Business Wire - Research and Markets has announced the addition of 2008 Global Mobile -- Data and Content Markets to their offering.
Key highlights:
-- In the wake of the popularity of HSDPA, currently over 25 HSUPA networks have been commercially launched in 20 countries around the world.
-- Today more than 40 mobile operators worldwide are developing mobile IM services for personal use and in late 2007 personal mobile IM became available in Asia.
-- In 2008 it is predicted over 2 trillion text messages will be sent worldwide and this number continues to grow.
-- The USA is planning the most significant upgrade to its GPS system since its launch. GPS III satellites are expected to have 500 times the transmitter power of the current system.
-- In 2008 mobile TV/video is commercially available in some markets and there will be further launches and trials taking place in all regions of the world.
-- The introduction of smaller and more flexible chipset modules will reduce the size of the RFID readers and bring overall costs down.
-- Operators around the world are contemplating and deploying IMS; a mobile platform that makes seamless communications possible between fixed and mobile networks. Initially attitudes towards IMS were overly positive, but the hype is now settling with operators taking a more realistic and cautious approach.
-- In 2008 around 70% of GPRS operators have committed to deploying EDGE in their networks worldwide.
-- The US mobile data sector continued to enjoy strong growth (at around 60%) in 2007.
-- Mobile operators in Eastern Europe are slowly focusing on mobile data, particularly in countries where prospects for revenue growth from saturated voice markets are slim and the number of deployed WCDMA/HSDPA networks is on the rise, a tribute to the technology's maturity and its dominance of the 3G technology market.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Research and Markets: In 2008 It Is Predicted That Over 2 Trillion Text Messages Will Be Sent Worldwide and This Number Continues To Grow
New Mobile Services from Clear Channel Interact Will Transform Outdoor Advertising
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clear Channel Outdoor UK is launching a suite of ground-breaking mobile services which will enable clients and agencies to interact directly with consumers through the outdoor medium. The new services, branded Clear Channel Interact, will allow consumers to opt-in to find out more information about an advertiser, download mobile vouchers for special offers, access mobile websites or find the nearest store, gym, cinema or other desired location.
The number of adult mobile phone owners in the UK has reached 88%, according to the Mobile Data Association, while Clear Channel Outdoor’s 70,000 outdoor advertising opportunities reach 84% of the population every week*. Advertisers will now be able to book outdoor advertising campaigns that include a call to action for consumers to use their mobiles and text a Clear Channel operated shortcode number which provides access to a world of bespoke mobile information, selected by the advertiser.
These services will include: Find out more, Mobile voucher, Mobile website, Find my nearest, Consumer feedback, Voting service, Text messaging, Voice messaging, Picture messaging and Directory listings.
The Mobile voucher service, for example, will allow an advertiser to send vouchers direct to a mobile handset which can be redeemed directly in-store or by entering a unique code online.
The Find my nearest service can be used to drive footfall and facilitate the call to action of a particular campaign. Clear Channel Interact will be able to triangulate a consumer’s location and search its database for the nearest locations according to keyword. The matching destinations, for example retail outlets, gyms or cinemas, can then be sent to the user’s handset including addresses, telephone numbers and maps.
All of these services will be supported by a back-end system that will provide tracking and data profiling facilities for advertisers, in accordance with the Data Protection Act, further enhancing the accountability of specific campaigns, and the outdoor medium as a whole.
Priceline.com Launches New Mobile Services For Travelers
NORWALK, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Priceline.com® (Nasdaq: PCLN) announced today the launch of a suite of mobile services that enable travelers with Web-enabled wireless devices to search hotel inventories, pricing and availability in real-time, book rooms, check the status of their flights, and see recommended restaurants and local attraction reviews from Zagat Survey, LLC.
“We believe these enhancements make priceline.com one of the leading wireless services providers in the online travel space,” said priceline.com’s Chief Marketing Officer Brett Keller. “Many priceline.com customers are last-minute travelers who need the ability to check live hotel inventories, book their rooms in real-time and check their flight status while on the road. In addition, Zagat Survey’s restaurant and attractions reviews provide unique, valuable content that can’t be found on any other major online travel service.”
