No we are not going to talk about this small camera as its not related to this blog :)
We are going to talk about the worlds smallest phone which has entered Guinness World Records.
The modular Modu phone system, created by Modu Mobile, the world's smallest mobile phone, which weighs just 40.1g and measures 72mm x 37mm x 7.8mm.
The modular Modu phone system, created by Modu Mobile, can be slotted into different cases or even into other specially developed consumer technology. "Modu starts with a tiny handset, which is the lightest phone in the world at 40.1g," said Zack Weisfeld, vice president of marketing at Modu Mobile.
Despite its small dimensions, Weisfeld claimed that the phone does " everything that a sophisticated cellphone does". "You can use it anywhere in the world, send and receive SMS, it has a speaker, Bluetooth, MP3 player with at least 1GB of storage and acts as a mass storage USB Flash drive," he said. "It is tiny, but it is the right size to make it functional, to make you able to dial numbers." Slotting the Modu into different "jackets" also allows users to change what the device can do.
On its own, the Modu phone might not have a standard keypad, but it will still make calls. Put it into a 'sleeve' or 'jacket' (which are essentially cases) and you can turn it into a multitude of different devices.
If, for example, you're going out clubbing, you can pop it into a fashion sleeve with a fancy design. If you're on a business trip and you need a phone with a Qwerty keypad and large screen, you just have to pop it into a 'jacket' with those features.
The idea is that when you buy the Modu phone, you'll get a range of two or three sleeves with it and therefore you're essentially getting three phones for the price of one. If you need extra sleeves you'll be able to buy them for €40-€60 (£30-£45) depending on functionality.
The Modu phone will be available from the 1 October in Israel, Italy and Russia to start with, and it'll cost €200 (£150) unsubsidised with two jackets. According to Modu, there'll be around ten jackets to choose from.
Turning the Modu phone into other phones isn't as far as this device can go. Have a look at the these to see what we're talking about.
LG Viewty is Beauty
Wow, LG Viewty (officially LG-KU990) allows you to record in DivX format (.avi extension) as compared to .3gp format. The trouble with .3gp format is that it can generally be seen on phones and not really watchable on PC or old PDA's. I am not sure of the resolution and quality though. With 5 MP camera, i assume it should be quite good.
I have a DivX compatible player at home, but i have not yet seen big brands supporting MPEG4. It would be fun in future we will have capability to record our favourite programs in DivX format as well as normal DVD format.
Any DivX fans around?
WiMAX or LTE or ... Both?
Everyday I am starting to get a bit more convinced that in future both WiMAX and LTE will work side by side and operators will be more willing to have an open mind about the rival technology.
This article from European Communications has put in words exactly how i have started to feel recently:
There is much expected of WiMAX and it's probably fair to say that some of this can be classified as ‘hype' yet there is much to be excited about, provided we set realistic expectations with early stage deployments. It's also important to remember that WiMAX comes in two distinctly different flavours - mobile WiMAX (referred to under standard 802.16e) and fixed (802.16d). There are significant differences between the two, not least the fact that it's technically much easier to deliver the high bandwidth speeds to a stationary external antenna associated with fixed WiMAX than it is to one on a mobile device in someone's pocket or handbag.
This means that whilst symmetrical speeds of 10 Mbps may be technically possible at a range of 10km today, in practice this is likely to be achieved only using fixed WiMAX and is reliant on other variables for its success, such as a high quality external antenna with line-of-sight to the base station. Given this situation is far from common and that buildings get in the way and degrade WiMAX signals, it will be more likely that mobile WiMAX users will only see half that data rate at much shorter distances from the base station - at least until techniques such as MIMO (multiple input multiple output) and beamforming are perfected to counter, and even take advantage of the multipath effects from physical obstructions.
One of the biggest obstacles to widespread WiMAX deployments is the lack of available high quality spectrum. In the US, Sprint benefits greatly from its 2.5 GHz spectrum holdings. This relatively low-frequency band allows greater coverage per base station since signals travel much further than at higher frequencies. This results in fewer base stations needed, making WiMAX cheaper to deploy in the US than in other markets that don't have access to the same spectrum. Even given the availability of 2.5 GHz spectrum, for Sprint's network to provide nationwide coverage it will require more than 60,000 base stations across the US.In Europe, bandwidth below 2.5GHz is scarce and mostly occupied by analogue TV and current GSM mobile signals. Therefore, until now most European WiMAX trials and licences have been limited to the 3.5 GHz or even 5 GHz bands with often disappointing results, which is why we haven't seen anywhere near as much WiMAX traction in Europe as the US. It may not be until after analogue broadcast signals are switched off across Europe (with the UK scheduled for 2012) that sub 2.5 GHz spectrum becomes available and we start to see large-scale European WiMAX deployments.
