While not everyone can ride the Google Shuttle to work and enjoy a free Wi-Fi connection, in-vehicle Internet access for all is not far off as cars roll into the digital age. In-car access to everything from real-time traffic updates to favorite iTunes songs...
The worldwide mobile entertainment market will grow from about $20 billion last year to more than $64 billion by 2012, driven by music, games and mobile TV, according to a new report from Juniper Research.The report predicts mobile music will remain the largest sector...
Jamba said it will be the first digital retailer to offer music unencumbered by digital rights management (DRM) software under a deal with record label EMI.A joint venture between News Corp. and VeriSign Inc., Jamba said it will distribute an undisclosed number of DRM-free...
Nokia Corp. and Sony Ericsson are gearing up for what looks to be an epic battle on the mobile content playground. But the complicated world of mobile content is more like one of those bar-fight scenes in the movies where it's tough to tell...
If you spend any time speaking with national carriers or multinational device vendors, you know that they exist only to meet consumer demand. It's all about the consumer, etc.A plausible and ubiquitous talking point, to be sure. Of course, how the carrier and device...
Editor's Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News' weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the wireless industry.--Time Warner Cable...
Sony Ericsson said it has secured deals with 10 music labels, adding 5 million new tracks to its mobile music service.The company, a joint venture between Sony Corp. and L.M. Ericsson, announced agreements with Sony BMG, Warner Music Group, EMI, The Orchard and six...
The growing availability of cellphones that support music is spurring increasing mobile music consumption in the United States and Western Europe, according to a new report from M:Metrics.The company said sideloading of music accounts for 83% of mobile music usage in France, Germany, Italy,...
Editor's Note: Welcome to On the Margins, a feature for RCR Wireless News' weekly e-mail service, Mobile Content and Culture. Every week, the RCR Wireless News staff considers events in the wider business world and how they could affect the wireless industry.--Napster announced it...
As ringtone revenues descend and full-track mobile music services spin their tires, ringback tones are quietly gaining steam. But they may not be quiet much longer.Ringbacks-audio content that a caller hears instead of a traditional ring before the person being called answers the phone-first...
The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available.--E-Band: Reliance Technology Ventures Ltd. led a $10 million Series B funding round into E-Band Communications Corp. Also participating...
Comverse Inc. said it is teaming with Jamba to power an off-deck ringback tone service for T-Mobile Germany.The carrier will employ Comverse's Fun Broker, an off-deck service that allows content providers to sell ringback tones directly through their portals. The move allows T-Mobile to...
The worldwide mobile music market will ring up $11 billion in annual revenues by 2011, according to a study released last week by the U.K. firm Understanding & Solutions Ltd. Meanwhile, IDC predicts the global market for wireless devices will exceed $250 billion within...
In a bid to expand its direct-to-consumer content offerings, Nokia Corp. announced the release of a free-to-download, Internet-based radio service for its cellphones.The application, available to Nokia phone owners, allows users to browse hundreds of online radio stations worldwide based on station name,...
As Virgin Mobile USA Inc. has endured, even thrived, over its five-year life, it has seen its customer base transition from a play for the 18- to 34-year-old crowd to a substantial proportion (nearly 50%) of over-35 subscribers.The mobile virtual network operator itself has...
Dropping vowels from the name of a wireless handset, apparently, may never die. Same with dropping names. AT&T Mobility said that the SLM (hmm . as in "Slim"?) would be on shelves Nov. 23-the day after Thanksgiving, historically the biggest single shopping day of...
Openwave Systems Inc. finally found a buyer for Musiwave, selling the mobile music business to Microsoft Corp. Microsoft will spend $46 million in cash for Musiwave and assume roughly $4 million of the Paris-based business's net debt. The software giant earlier this week acquired...
Microsoft Inc. announced it has acquired the right to buy Musiwave SA from Openwave Systems Inc., which has struggled with management changes in light of stock-option backdating woes and proxy battles with shareholders. No terms of the proposed deal were disclosed.The acquisition of Musiwave...
For a show that bills itself as a bleeding-edge event with a multiple personality disorder (One Show. Two Personalities.) last week's CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment conference in San Francisco was exceedingly tame.A disappointingly placid Steve Ballmer of Microsoft took center stage for the...
Groove Mobile is going directly to consumers with a new track from indie hip-hop artist Aceyalone. Users can send a message to a short code to receive a link enabling them to access the tune via the wireless Web. The song, "Can't Hold Back,"...
Apple Inc.'s iTunes dominates the digital music dance floor. But following Apple's lead may not be a wise move for mobile music services.An astounding 89% of teens go to iTunes for their legal music downloads, according to a recent report from investment bank Piper...
With ringtone revenues in decline and full-track downloads struggling to find an audience, carriers and third-party vendors are working furiously to breathe life into a withering mobile music industry.Ringtones for years have been the most popular type of content on (or off) carrier decks,...
WiMAX could be the technology that fuels the fusion of all sorts of mobile applications, integrating video, location-based services and a host of other offerings.And analysts generally agree that speedy access to the wireless Web will be the key."When I talk WiMAX, I always...
The following list includes venture capital and other investments into wireless companies announced during the past week. The value of the investment is included when available.--Melodeo: Ignition Partners and Voyager Capital led a $7.9 million preferred funding round into mobile music and media company...
