Realeyes3D announced today that it is releasing a new technology that allows mobile phone cameras to read 1D barcodes. The 1D barcode is that mysterious strip of lines and numbers that appears on everything from a bag of potato chips to your cell phone battery. Standard 1D barcodes are everywhere, printed on billions of products worldwide and already linked to a vast number of both free and commercial databases.

In the past, cell phone cameras have had trouble taking a clear picture of a barcode. When shot at close distance, beyond minimum focus distance of most camera phones, barcode lines become blurred. This makes the image useless for decoding. Realeyses3D’s new application overcomes this blurring for most camera phones making barcodes accessible.

“Our technology dramatically increases both the number of camera phones that can be used for 1D bar code scanning and the decoding performance of any camera phone, by increasing the number of bar code pictures that can be read,” said Benoit Bergeret , founder and CEO of Realeyes3D. “Our unique deblurring technology enables mobile 1D bar code scanning to considerably expand its scope and accelerates the introduction of one-click m-commerce applications for the benefit of all camera phone users — not just for high-end users anymore.”

Mobile 1D bar code scanning has a market adoption potential that far exceeds that of mobile 2D bar code scanning, because 1D bar codes are already present on myriads of manufactured goods and printed content. On the contrary, 2D barcodes still have to be affixed on goods and content.

RealEyes3D’s mobile 1D bar code decoding technology is available either for embedding on handsets or as a server library. It can also be deployed in any back-end architecture supporting 2D bar code decoding and is compatible with the decoding of all 1D bar code formats.

Mobile phone barcode scanning has been around for a few years but hasn’t caught on with the public where it has been tried. The concept seems solid enough and the advertising and informational potential is enormous. Anyone who has scanned their own groceries or worked as a cashier understands that those lines and numbers represent important information. But scanning items with a cell phone hasn’t become the trendy thing to do like text messaging has become. I think Realeyes3D’s scanning technology will mostly sit on the shelf until the public is introduced to fun and practical reasons for scanning barcodes with their cell phones.

Realeyes3D

If you want to be the first on the block to own the world’s slimmest waterproof 3G Mobile Phone, you should buy a Fujitsu F705i. The handset is only 13.7 mm thick and is being marketed as the thinnest waterproof phone ever made. A lot of technology went into making this phone to meet IPX5 and IPX7 waterproof standards. This wonder will work even after being sprayed or submersed in water for 30 minutes.

This device is perfect for those of use who like to make calls while in the bathtub or while floating in the pool. Unfortunately, it won’t allow divers to make calls from the bottom of the ocean. The waterproofing is only good in depths up to one meter. So if you want to call the Coast Guard to rescue you from circling sharks, you’ll need something else.

It’s unknown if this phone is beer resistant or not. If you get one, submerse it in your favorite draft and let me know. This could be the perfect cell phone for sloppy drunks on the go.

Fujitsu

AT&T announced today stronger-than-expected wireless growth in the fourth quarter. Investors were concerned that a slowdown in the U.S. economy would hurt the company’s subscriber growth. But AT&T added 2.7 net new wireless subscribers in the quarter. This is higher than the 1.92 million subscribers that some analysts had predicted.

AT&T’s fourth-quarter profit was $3.1 billion, or 51 cents per share, as compared to last year’s fourth quarter that posted a $1.9 billion profit.

“It was a solid quarter certainly,” said Stifel Nicolaus analyst Chris King. “It’s certainly a positive and they reiterated guidance for 2008. … In this type of market, any reiteration of guidance has to be viewed positively.”

“We had an excellent fourth quarter, which affirms our outlook for 2008,” Chief Executive Randall Stephenson said in a statement.

It was announced today that Japan’s largest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo, is partnering with Google to provide customers Internet searches and other services from the search engine giant. NTT DoCoMo currently uses its own i-mode to provide mobile Internet services.

