Phones are not actually something that we generally major on in PIND, with the exception of the occastional iPhone comment perhaps. Maybe this week we should address that shortfall, particularly in the light of there now being some 4 billion mobile users worldwide, over a quarter of which are now believed to be smartphone users. Three-quarters of the total are SMS enabled, which in itself opens the marketing mind more than a little. This splendid infographic gives you a great overview of where we are right now, and a few insights into the future too.
We are generally led to believe that iOS 5 is just around the corner. The chaps at MobileCrunch have offered there list of ten items that “simply need to be in iOS 5” (in their opinion). There are a couple that we are especially keen to see happen: proper Gmail support and something to make the lockscreen work a bit harder.Fast Company have offered us a posting on iPhone hardware, highlighting a crop of patents recently filed. These included ideas for 3D photos and battery back-up packs. The chaps at Mashable have also provided a summary of iPhone 5 rumours, via a most impressive infographic which is certainly worth a peek a the very least.
In the meantime, RIM is talking about OS6.1 for BlackBerry, and promising a spring release.
Taking a neat side step into tablet talk one new device from Acer really took our eye, though you may want to bracket it into laptop rather than slate: the Iconia offers a dual-screen laptop running Windows 7. The screens are multi-touch and 14-inches. Whatever you call it, it’s a nice looking item.One especially interesting piece of tablet talk: Microsoft says that tablets are just a passing fad. This blog post draws parallels with IBM when it was simply known as Big Blue.
On a simple and more straightforward printing note, we liked this posting detailing 100 awesome and original business card designs. Whilst we have highlighted here in the past some excellent ideas surrounding electronic business cards, there really is nothing like a piece of printed work to carry in your pocket. It’s just so easy to hand somebody a card with all of your contact details. Some of these designs will knock your socks off too!Print buying is the focus of Matthew Parker, and you will certainly enjoy his thoughts from PrintWeek regarding five strategies for print buyers to survive in a changing world. These are well worth reading and digesting.
Print will certainly be the focus of attendees and exhibitors at this week’s Apex Open House taking place in Hemel Hempstead, UK. Products from ECRM, Ryobi, Screen, Morgana, Tharstern, Kocher + Beck, MGI, Friedheim International, Horizon and others, with be on show on both Tuesday and Wednesday, April 5 and 6. Of special interest will be the ECRM DPP1200 digital printing device. Whilst some observers have suggested that this is purely a re-badged OKI printer, PIND information suggests that there is more to this device than that. Come see and check it out for yourself.Also of great interest on the UK equipment front is the news that M Partners have taken on the agency for Mabeg offline inspection systems. The company see these products as yet another niche solution for print businesses in both the UK and Ireland.
Whilst you might have read some of our recent reports regarding publishers divesting themselves of titles, and moving many others to iPad, it was exciting this week to see Hearst finalising the purchase of titles such as the international rights to Elle magazine.
Finally, do keep checking back to see what will be featured in our next edition, PIND 47. Details of new stories will be added to this text page during the course of the week, and it will also be our FIRST ANNIVERSARY edition! Yes, one whole year since we decided to commit some of these thoughts to a blog site!PIND046
Want to read issue 45? Click Here!
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