Cell Phone

Intel demos wireless charging technology

Lynnette Luna — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:36:21 -0400

Intel has demonstrated technology that would allow cell phone and laptop users to recharge their devices without having to use electrical outlets. The technology enables recharging wirelessly by making use of electric coils that are programmed to resonate at the same frequency. Building off work unveiled last year by Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers, Intel was able to light a 60-watt light bulb from 3 feet away and was able to make it work with a 75 percent efficiency rating. But this technology has a ways to evolve before it becomes a commercial product. In both the MIT and the Intel work, researchers used charging coils that were too large for use for consumer electronics.

For more:
- check out CNN

Supreme Court rejects T-Mobile request

Sue Marek — Tue, 27 May 2008 11:41:36 -0400

T-Mobile USA received a big blow today as the Supreme Court rejected the company's appeal in three cases involving the legal remedies available in millions of cell phone contracts. At issue is whether state laws that limit the ability of companies to prohibit consumers from banding together to pursue class action lawsuits are preempted by federal law. T-Mobile argued that federal law, which generally requires that arbitration clauses be enforced, overrules the state laws that limit the ability of companies to ban class actions. AP story

FCC may cap early termination fees

Sue Marek — Wed, 21 May 2008 11:49:51 -0400

According to the Associated Press, the FCC is quietly negotiating with wireless carriers to reduce termination fees that carriers charge customers when they cancel their contracts. Many carriers still charge customers $175 for quitting their service contract early. The FCC is supposedly proposing that wireless carriers give customers up to 30 days after they sign a cell phone contract or until 10 days after they receive their first bill to cancel their service without penalty.

The plan would not put an end to all early termination fees, however but would reduce the fees based upon how long the customer sticks with the contract. In exchange for agreeing with the plan, wireless carriers would not be held accountable in state courts when they are sued by angry customers over the termination fees.

Many operators already pro-rate their early termination fees, a practice first championed by Verizon Wireless back in 2006. T-Mobile, Sprint, AT&T and Verizon Wireless have all said that they will pro-rate their fees.

For more details:
- see this AP story

Related stories:
T-Mobile USA to pro-rate ETFs, too. See this T-Mobile story.
AT&T changes ETF policy. Read this AT&T story.
Verizon makes good on ETF promise. See this Verizon article.

Motorola to lay off 2,600

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:59:56 -0400

Motorola's woes continue as the equipment maker announced it will lay off 2,600 employees as part of a previously announced plan to cut costs by $500 million this year. Motorola's total headcount is currently at 66,000 employees.

A large portion of the lost jobs will occur in Singapore where the company is planning to stop its cell phone manufacturing by the end of the year. Other reductions will occur in Plantation, Fla., and in Birmingham, England.

For more, see this Chicago Tribune story.

Related stories:
Motorola's spin-off plans lead to layoffs Story
Motorola replaces two more executives Story
Another Motorola departure: Stu Reed Story

ALSO NOTED: RIM updates; American Airlines WiFi; and much more...

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 06:59:50 -0500

> Research In Motion plans to roll out a series of updates for the BlackBerry platform. Article

> Hiding cell phone taxes does not make them go away. Article

> Cisco invests in femtocells through IP.access. Article

> American Airlines set to test WiFi service on its 767 planes. Article (WSJ sub. req.)

And Finally... Former FCC chairman Michael Powell joins digital kids task force group, which wants the FCC to allocate some of the 700 MHz spectrum and ensure it is dedicated to educational programming for kids. Article

ALSO NOTED: FCC commish: no open network mandate; iPhone for enterprise plans; and much more...

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:59:50 -0500

> FCC commissioner: No need to mandate open networks, yet. Article

> Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research: FCC, stop meddling with spectrum auctions. Article

> AT&T courts the enterprise with new iPhone plans for business users. Article

> Nokia's launches the 7900 Crystal Prism. Slideshow

And Finally... Most Americans are in cell phone jail? Article

ALSO NOTED: Apple-Google for auction bid? BIC takes on fuel cells for cell phones; and more...

