Wireless Mobility Blog http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ News and views on everything wireless and mobile, from WiFi and WiMAX to 3G and fixed-mobile convergence (FMC). en-us Copyright 2008 2008-04-24T15:58:05-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Use GPS 'Trackstick' to Record Your Travels, Create Free Google Earth Maps http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/use-gps-trackstick-to-record-your-travels-create-free-google-earth-map.asp 35987@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Trackstick IINow here’s a cool wireless gadget: the Trackstick II Personal GPS Tracker. This little device uses GPS to track its own location, time, data, speed, heading and altitude at present intervals. Since you can pop it in your pocket or purse, that means it also can track your location — or the location of anything that moves.
 
That’s great, but what do you do with the location data gathered? Simple: play it back using Google Earth. This seamless (and free) integration with Google Earth means it’s a snap to bring information gathered in the real, physical world to the online realm.
 
“Use it for recording the exact routes you take when hiking, biking or vacationing,” DavesGadgetWorld.com, where you can buy this nifty gadget, suggests. “Record the location of everywhere you went, import pictures and other information into Google Earth to offer an entirely new perspective of your journey.”
 
The Trackstick has more than 1 Mb of memory, which DavesGadgetWorld.com claims “can store months of travel information.” It also includes GPX photo stamping so you can add pictures to the maps you create in Google Earth.
 
The Trackstick II Personal GPS Tracker has a suggested retail price of $199.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 2008-04-24T15:58:05-05:00 CTIA Wireless 2008 News Roundup http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ctia-wireless-2008-news-roundup.asp 35802@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ This week (April 1-3) was the CTIA Wireless 2008 show in Las Vegas. All week TMCnet has been reporting on news from the show, which is put on (as the name suggests) by CTIA, an organization whose acronym formerly stood for “Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Assocation,” but now simply goes by CTIA  —  The Wireless Association.

 
The show’s Web site has a full roster of news highlights from this week, but here are a few that caught my eye from TMCnet’s coverage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
For even more coverage of the show, check out the blogs for Rich Tehrani and Greg Galitzine.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> CTIAGreg GalitzineLas VegasmobileRich Tehraniwireless 2008-04-03T21:01:38-05:00 Eye-Fi with My Little Eye... Wireless Photo Uploads http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/eyefi-with-my-little-eye-wireless-photo-uploads.asp 35695@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Uploading digital photos from a camera to a computer is a task that lots of people (myself included) tend to put off since it takes time and requires digging for the USB cable. (Which drawer did I put it in again?) Wouldn’t it be great if there was an easier way to get photos from camera to computer hard drive—or better yet, directly to a bogging or social networking site?

 
A startup called Eye-Fi thought so, too. And they did something about it: developed the Eye-Fi wireless SD card. This is a 2B SD card that pops into a digital camera just a like a regular card. Only difference is, it’s got a built-in wireless transmitter. So instead of plugging in a cable, all you have to do is turn on the camera within range of your home WiFi network and grab the photos. 

Eye-Fi Wireless SD Card
 
The Eye-Fi card is also compatible with a variety of printing and sharing Web sites, including: Costco.com, dotphoto, facebook, flickr, Fotki, Gallery2, Kodak Gallery, phanfare, photobucket, Picasa Web Albums, RitzPix, Sharpcast, Shutterfly, SmugMug, snapfish, TypePad, VOX, Wal-Mart, webshots, and Windows Live.  
 
Here are a few technical specs: static WEP security, 90+ feet range outdoors (45+ feet indoors), compatible with 802.11g, b and backwards-compatible 802.11n networks.
 
I haven’t tried the Eye-Fi card myself (waiting till they come out with a version in xD format for my camera). If you do give it a try, let me know what you think.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> cameradigitalEye-Fiphotosharingsocial networkuploadWiFiwireless 2008-03-24T16:13:23-05:00 Research Confirms That Even Use of Hands-free Phones Distracts Drivers http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/research-confirms-that-even-use-of-handsfree-phones-distracts-drivers.asp 35565@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ I’ve long held the belief that driving while talking on a cell phone is dangerous, even if one is using a headset or switching on the speakerphone function. (Although I’m as guilty as the next person of talking while driving anyway.) Now some recent research adds more backing to that argument.

 
Marcel Just, director at Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging, decided to find out the extend to which non-driving activities distract drivers from their primary task of steering a vehicle down the road.
 
In a March 9 report that’s been making the rounds online, USA Today explained what happened when 29 volunteer subjects were hooked up to an MRI brain scanner while engaging in a simulated driving exercise. Some of the volunteers were left alone to engage only in the driving exercise. Some were asked to decide, at the same time, whether a sentence they heard was true or false.
 
Results? The MRI scan recorded a 37 percent decrease in parietal lobe activity in the volunteers who were multi-tasking, USA Today said. (This part of the brain is associated with special processing.) There was also less activity in the occipital lobe, associated with processing visual information. Not surprisingly given the MRI results, the “drivers” who were multitasking veered off the virtual road more often than their single-minded counterparts.
 
“Certain activities in life are inherently multitasking, but driving and cellphone use isn't something Mother Nature thought about when she was designing our brains,” Just was quoted as saying in the USA Today report.
 
Just admitted that, while the results clearly indicate that driving and talking on the phone don’t mix, banning all use of cell phones in vehicles is too draconian a measure. It might work better, USA Today said, to instead cut down on accidents by forbidding cell phone use in certain situations—like rush hour or inclement weather—that require a fairly high level of concentration for safe driving.
 
The report noted that seven parts of the U.S. forbid the use of handheld phones when driving: Connecticut, New York, California, New Jersey, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. No jurisdiction, however, forbids using hands-free devices.
 
Jonathan Adkins, spokesperson for the Governors Highway Safety Association, thinks hands-free devices lure people into a false sense of security. In the USA Today report, he said there is no evidence that bans on handheld phones have helped prevent accidents.
 
