Under this agreement, Skype will become a new business division within Microsoft, and its current chief executive Tony Bates will assume the title of president of the Microsoft Skype Division, reporting directly to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

According to a Skype blog post, the market leading communications platform will be integrated into many of Microsoft’s products and services but, gratefully, it will not remove support for its product on non-Microsoft platforms. This portends that mobile apps like the iPhone and Android app will still be maintained. Same for the Mac desktop application.

The blog post states: “Skype will support Microsoft devices like Xbox and Kinect, Windows Phone and a wide array of Windows devices,” the blog post states, referring cryptically to “Windows devices,” instead of saying “computers running the Windows operating system,” for example, which is a bit curious, we think. The post then continues, “Microsoft will connect Skype users with Lync, Outlook, Xbox Live and other communities.”

Skype digitally connects people by enabling them to communicate with each other through voice calls, chat messages and video conferencing. It has a user base of over 600 million registered users and about 140 million active users on a monthly basis.

The combined companies aim to deliver the future of real-time communications to consumers and businesses around the world. How successful this will turn out to be, only time will tell.

According to Jobs, ”When we introduced the iPad, we said it was our most advanced technology in a magical and revolutionary device. People laughed at us for calling it magical — but it’s turned out to be magical. People didn’t necessarily agree with the price — but ask our competitors now”.

The new features of iPad 2 are as follows:

The Hardware

1. 2 New Processors
   The main CPU, a Samsung A5 dual core processor will be up to 9x faster than the original iPad.
   A new graphics processor that’s 2x faster.
2. It’s thinner — 33% thinner. Thinner than the iPhone 4. 13.4mm down to 8.8 mm thick. In addition to it being thinner, it’s lighter as well. 1.5 pounds down to 1.3 pounds.
3. White version will be available from March 11 in the US, and March 25 in other countries.
4. The 3G version will be available on Verizon and AT&T.
5. Built-in front and rear cameras. Photo Booth, the Mac app that lets you take fun pictures of yourself, is included.
6. HDMI compatibility. This will make the device pluggable into your TV or a large screen. The HDMI cable converter will however, cost an extra $39.
7. Some features haven’t changed from the original iPad. The battery life still remains in the 10 hour range. Also the pricing will remain the same, starting at $499 for the basic 16GB Wi-fi version, and going up to $829 for the 3G model with 64GB.
8. It comes with what I call an ‘iCover’. They have magnets on them that attach automatically to the screen. The cover offers screen protection and can also be used as a stand. This comes in 2 variants, polyurethane and leather. Cost will be $39 and $69 respectively.

The Software

1. The iPad 2 will come with the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, the iOS 4.3.
2. Faster Safari mobile browsing performance.
3. iTunes Home Sharing.
4. An improved AirPlay.
5. A personal hotspot to share an iPhone 4′s data connection over Wi-Fi (provided it’s supported by your carrier).
6. Apple also introduced two new apps for iPad. iMovie and GarageBand. These two will bring movie and music editing functionalities to device and will both cost $4.99.

Below is a video demo of the iPad 2.

GoToMyPC

To install the app on your iPad, go to the App Store and select GoToMyPC. Tap the FREE button, then tap it again after it changes to INSTALL. The app will install automatically, and a MyPC icon will be added to your iPad.

Using the app to connect to a remote computer is a breeze. Just follow the steps below:

1. Be sure your host computer (the computer you want to access) is turned on and connected to the Internet.
2. Tap the GoToMyPC icon on your iPad and log in.
3. Tap the Connect button next to the computer you wish to access.
4. Enter your access code and tap OK. Your host computer’s desktop will now appear on your iPad screen.

However, to use this free application, you must have a current GoToMyPC subscription ($9.95 per month per computer) or trial on the computer(s) you want to access.

On the security side, GoToMyPC for iPad has the same security features on the traditional GToMyPC for computer. All data input is fully encrypted from end to end using 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption. The security process uses a number of conventions to protect access to your computers.

Find below a short demo of the app.

