All About mobile

In case you didn’t hear Nokia made Nokia Maps 2.0 available for the masses. Before anybody was free to try out the beta version which was for testing purposes.

Downloaded over 240,000 times since announced in February, Nokia Maps 2.0 has improved its optional Car Navigation, enhanced its pedestrian navigation, added multimedia city guides, now offers satellite images, and is sporting a redesigned user interface. Nokia’s mapping and navigation solutions give people navigation features, local content and world maps directly on their mobile device, in a way that only connected devices can.

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Nokia and KONAMI, a leading global developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, today announced that KONAMI mobile titles will be added to the N-Gage mobile games platform. The mobile version of the award-winning METAL GEAR SOLID® will be the first title in the games line-up. METAL GEAR SOLID® MOBILE has received top honours at the 2007 International Mobile Gaming Awards (IMGA), taking both the Grand Prix and Operator’s Choice Awards.

The new version of the classic game features original content that can only be found on the mobile platform. METAL GEAR SOLID® MOBILE includes never-before-seen dramatic 3D art displays and camera work. The detailed in-game graphics capture the atmosphere of the METAL GEAR SOLID® series and create a depth that completely draws the player into the game, and pushes the capabilities of the mobile platform. Players face the extreme tension of solitary infiltration in this version of the tactical espionage action game developed in conjunction with Ideaworks3D and utilizing its Airplay 3.5 SDK. An in-game camouflage system utilizes colour samples from the scenery of the real world captured by the handset’s camera. Moreover, additional controls are introduced that are made especially for mobile devices.

“We’re excited to see KONAMI tap into the performance and community features we’ve built into the N-Gage platform,” said Gregg Sauter, Director, Third Party Games Publishing, Nokia. “METAL GEAR SOLID® on N-Gage will raise the bar with respect to graphical detail and made-for-mobile features. We look forward to the launch of this great franchise on N-Gage.”

“It is my sincere hope that global Nokia N-Gage users will experience the appeal of “METAL GEAR®” that has been brought to the mobile platform in the form of “METAL GEAR SOLID® MOBILE,” said Hideo Kojima, Executive Producer of Kojima Productions, Corporate Officer of Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. “I believe that this cooperation between Nokia and KONAMI will form the perfect match to share the vast potential of mobile entertainment content with users all around the world.”

KONAMI provides premium content to mobile devices with its large portfolio of mobile entertainment including games, wallpapers and ringtones of many popular franchises

When Eduardo Cachucho, a 23 year old architecture student, entered the 2008 Nokia Mobile Filmmaking Awards, he had no idea his film would be seen by millions of people around the world.  Cachucho shot the winning mobile short film “The Game” in his home base in South Africa.

“It was a huge surprise for me to win this awards. I couldn’t believe it was me when the winner was announced at the broadcast, ” says Cachucho. “With my film, I wanted to tell the world that children are children everywhere, no matter where they live, what their race is, or whether they are rich or poor. Children are the same all over and want to have fun and play.”

Enthusiastic filmmakers entered the 2008 Nokia Mobile Filmmaking awards through the Pangea Day Channel on Share on Ovi, a free media sharing service that makes it easy to upload, manage and share personal media through mobile, desktop and other connected devices. Nokia received more than 600 submissions from around the world.

“Its incredible to see the creativity, beauty and hardships people capture when filmmaking is opened up and shared with the world,” says Jehane Noujaim, award-winning documentary filmmaker and judge. 

The Pangea Day broadcast on May 10 featured 24 short films along with internationally-known guest speakers and musicians, including Queen Noor of Jordan, Christiane Amanpour, Dave Stewart and Hypernova. Highlights from the event are featured on www.ovi.com/pangeaday. The live four-hour Pangea Day broadcast from six locations around the world was viewed by more than 1,600 “Friends of Pangea Day” events globally. Everyone who tuned in was encouraged to share photos and videos during and after the event at www.ovi.com/pangeaday.

Pangea Day was created by award-winning documentary filmmaker Jehane Noujaim after winning the prestigious 2006 TED Prize. Together, Noujaim and TED, with support from Nokia, have created Pangea Day to connect people by harnessing the power of film and encouraging people to view the world through someone else’s eyes.

More information on the Pangea Day event and the 2008 Nokia Mobile Filmmaking Awards is available at www.ovi.com/pangeaday.

Nokia and Ikivo, a leading supplier of rich media application enabling solutions based on open standards, today announced the joint creation of a complete tool chain that simplifies and allows efficient collaboration between graphic designers and software engineers in the development of Java applications for mobile devices.

