News | Fone Arena - Part 2996

System Rush Demo Now Available for Download

System Rush Demo Now Available for Download.Buckle-in and test drive the futuristic racer for the N-Gage platform

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE September 15, 2005

Espoo, Finland, – Nokia today announced that the demo for System Rush, the futuristic racing game developed exclusively for the N-Gage platform is now available for download. This sample of the System Rush experience will whet the gamers’ appetite for the rush of racing in a cyber-punk world of underground hackers. Featuring two playable co-vecs (code vehicles) and three tracks in the ultra-secure KGBX network, the demo is now available for download on the System Rush website at www.systemrush.com and can be shared with friends via Bluetooth wireless technology.

Developed by Ideaworks3D, System Rush is packed with intense multiplayer features, including four-player shadow racing in the N-Gage Arena or white-knuckle one-on-one battles via Bluetooth connection. Gamers can race through the world’s most secure corporate networks to recover evidence to clear their name. Players can pilot one of 11 co-vecs and tear through over 50 intense races in five unique game worlds.

About N-Gage

The N-Gage game deck is an innovative mobile device that is creating an entirely new market for the games industry. Built for active gamers, the N-Gage platform is the first mobile and connected game deck to feature online high-quality 3D multiplayer game play over Bluetooth wireless technology and GPRS. The N-Gage device also offers unique online games services as well as a comprehensive and growing games catalogue from the leading game publishers. Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Nokia and N-Gage are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nokia Corporation.

www.n-gage.com/press

www.nokia.com

Copyright © 2005 Nokia. All rights reserved. Nokia, N-Gage and System Rush are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nokia Corporation. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. Some features and services are dependent on the network, supported digital content formats, the compatibility of other devices and applications, and other factors. Please refer to the user guide for more detailed information.

ROKR 100 Tunes Limit Warning

Steve Jobs announced that the ROKR would play up to 100 tracks (including songs and podcasts), yet that figure doesn?t jibe with the size of a standard Flash memory chip. By Apple?s calculations, 100 songs takes up approximately 400MB of memory. Is someone producing a 400MB Flash chip now

A possibly annoying limitation to the recent Apple iTunes mobile phone, the ROKR from Motorola has been discovered.

It was reported over at playlistmag.com:

Steve Jobs announced that the ROKR would play up to 100 tracks (including songs and podcasts), yet that figure doesn’t jibe with the size of a standard Flash memory chip. By Apple’s calculations, 100 songs takes up approximately 400MB of memory. Is someone producing a 400MB Flash chip now?

Nope. The phone includes a removable 512MB Flash memory chip (found under the battery in the back of the phone). This chip will hold up to 100 tracks but the number of songs it holds isn’t dependant strictly on the size of the chip (though it obviously can’t contain more than 512MB of data). Rather, the 100 track limitation is part of a DRM scheme that prevents the phone from playing more than 100 tracks.

iTunes 5 keeps track of the number of tracks authorized for playback on the phone so even if your 100 tracks have used only 350MB of the card’s capacity, you can’t add more. Similarly, although you can swap in a new card that contains new tracks, those tracks won’t play until they’ve been approved for playback by iTunes.

source: GadgetSpy

Apple and Motorola Finally Launch iTunes Phone

Motorola and Apple today launched the first phone that will sync with their iTunes software. The Motorola ROKR E1 is almost exactly the model expected after months of leaks and rumors. It is based on Motorola’s E398 phone and shares the same hardware features: a VGA camera with flash, tri-band GSM/GPRS, 176 x 220 display and microSD (TransFlash) memory card slot. It also has stereo speakers, a stereo headset jack, and a lighted bezel the syncs to ringtones. The difference is that the ROKR syncs to iTunes, like any other iPod, via a USB cable. It can play tracks from the iTunes Music Store and can be filled with iTunes Autofill. Like the Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, the ROKR will feature an airplane mode to listen to music with the phone off. The ROKR will be available exclusively on Cingular in the US, and should be in their stores this weekend. itunes phone.jpg

The new Motorola ROKR (pronounced “Rocker”) is available in the following markets:

