Studio Press

It has been a whole year since the N91 was first announced. It is now here in Malaysia. The Nokia N91 is the company’s latest device optimised for mobile music consumption. With room for up to 3000 songs on the integrated 4-gigabyte hard disk, the Nokia N91 delivers a premier music experience. In addition, the industry standard 3.5mm stereo headset jack and easy transfer of music files from your PC help make the Nokia N91 a connected mobile jukebox. Encased in stainless steel, the Nokia N91 has dedicated music keys on its face, which slide down to reveal the phone keypad. The Nokia N91 is a part of the new Nokia Nseries range, bringing you the latest multimedia technologies and smartphone functionalities. “The Nokia N91 delivers both a fantastic music experience and cutting-edge phone features,” said Jonas Geust, Vice President, Music at Nokia. “What sets the Nokia N91 apart is the fact that it is always connected - you can download new music while on the move, add it to your favorite playlist and then share your playlist with friends. It’s truly the world’s best mobile connected jukebox.” -By Jonathan Cheah

It all came down to this! After a long search across Peninsular Malaysia and six stops in various states, the Nokia Defend Your Turf Challenge came to a head at the MidValley Exhibition Hall today. The Boys From Brazil were tasked with meeting the best that Malaysia had to offer in terms of young futsal talent. Our local teams were given the task of defending the pride of the nation against these foreign invaders who were determined to defeat Malaysia on home ground.

After a series of knock-out games in the morning, the Boys From Brazil took to the pitch to face the national champions and get our Malaysian team from Johor to answer the question “Can you Defend Your Turf?” Our local players took no prisoners and pushed the Boys From Brazil to the extreme during a grueling match that tested everyone’s skills. The final score after a hard fought match was 12-0 to the Brazilians.

“We have found that football, especially as part of the Nokia Defend Your Turf Challenge, rallied our nation’s youth,” said Barry Lee, Managing Director of Nokia Malaysia. “Our aim was to unite the nation and judging by the response we’ve seen at the regional tournaments and here today, we have certainly done that,” Lee added.

“Nokia believes that our youth see activities like this as a way to connect with their friends and to build strong ties. We, in turn, would like to help provide a healthy arena for that to happen. The Nokia Defend Your Turf Challenge is just one way for us to make that possible,” Lee continued.

Having arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday, this being the first of several stops in the region that will include Singapore and Thailand among others, the Boys From Brazil found themselves involved in various activities that stretched their skills.

The Boys From Brazil had the chance to train 50 under-privileged children in the skills needed to excel in this sport and gave them the inspiration needed to meet and surpass any obstacle. The interactive session drew much laughter and enthusiastic participation from the children.

There was also a session with the Boys From Brazil that was arranged to give the local women a chance to play against some tough competition and to get the Boys From Brazil ready to face the wrath of the nation. Two women’s teams came to the pitch and gave it all they had to show these foreigners that Malaysia was ready to take them to task.

“We wanted the Boys From Brazil to experience as many things as possible during their visit here. The games with the women’s teams and the under-privileged children was a chance to warm up their skills and have fun before facing the threat today,” Lee stated.

The Boys From Brazil constitute that country’s most promising new football talents and were handpicked by Futebol Profissional – the premier football association of Rio de Janeiro.

The Nokia Defend Your Turf Challenge Grand Finals results are as follows:

A single knock-out match was first played to determine which team qualifies for which category (either plate or champion category).

Then all teams play their remaining matches using a round-robin format to determine winner of their respective groups.

The Nokia Defend Your Turf Grand Finals (Plate Category)

- Laman FC (Penang) - Eden Pereira (Kedah) - White Devils (KL)

Laman FC (Penang) topped the Plate category to qualify to play against the local All-Stars teams.

Local All-Stars defeated Laman FC (Penang): 2-1

DYT Grand Finals (Champions' category)

- Playground FC (Selangor) - Mahsuri FC (Johor) - Lagenda FC (Terengganu)

Mahsuri FC (Johor) topped the Champions category to qualify to play against BFB.

Boys From Brazil defeated Mahsuri FC (Johor) with a score of 12-0

-By Jonathan Cheah

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd and Maxis Communications Berhad today launched an inter-operator Friend Finder service, enabling cross-tracing of friends and loved ones. With this, Digi and Maxis’ customers can locate the whereabouts of users across the two networks that connect over 12 million people nationwide. The Friend Finder is a permission-based service activated only after the person whom the customer wishes to locate gives consent. This permission can be revoked at anytime and the service can also be temporarily disabled. Digi Head of Product Management, Albern Murty, said: “Friend Finder is about connecting and locating friends and family in a fun and simple way without being intrusive. Our customers can rely on it to stay connected with their loved ones and be assured of their whereabouts.” Albern added: “This collaboration goes beyond interconnectivity. It underscores the determination of industry players to work together for the larger interest of customers.” Maxis Head Of Product & New Businesses, Dr. Nikolai Dobberstein, said: This new offering complements our existing popular Friend Finder service viaSMS, WAP and 3G, which is actively used by some 50,000 customers. In fact, Maxis customers also have the option of locating other Maxis users on detailed maps via the WAP Friend Finder Service.” Dr Dobberstein said: “As such, we are confident that more customers will subscribe to this service now that it can be used across two networks, offering more convenience and ease of mind.” The Digi-Maxis collaboration involves an inter-carrier connectivity gateway designed for customer convenience. This allows customers to continue using the existing SMS platforms. To use the interconnect Friend Finder service, Digi customers can send a SMS “FF Find 012xxxxxxx” or “FF Find 017 xxxxxx” to short code 2000. Maxis users can send a SMS message “Find 016xxxxxx” or “Find 0146xxxxxx” to short code 32001. Each successful location result received will be charged at a promotional price of 30 sen. Digi customers can use FF WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) or SMS to locate their friends but will soon have the added option of a map. The interconnectivity application platform for the service is provided by Ahead Mobile Sdn Bhd, a joint venture company between Unified Communications and Ahead Mobile Inc. -By Jonathan Cheah

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has secured a five-year contract worth RM41 million from Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd (CIMB) and Bumiputra-Commerce Bank Bhd (BCB) to provide the banking group with a managed network solution- Internet Protocol Virtual Network (IPVPN).

CIMB and BCB will utilise the network solution called TM IPVPN Premier to further improve its operational efficiency at the group's head office and branches nationwide.

TM IPVPN Premier is an Internet protocol-based network infrastructure that is able to prioritise traffic according to the application’s importance using advanced multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) technology.

“The current contact we signed with TM first and foremost is on our domestic operations for our 289 branches (by year-end),” CIMB group chief executive Datuk Nazir Razak told reporters after the signing ceremony with TM in Kuala Lumpur on May 11.

TM Group CEO Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar (left) exchanging documents with CIMB group chief executive Datuk Nazir Razak; witnessed by Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop

“The next step is to incorporate our international branches on the technology and a step after that is to incorporate the entire Southern Bank Bhd network,” he added.

