Mobile Phones

Mobile Phones, cell phones

Cell Calls from Planes On Their Way

January 12, 2006

Remember when airplanes had telephones in seat backs rather than LCD TVs? Expensive to use ($6 a minute seems to ring a bell), they were used sparingly (very sparingly) by most travelers. The ones still in existence are operated by Verizon.

Now the FCC is planning to auction off (everybody loves an auction!) the airwaves reserved for phones embedded in airplane seats -- May 10 looks to be the starting date.

Posted in Mobile Phones

Of Course! Poker on Mobile Phones

January 11, 2006

As if we don't have enough time to play poker (or watch all kinds of poker on TV -- even the Travel Channel!), now I hear how Harrah's (one of the oldest, not glitzy-est) gambling companies will offer the "World Series of Poker" on mobile phones.

Through the agreement with Glu Mobile, mobile phoners will not be able to bet or gamble, but will have access to special ringtones, wallpaper and other goodies. Any bets that betting will soon be coming -- can't see how such as friendly state as Nevada won't soon allow it.

Next we'll have to have multi-screen phones like the ones on theÂ Nintendo DS or adapt picture-in-picture TV tech for the phone to keep up with all the stuff that we'll be able to watch on it; right?

Posted in Mobile Phones

The Smartphones Show online streaming video program

January 11, 2006

Steve Litchfield emailed me to tell me about his online video program, called the The Smartphones Show, which he positions as a new online 'TV' series looking specifically at smartphones. The show covers all software platforms and is currently free to download. I've actually come across Steve's past reviews of smartphones, GPS software (Tom Tom), and other technology-related stuff and his articles & reviews are usually pretty detailed..

Each 20 minute program is distributed as a Quicktime video (at quarter VGA resolution) that's been designed and encoded to have as wide an audience as possible, including all Windows PCs, all Macs, video iPods and even the most recent smartphones themselves.

According to Steve, programs will include introductions to various aspects of the smartphone scene, plus hardware reviews and 'how to' material, covering Symbian OS, Windows Mobile and Palm OS-based phones.

Posted in GPS, Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Wireless

Google vs. Yahoo! Search Engines Going Wireless

January 6, 2006

The Deal's Tech Confidential today nicely sums up Google and Yahoo's plays into the mobile phone space.Â Search on a cell phone would beÂ a good thing -- as long as you can do it easily and the service is fast.Â Would be nice to know the next good hotel when you're tooling down I-95 and you need to find a place to rest.

Seems Yahoo! hasÂ a better model that Google with its ability to search the web without opening a browser; Google will just have its click-able icon on a phone.Â That may change with implementation.

Can't wait to try both of these.Â Now we need GPS built in so we can just mount the phone on the dashboard for anything we need, including music downloads ...

Posted in Mobile Phones

Panasonic integrates Bluetooth cellular and home phone line

January 6, 2006

Panasonic released at CES a new line up of devices developed by DSP Group. The HCS (Home communication system) provides the end user with voice, data and video conferencing connectivity in the residence while the KX-T111S and KX-T112S combine the best of both worlds by letting consumers still have the benefits of wireless calling, while still using their regular home phone line. The new models let you "link" up to five BlueTooth-enabled cellular devices with your home phone service. According to a DSP Group representative, "Result: the ability to take advantage of cost-saving "Free Nights and Weekends" rates offered by your wireless calling plan, while enjoying the drift-free reception offered by a standard phone line."

"Wireless calling lets you stay in touch anytime, anywhere, while a standard phone line
may afford the user better reception," says Frank Lasorsa, merchandising vice president
for Panasonic's Communications/Home Office Products Division.

Posted in Mobile Phones

Chitter Chatter GPS tracking phone for kids

January 5, 2006

Hop-on, Inc. today launched a GPS tracking phone for children that kids wear like a wristwatch. Called the Chitter Chatter phone, they claim it is the worldâs smallest GSM / Enhanced Location-Based-Services(LBS) Locator Phone. The Chitter Chatter phone will cost less than $50 and it will simply use the Internet or any phone with SMS capabilities to quickly identify the location of the device within 300+ feet, in approximately 1 minute.

The ChitterChatter Phone allows kids to stay in touch with close family and friends, or send their location by pressing the one-touch star button, while letting parents manage costs.

Posted in GPS, Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Wireless

GPS for Nokia Symbian phones

January 4, 2006

Destinator Technologies, a provider of personalized navigation software, announced today at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, the general availability of Destinator SP (Smart Phone), GPS-based navigation software for Nokia Symbian Smartphones, such as the popular Nokia 6600 series phones, in North America. It is compatible with Nokia models 3260, 6260, 6600, 6630, 6670, 6680 and 6681.

The Nokia LD-3W Wireless GPS Module is a good add-on GPS for Nokia phones.

I should point out that Destinator SP has already been available for Windows Mobile phones and that they did already have a version of Destinator SP running on Nokia phones - but only with European maps. I've used Destinator's GPS software before. In fact, Destinator 3.0 was my primary GPS running on an iPaq PocketPC until the serial connector on the iPaq started getting flaky.

Posted in GPS, Gadgets, Mobile Phones, Reviews, Wireless

Motorola Residential Seamless Mobility Gateway (RSG) enables VoIP-to-mobile roaming

January 3, 2006

Motorola, claims that it "broke down the barrier between traditional home and wireless phone service." They are speaking of their new innovative Motorola Residential Seamless Mobility Gateway (RSG) lets consumers use the same mobile device -- and the same number -- as they roam in and out of their homes. The real takeway from this announcement is that this product takes WiFi-to-cellular handover control out of the hands of the carrier and into the hands of the consumer. TMCnet writer Robert Liu has some interesting insights on this news as well. One tidbit is he writes, "The announcement could breathe new life to dual-mode handsets market, which has been greatly hampered by the control that cellular network operators have exerted over the handover exchange process."

Here's the release Motorola put out today.

Creating an Innovative Home Communications Experience

The Motorola RSG family of products packs powerful communication features for your home.

Posted in Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, Wireless

Slingbox works with Mobile Devices

January 3, 2006

Slingbox plans on adding a software client to complement their popular Slingbox streaming video content hardware device. According to IP Democracy:

Place-shifting pioneer SlingBox is slated to announce
at CES this week a new software client that allows any Windows Media-capable device to serve as a viewing platform for a customers' multichannel video or PVR service. This is a phenomenal development given that SlingBox is cutting across the top-line business priorities of motion picture studios, TV program producers, cable operators, wireless phone providers and even Apple Computer, which hopes to build a business on mobile video.

IP Democracy hits the nail on the head when it states, "So far, not a peep from the litigious studios, or even a threatened lawsuit from cable or satellite operators. I suspect that it's difficult to come up with a legal rationale against what Sling is doing -- this is not unauthorized copying or transmission of content.

Posted in Gadgets, Home Entertainment, Mobile Phones, Video Hardware & Software

Symbol MC9094 & MC9097 takes on Blackberry

January 3, 2006

BREAKING! Symbol has two new ruggedized mobile devices coming out called the MC9094 and the MC9097, running Windows Mobile 5.0 with cellular/mobile phone access, a touch-screen, and a full-sized keyboard + dialpad that aims to dethrone the Blackberry. (Update: See my updated thoughts on the MC9097/MC9094 analogy with the Blackberry below) The difference between the two mobile devices is that the MC9094 supports the GSM cellular standard and the MC9097 supports OFDM and the IDEN two-way paging cellular standard created by Motorola. Both devices will support SMS and Bluetooth.

Posted in Gadgets, Microsoft, Mobile Phones, PDAs & Handhelds, Wireless

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