IntoMobile » CES 2009

Windows Announces Marketplace for Mobile, Preloaded on Windows Mobile 6.5

Simon Sage — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:30:57 +0000

Nokia’s not the only one announcing a mobile app store at Mobile World Congress 2009 – Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT), hot on the heels of their Windows Mobile 6.5 launch, have opened up on their own plans for on-device software browsing and downloading. There are more than a few advantages for Windows Mobile developers:

An easily discovered on-device application that is installed on every Windows Mobile 6.5 device, and includes prominent placement on the Start menu.

Global marketplace distribution (30 countries) with flexible payment options for end users through both credit card and mobile operator payment methods.

Single source developer-focused web site for sign-up, publishing, and management of applications in the marketplace.

Transparent set of policies that clearly articulate the types of applications allowed in the store.

Streamlined, yet flexible workflow for getting applications published to the marketplace.

Leverage existing Microsoft developer tools, such as Visual Studio, for faster time to market.

At first glance, Windows Mobile 6.5 didn’t look like much more than a touch-friendly facelift, but if it will be the landmark by which the beefier Internet Explorer, syncing MyPhone, and their Marketplace for Mobile will launch, 6.5 will certainly be an update to remember. That is, of course, until version 7 rolls around.
[Windows Mobile Team Blog via pocketnow]

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Panasonic RP-HJE900 Zirconia in-ear headphones are designed for rich audiophiles

Dusan Belic — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:21:32 +0000

We’re still finding some CES news. During the Las Vegas event, Panasonic (NYSE: PC) introduced a new premium headphones made of Zirconia – model RP-HJE900. According to the Japanese electronics giant, these are the world’s first high fidelity in-ear headphones made out of such material, which is BTW used as a thermal barrier coating in jet turbine and diesel engines.

Zirconia is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and it’s an extremely durable substance which can withstand extreme temperatures. Not sure why “extreme temperatures” are that important, but apparently thank to Zirconia, the RP-HJE900 has scratch-proof, ultra-tough construction and its sound chamber has less resonance than plastic or aluminum. As a result, ultra-clear sound reproduction with virtually no distortion is guaranteed.

In addition, Panasonic used Neodymium magnet for RP-HJE900 construction to deliver rich and powerful sound. They boast frequency response of 6Hz-26kHz for realistic sound with precision highs and rich low end. Additionally, the RP-HJE900 has a sound pressure sensitivity of 100dB, impedance of 26 Omega and 12.5 mm drivers. The cord also has a slider to prevent tangling.

If these numbers mean anything, you’re probably already interested. However, you’ll have to wait for May when Panasonic will start selling the RP-HJE900 in black and white for $229.99. That’s super expensive for in-ear headphones, but then again, they should last forever thanks to detachable cables, or at least we think so.

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The Signal (IntoMobile Podcast: Episode 14)

Simon Sage — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:18:51 +0000

It has been a long CES hangover week, but this episode should be the final purging…

CES might have been a bit smaller and underwhelming than previous years, but the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre made it worth the trip to Las Vegas this go-around. Will and I talk about the Pre as well as some other key announcements, such as microSD XC pacing the way to 2 TB memory cards, LG’s watch phone, and a few other stories following in the wake of CES. The Mobile World Conference is a scant month away, and should provide us with even more news for the mobile world.

A big shoutout to our guest musicians, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, who are featuring You Better Pray on Tap Tap Revenge for the iPhone.

Listen in on the CES roundup podcast after the jump!

Music by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, as featured on Tap Tap Revenge for the iPhone.

Filler by Krazy Baldhead.

Download The Signal ( Episode 14 ) – iTunes – RSS – (34:46)

Headlines

Palm Pre, Web OS, and Touchstone – What it means for you

SDXC specification announced; 2TB memory cards with read/write speeds of up to 104 megabytes per second are coming!

