March 14, 2006
Nokia Convergence Devices for Mobile TV and the Digital home at Nokia Mobility Conference
Nokia Mobility Conference is one of the world's premier forums for operators, developers, IT vendors, content owners, service providers, retailers, and other members of the mobility-industry value chain. Featuring speakers from Nokia and other key players in the industry, the Nokia Mobility Conference showcases real-life examples of business opportunities across the sector.
View Photo: Business Opportunities at Nokia Mobility Conference
Nokia has launched three more Nokia Nseries multimedia devices, while new Nokia products and solutions for enterprises, application developers and mobile networks give convergence a push.
View Photo: Nokia Mobility Conference - Avenues to Revenues
At Nokia Mobility Conference 2005, Barcelona, Spain, and Espoo, Finland, Nokia illuminated its convergence strategy by extending the Nokia Nseries multimedia range to include three new devices: the Nokia N92 (the world's first mobile device with a built-in DVB-H receiver), the Nokia N71 and the Nokia N80. With these new devices consumers can wirelessly watch mobile TV, stream music, share photos and send emails with attachments.
This latest launch follows the announcement in October 2005 of the Nokia Eseries, a new family of Nokia smartphones targeted at the business world. The Nokia Nseries, first launched in April, and the Nokia Eseries are the manifestation of Nokia's vision of convergence and the emerging digital industry, bringing together information technology, enterprise applications, broadcasting, music and imaging. Speaking at the Nokia Mobility Conference, Nokia Chairman and CEO Jorma Ollila explained how devices like these lie at the heart of digital convergence.
"We expect the market for convergence devices to double to 100 million units in 2006. Developers, media companies and enterprises are shifting their focus to Nokia's S60 smartphone platform, as they see the business potential of using it to offer content and ensure secure remote access to corporate applications," said Ollila. "Convergence is opening up a world of opportunities for our customers and partners, and Nokia is committed to developing the tools, solutions and products to make the promise of the digital industry a reality."
Nokia N92: the clearest picture yet for mobile TV
The Nokia N92 is the world's first mobile device with a built-in DVB-H receiver, making it possible for users to watch and record live TV at any time. Based on open standards, DVB-H is the leading mobile-TV broadcasting technology, enabling low-cost delivery of high-quality broadcast programs to mass audiences.
The Nokia N92 features applications and functionalities that make it easy for users to watch and search for TV programs, create personal channel lists, subscribe to TV-channel packages, set program reminders and access interactive TV services. The ergonomic form factor includes media keys, a view mode and a large (2.8") anti-glare QVGA screen supporting 16 million colors.
Nokia N71: all-in-one entertainment
The latest member of the Nokia XpressMusic family, the Nokia N71 is a pocket-sized entertainment system complete with stereo FM radio and support for digital music and videos. The Nokia N71 also features the new Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map. This allows a semi-transparent, zoomed-out view of a web page, so that users can quickly orientate themselves on a handset screen.
Nokia N80: make yourself at home
Equipped with WLAN and 3G, the Nokia N80 is the world's first handset to feature UPnP technology. This allows it to be used as a remote control for wirelessly swapping content between compatible PCs, audio equipment and TVs. Images and video stored on the Nokia N80 or on a compatible PC can be viewed on a TV, for instance, while music stored on the device can be played through an audio system. Nokia N80 users can also print wirelessly to any UPnP-enabled printer. In addition, the Nokia N80 supports most commonly used email solutions and office-application formats.
Web browsing in your pocket
At the conference Nokia also unveiled a new web browser for its S60 software for smartphones. The browser, designed to give equal access both to full web pages and mobile-optimized content, is available for S60 licensees as part of the S60 3rd Edition offering. With the browser built on open architecture, S60 licensees and open source developers will be able to extend its core and build new features on top of it.
In keeping with this open source approach, Nokia has also launched a new Internet portal for its open source software projects: opensource.nokia.com. The portal, a natural extension for the Forum Nokia online developer community, consolidates Nokia's open source activities and provides access to its projects.
Mobilizing the enterprise
The new Nokia Eseries family of smartphones for the business world also made its public debut at the conference. The Nokia E60, the Nokia E61 and the Nokia E70, each with its own distinct design, are built on a platform that meets the security and manageability needs of corporate IT professionals. The Nokia Eseries is targeted at companies and public institutions that want to improve their performance while keeping the cost of device management and support under control.
