According to Sanjay Jha, co-CEO of Motorola and CEO of Mobile Devices, Motorola plans to have "differentiated" Android-based devices in stores in time for the fourth-quarter holiday season.
Sanjay Jha made the statement as part of Motorola's first quarter earnings report. Motorola previously stated it would offer Android devices but never defined a time or what type of devices.
Verizon Wireless announced today the anxiously awaited final song in its exclusive series is now available first to customers using the BlackBerry Storm smartphone from Research In Motion.
Fans can now enjoy an exclusive version of Keith Urban’s new hit, “Kiss A Girl,” recorded earlier this month on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus during Urban’s Verizon VIP tour. “Kiss A Girl” is the second single off Urban’s new album, Defying Gravity, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. This song, which joins three other tracks produced by Timbaland, Verizon’s Mobile Producer In Residence, completes the series that is offered for a limited time exclusively to Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Storm customers.
BlackBerry Storm smartphone customers can download the previously released tracks in the series. Customers simply visit www.VerizonTimbalandStorm.com using the browser on a BlackBerry Storm smartphone, enter the phone number and follow the directions to access the tracks.
Verizon Wireless announced today it has filed a lawsuit to stop several telemarketers from calling its customers and employees with an offer of an extended car warranty. The lawsuit, filed in New Jersey Superior Court, names Dealers Warranty (doing business as Federal Auto Protection), National Dealers Warranty and Tele Europe, B.V., and alleges these companies are responsible for illegally using an autodialer to reach Verizon Wireless customers.
The first two companies are based in Missouri, and the third is based in the Netherlands. The lawsuit alleges they have engaged in a campaign of making unsolicited telemarketing calls to Verizon Wireless customers and employees, consisting of a pre recorded voice message indicating that a car warranty is about to expire and urging the recipient to press “1” to speak to a representative.
Verizon Wireless launched a global version of its popular VZ Navigator service. Beginning today, VZ Navigator Global:
Provides business and leisure travelers the ability to find locations and access turn-by-turn directions in North America and Western Europe, including Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom – additional countries will be added to the service throughout the year;
Alleviates stress or confusion caused by reading road signs or directions in an unfamiliar language – VZ Navigator Global customers can choose either English or Spanish as the default language, and miles or kilometers to mark distances;
Will be initially available on the BlackBerry® Storm™ 9530 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) while VZ Navigator Global capabilities will be available later on additional smartphones; and
Finds restaurants, gas stations, banks/ATMs and other popular spots in these countries using Local Search.
According to a new report from Juniper Research, Direct and indirect revenues from mobile applications are expected to exceed $25 billion by 2014, with growth fueled by a raft of store launches targeting both high-end and mass market handsets.
The mobile applications report found that while the overwhelming majority of application (app) revenues are currently accrued from one-off downloads, the increasing utilization of in-app billing to enable incremental revenues from additional mobile content will see value-added services (VAS) providing the dominant revenue stream by 2011. It also noted that many Tier 1 operators would seek to deploy their own app stores in a bid to maintain content revenue share.
Today Tellme, a subsidiary of Microsoft Corp. and provider of voice services, announced the first mobile voice service to combine content and communications, simplifying how people interact with their phones every day. Unlike other voice-based services, Tellme is the first to allow people to press one button, say what they want and get it, whether that is to send a text, make a call or search for information. Tellme has designed a unique version of this experience specifically for Windows phones due out this fall.
The new service puts many of the most popular phone functions behind a single button. Windows phone users just press the side button of their phone to:
Send a text by saying "text" to open a text box, then speak the text message and send to call anyone in their contact list
Initiate a call simply by saying "call" and then the name of anyone in their contact list
Search the Web with Microsoft Live Search by speaking your request, such as "weather in San Francisco, California", "Pizza in Kansas City" or "mother's day gift ideas"
MetroPCS and Samsung today launched the Samsung Tint. The sleek, compact flip design of the Samsung Tint makes it both durable and fashionable.
The Samsung Tint includes grey and pink faceplates as a standard accessory to help match the user’s style. Additional faceplates are also available in various colors. This handset also features customizable wallpaper, banner themes and fonts to personalize the visual experience on the Samsung Tint.
The Samsung Tint is equipped with a powerful feature set, including an integrated camera, SMS, MMS, email and IM messaging capabilities, advanced voice recognition, Bluetooth wireless technology and speakerphone for easy, hands-free operation. For immediate access to family and friends, the Samsung Tint offers ChatLINK? a push-to-talk social networking tool that works like a walkie-talkie. Users can simply push a button and talk without dialing to individuals or groups with compatible phones.