LG Announces Watch Phone

Apple Changing ‘Duplicate Functionality’ Policy? New 3rd Party Web Browsers Appearing in App Store

HTC’s 2009 lineup leaked – Familiar form-factors but bumped-up specs

Rumours

T-Mobile BlackBerry 8900 Corporate Pricing Revealed

Best Buy to Sell the Palm Pre Alongside Sprint?

ASUS CEO Confirms EE Phone, to run Android?

Visual Voicemail, Application Center, Coming in BlackBerry OS Patch?

Sprint Palm Treo Pro spotted in the wild!

More Rumours of Dell Making a Smartphone

T-Mobile BlackBerry 8900 to Launch January 19th. for Business

HTC Iolite leaks again; This time we have a bigger picture

Leaked HTC Sapphire 2.0 might just be the Android-powered T-Mobile G2

webOS-Based Palm Centro 2 Coming in Fall 2009?

Lenovo’s Android-Powered ‘OPhone’ Coming to China Mobile in Q1

Nokia E71 coming to AT&T; User’s manual proves it, again!

LG KM900, high-end music phone in works?

Nokia 5710 XpressMusic leaked again; Is it coming or not?

BlackBerry Curve 8900 (Javelin) hitting T-Mobile on February 11?

T-Mobile Shadow II (Shadow 2009) likely lacking 1700Mhz 3G

Releases

Mi Phone says ‘Yes We Can’ with Obama-branded cellphone!

T-Mobile brings HTC Viva to Germany has T-Mobile MDA Basic

First Fujitsu NTT DoCoMo handset crosses Japanese borders!

Nokia N79 Active bundles Polar heart monitor for health-fanatics

Maxis Launches BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 in Malaysia

LG has two new entry-level phones GB106 and GB110

Verizon unveils LG VX8360

Sprint goes live with Pink Samsung Instinct!

BlackBerry Storm Lands in India

Samsung R470 TwoStep officially announced for U.S. Cellular

Logic Bolt is the first real projector-equipped mobile phone

Hands-on with the LG Touch Watch Phone (LG-GD910) at CES Las Vegas 2009

Sony Ericsson reveals three new phones: W508, W715 and C510

Nokia announces three phones for the U.S. market (1006, 7510 Supernova, E63 NAM) and a new Bluetooth headset

T-Mobile Announces BlackBerry 8900 for U.S.

Motorola unveils three new phones: Renew W233, Tundra VA76r and SURF A3100

Pharos Traveler 137 Windows Mobile smartphone unveiled

Pantech announces yet another Korea-only handset – Cupid IM-S390

Android-Powered Kogan Agora Pro Spotted in the Wild

Samsung R470 revealed by the FCC; Heading to U.S. Cellular

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Broadcom demoed 10x faster, next-gen Bluetooth at CES

Dusan Belic — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:38:29 +0000

At the CES, Broadcom (NSDQ: BRCM) has demonstrated a working implementation of next generation Bluetooth, featuring alternative MAC and PHY (AMP) technology that enables data rates of up to 24 Mbps and a significant increase in range by using other wireless radio technologies, such as 802.11, as its transport medium.

Broadcom’s CES demonstration involved their BCM4325 single-chip Bluetooth + Wi-Fi combo device, as well as modules that integrate the BCM2046 single-chip Bluetooth solution and BCM4312 single-chip Wi-Fi device. Fast file transfers were demoed between two Broadcom AMP-enabled devices (i.e. PC to PC, PC to mobile phone, mobile phone to mobile phone).

Broadcom’s AMP implementation is based on the current draft of the next Bluetooth specification (code named “Seattle”) and the company expects its implementation will be compliant with the final specification when it achieves ratification – which is expected to occur in mid-2009. Although Broadcom’s AMP demonstration represents the cutting-edge of Bluetooth technology, the solution utilizes proven Bluetooth profiles, applications and user interface elements, ensuring that the current implementation will face minimal hurdles in becoming a product that Broadcom’s partners, and their customers, will feel comfortable using.

