Cellular-news.com keeps a counter to track which news articles are of most interest to you, the readers. As an end-of-year idea, below are the most popular stories published on cellular-news as read by yourselves over the past year, in order of popularity.

1 - Cingular Patenting the Emoticon

The USA based mobile operator, Cingular Wireless has managed to get a patent on the concept of using emoticon on mobile phones. While the aim of the patent is to enable the displaying of MSN style graphics on handsets, they also managed to patent the delivery of text based emoticon - so presumably sending via an SMS - if selected via a dedicated or softkey, would be a breach of the patent in future. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/15792.php

2 - AWS Auctions Set Off Backhaul Reshuffle

The planned August 2006 advanced wireless services (AWS) spectrum auctions in the USA will be accompanied by specific backhaul challenges, according to industry experts at wireless solutions group, Radio Frequency Systems (RFS). While the ‘new’ 1700 and 2100-MHz spectrum will provide bandwidth for commercial mobile phone carriers hoping to deploy 3G services, the story will be different for incumbents already using these bands for wireless backhaul applications. They must find new backhaul routes - and quickly - to allow them to vacate the spectrum without disrupting existing services. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17707.php

3 - Telescopes for Mobile Phones

The handset accessories firm, Brando has developed a “telescope” for some Nokia handsets, which the company says offers a 6x zoom facility for the camera phone. The design does need the back of the handset to be replaced - to provide a securing mechanism for the telescope - so is currently only available for the Nokia 6230, 6230i and the 6680 handsets. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18120.php

4 - Hurricanes Lead to Tax Rebates on Cellphone Accessories

To help Florida residents better prepare for the 2006 hurricane season, mobile phone batteries and chargers will for the first time be available tax-free during the state’s hurricane preparation sales tax holiday, May 21 to June 1. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17410.php

5 - A Fatwa Against Ringtones

An imam at a Mosque in Saudi Arabia issued a fatwa against mobile phones after one rang during prayers on Saturday. A report in the local newspaper, Al-Watan said that the imam had begun the Taraweeh prayer (Taraweeh is an Arabic phrase referring to extra prayers given by Sunnis at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan) when the sound of Arabic pop music began playing from the audience. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/19758.php

6 - A Cellphone Powered by Urine

Physicists in Singapore have developed a battery that can be powered by human urine. Aimed at disposable health-care kits for use in rural areas, we naturally couldn’t pass up the opportunity to comment on such a product being used for those “emergency” phone calls when your conventional battery had died. Led by Dr Ki Bang Lee, a team at Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology developed a paper battery which is designed to be cheap to produce, and use urine as its power charge source. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/15564.php

7 - Just How Did Motorola Make the RAZR V3 So Thin?

In its latest Insight on Ultra-Slim phones, Strategy Analytics uncovered the secrets of the Motorola RAZR V3, comparing the thickness of the majority of ultra-slim clamshell phones. The success of the RAZR, and the growing trend by other vendors to introduce similar devices, are discussed in a report from the company. This report also includes an expose of NEC’s e949/L1, which was introduced in December 2005 and has a thickness of just 11.9mm.The modular approach taken by NEC has enabled them to make the thinnest clamshell phone yet to incorporate a camera. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16398.php

8 - White Chocolate From LG

LG Electronics has announced the upcoming availability of new versions of its Chocolate handset. Slated for release in the UK across Q3 and Q4 of 2006, the latest versions of the million-selling phone include white and pink handsets and new ‘premium’ Chocolate phones with unique design variations and enhanced technical specifications which will be available before the end of the year. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18150.php

9 - Astrology Dictates How You Use Your Mobile Phone

Virgin Mobile UK has conducted some research which it claims reveals the way in which your star sign impacts upon the way you use your mobile phones to date and flirt. This unique research carried out by Virgin Mobile, in conjunction with celebrity astrologist Paul Watson, reveals the personality secrets behind each star sign, including which sign is most likely to cheat on their partner, which sign is more likely to use their mobile to tell their partner they love them via text, and who is the biggest mobile phone flirt. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/20353.php

10 - Cheaper to “Give Away” Free Cellphone Services in Rural Areas

U.S. taxpayers are getting stuck with the tab for up to US$13,345 per telephone line per year for federally subsidized phone service under the US$7-billion “Universal Service Fund” tax on long-distance service, according to a new study conducted for The Seniors Coalition by George Mason University Professor of Law and Economics Thomas Hazlett. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18406.php

11 - Water Powered Mobile Phones

Japan’s DoCoMo and Aquafairy have jointly announced that they will develop a water based micro fuel cell for mobile phones. This agreement follows their successful development of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) that has proven effective in a prototype recharger. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18289.php

12 - Dolce & Gabbana Restyle a Motorola Handset

Motorola and the fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana have unveiled a new RAZR V3i Dolce & Gabbana handset, the latest collaboration which unites the RAZR design together with Dolce & Gabbana’s signature style for consumers across the world. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17646.php

13 - Motorola Signs David Beckham for Advertising

Motorola has signed one of the hottest properties in professional football as a global brand ambassador. The three-year collaboration with the UK footballer, David Beckham will kick-off with major activities across Asia including advertising appearances and extensive retail promotions rolled out across the network of Motorola stores and distributors throughout the region. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17792.php

14 - Gold Plated Nokia Phones

Well-heeled customers are making a beeline for the latest ‘must have’ fashion accessory - 24 carat gold-plated mobile phones. London-based entrepreneur Laban Roomes who runs Midas Touch International, a specialist gold-plating organisation, has been inundated with requests for his new ‘ring-bling’ Nokia 8800 phones - which sell complete for around £800. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16814.php

