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Leading Operators Unite to Unleash Global Apps Potential

Twenty-four leading telecommunications operators have formed the Wholesale Applications Community, an alliance to build an open platform that delivers applications to all mobile phone users.

App Lounge at the Mobile World Congess in Barcelona

Next-Generation Multimedia Services Set to Become a Reality as GSMA Outlines Progress with RCS Initiative

The GSMA today reported significant progress with its Rich Communication Suite (RCS) initiative, a service that provides mobile operators with a feature-rich portfolio of interoperable communication services, enabling customers to access a wide range of advanced messaging applications direct from their handset’s contact list.

Tons of News were presented by GSMA during their Press-Conference in Barcelona

Sony Ericsson announced Xperia X10 mini and X10 mini pro – compact versions of Xperia X10

Sony Ericsson grows its family of Communication Entertainment phones with compact versions of Xperia™ X10 for the first half of 2010. Xperia™ X10 mini and X10 mini pro define a new user experience – ultra-compact – whilst still offering best-in-class communication entertainment performance .

RFMD Achieves 4G Performance Milestone Related To PowerSmart Power Platforms

January 10th, 2011

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RF Micro Devices, Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of high-performance radio frequency components and compound semiconductor technologies, today announced it has achieved a major performance milestone related to its PowerSmart power platforms. RFMD’s PowerSmart power platforms are a new product category reshaping the future of multimode, multi-band cellular RF architectures.

During independent product testing, RFMD’s PowerSmart power platforms achieved HSPA+ 4G data upload speeds while drawing approximately 15% less current than competitive solutions. Product qualification tests, which are routinely performed to evaluate each new cellular product’s front end, transceiver and baseband, are currently being conducted in support of a highly anticipated product family spanning multiple form factors, to be launched by a leading cellular device manufacturer beginning in the March, 2011, quarter.
PowerSmart power platforms feature a revolutionary new RF Configurable Power Core™ that delivers multiband, multi-mode coverage of all cellular communications modulation schemes, including GSM/GPRS, EDGE, EDGE Evolution, CDMA, 3G (TD-SCDMA or WCDMA) and 4G (HSPA+, LTE or WiMAX). HSPA+ 4G devices are capable of maximum data upload speeds of 22 megabits per second (Mbps).

Because the RF Configurable Power Core in PowerSmart is compliant with all current and known future 4G data standards (HSPA+, LTE QPSK, LTE 16QAM, and LTE 64QAM), RFMD anticipates subsequent smartphones featuring PowerSmart will support upload speeds significantly greater than 22 Mbps.

In addition to the RF Configurable Power Core, which performs all power amplification and power management functionality, RFMD’s PowerSmart power platforms include all necessary switching and signal conditioning functionality in a compact reference design, providing smartphone manufacturers a single scalable source for the entire cellular front end.

Spatial View Announces 3DeeCentral Is Live

January 6th, 2011

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Consumers can now enjoy stereo 3D across a wide range of 3D devices. Spatial View announced at CES today that 3DeeCentral, the online source of stereo 3D content, is live. 3DeeCentral consists of a growing library of paid and free 3D content for 3D PC, mobile and internet connected devices. Content includes videos and images in the genres such as adventure, animation, music videos, nature, travel, sports and science fiction.

The 3DeeCentral app is available for Windows 7, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd generation devices at 3DeeCentral.com. An Android app is coming soon. From the 3DeeCentral app, users can preview, buy and download 3D content for viewing on their 3D device.

Screenshot of the 3eeCentral iPhone-App

Free Spatial View 3DeeSlide – Limited Time Only

iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd generation users will receive a free 3DeeSlide when they download the 3DeeCentral iOS app and register for a user account. It is the only content distribution system that provides 3D content for the iPhone and iPod touch, when used with Spatial View’s 3DeeSlide, a lenticular accessory used to view 3D
content – glasses free. The iPhone 3G, 2nd generation iPod touch and all older devices are not supported. Support for the iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4 will be announced at a
later date.