Broadcom’s Robert Rango seems pleased with the company’s achievments, adding: “Our unique position as a leader in both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth has enabled us to take leadership in applications that require multiple technologies to work well together in the same device, such as Bluetooth AMP. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the Bluetooth SIG in moving Bluetooth forward.”

Full release is available on Broadcom’s website.

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Bluetooth SIG announces its “Best of CES” contest winners

Dusan Belic — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:27:12 +0000

Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest Group) announced the winners of its fourth annual “Best of CES” contest to highlight the “hottest, most innovative and consumer friendly Bluetooth enabled products.”

In total, 54 new Bluetooth products were submitted for the contest in 6 categories focusing on what consumers can do with the technology – talk on a headset, input information, listen to music, print data, transfer information, or enable use in an industrial or other vertical environment. Each product was carefully tested and judged on a variety of criteria. Bonus points were given to products complying with Experience Icon requirements, which make it simple for consumers to understand what a Bluetooth enabled device can do and how it will work with other devices.

Winners of the Bluetooth SIG “Best of CES 2009″ contest are (finalists indicated in parentheses):

Overall: Parrot Zikmu by Starck wireless speakers
Headset/Hands-Free: LG HFB-500 solar-powered car kit (Motorola (NYSE: MOT) H780 Universal Bluetooth headset)
Input: Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) Vista Feature Pack for Wireless (ISSC Dexin Bluetooth mouse)
Music: Samsung YP-P3 media player (Parrot Zikmu by Starck wireless speakers)
Print: LG Decoy mobile phone (Samsung M8800 mobile phone)
Transfer: Parrot Specchio by Martin Szekely digital photo frame (Broadcom (NSDQ: BRCM) Windows Vista Bluetooth software stack)
Vertical: Nonin Medical Model 9560 Pulse Oximeter (Ford Sync with 911 Assist)

New this year is the category of User’s Choice. By visiting a dedicated page on the SIG’s website, you can enter to win one of the finalist products by voting on their pick of best product. Good luck!

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The Signal: Talking Mobile Memory with SanDisk

Simon Sage — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:45:32 +0000

Our last interview at CES was with Chris Loh and Mike Yurochko from the mammoth of mobile memory, SanDisk. They remained somewhat tightlipped about the 2 terabyte cards announced on the SD Association’s roadmap, but we talked broadly about what bigger memory cards mean for end consumers and developers. Mike and I talked in the second half about how SlotMusic is doing, and apparently one of Rhianna’s latest albums enjoyed 6% of its sales through the new microSD format. It might not be replacing CDs or online distribution any time soon, but options are always good to have. Now, the sound quality wasn’t great for the interview since my voice recorder mysteriously disappeared come showtime, but it did conveniently provide a chance to test out my brand new 16 GB microSD card on the BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM). Happily, Voice Notes did the job admirably – run time is just a bit over ten minutes.

– Download – iTunes – RSS

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The Signal: Talking Wi-Fi with Kelly Davis-Felner

Simon Sage — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:57:05 +0000

The Wi-Fi Alliance could easily be overlooked in a show ostensibly about the shiny finished products that they’re only tangentially involved with, but one of the big things we wanted to do with our interviews was get in touch with some of the big movers behind the scenes. Wi-Fi is becoming a ubiquitous feature throughout mobile, and with Windows 7 beta touting a wealth of home interconnectivity, it’ll play an even bigger part of our daily lives. Kelly Davis-Felner from the Wi-Fi Alliance talks to us about their work with emerging brands and carrier pressures on manufacturers. Just a little over five minutes, so take a listen.

