British mobile phone giant Vodafone Group Plc ( VOD ) rewarded its shareholders with the largest ever dividend amid the ongoing weakness and uncertainties in Europe. The company has also become the top dividend payer in the FTSE 100.
Vodafone has been distributing exceptional dividends to its shareholders. In February, the company paid a special and interim dividend of £0.0705 per share, including the £0.04 per share dividend of Verizon Wireless, its joint venture with Verizon Communications Inc. ( VZ ).
In addition, Vodafone is expected to pay a final dividend of £0.0647 per share on August 1, to shareholders of record as of June 8. This dividend represents a 7.0% increment year over year, marking the company's target of minimum 7% dividend growth per annum by March 2013.
Cumulatively, total dividend per share in fiscal 2012 increased more than 50% compared with last year despite the loss of dividends from China Mobile Limited ( CHL ) and SFR. Vodafone continues to expect total dividend per share to be at least £0.1018 for fiscal 2013.
As part of the strategy to exit minority holdings,Vodafone realized about £15 billion from the sale of stakes in China Mobile, Softbank Corporation, SFR and Polkomtel over the last two years. The company decided to return part of the proceeds (£6.8 billion) to shareholders in the form of share buybacks. The company expects its share buyback plan to be completed in the near term.
Over the last four years, the company returned almost £26 billion to shareholders, which represents 30% of the market capitalization at the end of fiscal 2012.
The divestiture of minority holdings has also strengthened the company's balance sheet position. Vodafone's net debt reduced to £24.42 billion at the end of fiscal 2012 from £29.86 billion last year. The company generated free cash flow of £6.1 billion, down 13.4% year over year but within the guidance range of £6.0-£6.5 billion.
Free cash flow is expected to remain stable in the range of £5.3 billion to £5.3 billion for fiscal 2013, excluding any dividend received from Verizon Wireless.
We are currently maintaining our long-term Neutral recommendation on Vodafone. For the short term (1-3 months), the stock retains a Zacks #3 (Hold) Rank.
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Motorola Mobility extends RAZR family in South Asia with RAZR MAXX, RAZR V - Nation - Thailand
The long-lasting Motorola RAZR MAXX and the all-new Motorola RAZR V come to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand
Motorola Mobility is bringing the longest-lasting smartphone on the market today, Motorola RAZRTM MAXX, and the sexy yet affordable Motorola RAZRTM V to India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Motorola RAZR MAXX will be available with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), and will receive an over-the-air upgrade to Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) soon after. Motorola RAZR V will be available with Android 4.0 during the third quarter of the year. Specific availability information for both devices will be announced closer to the retail launch dates.
Both smartphones sport the iconic RAZR design, with the same sculpted face, diamond-cut aluminum accents Not only are they gorgeous, they're also made to last, with KEVLAR® fibre for strength and scratch-resistant Corning® Gorilla® Glass. Caught in the rain? Spill your coffee? Fear not. Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V have a splash-guard coating that keeps everything safe - including the electrical boards inside.
Motorola RAZR MAXX - the longest lasting smartphone on the block
With the longest battery life of any smartphone today, this device has enough juice for 17.6 hours of talk-time - on a single charge. And because it's in the Motorola RAZR family, it has the same incredibly thin, fast and light pedigree as the groundbreaking original Motorola RAZR smartphone. It has a vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display that features a wider range of colours than most LCD HDTVs. Plus at just 8.99 mm, Motorola RAZR MAXX is still impossibly thin.
For aspiring filmmakers, forget about buying expensive, clunky equipment to shoot your first masterpiece. Instead, take advantage of Motorola RAZR MAXX's 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with 1080p video capture for crisp, clear, cinematic-quality images. Or, simply use it to chat with a friend using the front-facing HD video camera.
The Motorola RAZR MAXX is also "Business Ready," featuring government-grade encryption that protects your email, contacts and calendar. Even the strictest IT manager will be impressed.
Motorola RAZR V - iconic styling and mind-blowing thinness for your budget
At an amazing 8.35mm thin, the Motorola RAZR V makes the iconic RAZR family styling and quality available to everyone. This big-screen beauty is surprisingly compact and light, and feels great even in smaller hands. Thanks to ColorBoostTM display technology, the Motorola RAZR V boastsextremely vibrant colours for better clarity and sharper images.With Charcoal, Glacier White and Rebel Pink options, subject to market availability, you can choose the colour that reflects your own personality and style. And while the Motorola RAZR V comes at a surprisingly affordable price, it gives away nothing in performance, thanks to its dual-core 1.2GHz processor.