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:59:50 -0500

> One columnist speculates that AT&T disclosed its planned 3G iPhone to get back at Apple for supposedly teaming up with Google for the 700 MHz auction. Hmm. Article

> BIC says it plans to design disposable fuel cell cartridges for refueling mobile phone batteries. Article

And Finally... The much-hyped exploding mobile phone incident that reportedly killed a man in South Korea turns out to be all hype. Article

Google details cell phone agenda

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 06:59:58 -0500

After months of rumors and speculation, Google has finally revealed some details of its ambitious cellular phone agenda. The company said today that it is creating a new cell phone platform, called Android, that will include an operating system, user interface and applications.

But the company isn't going it alone. Instead it has enlisted the help of at least 30 high profile partners as part of the initiative, called the Open Handset Alliance. The group includes manufacturers such as HTC Corp., Qualcomm, Samsung and Motorola and operators T-Mobile International, Sprint Nextel and NTT DoCoMo. Of course, noticeably absent from the list are the two largest U.S. operators: AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

For more:
- see this WSJ article. (sub req.)
- see this NY Times piece

Related Articles:
June: Google outlines mobile strategy Article
Google now running Adwords on mobile Article
Google's latest moves show prep for gPhone Article

Expert Insight Teaser: Mobile Generation Gap

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:59:52 -0400

Expert Insight: The Mobile Generation Gap
By Kanishka Agarwal

How many times have industry insiders been asked: "What do you think is the next killer app in mobile?"

Every time we are asked that question, we try to come up with the most creative thing we can, but fall quite short of a novel, made-for-mobile, completely innovative "killer app."

The problem is that we--the current generation of industry insiders and mobile business managers--are not the true mobile generation. We did not grow up having access to a mobile phone, but adopted them much later in life.

Sure, maybe our parents owned a cell phone the size of a brick when we were young. Or perhaps we were always the first to get the latest Nokia, Motorola, or Palm phone amongst our group of friends when we finally grew up and were able to buy a phone. Early adopters we are, but our experience does not match the true mobile generation, who most likely have carried a phone since they were pre-teens and who are avid users of data content and mobile media services.

Click here to read the rest of this feature...

Expert Insight: The Mobile Generation Gap

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:43:05 -0400

Expert Insight: The Mobile Generation Gap
By Kanishka Agarwal

How many times have industry insiders been asked: "What do you think is the next killer app in mobile?"

Every time we are asked that question, we try to come up with the most creative thing we can, but fall quite short of a novel, made-for-mobile, completely innovative "killer app."

Therefore, when we sit around wondering what the next killer app will be, all we really end up with are incremental ideas that essentially extend what already exists on TV or on our PCs into mobile. According to Nielsen Mobile research, some of the leading Internet brands, such as Yahoo!, Google, The Weather Channel, MSN and AOL are also the leaders on the mobile Web. Same thing goes for video.

Now, don't get me wrong. Much of what the consumer today wants is just that - extensions of content they are already familiar with via their TV or PC. In fact, I always recommend to mobile media clients that they should, today, focus on brand extensions and not novel made-for-mobile content.

However, as we look ahead towards the next generation of breakthrough mobile apps, where will they come from? I argue that they will come from today's kids who are growing up with mobile voice and content completely integrated and inseparable from their lives from the very beginning. Nielsen Mobile research shows that data content services skews young. Across the board, age composition of mobile subscribers by content usage over-index for ages 13-24, as compared to the total mobile subscriber population (see chart). When this truly mobile generation grows up and starts managing a mobile business is when true made-for-mobile innovation will begin.

If you look at the Internet, it really burst into new and innovative "made-for-online" apps once the Internet generation that grew up on the Internet started running Internet businesses. Google, Yahoo! and more recently, MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube are all cases in point. Once this very young, mobile-from-the-get-go generation enters business, get ready for the latest and greatest innovations in "made-for-mobile" apps that are going to be simply eye-opening.

As someone from the previous generation, I can only guess at what that could be (and even then I don't think I am thinking out-of-the-box enough)--a mobile phone that is my credit card and my garage door opener? A mobile phone that is my always-on connection to a global, social community? A mobile phone that broadcasts my preferences wherever I go, creating a "Sling Blade" world of presence-aware services? A mobile phone that works everywhere--yes that would be a new one, too.

