Mobile Development Made Simple(r) With Opera Mini at MobHappy
location based services
Opera’s been on a little tear recently, announcing licensing deals with a number of carriers, and yesterday, with three mobile content companies (via MocoNews that will distribute it in various places around the world. Also included in yesterday’s announcement was price-comparison service PriceRunner, with the comment “The US-based Price Runner will actively promote and distribute Opera Mini to give its users mobile access to its online product and price comparison services.”
Opera says the companies can customize Mini to reflect their branding, and add their own bookmarks and content — which takes it from being just a browser to becoming their own application, with the added bonus of delivering customers a better mobile Internet experience to boot. Opera’s done much of the heavy lifting by making Mini work across a wide range of Java mobiles, and simplified development by letting content providers develop in the Web environment they’re used to and familiar with.
This is pretty cool — common complaints about mobile development from Web developers are that it uses technologies with which they’re not familiar, and it creates results that vary across handsets. Opera seems to have done a pretty solid job of minimizing those problems, and provides companies and content providers a platform on which to build a branded experience. It’s another good example of platform thinking — taking something relatively straightforward, like a web browser, and turning it into something greater.
This is a pretty compelling solution for content providers looking to quickly and easily create their own branded application. It may not offer the same functionality as having a dedicated, native Java or smartphone app, but there are plenty of content providers that aren’t so interested in taking the time or expense to go that route. This is a development that makes the technical issues of mobile web design less of a barrier, and lets content providers focus on other conceptual — and hopefully it won’t be the last one.
Technorati Tags: opera, mobile web, mobile design, pricerunner
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Sprint Nextel launches "Find It!" location-based search - Engadget Mobile
Sprint has just rolled out a new service that takes advantage of the location-awareness functionality on your phone that's mostly been dead weight up until now (unless you've needed 911 help, that is), in the form of a mobile search site called "Find It!" For $3-a-month, Find It! lets you search for businesses or get driving directions without the need to input your current location -- technology from InfoSpace gleans that info directly from your phone. As you'd expect for a monthly fee, you also get standard search features such as phone number lookup, movie listings, etc, all on any web-enabled Sprint Nextel phone that supports J2ME apps.[Via Daily Wireless]
Sprint has just rolled out a new service that takes advantage of the location-awareness functionality on your phone that's mostly been dead weight up until now (unless you've needed 911 help, that is), in the form of a mobile search site called "Find It!" For $3-a-month, Find It! lets you search for businesses or get driving directions without the need to input your current location -- technology from InfoSpace gleans that info directly from your phone. As you'd expect for a monthly fee, you also get standard search features such as phone number lookup, movie listings, etc, all on any web-enabled Sprint Nextel phone that supports J2ME apps.[Via Daily Wireless]
Kippster: Location, location, loki: "Location based services continue to garner interest among users, businesses, search engines, advertisers and entrepreneurs. I've been fortunate enough to have worked closely with a company that just got included in Gartner's 'Cool Vendors in Mobile and Wireless, 2006' publication (ID Number: G00138458). I can't actually post the info or I'd get strung up, but it is cool!
The problem? It's hard to give location information if you don't know (more specifically, if your computing device doesn't know) where you are. The more precise the location, the better services are able to provide location specific information back to you/your computing device. We're all familiar with GPS, and some are likely familiar with Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) and Assisted GPS (A-GPS), but Skyhook has attaked the problem by using the ever growing infrastructure that is created by the wifi networks.
Rather than relying on satellites for positioning, the system utilizes wifi access points to provide location information. All that is needed is a lightweight client and a device that supports wifi (and in general, a connection to the Internet -- although this is not strictly required it sorta makes sense).
Wireless Positioning Service (WPS) is not a cure all, clearly it needs a certain density of wireless access points in order to do its job accurately. This, as of now, relegates the service to urban (and indoor) settings in which wifi radio waves are bouncing all over the place. Interestingly, this is also where GPS sometimes has a harder time. It's also handy in that no additional hardware is necessary, if you have a wifi interface, you can use the service.
They recently went Beta with a browser toolbar (pretty soon, there "
The problem? It's hard to give location information if you don't know (more specifically, if your computing device doesn't know) where you are. The more precise the location, the better services are able to provide location specific information back to you/your computing device. We're all familiar with GPS, and some are likely familiar with Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) and Assisted GPS (A-GPS), but Skyhook has attaked the problem by using the ever growing infrastructure that is created by the wifi networks.
Rather than relying on satellites for positioning, the system utilizes wifi access points to provide location information. All that is needed is a lightweight client and a device that supports wifi (and in general, a connection to the Internet -- although this is not strictly required it sorta makes sense).
Wireless Positioning Service (WPS) is not a cure all, clearly it needs a certain density of wireless access points in order to do its job accurately. This, as of now, relegates the service to urban (and indoor) settings in which wifi radio waves are bouncing all over the place. Interestingly, this is also where GPS sometimes has a harder time. It's also handy in that no additional hardware is necessary, if you have a wifi interface, you can use the service.
They recently went Beta with a browser toolbar (pretty soon, there "
Kippster: Location, location, loki
Location based services continue to garner interest among users, businesses, search engines, advertisers and entrepreneurs. I've been fortunate enough to have worked closely with a company that just got included in Gartner's "Cool Vendors in Mobile and Wireless, 2006" publication (ID Number: G00138458). I can't actually post the info or I'd get strung up, but it is cool!The problem? It's hard to give location information if you don't know (more specifically, if your computing device doesn't know) where you are. The more precise the location, the better services are able to provide location specific information back to you/your computing device. We're all familiar with GPS, and some are likely familiar with Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) and Assisted GPS (A-GPS), but Skyhook has attaked the problem by using the ever growing infrastructure that is created by the wifi networks.Rather than relying on satellites for positioning, the system utilizes wifi access points to provide location information. All that is needed is a lightweight client and a device that supports wifi (and in general, a connection to the Internet -- although this is not strictly required it sorta makes sense).Wireless Positioning Service (WPS) is not a cure all, clearly it needs a certain density of wireless access points in order to do its job accurately. This, as of now, relegates the service to urban (and indoor) settings in which wifi radio waves are bouncing all over the place. Interestingly, this is also where GPS sometimes has a harder time. It's also handy in that no additional hardware is necessary, if you have a wifi interface, you can use the service.They recently went Beta with a browser toolbar (pretty soon, there will be no room in my browser for actual content, all I'll have is a stack of toolbars!) called Loki. I personally think the toolbar cool and useful, but I'll let others that aren't as biased explain:
Lookie at Loki: Wi-Fi Begets Latitude, Longitude
JiWire's Weekly Guide to Wi-Fi (Friday, March 24) (sorry, no link)
Loki turns your Wi-Fi laptop into a GPS
Turns Laptop into GPS with Loki
Loki will tell you where to go - on your laptop
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Free Loki (Wi-Fi location solution)
Loki: Location-Based Internet Search & Navigation
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Skyhook Wireless Offers Loki Local Toolbar
Software Which Turns Laptops Into GPS
Loki turns your Wi-Fi laptop into a GPS
Loki Tells Where You AreThere are probably others, but this seems like a good list to start things off...I'm just bummed that there isn't a mac version out yet!Kipp
posted by Kipp at 9:25 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<<>
Location based services continue to garner interest among users, businesses, search engines, advertisers and entrepreneurs. I've been fortunate enough to have worked closely with a company that just got included in Gartner's "Cool Vendors in Mobile and Wireless, 2006" publication (ID Number: G00138458). I can't actually post the info or I'd get strung up, but it is cool!The problem? It's hard to give location information if you don't know (more specifically, if your computing device doesn't know) where you are. The more precise the location, the better services are able to provide location specific information back to you/your computing device. We're all familiar with GPS, and some are likely familiar with Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) and Assisted GPS (A-GPS), but Skyhook has attaked the problem by using the ever growing infrastructure that is created by the wifi networks.Rather than relying on satellites for positioning, the system utilizes wifi access points to provide location information. All that is needed is a lightweight client and a device that supports wifi (and in general, a connection to the Internet -- although this is not strictly required it sorta makes sense).Wireless Positioning Service (WPS) is not a cure all, clearly it needs a certain density of wireless access points in order to do its job accurately. This, as of now, relegates the service to urban (and indoor) settings in which wifi radio waves are bouncing all over the place. Interestingly, this is also where GPS sometimes has a harder time. It's also handy in that no additional hardware is necessary, if you have a wifi interface, you can use the service.They recently went Beta with a browser toolbar (pretty soon, there will be no room in my browser for actual content, all I'll have is a stack of toolbars!) called Loki. I personally think the toolbar cool and useful, but I'll let others that aren't as biased explain:
Lookie at Loki: Wi-Fi Begets Latitude, Longitude
JiWire's Weekly Guide to Wi-Fi (Friday, March 24) (sorry, no link)
Loki turns your Wi-Fi laptop into a GPS
Turns Laptop into GPS with Loki
Loki will tell you where to go - on your laptop
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Free Loki (Wi-Fi location solution)
Loki: Location-Based Internet Search & Navigation
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Loki Local Search Toolbar from Skyhook Wireless
Skyhook Wireless Offers Loki Local Toolbar
Software Which Turns Laptops Into GPS
Loki turns your Wi-Fi laptop into a GPS
Loki Tells Where You AreThere are probably others, but this seems like a good list to start things off...I'm just bummed that there isn't a mac version out yet!Kipp
posted by Kipp at 9:25 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<<>
Verizon Wireless Retail Stores Now Provide Sales and Service to Small Businesses in the Greater Denver Area
DENVER --(Business Wire)-- March 28, 2006 -- Easy Access to Expert Advice Aids Small Business Growth As SBA Says The Number of Small Businesses in the U.S. Is Approaching 24 Million Small business continues to be the growth engine for the American economy. The sector is responsible for 75 percent of the net new jobs added to the nation's workforce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. In its continuing effort to provide the best possible wireless experience for this thriving sector, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, has expanded the capabilities of its retail store channel to provide in-store consultation on voice and data services, sales, activations and dedicated customer service to small business customers with up to 50 lines of service.
"Both residential and business customers choose Verizon Wireless and stay with us because they know they'll get wireless service they can depend on," said Jeff Mango, regional president of Verizon Wireless. "We have increased our retail locations, expanded the variety and capabilities of the voice and data equipment they stock and enhanced the training of our retail employees to serve the needs of small businesses. With 19 Verizon Wireless stores in the Denver metropolitan area, small business customers now have a convenient location to get their questions answered from wireless experts who understand their needs." To further fuel small business growth, Verizon Wireless offers exclusive discounts and benefits through any Verizon Wireless retail store location to small business customers with at least five lines. These may include: -- Discounts on calling and data plans -- Discounts on data features when added to eligible calling plans -- Discounts on accessories Additional benefits for small business customers may include a waiver of activation fees and free detailed billing to accurately track all wireless business usage. Verizon Wireless offers a suite of advanced wireless products and services for small businesses that can help them be more efficient and cost effective. New Location Based Services (LBS) options like VZ Navigator, which includes mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to find over 14 million points of interest directly from the handset. Or, exclusive to Verizon Wireless, the Treo(R) 700w, the first Treo device with the familiarity of Microsoft Windows Mobile(R) and the speed of BroadbandAccess, a high-speed wireless Internet access service. When combined with the nation's most reliable wireless network, Verizon Wireless representatives can design a solution that could improve the productivity of virtually any business enterprise. A complete listing of all Verizon Wireless retail locations can be found online at www.verizonwireless.com. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless
DENVER --(Business Wire)-- March 28, 2006 -- Easy Access to Expert Advice Aids Small Business Growth As SBA Says The Number of Small Businesses in the U.S. Is Approaching 24 Million Small business continues to be the growth engine for the American economy. The sector is responsible for 75 percent of the net new jobs added to the nation's workforce, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. In its continuing effort to provide the best possible wireless experience for this thriving sector, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's most reliable wireless network, has expanded the capabilities of its retail store channel to provide in-store consultation on voice and data services, sales, activations and dedicated customer service to small business customers with up to 50 lines of service.
