Mobile services vie for attention
A record 50,000 visitors and nearly 1,000 exhibitors crammed themselves into the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona. Is this year really going to be as big for mobiles as the industry seems to believe?
Everyone at the 3GSM show was desperate to push their product
Our handsets have been slowly turning into PCs, with almost one in six now running on Windows Mobile.
And a new system, iMate, means you can hook up to your desktop wherever you are and access all the documents on your hard drive.
"It'll make lives easier because when you've forgotten something at home or in the office you can go and get it", says iMate CEO Jim Morrison.
"Whether it's that PowerPoint presentation you're working on, that Word document you're working on, or a photograph you took of your last holidays that you want to show people, you can actually go and get it where it is."
And, if you happen to lose your phone, you can back-up the information and then wipe the contents remotely, providing it is turned on.
Big brand internet portals are getting more interested in the mobile market too.
IN PICTURES
Barcelona 3GSM show
Yahoo! Go offers user-friendly e-mail and instant messaging services, so you can see who else is connected if you fancy a chat. Already in the US, the service rolls out across Europe in March.
This is all part of an industry trend towards more high profile content providers, says Thomas Husson, from Jupiter Research.
"We'll see more and more strong brands offering their own content directly to consumers, instead of mobile operators, because consumers do want trusted content they know."
Internet inspired
The latest trends on the web are now being mirrored on our mobiles too.
Phone love: the new way to date
Mobile blogging sites like NewBay's FoneBlog encourage us to use multimedia messaging to upload pictures to a website. It saves sending it to your friends individually, and helps create a sense of community.
"We've actually seen a doubling of traffic in the last three months", says Newbay's Mark Ward.
"This is mainly being driven by the fact that people are using their camera phones, they're realising that mobile blogging is a cost-effective way for them to share their photos with friends and family while they're on the move."
Internet dating has proved a big hit and, with more video phones on the market, the voice technology company Intervoice expects some networks to start carrying its new mobile dating service this year. Just make sure you look the part before you press send.
Expect that blog or website you are searching for on your mobile to look a lot smarter with the launch of the new Apple Safari-style S60 browser. It ships on some new phones within the next six weeks.
It is hoped the popularity of RSS feeds online can be switched to the mobile too.
Critical Path is one of several launched at the show. It pushes updates as MMS messages, whereas others automatically go and fetch updates over the net when you go online.
Many of these ways of using more data services work on more basic handsets as well.
Next big things?
Other new services include barcode ticketing: why wait to be sent or collect tickets for events when you can get them via your phone?
A barcode scanner will read the ticket on your phone
Moqiba was showing off its mobile ticketing system, and this year the buyers' picture is included for added security.
Music downloads to mobiles are being joined by mobile radio stations offering music-style channels without the DJs or the ads.
This is likely to be based on a subscription model so you know how much you will be paying. Two on display at Barcelona were Visual Radio and MobiTV.
Clearly in the mobile world, video has not killed the radio star, but this year video downloading could be pushed aside by what many people here see as the next big thing: mobile TV.
Sporting events and big brand channels are expected to drive demand for live TV this year.
As well as streaming video over the net to individual 3G phones, there are a number of competing over-the-air broadcast systems, most of which require us to buy new handsets with receivers but promise a more reliable service.
People are going to snack on content, they're not going to sit down and watch a movie for an hour and a half. It has to be short and quick
Mark Newman, Informa
British Telecom is leading the pack in Europe with Movio, offering broadcast TV using a system already in place, as Emma Lloyd, managing director of BT Movio, explains.
"What BT Movio is offering is building on top of DAB digital radio - which we're all familiar with - a brand new service which utilises that technology to deliver digital television as well."
And yes, you will have to buy a handset fitted with a DAB receiver. Virgin Mobile will launch the service in the UK this summer. Others are likely to follow.
Understanding the consumer
But in the rush to be first to the small screen, some experts think the industry has not paid enough attention to what we might want to see.
"The mobile industry hasn't focused enough on how people will use mobile TV", says Mark Newman, a senior analyst from Informa.
"People are going to snack on content, they're not going to sit down and watch a movie for an hour and a half. It has to be short and quick.
"The fundamental problem we have today is understanding how and when people use content. We all go on long train journeys, that's one place where people will consume this content.
"Interestingly, the trials have demonstrated so far that people often end up watching mobile TV at home or in the office."
Which begs the question, if we are expected to squint at a two inch screen and pay for what we watch, will TV on the go be compelling enough?
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Saturday, February 18, 2006
3GSM � Opera: Empowering Operators By Empowering Users at MobHappy
Anybody that’s followed my writing for a while knows both my belief that widgets will have a significant impact on the mobile industry as well as my interest in content platforms like Flash Lite that offer content providers and operators relatively easy ways to deploy rich content that can be easily updated. It’s little surprise then that I came away awfully impressed by the Opera Platform — and I think it’s probably a better overall solution than the similar Flash Lite.
Opera’s starting from a place of strength with its excellent mobile browsers. I can say without hesitation that Opera Mini is the best Java application I’ve ever used, and the “full” Opera Mobile on smartphones is no slouch either. Opera Platform uses that smartphone browser as a base on which to run widgets built with standard Web technologies — and even AJAX. It’s an excellent solution for mobile, both because services and applications can update in real time, and can easily be built. More than that though, they slot right into the mobile browsing experience because of their speed as well as their ability to deliver tightly focused information, the kinds of things in which people are interested when surfing on a phone.
What’s interesting about Opera’s approach is that they play both sides. They make solutions like Opera Mini freely available to consumers, but also work with content providers and operators to build branded versions. Where things get kind of funny is that in some ways, a downloaded browser like Opera is a carrier’s worst nightmare, letting users surf the “real” Internet — where they can get much of the information for which carriers charge for free. The thing is, though, that it’s operators that stand to benefit from this. Not just because of the data traffic it can generate, but because they have the most to gain from an improved mobile data user experience. And while they’re often afraid of open systems and standards, the idea that pretty much anybody can create an Opera widget (whether they can get it deployed is another matter) can give them the biggest benefit.
This is total long-tail thinking: a smart operator will install Opera Platform on as many devices as it can, then build a system through which people can easily sell their widgets to users. It’s impossible for carriers, or even their content partners to cater to everyone’s tastes; but creating an ecosystem where they can rely on outside content from providers as well as individuals — and taking a cut along the way — offers them the best chance. Users can easily personalize the content they receive on their devices, adding a new level of personalization beyond ringtones or colored faceplates. A great implementation would be integrated with a billing system, offering payouts to professional developers, while also offering user-created content and paying its developers perhaps through some sort of credit system, like 3 has done with its viral videos.
There was a mild uproar some time ago about Java portals, which were applications that content providers created so users could access their content without going through a carrier portal. The best response here isn’t to shut them down or block them, it’s to create a better system that leads to more satisfied users and allows content providers to make money too. Happier users will use more services more often, and spend more money — and certainly be less likely to churn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Responses to “3GSM — Opera: Empowering Operators By Empowering Users”
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1 Oliver Starr
Feb 16th, 2006 at 4:20 am
Carlo,
Your appreciation of Opera is understandable. A great product that I use myself on every mobile phone I own. I have to comment though about your particular appreciation of the “widget strategy” in light of your very negative sentiments towards another company that also is basing its future development in large part on user developed widgets; bluepulse.
Granted, Opera is a much more mature product with advanced technology, a very large userbase and obvious market support, but notwithstanding their unfortunuate incident with you related to their bad-blog behavior, it seems to me that they should at least be given some measure of credit for doing something you clearly think - at least when suggested by Opera- is worthwhile.
My thought would be that bluepulse is lowering the bar even more, making the development of widgets that much easier and more accessible to an ever wider segment of mobile users. This strategy of lowering the bar has had very good results in the past. After all, making it possible for every 13 year old in the USA to build their own web page is what made MySpace worth a half a billion dollars…
Oliver Starr
MobileCrunch.com
2 Carlo Longino
Feb 16th, 2006 at 6:24 am
Fair enough, but there are some significant differences between Opera Platform and Bluepulse, not the least of which is Opera’s track record in this space. Another is that Opera is a technology enabler, and isn’t trying to be a content provider, billing provider and take a cut of revenues. Its ability to work within (and improve) the existing ecosystem also makes it far more likely to succeed than a solution which tries to completely circumvent it.
Lowering the bar is another issue, too. While Opera Platform is currently available only on smartphone platforms, that’s because only they can support the technology it uses. Particularly with smartphones making their way into the mass market, that’s a far more compelling implementation than one which takes the opposite approach and supports a baseline technology so it can be deployed on as wide an array of handsets as possible
Anybody that’s followed my writing for a while knows both my belief that widgets will have a significant impact on the mobile industry as well as my interest in content platforms like Flash Lite that offer content providers and operators relatively easy ways to deploy rich content that can be easily updated. It’s little surprise then that I came away awfully impressed by the Opera Platform — and I think it’s probably a better overall solution than the similar Flash Lite.
Opera’s starting from a place of strength with its excellent mobile browsers. I can say without hesitation that Opera Mini is the best Java application I’ve ever used, and the “full” Opera Mobile on smartphones is no slouch either. Opera Platform uses that smartphone browser as a base on which to run widgets built with standard Web technologies — and even AJAX. It’s an excellent solution for mobile, both because services and applications can update in real time, and can easily be built. More than that though, they slot right into the mobile browsing experience because of their speed as well as their ability to deliver tightly focused information, the kinds of things in which people are interested when surfing on a phone.
What’s interesting about Opera’s approach is that they play both sides. They make solutions like Opera Mini freely available to consumers, but also work with content providers and operators to build branded versions. Where things get kind of funny is that in some ways, a downloaded browser like Opera is a carrier’s worst nightmare, letting users surf the “real” Internet — where they can get much of the information for which carriers charge for free. The thing is, though, that it’s operators that stand to benefit from this. Not just because of the data traffic it can generate, but because they have the most to gain from an improved mobile data user experience. And while they’re often afraid of open systems and standards, the idea that pretty much anybody can create an Opera widget (whether they can get it deployed is another matter) can give them the biggest benefit.
This is total long-tail thinking: a smart operator will install Opera Platform on as many devices as it can, then build a system through which people can easily sell their widgets to users. It’s impossible for carriers, or even their content partners to cater to everyone’s tastes; but creating an ecosystem where they can rely on outside content from providers as well as individuals — and taking a cut along the way — offers them the best chance. Users can easily personalize the content they receive on their devices, adding a new level of personalization beyond ringtones or colored faceplates. A great implementation would be integrated with a billing system, offering payouts to professional developers, while also offering user-created content and paying its developers perhaps through some sort of credit system, like 3 has done with its viral videos.
There was a mild uproar some time ago about Java portals, which were applications that content providers created so users could access their content without going through a carrier portal. The best response here isn’t to shut them down or block them, it’s to create a better system that leads to more satisfied users and allows content providers to make money too. Happier users will use more services more often, and spend more money — and certainly be less likely to churn.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 Responses to “3GSM — Opera: Empowering Operators By Empowering Users”
Feed for this Entry Trackback Address
1 Oliver Starr
Feb 16th, 2006 at 4:20 am
Carlo,
Your appreciation of Opera is understandable. A great product that I use myself on every mobile phone I own. I have to comment though about your particular appreciation of the “widget strategy” in light of your very negative sentiments towards another company that also is basing its future development in large part on user developed widgets; bluepulse.
Granted, Opera is a much more mature product with advanced technology, a very large userbase and obvious market support, but notwithstanding their unfortunuate incident with you related to their bad-blog behavior, it seems to me that they should at least be given some measure of credit for doing something you clearly think - at least when suggested by Opera- is worthwhile.
My thought would be that bluepulse is lowering the bar even more, making the development of widgets that much easier and more accessible to an ever wider segment of mobile users. This strategy of lowering the bar has had very good results in the past. After all, making it possible for every 13 year old in the USA to build their own web page is what made MySpace worth a half a billion dollars…
Oliver Starr
MobileCrunch.com
2 Carlo Longino
Feb 16th, 2006 at 6:24 am
Fair enough, but there are some significant differences between Opera Platform and Bluepulse, not the least of which is Opera’s track record in this space. Another is that Opera is a technology enabler, and isn’t trying to be a content provider, billing provider and take a cut of revenues. Its ability to work within (and improve) the existing ecosystem also makes it far more likely to succeed than a solution which tries to completely circumvent it.
Lowering the bar is another issue, too. While Opera Platform is currently available only on smartphone platforms, that’s because only they can support the technology it uses. Particularly with smartphones making their way into the mass market, that’s a far more compelling implementation than one which takes the opposite approach and supports a baseline technology so it can be deployed on as wide an array of handsets as possible
3GSM - What All Those New Smartphones Mean, And It�s A Lot at MobHappy
In my earlier post, I pointed out how smartphones are moving to the mass market. This has significant ramifications for the whole industry, not the least of which mobile application sales.
The application download and sales environment is something of a holdover from the days of the PDA: people, typically professional or prosumer users or early adopters, find a relatively task-specific application, buy it, and install it on their device. It’s little wonder that the download market is dominated by work-oriented and productivity apps, while the only significant consumer downloads (outside content like ringtones and wallpapers) have been games. The mass market’s not shown an overwhelming interest in downloading applications, and it’s not likely that their views will change all that significantly just because they get smartphones. But — and this is a big but — they love services. Whether it’s SMS sports scores, checking public transport schedules or my old standby, looking up movie showtimes, people like services. The application is almost irrelevant, except as a means to an end, whether it’s a Web browser, messaging client or something more specific. It’s the same type of thing on the wired Net: standalone application use pales in comparison to that of services.
This fits how people use mobile devices, if you think about it. Even on their most basic level, mobile phones are valuable not as an application, but because they provide access to services like voice calls and messaging. Strip that service out, and the application is worthless. You can even easily find examples in the enterprise or professional market — the value of Blackberry and other push e-mail systems is in the service, not in the application.
The upshot of this is that the application development and download market is in for some big changes — but they’re definitely positive. Standalone application development will find success, but it will be in niche markets. Those that find mass-market success will be those that provide an interface to a service (look at stuff that I’ve written about before like ShoZu most recently as an example). Another way to look at this is that the mobile phone does provide a computing platform on which standalone apps can be run, but at their heart, mobile devices are communications devices, and the connectivity they have should be used to its full potential. Again, think of a simple voice call: what good is a basic phone when it can’t access the network and, in turn, voice services?
So, while the standalone application market will find some success, the service market will be huge. So think in terms of services — what’s the service users are being provided, and then what’s the application needed to deliver it. This calls for plenty of support that existing applications providers can adapt to provide: distribution, and especially billing. There need to be frameworks in which to distribute the applications that provide access to services, systems for content delivery and billing mechanisms. And all of these need to be designed and delivered with the same attention to the user experience as the services themselves, integrating into existing patterns of use and payment mechanisms.
The switch to thinking in terms of services rather than applications might be daunting for some developers and content providers, but there is a payoff: recurring subscriptions. Provide someone an application, and they’ll pay you once. Provide someone a service, and they’ll keep on paying. This isn’t a license to rip off users, like some ringtone and wallpaper providers have chosen to do by duping people into shady subscription plans, but it calls for some new thinking. A good example would be the Sudoku application that the Future Platforms crew made for Puzzler Media. The application is free, but users are charged 25p every time they ask for a new puzzle. On the one hand, this lets people who download the app, then don’t like it or don’t use it not feel ripped off. On the other, it generates a recurring revenue stream from repeat users. Another possible benefit is that platforms exist that developers can use to access services that don’t require as much time to energy to develop as standalone applications.
We’re on the precipice of a big paradigm shift that calls for a pretty radical rethink. Insert your own dramatic ending here, but times, they are a-changing
In my earlier post, I pointed out how smartphones are moving to the mass market. This has significant ramifications for the whole industry, not the least of which mobile application sales.
The application download and sales environment is something of a holdover from the days of the PDA: people, typically professional or prosumer users or early adopters, find a relatively task-specific application, buy it, and install it on their device. It’s little wonder that the download market is dominated by work-oriented and productivity apps, while the only significant consumer downloads (outside content like ringtones and wallpapers) have been games. The mass market’s not shown an overwhelming interest in downloading applications, and it’s not likely that their views will change all that significantly just because they get smartphones. But — and this is a big but — they love services. Whether it’s SMS sports scores, checking public transport schedules or my old standby, looking up movie showtimes, people like services. The application is almost irrelevant, except as a means to an end, whether it’s a Web browser, messaging client or something more specific. It’s the same type of thing on the wired Net: standalone application use pales in comparison to that of services.
This fits how people use mobile devices, if you think about it. Even on their most basic level, mobile phones are valuable not as an application, but because they provide access to services like voice calls and messaging. Strip that service out, and the application is worthless. You can even easily find examples in the enterprise or professional market — the value of Blackberry and other push e-mail systems is in the service, not in the application.
The upshot of this is that the application development and download market is in for some big changes — but they’re definitely positive. Standalone application development will find success, but it will be in niche markets. Those that find mass-market success will be those that provide an interface to a service (look at stuff that I’ve written about before like ShoZu most recently as an example). Another way to look at this is that the mobile phone does provide a computing platform on which standalone apps can be run, but at their heart, mobile devices are communications devices, and the connectivity they have should be used to its full potential. Again, think of a simple voice call: what good is a basic phone when it can’t access the network and, in turn, voice services?
