Yahoo!, one of the largest Web mail services, will now provide free mobile phone text messaging for users. Yahoo! Mail now allows users to send free text messages to mobile phone numbers in the Untied States, Canada, India and the Philippines. Instant messaging and enhanced e-mail services have also been added.

The new Yahoo! Mail allows people to connect in real-time to their contacts in Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger or Windows Live Messenger. Users can convert their e-mail messages into IM chats or switch to a text message dialogue with the click of a button, for when friends come online or go mobile.

“We have always been focused on making it easy for people to connect to those who matter most to them, and during the beta testing period of the new Yahoo! Mail, we were able to incorporate a number of enhancements based on valuable feedback from our users,” said Yahoo! Mail. “Now, with the all-new Yahoo! Mail, we’re creating a more social e-mail experience. In addition, we wanted to make sure that people have the best possible Web mail experience regardless of their geographic location, preferences or system, so we’re continuing to offer our trusted Yahoo! Mail Classic interface.”

It is too early to tell if Yahoo!’s new services will be embraced, but from where I’m sitting it sounds good. Free can’t go wrong, can it?

Yahoo!

FlickIM, a company that went into service on July 15, 2007, listens to its subscribers and adds services to its AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) chat application that is tailored for the iPhone through democratic methods. Users can send lists of services that they would like to see provided on the application and FlickIM adds the most popular services.

FlickIM has recently added text messaging, email modification and user generated skin options. To test user’s creativity, FlickIM has started a contest called “Show Us Some Skin.” Winners will be given prizes that range from iPhone Bluetooth headsets to Apple gift cards. Well-received entries will be made available to all customers.

The FlickIM service will now inform a user that a text message or email has come in, even if the user has navigated away from the FlickIM chat window or turned off the iPhone. In response to the iPhone’s inability to provide an audible alert to web browser-based activity, FlickIM developed a text messaging system which notifies the iPhone user via text message that an incoming instant message has been received. Email notification provides the same alert service with the incoming message being recorded and delivered to a specified email address. Customers can manage incoming messages while using other functions without a diversion.

FlickIM is clearly a hungry company that wants to provide services customers desire. Sometimes large companies create services that come from focus-groups, and end up flops. Sitting around in a conference room talking about a desirable application isn’t the same as real life needs. By letting customers vote on what they want, FlickIM is able to release useful upgrades without spending resources on things that may end up unpopular.

FlickIM

In 2003 Nokia launched the N-Gage, a taco-shaped video game and mobile phone hybrid. The device was so poorly designed that it got the nickname Frankenphone. The battery actually had to be removed to insert a game cartridge. To make a call, the bulky N-Gage had to be hoisted up to the head and held sideways. Sales were so poor that Nokia stopped making the N-Gage in 2005.

Since then the worldwide market for mobile phone games has blossomed. It is estimated that this year $4 billion worth of mobile game software will be sold to an entertainment starved planet. This number is predicted to double by 2011. Not wanting to be left out of the lucrative market, Nokia is re-launching the N-Gage service on some of its Series 60 smartphones this week. The rest of Series 60 smartphones will be N-Gage compatible by 2008.

Popular game publishers like Electronic Arts, Digital Chocolate and Capcom will develop the software gamers crave.

“With our global reach, it’s important to have strong, well respected global partners,” said Gregg Sauter, Director of Third Party Publishing, Nokia. “For many years, Capcom has been entertaining consumers around the world with exceptional gaming experiences. We’ve now reached a point with mobile technologies where companies like Capcom can deliver a whole new level of mobile entertainment. The N-Gage platform will enable this evolution with devices that deliver enhanced graphics and a development tool kit that allows for online tournaments, communities, multiplayer games and, of course, global distribution.”

Many N-Gage games will allow payers to connect with each other for head-to-head or cooperative play. Games can be downloaded over wirelesss networks or through the internet to a user’s PC. Games installed from a PC will contain larger files for an enhanced audio and visual experience. If Nokia is getting back into the game business after its failed Frankenphone, there must be a pile of money to be made from mobile games.