Where do you stand on this issue?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> Carnegi Melloncellphonecell phonehands-freeheadsetMarcel Justmobile phoneUSA Today 2008-03-11T15:43:13-05:00 Infonetics Report Highlights 2007 WiMAX Growth http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/infonetics-report-highlights-2007-wimax-growth.asp 35494@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ WiMAX is hot and getting hotter. That’s essentially the conclusion reached by Infonetics in its recent WiMAX and Mesh Network Equipment and Devices report.

 
Just how hot? During 2007, the WiMAX market grew sequentially 46 percent (for the year), with worldwide sales (fixed and mobile) just shy of $800 million. That number was reached thanks to deployments in more than 80 countries around the world.
 
Infonetics predicted that commercial WiMAX network deployments will continue growing during 2008 and beyond—with market value projected at $7 billion by 2011.
 
What’s driving the WiMAX market? Here is Infonetics analyst Richard Webb: “Among the most significant developments: Cisco's acquisition of mobile WiMAX vendor Navini Networks, the market entrance of specialist ASN gateway vendor WiChorus, the launch of WiMAX phones and Ultra Mobile PCs, and the new Open WiMAX initiative, which promotes disruptive, all-IP open WiMAX architecture, and should lead to best-of-breed solutions with inter-vendor interoperability.”
 
Attaching vendor names to WiMAX market growth, Infonetics reported that, for 2007, Alvarion led the worldwide fixed WiMAX equipment market in terms of revenue, followed by Airspan. In the mobile arena, the number one and two spots were held by Motorola and Samsung, respectively.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> InfoneticsmobileWiMAXwireline 2008-03-06T14:57:46-05:00 Tiny Pictures Pulls in $7.2 Million Financing for Radar Photo/Video Sharing Service http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/tiny-pictures-pulls-in-72-million-financing-for-radar-photovideo-shari.asp 35371@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Yesterday I blogged about a company called Radar Networks that just completed Round B of its financing series. Well, it turns out that Radar must be a winning name. Another company, Tiny Pictures—which offers a mobile photo and video sharing service called Radar—also just completed Round B of its financing series, pulling in $7.2 million from Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Mohr Davidow Ventures.

 
Previously, Tiny Pictures raised $4 million from Mohr Davidow Ventures and “angel invetors” Reid Hoffman and Joichi Ito. Funds raised during Round B, the company said, will be used for international growth and development of its recently launched ad platform.
 
Radar from Tiny Pictures enables real-time sharing of photos and videos between cameraphone users. It can be accessed on wireless devices, on PC browsers and through a series of mobile applications.
 
Tiny Pictures was founded in 2005 by John Poisson, who formerly headed up the mobile media research and design groups at Sony in Tokyo, Japan. The startup company is based out of San Francisco, California.
 
For more about Tiny Pictures and its Radar service, see:
 

TrackBack (0) | ]]> Draper Fisher JurvetsonfinancingmobileMohr Davidow VenturesphotoRadarRound BsharingTiny Picturesventure capitalvideo 2008-02-26T15:34:03-05:00 Radar Networks Pulls in $13 Million Venture Capital During Round B of Financing Series http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/radar-networks-pulls-in-13-million-venture-capital-during-round-b-of-f.asp 35336@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Radar Networks is on a role. The company announced Monday completion of Round B financing series, during which it brought in $13 million from several venture capital firms. This brings total venture capital funding for the company to $18 million, including Round B and Round A (which closed in April, 2006).

 
What’s drawing venture capital firms to invest in Radar? The company offers an online service called Twine, which the company describes as a “Web 3.0” application, part of the “Semantic Web.”
 
Twine lets users organize, share and discover information that correlates to their interests, and connect with networks of like-minded people. In this sense, it is similar to a lot other “social network” services on the Web. But Radar is taking this idea to a new level what the company calls “semantic understanding,” a method of automatically organizing information using algorithms that learns from users’ interests and uses its conclusions to make connection and recommendations.
 
Given the trend toward social networking services being used not only on desktop computers but on mobile devices as well, it seems likely that Twine will prove useful to computer-based surfers and on-the-go social networkers alike.
 
Round B of Radar’s financing series was led by Velocity Interactive Group. Draper Fisher Jurvetson and Vulcan Capital also participated.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> financingRadar NetworksRound Bsemantic Websocial networkingTwineVenture CapitalWeb 3.0 2008-02-25T09:45:40-05:00 Architecture Redundancy Would Help RIM Avoid Future BlackBerry Outages http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/architecture-redundancy-would-help-rim-avoid-future-blackberry-outages.asp 35209@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ The power of Google’s ability to perform fast and accurate Web searches comes in large part from the its distributed nature—using a geographically dispersed network of computing power to deliver results to users quickly. Distributed systems like Google’s have another advantage, too: they inherently protect against any single point of failure since if equipment in one location goes down the slack can be picked up somewhere else.

 
In a Thursday post, ZDNet MobileTech blogger Eric Everson suggested that, in light of two major outages within a year, RIM might want to consider a more distributed type of architecture to provide service for its BlackBerry devices, rather than feeding everything through a centralized system.
 
Everson quoted a Canadian Press report as pointing out that, “The concentration of RIM's BlackBerry service at a single network operation centre in the Ontario city of Waterloo, through which traffic such as e-mails are routed, exacerbates such problems and leaves it open to more crashes.”
 
Everson added in his post, “If at a network level everything is routed through a bottleneck configuration it likely doesn’t take the Founder of MyMobiSafe.com to point out that there may be some mobile security issues users should consider.”
 