– Download – iTunes – RSS

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The Signal: Talking Touch with Synaptics

Simon Sage — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:54:14 +0000

Synaptics has been in the touch tech game for a good long time now – you might recall seeing their logo in your laptop’s system tray to keep tabs on the touchpad functions. Well, they do lots in the mobile end of things as well. Andrew Hsu talks with us about working with fragmented platforms and touchscreen usability in the latest cellphones. Before you start listening, keep in mind this was right before the Palm (NSDQ: PALM) Pre announcement – we would have been having a slightly different conversation otherwise, considering they shortly after announced the iPhone-style two-finger pinch which we see in the Pre. It’s just under ten minutes, so take a listen. Also, be sure to tune in at the end of the week for our CES wrap-up edition of The Signal.

– Download – iTunes – RSS

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The Signal: Talking Palm Pre with Pam Deziel

Simon Sage — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:31:43 +0000

At CES we sat down with Pam Deziel, Palm (NSDQ: PALM)’s VP of Software Product Management, in the swanky Palm Pre lounge to chat about their big announcement. I tried not to gush too much, but we hit topics such as points of inspiration, working with partners like Google (NSDQ: GOOG) and Sprint (NYSE: S), as well as what the announcement means for Palm as a whole. Overall, Pam emphasized their heritage driving the Pre’s design, but I think it’s safe to say they’re doing plenty that’s new. It’s a little under five minutes, so feel free to take a listen.

– Download – iTunes – RSS

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CES: CoPilot Live demoed on Apple iPhone, T-Mobile G1

Dusan Belic — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 11:29:11 +0000

During the CES, Alk has demoed its popular navigation software, CoPilot Live, on the Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone and T-Mobile (NYSE: DT) G1. The latter won’t be a problem – Android Market is as open as humanly possible. Apple AppStore is a different beast, though. Cupertino boys still don’t allow for any GPS navigation application with directions. So why on Earth Alk prepared a version of its application for the iPhone. Do they know something we don’t? Are they hoping Apple will flip-flop? What’s going on here?

Anyway, we don’t have any release dates for the Android version, but since they’ve shown us pretty complete product, guess they’re only waiting for Google (NSDQ: GOOG) to enabled paid apps in the Android Market…

[Via: Navigadget]

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Nokia Locate Sensor makes sure you never lose anything, again

Dusan Belic — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 06:41:46 +0000

Aside from introducing new phones at this year’s CES, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) has also unveiled a project of their R&D arm – Nokia Locate Sensor. The tiny device is designed to help people keep track of their things, ensuring we never lose anything again.

It’s quite easy to use the Nokia Locate Sensor. Simply attach a physical wireless location tag (pictured above) to items like keys or wallet, and when you don’t know where you’ve put any of them, start the accompanying app which will show you their location. Speaking of the application, it allows you to track up to 100 items, which is more than enough.

As for the rest of the specs, the Sensor doesn’t relies on GSP, meaning it will work even indoors. Rather, it sends out a simple wireless signal that is easily traceable by the phone within a distance of up to 100 metres, and thanks to which [simple wireless signal] its standard battery can work for up to 18 month. If you need to track larger items, a bigger battery can be used, which would ensure the device could run even longer.

In a nutshell – it’s a great idea, and I guess we’ll see it officially released during this year, once both hardware and software are ready for the prime time.

[Via: AllAboutSymbian, ElectricPig]

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ASUS CEO Confirms EE Phone, to run Android?

Simon Sage — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:22:11 +0000

In a rather high-brow CES interview talking about a future where the TV becomes the focal point of all family activity and every single wall is a display, ASUSTek’s CEO Jonney Shih let slip of what he called an EE Phone, which would potential control all of these interfaces. When it comes to low-cost technology, it doesn’t get much cheaper than free, and that’s what Android is. It’s not like we haven’t heard of the possibility of such a handset coming out in March, or that ASUS has been giving Android some fresh looks. We really could use a few more Android manufacturers, that’s for sure.

[NYTimes via Giz]

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iCEphone shows itself at CES 2009 – Triple-flip in the flesh

Will Park — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:50:30 +0000

The tri-flip iCEphone that made waves in the mobile world with its three-tiered fold-out design was hanging out on the Las Vegas Convention Center showfloor for all to see. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to hit up the iCEphone in our brief time at CES 2009 Las Vegas, but the good folks over at Ubergizmo were able to get their hands on the “in case of emergency” handset (”ICEphone,” get it?).

