Saturday, December 30, 2006

Want a used Beamer? Try your mobile

BMW is the first company in the UK to offer customers the chance search for a used car from their mobile phone.

Used car customers can search BMW's Approved Used stock and refine their choice by fuel type, transmission and preferred options. The results are then sent to the phone with a photograph and specification of the car, and details of the supplying dealer.

To use the service, customers need a WAP (wireless application protocol) enabled 2.5G or 3.0G mobile phone.

This service comes hot on the heels of news that BMW has had a record year for used cars sales. In 2006 to the end of October, BMW has sold 80,322 approved used BMWs and Minis, a 31.5% increase on the same period in 2005. Used Mini sales, in particular, have driven the German firm's record tally.

The most popular used BMW from franchised dealers is the X5 3.0d Sport, with 2,783 sales so far in the UK in 2006, followed by the 320d SE saloon. In a surprise third place is the M3 coupe, with 1,323 sales so far in 2006.

Xbox 360 Racer Goes Mobile With New Cars

Car lineup for Project Gotham Racing Mobile announced.

Glu Mobile has today unveiled the vehicle lineup for the much-anticipated launch of the mobile version of Project Gotham Racing, the no. 1 racing franchise on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system. PGR Mobile, which will be available to consumers on major wireless carriers around the world in early 2007, is currently being developed for multiple mobile platforms, including Microsoft Windows Mobile.

"PGR has set the standard in racing video games, and Glu is striving to make the mobile game as compelling and exciting an experience as Microsoft has done with the franchise, " said Jill Braff, general manager of the Americas, Glu Mobile. "From the physics and graphics in the game to the lineup of today's hottest cars, we're offering consumers the most compelling, authentic action-oriented racing game on mobile."

Each vehicle's unique physics and engine specifications including top speed and horsepower will be emulated in the game to give an authentic driving experience.

Gamers will have the choice of seven of today's hottest cars for PGR Mobile, including:

* Aston Martin V12 Vanquish
* Cadillac Sixteen
* Ford GT
* Honda NSX-R
* Lamborghini Gallardo
* AMG-Mercedes C-DTM 2006
* Toyota GT One

"The Project Gotham Racing franchise is loved by millions worldwide, and we're excited to partner with Glu to give gamers a new platform to enjoy it on in the near future, " said Edward Ventura, director of franchise development, Microsoft.

The critically acclaimed Project Gotham Racing series, known for its incredible roster of hot cars and unique kudos point system, is a top-selling racing franchise on the Xbox® video game system. PGR 3 is currently one of the most popular games on Xbox 360. The success of PGR stems from an innovative approach that proves it's not just about how fast you drive, but how you drive fast.

YouTube Goes Mobile

Posted by Kim Saccio-Kent

Online video-sharing service YouTube announced a deal with Verizon Wireless today, saying that next month it will start offering some of its most popular videos through the V Cast mobile service, IDG News Service's John Blau reports.

Unlike the free YouTube Web site, Verizon's offering will require a $15-a-month V Cast subscription. Users don't have to pay airtime charges to stream or watch the content but they must have a V Cast-enabled handset.

The companies didn't release financial details, but said that Verizon would have exclusive rights to distribute YouTube videos on mobile phones "for a limited period of time."

Dell Expands Mobile Broadband Options with Sprint

Dell and Sprint have teamed to help make it easy for mobile customers to access information while on the road.

Beginning today, Dell customers in the United States can customize select Dell notebook computers with integrated Sprint Mobile Broadband capabilities to access the Internet, e-mail, and data. Integrated mobile broadband technology enables easy and secure connectivity to the Internet without looking for wireless hotspots1.

The integrated mobile broadband technology is an available feature on Dell LatitudeTM D420, D620, and D820 models, as well as the XPSTM M1210 notebook, and Dell PrecisionTM M65 mobile workstation. The Dell Wireless 5700-S mobile broadband EVDO mini-card is available from Dell for $179. The card can be ordered online or over the phone with a system purchase or purchased separately for a mobile broadband-enabled system.

Sprint Mobile Broadband service is available in more than 220 major U.S. cities and 486 airports nationwide. Customers interested in this offer will be eligible for available plans including one-month free service and unlimited data access for $59.99 a month when signing a two-year Sprint subscriber agreement. For more information, visit www.dell.com/sprint.

"We're seeing enthusiastic customer response to integrated mobile broadband on Dell notebooks," said Neeraj Srivastava, director of Latitude and wireless marketing. "It makes it easier to access information and get more out of a technology investment. Our association with Sprint is yet another step in providing world-class mobile broadband technology for Dell customers."

"Offering Sprint's Mobile Broadband capabilities to Dell customers means many more notebook users can utilize the benefits of accessing information while on the go," said Danny Bowman, vice president of product marketing for Sprint. "Dell is a leader of mobile broadband technology in the computer industry and we look forward to helping provide more accessibility and a great experience for Dell customers."

By Dell

More young children than ever have mobile phones

By Jennifer Hill

LONDON (Reuters) - Mobile phone ownership among British children of primary-school age has soared to almost 60 percent in the past year, new data shows.

Some 57 percent of seven to 11 year olds now have a mobile phone, compared to just 43 percent 12 months ago, according to figures from Halifax.

The increasing number of younger children with a mobile phone has pushed the overall ownership figure for children aged seven to 16 to 77 percent -- up from 68 percent in 2005.

Mobile phone ownership among older children -- those aged 12 to 16 -- has remained static at 94 percent in the past 12 months.

On a regional basis, children in London are the biggest mobile phone owners -- 97 percent have one, against just 56 percent of those in the West Midlands.


There has also been an increase in the number of parents paying for their offspring's mobile phone usage.

Just 40 percent of children say they are responsible for paying their own bills, compared to 47 percent last year.

And more parents are also giving their children extra money to spend on their mobiles.

A quarter of children said their parents gave them extra money to meet the costs of the phone, up from 16 percent in 2005.

The length of time children spend on their mobile has changed little in the past year, according to the figures.

Three-quarters spend up to five hours a week on their mobile and almost half spend up to two hours.

Pay-as-you-go phones remain the most prevalent, accounting for 79 percent of handsets.

The findings are part of Halifax's annual pocket money survey, for which almost 1,200 children aged seven to 16 were surveyed.


Thursday, December 28, 2006

Mobile providers urged to get on 3G bus

While mobile service providers in Viet Nam say they are speeding up in the race to apply third-generation (3G) technology, insiders say the moves are sluggish.

Jim Hoang, Qualcomm's senior director of business development in Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam, said application of 3G technology in Viet Nam was still in a trial phase and proceeding slowly.

"Most CDMA mobile operators in Viet Nam are just focusing on price wars with continuous sales promotion campaigns, and they don't seem to be interested in pushing the application of new technology such as 3G," he said.

Qualcomm is the developer of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) technology, the hardware that supports 3G mobile handsets.

Hoang said local mobile operators should "wake up" to the new technology trend. "Have they forgotten that they have more advantageous network infrastructures compare to the GSM network?" he asked.

"And if they apply 3G on time, they will be able to compete with GSM."

Qualcomm claimed that CDMA offered faster data transmission speed than the Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), providing the potential for faster internet access with audio and video streaming.

The nation's two leading mobile service providers, Vinaphone and Viettel, use the GSM network.

