Mobile Phone
The hard disk drive mobile phone is nearly here
Image Gallery (2 images)
January 22, 2005 The convergence of the mobile phone with the PDA, digital camera, gaming device, MP3 player and portable video player looks set to accelerate this year with the arrival of hard disk drives small enough and tough enough to handle the going. The world's first mobile phone with a hard drive went on sale in Korea and Japan late last year - Samsung's SPH-V5400 - and already the signs are there to indicate we'll see a rash of phones released with disk drives this year. This week Texas instruments announced that Samsung has chosen TI's OMAP-DM270 processor, an extension to TI's widely adopted OMAP processor portfolio, to power its new camera phone model. The camera phone with hard-disk drive includes a video-on demand feature. Read More
Samsung debuts mobile phone with Speech-to-Text Capabilities
Image Gallery (2 images)
LAS VEGAS January 8, 2005 Samsung used its massive show of all-round high technology strength at the 2005 Consumer Electronics Show as the backdrop for a very innovative and potentially very useful new technology for mobile telephones: speech-to-text dictation. The speech-to- text product called VoiceMode allows consumers to speak into the phone and have the phone convert the words directly into text. Using advanced speech recognition, the technology enables consumers to send short messages with the sound of their voice. Samsung's p207 is the first phone with the VoiceMode technology that allows consumers to simply speak the words of a message and have the phone translate those exact words into text. This speech-driven text messaging application allows users to quickly and easily address messages, then use their voice to create the text, enhancing the user experience and greatly simplifying text creation on today's compact numeric keypads. Read More
Real world gaming with a GPS-capable mobile phone
Image Gallery (2 images)
December 6, 2004 The growing utilisation of GPS technology in mobile phones has spawned an interesting new form of real-world interaction with with the announcement of the "RayGun" a fast-paced location game from Glofun. RayGun combines the mental intensity of a video game with the physical intensity of a sport, where the real world serves as the game board. Read More
P2P file-sharing coming to mobile phones
Image Gallery (2 images)
November 29, 2004 Music, video and other multimedia may soon be able to be swapped from your mobile phone using peer-to-peer (P2P) file-trading technologies being developed by phone maker Nokia. The latest developments from Lorant Farkas and colleagues at the Nokia Research Center in Budapest threaten to one-day eclipse file-trading on computers by making P2P networking a feature of the ubiquitous mobile phone. Read More
New software lets mobile phones get to know you
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 28, 2004 Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US are trialing new pattern recognition software for mobile phones that can study users' habits and then offer customised suggestions and advice, New Scientist magazine has reported. The technology explores the potential for the next generation of PDAs and smart-phones to "get to know" their users, learning from what they do and who they do it with by logging voice and text calls and use of other applications. Read More
Mobile phones to be powered by micro-jet engines
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 23, 2004 Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US have made advances in batch producing miniaturised, jet engine-based generators from a single stack of bonded silicon wafers - potentially unlocking a new power source for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices. New Scientist magazine has reported that by spinning a tiny magnet above a mesh of interleaved coils etched into a wafer, engineers David Arnold and Mark Allen have built the first silicon-compatible device capable of converting mechanical energy (produced by a rotating micro-turbine) into usable amounts of electrical energy.
World phone use statistics debunked
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 14, 2004 There's an oft-quoted statistic that half the world has still not made a telephone call. It might have been true less than a decade ago, but it isn't now. The infamous statistic first appeared in print in late 1994, when the Toronto Sun quoted it as part of MCI executive Greg LeVert's speech at TeleCon '94. LeVert was making a projection based on phone penetration data from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the statistic was not meant to be taken as gospel even back then. In context it was actually used to dramatise the magnitude of the coming telecommunications change. Read More
Global mobile telephone market continues to grow
Image Gallery (3 images)
November 8, 2004 The global mobile telephone market continues to grow, with research company In-Stat/MDR forecasting 2004 global shipments of mobile phones will increase 22% this year to 653 million units. Nokia remained the number one cell phone manufacturer in the world in the third quarter of this year, according to In-Stat. In the period ending September 30th, Nokia had 31.2% market share, virtually unchanged from a year earlier, but up slightly from the two previous quarters. Read More
Nokia 7710 offers handwriting recognition
Image Gallery (5 images)
November 8, 2004 The Nokia 7710 shown for the first time last week offers both pen input and handwriting recognition and an eBook reader on a widescreen display featuring 640x320 pixels and 65k colors.
