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Nokia Siemens Joins Auction for Nortel Assets
According to the Associated Press, Nokia Siemens Networks is bidding against Ciena for some of insolvent Nortel's networking assets. Ciena placed a "stalking horse" bid of $521 million for Nortel's optical networking and carrier ethernet businesses. Nokia Siemens Networks has entered a bid for the assets, but the amount of that bid was not disclosed. The auction is being held today, and the winner will still need to gain regulatory approval to complete any asset acquisitions.
Motorola Plans Droid Camera Fix Via OTA Update
In response to an email, Motorola spokesperson Juli Burda told Phone Scoop that Motorola is planning an over-the-air software update to make improvements to the Droid's camera. She said, "With Droid, and with the rest of our growing portfolio of Android-based devices, we will continue to evolve and improve the overall consumer experience with periodic software updates. The feedback we've been hearing on the Droid camera is one of those items that will be addressed permanently with an upcoming OTA software update. The advanced technology of the Droid means customers will only have to accept the download to their phones for continued use and enjoyment of this feature packed Android phone."
Motorola Picks Up RadioFrame's iDEN Assets
Today Motorola announced that it has acquired the iDEN network assets of RadioFrame. RadioFrame makes lower-cost and power-efficient iDEN base stations. Motorola believes that RadioFrames' base station technology will help it to improve upon its iDEN network and push-to-talk services. RadioFrame Networks' iDEN business will be integrated into Motorola's Home & Networks Mobility business. Terms were not disclosed.
U.S. Cellular Now Offering Overage Protection
U.S. Cellular recently announced a new program that will alert its customers when they are approaching or have reached their limit for voice minutes and/or messaging. Users must sign up for the program, which will evaluate usage each night. It will offer both preventative alerts and overage alerts. Users will receive a text message when they have reached 75% of their minutes or text messages, and another when they reach 100%. The Overage Protection service is free to use.
Nokia Plans Further Staff Reductions
Nokia has said that it plans to reduce its research and development staff by about 2%, which will affect 330 employees at several facilities in Finland and Denmark. Nokia recently reorganized its internal structure.
Windows Live Messenger Added to Nokia Messaging
Today Nokia announced that it has made Microsoft's Windows Live Messenger instant messaging application available to Nokia handsets via its Nokia Messaging service. It can be found in the chat application and includes tabbed chat windows, the ability to call directly from the buddy list, and notifications of new messages that pop up while the application is in the background. The application supports some desktop features, such as grouped contacts, emoticons and sounds, and allows users to log in invisible. Windows Live Messenger will be preloaded on the E72. The E63, E71 and E75 can get Windows Live Messenger by downloading it from the Ovi Store.
Kyocera Intros a Trio of New Handsets
Today Kyocera announced three new phones for the U.S. market.
- SCP-6760 Incognito: This Sanyo-branded handset is a sideways clamshell that has both a touch display and full QWERTY keyboard. Its main display measures 2.6 inches and has 240 x 320 resolution. It also has what Kyocera is calling a "glow-thru" keypad and OLED secondary display. The Incognito features 3G, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a 2 megapixel camera, and support for microSD cards up to 16GB. It runs Sprint's OneClick user interface, has threaded messaging, and supports an array of Sprint services. It will be available from Sprint on November 30.
- S2300 Torino: This bar-style messaging phone has a full QWERTY keyboard, 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, threaded messaging, speakerphone, and has 1xRTT data. It should be available in February.
- S1310 Domino: This monoblock phone is a tri-band CDMA device that is also limited to 1xRTT data. It features Bluetooth 2.0, WAP browser, speakerphone, and basic SMS/MMS messaging. The Domino will launch in December.
Motorola Crush Headed to U.S. Cellular
Today Motorola announced that the touch-based Crush is for sale from U.S. Cellular. The Crush has a 2.8-inch display with 240 x 400 WQVGA resolution. It has a virtual QWERTY keyboard, two megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, and 3.5mm headset jack. It supports microSD cards up to 16GB and has a built-in pedometer.