By spring of this year, Google will be set as the default search portal page. Keyword-based advertisements will appear on search result pages through Google’s AsWords advertising platform. DoCoMo also plans to develop cell phones that can use Google’s Android mobile software. Android is expected to be available in Japan in the last half of this year.

NTT DoCoMo has nearly 53 million subscribers which represents more than half of Japan’s mobile phone market. In recent months it has struggled to sign-up new subscribers because of competition from KDDI and Softbank. These competitors have cut rates and conducted aggressive sales promotions.

Japanese cell phone subscriptions exceed 100 million, with 70 million users accessing the internet with their mobile phones. Yahoo Japan is currently the mobile search engine leader in Japan. This partnership will give Google better access to the Japanese search engine market.

Motorola announced today that its profit fell 84% in the fourth quarter and that its handset division is struggling. CEO Greg Brown acknowledged that the No. 3 cellphone maker isn’t doing what needs to be done to keep and improve its global handset market share. At the end of 2006, Motorola had 23% worldwide market share. By the end of 2007 it dropped to 13%.

“Demand for some of our products has slowed in an intensified competitive landscape,” he said on a conference call. “Our consistency of new product introduction is still not where it needs to be. And we still have gaps in the portfolio in areas that are experiencing high rates of growth, including 3G (third-generation), China and other emerging markets.”

The mobile phone unit lost $388 million and shipped 40.9 million handsets during the fourth quarter. In morning trading, Motorola shares dropped $1.97 which is about 16% of its value. Overall company sales fell to $9.65 billion from $11.79 billion from a year ago.

JMP Securities analyst Samuel Wilson said there’s “still a long way to go before Motorola is fixed.”

“Motorola still has a number of issues with its volatile business model. We believe it may be one to two years before the company has redeveloped its handset business to be less hits-driven and more platform-oriented,” he said in a note to investors.

Motorola

The mobile advertising company Ad Infuse announced today that it has secured $12 million in financing. New investor SoftBank capital led this new financing round, which also includes existing investors ComVentures and Storm Ventures.

The money will be used to promote and develop Ad Infuse’s mobile advertising network and platform, adInMotion. The company will also invest in its adInTouch, which allows advertisers to connect with consumers across all mobile media formats such as video games, mobile browsing and podcasts.

SoftBank Capital’s Mike Perlis will join the Ad Infuse board of directors. Mr. Perlis has served as a media industry CEO with over 20 years of experience managing a wide range of content and multi-media brands, including President and CEO of Ziff-Davis Publishing, President of TVSM, President and CEO of IDG, Publisher of GQ, and built the Rodale Active Sports Network. He also serves on the boards of several companies including Paltalk and Associated Content, and was a past board member of Zinio, Industry Brains, and Enpocket.

“The momentum Ad Infuse has built with its unique focus on enabling the full mobile advertising ecosystem is impressive” said Mike Perlis, partner at SoftBank Capital. “The company has been very effective in delivering innovative technology solutions, serving top advertising partners, and building a management team with deep media and mobile experience. We believe strongly that Ad Infuse is well-positioned to lead and build long-term success in this high-growth market.”

“This caps a banner year for Ad Infuse and launches an exciting next stage of the company’s growth,” said Brian Cowley, CEO of Ad Infuse. “We continue to see incredible demand for our consumer-centric approach to campaigns that leverage rich-media and privacy-sensitive targeting for a premium mobile advertising experience. We’re very pleased to have such top tier investors, adding one of the strongest digital media focused investors to our existing board, as we build continued success.”

Ad Infuse

Zumbi has entered into a business agreement with Microsoft. Zumbi’s Zooming User Interface and mobile widget platform will appear on Windows Mobile. The applications are compatible with Windows Mobile versions 5.0 and newer.

“Currently shipping on devices from more than 48 device makers with 125 mobile operators in 55 countries, Windows Mobile is one of the most accessible and familiar mobile computing platforms,” said Eric Hertz, CEO of Zumobi. “This strategic partnership benefits all of our constituencies – consumers, developers, content providers, carriers and advertisers – and enables us to continue building momentum quickly with our audience of techno-culturists and mobile business users.”

