NEC Corp., a Japanese electronics company, today announced that they have created the world's first real-time Japanese to English cell phone translator. One second after the phone hears speech in Japanese, it displays it in text on the screen and then one second later, the text is shown in English.
The company claims that its cell phone translator is the first in the world that automatically translates without external help. The translator software, which includes a voice-recognition system and translation functions, is compact enough to operate on a small microchip mounted in a cell phone. The software can recognize about 50,000 Japanese words and is designed for smooth translation of travel phrases such as "Can I have a subway route map?” The phone isn't designed as yet to convert from English to Japanese.
NEC is currently studying how to recognize voices on the phone accurately. One problem is how the person on the other side of the line could know if his or her words are being translated correctly.
Softbank, a Japanese cell phone service provider has begun offering college courses on the company's cell phones called "Cyber University". Currently, there is only one class is being offered titled "Mysteries of the Pyramids". The class if free however, students have to pay the standard phone costs. The company is planning on adding more classes in the near future.
Cyber University is run by the Japan Cyber Educational Institute, a subsidiary of Softbank, and currently offers about 100 online courses tailored to students who "attend" classes via their PCs. Ancient Chinese culture, online journalism and English literature are some of the courses that may be coming to the Japanese cell phone soon.
The one catch is that users must have a cell phone linked to Softbank's network. The cell phone course is somewhat stripped down from the PC version, utilizing streaming video and broadcast sound to relay the professor's voice.
Today police arrested a coworker of the dead South Korean man who we recently reported may have been killed by an exploding cell phone battery found on the man.
The coworker is being charged with manslaughter. Apparently, the coworker confessed to accidentally killing Mr. Seo by backing into him with a drilling vehicle, and then trying to frame the cell phone.
This has to be relief for LG stockholders; however, LG felt that a fatal battery explosion would be virtually impossible. It seems the media rushed to report that the man was most likely killed by his cell phone, however, the body was found with broken bones, heart damage in addition to the melted cell phone.
It quickly became obvious that a cell phone couldn't cause all the injuries the man suffered. As result, the Korea Times noted today in an editorial:
According to Chief Executive James Keyes of Blockbuster Inc (the movie rental chain) his company is trying to bring movies to cell phones. The company is in talks with all the major mobile phone makers about partnerships to make it easier for users to watch movies on the go,
Keyes stated at the Reuters Media Summit that he started watching movies on his BlackBerry after some help from a technical expert at Blockbuster and from Jim Balsillie, the co-chief executive of Blackberry maker Research in Motion Ltd. Keyes also uses the iPhone from Apple Inc and stated that Blockbuster is in talks with software companies about possible partnerships, but he did not name them.
The executive, who asked his technician to download movies from Blockbuster's Movielink online service to a tiny storage card that is then inserted into his BlackBerry, did not give details on how the process could be made easier.
Orange have reported that since the announcement of the iPhone arriving in France, it has 63,000 fans who have registered to be the first to purchase the smartphone / iPod device.
Orange will be holding late-night openings at 12 of its stores, when iPhone is unveiled on Wednesday November 28, 2007. Bordeaux, Lille, Lyons, Marseilles, Montpellier, Nancy, Nice, Nantes, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse will be welcoming iPhone fans from 6:30 pm onwards. In Paris, Orange will take this opportunity to inaugurate its brand new store at 125, avenue des Champs-Elysées.
As exclusive carrier for iPhone in France, Orange has developed a range of four "Orange for iPhone" plans. These offers have designed to let customers make the most of this revolutionary device that will change the way customers communicate.
Samsung Electronics Co., announced today the development of its new single-chip radio frequency identification (RFID) reader for mobile devices. Embedded RFID reader chips can provide consumers with product or service information retrieved from RFID tags incorporated in items such as movie posters, clothing, and museums or tourist exhibits.
According to market research firm RoA Group, the global demand for mobile RFID is expected to grow from $26.9 billion in 2007 to $701 billion by 2010, for a compound annual growth of 196 percent.
While it can be embedded into devices such as mobile handsets and handheld readers used in retail stores, initially the major application for Samsung's new RFID reader chip is expected to be in card-type readers that plug into mobile handsets. This will provide consumers with immediate access to the new technology.
Today Google launched a new beta version of its Mobile Maps which features "My Location". The new version uses cell tower information to generate the user's location. The cell phone user can see their location on the map, with or without GPS. Watch the video on the right to see how it works.
The My Location feature is available for most web-enabled mobile phones, including Java, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Nokia/Symbian devices. If you have a GPS-enabled device, the blue dot (on the map) corresponds to your GPS location. At times, or if you do not have a GPS-enabled phone, you might see the blue dot surrounded by a light blue circle to indicate uncertainty about your location.