Google Revamps Mobile News for iPhone, Android and webOS
Today Google announced a new version of Google News for Mobile that has been optimized for the iPhone, Android and webOS platforms. The major improvements include more stories on the homepage and more sources and images. Google has also reduced the number of clicks it takes to find articles and play videos. The mobile version now also reflects each users' desktop settings on their mobile.
Verizon Wireless Axing Alltel Vets
Verizon Wireless plans to eliminate many of the management positions, including finance, marketing and legal, at the former Alltel's headquarters in Little Rock. The positions became redundant with Verizon's purchase of Alltel in 2008. Verizon didn't say exactly how many positions were being eliminated, but said the affected employees are welcome to apply for other jobs in the Little Rock facility, including call center positions.
Three More Towns Now Have T-Mo 3G
Today T-Mobile noted that it has added Abilene and Amarillo, Texas, and Albany, Georgia, to its 3G footprint.
Samsung to Sell First LiMo Handset in S. Korea
Today Samsung, SK Telecom and the LiMo Foundation announced that Samsung will bring S. Korea's first LiMo compliant handset to market by the end of the year. The Samsung SCH-M510 features a 3.5-inch WVGA AMOLED display and a 5 megapixel camera with autofocus. It also comes with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and is armed with a slew of sensors, including proximity, accelerometer and ambient light. It is the third LiMo handset from Samsung, and the 45th LiMo handset overall.
Latest Casio G'zOne Phone Is Like a Rock
Today Verizon Wireless and Casio announced the G'zOne Rock, a mil-spec rugged clamshell that can withstand water, shock, dust, vibration, humidity, salt fog, solar radiation, altitude, and high and low temperature storage. The Rock's main features are six different outdoor applications for the active user. These apps include Earth Compass, Walking Counter, Thermometer, Astro Calendar, Sunrise Sunset and Tide to make sure the adventurer always knows where he/she is and what the current conditions are. Other features of the Rock include a 2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, touch-sensitive music controls on the outer display, support for microSD cards up to 16GB, and a one-click button that opens the phone. The Rock is compatible with Verizon's V CAST services and offers push-to-talk, as well. The Rock will cost $200 after mail-in rebate with a new contract. It goes on sale November 20.
AT&T Airs Attack Ad of Its Own
Today AT&T aired a 3G comparison commercial in response to the attack ads that Verizon Wireless has been showing. The ad claims that AT&T has the nation's fastest 3G network, that it lets users talk and surf at the same time, that it offers the most popular smartphones, and that it offers over 100,000 apps. The end of the ad spot says, "AT&T, A Better 3G Experience" in text. AT&T was recently denied a request to prevent Verizon from showing its anti-AT&T attack ads.
CWA Pushing to Unionize T-Mobile Employees
The Communications Workers of America is looking to partner with the union that represents Deutsche Telekom employees in Germany and organize a new joint union to represent T-Mobile USA's employees. The CWA would oversee the new union's efforts on behalf of T-Mobile USA employees in the U.S., and ver.di would continue to work with Deutsche Telekom's workers in Germany. The new union, called TUnion, would work in concert to make sure all workers receive fair treatment. T-Mobile has historically opposed unions within its ranks. Peter Dobrow, a spokesman for Bellevue, Wash.-based T-Mobile USA, said, "Despite the CWA's periodic organizing efforts for more than nine years, no group of T-Mobile employees has ever chosen to be represented by a union. While our company is always striving to find ways to improve, year after year, employees continue to view T-Mobile as a good place to work where they have no need for, or interest in, a union."
ZTE In Talks to Supply Android Handset to U.S. Operators
Dale Ying, ZTE's managing director of handset business marketing, said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires that the company is planning to bring an Android-based handset to the U.S. market in 2010. Ying says that ZTE is in active discussions with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless. ZTE is also currently testing devices with those same carriers, including both phones and modems. Ying said, "We hope to sell our smartphone to these operators next year. We see big potential in the smartphone market. We are targeting to ship more smartphones in the coming few years which will help to improve our gross margin."