TM’s subsidiary VADS Bhd has been tasked to provide technical expertise including network solutions, project management and proactive network monitoring for this contract.

Nazir said the deal was for the first stage but the group was looking to extend this agreement with TM subject to pricing.

“We also have an agreement with TM to make sure services are up 99.8% of the time and this new technology is looking between five and 10 years ahead in anticipation of consumer demand at that time,” he said.

Nazir said the technology would only emerge when the new CIMB Bank branches were launched in the second half of this year.

TM CEO Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar said the IPVPN service contribution to TM’s revenue was still low. However expects, over time, the proportion of revenue from this service will increase.-theedgedaily

Nokia is showcasing the consumer experience of its new mobile gaming platform at the 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo. For the first time, visitors can explore the key part of this new experience - a pre-installed application which allows consumers to easily find, buy and play rich and immersive games on a range of Nokia Nseries multimedia computers and other Nokia S60 devices. These next generation mobile games are designed specifically for mobile devices which means they are quick to pick up, fun to play and hard to put down.

“Today, visitors can discover for themselves what Nokia’s next generation mobile gaming strategy is all about,” says Jaakko Kaidesoja, director, games, Multimedia, Nokia. “Our aim with this new strategy is to make entertaining, top quality mobile games accessible to as many people as possible. With this new mobile gaming experience available on a range of Nokia smartphones, we’re making gaming a core part of your mobile entertainment.”

Smartphones, such as the Nokia Nseries range of multimedia computers, are driving the growth of mobile gaming and are integral to Nokia’s mobile gaming strategy. With their advanced telephony and rich internet functionality, Nokia smartphones can provide the highest quality of connected mobile games that are always with you.

“We’ve also announced a strategic cooperation with Gameloft,” adds Kaidesoja. “By working with this leading games publisher, we’re making even more games available for Nokia device owners. This collaboration will improve mobile gaming experiences in our next generation mobile gaming platform.”

Gaming communities are another key element of Nokia’s mobile gaming strategy. The N-Gage Arena will be a core part of Nokia’s next generation mobile gaming experience as well as the SNAP Mobile Java activities.

“The ‘community’ aspect is an extremely important differentiator and all our next generation mobile games will be N-Gage Arena compatible,” continues Kaidesoja. “With the new user interface, the N-Gage Arena is only a few clicks away, providing access to your friends, rivals, heroes and other gamers. We want to not only entertain, but connect gamers to one another by allowing them to share game achievements and chat online.”

Nokia also announced its first range of games for the new mobile gaming platform including: Creatures of the Deep, ONE, Pocket Aces, Pro Series Golf, Space Impact and System Rush: Evolution. -By Jonathan Cheah

The race to the 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships, the richest and most prestigious women’s sporting event in the world, officially launched today with the unveiling of a new name and edgy advertising campaign in the city of Madrid, host city of the event.

Global superstar Maria Sharapova and women’s tennis legend and official Championships Ambassador Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario introduced both the new name of the Championships – the “Sony Ericsson Championships” – as well as the advertising campaign, IGUALES, designed to showcase the power and excitement of women’s professional tennis.

In recognition of Sony Ericsson’s role as title sponsor of both the Tour and the Championships, and in taking women’s professional tennis to the next level of entertainment through technology, innovation and investment, the new “Sony Ericsson Championships” name and logo were unveiled today. With Sony Ericsson on board, the 2006 Championships is expected to be the most compelling and innovative season-ending event in the over 30 year history of the Championships, and will include television innovations, electronic line calling and use of mobile technology designed to bring fans closer to the top 8 singles players and top 4 doubles teams in the world than ever before.

IGUALES, which means both “equal” and “deuce” in Spanish, is the theme of the 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships advertising campaign, and is designed to enhance awareness of the equality between men and women. Through the campaign, the Sony Ericsson Championships will serve as a vehicle to make the statement that men and women are equal not only as athletes and entertainers, but in all levels of life. The advertising campaign will be used for both the Sony Ericsson Championships and the ATP Madrid Masters Series.

Ms. Sharapova and Ms. Sanchez-Vicario were joined by Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott; Dee Dutta, CVP and Head of Global Marketing of Sony Ericsson; Manolo Santana, Tournament Director; Ion Tiriac, Championships Consultant; and Alberto Ruiz Gallardon, Mayor of the city of Madrid.

“I am really excited that the Sony Ericsson Championships will be held in Madrid this year,” said Sharapova. “Madrid’s reputation as a great sporting and cultural city is well established globally. And I love the new advertising campaign, which really shows off the excitement of women’s tennis.”

“There are so many great players in today’s women’s game that it should be a real treat for Spanish sporting fans to witness the very best female athletes this November,” said Spanish tennis legend, four time Grand Slam champion and official ambassador of the Sony Ericsson Championships Sanchez Vicario. “I’m looking forward to helping to promote the event throughout the year.”

“The 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships promises to be the best year-end showcase for women’s tennis ever,” said Sony Ericsson WTA Tour CEO Larry Scott. “We are excited to be working with the city of Madrid, local promoters with a track record of unparalleled success, and a prestigious group of world-class sponsors and television partners.”

“We are very proud and honored that from this year the Championships will be known as the Sony Ericsson Championships,” said Dee Dutta, Sony Ericsson CVP and Head of Global Marketing. “Our second year of our sponsorship has seen us announce a series of exciting innovations that bring tennis fans one step closer to the players and the sport of tennis, and I look forward to working with everyone involved to generate a lot of passion and excitement for the 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships in the beautiful city of Madrid.”

“Since 2002 when we first arrived in Madrid, we have had the idea of putting together one of the most important tennis events in world, an event with male and female competition,” said Ion Tiriac, Championships Consultant. “After four very successful years with the ATP event, hosting the Sony Ericsson Championships this November means another step to achieve our goal. I believe Madrid will be a great experience, not only for the players and for all the international tennis family that we hope will join us, but also for tennis fans all over Spain that for the first time are going to have the opportunity to watch the best female players in the world.”

Following the kick-off press conference, and in the spirit of the IGUALES campaign and creating even more buzz around the Sony Ericsson Championships, Maria Sharapova participated, along with a panel of celebrity judges in the selection of the male model ball boys who will support the event in November.

The 2006 Sony Ericsson Championships will take place at the Madrid Arena, a world-class venue that seats more than 9,600 spectators and has been the home of the ATP Masters Series Madrid since 2002. Manolo Santana and his team will promote the Championships through a significant marketing and advertising campaign, further enhancing the global prestige and exposure of the $3 million tennis event.

The Sony Ericsson Championships has attracted an unprecedented group of A-list global sponsors, including Sony Ericsson, Porsche, Whirlpool, Dubai Duty Free, Hugo Boss, Wilson, Schweppes, Grupo Prasa, Estrella Damm and the Westin Palace Madrid, among others. Additionally, the Sony Ericsson Championships is once again set to be broadcast to millions of viewers across six continents and over 70 countries throughout the world, including via TVE Spain nationally (which will be broadcasting all matches), and Eurosport across its 54 country Pan-European platform (which will also be broadcasting all singles matches).