U.S. – today, exclusively with Cingular
U.K. – available first with Carphone Warehouse, expected in mid-September and then with O2, followed by Orange, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile and other top retailers through September and October
France – expected to be available by late September through key retailers
Italy – expected to be available by late September through key retailers
Germany – expected to be available through distributor and operator channels in 2H 05
Canada – expected to be available in mid- to late-September with Rogers Wireless
Hong Kong – expected to be available by late September through multiple retail outlets and operator channels
Australia, Singapore and the Philippines – expected to be available late September through early October through retail and operator channels
Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and other markets throughout the world – expected to be available in the fourth quarter

“The Motorola ROKR represents the ultimate convergence of mobile communications and music,” said Ed Zander, chairman and CEO of Motorola. “Fusing iTunes with your always-with-you mobile phone, we’re revolutionizing the way the world experiences mobile self-expression and entertainment.”

"We’ve worked closely with Motorola to deliver the world’s best music experience on a mobile phone," said Eddy Cue, vice president of iTunes. "We’re also thrilled to be working with some of the largest wireless carriers in the world to bring this pioneering phone to market."

The Motorola ROKR features a color display for viewing album art, dual built-in stereo speakers and stereo headphones that also serve as a mobile headset with microphone. Music fans can randomly autofill or manually fill the mobile phone with playlists of their favorite music, audiobooks and Podcasts from their iTunes library via a USB connection. The Motorola ROKR pauses music automatically when users take a call and offers the ability to listen to music while checking messages** or snapping a photo.

Nokia launches annual recognition program for mobile application developer companies

Nokia announced today that it is accepting applications for its Forum Nokia PRO Awards, which will be presented on the eve of the Nokia Mobility Conference (NMC) in Barcelona, November 2-3. All members of Nokia’s advanced developer support program, Forum Nokia PRO, are qualified to submit an entry for the awards, which will be presented to developers who exemplify “best practices” and who have made significant contributions to driving innovation in the mobility industry

Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced today that it is accepting applications for its Forum Nokia PRO Awards, which will be presented on the eve of the Nokia Mobility Conference (NMC) in Barcelona, November 2-3. All members of Nokia’s advanced developer support program, Forum Nokia PRO, are qualified to submit an entry for the awards, which will be presented to developers who exemplify "best practices" and who have made significant contributions to driving innovation in the mobility industry.

Recipients of the seven Forum Nokia PRO Awards, to be announced at a special developer reception on November 1, will receive 2006 Forum Nokia PRO membership at no cost, a value of more than $5,000 (U.S.), as well as a dedicated company information page on Forum Nokia’s public site.

Forum Nokia PRO was established in February 2004. It offers premium business and technical benefits that accelerate the development cycle and create larger market opportunities for qualified developers. More than 400 companies have joined the program, which provides unique benefits in technology access, business development support and marketing opportunities.

"Forum Nokia PRO members represent the most advanced and successful companies engaged in creating applications, technologies and services for the global mobility market," said Marc Naddell, director, Forum Nokia PRO. "By launching this new awards program we can highlight the most outstanding accomplishments in this community and reward companies that are supporting growth and innovation across the mobility industry."

The Forum Nokia PRO Awards 2005 will recognize outstanding achievement among PRO members in seven categories that are designed to broaden awareness of the most innovative and successful work in the mobile solutions and applications field today. These categories include:

– 2005 Developer of the Year Award

– Rising Star Award – Presented to application, content or solutions provider with fewer than 30 employees

– ARPU Award — Best business model for operators

– Enterprise Application – Series 60

– Enterprise Application – Series 80

– Gaming/Entertainment Application – Series 40

– Gaming/Entertainment Application – Series 60

Panel of Independent Judges

Nokia also announced today the independent panel of mobile industry journalists and analysts from around the world who will select the Forum Nokia PRO Award winners. Judges include:

– Mike Dano, reporter, RCR Wireless News (U.S.)

– Kevin Fitchard, senior editor, Telephony (U.S.)

