More media roundup stuff...

Thought I'd split things up a bit - the BlackBerry outage seems to have taken on a life of its own, so to ensure things don't get unwieldy, I figured two shorter entries might be easier to swallow than one big one.

InternetNews.com, February 6: iPhone Grabs Market Share, But Not Yet in The Enterprise. Byline Judy Mottl.

One analyst believes that if Apple spurs greater application development and solves some minor form-factor issues, such as adding a keyboard, the vendor could become the mobile work device of choice.

"All new devices come in the back door of a company. That's how the BlackBerry came into the enterprise," Carmi Levy, a senior analyst with AR Communications, told InternetNews.com. While the iPhone doesn't have the street credibility of RIM's device, the iPhone could become the mobile computer in business. Apple just has to address some issues."

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Levy said the market statistics support his contention that today's mobile phones will all be smartphones within three to five years.

"It's a no-brainer as what we view as a cell phone today will be gone as everyone wants a computing device and not just a phone," he said.

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Hopefully, Levy said, Apple will get busy with its design activity as well. In addition to the necessary keyboard, the vendor has to address battery life issues and revamp its stylish screen for a more business-fitting form factor.

"All the issues preventing it from truly being an enterprise smartphone can be addressed," he said. "None are showstoppers."

InformationWeek, February 8: Year Of The Rat Could Be Mousy For Mobile Handset Makers. Byline Richard Martin.

RIM (NSDQ: RIMM) could be protected as consumers and enterprises move toward increasingly sophisticated devices, said analyst Carmi Levy, senior VP for Strategic Consulting at AR Communications Inc. "As a smartphone-only vendor, RIM is not as vulnerable to the falloff in demand for conventional handsets," Levy said.

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Hardest-hit could be Palm, which as Levy points out "was in freefall even before the economy started to turn toward recession." With 75% to 80% of its sales in the North American market, Palm could be more vulnerable to an economic slowdown than any other handset vendor.

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Nokia's market strength allows it to leverage economies of scale that no other vendor can match," notes Levy, enabling the company "to maintain margins through the year."

Canadian Press, February 8: Mobile phone use will keep growing because of device's many functions. Byline LuAnn LaSalle. Also picked up by the Ottawa Sun on Feb. 9 under the headline A 'digital Swiss Army knife': As cellphone capabilities expand, so does usage.

Analyst Carmi Levy said mobile, smart phones help boost productivity.

“Wherever you are it means you are not comprised by the kind and volume of work that you can do, said Levy, senior vice-president of strategic consulting at Toronto’s AR Communications. “The term digital Swiss Army knife really speaks to the utility of these devices and the fact that what you can get out of these devices is limited really by your imagination, which is a pretty powerful comment considering these things slip in your pocket,” Levy said.