All About Mobile Softwares: May 2009

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Purported T-Mobile 'G1 v2' Revealed

The latest spy shots coughed up by the Internet are what could be images of the next Google (NSDQ: GOOG) phone for T-Mobile. Dubbed the G1 v2, the biggest change-up compared to the G1 are a sexier design and much more appealing slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

The Boy Genius and his minions have unearthed an image of what could be the next Google phone from HTC. The G1 was not the most attractive phone ever designed. The G1 v2 that has been rendered or photographed here (hard to tell which) shows a definite improvement.

Gone is the chunky chin and boring, industrial design of the G1. In its place is a smoother device, with rounder edges and, dare I suggest, a hint of class.

Also gone is the awkward slide-out keyboard, which is replaced by a more standard sliding keyboard. The QWERTY keys spotted in the image closely resemble the QWERTY keys of other devices from HTC, such as the Wing or some of the Touch models. I am fond of the QWERTY keyboards on HTC's WinMo phones, and thing that they are world's better than the keyboard on the G1. If this image is accurate, the keyboard would be much improved. No other specs were revealed.

According to TmoToday, this device is going to be available from Wal-Mart in October at a price point of $148. Can't say I would call that solid information, but we can definitely write it down as a possibility.

Buddibot launches mobile webcam in India

Away from home and looking for a way to keep in touch with your elderly parents? Travelling with family and worried about your home security? With Rovio, a Wi-Fi-enabled robotic webcam, you will always be just a click away from your loved ones. And, Rovio will also double as a dog in the night (a roving home surveillance system).

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Buddibot, a Hyderabad-headquartered startup, on Thursday launched Rovio, the flagship patented product of Montreal-based WowWee Technologies, in the Indian market. The company will distribute Rovio mobile webcams in India via the Reliance Digital chain and online at www.smartbotsdirect.com for Rs 14,850.

“The webcam is designed to keep the distributed families emotionally connected remotely, especially the younger ones with the elder members, regardless of their physical presence,” Subbarao Machiraju, co-founder and chief executive of Buddibot, said here.

According to the Helpage Society, 11 per cent of India's 80 million elderly live alone or with non-relatives. By 2025, it is estimated that 25 per cent of those over 60 and 40 per cent of those over 75 of the estimated 198 million are likely to be living alone. Besides, India has about 40 million NRI population that is looking to be connected, a target market for Buddibot, he added.

Rovio can move in any direction and enables to view and interact through streaming video and audio. The robot, which can be controlled from anywhere in the world using a web-enabled device, has a self-docking function that allows the user to send Rovio back to the charging dock to recharge, remotely.

“We will be providing software services to the mobile webcam that include navigation, setting reminders and playing some podcasts for an annual subscription of Rs 1,750. Initially, we will be launching the service in Hyderabad as a test bed, before going pan-India in the next two to three months. We expect to sell about 3,000 units in the country and garner 6,000 subscriptions worldwide this year,” Machiraju said.

Microsoft Releases Facebook Application For Windows Mobile

For those of you that use Windows Mobile 6.0 or higher and have a Facebook account, you'll want to head over to Microsoft's site and download their new Facebook application.

Facebook has a decent mobile page for phones, but it isn't feature rich. It has the basic status updates, wall posts and profiles, but not much more. With the Facebook app, you can do much more. You can do the routine things like check out status updates and accept friend requests, but you can also share photos and update your profile picture with this.

The Facebook app allows you to upload video to your account right from your phone. This is currently the only Facebook app for phones that has this feature.

You should be able to share Facebook info like photos and status updates across all Windows Live services, though I haven't personally tested this feature out. I've not explored the recent explosion of Windows Live services to see how that can tie in to my other online accounts like Facebook. Maybe this is incentive to do so.

A note on the download - it is a .CAB file. There isn't much you can do with a CAB file on your PC. You will need to dock your Windows Mobile device with your PC and transfer the CAB file over to the \My Documents folder. Once it is on the device, simply open up File Explorer and tap the file and the install will start. Alternatively, you can visit the above link directly from your WinMo device using Pocket IE and download and install from there.

The link above also has some screenshots of how the app looks on a Windows Mobile Standard (non-touchscreen) device. It works just as well on a Professional (touchscreen) device. There will be a version tweaked for Windows Mobile 6.5 later this year.

This is the second really nice app from Microsoft for online services, the first being the Mobile Manager for Netflix. I am not sure which group inside of Microsoft is responsible for these apps, but I hope they keep it up. They are top notch.

article taken from informationweek

ABI Research: Global mobile subscriber ARPU declined due to retarded economy

The retarded global economy resulted in the decline of average revenue per user (ARPU) for mobile operators in the fourth quarter of 2008 – says the ABI Research’s latest report on mobile subscriber ARPU. The ABI Research report – “Mobile Subscriber ARPU, Voice, Messaging and Data Traffic Market Data” – articulates that the global voice, messaging and data traffic, global mobile end-user ARPUs sunk between 5% and 15% year-over-year (YoY) between the fourth quarter of 2007 and 2008.

