Nokia must be really upset about Google’s Android Challenge.
The new contest known as “Calling All Innovators” will be Nokia’s call for developers to create mobile apps for a better society—although with a far less rich purse than Google opened for its Android developers.
Nokia will award up to USD $150,000 in cash. First place winners in each category will receive USD $25,000, a trip to Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona, and distribution of their app (for free) through a variety of Nokia channels.
Calling All Innovators hopes to challenge developers in these three following categories: ECO-Challenge, Emerging Markets, and Technology Showcase (using any tech that runs on Series 40 or S60 devices, such as Flash Lite, Java, Python, or open source).
Go Nokia's Calling All Innovators
Nokia Calls Global Developer Contest
Power-Saving: Akihabra or Aki-Horror
The mayor of Kyoto in Japan wants convenience stores to close during late-night hours as that cuts carbon emissions by about 4%.
A professor at Kyoto University says the prefix "eco" has become an all-purpose banner under which almost any idea can win approval in Japan. If this catches on, the next step is to close all the shops (saves the other 96%). Yes, let's go green and close Akihabara shops during the day as well. OK, we’re kidding… but are they?
A professor at Kyoto University says the prefix "eco" has become an all-purpose banner under which almost any idea can win approval in Japan. If this catches on, the next step is to close all the shops (saves the other 96%). Yes, let's go green and close Akihabara shops during the day as well. OK, we’re kidding… but are they?
WildCharger in Europe
The search for the ultimate battery charger continues…The WildCharger pad we saw in Berlin is flat and thin with a conductive surface. Place a cell phone or device enabled with WildCharge technology on the pad – anywhere on the pad– and it will receive power from the pad (at the same speed as if the device is plugged to the wall).
Go WildCharger
Rise of Digital TV: 100m Digital Homes
Informa Telecoms & Media says digital TV penetration of W. European households broke the 50% barrier in 2007, ending the year at 54%. They expect digital homes in the region to reach 104 million by end of 2008 (and 157 million by 2013, 90% penetration).
Top 5 markets: Digital TV households (000)
Source: Informa Telecoms & Media
As digital penetration reached 54% of TV households in Western Europe at the end of 2007, this brought the total number of digital homes to 89 million – up more than 20 million during the year. Another 16 million will be added in 2008, bringing penetration close to two-thirds of TV households.
Longer term, Informa Telecoms & Media is forecasting 157 million digital homes in the region by end-2013, giving 90% penetration. This means the 2013 figure will be more than twice as high as the 2006 total. However, despite this impressive penetration rate, full digital conversion is only expected in four (Finland, France, Ireland and the UK) of the 15 countries included in the forecasts.
One of the region’s main difficulties is that consumers in some of the more established cable countries, such as Germany, remain unconvinced that there are compelling reasons to upgrade to digital. Even so, while digital cable has been a little slower to take hold than expected, it now appears very well placed to make up for lost time – as the market consolidates into a smaller number of affluent companies that are committed to digital.
However, while a sizeable minority of homes will wish to stick to analog services, this should have little impact on the timing of analog terrestrial signal switch-off unless - like in Finland-- the government legislates for a fully-digital TV environment across all platforms.
The capacity freed up by turning off analog transmissions (this creates the “digital dividend”) will be exploited by different services, with HDTV via DTT and mobile TV two of the likely beneficiaries.
Progress in promoting DSL/FTTH penetration has led to a good deal of activity in IPTV.
There have already been some successful high-profile launches in this area, and the technology is now an established TV platform. IPTV is expected to experience fast growth in coming years, though the operators will have to counter entrenched opposition from the established cable and satellite areas.
France has the largest IPTV market, led by France Telecom’s Orange TV platform. Spain has overtaken Italy in second place. Deutsche Telekom and BT are also quickly taking up the challenge,
Within the IPTV sector there are now multiple operators in most countries as independent services compete with those of the former incumbent telecommunications operators that were the initial driving force for IPTV.
Top 5 markets: Digital TV households (000)
| 2007 | 2010 | 2013 | |
| Germany | 15,300 | 24,361 | 30,439 |
| France | 18,017 | 24,328 | 26,992 |
| UK | 22,268 | 25,110 | 26,459 |
| Italy | 11,037 | 17,635 | 23,811 |
| Spain | 8,207 | 13,379 | 17,903 |
| Others | 13,932 | 23,863 | 31,204 |
| Total | 88,761 | 128,676 | 156,808 |
As digital penetration reached 54% of TV households in Western Europe at the end of 2007, this brought the total number of digital homes to 89 million – up more than 20 million during the year. Another 16 million will be added in 2008, bringing penetration close to two-thirds of TV households.
Longer term, Informa Telecoms & Media is forecasting 157 million digital homes in the region by end-2013, giving 90% penetration. This means the 2013 figure will be more than twice as high as the 2006 total. However, despite this impressive penetration rate, full digital conversion is only expected in four (Finland, France, Ireland and the UK) of the 15 countries included in the forecasts.
One of the region’s main difficulties is that consumers in some of the more established cable countries, such as Germany, remain unconvinced that there are compelling reasons to upgrade to digital. Even so, while digital cable has been a little slower to take hold than expected, it now appears very well placed to make up for lost time – as the market consolidates into a smaller number of affluent companies that are committed to digital.
However, while a sizeable minority of homes will wish to stick to analog services, this should have little impact on the timing of analog terrestrial signal switch-off unless - like in Finland-- the government legislates for a fully-digital TV environment across all platforms.
The capacity freed up by turning off analog transmissions (this creates the “digital dividend”) will be exploited by different services, with HDTV via DTT and mobile TV two of the likely beneficiaries.
Progress in promoting DSL/FTTH penetration has led to a good deal of activity in IPTV.
There have already been some successful high-profile launches in this area, and the technology is now an established TV platform. IPTV is expected to experience fast growth in coming years, though the operators will have to counter entrenched opposition from the established cable and satellite areas.
France has the largest IPTV market, led by France Telecom’s Orange TV platform. Spain has overtaken Italy in second place. Deutsche Telekom and BT are also quickly taking up the challenge,
Within the IPTV sector there are now multiple operators in most countries as independent services compete with those of the former incumbent telecommunications operators that were the initial driving force for IPTV.
Go Informa Western European TV Report
UMDs Exceed 200 Million Units by 2013
Unit sales for ultra-mobile devices (UMDs) will match notebook PCs sales by 2013, says ABI Research.
The category that includes ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs), “netbooks,” and mobile internet devices (MIDs)—UMD Shipments will grow from 10 million units this year to more than 200 million in 2013.
Netbooks currently account for about 90% of the total device volumes, but MID units will grow more rapidly to contribute 68% to the overall market by 2013, the report notes. Retail sales this year account for only 14% of shipments but are expected to rise to 75%.
The category that includes ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs), “netbooks,” and mobile internet devices (MIDs)—UMD Shipments will grow from 10 million units this year to more than 200 million in 2013.
Netbooks currently account for about 90% of the total device volumes, but MID units will grow more rapidly to contribute 68% to the overall market by 2013, the report notes. Retail sales this year account for only 14% of shipments but are expected to rise to 75%.
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