Pocket.Info - Mobile 2.0
Mobile Web 2.0 Database, News, and Developer Community
Pocket.Info - Mobile 2.0 » All Tags » 8 » 27 (RSS)

Browse by Tags

  • Orange Admits To Capping iPhone 3G Speeds

    Maybe it's not all Apple's fault after all. French wireless carrier Orange has admitted to capping 3G network speeds at 384Kbps for iPhone customers, AppleInsider reports . Perhaps that's why iPhone users on Germany's T-Mobile network were reporting speeds as high as 1800Kbps while Orange customers' data moved at a much slower pace. As with other carriers that recently launched the new iPhone 3G, Orange's customer care lines lit up. In some cases, representatives were able to dramatically increase specific iPhone users' speeds to as much as 3Mbps by simply altering some technical parameters. Orange told FranceInfo that the network speeds were capped to preserve network stability, but that it intends to raise the download cap for iPhone users to 1Mbps by Sept. 15. It's doubtful that will resolve the concern of many Orange customers that have signed a petition saying the artificial limitation is in direct violation of Orange's service agreement, which should allow for HSDPA speeds up to 7.2Mbps. And it's likely to stoke the debate on whether iPhone 3G connection issues are the fault of Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ) or the carriers. Is AT&T ( NYSE: T ) doing the same thing in the United States? Apple may not want to rustle the feathers of its carrier partners, but it would serve the company well to deflect criticism if it's not a chipset or software problem that's crippling iPhone 3Gs. If the blame rightfully belongs elsewhere, why hasn't Apple said so? My guess is there's a group of snafus gathering here, the fallout of which we'll be seeing for some time to come. Our mobile application for Blackberry and other Smartphones brings you the latest headlines when you're on the go. Go here to download .
    Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

  • News International Merging Mobile Unit In To Digital, Commercial Groups

    Andrew Bagguley, the head of mobile strategy at News Corp's ( NYSE: NWS ) News International UK news publisher, is leaving next month, a further casualty of the corporate-level reorganisation ensuing from Boston Consulting Group's recent review. News Int's titles - most prominently, The Sun - had developed some attractive mobile content offerings, like 24-7 Football live score updates and QR codes as well as plain 'ol mobile websites. But now Bagguley's position is being dissolved under a merger of the mobile unit with the digital and commercial groups, NMA reports . Bagguley tells Journalism.co.uk he's seeking similar projects. Related UK Tabloid The Sun Reports Strong Uptake Of Mobile Barcode Service 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: , , , , ,

  • Apple iPhone Ads Misleading; Not "All The Internet" : UK Ad Authority

    Well, someone stood up for it: the Advertising Standards Authority in UK has ruled that one of the most prominent Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ) iPhone ads is misleading for the consumers, reports BBC . This is the ad which says that "all the parts of the internet are on the iPhone", when in fact it did not support Flash or Java - two programs that form part of many online sites, the authority says. Apple, on the other hand, argued its claim referred to availability of webpages, rather than their specific appearance. The ASA said the ad "gave a misleading impression of the internet capabilities of the iPhone", and should not be aired again. The ruling was in response to two complaints about it to the firm. From the ruling : "We noted Apples argument that the ad was about site availability rather than technical detail, but considered that the claims "You'll never know which part of the internet youll need" and "all parts of the internet are on the iPhone" implied users would be able to access all websites and see them in their entirety. We considered that, because the ad had not explained the limitations, viewers were likely to expect to be able to see all the content on a website normally accessible through a PC rather than just having the ability to reach the website." The specific UK ad in question, embedded below: Check out the best business jobs in digital media. Go here for paidContent.org Job Board.
    Filed under: , , , ,

