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And Apple launches 3G iPAD! Tablet revolution goes on the street!
“(Reuters) – In the second stage of a two-part rollout, Apple Inc on Friday began selling the pricier, high-speed wireless version of the iPad in the United States, following the successful launch of the short-range Wi-Fi tablet earlier this month.
Although the event certainly lacked the buildup and excitement of the April 3 debut — with the heartiest waiting in line overnight — some Apple retail stores in big cities still saw decent-sized crowds ahead of the 5 p.m. launch.
At a store in downtown San Francisco, roughly 75 people stood in line 90 minutes before the 3G iPad went on sale.
Several people said they had waited for the more expensive version of Apple’s tablet because they saw it as a potential replacement for their laptops, at least in certain situations.
“I’m going to take it everywhere with me, I already take my laptop everywhere, and it’ll definitely replace my laptop in a lot of cases,” said Long Nguyen, 22, who works in IT repair and was first in line.
The 3G model — which is also Wi-Fi compatible — starts at $629 and tops out at $829. The Wi-Fi-only iPad starts at $499.
The 9.7-inch touchscreen iPad is essentially a cross between a laptop and a smartphone. It is intended as a media consumption device, good for video, games, electronic books and magazines and Web browsing.
But some said they were hoping to also use it for work, mainly because of the device’s thin-and-light profile.
“I travel a lot for work, and I have a lot of projects that are out in the field, so I think it will be useful for some of that,” said Gary Riley, 36, an environmental engineer.
“I’m on the road all the time, and I think it will give me a nice choice, especially when I travel,” said Bob Geib, a consultant. “It will complement my laptop.”
AT&T is providing the wireless data plans for the iPad, charging $29.99 a month for unlimited access.
AT&T is also the exclusive U.S. carrier for Apple’s iPhone, and has been subject to plenty of criticism over the quality of its network. It remains to be seen whether iPad users will encounter any problems with their service.
Apple sold 300,000 iPads on launch day April 3 and a half-million units the first week. Although the device won’t reach international markets until late May, some analysts expect Apple to sell roughly 5 million or so this year.
The iPad rollout has been accompanied by a crush of media hype, but it has not been without its hiccups. The company delayed the international launch for a month for what it said was stronger-than-expected demand.
Analyst say the company has also had difficulty ramping production of a new product.
Shares of Cupertino, California-based Apple closed down 2.8 percent at $261.09 on the Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Gabriel Madway; Editing by Bernard Orr)”
To iPAD or not to iPAD? First reviews: 10minus vs. 10plus!
“TOP 10 IPAD DISAPPOINTMENTS:
1. The keyboard
The iPad’s lack of a tactile keyboard was always going to be an issue, but typing on the iPad is not as easy as you might hope. To be used for email and short messages only.
2. No camera
An odd oversight, this is one that has many fans stumped. The iPad could have been great for video calling.
3. No Flash support
So many good websites use Adobe Flash that Apple’s ongoing stoush with the technology is becoming a big issue. This gadget screens websites in full size, but some still won’t show due to this omission.
4. Weighty
Heavier than the biggest Kindle, the iPad could be hard to hold with one hand for an extended period.
5. No memory card slot
The iPad is so good with photos, but they must be side-loaded from a computer as this tablet computer has no space for memory cards adding an adapter.
6. No GPS chip in Wi-Fi model
It can still guess your location from your WiFi connection, but the lack of a GPS chip is disappointing.
7. No HD video output
You can connect the iPad to a television but videos won’t play in high-definition. The best it can muster is a resolution of 576p.
8. No multi-tasking
You can only do one thing at a time on the iPad, just as with the iPhone. Sadly, this is one thing that netbooks have over the device.
9. No iBooks in Australia
They’re coming, according to a job ad, but the iPad won’t live up until its full potential until they arrive.
10. Delayed accessories
The keyboard and memory card adapter will make up for some important omissions, but are not yet available.