The iCEphone folds-out three times to unveil a touchscreen (paired to Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional), QWERTY keyboard, and navigational controls. When closed, the iCEphone takes on a sleek and unassuming profile, according to Ubergizmo. We still aren’t told what the iCEphone will cost or when, exactly, it will be made available.

iCEphone specs:

GSM Quadband 850/900/1800/1900, GPRS/EDGE
7.2 Mbps HSDPA UMTS 2100 connectivity
Freescale iMX31 532 Mhz CPU
3-inch 240×400 px 65K color transflective TFT touchscreen
Windows Mobile 6.0 Pro OS
3.1 megapixel camera with autofocus and LED flash
Built-in GPS
Wi-Fi b/g

[Via: Ubergizmo]

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Callpod’s Chargepod V2 goes beyond the original by including laptop charging and a USB hub

Dusan Belic — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:16:39 +0000

Remember that ultra-cool Callpod’s accessory called Chargepod, which allowed (and still allows) users to charge up to 6 devices at the same time. Well, it has been updated and it’s better than ever!

The Chargepod V2 builds on top of the original device, but adds a 3-port USB hub as well as PC/Mac laptop charging to the mix — actually, I’m not sure how it can charge Macs as MagSafe is Apple (NSDQ: AAPL)’s proprietary thing.

Anyway, I see the problem – it’s the price. At the moment, Callpod is selling its cool multi-charging baby for whopping $200. That’s a lot for an accessory that doesn’t boast any precious metal on it, don’t you think?

[Via: Gizmodo]

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Altec Lansing unveils two Bluetooth headphones at CES – Backbeat 906 and 903

Dusan Belic — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:13:23 +0000

Plantronics-owned Altec Lansing has recently introduced its first wearable stereo Bluetooth products – the Backbeat 906 and 903 Stereo Bluetooth headphones. The only difference between the two is in a stereo Bluetooth 2.0 adapter which is included with the BackBeat 906, only.

The new BackBeat products are designed for active lifestyles and somehow remind us on the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) S9 headphones, thanks to the behind-the-neck wearing style. In addition, they [BackBeat headphones] feature OpenMic technology, allowing the wearer to instantly hear their surroundings without removing the headphones.

The BackBeat headphones include Plantronics Dual-Mic AudioIQ technology to separate voice from noise for audio clarity during calls. Similar to its performance in Plantronics’ award-winning lineup of Bluetooth headsets, the inclusion of dual-microphones enables BackBeat to accurately isolate voice signals: one microphone captures voice as the second microphone identifies background noise and removes it. AudioIQ, Plantronics’ proprietary digital signal processing algorithm, intelligently senses the caller’s surroundings to further improve background noise and automatically adjusts the sound for the best possible two-way audio quality.

The headphones integrate Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR and support profiles including Hands-Free, Headset, A2DP and AVRC for wireless call and music control capability. Expected talk/music playback time is rated up to 7 hours, while standby time goes up to 8 days. Headset weight is approximately 34 grams.

Available late February 2009, the BackBeat 906 will retail for $129.95 (MSRP) and the BackBeat 903 (without adapter) for $99.95 (MSRP).

[Via: slashphone]

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Celio announces two cool products at CES

Dusan Belic — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 10:10:04 +0000

REDFLY Smartphone Dock

The folks behind the REDFLY Smartphone Terminals, Celio, used this year’s CES to unveil two new products – REDFLY PC Software and REDFLY Smartphone Dock.

The first of the two functions like a software version of today’s REDFLY Smartphone Terminal to give a Windows XP/Vista-powered laptop or netbook an expanded resolution (up to 1024×728 pixels), full-screen view of a smartphone for a virtual dual-boot experience. The REDFLY PC Software launch is planned for March 2009.

