicated market and the company doesn’t need to get involved in the cheap netbook market, however, recent rumours and assertions by top analysts claim Apple has also been infected by the netbook virus; with their own Apple netbook planned for a 2009 release.

USB analyst Maynard Um has questioned his sources in the industry and believes Apple will upgrade and update its MacBook by the end of this year. Furthermore, he goes on to claim the next generation MacBook will be a true subnotebook, not like the MacBook Air. While the Apple MacBook Air is thin and light, its 13 inch screen is relatively large. The advantage of netbooks like the Eee PC, despite the reduced performance, is that they are easily transportable in small personal bags, and can be effortlessly opened in small spaces with no hassle.

If the appearance of “Hackintosh” netbooks is any indication, there is ample demand for a smaller Mac: Leopard has already been successfully installed on the Eee PC, MSI Wind and other devices. On the hand, all of these netbooks occupy the lowest price range, something Mac computers are not known for. According to the Analyst Um, the Apple netbook was originally slated for a 2008 release, but will be delayed to 2009.

With this prediction UBS has certainly started the rumour mills, and only time, or confirmations by Apple, will tell how accurate the assertions prove to be.