According to the ABI Research report, the decline in ARPU varied geographically. In Asia, particularly India and China, the decline in ARPU was more than 10 percent, in Europe the decline was between 5 and 8 percent. In South America, Brazil and a few other countries managed to maintain their YoY ARPU, while the ARPU declined in most of the other South American countries. The decline was not significant in the North American market, because of the growth in smartphones and resulting mobile data usage. The global decline in ARPU was mainly caused by slowed down economy and fall in revenue from voice traffic.

The ARPU decline was intense in Japan and Europe, where messaging and mobile Internet make up 38% and 25% to 30% of operator’s ARPU, respectively On the other hand, voice traffic grew between 2% and 10% depending on the market, but the revenue-to-minute ratio continued to decline.

The ABI Research report further says that another upshot of the global economic slowdown was strong decline in the demand for handsets. The pangs of strong decline in the demand for handsets were experienced by the mobile handset manufacturers like Sony Ericsson and Motorola. Some mobile subscribers abandoned extra services, such as text messaging or mobile e-mail, to reduce monthly costs, and some switched over to lower-cost prepaid providers like Boost Mobile, Leap, Virgin Mobile, and MetroPCS.

The ARPU remained unwavering in North America just because of consumers going for smartphones with mobile data plans. The sales of smartphones have in fact withstood the recession. The handsets, like Apple's iPhone, RIM's BlackBerry Storm, and the T-Mobile G1 have sold more than a million units.

According to ABI Research, the mobile Internet-related revenue surged between 15% and 25% year over year for the fourth quarter, and the trend is expected to grow as carriers are gearing up for 4G networks.
ABI Research is a marketing research firm based in New York. It focuses its researches on – Mobile Devices, Networks and Services, Telematics & Navigation, Digital Home, Wireless Connectivity, RFID, and Clean Telecoms.

article taken from topnews.in

Mobile banking yet to take off among Indian banks

MUMBAI: The much-touted mobile banking is yet to take off in the country owing to lack of customer awareness and staff training.

State-owned banks have received a much poorer response from their clients compared with their private-sector peers for mobile banking, with only a small number of PSB customers showing interest to avail the service.

Union Bank of India, the first state-owned bank which introduced mobile-based banking services in the market, has so far added only 1,700 customers in mobile banking, bank's, General Manager (Personal Banking) S Govindan said.

"Many customers are still finding it difficult to download the software. Also, the staff needs to be trained in a better way to help customers. As the customer-awareness improve, I hope that the response will pick up," Govindan told PTI here.

In a bid to popularise the service, UBI plans to launch 20 dedicated branches across the country in the next 10-15 days where trained staff will help customers understand the product, he said.

India's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) has also received poor response for its mobile banking product, which it launched in December 2008.

It rolled out the service in association with local technology-service provider, Spanco Telesystems.

SBI has so far received only 10,000 registrations for mobile banking but hopes to attract more clients to avail the service in the months ahead, an SBI official said.

"It will take some time for this (mobile banking) to pick up. People are not techno-savvy and keep apprehensions about the safety of this service," SBI official said.

As of now, SBI does not have any plans to launch special programmes to attract more customers into mobile banking fold but will look at these options in future, the official said.

According to Reserve Bank's guidelines, banks are allowed to offer money transfer facility for customers through mobile phones, with an upper limit of Rs 5,000.

Customers can also avail services such as balance enquiry, account statement, cheque book request, utility bill payments, ticket booking among other services.

Another leading government-owned lender, IDBI Bank has also received a lukewarm response from its retail customers for its mobile banking roll out. The bank has a tie-up with service provider Paymate for the service.

"Since we launched the scheme, around 10,000 customers have registered for the service. Providing proper customer education and training the staff is critical," IDBI Bank's Head Personal Banking C S Jain said.

On the other side, private players such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra have seen an encouraging response from customers through their mobile banking products.

ICICI Bank has 80 lakh customers registered so far for mobile banking while HDFC Bank has 40 lakh registered clients. Kotak Mahindra Bank has around 52,000 clients under the mobile banking fold.

However, the number of customers actively using the service is understood to be far less compared with the number of total registered clients.

"The trend is catching up and overall we have received an overwhelming response... It is a matter of time before we see more and more customers opting for mobile-based financial transactions," ICICI Bank said.
article taken from economictimes.indiatimes

'Free will' spot found in brain

LONDON: Researchers in France have identified the place where free will resides.

Lead scientist Angela Sirigu, a neuroscientist at the CNRS Cognitive Neuroscience Centre in Bron, say that the place lies towards the back of the brain called the parietal cortex.

The finding was made when a neurosurgeon electrically jolted this region in patients undergoing surgery, they felt a desire to wiggle their finger, roll their tongue or move a limb.

