Pink phones line up for action

To be honest, I do see pink cellphones - in fact pink gadgets in general - as a rather shameless and vapid attempt to cash in on the female market (and in doing so presume in rather a sexist way that all women are interested in is pretty colours rather than what a handset can do), but the damn things continue to sell. Crave have decided to look beyond the dubious intentions and put together a list of the top ten pink handsets around; if anything, I suppose it’s interesting to see the different shades available.

A lot of the time, manufacturers seem to bring out new colours (pink being a common one, now) to refresh flagging sales of an ageing handset (Motorola, I’m particularly looking at you). If you’re looking for a gift for a wife, daughter or mistress, I’d find out exactly what she plans on doing with the cellphone before settling on the one that closest matches her eyeshadow; your gift could backfire if she discovers it lacks a 5-megapixel camera, HSDPA or WiFi!

[via Phonemag]

GPS spreading from cars to mobile phones

After replacing paper maps for millions of drivers, GPS technology is now being put into mobile phones and was one of the most-hyped developments at this week's Mobile World Congress.

The biggest handset manufacturers and GPS (global positioning system) specialists have begun building handsets with personal navigation software, planning routes and guiding pedestrians with detailed digital maps.

Advertising for GPS in phones, long-awaited by the industry, was everywhere at this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, one of the industry's biggest trade shows.

The leading maker of GPS devices, US-based Garmin, is betting on increased demand and it showcased its first mobile phone at this week's event, which finished Thursday.

"We believe in the development of personal navigation," said development director for the company, Mark Perini.

Called the "Nuvifone," the Garmin device resembles the Apple iPhone, using touchscreen technology for navigation. It will also include a camera and MP3 music player.

The device is set to be launched in the third quarter of the year and will be aimed at the top-end of the market. A partnership agreement has been signed with Google to include some of the Internet giant's services.

After bringing out a GPS-enabled phone last year, Finnish handset maker Nokia is now counting on a new range with sat-nav and personal mapping to drive sales.

Nokia cites a study by British research institute Canalys which found that 60 percent of users would appreciate the function on their mobile phones.

The Finnish group, the biggest handset maker in the world, plans to sell 35 million GPS phones in 2008 and presented the 6210 Navigator this week.

The main brake on development might be the price, however.

GPS-enabled phones start at about 450 euros (650 dollars), then there is the added cost of a subscription to the GPS service.

Like Garmin, Nokia is working on a phone that would allow a user to tag photos with their geographic coordinates, allowing them to position the photos on a map on social networking sites.
South Korean electronics maker Samsung, the second-biggest manufacturer in the world after overtaking US rival Motorola last year, also launched its first GPS phone.

The aim is to "widen the integration of GPS on about 80 percent of our smart phones," said marketing director for Samsung France, Jean-Philippe Illarine, referring to the top-end phones produced by the group.

Japanese-Swedish group Sony Ericsson launched its X1 smart phone, the top product of a new range called "Xperia," which will integrate GPS functionality.

Only South Korea's LG and Motorola have so far not joined the bandwagon.

LG is following a strategy of producing phones with the emphasis on ease of use while the future of Motorola is highly uncertain after the group said it was considering breaking itself up.

Motorola announced at the end of last month that it might separate its mobile devices division from its other businesses to enhance shareholder value.

AFP

Photobucket now Available on Mobile Phones

Many mobile phone users can now access the Internet and can browse through websites. So new sites are now opening especially for mobile phones. Similarly Photobucket, a hub for managing personal media has announced the launch of Photobucket Mobile for the users to access their features on Web-enabled mobile phones.

The features offered by Photobucket Mobile include:

Browse existing personal and public Photobucket content directly from mobile devices
Uploadphotos and videos to Photobucket from mobile devices

Share photos and graphics with individuals via email from mobile devices
Search Photobucket’s billions of photos and graphics

View a variety of featured photos and images every day from the Photobucket Mobile home page

After a research made by Fox Interactive Media’s Research and Strategy Solutions in August 2007, it was found out that 80 percent of the consumers have a camera phone and 36 percent use the camera in their mobile phone every day. Half the users access net on their mobile phones every day.

“Photobucket Mobile offers a great destination for our avid users to upload, search and share their digital media, wherever they are. As photo sharing continues to move beyond the desktop, our users look to share their digital life moments instantly. Recreating the Photobucket experience on a mobile platform is a critical part of meeting this need,” commented Alex Welch, President of Photobucket.

Photobucket Mobile will offer its users the chance to view, share and search for videos, embed content on social networking sites from mobile devices and users can also access linked tags on third party sites.

