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Nokia may have shipped over 1 million Lumia handsets in the fourth quarter, and could boost this number to 3.2 million in the first quarter, according to a survey of analysts.

A Bloomberg survey of 22 forecasters had only one analyst predicting Lumia sales of below 1 million, with 1.3 million being a popular estimate for shipment made by the end of 2011. Expectations among the 22 analysts surveyed ranged from sales of 800,000 Lumia phones to 2 million, though the average expectations were above 1 million. Nokia will report its fourth-quarter earnings Thursday.

“The numbers look promising,” Espen Furnes, an Oslo-based fund manager at Storebrand Asset Management, told Bloomberg. “If Nokia is able to have a strong launch and surpass at least one million and keep that type of momentum, this would help put them in a credible position that is crucial to winning back investors.”

However, Nokia’s overall smartphones sales, which still rely heavily on Symbian, may have plummeted 36 per cent in the quarter, analysts said, and will likely have a damaging effect on Nokia’s overall revenue and profit. Industry watchers are already saying that the company is likely to have made a loss of €91.6 million in the fourth quarter, with sales down 21 per cent at around €10 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Commenting on the decline in Symbian sales, Goldman Sachs analyst Tim Boddy issued a note claiming that Nokia remains in a challenging transition period. “First-half device sales are likely to be soft as Lumia demand ramps up only gradually and Symbian declines steepen,” he wrote.

This worry regarding Lumia sales volumes has been highlighted by Neil Mawston, a director at research firm Strategy Analytics. Speaking to Dow Jones Newswire, Mawston said investors are focusing too much on Nokia’s latest smartphones so soon after their release, and given they’re only available in a handful of countries.

“It’s too soon to judge,” Mawston said. “If you look back to Apple’s iPhone performance in 2007 and Google’s Android in 2008, they had a sluggish start the first quarter after launch and people started to write them off, but new models came a year or so later and sales rocketed.”

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article
- see this Dow Jones Newswire article

Related Articles:
Report: Nokia under pressure to slash Lumia 710 pricing in UK
Nokia, Microsoft boosted by bullish Credit Suisse report on Windows Phone
Nokia’s Elop: Boosting Windows Phone volumes is the top priority
Rumour Mill: O2 reverses course, agrees to sell Nokia’s Lumia phones in Germany

FierceWireless

As the nation approaches the two year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling, which helped open the floodgates to unprecedented levels of corporate money in politics, the Communications Workers of America today announces a series of actions to raise awareness of the corrosive influence of money in politics.
CWA Union News

Most people know that it can be important to find the right kind of treatment in order to recover from their addiction. At the same time, it’s common for some to feel confused about the type of program they should choose. Many people, however, tend to prefer group counseling, as an example, since it can usually provide them with the right tools to face life and their overall addiction more effectively.

Different Choices

Today, people can often choose from a number of different methods in order to fight back their addiction. Even so, it’s important to ensure that you use a method that will work for you. Although there are medications available, 12-step programs and many other choices, many people these days prefer counseling as their way of handling the situation, usually with good reason.

Choose Correctly

Things usually come down to one’s personal preference in regards to choosing a program. However, it’s also good to think about what may work for you on a personal level. For instance, some individuals would rather not mix their recovery with that of medication or religion, generally due to personal experiences. In these cases, many tend to prefer psychological methods instead, which can be a comfortable way to assess life and their addiction.

Preferences

Although it can vary with each person, many tend to like therapy sessions since it can give them the chance to face their issues on a more personal level. It can also provide a comfortable and safe environment. Having this type of environment can be important, particularly for those who want to have the ability to open up completely and avoid unnecessary distractions.

Counseling

Therapy sessions will differ and many of these differences will depend on the type of facility you choose. It’s always a good idea to research your options to find the right program or method. For instance, you may prefer individual sessions or ones that focus on groups. In fact, many prefer groups since they allow individuals to share their experiences but within a comfortable environment.

Structure vs. Freedom

These programs can either be taken within an in-patient facility or through one that’s less structured. Some individuals find that a less structured environment can sometimes work for them, particularly if they’re serious about their recovery. Some may also use this method in order to prevent relapsing after they have successfully fought back their addiction.

Individual Focus

This particular type of cocaine addiction rehab program tends to focus on one’s individual needs, even if it’s within a group situation. This is most often achieved by discussions where individuals share about their situations, assess the situation and attempt to discover keys to success. Often people find this can provide further insight as well as help them to feel less isolated.

