November 2006 Archives

Yesterday in this blog, I wrote about the differences and similarities between established wireless standard Bluetooth and new-kid-on-the-block Wibree. Talk about good timing—guess what landed in my mailbox today? A report from ABI Research regarding the future of, you guessed it, Wibree.

Specifically, ABI is predicting that the market for Wibree products could be worth $513 million by 2011—if certain things happen.

ABI lists several key “ifs” that are required for Wibree to grow as predicted. There include:

• Nokia forces Wibree into handsets at the earliest opportunity

• Sillicon vendors bring dual-mode ICs to market at prices close to those of Bluetooth ICs today

• Ratio of dual-mode to standalone devices grows rapidly after market seeding

• Bluetooth SIG adopts the Wibree standard

• Widespread adoption of Wibree by handset vendors

In the report, ABI analyst Stuart Carlaw says: “While some industry observers are skeptical about the prospects for Wibree, we believe it is a unique technology that can leverage the very positive market position of Bluetooth in segments such as medical and sports equipment, where the total available market is extremely large and still relatively untouched.”

But, Carlaw cautioned, if Bluetooth SIG thumbs its nose at Wibree, and if handset vendors pass on adopting the new technology, the Wibree market in 2011 will be worth almost nothing.

"These two factors go hand in hand to some degree, and positive noises emanating from both the Bluetooth SIG and Wibree communities provide support for a favorable market forecast,” Carlaw said.

The main advantage of Wibree seems to be its low power consumption. Continue Reading...

A reader of this blog recently e-mailed me to ask what I know about the differences between Bluetooth and Wibree. I had to admit to myself that I really didn’t understand the differences and similarities much better than my reader. So I set out to educate myself.

First stop was Wikipedia, where I uncovered the follow definitions for the two technologies.

Wibree – “a digital radio technology (intended to become an open radio standard) designed for ultra low power consumption (button cell battery) within a short range (10 meters / 30 feet) based around low-cost transceiver microchips in each device.”

Bluetooth – “an industrial specification for wireless personal area networks (PANs). Bluetooth provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as mobile phones, laptops, PCs, printers, digital cameras and video game consoles via a secure, globally unlicensed short-range radio frequency.”

Wikipedia further explained that WiBree, which operates in the 2.4 GHz band, is designed to complement Bluetooth (although in some circles the two are slated as competitors). Continue Reading...

So much news has been generated lately about WiFi that sometimes it seems as if the world has forgotten that technology’s younger, more powerful sibling, WiMAX.

But, market research firm In-Stat hasn’t forgotten. In a recent report, the firm predicted some significant growth in worldwide subscribers to WiMAX-based broadband.

In-Stat said it expects 2006 to yield 222,000 WiMAX subscribers, and that number should grow to 19.7 million by the end of 2010. The firm noted that most WiMAX subscribers today are in the Asia/Pacific region.

I find it interesting that, even looking ahead to 2010, WiMAX subscribers are measured in the millions rather than the billions. The technology does need to overcome some notable challenges before it becomes more widely adopted.

“The biggest challenge still comes from competing technologies and services,” In-Stat analyst Daryl Schoolar said in the report. Continue Reading...

So much news has been generated lately about WiFi that sometimes it seems as if the world has forgotten that technology’s younger, more powerful sibling, WiMAX.

But, market research firm In-Stat hasn’t forgotten. In a recent report, the firm predicted some significant growth in worldwide subscribers to WiMAX-based broadband.

In-Stat said it expects 2006 to yield 222,000 WiMAX subscribers, and that number should grow to 19.7 million by the end of 2010. The firm noted that most WiMAX subscribers today are in the Asia/Pacific region.

I find it interesting that, even looking ahead to 2010, WiMAX subscribers are measured in the millions rather than the billions. The technology does need to overcome some notable challenges before it becomes more widely adopted.

“The biggest challenge still comes from competing technologies and services,” In-Stat analyst Daryl Schoolar said in the report. Continue Reading...

Well, Thanksgiving is over. You know what that means. If you’re someone who celebrates Christmas, it’s time to get started on your holiday shopping in earnest. And, if you’re a tech geek like me, you probably have at least a few gadgets on your list—to buy for friends and family, or that you are hoping they’ll buy for you.

