Quantum Convergence

A New Day, Two New Blogs

2006-01-11T05:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Well, been on a bit of an hiatus here as a dispute with the management at Creative Weblogging coupled with the ongoing technical issues that made posting there a daily exercise in frustration boiled over and caused me to rethink the relationship.

As the news of my "issues" made the rounds of the blogosphere I got two amazing opportunities; join Mike Arrington's "TechCrunch Network" and start a new blog "MobileCrunch" and join Russell Buckley and Carlo Longino at "Mobhappy" both were too good to pass up so now I have two new gigs.

Please make it a point to update your blogrolls accordingly. I am no longer writing for either The Mobile Weblog or The Wireless Weblog, I am writing for MobileCrunch and Mobhappy and of course here.

Nokia N90 First Full Photo Session

2005-12-06T05:11:00.000-08:00

Had a lot of fun the other day testing out the new Nokia N90 I've been given as part of Nokia's Blogger Outreach Program. I posted a bunch of the images over at my other site The Mobile Technology Weblog . You can also check out the full set of images posted to flickr: HERE.

While you're at it, pay a visit to the site dedicated to the blogger outreach program: The N90 Bloggercom Blog

Looking across the courtyard from the old machine-shop to the main building (this was my second favorite shot on the day)

Well, I finally got the chance to really put the new Nokia N90 I've been entrusted with through a few of its paces, and while I'm hardly the photographer my brother's wife is

I was pretty pleased with the images that this masterpiece of technology rendered.

Interior of the building, lots of interesting light, used Automatic settings and this result was surprisingly good.

By Oliver-Starr

Technorati Tags :, Nokia, N90, Photographs, Camera-Phone

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Nokia N90: The User Experience

2005-11-30T12:07:00.000-08:00

By Oliver-Starr

Barely time to breathe right now as I'm trying to get out the door for a pre-event breakfast at DEMXPO, where I will be enthusiastically testing a new Nokia N90 that has been generously provided by Nokia.

The testing program is the brainchild of Andy Abramson and Brooke Davidson of Comunicano. Who deserve endless praise (not only for having the wisdom to choose a phone phanatic like me) but for creating a promotional modality that is certain to do far more for the Nokia brand and the recognition and sale of these extraordinary phones than sending thousands of them to the popular press.

Of course there are some caveats to this. First of all, when sending something like these phones to hard core geeks, you'd better be awfully confident that your product is exceptional. We don't have Nokia advertising plastered all over our blogs, and while these phones are awfully nice, not a one of us would sully our reputation by giving an undeserved glowing review; if there are things about these devices that we don't dig, you can count on reading about it.

Of course if they're good, you'll hear that too, and you can be certain that the rigourous real world testing that these phones will survive (or not) will be as strenuous as anything the typical buyer could ever imagine.

This is real grass roots marketing, but what Brooke and Andy have devised (and which Nokia has bought off on) is a way to reach right to the heart of the mobile mind-trust. The NokiaN90 blog is a stroke of genius for what it comprises are the sum total experiences of some of the most luminous of all authors to clench a mobile camera in their mits and wonder why oh why it takes such crappy photos. And the joy that is clearly expressed in posts when, for the first time, a mobile portrait resembles the subject and not some Picasso-esque parody (and not in a good way).

I'm looking forward to seeing what this baby can do. As I commented late last night on the N90 Blog, this is a whole lot of phone. I hope I can handle it ;-)

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Cingular = Painful Payments, Backwards Phone Routing, and Offers for Services You Can't Have.

2005-11-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

By Oliver Starr

This is another one of those posts I wish I didn't feel the need to write. Somehow I feel like a whining little brat when I bring up issues like the ones I'm about to mention. On the other hand, I feel strongly that if I don't make my thoughts known then I have no right to complain when the situation doesn't resolve itself.

Here's what happened. I live in Los Angeles, which means, among other things, that a good portion of my driving is spent on roads wider than football fields that are nevertheless so packed with cars that many times it resembles a parking lot more than a thoroughfare. Fridays are the worst and Fridays between 3PM and 8PM are the worst of the worst. So of course I have to drive to Orange County right at 5PM on a Friday. Perfect.

So I'm sitting on the Interstate 405 parking lot and I realize that I may as well make good use of my time so I decided that I would call Cingular to check my mobile phone bills and pay them. I won't bore you with the details, but I have several phones, some belong to other people so I don't have them all in my possession.

Anyway, I work my way through their IVR...incidentally, if anyone knows why you have to either speak or physically enter your information while they route your call and then the first thing the customer service person does is ask you the same questions you've already been inconvenienced to answer; why is that? Can't they just get it off the same system? It's annoying.

Ok, moving on. (well, I wasn't moving, but was trying to make progress paying my bill) I get my balance via the IVR and I need some additional information so I press ZERO for the next customer service person and I'm treated to a hold time of about 5 minutes during which I hear...nothing. Except about every 30 seconds the words "please wait". This is also annoying, but nothing worth blogging.

I finally get my call answered and get to repeat the information I've provided to the IVR and then the representative asks me for my password I put on the account. I give the rep a string of numbers he says that I am incorrect. I try again; still wrong. A third time. Nope. "Am I really Oliver Starr?" I ask again if he's certain it's not the first string I had provided. Turns out it is. I should have realized at this point it would be better to do this whole thing another time for obvious reasons, but instead I push on.

Now those of you that have read this blog for a while might recall my trials and tribulations with this carrier, but let it suffice to say I am no stranger to this, as I used to spend a couple hours a month dealing with problems with my bill. As a result, I don't ever pay these bills without at least a rundown of the charges; they're always billing me for something that I shouldn't have to pay for and at this point I no longer believe this is merely an oversight. In fact, I suspect that this is symbolic of corruption in this industry on a vast scale as I have never once seen a phone bill were I couldn't get a credit for some mistake or other -which over the course of a year could add up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. From the carrier's perspective (since the mistakes are ALWAYS in their favor) this amounts to quite a substantial source of revenue though I don't think they'll ever admit this.