So, while the standalone application market will find some success, the service market will be huge. So think in terms of services — what’s the service users are being provided, and then what’s the application needed to deliver it. This calls for plenty of support that existing applications providers can adapt to provide: distribution, and especially billing. There need to be frameworks in which to distribute the applications that provide access to services, systems for content delivery and billing mechanisms. And all of these need to be designed and delivered with the same attention to the user experience as the services themselves, integrating into existing patterns of use and payment mechanisms.
The switch to thinking in terms of services rather than applications might be daunting for some developers and content providers, but there is a payoff: recurring subscriptions. Provide someone an application, and they’ll pay you once. Provide someone a service, and they’ll keep on paying. This isn’t a license to rip off users, like some ringtone and wallpaper providers have chosen to do by duping people into shady subscription plans, but it calls for some new thinking. A good example would be the Sudoku application that the Future Platforms crew made for Puzzler Media. The application is free, but users are charged 25p every time they ask for a new puzzle. On the one hand, this lets people who download the app, then don’t like it or don’t use it not feel ripped off. On the other, it generates a recurring revenue stream from repeat users. Another possible benefit is that platforms exist that developers can use to access services that don’t require as much time to energy to develop as standalone applications.
We’re on the precipice of a big paradigm shift that calls for a pretty radical rethink. Insert your own dramatic ending here, but times, they are a-changing
Friday, February 17, 2006
Thursday, February 16, 2006
J2ME and Location-Based Services
Location-based services (LBS) provide users of mobile devices personalized services tailored to their current location. They open a new market for developers, cellular network operators, and service providers to develop and deploy value-added services: advising users of current traffic conditions, supplying routing information, helping them find nearby restaurants, and many more.
This article introduces you to the field of LBS and to the Location API for J2ME (JSR 179), a set of generic APIs that can be used for developing location-based services. In addition, the article offers guidelines for designing location-based services.
What Location-Based Services Do
Location-based services answer three questions: Where am I? What's around me? How do I get there? They determine the location of the user by using one of several technologies for determining position, then use the location and other information to provide personalized applications and services. As an example, consider a wireless 911 emergency service that determines the caller's location automatically. Such a service would be extremely useful, especially to users who are far from home and don't know local landmarks. Traffic advisories, navigation help including maps and directions, and roadside assistance are natural location-based services. Other services can combine present location with information about personal preferences to help users find food, lodging, and entertainment to fit their tastes and pocketbooks.
There are two basic approaches to implementing location-based services:
Process location data in a server and deliver results to the device.
Obtain location data for a device-based application that uses it directly.
This article focuses on device-based location services.
Determining the Device's Location
To discover the location of the device, LBS must use real-time positioning methods. Accuracy depends on the method used.
Locations can be expressed in spatial terms or as text descriptions. A spatial location can be expressed in the widely used latitude-longitude-altitude coordinate system. Latitude is expressed as 0-90 degrees north or south of the equator, and longitude as 0-180 degrees east or west of the prime meridian, which passes through Greenwich, England. Altitude is expressed in meters above sea level. A text description is usually expressed as a street address, including city, postal code, and so on.
Applications can call on any of several types of positioning methods.
Using the mobile phone network: The current cell ID can be used to identify the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) that the device is communicating with and the location of that BTS. Clearly, the accuracy of this method depends on the size of the cell, and can be quite inaccurate. A GSM cell may be anywhere from 2 to 20 kilometers in diameter. Other techniques used along with cell ID can achieve accuracy within 150 meters.
Using satellites: The Global Positioning System (GPS), controlled by the US Department of Defense, uses a constellation of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. GPS determines the device's position by calculating differences in the times signals from different satellites take to reach the receiver. GPS signals are encoded, so the mobile device must be equipped with a GPS receiver. GPS is potentially the most accurate method (between 4 and 40 meters if the GPS receiver has a clear view of the sky), but it has some drawbacks: The extra hardware can be costly, consumes battery while in use, and requires some warm-up after a cold start to get an initial fix on visible satellites. It also suffers from "canyon effects" in cities, where satellite visibility is intermittent.
Using short-range positioning beacons: In relatively small areas, such as a single building, a local area network can provide locations along with other services. For example, appropriately equipped devices can use Bluetooth for short-range positioning.
In addition, location methods can connect to a mobile position center that provides an interface to query for the position of the mobile subscriber. The API to the mobile position center is XML-based. While applications can be fully self-contained on the device, it's clear that a wider array of services is possible when a server-side application is part of the overall service.
Some applications don't need high accuracy, but others will be useless if the location isn't accurate enough. It's okay for the location of a tourist walking around town to be off by 30 meters, but other applications and services may demand higher accuracy.
The Location API for J2ME
The Location API for J2ME specification defines an optional package, javax.microedition.location, that enables developers to write wireless location-based applications and services for resource-limited devices like mobile phones, and can be implemented with any common location method. The compact and generic J2ME location APIs provide mobile applications with information about the device's present physical location and orientation (compass direction), and support the creation and use of databases of known landmarks, stored in the device.
JSR 179 requires the Connected Device Configuration (CDC) or version 1.1 of the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). CLDC 1.0 isn't adequate because it doesn't support floating-point numbers, which the API uses to represent coordinates and other measurements. The Location API doesn't depend on any particular profile -- it can be used with MIDP or the Personal Profile.
The hardware platform determines which location methods are supported. If it doesn't support at least one location provider, LBS won't be possible. Applications can request providers with particular characteristics, such as a minimum degree of accuracy. Some location methods may be free; others may entail service fees. The application should warn the user before any charges are incurred.
It is up to the application to determine the criteria for selecting the location method. Criteria fields include: accuracy, response time, need for altitude, and speed. Once the application obtains a LocationProvider instance that meets the criteria, it can use that object to obtain the location, in either of two ways:
Invoke a method synchronously to get a single location.
Register a listener and get periodic updates at application-defined intervals.
The Location class abstracts the location results. Its object contains coordinates, speed if available, textual address if available, and a time stamp that indicates when the location measurements were made.
Coordinates are represented by either of two classes:
A Coordinates object represents a point's latitude and longitude in degrees, and altitude in meters.
A QualifiedCoordinates object contains latitude, longitude, and altitude, and also an indication of their accuracy, represented as the radius of an area.
The following segment of code demonstrates how to obtain the present location of the device synchronously:
...
// Set criteria for selecting a location provider:
// accurate to 500 meters horizontally
Criteria cr= new Criteria();
cr.setHorizontalAccuracy(500);
// Get an instance of the provider
LocationProvider lp= LocationProvider.getInstance(cr);
// Request the location, setting a one-minute timeout
Location l = lp.getLocation(60);
Coordinates c = l.getQualifiedCoordinates();
if(c != null ) {
// Use coordinate information
double lat = c.getLatitude();
double lon = c.getLongitude();
}
...
Landmarks
A landmark is a location associated with a name and a description. Landmarks can be stored in a device-based database, where they can be shared among all J2ME applications. Landmarks can store frequently used locations: home, office, favorite restaurants, and so on. Each is represented by a Landmark instance, and the database by a LandmarkStore. You can create multiple named LandmarkStores to group locations into categories such as cinemas, museums, or customer sites.
If the device includes a compass, the application may be able to determine not only its location but its orientation, which is useful in navigational applications. The Orientation class represents the device's azimuth as an angle from due north, which the application can easily convert to a compass direction.
Security and Privacy
Many users consider location information to be highly sensitive, and are concerned about a number of privacy issues, including:
Target marketing: Mobile users' locations can be used to classify customers for focused marketing efforts.
Embarrassment: One customer's knowledge of another's location may lead to embarrassing situations.
Harassment: Location information can be used to harass or attack a user.
Service denial: A health insurance firm might deny a claim if it learned that a user visited a high-risk area.
Legal restrictions: Some countries regulate the use of personal data.
For these and other reasons, users must know when their location is given to an application.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when designing location-based services:
Handle unavailability of services gracefully. The user's location may not always be available, for any of several reasons.
The device is cut off from any of the location methods it supports, in a tunnel or on an airplane for example.
The user withholds permission to release the information.
No location provider that the device supports is available.
Depending on the method used, determining the location may take a long time. The delay may be so long that the end result isn't useful in, for example, a navigation application. Keep the user informed.
Location service fees, typical of network-assisted location methods, can add up quickly, so don't overuse fee-based services.
Be sensitive to privacy concerns.
Tell customers about the information being collected on them and how it will be used.
Offer customers the choice of what location information to disclose, and when appropriate an option not to participate.
Allow customers to review their permission profiles so that they know what they are permitting.
Protect location information so that it cannot be accessed by unauthorized persons.
You should also take full advantage of the MIDP 2.0 security framework, which restricts the application's access to location data to cases in which the user explicitly confirms permission.
Summary
Through the Location API for J2ME, you can use information about the user's position to build new kinds of applications and services for mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs, and to enhance existing services. JSR 179 specifies a generic API for obtaining locations, and thus makes porting LBS applications to a wide range of devices much easier. The critical issue that LBS developers must address is the privacy of the customer. To ensure privacy, follow sound programming guidelines and use the security framework in MIDP 2.0.
For More Information
J2ME
Mobile Information Device Profile 2.0 (JSR 118)
Location API for J2ME specification (JSR 179)
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Gary Adams of Sun Microsystems, whose feedback helped me improve this article.
About the Author: Qusay H. Mahmoud provides Java consulting and training services. He has published dozens of articles on Java, and is the author of Distributed Programming with Java (Manning Publications, 1999) and Learning Wireless Java (O'Reilly, 2002).
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Location-based services (LBS) provide users of mobile devices personalized services tailored to their current location. They open a new market for developers, cellular network operators, and service providers to develop and deploy value-added services: advising users of current traffic conditions, supplying routing information, helping them find nearby restaurants, and many more.
This article introduces you to the field of LBS and to the Location API for J2ME (JSR 179), a set of generic APIs that can be used for developing location-based services. In addition, the article offers guidelines for designing location-based services.
What Location-Based Services Do
Location-based services answer three questions: Where am I? What's around me? How do I get there? They determine the location of the user by using one of several technologies for determining position, then use the location and other information to provide personalized applications and services. As an example, consider a wireless 911 emergency service that determines the caller's location automatically. Such a service would be extremely useful, especially to users who are far from home and don't know local landmarks. Traffic advisories, navigation help including maps and directions, and roadside assistance are natural location-based services. Other services can combine present location with information about personal preferences to help users find food, lodging, and entertainment to fit their tastes and pocketbooks.
There are two basic approaches to implementing location-based services:
Process location data in a server and deliver results to the device.
Obtain location data for a device-based application that uses it directly.
This article focuses on device-based location services.
Determining the Device's Location
To discover the location of the device, LBS must use real-time positioning methods. Accuracy depends on the method used.
Locations can be expressed in spatial terms or as text descriptions. A spatial location can be expressed in the widely used latitude-longitude-altitude coordinate system. Latitude is expressed as 0-90 degrees north or south of the equator, and longitude as 0-180 degrees east or west of the prime meridian, which passes through Greenwich, England. Altitude is expressed in meters above sea level. A text description is usually expressed as a street address, including city, postal code, and so on.
Applications can call on any of several types of positioning methods.
Using the mobile phone network: The current cell ID can be used to identify the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) that the device is communicating with and the location of that BTS. Clearly, the accuracy of this method depends on the size of the cell, and can be quite inaccurate. A GSM cell may be anywhere from 2 to 20 kilometers in diameter. Other techniques used along with cell ID can achieve accuracy within 150 meters.
Using satellites: The Global Positioning System (GPS), controlled by the US Department of Defense, uses a constellation of 24 satellites orbiting the earth. GPS determines the device's position by calculating differences in the times signals from different satellites take to reach the receiver. GPS signals are encoded, so the mobile device must be equipped with a GPS receiver. GPS is potentially the most accurate method (between 4 and 40 meters if the GPS receiver has a clear view of the sky), but it has some drawbacks: The extra hardware can be costly, consumes battery while in use, and requires some warm-up after a cold start to get an initial fix on visible satellites. It also suffers from "canyon effects" in cities, where satellite visibility is intermittent.
Using short-range positioning beacons: In relatively small areas, such as a single building, a local area network can provide locations along with other services. For example, appropriately equipped devices can use Bluetooth for short-range positioning.
In addition, location methods can connect to a mobile position center that provides an interface to query for the position of the mobile subscriber. The API to the mobile position center is XML-based. While applications can be fully self-contained on the device, it's clear that a wider array of services is possible when a server-side application is part of the overall service.
Some applications don't need high accuracy, but others will be useless if the location isn't accurate enough. It's okay for the location of a tourist walking around town to be off by 30 meters, but other applications and services may demand higher accuracy.
The Location API for J2ME
The Location API for J2ME specification defines an optional package, javax.microedition.location, that enables developers to write wireless location-based applications and services for resource-limited devices like mobile phones, and can be implemented with any common location method. The compact and generic J2ME location APIs provide mobile applications with information about the device's present physical location and orientation (compass direction), and support the creation and use of databases of known landmarks, stored in the device.
JSR 179 requires the Connected Device Configuration (CDC) or version 1.1 of the Connected Limited Device Configuration (CLDC). CLDC 1.0 isn't adequate because it doesn't support floating-point numbers, which the API uses to represent coordinates and other measurements. The Location API doesn't depend on any particular profile -- it can be used with MIDP or the Personal Profile.
The hardware platform determines which location methods are supported. If it doesn't support at least one location provider, LBS won't be possible. Applications can request providers with particular characteristics, such as a minimum degree of accuracy. Some location methods may be free; others may entail service fees. The application should warn the user before any charges are incurred.
It is up to the application to determine the criteria for selecting the location method. Criteria fields include: accuracy, response time, need for altitude, and speed. Once the application obtains a LocationProvider instance that meets the criteria, it can use that object to obtain the location, in either of two ways:
Invoke a method synchronously to get a single location.
Register a listener and get periodic updates at application-defined intervals.
The Location class abstracts the location results. Its object contains coordinates, speed if available, textual address if available, and a time stamp that indicates when the location measurements were made.
Coordinates are represented by either of two classes:
A Coordinates object represents a point's latitude and longitude in degrees, and altitude in meters.
A QualifiedCoordinates object contains latitude, longitude, and altitude, and also an indication of their accuracy, represented as the radius of an area.
The following segment of code demonstrates how to obtain the present location of the device synchronously:
...
// Set criteria for selecting a location provider:
// accurate to 500 meters horizontally
Criteria cr= new Criteria();
cr.setHorizontalAccuracy(500);
// Get an instance of the provider
LocationProvider lp= LocationProvider.getInstance(cr);
// Request the location, setting a one-minute timeout
Location l = lp.getLocation(60);
Coordinates c = l.getQualifiedCoordinates();
if(c != null ) {
// Use coordinate information
double lat = c.getLatitude();
double lon = c.getLongitude();
}
...
Landmarks
A landmark is a location associated with a name and a description. Landmarks can be stored in a device-based database, where they can be shared among all J2ME applications. Landmarks can store frequently used locations: home, office, favorite restaurants, and so on. Each is represented by a Landmark instance, and the database by a LandmarkStore. You can create multiple named LandmarkStores to group locations into categories such as cinemas, museums, or customer sites.
If the device includes a compass, the application may be able to determine not only its location but its orientation, which is useful in navigational applications. The Orientation class represents the device's azimuth as an angle from due north, which the application can easily convert to a compass direction.
Security and Privacy
Many users consider location information to be highly sensitive, and are concerned about a number of privacy issues, including:
Target marketing: Mobile users' locations can be used to classify customers for focused marketing efforts.
Embarrassment: One customer's knowledge of another's location may lead to embarrassing situations.
Harassment: Location information can be used to harass or attack a user.
Service denial: A health insurance firm might deny a claim if it learned that a user visited a high-risk area.
Legal restrictions: Some countries regulate the use of personal data.
For these and other reasons, users must know when their location is given to an application.
Guidelines
Keep the following guidelines in mind when designing location-based services:
Handle unavailability of services gracefully. The user's location may not always be available, for any of several reasons.
The device is cut off from any of the location methods it supports, in a tunnel or on an airplane for example.
The user withholds permission to release the information.
No location provider that the device supports is available.
Depending on the method used, determining the location may take a long time. The delay may be so long that the end result isn't useful in, for example, a navigation application. Keep the user informed.
Location service fees, typical of network-assisted location methods, can add up quickly, so don't overuse fee-based services.
Be sensitive to privacy concerns.
Tell customers about the information being collected on them and how it will be used.
Offer customers the choice of what location information to disclose, and when appropriate an option not to participate.
Allow customers to review their permission profiles so that they know what they are permitting.
Protect location information so that it cannot be accessed by unauthorized persons.
You should also take full advantage of the MIDP 2.0 security framework, which restricts the application's access to location data to cases in which the user explicitly confirms permission.
Summary
Through the Location API for J2ME, you can use information about the user's position to build new kinds of applications and services for mobile devices such as cell phones and PDAs, and to enhance existing services. JSR 179 specifies a generic API for obtaining locations, and thus makes porting LBS applications to a wide range of devices much easier. The critical issue that LBS developers must address is the privacy of the customer. To ensure privacy, follow sound programming guidelines and use the security framework in MIDP 2.0.