Nokia
Electronic Arts
Digital Chocolate
Capcom

Zannel, a company that specializes in mobile phone social networking has teamed up with Ripe Digital Entertainment, a provider of photo and video clips. Zannel users can now watch and share favorite clips and videos with friends by utilizing Zannel’s Send-To-Phone player.

“The demand for instant entertainment on mobile phones is at an all-time high and Zannel is dedicated to filling this need with an easy and compelling mobile entertainment experience,” said Adam Zbar, CEO, Zannel. “Ripe’s devoted fan base can now watch their favorite shows on-the-go and share them with their friends at any moment.”

Ripe Digital Entertainment’s videos are geared towards the fast life that many mobile phone users live. Videos are between 5 and 15 minutes in length, and target audiences between the ages of 18-34. Currently, Zannel has three customized channels from Ripe.

RipeTV: Hot targets men. Content includes supermodels, comedy and shows like, “Sexy & Single,” “Spring Break” and “Stuff 4 Dudes.” If you have a jealous girlfriend you may want to hide viewing this one.

OctaneTV features street racing, auto stunts and automotive news. Don’t tell your insurance company you watch this.

FlowTV is for the hip-hop nation crowd. The language, music and culture of hip-hop is examined for the urban warrior in us all.

“Zannel provides a perfect demo for Ripe Digital’s highly entertaining programming, and a solid mobile infrastructure,” said Ryan Magnussen, CEO of Ripe Digital Entertainment. “We also look forward to users discussing their favorite Ripe shows with each other via Zannel’s new IMM (Instant Media Messaging) features.”

Ripe Digital Entertainment
Zannel

This week Truphone introduced their new InTones service, which is free for both callers and recipients. This new feature offers a selection of ringtone sounds that their calls where hear. The choices are rock, jazz, bluegrass, hip-hop, ska, disco, Euro house, “standard” and something called Truphone. These InTones are played by the Truphone servers before the call is connected.

“Truphone InTones use the Internet to bring an enjoyable and free service to customers,” said James Tagg, Truphone’s chief executive officer, “typifying Truphone’s fresh approach to mobile communications.”

Anyone with a suitable handset can add a bit of the Truphone vibe by sending an SMS with the word “Tru” to 44 7624 000000.

While adding some music might be pleasant for some callers, I’ll take the basic ring, ring sound any day. What’s music to my ears, a call that goes through while I’m in the concrete canyons of New York City.

Truphone Press Release

There are more than 700 wireless devices on the market in U.S. today estimates the CTIA, and that means a lot of options for mobile content providers. So is now the time for action? Well it is according to Action Engine Corporation of Bellevue, Washington, which announced support for Windows Mobile 6.0 powered devices including the T-Mobile DASH and WING phones.

“Device support is the most critical issue facing any mobile application developer today,” said Scott G. Silk, president and CEO of Action Engine. “Media companies and content providers must deliver their wireless data services on today’s most popular handsets to get the consumer reach necessary to drive uptake and generate significant revenues. Action Engine considers wide device support an essential component of our offering, and we are pleased to be one of the first ODP vendors to support the newest Windows Mobile 6.0 powered devices.” Action Engine recently partnered with MSNBC.com to create a Windows Mobile 6.0 version of the news site.

IDC has forecast that Windows Mobile could experience the largest growth of any mobile operating system by 2010. Despite this forecast, Action Engine isn’t fully hedging its bets with just Windows Mobile 6.0 devices. The company also supports popular Java, Brew and Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. Clearly it is nice to have all the bases covered!

MSNBC Mobile
Action Engine

When I was in grade school I had a friend who had a set of Legos that we played with for hours at a time. When I asked for my own set for Christmas, I was disappointed to open a set of cheap knockoffs called Lock Blocks. Thanks to the good people at Emdigo, I can finally overcome my disappointment with LEGO 3D Action Screens.

Emdigo is a company founded by a group of graphics and video game industry gurus. The goal of the company is to take mobile phone software to new heights in the graphics entertainment arena. By teaming up with HandsOn Mobile, Emdigo has created a visual smorgasbord for Lego fans. Some may even call it art.

Emdigo

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology are working with extremely high radio frequencies that have already achieved broad bandwidth and high data transmission rates over short distances. The hope is that within three years 60 gigahertz (60 GHz) can be broadcast over vast networks like lower frequencies that are now being utilized. This could create a revolution in new mobile applications.