The app trolls your Facebook profile for compatible friends and shows you whether they are able to either take voice calls or chat. Regular updates keep reminding you to pass the message round to your friends about the service via Facebook, so as to complete the circle of Vonage connected-ness.

The app offers a quick and easy way to get in touch with buds you may not usually be able to reach via standard phone calls. There’s a downside, however, regarding privacy issue. Once you have the app installed there is no way to bar some friends from calling you chatting. It is assumed that if you have the app installed then obviously you’re ready to talk or chat.

According to Marc Lefar, Chief Executive Officer of Vonage Holdings Corp, “The Vonage Mobile app for Facebook is a tangible example of our commitment to deliver extraordinary value and a better communications experience for individuals and their social networks, across broadband-enabled devices, around the world”. “This is just the start. In the future we will expand on this service to include a wide range of integrated voice and messaging services that change the way people communicate.”

How does the App Work?

The Vonage Mobile application is simple. It’s simple to download, and so simple to use that Vonage have eliminated the need for dialing altogether. To get started, the user:

• Downloads the app from the iTunes Store, Android Market, the Vonage fan page on Facebook or vonage.com/talkfree.
• Enters Facebook ID and password (one time only).
• Views Facebook contacts after they are automatically loaded. They’ll be grouped by friends who can be called for free and friends available for instant messaging on Facebook. A Vonage logo will appear next to the names of friends who have downloaded the app.
• Invites additional Facebook friends to get the app at the Vonage Fan Page on Facebook or vonage.com/talkfree.
• Touches a friend’s name from the Call Free list to make a free call anywhere in the world; no need to be online.
• Rings the phone for incoming calls, even if the application is closed.

Below is a short video on the app’s features from Vonage.

The App Inventor team has created blocks for just about everything you can do with an Android phone, as well as blocks for doing “programming-like” stuff – blocks to store information, blocks for repeating actions, and blocks to perform actions under certain conditions. There are even blocks to talk to services like Twitter.

App Inventor is simple to use, but also very powerful. Apps you build can even store data created by users in a database, so you can create a make-a-quiz app in which the teachers can save questions in a quiz for their students to answer.

This is a smart move from Google. Not only is the Android Market an open platform for developers with no approval process, but now we’ll likely see a host of specialized apps built by non-coders. This could radically increase the volume of apps in the Market compared to the App Store.

At the moment, App Inventor is only available through registration via this form. Below  are resources that will get you started using the app.

• Set up your computer and phone for App Inventor.
• Run through the tutorials that introduce App Inventor.
• Get help by joining the App Inventor Google Group.

BlackBerry maker RIM began rolling out its official “Twitter for BlackBerry” mobile application to users via the BlackBerry App World site. The app which works on all devices from all carriers, in all countries except China, has been in beta since April.

It supports all the features that is to be expected from a mobile Twitter application, including access to timelines, replies, messages, trends and profiles. In addition to these, it also includes several BlackBerry-specific options, such as push notifications, hotkeys and integration with core BlackBerry apps.

Twitter for BlackBerry – the “Official Version”

Prior to this there were other BlackBerry Twitter applications available, but none with the benefit of being dubbed the “official” app. But unlike the “Twitter for iPhone” app, the BlackBerry variation wasn’t put out by Twitter itself, but rather by RIM.

Below is the full list of features available on the new app:

• Push Notifications for Direct Messages
• Timeline Support
• Following and Followers
• Posting, Sending, Deleting, Replying and Retweeting Tweets
• User/Saved/Keyword/Proximity Search
• Tweet Photos/Links
• Trending Topics
• Seamless integration into core BlackBerry applications
• URL Shortening
• Auto-Update
• Quote Tweets (editing retweets)
• Auto Complete for @ usernames
• View Photos from Yfrog & Tweetphoto
• View Geotagged Tweets
• Personal Info Guard
• Hotkeys for Navigation
• Report as Spam
• Support for Dutch, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (European), Russian and Turkish languages

Despite its “social networking” capabilities, Twitter is an important tool for many business users who need to stay on top of breaking news and other relevant information, making it a good fit for BlackBerry and its “push” notification system.