For More Information
J2ME
Mobile Information Device Profile 2.0 (JSR 118)
Location API for J2ME specification (JSR 179)
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Gary Adams of Sun Microsystems, whose feedback helped me improve this article.
About the Author: Qusay H. Mahmoud provides Java consulting and training services. He has published dozens of articles on Java, and is the author of Distributed Programming with Java (Manning Publications, 1999) and Learning Wireless Java (O'Reilly, 2002).
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3GSM World Congress 2006, Barcelona, Wednesday 15 February ) Shanghai Simcom (“Simcom”), a leading independent handset design company based in China, today announces the launch of a range of GSM handsets solutions enabled with Matrix high accuracy location technology from CPS (Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd).
The three handsets solutions will meet growing demand in the Asia Pacific region for handsets that support precision location-based services in the most challenging indoor and outdoor environments.
The three models include:
- S728: an attractive clamshell design
- S788: a high end pda smartphone, with camera
- S9019: an entry level slim handset with camera for mass market use
Simcom Senior Vice President and General Manager Gong Zhenjun said: “Because Matrix is a software-only integration, we can add tremendous value to our handset solutions with minimal impact – and at the same time open up a range of new value-added services for end users. There has been encouraging growth in our key markets for location-based services – and by launching a range of handset solutions we can appeal to different market sectors but offer the same Matrix performance value of high accuracy, fast location and coverage everywhere.”
CPS CEO Chris Wade added: “This is a very encouraging development. Simcom are rapidly establishing themselves as a major force in the region for quality, innovative devices. This new range is stylish, feature rich and, with the benefit of Matrix, offers Simcom a clear differentiated offering in today’s highly competitive market.”
Shanghai Simcom's, a wholly owned subsidiary of SIM Technology Group Limited (SEHK: 2000), core business focuses on the design and development solutions for mobile handsets for use by leading brands, SKD/CKD Turnkey Solutions for mobile handsets and GSM/GPRS modules for wireless communications applications.
Since it was founded in 2002, Simcom has grown rapidly to become a leading wireless communications enterprise with a staff of hundreds of senior engineers. Since 2004, Simcom successfully developed solutions which help our customers launched over a hundred new mobile handsets models including built-in cameras, color-screen SMS and MP3 functions. As a result, it was awarded the “2004 Fastest Growing Enterprise in China Mobile Market” by the influential China Centre of Information Industry Development (CCID).
The integration of CPS’s Matrix location technology enables any handset or device to be rapidly located to an accuracy of sub-100m in GSM – and less than 50m in W-CDMA networks. The modules use the existing GSM/W-CDMA network infrastructure to transfer location information to the network using standard GPRS or SMS. This greatly reduces the rollout costs traditionally associated with high accuracy mobile location technology.
Press contact:
Colin Ashcroft, CPS: +44 90)7769 740296
About SIM Technology Group
SIM Technology Group and its subsidiaries designs and develops solutions for mobile handsets, GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless communications modules and application systems, LCD modules for mobile handsets and other portable electronic devices. For more information, visit www.sim.com.
Matrix Everywhere
News from CPS: World's First E-GPS GSM Handset Delivers Fast, High Accuracy Location-Based Services In The Most Challenging Indoor and Outdoor Environments
- Simcom, SiGe Semiconductor, and CPS collaborate on breakthrough multimedia handset that optimizes performance, cost and battery life
3GSM World Congress 2006, Barcelona, Wednesday 15 February ) Shanghai Simcom (“Simcom”), a leading independent handset design company based in China, today announces the launch of a range of GSM handsets solutions enabled with Matrix high accuracy location technology from CPS (Cambridge Positioning Systems Ltd).
The three handsets solutions will meet growing demand in the Asia Pacific region for handsets that support precision location-based services in the most challenging indoor and outdoor environments.
The three models include:
- S728: an attractive clamshell design
- S788: a high end pda smartphone, with camera
- S9019: an entry level slim handset with camera for mass market use
Simcom Senior Vice President and General Manager Gong Zhenjun said: “Because Matrix is a software-only integration, we can add tremendous value to our handset solutions with minimal impact – and at the same time open up a range of new value-added services for end users. There has been encouraging growth in our key markets for location-based services – and by launching a range of handset solutions we can appeal to different market sectors but offer the same Matrix performance value of high accuracy, fast location and coverage everywhere.”
CPS CEO Chris Wade added: “This is a very encouraging development. Simcom are rapidly establishing themselves as a major force in the region for quality, innovative devices. This new range is stylish, feature rich and, with the benefit of Matrix, offers Simcom a clear differentiated offering in today’s highly competitive market.”
Shanghai Simcom's, a wholly owned subsidiary of SIM Technology Group Limited (SEHK: 2000), core business focuses on the design and development solutions for mobile handsets for use by leading brands, SKD/CKD Turnkey Solutions for mobile handsets and GSM/GPRS modules for wireless communications applications.
Since it was founded in 2002, Simcom has grown rapidly to become a leading wireless communications enterprise with a staff of hundreds of senior engineers. Since 2004, Simcom successfully developed solutions which help our customers launched over a hundred new mobile handsets models including built-in cameras, color-screen SMS and MP3 functions. As a result, it was awarded the “2004 Fastest Growing Enterprise in China Mobile Market” by the influential China Centre of Information Industry Development (CCID).
The integration of CPS’s Matrix location technology enables any handset or device to be rapidly located to an accuracy of sub-100m in GSM – and less than 50m in W-CDMA networks. The modules use the existing GSM/W-CDMA network infrastructure to transfer location information to the network using standard GPRS or SMS. This greatly reduces the rollout costs traditionally associated with high accuracy mobile location technology.
Press contact:
Colin Ashcroft, CPS: +44 90)7769 740296
About SIM Technology Group
SIM Technology Group and its subsidiaries designs and develops solutions for mobile handsets, GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless communications modules and application systems, LCD modules for mobile handsets and other portable electronic devices. For more information, visit www.sim.com.
Matrix Everywhere
News from CPS: World's First E-GPS GSM Handset Delivers Fast, High Accuracy Location-Based Services In The Most Challenging Indoor and Outdoor Environments
- Simcom, SiGe Semiconductor, and CPS collaborate on breakthrough multimedia handset that optimizes performance, cost and battery life
Global Locate and Freescale to Develop 3G A-GPS Mobile Phone Reference Design
BARCELONA, SPAIN -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/16/2006 -- 3GSM World Congress-- Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (NYSE: FSL) and Global Locate Inc., plan to create a reference design, featuring the Global Locate Hammerhead® single-die CMOS Assisted GPS chip and Freescale's 3G MXC300 platform. This high performance, cost effective A-GPS reference design is expected to enable operators to comply with government regulations and meet consumer needs for safety and convenience.
Freescale's Mobile eXtreme Convergence (MXC) architecture is flexible, scalable, and easily adapted to the end customer needs. The fully integrated software stack, as part of Freescale's MXC platforms supports industry standard protocols including 3GPP and SUPL.
"Freescale's MXC platforms are designed to make almost anything a smart, mobile device," said Jim Berg, marketing director for Freescale's cellular platform division. "With Global Locate's single-die solution and end-to-end A-GPS expertise, this integrated reference design will give manufacturers the solutions they need to get to market quickly."
The Hammerhead is a highly integrated A-GPS receiver combining LNA, RF Tuner, PLL and baseband functions into a single 7mm x 7mm chip. Global Locate's unique signal processing techniques result in sensitivity to -160dBm, and fix times as fast as 1sec. exceeding industry standards. The result is faster and more robust performance for all location based applications and services. The novel design provides price/performance advantages that are protected by an expanding worldwide Global Locate patent portfolio including 35 issued and over 100 pending patents.
"Global Locate is excited to work with Freescale, a leader in 3G. We share many common design goals such as best-in-class performance, reduced component count, ultra-low stand-by power and fast time-to-market," remarked Donald Fuchs, Executive VP of Business Development for Global Locate.
Evaluation kits featuring Global Locate Hammerhead single-die A-GPS receiver and the Freescale MXC300 platform are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2006.
Freescale MXC Solutions
The revolutionary MXC300-30 platform is part of the Mobile eXtreme Convergence family of platforms from Freescale. The single core modem processor at the heart of the MXC platforms combines, yet de-correlates the call processing functions of the DSP and the applications processing of the MCU into a single processor for a separate, clean development and optimization of each function. The MXC family includes the MXC275-30 platform for 2.75G EDGE solutions as well as the MXC300-30 platform for UMTS/WCDMA 3G solutions. For more information visit: www.freescale.com/MXC
Freescale 3G solutions
Freescale delivers a full range of UMTS/W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS platforms and components with a proven software stack, the industry's first single core modem architecture and full portfolio of connectivity technologies. These open, scalable solutions help to reduce risk and cost, speed and ease time to market and create design freedom for handset manufacturers, network operators and third party partners and developers. Freescale provides the flexibility to differentiate, cut costs and innovate -- it's freedom for 3G. www.freescale.com/3G
About Global Locate
Global Locate, Inc. provides GPS and Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) products and services for wireless devices and networks. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the company has sales offices in the New York metropolitan area, Tokyo, Taipei and Madrid. Global Locate's A-GPS product suite includes the integrated Global Locate® IndoorGPS® chipset, the World Wide Reference Network (WWRNTM), Long Term Orbit (LTO™) and the Global Locate A-GPS ServerTM. For more information see www.globallocate.com.
©2005 Global Locate, Inc. All rights reserved. Global Locate, IndoorGPS, LTO and WWRN are trademarks of Global Locate, Inc.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE: FSL) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola, Inc. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500®, is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD). www.freescale.com
Freescale™ and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Freescale Semiconductor Inc. 2006.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freescale Media Contacts:
Maria Burpee
Freescale Semiconductor
(512) 895-6645
Email Contact
Asia-Pacific
Gloria Shiu
Freescale Semiconductor
(85-22) 666-8237
Email Contact
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Regina Cirmonova
Freescale Semiconductor
(41-22) 799-1258
Email Contact
Japan
Koichi Yoshimura
Freescale Semiconductor
(81-3) 5437-9350
Email Contact
Latin America
Ruth Ruiz
Freescale Semiconductor
(480) 814-4897
Email Contact
Reader Inquiry Response
Freescale Semiconductor
P.O. Box 17927
Denver, CO 80217 USA
BARCELONA, SPAIN -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 02/16/2006 -- 3GSM World Congress-- Freescale Semiconductor Inc. (NYSE: FSL) and Global Locate Inc., plan to create a reference design, featuring the Global Locate Hammerhead® single-die CMOS Assisted GPS chip and Freescale's 3G MXC300 platform. This high performance, cost effective A-GPS reference design is expected to enable operators to comply with government regulations and meet consumer needs for safety and convenience.
Freescale's Mobile eXtreme Convergence (MXC) architecture is flexible, scalable, and easily adapted to the end customer needs. The fully integrated software stack, as part of Freescale's MXC platforms supports industry standard protocols including 3GPP and SUPL.
"Freescale's MXC platforms are designed to make almost anything a smart, mobile device," said Jim Berg, marketing director for Freescale's cellular platform division. "With Global Locate's single-die solution and end-to-end A-GPS expertise, this integrated reference design will give manufacturers the solutions they need to get to market quickly."
The Hammerhead is a highly integrated A-GPS receiver combining LNA, RF Tuner, PLL and baseband functions into a single 7mm x 7mm chip. Global Locate's unique signal processing techniques result in sensitivity to -160dBm, and fix times as fast as 1sec. exceeding industry standards. The result is faster and more robust performance for all location based applications and services. The novel design provides price/performance advantages that are protected by an expanding worldwide Global Locate patent portfolio including 35 issued and over 100 pending patents.
"Global Locate is excited to work with Freescale, a leader in 3G. We share many common design goals such as best-in-class performance, reduced component count, ultra-low stand-by power and fast time-to-market," remarked Donald Fuchs, Executive VP of Business Development for Global Locate.
Evaluation kits featuring Global Locate Hammerhead single-die A-GPS receiver and the Freescale MXC300 platform are expected to be available in the second quarter of 2006.
Freescale MXC Solutions
The revolutionary MXC300-30 platform is part of the Mobile eXtreme Convergence family of platforms from Freescale. The single core modem processor at the heart of the MXC platforms combines, yet de-correlates the call processing functions of the DSP and the applications processing of the MCU into a single processor for a separate, clean development and optimization of each function. The MXC family includes the MXC275-30 platform for 2.75G EDGE solutions as well as the MXC300-30 platform for UMTS/WCDMA 3G solutions. For more information visit: www.freescale.com/MXC
Freescale 3G solutions
Freescale delivers a full range of UMTS/W-CDMA and GSM/GPRS platforms and components with a proven software stack, the industry's first single core modem architecture and full portfolio of connectivity technologies. These open, scalable solutions help to reduce risk and cost, speed and ease time to market and create design freedom for handset manufacturers, network operators and third party partners and developers. Freescale provides the flexibility to differentiate, cut costs and innovate -- it's freedom for 3G. www.freescale.com/3G
About Global Locate
Global Locate, Inc. provides GPS and Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) products and services for wireless devices and networks. Headquartered in San Jose, CA, the company has sales offices in the New York metropolitan area, Tokyo, Taipei and Madrid. Global Locate's A-GPS product suite includes the integrated Global Locate® IndoorGPS® chipset, the World Wide Reference Network (WWRNTM), Long Term Orbit (LTO™) and the Global Locate A-GPS ServerTM. For more information see www.globallocate.com.
©2005 Global Locate, Inc. All rights reserved. Global Locate, IndoorGPS, LTO and WWRN are trademarks of Global Locate, Inc.
About Freescale Semiconductor
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (NYSE: FSL) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of embedded semiconductors for the automotive, consumer, industrial, networking and wireless markets. Freescale became a publicly traded company in July 2004 after more than 50 years as part of Motorola, Inc. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing or sales operations in more than 30 countries. Freescale, a member of the S&P 500®, is one of the world's largest semiconductor companies with 2005 sales of $5.8 billion (USD). www.freescale.com
Freescale™ and the Freescale logo are trademarks of Freescale Semiconductor Inc. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Freescale Semiconductor Inc. 2006.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Freescale Media Contacts:
Maria Burpee
Freescale Semiconductor
(512) 895-6645
Email Contact
Asia-Pacific
Gloria Shiu
Freescale Semiconductor
(85-22) 666-8237
Email Contact
Europe, Middle East and Africa
Regina Cirmonova
Freescale Semiconductor
(41-22) 799-1258
Email Contact
Japan
Koichi Yoshimura
Freescale Semiconductor
(81-3) 5437-9350
Email Contact
Latin America
Ruth Ruiz
Freescale Semiconductor
(480) 814-4897
Email Contact
Reader Inquiry Response
Freescale Semiconductor
P.O. Box 17927
Denver, CO 80217 USA
Most Mobile Phones to have GPS by 2011 says SiRF | GPS Lodge.com
The CEO of SiRF is indicating that most mobile phones will have a GPS chip in them, greatly expanding the category above and beyond the GPS unit market of today. "In the next 5 years it will become a required element for most phones, except for the very, very low end, which are for voice-only usage," said Kanwar Chadha founder of SiRF Technology. Many handsets in the United States and in several Asian markets are being fitted with GPS locators because regulators demand that they are able to locate persons in need.
Want to learn more about SiRF? See our article on "What is SiRF star III?"
In addition to growing demand from the cellphone industry, GPS chips will also be used more in cars and even in consumer electronics.
"The overall market potential is very high," Chadha told Reuters at the world's largest mobile telecommunications fair 3GSM in Barcelona.
Read More in: SiRF News
Related Articles:
SiRF star III-LT - New Lower Power GPS Chipset - Feb 08, 2006
HUGE earnings increase for SiRF - Feb 02, 2006
What is SiRF Star III chipset? - Jan 28, 2006
Came straight to this page? Visit GPS Lodge.com for all the latest news.
Posted by Scott Martin at February 15, 2006 02:31 PM
Comments
The CEO of SiRF is indicating that most mobile phones will have a GPS chip in them, greatly expanding the category above and beyond the GPS unit market of today. "In the next 5 years it will become a required element for most phones, except for the very, very low end, which are for voice-only usage," said Kanwar Chadha founder of SiRF Technology. Many handsets in the United States and in several Asian markets are being fitted with GPS locators because regulators demand that they are able to locate persons in need.
Want to learn more about SiRF? See our article on "What is SiRF star III?"
In addition to growing demand from the cellphone industry, GPS chips will also be used more in cars and even in consumer electronics.
"The overall market potential is very high," Chadha told Reuters at the world's largest mobile telecommunications fair 3GSM in Barcelona.
Read More in: SiRF News
Related Articles:
SiRF star III-LT - New Lower Power GPS Chipset - Feb 08, 2006
HUGE earnings increase for SiRF - Feb 02, 2006
What is SiRF Star III chipset? - Jan 28, 2006
Came straight to this page? Visit GPS Lodge.com for all the latest news.
Posted by Scott Martin at February 15, 2006 02:31 PM
Comments
Google Maps Mania: How Google uses Google Maps
Google Maps Mania shows you all the great things people out on the web are doing with the Google Maps API, but what is Google itself doing with it? Googlers have integrated Google Local maps into a few projects but not as many as I would have expected:
Google Maps link in GMail - Messages in GMail with a postal address or package number will display a "Map this.." link, giving you the option to display the information on a Google Map. Check out more info on this feature from the following GMail Help Center entry. [via]
Google Desktop includes a Google Maps panel - The Official Google Blog had this to say about their inclusion of Google Maps back on Nov.3/05: "Fans of Google Maps will want to check out Sidebar's new maps panel, which lets you do all the usual cool maps stuff -- local business info, directions, sightseeing -- plus a new one: finding new locations relevant to the web pages and emails you're reading and showing them in your maps panel."