Once CDMA upstart, Hanoi Telecom, said it would try 3G on a trial basis with CDMA00 1x EV-DO standard service in the cities of Ha Noi, HCM City and Da Nang. — VNS

Mobile Halo Developer Suing Microsoft

by Christopher Sasaki

Mobile content develop In-Fusio is suing Microsoft over issues regarding a version of Halo for mobile phones. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting that the lawsuit alleges that Microsoft is wrongfully attempting to end the partnership between the two companies. According to the report, Microsoft wishes to terminate the agreement based on missed payments by In-Fusio. In-Fusio says that it is withholding payments because of Microsoft's alleged stonewalling while the mobile developer attempts to get design approval.

This does mark the second high-profile deal that has had problems in the past few months; Microsoft's Halo movie deal fell apart and now there is trouble with this partnership. Bungie and Microsoft have been very protective of the Halo franchise; it is hard to tell if these problems were due bad matches between the corporations or if if Microsoft is being an overprotective parent. Either way, it does appear that with both of the deals, expectations were not met by any of the participating parties.

Mobile phones aid for deaf children

By REBECCA TORR

DEAF children will now be able to communicate with their families by telephone, thanks to a donation by a telecom company.

MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) donated 100 third generation (3G) video mobile telephones to hearing impaired children at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Hearing and Speech Development Centre, Sanad, yesterday.

The company also donated telephone lines that will be charged at the same rate given to MTC-Vodafone staff.

The BD20,000 gesture was presented by MTC-Vodafone (Bahrain) chief operating officer Dr Ahmed Al Shatti and marketing communications manager Hala Suleiman when they met centre president Dr Fouad Shehab, Salmaniya Medical Complex speech consultant Dr Omar Al Sharif and families at the centre yesterday.

It means the children will now be able to communicate on their new phones by lip reading.

"Our technology and financial capabilities are here to serve the community and to enable the different segments of the society," said Ms Suleiman.

"Each individual in this society can contribute to its development and we are here to enable them."

Dr Shehab thanked MTC-Vodafone for its generosity and said the mobiles would make a huge difference to the lives of hearing impaired children and their families, who in the past had to rely on text messages for communication.

"These telephones will help families to talk with their child because many children depend on lip reading," Dr Shehab told the GDN.

Dr Shehab explained the main objective of the centre since it was established in 1993 was to enable hearing impaired children become assets to society, rather than burden.

He said many children from the centre had been able to attend mainstream schools and his profoundly deaf daughter Mariam, aged 18, had this year become the first student to enrol at university.

"She is studying accounting and finance at Ahlia University and she has profound hearing loss, I am here because of her," he said.

"So now we are having children from here going to mainstream schools and university.

"Our dream for the future is to see that all children with hearing impairment are integrated socially and financially.

"The results we are having are showing that it is not impossible to do this."

The centre, which relies solely on donations, currently accommodates 73 hearing impaired children, aged three to 14-years-old.

Many of the children come from poor families that are unable to afford the school fees, which are BD20 per month and BD30 with transport.

"We charge only 30 per cent of the effective costs, but some can't even afford to pay this," explained Dr Shehab.

"We have 20 students in kindergarten and 10 of them are exempt from fees because they (their families) can't afford them - that's why donations are so important."

Mobile networks set for a shake up in Middle East

BY LUCIA DORE (Senior Correspondent)

DUBAI — Mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) could emerge in some Middle East countries over the next three years, despite the fact that they lag behind the West, notably the US, the UK and Denmark, in providing a framework conducive for the existence of such operators, said Karim Sabbagh, a vice-president of management consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton.

Speaking at the TelecomsWorld convention recently held in Dubai he said: "In the region, and looking over a three-year perspective, different countries have varying degrees of MVNO attractiveness along different dimensions."

The countries most likely to see the entry of MVNOs in the future are Oman, Qatar and Bahrain, which display a greater level of regulatory maturity — especially Bahrain, and market competitiveness — notably Oman, which introduced a second mobile operator in 2005.

In mature telecom markets the presence of MVNOs is becoming commonplace where there are high levels of mobile penetration, strong competition and an open and supportive regulatory environment.

An MVNO is a mobile operator that does not own its own spectrum and usually does not have its own network infrastructure. Instead, it has business arrangements with traditional mobile operators to buy minutes of use for sale to their own networks.

There are three types of business models with different objectives and implications for traditional mobile network operators (MNOs). There is the brander reseller MVNO that repackage MNO tariffs and services; no-frills MVNOs that leverage low cost avenues of distribution; and fixed mobile convergence (FMC) MVNOs that combine mobility with fixed services. Successful examples of MVNOs are Virgin Mobile in the UK, Telmore in Denmark and Airtel in India. Sabbagh said that the international mobile market is experiencing a proliferation of MVNOs, with 233 planned or in operation by next year. This figure is expected to grow by another 39 per cent, to reach a possible 350 in coming months.

Not all MVNOs are successful however, namely Virgin Mobile in Singapore, Shell in Hong Kong and DingoBlue in Australia — the latter two shutting down after five months and three years respectively. Sabbagh said that MVNOs in emerging markets could draw important lessons drawn from the experiences of MVNOs in mature markets. The success of Heyah in Poland which targeted Polish youth and offered attractive pricing, and the failure of Virgin Singapore whose business proposition was unclear, shows the importance of an operator having distinct positioning with a clear value proposition, he said. The power of branding, access to an addressable market, employing an effective and detailed business case, making the most of first mover advantage and forming strategic partnerships were all important to ensure success in the chosen market.

However, achieving success in emerging markets may not be as straightforward, said Sabbagh, "but the potential future growth may be substantial," he said, naming China, India and Indonesia as markets that stand out. In mature markets operators must understand the drivers to grow subscribers and capture opportunity; have an excellent understanding of their customer base and understand and utilise branding and marketing exposure. While in emerging markets the availability of some of this information is limited, especially about customers, there is the advantage of limited customer stickiness and opportunities for "niche plays".

But it is ultimately the competitive environment that will shape the success of the MVNO play, said Sabbagh, particularly where there is limited competition and the incumbent dominates. "We define the most attractive or most competitive markets for an MVNO to enter are those where the dominant operator has a lower market share," he said. While such a situation may not emerge in the UAE, it may do so in say Saudi Arabia.

Sabbagh said "the emergence of MVNOs would prove inevitable" in markets where niche demand exists; where at least one MNO is not comfortable with its market share and wants to grow; where there are attractive margins suggesting potential for arbitrage; where demand for converged propositions exists and fixed incumbent and mobile players are structurally separated and competition does not meet regulators' expectations.

The rise of the MVNO in the region is also bound up with Sabbagh's argument that although the Middle East has been later than other regions to undertake the process of deregulation, the process is now moving faster than other regions, such as Europe. "Late liberalisers typically are under pressure to make a rapid transition and the liberalisation path is facilitated by the experience of those who preceded them," he said. Bahrain is a good example of a country that liberalised late but then had a relatively quick period of deregulation.

The reasons for this are threefold, said Sabbagh. Latecomers to liberalisation are faced with more pressure from trading partners to liberalise; laggards are pulled more strongly by the momentum of the global trend of liberalisation; and as more countries go through liberalisation, late liberalisers have the benefit of a much richer experience to draw on in drafting laws and regulations and setting up regulatory institutions.


