Dial-a-concert? Japan software turns mobiles musical

According to Reuters, making music has just become easier. A Japanese game maker has teamed up with the nation's leading mobile phone network carrier to enable users to play an orchestra with their fingertips.

"Game manufacturer Taito has created the "Chokkan Classic" software for NTT DoCoMo's i-mode Internet service that lets users to pick their instruments and the melody they want to play.

To activate the sounds, users must either rub or move a finger infront of their phone's infrared sensor. The sensor can also be used to sync several users' phones to create the myriad sounds of an orchestra."

Verizon Wireless Translates Foreign Languages on Phones

Verizon Wireless has launched a foreign language applications for Get It Now-enabled wireless phones, allowing travelers to brush up on their Spanish, French, Japanese, or German, reports Mobiledia

Other mobile translation services:

-- Harper Collins to launch bilingual mobile dictionaries - Harper Collins has signed a deal to launch bilingual mobile dictionaries. Users will be able to get translations from English, German, Spanish, Italian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.

-- Vodafone Offers Japanese to Chinese Translation - Vodafone Japan has added a new function to its MMS service for 3G handsets which displays mails written in foreign languages.

-- Java Phones Help Romance When Overseas - Mobile phone software company LingoPal has launched a series of applications for java-enabled mobile phones to help travellers communicate while in a foreign country.

-- Business Translator for cell phones - Player X and CNN Mobile release CNN Business Translator phrase guides for mobile phones on Orange in the UK.

-- Text Messaging Gets a Translator - A New York City startup called Transclick rolls out software that translates e-mail and text messages with just one click.

-- TOMP (Translation On Mobile Phones) - No registration nor additional software is required to access the TOMP service, and it will work on any phone that is subscribed to a UK network provider, even when roaming abroad.

-- Free phones aid tourists lost in translation - The Kyoto prefectural government will launch a project in December to lend 500 mobile phones with language-translation and road-navigation functions to foreign visitors.

-- English-Arabic translations via SMS - Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat) today announced the launch of the new Tarjim service, which allows mobile users to receive translations between Arabic and English of words or phrases.

-- SMS translator - A computerized SMS translation service called TransClick, provides quick and accurate translations between most major languages.

-- SMS translation service for travelers launched - The Dutch motoring organisation ANWB, and Van Dale, a prominent dictionary publisher, have launched an SMS-based service that translates between French, German, English, Spanish, and Dutch.

Jajah extension for Firefox

jajah is offering a web-activated call VoIP pfunctionality that plugs into web browser Firefox.

The Firefox extension links every phone number on a website and can be clicked directly, similar to clicking an Email address in a text. A pop-up window opens, and the user can establish the call.

[via digg .

"Parapsychological" Mobile Interactive TV App

I initially picked up on the Ghost Detector on Pasta and Vinegar, Nicolas Nova mentions it as one of his favorite projects from the Mobilist gathering at 3GSM. And searching further, I found a good article from itvt.

"A mobile content company called Wiretown has developed an unusual mobile TV app for the latest season of tv show, "Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns ."

It's built on existing mobile phone technology, as well as "current parapsychological theory": Technology within mobile phonesbeing used to detect subtle electrical changes around the user that some experts say are associated with paranormal activity.

"In other words, the phone will become a 'paranormal detector' and provide the viewer with a unique and engaging way to interact in real time with the show."

Interesting, just yesterday I received an e-mail about a Paranormal message received on a Sony Ericsson cell phone .

Global Flyer Mobile Tracker

The first to fly round the world, solo in 2005, Steve Fosset and Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer are now attempt to fly further than any other aircraft in history.

For those who want to track their progress, Keni Barwick's Blog links to a Smartphone application that lets you keep up with Steve's progress in real time.

[via Mobile WTechnology Weblog]

Click here for a description and pictures of the aircraft. "The aircraft is a trimaran-like construction with two huge external 'booms' which hold the landing gear ....

The aircraft doesn't have what is known as 'deicing' or 'anti-ice' measures. This means that it will be unable to fly in 'icing' conditions...."