In other words, there is power in numbers and RIM might do well to consider adopting a distributed network architecture to avoid such a major outage again in the future.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> architectureBlackBerryEric EversonGooglenetworkoutageRIMserviceZDNet 2008-02-14T15:54:09-05:00 Rumor Mill: AT&T to Launch Centro Smartphone on Feb. 19 http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/rumor-mill-att-to-launch-centro-smartphone-on-feb-19.asp 35208@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ The rumor mill is in full gear this week suggesting that AT&T will be introducing its own “branded” model of Palm’s Centro smartphone, till now available exclusively through Sprint.

 
The PalmAddicts blog said Sprint’s exclusive hold on the Centro, which began shipping in early October, was rumored to be a three-month deal, so now’s about the time you’d expect to see it start being offered by other carriers.
 
Engadget seemed very confident in a Thursday post that AT&T’s Centro is set being shipping on February 19. The price likely will be $99, and the color probably white.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AT&TCentroEngadgetPalmPalmAddictssmartponeSprint 2008-02-14T15:26:35-05:00 A Closer Look at Apple's MacBook Air Laptop http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/mobility/a-closer-look-at-apples-macbook-air-laptop.asp 35056@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ If you’re among those considering whether or not to buy Apple’s new MacBook Air laptop, there are now some pretty thorough reviews available to help with the decision. One of those is from Engadget.

 
Engadget’s review examines all aspects of the new laptop, including hardware (processor, battery life, display, keyboard, audio, wireless connectivity, ports, etc.) and software (OS, multi-touch gestures, Remote Disc, etc.).
 
The review is quite thorough, and concludes that although MacBook Air is supposed to appeal to road warriors, it compromises on some of the things such users most need (like ability to swap out a second battery). Given the laptop’s limitations, Engadget thinks it’s unlikely road warriors will pick the Air to replace their primary computer (which may very well be a laptop with more connectivity options), and as such Apple might be more successful if it lowered the price to roughly $1500 and included an Ethernet dongle and SuperDrive into the package.
 
“The Air isn't supposed to be everything for everyone,” Engadget said in its review. “For those in need of a machine that masters basics in a super thin, light form-factor, and who have the coin to pay for that ultraportability, the Air absolutely nails it like few others.”
 
What do you think—would you consider or are you planning to buy a MacBook Air?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> mobility AppleEngadgetlaptopMacBook Airreview 2008-02-04T11:29:06-05:00 FCC 700MHz Auction Update http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/fcc-700mhz-auction-update.asp 35046@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Update as of 5:10 p.m. on Friday, February 1, 2008: after 25 rounds of bidding, the FCC’s 700MHz auction has pulled in just over $18 billion.

 
Earlier in the day, after 24 rounds of bidding, RCR Wireless News noted that the bidding had slowed, with only 1.8 billion coming in during the first three rounds Friday morning (compared with $4 billion for all round on Thursday).
 
The eight C Block licenses did not receive any new bids, RCR Wireless noted, which means bidding on this block may be done. (If so, will Google emerge as not only the white night that rescued open access but also as the owner of the spectrum?)
 
How do you see the rest of the auction playing out?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 700MHzauctionbidFCCGooglespectrum 2008-02-01T17:15:11-05:00 How Many iPhones Has Apple Really Sold? http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/how-many-iphones-has-apple-really-sold.asp 35034@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ It just doesn’t add up. During Steve Jobs’ Macworld keynote, he reported that Apple shipped four million iPhones so far. But AT&T says it had only about two million iPhone customers at the end of 2007. Even taking into account the fact that Apple now has service agreements with carriers in countries other than the U.S., it appears there is a discrepancy. 

 
InformationWeek offers information from analysts at Sanford Bernstein that attempts to explain the mismatch between Apple’s and AT&T’s numbers. The analyst firm estimated that Apple’s total iPhone shipments are actually 3.75 million, not 4 million. The firm also estimated that carriers have activated 2.35 million iPhones.
 
“Assuming that 20% of the unactivated phones may have been unlocked to work on other networks, that still leaves 670,000 iPhones unaccounted for,” InformationWeek noted in its report.
 
That means that there is a pile of not-yet-activated iPhones in the hands of carriers. The question remains: can Apple still hit its target of selling 10 million iPhones by the end of 2008? What do you think?
 
On a somewhat related note, Rich Tehrani blogged yesterday that Motorola may be considering spinning off its handset business. He asked whether this is really a smart move, given how big mobility is these days. The company has operations in 44 countries/regions and describes itself as “a global communications leader” that’s all about seamless mobility, broadband embedded systems and wireless networks.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AppleAT&Tcell phonehandsetiPhonemobile phonemobilityMotorolasalessell 2008-02-01T09:03:06-05:00 MacBook Air: Heart or Head? http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/macbook-air-heart-or-head.asp 35020@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ There has been time now for industry analysts to really take a good look at Apple’s new MacBook Air laptop computer. The initial infatuation with the world’s thinnest laptop has worn off, and some people are now willing to note its drawbacks as well as its advantages.

 
For example, BusinessWeek reporter Stephen Wildstrom said that MacBook Air “set off an intense struggle” between his heart and his head. On the heart side: this computer is really sexy, one might even say a work of art. It also crams more into a very slim package than probably seemed possible before Steve Jobs’ latest Macworld keynote.
 
But, on the head side, Wildstrom said his practical, business-oriented self thinks the lack of built-in disc drive, Ethernet port and broadband card slot could be deal-breaker. He pointed out, for example, that WiFi (which is built into the MacBook Air) is not ubiquitous in places like hotel rooms, requiring the business user to hook up an external Ethernet port for Internet connectivity.
 
For the small subset of users who put a premium on mobility, Wildstrom said, the inability to swap out the battery also poses a problem; he said he got four hours of heavy use on a single charge, but when traveling there are times when he needs more than that.
 
