racoma.com.phJ. Angelo Racoma on technology, economics, writing, problogging, and getting things done

If you time traveled to 2015, what would the Smartphone market look like? Who would be on the Top 3? If we believe what the IDC reports, the one on second place would belong to the Windows Phone 7.

And where would the other current powerhouse Smartphone makers be? Android would be at the top with 45.4 percent, the iPhone at the third spot at 15.3 percent and the Blackberry would be hanging on at the fourth with 13.7 percent market share.

IDC’s reason for putting Windows Phone 7 near the top?

“Up until the launch of Windows Phone 7 last year, Microsoft has steadily lost market share while other operating systems have brought forth new and appealing experiences,” added Llamas. “The new alliance brings together Nokia’s hardware capabilities and Windows Phone’s differentiated platform. We expect the first devices to launch in 2012. By 2015, IDC expects Windows Phone to be number 2 operating system worldwide behind Android.”

Are they right in predicting it will be good enough to beat the iPhone? We’ll see come next year.

[Article/Image via: IDC Press Release]

“If you don’t have an iPhone, well, you don’t have an iPhone.” That’s how Apple’s latest iPhone marketing campaign goes. Sounds pretty obvious and smug on Apple’s part, but what are non iPhone owners really missing?

Apple has recently released three video commercials, highlighting three features that the iPhone offers: the App Store, iTunes and iBooks.

Apple says if you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have hundreds of thousands of applications accessible from your phone. You also don’t have the biggest online music store, which has a Genius engine for recommending songs you might like. Do you have a bookstore in your pocket? Not if you don’t have an iPhone.

Of course, these are features that other platforms also have, like for instance Android Market, Zune Marketplace (there’s such a thing?) and Nook. But they’re probably nowhere near as cool as Apple’s offerings, right?

Check out the videos after the jump.

Most of the time, despite of a driver’s intention of keeping his cool while driving, he goes beyond the speed limit. It is nice to know that there is now an iPhone application that can help.

A good way for beginners and pros alike, especially those who tend to like speeding, can greatly benefit from the Slow Down app that aids on slowing down a car whenever it goes faster.

While driving, the Slow Down app lets you listen to your favorite music. Apart from letting you blend into the mood of your own music, the app serves as a reminded when you go too fast by slowing down the music.

If you exceed the speed limit by over 10 kilometers per hour, the music will automatically stop. It will only resume playing once you are back within the speed limit.

Have this great iPhone app by going to the webpage of iTunes Store for this application.

[via Widgia | image credit: PSFK]

… And it’s got most of the features I wanted in an Apple Gazette post I wrote a couple of months ago.

It does run OS X (a stripped down flavor, I would say). It has an interesting interface (no keypad, just a touchscreen, which I think would be nothing like the clunky touchscreens of today’s mobile phones from other manufacturers). It would play music—integrated with iTunes. And it will run widgets!

Abe cites the highlights here.

Engadget has the full details.

Sweet, glorious specs of the 11.6 millimeter device (that’s frickin’ thin, by the way) include a 3.5-inch 480×320 touchscreen display with multi-touch support and a proximity sensor to turn off the screen when it’s close to your face, 2 megapixel cam, 4GB or 8 GB of storage, Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR and A2DP, WiFi that automatically engages when in range, and quad-band GSM radio with EDGE. Perhaps most amazingly, though, it somehow runs OS X with support for Widgets, Google Maps, and Safari, and iTunes (of course) with CoverFlow out of the gate. A partnership with Yahoo will allow all iPhone customers to hook up with free push IMAP email. Apple quotes 5 hours of battery life for talk or video, with a full 16 hours in music mode—no word on standby time yet. In a twisted way, this is one rumor mill we’re almost sad to see grind to a halt; after all, when is the next time we’re going to have an opportunity to run this picture? The 4GB iPhone will go out the door in the US as a Cingular exclusive for $499 on a two-year contract, 8GB for $599. Ships Stateside in June, Europe in fourth quarter, Asia in 2008.

And here’s a good read from Time about how great Apple is for designing the iPhone.

I’m wondering how Cisco will react to the iPhone moniker. They own the “iPhone” trademark.

I want one!