The users while using Photobucket on their mobile phones will be charged by the network operators. Photobucket is compatible to most of the Web-enabled handsets. The users who would like to know more can visit their on their mobile phones.

Innovative New Line of Samsung Fashion Mobile Phones

Samsung Electronics showcases its stylish line of high-fashion mobile phones at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show. These phones combine chic, sophisticated design with Samsung's innovative mobile phone engineering to suit consumers who desire a phone that offers both style and the latest in advanced technology.

The Giorgio Armani-Samsung phone meets the needs of those who aspire to own technologically advanced device with which to communicate, as well as complete their lifestyle. Samsung, a market leader in consumer electronics, and Giorgio Armani, one of the world's leading fashion and lifestyle companies, have come together to develop a mobile device that provides both elegant design and cutting edge technology. The size of a credit card and a mere 10.5 mm in thickness, the Giorgio Armani-Samsung phone is available in selected mobile phone stores and Giorgio Armani boutiques in major European countries, with plans for expansion to other markets in 2008.

Giorgio Armani-Samsung Mobile Specifications Standard GPRS/ EDGE Tri-Band (900/1800/1900) Camera 3 Megapixel Camera Display 2.6" QVGA TFT LCD (262K Colors) Multimedia H.263, AAC+/MP3/WMA, MPEG4, AAC, e-AAC+ Features Bluetooth(R) 2.0 / USB 2.0 high-speed/ MTP 2.0 Mobile Printing (BPP, PictBridge) micro SD(TM) external memory slot Bluetooth(R) Headset (A2DP) Full Touch Screen & Touch UI Size 87.5 x 54.5 x 10.5 mm

Serenata is a luxury phone created between the home theatre designer Bang & Olufsen and Samsung. Serenata combines the advanced acoustics and creative design of Bang & Olufsen with the progressive mobile technology abilities of Samsung to provide high quality and pleasurable design. A music player and mobile phone in one, Serenata has a sizable internal memory used to hold a library of music tracks. The phone also features context-sensitive touch screen with a large aluminum wheel that provides ease and comfort when navigating through the phone. Bang & Olufsen's ingenious acoustics, which feature two high-quality speaker units, along with a built-in speaker and advanced audio engineering, work together to deliver outstanding clarity of sound of for both the music player and the mobile phone.

Serenata Specifications Standard 3G/GSM R/F band, GSM 900,1800,1900 and HSDPA 2100 Display 2.26" TFT LCD (256K Colors) Multimedia MP3, AMR (Voice Tag), AAC, WMA, WMA Lossless 9.1 Features Bluetooth(R) 2.0 SMS, MMS, E-Mail (POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, SSL, TLS, OTA E-Mail Settings Configuration) micro SD(TM) external memory slot OMA DRM, Windows Media DRM SRS TruBass Size 63 x 109.5 x 19.7 mm

The B'Phone by Samsung is a limited edition handset available only through Sprint which offers customers a new look and exclusive content on an iconic music phone. An update to the popular UpStage, the B'Phone's dual-sided design is designed to optimize music capabilities with the look of an MP3 player on one side and a phone on the other. To complement the style and glamour of the Grammy-winning artist Beyonce, the B'Phone is coated in rich burgundy and gold colors and comes complete with a preloaded special Beyonce-styled start-up screen.

B'Phone Specifications Display Music Display: 2.1" TFT (176 x 220 pixels), Phone Display: 1.4" TFT (176 x 65 pixels) Features Built in MP3 player with MicroSD card slot Streaming music, with access to Sirius, VH1 and MTV 1.3 megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom and video camcorder Advanced stereo Bluetooth with Bluetooth caller ID SMS Voice and text messaging Size 1.73" x 4.07" x 0.37" mm

Motorola to Embed Video Projector inside Mobile Phones

Microvision says that it has signed an agreement with Motorola to develop pico projector display solutions for mobile applications leveraging Microvision's ultra-miniature laser based display engine, called PicoP. Tiny laser-based projectors are expected to enable a "big screen" viewing experience from mobile devices, by projecting content displayed on the device screen onto a nearby wall or clean surface.

Motorola is committed to driving technology innovation that will enable the next generation of great consumer experiences," said Rob Shaddock, CTO, Motorola Mobile Devices business. "Working together with Microvision, we are pursuing ways that projection technology can redefine how mobile consumers view and interact with the media they take with them."

"With its slim form factor and low power requirements, Microvision's PicoP projector is optimized for the mobile environment," stated Alexander Tokman, President and CEO of Microvision. "We believe that our unique display technology, combined with Motorola's focus on delivering cool experiences, would allow mobile users to enhance their viewing of information and entertainment."

