According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung plans to equip cell phones to pick up digital signals from local TV broadcasters. Cell phones would essentially become portable television sets that would get the same reception as TVs using antennas.However, for the technology to work, broadcasters will need to transmit separate beams to portable devices equipped with a Samsung chipset. Other devices, including laptop computers, in-vehicle TV sets and digital video players, would be able to receive signals when outfitted with the chipset.Samsung plans to demonstrate prototypes it says will show its TV technology goes beyond the reach of other wireless-video approaches at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week.Cell phone manufacturers and carriers have been racing to develop video technologies in hope of finding a new growth engine, now that markets for basic cell phone service are becoming saturated. [Read]

Text Messaging is getting more expensive at Cingular Wireless.  Effective January 21, 2007, Cingular Wireless will raise the text messaging rate for customers without a monthly text messaging plan to 15 cents per message sent or received, an increase of 5 cents.  This follows Sprint Nextel increase two months ago to 15 cents per message (pay-as-you-go).However, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA still charge 10 cents per message sent or received without a text messaging plan.  However, we wouldn't be surprised if Verizon and T-Mobile followed suit and raised their prices. [Read]

Today China Mobile, a mobile telecommunications carrier, and Google announced a partnership to provide mobile and Internet search services in China. Together, the companies will provide Chinese cell phone users mobile search products and services that will make it easier find relevant content.Google will provide its search engine technology to China Mobile to enable "mobile search" on China Mobile's Monternet WAP portal, and China Mobile users will be able to easily search Monternet and its vast content, including sports and entertainment news, ringtones, games, images, videos and novels. Users will be able to access the service via a search box or search link on Monternet’s homepage, or through a dedicated mobile search homepage on Monternet. The first-phase service has been partially put into trial operation in December, 2006 and will be launched broadly in the early part of 2007. [Read]

The Washington Research Foundation is sueing Nokia, Samsung and Matsushita-owned Panasonic for violating a patent for Bluetooth technology, potentially putting the free wireless standard at risk. The Washington Research Foundation markets technology from the University of Washington, is seeking damages from the three mobile-phone makers for using a radio frequency receiver technology without paying royalties, according to court papers obtained. Edwin Suominen, a University of Washington scientist, was awarded a patent in 1999 for "simplified high-frequency broadband tuner and tuning method."Bluetooth was invented as a wire replacement by Ericsson engineer Jaap Haartsen in the mid 1990s and developed by engineers at Ericsson and four other companies that made it available at no cost through the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG). [Read]

Today Samsung announced that it is now sampling its 16-gigabit (Gb) NAND flash memory with customers the first NAND flash using 50 nanometer (nm) process technology.The first samples of this high density NAND flash memory have a multi-level cell (MLC) design with a 4Kbyte (KB) page size to enhance both its read and write features. The new 4KB page function improves the conventional 2KB paging system for MLC NAND flash to double the read speed, while increasing write performance 150%.By nearly doubling the overall performance of Samsung's MLC NAND, mobile consumers will enjoy faster data transfer speeds when storing or reading large data files whether they're using an external memory card, or a handset with a built-in flash solution such as Samsung's moviNAND TM. [Read]

Iraq's prime minister today ordered an investigation into Saddam Hussein's execution to try to determine who who leaked video footage taken by camera phone of the hanging and who taunted the former dictator in the last minutes of his life.The unofficial video, on which at least one person is heard shouting "To hell!" at the deposed president and Saddam is heard exchanging insults with his executioners, dealt a blow to Iraq's efforts to prove it was a neutral enforcer of the law. Instead, the emotional, politicized spectacle raised tensions between the Shiite majority and Sunni Arabs who ran the country until their benefactor, Saddam, was ousted in the U.S.-led invasion of 2003. The disturbing video is currently available at YouTube.   [Read]

Once again there is a new startup that is trying to capitalize off cell phone usage by creating a new unique business concept. SkyboxSMS, headquartered in Illinois is planning to launch a new service that allows sports fans to order and pay for food at concession stands by sending text messages from cell phones.  Additionally, the company will offer ordering and paying for parking and tickets at various stadiums across the country via cell phones. SkyboxSMS is currently testing its system at Northern Illinois University. In March, the company plans to launch Skybox in 10 Arena Football League stadiums.Why does SkyboxSMS think they have a good business? According to SkyboxSMS, the International Association of Assembly Managers, customers report sales increases of 15%-25% with plastic over cash transactions. There are over 187 million phone users in and 2.5 billion text messages sent each month in the US.  SkyboxSMS feels sports fans will use their service to get a better sport experience. [Read]