The 7710 includes also includes a full Internet browser, an integrated music player with stereo audio, an extensive set of video features such as Real Player playback, streaming and recording and a megapixel camera with 2-x digital zoom and an FM radio with Visual Radio client. Listeners will be able to see information on the song and artist currently playing on the radio or participate in competitions. Read More
FanTESStic - a soap opera just for mobile phones
Image Gallery (5 images)
November 6, 2004 In the coming era of ubiquitous handheld wireless access to all media types, entertainment will inevitably be very different. One significant development in new media was the recent UK launch of an MMS soap opera designed for mobile telephone users. The new format from the same company which brought us Big Brother, involves fresh thinking about the new information and entertainment tools society has, or will soon have, at its disposal. FanTESStic consists of 80 comic strip-style episodes and runs over a 16-week period. The storyline is based on a female DJ in Ibiza who has lost her identity and is struggling to get it back. In case you haven't guessed yet, her name is TESS. Read More
Sony Ericsson launches the K500i camera phone
Image Gallery (4 images)
November 3, 2004 Sony Ericsson Australia have launched the new K500i camera phone packed with the latest entertainment and imaging features to suit a fun and active lifestyle, enabling music, the latest 3D games and high quality VGA images all on the go for a recommended retail price of AUD $555. Designed to look like a phone on one side and a camera on the other, the K500i boasts 1.9 inch 65K colour TFT screen to ensure the user can view images and play games with vivid clarity. The K500i is an ideal gaming companion with its cutting-edge graphics, large screen and MultiAction joystick. Smooth, intuitive game play is assured with an impressive graphics platform consisting of Java 2.0 and Mascot Capsule Engine Micro3D Edition from HI Corp to support fast-action, graphic-rich mobile applications. Read More
SAMSUNG introduces a 5-megapixel camera phone!
Image Gallery (4 images)
October 24, 2004 The convergence of digital cameras with mobile phones continues apace with Samsung unveiling the SCH-S250 model mobile, equipped with an intense 5-megapixel camera, a "true colour" LCD with 16 million colours and a text-to-speech conversion function all in the one handset. The CCD (charge-coupled device) camera and high-sensitivity flash allow the user to take the same quality pictures as a mdeium-quality digital camera. Like Samsung's premium grade camera phones, the S250 can also function as a camcorder. Read More
Interactive TV program guide on your mobile phone
Image Gallery (4 images)
The popularity of the TV Guide has parallelled the growth of television and been part of viewers' lives for many decades. And now, as television goes digital and portable, the humble TV guide is following suit. Telecommunications company 3G has announced unlimited access to the mobile version of the popular yourTV website- for only $1 a month. Think of it as the Google Guide to TV - program data at your wireless fingertips! Read More
Baby Phat i833 Phone Gives New Meaning to 'Diamond Ring'
Image Gallery (4 images)
Designer phones for the rich and famous seem to be becoming more plentiful. Motorola, Baby Phat and Bloomingdale's today announced the Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons i833 phone by Motorola, a limited edition mobile phone accented with real diamonds. The sleek, pink phone features the Baby Phat logo, a designer-inspired quilted texture and 0.4 carats of genuine diamonds encrusting the external display. Read More
Nokia's new fashion range
Image Gallery (9 images)
Nokia recently released its new fashion range with an ostentatious bash called Totally Fashion in Shanghai earlier this month, attended by a host of international fashionistas darling. The phones are a radical departure from traditional mobile phone design with the intention of providing a serious fashion accessory.
The Nokia 7260, Nokia 7270 and Nokia 7280 are all inspired by the glamour and bold styles of the 1920's where art deco meets industrial design. Read More
Latest PiPit Safety Mobile Phone
Image Gallery (3 images)
October 10, 2004 First shown in June 2002 as a concept device born of collaboration between Toyota, DDI Pocket and Kyocera, the latest model PiPit mobile phone went on sale in Japan this month.
