Cubans Que For Mobile Phones

LONG queues stretched outside shops in Cuba this week as the new government allowed citizens to sign up for mobile phone services for the first time.

The contracts cost about £60 to activate – half a year's wages on the average state salary. And that does not include a phone or the credit to make and receive calls.

But most Cubans have at least some access to US dollars or euros thanks to jobs in tourism, with foreign firms or money sent by relatives abroad. Queues formed before the stores opened, and waits grew to more than an hour.

"Everyone wants to be first to sign up," said Usan Astorga, a 19-year-old medical student who stood for about 20 minutes before her queue moved at all.

Getting through the day without a mobile phone is unthinkable now in most developed countries, but Cuba's government limited access to them and other so-called luxuries in an attempt to preserve the relative economic equality that is a hallmark of life on the communist-run island.

The president, Raul Castro, has done away with several other small but infuriating restrictions, and his popularity has surged as a result – defusing questions about his relative lack of charisma after his ailing older brother Fidel formally stepped down in February.

An article on Friday in the Communist Party newspaper Granma said it was Fidel Castro's idea all along to lift the ban on mobile phones, and that he was also behind recent government orders easing restrictions that had prevented most Cubans from staying in hotels, hiring cars, enjoying beaches reserved for tourists and buying DVD players and other consumer goods.

"They are part of a process initiated and called for by Fidel," Granma said of the recent changes.

Fidel Castro has not been seen in publicsince undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006, but he has continued to write essays every few days and recently criticised DVDs, mobile phones, the internet, e-mail and Facebook, asking: "Does the kind of existence promised by imperialism make any sense?"

Mobile phones on the island can make and receive calls from overseas, a key feature because the overwhelming majority of Cubans have relatives and friends in the United States.

Cuba's state-controlled telecommunications monopoly, a joint venture with Telecom Italia, charges £1.35 per minute to call the US. Making or receiving local calls costs 15p a minute.

Ms Astorga said she planned to buy about £30 in credit – enough, she hopes, for three months of very brief conversations. "You can't talk all day because it's too expensive," she said. "It's only, 'hello, I'm here. Goodbye.' Or 'where are you?' and hang up."

Source: NewScotsman

Playstation Store Gets a Revamp

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today introduced a new, more dynamic look and
faster, more fluid navigation to PLAYSTATION(R)Store for PLAYSTATION(R)3
(PS3(TM)). As part of the revamp, PLAYSTATION Store, previously a Web-based
storefront, now lives natively as an application on the PS3 system,
dramatically improving navigation speed. PS3 users can now more quickly and
seamlessly shop, purchase and download PLAYSTATION(R)Network games, demos,
game videos, Blu-ray Disc(TM) (BD) movie trailers and other game-related
content for PS3 system.

The revamped PLAYSTATION Store is available to users after they update
their PS3 with the latest system software (Ver. 2.30), released today. It
features twice as many primary shopping categories, making browsing through
content quick and simple. These categories include "New Releases",
"Downloadable Games", "View All By Title", "Add-Ons", "Demos", "Videos",
"Themes & Wallpapers", and "Featured Items". Other improvements include a
new "Preview" feature that enables customers to stream trailers and view
screenshots of PLAYSTATION(R)Network games before they buy, and the
addition of a "shopping bag" icon next to purchased items to assist
customers in tracking their purchases.

"From day one, we have stayed committed to growing and enhancing
PLAYSTATION Store, and today we are pleased to deliver what our customers
have been asking for -- a more streamlined storefront that makes it easier
and faster to find what they want," said Susan Panico, senior director,
PLAYSTATION Network, SCEA. "From the highly anticipated Gran Turismo(TM) 5
Prologue to great indie titles like PixelJunk(TM) Monsters, we have the
most compelling downloadable content in the industry, and now we are
matching that with the best possible user experience."

Through PLAYSTATION Store, accessible via the XMB(TM) (XrossMediaBar),
PS3 owners can choose from nearly 900 pieces of content, including more
than 70 unique downloadable games for PS3 and classic PS one(R) titles, as
well as game demos and videos, BD movie trailers, game themes, wallpapers,
and more. In North America, there are more than 3.6 million registered
PLAYSTATION Network accounts, and more than 66 million pieces of content
have been downloaded from PLAYSTATION Store.*

Plasma TVs Go 3D

Once 3D entertainment meant fumbling aroundwith a pair of multi-coloured spectacles that made you dizzy, before settling down in the cinema to watch a plotless film that involved a giant plastic shark coming out of the screen to get you.

But not even desperate 1980s cinematic experiences such as Jaws 3-D were enough to kill off our desire to feel part of the action. Now, after almost two decades on the audio-visual scrapheap, 3D is mounting a comeback... straight into your living room.

This summer, owners of a specific model of plasma TV screen will be able to marry it to a PC for the price of a couple of video games and create an instant 3D multi-media centre capable of showing films, games, TV programmes and eventually web pages. The sense of depth promises to be so realistic that viewers will want to reach out and grab the images, say the firms behind the technology.