In fact, I have a question for a carrier's representative (I know there are a few that read this blog); what does the carrier do when they've received funds for charges that don't belong on a customer's bill but for which the customer has not made an inquiry? Please don't tell me they issue a credit. In a decade and a half of paying for mobile services I have never ONCE received a credit I didn't demand. Can you say "slush fund"? I thought so.

Due to this issue, I have the representative read me my bill item by item. When he gets to the charges for SMS messages I am surprised that I am being billed for each message rather than the lump sum I expected. The month before I had received a notice in with my bill that said that if I texted *smspromo (or some such) to their short code I would be subscribed to unlimited SMS messages for just a few bucks. I had done this and even received the "subscribed" response back from Cingular that was supposed to be my confirmation. But now I'm finding that I didn't get the deal I was promised.

The representative explained that I couldn't possibly have this promotion as it was for Cingular customers and that as a former AT&T customer I wasn't eligible. I asked why I had been mailed the promotion at all then. The rep explained that the company that did the mailing had no way to distinguish between AT&T and Cingular customers so everyone got them, and AT&T customers got shafted. The rep told me that I was far from the first customer annoyed that I didn't get a promotion to which I'd thought I was subscribed.

Cingular; TIP NUMBER ONE. Save time, your CS Rep's Mental Health and avoid customer ire...learn to use the asterisk! If you can't discern your customers from a mailing perspective (which is ludicrous) then at least put an asterisk next to promotions for which certain groups aren't eligible and let them know. It's simple and it won't cost you a penny (unless of course you wanted the extra money generated by people like me using twice as many SMS messages because we thought we'd purchased an unlimited plan when in fact we were still paying per message. Silly me...that's exactly what you want. Why would you EVER use an asterisk and miss out on that found money? I mean, you're not going to lose me over that right?

Well, I finally get my bill paid for that number and now the fun begins. The third phone I have to pay for is no longer an AT&T phone...my pal Freedom (who's phone bill I seem to have inherited though I don't know why I am still paying it), wanted a newer snazzy phone so he went in and upgraded to a new plan. Now all the AT&T side of Cingular sees is an account closed record for that number. The rep is going to transfer me to the Cingular customer service to pay that bill.

After clicks and beeps and ten minutes on hold the line goes silent and I realize the call has been dropped. Luckily I have the direct Cingular number committed to memory. I call, work through IVR hell once more, enter the numbers...but wait...the phone I am calling from does not match the number of the account I've dialed. I must speak to customer service!

Please hold...after five minutes I get my call answered and explain the situation to another CS Rep. Although he is pleasant enough, I don't think he was trained to deal with the likes of my problem and perhaps he wasn't having his best day. After about ten minutes of going in circles and being quoted the amount I had previously paid on my AT&T lines it becomes clear that he can't access my other record for the Cingular number. Why? He's on the AT&T side of the business.

Get this: Cingular's customer service closes at eight. So where do they route their inbound customer service calls? AT&T! Only AT&T reps can't access Cingular account records. Brilliant! An endless loop. What Cingular's rocket scientists that came up with this routing need is a cyclic redundancy check. Or maybe a simple IQ test? In any case, this is where my annoyance with the carrier goes from hovering to pegged in the red.

CINGULAR TIP #2: make it possible for a customer service rep to handle accounts if you are going to route the calls to them! (this should be a no brainer. I am not a mechanic, that's why I don't put up a sign in front of my home that says car repair; yet the way your system is routed this is EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND CUSTOMERS!

I request a supervisor to whom I am eventually transferred. I explain the situation. She's a bit defensive but does listen, and, thankfully, is able to process the payment I want to make. Only took me an hour and thirty seven minutes to pay my phone bills this month, which was less time than it took me to reach my destination.

During the call, I explain to the representative that although it certainly isn't her fault, her employer really needs to fix some things. I tell her that I am a person that has something of a following on the Internet for topics of this type and that I am going to be writing about this today. I do. I am. I have. Christian (this is the name she provided) this post is for you. Please run it as high up the flag pole at Cingular as you possibly can. I'd gladly talk to a few executives there if they want to do more than annoy me with a survey at the end of a call. I promise I can tell them a dozen places where things are broken.

Heck, I won't even charge them my usual rate. If they can just get my bill right so I don't ever have to call again, that would be payment enough!

Technorati Tags : Cingular, Mobile+Phone, Cellular, Bill+Payment, Customer+Service, Mobile+Operator, Carrier, Dissatisfied+Customer, Frustration

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Will Disrupting Carrier Domination Free Content?

2005-11-15T07:03:00.000-08:00

By Oliver Starr

My recent post on Walter Mossberg's thoughts had the good fortune of catching the eye of none other than Tim O'Reilly, founder of O'Reilly Media, Inc who re-blogged it over at the O'Reilly Radar blog.

In the comments there, a reader by the name of Douglas Turner (sorry no link provided) made the following astute comment:

"Since the carrriers so completely suffocate innovation in the mobile wireless space, I'd like to hear from folks about scenerios for how they get disrupted, routed around, etc.

Mossbergs prediction are essentially meaningless unless there is a way to displace the carriers."

-Doug

Posted by: Douglass Turner at November 14, 2005 10:21 AM

You can read my lengthy response here: Mobile Weblog

Technorati Tags : Mobile+Content, Carriers, Mobile+Operators, Mobile+Phones, Cellular, O'Reilly+Media, Tim+O'Reilly, WiMax, Cable+Operators

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Wall St. Journal's Mossberg says "Mobile Phone Most Important"

2005-11-13T06:56:00.000-08:00

You can't help but know who Walter Mossberg is if you've got any tech pedigree whatsoever. Even my Mom has probably read the words of Mr. Mossberg. His Wall Street Journal Personal Technology column has appeared every Thursday since 1991 and he's been a part of the technology scene almost as long as there's been a technology scene.