TOP 10 IPAD MAGIC MOMENTS:
1. Great screen
It’s large, it’s bright and it’s colourful. There’s lots to like about the iPad’s screen that has LED-backlighting for brightness, and IPS (in-plane switching) for good viewing on an angle. It’s not E Ink, like the Kindle, but it looks flashy.
2. Speedy
Apple’s 1GHz processor keeps the iPad screening at a great pace. Though this processor is slower than those in most netbooks, it’s clearly competent.
3. iPad apps
Plenty of developers joined the “second gold rush” by creating iPad apps, and users should be grateful. Games, in particular, benefit a lot from the bigger screen.
4. Photo shows
The iPad does look like a digital photo frame but, arguably, it does a better job with slideshows. The iPhoto-like app included on the iPad lets you group photos and makes them easy to show off.
5. iWork
Apple’s document, spreadsheet and presentation apps have been reworked for the iPad launch and they’re available as $US10 downloads. Not bad.
6. Long battery life
Admittedly, the Amazon Kindle’s battery lasts longer, but how many portable DVD players offer 10 hours of video playback? The iPad has real staying power.
7. Screen lock
Ever tried to use an app while laying down? Automatic screen orientation can be a real pain. To address this, Apple has replaced the mute switch with a screen lock switch.
8. Accessories
The iPad has even more accessories than the iPod, it seems. You will be able to add a physical keyboard, USB or memory card port, or a case that acts as a stand… just as soon as they’re available.
9. Rugged body
The iPad is sturdy and was designed to withstand everyday knocks. That’s not to say you should drop it or use it as a coaster, but it shouldn’t fall apart by itself.
10. The price
While the Aussie price is still unknown, $US499 is a great ballpark for such an entertaining gadget.”
Are Australian Publishers and Carriers ready for iPad?
Something I have been wondering for a long time… If you are the same, here is a great article from Julian Lee on the matter:
“The iPad is coming, and hardly anyone knows what to do with it…
From media companies to telcos, the device remains a mystery, writes Julian Lee.
Many in media circles are hailing it as a potential saviour of the industry, a way to let them charge for content until now given away free.
Yet five weeks before its launch in Australia few have even laid eyes on the Apple iPad.
The California company is drip-feeding information about a device that, among other things, will let users view films, surf the web and read ebooks and digitised versions of newspapers and magazines.
Not a single iPad is believed to be on these shores, and few senior executives in the media companies banking on its success admit to having seen it.
Telecommunications companies – which will provide iPad users with the means with which to surf the web or send emails – have yet to finalise their packages. Again few have seen it.
The subject of what ads will look like in the digitised versions of newspapers and magazines and how much they will charge for them has yet to be raised with advertising and media agencies.
Some in the industry are questioning whether the iPad will live up to the hype, given that in the next year seven devices from HP, Dell and a host of cheaper Asian brands will be on the market.
One leading developer said none of the main Australian media companies was likely to meet the late April deadline.
Keith Ahern of Mogeneration said: ”Most of the media companies are already working on iPad apps for some or all of their titles, which surprised me given that we were coming out of a recession.”
But he added: ”I don’t believe any large Australian publishers of print or news media will make the deadline. I think smaller publishers like Medwords and games companies like Firemint will. I have worked with [large media companies] and it’s hard to make things happen quickly.”
Like other developers Ahern’s company has been relying on an iPad simulator to build applications for clients.
Carter’s Encyclopaedia of Health and Medicine published by Medwords will be available. The iBookstore will not be available in Australia at launch because of rights issues.
Larger media companies like Fairfax Media, publisher of the Herald, are keeping the market guessing.
Lloyd Whish-Wilson, chief executive and publisher of Fairfax Media’s Sydney publishing division, said: ”We are very enthusiastic about tablet devices for newspaper and magazines. There’s a lot of planning going into it, and we’ll be ready by the time the market takes off.
”There is potential to extend our journalism in ways that I think readers, and I have no doubt advertisers, will find very exciting.”
Ed Smith, the chief executive content and commercial of News Digital Media, said that, much as he was excited about the possibilities, the iPad was only one of a number of devices to be launched this year. He said the category was likely to grow only once the publishers, telcos and manufacturers ”package them up”.