The new tool set integrates Nokia’s Platform SDKs for Java, Adobe Illustrator, Ikivo Animator and Sun’s NetBeans to enable user interface designers to add their GUI designs directly to an application project and avoid the time-consuming process of “translating” those designs into Java code. Utilizing Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) to capture visual designs for optimized integration into software development projects, the new solution dramatically improves the productivity of mobile Java development, and reinforces the attractiveness of Java as an environment for creating compelling mobile applications with rich graphics and interactivity.

The new tool set’s utilization of SVG, an open standard for describing 2D static and animated vector graphics developed through the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), makes it possible to define a clear division of labor between engineers and graphic designers working on software development projects.

Using the new SVG-enabled tool chain developed by Nokia and Ikivo, graphic designers are free to concentrate on creating useful and exciting user experiences, incorporating designs in the final product without the need to help engineers translate those designs into code. Software engineers can concentrate their skills on the application logic and other non-graphic components of a project, where they can be the most productive.

“Nokia is pleased to be working with Ikivo and Sun to enable coders and creative professionals to work together toward creation of best-of-breed mobile applications with advanced user interfaces,” said David Rivas, VP, Technology Management, Nokia. “This collaborative effort shows how focused initiatives can empower mobile application developers with different fields of knowledge and expertise to work more closely together in bringing the next-generation mobile experience to the global marketplace.”

“Ikivo has been very pleased to work with Nokia and we’re happy to be taking this initiative to the next level, sharing our knowledge with the broad developer audience through Forum Nokia, the largest mobile developer community in the world,” said Brad Sipes, Chief Technology Officer, Ikivo. “This initiative further validates the power of the SVG technology integration with Java and we’re confident that the easy-to-use workflow will attract more developers to improve the graphics and user experience of their applications.”

SVG offers a scalable, efficient textual representation of graphic and animation objects, allowing for complex designs to be specified with a small in-memory footprint. Nokia supports SVG for Java development through its implementation of JSR 226, which is supported in new S60 3rd Edition and Series 40 5th Edition based devices.  Nokia and Sun Microsystems support for JSR226 will be discussed at JavaOne 2008 during a technical session titled, “Developing Flashy Mobile Applications, Using SVG and JSR 226 .”

“The SVG-T technology and JSR 226 are important user interface enhancements for Java ME with current MSA and JSR 248 standardization,” said Arseniy Kuznetsov, Director, NetBeans Engineering, Sun Microsystems. “Developers can use rich content created by designer tools such as Ikivo Animator along with the NetBeans Mobility to create and deploy compelling applications with complex interactions to Nokia’s portfolio of globally distributed devices.”

“Progress in this Java ME tool-chain is significant for developers and designers, because it speeds up entire development process by making it more efficient and convenient,” said Michael Samarin, Project Manager and Technology Specialist at Futurice Ltd, a provider of mobile and Internet software services that has worked with the Ikivo Animator tool for the last four months and has wide experience with Java development tools. “Our GUI experts can now create the actual user interface, not just design drafts. What is also very important, these tools help to attract new developers by being more intuitive, robust and lowering the entry barrier.”

Ikivo’s role in the collaborative effort with Nokia has been essential to the rapid deployment of the new SVG-enabled tool set for developers and designers. Ikivo’s depth of experience with SVG enabled Nokia to react quickly to the issues that developers and designers have been reporting with creating compelling applications with rich graphics and interactivity for the Java mobile environment.

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Nokia Siemens Networks  has signed a co-development deal with Pirelli Broadband to accelspeed up its  its entry into the 3G femtocell market,  .

The deal  will see Pirelli’s femto-enabled Multiplay equipment coupled with NSN’s home access software with the aim being to allow operators to introduce femtocell-based services to home and small office environments.

The Pirelli Multiplay box offers broadband support for ADSL2+, VDSL2 and FTTH, together with the company’s Epicentro middleware and applications platform. Pirelli said that its Epicentro software manages the co-existence of 3G handsets with Pirelli’s access gateway, IPTV set top box and 3G femtocells.