Unique to Motorola Mobility smartphones, including Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V is Smart Actions - a tool that lets you automate your phone's settings throughout the day. For example, you can set your phone to automatically turn off its ringer when you get home from work, set it to turn off emails while you sleep, or dim the screen when battery life gets below 30 percent. Essentially, Smart Actions manages all of the little things that add up to make all the difference in the world - all while extending your phone's already long battery life.
"RAZR is synonymous with design excellence and both Motorola RAZR MAXX and Motorola RAZR V reflect that," said Robert van Tilburg, senior regional sales director, South Asia, Motorola Mobility. "With its fantastic battery, Motorola RAZR MAXX is in a class of its own. Not only do you get everything you love about the Motorola RAZR, but now you get the power to last through marathon calls, hours of surfing the Web, or streaming movies. You'll drop long before this phone ever does. With Motorola RAZR V, we've created the perfect smartphone for stylish, smart and tech-savvy consumers who want great looks, great performance and great value."
Price and Availabily
Motorola RAZR MAXX will start shipping in end-June with the exact availability and prices in each market to be announced closer to the retail launch. Motorola RAZR V will be made available in Q3 of 2012.
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Judge grills Apple in Google smartphone case - msnbc.com
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Wednesday strongly questioned Apple Inc's bid for an injunction against Google Inc's Motorola Mobility unit, as the iPhone maker tries to salvage its position on a key front in the smartphone patent wars.
Federal Judge Richard Posner in Chicago did not make any formal rulings from the bench during the hearing, which was a chance for Apple to plead its case for an injunction against Motorola phones that allegedly use its technology. But Posner called the U.S. patent system "chaos" and said an order barring the sale of Motorola phones could have "catastrophic effects."
Posner earlier this month tentatively canceled an impending trial between the two technology companies, but scheduled the Wednesday hearing so Apple could argue for the injunction.
Apple has waged an international patent war since 2010 as part of its attempt to limit the growth of Google's Android system, the world's best-selling mobile operating platform. A decisive injunction in one of the U.S. legal cases could strengthen Apple's hand in negotiating cross-licensing deals, where companies agree to let each other use their patented technologies.
Opponents of Apple, meanwhile, say the iPhone and iPad maker is using patents too aggressively in its bid to stamp out the competition.
Motorola sued Apple in October 2010, a move widely seen as a preemptive strike. Apple filed its own lawsuit against Motorola the same month. Apple is also slated for trial against Samsung Electronics Co Ltd next month in California.
Posner issued a series of pretrial rulings that eliminated nearly all of Motorola's patent claims against Apple, while maintaining more of Apple's claims against Motorola. That meant Apple had more to gain at the trial, which had been set to start last week.
But Posner tentatively ruled that neither side could prove damages and scrapped the trial. An injunction would be "contrary to the public interest," Posner wrote.
In court on Wednesday, Apple attorney Matthew Powers said it is not seeking an order barring the sale of Motorola phones. Rather, Apple would be satisfied with an injunction requiring Motorola to remove Apple's patented technology from Motorola phones within three months.
That outcome would ensure the Android phones do not share some of the same features as the iPhone, a differentiation that could help Apple in the marketplace. One of the patents at issue, for instance, covers technology to stream real time video without glitches or delays.
"It means we're not competing with them where they are using our technology against us," Powers said.
But Posner said it may be preferable to direct Motorola to pay Apple a compulsory royalty. Forcing Motorola to adopt inferior technology, as opposed to paying a royalty, would not benefit consumers, he said.
In addition, nothing would stop Apple from coming back into court after three months to claim Motorola is still infringing.
"That's all we need is new actions, new suits, because there's not enough litigation worldwide between Apple and Android," Posner said.
Motorola had also asked for an injunction on the one patent it is still asserting in the case against Apple. However, Motorola had pledged to license that patent - which covers an aspect of wireless communication - on fair and reasonable terms to other companies in exchange for having the technology be adopted as an industry standard.
"I don't see how you can have injunction against the use of a standard essential patent," Posner told Motorola's attorneys.
Overall, Posner questioned the worth of many software patents, noting deep systemic problems with the U.S. patent system.
"You can't just assume that because someone has a patent, he has some deep moral right to exclude everyone else" from using the technology, Posner said.
