The Wireless Report http://www.thewirelessreport.com The Wireless Report http://www.thewirelessreport.com/media/feedlogo.gif The Wireless Report http://www.thewirelessreport.com en-us Copyright 2009 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Mobile phone ringtones define Britshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-phone-ringtones-define-brits/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-phone-ringtones-define-brits/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-phone-ringtones-define-brits/#commentsFiled under: ,

I guess citizens of Britain are having a cultural crisis over the ringtone selections on their mobile phones, as 4 out of 5 of those citizens fear criticism of their mobile ringtone.

Isn't there anything else in the world to do but give a shout out (good or bad) about a mobile ringtone choice? Apparently, British mobile phone users are in a quandary about choosing their ringtone after new research from Dial-a-Phone indicates 97% of Brits judge personality based on ringtone choice.

As if we didn't all have enough stupid things to judge others on.
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]]>Brian White2007-01-30T16:31:00+00:00One billion mobile ads served already -- in 6 monthshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/one-billion-mobile-ads-served-already-in-6-months/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/one-billion-mobile-ads-served-already-in-6-months/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/one-billion-mobile-ads-served-already-in-6-months/#commentsFiled under: ,

Mobile advertising is apparently becoming a big business, though I have yet to see many ads on most of the xHTML and WAP sites I visit (a few hundred, actually).

But, mobile advertising company AdMob says that mobile Web users are drawn to mobile communities and downloading sites (ah-ha!). And, of course, AdMob has served 1 billion mobile Web advertisements in the last six months on those types of properties.
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]]>Brian White2007-01-30T14:29:00+00:00Digicel gives mobile TV to customers in Jamaicahttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/digicel/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/digicel/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/digicel/#commentsFiled under: ,

Want your mobile TV, mon? Digicel will be giving mobile television service over its network to its Jamaican customers via technology from Vimio.

The service will offer local live programs, soap operas, news and music videos. The thing is this -- how on earth can this work with Digicel's GSM/GPRS network? Buggy and slow would be my guess.
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]]>Brian White2007-01-30T13:25:00+00:00Mobile marketing coming into its own?http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-marketing-coming-into-its-own/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-marketing-coming-into-its-own/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/30/mobile-marketing-coming-into-its-own/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Is advertising to the mobile phone becoming an explosive industry? By many accounts, it is, as the generation of marketing messages across wireless applications is starting to attract some big money.

The wireless web may be the next advertising frontier past the web browser for the PC, and there are companies that are trying to offer a one-stop shop for companies looking to tout their brands on the wireless Web
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]]>Brian White2007-01-30T10:13:00+00:00What makes for a well-designed wireless handset?http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/29/what-makes-for-a-well-designed-wireless-handset/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/29/what-makes-for-a-well-designed-wireless-handset/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/29/what-makes-for-a-well-designed-wireless-handset/#commentsFiled under: , ,

That headline begs for responses from all corners. What is a good cellphone design all about? Purely physical aspects like size, weight and curves?

How about software design and user interface (UI) aspects like speed, intuitiveness and "prettyness"? These software and hardware aspects -- plus much more -- makes for a well-designed wireless handset.

What's your favorite?
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]]>Brian White2007-01-29T13:29:00+00:00The marketshare of mobile gaminghttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/the-marketshare-of-mobile-gaming/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/the-marketshare-of-mobile-gaming/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/the-marketshare-of-mobile-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mobile gaming and related downloads is an extremely profitable business and probably ranks up there in terms of ringtone downloads as a gooser for revenue among mobile carriers -- and game publishers.

Check this -- the revenue level from mobile games reached $500 million in 2006 within just the U.S. alone -- that's quite large, eh?

This represents about 30 to 30% year-over-year growth -- and the rate is not expected to slow down as carriers keep pressing customers to their content and as more subscribers access mobile content on higher-speed handsets (now that it is finally tolerable). No wonder someone bought Jamdat.