Huawei upbeat about soaring mobile technology

By Naushad K. Cherrayil

Telecommunications equipment firm Huawei Technologies announced that it expects full-year contract sales worldwide to reach $11 billion by end of 2006.

In the first half of 2006, Huawei recorded contract sales of $5.2 billion, an increase of 29 per cent compared to the same period last year.

The China-based company signed an agreement with Saudi Telecom Company (STC) in July for deployment of a third generation (3G) mobile telephone network in the Dammam region of Saudi Arabia

Value of contract sales from international markets reached $3.4 billion, an increase of 36 per cent over the same period in 2005.

In 2003, Huawei partnered with etisalat to build third generation (3G) networks and the company has tendered a bid to du to implement a platform capable of transmitting video and other multimedia over fixed line telephones.

"Huawei can help operators to realise the full potential of their network assets and fulfill their Fixed-Mobile Convergence (FMC) vision," said Dr Xu Zhijun, Huawei's Executive vice-president and chief marketing officer.

The company signed an agreement with STC in July to deploy a 3G network in the kingdom. Huawei also works with Telefonica, Vodafone and British Telecom.

Deadline for new mobile licenses applications exended- KSA

(MENAFN) The Saudi Communication and Information Technology Commission (CITC) released a statement announcing the extension of deadline for submitting applications for the new mobile license to Feb. 24 and for the fixed-line license to March 10, Arab News reported.

The statement said that the deadlines were extended in response to requests from several interested parties in order to give them more time to prepare their offers.

According to the previous announcement, the last date was Jan. 20 for mobile and Jan. 27 for fixed phone. Copies of the applications for both licenses can be downloaded from the CITC website or can be collected from its office in Riyadh.

The planned licensing is a major milestone in the liberalization of the Kingdom's telecom sector, the CITC said, adding that the organization was committed to issuing the licenses at the earliest.

The new licenses will break the monopoly of Saudi Telecom Co. (STC) on landline phone services and add at least a third mobile phone operator after STC and Mobily.

Vodafone Sells 25 Percent of its Interest in Swisscom Mobile

By Johanne Torres

Vodafone recently announced that it has agreed to sell its 25 percent interest in Swisscom Mobile to Swisscom for a cash consideration of £1.8 billion. Swisscom already owns an approximate 75 percent of the wireless operator. The companies have inked an initial five-year term contract.
The new contract will allow customers from both companies to receive Vodafone's global services such as Vodafone live!, preferred roaming arrangements, and international roaming services; as well as use the company's Blackberry devices. During this transition, Vodafone and Swisscom will continue to co-operate in serving international corporate customers.
"Vodafone and Swisscom have enjoyed an excellent relationship since we acquired our 25% stake in Swisscom Mobile in January 2001. We do not, however, see ourselves as the most appropriate holder of this minority stake in the longer-term and Swisscom is keen to increase its holding in Swisscom Mobile to drive through synergies in its fixed and mobile businesses. It therefore makes sense to sell our stake now for an attractive price," commented Arun Sarin, Vodafone's chief executive.
Today's news comes on the heels of Vodafone's announcement about it teaming up with Yahoo! to launch a mobile advertising business. Under a new agreement, Yahoo! will become Vodafone's exclusive display advertising partner in the UK. Yahoo! will provide a variety of mobile advertising formats across Vodafone's content services. Vodafone and Yahoo! plan to roll out the initiative in the UK in the first half of 2007.
Be sure to check out TMCnet's Whitepaper Library, which provides a selection of in-depth information on relevant topics affecting the IP Communications industry. The library offers white papers, case studies and other documents which are free to registered users.

HP Acquires Mobile Device Management Company

By CXOtoday satff,

HP has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Bitfone Corp., a privately held software and services company that develops software solutions for mobile device management for the wireless industry.

Bitfone is headquartered in Laguna Niguel, Calif., with offices in Canada, China, Korea and the U.K. and approximately 134 employees.

"Mobile device management is a key component to driving widespread mobile IT deployments," said Dave Rothschild, vice president, Handheld Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. "With the acquisition of Bitfone, HP adds mobile device management to a comprehensive management suite that already includes servers, desktops and notebooks."

This acquisition provides HP with software tools for mobile device deployments, migration and replacement.

Bitfone has two main products - mProve and FusionDM. The former is a client-side software suite (residing on the mobile device) comprising of firmware over-the-air (FOTA) and device management (DM) solutions. The latter is an OMA DM standards-based solution consisting of modules for firmware & application management, handset configuration, and diagnostics. It also has an enterprise module. Customers have the option of buying the entire FusionDM framework or individual modules.

"As a leading technology innovator in the mobile device management and wireless space, Bitfone has built a world-class software platform over the past six years," said Gene Wang, chairman & CEO, Bitfone Corp. "We are proud to be joining HP, where we can continue to innovate and provide software solutions that deliver a more compelling mobile experience."

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to certain closing conditions and is expected to be completed by February 2007.

Following completion, Bitfone will be integrated into the Handheld Business Unit of HP's Personal Systems Group.

Mobile gamer Glu readies for $92 million IPO

By Marguerite Reardon

Glu Mobile, a publisher of mobile games, has filed for an initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The planned IPO is expected to raise up to $92 million.

The San Mateo, Calif., company filed for the IPO on Tuesday and plans to list its shares on the Nasdaq using the symbol GLUU.

The IPO comes as the casual-game market is emerging as a significant driver of growth in the game industry, according to analysts from market research firm M:Metrics.

Casual games refers to a category of software-based entertainment that includes word and puzzle games, board games, and even some classic arcade titles. While not new, the casual-games industry is enjoying a renaissance driven by advertising dollars and the use of mobile devices. Because casual games tend to be small and have minimal processing needs, they're ideal for cell phones.

"Casual games hit the sweet spot in mobile gaming," said Seamus McAteer, a senior analyst for M:Metrics. "And Glu Mobile has succeeded in building its share in the market based on a strong portfolio of titles and some savvy acquisitions."

Among publishers of mobile games, Glu Mobile ranked second in October in terms of new game downloads. Electronic Arts Mobile, publisher of popular games such as Tetris and Bejeweled, ranked No. 1 with 27 percent of the mobile-gaming audience. Glu Mobile's No. 2 ranking came with 10.8 percent, according to M:Metrics. Glu Mobile has done well with retro titles such as Centipede and Monopoly, a title it got from its acquisition of iFone.

The North American market for casual games is expected to grow from an estimated $281 million in sales this year to $1.15 billion in 2011, according to market research firm DFC Intelligence. These casual games are even more popular in Asia and Eastern Europe, two markets Glu Mobile hasn't addressed yet, but is poised to enter.

McAteer believes Glu Mobile's IPO filing could spur bigger companies to think about an acquisition. In 2004, Jamdat filed for an $86 million IPO. The company was sold to Electronic Arts for $680 million the next year.

"Going public is a great way to maximize shareholder value," McAteer said. "There's no way Jamdat would have gotten $680 million for the company if it hadn't gone public."

Who might be interested in Glu Mobile? Activision, the old-school video game publisher, hasn't made a major mobile play yet, McAteer noted. Vivendi Universal or even Viacom's MTV may be interested in Glu Mobile, he said.

Here Comes the Mobile Society!

Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook, which have dramatically altered the online landscape, are having a growing impact on the mobile world, too.

