Mobility Phones - Mobile Phones

For customers seeking a smartphone that makes a bold statement, Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced the admirable BlackBerry Bold smartphone. Crafted from premium materials, inside and out, that radiate elegance with a dramatic presence, the BlackBerry Bold is designed to give business professionals and power users unprecedented functionality and performance in an intuitive BlackBerry smartphone. It is the first BlackBerry smartphone to support tri-band HSDPA high-speed networks around the world and comes with integrated GPS and Wi-Fi, as well as a rich set of multimedia capabilities. From its lustrous black exterior, satin chrome finished frame and stylish leather-like backplate, to its stunning display, sophisticated user interface and newly designed full-QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone is a symbol of accomplishment and aspiration.SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone’s support for tri-band HSDPA and enterprise-grade Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) networks and its next-generation 624 MHz mobile processor make short work of downloading email attachments, streaming video or rendering web pages. The BlackBerry Bold also includes 128 MB Flash memory plus 1 GB on-board storage memory, as well as and a microSD/SDHC memory card slot that is conveniently accessible from a side door. It comes with the renowned BlackBerry productivity applications, including phone, email, messaging, organizer and browser, and works with thousands of mobile business and lifestyle applications, making it easier than ever to stay connected, productive and entertained. With this powerful new smartphone, users can even talk on the phone while sending and receiving email or accessing the web, and download Word, Excel or PowerPoint files and edit them directly on the handset using the preloaded DataViz Documents to Go suite.

STUNNING DISPLAY

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone comes with the most vivid and bold display ever introduced on a BlackBerry smartphone. Its half-VGA (480×320 resolution) color LCD is fused to the undersurface of the lens, making images leap out with stunning definition and clarity. Pictures are vibrant and razor sharp, while videos play smoothly and web pages, documents, presentations and messages snap with exceptional quality and contrast.

DESKTOP-STYLE WEB PAGES

With its newly enhanced, high performance browser and high-resolution, ultra-bright display, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone gives users an on-the-go web browsing experience with desktop-style depiction. The trackball mimics a mouse, making it easy to navigate sites in “Page View” or “Column View” or to zoom in on specific parts of a web page, while various emulation settings allow users to choose between the full desktop-style HTML content and layout or the mobile version. Attachments can also now be downloaded from within the browser and there is support for watching streaming videos (RTSP - real-time streaming protocol).

RICH MULTIMEDIA

While it is designed to meet the extensive requirements of the business professional during the day, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone also caters to the business person’s consumer side during evenings and weekends. It features a 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability, built-in flash and 5x digital zoom. The enhanced media player can display pictures and slideshows quickly, play movies smoothly in full screen mode, and manage an entire music collection. Audio can be played over the handset’s dual speakers in rich, stereo sound, and when using wired headphones or external speakers, the media player gives the user an equalizer with 11 preset filters — like “Lounge”, “Jazz” and “Hip Hop” — that boost or soften audio ranges to create the perfect ambiance.

For managing music and video, the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software includes Roxio Media Manager for BlackBerry as well as Roxio Photosuite 9 LE, which makes it easy to enhance pictures and create photo albums on the computer. For users that manage their collection with iTunes, the new BlackBerry Media Sync application provides a simple way to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone***. Support for High Speed USB 2.0 allows all files to be transferred quickly from a desktop computer to the BlackBerry Bold smartphone.

POWERFUL WI-FI & GPS

For even broader high-speed network coverage, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone supports the 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi standards, ideal for use in enterprise or campus wireless LAN deployments, over Wi-Fi hotspots and on wireless home networks. A new “Push Button Setup” is included, making it faster for users to connect to protected wireless networks that require a sign on process.

Through its integrated GPS, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone can pinpoint its exact location, supporting applications like BlackBerry Maps and other location-based applications or services. With its improved rendering capabilities, faster download speeds and ability to support simultaneous voice and data, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone even allows users to navigate while on a call.

FIRST CLASS PHONE

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone features a new acoustic design that increases the size of the phone’s audio sweet spot, improving listening quality and clarity. It also comes with numerous premium phone features including Speaker Independent Voice Recognition (SIVR) for Voice Activated Dialing (VAD), Bluetooth 2.0, with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits (including car kits that adhere to the Bluetooth Remote SIM Access Profile) and other Bluetooth peripherals. It is a quad-band EDGE and tri-band HSDPA handset that supports global roaming**** and features dedicated ’send’, ‘end’, and ‘mute’ keys, smart dialing, speed dialing, conference calling and call forwarding. It also features noise cancellation technology that offsets background noise, a powerful speaker phone and support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ring tones.

ROBUST EMAIL & MESSAGING

Like all BlackBerry smartphones, the BlackBerry Bold gives users the industry’s leading mobile messaging solution. It works with BlackBerry Enterprise Server, which enables advanced security and IT administration within IBM Lotus Domino, Microsoft Exchange and Novell GroupWise environments, as well as BlackBerry Professional Software for small businesses. It also works with BlackBerry Internet Service, which gives users access to up to 10 work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts), and the BlackBerry Unite! software for SOHO and home users.

CONVENIENT ACCESSORIES

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone comes with a variety of convenient accessories including a stereo headset, travel charger, carrying case or sleeve and USB cable. Users will also be able to personalize their BlackBerry Bold smartphone by purchasing replaceable leather-like backplates that come in a range of colors. The removable / rechargeable 1500 mAhr battery provides multi-hour usage with a target talk time of approximately 5 hours and 13 days standby time.

Accessories for BlackBerry smartphones, including leather holsters and totes, charging pods, premium earphones, the BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway and Bluetooth headsets, are available through retail outlets or online at: www.shopblackberry.com.

AVAILABILITY

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone (model number: 9000) is scheduled to be available from wireless carriers around the world beginning this summer.

* Keyboard also available in AZERTY and QWERTZ configurations to support different language groups.

** MicroSD/SDHC memory cards are available today in configurations of up to 8GB and the BlackBerry Bold is expected to support upcoming 16GB microSD/SDHC cards.

*** Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies.

**** Check with service provider for roaming services.

The Associated Press today debuted its Mobile News Network, a multimedia news portal targeted at wireless users who want access anytime and anywhere to international, national and local news content from the cooperative and its members. The web application has been optimized for use on iPhones and can be accessed directly at apnews.com or via iPhone web application pages at www.iphone.com/webapps.”We are excited to offer the first comprehensive mobile news web app and to have been selected by Apple as a Staff Pick. With a new generation of mobile devices on the market, like the iPhone, the time is right for AP to introduce a product that brings together our members’ local news brands with AP’s unrivaled coverage of international and national events,” said Jane Seagrave, AP’s senior vice president of global product development.

With more than 100 news publishers in the network at launch, covering 16 of the top 20 DMAs, the network provides the widest coverage available of breaking news, sports, entertainment, and business developments for consumers on the go.

“The mobile initiative with AP has the potential to create a single access point for news on smart phone platforms,” said Lincoln Millstein, senior vice president and director of digital media for Hearst Newspapers. “That’s a big benefit for users, and a great opportunity for providers of local news and advertising.” Millstein was a member of an advisory group of new media executives from AP members who assisted in the planning for the cooperative project.

The new service, optimized for the iPhone, offers a full multimedia experience, from photo galleries of sports events to spot video coverage of the presidential campaign. The Mobile News Network provides a single access point for both news and advertising, both national and local. Users can select news from their hometown, business destination or favorite cities, share stories, photos and video with friends and rate the information they receive.

Future versions of The Mobile News Network will include additional content from more newspapers and broadcasters and will be optimized for additional next generation mobile phones.

The Mobile News Network is the first product released by AP’s Digital Cooperative, an initiative aimed at finding new digital outlets for the news and information produced by AP members.

Access the newly launched mobile Web site for the Mobile News Network at apnews.com.

“NextWave Wireless Inc., a global provider of advanced mobile multimedia and wireless broadband technologies, announced that it has retained Deutsche Bank and UBS Investment Bank to explore the sale of its extensive spectrum holdings in the United States.”

Nokia today announced an exciting multimedia film production with Academy Award nominated director, Spike Lee. Nokia Productions will create the world’s first social film built entirely by everyday people using their mobile devices to generate and submit original content which will then be combined into one artistic multimedia film created by Spike Lee.”The future of filmmaking is changing and mobile-generated art is fast becoming the next medium for film. In five years, I believe we will be watching films in movie theaters that have been shot on a mobile phone,” said Spike Lee, director for Nokia Productions. “Today, with state-of-the-art multimedia devices like what Nokia has to offer, you are seeing first hand the democratization of film. Aspiring filmmakers no longer have to go to film school to make great work. With a simple mobile phone, almost anyone can now become a filmmaker.”

The program will evolve around a central theme of humanity, specifically the way music tells the story of humanity. The film will consist of three acts each of which will include an “assignment” for participants which Spike Lee will announce throughout the program. To participate in Nokia Productions, consumers can submit their original content consisting of any combination of text, music, video or images during certain time periods between now through August 21 at http://www.nokiaproductions.com.

Each act of the production will last for four weeks. Spike Lee will direct the collaboration digitally from the Web site, guiding and critiquing creative submissions throughout the production. There will also be online assistant directors that will personally help participants revise their entries and then repost for consideration. After each act closes, Nokia will choose the “Top 25″ submissions, and visitors will vote for their favorite submission creating the “Top 10″ from which Spike Lee will then choose the winning submission from each act to be integrated into the final film. Five randomly selected contestants from each act will win a Nokia N95 and the opportunity to travel to the film’s premier in Los Angeles and meet director Spike Lee.

There will also be weekly giveaways including a new Nokia device and free music download cards.

“Nokia is excited about connecting people through this first of its kind social experience,” said Craig Coffey, Vice President of Marketing, Nokia North America. “With Nokia technology now enabling anyone to collaborate, share and explore in order to participate in something larger than themselves opens up a world of possibilities. We encourage everyone to join with Nokia and Spike Lee to create the world’s first social film production.”

The final collaborative film containing the three winners’ submissions along with other contributed content, will premiere this fall at the soon to open Club Nokia in Los Angeles.

CSR today announced that its BlueCore5-Multimedia platform now supports integrated speech synthesis, also known as text-to-speech (TTS), and speech recognition (SR) functionality. Developed through its third party eXtension Partner Programme with NowSpeak and Rubidium Ltd., CSR can now offer headset and hands-free car kit users a true hands-free experience when using Bluetooth accessories. CSR’s industry leading BlueCore5-Multimedia platform is the only Bluetooth device on the market with an integrated DSP and on-chip memory, allowing it to host third party software to offer end users an unprecedented level of audio quality and functionality when using Bluetooth.By combining speech synthesis and SR technologies CSR provides users with ultimate control when communicating via either a Bluetooth headset or embedded car kit. When a call is received on the user’s mobile phone, the speech synthesis engine announces the name or number of the caller, allowing the user to decide whether or not to accept the call, and use SR to answer the call without the need to press a button. Speech synthesis can be used as a connection and pairing status guide and can inform the user of the title of a music track played over Bluetooth. Furthermore, SR allows users to easily and safely control a vast array of functions through voice commands, including call acceptance and rejection, voice dialling, and music control and selection. Speech synthesis and SR together provide users of a CSR BlueCore5-Multimedia based product with the ultimate hands free experience.

NowSpeak offers the complete handsfree interface for CSR BlueCore devices with its next generation text-to-speech and speech recognition products. Its text-to-speech technology automatically synthesises speech from text in real time and has been specifically optimised to speak people’s names, phone numbers and device status phrases with a natural voice. With support for all major languages and a small memory footprint it is possible to include multiple languages in a Bluetooth device. Its speaker independent speech recognition requires no user training, supports multiple vocabularies and can be used to recognise words, digits or whole phrases. NowSpeak’s speech recognition is designed to work in real world situations with background noise reduction and rejection of unwanted sounds. NowSpeak text-to-speech and speech recognition solutions can be integrated together or used independently.