Here’s the official statement from RIM about the leadership team, direction and focus – plus a 7 minute video that introduces Thorsten Heins as the new President and CEO.

“On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now.”

January 22, 2012 21:39 ET
Research In Motion Names Thorsten Heins President and CEO
- Board Acts on Recommendation of Co-CEOs to Implement Succession Plan
- Mike Lazaridis Named Vice Chair of the Board
- Jim Balsillie Remains a Director
- Barbara Stymiest Named Independent Board Chair
- Prem Watsa Named Independent Director

WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Jan. 22, 2012) – The Board of Directors of BlackBerry® maker Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that, acting on the recommendation of its Co-Chief Executive Officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the Board, it has unanimously named Thorsten Heins as President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Heins was also appointed to RIM’s Board. The Board acted after conducting its own due diligence. Both appointments are effective immediately.

Mike Lazaridis, former Co-Chair and Co-CEO, has become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. As Vice Chair, he will work closely with Mr. Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide.

Mr. Heins said he looks forward to continuing to work with Mr. Lazaridis, globally recognized as a technology pioneer. He said, “Mike created a whole new way of communicating and I look forward to continuing our close collaboration.”

On the transition to CEO by Mr. Heins, Mr. Lazaridis said, “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the Board and told them that we thought that time was now. With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond. Jim, the Board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins.”

Jim Balsillie remains a member of the Board. “I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” he said. “I remain a significant shareholder and a Director and, of course, they will have my full support.”
Mr. Lazaridis said that he decided to move from Co-Chair to Vice Chair of the Board in order to return the public’s focus to what is most important: “the great company we have built, its iconic products, global brand and its talented employees.”

Mr. Lazaridis added, “Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward. We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens. I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.”

Mr. Heins said he believes that RIM has tremendous potential. He joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.

“Mike and Jim took a bold step 18 months ago when RIM purchased QNX to shepherd the transformation of the BlackBerry platform for the next decade,” Mr. Heins said. “We are more confident than ever that was the right path. It is Mike and Jim’s continued unwillingness to sacrifice long-term value for short-term gain which has made RIM the great company that it is today. I share that philosophy and am very excited about the company’s future.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has a strong foundation on which to build. “We have a strong balance sheet with approximately .5 billion in cash at the end of the last quarter and negligible debt. We reported revenue of .2 billion in our last quarter, up 24% from the prior quarter, and a 35% year-to-year increase in the BlackBerry subscriber base, which is now over 75 million.”

Mr. Heins said, “BlackBerry 7 has been well received. We are very excited about PlayBook 2.0 and BlackBerry 10. The reception of our products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show was encouraging.”
He continued, “RIM earned its reputation by focusing relentlessly on the customer and delivering unique mobile communications solutions. We intend to build on this heritage to expand BlackBerry’s leadership position.”

Mr. Heins said that RIM has grown quickly. “As with any company that has grown as fast as we have, there have been inevitable growing pains,” he said. “We have learned from those challenges and, I believe, we have and will become a stronger company as a result.

“Going forward, we will continue to focus both on short-term and long-term growth, strategic planning, a customer- and market-based product approach, and flawless execution. We are in the process of recruiting a new Chief Marketing Officer to work closely with our product and sales teams to deliver the most compelling products and services.”

Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair. John Richardson, formerly Lead Director, will remain on the Board. Prem Watsa, Chief Executive Officer of Fairfax Financial Holdings, also was named to the Board, expanding it to 11 members.

Speaking on behalf of the Board, Ms. Stymiest said: “We believe that Thorsten is the right executive to succeed Mike and Jim. He has 27 years of telecommunications experience, including four years at RIM in senior management positions. As a Board, we have been impressed with his outstanding management skills, his leadership and his accomplishments within the company.”

Ms. Stymiest also expressed the Board’s respect and admiration for Messrs. Lazaridis and Balsillie, the company they built, and the steps they have taken to position RIM for the future.

“They created RIM, nurtured it, and in the process not only built an iconic brand, but literally pioneered the smartphone industry,” she said. “It is Canada’s largest tech company and one of the largest in the world.”

