January 2008
Motorola Confirms Restructuring; May Separate... →
As rumored earlier this week, Motorola (NYSE: MOT) says it is exploring “structural and strategic realignment”, which may involve the separation of its handset business from the rest of its operations. The announcement is a little cryptic as to what exactly the company is planning to do. CEO Greg Brown: “We are exploring ways in which our Mobile Devices Business can accelerate...
Motorola Confirms Restructuring; May Separate... →
As rumored earlier this week, Motorola (NYSE: MOT) says it is exploring “structural and strategic realignment”, which may involve the separation of its handset business from the rest of its operations. The announcement is a little cryptic as to what exactly the company is planning to do. CEO Greg Brown: “We are exploring ways in which our Mobile Devices Business can accelerate...
Spectrum Auction Reaches Google's Open Access... →
The wireless spectrum auction is reaching an interesting stage: After 18 rounds of bidding that began one week ago, bids for the “C block” of nationwide spectrum reached $4.7 billion, according to FCC data, reports MarketWatch. This means that FCC’s open access rules for part of the spectrum will now come into play, something Google (NSDQ: GOOG) had been pushing for. The bids...
Spectrum Auction Reaches Google's Open Access... →
The wireless spectrum auction is reaching an interesting stage: After 18 rounds of bidding that began one week ago, bids for the “C block” of nationwide spectrum reached $4.7 billion, according to FCC data, reports MarketWatch. This means that FCC’s open access rules for part of the spectrum will now come into play, something Google (NSDQ: GOOG) had been pushing for. The bids...
Mobile Content Bits: Google UK; Tim Brasil; Mosio;... →
— Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Relaunches Mobile Search Service in the UK: Google UK has launched a new search service for mobile phones, which it says will make searching on handsets faster and more intuitive and include more relevant results. The new service combines search results from the mobile and wired web, rather than breaking them out, and also searches through news articles, local business...
Mobile Content Bits: Google UK; Tim Brasil; Mosio;... →
— Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Relaunches Mobile Search Service in the UK: Google UK has launched a new search service for mobile phones, which it says will make searching on handsets faster and more intuitive and include more relevant results. The new service combines search results from the mobile and wired web, rather than breaking them out, and also searches through news articles, local business...
BBC Deciding On Mobile TV Strategy →
The BBC is currently mulling over the results of a 12-month long mobile TV trial to figure out its long term strategy for the medium. NMA reports that the trial—a live mobile stream of BBC One, BBC Three, and BBC News 24 currently running on the portals of Orange, 3 and Vodafone—ends in March, and the BBC has yet to tell operators if they plan to continue. They are said to be “closely...
BBC Deciding On Mobile TV Strategy →
The BBC is currently mulling over the results of a 12-month long mobile TV trial to figure out its long term strategy for the medium. NMA reports that the trial—a live mobile stream of BBC One, BBC Three, and BBC News 24 currently running on the portals of Orange, 3 and Vodafone???ends in March, and the BBC has yet to tell operators if they plan to continue. They are said to be...
Vodafone Interim Results Boosted By Emerging... →
Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) released its interim results for the quarter ending 31 December 2007 Thursday. Third quarter revenues climbed 15.8 percent to £9.2 billion ($18.3 billion), fuelled by strong growth in emerging markets and mobile data. Organic mobile data growth for the entire group surged 41.5 percent. In Europe, mobile data helped service revenues climb a more modest 2 percent, with messaging...