Separately, ABI Research claimed that vendors attempting to ramp up the sales of 3G femtocells will only have limited early success with just 100,000 units being forecast to ship this year. Noting that more than 20 femtocell development trials are currently underway, ABI said development of the units is not likely to see shipment volumes until 2010, when shipments will likely total tens of millions. “By 2010, femtocell silicon solutions will have been optimised to the degree that US$100 price points for femtocell access points will be within reach, and OEMs’ order books will have the volume to sustain critical wholesale price reductions,” said Stuart Carlaw, ABI Research’s VP and research director. “The turning point for this market will be late 2009

Nokia and ARC Transistance, the European network of automobile clubs, announced today that they are working together to provide Real Time Traffic Information to users of Nokia mobile devices. Nokia will offer the service as a premium offering in Nokia Maps 2.0 and in future versions of Nokia Maps. By adding RTTI, Nokia can save precious time for drivers by alerting them of traffic, construction or other road hazards that could affect their journey.  When Nokia Maps receives the road updates from ARC Transistance, the application can dynamicly re-route during navigation and provide a faster route. This is a significant milestone for Nokia Maps, which makes navigation an even more compelling experience for Nokia device owners. 

ARC Transistance Traffic Information services aggregate the real time road and traffic conditions of 16 countries in Europe, and growing. The leading navigation industry players also use the ARC Transistance Traffic Information services to enhance the routing guidance and navigation experience of their customers.

Nokia Maps turns mobile devices into local mapping and routing engines with a navigation option, providing worldwide mapping free of charge. In so doing, the unique hybrid solution combines the advantages of on-board and off-board navigation. Maps and location-aware content only need to be loaded once - they are then always available on the device.

Upgrading to the GPS navigation option enables your mobile to become a powerful connected personal navigation device, that provides clear, turn-by-turn visual and voice guidance. If your Nokia device does not have built-in GPS, you can also use an external GPS module with a compatible device. With vector maps provided by TeleAtlas and Navteq, Nokia Maps now has maps covering over 150 countries, with over 70 of them navigable.

The new version of Nokia Maps 2.0 for selected devices is available on the Nokia Beta Labs website: http://www.nokia.com/betalabs. Beta Labs shares some of the exciting new ideas that Nokia is working on and let users help shape their future development.  A strong online community has developed around Beta Labs, attracting especially technology savvy, early adopter mobile enthusiasts.  The current version of Nokia Maps and the Nokia Map Loader are freely available for download* for selected devices at http://www.nokia.com/maps.

Nokia  mobile phone market shipment statistics are quite amusing. the total sale of is more than the next three suppliers combined.

Ramon T. Llamas, IDC senior research analyst, said the total market grew 14.3%, but he cautioned that sales could slip as the year progresses because the economy may continue to suffer.

“The mobile phone market will be under increased pressure from a number of factors that compete for users’ attention and wallets,” Llamas said in a statement. “Disposable income is being eroded by rising food and fuel prices, and worries about global financial markets and slow economic growth are creating a cautious outlook for the months ahead.”

The saving grace, he added, is the “tremendous growth potential” in emerging markets. Llamas, who released the report Thursday, expects the low-cost segment to remain strong through the year.

Mobile phone suppliers shipped a total of 291.5 million units during the first quarter. That number was a 14.3% jump over the previous year’s quarter, although, as expected, it was down from the last quarter of 2007, generally a holiday period, when 330.8 million handsets were shipped.

Samsung was in second place with a 15.9% market share in the first quarter. Samsung shipped 46.3 million units, while Motorola shipped 27.4 million units for a 9.4% share of the market. Both companies have problems in the senior management ranks as Samsung’s chief executive resigned this week under pressure and Motorola is searching for someone to take over the helm of its Mobile Devices unit.

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Nokia today announced that the Nokia N82 multimedia computer has been awarded the ‘Best Mobile Imaging Device in Europe 2008′ by TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) - Europe’s largest photo and imaging press association.

“The Nokia N82 is a compact multimedia computer that integrates GPS, web, video and music functions around a 5 Megapixel camera with a high-speed, f/2.8 autofocus lens,” the TIPA jurors said. “This Carl Zeiss Tessar focuses from 10cm to infinity and produces sharp prints up to and beyond A4 size. Several scene modes are also available to optimize the Nokia N82 for great images, whether shooting portraits or night shots,” TIPA continued. Other Nokia N82 features highlighted by the jurors are the Xenon flash and 20X digital zoom.

“We are very excited to hear that the Nokia N82 has been recognized for its excellent imaging features,” says Juha Kokkonen, Director for Nokia Nseries devices. “The Nokia N82 is an excellent example of how converged devices entirely change the way people contribute to and share on the internet by combining strong camera capabilities with built-in A-GPS and an array of connectivity features.”

Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and high resolution camera, the Nokia N82 automatically geotags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the Internet or on the device itself. When it comes to sharing, people can upload their pictures or videos directly from their Nokia N82 to services like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube.

The features of the Nokia N82 include:

- 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash

- Geotagging

- Possibility to capture print quality photos and DVD-like quality video clips

- Wireless LAN connectivity and HSDPA offering high download speeds

- Integrated A-GPS and access to maps for more than 150 countries

The Nokia N82 supports microSD memory cards of up to 8GB which allow the device to hold up to 3600 high-resolution pictures, 5 hours of high quality video capture, up to 6000 songs or all of the available regions for the Nokia Maps application.

Nokia, Espoo - Nokia today introduced two new music-enabled devices as additions to its XpressMusic range. The new Nokia 5320 XpressMusic and Nokia 5220 XpressMusic offer a range of affordable music and entertainment experiences with the most fresh, stylish designs on the market. Both music devices are expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008, with an expected retail price range of 160 to 220 EUR, before taxes and subsidies.

“Our XpressMusic range of devices continues to deliver the combination of superior music experiences and fresh, innovative designs,” said Jo Harlow, Vice President, LIVE category, Nokia.  “Today’s additions to the XpressMusic range up the ante with new ways for consumers to access their media as well as interact and share content with friends and communities anytime, anywhere.”

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic - Dynamic design, 3G social entertainment package

Featuring a dynamic design with 3G social entertainment capabilities, the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic delivers exceptional music and web 2.0 access.  With the innovative new voice-controlled Say and Play feature, consumers can merely say the name of a favorite artist or song to automatically play it.  Offering an array of additional features, the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic device includes dedicated XpressMusic keys, a 3.5mm audio jack, up to 24 hours of playback time, an audio chip for hi-fi sound quality, extendable memory up to 8GB, HS-USB for fast music transfer and HSDPA for fast access to data. 

The full featured Internet browser, access to Ovi and Nokia Search 4.1 allow users to find and share media content and information with ease.  In addition, dedicated N-Gage gaming keys and landscape view deliver a true gaming experience, while HSDPA provides fast access to N-Gage, which will be available for download. The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 220 EUR before taxes and subsidies. 

Nokia 5220 XpressMusic - Edgy, unique design, music for the masses

The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic device offers instant access to music on-the-go with a unique, asymmetrical design.  Featured for the first time on a Nokia XpressMusic device, a built-in lanyard makes the device easy to carry anywhere.  Additional features of the Nokia 5220 XpressMusic include up to 24 hours playback time, dedicated XpressMusic keys and a 3.5mm audio jack.  The Nokia 5220 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 160 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Both handsets are compatible with the recently launched Nokia Music Store and offer easy music side-loading.  With Nokia Music Store, consumers can choose from more than 2 million tracks from both major and independent labels; international and local artists and simply browse, download, stream and sync either to a PC or side-load directly to a mobile device.

Nokia Mini Speakers MD-8 - Powerful, portable sound

Complementing the new Nokia XpressMusic devices, Nokia also announced today the Nokia Mini Speakers MD-8.  With a sleek, pocket-sized design and crisp stereo sound, these ultra-portable mini speakers feature battery power for playtime of up to 40 hours, an FM antenna to fine-tune frequency, and a tangle-free cable.  Widely compatible, the Nokia Mini Speakers MD-8 will begin shipping in the second quarter of 2008.

Nokia world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer has reported a 25% rise in net profit to €1,22bn for 2008’s first quarter but said the value of the overall global mobile device market would drop in euro terms in 2008 compared with last year because of the weak dollar and slower global economic growth.

According to Chief financial officer Rick Simonson “50% of Nokia’s sales were in dollars or dollar-linked. “There is growth in this market in volume and value if you knock out this crazy currency,” he said.

CEO Olli Pekka Kallasvuo insisted Thursday a combination of slower growth and rising labour and raw material costs would have little impact on demand for mobile phones, which he described as “necessity items”. Nokia still expects the number of phones sold industry-wide to grow 10% in 2008 but these sales are expected to generate less revenue for vendors as average sale prices per phone fall.

Despite Nokia’s confidence and strong profitability, analysts have been fretting over Texas Instruments’ comments on 3G order cancellations and Sony Ericsson’s recent warning on handset sales, among other factors. In addition, analysts have expressed concerns over Nokia’s product cycle, particularly its high-end handsets, which face intense competition from Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Apple’s iPhone, according to Citigroup.

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