As for the other product, REDFLY Smartphone Dock, it’s a table-top adapter with VGA, mouse, and keyboard ports for smartphone applications. In other words, it allows you to connect a Windows Mobile-powered device and from there other peripherals, and use a smartphone like it’s a computer, which is extremely cool.

Celio designed the REDFLY Smartphone Dock with projectors, office kiosks, and commercial applications in mind. Availability and pricing of the device is still unknown — it will be announced in the future.

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Motorola Booth Tour – CES Las Vegas 2009

Will Park — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 23:46:50 +0000

Motorola’s presence at CES 2009 Las Vegas was a given. CES is the biggest consumer electronics tradeshow in the US and there’s no way Motorola (NYSE: MOT) could miss out. It’s a shame we can’t say the same for Motorola’s attendance at CTIA Wireless 2009. Motorola’s booth at CES 2009 turned out to be something of a last-stand for Motorola’s 2009 convention-going year.

Nevertheless, Motorola was proudly showing off their Motorola AURA on the Las Vegas Convention Center showfloor. The high-end materials and watch-like precision build give the AURA a air of luxury and refinement that we’re pleasantly surprised to see from Motorola. More on our hands-on Motorola AURA experience here.

As for the rest of the booth, Motorola highlighted their CrystalTalk sound-enhancing technology as well as their support of 4G Mobile Broadband products. With their upcoming product lineup expected to be decreased to about a dozen phones, we can see at least half of all new Motorola handsets sporting CrystalTalk.

Enjoy your Motorola booth tour!

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Touchscreens Leaving the Blind in the Dark?

Simon Sage — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 20:49:36 +0000

CES was full of celebrities (I hear Randy Couture was around), but they all had a little something to say about the products coming out, including Stevie Wonder, who was pleading for more blind-friendly gadgets.

“If you can take those few steps further, you can give us the excitement, the pleasure and the freedom of being a part of it,” said the famed musician.

Traditional keyed handsets have made a few advancements in accessibility, such as spoken menu trees, and more recent accessories such as tactile skins even help touchscreen devices, but there’s still a ways to go before most cell phones are fully practical for the blind, and that will require greater consciousness from manufacturers. A big chunk of CES was dedicated to eco friendliness, but this article suggests that accessibility will be the next big movement to sweep the mobile world. For the sake of the frustrated visually impaired and the manufacturers who stand to gain from tapping into a neglected market, I hope so.

[via Reuters]

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Mobile DTV broadcasts to bring free mobile TV to 22 US cities in late 2009

Will Park — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:32:02 +0000

Image from HowStuffWorks.com

The US is set to see mobile TV become reality in late 2009. The Open Mobile Video Coalition has announced that they’re on track to go live with free mobile DTV broadcast in Fall 2009. The over-the-air broadcast would be made available for viewing to anyone with a compatible mobile DTV receiver – a stark departure from wireless carriers’ practice of offering subscription-based mobile TV streams over their wireless network.

Broadcasters have committed to launching mobile DTV broadcasts with 63 TV stations across 22 US cities. The station breakdown will consist of “14 NBC affiliates, nine ABC affiliates, nine CBS affiliates, five FOX affiliates, nine ION Television affiliates, four CW affiliates and four MyNetworkTV affiliates, along with nine additional PBS stations that are in discussions with the OMVC to join the 2009 launch.” It’s safe to say that the mobile TV broadcast initiative will offer something for just about every demographic.

Other parts of the world have been enjoying terrestrial mobile TV broadcasts for some time now, but the mobile TV push has largely failed to catch on with any real significance. It remains to be seen whether or not free broadcasts will help drive mobile TV uptake in the US. With the economy in the toilet and consumers looking to save a buck whenever they can, the prospect of free mobile TV might be enough to coax users to try it out – after they buy the compatible hardware, that is…

Full press release after the break.

