SevenClick! Mobile Technology Evangelists

Yesteday at CTIA Wireless 2008, Las Vegas, Microsoft oficially announced the release of Windows Mobile 6.1 and an upgrade for Internet Explorer Mobile.

Microsoft has listed several new phones and updates for this brand new WM 6.1, that will be available soon. Check the post of Windows Mobile Team Blog or the press release for the list.

WM 6.1 most important improvements are:

• Redesigned home screen
• Built-in Task Manager
• Copy&paste support for non-touch devices
• Faster Bluetooth setup
• Significant improvements in performance
• Significan improvements in battery life

On the other hand, the new version of IE Mobile will be availabe later this year. Microsoft claims it ” adds desktop-grade Web browsing to Windows Mobile phones”.

We will be happy to see that, since current IE Mobile is very far from meeting the needs of a modern PDA internet browser.

Via WindowsMobileTeam
Link MicrosoftPressPass

European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has just decided on the final piece of what will become Europe’s NFC standard.

Some issues about communication between the NFC circuitry and the phone’s SIM seemed to be the reason for some delay.

The GSMA says it’ll enable “mobile operators to prepare for the rollout of contactless payment services and other applications that make use of this flexible short-range radio technology”.

For sure, standardization will help in what has been GSMA’s aim: contactless payments to be the morn more than the exception.

Via EngadgetMobile

Pieter Knook and Robbie Bach did last week a conference call in MWC Microsoft’s Stand. They announced the acquisition of Brand by Microsoft and Windows Mobile grow predictions for next year. Two days after, Vodafone announced the signing of Pieter Knook for the new Internet Services division of the British company.

I’m not surprised that an executive leaves a company to join another. It happens all the time. It’s even a healthy practice in modern companies. What’s significant for me is the change in Vodafone strategy in terms of executive signing. Most Vodafone managers come from the old only-voice based company. Currently, the market has change drastically, and carriers demand people coming from internet companies and software companies. Summarizing, people with a strong service orientation.

Mobile Internet is the next battlefield, and carriers should be ready for it. Otherwise, they will be left behind. And that means death.

Via Canal PDA

Nowadays, Windows Mobile is not, by far, the most popular device operating system. Actually the number of devices featuring Symbian, RIM or even Apple is much greater than the ones with the Redmond’s OS.

To improve this situation, Microsoft has started, recently, conversations with Nokia in order to deploy Windows Mobile on Nokia devices.

Although Nokia has a significant investiment in Symbian, this deal seems feasible as it will be limited to certain scenarios, mainly bussiness-focused.

Via Engadget Mobile

Today starts Mobile World Congress 2008 at Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. The former 3GSM took place in this venue a couple of years ago and now repeats for the third time.

And, of course, SevenClick will be there. We will cover the great announcements and demos expected in the most important yearly event in mobile world and will bring them to you, throwing light on all the keys of upcoming mobile hardware and services.

Absence of Apple, first Android prototypes, LBS, WiMax, DVB-H, new contents, new software, new hardware … all these are the facts of this edition, that will count with the presence of first actors like Arun Sarin (Vodafone), Wang Jianzhou (China Mobile), Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo (Nokia). Even Robert Redford will take part in one of the collateral events.

The growing number of this collateral events are another interesting point of this year edition of the world’s largest communications industry event.

For sure, Microsoft’s offer for Yahoo! and the hard times of Motorola, that might sell its mobile division, will be one of the most commented issues.

Stay tunned with SevenClick and happy mobile world!!!

This is the kind of news all people hates. While even European Comission complains about high costs of MMS and SMS in Europe, Movistar will increase MMS prices in Spain. Moreover, Movistar announces changes in their ‘e-mocion’ service pricing, too.

MMS cost was between 28 cents and 55 cents up to now. From now on, MMS will worth 1 €. An incredible raise!!!

I think this is not the best way for encouraging the use of MMS and internet services.
These new tariffs will take place in March 1st.

Anyway, this might be just an strategic movement related to iPhone’s future offers…

Via ElMundo

The awful outcome of Motorola’s mobile division over the last year might have dramatic impact in the company. Actually, it does.

Motorola is considering “structural and strategic realignment of its business” in order to sort out its mobile devices division. Motorola said separating the mobile business might be the best way to get it to grow. Anyway, there will be no discussion until after the board of directors has made a decision.

More accurately, Greg Brown, current president and CEO, said: “We are exploring ways in which our Mobile Devices Business can accelerate its recovery and retain and attract talent while enabling our shareholders to realize the value of this great franchise.”

Rumors about interested buyers have started. Some people has pointed to Samsung or Dell. Anyway, the ghost of BenQ’s takeover of Siemens’ mobile division could scare more than one buyer.

Via EngadgetMobile

As NTT DoCoMo claims in a press release, NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and Google Inc. jointly announced that they formed a partnership that includes providing search services, search-related advertisement and potential applications to i-mode™ users.

With this agreement, Google claims to better fulfill their mission of “organizing the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”, since they add their services the 48 million mobile Internet users currently subscribed to DoCoMo’s users.

But the agreement don’t stop at present, but puts a look at future services. Explicitly, they talk about new mobile marketing services for i-mode and bringing Android based handsets to the Japanese market.

This agreement is pretty logical because Google and NTT DoCoMo were already members of the Open Handset Alliance, leaded by Google.

Link NTTDoCoMo

Yoigo, backed by TeliaSonera, is the fourth carrier in Spanish market. They launched one year ago. Their motto is something like “truly truth” when it comes to communication, specially with their clients.

They claim to have the clearest and cheapest price plans in the market. In order to prove it and as part of an agressive offer, they included free calls between Yoigo subscriber without any kind of limitation.

Three months after this unprecedented offer, Yoigo changes the rules in a completely unilateral decision. From now on, the free calls are limited to those with a duration less than 1 hour.

Yoigo’s sources have informed that this decision was not been pre-planned and is a consecuence of abusive use by a little percentage of users.

For sure, 99% of calls do not take more than one hour, so price plans are not substantially changed. But, this is not the best way to prove their own motto. In fact, this issue has made a noticeable impact in the Spanish blogosphere.

Via error500

Nokia and Trolltech ASA announced on Monday that they have entered into an agreement that Nokia will acquire Trolltech, a recognized software provider with world-class software development platforms and frameworks. Nokia will offer NOK 16 per share in cash.

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