Month: August 2006

“Socket Communications has taken the wraps off the Go Wi-Fi! P300, an 802.11g SDIO card for Windows Mobile devices. 802.11g is an extension to IEEE 802.11b – the basis of most local-area wireless networks today. 802.11g broadens 802.11b’s data rates to 54 Mbps. Both standards are typically referred to as Wi-Fi.Because it offers backward compatibility, the P300 will work with an 802.11b access point and vice versa, albeit at a slower speed. This card includes Socket’s Wi-Fi Companion software to make connectivity and management easier for the user. The P300 supports all security protocols offered by Windows Mobile (WPA, WPA-PSK, 802.1x, 40/128-bit WEP, Open), plus enterprise-class enhanced roaming algorithms.It can be used with virtually all devices running Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE or Windows Mobile 5.0, plus it includes support for square screens and landscape mode.The Go Wi-Fi! P300 is supposedly on sale now for $99, but it is not yet available through Socket’s web store.” via brighthand.com

Espoo, Finland & Seattle, USA — August 8, 2006 — Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Loudeye Corp. (Nasdaq: LOUD) today announced that they have signed an agreement for Nokia to acquire Loudeye for approximately USD 60 million. Loudeye is a global leader of digital music platforms and digital media distribution services. Under the terms of the agreement, Loudeye stockholders will receive USD 4.50 per share in cash for each share of Loudeye common stock. By acquiring Loudeye, Nokia can offer consumers a comprehensive mobile music experience, including devices, applications and the ability to purchase digital music. The multi-function mobile device will become the preferred medium for enjoying music and Nokia is leading this trend. With music optimized products like the Nokia N91 and other Nokia devices, Nokia sold more than 15 million music enabled devices in the 2nd quarter, making it the world’s largest manufacture of digital music players. “Music is a key experience for Nokia and Nokia Nseries multimedia computers and we want to be able to offer the best fully integrated mobile music experience to our customers. Loudeye brings a number of key assets to Nokia, including a great team of people, a substantial content catalogue and a robust service platform that will help us to achieve this objective,” said Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president and general manager, Multimedia, Nokia. “People should be able to access all the music they want, anywhere, anytime and at a reasonable cost. With this acquisition, we aim to deliver that vision and a comprehensive music experience to Nokia device owners during 2007.” Loudeye operates 60 live services in over 20 countries and multiple languages across Europe and South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Loudeye aggregates rights and content from all the major labels and hundreds of independents and currently offers licensed catalog and complete media for over 1.6 million tracks. “This agreement recognizes the key roles that Loudeye and our people play in the digital mobile music market, and reflects the power of our products, our team and our technology,” said Michael Brochu, president and chief executive officer of Loudeye. “Our combined teams will deliver a comprehensive mobile music experience to Nokia device owners all over the world. With an industry leading music experience, a robust service platform, and extensive music rights, Loudeye has long been committed to delivering on the digital music needs of consumers, and we’ve built a leadership brand in the digital music marketplace”. Nokia Nseries multimedia computers represent the next leap forward in personal computing. The multimedia computer offers all the functionalities of a PC and many portable single purpose devices in a connected mobile device that is always with you and always connected. Because multimedia computers have a programmable operating system, people can download and install software applications. Unlike most mobile devices, this means people can add features and applications to their multimedia computers without having to buy a new device. Tens of millions of Nokia devices have a music player and every Nokia Nseries device incorporates a music player, high memory capacity and an FM radio, as well as support for a wide range of digital music formats including MP3, M4A, AAC and WMA. With the Nokia Nseries, you can quickly and easily find and purchase music over the air and download it to your device from your music store. Or, simply drag and drop your personal music collection from your PC to your Nokia Nseries device or synchronize your recent music purchases with your PC via Bluetooth or USB cable. The transaction is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2006. Closing of the transaction is subject to satisfaction of a number of conditions, including approval of Loudeye’s stockholders, regulatory approvals, obtaining consents from third parties to the continuation, modification, extension and/or termination of certain specified contracts, and the absence of a material adverse effect in Loudeye’s business or operations, including loss of employees, loss of customers, or failure to maintain a minimum specified cash balance, each as described in the merger agreement.