Currently the lab has been able to transfer data at a rate of 15 gigabits per second (Gbps) at a distance of one meter. This translates to a data transfer of nearly two gigabytes (GB) per second. If the broadcast distance can be increased, it won’t be long before you can download an entire move onto your mobile phone in seconds. Diverse devices such as external hard drives, lap tops, and other wireless wonders are well suited for this break-through.

If you are worried that 60 GHz will melt the chocolate in your pocket or interfere with the workstation next to yours, don’t. The transmitted power is extremely low, in the vicinity of 10 milliwatts. A 60 GHz frequency is stopped by human skin and can’t penetrate walls that separate people in an office or apartment setting. This thing won’t pop your popcorn for you while you download a good movie.

Caveat: before you invest money in the 60 GHz miracle, remember the laws of nature apply even to mobile devices. To date, high data transfers haven’t been made over distances more than a few meters. Equipment that boosts these distances may not be economically feasible or physically possible. It is going to be a long time before you can stand on the moor and download your favorite movie in high definition on the 60 GHz frequency.

Georgia Institute of Technology

MobileCrunch reported earlier this month that Chinese Pirates Copy (the) iPhone. Not to be undone by China, American pirates have unlocked the iPhone booty chest. 17-year-old George Hotz spent 500 hours this summer with a twelve-pounder soldering iron and a T-Mobile SIM card grappling hook to steal AT&T’s and Apple’s pieces-of-eight. Other pirates also claim to have cracked AT&T’s exclusive license with Apple that is imbedded into the iPhone.

Modified iPhones are appearing for sale on places like eBay, and instructions for modifying the popular mobile device are springing up all over the Web. Apple built the iPhone with a locked SIM card to keep people from inserting a SIM that competes with AT&T. This lock has been picked, and both companies could lose millions of dollars.

AT&T has a five year agreement with Apple for the license to provide wireless service for the iPhone in the United States. An iPhone in America requires the user to sign a two year contract with AT&T. Apple is paid a percentage from AT&T for each call made on an iPhone over AT&T’s airwaves.

Pirate activity could interfere with negotiations between Apple and European operators who want an exclusive iPhone franchise in their countries. MobileCrunch reported earlier this month that Apple is to Share Operators Revenue in the lucrative European market. Three companies, T-Mobile of Germany, Orange of France, and O2 UK have agreed to pay Apple 10% of all revenues generated from iPhone calls and data functions. If the iPhone can’t be locked down, these agreements may be in jeopardy.

AT&T and Apple may be forced to hire pirate hunters to stop iPhone piracy. They could sue distributors of modified iPhones under copyright law. And if the companies’ lawyers are worth their salt, they can argue that distributing modified iPhones interferes with the business relationship between Apple and AT&T. It will be more difficult to go after people who distribute information on how to modify an iPhone, but anyone who bought an iPhone from a legal distributor signed a contract promising not to modify the device. It’s conceivable that Apple may demand the return of any iPhones that have been modified.

If you are a swashbuckler trying to take advantage of this new development beware: piracy is a hanging offence.

AT&T
Apple

Want better mobile Internet access? Well, moving to the British Isles might be in order, or at least a trip to Ireland and the U.K. Vodafone has announced that has teamed up with Google, Myspace, eBay and YouTube in an effort to provide a more enhanced and robust service with those sites.

Additionally Vodafone mobile Internet users will access compressed and rearranged content of these and other Web sites to make it more mobile-friendly. The debate continues to wage on what is the best method for displaying Web sites on a mobile phone, but Vodafone is taking the route of compressing the content for its specific phones. Hopefully this should allow more streamlined use of the mobile Web. We’d hate to think anyone might fail to put in that eBay bid!

The service will be available to Vodafone’s 3G and 2.5G customers, and will allow users to surf the mobile Web for a fee of 99 (Euro) cents, or pay a fee of €9.99 per month. Of course there will be what Vodafone is calling “fair usage” price caps. Considering that YouTube and MySpace are in the mix we can hope that usage cap is actually fair.

[Via Irish Times]