Google Mini Map - This map shows deployments of the Google Mini search appliance. Each pin on the map allows a prospective Google Mini customer to learn more about what the search appliance is doing for that particular customer.
Google Summer of Code - From the Google webpage: "The Summer of Code is Google's program designed to introduce students to the world of open source software development. It ran through September 1st, 2005." Check out the website and the use of the Google Maps API here.
Do you know of another "Google-Google Map" use? If so, please post a comment to let us know!
Technorati Tags: [Google Maps API], [Google], [Google Local], [Google Maps mashup], [Google Maps], [Google Maps Mania]
posted by Morpeth @ 7:00 AM 2 comments links to this post
2 Comments:
At 10:32 AM, Luistxo said...
The athletes in the Olympic village of Torino's Games, have an Internet-lounge, sponsored by Lenovo and Google, where they can log to the Internet. Apparently, this is the homepage athletes meet at the terminals there. It displays a map of Torino, with the new detailed streetplans available in this part of Italy.
At 6:14 PM, Anonymous said...
Google Transit is in beta. It has a cool trip planner. The whole thing shows a whole lotta promise! It has begun with the public transportation system in Portland, Oregon.
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Google Maps Mania: How Google uses Google Maps
Google Maps Mania: How Google uses Google Maps. Tech Tags: RJ Bailey Google Maps API Google Google Local Google Maps mashup Google Maps Google Maps Mania. Image hosting by Photobucket.
posted by Ron @ 11:17 AM
Create a Link
Google Maps Mania shows you all the great things people out on the web are doing with the Google Maps API, but what is Google itself doing with it? Googlers have integrated Google Local maps into a few projects but not as many as I would have expected:
Google Maps link in GMail - Messages in GMail with a postal address or package number will display a "Map this.." link, giving you the option to display the information on a Google Map. Check out more info on this feature from the following GMail Help Center entry. [via]
Google Desktop includes a Google Maps panel - The Official Google Blog had this to say about their inclusion of Google Maps back on Nov.3/05: "Fans of Google Maps will want to check out Sidebar's new maps panel, which lets you do all the usual cool maps stuff -- local business info, directions, sightseeing -- plus a new one: finding new locations relevant to the web pages and emails you're reading and showing them in your maps panel."
Google Mini Map - This map shows deployments of the Google Mini search appliance. Each pin on the map allows a prospective Google Mini customer to learn more about what the search appliance is doing for that particular customer.
Google Summer of Code - From the Google webpage: "The Summer of Code is Google's program designed to introduce students to the world of open source software development. It ran through September 1st, 2005." Check out the website and the use of the Google Maps API here.
Do you know of another "Google-Google Map" use? If so, please post a comment to let us know!
Technorati Tags: [Google Maps API], [Google], [Google Local], [Google Maps mashup], [Google Maps], [Google Maps Mania]
posted by Morpeth @ 7:00 AM 2 comments links to this post
2 Comments:
At 10:32 AM, Luistxo said...
The athletes in the Olympic village of Torino's Games, have an Internet-lounge, sponsored by Lenovo and Google, where they can log to the Internet. Apparently, this is the homepage athletes meet at the terminals there. It displays a map of Torino, with the new detailed streetplans available in this part of Italy.
At 6:14 PM, Anonymous said...
Google Transit is in beta. It has a cool trip planner. The whole thing shows a whole lotta promise! It has begun with the public transportation system in Portland, Oregon.
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Google Maps Mania: How Google uses Google Maps
Google Maps Mania: How Google uses Google Maps. Tech Tags: RJ Bailey Google Maps API Google Google Local Google Maps mashup Google Maps Google Maps Mania. Image hosting by Photobucket.
posted by Ron @ 11:17 AM
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Portals and KM: Google�s Expansion into Wifi: The Empire Reaches Out
Google’s Expansion into Wifi: The Empire Reaches Out
Here is more on Google. As many of you may have heard, they are expanding into offering wifi using their free, ad based business model. Paul Callahan provides an excellent summary of Google's wifi efforts to date in big blog, paul callahan...mostly common sense re: networks. He also links to an Info World article, Google eyes how mobile devices will use city Wi-Fi , that covers how they are starting in San Francisco. It includes the provision of location based ads.
Paul offers a useful example of how this might work and make even more money for Google, “…combining the physical world with the Internet will yield rich new data about the behavior of the masses. If the vast majority of Google Wi-Fi users search for doughnuts when passing through Union Square in San Francisco, … the value of the advertising space in that rough location goes up and up (for doughnuts). If Krispy Kreme wants an ad in that wireless zone, it will have to pay more.”
This picks up on what Micheal Fedor wrote about in his post on the possibilities of mobile mashups (see my Monday post. The options seem endless, just add in Google maps coupled with location based services. Michael said you could locate all your buddies as they go clubbing on Saturday night and arrange to meet up. Google can know here you are and where you are discussing going (via email, blogs, even cell phones?) so they can target the right pizza ad or taxi service. Paul also talks about location based advertising through wi-fi in his post, Got my free Wi-Fi -- but now I want location.
Google already reads the content in our Google email to target it s ads. But then do we really want everyone to be able to know where we are and what we are doing and saying all the time? Do we really want one company having all the playing field and data? I can see the synergy for better services and I like the targeted ads so far on my blog. I can also see anti-trust possibilities but I am sure the Google guys have been thinking about this for a long time. I can also see unwanted monitoring in the wrong hands but I also see this as evitable anyway so we might as well attempt to keep it open and regulate it somehow. I do not pretend to have the answers here but the issues are huge.
Paul Callahan has been involved with networks and wifi for many years and his blog is full of good stuff on the subject.
Google’s Expansion into Wifi: The Empire Reaches Out
Here is more on Google. As many of you may have heard, they are expanding into offering wifi using their free, ad based business model. Paul Callahan provides an excellent summary of Google's wifi efforts to date in big blog, paul callahan...mostly common sense re: networks. He also links to an Info World article, Google eyes how mobile devices will use city Wi-Fi , that covers how they are starting in San Francisco. It includes the provision of location based ads.
Paul offers a useful example of how this might work and make even more money for Google, “…combining the physical world with the Internet will yield rich new data about the behavior of the masses. If the vast majority of Google Wi-Fi users search for doughnuts when passing through Union Square in San Francisco, … the value of the advertising space in that rough location goes up and up (for doughnuts). If Krispy Kreme wants an ad in that wireless zone, it will have to pay more.”
This picks up on what Micheal Fedor wrote about in his post on the possibilities of mobile mashups (see my Monday post. The options seem endless, just add in Google maps coupled with location based services. Michael said you could locate all your buddies as they go clubbing on Saturday night and arrange to meet up. Google can know here you are and where you are discussing going (via email, blogs, even cell phones?) so they can target the right pizza ad or taxi service. Paul also talks about location based advertising through wi-fi in his post, Got my free Wi-Fi -- but now I want location.
Google already reads the content in our Google email to target it s ads. But then do we really want everyone to be able to know where we are and what we are doing and saying all the time? Do we really want one company having all the playing field and data? I can see the synergy for better services and I like the targeted ads so far on my blog. I can also see anti-trust possibilities but I am sure the Google guys have been thinking about this for a long time. I can also see unwanted monitoring in the wrong hands but I also see this as evitable anyway so we might as well attempt to keep it open and regulate it somehow. I do not pretend to have the answers here but the issues are huge.
Paul Callahan has been involved with networks and wifi for many years and his blog is full of good stuff on the subject.
Topix.net Weblog: Topix.net Conversation Map
We're getting thousands of local posts on our new geographical forums on Topix.net. Talk-back-to-the-news and local online community sound wonderful but is hard to visualize. You can punch random ZIP codes into our site and see the message threads in random towns, but it's hard to get a complete picture that way.
So we plotted the local Topix discussions on a map of the US (actually rendered directly from our TIGER/Line article geo-categorization KB) and it looked pretty cool. You can click on a dot and see the message threads within a 60 mile radius of that spot. We added color/size variation to indicate the volume of posts in a locality, and how recent they are.
So far this is just for the US, we will have to do one for the non-US forums on our site next.
Posted by skrenta at February 15, 2006 12:25 AM
We're getting thousands of local posts on our new geographical forums on Topix.net. Talk-back-to-the-news and local online community sound wonderful but is hard to visualize. You can punch random ZIP codes into our site and see the message threads in random towns, but it's hard to get a complete picture that way.
So we plotted the local Topix discussions on a map of the US (actually rendered directly from our TIGER/Line article geo-categorization KB) and it looked pretty cool. You can click on a dot and see the message threads within a 60 mile radius of that spot. We added color/size variation to indicate the volume of posts in a locality, and how recent they are.
So far this is just for the US, we will have to do one for the non-US forums on our site next.
Posted by skrenta at February 15, 2006 12:25 AM
NEW MOBILITIES: Ce-more about what's happening in the mobile world: The Fall and Rise of Location Based Services
The Fall and Rise of Location Based Services
It's about time we introduced here our fellows at Lancaster University - The Mobile Radicals. The Mobile Radicals are a freeform collection of dedicated mobile researchers based principally within the Informatics Group from the Department of Communication Systems at Lancaster University. They are experts in the creation of novel mobile entertainment/commerce systems and applications and this site provides for the wider dissemination of their activities.
The Mobileradicals blog - also see our links - has a recent post on The Fall and Rise of Location Based Service
'Location based services (LBS) were one of the new emerging technologies that appeared and fell with the WAP non-revolution. The concept of providing information and facilities based on your physical location was simple and intuitive, but over hyped. During the early days of WAP capable mobile phones, BT Cellnet in conjunction with the then un-deregulated 192 service and Yellow Pages would allow you to find such useful things as a curry house when out on the town after a few too many pints. The idea was great and full of promise, but alas didn’t really work.
The public understandably were confused by the fact that if they were standing outside their favourite curry house and asked for the nearest, the service would often point them to one that was at best a few hundred yards away. The problem was that the service used the mobile network CellID to determine your location.
Each mobile service providers’ network is split up into areas called cells. Each cell is operated by one (or occasionally more) radio masts. When a mobile phone connects to the service provider’s network, it locates the strongest signal it can find and ‘logs in’ to that cell. Each cell has a unique id called the CellID. Each cell can only support a certain number of users within the area.'
Looking forward to keeping in touch with developments over at the Mobileradicals!
posted by CeMoRe at 12:12 PM
The Fall and Rise of Location Based Services
It's about time we introduced here our fellows at Lancaster University - The Mobile Radicals. The Mobile Radicals are a freeform collection of dedicated mobile researchers based principally within the Informatics Group from the Department of Communication Systems at Lancaster University. They are experts in the creation of novel mobile entertainment/commerce systems and applications and this site provides for the wider dissemination of their activities.
The Mobileradicals blog - also see our links - has a recent post on The Fall and Rise of Location Based Service
'Location based services (LBS) were one of the new emerging technologies that appeared and fell with the WAP non-revolution. The concept of providing information and facilities based on your physical location was simple and intuitive, but over hyped. During the early days of WAP capable mobile phones, BT Cellnet in conjunction with the then un-deregulated 192 service and Yellow Pages would allow you to find such useful things as a curry house when out on the town after a few too many pints. The idea was great and full of promise, but alas didn’t really work.
The public understandably were confused by the fact that if they were standing outside their favourite curry house and asked for the nearest, the service would often point them to one that was at best a few hundred yards away. The problem was that the service used the mobile network CellID to determine your location.
Each mobile service providers’ network is split up into areas called cells. Each cell is operated by one (or occasionally more) radio masts. When a mobile phone connects to the service provider’s network, it locates the strongest signal it can find and ‘logs in’ to that cell. Each cell has a unique id called the CellID. Each cell can only support a certain number of users within the area.'
Looking forward to keeping in touch with developments over at the Mobileradicals!
posted by CeMoRe at 12:12 PM
Will UMA Succeed?
Another big news item at 3GSM is Nokia’s 6136 which supports Unlicensed Mobile Access. Most news sites are reporting this as a dual-mode WiFi/GSM phone but there’s more to it than this. You won’t just be able to go out and buy a UMA phone and be able to make Skype-style calls. It will depend on whether your network operator has chosen to allow (implement) UMA.
Your network operator needs to set up and run a UMA Network Controller (UNC) in the above diagram. It’s down to them rather than the companies (currently LG, Motorola, Nokia) who are currently promoting the phones. As with location based services (LBS), some network operators may well choose to ignore this new technology.
So why might a network operator cannibalise its own market and allow UMA calls? Well, most will only do so if they think they will make more money. Those that decide to take the risk, will probably want to charge you for the convenience of having one number (and phone) that can be used to make mobile and ’residential’ calls. They think of VoIP as ‘calls cheaper than your current landline’ rather than ‘more expensive than Skype (free)’. In the USA, UMA is likely to be more popular due to improved residential coverage because mobile coverage is currently patchy.
Issues include whether subscribers will be able to use WiFi hotspots and the quality of service. For example, Skype VoIP isn’t 100% reliable and the sound quality and latency (echo) is variable. Network operators won’t be able to control the reliability or performance of your broadband so, in turn, won’t be able to promise much with UMA.
I do believe VoIP on mobile phones will eventually become common but probably not via UMA. If history is anything to go by many network operators will be too greedy. They will ask for revenue for VoIP calls, not allow or restrict calls via hotspots or not implement UMA as they can’t see the business case.
Meanwhile, a company called Teles has filed a patent claim against Nokia’s 6136.
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 16th, 2006 at 6:28 pm and is filed under Mobile, Network Operators. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Leave a Reply
Another big news item at 3GSM is Nokia’s 6136 which supports Unlicensed Mobile Access. Most news sites are reporting this as a dual-mode WiFi/GSM phone but there’s more to it than this. You won’t just be able to go out and buy a UMA phone and be able to make Skype-style calls. It will depend on whether your network operator has chosen to allow (implement) UMA.
Your network operator needs to set up and run a UMA Network Controller (UNC) in the above diagram. It’s down to them rather than the companies (currently LG, Motorola, Nokia) who are currently promoting the phones. As with location based services (LBS), some network operators may well choose to ignore this new technology.
So why might a network operator cannibalise its own market and allow UMA calls? Well, most will only do so if they think they will make more money. Those that decide to take the risk, will probably want to charge you for the convenience of having one number (and phone) that can be used to make mobile and ’residential’ calls. They think of VoIP as ‘calls cheaper than your current landline’ rather than ‘more expensive than Skype (free)’. In the USA, UMA is likely to be more popular due to improved residential coverage because mobile coverage is currently patchy.
Issues include whether subscribers will be able to use WiFi hotspots and the quality of service. For example, Skype VoIP isn’t 100% reliable and the sound quality and latency (echo) is variable. Network operators won’t be able to control the reliability or performance of your broadband so, in turn, won’t be able to promise much with UMA.
I do believe VoIP on mobile phones will eventually become common but probably not via UMA. If history is anything to go by many network operators will be too greedy. They will ask for revenue for VoIP calls, not allow or restrict calls via hotspots or not implement UMA as they can’t see the business case.
Meanwhile, a company called Teles has filed a patent claim against Nokia’s 6136.
This entry was posted on Thursday, February 16th, 2006 at 6:28 pm and is filed under Mobile, Network Operators. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Leave a Reply
SKeeper™: Wearable Personal Communicator with Distress Alarm
Peace of Mind is Everywhere
Sound the alarm, locate and communicate. Anytime, anywhere. That´s the key to Tadiran LifeCare´s SKeeper™ - a "peace of mind" product line designed to make life easier and safer for elderly, chronically ill, children or lone workers, as well as for their relatives and caregivers.
A New Level of Personal Safety
SKeeper™ has taken PERS (Personal Emergency Response System) and social alarm systems, to the next level. Fitted with a "Safety Call" button and built-in cellular communicator, it can activate a warning signal when needed, enabling wearers to be immediately contacted from any caller or via a secure Web interface, PDA, smart-phone or through a remote monitoring center.
Built-in Cellular Speakerphone
Using its built-in speakerphone, SKeeper™ enables cellular voice calls to be made to pre-defined numbers (e.g. a relative or a family doctor) or to be received from any caller or from the remote monitoring center when in need. Text messages (SMS) can be sent to the remote center or to relatives in case of an emergency.
Online Location and Tracking
SKeeper™ can take advantage of mobile operators´ location-based services, so that in the event the user wanders outside a specified zone (e.g. a neighbourhood or a school area), the system can immediately alert the monitoring center and/or send a SMS message to another mobile phone. Future versions of SKeeper™ will be GPS-enabled to provide a greater level of security.
Remotely Programmable
Many of the device´s functions, such speed dialing numbers, authorized callers or preset text messages can be remotely programmed by the monitoring center or by the users or their authorized relatives via a Web-based interface.
Microsoft Launches Beta Program for Microsoft Office Live Services
Microsoft Corp. has announced the beta availability of Microsoft Office Live, offering small-business customers a cost-free opportunity to experience the company’s new Internet-based software services firsthand.