Madrid, the capital of Spain with a population in excess of three million, was chosen to host the Sony Ericsson Championships after an extensive and competitive selection process that involved 18 interested parties. Madrid was awarded the event because of its international stature, its reputation as a preeminent sports locale and the proven track record of the promoter and the Madrid Arena in hosting successful tennis events such as the ATP Madrid Masters Series, one of the world’s most successful tennis tournaments that attracts more than 100,000 fans yearly. Madrid also continues the event’s tradition of being hosted in internationally renowned locations, joining New York, Munich and Los Angeles, which has been the event’s home since 2002.

The move to the major European market and world class sporting city of Madrid represents another upward turn for the storied Championships, which showed significant increases in attendance and fan interest during its tenure in Los Angeles and now is buoyed by the backing of Sony Ericsson, which is driving women’s tennis toward innovative horizons in terms of cutting-edge technology, music and design since signing a landmark global title sponsorship with the Tour in January.

This year’s Championships are expected to be another stellar competition in the event’s long and distinguished history, which dates back to 1972 and has included the all-time greats of the sport, such as Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles. Held at the glitzy Madrid Arena, the event will once again feature the eight greatest singles players of this year and the four pre-eminent doubles teams in a round-robin format over six days, with the singles winner collecting a luxurious Porsche to be donated to charity and US$ 1 million in prize money, equalling the largest winner’s purse in the history of women’s sports.-By Jonathan Cheah

Motorola, Inc. today announced the Motorola ROKR E2 at the Music Matters digital music industry conference, marking the global debut of the newest member of the company’s ROKR family of music-optimized mobile handsets. Designed for the music enthusiast who wants to carry one device, ROKR E2 not only lets users take thousands of their must-have music selections with them but also delivers world-class wireless communications.

“No matter what consumers listen to – rap, hip hop, country, classical or rock & roll – ROKR E2 lets them take their music with them, wherever they go,” said Michael Tatelman, Motorola corporate vice president and general manager for Mobile Devices, North Asia. “Motorola is leading the industry by providing a superior mobile music experience that seamlessly integrates operator services, powerful digital rights management to encourage full music industry participation, and stylishly designed devices such as the ROKR E2 that appeal to consumer tastes.”

For a powerful mobile music experience, ROKR E2 features a robust MP3 player compatible with a variety of different audio formats – giving users flexibility to download MP3, WAV, AAC files and more. The ROKR E2 also lets users switch seamlessly between phone calls and music play lists simply by touching a button. Based on a Linux operating system to enhance speed and flexibility, this mobile handset is a powerful example of what it means to be “the device formerly known as the cell phone.”

More Access

Equally important, ROKR E2 is designed to help drive – and integrate easily with – the full digital music ecosystem that includes mobile operators, recording labels, artists, and download services that together create the kinds of music experiences that consumers expect.

“ROKR E2 is part of Motorola’s broader effort to drive the convergence of music and mobility by combining the device you never leave home without, with the entertainment consumers crave, all while protecting the people who create the music we enjoy,” said Tatelman. “Our partnership with Asia’s operators to develop music services, along with services for Motorola users such as www.motomusic.com.cn, make it easier to identify, select, buy and download music anytime, anywhere.”

More Music, Faster

ROKR E2 makes loading music simple. Users make a fast connection from the device to a compatible PC using a USB 2.0 cable.* Next, they “drag and drop” digital music files from their PC-based music collection directly to the phone. Each song takes only seconds to transfer from the PC to the ROKR E2. With removable SD™ mass memory*, ROKR E2 can store songs, as well as create and manage playlists. ROKR E2 also comes equipped with built-in FM radio functionality.

Richer Entertainment Experiences

ROKR E2’s features are built for ease-of-use. Dedicated music keys on the handset’s side and front let you navigate playlists, as well as play/pause, skip backward/forward, and hold. Connect to ROKR E2 via a standard 3.5mm headset or wirelessly via the built-in stereo Bluetooth® audio connection**. Motorola offers a wide range of music accessories to optimize the ROKR E2 experience including the newly announced O ROKR Eyewear, Motorola Bluetooth DJ Headphones S805, and JBL OnTour™ Mobile.

Additionally, ROKR E2 comes with airplane mode, allowing safe listening while flying. Other multimedia features include a 1.3 megapixel camera for pictures, video capture and playback.

Technically Savvy

ROKR E2 is also part of Motorola’s growing portfolio of Linux-based handsets. Open software solutions such as Linux help Motorola create the best mobile experiences for wireless operators and consumers. By leveraging Linux, Motorola can deliver products to market faster, reduce costs and create more innovative products and experiences for mobile music, productivity, and entertainment. The company’s first “mid-tier” Linux-based device, ROKR E2 further demonstrates Motorola’s commitment to driving Linux-for-mobile innovation across the company’s device portfolio.

ROKR E2 Availability

The Motorola ROKR E2 in colors black and white will be available in select retail outlets in Greater China this summer, with further announcements about wider availability expected over the next several weeks.

Cingular Wireless and Motorola have two great gift ideas that are sure to have mom tickled pink this Mother’s Day. The first is the new Cingular exclusive Motorola Pink SLVR, and the second is the new Motorola H500 Pink Bluetooth Headset.

Like its predecessor, the Motorola SLVR in Black, the Motorola Pink SLVR is less than half an inch thick and weighs only 3.5 ounces. And while this slender device looks pretty, it still packs a powerful punch. Not only does the boost of color add a kick to the sleek metal housing of the Motorola SLVR, but with its vivid display, precision cut keypad, Bluetooth connectivity and impressive set of multimedia features, including VGA camera, video capture and playback, and 512 megabytes of expandable memory, Cingular customers can easily stay connected to the people, music and content they love while still looking stylish.

Designed to maximize entertainment and customization options, the Motorola Pink SLVR makes it easy to access Cingular’s hottest downloadable content including ringtones, games, graphics and more. Additionally, Motorola Pink SLVR delivers the iTunes functionality music lovers crave, offering the ability to carry up to 7 hours of music or 100 of their favorite songs right on their mobile.

“The Motorola Pink SLVR is an attractive update to our slimmest device,” said Jim Wicks, vice president and director, CXD, Motorola, Inc. “Delivering an ultra-thin, high-style mobile with a compelling feature set, this handset is the perfect accessory for when you refuse to compromise on style or functionality.”

Motorola H500 Pink Also now available at Cingular is the Motorola H500 Pink Bluetooth Headset, a perfect match – in both color and functionality – to the Motorola Pink SLVR. Juggling home, work and play often leaves consumers, especially moms, with their hands full. The Motorola H500 Pink, when paired with a Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, like the Motorola Pink SLVR, helps ensure hassle-proof, hands free communication.

The new H500 Pink Bluetooth Headset is less than 17 grams, one of the lightest headsets in the industry. It features up to eight hours of talk time or 200 hours of standby time, allowing users to connect up to 30 feet away from their mobile phone. The headset also has an omni-directional microphone to clearly pick up the user’s voice.