According to the new "Mobile Social Communities" report from ABI Research, the social networking phenomenon that has swept the Internet in the past few years is about to have a big impact on mobile phones and devices, too.

The report states that "mobile social communities" currently number almost 50 million members worldwide, and that number is projected to rise to 174 million in 2011.

Samsung Phones to Feature Opera Mobile Browser

By Patrick Hoffman

Opera Software announced Dec. 21 that it is working with Samsung Electronics to make its mobile Web browser available on Samsung cell phones.

The Opera Mobile browser uses Opera's Small-Screen Rendering technology to reformat Web pages for better viewing on small screens.

"Samsung is a major handset manufacturer so we expect to provide a great number of mobile phone consumers with Opera Mobile to browse all of their favorite Web sites while on the go," Michelle Valdivia Lien, a spokesperson for Opera, told eWEEK.

Opera Mobile includes a blue highlighting feature that allows users to navigate the Web more easily, as well as Web address auto complete, which delivers suggestions to users based on their bookmarks and history, Opera officials said.

"This partnership benefits Samsung phone users with a superior Web experience so that they can easily and quickly access all of their wanted information from their phone," Lien said.

Opera has not yet announced which Samsung handsets Opera Mobile will work with.

EU Says Czech 3G Mobile Phone Licenses Are Legal

By William Echikson,Dow Jones

Vodafone Group received no illegal state aid when it received a cut-rate third generation mobile license in the Czech Republic, the European Commission ruled Thursday.

The Czech government sold Vodafone's Czech subsidiary Oscar a 3G license for about EUR66 million last year. Telefonica's Eurotel and Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile complained about the low price, saying they had paid far more for similar licenses back in 2001. T-Mobile paid EUR115 million for its license and Telefonica EUR105 million.

Yet the commission concluded that Vodafone's lower price was the result of genuine market forces.

"The commission is satisfied that the Czech authorities have not favored the winner of the third 3G license," said E.U. Antitrust Commissioner Neelie Kroes. "We have concluded that the lower price with respect to previous 3G licenses simply reflects the dramatic change in market conditions between 2001 and 2005."

The Czech government used the same formula for calculating the price in both auctions, the commission said. It depended on a study comparing fees charged for 3G licenses in other countries.

Mobile joint-making video causes a stir

No smoke without fire

By INQUIRER

A VIDEO PURPORTING to show how to roll the perfect joint has been downed from the Interweb after thousands of UK teenagers downloaded the tutorial to their mobile phones.

Tocmag.com said it received a complaint from a Bristol secondary school teacher after the video appeared on its site.

The video, entitled "smoke-weed" by its anonymous author, was accompanied by a six-page booklet listing the "top ten activities to try when you're caned."

Tocmag said it generated over 5000 downloads to UK mobiles, mostly thought to be school children.

Although Tocmag founder Brad Ells said he and his firm were doing, "everything in our powers to ensure it doesn't happen again," it still managed to deliver a press release on the subject in order to claim how popular the service is.

"From the outset of this project," adds Ells, "we realised illicit content is a serious problem with user-generated material. We have conducted a review of our censorship process and ramped-up the resources we devote to ensuring Tocmag is a clean service."

Any future inappropriate cock-ups may be used to promote the service, however. The make-your-own crack-pipe tutorial is expected to be a big hit with some primary school audiences. µ

Donate Old Cell Phones

One organization you might be interested in donating to is Triad of St. Joseph County.

Triad is collecting old cell phones and turning them into 911 phones to help the elderly in the community.

The cell phones can only be used to dial 911, but can be used anywhere there are towers.

Any age and style cell phone can be donated as long as they are in good working condition and have chargers.

Officials with Triad hope that with the holidays almost over, they will see a boost in donations.

"We're hoping we'll get a quite a few, cause' a lot of people got new cell phones for Christmas and they don't know what to do with their old ones," explains Barbara Brownell with Triad of St. Joseph County.

If you are interested in donating, you can drop your old cell phones off at Howard Park Senior Citizen Center between 10AM to 5PM after January 1st.

Ads Take Over Cell Phones

by Kristin Edelhauser

A few months ago, we blogged about how ads are making their way into books. Today, I read an article on NYTimes.com about ads expanding into a new media--cell phones. Starting early next year, Verizon Wireless will allow banner advertisements on various internet sites that users visit and display on their cell phones. Why cell phones? This new form of advertising would, in theory, create an intimate bond with consumers, as messages could be created for individuals based on their demographics.

What type of advertising will be most effective in this medium? So far, fast-food restaurants and hotels are obvious choices since they're businesses people want to access while on the go.

But as advertisers continue spending more on mobile marketing, some critics wonder just how effective this form of advertising really is. One ad agency representative says he doesn't think mobile advertising will succeed until marketers can regularly and easily buy space for video clips.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Nokia rules GSM handset market with 79% share

Finnish handset major Nokia has retained the top slot in Indian GSM market with 79% share, while US giant Motorola has more than doubled its share to 7% this year, according to a study.

Motorola has been able to significantly improve its share to 7% this year from 3% in 2005, according to the latest annual TNS CellTrack 2006 study.

It said the US company's gain was possibly the loss of South Korean handset maker Samsung, whose market share dropped to 4% in 2006 from 6% a year ago.

In the CDMA market, LG has consolidated its position as the market leader with 49% market share this year against 43% in 2005, the study said.

While Nokia managed to retain its share in CDMA handsets, Samsung and Motorola lost market share from 17% to 8% and 12% to 4% respectively.

According to the study, the TRIM index for the industry, which measures strength of 'subscriber-service provider relationship', increased to 82 this year against 79 in 2005.

Bharti Airtel has retained its number one position among national players with the TRIM Index up to 92 in 2006 from 82 in 2005. Hutch captured the second slot with Reliance at the third position. Idea, BSNL and Tata Teleservices maintained performance but were below the industry average, it said.

State-run telecom major MTNL improved its TRIM Index rating to 100, while Aircel continued to top the regional player ratings with a score of 110.

The study covered about 3,000 mobile users and 1,057 multi-brand retail outlets across 17 telecom circles.

Cellphones for the Music Fan

By: ROY FURCHGOTT

AT a tree-trimming party at his Chicago co-op apartment, Eric Spanitz supplied seasonal music, a mix of Bing Crosby and "A Charlie Brown Christmas," which issued from a certain well-known compact portable electronic device — a mobile phone.

About a year ago Mr. Spanitz, a professor of management at Lake Forest University in Illinois and a business consultant, finally decided to buy a phone and a music player, but he didn't want to carry two devices. Instead he bought a Sony- Ericsson W800i Walkman phone that combines both.

"I use it more often than I expected," he said of the music function, with which he listens to tunes on plane trips and in his hotel room, and even uses his selection of 60s rock, jazz, classical and German electronica to serve as a D.J. at impromptu gatherings. "The constant reaction is, 'Where are you hiding the speakers? That sound can't come from the phone,' " he said.

Speculation that Apple Computer will announce a combination iPod and phone at the Macworld convention in San Francisco next month has fueled interest among people who, like Mr. Spanitz, don't want to carry multiple devices — even though most phones already have multimedia players that handle music.