A whole range of new films are being made as the new wave of 3D cinema allows such realism to be created on much lower budgets than in the past.

And while viewers will, for the next few years at least, have to wear a pair of glasses, the manufacturers promise that these bear little resemblance to the geeky goggles with red and green plastic lenses that fell between the cinema seats all those years ago. A recent demonstration of the product by Samsung in Seoul, revealed the pictures to be sharp, and the company insists that you can watch for hours without getting a headache.

The system is expected to attract hard-core gamers. New titles such as Medal of Honour are already 3D-enabled. But much broader appeal is predicted. Last week, one of Hollywood's biggest studios threw its weight behind the 3D revolution. Disney subsidiary Pixar has announced that all its future films will be in 3D, with the first release, Up, set for July 2009. It follows in the footsteps of Shrek creator DreamWorks, which made a similar decision in 2007.

"I have seen the future of movies, and this is it," Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks' CEO, said at an industry event last summer. "I couldn't be any more confident or certain about it."

Live-action Hollywood also sees huge commercial potential in 3D. For example, a big-budget family version of Jules Verne's Journey to the Centre of the Earth is set for release in July.

The BBC is also at the 3D cutting edge. It used pairs of special cameras to film Scotland's victory over England in the Calcutta Cup rugby international at Murrayfield earlier this year. 3D images were beamed to a cinema at its Riverside studio in London. The audience reported it was much more like being at the game than watching it on ordinary television.

Source: Independent

Buffalo Launches Blu-ray

Buffalo has launched the MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD (BRHC-6316U2), its first external Blu-ray HD DVD player that allows users to both read and write Blu-ray content.

While it provides the ability to save high-definition content, users can also connect the player to a notebook or other mobile device via USB and view their favorite video content while on-the-go. In addition the player allows for playback of HD DVD content.

"Consumers are increasingly implementing either High-Definition or Blu-ray content into their digital lives – from TV sets, to camcorders to audio content," said Morikazu Sano, VP global Sales and Marketing. "The MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD offers users the best of both worlds and supports our customers' various needs, while providing unmatched flexibility, giving users the ability to watch and save their favorite movies, videos or data at home or on the road."

Buffalo's new Blu-ray HD DVD player also comes with Nero's software for playback and burning, which allows for seamless integration with all recent versions of Microsoft Windows.

The MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD comes enlosed in a black case and is backed by a one-year warranty and toll-free technical support.

The MediaStation Blu-ray HD DVD will be available here in May 2008 at an estimated street price of Rs. 45,000 and can be purchased through distributors and dealers.

N-Game Unveiled by Nokia

Following two previous delays due to software testing, Nokia has announced the launch of its N-Game mobile gaming service.

The world's largest mobile telephone manufacturer, Nokia is hoping to energise the ailing portable gaming market and the new N-Game service is one of the cornerstones of the Finnish company's new Internet services strategy.

'There will be an official announcement on Monday, but for you, the N-Gage faithful, we wanted to let you know we're up and running,' the Helsinki-based firm stated on its N-Gage blog.

Nokia, which made 40 percent of all the mobile telephones sold in the last quarter of 2007, is the first handset maker to make a major push into the content sector and has already opened the service to users of its top N95 model along with its N81, N81 8GB, N82 and the N95 8GB multimedia handsets. Analysts report that it has sold up to 15 million models so far and major games publishers such as Electronic Arts, Gameloft and Glu Mobile have already signed up for the new platform.

Nokia stated last month that around 25 titles would be available for N-Gage by the middle of the year with a similar number of titles unveiled during the second half of the year. The move should help the ailing mobile gaming market as it suffered an unexpected slump last year with many games developers and analysts pointing to telecommunication operators' lack of investment in marketing.

Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones

Now travellers can enjoy their favourite music in absolute serenity, with the world's first digital noise cancelling headphones from Sony.

Whether you're a frequent flyer or train commuter needing to shut out engine noise -- or just keen to reduce distracting sounds at work -- the new MDR-NC500D cuts an incredible 99%* of ambient noise while bathing you in supreme hi-fi sound.

The MDR-NC500D represents a radical departure from conventional noise cancelling headphones. They're the first ever headphones to use digital technology with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve noise cancellation performance while ensuring optimum audio quality.

A powerful processor inside the MDR-NC500D automatically adapts the cancellation profile to suit the characteristics of ambient noise. In normal use, pushing the 'AI Mode' button makes the headphones select automatically from three cancellation modes to suit the surroundings -- whether on an aircraft, a bus or train, or in the office. Alternatively, pressing down and holding the mode switch allows the user to manually select the cancellation profile that's most effective in their environment. A monitor switch is provided for temporary listening to external sounds like cabin announcements.

Class-leading noise cancelling ability is complemented by superb reproduction. Generously-sized 40mm drivers deliver an extended frequency response, high signal to noise ratio and excellent dynamic range.

