Amazon Said To Plan Smartphone To Vie With Apple IPhone

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is developing a smartphone that would vie with Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone and handheld devices that run Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android operating system, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. (2038), the Chinese mobile- phone maker, is working with Amazon on the device, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Amazon is seeking to complement the smartphone strategy by acquiring patents that cover wireless technology and would help it defend against allegations of infringement, other people with knowledge of the matter said.

A smartphone would give Amazon a wider range of low-priced hardware devices that bolster its strategy of making money from digital books, songs and movies. It would help Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos -- who made a foray into tablets with the Kindle Fire -- carve out a slice of the market for advanced wireless handsets. Manufacturers led by Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple shipped 398.4 million smartphones in the first quarter, according to researcher IDC.

Drew Herdener, a spokesman for Amazon, declined to comment.Mark Mahaney, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., said in November that Amazon is planning to release a smartphone.

Seattle-based Amazon considered buying wireless patents from InterDigital Inc. before the King of Prussia, Pennsylvania- based company said in June that it will sell the assets to Intel Corp. for $375 million, two people said. Amazon is taking pitches and setting up briefings with other sellers, the people said.

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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-06/amazon-said-to-plan-smartphone-to-vie-with-apple.html

Travelport launches mobile travel itinerary app for iPhone and Android

Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel industry, has announced the launch of a new travel application for users of smartphones in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Following a successful launch in the UK earlier this year, the new app is now one of the first, fully integrated GDS powered travel itinerary apps available in these countries.


ViewTrip Mobile delivers time critical information and other valuable tools to enable travellers to be fully aware and in control of their travel arrangements at any time. Among the useful features are:
• Simple, one-time registration with future trips automatically synced to the mobile.
• Flight status with live flight alerts.
• Detailed airport and city guides offering easy to digest information.
• Location aware services - find offers on local restaurants, the location of your nearest bank and much more.
• Weather forecasts and currency conversion.
• Itinerary management - easily and quickly add other items to itineraries.

Travelport, through their development partner ManticPoint, are also offering a white label version of ViewTrip Mobile. The white label version will enable travel agents to:
• Brand the app and itineraries using their own logo and colours.
• Take control of content including agency specific help and advice and decide which affiliate content appears.
• Proactively manage and target communications with the traveller via the app when disruption or the travel environment changes.

"Mobile technology is playing an increasingly important part of a traveller's overall experience and our mobile strategy continues to result in new, innovative solutions for our customers," commented Rabih Saab, president and managing director, Middle East and Africa at Travelport.

"ViewTrip Mobile is an exciting step forward for travellers as it provides them with rich trip information along with a wide array of destination content and tools, all in the palm of their hand. We are constantly developing new products that satisfy the needs of the travel community and are thrilled with the positive impact ViewTrip Mobile is making," added Saab.

Travelport ViewTrip Mobile is available free of charge to all Travelport travel agency customers currently using the Travelport ViewTrip itinerary solution. To get started, travellers click the link included in their ViewTrip itinerary to register and download the app.

This article comes from:http://www.ameinfo.com/travelport-launches-mobile-travel-itinerary-app-304651