As talented a speaker as he is a writer, I was eagerly anticipating Walter's lunch time Key Note at the Venture Wire Consumer Technology Ventures conference. Speaking to a capacity crowd...in fact the biggest crowd I saw assembled during the entire conference, Mr. Mossberg made my day when he echoed a number of things I've just recently predicted including the fact that mobile devices will far exceed the PC in importance for most people, that security is something that must be addressed before the enterprise will be able to successfully accommodate mobile devices and that the ultimate incarnation of the ideal mobile device is something that still hasn't been realized and which might end up being quite surprising when it finally is.

Among the other comments that I felt were important to be reiterated, Mossberg's views on the role of the carriers was interesting and could be crucial to consumers though it probably didn't make any representatives of Verizon, Cingular, or Sprint terribly happy as he feels that these companies have spent quite a lot of money to build out their network infrastructure and that they do deserve a return on their investment, but that's it.

He continued by saying that he didn't think it was right or reasonable for the carriers to exert control of the devices that use these networks. He feels that unless this changes it could stifle innovation and put the brakes on progress.

Another trend Mossberg identified is wireless...by this he means all wireless, but particularly WiFi and how much range and speed has improved. He also spoke about the deployment of Verizon's National Broadband Network, claiming that he has been online with this network, that it is 3 times as fast as the European 3G and that it is available essentially nationwide. (I haven't been a Verizon subscriber in a few years and never with their EVDO product, so if someone has some comments on this statement I would love to hear them and so, I'm sure, would all the readers of this blog.

I think it is worth mentioning as we begin to see more and more kinds of content migrate to the mobile device that Walter made some very strong statements about copyright laws in this country. He feels that they have the potential to negatively influence advancement of technology and he believes that they need to be changed. While he agrees that some form of protection must be in place, his view; that copyright laws only protect the publisher were certainly popular with the audience though I am sure that others in positions of power might not agree with this opinion.

Personally, I think we are going to see huge challenges mounted in this space over the next decade or so. Every time a technology is deployed to limit the consumer's ability to use, share, morph or duplicate content, before the standard can even begin to become entrenched, some brilliant geek smashes the encryption and publishes the hack on the Internet.

It was exactly for this reason that Sony is in the news right now. For those of you that have somehow missed the news, Sony's new DRM for CD's installed a rootkit, which is essentially a covert program installed in such a way that it is invisible to the end user and can't even be viewed via the registry editor.

Mark Russinovich of Sysinternals (an amazing FREEWARE program that you really ought to try) has written on this extensively. The point being that it is this sort of draconian behavior that can have incredibly negative consequences for both the consumer and the company that DRM and Copy Right need some serious revisions.

All in all Walter Mossberg's keynote was entertaining and informative and I considered myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to hear his thoughts on the future of consumer technology.

Technorati Tags : Mobile+Phone, Content, PC, Google, Microsoft, Venture+Wire, Keynote

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MultiMedia Phones, MobileTV, Music Drive Increased Mobile Data Use

2005-11-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

Youthful users with high-tech phones and an appetite for music, mobile TV, ringtones and other custom content are driving increased adoption according to a new report from Management Consulting Firm A.T. Kearney. The report, quoted below, and comprised of some 4000 users of mobile data services has some surprising statistics that clearly show a trend towards increasing data utilization (though nothing approaching my couple gig a month) with a particular slant towards games, music and to view and send pictures (are MMS finally catching on? Perhaps a topic for another post, what do you, the readers think?)

To see the rest of my thoughts on this study and what it portends for carriers and handset manufacturers, go HERE...

o Report: Mobile Data Service Adoption Rises; Cost Remains Factor

Chicago - A global survey of 4,000 mobile phone users who subscribe to mobile data services found that over half now access the Internet monthly, and one-third download music to their phones, while mobile data costs are an obstacle to wider adoption, according to a report from management consulting firm A.T. Kearney. Thirty-three percent of users with multimedia phones said they downloaded music monthly, up from 21% in 2004, while 16% said they downloaded mobile games monthly. Seventeen percent of all users -- and 27% of those under 24 -- said they were interested in mobile TV. The survey also found that one-third of multimedia phone owners now use MMS to send pictures, photos and video clips monthly, a service that is used regularly by nearly half of all 19 to 24 year-olds. However, half of mobile users surveyed said they are not willing to pay more than $5 per month for a mobile data service; currently, U.S. mobile data services cost between $10 and $20 per month. "The growing penetration of new multimedia phones is the catalyst for mobile data adoption," said, A.T. Kearney vice president Mark Page. "There is a clear relationship between the average revenue per user and the age of the phone the customer uses. People who have recently replaced their handsets are more likely to be heavier users of data services."

Technorati Tags : ARPU, Mobile+Data, MobiTV, mobile+music, Sprint, MMS, MultiMedia, phones, cellular, music, data+survey, mobile+gaming, gaming, XHTML, WAP, WML, mobile+data+services

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Nokia Successfully Test UMA: Seamless Voice and Data Calls Passed between Cellular and WiFi

2005-11-02T02:05:00.000-08:00

by Oliver Starron Convergence

Nokia Achieves Convergence Milestone
As a significant milestone in its fixed-mobile convergence strategy, Nokia has completed both voice and data calls with Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology in a Nokia Solutions Experience Center in the United States. ~WirelessIQ

This is the news I've been waiting to hear. Combine this with the announcements yesterday by Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner and Cox and you have a recipe for a major shake up in the near future....

to read the rest of this post, please click here

Powered By Qumana Technorati Tags : UMA, Nokia, VoIP, Data, Voice, Seamless+Roaming, Seamless+Hand-off, Cellular, Wi Fi, fixed-mobile+convergence, convergence

Fuel Cells Finally Here?

2005-09-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Fuel Cells seem to be finally coming of age. So says I over at the Mobile Weblog.

If you've been reading this blog and been disappointed at the paucity of posts lately, you should pay a visit to my two principal blogs these days: The Mobile Technology Weblog and The Wireless Weblog

There is enough overlap in the content between this and those that I haven't found much to post just over here.