Nokia Eseries devices support all GSM bands, 3G, WLAN, corporate email access and advanced voice functionality (including IP PBX connectivity over WLAN), and offer integrated security features and tools for device management. Multiple email solutions are supported, including BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-on mail and Visto Mobile. Nokia Eseries devices are a perfect fit with the Nokia Business Center, a robust and cost-effective solution for the mass-market rollout of corporate mobile email.
Posted by Editors at 05:29 AM
February 21, 2006
Siemens to showcase the trends from the mobile world of tomorrow 3GSM World Congress 2006
Mobile TV
DVB-H stands for Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds and is based on DVB-T, the digital terrestrial transmission standard that has already been launched in some regions of Germany and is replacing analog television. So it’s possible for viewer to participate interactively in the tv-program. They can, for example, hold a vote on “The goal of the month”. Besides you don’t miss any live sport event, for example the Olympic Games 2006 in Turin.
Barcelona, Feb 9, 2006: Watching television on a mobile, playing high-resolution multi-player games, making mobile phone calls while simultaneously transferring files or videos over the wireless network: On some 400 square meters of exhibition floor space at the 3GSM World Congress 2006 in Barcelona, the Siemens Communications Group will be showing how mobile communication technology is going to be changing our leisure and working worlds in the years to come.
This year’s highlights will include a live demonstration of mobile television over DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld) as well as new IP-based mobile applications. In addition, Siemens will also be showcasing new services and products for the wireless networks of the coming years. On display at Booth A08 in Hall 8 at the Fira Fairgrounds and in a truck outside of Hall 8 will be innovations for operators, enterprises and consumers.
Live on the fairgrounds: Watching TV on a mobile while out and about
In Barcelona, Siemens will be providing coverage for the entire Fira Fairgrounds with DVB-H, the digital video broadcast technology for handhelds. Special DVB-H devices will enable visitors to the tradeshow to receive 16 different television programs live, including music channel MTV, news networks CNN and BBC World, as well as coverage of the Olympic Winter Games in Turin from Rai Olimpics Torino. In addition, Siemens will be providing live demonstrations of how the process works – from the TV camera right through to the image on the DVB-H device – in a special TV studio at the booth. Moreover, visitors to the show will also be able to use the Siemens solution to participate interactively in the TV program and to use a wireless backchannel to cast their votes for the “goal of the month,” for example. To do that, the user clicks on the touchscreen of his or her DVB-H device to send a text message (SMS) to the mobile operator, who then displays the results of the voting on the screen. The mobile broadcasting system from Siemens is the world’s first solution to operate with DVB-H devices from a variety of leading manufacturers.
“Call and Share” – IMS turns voice services into multimedia communication
In connection with IMS (IP-based Multimedia Subsystem), Siemens will be showing “Call and Share” applications that enable the operator to pump up the volume of data traffic over the wireless network, e.g. with Videosharing. This service enables the subscriber to shoot a video during a telephone call and immediately send it to the person at the other end. This application will be of interest to real estate agents, for example, who want to provide a client with an initial impression of a property while they are still on the phone.
Whiteboarding, which can provide driving or walking directions for a stranger in a city, for example, works in a similar manner: A second person uses a laptop or mobile phone to display a map of the city and then draws in the route. The stranger is linked with this second person via the mobile network and receives the visualized driving or walking directions on his or her mobile. “Call and Share” also works together with Push and Talk (PaT), the walkie-talkie solution from Siemens that supports the open standards of the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) and can therefore interact seamlessly with handsets from a wide variety of manufacturers.
Together with partners from the IMS Developer Program, Siemens will be showcasing further IMS applications, including “Team Work,” a Java-based application for sharing information among a defined group of subscribers, such as the employees in a department or the members of a family, even if they have different end-user devices, as well as “MeetMee” – a wireless application for networking with friends.
Live demo: Flexible wireless rate modification
To afford fast and flexible modification of the rates for mobile services, Siemens will be demonstrating the latest version of charge@once live at the booth. This charging solution captures and consolidates usage data in realtime, thus enabling bonus programs or individual rate models, for example.
New technologies: The Next Generation wireless network
The growing volume of data traffic stemming from new mobile services like videosharing, music downloads or online gaming necessitate even faster and more powerful switches and radio networks. At the 3GSM World Congress, Siemens will be showing its products and innovations for evolving wireless networks through to the year 2012.
