Mobile & Wireless Roundup - Innovation & Industry News

DoCoMo have made it incredibly easy for requesting pages to access positioning information from the device. Compatible in iMode HTML v7, it can be done through one for 2 simple tags, lcs and pos.

Examples:

[Format]

<A href=”URL” lcs>

</A>

<A href=”http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/gps.cgi”lcs>

Which creates something like

<A
href=”http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/gps.cgi?lat=latitude&lon=longitude&geo=geodetic
system&x-acc=accuracy level”>

Of course the user has the option to send this data or not, and also if they wish to send their current position, or a saved position from their history

Via: DoCoMo

As text input has always been a curse on mobile devices, especially when entering data that does not exist in the T9 dictionary (names, addresses, etc..)

I’ve just come accross a document by DoCoMo stating a feature that is available on their iMode HTML v7.

The feature is called My Profile. This stores information about the user on their handset.

It can be called upon to auto populate form data

Via: DoCoMo

An article in Reuters today has shown that a survey by Carphone Warehouse, one of the largest mobile phone retailers in the UK, that:

Most respondents aged between 16 and 24 would rather give up alcohol,
chocolate, sex, tea, or coffee than live without their mobile phone for
a month.

Whatever happened to priorities?

That said, on the other side of the scale:

In contrast, more than 40 percent of the those aged over 45 would give
the phone simply to be able to have their favorite hot drink.

via: Reuters

I’ve stumbled upon a great web application called WebWag

It allows users to define a customised desktop using their Web Browser (AJAX based of course ;o) ). The use then send the application to ther mobile device. This application is a Java based client that mimics the desktop you have defined. Whenever you make a change, be it on the mobile, or on the web, they are both syncronised.
The interesting feature about this tool, is that it allows you to define many RSS feeds and Email accounts that you wish to have access to. The speed of the RSS reader is very quick, allowing posts to be viewed instantly. You can also have a Flickr widget to display yours, or someone elses flickr photos.

More widgets to come hopefully!

There are various ways to reduce your monthly spend on your mobile phone.

International Calling - UK to Abroad

If you are an Existing (Prior to 28/04/2007) O2 pay monthly customer, you can make free calls to most international numbers. Just dial 0844 570 2410, wait until connected, then followed by the full international number it will connect you through. Ive used this many times to call international mobiles (Including Korea) and has not appeared on my bill.

Details can be found at http://www.talk4longer.net/ll_o2.asp

Route through Skype

With usage of a innovative product called Callcentre by VoSky, it allows you to make calls through to your Skype contacts or using Skype out credit, to any destination using your free minutes.

How does it work? - There is a small box that connects to your telephone line, your PC and your current home phone (including cordless). You can then make a Skype call from your home phone by pressing # followed by the number, or the preprogrammed Skype contact. Where this product really comes into its own though, is that it allows you to call your home phone from your mobile, then enter a PIN to gain access to Skype Out. This will then allow you to dial a Skype contact, or any number using Skype credit.

Comparisons in Roaming SIMs and other international calling options

Money Saving Expert has some great tools which you can check to find out how to make the cheapest call to your desired country.

MSE International Call Checker

MSE International Call Advice

MSE UK Call Checker

Its the time of the year again when I’m due an upgrade on my phone. Having been keeping a careful eye on the market, I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing that grabs my attention at the moment. The UK mobile market seems to have hit a stale patch.

In my opinion, the following devices are the only worthy competitors

• Nokia E65
• SonyEricsson’s K810i
• Samsung U100
• LG Prada

However, they do not strike out to me. The Nokia E65 has all the features (WiFi, Sleek, Series 60). The SonyEricsson K810i is a simple upgrade to my current device (K800i), with a new fascia. The Samsung U100 is the Ultra slim 5.9mm thick phone, but lacks 3G but packs in a 3.2mp camera! And the LG Prada is beautiful as phones go, but…. its just not for me.

So what do to?

Well, I’m patiently waiting for the release of two new Samsung devices (in my opinion, the understated device manufacturer!). The Samsung U700 (Ultra Slim Slider with HSDPA 3.6Mbps) and the Samsung F700 (Great looking with a slide out full keyboard, HSDPA 7.2Mbps, and a unique user interface)

I suppose I should keep on waiting

Ubunty 7.10 will come in various flavours. The usual PC editions, but now also an embedded mobile edition. Looking for a release on October 18th, expect devices to start utilizing this popular linux distro

Via: Engadget

The DVB technology has been around for many years. In the UK, DVB-T (Terrestrial) is in widespread use for its Freeview service, enabling digital TV services to most of the UK population.

DVB is not like current TV services found on Mobile in the UK currently, where it uses the networks Data service to stream the content. It actually is broadcast through the air like without the need for a radio signal to carry the data communication (GSM/CDMA).
However, in Korea, they have had DVB-S (satellite) in widespread use on the average handset for a few years now. Most devices released by Samsung/LG for the western market is frequently shipped as a reduced version of the Korean model. For example, the Ultra series by Samsung are known for their slimness, however, the Korean models also feature DVB. The LG Prada, recently released in Europe, has also a Korean release, again with DVB support.

DVB support is not limited to open air location in Korea either, it is fully functional on the Subways in Busan and Seoul. Relays re-broadcast the satellite signal deep underground to the mobile users on their daily commute.

So why do we, here in the UK, suffer this lack of functionality that many people desire so much. What the industry say is that they are still deciding on the correct protocol to use, DVB-H (Handset) is currently the proferred choice.

My opinion on this fact is different. I feel that the networks are able to draw a revenue stream from using data services to stream the TV. Also, in the UK, all television users must pay a license fee, on mobile devices, this will be harder to control, and a new payment or licensing model will have to be drawn up to support such a service.

Having seen how small the DVB chip is that supplies this functionality, there is no excuse that the device will compromise on ergonomics. As seen in Korea, they are able to fit this into a case less that 8mm thick!
I hope towards the end of this year, standards are finalized, and devices are shipping. Delivering entertainment to those bored commutes!

I have just read a newly released document by Nokia and found that their Opensource browser found on their Series 60 DP 3 range has an interesting Javascript call.

The function getScreenSize allows the developer to check the display size on the mobile device

Example:

if(getScreenSize(240,320)){

//do mobile rendering

}

Should provide an excellent way of determining the device features when a unique user-agent is not available in the header

YouTube mobile has now become live it seems.

I have found the web address to be http://m.youtube.com

Initial impressions are poor. It seems that there is no device intelligence used, and it always delivers the same content to all devices (3GP). The web site is also not adaptive to optimise to the users screen dimensions, and so will cause issues for smalled screens, and become unreadable for larger screens.

Maybe this is just beta? I will watch this site with anticipation, as there is a huge potential here for the “Bored Now” mobile web users.