Indian Mobile TV Market on the Rise

"India's mobile television market will be worth $360 million by the end of this year," says a report by Springboard Research, a Singapore-based IT market research firm.

Courtesy mobile TV, users can view regular television programs on mobile phones and other mobile devices. It marries two dominant consumption trends of entertainment and mobile telephony in the country.

According to the Springboard report, as many as 84 percent of users are waiting for an affordable mobile TV service in the country. News, sports, music videos, and game shows have emerged as preferred choices for this service.

According to Ravi Shekhar Pandey, manager (Syndicated Research) of Springboard Research, "The market is ripe for the launch of mobile TV services, and we believe that India will have around 12 million mobile TV subscribers within the first year of launch of service."

Pandey added that a majority of mobile users in the country are interested in trying out mobile TV, and would invest in new handsets for using the service. That this willingness is definitely a positive sign for those considering offering mobile TV in one of the world's largest and fastest-growing mobile services market.

Going a step further, the report recommends that those companies planning to roll out the service should consider offering on-demand, pay-per-view option that will not be attached to a monthly subscription offer.

Presently, Doordarshan is the only player in this field. However, the report states that in recent months, the market has witnessed increased activities from various stakeholders, including technology providers, network equipment vendors, and mobile service providers like Nokia, Samsung, Spice Telecom, and Qualcomm.

Nokia Goes Game Crazy

Nokia today announced a strong presence at the Game Developers Conference (GDC) with new N-Gage and SNAP Mobile games, live demos of the recently launched N-Gage First Access program, and a keynote by Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Markets, Nokia.

"This year is our biggest GDC to date," said Jaakko Kaidesoja, Director, Games, Nokia. "We have a great presence to share our latest developments with the games industry, including live demos of the N-Gage service, new games, and informational presentations that will help game developers create better mobile games."

New games for N-Gage include: The Dark Knight, SPEED RACER and Super Slam Ping Pong by Glu Mobile; DChoc Café Solitaire 12-Pack, DChoc Café Sudoku and DChoc Café Hold' Em Poker by Digital Chocolate; and Worms World Party by THQ Wireless. Nokia Games Publishing will also bring new titles to the platform including Yamake, where you make the game, and Dirk Dagger and the Fallen Idol, a detective adventure game. In addition, SNAP Mobile, a Nokia mobile Java gaming solution, will soon offer a customized, multiplayer mobile version of the smash puzzle hit Chuzzle by PopCap Games.

Chuzzle
The multiplayer version of Chuzzle will feature community offerings, including chat, leader boards, and more. The original single player version of Chuzzle is expected to be available on a variety of mobile devices powered by SNAP Mobile by the end of 2008.

SPEED RACER
In this mobile game inspired by the upcoming movie, SPEED RACER players become the ultimate grand prix champion in the Mach 6. They must conquer the art of drifting, sliding, jumping and defensive driving in order to stay ahead of the pack while racing on extreme tracks with the dirtiest of competitors.

Super Slam Ping Pong!
In the spirit of Glu's runaway hit, Super K.O. Boxing, Super Slam Ping Pong is a game that features a cast of wacky opponents such as Master Wu-Pong and the Gnarly Gnome. Players must keep an eye out for each opponent's tell and weakness as they fill their Super Slam meter to unleash powerful slams.

The Dark Knight
Play as Batman in The Dark Knight, the action game based on Warner Bros. Pictures' upcoming blockbuster film. Batman fights to eradicate street crime in Gotham City using his advanced combat skills and an array of unique gadgets. However, things take a darker turn when a new reign of chaos is unleashed on the terrified citizens of Gotham by a rising criminal mastermind known as The Joker.

ASUS Launches P527 PDA With GPS in India

Asus India along with IDLDPL, (India Digital Life Style Distributors Pvt. Ltd.) has launched their latest PDA phone, the P527 in the Indian market. Among the host of functions, Travelog and Location Courier have been crowned as the most unique features on the P527. While Travelog enables users to record travel routes and export data to Google Earth, Location Courier serves as an S.O.S. device to send a user's GPS position to five preset phone numbers. In such cases of emergency, SMS messages will be delivered to the preset receivers with a touch of a button.



The P527 can record and share users' traveling pictures, routes, Points of Interests (POIs) and memos with the built-in Travelog feature. This xfunction supports the Google Earth satellite maps format – allowing users to create a diary of events during their travels. The timely GPS navigation with GPS Catcher allows users to find their location xwherever they are in the world – allowing them to navigate to their next destination with ease. The Location Courier feature of the P527 will also help prevent users from getting lost by accurately and periodically reporting their position to their pre-defined friends' contacts. Even in locations with vast, open country, the global GPS network will be able to locate the user.


Utilizing the Windows Mobile 6 Professional Operating System, the P527 provides Office functions and synchronizes Outlook emails, edits Word and Excel documents and views PowerPoint slides.

