Sony Ericsson Developer World has announced the release of the Sony Ericsson Beta Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows Mobile 6.1, a set of tools, plug-ins and documentation that allows developers to build and test XPERIA Panels and applications for Windows Mobile 6.1 to be used on the XPERIA X1 phone. The SDK and accompanying documentation will be freely available to all developers to download.
 
The Sony Ericsson SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1 will allow a wide range of developers and content makers to develop, test and deploy Web and native Panels for the XPERIA X1. The Panels are lightweight applications that extend the phone's ‘Today Screen' API to provide a fully customisable user interface on the XPERIA X1.
 
"With the release of the SDK for Windows Mobile 6.1, we are inviting developers and content creators to capitalise on the vast opportunity offered by mobile content in the coming years," says Rikko Sakaguchi, CVP and Head of Creation and Development at Sony Ericsson. "This is yet another milestone in Sony Ericsson's commitment to provide our partners with a complete, rich and open development environment that catalyses innovation and variety in mobile content and gives the best user experience to the consumers."

The SDK combines development tools for Microsoft Visual Studio with guidelines and resources designed to get developers deploying XPERIA Panels quickly and easily. A built-in XPERIA X1 phone device phone emulator enables developers to build and test Panels directly on their PCs without resorting to phone hardware. Integration with Microsoft Visual Studio also gives developers a set of predefined components for creating Panels that spares them having to spend time/resources creating code and allows them to start their Panel projects with a single mouse click. 

"Windows Mobile provides an open, flexible platform to help developers create rich applications and new mobile experiences," said John O'Rourke, general manager of the Mobile Communications Business, Microsoft Corp. "Developers can utilise this new toolset to build Xperia panels and open up a world of possibilities for people to interact with the X1 phone."

RADWIN, a provider of wireless broadband solutions, has announced the release of its WinLink 1000 5.8 GHz High-Power solution which complies with the latest ETSI regulation [EN 302 502 V1.1.1] allowing 4 watt maximum radiated power (EIRP). WinLink 1000 5.8 GHz High-Power incorporates a Dynamic Frequency Selection (DFS) mechanism as defined by the new ETSI standard. RADWIN says it has already received orders by a number of major operators for this solution.

The latest addition to RADWIN's portfolio, WinLink 1000 5.8 GHz High-Power provides carrier-class Ethernet and E1 connectivity with longer range and higher capacity than previously available in unlicensed bands.Geared for service providers and ISPs, WinLink 1000 5.8 GHz is said to be ideal for a broad range of telecom applications including access in rural areas, cellular and WiMAX backhaul and private network connectivity.

Eli Turgeman, RADWIN's Vice President of Product Management, said: "RADWIN is committed to European service providers and ISPs, and strives to be first-to-market with solutions that comply with the latest market standards and regulations. In WinLink 1000 5.8 GHz High-Power we have
designed a solution that meets European service providers' need for greater output power, allowing them to achieve higher operational range and greater capacity than ever before possible."

Sicap has developed features of its mobile application management tool for the delivery and updating of software to all major phones, regardless of their operating system.

According to Sicap, the announcement comes at a time when operators need to capitalise on the surge of interest in mobile software, triggered by the hype surrounding Apple's iPhone or Google's Android software and the downloading of iPhone-compatible applications from an on-line Apple site.

Tier-one operators and Internet companies are providing new downloadable software applications to leverage the full potential of mobile internet, but are quick to remind that they will only work within a given device's limitations. Sicap says its device management platform addresses the issue by carrying out live capability and 'vital statistics' device checks. Because the Sicap platform supports all device vendor software and device clients, administrators of the platform are fed a complete list of installed applications, their versions as well as other software and hardware details for each device in the network. The Sicap platform is also claimed to allow the subsequent installation, updating or removal of phone clients to ensure that software downloads work first time.  This usability is regularly quoted as being important in order to gain and maintain customer satisfaction, says Sicap.

The knowledge retrieved over-the-air enables an operator to run or to propose campaigns where mobile users receive PC-like actions for software version updating. Users are able to install and remove applications seamlessly, accept prompts for subsequent updating operations and gain control over application usage in an assisted manner.  Because the logical downside of third party applications is an increased risk of malware and virus attacks, Sicap integrates the application 'kill'  facility into its platform, enabling an operator to detect devices concerned in the network, advise affected customers of an attack, then disable and remove malicious programmes.

Sicap CEO Dominique Schmid said that "Sicap is accompanying operators in their strategy to implement new two-sided business models in which third party applications gain mobile network access. Designed to help all telecom players seamlessly exploit "smart-pipe" networks, Sicap business-enabling technologies will ultimately benefit the end-user and help build brand loyalty."

Application management and continuous provisioning of OMA-DM devices are marketed from the Sicap Device Management Center (DMC) and based on OMA DM SCOMO standards as well as proprietary manufacturer implementations. Supported natively by all recent Symbian and Windows Mobile based devices, Sicap says its use of open-standard protocols will encourage the overall development of mobile software and help bring the smart phone market back into balance.

Sicap application management is available as a managed service and can be deployed by an operator as part of a corporate offer for example.