“Cingular is committed to offering handsets and accessories that speak to our customers varied wireless needs,” said Michelle Freeman, executive director, product management, Cingular Wireless. “Both the Motorola Pink SLVR and the H500 Pink Bluetooth Headset offer a fashionable and colourful wireless alternative to their predecessors without sacrificing performance.”-By Jonathan Cheah

English Premier League superstars Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Ryan Giggs and Robert Pires have signed on with Celcom to promote its services.

The four footballers have already shot an advertisement in Manchester three weeks ago and the short film will be aired on local TV today.

This is a coup for Celcom as the four football heros are from teams with huge following in the country. According to Celcom CEO Datuk Shazali Ramly, the four signed on for his company on April 18.

Gerrard plays for Liverpool, Owen for Newcastle, Giggs for Manchester United while Pires is an Arsenal star.

The four are expected to come to Malaysia in August or September to shoot another advertisement.

They will be contracted to promote Celcom and its sister company Excel in Indonesia for a year. -theStar

DiGi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd has opened a “window” for local digital artists to showcase their works.

Gallery W/O Walls (or Gallery Without Walls) is a new service offered by DiGi in partnership with lifestyle magazine, Off The Edge.

DiGi users can view and appreciate the artwork available in the virtual gallery through its WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) portal and download them as screensavers or wallpapers for free.

Currently, there are six art pieces available for viewing and downloading in the virtual gallery.

DiGi is the mobile first service provider to allow users to “own” digital art pieces on their mobile phones.

Noelle Tan, head of value-added services at DiGi, said the service is a new way for Malaysians to appreciate local artworks while giving local artists an opportunity to shine.

“Budding artists want their art to be recognised so this virtual gallery is a good place for them to start,” she said.

She said DiGi plans to make it a permanent feature on its WAP site and are working on making it more interactive for users.

“One of our plans is to set up a forum for users to discuss the artwork,” said Tan. -theStar

Research In Motion (RIM) was in town last week, and held a short briefing to announce an earlier BlackBerry 8700g launch in Malaysia.

Operating on Maxis’ high-speed EDGE network, the new BlackBerry 8700g features a completely re-engineered device platform offering the best combined data and voice experience for mobile professionals. With a powerful Intel processor, 64 MB flash memory and 16 MB SDRAM, the BlackBerry 8700g provides noticeably faster web browsing, attachment viewing and application performance.

“We are very excited to cooperate with RIM to launch the new Blackberry. As the only mobile operator offering Blackberry solutions on EDGE technology, our customers are assured of speedier connectivity, greater mobility and convenience,” said Fitri Abdullah, Maxis Senior General Manager and Head of Enterprise Business Division. “With over 1,500 sites powered by EDGE which provides up to three times the data speed of GPRS and a nationwide GPRS network, our customers are seamlessly connected wherever they go.”

The quad-band BlackBerry 8700g includes premium phone features such as dedicated phone keys, smart dialling, conference calling, speed dial, speakerphone, and Bluetooth support for hands-free headsets and car kits.

In addition, the BlackBerry 8700g incorporates a QVGA (320 x 240) LCD display with a unique light sensing technology that automatically adjusts the display and keyboard lighting levels to provide optimized visibility in outdoor, indoor and dark environments.

“The stylish and sophisticated BlackBerry 8700g, together with Maxis’ EDGE network, offers customers an exceptional web browsing and mobile application experience,” said Norm Lo, Vice President of Asia Pacific at Research In Motion. “We are very pleased to be working with Maxis to bring the innovative BlackBerry 8700g to customers in Malaysia.”

The BlackBerry 8700g will be available at all Maxis Centers and selected dealers from 1st April 2006. The device has a retail price of RM2,400. For further information, please visit www.maxis.com.my/blackberry.-By Jonathan Cheah

Samsung unveiled the first in the upcoming series of Samsung’s ultra slim line-ups. The Samsung X820, which will be displayed for the first time at the Sviaz ExpoComm 2006, boasts the world’s thinnest profile of only 6.9 mm. Also on display will be Samsung’s D900, the world’s slimmest slider with the depth of only 13mm.

“Samsung will continue its stride in uniting people together. Ergonomically designed to become one with the user, Samsung's slim phones deliver the perfect harmony of comfort, simplicity, and sophistication,” said Kitae Lee, president of Samsung’s Te4lecommunication Network Business. “It is human nature for people to communicate with others. Samsung's ultra slim phones are dedicated in bringing people together. With its exceptional design and thinness, the X820 will become one with the user, one with others, and one with the world.”

Samsung’s growing portfolio of ultra-slim phones is part of the company’s aggressive global strategy in the slim phone category, demonstrating Samsung’s promptness to recognize and acts on consumer demands. Samsung truly delivers smaller and thinner mobile phones without compromising reliability or premium multimedia capabilities.

Samsung’s first experience with slim mobiles with advanced features started in 2001 with the introduction of SPH-N2001, the company’s first 9.8mm mobile phone. Samsung will continue to reveal slim mobiles in various form factors and features to the world.

Samsung X820 - World’s Slimmest Phone Samsung’s groundbreaking X820 expresses Samsung’s devotion to creating the slimmest product for the market today. Weighing only 66 grams with slender 6.9mm thinness, the lightweight X820 is today’s modern method to stay connected. The X820 balances slim elegance with a functional keypad and finishes with a beautifully beveled cut for a natural grip. The fiberglass-infused plastic is used to increase extraordinary durability while keeping it lightweight. The X820 is the true complement to today’s active consumers as it becomes one with the users in their wallets, shirt pockets, or a pair of jeans for mobility in style.

Underneath its protective outer shell, the X820’s a wealth of features are compressed into the 6.9mm thinness using the Smart Surface Mounting Technology (SSMT). Capture those bright smiles and specials moments using the 2 megapixel camera or pull of a great presentation with the document viewer and TV-output function. Maximize the visual experience with the horizontal widescreen and navigate all of these features and more with a simple and user-friendly interface.

With a variety of color ways in the making, the X820 will first hit the Russian market next month, followed by other European markets.

Samsung D900 - World’s Slimmest Slider Samsung’s SGH-D900 offers the latest in multimedia technology with premium slide-up design for business professionals. The 13mm slide-up is the thinnest slider ever designed. It also comes with a powerful 3.13 megapixel camera, starting the 3 megapixel camera phone trend for the European mobile market this year. The SGH-D900 also includes business features such as document viewer, TV-output function, and also supports Bluetooth stereo headset (A2DP) function to enhance users’multimedia experience.

The D900 also boasts large, vivid 262K color screens, ideal for watching streaming videos or viewing the phone’s photo book. Also, an external microSDTM slot allows for additional storage.

Other products announced earlier this year that are for display at Sviaz Expo Comm include the credit-card sized SGH-P300 phone, which measures 8.9 mm and comes packed with a 1.3 megapixel camera, music player and advanced video recording capabilities. Samsung’s SGH-Z150 is the world’s thinnest 3G phone, and the SGH-D800 and SCH-Z540 are both slim, elegantly design multimedia phones.

