Intel Corp. released its tri-mode 802.11a/b/g Centrino wireless module late last week, missing its own estimates and severely lagging behind its competitors by as much as two years. Intel’s original Centrino technology hit the scene in March of 2003. The 802.11b wireless product was followed by a backward-compatible 802.11g version in October of that year.
The new AH-H407P PC card [.jpg image] made for DDI Pocket by Honda Electron [Press Release] is set to start selling in Japan on September 10. It appears they will offer a flat-rate monthly fee for the 128-kbps PHS connection, which (if true) would mean we’ll be lining up to get one for ourselves. It could well provide a real challenge to the existing carriers’ 3G data-card pricing strategy.
Nokia plans to locate its second global 3G equipment manufacturing site in China. By choosing China, Nokia will become the latest in a stream of major mobile telecoms gear makers – including Germany’s Siemens and Canada’s Nortel Networks – to build a 3G manufacturing facility in the country. Nokia already has a 3G research and development centre in Suzhou, the centre employs more than 100 engineers, and is “expanding” its headcount.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., best known for its Panasonic brand of consumer electronic and digital communications products, today announced it has developed a new multimedia processor-based platform. The platform, that is to be applied to a wide range of digital appliances including mobile phones and audiovisual equipment, facilitates software development of digital consumer electronics and improves productivity and software design. The new platform can accelerate the speed products are introduced to the market by more than five times the current rate, develop higher sound and image quality, lower power consumption, fortify security, and enhance responsiveness.
The golden shovels are turning sod in Harajuku today as Japan’s No. 2 carrier plans to open a Flagship store (like Vodafone Shibuya) in March 2005. Dubbed a Communication Institution for the purpose of helping visitors “understand our company, services, and products”.” Sounds like a mega-store to us! Designed by a twenty-something with Tokyo youth culture in mind, it looks like KDDI is pushing hard to market share.
Samsung and Philips announced they are teaming up to incorporate Near-Field Communication technology in future cellphone models from Samsung, giving users the ability to use their phones to make payments. Incorporating an NFC chip from Philips in Samsung’s phones will effectively turn the handsets into contactless smart cards, with the ability to make payments, according to a joint statement. The phones could also be used as a key card to enter a building, for example, this is the same technology, by Sony, that powers mobile FeliCa by in Japan.
