Motorola's ever-smiling CEO Ed Zander is going home. Today the company announced that Zander will be leaving his post come January to be replaced by one of his underlings.

During Zander's tenure, the now-third largest phone manufacturer released and sold millions upon millions of shiny RAZR phones. This might've been a good thing had the company not slashed prices to get them out the door. And even though the RAZR was Motorola's most successful phone model, newer versions (anyone remember the KRZR? Yeah, I don't either) failed to match the original's popularity.

Mr Zander said the decision to resign now was his and reflected his desire to spend more time with his family. "It was a tough decision because I love the job," he said.

So what's the company doing now? No one seems to know. Currently billionaire Carl Icahn is calling for Motorola to be split into three pieces, and most analysts seem pretty uncertain about the fate of the RAZR maker.

Shares of Motorola rose more than 2 percent on the news.

Zander steps down as Motorola chief - FT.com

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 30, 2007

The search-giant Google is quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in the mobile software world. The company's newest addition to its Maps for Mobile is triangulation - basically finding your current position by judging the distance between cell towers.

It's a nifty feature, but unfortunately not as accurate as an integrated GPS - triangulation will generalize your position within a couple hundred meters, while GPS is accurate to several meters. Also, it's not entirely free as you'll need a data plan.

The service will allow Google to start dropping location-based ads in the hands of customers, which translates to potentially tons of money in Google's pockets. (Google currently does not show ads on its Maps software, but that will probably change in the future)

You can download the latest version of Maps for Mobile here. (Symbian 3rd Edition only)

Google Maps for Mobile adds 'My Location' feature - NewsBlog

Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | November 29, 2007

A lucky group of Londoners will be participating in the country's first real-world NFC trial. NFC will eventually be the hottest thing around, but right now it's just a tiny flicker.

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Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 28, 2007

Okay, I finally hunkered down and installed the new Nokia N95 20.0.015 firmware.

Some big changes noticed so far...

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Permalink | Comments (14) | TrackBacks (0) | November 27, 2007

In a move that really didn't make a whole lot of a difference, Verizon Wireless announced that it would begin allowing new phones and software on its networks without any funny stuff (like, say, crippling Bluetooth). However, devices would have to be tested in VW's new "state-of-the-art" lab that, I might add, also cost $20 million dollars.

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Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 27, 2007

Nokia just released an update for the original N95 - 20.0.015. For the most part, the changes seem to be mostly minor updates to make your N95 a little snazzier than before, although Engadget does report a speed improvement to the camera.

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Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0) | November 26, 2007

The BH-100: Nokia's most budget of budget headsets, now available at Radio Shack for the ridiculously low price of $12.99. Get free shipping if you choose the "ship to store" option. (recommended)

Sure, it's cheap, but not necessary a piece of crap headset. The BH-100 actually features 6.5 hours of battery life, interchangeable earloops, and Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR. Honestly, any cheaper and you're in Generic Brand territory. And you don't want to be there.

I'm tempted to buy one just to review.

Nokia BH-100 Bluetooth Headset for $12.99

Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 25, 2007

Right now I'm sitting in a hotel room graciously provided by WOMWorld (sponsored by Nokia!), holding a Nokia N82 also graciously provided by WOMWorld. Alas, I'm only borrowing it for the duration of the trip, but it's long enough to answer some burning questions about Nokia's latest and greatest candy bar.

Anyway, a special thanks to Donna and Lucy for hooking me up and getting me out here. (here being Florida)

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Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 23, 2007

Sometime in August, Nokia quietly announced the 500 Auto Navigation system - well before they announced the acquisition of Navteq (the digital map provider). The five-double-oh is a step up from its predecessor, the Nokia 330, with a bigger screen, more features, and perhaps most importantly, a lower retail price.

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Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0) | November 22, 2007

The newsletter that Nokia sends out is usually extremely backward when it comes to showcasing phones and technologies. But in the latest issue, they added a short "Nokia Newswire" section with this snippet...

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Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0) | November 20, 2007