– Glenn Letham, managing editor, SymbianOne.com (Canada)

– Bryan Ma, associate director, Asia/Pacific Personal Systems Research IDC (Singapore)

– Mark Newman, chief research officer, Informa Telecoms and Media (U.K.)

– Stuart O’Brien, editor, Mobile Entertainment (U.K.)

– Brad Smith, data/IP editor, Wireless Week (U.S.)

– Yuelong Yan, deputy editor-in-chief of Telecom World Magazine (China)

– Eric Zeman, editor-in-chief, Mobile Enterprise magazine (U.S.)

Application Process

Entries for the Forum Nokia PRO 2005 Awards program are now being accepted online. PRO members may submit entries until September 30, 2005. Pro members will be asked for details about their business activities during the last 12 months (the judging period) and they can indicate which categories they wish to be considered for.

For more information on the Forum Nokia PRO 2005 Awards program and instructions for submitting an application, PRO members should visit http://www.forum.nokia.com/pro.

About Forum Nokia

Nokia’s global developer program, Forum Nokia, connects developers to tools, technical information, support, and distribution channels they can use to build and market applications around the globe. From offices in the U.S., Europe, Japan, China, and Singapore, Forum Nokia provides technical and business development support to developers and operators to assist them in achieving their goal of successfully launching applications and services to consumers and enterprises. More information is available at www.forum.nokia.com.

About Nokia

Nokia is a world leader in mobile communications, driving the growth and sustainability of the broader mobility industry. Nokia connects people to each other and the information that matters to them with easy-to-use and innovative products like mobile phones, devices and solutions for imaging, games, media and businesses. Nokia provides equipment, solutions and services for network operators and corporations. www.nokia.com

Nokia 770 Gets FCC Approval

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has given Nokia permission to release in the US this company’s first Internet Tablet

The Nokia 770 will be an unusual product for this company, as it doesn’t have any cellular-wireless capabilities and, at its launch, won’t be able to be used as a phone.

As its name suggests, this will be a device dedicated to Internet access. It will come with a web browser and email application, as well as software for listing to Internet radio, reading RSS feeds, viewing images, and playing audio and video.

However, it will not include a calendar.

It will have both WiFi (802.11b/g) and Bluetooth 1.2, so it can access the Internet at a hotspot or through a mobile phone.

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet will start shipping in the third quarter of this year in selected countries in the Americas and Europe. It is expected to cost about $350.

A copy of this device’s user manual is on the FCC’s web site.

A complete overview of it can be found on Nokia’s web site.

Read original article : Brighthand

Hutch, Essar form new entity

Hutchison Whampoa, the owners of the Hutch brand, and the Ruia group promoted Essar Telecom have decided to consolidate their operations into a new entity christened as Hutchison Essar Ltd.

Hutchison Whampoa, the owners of the Hutch brand, and the Ruia group promoted Essar Telecom have decided to consolidate their operations into a new entity christened as Hutchison Essar Ltd. Essar Telecom will continue to have a 30 per cent stake in the merged entity. The name change comes after Essar Telecom picked up a 64 per cent stake in BPL Mobile a month ago.

source:Times of India, India

PalmOne rebrands as Palm

PalmOne has formally changed its name to Palm, unveiled a new logo and moved its headquarters, the company said on Thursday.
The new logo will start appearing on products this autumn, Palm said. The company has also begun trading on the Nasdaq under a new symbol: PALM. The gadget maker’s line of handhelds includes Zire, Tungsten, Treo and the recently launched LifeDrive.

See, Palm made good PDAs. Then people from Palm made Handspring.
Then Handspring bought Palm and sold the OS so you had PalmSource and PalmOne. Then PalmOne got confused and people stopped buying PDAs so they did poorly until their recent release of the LifeDrive. Now, however, we’re back to Palm again. Got it? It’s not that big a deal, but the now-rebranded Palm might be able to dig itself out of its slump by making some nice all-in-one devices, like the LifeDrive.

Source:gizmodo

http://www.palm.com

Nokia N90 voted European Media Phone of the Year

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that its flagship imaging device, the Nokia N90, has been awarded the European Media Phone of the Year 2005-2006 by the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), the largest editorial multimedia organization in Europe. The award is an endorsement of the Nokia N90’s industry-leading feature set, which makes it one of the most high performance devices in the marketplace.