One of these innovations, from the GSM world, is eBSC – the most powerful and advanced controller for GSM base stations on the market today. Operators can use it to control their radio resources in the network more efficiently and cost-effectively. Also premiering at the tradeshow will be the new Radio Network Controller (RNC). Analogously to eBSC, W-CDMA operators can use it to more efficiently control their 3G radio resources. Plus the Multi-Standard Network Controller, a combination of eBSC and RNC that can be used to control both 2G and 3G networks. The resulting reduction in administration and resource expenses leads to significant cost savings. In addition, Siemens will also be demonstrating new components from the W-CDMA product family that afford simple upgrading of GSM base stations to 3G, for example, or improve W-CDMA network coverage inside buildings. The highlight will be a simulation that shows how intelligent network technology will be changing the face of mobile communication through to the year 2012.
High-speed wireless access technologies: HSDPA and 450 MHz FLASH-OFDM
Live at the tradeshow for the first time, Siemens will be demonstrating how data can be transferred from the Internet to commercial W-CDMA end-user devices at a speed of 3.6 megabits per second via High Speed Downlink Packet Access, or HSDPAfor short. The Internet turbos for wireless technology that will be demonstrated will also include 450 MHz FLASH-OFDM (Fast Low-latency Access with Seamless Handoff – Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing), which currently offers transfer rates of 2.7 megabits per second in commercial operation.
Seamless cross-network communication
Siemens will be using the IMS@vantage IP platform to demonstrate seamless interplay between GSM networks and WLAN hotspots (handover) as well as between various operator networks (roaming). This fixed-mobile convergence solution will be of interest to both wireline and wireless operators.
A mobile solution for enterprises
At the 3GSM World Congress 2006, Siemens will also be showcasing Mobile Centrex – a virtual PABX for enterprises of all sizes. This solution offers the advantage of eliminating the entire PABX infrastructure from an enterprise and providing all of its functionalities over an operator network. Within the context of Fixed Mobile Substitution, mobile operators can now integrate an enterprise’s wireline users, in addition to its wireless subscribers, into the communication system without restriction via Mobile Centrex. This also makes the services provided within the enterprise, e.g. conference calls or partner rings, available to all parties. Enterprises can cut their costs with Mobile Centrex, because they no longer have to maintain a network of their own, and mobile operators can use high-level services to attract new customer groups.
Services and security for wireless and wireline networks
With „Music2You“ the Carrier Services Division will be showcasing the world’s first convergent wireline/wireless solution for downloading music tracks. With this solution, music lovers can listen to the latest songs “over the air” on their mobile handsets and, if they are interested, then download the full-track titles to their mobile handsets, PCs or set-top boxes. Siemens is playing a pioneering role in the fast-growing music download market: The company was the first to develop a convergent music service that operates over the Internet, wireless and wireline networks. As a white label provider, Siemens Communications operates several of Europe’s largest Internet and mobile user portals. “Music2You,” for example, serves as the platform for the successful “musicload” Internet service from T-Online, which has blossomed into the largest digital Internet music offering in Germany. In addition to this solution, the Carrier Services Division will also be showing Services that are specially matched to the needs of operators with heterogeneous networks. These include consulting, planning, implementation, maintenance, training and operation of all communication networks, as well as services that that safeguard against both attacks as well as bottlenecks or even outages. Siemens will be using the example of soccer stadiums to demonstrate its cost-effective Security Solutions for carriers.
Siemens Communications
The Siemens Communications Group is one of the largest players in the global telecommunications industry. The company offers a full-line portfolio of innovative solutions for voice and data communication. Its comprehensive offerings range from devices right through to complex network infrastructures and services for wireless, fixed and enterprise networks. It is the largest Group within the Siemens organization and operates in more than 160 countries around the world. In fiscal 2005 (September 30), its 54,500-strong workforce posted sales of over 13 billion euros.
Posted by Editors at 07:00 AM
July 17, 2005
Apple Takes Podcasting Mainstream
Discover, Subscribe, Manage & Listen to Podcasts Right in iTunes 4.9
Apple® has announced that it is taking Podcasting mainstream by building everything users need to discover, subscribe, manage and listen to Podcasts right into iTunes® 4.9, the latest version of its award winning digital music software and online music store. iTunes users can now easily subscribe to over 3,000 free Podcasts and have each new episode automatically delivered over the Internet to their computer and iPod®.
“Apple is taking Podcasting mainstream by building it right into iTunes,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “Podcasting is the next generation of radio, and users can now subscribe to over 3,000 free Podcasts and have each new episode automatically delivered over the Internet to their computer and iPod.”