If you are also somewhat of a butterfingers, or the person you’re buying for is, you may be worrying that the new toy you get won’t last very long before it breaks.

Well, at least if you’re talking about smartphones and PDAs, there is a company out there with an alternate solution to waiting several weeks for the manufacturer of a Treo, for example, to replace a broken screen.

A rep from the company, PDAParts.com, recently got in touch to tell me about their solution: replacement parts for some of the most popular Pads, and instructions for how to fix the device yourself.

Before we go any further, it should be noted that attempting self-repair of a PDA will void your warranty, so you’d need to be fairly confident that you can successfully complete the task before starting.

PDAParts.com offers replacement screens, motherboards, keyboards and other parts for a pretty broad range of PDAs, including Palm Treo, Visor, and Clie. Continue Reading...

If you’re a person who recalls not-so-fondly the days of dial-up Internet connections—when you’d start a download or begin checking your mail and then go off to do something else while the process took place—count yourself lucky.

It turns out that as few as 28 percent of American households today have access to broadband Internet. That’s according to reporter Richard Hoffman in a Nov. 20, 2006 Information Week article, citing data from Government Accountability Office.

Hoffman notes that The Pew Internet & American Life Project puts the number of American adults using broadband at 42 percent. Still, that means more than half of our fellow country-people are using dial-up connections, or maybe no connection at all.

What a terrifying thought.

Among those who still don’t have access to broadband are my parents, who live in northern Vermont. Continue Reading...

If you’re planning to fly to Dubai next year on an Emirates Airline flight, keep your eyes and ears peeled for details about a new on-flight mobile phone service offered by AeroMobile (a joint venture between communications vendor Arinc and Norway-based telecom service providers Telenor).

A ComputerWorld.com report (http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php/id;1267221105;fp;4194304;fpid;1)earlier this month noted an announcement from Emirates Airline regarding plans to deploy the mobile phone service on one of its Boeing 777 planes early in 2007, assuming it can get necessary approval.

On-board phone service hasn’t been that successful to date. Boeing previously tried to get  an Internet access service called Connexion off the ground, but phased it out in August after failing to find a buyer.

Connexion did make it onto some European and Asian flights, but no major carrier jumped on board.

Unlike Connexion, which used a combination of satellite transmission and WiFi, the AeroMobile service will beam signal to the ground using satellite systems from Inmarast, which are already installed on all Emirates planes, ComputerWorld.com reports.

A similar service, OnAir, is being developed by European airplane manufacturer Airbus SAS, and air transport IT services provider SITA. According to ComputerWorld.com, last year the British carrier BMI and TAP-Air signed on to offer OnAir’s voice and text messaging services for European flights—again, pending approval.

Apparently, European officials are interested in allowing the on-board mobile phone services. officials, meanwhile, are still reviewing safety concerns about the technology.

Specifically, ComputerWorld.com notes, “Numerous experts are concerned about the possible risk of wireless devices interfering with cockpit and ground-based communication systems.”

Whether or not the technology poses a true security threat, perhaps a bigger concern is whether passengers will actually use it enough to make the service viable. Continue Reading...

Apple’s line of iPod MP3 players have dominated the market for a while now. But a preliminary study Nielson Media Research may indicate that by turning its device into a media player (iPod Video) for TV and movies as well as music, Apple may have overextended its reach.

A Reuters report I came across this morning said that data Nielsen has gathered so far show that “despite iPod's upgrade to video capabilities in October 2005, the device is still

Well, the Apple iPhone rumors are back. This time, word has it that Taiwan-based manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry (also known as Foxconn Electronics) received an order from Apple for 12 million iPhones. That’s the same company, InfoWorld says, that builds Apple’s iPod.

According to AppleInsider, the new iPhone rumors started with a report published Thursday in China Times. So far I haven’t been able to locate an English version of the report to verify. Continue Reading...

I thought this was kind of interesting when I saw it: WiMAX day reports that the subway operating company in Seoul, South Korea—Seoul Metro—is planning to begin installation of wireless Internet access in its underground trains next year.

The service will be provided by KT, using WiBro technology. Access will be available in some trains and stations this coming January, with coverage of the entire system by end of 2007.

The English version of chosun.com notes that the WiBro installation is a sidebar to Seoul Metro’s $439 million project replacing hundreds of aging subway trains, slated to be complete by 2009.

