Google has released in the US a new version of Google Talk designed specifically for the iPhone and iPod Touch browsers. In addition to sending gmail messages from an iPhone, you can now chat with them while you're on the move, too.From the iPhone browser, go to www.google.com/talk, sign in and start chatting. Google Talk runs entirely in the browser so there's no need to download or install anything.
There are some differences from using Google Talk on your computer. For instance, in order to receive instant messages with Google Talk on your iPhone, the application needs to be open in your Safari browser. When you navigate away to another browser window or application, your status will be changed to "unavailable" and your Google Talk session will be restarted when you return.
You can select from a quicklist of the people you contact most, search your contacts, and manage multiple conversations.
The Strategy Analytics Handset Component Technologies service predicts that shipments of phones equipped with removable memory card slots will grow at an average 13% per year over the next five years, hitting 1.04 billion phones in 2011. The report, “Removable Memory Card Forecast: Slotted Phone Penetration Exceeded 50% of All Phones in 2007,” reveals that 592 million slotted phones were shipped worldwide in 2007, representing 53% of all cellphone shipments.
The report also concludes that, with nearly 57% of slotted phone shipments in 2007, the microSD (including microSDHC) slot format is now more popular than the MMC format. The microSD format is expected to hit peak penetration of 86% in 2011, after which it will face competition from other, new, high capacity systems, such as the Universal Flash Storage (UFS).
The report
shows that the number of mobile video subscribers topped 10 million
worldwide in 2007, and is expected to nearly triple by the end of 2008,
with explosive growth continuing through at least 2011.
- Worldwide service provider revenue from mobile video services nearly tripled in 2007 and is expected to nearly triple again in 2008
- Advertising will play a major short- and long-term role in ensuring the profitability of mobile video services, and mobile operators will be working throughout 2008 with advertisers and media buying agencies to sell their mobile video ad avails, which should become more prevalent in mid-2009
- As more mobile devices emulate the look and feel of the iPhone, much like Samsung's Instinct and LG's VU, and become more widely available, subscribers will be more likely to subscribe to, and stick with, a mobile video service
- Vendors
of video processing and headend equipment, such as Motorola, Envivio,
and Harmonic, are lining up with mobile network equipment suppliers to
help speed the rollout of mobile video networks; partnerships and
acquisitions along these lines will continue as the mobile video
opportunity becomes clearer around the world
Got a sports opinion to get off your chest, but you don’t want to get off the couch? Now there is a way. The Score Television Network has partnered with MyThum Interactive to deliver the next generation in interactivity for sports fans, txtTV. Sports fans can now share their two cents on The Score broadcasts in the form of rants, opinions, votes and predictions - all via mobile SMS.
Users can text in their expert opinions during select live Score-produced programming, including Drive This (4-6pm EST). Viewers at home will be able to interact with the hosts and help steer the direction of the programming. Sports experts will also be able to customize their nickname and hometown to help solidify their status as recognizable on-air personalities.
A just-released study from Knowledge Networks reveals that while consumers are indeed turning to new video technologies - such as online streaming and mobile video - most of their video-related spending continues to be on conventional sources such as DVD rentals and purchases.
New findings from, How People Use the Video Marketplace, also show that Generation Y (ages 13 to 29) - and, to a lesser extent, Generation X (ages 30 to 43) - is way ahead of Young Boomers (ages 44 to 54) in using emerging video sources, such as mobile and streaming, but their spending on such video sources is not significantly higher.
The research is part of The Home Technology Monitor, the authoritative source of information on consumers' ownership and usage of traditional and emerging media technologies. The study shows that the average person aged 13 to 54 spends roughly $31 per month on video-related content. Of this, about $13 goes to TV service, and another $13 from buying and renting DVDs; meanwhile, spending on emerging video distribution channels accounts for less than $5 combined.
