Reuters - Residents in the Republic of Ireland spent the most time on their mobile phones and sent the most text messages per head in the world in 2007, according to a report which examines changes in the communications industry.

Original post by Reuters

We've seen a review of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, and several videos of the device in action. What we haven't seen, however, is a video review... until now. Over at MobileBurn they've posted a series of four review videos of the touchscreen handset, and though it starts out a bit shaky -- the stylus is "not very good" and the build doesn't feel very "solid" -- the reviewer changes his tune by the end of the opus, and his opinion seems like it's evolved to a resounding "not bad." Hit the read link, grab a bucket of popcorn and consider yourself in for the night if you want to watch the full review.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Portable Audio

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic video review is probably longer than you think originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In an effort to help the world save a little more energy , a group of mobile manufacturers has launched a common energy rating system for phone chargers.

Levi Shapiro, a wireless specialist and founder of three mobile media companies, sent in a dispatch from the conference this week, which he helped organize.

One way to antagonize Mark Selby, Nokia's VP of Industry Collaborations, is to use the term "UGC." At the conference, he told the audience "never use the term User Generated Content?it's disgusting." Selby, who came from a television background at IMG, encouraged the media industry to "look beyond just the consumption aspect on mobile. It is critical that we also deliver the ability to create, connect and interact." Nokia (NYSE: NOK) is in the process of transforming Symbian into an open platform.

In a separate panel, Jordan Berman, Executive Director of Media Innovation at AT&T (NYSE: T) Advertising Solutions, talked about mobile advertising, which is new for AT&T with the launch this month of banner ads on MediaNet. Jordan said he encourages brands to employ the handset as a response mechanism for non-mobile media like print, outdoor, in store, and TV. In Jordan's Valentines Day case study with 1800-Flowers.com, called 'Cupid Goes Wireless,' he said "AT&T drove flower buyers to the brand's WAP store where customers could order bouquets and send virtual flower bouquet greetings." Jordan called this a "whole new wireless way to stay out of the doghouse."

Mark Logic Digital Publishing Summit, Thursday November 6, Westin Times Square. Insight and perspective from Outsell, Gilbane, Simon & Schuster, BusinessWeek.com, more. Evening cocktail reception. Cost is complimentary. Register now!

Over the past mast there have been two cell phones that stand out above the rest, the BlackBerry Storm and the T-Mobile G1 Google Android phone. The G1 has been on the marker for about a month now, and it has not made the impression that all the hype promised.

The BlackBerry Strom has been out for almost a week in the UK, and is due for release on Friday, in the U.S. There is a worry that the phone will not do well on this date, as it is Thanksgiving. It seems to me that Verizon have not thought the release dates through.

Both phones have a touch screen, but the G1 also comes with a QUERTY keyboard. Looking at both phones the BlackBerry Storm has the edge in style and design. Both handsets have their good and bad points, but I think that the Storm is going to do much better than the G1, but remember; this is the first Google phone and better is yet to come.

¡Café portátil! Los precios de la Netbook pone límite al precios de los smartphone. Con los incrementos de precio en Venezuela, mas de un consumidor se pregunta si vale la pena pagar casi 2.700 bolìvares un BlackBerry Bold o 2.500 bolìvares por un iPhone 3G, ¿No serà mejor comprarse una NetBook?

El término Netbook fue re-introducido por el fabriccante de procesadores Intel en Febrero de 2008 para referirse a un subportátil, es decir una categoría de ordenador de bajo coste y reducidas dimensiones, utilizadas principalmente para navegar por Internet y realizar funciones básicas, como, por ejemplo, proceso de texto y de hojas de cálculo.

Acer Aspire One. Su precio ronda los dos mil bolìvares. Me la obsequiaron en Computodo. Aparte la suya por el +58 246 871 54 23 oel + 58 414 468 74 23.

Originalmente, el término había sido introducido por la empresa Psion para utilizarlo en una gama de computadoras portátiles similares a una handheld, lanzada en 1999. Psion obtuvo el registro de la marca en los Estados Unidos en noviembre del año 2000.

Cuando algunos sitios wen usan Nettop, para identificar a las computadoras que tienen características similares de tamaño, prestaciones y precio, pero no son portátiles, sino de escritorio.

