Samsung and Polycom have announced an agreement to deliver unified communications (UC) solutions for mobile platforms.
Under the agreement, Polycom will develop standards-based video applications to be embedded and distributed on the Android-based Samsung Galaxy Tab.
“Polycom’s differentiated strategy is to deliver innovative UC solutions on partners’ mobile platforms, as opposed to creating Proprietary systems,” said Sudhakar Ramakrishna, Polycom’s general manager of UC products and chief development officer.
He added “Unlike other mobile video applications, we believe the Polycom application will drive a network effect for users and businesses by enabling the Samsung Galaxy Tab to connect with each other, as well as other standards-based tele presence and video conferencing systems and applications.”
Polycom claims that its solution will enable users to participate both in point-to-point and group conversations with HD quality video.
Polycom’s UC core infrastructure can be placed in service provider networks to enable cloud-based UC delivery to consumers and enterprises.
This new solution portfolio is designed to integrate into mobile, enterprise-based room, and desktop systems.
The application will be available on other Smasung smartphones as well. “We are partnering with Polycom to bring standards-based video communications experience to a wide range of UC applications and devices, including the new Samsung Galaxy tablets and Samsung smartphones.” said Hosoo Lee, executive vice president and head of the Samsung Media Solution Center.
Polycom launches unified communications apps for Galaxy Tab
Nokia ties up with Hungama for ‘Ovi music Shorties’
Finnish handset giant Nokia has announced ‘Ovi Music Shorties’ in exclusive association with Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.
The offer enables users to download 500 songs in 90 seconds format from the Ovi Music Store. The service will be available on all genres of music only to the Ovi Music users in India.
The availability of songs in a shorter format will help users in quicker and easier downloads, stated the company.
Jasmeet Gandhi, head, OPM and Devices, Nokia India said, “A key trend we have observed is that a lot of consumers prefer to download songs of shorter duration. Nokia Ovi Music Shorties will address this need for quick and easy music downloads.”
The offer will be available for download starting this week and will feature popular songs like All izz well, Aapka Kya Hoga Janab E Ali (Dhanno), Jai Ho etc.
NSE starts mobile trading for registered clients
The National Stock Exchange today said it has started mobile trading for registered clients, a move that would make trading simpler for the customers.
The service will enable member brokers to only go through the regular compliance before facilitating their clients for mobile trading, National Stock Exchange (NSE) said in a statement.
“This is another facility the exchange is providing to the large universe of investors, to make trading simpler and easily accessible to clients on the move. We expect that nearly five million investors would benefit from this move,” NSE CEO and MD Ravi Narain said.
NSE claimed that for the first time an Indian exchange would provide such facility free of cost to its clients, through the brokers who have enrolled for NOW (the software which is being used by a majority of the NSE brokers).
Earlier, just a few member brokers had the option of providing this facility to the clients at their own cost, it added.
In September, the country’s oldest stock exchange BSE, had also launched mobile-based trading.
With the NSE’s new service, the clients will be able to trade in the cash, derivatives or currency market through their mobile phones, while travelling anywhere in the country or abroad.
The clients’ mobile will be connected to the Internet, then to the NOW platform, which is connected to the exchange, it added.
The service will provide a wide range of facilities to the investors where they can see the ‘Market watch’ page on his or her mobile screen. This will display all the available indices and constituents of these indices.
Intex launches IN 2060 V.DO
Intex has today announced the launch of their latest device, which is a video phone, named IN 2060 V.DO.
The IN 2060 V.DO supports two GSM connections and plays MP4, 3GP and AVI video formats.
Shailendra Jha, deputy general manager, Telecom, Intex Technologies (India) Ltd said, “INTEX IN 2060 ‘V.DO’ has been designed keeping in mind the aspirations of Indian buyers who crave for good display quality and broad video-compatibility.”
Other features include a 1.3 Megapixel camera, an-inbuilt radio, audio player, extendable memory up to 8 GB, web camera, Bluetooth with A2DP, Hindi keypad, mobile tracker etc.
Intex has also included ‘Black List’ feature where in a user can block 500 callers.
The phone is available at a market operating price of Rs 2,600.
Tata maintains affordability with 3G
Tata DOCOMO, the GSM arm of Tata Teleservices, which became the first private operator to launch its 3G services in India this Diwali, has announced tariff plans for it’s 3G consumers.