Orange Business Services has today launched a set of SIM only tariffs for business customers. From £15 a month business customers will receive 300 inclusive minutes and 50 inclusive texts. Sharer SIM only options start at £45 a month including 1,000 talk plan minutes. International outbound calls are included in all tariffs.

The new SIM only tariffs are in addition to the dedicated business packages Orange Solo, Orange Venture and Orange Momentum. They are said to be designed to give business customers a more flexible way to join Orange without the need to purchase a new handset or sign up to a long term contract.

Martyn Lyne, director small and medium business, Orange, said, "We understand that some businesses may be feeling the pinch at the moment. Starting from only £15 a month our SIM only tariffs help businesses keep overheads low while still keeping business moving."

Zi Corp defends itself against Nuance: celebrates Nokia deal

Zi Corporation today announced that it received notice from Nuance Communications of a patent infringement lawsuit filed against Zi in the Federal Court in Toronto, Canada. The claim accuses Zi of infringing on the intellectual property of Tegic Communications with its Qix and eZiText products. Tegic was recently acquired by Nuance. The patents referenced by Nuance are Canadian Patent Numbers 2,399,961 and 2,278,549, both entitled “Reduced Keyboard Disambiguating System.”

Milos Djokovic, President and CEO of Zi stated: “Zi takes intellectual property rights seriously and has no reason to believe that it infringes any patent claims of Nuance.  This suit, in conjunction with the motion of contempt filed by Nuance on August 19, 2008 against Zi, represents a questionable course of action by Nuance in light of its failed proposal to acquire Zi at a low valuation on August 14, 2008. The timing of these motions raises serious questions as to the real motivation of these claims and we remain disappointed that Nuance is resorting to these tactics to acquire Zi without recognizing its full value. We will vigorously defend ourselves in this litigation proceeding and continue to examine all legal remedies available to us with respect to Nuance’s tactics.”

Zi reported on August 15, 2008 that it had declined to enter into negotiations with Nuance for a cash offer for Zi shares at a price of US$0.80 per common share, after Zi’s board of directors concluded that such proposal did not recognize the full value of Zi.

The news came as Zi trumpeted renewal of its License Agreement with Nokia Corporation for a multi year period. The License Agreement provides for the deployment of Zi’s eZiType and eZiText product offerings on Nokia’s wireless phones and covers a full suite of languages. The contract includes a significant initial payment to be paid after closing, and then quarterly installments from then on during the life of the contract.
                                                                                             
“This is a banner day for our entire organization,” commented Milos Djokovic, President and Chief Executive Officer of Zi Corporation.  “Nokia is the world’s  number 1 manufacturer of mobile devices, with an estimated 40% share of global device market, selling approximately 437 million mobile phones in more than 150 countries in 2007.  This renewal expresses Nokia’s confidence in Zi as a key supplier and opens the door for further opportunities to work with Nokia on other projects. It is also a testimony to the employees of Zi who continue to work diligently in executing the turnaround strategy this management set in motion almost 2 years ago.” Djokovic concluded.
 

Nortel and LG Electronics have taken LTE  from the labs to the streets to complete the world’s first mobile LTE live air handover. Engineers at Nortel’s Research and Development Centre of Excellence in Ottawa showed streaming HD video on an early LTE mobile device from LG Electronics while driving at speeds of 100 kms per hour and moving between coverage sites. This advancement shows the capabilities of Nortel’s LTE solution in real world conditions and brings it closer to commercial readiness, which is expected by the end of 2009.

The milestone announced today shows that Nortel’s LTE solution can provide the reliable mobile coverage that today’s 2G and 3G network users depend on while offering much greater bandwidth, higher capacity and lower latency. Wireless networks provide pervasive coverage, keeping users connected as they move between coverage areas by handing connections over from one transmitter site to the next. Nortel’s LTE live air handover demonstrated this important capability. LTE helps bridge the gap between network demand and capability allowing operators to create a 4G wireless broadband network that can cover millions of mobile subscribers.

“Nortel continues to innovate in wireless technologies like LTE, leading the way to the next generation of true mobile broadband to support the demands of hyperconnected users,” said Richard Lowe , president of carrier networks, Nortel. “Today’s telecommunications market is experiencing a massive trend towards Hyperconnectivity  as more people and devices become connected. With the increasing popularity of bandwidth-intensive applications over mobile devices like laptops and smartphones, wireless operators need to prepare to offer a complete personal broadband experience.”

“Operators can leverage the capabilities of LTE to allow subscribers to take their personalized versions of the web – their videos, their social networks, their music, their business tools – with them wherever they are,” Lowe said.” Mature telecommunications markets can also maximize the content-rich applications and services enabled by LTE to drive new revenue.”

“Nortel, the LG-Nortel JV, and LG Electronics are accelerating the commercialization of LTE and showing consistent progress towards end-to-end interoperability to ensure alignment between infrastructure and devices,” said Jinsung Choi, head of LG Electronics’ Mobile Communications Tech Research Lab. “During our three years of collaboration we have set the bar for innovation in LTE, showing the world how true mobile broadband can bring us the highest quality communication and entertainment no matter where we are.”