Wireless Internet access for subway riders seems like a pretty cool idea. I’d even bet a lot of people would be willing to pay for the service. And, apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so. Continue Reading...

Yesterday, a spokesperson from wireless mesh technology manufacturer Firetide called to let me know that the company has been selected to build part of Singapore’s nationwide WiFi network.

I thought the story was rather interesting, since most WiFi projects involve a particular city, not an entire country. (Granted, it’s not a very big country; CIA World Factbook describes the island nation as being “slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC.”) Here are the details.

In partnership with iCell Network, Firetide will be building the eastern portion of Singapore’s WiFi network. The project is being overseen by Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore, which has dubbed the project Wireless@SG.

Once complete, the network will provide free WiFi access to all Singaporians. IDA plans to complete the project by year’s end.

“Although the initial goal is to provide basic free Wi-Fi Internet access, we are actually building a high-capacity wireless network that will be delivering even more services and applications in the future,” iCell’s CEO, Ken Chua, said in a statement.

Chua explained further that “ “The Firetide mesh network and access points provide the convenience and flexibility of wireless with plenty of performance for more demanding applications such as high speed broadband access, voice over IP and voice over Wi-Fi, and live video surveillance.”

The build-out will include Firetide’s new HotView Controller software, which makes it possible to provide high-speed mobility services on the network.

“The scope of the project in Singapore is huge and is, for example, much larger than the networks we are seeing being deployed in the United States,” said IDC research manager Godfrey Chua, in a statement.

He added that the government’s backing of the project is crucial to its success. Continue Reading...

Last week I wrote an article about a new location-based service from Helio that lets friends find out the location of their nearby friends using a mobile phone.

Apparently, this type of service is becoming more popular, especially for younger mobile phone users; today an announcement landed on my desk about a similar service being launched by Boost Mobile (a Sprint Nextel brand) and loopt (a social mapping service startup in Palo Alto, CA).

The service, Boost loopt (try saying that ten times fast), “leverages the only 100 percent GPS-enabled wireless network to automatically update the location of everyone in a private network of Boost customers and displays that information directly on a map on the phone,” the companies said in a press release.

In a statement, Boost Mobile’s Director of Value Added Services, said: “Fourteen to 25-year-olds are committed to their social circles and constantly want to know where their friends ‘are at.’ They also comprise the majority of Boost Mobile’s customer base.  Could there be a more perfect marriage?”

Boost loopt will be available free through the end of 2006 to Boost customers with Java-enabled phones. (Application will be available to download starting November 20.) After that, the service will be offered on a pay-as-you-go basis for $2.99 per month for the first 30 days.

Perhaps what’s most interesting about this is that Boost loopt, like Helio’s Buddy Beacon, is that it uses GPS technology to determine locations of users.

In the article I wrote last week, I cited an AP report that said a similar type of service once was available from AT&T (discontinued after the acquisition by Cingular), which located users by measuring the distance a signal traveled between a phone and the nearest antenna—true triangulation, you could say.

GPS has now become so ubiquitous—and I would guess more accurate (but correct me if I’m wrong)—that it makes sense service providers would choose to use it for location-based applications.

If Boost loopt sounds intriguing to you, the service is being launched in conjunction, starting November 20, with a six-week-long campaign during which local subscribers will “encounter approximately 130 random event invitations listing the times and locations of where the Boost loopt Market Manager will appear.”

Using the service, subscribers can then zero in on the Market Manager, and use that info to claim a daily prize.

“Winners will be selected based on their ability to get to the event invite location first with a friend and demonstrate that they have Boost loopt service on their phone,” Boost said in its announcement. (More info about the contest at www.boostmobile.com).

One final note: if you participate in the Boost contest, let me know how it goes. It sounds like an interesting time. Continue Reading...

A couple of items caught my eye this morning, both of which relate to the ways in which mobile technology is changing the way we live, work, and play. One is a study commissioned by Nokia, the other is a news story citing Samsung’s predictions about the future of mobile phones.

I take these news items, by the way, with a grain of salt, since in both cases the info is being provided by companies that make the technology in question—and thus have an obvious stake in the matter.

First up is a study Nokia commissioned from London School of Economics, about the impact of mobile television, specifically on the broadcasting and advertising industries.

The report predicts that, unlike broadcast TV, mobile TV will be characterized by a more personalized experience for each user.