An alternative high speed mobile technology that could be used instead of, or to run alongside, WiMAX is LTE. The crucial difference is that, unlike WiMAX, which requires a new network to be built, LTE runs on an evolution of the existing UMTS infrastructure already used by over 80 per cent of mobile subscribers globally. This means that even though development and deployment of the LTE standard may lag Mobile WiMAX, it has a crucial incumbent advantage.
So which technology will ultimately prevail? It is arguable that LTE is more ‘risk-free' than WiMAX because it will run on an evolution of existing mobile infrastructure. Also, mobile operators will be able to use their experience from current 3G and HSDPA networks to carry out the incremental fine-tuning necessary to ensure that the rollout of LTE will deliver on user expectations. Also in Europe it has the advantage of being unaffected by the lack of available spectrum.
However, the recognition of WiMAX as an IMT-2000 technology by the ITU in October 2007 is a significant step, that in the future may help WiMAX to gain a foothold in today's UMTS spectrum and so close the spectrum availability gap, but the full impact of this move has yet to unfold.
Nevertheless, LTE is still perhaps three to four years from being ready whereas mobile WiMAX equipment is entering the final testing phase now. Some operators far from seeing LTE as being less of a risk may take the view that by missing an early mover advantage into ultra high speed mobile broadband and waiting for LTE would have an impact in terms of potential subscribers perhaps attainable by moving to WiMAX now.
Also LTE will start to come to the forefront at the same time as analogue TV signals are switched off in Europe, making the spectrum debate largely irrelevant to the WiMAX versus LTE argument. This is of course provided national governments release spectrum for WiMAX and it's available at a price that operators deem worth paying.
Also LTE will start to come to the forefront at the same time as analogue TV signals are switched off in Europe, making the spectrum debate largely irrelevant to the WiMAX versus LTE argument. This is of course provided national governments release spectrum for WiMAX and it's available at a price that operators deem worth paying.
Interestingly many operators have already stated their interest in both camps. In August of this year, Vodafone, a key advocate of LTE, declared itself ‘technology neutral' and joined the WiMAX Forum. This pragmatic approach is perhaps a sign that for now many operators will adopt a ‘wait and see' approach and learn from the experiences of early pioneers such as Sprint Nextel before deciding whether to choose WiMAX or LTE.
Ultimately the decision may be to use both. As Spirent Nextel is showing in the US, the real estate occupied by an operator's current base stations can also be used to site new WiMAX base stations. Then the strategy could be that LTE is used to support mobile broadband users and WiMAX to support fixed or lower-mobility broadband users. Alternatively, they could well use LTE for macro cellular coverage and WiMAX for micro cell coverage.In all likelihood many devices of the future will ship with both LTE and WiMAX capability, meaning full compatibility across both technologies. Consumers will probably not even know which particular technology is delivering high speed data to them and they're hardly likely to care, so long as it works to their satisfaction, and the content provided is engaging and available at the right price
The Road to WIMAX TV
Despite the rise in popularity of user-generated videos and other "do-it-yourself" forms of content, when it comes to authentic revenue generation, broadcast television programming is still king. The revenue it generates, regardless of whether it is distributed via ad-supported, "free-to-air" broadcasting, pay television or any other model, dwarfs that of other content types. Telcos and other communications service providers looking to leverage their IP-based networks to offer video as part of subscriber packages recognize the necessity and huge appeal this type of content has in winning and maintaining an audience share.
Similarly, mobile operators are finding that broadcast programming is the key to thriving in an increasingly competitive landscape. As growth rates from pure voice traffic flatten, they are introducing data applications, not the least of which are videos of popular broadcast network programs. Hence "mobile TV" is already proving to be a promising ARPU generator for mobile operators, with several million subscribers to such services worldwide.
Beyond the ARPU increase, mobile distribution of broadcast programming offers such new business opportunities as targeted advertising models. It's not surprising that incumbent operators are investing in infrastructure to meet the consumer expectation for "content anywhere, any time on any device."
