MTV Networks is partnering with Amp'd Mobile Inc. to produce a made-for-mobile comedy series.The yet-to-be-named program, which is slated to come to market later this year, will be co-produced by Amp'd, MTV franchise Comedy Central and comedy writer and producer Donick Cary. The offering...
Embedded security developer Discretix pocketed $20 million in a third round of financing.New investor Sequoia Capital participated in the round, joining backers Accel Partners, Pitango Venture Capital, Genesis Partners, SFK, Poalim Ventures and Eurocom Group. The 7-year-old company said it will use the cash...
Ringback tones continue to gain traction even as the U.S. ringtone market plateaus, according to new figures from M:Metrics.The market research firm found that the popularity of ringback tones-music clips that a caller hears instead of a traditional ring before the person being called...
WASHINGTON-Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) introduced a bill aimed at increasing broadband access by unlocking unused TV spectrum-called white spaces-for Wi-Fi."At a time when the U.S. is lagging behind much of the world in broadband penetration-and more than 60 percent of the country does not...
Mobile virtual network operator XE Mobile has worked out a distribution deal with Office Depot stores, aiming to land college-age customers as they shop for school supplies. "We're already seeing an increase in sales, proof positive that we have the right team in place...
SunCom Wireless Holdings Inc. said it named Bernstein-Rein as its new advertising agency.The regional wireless opertor also appointed Jane Passantino executive director of advertising and brand management. Passantino's marketing experience includes positions with Gore-Tex, AT&T Corp. and Lucent Technologies Inc.SunCom serves more than 1...
Warner Music Group struck its second mobile deal in as many days, announcing an agreement to distribute videos through MobiTV Inc.The music company said it will offer made-for-mobile videos including artist-created clips from Linkin Park and other Warner acts. The videos will be updated...
Visa launched a mobile payment platform designed to support contactless payments, coupons and other m-commerce-related applications.The offering "is designed to foster collaboration between the financial services and mobile telecommunications sectors," the company said, and consists of a suite of technology tools, applications and security...
Apple Computer Inc. finally unveiled the iPhone.As expected, Apple CEO Steve Jobs showcased the highly-anticipated device during his keynote speech at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. Cingular Wireless L.L.C. will support the handset, which runs Mac OS X and serves as...
Sprint Nextel Corp.'s trouble in holding onto its postpaid iDEN subscribers continued during the fourth quarter as the company announced weak fourth quarter customer metrics and said that network and business investments would likely affect its financial performance in 2007. The carrier also plans...
WASHINGTON-Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) said he will introduce legislation to free up vacant broadcast spectrum, a move that could provide additional frequencies for Wi-Fi and WiMAX services."Most of the time, government's best option for promoting technological innovation is to get out of the way....
Amp'd Mobile Inc. is continuing to build on its appeal to younger mobile phone users. The mobile virtual network operator has further expanded its mobile entertainment portal through fresh deals with Facebook.com, Freewebs.com and Livejournal.com, having created one of the largest collections of social...
WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission rejected the mobile-phone industry's petition for regulatory relief from the recently passed deadline for meeting enhanced 911 handset-based location requirements, sending non-compliance of Sprint Nextel Corp. and other carriers to the agency's enforcement bureau for further action.The FCC, agreeing with...
Motorola Inc. is jumping into the mobile music business with an effort to sell wireless content from Warner Music Group Corp.The handset maker said it will offer preloaded and downloadable full-length tunes, ringtones, ringback tones, music videos and other goodies from the record label....
T-Mobile USA Inc. tapped Medio Systems to power mobile content searches on its t-zones portal.The carrier said Medio's technology "presents subscribers with the most relevant results" for content such as ringtones, ringback tones, local business listings and selected Web pages. The service uses a...
WASHINGTON-Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) said he is drafting legislation to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from forcing technology standards on the communications industry."The FCC seems to be under the belief that it should occasionally impose technology mandates. These misguided requirements distort the marketplace by...
Yahoo Inc. is using the Consumer Electronics Show to tout a host of new partnerships supporting its Go 2.0 service.The Internet giant announced pacts to preload an updated version of its wireless Web software on some handsets from Motorola Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd....
Amp'd Mobile Inc. continues to tout its success in the mobile virtual network operator space, gaining more than 70,000 customers in the fourth quarter to end 2006 with more than 100,000 customers. The company is one of the few MVNOs to so far release...
Modeo L.L.C., a subsidiary of Crown Castle International Corp., announced today that it has launched a trial version of its live, commercial quality mobile TV service in New York City. The beta service was launched after more than three years of development, and while...
Sprint Nextel Corp. has chosen the Chicago and Washington, D.C., metro areas for the first deployment of its WiMAX network, with a rollout that it expected to cover at least 100 million people by the end of 2008. The initial WiMAX markets are supposed...
Sling Media Inc. continued to expand its wireless functionality, adding support for devices running Palm Inc.'s operating system.The place-shifting technology company said owners of its flagship SlingBox device can now use SlingPlayer Mobile software to access home TV broadcasts on Treo smartphones running both...
As expected, Verizon Wireless announced in conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas details of its planned mobile TV service, which will run on Qualcomm Inc.'s MediaFLO mobile TV network. Verizon Wireless did not disclose what it will charge for the service,...
Sling Media Inc. was only a blip on the wireless industry's radar screen until April, when the company released its SlingPlayer Mobile software. The $30 software allows SlingBox owners to watch TV on any smartphone running Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile 5.0, Symbian or...
For the wireless industry, it may be the most disruptive technology of 2006. And it all happened because Blake Krikorian couldn't watch a baseball game. Krikorian, a San Francisco native and baseball fan, was working with his brother at their technology consultants' firm several...