"Both residential and business customers choose Verizon Wireless and stay with us because they know they'll get wireless service they can depend on," said Jeff Mango, regional president of Verizon Wireless. "We have increased our retail locations, expanded the variety and capabilities of the voice and data equipment they stock and enhanced the training of our retail employees to serve the needs of small businesses. With 19 Verizon Wireless stores in the Denver metropolitan area, small business customers now have a convenient location to get their questions answered from wireless experts who understand their needs." To further fuel small business growth, Verizon Wireless offers exclusive discounts and benefits through any Verizon Wireless retail store location to small business customers with at least five lines. These may include: -- Discounts on calling and data plans -- Discounts on data features when added to eligible calling plans -- Discounts on accessories Additional benefits for small business customers may include a waiver of activation fees and free detailed billing to accurately track all wireless business usage. Verizon Wireless offers a suite of advanced wireless products and services for small businesses that can help them be more efficient and cost effective. New Location Based Services (LBS) options like VZ Navigator, which includes mapping, audible turn-by-turn navigation and the ability to find over 14 million points of interest directly from the handset. Or, exclusive to Verizon Wireless, the Treo(R) 700w, the first Treo device with the familiarity of Microsoft Windows Mobile(R) and the speed of BroadbandAccess, a high-speed wireless Internet access service. When combined with the nation's most reliable wireless network, Verizon Wireless representatives can design a solution that could improve the productivity of virtually any business enterprise. A complete listing of all Verizon Wireless retail locations can be found online at www.verizonwireless.com. About Verizon Wireless Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 51.3 million voice and data customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, N.J., Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless
uLocate to Present at The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions Conference
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2006--Walt Doyle, President and CEO of uLocate Communications, a leading provider of consumer location-based services, will present at The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Doyle will serve as an expert on the latest offerings for smart phone platforms as a panel member of "GPS/LBS Applications and Services for Smart Phones," beginning at 3:00 PM PDT on April 4, 2006.
During his presentation, Doyle will educate attendees on the next generation of mobile applications and discuss the evolution of the location-based services (LBS) industry. Doyle will also address how these technologies can help enhance and expand an organization's business processes, focusing on strategies for integrating LBS into current as well as future product offerings.
"The location-based services market is maturing and an increasing number of applications are emerging to take advantage of GPS-enabled phones," said Doyle. "However, as momentum continues to build, many organizations are still unaware of how to harness the power of LBS to meet and enrich their business goals and operations. In the next few years, LBS will be widely available and organizations will need to consider how it will affect them."
The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions 2006 conference brings together the top mobile and wireless industry device manufacturers, software developers, and solutions providers. It is targeted towards business executives and enterprise professionals looking for the latest in mobile and wireless applications, as well as top executives in the wireless industry.
"We are honored to have uLocate CEO Walt Doyle presenting at the upcoming Smart Phone Summit conference," said Mark Winstanley, president and conference chairman of The Smart Phone Summit. "The GPS and LBS capabilities of today's hottest phones and wireless devices are becoming an industry standard and uLocate's innovations in this space are sure to provide our attendee base of enterprise executives with new solutions to integrate into their business." Who: Walt Doyle, President and CEO, uLocate
What: "GPS/LBS Applications and Services for Smart Phones"
When: Tuesday, April 4, 2006, 3:00PM PDT - 3:50PM PDT
Where: Room N117
The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions Conference
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
About uLocate Communications, Inc.
uLocate Communications, Inc. (www.ulocate.com) is a leader in consumer location-based services. Its proven technology platform is the foundation for award winning services like MapQuest Find Me and direct to consumer services like Where.com. uLocate's leadership team launched some of the most recognized Internet brands like CNET, ZDNET, MapQuest and Game Spot and pioneered early mobile applications with the introduction of the uLocate Buddy Finder in early 2
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2006--Walt Doyle, President and CEO of uLocate Communications, a leading provider of consumer location-based services, will present at The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Doyle will serve as an expert on the latest offerings for smart phone platforms as a panel member of "GPS/LBS Applications and Services for Smart Phones," beginning at 3:00 PM PDT on April 4, 2006.
During his presentation, Doyle will educate attendees on the next generation of mobile applications and discuss the evolution of the location-based services (LBS) industry. Doyle will also address how these technologies can help enhance and expand an organization's business processes, focusing on strategies for integrating LBS into current as well as future product offerings.
"The location-based services market is maturing and an increasing number of applications are emerging to take advantage of GPS-enabled phones," said Doyle. "However, as momentum continues to build, many organizations are still unaware of how to harness the power of LBS to meet and enrich their business goals and operations. In the next few years, LBS will be widely available and organizations will need to consider how it will affect them."
The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions 2006 conference brings together the top mobile and wireless industry device manufacturers, software developers, and solutions providers. It is targeted towards business executives and enterprise professionals looking for the latest in mobile and wireless applications, as well as top executives in the wireless industry.
"We are honored to have uLocate CEO Walt Doyle presenting at the upcoming Smart Phone Summit conference," said Mark Winstanley, president and conference chairman of The Smart Phone Summit. "The GPS and LBS capabilities of today's hottest phones and wireless devices are becoming an industry standard and uLocate's innovations in this space are sure to provide our attendee base of enterprise executives with new solutions to integrate into their business." Who: Walt Doyle, President and CEO, uLocate
What: "GPS/LBS Applications and Services for Smart Phones"
When: Tuesday, April 4, 2006, 3:00PM PDT - 3:50PM PDT
Where: Room N117
The Smart Phone Summit Enterprise Solutions Conference
Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
About uLocate Communications, Inc.
uLocate Communications, Inc. (www.ulocate.com) is a leader in consumer location-based services. Its proven technology platform is the foundation for award winning services like MapQuest Find Me and direct to consumer services like Where.com. uLocate's leadership team launched some of the most recognized Internet brands like CNET, ZDNET, MapQuest and Game Spot and pioneered early mobile applications with the introduction of the uLocate Buddy Finder in early 2
Redknee Protects Wireless Subscribers' Privacy Concerns With Industry First Solution
TORONTO, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Redknee Inc., a leading provider ofinnovative infrastructure software that monetizes and personalizes servicesand content for mobile users, today announced the general availability of itsUnified Profile Server (UPS) for mobile network operators worldwide. UPSprotects privacy concerns, allowing users to retain control over theirwireless identity and have a higher comfort level with trying and using newmobile services more often. Eliminating this usage barrier, UPS paves the wayfor adoption of next generation wireless data services, while addressingcurrent legal and future regulatory requirements. "We see an enormous opportunity in the mobile market for data services,"said Roger Entner, vice president, Wireless Telecoms, Ovum. "The biggest holein the mobile network operator offering is the lack of guaranteed privacy.Users want to control access to and use of their personal information to avoidthe type of trouble the theft of credit data is posing on the Internet." Redknee's UPS alleviates the fact that many users feel their identity maybe threatened from using personalized services. In a public opinion poll byForrester Research, 43 percent of respondents felt that location-basedservices would threaten their privacy. "Redknee's Unified Profile Server (UPS) solution brings reality to thenext generation of personalized services, positioning mobile network operatorsto increase their value of each subscriber, resulting in increasedprofitability and decreased churn," said Lucas Skoczkowski, CEO of Redknee."UPS enables operators to put subscribers at the center of the servicestrategy -- everything that a subscriber has done to date, helps improve theirservice experience in a real-time fashion, while protecting their privacy andallowing permissive marketing." Redknee's UPS solution provides subscribers with a convenient single sign-on and at the same time alleviates privacy concerns for next generationpersonalized services such as location-based services (LBS) and presence byempowering users to control when, where and who sees their identityinformation and under what permissions. For example, one subscriber requestingemergency roadside assistance may share on a one-time-only basis theirlocation while another subscriber elects to share their shipping address to ashipping company for an off-net purchase. Redknee's UPS helps operators build user confidence, boosting usage ofvalue-added services through personalization. By federating a subscriber'spermissions and identity across the network into one easy to manage spot, UPSenables operators to act as a trusted and secure broker to add value to thirdparty enterprises and affiliate services by sharing information in a secureand permissive fashion. Redknee will be at CTIA Wireless, booth 5739, in Las Vegas, April 5 to 7,2006 to discuss their UPS solution. To make an appointment with Redknee atCTIA Wireless please contact Jan Tarzia at (831) 440-2404 or emailjan@nadelphelan.com. About Redknee Twenty-six of the world's leading mobile operators depend on Redknee'sproven infrastructure software to deliver value-added services and content toover 207 million subscribers. The converged revenue engine enables operatorsto quickly bring to market personalized voice, messaging and content servicesin real-time. Redknee allows operators and brand owners to maximize theirdifferentiation and revenue while reducing expenditures by integrating withexisting environments. The subscriber experience is improved with Redknee'sself-care, loyalty, and analytics that deliver the content and servicessubscribers want when they want them. For more information, visithttp://www.redknee.com. Contact: Jeff Popoff of Redknee, +1-408-997-1897, orjeff.popoff@redknee.com; or Jan Tarzia of Nadel Phelan, Inc., +1-831-440-2404,or jan@nadelphelan.com, for Redknee.