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]]>JamdatMobile gamingMobileGamingBrian White2007-01-25T17:02:00+00:00Yahoo! really focusing in on wireless presencehttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/yahoo-really-focusing-in-on-wireless-presence/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/yahoo-really-focusing-in-on-wireless-presence/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/25/yahoo-really-focusing-in-on-wireless-presence/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Yahoo! is really upping the ante in the mobile web department these days as CEO Terry Semel explained a few days ago. But, competitor Google is not staying still as well.

Will the next-gen battle -- just like the current one -- be fought out by Yahoo! and Google on the mobile content front? You bet -- there are many more mobile subscribers in the world than there are PC owners -- making the mobile space the next "frontier" of gluing eyes to content.
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]]>Yahoo! GoYahoo! MobileYahoo!GoYahoo!MobileYHOOBrian White2007-01-25T14:36:00+00:00Ericsson increases content offers to carrier partnershttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/23/ericsson-increases-content-offers-to-carrier-partners/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/23/ericsson-increases-content-offers-to-carrier-partners/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/23/ericsson-increases-content-offers-to-carrier-partners/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ericsson -- known for its Sony Ericsson joint venture and better-than-most musicphone handsets -- will be increasing the content offerings it can supply to mobile partners across the globe soon.

The company will be distributing newer music downloads and master tones outside the United States after signing a new deal with The Orchard. Also with the deal comes a bushel of fresh oranges.

Ericsson's goal here is to "broaden and deepen" the company's content offering to operators. Read: it wants to have more carrier partnerships, which -- in the U.S. at least -- are horrid. Sony Ericsson is probably the least-represented brand on all carriers shelves here, even as they have nudged past LG recently to become the third-largest handset brand worldwide.
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]]>EricssonBrian White2007-01-23T13:16:00+00:00How does handset-based GPS navigation stack up?http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/how-does-handset-based-gps-navigation-stack-up/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/how-does-handset-based-gps-navigation-stack-up/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/how-does-handset-based-gps-navigation-stack-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,

I've been intrigued about some newer java midlets (Garmin and TeleNav, for example) that allow wireless customers with java-enabled handsets to use real-time GPS navigation on their cellphone screens.

I am curious to see if these applications work well or are any threat to standalone GPS navigation units -- the ones by Garmin, Magellan and TomTom, for example.

Any users of GPS-based mobile navigation cellphones that care to chime in on usability?
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]]>GarminTeleNavBrian White2007-01-22T18:35:00+00:00Amp'd Mobile signs deal with Soapbox Mobilehttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/ampd-mobile-signs-deal-with-soapbox-mobile/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/ampd-mobile-signs-deal-with-soapbox-mobile/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/ampd-mobile-signs-deal-with-soapbox-mobile/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In the ever-expanding market for purchasing movie tickets using wireless handsets (just kidding!), MVNO Amp'd Mobile has signed on with Soapbox Mobile to allow its customers a bonafide way to purchase movie tickets from their handsets.

Soapbox's service provides Amp'd customers with access to movie times and theater locations, as well as the ability to purchase tickets on their wireless phones. Of course, wireless users can still use Fandango on any carrier, right?
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]]>Amp'd MobileAmp'dMobileFandangoBrian White2007-01-22T15:16:00+00:00Nokia teams with Sony Ericsson for wireless data synchinghttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/nokia-teams-with-sony-ericsso-for-wireless-data-synching/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/nokia-teams-with-sony-ericsso-for-wireless-data-synching/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/22/nokia-teams-with-sony-ericsso-for-wireless-data-synching/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Looks like the Intellisync Wireless Email application will be coming to Sony Ericsson handsets soon, as Nokia has agreed to partner with its handset rival to get the Intellisync product into more users' hands.

Most likely, Nokia's Intellisync will come to Sony Ericsson's handsets featuring QWERTY keyboards -- like the M600 and the P990.

