Sony Ericsson to supply Android smartphone to DoCoMo
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Sony Ericsson signed a deal with Japan’s largest mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo to supply its first smartphone using Google Inc.’s Android operating system, Xperia X10, to be launched in April.
However, Sony’s Ericsson’s entry in the iPhone market is late to compete with Apple Inc.’s iPhone or Research In Motion Ltd.’s Blackberry devices.
According to Bert Nordberg, president of the loss-making joint venture between Sony Corp. and Sweden’s Ericsson, DoCoMo will be company’s first customer globally to get its new mobile phone.
Some of the features of the phone include four-inch touch-screen and a powerful mobile processor besides some software features that allows users to track all of their communication with friends or colleagues, spanning phone calls, e-mail and even social networks like Twitter and Facebook.
BlackBerry Messenger 5.0 launched by RIM
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: BlackBerry Messenger v5.0 has been launched by Research in Motion allowing users to add a contact by scanning their BlackBerry Messenger barcode with the BlackBerry smartphone camera.
Status updates, group creation are the other features of the phone which will also allow users to send text messages from within BlackBerry Messenger. Pictures, videos, voice notes can be shared with multiple contacts at once.
BlackBerry Messenger is free at BlackBerry App World or from the BlackBerry smartphone at blackberry.com/blackberrymessenger.
Apple and RIM sued by Kodak over Imaging Patents
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Lawsuits have been filed against Apple and Research In Motion in the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) by Eastman Kodak, alleging the infringement of Kodak digital imaging technology. The company has claimed that its patent covering technology related to a method for previewing images has been infringed by Apple’s iPhones and RIM’s camera-enabled BlackBerry devices.
According to Laura G. Quatela, Chief Intellectual Property Officer, and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company, the company was bound to take this action as the discussions with both Apple and RIM had been carried out for years to resolve this issue amicably, but no satisfactory agreement was reached.
In the complaint, limited exclusion order preventing the importation of infringing devices, including certain mobile telephones and wireless communication devices featuring digital cameras is sought by Kodak.
LG, Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson are among the 30 countries having Kodak’s licensed digital imaging technology
RIM and Alcatel-Lucent joins Alfa to provide BlackBerry solution in Lebanon
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Lebanese mobile operator Alfa, managed by Orascom Telecom’s launched the BlackBerry solution for Alfa customers in Lebanon along with Alcatel-Lucent and Research in Motion.
BlackBerry® smartphones like the BlackBerry® Boldâ„¢ 9000 smartphone and the BlackBerry® Curveâ„¢ 8900 smartphone; along with unlimited1 MB for BlackBerry® Service local usage is offered by Alfa to its customers.
Users of the Alfa mobiles can enjoy various features like easy, wireless access to email, phone, calendar, web, multimedia and a range of other business and leisure applications. Subscribers also get an added incentive from Alfa which is offering one month’s free subscription with BlackBerry Internet Service to the first buyers of any BlackBerry® smartphone.
According to Samer Salameh, CEO of Alfa, the joint effort of the company with Alcatel-Lucent and RIM is focused on providing exceptional service to the customers. The strong local presence of Alcatel-Lucent and RIM will provide an edge to Alfa to implement, launch, deliver and support services for the BlackBerry solution in the Lebanese market.
Verizon certain to add one million subscribers in its Q4
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Financial Officer John Killian said he is confident that the company will hit 1 million wireless contract subscribers in the fourth quarter.
The US based telco dominated the holiday season, known to be very critical for carriers’ and is looking forward to add more subscribers, with the help of its Android software along with the Motorola Inc. Droid and the HTC Corp. Droid Eris.
Another telecom company AT&T Inc has offered new devices such as Research in Motion Ltd.’s Blackberry Bold2 while its Apple Inc. iPhone is still enjoying the success.
According to Killian, the company is focusing on its own line up devices and there can be ample growth driven by new customers who sign up long-term contracts and more adoption of data services.
The company also said that 3,000 landline workforce will be reduced in the fourth quarter while 7,200 jobs have already been slashed in the first nine months of the year. Recently, Verizon Inc. shares increased by 0.6% to $33.44.
RIM to add 10 mobile operators in APAC to promote BlackBerry
NEW DELHI
: The Research In Motion (RIM), designer of the BlackBerry wireless handheld device, targets to add 10 mobile operators in the Asia-Pacific region in the next 12 months.
Norm W.K.Lo, vice president, Asia Pacific, RIM said, there are currently around 28 carriers in the APAC region and 10 more operators will be added to launch the BlackBerry handsets. “There are around 10 mobile operators we are in talks with and in the next 12 months time we are targeting to offer our handsets through them,” Lo said.
However, the company aims to increase its mobile operator base from the current 200 to 300 in one year.
Currently, RIM offers its BlackBerry in
India
exclusively through Airtel and is not available in the open market. Among the targeted 10 mobile operators, there could be one more operator within a year, but Lo refused to divulge more information on it.
Denying partnering with any other operator Lo said that he is “not in a position to comment at the present stage.”
On the subscriber base, Gregory Wade, director, Asia Pacific, RIM, said that the current BlackBerry subscriber base stands at 5.5 million at the end of Q1 (
June 3, 2006
). The company has set a target of seven lakh subscriber base in the end of Q2.
The company today launched the BlackBerry 7130g handset in
India
with Airtel. Working on EDGE and GPRS networks, the new handset offers push-based e-mail, phone, text messaging, browser, organiser and other mobile applications.
“The new handset is an exciting addition to the BlackBerry portfolio in
India
. Together with the comprehensive and powerful platform, this new handset delivers an all-in-one solution with a unique experience,” Lo added.
Source- http://www.voicendata.com