Microsoft Office Live offers small companies a set of Internet-based business services designed to give small businesses the same advantages as larger enterprises by getting them up and running on the Internet quickly, easily and inexpensively.
The company plans to offer Office Live offerings that will range from free domain name, Web site and company e-mail accounts that are advertising-supported to more comprehensible services available on a subscription-fee basis. The offerings can be especially attractive to companies with 10 or fewer employees, which typically lack in-house technical resources or the budget to keep an IT person on staff.
An all-in-one solution supported by online advertising, the beta trial offers free versions of all three Microsoft Office Live versions included in the initial public release:
Microsoft Office Live Basics. A collection of free services (advertising-supported) will provide a small business with the core requirements for establishing an online identity. Services include a company domain name; five e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 30 MB of file storage space; an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop design tool for creating a compelling, professional-quality Web site; and the Microsoft Office Live Site Reports tool for monitoring and analyzing Web site traffic.
Microsoft Office Live Collaboration. Designed for small businesses that may already have a Web site, this subscription offering provides a rich, versatile set of Internet-based business management tools that are managed and maintained by Microsoft. Based on Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services technology, the Microsoft Office Live Collaboration service offers small businesses password-protected online workspaces (intranets and extranets). Capabilities include customer management, project management, sales and marketing management, employee management, and company administration, as well as password-protected internal shared sites to facilitate collaboration among employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners.
Microsoft Office Live Essentials. A comprehensive set of business services, this subscription offering will provide customers with the resources and collaboration tools they need to establish and manage a small business online. Services include a company domain name; 50 e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 50 MB of file storage space; the same Web design tool as Microsoft Office Live Basics, plus Microsoft Office FrontPage support for advanced Web design; more advanced Web site analytics; and a rich set of Internet-based applications to help small-business owners streamline and automate daily business tasks, such as management of customers, projects and documents.
All three Microsoft Office Live services are designed to work independently, as well as to integrate with other programs in the Microsoft Office suite.
Microsoft Office Live Basics, Microsoft Office Live Essentials and Microsoft Office Live Collaboration are being offered free of charge to customers during the beta program.
Microsoft Corp. has announced the beta availability of Microsoft Office Live, offering small-business customers a cost-free opportunity to experience the company’s new Internet-based software services firsthand.
Microsoft Office Live offers small companies a set of Internet-based business services designed to give small businesses the same advantages as larger enterprises by getting them up and running on the Internet quickly, easily and inexpensively.
The company plans to offer Office Live offerings that will range from free domain name, Web site and company e-mail accounts that are advertising-supported to more comprehensible services available on a subscription-fee basis. The offerings can be especially attractive to companies with 10 or fewer employees, which typically lack in-house technical resources or the budget to keep an IT person on staff.
An all-in-one solution supported by online advertising, the beta trial offers free versions of all three Microsoft Office Live versions included in the initial public release:
Microsoft Office Live Basics. A collection of free services (advertising-supported) will provide a small business with the core requirements for establishing an online identity. Services include a company domain name; five e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 30 MB of file storage space; an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop design tool for creating a compelling, professional-quality Web site; and the Microsoft Office Live Site Reports tool for monitoring and analyzing Web site traffic.
Microsoft Office Live Collaboration. Designed for small businesses that may already have a Web site, this subscription offering provides a rich, versatile set of Internet-based business management tools that are managed and maintained by Microsoft. Based on Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services technology, the Microsoft Office Live Collaboration service offers small businesses password-protected online workspaces (intranets and extranets). Capabilities include customer management, project management, sales and marketing management, employee management, and company administration, as well as password-protected internal shared sites to facilitate collaboration among employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners.
Microsoft Office Live Essentials. A comprehensive set of business services, this subscription offering will provide customers with the resources and collaboration tools they need to establish and manage a small business online. Services include a company domain name; 50 e-mail accounts using that company domain name, each with 2 GB of storage; a Web site with 50 MB of file storage space; the same Web design tool as Microsoft Office Live Basics, plus Microsoft Office FrontPage support for advanced Web design; more advanced Web site analytics; and a rich set of Internet-based applications to help small-business owners streamline and automate daily business tasks, such as management of customers, projects and documents.
All three Microsoft Office Live services are designed to work independently, as well as to integrate with other programs in the Microsoft Office suite.
Microsoft Office Live Basics, Microsoft Office Live Essentials and Microsoft Office Live Collaboration are being offered free of charge to customers during the beta program.
Google Earth on the cover of Nature
What on Earth is Google Earth doing on the front cover of Nature, the international weekly journal of science?
This week’s issue contains several pieces on virtual globes, and all are on free access. I’ve written a three-page feature — Virtual globes: The web-wide world – on the various ways scientists are beginning to use virtual globes, such as Google Earth and Nasa’s World Wind. And Al Gore, former US vice-president, who envisioned the Digital Earth in 1998, also gives his thoughts on the new developments, and his initial vision. “Its highest purpose was to use the Earth itself as an organizing metaphor for digital information,” he says in the article.
I discuss the feature in an accompanying podcast.
There is also a two-page Commentary — “Mapping disaster zones” –on the use of Google Earth in humanitarian disasters. It’s authored by Global Connection scientists — Illah Nourbakhsh and Randy Sargent, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, and Anne Wright, NASA/Ames, California — Brian McClendon and Michael Jones at Google Earth, and Kathryn Cramer.
Nature itself has its lead editorial — Think Global — devoted to a look at spatial thinking in science.
Online, we also have added a couple of extra short boxes to complement the above: one looking briefly at how virtual globes work, and another on what might be next….
During research for these pieces, I interviewed Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI, Brian McClendon, Director Engineering, Google Earth, and many others in the GIS field. As well as discussing virtual globes in science, we also touched on a few other more GIS-related themes — such as the future of Google Earth and ESRI’s upcoming ArcGis Explorer. I’ll blog excerpts from much of this extra material here, though probably not before I get back after the weekend from the AAAS mtg in St Louis.
I also collected an extensive collection of bookmarks to various great resources on GIS, science, and virtual globes during the research; I will upload all of these to my GIS tag on Connotea, NPG’s free social bookmarking service for professionals in science, technology and medicine. If you want to be sure not to miss these sign up to my web feed for this tag.
I’ll be updating my own beta GE maps of avian flu outbreaks over the next few days. Not only will this bring it up to date with recent outbreaks and cases, but it’s a major rebuild of the backend that will make it much easier to update with events. It will also contain a number of related extra overlays, in addition to outbreak and case data, such as poultry densities worldwide (see screenshot below for a preview), and distributions of the main migratory birds suspected of being involved in spread.
Comments welcome as always; don’t be put off by the fact that comments are moderated on this blog; I don’t moderate comments; I only screen to keep it clean of comment spam
4 Comments »
In 2003 with funding from the US National Science Foundation we esablished a global bathymetry data base and made public an application GeoMapApp available at our web site http://www.geomapapp.org. This is a downloadable Java application that runs in Unix, PC Windows XP and Macintosh X. It pioneered the use of Web served tiles like Google Earth for fast responsive. Check it out. It gives much more detail to the ocean floor (>60% of the earth) and has the superb land topography. You can save DEMS, show survet tracks, view multibeam seafloor relief and more.
Like Google Earth you can load and view your own data sets from spreadsheet files (text, or MS Excel). You can save any view as a KMZ files for viewing in Google Earth.
Comment by William B. F. Ryan — February 15, 2006 @ 10:01 pm
For deeper uses of the power of Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)-mediated data in combination with GIS, see GBIF’s Demonstration Projects links in the navigation menu of www.gbif.org. For further examples of ways these technologies can be used, take a look at a some PowerPoint files available from the GBIF communications portal under its Symposia & Workshops link. Basically, most of the concepts in current use are to analyze GBIF-mediated primary scientific data using ecological niche modelling (ENM) to predict changes in species distributions, compare one with another, compare current and past or current and predicted future, and so on. As the Web’s GIS capabilities become more and more democratized, many more innovative means of analysis are expected to arise.
Comment by Meredith Lane — February 15, 2006 @ 10:10 pm
In 2004, we created what I believe was the first virtual globe with the power of Google Earth (and more) www.earthslot.org using Skyline Software TerraExplorer suite of products, largely out of my frustration with how complicated and difficult other standard GIS tools were (like ESRI products). The only other option at the time was WorldWind, which did not have the ease of use in terms customization or the GIS analysis and import tools. We incororated the same 15 m Landsat base imagery as Google Earth now does, plus some higher resolution air photos and satellite imagery. Our mission was really to fill the gap the GE is now filling in a much better way: to take care of the hard art of GIS so that other could easily do the fun stuff. Funded by the NSF, our basic pitch was that these tools were going to become the new paradigm in earth science, earth science education/outreach, and earth science data access — that this was “GIS for the rest of us”. I’m now very pleased to see that GE has validated that hypothesis, and Declan’s article has captured much of why that is. These are exciting times for earth scientists, as most users have not hit the performance limits of GE, but given the demand that now exists, I think the future will continue to be bright for further developments.
As time goes on, I believe that more and more similar tools will come out, each with their own unique capabilities, and overall they will each benefit the scientific community. We’re trying to begin to organize the scientific community around use of these tools. At the American Association of Geograhers meeting this March in Chicago, we will have a session bringing together many of the developers. At the American Geophysical Union meeting this December in San Francisco we will also host a session, focussing on scientific applications and future needs. We’re also starting a workshop series that we hope to take on the road this summer to promote creation of scientific applications. So as the number of tools and applications exand, at EarthSLOT (Earth Science Logistics and Outreach Terrainbases — www.earthslot.org) we hope to track these develoments, host as many quality applications as we can, and serve as a starting point for using the tools. It’s perhas a bit ironic, but its quite likely well be left in the dust by other websites that will emerge from the public to do similar things, but thats really the great thing about these tools — they’re so easy to use that they ARE being used, and likely spawing a whole new breed of amateur earth scientists. The upshot for earth scientists is that we now have an effective means for education and outreach, a process that can only serve to improve public interest and funding for science.
Comment by Matt Nolan — February 16, 2006 @ 3:06 am
En contra del copyright y los estándares cerrados en la información geográfica pública
El Parlamento Europeo empezará a debatir en breve la directiva INSPIRE que, defendiendo aparentemente la idea de establecer una una infraestructura de información espacial en la Unión Europea, trata en la práctica de crear estándares y datos geoes…
Trackback by Juan Freire — February 17, 2006 @ 1:45 am
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What on Earth is Google Earth doing on the front cover of Nature, the international weekly journal of science?
This week’s issue contains several pieces on virtual globes, and all are on free access. I’ve written a three-page feature — Virtual globes: The web-wide world – on the various ways scientists are beginning to use virtual globes, such as Google Earth and Nasa’s World Wind. And Al Gore, former US vice-president, who envisioned the Digital Earth in 1998, also gives his thoughts on the new developments, and his initial vision. “Its highest purpose was to use the Earth itself as an organizing metaphor for digital information,” he says in the article.
I discuss the feature in an accompanying podcast.
There is also a two-page Commentary — “Mapping disaster zones” –on the use of Google Earth in humanitarian disasters. It’s authored by Global Connection scientists — Illah Nourbakhsh and Randy Sargent, Carnegie Mellon University, Pennsylvania, and Anne Wright, NASA/Ames, California — Brian McClendon and Michael Jones at Google Earth, and Kathryn Cramer.
Nature itself has its lead editorial — Think Global — devoted to a look at spatial thinking in science.
Online, we also have added a couple of extra short boxes to complement the above: one looking briefly at how virtual globes work, and another on what might be next….
During research for these pieces, I interviewed Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI, Brian McClendon, Director Engineering, Google Earth, and many others in the GIS field. As well as discussing virtual globes in science, we also touched on a few other more GIS-related themes — such as the future of Google Earth and ESRI’s upcoming ArcGis Explorer. I’ll blog excerpts from much of this extra material here, though probably not before I get back after the weekend from the AAAS mtg in St Louis.
I also collected an extensive collection of bookmarks to various great resources on GIS, science, and virtual globes during the research; I will upload all of these to my GIS tag on Connotea, NPG’s free social bookmarking service for professionals in science, technology and medicine. If you want to be sure not to miss these sign up to my web feed for this tag.
I’ll be updating my own beta GE maps of avian flu outbreaks over the next few days. Not only will this bring it up to date with recent outbreaks and cases, but it’s a major rebuild of the backend that will make it much easier to update with events. It will also contain a number of related extra overlays, in addition to outbreak and case data, such as poultry densities worldwide (see screenshot below for a preview), and distributions of the main migratory birds suspected of being involved in spread.
Comments welcome as always; don’t be put off by the fact that comments are moderated on this blog; I don’t moderate comments; I only screen to keep it clean of comment spam
4 Comments »
In 2003 with funding from the US National Science Foundation we esablished a global bathymetry data base and made public an application GeoMapApp available at our web site http://www.geomapapp.org. This is a downloadable Java application that runs in Unix, PC Windows XP and Macintosh X. It pioneered the use of Web served tiles like Google Earth for fast responsive. Check it out. It gives much more detail to the ocean floor (>60% of the earth) and has the superb land topography. You can save DEMS, show survet tracks, view multibeam seafloor relief and more.
Like Google Earth you can load and view your own data sets from spreadsheet files (text, or MS Excel). You can save any view as a KMZ files for viewing in Google Earth.
Comment by William B. F. Ryan — February 15, 2006 @ 10:01 pm
For deeper uses of the power of Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)-mediated data in combination with GIS, see GBIF’s Demonstration Projects links in the navigation menu of www.gbif.org. For further examples of ways these technologies can be used, take a look at a some PowerPoint files available from the GBIF communications portal under its Symposia & Workshops link. Basically, most of the concepts in current use are to analyze GBIF-mediated primary scientific data using ecological niche modelling (ENM) to predict changes in species distributions, compare one with another, compare current and past or current and predicted future, and so on. As the Web’s GIS capabilities become more and more democratized, many more innovative means of analysis are expected to arise.
Comment by Meredith Lane — February 15, 2006 @ 10:10 pm
In 2004, we created what I believe was the first virtual globe with the power of Google Earth (and more) www.earthslot.org using Skyline Software TerraExplorer suite of products, largely out of my frustration with how complicated and difficult other standard GIS tools were (like ESRI products). The only other option at the time was WorldWind, which did not have the ease of use in terms customization or the GIS analysis and import tools. We incororated the same 15 m Landsat base imagery as Google Earth now does, plus some higher resolution air photos and satellite imagery. Our mission was really to fill the gap the GE is now filling in a much better way: to take care of the hard art of GIS so that other could easily do the fun stuff. Funded by the NSF, our basic pitch was that these tools were going to become the new paradigm in earth science, earth science education/outreach, and earth science data access — that this was “GIS for the rest of us”. I’m now very pleased to see that GE has validated that hypothesis, and Declan’s article has captured much of why that is. These are exciting times for earth scientists, as most users have not hit the performance limits of GE, but given the demand that now exists, I think the future will continue to be bright for further developments.
As time goes on, I believe that more and more similar tools will come out, each with their own unique capabilities, and overall they will each benefit the scientific community. We’re trying to begin to organize the scientific community around use of these tools. At the American Association of Geograhers meeting this March in Chicago, we will have a session bringing together many of the developers. At the American Geophysical Union meeting this December in San Francisco we will also host a session, focussing on scientific applications and future needs. We’re also starting a workshop series that we hope to take on the road this summer to promote creation of scientific applications. So as the number of tools and applications exand, at EarthSLOT (Earth Science Logistics and Outreach Terrainbases — www.earthslot.org) we hope to track these develoments, host as many quality applications as we can, and serve as a starting point for using the tools. It’s perhas a bit ironic, but its quite likely well be left in the dust by other websites that will emerge from the public to do similar things, but thats really the great thing about these tools — they’re so easy to use that they ARE being used, and likely spawing a whole new breed of amateur earth scientists. The upshot for earth scientists is that we now have an effective means for education and outreach, a process that can only serve to improve public interest and funding for science.