“Having said that, we do have to be realistic about how quickly the iPad will become mainstream, not least because demand is likely to outstrip supply for some time.
“There’s also little doubt these tablets will be in great demand by advertisers – partly because they will want to reach the engaged, quality, audiences they will attract, but also because they have so much creative potential.”
In the meantime, many publishers are expected to fall back on existing iPhone apps, which will work on the iPad.
As the deadline looms the debate in media companies continues to rage around whether to charge a monthly fee or a one-off fee. The Herald has sold ”many thousands” of its Good Food Guide app for a one-off fee of $11.99. Many more of its Domain app have been downloaded free.
The Wall Street Journal, which with The New York Times has been granted continuous access to the iPad to develop specific apps, is reportedly set to charge $US17.99 ($20) a month to subscribe to the iPad version of its paper.
Mr Smith of News Digital Media said ”when the time is right we will benefit enormously from what our colleagues at The WSJ have learnt”.
Carl Hammerschmidt, director at ACP Magazines’ digital division, said the iPad was one of a number of platforms the company was exploring.
“Our challenge is to ensure we are on the right platforms with the right products and, when it comes to digital magazines, that what we are offering is the leading product in the market … we also have to ensure the business models stack up.”
He would not discuss how close he was to launch, though some media buyers are saying that ACP will offer near-replicas of the printed editions on the iPad. ACP’s chief rival, the Seven Network-owned Pacific Magazines, declined to comment.
Overseas magazines such as Wired, GQ, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker and Glamour are all reported to be ready to go in mid-June. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times are expected to be the only newspapers ready at launch.
Advertisers such as Coca-Cola, FedEx, Gillette, Volkswagen and Ford are understood to have bought ads on iPad editions or embedded in applications.
Media buying agencies say the topic of advertising rates and types of units has not been discussed in Australia. Toby Jenner, chief executive of the media agency MediaCom, said: ”It’s just not on our radar; in fact I don’t think it’s on the industry’s radar.”
The managing director digital of Mitchell Communications Group, John Murray, said he would get his first presentation of the iPad ”within the week”, but would not say from whom. He was not rushing to push clients into a device that has yet to carve out an audience.
Iain McDonald, founder of the digital advertising agency Amnesia Razorfish, was sceptical of the iPad’s impact, saying that because it was “sandwiched” between an e-reader like Amazon’s Kindle and cheaper laptops, he doubted it would be the game-changing device that the iPhone has become.
But it is the fact that the iPad will not play videos formatted in the industry-standard Flash format – used by most advertisers – that worries him most.
“Absolutely it does,” he said. “We are in the business of creating experiences [online] and if Apple is removing one of them and that affects how video is played then that is not going to help my clients.”
He also doubts whether it will go mass, despite predictions that between 100,000 and 200,000 units, retailing at an entry level price of $650, will be sold by Christmas. “We need to develop eyeballs, not niche audiences,” he said.
While the media and advertising industries have an excuse to hang back, the same cannot be said for the telcos that will be providing one of a number of options that iPad users will turn to for connectivity to the web. On their state of readiness the top three mobile phone operators had little to say.
Optus declined to comment and a Telstra spokesman confirmed the company had yet to see a device.
”We are still talking with Apple and are waiting to hear back from them, as is everyone else.”
A spokesman for Vodafone said: “Unfortunately we can’t make any statements on the iPad and in fact we cannot even confirm whether or not we will be able to sell the iPad in Australia.” He confirmed the company had not seen a device.”
Carry Your Own Projector Everywhere with The world’s first Laser Pico Projector!!!
“Large flat-screen TVs were all the rage at the Consumer Electronics Show, but companies like Microvision Inc are putting their bets on image viewing of a much smaller scale: projections from devices as tiny as cellphones.
Microvision showed off a stand-alone projector that looked like a big bar of soap and projected crisp video images using laser technology. Its big hope is to embed the technology in a range of consumer electronics including cameras and phones.
