Nokia & Skype deal riles UK operators

A deal between Skype and Nokia announced at last month’s GSMA Mobile World Congress has reportedly angered UK operators Orange and O2. The VoIP firm and the world’s largest handset vendor announced in February plans to pre-install Skype into Nokia’s smartphones, starting with the N-Series. Nokia’s flagship N97 including Skype will go on sale in the third quarter of this year, the first fruit of the two companies’ agreement. However, according to Mobile Today, “O2 and Orange responded furiously” to the plans and may refuse to stock the N97 unless Nokia strips out the Skype client. The argument is believed to centre around ownership of the customer, as well as potential lost revenue from calls from Skype’s VoIP service. Rival operators 3 UK and T-Mobile UK are reportedly backing Nokia and Skype’s partnership.

Such developments are not the first time that concerns have been raised by mobile operators about what they potentially see as the competitive threat posed by Skype. In an interview with the Mobile World Congress Show Daily last month, Skype president Josh Silverman said operators should not see his company as a threat. “Operators sell access to networks,” he said. “We sell applications that drive demand for network access. We have a symbiotic relationship with network operators.” Back in 2006, Skype struck a deal with 3 UK for development of the 3 Skypephone that has sold around 500,000 units.gfsyd4798p

BenQ Joybook S57 announced

World-leading innovator of digital lifestyle products, BenQ, today announced the release of the new Joybook S57, an HD-ready laptop delivering uncompromised indulgence of today’s advanced multimedia content. High-end specifications – such as future-proof HDMI, discrete GPU, TruSurround HD™, and 8ms response time – optimize the latest Blu-ray movies, HD games with impressive sound and 100% visual accuracy on the 15.6” wide, 16:9 LED-backlit screen. Positioned as delivering the best audiovisual notebook experience, the Joybook S57 has users ready for the future of digital multimedia. 

The visual prowess of the S57 is a clear testament to BenQ’s world-renowned display expertise. HD content looks spectacular on the native 1366x768 resolution featuring 16:9 aspect ratio for the best human visual experience and is flawlessly reproduced, filling the entire 15.6” wide screen without distortion or annoying black bars. HD gaming and movie thrill are heightened via a super-smooth 8ms response time, Intel® Centrino® 2 Processor Technology and next-generation ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 4650 dGPU, which wow with unprecedented levels of artifact-free graphic realism and support for Microsoft® DirectX® 10.1 games. The 220-nit LED screen is additionally enhanced with UltraVivid technology for exceptional color depth and detail definition; while BenQ’s display leadership further shines through with a 60% color saturation (compared to the typical 40-50% range of most laptop screens), rendering even the subtlest color changes in exacting brilliance. Visual perfection is complemented with 2-channel SRS TruSurround HD™ and SRS Headphone 360™. 

The S57 mobile multimedia hub comes with either an 8X DVD Super-Multi optical disc drive or 2X Blue-ray DVD combo; the latter featuring the added convenience of DVD and CD read/write functions. Users can easily create a dream library of videos, games, and audio for anytime, anywhere HD entertainment thanks to the large-capacity HDD, available up to 500GB. 

The S57 is also the ultimate Internet portal, equipped with superb features for optimum online enjoyment: integrated 2W microphone and two 2W speakers, VoIP, and 2.0M webcam with Magic-i™ Visual Effects and WebCam Companion™ 3 deliver unlimited web conferencing; and HDMI (with HDCP), 802.11a/b/g/n WLAN card, eSATA high-speed data connector, ExpressCard slot, 4-in-1 card reader, and optional Bluetooth 2.1 enable effortless connection.

Keeping users lookin’ great is a polished design that reflects a sophisticated digital lifestyle. Poured across the cover is a blackened liquid dark espresso UV coating that gives way to a pearl white interior. User-friendly design elements include separate numeric keypad, LED indicators located on the right of the keyboard (as opposed to conventional left bottom side) for easy viewing.  

The HD-ready multimedia Joybook S57 will be available Mar. 9, 2009 in Australia, Thailand, and Malaysia. For more information, please visit BenQ.com.

Japan cell phone goes 3D with special display

The Japanese already use their cell phones to shop, exchange e-mail and watch digital TV. Now comes another dimension to the ever-growing list of eye-catching mobile features: the 3D display.

The Hitachi Ltd.'s Wooo H001 cell phone, which went on sale last month in Japan for 50,000 yen ($510), has a tiny button that says "3D" below the keyboard. Push it, and the screen's image will appear three-dimensional, seeming to protrude slightly from the 3.1-inch liquid crystal display.

Similar to how 3D movies and TVs work, the technology takes advantage of how the human mind understands depth and spacing. By sending a slightly different image to each eye, the 3D cell phone creates the illusion of 3D, almost like a miniature hologram.

Some 3D theater and the 3D Hyundai TV require special glasses to shut out the image meant for the other eye. But the Wooo phone comes with its own invisible barriers packed inside the display to ensure the same effect.

Watching a tiny 3D image or animation video on a cell phone is fun — but for a few seconds. It gets a bit tiring on the eyes, once the novelty wears off.

The 3D feature works for any image, but it would be more enjoyable if there were more mobile content especially designed for 3D. Reading e-mail in 3D is simply nerve-racking.

There are no plans to sell the 3D cell in the United States and other overseas markets, according to mobile carrier KDDI Corp., which offers the phone. KDDI doesn't disclose the number of 3D handsets sold so far.

