RIM introduces the BlackBerry Curve 9320 (Canada)
Research In Motion announced a stylish new smartphone for socially-connected customers. The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone features all the core BlackBerry messaging and social-centric features that keep people connected, and it offers global 3G connectivity backed by long battery life to allow users to make the most of their day.
Carlo Chiarello, EVP, Smartphone Business at Research In Motion, said that the new BlackBerry Curve 9320 is designed to make it incredibly easy for users to stay socially-connected. The new BlackBerry Curve 9320 will be especially popular with customers upgrading to a smartphone for the first time and existing Curve customers looking for a step up in speed and functionality.
The BlackBerry Curve 9320 has everything a customer needs to stay in touch with the people and things that matter most to them. It features a dedicated BBM key, bringing the power of RIM’s popular mobile social network up in an instant, as well as the best keyboard in its class for quick and easy typing. It includes a built-in FM radio, allowing users to tune into their favorite local stations, and listening to the FM radio does not require a data plan or use data services. Designed to allow both 3G connectivity and long battery life, customers can get up to 7 hours of talk time or up to 30 hours of FM radio listening or music playback with headphones.
Customers can easily interact with their social network in real time, using preloaded apps for Facebook and Twitter. The new Social Feeds 2.0 app is also preloaded, allowing users to post updates to multiple social networks simultaneously and capture updates from news sources (RSS), social apps and instant messaging apps all in one consolidated view. The integrated camera includes a flash and supports video recording, and pictures can be tagged with their location thanks to the smartphone’s built-in GPS.
The BlackBerry Curve 9320 comes with the new BlackBerry 7.1 OS, which supports features such as Mobile Hotspot and Wi-Fi calling where available. Parental Controls is a brand new, on-device feature that provides parents and guardians with simple options to help protect children by restricting access to specific functions, features and applications.
Telefonica announces major mobile content play with EA (Spain)
Telefónica Digital unveiled its latest play in its global gaming strategy by entering a strategic relationship with EA Mobile, a division of Electronic Arts Inc., which will allow customers to access its world leading games on their mobiles. The service will be available first through O2 in the UK followed by other Telefónica markets.
The deal will give Telefónica’s operating businesses the ability to create innovative gaming promotions using titles from the EA catalogue of consumer favourite brands such as The Sims, FIFA or MONOPOLY. The objective is to make it easy for customers to find the games that they are familiar with and to drive the uptake of mobile gaming, particularly amongst feature phone users.
In the UK, O2 will offer its customers three months of free access to all EA Mobile games following their first download. It is then examining a number of potential promotions or special ‘gaming subscription’ services to offer customers.
Matthew Key, Chairman & CEO of Telefónica Digital, said that their relationship with EA Mobile puts them as the epicentre of mobile gaming – which accounts for the highest percentage of downloaded Apps and is the largest paid mobile content market today. By making a differentiated play in this most emotive and immersive entertainment medium we are fostering a much deeper connection with their customers – another significant step in becoming a true aggregator of experiences.
Bernard Kim, Senior Vice President, Global Social and Mobile Publishing of EA Mobile said that their mission is to deliver games that consumers love – anywhere, anytime, and on any platform they want to play. They know that at least a quarter of mobile users in Europe are playing games on their phones. Their relationship with Telefónica helps more people discover their games, and removes barriers for subscribers to enjoy an entire library of our most beloved titles.
Industry analyst IHS Screen Digest predicts continued impressive growth in the mobile games business. Fuelled by rapid expansion in 3G adoption, smartphone and tablet gaming, the global mobile games market will be worth almost $ 11.8 billion by 2015.
Jack Kent, Mobile Media Analyst at IHS Screen Digest, said that mobile games have been driving the wider mobile applications business, with games the largest content category on all leading application stores. As the mass appeal of mobile games increases, consumers are embracing new forms of content and business models, with free games monetised by micro-transactions – such as in-app purchases – driving growth.
Telefónica Digital has not only underlined its commitment to O2 customers by offering the best gaming experience – through a combination of exclusive promotions and unbeatable value subscription services – but also opened significant new revenue growth opportunities through in-game advertising and media partnerships.
Google play launched as a one-stop entertainment hub (USA)
Google Play is a digital entertainment destination where users can find, enjoy and share their favorite music, movies, books and apps on the web and on their Android phone or tablet. Google Play is entirely cloud-based so all the music, movies, books and apps are stored online, always available to the user, and without any worry about losing them or moving them again.
Google Play enables users to store up to 20,000 songs for free and buy millions of new tracks, download more than 450,000 Android apps and games, browse the world’s largest selection of eBooks and rent thousands of movies, including new releases and HD titles.
