From the article:

When it comes to mobile web browsing, men outnumber women almost nine to one according to a new study released by browser development firm Opera Software. Opera reports that more than 88 percent of mobile web surfers worldwide are male–in addition, the majority of consumers accessing the mobile web via the firm’s Opera Mini browser are between the ages of 18 and 27, with more than 14.7 million total users browsing 2.9 billion pages in May 2008 alone, a 23 percent increase since March. In all, Opera Mini served more than 43.2 million MB of data traffic in May, increasing 30.4 percent in two months’ time.

Source: FierceMobileContent

The Case of the Missing White Pages

There’s no white pages for cellphone numbers, and it doesn’t seem likely that there’ll be one soon. A few years ago, the cellphone industry’s main trade group hired a company to assemble such a directory, but the effort collapsed after some carriers lobbied against it and surveys showed a majority of customers didn’t want it. Subsequent efforts have fared little better: Earlier this year, a company called Intelius shuttered an online directory of 90 million mobile numbers amid anger from cellphone users and threats from Verizon. (Intelius — not Intellius, as I had it earlier — still offers a reverse-lookup service, for a fee.)

In backpedaling, Intelius said that “it’s clear the market is still not ready.” But it may never be.

The principal reason there’s no cellphone directory is simple: We don’t want one.
…
Why not? Because in a number of important ways, the cellphone is more of a break with traditional telephone service than it is an evolution of it. And those differences will only become more apparent in the coming years.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Global Gab Guide

There are a myriad of ways to stay connected while travelling abroad. We sort them out here.

See Also: Lingo Navigator (Product Review)

This gadget aims to make multilingual exchanges easier, but is it worth purchasing for your next international trip?

Source: Laptop Magazine

Surfing the Web on a personal computer will become old-fashioned in less than ten years when the majority of Internet users are expected to access the Net through their mobile handsets, Geraldine Wilson, vice president of Yahoo! Europe Connected Life, told EurActiv in an interview.

Direct to the interview.

Source: EurActiv.com

From the article:

More than one-third of workers would choose their mobile phone over their wallet, keys, laptop or digital music player if they had to leave the house for 24 hours and could take only one item, a new survey has found.

Source: Reuters

+ EU Warns Google Of Privacy Problems With ‘Street View’ Service

+ Google Names Winners In First Round Of Android Contest

+ Hitwise: Google Again Hits New High; Microsoft & Yahoo Again New Lows

+ Google Updates Earth Imagery & Begins To Blur Faces

From the announcement:

The Associated Press today debuted its Mobile News Network, a multimedia news portal targeted at wireless users who want access anytime and anywhere to international, national and local news content from the cooperative and its members. The web application has been optimized for use on iPhones and can be accessed directly at apnews.com or via iPhone web application pages at www.iphone.com/webapps.

Source: AP

Postscript: APNews.com also works quickly and efficiently on our 700P Treo.

Direct to List

Companies on the list (in alphabetical order):
* Blue Pulse
* Carrier IQ
* Celltrust
* Cequint
* ChaCha
* DeviceAnywhere
* Firetide
* Loopt
* mFoundry
* Pelago
* Sequans Communications
* SkyCross
* Ubiquisys
* uLocate
* vLingo

Source: FierceWireless

From the list:

1) AT&T Mobility
2) Verizon
3) Sprint

From the article:

AT&T Mobility maintained its position as the industry’s No. 1 carrier, ending last year with just over 70 million subscribers. The carrier’s growth included the acquisition of Dobson Communications Corp., which added 1.7 million customers to its base.

Source: RCR Wireless

From The Third Branch:

Like most federal courts, the Northern District of Illinois created its website long before the advent of e-filing and the proliferation of hand-held computers.

But on March 1, it became what is believed to be the first federal court to offer a mobile version of its website.

The mobile version, made possible by specially designed software, allows visitors using a PDA, BlackBerry, or other hand-held device to navigate the Chicago-based court’s website just as if using a desk-bound computer.

Direct to Mobile Web Site

From the news release:

V-ENABLE is announcing FreeMobile411â„¢, a mobile search service now available on any web-enabled handset free of charge at freemobile411.com and fm411.mobi. FreeMobile411â„¢ features not only 14 million businesses and 140 million residential listings but it also allows users to browse by category, get maps, driving directions, see other businesses nearby and connect to an operator if needed at any time during the process.

+ Language Limit Showdown (via Search Engine Showdown)

+ The Friendlier Face of MapQuest For Mobile Web, Now With Live Traffic
See Also: MapQuest Beta

+ EDGAR’s new companion, EMMA (via FGI)

+ Google Executive Says On Track With Android Phone In 2nd Half (via Dow Jones)

Google isn’t concerned about getting squeezed out by the carriers or rival Yahoo Inc., which has been aggressive with its mobile applications, [Rich] Miner said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires. When users find a browser on their cellphone, they typically end up going to Google, he added.

+ Voice-to-Text Services Proliferate (via PhoneScoop)
Note: Another service we use is Jott.com, it’s free. We also like reQall.com. It’s also available at no charge.

+ Verizon Enters The ‘Voice Search’ Fray With 1-800-THE-INFO (via SEL)

+ TechSoup Announces NetSquared Top 21 Mashup Challenge Finalists

+ Yahoo Introduces Wide Range Of Mobile Search Improvements (via SEL)

+ UK: NHS websites grow in popularity (via Kable’s)

+ Free WiFi at the British Library from 1 October 2008

The Conference on Convergence and Connectivity 2008: Broadband, Wireless and Mobile: Archived Conference Webcast

The Conference on Convergence and Connectivity 2008 (CCC 2008): Broadband, Wireless and Mobile brings together the best available input from industry, government and academia to develop a vision for digitally connected communities with an emphasis upon the applications and services delivered to public, private and individual users. By gathering leaders from different fields in a neutral setting, we hope to address opportunities created by digital communications technologies, as well as to develop guidance of values in a long-term strategy for future innovations.

The conference took place on Wednesday, March 26, 2008.

Source: Rice University