Last June, LG announced the LG LP4100 equipped with a breathalyzer will soon hit the US Market. The LG LP4100 is currently selling in Korea and has been very successful.  As usual, like Korea, the Japanese are ahead when it comes to adapting new cell phone technologies.  Japan's second largest mobile operator KDDI Corp. has helped develop a cell phone breathalyzer that will let bus and taxi companies determine if their drivers can take the wheel. The drivers blow into a tube attached to the cell phone that measures their level of intoxication and automatically sends the results to their company's computer via the cell phone. Additionally, the cell phone named Alc-Mobile, transmits snapshots of the driver's face and location using GPS (Global Positioning System).If a driver is inebriated, an alarm will sound at the bosses' computer. Sales of the Alc-Mobile have increased since this summer when a nationwide campaign against drunk driving followed the deaths of three children by a drunk driver in the southwestern city of Fukuoka. [Read]

Hitachi Display, LTD., has started production of the first 800 x 480 2.9-inch LCD panels cell phone display panel. The new panel uses Hitachi's proprietary liquid crystal technology called IPS that features wide viewing angle and high image quality.The new panel features:pixel count five times the normal QVGA (240 x 320)wider viewing anglebetter color reproduction and faster grey-to-grey response timeviewing angle of over 170 degrees in both vertical and horizontal directionscontrast ratio of about 400:1 and luminance of 250 cd/m2In order to improve the resolution while maintaining the brightness, the luminance of the backlight unit must also be enhanced, resulting in an increase in power consumption.  To solve the problem, the company has focused on the improvement of the transmittance of light from the backlight unit by revamping the pixel structure and microfabricating the wiring. [Read]

Today Samsung launched the multimedia Samsung SGH-Z720 (Ultra Edition 13.8), the thinnest HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) slide-up with a slim 13.8mm profile.  The SGH-Z720 is powered by HSDPA for data transmission speeds at 1.8 Mbps, which is six times faster than 3G UMTS technology.  This enables users to access more files and provides greater fidelity for streaming video content.The handset features the following:weighs only 80 grams (extremely light for a HSDPA handset)3 mega pixel camera with auto focus Dimension of 104.5x51.3mm with 2.1” QVGA display WAP 2.0, HTML browsing capabilities second camera for video telephonydocument viewer, Google Search / Google Mail (Gmail)voice memo, video Recording & messaging supports microSD external memory Bluetooth & USB connectivity [Read]

Obopay, a mobile U.S. mobile payment service recently announced it has partnered with Helio to offer it's service to Helio members.  Readily available on the mobile deck, Helio's young, connected members are now equipped with a complete end-to-end mobile payments solutions.Helio members are able to remotely manage their Obopay accounts by checking balances, viewing payment histories, adding funds and more, all from a user-friendly, easy to navigate mobile application residing on the device.  In addition to managing Obopay accounts, users have access to advanced mobile device personalization features such as contact list integration and specialized ring tones.Obopay's solutions provide mobile customers with real-time, secure, mobile peer-to-peer payment service, which is linked to an Obopay Prepaid MasterCard account, accepted at 24 million merchant locations and over 1.1 million ATMS around the world.  [Read]

Opera Software today announced Samsung Electronics has signed an agreement with Opera Software to deliver Opera Mobile on Samsung mobile handsets. Opera Mobile is Opera Software's standards-compliant Web browser for advanced mobile phones. The browser uses Opera's Small Screen Rendering technology to reformat Web pages for viewing on a small screen and allows users to navigate Web pages with intuitive vertical scrolling. "Our strategies in working closely across the board with major handset manufacturers, operators and directly with end users have made Opera Mobile an attractive product," says Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "We're proud that Opera Mobile is today's choice for Web browsing on the latest Samsung mobile handset because of its winning user experience and form factor adaptation." [Read]

Samsung has launched a terrestrial Digital Media Broadcasting phone (Model: SPH-B5800) that supports Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG) feature. Now users can avoid traffic jams without separate navigation system. TPEG feature is a transportation information service based on terrestrial DMB data broadcasting. Personal Media Players or navigation devices that support the TPEG service have been released in the past, but SPH-B5800 is the first mobile phone to support the TPEG service.The Samsung SPH-B5800 provides users with traffic information updated every five minutes, as well as information about famous local restaurants and travel guides via terrestrial DMB channels. Existing Global Positioning Systems(GPS) are limited to guiding drivers on a specific route using an embedded map, but Samsung's B5800 shows current traffic conditions as “cleared”, “sluggish” or “congested,” and guides drivers with the optimal route to their destinations. Users can also compare routes that reflect traffic conditions.Moreover, unlike GPS in the past, there is no longer a need to access servers: Traffic information received via terrestrial broadcasting can be used to determine routes. [Read]

Cingular customers no longer have to wait until Saturday night to enjoy what is undoubtedly the most influential sketch comedy show of all time. NBC Universal, Broadway Video Entertainment, and Cingular Wireless today announced the launch of Saturday Night Live (SNL) Mobile on Cingular handsets, marking the first time SNL content has been made available on the mobile phone.Cingular Video subscribers can enjoy exclusive mobile access to Saturday Night Live content, including video clips from classic and current episodes, as well as original material produced especially for the mobile screen. Cingular customers can also purchase and download a diverse collection of SNL- themed ringtones and graphics -- both from current and classic seasons.SNL Mobile Content: Cingular Video [Read]