The phone is essentially a personal safety device, and with just three destination keys is designed to immediately contact authorities or family at the touch of a button when needed. For these reasons it is likely to gain a substantial market as a device for women, children and the elderly for its simple operation. It also has the added benefit for parents of maintaining easy contact with their children without having to worry about the bill they're running up. Read More
Mobile Telephone for Pets!
Image Gallery (5 images)
March 7, 2006 PetsMobility Networks' PetsCellular telephone for pets is a challenging concept. If at first glance, it seems incredibly frivolous to give an animal a cell phone, welcome to the 21 st century and the dawning of a new world of ubiquitous computing. Over the coming years we will be notionally challenged many times as microprocessors, wireless communications and sensors of all types weave a rich virtual remote global network of information about us, ours and our assets. The PetsCell is a 2-way communication device that will also be available with an optional GPS tracking chip and a fibre optic camera for search and rescue applications. Read More
Airbus Completes First Mobile Phone Flight Trial.
Image Gallery (5 images)
On September 15, an Airbus A320 successfully completed the first in-flight trial of GSM mobile telephones aboard an airliner. The test flight, which took place out of Toulouse, is the first milestone in Airbus' plans to offer in-flight mobile telephony services to passengers by 2006.
GSM service, web browsing, email, and virtual private network (VPN) were all flight tested as was Intranet from onboard servers and PDA's for crew use. In addition to this, wireless telemedicine, including a simulated emergency, demonstrated priority communication over other services. Read More
Nokia 9300 Communicator Announced
Image Gallery (4 images)
For the savvy global business person Nokia has improved upon its 9500 communicator with the announcement of the arrival early 2005 of the new Nokia 9300. With a full range of communication features the new hand-held is designed to address important business functions from one device. On first glance it's a stylish, albeit large, mobile phone that opens up to provide full PDA functionality with wireless connectivity. Read More
Siemens develops mobile phones with alcohol sensor
Image Gallery (4 images)
There seems no end to the number of diverse and clever technologies destined to find their way into the handheld device formerly known as the mobile phone. In recent times we've seen voice and lie detection analysis, projection keyboards, terrestrial television reception, health heart-rate and diet monitoring, location tracking, and this week there's a holographic projection screen and a breath analyser. One that can not only tell you when you're over the blood alcohol limit, but also tell you when you've got bad breath. Indeed, we could easily use this device to measure the efficiency of our breathing and track it alongside the heart rate, calorific input and output and location to micromanage our health from a body server. Read More
Holographic projection coming to laptops, PDAs and mobile phones
Image Gallery (2 images)
A new ground-breaking holographic 2D projection technology could result in a new generation of pocket-sized digital video projectors and miniature projection displays incorporated into other handheld devices. Digital video projectors produce large, high quality images are becoming increasingly popular as they grow cheaper with mass production, but the technology is limited in its miniaturisation, preventing projectors from being incorporated mobile device markets. Holographic projection of 2D (rather than 3D) images represents a compelling alternative to conventional image projection. Video projectors based on this holographic technology can be made very small so a projector could be integrated into a laptop, a PDA, or even a mobile phone. Read More
Nokia providing sporting coverage to mobile phones in US
Image Gallery (2 images)
Nokia has begun delivering live audio broadcasts, real time scoring and streaming video highlights from American National Basketball Association (NBA) and Major League Baseball (MLB) to mobile phones in America. The system requires a Nokia 6600 imaging phone and is the first of its type, offering a glimpse of live sports action in the future. Read More
Nokia adds a new capability to the mobile phone - LIGHTWAVE
Image Gallery (4 images)
There seems no end to the creative endeavour being focused internationally at present on the device formerly known as the mobile phone. Nokia, the company that pioneered text messaging, picture messaging and multimedia messaging has released another compelling form of messaging that will no doubt become popular in clubs, concerts and parties - Light Messaging. Read More
Bike-o-Meter accessory for the Siemens M65 Mobile Phone
Image Gallery (3 images)