Spending on emerging categories is dramatically lower than traditional
According to this Knowledge Networks study, monthly video spending breaks down as follows:
* $13.43 on TV service
* $7.60 for DVD purchase; $5.14 for DVD rental
* 76 cents for VHS rental; $1.85 for VHS purchase
* 61 cents on PPV movies and events
* 44 cents on VOD
* 37 cents on streaming video
* 26 cents on cellphone video
* 25 cents on downloaded video
Over the next few years the growing cost of bulk diesel fuel, coupled with wholesale electricity price increases, are likely to offset significant gains in cellular base station power efficiency. This will result in a collective network OPEX of $22 billion in 2013, according to a new study from ABI Research. Starting in 2012, however, the benefits of power consumption and efficiency advancements should start to rein in the spiraling operating expenditures.
Infrastructure vendors are focusing intently on reducing power consumption in their products through hardware integration, the use of remote radio heads, and software-based solutions that provide dynamic network dimensioning. These measures seem likely to reduce the average base station power consumption level by 43% between 2007 and 2013, a development that is eagerly awaited by the carrier community.
ABI Research vice president Stuart Carlaw says, "Although reducing power consumption provides good ecological credentials for carriers and vendors alike, the real driver for improving power consumption is financial. It is imperative that carriers do everything possible to negate rising energy costs in an environment where network traffic and ARPUs are diverging."
mobile device that the
company says will help to enable ubiquitous computing for the 21st century.
Shipping to customers will commence on July 7, 2008. The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner utilizes GNU/Linux and comes with core software for dialing, SMS and recording contacts. Openmoko will supplement these features with periodic downloads beginning with a software suite that takes full advantage of the phone's hardware platform. The new software, debuting at Linux world in August, will provide new location based applications.
Two versions of the phone will be available: 850MHz or 900 MHz Tri-band GSM to match frequencies in different countries. Black, oval-shaped and weighing 6.5 ounces, the Openmoko Neo FreeRunner features a 2.8" 480 x 640 VGA touchscreen, Wi-Fi (802.1 1b/g), AGPS, GPRS 2.5G, Bluetooth 2.0, two 3-axis motion sensors and comes with 128MB WSDRAM and 256MB NAND Flash.
Pricing and availability
The Openmoko Neo FreeRunner has a suggested retail price of $399. Openmoko will sell the phone directly from it its webshop www.Openmoko.com and via distributors in the EU, India and North America.
MetroPCS Communications, Inc, a provider of unlimited wireless communications announced selected subscriber information for the quarter ended June 30, 2008.
MetroPCS ended the second quarter with approximately 4.6 million subscribers, which includes net additions during the quarter of approximately 184 thousand subscribers. MetroPCS has added over one million subscribers during the twelve month period ended June 30, 2008, representing total subscriber growth of approximately 30% as compared to subscribers as of June 30, 2007."Achieving 184 thousand net additions during the seasonally slow second quarter, coupled with a challenging economic environment highlighted by dramatically escalating prices for fuel and food, strongly demonstrates the resiliency of the MetroPCS business model," said Roger D. Linquist, MetroPCS' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.
New Motion, Inc., doing business as Atrinsic an Internet media and mobile entertainment company, today announced that it has acquired the assets of Ringtone.com, a popular mobile entertainment destination for downloadable mobile content and a highly valuable Internet domain which receives more than 1,000 signups per day.
Virgin Mobile USA customers have direct online access to some of the hottest mobile downloads including those of PlayPhone, Inc.,which operates the largest network of mobile content destinations in North America. PlayPhone announced today it will power off-deck mobile entertainment content for the leading no-contract wireless provider's more than five million customers. Some of the unique content includes wallpapers and ringtones from partners such as SONY BMG, Cartoon Network and Disney.
SilverBirch Inc. a leading digital
media company, today announced an agreement in principle to acquire all of the
outstanding shares of Red Mile Entertainment, Inc., a
California-based video game publisher with worldwide rights to established
brands and intellectual properties including the "Heroes" flight combat
franchise.