“Ultimately, the Air presents potential buyers with a tough choice,” Wildstrom wrote in the Newsweek report. “It is lovely to look at and delightful to hold. The screen may be the best I've seen, and the keyboard is better than the MacBook Pro's. Even after prolonged use, the case stays fairly cool to the touch. Against that, you need to weigh the inconvenience caused by all the things Apple chose to leave out. The product might not have been quite as smooth and shiny with these elements, but it would have had greater rational, as well as emotional, appeal.”
 
What do you think—is the MacBook Air more appealing to the heart or the head? I’d be willing to bet the answer depends on where and how you might plan to use this new laptop.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> Applebatterydisc drivelaptopMacbook Air 2008-01-31T10:18:29-05:00 700MHz Spectrum Auction Update: D Block Floundering http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/700mhz-spectrum-auction-update-d-block-floundering.asp 35000@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ As of Tuesday, the FCC had conducted 12 rounds of bidding for sections of the 700MHz spectrum, over a span of four days. But one of the blocks up for bid isn’t garnering much interest among potential buyers, Reuters reported.

 
That is “Block D,” also known as the “public safety block” because it’s designated for use by police, firefighters and other public saftery officials, Reuters reported. So far there has only been one bid for this block—for $472 million, far below the FCC’s reserve price of $1.3 million.
 
If things don’t pick up soon for the D block, the FCC may be forced to modify its requirements for the spectrum and/or lower the price. Reuters speculated that the dearth of bidders may be due to the credit crunch companies in the U.S. are experiencing; possibly they simply can’t raise the capital.
 
Current requirements for the D block also likely make it less appealing in terms of return on investment: “Under rules adopted by the FCC, the winner of the D block airwaves will be required to negotiate an agreement with public safety agencies, build out a nationwide network and then give those agencies priority use during emergencies,” Reuters explained.
 
What do you think—will someone step in yet to rescue the D block? Or will the FCC have to change its expectations for this section of the spectrum?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 700MHzauctionD BlockFCCFederal Communications Commissionpublic safetyspectrum 2008-01-30T09:50:41-05:00 700MHz Auction: Will Google Rescue Open Access? http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/700mhz-auction-will-google-rescue-open-access.asp 34933@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ So, with the FCC’s 700MHz spectrum auction underway, the $4.6 billion question is: will Google come to the rescue of open access or not? If the company bids more than the $4.6 billion reserve (minimum) price specified for the C Block of spectrum to be licensed as “open,” then the consumer advocacy groups and some analysts will be pretty happy.

 
Of course if Google does bid that much, it’s possible the company may actually go all the way and win the spectrum itself. Or not. The outcome will either paint Google as the knight in shining armor or as a company determined to really shake up the wireless market.
 
Which do you think it will be?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 700MHzauctionbidFCCGoogleopen accessspectrum 2008-01-24T16:53:37-05:00 InfoWorld: 700MHz Auction Could End 'Disastrously' http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/infoworld-700mhz-auction-could-end-disastrously.asp 34908@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ 700Mhz auction. Does that get your heart racing? It isn’t garnering nearly the same level of excitement as, say, Apple releasing a new product. But the FCC’s auction, set to begin tomorrow, nonetheless is setting off some chatter in the wireless industry.

 
Whether or not the impact of the auction ends up, on balance, having a negative or positive effect remains to be seen—and likely depends a lot on where you’re sitting. For example, an InfoWorld report today warned that this particular auction may very well be similar in its impact to the “disastrous 1996 C-Block PCS auction,” yet that isn’t deterring companies that plan to bid.
 
“Like the earlier auction, the 700MHz auction is set to occur in a faltering economy, presenting challenges to license hopefuls needing cash,” InfoWorld said in its report. “Yet, just like that ill-fated auction more than 10 years ago, an oddball collection of participants plan to bid, this time including the Missouri Farmers' Union, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, and Disney.”
 
Why was the C-Block auction in 1996 “disastrous”? InfoWorld said: “because it was designed not just for companies with access to billions of dollars but for entrepreneurs interested in getting into the wireless industry. Postal carriers, lawyers, and doctors quit their day jobs and invested their savings, confident that U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) incentives would help them make it big.”
 
Out of an original 255 bidders in the 1996 auction, InfoWorld said, 89 won licenses and only a handful went on to start actual businesses. All the rest went bankrupt, sold their licenses at significant losses, or returned the licenses to the FCC as part of an amnesty program.
 
What do you think—will the 700MHz auction be a repeat, with many disappointed gold-diggers in the end losing more than they invest? Or something entirely different?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 700MhzauctionbidderFCCinvestspectrumwireless 2008-01-23T16:05:24-05:00 In-Sta: Revenue Growth for Mobile Business Apps to Slow Somewhat in 2008 http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/insta-revenue-growth-for-mobile-business-apps-to-slow-somewhat-in-2008.asp 34791@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Wireless service providers may need to engage in some reality-checking during 2008 when it comes to projected versus actual revenue growth associated with mobile business applications. That’s what In-Stat predicted this week in a new report, Wireless Data in the US Enterprise 2007: Avoiding a CDPD Reprise.

 
The research firm expects revenue growth for this particular wireless sector will end up being about 44 percent from 2007 to 2008, down slightly from 50 percent for 2006 and 2007. Why the slight downturn? In-Stat chalked it up to the services companies actually implement, which tend to be somewhat reduced from plans made by decision-makers.
 
“As business users approach saturation for horizontal mobile data applications, most of the growth potential remains for vertical market applications,” In-Stat analyst Bill Hughes said in the report. “These require more planning and time to implement. The result is that many within the wireless industry may have overoptimistic forecasts.”  
 
In terms of horizontal applications, In-Stat said the following four have the highest penetration because they’re relatively easy to implement: wireless Internet, wireless IM, wireless e-mail and personal information management (PIM).
 