Why the uncertainty? The My Location feature takes information broadcast from mobile towers near you to approximate your current location on the map - it's not GPS, but it comes pretty close (approximately 1000m close, on average). Google is working to improve coverage and accuracy.
Verizon today announced plans to develop and deploy its fourth generation mobile broadband network using LTE – Long Term Evolution – the technology developed within the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards organization.
The selection of LTE provides Verizon and Vodafone – joint owners of U.S.-based Verizon Wireless – with a unique opportunity to adopt a common access platform with true global scale and compatibility with existing technologies of both companies.
Verizon and Vodafone have a coordinated trial plan for LTE that begins in 2008. Trial suppliers include Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, Motorola, Nokia-Siemens, and Nortel. These suppliers, along with others in the world community, have contributed significantly towards development of the standards in 3GPP. Discussions with device suppliers have expanded beyond traditional suppliers such as LG, Samsung, Motorola, Nokia, and Sony Ericsson, as consumer electronics companies anticipate embedded wireless functionality in their future products.
With three number one hits and 14 consecutive top 10s, The Goo Goo Dolls are one of the most successful bands of the past twenty years. Now Alltel Wireless is bringing the Grammy-nominated band to the Valley for a free concert to thank the community for their support and to celebrate Alltel’s tremendous year of growth in the region. Area residents are invited to attend the show on Saturday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m. at the Scottsdale Civic Center Plaza .
In addition to The Goo Goo Dolls concert, Alltel Wireless is also offering Valley residents the new MOTOROKR Z6m for only $79.99, plus 50 free songs with the purchase of an accessory kit of $29.99 while supplies last. The phone offer is available to new customers who sign a two-year service agreement and to eligible existing customers on qualifying rate plans through January 12, 2008.
Gates open at 4:00 p.m., and Alltel is recommending fans arrive early, as the venue has a capacity of 2,000 for this special event.
An exploding cell phone battery is suspected of killing a South Korean worker. According to police in Cheongwon, the man was found dead at his workplace in a quarry Wednesday morning and his cell phone battery was melted in his shirt pocket.
According to a police official, "We presume that the cell phone battery exploded". Kim Hoon, a doctor who examined the body, agreed and stated, "He sustained an injury that is similar to a burn in the left chest and his ribs and spine were broken...It is presumed that pressure caused by the explosion damaged his heart and lungs, leading to his death."
Police stated the phone was made by South Korea's LG Electronics. An LG official confirmed its product was involved in the accident but said the company would not comment directly on the incident because the cause was not confirmed. However, the official stated such a fatal explosion would be virtually impossible.
Verizon Wireless announced the XV6800 by HTC is available today online and through Verizon Wireless business sales. The (originally announced last month) will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores on Dec. 5.
The Verizon Wireless XV6800 delivers powerful messaging and communications capabilities, including Windows Mobile 6 Professional, which provides instant access to the Internet, calendar and contacts, tasks, e-mail, and much more. Also included are advanced phone features, such as a 2.0 megapixel camera with flash and video capture, and support for Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, as well as PDFs.
Verizon Wireless customers have the benefit of using the XV6800 as a modem for notebooks when they subscribe to Verizon Wireless’ BroadbandAccess Connect – which runs on the nation’s most reliable wireless broadband network – to send and receive data.
WJS Technologies, LLC introduces the new EZ Mount Cell Phone Charging Station, a product that eliminates the tangle of charger cord clutter from counters, tables and floors.
The EZ Mount cell phone accessory is a quick and clever problem solver that allows cell phones and cords to be placed onto a wall plate unit. The unit consists of a shelf for the phone, a cord holder to hide the charging cord and a hook to hang car keys. There is no need to store the charger since it stays with the charging station.
Manufactured from durable plastic with a skid-free pad to hold the phone or PDA, the EZ Mount installs in a snap. The wall plate and shelf can be reversed to fit any receptacle. No drilling or anchors are needed. The EZ Mount retails for 12.95 each. Free first class shipping is included on the website.
The increasing adoption of streamed video and video chat services, fueled by a sharp rise in the adoption of 3G services, will push revenues derived from mobile adult services to nearly $3.5 billion by 2010, according to a new report by Juniper Research.
The report also found that a significant proportion of new revenues were expected to hail from the relatively underdeveloped North American markets, despite the existing restrictions on on-portal content.
According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "While operators in the US and Canada are still very reluctant to introduce age-verification systems and offer adult content, it is a completely different story off-portal with a number of service providers now offering D2C content and services aimed at those markets. Furthermore, as mobile subscribers become more comfortable and familiar with the off-portal environment, then the traffic to these sites is likely to mushroom."