Kanishka Agarwal is vice president, mobile media at Nielson Mobile. Formerly Telephia, Nielsen Mobile provides syndicated consumer research to the telecom and mobile media markets.

ALSO NOTED: Sprint wins patent suit against Vonage; 42 percent of small businesses depend on wireless; and more...

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> Sprint Nextel won a patent lawsuit against VOIP provider Vonage. A jury in Kansas City ruled that the Internet phone company infringed six patents owned by Sprint. Vonage has been ordered to pay $69.5 million in damages, plus a 5 percent royalty on future revenue. Article

> A small business survey conducted by AT&T indicates that 42 percent of business owners could not survive without their wireless technologies. Fifty-five percent said they expect to depend even more on these type of technologies two years from now. Article

And finally... Contact this woman if you want your cell phone coated in gold. Article

Google's latest moves show preparation for the gPhone launch

Mike Dolan — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:10:56 -0400

According to the Wall Street Journal, Google has invested "hundreds of millions of dollars in the cell phone project." T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless have both reviewed prototypes of handsets from Google--the company hopes multiple manufacturers will make the phones and multiple carriers will offer them. (Article)

Back in January, the WSJ claimed the Google phone wouldn't be available until next year--at the earliest. However, in August media outlets began claiming that Google would be launching its handset in September. (Article)

As the end of September draws closer, and the gPhone is still nowhere to be found, Google is not sitting around idly. Google has been busily working on mobile search (article), mobile payment systems (article, article), speaking with carriers (article) and even stirring up the pot in the 700 MHz auction (article).

Acting on past patents for mobile ad systems (article, article), Google just yesterday launched their mobile adwords program--giving it out free until November 18. (Article, Article)

With all this activity, the Google Phone release must be right around the corner.

- Read more in our Google and gPhone tags.

'Fake iPhone' Photo Comparison

Wed, 12 Sep 2007 10:19:04 -0400

iPhone clones may be the next big thing in cell phone innovation, but iPhone fakes are also catching on. Below you can see a fake compared to the real one. Do you know the difference?

Click here for more iPhone coverage.

ALSO NOTED: BB outage; Levi's phone; and much more...

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 06:59:50 -0400

> BlackBerry users on Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon reportedly had slow or interrupted service over the weekend. Article

> If the Prada phone was not your style, stay tuned for the Levi's branded phone, which is set to launch next month, with jeans-like rivets. Article

> Apple inks a patent deal with InterDigital, the company that just asked the ITC to investigate Nokia's 3G handsets. Article

> Sony Ericsson's patents reveal Sony PlayStation phone is in the works. Article

And Finally... Scientists talk to owls via cell phone. Article

Alltel to offer voice-to-text service in Q4

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 06:59:57 -0400

Alltel announced that it would launch a voice-to-text service from SpinVox in the fourth quarter of this year. The service converts voice messages to text and sends them directly to another user's cell phone. It works with any SMS-capable phone and requires no additional downloading. SpinVox has been developing the technology for four years, which it calls Voice-to-Screen.

The Marlow, U.K.-based company also reportedly has a deal with a bigger carrier in the U.S., which it will announce later this year. Regional carrier Cincinnati Bell already offers the service. In the U.K., there is talk of a launch from Vodafone, but the service is already available from Carphone Warehouse, which invested in SpinVox. The company's CEO Christina Domecq told the Guardian that SpinVox is always on the lookout for additional funding, whether private or an IPO. She indicated that there will be more news on the funding front come early next year.

For more on the launch:
- read this release
- also check out this article from the Guardian

SPOTLIGHT: Report: Google's mobile plans

Thu, 02 Aug 2007 06:59:52 -0400

The WSJ has a round-up of Google's announced and rumored mobile plans. Interesting details include:

Google has invested "hundreds of millions of dollars in the cell phone project"
T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless have both reviewed prototypes of handsets from Google
It hopes multiple manufacturers will make the phones and multiple carriers will offer them
A Google phone won't be available until next year--at the earliest

For more on Google's mobile plans, read this WSJ Article (sub. req.).