World’s Slimmest Phone: SGH-X820

Standard		GSM / GPRS (900 / 1800 / 1900MHz) + EDGE
Camera		2 Megapixel Camera
Display		1.9” 176x220 262K Color TFT
Features		Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263) MP3 / AAC / ACC+ / AAC+ (e) / WMA Digital Power Amp Bluetooth / USB / PictBridge Document Viewer / TV-output / Speakerphone / Off-line mode
Memory		80MB embedded
Size		113 x 50 x 6.9 mm
Weight		66g

* Specifications are subject to change without notice. SGH-World’s Slimmest Slider: SGH-D900

Standard		GSM / GPRS (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz) + EDGE
Camera		3.13 Megapixel Camera
Display		2.1” 240x320 262K Color TFT
Features		Video Recording & Messaging (MPEG4 / H.263) MP3 / AAC / ACC+ / AAC+ (e) Digital Power Amp Bluetooth / USB / PictBridge Document Viewer / TV-output
Memory		80MB embedded, External memory (microSD)
Size		103.5 x 51 x 13 mm
Weight		93g

* Specifications are subject to change without notice.

Espoo, Finland - On the bank of Iceland's world-famous Blue Lagoon, the Nokia 5500 Sport leaped into the world arena, displaying its sleek, sporty design with an athletic lifestyle appeal. The Nokia 5500 Sport features all the technology that every active-minded consumer needs, and is specially designed to withstand the daily rigours of work and work-out.

"The Nokia 5500 Sport combines the passion and spirit of sports with the latest in mobile communications. It's an ideal companion for an active, urban lifestyle," says Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "There is a very sizeable audience of consumers who demand sport-inspired products, even if they are not professional athletes themselves. The Nokia 5500 Sport offers these consumers a mobile phone suited to their specific needs - during a jog in the park, a day at the beach and even that dress-to-impress first date."

A mode to match your mood

A single button serves to activate three dedicated "modes" - a phone mode to stay in touch, the music mode to unwind or power-up, and the sports mode to help you break a sweat. The Nokia 5500 Sport also offers "text-to-speech" technology. Don't take your eyes off the track or that magazine, just tap the Nokia 5500 Sport and the message is read out to you. In sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport reads the status of your workout, allowing you to stay focused on the task, or the excercise, at hand.

When music is on your mind, the Nokia 5500 Sport gives you a jump start. Supporting a multitude of different digital music formats and memory cards of up to 1GB (microSD), the Nokia 5500 Sport can hold approximately 750 songs. With your music collection in hand, every activity has its own soundtrack!

Switched into sports mode, the Nokia 5500 Sport helps you keep track of work or your work-out. The integrated pedometer feature serves to monitor distance walked or calories burnt -during a busy day in the city or that breathtaking cardio session. For extra durability, the Nokia 5500 Sport features an ergonomic stainless steel casing, complemented by a splash and dust resistant shell and rubber grips.The sleek Nokia 5500 Sport is engineered with materials used in the latest high performance running shoes which make it look good on and off the court.

The triband Nokia 5500 Sport (GSM 900/1800/1900) is scheduled to sprint into stores during the summer (3rd quarter) of 2006 and is expected to retail for around 300 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd has launched GU Digi, the first promotional package specifically developed for the communities in Terengganu and Kelantan.

According to Chee Pok Jin, Chief Marketing Officer, Digi as an industry leader is always driving changes and setting benchmark in innovation, simplicity and best value in services.

“As a local player with deep roots in the community, Digi understands that each community is unique with their own set of requirements. That is why Digi is continuously exploring new and exciting packages particularly tailored to meet the needs of different communities.”

“The term GU Digi can be loosely translated as ‘the Digi gang or friends’ in the Kelantanese dialect.” “Family and friends are important facets of the local communities’ lives in Kelantan and Terengganu. And hence, in our efforts to deepen community ties, Digi is pleased to announce our best value promotion specifically catered for the people of Kelantan and Terengganu,” he said.

Puan Yohani Yusof, General Manager - Head of Segment Marketing explained that through GU Digi, users can now benefit from an even lower rate of RM0.15 per minute from the second minute onward, on nationwide calls all day long, when they make 016/0146 to 016/0146 calls from these two states.

“Under the current tariff charges, Digi prepaid subscribers enjoy a low rate of 48 cents per minute all day long for local calls. Once the total call charges exceed RM30.00, the call charges per minute will automatically be adjusted to a lower rate of 38 cents per minute.

“This is a special promotion available only for the local communities in Kelantan and Terengganu and is valid from May 6 to August 31 2006,” Yohani said.

“GU Digi is a reflection of Digi’s appreciation towards users in Kelantan and Terengganu, understanding their needs and redefining what prepaid services should really be about for all prepaid subscribers

“Be it a phone call, SMS or MMS, GU Digi’s low promotional rates for friends and family members are sure to keep everyone busy on the phone.” Yohani added.

The launch of GU Digi in Kuala Terengganu is in conjunction with Digi’s nationwide tour of its GeGeRiuh Carnival which saw Kelantan and Terengganu as the first stops in its nationwide tour. The next GeGeRiuh Carnival will be held at the Taman Awam, Batu Burok on May 6.-By Jonathan Cheah

The worldwide movement by operators to deploy high speed mobile broadband services - based on the global W-CDMA and HSDPA technology standards - is fuelling unprecedented economies of scale in the supply of equipment for carriers and handsets for consumers, said the GSM Association (GSMA) today.

According to the GSMA, the global trade organisation for the mobile industry, more than 105 mobile networks have launched commercial W-CDMA networks across 50 countries so far. Following the world’s first large scale commercial launch of HSDPA - the next evolution of W-CDMA - by Cingular Wireless last year in the US, more than 95 operators from 48 countries are deploying, or have announced plans to deploy the technology. Already, 18 mobile networks are providing live commercial W-CDMA/ HSDPA services in 14 countries.

Among the raft of global operator commitments, a number of networks have already announced deployment of W-CDMA/HSDPA in the 850MHz frequency band, including Cingular Wireless, Telstra in Australia and Rogers Wireless - Canada’s largest wireless voice and data communications service provider.

“Our plans to introduce a state of the art network based on the world standard for 3G wireless communications - W-CDMA - is a natural progression for Rogers’ coast-to-coast GSM/EDGE network,” said Bob Berner, CTO of Rogers Wireless. “By deploying HSDPA in the 850MHz frequency band, we will be able to better provide our customers in Canada with advanced mobile services, delivering speeds of up to 1.5 to 2 times faster than those claimed for competing technologies.”

This week, mobile operator KTF of Korea also announced that it will switch focus from its CDMA network to a new nationwide W-CDMA/ HSDPA network covering 84 South Korean cities by the end of the year. KTF has cited many compelling reasons for this shift, from simple economic efficiencies and global roaming to global handset availability and choice, economies of scale and significant potential revenue gains from high speed services.

