Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer will show off “a slew of new slates” at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. This is according to a report in the New York Times. Microsoft did the same thing last January, and sales were flat for the Windows 7 tablets. HP then postponed their launch of the Windows 7 tablet supposedly because they bought Palm because the WebOS was more suitable for tablets. When HP did launch the Slate 500 in October, no one was impressed.

Microsoft Has Diehard Belief in Windows 7 Tablets

None of the new Microsoft based tablets run on the new Windows 7 Phone OS. While no one seems to really think the Windows 7 OS is suitable for tablets, there is a lot of support for the new Windows 7 Phone OS and many wonder why it isn’t the OS on the new tablets. At least Microsoft would stand a chance in the tablet market if there was something new to see.

Rumors are rampant about a new Windows 8 touch tablet. Ballmer is likely to show off a tablet with Windows 8 on it, and the rumor is that by 2012, Windows 8 will be a combination of Microsoft’s desktop OS with its mobile OS. Supposedly the new Windows 8 will make touch interaction as easy as keyboard and mouse. We’ll see. The HP touch screen computers fall short of what we touch screen Smartphone users are accustomed to and like.

The tablet is not a PC. According to an article by Wilson Rothman, Technolog, MSNBC, the notion of a one-for-all operating system seems naïve. Microsoft proved this nearly a decade ago when it launched the tablet and hardly anyone bought it. The mentality in Redmond doesn’t seem to have changed. Will Microsoft never learn? Are they just too stubborn?

The iPad has the tablet market cornered. There is a growing market for the new Android tablets. Rim is busy developing the BlackBerry Playbook and has a strong loyal base of potential buyers. But Windows 7 tablets are failing to inspire anyone. It seems to me that Microsoft ought to either run the new tablets on the Windows 7 Mobile OS, or give it up entirely. What do you think? Are you excited about Windows 7 tablets? Are you willing to buy one over an iPad or a new Android tablet? Not me. I will either get an iPad or stick with the Droid.

Microsoft announced that despite a slow start, Windows 7 Phone sales have reached over 1.5 million in 6 weeks. It is important to note, however, that these figures reflect phones sold to retail outlets as well as consumers. There are no figures yet for phones sold and in the hands of consumers. According Bonnie Cha, CNET, Microsoft was a little soft on the details of the sales expectations.

After Slow Start, Windows 7 Phone Sales Take Off

When asked if the sales numbers met company expectations, Achim Berg, vice president of business and marketing for Windows Phone, said that “sales are ramping well” and that the numbers are “in line” with company expectations. “We introduced a new platform with Windows Phone 7, and when you do that it takes time to educate partners and consumers on what you’re delivering, and drive awareness and interest in your new offering. We’re comfortable with where we are, and we are here for the long run; Windows Phone 7 is just the beginning,” Berg said.

Microsoft released the first Windows 7 devices in October in Europe. The release in the US was followed shortly on November 8th. Reportedly, they plan to release the first of several (many?) updates shortly, and will also be adding carrier partners this year, including Sprint and Verizon. Microsoft also plans to introduce a broader selection of devices at various pricing. Currently there are 4 Smartphones available in the US. At present, we can choose from the HTC Surround and Samsung Focus at AT&T, and the HTC HD7 and Dell Venue Pro at T-Mobile. There are reportedly half a dozen other models available elsewhere in the world. And of course, if you believe the rumors, Nokia is supposed to be in open talks with Microsoft to manufacture a Windows 7 device. As I have said before, that may be a pie-in-the-sky dream.

Windows 7 Phone sales are still way behind Google and Apple phones. There are currently about 300,000 Android devices and over 3 million iPhones have been sold, but the numbers for Windows 7 Phone sales are better than some were projecting. According to Adam Ostrow, Mashable, Microsoft Corporate VP for Windows Phone Joe Belfiore acknowledged it would likely be years before Windows Phone 7 comes close to rivaling the market share of its competitors. (If ever…)

I would like to see a Windows Phone that is compatible with Google. Our office uses Google Docs to share information. While we also use the Microsoft Office Suite for our productivity, we don’t usually share those documents. So though the Windows 7 Phones conveniently use the Microsoft Office Suite, without Google, it isn’t much use to us. Of course for that same reason, plus connection issues here in rural Northern California, none of us have iPhones either. We all have Droids of one sort or another in our company. What about you? Are you a Google user or an iPhone fan?