WiMAX is emerging as one of the most promising wireless networking technologies designed to meet this demand. However, broadcast-quality video is a bandwidth hog. As an IP-based network, WiMAX faces inherent scalability problems. Each new customer requires more bandwidth, connectivity sessions grow longer and applications such as video require ever more capacity. Serving thousands of such individual "unicast" streams becomes expensive, and there is a seemingly inevitable decline in quality of service at periods of peak demand.
One way to avoid these issues, and take full advantage of WiMAX to meet consumer demand and operator interests, is to implement hybrid broadcast/multicast architecture. This type of architecture is economically feasible because TV viewers tend to aggregate around "peak" viewing times: Despite the huge explosion in the amount of content now available on many networks and the inevitable fragmentation of audiences, in most markets, the bulk of TV audiences are largely served by five to ten major channels or networks.
This is true of fixed TV viewing and is likely to be the same with mobile, with the channels or networks meeting the demand for appropriately produced programming directed at commuting periods and other times in the day or week when mobile viewing is likely to be popular. A WiMAX TV broadcast/multicast solution enables operators to offer the most popular mobile programming at quality reception over predictable bandwidth and without any risk of congestion or contention during these peak-viewing periods.
In addition to nationwide or regional TV broadcasting, WiMAX TV also enables local content insertion and "micro-broadcasting" " the efficient delivery of content within restricted areas during popular sports events or concerts, or within airports, campuses or hospitals.
While viewing habits do tend to aggregate around certain predictable times, and audiences tend to gravitate en masse toward certain shows or programs, the portable nature of mobile TV means there will be a demand for individual streams and so-called niche or long-tailed content. Meeting this demand requires using a mix of broadcast, multicast and unicast technologies.
Typically, this is done by broadcasting the most popular TV channels on bandwidth that is set aside and efficiently managed through dynamic multiplexing. Other TV channels are multicast based on the demand in each particular cell, while interactive services and niche content are serviced over unicast links. How these various services are packaged and sold to the viewers will evolve over time as the market emerges.
Making this hybrid approach to mobile video delivery successful involves not just the use of a WiMAX network itself, but the implementation of an architecture specifically optimized for WiMAX-based mobile video delivery. It is this type of architecture that can transform a typical WiMAX network into a WiMAX TV network.
An optimized WiMAX TV architecture is based on the Multicast-Broadcast Services (MBS) specification, which is part of the Mobile WiMAX (802.16e) standard. MBS supported by Mobile WiMAX (802.16e) leverages the most successful features of such technologies as DVB-H, DVB-SH, MediaFLO and 3GPP E-UTRA. It offers high data rates and coverage using a Single Frequency Network (SFN); a flexible allocation of radio resources; low mobile-station power consumption; support for datacasting in addition to audio and video streams and fast channel-switching.
The Mobile WiMAX Release-1 profile defines a toolbox for initial MBS service delivery. The MBS service can be supported by either constructing a separate MBS zone in the DL frame along with unicast service (embedded MBS) or by dedicating the whole frame to MBS (DL only) for standalone broadcast service. MBS can be accessed when MS is in idle mode to allow low MS power consumption. The flexibility of Mobile WiMAX to support integrated MBS and unicast services enables a broader range of applications. [1]
As this architecture is fully IP-based, it enables operators to use standard network and headend components, as well as their existing terminal applications. A complete infrastructure overhaul or rebuild is not necessary. In addition, the architecture is scalable over a practically unlimited number of users, flexible in content trafficking, and centrally managed and monitored.
The Single Frequency Network (SFN) architecture brings an additional gain of several dBs in the radio channel, thus improving reception quality. "Time-slicing" technology, successfully implemented in DVB-H and other broadcast standards, increases the lifetime of the terminal's battery by receiving the content in short bursts, rather then continuously. The Inter-bursts Forward Error Correction (iFEC) " developed by UDcast -- ensures perfect video quality under difficult propagation conditions, making short reception blackouts totally invisible to end-customers, such as when they are passing under a bridge or tree.