Comment by Matt Nolan — February 16, 2006 @ 3:06 am
En contra del copyright y los estándares cerrados en la información geográfica pública
El Parlamento Europeo empezará a debatir en breve la directiva INSPIRE que, defendiendo aparentemente la idea de establecer una una infraestructura de información espacial en la Unión Europea, trata en la práctica de crear estándares y datos geoes…
Trackback by Juan Freire — February 17, 2006 @ 1:45 am
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Wednesday, February 15, 2006
ACCESS Delivers NetFrontTM Browser v3.4, the Latest Version of NetFront Internet Browsera>
BARCELONA, 3GSM World Congress - February 13, 2006 - ACCESS.CO., LTD. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 4813), a global provider of mobile content delivery and Internet access technologies, today announced the availability of NetFront Browser v3.4, the latest version of the company's world-renowned mobile browser. NetFront Browser v3.4 is ACCESS' latest browser technology that is not dependent on any specific technology platform and is compatible with a wide variety of rich-content Internet applications. NetFront Browser v3.4 has evolved from browser technology to a "Versatile Service Platform," where multiple applications can seamlessly combine online and offline content, thus dramatically improving the user experience of consumer electronic products such as mobile devices. Moving beyond Internet full browsing toward rich content rendering, NetFront Browser v3.4 is designed to support Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript + XML) which is the core technology of next generation Web application Web 2.0, the latest SMIL2.1 specification (W3C SMIL Mobile Profile and W3C SMIL extended Mobile Profile) which was released in December 2005 and SVG Tiny 1.2. NetFront Browser v3.4 can be flexibly configured to support AdobeTM PDF, office documents, FlashTM and Video via Plug-ins. Extensions to the browser APIs simplify the creation of various applications, which take advantage of NetFront Browser's advanced rendering capabilities for rich Internet content, such as browser application, messaging clients, RSS news reader and other Dynamic Menu applications. NetFront Browser v3.4 application highlights include support for visual bookmarks, a stunning graphical experience to manage favorite Webpages and "PagePilot," a pan and zoom navigation tool for a Desktop-like presentation of Web pages on mobile devices with limited screen size. The new active home page framework makes it possible to access browser functionality from a webpage. ACCESS' NetFront Browser is the browser of choice for the world's leading mobile handset manufacturers and mobile operators. NetFront browser recently surpassed over 200 million deployments in consumer electronic products globally and has unique technologies that have greatly improved mobile Internet browsing. One such technology, Rapid-RenderTM, is a sophisticated incremental rendering technology that dramatically accelerates the presentation of Web pages. Another, known as Smart-Fit RenderingTM, is a technology that intelligently renders Web pages to fit the screen width of mobile devices, thus eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling. In addition, ACCESS has established itself is a major contributor to Internet governing bodies such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and CDMA Development Group (CDG). NetFront Browser supports the OMA Browsing 2.2 specification, WML, HTML 4.01, and cHTML standards. "NetFront Browser v3.4's unique technologies provides mobile device manufacturers and operators with a powerful market advantage that is simply unmatched by anyone," said Toru Arakawa, president and CEO of ACCESS. "We are extremely pleased to be able to bring this advanced mobile browser solution to the millions of mobile Internet end-users throughout the world." NetFront Browser v3.4 will be available at the end of March 2006. About NetFront BrowserNetFront browser recently surpassed 200 million deployments globally representing 720 unique devices ranging from mobile phones and PDAs to digital televisions, gaming consoles, and automobile telematics systems from 90 major Internet device manufacturers. NetFront supports a wider range of operating systems than any competing browser including solutions for Palm(R) OS, Symbian OS, Linux OS, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Mobile/PocketPC and mobile handset environments like BREW(R). NetFront browser technology is used by the world's leading mobile operators, software providers and electronics manufacturers including Adobe, Alpine, Amoi, AT&T Wireless, Casio, Epson, Hitachi, Hutchinson 3G Group, IBM, KDDI, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Mitsubishi, Palm, Samsung, SANYO, Sharp, Sony, Telcel Venezuela, TCL, Toshiba, UTStarcom and more. About ACCESSACCESS is a global provider of Internet technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets. Its NetFront browser, widely recognized as one of the most advanced Internet browsers in the world, is a cornerstone to the company's vision of enabling Internet access anywhere and on any device. NetFront technologies are delivering full Internet browsing and related services to next-generation mobile devices and consumer electronics ranging from digital TV to automobile telematics. For more information: www.access.co.jp or www.access.co.jp/english
ACCESS, NetFront, Smart-Fit Rendering, Rapid-Render are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACCESS CO., LTD. in Japan and other countries. Adobe is a trade mark or a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and in other countries. Flash is a trademark or a registered trademark of Macromedia, Inc in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
BARCELONA, 3GSM World Congress - February 13, 2006 - ACCESS.CO., LTD. (Tokyo Stock Exchange: 4813), a global provider of mobile content delivery and Internet access technologies, today announced the availability of NetFront Browser v3.4, the latest version of the company's world-renowned mobile browser. NetFront Browser v3.4 is ACCESS' latest browser technology that is not dependent on any specific technology platform and is compatible with a wide variety of rich-content Internet applications. NetFront Browser v3.4 has evolved from browser technology to a "Versatile Service Platform," where multiple applications can seamlessly combine online and offline content, thus dramatically improving the user experience of consumer electronic products such as mobile devices. Moving beyond Internet full browsing toward rich content rendering, NetFront Browser v3.4 is designed to support Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript + XML) which is the core technology of next generation Web application Web 2.0, the latest SMIL2.1 specification (W3C SMIL Mobile Profile and W3C SMIL extended Mobile Profile) which was released in December 2005 and SVG Tiny 1.2. NetFront Browser v3.4 can be flexibly configured to support AdobeTM PDF, office documents, FlashTM and Video via Plug-ins. Extensions to the browser APIs simplify the creation of various applications, which take advantage of NetFront Browser's advanced rendering capabilities for rich Internet content, such as browser application, messaging clients, RSS news reader and other Dynamic Menu applications. NetFront Browser v3.4 application highlights include support for visual bookmarks, a stunning graphical experience to manage favorite Webpages and "PagePilot," a pan and zoom navigation tool for a Desktop-like presentation of Web pages on mobile devices with limited screen size. The new active home page framework makes it possible to access browser functionality from a webpage. ACCESS' NetFront Browser is the browser of choice for the world's leading mobile handset manufacturers and mobile operators. NetFront browser recently surpassed over 200 million deployments in consumer electronic products globally and has unique technologies that have greatly improved mobile Internet browsing. One such technology, Rapid-RenderTM, is a sophisticated incremental rendering technology that dramatically accelerates the presentation of Web pages. Another, known as Smart-Fit RenderingTM, is a technology that intelligently renders Web pages to fit the screen width of mobile devices, thus eliminating the need for horizontal scrolling. In addition, ACCESS has established itself is a major contributor to Internet governing bodies such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and CDMA Development Group (CDG). NetFront Browser supports the OMA Browsing 2.2 specification, WML, HTML 4.01, and cHTML standards. "NetFront Browser v3.4's unique technologies provides mobile device manufacturers and operators with a powerful market advantage that is simply unmatched by anyone," said Toru Arakawa, president and CEO of ACCESS. "We are extremely pleased to be able to bring this advanced mobile browser solution to the millions of mobile Internet end-users throughout the world." NetFront Browser v3.4 will be available at the end of March 2006. About NetFront BrowserNetFront browser recently surpassed 200 million deployments globally representing 720 unique devices ranging from mobile phones and PDAs to digital televisions, gaming consoles, and automobile telematics systems from 90 major Internet device manufacturers. NetFront supports a wider range of operating systems than any competing browser including solutions for Palm(R) OS, Symbian OS, Linux OS, Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Mobile/PocketPC and mobile handset environments like BREW(R). NetFront browser technology is used by the world's leading mobile operators, software providers and electronics manufacturers including Adobe, Alpine, Amoi, AT&T Wireless, Casio, Epson, Hitachi, Hutchinson 3G Group, IBM, KDDI, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Mitsubishi, Palm, Samsung, SANYO, Sharp, Sony, Telcel Venezuela, TCL, Toshiba, UTStarcom and more. About ACCESSACCESS is a global provider of Internet technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets. Its NetFront browser, widely recognized as one of the most advanced Internet browsers in the world, is a cornerstone to the company's vision of enabling Internet access anywhere and on any device. NetFront technologies are delivering full Internet browsing and related services to next-generation mobile devices and consumer electronics ranging from digital TV to automobile telematics. For more information: www.access.co.jp or www.access.co.jp/english
ACCESS, NetFront, Smart-Fit Rendering, Rapid-Render are trademarks or registered trademarks of ACCESS CO., LTD. in Japan and other countries. Adobe is a trade mark or a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and in other countries. Flash is a trademark or a registered trademark of Macromedia, Inc in the United States and in other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Mobile apps take centre stage at 3GSM - vnunet.com
The world's biggest mobile phone conference starts today and the major names from the mobile and PC sectors will be outlining their plans for the future of voice and data on the move.
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer will be heading the bill tomorrow, announcing details of Redmond's push to get its email software onto mobile networks.
Network operators are also anxious for the revenues that large scale mobile email could bring.
Microsoft is keen to woo BlackBerry users back to their mobiles and is looking to persuade more phone manufacturers to use its software. However, some operators are wary of becoming too reliant on Microsoft software.
The show will also feature a host of new applications designed to get consumers using data services. Mobile TV is expected to be a central platform of this strategy, and handsets capable of receiving different mobile TV broadcasts will be unveiled.
On the services side BT will announce a deal with Big Brother creator Endemol that will see a commercial mobile TV service launch in the UK by the autumn.
"We have already announced a number of content deals for next-generation TV and we are delighted to be working with Endemol," said Dan Marks, chief executive of TV services at BT Retail.
"Significantly, our next-generation TV service will be offered nationwide and not restricted to metropolitan areas, and customers will not be required to commit to a monthly subscription."
Security is expected to be another of the most talked about topics at the show. With mobile viruses like Cabir and Commwarrior in ever wider circulation, we can expect announcements from PC security vendors like McAfee on mobile software suites.
All these applications are going to need new and improved handsets and the major manufacturers will be debuting new models.
Here too there will be a crossover with the PC industry, as hard drive manufacturers push the hardware that will take handset storage to multi-gigabyte levels.
Nearly half a million people are expected to attend the show at its new home in Barcelona.
The vnunet.com team will be at the show providing daily news and podcasting interviews as they happen. Check here for all the latest developments.
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Trackback URL: http://www.vnunet.com/actions/trackback/2150193
The world's biggest mobile phone conference starts today and the major names from the mobile and PC sectors will be outlining their plans for the future of voice and data on the move.
Microsoft's Steve Ballmer will be heading the bill tomorrow, announcing details of Redmond's push to get its email software onto mobile networks.
Network operators are also anxious for the revenues that large scale mobile email could bring.
Microsoft is keen to woo BlackBerry users back to their mobiles and is looking to persuade more phone manufacturers to use its software. However, some operators are wary of becoming too reliant on Microsoft software.
The show will also feature a host of new applications designed to get consumers using data services. Mobile TV is expected to be a central platform of this strategy, and handsets capable of receiving different mobile TV broadcasts will be unveiled.
On the services side BT will announce a deal with Big Brother creator Endemol that will see a commercial mobile TV service launch in the UK by the autumn.
"We have already announced a number of content deals for next-generation TV and we are delighted to be working with Endemol," said Dan Marks, chief executive of TV services at BT Retail.
"Significantly, our next-generation TV service will be offered nationwide and not restricted to metropolitan areas, and customers will not be required to commit to a monthly subscription."
Security is expected to be another of the most talked about topics at the show. With mobile viruses like Cabir and Commwarrior in ever wider circulation, we can expect announcements from PC security vendors like McAfee on mobile software suites.
All these applications are going to need new and improved handsets and the major manufacturers will be debuting new models.
Here too there will be a crossover with the PC industry, as hard drive manufacturers push the hardware that will take handset storage to multi-gigabyte levels.
Nearly half a million people are expected to attend the show at its new home in Barcelona.
The vnunet.com team will be at the show providing daily news and podcasting interviews as they happen. Check here for all the latest developments.
Permalink for this story | View trackbacks to this story
Trackback URL: http://www.vnunet.com/actions/trackback/2150193
Never mind what it does, it's what the mobile looks like that counts - World - Times Online
The hottest new phones put style over substance, reports our correpsondent from the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona
THEY have spent billions on the latest technology, cramming our mobile phones with everything from e-mail and cameras to videos and music.
Now it turns out that all their customers really want is a mobile that looks good.
Yesterday the world’s biggest mobile phone manufacturers disclosed that the main selling point of the hottest mobile devices is their aesthetic appeal.
Never mind Bluetooth, the must-have phones are often no more than ordinary handsets painted in pretty colours, or covered with materials such as denim, wood veneer, suede or leather.
Last year Sarah Jessica Parker flashed her rose-pink Swarovski rhinestone-encrusted mobile on the streets of New York in Sex and the City. Now trendsetters are more likely to be pounding the pavements of Russia, China and Brazil after Nokia’s prediction that 80 per cent of the next billion handsets will be sold in emerging markets.
The success of the customised phone is summed up in the story of one model: the Motorola Razr. The phone had been on the market in plain black for more than a year when the company had the brainwave of painting it in a shocking pink.
Carphone Warehouse, which took the phone exclusively for Christmas, shifted more than 600,000 units and the phone has spawned several imitations.
Technology experts pointed yesterday to a similarly gaudily coloured batch of Japanese phones from DoCoMo as examples of what Britons can expect to see this year.
Ben Wood, an analyst at Gartner, the IT research and advisory company, said: “There are essentially only four designs of phone — the candybar, clamshell, swivel and slider — and besides, in countries like the UK everyone has one. So where do the manufacturers go next? Repackage them.”
At the 3GSM World Congress, the biggest mobile industry gathering of the year, in Barcelona yesterday, instead of boasting about ultra-advanced applications, manufacturers including Samsung and Sony Ericsson, were pushing phones whose main asset was their thinness — the Samsung Z150 is a mere 9.8mm thick.
The change has in part been prompted by the huge success of the iPod, a design so desirable that customers keep going back for the latest model.
Scott Ochander, global brand manager at Inclosia, which “finishes” phones with materials such as leather or toughened glass, said: “One operator brings out some hot new integrated camera and they all follow, until essentially you cannot tell them apart. Understandably it is what is on the outside, and what the device says about a person, that is much more important in selling it.”
However, 3G is not redundant, the experts say. “If the beauty of the phone helps to put it into people’s hands, then the operators can then light it up for them with all the 3G applications,” Mr Wood said.
Nokia predicted sales of 3G handsets to reach 100 million units worldwide this year while Vodafone unveiled the first batch of 3.5G phones, the next generation of next-generation mobiles, with speeds theoretically up to 25 times faster than existing 3G handsets.
Have your say on the future of telecoms here.
The hottest new phones put style over substance, reports our correpsondent from the 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona
THEY have spent billions on the latest technology, cramming our mobile phones with everything from e-mail and cameras to videos and music.
Now it turns out that all their customers really want is a mobile that looks good.
Yesterday the world’s biggest mobile phone manufacturers disclosed that the main selling point of the hottest mobile devices is their aesthetic appeal.
Never mind Bluetooth, the must-have phones are often no more than ordinary handsets painted in pretty colours, or covered with materials such as denim, wood veneer, suede or leather.
Last year Sarah Jessica Parker flashed her rose-pink Swarovski rhinestone-encrusted mobile on the streets of New York in Sex and the City. Now trendsetters are more likely to be pounding the pavements of Russia, China and Brazil after Nokia’s prediction that 80 per cent of the next billion handsets will be sold in emerging markets.
The success of the customised phone is summed up in the story of one model: the Motorola Razr. The phone had been on the market in plain black for more than a year when the company had the brainwave of painting it in a shocking pink.
Carphone Warehouse, which took the phone exclusively for Christmas, shifted more than 600,000 units and the phone has spawned several imitations.
Technology experts pointed yesterday to a similarly gaudily coloured batch of Japanese phones from DoCoMo as examples of what Britons can expect to see this year.
Ben Wood, an analyst at Gartner, the IT research and advisory company, said: “There are essentially only four designs of phone — the candybar, clamshell, swivel and slider — and besides, in countries like the UK everyone has one. So where do the manufacturers go next? Repackage them.”
At the 3GSM World Congress, the biggest mobile industry gathering of the year, in Barcelona yesterday, instead of boasting about ultra-advanced applications, manufacturers including Samsung and Sony Ericsson, were pushing phones whose main asset was their thinness — the Samsung Z150 is a mere 9.8mm thick.
The change has in part been prompted by the huge success of the iPod, a design so desirable that customers keep going back for the latest model.
Scott Ochander, global brand manager at Inclosia, which “finishes” phones with materials such as leather or toughened glass, said: “One operator brings out some hot new integrated camera and they all follow, until essentially you cannot tell them apart. Understandably it is what is on the outside, and what the device says about a person, that is much more important in selling it.”
However, 3G is not redundant, the experts say. “If the beauty of the phone helps to put it into people’s hands, then the operators can then light it up for them with all the 3G applications,” Mr Wood said.
Nokia predicted sales of 3G handsets to reach 100 million units worldwide this year while Vodafone unveiled the first batch of 3.5G phones, the next generation of next-generation mobiles, with speeds theoretically up to 25 times faster than existing 3G handsets.
Have your say on the future of telecoms here.
GPS-Wireless - The Mobile Information Markets Conference
The mobile information market has evolved since the first GPS-Wireless conference 10 years ago. The market is showing an upward trend in sales and consumer awareness. Some markets are hot...while other segments continue to develop. Mobile Information companies need to stay on top of a changing and challenging market, to assess what the competition is doing, and make new marketing strategies. For the 10th year—longer than any other conference in the industry—GPS-Wireless 2006 brings the top executives together to discuss the important telematics, wireless location, fleet and asset management, personal location and homeland security markets. These industry leaders will assess both the consumer and business-to-business markets. Go beyond the hype-and gain critical market information at GPS-Wireless 2006.
Some Topics Covered at GPS-Wireless 2006:
When will carriers introduce LBS? What's holding it up?
Asset monitoring that includes heavy equipment, containers, high-value goods. Will this market take off? When? What companies will dominate? What technologies will dominate, i.e. RFID, A-GPS?
What LBS applications will dominate? Sprint-Nextel's biggest app is navigation. Will this hold true in the consumer market? How will cell phone navigation system acceptance compare to portable and installed navigation systems? What other LBS apps will consumers want? Child tracking? Games? Location-based traffic?
