All things mobile at 3GSM
BARCELONA--The 3GSM World Congress 2006 trade show saw various vendors from across the globe introducing new mobile hardware products and software, including a security tool that scans inbound traffic on Symbian smartphones.
Here's a quick look at some of these announcements released at one of this year's biggest telecommunications shows, 3GSM World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Visto Mobile 5.5
Mobile e-mail software vendor Visto unveiled the latest version of its messaging application Visto Mobile 5.5. Available from the second quarter 2006, the release will have new features to provide mobile users with more control over their e-mail usage such as multiple mailbox management and corporate directory search. Visto is currently available through more than 16 mobile operators including Cingular, Sprint-Nextel and Vodafone. The software developer has offices in Beijing, London, Paris and Tokyo.
Sony Ericsson, Nokia to ensure DVB-H compatibility
Handset makers Sony Ericsson and Nokia have teamed up to ensure interoperability between devices that support DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcast for Handheld Devices), and to facilitate multi-vendor mobile TV services and pilots. Both companies see DVB-H as the preferred technology for terrestrial digital broadcast mobile TV, and will rely on the Open Air Interface (OAI) implementation guidelines to ensure device interoperability in mobile TV trials involving multiple vendors.
Philips unveils smaller TV-on-mobile chip
Royal Philips Electronics has introduced its next-generation TV-on-mobile offering for the Asian and European markets. Six times smaller than previous versions, the chip will allow phone makers to create slimmer and "more elegant" designs, according to a company statement. The BGT215 measures 7mm by 7mm, significantly smaller than the previous offering which measured 15mm by 26mm. The chip maintains the features of previous versions while offering low power consumption, paving the way for products that will allow mobile consumers to watch TV over a longer period of time. The BGT215 will be made available for showcase to cellular phone and portable TV device makers next month.
Eileen Yu of ZDNet Asia reported from Barcelona, Spain.