“3DeeCentral is a source of online stereo 3D content for a broad range of 3D devices,” said Al Lopez, COO of Spatial View. “We support 3D devices including active shutter glasses, polarized glasses, anaglyph and auto-stereoscopic technologies. We want to offer the most comprehensive coverage of platforms as possible.”

The company has obtained licensed content from over 20 independent 3D filmmakers bringing the total to over 100 titles. “3DeeCentral provides the widest variety of high quality 3D movies and images from independent publishers for distribution,” added Lopez. “3DeeCentral is arriving at a time when audiences are really getting turned onto 3D,” stated Jason Goodman, Founder & CEO of 21stCentury3D. “Just as media goes with us everywhere on smart phones, VOD and tablets, 3D media can now do the same. 21st Century 3D is excited to be a part of this innovative launch.”

Spatial View is well positioned to become the recognized leader for stereo 3D content on the Internet and the ‘go-to destination’ for consumers looking for compelling 3D content.

GSMA Shines Spotlight on Mobile Advertising at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2011

December 8th, 2010

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The GSMA today announced the details of its Mobile Ad Forum conference programme at the 2011 Mobile World Congress, which will be held 14-17 February, 2011 in Barcelona. This “event within an event” addresses the unique requirements of brand and services marketers, advertising agencies, mobile operators and others in the mobile advertising value chain.

“With unmatched reach, interactivity and personalisation capabilities, more than ever before, mobile has a critical role to play in the development and execution of brand marketing campaigns,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer for the GSMA. “The Mobile Ad Forum at Mobile World Congress provides an ideal platform where leading players from across mobile and advertising can come together, discuss the key challenges and opportunities facing the collective and explore how, together, we can unlock the huge market potential of mobile advertising.”

Sessions in the Mobile Ad Forum at Mobile World Congress will examine the following subjects: “Integrating Mobile into a Broader Advertising Campaign”, “How Effective is Multimedia Mobile Advertising?”, “How to Make In-App Advertising Work”, and “Delivering Personalised Advertising While Protecting Privacy”. The Mobile Ad Forum will span Tuesday, 15th February and Wednesday, 16th February.

Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive of WPP, the world’s largest communications services group, will share his perspectives on the intersection of advertising and the explosive mobile application market in a keynote presentation on Tuesday, 15th February. Michael Roth, Chairman and CEO of Interpublic Group, one of the world’s premier advertising and marketing services companies, will offer his insights on the role of mobile in creating truly integrated communications campaigns in a keynote on Tuesday, 15th February.

Other speakers slated to participate in the Mobile Ad Forum include:

Nancy Hill, CEO, American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As)

Vanessa Colella, Head of North American Marketing, Citigroup

Tom Daly, Group Manager, Strategy and Planning, Global Interactive Marketing Group at The Coca-Cola Company

Tom Hume, Managing Director, Future Platforms

Adam Smith, Futures Director, Group M

Eric Bader, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Initiative

Quentin George, Chief Digital Officer, IPG/Mediabrands

James Hilton, Joint CEO, M&C Saatchi Mobile

Rudi Broos, Innovation Director, Alcatel-Lucent Bell

Zohar Levkovitz, CEO and Co-Founder, Amobee

Matthew Hull, Vice President, Product and Operations, AT&T Advanced Ad Solutions

Ian Carrington, Director of Mobile Advertising Sales, EMEA, Google

Kevin Scott, Director of Software Engineering, Google

Andrea Macario, Head of Advertising and Placement, Ovi Store, Nokia

Tanya Field, Director, Mobile Data Group, Telefonica O2

Alex Linde, Director, Mobile Advertising, Yahoo!

GSMA and Coca-Cola in the Hunt for Leading Brand Apps

In addition to the Mobile Ad Forum conference programme, Mobile World Congress will also feature the Brand App Challenge, a competition in which mobile application developers create “brand apps” for a select group of global consumer brands, including Coca-Cola, with its Coca-Cola, Coke Zero and Diet Coke brands. Winners of the Brand App Challenge will be named at the GSMA Mobile World Congress, which will be held 14-17 February, 2011 in Barcelona.

