Having attended CCS Insight's ‘Predictions for 2013 and beyond’ conference in London earlier in the week, David and I thought we’d highlight a few of the predictions they made and give our take on each.

"HP acquires RIM"
David says	Waseem says
RIM has had difficulty in presenting its tablet device to business in any great numbers and the new operating system (OS 10) sees BlackBerry move to a new QNX based OS with ActiveSync.  This is an unknown quantity as well as arriving late, after new generations of iOS and Android have had time to penetrate their core user base. I believe HP may have to compete with Amazon if they want to acquire RIM as they too may seek to replace Android with a proprietary OS.  It’s worth noting that the first Amazon Fire tablet shared the same manufacturer as RIM’s PlayBook.	Early reviews of BB10 have been positive and if following their launch event in January BlackBerry sales take-off, talk of takeovers may fade. If they are taken over, a global IT giant would make the best home for what is still the strongest enterprise mobile platform.  However following mistakes made with Palm and now Autonomy, RIM would be advised to steer clear of the imploding PC/printer manufacturer.  If it were me, I’d be heading over to Lenovo.
"Smartphone experiences become more important to consumers than hardware"
David says	Waseem says
As an Apple/Android/BlackBerry/Windows user I would agree.  I use the device which performs best for the task in hand – maybe BlackBerry for voice and email and iPad for applications. This is clearly seen in the homogenized look of the high end smartphones - touch screen rectangles all of them.  Users choose the experience found within the OS not necessarily the hardware.	Interfaces that make your life easier and make you more productive will win both hearts and minds.  And as the guys from CCS Insight say, once you’re past a minimum threshold of screen resolution, storage capacity and camera capability most people stop caring about the hardware unless you introduce mind blowing innovation.
"By the end of 2013 one in four people in the US and Nordic markets will own a tablet"
David says	Waseem says
Why stop at one? Many people will take two tablets in 7-8 inch and then 10+ inch sizes either for themselves or other family members to share.  It becomes more viable when you have Google and Amazon producing high quality devices at sub £200 pricing.	Okay, not a prediction for the UK but the interest and uptake of tablets by UK users could soon match that in the US and the Nordics. If all you do on the old PC in the corner of the room is browse the web, read emails and play games why wouldn’t you go for a tablet?  With the addition of keyboards, enterprise apps and secure connectivity it’s hard to keep them out of the office too.
"Production of premium QWERTY devices will cease by 2014"
David says	Waseem says
Touch screen has won.  If you manufacture a button device it almost screams that your touch screen tech isn't good enough......BlackBerry Storm anyone?	Die-hard BlackBerry fans probably feel like throwing up right now, but in reality touch screen keyboards keep getting better and the added screen real estate is vital to getting the most out of apps. The new touch interface on full screen BB10 devices may help keep lunch down.
"Use of mobile and Web technologies in business and government rise sharply over the next three years as "digital natives" gain senior positions"
David says	Waseem says
Communication using web and mobile media is a more natural method both for traditional internet users and those accustomed to mobile communications. Leading organisations providing services to the public have already created 'apps' to improve interaction and better present information, and businesses with a growing smartphone savvy client base are following suite.	This goes deeper than mailers from my bank showing ‘Appified’ services.  Which as far as I can see don’t really go deeper than giving a service a pretty icon and putting it in a rounded box. Digital natives expect an immediate response, be it human or flawed machine (I’m looking at you Siri) so implementing this level of interaction in future commercial or public sector services will fast become the norm.
"In 2013 Google Play will overtake Apple's App Store in total downloads and catalogue size."
David says	Waseem says
Android is a monster!  It grows daily and has many apps available either free or ad-supported.  Unfortunately unless Google do something to vet applications before they become public the catalogue will include increasing numbers of ‘poisonous’ apps laced with Malware.	I only ever use around 100 mainstream apps (office suite, banking, news, voip, travelling etc) so my immediate response is ‘Urm, okay’. An apps arms race means nothing to me if I can’t find useful apps quickly. Building an ecosystem around an operating system seems to be the path all the leading vendors are talking but I just want access to ‘my’ data and don’t care what platform I access it on.  Bring on Firefox OS I say.

The folks at CCS Insight made 65 predictions this year and we’ll keep you updated on how their forecasts pan out.  You can find out more about their predictions here.

You might have spotted some eye-catching billboards around at the moment promoting Samsung’s brand new and exclusive feature – split screens.

Tablet owners out there, the majority of whom are devout iPad-ers, might be longing for MS Windows-like multi screens but are probably resigned to the fact that if you’re in one app you need to slip into the next app before starting a different task. Samsung has spotted a great opportunity here and, in an attempt to wean us away from iOS, gives us the multi-screen. And they’re certainly shouting about it with an ad campaign they hope will grab the attention of the 65 odd per cent of the tablet market currently owned by Apple.

While Android smartphones have always been known for their multi-tasking functionality, the simple ability to have several windows open at once might seem like a no-brainer, especially as we’re doing it on our laptops all the time. But for Steve Jobs, simplicity was key, and this is where Apple’s biggest competitor in the tablet market hopes to stake its claim. So the latest generation of Samsung devices boast multi-window functionality, allowing you to transfer between different tasks more easily. You can browse the web whilst making notes. Or while writing an email, you can refer to a document meaning no more going back and forth.

