Friday, August 31, 2007 12:19 PM
NEW YORK (AFP) - Specialized blogs are abuzz this week with rumors that Internet giant Google will soon launch the "Google Phone" or "GPhone," a cheap mobile phone equipped with Google's operating system.
High-tech product specialist Engadget said a Google announcement would come next week, adding that a Google operating system would be tailor-made for the new cell phone.
According to another blog, CrunchGear, "Google is currently assessing over twenty (of Taiwan's) HTC models" and plans to launch its cell phone between January amd March of 2008.
Photographs of Google's touch-screen handset are already on the Internet, and according to Rizzn.com, it will cost a mere 100 dollars.
CrunchGear said the HTC/Google phone would have Google Talk enabled, allowing users to make free Internet phone calls.
The blog said the Google phone will not only be able to surf the net but also will include "a special version of Google Maps, compatible with built-in GPS, and compatibility with Gmail," Google's email service.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Google has already shown its prototype to US companies AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, making it seem clear the Google Phone's launch will definitely take place in the United States.
Indian blog Rediff said the GPhone will be launched in two weeks simultaneously in the United States and Europe, adding that Google was talking with Indian telephone operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Essar, and that Bharat Sanchar Nigam could be one of the manufacturers.
Google has refused to make any comment on the rumors.
The company, at any rate, is interested in telecommunications. It recently announced it would participate in an "open" frequencies auction next January in the United States that could cost it billions of dollars.
The owner of open frequencies could create a mobile phone network across the country accessible to any cell phone, and not restricted to models chosen by US operators, as is now the case.
The Wall Street Journal quoted sources familiar with the dealings who said Google has invested several hundred million dollars in the project and that a phone will be launched in early 2008.
Google also intends to develop special applications for mobile phones, such as a search engine for ringtones, and offer free telephone subscriptions that would be financed through advertising.
The persistent rumors about a GPhone reflect gadget fans' enormous interest for the iPhone Apple launched in late June, which has since generated a lot of buzz on the internet.
The idea of a cheap, touch-screen, internet-adaptible GPhone promoted by a company that advocates "open" frequencies seems to be in direct competition with Apple's iPhone.
Greatly valued for its design, the iPhone has its high price (500-600 dollars) going against it, as well as its exclusive contract with AT&T.
Several hackers have recently boasted of having found the way to "unblock" the iPhone and make it work with other telephone operators, and some have promised to put their unblocking software up for sale on the internet soon.
Source: http://www.philstar.com
Friday, August 31, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Teen Who Cracked iPhone Trades it For Car and Job, As Potential Lawsuit Looms
When a 17-year-old cracked the iPhone so it would work on more than just AT&T's network, tech junkies talked about it as though he had cured cancer. Hotz has now traded his hacked iPhone for a new car and a job, but some now say a legal battle is looming.
Digital Journal — Starting college as a mini celebrity is not a bad thing. Especially if you are George Hotz, the teen who cracked Apple's iPhone along with four friends so it would work on other wireless networks.
When Apple launched the iPhone, they locked it to AT&T's network, forcing consumers to sign a deal with the telco if they wanted Apple's uber-cool mobile. When the phone was launched, tech insiders knew it would only be a matter of time until someone cracked it.
Little did Apple and AT&T know they would get pwned by a teenager. The New Jersey teen unlocked the device to work on T-Mobile's network and he posted instructions showing others how to do it on his blog. He also listed tools needed, including a soldering gun, fine pitch wire, a case opener and an unlock switch.
And that is when the media frenzy hit.
He already has his own Wikipedia entry, he is getting TV interviews with big networks, and he caught the attention of Terry Daidone, the founder of CertiCell, a company that sells cell phone parts and reconditioned used cell phone batteries.
Spotting Hotz's talent (as well as the wonderful marketing opportunity to ride on his coat tails through media coverage), Daidone contacted Hotz and offered him a trade: In exchange for his unlocked iPhone, he would give the teen three brand new iPhones and a new car.
"I traded it for a sweet Nissan 350Z and 3 8GB iPhones," Hotz said in one of his blog posts.
"I wish I had time right now to unlock iPhones for people, but even with this method it'll take me two hours per phone, and I'm leaving [for college] so soon," Hotz wrote in a postmortem on his blog. "I will continue to post to this blog, and I will continue to work with the iPhone, but not on a software unlock."
In addition to the car and three new iPhones, Hotz said he will be doing consulting work for CertiCell and another company called Puremobile.
"My project for now is a GPS for the iPhone that uses triangluation from the cell phone towers," he said in a blog post. "I believe the towers are public record and you can use an AT command to get signal strength."
Now, the only thing that remains to be seen is how the industry will react to Hotz's iPhone hack. Ecommercetimes.com is already suggesting that lawsuits could be looming.
While it's not yet clear if any laws have been broken, some say the iPhone is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
"It is not surprising that yet another techie has deciphered the codes, keyed the locks and otherwise unleashed the mysteries within the latest bottle," Raymond Van Dyke, a technology attorney in Washington, told MacNewsWorld. "It is inevitable, but that does not, however, make it right. The DMCA and other statutes against decryption could have been violated by these actions, which although seemingly innocent could have serious economic consequences."
The unclear issue still, is whether the DMCA covers cellphone hacking.
"The copyright office ruled that if you want to unlock a phone, you can do it without violating copyright," Jonathan Kramer, principal attorney at the Kramer Telecom Law Firm, told MacNewsWorld.
The legal blade that is being swung throughout the industry now, however, is the fact that unlocking a phone for personal use is different than posting instructions on how to do it on the Internet. Kramer says that could be the legal problem for Hotz.
"I think he is ripe to be sued, because there's a principle in law that if you don't protect your rights, you may effectively waive them," Kramer explained. "I think Apple and AT&T will want to make sure people don't play around with their software. The one thing that may help Hotz is that he is not a publicly appealing bad guy."
Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com
Digital Journal — Starting college as a mini celebrity is not a bad thing. Especially if you are George Hotz, the teen who cracked Apple's iPhone along with four friends so it would work on other wireless networks.
When Apple launched the iPhone, they locked it to AT&T's network, forcing consumers to sign a deal with the telco if they wanted Apple's uber-cool mobile. When the phone was launched, tech insiders knew it would only be a matter of time until someone cracked it.
Little did Apple and AT&T know they would get pwned by a teenager. The New Jersey teen unlocked the device to work on T-Mobile's network and he posted instructions showing others how to do it on his blog. He also listed tools needed, including a soldering gun, fine pitch wire, a case opener and an unlock switch.
And that is when the media frenzy hit.
He already has his own Wikipedia entry, he is getting TV interviews with big networks, and he caught the attention of Terry Daidone, the founder of CertiCell, a company that sells cell phone parts and reconditioned used cell phone batteries.
Spotting Hotz's talent (as well as the wonderful marketing opportunity to ride on his coat tails through media coverage), Daidone contacted Hotz and offered him a trade: In exchange for his unlocked iPhone, he would give the teen three brand new iPhones and a new car.
"I traded it for a sweet Nissan 350Z and 3 8GB iPhones," Hotz said in one of his blog posts.
"I wish I had time right now to unlock iPhones for people, but even with this method it'll take me two hours per phone, and I'm leaving [for college] so soon," Hotz wrote in a postmortem on his blog. "I will continue to post to this blog, and I will continue to work with the iPhone, but not on a software unlock."
In addition to the car and three new iPhones, Hotz said he will be doing consulting work for CertiCell and another company called Puremobile.
"My project for now is a GPS for the iPhone that uses triangluation from the cell phone towers," he said in a blog post. "I believe the towers are public record and you can use an AT command to get signal strength."
Now, the only thing that remains to be seen is how the industry will react to Hotz's iPhone hack. Ecommercetimes.com is already suggesting that lawsuits could be looming.
While it's not yet clear if any laws have been broken, some say the iPhone is protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
"It is not surprising that yet another techie has deciphered the codes, keyed the locks and otherwise unleashed the mysteries within the latest bottle," Raymond Van Dyke, a technology attorney in Washington, told MacNewsWorld. "It is inevitable, but that does not, however, make it right. The DMCA and other statutes against decryption could have been violated by these actions, which although seemingly innocent could have serious economic consequences."
The unclear issue still, is whether the DMCA covers cellphone hacking.
"The copyright office ruled that if you want to unlock a phone, you can do it without violating copyright," Jonathan Kramer, principal attorney at the Kramer Telecom Law Firm, told MacNewsWorld.
The legal blade that is being swung throughout the industry now, however, is the fact that unlocking a phone for personal use is different than posting instructions on how to do it on the Internet. Kramer says that could be the legal problem for Hotz.
"I think he is ripe to be sued, because there's a principle in law that if you don't protect your rights, you may effectively waive them," Kramer explained. "I think Apple and AT&T will want to make sure people don't play around with their software. The one thing that may help Hotz is that he is not a publicly appealing bad guy."
Source: http://www.digitaljournal.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Wherify Wireless, Siemens AG and Cellfind Team up to Provide Voice and GPS Location for South Africa Security Needs
SAN MATEO, CA -- 08/28/07 -- Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB: WFYW), a leading developer of patented wireless location solutions and services for family safety and communications, today announced it has shipped Wherifone GSM/GPS locator phones to its partner, Siemens Corporation, SA in South Africa for a commercial application.
Siemens SA is acting as a systems integrator in conjunction with Wherify's South African partner, Cellfind (Pty) Ltd., in support of an innovative personal and business service tracking application provided by South Africa's largest wireless telecommunications service provider, Vodacom Group. Vodacom Group currently provides wireless communications services for more than 30 million customers in Southern Africa.
Commenting on the initial shipments, Vince Sheeran, CEO of Wherify Wireless, commented, "We are excited to announce we have begun initial shipments into South Africa to support an important GPS-based safety and security service application. We believe the Wherifone is the perfect type of device on which to base such safety and security applications. Later this year, we expect to participate in additional service offerings in South Africa via our partner, Cellfind (Pty) Ltd, and to make the Wherifone available in Vodacom's many retail outlets by the end of 2007."
"We are committed to bringing our customers the latest technologies and services. Our new Wherify-enabled services aim to offer enhanced peace of mind, cost savings, and increased quality of life for our customers," said Christian Steyn, a managing director, at Siemens SA.
"Wherify's technology and the Wherifone provide us with a real time GPS location capability and allow us to expand our successful offerings through Vodacom. This important offering will allow specialized professionals to take appropriate action in case of a security alert," said Alan Knott Craig, CEO and Founder, of Cellfind.
The Wherifone is an innovative GSM-based GPS locator phone that determines the location of loved ones or employees via built-in GPS technology. With a simple click of a mouse button the location of a Wherifone user can be found in about one minute via an easy-to-use Internet application with the location displayed on a street map or street-level accurate aerial map. The location of a Wherifone user can also determined through the use of almost any cell phone by simply texting Wherify's Internet-based location application. The Wherifone also makes use of a dedicated "SOS" button that allows the user to instantly request an emergency response or to be connected to emergency services via the pushing of a single button. Additional information about the Wherifone can be seen at www.wherify.com
About Siemens
Siemens AG is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $91.5 billion in fiscal 2004. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 430,000 people in 192 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com
About Cellfind
Cellfind (Pty) Ltd. was formed in September 2003 and successfully launched the first GSM passive location-based service in Africa in the southern hemisphere during February 2004. Since launch, the company has enjoyed considerable commercial success through a variety of self manage products and partners for whom it provides mobile enablement. Cellfind is the market leader in location-based services in South Africa, offering a wide range of active and passive products such as Look4Me, Look4Help and ifind 34600. In addition to its core business, Cellfind is a founding member of WASP for Vodacom, MTN and Cell C.
About Wherify Wireless, Inc.
Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB: WFYW) is a pioneering developer of personal location products and services, as recognized by the Smithsonian Institution Museum's adoption of Wherify Wireless' groundbreaking first product, the Child Locator, into permanent display as the world's first commercial personal GPS tracking device. With three U.S. patents granted in the areas of personal location and position tracking and four more patents pending in the area of GPS locator phones, Wherify Wireless continues to be a leader in location technology development by integrating Aided-GPS location into a GSM cellular platform that has been demonstrated on over 100 GSM networks world-wide. Wherify Wireless' expertise in GPS technology for wireless devices and its patented back-end location service engine enable customers to obtain real-time location information on individuals and property directly through the Internet or any phone. Wherify Wireless was founded in 1998, and is located in San Mateo, California.
Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions) should be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including general conditions in the relevant industries and markets, the impact of competitive products, intellectual property issues and the other factors described in Wherify Wireless' periodic filings with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.
Wherify, Wherify Wireless and FACES are registered trademarks of Wherify Wireless, Inc. Wherifone is a trademark of Wherify Wireless, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
Siemens SA is acting as a systems integrator in conjunction with Wherify's South African partner, Cellfind (Pty) Ltd., in support of an innovative personal and business service tracking application provided by South Africa's largest wireless telecommunications service provider, Vodacom Group. Vodacom Group currently provides wireless communications services for more than 30 million customers in Southern Africa.
Commenting on the initial shipments, Vince Sheeran, CEO of Wherify Wireless, commented, "We are excited to announce we have begun initial shipments into South Africa to support an important GPS-based safety and security service application. We believe the Wherifone is the perfect type of device on which to base such safety and security applications. Later this year, we expect to participate in additional service offerings in South Africa via our partner, Cellfind (Pty) Ltd, and to make the Wherifone available in Vodacom's many retail outlets by the end of 2007."
"We are committed to bringing our customers the latest technologies and services. Our new Wherify-enabled services aim to offer enhanced peace of mind, cost savings, and increased quality of life for our customers," said Christian Steyn, a managing director, at Siemens SA.
"Wherify's technology and the Wherifone provide us with a real time GPS location capability and allow us to expand our successful offerings through Vodacom. This important offering will allow specialized professionals to take appropriate action in case of a security alert," said Alan Knott Craig, CEO and Founder, of Cellfind.
