IBM's 'Five in Five'

IBM has released a report outlining 'five innovations that will change our lives over the next five years.' The 'big five' concepts -- though not completely new -- are:

• We will be able to access healthcare remotely, from just about anywhere in the world
• Real-time speech translation-once a vision only in science fiction-will become the norm
• There will be a 3-D Internet
• Technologies the size of a few atoms will address areas of environmental importance
• Our mobile phones will come close to reading our minds

Interesting iPhone Data from Nielsen

Consumer research firm, The Nielsen Company, released some interesting data on the iPhone this week. The study found:

- As of April 2009, there are 6.4 million active iPhone users in the U.S., up from 2.1 million a year prior.

- 37% watch video on their phone (6x as likely as the typical subscriber).

- There are roughly as many iPhone users 55 and older as there are 13-24. (see chart)

- 98% of iPhone users use the data features of their phone, services that should improve with the enhanced speed promised by the iPhone 3G S.

- 88% use the Internet (4x as likely as the typical subscriber).

- 75% download apps (5x as likely as the typical subscriber).

- 72% use location based services (7x as likely as the typical subscriber).

None of this data is overly surprising but it is good news for all of us in the mobile data market as more and more consumers will be buying iPhones (and other smartphones) so overall usage of applications, mobile web, mcommerce, etc. is about to explode.

EA and Glu Report Mobile Game Sales Results

Two of the biggest mobile game developers in the world, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: ERTS) and Glu Mobile (NASDAQ: GLUU) announced quarterly results this week.

While EA's overall business continues to struggle, mobile was a bright spot with the company reporting that their mobile revenues were up 24% year-over-year to $189 million. For the fiscal fourth quarter, EA Mobile recorded $48 million in revenues, up 14% year-over-year.

Glu reported revenues of $20.8 million, compared to $20.6 million in the first quarter of 2008 which represents less than a 1% increase year over year.

If I was a Glu shareholder I'd be pretty disappointed with Glu's results. Although EA is a bigger company , the mobile games business is growing fairly rapidly (see post coming soon) and Glu should be growing at a similar pace to EA.

If you read Glu's full release and if you've been following the company over the last year, a lot of their lack of growth is due to the fact that Glu was very late to the iPhone party. They've started to ramp up lately with a number of high quality releases on that platform including the very fun Glyder title, but it's clear that they've still got a lot of work to do to get their business to take off further.

EA, on the other hand, was early to the iPhone an their games have done very well. Just in the past couple weeks, EA announced five new iPhone titles and executives said they expect to introduce 30 games for the iPhone this year.

5000 Android Apps

Google's Android Market now offers more than 4,900 applications for smartphones powered by the Android mobile operating system, according to the web services giant's vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra.

Speaking Wednesday at Google's annual I/O developer event in San Francisco, Gundotra said Android users have downloaded an average of more than 40 applications per user, adding that Android smartphones are now second in the U.S. in mobile web browsing, behind Apple's iPhone.

5000 apps is a pretty good number. We (Movaya) are about to launch our first premium app in the Android Market next week so we'll see how that goes.

UK Government Envisions a Grim Future

In trying to analyze future threats to Britain's armed forces, the UK Ministry of Defence has created a chilling future scenario of global instability and devastating weapons.

Taking into account familiar threats such as global warming and the growing population in political 'hot spots' such as the Middle East, the study also notes threats such as:

• Self-directed weapons that need little or no human control


• Implanatable information chips wired directly to the brain


• 'Flashmobs' that could be mobilized instantly by criminal or terrorist groups


• A revival of Marxism and other radical political movements


• The continued growth of militant Islam

Much of this instability will be driven by declining resources coupled with increasing numbers of people living in cities.

Source: Guardian

Mossberg Reviews the Palm Pre

Walt Mossberg does a great review of the Palm Pre today. If you're considering the device or just curious, you should read it here.

Couple highlights:

'But on June 6, Apple will get a powerful competitor in this category. It's a beautiful, innovative and versatile hand-held computer that's fully in the iPhone's class. It's called the Pre, and it comes from Palm, the company that pioneered the hand-held computer in the 1990s. I've been testing the Pre for a couple of weeks, and I like it a lot, despite some important drawbacks that will have to be remedied.'

'All in all, I believe the Pre is a smart, sophisticated product that will have particular appeal for those who want a physical keyboard. It is thoughtfully designed, works well and could give the iPhone and BlackBerry strong competition -- but only if it fixes its app store and can attract third-party developers.'

Is Tesla Getting the Electric Car Right?