Rubidium’s speech synthesis and SR offering, is available on the CSR BlueCore5-Multimedia platform. Rubidium’s speech synthesis uses concatenate TTS based on real human speech to produce pure and natural sound, while keeping use of computational resources exceptionally low. It supports diverse languages, and was designed to offer rapid and flexible addition of virtually any language and voice. Rubidium’s core SR technology derives from its proprietary Rubidium Dialog Engine series, featuring speaker independent recognition and supporting keyword spotting and noise robustness. Optimised to support essentially any language and accent, it uses artificial intelligence elements to cope with natural language, dynamic vocabularly and multi-layer dialogues.

CSR’s BlueCore5-Multimedia has been specifically designed to enable best in class audio for applications including high-end stereo and mono headsets. Its powerful 64 MIPS DSP allows customers to add audio or voice enhancement software available through CSR’s eXtension Partner Program to further boost the performance and functionality of their end designs.

Anthony Murray, Senior Vice President of CSR’s Wireless Audio Strategic Business Unit commented “CSR’s BlueCore5-Multimedia platform is the only Bluetooth device in the market that provides a speech controlled user interface for the Bluetooth accessory market. Thanks to CSR’s powerful integrated DSP on-chip, eXtension Partners such as NowSpeak and Rubidium can provide true hands-free experience to our customers on a single-chip, reducing the total cost of eBoM for customers.”

Verizon Wireless and AT&T were the major winners across the board, together accounting for more than 80% of the auction’s $19.1 billion in bids. Verizon won seven of the 12 Regional Economic Area Groups (REAGs) in block C which provides nationwide coverage in the continental United States and Hawaii, and which also carries an “open network” requirement for the license holder. According to ABI Research senior analyst Nadine Manjaro, “These licenses will enable Verizon to extend coverage into rural areas and potentially pose a significant threat to rural operators. In addition, since Verizon has announced plans to deploy LTE, it is highly likely that LTE will be deployed in this frequency band.”"It’s no surprise that Google didn’t win,” Manjaro continues. “Google just went in to get the networks opened up. They did achieve their goal of requiring that the networks be open to whatever devices they intend to bring to market, without incurring major costs. The rules of the C block requires the spectrum to be open to any device and any application.”

EchoStar, which won a nearly nationwide footprint in the E Block, could be the new mobile broadband operator which the FCC hoped the 700 MHz auction would produce. EchoStar could potentially deploy mobile WiMAX services similar to those of Sprint and Clearwire, realizing its longtime strategic goal of adding broadband data services to its video offering. A major hindrance, however, says Manjaro, is that EchoStar only has six MHz of spectrum in each market compared to Sprint’s approximate 90 MHz in each market.

There is one other fly in the ointment: the failure of the D Block emergency services part of the spectrum to attract the required minimum bid. While some have suggested that Sprint might spin off the Nextel iDEN network to form the basis of a new nationwide public safety network, Manjaro disagrees: “Sprint is committed to iDEN, and has announced plans to grow it to 36 million customers. After this major disappointment for the FCC it’s back to the drawing board for them, and I think they will re-run the D Block auction with new requirements - probably lowering the reserve price.”

“The results of this auction will mean changes for existing operators,” Manjaro continues. “With flat rate pricing, all operators are now commoditizing the bandwidth. They will have to get creative in developing new services to increase revenue. Some are already starting down that path, with Verizon creating its A-IMS (Advances to IP Multimedia Subsystem) platform and kicking off its Open Development initiative, which allows third-party developers to build new applications and services for the network. That means consumers will win through flat-rate pricing and the ability to buy any device and use it on any network. That’s what the FCC wanted, and to me, it looks like a win-win situation, except for the rural operators mentioned above.”

Nokia today announced the launch of the Nokia 6124 classic, exclusively available from Vodafone in Vodafone markets. The Nokia 6124 classic is a compact multimedia device offering Vodafone customers faster and easier access to all of Vodafone’s high speed Internet and entertainment services. Vodafone and Nokia will make it easier to access the Internet quickly at the click of a button on the Nokia 6124 classic. Customers will get the full suite of communications, content, Internet services and browsing, through seamlessly integrated Vodafone services on this Nokia device. Available exclusively for Vodafone customers world-wide, the Nokia 6124 classic features superior data rates with 3G broadband offering downloads up to 10 times faster than 3G networks. A large 2.0″ display with outstanding brightness and clarity adds more pleasure for internet browsing and video streaming. Taking pictures is convenient with the 2 megapixel camera, flash and panorama mode. The external memory card slot allows the user to expand the memory up to 8GB, which offers plenty of space for favourite images, videos and music. “With the Vodafone exclusive Nokia 6124 classic we continue the successful collaboration we started with the exclusive Nokia 6234,” says Jens Schulte-Bockum, Global Director Terminals at Vodafone “We are proud to offer the new Nokia 6124 classic which will allow our customers to access the complete suite of Vodafone communications, browsing, content and Internet services. In addition, the exclusive Nokia 6124 classic offers customers further improvement in their experience with many of Vodafone’s services already launched with leading Internet partners.” “The name says it all, as the Nokia 6124 classic represents the iconic design familiar to the Nokia brand, now made exclusively for Vodafone customers. It’s a great example of our collaboration and shows Nokia’s commitment to customers, says Markku Suomi, Vice President, Connect, Nokia. “3G broadband appeals to users who want convenient access to the latest information, as the device can even be used as a fast modem to access the internet from the PC.” Based on S60 and Symbian OS, the Nokia 6124 classic enables the user to download additional applications and content on the phone. It also allows the user to run several applications on the device at the same time - making it easy to browse the Web while listening to your favorite music or talking. The Nokia 6124 classic will start shipping in Vodafone markets in the second quarter.

Today, at CeBIT 2008, T-Mobile and Nokia announced the Nokia 6650, a stylish and easy to use device optimized for use with T-Mobile services. Available exclusively for T-Mobile International customers, the Nokia 6650 is equipped with the latest wireless features, such as an integrated GPS and multimedia player, allowing T-Mobile customers easy access to a wide range of services such as web’n'walk, MyFaves, Mobile Jukebox and NaviGate.The Nokia 6650 will be available from T-Mobile during the third quarter at T-Mobile sales points across Europe at a very attractive price. In Germany for example, the Nokia 6650 will retail for just 1 euro together with the Relax 100 rate.