According to a company report, the Android Market, Google Music and the Google eBookstore will become part of Google Play. On the Android phone or tablet, the Android Market app will be replaced by the Google Play Store app over the coming days. Further, the videos, books and music apps (in countries where they are available) will also be upgraded to Google Play Movies, Google Play Books and Google Play Music apps.
Telenor combines with Google to enhance Android adoption (Asia, Europe)
Telecommunications giant, Telenor has entered into an agreement with Google in an attempt to increase Android adoption. According to reports, Telenor’s Android users will be able to access an updated range of apps on the front page of Android Market, pay for them apps via their mobile operator. This will also benefit local developers by increasing the accessibility of their apps while helping them increase their revenues.
As per sources, the deal is expected to be launched initially in Thailand, Sweden, Hungary, Malaysia and Denmark, early next year, and subsequently cover all of Telenor’s international markets. The deal comes as a result of the ever-increasing demand for mobile content across the European and the Asian economies.
Reports suggest that Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President & CEO, Telenor Group has said that this deal between Google and Telenor is designed to inject even more energy into the Android ecosystem. Most importantly, it means that millions of Telenor customers will experience easier access to more and richer mobile content, as well as flexible payment solutions.
RIM to offer customers free apps worth $100 (Canada)
Research in Motion (RIM), the company behind the BlackBerry product line, will offer its customers a selection of apps worth $100 free of charge, as a token of gratitude for their patience during the failure of the company’s network services. The problem that started at RIM’s European data centre soon spread across the world, causing discontent among millions of BlackBerry loyalists. Some of the apps offered include Bejeweled, Bubble bash 2, Shazam Encore and Nobex Radio. The apps will be made available to the customers over the coming weeks on BlackBerry App World and will be available till December 31, 2011.
As per reports, Mike Lazardis, Co-CEO, RIM said that their global network supports the communications needs of more than 70 million customers. He added that they were grateful to their loyal BlackBerry customers for their patience and will work tirelessly to restore their confidence.
The company also said that RIM’s enterprise customers will be offered one month of free technical support. While current customers will be offered a complimentary one month extension of their existing technical support contract, customers who do not currently have a contract will be offered a one month trial of RIM’s BlackBerry technical support services – enhanced support, free of charge.
Square, Chinatown Coffee partner to pilot new payment platform (US)
Chinatown Coffee has reportedly launched a pilot an m-payment application pilot targeted at smartphone users.
Christened ‘Card Case’ is set to enable customers to carry out payments via a pre-registered credit card. Moreover, the app has been developed by mobile payment start-up Square. The app is currently available on the iPhone and Android-powered devices.
In a recent development , Square has added new features for its iPad PoS service. The newly-introduced capability is dubbed Square Register and is set to handle checkout, tracks sales and enable businesses to communicate with customers on their mobile phones.
Square is currently processing USD 3 million a day in credit card transactions via mobile phones, according to Twitter creator and Square founder Jack Dorsey.
Akbank launches m-money transfer app (Turkey)
Akbank has released a money transfer application in collaboration with Mobinex. The company launched ‘Para Gonder’, which is powered by Mobinex’ Smartface platform.
Para Gonder app users can access money transfer services directly from their mobile phones. Customers can send money from their Akbank account or credit card to another Akbank account, credit card, ATM, or to credit card accounts at other banks.
Axel Springer launches 3 music magazines to iPad app (Germany)
Axel Springer, which is a Germany-based publisher, has launched three music magazines to its iPad digital subscription app iKiosk.
With this service, subscribers can order the digital editions of Rolling Stone, MusikExpress and Metal Hammer through iKiosk or choose a monthly, three months or annual subscription.
The iKiosk app was originally introduced in April 2010 and will now be available in the German and Swiss iTunes store offering access to digital editions of more than 30 newspapers and magazines.
Czech TV offers free archive for iPad
Cinemark introduces iPhone app (US)
Cinemark Holdings has introduced first application for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad application. The application will be available at the Apple App Store.
The Cinemark app enables users to find their nearest Cinemark theatre using GPS, search for preferred Cinemark theatre locations and establish their own ‘My Cinemark’ theatre locations.
App also enables users to check their Cinemark gift card balances and view ticket purchase history. The application enables users to buy movie tickets, watch movie trailers, view film ratings and browse movie synopses including cast information.
The Cinemark application enables users to share showtimes, Cinemark locations and movie information via e-mail, text, Facebook and Twitter. The Cinemark application is available for free download on Apple’s App Store or at itunes.apple.com.