Additionally, the new station feature allows users to receive the latest news reports and website information through RSS related settings. The Business Card Recognition feature also makes it easy to capture the details of a business card without tediously keying in the data. With the built-in FM Radio Receiver, a 2 Mega-Pixel Camera (Auto-Focus) and Windows Media Player, users will be able to enjoy more multimedia enjoyment; while the built-in Windows Live function allow access to Hotmail, MSN, Spaces and. The P527 is a slim 15.4mm handset with a silver-gray aluminum cover. It’s equipped with 8 dedicated hotkeys and 5 directional front jog dial with a 3 directional side jog wheel. It’s 2.6 inch TFT, touchscreen display has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. It supports microSD cards for external memory. The con about this phone is it only supports EDGE connection.

The new ASUS P527 PDA phone is priced at Rs. 17,900 and is now available in India through IDLDPL.

Kingston Launches 19-in-1 Card Reader

Kingston Technology Company, Inc. has announced a strategic tie up with “The MobileStore”, one of India’s leading mobile retailers. As a part of this agreement, Kingston mobile memory products will be now sold across all The MobileStore outlets.

“This strategic tie-up allows us to quickly expand retail availability for our award winning flash memory products in the mobile retail channel,” said Nitin Malhotra, Country Manager, India, Kingston Technology. “We believe that our stores will offer the right environment to showcase Kingston products.” said Rajiv Agarwal, CEO and Director, The MobileStore Limited.

On a different note, Kingston has announced the launch of their new Kingston 19-in-1 Media Reader, an external, hi-speed reader designed to support 19 popular types of Flash memory cards. The reader requires no adapters or power cables and simply plugs into a PCs USB port

"The new media reader handles so many different card types that it's ideal for the consumer or business professional who uses multiple card formats to transfer data, music, photos, videos and other files between mobile phones, cameras, PCs and other devices," said Nitin Malhotra, Country Manager, Kingston Technology, India. "Its compact size makes it easy to carry while traveling or keeping on the desktop for quick access."


With four built-in slots to handle the various card formats, the Kingston 19-in-1 Media Reader has a retractable chassis that keeps inserted cards safe. It also houses a short, compact USB cable for use on the go with a notebook or other portable device with a USB port. A detachable three-foot extension USB cable is also included for use at home or at the office. The Kingston 19-in-1 Media Reader carries a two-year warranty. Other features include a built-in LED indicator. The reader complies with USB 2.0 specification standards; backwards compatible with USB 1.1 and is a simple plug and play device that is also compatible with any USB 2.0 or 1.1 port. It weighs just 71g with dimensions of 3.61 x 2.71 x 0.79 inches.

The four slots support 19 different Flash card formats which are - CompactFlash Type I and II, SD, SDHC, miniSD, miniSDHC, microSD, microSDHC, MMC, MMCmobile (DV RSMMC), MMCplus, MMCmicro, RS-MMC, Microdrive; as well as Memory Stick Micro (M2), Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo and Memory Stick PRO Duo.

Kingston's 19-in-1 Media Reader is out in stores and is priced at Rs. 995.

Spice Launches Entry-Level Camera Phone

Spice Mobiles has launched their latest entry-level camera handset – the Spice S-585. Spice seems to be dedicated to serving India’s common-man which is a commendable approach to an booming market like ours. The S-585 is equipped with a VGA camera and also has other entertainment features that include a single touch internal FM radio, a music player and a video player. The handset is also compatible with microSD cards up to 1GB. It also has an inbuilt speakerphone.

The Spice S-585 is comes with accessories that include a dual corded headset and USB cable. It's priced at Rs. 2999.

Motorola Launches the MOTOYUVA W230

Even though Motorola as a company seems to be going through some rigorous changes in their mobile handset department, they still find the time to launch a few phones here and there and thankfully for us, they seem to believe that India is the right place. Their latest launch is the affordable mobile music phone—the MOTOYUVA W230.

MOTOYUVA W230 offers an entertaining experience with an onboard MP3 player, stereo FM radio and quick access to music control with dedicated music keys. With up to 2GB expandable memory, users can store up to 500 songs. The W230 also has the ability to record short FM radio clips in mono for use as the phone’s alarm. According to the company, the W230 can provide up to 550 minutes of talk time and 450 hours standby time. Users can also keep contacts close with a large phonebook memory of up to 500 names and 500 SMS. The MOTOYUVA W230 incorporates Motorola’s CrystalTalk technology enhancing each phone call.

At 83g, the MOTOYUVA W230 comes with a large display of 128 X 128 65K with vivid colors. The front plate is also changeable. The W230 supports Hinglish Predictive Text and Indian ringtones. Other features include a currency converter, calculator and a calendar with an event reminder. The W230 also supports GPRS. Most importantly is the music player that can sync with Windows Media Player version 11 and above, to enable transfer of MP3 audio files from your computer to the mobile phone.

