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| Symbian Expo (05-06 October, 2004) News Round-Up |
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| Thursday, 07 October 2004 | |
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Dual language texting Zi Corporation has further extended the language capabilities of its texting solution with the introduction of dual language messaging. This will enable users to compose a message in a combination of two languages using simultaneous text entry and prediction. In further news, Zi announced three new Asian licensing agreements for its eZiText predictive text input technology. The new 'eZiText' licensees, AnyDATA Mobile Communication Technology (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Unirise Communication Co Ltd, and Ya Hsin Industrial CoLtd, are all fast-growing original design manufacturers (ODMs), the first based in China, the other two in Taiwan. All three are initially planning to launch eZiText-powered phones in China that, according to the China Ministry of Information, is the world's largest and fastest growing wireless market with the number of wireless subscribers in use reaching 315mn through August 2004. Under the terms of these new Asian agreements each ODM has licensed Zi's eZiText technology for Simplified and Traditional Chinese, English and a variety of other languages. To date, Zi has over 100 licensing agreements with original design and equipment manufacturers worldwide. The three new licensees are expected to begin deliveries of eZiText products in 2005. Zi also revealed that its eZiText technology is now pre-integrated and available to Series 60 licensees worldwide. www.zicorp.com Enhanced imaging software platform Scalado AB, a Swedish software technology company specialising in digital imaging, launched its imaging software platform 'CAPS 2.0' at Symbian Expo. The platform offers manufacturers a complete feature-rich camera phone solution, that enables them to create high performing imaging applications. The applications will make it possible for users to create, edit and manage high resolution images with speed and efficiency. CAPS 2.0 enables manufacturers to increase ROI by cutting memory requirements by up to 98%, and reduce CPU requirement by almost 92%. At the same time it enhances handset usability by dramatically reducing image processing time, providing users with a significantly better and faster imaging experience. CAPS has been designed for the new generation of camera phones with multimedia capabilities. It is developed and optimised to work on any device, especially those with limited memory and poor processing capabilities. The software can process mega pixel images in real time using only a fraction of the memory that a conventional application would use. Using CAPS manufacturers will speed up time to market and give users a superior imaging experience. CAPS consists of an imaging engine that includes different engine modules. The modules enable fast decoding/encoding of JPEG images, enlarging of output images, editing of high resolution images and panoramic image creation. Additionally it has a set of imaging tools that can be used as a processing engine and filters for creation of capturing-, editing- and photo album features. www.scalado.com New partner programme UIQ Technology announced a new partner programme, UIQ Selected for UIQ 3.0, the first two members of which are Packet Video and Mobile Digital Media (MDM). UIQ Selected is a program created by UIQ Technology and is designed to facilitate and speed up the creation of smartphones based on the UIQ Platform. When developing new smartphones based on the UIQ platform, UIQ Selected enables a reduction of development costs, a more effective integration process and a shorter time-to-market. Members of UIQ Selected are third party software companies that can provide mobile manufacturers with key applications that have been checked, validated and pre-integrated for the UIQ Platform. The first products to be submitted for UIQ acceptance are the PacketVideo Media Player, that supports streaming, progressive download and playback with support available for all major mobile content types, including video and audio, and also the PacketVideo Camcorder and Digital Camera, that lets users record their own audio and videos directly on their phones using optimized encoder libraries in order to play them locally or send them to others via MMS. pvCamcorder uses an author engine which optimized codecs to provide smoother, better-looking recording of audio, video and digital photos. UIQ Technology also announced that it had selected Opera to be the default browser in UIQ 3.0, the new release of the UIQ platform expected to be available at the end of 2004. www.uiq.com Instant mobile email Mobile 5.0 is the next generation of its Visto Corporation's wireless e-mail platform that now provides instantaneous and automatic 2-way delivery of email, contacts and calendar updates on any 2.5G or 3G device. Several new features make Visto Mobile 5.0 with ConstantSync a break-through platform that keeps users completely up-to-date and always in touch. New push e-mail delivery to any mobile device over 2.5G and 3G networks provides users with instantaneous and automatic e-mail availability; the FIPS 140-compliant, end-to-end AES encryption provides total security; and the optimised network architecture that requires only 20 percent of the bandwidth of SyncML or IMAP-based solutions significantly reduces the amount of data transfer required for carriers and users. Visto's ConstantSync technology also goes beyond competitive solutions by providing real-time 2-way updates to calendar and contact databases. The Sony Ericsson P910 is among the first mobile phones to support Mobile 5.0. www.visto.com Smartphone collaboration Intel, Nokia and Symbian announced a collaboration to bring smartphones based on the Nokia Series 60 Platform to market using Intel technology, as part of Intel's recent membership in the Nokia Series 60 Product Creation Community. Also, Intel and Symbian have agreed to invest in the joint development of a reference platform to enable a new class of 3G devices based on Symbian OS and Intel XScale technology. Intel will complement the Series 60 Platform by providing high performance, low power processing to enable mobile browsing, multimedia messaging and content downloading, as well as a host of personal information management and telephony applications. Intel and Symbian are also investing in the co-development of a reference platform. The development agreement focuses on building the first 3G reference platform that utilizes both Intel's and Symbian's expertise in smartphone technology. The