Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Motorola in Mexico earlier this week announced the upcoming release of the MOTOROKR W6 handset, which hopes to combine music with a set of fitness-tracking apps. I think it sounds very cool, honestly. I am sure you can get apps like that for other gadgets, but to have it all come in one piece that's set and ready sounds like a great idea.Users can enter their name, age, sex, weight and height into a fitness app that will then create a training plan based on that information. There is also a timer that keeps track of the duration of workout and the theoretical number of calories burned. The handset can export this information into a Microsoft Excel document for tracking progress over time.
Internal memory can be expanded with a card of up to 2GB.
*~*~*
Oh Lordy.
AT&T is offering a new service that allows parents to track loved ones using their phones.
AT&T's service called FamilyMaps allows people to track the location of any cell phone on AT&T's network from a mobile phone or PC. The person being tracked receives a text message informing him or her that he or she is being watched. The service periodically informs the tracked individual that he or she is being watched.
I can hear the tweeny boppers sighing now.
The service uses satellite GPS technology and cell tower triangulation to pin-point the location of the phone. The service is not supported on prepaid or AT&T Go Phones. And the service costs $9.99 for two phones and $14.99 for up to five phones.
Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, and Alltel have each been offering "tracking" services for more than a year. Sprint Nextel has even lowered the price of its service from about $10 a month to $5 a month.
What's different about these social-networking location services from the service AT&T is offering is that these other services often require those being "tracked" to also run the application on their phones.
*~*~*
Microsoft's Office team has officially announced a Service Pack 2 for Office 2007, which adds some speed, reliability, and printing improvements across the board. The major new new thing? Native support for OpenDocument files (ODF), the major format of OpenOffice.org, without a plug-in, and printing to PDF. SP2 should arrive on April 28.
*~*~*
Delegations from across the Western Hemisphere will descend upon the twin island Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago this week for the fifth Summit of the Americas. A hemispheric agenda on energy figures prominently among the issues they will be addressing.
A key component to such an approach would be the reduction and eventual elimination of the United States' 54-cents-per-gallon tariff on ethanol imports, as well as revision of current agricultural subsidies in the United States.
Enhanced regional collaboration on alternative fuels is a logical next step to the efforts begun by Brazil and the U.S. two years ago. However, overcoming U.S. domestic politics that have allowed debate on ethanol to be influenced by the corn lobby remains a robust hurdle for follow-through on such an initiative.
For more developments on the Summit click here >>
Labels: ATT, cell phone, Microsoft, motorola
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Every tech blog and that blog's neighbor are talking about the Motorola split today. I don't particularly care one way or the other, but I am sure with our dim economy we'll be seeing more mergers/splits and business demise. So let's briefly discuss, ok?It is true. Motorola announced it's splitting into two companies: a "Mobile Devices" company that makes cell phones, and a "Broadband & Mobility Solutions" company with all the other parts of Moto. Existing stock holders will get shares in both companies.
Here is an excerpt from the press-release:
Based on current plans, the creation of the two stand-alone businesses is expected to take the form of a tax-free distribution to Motorola's shareholders, subject to further financial, tax and legal analysis, resulting in shareholders holding shares of two independent and publicly-traded companies:There is a lot going on in Motorola world. Not just a company split.
The Mobile Devices business is an industry leader in multi-mode, multi-band communications products and technologies. The business designs, manufactures and sells mobile handsets and accessories globally with integrated software solutions that incorporate the latest personal communications technologies. It also licenses a portfolio of intellectual property.
The Broadband & Mobility Solutions business includes Motorola's Enterprise Mobility, Government and Public Safety, and Home and Networks businesses. These businesses manufacture, design, integrate, and service voice and data communication solutions and wireless broadband networks for enterprises and government and public safety customers worldwide. These businesses also provide end-to-end digital and Internet Protocol (IP) video solutions, cellular and high speed broadband network infrastructure, cable set-top receivers, and associated customer premise equipment for residential and commercial wireless network system access.
Airvana, Inc. is getting involved in many media companies so as to heighten the "mobile experience." Motorola is known around the world for innovation in communications and so it is only natural evolution that is causing this change. Of course when you hear about changes everyone panics. People leave companies, shareholders sell, etc. I think it is foolish in this instance, but obviously I'm not working on Wall Street.
Motorola has termed these changes "Long Term Evolution" (LTE for short). LTE is an all-IP, OFDM-based technology that will deliver a personal media experience similar to that of fixed line broadband both in terms of bandwidth and latency. With LTE, applications that can be delivered today on fixed line will soon be available over the air and with full mobility.
Does that sound like something to run from or embrace?
Labels: communication, motorola, wireless
the archive
support a cause
the latest reads
search the site
get your geek fix