Frozen tuna gets RFID'd

Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology is developing an RFID-based traceability system for tuna fish, explains RFID in Japan. This system aims at preventing false information being printed on the packages of tuna (there has been such an incident in the past.)

The system's scenario is as follows: fishermen use a dedicated device to write information such as the fish name, weight, fish boat's name, etc. in an RFID tag. Then they inject the tag in the tuna fish and freeze it.

Using a mobile phone or a PC, consumers can access a website and type in the number printed on a package of tuna. They can then check the history of the tuna straight away.

6thSense

6thSense allows you to find people through your cell phone who share your common interests.

But not just any people, these are people who are right near you, often times close enough to walk right over and strike up a face-to-face conversation.

Join now, it's free, but still in Beta phase.

Via del.icio.us.

Exchanging Digital Money across Wallet Phones

Edy to Edy is a new service from BitWallet, which will allow users of RFID-enabled Wallet Phones to exchange digital money easily.

Users first start "Edy Appli," then specify the recipient's Edy code (16 chars), amount to transfer, and a password. (The recipient must know the password in order to receive the transferred digital money).

(via RFID in Japan)

Smartphone version of Wikipedia

Wapipedia is a wireless application protocol (WAP) formatted site that accesses Wikipedia.

His creator, Peter Shanks, explains why he created it: "I recently picked up a Smartphone and, keen to surf the web one small page at a time, I added GPRS to my mobile plan. It didn't take me long to figure out that the greater web was just so much ‘dog food' as far as mobile browsing went: you could eat it if you were hungry enough, but it wasn't really what I'd call fit for human consumption."

(via smartmobs and geekzone)

Digital music sets the beat of next mobile phone bonanza

"All operators we meet say that the most important service for this year is actually mobile music," Svante Holm, at Ericsson, told AFP. "Mobile phones have more memory space and their performance is rapidly improving. Now you can fill up your phone with hundreds and hundreds of songs."

Even if the sound quality of phones remains inferior to the better portable music devices, phone makers hope that they will soon replace portable music devices like discmans and iPods, as most people are not carrying their music device all the time but they are carrying their phone all the time.

Mobile phone companies are also joining forces with Internet music providers and mobile operators to offer a larger range of music choices.

Last month, Ericsson joined forces with Napster to create a music download platform expected to be available to operators around the world over the next year. A new mobile phone by Apple and Motorola, expected to appear within the next couple of weeks, has been equipped with software-enabling downloads from Apple's iTunes Music Stores. In April, Nokia announced its "optimal music device", the N91, which can store 3,000 songs, and is expected to announce its own Microsoft-enabled music service using the online music catalogue Loudeye.

Music videos are also increasingly accompanying the tunes. Hutchison 3G offers access to 30 million music video clips and a direct link to MTV in the nine countries in which it operates.

Sony Ericsson has also seen its music-enabled K750i fly off the shelves and is about to launch a new phone under its "Walkman" brand.

Boo! Interactive released SMS Answering Machine

Here comes yet another program - from Boo! Interactive - that can help you being polite when you are in a meeting and somebody calls you - this program can send then, automatically, SMS message to the caller with information like "I am in a meeting, call me after 17:00"... [via msmobiles.com]

... "You can set different reply messages to each contact person, for example when your in a meeting and your wife calls, you can put "honey I'm in a meeting I'll call you when I finish", and if a colleague calls "hey man I'll call you in a while". Each contact name can have his/her own SMS Message."

Phling! cell phone sofware to connect with friends

phling! is a new service for mobile phones that acts as the glue between your phone, your PC, and your IM contact list to enable sending multimedia between the three. [via Engadget]

"You can send pictures, voice and text messages to IM contacts, to your home PC, or to your mobile blog via your phone, all for free — at least, while the phling! service is still in beta.

For now, it only works on three phones, all Nokia: the 6600, the 6620, and the 7610".

Mobile phones may woo women with birth advice

Developers of games and quirky applications for mobile phones will pitch their ideas to the big names in the business at a "code camp" in Florida, reports The Times. The companies, including Orange, Nokia and Symbian, will consider the applications before choosing the best.