TORONTO, March 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Redknee Inc., a leading provider ofinnovative infrastructure software that monetizes and personalizes servicesand content for mobile users, today announced the general availability of itsUnified Profile Server (UPS) for mobile network operators worldwide. UPSprotects privacy concerns, allowing users to retain control over theirwireless identity and have a higher comfort level with trying and using newmobile services more often. Eliminating this usage barrier, UPS paves the wayfor adoption of next generation wireless data services, while addressingcurrent legal and future regulatory requirements. "We see an enormous opportunity in the mobile market for data services,"said Roger Entner, vice president, Wireless Telecoms, Ovum. "The biggest holein the mobile network operator offering is the lack of guaranteed privacy.Users want to control access to and use of their personal information to avoidthe type of trouble the theft of credit data is posing on the Internet." Redknee's UPS alleviates the fact that many users feel their identity maybe threatened from using personalized services. In a public opinion poll byForrester Research, 43 percent of respondents felt that location-basedservices would threaten their privacy. "Redknee's Unified Profile Server (UPS) solution brings reality to thenext generation of personalized services, positioning mobile network operatorsto increase their value of each subscriber, resulting in increasedprofitability and decreased churn," said Lucas Skoczkowski, CEO of Redknee."UPS enables operators to put subscribers at the center of the servicestrategy -- everything that a subscriber has done to date, helps improve theirservice experience in a real-time fashion, while protecting their privacy andallowing permissive marketing." Redknee's UPS solution provides subscribers with a convenient single sign-on and at the same time alleviates privacy concerns for next generationpersonalized services such as location-based services (LBS) and presence byempowering users to control when, where and who sees their identityinformation and under what permissions. For example, one subscriber requestingemergency roadside assistance may share on a one-time-only basis theirlocation while another subscriber elects to share their shipping address to ashipping company for an off-net purchase. Redknee's UPS helps operators build user confidence, boosting usage ofvalue-added services through personalization. By federating a subscriber'spermissions and identity across the network into one easy to manage spot, UPSenables operators to act as a trusted and secure broker to add value to thirdparty enterprises and affiliate services by sharing information in a secureand permissive fashion. Redknee will be at CTIA Wireless, booth 5739, in Las Vegas, April 5 to 7,2006 to discuss their UPS solution. To make an appointment with Redknee atCTIA Wireless please contact Jan Tarzia at (831) 440-2404 or emailjan@nadelphelan.com. About Redknee Twenty-six of the world's leading mobile operators depend on Redknee'sproven infrastructure software to deliver value-added services and content toover 207 million subscribers. The converged revenue engine enables operatorsto quickly bring to market personalized voice, messaging and content servicesin real-time. Redknee allows operators and brand owners to maximize theirdifferentiation and revenue while reducing expenditures by integrating withexisting environments. The subscriber experience is improved with Redknee'sself-care, loyalty, and analytics that deliver the content and servicessubscribers want when they want them. For more information, visithttp://www.redknee.com. Contact: Jeff Popoff of Redknee, +1-408-997-1897, orjeff.popoff@redknee.com; or Jan Tarzia of Nadel Phelan, Inc., +1-831-440-2404,or jan@nadelphelan.com, for Redknee.
``Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- Powered by Tierravision'' Named Semi-Finalist in NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge(TM)
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2006--Sendia Corp., a leading wireless business application platform company, and Tierravision Inc., developer of advanced location-based services (LBS) technology for wireless enterprise devices, announced today that the "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" application, developed by Tierravision, has been named a North American semi-finalist in the Business Applications category for the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge.
Organized by NAVTEQ (NYSE:NVT), a leading global provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge will announce award winners at the CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas on April 6, 2006. "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" is one of four solutions chosen as semi-finalists in the business category. Forty entrants were submitted for the Challenge overall.
"`Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision' significantly enhances the productivity of sales and service reps on the road," said Alex Klyce, president and chief operating officer for Sendia. "The Tierravision application has been integrated with Sendia's award-winning `WorkSpace CRM for salesforce.com,' which will allow salesforce.com users to look up contacts from the road and obtain maps and driving directions to one or more contacts or accounts based on criteria set by the user. This increases mobile user's productivity even further."
"With Tierravision's flexible mobile mapping solution, we were able to quickly integrate our patented mobile mapping technology with Sendia's `Workspace CRM for salesforce.com' application," said Will Cooper, Ph.D., president and CEO of Tierravision Inc., based in La Jolla, Calif. "`Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision' gives mobile business professionals access to a fully featured, location-based enterprise solution. Locator users can quickly and conveniently map out multiple customer addresses and find nearby businesses as well as track other Locator users on their wireless devices, fulfilling a critical business need."
About "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision"
"Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" is a fully featured, certified enterprise solution that runs on a wireless handheld device and gives mobile users of Sendia's "WorkSpace CRM for salesforce.com" access to a wide range of location-based services, including :
-- Multiple Location Mapping -- Display multiple salesforce.com addresses (Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities, Leads) on a map relative to the user's current position.
-- Directions -- Get turn-by-turn driving directions and display a graphical route map to/from a CRM address to another location.
-- Address Book Lookup -- Map an address directly from the wireless handheld contact address book.
-- Local Lookup -- Find local businesses and other points of interest (e.g., banks, hotels, Starbucks, Fedex, Kinko's, etc.).
-- Favorites -- Save favorite contact address locations for quick recall.
-- People Finder -- See the locations of friends, colleagues and employees.
-- Show Me/Meet Me -- Send the location of your current position or any other location to a friend or colleague.
-- Database Mapping -- Import and display an entire database of addresses locations on a map.
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is a developer challenge created to catalyze growth in the location-based services industry by bringing together the key players in the LBS/wireless value chain. From wireless business applications to sports, travel and security, integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map data facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave of location-based innovations using wireless technology.
For more information about the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge, please visit www.lbschallenge.com.
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices, Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,900 employees located in 131 offices in 23 countries.
About Tierravision
Tierravision Inc. is a leading developer of LBS solutions for wireless enterprise handhelds, such as the RIM BlackBerry(R), Palm Treo(TM) and Windows Mobile(TM) devices. The company was formed in January 2000 and is located in La Jolla, Calif., just north of San Diego. The founders bring over 25 years of combined experience in software and wireless systems development.
Tierravision has developed advanced wireless mapping technology that offers enterprise application developers rapid and flexible LBS integration for their enterprise solutions. Tierravision's patented map data processing, segmentation and intelligent caching technology deliver efficient downloading and display of street maps on wireless handheld devices. Tierravision's advanced enterprise solutions are enterprise certified by Cingular Wireless.
To find out more about Tierravision's advanced wireless mobile enterprise mapping solutions, visit www.tierravision.com.
About Sendia
Sendia Corporation develops and markets software that extends existing enterprise applications to wireless handheld devices such as the RIM BlackBerry(R), Palm Treo(TM) and Windows Mobile(TM) devices. Sendia's mission is to make wireless solutions work flawlessly for the business user. The company's Wireless WorkSpace technology extends the core functionality of virtually any business application to the handheld device. Sendia's advanced mobile application server, centralized management system and device-side smart-client enable rapid development, deployment and management of secure wireless applications fully integrated into business back office systems.
Sendia is focused on driving user adoption together with enterprise application vendors and by building strong partnerships with leading vendors such as salesforce.com. Available in hosted and on-premises editions, Sendia-powered applications are fast, easy to use and reliable wireless solutions that customers trust to get the job done.
To learn more, visit www.sendia.com. With Sendia, wireless works.
-- Sendia is a registered trademark of Sendia Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. Other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners.
-- Tierravision is a registered trademark of Tierravision Inc, La Jolla, Calif. (C)2006 Tierravision. All rights reserved.
-- NAVTEQ and Global LBS Challenge are trademarks in the U.S. and other countries. (C)2006 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved.
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 28, 2006--Sendia Corp., a leading wireless business application platform company, and Tierravision Inc., developer of advanced location-based services (LBS) technology for wireless enterprise devices, announced today that the "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" application, developed by Tierravision, has been named a North American semi-finalist in the Business Applications category for the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge.
Organized by NAVTEQ (NYSE:NVT), a leading global provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge will announce award winners at the CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas on April 6, 2006. "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" is one of four solutions chosen as semi-finalists in the business category. Forty entrants were submitted for the Challenge overall.
"`Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision' significantly enhances the productivity of sales and service reps on the road," said Alex Klyce, president and chief operating officer for Sendia. "The Tierravision application has been integrated with Sendia's award-winning `WorkSpace CRM for salesforce.com,' which will allow salesforce.com users to look up contacts from the road and obtain maps and driving directions to one or more contacts or accounts based on criteria set by the user. This increases mobile user's productivity even further."
"With Tierravision's flexible mobile mapping solution, we were able to quickly integrate our patented mobile mapping technology with Sendia's `Workspace CRM for salesforce.com' application," said Will Cooper, Ph.D., president and CEO of Tierravision Inc., based in La Jolla, Calif. "`Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision' gives mobile business professionals access to a fully featured, location-based enterprise solution. Locator users can quickly and conveniently map out multiple customer addresses and find nearby businesses as well as track other Locator users on their wireless devices, fulfilling a critical business need."
About "Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision"
"Sendia WorkSpace Locator -- powered by Tierravision" is a fully featured, certified enterprise solution that runs on a wireless handheld device and gives mobile users of Sendia's "WorkSpace CRM for salesforce.com" access to a wide range of location-based services, including :
-- Multiple Location Mapping -- Display multiple salesforce.com addresses (Contacts, Accounts, Opportunities, Leads) on a map relative to the user's current position.
-- Directions -- Get turn-by-turn driving directions and display a graphical route map to/from a CRM address to another location.
-- Address Book Lookup -- Map an address directly from the wireless handheld contact address book.
-- Local Lookup -- Find local businesses and other points of interest (e.g., banks, hotels, Starbucks, Fedex, Kinko's, etc.).
-- Favorites -- Save favorite contact address locations for quick recall.
-- People Finder -- See the locations of friends, colleagues and employees.
-- Show Me/Meet Me -- Send the location of your current position or any other location to a friend or colleague.
-- Database Mapping -- Import and display an entire database of addresses locations on a map.
About the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge is a developer challenge created to catalyze growth in the location-based services industry by bringing together the key players in the LBS/wireless value chain. From wireless business applications to sports, travel and security, integrating the accuracy and richness of NAVTEQ digital map data facilitates the timely evolution of the next wave of location-based innovations using wireless technology.
For more information about the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge, please visit www.lbschallenge.com.
About NAVTEQ
NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices, Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 1,900 employees located in 131 offices in 23 countries.
About Tierravision
Tierravision Inc. is a leading developer of LBS solutions for wireless enterprise handhelds, such as the RIM BlackBerry(R), Palm Treo(TM) and Windows Mobile(TM) devices. The company was formed in January 2000 and is located in La Jolla, Calif., just north of San Diego. The founders bring over 25 years of combined experience in software and wireless systems development.
Tierravision has developed advanced wireless mapping technology that offers enterprise application developers rapid and flexible LBS integration for their enterprise solutions. Tierravision's patented map data processing, segmentation and intelligent caching technology deliver efficient downloading and display of street maps on wireless handheld devices. Tierravision's advanced enterprise solutions are enterprise certified by Cingular Wireless.
To find out more about Tierravision's advanced wireless mobile enterprise mapping solutions, visit www.tierravision.com.
About Sendia
Sendia Corporation develops and markets software that extends existing enterprise applications to wireless handheld devices such as the RIM BlackBerry(R), Palm Treo(TM) and Windows Mobile(TM) devices. Sendia's mission is to make wireless solutions work flawlessly for the business user. The company's Wireless WorkSpace technology extends the core functionality of virtually any business application to the handheld device. Sendia's advanced mobile application server, centralized management system and device-side smart-client enable rapid development, deployment and management of secure wireless applications fully integrated into business back office systems.
Sendia is focused on driving user adoption together with enterprise application vendors and by building strong partnerships with leading vendors such as salesforce.com. Available in hosted and on-premises editions, Sendia-powered applications are fast, easy to use and reliable wireless solutions that customers trust to get the job done.
To learn more, visit www.sendia.com. With Sendia, wireless works.
-- Sendia is a registered trademark of Sendia Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. Other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners.
-- Tierravision is a registered trademark of Tierravision Inc, La Jolla, Calif. (C)2006 Tierravision. All rights reserved.
-- NAVTEQ and Global LBS Challenge are trademarks in the U.S. and other countries. (C)2006 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved.
Upgrade Your Smart Phone:
location based services
"Owning the latest and greatest can cost you. Here's how to work the system.