The Nokia 6650 - exclusive multimedia device

The stylish, stainless-steel clad fold design is equipped with state-of-the-art multimedia features and supports T-Mobile’s services such as web’n'walk, a service that allows easy access to the Internet on mobile devices. High-speed HSDPA data connectibity enables fast web browsing and downloading while the 2.2″ TFT QVGA color display can display up to 16 million colours, making browsing and viewing photos, videos and menus a pleasure. T-Mobile service My Faves keeps you in touch with the people that matter the most while benefiting from the device’s extensive talk time. Mobile Jukebox users will appreciate the dedicated keys for the music player. Furthermore, the Nokia 6650 has built-in AGPS (assisted GPS) to enable quick positioning with NaviGate route management.

The Nokia 6650 comes with a 2 megapixel camera with flash, 30 MB of internal memory and a micro SD card slot, FM radio and many other features. Images and videos can be uploaded to the web, sent from phone to phone via a wireless Bluetooth connection, or viewed in full color on the device’s large display.

One of the newer innovations being discussed in the wireless arena are small micro or pico projectors designed for use with mobile devices. Companies from all over the world have announced plans to enter the miniature display market. With so many different parties willing to make such an investment in the idea of mobile projection, it seems to be a foregone conclusion that the mobile industry will soon see many new devices that enable handsets to externally project images.While many of the devices that were being showcased at the 2008 Mobile World Congress and Consumer Electronics Show may not quite be available, it seems apparent that they can easily see a release date by the end of this year. As further detailed in an upcoming market focus report from IMS Research, The Evolution of Visual Displays in Handsets, there are a few different methods for mobile projection: ranging from Texas Instruments use of millions of tiny mirrors to Microvision’s single mirror approach to Light Blue Optics use of holographic laser lights. Each of these projectors is capable of displaying full color, vibrant images of a size that would be ideal for watching television or other types of visual multimedia for an extended period of time.

However, report analyst Femi Omoni commented, “In spite of the encouraging factors that accompany mobile projectors, they are still a separate gadget from the handset itself. Having to carry a device separate from the mobile phone completely goes against the gospel of convergence that most manufacturers and operators have been preaching for the past few years.” He added, “Developers will have to consider how many consumers will be willing to carry around both a phone and a projector, especially when they have been encouraged to develop the habit of needing just one device.”

Despite the concerns, the future seems bright for mobile projectors. Upon initial release they will undoubtedly be marketed towards early adopters who will be less concerned with the perceived drawbacks of the projectors than they will be in the cool factor of having the latest mobile gadget. The lure of being able to properly utilize stored programming, visual multimedia and Mobile TV with their phones will further serve as incentive for many in this demographic.

Furthermore, the projector manufacturers are already hard at work on shrinking their inventions down even further to reach the point where they can be embedded in handsets and properly utilized as an additional, secondary screen. While the popularity of mobile projectors will probably be hampered until they can be embedded into handsets, there also seems to be little reason to doubt that mobile projectors will eventually become a major addition to the ever-growing list of features included (and expected) on smart and high-end feature phones.

Onyx, a new UK company that offers elegant, lifestyle, mobile products, has today launched the first device in its range - Liscio, a stylish, elegant phone for the discerning mobile user.Liscio is compact, lightweight and, above all, stunningly designed. Sleek and contoured, Liscio has the looks and the ‘Wow!’ factor to appeal to mobile phone users who want to stand out from the crowd.

Launched for style-conscious users seeking an alternative to conventional mobile phone brands and measuring only 90mm long and 35mm wide, Liscio packs a lot into a small space. Beyond the elegant design, Liscio is a powerful tool and is equipped with a built-in MP3 player and FM radio to blast out your latest tunes.

Sold as a SIM-free handset and available for Euro 129.99 from www.onyxinnovation.com, Liscio gives mobile users the flexibility to use the handset whenever they want. Users can simply put any UK SIM into the device and away they go with the most stylish handset on the market.

The beauty of the Liscio makes it the perfect fashion accessory for any occasion and its compact size means it will fit into even the tightest of skinny jeans! The Liscio can be used as the first choice phone for people who want their handset to make a statement. It is also a great alternative to the boring work phone for those people who want something different for the weekend!

“If you appreciate beauty and design this is the mobile phone for you. The Liscio really is a hot, new handset that will turn heads wherever it goes,” said Zafar Mirza of Onyx.

Liscio is the first handset to be launched by UK-based mobile phone manufacturer Onyx. It is available to order online today from www.onyxinnovation.com. The handset will also be sold through major high street brands.

Technical Specifications:

* Network: Tri-band GSM 900, DCS 1800, PCS 1900

* Screen Display: OLED Full colour display

* Screen Size: 1.10 inch

* Screen Resolution: 96 x 96 pixels, 65k colours

* Dimension: 90 x 35 x 17.8mm

* Weight: 60g

* Talk Time: Up to 3 hours

* Playback Time: Up to 11 hours

* Stand-by Time: Up to 200 hours

* Built-in Memory: 128MB

* External Memory: Micro SD (Max. 1GB)

* Connectivity: Bluetooth v1.2

* Ring tone: Polyphonic MP3

* Multimedia: MP3, built-in FM radio, Supporting EQ

* Price: Sold for only Euro 129.99 with no contract

* Support: Full customer services support available by emailing info@onyxinnovation.com or support@onyxinnovation.com For further information please visit: www.onyxinnovation.com

Ericsson aunched the Ericsson Multimedia Communication Suite (MCS) - bringing to consumers popular services they already enjoy on the Internet in a new and enhanced mobile way. The intuitive user interface will be integrated into selected new Sony Ericsson devices such as the W760.With the Ericsson MCS, mobile operators will be able to offer their customers a suite of attractive services. Consumers will be able to access new and existing services from the address book - with an interface including rich presence functionality such as avatars, photos and personal free text. The solution also keeps track of friends and their applications so consumers will always see who is available for different applications. The user has full control over what type of information is available.