HP 2133 MiniNotes otra netbook. La tienen en MCTIME en dos versiones.

El Ultra Mobile PC (UMPC), o PC Ultra Móvil en español, previamente conocido por su nombre código Project Origami (Proyecto Origami), es un Tablet PC de factor de forma pequeño.

Este acaso fue un ejercicio de desarrollo conjunto entre Microsoft, Intel, y Samsung, entre otros. Ofrece el sistema operativo Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 o Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, o Linux y tiene un microprocesador Intel Pentium de voltaje ultra bajo, corriendo en el rango de 1 GHz. La portabilidad de la PC Ultra Móvil puede ser atractivo a los viajeros internacionales de negocios y a los “viajeros con mochila” (backpackers) globales.

HP 2133 MiniNotes ahora abierta.

Volviendo a las Netbook, estas son subportátil, del inglés subnotebook, es una computadora portátil más pequeña y liviana, con la mayoría de las características normales de las laptops que bien conocemos.

La denominación suele aplicarse a equipos que corren versiones completas de sistemas operativos de escritorio como Windows o Linux, en vez de sistemas específicos como Windows CE o Palm OS.

La propuesta NetBook de Toshiba la NB105. Esta disponible en México.

Intel ha re-introducido el término netbook para referirse a este tipo de computadoras, dado que se utilizan casi exclusivamente para navegar por Internet; sin embargo, “Netbook” fue registrado como marca por la empresa Psion en los Estados Unidos para comercializar computadoras portátiles.

Diferenciando

Algunos lectores podrìan confundir esta definición con las sigla UMPC (Ultra-Mobile PC o PC Ultra Móvil) ya esxplicadas anteriormente, la diferencia estiba en que estás abarcan a las computadoras de menor tamaño como handhelds o también llamados PDA (Personal Digital Assistants). Estos ya los conoce usted ami@s lectores, son los llamados computadoras de la palma de la mano y fueron diseñados originalmente como organizadores personales, y ellos hacen esto realmente bien y que no necesariamente ejecutan software de escritorio. Ej.: Palm Treo, BlackBerry, iPhone.

Las subportátiles son más pequeñas que las portátiles tradicionales pero más grandes que las handhelds. Generalmente poseen pantallas de menor tamaño, de entre 7 y 13,3 pulgadas, y un peso que varía desde menos de uno hasta dos kilogramos. El ahorro en peso y tamaño generalmente se obtiene omitiendo algunos puertos o unidades ópticas, además de utilizar chipsets de menor potencia.

Este tipo de computadora nunca ha gozado de un gran éxito hasta la introducción en el año 2007 de la ASUS Eee PC. Se afirma también que han tomado la idea de la iniciativa de Nicholas Negroponte, One Laptop Per Child (una laptop por niño).

Se estima que para 2011 más de 50 millones de subportátiles estarán en circulación.

Ofimayor ofrece la posibilidad de comprar en líne la Síragon ML 1010.

NetBook Protagónicas

Mi amigo Adolfo Manaure me comento sobre la propuesta de Lenovo D10. Tengo en estos momentos en las manos, de hecho estoy escribiendo de una Acer AspireOne, mi amigo Luis Alfredo Toro Febres Cordero se compro una DELL Inspiron Mini, Toshiba tiene su NB105, HP tiene la 2133 Mininote.

¿Funciona el concepto?

Como usuario puedo decir que si. Pero pongamonos en los zápatos de la industria. “La Sìragon ML 1010 es el fenómeno del momento en el mercado venezolano y estamos buscando responde a la confianza del público venezolano” dijo por celular a con-cafe.com el Sr.  Jhonathan Hernández del Departamento de Publicidad y Medios de Siragon en Valencia.

¿Exagera el Sr. Hernández? No creo. Uno de nuestros reporteros en Maracay, Jesús Màrquez atestigua que en American Computer en una hora vendieron 100 unidades de ML 1010.

Con tan buenos precios en estas NetBook en Venezuela,: ¿Qué será mejor ? Pagar casi 2.700 bolívares por un BlackBerry Bold, unos  2.500 bolìvares por un iPhone 3G, ó comrparse una NetBook?

