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.