  • iPhone Sales: T-Mobile Hits 120,000; Russia May Sell 3.5 Million In Two Years

    Two separate reports released today confirmed that the iPhone is selling well despite initial activation problems, and that Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ) believes that it will continue to sell well after launching in various countries. -- T-Mobile International said it has sold more than 120,000 iPhone 3G devices since it went on sale July 11, Reuters reported . CEO Hamid Akhavan told German weekly magazine Focus that delivery problems and activation problems will be cleared by the end of the month, and despite those issues, "Our expectations were surpassed." In Germany alone, the carrier sold 75,000 iPhones. To put that in some context, Apple said the official number of iPhones sold in the first weekend totaled 1 million. -- Apple expects to sell 3.5 million iPhones in Russia over the next two years, according to Reuters , who quoted market sources familiar with the deal being struck between Apple and Russian carriers. The estimates may be based on the 600,000-or-so iPhones that have flooded the black market in Russia through unauthorized channels. An official deal will likely be signed with Mobile TeleSystems, Russia's largest carrier, with sales probably starting in October. Other carriers Vimpelcom and MegFon are also talking to Apple, Reuters said. Eldar Murtazin, an analyst with Moscow-based Mobile Research Group, said based on conversations he's had, he expects "total sales by the Big Three carriers will amount to 3.5 million iPhones within the next two years." 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: , , , , , ,

  • Palm Releases Treo Pro; Jon Rubinstein Charged With Company's Turnaround

    Palm ( NSDQ: PALM ) released the Treo Pro yesterday, a new handset which the company hopes will resurrect the brand as it faces stiff competition from Research In Motion and Apple ( NSDQ: AAPL ). The unlocked device will sell directly to customers for $549 in the U.S., starting later this year and next month, carriers in Europe will offer it for free or up to $589 depending on the length of a user's contract. Immediately following its release, analysts said the device competes on functionality, but not price. It has to be $250 or less, according to Global Crown Capital analyst Pablo Perez-Fernandez, Bloomberg reported . "The only way they're going to turn the ship around is bringing to market compelling products that are competitively priced," Perez-Fernandez said. The financials: The company has a lot to reverse. Recently, it has been successful at boosting revenues through strong sales of the inexpensive Centro phone, which costs $99, but at such low prices, margins have not improved and losses continue. Fix-it man: Yesterday, The New York Times took a look at the man charged with conducting the turnaround—Jon Rubinstein, Palm's executive chairman, who believes he can bring Palm back to those glory days of the PalmPilot. Rubinstein's resume includes a stint at Apple, where Steve Jobs asked him to lead the hardware engineering division when Apple was suffering from financial losses and the Mac's appeal was waning back in 1997. Rubinstein spent the next nine with engineers developing the iMac and the iPod. Next generation: In the first half of next year, Palm expects to release its next generation of software and a new device, which it hopes will make it easier for consumers to surf the Web and network with friends and colleagues. Back to the drawing board: The NYTimes writes about the time in June 2007 that Stephane Maes, Palm's VP of smartphone product marketing, flew to Rubinstein's beachside home outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico...
    Filed under: , , , ,

  • Industry Moves: Sky Promotes David Gibbs To Mobile GM; Taps Tim Hussain As Mobile Advertising Head

    News Corp's UK satellite pay-TV unit Sky has promoted David Gibbs to General Manager for Mobile, and has appointed ex-AOL head of mobile Tim Hussain to the newly created position of head of mobile advertising. Gibbs comes from Sky's Commercial Group where he helped develop and manage its mobile offerings, including 24-7 Football and Sky Anytime on Mobile. He will now oversee the daily operations of Sky's mobile products, as well as managing its content partnerships with operators. Hussain, meanwhile, is responsible for managing and growing Sky's ad sales opportunities around its mobile content. He reports to Sky Digital Media Director of Sales for Portal and Vertical Giles Ivey, former digital commercial director at AOL ( NYSE: TWX ). Sky claims to be the UK's largest commercial provider of news and sports content to mobile phones with around 7 million unique visitors per month. Check out the best business jobs in digital media. Go here for paidContent.org Job Board.
    Filed under: , , , , ,

  • Facebook's Dedicated Button on 3 UK Phone; New Skypehone Integrates Other Social Nets