“LONDON 8 August 2006 – Sony Ericsson today announces the K618: a slim, lightweight 3G phone that will launch in selected markets and deliver the perfect mix of mobile phone, multimedia applications and business solutions. The new K618 has been developed for those users that want ‘the best of both worlds’; entertainment on the move & a powerful business tool. This high performance 3G device is as light and slim as a typical 2.5G phone, yet delivers blisteringly-fast speeds for streaming or downloading music & video clips, browsing the web or gaming. And staying in control of your inbox is made easier with support for push email, allowing messages to be sent directly to the phone without having to download them.“The K618 is the ideal phone to bring the benefits of 3G-enabled mobile entertainment to a wide audience,” says Jan Wäreby Corporate Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing, Sony Ericsson. “It will have appeal with the business person on the move, who will appreciate the freedom and choice that the latest mobile technologies can offer. It’s a great-looking, desirable phone that you’ll want to keep close to hand.”This compact phone is well equipped for both capturing & sharing photos, and playing music. Notably, the K618 features Bluetooth™ Streaming, which means that full-length music tracks (or video clips) can be sent wirelessly from the phone and listened to on a compatible Bluetooth™ enabled device, such as the Stereo Bluetooth Headset HBH-DS970One click of the dedicated camera button and the 2.0 Megapixel camera is activated, which comes complete with 2.5x digital zoom and Mobile Blogger This application allows the user to post (or blog) their images directly to their own blogsite, giving friends and family the chance to go online and view the shots. The K618 is also ready for making video calls; the separate video telephony camera and high speed 3G connectivity making this a reality. With so many multimedia functions available, it’s possible to build up a sizeable collection of photos, music files, video clips and web pages. The 256MB Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) provided caters for this and will store around 700 photos or 230 music tracks for example*. There is also the option to expand the external memory up to 1GB as an individual’s media library grows.The K618 is a striking, slim-line ‘stick’ design that will launch in a choice of Vibrant Black or Bright White. This UMTS 2100 device will be available in selected markets from Q3 2006.* Examples based on assumption of 4 minutes per track and codec compression eAAC+ and 32kbps for music/number of tracks. Or picture size of 2.0 Megapixel, taken in Normal Mode for recordable pictures. K618 – Features at a glance: Entertainment Music player (with MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+ support) OMA DRM phase 1 Phone speaker Full streaming Audio/Video Polyphonic >64 ring tones Java MIDP 2.0 3D games Music DJ™ Video DJ™ Photo DJ™ PlayNow™ Disc2Phone computer ripping software Stereo headset 256MB M2 cardImaging & Messaging 176×220 pixels, TFT 1.9” 262k colour display 2.0 Megapixel camera 2.5x digital zoom for still images QCIF video recording & streaming QVGA video playback VGA Video Telephony camera Consumer push email SMS and MMS Instant Messaging Mobile Blogger – Picture blog applicationConnectivity UMTS 2100 Bluetooth™ EDR PC Tools & Software USB 2.0 Mass storage FS USB charging USB cable Fast port connector External antenna connector Flight mode HTML Full Browser with RSSAccessories Core Accessories: Stereo Bluetooth™ Headset HBH-DS970 Stereo Portable Handsfree HPM-65 Flash MXE-60 Music Cable MMC-60 Music Desk Stand MDS-60Other Accessories: Desk Stand CDS- 60 Travel charger CMT-60 Bluetooth™ Headset HBH-GV435 Bluetooth™ Headset HBH- IV835 Bluetooth™ Car Speakerphone HCB-100 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications serves the global communications market with innovative and feature-rich mobile phones, accessories, PC-cards and M2M solutions. Established as a joint venture by Sony and Ericsson in 2001, with global corporate functions located in London, the company employs approximately 6,000 people worldwide, including R&D sites in Europe, Japan, China and America. Sony Ericsson is the global title sponsor of the Women’s Tennis Association, and works with the Association to promote the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in over 80 cities during the year. For more information on Sony Ericsson, please visit www.sonyericsson.com

