Madonna concert on cellular phone

Fans of Madonna in 13 countries can watch her perform live in New York on their cellular phones.

Vodafone will stream the concert live from the Roseland Ballroom on Wednesday to users in Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Holland, New Zealand, Portugal, Romania, South Africa, Spain and Britain.

"Offering millions of fans around the world live, interactive access to a unique, intimate Madonna show is a powerful way to showcase a new album," Warner Music Europe’s John Reid said.

Apple Buys Chip Company For $300 Million

In what could only be interpreted as a peek into the future for the iPhone maker, Apple has announced its decision to buy PA Semi, a microprocessor design company for almost $AUD 300 million.

Click to enlarge

As usual Apple declined to comment on the reasons or terms of the deal, except to say that it "buys smaller technology companies from time to time," and it does not comment on "purposes and plans."

However analysts note that it is not typical for a company like Apple, to buy hardware firms, particularly as it relies on ready-made components from a variety of manufacturers such as Intel, Samsung and Infineon.

The acquisition has fueled speculation that Apple intends to design custom processors for devices like the iPhone or the iPod, possibly as a means of distinguishing its platform, but potentially in order to retain high margins on the sale of each unit.

It is likely to be at least a year before Apple products with PA Semi chips are released.

Swedish mobile communication company launching cell phones in Asian market

Neonode, the Swedish mobile communication company that develops touch screen technologies and designs mobile handsets, today announced that Excel Field International LTD, a major privately held Asian distributor, has placed an initial $1.1 Million order for the Neonode N2 handset for April.

Excel Field International has direct reach to 4,000 retail outlets in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand throughout which the Neonode N2 will be distributed.
"We are delighted to add Excel Field International to our growing list of global partners. They will play an important role when we now enhance our focus of moving into the Asian market and the relationship also represents an important step forward in achieving our 2008 sales target of 200,000 phones," said Per Hellberg, Vice President of Sales at Neonode.

"The interest for our phones and technology has been strong in these markets and through Excel Field's relationship with key carriers and retailers within the region, we are now well-equipped to establish Neonode as a niche player and not only compete against the big established players in the region, with Nokia and Samsung in top, but also the smaller local players on their home markets," Hellberg continued.
Source: scandasia.com

Mobile phone review : SGH-i550W

The SGH-i550W is not Samsung's first Symbian S60 phone. In fact, there have been a number of models, such as the SGH-i520 in 2006 and the SGH-D730/SGH-D720 in 2005, but these were mainly for the European markets. Two years on, the Korean chaebol is once again bringing the S60 platform to some of its handsets. Two recent ones are the SGH-i450 and the SGH-i550W which we are reviewing.

The good: Strong set of features including GPS, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth stereo; 3.5mm audio jack; microSD expansion card slot; bundled in-car charger and holder.

The bad: Trackball not sensitive enough in Web browser and map software; no option to search for Wi-Fi connection in Web browser access point setup.

The bottom line: The SGH-i550W has several things going for it, including a strong feature set matched with an attractive price and bundled accessories. But the implementation of both the software and hardware (trackball) has room for improvement.
Source: bangkokpost.com

Mobile Phones will Replace Debit Cards

Soon, your mobile phone will replace your debit cards and then you will not need to carry debit cards in your pocket. This will be very nice for those people, who always be in hurry and forget to carry debit cards while they are going out.

Your mobile phone lets you stay connected to your loved ones, take snapshots wherever you want, listen to your favourite tunes and even surf the Internet. Now, the same wireless is going to offer you more by getting transformed into a debit card.

Hailed as a key development since the advent of the credit card, mobiles could soon be used as "surrogate debit cards" if a Dutch scheme is brought to the UK.

The Netherlands project allows customers to link their mobile phones directly to their bank accounts and use the phones at supermarket checkouts as if they were Switch or Maestro cards.

The system, developed by a supermarket, a bank, a phone network and the IT consultancy Logica, will go on display on April 9 at a Scottish Financial Enterprise (SFE) briefing in Edinburgh, held to discuss ways to roll out new technology to British banking customers.

Gavin Jones, delivery director in Logica's financial-services department in Edinburgh, said mobile phones could be linked directly to bank accounts or "topped-up" with money and used as pay-as-you-go smart cards.

"It's a revolution in terms of doing things with your mobile phone. I believe the customer demand exists in the UK for these kinds of services. The next step would be to find partners - such as shops and banks - to take this project forward," The Scotsman quoted him, as saying.