The Wherifone is an innovative GSM-based GPS locator phone that determines the location of loved ones or employees via built-in GPS technology. With a simple click of a mouse button the location of a Wherifone user can be found in about one minute via an easy-to-use Internet application with the location displayed on a street map or street-level accurate aerial map. The location of a Wherifone user can also determined through the use of almost any cell phone by simply texting Wherify's Internet-based location application. The Wherifone also makes use of a dedicated "SOS" button that allows the user to instantly request an emergency response or to be connected to emergency services via the pushing of a single button. Additional information about the Wherifone can be seen at www.wherify.com
About Siemens
Siemens AG is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $91.5 billion in fiscal 2004. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 430,000 people in 192 countries. For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com
About Cellfind
Cellfind (Pty) Ltd. was formed in September 2003 and successfully launched the first GSM passive location-based service in Africa in the southern hemisphere during February 2004. Since launch, the company has enjoyed considerable commercial success through a variety of self manage products and partners for whom it provides mobile enablement. Cellfind is the market leader in location-based services in South Africa, offering a wide range of active and passive products such as Look4Me, Look4Help and ifind 34600. In addition to its core business, Cellfind is a founding member of WASP for Vodacom, MTN and Cell C.
About Wherify Wireless, Inc.
Wherify Wireless, Inc. (OTCBB: WFYW) is a pioneering developer of personal location products and services, as recognized by the Smithsonian Institution Museum's adoption of Wherify Wireless' groundbreaking first product, the Child Locator, into permanent display as the world's first commercial personal GPS tracking device. With three U.S. patents granted in the areas of personal location and position tracking and four more patents pending in the area of GPS locator phones, Wherify Wireless continues to be a leader in location technology development by integrating Aided-GPS location into a GSM cellular platform that has been demonstrated on over 100 GSM networks world-wide. Wherify Wireless' expertise in GPS technology for wireless devices and its patented back-end location service engine enable customers to obtain real-time location information on individuals and property directly through the Internet or any phone. Wherify Wireless was founded in 1998, and is located in San Mateo, California.
Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Any statements that are not statements of historical fact (including statements containing the words "believes," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "estimates" and similar expressions) should be considered to be forward-looking statements. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements, including general conditions in the relevant industries and markets, the impact of competitive products, intellectual property issues and the other factors described in Wherify Wireless' periodic filings with the SEC. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this press release.
Wherify, Wherify Wireless and FACES are registered trademarks of Wherify Wireless, Inc. Wherifone is a trademark of Wherify Wireless, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Source: http://www.earthtimes.org
Sending the Kid to College? Cell Phone Bills Nothing to Fear
August 28th, 2007 @ 6:19am
by Diane Brennan/KTAR
You are a parent. Your kid is soon off to college. You shiver at the thought of those cell phone bills. Well, you don't have to if you do a little research.
What kind of cell phone should your college bound student have? "Think about what they need, not what they want. But what they need."
Yahoo! tech adviser Robin Raskin tells ABC News the first thing to think about is whether their phone will work on campus. "What carrier do you use, what's the best coverage."
You should also take advantage of wireless signals many colleges have. "They can talk to you on campus through the wireless networks that are already there and free."
Or you can chat with voice over IP -- basically talking over the internet. "They can contact the kids via text messaging, via voice mail, via the internet."
Cell phones can also help to keep your kids safe on campus. "Many schools have put in cell phone alert campus wide systems now."
Most of all, keep an eye on the minutes they're burning through.
Source: http://ktar.com
by Diane Brennan/KTAR
You are a parent. Your kid is soon off to college. You shiver at the thought of those cell phone bills. Well, you don't have to if you do a little research.
What kind of cell phone should your college bound student have? "Think about what they need, not what they want. But what they need."
Yahoo! tech adviser Robin Raskin tells ABC News the first thing to think about is whether their phone will work on campus. "What carrier do you use, what's the best coverage."
You should also take advantage of wireless signals many colleges have. "They can talk to you on campus through the wireless networks that are already there and free."
Or you can chat with voice over IP -- basically talking over the internet. "They can contact the kids via text messaging, via voice mail, via the internet."
Cell phones can also help to keep your kids safe on campus. "Many schools have put in cell phone alert campus wide systems now."
Most of all, keep an eye on the minutes they're burning through.
Source: http://ktar.com
Friday, August 24, 2007
Nokia Remains Top Cell Phone Vendor
By Karen D. Schwartz
August 23, 2007
Nokia retains the top spot in the latest Gartner mobile phone market survey.
A new report from Gartner confirms Nokia's position as the top mobile phone vendor, although Motorola continues to make a strong second-place showing.
For the second quarter in a row, Nokia has sold more than 100 million units into the channel worldwide, and accounted for nearly 37 percent of worldwide sales during the second quarter of 2007.
Nokia's strong showing is evidence that it is doing a lot right, including a heavy push into emerging markets as well as maintaining a strong showing in mature markets. Nokia's dominance is likely to continue through the rest of the year, the report notes.
"Nokia has done a good job of remaining fresh. It has the broadest product line of any cell phone manufacturer, with hundreds of models, and there is literally something in the product line for everyone. I think they will stay number one for the foreseeable future," said Craig Mathias, principal of Farpoint Group, an Ashland, Mass., mobile consultancy.
What's more, Nokia's focus on building its brand in emerging markets, combined with strong distribution networks and an ability to produce low-cost devices, has created a force to be reckoned with, said Hugues De La Vergne, lead mobile phone analyst for North America at Gartner.
Motorola maintained its second position with a 14.6 percent despite the fact that its product portfolio is somewhat dated, the report said. But by aggressively pricing its phones, the company was able to rid itself of outdated inventory. However, if the company is to maintain its second-place market share, it would do well to radically update the portfolio, the Gartner report noted.
It's unlikely, though, that Motorola will maintain its number two standing, De La Vergne said, mainly because the Razr, its premier phone, has outlived its usefulness.
"They weren't able to follow up the Razr with another iconic product and have become too reliant on that form factor," he said. "It takes more than 12 months to get a new product to market, so these changes they are implementing won't be felt overnight."
"They got a really good run out of the Razr, but there is only so far you can go with it," Matthias said. "To keep going in the right direction, they have to do the style and market research to find out what consumers really want, and then get cost out of the product as it goes into mass manufacturing."
Samsung, in third place with a 13.4 percent market share, continued strong sales and is gaining rapidly on Motorola. That's due in large part to its Ultra II family of products, which focus on cutting-edge features like music and video, but to move ahead, the company should create more design differentiation.
Sony Ericsson, with a 9 percent market share, sold 24.3 million units, with several products aimed at the high-end and midrange market. To grow moving forward, Gartner recommends that the company do whatever it takes to ensure that sales of mid- and higher tier phones stay strong.LG was the fifth-place finisher, with a 6.8 percent market share. The company has been very aggressive with new models of its Chocolate phone, as well as other phones in other areas of the world, but it will fight an uphill battle to increase market share against its competitors, the report said.
As for future standings, Matthias believes the next frontier—the ability to support a higher end web experience, thanks to the influence of the iPhone and user demand—will be the deciding factor.
"A lot of it will depend on how well they can map the desktop onto devices, and that means figuring out how much functionality should actually go on the phone," he said.
Source: http://www.eweek.com
August 23, 2007
Nokia retains the top spot in the latest Gartner mobile phone market survey.
A new report from Gartner confirms Nokia's position as the top mobile phone vendor, although Motorola continues to make a strong second-place showing.
For the second quarter in a row, Nokia has sold more than 100 million units into the channel worldwide, and accounted for nearly 37 percent of worldwide sales during the second quarter of 2007.
Nokia's strong showing is evidence that it is doing a lot right, including a heavy push into emerging markets as well as maintaining a strong showing in mature markets. Nokia's dominance is likely to continue through the rest of the year, the report notes.
"Nokia has done a good job of remaining fresh. It has the broadest product line of any cell phone manufacturer, with hundreds of models, and there is literally something in the product line for everyone. I think they will stay number one for the foreseeable future," said Craig Mathias, principal of Farpoint Group, an Ashland, Mass., mobile consultancy.
What's more, Nokia's focus on building its brand in emerging markets, combined with strong distribution networks and an ability to produce low-cost devices, has created a force to be reckoned with, said Hugues De La Vergne, lead mobile phone analyst for North America at Gartner.
Motorola maintained its second position with a 14.6 percent despite the fact that its product portfolio is somewhat dated, the report said. But by aggressively pricing its phones, the company was able to rid itself of outdated inventory. However, if the company is to maintain its second-place market share, it would do well to radically update the portfolio, the Gartner report noted.
It's unlikely, though, that Motorola will maintain its number two standing, De La Vergne said, mainly because the Razr, its premier phone, has outlived its usefulness.
"They weren't able to follow up the Razr with another iconic product and have become too reliant on that form factor," he said. "It takes more than 12 months to get a new product to market, so these changes they are implementing won't be felt overnight."
"They got a really good run out of the Razr, but there is only so far you can go with it," Matthias said. "To keep going in the right direction, they have to do the style and market research to find out what consumers really want, and then get cost out of the product as it goes into mass manufacturing."
Samsung, in third place with a 13.4 percent market share, continued strong sales and is gaining rapidly on Motorola. That's due in large part to its Ultra II family of products, which focus on cutting-edge features like music and video, but to move ahead, the company should create more design differentiation.
Sony Ericsson, with a 9 percent market share, sold 24.3 million units, with several products aimed at the high-end and midrange market. To grow moving forward, Gartner recommends that the company do whatever it takes to ensure that sales of mid- and higher tier phones stay strong.LG was the fifth-place finisher, with a 6.8 percent market share. The company has been very aggressive with new models of its Chocolate phone, as well as other phones in other areas of the world, but it will fight an uphill battle to increase market share against its competitors, the report said.
As for future standings, Matthias believes the next frontier—the ability to support a higher end web experience, thanks to the influence of the iPhone and user demand—will be the deciding factor.
"A lot of it will depend on how well they can map the desktop onto devices, and that means figuring out how much functionality should actually go on the phone," he said.
Source: http://www.eweek.com
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Windows Live suite debuts on cell phones
Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 4:23 pm
Categories: Windows Live, Corporate strategy, Windows Mobile, Web 2.0
Tags: Phone, Nokia Corp., Microsoft Windows Live, Cell Phone, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Mary Jo Foley
Microsoft has been promising for a couple of months now that it’s going to bundle a bunch of its core Windows Live offerings into a suite. Yet Microsoft still hasn’t made that kind of an announcement.
But if you dig into Microsoft’s newly minted Live Services deal with “the world’s largest mobile device manufacturer” Nokia, which the pair unveiled on August 22, it’s basically a deal to preload the Live suite on Nokia phones.
From Microsoft’s press release:
“Starting today, Nokia customers in 11 countries with compatible (Nokia) S60 devices can download the new suite enabling access to Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts and Windows Live Spaces. Starting next year, customers who purchase compatible Nokia Series 40 handsets will also have access to these popular Windows Live services.”
Starting immediately, S60 phone users can download the Live suite; early next year, the S40 users will get it preinstalled on new phones. Users in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, U.K., Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are in the first round of those supported. More countries will come online over time, according to Microsoft.
The fine print: “Initially the service will be available as a free trial, and then customers in select markets wanting to continue using the service may be asked to pay a monthly fee.”
Those “sneaky geniuses” over at the independent LiveSide.Net blog think this is a pretty big deal, too.
“This new Windows Live suite for Nokia mobile devices is an important development for Microsoft,” said Chris Overd, one of the principals with LiveSide.Net, “as it brings the core Windows Live services to the largest handset manufacturer in the world. This has the potential to significantly increase user engagement across the platform, transforming Windows Live away from the PC into a true set of Internet services available from multiple devices.”
“The PC, Internet and mobile phones are going to merge over time, even in Western markets,” said Phil Holden, director of Microsoft’s Online Services Group Mobile Services. That’s why “we are teaming with the Number 1 device maker.”
Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com
Categories: Windows Live, Corporate strategy, Windows Mobile, Web 2.0
Tags: Phone, Nokia Corp., Microsoft Windows Live, Cell Phone, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Mary Jo Foley
Microsoft has been promising for a couple of months now that it’s going to bundle a bunch of its core Windows Live offerings into a suite. Yet Microsoft still hasn’t made that kind of an announcement.
But if you dig into Microsoft’s newly minted Live Services deal with “the world’s largest mobile device manufacturer” Nokia, which the pair unveiled on August 22, it’s basically a deal to preload the Live suite on Nokia phones.
From Microsoft’s press release:
“Starting today, Nokia customers in 11 countries with compatible (Nokia) S60 devices can download the new suite enabling access to Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts and Windows Live Spaces. Starting next year, customers who purchase compatible Nokia Series 40 handsets will also have access to these popular Windows Live services.”
Starting immediately, S60 phone users can download the Live suite; early next year, the S40 users will get it preinstalled on new phones. Users in Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, U.K., Sweden, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are in the first round of those supported. More countries will come online over time, according to Microsoft.
The fine print: “Initially the service will be available as a free trial, and then customers in select markets wanting to continue using the service may be asked to pay a monthly fee.”
Those “sneaky geniuses” over at the independent LiveSide.Net blog think this is a pretty big deal, too.
“This new Windows Live suite for Nokia mobile devices is an important development for Microsoft,” said Chris Overd, one of the principals with LiveSide.Net, “as it brings the core Windows Live services to the largest handset manufacturer in the world. This has the potential to significantly increase user engagement across the platform, transforming Windows Live away from the PC into a true set of Internet services available from multiple devices.”
“The PC, Internet and mobile phones are going to merge over time, even in Western markets,” said Phil Holden, director of Microsoft’s Online Services Group Mobile Services. That’s why “we are teaming with the Number 1 device maker.”
Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com
Vlingo: Voice Recognition for Cell Phones
Vlingo CEO Dave Grannan told me the thing that's holding back the growth of mobile applications is the hassle of using that little keypad on your device. Agreed. Grannan's company announced its answer to that problem yesterday, a new mobile voice recognition software that enables mobile devices to understand your verbal commands.
So here's how it works. Vlingo isn't just a piece of software that lives inside cell phone, its brain is located at a bank of servers in Massachusetts. When a mobile user speaks a request into the phone, the sound is sent to Vlingo's servers where it is recognized and turned into text, then sent back to the mobile device.
I tried using Vlingo to search for music at Sprint's Music Store, then did some voice-triggered local search using Vlingo Find. For both services, when the search box comes up, you hold down the Talk button on your phone then begin speaking your search terms.
When you let up on the Talk button, Vlingo displays what it heard you say. If the servers get it wrong--if you say Sanjaya and Vlingo hears Sangria, for instance--the user then corrects the erroneous letters or words using the keys on the phone.
Grannan says Vlingo then notes its error, and learns to make the correct association between the sound "Sanjaya" and the word "Sanjaya" in the future. If some other user says "Sanjaya" to Vlingo, it will get it right. So, in theory, the more mobile users talk to Vlingo, the better it gets at understanding.
At Sprint's Music Store, Vlingo easily recognized and found results for "My Chemical Romance," "The Rolling Stones," and "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds," but when I said "David Hasselhoff" it heard "David Hassle of," then "David Hassle Hoff." I keyed in the correction twice, then said "David Hasselhoff" once again, but the system still hadn't "learned" the name. I wouldn't want to know David Hasselhoff's name either.
Vlingo Find is supposed to return local search results based on your verbal commands. To test this, I went outside where a good amount of street noise was present. Vlingo had no trouble understanding and returning relevant search results for commands like "McDonalds restaraunts in San Francisco". Once you pick out the search result you want, you can tell Vlongo to plot it on a local map for you.
Things went a little rougher when my search terms were less specific, however. When I spoke "San Francisco, First and Market, record stores" into the phone, Vlingo understood my command almost perfectly (only one letter was wrong), but the search results came up empty. Same thing happened when I told it "San Francisco, 501 Second Street, pizza." That, however, might be a problem with the local directory listings Vlingo Find uses, not the voice recognition system.
All in all, I was impressed with Vlingo's ability to recognize my words. When it got a couple of letters wrong, it wasn't too painful keying in the corrections. I'm still not convinced, however, that Vlingo wouldn't repeat those same errors.
Vlingo intends to sell its voice recognition service to wireless web applications developers and to wireless service providers. So far, Grannan says, his company has an agreement only with Sprint, but a deal with AT&T is in the works.
Source: http://blogs.pcworld.com
So here's how it works. Vlingo isn't just a piece of software that lives inside cell phone, its brain is located at a bank of servers in Massachusetts. When a mobile user speaks a request into the phone, the sound is sent to Vlingo's servers where it is recognized and turned into text, then sent back to the mobile device.
I tried using Vlingo to search for music at Sprint's Music Store, then did some voice-triggered local search using Vlingo Find. For both services, when the search box comes up, you hold down the Talk button on your phone then begin speaking your search terms.
When you let up on the Talk button, Vlingo displays what it heard you say. If the servers get it wrong--if you say Sanjaya and Vlingo hears Sangria, for instance--the user then corrects the erroneous letters or words using the keys on the phone.
Grannan says Vlingo then notes its error, and learns to make the correct association between the sound "Sanjaya" and the word "Sanjaya" in the future. If some other user says "Sanjaya" to Vlingo, it will get it right. So, in theory, the more mobile users talk to Vlingo, the better it gets at understanding.
At Sprint's Music Store, Vlingo easily recognized and found results for "My Chemical Romance," "The Rolling Stones," and "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds," but when I said "David Hasselhoff" it heard "David Hassle of," then "David Hassle Hoff." I keyed in the correction twice, then said "David Hasselhoff" once again, but the system still hadn't "learned" the name. I wouldn't want to know David Hasselhoff's name either.
Vlingo Find is supposed to return local search results based on your verbal commands. To test this, I went outside where a good amount of street noise was present. Vlingo had no trouble understanding and returning relevant search results for commands like "McDonalds restaraunts in San Francisco". Once you pick out the search result you want, you can tell Vlongo to plot it on a local map for you.
Things went a little rougher when my search terms were less specific, however. When I spoke "San Francisco, First and Market, record stores" into the phone, Vlingo understood my command almost perfectly (only one letter was wrong), but the search results came up empty. Same thing happened when I told it "San Francisco, 501 Second Street, pizza." That, however, might be a problem with the local directory listings Vlingo Find uses, not the voice recognition system.
All in all, I was impressed with Vlingo's ability to recognize my words. When it got a couple of letters wrong, it wasn't too painful keying in the corrections. I'm still not convinced, however, that Vlingo wouldn't repeat those same errors.
Vlingo intends to sell its voice recognition service to wireless web applications developers and to wireless service providers. So far, Grannan says, his company has an agreement only with Sprint, but a deal with AT&T is in the works.
Source: http://blogs.pcworld.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
After Terrorism and Shootings, Colleges Find High-Tech Ways to Contact Students in Crisis.
Beefing up Security: Universities Invest in Global Positioning System Cell Phones to Mass Text
By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
Aug. 20, 2007
When Ron Chicken returns to Montclair State University in New Jersey as a junior this fall, he'll bring along his private security guard.
That's his Rave cell phone — a fantastical device he was required to buy from the university that not only gives him train schedules, class assignments, movie times and news, but a direct link to the campus police.
"It's almost like a BlackBerry," said the 20-year-old classics and religious studies major. "It has dandy features like giving me the live shuttle bus schedule on a cold rainy night, and it's a tracking system that provides for my safety," Chicken said.
The device's "safe walk" feature lets students set a timer when they want police to watch over them as they cross a dark campus. Police are notified when students arrive at their destination and — and if they don't, a police officer is dispatched immediately.
The device has other features so that Montclair administrators can contact students in case of an emergency.
The Mobile Guardian software used on the phones is made by Rave Wireless Inc. and is one of many security technologies colleges are using in after the campus tragedy at Virginia Tech.
In the five months since Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members on campus before fatally shooting himself, colleges around the country have implemented multilayered security plans, buying up an array of technology that will enable them to communicate quickly with students and faculty in a crisis.
'Virginia Tech Woke Us All Up'
From Rutgers University to Ohio State, colleges are evaluating everything from physical security to mass e-mail capabilities, text messaging and even old-fashioned sirens and loudspeakers.
"Virginia Tech was such an awful tragedy that everyone is now taking security seriously," said Catherine Bath, executive director of Security on Campus, a nonprofit organization founded 20 years ago in honor of murdered Lehigh University student Jeanne Clery.
"No one has brushed it off," said Bath.
Security on Campus was responsible for congressional passage of the Clery Act, which requires detailed and timely crime reports from campus law enforcement agencies. The organization closely monitors security issues on campuses and often files complaints against those schools that don't comply with the statute.
This year, Montclair State won the Security on Campus Clery Award for the implementation of its new cell phone technology.
"It's the most sophisticated communication in place," said Bath. "Rave changes the face of campus safety."
The Rave-enabled device could have been a lifesaver at Virginia Tech. It has a panic button that can alert police in a hostage situation or whenever a student feels threatened — even in cases of unwelcome advances at drunken fraternity parties.
The system is now used at 70 other colleges, including the University of North Carolina and Cal State University.
Officials at the University of South Florida have said they are trying to get students to subscribe to another Rave emergency service called MoBull Plus.
At Montclair State, a campus of 29,000 students located just 13 miles from New York City, the college felt the emotional reverberations of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
After researching the latest in cutting-edge communications, the college implemented a five-year plan to require all students to buy these customized cell phones. They were so popular that 1,000 upperclassmen also purchased the devices.
The Rave phones work in tandem with the college's 34 armed police officers, who regard them as a student's "smart escort," according to campus police Chief Paul Cell.
Students who are walking to the library or back to the dorm late at night can set a timer that triggers a passive alarm on a 52-inch plasma screen at campus police headquarters.
If the student does not disable the alarm on arrival, the system goes into active alarm. Within three seconds the number of the cell, the cell phone user, the phone's location and all of the student's personal information — like photos and medical records — appear.
Police then make a call to the student and send an officer to the scene. The phone also has a "panic button."
"In one case last year, a girl forgot to deactivate the system and police were sent out," said Cell. "But she was happy we responded."
The cell phones also work off campus during breaks and summer vacations. If a student is in an emergency situation anywhere in the country with an active Global Positioning System, the student can push the panic button and Montclair State can respond by calling police on location.
"It's amazing technology," said Cell. "And the parents love it."
School administrators can also send mass text messages to students on the phones in any crisis. So far, the system has been used only for a weather closing and a campus power failure.
Other security outfits like Omvox Telecom Corp., Mobile Campus, Ed-Alert and MessageOne have issued news releases detailing how their products can ward off or minimize the damage of another Virginia Tech.
Campus emergency text-messaging service Ed-Alert said inquiries regarding its system have risen 90 percent since the shootings.
The security firm NICE Systems, which has video cameras monitoring 85 percent of public places in New York City, is pushing its NICEVision system, a video surveillance setup that goes beyond merely recording events and instead analyzes action by dissecting the speed, direction and duration of frame-by-frame activity and can set off alarms accordingly. The system already is in more than 100 schools.
NAPCO Security Systems offers a panic-button device similar to Rave's that are on key chains or pendants. The NAPCO system, which uses radio waves to find student locations, is in use at dozens of schools including Brigham Young and New York City's Columbia University.
Boston University, Southern Methodist University and New York University have bought communication services from New York City-based Send Word Now, which has expanded its marketing to educational institutions.
Sales are now "through the roof," according to company spokesman Lisa Alloca. The company has traditionally provided time-sensitive messaging to government agencies and global corporations.
"Schools need to be able to get the word out and send it, get responses back and have real time results," said company CEO Tom Shoemaker.
"Sales have been brisk," doubling in the last three years, Shoemaker said. "When something like this happens, there is a general awareness and it piques people's interest."
Boston University is ready to launch its system, which will be able to blast out vital messages to all 50,000 members of the community via voice mail, e-mail or text. Students, faculty or staff can have up to five text or five voice numbers in the database.
"It gives us a sense of confidence to do the best we can to protect our students," said Peter Fiedler, vice president of administrative services. "Virginia Tech woke us all up to potential crises and the need to alert students as part of our responsibility for taking care of them."
Send Word Now also allows the university to quickly conference call with key administrators or public safety officers and to give students instructions on how to proceed.
"When you have a real emergency, some messages have proven to go out better than others," Shoemaker said. "In 9/11 the land lines and cell towers were blocked."
Students can also respond to the message to indicate they got the message and are "OK" or are "hurt and need assistance," he said. The software also provides audit trails so universities can measure the success of their communications.
"Virginia Tech really highlighted how we need to be prepared," said Bath of Security on Campus.
"It's not a stretch of imagination to have another terrorist threat in this country," she said. "I tell college campuses that they should have systems in place even if you never have to use it for anything more than a tornado warning."
Source: http://abcnews.go.com
By SUSAN DONALDSON JAMES
Aug. 20, 2007
When Ron Chicken returns to Montclair State University in New Jersey as a junior this fall, he'll bring along his private security guard.
That's his Rave cell phone — a fantastical device he was required to buy from the university that not only gives him train schedules, class assignments, movie times and news, but a direct link to the campus police.
"It's almost like a BlackBerry," said the 20-year-old classics and religious studies major. "It has dandy features like giving me the live shuttle bus schedule on a cold rainy night, and it's a tracking system that provides for my safety," Chicken said.
The device's "safe walk" feature lets students set a timer when they want police to watch over them as they cross a dark campus. Police are notified when students arrive at their destination and — and if they don't, a police officer is dispatched immediately.
The device has other features so that Montclair administrators can contact students in case of an emergency.
The Mobile Guardian software used on the phones is made by Rave Wireless Inc. and is one of many security technologies colleges are using in after the campus tragedy at Virginia Tech.
In the five months since Virginia Tech student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 students and faculty members on campus before fatally shooting himself, colleges around the country have implemented multilayered security plans, buying up an array of technology that will enable them to communicate quickly with students and faculty in a crisis.
'Virginia Tech Woke Us All Up'
From Rutgers University to Ohio State, colleges are evaluating everything from physical security to mass e-mail capabilities, text messaging and even old-fashioned sirens and loudspeakers.
"Virginia Tech was such an awful tragedy that everyone is now taking security seriously," said Catherine Bath, executive director of Security on Campus, a nonprofit organization founded 20 years ago in honor of murdered Lehigh University student Jeanne Clery.
"No one has brushed it off," said Bath.
Security on Campus was responsible for congressional passage of the Clery Act, which requires detailed and timely crime reports from campus law enforcement agencies. The organization closely monitors security issues on campuses and often files complaints against those schools that don't comply with the statute.
This year, Montclair State won the Security on Campus Clery Award for the implementation of its new cell phone technology.
"It's the most sophisticated communication in place," said Bath. "Rave changes the face of campus safety."
The Rave-enabled device could have been a lifesaver at Virginia Tech. It has a panic button that can alert police in a hostage situation or whenever a student feels threatened — even in cases of unwelcome advances at drunken fraternity parties.
The system is now used at 70 other colleges, including the University of North Carolina and Cal State University.
Officials at the University of South Florida have said they are trying to get students to subscribe to another Rave emergency service called MoBull Plus.
At Montclair State, a campus of 29,000 students located just 13 miles from New York City, the college felt the emotional reverberations of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
After researching the latest in cutting-edge communications, the college implemented a five-year plan to require all students to buy these customized cell phones. They were so popular that 1,000 upperclassmen also purchased the devices.