    3 UK is the first operator to integrate Facebook into the handset/device, with a "Facebook button" that will take users directly to the site. It will be part of an "ultimate handset", which will be launched for Christmas, reports MarketingWeek . This is the first such operator to do that, and in keeping with Facebook's huge popularity within UK...from 3's perspective, it is amping up its focus on mobile internet, which will be supported by a series of ad campaigns. Meanwhile, 3 has also launched a new version of Skypephone, with shipments to start August 27th. The new device gives users easy access to Facebook, Google ( NSDQ: GOOG ) and Windows Live Messenger and enables free Skype calls and IM. The new phone has added a new "carousel" interface, similar to what Sony ( NYSE: SNE ) has in its Clie PDA of yore. The switcher key on the side of the handset enables users to quickly move between applications from any screen on the phone. Details here . Related Skype And 3 launch Mobile Phone Service; In UK and 8 Other Countries 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: , , , , , ,

  • Mobile Content Bits: Nokia-Lonely Planet; Garmin-Where; UK Met Office; Palringo-iPhone

    -- Lonely Planet-Nokia Maps tie-up : Nokia ( NYSE: NOK ) has struck a distribution deal with Lonely Planet, which will provide Nokia Maps with downloadable destination guides. The guides, which are located in the Guides section in the Extras menu, cost 7.99 euros and can be downloaded over the air on select devices or sideloaded via a PC ( release ). -- Garmin gets local : Garmin has inked a deal with location-based application firm Ulocate to put its software Where.com on to some of its devices—though no specifics yet on which one, reports CNET . Where gives users access to Yelp reviews, GasBuddy, and the company's own Buddy Beacon software—which can be joined to a Facebook application to let users share their current locations with friends. -- UK weather service to provide video forecasts: The UK's state weather service Met Office is planning to offer made-for mobile video forecasts to operators, aggregators and handset firms, reports Mobile Entertainment. Currently, its mobile efforts have been confined to streamed bulletins on the MobiTV services of British broadcaster ITN. Met Office Media, the commercial arm of the weather tracker, has already plowed a "six-figure" sum to target new channels, including mobile. -- Palringo pushes talk on iPhone: Mobile instant messaging firm Palringo has added "Push to Talk"—or what it calls the vocal instant messaging—to its free iPhone application. Unlike most "push to talk" services from carriers, Palringo integrates with several existing IM services, including AOL's ( NYSE: TWX ) AIM, Google ( NSDQ: GOOG ) Talk, Yahoo! ( NSDQ: YHOO ) Messenger, Gadu Gadu, ICQ, Jabber, Windows Live Messenger, as well as Apple's iChat ( 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
    Filed under: , , , , , , ,

  • Mobile Content Bits: Rock The Mobile Vote, NBC Series, CBS Mobile Hurricane; Vodafone Stores

    -- *AT&T* partners with Rock The Vote, FunMobility to reach young voters : Another election that's obligatorily being pegged as the one that will bring out the youth vote is nearing and AT&T ( NYSE: T ), Rock The Vote and FunMobility are hoping to reach those evasive potential voters with a suite of politically-minded mobile content. Trouble is, will wallpapers or special ringtones recorded by pop artists really translate to a record-high turnout at the voting booth? We'll withhold judgment for now, but we wouldn't bet on it. For its part, FunMobility is donating half of its net revenue to support the Rock The Vote campaign. ( Release ). -- NBCU rolls out new multi-platform series : NBC Universal ( NYSE: GE ) Digital Studio is launching a new short-form series next week that will span 50 episodes starring Rosario Dawson and Justin Hartley. The sci-fi series, Gemini Division, will play on NBC Mobile, NBC.com, SciFi.com, a dedicated microsite , video-on-demand services and gaming platforms, the company said. Intel ( NSDQ: INTC ), Cisco ( NSDQ: CSCO ), Microsoft ( NSDQ: MSFT ), Acura and UPS have all signed on as advertisers that will see their brands integrated into the series' storyline. ( Release ). -- CBS Mobile launches News Hurricane Center : CBS ( NYSE: CBS ) Mobile has tapped Quattro Wireless to build a made-for-mobile severe resource that will allow users to gain access to up-to-the-minute storm information and relevant thunderstorm and hurricane updates from their mobile devices. The CBS Mobile News Hurricane Center , which will pull content from AccuWeather.com, will operate under the CBS News Mobile website. -- Wi-Fi-enabled devices popping up on more Wi-Fi networks : Boingo Wireless CEO David Hagan told Unstrung that Wi-Fi devices such as mobile phones now comprise 15 percent of all usage across the Wi-Fi networks supported by the company. A few years ago, the number was closer to one percent, an increase that dramatically highlights...
    Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Text Messaging Usage Grows 32 Percent In UK; Uptake Of Mobile Broadband Dongles Surges