Siemens Germany has released an optional IBS-600 Bike-o-Meter which transforms the new M65 mobile phone into an innovative bike computer, and simultaneously serves as a holder for the phone. The Bike-o-Meter's feature set includes all the functionality of a bike computer (speedometer, time, maximum and average speed and other related calculations), and it can also display predefined route information. Users can use the M65 to retrieve training routes entered previously, or to save new tours with waypoints. Read More
Sanyo's new W21SA Camera Phone has it all
Image Gallery (4 images)
One of the most complete mobile phones yet to reach market has surfaced in Japan from Sanyo. The W21SA has a 2 megapixel camera and shoots QVGA video, has an FM radio inbuilt and can record from the FM radio or use the facility for voice recording too. It also has a TV output so you can show your video and still images on the family teev, and it has an optical character reader which works through the camera and recognises 20,000 words in English and 30,000 Japanese words. Read More
Sony Ericsson unveils the S700 1.3 megapixel camera phone
Image Gallery (3 images)
Sony Ericsson has unveiled the S700 camera phone with QuickShare and innovative swivel-opening design. It offers a stylish and unique three way communication style; photo shoot, browse and talk, or text and e-mail. The S700 also takes mobile imaging to the next level, featuring an integrated 1.3 megapixel CCD digital camera for taking high quality photos and a 2.3 inch 262K TFT colour screen to display digital quality images. Compatibility with Memory Stick Duo extends the memory capacity of the S700 to fully support this new style of mobile imaging. Read More
Nokia launches new enterprise-class Communicator 9500
Image Gallery (5 images)
Nokia introduced the new Nokia 9500 Communicator in Cannes on February 23, the first in a series of new enterprise-grade mobile devices designed for corporate customers. The Nokia 9500 Communicator is one of the first cellular devices on the market designed to meet the demands of corporate IT departments for customisation, manageability and security. Read More
Nokia and Fujifilm offer in-store mobile phone prints
Image Gallery (2 images)
Because it uses a removable Multimedia Memory Card as its storage media, digital snaps from the new Nokia 6600 camera phone can be printed via in-store photo kiosks. Nokia and Fujifilm have announced a deal designed to entice consumers to sample this new functionality - purchasers of the Nokia 6600 are being offered 10 free prints per month... Read More
Jamming device disguised as Mobile Phone
Image Gallery (2 images)
A jamming device that looks like a mobile phone has gone on sale via an electronics supplier in the UK. The jammer - which would be illegal in Australia - blocks signals in a range of up to 15m in optimum conditions and is being promoted for clandestine use on public transport and restaurants. Read More
Siemens 4X zoom camera phone
Image Gallery (2 images)
Siemens has added 4X zoom capability to its latest camera phone. The multimedia equipped ST55 includes 5-way joystick navigation, TFT 65,000 colour screen and "compose your own" polyphonic ringtones along with the inbuilt, zoom enabled, 120 x 160 pixel VGA camera. Read More
Nokia release world's first GSM push-to-talk handset
Image Gallery (2 images)
Saturday November 15, 2003: "Walkie-talkie" style push-to-talk functionality, an in-built digital compass, a VGA camera, a flash-light and a splash-resistant housing are among the features of the new sports-oriented Nokia 5140 phone. Read More
Smartphone emerging as main mobile technology platform
Image Gallery (2 images)
The smartphone is emerging as the main technology platform in the mobile marketplace with worldwide sales of smartphones set to leap 140% next year (to 20.7 million units) as demand for PDAs turns flat according to research company Gartner. Read More
Mobile phone based ticketing launched for Australian events
Image Gallery (2 images)
Saturday November 8, 2003: The Metro Theatre in Sydney will introduce mobile phone-based bar code ticketing in Australia next month. "Mobi-tickets" are received in the form of an sms containing a barcode that is subsequently scanned by the ticket attendant when you arrive at the gate. Read More
Touch-screen Mobile Media Device in raft of new Nokia releases
Image Gallery (6 images)
Saturday November 1, 2003: The first in a new category of mobile media devices from Nokia, the 7700 is geared towards high-speed web browsing and multi-media consumption with its wide 65,000 colour touch screen and stylus input using handwriting recognition. Read More
Kyocera Slider added to Orange mobile phone range
Image Gallery (2 images)
Orange has announced that it will add the Kyocera Slider to its range of mobile phones in November. As the name suggests, the phone incorporates a sliding mechanism to reveal and protect the phone's keypad in a similar way to clamshell designs... Read More