The Internet has evolved from being mainly information and content oriented to becoming more communication and people related. Through extensive consumer research done by Ericsson ConsumerLab in Europe, Asia and USA, there are clear signs that communication services on the Internet, like communities, blogs, instant messaging etc, are also demanded in a mobile context. Our study shows that enriched communication services like chat, sending files and presence on the mobile phone, are of very great interest to consumers.

The intuitive user interface integrates new MCS applications such as chat and file transfer smoothly with existing voice, video call, SMS and MMS services. Having all contacts and services available through one presence-enabled address book creates a feeling of being closer to friends and family. This stimulates new types of spontaneous communication using both existing and new services. Ericsson has learned from its consumer research that today’s communication is about so much more than just making announcements: it has evolved into the sharing of everyday experiences. Presence alone with personal messages and avatars will be of great interest to many consumers supporting everyday sharing of experiences.

Claes Odman, head of Multimedia Solutions, Business Unit Multimedia at Ericsson, says: “We see from studies that the communication patterns are changing, messaging type of services is dominating and the demand for enriched communication is here. With our Multimedia Communication Suite we can take the consumer experience one step further, making it easier with intuitive interface and allow people to communicate in a richer way.”

Ericsson MCS will initially be available for selected Sony Ericsson feature phones. In Barcelona the MCS solution will be demonstrated live on popular Sony Ericsson phones. The MCS is built on IMS architecture and is aligned with the industry initiative Rich Communication Suite (RCS) that aims for broad industry interoperability and acceptance by utilizing standardized IMS service features. RCS is a group of key operators, infrastructure and device vendors comprised of Orange, Telecom Italia, Telefonica, TeliaSonera, Ericsson, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Samsung, who have joined in an effort to facilitate the evolution of mobile communication toward rich communication.

Sony Ericsson today announced the launch of the new Z770, an elegant clamshell phone optimised for the web and benefiting from HSDPA data speeds. This classic-looking clamshell phone offers capabilities beyond expectation. It is designed to make it straightforward to surf the web or receive the latest news, and the ‘email set-up wizard’ makes it simple to access your inbox. The Z770 can also be connected directly to a laptop (via USB cable) and can be used as a modem. “The Z770 is deceptively powerful for such a compact clamshell phone,” said Martin Winkler, Director Global Marketing and Head of Multimedia Web at Sony Ericsson. “It appeals to busy people who demand hassle-free email and high quality Web access on the move. These people need to be in-touch, need to be on top of their email, but don’t necessarily want a smartphone or PDA. The Z770 is the uncomplicated answer.” Z770 phone - Gets you online with effortless style # Easy email set-up - for ultimate convenience# High-speed web access and intuitive navigation features for fast web browsing

# Google(TM) Maps for Mobile - receive step-by-step directions on your screen to your destination Style in your pocket

A compact, reliable phone that helps you juggle work, home, friends and family. With HSDPA technology providing fast data speeds, the Z770 provides multiple methods of communication whether it’s for a business matter or just staying in touch with the family. This phone combines up to 8.5 hours talk time with easy email set-up and fast internet access. This makes the Z770 a versatile phone for those that have a hectic lifestyle both at work and at home with the family. Your inbox in your hand

The Z770 makes it easier than ever before to access your email. Even if you’re a technical novice you can access Web email (Hotmail, Yahoo etc) and retrieve mail, straight from your phone. And with Exchange ActiveSync(TM), you can even configure your phone to have work emails pushed straight to your phone, making it easier than ever to stay in touch on the move. Choose how you want to get online

The Z770 gives you online access, however you choose to get there. Surf the web or retrieve email directly on your phone when you’re in a cab. And when you’re in the hotel lobby, connect the Z770 to your laptop (via USB Cable) and use it as a modem to access the web on your computer. Once online, web browsing on the Z770 is easy thanks to the Magnetic Mouse Pointer that is controlled by the navigation key. The key changes the icon depending on its position on the Web page (i.e. from text input to pointer or to link). Plus, pan and zoom into an area you’re interested in for easy reading on the good-sized (2.2″) screen. Stay up-to-date

The Z770 offers you all the information you need, right at your fingertips. Receive RSS feeds from news or entertainment websites as the action happens. Or simply click on the RSS tile, or ‘widget’, for instant access to your favourite webpage from your phone’s desktop (or standby screen). In addition, the Z770 has a useful built-in weather forecast application, allowing you to receive regular weather updates and plan your long weekend accordingly. As well as receiving the latest news and weather forecasts, you can also keep loved ones informed about your own news. Snap a photo on the Z770 and upload it instantly to your own blog site. Stay in touch in your car

You don’t need to hold the phone in your hand to get the best out of the Z770. With the Bluetooth ™ Handsfree HCB-150, also announced today, you can catch-up with your client or family in your car while staying focused on the road. The HCB-150 also features a convenient text to speech feature; the HCB-150 verbally alerts you who is calling. The HCB-150 has a talk time of up to 25 hours and 700 hours standby time- long enough to last for quite a few trips! The Z770 is a UMTS/HSDPA 2100 and GSM/EDGE 900/1800/1900 phone that will be available in Vogue Red, Graphite Black and Exquisite Gold in selected markets from Q2 2008. The Bluetooth(TM) Car Speakerphone HCB-150 will be available globally from Q2 2008.

Sony Ericsson today launched a new generation of phone: Touchscreen organisers with a broad appeal. The G700 and G900 phones are essential tools designed to organise the lives of all those with busy schedules to juggle, both at home and at work.* The G700 is here to help you live your life to the full. This personal organiser in-your-pocket keeps your contacts, calendars, notes, pictures and favourite Web sites all in one place and just a fingertip away. Touch and go.

* The G900 has all the functions of the G700 with the added features of a unique new 5.0 megapixel Touch Auto Focus camera, touch photo album and editor. Perfect for those looking for a one-touch media experience combined with their organiser.