Travelers can access priceline.com’s mobile services in two ways. When accessed through a Web-enabled wireless device, www.priceline.com will automatically route visitors to the special wireless home page. Travelers can also access priceline.com’s mobile services, by wireless device or computer, by visiting www.priceline.mobi.
Priceline’s mobile features include:
- Search Hotels. Allows customers to search live, real-time hotel inventories and pricing by city and date. Once the desired hotel is located, customers can click on a link to be connected to Priceline’s telephone booking service for hotels.
- Book Travel. Provides an easy connection to Priceline’s telephone booking services for hotel rooms, air & hotel vacation packages and cruises.
- Flight Status. Automatically connects to the mobile flight status pages for American, Northwest, United and US Airways. Provides links that customers can use to dial flight status phone numbers for most major domestic and international airlines.
- Zagat-Rated Restaurants. Allows visitors to view highlights of Zagat-Rated restaurants by city. Each restaurant is accompanied by address, phone number, average price and Zagat’s signature numerical rating of its Food, Décor and Service.
- Zagat-Rated Attractions. Allows visitors to view highlights of Zagat-Rated attractions by city. Each attraction is accompanied by address, telephone number, cost (if any), and Zagat’s signature numerical rating of its Appeal, Facilities and Service.
- Customer Help. Provides e-mail and telephone links to Priceline customer service for hotels, vacation packages and cruises.
- Download Goodies. Offers downloadable ringtones and wireless device wallpaper from priceline.com’s current Negotiator TV commercials, starring William Shatner.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Internet Service, GPS Driving Chinese Smartphone Market
The smartphone is evolving to become a mobile Internet device, with cellular voice communication just one function of the converged appliance, and Chinese consumers are responding to its capabilities, reports In-Stat. The Chinese smartphone market grew by 37.7% in 2007, with total shipments of 14.4 million. The introduction of feature-rich mobile Internet service and GPS-based services will fuel the market over the next several years.
A recent report by the high-tech market research firm found the following:
* Revolutionary UI and UE, enabled by touchscreen and 3D sensor technologies, will be widely used in the next generation of smartphones.
* Smartphone shipments in China are expected to hit 33 million in 2012.
* The GPS-enabled Smartphone is in its infancy, but will have an increasing impact on the Smartphone market during the forecast period.
Sprint Launches Revolutionary $99.99 “Simply EverythingSM” Plan
OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In an industry-defining move, Sprint today announced it will launch a domestic unlimited pricing plan that gives customers unlimited voice, data, text, e-mail, Web-surfing, Sprint TVSM, Sprint Music, GPS Navigation, Direct Connect® and Group Connect® for $99.99 a month. The new pricing plan is available to existing and new customers beginning tomorrow.
“This is a bold, unprecedented move,” said Dan Hesse, president and CEO, Sprint Nextel. “Wireless today is about much more than just voice. It is about data services – texting, email, video, pictures, music, navigation, surfing the Web and more. Customers want these applications, but without complexity and without having to worry about their bill. The $99.99 Simply Everything plan delivers it all right to the palm of their hand now.
“Today’s handsets are powerful data devices. Each day they get better, faster and easier to use with more intuitive user interface designs and full Internet access. Our high-speed networks were built with this in mind and it’s where we believe the battleground lies – offering fast access to the best content and data services. We are removing the barriers for customers to feel free to use all of the features of their phones.”
The $99.99 Simply Everything plan is available to customers on both Sprint’s CDMA and iDEN networks. Existing Sprint customers can switch to the Simply Everything plan without extending their current contract either by contacting Sprint customer service or by stopping by any participating Sprint retail location. New line activations require a two-year agreement.
For families, Simply Everything includes an incremental $5 discount for each incremental line, up to five lines on the same bill. For example, two lines would amount to $194.98 ($99.99 + $94.99); a third line would cost an additional $89.99. This is in sharp contrast to the multi-line unlimited rates offered by some competitors. The Sprint plan offers significant savings the more lines a customer adds.