The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, is Apple Inc and NeXT Software Inc v. Motorola Inc and Motorola Mobility Inc, 11-cv-8540.
(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Jeffrey Benkoe and Andre Grenon)
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Check for restrictions at: http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
Vodafone Launches New Affordable 3G Tariff Plans In India - Techie Buzz
Sanjoy Mukerji, Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone India, said:
“We, at Vodafone, believe in offering services that add value to the lives of our customers through constant focus on meeting their needs. With the introduction of these plans, we aim at establishing a foundation for providing a 3G data plan for everyone, making it affordable to the masses in the country. Also, users who shy away from trying 3G services due to prohibitive costs can now experience services without the fear of a bill shock. The 2p/10kb PAYG & no additional charges for roaming are the first of its kind in the Indian market. We expect this offer to be well received by the customers as it will act as a strong value proposition for data users.”
Burger King shares returning to public trade - The Guardian
Apple aims to reopen patent fight against Google's Motorola - The Guardian
Apple will try to salvage a high-profile lawsuit against Google's Motorola Mobility unit on Wednesday at a crucial hearing in the smartphone patent wars between the two technology companies.
Sitting in Chicago, federal judge Richard Posner will hear Apple argue that it should be able to seek an order barring the sale of some Motorola phones. Posner's decision could affect the iPhone maker's ability to negotiate favourable licensing agreements in its legal fights against Motorola and other competitors including Samsung and HTC.
Apple has waged an international patent war since spring 2010, part of its attempt to either limit the growth of Google's Android or to restrict the number of iPhone-like features that it offers. So far it has had little effect; Android has gone in that time from around 100,000 phones being activated every day to more than 900,000 a day, and from less than 8m devices in use worldwide to more than 390m. Opponents of Apple, meanwhile, say it is using patents too aggressively in its bid to stamp out competition.
Motorola was first to move, suing Apple in October 2010, a move widely seen as a pre-emptive strike. Apple filed its own claims against Motorola the same month. Among the patents being asserted are some originally filed by NeXT Computer, the company set up by the late Steve Jobs which was then bought by Apple in 1996.
Posner issued a series of pretrial rulings that eliminated nearly all of Motorola's patent claims against Apple, while maintaining more of Apple's claims against Motorola. That meant Apple had more to gain at the trial, which had been set to start last week.
But earlier this month Posner cancelled the trial, saying in a tentative ruling that neither side could prove damages. An injunction would be "contrary to the public interest," he wrote.
Last week however Posner granted Apple's request for a hearing on a possible injunction, and ordered both sides to submit legal arguments in advance. Those documents were filed under seal on Monday.
Motorola may also ask for an injunction on the one patent in the case that it can still assert against Apple.
A clear victory in one of the US legal cases could strengthen Apple's hand in negotiating cross-licensing deals, where companies agree to let each other use their patented technologies, or to apply for bans on sales or changes to how devices which infringe its patents function.
So far, though, Apple has shown little inclination to license its patents to Android device makers, although it signed a Apple cross-licensing deal with Finland's Nokia in June 2011 in an out-of-court settlement after a protracted battle between the two over patents.
By contrast Microsoft has persuaded a number of Android handset manufacturers to sign cross-licensing deals which in effect mean that it gets paid a stipend every time one of the handsets is shipped.
Apple and Samsung are scheduled for trial on 30 July in federal court in San Jose, California.
Motorola Mobility Brings the Longest Talk Time of any Smartphone (1) to Saudi Arabia with RAZR MAXX - TMCnet
(ENP Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) ENP Newswire - 20 June 2012 Release date- 19062012 - RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - All day, every day - that's how much you use your smartphone.
With its impossibly thin and lightweight design, Motorola RAZR MAXX boasts features with the wow factor and a battery that can handle even the most demanding lifestyle. From today, customers across Saudi Arabia will be able to start talking, texting, typing, watching and more for even longer.
RAZR MAXX delivers up to 17.6-1 hours of talk time so you won't spend your day plugged into the wall. However its 1GB RAM combined with a dual-core 1.2GHz processor and Android operating system will ensure you are always entertained, delivering a lightning-fast user interface and the power to multi-task like never before. You can rock your playlists while checking email, breeze through photos - all day, every day, all at the same time.