What do you think—are service providers expecting too much from an increasingly saturated market?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> Bill Hughesbusiness applicationsIn-Statmobilepredictionprojectionrevenuewireless 2008-01-18T11:03:40-05:00 Macworld Keynote Recap So Far http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/macworld-keynote-recap-so-far.asp 34733@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ As I write this, Steve Jobs has been keynoting for nearly two hours and it appears most of the surprises are out of the bag at this point. I’m sure everyone out there is busy refreshing real-time blogs from Macworld, Engadget and the like. So here’s a very short and sweet recap of what Apple announced today so far:

 
1. Almost 20 percent of the Apple OS installed base has upgraded to Leopard. Five million copies sold in the first three months of launch.
 
2. Time Capsule is essentially Time Machine on steroids: an AirPort Extreme base station and hard-drive combined into one unit. This allows Mac users to backup all their machines, wirelessly, to one central location.
 
3. Apple has sold four million iPhones to date, and as of 3Q07 end the device held almost 20 percent (precisely 19.5 percent) of the U.S. smartphone market.
 
4. New features for iPhone, including maps “with location” and ability to SMS multiple people at the same time.
 
5. iPhone updates (mail, maps, stocks, notes, weather enhancements) available in iPod Touch for $20 upgrade.
 
6. Movie rentals through iTunes. Studios on board: Touchstone, MGM, Miramax, New Line, Lions Gate, WB, Fox, Paramount, Disney, Universal, New Line, Sony. Rentals are $2.99 for library titles, $3.99 for new releases. Prices for HD rentals are slightly higher: $3.99 and $4.99 respectively.
 
7. Apple TV 2 (free software upgrade): syncs with computer, but no computer is required; you can rent movies straight from your TV.
 
8. MacBook Air is the major new gadget from Apple: it’s a laptop thin enough to fit into a manila envelope. Its wedge-shaped, 0.16 at its thinnest part. Includes 13.3” widescreen LED-backlit display, built-in iSight camera, full-size keyboard, and multi-touch gesture support on its trackpad. The 80GB hard drive is 1.8” with option for 64GB solid-state disk. 1.6GHz standard, option for 1.8GHz. Five hours of battery life. $1,799, ships in two weeks (can pre-order today).
 
That’s the recap so far. Let the analysis begin!

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AppleiPhoneiPodiTuneskeynoteMacMacBook AirMacworldmoviesrentalSteve Jobs 2008-01-15T13:53:54-05:00 Texting for Takeout Food: Let Your Fingers Do the Ordering http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/texting-for-takeout-food-let-your-fingers-do-the-ordering.asp 34711@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ As if ordering delivery take-out food wasn’t already easy enough, USA Today recently reported that soon it may no longer be necessary to even talk to another person on the phone to put in your order. That’s because text ordering is being adopted by more and more national fast-food and other restaurant chains, allowing users to send their requests for sustenance via a cell phone.

 
Among the chains now offering or looking into offering text ordering: Papa John’s (national TV spots now promote the service), Domino’s (launched last July), Pizza Hut (soon to get started), Quiznos (considering), Dunkin’ Donuts (considering), Subway (considering), McDonald’s (testing in Seoul), and Starbucks (trial underway in London and in one U.S. store).
 
The USA Today report quoted Papa John’s CEO Nigel Travis as saying that the potential of texting can be compared to online ordering, which currently accounts for 20 percent of the company’s sales. (He went on to predict that, within two years, texting will account for 3 percent of sales.)
 
Americans send about 30 billion text messages each month, USA Today noted. GoMoboo.com CEO Noah Glass was quoted in the report as predicting that texting very well might account for 25 percent of all takeout food orders by the time another decade is gone.
 
Not everyone is thrilled about using cell phones to text in takeout orders, though; some users are concerned about privacy. For example, one user quoted in the USA Today report said he guards his cell phone number carefully, describing it as “the last firewall of privacy.” Giving it to a national restaurant chain in the process of placing an order could be in invitation to unwanted calls, he implied.
 
What do you think—do the benefits of text ordering outweigh the potential privacy breaches?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> Domino'sDunkin' DonutsfoodMcDonald'sPap John'sPizza HutQuiznosStarbucksSubwaytakeouttexting 2008-01-14T17:19:59-05:00 Radar from Tiny Pictures Enables Free Photo and Video Sharing http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/radar-from-tiny-pictures-enables-free-photo-and-video-sharing.asp 34663@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ The other day, a rep from Tiny Pictures, which makes software solutions for mobile devices, got in touch to tell me about Radar. She explained that Radar is a free service that lets mobile phone users share camera phone pictures, videos and attached comments with friends and family. She described the service as a “real time conversation—letting you show the funny, nutty, interesting things that happen to you.”

 
The capabilities of Radar include a private “channel” and Web address to protect your privacy, allowing only invited friends to see the content you’ve chosen to share. Friends can then comment, either privately or publicly.
 
Radar reportedly works with most cameraphones (compatible with more than 225 devices) including iPhone, BlackBerry and smartphones running Windows Mobile.
 
Seems like a cool idea. If you try Radar, let me know how you like it.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> cameraphonemobile phonephotosRadarsocial networkingTiny Picturesvideos 2008-01-10T13:24:29-05:00 Texting the Screen During New Year’s Eve in Times Square http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/texting-the-screen-during-new-years-eve-in-times-square.asp 34563@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Yours truly braved the crowds this year to attend the New Year’s celebrations in Times Square. It was a long day—my companions and I arrived in the city about 11:30, and were in position with a great view of the ball by about 2:00. It was a long wait; you try standing in the same place for ten hours and you’ll understand why everyone was cheering at midnight: the ordeal was over, we could all go home.