The report also found that while new legislation in markets such as China and South Korea would depress growth in Asia, adoption in Eastern European markets was rising at a higher rate than previously anticipated, in part thanks to the greater willingness of operators in the region to offer a wide variety of explicit, white-label content on-portal.
In an exclusive and a first for all professional sports leagues, Verizon Wireless and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced the launch of NHL game video alerts, enabling hockey fans to receive video messages of game highlights on their mobile phones, moments after they happen on the ice.
Verizon Wireless customers who sign up for the game highlights video alerts package can stay on top of their favorite team’s on-ice performance through 15-second mobile video alerts with accompanying audio that highlight key goals and remarkable plays. Mobile video alerts are sent after each period – including overtime – for every game, allowing fans to stay informed throughout the competition. Hockey fans will receive a maximum of four video alerts in one night.
Customers can purchase the NHL game highlights video alerts package for $2.99 per month/per team by going to www.verizonwireless.com/nhl and clicking on the Alerts tab. Verizon Wireless customers can also sign up via text message by sending the keyword representing the team of their choice (ex. DUCKS or SENATORS) to the short code 7825 (PUCK).
Verizon Wireless today announced that it will provide customers the option to use, on its nationwide wireless network, wireless devices, software and applications not offered by the company. Verizon Wireless plans to have this new choice available to customers throughout the country by the end of 2008.
In early 2008, the company will publish the technical standards the development community will need to design products to interface with the Verizon Wireless network. Any device that meets the minimum technical standard will be activated on the network. Devices will be tested and approved in a $20 million state-of-the-art testing lab which received an additional investment this year to gear up for the anticipated new demand. Any application the customer chooses will be allowed on these devices.
This new option goes beyond just a change in the design, delivery, purchase, and provisioning of wireless devices and applications.
AT&T and LG today announced the availability of the new Shine by LG, a stylish new multimedia device for mobile phone users who want to stand out in a crowd. Originally announced in October 2006, the Shine by LG arrived in stores Nov. 23, the day after Thanksgiving — "Black Friday." The Shine by LG is a sliding form-factor device, offered exclusively through AT&T, that features a silver exterior and comes with video, music and camera features and a 2.2-inch mirror LCD screen.
The device is pre-loaded with the best of AT&T's features, including AT&T Video Share, Mobile Banking, AT&T Mobile Music and more. The Shine by LG is designed to satisfy the needs of mobile phone users who want style and glamour in their state-of-the-art mobile device and wireless service.
Additional features on the Shine by LG include a 2.0-megapixel camera with video record and Bluetooth 2.0 capability for music and voice. The body of the Shine by LG is an elegant metal body surrounding the mirror LCD screen.
Levi's has launched a cell phone with a compact design and a sturdy riveted steel casing. The phone has a detachable chain that allows users to fasten their phone to their jeans or bags.
The Levi's phone enables young people to connect, enjoy music, exchange images and videos whilst on the go. The handset has a music player with FM radio, camera, Bluetooth, SMS, MMS, email and weighs only 98g.
The Levi Phone is designed and manufactured by ModeLabs Group. ModeLabs Group a customized design manufacturer (CDM) specializing in mobiles phones using new generation technology. The company designs, develops and markets mobile phone handsets, accessories and services for mobile phones operators, distributors and mass market brands.
Google has launched a new 411 (telephone directory) service that is free, fast and easy to use. You don't need a computer, an Internet connection, or even the keypad on your phone or mobile device. GOOG-411 is voice-activated, so you can access it from any phone (mobile or land line), in any location, at any time. For free.
Dial (1-800) GOOG-411. Say where. Say what you're looking for. GOOG-411 will connect you with the business you choose. If you are calling from a mobile device, GOOG-411 can even send you a text message with more details and a map. Simply say "Text message" or "Map it."
Google also has other mobile applications which include Search, Maps, GmailNew!, Picasa, YouTube, GOOG-411, Calendar, News, SMS, Blogger,Reader, and Docs. (Read previous article on Interesting Cell Phone Services)
Are you a cell phone addict? I know if I leave my home without my cell phone I feel lost. I feel naked and disconnect from the world. I wonder what I will do if my car breaks down on the highway or what if a love one needs to get in touch with me immediately. I'll sometimes turn around to head back home to get my cell phone after driving several miles. Sometimes I will keep driving because I'll remind myself that people got along fine (including me) without cell phones. I may not be an addict but I can see how people can become addicted. Soon we may have people entering programs for “cell phone addicts”!
Koreans love their cell phone and maybe the first country on the planet to conduct a program to help cure cell phone addiction among their young citizens. Korea has one of the world's most advanced cell phone systems with high quality services. As a result, cell phone usage has dominated many teenagers’ daily lives. This has caused them to become "cell phone addicts".
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