Google released its Latitude application for the iPhone last week after a nearly two year delay. The Google Latitude app allows iPhone users the ability to share their location with friends and contact them through by phone, text message or email. Latitude functions much like other social networking apps, meaning that you must be a “friend” with someone in order to see their location and information.

iPhone Finally Gets Google Latitude

Apple and Google’s tense relationship is blamed for the long  delay. The Latitude app was released to the Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and Windows devices back in February 2009. However, according to an article appearing in Mobiledia, after the Google Voice program was rejected from the iPhone maker’s app store, Google launched an FCC investigation into Apple’s practices, citing Apple’s fear that the call management software would replace iPhone’s “core mobile telephone functionality.”

As with all Google apps, Latitude is free. You can set it to only share locations when in use, or share continuously in the background. Because of this feature, it runs on devices powered by Apple’s iOS 4.0 or later. Only 3G devices such as the iPhone 4, 3GS and iPad 3G support background sharing.

“You can see where your friends are and now, even in the background once you’ve closed the app,” said Chris Lambert, a software engineer at Google.

Do you have an iPhone? Are you glad you can finally have this Google app or are you pretty much non-plussed? Personally I don’t find the app all that exciting. With the GPS in my Droid X, I have plenty of apps that will give me all and more than what Latitude offers. And as with all the GPS functions and apps, I wonder just who is keeping track of me. I’m not so sure I like the idea that Big Brother watches my every move. Even though it is supposed to be secure, if you share your location with friends, it probably wouldn’t take much to hack my location. Of course that begs the question, why would anyone want to know where I am. But just the fact that they could know where I am is a little scary.

Spansion, a maker of flash memory chips, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung earlier this month. Spansion and Samsung are just adding fuel to the already heated Smartphone patent wars raging in this country.

Smartphone Patent Wars Heating Up!

Apple, Google, Motorola, RIM BlackBerry, Nokia, HTC, and Microsoft are all in the middle of the fray. It is no wonder patent wars are heating up. There are billions of dollars at stake. Nokia has even taken their war with Apple to the International Trade Commission, which could result in the iPhone being banned from being imported into the United States if Nokia prevails.

Why IS there a Smartphone war? According to an article by Charles Arthur, Guardian.co.uk, only 28% of cell phone users in the U.S. and Europe have Smartphones. Worldwide, cell phone users are predicted to climb to 5 Billion users by the end of 2010. This means that the possibility for potential sales for upgrades is enormous. No wonder there is a war. Economics and religion are the two big motivators in the world. Arthur reports that Guy Burkill at Three New Square, one of the UK’s leading patent barristers who specializes in telecoms-related patents, says that with worldwide sales of mobiles passing 1 billion units a year, “the stakes are enormous – fractions of a penny per handset are worth fighting over.”

Be banned or pay a steep penalty? With so many patent lawsuits swirling through the courts, it is hard to even distinguish all the players in the legal battles, or who is buddied up on which team. What will be the outcome? It is unlikely that Google’s Android system will be banned. With so many Smartphones using the Android OS, Google will have to pay the fee if they lose the lawsuit. (Oracle filed a suit against Google alleging patent infringements over Java which Oracle acquired when they bought Sun.) The same is true with Nokia and Apple. If Apple wins, Nokia will have to pay fines. Another solution to the Apple-Nokia war would be for Apple to just buy out Nokia as part of the deal.

Which Smartphone OS will win? With all the issues facing the Android OS and Apple, the Windows Phone may win out after all. Microsoft provides a patent guarantee that assures vendors predictable licensing costs. Regardless of the outcome, it will likely be years before any of it affects the market. We all know how tedious and time consuming cases before the courts can be. Whatever the outcome, you can bet the farm that big money will change hands several times before all this is over.