Stronger electrical pulses convinced patients they had actually performed these movements, although their bodies remained motionless, reports New Scientist.

"What it tells us is there are specific brain regions that are involved in the consciousness of your movement," says Sirigu.

Sirigu's team, including neurosurgeon Carmine Mottolese, performed the experiments on seven patients undergoing brain surgery to remove tumours.

In all but one case, the cancers were located far from the parietal cortex and other areas that Mottolese stimulated.

The team's work points to two brain areas involved in the decision to move a limb and then execute the action.

Sirigu believes that the parietal cortex makes predictions about future movements and sends instructions to another brain area, the premotor cortex, which returns the outcome of the movement to the parietal cortex.

The study has been published in the journal Science.

Ericsson brings FTTH technology to Indian homes

NEW DELHI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- In an effort to meet the growing demand of broadband services in India, leading communications giant Ericsson has brought Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) technology to homes across the national capital here.

"Ericsson has deployed its fiber technology to connect the Indian homes to a breadth of high-end data, TV and communications services. Ericsson along with the Radius Synergies, the property management services provider, is offering a host of broadband services to a 3,000-unit complex's residents near New Delhi," a company release said on Sunday.

The company provides unique services like personalized IPTV in high-definition, video-on-demand, security services, automated lighting and electricity bill payment.

The users can also enjoy the downloading of data content at 100Mbps and will also be able to access the Wi-Fi at the common areas and gardens in the complex.

Presenting Dell’s New Inspiron 535 and Inspiron 545

The key aspect in the present day that makes any product stand out from others in its range is personalization. Dell presents the all new Inspiron 535 and Inspiron 545, the high performance PC’s from Dell family. These are specially designed and customized for our use and will make its every user say ‘made for me’, instead of ‘built for me’.

The two models give a highly efficient performance and cater perfectly to the day to day lifestyle needs such as chatting, blogging, sending photos or running a media center.

Dell’s new Inspiron 535, Inspiron 545 slim and mini-towers have expanded the design and personalization options for consumers. Moreover, they come in eight fascinating colors. After all this, Dell claims to be the sole desktop manufacturer who offers a wide range of personalization options to reflect an individual’s personal style or to match their desktop with their room shades and ascents.

Girish Mehta, Director of Consumer Marketing, Dell India, says “Customers are given complete control in choosing processors, form factors and colors to build an Inspiron desktop that’s high in function and style”.

“There’s versatility to customize a system that fits into everyone’s lifestyle and budget”, he added.

Piano Black, Pure White, True Blue, Formula Red, Tangerine Orange, Spring Green, Plum Purple and Flamingo Pink are the dazzling color options available. Options can be very well customized to meet individual’s budget, lifestyle and usage needs.

The latest Inspiron desktops come bundled with an Intel Pentium, Intel Core and Intel Core 2 Quad options. Capable of storing up to 8GB memory on select systems, it is packed in with an optional 19-in-1 card reader and optional HDMI connectivity and boasts of 6 USB ports.

The price range starts from an affordable Rs.25400 (delivery included) and will be available at retail outlets by the end of this month.

article taken from freshnews

Facebook launched in Indian languages to get more eyeballs

By Our Correspondent,

New Delhi, May 9, 2009: Leading social networking site Facebook has launched it in Indian languages to get more eyeballs from India. With more than 1100 million people, a large number of whom are young, India can be a big market for Facebook and similar other social networking sites.

Just a few weeks ago Gmail also introduced Indian languages for composing email on this popular email service provider.

Gmail added a new feature whereby it is possible to compose emails in hindi and four other Indian languages, namely Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam, very easily.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Garmin's GPSMAP 496 introduced

[Garmin's GPSMAP496 portable navigation entry builds on the success of its predecessor, the 396. The 496 integrates high-speed GPS with near real-time satellite weather and supports aviation, marine and auto modes, each with built-in databases.]

Olathe, KS -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd., today introduced the GPSMAP 496, a full-color, portable aviation device that expands on the GPSMAP 396's features by incorporating Garmin's SafeTaxi(tm) airport diagrams, Garmin's Smart Airspace(tm), AOPA's Airport Directory data, enhanced high-resolution terrain database, aviation database with private airports and heliports, accelerated GPS update rate, and pre-loaded automotive maps of North America or Europe. These features are in addition to the real-time XM WX Satellite Weather(tm) that puts powerful weather information at the pilot's fingertips.

"With more power and information than any other portable handheld on today's market, the GPSMAP 496 is an essential piece of equipment for any pilot," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice president of marketing. "The information on this mini-MFD helps increase safety and situational awareness during all phases of flight -- from taxiing to navigating around terrain and weather. And thanks to the pre-loaded street maps, it also gives pilots the ability to navigate unfamiliar roadways with the same ease that they navigate the airways."

