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Handmark giving away content for two weeks

Handmark Inc. is hoping to raise its profile by giving away service. The Kansas City, Mo.-based company mobile media company this week will begin offering free content in an effort to raise consumer awareness of its Pocket Express offering. Users with smart phones from...

Tier 2 handset makers scramble for shrinking market share

The squeeze is on, the stakes are high and the options few. Second-tier handset makers-their exact numbers globally are unclear, but there may be more than 100 players-are scrambling to survive, let alone thrive, as the top six vendors increased their market share last...

Motorola Q to debut this month

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.-The Moto Q, Motorola Inc.'s flagship smart phone, will be available in April, missing by a hair the company's initial forecast for a first-quarter release. A Motorola spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on the timing of the Q's release.The device was...

Controversial 700 MHz plan aims to solve public-safety crisis: But DTV auction would be scrapped

WASHINGTON-Wireless industry veterans with access to significant financial and political resources soon intend to ask policymakers to scrap plans to auction a large swath of 700 MHz spectrum being surrendered by TV broadcasters and instead use 30 megahertz for a fourth-generation nationwide public-safety network...

Network-neutrality provision ignites protests in draft telecom bill

WASHINGTON-Network neutrality has emerged as a key sticking point in the debate regarding a scaled-backed communications draft bill-tentatively dubbed the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006-released by the House Commerce Committee late last month. Network neutrality generally refers to the ability to...

Network neutrality is sticking point in watered-down communications bill

WASHINGTON—Network Neutrality has emerged as a key sticking point in the debate regarding a scaled-backed communications draft bill released by the House Commerce Committee Monday. Network neutrality generally refers to the ability to run any lawful application or connect any lawful device to the...

Carriers must use network to offset ‘dumb pipe’ pressures

Sling Media Inc. launched a software package allowing wireless subscribers to view TV broadcasts on Windows Mobile devices. The developer announced a beta version of the much-awaited offering, which sends video from a cable box through an Ethernet cable to a handset running Windows...

MMA updates best marketing practices, gets new board

BOULDER, Colo.-The Mobile Marketing Association revised its "consumer best practices," updating the guidelines to include chat services, interactive television, and viral and affiliate marketing. The rules are designed to establish a standard, efficient platform for brands, advertisers and carriers looking to market to wireless...

Palm Treo shipments better than expected

SUNNYDALE, Calif.—Palm Inc. reported it sold more than a half-million Treos in its fiscal third-quarter, an increase of more than 100 percent from the same quarter last year. The company said the results reflect demand for its Treo 650 and Treo 700w smart phones—the...

Sling Media launches mobile trial

SAN MATEO, Calif.—Sling Media Inc. launched a software package allowing wireless subscribers to view TV broadcasts on Windows Mobile devices. The developer announced a beta version of the much-awaited offering, which sends video from a cable box through an Ethernet cable to a handset...

Mobile Marketing Association updates best practices

BOULDER, Colo.—The Mobile Marketing Association revised its "consumer best practices," updating the guidelines to include chat services, interactive television and viral and affiliate marketing. The rules are designed to establish a standard, efficient platform for brands, advertisers and carriers looking to market to wireless...

Will Google’s phone browser run into copyright troubles?

Google Inc. is dipping its toe in the mobile browser business, formatting Internet sites for users surfing the wireless Web. But legal experts say the Internet giant may be infringing on copyrights in the process. The Mountain View, Calif.-based firm has developed software that...

Microsoft to update ActiveSync with release of Vista OS

REDMOND, Wash.—Microsoft Corp. is expected to overhaul ActiveSync, its Windows Mobile device management offering, when the software giant rolls out the next version of its PC operating system later this year. Microsoft will change the service’s name to Windows Mobile Device Center with the...

NTP’s next move likely to defend patent claims

Congratulations. You've just been awarded $612.5 million. But if you're NTP Inc., you're probably not headed to Disneyland. Instead, the company likely is going back to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to defend its claims-patents that some call worthless but that just reaped...

Advocates praise TV white space for rural needs

WASHINGTON-Allocating spectrum for unlicensed uses would help rural America achieve full broadband deployment, Microsoft Corp.'s chief technology officer told lawmakers. Microsoft's CTO Craig Mundie endorsed bills that would make TV white space spectrum available to unlicensed users. "Unlicensed spectrum should be part of the...

Verizon Wireless exclusive carrier for TiVo Mobile

ALVISO, Calif.-TiVo Inc. took another small step toward wireless, inking a deal to allow Verizon Wireless subscribers to use their wireless phone as a TiVo remote control. The companies unveiled a downloadable BREW application that can be used to program TiVo's digital video recording...

European consortium looks for ‘Precious’ with open API

AACHEN, Germany—A consortium of European businesses and colleges unveiled an Application Programming Interface (API) designed to allow users to access content across mobile devices. The $2.1 million project, which was underwritten by the European Commission, seeks to reduce the development time and cost of...

Microsoft provides official Origami details

HANNOVER, Germany—Microsoft Corp. unveiled its much-hinted-at Origami product today—an ultra-mobile personal computer with Wi-Fi connectivity—at the CeBIT trade show in Hannover, Germany. The computing giant called the device a "first step" in its "big vision" for a mobile device that provides mobile, Windows-based applications...

Microsoft pushes for unlicensed broadband over TV white space

WASHINGTON—Allocating spectrum for unlicensed uses would help rural America achieve full broadband deployment, the chief technology officer for Microsoft Corp. told lawmakers Tuesday. Microsoft’s CTO, Craig Mundie, endorsed bills that would make TV White Space spectrum available to unlicensed users. "Unlicensed spectrum should be...

DVB-H market gains chip support from Qualcomm, backing from Microsoft

Call it hedging your bets. Qualcomm Inc. said it is developing chipsets based on a rival mobile television standard-Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld, or DVB-H-even while it works to complete its own MediaFlo network in the United States.Qualcomm is spending about $800 million to build its...

Ads get mobile, mobile gets ads

Mobile advertising has come a long way since the early days of "American Idol." The hit show is credited with catalyzing text messaging in North America, generating more than 13 million messages during the 2004 season from fans voting via their mobile phones. Mobile...

Microsoft joins DVB-H alliance as founding member

REDMOND, Wash—Microsoft Corp. announced that it’s backing Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld technology as a "founding member" of the Mobile DTV Alliance. Although the group formed in January, Microsoft only today announced its membership despite its ranking as a founding member. Microsoft joins Intel Corp., Modeo...

Music phones often sing off key

Operators are beginning to deploy full-track digital music services as a way to increase revenues, boost customer loyalty and slow churn. But if carriers are going to compete with Apple Computer Inc.'s iTunes, they may want to take a hard look at the iPod....

Wi-Fi deployments stretch across cities, countries, corporations

Wi-Fi news is never in short supply. Last week, EarthLink Inc. announced that it teamed with Google Inc. to submit a proposal for San Francisco's Wi-Fi network contract. Instead of having to choose between free or paid options to get Wi-Fi services, the city...