James A. Martin
PC World
Friday, March 24, 2006; 12:10 AM
Tempting new smart phones are showing up with frustrating frequency. In the past few months, Cingular began offering Research in Motion's BlackBerry 8700c and Sprint PCS started selling its Smart Device PPC-6700 . Just after New Year's Day, Verizon Wireless unveiled the Palm Treo 700w .
Why is this frustrating? Because wireless service providers offer their best deals to new subscribers. Those of us already locked into a wireless service plan may be asked to pay full retail price for a new handset--which can be $500 or more.
Search Post Game Reviews
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Gaming Platform All platforms Xbox Playstation 2 PSP GameCube Nintendo DSWindows PC Mac Linux
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: � After IE Attacks, Microsoft Eyes Security Betas
� Intel to Bundle Security Features With New Chip
� New York Likely to Accept Microsoft Antitrust Deal
� Tips & Tweaks: Matters of Importance
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This week, I'll explain some ways to save money when you upgrade your smart phone. Next week, I'll follow up with tips on taking a drastic step: switching cell phone carriers.
Recently, I decided to switch from my Nokia 6230 to a Palm Treo 650 smart phone.
As a Cingular customer, I was only eligible to upgrade to a new device every 21 months. I was told that"
location based services
"Owning the latest and greatest can cost you. Here's how to work the system.
James A. Martin
PC World
Friday, March 24, 2006; 12:10 AM
Tempting new smart phones are showing up with frustrating frequency. In the past few months, Cingular began offering Research in Motion's BlackBerry 8700c and Sprint PCS started selling its Smart Device PPC-6700 . Just after New Year's Day, Verizon Wireless unveiled the Palm Treo 700w .
Why is this frustrating? Because wireless service providers offer their best deals to new subscribers. Those of us already locked into a wireless service plan may be asked to pay full retail price for a new handset--which can be $500 or more.
Search Post Game Reviews
Title:
Gaming Platform All platforms Xbox Playstation 2 PSP GameCube Nintendo DSWindows PC Mac Linux
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: � After IE Attacks, Microsoft Eyes Security Betas
� Intel to Bundle Security Features With New Chip
� New York Likely to Accept Microsoft Antitrust Deal
� Tips & Tweaks: Matters of Importance
Save & Share
Tag This Article
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1. Save to description:
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This week, I'll explain some ways to save money when you upgrade your smart phone. Next week, I'll follow up with tips on taking a drastic step: switching cell phone carriers.
Recently, I decided to switch from my Nokia 6230 to a Palm Treo 650 smart phone.
As a Cingular customer, I was only eligible to upgrade to a new device every 21 months. I was told that"
Upgrade Your Smart Phone
location based services
Owning the latest and greatest can cost you. Here's how to work the system.
James A. MartinPC WorldFriday, March 24, 2006; 12:10 AM
Tempting new smart phones are showing up with frustrating frequency. In the past few months, Cingular began offering Research in Motion's BlackBerry 8700c and Sprint PCS started selling its Smart Device PPC-6700 . Just after New Year's Day, Verizon Wireless unveiled the Palm Treo 700w .
Why is this frustrating? Because wireless service providers offer their best deals to new subscribers. Those of us already locked into a wireless service plan may be asked to pay full retail price for a new handset--which can be $500 or more.
Search Post Game Reviews
Title: --> Gaming Platform All platforms Xbox Playstation 2 PSP GameCube Nintendo DSWindows PC Mac Linux -->
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: • After IE Attacks, Microsoft Eyes Security Betas• Intel to Bundle Security Features With New Chip• New York Likely to Accept Microsoft Antitrust Deal• Tips & Tweaks: Matters of Importance
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This week, I'll explain some ways to save money when you upgrade your smart phone. Next week, I'll follow up with tips on taking a drastic step: switching cell phone carriers.
Recently, I decided to switch from my Nokia 6230 to a Palm Treo 650 smart phone.
As a Cingular customer, I was only eligible to upgrade to a new device every 21 months. I was told that I couldn't buy a new device from Cingular at a discounted price until March 30, 2007.
Call me impatient, but I can't wait that long. So I explored my options:
Paying the undiscounted $500 price was hardly a compelling option. At the time, new Cingular subscribers who signed a two-year service agreement got the Treo 650 for $200 less.
By adding another line to my existing Cingular account, a Cingular customer service rep explained, I would qualify for the new-subscriber discount. (A Cingular spokesperson could not confirm that this was a valid offer available to all Cingular subscribers.) But the extra line would cost $10 per month. If I didn't need that extra line--and I didn't--I would be spending $240 over the life of the two-year contract in order to save $200.
Asking for a better deal sure couldn't hurt. Some wireless service providers will offer existing customers in good standing a deal on a new phone; the Cingular rep called this an "exception upgrade."
When I asked for a deal, the rep said that three things qualified me for an exception upgrade: I had been in my current contract for over six months; I had no past-due balance on my account; and I had had no suspensions due to non-payment. Instead of $500, he said, I could get the Treo 650 for $370 (after a $100 mail-in rebate). The $370 price is what new customers signing a one-year contract would pay; to get the $300 price, new customers had to sign a two-year contract.
Cingular's spokesperson later confirmed the validity of the offer. She added that after 12 months, customers can upgrade to a new device for the same price that a new customer signing a two-year agreement would pay. In the case of the Treo 650, that's $300.
First I headed to eBay, where I discovered I could buy a new, refurbished, or used Treo 650--for about $400, or more if the phone is unlocked.
location based services
Owning the latest and greatest can cost you. Here's how to work the system.
James A. MartinPC WorldFriday, March 24, 2006; 12:10 AM
Tempting new smart phones are showing up with frustrating frequency. In the past few months, Cingular began offering Research in Motion's BlackBerry 8700c and Sprint PCS started selling its Smart Device PPC-6700 . Just after New Year's Day, Verizon Wireless unveiled the Palm Treo 700w .
Why is this frustrating? Because wireless service providers offer their best deals to new subscribers. Those of us already locked into a wireless service plan may be asked to pay full retail price for a new handset--which can be $500 or more.
Search Post Game Reviews
Title: --> Gaming Platform All platforms Xbox Playstation 2 PSP GameCube Nintendo DSWindows PC Mac Linux -->
Latest Stories From PCWorld.com: • After IE Attacks, Microsoft Eyes Security Betas• Intel to Bundle Security Features With New Chip• New York Likely to Accept Microsoft Antitrust Deal• Tips & Tweaks: Matters of Importance
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This week, I'll explain some ways to save money when you upgrade your smart phone. Next week, I'll follow up with tips on taking a drastic step: switching cell phone carriers.
Recently, I decided to switch from my Nokia 6230 to a Palm Treo 650 smart phone.
As a Cingular customer, I was only eligible to upgrade to a new device every 21 months. I was told that I couldn't buy a new device from Cingular at a discounted price until March 30, 2007.
Call me impatient, but I can't wait that long. So I explored my options:
Paying the undiscounted $500 price was hardly a compelling option. At the time, new Cingular subscribers who signed a two-year service agreement got the Treo 650 for $200 less.
By adding another line to my existing Cingular account, a Cingular customer service rep explained, I would qualify for the new-subscriber discount. (A Cingular spokesperson could not confirm that this was a valid offer available to all Cingular subscribers.) But the extra line would cost $10 per month. If I didn't need that extra line--and I didn't--I would be spending $240 over the life of the two-year contract in order to save $200.
Asking for a better deal sure couldn't hurt. Some wireless service providers will offer existing customers in good standing a deal on a new phone; the Cingular rep called this an "exception upgrade."
When I asked for a deal, the rep said that three things qualified me for an exception upgrade: I had been in my current contract for over six months; I had no past-due balance on my account; and I had had no suspensions due to non-payment. Instead of $500, he said, I could get the Treo 650 for $370 (after a $100 mail-in rebate). The $370 price is what new customers signing a one-year contract would pay; to get the $300 price, new customers had to sign a two-year contract.
Cingular's spokesperson later confirmed the validity of the offer. She added that after 12 months, customers can upgrade to a new device for the same price that a new customer signing a two-year agreement would pay. In the case of the Treo 650, that's $300.
First I headed to eBay, where I discovered I could buy a new, refurbished, or used Treo 650--for about $400, or more if the phone is unlocked.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Cabbies Say High-Tech Taxis a Bad Idea
location based services
NEW YORK—A push by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to install a Global Positioning System (GPS) in all of New York City's yellow cabs has the drivers calling foul. They say that the systems would be an added financial burden to the drivers who are just barely making ends meet as is, and that being tracked 24 hours a day by GPS is an invasion of the drivers' privacy.
At a press conference in Tribeca on March 20, taxi union head Bhairavi Desai suggested that the plan amounted to an Orwellian attempt to keep tabs on the drivers.
"Putting a GPS in a taxi is as if you work in an office and your boss puts a chip in your back to know where you are and what you are doing at all times—even when you are off-duty. Even when you are not working they will still know exactly what you are doing and where you go," she explained.
The taxi drivers are not employees of the TLC, but work as private contractors with different arrangements. Some own their cars, while some lease them from a garage. All drivers use their cars for personal transportation as well as for business. Ms. Desai is quick to point out that the GPS would not track the drivers in "real time," because the TLC recognizes that to do so would definitely cross the line.
"As far as we know, they are not doing this in real time, because they know that if they did, we would go straight to court and start talking about the fact that it is a violation of privacy," she said.
TLC officials have said that the GPS idea is a logical extension of already existing policies, and underline the supposed benefits to the riders. According to the proposed plan, riders would be able to watch their progress through the city on a screen map mounted in the back of the taxi—what amounts to a blip moving along a grid map of the city streets.
More importantly supporters of the GPS initiative say, riders who leave personal belongings—like a cell phone—in the taxi will have an easier time of retrieving them. Theoretically, a call to 311 could allow the taxi in question to be tracked to within 30 feet of its GPS signal.
But again, it would not be in real time, which calls into question the actual convenience such a system would offer.
Unrealistic
Veteran cabbie Berisford Simmons adds that it is unrealistic to expect the drivers to check the rear of the vehicle between fares to see if any belongings were left. He says that if a rider were to leave a cell phone, it most likely would end up in the hands of the next fare.
Simmons, who has been driving his taxi for over 35 years, takes issue with the added cost to the drivers that the GPS system would entail—money that he says the already cash-strapped drivers can not afford.
Each GPS would cost $5,400 to purchase and install, and $175 a month to maintain. The installation and purchase would most likely be covered by the garage owners, but the cost would inevitably be passed on to the drivers by way of increased lease payments.
According to Simmons, even the $175 a month that the drivers would have to pay is financially crippling.
"It's more money coming out of our pockets and we're already not making much money out on the streets," said Simmons, adding that, "A cabbie who leases for twenty four hours a day has to drive seven days a week to bring home maybe $350 per week. For drivers who work shifts for the garages, they bring home maybe $50 or $60 for a 12 hour shift. To someone making so little money at such great effort, $175 per month is quite a lot of money."
Mamnunul Haq, a member of the New York City Taxi Drivers' Alliance who has been driving since 1993, owns his car, but leases the medallion. He points to another potential pitfall for drivers.