The problem seems to be that few multimedia phones, if any, are as easy to use as an iPod. Of course, most people pick phones primarily for the phone features or service plan, but for those who put high importance on music, there is a subset of media phones designed with the music fan in mind. A few can give an iPod a run for the money.

At the top of the list is the Motorola iTunes phone from Cingular ($200 after $50 rebate with a two-year contract). The handset is a modified Motorola RAZR, called the V3i, with a music note button that takes you right to your songs. The V3i uses the same menu system as the iPod. The phone lacks the iPod click wheel, so an up/down/left/right button substitutes.

The phone screen displays not only the basic song information, but also a picture of the CD cover — if you have downloaded the image into your iTunes file. Plugged into a computer with iTunes software, the V3i practically sets itself up. With a few button clicks it randomly fills with songs. Like an iPod, the phone can recharge from its U.S.B. connection or from a wall socket and works equally well with Mac or PC.

The sound quality is Pod-worthy, but the V3i does have its limitations. For one, it can hold only 100 songs (6.9 hours of music, its maker says.), and the memory cannot be expanded, as is true for most music phones. Because Cingular does not sell music over its network (just ring tones), you can't buy songs and have them instantly transmitted into your phone.

Another Cingular music phone, the Sony-Ericsson Walkman W810i (the newer version of Mr. Spanitz's phone is $99 after a $100 rebate with a two-year contract), offers a memory slot to store a heap of music, but uses only Sony's proprietary Memory Stick cards, which are frequently more expensive than generic memory.

A "candy bar"-style phone, it has an adapter for other brands of headsets, although the Sony in-ear headphones that are included are decent — crisp sounding, if lacking in bass. Setting the built-in equalizer to "bass" helps.

Loading songs should be easy but proved initially glitchy in a reporter's test. Plugging the phone into a U.S.B. port sets it up as a drive; then you can drag and drop songs. The W810i should recognize music and store it properly, but it didn't work in the test. When music was dropped directly into the folder labeled MP3 on the card and the phone restarted, it worked perfectly.

The Sony does pump out a lot of sound through its three tiny speakers. While it is loud enough for small gatherings like Mr. Spanitz's, fidelity is the quality of a 1960s transistor radio.

The Walkman phone offers 50 streaming radio stations through MobiRadio for $8.99 a month. Channels range from rap to classical, but the tinny sound quality and signal drop-outs will disappoint hi-fi fans. The built-in FM tuner (found under the Entertainment tab, not Music) sounds far better at no extra charge.

From Verizon Wireless, the LG VX8500 Chocolate phone ($99 after $50 rebate with a two-year contract) has plenty of cool factor, but how much you like it depends on your regard for the buttonless, touch-sensitive control pad. The red backlight glow will attract admiring glances, but it takes practice to develop the right touch to operate the pad.

The slider phone has a hot button to take you right to your music, and loading songs, while not flawless, worked with some persistence. Sound quality was a bit thin but acceptable.

The display while music is playing shows the album cover in a larger size than others, a nice graphic touch.

Browsing Verizon's V-Cast music store on the Chocolate displays only three artists at a time, making shopping laborious. If you already know what you want, it's easier. Downloads direct to the phone from the V-Cast store are $1.99 and you get two copies, one to the phone and a higher-quality copy for your computer. You can also use your computer to buy a single copy from the V-Cast store for 99 cents, which can be loaded onto the phone's SD card by U.S.B.

Sprint 's most tune-oriented phone is the Fusic ($30 after a $50 rebate with a two-year contract, through Dec. 31). But Sprint tries to appeal to the music fan not so much with the phone as with its service, producing exclusive live music and phonecast TV shows for its customers.

Many of the special features and much of the exclusive content, however, are geared toward selling music through Sprint. Shopping screens are neatly laid out showing an artist's most popular downloads as well as a comprehensive list of tunes. The downloads are remarkably fast, but the cost of that convenience is a steep $2.50 per song — plus the minutes spent downloading. As with Verizon, you get two copies of the song, one direct to the phone and one for your computer, but you can't save money by buying direct through your computer.

While you can download on an economy plan, the per-kilobyte charge makes it expensive. Frequent downloaders may save over all using the more expensive Power Vision plan, which includes some data downloads. Other add-ons also add to the price, like 20 channels of Sirius radio, which cost $6.95 a month plus tax.

In a test of the Fusic, loading songs through the U.S.B. connection was stymied by a card-reader problem that the company said was being addressed, but was easily accomplished by putting the micro SD card in a reader and dragging unprotected MP3 files to the card's MP3 folder.

Sound quality was better with MP3s than with the streaming radio, but was greatly improved in both cases by other brands of earbuds.

One novel feature of the Fusic is its FM transmitter, which lets you send the music from your phone to an FM radio receiver.

Then you can use the phone not only like a D.J., as Mr. Spanitz does; you can go him one better at your next party and be an in-house dance club D.J. over your radio.

State: Chenango needs 911 help for cell phones

Chenango is one of 15 New York counties that still lacks the technology to pinpoint the location of 911 cell-phone callers, according to an audit released Thursday by the state comptroller's office.

The audit faulted the Department of State for failing to properly track the progress of the counties, which are expected to implement the technology using state funding. Those funds are collected through a surcharge on monthly wireless phone bills.

The three-digit emergency number has been in place for land-based phone lines in Chenango County for nearly a decade, according to the Sheriff's Department website. However, the county's system has "no way at all" to determine the location of a caller from a cell phone.

Attempts to reach Matt Beckwith, the county's emergency management officer, were unsuccessful Thursday.

Pontiac H.S. students recycling cell phones

By Karen Walters

Almost everyone has a cell phone – and sometimes an older, unused model, too. Students at Pontiac Township High School are trying to make a difference for the environment by collecting those old phones and recycling them.

This is the second year for the students in ecology classes to organize and run the recycling program. Last year, more than 300 phones were collected.

The phones are given to Motorola, a leading maker of cell phones and related technology, for recycling or refurbishing.

According to the company, more than 1.7 billion people use cell phones as their primary means of communications. About 23 new cell phones are manufactured every second.

More than 100 phones were collected during the first week of the collection program, said teacher Paul Ritter.

"We have one of the largest landfills here in Pontiac, and we need to do everything we can to recycle," he said. "Much of the parts in cell phones can be recycled. If put in landfills, they can contaminate ground water."

The students chose the cell phone recycling project over other community service projects because of the prevalence of cell phones.

Ritter said there are more than 500 million unused cell phones in the United States, sitting in people's drawers, closets and other places.

The number continues to grow, as more than 100 million phones are turned off or unused each year, according to Motorola.

Ritter said cell phones contain hazardous chemicals, like lead and arsenic, which can pollute the air and ground water.

Motorola will melt the old or damaged phones, recover reusable materials and burn off plastics for fuel. None of the materials will end up in landfills.

Phones to be recycled should have all their information erased to protect the former owner. Instructions on erasing data can be found at
www.wirelessrecycling.com.

3.5G - a new leap in mobile telephony

By Fiona Galea Debono

Vodafone Malta Ltd yesterday launched one of the latest technologies in mobile telephony - High-Speed Downlink Packet Access, or 3.5G, which offers users the worldwide web at their fingertips.

The introduction of 3.5G, which is currently available in the Paceville and St Julians area and Malta International Airport, has put Malta on a par with Western Europe and ahead of Eastern European countries, said Vodafone Malta CEO Hatem Dowidar.

