by Chilldor
2 open-source mobile-phone platforms, which may have a great future are OpenMoko and Symbian foundation. Both of those are currently not as famous as Android but this will probably change in near future.

Symbian foundation is lately announce mobile phone platform. It is based on Nokia S60, and targeted to give user or developer more options and control over the system. This platform is planned to be released with new devices in 2010. It is a general platform, all major mobile phone companies ( Nokia, SE, Motorola ) can use it in their mobile phones. For developers it means more easier work, since there is no need for separate API-s anymore, and for end user it means no more compatibility issues any more. When all devices are based on same platform, you can run same programs on them, and you don´t have to worry about if this program is going to work on your mobile device or not. When released, SymbianFoundation OS is “closed” but it becomes Open-source after 2 years from release date. But it is a still innovative idea in that field.

Second platform – OpenMoko, is a bit older and with longer history.

OpenMoko is a open-source platform with its own hardware. First device was released in 2007 and it was “developer only” device, So you had to have some programming skills to play with it. Next hardware platform ( GTA2 ) was released in 2008 summer, and it is available to general public, end users. Programming skills are not needed anymore to use that phone, but general knowledge of Linux might come handy if you want to “hack” or customize that device as you like. So what makes that device so special ? It is not just an hardware platform made from scratch, but it is almost entirely open-source and Linux compatible. OpenMoko operating system is based on real Linux, not stripped down kernel, you can easily port any Linux application for it, as long as it can run on low hardware specs. Also you can install your own favorite Linux distribution for it, or make one yourself, if you have enough experience with Linux. OpenMoko has a wide community, people all over the world share what they know about it, how to get the most out of your device, how to install some new programs and so on..

You can get more information about that project from OpenMoko Wiki page

Although OpenMoko has still some HW issues since it is quite new hardware platform, and Symbian Foundation is not public until 2010, these 2 things should definitely something worth being watched for.

Neo Freerunner booting linux

Marino Bresciani

YouTube Blog reports on a new channel called called Mobile Tricks posted by Google Mobile

It is a original way for readers to show what they do with their own cell phone. and you can start watching the video embedded above of with a guy who’s a bit obsessed with them. He’s fabulous!

They’re asking for all kinds of tricks, from the useful to the completely ridiculous, and they can be with or without Google Mobile products. Among all of these, the ones I liked the most were:

• Free dating advice
• Portable X-Ray
• Unknown caller

by Chilldor

The phones today are so full of all kinds of technical gadgets and functions that sometimes the manufacturer cannot list all the options in the product specifications. Similarly, the motion detector in Nokia N70, N95 and 5500 has gone unnoticed by the greater public. It is true, though, that Nokia has not yet had means through which the motion detector could be well advertised (like the automatic turning of the interface in iPhone).

There are numerous ideas on how to implement the motion detector. For example, it has been suggested that the motion detector could be used to detect falling - when the mobile phone senses a sudden movement downwards, it sends out a signal - an SMS. Thus the family members of the elderly people could get the warning - falling down may cause a serious trauma to the elderly. In case there is no trauma, the owner presses the button “all right”, and the warning is not sent.

There are also some game situations where controlling with a motion detector fits like a glove. Moving the billiard cue, turning the steering wheel … These ideas are empowered by the success of Nintendo Wii (they use motion sensitive game controllers).

Enthusiasts have already come up with several (mostly entertaining) applications for motion detectors. For example, Lightsaber - a strip of program that allows you to feel like Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, using the mobile phone as a lightsaber. Another program called RotateMe should automatically turn the interface together with the phone (just like in iPhone).

The most recent program using the motion detector is NiiMe, which allows to use N95 instead of the computer mouse.

by Marino Bresciani

Deploy localized SMS services is a challenge that hasn’t found a clear winner. Anyhow, from the States there is a SMS that aims to consider the location of the final users. This means that your text message will only be received once the recipient reaches a certain location such as school or restaurant.

It’s simple yet amazing service which you can use to remind of yourself or others once they are in certain locations. First you need to sign up at JotYou.

The follow these simple steps:
Send messages from your computer or mobile phone. Send to one friend, many friends, or just yourself. Specify a location so your friends get a message when they arrive at school or the mall. When your friends arrive at the location you specify, JotYou alerts them by sending your text message to their cell phone, and delivering the message.

How does it work?
Actually you need a mobile phone that supports J2ME, Symbian or Windows Mobile. In this way, you need to keep the JotYou application switched on all the time, and this will permit you to track your position in the JoyYou server. Ah, you also need a GPS integrated, unless you use the Windows Mobile application; in this case, you can also use wireless positioning (similar to Google Mobile Maps’ “My Location”)

Despite the limitations of needing a continuos gprs connection, the applications deriving from localization services look promising.

by Martin Koppel

Several times i have wrote that there are twice as much cell-phones than PC-s. Some brighter heads are also predicting that in the future mobile advertising will take a big share from internet advertising. It seems obvious - the number of cell-phones will increase faster, people have it all the time, easy to use device, well targeted target groups. It all seems so simple and beautiful, but what is the situation at the moment?