If the internal combustion engine is the technology environmentalists love to hate, the electric car is the technology everyone else hates to love. Electrics have long had the reputation for being underpowered, inefficient, and no more eco-friendly than any other type of car, as the electricity needed to run them normally comes from fossil fuels.

Enter Tesla Motors, a California-based startup that has developed the Tesla Roadster, a stylish, high-performance electric car that can reportedly go from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds and travel up to 250 miles between charges. The Roadster is still in the prototype stage, but just as important as the car itself is the way that Tesla proposes to fuel it. Tesla envisions a distributed network of charging stations that draw power from sustainable, environmentally friendly sources.

Source: Long Tail

DIY Mobile Networks

Ever dreamed of having your own mobile phone network? If so, Sonopia offers customizable, 'virtual' mobile networks for small businesses and nonprofit groups. Partnering with Verizon, Sonopia has offered networks to churches, rock bands, sports teams, and the National Wildlife Fund. Nonprofits can offers as an incentive to prospective customers a donation of profits to charitable causes.

Sonopia charges no setup fees, so even the smallest groups -- and even individuals -- can establish their own mobile networks.

Source: Springwise

Movaya Launches My Pet's Weekly Horoscope iPhone App

With Pet Zodiac and One Of America's Leading Pet Astrologers.

Every Week You'll Get A New Horoscope For Your Pet!

Oprah will do anything for her pets. President Barack Obama enjoys playing
with his puppy on the White House lawn. People find their perfect mate through
web site dating where they meet other people who love pets. Some people travel with pets. Others even drink beer with their pets. But now, there's something new you can do with your pet. We know you're worried about swine flue, terrorist attacks, pirates boarding ships, losing your home to mortgage foreclosure, the recession, no healthcare, losing your job, vampire video, who's on twitter and why the latest diet pill doesn't work, so get ready for some good news.

Pet-ertainment LLC and Movaya Wireless, Inc. are pleased to announce the first ever Horoscope app for your pet.

"My Pet's Weekly Horoscope" isn't like those that just show you cute pets, funny pets, the world's smartest dogs, crazy cats or adorable puppies. "My Pet's Weekly Horoscope" brings you closer to your dog or cat because you will now have insights into your pet's behavior. If you want to understand your dog or cat better, know what makes your pet tick and be able to change bad pet behavior, you want to get "My Pet's Weekly Horoscope" every week.

Can't wait to see your own horoscope? Now you can find out what the stars have in store for your furry best friend. Animalinks' pet astrologer Carol Jepson helps you and your pet get closer by forecasting how your pet may feel and act every week. Check out your dog's or cat's horoscope and your friend's pet's horoscope with our Pet Zodiac featuring twelve of the world's most loveable pets. Don't know your dog's or cat's birth month? Use our Key Word Match-Ups to find your pet's sign. Buy this app once and My Pet's Weekly Horoscope delivers a new 7-day fun forecast every Monday for your pet on your iPhone or iPod touch!

Get it now!

Mossberg Reviews the Palm Pre

Walt Mossberg does a great review of the Palm Pre today. If you're considering the device or just curious, you should read it here.

Couple highlights:

'But on June 6, Apple will get a powerful competitor in this category. It's a beautiful, innovative and versatile hand-held computer that's fully in the iPhone's class. It's called the Pre, and it comes from Palm, the company that pioneered the hand-held computer in the 1990s. I've been testing the Pre for a couple of weeks, and I like it a lot, despite some important drawbacks that will have to be remedied.'

'All in all, I believe the Pre is a smart, sophisticated product that will have particular appeal for those who want a physical keyboard. It is thoughtfully designed, works well and could give the iPhone and BlackBerry strong competition -- but only if it fixes its app store and can attract third-party developers.'

Sutures from Bacteria

Sounds icky, but it's true -- the FDA has approved a polymer suture made from modified bacteria using recombinant DNA technology.

The material in Tepha Medical Devices' TephaFLEX Absorbable Suture breaks down in the body as a deep wound or surgical incision heals, improving the healing process and preventing infection. Recombinant DNA allows the manufacture of materials from organisms that would be difficult if not impossible to produce otherwise.

Stem-Cell Treatment Cures Type 1 Diabetes

A clinical trial involving patients with type 1 diabetes (aka: juvenile diabetes) and stem cell therapy has shown that treatment with stem cells can help such patients produce their own insulin.

The stem cells, created from the patients' own blood, proved effective in 13 of 15 subjects in the trial, who no longer need daily insulin injections. However, more studies are needed to verify the findings and learn more about exactly how the therapy works. Experts believe that a widely-available stem cell treatment for type 1 diabetes is at least five years away. The research, furthermore, does not address type 2 diabetes.

The findings were published in the most recent edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Source: London Times