Scalado, a leader in mobile imaging software solutions that are both fast and memory efficient, and Eastman Kodak today announced that Scalado's SpeedTags™ technology will be used in KSP-720060, a new Kodak's CMOS TRUESENSE image signal sensor. With SpeedTags™ mobile devices will process common and large JPEG images much faster. Thanks to SpeedTags™ it will be much easier and more convenient to handle files directly from a mobile device. KSP-720060 with integrated SpeedTags™ technology will be used in camera phones, digital still cameras and other mobile devices equipped with a camera.  

  RF Micro Devices today said it is targeting the CDMA components market. The company has already developed power amplifiers, switches and low-noise GPS Modules (LNA). In 2009 RF Micro Devices (RFMD) is going to refresh its CDMA product portfolio launching power amplifiers, discrete switches and GPS low noise amplifier (LNA) modules with integrated filters. The company recently launched the RF73xx family of linear CDMA power amplifiers, the RF1126 and RF1136 discrete switches and the RF2815 GPS LNA module with integrated surface acoustic wave filter that is designed for CDMA mobile devices supporting GPS. The size of the above-named RF2815 GPS LNA module is only 3.3 x 2.1 x 1.0 mm. The module is optimized for both solution size and performance and is suited for battery-powered mobile devices, such as portable navigation devices and CDMA handsets supporting GPS. Samples of the RF1126, RF1136 and RF2815 are available now. Samples of the RF73xx product family will be available in the second half of 2009. RFMD's product portfolio is on display at the GSMA Mobile World

  The Blue Earth cell phone will be presented at Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona. Blue Earth is a world’s first full touchscreen mobile phone with the solar battery built in the backside. The phone has already contributed to environmental protection as it is made from recycled plastic extracted from water bottles and the process of extraction is not too harmful to the nature. Owners of Blue Earth will like the ‘eco walk' function that turns on the in-built pedometer and counts your steps, calculating the amount of CO2 emissions that has not got into the atmosphere because you are walking and not driving. You will see saved trees on the display – this is your contribution to the nature. The packaging for the phone is also made from recycled paper. Blue Earth comes with energy efficient charger consuming less than 0.03W.    

  Advasense and Creative Sensor have jointly developed as they say the world’s smallest next-generation 5MP autofocus camera sensor. The Advasense ASIO5 5MP CMOS camera sensor is aimed at the camera phone market and uses a ¼” optical format sensor and is only 8.3 x 8.3mm in size (see the photo). The manufacturer claims that their innovative FCP™-based CIS technology achieves excellent image quality for all lighting conditions and significantly improves low-light sensitivity and dynamic range.    

  Xilinx is participating at Mobile World Congress 2009 in Barcelona from February 16 through 19. The company announced it today and said it would unveil next-generation programmable LTE design platforms aimed at improving wireless infrastructure. Product demonstrations will show all the flexibility of hardware solutions and LTE IP used in the development of both baseband and multimode radio subsystems for 3G and 4G mobile basestations. Xilinx will demonstrate that the integration of a great number of functions on a single programmable silicon device enables operators to reduce expenditures and improve reliability and system performance. Multi-mode Radio This is a single-chip radio subsystem that supports all major air interfaces and has all signal processing and connectivity components. LTE Baseband Platform This is a complete baseband processing subsystem with pre-optimized IP and software solutions used for both uplink and downlink. The platform significantly reduces system power consumption and cost.  

  Venturi Wireless, the trusted leader in broadband services optimization for mobile and wireless operators, announced the Venturi Video Optimization solution. Venturi Video Optimization or VVO enables mobile operators to deliver high-quality and cost-effective video to mobile broadband-enabled devices. The product optimizes video for the wireless environment and minimizes the impact on network resources. End users get video as though they are using wired broadband Internet, with fast download speeds and high-quality video without re-buffering or interruptions. Tomas Isaksson, Chief Executive Officer of Venturi Wireless, says that the company is “thrilled to launch Venturi Video Optimization” because video is “a driving force on the Internet”, and “the growth potential for video over a mobile broadband connection is endless”. Venturi Video Optimization solution is a very nice thing for operators because video optimized with VVO is smaller in size that increases network bandwidth and results in faster download time. Moreover, operators can feel confident in investing in a solution with such a great prospect. All other advantages of VVO will be disclosed at the GSMA Mobile World

