Handsets/devices
Toshiba
Toshiba plans to launch its first personal digital assistant (PDA) in Japan next month and in the United States the fourth quarter of this year. The Genio PDA will run on Microsoft’s Pocket PC operating system and a 206 MHz StrongArm processor from Intel. The Genio will feature dual-expansion capabilities, allowing users to run additional memory along with wireless expansion simultaneously. The target market, according to the company, is high-end corporate users. www.toshiba.com
PC-Ephone
Wireless start-up PC-EPhone released its new integrated PDA/CDMA phone. The phone will initially be sold for wireless data only and features a 640 x 480 color screen, a standard compact flash slot and an integrated CDMA modem and telephone. To use the device on a Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) or CDMA network, users must purchase a CF card, which is available from Enfora and Socket Communications. Other major device companies, such as Palm and Handspring, have promised an integrated wireless product by the end of the year. www.pc-ephone.com.
Rohde & Schwarz SIT
Rohde & Schwarz SIT, a subsidiary of Rohde & Schwarz, offer its new TopSec GSM tap-proof mobile telephone. The device, based on the S35i Siemens mobile phone, has a crypto module that allows users to switch into crypto mode and carry out secure mobile transactions. The TopSecGSM features asymmetric 1024-bit encryption and a symmetric 128-bit algorithm for high security levels. www.rohde-schwarz.com.
Headsets
Simply the Best
Australia-based company Simply the Best said it has developed technology that will reduce radiation in mobile-phone headsets. Testing by the globally certified specific absorption rate (SAR) testing laboratory, EMC Technologies, supports the company’s claim that the new RF-Block headset reduces 98 percent of radiation. According to EMC’s report, “test results showed that when the Premium Headset was used, the SAR at the head was reduced by more than 40 times that of the 7110 in the touch position.” www.simplythebest.com.au
3G technology
France Telecom
France Telecom’s research and development department has designed a prototype wearable multimedia communications scarf that will offer services expected with the next-generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) technology. The scarf, which is worn around the neck, conceals earphones, a microphone, a mini keyboard and a GSM phone. According to France Telecom, it will allow users to access corporate and personal information privately. The product is currently being tested and will be available by 2005. www.francetelecom.com
Red Hat
Open source solution developer Red Hat and multimedia software developer 3G Lab are jointly designing and developing an open source, real-time operating system for next-generation 2.5G and 3G mobile devices. According to Red Hat, the eCos/M3 solution will use Red Hat’s embedded configurable operating system (eCos) to deliver next-generation mobile communications solutions faster and more cost effectively over the Red Hat network. Through this alliance, the companies will deliver hardware, software, test environments, support and new Internet-based features to manufacturers of mobile devices. www.3GLAB.com
Location technology
WCities
Location-based information service provider WCities launched a geo-coded wireless service that provides location-specific information to individual user cell phones. According toTan Rasab, the company’s chief executive officer, with the service, cell-phone and PDA users can find whatever they’re looking for anywhere in the city and with pinpoint accuracy to within 15 meters of their actual location. The new technology uses global positioning system (GPS) and MPS to provide users with multilingual information, including the location of restaurants, lodging, entertainment, transportation centers, and retail shops. www.wcities.com
Star*home
Star*home, an affiliate of Comverse Technology, built a global IP network and computing platform that enables mobile operators to provide mobile users with access to home network enhanced services as well as specially offered local services. It tracks mobile users and transports subscriber information through SS7 monitoring of communication lines. Once identified, the subscriber receives a message detailing the services available in a new location. The product is based on RAD Data Communications’ DXC-8R multiservice access node, which supports monitoring and grooming of up to 31 E1s. www.rad.com
Voice recognition
AT&T Labs
AT&T Labs developed its first commercial product, a human-sounding computer-speech system that can re-create any voice. The Natural Voices text-to-speech product includes an engine that can turn written words into natural-sounding speech and a library of voices, along with the ability to custom-develop or duplicate a voice. www.naturalvoices.att.com
Verascape
Verascape announced the availability of its UNIX-based VeraServ speech products. The speech platform allows carriers, enterprises and application service providers to build, run and host voice applications using Web-based tools and paradigms. In addition, users can access Internet information, including e-mail, via mobile phones. The VeraServ products all use VoiceXML, a software language that allows dialogue between people and computers through speech-recognition technology. www.verascape.com
Billing software
WaterCove Networks
WaterCove Networks said its new FlowCore product addresses billing, provisioning and performance problems that limit deployment and growth of mobile data services. FlowCore, which supports 2.5 generation and third-generation (3G) technologies including CDMA, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), enables operators to create and deliver mobile data services while supporting subscribers, services and sessions. The product features a mobile data service core that oversees service control and a mobile data support node that provides processing power and high bandwidth switching capability for deploying mobile services. www.watercove.com
Applications
HiuGO
HiuGO introduced MobileFlirting, a new service that offers short messaging service (SMS) chat functionality that lets users communicate using Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), Web and SMS interchangeably. The service, which is aimed at the youth market, allows users to chat using flirt slang, a special SMS text code, without knowing each other’s mobile numbers. Online, via WAP and Web, users can pick up new lovers, invite others on blind dates, post messages, and read about the top five best and worst lovers. In July, Blu became the first European operator to adopt the service as bluflirt. www.hiugo.com
Mbasics
Mbasics launched a service for constructing and hosting WAP animations that ensures animations are automatically tuned to every WAP-enabled wireless device. The company is currently offering free animations from its WAP site for testing and demonstration purposes but expects consumers would be willing to pay for WAP animations eventually. In addition, for a fee, content providers are offered use of animations construction tools and hosting facilities. www.mbasics.com
Antennas
Matsushita Electric
Matsushita Electric Industrial has developed a twin-area (bidirectional) antenna designed for indoor and underground use. The company said the new antenna is more compact and will enable seamless mobility in tunnels, underground shopping malls and inside buildings. The antenna has a bidirectional and elliptical radiation pattern, built-in optical/RF converters and improved broadband impedance characteristics, allowing fewer antennas to cover the same area. www.pana
sonic.co.jp/global/top.html