European research firm Vanson Bourne made a report on 50 global brands’ attitudes toward mobile marketing and these numbers don’t give any reasons to smile. It seems that companies have still some doubts and the main issue is how the potential customer will react, is it invading to peoples personal lives or not. Here are some key points:

* more than two-thirds of companies expected to spend up to 10% of their marketing budget on mobile messaging campaigns within two years

* 28% of brands were considering implementing SMS or MMS campaigns during the next 12 months

* 58% said that their mobile marketing campaign would use up to 15% of their total ad budget by 2012, 32% said this would happen in the next two years

* One third of all respondents said that they expected up to 10% of recipients of mobile marketing messages to undertake a financial transaction

* 52% said that they expected up to 10% of recipients of mobile marketing messages to request more information or a product sample

* 46% are concerned that mobile marketing is too intrusive

* 41% respondents were unsure that they could target campaigns specifically enough to avoid spamming problem

* 36% would require detailed information on how the user responded to the message

* 20% would want definite confirmation that the user’s handset had actually received the message

If we are looking what people are looking from google then it also describes the situation quite clearly. I can’t see any progress in past 3 years. According to the fact “twice as many cell-phones than computer” i would picture that the blue line should rise continuously, but in fact it has staid quite stagnant. So it seems to me that mobile marketing will stay as supportive action in marketing for some time, maybe Android will change something but we will see.

by Martin Koppel

When MMS came, many people predicted that soon SMS will die out like dinosaurs. Well it is good to make conclusion after some time. At least to me it seems we can’t compare SMS and MMS like cassettes and CD’s. MMS is not going to conquer the market. Despite the fact, still a lot of people are saying that SMS is a yesterday’s technology and it doesn’t have any future. Well what could replace SMS then? I can’t see anything at the moment, but maybe in the future …

I stumbled upon an interesting survey today. Synovate has conducted a study, consisted of 1,405 online interviews using a nationally representative consumer online panel of over 1.5 million households to find out peoples’ mobile habits. The identical study was conducted also in 2005 and 2006.

It appears that teens and young adults use text messaging more than any other demographic. People ages 13-24 send and receive the most messages, even more than 50 per week. As you can see from the graph, total usage of text messages has grown significantly and it seems it still has a potential. More important is that people are using SMS more frequently than past years. It shows that behind these numbers are habits and usage intensity, not only the growth of mobile devices.

Here are also some interesting facts from the study:
* 54% of 13-34 year olds use SMS for social networking
* 44% of 13-34 year olds say they use text-messaging for flirting or dating
* 10% of 13-34 year olds said they have broken up with a boy or girl friend using text-messaging

It seems to me that at the moment there isn’t any substitution to SMS. People, especially youngsters, are using this communication channel intensively for different reasons. Maybe in the next decade we will see something that will completely substitute SMS.

by Marino Bresciani

Recently, the British regulator in charge of air travel has approved cellphones for use on airline flights, reports the BBC. Airlines will be allowed to activate base stations in the plane’s tail after takeoff, creating a zone of mobile coverage around the plane.

Also, ‘The services could stop working once aircraft leave European airspace. Initially, only second generation networks will be offered but growing interest would mean that third generation, or 3G, services would follow later, said Ofcom. The cost of making a mobile phone call from a plane will be higher than making one from the ground.

This is not the first time we finally hear about use of mobile in aircrafts. Already one year ago, the low-cost company Ryanair announced the introduction , aiming to become the first to allow passengers to use mobiles. By the way, it looks like now Ryanair has had its plans held up by nearly year because of problems getting approval from certain national regulators. OnAir has also had problems getting approval for a system adapted to Ryanair’s aircraft.

Anyhow, at the moment, most of the interested airlines (including AirFrance and British Airways) are in deals with in-flight communications experts OnAir to fit the latest mobile satellite technology on their planes from next summer. Callers will pay the same rates as international roaming charges.

Custom SMS services on a plane can be definitely a possibility, then. Ideas are still on the way, though.

by Chilldor

Recently I came across an article in Red Herring about risks of walking and texting.
What was done to remedy it? British directory assistance company, 118118 wrapped the lampposts with cushions so people not looking ahead would not get hurt when hitting posts. Incidentally cushions had big 118118 logos printed on them!

Following Youtube video shows this humourously albeit without logos:

by Chilldor

For all those who like and use iPhone here are some useful links:

iPhone related directories and news:
- iLounge Mobile Edition
- AppleIphoneHome:Your Home for Apple iPhone Application & Development News
- iPhoneSource: The largest software listings for iPhone and iPod Touch
- iPhone Application List: Software listing fro iPhone and iPod Touch
- iPhone Atlas: guides, help applications, news and more, updated daily

Google now offers special page for iPhone users as per recent article:
Google on iPhone Macworld makeover

Direct link should be here
Google on iPhone however iPhone users should be re-directed directly there when going with Safari to google.com

by Martin Koppel

I was reading emarketer’s newsletter and found an interesting writing about Google’s plans and why they decided to come out with so called gPhone.

At the moment there are at least twice as many cell phones than pc’s. It is obvious that Google cannot grow fast enough focused only on the PC’s. Idea is that Google should extend search marketing to new interactive platforms.

The chart below shows money today and in the future that Google can and can’t reach with classic pay-per-click Web advertising.
However, Google can reach those offline companies by pay-per-action (pay-per-call) over the mobile phone. Mobile search, maps and other applications enable Google to push search marketing principles into areas where the PC-Internet just can’t reach.

At least for me it seems logical step to make. Google has managed to become a real market leader and pioneer in Internet (for PC’s), they have ideas, knowhow, money and courage to do something crazy. I don’t want to predict anything, but i would buy Google’s stocks with hurry