Samsung Electronics today announced the I7500, its first Android-powered smartphone. Samsung became the first company among the global top three mobile phone manufacturers to unveil an Android-powered smartphone.
The Samsung I7500 is a cutting-edge smartphone, featuring a 3.2” AMOLED full touch screen and 7.2Mbps HSDPA and WiFi connectivity, giving users access to Google Mobile services and full web browsing at blazing speeds.
The Samsung I7500 offers users access to the full suite of Google services, including Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Google Calendar, and Google Talk. The integrated GPS receiver enables the comprehensive use of Google Maps features, such as My Location, Google Latitude, Street View, local search and detailed route description. Hundreds of other applications are available in Android Market. For example, the application Wikitude, a mobile travel guide, allows consumers to access details of unknown sights via location-based Wikipedia articles.
LG Electronics MobileComm U.S.A, Inc. recently announced an exclusive partnership with fashion icon Heidi Klum to promote LG Rumor2 and the idea that mobile phones have become an expression of personal style. As part of the partnership, LG is unveiling personalized back plates for their recently released LG Rumor2, which is available exclusively through Sprint.
Heidi Klum, in her role as LG's Ambassador of Style, lent her expertise to design five back plates and skins that express her personal style. Like Heidi, consumers can express their individual style and unique personalities by customizing their LG Rumor2.
The partnership includes an advertising campaign, online webisodes, and a consumer promotion. The eight webisodes will be hosted by Heidi Klum and will live on www.lgrumor2.com. Here, aspiring fashionistas will have the opportunity to win a seat at Heidi's Style Council where they will design the next LG Rumor2 back plate. They will be judged on their creativity and design execution. The winner will have their design featured in the exclusive collection, alongside Heidi Klum's creations.
T-Mobile has released a software update that for the Android platform. The update comes with new functions, many enhancements, and more improvements to the the input screens. In Starting in May, T-Mobile will be shipping new handsets with this latest software, and will offer existing T-Mobile G1 customers the mobile update for download with an automatic installation over the air and free of charge. Alongside its software updates, T-Mobile will be further expanding the Android cell phone portfolio during 2009 to introduce new handsets.
One of the software's new features is an automatic horizontal or vertical layout for the touch screen display. This allows the T-Mobile G1 to be used in landscape format even if the display is covering the physical keyboard. Another key new feature is the virtual keyboard, which makes it possible to input call numbers or text simply by touching the screen. T-Mobile G1 owners can therefore choose between a virtual or a physical QWERTZ keyboard. And, of course, the touch screen keyboard is available in portrait and landscape format.
U.K. cell phone carrier 3 and Skype will debut a service on May 1st that will allow subscribers with GSM phones, the standard in Europe, to purchase a Skype-oriented SIM card for less than $3 to make free calls to other Skype users. When users activate their cell phones with the SIM card, they'll receive text messages with instructions on how to install 3's Internet settings and download Skype software. New users can buy a 3 Skypephone.
3 will offer a new Skypephone in the fourth quarter of 2009. 3 began offering its first Skypephones in October 2007 in nine countries where it operates, which includes Austria, Denmark, Italy, Ireland, and Sweden in Europe.
AT&T reported dramatic growth in the number of Wi-Fi users and connections. AT&T Wi-Fi connections totaled 10.5 million in the first quarter of 2009 - more than triple the 3.4 million connections in the first quarter of 2008, and more than half AT&T's 20 million total Wi-Fi connections for all of 2008. The usage surge was driven by growth in AT&T's wired and wireless broadband customer base, the proliferation of Wi-Fi enabled devices and the transition of Starbucks locations to AT&T's Wi-Fi footprint.
AT&T broadband connections, including wireline and wireless LaptopConnect cards, grew by 471,000 in the first quarter to reach 16.7 million in service. AT&T provides Wi-Fi access at no extra charge with qualifying AT&T high speed Internet plans, 3G LaptopConnect plans and select smartphone plans.
The number and type of Wi-Fi enabled devices continues to grow. In January, Sony introduced the world's first Wi-Fi enabled digital camera with a built-in web browser and complimentary access to AT&T's Wi-Fi network.
T-Mobile USA, Inc. today announced the first-of-its-kind embedded SIM for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) solutions. Nearly the size of a head of a pin, the durable embedded SIM withstands challenging environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and motion to deliver reliable wireless connectivity. The embedded SIM is ideal for telematics and smart grid infrastructure solutions where environmental factors may reduce reliability and increase maintenance costs of removable SIM-based solutions.
The embedded SIM preserves many of the benefits of a GSM-based SIM solution (authentication, encryption and storage), but at a fraction the size of the traditional SIM you’d find in a mobile phone. In addition to the much smaller size, the embedded SIM differs from today’s SIMs in that it’s built from silicon — not plastic.