The move to unlimited pricing that includes data signifies a turning point for the wireless industry. Nationally accepted measures of voice quality now show very little, if any, difference among the top wireless providers.
“All major carriers have good voice networks,” Hesse said. “Our network is about more than voice and more than just being the largest wireless data network. It is about allowing customers to connect with people, information and entertainment. It is about simplicity, usability and real value. The $99.99 Simply Everything plan eliminates overage surprises and provides a worry-free environment.
“Our investments in innovation and speed are becoming the new areas of differentiation. These are the areas where we perform best and where we can deliver a wireless advantage for our customers.”
Britannica Reference Work Available for iPhone
CHICAGO, IL--(Marketwire - February 27, 2008) - If you're thinking of getting an iPhone but just haven't done it, you now have another reason to cave in and join the wireless elite: Encyclopaedia Britannica. An extensive encyclopedia from the editors of the famous reference work is now available on Apple's über-smartphone.
Thanks to an application created by Britannica's engineers, anyone with an iPhone can access tens of thousands of articles covering all subjects at http://i.eb.com/. The application boasts a look and feel tailored to the iPhone, with full-text searching, thousands of high-resolution thumbnails that expand to full-size images, and page layouts optimized for cell phone bandwidth. It's fully searchable and hot-linked, similar to Britannica's Web editions. It also works for the iPod Touch.
"It's been live for about two weeks, and I can't get enough of it," said Chicago-based executive Dan Smith, a self-described iPhone junkie. "It's fast, easy to use and the articles look stunning."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Resco Releases Resco MobileBusiness Toolkit for Microsoft Visual Studio 2008
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 add-on for mobile application developers.
Bratislava, Slovakia (PRWEB) February 27, 2008 -- Resco, a supplier of advanced developer tools and components for mobile devices, today announced availability of Resco MobileBusiness Toolkit, a Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 add-on for mobile application developers, especially Sales Force Automation/Field Service application creators and Enterprise Resource Planning/Customer Relationship Management integrators. The resulting mobile application can be run on rich variety of Windows Mobile-based Smart phones.
“We understand that developer companies tend to use suitable software components to speed up the development and thus reduce the costs,” said Radomír Vozár, director of Resco, Enterprise Solutions. “By releasing Resco MobileBusiness Toolkit we provide the developer community a well-documented solution dedicated for mobile business application development which can be easily customized using the features of Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.”
The whole solution consists of:
- MobileForms Toolkit – set of versatile Visual Studio 2008 controls for the Microsoft .NET Framework designed specifically for mobile devices.
- MobileBusiness Controls – set of Visual Studio2008 user controls that demonstrate how to solve typical problems that developers of mobile business applications run into. MobileBusiness Controls are provided with the Microsoft Visual C# source code.
- MobileBusiness Forms – set of forms which serve as a container for MobileBusiness Controls as well as other components which all together create MobileBusiness mobile application. MobileBusiness Forms are provided with the Visual C# source code.
Mobile Gaming to Grow as Gamers Move to Newer Channels
“Lack of competition has left most carrier decks with an uninspired user interface and poor merchandising environment, which contributed to the recent market stagnation,” said Yuanzhe (Michael) Cai, Director of Broadband and Gaming, Parks Associates. “Off-deck marketing and distribution, combined with new business models such as mobile game advertising, episodic content delivery, and micro-payments, will rekindle industry growth.”
Parks Associates reports that many market forces are driving off-deck distribution of mobile content and services, including the growing influence of established media companies, experiments with alternative distribution channels and advertising models, and recent efforts to open carriers’ walled gardens, including the Open Handset Alliance and Nokia’s Ovi services.
“Many mobile game publishers are working on off-deck initiatives,” Cai said. “Even carriers like AT&T are building business-to-business platforms to allow game publishers to market and distribute games directly to mobile gamers.”
The New Frontier: Portable and Mobile Gaming studies market trends in mobile and portable gaming, examines new business models, and profiles more than 30 companies.
