On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

Kodak has "no intention to file for bankruptcy" as it faces investor concerns and plummeting revenues.

However, the imaging company still hires Jones Day for restructuring advice-- a law firm with experience in advising major companies (including Chrysler) on bankruptcies, as well as paths for finance improvements.

The company aims to have $1.6-1.7 billion in cash on hand by the end of the year through asset sales, patent income and company business improvement. Kodak sales for Q2 2011 are down by -5% Y-o-Y, reaching $1.5 Bn, with consumer inkjet printers and ink fuelling revenue growth reaching 48% Y-o-Y.

Kodak consumer digital imaging revenues are down by -8% Y-o-Y, due to decreasing digital camera sales.

Currently Kodak is also seeking advice on selling patents from investment bank Lazard. Earlier this year Kodak sold 1100 patents relating to digital imaging.

Go Kodak States no Intention to File for Bankruptcy

Go Kodak Q2 2011 Results

Nokia plans a new operating system ("Meltemi") for cheap feature phones aimed at growing emerging markets.

The name for this Linux-based system comes from the Greek word for the strong, dry north winds of the Aegean Sea, which blow from about mid-May to mid-September. During hot summer days, these winds are considered a blessing. Similar winds blow in the Adriatic and Ionian regions.

Obviously Nokia feels a cheaper OS will give emerging markets a blessing (and maybe even curse more expensive solutions from competitors.)

Wall Street Journal says heading the project is Nokia executive VP for mobile phones, Mary McDowell.

It pays for Nokia to focus on the feature phone market-- this segment accounts around 47% of Nokia Q2 2011 sales. Their customers in emerging markets now started to expect some smartphone functionality even from cheaper, lower-end devices.

News site Boy Genius Report thinks Meltemi will replace the Nokia Series 40 platform, as its more capable while running on equally low-cost hardware.

Nokia will apparently still offer low-cost Windows Phone devices (running "Tango," the stripped down version of Windows Phone 7). Now Meltemi will allow Nokia to sell phones at even lower, rock-bottom prices.

Replying to the BGR report, Nokia simply says "...our Mobile Phones team has a number of exciting projects in the works."

Go Nokia Aims Software at Low-End Phones (WSJ)

Go Nokia to Turn Mobile Landscape on its Head with "Meltemi" (BGR)

TomTom posts revenues reaching €314M (down from €362 in Q2 2010) in Q2 2011, with customer revenue losses reaching -23% Y-o-Y-- even if it sees growth of 34% Y-o-Y in automotive revenues.

However the company hopes the sales declines will stabilise, should customers start replacing devices with newer models.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, TomTom MD Corinne Vigreux says Q4 2011 will be "crucial" for the company.

The company is currently going through negotiations with car makers to include TomTom devices in vehicles-- and already has contracts with Renault and Fiat.

The navigation device market is receiving a beating from free smartphone navigation apps (such as Google Maps). TomTom also offers smartphone and tablet apps (using a subscription-based pricing model), and diversifies offerings with sports activity monitors.

Go TomTom Q2 2011 Results

Go TomTom Eyes Clearer Path Ahead (WSJ.com, subscription required)

Many look to Amazon's tablet launch to ignite the flame of competition against iPad. While the new Kindle Fire features a 7" colour IPS display (2-point multitouch), 8GB memory, a dual-core processor and a $199 price point, it's not the hardware that excites the market but the Amazon platform, the ability to supply content and apps in a cloud infrastructure that rivals or even surpasses Apple's.

Amazon also provides a 30-day free trial to Amazon Prime, its video on demand subscription service.

Speaking to Bloomberg Businessweek, Jeff Bezos describes the Kindle Fire not as a tablet but "as a service."

Confirming earlier rumours the Kindle Fire carries an Amazon-themed version of Android-- with a different UI tying the device to the Amazon digital media library and shopfront, while Amazon Cloud Storage handles free storage.

Of course the Amazon App Store will handle, well, apps.

Overall, the device looks very similar to the Blackberry PlayBook-- lending weight to reports from GDGT saying the Kindle Fire comes from the same company behind the PlayBook, Quanta.

The GDGT report's sources also insist the tablet is "pretty poor" and only a "stopgap" trying to grab some holiday sales from Apple.

Amazon also reveals 2 new Kindle e-readers-- the Kindle Touch (with an IR touch display and smaller body) and a "dirt cheap" non-touchscreen ad-supported Kindle selling for $79.99.

Go Amazon Unveils Kindle Fire Tablet (Bloomberg)

Go The Omnivore interview with Jeff Bezos (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Go The Amazon Tablet Will Look Like a Playbook (GDGT)