The device works with near-field communication - a technology that uses high- frequency radio waves to transfer information between electronic devices such as the phone and the card reader.

In the pilot, the mobile phone came with a built-in chip, containing the customer's bank details. The phones were adapted to incorporate a chip loaded with a debit card function that replicated the existing chip and Pin payment process.

But once the phones are available for sale, the consumer will need to download an application which links to a chip with encrypted bank details.
Source:news.yahoo.com

WiMAX Added in Nokia N810 Internet Tablet

Nokia unveiled a new edition of the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet, a WiMAX version. Here is more info:

"Ushering in the next generation of wireless broadband devices, Nokia unveiled its newest Nseries device, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet - WiMAX Edition, Nokia's first device engineered to take advantage of new wide-area high-speed mobile WiMAX networks. This pocket-sized device lets consumers enjoy an open Internet experience, allowing for access to the full Internet without barriers, while on the go. The Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is the latest iteration of Nokia's popular line of Internet Tablet products. For the first time, the power and convenience of the Internet Tablet platform is combined with next generation wide-area wireless broadband capability, allowing users to easily and quickly access all of their favorite Internet services beyond local area hot spots. The Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is expected to be available in the United States during the summer of 2008 in areas where WiMAX connectivity is available.

The WiMAX antenna adds a small hump on the back of the N810:


WiMAX is a standards-based wireless broadband technology that delivers an open Internet experience similar to that of fixed broadband technologies with typical data download speeds of up to 2-4 Mbps per user with peak download speeds of up to 10 Mbps. Unlike current single point local area technologies like Wi-Fi which have a range of a few hundred feet, WiMAX networks consist of a number of interconnected base stations, each with a radius of up to 2-3 miles, that allow for handoffs from one base station to another as users move about a region or metro area. Additionally, WiMAX networks integrate technology designed to maximize the quality of service for each subscriber.



Along with a full featured web browser, powered by Mozilla, that takes full advantage of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition’s large 4.13 inch touch screen and slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a variety of popular web-based services are also supported. Many of these applications can be found on Nokia’s dedicated OS 2008 User Site. To keep connected while on-the-go, a number of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Instant Messaging (IM) clients are available, including Skype, Google Talk, and Gizmo5, which can also take advantage of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition’s built-in web cam for video calls. A client for the popular Rhapsody online music service is also available, transforming the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition into a portable jukebox with millions of songs available to enjoy at a few taps of the screen. Beyond these well-known services, an active developer community has also emerged around the Linux-based Internet Tablet platform, creating additional applications – from games to productivity tools.

A number of additional features further enhance the utility of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition. With built-in GPS, the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition can easily transform itself into a fully featured personal navigation device, complete with real-time on-screen maps. An integrated media player and 2 GB of internal memory, expandable to a full 10 GB of memory with the addition of an optional microSD memory card, allows the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition to store and play back a large library of music and video content. When not in range of a WiMAX network, the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition can also access the Internet over Wi-Fi or via conventional cellular data networks by pairing to a compatible mobile phone via Bluetooth technology.

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet WiMAX Edition Features:

keysKey Experiences
•Connect seamlessly to the Internetwith either Wi-Fior WiMAX wireless networks
•Keep in touch with your social networks with a browser powered by Mozillawith Adobe Flash 9
•Web 2.0 internet experience with full QWERTY keyboard
•Internet messaging, email and internet calling with built-inweb camera and microphone
•Listen to your music and watch your videos on a stunning4.13”widescreen display with high quality stereo speakers
•Integrated GPS with built-in map application and pre-loadedmaps, with a possibility to upgrade to voice-guided navigation

Connectivity
•WiMAX 802.16e / 2.5 GHz
•Wi-Fi802.11b/g
•USB 2.0 high speed with micro connector, OTG
•Bluetooth Specification 2.0 + EDR
•3.5 mm stereo headphone plug (Nokia AV Connector)

Sales Package
•Nokia N810 Internet Tablet WiMAX Edition
•Battery (BP-4L)
•Stereo headset
•Car holder
•Travel charger
•Pouch
•Data cable
•Get started guide
•Safety, warranty and other product information booklet Internet

Tablet OS: maemo Linux based OS2008 feature upgrade

Key applications
•Web browser powered by Mozillaand Adobe Flash 9 plug-in
•Instant messaging
•Email application and web-based email support
•Internet calling with web camera
•Media player
•Map application
•RSS feed reader
•Image viewer
•Seamlesssoftware update

