Monday, June 18, 2007

YouTube Goes Mobile

User submitted video aggregator YouTube has launched its mobile version. So, the YouTube video fans can take their favorite portal along with them where ever they go.
This portal is available at m.youtube.com. Currently the new YouTube Mobile offers only a small selection of video clips, with categories including Featured, Recently Added, Most Viewed, Top Rated, Top Favorites, Entertainment and People. Video files are streamed rather than downloaded.
But as the video straming is bandwidth hungry, users with low bandwidth plans may not experience good quality.
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Thursday, June 14, 2007

WiBree Forum Merges With Bluetooth SIG

Bluetooth SIG, the consortium behind the Bluetooth wireless standard announced Tuesday that the Wibree Forum, the group specifying the Nokia developed ultra low power wireless technology, will be merged with the Bluetooth SIG.

The technology, called Wibree, opens up the possibility of a host of small wearable gadgets, like watches, heart rate monitors, pedometers and pill boxes that communicate with Bluetooth-equipped cell phones or computers. A watch could display the user's incoming text messages, for instance, or an action figure toy could sense the presence of other toys.

“By including or referencing other wireless technologies like ultra wideband for high speed applications, near field communication (NFC) for association and now Wibree for ultra low power applications under the well-established Bluetooth profiles, we are opening up a host of new applications and functionality while keeping the user experience consistent,” said Michael Foley, Ph.D., executive director, Bluetooth SIG. “Our members have been asking for an ultra low power Bluetooth solution. With Nokia’s innovative development and contribution to the Bluetooth specification with Wibree, we will be able to deliver this in approximately one year.”
Wibree has a lower data rate and much lower power consumption than Bluetooth, which is in widespread use as the interface between cell phones and wireless headsets. That means smaller batteries that don't have to be charged often, unlike Bluetooth headsets.

“The development work for Wibree began when we discovered a series of interesting new use scenarios that no current local connectivity solution was addressing. Now we are happy new market opportunities and space to innovate for the industry,” said Jarkko Sairanen, Vice President of Corporate Strategy for Nokia. “Including Wibree within an existing forum will ensure interoperability and its wide and fast adoption. The Bluetooth SIG is the optimal new home for Wibree.”
The decision by the Bluetooth SIG to embrace Wibree validates Nokia's technology, but it also means the Finnish company is giving away the results of a multiyear development effort as Wibree will now be licensed royalty-free.
Certainly this sounds like a good move for the gadget users, lets wait for a while and see how it goes further.
Leave a comment about your opinion..
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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Apple To Allow External Applications On iPhone

Recently speaking at Apple's annual developers' conference in San Francisco, Chief Executive Steve Jobs said Apple would let outside developers create applications for the iPhone by tapping Safari, softening the company's previous position that the device would not support other software due to security concerns.

Addressing concerns that the iPhone would not support programs not created by Apple, Jobs said independent developers could write application software for Safari, which is included in the multimedia device.

"It's an innovative new way to create apps for mobile devices ... and it gives us tremendous capability, more than has ever been in a mobile device," Jobs said.

This is a good news for Apple’s enthusiastic development community.
ThinkEquity analyst Jonathan Hoopes said developers writing applications to run on Safari could have their software run on either a Mac or Windows-based computer. "That same app should be able to run on the iPhone," he said.
At the same conference Jobs announced the beta of Safari for Windows based PCs, which is avilable for only Mac systems until now.
Safari for Windows can be downloaded from Apple's website.

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