Business News Holding

Tag: mobile-world-congress

  • Intivation Launches World's First Solar-powered Mobile Phone

    Intivation today launched the world’s first low-cost solar-powered mobile phone.

    The Dutch company uses an innovative converter that takes 0.5v from a solar cell and steps it up to the 3.7v needed for any lithium ion mobile phone battery.

    Intivation’s technology combines a single solar cell with its chip software. It can function on any handset.

    UPDATE: Intivation has just been announced as the winner of the GSMA’s 2009 Mobile Innovation Global Award competition’s EMEA tournament for the most innovative wireless device-centric technology.

    Paule Naastepad, Intivation’s CEO, told smartphone.biz-news it offered charging even in low-light conditions while also being effective in high temperatures.

    He said that in terms of performance the technology provided a 193 per cent improvement in average light, tilt, angle and shading.

    Intivation also announced a solar-powerd charging case for the iPhone, which it says more than doubles battery use. 

    The Intivation technology is being used in a ZTE-made handset, the Coral-200 Solar, which is being deployed by the Digicell Group from this June.

    It will be targeting emerging markets where there an estimated 640 million people with network coverage but without a reliable electricity supply.

    For operators, Naastepad said there was the potential to increase ARPU by more than 10 per cent, largely because if a mobile was constantly charged it was more likely to be used.

    Other advantages include: 

    • technology allows for a small cell
    • cheaper to manufacture
    • looks better
    • faster charging more reliable




  • Nokia, Vodafone and Adobe Help Kick-off Mobile World Congress 2009

    Nokia, Vodafone and Adobe Help Kick-off Mobile World Congress 2009


    This year’s Mobile World Congress is now underway and already there has been a flurry of announcements and launches from some of the big names lining up in Barcelona.

    Vodafone has unveiled a raft of new mobiles, including its first own-branded consumer GPS phone – the Vodafone 835.

    The 3G candybar handset is to be available across Europe from spring on contract.

    Other newcomers to the 3G range include the Vodafone 735 and Vodafone 736 – a candybar and slider version respectively of the phone.

    Hot on Vodafone’s heels comes Nokia, with the news that it is launching its own online app and media portal – the Ovi Store.

    The Finnish telecoms giant has made its N97 smartphone the first device to be "pre-integrated" with Ovi Store, but existing S40 and S60 customers will be able to download the service from May.

    Not surprisingly, a developer site has been launched offering a 70 per cent revenue share.

    Adobe announced this morning that Flash Player 10 – the full version of Flash that runs on PCs – is to be available on smartphones running Windows Mobile, Google’s Android, Nokia S60/Symbian, and the new Palm operating systems.

    Devices with Flash Player 10 are expected to hit the market starting in early 2010.

    Obviously, the glaring exception to the list of applicable devices is the iPhone – though Adobe executives do promise that it’s coming.

    Earlier, Carl-Henric Svanberg, CEO and president of Ericsson, told delegates at MWC that 2008 had been a year of establishing mobile broadband.

    He talked about the impact investment in telecom infrastructure can have on societies and their prosperity – even in the current economic climate.

    "Mobile phones have had a profound impact on peoples’ lives all over the world," he said.

    "The mobile industry is now on the verge of another significant wave of investment, which will bring affordable mobile broadband services to all."

    Svanberg finished by stressing that the fundamentals of the telecoms industry were sound, as was demand.

    "The operators are generally in good shape and the networks are fairly loaded," he said.

    "As we move further into a financially turbulent 2009 our focus will be to manage our company for value creation. In this market environment there will be opportunities to strengthen our position and I am convinced that we are uniquely positioned to capture them."

  • Emoze Aiming To Be "Skype of the Push Email World"


    It was interesting to hear Eitan Linker, CEO of emoze, talk about his company’s efforts to introduce the mass market to mobile push email at the Showstopper event on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2009.

    Emoze’s free software enables users to configure multiple mobile email accounts and send and receive emails from corporate, personal and family accounts all on the same mobile.

    Linker told smartphone.biz-news that their aim is to simplify the user experience to help bring push email to as many people as possible – and obviously to emoze.

    He said while there are more than one billion email accounts globally, RIM had only 20 million Blackberry subscribers for its email services – making it very much a niche market.

    Emoze hopes to change that.