The Garmin SafeTaxi airport diagrams help pilots navigate unfamiliar airports with confidence. Over 650 U.S. airport diagrams come pre-loaded on the unit. The charts identify runways, taxiways, and hangars, as well as the aircraft's exact location on the field. Garmin anticipates offering SafeTaxi updates regularly. International airport diagrams will also be available in the future.

When in the air, Garmin's new Smart Airspace feature makes it easier than ever to identify what airspace lies ahead. Smart Airspace automatically highlights airspace close to the pilot's current altitude and de-emphasizes airspace away from the current altitude, which gives pilots increased situational awareness.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) Airport Directory data are also available in electronic format on the GPSMAP 496. Recognized throughout the industry as one of the most comprehensive sources of airport information, the AOPA's Airport Directory includes information for over 5,300 public-use airports and more than 7,000 FBOs, such as pilot services, ground transportation, lodging, restaurants, and local attractions. In addition, Garmin's version of the AOPA's Airport Directory highlights airports where pilots can save on fuel by using self-service fueling locations.

In addition, the GPSMAP 496 has an enhanced, higher resolution terrain database that has over ten times as much data as the GPSMAP 396's terrain database. The new database lets pilots see vivid depictions of proximity hazards that require their attention. Pilots can customize their own minimum clearance limits to receive terrain cautions, which pop up as digital thumbnail images.

Pilots will also appreciate the unit's increased GPS update rate, which is five times faster than any other handheld on today's market. This impressive new attribute results in near-real-time updates of the aircraft's analog indicators, such as the HSI and turn rate indicator. Viewing the GPSMAP 496's display in any light is easy, thanks to the device's 256-color, high-resolution (480x320-pixels) TFT display. The unit also features a USB interface and rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack.

As with the GPSMAP 396, the GPSMAP 496 will continue to offer optional XM WX Satellite Weather(r) (U.S. only) that features Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD), Aviation Routine Weather Reports (METARs), Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs), Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs), Lightning and Winds Aloft, and several other important weather products to help pilots make informed navigational decisions. The weather data may be laid directly over the unit's Jeppesen(r) and topographic map databases. Weather information is delivered to the unit through Garmin's new GXM(tm) 30A smart antenna, which is included with the GPSMAP 496.

On the road, the 496 serves as a premium in-car navigation system with automatic route calculation to any destination and turn-by-turn voice-prompted directions along the way. The GPSMAP 496 is Garmin's first aviation handheld to include pre-loaded City Navigator(r) NT maps of North America or Europe. These detailed street maps include a huge points of interest database -- including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Map data are provided by NAVTEQ(tm) -- a world leader in premium-quality mapping.

When traveling by water, the GPSMAP 496 is compatible with Garmin's new BlueChart(r) g2 technology. These optional data cards turn the GPSMAP 496 into a color chartplotter that displays integrated marine maps with shaded depth contours, port plans, inter-tidal zones, spot soundings, wrecks, navaids, restricted areas, cable areas, and anchorages.

The GPSMAP 496 will be available for purchase at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. For those unable to attend EAA AirVenture or those who want to try and win a GPSMAP 496, Garmin is also giving one away. Please visit www.garmin.blogs.com to find complete details, rules and entry form. All entries must be received between July 20 through August 4, 2006.

The GPSMAP 496 is expected to be available in late July at an expected street price of $2,795. The unit includes a GXM(tm) 30A XM smart antenna, yoke mount, cigarette-lighter adapter, AC adapter cable, USB-to-PC interface cable, low-profile remote GPS antenna, carrying case, free Jeppesen update certificate, City Navigator(tm) North America software, owner's manual and quick-reference guide.

For customers in Europe, Garmin also offers a GPSMAP 496 Atlantic version that will be available shortly after the GPSMAP 496 North America model is available. The GPSMAP 496 Atlantic will include pre-loaded City Navigator Europe street maps, as well as VFR Reporting Points (VRPs), private airports, and obstacles. The GPSMAP 496 Atlantic does not include XM support, AOPA's Airport Directory, or SafeTaxi diagrams.

article taken from mobiletechnews

T-Mobile introduces Google-powered phone

[T-Mobile to sell the G1 Google's Android-powered phone for $179. The phone built by HTC will debut October 22.]

New York -- T-Mobile today announced the international launch of the world’s first Android™-powered mobile phone in partnership with Google. Available soon only for T-Mobile customers spanning two continents, the T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google products that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps Street View™, Gmail™, YouTube™ and others.

“We are proud that T-Mobile is the first operator in the world to launch an Android-powered mobile device,” said Christopher Schläffer, group product and innovation officer of Deutsche Telekom. “Since 2005, Google has been an established partner in T-Mobile’s groundbreaking approach to bringing the open mobile Internet to the mass market. With the T-Mobile G1, we are continuing our strong tradition of being pioneers in the world of the open Internet.”

Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer, T-Mobile USA, said, “The Internet and the mobile phone are both indispensable tools for our hectic lives, but only a fraction of us access the Web on our phones. The T-Mobile G1 is our opportunity in the U.S. to accelerate the mass adoption of the mobile Web, by unleashing Google innovation with a unique software experience that mobilizes the Google services hundreds of millions of consumers rely on every day.”

“Increasingly, connectivity does not just mean a phone call, but rather access to the world’s information,” said Andy Rubin, senior director of mobile platforms for Google. “Today’s news signifies an important first step for the Open Handset Alliance: With Android, we’ve opened the mobile Web not only for millions of users, but also to mobilize the developer community that understands the next most important platform in the world rests in the palm of our hand.”

With a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, the T-Mobile G1 is also the first phone to provide access to Android Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.

T-Mobile customers in the U.S. have the opportunity to pre-order the T-Mobile G1, in limited quantities, beginning today at www.T-MobileG1.com and be among the first to experience this game-changing phone. The device will be available at select T-Mobile retail stores and online in the U.S. beginning Oct. 22, for a price of $179 with a two-year voice and data agreement. The T-Mobile G1 will also be available in the United Kingdom beginning in November, and across Europe in the first quarter of 2009. Countries include Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.

Delivering the Familiarity of Google for a Superior Mobile Internet Experience:

The T-Mobile G1 with Google delivers a premium, easy-to-use mobile Web and communications experience in one device. Working together, T-Mobile, Google and HTC integrated Android and T-Mobile services into the phone’s form and function. The T-Mobile G1’s vibrant, high-quality screen slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, great for communicating with friends online or using the phone’s e-mail, IM and mobile messaging capabilities. As another option for accessing the device, the T-Mobile G1 comes equipped with a convenient trackball for more precise, one-handed navigation.

“T-Mobile, Google and HTC share a similar vision for making the mobile Internet practical, relevant and fun,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “The T-Mobile G1 represents the culmination of this vision by offering a variety of services, applications and content that introduces an Internet experience that everyone can enjoy. We are honored to be joining T-Mobile and Google today for this historic unveiling of the T-Mobile G1.”.

With one-click contextual search, T-Mobile G1 customers in a flash can search for relevant information with a touch of a finger. A full HTML Web browser allows users to see any Web page the way it was designed to be seen, and then easily zoom in to expand any section by simply tapping on the screen. With built-in support for T-Mobile’s 3G and EDGE network as well as Wi-Fi, the T-Mobile G1 can connect to the best available high-speed data connection for surfing the Web and downloading information quickly and effortlessly.

Google Maps Street View:

With Google Maps, Google’s groundbreaking maps service, T-Mobile G1 users can instantly view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and get driving directions, all from the phone’s easy-to-use touch interface. The T-Mobile G1 also includes Google Maps Street View, allowing customers to explore cities at street-level virtually while on the go. Without taking a step, customers can tour a far-away place as if they were there — standing on the street corner. Even better, the Google Maps feature syncs with the built-in compass on the phone — an industry first — to allow users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by simply moving the phone with their hand. Google Maps Street View is available today in many U.S. locations and soon in European countries.

Communicating on the Go:

The T-Mobile G1 features a rich HTML e-mail client, which seamlessly syncs your e-mail, calendar and contacts from Gmail as well as most other POP3 or IMAP e-mail services. The T-Mobile G1 multitasks, so you can read a Web page while also downloading your e-mail in the background. It combines Instant Messaging support for Google Talk™, as well as AOL®, Yahoo! Messenger ® and Windows Live Messenger in the U.S. With access to high-speed Web browsing and a 3-megapixel camera with photo-sharing capabilities, the T-Mobile G1 is ideal for balancing a busy lifestyle, whether sharing pictures, checking the latest sports scores or accessing social networking sites.

Embracing User-Generated Content:

Customers can use the T-Mobile G1's 3G and Wi-Fi connection to attach and share pictures over email and MMS or download music from their favorite web sites, and soon, upload and post pictures to their personal blog. Built-in support for YouTube allows customers to enjoy YouTube's originally-created content, easily navigate through YouTube's familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos.

Music at Your Fingertips:

The T-Mobile G1 comes pre-loaded with a new application developed by Amazon.com that gives customers easy access to Amazon MP3, Amazon.com’s digital music download store with more than 6 million DRM-free MP3 tracks. Using the new application, T-Mobile G1 customers are able to search, sample, purchase and download music from Amazon MP3 directly to their device (downloading music from Amazon MP3 using the T-Mobile G1 requires a Wi-Fi connection; searching, sampling and purchasing music can be done anywhere with a cellular connection). The T-Mobile G1 will be the first device with the Amazon MP3 mobile application pre-loaded.