ASUS, a PC, wireless, mobile phone, and networking devices manufacturer, announced recently the Z801 Karaoke mobile phone.  As far as we know this is the first cell phone of its kind.The Karaoke feature works by the user singing the lyrics to a song played on the handset with the words displayed on the screen for the user to sing along.  The song is recorded for playback which can be played for friends to laugh at how horrible you sound. Essentially, the Karaoke feature works just like being in a Karaoke night club.  It allows you to sing along to a song. For now the Z801 is only available in Taiwan.  However, if it takes off, we are certain it will be available in other countries.The Z801 features:2-megapixel camera260k color QVGA screenMP3 playertri-band [Read]

Samsung Electronics launches the world's first mobile phone featuring an optical joystick for a whole new mobile experience. Samsung 's latest ‘Optical Joystick' Phone (Model: SCH-V960 ) is suited with the latest technology that may revolutionize the way users interact with the menu and user interface of mobile handsets. Users utilize the optical joystick key by placing their finger and moving a cursor to navigate through the menu, similar to a cursor of a mouse on a PC . Optical sensors will read and react to users' finger movement, thus breaking down the traditional four-way menu navigation and providing 360 degrees of freedom. The familiarity and free movement of the V960's Optica l Joystick will result in quick and hassle-free menu navigation.Users can point the cursor and click directly on icons on MyScreen, similar interface to that on a PC environment, and gain direct access to frequently used menus such as photo album, messaging, and music menu. Users can also use the Optical Joystick to easily scroll through the play list while listening to their music. [Read]

Agere Systems recently unveiled the "BluOnyx Mobile Content Server" which is a portable hard-disk drive with processing capability that performs many of the same functions as an iPod music player or a personal digital assistant without relying on a computer with a screen or a keyboard. It is as wide as a credit card and about as thick as a cell phone. This is a device that allows cell phone users to carry and store larger amounts of digital songs, messages, video games and contact information anywhere they go. Now your Pictures, emails, files, video and music can be right there when you want them. You can view them on the cell phone, TV or PC screen. All that High Def pictures and video can be moved using the SD slot on the BluOnyx. Music, Video and Documents can be played or viewed on your cell phone. Put the BluOnyx on the home network and you can drag and drop content to it then pick it up and go. [Read]

MobiGater is a Skype to GSM Gateway. Using a second SIM card, the device connects your PC, that runs Skype, and your mobile phone. It acts as a gateway between these two devices allowing its users to make free Skype and very cheap SkypeOut long-distance calls from their mobile phones wherever they are. The device connects to the USB port of the computer allowing users to forward calls to their mobile phones. Similarly, a user can make calls from his mobile phone just by dialing his MobiGater device and adding a predefined speed dial of his Skype contact.How to get started Using a second SIM card, MobiGater creates a gateway between your computer and your mobile phone. All you need to do is: Install the software on your computerConnect the MobiGater to your computerSet up speed dials on your Skype contacts [Read]

Well Apple's anticipated cell phone / ipod will not be called iPhone.  Linksys has the trademark on iPhone.  Linksys®, a Division of Cisco Systems, Inc., today unveiled its iPhone® family of Voice over IP (VoIP) solutions. No PC is required. Users simply sidle up to the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot and the 802.11g phone will use its embedded Skype software to let them make free VoIP calls. The phone also stands ready to work with home networks.The iPhone family of handheld devices harnesses the power of the Internet to enhance voice communications, integrate compelling information services, and deliver access to multimedia. In short, Linksys iPhones voice solutions and products give consumers the ability to do more with their phone than talk.Linksys executives said that the phone can store multiple network profiles so you do not have to re-enter them every time you use the same hotspot. Shipping and pricing information are not yet available. [Read]

MySpace.com, the world's leading lifestyle portal, and Cingular Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, today announced an exclusive partnership to offer enhanced MySpace functionality to all Cingular customers via their mobile phones. The landmark deal marks MySpace's largest-scale mobile partnership and gives Cingular's customers exclusive access to MySpace Mobile's rich tool set including the ability to edit MySpace profiles, view and add friends, post photos and blogs, send and receive MySpace messages, and much more -- all from the mobile phone. MySpace Mobile on Cingular provides the most compelling features and functionality of the MySpace global community, translated for an easy-to-use and feature-rich experience on a mobile device.The rich feature set for MySpace Mobile on Cingular includes:Uploading Photos: Available on select Cingular handsets, MySpace Mobile allows Cingular customers to select photos stored on their mobile device and upload them to their MySpace profile. The same terms of service for MySpace also apply to the mobile sphere, including but not limited to inappropriate content and copyrighted material. [Read]