Vodafone Interim Results Boosted By Emerging... →
Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) released its interim results for the quarter ending 31 December 2007 Thursday. Third quarter revenues climbed 15.8 percent to ??9.2 billion ($18.3 billion), fuelled by strong growth in emerging markets and mobile data. Organic mobile data growth for the entire group surged 41.5 percent. In Europe, mobile data helped service revenues climb a more modest 2 percent, with...
iPhone Users Eat '30 Times' More Data Than Others... →
German iPhone users consume about 30 times more data than mere mortals, T-Mobile says (via Unstrung). “The average Internet usage for an iPhone customer is more than 100 MBytes. This is 30 times the use for our average contract-based consumer customers,” René Obermann, CEO of its parent Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT), said, adding T-Mob had sold 70,000 iPhones with contracts since launch...
iPhone Users Eat '30 Times' More Data Than Others... →
German iPhone users consume about 30 times more data than mere mortals, T-Mobile says (via Unstrung). “The average Internet usage for an iPhone customer is more than 100 MBytes. This is 30 times the use for our average contract-based consumer customers,” Ren?? Obermann, CEO of its parent Deutsche Telekom (NYSE: DT), said, adding T-Mob had sold 70,000 iPhones with contracts since launch...
Garmin Launches Mobile Handset →
Navigation firm Garmin has entered the handset market, launching a gadget remarkably similar to the iPhone. The nüvifone has GPS functions, full browsing, HSDPA, WiFI, Bluetooth and a full touchscreen reports Engadget. It will use Garmin’s proprietary OS, which is based on its GPS devices… A unique OS means there’s not much incentive for content companies to port their wares onto the...
Handset Market: Garmin In With Nav-Phone; Lenovo... →
Navigation firm Garmin has entered the handset market, launching a gadget remarkably similar to the iPhone. The n??vifone has GPS functions, full browsing, HSDPA, WiFI, Bluetooth and a full touchscreen reports Engadget. It will use Garmin’s proprietary OS, which is based on its GPS devices??? A unique OS means there’s not much incentive for content companies to port their wares onto...
BART Launches Mobile Payment Service, Links With... →
San Francisco train system BART has launched a mobile payment trial with Sprint (NYSE: S) where 230 trial participants can pay for a ticket by tagging their phone on a reader at the gate???the credit is topped up automatically over the air. The trial also includes Jack in the Box, which will have advertisements with directions to the nearest Jack in the Box restauant and discount vouchers. Sprint...
Mobile Entertainment Forum Releases Draft Code For... →
The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has released its draft code for participation TV offerings in the United States. It predicts an increase in these types of shows due to the writers’ strike, and???considering the scandals that have occured around the world???figures it’s a good time for a code of conduct. The code sets out which companies have responsibility for different aspects of...
Dell To Release Android Phone? →
There have been rumors of Dell entering the mobile handset market for a while now, but speculation is mounting that the company will team up with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) to release a handset based on the Android platform. “Senior industry sources claim the two companies will reveal their plans at next month’s 3GSM telecoms conference in Barcelona, although Google insiders deny an...
Clearwire And Sprint Reach WiMax Roaming Agreement... →
Clearwire CEO Ben Wolff has confirmed that his company and Sprint (NYSE: S) have made progress on terms for a roaming deal for their high-speed wireless networks based on WiMax technology—specifically that they have “agreed on common network architecture in order to make it possible for their customers to roam between both networks” reports Reuters. In November the two companies...
Clearwire And Sprint Reach WiMax Roaming Agreement... →
Clearwire CEO Ben Wolff has confirmed that his company and Sprint (NYSE: S) have made progress on terms for a roaming deal for their high-speed wireless networks based on WiMax technology???specifically that they have “agreed on common network architecture in order to make it possible for their customers to roam between both networks” reports Reuters. In November the two companies...
BART Launches Mobile Payment Service, Links With... →
San Francisco train system BART has launched a mobile payment trial with Sprint (NYSE: S) where 230 trial participants can pay for a ticket by tagging their phone on a reader at the gate—the credit is topped up automatically over the air. The trial also includes Jack in the Box, which will have advertisements with directions to the nearest Jack in the Box restaurant and discount vouchers. Sprint...