While developing WiMAX TV architecture may not involve a heavy infrastructure upgrade, it is necessary to integrate software to manage the network's operations. UDcast has recently developed three software modules designed to meet this need including a WiMax TV Manager, which ensures the management of the entire WiMAX TV network, as well as the integration of the broadcast/multicast system with content sources, service protection and interactive services. Other software modules include the WiMAX TV ASN/MBS (Mobile Base Station) Module and the WiMAX TV Base Station Module. The MBS module implements the core functions of our WiMAX Multicast-Broadcast Service Controller and ensures the correct level of synchronization of the base stations for SFN operation, plus Inter-bursts Forward Error Correction (iFEC), intra-BS handover and content time-slicing. The WiMAX TV Base Station Module enforces SFN broadcasting and time-slicing and executes procedures for local content adaptation or injection, enabling geographically addressable content distribution.
These modules demonstrate that it is feasible to use WiMAX to deliver broadcast-quality programming to mobile devices. Harnessing the power of WiMAX to enable such a service offers numerous benefits to players across all segments of the industry. IP and telecom infrastructure providers, for example, can use it as revenue-generating extension of their existing WiMAX solutions. Similarly, broadcast TV providers can use it as an innovative WiMAX extension to their existing broadcast operations, or as a direct television distribution channel to the fast-growing community of WiMAX users.
Even though new applications and models won't be discovered until operators and other users began to implement WiMAX as a mobile video delivery tool, there are emerging applications and business models for WiMAX TV today. Many operators already have the existing network infrastructure to do this " they just need to embrace the technology in order to leverage it to its maximum, revenue-generating potential.
Similarly, mobile operators are finding that broadcast programming is the key to thriving in an increasingly competitive landscape. As growth rates from pure voice traffic flatten, they are introducing data applications, not the least of which are videos of popular broadcast network programs. Hence "mobile TV" is already proving to be a promising ARPU generator for mobile operators, with several million subscribers to such services worldwide.
Beyond the ARPU increase, mobile distribution of broadcast programming offers such new business opportunities as targeted advertising models. It's not surprising that incumbent operators are investing in infrastructure to meet the consumer expectation for "content anywhere, any time on any device."
WiMAX is emerging as one of the most promising wireless networking technologies designed to meet this demand. However, broadcast-quality video is a bandwidth hog. As an IP-based network, WiMAX faces inherent scalability problems. Each new customer requires more bandwidth, connectivity sessions grow longer and applications such as video require ever more capacity. Serving thousands of such individual "unicast" streams becomes expensive, and there is a seemingly inevitable decline in quality of service at periods of peak demand.
One way to avoid these issues, and take full advantage of WiMAX to meet consumer demand and operator interests, is to implement hybrid broadcast/multicast architecture. This type of architecture is economically feasible because TV viewers tend to aggregate around "peak" viewing times: Despite the huge explosion in the amount of content now available on many networks and the inevitable fragmentation of audiences, in most markets, the bulk of TV audiences are largely served by five to ten major channels or networks.
This is true of fixed TV viewing and is likely to be the same with mobile, with the channels or networks meeting the demand for appropriately produced programming directed at commuting periods and other times in the day or week when mobile viewing is likely to be popular. A WiMAX TV broadcast/multicast solution enables operators to offer the most popular mobile programming at quality reception over predictable bandwidth and without any risk of congestion or contention during these peak-viewing periods.
In addition to nationwide or regional TV broadcasting, WiMAX TV also enables local content insertion and "micro-broadcasting" " the efficient delivery of content within restricted areas during popular sports events or concerts, or within airports, campuses or hospitals.
While viewing habits do tend to aggregate around certain predictable times, and audiences tend to gravitate en masse toward certain shows or programs, the portable nature of mobile TV means there will be a demand for individual streams and so-called niche or long-tailed content. Meeting this demand requires using a mix of broadcast, multicast and unicast technologies.
Typically, this is done by broadcasting the most popular TV channels on bandwidth that is set aside and efficiently managed through dynamic multiplexing. Other TV channels are multicast based on the demand in each particular cell, while interactive services and niche content are serviced over unicast links. How these various services are packaged and sold to the viewers will evolve over time as the market emerges.
Making this hybrid approach to mobile video delivery successful involves not just the use of a WiMAX network itself, but the implementation of an architecture specifically optimized for WiMAX-based mobile video delivery. It is this type of architecture that can transform a typical WiMAX network into a WiMAX TV network.
An optimized WiMAX TV architecture is based on the Multicast-Broadcast Services (MBS) specification, which is part of the Mobile WiMAX (802.16e) standard. MBS supported by Mobile WiMAX (802.16e) leverages the most successful features of such technologies as DVB-H, DVB-SH, MediaFLO and 3GPP E-UTRA. It offers high data rates and coverage using a Single Frequency Network (SFN); a flexible allocation of radio resources; low mobile-station power consumption; support for datacasting in addition to audio and video streams and fast channel-switching.