“The Brand App Challenge will create networking and business opportunities which benefit the brands, application developers and the broader mobile ecosystem,” commented O’Hara. “This competition taps the creativity and capabilities of the mobile application developer community to address brand and industry challenges, and we are thrilled to be working with Coca-Cola to help them maximise the power of mobile.”

For more information on the Brand App Challenge, including criteria for participation, creative briefs, details on the submission process and more, please visit http://www.brandappchallenge.com.

CSG Systems Completes Acquisition of Intec Telecom Creates Global Leader in Business Support Systems

November 30th, 2010

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CSG Systems International, Inc., a leading provider of customer interaction management and billing solutions, today announced that it has completed the acquisition of U.K-based Intec Telecom Systems PLC. Intec is a leader in wholesale billing and mediation and is a leading provider of retail billing software worldwide.

As a combined entity, the two companies are well-positioned with a broad and deep suite of solutions aimed at helping a wide variety of service providers roll out new products and services and operate more effectively, thereby improving their bottom line. The new product suite will include an end-to-end customer interaction management platform, combining mediation, billing, rating, charging, product catalog, customer care, web self-service, analytics, interactive messaging, interconnect services, content management, workforce management and marketing services.

“CSG and Intec share a common goal—helping our clients drive results through an improved customer experience and operational performance,” Peter Kalan, president and chief executive officer of CSG Systems International, Inc., said. “The combination of these two companies provides operators with a partner that has a broad set of solutions and delivery models to help them meet their business needs. Our combined experience in helping fixed, mobile and next generation service providers meet the increasing demands and challenges that they face in providing world-class services to their customers will enable us to help our clients compete and win in this dynamic marketplace.”

CSG initially announced the acquisition on September 24, 2010. The total cost of the acquisition, excluding transaction fees, was approximately $376 million.

GSMA Announces Additional Keynote Speakers For Mobile World Congress 2011

November 2nd, 2010

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The GSMA today announced that the CEOs of Intel, Microsoft, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, RIM, SoftBank and Yahoo! will be making keynote speeches at Mobile World Congress, which will be held 14-17 February, 2011 in Barcelona. The GSMA also provided further details on its conference programme and announced new ADCs as part of its App Planet event at Mobile World Congress.

Survey Reveals Clear Revenue Generating Opportunity for European Operators from Personalized Services

September 13th, 2010

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A new survey from Evolving Systems, Inc. reveals the potential for European telecoms operators totap into new revenue streams by delivering number choice and other
personalized service offerings to prepaid customers.

The survey, carried out in spring 2010, polled the views and opinions of 500prepaid mobile phone subscribers across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

More than 30% of respondents in each country said they would be prepared to pay a premium for the ability to select their own number – depending on cost. The proportions are highest in France (45%) and Italy (43%).Of those users who stated they would be prepared to pay a premium, around25% said that they would pay between €6-50 (between £6 and £50 in thecase of UK users). France had the most engaged set of respondents in this respect with 31% fitting into this category.

GSMA Announces Open Call For Entries for 16th Annual Global Mobile Awards

September 13th, 2010

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The GSMA today announced that the Global Mobile Awards 2011 are now open for entry. The Global Mobile Awards, which recognise excellence, achievement and innovation within the mobile communications industry, will be presented at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Tuesday 15th February 2011. Award winners will also be acknowledged at the Mobile World Congress celebration party to be held that evening.

Ixonos Announces Support for Intel’s Handheld Device Platforms

September 13th, 2010

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Ixonos, a leader in the development and integration of solutions for handheld devices, announced that it is implementing a touch screen mobile user interface solution for the Intel® Atom™ processor Z6xx based smartphones.

Ixonos builds complete and innovative products and services, reducing the time-to-market of its customers, such as mobile device manufacturers and mobile operators. Ixonos is a visionary partner to its customers and brings a full set of services from new product innovation to software development, mechanical engineering and electronics design. The company is also working on several novel industrial design plans and approaches to support bringing new devices to the market.

