Digital-Lifestyles

Simon Perry

  • Vodafone launches 3G in Europe

    Vodafone have announced today that it will be starting its 3G service in Europe. Interestingly their first offering will be a data only service using the catchyly named Vodafone Mobile Connect 3G/GPRS data card, rather than a voice service. Slotting one of these into a laptop will provide data speed up to 384kbps.

    It is clear that Vodafone is not just throwing money at bring their 3G service to the public – they are taking a cautious, measured approach to it. The service is launching in seven European countries over the next four weeks; UK, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. The coverage will not be comprehensive to start, but will focus initially on major cities and grow through transport routes, then expand over the next few years. When the 3G service becomes too weak, the card will automatically fall back to GPRS without interrupting service.

    We feel there may be a number of reasons that Vodafone have launched their initial offering as a data service and not voice as was expected. In short, predictability – of income, subscribers and usage. The data service, aimed at businesses, will more than likely bring in more income than the voice service, for the use of the same infrastructure. It is unlikely that there will be thousands of individuals clamouring to get on to it and signing corporate accounts will give them a far better ability to plan for expansion and usage patterns. In addition, may be something as simple as they do not feel the handsets that are currently available would appeal to their clients.

    Vodafone

  • About Us

    The well respected, comprehensive event held in Moscow. This years conference covers:-

    • Digital Lifestyles
    • Production, Archive and Implementation of Audio/Video data
    • Intellectual property rights. Protection and control
    • “Electronic Russia”
    • Development of cable television
    • Broadband satellite service

    Sokolniki exhibition centre, Moscow MIDEXPO [email protected] http://www.cstb.ru/conf.en.html

  • Nokia to Buy Psion Out of Symbian

    Nokia has announced its intention to try and nearly double its shareholding in Symbian by buying Psion shares in the venture, taking them to a 63.3% holding. Symbian, created arguably the most successful rich media Operating System (OS) which is primarily used on mobile phones and portable devices. Almost 2.7m units were shipped with their OS in the first six months of 2003 and it is currently owned by seven partners; Ericsson, Panasonic, Nokia, Psion, Samsung, Siemens and Sony Ericsson.

    Nokia propose to pay Psion in two ways; £93.5 million (~$173.8m, ~€137.1m) as a fixed payment, plus £0.84 (~$1.56, ~€1.23) for every Symbian OS equipped phone Nokia sells during 2004 and 2005. Psion are currently estimating the deal will be worth around £135.7m (~$252.1m, ~€198.4m).

    This is not the first time there has been a significant shift in the Symbian ownership. Back in August 2003, co-incidentally Symbian’s fifth anniversary, Motorola announced it would exit Symbian, selling its 19% holding. The two partners picking it the holding were Psion who increased its holding from 25.3% to 31.1% and Nokia bought the rest of the Motorola shares, increasing its holding from 19% to 32.2%. Psion paid Motorola £17m (~$31.5m, ~€24.8m) cash, valuing Symbian at that time at £300m (~$557.4m, ~€438.4m). The current Nokia/Psion deal values Symbian at £430m (~$798.9m, ~€628.4m).

    At that time David Potter, Chairman of Psion gave hints at their possible exit from Symbian, “Psion will continue to play its role in driving Symbian towards the successful exploitation of its market. At the same time, realising the value of out investment in Symbian for the optimal benefit of Psion shareholders is a key strategic goal”

    This leaves two questions hanging in the air. What will happen to Symbian’s other minority shareholders now Nokia is far and away the largest shareholder? Where are Psion going now?

    The other owners, lead by Ericsson, the next largest owner (17.5%), may feel shouldered out of Symbian or indeed be uneasy providing income to their largest competitor. Currently the only other option they would have is to go the Microsoft route with their less than perfect offering.

    A few years ago Psion got out of the consumer hardware business and they also sold Psion Software to Visto in February for an undisclosed amount. They are now placing their bets on wireless applications in the enterprise. Initially growing Teklogix, which manufactures rugged, wireless devices to help companies streamline their logistics. They also plan to move into providing support to mobile workers in the field, such as medical staff who are visiting patients in their home.

    Teklogix is an area they feel they have a strong footing in this business already, making it is a defendable area with potential for great expansion. The CEO, Alistair Crawford says they plan to focus on RFID and Voice. The benefits of RFID in the warehousing business are well known. Psion also feel there is benefits in using voice input there, as the operators quite often need to have both hands free, or their not able to use their hands, for example in a refrigerator unit.

    Psion is a company that has changed considerably over its 25 years from its start writing software, in particular Chess for Sinclair computers, through single handedly pioneered the handheld computer market back in the 1980’s., to defending themselves against the onslaught from Microsoft. We’ll watch this space with interest.

    Nokia to purchase Psion shareholding in Symbian – Press release

    Interviews with Chair and CEO of Psion

    Visto Corporation Purchases Psion Software – Press release

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  • MovieLink Offer Re-rental

    MovieLink, the on-demand film service that delivers films via broadband Internet connections, is experimenting with different pricing models. They have launched an offer that permits their viewers to re-watch films that they have downloaded, paid for and watched. They call it MultiPlay.