The new Podcast Directory in iTunes 4.9 features over 3,000 free audio programs, making it one of the largest Podcast directories in the world, with favorites such as ABC News, Adam Curry, BBC, Clear Channel, The Dawn and Drew Show, Disney, Engadget, ESPN, Newsweek and NPR member stations such as KCRW in Los Angeles and WGBH in Boston.
iTunes enables anyone to quickly and easily find and subscribe to their favorite Podcasts so that every time there’s a new episode, it’s automatically downloaded to their Mac® or PC and Auto-Synced to their iPod. iTunes also makes it easy to manage multiple Podcast subscriptions with simple organization and display by episode and date. Starting today, iPods will offer an easy to use Podcast menu, including bookmarking within a Podcast and the ability to display color Podcast artwork.
iPod and iTunes are leading the digital music revolution. With over 15 million iPods sold as of March 31, the iPod is the world’s most popular digital music player, and the iTunes Music Store is the number one online music store with over 430 million songs purchased and downloaded worldwide.
Pricing & Availability
iTunes 4.9 for Mac and Windows includes the iTunes Music Store and is available immediately as a free download from www.itunes.com. The new Podcast menu is available starting today via a free iPod software update for all Click Wheel iPods and iPod minis from www.apple.com/ipod. iTunes 4.9 users can download and subscribe to Podcasts with no additional software required, as support for Podcasts is built right into iTunes and iPod.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
Posted by Editors at 03:04 PM
July 03, 2005
Time Launches Archive
Magazine's Articles Since 1923 Now Online
TIME magazine's archive is now available on TIME.com, bringing to life over 81 years of history as reported by the world's largest newsmagazine. The archive (www.timearchive.com) provides one of the most comprehensive news resources on the web with over 266,000 articles dating back to TIME's inaugural issue in March 1923.
To help archive users navigate the vast resource, TIME editors have organized thousands of articles into collections of research on popular topics such as TIME's Person of the Year, the British Royals, Love and Sex, World War II, Space Travel and Illegal Drugs.
TIME's extensive coverage of health issues is organized into easy-to-use collections of articles on diet and nutrition, heart disease, infectious diseases, cancer, cloning, psychological diseases and learning disabilities. TIME will add new collections on additional topics based on feedback from archive users.
The archive is available for free to TIME subscribers.
"This is an invaluable resource that spans our collective history since 1923, and it's a history that is often surprisingly relevant to the issues we face every day," said Joshua Macht, TIME.com's Editor and General Manager.
The TIME archive is built on HP server and storage technology.
“Transforming more than 80 years of paper content into an instantly accessible online tool is unprecedented," said Gary Elliott, vice president of global brand marketing at HP. "By turning analog content into digital information, this project unlocks the vast resources of TIME magazine, giving anyone with a PC and a bit of curiosity immediate access to how the great events and trends of our time were first reported."
Other features of the archive include:
TIME covers archive: Archive visitors can search all of TIME’s covers since 1923 by date, keyword and topic. Covers can be framed and purchased as gifts, home or office decoration.
Find Your Birthday Cover: The Find Your Birthday Cover feature allows users to find the TIME cover that was on newsstands the day they were born.
First Mentions: The ‘First Mentions’ section will cite the first mentions of such well-known people as Bruce Springsteen, Osama bin Laden, Elvis and Princess Diana.
Ask the Archivist: The archive has an interactive feature called “Ask the Archivist” which allows users to interact with the archive editors.
Posted by Editors at 10:01 AM
June 11, 2005
Philips announces EUR 40 million investment in innovative LCD backlighting technology
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Royal Philips Electronics today announced to invest EUR 40 million in LCD backlighting technology that is used to improve LCD picture quality of widescreen televisions while at the same time energy consumption will be lower.
Especially, the Philips Lighting factory in Roosendaal, the Netherlands, will benefit from this investment as it will positively impact high-skilled employment. The lighting factory in Roosendaal is the global competence centre for high-end fluorescent lighting products and technologies from Philips.
Theo van Deursen, CEO of Philips Lighting: "This investment shows our continuous ambition to set the pace in the lighting industry combined with a systematic approach to seeking out new and fast growing market opportunities. Our Aptura™ LCD backlighting technology is a major innovation in picture quality that fully meets the needs and desires of the consumer."
Philips is number one in the global lighting market, a position supported by leadership in innovation. Philips' lighting products are found all around the world: not only everywhere in the home, but also in a multitude of professional applications such as offices, airports, hospitals, cars and major stadiums.
Posted by Editors at 02:55 PM