Commenting on the award, EISA praised the Nokia N90 as a ‘true best-of-breed multimedia phone, stuffed full of advanced photo, video audio and messaging features’. EISA also highlighted the Nokia N90’s Carl Zeiss optics which ‘endows it with serious photographic ability, including capturing and editing 2 megapixel digital photos and MPEG 4 352×288 resolution video.’

EISA is the largest editorial organization in Europe, with a membership of 50 Audio, Mobile Electronics, Video and Photo magazines all drawn from 20 European countries. At the end of June, all EISA member magazines came together for the election of the European awards. The panel annually chooses the best equipment in a number of categories from products introduced during the preceding twelve months.

Announced in April, the Nokia N90 is the flagship camera product in Nokia’s newly launched Nokia Nseries range of high performance multimedia devices. The first mobile device to feature superior Carl Zeiss optics and a range of advanced camera features, the Nokia N90 meets the expectations of even the most demanding picture taker.

"The Nokia N90 has raised the bar for mobile devices and we are delighted to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe," said Tuula Rytilä-Uotila, Director, Imaging, EMEA, Multimedia, Nokia. "This award is also an endorsement of the strategy behind Nokia Nseries – to bring to market high performance multimedia devices which will make digital convergence a reality."

About Nokia Nseries

Nokia Nseries is a range of high performance multimedia devices that delivers unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences by combining the latest technologies with stylish design and ease of use. With Nokia Nseries products, consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information and to capture and share pictures and videos, whenever and wherever they want.

Mobiles catch Cabir virus at world athletics

Visitors to the world athletics championships in Finland have had to brave wind and rain, and officials say they now face the possibility of catching the world’s first mobile phone virus.

Officials in mobile-mad Finland, home to the world’s largest mobile phone maker, Nokia, said there had been outbreaks of the Cabir virus at Helsinki’s Olympic Stadium.

Jarmo Koski, a security official at telecoms firm TeliaSonera, said: "At most we are speaking about dozens of infections but during a short period and in one spot this is a huge number."

Cabir, first reported in June last year, uses Bluetooth short range wireless signals to jump between mobile phones.

Source:silicon

Nokia: No iTunes for next multimedia mobile

Nokia has no agreement with Apple for the iTunes music service to be included on its upcoming N91 multimedia phone, the Finnish phone giant said on Thursday.But Nokia said because of the design of the new N-series phones, software developers could readily produce programs to allow the gadgets to use services like iTunes.

Nokia has no agreement with Apple for the iTunes music service to be included on its upcoming N91 multimedia phone, the Finnish phone giant said on Thursday.

But Nokia said because of the design of the new N-series phones, software developers could readily produce programs to allow the gadgets to use services like iTunes.

A spokesman for Nokia’s multimedia division said: "There is no commercial agreement between Nokia and Apple to integrate iTunes into the N-series devices.

"But since this is based on a computer platform, anybody – including Apple, if they so wish – can very easily develop this kind of application and offer it to consumers, via the internet, for example."

Finnish daily Taloussanomat had previously reported that Nokia would bring iTunes to the N91 model.

The spokesman said Nokia had already seen such applications in research labs but had not agreed to any commercial deals: "We are not making any exclusive arrangements with any music store but believe that we want to give the consumer the choice of where they want to purchase their music."

Music phones produced by Nokia, the world’s number one handset maker, have so far been seen as competitors to Apple’s successful iPod device and iTunes service.

Source:Silicon.com – UK

Nokia introduces mobile search to its smartphones

Nokia today introduced a pioneering mobile search software solution that provides users with easy and fast access to leading search engines directly from their Nokia handset.

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today introduced a pioneering mobile search software solution that provides users with easy and fast access to leading search engines directly from their Nokia handset. The search application is a simple, convenient, and fast way for Nokia smartphone users to find and connect to any website as well as local search engines, whenever, wherever. The current service and content providers incorporated in the search application include Eniro, Fonecta, Medio Systems, Yahoo!, Yell.com, as well as digital map solution provider AtlasCT and digital map data provider NAVTEQ.

