Year: <span>2004</span>
Year: 2004

Year: 2004

Sony Announces New Clie for Japan

This may be the exception that proves the rule, but Sony shows that the PDA isn’t quite dead yet (at least not in Japan) with their latest, the multimedia PEG-VZ90. The biggest news is that it’s the first Palm with an OLED screen, but besides that it also plays back MPEG-4 video and both ATRAC3 and MP3 audio (hallelujah!), includes 802.11b wireless, and has a CF card slot that will take both communications and memory cards (plus the inevitable Memory Stick slot. According to Sony’s press release (in Japanese) this unit hits the street here at the end of September.

MobileTV: Hype or Reality?

With KDDI’s May 2004 announcement that they had developed handsets with embedded digital TV tuners and ample battery life, and with NHK, Mobile Broadcasting Corp., and others promising direct-to-mobile broadcasts, TV is again being widely touted as the “next big thing” for the mobile platform — and not just in Japan. But before we truly see an era of television-keitai convergence, several critical issues must be understood and addressed. Many of these are fundamental flaws in the concept of mobile phone-TV convergence, and suggest that we are simply witnessing the introduction of the “next big hype” for the mobile platform.

(Part 1 of a two-part series. Next week: Mobile TV Rocks!, by WWJ chief editor Daniel Scuka.)

Buyer to Acquire Location Technology Assets of Kivera, Inc.

TeleCommunication Systems, Inc., a global leader in wireless data technology, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Kivera, Inc., subject to customary conditions to closing. Kivera brings to TCS leading, proven wireless and internet-based location application software, geo-data professional service contracts, relationships with marquee customers, and leading geographical data sources.

Static over RFID Patents

A key patent holder’s demand for royalties has triggered concerns that promising RFID technology could become embroiled in an intellectual-property battle. The protocol is likely to contain certain patented technology from RFID equipment maker Intermec Technologies. The Everett, Wash., company recently demanded royalties for the use of the patents and is suing Matrics, a rival, for allegedly infringing on some of them.

Freetel Korea Adopts Mobile Java

Sun Microsystems expects that local mobile-phone operator KT Freetel’s decision to use Sun’s Java technology for mobile data services will speed the development of the non-voice mobile-phone applications that are increasingly becoming a focus of competition. KTF’s decision follows a Korean government mandate that mobile-phone carriers use the homegrown “Wireless Internet Platform for Interoperability” (WIPI) from next year for mobile Internet access and data applications.

Manga for Mobile: Video Preview

Manga for Mobile: Video PreviewJapan’s 3G networks enable new types of high-bandwidth mobile content that weren’t viable under 2G for either economic or technical reasons. One of the coolest is mobile manga, delivering full-color comic book magazines to cell phones. There’s a manga stuffed in every Japanese commuter’s back pocket (together with a ketai), so porting manga to keitai could make an awful lot of money for content producers. It’ll also save a bunch of trees. Wireless Watch Japan was at Mobidec 2004 recently held in Tokyo and files this sneak preview from Digital Garage Mobile’s booth.