The  application is very easy to use and in about 5 minutes we have already created a mobile version of our website in 4 steps:

• Create an account
• Customize your design
• Add / Remove sections and pages, pictures, etc…
• Paste a code in your index page

Below is a demo video which takes you through the process of creating your mobile website.

A couple of months ago, Google announced some major new features for Google Docs. Users were able to preview these upgrades, which included completely group chat, real-time collaboration tools, and completely redesigned editors for documents, spreadsheets, and drawings.

From now on, anytime you create a new document, you’ll be doing so from the new version of Google Docs. Documents already created using the older editor will remain in that interface, and you’ll soon be able to move those older documents to the new version of Docs, too.

Here’s a little video that highlights some of Docs’ new features:

Getting to know Google Docs: The new version of Google documents

Here are some of the most interesting features of the new version of Google documents:

• Real time collaboration: See updates from other collaborators as they edit the document.
• Higher-quality imports: More consistent imports from your desktop into Google Docs.
• Chat with other collaborators: As you make your edits, you can chat with other document editors about the changes, from within the document.
• Ruler: Google documents have a ruler for setting margins, indentations, and tab stops.

What else is different?

These features from the previous version of Google documents, however, won’t be available in the new version:

• Offline document access via Google Gears
• Edit HTML
• Edit CSS
• Keyboard shortcuts have also changed. Check the list of new keyboard shortcuts.

This upgraded version becoming Docs’ new default interface comes at just the right time; Microsoft recently announced a Google Docs competitor in Office Web Apps, a web-based suite that includes a text editor/word processor, spreadsheet editor and presentation software.

The Nexus One is a slim, touchscreen phone built in partnership with Taiwanese manufacturer HTC and runs Google’s Android operating system.

It will be sold via Google’s website and initially be available on T-mobile in America followed by Vodafone in Europe and Verizon in the US.

Direct from Google it will cost $529 (£331) and on contract with T-Mobile $179 (£112). Google said the phone would ship from launch day.

Handset Features

• 3.7 inch touchscreen
• 1GHz snapdragon processor
• 5 Megapixel camera with LED flash
• GPS and compass
• Accelerometer
• Noise cancellation technology
• Voice recognition can be used with all applications
• Light sensor changes screen brightness to conserve power
• 512MB Flash memory with SD card slot (expandable to 32GB)

Google has set up its own phone portal through which people can get a handset tied to one of several mobile operators or untethered direct from the search firm.

Google also announced on 5 January a plan to launch “pay to call” adverts that would appear on mobile phones. These would work in a similar way to the “pay to click” adverts that populate many websites and which form a significant chunk of Google’s revenue.

In a bid to expand its powerful Web brand in the booming mobile arena, Google is expected to launch its own smartphone, the Nexus One, on Tuesday, 5th January 2010.

The Internet search and advertising giant has already gained a foothold in the market with its Android mobile operating system, featured in a number of phones starting with T-Mobile’s G1 in October 2008 and more recently with the Droid from Motorola.

But the Nexus One, designed by Taiwanese handset maker HTC, represents a significant departure in that Google is expected to sell the Google-branded phone directly to consumers who will not be tied to any one telecom carrier.

Unlike the Apple’s popular iPhone which is available exclusively in the United States through AT&T, buyers of the “Google phone” will reportedly have their choice of wireless carriers.

The grapevine has it that the Nexus One will cost 530 dollars “unlocked” — not tied to a specific carrier — or 180 dollars with a two-year service agreement with T-Mobile.

Google has been coy about any plans to jump headfirst into the fast-growing smartphone market, dropping hints but not confirming its intentions outright.

Google said in a statement that “With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago, we’ve seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation, and this is just the beginning of what’s possible.”

In a blog post last month, Google said employees were testing a mobile product internally in an exercise known in the industry as “dogfooding.”

Google’s plunge into the smartphone market has drawn a mixed reaction from analysts all over the mobile phone industry.

Although Android’s share of the US smartphone market is relatively small, it has doubled in the past year to 3.5 percent in October, according to comScore, and Gartner predicts Android-based smartphones will capture 14 percent of the global market by the year 2012.