The Rave phones work in tandem with the college's 34 armed police officers, who regard them as a student's "smart escort," according to campus police Chief Paul Cell.
Students who are walking to the library or back to the dorm late at night can set a timer that triggers a passive alarm on a 52-inch plasma screen at campus police headquarters.
If the student does not disable the alarm on arrival, the system goes into active alarm. Within three seconds the number of the cell, the cell phone user, the phone's location and all of the student's personal information — like photos and medical records — appear.
Police then make a call to the student and send an officer to the scene. The phone also has a "panic button."
"In one case last year, a girl forgot to deactivate the system and police were sent out," said Cell. "But she was happy we responded."
The cell phones also work off campus during breaks and summer vacations. If a student is in an emergency situation anywhere in the country with an active Global Positioning System, the student can push the panic button and Montclair State can respond by calling police on location.
"It's amazing technology," said Cell. "And the parents love it."
School administrators can also send mass text messages to students on the phones in any crisis. So far, the system has been used only for a weather closing and a campus power failure.
Other security outfits like Omvox Telecom Corp., Mobile Campus, Ed-Alert and MessageOne have issued news releases detailing how their products can ward off or minimize the damage of another Virginia Tech.
Campus emergency text-messaging service Ed-Alert said inquiries regarding its system have risen 90 percent since the shootings.
The security firm NICE Systems, which has video cameras monitoring 85 percent of public places in New York City, is pushing its NICEVision system, a video surveillance setup that goes beyond merely recording events and instead analyzes action by dissecting the speed, direction and duration of frame-by-frame activity and can set off alarms accordingly. The system already is in more than 100 schools.
NAPCO Security Systems offers a panic-button device similar to Rave's that are on key chains or pendants. The NAPCO system, which uses radio waves to find student locations, is in use at dozens of schools including Brigham Young and New York City's Columbia University.
Boston University, Southern Methodist University and New York University have bought communication services from New York City-based Send Word Now, which has expanded its marketing to educational institutions.
Sales are now "through the roof," according to company spokesman Lisa Alloca. The company has traditionally provided time-sensitive messaging to government agencies and global corporations.
"Schools need to be able to get the word out and send it, get responses back and have real time results," said company CEO Tom Shoemaker.
"Sales have been brisk," doubling in the last three years, Shoemaker said. "When something like this happens, there is a general awareness and it piques people's interest."
Boston University is ready to launch its system, which will be able to blast out vital messages to all 50,000 members of the community via voice mail, e-mail or text. Students, faculty or staff can have up to five text or five voice numbers in the database.
"It gives us a sense of confidence to do the best we can to protect our students," said Peter Fiedler, vice president of administrative services. "Virginia Tech woke us all up to potential crises and the need to alert students as part of our responsibility for taking care of them."
Send Word Now also allows the university to quickly conference call with key administrators or public safety officers and to give students instructions on how to proceed.
"When you have a real emergency, some messages have proven to go out better than others," Shoemaker said. "In 9/11 the land lines and cell towers were blocked."
Students can also respond to the message to indicate they got the message and are "OK" or are "hurt and need assistance," he said. The software also provides audit trails so universities can measure the success of their communications.
"Virginia Tech really highlighted how we need to be prepared," said Bath of Security on Campus.
"It's not a stretch of imagination to have another terrorist threat in this country," she said. "I tell college campuses that they should have systems in place even if you never have to use it for anything more than a tornado warning."
Source: http://abcnews.go.com
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Cell Phone Taxes Explained
By Kimberly Lankford
August 20, 2007
Although I live in Rhode Island, this month the taxes, surcharges and fees on my Sprint wireless bill increased due to myriad new charges from Vancouver, Wash.; Clark County, where Vancouver is located; and Washington State. Sprint's customer-service representative explained that I would have to pay the taxes because my coverage area had changed. Another rep said that I could be charged state taxes just by staying in a state for a week (although I haven't been to the West Coast in more than a year). Is this a common billing practice among wireless companies?
No way. It's not even a common practice at Sprint, which admits that the taxes on your bill were a mistake and that you were misinformed by its representatives.
Cell-phone taxes, surcharges and fees, which often add up to more than 15% of your monthly bill, are based on the area you tell the service provider will be your primary place of use. That means you can be taxed by your home state, county, city or local district, but your taxes shouldn't be affected by changes in your service area or by travel. Nor should you be taxed by another jurisdiction just because you've made calls within its borders.
We asked Sprint to investigate, and the company discovered that until you retired in July 2006, your phone service was Source: http://www.kiplinger.combilled as a business account. When you asked to switch to a personal account but keep your phone number, Sprint's service rep should have asked for your primary place of use, which is Greenville, R.I. And you should have been charged federal, state and local taxes only for that area. Instead, you were erroneously charged taxes based on the move by your former employer's accounting office to Washington State.
P.S. To atone for its mistake, Sprint is giving you free phone service for a month.
August 20, 2007
Although I live in Rhode Island, this month the taxes, surcharges and fees on my Sprint wireless bill increased due to myriad new charges from Vancouver, Wash.; Clark County, where Vancouver is located; and Washington State. Sprint's customer-service representative explained that I would have to pay the taxes because my coverage area had changed. Another rep said that I could be charged state taxes just by staying in a state for a week (although I haven't been to the West Coast in more than a year). Is this a common billing practice among wireless companies?
No way. It's not even a common practice at Sprint, which admits that the taxes on your bill were a mistake and that you were misinformed by its representatives.
Cell-phone taxes, surcharges and fees, which often add up to more than 15% of your monthly bill, are based on the area you tell the service provider will be your primary place of use. That means you can be taxed by your home state, county, city or local district, but your taxes shouldn't be affected by changes in your service area or by travel. Nor should you be taxed by another jurisdiction just because you've made calls within its borders.
We asked Sprint to investigate, and the company discovered that until you retired in July 2006, your phone service was Source: http://www.kiplinger.combilled as a business account. When you asked to switch to a personal account but keep your phone number, Sprint's service rep should have asked for your primary place of use, which is Greenville, R.I. And you should have been charged federal, state and local taxes only for that area. Instead, you were erroneously charged taxes based on the move by your former employer's accounting office to Washington State.
P.S. To atone for its mistake, Sprint is giving you free phone service for a month.
Cell phone saves man from boat mishap
Ottawa Citizen
Published: Monday, August 20, 2007
A 73-year old man having engine trouble on his boat on Calabogie Lake was rescued early Monday morning after making a phone call before his cell phone died.
On Sunday evening, the man realized his engine was failing so he called his family to alert them. His cell phone died and he pulled his boat to shore at Crab Island and lit a fire to keep warm.
The OPP marine unit was dispatched and located the man in foggy conditions at 3:30 a.m. He was returned home without injury.
The OPP said the incident is a good remider to all boaters to be prepared with a cell phone.
Published: Monday, August 20, 2007
A 73-year old man having engine trouble on his boat on Calabogie Lake was rescued early Monday morning after making a phone call before his cell phone died.
On Sunday evening, the man realized his engine was failing so he called his family to alert them. His cell phone died and he pulled his boat to shore at Crab Island and lit a fire to keep warm.
The OPP marine unit was dispatched and located the man in foggy conditions at 3:30 a.m. He was returned home without injury.
The OPP said the incident is a good remider to all boaters to be prepared with a cell phone.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Businesses use cell phones to stay connected
By Luke Horton (Contact) | The Natchez Democrat
Published Sunday, August 19, 2007
NATCHEZ — They’re everywhere these days. They can be seen — or heard — in movie theatres, restaurants, cars, on the streets and even in the office. Some play movies, some play music and some take photos, but they all have one thing in common — they keep the world connected.
With an estimated 219,000,000 users nationwide, cellular telephones are a way of life for almost everyone and Miss-Lou businesses are no different.
“We’ve been using cell phones in delivery trucks since they came out,” said Don Blankenstein, owner of Blankenstein’s Supply and Equipment in Natchez. “It’s expensive, but necessary these days. It’s now commonplace to have them.”
Blankenstein said that his company has at least 10 phones in service.
“It enables us to conduct business better,” he said. “They can use them to check voicemails from anywhere at anytime.”
Even companies that don’t provide cell phones to employees are not blind to the benefits of being able to stay in constant contact.
“We don’t provide them, but we should — especially for our drivers,” said Brandy Nelson, assistant manager of Domino’s Pizza in Natchez. “If something happens, how else can we get in touch with them?”
Nelson said that most Domino’s delivery drivers have personal cell phones and use them for business purposes.
In a business where staying connected means everything, Cable One in Natchez makes sure all field technicians carry cell phones.
“We’ve been providing field techs with phones for several years now,” Cable One Office Manager Dorothy Champion said. “We want them stay in touch. If the radio gets tied up, they can call in.”
“I keep it on me 24/7,” Cable One Lead Technician Richard Lambert said. “I’m in constant contact with other techs and the corporate office in Arizona.”
Callon Petroleum provides cell phones to supervisor-level employees and Corporate Secretary Bob Mayfield said that it just makes good business sense to provide them.
“It’s for the convenience of the company,” Mayfield said. “It has been very beneficial on numerous occasions.”
Natchez’s Centennial Wireless store offers wireless plans to suit almost any business, Sales Represenative Jason Einger said.
“If a business comes in and needs phones, we can create a plan just for them,” Einger said. “We have a lot of customers that are businesses.”
Einger said businesses can either set up one account for multiple phones or set up individual accounts for each phone.
“Most businesses in Natchez get a standard account and share the minutes between employees,” Einger said. “A lot of them just get a big bucket of minutes to use.”
Einger said over the past two or three years, a lot of companies have decreased the number of phones they provide to employees.
“Several companies make the employees get their own phones now,” he said.
Einger said Centennial Wireless does provide cell phones to their employees, but strictly for business purposes only.
Source: http://www.natchezdemocrat.com
Published Sunday, August 19, 2007
NATCHEZ — They’re everywhere these days. They can be seen — or heard — in movie theatres, restaurants, cars, on the streets and even in the office. Some play movies, some play music and some take photos, but they all have one thing in common — they keep the world connected.
With an estimated 219,000,000 users nationwide, cellular telephones are a way of life for almost everyone and Miss-Lou businesses are no different.
“We’ve been using cell phones in delivery trucks since they came out,” said Don Blankenstein, owner of Blankenstein’s Supply and Equipment in Natchez. “It’s expensive, but necessary these days. It’s now commonplace to have them.”
Blankenstein said that his company has at least 10 phones in service.
“It enables us to conduct business better,” he said. “They can use them to check voicemails from anywhere at anytime.”
Even companies that don’t provide cell phones to employees are not blind to the benefits of being able to stay in constant contact.
“We don’t provide them, but we should — especially for our drivers,” said Brandy Nelson, assistant manager of Domino’s Pizza in Natchez. “If something happens, how else can we get in touch with them?”
Nelson said that most Domino’s delivery drivers have personal cell phones and use them for business purposes.
In a business where staying connected means everything, Cable One in Natchez makes sure all field technicians carry cell phones.
“We’ve been providing field techs with phones for several years now,” Cable One Office Manager Dorothy Champion said. “We want them stay in touch. If the radio gets tied up, they can call in.”
“I keep it on me 24/7,” Cable One Lead Technician Richard Lambert said. “I’m in constant contact with other techs and the corporate office in Arizona.”
Callon Petroleum provides cell phones to supervisor-level employees and Corporate Secretary Bob Mayfield said that it just makes good business sense to provide them.
“It’s for the convenience of the company,” Mayfield said. “It has been very beneficial on numerous occasions.”
Natchez’s Centennial Wireless store offers wireless plans to suit almost any business, Sales Represenative Jason Einger said.
“If a business comes in and needs phones, we can create a plan just for them,” Einger said. “We have a lot of customers that are businesses.”
Einger said businesses can either set up one account for multiple phones or set up individual accounts for each phone.
“Most businesses in Natchez get a standard account and share the minutes between employees,” Einger said. “A lot of them just get a big bucket of minutes to use.”
Einger said over the past two or three years, a lot of companies have decreased the number of phones they provide to employees.
“Several companies make the employees get their own phones now,” he said.
Einger said Centennial Wireless does provide cell phones to their employees, but strictly for business purposes only.
Source: http://www.natchezdemocrat.com
‘Americans love cell phones’
Companies tout their latest and greatest devices
By Jessica Legge
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — Cell phone companies are constantly striving to offer the “latest and greatest” crazes in wireless technology. Today’s top-of-the line phones feature Internet capabilities, high-quality cameras, music and mobile TV — and everything in between.
U.S. Cellular launched the BlackBerry 8830 last week. Frank Jacquez, direct sales manager for U.S. Cellular, said the 8830 is the latest version of a smartphone device. Smartphones combine a cell phone and electronic applications such as calendar, Internet and e-mail into one advanced mobile device.
Jacquez said this phone has filled a void in U.S. Cellular’s phone lineup. U.S. Cellular has offered a smartphone option for more than two years. Before the 8830, however, BlackBerry didn’t offer any devices with consumer-style alternatives, like a camera and music.
“Prior to this 8830, a lot of people thought that smartphones were only going to be for your IT department or for the folks who were (technology-driven),” Jacquez said. “It’s really kind of re-invented itself to where a larger scope of the public is interested in it.”
The 8830 allows cell phone users to still have the security that BlackBerry is known for while also having a camera and MP3 player built into the device, Jacquez said.
“I think that the big drive is that folks want to be able to access all this different data while they’re on the move,” he said. “They don’t want to carry multiple devices.”
The BlackBerry 8830 has bluetooth capability, which allows a consumer to use a wireless headset. The device also has some storage capacity to allow a person to transfer applications from the office to home.
Now that different options are available for smartphones, consumers should choose a cell phone carrier that can help them decide what device will work best for their needs. A company must have customer service, wireless service and commitment to back up its high-tech products, Jacquez said.