“Traditional competitors of the Sony Ericsson P-series smartphones are the Nokia Communicators such 9300 and 9500. Some Windows Mobile-based devices however such as the HTC TyTN (a.k.a. Qtek 9600) which has been previewed on GSMArena.com not while ago are also really strong contenders for the communicator class title. Windows mobile devices have begun to earn their own place in the hearts of the smartphone fans and in some cases they offer even better functionality over the similar Symbian-based devices. Lately the Nokia Symbian S60 smartphones are also becoming a strong competition – one of the rivals of the Sony Ericsson handset would most definitely be Nokia E70 which we reviewed not long ago and. It doesn’t have a touchscreen, but it comes equipped with a great folding QWERTY keypad and on functional level and pure speed it comes to equal terms with P990. As is the case right now, both the latest versions of the Symbian S60 UI and the Symbian UIQ 3.0 have a limited amount of third-party software available. That is of course expected to change in the course of this year, but nevertheless it is a fact that must be noted because it is one of the most crucial aspects when making a buying decision. And that may definitely tip the scales in favor of the Windows Mobile OS for PocketPC which traditionally has a wide fan base supplying it with tons of software – both free and paid.” Read this BIG review here:

“SAN DIEGO, Aug. 7, 2006 –Sony is launching its first WiFi broadband communication and entertainment device to capitalize on the growth of wireless Internet access. The new mylo personal communicator is capable of operating in any open 802.11b wireless network, often found on college campuses, in public spaces and within private homes around the country.This product is designed for people who use instant messaging as a primary form of communication and networking for their social life. The name mylo stands for “my life online” and the communicator lets you use instant messaging, browse the Internet, listen to music, send emails and view photos concurrently.Small enough for a pocket or purse, the slim, oblong-shaped device features a 2.4 inch color LCD (measured diagonally) with a slide out QWERTY keyboard for comfortable and quick thumb typing.The device, available in black or white, comes embedded with popular instant messaging services: the Google Talk instant messaging service, Skype and Yahoo! Messenger. These services are free and the product does not require initial computer setup or a monthly service contract “The mylo personal communicator puts the fun parts of a computer in the palm of your hand,” said John Kodera, director of product marketing for personal communication devices at Sony Electronics. “It’s ideal for people who want to stay connected to their online friends and family, but not be weighed down by a PC or buffeted by charges for IM and texting on cell phones.”Get Up, Get Out and Get Online The pocketable design encourages users to get up and away from their desks and roam available wireless networks. The product includes JiWire’s hotspot directory listing more than 20,000 WiFi networks in the United States. so you can find a hotspot near you. The mylo personal communicator boots up in seconds and can scan for available wireless networks right away. The “What’s Up” screen serves as the hub, storing up to 90 of your friends’ avatars so you can quickly see who’s online. You can store up to nine online identities per person which allows you to first choose who you want to chat with then easily initiate conversations using your preferred application. The embedded HTML browser lets you quickly connect to full Web pages on the Internet. You can also send and receive text emails with web mail services like Yahoo!® Mail and the Gmail™ web mail service.The communicator comes with Skype™ software built into it, allowing registered Skype users to make free Internet calls with the 113 million other Skype users worldwide. For a limited time, Skype is offering free SkypeOut™ calls from United States and Canada to most phone numbers in the United States or Canada.Stop, Look and Listen While you chat or browse the Internet, the 1GB of the flash memory on the mylo personal communicator lets you enjoy your music too. It supports the playback of MP3, ATRAC® or WMA (secure and unsecure) files. The mylo communicator has a built-in speaker for listening to music so you can share your music with those around you. You can also view MPEG-4 personal videos by transferring files via USB cable or with Memory Stick Duo™ media. You can also store JPEG pictures from the Internet or your digital camera. Providing networking possibilities without a wireless network, the mylo personal communicator detects when it comes into the presence of other mylo units. With the ad-hoc application, you can share play lists and stream music between mylo communicators one at a time.Gotta Keep Up To support all of this functionality, the mylo device uses a lithium-ion battery that offers up to 45 hours of music playback, around seven hours of chatting and web surfing and more than three hours of continuous Skype talk time. It comes with a microphone, stereo headphones, a USB cable and a neoprene case. The mylo personal communicator will be available in September for about $350 online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail) and at authorized dealers nationwide. For more information about the product, go to http://www.sony.com/mylo.”