NTT DoCoMo is developing an Android-based smartphone with an aim to launch it next year, a spokesperson with the Japanese operator confirmed to AFP via Business Standard. The phone could help the carrier compete with its smaller rival Softbank, which has been growing customers at a faster rate since launching the iPhone in July.

An earlier report from Japanese financial newspaper the Nikkei picked up by Reuters, said that the phone would be co-developed by DoCoMo's Korean partner KT Freetel. DoCoMo owns a 10 percent stake in the Korean carrier, and in the past the two have procured handsets together to get better prices. But the company's spokesperson said that they hadn't yet decided on any partners, nor was it confirmed if the handsets would sell in Korea.

The handset will be the first Android phone to be launched in Japan, where mobile devices are already among the most sophisticated in the world. DoCoMo lost out on the iPhone after months of talks with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL), which reportedly broke down after the Japanese carrier balked over the high revenue sharing terms that Apple was demanding to let it sell the handset exclusively.

But an Android-based phone may actually prove to be a better bet for DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM). Though Apple has helped lure subscribers to Softbank, it hasn't sold spectacularly in Japan, where users apparently still want features particular to the local market?including mobile payments and digital broadcast TV. It's been reported that Japanese consumers who have bought the iPhone also tote around a second phone that give them access to these features--which could be potentially included in an Android-based phone. DoCoMo and Google (NSDQ: GOOG), meanwhile, already have an "alliance" in place, when early this year DoCoMo agreed to integrate its search and email into its content service i-Mode.

The Nikkei also reported that DoCoMo would price the Android-based phone at about 20 percent lower than existing smartphones, since it would save costs on software development as Android is free.

Related

• iPhone Sales In Japan Falling; Germany Bans iPhone VoIP App
• Lost In Translation: Japanese Market Not Sold On iPhone Cool Factor
• Apple's iPhone in Japan: Where's DoCoMo?

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San Bruno, Calif.-based Apptera said it has raised $10.5 million in an undisclosed round of venture funding. Investors in the round include: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alloy Ventures, and Walden International. The money will go towards investing in the company's audio and visual mobile advertising network. Advertisers can use the company's ad platform and technology to insert audio advertisements within a call, and then follow-up with a visual ad. For instance, a person may call in to a movie phone service to hear when the latest movie is playing. An audio ad for a nearby restaurant may play, and if a person is interested, they can request a coupon or driving directions by text message. The company can also add an audio component to a text ad, which allows a person to click to call from an SMS. Henry Vogel, Apptera's president and CEO: "A lot of people are thinking about mobile advertising as the ability to send a SMS, or a WAP banner, but you are constrained in the richness and whether people have a data plan, but every device absolutely has a phone." Founded in 2001, Apptera already has customers such as AT&T's 1-800-YellowPages, AOL's Moviefone, MovieTickets.com, Bank of America's ATM locator, SaveMart supermarkets, MLB.com, RadioShack, GSI Commerce and SayNow's social music service. The company declined to say how much money it previously raised, and said it has fewer than 100 employees. 

Our streamlined mobile application for the BlackBerry and other smart devices brings you the latest headlines quickly on the go. Click here to download.

Easou Technology, China's number one mobile search and advertising firm, has raised $12 million in a third round of funding led by iD Tech Ventures and AXA Private Equity, reports ChinaVenture (via Pacific Epoch). The three-year old company, which employs over 300 staff and is based in Shenzhen, is using the investment for product research and development as well as customer service and marketing. Founder Wang Xi reported that in September the company broke even, with its key word and advertising business generating 5 million remminbi ($732,000) in revenue. The company raised $5 million in a second round of funding in August 2006, and an unidentified amount in January of the same year (release).

Social Media Deals Report: This 199-page report, filled with charts and data, examines the categories, number and size of VC and M&A deal in social media from 2007 through 2008. Visit the ContentNext Reports page

T-Mobile is getting deeper into the photo business. The carrier is offering a new service that lets customers email pictures straight from a cellphone to a digital photo frame?but it'll cost them. The frame, which holds a SIM card, sells for $100 at T-Mobile stores. On top of that, customers pay a $10 monthly service fee that lets them email an unlimited number of pictures from their cellphones to the frame. The frame, called Cameo, is apparently the first device of its kind in the U.S. that has a cellular connection. Separately, in an effort to lure holiday shoppers, T-Mobile today began offering free companion airline flight tickets to new and existing customers who sign-up for a two-year contract between Nov. 19 and Dec. 24.