Where Samsung also stands out is giving users a stylus, or ‘S-pen’. This is more than just a stick for writing. It’s a great tool for Samsung Note 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 users looking for a bit more precision on their tablet or handset, particularly when writing notes or sketches. In fact, where these devices really come into their own is through the various art, photo editing and design programmes. The S-pen is also itself an active part of the device. It boasts a feature called Air View, which allows you to navigate by hovering over the screen, using the stylus’ button to click.

So Samsung has pounced on two simple but attractive features to set itself apart from the pack leader. It will be interesting to see whether these features are good enough to tempt people away from the iPad. If not, it won’t be from lack of trying.

Image: Courtesy of Clear View

Stuttgart, Germany/Waterloo, Ontario - Today, Porsche Design and Research In Motion (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) announced the elite new Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry®. Designed by Porsche Design, in collaboration with RIM, the luxury brand’s first smartphone delivers engineered luxury and performance.

"The Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry is instantly identifiable as a Porsche Design product. The exclusive material choices for this unique smartphone include a forged stainless steel frame, hand-wrapped leather back cover, sculpted QWERTY keyboard, and crystal clear touch display. This customized Porsche Design P’9981 comes with an exclusive Porsche Design UI and a bespoke Wikitude World Browser augmented reality app experience. It also includes premium, exclusive PINs that help easily identify another P’9981 smartphone user."

Powerful hardware and software
The Porsche Design P’9981 is built on a performance driven platform that features a 1.2 GHz processor, HD video recording, 24-bit high resolution graphics, and advanced sensors enabling new augmented reality applications. It comes with 8GB of on-board memory, expandable up to 40GB with a micro SD card.
BlackBerry® 7, the operating system for the new Porsche Design P’9981, includes a next generation BlackBerry® browser with a fast, fluid web browsing experience that is among the best in the industry. It also features Liquid Graphics™ technology, which delivers a highly responsive touch experience with incredibly fast and smooth graphics.

The Porsche Design P’9981 includes built-in support for NFC (Near Field Communications), which will enable many new and exciting capabilities.
The Porsche Design P’9981 smartphone from BlackBerry will be available from Porsche Design stores later this year.

Nokia continues its mission to deliver high quality, stylish devices that provide the best access to social networks, the Internet and information, and offer the best overall experience and value proposition for the next billion mobile phone users. These consumers want access to innovations such as easy-to-use dual-SIM, local services and content, and third-party apps, all with a superior user experience for which Nokia mobile phones are known.

These devices comprise the new Asha family of Nokia mobile phones. Derived from Hindi - meaning 'hope' - Asha signifies Nokia's focus on positive user experiences and connecting millions of people to new opportunities that help them reach their aspirations.

The Asha mobile phone family includes:

Nokia Asha 303

The Nokia Asha 303 is a stunning phone designed with sophisticated materials and metallic finishes. It combines a large 2.6" capacitive touch screen with a high quality QWERTY keypad. The Nokia Asha 303 is built with Internet and social networks ease in mind.   

The device harnesses a powerful 1Ghz engine, 3G and WLAN to deliver a fast Internet experience. Social networks, email and IM are at the center of the experience, easily accessible from the homescreen. The Nokia Asha 303 is powered by the cloud-based Nokia Browser, which by compressing the web by up to 90%, provides higher speeds and a more affordable access to the Internet.

Entertainment and applications are also a core part of the Nokia Asha 303 offering. Angry Birds Lite, the popular mobile game, comes preinstalled, together with support for other globally relevant applications such as Facebook Chat, Whatsapp messaging and the latest release of Nokia Maps for Series 40 (in selected markets). The price will vary from market to market and operator to operator.

Nokia Asha 300
The beautifully designed Nokia Asha 300 is a touch device which also offers the convenience of a keypad. The Nokia Asha 300 has a powerful 1GHz processor and 3G to deliver a faster Internet and social networking experience. The Nokia Browser allows for fast, affordable and localized Internet access by compressing  web pages by up to 90%.

Users have fast access to messaging, email and instant messaging from the home screen and can swipe to access apps, music or games from the Nokia Store. The Nokia Asha 300 also arrives preloaded with the popular Angry Birds game.

The Nokia Asha 300 comes with a 5 megapixel camera, a music player, FM radio, Bluetooth connectivity and can handle memory cards up to 32GB. 
Price and Availability TBC
More Details here

Nokia Asha 200
The Nokia Asha 200 is Nokia's latest dual SIM phone with Easy Swap functionality, allowing consumers to easily change their second SIM without switching the device off.

It is a fun and colorful QWERTY phone designed to meet the needs of young, urban consumers who want to constantly stay in touch. The Nokia Asha 200 features integrated social networking, email and IM, adding RenRen, Orkut and Flickr support. Nokia Asha 200 makes it possible to carry thousands of songs with support for 32 GB memory cards and providing a battery for an amazing 52-hour playback time.
 

Nokia Asha 201
The single SIM version of the Nokia Asha 200, the Nokia Asha 201 is ideal for young consumers who wish to stay socially connected, are price conscious and like listening to music. The Nokia Asha 201 has great music features including a high performing loudspeaker, enhanced stereo FM radio and ringtone tuning. With the Nokia Browser you get even faster, even better and more affordable access to the Internet. It supports up to 32 GB memory cards and provides a battery for 52 hours of music playback time. The Nokia Asha 201 also supports push email as well as the popular Whatsapp messaging app.