However that looks likely to change as I am considering refocusing the content of this blog in my experiences as an Executive in Residence at a $300 Million Venture Capital Fund that is focused on a huge array of early stage start-up ventures.

If you're in favor of this idea, please comment and let me know.

Cheers,

Oliver Starr "stitch"

Man Becomes Machine

2005-07-25T05:42:00.000-07:00

RedTacton: An innovative Human Area Networking technology that uses the surface of the human body as a transmission path:
- Communication through natural human actions: touching, holding, walking -

Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT, headquartered in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. President and CEO, Norio Wada) is pursuing research and development of an innovative Human Area Networking technology called RedTacton (*1) that safely turns the surface of the human body into a data transmission path at speeds up to 10 Mbps between any two points on the body. Using a novel electro-optic sensor (*2), NTT has already developed a small PCMCIA card-sized prototype RedTacton transceiver (see Fig. 1). RedTacton enables the first practical Human Area Network between body-centered electronic devices and PCs or other network devices embedded in the environment via a new generation of user interface based on totally natural human actions such as touching, holding, sitting, walking, or stepping on a particular spot. RedTacton can be used for intuitive operation of computer-based systems in daily life, temporary one-to-one private networks based on personal handshaking, device personalization, security, and a host of other applications based on new behavior patterns enabled by RedTacton. NTT is committed to moving RedTacton out of the laboratory and into commercial production as quickly as possible by organizing joint field trials with partners outside the company, under NTT's comprehensive producer (*3) program."

Stitch says: this is the kind of stuff that Matrix fans dream of..."Jack me in, I wanna learn Kung Fu" is a vernacular understood by many but only embraced by a few. As the reality of augmenting human capabilities far beyond natural endowments becomes more possible and augmented humans more prevalent, we'll have to come to a better understanding of ourselves and what it means to be truly "human". For myself, I would love to think more faster and process information more efficiently, see better, and in the dark, be able to lift object three thousand times my size and...oh wait...that's my alter ego talking...but seriously, if the option to increase various aspects of my physiology became available, I'd partake.

To learn more about this technology and the applictions envisioned for it today, go here.

News: Fujitsu Debuts Bendable Electronic Paper: Paper and Digital Media Converged

2005-07-16T04:36:00.000-07:00

Reblogged from Overclocker's Club

News: Fujitsu Debuts Bendable Electronic Paper: "Fujitsu Debuts Bendable Electronic Paper
Posted: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 01:52:18 GMT
Author: Matt Cameron

Fujitsu today announced their joint development of the world's first film substrate-based bendable color electronic paper with an image memory function. The new electronic paper features vivid color images that are unaffected even when the screen is bent, and features an image memory function that enables continuous display of the same image without the need for electricity. The thin and flexible electronic paper uses very low power to change screen images, thereby making it ideal for displaying information or advertisements in public areas as a type of new electronic media that can be handled as easily as paper. The jointly developed electronic paper will be showcased at Fujitsu Forum 2005, to be held July 14 and 15 at Tokyo International Forum.

Electronic paper offers all of the same characteristics of paper such as being thin, flexible, and lightweight. It also boasts low power consumption in that it does not require electricity except during screen image changes, making electronic paper especially suited for advertisements or information bulletins in public places for which paper is currently used. Electronic paper is especially convenient for use on curved surfaces, such as columns. In addition, electronic paper can be conveniently used in conjunction with mobile devices as an easy-to-read and portable display device.

Numerous R&D efforts are in progress in the field of electronic paper. However, thus far there had been no color electronic paper available that uses flexible film substrate capable of being bent without affecting the screen image and which features a memory function.

No electricity required for continuous display, minimal power consumption when changing screen image

* Features an image memory function that enables continuous display of the same image even when electricity is turned off therefore no electricity is required for continuous display.
* Screen image can be changed using minimal electricity consumption equivalent to the weak radiowaves used in contactless IC cards.
* Fujitsu's new technology significantly conserves energy by consuming only one one-hundredth to one ten-thousandth the energy of conventional display technologies.

High-level display performance

* The new electronic paper is constructed of three displaying layers - red, blue, and green. Since no color filters or polarizing layers are required, it features color that is significantly more vivid than conventional reflective-type LCDs.
* Proprietary Fujitsu technology ensures that screen color is unaffected even when the screen is bent or pressed with fingers.
* Because the screen image does not require repetitive updates to be maintained, the screen does not flicker.

Flexible film substrate

* The film substrate employed in Fujitsu's new electronic paper can be flexibly bent and thus significantly widens the range of potential applications.

Anticipated Applications
By leveraging the features of this technology, a wide variety of applications can be envisioned for Fujitsu's new electronic paper as a digital medium that can be handled like paper. Following are some examples:

Transit advertising on trains, information displays on curved surfaces, and other public display applications that could take advantage of its light weight and flexibility. Information displayed can be updated based on the time of day, enabling more effective advertising and informational signage.

Electronic shelf display tags, point-of-purchase displays, restaurant menus, and other in-store uses. Can also be used for pricing displays or product information displays that stand out in full color and can be readily updated.
Operating manuals, work orders, and other short-term information displays, facilitating the trend toward paperless offices or factories.

Text or images from mobile phones or other mobile devices can be transferred wirelessly to larger displays for easy viewing.

Use in the home can offer more convenient digital-media devices that can be carried from room to room.

Future Developments
Fujitsu will conduct test marketing and practical-use testing, targeting commercialization within fiscal 2006 (April 2006 to March 2007) to promote field innovation using its new electronic paper.

Stitch Says: I could stay up nights thinking about potential applications for this. If they can make it flexible and durable enough you could suddenly totally change the mobile web. Your cell phone becomes a modem for downloading any newspaper in the world in full color a section at a time, but with fully searchable, indexable, taggable results. Truly, if the capabilities of the paper support navigation, and the phones have enough processing power to deal with full blown html/xml the possibilities are endless...