Google today announced Google Product Search for mobile for the iPhone and Android powered devices. Google Product Search gives product information; prices, ratings, reviews, and product details from all over the Internet.
To access Google Product Search for mobile go to Google.com in your mobile browser and the access Google Product Search for mobile. From Google.com, type in a query and then tap on the "shopping" link that appears in the search results. Or, tap on the "more" tab and then "shopping" to get to Product Search directly. (see demo video to the right)
Google Product Search for mobile gives the same product information that you would get on your desktop computer. When you click on products like electronics and video games, you'll see dedicated product pages that include ratings charts and technical specifications.
Alltel Wireless announced today that the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone from Research In Motion (RIM) will be available in retail stores and online at alltel.com beginning in early May.
This stylish and compact smartphone puts customers in control of how, when and where they communicate and joins Alltel’s impressive spring line-up of phones that make perfect gifts for moms, dads and recent grads.
The clamshell design of the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230 smartphone allows users to discreetly screen calls and preview messages on the high-resolution external display or utilize the large internal display to respond to calls or messages, view maps and web pages, and play games. With a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, the internal LCD displays videos and pictures in crisp detail and contrast.
Nokia today announced its third fully integrated Near Field Communication (NFC) device, the Nokia 6216 classic. The new arrival is Nokia's first SIM-based NFC device which enables operators to build NFC services on to the SIM card. With NFC consumers will benefit from greater ease of use, more convenient sharing of content - such as images, weblinks, audio files or contact data - as well as secure payment and ticketing transactions, all with just one tap of the device. The Nokia 6216 classic is expected to start shipping in the third quarter of 2009 in select markets with an estimated retail price of EUR 150 before taxes and subsidies.
Owner's credit card information can be stored securely on the SIM card and waving the device in front of a contactless terminal enables quick payment and simple ticketing services*.
In addition to the NFC technology, the Nokia 6216 classic is outfitted with the features people desire from a next generation mobile device, including digital camera, bright display, stereo FM radio and music player, 3G connectivity and a microSD slot which is expandable up to 8GB.
Today Verizon Wireless announced the Samsung Trance; a high-powered music phone with touchpad navigation and enhanced audio quality backed by Bang & Olufsen’s ICEpower amp. It has a slim, slider form factor and is designed for the customer with an ear for music and an eye for style. The Samsung Trance will be available on April 24, 2009, in two colors – Piano Black and Electric Red.
Verizon Wireless has priced the Samsung Trance at $49.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted.
Music
V CAST Music with Rhapsody (subscription & PC downloads) – allows customers to choose from more than 5 million songs, download the master copy of their songs to their PCs free of digital rights management (DRM) software and sync their favorite tracks, albums and playlists from their PCs to their Samsung Trance phones using a USB cable (Note: over-the-air music downloads are not supported)
MetroPCS Communications today announced unlimited calling to select locations in Mexico for $3 a month. MetroPCS customers will be able to make unlimited calls to more than 200 landline destinations throughout Mexico and unlimited SMS text messages without any additional charges to four major Mexican cellular carriers: America Movil (Telcel), Telefonica (Movistar), Nextel Mexico and Iusacell.
MetroPCS offers a diverse selection of wireless service plans, which allow customers to talk 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week, and enhanced service options so customers can create a wireless experience that best fits their lifestyles. With MetroPCS, customers pay by the month, not by the minute, and services do not require a signed contract, deposit or credit check. For an additional $3 a month, unlimited calling to Mexico can be added to MetroPCS’ $35, $40, $45 and $50 service plans, which already includes unlimited long distance service to the 48 continental United States. MetroPCS offers the first month of service free with the purchase of a phone and there is no activation fee or other charges.
CTIA-The Wireless Association announced today its commitment to support a common format for wireless phone chargers, known as the “Universal Charging Solution” (UCS). Developed by the Open Mobile Terminal Platform industry standards group and recently adopted by the GSMA, the UCS aims to reduce energy consumption and enhance the customer experience through the adoption of a single “one-charger-fits-all” solution for new wireless devices by January 1, 2012. The UCS will use the Micro-USB format as the common universal charging interface, and use energy efficient chargers in compliance with U.S. “Energy Star” requirements for external power adapters that will provide an estimated 50% reduction in standby energy consumption.
During the International WIRELESS 2009 tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, where “smart energy” was one of the themes, CTIA’s Board of Directors adopted the UCS initiative at its April 1st meeting. The wireless industry is actively developing innovative solutions and alternative energy sources to help increase efficiency and sustainability in the mobile environment.
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