Music Cell Phone

2006-02-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

Apple Computer and Motorola announced a deal on Monday that will let customers of the iTunes digital music transfer their music onto the mobile handset maker's next generation of MP3-enabled phones. Under the agreement, Apple will create a new version of its iTunes software for cellular phones, which will be the default jukebox on Motorola's new line of products, slated to hit the market in the first half of next year. The companies did not provide any financial details on the arrangement.

"The mobile phone market...is a phenomenal opportunity to get iTunes in the hands of even more music lovers around the world," Apple Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs said in a statement. "We think Motorola is the ideal partner to kick this off."

The deal, the first for Apple in the mobile phone market, was a sign of the company's confidence that its iPod music player could withstand growing competition from a new generation of cell phones that play music as well as relay ordinary conversations.

Analysts have said that these new phones are likely to gain favor with consumers, in much the way camera phones have swept the market in the last year. But with relatively small storage space--just a few hours of music, as compared with the hundreds of hours in the iPod and its rivals--many do not see them as direct competition for hard-disk based music players.

Apple has made some overtures to mobile phone users in the past, releasing a version of its iSync software that allows people to sync contacts and other data between cell phones and Macintosh computers. It is also positioning its QuickTime multimedia software as a candidate for streaming video over cell phone networks.

But the Motorola deal also points to Apple's increasing--though still sharply limited--flexibility in cutting deals that will expand the reach of its brand without directly increasing sales of its hardware.

Last year, it agreed to let Hewlett-Packard distribute a co-branded version of the iPod, for example. Nevertheless, the company has steadfastly declined to give rival digital music companies licenses to the FairPlay copy-protection software that protects songs purchased from the popular iTunes song store. That license is required if any other MP3 player manufacturer wants to let its customers listen to iTunes songs without changing their format.

Jobs has previously said that the company makes little profit on songs sold online, and analysts view the song store largely as a way to help sell more iPods. So far, the strategy has been sound. The company sold more than 860,000 iPod units last quarter, up from 304,000 in the first quarter of 2003, before the launch of the iTunes store.

Apple's announcement comes a day after RealNetworks said it had figured out a way to make Apple's iPod play music sold by RealNetworks' online music store, without Apple's permission.

RealNetworks Chief Executive Officer Rob Glaser had previously sought to license Apple's copy-protection technology for this purpose, but Apple had declined the request. In response, RealNetworks' own engineers developed their own version of the FairPlay technology, which they said also works on the iPod.

Apple executives have declined to comment on RealNetworks' new software, saying they have not yet seen the product. The software, dubbed Harmony, is scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

Sony Ericsson Music Cell Phone

2005-12-26T10:59:00.000-08:00

17th October 2005, – Sony Corporation and Sony Ericsson today announced a new jointly developed Home Audio System that enables owners of Sony Ericsson Walkman music phones to enjoy their mobile music collections in full Hi-Fi sound quality. The Home Audio System MDS-70 is a stylish phone cradle which connects to a set of high performance speakers, so all the user need do is nest the phone in the cradle, press Play and enjoy the full, rich sound that is synonymous with Sony home Hi-Fi products.

“As you build up your favourite music collection on your Walkman phone, it’s good to be able to enjoy those tracks in great quality when you reach home or the workspace,” says Steve Walker, Head of Product Marketing. “Now you can enjoy your mobile music directly from the phone without the need to transfer files or build duplicate collections. The sound performance is just as you’d expect from a fully featured Hi-Fi, because the Sony technology inside has the power to deliver very high quality audio from a very small system.”

The high quality audio of the Home Audio System MDS-70 is made possible by Sony S-Master, a digital audio technology that is embedded in Sony products ranging from home Hi-Fi, home theatre systems to car audio, TV and Vaio PC’s. It is the S-Master technology that gives these products, even the smallest micro-Hi-Fi, a full, rich sound quality that is unique to Sony.

Stylish, contemporary design and ease of use gives the Home Audio System great appeal for any home or office environment. The speaker stand can be controlled from the remote control and the system conveniently charges the phone while it’s nestled in the cradle. Users can enjoy their music on the move then come home, place the phone onto the cradle and enjoy the same music in their home or office, knowing the phone is being charged for the next time they leave the building.

The Home Audio System is the perfect companion to the growing range of Sony Ericsson Walkman phones, including the latest UMTS version, the W900, which is also announced today. The speaker stand will be available globally from Q1 2006 from both Sony Ericsson (Home Audio System MDS-70) and Sony (Cradle Audio CPA-001) and will be distributed through consumer electronics as well as mobile telecoms outlets.
Home Audio System MDS-70 / Cradle Audio CPA-001 – Technical Summary

Main Unit comprises:

* Amplifier plus left/right speakers

Features:

* Total RMS25W
* S-Master Digital Amplifier
* Neodymium magnet speaker units
* Shielded speakers
* Surround Mode by Digital Signal Processor
* Handset Battery Charging
* Tone Control (Bass, Treble)
* Line In x 1
* Remote control