"The GPS system is tied together with the meter, including electronic trip records. If the GPS system stops working, so will the meter, and the cabbies will lose money. The GPS system has been shown to be unreliable and liable to need frequent repair," he said. And then there is another issue raised by Desai and others—the public will hate it. Or so they believe. They point to the unpopularity with riders of both the "Talking Taxi" and the "T.V. Taxi" of previous years to support their view. The new plan would include a screen displaying advertisements and government announcements. In the past, riders have rejected such devices as annoying and intrusive. Of the "T.V. Taxi" Desai said, "Passengers hated it. The pilot program failed and they had to cancel it. So why is the TLC effectively bringing back a failed program at a cost of over seven thousand dollars a year?" One answer to this question could be an over eagerness on the part of the TLC—and implicitly Mayor Michael Bloomberg, since he appoints the head of the TLC—to support technological "solutions," whether or not they are beneficial or actually necessary.
According to TLC's own statistics, over 90 percent of riders are New York City residents, people who in Desai's words, "hardly need a computer to tell them that they are at 23rd Street and 6th Avenue."
Allegations of Greed
On the uglier side of things, the taxi unions are alleging collusion between the TLC, the garage owners, and the vendors of the new GPS system. They claim that if the plan is implemented, the vendors would stand to make as much as $60 million from the deal.
The problem, they say, is that in some cases, the vendors and garage owners are one and the same.
Desai called attention to Ron Sherman, who is the main person selling the technology to the taxi industry. He is also a garage owner and president of the Garage Owners' Association. Mr. Sherman is already unpopular with the drivers for his recent campaign to convince the city to raise taxi cab leases.
"This is a major conflict of interest and speaks to the collusion between the TLC and the garage owners in the industry," said Desai. She is heading a call for an independent criminal investigation of the matter.
All charges of illegality aside, for Mr. Simmons it is a simple matter of practicality and fairness. He said that the GPS system offers no benefit to the drivers—it doesn't even provide them with information to help them navigate or locate destinations—while burdening them with added expense.
He said, "It's about time that the Mayor would really sit down with the taxi drivers and listen to what our complaints really are, because we are not making any money—we are very upset and ready to do what is necessary."
location based services
NEW YORK—A push by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to install a Global Positioning System (GPS) in all of New York City's yellow cabs has the drivers calling foul. They say that the systems would be an added financial burden to the drivers who are just barely making ends meet as is, and that being tracked 24 hours a day by GPS is an invasion of the drivers' privacy.
At a press conference in Tribeca on March 20, taxi union head Bhairavi Desai suggested that the plan amounted to an Orwellian attempt to keep tabs on the drivers.
"Putting a GPS in a taxi is as if you work in an office and your boss puts a chip in your back to know where you are and what you are doing at all times—even when you are off-duty. Even when you are not working they will still know exactly what you are doing and where you go," she explained.
The taxi drivers are not employees of the TLC, but work as private contractors with different arrangements. Some own their cars, while some lease them from a garage. All drivers use their cars for personal transportation as well as for business. Ms. Desai is quick to point out that the GPS would not track the drivers in "real time," because the TLC recognizes that to do so would definitely cross the line.
"As far as we know, they are not doing this in real time, because they know that if they did, we would go straight to court and start talking about the fact that it is a violation of privacy," she said.
TLC officials have said that the GPS idea is a logical extension of already existing policies, and underline the supposed benefits to the riders. According to the proposed plan, riders would be able to watch their progress through the city on a screen map mounted in the back of the taxi—what amounts to a blip moving along a grid map of the city streets.
More importantly supporters of the GPS initiative say, riders who leave personal belongings—like a cell phone—in the taxi will have an easier time of retrieving them. Theoretically, a call to 311 could allow the taxi in question to be tracked to within 30 feet of its GPS signal.
But again, it would not be in real time, which calls into question the actual convenience such a system would offer.
Unrealistic
Veteran cabbie Berisford Simmons adds that it is unrealistic to expect the drivers to check the rear of the vehicle between fares to see if any belongings were left. He says that if a rider were to leave a cell phone, it most likely would end up in the hands of the next fare.
Simmons, who has been driving his taxi for over 35 years, takes issue with the added cost to the drivers that the GPS system would entail—money that he says the already cash-strapped drivers can not afford.
Each GPS would cost $5,400 to purchase and install, and $175 a month to maintain. The installation and purchase would most likely be covered by the garage owners, but the cost would inevitably be passed on to the drivers by way of increased lease payments.
According to Simmons, even the $175 a month that the drivers would have to pay is financially crippling.
"It's more money coming out of our pockets and we're already not making much money out on the streets," said Simmons, adding that, "A cabbie who leases for twenty four hours a day has to drive seven days a week to bring home maybe $350 per week. For drivers who work shifts for the garages, they bring home maybe $50 or $60 for a 12 hour shift. To someone making so little money at such great effort, $175 per month is quite a lot of money."
Mamnunul Haq, a member of the New York City Taxi Drivers' Alliance who has been driving since 1993, owns his car, but leases the medallion. He points to another potential pitfall for drivers.
"The GPS system is tied together with the meter, including electronic trip records. If the GPS system stops working, so will the meter, and the cabbies will lose money. The GPS system has been shown to be unreliable and liable to need frequent repair," he said. And then there is another issue raised by Desai and others—the public will hate it. Or so they believe. They point to the unpopularity with riders of both the "Talking Taxi" and the "T.V. Taxi" of previous years to support their view. The new plan would include a screen displaying advertisements and government announcements. In the past, riders have rejected such devices as annoying and intrusive. Of the "T.V. Taxi" Desai said, "Passengers hated it. The pilot program failed and they had to cancel it. So why is the TLC effectively bringing back a failed program at a cost of over seven thousand dollars a year?" One answer to this question could be an over eagerness on the part of the TLC—and implicitly Mayor Michael Bloomberg, since he appoints the head of the TLC—to support technological "solutions," whether or not they are beneficial or actually necessary.
According to TLC's own statistics, over 90 percent of riders are New York City residents, people who in Desai's words, "hardly need a computer to tell them that they are at 23rd Street and 6th Avenue."
Allegations of Greed
On the uglier side of things, the taxi unions are alleging collusion between the TLC, the garage owners, and the vendors of the new GPS system. They claim that if the plan is implemented, the vendors would stand to make as much as $60 million from the deal.
The problem, they say, is that in some cases, the vendors and garage owners are one and the same.
Desai called attention to Ron Sherman, who is the main person selling the technology to the taxi industry. He is also a garage owner and president of the Garage Owners' Association. Mr. Sherman is already unpopular with the drivers for his recent campaign to convince the city to raise taxi cab leases.
"This is a major conflict of interest and speaks to the collusion between the TLC and the garage owners in the industry," said Desai. She is heading a call for an independent criminal investigation of the matter.
All charges of illegality aside, for Mr. Simmons it is a simple matter of practicality and fairness. He said that the GPS system offers no benefit to the drivers—it doesn't even provide them with information to help them navigate or locate destinations—while burdening them with added expense.
He said, "It's about time that the Mayor would really sit down with the taxi drivers and listen to what our complaints really are, because we are not making any money—we are very upset and ready to do what is necessary."
Taiwan GPS maker Mio Technology to benefit from SiRF�s acquisition of TrueSpan
location based services
Mio Technology, a leading vendor of own-brand GPS (global positioning system) personal navigation devices in Taiwan, may enter the mobile TV market earlier than planned because its business partner US-based SiRF Technology has acquired US-based TrueSpan to add mobile TV functions to its GPS chips, according to industry sources.
SiRF earlier this week announced that it acquired TrueSpan, a fabless IC design house for digital video broadcast receiver solutions with headquarters in Long Beach, California in the US and a design center in Bangalore, India. With TrueSpan’s technology, SiRF plans to integrate value-added DVB-T (digital video broadcasting-terrestrial) and DVB-H (DVB-handheld) functions into its GPS chips, the industry sources indicated.
Mio Technology plans to add mobile TV functions to GPS personal navigation devices to boost competitiveness, company president Samuel Wang pointed out. Mio Technology plans to offer GPS TV devices with screen sizes of 4.3 and 4.5 inches, Wang indicated. The screen will be divided into two parts, one for GPS navigation and the other for receiving mobile TV, Wang added.
GPS
location based services
Mio Technology, a leading vendor of own-brand GPS (global positioning system) personal navigation devices in Taiwan, may enter the mobile TV market earlier than planned because its business partner US-based SiRF Technology has acquired US-based TrueSpan to add mobile TV functions to its GPS chips, according to industry sources.
SiRF earlier this week announced that it acquired TrueSpan, a fabless IC design house for digital video broadcast receiver solutions with headquarters in Long Beach, California in the US and a design center in Bangalore, India. With TrueSpan’s technology, SiRF plans to integrate value-added DVB-T (digital video broadcasting-terrestrial) and DVB-H (DVB-handheld) functions into its GPS chips, the industry sources indicated.
Mio Technology plans to add mobile TV functions to GPS personal navigation devices to boost competitiveness, company president Samuel Wang pointed out. Mio Technology plans to offer GPS TV devices with screen sizes of 4.3 and 4.5 inches, Wang indicated. The screen will be divided into two parts, one for GPS navigation and the other for receiving mobile TV, Wang added.
GPS
gps tracklog: Top 10 GPS reviews
location based services
Top 10 GPS reviews
I maintain a link on the right side of the page to the Top 100 GPS receivers at Amazon. While the list is interesting, it's only a snapshot because the list is updated every hour, and it tends to fluctuate significantly. I've recently gotten a good statistics package, and it's easier for me to see what pages people are visiting at GPS Tracklog. I thought some of you might be interested in what GPS reviews have proven popular here, so I'm listing the Top 10 (over the past ten days):
Garmin GPSMap 60CSx
Garmin Forerunner 305
Garmin Edge 305
Garmin GPSMap 60Cx
Garmin nuvi 350
Magellan eXplorist 210
Garmin StreetPilot 2730
Garmin Forerunner 205
Garmin eTrex Legend Cx
Magellan RoadMate 360
This should be a more stable list and, while the sample is obviously comprised of readers of this blog, most aren't return readers -- most of the people reading reviews arrive here via search engines.
I see several interesting trends here. First of all, handhelds are outranking auto units, which surprises me. Second, Garmin dominates the list, which doesn't surprise me. Finally, the majority of the units (the first five on the list, along with the Forerunner 205) carry the SiRFstar III chipset, the subject of my next post...
Technorati tags: GPS
March 23, 2006 in GPS Reviews, Garmin, Hardware, Magellan | Permalink
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location based services
Top 10 GPS reviews
I maintain a link on the right side of the page to the Top 100 GPS receivers at Amazon. While the list is interesting, it's only a snapshot because the list is updated every hour, and it tends to fluctuate significantly. I've recently gotten a good statistics package, and it's easier for me to see what pages people are visiting at GPS Tracklog. I thought some of you might be interested in what GPS reviews have proven popular here, so I'm listing the Top 10 (over the past ten days):
Garmin GPSMap 60CSx
Garmin Forerunner 305
Garmin Edge 305
Garmin GPSMap 60Cx
Garmin nuvi 350
Magellan eXplorist 210
Garmin StreetPilot 2730
Garmin Forerunner 205
Garmin eTrex Legend Cx
Magellan RoadMate 360
This should be a more stable list and, while the sample is obviously comprised of readers of this blog, most aren't return readers -- most of the people reading reviews arrive here via search engines.