Still seriously thin at just 8.99mm, RAZR MAXX is the exact opposite of frail. It's made strong with KEVLAR fibre, while Corning Gorilla Glass defends the hyper-vibrant 4.3-inch Super AMOLED Advanced display from scratches and scrapes. And every part of the Motorola RAZR MAXX is protected by a splashguard coating, which even extends to the electrical boards inside, ensuring a go anywhere, do everything attitude.
Smart Actions, the remarkably intelligent application exclusive to Motorola Mobility, pushes the limits even further by automating everyday tasks based on triggers like time of day, location, battery levels and more. Never forget to put your phone on silent in meetings, turn up the volume when your boss calls and even maximize your last ounce of power by dimming the display and turning off power hungry services.
Motorola RAZR MAXX also comes preloaded with the Motorola MotoCast app-2, giving you the power to stream or download content from a home or work computer straight to the device so your docs, pics and music are always available - anytime, anywhere. No uploading to a third party means no wasted time or forgetting to upload that crucial presentation, and everything stays protected, right on your computer.
'RAZR MAXX isn't changing the rules - it's creating a whole new game. Building on the RAZR heritage it combines the pinnacle of design with mind-blowing power and an incredible battery life that is perfect for people who want to push their smartphone to the limits,' said Raed Hafez, managing director for Motorola Mobility, Middle East & Africa. 'Whether you want to watch hours of movies, or don't want to worry about charging between meetings, this latest smartphone from Motorola redefines boundaries and banishes the low battery beep to history.' Motorola smartphones offer some of the industry's most powerful enterprise features available, and Motorola RAZR MAXX is no exception, including government-grade encryption and productivity tools that rival the capabilities of desktop PCs. Collaborate in real time with GoToMeeting and create and edit files right on your phone with QuickOffice.
Availability Motorola RAZR MAXX is available from selected major retailers from SAR 2099. More information available on www.motorola.com/razrmaxx About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
About Motorola Mobility Motorola Mobility, owned by Google, fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people's lives. Our portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets; wireless accessories; end-to-end video and data delivery; and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices. For more information, visit motorola.com/mobility.
Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas; additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Contact your service provider for details. All features, functionality and other product specifications are subject to change without notice or obligation 1 Comparison based on manufacturers published talk times as of 29/02/12 for 3G smartphones with voice carried over a 3G network. RAZR MAXX talk time is up to 17.6hrs. Battery performance depends on network configuration, signal strength, operating temperature, features selected, and voice, data and other application usage patterns.
2 MOTOCAST supports many popular file formats and codecs. Additional software is necessary to enable use of unsupported files on your mobile phone. DRM-protected content is not supported. Respect the rights of copyright owners by only using MOTOCAST to stream and sync authorized content.
MOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. Android is a trademark of Google, Inc. Corning and Gorilla are registered trademarks of Corning Incorporated. KEVLAR is a registered trademark of DuPont used under license by Motorola Mobility, Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. 2012 Motorola Mobility, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Motorola Xoom 2 says buongiorno to Alitalia's cockpits and cabins (video) - engadget
Motorola Mobility Takes Motorola XOOM™ 2 to the Skies with Alitalia
ROME – June 19, 2012 – Today marks a unique opportunity between Motorola Mobility and the Italian airline Alitalia, which will revolutionize aircraft service and in-flight entertainment. Alitalia and Motorola Mobility have always been at the forefront in offering innovative technology solutions: Alitalia to flight assistants and customers and likewise Motorola Mobility to consumers. Today they anticipate that airlines will need more sophisticated technologies, focused on enhancing customer satisfaction.
Alitalia will be among the first airlines in the world to provide their crew with a tablet, Motorola XOOM™ 2, which will contain all relevant information on high value customers. This includes not only the profile of each passenger, but also their preferences in terms of the on-board menu, seating, travel history, as well as any inconveniences they experienced in the past. This will enable the staff to identify all the high value customers and to customise the service according to their needs.
Thanks to the wide range of programs and tools configured on each device and the ability to connect to the web, Alitalia staff will be able to receive updated information in real-time and perform all operations on board without having to print and carry, achieving great improvements in terms of time, efficiency and speed of updates. The flight attendants will also use the Motorola XOOM 2 to access the aircraft's internal manuals from the palm of their hands.
