BlackBerry

Posted on October 5, 2013 by Zack Chia

Last week as I accompanied my mom to one of the telco retailer flagship stores, I was appalled by the fact that Blackberry smartphones are still taking up a significant space with quite a big number of phone offerings. As compared to Samsung or Apple, the BlackBerry phone range is quite comprehensive and some are not actually that bad. However, the company has been in a state of financial crisis since its last burst of fire and it has been reported that Fairfax Financial, a Canadian holding company did a $4.7 bullion buyout on Blackberry. Even with a huge backing, the company is still looking to close more possible deals with potential companies like Google, being amongst one of the boys on it’s top tier list. The company is reportedly pursuing big companies like LG, Samsung, Intel and Cisco for their keen interest in the company. They hope to hear an interest from these companies as soon as next week. With BlackBerry’s failure in the mobile market lately, it has since declared its retreat from the mobile market and most or if not all of their products might be sold to potential buyers. With 4500 layoffs and a big cut in market profits, the management is under extreme pressure to sell off the company. It’s a pity that BlackBerry had to retreat considering they aren’t that bad afterall.

Voice functions hits WhatsApp

Posted on August 6, 2013 by Zack Chia

It makes sense to be in the competition by matching up with the key offerings of your competitors. With chat/messaging apps like WeChat already incorporating voice messaging features, it is no surprise that the hugely popular WhatsApp is offering the feature albeit it can be said to be a tad late in taking this step. WhatsApp can be found on several platforms which includes Android, the iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry, and Symbian. As it has announced that it has currently 300 million monthly active users, WhatsApp shall start to have updates on their apps that would effectively allow users to use the feature to send voice memos across to one another. The function allow users to activate their voice function records a snippet of the audio and send it across to their contact. In this case, the users can then receive and reply to the audio, text, videos or photos. However, it is reported that WhatsApp is actually successful in their photo sharing feature instead. As I am also a regular user of WhatsApp, this function does add some extra flavor to the app but not a significant feature though. WhatsApp users out there, what are your thoughts?

325 MILLION PHOTOS SHARED EACH DAY

Tablets obsolete? What?

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Zack Chia

Blackberry’s CEO Thorsten Heins, is claiming that by 2018 tablets will be deem obsolete. It is highly possible and most likely the case. It is obvious that technology moves fast and changes happen everyday. Right now Blackberry should focus their attention on marketing their newest smartphone models and gaining more market equity. Amidst the competition are Apple and Samsung, the two dominant tech giant in the mobile and smartphone market.

He told Bloomberg:

“In five years I don’t think there’ll be a reason to have a tablet anymore,” Heins said in an interview yesterday at the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles. “Maybe a big screen in your workspace, but not a tablet as such. Tablets themselves are not a good business model.”

It is true that Blackberry is a flop in the tablet market specially for its Playbook but what he claims stands possibly true that a more compelling technology will emerge by 2018 which will render iPads or Galaxy tablets as obsolete. It is correct to claim that tablet market aren’t performing as well as smartphone markets but Samsung has proven for the record that their sales for tablets was actually very healthy.

Same day Shopping

Posted on April 18, 2013April 18, 2013 by Zack Chia

This might not be new news. But it is fantastic to know that Google is announcing their same-day delivery fray. With ‘Shopping Express’, a new service that’s kicking off in San Franciso Bay Area, you will now be able to sign up into the beta delivery service and the biggest incentive is you would get free, unlimited same-day delivery for six months! Google is currently opening up applications for the beta testers and upon accepting them, shoppers can order goods from Target, Walgreens, Toys R Us, American Eagle, Staples, Office Depot, Blue Bottle Coffee and a local grocery store and toy store. You would be prompted questions like where you intend to deliver your goods to and the type of smartphone platform you prefer to use. This is a clear sign that Google has intentions for Android and iOS as well as the Windows Phone and BlackBerry.