Android Market:

The T-Mobile G1 is the first phone to offer access to Android Market, which hosts unique applications and mash ups of existing and new services from developers around the world. With just a couple of short clicks, customers can find and download a wide range of innovative software applications — from games to social networking and on-the-go shopping — to personalize their phone and enhance their mobile lifestyle. When the phone launches next month, dozens of unique, first-of-a-kind Android applications will be available for download on Android Market, including: For bullet list

* ShopSavvy: an application designed to help people do comparative shopping. Users scan the UPC code of a product with their phone’s camera while they are shopping, and can instantly compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores. * Ecorio: a new application developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like. With access to tips and tricks, Ecorio allows users to record the steps they take throughout their day to help offset their impact on the environment. * BreadCrumbz: a new application that enables people to create a step-by-step visual map using photos. Customers can create their own routes, share them with friends or with the world.

For more information on the T-Mobile G1 in the U.S., please visit www.T-MobileG1.com. For more information on the T-Mobile G1 in the United Kingdom, please visit www.T-Mobile.co.uk/G1.

Notes: Additional charges may apply to features and services. 3G may not be available in all locations. Price and availability of device subject to change; taxes and other charges may apply.

article taken from mobiletechnews

3 extends free Skype calls offer - Britain's smallest mobile network operator 3, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, is extending its offer of unlimited free

The 3G (third generation) operator said there would be no data charges or top-up fees for its customers using a Skype-enabled handset on its network from May 1.

It will expand the offer to customers of other networks during the summer, provided they buy a Skype-enabled 3 SIM costing 1.99 pounds, it said in a statement.

Skype, which owner eBay plans to spin off by the first half of 2010, allows international and local calls through the web, with no charges to fellow Skype customers.

It has been available on 3's network since October 2007, first to contract customers before it was extended to prepay users who met top-up quotas.

3's Chief Executive Kevin Russell said: "We want people to be free to communicate from their mobiles in the same way as they do from their PCs.

"In future, you will be able to buy a 3 SIM for unlimited Skype-to-Skype calls for less than the price of a cup of coffee and talk for as much as you want without paying us another penny."

Industry analyst John Delaney said 3's move could help it gain subscribers, stimulate demand for Internet services on phones and create good PR for the brand.

"We think it's unlikely that Skype will significantly cannibalise conventional call revenues, at least until the number of Skype phones reaches a much higher percentage of total phones in use," said Delaney, research director for European consumer media at IDC.

"If the number of Skype phone users in the UK gets into the tens of millions, voice cannibalisation will become a more pressing issue -- but we think that's a problem that 3 would love to have to deal with."

article taken from uk.news.yahoo

RIM Launches BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0

[The next generation of RIM's secure, push-based server software for business mobility supports advanced IT administration features enabling a secure link between BlackBerry smartphones and enterprise systems and wireless networks.]

Waterloo, Ontario -- Research In Motion (RIM) today announced the availability of BlackBerry® Enterprise Server 5.0 - the next generation of RIM's secure, push-based server software for business mobility. Version 5.0 supports advanced IT administration features and smartphone controls that help improve the productivity of mobile workers and more effectively meet the demands of large-scale, mission critical enterprise deployments.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 enables a secure, centrally managed link between BlackBerry® smartphones and enterprise systems, applications, corporate phone environments (with BlackBerry® Mobile Voice System) and wireless networks. It tightly integrates with IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange®, and Novell® GroupWise®, and is designed to provide highly secure access to email, organizer data, instant messaging, voice (via BlackBerry MVS), browser and other enterprise applications. It also provides advanced security features and administrative tools that simplify the management and use of the BlackBerry® solution within the enterprise.

"We are proud to unveil the next generation of BlackBerry Enterprise Server software," said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO at RIM. "BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 significantly raises the bar for advanced IT manageability, high availability, system monitoring and reporting. It has undergone testing in real world environments for over a year and is available now for customers."

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 Enhancements and Key Features

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 provides enhanced IT management and administration features, including:

- BlackBerry® Administration Service, a new administration component with a web-based user interface that provides centralized management, monitoring and control of smartphone deployments and the complete BlackBerry system environment. IT staff can easily access the BlackBerry Administration Service from an Internet Explorer web browser.

- Role-based access controls allow IT administrators to delegate tasks to IT staff, either individuals or groups, and control access to IT functionality. Screen consoles display only the functions that are available to the individual IT administrator.

- Over-The-Air application deployment and device software updates can be better managed and controlled with job scheduling and throttling.

- IT administrative task scheduling supports the deployment of device, application and server updates at times that can help minimize impact on smartphone users and business operations.

- Mobile application management and deployment enhancements support the efficient management and control of applications across smartphone deployments, allowing IT administrators to:

-- Publish updates and optional applications that are available for download by smartphone users.

-- Push mandatory applications or updates to individuals or groups of users.

-- Identify "disallowed" applications to prevent smartphone users from downloading prohibited applications.

- Simplified IT policy management allows IT administrators to create groups of smartphone users and nested groups, then apply IT policies or perform IT tasks for one or more groups, in addition to applying policies to individuals.