    If a viewer has the urge to watch a film again within 30 days of the original rental, they can pay a normally reduced price to have another 24 hours access to it and have the advantage that the film does not have to be downloaded again. Not all films that MovieLink carry are included, presumably because of licensing restrictions, and the cost of re-renting varies but start at 99c.

    MovieLink

  • Viacom May Bid for EchoStar

    A strange twist of business fate may lead to Viacom becoming a suitor for EchoStar reports mergers and acquisitions specialist publication, MergerMarket.

    The reason for the surprise is that Viacom and EchoStar are currently locked in legal action. EchoStar Satellite is claiming that Viacom is illegally trying to force EchoStar to buy Viacom-owned MTV and other cable channels at unfair prices in exchange for the right to carry 18 CBS-owned stations in 15 big-city markets. One effect of the dispute might be that 1.6m EchoStar subscribers will not get to see the Super Bowl this coming Sunday.

    Researching the pieces, Rick Appin at MergerMarket took a sounding from the markets and found that they felt it was inevitable that EchoStar would be taken over due to large debts and a lack of programming.

    Unnamed sources close to the situation said Viacom would only interested in acquiring cable programming, television and radio stations, broadcast properties and outdoors advertising. They saw the benefits of the merger being savings on distribution and fees. Once merged it would also bring Viacom the strength it feels it needs to compete against Rupert Murdoch. News Corp recently to a 34% stake in US satellite company, DirecTV.

    There is also speculation that SBC Communications could be eyeing EchoStar, but the timing might right, with SBC having posted lower quarterly earnings on Monday.

    Clearly the pursuit of EchoStar would not be a one horse race. One analyst felt others might enter the bidding fray, saying “What is likely to happen is the ignition of a bidding war with the likes of SBC, Viacom and even Disney making a play for it”

    Merger Market

  • TiVo Consumes StrangeBerry

    TiVo has announced that it has acquired a company called StrangeBerry. The stock-for-stock deal actually took place on 12 January but the details have only just emerged due to a recent SEC-filing by TiVo. No real details have been released by TiVo as to why they have bought it, but in the filing TiVo describe it as

    a small Palo Alto based technology company specializing in using home network and broadband technologies to create new entertainment experiences on television

    Very little is known about StrangeBerry and the products they have been working on since its inception in April 2002. What is know is there are only a handful (five) of signed deals with companies like Coke & Fox to place promotional videos on TiVo’s and given TiVo has over one million paid up users, handling this would require a highly scalable solution. StrangeBerry could bring these skills.

    Time will tell – but it sounds interesting.

    TiVO SEC filing

    TiVo announcment about StrangeBerry

  • Review: Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Music

    ExtremeTech carry out a lightweight, initial review of the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Music which they rate as “the first wireless receiver we’ve tested that gets everything right.” The readers comments do not fully agree. Read review

  • Revolution At The Edge: Broadband Networks And Innovation

    The second conference from the Access to Broadband Campaign focusing on Innovative Technology, Strategy and Business Models for Furthering Affordable Access hosted by Cisco Systems Europe, Bedfont Lakes, Middlesex (near Hatton Cross/Heathrow Airport) http://www.liquidzope.com/abc/1n/conf2/programme/view

  • Warner Music Group to have New Head

    Digital-Lifestyles.info is not just about the content and the technology, it is also significant changes within companies behind them. This time interesting moves in the music world. It looks like there are grand plans afoot for the new Warner Music Group, after the completion of its $2.6Bn purchase by a consortium of investors led by Edgar Bronfman, Jr.

    Bronfman, who transformed Seagrams from an company that only sold alcohol to one encompassing music (Polygram music) and film (Universal pictures) empires, is not know for his mellow view on file sharing networks – “We must restrict the anonymity behind which people hide to commit crimes. As citizens, we have a right to privacy. We have no such right to anonymity”, he said when commenting on the Napster controversy.

    That might not mean that some of his ideas might not be radical. He has just hired Lyor Cohen, the current CEO of Island Def Jam Recordings, whose 21 year stint with Def Jam has included launching the careers of Run DMC, the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy. He is highly rated for his different approach to business by his long-time friend and business partner Russell Simmons – “When most people throw money at things, Lyor throws creativity … his vision is just different. You have to find new ways to do things. You have to be creative. The whole business needs to be revamped and Lyor knows how to do this and that’s why this new job is perfect for him.”

    Cohen will have control over the second most powerful music entertainment company, which according to Nielsen SoundScan have an 18% share of the market with only Universal ahead with 28%. Not bad for someone who starting as road manager for Run-DMC, especially given his package is rumoured to be worth $50 million.

    Hoffman is clear in his intentions, “Our fundamental focus is growing a competitive company”.

    USA Today – Lyor Cohen to head Warner Music Group

    Edgar Bronfman, Jr – profile