Related posts:

1. RIM investor says the company “should sell its handset business”, and once again calls for a change in leadership
2. BlackBerry PlayBook gets official video chat app
3. Official Twitter for BlackBerry App gets quick video demo

MobileSyrup.com

Safety and traffic are two words that commonly appear on the same page. This is because there are many dangers associated with the roads ranging from high speeds to inattentive drivers. This is why you need a traffic safety vests to use in certain situations while you are out on the roads. The traffic safety vests are usually made of bright neon shades, mostly orange and yellow, which can be spotted by other road users from a longer distance compared to other colors.

Protection

Using these kinds of protective gear can be a good safety habit and it can provide protection when beside the road fixing a car or doing any other job. The safety vests are not only used during the day. In fact they are best applicable during the night as the bright colors will show clearly in the dark.

Needs

When you consider buying safety gear, be sure to consider purchasing information because it is very important that you purchase the proper garment for the proper task. Always have in mind the right task for whatever vest you are about to buy. The garments have a number of different uses including safety gear, vests for traffic personnel and those doing road construction.

Use

The type of work you use the high visibility vests for dictates the measurements as well as the material. In some cases, you may require it to be a bid baggy while in others, a tight fit is the best. This is so when one is operating machinery such as during road construction.

Quality

A good traffic vest must be made of a sturdy material. The reason is as obvious as the numerous occasions it will be used outdoors. The material must be capable of withstanding different types of weather conditions. The quality of the material should be tear and ware proof for longevity. It must also have additional features like pockets where dangerous tools can be kept as you work.

Cost

One thing that troubles many people is the amount they should spend purchasing such vests. Being a very important item, one might be inclined to pay a premium to get one with the best reflective qualities as well as a sturdy material. However, this should not always be the case since there are many stores offering them at discounted prices. This is especially the case when one is buying online.

Maintenance

While on a shopping spree, try hard to find a provider who is knowledgeable and able to give you information concerning the maintenance of these safety vests. The main job is to reflect light for sending signals that you are on the move or busy somewhere beside the road. If the vest is not maintained and the reflectors become faded, it will be unable to serve its important duty.

For many years, passport application has been through manual filling of forms by hand. In the twenty first century, technological advancement has seen the introduction of online US passport application which has been a great relieve to travelers world over. This new development has saved many people a lot of hassles over having to fill many pages of the application forms manually.

Online Application

There are some steps that should be followed to make a successful online application. The first important thing is to know the websites with the procedures for applying. Browsing these websites will give you important information on how to go about the process. The process is different if you need a kids United States passport.

Website

As you log into the site, the directory is there to show you where different applications can be made depending on what exactly your need is. There are different forms available for particular needs including those that are specifically for first timers, those that are used by people who want to renew theirs after expiry periods and those who want to correct anomalies.

Forms

Once you have located the right form for you, you will start the procedure, which is fairly simple. What you need to start making entries of are your bio data such as your name, date of birth and any other relevant personal details. Apart from the personal data, there are also other relevant details that will be required as per the nature of the traveling document you want to apply for.

Passport Center

Having successfully undertaken the process, you now need to print out the form. Check it properly if there are any errors to be corrected. Then, take it to the passport authorities for verification. The verification process is easy and does not need much detailing. Once it has been proved to be okay, you can now sign it for authentication.

Photos

While visiting the passport issuance offices, equip yourself with the other necessary documentations like the photographs that must have the correct measurements for this purpose. The other documents will include the birth certificate and any certifications proving that you are a citizen of the nation from where the application is being made.

Processing

Once all these are done, be sure that your passport will be within your custody sooner than you may expect. Normally it takes two to three weeks to get the job done. However, there is an expedited process that allows urgent needs to be met within a day.

A long campaign of solidarity for NABET-CWA members at NBC Universal has paid off, as the union and company reached a tentative agreement this week with wage and job security improvements. The last contract expired March 31, 2009.
CWA Union News

Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) next version of its iPad tablet will support LTE networks and arrive in March, according to a Bloomberg report. An LTE version of the iPad would be Apple’s first LTE product.

The report, which cited three unnamed sources familiar with the device, said that Apple will deliver an LTE iPad before an LTE iPhone because the tablet’s larger battery can more easily handle LTE’s power requirements. Given the release timeframe mentioned in the report, it’s likely that Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T Mobility (NYSE:T) will remain Apple’s U.S. carrier partners–at least for now. Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S), which started selling the iPhone in October, is not expected to launch LTE service until mid-year. 