WiMax VoIP Delivered : Converging Acronyms?

2005-07-14T02:54:00.000-07:00

WiMax VoIP Delivered: "*

WiMax VoIP Delivered

By samc on 802.16 News

WiFi Planet notes that San Francisco based Soma Networks has completed interoperability validation with Broadsoft's BroadWorks, paving the way for VoIP application delivery over WiMAX.

Broadworks is a VoIP application platform that manages call routing and provides a number of core web-enabled telephony services including voice mail, call waiting, conferencing, and auto-attendant functions. Soma Networks' part of the equation includes a wireless end-to-end IP telephony solution that offers a fully integrated VoIP wireless broadband gateway that allows VoIP application bandwidth efficiency over a broadband wireless infrastructure.

Soma's wireless broadband gateway is a converged device that integrates a SIP User Agent (SUA), analog terminal adapter (ATA), wireless broadband modem and WiFi route into a single unit. According to Soma, users can plug any standard analog voice phone or FAX line into the device and use their web browser to register for VoIP services.

The SOMA solution is targeted at service providers looking to offer landline quality voice and high speed data services to residential and SoHo customers. Broadband Wireless (WiMAX) based VoIP compares favorably from a price, technology, and security point of view with wired VoIP solutions according to Soma."

Stitch Says: better get your notepad out, we've got a new acronym coming...any guesses? Possibilities include VoMax, VO-WiMax or they could depart from the standard, try something different and fun and go with MaxVox, Wi-Vox, or how about VO-Wax? Their are so many new acronyms being generated today you need a dictionary to keep them straight. And if you want to actually tell someone what some of the acronyms stand for you'd better have your engineering degree. How about orthagonal freququency division mutiplexing?

Seriously, though, WiMax is starting to show some promise. More than one company has managed to demonstrate real-world functionality for fixed and mobile acess deployed over not one but multiple different frequencies. As analog broadcasts vacate large swathes of the airwaves, the rapid deployment of new high speed data services is going to be a boom for consumers looking for better service offerings and competitive prices.

Handheld Wireless Gambling: Now Slot Jockeys and Poker Fiends Can Converge on the Casinos from Home

2005-07-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

Nevada Legalizes Wireless Handheld GamingBy Peter Rojas

Wireless gambling handheld

We can already tell that next year’s DefCon is going to be a hoot: the state of Nevada just passed a law that would make it legal to gamble using a wireless handheld device in any part of a casino except a hotel room (because it’d be tough to for them to stop kiddies from playing, and you know how much the kids love video poker). It’s actually illegal to gamble online here in the States, so the idea here is that casinos can offer their patrons handhelds that connect up to a local wireless network and which would allow them to continue, uh, winning and losing (well, mostly losing) money even when they’re hitting the buffet or watching Zumanity. Then again, if you’re just going to go all the way to Vegas to play Texas Hold ‘Em on a tiny PDA screen, you could probably save yourself some time, trouble, and expense and just kick it at home, but hey, we’re doing our best to understand your addiction.

Stitch Says: and you thought kids of PlayStation Portable were bad...I'm not much of a gambler myself, I have enough stuff to do without adding poker to my vices, but for those that are, I'm curious about things like user experience, bandwidth, security, etc. Anyone? What's the table limit? What happens when a call drops fbefore the ball does? Is static grounds for failing to pay up when you lose a big pot? Anyone? Anyone?

Mobile Pipeline | Trials Start On Hybrid Wi-Fi, FLASH-OFDM Network

2005-07-08T01:23:00.000-07:00
Mobile Pipeline | Trials Start On Hybrid Wi-Fi, FLASH-OFDM Network: "Trials Start On Hybrid Wi-Fi, FLASH-OFDM Network

Courtesy of Mobile Pipeline...

Japan Telecom said it will begin trials on a wireless network that combines Wi-Fi and FLASH-OFDM wireless broadband technology.

The telecom operator said it will conduct the trials with a research center in Tohoku University.

'The technology trial objectives are to verify high-speed Internet access and seamless roaming, as well as mobile-to-fixed handoff with wireless LANs using the IEEE 802.11b/g/a standard and FLASH-OFDM, 'Professor Kazuo Tsubouchi, said in a statement. 'Our goal is to help prove the ability of IP-based technologies to work in harmony to help create a seamless broadband experience for people, government and public safety organizations, using fixed and mobile networks.'

FLASH-OFDM is a wireless broadband technology, championed by Flarion Technology, that competes with WiMAX. Japan Telecom noted that it already has deployed public Wi-Fi service in a variety of locations. It is aiming at providing a more ubiquitous wireless network to its customers, the company said in a statement. It did not say, however, when it might commercialize the combined technologies.

Stitch says: I think we're going to be seeing a lot more of these announcments soon. Carriers are beginning to realize that voice over Wi-Fi or other IP based protocols is not going to go away and that by responding proactively they'll have a much better chance to innovate ahead of the curve and find themselves in an advantageous position relative to fighting the trend with every ounce of strength and then losing the battle only to find that meanwhile, they've lost time and marketshare to opponents that are suddenly the ones playing on their own turf.

Moreover, the adaptation can actually serve to reduce traffic costs; backhaul of voice to the ip core will free up the cost and capacity sensitive network components making it possible to handle more simultaneous voice and data traffic and as the networks move through and beyond 3G, the carriers will have the opportunity to reshape themselves to make money off of content, and other services.

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Rajesh Jain on the Future: (Convergence Conference)

2005-06-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

Emergic.org, on Convergence:
"Two words that were heard a lot at the conference were 'convergence' and 'ecosystem.' Convergence is finally becoming a reality as the next-generation networks with all-IP cores are making it possible to have triple play services (voice, data and video) flow over the same network. Convergence is also happening in terms of the fixed line and wireless worlds - in both the networks and handsets. Convergence technology drivers include SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and IMS (IP Multimedia System). There will be a time soon when our handsets will support WiFi and GSM/CDMA, such that in hotspots they would use WiFi to make and receive calls, while at other locations they would use the cellular networks.