I see several interesting trends here. First of all, handhelds are outranking auto units, which surprises me. Second, Garmin dominates the list, which doesn't surprise me. Finally, the majority of the units (the first five on the list, along with the Forerunner 205) carry the SiRFstar III chipset, the subject of my next post...
Technorati tags: GPS
March 23, 2006 in GPS Reviews, Garmin, Hardware, Magellan | Permalink
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slashgeo | Open Source Alternatives to Consumer Map Programs
Open Source Alternatives to Consumer Map Programs
posted by Satri on Monday March 20, @11:51AM
from the working-alternatives-on-the-roadside dept.
Ofer writes "Open source tends to be lacking in consumer map programs ala Microsoft Streets and Trips and Delorme's Street Atlas. There are several efforts to repair that situation. GMap, Roadster, and RoadNav are three examples. Using US Census public domain data, all three of these generate map information on the fly. GMap and Roadster have the advantage of collaboration; both will be using the same file format in the future. GMap has the advantage of a navigation mode and Roadster has the advantage of being more complete and currently faster. RoadNav is complete but slower than roadster."
Open Source Alternatives to Consumer Map Programs
posted by Satri on Monday March 20, @11:51AM
from the working-alternatives-on-the-roadside dept.
Ofer writes "Open source tends to be lacking in consumer map programs ala Microsoft Streets and Trips and Delorme's Street Atlas. There are several efforts to repair that situation. GMap, Roadster, and RoadNav are three examples. Using US Census public domain data, all three of these generate map information on the fly. GMap and Roadster have the advantage of collaboration; both will be using the same file format in the future. GMap has the advantage of a navigation mode and Roadster has the advantage of being more complete and currently faster. RoadNav is complete but slower than roadster."
SiRFstarIII - Why it's a big deal
location based services
There are a lot of hot new GPS receivers that use the SiRFstar III chipset, but unless you're a heavy-duty GPS aficionado, you may be wondering, what the heck is this thing and what is the big deal? Simply put, it is a GPS receiver chipset. This is the little piece of silicon responsible for receiving GPS signals and passing the coordinate information along to a miniature computer in your GPS unit.
Why is it a big deal? Fast acquisition times and processing power. This translates into less likelihood of lost signals under canopy and in urban (or natural) canyons. In canyon-like environments, your GPS receives signals directly from satellites whenever it can, but it also receives reflected signals, bouncing off hard surfaces (multipath reflection). Your GPS determines your position by calculating how long it takes the satellite signal to reach your receiver, so reflected signals are a source of error. The SiRFstar III chipset has the processing power to do a lot of "what if's" with these reflected signals. This processing power also means that the chipset can consider weak signals that were ignored by previous chipsets. The SiRFstar III also has faster acquisition times, making for a faster time to first fix (TTFF), and a quicker reacquisition if the signal is lost.
All of this translates into amazing reception, under canopy, in urban centers and even indoors. And that is why the new Garmin units with this chipset are so hot.
Technorati tags: GPS
March 23, 2006 in Hardware | Permalink
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location based services
There are a lot of hot new GPS receivers that use the SiRFstar III chipset, but unless you're a heavy-duty GPS aficionado, you may be wondering, what the heck is this thing and what is the big deal? Simply put, it is a GPS receiver chipset. This is the little piece of silicon responsible for receiving GPS signals and passing the coordinate information along to a miniature computer in your GPS unit.
Why is it a big deal? Fast acquisition times and processing power. This translates into less likelihood of lost signals under canopy and in urban (or natural) canyons. In canyon-like environments, your GPS receives signals directly from satellites whenever it can, but it also receives reflected signals, bouncing off hard surfaces (multipath reflection). Your GPS determines your position by calculating how long it takes the satellite signal to reach your receiver, so reflected signals are a source of error. The SiRFstar III chipset has the processing power to do a lot of "what if's" with these reflected signals. This processing power also means that the chipset can consider weak signals that were ignored by previous chipsets. The SiRFstar III also has faster acquisition times, making for a faster time to first fix (TTFF), and a quicker reacquisition if the signal is lost.
All of this translates into amazing reception, under canopy, in urban centers and even indoors. And that is why the new Garmin units with this chipset are so hot.
Technorati tags: GPS
March 23, 2006 in Hardware | Permalink
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Mobile broadband comes in many flavors
location based services
Investor Business Technology Legal Nokia Watch
Investment grows 41 percent if two years
Mobile broadband comes in many flavors
Timo Poropudas
23 Mar 2006 at 17:50
Video drives wireless braodband networks. Mobile operators use various broadband and cellular technologies in building their new networks. These include WCDMA, WiFi, and WiMAX, says a new report by Infonetics Research.
According to the Infonetics study, the 18 North American, European, and Asia Pacific carriers interviewed spent an average of USD 2.9 billion in 2005 on next generation mobile and wireless broadband equipment, and will spend USD 4.1 billion in 2007, a 41 percent increase.
Mobile users want to replicate their wireline broadband experience on the go, driving 3G uptake. This will push carriers to spend a healthy proportion of their next gen mobile and wireless broadband capex on upgrading from 2.5G to 3G base station systems.
“The range of available applications accessible via a mobile handset is going to rapidly expand over the coming years,” said Richard Webb, directing analyst at Infonetics Research.
“For example, most of our respondents offer mobile/wireless VPN services by 2007, interactive gaming is offered by 83 percent of respondents by 2007, and caller ID, unified and multimedia messaging, and video download/playback all grow to 72 percent by next year. Not surprisingly, IP-based multimedia and video services are expected to be the bedrock of future revenue growth.”
Bundling, cost, new apps
The top 3 drivers for adopting next gen mobile or wireless broadband are: bundling with other services, reducing opex, and offering new applications The top 2 top drivers for deploying IMS and next gen voice equipment are availability of new applications and services, and lower operational costs.
22 percent of respondents already have deployed the fixed WiMAX standard (802.16d), and this number will grow to 50 percent by 2007.
Bundled VoIP with WiFi will grow even faster. 6 percent of respondents offer it now, but by 2007 44 percent of respondents plan to it available.
3G and WiMAX show the most dramatic growth by 2007 among wireless backhaul solutions. The number of 3G base stations deployed by respondents nearly triples between 2006 and 2007, driven by operators’ intent to offer video and mobile IPTV services.
Respondents say their key 3G infrastructure design requirements include high quality video capabilities, fast network reactivity, high session rate, and high capacity
Wireless broadband drivers according to Infonetics Research
location based services
Investor Business Technology Legal Nokia Watch
Investment grows 41 percent if two years
Mobile broadband comes in many flavors
Timo Poropudas
23 Mar 2006 at 17:50
Video drives wireless braodband networks. Mobile operators use various broadband and cellular technologies in building their new networks. These include WCDMA, WiFi, and WiMAX, says a new report by Infonetics Research.
According to the Infonetics study, the 18 North American, European, and Asia Pacific carriers interviewed spent an average of USD 2.9 billion in 2005 on next generation mobile and wireless broadband equipment, and will spend USD 4.1 billion in 2007, a 41 percent increase.
Mobile users want to replicate their wireline broadband experience on the go, driving 3G uptake. This will push carriers to spend a healthy proportion of their next gen mobile and wireless broadband capex on upgrading from 2.5G to 3G base station systems.
“The range of available applications accessible via a mobile handset is going to rapidly expand over the coming years,” said Richard Webb, directing analyst at Infonetics Research.
“For example, most of our respondents offer mobile/wireless VPN services by 2007, interactive gaming is offered by 83 percent of respondents by 2007, and caller ID, unified and multimedia messaging, and video download/playback all grow to 72 percent by next year. Not surprisingly, IP-based multimedia and video services are expected to be the bedrock of future revenue growth.”
Bundling, cost, new apps
The top 3 drivers for adopting next gen mobile or wireless broadband are: bundling with other services, reducing opex, and offering new applications The top 2 top drivers for deploying IMS and next gen voice equipment are availability of new applications and services, and lower operational costs.
22 percent of respondents already have deployed the fixed WiMAX standard (802.16d), and this number will grow to 50 percent by 2007.
Bundled VoIP with WiFi will grow even faster. 6 percent of respondents offer it now, but by 2007 44 percent of respondents plan to it available.
3G and WiMAX show the most dramatic growth by 2007 among wireless backhaul solutions. The number of 3G base stations deployed by respondents nearly triples between 2006 and 2007, driven by operators’ intent to offer video and mobile IPTV services.
Respondents say their key 3G infrastructure design requirements include high quality video capabilities, fast network reactivity, high session rate, and high capacity
Wireless broadband drivers according to Infonetics Research
InfoSpace is launching local mobile search
location based services
Finding a restaurant, getting directions or checking movie times is a quick phone call away on a mobile phone.
The call — to 411 — costs about $1.50. But there's another option. Called local mobile search, the service incorporates Yellow Page listings and other information with location-based services such as global positioning system, or GPS.
Using local mobile search, information can be found based on location rather than entering an address. InfoSpace of Bellevue has incorporated this technology in a new version of its Find It application, which is launching today on the Sprint and Nextel networks.
The application, which must be downloaded to the phone to work, will cost $2.99 a month for unlimited searches, or roughly the price of two phone calls to 411. It will be available on about 25 handsets, which reaches nearly 30 million of Sprint Nextel subscribers.
"We are targeting the 411 users," said InfoSpace Chief Executive Jim Voelker. "It's a poor man's navigation."
The service works on GPS-enabled phones and phones that don't have GPS by using the nearest cellphone tower as a locator.
The application is pretty basic. The main menu provides three options: search by name, search by category and map or directions. At the top of the screen is the address where you are.
By clicking on categories, you can search through a number of options, such as the nearest ATM, movie theaters, banks, malls, parking garages, cleaners, restaurants and more. Click on "restaurants," and you can choose type of cuisine. If you need help finding the place, it will provide turn-by-turn directions or a map.
InfoSpace is not the only company targeting this space.
Beyond search giants Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft, other Seattle-area companies are in the field. Those include Medio Systems, which is targeting a broader set of search capabilities, and Bellevue-based Action Engine.
InfoSpace said about $3 billion is expected to be spent on mobile directory assistance this year.
The opportunity is not only in collecting a monthly fee, but also in advertising revenues, said Neal Polachek, senior vice president at The Kelsey Group, a research firm.
"It's potentially much bigger," Polachek said. "It won't be just directory assistance, but local mobile search with an ad revenue model."
Voelker said that eventually he could see InfoSpace's application becoming free, but he isn't sure how that would work yet.
The mobile phone doesn't have the PC's advantage of having plenty of screen space for a banner ad.
"It's not like the Web, where they pay for placement," Voelker said. But first, he said, there must be a significant number of consumers using it.
"We have to watch the volume in order to justify the administrative work that would be required to do it," he added.
Tricia Duryee: 206-464-3283 or tduryee@seattletimes.com. Contributor to Tech Tracks, seattletimes.com/techtracks.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
E-m
location based services
Finding a restaurant, getting directions or checking movie times is a quick phone call away on a mobile phone.
The call — to 411 — costs about $1.50. But there's another option. Called local mobile search, the service incorporates Yellow Page listings and other information with location-based services such as global positioning system, or GPS.
Using local mobile search, information can be found based on location rather than entering an address. InfoSpace of Bellevue has incorporated this technology in a new version of its Find It application, which is launching today on the Sprint and Nextel networks.
