[Superfly_FR]

Dying ?
Yet still investing in future ...

RIM buys radio-frequency company Paratek | Reuters
Research In Motion Buys Paratek Microwave - Forbes

EDIT : Dammit Bla1ze, you're sooo fast : http://crackberry.com/rim-acquires-p...g-technologies
10 minutes ...

C'mon guys, keep rolling !

[erodenero]

this seems right up rim's alley,
"Our tunable RF technology called ParaScan™ is a thin-film dielectric material that can vary its capacitance as voltage is changed. That means wireless circuits that can adaptively and dynamically tune! Smaller and thinner internal antennas will immediately perform better and across multiple bands. RF tuning inside the handset means that talk time, call quality, and battery life will all increase. It also means that handset designers no longer need to compromise when it comes to combining style and function! "

good acquisition imo, now lets see a move on bb10 handsets

[sleepngbear]

Very interesting. I am dying to see how all these acquisitions are going to come together. And when.

[Foreverup]

Very interesting. I am dying to see how all these acquisitions are going to come together. And when.

Actually you already are seeing them with torch mobile browser in the phones, scoreloop with the games leader boards, TAT working on the NDK for the PlayBook and BB10. And Github but I don't remember what they do. Oh and the company they bought for mobile fusion.

And of course QNX.

[missing_K-W]

this seems right up rim's alley,
"Our tunable RF technology called ParaScan™ is a thin-film dielectric material that can vary its capacitance as voltage is changed. That means wireless circuits that can adaptively and dynamically tune! Smaller and thinner internal antennas will immediately perform better and across multiple bands. RF tuning inside the handset means that talk time, call quality, and battery life will all increase. It also means that handset designers no longer need to compromise when it comes to combining style and function! "

good acquisition imo, now lets see a move on bb10 handsets

This is perfect for the QNX flexibility. The OS is so customizable that the broad radio integration will be a perfect marriage. Don't forget RIM wants QNX in the embedded market with radios. Can't wait to see this all unfold

[Knightcrawler]

I wonder if these aquisitions will be incorporated into the first bb10 phones? It doesnt seem like they've started on the hardware yet, and i would be better if all these things were in bb10 from the get go rather then being added in later devices.

[Rootbrian]

RF, not microwave oven. Lol

But it's the same thing with the name. Go RIM!!

[world traveler and former ceo]

bb10 is going to ROck! ...

[sleepngbear]

Actually you already are seeing them with torch mobile browser in the phones, scoreloop with the games leader boards, TAT working on the NDK for the PlayBook and BB10. And Github but I don't remember what they do. Oh and the company they bought for mobile fusion.

And of course QNX.

Good points. I was thinking more about TAT. We've seen glimpses of what they can do, and we've seen some pretty amazing demos. We've seen their their signature on a few new apps for the PB; I want to see it on everything. I know they've been working on the NDK for quite some time, but I want to see what Joe Developer on the street is going to be able to crank out with it.

Github's web site says:
"Free public repositories, collaborator management, issue tracking, wikis, downloads, code review, graphs and much more…" No idea what they're cooking up with that. I wonder if it's for internal development use, or if they've got some plans to put together some kind of insane multi-platform collaboration mashup thingie.

I believe that was Ubitexx that contributed to Fusion.

And don't forget Newbay.

And now Paratek Microwave.


So somebody is doing some huge thinking, and there appear to be enough pieces there to make our heads spin; I guess the question is, can they pull it all together into one cohesive package that will knock everybody's socks off?

[Dapper37]

Proprietary technology, Military grade. Yep sounds like a good fit for RIM.

[mithrazor]

I wonder if these aquisitions will be incorporated into the first bb10 phones? It doesnt seem like they've started on the hardware yet, and i would be better if all these things were in bb10 from the get go rather then being added in later devices.

I think this is one of those smaller things which can be added last minute. And won't take long to go into effect.