JavaFX Mobile platform launches

Sun Microsystems recently announced the availability of the JavaFX Mobile platform, enabling the Java wireless ecosystem to create expressive solutions, which leverage the power and ubiquity of the Java Platform Micro Edition (Java ME). The JavaFX Mobile platform delivers rich content and services across the broadest range of mobile devices – from mass market feature phones to smart phones. Sun also announced that several leading handset manufacturers, service providers and ISVs are working with Sun to ship JavaFX Mobile handsets. Details on companies working with JavaFX are available at: http://javafx.com/partners. Developers and partners can start building JavaFX applications for mobile and desktop today by downloading the JavaFX SDK, which includes a complete JavaFX Mobile Emulator at: http://www.javafx.com. 

“JavaFX provides new functionality for easily creating more immersive applications that seamlessly integrate content, media and data across device platforms. By delivering JavaFX Mobile on top of the wireless Java platform, Sun is now bringing expressiveness to the most pervasive and powerful platform in the mobile industry,” said CP Loo, managing director, Sun Microsystems, Malaysia. “We are thrilled with the excitement and interest we’re seeing for JavaFX from many of the world’s top handset manufacturers, service providers and ISVs, which will help us bring this new technology to market and to the world very quickly.” 

The Java platform, supported by global mobile operators and device manufacturers, is available on more than 2.6 billion mobile phones and is supported by 6.5 million software developers, making it one of the strongest mobile platform in the industry. Built on top of a consistent Java ME platform implementation, JavaFX Mobile allows companies to create immersive mobile content, while leveraging their existing investment in the Java platform. Developers can use JavaFX Mobile to easily extend their current Java ME mobile applications, games and solutions with expressive features and functionality. In addition, developers using JavaFX technology have access to Java ME’s mature and highly proven security model and phone specific capabilities, such as address book, Bluetooth, camera, location services, etc. 

The JavaFX platform is unique in that it provides a unified development and deployment model for building expressive RIAs across desktop, browser and mobile. JavaFX delivers high fidelity audio and video, rich text, vector graphics, animation and web services for mobile and desktop applications via a simple but powerful scripting language. To help developers and technical designers get a jump-start on building these applications, updated samples, tutorials, articles, screen-casts etc. are available at http://www.javafx.com. 

The JavaFX Mobile Platform Gains Support From Industry Leading Companies 

JavaFX Mobile helps companies across the mobile industry to quickly and easily deliver innovative, new products to market. Service providers can use JavaFX Mobile to deliver the expressive content and services that are critical to improving average revenue per user (ARPU) and end-user satisfaction; JavaFX Mobile allows device manufacturers to offer richer, more immersive applications to help differentiate their devices and ISVs benefit from the pervasiveness of the Java platform to help deploy their content across broad range of wireless devices. Visit http://javafx.com/partners for more information on companies who are working with the JavaFX platform. 

“Sony Ericsson is committed to delivering innovative and energized user experiences to our consumers, working closely with partners who share the creativeness and vision.” says Rikko Sakaguchi, corporate vice president and head of creation and development at Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications. “We see JavaFX as a natural fit to our mobile software platform strategy to enable developers, both in-house and in our ecosystem, to create superior, innovative, expressive mobile applications and services. Sony Ericsson expects that JavaFX will have a great impact on the mobile content ecosystem and plan to bring JavaFX to a significant part of our product portfolio.” 

“LG Electronics plays a leading role in creating world class mobile experiences for consumers,” said Woo-Young Kwak, executive vice president, head of LG Mobile Handset R&D Center at LG Electronics, Inc. “Sun and LG Electronics have a strong working relationship around Java technology for our product line. We look forward to being the first company to deliver a JavaFX enabled handset so we can build new and exciting features that benefit our customers.” 

“Orange is committed to bringing the best mobile multimedia services and applications to its customers and Java technology already plays a key role in supporting this, by delivering exciting content across our entire Signature handset portfolio,” said Dominic Lobo, head of Device Platfoms, Orange. “As a cross platform technology, Java also enables the development of converged applications delivered via Orange’s mobile, broadband and TV services. Orange welcomes the announcement of JavaFX Mobile which will provide opportunities to develop richer and more compelling content.” 

“Sprint, in its continued support of an open framework and ecosystem, views JavaFX as an additional strategic platform in its open toolkit. JavaFX enables Sprint to further leverage the developer and designer community towards offering its customers a broader and richer experience,” said Mathew Oommen, vice president, device and technology development, Sprint. 

“JavaFX shows a lot of promise to help application and web developers create rich, engaging and immersive applications across desktop and mobile,” said Cynergy Vice President, Dave Wolf. “As a global leader in the design and development of Rich Internet Applications, we are excited to leverage this technology in our drive to design and build incredible experiences, for the right users and on the right device.” 

“We are very pleased with the direction of the JavaFX platform,”said Cedric Fernandes, vice president, Technology at MobiTV. “JavaFX really allows us to leverage our Java ME investment, and reinforce our core mobile video streaming value proposition. Our existing technology expertise is a great fit with the Java FX offering, and the combination means MobiTV and Sun are bringing an optimized media experience to market.”

Nokia ponders the laptop business

We have just caught a glimpse of a Reuters report of Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, who is Nokia’s current boss, saying on Finnish TV what amounts to Nokia’s first official acknowledgement that they are prepared to enter the PC industry. 

In recent weeks, we have seen PC manufacturers announced cell phones to add to their range of mobile PCs, and we now observe that this cuts both ways. Nokia may merely be the first handset maker to try its hand at the portable computer business. 

Either way, it would be a safe bet that in the future laptops will come with built in voice capabilities, and so will handphone devices come with more and more laptop features. The question that must be asked is this: Will they use Microsoft Windows or new version of the Symbian OS for a Nokia laptop? One can’t help but suspect a modified Symbian OS is under development. After all, Nokia did buy the entire Symbian operation a little while ago.