“The consumer should really pick a carrier that will take the time and explain their options because there’s just so many out there right now,” he said. “It can really set up for a (nice) user experience.”
NTELOS is excited about two new Motorola phones that will come out in early October, Mike Minnis, NTELOS director of public relations, said.
One phone is the next generation of Motorola RAZR. This phone has touch screen functionality on the outside cover and has a lot of music capabilities. It also has a 2-megapixel camera.
The other Motorola product is a slider phone called the Motorola ROKR, which features iTunes as part of the package and can store 100 songs. It has a 2 gigabyte removable memory and a 2 megapixel camera.
Minnis estimated that these two phones will each have prices in the $200 range.
“When you have the new advances and the latest and greatest technology, these are very affordable for the things that they do,” he said. “We’re really excited about these Motorola phones coming out because they have some cool functionality.”
Minnis said phones are coming with more and more music capabilities, like the amount of storage and improved sound quality. Bluetooth technology and headsets allow consumers to sync up wireless to their cell phones. Text messaging has evolved, and camera phones allow picture messaging.
“Text messaging has just continued to grow in usage, especially with the younger generation,” he said. “It’s almost a phenomenon. They’ve taken their wireless phone and essentially text as much as they talk on their phone.”
Individuals can personalize their phones with games, wallpapers, ringtones and ringback tones. With ringback tones, which are becoming popular, a cell phone user can select a song for callers to hear instead of a ringing sound when they call.
Even with all the new technology, cell phone coverage still seems to be the most important factor for users, Minnis said. Also, cell phone batteries are becoming better.
“Battery technology has continued to improve as all the elements of the phone continue to evolve,” he said.
Minnis said the wireless industry is extremely competitive. The consumers, the handset manufacturers and the wireless providers all play a part in driving the demand for phones with new functionalities.
“We felt it was important to have quality phones and very affordable data packages to go with it so your complete experience is a positive one when it comes to wireless service,” he said.
The new version of the LG Chocolate phone, which came out in July, is one of Verizon Wireless’ top-of-the-line handsets. Robb Moretti, regional director of data sales for Verizon Wireless, said this slider phone combines an MP3 player and wireless phone into one device. This popular music phone has a 4-gigabyte card that can store approximately 2,000 songs.
It also has a camera, text messaging and Web capabilities. A touch screen allows persons to control their music without sliding the phone open. Right now, Verizon Wireless is running a $79.95 promotion for the phone.
“Americans love cell phones, and we love music,” Moretti said. “This way, I’ve always got my music and my phone at the same time. It’s great.”
Verizon Wireless is also offering one of its first mobile TV phones, the LG 9400. This phone has many of the same capabilities as the Chocolate, such as a music player and navigation feature with GPS, but it also has the mobile TV product. Until now, most cell phones could only show video clips, but the LG 9400 is “like watching TV on your phone,” Moretti said. The video quality and screen on the phone are top-notch.
“The competition to get the latest, greatest phone is very fierce,” Moretti said. “Within a couple months, you’ll see phones that will (do) even more, and Verizon Wireless will be bringing the latest, greatest technology to our customers.”
One of AT&T’s leading products is the iPhone.
“It is one of the hottest and most exciting revolutionary phones we’ve had,” Tom Schindler, AT&T market manager for West Virginia, said. “The iPhone is by far the most user-friendly and exciting device I’ve laid my hands on.”
This device features a full touch screen with several different icons specifically for the Internet, as well as the iPod and music library. Users can open up the Internet vertically or horizontally on the screen and enlarge or shrink the image. The iPhone also has visual voicemail, which allows consumers to choose which voicemail they hear first.
“Anyone can pick this device up and get familiar with it and use it quickly,” Alexa Kaufman, AT&T director of public relations for the Northeast, said.
The iPhone is offered with 4-gigabyte memory for $499 and 8-gigabyte memory for $599.
The BlackBerry Pearl and the BlackJack are the most popular phones in AT&T’s PDA lineup, Schindler said. Both devices include voice and text messaging as well as cameras. The BlackJack also has some music capabilities. AT&T is offering each phone for $99 after a mail-in rebate.
“Where the BlackBerry has been considered in the past a corporate tool, in the last couple of years we’ve really seen increased (interest) from consumers,” Kaufman said.
The Motorola RAZR V3xx, which varies from $99 to $129 after a $50 mail-in rebate, is also a favorite, Schindler said.
Kaufman said the cell phone industry is a “hyper competitive environment” where national and regional carriers are contending to bring innovative devices and improved network quality to consumers. AT&T wants to continue its strong presence in the state, she said.
“We’ve invested a lot in our network in West Virginia over the past three or four years,” Kaufman said. “We believe that West Virginia is an important market.”
Source: http://www.timeswv.com
By Jessica Legge
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT — Cell phone companies are constantly striving to offer the “latest and greatest” crazes in wireless technology. Today’s top-of-the line phones feature Internet capabilities, high-quality cameras, music and mobile TV — and everything in between.
U.S. Cellular launched the BlackBerry 8830 last week. Frank Jacquez, direct sales manager for U.S. Cellular, said the 8830 is the latest version of a smartphone device. Smartphones combine a cell phone and electronic applications such as calendar, Internet and e-mail into one advanced mobile device.
Jacquez said this phone has filled a void in U.S. Cellular’s phone lineup. U.S. Cellular has offered a smartphone option for more than two years. Before the 8830, however, BlackBerry didn’t offer any devices with consumer-style alternatives, like a camera and music.
“Prior to this 8830, a lot of people thought that smartphones were only going to be for your IT department or for the folks who were (technology-driven),” Jacquez said. “It’s really kind of re-invented itself to where a larger scope of the public is interested in it.”
The 8830 allows cell phone users to still have the security that BlackBerry is known for while also having a camera and MP3 player built into the device, Jacquez said.
“I think that the big drive is that folks want to be able to access all this different data while they’re on the move,” he said. “They don’t want to carry multiple devices.”
The BlackBerry 8830 has bluetooth capability, which allows a consumer to use a wireless headset. The device also has some storage capacity to allow a person to transfer applications from the office to home.
Now that different options are available for smartphones, consumers should choose a cell phone carrier that can help them decide what device will work best for their needs. A company must have customer service, wireless service and commitment to back up its high-tech products, Jacquez said.
“The consumer should really pick a carrier that will take the time and explain their options because there’s just so many out there right now,” he said. “It can really set up for a (nice) user experience.”
NTELOS is excited about two new Motorola phones that will come out in early October, Mike Minnis, NTELOS director of public relations, said.
One phone is the next generation of Motorola RAZR. This phone has touch screen functionality on the outside cover and has a lot of music capabilities. It also has a 2-megapixel camera.
The other Motorola product is a slider phone called the Motorola ROKR, which features iTunes as part of the package and can store 100 songs. It has a 2 gigabyte removable memory and a 2 megapixel camera.
Minnis estimated that these two phones will each have prices in the $200 range.
“When you have the new advances and the latest and greatest technology, these are very affordable for the things that they do,” he said. “We’re really excited about these Motorola phones coming out because they have some cool functionality.”
Minnis said phones are coming with more and more music capabilities, like the amount of storage and improved sound quality. Bluetooth technology and headsets allow consumers to sync up wireless to their cell phones. Text messaging has evolved, and camera phones allow picture messaging.
“Text messaging has just continued to grow in usage, especially with the younger generation,” he said. “It’s almost a phenomenon. They’ve taken their wireless phone and essentially text as much as they talk on their phone.”
Individuals can personalize their phones with games, wallpapers, ringtones and ringback tones. With ringback tones, which are becoming popular, a cell phone user can select a song for callers to hear instead of a ringing sound when they call.
Even with all the new technology, cell phone coverage still seems to be the most important factor for users, Minnis said. Also, cell phone batteries are becoming better.
“Battery technology has continued to improve as all the elements of the phone continue to evolve,” he said.
Minnis said the wireless industry is extremely competitive. The consumers, the handset manufacturers and the wireless providers all play a part in driving the demand for phones with new functionalities.
“We felt it was important to have quality phones and very affordable data packages to go with it so your complete experience is a positive one when it comes to wireless service,” he said.
The new version of the LG Chocolate phone, which came out in July, is one of Verizon Wireless’ top-of-the-line handsets. Robb Moretti, regional director of data sales for Verizon Wireless, said this slider phone combines an MP3 player and wireless phone into one device. This popular music phone has a 4-gigabyte card that can store approximately 2,000 songs.
It also has a camera, text messaging and Web capabilities. A touch screen allows persons to control their music without sliding the phone open. Right now, Verizon Wireless is running a $79.95 promotion for the phone.
“Americans love cell phones, and we love music,” Moretti said. “This way, I’ve always got my music and my phone at the same time. It’s great.”
Verizon Wireless is also offering one of its first mobile TV phones, the LG 9400. This phone has many of the same capabilities as the Chocolate, such as a music player and navigation feature with GPS, but it also has the mobile TV product. Until now, most cell phones could only show video clips, but the LG 9400 is “like watching TV on your phone,” Moretti said. The video quality and screen on the phone are top-notch.
“The competition to get the latest, greatest phone is very fierce,” Moretti said. “Within a couple months, you’ll see phones that will (do) even more, and Verizon Wireless will be bringing the latest, greatest technology to our customers.”
One of AT&T’s leading products is the iPhone.
“It is one of the hottest and most exciting revolutionary phones we’ve had,” Tom Schindler, AT&T market manager for West Virginia, said. “The iPhone is by far the most user-friendly and exciting device I’ve laid my hands on.”
This device features a full touch screen with several different icons specifically for the Internet, as well as the iPod and music library. Users can open up the Internet vertically or horizontally on the screen and enlarge or shrink the image. The iPhone also has visual voicemail, which allows consumers to choose which voicemail they hear first.
“Anyone can pick this device up and get familiar with it and use it quickly,” Alexa Kaufman, AT&T director of public relations for the Northeast, said.
The iPhone is offered with 4-gigabyte memory for $499 and 8-gigabyte memory for $599.
The BlackBerry Pearl and the BlackJack are the most popular phones in AT&T’s PDA lineup, Schindler said. Both devices include voice and text messaging as well as cameras. The BlackJack also has some music capabilities. AT&T is offering each phone for $99 after a mail-in rebate.
“Where the BlackBerry has been considered in the past a corporate tool, in the last couple of years we’ve really seen increased (interest) from consumers,” Kaufman said.
The Motorola RAZR V3xx, which varies from $99 to $129 after a $50 mail-in rebate, is also a favorite, Schindler said.
Kaufman said the cell phone industry is a “hyper competitive environment” where national and regional carriers are contending to bring innovative devices and improved network quality to consumers. AT&T wants to continue its strong presence in the state, she said.
“We’ve invested a lot in our network in West Virginia over the past three or four years,” Kaufman said. “We believe that West Virginia is an important market.”
Source: http://www.timeswv.com
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Wind Recharges Cell Phone!
Orange is announcing a the Orange Mobile Wind Charger, a mini-turbine that recharges cell phones.
Al Sacco, Computerworld
Friday, August 17, 2007 5:00 AM PDT
You've probably seen mobile phone chargers that can power multiple devices at once and sync data between your phone and a PC. You may have even heard some rumblings about wireless chargers that power devices over the air or solar-powered cell phones. But how about a wind-powered cell phone charger?
Orange, the U.K.-based telecommunications firm, has announced plans to launch The Orange Mobile Wind Charger, a mini turbine that latches on to the top of a tent and stores power in a separate "control box" that users can plug into when their mobiles need juice.
The charger, which weighs roughly one-third of a pound and is small enough to fit into a backpack, was developed at the University of Texas at Arlington, according to Orange. Gotwind, a do-it-yourself website for energy enthusiasts, was commissioned to build the prototype charger. It was shown off at last month's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. In an environment with consistent 12 mph winds, it would take roughly 24 hours to charge an average cell phone, according to Ben Jandrell, the founder of Gotwind.
The charger was designed for use in outdoor settings, like the Glastonbury Festival, to provide environmentally-friendly energy for cell phone users and others who may want to stay connected but don't have access to electrical outlets, according to Orange.
"It is important that we continue to innovate and demonstrate how mobile technology can make festival life a bit easier, whilst respecting Glastonbury's commitment to being environmentally aware," said Hattie Evans, Orange's head of sponsorship.
The smaller the blades on a turbine the longer it takes to generate power, so the Orange Mobile Wind Charger may not be as effective as a traditional power unit; however, it'll do the trick when there aren't any electrical outlets to plug into.
No official release date or pricing details have been set.
Al Sacco, Computerworld
Friday, August 17, 2007 5:00 AM PDT
You've probably seen mobile phone chargers that can power multiple devices at once and sync data between your phone and a PC. You may have even heard some rumblings about wireless chargers that power devices over the air or solar-powered cell phones. But how about a wind-powered cell phone charger?
Orange, the U.K.-based telecommunications firm, has announced plans to launch The Orange Mobile Wind Charger, a mini turbine that latches on to the top of a tent and stores power in a separate "control box" that users can plug into when their mobiles need juice.
The charger, which weighs roughly one-third of a pound and is small enough to fit into a backpack, was developed at the University of Texas at Arlington, according to Orange. Gotwind, a do-it-yourself website for energy enthusiasts, was commissioned to build the prototype charger. It was shown off at last month's Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts. In an environment with consistent 12 mph winds, it would take roughly 24 hours to charge an average cell phone, according to Ben Jandrell, the founder of Gotwind.
The charger was designed for use in outdoor settings, like the Glastonbury Festival, to provide environmentally-friendly energy for cell phone users and others who may want to stay connected but don't have access to electrical outlets, according to Orange.
"It is important that we continue to innovate and demonstrate how mobile technology can make festival life a bit easier, whilst respecting Glastonbury's commitment to being environmentally aware," said Hattie Evans, Orange's head of sponsorship.
The smaller the blades on a turbine the longer it takes to generate power, so the Orange Mobile Wind Charger may not be as effective as a traditional power unit; however, it'll do the trick when there aren't any electrical outlets to plug into.