15 - Three “snap shot” Camera Phones From Sony Ericsson

Three new camera phones from Sony Ericsson combines good quality digital photography with simple operation to create albums, search for pictures by timeline and send them on by MMS, infrared or email. The phones are the K510 with 1.3 Megapixel camera, the Z530 Clamshell and the K310. “These phones are designed for capturing those special moments and best of all sharing them with friends and family,” says Jan Wareby, Corporate Executive Vice President, Head of Sales and Marketing of Sony Ericsson. “Each one delivers great photography and viewing quality, plus you have a variety of choices about how you send your pictures on - email, MMS or infrared - so you really can share anywhere.” http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16329.php

16 - Nokia Shows GPS Enabled Handset

Nokia today introduced the Nokia N95, an all-in-one phone multimedia computer with a pioneering 2-way slide concept, integrated GPS functionality, a 5 megapixel camera and support for high-speed mobile networks. The innovative 2-way slide concept makes it easy to switch between different modes, going from reading maps to watching a video with a simple slide. A numeric keypad slides out from one end of the device while dedicated media keys slide out from the opposite direction, converting the display into full screen landscape mode. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/19553.php

17 - A Cellphone Powered by Urine

Physicists in Singapore have developed a battery that can be powered by human urine. Aimed at disposable health-care kits for use in rural areas, we naturally couldn’t pass up the opportunity to comment on such a product being used for those “emergency” phone calls when your conventional battery had died. Led by Dr Ki Bang Lee, a team at Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology developed a paper battery which is designed to be cheap to produce, and use urine as its power charge source. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/15564.php

18 - Hospital SuperBug Found on Mobile Phones

A study conducted at the Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust in Northern Ireland has found that the majority of mobile phones used by doctors and other health workers are carrying infectious pathogens, including on some phones the deadly hospital “superbug”, MRSA. The report authors conducted a short study in order to investigate health workers use of mobile phones within a general hospital, and to investigate the potential of mobile phones to carry bacteria known to cause nosocomial infection. Nosocomial infections are those that originate or occur in a hospital or hospital-like setting. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16048.php

19 - Corporate Wireless Deployment Increasing, But Security is a Major Concern

As enterprises seek to reap the benefits of mobility, 64% of businesses intend to increase wireless local-area network (WLAN) deployment during the next 12 months, according to a new survey by Gartner. A total of 44% of respondents said the primary reason to deploy a WLAN was improving productivity with mobility. 21% said the primary reason was to provide access to places not possible to wire, while 13% of respondents thought wireless networks were a less-expensive or simpler way to deploy LAN connectivity, or they considered using WLANs to improve efficiency in specific business processes or operations. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18168.php

20 - LG’s Chocolate Handset Selling Well

LG Electronics reports that its LG Chocolate phone has sold more than 1 million units in since its international launch outside Korea. Eclipsing the impressive launch sales figures for Korea, LG Chocolate, the first phone launched under LG’s Black Label series of premium mobile products, has received extremely favorable reviews and comments from international consumer technology, design and lifestyle media, and is set to become the big hit handset of 2006. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17953.php

21 - Samsung Shows Off Windows Mobile Phone

Samsung Electronics has shown off the world’s first 8GB Hard Disk embedded smartphone. Samsung was the first to adopt a hard disk drive into mobile phones and has launched three models equipped with a hard disk drive; the world’s first 1.5GB HDD embedded phone (model: SPH-V5400), the world’s first 3GB HDD embedded phone (model: SCH-V7900) and the world’s first 3GB HDD Music smartphone (model: SGH-i300). http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16403.php

22 - DoCoMo Signs MOU With RealNetworks On Software Devt

NTT DoCoMo and RealNetworks announced Friday that they have signed a memorandum of understanding as a first step toward jointly deploying RealNetworks’ Mobile Streaming Server software. The memorandum, signed on Feb. 15th, is part of efforts by the Japanese mobile phone service provider to enhance its video streaming V-Live service. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/16185.php

23 - New 3G Handset from SonyEricsson

Sony Ericsson has launched another 3G handset, the Z610. The sleek mirror finish on the front cover gives the phone a jewel-like quality that is complimented by a hidden ‘magic mirror’ display which can only be seen when in use. This handset includes a 2.0 Megapixel camera and broadband-speed 3G connectivity. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18953.php

24 - Top-Up Ugandan PrePay Phones from Overseas

MTN Uganda has launched a facility that enables overseas residents to top up PrePay accounts for their family and friends back home. This was announced at the official launch of MTNWeb2u, a new product that now enables MTN customers to receive airtime via internet. While introducing the product, Chief Commercial Officer, Erik van Veen, said MTNWeb2u has been created in partnership with Simba Telecom who will ensure transfer of the airtime via their website and True African 197. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/17816.php

25 - More GSM Pay Phones for Zimbabwe

Econet’s decision to release 10,000 new GSM pay phones into the Zimbabwean market before the end of the year is part of a deliberate strategy by the company to complement the urgent task facing the Group Spokesman Sure Kamhunga said in addition to the thousands of jobs to be created by the new pay phone lines, which each require an operator, Econet estimates that in addition, over 500 new jobs will be created particularly in down-stream industries servicing the telecommunications sector as a result of the new pay phones to be released by the company. http://www.cellular-news.com/story/18287.php

Share This

 Print Posted by Budi Putra on January 2nd, 2007