At the Intel Developer Forum 2010 in San Francisco, Ixonos is showcasing some of its recent work with new handheld industrial designs, mobile user interfaces, and device customization tools. At the Mobile World Congress earlier this year, Ixonos demonstrated a touch screen mobile user interface concept using an Aava Mobile reference device based on the Intel Atom Processor Z6xx series. In addition to the user interface demonstration, Ixonos showcased a proof-of-concept of a device configurator tool that enables expedited design and implementation of customized mobile devices. Ixonos is developing solutions for MeeGo, Android and Symbian operating systems running on a multitude of devices.

“We are delighted to announce our support for Intel based handheld platforms, the capabilities of which have made our development easier and faster. Ixonos holds a unique skill set in delivering unparalleled solutions, user experiences, and innovative devices, and is now pleased to bring these strengths to Intel Atom based platforms,” highlights Ixonos’ Panu Kause, Vice President, Global Solutions.

“The Intel Atom processor has had tremendous success in the marketplace since its launch over 2 years ago,” said Pankaj Kedia, director of global ecosystem programs for Intel Corporation’s Ultra Mobility Group. “Ixonos has a rich heritage in developing leadership experiences in the smartphone segment. As we extend our roadmap to the smartphone market segment, we welcome Ixonos into the Intel ecosystem and look forward to working with them to meet the needs of our customers.”

“Ixonos is unique in the market because it not only designs at the device level but also specializes in building advanced user experience (UE) and user interface (UI) solutions as well as highly dynamic and futuristic applications. Through its deep understanding of devices, Ixonos makes these applications and solutions interface with virtually any device, be it a smartphone, pad or tablet,” Ixonos’ Panu Kause continues.

GSMA Reveals New Developments for Mobile World Congress 2011

September 7th, 2010

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The GSMA today announced several new developments for the 2011 GSMA Mobile World Congress, which will be held 14-17 February, 2011 in Barcelona. Building on the success of the inaugural App Planet event held in 2010, the GSMA is expanding the developer-focused programme at the GSMA Mobile World Congress 2011 to include new elements such as Macworld Mobile and the Brand App Challenge. The GSMA also announced RIM and Palm as the first Application Developer Conference (ADC) partners for App Planet. Finally, the GSMA announced that the CEOs of América Móvil, HTC, Vodafone and WPP have joined the list of industry leaders delivering keynote presentations at Mobile World Congress.

“App Planet proved to be a stunning success in its debut this year at Mobile World Congress, demonstrating the tremendous demand for in-depth content, networking and business development opportunities and information on the cutting-edge technologies and solutions in the mobile application space,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer, GSMA. “The developments we are announcing today, particularly the launch of Macworld Mobile which will target the critical Apple developer community, will serve to make App Planet and Mobile World Congress the epicentre for the app world.”

At Mobile World Congress 2011, the GSMA is partnering with IDG World Expo, organisers of Macworld, the world’s premiere event focused exclusively on the Apple products platform, to produce Macworld Mobile, a mobile developer event for the Apple iPhone and iPad platforms. The Macworld Mobile iOS Developer Conference will provide full-day, in-depth training on this critical platform, with technical sessions, targeting tools and applications specifically designed for mobile application developers and engineers.

“We’re excited to bring Macworld Mobile to Mobile World Congress,” said Mary Dolaher, chief executive officer of IDG World Expo, a leading producer of world-class tradeshows and events. “Macworld is known around the world for helping to drive and stimulate the Apple products community with educational programmes and business development activities. At Mobile World Congress, we will help international iOS developers to strengthen their skills, as well as facilitate connections with other developers and the worldwide audience of mobile decision makers who attend.”

In addition to the key components of last year’s event, including ADCs held by major mobile platform providers, an interactive exhibition and the App Lounge to facilitate networking and business development activities, App Planet will also feature new elements including the Brand App Challenge. The GSMA expects more than 10,000 developers to visit App Planet during the four days of Mobile World Congress.

Brand App Challenge

The GSMA is creating a competition focused on mobile application developers creating “brand apps” for a select number of global consumer brands. Developers will compete by creating customised mobile apps for the participating brand sponsors based on the objectives and guidance provided by the individual brands. The primary goals of the Brand App Challenge are to create networking and business opportunities which benefit the brands, application developers and the broader mobile ecosystem, as well as to tap the creativity and capabilities of the mobile application developer community to address brand and industry challenges.