The application, which must be downloaded to the phone to work, will cost $2.99 a month for unlimited searches, or roughly the price of two phone calls to 411. It will be available on about 25 handsets, which reaches nearly 30 million of Sprint Nextel subscribers.
"We are targeting the 411 users," said InfoSpace Chief Executive Jim Voelker. "It's a poor man's navigation."
The service works on GPS-enabled phones and phones that don't have GPS by using the nearest cellphone tower as a locator.
The application is pretty basic. The main menu provides three options: search by name, search by category and map or directions. At the top of the screen is the address where you are.
By clicking on categories, you can search through a number of options, such as the nearest ATM, movie theaters, banks, malls, parking garages, cleaners, restaurants and more. Click on "restaurants," and you can choose type of cuisine. If you need help finding the place, it will provide turn-by-turn directions or a map.
InfoSpace is not the only company targeting this space.
Beyond search giants Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft, other Seattle-area companies are in the field. Those include Medio Systems, which is targeting a broader set of search capabilities, and Bellevue-based Action Engine.
InfoSpace said about $3 billion is expected to be spent on mobile directory assistance this year.
The opportunity is not only in collecting a monthly fee, but also in advertising revenues, said Neal Polachek, senior vice president at The Kelsey Group, a research firm.
"It's potentially much bigger," Polachek said. "It won't be just directory assistance, but local mobile search with an ad revenue model."
Voelker said that eventually he could see InfoSpace's application becoming free, but he isn't sure how that would work yet.
The mobile phone doesn't have the PC's advantage of having plenty of screen space for a banner ad.
"It's not like the Web, where they pay for placement," Voelker said. But first, he said, there must be a significant number of consumers using it.
"We have to watch the volume in order to justify the administrative work that would be required to do it," he added.
Tricia Duryee: 206-464-3283 or tduryee@seattletimes.com. Contributor to Tech Tracks, seattletimes.com/techtracks.
Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company
E-m
3G mobiles 'change social habits'
location based services
Increasing use of 3G mobile phones can change the way people communicate and create new social trends and tribes, a behavioural study has suggested.
The study said the combination of still and video cameras on modern phones, and the advent of high speed data transfer, can inspire a generation of users.
Bloggers, film-makers and clubbers all benefit from 3G phones, it said.
Analysts Future Laboratory said the report was the first ethnographic survey of 3G use across the UK.
3G is the next generation of mobile phone technology, offering a wide range of high speed mobile services, including video calling and messaging, e-mail, games, photo messaging and information services.
Free to use
Researchers studied the phone habits of 10 groups of friends between the ages of 16-35 over six weeks in a range of UK cities.
Click to see who uses 3G phones in the UK
They identified a range of new behavioural patterns among those using 3G phones, which were free of charge for the duration of the study.
New technology on offer allowed a diverse range of personalities to express themselves creatively in different ways, the report said.
3G USERS
Social gatekeepers: Fulcrum of a social network and use 3G mobiles to keep friends up to date
Piratopians: Creative outsiders who use 3G phones to make short films and other broadcasts
High Street hedonists: Use phones to show off new purchases, take pictures of items or asked for instant opinions from a dressing roomAlfred Tong, one of the report's authors, admitted that allowing free use of the phones encouraged heavy use, but said the study offered a glimpse into a 3G future.
"Without the constraints of price, we hope these results illustrate how people will use 3G as the technology spreads," he told the BBC News website.
The report's authors dubbed the new generation of mobile phone users Generation C, with C meaning content.
As well as offering bloggers the chance to post instantly to their own sites, researchers saw 3G phones used as a counterpoint to retailing, socialising, and as a tool for documenting their lives.
Analyst Ben Wood said he welcomed the study, but said that most mobile phone users remain concerned about looks, cost and battery life above all else.
"It's very hard to get people to discover these services and to use them," he said.
3G operators were still seeking ways to maximise income from multimedia services without putting off customers, he added.
'Andrew Marr effect'
According to mobile network 3 which commissioned the study, almost two-thirds of current 3G users (62%) are men.
It set up the UK's first 3G network and currently boasts 3.6 million customers.
Historically, if lots of people start to use mobile services they are very viral and will spread
Ben WoodResearch Vice-President, GartnerBut the technology is most popular among the more affluent 25-34 age group, not the 18-24 age group often targeted by advertisers.
Men used the technical capabilities of their phones more extensively than women, the report suggested, often adopting fictional personas to make amateur news reports, dubbed the "Andrew Marr effect" by researchers.
Some women used their phones to take pictures of taxi drivers in an effort to guarantee personal safety.
The increasing use of camera and video capabilities has already opened up new opportunities for phone users to contribute to news coverage on TV and online.
And the time-honoured blind date could soon fall out of fashion, if the report's conclusions are correct.
More and more people might use 3G phones to check out a potential date before meeting them, or use video calls as part of an interactive dating service.
Some exceptionally tech-savvy young men, the report found, won the hearts of women simply by impressing them with the use of their hi-tech tool, labelled natching by the Future Laboratory.
That might appear one unlikely new development, but the pattern of mobile phone growth has always bucked the prevailing trends, analyst Ben Wood said.
"What we have seen happen historically is if people start to use new services, especially in some demographic groups, they are very viral and will spread.
"If you had sat in a focus group about text messaging 15 years ago and I told you that soon we would be sending billions of these each year you would have said I was mad."
Click to go back
location based services
Increasing use of 3G mobile phones can change the way people communicate and create new social trends and tribes, a behavioural study has suggested.
The study said the combination of still and video cameras on modern phones, and the advent of high speed data transfer, can inspire a generation of users.
Bloggers, film-makers and clubbers all benefit from 3G phones, it said.
Analysts Future Laboratory said the report was the first ethnographic survey of 3G use across the UK.
3G is the next generation of mobile phone technology, offering a wide range of high speed mobile services, including video calling and messaging, e-mail, games, photo messaging and information services.
Free to use
Researchers studied the phone habits of 10 groups of friends between the ages of 16-35 over six weeks in a range of UK cities.
Click to see who uses 3G phones in the UK
They identified a range of new behavioural patterns among those using 3G phones, which were free of charge for the duration of the study.
New technology on offer allowed a diverse range of personalities to express themselves creatively in different ways, the report said.
3G USERS
Social gatekeepers: Fulcrum of a social network and use 3G mobiles to keep friends up to date
Piratopians: Creative outsiders who use 3G phones to make short films and other broadcasts
High Street hedonists: Use phones to show off new purchases, take pictures of items or asked for instant opinions from a dressing roomAlfred Tong, one of the report's authors, admitted that allowing free use of the phones encouraged heavy use, but said the study offered a glimpse into a 3G future.
"Without the constraints of price, we hope these results illustrate how people will use 3G as the technology spreads," he told the BBC News website.
The report's authors dubbed the new generation of mobile phone users Generation C, with C meaning content.
As well as offering bloggers the chance to post instantly to their own sites, researchers saw 3G phones used as a counterpoint to retailing, socialising, and as a tool for documenting their lives.
Analyst Ben Wood said he welcomed the study, but said that most mobile phone users remain concerned about looks, cost and battery life above all else.
"It's very hard to get people to discover these services and to use them," he said.
3G operators were still seeking ways to maximise income from multimedia services without putting off customers, he added.
'Andrew Marr effect'
According to mobile network 3 which commissioned the study, almost two-thirds of current 3G users (62%) are men.
It set up the UK's first 3G network and currently boasts 3.6 million customers.
Historically, if lots of people start to use mobile services they are very viral and will spread
Ben WoodResearch Vice-President, GartnerBut the technology is most popular among the more affluent 25-34 age group, not the 18-24 age group often targeted by advertisers.
Men used the technical capabilities of their phones more extensively than women, the report suggested, often adopting fictional personas to make amateur news reports, dubbed the "Andrew Marr effect" by researchers.
Some women used their phones to take pictures of taxi drivers in an effort to guarantee personal safety.
The increasing use of camera and video capabilities has already opened up new opportunities for phone users to contribute to news coverage on TV and online.
And the time-honoured blind date could soon fall out of fashion, if the report's conclusions are correct.
More and more people might use 3G phones to check out a potential date before meeting them, or use video calls as part of an interactive dating service.
Some exceptionally tech-savvy young men, the report found, won the hearts of women simply by impressing them with the use of their hi-tech tool, labelled natching by the Future Laboratory.
That might appear one unlikely new development, but the pattern of mobile phone growth has always bucked the prevailing trends, analyst Ben Wood said.
"What we have seen happen historically is if people start to use new services, especially in some demographic groups, they are very viral and will spread.
"If you had sat in a focus group about text messaging 15 years ago and I told you that soon we would be sending billions of these each year you would have said I was mad."
Click to go back
Symbian OS mobile smartphone operating system - News, articles, wireless developer tools for Symbian Series 60, UIQ and Symbian mobile device Users and wireless developers of VB, C++, Java, WAP, and .NET apps
location based services
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... well, not always! SymbianOne is one of the few (if only) Symbian focused publications with a North American-based representative. As a result, SymbianOne will be on hand once again at CTIA Wireless 2006 (North America's largest wireless event) and the Navteq LBS Challenge to report on what's going on in Vegas.
A number of players in the Symbian ecosystem will be on hand at CTIA including Symbian (of course) with their ever-present Symbian pavilion. On hand with Symbian will be some key partners including the likes of EMCC, Zi Corporation (who recently announced their Zi Predictive Text Solutions for New Sony Ericsson P990 Smartphone), UIQ Technology (who recently announced a new developer program), and Visto (recently launched Visto Mobile 5.5.
Some other noteworthy happenings at CTIA 2006
Nokia will be on hand as usual, as will the crew from the Forum.Nokia developer program. A little bird tells me that an evening session for Nokia developers should be loads of fun and will be a good chance to network with the Nokia developer program executives and some key partners and developers.
Location-Based Services... always a favorite topic of mine, LBS is huge and once again the annual NAvteq challenge will be wrapping up with presentations and awards for excellence in developing mobile location-based solutions. I'll be on hand at the awards reception Thursday April 6 to get the low-down on what's hot in LBS - see www.lbschallenge.com for more details.
Speaking of LBS, a special panel session is scheduled for Thursday afternoon... also a must attend on my list of things to do. The session promises to look at where LBS is going and what technologies are being used. Key industry players will be there - April 6 1:30 - 2:30 (room N119)
Another session that got my attention is one devoted to Mobile TV. This hour and a half long sessions on April 5 at 3:30 will look at technology choices available in the popular Mobile TV space... should be fun!
Mobile Imaging is the topic of another session of interest.. unfortunately I have a conflict and may not be able to attend... I'll do my best though. The session promises to look at the camera phone ecosystem and touch on how device makers can address the consumer demands placed on them.
Other stops of interest that are high on my list of things to do on the exhibition floor in Vegas include visits to the Developers pavilion, Finnish Pavilion, UK Pavilion, and a visit with the WIN BC crew. WIN BC will be announcing the winners of the WIC 2006 Contest recognizing excellence in the development of wireless technologies and solutions. See http://www.winbc.org/contest/overview.html
Some of the fun events taking place on the floor include the Fashion in motion fashion show where I can get a glimpse of the latest in wireless fashion! The PMA Camera Shoot out should be interesting as well as camera phones are put to the test in a contest to see who comes out on top in a shoot-out typically done with traditional cameras.