  While others are announcing lay-offs, mobile imaging experts Scalado have announced that they have doubled their staff in the last 12 months, as a result of doubling their revenue in the same period. This is because Scalado’s CAPS™ imaging Software Development Kit (SDK) is now being used in more than 300 million mobile phone handsets, compared with 150 million at this time last year. Scalado already lists four out of the five top tier-1 mobile phone manufacturers as its licensees, with Scalado software included in several new handsets to be launched at the Mobile World Congress and throughout the year. They say that they are making imaging on mobile phones more efficient – bringing higher usability for end-users and cutting hardware costs for handset manufacturers who are increasingly having to compete with products which can offer phone, email, camera, and music functions in a single device. "Without a doubt, the excitement of having a single mobile device like the IPhone is really capturing the public's imagination," says Scalado’s CEO Mats Jacobson. "As a result, many handset manufacturers want to defend their market share from competitors like Apple, and are therefore looking to companies like us for

  Ericsson and TeliaSonera companies today announced that they have signed an agreement, according to which Ericsson will build a 4G network covering Sweden’s capital Stockholm. It will be the first experience for Ericssson in building a commercial LTE network. The agreement also includes a long-term partnership of companies aimed at the joint development of mobile broadband.  Source: GSMPress ® in cooperation with Ericsson

  Omega Pharma, a Belgian pharmaceutical company, is going to launch a chip reducing the level of cell phone radiation. Representatives of the company state that tests were successful: the chip, which is built in a cell phone, lessens such symptoms as headaches and loss of concentration. The E-waves chip trial consignment of 30 thousand items is already on offer for 38.95 euros per a chip.  

  The Open Handset Alliance announces the membership of 14 new companies ready to support Android open mobile platform and namely to modernize the operating system, develop new mobile devices supporting it, and software applications. The new members of the Open Handset Alliance are Ericsson, Vodafone, Huawei Technologies, Toshiba, AKM Semiconductor Inc., Omron Software Co. Ltd, Softbank Mobile Corporation, Sony Ericsson, ARM, Teleca AB, ASUSTek Computer Inc., Borqs, Atheros Communications and Garmin International Inc.  

  Recently it became known that Intel is developing sensors to capture energy from body heat and sunlight, the amount of the energy obtained in this way being sufficient for mobile devices to run without recharging. The company already has prototypes of self-powered devices. They are watches powered by body heat and smartphones with displays that double as solar cells.  

  Land Rover and Sonim have signed an agreement to launch co-branded mobile phones. At present 3 phones are already being developed together with Scott Wilson, a designer. Two phones and namely the Land Rover S1 and Land Rover S2 G4 are planned to start shipping in the first half of 2009, and the third one later in the year. All the phones will be able to withstand a 1.6-meter drop, salt, humidity, and high temperatures.  

  The body of the Samsung S9402 Ego is made by a liquid metal alloy developed by the California Institute of Technology that is 3 times stronger than titanium. Compared with other metals used for body of expensive phones, the new alloy has 3 times better vibration absorption and 100% lower thermal conductivity. Russian market will be the first one to get the Samsung S9402. The phone is expected to start shipping this month at an estimated price of 1400 euro.    

  A team of Texas researchers have discovered a way to produce energy from energy resulting from vibration. It turns out that electrical energy can be obtained if a certain type of piezoelectric material about 21 nanometers thick is exposed even to vibration of voice. It is interesting that 21 nanometers seem to be the best value from the 20-23 nanometer range, within which electrical energy can be produced. Usage of nanotechnologies regarding piezoelectric materials may result in the appearance of self-powered devices including phones, which will not have any replaceable power supplies.  

  Launched alongside The Museum of Modern Art “Design and The Elastic Mind” exhibition, the Morph concept device is a bridge between highly advanced technologies and their potential benefits to end-users. This device concept showcases some revolutionary leaps being explored by Nokia Research Center (NRC) in collaboration with the Cambridge Nanoscience Centre (United Kingdom) – nanoscale technologies that will potentially create a world of radically different devices that open up an entirely new spectrum of possibilities. Morph concept technologies might create fantastic opportunities for mobile devices: * Newly-enabled flexible and transparent materials blend more seamlessly with the way we live * Devices become self-cleaning and self-preserving * Transparent electronics offering an entirely new aesthetic dimension * Built-in solar absorption might charge a device, whilst batteries become smaller, longer lasting and faster to charge * Integrated sensors might allow us to learn more about the environment around us, empowering us to make better choices In addition to the advances above, the integrated electronics shown in the Morph concept could cost less and include more functionality in a much smaller space, even as interfaces are