An Apple spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The report also said that the next iPad will support a higher resolution screen than the iPad 2 and will run on a quad-core processor. Mass production of the iPad 3 started this month in China and will break for the Chinese Lunar New Year this month before ramping up to a peak in February.

The higher resolution screen, plus the inclusion of LTE, are steps Apple is taking to keep the iPad competitive with other devices such as LTE tablets from Samsung and Motorola Mobility (NYSE:MMI). Apple, which reports its quarterly earnings Jan. 24, sold 25 million iPads through the first three quarters of 2011.

For more:
- see this Bloomberg article

Related Articles:
Apple sells 17M iPhones in Q4, expects an iPhone sales record in December
Report: Apple preps next iPad for early 2012 release
Apple to dominate tablets through 2015, says Gartner

FierceWireless

The lights never seem to dim in Vegas. Even at 4am, when the sun is slowly rising in the east, the city itself seems to be emitting some sort of warble, an obsequious challenge to sleep less and spend more.

CES itself is much the same. This is not an event for the general public, but the place for companies to show off their upcoming flagship products, and make business deals that affect everyone. With three main halls, each of which take hours to navigate in a confused haze of caffeine and hunger pangs, there is no end to the potential for great news reporting.

But it was in this environment that we spent four days immersed in tech, scurrying around talking with various representatives soaking up the what’s new. The feeling is a little like being drunk: you exist on adrenaline, fawning over the few important device announcements and then, once exhausted, continuing to wander the expansive fluorescent hallways like a zombie. But the genius is in the scale: there is a sheer surplus of material to write about — some good, some famously bad — but yet all very promising that someday, hopefully, will help the industry move forward.

Two mobile devices that were crowd favourites from CES 2012: the Nokia Lumia 900 and the Sony Xperia S. Both handsets are conscious evolutions of their existing product lines, but make thoughtful changes in ways that consolidate the individual components into a cohesive and attractive fullness. Both companies are coming at their prospective markets as underdogs: Sony is rebranding, removing the Ericsson from its name, and with it comes the potential for an important brand re-recognition. Nokia has a harder job: it has completely shifted its operating platform, and has a lot more to lose if its Windows Phone commitment doesn’t pan out.

But it will. It’s clear from the company’s reception throughout the show that Nokia has made its name important again in North America, and with it the Windows Phone brand. Sony, too, has been playing the mass-market consumer card, focusing on creating attractive products that don’t compete on “techs and specs,” but on overall design and performance.

Neither company, like so many of the underdogs at this show, will have an easy 2012. The clear mindset winner of the show – Samsung – is coming into the calendar year high on life, profit and market share. But it’s also clear they are not going stop innovating. Expect huge things from the company this year, from the next Galaxy phone to tablets and, perhaps more impressively, cohesive device interoperability. Samsung showcased a TV prototype in which you could use hand gestures to change channels, or your voice to search for content.

For Canadians, the relevant news was slim but good: we are getting the LTE Galaxy Note; the Lumia 800 and 710; the Xperia S. Many devices, like the Lumia 900 and Xperia Ion, US-exclusives for now, will most likely come to Canada later this year.

LG held a press conference to announce the LG Spectrum (Bell Optimus LTE) was heading to Verizon; we’ll see their full upcoming product line at Mobile World Congress in February. Meanwhile, HTC only had a small booth for the US-only Titan II. RIM showed off its fantastic-looking Playbook OS 2.0, but nothing new on the handset front (which was expected). Lenovo, Asus, Acer were all completely AWOL for Canadians, though Motorola showed off its RAZR MAXX that, if we’re lucky, will find its way north.

Mainly the show was a testament to how far the industry has come in such a short time; everything, from fridges to stoves to windows, are connected somehow to the internet, and the smartphone is the source of their power. As the “cloud” becomes fuller and more accessible, easier to use and less expensive, the smartphone will continue to be our ears, eyes and perhaps even our touch.

Thanks for following our coverage of CES 2012, and we’ll be back next year!

Related posts:

1. RIM patent shows thoughts of a Resistive/Capacitive touchscreen display
2. Steve Jobs writes his “Thoughts on Flash”
3. Any thoughts on the new name Dave Wireless will choose?

MobileSyrup.com

AFA-CWA Flight Attendants at United Airlines are preparing to vote on a tentative agreement reached with United last weekend through expedited mediation.
CWA Union News