“My feeling is that ultimately the phone is the largest opportunity,” Microvision’s director of communications Matt Nichols said, adding that his company was talking to dozens of potential customers including phone makers.
Nichols sees the first prototypes of gadgets with embedded Microvision pico projectors later this year, and expects the first commercial products some time next year.
After that, he expects the market to explode — in the same way that cameras have quickly become a must-have component in cellphones…”
GOOGLE enters the SmartPhone War with NEXUS One! Will it beat Apple’s iPhone?
Hi Mobilious Executives,
Today, whole Mobile World is talking about one thing and one thing only; GOOGLE’s SmartPhone!
Today GOOGLE officially entered the smartphone market wars with the launch of its new smartphone, the NEXUS ONE! With this new gadget; they are aiming to challenge the supremacy of Apple’s iPhone. And going one step further; they will be offering consumers a new way to purchase their mobiles with a webstore to sell it directly to consumers.
Before going to tech specs; here are the Official Link for you to demo it yourself:
NEXUS One; Web Meets Phone!
Size and weight
Height
119mm
Width
59.8mm
Depth
11.5mm
Weight
130 grams w/battery
100g w/o battery
Display
3.7-inch (diagonal) widescreen WVGA AMOLED touchscreen
800 x 480 pixels
100,000:1 typical contrast ratio
1ms typical response rate
Camera & Flash
5 megapixels
Autofocus from 6cm to infinity
2X digital zoom
LED flash
User can include location of photos from phone’s AGPS receiver
Video captured at 720×480 pixels at 20 frames per second or higher, depending on lighting conditions
Cellular & Wireless
UMTS Band 1/4/8 (2100/AWS/900)
HSDPA 7.2Mbps
HSUPA 2Mbps
GSM/EDGE (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
A2DP stereo Bluetooth
Power and battery
Removable 1400 mAH battery
Charges at 480mA from USB, at 980mA from supplied charger
Talk time
Up to 10 hours on 2G
Up to 7 hours on 3G
Standby time
Up to 290 hours on 2G Up to 250 hours on 3G
Internet use
Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 6.5 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback
Up to 7 hours
Audio playback
Up to 20 hours
Processor
Qualcomm QSD 8250 1 GHz
Operating system
Android Mobile Technology Platform 2.1 (Eclair)
Capacity
512MB Flash
512MB RAM
4GB Micro SD Card (Expandable to 32 GB)
Location
Assisted global positioning system (AGPS) receiver
Cell tower and Wi-Fi positioning
Digital compass
Accelerometer
Apple Tablet Finally Here! (?) Apple Tells Developers to Supersize Their Apps!
“The Apple tablet is threatening to approach Yeti status, but here’s an indication that it will turn out to be real: The company has told some of its key developers to prepare versions of their iPhone apps that will work on a device with a larger screen, in time for an event next month.
Add this to the news that Apple has reportedly booked the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco “for several days in late January,” according to the Financial Times, and it’s pretty easy to connect the dots: It’s a very good bet we’re getting a look at this thing within the next 30 days or so.
A mobile industry source tells me developers have been told that while the mystery device will be shown off at the event, it won’t be ready to ship (Dan Frommer at Alley Insider relays the same news).
Announcing a product before launch used to be unusual for Apple (AAPL), but it’s a pattern the company has practiced more recently, notably with the first iPhone. And if Apple is indeed coming out with a new product that will require developers to rethink their approach, it makes a lot of sense.
I’ve asked Apple for comment, but I’m not holding my breath.
My source says Apple’s instructions to developers indicate that the tablet–or at least the thing the company is showing off next month–will be based on the iPhone OS and rely on the same iTunes Store that has moved two billion apps in a couple of years.
If so, it will mean that some people who have been guessing at what Apple is planning may need to go back to the drawing board.
Magazine publisher Condé Nast, for instance, has been working on a digitized version of Wired magazine that would run on Adobe (ADBE) software. But the iPhone’s OS doesn’t work with Adobe’s Flash platform, and if that holds true here, Condé Nast (and Adobe) is going to have to think of something else. Same goes for many Web video distributors who rely on Flash.
