Author Archive

Government Investigation Devalues Gree and DeNa

May 8th, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Analysis & Editorial | No Comments »

Following investigation of a local consumer affairs agency, Gree and DeNa have seen the value of their shares going down. A sales practice of the companies might have been deemed illegal…

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Facebook Acquired Glancee

May 8th, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Only weeks after purchasing Instagram for a massive $1 billion, Facebook makes yet another mobile purchase. This time, the social network swallows Glancee. A social mobile service that has been running for about two years.

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Samsung Shows off Tizen Device

May 8th, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: Tizen | No Comments »

Following the recent release of the Tizen SDK’s, Samsung has now started to show off the first hardware running the new Tizen operating system. Tizen is based on Linux and originated from MeeGo (Intel and Nokia) and Bada (Samsung).

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Samsung Preparing for a Mobile Acquisition!?

May 6th, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Samsung is planning to take over a mobile company. Though it is unknown which company Samsung is to acquire, it won’t be RIM. Or at least that’s what Samsung’s mobile president J.K. Shin said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

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Apple ‘Launched’ iPad 2.4

May 6th, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: iOS | No Comments »

While The New iPad launched, it seems Apple also launched a totaly new iPad 2 16GB. During the presentation, Apple said it would remain selling the iPad 2 16GB model next to the New iPad. It didn’t say it had actually improved the iPad 2 hardware in the new 2.4 model.

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Intel and Samsung Present Tizen 1.0

May 3rd, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: Tizen | No Comments »

Intel and Samsung have launched version 1.0 of the new Tizen operating system for smartphones. Tizen is a combination of MeeGo (once developed by Intel and Nokia) and Bada OS from Samsung. The whole system is based on the Linux kernel. Developers can start downloading the Tizen SDK’s, but have to realize there isn’t any Tizen hardware… yet.

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Dropbox Alters iOS SDK Following Apple’s Complaints

May 2nd, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: iOS | No Comments »

Dropbox has announced changes to its SDK for iOS developers. The sudden update follows on the news that Apple disallowed several apps with the Dropbox SDK from entering the App Store.

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Lidl Starts Selling Smartphones

May 2nd, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: AndroidOS, Smartphones & Tablets | No Comments »

Following in Aldi’s Shoes, German discounter Lidl is also starting to sell off cheap Android-based smartphones. While Aldi launched the Wolfgang brand to promote their line-up of mobile devices, Lidle isn’t taking that route. Instead, the company is offering the smartphones under the name of their manufacturer. Huawei.

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Gree Acquires Funzio for $210m

May 2nd, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Companies & M&A | No Comments »

Gree has completed a new acquisition in the US market. Funzio, an outfit specialized in hardcore cross-platform social games, has been acquired by Gree for $210 million.

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Fast Company: Tablets Kill eReaders

May 2nd, 2012 by Arjan Olsder Posted in Platforms: Kindle | No Comments »

Following the demise of the netbook, the tablet seems to be wiping out the eReader market as well. Though tablets are a true horror to the retina when reading books, the benefit of being able to read in colour and read on a device purchased for all sorts of entertainment seems to go above purchasing a dedicated reading gadget.

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