As part of the evolutionary GSM family of technologies, W-CDMA & HSDPA will benefit from the strengths of the global GSM eco-system, such as global roaming and interoperability, open standards and huge economies of scale - evidenced through lower costs for handsets, and greater variety.

More than 315 handset products for W-CDMA are available already from the vendor community, 25 of which are HSDPA ready and a raft of new products are due for shipment in 2006.

“With more than 680 networks in our community heading along this globally agreed evolutionary path, no other technology can match the economies of scale and interoperability generated by GSM’s 1.8 billion and growing user base,” said Rob Conway, CEO and Board member of the GSM Association. “As economies of scale reach the point of critical mass for suppliers, we will see HSDPA become a ubiquitous part of device product ranges, just as GSM, GPRS and W-CDMA are today.”

The CTO of Cingular Wireless, the first network in the world to launch a large scale HSDPA network, Kris Rinne added: “Cingular is demonstrating that HSDPA is a real and robust technology that allows people on the move to enjoy high speed data and multimedia products and services. For us it was about enhancing our broad deployment of EDGE capabilities in the urban and suburban areas - and in technology terms, UMTS (W-CDMA) with HSDPA is uniquely positioned as the only 3G technology that supports both circuit switched voice and high speed packet data.”

The trend of operator migration from TDMA, CDMA and PDC to the global mobile path of GSM/GPRS/ W-CDMA & HSDPA continues - as seen across a raft of countries from Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela, to Japan, Korea, Singapore and the US among many others in recent years. This ease of migration has been witnessed in the phenomenal growth of markets such as Brazil, which three years ago moved to the GSM family. Today GSM is the market leader, and the choice of more than 50 million users.

In terms of global footprint, the GSM world is more than six times bigger than that of the nearest competing wireless technology, with 82% share of the digital wireless market and growing, while market share for other wireless technologies continues to decline. The scale of GSM growth enables consumers to enjoy unequalled value and variety of products and services, brought to bear by a global eco-system of hundreds and thousands of suppliers, as opposed to the few serving proprietary standards.-By Jonathan Cheah

The Nokia N80 multimedia computer has been voted the Best Mobile Imaging Device in Europe 2006 by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. The award is an endorsement of the Nokia N80's industry-leading feature set, which makes it one of the most high performance devices currently available in the marketplace.

Commenting on the award, TIPA praised the Nokia N80 as “so much more than just a camera phone.” The official comment from the TIPA Awards 2006 jury reads: “the Nokia N80 is a multimedia device with a host of superb functions. It combines a 3 megapixel camera, integrated flash, 20x digital zoom, video and MP3 player into one stylish package. As soon as you switch on, the N80 is ready to shoot. Using a 2GB miniSD card you can store nearly 1000 images at up to 2048x1536 (JPEG up to 16.7 million/24-bit colour). Printing your images is easy, too. You can take the images off the miniSD card or connect the N80 to your printer via PictBridge or Bluetooth. The WiFi feature also allows you to send your images to any compatible TV or PC, plus you can edit your images, add text and some special effects.”

The Nokia N80 is part of the Nokia Nseries, a range of high performance multimedia computers that incorporate multiple functionalities in one beautifully designed device. With Nokia Nseries products, people can use a single device to do everything from snapping print-quality images, reading email, listening to music, browsing the Web, watching TV on the move, and much more. Moreover, multimedia computers can effortlessly be connected to the Internet, enabling people to communicate, create and share experiences, participate in Internet communities and access digital content using available mobile broadband connections such as WLAN and 3G.

“The compact yet feature-rich Nokia N80 has raised the bar for mobile devices, and we are delighted to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe,” said Mads Winblad, vice president, Multimedia Sales and Channel Management, EMEA, Nokia. “This award is also an endorsement of the technological leadership of the Nokia Nseries range of multimedia computers. Comprising the functionality of a highly advanced converged mobile device, the Nokia N80 empowers people to pursue professional goals and personal passions with equal fervor.”

TIPA was founded in 1991 as an independent, non-profit association of European photo and imaging magazines. With 31 member magazines from twelve countries, it is currently the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. Once a year, editors from the TIPA member magazines meet to vote for the Best Photo and Imaging Products in Europe. The TIPA Awards Ceremony this year will take place in Cologne, Germany, on the opening day of Photokina 2006. -By Jonathan Cheah

Opera Software today announced Opera Mobile 8.60, its proven mobile browser for Symbian Series 60 (S60) mobile phones. With this new release, Opera is offering its most complete and easy-to-use mobile browser to date. Opera Mobile 8.60 for S60 is designed to let users interact more effectively with the Web on their phone, and includes new features to speed up the user interaction through auto-completion of Web addresses and passwords, page toggling and smooth scrolling.

Opera Mobile 8.60 for S60 is designed for the new Symbian 9, S60 3rd Edition phones, featured on handsets such as the Nokia 3250, N91, N80, N71, E60, E61 and E71. It also supports all current Symbian S60 2nd Edition mobile devices. “We need to offer users a convenient and customizable command of the Web while away from their desk,” said Roger Carlhammar, EVP, Opera Mobile. “Therefore, improving the user-friendliness by focusing on the user experience is a requirement for making the mobile Web a mass-market reality. Opera Mobile 8.60 delivers those features within the familiar Symbian S60 framework and layout.”

A user-friendly experience is also about being able to select how pages are displayed on a small screen. Users can surf with Opera's acclaimed Small-Screen Rendering (SSR) technology, which refits Web pages to the width of the mobile screen, or select desktop mode to view the page to look like it would on a PC, with the ability to zoom in and out.

Highlights of Opera Mobile 8.60

• Symbian 9, S60 3rd Edition compatible
• Auto-completion for URL entry
• Password manager for easy logins
• New and improved smooth scrolling
• Updated user interface with new skin
• Open and toggle up to four windows, each with separate settings for zoom levels and display options
• Read and bookmark newsfeeds
• Send images as MMS or save to phone gallery

Availability

• Opera Mobile 8.60 for Series 60 is available for download from the mobile products page http://www.opera.com/products/mobile/products/s60/.
• For handset manufacturers and operators, Opera 8.6 features enhanced customization options that allow for seamless phone integration. With Opera's mobile browser, operators can offer their subscribers advanced mobile services and an unparalleled mobile Internet experience on the wide range of mobile phones based on Symbian S60.
• Complete list of updates and changes in Opera Mobile 8.60: http://www.opera.com/docs/changelogs/mobile/series60/.

Maxis launched its RM60mil sponsorship deal for the FIFA World Cup 2006 with good news for its eight million users – free daily SMS alerts of match results.

Maxis Communications Bhd head of consumer business Tom Schnitker said the company was the main broadcast sponsor of the tournament.

The 64 matches in the tournament would be aired live on RTM1, RTM2, ntv7 and Astro.

Maxis and Hotlink will host six football-themed parties and a series of events nationwide, kicking off at A Famosa in Malacca on June 3, he said yesterday.