Dell To Release Android Phone? →
There have been rumors of Dell entering the mobile handset market for a while now, but speculation is mounting that the company will team up with Google (NSDQ: GOOG) to release a handset based on the Android platform. “Senior industry sources claim the two companies will reveal their plans at next month’s 3GSM telecoms conference in Barcelona, although Google insiders deny an...
Mobile Entertainment Forum Releases Draft Code For... →
The Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) has released its draft code for participation TV offerings in the United States. It predicts an increase in these types of shows due to the writers’ strike, and—considering the scandals that have occured around the world—figures it’s a good time for a code of conduct. The code sets out which companies have responsibility for different aspects of the...
@ OnMedia: The State Of Mobile Ads: Too Much... →
Mobile advertising is about a $2 billion business, but a number of obstacles remain: carriers’ issues, fragmentation, and ultimately, convincing marketers to do a mobile campaign. Cyriac Roeding, SVP, CBS (NYSE: CBS), expressed a good deal of frustration about the state of mobile ads during a mid-morning panel at the AlwaysOn Media NYC. He began by offering some bullet points detailing what...
@ OnMedia: The State Of Mobile Ads: Too Much... →
Mobile advertising is about a $2 billion business, but a number of obstacles remain: carriers’ issues, fragmentation, and ultimately, convincing marketers to do a mobile campaign. Cyriac Roeding, SVP, CBS (NYSE: CBS), expressed a good deal of frustration about the state of mobile ads during a mid-morning panel at the AlwaysOn Media NYC. He began by offering some bullet points detailing what...
Networks' Mobile Efforts: NBC.com; Optus-Dance... →
—NBC: NBC.com has announced its roster of mobile sites, boasting nearly forty WAP and three mobile video channels which include full episodes and short form video clips. New WAP sites include sites for Saturday Night Live, Last Call with Carson Daly, Lipstick Jungle and American Gladiators, while Heroes has a trivia and Create Your Own Hero game platform. NBC said that in Q4 it delivered...
Google Mobile AdWords: Can't Track Conversions... →
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) AdWords has been one of the search engine’s most lucrative products on the wired web, but it may not be able to replicate its success on the mobile web since AdWords’ cannot deliver accurate data, according to Farhad Divecha, MD of London, UK-based search engine marketing agency AccuraCast. Moreover, for Adwords to ever give advertisers accurate data, Google will...
O2 UK Cuts iPhone Tariff; Says Only An... →
It’s not about the iPhone, really. But while O2 announced yesterday cuts across all of their consumer tariffs, news that iPhone tariffs were being slashed were seized upon as an indication that the operator was trying to stimulate lagging sales. Anecdotal evidence recently circulating in the press claimed that only one iPhone a week was being sold at a typical-sized O2 store, though in early...
NATPE Interview: Greg Clayman, EVP Of Digital,... →
At NATPE yesterday, I spoke to Greg Clayman, EVP, Digital Distribution & Business Development, MTV, who overlooks all of MTVN’s mobile businesses. He moderated a panel on what’s working in mobile content, and I grabbed him after for this short 5 minute video interview (RSS readers will have to click through). He’s bullish on mobile video, which he thinks is going to take off...
Blyk Gets New Funding Round, Expanding To... →
Ad-funded free MVNO Blyk has scored an undisclosed investment from Goldman Sachs and Industrial and Financial Investments Company (IFIC), and will make the Netherlands its second territory in the second half of ‘08. Existing investors in the outfit, which gives free calls and texts to customers aged 16 to 24 in return for sending them SMS and MMS ads, were Sofinnova Partners plus private...
Networks Mobile Efforts: NBC; Dance Australia →
—NBC: NBC.com has announced its roster of mobile sites, boasting nearly forty WAP and three mobile video channels which include full episodes and short form video clips. New WAP sites include sites for Saturday Night Live, Last Call with Carson Daly, Lipstick Jungle and American Gladiators, while Heroes has a trivia and Create Your Own Hero game platform. NBC said that in Q4 it delivered...