Related

• Mobile Content Bits: T-Mobile Holidays; Weather And Deal or No Deal App; Sears2go

Our streamlined mobile application for the BlackBerry and other smart devices brings you the latest headlines quickly on the go. Click here to download.

Worldwide Infrastructure Security Report
Arbor Networks, Inc., in cooperation with the Internet network security operations community, has completed the second edition of an ongoing series of annual operational security surveys. The survey is designed to provide data useful to network operators so that they can make informed decisions about their use of network security technology to protect their mission-critical infrastructure. Registration is required to receive the 2006 report. Please complete the form below.

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Nokia E71 finally coming to AT&T as E71x originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Eastman Kodak has filed a pair of lawsuits against LG (SEO: 066570) and Samsung alleging that the companies infringed on patents involving digital cameras in some of their devices. The complaints, which were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York and with the U.S. International Trade Commission, involve technology related to image capture, compression and data storage and a method for previewing motion images.

Kodak is asking for compensation for damages resulting from the companies' alleged infringement and injunctions to prohibit the further sale and importation of products cited in the complaint, which are believed to be Samsung's Blackjack II and LG's Dare. Kodak didn't disclose how much money it was seeking in the suit. It said it's held discussions with both companies to try to resolve the matter, but they've been unable to reach agreement. Samsung and LG have both indicated their plans to fight the charges, but the dispute could, of course, end in a settlement before ever reaching a court's docket. Eastman Kodak makes a large slice of its revenue from licensing imaging patents to several companies including Panasonic, Motorola (NYSE: MOT), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Olympus, Sanyo, Sharp, Sony (NYSE: SNE) Ericsson (NSDQ: ERIC) and others. Kodak is making a bigger push in the mobile device space of late, most notably with the recent launch of the ZN5, a co-branded device from Motorola that features a 5-megapixel camera. Release.

Pictured: Samsung Blackjack II and LG Dare

Social Media Deals Report: This 199-page report, filled with charts and data, examines the categories, number and size of VC and M&A deal in social media from 2007 through 2008. Visit the ContentNext Reports page

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Portables, Apple, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air

Talk about being slightly touched. Arik Hesseldahl's BusinessWeek article, published today, says "...as of Nov. 19, Hewlett-Packard has beaten Apple to the punch, announcing the first multi-touch-enabled notebook PC, the tx2. I can't help but wonder whether Apple just lost an important race."

Not only did Apple not lose an important race, the tx2 isn't the first multi-touch notebook. Engadget points out that the Dell Latitude XT, which offered multi-touch technology, came on the scene back in July of '08. But even that wasn't first, because the MacBook Air was introduced on January 15th of 2008 with a multi-touch trackpad.

"Well," you say, "there's a difference between a touchable trackpad and a touchable display." You're right: one's meant to be touched and one isn't. The reason the trackpad on the MacBook Pro and he MacBook has gotten larger, smoother and glassier is because Apple is (and will continue to) inviting you to do more with it than tap and click. Multi-touch gestures on a notebook ought to be delivered via the surface that's made to be touched, not the surface made to be viewed. On the iPhone those surfaces are one & the same because there's no other option.

But really, the notion that Apple "lost an important race" by not being first is the biggest error here. Apple wasn't the first to release jukebox software, a portable music player or a mobile phone. Yet, iTunes, the iPod and the iPhone are the most successful examples of each. Apple's greatest strength is patience.

The designers and developers at Apple know you want a fully touch-enabled laptop. So do the folks at HP. The difference is that Apple's staff are patient and careful enough to execute it in exactly the right way, not just the most obvious way.

[Via MacDailyNews]

TUAWBusinessWeek: HP "out-touches" Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Photo: Motorola VE66 Slider Comes with ‘Widgets’ Photo 1

Motorola today announced the VE66 with CrystalTalk audio technology for clear conversations, a 5.0-megapixel camera and MP3 player.

The VE66 is a sleek, slider with the Motorola’s new widgets integration. With downloadable widgets, consumers can get real-time information on weather, sports scores, stock tickers, flight information, social media and news headlines.

It captu