TomTom unveils traffic information service

Dutch navigation device maker TomTom unveiled a traffic information service on Monday, promising drivers coverage of more roads and more frequent updates on traffic jams than existing systems.

The service, called High Definition Traffic, will initially be available only in the Netherlands on a new 400 euro ($580) navigation device, but TomTom said it planned to extend the service to other countries and existing TomTom devices next year.

The new device, dubbed “TomTom One XL HD Traffic” and due in stores this month, comes with a one-year subscription to the service. After the first year, users can extend the subscription for 10 euros per month, including data charges for transmitting the information via the built-in wireless modem.

Many navigation devices already receive traffic information broadcast alongside FM radio. TomTom said its service will cover at least 10 times more roads, including all Dutch motorways and most secondary roads, which would enable smarter rerouting or at least a more accurate estimate of the amount of time a user is stuck in a traffic jam.

The service, launched in cooperation with mobile-phone operator Vodafone, uses data gathered by anonymously tracking the movement of mobile phones through the Vodafone network to detect traffic jams.

The wireless modem built into the new device receives data over the mobile-phone network, and TomTom Chief Operating Officer Alexander Ribbink said that while TomTom is focused on traffic information for now, this opens the possibility of providing other data services in the future.

The service is a piece in the puzzle for TomTom, European market leader for navigation devices, as it seeks to move beyond just selling hardware.

TomTom is also in a contest with U.S. market leader Garmin over who will acquire control of digital-map maker Tele Atlas. It last week raised its bid for Tele Atlas by 41 percent to 2.9 billion euros.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

Nokia pockets Enpocket

Nokia announced its acquisition of Boston-based mobile advertising service provider Enpocket. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. According to Nokia, the deal will accelerate the growth of its mobile advertising business, leveraging Enpocket’s platform and partnerships with advertisers, publishers and operators.

“We believe that mobile advertising will be an important element in monetizing [consumer Internet] services for our customers and partners. Enpocket’s mature leading edge platform and people expertise are a strong fit with Nokia’s existing capabilities in the mobile advertising market,” said Nokia CTO Tero Ojanperä in a prepared statement. “This acquisition is a game-changing move to bring the reach and depth of Nokia to organize the market across the world, and make it easier for an ecosystem to develop.”

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

The first “truly global” phone?

Yesterday at the TechCrunch40 conference, Irish startup Cubic Telecom showed off what it claimed was the first “truly global” mobile handset, the Cubic Mobile(image). The handset is a dual-band GSM/WiFi device that makes use of the MAXroam SIM card. The SIM claims to be “universal” and includes favorable country-to-country phone rates anywhere in the world. Cubic said the SIM is the product of years of negotiations with GSM carriers. The phone also boasts full PBX functionality, which allows the user to create up to 50 permanent local phone numbers.

“We are living in a world where more and more people need to make phone calls across borders and while traveling. Our mantra is ‘all global calls should be local calls’, and we have built a product that can do that,” said Cubic CEO and co-founder Pat Phelan.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

AT&T launches WiFi-enabled BlackBerry 8820

AT&T has launched the WiFi-enabled BlackBerry 8820, which will retail for $299 with a two-year agreement. Despite many rumors that AT&T had planned to “neuter” the handset’s GPS capabilities to somehow aid the iPhone’s appeal, the BB 8820 has both WiFi and GPS capabilities. The phone will become commercially available tomorrow. The phone features Xm Satellite Radio, eMusic, push-to-talk and AT&T Mobile Music.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

Verizon Wireless backpedals on code of content

In response to a letter from well-known pro-choice group Naral Pro-Choice America, Verizon Wireless has dropped its ban on text messages from the group.  Naral Pro-Choice America was outraged that the carrier’s “code of content,” which prohibits “highly controversial” content, had prohibited the group from distributing its text messages to users that signed up for the service by sending a message to a short code. 

“Regardless of people’s political views, Verizon customers should be able to decide how to use their phones for political action,” said Ted Miller, a Naral spokesman. “Verizon shouldn’t make that choice for them. Verizon shouldn’t be allowed to arbitrarily censor their activities.”

Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said that the company had reviewed the decision and determined it was an incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy. “The decision to not allow text messaging on an important, though sensitive, public policy issue was incorrect, and we have fixed the process that led to this isolated incident.”

Last year, the “code of content” guidelines from Verizon Wireless and a few other carriers leaked onto the Internet and included both explicit and minor profanity. Verizon Wireless also banned any content that was critical of the carrier.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

Google now running Adwords on mobile

After about a year of trials, Google announced it will begin including AdWords advertisements within Google Mobile Search results. “We are happy to announce a new feature that will allow you to easily reach additional qualified customers who are searching Google from their mobile phones,” the search giant writes in an email distributed Tuesday to advertising partners. “In the next few days, your search ads will be eligible to run on Google Mobile Search pages (like they currently do on Google.com). We are offering this feature–and any resulting clicks–for free through Nov. 18, so you can experiment with the rapidly growing mobile platform while still reaching qualified customers.”

Google indicates it will only show ads for sites with landing pages that may be adapted for viewing on a mobile phone screen–according to the Google Mobile Search FAQ, “Ad displays with more than 70 characters are adapted so that only the Headline and URL is displayed when the ad appears on a mobile browser.”

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

VZW subscribers can switch plans more easily

Verizon Wireless subscribers can now change their calling plans within the carrier without having to extend their contracts–all part of Verizon Wireless’ “Worry Free Guarantee.” Existing Verizon Wireless customers will have the option to change their voice and data calling plans starting October 7. The Worry Free Guarantee program also includes the carrier’s 30-day trial period for new subscribers looking to “test drive” the carrier’s network as well as a declining early termination fee as a contract runs out.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com

Sprint, Alltel, USC fined for missed e911 deadline

The FCC has fined Sprint, Alltel and U.S. Cellular a total of $2.83 million for not meeting the December 31, 2005 deadline for enhanced 911 services. By the end of 2005, all wireless carriers had to ensure that 95 percent of their subscribers had location-enabled handsets that could allow 911 responders to find them in an emergency. According to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, the three carriers “failed to meet this critical deadline by a significant margin, despite the clear requirements of the commission and the needs of their consumers.”

Sprint Nextel missed the 95 percent requirement by the widest margin: Only 81 percent of its subscribers had location-enabled handsets by the end of 2005. The FCC fined Sprint $1.33 million. Alltel only reached an 84 percent penetration rate by the deadline and took 17 months to make it to 95 percent. The FCC fined it $1 million. U.S. Cellular had a 89 percent penetration rate at deadline and reached 95 percent some eight months later. The FCC has penalized it $500,000.

Now the carriers have 30 days to pay up or to petition the fees.

Alltel’s spokesman Andrew Moreau said that Alltel believes that “the FCC’s timetable for compliance may have underestimated customers’ willingness to exchange phones.” Sprint had other issues: In mid-2004 a “software glitch” disabled the location-tracking capabilities in 4.7 million Motorola iDEN handsets on Nextel’s network. Pre-merger Sprint would have been the first carrier to hit the 95 percent mark. Sprint-Nextel is just .3 percentage points away from finally hitting the required penetration rate.

Get your FREE report!
A begin shaving hours off your work day!
Go to: http://www.robertlett.com NOW

An Individual Armed with Information
Controls the Course of Negotiation
Have all your files with you in the form of a
cell phone you probably already carry – 24/7!
http://www.robertlett.com