No official release date or pricing details have been set.
ATT Cell Phone Service Suit to Proceed.
Aug 17 2007 11:15PM EDT
A lawsuit alleging that ATT Inc.s cell phone customers received inferior service after the companys wireless division was sold to Cingular Wireless can proceed as a class action, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
At issue was a clause in old Cingular contracts that forced customers to litigate their grievances independently, instead of grouping together for a class action lawsuit.
A three-judge panel in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that the contract was a violation of California law.
The ruling is further condemnation of so-called class action waivers, which other courts have ruled illegally shield companies engaged in potentially harmful conduct.
The court took a clear position protecting consumers and their right to pursue class action relief, said Bill Weinstein, one of the plaintiffs lawyers.
The case was filed as a national class action lawsuit in 2006 by Kennith Shroyer of Porterville, Calif. Shroyer had switched his ATT cell phone accounts to Cingular after Atlanta-based Cingulars $41 billion acquisition of ATT Wireless Services Inc. in October 2004.
Shroyer claimed Cingular let ATTs service deteriorate in a scheme to force ATT customers to switch to Cingular under less favorable contract terms.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ordered the case into individual arbitration last year because of the class action waiver in Shroyers contract.
ATT _ whose $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. last year gave it full control of Cingular _ has since rebranded the cell phone provider under the ATT name.
The company said Friday that the ruling is based on language in an old contract, but didnt provide details as to how its new contracts differed.
We have significantly improved that clause to make it even more consumer friendly, the San Antonio, Texas-based company said in a statement. We believe arbitration is the best course for resolution for our customers.
A lawsuit alleging that ATT Inc.s cell phone customers received inferior service after the companys wireless division was sold to Cingular Wireless can proceed as a class action, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.
At issue was a clause in old Cingular contracts that forced customers to litigate their grievances independently, instead of grouping together for a class action lawsuit.
A three-judge panel in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that the contract was a violation of California law.
The ruling is further condemnation of so-called class action waivers, which other courts have ruled illegally shield companies engaged in potentially harmful conduct.
The court took a clear position protecting consumers and their right to pursue class action relief, said Bill Weinstein, one of the plaintiffs lawyers.
The case was filed as a national class action lawsuit in 2006 by Kennith Shroyer of Porterville, Calif. Shroyer had switched his ATT cell phone accounts to Cingular after Atlanta-based Cingulars $41 billion acquisition of ATT Wireless Services Inc. in October 2004.
Shroyer claimed Cingular let ATTs service deteriorate in a scheme to force ATT customers to switch to Cingular under less favorable contract terms.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ordered the case into individual arbitration last year because of the class action waiver in Shroyers contract.
ATT _ whose $86 billion acquisition of BellSouth Corp. last year gave it full control of Cingular _ has since rebranded the cell phone provider under the ATT name.
The company said Friday that the ruling is based on language in an old contract, but didnt provide details as to how its new contracts differed.
We have significantly improved that clause to make it even more consumer friendly, the San Antonio, Texas-based company said in a statement. We believe arbitration is the best course for resolution for our customers.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Personal Cell Phone Numbers Are Only a Click Away.
Web site Sells Cell Phone Numbers and Other Personal Information.
Home phone numbers have been available to the public for a long time, so many Americans treasure the fact that their cell numbers can be kept private -- or so they think. Now, all it takes is a few bucks and Internet access to find tens of millions of personal cell phone numbers.
A Web site named Intelius has created a clearinghouse of cell phone numbers that can be purchased online for $15 each. Its source -- every business and company you've ever provided with your personal information.
"We do pay for the data, everything from government agencies to third party companies, where we compile a lot of this information together," said Ed Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing at Intelius.
Intelius already has 90 million cell phone numbers, and it's adding 70 million more in the coming days, along with the addresses that go with them.
"Frankly, it's the Wild West when it comes to our personal information," said Avivah Litan, director of research at Gartner Inc.
Intelius claims it is providing a public service that will help parents track down who is calling their children, or families checking on a nanny, but many individuals are upset that their information can be bought online.
ABC's David Muir attempted to buy the records of three people he approached today in New York City, and they were shocked to learn he'd purchased every cell phone number and address they ever had.
Intelius even had the number of a minor.
"That's my son … he's 14," said Winsome Jones.
"You can't even assume that minors have privacy rights. Maybe this is a wake-up call once we see congressmen's cell phone numbers on the Internet. Maybe they'll finally start acting, but the data brokers are not regulated," Lihtan said. "No one's looking over their shoulder and saying you can or cannot do this."
And until Congress takes action, Intelius' business of selling personal information is perfectly legal.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/
Source:
Home phone numbers have been available to the public for a long time, so many Americans treasure the fact that their cell numbers can be kept private -- or so they think. Now, all it takes is a few bucks and Internet access to find tens of millions of personal cell phone numbers.
A Web site named Intelius has created a clearinghouse of cell phone numbers that can be purchased online for $15 each. Its source -- every business and company you've ever provided with your personal information.
"We do pay for the data, everything from government agencies to third party companies, where we compile a lot of this information together," said Ed Peterson, vice president of sales and marketing at Intelius.
Intelius already has 90 million cell phone numbers, and it's adding 70 million more in the coming days, along with the addresses that go with them.
"Frankly, it's the Wild West when it comes to our personal information," said Avivah Litan, director of research at Gartner Inc.
Intelius claims it is providing a public service that will help parents track down who is calling their children, or families checking on a nanny, but many individuals are upset that their information can be bought online.
ABC's David Muir attempted to buy the records of three people he approached today in New York City, and they were shocked to learn he'd purchased every cell phone number and address they ever had.
Intelius even had the number of a minor.
"That's my son … he's 14," said Winsome Jones.
"You can't even assume that minors have privacy rights. Maybe this is a wake-up call once we see congressmen's cell phone numbers on the Internet. Maybe they'll finally start acting, but the data brokers are not regulated," Lihtan said. "No one's looking over their shoulder and saying you can or cannot do this."
And until Congress takes action, Intelius' business of selling personal information is perfectly legal.
http://www.abcnews.go.com/
Source:
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Your phone could become a digital remote control.
By LOUISE STORY, The New York Times
Published August 12, 2007
It sounds like something straight out of a futuristic film: House hunters, driving past a for-sale sign, stop and point their cell phone at the sign. With a click, their cell phone screen displays the asking price, the number of bedrooms and baths and lots of other details about the house.
Media experts say that cell phones, the Swiss Army knives of technology, are quickly heading in this direction. New technology, already in use in parts of Asia but still in development in the United States, allows the phones to connect everyday objects with the Internet.
In their new incarnation, cell phones become a sort of digital remote control, as one CBS executive put it. With a wave, the phone can read encoded information on everyday objects and translate that into videos, pictures or text files on its screen.
The cell phone is the natural tool to combine the physical world with the digital world, - that executive, Cyriac Roeding, the head of mobile-phone applications for CBS, said.
In Japan, McDonald's customers can already point their cell phones at the wrapping on their hamburgers and get nutrition information on their screens.
Users there can also point their phones at magazine ads to receive insurance quotes, and board airplanes using their phones rather than paper tickets. And film promoters can send their movie trailers from billboards.
Advertisers say they are interested in offering similar capabilities in the United States, but cell phones in the States do not come with the necessary software. For now, consumers have to download the technology themselves.
Still, big advertising and technology companies like Hewlett-Packard and the Publicis Groupe, an advertising conglomerate, are pushing to popularize the technology here.
Until now, in most parts of the world, Web surfing has been separate from everyday activities like riding the train, watching television and driving. But the new technology may erode that distinction.
Everything in the physical world has information related to it somewhere electronically, including yourself and the desk you're sitting in, said Chas Fritz, chief executive of NeoMedia Technologies, a company developing these cell phone capacities.
The most promising way to link cell phones with physical objects is a new generation of bar codes: square-shaped mosaics of black and white boxes that can hold much more information than traditional bar codes. The cameras on cell phones scan the codes, and then the codes are translated into videos, music or text on the phone screens.
American universities and technology companies have been experimenting with the codes in their labs for several years. Now, as more cell phones come equipped with cameras and the ability to run small computer programs, the codes are beginning to appear on some state drivers - licenses and on some mailing labels, mostly for commercial use.
There are three things you tend to carry - your keys, your wallet and your phone, said Rishad Tobaccowala, chief executive of Denuo, a unit of the Publicis Groupe that focuses on emerging and future technologies. I can see something in advertising in one place, scan it with my phone and recall it later when I am shopping. Or, imagine, I can buy it using my phone.
Yasuko Nishigai, 22, used her cell phone to buy a ticket from Tokyo to the Japanese tropical island of Okinawa. To board her flight, she waved the code on her cell phone screen over a scanner.
"I didn't use a single piece of paper, just my phone," she said.
"The codes are a natural extension of print," said Nina Link, the president of the Magazine Publishers Association. "How many times have you engaged with a magazine and you've seen something and you've said, 'Boy, I'd really like to remember to get that information.' And you have to remember to write down the URL."
The new technology would allow phones to read the codes from computer screens, too. Commuters rushing out the door could scan Web sites on their computer screens with their phones to take the content with them.
The technology would also allow advertisers to do something they could never effectively do before: Monitor the impact of their ads in old media like magazines and billboards by measuring how often their codes are clicked.
Getting consumers to use new technologies like these codes takes a lot of marketing by the carriers, said David Oberholzer, associate director of content programming at Verizon Wireless. He said Verizon is just starting to profit from the work it did to create interest in text messaging.
"The consumer needs a reason to do it," said Jim Levinger, chief executive of Nextcode, a bar code company. "They don't just wake up and say, 'Hey, let's go scan some bar codes.' "
Source: http://www.goupstate.com
Published August 12, 2007
It sounds like something straight out of a futuristic film: House hunters, driving past a for-sale sign, stop and point their cell phone at the sign. With a click, their cell phone screen displays the asking price, the number of bedrooms and baths and lots of other details about the house.
Media experts say that cell phones, the Swiss Army knives of technology, are quickly heading in this direction. New technology, already in use in parts of Asia but still in development in the United States, allows the phones to connect everyday objects with the Internet.
In their new incarnation, cell phones become a sort of digital remote control, as one CBS executive put it. With a wave, the phone can read encoded information on everyday objects and translate that into videos, pictures or text files on its screen.
The cell phone is the natural tool to combine the physical world with the digital world, - that executive, Cyriac Roeding, the head of mobile-phone applications for CBS, said.
In Japan, McDonald's customers can already point their cell phones at the wrapping on their hamburgers and get nutrition information on their screens.
Users there can also point their phones at magazine ads to receive insurance quotes, and board airplanes using their phones rather than paper tickets. And film promoters can send their movie trailers from billboards.
Advertisers say they are interested in offering similar capabilities in the United States, but cell phones in the States do not come with the necessary software. For now, consumers have to download the technology themselves.
Still, big advertising and technology companies like Hewlett-Packard and the Publicis Groupe, an advertising conglomerate, are pushing to popularize the technology here.
Until now, in most parts of the world, Web surfing has been separate from everyday activities like riding the train, watching television and driving. But the new technology may erode that distinction.
Everything in the physical world has information related to it somewhere electronically, including yourself and the desk you're sitting in, said Chas Fritz, chief executive of NeoMedia Technologies, a company developing these cell phone capacities.
The most promising way to link cell phones with physical objects is a new generation of bar codes: square-shaped mosaics of black and white boxes that can hold much more information than traditional bar codes. The cameras on cell phones scan the codes, and then the codes are translated into videos, music or text on the phone screens.
American universities and technology companies have been experimenting with the codes in their labs for several years. Now, as more cell phones come equipped with cameras and the ability to run small computer programs, the codes are beginning to appear on some state drivers - licenses and on some mailing labels, mostly for commercial use.
There are three things you tend to carry - your keys, your wallet and your phone, said Rishad Tobaccowala, chief executive of Denuo, a unit of the Publicis Groupe that focuses on emerging and future technologies. I can see something in advertising in one place, scan it with my phone and recall it later when I am shopping. Or, imagine, I can buy it using my phone.
Yasuko Nishigai, 22, used her cell phone to buy a ticket from Tokyo to the Japanese tropical island of Okinawa. To board her flight, she waved the code on her cell phone screen over a scanner.
"I didn't use a single piece of paper, just my phone," she said.
"The codes are a natural extension of print," said Nina Link, the president of the Magazine Publishers Association. "How many times have you engaged with a magazine and you've seen something and you've said, 'Boy, I'd really like to remember to get that information.' And you have to remember to write down the URL."
The new technology would allow phones to read the codes from computer screens, too. Commuters rushing out the door could scan Web sites on their computer screens with their phones to take the content with them.
The technology would also allow advertisers to do something they could never effectively do before: Monitor the impact of their ads in old media like magazines and billboards by measuring how often their codes are clicked.
Getting consumers to use new technologies like these codes takes a lot of marketing by the carriers, said David Oberholzer, associate director of content programming at Verizon Wireless. He said Verizon is just starting to profit from the work it did to create interest in text messaging.
"The consumer needs a reason to do it," said Jim Levinger, chief executive of Nextcode, a bar code company. "They don't just wake up and say, 'Hey, let's go scan some bar codes.' "
Source: http://www.goupstate.com
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Family Plans... For Wireless Devices
By Olga Kharif
Lots of us currently buy family wireless plans. But if Sprint Nextel has its way, we'll soon be buying wireless plans for devices. That's right: In a couple of years, you might buy a plan for your household of five: a digital camera, a cell phone, a DVD player, an Xbox and a music player.
Atish Gude, senior vice president of mobile broadband operations at Sprint, believes that all these devices will soon be able to access wireless networks. And Sprint plans to offer "family of devices" wireless connectivity plans when it launches its WiMax wireless network next year.