"Introducing the search application together with the leading search engine providers brings one of the world’s most popular online activities – online search – to the fingertips of Nokia handset users," said Harry Santamäki, Vice President, Strategy and Business Development, Multimedia, Nokia. "With this extremely straightforward and easy to use application, users can now expand the use of online search services beyond their desktops. Furthermore, what better than to be able to connect directly and immediately to the business or service you were looking for. The search application is truly the next best thing to having all of the world’s directories printed inside the mobile phone!"

The mobile search application is currently being piloted in the UK, Finland and Sweden. The application will be distributed in the standard sales packs of the Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681 and Nokia 6630 smartphones. Existing owners of these devices can download the search application for free from the Nokia website at www.nokia.com/mobilesearch.

With the search engines integrated and easily accessible in just one application, users of Nokia smartphones can search for anything on the web*, including websites, images, news and weather information, as well as mobile content, such as ring tones, games and wallpapers. Once something relevant, such as a website is found, the user can then immediately connect to see that site. In addition to Yahoo! Search services, users in the UK, Finland and Sweden also have access to local business and service information providers, namely Yell.com in the UK, Eniro and Fonecta in Finland, and Eniro in Sweden. UK users will also be able to conduct content-based searches via Medio Systems.

The local search engines enable searching for local services or businesses – anything from restaurants and hotels to taxi numbers or flower shops. Results of local searches display the relevant contact data, and the user can instantly, with the push of a button, call the given telephone number or save it to contacts. Moreover, with integrated mapping solutions from www.ABmaps.com portal by AtlasCT and digital map data from NAVTEQ, the results can be shown on a map, aiding users on the go to locate their destination. Users can also save and, for example, send the map as MMS to a friend.

When traveling between countries, the search application automatically offers to change to available local search engines. Users can also change the location setting manually, enabling a user to find the contact details, for example, of a hotel in another country in order to make a reservation for a future visit.

*To check the cost of data transfer services, contact your network operator or service provider.

For more information about the mobile Search application and the incorporated search engines, please see

www.nokia.com/mobilesearch

Sony Ericsson announces another Walkman phone offering top quality music the stylish W550

August 8, 2005

Sony Ericsson today announced a new addition to its Walkman
phone family – the W550 – an affordable phone that offers great quality stereo music and integrates a 1.3 megapixel camera, full Internet browsing capability and a credible games console,

August 8, 2005

Sony Ericsson today announced a new addition to its Walkman™ phone family – the W550 – an affordable phone that offers great quality stereo music and integrates a 1.3 megapixel camera, full Internet browsing capability and a credible games console, all in a compact and stylish swivel phone design. This new Walkman phone will appeal principally to expressive fun seekers who enjoy life to the full and want to take their music with them everywhere they go.

W550 – Features at a glance:

Imaging and messaging

QuickShare™
1.3 MegaPixel camera
Horizontal camera user interface
4 x digital zoom
Picture light
176 x 220 pixel TFT display
262K colour display
Video recording and fullscreen playback
SMS and MMS
Wireless village
Adobe picture PC software

Entertainment

2 stereo speakers
Style-Up™ covers
PlayNow™ ringtones and 2D games
Horizontal fullscreen games and video
RDS FM radio
Walkman® player (MP3/AAC)
Media player (MP3/AAC)
256MB user memory
Stereo headset
40 polyphonic ringtones
Java MIDP 2.0
3D games
MusicDJ™ and VideoDJ™
OMA DRM phase 1
MegaBass™
Stereo widening

Connectivity

Triple-band 900/1800/1900 MHz
GPRS class 10
Access NetFront HTML browser
BluetoothTM and Infrared
PC software
External antenna connector
USB system connector and cable

Source: SonyEricsson Press Release

The top 10 selling PDAs/Smart phones in July 2005

The Swedish manufacturer of carrying cases for portable electronics, Krusell, has released their “Top 10”-list for July 2005. The list is based upon the number of pieces of model specific PDA- and Smartphone cases that has been ordered from Krusell during July 2005

The Swedish manufacturer of carrying cases for portable electronics, Krusell, has released their "Top 10"-list for July 2005. The list is based upon the number of pieces of model specific PDA- and Smartphone cases that has been ordered from Krusell during July 2005. Krusell’s list is unique due to the fact that their sales of cases reflect the sales of PDAs and Smartphones on six continents and in more than 50 countries around the globe.