    Find below the VideoInterview:

    "We are a win, win, win option," said Linker. "It’s a win for the carriers because we drive data; it’s a win for the handset manufacturers because we are not operator dependent; and it’s a win for the user because it’s a free application that’s easy to use."

    Emoze’s goal is aided no end by the fact the software can be downloaded to a wide variety of mobile devices – from high-end smartphones to standard Java-enabled handsets.

    As well as providing access to several types of email accounts, users can also access social networks such as Facebook.

    While the application is free, users can upgrade from the basic one account option to a premium account, which allows them to have multiple accounts for EURO 1 per month.

    Emoze also offers an enterprise solution, which enabled small companies to give staff email without the need – or the cost – of upgrading handsets.

    "We are looking at the mass market and trying to make it easy for them," he said. "We are like the Skype of the push community."

    As the company’s website explains:

    "Emoze brings true mobility to the mass market by enabling users from all walks of life to turn their mobile phones and mobile devices into fully functional personal communication devices.

    "Emoze has created real push-event technology. emoze delivers real-time, secure synchronization of emails, calendars and contacts – pushing data and updates anytime, anywhere using any mobile service provider network or WiFi.

    With emoze’s unique technology, synchronization occurs every time there is an incoming or outgoing event, rather than via periodical checks for change."

  • Bitstream Launches "Fastest Mobile Browser"


    Bitstream is launching its new BOLT mobile browser today with the claim that it is the fastest on the market.

    Sampo Kaasila, VP of R&D at Bitstream told smartphone.biz-news, that the new browser was "25-50 per cent faster" than competitor Opera.

    Speaking at Showstoppers on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona he said this was backed up by tests carried out in India.

    While he admitted the tests weren’t done independently of Bitstream, he was confident user experience would bear out the company’s claims.

    Kaasila said the BOLT beta provides a PC desktop-like view of Web pages on even the most basic feature phones.

    It will not, however, be available on the iPhone and Bitstream has no plans at the moment to change that.

    Bitstream is hoping to appeal to hordes of non-iPhone handset owners, of whom only around 15 per cent regularly browse the internet on their mobiles.

    "We are hoping to increase that percentage with BOLT," said Kaasila.

    The mobile browser includes high standards compliance such as AJAX and flash video support.

    Kaasila said it also both optimized to conserve battery life and to minimize data transmissions – so allowing people to browse longer without recharging batteries while consuming less data.

    BOLT supports streaming video from the likes of YouTube, vids.myspace.com, video.yahoo.com, blip.tv, dailymotion.com, and metacafe.com.

    Features of the BOLT public beta release include:

    • Fast, secure, desktop-style web browsing on both high-end and low-end handsets
    • Streaming flash video capabilities
    • WebKit rendering engine offers high standards compliance
    • Support for XML, ATOM and RDF formats of RSS feeds
    • Support for JavaScript and AJAX
    • Split screen and full screen modes for easy navigation and viewing
    • Intuitive keystroke shortcuts for easier navigation and content selection
    • 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption for secure access to web pages
    • Server filtering to protect users from spyware and other malware
    • Certificate error notification
    • Easily add and select favorites and view browsing history
    • Ability to clear history and cookies

  • Can Vuzix Transform Video Glasses From Geek To Chic?


    Ever fancied a pair of those video glasses but felt you’d look a bit silly? Well Vuzix has come up with a set that would easily pass for wrap-around sunglasses.

    The US company claims its Wrap 920AV is the most advanced video eyewear yet produced – offering the viewing equivalent of a 62-inch screen seen from 3m away.

    David Lock, director of Vuzix’s European operations, spoke to smartphone.biz-news at the Showstoppers event on the eve of Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona.

    Click below to see a video interview with David Lock:


    He said unlike its competitors, Vuzix has concentrated on providing the best consumer viewing experience with its existing four models – rather than focusing on look and style.

    But he said the new Wrap glasses transformed the whole video eyewear from "geek to chic".

    Certainly consumer interest in this type of product seems to be hotting up – helped no doubt by the growing demand for mobile video.

    Since its launch in Europe last March, Lock said Vuzix has sold USD $500,000 worth of video glasses.

    Typical buyers range from commuters to parents buying them for teenage children to watch video on their iPods during car journeys.

    Aside from the new Wrap, it offers fours models ranging from 44" to 62" in 4:3 and 16:9 screen formats.

    The iWear VR1440 is aimed specifically at gamers.