Vodafone UK Sat Nav Powered by Telmap Available for Consumers
Vodafone UK extends its Sat Nav service to mass market consumer mobile devices LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vodafone UK and Telmap, the world leader in advanced mobile mapping and navigation solutions, are today introducing Vodafone Sat Nav– an operator branded mobile navigation solution available for the UK consumer market.
The launch of Vodafone Sat Nav for consumers, powered by Telmap, is the first operator-branded mobile navigation service aimed at consumers in the UK. The solution has already been successfully launched into the enterprise market, where it is available on a number of devices.
Vodafone Sat Nav provides users with a complete mobile navigation experience, including both in-car and pedestrian navigation. Featuring 3D maps that enhance the navigation experience, up-to-date maps and directions it also gives the customer instant access to live traffic alerts and millions of points-of-interest such as hotels, restaurants, shopping and attractions.
“Following the success of Vodafone Sat Nav with our business customers, we know that consumers too want Sat Nav on their mobile phones,” says Ian Shepherd, consumer business director, of Vodafone UK. “By partnering with Telmap, Vodafone UK customers can now benefit from advanced Satellite Navigation on a range of handsets. We will continue to deliver location, navigation and mapping solutions that will appeal to all customers regardless of the type of mobile device they use.”
“This consumer launch further strengthens the partnership between Telmap and Vodafone UK and allows us to build on the success we have achieved with Vodafone Sat Nav in the enterprise market,” says Oren Nissim, CEO, Telmap. “As the first operator-branded mobile navigation service for UK consumers, this launch marks a significant milestone for both Telmap and the industry in bringing a fully featured Sat Nav experience to the mass-market mobile phone.”
Vodafone Sat Nav is available on a variety of consumer mobile devices; launching initially on three of Vodafone UK’s GPS embedded handsets – Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8GB and Nokia 6110 as well as the new BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8110 smartphone. The subscription to the service costs £5 per month with the first month free. When using the service data charges apply. Customers can purchase the service from any Vodafone retail stores, through telesales or directly from Vodafone live! Customers who purchase the BlackBerry Pearl 8110 will get 12 months Sat Nav included.
The solution has already been successfully launched into the enterprise market, where it is available on a number of devices including the BlackBerry® Curve™ 8310, Vodafone UK’s fastest selling BlackBerry smartphone ever, and the BlackBerry Pearl 8110.
MELODIS Corporation Launches midomi mobile
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pioneering search and sound recognition company MELODIS Corporation today announced the launch of midomi mobile, its music search application for mobile devices. midomi mobile allows users to search for music by singing, humming or even whistling into their mobile devices. The application accesses midomi’s online user-generated database of songs and uses MELODIS’ patented Multimodal Adaptive Recognition System (MARS) to identify what users are searching for.
The midomi song database has become the largest user-generated repository of its kind since its launch in January 2007. The free, membership-based midomi community is also a vibrant social-networking destination on the Web — providing a forum for amateur and professional musicians, talent seekers, and music lovers around the world to discover and be discovered.
Available for download free of cost at mobile.midomi.com, midomi mobile offers users a wide range of functionality. Having found a song using midomi mobile, users can play back the snippet from the rendition that matched their query or listen to other members’ renditions that helped identify the song. midomi mobile also enables users to search for music videos playable on mobile devices through services such as YouTube. And, users can connect to midomi’s social network through midomi mobile to access member profiles, recordings, playlists, and more.
The company will soon offer additional functionality for midomi mobile users. Future releases will allow users to identify original music content, such as music broadcast through the radio. Users will also be able to search for music by speaking out the song title or artist’s name, or by typing it without having to know the exact spelling.
The initial release of midomi mobile is designed for mobile phones using the Symbian OS and the popular S60 platform. MELODIS plans to release support for additional platforms such as the S40 Java platform in the near future.
“An increasing number of music-enabled handsets are sold each year, and we aim to make midomi mobile available on all of these handsets. With the exciting functionality we’re continuing to develop for midomi mobile, it will become the ultimate music search tool for the mobile market,” says Keyvan Mohajer, CEO, MELODIS Corporation.