Last month Microsoft sued Motorola over alleged patent infringement. Microsoft claims that the Android Smartphones are using Microsoft technology. Microsoft filed a lawsuit against Motorola in a federal court in Seattle, and also filed a complaint with the International Trade Commission.

Microsoft at War with Motorola over Droid Phones

Microsoft is protesting to save their new Windows phone. The Redmond, Washington software giant makes its own Windows-based cell phones, and is feeling the competition that the new Google Smartphones are creating. The new Windows Mobile software, touted as being the best portable office editor, is out on the streets, hoping to take back some of the market share from iPhones and Google Android phones.

Horacio Gutierrez, Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, defended Microsoft’s action, saying the company “merely seeks to ensure respect for our intellectual property rights infringed by Android devices.” “Judging by the recent actions by Apple and Oracle, we are not alone in this respect,” he said.

Microsoft’s lawsuit against Motorola is an attempt to manipulate the market through the courts. While Google is not part of the suit, according to Samia Sehgal, The Money times, Google is disappointed in Microsoft’s actions. Google said it will “stand behind the Android platform and the partners who have helped us to develop it.”

“We are disappointed that Microsoft prefers to compete over old patents rather than new products,” said Aaron Zamost, a Google spokesman. “Sweeping software patent claims like these threaten innovation.”

Motorola will not take this lying down. While they haven’t commented too much on the lawsuit, according to Samia Sehgal, the cell-phone giant plans to “vigorously defend itself.” “Motorola has a leading intellectual property portfolio, one of the strongest in the industry,” the company said in an e-mail.

Our office is predominantly a Droid office. We love the Droid apps and the flexibility the Droid provides. I particularly love being able to get my email through GMail, as well as go online to browse and search when needed. Google Voice is another favorite of mine. I love having a separate phone number to give to people, and Google Voice separates the calls from those coming to my regular cell number, and even emails me a transcription of the voice mail. I have the Droid X and use the 8 megapixel camera frequently. The big screen makes it a great place to display photos.

Is the new Windows Mobile software better than the Android OS? Do you have a preference? Are you a Droid user or a Windows buff? Or perhaps you are still a die-hard BlackBerry user? Give us some feedback. Where do our readers stand on the Smartphone choices?

We will be monitoring the Microsoft vs. Motorola war and keep you posted. Let us know any juicy tidbits you discover.

42Gears has released SureCop 1.0, an anti-theft and tracking software for Windows Smartphones. SureCop offers 3 features that provide added security for your Windows phone: Remote Lock, Remote Wipe and Location tracking. You can also share your location with friends and family members.

SureCop Anti-Theft Security for Windows Phones

Studies show cell phones are 15 times more likely to be stolen than laptops. With the new “do everything” Smartphones, all of your personal information is stored on your phone, making it the ideal target for thieves. SureCop and other security software for Smartphones gives you the ability to “wipe” the information from your phone remotely, and you can “lock” your phone from being used, effectively making it of little use to the thief. In addition, these new security apps give the location of the phone via GPS, hopefully deterring smart thieves (is that an oxymoron?) in the first place.

The downside to SureCop? The system requirements are that you must have a Windows OS cell phone, with a touch screen and a SIM card. That lets out most of Verizon’s users, as the only Verizon phones with SIM cards are the world phones. But, Verizon has its own security software. Verizon’s insurance program through Asurion offers similar software that enables you to remotely wipe your phone, restore the data to a new phone and locate the stolen cell phone.

Are you worried about the safety of your phone’s data? As Smartphones gain more popularity as well as features, you will see more security apps and software designed to take care of the data. Already we have software to block spyware on cell phones. (See my blog Spy on your spouse’s cell phone?) Before too long we will have to do an “iris scan” just to unlock and use our phones. What’s your take on this new form of identity targeting? Worried your phone may betray you?

RIM is doomed to fail regardless of the new BlackBerry Torch 9800 and the hopeful BlackPad. The newest electronic gadgets from BlackBerry will not be enough to keep the RIM ship afloat. The competition from the iPhone and the new Droids will spell failure for RIM.