Other experts I've talked to recently believe that other types of wireless broadband networks -- cellular, Wi-Fi, others -- might lend themselves to similar use. Talk about redefining words "family plan."
Source: http://www.businessweek.com
Lots of us currently buy family wireless plans. But if Sprint Nextel has its way, we'll soon be buying wireless plans for devices. That's right: In a couple of years, you might buy a plan for your household of five: a digital camera, a cell phone, a DVD player, an Xbox and a music player.
Atish Gude, senior vice president of mobile broadband operations at Sprint, believes that all these devices will soon be able to access wireless networks. And Sprint plans to offer "family of devices" wireless connectivity plans when it launches its WiMax wireless network next year.
Other experts I've talked to recently believe that other types of wireless broadband networks -- cellular, Wi-Fi, others -- might lend themselves to similar use. Talk about redefining words "family plan."
Source: http://www.businessweek.com
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Use Common Sense When Driving, Using Cell Phone.
Cell phones are now a part of daily life. In fact, the number of cell phones sold in the United States in some years was higher than the national birth rate for the same period, according to industry statistics. There are numerous benefits to cell phone use. Two-thirds of new cell phone owners listed security measures as their main reason for purchasing a cell phone. Nearly half of all cell phone owners have used their cell phones to report car trouble, medical emergencies, crimes and alleged drunken drivers or reckless drivers, according to an industry report.
Dialing 9-1-1 is a free call for cellular subscribers. Police and emergency management services officials say that in many cases response times have been cut, criminals have been apprehended and lives have been saved because of calls from cell phone users. But is it possible to drive safely while talking on the phone?
Here are some tips for safe cell phone use:
Make safe driving your first priority
Buckle up
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your eyes on the road
Position your phone where it is easy to see and reach
Familiarize yourself with the phone's operation while the car is parked
Use a hands-free microphone while driving
Use the speed dial feature for frequently called numbers
Pull over and dial manually
Never take notes while driving; pull off the road if you must read or write
Use voicemail to pick up your calls if it is inconvenient or unsafe to answer
Tips provided by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association
Use common sense
Any task a driver performs while driving is a potential distraction. It is best to use your cell phone when you are stopped, but if you must use your phone while driving, it is important to check traffic conditions before placing a phone call or performing any task. If necessary, wait until conditions improve to make or answer a call. Whenever possible, dial while the car is not in motion, and program frequently used numbers into your phone. If a number is not programmed into memory, dial in short segments, check traffic and dial another segment. Never allow your conversation to distract you from driving and always keep calls brief. Keep your eyes on the road and frequently check the side and rearview mirrors.
Drive safe and buckle up!
— Trooper Tom Taylor
Dialing 9-1-1 is a free call for cellular subscribers. Police and emergency management services officials say that in many cases response times have been cut, criminals have been apprehended and lives have been saved because of calls from cell phone users. But is it possible to drive safely while talking on the phone?
Here are some tips for safe cell phone use:
Make safe driving your first priority
Buckle up
Keep your hands on the wheel
Keep your eyes on the road
Position your phone where it is easy to see and reach
Familiarize yourself with the phone's operation while the car is parked
Use a hands-free microphone while driving
Use the speed dial feature for frequently called numbers
Pull over and dial manually
Never take notes while driving; pull off the road if you must read or write
Use voicemail to pick up your calls if it is inconvenient or unsafe to answer
Tips provided by the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association
Use common sense
Any task a driver performs while driving is a potential distraction. It is best to use your cell phone when you are stopped, but if you must use your phone while driving, it is important to check traffic conditions before placing a phone call or performing any task. If necessary, wait until conditions improve to make or answer a call. Whenever possible, dial while the car is not in motion, and program frequently used numbers into your phone. If a number is not programmed into memory, dial in short segments, check traffic and dial another segment. Never allow your conversation to distract you from driving and always keep calls brief. Keep your eyes on the road and frequently check the side and rearview mirrors.
Drive safe and buckle up!
— Trooper Tom Taylor
Monday, August 6, 2007
WidSets: Get breaking news on the go.
Budi Putra, Contributor, Jakarta
How often do you wish you had access to your favorite websites and weblogs from your cell phone? Wouldn't you like to stay on top of things all the time, anywhere? Wouldn't you like to receive breaking news from the BBC or CNN websites, the tech column for WSJ.com or the latest reviews and tips and tricks from prominent tech blogs like TechCrunch and LifeHacker?
Actually you can already do that using your cell phone. But we have all had the frustrating experience of browsing the web via traditional or optimized phone browsers.
When you want to open a website, for example, you should type in the URL or pick it up from the bookmark; and, if you want to visit another site, you need to open New Window on the browser; and so on.
The problem is, if you need to open a bunch of sites and blogs, you quickly become exhausted dealing with the number of browsers' windows in your cell phone. It's also not easy to return back to the desired sites and you'll need to refresh them manually in order to get the latest updates.
But there is a solution: you can use a mobile application called WidSets. You can get traffic alerts, news, blogs, reviews, weather reports and loads of other stuff that you would normally get through a web service, without having to wade through hundreds of websites and weblogs.
WidSets is a mobile phone browser that is independent and so hassle-free that there is no need for you to click from site to site, refresh, or browse for what you want to read and retrieve.
The idea behind this application is to broaden the media reach to cell phones, including content and its community affinity. It's really a logical step since there are more than four billion cell phone users now around the globe.
"The beauty of WidSets is that it lets you pick widgets that retrieve the specific search stream that you typically do, and have them ready for you in one large horizontally scrollable environment," wrote blogger Carlos Eduardo.
This application was built based on the user interface on great-looking and dynamic mini-applications called widgets.
According to Wikipedia, in computer programming, a widget (or control) is an interface element that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box. Widgets are sometimes qualified as virtual to distinguish them from their physical counterparts, e.g. virtual buttons that can be clicked with a mouse cursor, vs. physical buttons that can be pressed with a finger.
WidSets is a widgets-based application and it was designed to use and operate in mobile devices.
"Our goal is to make this service available to everyone, and make it as simple and as effortless as possible," Kajfrom WidSets told The Jakarta Post at an exhibition during Nokia Connection 2007 in Singapore.
He said people expected immediate access to information today. "Thus we wanted to make it easy for everybody, from an individual blogger to a web service provider, to automatically have mobile access to website content."
WidSets allows users to build a Content Library, freely choosing from RSS feeds to blog posts to photo uploading sites that are multicast to any new generation Java(TM) enabled mobile devices, including lineups from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung or Sony Ericsson.
According to H„ggman, the best thing about WidSets is its simplicity. As soon as one of your chosen websites or blogs is updated, the widget for that website sends you an alert.
How much does WidSets cost? This service is absolutely free. "And we definitely want to keep it that way," he said. "But... your service provider may charge you for data transferred (GPRS or 3G charges) to your phone."
However, WidSets has a useful feature called Traffic Monitor which helps you monitor the total amount of data WidSets is using, and how much data each individual widgets is using.
You can also set a limit for the amount of data transferred by your widgets and you'll receive a notification when the limit has been reached.
However, you can also read all updated content (mostly in summary forms, but in several cases, the full version appeared) in off-line mode, after -- of course -- going online for a few seconds. It's good enough for those who want quick updates only.
But if you opt for the unlimited GPRS/3G/HSDPA data access contract with your network provider, you don't need to worry about this. You can activate it all the time, even while you sleep!
The next step is to ascertain whether your cell phone supports WidSets. The best way is to try it out. It's free, so why not? You'll need a phone that supports Java MIDP 2.0 -- most cell phones sold in the last couple of years do -- and that can connect to the Internet.
Then go to www.widsets.com, select a few of the widgets you like the most, then click on the Download the selected widgets to your mobile button. Fill in your e-mail address, username and password and click OK.
Enter your phone number (complete with the country code). A text message will then be sent to this phone number, containing a link to the WidSets download page. Click the link and your cell phone's web browser will open the WidSets download page (and it automatically detects you cell phone series). Install it on your cellular phone and now start using WidSets.
I already downloaded and operated this application in my cell phone, Nokia N95. I totally agree that this application is useful in retrieving the latest (almost real-time!) updates on the go. I can do it effortless and conveniently.
But, according to me, if we are able to click and drag the widgets in the dashboard -- rather than having the existing horizontally scrollable environment -- it should be more cute and interesting.
Yeah, it's the only weak (or minus) thing inside this amazing mobile application. I gave it eight stars out of 10 for this.
The writer is a tech blogger. He can be reached at his blog at www.budiputra.com
How often do you wish you had access to your favorite websites and weblogs from your cell phone? Wouldn't you like to stay on top of things all the time, anywhere? Wouldn't you like to receive breaking news from the BBC or CNN websites, the tech column for WSJ.com or the latest reviews and tips and tricks from prominent tech blogs like TechCrunch and LifeHacker?
Actually you can already do that using your cell phone. But we have all had the frustrating experience of browsing the web via traditional or optimized phone browsers.
When you want to open a website, for example, you should type in the URL or pick it up from the bookmark; and, if you want to visit another site, you need to open New Window on the browser; and so on.
The problem is, if you need to open a bunch of sites and blogs, you quickly become exhausted dealing with the number of browsers' windows in your cell phone. It's also not easy to return back to the desired sites and you'll need to refresh them manually in order to get the latest updates.
But there is a solution: you can use a mobile application called WidSets. You can get traffic alerts, news, blogs, reviews, weather reports and loads of other stuff that you would normally get through a web service, without having to wade through hundreds of websites and weblogs.
WidSets is a mobile phone browser that is independent and so hassle-free that there is no need for you to click from site to site, refresh, or browse for what you want to read and retrieve.
The idea behind this application is to broaden the media reach to cell phones, including content and its community affinity. It's really a logical step since there are more than four billion cell phone users now around the globe.
"The beauty of WidSets is that it lets you pick widgets that retrieve the specific search stream that you typically do, and have them ready for you in one large horizontally scrollable environment," wrote blogger Carlos Eduardo.
This application was built based on the user interface on great-looking and dynamic mini-applications called widgets.
According to Wikipedia, in computer programming, a widget (or control) is an interface element that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box. Widgets are sometimes qualified as virtual to distinguish them from their physical counterparts, e.g. virtual buttons that can be clicked with a mouse cursor, vs. physical buttons that can be pressed with a finger.
WidSets is a widgets-based application and it was designed to use and operate in mobile devices.
"Our goal is to make this service available to everyone, and make it as simple and as effortless as possible," Kajfrom WidSets told The Jakarta Post at an exhibition during Nokia Connection 2007 in Singapore.
He said people expected immediate access to information today. "Thus we wanted to make it easy for everybody, from an individual blogger to a web service provider, to automatically have mobile access to website content."
WidSets allows users to build a Content Library, freely choosing from RSS feeds to blog posts to photo uploading sites that are multicast to any new generation Java(TM) enabled mobile devices, including lineups from Nokia, Motorola, Samsung or Sony Ericsson.
According to H„ggman, the best thing about WidSets is its simplicity. As soon as one of your chosen websites or blogs is updated, the widget for that website sends you an alert.
How much does WidSets cost? This service is absolutely free. "And we definitely want to keep it that way," he said. "But... your service provider may charge you for data transferred (GPRS or 3G charges) to your phone."
However, WidSets has a useful feature called Traffic Monitor which helps you monitor the total amount of data WidSets is using, and how much data each individual widgets is using.
You can also set a limit for the amount of data transferred by your widgets and you'll receive a notification when the limit has been reached.
However, you can also read all updated content (mostly in summary forms, but in several cases, the full version appeared) in off-line mode, after -- of course -- going online for a few seconds. It's good enough for those who want quick updates only.
But if you opt for the unlimited GPRS/3G/HSDPA data access contract with your network provider, you don't need to worry about this. You can activate it all the time, even while you sleep!
The next step is to ascertain whether your cell phone supports WidSets. The best way is to try it out. It's free, so why not? You'll need a phone that supports Java MIDP 2.0 -- most cell phones sold in the last couple of years do -- and that can connect to the Internet.
Then go to www.widsets.com, select a few of the widgets you like the most, then click on the Download the selected widgets to your mobile button. Fill in your e-mail address, username and password and click OK.
Enter your phone number (complete with the country code). A text message will then be sent to this phone number, containing a link to the WidSets download page. Click the link and your cell phone's web browser will open the WidSets download page (and it automatically detects you cell phone series). Install it on your cellular phone and now start using WidSets.
I already downloaded and operated this application in my cell phone, Nokia N95. I totally agree that this application is useful in retrieving the latest (almost real-time!) updates on the go. I can do it effortless and conveniently.
But, according to me, if we are able to click and drag the widgets in the dashboard -- rather than having the existing horizontally scrollable environment -- it should be more cute and interesting.
Yeah, it's the only weak (or minus) thing inside this amazing mobile application. I gave it eight stars out of 10 for this.
The writer is a tech blogger. He can be reached at his blog at www.budiputra.com
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Firm's technology connects pictures taken with cell-phone cameras to corresponding Web sites.
By Colin Stewart , The Orange County Register
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Using a computer mouse to point and click on an Internet link has become a routine way to find information online.
Now get ready to point and click in the real world, using a cell phone camera.
That's the vision of Evryx Technologies, a Glendale, Calif.-based company founded by engineers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and assisted by experts from the OCTANe business-boosting group in Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Using sophisticated image-recognition software, Evryx (www.evryx.com) has created a system called Snap2Link that lets people connect to Web sites by using cell phones to click on specific 2-D images and some 3-D objects in the real world.
In Japan, millions of consumers have snapped cell phone photos, transmitted them to Evryx and received a link in return.
Yet Evryx ran on a shoestring from its incorporation in 2001 until last month. Then a new chief executive, Walter Burr, arrived with a group of investors and unspecified "multiple millions" of dollars to help launch Snap2Link in the United States later this year.