The commercial potential of midomi is growing rapidly, according to Mohajer: “Both at the website and on midomi mobile, we’re providing advertising opportunities that are easily and quickly accessible for viewers and advertisers alike. This is allowing us to continue growing the services we can offer to our users and partners.”
KNFB Reading Technology, Inc. Premieres Reader Mobile Product Line
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KNFB Reading Technology, Inc. will premiere its Reader Mobile product line—featuring the first cell phone that reads to the learning disabled, vision impaired, and blind—at the Learning Disabilities Association of America Annual Conference 2008.
The pocket-sized device is the first of its kind, and enables users to take pictures of and then read most printed materials at the push of a button, using the high-resolution camera in the state-of-the-art Nokia N82 cell phone. Users can hear documents, signs, menus, receipts, even currency – most any printed text – read aloud in clear synthetic speech, at an adjustable speed.
KNFB Reading Technology is the brain child of Ray Kurzweil, a thirty-year innovator and pioneer in assistive technologies and the inventor of the world’s first print-to-speech reading machine. The kReader uses a combination of unique intelligent image-processing software with text-to-speech and text-tracking features, which makes interpreting text much easier for individuals with learning disabilities. They can now enlarge, read, track, and highlight text using the phone’s large, easy-to-read display.
Playboy Mobile Launches National Model Search: 'Miss Playboy Mobile 2008'
"We are very excited about the inaugural Miss Playboy Mobile search, one of many new mobile initiatives we are launching this year," stated Edward Lang, Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Mobile and International Online, Playboy Enterprises, Inc. "This campaign is entirely consumer-driven -- from submissions to voting -- and we designed it specifically to reflect the fun and sexy lifestyle shared by Playboy fans and mobile consumers. We look forward to crowning our first winner on April 2 in Las Vegas, home of the Playboy Club, as well as the site of the CTIA Wireless Association Convention."
To enter this nationwide search, women 18 years and older can register and submit their photos for initial voting on http://www.mspbm.com. Round-One voting recently began, and concludes on March 15. Voting on the finalists will extend from March 16 through March 31, after which all ten will be flown to Las Vegas. The winner will be crowned "Miss Playboy Mobile 2008" at a VIP celebration at the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa at the Palms Casino Resort on April 2, during CTIA.
LocaModa Connects Social Networks to Social Locations
BOSTON, Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- LocaModa Inc. today introduced
breakthrough social connectivity to its interactive Out-of-Home platform.
LocaModa 3.0 enables mobile consumers to control and interact with social
media around them using any mobile phone on any network, while also giving
their friends online a window into what's happening via websites such as
Facebook.
"By connecting social networks to social locations, our platform is
uniquely positioned to deliver the same kind of measurability for
Out-of-Home networks as advertisers and brands expect from the web," said
Stephen Randall, CEO LocaModa.
LocaModa 3.0 offers a full range of mobile interactivity that
seamlessly enables multi-channel integrated marketing. Out-of-Home
advertisers can now extend their reach to the web and the phone, while
networks and location owners can tap into web-based user generated content
and bring in incremental revenue via online advertising.