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, however the companies revealed they will work together initially to integrate Microvision's latest PicoP projector inside a functioning mobile device for demonstration purposes. This prototype handset will utilize Microvision's new, WVGA (854 x 480 color pixels) wide angle scanner, first demonstrated in May 2007 at the Society of Information Display annual conference.

Samsung Launches 2008 Olympic Games Campaign with New Mobile Phones

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., an official Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games in wireless communications equipment, launched its campaign for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games together with three of its new, high-profile mobile phones designed especially for the event. The company has also named Liu Xuan, an Olympic gymnastics champion, as its Olympic Ambassador during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

At the Samsung Olympic Games campaign launch, the company also announced the Samsung Olympic Games Visual Identity System (SOVIS), Samsung's Olympic Torch Relay Plan, as well as a brief introduction to the Olympic Rendezvous @ Samsung (OR@S). Samsung is committed to building wireless Olympic Games through its Wireless Olympic Works (WOW).

"As an official Partner of the Olympic Games for wireless communications equipment, Samsung contributes significantly to the Olympic Games by delivering leading wireless communication technologies, services and support through the Wireless Olympic Works program. Samsung will go that extra mile to support the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games," said Geesung Choi, President and CEO of Telecommunication Network Business of Samsung Electronics.

Acknowledging Samsung's support for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Yuan Bin, director of the Marketing Department of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG), said, "Samsung's experience in sponsoring previous Olympic Games and its leading technologies in wireless communications makes it an indispensable part of a successful Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

"Samsung Electronics began its sponsorship with the China Gymnastics Association in 2006. For winning China's first gold medal for the balance beam at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Liu Xuan was appointed Samsung's Olympic Ambassador. Samsung said it has complete confidence in its marketing campaigns with Liu as its Ambassador. Liu is also the first Chinese national nominated to be a Samsung Olympic Ambassador, following Australian runner Cathy Freeman at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and Italian skier Alberto Tomba at the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Samsung also unveiled the E848 mobile phone designed especially for BOCOG, as well as the P318 and the U308 for joint marketing campaigns with China Mobile. Samsung plans to enhance its brand awareness with this delicate, slide-open E848 handset, and improve the brand perception of both Samsung and China Mobile through their joint promotion of the P318 and the U308 for CMCC network.

Committed to delivering the wireless Olympic Games, Samsung plans to implement its WOW program, which will distribute Olympic Games-related text messages as well as other upgraded, Olympic Games-related services, such as customized SMS and business information for flexible applications.

SOVIS (Samsung Olympic Games Visual Identity System), unveiled for the first time, incorporates the oval Samsung logo and the Olympic Rings to highlight the integration of Samsung's corporate philosophy of "change and reform for steady development" and the Chinese people's desire for a better future. The new SOVIS, to be used in all Samsung's Olympic-themed marketing events, is an important part of Samsung's various Olympic Games campaigns, and is expected to help bring Samsung and the Olympic Games closer together.

Samsung will select 1,500 torchbearers and use the SOVIS Partner Relay Logo during all its marketing events. These torchbearers will come from 113 cities in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in the Relay Mainland China Sector, as well as 22 cities in five continents (countries and regions) in the Relay Overseas Sector. Samsung will launch a series of public events around its wireless products to drive its brand value in all major cities along the torch relay route.Samsung is also committed to building the OR@S, aiming to make it the most appealing Olympic Games attraction in the world. Serving as a venue for showcasing its advanced technologies and brand image, the OR@S was first launched at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and has been popular ever since, attracting more than 1 million visitors at each Olympic Games.

Samsung P318/E848/U308

Linux Heading to Mobile Phones

More than 127 million mobile phones will be enabled with commercial Linux OS by 2012, up from 8.1 million in 2007, according to the "Mobile Linux" report from ABI Research.

Shipments of devices using Linux as a real-time operating system (RTOS) replacement will pass 76 million units in 2012, up from nearly zero in 2007.

"Linux in the cellular phone is not a question of 'if,' but 'when,'" said Stuart Carlaw of ABI.
The main challenge Linux has faced in single-processor devices has been latency, but it is Mr. Carlaw's opinion that fixes are appearing.

"Innovative solutions such as PREEMPT_RT, the VirtualLogix virtual operating environment, and the use of RTOS executives over Linux kernels look set to deal with latency issues," said Mr. Carlaw. "However, the industry still needs to understand the total cost of ownership for Linux solutions, and it must create a common set of APIs [application programming interfaces] to enable economies of scale for third-party developers."