Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications announced that it will take control of Beijing Ericsson Putian Mobile Communications Co., Ltd. (BMC), a joint-venture mobile-phone manufacturing facility, by raising its share holding to 51 percent. Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (China) will increase its stake in BMC from 10 to 26 percent, while Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications in addition will acquire a 25-percent equity stake in the company.
JCN Newswire, 30 June 2004
Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of the world’s first technology that embeds 12-digit numerical data (*1) in printed color images in a way invisible to the human eye. This new technology makes it possible to embed data, such as ID codes to convert URLs or telephone numbers, into color images for magazines or advertisements without interfering with the printed design. Utilizing this technology with mobile phones or PDAs enables easy Internet access and phone calling. This technology was developed to provide more natural interfaces using mobile phones or PDAs to customers offering new services such as linking printed images to the Internet.
Here in Tokyo, the tension is killing us – waiting for Vodafone to break out of its bolt hole and unleash its global-spanning battlewagon of 3G W-CDMA phones. While new management here does whatever it’s supposed to be doing to sweeten up Vodafone’s sour performanceof late, Little-V still has the muscle, and Sharp always the technology, it seems, to pull something out of the hat; this time its the V602SH, packing a 2.02-megapixel camera (small yawn) plus a real eye opener – an optical zoom! See for yourself in our video program from the Tokyo Business Show in May.
Microsoft will take its first step toward a true open source-like OS when it releases Windows CE 5.0 to the public July 9. However, it will not end the licensing program for the mobile OS, there will still be a $3 license fee for every device using Windows CE code. Microsoft has been expanding the scope of its Shared Source Initiative (SSI) for the past few years in response to criticism that it was too closed when it came to allowing third-party developers to create applications based on the Windows OS.
Bom-de-de-bom-bom-bom-de-de-bom–BONANZA!…Japan’s market for mobile content for the JFY to March 31, 2003 shot to 394.1 billion Yen, up 31% according to a survey conducted by the Mobile Contents Forum (MCF), reports Asia Biztech today.
NTT DoCoMo Inc. President Masao Nakamura will seek an alliance with a UK partner that doesn’t require an equity investment to promote its i-mode wireless Internet technology, after selling its stake in Hutchison 3G UK. Note that this approach tightly mirrors DoCoMo’s earlier move into France (where i-mode has become a quiet success) and more recently into Australia. Big D no longer has to wave their cash club — they just have to offer a conduit to made-in-Japan 3G cellys.
Radioplan, a leading supplier of 3G radio network simulation, optimisation, and measurement analysis solutions, has been selected to supply radio network optimisation tools and services to four new customers in EMEA and Japan. Following extensive technical trials and evaluations of a wide range of tools, Radioplan?s WiNeS optimisation platform and consulting services were chosen to support demanding pre-launch optimisation projects by both 3G vendors and 3G mobile operator clients.
Alcatel Shanghai Bell (ASB), Alcatel’s joint venture in Shanghai, is close to wrapping up a deal with a domestic company to develop TD-SCDMA, the Chinese homegrown 3G standard, according to Monday’s China Daily. The company signed an agreement with Shanghai Media Group (SMG) last week in Shanghai to jointly develop video applications. “Multimedia services will be a key element for the success of 3G. The co-operation with SMG will strengthen our leading position in that particular area,” said Gerard Dega, president of ASB.
QUALCOMM Incorporated, pioneer and world leader of Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital wireless technology, today announced strong customer demand for its single chip, fully integrated Qtv(TM), Qcamcorder(TM) and Qvideophone(TM) multimedia solutions. These enhanced video solutions are part of QUALCOMM’s suite of Launchpad(TM) technologies integrated into QUALCOMM’s chipset solutions; Qtv is a real-time decoder that enables the streaming and downloading of video content, Qcamcorder is a real-time encoder that records video, and Qvideophone is a two-way, video telephony solution that enables mobile videoconferencing. QUALCOMM’s mobile video solutions have been chosen as the multimedia implementation for more than 30 different handset designs from seven wireless device manufacturers, representing global markets including Europe, Japan, South Korea and North America.
Time Warner Inc. and Walt Disney Co. already ply their wares in cinemas, on television and over the Internet. Now they’re reaching into the mobile phone in your pocket. Some phones can already display pictures and replay video clips, but as networks get faster, it will be possible to watch live newscasts or even a whole movie on wireless gadgets. “The opportunity would be based on an ability to provide a very targeted service to a very targeted customer base,” said Steve Wadsworth, president of Disney’s Internet Group. Disney’s Wadsworth said its wireless business is already profitable in markets where it is well established. Disney first started selling mobile content in 2000 via a partnership with Japan’s NTT DoCoMo Inc.