But first things first. Let’s take a look at this thing, whatever it is, and see what it actually can and cannot do before we get too far ahead of ourselves….”
Future Insights ::: Next > Bionic Contact Lens with Augmented Reality
Imagine the Possibilities!
“The human eye is a perceptual powerhouse. It can see millions of colors, adjust easily to shifting light conditions, and transmit information to the brain at a rate exceeding that of a high-speed Internet connection.
But why stop there?
In the Terminator movies, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character sees the world with data superimposed on his visual field—virtual captions that enhance the cyborg’s scan of a scene. In stories by the science fiction author Vernor Vinge, characters rely on electronic contact lenses, rather than smartphones or brain implants, for seamless access to information that appears right before their eyes.
These visions (if I may) might seem far-fetched, but a contact lens with simple built-in electronics is already within reach; in fact, my students and I are already producing such devices in small numbers in my laboratory at the University of Washington, in Seattle [see sidebar, “A Twinkle in the Eye”]. These lenses don’t give us the vision of an eagle or the benefit of running subtitles on our surroundings yet. But we have built a lens with one LED, which we’ve powered wirelessly with RF. What we’ve done so far barely hints at what will soon be possible with this technology.”
And here is an interview with the guy behind the scenes:
Christian Dior makes fashion statement with mobile marketing
“Luxury brand Christian Dior has made mobile fashionable in its multichannel effort to promote its iconic Lady Dior handbag.
The LVMH-owned apparel and accessories brand has made its black-and-white Alfred Hitchcock-like film, “The Lady Noire Affair,” available to iPhone users via a new application. Consumers can watch a trailer, the entire movie and its making all from their iPhone.
“With in-market competition and global demand for luxury goods at unprecedented levels, the world’s most respected designers and luxury brands are recognizing that old-fashioned marketing tactics are no longer the most viable means of engaging target audiences, particularly in a world dominated by online and mobile device usage,” said Paul Palmieri, president/CEO of Millennial Media Inc., a Baltimore, MD-based mobile ad network….”
And to ‘fashion-up’ your day a bit; here is the actual movie. Enjoy 🙂
Jem R
This news was picked from & details continue @ http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/video/3624.html
World’s First Solution for Targeted Advertising over Mobile TV
Please click to enlarge
“Packet Vision and UDcast announced what they believe to be the world’s first solution for targeted television advertising over mobile TV. The two companies have developed a technology showcase to demonstrate how targeted advertising will be delivered across mobile TV. The first public presentation of their technology will take place at this year’s IBC (the annual event for the broadcasting industry held in Amsterdam during September).
The technology showcase (on UDcast’s booth, 1E-90), will include an example of a geographically targeted advertising campaign, showing how content can be delivered to mobile TV users over standard DVB-H networks. The showcase also aims to highlight the symbiotic relationship between mobile TV and targeted advertising: the latter brings revenue to mobile TV, which in turn, provides the targetable platform and customer base which will help to accelerate the growth of addressable television advertising. According to MultiMedia Intelligence mobile video revenue will exceed $3.5 billion in 2008, and grow to $15 billion by 2012…”
This news was picked from and details continue at: http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/August2008/6472.htm
More details: http://www.udcast.com/solutions/udcast_solutions_tv_mobile.htm
Location Based Services (LBS) is Your Friend!
“The launch of iPhone 3G started a chain reaction of new mobile applications, but the next big wave of widgets will take user location into context.
So said Gartner Inc. analyst Mike King, who talked about the growth of the mobile as a featured guest speaker at Sybase TechWave 2008 in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Hotel. Mr. King discussed the fact that industries as varied as education, health care, real estate, insurance and financial services have all been actively working to build their mobile architecture…
…”A mobile device has a limited amount of real estate and you’ve got to present information and content as quickly and as simply as possible,” he said. “SMS alerts will continue to grow in popularity.”
Analysts estimate that more than 2 trillion text messages were sent in 2007 worldwide…
…”Financial services companies have been early adopters of mobile email, mobile staff reports and outbound applications, as opposed to internal ones, that go out to their customers,” Mr. King said.