“Users will be able to receive content anytime, anywhere, choose what is most relevant to them, and even create and upload their own television content, while content providers and advertisers will be able to tailor their offerings more specifically to the user,” Nokia said in a press release about the report.

User-generated content—like that found on YouTube—also will be a key trend in the mobile TV market, Nokia said.

Successful advertisers, the report said, will adapt to this new paradigm both with better-targeted ads, and by catering to the short attention span of viewers by displaying 5-7 second ads.

When it comes to what genres of programming will be most popular among mobile TV users, the Nokia-commissioned report puts news, entertainment, sports, music, and children’s shows on the list.

Hmm… doesn’t that kind of sound a lot like current TV offerings, but just available on the-the-go?

I think the format of the programming, as predicted by Nokia, is more interesting; the study says that mobile TV programs will be both shorter and more interactive than current offerings.

The shorter part makes sense to me—if a person is watching a show on an iPod while waiting in doctor’s office, riding the train, or even (heaven forbid) killing time while sitting in traffic, it needs to be a quick program or the user’s attention probably will wander.

I’m not so sure about interactivity—unless we’re talking about gaming rather than TV viewing. For me, at least, watching TV has always been a passive activity, a way to escape (and maybe learn something) without having to expend much (if any) mental effort. Why should that change if I am carrying a show around on a portable player?

Okay, moving along to Samsung’s mobile phone predictions...

In a Channel NewsAsia article today, reporter Johnson Choo quotes Samsung as saying that it predicts mobile phones will soon outperform computers.

The company says that manufacturing handsets incorporating many features—such as cameras, music players, and mobile TV players—will help make mobile phones even more useful, and even more successful in terms of sales.

Samsung added that its brand of wireless broadband, WiBro, is a key feature of tomorrow’s mobile phones. Continue Reading...

Turns out that PDAs can be hazardous to your health. Who knew?

USA Today reporter Stephanie Armour wrote in an article today that, increasingly, companies are facing workers’ compensation claims from employees claiming they were injured by PDAs.

Okay, it’s true that PDAs don’t literally bite the hand that feeds them, but excessive use of such a device can lead to hand injuries—much as the repetitive stress associated with use of keyboards and mice can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome.

There’s even a name for PDA-related hand injuries: BlackBerry Thumb.

The USA Today report cites the American Physical Therapy Association as saying that BlackBerry Thumb is characterized by “hand throbbing, tendonitis and swelling.”

Armour quotes Cornell University ergonomics professor Alan Hedge saying, “If you develop full-blown symptoms, it’s pretty severe. Employers can train people how to correctly hold and use the handheld device and encourage employees to write brief e-mails.”

I’m skeptical about the idea that people might cut down on their PDA usage, but maybe it is possible to hold the devices in ways that aren’t quite so damaging. (Just as an ergonomic keyboard is better than a regular one.)

Washington, D.C.-based lawyer Frank Morris is quoted in the USA Today article as saying that, to protect themselves, employers should develop policies for PDA policies.

Part of the problem is that employees are simply using PDAs too much, the article quoted Stacey Devon, president-elect of American Society of Hand Therapists, as saying.

“In the workplace, you should dock them into a regular-size keyboard and monitor,” Devon says in the report.

So what should we learn from all this, beyond the fact that excessive use of any device can be dangerous? Well, I for one feel a lot more enlightened to know that a) it is possible to be a professor of ergonomics and b) there is an organization called American Society of Hand Therapists.

Here’s my question to you: do you use a PDA? And, have you suffered hand injuries from using it? I’m curious how widespread this problem is.

In a recent blog entry, I wrote about T-Mobile’s dual-mode (WiFi/Cellular) service being rolled out in Seattle. In the entry, I posed the question: “are consumers actually interested in dual-mode services?”

A definite “yes” answer came from a reader who asked to be identified as Levi from Nairobi, Kenya, who is attending graduate school in the U.S. and wants a cheaper way to communicate with friends and family back home.

“My interest is to have, create, start, or whatever it would take, an easier wireless/wi-fi communication from USA to Africa and vice-versa,” Levi wrote.

Levi said that, while most African cell phones use SIM cards, they are quite expensive compared to those in the U.S. When he flies back home, his Sprint cell phone doesn’t work. Continue Reading...