NATPE Interview: Greg Clayman, EVP Of Digital,... →
At NATPE yesterday, I spoke to Greg Clayman, EVP, Digital Distribution & Business Development, MTV, who overlooks all of MTVN’s mobile businesses. He moderated a panel on what’s working in mobile content, and I grabbed him after for this short 5 minute video interview (RSS readers will have to click through). He’s bullish on mobile video, which he thinks is going to take off...
Google Mobile AdWords: Can't Track Conversions... →
Google (NSDQ: GOOG) AdWords has been one of the search engine’s most lucrative products on the wired web, but it may not be able to replicate its success on the mobile web since AdWords’ cannot deliver accurate data, according to Farhad Divecha, MD of London, UK-based search engine marketing agency AccuraCast. Moreover, for Adwords to ever give advertisers accurate data, Google will...
O2 UK Cuts iPhone Tariff →
It’s not about the iPhone, really. But while O2 announced yesterday cuts across all of their consumer tariffs, news that iPhone tariffs were being slashed were seized upon as an indication that the operator was trying to stimulate lagging sales. Anecdotal evidence recently circulating in the press claimed that only one iPhone a week was being sold at a typical-sized O2 store, though in early...
Blyk Gets New Funding Round, Expanding To... →
Ad-funded free MVNO Blyk has scored an undisclosed investment from Goldman Sachs and Industrial and Financial Investments Company (IFIC), and will make the Netherlands its second territory in the second half of ‘08. Existing investors in the outfit, which gives free calls and texts to customers aged 16 to 24 in return for sending them SMS and MMS ads, were Sofinnova Partners plus private...
Ofcom Takes Aim At Pricey Mobile Data Roaming... →
Ofcom is taking aim at networks once again, this time attacking the high cost of surfing the mobile web while abroad. The UK regulator warned that while it wanted to see the industry “take the initiative on this issue,” it was prepared to resort to legislation requiring them to do so.
Ofcom CEO Ed Richards said in a speech yesterday that the high roaming charges for mobile data was...
Ofcom Takes Aim At Pricey Mobile Data Roaming... →
Ofcom is taking aim at networks once again, this time attacking the high cost of surfing the mobile web while abroad. The UK regulator warned that while it wanted to see the industry “take the initiative on this issue,” it was prepared to resort to legislation requiring them to do so.
Ofcom CEO Ed Richards said in a speech yesterday that the high roaming charges for mobile data was...
Newest Jobs In Digital Media →
Latest jobs in digital media added since yesterday:
— Championship Gaming Series: Marketing Manager
— Control Room: VP, Business Development
— Major Media Company: VP, Business Strategy and Development
— Transpera: Senior Advertising Platform Engineer
Tons more here.
Newest Jobs In Digital Media →
Latest jobs in digital media added since yesterday:
— Championship Gaming Series: Marketing Manager
— Control Room: VP, Business Development
— Major Media Company: VP, Business Strategy and Development
— Transpera: Senior Advertising Platform Engineer
Tons more here.
Yahoo And AT&T Shift Strategic Alliance; Focus On... →
Alongside Yahoo’s (NSDQ: YHOO) quarterly report (see coverage at paidContent.org), the company has announced an ‘extension and expansion’ of its strategic alliance with AT&T (NYSE: T), which has been a source of concern among some analysts. Starting in the second quarter, the relationship will shift from co-branded DSL with Yahoo services to an ad-supported, revenue-sharing...
Yahoo And AT&T Shift Strategic Alliance,... →
Alongside Yahoo’s (NSDQ: YHOO) quarterly report (see coverage at paidContent.org), the company has announced an ‘extension and expansion’ of its strategic alliance with AT&T, which has been a source of concern among some analysts. Starting in the second quarter, the relationship will shift from co-branded DSL with Yahoo services to an ad-supported, revenue-sharing based...