The Mobile WiMAX Release-1 profile defines a toolbox for initial MBS service delivery. The MBS service can be supported by either constructing a separate MBS zone in the DL frame along with unicast service (embedded MBS) or by dedicating the whole frame to MBS (DL only) for standalone broadcast service. MBS can be accessed when MS is in idle mode to allow low MS power consumption. The flexibility of Mobile WiMAX to support integrated MBS and unicast services enables a broader range of applications. [1]
As this architecture is fully IP-based, it enables operators to use standard network and headend components, as well as their existing terminal applications. A complete infrastructure overhaul or rebuild is not necessary. In addition, the architecture is scalable over a practically unlimited number of users, flexible in content trafficking, and centrally managed and monitored.
The Single Frequency Network (SFN) architecture brings an additional gain of several dBs in the radio channel, thus improving reception quality. "Time-slicing" technology, successfully implemented in DVB-H and other broadcast standards, increases the lifetime of the terminal's battery by receiving the content in short bursts, rather then continuously. The Inter-bursts Forward Error Correction (iFEC) " developed by UDcast -- ensures perfect video quality under difficult propagation conditions, making short reception blackouts totally invisible to end-customers, such as when they are passing under a bridge or tree.
While developing WiMAX TV architecture may not involve a heavy infrastructure upgrade, it is necessary to integrate software to manage the network's operations. UDcast has recently developed three software modules designed to meet this need including a WiMax TV Manager, which ensures the management of the entire WiMAX TV network, as well as the integration of the broadcast/multicast system with content sources, service protection and interactive services. Other software modules include the WiMAX TV ASN/MBS (Mobile Base Station) Module and the WiMAX TV Base Station Module. The MBS module implements the core functions of our WiMAX Multicast-Broadcast Service Controller and ensures the correct level of synchronization of the base stations for SFN operation, plus Inter-bursts Forward Error Correction (iFEC), intra-BS handover and content time-slicing. The WiMAX TV Base Station Module enforces SFN broadcasting and time-slicing and executes procedures for local content adaptation or injection, enabling geographically addressable content distribution.
These modules demonstrate that it is feasible to use WiMAX to deliver broadcast-quality programming to mobile devices. Harnessing the power of WiMAX to enable such a service offers numerous benefits to players across all segments of the industry. IP and telecom infrastructure providers, for example, can use it as revenue-generating extension of their existing WiMAX solutions. Similarly, broadcast TV providers can use it as an innovative WiMAX extension to their existing broadcast operations, or as a direct television distribution channel to the fast-growing community of WiMAX users.
Even though new applications and models won't be discovered until operators and other users began to implement WiMAX as a mobile video delivery tool, there are emerging applications and business models for WiMAX TV today. Many operators already have the existing network infrastructure to do this " they just need to embrace the technology in order to leverage it to its maximum, revenue-generating potential.
Monday July 7, 2008
- ZyXEL Receives Mobile WiMAX 2.5 GHz Certification From WiMAX Forum
- 3G, 4G, WiMax . . . Let's Not Forget About Wi-Fi
- Major British Fixed Wireline Access Provider Goes WiMax
- Report: While WiMAX Subscribers Grow, Adoption Still Slow
- Sprint WiMax: Less Than $50
- The Wimax v/s 3G Debate
- Indian University Opts for Nortel's Wireless Mesh and WiMax Solutions
- Huawei Wins Pakistan WiMAX Network Deal
- Fitel WiMAX spin-off rejected
- Tata in unseemly row with Reliance over WiMAX - Reliance has ...
- WiMAX consultancy comments deadline Wednesday
- Worldwide WiMAX Subscriber Base Closing in on 2 Million
- Small-town USA enjoys its first course of WiMax
- Startup brings WiMax to smaller cities
- Huawei awarded WiMAX contract with Mobilink
- EC decision boosts WiMAX 2.6GHz band plans
- Regulator rejects Fitel WiMAX spin-off
- Investors welcome Retelit WiMAX warrants
- ZyXEL Among First to Receive Mobile WiMAX(TM) 2.5 GHz Certification From WiMAX Forum(R)
- BWA/WiMAX subscriber base closing in on 2mn
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