    With removable earphones and HD 2D and 3D viewing, the glasses run off a single AA alkaline battery that provides between 5-11 hours of viewing depending on the model and use.

    The eyewear can be used with a growing list of smartphones and mobile devices.

    But if the Wrap’s more fashionable look sounds appealing, Lock said the spec’s ability to allow viewers to experience augmented reality would be just as big a selling point when they are launched in the Fall.

    Essentialy that means the glasses’ "see-thru" lens design allows users to see what is around them while watching a video display or experiencing augmented or mixed reality on mobile devices such as the iPhone.

    He is enthusiastic about the possibilities that offers – such as being able to walk around a city wearing the glasses while following directions from a GPS map on the widescreen lenses.

    We tried out the glasses at Showstoppers and the quality is impressive – what might still put some people off are the prices, which begin at USD $199 for the most basic model.

  • Barcelona Mobile World Congress Live Coverage

    Smartphone.Biz-news.com Mobile World Congress 2009 live coverage feeds.


    We are covering the Mobile World Congress 2009 from Barcelona. We will be publishing photos, interviews and company profiles. Follow the event via Twitter, FriendFeed, Flickr, RSS and here on the web.

    If you are in the congress and you want to meet use – or you are not in the congress, but you want to get in touch with us – the easiest way will be a Twitter Direct Message (DM biznews_smartph) or post a comment into our Linkedin group


    The links to follow the event online are:

    All articles will have the tag "mobile world congress". Bookmark this link to get the latest updates.

    twitter Follow the latest updates on Twitter

    or if you prefer, you can follow our updates at friendfeed

    Flickr photosview the photos we are taking on flickr.com

    you can follow the latest updates also via RSS

    This is the RSS for Voices of the Industry

    And here you have the other channels.

    You can join our grup in LinkedIn for smartphone professionals

    Linkedin group Join our LinkedIn group

  • VoIP.biz-news Covering Big Names and Rising Stars At Mobile World Congress 2009


    VoIP.biz-news is providing extensive coverage from this year’s Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona between 16-19 February.

    We will be posting regular updates on product announcements and press conferences from big industry names like Samsung, Toshiba and Microsoft as they happen.

    Other companies not usually associated with mobile – like Acer – are also promising to cause a stir in Barcelona.

    Our editorial team will keep you up to date with all that’s going on.

    But we’d also like to hear from smaller exhibitors and start-up companies attending the MWC.

    VoIP.biz-news will be conducting interviews with innovative and cutting-edge businesses that promise to be the big names of the future.

    If you’re going to be in Barcelona and have an interesting VoIP-related product or service that would be of interest to our subscribers, please contact us.

  • Smartphone.biz-news Covering Big Names and Rising Stars At Mobile World Congress 2009


    Smartphone.biz-news is providing extensive coverage from this year’s Mobile World Congress being held in Barcelona between 16-19 February.

    We will be posting regular updates on product announcements and press conferences from big industry names like Samsung, Toshiba and Microsoft as they happen.

    Other companies not usually associated with smartphones – like Acer – are also promising to cause a stir in Barcelona.
    Our editorial team will keep you up to date with all that’s going on.

    But we’d also like to hear from smaller exhibitors and start-up companies attending the MWC.

    Smartphone.biz-news will be conducting exclusive interviews with innovative and cutting-edge businesses that promise to be the big names of the future.

    If you’re going to be in Barcelona and have an interesting product or service that would be of interest to our subscribers, please contact us.

  • Acer Smartphone(s) To Be Unveiled in Barcelona


    Acer is to announce its entrance into the mobile phone market with the launch of at least one smartphone at next month’s Mobile World Congress expo in Barcelona.

    The company confirmed the move through press invitation that announced a "smartphones launch" – suggesting there could be more than one device released.

    Acer first mooted the ideal of a smartphone a year ago so its entry into the mobile market is not unexpected.

    Especially as the computer giant recently acquired the Taiwan-based mobile manufacturer E-Ten.

    The invitation shows that Acer’s president and CEO, Gianfranco Lanci, will be speaking.

    While no details are being given about the launch the expectation is that the Acer device(s) will run Microsoft’s as yet unannounced Windows Mobile 6.5 operating system.

    Last April, when Acer announced its acquisition of E-Ten, he indicated the phone would be Microsoft-based.

    Now we will just have to wait until 16 February in Barcelona to find out for sure.