Nokia launches GPS " la carte" with smart2go for PDAs and Smartphones

Nokia was present on the TeleAtlas booth at 3GSM (see pictures 1 and 2) to relaunch smart2go that they purchased with Gate5 last year. This navigation application we discovered during the summer of 2005 (see below) has changed quite a bit since, with a new interface, but also because it is the first navigation that offer "la carte" GPS.

The basic version is free and lets you browse maps, look up addresses and POIs or view your current GPS position on the map. In addition you can activate full guidance for a period of time (from a day to 3 years) or purchase city guides. Another new feature is downloading maps over the air or with your computer before transferring them to your mobile device. You can use this thread of the "News" forums to discuss.

Posted August 21st, 2005 - First tests of the new smart2go navigation solution on a Nokia 6680 (it is designed for PocketPCs and Symbian Smartphones) and there are some interesting new features compared to TomTom Mobile, the leader of "on-board" navigation on the Symbian platform (in Europe that is as it is not available in the US)...

HandWallet Basic for Nokia 6680, 6681, 6682

By knowing exactly what are your resources and on what you are spending them on you will be able to save money every month!

Main features:
Support for periodic events: every week, every month, every two-month, every half year or every year.
Split an action into several payments, including non-equal payments.
Classify a transaction into categories and sub-categories. Supplied with a pre defined set of categories and sub-categories.
Control over the real payments in any one of the accounts managed by the system.
budget control.
Online help and a detailed user manual.
Personalization of the "look & feel" of the product. The ability to control and change offline parameters.
And much more...

Musiwave Smart Radio Service Selected By 3 Italia

BARCELONA, Spain, 3GSM World Congress, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Musiwave, an Openwave company (Openwave Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: OPWV) ) and a leading provider of mobile music entertainment services to operators and media companies worldwide, today announced its Smart Radio service for Java-enabled handsets has been selected by 3 Italia, the Mobile Media Company controlled by the Hutchison Whampoa Group and UMTS mobile leader in the world with over 6.8 million customers. Launched this month, the 3 Smart Radio service offers 3 Italia's subscribers access to interactive and personalized music streams and themed channels, as well as a catalog of thousands of full-tracks from major record labels via an integrated music download storefront where full track music downloads will be available.

Hands-free or hang up?

Sending shudders through multi-taskers -- and relief through safety advocates -- Oregon legislators are pondering hefty fines for people caught driving and talking on a cell phone.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to look at two bills today. One bill would ban drivers from using handheld phones; the other bill would prohibit all "distracted driving." Distracted driving means everything from personal grooming to eating to playing with pets while driving. Drivers risk a $360 ticket if they can't manage those activities and drive unimpaired.

A prime candidate for ticketing, says Rep. Andy Olson, R-Albany, is the woman he saw behind the wheel of a pickup on Interstate 5.

"She's got the cell phone in her right hand, she's got an open book on the steering wheel, and she's reading and talking at the same time," says Olson, co-sponsor of the distracted driving bill.

Give me a ring

As we all know by now, cell phones can be either a blessing or a bane, depending on the manners of its operator. My first exposure to excellent cell phone protocol was in Osaka, Japan. I noticed that during social occasions a local reacted to a phone call vibration by turning around, pulling out the phone and speaking only when out of earshot. Audible rings were seldom heard and overhearing conversations was only a theoretical possibility.

Talking on a cell phone in a restaurant was considered as rude as spitting on the tablecloth. It simply was not done. Phones did not go off in theatres, during home entertaining or at a business meeting, though outside on the sidewalk or inside the work cubicle personalized ring tones romped unbridled through the air.

I have noticed, however that there seems to be some connection between physics and metaphysics regarding the location, situation and loudness of an inbound call.