Clearwire And Sprint May Get Partners To Fund... →
WSJ reports that Clearwire is in talks with a handful of companies that might lead to a deeper partnership with Intel (NSDQ: INTC), revive a failed joint venture with Sprint (NYSE: S), and possibly result in new pacts with Best Buy and Google (NSDQ: GOOG). The talks should help to re-energize WiMax, which has faced a lot of criticism after Clearwire and Sprint backed out of a partnership last year...
Clearwire And Sprint May Get Partners To Fund... →
WSJ reports that Clearwire is in talks with a handful of companies that might lead to a deeper partnership with Intel (NSDQ: INTC), revive a failed joint venture with Sprint (NYSE: S), and possibly result in new pacts with Best Buy and Google (NSDQ: GOOG). The talks should help to re-energize WiMax, which has faced a lot of criticism after Clearwire and Sprint backed out of a partnership last year...
Brad Greenspan's BroadWebAsia Wants Majority Stake... →
BroadWebAsia, an investment firm started by Brad Greenspan, has offered to buy a majority share of Chinese wireless VAS provider Linktone (NSDQ: LTON), challenging a November offer from Indonesian media group PT Media Nusantra Citra (MNC). The firm says it will purchase 60 percent of Linktone, by acquiring 6 million American Depository Shares (ADSs) at $4.18 each and then buy another $10 million...
Mobile Imager ShoZu Raises $12 Million Third Round →
London-based ShoZu, which allows users to easily move camera phone photos to sites such as Flickr and Facebook, has raised a biggish $12 million third round of funding led by SEB Venture Capital. Also participating were previous investors Atlas Venture, Crescendo Ventures and TTP Ventures. The service last announced a $12 million round in in 2005, when it was known as Cognima. It was originally...
Mobile Imager ShoZu Raises $12 Million Third Round →
London-based ShoZu, which allows users to easily move camera phone photos to sites such as Flickr and Facebook, has raised a biggish $12 million third round of funding led by SEB Venture Capital. Also participating were previous investors Atlas Venture, Crescendo Ventures and TTP Ventures. The service last announced a $12 million round in in 2005, when it was known as Cognima. It was originally...
Email Service Teleflip Raises $4.9 Million... →
Teleflip, a company that changes users’ emails into text messages, has raised $4.9 million financing from GRP II, VentureBeat reported. In September, the Santa Monica company raised a first round from GRP but the amount was not disclosed, according to an earlier post by SocalTech. And last summer, Teleflip announced a debt financing from Hercules Technology Growth Capital.
The company,...
Motorola To Exit Handset Business? →
Nomura International analyst Richard Windsor has caused quite a stir with a research note published to the bank’s clients today saying that beleaguered cellphone maker Motorola (NYSE: MOT) may exit the handset business all together and concentrate instead on becoming an enterprise and government company. Marketwatch reports that the note also dismissed the rumors that Chinese vendors may...
Motorola To Exit Handset Business? →
Nomura International analyst Richard Windsor has caused quite a stir with a research note published to the bank’s clients today saying that beleaguered cellphone maker Motorola (NYSE: MOT) may exit the handset business all together and concentrate instead on becoming an enterprise and government company. Marketwatch reports that the note also dismissed the rumors that Chinese vendors may...
Email Service Teleflip Raises $4.9 Million... →
Teleflip, a company that changes users’ emails into text messages, has raised $4.9 million financing from GRP II, VentureBeat reported. In September, the Santa Monica company raised a first round from GRP but the amount was not disclosed, according to an earlier post by SocalTech. And last summer, Teleflip announced a debt financing from Hercules Technology Growth Capital.
The company,...
Mobile Social Network mig33 Raises $13.5 Million... →
Mobile social network mig33 announced today it has received $13.5 million in a second round of funding led by Menlo Park-based VC firm DCM. First round investors Accel, Redpoint and TVP also participated in the round. The two-year old company, originally from Australia and now based in Burlingame, CA, says it will use the funding to continue expanding the company both in the US and around the...