- Approximately 450 IT policies that can be applied to individuals or groups of smartphone users, ranging from enforcing smartphone password protection and controlling access to third party smartphone applications, to controlling the use of specific smartphone features, such as using a camera or video recording.

- System health monitoring provides a unified, color-coded view of the BlackBerry environment, both server and user related, for the easy identification of potential issues.

- Advanced reporting features, including trending, chart analysis and server statistics, provide a comprehensive view into the overall health of the BlackBerry system environment. BlackBerry Enterprise Server also stores up to 56 weeks of health scores for historical trending analysis.

- Built-in high availability and automated failover allows IT administrators to set BlackBerry Enterprise Server to automatically issue alerts and then failover to a standby server when certain thresholds are met. Load balancing between the primary and standby server is an option for some shared service components like the Attachment Service. Manual failover from the primary server to the standby server is an option for IT administrators to perform planned maintenance tasks without affecting smartphone service.

- BlackBerry Enterprise Transporter Tool makes upgrading to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 easy and seamless. It streamlines the transfer of multiple user accounts from one BlackBerry Enterprise Server domain to another without impact to or action required by end users.

"The smartphone is essential for enterprises looking to improve employee productivity, accessibility, and responsiveness in today's economic environment," said Chris Hazelton, Research Director, Mobile and Wireless at The 451 Group. "As smartphones take on greater relevance in the enterprise and deployments grow, the demands on IT departments grow exponentially, making manageability, control and high availability must-haves in the supporting mobile infrastructure."

Support for New Smartphone Features

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 supports all current BlackBerry smartphones and supports the following smartphone features with BlackBerry Device Software 5.0(i):

- Remote access to Windows network file shares to allow smartphone users to securely retrieve, view, edit and email documents from behind the firewall.

- Flag emails for follow-up in the same way that flags are used in Microsoft Outlook®.

- Create, move, browse, rename and delete email folders directly from the smartphone, and view and attach files from those folders to emails sent from the smartphone.

- View attachments in a meeting request or calendar entry, and forward calendar appointments with attachments.

- Easily manage personal and public distribution lists.

- Use of Calendar Meeting Delegation for IBM® Lotus® Domino®, which allows attendees to delegate invitations to others from their BlackBerry smartphones.

In Use Today

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 has undergone testing in real world environments for over a year, and is in use today at a number of organizations in North America and Europe, including IBM (www.ibm.com), Linklaters (www.linklaters.com), Metro Group (www.metro-ag.com), Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (www.osler.com), Reed Smith LLP (www.reedsmith.com), and Tayside Fire and Rescue (www.taysidefire.gov.uk).

RIM itself has also been running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 and has more than 10,000 employees connected on the new version. The majority of RIM employees were migrated to version 5.0 using the new BlackBerry Enterprise Transporter tool.

"The new capabilities for handling applications in BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 are exciting," said Todd Belt, CTO of IBM Mobile Enterprise Services. "These capabilities are of tremendous significance to our enterprise customers as they continue to adopt mobile applications to meet their business needs."

"BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 is ready for a production environment," said Paul Williamson, Systems Management Engineer at Linklaters. "Having piloted the new solution for over a year, the benefits are obvious. Access to the new console from a web browser makes remote administration very easy and the high availability options have worked extremely well since day one. Our overall experience with it has been excellent."

"Metro Group has been successfully trialing BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 for 18 months and we are currently using it to run and manage over 1,500 employees' BlackBerry smartphones," said Ernst Lueckerath, Head of Global Communication and Security at MGI METRO Group Information Technology. "One of the key benefits of BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 is high availability, meaning that we can reliably and instantly switch servers to manage issues, or for regulated maintenance and upgrades, without impacting our employees' BlackBerry service."

"The upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 was one of the easiest we have ever performed. Totally flawless!" said Roosevelt J. Russell Jr., Remote Computing Analyst at Reed Smith LLP.

"BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 has been successfully tested and deployed within Tayside Fire and Rescue and we are impressed with the new administrative features," said Gary Bellfield, ICT Manager at Tayside Fire and Rescue. "Having true high availability built into the platform has given us further peace of mind as we rely on our BlackBerry smartphones to help support the life-critical emergency services we provide."

New Support Programs and Services

RIM is also announcing today new technical support, professional services, and training and certification programs to help BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 customers achieve the best possible performance and return on investment from their BlackBerry smartphone deployments:

- BlackBerry® Technical Support Services - www.blackberry.com/btss - offers a new tiered program with varying degrees of support to meet the range of customer needs. New services include Change Management Planning, Health Check Services and Direct to Level Two Support Resources.

- BlackBerry® Migration Planning Services - www.blackberry.com/professional_services - are designed to help organizations plan their upgrade to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.