I don't arrive in Vegas early enough to attend the Smartphone Summit but if I could this event would be a must attend... too bad really! This event has been truly awesome in the past and if you've never been, plan on attending in the future. The day-long event provides some great sessions devoted to delivering the latest in smartphone enterprise solutions.
Exhibitors of interest:
EMCC’s Technical Consultants offer on-site workshops and advice clinics to your Symbian OS development teams, as well as flexible support contracts to provide the expertise you need, where and when you need it, over the entire course of your project.
http://www.emccsoft.com/
Zi Corporation (www.zicorp.com) is a technology company that delivers intelligent interface solutions to enhance the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies. The company provides device manufacturers and network operators with a full range of intuitive and easy-to-use input solutions, including: eZiText® for one-touch predictive text entry; eZiTap™ for intelligent multi-tap entry, eZiType™ for keyboard prediction with auto-correction, Decuma® for predictive pen-input handwriting recognition and the Qix™ service discovery engine to enhance the user experience and drive service usage and adoption.
http://www.zicorp.com/
UIQ Technology develops and licenses an open software platform to the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers and supports licensees in the drive towards developing a mass market for open mobile phones. UIQ based phones are powerful and give access to enterprise applications, email, multimedia clips and web pages. UIQ is, for example, used in mobile phones from Sony Ericsson, Motorola, BenQ and Arima. UIQ Technology, established in 1999 in Sweden, is a fully owned subsidiary of Symbian Ltd.
http://www.uiq.com
Visto delivers the leading global platform for mobile operators to provide wireless push e-mail to the broadest set of mobile devices. Visto's open solution enables e-mail for the mass market, targeting large enterprises, small businesses and mobile professionals. The company's patented Visto MobileT platform with ConstantSyncT technology works in real time with POP3, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino e-mail solutions for personal to enterprise use, providing maximum control and flexibility for the operator and choice for the customer
http://www.visto.com
Avantquest recently launched a new Connectivity Application Available to Users of Bluetooth Enabled 2.5G and 3G Phones. Avanquest Software is a global developer and leading publisher of best-selling personal and professional software designed for utilities, office productivity, communications and mobility worldwide. Avanquest Software products are marketed in over 100 countries, through e-commerce, OEM partnerships and IT resellers.
http://www.avanquest.com
Others expected to be exhibiting include Nokia, Handango, Navteq, Handmark, Ericsson, Route 66, Telmap, ESRI, and many others too numerous to list... hopefully I'll have time to visit them all!
I've been to numerous CTIA Wireless events in the past, with stops in Vegas, Atlanta, San Diego, and New Orleans. The one thing I have learned in the past is that I need to prepare for 3 long days, some amazing networking and socializing opportunities. I'll be sure to pack some really comfortable shoes, aspirin, Red Bull, and my trusty camera phone! Since we're in Vegas I'll be sure to bring an extra $50 or so for a bit of gaming too!
See http://www.ctiawireless.com/
Care to see some images from past CTIA (and other) events? Check out this HUGE photoblog at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gisuser/sets/
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Ringtones for your Symbian OS smartphone - Looking for a new ringtone for your mobile device? Check out our application shop for hundreds of ringtones for S60, S80, and UIQ smartphones. OR how about some TRUETONES... the shop has a number of tunes for your smartphone including several freebies.
Save the date for the O'Reilly Where 2.0 Conference, June 13-14, 2006 in San Jose, California
Wireless Innovation Contest 2006 - WIC'06 is open to Canadian and United States-based organizations, companies or individuals that provide wireless technologies or solutions.
CTIA Wireless 2006 - April 5-7, 2006, LAs Vegas, Nevada - The most important wireless event of the year!
Smart Phone Summit - ril 2006 To Las Vegas
Documents To Go for Symbian UIQ - Edit and create actual Microsoft Word and Excel files as well as view PowerPoint files on your Symbian UIQ and Symbian Series 80 smarpthone
LBSZone.com - News & resources for those interested in location-based services
Geospatial & LBS News - Stay abreast with daily updates
See Your Message Here
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Forum.Nokia LBSzone.com
Featured Symbian Career
Nokia WLAN specialist - We are looking for someone who has some experience of using WLAN in a Nokia environment.
Carbide C++ Symbian Developer - We are seeking a Symbian Developer who is familiar with the Carbide C++ IDE. The person can work from home anywhere in the world.
location based services
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas... well, not always! SymbianOne is one of the few (if only) Symbian focused publications with a North American-based representative. As a result, SymbianOne will be on hand once again at CTIA Wireless 2006 (North America's largest wireless event) and the Navteq LBS Challenge to report on what's going on in Vegas.
A number of players in the Symbian ecosystem will be on hand at CTIA including Symbian (of course) with their ever-present Symbian pavilion. On hand with Symbian will be some key partners including the likes of EMCC, Zi Corporation (who recently announced their Zi Predictive Text Solutions for New Sony Ericsson P990 Smartphone), UIQ Technology (who recently announced a new developer program), and Visto (recently launched Visto Mobile 5.5.
Some other noteworthy happenings at CTIA 2006
Nokia will be on hand as usual, as will the crew from the Forum.Nokia developer program. A little bird tells me that an evening session for Nokia developers should be loads of fun and will be a good chance to network with the Nokia developer program executives and some key partners and developers.
Location-Based Services... always a favorite topic of mine, LBS is huge and once again the annual NAvteq challenge will be wrapping up with presentations and awards for excellence in developing mobile location-based solutions. I'll be on hand at the awards reception Thursday April 6 to get the low-down on what's hot in LBS - see www.lbschallenge.com for more details.
Speaking of LBS, a special panel session is scheduled for Thursday afternoon... also a must attend on my list of things to do. The session promises to look at where LBS is going and what technologies are being used. Key industry players will be there - April 6 1:30 - 2:30 (room N119)
Another session that got my attention is one devoted to Mobile TV. This hour and a half long sessions on April 5 at 3:30 will look at technology choices available in the popular Mobile TV space... should be fun!
Mobile Imaging is the topic of another session of interest.. unfortunately I have a conflict and may not be able to attend... I'll do my best though. The session promises to look at the camera phone ecosystem and touch on how device makers can address the consumer demands placed on them.
Other stops of interest that are high on my list of things to do on the exhibition floor in Vegas include visits to the Developers pavilion, Finnish Pavilion, UK Pavilion, and a visit with the WIN BC crew. WIN BC will be announcing the winners of the WIC 2006 Contest recognizing excellence in the development of wireless technologies and solutions. See http://www.winbc.org/contest/overview.html
Some of the fun events taking place on the floor include the Fashion in motion fashion show where I can get a glimpse of the latest in wireless fashion! The PMA Camera Shoot out should be interesting as well as camera phones are put to the test in a contest to see who comes out on top in a shoot-out typically done with traditional cameras.
I don't arrive in Vegas early enough to attend the Smartphone Summit but if I could this event would be a must attend... too bad really! This event has been truly awesome in the past and if you've never been, plan on attending in the future. The day-long event provides some great sessions devoted to delivering the latest in smartphone enterprise solutions.
Exhibitors of interest:
EMCC’s Technical Consultants offer on-site workshops and advice clinics to your Symbian OS development teams, as well as flexible support contracts to provide the expertise you need, where and when you need it, over the entire course of your project.
http://www.emccsoft.com/
Zi Corporation (www.zicorp.com) is a technology company that delivers intelligent interface solutions to enhance the user experience of wireless and consumer technologies. The company provides device manufacturers and network operators with a full range of intuitive and easy-to-use input solutions, including: eZiText® for one-touch predictive text entry; eZiTap™ for intelligent multi-tap entry, eZiType™ for keyboard prediction with auto-correction, Decuma® for predictive pen-input handwriting recognition and the Qix™ service discovery engine to enhance the user experience and drive service usage and adoption.
http://www.zicorp.com/
UIQ Technology develops and licenses an open software platform to the world's leading mobile phone manufacturers and supports licensees in the drive towards developing a mass market for open mobile phones. UIQ based phones are powerful and give access to enterprise applications, email, multimedia clips and web pages. UIQ is, for example, used in mobile phones from Sony Ericsson, Motorola, BenQ and Arima. UIQ Technology, established in 1999 in Sweden, is a fully owned subsidiary of Symbian Ltd.
http://www.uiq.com
Visto delivers the leading global platform for mobile operators to provide wireless push e-mail to the broadest set of mobile devices. Visto's open solution enables e-mail for the mass market, targeting large enterprises, small businesses and mobile professionals. The company's patented Visto MobileT platform with ConstantSyncT technology works in real time with POP3, IMAP, Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino e-mail solutions for personal to enterprise use, providing maximum control and flexibility for the operator and choice for the customer
http://www.visto.com
Avantquest recently launched a new Connectivity Application Available to Users of Bluetooth Enabled 2.5G and 3G Phones. Avanquest Software is a global developer and leading publisher of best-selling personal and professional software designed for utilities, office productivity, communications and mobility worldwide. Avanquest Software products are marketed in over 100 countries, through e-commerce, OEM partnerships and IT resellers.
http://www.avanquest.com
Others expected to be exhibiting include Nokia, Handango, Navteq, Handmark, Ericsson, Route 66, Telmap, ESRI, and many others too numerous to list... hopefully I'll have time to visit them all!
I've been to numerous CTIA Wireless events in the past, with stops in Vegas, Atlanta, San Diego, and New Orleans. The one thing I have learned in the past is that I need to prepare for 3 long days, some amazing networking and socializing opportunities. I'll be sure to pack some really comfortable shoes, aspirin, Red Bull, and my trusty camera phone! Since we're in Vegas I'll be sure to bring an extra $50 or so for a bit of gaming too!
See http://www.ctiawireless.com/
Care to see some images from past CTIA (and other) events? Check out this HUGE photoblog at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gisuser/sets/
Number of comments (0) - Add your comments to this article...
SymbianOne Sponsored Links
Ringtones for your Symbian OS smartphone - Looking for a new ringtone for your mobile device? Check out our application shop for hundreds of ringtones for S60, S80, and UIQ smartphones. OR how about some TRUETONES... the shop has a number of tunes for your smartphone including several freebies.
Save the date for the O'Reilly Where 2.0 Conference, June 13-14, 2006 in San Jose, California
Wireless Innovation Contest 2006 - WIC'06 is open to Canadian and United States-based organizations, companies or individuals that provide wireless technologies or solutions.
CTIA Wireless 2006 - April 5-7, 2006, LAs Vegas, Nevada - The most important wireless event of the year!
Smart Phone Summit - ril 2006 To Las Vegas
Documents To Go for Symbian UIQ - Edit and create actual Microsoft Word and Excel files as well as view PowerPoint files on your Symbian UIQ and Symbian Series 80 smarpthone
LBSZone.com - News & resources for those interested in location-based services
Geospatial & LBS News - Stay abreast with daily updates
See Your Message Here
Web SymbianOne.com
Forum.Nokia LBSzone.com
Featured Symbian Career
Nokia WLAN specialist - We are looking for someone who has some experience of using WLAN in a Nokia environment.
Carbide C++ Symbian Developer - We are seeking a Symbian Developer who is familiar with the Carbide C++ IDE. The person can work from home anywhere in the world.
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