The competition will begin in October with the finalists being named approximately one month before Mobile World Congress 2011. The Brand App Challenge winners will be announced as part of the Mobile World Congress conference programme and will receive cash awards for their winning efforts.

App Planet ADC Partners

The GSMA announced that Research in Motion (RIM) has again signed on as a key partner for App Planet, and will be focusing company’s entire Mobile World Congress presence in App Planet, located in Hall 7 at the Fira de Barcelona. In addition to a 1,200 square metre exhibition, RIM will be hosting an ADC for 500 BlackBerry developers on Tuesday, 15th February, 2011.

Palm will also be an App Planet ADC partner and will be holding a full-day ADC on Wednesday, 16th February, 2011.

New Keynote Speakers for Mobile World Congress 2011

The GSMA continues to expand the stellar line up of keynote speakers at Mobile World Congress and today announced that CEOs from leading companies including América Móvil, HTC, WPP, and Vodafone will be taking the stage in Barcelona. New Mobile World Congress keynote speakers include:

* Daniel Hajj, CEO, América Móvil and Telcel
* Peter Chou, CEO, HTC
* Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive, Vodafone
* Sir Martin Sorrell, Chief Executive, WPP

Previously announced speakers include:

* Randall Stephenson, Chairman, CEO and President, AT&T
* Li Yue, President and CEO, China Mobile
* Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google
* Paul Jacobs, Chairman and CEO, Qualcomm
* Jack Dorsey, CEO, Square
* Evan Williams, CEO, Twitter

GSMA Ministerial Programme

The GSMA also announced that Saudi Telecom is the Platinum Sponsor and that Qualcomm is the Gold Sponsor for the GSMA Ministerial Programme at Mobile World Congress. Now in its sixth year, the GSMA’s Ministerial Programme is a unique invitation-only event gathering ministers, regulators from over 90 countries and CEOs from across the mobile industry for a series of in-depth strategic, policy and regulatory discussions, and bilateral meetings, over three days during Mobile World Congress.

GSMA Announces Keynote Speaker Lineup for Mobile World Congress 2011

August 10th, 2010

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The GSMA today announced that executives from leading communications companies including AT&T, China Mobile, Google, Qualcomm, Square and Twitter will headline the 2011 Mobile World Congress conference programme. Mobile World Congress will take place 14-17 February 2011 at the Fira de Barcelona in Barcelona, and is expected to draw more than 50,000 attendees.

Executives who are confirmed to deliver keynote presentations at the event include:

Randall Stephenson, Chairman, CEO and President, AT&T

Li Yue, President, China Mobile

Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google

Paul Jacobs, Chairman and CEO, Qualcomm

Jack Dorsey, CEO, Square

Evan Williams, CEO, Twitter

Under the theme of “Leading the Transformation”, the 2011 Mobile World Congress conference programme will feature dedicated tracks on applications, advertising, mobile money, mHealth, embedded mobile, next-generation technologies and OSS/BSS, as well as breakout sessions exploring business strategy, cloud computing, consumer electronics, devices, media and entertainment, network capacity and social networking.

In addition to the four-day conference programme, Mobile World Congress will also include an exhibition showcasing the latest mobile technologies and solutions from industry-leading companies such as Alcatel-Lucent, Bharti Airtel, Ericsson, Etisalat, Huawei, LG, Nokia Siemens Networks, Qtel, Samsung, SK Telecom, Vodafone and ZTE. The GSMA will again hold its award-winning App Planet at Mobile World Congress, bringing together the many critical elements of the broad mobile application ecosystem together in one location.

“With a stellar lineup of keynote speakers comprised of the leaders of the world’s most influential companies in mobile, the 2011 edition of Mobile World Congress is set to be one of the most exciting yet,” said Michael O’Hara, chief marketing officer, GSMA. “Through the conference programme and exhibition, Mobile World Congress attendees will gain important insights into the trends that are shaping the mobile industry, as well as the opportunities and challenges for players across the broad mobile ecosystem.”