“Smartphones and communicators providing functions of PDAs (sometimes cut) and cell phones have become ever more popularity. And manufacturers don’t miss the chance and develop their models.The Taiwanese maker Kinpo has introduced a new communicator Saturn SP90 at Taitronics exhibition in Bangkok. The device is powered by Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition and support GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900 MHz) and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g). The SP90 is equipped with a sliding QWERTY-keyboard.The specs of Saturn SP90: Operating system: Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition GSM/GPRS (900/1800/1900 MHz) 2.8” QVGA (240×320 pixels) 262K color LCD CPU: Freescale i.MX21 350 MHz 64 MB RAM and 128 flash ROM 2-megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and IrDA mini USB 1.1 Slot for miniSD cards” via mobile-review.com

“Zeta Game Controller is clipping on keypad of Smart Phone so looks like one body. It is compatible with only korean model HP IPAQ rw6100 and LG C8000 series and possible to apply to game emulation software and easy to control for more fun. Zeta game controller is supporting multiple 6 buttons together when you play games so it gives you the feel and performance of a true game controller. Zeta game controller is compact mini, slim and light game controller also designed silicone key-touching system so as to be not tired even long time playing the game. It comes with a hold the attachment strap so always has it with your smart phone.Zeta game controller has 4way function suitable for upper and under control as the Tetris Game and 8way function appropriate for the shooting and battle game to convert the direction optionally also 7 control buttons give you more exciting performance. Zeta game controller is using the battery of smart phone no extra batteries needed and radiates 3 kinds of lights by characteristic emblem”Check this nice contoller here:

“The Korean Vega Ultra Portable plans to give some serious competition to all the UMPCs of the world. Industry pundits claim that the new Vega may just be able to successfully butt head with the almighty Sony UX ! Before getting impressed, lets just see what the Vega is all about and can it find a strong footing amongst giants like Sony and Microsoft?The Vega handheld computer is powered by the AMD Geode processor and size wise is akin to the Sony UX. It measures about 160 X 80 X 27.5mm and weighs around 480grams. Using Windows XP Home as its operating system and sporting 256 MB of RAM, the Vega may just get a lot of takers. One cool feature is no doubt the incorporation of a lot of buttons which usually are missing on the current crop of UMPC’s. This would simply mean that users will be able to adapt to the handheld more easily.Connectivity options include Wi-Fi and the device sports a high resolution 4.3 inch LCD. There is also a 30GB Hard Disk and the company has also incorporated a connector for a GPS antenna. Via the onboard USB port one can connect to a remote keyboard and also access DMD reception. The Vega handheld sgould be available by September this year for about 700 US $. ” via mobilewhack.com