- BlackBerry® Training and Certification Programs for BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 are planned for availability in the third quarter of this year. For more information about training for new administrators, visit www.blackberry.com/training. For more information about certification for administrators of BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0, visit www.blackberry.com/certification.

"RIM's new professional services, support and training programs have helped us prepare for our transition to BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0," said Peter Bier, CIO, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. "The RIM team analyzed our mobility needs and our IT staff's preparedness to determine the right system setup, training requirements, level of support and migration plan that would ensure a smooth transition to version 5.0."

Certified Secure

Also announced today, BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 has obtained Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level 4 (EAL 4+) certification (see separate release). The Common Criteria is an international standard for validating that IT products meet specific security requirements. Certifications are recognized by 26 countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Available Today

BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 is available today for IBM® Lotus® Domino® and Microsoft® Exchange. For more information, visit http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/server.

(i) BlackBerry Device Software 5.0 is scheduled to be available later this year.

article taken from mobiletechnews

Mobile Application Revenues to reach $25bn by 2014

[Mobile applications revenues to be fueled by app stores reports Juniper Research.]

Hampshire, UK -- Direct and indirect revenues from mobile applications are expected to exceed $25bn by 2014, with growth fueled by a raft of store launches targeting both high-end and mass market handsets, according to a new report from Juniper Research.

The mobile applications report found that while the overwhelming majority of application (app) revenues are currently accrued from one-off downloads, the increasing utilization of in-app billing to enable incremental revenues from additional mobile content will see value-added services (VAS) providing the dominant revenue stream by 2011. It also noted that many Tier 1 operators would seek to deploy their own app stores in a bid to maintain content revenue share.

However, the Juniper mobile applications report stressed that in the longer term, the greatest benefits to operators would be derived from data revenues associated with app usage rather than from the retail price of apps and content – providing that the operators rejected the walled garden approach. According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, “Data revenue growth is dependent upon operators embracing policies which enable open access – a policy which also involves facilitating app stores which compete with their on-portal offerings.”

In addition, the report noted that, given the fact that app stores currently cater exclusively for smartphones, then operators, developers and content providers would be unwise to ignore opportunities from traditional app and content distribution and monetization channels.

Other findings from the Juniper report include:

•Games will remain the largest category in terms of overall app downloads and revenues, although Multimedia & Entertainment apps will attract the greatest share of VAS revenues from 2009 onwards

•App stores present a significant challenge to traditional content aggregators who may be obliged both to expand the range of their content portfolios and to amend their business models to remain viable

article taken from mobiletechnews

Verizon and Apple in iPhone talks

[A version of the iPhone may be available for Verizon Wireless' network as soon as next year.]

By Matt Richtel, San Francisco (NYT) -- "Apple, the maker of the popular smartphone, is conducting high-level discussions with Verizon Wireless to sell a version of the iPhone that would work on Verizon’s network, according to a person briefed on the negotiations. The phone could be available as soon as next year."

article taken from mobiletechnews

Software update for the T-Mobile G1

[The T-Mobile G1 gets new software update bringing it in line with the latest Android platform developments. New Android phones to ship with latest software, existing Android customers will get the update over the air free of charge. In addition, T-Mobile is expanding its portfolio of Android handsets later this year.]

T-Mobile has released a comprehensive software update that brings its innovative handset into line with the latest Android platform development. It comes with new functions, loads of enhancements, and more improvements to the design of most input screens. From the beginning of May, T?Mobile will be shipping new handsets with this latest software, and will offer existing T?Mobile G1 customers the mobile update for download with an automatic installation over the air and free of charge. Alongside its software updates, T-Mobile will be further expanding the Android cell phone portfolio during 2009 to introduce new handsets.

More convenience, more fun

One of the software's new features is an automatic horizontal or vertical layout for the touch screen display. This allows the T-Mobile G1 to be used in landscape format even if the display is covering the physical keyboard. Another key new feature is the virtual keyboard, which makes it possible to input call numbers or text simply by touching the screen. T-Mobile G1 owners can therefore choose between a virtual or a physical QWERTZ keyboard. And, of course, the touch screen keyboard is available in portrait and landscape format.

The software update now allows film fans to use the 3.2 megapixel camera on the T?Mobile G1 handset to film videos. A playback function gives their creativity an added boost. The highlight: films can be uploaded straight to YouTube™ and shown not only to friends and acquaintances, but to anyone visiting the popular website worldwide. Another advantage is that users can now upload photos shot with the T-Mobile G1 straight to their personal Picasa Web Album™. On the audio side, the Android developers have upgraded the Bluetooth interface. With the new software installed, the T-Mobile G1 handset can be synchronized via Bluetooth with in-car units and stereo headsets (support for the A2DP and AVRCP profile).

Beside these features, the software update enhances the design of numerous user interfaces and offers new widgets, e.g. for the calendar and the music player. Other improvements include the zoom functions, the e-mail client and the web browser.

article taken from mobiletechnews

RIM Launches BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0