High Risk for Operators that Fail to Offer Personalized Services

July 19th, 2010

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A recent survey from Evolving Systems, Inc. reveals that if wireless operators fail to offer number choice and other personalized services, they risk a significant proportion of their
prepaid subscribers defecting to their competitors. The survey, carried out in spring 2010, polled the views and opinions of 500 prepaid mobile phone subscribers across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

According to the research, at least 35% of respondents in every country, and significantly more in France and Germany (44% in both), would consider switching to another service provider if it was able to offer them the ability to select a number and their current provider was not. The main reason respondents gave for wanting to choose a number was to make it easier to remember and 32% or more of respondents in each country said they would be prepared to pay in order to choose a number.

The survey also found that at least half of respondents in all of these countries, rising to 62% in Italy and Spain and 55% in France, would consider switching to another provider if it was able to offer a range of personalized services and their current provider was not. The survey asked respondents about their interest in, and concerns about, a range of personalized services including loyalty schemes and innovative two-sided business models, such as sponsored and advertising-supported services.

“Leading operators in the surveyed countries already have blended churn rates of well over 30% a year, a number that could get worse if they fail to offer their customers number choice and other personalized services and a competitor does,” says Stuart Cochran, Chief Technology Officer at Evolving Systems. “The challenge for operators is how they engage effectively with subscribers in order to drive up loyalty levels.”

“Historically, this has been difficult. Typically, operators have had little, if any, information about a large proportion of their customer base, prepaid users,” adds Cochran. “As as result, operators are forced to look at usage trends and patterns of behavior to infer, sometimes inaccurately, the type of customer they are dealing with.”

Fortunately, with a new approach to provisioning mobile services and devices, delivered by the Dynamic SIM Allocation (DSA) solution from Evolving Systems, operators can overcome this challenge. By allowing customers to personalize their services when they use a mobile device for the first time, to pick their number or choose the right tariff, operators can create a new dialogue with prepaid users.

“Critically, the dialogue presents an ideal opportunity to build a better understanding of customers,” adds Cochran. “The same device-based dialogue that supports number choice can also be used to sign-up new customers to reward or loyalty programs, or to offer new value-added services. Through this, operators can strengthen the customer relationship,
build loyalty and reduce the potential for churn revealed by our survey results.”

AMD Telecom gets regulator approval to operate in Poland

July 15th, 2010

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Certified by GSMA sms/mms hub provider, AMD Telecom has been approved by Poland’s telecommunications authority UKE to provide network activities and telecommunication services in Poland.

Following UKE’s approval, AMD Telecom plans to establish a new point of presence in Poland in autumn this year, increasing in this way the total number of existing points worldwide and establishing a whole new level in quality for international sms messaging between mobile operators worldwide.

AMD Telecom, certified mobile messaging services specialist, provides high quality sms/mms messaging services to mobile operators (MNOs/MVNOs) and sms aggregators worldwide, covering more than 850 networks in more than 200 countries globally and offering 100% Mobile Network Portability support, Message delivery at 15.000sms/sec and sms Tracking & Reporting extranet for important advanced statistics analysis.

Mr. Dimitris Rokos, AMD Telecom’s Interconnection Manager, says: “AMD Telecom has very ambitious plans to become the network partner of choice for new and existing MNOs and MVNOs. This latest news shows that we are well on our way to achieving this and proves that our ambition to be the leading provider in international sms/mms messaging services is not just an ambition”.

smart drive kit for the iPhone: More safety and lifestyle

February 19th, 2010

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smart is the first car brand to develop its own drive app for the iPhone. Together with the vehicle-specific smart cradle for the iPhone the popular phone becomes a multimedia trip computer that is optimised for the smart fortwo in terms of function and design. The smart drive app for the iPhone has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, your own extensive music collection, internet radio and a clever navigation system with a special smart touch.

There are also smart extras – for example the Car Finder that will guide you back to wherever you parked your car. The new smart drive app for the iPhone boasts an outstanding design and is simple to operate thanks to extra large buttons. The new app makes urban mobility even easier and more fun – the declared objective of smart’s philosophy.