“Sony Ericsson is delivering touchscreen and innovative organiser capabilities to a wide audience without compromising on the size or shape of the phone. Both the G700 and G900 have regular keyboards and are no larger than a regular phone.” says Martin Winkler, Director Global Marketing and Head of Multimedia Web at Sony Ericsson. “These phones are ideal for users that are only interested in making their lives simpler. It’s not about technology for the sake of it.” Sony Ericsson G700 phone

* One-touch full organiser functions

* Touch controlled Notes application - write and draw your memos

* Large 2.4″ display with unique single touch control menu

* 3,2 megapixel camera

* Compact size

Calendar is King

Access your calendar, reach family and friends and scribble and save your notes on your phone. With the G700, you can jot down a note on the screen with a stylus, just as you would with a pen on paper, and save it on your phone’s desktop to remind you - just as you’d stick a note on the fridge. You can even draw a map to the local shop or doodle personal notes to send them to your loved ones! Holding everything that is important to you wherever you go, the G700 is the most natural way to manage life. There’s no longer a need to have your home calendar separate from work - it works with you, the way you do. Intuitively simple

With the G700 you can enjoy touchscreen text input, Web surfing, calendar and phone navigation. Want to contact someone at home? Just touch the relevant name in your phonebook and all of the various contact options will appear onscreen. It’s instantly intuitive messaging. You can even browse your photo album using the tip of your finger. The G700 also has dedicated keys for messaging, notes and a key lock on the side of the phone. All it takes is one press to unlock. Sony Ericsson G900 phone

* One touch media experience

* 5.0 megapixel camera with touch Auto focus and Multi-shot function

* One- touch media and organiser menu

* Large 2.4″ display with single touch control menu

* Wi-Fi(TM) for high speed data transfer and internet browsing

Print-quality photos to keep

The G900’s 5.0 megapixel camera lets you take print-quality photos and share them with friends and family straight away. Frame your shot and decide where you want to focus the camera by simply touching the screen. Also, with Camera Multi-Shot, hold down the camera key and take as many pictures as you like. Great for taking photos of your kids as they dash around the garden! Scroll through all of the photos on your phone with touch control and even edit them there with the Touch photo album and editor. Stay mobile

Got a moment to surf? Access your favourite Web pages when you’re in a Wi-Fi(TM) hotspot and view them on the large 2.4″ display. Use the stylus or your finger to zoom-in or pan around the page. When you’ve barely got a moment to spare, get RSS feeds direct to your phone for the latest updates; news, football scores or whatever you are in to. Organize with a personal touch

Touch, type or write. Everything comes naturally with the G900. Organise your schedule, touch and tap to make calls and jot down notes before you forget it. The G900 works your way to let you get more into your day. It’s the power of personal touch. The G700 will launch in Silk Bronze and the G900 will launch in Dark Red and Dark Brown. Both are UMTS 2100 and GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 phones that will be available in selected markets from Q2 2008. Legal Information

1) Facts and features may vary depending on local variant.

2) Talk and standby times are affected by network preferences, type of SIM card, connected accessories and various activities e.g. games. Kit contents and color options may differ from market to market. The full range of accessories may not be available in every market.

Pantech Wireless, Inc. - the U.S. subsidiary of Pantech Group, Koreas leading mobile phone manufacturer - today announced that the 3G Pantech duo smartphone, celebrated for its dual-slide, double-keyboard design, is now available in a striking shade of red in time for Valentine’s Day.The new Pantech duo incorporates a trendy variation in color to allow customers to express their personal styles as they transition between work and play. Sliding horizontally to reveal a brightly-lit colored QWERTY keyboard and vertically to expose a numeric keypad, the red Pantech duo is a UMTS/HSDPA-enabled smartphone that impressively houses both keypads and a large color screen in shell measuring only 4.02 inches tall, 1.97 inches wide and .83 inches thick.

The red Pantech duo speaks to the dual personalities in all customers by using a robust 240 x 320 pixel screen to showcase customized entertainment programming available through AT&T CV services. Whereas demands of the business day are met with Microsoft Windows Mobile 6, making it easy for professionals on the road to view PowerPoint presentations and edit and view Microsoft Word and Excel documents. Also incorporated are other widely-used features such Internet Explorer Mobile, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile and Stereo Bluetooth.

Red Pantech duo features include:

* Dual-slide form factor

* Red color casing

* Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 Standard Edition

* 3G functionality (UMTS/HSDPA)

* Coverage in more than 190 countries for phone calls; over 130 countries for data.

* Stereo Bluetooth (1.1, 1.2)

* Microsoft Office Mobile and Outlook Mobile

* Push Personal and enterprise email services

* AT&T Mobile Music service, including XM Radio

* AT&T CV video service

* Windows Media Player 10 Mobile

* Multimedia messaging

* Mobile instant messaging

* QWERTY keyboard

* Standard phone keypad

The red Pantech duo is available now in the U.S. exclusively from AT&T for a special introductory price of $199.99 at AT&T retail stores nationwide, online at http://www.wireless.att.com, at select national retailers and through AT&T’s business-to-business sales organizations.

Major music, media and technology investment companies invest in evolutionary media-telephony venture to significantly increase the value of the mobile music market. The D. E. Shaw group, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Warner Music Group and prominent media and telephony angel investors have invested $7.7 million in Emotive Communications, Inc., a media technology and services provider that has developed a real-time interactive ringtone format for 3G, 4G and VoIP services.Emotive’s flagship product, the patent-pending “Push Ringer”, reverses the common ringtone model. It enables a caller to push an outgoing ringtone to the receiving phone allowing the caller, not the called person, to set the tone. The chosen Ringer is transmitted to the recipient’s handset and temporarily overrides the phone’s pre-set ringer. The ringers can comprise audio, video, animations, avatars or flash files. Closing the loop, if the called person likes the ringtone, the service also enables him or her to instantly buy a copy of the ringtone for his or her own phone. Emotive’s Push Ringer moves beyond traditional mobile personalization by both adding value to the ringtones users purchase for their own phones and providing content recommendation and impulse-purchase opportunities to the users’ friends, family and coworkers. This new technology represents a vastly more active, expressive and compelling form of call personalization than exists in today’s ringtone market which is otherwise showing signs of leveling off at only about 6% of mobile subscribers, worldwide, The Push Ringer leverages rapidly emerging broadband wireless telephone and wire-line VOIP networks.

