BREW 2006 Conference

location based services

What's BREWING in Mobile technology Plus: Take our reader survey!<http://www.trendcentral.com/trends/trendarticle.asp?tcArticleId=1603> Last week we checked out the latest in mobile applications at Qualcomm'sBREW Conference. These are the key trends: Location Based Services: Due to the growing demand for softwareapplications that leverage digital maps and other geographic content,the conference was all abuzz for LBS. Tele Atlas’ Developerlink<http://www.teleatlas.com/Pub/Home> and Wavemarket’s Location Intelligence <http://www.wavemarket.com> are just two of a growing number of mobile application services that, amongst other things, cantrack packages and vehicles, alert parents of their children'swhereabouts and create social networks that let friends sharelocation-tagged information right from their mobile devices. More Mobile Gaming: The performance quality and graphics of today’s cellphone game applications are already comparable to that of a Gameboy andvarious first generation gaming consoles—and it won’t be long beforethey’ll be as good as the latest in technology. Mobile tech companiesare developing better PDA/cell phone/gaming hybrids that will eventuallyrevolutionize the gaming industry. Key trends in today's mobile gamingarena include 3D Mobile Games and MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online)Mobile games. In the future, we're told that Next Generation Chip Setswill eliminate the need for gaming consoles, cable boxes, TiVo-likedevices, and computers, as they’ll all be converged into one device(which will ultimately be more affordable and attainable to the masses)creating a “TV Out” phenomenon. Instant Information and Updates: Mobile technology will continue toincrease the speed and ease in which users consume, create and disperseinformation. Juice Mobile’s JuiceCaster <http://www.juicewireless.com> is an easy-to-use application that allows subscribers to instantaneouslyupload their own user-generated content (video footage/photos) fromhand-held cell phone devices to on-line blogs. Personalization Prevails: Qualcomm’s UiOne application provides themebranded interfaces. For example, users can choose to have a music, gameor sports themed interface (based on their preferences) where they canmonitor information updates pertinent to their theme. Applications fromPictavision <http://www.pictavision.com> and Rabble<http://www.rabble.com> make it easy and fun for users to snap, save, organize, personalize and share photos, videos, and multimedia slideshows on phones and connect virtually to photo, community and bloggingservices on the Internet.AND BY THE WAY:We want to know what you think! If you haven’t taken our trendcentralreader survey yet, please click HERE<http://deploy.ztelligence.com/start/survey/survey_taking.jsp?PIN=138CDP 5ZP9EVA> . For each completed survey, we’ll donate one dollar to TheTrevor Project <http://www.thetrevorproject.org/default.aspx> . This great non-profit was established to “promote acceptance of gay andquestioning youth, and prevent suicide among that group” and does sothrough The Trevor Helpline (866.4.U.TREVOR) and their educationalpackage, The Trevor Survival Kit.