1. (1) PalmOne Treo 600/650
2. (2) Qtek 9090/02 XDA III
3. (3) Qtek S100/I-mate JAM
4. (4) HP iPAQ HW6500
5. (8) Hp Ipaq hx2100/2400/2700
6. (7) Hp Ipaq hx4700
7. (5) Mio Mitac 168/Yakumo 300 GPS/Navman PiN
8. (6) Blackberry RIM 6200/7200/7230
9. (-) Qtek 8010/I-mate SP3
10. (-) Blackberry RIM 62X0/72X0
( )= last months position.

The summer month of July offered no changes at the top of this months list. PalmOne Treo 600/650 is number one for the second consecutive month. The only two new entries are Qtek 8010/I-mate SP3 and Blackberry RIM 6200.

Top 10 cell phones in July 2005

Krusell – a Swedish carrying case maker publishes Top Ten Cell Phones each month which are calculated by trading volumes in over 50 countires

The Swedish manufacturer of carrying cases for portable electronics, Krusell, has released their "Top 10"-list for July 2005. The list is based upon the number of pieces of model specific mobile phone cases that has been ordered from Krusell during July 2005. Krusell’s list is unique due to the fact that it reflects the sales of mobile phones on six continents and in more than 50 countries around the globe.

The top ten phones for july 2005 are

(1) Sony Ericsson K750i/K750c
2. (2) Motorola Razr V3
3. (3) Nokia 6230/6230i
4. (4) PalmOne Treo 600/650
5. (7) Nokia 6680/6681/6682
6. (5) Qtek 9090/O2 XDA III
7. (9) Nokia 5140
8. (6) Sony Ericsson K700i
9. (10) Qtek S100/I-mate JAM
10. (-) Nokia 6020/6021

( )= last months position.

No changes at the top of this months list. Sony Ericsson K750i is keeping its number one position, followed by Motorola Razr V3 and Nokia 6230. The only new entry is Nokia 6020. – The lack of changes to this months top list reflects that not many new models were released in July, comments Ulf Sandberg, CEO at Krusell International. – Dramatic changes can be expected during the forthcoming high season when many new models like Sony Ericsson W800 and K600, are launched.

Source

Nokia Releases N-Gage QD Silver Edition To European, Middle Eastern and African Markets

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that it will be releasing an N-Gage QD Silver Edition to the European, Middle Eastern and African markets. Nokia continues to support the N-Gage platform with the best games line up to date, with titles such as ONE, System Rush, Pathway to Glory Ikusa Islands and High Seize

"We have had a lot of requests from both consumers and trade to provide an N-Gage QD variant. This is very much in line with our fall consumer activities,"said Jukka Hosio, Director, Global Sales, Games Business Program, Nokia. "We chose silver as it’s one of the season’s most fashionable colors."

The new N-Gage QD Silver Edition game deck has all the smartphone functionalities and connectivity features as the original N-Gage QD game deck has, including calendar, contacts, e-mail, web browsing, Bluetooth connectivity and GPRS.

The new N-Gage QD Silver Edition game deck is expected to be available, September 1st, in the European, Middle Eastern and African markets.

About N-Gage

The N-Gage game deck is an innovative mobile device that is creating an entirely new market for the games industry. Built for active gamers, the N-Gage platform is the first mobile and connected game deck to feature online high-quality 3D multiplayer gameplay over Bluetooth wireless technology and GPRS. The N-Gage device also offers unique online games services through N-Gage Arena, as well as a comprehensive and growing games catalogue from the leading game publishers. Nokia, the owner of the N-Gage brand, is the world leader in mobile communications