The product has already gained significant traction with consumers. Since its launch on Skype’s VOIP network in 2006, Push Ringer (known to Skype users as “Ringjacker”) has been installed more than 800,000 times and is demonstrating significant peer to peer pass-along rates. Emotive is unveiling its mobile prototype of the Push Ringer at the IMS World Forum in Monaco on April 24th 2007.

“Our Push Ringer brings a new level of real-time interactive multimedia enhancement to telecommunications,” said Emotive CEO Anthony Stonefield. “Consumers are influenced by their peers. We are creating the ultimate ‘word of mouth’ network, literally by inserting music and video into the initiation of a phone call.”

“Emotive Communications represents the arrival of ’social’ sampling and distribution of ringtones and other media using mobile devices, a phenomenon of potentially great import for both content companies and consumers,” said Richard Sarnoff, President of Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments.

“We think that the widespread emergence of IP telecoms is opening new fields of innovation,” said Andre Turenne, a senior vice president at the D. E. Shaw group. “In our opinion, Emotive is a key innovator at the point of convergence between multimedia and network communications.”

“Emotive Communications has created a product that further advances mobile social networking. We view our work with Emotive as an extension of our product innovation efforts in the digital music space,” said Alex Zubillaga, executive vice president of Digital Strategy and Business Development, Warner Music Group.

IDT(TM) (Integrated Device Technology, Inc.), a leading provider of essential mixed-signal semiconductor solutions that enrich the digital media experience, introduced the industry’s first synchronous Mobile Multimedia Interconnect(TM) (M2I), fully-optimized for multimedia applications in high-end mobile handsets and personal digital assistant devices. A significant architectural advance over previous generation interfaces, the M2I performs up to six times faster with ninety percent less battery drain. High-end handset users can reliably playback multimedia of unsurpassed quality with minimal impact to their “talk time” and battery life. For handset suppliers, the sophisticated interface of the M2I enables the processor to support additional differentiating functionality such as Bluetooth, WiFi and global positioning systems (GPS) — a significant competitive advantage in mobile handsets.The M2I is designed to work with application processors and baseband processors that make use of an address-data mux (ADM) interface. The ADM interface has a lower input/output (I/O) count and higher bandwidth than other approaches, such as the standard, asynchronous dual-port RAMs and embedded serial interfaces commonly found in high-end mobile handsets. The M2I uses fifty percent fewer processor I/O pins, freeing those pins to support desired differentiating functionality. Moreover, the M2I also deploys eight dynamically programmable I/Os that the processor can use to control and/or monitor other devices, enabling the handset designer to add even more differentiating functionality.

“Handset and service providers want to meet surging consumer demand for multimedia services that are easy-to-use, fast to download without draining the battery before the download finishes. Traditional throughput bottlenecks between the baseband and application processors threaten to slow the widespread adoption of high quality, advanced mobile multimedia services,” stated Richard Doherty, director of The Envisioneering Group, a technology assessment and market research corporation. “Think of the IDT M2I as a transmission using a synchronous gearbox with a 6x gear ratio which resolves that bottleneck problem — and does it efficiently with 90% less battery drain.”

“The high-end handset consumer demands high-speed downloads, as well as top-quality playback. However, this speed and quality must be delivered without draining the battery,” said Thomas Brenner, vice president and general manager of the IDT Flow Control Management Division. “We identified the interface between the baseband and application processors as a major performance bottleneck and battery drain. It was clear that a new interconnect architecture was needed to solve this problem, so we designed the M2I in close co-operation with leading high-end handset manufacturers and with the pre-eminent processor component provider in this application space.”

The M2I architecture achieves its high-performance and low-battery drain using a synchronous clocking scheme that enables the use of an internal counter that eliminates the necessity for multiple addressing. Consequently, the M2I processes 64 Kbits of data in only 4,001 cycles, compared to the 8,000 cycles required by previous-generation devices. Not only can the same amount of data be transferred in half the cycles, but also the cycles run three times faster, thus providing an overall performance increase of 6X. All this is accomplished with ninety percent less battery drain.

Pricing and Availability

The new device is currently sampling and is priced at $3.00 in 10,000 unit quantities. For additional information, visit www.IDT.com/go/m2i.

Major music, media and technology investment companies invest in evolutionary media-telephony venture to significantly increase the value of the mobile music market. The D. E. Shaw group, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, Warner Music Group and prominent media and telephony angel investors have invested $7.7 million in Emotive Communications, Inc., a media technology and services provider that has developed a real-time interactive ringtone format for 3G, 4G and VoIP services.Emotive’s flagship product, the patent-pending “Push Ringer”, reverses the common ringtone model. It enables a caller to push an outgoing ringtone to the receiving phone allowing the caller, not the called person, to set the tone. The chosen Ringer is transmitted to the recipient’s handset and temporarily overrides the phone’s pre-set ringer. The ringers can comprise audio, video, animations, avatars or flash files. Closing the loop, if the called person likes the ringtone, the service also enables him or her to instantly buy a copy of the ringtone for his or her own phone. Emotive’s Push Ringer moves beyond traditional mobile personalization by both adding value to the ringtones users purchase for their own phones and providing content recommendation and impulse-purchase opportunities to the users’ friends, family and coworkers. This new technology represents a vastly more active, expressive and compelling form of call personalization than exists in today’s ringtone market which is otherwise showing signs of leveling off at only about 6% of mobile subscribers, worldwide, The Push Ringer leverages rapidly emerging broadband wireless telephone and wire-line VOIP networks.

The product has already gained significant traction with consumers. Since its launch on Skype’s VOIP network in 2006, Push Ringer (known to Skype users as “Ringjacker”) has been installed more than 800,000 times and is demonstrating significant peer to peer pass-along rates. Emotive is unveiling its mobile prototype of the Push Ringer at the IMS World Forum in Monaco on April 24th 2007.