    Text messaging remains the most widely used data application in the UK, with 2007 revenues nearly three times the figures for data revenue. Regulator Ofcom revealed in its hefty annual survey of the communications market published today that SMS revenue for 2007 was £2.7 billion pounds, compared with £1 billion for data revenues and £11.4 billion for voice. The use of the humble text message, despite the growth in email, instant messaging and multimedia messaging on mobile, rose 32 percent in 2007, making the UK most text-crazy country in Europe. UK consumers send an average of 67 messages a month per handset, compared to 22.8 texts per month sent by German consumers, and 20.4 messages per month by the French (though thee German and French figures are from 2006, while the UK figure is from 2007). Ofcom found that found that 44 percent of UK adults use text messaging on a daily basis, compared to 36 percent who use the internet, which the regulator put down to the ubiquity of the mobile phone and the ease and simplicity of SMS. Additional Highlights: -- The UK now counts 73.5 million active mobile subscriptions, equating to approximately 1.25 connections per person. Ofcom attributed this to take up of mobile data cards and 3G dongles, as well as consumers taking up more than one mobile to take advantage of operator calling tariffs. -- Total mobile voice and data revenue increased 9 percent to £15.1 billion in 2007, despite high penetration rates boosted by voice and access revenues. The strongest growth rate in reported revenues was from SMS messaging, which increased by 25 percent. Non-SMS data revenues were stable in 2007, after growing strongly in 2006, which Ofcom put down to increased take up of "all you can eat" data plans and "bolt-ons." -- 3G subs grew by 4.7 million, or 60 percent. At the end of 2007, 17 percent of all mobile users were using 3G, as compared to 11 percent a year ago. Ofcom expects strong growth in 3G as the migration from...
    Filed under: , , , ,

  • WMG Bets On Bundled Music Handset Deals With Nokia, Others

    At the moment, mobile revenues remained pretty minimal for Warner Music Group ( NYSE: WMG ) in Q2. But during the company's conference call with investors, Edgar Bronfman, Jr., WMG's chairman and CEO, said that although ringtone revenue lagged expectations in the U.S. and Europe, there is hope in future products and services. In particular, Bronfman pointed to Nokia's "Comes With Music" service, which includes unlimited music downloads for a year with the purchase of some Nokia phones. WMG signed on late last month. Comes With Music was unveiled last December and is slated to be launched on Nokia handsets sometime this year. Some of Bronfman's comments on the Nokia deal and mobile in general follow from the transcript on Seeking Alpha : -- The leading example : Bronfman called the bundling access to songs and artists on phones is "an important step in the evolution of digital music. Nokia's Comes with Music is a leading example. We believe all stakeholders will benefit from the access model. It presents an attractive value proposition for consumers who want to achieve a richer, deeper, music experience. Artists have the opportunity to significantly broaden their fan base. Record companies, music publishers, and artists can monetize consumer behavior across vast networks and platforms. And device manufacturers can drive device purchases, customer retention, and data revenue by associating their devices with leading global and local artist brands and comprehensive music offerings." The advent of the access business will allow both the mobile industry and the music industry the ability to view the world through the same lens—namely though "average revenue per user." -- Other access service deals : WMG isn't just betting on Nokia ( NYSE: NOK ). The company has signed access-based deals in France with Orange and with the Danish carrier, TVC. Bronfman hinted at "several" other access deals nearing completion....
    Filed under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • UK Mobile Content Tech Provider WIN Weighing Takeover

    An undisclosed third party has approached UK mobile content platform provider WIN , which could result in an offer being made on the company, WIN said today in a statement. The company, which counts Vodafone ( NYSE: VOD ) and AOL ( NYSE: TWX ) among its clients, said the "Approach" was very "preliminary one" that may or may not lead to an offer, but as a result of it, the Board was exploring its options for "maximising" shareholder value. 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: , , , , , ,
1 2 3 4 5 Next > ... Last »
Copyright 2008 - Pocket.Info