Inq Mobile Shuts Down

A couple of years ago, it seemed as though a few viable ways to optimize a smartphone existed. Blackberry was optimized for email.

And some tried to optimize for social media. Years earlier, some devices were optimized for sports content (ESPN).

One might argue that none of those approaches yet has proven sistainably viable.

Inq Mobile is the latest casualty.

Will Consumers Welcome a Digital Wallet from Apple or Starbucks?

Perhaps we will find out, if both Apple and Starbucks do introduce retail payment systems. One might speculate that the firms will take different tacks. 

Apple might be thinking about creating a mobile point of sale system using iPads. Starbucks already has an investment in Square, so that approach seems less likely for Starbucks. 

Instead, Starbucks might only be thinking about ways other retailers can be incorporated into the Starbucks mobile payment environment. 

Google Did Not Make Out Badly With Motorola Mobility Buy

Maybe it was not a slam dunk. But neither was it a huge mistake. I don't know whether Google will keep tax loss carry forwards or not. But if Google managed to do so, the simple financials will be even better than they appear.

We'll find out when the next quarterly earnings report is released. 

Rationality is a Virtue When Discussing Communications Policy

So is civility, even when people disagree about communications policy in fundamental ways. 

Tata Communications Selling to Vodafone?

Tata Communications reportedly is in talks with Vodafone about a deal that would have Vodafone buying all of Tata Communications, though talks are said to be at a preliminary stage.

Vodafone had been expected to go on a buying spree after selling its stake in Verizon Wireless to Verizon Communications, and the rumored Tata Communications deal is the first evidence that Vodafone is moving.

Tata Communications is the number one global international wholesale voice operator and number one provider of international long distance, enterprise data and Internet services in India, earning about $3 billion annually.

Apple' Sales Volume Drops In Two Biggest Markets

Lots of people are waiting for Apple's next launch of new products, or are finding other alternatives, it appears.



Apple revenue from its two biggest segments -- Europe and the Americas -- have begun to contract, Fortune reports.



In the first quarter of 2014, Apple's combined Asian sales were $17.4 billion, more than Europe ($13 billion) and closing in on the Americas ($20 billion).

2008 was Inflection Point for Mobile Broadband

Global mobile connections will grow from 6.5 billion connections in 2013 to nine billion in 2018, according to researchers at iGR. And that probably is not the most-significant change likely to happen between 2013 and 2018.

Instead, the big change is the overwhelming role mobile will have in bringing Internet access to end users. As recently as 2008, broadband Internet access remained a primarily fixed network service.

Oddly enough, 2008 also was the year mobile broadband subscriptions reached an inflection point.