Tizen: Can it refresh yer phone's 'ead?

Tizen, if you don't know , is the open linux based OS for smartphones and other devices backed by the Linux Foundation, Intel and Samsung. It could best be described as a follow-on project to Meego and Limo (which is one of the things I was working on at NEC).

I don't know who came up with the name Tizen, the Linux Foundation, Intel, Samsung or some marketing consultant, and I don't know what meaning its intended to convey, if any.

For me though, when I think of Tizen I immediately think of Tizer, a somewhat obscure UK brand of soft fizzy drink I remember liking when I was young, even though it was always far from fashionable (much like myself!). Even when it was sponsoring, presumably at big expense, the highly popular Saturday morning music TV shows "The Chart Show" and "CD:UK" with the (annoying) catchphrase "refresh yer 'ead" slogan it never really took off. They tried big sponsorship, re-branding, various slogans and still it didn't become particularly popular. It does, however, still seem to exist, so at least it has fared better than New Coke!

I doubt that a Tizen powered phone will "refresh yer 'ead" anytime soon, but I do wonder if there will be any parallels between Tizer the drink and Tizen the OS. We will get the first indications later this year when the first handsets hit the stores....I wonder what the advertising will be like; anyone want to suggest a floating, red, flip-topped head character?

Martin Yagi.

Martin is available for freelance consulting on mobile standards/collaboration, emerging applications/technology and innovation. To discuss your requirements check contact details in Martin's profile.

A Driving Opportunity

Maybe you don't know this, I didn't until very recently, but from 2015 all new cars sold in Europe should be "connected" due to the EU eCall recommendation. The eCall concept is to allow the car computer systems to automatically (or manually if selected by a passenger) call for assistance in the event of an accident. A key point being that it is not just a voice call to an emergency service operator, but also data such as location. This may be the first mobile Machine to Machine (M2M) application that consumers will actually become aware of.

OK, there is nothing especially new about the concept or the technology. For example, Vodafone and BMW recently announced that Vodafone M2M SIMs will enable the connectivity for BMW's ConnectedDrive service. A premium service that fits well with a premium car brand, where the prestige is likely to outweigh the cost implications for the target market. "Yaah, my car is smarter than yours!". 

However, if as expected, this is applied across all vehicles regardless of brand, from Kia to Rolls Royce, then there will be opportunities there to be exploited - no manufacturer will want to incur the cost of including basic connectivity without trying to monetise it to their advantage, e.g. by offering value added services. This should drive (no pun intended) the growth of connectivity modules, display panels (for user interface), services and applications.

It will be interesting to see which Companies can make the most of this opportunity, and most importantly engage with the consumer. How long will it be before my dad asks me which car he should buy next - the one with iCar or gCar inside?

Martin Yagi.

Martin is available for freelance consulting on mobile standards/collaboration, emerging applications/technology and innovation. To discuss your requirements check contact details in Martin's profile.

Nokia: Desperate measures for desperate times?

Today Nokia made several announcements, including one outlining redundancies and downgrading profit outlook and one regarding the sale of the luxury handset Vertu division. What is the significance as Nokia struggles to reverse its recent downwards spiral?

The sale of Vertu means Nokia is exiting the luxury handset market. No more of making profitable bling powered by a fairly run-of-the-mill-OS (the OS Nokia CEO Stephen Elop considers outdated). I guess Nokia doesn't like growth of sales, it doesn't fit with the current strategy! Vertu could have been a safe haven ensuring Nokia continues to make mobile phones, as its other mobile divisions are in a sorry state.

The operational changes and redundancies mean doom and gloom. The reports are that it means the total cancellation of the Meltemi platform - a linux based platform being developed for future low-cost phones (i.e. to replace the Symbian OS and be a Nokia competitor to Samsung's Bada). As Symbian was already on limited time life-support, these changes today appear to mean that Nokia is accelerating towards a Windows Phone only future. However Windows Phone will not run on low-powered hardware, and therefore this means Nokia is also exiting the low-end phone market as it will be difficult to compete with Samsung, ZTE and all with more modern software.

So, Nokia ploughs ahead with Plan A (Windows Phone Lumia handsets), a plan which hasn't been working out very successfully so far, and dumps Plan B (Meltemi) whilst ensuring any new low-cost handsets won't be (perceived as) competitive or attractive either. I know these are not good times for Nokia, and things are getting desperate for them, but this seems a desperately risky plan. Its sad to see a once-proud Company in such dire straits.

You can now buy a Nokia share for about the same as a ringtone or app...which will be the wiser investment?

Martin Yagi.

Martin is available for freelance consulting on mobile standards/collaboration, emerging applications/technology and innovation. To discuss your requirements check contact details in Martin's profile.