Mobilious

“Hong Kong’s SmarTone-Vodafone has fitted out one hundred local taxi cabs with a platform which connects to the network operator’s HSDPA network via a standard USB socket. The service is being offered free to taxi customers.

… Passengers can simply plug their laptops into the USB modem while they ride in one of these taxis, and they will connect to the SmarTone-Vodafone Mobile Broadband network.

In addition to the free Mobile Broadband experimental programme in taxis, SmarTone-Vodafone has also set up workstations for consumers to try out its Mobile Broadband in locations such as GOD in Causeway Bay, GOD in Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui and apm shopping mall in Kwun Tong.

The Mobile World subscriber database reports that Smartone ended last year with just under 1.1 million subscribers, of whom 190,000 are recorded as using the 3G network.”

News picked from and details continue at; http://www.cellular-news.com/story/22510.php

“Namco Networks has announced plans to bring the classic arcade hit Popeye to mobile phones through a partnership with King Features.

Since his first appearance in comic strips in 1929, Popeye has been one of the most iconic characters of the 20th century. While he has appeared in cartoons, as toys, in theme park attractions, and more, Popeye has also “muskled” his way to success as a videogame hero, starring in a hit arcade game as well as on the Nintendo Entertainment System.Capturing the spirit of the classic ’80s arcade hit, the game lets players be Popeye on his perennial quest to win back his sweetie while overcoming the antics of his rival Bluto. Collect the hearts, musical notes and cries of “H-E-L-P” that a captured Olive tosses down, while avoiding the Sea Hag’s bouncing skulls, Bluto’s punches and other dangers.

“Mobile messaging services provider TynTec has announced a deal with Skype, to provide SMS delivery for their 171 million users.

TynTec’s deep-level access to the global mobile telecoms infrastructure (SS7) will support Skype SMS, a feature that lets Skype users to send SMS messages directly from their computers to mobile phones anywhere in the world.

“By offering single-point access to the worldwide mobile telecoms network we are helping Skype to deliver messages on a worldwide scale, opening up the potential for new revenue streams,” said TynTec’s CEO Michael Kowalzik.

TynTec says that it guarantees that Skype users’ SMS messages are delivered within 15 seconds, maintaining the near-real-time level of communications that Skype users expect.”

News picked from; http://www.cellular-news.com/story/22381.php

“MobiTV, Inc., the global leader in mobile and broadband television and music services, today announced that it has exceeded two million paying subscribers worldwide, more than doubling its fan-base in less than one year……MobiTV continues to offer the industry’s most comprehensive solution featuring an unmatched content line-up with more than 100 television channels worldwide, and nearly 40 channels in its US offering including many of the very same live television stations available in homes via cable; support for nearly all commercial network standards including existing operator networks as well as future 4G networks such as WiMAX and DVB-H; the largest collection of supported mobile and broadband-connected devices; unlimited channel capacity; the first-ever interactive advertising platform complete with m-commerce capabilities; the industry’s highest video quality running real live television direct from the networks at up to full NTSC resolution and as high as 30 frames-per-second…

News picked from and details continue at; http://www.mobitv.com/press/press.php?i=press/release_022807
Company Website: http://www.mobitv.com

“iSkoot Inc., a provider of software that enable Skype and other Internet calling platforms to run on cell phones, has raised $7 million in venture capital funding from a group of investors led by Charles River Ventures. Three previous investors _ Khosla Ventures, ZG Ventures, and Jesselson Capital Corp. _ also took part in the new round of funding, which brings the total now raised by iSkoot to $13.2 million.