 
One of the things that kept the crowd on my side of the street (we were next to the MTV building) entertained was an MTV-sponsored giant screen on which were displayed text messages from people standing on the street. Mobile phone users simply typed in a special code, and whatever username they wanted displayed, then their message. A few minutes later—voila! There it was for thousands of people to read.
 
Here’s a wideshot of the screen, with surrounding buildings and the crowd across the street from where I was standing, contained by concrete barriers.
 
 
The text message screen became a way for strangers in a massive crowd to converse with each other. The messages, some in response to MTV-planted questions, included your standard debates about which was the best sports team, what people resolved to do in 2008, how tired people were of standing there, and way too many instances of “Welcome to the party.”
 
Here’s a sampling of the messages.
 
 
In my opinion, the text screen was a brilliant idea that gave an otherwise restless crowd something to do for long stretches of time.
 
Were you in Times Square on New Year’s Eve? Happy New Year!

TrackBack (0) | ]]> cellphonemobile phoneMTVNew YearNew York CitySMStextTimes Square 2008-01-02T11:34:55-05:00 Apple Tablet: A Good Idea or a Bad One? http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/apple-tablet-a-good-idea-or-a-bad-one.asp 34546@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ An interesting video was posted yesterday on TheStreet.com, in which staff reporter Scott Moritz and gadget columnist Gary Krakow discuss Apple’s reportedly upcoming release of a tablet computer with touchscreen.

 
Krakow’s conclusion was that maybe Apple will come out with a product compelling enough for people to buy it, but given the history of table computers the odds are against Apple.
 
“Ask any other manufacturer: tablets do not sell,” Krakow said in the video. He noted that people like the idea of working on a flat surface, but when it comes time to type a letter, tablets fall short.
 
“Apple might be able to make it work with some interesting features,” Krakow said, looking skeptical.
 
Moritz noted Apple has already conceded that its table wouldn’t be a mass market product, but rather a specialty one designed for the educational market. But Krakow pointed out that quite a bit of that market may already be taken by the One Laptop Per Child device, which is not just a laptop computer but also a tablet.
 
“They’re going to have to do something very interesting,” Krakow said of Apple’s designs on tackling the tablet market. “Leave it to them; I’m sure they’ll find it.”
 
What do you think; can Apple successfully launch a tablet computer, or is this market too tough a nut for even iPhone’s creator to crack?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AppleKrakowtabletTheStreet.comtouchscreen 2007-12-28T17:53:13-05:00 Apple Rumors: Fox Movie Deal, 3G iPhone, Asia iPhone Deals http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/apple-rumors-fox-movie-deal-3g-iphone-asia-iphone-deals.asp 34536@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ With the Macworld Conference & Expo only a few weeks off, yours truly thought it might be a good time to head on over to AppleInsider and see what’s on tap for current Apple-related gossip. It’s kind of funny how much fuss was made last year leading up to Macworld 2007, mostly speculation about iPhone, and how relatively quiet the rumor mill is this year.

 
One very likely announcement from Apple at Macworld might be a deal with 20th Century Fox to rent movies on-demand through iTunes. AppleInsider reports that such a deal is in the works, according to a recent Financial Times article quoting “a person familiar with the situation.” Sounds like a credible source to me!
 
The service would supposedly work like this: users could download a complete movie from iTunes, for a rental fee, but it would only last a set amount of time before “expiring.” Fox would also provide DVD copies of the movies that are copy protected to an extent; these copies would allow the movies to be transferred to a device (e.g. iPod, iPhone) for viewing.
 
Who knows, AppleInsider said—it’s possible not only Fox but other studios as well may be on hand at Macworld to announce similar deals.
 
Of course, all of this is speculation since none of the parties mentioned here—Apple, Fox, other studios—have confirmed that such deals are even in the works.
 
Another possible announcement at Macworld might be exclusive iPhone distribution deals between Apple and mobile service providers in China and Japan. (China Mobile? DoCoMo?) Also, Apple probably will say something about releasing a 3G-enabled iPhone in 2008 (AT&T’s CEO let this slip in November.)
 
It remains to be seen what effect any such announcements would have on Apple’s continued business success. The company is pretty highly valued, if stock prices are any indication; on Wednesday shares of the company topped $200 for the first time, closing at $198.95. Would you pay $200 for a share of Apple?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> appleiphonemacworldrumor 2007-12-27T14:50:06-05:00 Nicholas Ciarelli Bows to Apple, Agrees to Shut down 'Think Secret' Web Site http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/nicholas-ciarelli-bows-to-apple-agrees-to-shut-down-think-secret-web-s.asp 34510@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ One of the biggest stories of this Friday-before-Christmas was a report that Apple and Nicholas Ciarelli, master of the Think Secret Apple rumors Web site, have reached an amicable agreement in which Ciarelli agreed to shut down the site. The site was a source for leaks about Apple product releases, but because it was run by an independent publisher it ultimately was put in a different category than traditional journalistic outlets.

 
Apple sued Ciarelli in January, 2005, for publishing trade secrets from the company, and now almost three years later the heart of the matter has finally been sorted out. New York Times reported that Ciarelli, a senior at Harvard, was satisfied with the outcome.
 
This is a victory for Apple that goes against two precedents—cases in which courts ruled the company could not stop journalists from exercising First Amendment rights to publish information.
 
No specifics about the settlement were released. Whether you view it as a victory for the cause of business to protect trade secrets or a loss for protection of information dissemination/the public debate depends on your perspective. What do you think?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AppleFirst Amendmentfree speechjournalistlawsuitleakNicholas CiarellirumorsettlementThink Secret 2007-12-21T15:37:45-05:00 ABI Predicts RIM Will Finish Second Behind Nokia for 2007 Smartphone Sales http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/abi-predicts-rim-will-finish-second-behind-nokia-for-2007-smartphone-s.asp 34490@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ When it comes to smartphone market share, no-one can touch Nokia. But it looks like Research in Motion (RIM), maker of BlackBerry devices, will come pretty close for 2007. That’s the conclusion reached by ABI Research in its research brief, Research in Motion Strategic Review, released Thursday.

