HoFo Blog

I got to play with the LTE version of the Galaxy Note today.

While the HSPA version of the Note has been around elsewhere for a few months now the one that's launching here has LTE support. There were some demos of the speedtest app which showed speed test results over LTE of around 50mbps which is inline with the HTC Raider and Samsung Galaxy S II LTE.

With a 5.3" display you're probably wondering about the size. You will receive funny looks so you'll probably want to skip the Note if you're self conscious. It's definitely a device that requires 2 hands - if you wear tight skinny jeans you may have problems with it.
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Nokia announced their Q4 results today. While no one's surprised they lost money it's interesting to see that they sold 'well over 1 million' Lumia's.

1 Million is a big number but a drop in the bucket when you consider how large the overall Smartphone market is. Google claims that over 700,000 Android devices are activated per day.

Still, you have to put Nokia's Windows Phones in perspective. They launched them around 6 months after they announced their partnership with Microsoft. Even if you assume that Nokia and Microsoft were working on a Windows Phone for a few months before the announcement (let's say 2 or 3 months), turning out a phone in 6-9 months is a pretty good turn-around.

It's a glass half-empty, half-full full scenario. On one hand, Nokia didn't sell that many Windows Phones. On the other hand they're just getting started. Hopefully this year will bring more interesting handsets which will stand out from other Windows Phone OEMs.

Personally I think the Lumia 800 and 900 boast the strongest industrial design out of all the current Windows Phones. They're the most unique and interesting looking of the current batch of Windows Phones (with HTC a close second).

One obstacle could be Microsoft's strict enforcement of the Windows Phone UI. While I think it's absolutely necessary for the success of Windows Phone it makes the Lumia 800, less Nokia-y, The HTC Titan, less HTC-y. Sticking Nokia Maps on a Windows Phone doesn't make it very Nokia like. The 800 is very Nokia on the outside but inside is a different story.

On the upside Microsoft is really depending on Nokia when it comes to the success of Windows Phone. The other big Windows Phone players are knee deep in Android. HTC has the Radar and the Titan on the Windows Phone side while on the Android they have the Raider, Amaze, Evo 3D, Status/ChaCha, Widefire S, Sensations, etc. Nokia is the only major Windows Phone player that doesn't do Android as well. It's in Microsoft's best interest to see Nokia do well.

Based on the modest gain in Nokia's stock after they announced earnings it seems investors are cautiously optimistic about Nokia's future. If I were to sum it up in a few words it would be: "It wasn't that bad".

What do you think? Glass half empty or full? Or does Nokia need a new glass? ...

Rogers new Cancellation policy went live, and from what I can gather it's a hot mess.
I was also reading this on Mobile Syrup.

let's have a look:
*Device Savings Recovery Fee (DSRF)
* Economic Inducement
*Additional Device Savings Recovery Fee (ADSRF) this one is the crown jewel
*Service Deactivation Fee of $12.50 excluding Quebec / Manitoba

So basically, we all thought that you'd have to pay the subsidy back. Seemed Fair right? Wait there's more!
There's the ADSRF fee now which seems like on top of the subsidy of the phone, there's an additional fee to be paid back for Data. Even though the phone required a data package in the first place to get the subsidy you'll have to pay an additional cancellation fee on top.

What?
Device Savings Recovery Fee (applicable to term commitment customers only for any new term entered into on or after January 22, 2012)

A Device Savings Recovery Fee (DSRF) applies if you have been granted an Economic Inducement (as defined below) upon entering your new term, and if, for any reason, your wireless service or your new term is terminated prior to the end of the term of your Service Agreement (Service Agreement Term). The DSRF is the amount of the economic inducement (which may take the form of a discount, rebate or other benefit granted on the price of your Equipment), as stated in your Service Agreement (Economic Inducement), less the amount obtained by multiplying such Economic Inducement by a fraction representing the number of months elapsed in your Service Agreement Term as compared to the total number of months of your Service Agreement Term (plus applicable taxes). In other words, DSRF = Economic Inducement - [Economic Inducement x (# months elapsed in your Service Agreement Term ÷ Total # months in your Service Agreement Term)] + applicable taxes. An Additional Device Savings Recovery Fee (ADSRF) also applies if, for any reason, your wireless data service, or your data plan's commitment term (Data Term), is terminated prior to the end of your Data Term. The ADSRF is the additional Economic Inducement you received for subscribing to your wireless data service, less the amount obtained by multiplying such Economic Inducement by a fraction representing the number of months elapsed in your Data Term as compared to the total number of months of your Data Term (plus applicable taxes), and applies in addition to the DSRF for termination of your Service Agreement. If you subscribe to a plan combining both voice and data services, both the DSRF and the ADSRF apply, up to the total Economic Inducement.

Service Deactivation Fee (applicable to term commitment customers only for any new term entered into on or after January 22, 2012)

Not applicable to Residents of Québec or Manitoba: A Service Deactivation Fee of $12.50 per line applies if, for any reason, your wireless service is deactivated prior to the end of your Service Agreement Term. This fee is in addition to any applicable DSRF or DSRF and ADSRF.

Applicable only to Residents of Québec or Manitoba: If your wireless service is deactivated prior to the end of your Service Agreement Term and there is no Economic Inducement stated in your Service Agreement, then you will be charged a Service Deactivation Fee. The Service Deactivation Fee is an amount permitted under provincial legislation, being the lesser of $50 or 10% of the monthly service fees for the services that you have subscribed to on a Service Agreement Term and Data Term, as applicable, but not provided as of the termination date (plus applicable taxes).

Sound off, what are your thoughts? ...

I was perusing the web the other day and came across this article on BGR

When I read the headline in passing I immediately rolled my eyes. When is to much, to much?

Everyone seems to be suing everyone and Apple is no stranger to this behavior.

Having read the Steve Jobs biography, or even having general knowledge of Apple, I'm aware of Steve Jobs' wish to burn Android to the ground for being a "copycat" of iOS.

Now, someone stop me if I'm wrong here, but isn't iOS based upon Macintosh's look and feel? Didn't that look and feel originally come from Xerox?

Here's my bit:
$100.00 Million spent, Lawyers loving it. Consumers are still voting with their wallets, iOS and Android are seeing exponential growth. Clearly there is room for both

Leave the money in the bank and let the consumers decide what they want. It's not like Apple isn't selling products here.

What are your thoughts? ...