The MOTOYUVA W230 is available in India at all MOTOSTOREs and retailers. It is priced at a best buy price of Rs. 3,050 (MRP: Rs 3,247). The inbox accessories include a 256MB memory card, USB cable and stereo headset.

ASUS Launches P527 PDA With GPS in India

Asus India along with IDLDPL, (India Digital Life Style Distributors Pvt. Ltd.) has launched their latest PDA phone, the P527 in the Indian market. Among the host of functions, Travelog and Location Courier have been crowned as the most unique features on the P527. While Travelog enables users to record travel routes and export data to Google Earth, Location Courier serves as an S.O.S. device to send a user's GPS position to five preset phone numbers. In such cases of emergency, SMS messages will be delivered to the preset receivers with a touch of a button.

The P527 can record and share users' traveling pictures, routes, Points of Interests (POIs) and memos with the built-in Travelog feature. This xfunction supports the Google Earth satellite maps format – allowing users to create a diary of events during their travels. The timely GPS navigation with GPS Catcher allows users to find their location xwherever they are in the world – allowing them to navigate to their next destination with ease. The Location Courier feature of the P527 will also help prevent users from getting lost by accurately and periodically reporting their position to their pre-defined friends' contacts. Even in locations with vast, open country, the global GPS network will be able to locate the user.

Utilizing the Windows Mobile 6 Professional Operating System, the P527 provides Office functions and synchronizes Outlook emails, edits Word and Excel documents and views PowerPoint slides.

Additionally, the new station feature allows users to receive the latest news reports and website information through RSS related settings. The Business Card Recognition feature also makes it easy to capture the details of a business card without tediously keying in the data. With the built-in FM Radio Receiver, a 2 Mega-Pixel Camera (Auto-Focus) and Windows Media Player, users will be able to enjoy more multimedia enjoyment; while the built-in Windows Live function allow access to Hotmail, MSN, Spaces and. The P527 is a slim 15.4mm handset with a silver-gray aluminum cover. It’s equipped with 8 dedicated hotkeys and 5 directional front jog dial with a 3 directional side jog wheel. It’s 2.6 inch TFT, touchscreen display has a 240 x 320 pixel resolution. It supports microSD cards for external memory. The con about this phone is it only supports EDGE connection.

The new ASUS P527 PDA phone is priced at Rs. 17,900 and is now available in India through IDLDPL.

Thanks to PS3, Sony enjoys spoils of HD fracas

Apple's iPhones seem to have a monopoly when it come to usable mobile Web browsing. Until now, freedom-loving users not wishing to get into bed with Steve Jobs were, for the most part, out of luck. This article explains how to get an even better mobile Internet experience, without having to do business with either AT&T or Apple--with no contracts and no $60 per month bill just to surf the Net.

Apple's iPhone: No user apps for you!

The iPhone is clearly the must-have device of the digerati. All of my colleagues seem to have have one, and frankly, I'm rather jealous. However, I have several deep moral problems with the iPhone which have prevented me from giving Apple my money.

Steve Jobs treats his customers with contempt. On a "stock" iPhone, you have no control over the applications you can install, cannot use MP3 ringtones, and can't even download songs to iTunes over the 802.11 connection. Yes, you can join the customer vs. company arms race, and try to hack your phone. However, the next time a software update is released, you may find yourself the owner of a $400 brick.

In addition to my problems with Apple, I really dislike the wireless carrier they've gotten into bed with--AT&T. My complaints about AT&T's profit-motivated collaboration with the NSA's warrantless wiretapping program have been frequently aired on this blog. Furthermore, the company only really offers ... Read more

Originally posted at Surveillance State.

Christopher Soghoian, a graduate student in the school of Informatics at Indiana University, delves into the areas of security, privacy and e-crime. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET.

A user-friendly mobile phone from Intex

Intex has introduced its IN 2020, a user-friendly mobile phone that claims a long-life battery with a stand-by time of 25 days, and non-stop conversation for up to seven and a half hours.

Intex claims the IN 2020 is possibly the first mobile phone in the market with such a high battery capacity. Possibly a corollary of this feature is that users don't have to charge the phone on an everyday basis. Also included are features like a blacklist facility and a phone book memory of 500 numbers.

There's also a unique feature called "Make your song your ring tone", wherein users can record up to two songs in five minutes, making those songs their ring tones. The phone comes with pre-loaded sing tones from Tips Industries' Top 20 songs listing, eight games, and twin language support to allow menu display and messaging in Hindi as well as English.

An enthusiastic Shailendra Jha, business manager (Mobile Phones) of Intex, said at the launch that with the price of the phone, they hope to strike the right chord with both mid- and lower-end consumer segments, which form approximately 60 to 70 percent of the entire mobile phone market across rural and urban areas of the country.

The Bar-shaped IN 2020 is available in Suave Red-Black and Orange-Black combos, and retails for under Rs 2,000.