Sprint Pushing Maintenance Update to HTC Hero
Sprint has starting pushing an over-the-air update to the HTC Hero devices running on its network. The update provides some bug fixes, but doesn't update the system beyond Android 1.5, with which it shipped.
Verizon Wins First Round In Ad Wars Against AT&T
Today a judge in Atlanta sided with Verizon Wireless and denied AT&T's request to issue a temporary restraining order that would prevent Verizon from airing certain commercials. Verizon and AT&T were in court over Verizon's "There's A Map for That" ad campaigns, which pit the two companies' 3G coverage maps against one another. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Batten Sr. noted that the commercials are "sneaky" and may cause some people to misunderstand exactly what is being shown, but Batten said the commercials are not intentionally misleading, which is what AT&T claims. AT&T will have a second day in court, Dec. 16, to make further arguments.
Microsoft Announces Office Mobile 2010
Today Microsoft announced the availability of Office Mobile 2010 beta for Windows Mobile 6.5 phones. It includes support for the new SharePoint Workspace Mobile 2010 (a cloud-based service) as well as mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote. Office Mobile 2010 is available worldwide in the Windows Marketplace for Mobile starting today. Microsoft didn't say if or when it would support Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1.
Sony Ericsson to Move Headquarters to Atlanta, Cut Jobs
Today Sony Ericsson confirmed that previously announced staff reductions and other cost cutting measures are well underway. As part of an announcement made in April of this year, Sony Ericsson is set to reduce its head count by about 2,000 people. Part of this will come from facility closings in North America, including its current headquarters in North Carolina, which employs about 420 people. The headquarters will be relocated to Atlanta, which Sony Ericsson said is ideal due to its proximity to AT&T's facilities there.
Sony Ericsson's New User Interface to Be Called 'Nexus'
Today Sony Ericsson revealed the name of its new UX platform, which will be called Nexus. Nexus will be first introduced on the Android-powered Xperia X10 and will follow in more devices throughout 2010 and 2011. It will include signature applications, a new graphical UI and varied levels of service integration. Sony Ericsson said that the platform will work with Android and other platforms, though it didn't specify which. Sony Ericsson will also work with its partners, developers and operators to optimize and customize Nexus. Nexus' goal will be to help users organize all their data, media and communications and how to discover new data and media based on users' habits and likes.
T-Mobile Intros New Prepaid Option
T-Mobile today announced T-Mobile Complete, a new pre-packaged, pay-in-advance offering. The plans are similar to the company's Even More Plus no-contract, unlimited plans, but offer the first month of service for free. Four phones are available initially: the BlackBerry Curve 8520, Samsung Gravity, Samsung t239 and the Samsung t229. Up-front phone prices start at $60. The phones are available at Best Buy and select Wal-Mart locations.
Nokia N900 Now Available in the U.S.
Today Nokia announced that its Maemo 5 based N900 multimedia device is available to U.S. consumers. It will be at Nokia's flagship stores in New York City and Chicago, as well as Nokiausa.com and other retailers for $650.
Sony Style Stores to Offer AT&T Services
Starting Thursday, November 19, customers who shop at Sony Style stores will be able to purchase select Sony Ericsson handsets complete with an AT&T contract. The option will be available at Sony Style stores nationwide, and will include the Sony Ericsson C905a and W518a handsets. Sony didn't say if or when other Sony Ericsson handsets will be offered with AT&T contracts. Customers who choose to purchase a handset with AT&T services at Sony Style stores will be given several free accessories for their new devices.
GSMA Pushes to Reduce Wireless Industry Emissions by 40%
The GSM Association recently published a document called the Green Manifesto for the mobile industry. The manifesto outlines how collaborative efforts made by the entire wireless industry and some government regulation can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by the year 2020. The GSMA hopes to achieve carbon neutral growth, and thinks that both handsets and networking equipment can reduce energy requirements. The GSMA will be sending delegates to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December to push for these changes.
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