"Evryx looked so attractive that I wanted to jump in and get involved," said Burr, who previously had worked on extending cell phone networks abroad and was now on the lookout for Internet startups in need of investors.
"It's low-hanging fruit," he said. "Millions of people see ads in publications or on billboards and immediately need more information or want to make an impulse buy. Advertisers will pay to get them to their Web site."
Ron Cohen, the company's chief technology officer, gave this description of the company's goal:
"The whole world becomes interactive. You can point and click on anything around you," he told a June 5 panel for startups at the Southern California Summit on Semiconductors and Communications in Newport Beach, Calif.
That's not what the system can do right now, because nothing in the world is interactive through Snap2Link without the right preparations. To prep it, people need to upload specific target images to the Snap2Link.com site and list which Internet address each one should link to. Once that's done, Snap2Link can match a cell phone user's incoming photo to a target photo, then reply with a link to the correct Web site.
HOW IT WORKS
Here's how Snap2Link can be used:
A cell phone user spots a movie poster, snaps a photo and sends it off. The reply - a Web site that lists show times, displays reviews and plays the movie trailer.
A shopper or newspaper reader spots a CD and sends in a photo of the cover. The reply - an Amazon.com page that lets the shopper buy the music.
A reader sends in a photo of an ad or article from a newspaper. The reply - detailed information about the subject.
In Japan, several magazines use the service, which is called ShaLink there. So far, their Web links mostly amuse readers rather than inform them.
"It's mostly 'brand-ertainment,"' said product manager Bruce Brown, formerly of Microsoft, who is preparing Snap2Link programs for the top 100 models of cell phones.
The biggest success in Japan was a campaign last year by the Lotte Co., which organized a "Koala Bear Fortune Telling" campaign to promote its koala bear cookies. People who e-mailed in their cell-phone photos of the cookies' koala mascot received their fortunes in return.
The company sent 2 million people their fortunes in one month.
CHALLENGES AHEAD
One challenge that Evryx has met, for now, is financing.
At the Newport Beach chip conference in early June, Cohen was still looking forward to Burr's arrival and the investments he was bringing with him.
"We'll soon be able to start paying people," he told the panel.
June's paychecks have gone out, Burr said this month.
Remaining challenges include communicating to consumers and potential customers how Snap2Link works.
Many people are puzzled when they first hear it described. "You mean I'm supposed to take a photo of a photo?" they ask. The answer is yes.
The Snap2Link technology doesn't respond well if you send it a photo of a person, but it usually works fine if you submit a photo of a photo of the person. It can then match that photo to the original photo in its database.
A further challenge is letting consumers know what they can and can't click on. In Japan, magazines that use ShaLink start by educating readers about which pages they can click on and what they get if they do.
"We don't want to disappoint people," Burr and Cohen both said.
Another challenge is persuading cell phone companies to put high-speed Snap2Link software on phones or at least not block consumers from downloading it.
"That's the Holy Grail," Burr said.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Using a computer mouse to point and click on an Internet link has become a routine way to find information online.
Now get ready to point and click in the real world, using a cell phone camera.
That's the vision of Evryx Technologies, a Glendale, Calif.-based company founded by engineers from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and assisted by experts from the OCTANe business-boosting group in Aliso Viejo, Calif.
Using sophisticated image-recognition software, Evryx (www.evryx.com) has created a system called Snap2Link that lets people connect to Web sites by using cell phones to click on specific 2-D images and some 3-D objects in the real world.
In Japan, millions of consumers have snapped cell phone photos, transmitted them to Evryx and received a link in return.
Yet Evryx ran on a shoestring from its incorporation in 2001 until last month. Then a new chief executive, Walter Burr, arrived with a group of investors and unspecified "multiple millions" of dollars to help launch Snap2Link in the United States later this year.
"Evryx looked so attractive that I wanted to jump in and get involved," said Burr, who previously had worked on extending cell phone networks abroad and was now on the lookout for Internet startups in need of investors.
"It's low-hanging fruit," he said. "Millions of people see ads in publications or on billboards and immediately need more information or want to make an impulse buy. Advertisers will pay to get them to their Web site."
Ron Cohen, the company's chief technology officer, gave this description of the company's goal:
"The whole world becomes interactive. You can point and click on anything around you," he told a June 5 panel for startups at the Southern California Summit on Semiconductors and Communications in Newport Beach, Calif.
That's not what the system can do right now, because nothing in the world is interactive through Snap2Link without the right preparations. To prep it, people need to upload specific target images to the Snap2Link.com site and list which Internet address each one should link to. Once that's done, Snap2Link can match a cell phone user's incoming photo to a target photo, then reply with a link to the correct Web site.
HOW IT WORKS
Here's how Snap2Link can be used:
A cell phone user spots a movie poster, snaps a photo and sends it off. The reply - a Web site that lists show times, displays reviews and plays the movie trailer.
A shopper or newspaper reader spots a CD and sends in a photo of the cover. The reply - an Amazon.com page that lets the shopper buy the music.
A reader sends in a photo of an ad or article from a newspaper. The reply - detailed information about the subject.
In Japan, several magazines use the service, which is called ShaLink there. So far, their Web links mostly amuse readers rather than inform them.
"It's mostly 'brand-ertainment,"' said product manager Bruce Brown, formerly of Microsoft, who is preparing Snap2Link programs for the top 100 models of cell phones.
The biggest success in Japan was a campaign last year by the Lotte Co., which organized a "Koala Bear Fortune Telling" campaign to promote its koala bear cookies. People who e-mailed in their cell-phone photos of the cookies' koala mascot received their fortunes in return.
The company sent 2 million people their fortunes in one month.
CHALLENGES AHEAD
One challenge that Evryx has met, for now, is financing.
At the Newport Beach chip conference in early June, Cohen was still looking forward to Burr's arrival and the investments he was bringing with him.
"We'll soon be able to start paying people," he told the panel.
June's paychecks have gone out, Burr said this month.
Remaining challenges include communicating to consumers and potential customers how Snap2Link works.
Many people are puzzled when they first hear it described. "You mean I'm supposed to take a photo of a photo?" they ask. The answer is yes.
The Snap2Link technology doesn't respond well if you send it a photo of a person, but it usually works fine if you submit a photo of a photo of the person. It can then match that photo to the original photo in its database.
A further challenge is letting consumers know what they can and can't click on. In Japan, magazines that use ShaLink start by educating readers about which pages they can click on and what they get if they do.
"We don't want to disappoint people," Burr and Cohen both said.
Another challenge is persuading cell phone companies to put high-speed Snap2Link software on phones or at least not block consumers from downloading it.
"That's the Holy Grail," Burr said.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Invention Support Announces a Great New Invention for Cell Phone Users Known as the "Home Cellular E.
"Invention Support has signed a strategic alliance with, Russell Cramer, the inventor of the "Home Cellular Extension", to offer support for this great new invention and to proudly introduce it into the market".
(PRWEB) July 22, 2007 -- Invention Support has signed a strategic alliance with, Russell Cramer, the inventor of the "Home Cellular Extension", to offer support for this great new invention and to proudly introduce it into the market.
The Home Cellular Extension is an idea for an invention which would extend the capabilities of your cell phone by making it possible to use it in your existing landline site in your home.
Electronics is one of the largest industries in the US and plays a critical role in almost every aspect of modern life. It is directly responsible for the economic boom over the past ten years that propelled the US into an unparalleled superpower status. The US has capitalized on advancements in semiconductors, computing, storage, intelligent devices and sensors to achieve a competitive advantage. Continued growth of this industry is a critical prerequisite to maintaining technical superiority and leadership in this "Silicon Century."
The telecommunications sector comprises the entire range of devices and systems that enable people to send information back and forth, including copper wire and fiber optic cables, wireless systems, routing and switching systems, and input/output devices such as cell-phones and modems. The increasing importance of the Internet has produced phenomenal growth in telecommunications-based services.
The consumer sector represents some of the most advanced applications in electronics seen today. This sector covers a wide array of hardware and software products loosely categorized as home information systems, mobile electronics, video, and portable audio. Home information systems include personal computers, peripherals, and digital cameras. Mobile electronics consist of broadband access services, wireless telephones, pagers and radio service products. Digital TVs, DVDs, camcorders and personal video recorders are grouped as video products. Home theater systems and MP3 players are in the home and audio category.
The cell phone market is on track for $120 billion in total annual wholesale revenues this year, Strategy Analytics said. Mobile phone sales will exceed one billion handsets a year by 2009 as they become the most common consumer electronics device with 2.6 billion people using one by then, according to a survey published on Wednesday. Around 1.04 billion cell phones will be sold in 2009, up from an upwardly revised estimate of 779 million this year and 674 million handsets in 2004, research group Gartner said. "The mobile phone is the most prolific consumer device on the planet," said Gartner analyst Ben Wood. By comparison, every year around 200 million PCs and 200 million TVs are being sold. The market for a device like the Home Cellular Extension is extremely fertile and likely to offer great rewards to its successful marketing scheme.
It is evident from research that an invention like the Home Cellular Extension could enjoy considerable success in today's marketplace. In order that the needs of cell phone users all over the world can be better served, marketing professionals are now reaching out to these consumers. With these new considerations in mind, it is likely that the "Home Cellular Extension" will soon become a more popular device. For further information on this great new invention, contact "Jake Way" at info(at)inventionsupport.com and ask about the great new invention known as the "Home Cellular Extension".
Invention Support
Info(at)inventionsupport.com
(PRWEB) July 22, 2007 -- Invention Support has signed a strategic alliance with, Russell Cramer, the inventor of the "Home Cellular Extension", to offer support for this great new invention and to proudly introduce it into the market.
The Home Cellular Extension is an idea for an invention which would extend the capabilities of your cell phone by making it possible to use it in your existing landline site in your home.
Electronics is one of the largest industries in the US and plays a critical role in almost every aspect of modern life. It is directly responsible for the economic boom over the past ten years that propelled the US into an unparalleled superpower status. The US has capitalized on advancements in semiconductors, computing, storage, intelligent devices and sensors to achieve a competitive advantage. Continued growth of this industry is a critical prerequisite to maintaining technical superiority and leadership in this "Silicon Century."
The telecommunications sector comprises the entire range of devices and systems that enable people to send information back and forth, including copper wire and fiber optic cables, wireless systems, routing and switching systems, and input/output devices such as cell-phones and modems. The increasing importance of the Internet has produced phenomenal growth in telecommunications-based services.
The consumer sector represents some of the most advanced applications in electronics seen today. This sector covers a wide array of hardware and software products loosely categorized as home information systems, mobile electronics, video, and portable audio. Home information systems include personal computers, peripherals, and digital cameras. Mobile electronics consist of broadband access services, wireless telephones, pagers and radio service products. Digital TVs, DVDs, camcorders and personal video recorders are grouped as video products. Home theater systems and MP3 players are in the home and audio category.
The cell phone market is on track for $120 billion in total annual wholesale revenues this year, Strategy Analytics said. Mobile phone sales will exceed one billion handsets a year by 2009 as they become the most common consumer electronics device with 2.6 billion people using one by then, according to a survey published on Wednesday. Around 1.04 billion cell phones will be sold in 2009, up from an upwardly revised estimate of 779 million this year and 674 million handsets in 2004, research group Gartner said. "The mobile phone is the most prolific consumer device on the planet," said Gartner analyst Ben Wood. By comparison, every year around 200 million PCs and 200 million TVs are being sold. The market for a device like the Home Cellular Extension is extremely fertile and likely to offer great rewards to its successful marketing scheme.
It is evident from research that an invention like the Home Cellular Extension could enjoy considerable success in today's marketplace. In order that the needs of cell phone users all over the world can be better served, marketing professionals are now reaching out to these consumers. With these new considerations in mind, it is likely that the "Home Cellular Extension" will soon become a more popular device. For further information on this great new invention, contact "Jake Way" at info(at)inventionsupport.com and ask about the great new invention known as the "Home Cellular Extension".
Invention Support
Info(at)inventionsupport.com
Friday, August 3, 2007
Google Developes Prototype Cellphones
BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Google has developed prototype cellphones to carry its search engine and new mobile web browser and approached wireless operators including T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless in an attempt to make further inroads into the cellphone market.
Google's aim, according to the Wall Street Journal, is to capture a large portion of the growing market for ads on cellphones.
"We are partnering with almost all of the carriers and manufacturers to get Google search and other Google applications onto their devices and networks," a Google spokesman told the Journal.
The No. 1 Internet search engine company intends to be a participant in the January auction of 15 billion U.S. dollars worth of public airwaves being given up by television stations as they convert to digital broadcast.
Google could eventually become a phone operator with the purchase of part of the wireless spectrum. But of more pressing concern is the company's effort to forge deals with wireless operators to carry its existing products and its ads.
Worldwide spending on mobile-phone advertising totaled 1.4 billion dollars last year, but that figure is expected to grow to nearly 14 billion dollars by 2011, according to the market research company eMarketer.
The Google-ready cellphone envisioned by the company would include cameras for photos and video, Wi-Fi capability for wireless access to the Internet, and Global Positioning System technology.
Google's aim, according to the Wall Street Journal, is to capture a large portion of the growing market for ads on cellphones.
"We are partnering with almost all of the carriers and manufacturers to get Google search and other Google applications onto their devices and networks," a Google spokesman told the Journal.
The No. 1 Internet search engine company intends to be a participant in the January auction of 15 billion U.S. dollars worth of public airwaves being given up by television stations as they convert to digital broadcast.
Google could eventually become a phone operator with the purchase of part of the wireless spectrum. But of more pressing concern is the company's effort to forge deals with wireless operators to carry its existing products and its ads.
Worldwide spending on mobile-phone advertising totaled 1.4 billion dollars last year, but that figure is expected to grow to nearly 14 billion dollars by 2011, according to the market research company eMarketer.
The Google-ready cellphone envisioned by the company would include cameras for photos and video, Wi-Fi capability for wireless access to the Internet, and Global Positioning System technology.
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