Ecosystem is about the realization that there is no single company which has all the answers, and there is a web of relationships to deliver valuable services to consumers and enterprises. Operators control the networks (and the customer relationships), but they need a combination of cheaper access devices and compelling services to drive traffic and revenues. An ecosystem approach is about creating win-win scenarios for the entire value chain.

The three panel discussions identified the hot issues: content, 3G and VoIP. The biggest success stories in mobile value added services have been unexpected - SMS, ringtones and increasingly, ringback tones. But there are still plenty of opportunities in the content space to deliver useful services to consumers on their always-on, always-available, always-connected, personal devices, and over broadband networks. Operators have begun 3G rollouts across the region - but there is no clear business plan on how money will be made! WiMax looms as a possible threat - or opportunity. VoIP is hot and happening - it is clear that voice will just be another application on the IP network.

The vision for the future is simple, seamless and personal communications from wireline and wireless networks. Tomorrow's world will be one where users will be able to communicate anytime, anywhere from the device of their choice. Users will be able to define their own experiences, and the network will become more intelligent to bring highly personalised services to users. All of this will bring about a significant lifestyle change for consumers and also enable the real-time enterprise.

The dream of this world of seamless mobility has been there for many years. But the work that has been happening in the background is now making it all possible. Parallel trends in digitisation are making a huge array of content available to us on any of the screens - TV, PC or the mobile. The focal point is now shifting from the network to the user. What people really want is to be connected, informed, entertained and do so in their own way. Whether one is at home or work, commuting or in public places, the networks will connect us to friends, family, colleagues at work, and our business information."

Stitch Says: I pulled this extended quote below from Rajesh Jain's exceptional blog, Emergic. There are few posts on my blog upon which I DO NOT feel a comment is merited. This is one.

iPod Sales Affected by Music Phones - Softpedia News (Convergence Casualty?)

2005-06-28T01:39:00.000-07:00

iPod Sales Affected by Music Phones - Softpedia News: "iPod Sales Affected by Music Phones
Category: SOFTPEDIA NEWS :: Trends

Barron’s says

If cell phones are transformed by the wireless into music players, iPod sales might record a significant decrease, Barron’s says.

According to the same
magazine, by 2006, most of the handsets will implement the necessary hardware and software to allow them to download music in the same way an iPod does, but also by using cellular telephony.
Some analysts estimate that next year, Apple will sell approximately 45 million players. This figure is huge, but it pales compared to the 750 million handsets which will be sold in 2006.

Nokia already has a competitor, the N91, which will work as a cell phone, but also as a MP3 player, thanks to the incorporated 4GB hard disk which can be used by users to store MP3, AAC or WMA files.

However, we are a little bit circumspect regarding the producers’ ability to cram so many functions into a device designed for cellular telephony: digital camera, audio player, radio player audio, radio etc."

Stitch Says; Bill Gates, I believe, said it first, and Barron's follow on seems to be sensible considering the amazing leaps in technology we've seen at the handset in just the past year. Clearly, people love having their music (and I mean ALL their music) with them any time the fancy strikes. But it's almost equally obvious that given the choice, people will tote fewer things with them. All things being equal the idea that people won't embrace the convergence of IPod and Mobile Phone is almost silly. That said, I don't believe that mere convenience is going to drive an abrupt migration from one technology to the other. Take LCD displays as an example; clearly they are better, lower power consumption, more esthetic, much smaller foot print, lower weight (and shipping cost), but what we saw in the real world was a gradual change as people upgraded or replaced failing CRT monitors. The whole world is not going to toss out millions of good cellular phones and iPods just to be the first on the block to have the iPod/Mobile combo, but when one or the other breaks down, or it's time for a new cellular plan, then the novel technology will influence decisions and purchases.

we make money not art: gadgets Archives: (Now THAT'S Convergence!)

2005-06-27T03:21:00.000-07:00
we make money not art: gadgets Archives: "I'm hoooome
07:44 AM gadgets telephony

�zgur TASAR, from Umea Institute of Design in Sweden, has developed Nokia One, a home communication interface that unites home entertainment and communication, incorporating Instant contact into the home entertainment system (TV/Music).

The Nokia ONE Digital Home Convergence System/>

The system consists of a main unit with projector and a commander for interaction.

The main unit has an induction charging surface, a central harddisk, light system based on OLED flexible screen system, wireless system for data transfer and microphone for Â“talking in the air.Â” The Controller does all the interaction.

When you come home, you throw your mobile phone into NOKIA one. This action makes you digitally at home too. Mobile phone syncronizes with NOKIA One. Contact, message, photos and other media updates are exchanged. If you get an SMS, it will pop up on TV. When you get a call youÂ’ll see it on TV, and talk in the air without phone. You will also appear 'at home' in your friends list in instant contacting application.

Induction Charging NOKIA One charges the battery of the mobile phone by induction charging.

Stitch Says: This one sort of came at us out of thin air. I'm truly curious about the specifications of the device, it's limitations, security attributes (or lack thereof) and what else is required to make it interact with the rest of your wired home...

Phone Rumors! (3G Sony Ericsson Smart Phone) SE's most recent convergence effort?

2005-06-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

Rumor or Revelation?
These images appear to be either artist's concepts or pre-production templates for two new Sony Ericsson Smartphones; the P915 and P100.

From what I've read on the BB's devoted to Sony Ericsson's much-loved P800-P910 models, these phones are rumored to include 3G support, Wi-Fi, possibly EDGE, better GPRS, a higher resolution screen, 2MP camera and support for Blackberry mail...

From the images, it appears that the P915 may be more of a clamshell design while the P1000 seems to have a "slider" type design in a "candy bar" form factor. Battery life, which is already one of hte P-series strengths in comparison to most smart phones, is also allegedly improved.

LET me Stress, this is pure conjecture on my part based on images from a highly questionable source so please don't hold my feet to the fire if this turns out to be inaccurate.