Input methods: HW keyboard, full screen finger keyboard and on screen keyboard
Display functions: Zooming, full screen and panning
Video:3GP, AVI, H.263, H.264, MP4, ASF, WMV,MPEG-1, MPEG-4, RV (RealVideo)
Audio: MP3, WMA, AAC, AMR, AWB, M4A, MP2,RA (RealAudio), WAV
Image: BMP, GIF, ICO, JPE, JPEG, PNG, TIF/TIFF, SVG,Tiny, WBMP

Technical Profile

Dimensions: 5.04 in (h) x 2.83 in (l) x .55 in (w)
Weight: 8.1 ounces Volume: 128cc
WiMAX Internet browsing time: up to 3 hours
WiMAX standby time: up to 4 days
Wi-Fi Internet browsing time: up to 4 hours
Wi-Fi standby time: up to 5 days
Standby time (offline): up to 14 days
Music playback:up to 10 hours
Screen: 4.13” widescreen display with 800 x 480 resolution, 65,536 colors
Processor: TI OMAP 2420, 400Mhz
Memory: DDR RAM 128MB, Flash 256MB
Storage: 2GB internal memory and memory expansion slot supporting cards upto 8GB (compatible with miniSD and microSD with extender)
Power supply: 1500mAh (BP-4L)

Other features:
Integrated GPS receiver and antenna
Ambient light sensor adjusts screenbrightness and keyboard lightsaccording to light conditions
Hardware key to lock touch screen and keys

Also being introduced with the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is the newest Internet Tablet operating system. This new upgraded OS2008 introduces useful new features to the platform, including an enhanced e-mail client, support for Chinese character rendering in the browser and RSS feeds and Seamless Software Update functionality to eliminate manual software updates, making periodic updates of the operating system quick and easy. While standard on the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition, current owners of Nokia N810 and N800 Internet Tablets with earlier operating systems will be able to upgrade their device to the revised operating system for free during the second quarter of 2008."

Source:mobiletechreview.com

Windows Mobile 6.1 unveiled

Of the four major mobile operating systems (Palm, Symbian, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry), we hear plenty of complaints from users that Windows Mobile devices are the hardest to use because of the laborious navigation. And we certainly agree. Seriously, do you really need to go through several steps just to open or close an application? To be fair, Microsoft has heard the cries and made some headway in making its smartphones easier to use with Windows Mobile 6. But there's plenty of room for improvement, and the company is hoping its latest build will solve some of the problems.

At CTIA 2008 on Tuesday, Microsoft announced the latest version of its mobile operating system, Windows Mobile 6.1. The update includes several new features designed to make the devices easier to manage and help users save time. Here's a rundown of what you can expect:

New home screen
To start, there's a new home screen that provides a more attractive interface but more importantly, quicker access to key information and applications. There are now a series of panels, which you can scroll through up and down, left or right, to view your missed calls, e-mails, and voicemails; check upcoming appointments; peruse your multimedia library; and access certain settings, such as the Task Manager. There's also a Getting Started wizard that will walk you through your e-mail setup, changing the background image, and setting up Bluetooth connections. For Bluetooth headsets, it will even bypass the whole passcode process (the system automatically enters the manufacturer's default passcodes--usually 0000 or 1234) and automatically connect to the headset. Once you've set everything up, you have the option of removing the Getting Started panel from your home screen. And though minor, the clock size has been increased--a feature Microsoft says its customers have been asking for.

Internet Explorer Mobile
Navigating Web sites are made easier thanks to a feature that allows you to pan in and out. Instead of mercilessly scrolling through an entire page just to get to one part of the site, you can pan out, find the spot you want, and then pan in. Microsoft also announced that it will bring Internet Explorer 6, which means Adobe Flash support, to its smartphones around the holiday season.

Messaging and more
As for messaging, Windows Mobile 6.1 offers just a couple--but key--improvements. First, there's support for threaded text messaging. And you can now select multiple e-mails at once. Other enhancements include richer Windows Live capabilities (check out CNET News.com's Elinor Mills's story for more) and System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 SP1 support for better device management and security.

So you're probably wondering, when can you get it? Windows Mobile 6.1 will be available sometime in Q2, and a number of manufacturers (HTC, Samsung Electronics, Motorola, Pantech) and carriers (AT&T, Sprint, Alltel) have already announced that they will offer the upgrade. A sample of supported smartphones include the Samsung BlackJack II, AT&T Tilt, Sprint Motorola Q9c, Sprint Mogul, and Alltel Touch. For the full rundown of devices and features, check out the Microsoft Windows Mobile Web site.
Source:cnet.com