He said 3.5G is five times faster than 3G and 40 times faster than 2G, which means consumers can benefit from faster communication and improved products.

HSDPA delivers a faster mobile broadband experience to Vodafone customers, with mobile transfer of data from the internet and intranet at high speeds and greater capacity (three times that of current 3G levels), meaning that more people in the same location at the same time can benefit from a superior experience, Mr Dowidar explained.

In addition, HSDPA offers improved access to web-based content, so customers can work faster and download larger documents, such as PowerPoint presentations and e-mail attachments.

"The HSDPA-driven wireless performance should significantly improve the mobile working experience for Vodafone business customers, resulting in notable productivity gains," he said.

In short, it means mobile phones are being turned into multimedia computers.

The move comes hot on the heels of the launch of 3G, which enables consumers, and businessmen in particular, to transfer both voice and non-voice data via mobile phones through their greater capacity and power.

Take-up of 3G, since it was introduced in summer, covers about three per cent of Vodafone's customer base, but that percentage is expected to rise over Christmas, Mr Dowidar envisaged.

A couple of hundred local 3G users were already making use of video calling and other services, which are expected to increase as more people switch to 3G.

Speaking at the launch, Competitiveness and Communications Minister Censu Galea highlighted how far Malta had come since the telecommunications section was liberalised - to the benefit of consumers.

"We now have media companies involved in communications, telecommunications companies going into digital broadcasting and mobile operators offering an array of services that go beyond what has been traditionally classified as telephony."

Having said that, with the rapid development of ICT, Malta still had a long way to go, Mr Galea said.

"Our task as regulators is to facilitate the investment in software, hardware and human resources required to remain at the cutting edge of such developments," he said.

The first 3.5G mobile phone, the Motorola V1100, is available from Vodafone retail outlets, while the HSDPA Mobile Connect Card V740 is already available for sale from Vodafone.

We are changing mobile market, says 3 managing director

The launch of mobile media network 3 has had a major impact on the Irish mobile phone market, according to 3 managing director Robert Finnegan.

"We've had a great year at 3 and we're looking forward to an equally successful 2007,"said Mr Finnegan. "Not only have we brought better value to the Irish consumer and a new range of services, we have also shaken up a stale and uncompetitive market.

"The old networks are waking up to the fact that the market has changed and they can no longer take Irish consumers for granted. Not only have mobile users been ripped off on price they've been sold old 2G technology for a long time – we're here to change that.


"In 2007 we will launch the X-Series in the Irish market, premium internet services at a flat-rate – simply the best you can get from your mobile."

T-Mobile extends Content Lock to BlackBerry users

T-Mobile is keeping the mobile web safe with its Content Lock feature, now extending the service to the BlackBerry - which means it now covers all of its web-friendly handsets.

Content Lock is an advanced filtering mechanism, intended to protect consumers, especially children, being exposed to adult and illegal internet content when accessed via the T-Mobile service. Content Lock specifically blocks access to online child abuse content as well as adult rated sites, gambling sites and unmoderated chatrooms. Customers trying to access a website or a service on the internet via their mobile phone which is rated as adult content will be informed the site they are accessing has been blocked.

Cell phones that track the kids

By David Pogue

Let's face it: we're in love with the idea of secret location trackers. In The Da Vinci Code, the bad guys slap a location-tracking button onto Tom Hanks' clothing. In The Matrix, a location-tracking scorpion robot crawls into Keanu Reeves' abdomen. In Total Recall, a tracking device is implanted into Arnold Schwarzenegger's nose.


Many parents may have fleetingly harbored the fantasy of equipping their children with such tracking devices (though perhaps not through their noses or navels). You could find out instantly where your teenager was, or find out that your middle-schooler didn't come home after school because of a rendezvous you forgot about.

But this is one sci-fi gadget that's no longer fi, thanks to advanced sci--satellite-based tracking based on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. At least five companies--Wherify Wireless, Guardian Angel Technology, Disney Mobile, Verizon Wireless and Sprint--have built GPS tracking into something children carry voluntarily: cell phones.

The super-simplified Wherifone ($100), for example, is intended for very young or old customers. Because it has no number pad, it's probably the smallest cell phone you've ever seen--about the size of a Fig Newton. On the company's Web site, wherifywireless.com, you can program three of its four speed-dial buttons to dial Mom, Dad and Gramps, for example; the fourth summons an address book containing 20 more numbers. The phone can receive calls from any number, although you, the wise parent, can restrict incoming calls using the Web site.

The phone comes in five colors. The plans range from $20 a month (60 minutes of talking) to $47 (200 minutes); checking a phone's location counts as one minute of calling.

To pinpoint the phone's location, you call up the Web site, enter your password, click "locate," and presto: an icon appears on a map--either a street map or actual satellite photo. In the photo view, you can zoom in enough to see individual buildings. These are existing satellite photos--you won't actually see your child standing there--but this feature is still creepy and awesome.

You can even watch "bread crumbs" appear on the map as the phone moves around (cost: one talk-time minute apiece). That could be helpful if you're trying to assist someone lost on the road, or in the kinds of emergencies encountered primarily in your nightmares.

The Wherifone is not, however, a full-blown cell phone. It looks and acts more like a Star Trek communicator. Its screen is crude, tiny and black-and-white. There's no Internet, ring tone downloads, games, camera or text messaging, though some parents might consider that a bonus. The phone has a hissy quality that makes all calls sound as if they're coming from the seashore.

The phone from Guardian Angel Technology (guardianangeltech.com ) is quite a collaboration; the company makes neither the phone (Motorola), the cellular network (Nextel), nor even the billing plan (Boost Mobile).

Instead, what this company brings to the table is the GPS software. The company offers three phone models, none of them cutting edge, and one of them (the $75 base model) looks as if it's from 1994. You can also buy any phone from the greater selection at boostmobile.com, and send it to Guardian Angel for GPS enhancement. Many of these phones offer Nextel's walkie-talkie feature.

On the upside, the GPS tracking on the Guardian Angel phones is more sophisticated than its rivals'. For example, you can see a full 30 days' worth of "bread crumbs," which could settle the occasional argument about your teenager's whereabouts the last few weekends. And you can opt to have street names superimposed on the satellite-photo view (just as in Google Maps, which powers this feature).

The downside is the pricing: $30 a month just for the tracking. You can start and stop this service as needed, but it's still much more expensive than its rivals.

Then again, the Guardian Angel phone is prepaid, so there's no annual contract, monthly bill or credit check. You buy minutes in advance. Such a plan makes sense for many young consumers, although the minutes are pricey (20 cents each, 10 cents at night and weekends).

Coolness factor
If you're worried that classmates will make fun of the weird-looking Wherifone and Guardian Angel phones, consider
Disney Mobile. Its flagship phone ($50 each after rebates and with a two-year commitment), looks like a cutting-edge sleek flip-phone — because it is one. This phone, made by LG and dressed in red and silver, has a camera, video capture, text messaging, Bluetooth, speakerphone and voice dialing, plus Disney-themed ring tones, wallpaper options and phone themes.

You get five free location checks a month; additional checks cost 50 cents each. No bread crumb feature is available, and you see only street maps--not aerial photos.