 
ABI is predicting that RIM will end 2007 with 10 percent of the smartphone market, making it the second largest such vendor in terms of device shipments—second only to Nokia. RIM’s market share, ABI reported, has risen steadily during the past five quarters (from 7.2 percent in the third quarter of 2006 to 9.5 percent in the third quarter of 2007).
 
So how can RIM capitalize on its current winning streak?
 
“In addition to operator partnerships, RIM needs to grow both its R&D and manufacturing capabilities to expand and increase its presence in markets beyond North America and Europe,” advised ABI analyst Shailendra Pandey, in the research brief. “Considering the growing opportunities in the Asia Pacific region, a manufacturing and R&D presence in India or China can help RIM in shipping more devices and reducing overall costs.”
 
ABI also noted that one of RIM’s strengths is a consistently high and stable average selling price (ASP) for its devices. For 2007, ABI estimates that RIM’s ASP for smartphones is $345, significantly higher than the overall industry average of $248. This demonstrates that, if the feature set is right and the device is well-executed, consumers and carriers are willing to support higher prices.
 
What do you think—will RIM catch up with Nokia during 2008?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> BlackBerrydevice shipmentsmarket shareNokiaResearch in MotionRIMsalessmartphone 2007-12-20T13:17:19-05:00 FCC Releases Full List of 700 MHz Spectrum Auction Applicants http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/fcc-releases-full-list-of-700-mhz-spectrum-auction-applicants.asp 34477@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ The envelope, please. RCR Wireless reports today that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has released a full list of companies that applied to participate in the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction due to begin January 24, 2008. The FCC reportedly received 266 applications—from big companies like Google and small, regional phone companies like Inland Cellular Telephony Company serving Eastern Washington State and North Central Idaho.

 
RCR Wireless reports that the FCC has assigned an “Accepted” status to 96 applicants, with a further 80 applicants given an initial filing status of “Incomplete.” On the incomplete list are Alltel, Cox Wireless and Qualcomm. Google is represented on the accepted list under Google Airwaves, Inc., and Microsoft under Vulcan Spectrum LLC.
 
The RCR Wireless report noted that 62 megahertz are up for grabs in the auction, divided into 1,099 wireless licenses of various sizes. Google and Microsoft are among those companies vying for the open access 22MHz “C” block. Altogether, the FCC is reportedly expecting to bring in $15 billion from the auction.
 
Among the bidders in the auction are AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Alltel, Leap Wireless and MetroPCS. Cable TV and broadcasting bidders include Bright House Networks, Cox, Cablevision, EchoStar, Public Broadcasting Service and Catholic Church Brooklyn (under the name Trans Video Communications, Inc.). Notably absent from the list are T-Mobile and Sprint Nextel.
 
Those companies whose applications were dubbed incomplete have until January 4 to resubmit with corrections.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> 700 MHz spectrumAlltelapplicantauctionbidderFCCGoogleMicrosoftQualcommSprintVerizonwireless 2007-12-19T16:01:56-05:00 Strategy Analytics: 2008 Will Be a Significant Year for Fixed-mobile Convergence http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/strategy-analytics-2008-will-be-a-significant-year-for-fixedmobile-con.asp 34463@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Predictions, predictions. This time of year, people love to make predictions. Today’s example comes from Strategy Analytics, in the form of some wireless enterprise strategy projections for 2008. The firm’s year-end market outlook predicts that unlicensed mobile access (UMA) and Call Redirect will dominate the business fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) market next year.

 
The firm also thinks that mobile device management (MDM) solutions will experience strong growth during 2008, with sales of dual-mode smartphones reaching 66 million.
 
“2008 will see significant traction on MDM as smartphones surge and GPS handsets become more closely aligned with Enterprise LBS solutions and begin to resonate with enterprise customers,” predicted Strategy Analytics analyst Andrew Brown, in a Tuesday report. “Embedded modules will gain a foothold in business as a result of flat rate data plans while USB modems will continue to grow dramatically.”
 
Brown also predicted that prosumer e-mail will be the new battleground during 2008, yet secure e-mail will continue to offer higher revenue potential.
 
“Microsoft will raise its profile and credibility as an end to end mobile solutions vendor with SCMDM (System Centre Mobile Device Manager) as applications become more closely aligned to core business processes,” Brown added.
 
Another analyst at the firm, David Kerr, concurred, saying that enterprise mobility will be a “critical” profit center next year.
 
“In 2008, mobile email and line of business applications will post strong growth as the ranks of mobile workers continue to surge and businesses seek enhanced security and access controls to their critical human and capital assets,” Kerr said.
 
In its report, Strategy Analytics also predicted that mobile enterprise apps will become better aligned with core business processes (thanks to adoption of SOA and SaaS), USB modems will be in strong demand (for both professionals and prosumers), and that IT departments will start to soften their attitudes toward laptop computer WAN connectivity.
 
What do you think—is Strategy Analytics on the money or missing the mark? We won’t know for sure until this time next year.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> enterprisefixed-mobile convergenceFMCMDMmobile device managementmobilitysmartphoneStrategy AnalyticsUMAunlicensed mobile access 2007-12-18T15:19:33-05:00 Good and Bad Legal News for Apple and iPhone This Week http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/good-and-bad-legal-news-for-apple-and-iphone-this-week.asp 34359@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ Legal-wise, this week has been a mixed bag so far for Apple and its iPhone. The “good” news first: on Tuesday, TMCnet contributing editor Susan Campbell reported that T-Mobile won a case in Germany involving the sale of Apple’s iPhone. A German court reversed an injunction against the carrier that would have required it to sell an unlocked version of iPhone.