Ideas to be put forward at the event, which will take place on April 18 to 20, include a mobile phone application that will help users to lose weight and a satellite navigation program. One developer hopes to woo the female vote with a mobile "ovulation" application that will tell the user when is the best time to try to get pregnant.

For mobile phone companies, the event is serious business. Despite the hype around 3G the technology has failed to take off.

Now, in an attempt to raise the level of interest, the operators are racing against each other to find the applications that will appeal to users — and help them to claw back the billions of pounds that they have spent buying their licences and building their networks.

It is becoming clear that, instead of one killer application, the operators will need constantly to introduce innovative applications to maintain interest in 3G.

Concept of paying by phone taking shape in the U.S.

In Watertown, Mass., a cab company owner Moe Taha rolled out MobileLime, a service that allows passengers to pay for a ride by dialing, pressing a couple of buttons and then giving the cab driver the last four digits of their phone number as they leave.

Back at the taxi company's shop, a software provided by MobileLime completes the transaction.

The concept of paying by phone finally is taking shape in the U.S.

ViVOtech , a company based in Santa Clara, Calif., also has developed software that could be installed in cellphones to handle payments.

Last year, when MasterCard International ran pilot programs for various cardless payment options, it found that payment by phone was one of the most popular choices. The pilots allowed users in Dallas to pay for gas, snacks and other goods by waving their cellphone over a reader at the retailer.

Yet not everyone sees the advantage to paying over cellphone.

"What happens if I'm trying to pump some gas and there's no [cellphone] coverage? I've just lost my wallet?" asks Michael Becker, from iLoop Mobile, a San Francisco company that provides marketing services based on cellphones.
(via WSJ)

Mobile advent calendar

Mobile services company Zed is launching an advent calender for mobile users, offering them a daily item of seasonal content till December 25.

Three different types of service are available, each cost £12:

Black and White Calendar is for old-style handsets. Subscribers text XMAS ON to 80115 to receive a mono ringtone, logo, joke or trivia every day.

Colour Calendar, for polyphonic ringtone handsets, is available by texting CRIMBO ON to 80115.

Truetone Calendar (YULE ON to 80115), will register users for a daily True Tone or colour wallpaper along with other content.

Mark Harris, product director at Zed, comments: “The countdown to Christmas invariably begins with advent calendars. With more and more people owning mobile phones and having less time on their hands, our calendars deliver daily treats to customers as they are moving around” (via Netimperative.)

My last cigarette software for mobile phone

My Last Cigarette for Smartphone, by Mastersoft Mobile Solutions, helps you resist restarting smoking.

Once you have entered your personal details, your statistics will be updated in real time, every second.
The software provides you with nicotine level readout, expected cravings readout, deaths since you quit readout, motivational message, Carbon Monoxide level of your blood, your risk of lung cancer compared to your risk before, money saved, etc.
(via Caymag < Smartphone Thoughts)

Mobile Baby Toy

Mobile Baby Toy aims to entertain your baby when there are no toys in sight, by turning your mobile phone into amazing developmental toy, with which your baby can play alone, or with you.

Mobile Baby Toy captures key presses, turns them into pictures and sounds, and disallows exiting the program until the unlock code is typed. You can define this code in program settings.

When you install Mobile Baby Toy, you get a single theme (which is a set of pictures and sounds). Currently it presents stuffed toys, action figures, and funny sounds. You can download and install extra themes, like Baby Phone, Wild Life, Cartoons, Bambino, etc. A theme can be installed to phone memory or flash card.

(Thanks Régine!)

More Cell Phone Software Applications Ringing Up Sales

Software downloads for mobile phones are finally starting to move beyond simple ring tones, reports Investors Business Day.

"The growing adoption of smart phones, which marry cell phones with handheld computers, is fueling the shift.

The cell phone industry is unlikely to rally around one operating system, as happened in the personal computer industry with Microsoft's Windows. Instead, three main operating systems are vying for software developers."

Most smart phones sold today use the Symbian operating system - Symbian is owned by a consortium of six major cell phone makers: Nokia, L.M. Ericsson. Samsung, Panasonic, Siemens and Sony Ericsson.