“Our Push Ringer brings a new level of real-time interactive multimedia enhancement to telecommunications,” said Emotive CEO Anthony Stonefield. “Consumers are influenced by their peers. We are creating the ultimate ‘word of mouth’ network, literally by inserting music and video into the initiation of a phone call.”

“Emotive Communications represents the arrival of ’social’ sampling and distribution of ringtones and other media using mobile devices, a phenomenon of potentially great import for both content companies and consumers,” said Richard Sarnoff, President of Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments.

“We think that the widespread emergence of IP telecoms is opening new fields of innovation,” said Andre Turenne, a senior vice president at the D. E. Shaw group. “In our opinion, Emotive is a key innovator at the point of convergence between multimedia and network communications.”

“Emotive Communications has created a product that further advances mobile social networking. We view our work with Emotive as an extension of our product innovation efforts in the digital music space,” said Alex Zubillaga, executive vice president of Digital Strategy and Business Development, Warner Music Group.

SanDisk Corporation. the second largest seller of MP3 players in the United States, today announced a partnership with Yahoo! Music, Yahoo, Inc.’s music division , the number one online music destination, that involves the implementation of unique music services for SanDisk’s new Sansa Connect, a WiFi-enabled MP3 player. The partnership pairs SanDisk’s new wireless MP3 player with both free and subscription-based services from Yahoo!, allowing consumers to stay constantly connected to their music, photos and friends via WiFi, with no PC required1.The flash-based Sansa Connect MP3 player boasts several Yahoo! features that can be accessed with the simple click of a button and an open WiFi connection2. Owners with a Yahoo! ID can listen to LAUNCHcast Internet radio, browse Flickr sets and photos, and see what their Yahoo! Messenger friends and other Sansa Connect owners nearby are listening to. Sansa Connect users with a Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go subscription are also able to discover and download music, as well as listen to or download tracks their friends are listening to or have recommended1.

When the Sansa Connect is not connected to a WiFi network, the player behaves like a traditional Flash MP3 player and can be connected to a PC. Users can play music and view photos stored either on the player or on an optional microSD card.

“The Sansa Connect is a new breed of music player,” said Daniel Schreiber, senior vice president and general manager for SanDisk’s Audio Video Business Unit. “It untethers consumers from their computers, and allows them to get new music and share their recommendations anytime, anywhere — over an open wireless Internet network.”

“The Sansa Connect utilizes a powerful combination of Yahoo! and Yahoo! Music services to both broaden and unshackle the music discovery experience,” said Ian Rogers, general manager for Yahoo! Music. “The Sansa Connect not only keeps consumers connected to their world of music, photos and friends, but also opens them up to new music experiences in a way that is greatly enhanced by its WiFi capabilities.”

The 4-gigabyte (GB)3 Sansa Connect features a sleek, attractive profile with large 2.2-inch TFT color screen, a microSD slot for music and photo capacity expansion, and an internal speaker.

The announcement coincides with the retail availability of the Sansa Connect, which is now available in the United States at a suggested retail price of $249.99. The device is expected to be available in Canada in the latter part of 2007.

The Sansa Connect player is designed to work seamlessly with a wide range of popular music formats such as MP3 and Windows Media Audio (WMA) in both unprotected and protected files. While optimized to work wirelessly with Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go, the player supports all Microsoft PlaysForSure subscription music via a PC connection.

SanDisk teamed with ZING, a new mobile entertainment technology and services company, to develop the product. ZING’s Mobile Entertainment Engine provides technology, software and services for building next generation digital media players and experiences.

1 Requires a valid Yahoo! ID, a subscription to Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go and an open WiFi network. Yahoo! Music does not permit copying or transferring music files to other users. Recommend function requires that both users have Yahoo! Music Unlimited To Go subscriptions to enable file downloading.

2 Requires a Yahoo! ID and an open WiFi network. The Connect supports standard WiFi WAP/WEP encryption conventions.

3 1 megabyte (MB) equals 1 million bytes; 1 gigabyte (GB) equals 1 billion bytes

Nokia revealed the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic, an accessible 3G smartphone augmented by a dedicated audio chip for enhanced music performance. The Nokia 5700 XpressMusic features an iconic twist design that easily switches between four modes at the flick of the wrist - music player, 2 Megapixel camera, video call and smartphone. Combining the benefits of a music-oriented, multipurpose device featuring 3G dataspeeds, the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic is expected to retail for an estimated EUR 350 before taxes and subsidies during the second quarter of 2007.Using an optional 2GB MicroSD card, the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic supports up to 1500 tracks that can be enjoyed using Bluetooth stereo headphones, with their own favorite 3.5mm plug-equipped headphones and the included headset adaptor or through built-in stereo loudspeakers. Loading songs onto the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic is fast and easy as consumers can choose from a broad range of supported digital formats, including WMA, MP3, AAC, as well as eAAC+ and MP4. When purchasing music online, shoppers again have the luxury of choice as they can select from a range of Internet music stores, also those utilizing Windows Media Player Digital Rights management (WMDRM). The optimized music player in the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic supports album art, playlists, plus a 5-band equalizer and audio visualizations.

3G and video are part of the package More than a music-only device, the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic brings videos to life on a vibrant color screen supporting up to 16 million colors for exceptional video playback. With 3G high-speed data connectivity, the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic makes browsing, downloading and streaming multimedia content much more convenient and faster than before. A video call feature and the built-in 2 Megapixel camera make it easy to share moments with friends and family.

The Nokia 5700 XpressMusic is based on the world’s leading S60 software running on Symbian OS. S60 enables consumers to personalize their device with a wide choice of compatible applications that can be downloaded to the Nokia 5700 XpressMusic, including games, navigation, entertainment, productivity and creativity.

Nokia and Glu Mobile, a leading global publisher of mobile games, announced today that Glu will be publishing a selection of mobile games and content on the N-Gage platform. Glu’s portfolio of top-rated games includes original titles like Super K.O. Boxing!, Stranded and the Ancient Empires franchise, as well as titles based on major brands from Atari, Harrah’s, Hasbro, Microsoft, PlayFirst, PopCap Games  and Sony.