OMVC Demonstrates Future of Mobile DTV and Details Initial Broadcaster Roll-Out Plans

63 TV Stations in 22 Markets Reaching 35% of U.S. Households to Launch in 2009

2009 International CES
LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), an alliance of U.S. broadcasters dedicated to accelerating the development of mobile digital television (DTV), today announced the first wave of broadcasters that have committed to launching mobile digital television services in 2009. Timed to an OMVC press conference held at 2009 International CES, broadcasters have declared their intention to launch mobile DTV across 63 stations in 22 markets, covering 35 percent of U.S. television households. The new technology will provide live, local and national over-the-air digital television to consumers via next-generation portable and mobile devices at pedestrian and vehicular speeds. Of the 63 stations, there will be 14 NBC affiliates, nine ABC affiliates, nine CBS affiliates, five FOX affiliates, nine ION Television affiliates, four CW affiliates and four MyNetworkTV affiliates, along with nine additional PBS stations that are in discussions with the OMVC to join the 2009 launch (see attached table).

“Following a very smooth ATSC Mobile DTV standard setting process, broadcasters are on track to deliver local and national broadcast television to mobile audiences,” said Brandon Burgess, OMVC President and ION Media Networks Chairman and CEO. “The collaboration and dedication among TV broadcasters on this project has been gratifying, enabling us to meet our goal of making mobile broadcast DTV a reality in 2009.”

“Broadcasters should be recognized for seizing an opportunity to provide the entertainment and public service benefits of live, local television coverage to mobile consumers,” said David Rehr, President of the National Association of Broadcasters. “Consumers want to utilize mobile devices to follow news and sports, as well as local, regional and national emergency announcements and other content that they have come to expect from their local television stations. The roll-out of mobile DTV will give them the opportunity to experience all of those benefits.”

“Broadcasters are well positioned to dramatically improve the mobile video experience. Broadcaster-provided mobile DTV will give consumers local-station programming in a true digital format. It will also give broadcasters the opportunity to participate in this service using their own channels,” added David Lougee, President of Gannett Broadcasting.

John Eck, OMVC Executive Committee member and President of NBC TV Network and Media Works commented, “Mobile DTV will expand the reach of our content, provide consumers with more flexibility in how they access news, sports and entertainment programming, and open the door to a new world of possibilities for our advertisers. It’s a true pleasure to be working on the development of this exciting new broadcast initiative.”

“For a relatively small capital outlay, broadcasters can upgrade their existing transmission infrastructure to offer multiple channels of entertainment, news and public affairs programming. This truly marks a new day in mobile broadcasting,” said Vince Sadusky, President and CEO of LIN TV.

To showcase the consumer experience of Mobile DTV and the technical feasibility of the ATSC Mobile DTV Candidate Standard, the OMVC conducted a live demonstration on the opening day of CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The demo involved multiple Las Vegas-based television stations broadcasting popular local and national TV programs, music video, along with local sports and public affairs programming, to ATSC compliant devices produced by LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics, and using transmission equipment manufactured by Harris Corporation.

The robust and flexible ATSC Mobile DTV Candidate Standard supports over-the-air delivery of digital broadcast content to next-generation devices such as cell phones, laptop computers, handheld PDAs, portable media players and gaming devices. The standard also extends a variety of automotive opportunities, ranging from factory-installed in-vehicle entertainment systems to dealer-installed and aftermarket entertainment systems, as well as GPS systems enriched with local broadcast receiver capabilities. In the months to come, the OMVC will conduct extensive interoperability testing and trials in various markets nationwide.

The OMVC and ATSC recently announced acceptance of a Candidate Standard for mobile DTV that will be tested in multiple market trials during 2009, revised as needed and proposed as a final standard by mid-year. Working together on an exceptionally fast-track schedule, the groups have met every milestone and goal they established.