Interestingly, a Google search for "Sony Ericsson P1000" turns up a number of UK online stores that have prelimary sales pages up for these phones but with no price and no additional details.

NTT DoCoMo 4G test hits 1Gbps (Convergence Leaders)

2005-06-24T04:40:00.000-07:00
NTT DoCoMo 4G test hits 1Gbps: "NTT DoCoMo 4G test hits 1Gbps

By Staff on DoCoMo

Japan's NTT DoCoMo is busy testing 4G wireless technology (we're still using 2G here in the US) and has achieved a milestone, a 1Gbps data download speed while moving at 20km/h.

[This is a content summary only. Click through to read the whole story (including any links or images). ]"

Stitch Says: Holy Rocket-Phones Bat Man! The agonizing wait for 3G deployment here in the good old US of A is killing me; while just a hop, skip and a jump away, NTT DoCoMo is showing us how it should be done. Hey! Carriers! Wake-Up Already! We want our 3-G and we want it now!"

Barcode TV? (Camera Phones and New Colored BarCodes Converge TV/Wireless Web

2005-06-22T16:41:00.000-07:00
picturephoning.com: "Tele-Barcode: The Case of ColorCode"

Found on Textually.org which found this on RFID in Japan;

So, how is the Korean ColorCode being introduced in Japan? ColorZip (the company who owns the technology of ColorCode) announced recently that they are collaborating with two Japanese TV broadcasting stations (TBS and Fuji TV) to develop a system for integrating TV programs and wireless websites.

The system that broadcasts ColorCode will likely be put into real use this summer. Consumers can easily access wireless websites related to TV programs by simply taking a picture of a broadcasted ColorCode. For example, such websites may allow consumers to participate in voting, download sample music clips, buy products, or apply for free gifts.

It sounds like ColorCodes can be read from a distance more easily than other 2D codes.

Stitch Says: in the US, if these small codes were displayed on the television screen during a program the station would receive thousands of calls and complaints about a program error or worse, some obscentity! Seriously, though, we're so out of step with some of these advances that it's going to take a tremendous amount of education on the part of the first companies to deploy this new technology to raise general awareness to the point where there is any sense in making the investment. That said, this is probably a very good intermediate step for interactive broadcast television particularly for homes that have begun using some kind of media hub with integrated PC/Web access.

I can even foresee a time when there'll be a code-capture feature built in to remote controls that lets you navigate the codes displayed on screen, click them and via a picture in picture display view the additional information, or even make a purchase, all without significant interruption of the on-screen action. In fact, capturing, storing (bookmarking) these codes could be a great way for advertisers to gain a foothold in the living room. The more I think about potential applications for this technology the more value I see for advertisers once the initial obstacle of consumer education is overcome.

Of course, the ultimate goal, and in my mind best final result would be that this technology is sufficiently developed that taking a picture of the code in a mobile phone can mash up the code against the location of the person taking the photo as well as their m-commerce profile, and thus would serve them via their phone (instantly) and later via their pc (if their profile supports the action) information and options geared specifially to their tastes, buying habits, resources and other preferences. Now that's the kind of marketing I want. I see a vacation to Tahiti offer pictured in a travel agency's window; I take a picture of their colorcode, and within moments, I have the option to book a trip that has been bounced off my calendar, and checked against the rules for the fares offered. Before I'm half way down the block, I have first class seats (I always fly upgrades, and with a companion) for a 10 day trip during my next vacation (which has been blocked out on my calendar since last February, but which hasn't yet been allocated for a specific trip), I've got King size beds in all my hotels, vegetarian meals on the flights for my companion, and transportation via my favorite car service scheduled both to and from the airport for the dates of my trip. My email "away" message has been preset, critical services (like pet care and plant watering arranged via automatic calendaring with my service providers or I've got reminders waiting for me to make those arrangements if they're not pre-set), and my co-workers (either that I want to make jealous or that have a genuine need to know) have been notified of my pending trip.

No that's the vision. One shot could do a lot! In fact. I'm claiming copyright on that last! That's a great marketing slogan for a company that could offer that suite of services. Wow. Now I want to go to Tahiti...

Ah well, when I get back from the blogosphere, I still have work here on my desk; but I will definitely be monitoring this development to see when my vision comes alive.

Mobile Pipeline | Positioning System Uses Wi-Fi, Not Satellites

2005-06-21T00:43:00.000-07:00
Mobile Pipeline | Positioning System Uses Wi-Fi, Not Satellites: "June 20, 2005

Positioning System Uses Wi-Fi, Not Satellites

Skyhook Wireless Monday launched a positioning service that uses Wi-Fi instead of satellites, which it claims will be simpler and less expensive in many environments.

The Wi-Fi Positioning System (WPS) initially is being rolled out in 25 metropolitan areas, the company said in a statement. It enables the monitoring of any Wi-Fi-enabled device such as smartphones, PDAs and laptops, the company said. The client software access a database of more than 1.5 million WLAN access points in the initial 25 coverage areas, which it uses to calculate location within 40 meters, the company said in a statement.

The company said that the old GPS systems required separate hardware and line-of-site access to satellites. Such systems also are unreliable in some urban areas, according to Skyhook. The WLAN-based location system eliminates those problems."

Stitch Says: I reported this company a while back, when I noted that this concept, which clearly offers some convenience and cost reduction for metropolitan navigation, is interesting for a number of other reasons as well; their aggregation of such a substantial number of HotSpots (claimed at 1.5 million each with a location plotted) represents a fairly Herculean task in itself, although the payoff could be that even if their GPS model fails, they have some nice data that they can resell. However, I have yet to hear how they plan to account for the strong possibility that any number of these hotspots might be relocated, thus rendering information less than accurate. To be fair, I have not had a chance to speak with a company spokesperson so it is plausible that they have a solution that works around this potential issue.