 
Now, T-Mobile is free to remain the exclusive provider of iPhone in Germany, offering it only as a locked device with a two-year contract. iPhone is locked with a SIM card that prevents users from using the device with any other operator’s network.
 
Campbell reported that the injunction was brought by T-Mobile competitor Vodafone.
 
In response to its win, T-Mobile turned around and announced that it will offer an unlocked, contract-free iPhone for $1,481, quite a price hike compared with the locked device that sells for $581.85.
 
In her report, Campbell noted that Apple, too, must be breathing a sigh of relief over the ruling. That’s because the company “offers specific partners exclusive iPhone selling rights in exchange for a percentage of the monthly subscription rights. It has been estimated that Apple enjoys as much as 10 percent of the proceeds.”
 
So far Apple is sticking to its exclusive partner strategy as it makes iPhone available in different parts of the world. In the U.S., iPhone is available only through AT&T. In Britain, the carrier is O2, in Germany it’s T-Mobile (division of Deutsche Telekom) and in France it’s Orange (an arm of France Telecom).
 
Okay, so for Apple that’s the good news. The bad news is that when one lawsuit is satisfactorily resolved, another one pops up. Next in line: a suit (filed in Federal Court, Eastern District of Texas by law firm Dovel & Luner) brought by Klausner Technologies, claiming Apple and AT&T are violating its visual voicemail patents.
 
In question are U.S. Patents 5,572,576 and 5,283,818. These involve “visual voicemail” features that allow users to selectively retrieve voicemail messages using visual, onscreen navigation. TMCnet editor Patrick Barnard reported that Klausner's technology has been licensed by companies like Time Warner AOL and Vonage to enable their visual voicemail systems.
 
Klausner said it has successfully litigated against infringers of the involved patents on two occasions, and intends to do the same with Apple and AT&T. Klausner seeks damages and future royalties (estimated at $360 million) from both companies.
 
It appears that Klausner is currently on a suing spree. Barnard reported that, also this week, the company filed suits against eBay’s Skype unit, Comcast and Cablevision. A couple months ago, Klausner also settled a suit out-of-court that it brought against Vonage.

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AppleAT&TBritainDeutsche TelekomFranceGermanyinfringementiPhonelawsuitO2OrangepatentT-MobileU.S.visual voicemail 2007-12-05T11:18:10-05:00 Verizon: Maybe Android Isn't So Bad After All http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/verizon-maybe-android-isnt-so-bad-after-all.asp 34350@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ In a move that left consumers and wireless industry analysts gasping with surprise, Verizon Wireless let the world know Monday night that it has changed its mind about Google’s mobile Android platform. That’s right, the carrier that never stops working for you has admitted maybe it was wrong about Android and open standards, and would now like to be part of the future, thank you very much.

 
Sensing a bit of snarkiness in the paragraph above? Yep, that’s right. It seems to me that, given Verizon Wireless’ announcement last week that it plans to open its network to outside developers and manufacturers next year, the announcement about Android is hardly that surprising.
 
The story about Android was apparently broken by BusinessWeek, in a report quoting Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam as explaining that the Android announcement culminates a year’s worth of evolution in the company’s strategy. The company’s new outlook on life was borne out of many meetings with FCC officials and executives at co-parent Verizon Communication (Vodafone also owns a stake).
 
Why the change of heart? Apparently Verizon Wireless, despite being so successful, sees the writing on the wall: the future of mobile and wireless lies with open standards and open networks, not proprietary practices. Things might be rosy now for the company, but it seems to think that might change if it doesn’t get on board with the trends of the future.
 
Smart move, in my opinion. By deciding to open its network, and by embracing Android, Verizon Wireless may well be known as the carrier that helped lead the way to a more open wireless market in the U.S.
 
What do you think—is Verizon Wireless being smart or just bowing to industry pressures?

TrackBack (0) | ]]> AndroidFCCGoogleLowell McAdammobileOpen Handset AllianceVerizon Wirelesswireless 2007-12-04T16:06:55-05:00 Aruba Networks Welcomes 100th PartnerEdge Program Participant http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/aruba-networks-welcomes-100th-partneredge-program-participant.asp 34333@http://blog.tmcnet.com/wireless-mobility/ One hundred is a nice, round number. It also happens to be the number of companies now participating in Aruba Networks’ PartnerEdge program. Not too shabby for a program that was only launched this past September.

 
Aruba, a provider of network and secure mobility solutions, designed its PartnerEdge program to be compelling for companies interested in joining—thanks to sales and marketing resources, comprehensive training and cash rewards. Apparently, given the numbers, the proposition is a pretty appealing one. No doubt this is because the program affords participants the opportunity to generate new business and boost margins by offering differentiated solutions backed by a solid distribution program.
 
“This program has legs and it delivers results,” said Paul Black, President of Comm Solutions, a Malvern, Pennsylvania-based network integrator and platinum Aruba partner, in a statement. “Aruba has got it right – they provide meaningful incentives, mature program management, and a continuing rollout of innovative products and programs. By partnering with Aruba, Comm Solutions has successfully grown our wireless practice and overall business, to the benefit of both our clients and our bottom line.”
 
Aruba divided its PartnerEdge program into three tiers: Silver, Gold and Platinum. Partners can participate at whatever level appeals most to them, depending on how much sales and support resources they can devote and where they set their sales targets.
 
“Our program is tailored to highly motivated partners that want to stimulate sales growth by teaming with a global leader in secure mobility solutions,” said Julia McConaughy, Aruba’s Director of Global Channel Marketing, in a statement.
 
It appears that, thanks to careful planning and solid results, Aruba is well on its way to outstanding long-term success for its PartnerEdge program. Way to go!

TrackBack (0) | ]]> ArubapartnerPartnerEdgewireless 2007-12-03T12:56:49-05:00