Applications designed for LocaModa 3.0 can run on existing digital
signage platforms or be installed as part of a complete LocaModa
interactive Out-of-Home solution. The platform is ideal for cafes, bars,
colleges and public spaces, but can also be used for conferences,
conventions and campaigns.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Mobile Music Adoption Revenues Set to Reach $17.5bn by 2012
Hampshire, UK -- Juniper Research reports global ringtone revenues heading for a decline while the global mobile music market is expected to continue to rise. The total value of the global mobile music market is expected to rise to more than $17.5bn by 2012, driven by rental music services and full-track downloads, according to a new report by Juniper Research. According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "I think it's fair to say that 2007 marked the tipping point as far as mobile music adoption was concerned. Far more subscribers began downloading and subscribing to music content in developed markets, and it must be said that that the publicity surrounding the iPhone launch undoubtedly contributed to consumer awareness of mobile music services per se." However, the Juniper report also argues that current prices for ringtones are unsustainable and that the market for such services may already have peaked in a number of developed markets, arguing that competitive pricing allied to a steady migration to ad-funded and/or self-generated ringtones will lead to a gradual decline in global ringtone revenues. "With some operators now offering full-track downloads at a comparable price to iTunes, there is little justification for a ringtone retail price point that is in many cases two or even three times this level," said Holden. "Furthermore, those aggregators whose portfolios are largely dependent upon the polyphonic ringtone will be unable to survive in the medium term unless they both rethink their pricing strategies and substantially diversify their product portfolios." Other findings from the Juniper report include: The China/Far East region will remain the largest regional marketplace for mobile music services, accounting for around 43% of sales per annum over the next five years Ringtones, which accounted for 62% of the mobile music market in 2007, will account for just 38% by 2012 The report argues that more operators should emulate the Vodafone model and introduce similar subscription-based music rental services
Report Buyer Says China Mobile Phone Subscribers Hit 738 million in 2010
| NewswireToday - /newswire/ - London, United Kingdom | |||
| Report Buyer, has added a new report which finds that the number of mobile subscribers in China will reach 738 million in 2010. | |||
Monday, February 25, 2008
TalkShoe Launches iPhone Application Giving Users Instant Ability to Talk and Listen Into Live Community Calls
Discuss Sports, Politics, Technology and More Directly From Your iPhone.
PITTSBURGH, PA--(Marketwire - February 25, 2008) - TalkShoe, the community call leader, today unveiled an iPhone application that allows mobile users to participate on a call with just their iPhone. The iPhone web application was designed specifically for the iPhone and displays all live TalkShoe community calls, which allow people to join calls of interest with one click.
Community calls are being hosted constantly and bring together people to discuss topics such as sports, the latest in Mac innovations, pop culture, home winemaking, tips on financial matters, politics, religion, automotive trends and more. Now iPhone users can simply go to iphone.talkshoe.com, view the live and upcoming shows and join the call.
Panasonic Begins Delivery of P905iTV Handsets
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Combining the design concept of Panasonic large-screen flat-panel TV 'VIERA' and its high-quality picture technologies, the P905iTV is a sliding handset featuring "One-segment" mobile TV. Adopting frame conversion technology from 15 frames to 30 frames per second enables users to enjoy smooth, vivid and high quality "One-Segment" mobile TV together on a 3.5 inch Full Wide VGA large screen.
The handset employs Panasonic's original high-resolution technologies, "Mobile PEAKS PROCESSORTM" and "Mobile Double Contrast AI" that achieves a high contrast ratio of 4000:1, enabling users to enjoy vivid and high resolution "One-Segment" mobile TV and motion pictures.
Using "LCD Artificial Intelligence" which adjusts the brightness of a display automatically and advanced system LSI based on "UniPhier" for mobile phone, the P905iTV leverages eye-friendly pictures and electric power saving, letting users enjoy long-time 'One-Segment' mobile TV viewing and music playing.
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The P905iTV adopts new styles for users to enjoy 'One-Segment' mobile TV viewing and music playing, installed in its battery charger stand with high quality sound speakers.
In addition to advanced features of NTT DoCoMo's 905i series, such as 3G international roaming and HSDPA, the handset also has various fun functions including an autofocus 2.0 megapixels camera with six-axis image stabilizer and link functions to audio and visual equipment of Panasonic.