Personally, I can see this as a nice ad-hoc subscription service that would be doubly useful for a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone. What I envision is the visitor to an unfamiliar city logging on to their service during a visit to aid in navigation, site seeing, etc. Come to think of it, this is exactly the kind of thing that I'd be presenting to conceirge's at nice hotels; they're the kind of people that would really appreciate some help getting needy tourists some no-brainer directions...now they just have to hope that install and use (for said tourist) is easier than following directions, otherwise the poor concierge might need to be an IT consultant on the side.

In any case, I'm going to keep an eye on Skyhook. I want to see how this model plays out.

Cell Phones Now Playing Role of Wallet - Yahoo! News (More Convergence Towards a True Digital Wallet)

2005-06-19T04:51:00.000-07:00
Cell Phones Now Playing Role of Wallet - Yahoo! News: "Cell Phones Now Playing Role of Wallet

By BRUCE MEYERSON, AP Business Writer Sat Jun 18, 5:27 AM ET

NEW YORK - Already a device of multiple disguises, from camera to music player and mini-TV, the cell phone's next trick may be the disappearing wallet. After all, since more than a quarter of the people on the planet already carry around cell phones, and hundreds of millions are joining them every year, why should they bring along credit and debit cards when a mobile device can make payments just as well?
ADVERTISEMENT

At the simplest level, all that's needed is to embed phones with a short-range radio chip to beam credit card information to a terminal at a store register. It's not unlike the wireless system used to pay tolls on many highways or the SpeedPass keychain wand used to buy gas at Exxon Mobile Corp. pumps."

Stitch Says: is it just me or is this space heating up lately? Yesterday we had confirmation of Google's entry into the financial fray, alternate payment methods like C-Sam are coming online at a rapid clip as well. It's only logical that the technology find it's way into mobile phones. Far better security, convenience and flexibility can be developed at the handset level than any other commonly carried item. I wonder, are the carriers going to wake up and grabe a piece of this action before it's too late? Cingular, Verizon; if you want to know which companies you should partner with (to grab a piece of First Data's Multi-Billion dollar market) ask me.

Intel integrates 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi onto a single chip

2005-06-18T04:05:00.000-07:00
Intel integrates 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi onto a single chip: "Intel integrates 802.11a/b/g/n WiFi onto a single chip

By Thomas Ricker

Intel Centrino logoToday Intel announced details of their new all-in-one wireless chip ? integrating 802.11a/b/g and ready-for the yet to be ratified 100Mbps 802.11n ? something that currently requires several chips. They even figured out a way to integrate formerly extraneous bits like power amplifiers. Neato, but really, why should you care? Well, using a single chip reduces the manufacturing costs and extends the battery life of our portable electronics. And since these CMOS-based chips use the same manufacturing technology as their microprocessors, Intel will be able to quickly saturate the market once production begins. Now, Intel won?t be pinned down for an availability date, but there?s little doubt that we?ll see the new chips packaged in Centrino systems. And as consumers demand Centrino like Pentium in days of yore, Broadcom and Texas Instruments will be left wondering what the hell happened to their market share. Intel, a WiFi company?my my."

Stitch Says: I am amazed this bit of news, which I noticed first on Engadget, isn't a major headline. Not only is this an incredible innovation with far reaching ramifications for both end users and lots of enterprises, but it's also a significant business statement. In my opinion, Intel, which has shown an increasingly obvious strategy to dominate the next generation of wireless broadband infrastructure, has really thrown down the gauntlet with this announcement. Their previous statements concerning operational interactivity testing with Alvarion, a leader in WiMax basestations, is further evidence that the semiconductor giant has it's sights set squarely on this market segment as a core initiative. Further, this will push other develolpers to not only move quickly to respond with offerings of their own, but could conceivably push the carriers into opening up more of their GSM/3G networks to hybrid connectivity. Yesterday, Nokia, today, Intel...Who'll it be tomorrow?

textually.org: Google Zeros In On Mobile Web

2005-06-18T04:03:00.000-07:00
textually.org: Google Zeros In On Mobile Web: "Google Zeros In On Mobile Web

Google Inc. on Thursday started testing a mobile-phone service that searches websites that have been designed to deliver content customized for the small screens of cellular phones, reports TechWeb via Moco News.

To use the Google Mobile Search, people go to the company's homepage via the web browser on their phones, type in their search query and select 'Mobile Web (Beta)' as their search option.

Along with the latest service, Google's other mobile features include the ability to search for images and the general web and for products and services offered locally. Google also offers a text-based messaging service.
emily | 08:18 AM

Stitch Says: we knew this was coming. Still, even with a reasonably large display, and a higher end smartphone, searching the web via phone is still a largely painful and tedious experience. Much faster are the SMS based query engines that provide a simple interface and a more responsive feel in many instances. Besides, SMS works on nearly any phone. That's not to say that I'm not a fan of improved WAP and XHTML for the mobile. I love the idea of having always available Internet. We just need to see true ubiquity in high speed data for mobile as well as intelligent design standards that understand and accomodate individual display capabilities better than today's pages do.

Nokia Announces VoIP Plans, Hints at Wi-Fi Phones (Phone Scoop) (and in more GSM/Wi-Fi Convergence News)

2005-06-17T03:39:00.000-07:00
Nokia Announces VoIP Plans, Hints at Wi-Fi Phones (Phone Scoop): "Nokia Announces VoIP Plans, Hints at Wi-Fi Phones

Nokia today announced they are working with leaders and first movers to bring enterprise VoIP to Series 60 phones. Nokia has licensed Cisco CallManager and will work with the company to extend it to mobile devices. They have have signed agreements with IBM and OnRelay to create and distribute systems that connect PBX phone systems to mobile phones over 3G or Wi-Fi. As part of the announcement, Nokia admitted they will be launching Series 60 handsets with Wi-Fi in the future. Series 60 Version 3 has support for Wi-Fi built in.

Full Story..."

Stitch Says: Caught this one on Phone Scoop; thanks guys! As I said in the prior post; this transition is inevitable. The only question is how long it will take for the carriers to accept their fate?