The LTE demonstration was conducted over a network consisting of multiple cell sites and sectors served by Nortel’s eNodeB LTE base station and ATCA-based Access Gateway. The interoperability between Nortel’s network and the device from LG Electronics is based on 3GPP Release 8 Standard.

A recent poll by Comptel Corporation, a leading vendor of dynamic Operations Support Software (OSS), found that operators around the globe have not prepared their OSS for the advent of Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC). The poll, carried out at Comptel’s annual user group, found that while 41 per cent of respondents stated their OSS was ‘somewhat’ ready, 39 per cent admitted to being completely unprepared for FMC. This was despite the fact that a majority of operators questioned were planning to deploy a FMC strategy in the short-term (50%).

When broken down by type of service provider, the poll demonstrated that mobile operators are lagging behind fixed line providers in terms of the readiness of their OSS. Whereas only 29 per cent of fixed line providers thought their OSS totally unready for FMC, a total of 71 per cent of mobile operators placed themselves in the same category.

Mr. Simo Sääskilahti, Senior Vice President Products and Solutions at Comptel commented: “These results are encouraging as they show that operators are keen to enjoy the fruits of FMC as soon as possible. That said, service providers need to ensure they have the correct software platform in place to ensure the transition to FMC is completed as smoothly as possible. Such software is already being used today, an example being Comptel’s convergent solutions. The problem arises when legacy, non-convergent software is being used in other parts of the operators’ OSS (for example billing systems). It is apparent that OSS vendors need to advise operators effectively on how best to move to a fully convergent OSS.”

FMC is the convergence of devices and networks that will allow a voice or data session be seamlessly carried over a variety of fixed and wireless networks. FMC will allow service providers to offer value-added services across multiple access media.

Sääskilahti continued: “It is up to operators to ensure their OSS is ready for FMC. Comptel’s Dynamic OSS solutions enable telecom service providers to deliver services flexibly and charge for them effectively in a converged or legacy environment. Our software allows operators to launch new services with a fast time-to-market and we already proving beneficits to customers deploying FMC solutions, such as Taiwan’s FarEasTone and many other of Comptel’s customers.”

Mobile Distillery, the leading specialist in software solutions for mobile application production and testing services, has announced the launch of Alembic, its unique device knowledge database and device characteristic search engine. Alembic offers the most comprehensive and widely tested insight into the behaviors and capabilities of the vast majority of mobile devices available on the market. The web-based Alembic service will be previewed at CTIA Wireless 2008 in San Francisco on 10-12 September.
 
For developers, marketing and product managers, the sheer detail and accuracy of Alembic allows them to clearly understand their market potential and base their prototypes on tested data. It is now possible to identify which makes and models of mobile handsets their application could potentially work on before they write a single line of code, reducing the investment and production risks incurred for the development of mobile applications.
 
Based on Mobile Distillery’s seven years of R&D and in-depth handset knowledge, Alembic includes the detailed characteristics, performances and behaviors of more than 1000 Java handsets which are used by consumers and businesses today. More than 30 new devices are being added to Alembic every month on a worldwide basis, as new devices come to market. No other solution in the industry today offers this level of detail.
 
Alembic’s powerful query interface greatly simplifies searches based on multiple handset criteria. Its core data is the result of rigorous, industrial testing, with handsets tested for +1000 individual characteristics, behaviors and performance benchmarks, which are then checked and verified by Mobile Distillery’s dedicated integration teams. Developers simply select the different capabilities and features they plan to include in their applications such as Bluetooth, 3D graphics or GPS; within seconds, Alembic generates a unique list of every device that is capable of supporting that particular feature set.
 
As a powerful add-on service to Alembic, developers can also work directly with Mobile Distillery to integrate their own specific device criteria. These new parameters are then included in Mobile Distillery’s software and rigorous testing processes for future use.
 
A key feature of Alembic is that it is directly integrated into Celsius, Mobile Distillery’s automatic porting suite. This allows developers, from a single interface, to search devices compatible with their application all in one click for compilation. With Alembic, developers also know which device is supported by DeviceAnywhere’s testing solution, which provides developers real-time interaction with handsets directly from their computer, enhancing the whole mobile application production workflow from prototyping to development through testing and backfilling.
 
“For many companies, the cost of dealing with the hundreds of devices and thousands of configurations often means that their mobile applications never make it off the drawing board. With Alembic, for the first time, companies can base their development decision on accurate, verified information; this is like giving developers a personalized crystal ball to understand their market,” said Eric Lemaréchal, Co-Founder and CEO of Mobile Distillery.
 
“With Celsius, its automatic porting suite, Mobile Distillery has changed the way developers approach mobile applications, giving them the power to create complex applications with a high level of automation and control, reaching the best of every device. Now, thanks to Alembic, they can save hundreds of hours of investment with just a few clicks. For developers, the combination of Alembic and Celsius is the next best thing to remove the problem of fragmentation once and for all,” said Vincent Berge, Co-Founder and General Manager of Mobile Distillery.