Cell phones, English to top ’07 agenda

By Niki Kelly

INDIANAPOLIS – Area lawmakers are shoring up their own agendas for the 2007 legislative session, crafting new laws that could put more restrictions on teen motorists and ban talking on hand-held cell phones while driving.

Still other legislators hope the upcoming session includes time to create payouts for those injured or killed as the result of a bar or tavern negligently overserving consumers and amend Indiana's Constitution to ensure English is the official language of the state.

These are just four of the more intriguing proposals being drafted by the 18 legislators representing northeast Indiana. Debate on these ideas and more will begin Jan. 8.

Smart Phones Get Smarter

With big screens, QWERTY keyboards, and fast Net connections, sleek phones are packing PC-like power. We'll help you choose the right one.
By Christopher Null

Just about every cell phone maker now offers a PDA phone--and my, how they've grown. No longer just workhorses for high-powered professionals, PDA phones offer more versatility than ever, with many models boasting a high-quality camera, media players, and full-color Web browsing capabilities.

We looked at the latest crop of PDA phones to see which ones were at the top of their game. But what separates a regular cell phone from a PDA phone, anyway? Many cell phone vendors claim that their offerings are "smart phones," meaning phones that can access e-mail. For our review, however, we set out some basic criteria that each phone had to meet. First, it had to come with a full QWERTY keyboard (which meant that some impressive devices such as the BlackBerry Pearl failed to make the cut); second, it had to run an operating system capable of supporting at least some basic productivity applications.

PDA phones have a huge range of capabilities, and selecting a handset means weighing the features you care about most. First consider how well the device handles calls. PDA phones are bigger and bulkier than standard cell phones, but they should still be comfortable to hold against your ear. Also look for a device that meets your needs. If you want to edit documents, don't buy a BlackBerry; it lets you view documents, but its OS has no editing applications. And don't forget that some QWERTY keyboards are roomier than others.

High-speed data access, commonly known as third-generation or 3G service, is yet another important issue to weigh. The technology can provide transfer rates of 350 kilobits per second or more, approaching wired-broadband speeds. This kind of performance can be crucial if you send large files via e-mail or spend a lot of time browsing the Web on your phone. Sprint's and Verizon's 3G network is called EvDO, while Cingular's is known as HSDPA. Both Cingular and T-Mobile offer EDGE service--a 2.5G data network (not a true 3G service) that commonly reaches about 100 kbps.

Put simply, some phones are built for work, and others for play. Be sure to choose accordingly.

Cell phones in classroom under scrutiny

Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. Cell phones on the verge of becoming the next public target for banning in certain environments.

Much the way second-hand cigarette smoke has become public-health enemy No. 1, so, too has the ringing, jingling and singing associated with cell phones. Fewer items seem to draw the ire of those who must listen to other people's cell phone conversation, whether they're in the local coffee shop, inside a restaurant or at the supermarket.

Cell phones are everywhere, and they're not likely going to go away anytime soon.

Except, of course, if the superintendent of the Forrest County Schools has anything to say about the matter.

Kay Clay, responding to a parent's complaint over the confiscation of his daughter's cell phone, said the district's confiscation policy is necessary in order to deter repeat offenders.

"Students know what the consequences are, and parents need to be familiar with the handbook," she said.

That's not stopping Robert Wilson of Glendale from trying to see the handbook rule changed. His 17-year-old daughter Leslie had her cell phone - which is in Wilson's name - taken away from her. He doesn't believe the school's policy of taking the phone on the first offense and keep it for a month is fair.

"That's not right," he said. "You turn it back over to the parent."

Anyone who's ever taught in a high school - and most people have not - understand that discipline and order are necessary in order to achieve a worthwhile educational experience. Having a cell phone go off in the middle of a play by Shakespeare or making sense of a difficult trigonometry problem is not the best way to learn the play or the problem.

Wilson's point - that a school should not be able to hold personal property after school hours - raises a valid concern about what a public school is able to do regarding a student's personal possessions. Conversely, Clay's rigid enforcement of the handbook leaves no doubt that ambiguity is not part of the discussion. Cell phones in classrooms will be confiscated.

Purists - those who go back to the days of phone booths and other public telephones - will argue that a student doesn't need to have a cell phone during school hours, especially since the purpose of going to school is to learn and listen, not to engage in cell phone chatter.

The purists also have a valid point.

Those who side with Wilson and his daughter might argue the district should not be in the business of confiscating cell phones. The retort to that is that it isn't. It is, however, in the business of educating students, including enforcement of its handbook rules.

The district could give Wilson back the phone with the clear understanding it is not to be brought into classrooms. For his part, Wilson - as should all parents - can go over the handbook with his daughter and determine then and there whether the phones are allowed.

Chances are they're not. If that's the case, then give the teachers a break and leave the phone in the locker and turned off.

Use cell phones safely, correctly

By Katrina Jameson

Ah, cell phones! Whatever did we do before their annoying existence? I have a cell phone and I use it maybe three times a year. It was purchased for emergencies and to be used when a necessary call needs to be made and there is no other phone available.

When I do use my cell phone, it is in a place where the rest of the world does not have to be disturbed with my conversation, nor run the risk of being broad-sided by me in the car because I am too busy talking and not concentrating on my driving.

People should hang up and driive! I realize that these phones make life easier, that many people conduct a large portion of their business over them and that they do serve an important purpose.

I am by no means suggesting that we do away with cell phones. What I am saying is, use some sense and common courtesy where cell phones are concerned.

I went to hear the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra play a few months ago, and right in the middle of a beautiful piece of music, I hear the theme song from Sanford and Son - somebody's ringtone.

In the middle of a sermon, I heard this annoying, persistant humming; it was someone's cell phone vibrating.

I ask, please: If you can't live without your cell phone long enough to attend a church service or drive to work safely, then the two of you should just stay home.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Motorola Announces its Fastest Processor PMC Module

Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) today announced availability of the PrPMC6001, the company's fastest Processor PMC module. The PrPMC6001 is designed to enable original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to boost their platform compute and I/O performance while maintaining excellent power and thermal characteristics.

The power and versatility of Motorola's PrPMC6001 may enable engineers that are designing leading-edge pervasive computing and embedded network control and signal processing applications, such as flight computers, software defined radio, and command, control and communications systems, to quickly and easily add processing power.

Featuring a Freescale MPC7448 PowerPC® G4 architecture processor running at speeds of up to 1.4 GHz, the PrPMC6001 uses an integrated system controller to give the processor high-speed access to up to one GB of external memory with Motorola support and up to 256MB of flash memory. The PrPMC6001 features dual independent Gigabit Ethernet interfaces, one of which has optional SerDes support, routed to the PMC connector. It supports both real-time and Linux operating systems for enhanced customer flexibility.

This latest module extends Motorola's embedded communications computing product portfolio, which ranges from individual blade and module building blocks through fully integrated and validated communications servers. Motorola gives customers the flexibility to integrate its products at the appropriate level for their solution.

PrPMC6001 features

* Single-width PMC (PCI Mezzanine Card)

* Freescale MPC7448 PowerPC® G4 architecture processor operating at up to 1.4GHz

* Up to 1GB ECC DDR SDRAM

* Dual GigE interface

* Up to 133 MHz PCI-X interface

* PTMC compliant P4 connector

* Supports VxWorks 5.5 and 5.5.1, certain carrier grade Linux distributions and kernel.org 2.6.10

About the Processor PMC Family

Motorola's extensive family of Processor PMC modules feature a complete host microprocessor and memory subsystem on an ANSI VITA 32 standard compact form factor. A PrPMC design approach allows customers to design simpler and smaller baseboards and focus their resources on adding value to their products through innovation such as software or custom interfaces. Motorola's PrPMC products can help shorten the design cycle, speed time-to-market and reduce the time and complexity of upgrading, which lowers the total cost of ownership and provides excellent scalability.