Main Specifications:
| Size: (H x W x T) | Approx. 113 X 53 X 17.9 mm (when folded) | ||||
| Weight: | Approx. 129 grams | ||||
| Continuous talk time: |
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| Continuous standby time: | Approx. 660 hours (3G) | ||||
| Main display: | Approx. 3.5 inches (854 X 480 dots) Full wide VGA LTPS TFT LCD (262,144-color) | ||||
| Cameras: | Autofocus CMOS Camera Effective resolution Approx. 2.0 megapixels | ||||
| External Memory Device | microSD / micro SDHC memory card (optional) | ||||
| Colors | Black, White |
Nokia and University of Cambridge Launch the Morph - a Nanotechnology Concept Device
NEW YORK and ESPOO, Finland, February 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
Morph, a joint nanotechnology concept, developed by Nokia Research Center
and the University of Cambridge (UK) - was launched today
alongside the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition, on view from
February 24 to May 12, 2008, at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New
York. Morph features in both the exhibition catalog and on MoMA's official
website.Morph is a concept that demonstrates how future mobile devices might be
stretchable and flexible, allowing the user to transform their mobile
device into radically different shapes. It demonstrates the ultimate
functionality that nanotechnology might be capable of delivering: flexible
materials, transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces. Dr. Bob
Iannucci, Chief Technology Officer, Nokia, commented: "Nokia Research
Center is looking at ways to reinvent the form and function of mobile
devices; the Morph concept shows what might be possible."
Dr. Tapani Ryhanen, Head of the NRC Cambridge UK laboratory, Nokia,
commented: "We hope that this combination of art and science will showcase
the potential of nanoscience to a wider audience. The research we are
carrying out is fundamental to this as we seek a safe and controlled way to
develop and use new materials."
Professor Mark Welland, Head of the Department of Engineering's
Nanoscience Group at the University of Cambridge and University Director of
Nokia-Cambridge collaboration added: "Developing the Morph concept with
Nokia has provided us with a focus that is both artistically inspirationalbut, more importantly, sets the technology agenda for our joint nanoscience
research that will stimulate our future work together."
The partnership between Nokia and the University of Cambridge was
announced in March, 2007 - an agreement to work together on an extensive
and long term programme of joint research projects. NRC has established a
research facility at the University's West Cambridge site and collaborates
with several departments - initially the Nanoscience Center and Electrical
Division of the Engineering Department - on projects that, to begin with,
are centered on nanotechnology.
Elements of Morph might be available to integrate into handheld devices
within 7 years, though initially only at the high-end. However,
nanotechnology may one day lead to low cost manufacturing solutions, and
offers the possibility of integrating complex functionality at a low price.
Immersion VibeTonz® Tactile Feedback Platform in Over 10 Million Mobile Phones
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Immersion Corporation , a leading developer and licensor of touch feedback technology , today announced that over 10 million mobile phones with VibeTonz® technology have been shipped by licensees, including 5.5 million shipped in 2007. In addition, several new VibeTonz-enabled mobile phone models were recently announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 11-14. Three of the four top mobile phone manufacturers in the world -- LG, Nokia, and Samsung -- are VibeTonz licensees.
The VibeTonz Platform has been incorporated into over 35 phone models targeted at a wide range of markets and demographics. Phones with VibeTonz tactile feedback technology have been sold broadly in Asia -- in China, India, and Korea -- as well as throughout Europe and the Americas. The technology is used in such phones as the Samsung SCH-n330 youth phone; the feature-rich, mass-market Samsung SCH-A930; the LG VX10000 Voyager touchscreen phone; and high-end designer phones like the Samsung Armani and Prada by LG.At the 2008 Mobile World Congress, the largest mobile event in the world, LG showcased the popular Viewty model with VibeTonz-enabled touchscreen that “touches back.” LG also introduced the KF600 phone featuring a secondary InteractPad enhanced with VibeTonz tactile feedback, as well as the KF700, another high-end touchscreen phone. Samsung debuted four VibeTonz-enabled phones, including the Soul (SGH-U900), SGH-F480, SGH-F490, and SGH-G400.
“That tactile feedback, or haptics, is gaining momentum in the wireless industry and elsewhere is not surprising when you understand the contribution it makes to user productivity and satisfaction,” explains Immersion CEO Victor Viegas. “In addition, our VibeTonz Platform cost-effectively enables a very long list of enhancements that can improve the user experience.”