Motorola XOOM™ 2 tablets will also be introduced as Alitalia's in-flight entertainment services (IFE) for Business and Magnifica Class passengers on mid as well as long-distance flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tel Aviv, Beyruth, Riyadh and Teheran that are currently without an IFE service. Thanks to the tablets and the preloaded content, passengers will enjoy free access to a wide range of movies, music, online magazines and video games - all from Motorola XOOM 2's gorgeous 10.1-inch widescreen HD display.
But there is no need to be on the plane to take advantage of the Motorola XOOM 2. The Motorola XOOM 2 tablets will also be placed in 10 Alitalia lounges (Freccia Alata) so travelers can keep up to date on the latest news before embarking on their flights. A demo area within the Alitalia flagship store in Rome will provide useful suggestions to passengers on how to use the best technology of Motorola XOOM 2.
"Today we have made another further step ahead in our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategy" says Marco Sansavini, director of sales, Distribution and Customer Care in Alitalia. "It is a priority project for the new Alitalia, which involves the training of 9,000 people. Alitalia wants to make the onboard flight an extraordinary experience and the tablets will enable the crew to always stay online and in touch with the needs and preferences of its passengers. Alitalia will be one of the first airlines in the world that will use this innovative way to manage its clients. The tablet will also be used as a source of entertainment for passengers of six medium and long distance destinations and for the guests of our lounge rooms "Freccia Alata".
"With its cutting edge technology and host of entertainment features, Motorola XOOM 2 is the perfect travel companion for Alitalia passengers," said Maurizio Angelone, vice president and general manager, Mobile Devices, EMEA, Motorola Mobility. "Tablets have increasingly become a must-have device for staying connected, whether at home or on the go, and we anticipate the transportation industry will make tablets an integral part of their consumer offering in the years to come."
Motorola Droid Razr Maxx Receives Android Update (Beta Version) - Int'l Business Times
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Australian users who are using Motorola Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx would need to wait a little longer in order for the update to officially roll out in the U.S. before receiving their own Android updates in Australia. Australian users should also wait for an official announcement from their mobile carriers regarding the specific schedule for their Android ICS update.
Though this update for Motorola smartphones are expected to push through all around the world, the specific date and availability would still be dependent on their respective mobile carriers.
The Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx are considered as the top smartphones from Motorola. The Droid Razr has a display size of 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen which has dimensions of 130.7 x 68.9 x 7.1 mm and weighs around 127 grams. It has a Dual-Core 1.2GHz processor with 16GB internal memory storage which can be upgraded through removable memory option of up to 32GB. As for the Droid Razr Maxx, it has a display size of 4.3-inch Super AMOLED which has dimensions of 130.7 x 68.9 x 8.99 mm and weighs around 145 grams. It also has a Dual-Core 1.2GHz with 16 GB internal; 16 GB microSD card pre-installed as well as removable storage option of up to 32GB (microSD).
Both the Motorola Droid Razr and Droid Razr Maxx are already available in the Australian market.
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Motorola DEFY MINI Arrives in South Africa at Vodacom - Softpedia
For the time being, customers in South Africa can grab the DEFY MINI for 245 USD (190 EUR) outright, but Motorola mentioned the smartphone would also be available on contract.
The rugged smartphone is dust-proof and water-resistant, but the phone also comes with Corning Gorilla Glass coating for extra protection.
According to Motorola, the DEFY MINI “is strong enough to keep up with you and your wildest adventures. And all for a price that won’t break the bank.”
Motorola’s smallest device in the DEFY series has already been launched in most regions of the world, in some cases under different names.
Software-wise, the DEFY MINI is powered by Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread platform and has been confirmed to stay on this version of the operating system.
In addition, the smartphone runs Motorola’s MotoSwitch UI, which is said to be capable of learning user’s favorite songs and the most frequently contacts that the user calls. All the information obtained is then put on the phone’s home screen for quicker and easier access.
On the inside, the DEFY MINI is equipped with a low-performance processor clocked at 600 MHz, 512MB of RAM, 512MB of ROM, as well as microSD card slot for memory expansion (up to 32GB).
Furthermore, the handset sports a decent 3.2-inch capacitive touchscreen display that supports 320 x 480 pixels and 262k colors. There’s also a 3-megapixel main camera with LED flash and video recording.
“Motorola DEFY MINI is just the right mix of style, value, performance and toughness. It can stand up to whatever your busy life throws at you, keep you connected and organised while allowing you to capture and share your once-in-a-lifetime adventures – all with resilience and style”, said Dorothy Matemba, Motorola sub-Saharan Africa head of marketing.
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