About Motorola

Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $35.3 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations,please visit www.motorola.com


Mobiles still ringing in New Year

posted by: Jonathan Fildes

The mobile, almost unlike any other device, has changed the way we work, socialise and live our lives.

But although many of us could now no longer live without our mobiles, according to Sir David Brown, Chairman of Motorola, the mobile industry had no idea how successful they would become.

Speaking at a conference in 2006, he admitted that in the mid-1980s the mobile phone industry estimated that by the year 2000, there would be a market for about 900,000 mobile phones worldwide.

When we reached the millennium, he said, 900,000 phones were being sold every 19 hours.

And although the mobile market is now mature it still continues to grow at a phenomenal pace.

Mobile dependency

At the end of 2006 there were nearly 2.7 billion mobile phone subscribers globally, according to research firm Informa Telecoms and Media.

In 2007 Informa predicts that the total number of subscribers will top three billion for the first time, almost half of the world's population.

"The power of mobile communications just keeps on getting greater and greater," said chief research officer Mark Newman.

"As users, we are getting more and more dependent on these devices."

And as this dependency increases, so too does our thirst for new handsets.

In 2006, nearly 950 million handsets were sold around the world, while in 2007, this figure is expected to pass the one billion mark.

The strongest demand for handsets is in the developing markets of India, China, Africa and Latin America.

Many of the phones sold in these areas tend to be fairly simple designs. But in the more developed parts of the world there is a desire for slimline, gadget-packed devices.

They have changed so much that engineers at Motorola now refer to them as "the device formerly known as the mobile phone".

Today in established markets such as Europe, no mobile phone is complete without an MP3 player, high resolution camera and an array of complex games.

And as technology continues to get smaller, memory cheaper and software more sophisticated, more and more features will be packed into these digital Swiss army knives.

"Over the next year you're going to see the first true convergence of features," said Joe Bennett, head of sales at Unique Distribution, one of the largest distributors of mobile phones in the UK.

Until now users have had to compromise on mobile phones, so for example if you wanted a high quality camera, few handsets would also offer the storage necessary to carry around a few thousand MP3s.

"In 2007 this will change and the user will have the option of combining many more features on one chosen mobile device," said Mr Bennett.

Nokia Launches New Initiatives to Help Young People Affected by the Asian Tsunami

Two years on from the Asian Tsunami that devastated many communities, Nokia has announced the launch of several new projects to help young people in India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia with training and new skills. The initiative is designed to help young people find jobs or set up small businesses, building long-term livelihoods for themselves and their families.

Nokia provided immediate disaster relief aid and funding to the region affected by the Tsunami in December 2004. It also pledged EUR 2.5 million for longer-term recovery to help young people rebuild their lives through access to training and apprenticeships.

"With the Asian tsunami relief effort having moved from immediate humanitarian assistance to long-term reconstruction and recovery, Nokia is pleased to play a key role in rebuilding the communities affected by the disaster", said Martin Sandelin, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Involvement, Nokia. "Through these initiatives, Nokia continues to promote long-term sustainability and livelihood in areas that remain deeply affected nearly two years after the disaster."

Working together with the International Youth Foundation and the Grameen Foundation, the Nokia projects will help thousands of young people and their communities. Projects have been specially developed to meet the needs of each country.

Activities planned for 2007 include:

India - young people will be offered training in business enterprise and life development skills, through courses focusing on community mobilization, problem solving and negotiation skills. The training will also encourage them to take an active role in their communities and the decision-making process within their villages.

Sri Lanka - training will be provided in order to provide immediate employment opportunities for those affected. Besides management and business skills such as tourism management, accounting and sales, vocational programs such as sewing, weaving and carpentry will also be provided for longer-term livelihood sustainability.

Indonesia - young people with limited education who have been affected by the Tsunami will be able to sign up for training courses and apprenticeships where they will learn more about how to work and build careers within small business and financial management.

Thailand - Nokia will continue with its program of training schemes and support for young people in this country begun in 2005. Courses are available in a range of areas including, boat construction, boat motor and motorcycle repair, and apprenticeship courses in various aspects of the hotel industry.

"Young people were disproportionately affected by the tsunami which resulted in the deaths of many parents and family members, interrupted educations, and lost livelihoods," said Bill Reese, IYF President and CEO. "As follow up to relief operations, there remains an urgent need for comprehensive programs that help young people regain confidence, acquire skills, and access either jobs or the loan funds needed to launch their own small businesses. We are pleased to be working with Nokia to address this critical need."

Recognizing the different needs of the communities affected, training programs funded by Nokia have also been implemented for community leaders in all these countries, enabling them to work together to assess and address the needs of their community in preparation for future disasters and plan for their own ongoing economic development.

As some of the programs have a microfinance component the Grameen Foundation is advising on how to provide microloans to budding entrepreneurs across the affected regions, enabling long-term redevelopment of their small businesses. In addition to microloans, the microfinance institutions will include an array of financial services, including savings and loans to provide sustainability for these small businesses. "As these communities continue to rebuild, it is critical to nurture sustainable economic activities that will have long-term benefits," said Alex Counts, President and CEO of Grameen Foundation. "We believe microfinance is already playing a critical role in promoting these activities and are pleased to work with Nokia in this effort to extend financial services to additional families in these communities." A Grameen Foundation fact-finding team visited the region just weeks after the disaster and has been working with several microfinance institutions in Indonesia and India since 2005.

Together with local governments, NGOs and international aid agencies, the most appropriate and effective implementation is decided for each area affected by the tsunami. The total value of Nokia's overall money and in-kind contribution to immediate disaster relief and long term reconstruction is estimated to be in excess of EUR 3 million.


About the International Youth Foundation

IYF believes young people possess the power to shape the future. To learn, work, thrive and lead, they need access to programs and resources that inspire and challenge them. IYF is a global non-profit organization that makes this possible. Today in 70 countries, IYF collaborates with businesses, governments and civil society organizations that share a common desire to improve the life conditions and prospects of young people. Together, IYF and its partners build effective, sustainable and scalable programs that positively impact the lives of young people worldwide.

About Grameen Foundation

Grameen Foundation is a global non-profit organization that combines microfinance, technology, and innovation to empower the world's poorest people to escape poverty. It has established a global network of 52 partners in 22 countries that has impacted an estimated 11 million lives in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Middle East. Grameen Foundation was founded by Alex Counts, who began his work in microfinance with Grameen Bank founder, and recent Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Dr. Yunus is a founding and current member of Grameen Foundation's board of directors. For more information on Grameen Foundation, please visit
www.grameenfoundation.org.

About Nokia - Community involvement

Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services it creates. It has invested in community projects supporting young people and education in 30 countries, benefiting more than 1 million young people. The company has an active employee volunteering program which last year saw its employees give more than 18,000 hours to local community projects. Nokia is also supporting innovative technology projects designed to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of mobile technology to communities around the world.