The Tata has introduced tariffs under two categories ‘Small screen’ aimed at mobile phone users and large screen for laptop, tablets and PCs (through dongles).
Its GSM subscribers can make 3G calls at just 0.66 paise per second.
“Our very approach to 3G pricing has been to take the ‘worry’ out of telecom,” Deepak Gulati, Executive President, Mobility Business Division, Tata Teleservices said.
He added “Our dual-tone pricing strategy—Small Screen Plans and Large Screen Plans—provides tremendous flexibility and value to our customers, enabling them to choose options best suited to their usage patterns and share of pocket.
The company has also announced different tariff plans for both post-paid and pre-paid 3G mobile services ranging from Rs 350 to Rs 2,000, which include monthly minutes as well as data usage.
For 3G data services on large screens like computers and laptops, Tatas have announced a package of Rs 2,000 for 15 GB of data usage at a speed of 21.1 Mbps. And beyond 15GB at 256kbps. There are 5 different unlimited plans to choose from for the customer.
Company has also said that all purchases and recharges of 3G services done before 31 December 2010 will get an additional 100 MB of free data per month for the first two months, as an invitation offer.
Tata Docomo claims that it’s HSPA+ 3G Network, set up with the assistance of NTT Docomo, supports high-speed Internet access with speeds of up to 21.1 Mbps. The network also supports high-definition voice (HD Voice).
The Company had launched its 3G services this Diwali in nine Circles—Karnataka, Kerala, Rest of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya-Pradesh-Chhattisgarh and UP (West).
Other private operators like Bharti and Vodafone are also likely to start 3G services in the next few months. But the benchmark set by Tata DoCoMo would once again put pressure on all the operators to follow ‘per second’ pulse.
BSNL adds 2.5 million mobile users in October
State-run BSNL said it has managed to add 2.5 million mobile subscribers in October, despite the fierce competition from private operators.
The telecom PSU, which was lagging behind private telcos in terms of subscriber additions, has garnered over two million subscribers every month from August till October, Minister of State for IT and Communications Sachin Pilot told reporters here.
The new subscriber additions came mainly on the back of new tariff plans introduced by BSNL, Pilot said while launching the ‘Pyari Jodi’ plan which offers free mobile with every landline connection of BSNL.
BSNL had added only 1.08 million subscribers in July.
However, subscriber additions picked up from August when it added 2.2 million users. BSNL added 2.3 million users in September. BSNL has over 81 million subscribers.
As per Trai data, all the telecom operators added 18.18 million subscribers in August this year, taking the total number of mobile users in India to 670.60 million.
Besides, the telco is betting big on its 3G services.
“We plan to add over 2.5 million 3G users in the next five months ending March, 2011,”BSNL chief managing director, Gopal Das said.
At present, there are only 1.8 million 3G users on its network.
BSNL, which got the first movers advantage as it bagged 3G airwaves ahead of the private players. Though it launched its services in 2009, it could manage to find only few takers.
Only, 1.8 million of its subscribers uses 3G services now.
Most of the private players, who had bagged 3G spectrum in the recently held auction plans to launch the service by the end. One of the players Tata Docomo, has already launched 3G in the country from this week.
However, BSNL, feels once the private operators roll-out 3G, the increased competition in the market will help bring down the cost of devices and services and benefit the users.
BSNL offers free SIM with landline connection
State-run BSNL has launched a plan combining landline and mobile services which will provide free SIM card and unlimited free local calls to its customers.
In addition, customers can also call two BSNL local numbers at a reduced rate of 20p per minute and one BSNL number anywhere at a reduced rate of 30p per minute, without paying any additional monthly charges, BSNL said in a statement.
On activation, customer will also get Rs 15 talk value, 1000 local SMS, 1000 National SMS and 1 GB data card.
“The aim of this promotional plan “Pyari Jodi” is not only to boost mobile business of BSNL, but also arrest steep decline in the landline business,” MoS for IT and communications Sachin Pilot launching the promotional scheme said.
The minister has also launched special festive offers for BSNL 3G customers wherein all new activation will get one week unlimited data download free in addition to normal freebies.
In this festive offer the price of 3G Data Card has been slashed to Rs 2,000 from Rs 2,500 and 3G data vouchers are also offered at a discount.
