This week at the Mobile World Congress, ZTE has made it clear that they are focused on rebirth and further expansion as they show off 10 new devices all of different shapes, sizes and even operating systems. While most of these are based Android, the most notable of the ten devices shown off are the Orbit and Tania, both of which run the latest version of Windows Phone and are planned for a release in the second quarter of 2012.

The Orbit features a 1GHz processor, a 5MP camera, and a lovely 4-inch WVGA screen while the Tania is 4.3-inches with a resolution of just 480×800. In an event that is largely dominated by Android-based offerings, it is nice to see signs that Windows Phone is not only alive and well, but continuing to expand its list of handset manufacturers. This is a trend that Microsoft likely hopes will continue to increase, especially so close to the release of the tablet-centric Windows 8, later this year.

[ source ]

The post MWC 2012: ZTE Unveils Two New Windows Phone Handsets appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

After the first launch attempt was aborted due to a false telemetry reading, the second launch attempt of the Falcon 9 rocket was flawless. The rocket flew above the Atlantic Ocean and reached the orbit in under ten minutes. Having separated from the Falcon 9 rocket, the Dragon space craft orbited the earth gathering vital data for future projects. After re-entering the atmosphere, it opened its parachute and landed in the Pacific Ocean. The SpaceX team have recovered the capsule.

This mission was the first of its kind conducted by a non-state agency. Considering the success of the Falcon 9 rocket, similar technology shall be employed in future projects related to private space ships. The Dragon space ship, at its present capacity, shall be able to carry seven astronauts into outer space. Speculations are soaring high, with talks of using the Falcon 9 rockets to ferry astronauts and cargo in private space ships to and from the International Space Station, especially after NASA Administrator Charles Bolden commented, “We’re witnessing the dawn of a new era whose ultimate result could be routine, safe access to space, with industry, academia, other agencies and other governments regularly sending payloads and people to low Earth orbit.”

“There’s so much that can go wrong and it all went right,” said SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, in a statement. “I’m sort of in semi-shock,” said Musk, who founded PayPal before SpaceX.

Some believe SpaceX could be used to launch private contractors to the ISS following the retirement of NASA’s space shuttle fleet next year. President Obama is behind this, and may look at the company for more deep space missions—and of course, putting a human on Mars. That is decades away of course, but would provide scientists with millions in grants for “environmental research.” Although many critics in Congress are against this, as it will cost jobs throughout the Florida Spacecoast, NASA isn’t one to look lightly on a second place in the space race behind Russia or China.

Photographs: Chris Thomson

[SpaceX]

The post SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket achieves first private space flight appeared first on Mobile Magazine.