Is India Ready To Become A Mobile Enterprise [Infographic]

Despite one of the fastest growing wireless markets, India is still in a stage where it's set to grow rapidly within the next five years when it comes to the adoption of mobile enterprise solutions. By taking the necessary steps towards becoming a mobile enterprise, businesses can improve productivity, increase revenue and gain market share.

Is India Ready To Become A Mobile Enterprise [Infographic]

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Google Ready To Launch A New Travel Search Site (GOOG)

Google is getting ready to launch a new travel service with data gained in its $700 million acquisition of ITA.

TechCrunch reports that the new travel service will launch in a few weeks and will be integrated with Google Maps, so users will be able to choose destinations on a map and see prices to fly there.

Google will also return search results based on a user's IP address and search terms -- so if it knows you're in New York searching for beach vacations, it will show flights to Florida -- and will include pricing info in search results.

Pricing info, along with predictions of whether prices will rise or fall, has been available on Microsoft's Bing search engine for a few years now. The prediction info comes from Microsoft's 2008 acquisition of Farecast.

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• Google Doesn't Need Twitter Anymore, So It Just Let Their Deal Expire
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Google Ready To Launch A New Travel Search Site (GOOG)

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Facebook's iPad App Is Almost Ready To Go (AAPL)

More than a year after Apple introduced the iPad, Facebook is finally getting around to releasing an app for it.

Nick Bilton at the New York Times reports that the app has been in development for almost a year, with Mark Zuckerberg taking a personal interest in its design.

The Chat and Groups features have apparently been tweaked for the iPad, and it users will be able to upload photos and videos from the iPad's camera directly to Facebook.

It all sounds very similar to the Facebook app for Android tablets -- and the Facebook iPhone app, for that matter -- but it's nice to see this glaring gap finally filled.

Bilton also reports that Facebook is redesigning its Web site for the iPad as well.

That redesigned Web site might be part of Facebook's reported plan to redesign itself as a full Web-based mobile platform, where users can download other apps, buy items with Facebook Credits, and so on.

Facebook is also reportedly getting some sort of new photo-sharing feature as well. Looks like a busy summer down in Palo Alto.

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• LEAKED: Facebook's Secret iPhone Photo Sharing App
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Facebook's iPad App Is Almost Ready To Go (AAPL)

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Facebook iPad App Ready for Launch, Coming in Weeks!

Facebook plans in coming weeks to introduce a free iPad application that has been carefully designed and optimized for the tablet.

Facebook iPad App Ready for Launch, Coming in Weeks!

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Google Was Ready To Pay $100 Million To Record Labels

We had heard last December that Google was ready to write huge checks to the record labels to get its music service off the ground, but we had no idea exactly how big.

But a story in Businessweek has the answer: more than $100 million.

That's according to two anonymous label execs.

If true, that makes the cost of entry a real barrier to smaller music startups that are currently in similar areas like Spotify (subscriptions) and Pandora (online radio). Only big companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft could afford those kind of up-front fees or guarantees.

$100 million is also a significant number for the labels: according to the RIAA, total digital U.S. revenue last year was $2.1 billion. But only about $500 million of that revenue came from mobile services like that which Google is building, and only $200 million from subscription services.

Reports from Billboard and other sources say that talks broke down because some labels demanded that Google do more to eliminate pirated music sites from its search results. Google couldn't agree to compromise its crown jewel, search, so instead it launched with an imperfect service.

Businessweek also reiterated earlier reports that Apple is close to launching a music service -- which may be called iCloud -- will let customers mirror their iTunes libraries on Apple's servers, then stream songs to any device. This would save users the hassle of uploading songs manually to the cloud first, as they have to do with Google Music and Amazon's Cloud Drive.

 

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• Here's What Happens In Households With Both An iPad And An Android Tablet
• With Mobile Payments, Now We're Going To See Who Really Has The Power In The Mobile Industry
• HTC Pays Microsoft $5 Per Android Phone, Says Citi

Google Was Ready To Pay $100 Million To Record Labels

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Sprint Doesn't Think The PlayBook Is Ready To Launch Yet (RIMM, S)

Sprint has delayed the launch of the Blackberry PlayBook and has provided no new release date, Electronista reports.

The PlayBook was originally set to launch on Sprint April 18th, but the launch was pushed back to May 8th. Now, there are no signs of a new release date.

This was supposed to be the first launch for a cellular data-equipped PlayBook. The device will run over Sprint's 3G CDMA network.

The "internal documents" Electronista cited were originally posted on BriefMobile, and say that the "new launch date will be communicated as soon as it is available."

There is no official explanation for the delay, but there are no signs Sprint has abandoned the device. They have told retailers to hold onto marketing materials and "PlayBook Electronic Security Pedestals" until the device launches.

When that day will be, we have no idea.

This isn't the first problem with a 3G or 4G PlayBook. A few weeks ago, reports said Verizon was still evaluating the device, with the possibility of choosing not to release it at all.

Don't Miss: Everyone's Right: The Blackberry PlayBook Doesn't Stand A Chance

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• Finally! RIM Will Let You Send BBMs From Your PlayBook
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• RIM Is Already Working On A 10-Inch BlackBerry PlayBook For The Holidays

Sprint Doesn't Think The PlayBook Is Ready To Launch Yet (RIMM, S)

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