“Insurance companies have launched investment products data out to investors via mobile, and sales force/CRM applications will drive their next phase of investment,” he said.
“Today utilities providers are big investors in mobility. They are early adopters of asset management applications, and their next phase will be to scale mobile beyond its technology staff.”…
…”Customers will be able to search for stores within a 40 mile radius of their current location, salesmen will be able to search for nearby potential clients and access their past buying habits and retailers will be able to offer Web-based specials to nearby consumers, all via mobile,” Mr. King said.
…
“With platforms including iPhone, Symbian, Microsoft and eventually Android, mobile applications and networks of the future will not be able to zero in on a single device or OS,” Mr King said.
“They will have to support multiple operating systems and various functionality and form factors, since some handsets will have touch screens, some will have keyboards, some will have scanner devices, et cetera,” he said.
“There will not be a single dominant device or OS.””
This news was picked from and details continue at: https://mobilenewspicks.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php
Apple iPod TOUCH Officially Launched!
Rumours are over, it’s officially here!
“The new iPod Touch has WiFi (802.11b and g), the same video and playback interface as the iPhone, the same multi-touch interface and the same screen-flipping orientation detector…
Safari and YouTube come installed, along with iCal, a calculator and an address book.That means that the Touch will work with all the new iPhone web-apps popping up.
The Touch is flash based – no hard drive versions available, which must be how it achieves a 22 hour battery life (five for video playback), and measures 8mm thick (0.3 inch)the iPhone has beaten the Zune to the punch once again. Microsoft might have added squirt-ability to the Zune, but it never got around to over-the-air purchasing. The Touch will let you browse and buy music from the iTunes Store, and it will sync back to your Mac or PC next time you connect.
Available worldwide this month in 8GB and 16GB sizes, costing $300 and $400 apiece.”
The official iPod TOUCH web link: http://www.apple.com/ipodtouch/
EDITOR’S NOTE:
I’m sure I’m not the only one who can see it coming but still I want to point a discussion topic for the ones who are not completely involved in our industry, which is mobile communications.
Amongst gadget lovers globally there is a war going on between iPhone and Nokia N95. While iPhone presents its sexy features (‘the brand you want to shag!’), Nokia N95 lovers are pressing from the technology side. No need to go over the sexiness of iPhone and its global launch and below ‘ad’ summarizes N95s’ point of view:
The point I want to make here is not the devices but the use of wireless communication infrastructure.While N95 expresses the lack of 3G/HSDPA in iPhones, iPod/iPhone is attacking from another angle; Wi-Fi’s!
Will iPod/iPhone Strategy affect 3G/HSDPA usage more than 3G/HSDPA ‘Owners’ expect? Because of iPods and iPhones will Wi-Fi Areas be the place to download mobile content, interact on mobile video level and all that? Well, I’m sure there will be an effect, and we’ll definitely see the first outcomes in US market but for global affects, I think consumers will have the biggest role and we have to wait for mobile infotainment culture to improve a little bit more…
New technologies and branding/marketing mediums must not be handled as rivals for each other or the existing ones. A new tool or medium must be complementary to the experienced ones. The new general we assign with the new role must be a team member to win our war in communication business.
As a consumer, I think I need a Nokia N95 and an iPod Touch, and will appreciate both Wi-Fi’s and 3G/HSDPA!
Jem Resimcioglu, editor
For Further Read:
Google search results for :: “wifi versus 3g” :: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=wifi+versus+3g&spell=1
Google search results for :: ‘benefits of wifi’ :: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=benefits+of+wifi&meta=
Google search results for :: ‘benefits of 3G/HSDPA’ :: http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q=3G%2FHSDPA+&btnG=Search&meta=
3G Mobile Adult in US Now!
“Xobile has successfully delivered adult content to 3G network users who use standard Internet browsers on their mobile devices.
Xobile, a US distributor of adult movies on mobile phones and wireless devices, provides two-minute clips from their 4,800 adult movies in their database.These videos are consistently streamed at 124 kbps which is close to the current capable limit of most wireless networks.