Field Force Automation and Logistics/Transportation application providers are jumping on the LBS bandwagon and beginning to integrate mobile worker location into their apps -from cell phones, Blackberrys and other devices. We think this market will grow fast, since some of these are large companies with a lot of enterprise customers. ·
Will carriers release location data to resellers?
What's new with Portable Navigation Systems' markets? New players are coming on strong. The PNS market is hot--but are the units still too expensive? Can anybody put a dent in the current leader's market share? Will the units ever have wireless connectivity? Will other features become available such as satellite radio, traffic information and more content?
Is there a future for aftermarket telematics systems? One company dominates--will others follow?
What about factory-installed telematics? Will it be dominated by the same companies?
Fleet AVL: How will trends, new players, new communications links (GPRS, etc.) change the market? What is the availability of the GPS-enabled phone vs. installed devices? How is the GPS-enabled phone growing the market?
Will trailer monitoring be a big market?
Location-based advertising: Will it happen?
GPS-Wireless offers 12 hours of networking time, including our industry-best hosted reception that will offer more than 30 tabletop displays.
New For 2006: Earlybird Welcome Reception—a great chance to meet new contacts before the conference begins!
Companies looking to increase their market exposure should contact us as soon as possible for sponsorships. For the last 10 years, we have sold out our table top displays.
Compare our price, location, speakers, luncheons, 300-page market binder and networking opportunities, and you will find GPS-Wireless to be the best in the industry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPS-WIRELESS has earned a reputation for offering the best
networking opportunities with the industry's biggest players.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Attending GPS-WIRELESS 2006 you will:
Find out who is developing mobile/location commerce alliances.
Assess where the worldwide telematics market will be for automobiles this year.
Identify which mobile technologies are going to be hot.
Learn about homeland security opportunities.
Discover enhanced 911opportunities.
Find out what are the hot new technologies.
Study the market for fleet management products.
Explore opportunities for in-vehicle computing.
Get the best international market overviews.
See what the competition is doing in the industry's largest conference.
See how many large companies are integrating GPS-Wireless products to create value for their enterprise customers.
Who should attend GPS-Wireless 2006:
Telematics Executives
Marketing Professionals
Wireless Executives
Enterprise End-Users
Purchasers of Wireless Products
Automakers
Security Officials
Consultants
Analysts
Government Officials
Network Operators
Integrators
Supplier
BEST VALUE! You can send two or three attendees to
GPS-Wireless 2006 for the same cost—or less—
as other events that try to imitate this conference.
Compare our price, location, and networking...
no other conference comes close!
Go with the biggest and best conference—now in our 10th year!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What You Get at GPS-Wireless 2006:
Top presentations from the top companies
Only the most current market information—no sales pitches from our
speakers.
Twelve hours of networking time with a high-level group of industry officials.
More than 30 Exhibitors Expected
Two-and-a-half-hour Networking Reception
New Earlybird Welcome Reception! Great initial networking!
What GPS-Wireless 2005 Attendees Said:
"Great networking and market update."
"There are new perspectives from Wireless Carriers on several panels. Their comments indicate they will be here for a long time in this market."
"The conference was good at identifying new market trends. The networking here is great."
"GPS-Wireless is well-known for its excellent reception and table top displays."
"This was a solid opportunity to reconnect with important contacts in the industry. It was also a great venue to initiate new contacts. Timely presentation materials"
FastCounter by bCentral
Home | Agenda | Hotel | Exhibitors | To Exhibit | To Sponsor | Contact | Register
Copyright © 2005-06 Global Technology Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
The mobile information market has evolved since the first GPS-Wireless conference 10 years ago. The market is showing an upward trend in sales and consumer awareness. Some markets are hot...while other segments continue to develop. Mobile Information companies need to stay on top of a changing and challenging market, to assess what the competition is doing, and make new marketing strategies. For the 10th year—longer than any other conference in the industry—GPS-Wireless 2006 brings the top executives together to discuss the important telematics, wireless location, fleet and asset management, personal location and homeland security markets. These industry leaders will assess both the consumer and business-to-business markets. Go beyond the hype-and gain critical market information at GPS-Wireless 2006.
Some Topics Covered at GPS-Wireless 2006:
When will carriers introduce LBS? What's holding it up?
Asset monitoring that includes heavy equipment, containers, high-value goods. Will this market take off? When? What companies will dominate? What technologies will dominate, i.e. RFID, A-GPS?
What LBS applications will dominate? Sprint-Nextel's biggest app is navigation. Will this hold true in the consumer market? How will cell phone navigation system acceptance compare to portable and installed navigation systems? What other LBS apps will consumers want? Child tracking? Games? Location-based traffic?
Field Force Automation and Logistics/Transportation application providers are jumping on the LBS bandwagon and beginning to integrate mobile worker location into their apps -from cell phones, Blackberrys and other devices. We think this market will grow fast, since some of these are large companies with a lot of enterprise customers. ·
Will carriers release location data to resellers?
What's new with Portable Navigation Systems' markets? New players are coming on strong. The PNS market is hot--but are the units still too expensive? Can anybody put a dent in the current leader's market share? Will the units ever have wireless connectivity? Will other features become available such as satellite radio, traffic information and more content?
Is there a future for aftermarket telematics systems? One company dominates--will others follow?
What about factory-installed telematics? Will it be dominated by the same companies?
Fleet AVL: How will trends, new players, new communications links (GPRS, etc.) change the market? What is the availability of the GPS-enabled phone vs. installed devices? How is the GPS-enabled phone growing the market?
Will trailer monitoring be a big market?
Location-based advertising: Will it happen?
GPS-Wireless offers 12 hours of networking time, including our industry-best hosted reception that will offer more than 30 tabletop displays.
New For 2006: Earlybird Welcome Reception—a great chance to meet new contacts before the conference begins!
Companies looking to increase their market exposure should contact us as soon as possible for sponsorships. For the last 10 years, we have sold out our table top displays.
Compare our price, location, speakers, luncheons, 300-page market binder and networking opportunities, and you will find GPS-Wireless to be the best in the industry.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GPS-WIRELESS has earned a reputation for offering the best
networking opportunities with the industry's biggest players.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Attending GPS-WIRELESS 2006 you will:
Find out who is developing mobile/location commerce alliances.
Assess where the worldwide telematics market will be for automobiles this year.
Identify which mobile technologies are going to be hot.
Learn about homeland security opportunities.
Discover enhanced 911opportunities.
Find out what are the hot new technologies.
Study the market for fleet management products.
Explore opportunities for in-vehicle computing.
Get the best international market overviews.
See what the competition is doing in the industry's largest conference.
See how many large companies are integrating GPS-Wireless products to create value for their enterprise customers.
Who should attend GPS-Wireless 2006:
Telematics Executives
Marketing Professionals
Wireless Executives
Enterprise End-Users
Purchasers of Wireless Products
Automakers
Security Officials
Consultants
Analysts
Government Officials
Network Operators
Integrators
Supplier
BEST VALUE! You can send two or three attendees to
GPS-Wireless 2006 for the same cost—or less—
as other events that try to imitate this conference.
Compare our price, location, and networking...
no other conference comes close!
Go with the biggest and best conference—now in our 10th year!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What You Get at GPS-Wireless 2006:
Top presentations from the top companies
Only the most current market information—no sales pitches from our
speakers.
Twelve hours of networking time with a high-level group of industry officials.
More than 30 Exhibitors Expected
Two-and-a-half-hour Networking Reception
New Earlybird Welcome Reception! Great initial networking!
What GPS-Wireless 2005 Attendees Said:
"Great networking and market update."
"There are new perspectives from Wireless Carriers on several panels. Their comments indicate they will be here for a long time in this market."
"The conference was good at identifying new market trends. The networking here is great."
"GPS-Wireless is well-known for its excellent reception and table top displays."
"This was a solid opportunity to reconnect with important contacts in the industry. It was also a great venue to initiate new contacts. Timely presentation materials"
FastCounter by bCentral
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Copyright © 2005-06 Global Technology Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Enfora L.P. Announces Enabler(TM) IIIG (GSM/GPRS) OEM Module Platform
PLANO, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 14, 2006 -- Enfora, L.P., a leading provider of wireless voice and data devices, today announced that it has selected Texas Instruments DRP(TM)-based single-chip cell phone technology for incorporation into its next generation Enfora Enabler(TM) III OEM modules. The Enabler(TM) IIIG is a quad band (850/900/1800/1900) GSM/GPRS module that provides an optimized platform for low cost cell phones, machine-to-machine (M2M) data centric systems, and Location Based Services (LBS) applications, where small form factor and tightly integrated solutions are required to meet the market demands. Measuring only 28mm x 30mm x 3.1mm, the new Enabler(TM) module will be one of the smallest quad band modules on the market. The new module is expected to be available beginning in 4Q06.
The Enabler(TM) IIIG utilizes TI's single-chip cell phone technology platform, code named "LoCosto." Developed through TI's advanced 90nm CMOS manufacturing technology, LoCosto integrates the bulk of handset electronics onto a single chip to dramatically reduce cost, power requirements, board area, and silicon area - performance factors that are crucial for high-volume entry-level mobile phones.
"TI is pleased that Enfora has chosen our LoCosto solution for the Enabler IIIG module. By leveraging TI's system level expertise and cost-efficient LoCosto solution, Enfora has developed a highly optimized device for the mass-market voice-centric marketplace," said Remi El-Ouazzane, TI director, 2.5G business.
The Enabler(TM) IIIG is the next evolution of the popular Enabler(TM) II series of OEM GSM/GPRS modules that have been integrated into a variety of handset, M2M, and AVL devices. Building upon previous module designs and using TI's wireless system level expertise, the Enabler(TM) IIIG is optimized for wireless devices that require fully integrated GSM/GPRS voice and data capabilities. The Enabler(TM) IIIG incorporates all the software functionality resident in the Enabler(TM) IIG series of OEM modules, including TCP/IP, UDP (PAD), CMUX, a full suite of AT commands, AMR, SIM Toolkit, and Enfora's auto-activation and event-driven I/O Engine to assist integrators in incorporating their M2M applications within the module.
"Enfora is excited to offer our customers the ability to move their products to the next generation of TI wireless silicon technology through a highly integrated, exceptionally compact OEM module," said Jeff Newman, Enfora Sr. Vice President of Business Development. "Because the module contains the necessary functionality to operate on all worldwide GSM/GPRS networks, and is fully certified to GCF and PTCRB requirements, we believe it offers companies a key time-to-market advantage for new product introductions."
About Enfora...
Based in Plano, Texas, Enfora is a global leader in enabling wireless communications across a myriad of industries and applications. Enfora's family of GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 802.11 wireless products provide customers with leading edge wireless solutions, allowing them to access, use and send data wirelessly, instantly and easily. Its products serve both the enterprise and consumers markets, and support various applications, including voice communication, Telematics, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and wireless connectivity for PCs and PDAs. Enfora's design and deployment of mobile communications products are world-class. The company's technology partners include such industry leaders as Texas Instruments that rely on Enfora's capabilities to test and bring first-class products to market. For more information, view Enfora on the World Wide Web at www.enfora.com.
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PLANO, Texas --(Business Wire)-- Feb. 14, 2006 -- Enfora, L.P., a leading provider of wireless voice and data devices, today announced that it has selected Texas Instruments DRP(TM)-based single-chip cell phone technology for incorporation into its next generation Enfora Enabler(TM) III OEM modules. The Enabler(TM) IIIG is a quad band (850/900/1800/1900) GSM/GPRS module that provides an optimized platform for low cost cell phones, machine-to-machine (M2M) data centric systems, and Location Based Services (LBS) applications, where small form factor and tightly integrated solutions are required to meet the market demands. Measuring only 28mm x 30mm x 3.1mm, the new Enabler(TM) module will be one of the smallest quad band modules on the market. The new module is expected to be available beginning in 4Q06.
The Enabler(TM) IIIG utilizes TI's single-chip cell phone technology platform, code named "LoCosto." Developed through TI's advanced 90nm CMOS manufacturing technology, LoCosto integrates the bulk of handset electronics onto a single chip to dramatically reduce cost, power requirements, board area, and silicon area - performance factors that are crucial for high-volume entry-level mobile phones.
"TI is pleased that Enfora has chosen our LoCosto solution for the Enabler IIIG module. By leveraging TI's system level expertise and cost-efficient LoCosto solution, Enfora has developed a highly optimized device for the mass-market voice-centric marketplace," said Remi El-Ouazzane, TI director, 2.5G business.
The Enabler(TM) IIIG is the next evolution of the popular Enabler(TM) II series of OEM GSM/GPRS modules that have been integrated into a variety of handset, M2M, and AVL devices. Building upon previous module designs and using TI's wireless system level expertise, the Enabler(TM) IIIG is optimized for wireless devices that require fully integrated GSM/GPRS voice and data capabilities. The Enabler(TM) IIIG incorporates all the software functionality resident in the Enabler(TM) IIG series of OEM modules, including TCP/IP, UDP (PAD), CMUX, a full suite of AT commands, AMR, SIM Toolkit, and Enfora's auto-activation and event-driven I/O Engine to assist integrators in incorporating their M2M applications within the module.
"Enfora is excited to offer our customers the ability to move their products to the next generation of TI wireless silicon technology through a highly integrated, exceptionally compact OEM module," said Jeff Newman, Enfora Sr. Vice President of Business Development. "Because the module contains the necessary functionality to operate on all worldwide GSM/GPRS networks, and is fully certified to GCF and PTCRB requirements, we believe it offers companies a key time-to-market advantage for new product introductions."
About Enfora...
Based in Plano, Texas, Enfora is a global leader in enabling wireless communications across a myriad of industries and applications. Enfora's family of GSM/GPRS/EDGE and 802.11 wireless products provide customers with leading edge wireless solutions, allowing them to access, use and send data wirelessly, instantly and easily. Its products serve both the enterprise and consumers markets, and support various applications, including voice communication, Telematics, Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and wireless connectivity for PCs and PDAs. Enfora's design and deployment of mobile communications products are world-class. The company's technology partners include such industry leaders as Texas Instruments that rely on Enfora's capabilities to test and bring first-class products to market. For more information, view Enfora on the World Wide Web at www.enfora.com.
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NAVTEQ Announces European Winners of Global LBS Challenge
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT), a
leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and
location-based solutions, announced the winners of the NAVTEQ Global LBS
Challenge, a global program that challenged application developers to build
innovative location-based services (LBS) that work with mobile phones or
wireless handheld devices using dynamic positioning technology and NAVTEQ(R)
maps. The challenge was created to drive growth in the LBS industry by
bringing together the key players in the LBS/wireless value chain.
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge(TM) awarded a grand-prize winner and
category winners. The grand prize winner, ALK Technologies Ltd., received
euro 50,000 in cash and euro 100,000 worth of NAVTEQ map licenses for up to
one year. ALK Technologies developed CoPilot(R) Live FleetCenter, a
fleet-tracking, messaging, reporting and optimization application, which
integrates with the CoPilot Live mobile navigation solution to enable real
time asset visibility.
Each category winner received euro 10,000 in cash and euro 75,000 in
NAVTEQ map licenses for up to one year. The solution category winners are:
Entertainment and Leisure
TikGames(C) developed a GeoWorld Universe which brings the phenomenon of
geocaching to your GPSOne-enabled phone.
Navigation
ALK Technologies developed CoPilot Live FleetCenter, which ultimately went
on to win the Grand Prize in lieu of the category award.
Social Networking
Datatronics developed Microgestel(R), designed for location, security and
personal assistance applications in mobility environments. Features include
permanent personal location and immediate telephone assistance.
Global LBS Challenge
First launched in North America in October 2003, the contest is focused on
driving the development and visibility of innovative navigation solutions for
wireless devices. 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 LBS using global positioning
satellite (GPS) technology. Industry validation of the Global LBS Challenge
for the category overall encouraged NAVTEQ to host the judging and
presentations for the first time in both Europe and North America this year.
Executives from wireless carriers, hardware and device manufacturers,
venture capitalists and other influential players in the wireless industry
served as the official judges and completed the judging on Monday, 13 February
on site during 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The judges based
their final decisions on three criteria: commercial viability, unique
functionality and features and ease of use.
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge was sponsored globally by Nokia. Nokia
provided LBS applicants with access to resources from Forum Nokia, Nokia's
global developer program, which offers tools, SDKs and technical documents for
the mobile developer community. Joining Nokia, additional influential
sponsors include ESRI, PTV, QUALCOMM and Telcontar, offering tools, platforms
and support to Global LBS Challenge developers in Europe.
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge has been met with extensive interest from
developers, carriers, and device manufacturers and further heightened the
awareness of new value-adding location-based services to the wireless
industry. The success of the Challenge can be seen in the success of past
winners in North America, and lies in the future of the innovative developers
and applications seen today. Congratulations to the winners and all of the
semi-finalists on behalf of NAVTEQ, the sponsors and the judges," commented
Serge Bussat, Vice President -- European Consumer Applications, NAVTEQ. "We
look forward to the continued support from the LBS industry and next year's
challenge."
"Nokia strongly supports the objective of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge,
to stimulate the introduction and proliferation of LBS in the wireless space,
and is pleased to see the innovative solutions displayed at the awards
ceremony recognizing the European developers," commented Nasser Iravani,
director, Forum Nokia Americas. "We have been impressed with the quality and
viability of the semi-finalist and winning applications, and wish them all
success in the future."