ALL SET FOR EXCITEMENT: (From left) Schnitker, former international players Malaysia’s Dollah Salleh and Singapore’s V. Sundramoorthy, Maxis CEO Datuk Jamaludin Ibrahim, former Malaysian footballer K. Gunalan, football coach Bojan Hodak from Croatia and Ying taking part in the launch in Kuala Lumpur Thursday.

Schnitker said Maxis was running the biggest World Cup SMS contest in the country, offering 30 winners trips to watch the World Cup in Germany.

From now until July 9, those who sign up for the RM75 Hotlink starter pack will get to pick their choice of Adidas team jerseys of Brazil, Argentina, England, Germany, France or Holland.

Maxis chief operations officer Edward Ying said the huge amount of money spent on the World Cup sponsorship reflected the company’s commitment in bringing the most viewed sporting event to Malaysians.

“We are not looking at returns from our huge investment. We are just delighted to be able to bring this game to our customers and all Malaysians,” he said. -theStar

Nokia has started deliveries of the Nokia 6131 phone, a sophisticated and stylish camera phone that offers powerful feature set, including a 1.3 megapixel camera and a superb 16 million colour display. The quadband Nokia 6131 will be coming to shops across Europe, Asia, Africa and select Latin American countries. A version for North American markets, the Nokia 6126 will also be available during the second quarter of this year. “The Nokia 6131 offers everything in balance - superior usability and top performance in a desirable, slim design. We are confident that Nokia 6131 will be a highly appealing choice for consumers who want a stylish phone that doesn’t compromise on features, quality and ease-of-use,” says Aage Snorgaard, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. Reflecting the balance between style and comfort, the slim lines and top-quality materials of the Nokia 6131 make it pleasant to the eye and the touch. This sophisticated phone pays careful attention to ergonomics, both in its compact, folding design and elegantly spaced keypad with clearly separated keys, which makes dialling and messaging quick and easy. The smoothly curved model fits naturally in the palm of a hand, and the soft-touch black finish makes the phone comfortable to hold. Adding a special touch of convenience, the Nokia 6131 includes a unique push-to-open button - the phone gently opens at the press of a button, offering convenient one-hand messaging, dialling and answering calls. -By Jonathan Cheah The vibrant 16 million true colour display in the Nokia 6131 phone makes text and icons incredibly sharp and brings images to life. The brilliant display complements the 1.3 megapixel camera, making capturing, viewing and sharing images easy. For additional fun, video clips captured with the phone’s video recorder can be used as video ring tones on both internal and external displays. Enjoying music on the go is also easy with the Nokia 6131 as the phone includes a built-in digital music player and FM stereo radio. Captured moments and favourite music can be stored on the optional hot-swappable microSD memory card, offering storage for a wide selection of images or music files. The Nokia 6131 also offers a powerful set of features ideal for business use, including email with attachements, Bluetooth technology, quadband functionality and fast browsing and downloads with EDGE. A full list of features is available at www.nokia.com/6131

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) was named Service Provider of the Year while NasionCom Holdings Bhd was awarded Most Promising Service Provider of the Year for the second year running at the 2006 Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Telecoms Awards.

Both companies received the awards under the Best of the Best category. TM was also awarded Data Communications Service Provider of the Year.

Sixteen awards, divided into three major categories, were presented to 15 companies last night. Besides Best of the Best, other two categories were Service Providers and Vendors.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) chairman Datuk Dr Halim Shafie officiated the awards ceremony.

“Last year was a challenging one with competition becoming stiffer than ever. With the introduction of 3G, downward price pressures, tepid spending and emerging disruptive technologies, telecommunications companies have had to innovate to rise to the challenge and increase their value proposition to stay on the top of the game,” said Frost & Sullivan partner and South-East Asia managing director Manoj Menon.

He added that despite the daunting challenge, many had made bold strides in growing their businesses.

In the Service Providers category, award winners included Maxis Communications Bhd (Mobile Service Provider of the Year), DiGi.Com Bhd (Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year), Applied Information Management Services Sdn Bhd (Data Centre Service Provider of the Year) and TM Net Sdn Bhd (Broadband Service Provider of the Year).

In the Vendors category, the winners included Cisco Systems Inc (Network Security Vendor of the Year) and Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Telecoms Equipment Vendor of the Year).

The awards, held for the second consecutive year, seek to recognise companies that have pushed the boundaries of excellence – rising above the competition and demonstrating outstanding performance in the telecoms industry in Malaysia last year.

The companies were evaluated based on a variety of actual market performance indicators, which included revenue growth, market share and growth in market share, leadership in product innovation, breadth of products and solutions, major customer acquisitions, subscriber base and growth in subscriber base, average revenue per user (Arpu) and growth in Arpu, date strategy and next-generation service strategy.

TM group chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Wahid Omar said: “Last year was indeed an interesting and challenging year for us. Despite the challenges of operating in a very competitive landscape, TM continuously put in various efforts and initiatives in striving to improve its services further for the benefit of the customers.

“This recognition is an additional testimony that our rebranding effort is not just a cosmetic change. Real change at TM is here to stay and this will only further strengthen the impetus for our transformation agenda.”

Former MCMC chairman Datuk V. Danapalan was given a special award in recognition of his contribution to the ICT industry. -theStar

Pro filmmaking at a price

BUDDING filmmakers rejoice. The awesome Panasonic AG-HVX202E camcorder is here. Targeted at video enthusiasts and professionals, the camera records in HD resolutions such as 1080i and 720p, as well as broadcast-quality regular 576i/p PAL video. The camera is the first to use Panasonic’s P2 storage cards, which come with up to 8GB of data for 32 minutes of DVCPRO codec recordings. Along with the advanced video and audio controls, the AG-HVX202E has a 13x wide-zoom Leica Dicomar lens with optical image stabilisation. It’ll cost you RM23,888. Head to

www.panasonic.com.my for more details.

A super camera in sheep’s clothing

THE Ricoh Caplio R4 looks rather unassuming, but is probably one of the most versatile compact cameras in the market. Costing just RM1,399, it packs a 6-megapixel CCD sensor with CCD-shift image stabilisation and a superb 28-200mm (7.1x) optical zoom lens. It’s got a maximum sensitivity of ISO 800 too, which is great for shooting in darker conditions while its rechargeable battery is good for 330 shots per charge. Read more about the Caplio R4 at www.ricoh.com.

Dual core VAIO

THE VAIO VGN-SZ18GP is the first of Sony’s stylish notebook PCs to feature the new Centrino Duo platforms. Featuring a beautiful 13.3in widescreen LCD, it packs an Intel Core Duo T2400 (1.83GHz) processor, 512MB of RAM and GeForce Go 7400 graphics for great performance. It’s got great storage capabilities too, thanks to its 80GB hard disk and DVD±RW drive. For more information about this RM7,988 notebook, visit www.sony.com.my.