Red Mile, an NASD OTC Bulletin Board listed company, has developed and published a number of successful console and PC titles including Heroes Of The Pacific, which sold over 600,000 units. Current projects in development include a sequel, Heroes Over Europe, which is anticipated to be released in early 2009, and another highly anticipated licensed title, for which the company will seek a co-publishing partner.
Red Mile is expected to contribute over $7 million in revenue and roughly $2 million in EBITDA starting in 2009. SilverBirch has advanced a bridge loan of $750,000 CAD dollars to Red Mile as part of the acquisition terms, and will also issue seven-eighths of one SilverBirch share from treasury in exchange for each Red Mile share, plus an earn-out based on future revenue targets. Currently 16,544,461 Red Mile shares and warrants qualify for the transaction, which equates to 14,476,403 new Silverbirch shares. The transaction is subject to regulatory and exchange approvals both in Canada and the United States as well as, in the case of Red Mile, shareholder approval.
NAVTEQ, provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, announced today that Nokia has received unconditional approval from the European Commission for its planned acquisition of NAVTEQ. With this, Nokia now has received all approvals for the purchase. The parties expect to close the deal within the next five business days.
"We welcome this news. NAVTEQ will play a key role in our Internet services strategy with world-leading maps and navigation industry expertise, a strong customer base and industry-leading map data and technology platform offering the broadest geographical coverage," said Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, President and CEO, Nokia.
"We are pleased that the Commission has reached the same conclusion we have regarding NAVTEQ's ability to continue providing broad access to all our customers," said Judson Green, President and CEO, NAVTEQ. "We believe NAVTEQ will be better positioned to serve all our customers under Nokia ownership."
According to a survey of cell phone users commissioned by ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc. and conducted by independent research firm Amplitude Research, buyers of new cell phones view accessing the Internet (61%) and email capabilities (63%) as most important features along with such items as text messaging (73%) and a camera (67%). Among the list of 19 items respondents selected from, music (34%) and video capability (33%) were also frequent choices, with only a small percentage selecting such features as battery life (0.5%) or voice activation (0.33%).
Fifteen years have passed since Neil Papworth in England sent the world’s first text message to a cell phone with the simple phrase of “Merry Christmas” to the person receiving the greeting on his cell phone, Richard Jarvis. “We’ve come a long way since that first text message was sent to a cell phone from a computer keyboard — because at that time cell phones were not yet designed to type out and send individual letters of the alphabet,” said Kiyo Oishi, COO, ACCESS Systems Americas, Inc. “It’s truly a milestone that in 2008, 73% of new cell phone buyers cite ‘text messaging’ as the ‘most important’ feature on their device.”
Sprint is inviting video makers to plug the Samsung Instinct in their YouTube Videos and create the best product placement video showcasing the Sprint Instinct phone.
The Samsung Instinct must be included in the homemade videos. Samsung is providing a remix tool tool to add the Instinct to video even if the viideographer doesn't own the phone.
Contestants create a video from 30 to 120 seconds in length and follow the instructions at www.InstinctThePhone.com to upload the video and then can use a video remixer tool provided on the contest website to creatively overlay the Sprint Instinct phone throughout the video; use of video remixer tool is recommended but not required. Contest ends August 1. The first 1,000 contestants get a $20 check in the mail.
The top ten videos will be selected and then voted on on the special YouTube channel. The winner receives a $10,000 grand prize.
More reviews are included in the Wireless and Mobile News’ Review of Reviews of the LG Dare. The article has been updated and now includes summaries of the latest reviews from CNET and Gizmodo which were very positive.
CNET noted the hand feature of the drawing pad and sensor that disables the touchscreen when the LG Dare is close to an ear. Gizmodo
Verizon is offering a free SanDisk 3 in 1 Memory Kit - 8GB
that consists of a microSD card and two adapters: miniSD and full size SD with activation on retail $79.99 or $99.99 Monthly Access Nationwide Basic calling plan.
Package Includes:
- One LG Dare Phone
SanDisk 3 in 1 Memory Kit - 8GB
- 350 Monthly Anytime Minutes
- Unlimited IN Calling AND Night & Weekend Minutes