The North American semi-finalists will be judged, and the winners
announced, on 5 April, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at CTIA (Cellular
Telecommunications Industry Association) Wireless. More information regarding
next year's Global LBS Challenge will be available in the upcoming months at
http://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.
NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press
release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such
as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks,"
"estimates" or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on our
current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to various risks
and uncertainties, including those set forth under the caption "Risk Factors"
in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26,
2005,as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to
changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and
regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE NAVTEQ
Web Site: http://www.navteq.com http://www.LBSChallenge.com
BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NAVTEQ (NYSE: NVT), a
leading global provider of digital map data for vehicle navigation and
location-based solutions, announced the winners of the NAVTEQ Global LBS
Challenge, a global program that challenged application developers to build
innovative location-based services (LBS) that work with mobile phones or
wireless handheld devices using dynamic positioning technology and NAVTEQ(R)
maps. The challenge was created to drive growth in the LBS industry by
bringing together the key players in the LBS/wireless value chain.
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge(TM) awarded a grand-prize winner and
category winners. The grand prize winner, ALK Technologies Ltd., received
euro 50,000 in cash and euro 100,000 worth of NAVTEQ map licenses for up to
one year. ALK Technologies developed CoPilot(R) Live FleetCenter, a
fleet-tracking, messaging, reporting and optimization application, which
integrates with the CoPilot Live mobile navigation solution to enable real
time asset visibility.
Each category winner received euro 10,000 in cash and euro 75,000 in
NAVTEQ map licenses for up to one year. The solution category winners are:
Entertainment and Leisure
TikGames(C) developed a GeoWorld Universe which brings the phenomenon of
geocaching to your GPSOne-enabled phone.
Navigation
ALK Technologies developed CoPilot Live FleetCenter, which ultimately went
on to win the Grand Prize in lieu of the category award.
Social Networking
Datatronics developed Microgestel(R), designed for location, security and
personal assistance applications in mobility environments. Features include
permanent personal location and immediate telephone assistance.
Global LBS Challenge
First launched in North America in October 2003, the contest is focused on
driving the development and visibility of innovative navigation solutions for
wireless devices. 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 LBS using global positioning
satellite (GPS) technology. Industry validation of the Global LBS Challenge
for the category overall encouraged NAVTEQ to host the judging and
presentations for the first time in both Europe and North America this year.
Executives from wireless carriers, hardware and device manufacturers,
venture capitalists and other influential players in the wireless industry
served as the official judges and completed the judging on Monday, 13 February
on site during 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The judges based
their final decisions on three criteria: commercial viability, unique
functionality and features and ease of use.
The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge was sponsored globally by Nokia. Nokia
provided LBS applicants with access to resources from Forum Nokia, Nokia's
global developer program, which offers tools, SDKs and technical documents for
the mobile developer community. Joining Nokia, additional influential
sponsors include ESRI, PTV, QUALCOMM and Telcontar, offering tools, platforms
and support to Global LBS Challenge developers in Europe.
"The NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge has been met with extensive interest from
developers, carriers, and device manufacturers and further heightened the
awareness of new value-adding location-based services to the wireless
industry. The success of the Challenge can be seen in the success of past
winners in North America, and lies in the future of the innovative developers
and applications seen today. Congratulations to the winners and all of the
semi-finalists on behalf of NAVTEQ, the sponsors and the judges," commented
Serge Bussat, Vice President -- European Consumer Applications, NAVTEQ. "We
look forward to the continued support from the LBS industry and next year's
challenge."
"Nokia strongly supports the objective of the NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge,
to stimulate the introduction and proliferation of LBS in the wireless space,
and is pleased to see the innovative solutions displayed at the awards
ceremony recognizing the European developers," commented Nasser Iravani,
director, Forum Nokia Americas. "We have been impressed with the quality and
viability of the semi-finalist and winning applications, and wish them all
success in the future."
The North American semi-finalists will be judged, and the winners
announced, on 5 April, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at CTIA (Cellular
Telecommunications Industry Association) Wireless. More information regarding
next year's Global LBS Challenge will be available in the upcoming months at
http://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.
NAVTEQ is a trademark in the U.S. and other countries.
This document may include certain "forward-looking statements" within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These
forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives,
expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press
release that are not historical facts and statements identified by words such
as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks,"
"estimates" or words of similar meaning. These statements are based on our
current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to various risks
and uncertainties, including those set forth under the caption "Risk Factors"
in the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26,
2005,as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to
changes in global political, economic, business, competitive, market and
regulatory factors. NAVTEQ does not undertake any obligation to update any
forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE NAVTEQ
Web Site: http://www.navteq.com http://www.LBSChallenge.com
New Sony Ericson 3G Walkman Mobile Phone
Europe : A major addition to Sony Ericsson’s family of Walkman® phones is announced today. The W950 is an ultra-slim, ultra-stylish, UMTS-enabled device with 4GB of onboard storage complete with touch screen for simple navigation through music genres, playlists, individual songs or music albums.
More than a music phone, broadband-fast email and Web browsing plus a suite of high performance entertainment applications add to its capabilities, making it one of the most highly specified phones in the Sony Ericsson portfolio.
“Bringing the Walkman® brand to Sony Ericsson phones was one of our outstanding achievements in 2005 and we have now sold more than 3 million Walkman® phones,” said Miles Flint, President, Sony Ericsson, “W950 is our sixth Walkman phone to be introduced since that announcement and listening to music on mobile phones is now an established and growing consumer behaviour. This announcement also demonstrates the flexibility of the Symbian v9.1 and UIQ 3.0 platform to create a consumer focused offering as well as business and the W950 is now our third Symbian based handset to be introduced in 2006.”
The W950’s design will turn the heads of the most avid style aficionados. Its thin, sleek and compact form is finished in Mystic Purple, fingerprint-proof matt with orange accents. The purity of its design is strengthened by the keypad being flush with the surface, and orange backlighting that brings the music keys to life in a stunning, practical way.
The music player within the W950 has the functionality and sound quality of an equivalent standalone device. Its 4GB storage can take up to 4,000 songs and the sound quality, delivered on high quality headphones, makes listening to music a real pleasure. A new graphic-rich interface on the Walkman® player makes it easy to navigate around the music library by song, artist or playlist and now it’s possible to search visually by browsing through album covers using the stylus and touch screen. The W950 has all the benefits of a combined phone and music player, enabling multitasking between listening to music, SMS texting, emailing and browsing the Internet.
Getting music into the W950 is fast and simple and can be done in a number of ways. The supplied Disc2Phone music management software is an intuitive package that handles transfer to the phone of music stored in the user’s PC. UMTS capability also makes the W950 ready for fast direct-to-phone transfers from available operators’ download services.
Beyond music, the W950 is a complete mobile entertainment centre that delivers great speed and exceptional quality sound and vision. Users can now enjoy the complete spectrum of mobile multimedia applications, from web browsing, push email and video streaming to 3D gaming and store-and-share of media files. Besides music, 4GB is enough storage for a wealth of photos, video’s or email attachments in the phone.
Stereo sound through wireless headphones is now possible as the W950 support Bluetooth streaming in stereo. The Bluetooth Stereo Headset HBH-DS970 also announced today and available as an accessory delivers high quality stereo sound through stylish, comfortable headphones.
W950 is the 3rd Sony Ericsson phone based on the new Symbian v9.1 and UIQ 3.0 platform, benefiting from a growing multitude of third party applications. All of these applications are available to download from the Sony Ericsson Application Shop, an online catalogue that is stocked directly by third party developers.
The Sony Ericsson W950 is a Dual Mode UMTS Walkman phone starts shipping during Q3 2006. Regional variations are:
W950i - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Europe, Asia Pacific,Middle East, Africa
W950c - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Mainland China (launch for mainland China dependent on availability of 3G services.)
W950 – Features at a glance:
Music
Walkman® player
Supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, E-AAC+, WAV and m4a
4 GB flash memory
Up to 4.000 songs can be stored when downloading songs from operator networks in E-AAC+ file format
Touchscreen with album art support
Polyphonic ringtones, 40 voices
Graphical equalizer and Mega Bass™
Disc2Phone music management software
Stereo headphones in the box
FM radio with RDS
MusicDJ™
Speakerphone
Streaming Audio/Video
Bluetooth™ stereo streaming support
Java MIDP 2.0
2D and 3D gaming
Music play time – 10 hours
Messaging
Bright QVGA TFT 2.6’’ Display
262K Color display
Video playback , 30fps
SMS, MMS and e-mail
Handwriting Recognition
Touch screen
Word completion and Auto correction
Connectivity
Opera™ 8.0 Internet browser
RSS Feeds
Bluetooth™ 1.2
Infrared port
USB 2.0 Mass storage, High speed (480 Mbps)
USB cable in the box
Modem
WAP 2.0 XHTML/HTML
Dual Mode UMTS 2100 – GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
Business
Full HTML browser Opera™ 8
External antenna connector
USB charging
PC synchronization
Flight mode
Size: 106 x 54 x 15 mm
Weight 112 grams
Talk time: up to 2.5/7.5 hours (UMTS/GSM)
Standby time: up to 250/340 hours (UMTS/GSM)
Europe : A major addition to Sony Ericsson’s family of Walkman® phones is announced today. The W950 is an ultra-slim, ultra-stylish, UMTS-enabled device with 4GB of onboard storage complete with touch screen for simple navigation through music genres, playlists, individual songs or music albums.
More than a music phone, broadband-fast email and Web browsing plus a suite of high performance entertainment applications add to its capabilities, making it one of the most highly specified phones in the Sony Ericsson portfolio.
“Bringing the Walkman® brand to Sony Ericsson phones was one of our outstanding achievements in 2005 and we have now sold more than 3 million Walkman® phones,” said Miles Flint, President, Sony Ericsson, “W950 is our sixth Walkman phone to be introduced since that announcement and listening to music on mobile phones is now an established and growing consumer behaviour. This announcement also demonstrates the flexibility of the Symbian v9.1 and UIQ 3.0 platform to create a consumer focused offering as well as business and the W950 is now our third Symbian based handset to be introduced in 2006.”
The W950’s design will turn the heads of the most avid style aficionados. Its thin, sleek and compact form is finished in Mystic Purple, fingerprint-proof matt with orange accents. The purity of its design is strengthened by the keypad being flush with the surface, and orange backlighting that brings the music keys to life in a stunning, practical way.
The music player within the W950 has the functionality and sound quality of an equivalent standalone device. Its 4GB storage can take up to 4,000 songs and the sound quality, delivered on high quality headphones, makes listening to music a real pleasure. A new graphic-rich interface on the Walkman® player makes it easy to navigate around the music library by song, artist or playlist and now it’s possible to search visually by browsing through album covers using the stylus and touch screen. The W950 has all the benefits of a combined phone and music player, enabling multitasking between listening to music, SMS texting, emailing and browsing the Internet.
Getting music into the W950 is fast and simple and can be done in a number of ways. The supplied Disc2Phone music management software is an intuitive package that handles transfer to the phone of music stored in the user’s PC. UMTS capability also makes the W950 ready for fast direct-to-phone transfers from available operators’ download services.
Beyond music, the W950 is a complete mobile entertainment centre that delivers great speed and exceptional quality sound and vision. Users can now enjoy the complete spectrum of mobile multimedia applications, from web browsing, push email and video streaming to 3D gaming and store-and-share of media files. Besides music, 4GB is enough storage for a wealth of photos, video’s or email attachments in the phone.
Stereo sound through wireless headphones is now possible as the W950 support Bluetooth streaming in stereo. The Bluetooth Stereo Headset HBH-DS970 also announced today and available as an accessory delivers high quality stereo sound through stylish, comfortable headphones.
W950 is the 3rd Sony Ericsson phone based on the new Symbian v9.1 and UIQ 3.0 platform, benefiting from a growing multitude of third party applications. All of these applications are available to download from the Sony Ericsson Application Shop, an online catalogue that is stocked directly by third party developers.
The Sony Ericsson W950 is a Dual Mode UMTS Walkman phone starts shipping during Q3 2006. Regional variations are:
W950i - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Europe, Asia Pacific,Middle East, Africa
W950c - Dual mode UMTS (2100MHz) - GPRS 900/1800/1900 for Mainland China (launch for mainland China dependent on availability of 3G services.)
W950 – Features at a glance:
Music
Walkman® player
Supports MP3, AAC, AAC+, E-AAC+, WAV and m4a
4 GB flash memory
Up to 4.000 songs can be stored when downloading songs from operator networks in E-AAC+ file format
Touchscreen with album art support
Polyphonic ringtones, 40 voices
Graphical equalizer and Mega Bass™
Disc2Phone music management software
Stereo headphones in the box
FM radio with RDS
MusicDJ™
Speakerphone
Streaming Audio/Video
Bluetooth™ stereo streaming support
Java MIDP 2.0
2D and 3D gaming
Music play time – 10 hours
Messaging
Bright QVGA TFT 2.6’’ Display
262K Color display
Video playback , 30fps
SMS, MMS and e-mail
Handwriting Recognition
Touch screen
Word completion and Auto correction
Connectivity
Opera™ 8.0 Internet browser
RSS Feeds
Bluetooth™ 1.2
Infrared port
USB 2.0 Mass storage, High speed (480 Mbps)
USB cable in the box
Modem
WAP 2.0 XHTML/HTML
Dual Mode UMTS 2100 – GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900
Business
Full HTML browser Opera™ 8
External antenna connector
USB charging
PC synchronization
Flight mode
Size: 106 x 54 x 15 mm
Weight 112 grams
Talk time: up to 2.5/7.5 hours (UMTS/GSM)
Standby time: up to 250/340 hours (UMTS/GSM)
Vodafone and Google Team for Mobile Search
Europe : Vodafone announced that it is collaborating with Google to develop innovative mobile search services for its customers.
Vodafone will integrate Google's search capability into its consumer service, Vodafone live!, providing customers with the most relevant information, wherever they are and whatever time of day it is.
Google's search results will be delivered through Vodafone's high speed data networks. Combining Vodafone's mobile expertise with Google's search capability will ensure that customers can quickly and easily find what's relevant to them. The new service will offer simultaneous search both on Vodafone live! and the wider Web.
Vodafone's integration of Google search will take the mobile internet to a new level. Vodafone live! was the first mobile service to make data services easily accessible to mobile customers. Whether checking the weather, looking for a restaurant or getting the most up-to-date news, consumers want search services that meet their everyday needs.
Alan Harper ( inset ), Group Strategy Director, Vodafone, said:
"Innovative mobile search will become increasingly important as fast and easy access to information and services are increasingly demanded by customers on the move. Together, Vodafone and Google will focus on creating the best mobile search service in the market, helping to bring the mobile internet to life. Our customers will be able to find relevant information and services faster, making the Vodafone live! customer experience even better. Our intention is to develop our relationship with Google to ensure Vodafone customers continue to have the very best in mobile services."
Nikesh Arora, Vice President, European Operations, Google Inc., said:
"As people become more mobile, it's increasingly important that we can provide them with access to information when on-the-go. Google understands that mobile phone users are looking for more than a desktop replacement - they want directly relevant content, quickly. Vodafone has long been a pioneer in providing mobile data services to its customers and we believe that by working together we will ensure a user friendly experience for mobile users."
Vodafone and Google will be holding a joint press conference at 1400 to 1500 CET at the GSMA Seminar Theatre, Hall 5, Level 2. The press conference will be presented by Alan Harper, Group Strategy Director, Vodafone Group and Nikesh Arora, Vice President, European Operations, Google Inc.
Europe : Vodafone announced that it is collaborating with Google to develop innovative mobile search services for its customers.
Vodafone will integrate Google's search capability into its consumer service, Vodafone live!, providing customers with the most relevant information, wherever they are and whatever time of day it is.
Google's search results will be delivered through Vodafone's high speed data networks. Combining Vodafone's mobile expertise with Google's search capability will ensure that customers can quickly and easily find what's relevant to them. The new service will offer simultaneous search both on Vodafone live! and the wider Web.
Vodafone's integration of Google search will take the mobile internet to a new level. Vodafone live! was the first mobile service to make data services easily accessible to mobile customers. Whether checking the weather, looking for a restaurant or getting the most up-to-date news, consumers want search services that meet their everyday needs.
Alan Harper ( inset ), Group Strategy Director, Vodafone, said:
"Innovative mobile search will become increasingly important as fast and easy access to information and services are increasingly demanded by customers on the move. Together, Vodafone and Google will focus on creating the best mobile search service in the market, helping to bring the mobile internet to life. Our customers will be able to find relevant information and services faster, making the Vodafone live! customer experience even better. Our intention is to develop our relationship with Google to ensure Vodafone customers continue to have the very best in mobile services."
Nikesh Arora, Vice President, European Operations, Google Inc., said:
"As people become more mobile, it's increasingly important that we can provide them with access to information when on-the-go. Google understands that mobile phone users are looking for more than a desktop replacement - they want directly relevant content, quickly. Vodafone has long been a pioneer in providing mobile data services to its customers and we believe that by working together we will ensure a user friendly experience for mobile users."
Vodafone and Google will be holding a joint press conference at 1400 to 1500 CET at the GSMA Seminar Theatre, Hall 5, Level 2. The press conference will be presented by Alan Harper, Group Strategy Director, Vodafone Group and Nikesh Arora, Vice President, European Operations, Google Inc.
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