Music phone

ANOTHER day, another Sony Ericsson Walkman Phone. The W700i sticks to the series’ successful formula, packing a 2-megapixel digital camera, a 262k colour LCD and, of course, an intuitive user interface for browsing through and playing your music. This tri-band phone has 34MB of built-in memory and comes with a 256MB Memory Stick PRO Duo card, which is enough for about 64 songs. Apart from the supplied headphones, optional accessories such as powered stereo speakers are available to enhance the experience. The W700i will be released pretty soon.

In the mean time, see it at www.sonyericsson.com.

Rise of the (vacuum) robots

THE iRobot Roomba Discovery vacuum cleaner works with both hard floors and carpets, but the best part is that you don’t have to lift a finger. After pressing the “ON” button, it goes around your house automatically, picking up dust and dirt while you to sit back and relax. The Roomba has three-stage cleaning system that’ll clean hard-to-reach corners along your walls and furniture, and it’s intelligent guidance system prevents it from tumbling down staircases. It costs RM2,188. For more information, contact Aetis Sdn Bhd at (03)7877-8160.

Copyright to theStar

WiderThan a leading global provider of integrated mobile entertainment solutions for wireless carriers, and SK Telecom , Korea’s largest wireless operator, announced that SK Telecom’s Emoticon SMS (short message service) service, operated and managed by WiderThan, exceeded 1 million subscribers within 10 months of service launch. An Emoticon SMS attaches an icon that depicts an emotion or action through a sequence of characters as opposed to regular text.

Emoticon SMS automatically recognizes certain expressions with the SMS text and attaches a corresponding icon to the mobile message. For instance the service will automatically recognize the phrase, “Happy Birthday” and will attach a matching emoticon, such as a birthday cake with candles and confetti, to the original text.

Currently, Emoticon SMS recognizes and inputs more than 6,000 diverse expressions and images, marking a significant shift in the previous mode of messaging that required mobile users to either manually enter numbers or characters to express an emotion in their text messages. Emoticon SMS is popular among teenagers and currently comprises 10 percent of SK Telecom’s daily text message delivery traffic. “Partnering with WiderThan has enabled us to leverage the popularity of Emoticon SMS and tap into the increasing demand for advanced texting services for our younger, teenage audience. This demand was evident as we surpassed the 1 million mark very quickly,” said Tae Sup Kim, director of communication business at SK Telecom. “WiderThan’s service reduces the rigidness of simple text messaging by adding a visual aspect to text messages and enhancing the overall user experience.” SK Telecom also recently launched WiderThan’s Photo SMS service enabling SK Telecom subscribers to send an image or photo with their text message. As Emoticon SMS evolves to support real images, such as photos, it drives the potential for MMS (multimedia service) traffic through services like Photo SMS and additional revenue streams for wireless carriers. MMS provides automatic delivery of user-created content, such as still images as well as audio and video clips, from phone to phone.

“WiderThan continues to play a key role in paving the path for advanced mobile text messaging which has evolved from purely text based messages to emoticons and now to real images or flash based messages,” continued Kim.

“SMS has a very broad user base and has become increasingly popular for our customers. We saw the untapped potential to move mobile messaging to the next level and wanted to capitalize on it quickly for our customers,” said Sang Jun Park, CEO of WiderThan. “We look forward to continuing to work with key clients such as SK Telecom and elevating the mobile user experience to the next level of sophistication and entertainment.”-By Jonathan Cheah

Will this service come to Malaysia? hmm. still wondering.....

ATI Technologies and Nokia today announced a long-term strategic relationship to bring enhanced mobile multimedia experiences to Nokia customers. As leaders in their respective industries, ATI and Nokia are now working closely together to drive high quality multimedia experiences such as music playback, 3D gaming, mobile TV, video and more for Nokia mobile device users worldwide.

“Working with ATI underscores the commitment that Nokia has in providing unparalleled mobile multimedia experiences to consumers,” said Ilkka Raiskinen, Senior Vice President, Multimedia Experiences, Nokia. “With the mobile device now at the center of people’s lives, we want people to have access to fantastic mobile content when and where they want. We are announcing our collaboration with ATI now, so that developers have the next 12 to 18 months to be innovative and create world class mobile multimedia experiences.”

With mobile devices becoming ever more powerful and complex, ATI and Nokia are working to drive the complexity out of multimedia development by promoting open standards and providing integrated hardware, software and tools. In this way, developers need only create content once for consumers to enjoy on a range of devices. Specifically, ATI aims to provide a dedicated tools chain and software development kit (SDK) for developers in the fall of 2006. ATI and Nokia will also hold a series of joint workshops in the second half of this year to showcase the environment to key developers.

“Our role is to enable all content, from ultra-high quality music playback to 3D gaming, and we’ll jointly guide and support the members of the content development community as they focus on creating amazing user experiences,” said Paul Dal Santo, Vice President and GM, Handheld Products, ATI. “With a shared vision of how multimedia impacts the mobile market, Nokia and ATI are providing much needed direction and a framework to move the whole industry forward.”-By Jonathan Cheah

Royal Philips Electronics is unveiling its program to support the World Cup 2006 from stadium to the home. Philips is deploying a wide range of advanced technologies drawn from across its healthcare, lifestyle and technology portfolio, which demonstrate the company’s brand promise of ‘sense and simplicity’.

In addition to ensuring the best viewing experience for the billions of fans around the world, 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM will provide Philips with a global showcase for its market leading technologies in the areas of healthcare, lifestyle and technology.

“Our aim is not just to sponsor the FIFA World Cup but to enhance the event for every fan, whether inside the stadium, in a host city or watching a match at home. Philips aim is simply to create a more powerful FIFA World Cup experience based on our advanced, market-leading technologies from across the company’s healthcare, lifestyle and technology portfolio,” said Rudy Provoost, Member of Philips Board of Management.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany is set to be the greatest global sporting event ever staged with an accumulated television audience estimated at over 32 billion, while millions of fans will be traveling to Germany for the four week competition. Philips strategy for 2006 FIFA World Cup GermanyTM is to play an active and vital role in bringing the event to life for every fan. For millions of fans in Germany not lucky enough to enjoy the game in the stadium, Philips will be offering the next best thing by providing 25 giant public viewing screens sited across the 12 host cities.

In and around the stadium, Philips is deploying a broad range of advanced technologies. Some 10,000 Philips FlatTVs are being installed in media centers, host broadcasting operations and official hospitality villages in each host city, offering the sharpest view of all the action. In eight of the stadia, Philips market-leading ArenaVision stadium lighting system will ensure that every second of each game will appear crystal clear, whether the fan is sitting 10 meters from the action or watching from the comfort of their home 1,000 km away. Also, in three stadia Philips High Definition quality stadium screens will be in use, ensuring that the fans can enjoy every goal again and again.

Yet the company’s stadium support does not stop with advanced lighting and viewing screens systems. 2006 will be the first World Cup in which handheld automated defibrillators will be deployed. Philips HeartStart defibrillators have been provided for use in the stadium of each host city and also to individual teams, ensuring that if the worst should happen on or off the pitch, help will be available in an instant. And, all World Cup tickets will incorporate RFID technology to enhance security.-By Jonathan Cheah