Worldwide, over 140 devices are based on Windows Mobile. These handsets include mobile versions of Office Outlook, Office Word, Office Excel, Office PowerPoint and Internet Explorer, giving people access to critical business data such as documents, contacts, e-mail, calendar items and tasks.

“Zumobi originated in our IP Ventures program as the work of a world-class research team, and demonstrates how Microsoft works with innovative independent companies to provide people with some of the best sets of services and applications available,” said John O’Rourke, General Manager, Mobile Communications Business at Microsoft. “Zumobi is a strong complement to Windows Mobile in that both it and Microsoft offer our customers innovative yet easy ways to access all their information while they’re on the go —making their phone the best companion for their entire life.”

Zumobi

HTC’s Smart handset family of products, which is billed as a rival to Apple’s iPhone, sold 2 million units last year. The company sold nearly 12 million handsets overall last year, roughly a 12% increase over 2006 sales. Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced last week that his company sold more than 4 million iPhones since its launch.

The HTC Touch uses Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 software and is similar to the iPhone. The handset has a touch screen interface that takes up most of the device’s front. The Touch was launched in June of 2007, just weeks before the iPhone was initially launched in the United States. After the American debut, the iPhone was launched in various European and Asian countries.

“The first quarter looks good, it will be a lot better than our first quarter last year,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO of HTC, at a year-end party Friday evening.

“We’ve seen no impact from global economic turmoil. We feel pretty good about this quarter,” said Chou.

The Japanese government is planning to offer exams for people who want to be mobile phone guides. The guides will help customers learn how to use all the functions that their phones offer and explain the complicated billing system used to charge for various services like text messaging and data downloads. In Japan, talking on the phone while commuting in a bus or train is frowned upon so many users will text message or Web brows while in transit.

“The scheme is aimed at helping users understand not only complicated functions of mobile phones but also complicated pricing formulas,” said an official at the telecoms ministry.

The mobile guides will be employed in shops that sell handsets. Besides explaining how to use their phones and explain the billing system, guides will help parents learn how to control the Web browsing of their children.

Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS) announced today that it is negotiating with Apple for the right to carry the iPhone on its network. Apple plans to expand the iPhone franchise to Asian countries this year. The popular handset is currently available in the United States and large European countries.

“We are negotiating on details, including a revenue sharing standard. Apple needs a local operator to promote iPhone,” Prattana Leelapanang, assistant vice president for AIS’s wireless business marketing, told Reuters.

This news comes after last week’s setback in China. The world’s largest cellular operator, China Mobile, stopped negotiations with Apple for the iPhone. Revenue-sharing percentages became an issue that broke down the talks. It is believed that Apple still wants to sell the iPhone in China and it may talk with China Unicom now that China Mobile isn’t interested in a deal with Apple.

Apple is currently in talks with NTT DoCoMo and Softband to bring the iPhone to Japan. Sources from both phone companies say that revenue-sharing is a hotly contested issue. It seems as though Apple is driving a hard bargain with whatever carrier it negotiates with.

AIS’s chief marketing officer Sanchai Thiewprasertkul thinks Apple may have to alter its business model if the iPhone is to come to Thailand. Apple has been asking operators to bundle iPhones with postpaid plans and share revenue with the service providers. According to Mr. Sanchai this model may not work in Thailand.

”Given our one baht a minute of airtime, it would not make sense and would be impossible for us to share revenue with Apple,” he said, adding that more than 90% of mobile-phone users are prepaid.

One Thai baht is worth about 3 cents so it does seem ludicrous for Apple to ask for a percentage. But Apple doesn’t want to divert from its business model for the iPhone. It would make negotiations in countries like China and Japan more difficult if a Thai mobile carrier were given a non-revenue-sharing deal.