Dell smartphone plans

Dell, which has been struggling to reclaim its share of the PC market and recently undertook a massive internal reorganization, has already started shrinking its computing devices with the long-anticipated netbook it unveiled in September. But the company, like many PC makers, is struggling for a way to cope with flattening computer sales, even as the smartphone arena continues seeing double-digit growth.

If the rumors are to be believed, the release of a Dell smartphone could come later this month at the 3GSM conference in Barcelona.

Motorola plans for Android platform

Motorola is planning new revenue stream from Android open source mobile platform devices. According to Sanjay Jha, Co-CEO and mobile device leader at Motorola “Android works well for Motorola, as Motorola’s new device applications are now focused on providing best-in-class Web browsing and unique experiences which would include social networking capabilities. Motorola’s expertise in Linux and Java is also a natural fit for Android development”. He also praised Android’s development flexibility and heavy developer interest. His expectation is that Motorola will be able to leverage Android software to build unique products that will prove alluring to carrier partners and resellers.

LiMo focussed on providing Linux based operating platform for mobile providers

The LiMo Foundation today announced that at least six major operators will be delivering Linux based mobile phones in 2009. LiMo is group focussed on providing a standard Linux based operating platform for mobile providers. In June of 2008 it absorbed its rival the LiPS (Linux Phone Standards) and in my view now competes squarely against Google’s Android and Nokia’s Symbian.

The new Linux phones will come from NTT DOCOMO, Orange, SK Telecom, Telefonica, Verizon Wireless and Vodafone all of whom are LiMO contributors in some way. LiMO claims now to have 33 commercial mobile phones certified as being LiMo compliant.

Limbo mobile social networks

Limbo is one the world’s largest, fastest growing mobile social networks where people share the places they go and the things they do. In Limbo, members broadcast their location, locate bars, clubs or restaurants, and coordinate their friends with group text. All tools and services are free to members thanks to the support of interactive, highly targeted, location-based mobile advertisements. Limbo is backed by three of the world’s top venture capital funds: Azure Capital Partners (www.azurecap.com), Draper Fisher Jurvetson (www.dfj.com), and New Enterprises Associates (www.nea.com).

Google launches new technology for synching contacts and calendars

Google launches technology for automatically synching contacts and calendars with iPhones and Windows Mobile devices. Google announced that they’ve started beta testing of its new Google Sync cloud-based synchronization services meant to link users’ iPhone and Windows Mobile calendars and contacts with their Google accounts and automatically keep them in sync. Also on Monday, Microsoft announced that Google Sync relies on its own Exchange ActiveSync technology, which it has licensed to Google.