With a generous 15 hours of operation between charges of the supplied lithium ion battery, the MDR-NC500D Sony headphones shut out distracting noise for the longest continental flight or train journey. For extra convenience, it can also operate using disposable AA cells if you don't have a charging point handy while you're travelling.

The premium protective travel case provides a handy pocket for storing your MP3 player or passport and storage for all the components that support these headphones.

Also new from Sony, the sleekly-styled MDR-NC40 offers excellent noise cancelling performance with comfortable extended wear. The light, space-saving folding design is ideal for travellers and commuters who want to enjoy quality audio with great isolation in an affordable, sleekly styled package.

Apple Gets It Right With The iPhone

Since the iPhone hit the market in mid-2007, competing phonemakers and wireless-service providers that don't have a deal to sell the Apple (AAPL) device have tried their best to betray no envy. They rolled out a few devices mimicking the iPhone's touch screen, but they mostly hoped the phone, offered exclusively by AT&T (T), wouldn't become a hit. Too bad. By the fourth quarter of last year, Apple had grabbed more than a quarter of the U.S. market for what are known as smartphones, the mobile phones that handle computer-like tasks such as e-mail and Web browsing.

A new crop of would-be iPhone slayers is about to hit the market. To help them compete with AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel (S) are working with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Nokia (NOK) and Samsung Electronics, to develop new handhelds. On Apr. 1, Sprint unveiled an iPhone lookalike from Samsung called Instinct that will debut later this year. "[Apple] is not going to own the space themselves," says Danny Bowman, Sprint's vice-president. "They're going to have a lot of competition."

Smartphone users are coveted by carriers. They tend to spend liberally on wireless services each month as they surf the Web and check their e-mail. Until last year the market's unrivaled leader was Research In Motion, (RIMM) whose BlackBerry phones are sold by all the major wireless carriers in the U.S. RIM is still the largest smartphone maker, with 41% U.S. market share in the fourth quarter, according to research firm Canalys. But Apple has become a contender in less than a year—and has given AT&T a competitive advantage, since people who want the device have only one place to go.

The fight to take on Apple may prove a boon for consumers. The new phones will offer more than e-mail and the primitive Web-browsing capabilities of today's clumsy devices, more closely replicating the ease, speed, and flexibility of personal computers. A greater variety of smartphones will be available, many at prices lower than the $399 to $499 price tag for an iPhone. LG Electronics' KF-700, due in the U.S. later this year, has a keyboard that slides out from behind its touch screen, for easier typing. Sony Ericsson's Xperia X1 will also offer a touch screen and slide-out keyboard.

Whizzy technology won't be enough to beat Apple, though. What's made the iPhone a hit is its smooth integration of hardware and software and its easy operation. The device weaves together a wide array of computer-like functions in a way that even technophobes can master in minutes. Rivals haven't been able to imitate the trick so far. Sprint's first effort to field an iPhone competitor, a gadget from Taiwan's High Tech Computer, has had disappointing sales since its November debut.

Sprint has higher hopes for the Instinct. The company last year put together what it called its "Tiger Team" to create a product code-named Nerva. The company commissioned Berlin's Iconmobile Group to develop software that would make the interplay between the phone's touch screen, buttons, and menus smooth and simple. Sprint then sent its engineers to work with Samsung and with mobile-applications providers to make sure that applications created for the device would interact seamlessly with the Iconmobile platform. Sprint also worked on embedding software from TeleNav so the phone could use GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite signals to deliver location-based services like driving directions and dinner recommendations. The Instinct is slated to hit the market in mid-June and is expected to cost $200 to $250.

Nokia, the world's largest cell-phone maker, is gunning for Apple, too. The Finnish company said last fall that it would begin selling a new touch-screen handset sometime after June but has been mum on the details. That has left wireless aficionados to troll through Nokia patent applications for clues. One of them describes a phone that can sense motion without actually being touched, so a user might, for example, tilt the device to scroll down a Web page. "We've been here for a long time, and we're really out in front in terms of functionality, features, and volume," says Daniel Shugrue, a Nokia marketing executive.

RIM has also signaled that it is preparing to do battle with Apple. The Canadian company says it plans to introduce at least four new handsets this year, though it won't provide details. Analyst Carmi Levy of AR Communications believes that at least one of the devices will have a touch screen.

Apple, of course, isn't standing still. On Mar. 6, the Cupertino (Calif.) company revealed plans to add corporate e-mail capabilities to the iPhone and officially opened the device to outside software developers, allowing them to create new applications. There's also speculation that a revamped iPhone expected to arrive soon will offer new features such as videoconferencing and GPS technology. Apple declined to comment.

It's unclear whether Sprint's Instinct or any of the other new devices will impress consumers the way the iPhone has. Still, competition is on the way. Apple is helping spark a burst of innovation, even if it isn't coming from Cupertino.

Source: BusinessWeek