“We have demonstrated that we’re not only the first in the US, but we’re the fastest,” said Harvey Kaplan, head of Xobile’s Adult Entertainment Broadcast Network.
Kaplan added that: “We believe that video content delivered over mobile devices is just in its infancy and it will grow rapidly.”
He noted that just as the adult sector led in the move from VCR to DVD to subscription-based Internet sites so the same will happen with mobile video and Xobile is “leading the way” in terms of these advancements…..”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=574
First Worldwide ‘Unlimited Mobile TV solution’ Test
“Alcatel-Lucent announced that it is performing a technical test of its solution for broadcast mobile TV using the DVB-SH standard in the S-Band (2.2GHz). This pilot will take place from June to September 2007 in the South-West part of France. Using SFR’s operational 3G mobile infrastructure and pre-commercial DVB-SH elements for the broadcast part, this field trial represents a world first, only four months after the DVB project approved the technical specifications of the DVB-SH standard.
The DVB-SH standard is at the basis of Alcatel-Lucent’s “Unlimited Mobile TV solution”, a hybrid satellite and terrestrial solution whose objective is to propose a broadcast solution for a mass market mobile TV service.
This pilot will allow to evaluate the capability of this solution to make available to a large audience high-quality mobile TV channels, in various usage conditions such as inside and outside buildings, as well as while moving onboard a vehicle. Several innovative technical characteristics related to DVB-SH will be evaluated during this pilot, either separately or in a combination…..”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2007/4897.htm
Bad Girls Gone Mobile!
“Artificial Life announced partnering with Oxygen Media to develop The Bad Girls Club 3G mobile game based on the highest-rated reality TV show on the Oxygen network. The game is scheduled to launch in late August, and marks the first 3G mobile game for the network.
Exploiting the technological capabilities 3G can offer, players can expect high resolution graphics and animations, 3D avatars based on the actual characters in The Bad Girls Club Season One, and photo-realistic locations based on the show’s house.
Players take on the role of a new member of The Bad Girls Club that has just arrived at the Bad Girls’ house with an agenda: to gain fame and notoriety in the tabloid world. The cameraman and his production crew will capture every scandalous activity the player instigates in the house. To win, players must prove to be the most scandalous and notorious bad girl in the house and be glossed on the front cover of the Tabloid!
“Gaming is so huge with women, and Oxygen has been looking at how to break into this arena,” said Oxygen senior vice president Cynthia Ashworth. “This game presents the perfect opportunity to take our most popular television series to a new level by creating a mobile game that is on brand with the show and also connects with our young, tech-savvy female audience. This is only the beginning for Oxygen in the gaming arena.”…”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2007/4959.htm
Sports Always Sell!
“The UK satellite TV provider, Sky says that it plans to offer all of its 92 Barclays Premier League matches (soccer tournament) over a Mobile TV service. Sky Sports 1, 2 and 3 will also be available via Sky Mobile TV as simulcast channels. As well as all 92 Premier League matches, Sky Sports’ live coverage will a range of additional domestic and international sports.The announcement follows the success of previous live sports events on Sky Mobile TV, which have included the UEFA Champions League, Ryder Cup golf, the Football League Play Offs, and England’s Ashes tour of Australia…
…”We know there is strong demand for sports content from mobile users, so we’re delighted to simulcast our premium channels on Sky Mobile TV for the first time. Over 7 million people access Sky Sports content on their mobiles each month and live sport has already proved extremely popular on Sky Mobile TV,” comments Vic Wakeling, Managing Director, Sky Sports. “This coming football season, on TV, online and on mobile, we will give customers even more flexibility in keeping up with all the action.”…”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://www.cellular-news.com/story/25224.php
Korean Mobile War! or Korean War on Mobile!
“In addition to a myriad of light entertainment videos, Chinese mobile phone owners can now download film clips of the Korean War and emotive war anthems to celebrate the founding of the People’s Liberation Army.