Well I hope so anyway.

[Foreverup]

Good points. I was thinking more about TAT. We've seen glimpses of what they can do, and we've seen some pretty amazing demos. We've seen their their signature on a few new apps for the PB; I want to see it on everything. I know they've been working on the NDK for quite some time, but I want to see what Joe Developer on the street is going to be able to crank out with it.

Github's web site says:
"Free public repositories, collaborator management, issue tracking, wikis, downloads, code review, graphs and much more…" No idea what they're cooking up with that. I wonder if it's for internal development use, or if they've got some plans to put together some kind of insane multi-platform collaboration mashup thingie.

I believe that was Ubitexx that contributed to Fusion.

And don't forget Newbay.

And now Paratek Microwave.


So somebody is doing some huge thinking, and there appear to be enough pieces there to make our heads spin; I guess the question is, can they pull it all together into one cohesive package that will knock everybody's socks off?

Thanks for the reminder Github allows devs to test their apps without actually owning the specific phone.

[Bobcat665]

It looks like RIM has a lot of new pieces in play now but can they execute a cohesive, complete and properly functioning package in BB 10 devices and software? That remains to be seen. I'm still hopeful but I'm deeply worried...

[CranBerry413]

This is an interesting pick up. It seems that RIM is in continuing the Process of buildig a better Smartphone. I think it can't be overstated that RIM just purchased a Company that specializes in making radios Better.

There is not one smartphone owner who would not benefit from better radio performance. The fact that RIM bought them shows that they are committed.

[Dapper37]

This is an interesting pick up. It seems that RIM is in continuing the Process of buildig a better Smartphone. I think it can't be overstated that RIM just purchased a Company that specializes in making radios Better.

There is not one smartphone owner who would not benefit from better radio performance. The fact that RIM bought them shows that they are committed.

+ it shows they understand what still matters with a phone. To be able to make a phone call.

[undone]

+ it shows they understand what still matters with a phone. To be able to make a phone call.

I dont know, but wouldnt it also increase reliability in the communication stack? (ie 2g/3g/4g etc)

[needforbbx]

VC Firm's view - Game Changer:

Paratek Answers Research In Motion’s Call for a Better Mobile Phone User Experience (click link below)

"First, the technology allows mobile devices to upload and download large amounts of data faster, making for longer battery life, which — together with Paratek’s more effective antennae design — means devices can become smaller/thinner.

Second, the technology — Tunable RF — improves the mobile user experience by reducing dropped calls and allowing reliable data flow as users move across an ever growing number of frequency bands from provider to provider"

Paratek Answers Research In Motion

[undone]

VC Firm's view - Game Changer:

Paratek Answers Research In Motion�s Call for a Better Mobile Phone User Experience (click link below)

"First, the technology allows mobile devices to upload and download large amounts of data faster, making for longer battery life, which � together with Paratek�s more effective antennae design � means devices can become smaller/thinner."

Paratek Answers Research In Motion

Awesome stuff!

[needforbbx]

Patent award to firm just prior to acquisition: Adaptively tunable antennas incorporating an external probe to monitor radiated power

[apengue1]

I'm really liking all the companies RIM is acquiring. As well as waiting out for the better processor and now this hopefully revolutionary radio technology for smartphones. All mixed in with their qnx os.. To me it just really doesn't seem like they are cheaping out on their upcoming phones. I can't wait to see everything in action.

[VerryBestr]

RIM may have been working with Paratek for a while -- that would have been the best way for RIM to have discovered if the Paratek technology is worth the purchase.

Paratek's web site says that its technology enables "smaller, high-performance, multi-band antennas by maximizing power transfer across each band. Designers are often forced to trade multiple antennas for single/fewer antennas covering broader bandwidths. Both options are at direct odds with today�s slim handset styling demands. The beauty of RAFT is that it converts a sub-optimal quad-band antenna into a high-performance penta-band antenna, speeding time-to-market for handset antenna designers."