Navigation, Music, Phone: The iPhone App of smart allows multiple useful functions (Image: Daimler)

Trendsetters keep coming up with new and surprising ideas. smart prepared the way for modern city cars with lots of innovative ideas and redefined urban mobility. And Apple brought new ideas to mobile phones with the iPhone. The new smart drive kit for the iPhone is now bringing the lifestyle phone to the smart fortwo as a multi-talented companion. Marc Langenbrinck, Managing Director of the smart brand and Head of Sales & Marketing at smart says “The smart fortwo and the iPhone are both lifestyle icons. This is why the smart drive kit is ideal for our smart community.”

Turkcell to bring Nokia Messaging to consumers in Turkey

February 17th, 2010

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Turkcell and Nokia announced today that they will bring Nokia Messaging, Nokia’s consumer messaging service, to Turkcell customers in Turkey. This agreement builds on the Memorandum of Understanding that the companies signed in 2009 for marketing Ovi services.

By the end of the first half 2010, Turkcell customers are expected to be able to enjoy the Nokia Messaging push email service. Details on the service availability and pricing will be announced later.

“Since its foundation, Turkcell has operated with the vision of offering customers the best technology and services. Our aim is to create value for our corporate and individual customers with the opportunities of mobile services and mobile Internet. As one of the world’s leading mobile devices manufacturer, Nokia is a strong partner to fulfill the growing potential for mobile e-mail and mobile Internet services,” stated Sureyya Ciliv, Chief Executive Officer of Turkcell.

RIM Introduces BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express

February 16th, 2010

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Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express – free new server software that wirelessly and securely synchronizes BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server.

The new BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software will be provided free of charge in order to address two key market opportunities. First, the software offers economical advantages to small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) that desire the enterprise-grade security and manageability of BlackBerry Enterprise Server but don’t require all of its advanced features. Second, more and more consumers are purchasing BlackBerry smartphones and the free BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express software provides a cost-effective solution that enables IT departments to meet the growing demand from employees to be able to connect their personal BlackBerry smartphones to their work email.

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express works with Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003 to provide users with secure, push-based, wireless access to email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, as well as other business applications and enterprise systems behind the firewall. Importantly, the new server software utilizes the same robust security architecture found in BlackBerry Enterprise Server.

“Today we are announcing an exciting new offering that further expands the market opportunity for the BlackBerry platform,” said Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, Research In Motion. “In a marketplace where smartphones are becoming ubiquitous, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express significantly raises the bar by providing a cost-effective solution that allows companies of all sizes to support enterprise-grade mobile connectivity for all employees without compromising security or manageability.”

With BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express connected to Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server, BlackBerry smartphone users will be able to:

Wirelessly synchronize their email, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks
Manage email folders and search email on the mail server remotely
Book meetings and appointments, check availability and forward calendar attachments
Set an out-of-office reply
Edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files using Documents To Go®
Access files stored on the company network
Use mobile applications to access business systems behind the firewall

For IT administrators, BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express also offers the following:

Runs on the same physical or virtual server as the Microsoft mail server or on its own server. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is also certified for use with VMware ESX
Over 35 IT controls and policies, including the ability to remotely wipe a smartphone and enforce and reset passwords
A Web-based interface that allows remote administration and makes it easy to install the software, connect BlackBerry smartphones and apply usage policies

BlackBerry Enterprise Server v5 continues to be the recommended solution for deployments that require additional security policies, monitoring features or high availability. BlackBerry Enterprise Server also continues to be required for certain other enterprise solutions such as BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (for bringing desk phone functionality to BlackBerry smartphones), BlackBerry Clients for Microsoft® Office Communications Server and IBM Lotus Sametime (for enterprise instant messaging), IBM Lotus Connections (for enterprise social networking), IBM Lotus Quickr (for document sharing and collaboration), and Chalk Pushcast Software (for corporate podcasting).

BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is expected to be available as a free download in March. For more information, visit www.blackberry.com/besexpress.