“With the newly revised affordable 3G tariff plan and reduced data card price of Rs 2,000, BSNL is now also inviting the common man to avail the 3G service facilities,” BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Gopal Das said.
As on August 31, BSNL had a subscribers’ base of 76.03 crore according to the TRAI data released.
OlivePad upgraded to Android 2.2
Olive Telecom, a provider of convergence devices, announced the upgradation of OlivePad – VT100, India’s first 3.5 G tablet to Android 2.2. The upgraded device, priced at about Rs 26,000 will be retailed at all Croma stores across the country and on company’s exclusive shopping portal at www.olive.net.
The upgraded OlivePad with Android 2.2 will provide faster and improved JavaScript rendering, install applications on SD card, allow faster switch between multiple keyboard languages, use tablet as a portable hotspot, automatically update all the applications in one click, etc. Further, users will get a 16 GB memory card and a leather carry-wallet free along with the OlivePad.
Speaking on OlivePad, Arun Khanna, Chairman, Olive Telecom, said. “With Olive Telecom being the first company to foray into the Indian tablet market, the upgraded Android 2.2 will allow enhanced experience to the tech-savvy generation thereby providing easy and on-the-move connectivity. With this, we are confident of creating a new benchmark in the convergence device arena and hope to sell approximately 1 lac tablets by 2011”.
Designed as a multi functional device, OlivePad supports 3G, Wi-fi, and Bluetooth. With an inbuilt three mega pixel camera and a front camera, the OlivePad can be used as a touch notebook allowing creation of Word documents, PPT, Excel, browsing, Multimedia, Instant Messaging and easy access to the world of social networking, YouTube, GPS for maps and turn by turn directions, gaming console, an e- book reader, television. It also acts as a Smart Phone allowing voice and Video Calling.
Two important features of Android 2.2 Froyo are USB tethering and portable WiFi hotspot. Tethering allows you to use the tablet as a modem when connected to any PC or laptop through a USB cable. The Wi-Fi hotspot feature makes the tablet into a Wi-Fi router, the OlivePad’s 3G connection can be shared with multiple Wi-Fi devices.
The OlivePad loaded with Zenga TV application allows the users to surf their favourite channels on the go under four categories of Live & Reality TV, Movies and Uncut-uncensored. So you can view General entertainment, News & Youth entertainment on this tablet. With an inbuilt GPS sensor and MapMyIndia mapping software, Olive Pad lets you explore places you never knew were there, With fantastic features like Navigation, Route Calculation and voice based direction features and detailed Indian maps.
Max and the Magic Marker game now on Windows 7
Press Play, a Denmark-based firm, has launched the popular Max and the Magic Marker game for Windows Phone 7 platform.
It is a physics based 2D puzzle game in which the player controls the boy Max and his Magic Marker.
The marker enables the player to draw directly inside the game world, where everything drawn becomes physical objects. This feature is used to complete levels and overcome challenges but it also provides the player with a unique tool that in itself is fun to play around with.
The game revolves around stopping a monster, drawn my Max himself, from messing around with his drawings.
The features of this game include 15 inventive and puzzling levels, unique drawing control in a truly dynamic physics environment, three beautiful worlds inspired by children’s drawings, death traps, monsters, and challenging puzzles, unlockable challenges, secrets and rewards.
The game can be downloaded on any Windows Phone 7 device from Marketplace.
Aircel Launches the First 3G Experience Zone in Chennai
Aircel has launched its 3G experience zone in Chennai. These zones will provide first hand feel of third generation mobile telephony and its benefits to consumer.
Aircel is now present in all 23 telecom circles. With a subscriber base of over 47 million, Aircel, is the fifth largest service provider.
Gurdeep Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Aircel said, ” The launch of 3G experience zones in Chennai would equip our consumers and provide them first hands on experience on 3G services and open to them a world of possibilities.”
There will be four Aircel 3G experience zones spread across Chennai (Atrium2, Spencers Plaza; Fun City, Express Avenue; Atrium Citi Centre & Aircel Store PH road ) for the consumers to access and get to know what 3G is and what it can do for them.
The consumers who walk in to these experience zones will be taken through the services available such as the Aircel IVVR (Interactive Video Voice Response), Aircel 3G PocketInternet portal and Video calls.