According to the official Xinhua news agency, subscribers to the country’s second largest mobile operator, China Unicorn, are being offered the service for about $1 USD a month.
“I believe it will be popular since we have so many military fans in China,” said company official Yu Peng. “We have more than 300,000 pictures of weapons and military figures in our database along with clips of hundreds of movies, such as ‘Battle for Berlin’, ‘Normandy Invasion’ and ‘Shang Ganling’, a movie about the Korean War,” he added….”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://www.webtvwire.com/china-offers-war-movie-clips-on-mobiles-launched-to-celebrate-80th-year-of-pla/
Europe says DVB-H for Mobile TV
“BRUSSELS – The European Commission backed a Nokia-led mobile television broadcasting standard on Wednesday in a move that could spur growth in the fledgling but potentially lucrative sector.
The lack of a single technology has held back wider take-up for television on cellphones and the EU’s support for digital video broadcast handheld (DVB-H) could be the decisive factor in the battle to establish a global standard.
The Commission said on its website that DVB-H “appears to be the strongest contender for future mobile TV deployment in Europe” and is already the most popular standard in Europe.
“The Commission therefore considers that DVB-H will form the basis for successful introduction and take-up of terrestrial mobile TV services in the EU,” it said.
“It will continue to monitor the situation in the EU and may come forward with proposals in 2008 including, if appropriate, making this open standard mandatory.”
The European Union executive made GSM (global system for mobile communication) mandatory as a mobile phone standard in the 1990s, opening the door for rapid growth in that sector in Europe. GSM is now the standard in many non-EU countries.
The choice is a blow for U.S. company Qualcomm and South Korean vendors which have promoted their own technologies.
So far only DVB-H has a global presence, while South Korea, Japan, the United States and China are embracing local rivals.
Some of the other technologies are also making a play for the global market, preventing services being offered worldwide under a single standard.
Commercial DVB-H broadcasts have started in India and Vietnam, in addition to some European countries, while Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia are to open networks this year…”
This news was picked from and details continue at; http://www.i4u.com/article10233.html
Mobile TV for Nokia Eseries
“Europe UK : ROK TV announced that it is offering live and on-demand mobile TV streamed over existing 2.5G and 3G and networks as a subscription service aimed specifically at the users of Nokia Eseries devices.
ROK Entertainment Group, a leading mobile technology and applications development company and a specialist in the provision of mobile TV, has been appointed by Nokia to provide the service which is available via the Downloads! Service on selected Nokia Eseries devices.ROK TV is available in the UK now and will subsequently deploy into mainland Europe from August onwards…”
This news was picked from and continue at; http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2007/4910.htm
Rich Media for Nokia N-series Phones
“Europe France : Streamezzo announced a partnership with Nokia under which Streamezzo has developed MyNseries – a comprehensive platform that delivers the ultimate rich multimedia experience to users of Nokia’s N-series family of mobile devices.
Under the terms of the partnership, Streamezzo was responsible for leading the design, development, delivery management, hosting, and deployment of the MyNseries application….”
This news was picked from and continue at; http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/July2007/4901.htm
Positive Feedbacks from World’s First Trial of Personalized Mobile TV Advertising
“The world’s first trial of personalized mobile TV advertising has proven its effectiveness with a positive consumer response. The trial was conducted by Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK).
The results of the three-month trial, which have been processed by M:Metrics, show that the average click-through rate reached an amazing 13 percent, and the average viewing time of each mobile TV user more than doubled – to seven minutes per session – when users interacted with customized ads.
The trial also showed this behavior was sustainable in terms of the click-through rate and session times because usage was consistent throughout the trial. Almost half of the users were 30 to 44 years old, followed by those 18 to 29 years old. Participants identified entertainment and music as their most common interests when starting in the trial.
Advertisements in the trial were interactive, customized to ensure their relevance to individual users, and tailored to the user’s age, gender, location, and personal interests. Advertising content also spanned an array of formats, including videos, banners, ticker texts, and branded downloadable content…”
This news was picked from and continue at; http://www.sys-con.com/read/362314.htm
Mobilious 