Too Little—Too Late for RIM

Picture the BlackBerry Torch, the iPhone4 and the newest Droid side by side. Which one would you buy? It isn’t the hardware that is the problem. It’s the old feeling of the software on the BlackBerry. The iPhone and the Droid have super easy to access apps. The BlackBerry Torch is cumbersome. It feels like last year’s technology even though it has the new touch screen. It is awkward to get to the browser. Face it, BlackBerry OS 6 just isn’t as user friendly.

Competition with the iPhone4 and the new Droids will crush BlackBerry. Sure, some corporations will still buy the BlackBerry for their companies, but Apple and Android are growing in those markets too. There is really only room for 2 or 3 Smartphone players in the market. This will put RIM down towards the bottom of the heap. This is also where the lowest margins on sales will be, and not where RIM wants to be. This will surely be disastrous for RIM.

Would Microsoft buy BlackBerry? BlackBerry has proven it can manufacture good hardware, and the Windows Mobile 7 isn’t all that bad. This may be a good fit. But then again, can it compete with the iPhone or the Droid? Whatcha think?

Worried about your teen texting while driving? Texting while driving (cell phone distraction) is reported to cause a 23% increase in car accidents. So you nag and you nag, but do they listen? No worries. There are 3 new mobile apps that can prevent your teen from breaking the rules.

3 New Mobile Apps Can Block Texting and Calling While Driving

These new apps block text and calling when the user is shown to be moving, detected via their phone’s GPS function. All 3 apps let you keep “911” unblocked for emergencies. You can program your phone to send a text message back to the person texting you that might read, “I’m driving right now; and will get back with you as soon as I can.” So no excuses that you just HAD to answer that hot guy who texted you. You can also program a verbal alert that warns your teen, “Put down the phone or the car keys are mine!” Cute, eh?

The new apps work on the Android OS, BlackBerry and the Windows Mobile OS, but will soon be available for the iPhone as well. Each app has it pros and cons, so if you want to check them out, they are ZoomSafer ($2.99/month), iZup ($5/month), and CellSafety $10/month).

For a mere $3-$10 per month subscription rate, what parent in their right mind wouldn’t want this on their teen’s phone? It may also be a prudent thing for businesses to consider for their company owned cell phones. Passing laws doesn’t seem to prevent texting or calling while driving, so perhaps a built in program is the answer. What’s your take on it?

Microsoft’s Project Pink, (code name for their new phones) was noticeably absent from the Mobile World Congress in February. Last month Gizmodo leaked documents stating that the new Microsoft “Turtle” will be released late in April, with rumors hinting that the Microsoft “Pure” isn’t far behind.

Microsoft releasing new cell phones to Verizon this month

The new Turtle is square looking and is touted to be a social media Smartphone with the tag line “Make your network more social.” Not much information is being released on the Pure except that it is a horizontal slider and is headed for Verizon as well.

Neither of the new phones is running the new Microsoft Windows Mobile 7 OS. What is Microsoft thinking? Windows Mobile 6xx is not upgradeable to Windows Mobile 7, so why would anyone want the new phones? Or perhaps this is a statement about how buggy Windows Mobile 7 will be? Personally I will be taking a wait and see approach. I am ready for a new phone, but think I will wait until the dust settles.

Windows Mobile 7 takes off in a new direction with a whole new OS. Microsoft has confirmed that Windows Mobile 7 will be developing software for the Windows Phone 7 Series devices using either Silverlight or XNA, the toolset used to create Xbox games. The new OS is a complete break from the old Windows Mobile 6x, and Microsoft has no plans to make those phones using Mobile 6x upgradeable.

Microsoft announces Windows 7 Mobile is brand new!

The new Windows Mobile 7 phones will be shipping by the next holiday season. Microsoft will be offering these new super phones with strict requirements for screen resolution and size, specific buttons, and insisting that things like an FM radio and Wi-Fi are included. Manufacturers will only have choices in design about external features like external keyboards, etc. Actually the new phones sound kind of cool.

What does this mean for those of us with Mobile 6x? Is the OS going to be that much better? Should we rush out to upgrade our cell phones or wait for the next version of Mobile 7 to bypass the bugs?