Besides reducing battery power needed to drive an antenna (because the antenna is properly tuned), this technology could let RIM cover more radio bands in a single phone. This would let RIM move closer to the ideal of a "world phone."

The new iPad comes in two different versions, because two carriers use two different bands for LTE. Is it possible that the Paratek technology would have allowed a single LTE model for the two carriers? If RIM does come out with an LTE tablet, perhaps it would give a taste of Paratek's technology.

By the way, as far as I know, RIM did not buy github (which does host RIM's open source software project). RIM did buy Gist (whose work must be in the PlayBook's new calendar software).

[CranBerry413]

If I'm understanding this technology, the transceiver could tune in the entire range of wavelengths used for all spectrum anywhere in the world? This means they could build one device with the same radio stack for all carriers in any country. In addition, if this device can radically change band fast enough, you could have one or two transceivers in the mobile device to handle Bluetooth, GPS, HAM, NFC, Scanners, Wireless and WiFi (2.4k and 5k). So RIM truly could add new transmission capabilities with software updates.

While this is much further out in time, there are some start-ups looking at post-infrastructure communications. The idea is to convert all mobile transceivers into the equivalent of a miniature cell tower. If that happens, your could potentially request a connection to someone on the other side of your town and have your transmission literally jump from mobile device to mobile device until it finds your communication partner. There would be no need for carrier or cell tower. If this was built into a simple chip set, all mobile and WiFi devices could participate in the relay. In high-density environments, like cities, this could work. The main problem right now is the transmitters in these devices would be on much more than they are today. Mobile power packs will need to store much more energy.

How would it be if RIM started selling phones that don't require a carrier contract? Could I use that money I'm not giving to Verizon and all the taxes and fees I'm not giving the government? Ahh yeah.

Excellent Idea and an even better explanation. This would be an amazing jump in mobile tech. The fact that they would be able to take the communication dependency we have away from the Spectrum Starved Carriers (At least they are starving here in the US) would be a much welcome change...at least I would welcome it.

That's something I would love to see...the only problem is the scope...you mentioned across town...what about across the State(Province for Canadians, Eh!)? The Country you're in? Or the Globe???

Yes I know it would be limited to whatever wavelength they actually use...but the idea itself is sound. Essentially, what I'm looking for is the next evolution of BBM...An entire Communication system not using the Spectrum of the Carriers.

(Hey, it's nice to dream, right?)

[erodenero]

While this is much further out in time, there are some start-ups looking at post-infrastructure communications. The idea is to convert all mobile transceivers into the equivalent of a miniature cell tower. If that happens, your could potentially request a connection to someone on the other side of your town and have your transmission literally jump from mobile device to mobile device until it finds your communication partner. There would be no need for carrier or cell tower. If this was built into a simple chip set, all mobile and WiFi devices could participate in the relay. In high-density environments, like cities, this could work. The main problem right now is the transmitters in these devices would be on much more than they are today. Mobile power packs will need to store much more energy.
.

uhhhh i dont know if id put a "minature cell tower" up to my face everytime i wanna make a call the radiation from these things is probably off the chain. although a world without carriers may be worth the resulting tumors lol

[Skeevecr]

I think this is one of those smaller things which can be added last minute. And won't take long to go into effect.

Well I hope so anyway.

Probably not, RF performance is something that would need to be carefully accounted for in any initial designs for a device as otherwise you need to do things like tell your customers they are holding them wrong.

It might be the case that they have been working with them for a while to improve performance when it comes to bb10 and have then bought them up, but if not this is future planning and a smart move as the demand for more and more radios in thinner handsets is unlikely to reduce anytime soon.

[Skeevecr]

+ it shows they understand what still matters with a phone. To be able to make a phone call.

On a slightly negative side, it might be an admission on their part that they didn't do as well as they should with some of the os7 devices compared with previous ones.