reference platform will enable mobile phone manufacturers to create differentiated handsets while significantly reducing development time - speeding the delivery of new phones to market. www.intel.com www.nokia.com www.symbian.com DRM protection suite NDS and Discretix announced the commercial availability of an OMA DRM V2 compliant Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution. The solution is aimed at the rapidly growing mobile multimedia market and will be the first fully featured robust Mobile DRM solution to fully exploit the benefits of the embedded security solutions deployed in todayís handsets and storage devices. OMA DRM V2.0 allows mobile operators and service providers to provide premium content such as video and audio to mobile devices, generating new revenue streams based on sophisticated business models. This latest version of the OMA DRM specification differs substantially from its predecessor in terms of the level of security and protection provided to content owners. This in turn puts an increasing demand on the security capability of the handset as well as its processing power, and battery life. The integrated DRM solution utilizes key technologies from both companies: • NDS technologies for content protection, encryption, rights management, metadata, and personalization. NDS has created mVideoGuard, an advanced end-to-end Mobile DRM solution for all types of content; music, video, MMS, ringtones, games and applications, and for multiple delivery mechanisms - downloading, streaming, unicasting, multicasting, broadcasting. • The handset solution will incorporate elements of NDSí software client layered on top of Discretixís CryptoCell embedded security solution, and Discretixís DRM Device Toolkit, specifically its protected storage, content decryption, key wrapping and certificate handling modules. devices. www.nds.com www.discretix.com New Trigenix software Trigenix 4.1.0 is now available for shipping and offers greater optimisation with enhancements such as improved over-the-air error handling, conditional update fetch, optimised GPRS access and SMS-based subscription management. The Trigenix software is also now available for more MIDP 1.0 and MIDP 2.0 devices including Samsung E800, Nokia 6230, RIM Blackberry 77-series, Alcatel OneTouch 756, and Sagem MyX5-2, offering greater handset coverage. The company also announced its wider expansion into the European market with local representation in the Netherlands, Italy and Spain to assist with operator relationships in those countries. Based on the Trigenix User-Interface solution already in use with operators such as T-Mobile and TMN, T4 supports Windows Mobile, Java MIDP 1.0 & 2.0 devices and Symbian OS phones. With T4, service providers will be able to deploy revenue-generating own-brand user interfaces and rich content-based themes across 50% of handsets shipping by the end of 2004. www.trigenix.com New solution for clamshell phones Mobile Innovation launched a Cover UI solution optimised for use on external screens of Series 60 based clamshell phones. The Cover UI solution meets the needs of users who want to handle day-to-day events (such as answering or rejecting incoming calls, or reading messages) in a simple, intuitive and fun way. It allows the user to personalise the screen, expressing their style with full-colour animations, icons and wallpapers. Furthermore, the Cover UI solution also creates a continuous user experience between the external screen UI and the internal screen UI, making it more consistent to use. Cover UI is a complete software solution that is available with minimal integration effort needed. It gives handset manufacturers and network operators the opportunity to enhance the value of their products, and to address more markets with user attractive features more quickly. For example, by using the Cover UI solution you can take and share pictures with the camera even without opening the phone. www.mobileinnovation.co.uk Mapping solution upgraded Telmap announced the release of the latest version of their Polaris Mapping & Navigation System - Polaris 2.0, with advanced content and SMS functionality. Polaris 2.0 has been designed to provide the best rich content available while breaking free of the single mobile device by enabling users to send locations and an extensive choice of Points of Interest to friends via SMS. The application can be used for both in-car and pedestrian use with two modes specifically designed for each purpose. Polaris 2.0's new features include a worldwide database of millions of points of interest including restaurants, hotels, theatres, cinema's etc., the ability to direct dial to any point of interest from within the application and SMS functionality enabling users to share locations, points of interest and maps. Polaris 2.0 includes all the benefits of the original Polaris Mapping and Navigation system with easy-to-read, pinpoint accurate turn-by-turn navigation in graphic, text and voice instructions, full colour print quality maps and clear, precise maneuver maps. All geographical data is delivered in real time via high-speed data transfers over all major wireless networks to any Java-enabled cellular phone. Polaris 2.0 provides mapping, routing and content coverage in over 21 languages and provides geographical coverage spanning Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. www.telmap.com Shorts from the Show • Sasken Communications Technologies intends to invest more than E17mn to strengthen its position as a leading provider of applications, IP and integration services to mobile platform developers. Of this E6mn will be specifically allocated for Symbian based solutions. • ThinPrint has announced the availability of the mobile business solution Content Beamer 2.3 for Symbian OS. With this solution employees can use a Symbian smartphone to access information from the company server to read email attachments or initiate database enquiries. • CSR's embedded Bluetooth software stack BCHS (BlueCore Host Software) is now available in a version optimised for the Symbian OS. • AvantGo, the world's leading mobile Internet service and Sony Ericsson are working together to provide mobile content for the Symbian OS-based P910 smartphone. • NTT DoCoMo has deployed Bytemobile's optimisation solution in its core network to enable faster end-user access and more cost efficient delivery of applications such as web browsing and email. • Clear, the explanation agency, has launched Silk, a new application which creates an on-device channel which can be remotely updated, allowing ongoing communications with mobile users and delivery of multimedia content on a push basis. |
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