“Since the first leaked on an awful print out, the Blackberry Stealth could be released under the mdoel of 8100 for Cingular. It sports a digital camera, EDGE capability, microSD memory expansion slot, and media player. The word on the net is that this consumer-centric version of the Blackberry is heading to Cingular.Unlike the usual blackberry device for business users, Blackberry Stealth 8100 is also focusing on multimedia features as well. The upcoming device gets a camera module for photo fun, it also has a media player to meet your music needs. Not forgetting about the expandable storage, you can use the microSD card with this blackberry. The Blackberry Stealth 8100 will support EDGE network, give you a faster connection speed comparing to GPRS. The blackberry looks quite slim from the photo, and a mini USB connector is at the left side of the phone.This device gonna be available for either Cingular or T-Mobile in Q4 this year. The display screen does appear “Cingular” word on it, but some says it is made for both network. ” More photos here:

“Sydney, Australia and Waterloo, ON – Vodafone Australia and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) have launched two new BlackBerry handsets – the BlackBerry 8707v and the BlackBerry 7130v. The BlackBerry 8707v and BlackBerry 7130v support push email, phone, text messaging, Internet, organizer and corporate data applications. Both handsets feature a high-resolution LCD screen that supports more than, 65,000 colors and incorporates intelligent light sensing technology that automatically adjusts the screen and keyboard lighting to provide an optimized view indoors, outdoors and in dark environments. Featuring a full 35-key backlit QWERTY keyboard, the BlackBerry 8707v is the first UMTS-enabled BlackBerry handset that can take advantage of Vodafone’s mobile broadband network and supports roaming internationally(1). The handset also supports 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS (quad band) networks. In addition, the BlackBerry 8707v allows customers to surf the Internet, send and receive emails or use other mobile applications while simultaneously speaking on the phone. The BlackBerry 8707v can also be used as a tethered modem to enable users to access the Internet from their laptop computers. “Mobile access to email and business information is becoming a prerequisite for competing and winning business and making the most of every opportunity,” said Edward Goff, General Manager Business Markets at Vodafone Australia.“The launch of the two new BlackBerry handsets reinforces Vodafone’s over-arching vision of delivering true mobility to Australian businesses and their employees,” said Goff. “Both the BlackBerry 8707v and BlackBerry 7130v give users greater control and flexibility over the way they communicate and do business.” Edward Goff continues: “The BlackBerry 8707v also offers customers the ability to keep laptops connected to Vodafone’s mobile broadband network, which is now available in most Australian capital cities(2). The dashboard software, which supports the mobile broadband modem capability, is scheduled for launch around September”. “The BlackBerry 8707v and BlackBerry 7130v are ideal for customers looking for superior messaging and browsing capabilities as well as premium phone features in a single handset,” said Norm Lo, Vice President, Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. “We are very pleased to be working with Vodafone to bring these innovative handsets to customers in Australia.” The BlackBerry 7130v incorporates RIM’s SureType™ keyboard technology, which merges a phone keypad with QWERTY keyboard to allow a narrower design and enable users to quickly and accurately type messages and dial phone numbers. Both the BlackBerry 8707v and the BlackBerry 7130v are supported by all BlackBerry software and services including the new BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ Express, which allows users to benefit from the same enterprise-level security, reliability, features and functionality of BlackBerry Enterprise Server v4.1 in a simple and effective solution. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is available now as a free download (http://www.blackberry.com/go/ap_express_vodafone) to customers who purchase a new BlackBerry handset from Vodafone(3). About Vodafone Vodafone Group Plc is a leading mobile communications company. Vodafone Group has ownership interests in 26 countries, and partner networks in a further 33 countries – leaving an unmatched network footprint. The company provides quality services to 3.51 million Australian customers and has more than 170.6 million proportionate customers worldwide. About Research In Motion (RIM) Research In Motion is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services that support multiple wireless network standards, RIM provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information including email, phone, SMS messaging, Internet and intranet-based applications. RIM technology also enables a broad array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services with wireless connectivity to data. RIM’s portfolio of award-winning products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations around the world and include the BlackBerry® wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld™ product line, software development tools, radio-modems and software/hardware licensing agreements. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. RIM is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market (Nasdaq: RIMM) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.