Nokia bought Intellisync a few years ago to try and get its customers using synchronized, real-time e-mail, calendar and contacts -- and to compete more with RIM's Blackberry and Palm's Treo.
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]]>IntellisyncNokiaSony EricssonSonyEricssonBrian White2007-01-22T13:21:00+00:00Ringback tones come to Cincinnati Bellhttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/ringback-tones-come-to-cincinnati-bell/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/ringback-tones-come-to-cincinnati-bell/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/ringback-tones-come-to-cincinnati-bell/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cincinnati Bell Wireless -- the smaller regional carrier in based in Ohio -- has launched its Ringback Tones service as of this past week. The company hopes that the next step beyond ringtones will be these new "ringback" tones, as I guess standard ringtones and graphics are already a tired game.

While this is not groundbreaking news, it shows that even regional wireless carriers see revenue streams in offerings like ringback tones, which let calling customers hear messages or music instead of just "ringing" when calling the wireless numbers of Cincinnati Bell Wireless customers.
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]]>Cincinatti Bell WirelessCincinattiBellWirelessRingback TonesRingbackTonesBrian White2007-01-17T14:22:00+00:00Netflix to offer movies on wireless screenshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/netflix-to-offer-movies-on-wireless-screens/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/netflix-to-offer-movies-on-wireless-screens/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/17/netflix-to-offer-movies-on-wireless-screens/#commentsFiled under: , ,

In yet another attempt to get customers to watch movies on tiny, two-inch screens, online DVD rental king Netflix now says that it will begin to offer streaming videos and TV shows to PCs -- and that the capability will eventually reach the mobile handset.

I can see streaming videos and especially TV shows from the Internet into a PC these days (if the process doesn't take forever), but I'm still unconvinced that customers will want to experience anything video-like on a tiny cellphone screen. At least, for a while -- and my phone needs surround sound as well, please.
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]]>NetflixStreaming videoStreamingVideoBrian White2007-01-17T10:17:00+00:00Sandisk pumps out M2 micro memory cards for Sony Ericsson handsetshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/sandisk-pumps-out-ms2-micro-memory-cards-for-sony-ericsson-hands/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/sandisk-pumps-out-ms2-micro-memory-cards-for-sony-ericsson-hands/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/sandisk-pumps-out-ms2-micro-memory-cards-for-sony-ericsson-hands/#commentsFiled under: , ,

With all the glitz and glitter Sony Ericsson elicits from its very nicely-designed handsets these days, one thing that continues to confound me is Sony's willingness to continue using proprietary memory card formats like Memory Stick (bleh).

Nevertheless, if you have a Sony Ericsson handset with a memory card slot, it's most likely the M2 format -- and if you want to pack a few gigs in that phone for all your music, Sandisk has you covered -- as always -- with newer 2GB cards for these phones. Brilliant!

[via Engadget Mobile]
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]]>Memory StickMemoryStickSandiskSony EricssonSonyEricssonBrian White2007-01-16T17:57:00+00:00'Hear it 'N Get it' service launched by Israel's Hingihttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/hear-it-n-get-it-service-launched-by-israels-hingi/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/hear-it-n-get-it-service-launched-by-israels-hingi/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/16/hear-it-n-get-it-service-launched-by-israels-hingi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Want your mobile content with just two clicks of the d-pad, clickwheel, scrollwheel or joystick? Hingi -- based in Israel -- says that its service (Hear It N' Get It) requires no handset software, no portal and no search engine.

According to the company, customers can -- with one click -- get access to mobile content that Hear It N' Get It identifies. When music is played across all major broadcast sources via an SMS request, Hingi's service gives the customer one click to allow mobile users to purchase song-related materials -- such as a full MP3 download.

While I am not sure a "full MP3 download" would be liked by the DRM-crazed music industry, this is an enticing service nonetheless from what I have read.
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]]>HingiMobile contentMobileContentBrian White2007-01-16T15:33:00+00:00Sprint to give "24" content to customershttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/15/sprint-to-stream-24-content-to-customers/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/15/sprint-to-stream-24-content-to-customers/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/15/sprint-to-stream-24-content-to-customers/#commentsFiled under: ,

If you are a fan of the Fox show "24" -- you'll be glad to know that Sprint Nextel has teamed up with the show to offer mobile content related to the show as it begins a new season tomorrow.