The VibeTonz Platform lets mobile phone manufacturers and content developers embed touch sensations in the handset user interface, media, and applications, including for:
* Providing unmistakable tactile confirmation in response to touchscreen or button presses
* Empowering caller ID with distinctive vibrations matching a melody or song that let users know who is calling even when sound is turned off
* Enlivening mobile games with touch feedback similar to that found in console games
* Supplying pulses when scrolling over items, allowing favorites, friends, or unread emails to feel a bit different for easier, faster identification
* Heightening the music and ringtone fun-factor by “turning up the subwoofers” with a vibe beat
* Making alerts more discernible and memorable by varying how they feel: the beat of a team’s fight song tells the user a message with the latest score has arrived
Independent research has shown that haptics can increase user speed and accuracy, reduce complication and stress, and improve user satisfaction.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
ARM Leads the Mobile Market Into Console-Quality 3D Gaming
CAMBRIDGE, England, /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
ARM announced at the Game Developers' Conference, San Francisco, Calif., the ARM(R) Mali-JSR297(TM) software for 3D graphics, the first product to enable developers of Java applications to take advantage of the latest hardware graphics features found in OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics processing units (GPUs), such as the ARM Mali200(TM) GPU. With the established Mali-JSR184 software (formerly Swerve Client), ARM is uniquely positioned to offer a complete software and hardware graphics stack and is one of the leading suppliers of middleware that enable 3D graphics to be used in Java games. Ericsson Mobile Platforms are the lead Partner for the Mali-JSR297 software, complementing the Mali200 GPU and ARM graphics middleware in the groundbreaking HSPA-enabled mobile platform,U500, bringing console class gaming to 2009 feature phones.
With the ARM Mali-JSR297 software, game developers now have complete control over the visual appearance of their games, enabling the creation of graphics displays on mobile phones that are similar to those seen on high-end gaming consoles and PCs. The Mali-JSR297 software demonstrates a leap in graphics quality that meets consumer demands for advanced-content entertainment on mobile phones.
Palm Centro Smart Device From AT&T
Centro's touch screen and keyboard, combined with the simplicity of Palm OS, make it easy to use with key features such as one-touch speakerphone, conference calling, ignore a call with text messaging, and Bluetooth connectivity.
Mobile TV: Business Models and Opportunties
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report related to the industry is available in its catalogue.
Mobile TV: Business Models and Opportunties
Television is already a mass media and is also currently made available through the Internet Protocol (IP). Marrying the two most popular services in the world may sound like a great idea but there are still several issues which must be carefully addressed before mobile TV becomes a safe investment.
Who is going to pay for the network deployment What will be the underlying business model Are appropriate regulation policies necessary How new regulation may affect the market What are the opportunities for mobile operators, broadcasters and content owners There are currently no straight answers to those questions but several options exist. They must be deeply investigated in order to make appropriate decisions for mobile TV to become successful.
The purpose of this report is to offer an understanding of the fundamental aspects of the mobile TV market past present and future with regards to the technology choice and local context. This report also analyses the mobile TV market from the views of different players in the value chain.
Key findings:
The mobile TV market will be worth over €4.4bn in 2011 in Asia, North America and Western Europe combined
Subscription business models will dominate, generating more than 90 per cent of revenues in 2011
The most impressive growth will be experienced in North America where the broadcast mobile TV market is set to grow by 350 per cent between 2008 and 2010.
A key obstacle to overcome is the lack of spectrum and appropriate regulation
Although free to air services drive customer growth in Asia, the business model lacks proven monetisation methods, therefore undermining its deployment in other markets.
Mobile TV will generate more revenues than mobile music and mobile games combined
In Europe, mobile TV will represent 27 per cent of total pay TV subscriptions.In the report:
Forecasts of mobile TV subscriptions, viewings and consumer revenues to 2011
Background of technology standards and spectrum.
Overview of the current state of the market.
Analysis of the regulation impact on mobile broadcast TV deployments.
Review and history of business models for unicast and broadcast mobile TV services.
Description and comparison of value chain structures.
Market sizes by technology and business models.
Analysis of the impact of mobile TV on the TV and mobile content industries.
Comparison of mobile TV ARPU with other pay TV platforms.
Analysis of the major key players in the industry including mobile operators, broadcasters, technology enablers and service providers.
Data profile for each of the leading markets in Asia, North America and Europe
Mobile TV: Business Models and Opportunties