ABOUT THE OPEN MOBILE VIDEO COALITION

The Open Mobile Video Coalition is a voluntary association of television broadcasters whose mission is to accelerate the development of mobile digital television in the United States. The OMVC is composed of twenty-three members that own and operate over 450 commercial television stations, as well as the Association of Public Television Stations, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Broadcasting Service, which represent an additional 360 public television stations. Membership in the OMVC is open to all U.S.-based television broadcasters. Members are committed to fostering open competition in the development of products and services related to television. For more information, please visit http://www.omvc.org.

OMVC MEMBER COMPANIES
Association of Public Television Stations
Meredith Corp.
Belo Corp.
Morgan Murphy Media
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc.
NBC Universal — NBC Station Group
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
and Telemundo
Cox Television
Post-Newsweek Stations
Dispatch Broadcast Group
Public Broadcasting Service
Fisher Communications, Inc.
Raycom Media
FOX Television Stations
Schurz Communications, Inc.
Freedom Broadcasting, Inc.
Scripps Television Station Group
Gannett Broadcasting
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.
Gray Television Inc.
Sunbeam Television Corp.
Hearst Argyle Television, Inc.

ION Media Networks, Inc.
OMVC MEMBER ASSOCIATIONS
LIN TV Corp.
Association for Maximum Service Television
Media General Inc.
National Association of Broadcasters

OMVC Market Roll-Out Stations

Attached is an overview of the initial wave of participating member groups and station owners, shown both by station groups as well as by TV markets. These companies may also issue individual statements providing details on their plans as they become available.

The list attached focuses on initial roll-outs in the top 100 U.S. markets – the OMVC expects broadcasters to also roll-out in smaller markets.

The roll-out plans will be managed by each of the member companies in coordination with the OMVC in its role as facilitator of the technology standard process. The OMVC is working to ensure that a consensus technology is available for electronics manufacturers, transmission equipment producers, as well as participating broadcast stations.

See attached OMVC Station Launch Markets chart.

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Hands-on with the Novatel MiFi Portable Hotspot router @ CES Las Vegas 2009

Will Park — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:32:48 +0000

CES is always good for putting eyes and hands on new products, regardless of how little mobile-related material there happens to be in any given year (ahem, 2009). One of the highlights of this year’s CES was Novatel’s showcase during the ShowStoppers press event at the Wynn Las Vegas. The highlight of this year’s Novatel presence at the show was their upcoming Novatel MiFi Portable Hotspot.

If the name doesn’t give it away, the MiFi is basically a wireless router with an integrated 3G cellular modem. The kicker is that the Novatel MiFi is about the size of a credit card (and almost as thin) and runs on its own Li-ion power supply. The MiFi is supposed to be good for 5 hours, but we’d imagine that the battery life would suffer a bit with five people connected to the MiFi (the maximum allowed) at the same time.

With both GSM and CDMA frequency support, the MiFi portable hotspot can pull down high-speed wireless data on both HSDPA and EVDO Rev. A networks. When on a GSM network, all you need to do is pop in your GSM SIM card and away you go. It’s little more complicated for CDMA networks in the US, but no doubt worth the extra steps.

The Novatel MiFi ups the ante even further with its “intelligent” operating system. Based on a Linux kernel, the MiFi runs a low-level OS that handles the download and execution of location-based applications. That’s right, the MiFi sports an operating system, backed by 2GB of storage (for the CDMA variant, the GSM version will also have a microSD card slot for expandable storage), that is capable of downloading and running applications designed for the MiFi. Simply connect the MiFi to your computer, via USB, and log into the MiFi’s URL. From there, you can download applications directly to the MiFi – things like GPS applications, proximity-based social networks, etc. And, since the applications live natively on the MiFi, any computer connected to the MiFi can run the location-based apps without having to download the application to the computer. If that doesn’t make you want to buy a MiFi, we’re not sure what will.

The Novatel MiFi will be available through select carriers in the US in the first half of 2009 (1H 2009). Pricing will depend on carrier subsidies, but we’re expecting to see the MiFi coming in around $75 to $150 on contract.

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