IDC expects Symbian phones to account for 62% of all smart phones sold this year. Smart phones using Microsoft's Windows Mobile are likely to be second with 14%, followed by those using PalmSource's Palm OS with 8%."

'Call Your E-mail' system by PhonoClick

Phono Click's 'Call Your E-mail' application allows people to call a phone number to listen to their e-mail messages, and reply to them from anywhere in the world, reports AME Info.

"The system also alerts users by SMS for important messages they receive while they are away from their computers. Users can also call the system and direct specific messages to a nearby fax machine for hard copy output."

Losing Cellphone No Longer Means Loss of Contact

New tools are making it easier for cellphone users who lose or break their phones to piece back together their phonebooks, reports the WSJ.

"Carriers and technology companies are rolling out services that back up phonebooks wirelessly.

-- Verizon Wireless - has announced a new $1.99-a-month tool. Subscribers with certain handsets made by LG Electronics Inc. and Kyocera Corp. can sign up for the service, which launched last week. They can go to a menu choice on their phone called Get It Now, and download the application, called Backup Assistant. The fee is added to their monthly bill

-- Nextel has offered a similar service, called Address Book, for four years. The feature works on every Nextel phone, for $5 a month.

-- And a small Australian company offers a service that it says works with some U.S. handsets. It's free -- until you need to restore your backed-up data.

Cingular Wireless packages travel content

Cingular Wireless has partnered with content providers Vindigo, Tele Atlas, Digital Cyclone and Handango to offer a suite of mobile travel-related applications, reports RCR Wireless News.

"The new travel offerings include Mobile MapQuest, which provides maps and step-by-step directions; My-Cast, an application offering updated weather information; and a service informing drivers of traffic speeds and estimated travel times. The fourth application allows travelers to manage expenses, mileage costs and other finances.

The applications are available to Cingular customers by a monthly fee or a one-time download fee, depending on the service. "

"TRAIN Countdown" mobile ap

TechJapan reports on a mobil ap for DoCoMo customers developed by JR East Japan Planning, that will show the user the departure times of trains.

"As a new function, the screen can be scrolled horizontally, and doing so will allow for the display of multiple departure times at once. For example, you could compare the timetables for multiple lines leaving from the same station, by choosing both the "Chuo Line Toward Shinjuku" and "Uramachi Line Toward Ikebukuro."

Ask "Hydra"

near near future reports that Spanish software company Innova Telecom, has developped Hydra, a software to create interactive applications based on SMS.

"Let's say that the mobile phone users wants to get information about the opening hours of his favourite shopping centre. He sends a "key" message to a phone number and "Hydra" automatically consults the database of this shopping centre to deliver the appropriate answer to the user.

Innova Telecom believes that 'Hydra' would be a great tool to subscribe automatically to any service through mobile phone. The product targets public organizations (transport, administrations, etc.), clubs or any other entity in relashionship with a large public."

First aid help on your cell phone

What a great idea! A mobile ap to guide you in case of a medical emergency - just by following the guildelines on your cell phone screen. [MySymbian via The Mirror]

Mobi-Medic is an interactive mobile phone utility that can be used as a First Aid guide.

MobiMedic will direct you through standard First Aid procedures, using your own input for deciding what action should be taken next. The mobile ap covers 21 different types of emergencies, ranging from asthma and heart attacks to burn, choking, bleeding, animal bites, back injuries, unconsciousness...

MessageCast

MessageCast plans to release a test version of an alert tool aimed at bloggers that taps into Microsoft's MSN Messenger network.

The service immediately notifies users of new postings by instant messenger, email or SMS. Via Silicon.com in an article on communications convergence with feedback from Vint Cerf, interviewed for this piece.

TagText

The Mobile Technology Blog has the most wonderful piece on Bluejacking and on a new mobile ap, TagText. They're still in beta test mode, but you can download some tags now and use them as wallpapers, as messages, or for Bluejacking!

In their own words:

"Soon you will be able to send TagText from your cell phone as easily as a text message. All you need to do is download the Tags on this site to your phone."