Sprint will be offering customers access to sneak peeks, show-related quizzes, games, images, ringers and the "24" logo. In other words, all kinds of phone-related content will be available to Sprint customers as part of the partnership.

In addition to those standard items, Sprint will be offering a Survival Guide manual that is updated bi-weekly. In case you need it, the guide will includes tips to overcome the direst circumstances that may arise during a "covert op."

Yeah, we all need that I think.
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]]>24Fox 24Fox24Kiefer SutherlandKieferSutherlandSprintBrian White2007-01-15T13:30:00+00:00Google coming embedded to Samsung handsetshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/12/google-coming-embedded-to-samsung-handsets/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/12/google-coming-embedded-to-samsung-handsets/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/12/google-coming-embedded-to-samsung-handsets/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Samsung will feature embedded access to Google's mobile applications like Google Maps, Google Gmail and Google search, according to both companies that announced the partnership at this week's CES trade show in Las Vegas.

With Google and Yahoo! fighting for the mobile crown, it's hard to pick a winner. Yahoo!, just this week, announced the second version of its "Yahoo! Go" service that will be embedded in many newer Nokia handsets.
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]]>GOOGGoogleGoogle MobileGoogle Yahoo! GoGoogleMobileGoogleYahoo!GoNokiaSamsungYahoo! GoYahoo!GoBrian White2007-01-12T11:16:00+00:00iPhone a threat to hardware makers and mobile carriers bothhttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/iphone-a-threat-to-hardware-makers-and-mobile-carriers-both/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/iphone-a-threat-to-hardware-makers-and-mobile-carriers-both/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/iphone-a-threat-to-hardware-makers-and-mobile-carriers-both/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Will Apple's iPhone be a threat to mobile carriers, hardware device makers -- or both? Both I say -- because Verizon, Alltel and Sprint Nextel will miss out on the frenzy that is sure to be caused when Apple releases the device this June.

I expect hundreds of thousands (if not more than that) to buy the device almost immediately, and if those customers don't have Cingular, they *will* switch. Hence, the CDMA carriers will have a few issues with defections.

What about hardware makers? It's already predicted that Apple will be shaking up the hardware industry and forcing mobile phone manufacturers to produce slicker and more easy-to-use handsets. That alone sounds great to me, as we need it badly.
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]]>Apple iPhoneAppleIphoneMOTMotorolaNokiaBrian White2007-01-11T08:35:00+00:00Man sets world SMS record with over 186,000 text messageshttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/man-sets-world-sms-record-with-over-186-000-text-messages/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/man-sets-world-sms-record-with-over-186-000-text-messages/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/11/man-sets-world-sms-record-with-over-186-000-text-messages/#commentsFiled under: ,

How many text messages do you send and receive each month? A few hundred of a few thousand? Most of us fall in between that range, and if we ever sent about 20,000 messages, our hands would be falling off probably.

So then, can you imagine someone sending over 186,000 text messages in a month? This guy from India obviously set a world record by the feat, although I hope that was not his overall purpose.

He is scheduled for some new fingertips this month :-)
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]]>SMStext messagingTextMessagingBrian White2007-01-11T07:55:00+00:00Visa entering contactless payment arena, finallyhttp://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/10/visa-entering-contactless-payment-arena-finally/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/10/visa-entering-contactless-payment-arena-finally/http://www.thewirelessreport.com/2007/01/10/visa-entering-contactless-payment-arena-finally/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Visa -- like rival Mastercard -- is getting into the contactless payments arena by accepting payments, coupons and working with other mobile commerce related items.

Visa's offerings -- which comes at the right time -- "is designed to foster collaboration between the financial services and mobile telecommunications sectors," according to the company.

With mobility being injected into just about every part of commerce these days from smartphones to laptop purchases, it's great to see -- finally -- the two largest credit card companies getting into the action. After all, it is 2007.

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]]>Mobile PaymentsMobilePaymentsVisaBrian White2007-01-10T11:37:00+00:00