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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Moderated Thread - please read rules before posting -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: John Biddle who wrote (32969)	2/28/2003 5:29:20 PM
From: John Biddle	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 196650

Tracking services trapped by shortage By Ben Charny, CNET News.com February 28, 2003, 6:20 AM PT zdnet.com.com BURLINGAME, Calif.--Developers of location-tracking services say they're finally making some headway into the consumer market, but a shortage in handsets that connect to the technology could hamper their plans. Industry leaders gathering Thursday for the GPS-Wireless 2003 conference here said so-called location-based technology is moving beyond niche services such as Wherify Wireless' child finder devices and Autodesk's software that pinpoints shipments that go astray. Newer services are offering consumers everything from finding a potential mate to personal mobile maps. Online dating service Match.com, for instance, recently announced its 8 million registered users can now find each other using AT&T Wireless' location technology. People can determine a potential suitor's approximate geographical location by using their wireless phones. And in March, car rental company Avis will kick off its "Avis Assist" service in Dallas and Dulles, Va., which determines a person's location and reads turn-by-turn directions out loud over a Motorola phone. Location-based services rely on Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, which uses satellites in space to transmit location data to devices on Earth. Similar plans from other companies are under way. One of the biggest breakthroughs in the technology this year: A major U.S. telephone company will launch a cell phone 411 service that pinpoints a person's location, said Joe Astroth, vice president of Autodesk's location products. Nonetheless, "Avis Assist" is a good example of just how much promise these new applications have--but how far they still have to go. The majority of Avis customers have cell phones. But the company still is forced to rent phones because less than 1 percent of the world's billion wireless phones have the appropriate gear inside, according to an Avis representative. Analysts recently estimated that there are 10 million GPS handsets being sold now. There are about 140 million cell phones in the United States, and a billion worldwide. Verizon Wireless, Nextel Communications and Sprint PCS are some of the few companies that sell location-enabled phones. Qualcomm makes most of the cell phone GPS chips. David Rudd, a spokesman for handset maker Motorola, said companies need to see a demand before committing to making large quantities of a product. However, he said, demand for location phones may pick up. "Avis is the first we're seeing of commercial interest. Everyone will eventually find use for it," Rudd said. Another factor is that wireless carriers haven't completely readied their networks. The Federal Communications Commission tasked carriers in 1996 with providing a way for emergency call centers to know the whereabouts of cell phones dialing 911. Carriers are starting to focus on meeting the mandate--and very slowly at that--rather than developing applications to sell to customers, said Dana Thorat, a wireless analyst at IDC. Carriers are "sticking to their core competencies," said Timothy Neher, chief executive officer of Wherify Wireless. "For the consumer, it'll be five years before (location tracking) is in a lot of people's lives." But still, a few carriers aren't as reluctant. AT&T is likely to launch a location 411 service this year, and Nextel Communications is expected to launch a tracking service soon. Thorat believes once the handsets are readily available, the market will develop, especially with the recent release of new location software. By 2006, about 52 million people will be using Avis Assist and other commercial location services, generating $2.7 billion in the United States, Thorat said. For now, revenue generated by consumers using location services is essentially zero, she said. Autodesk's Astroth believes most wireless carriers will implement the technology sooner rather than later. Similar networks already have been up and running in Italy since October, where mobile carrier Telecom Italia Mobile is offering what is essentially a "panic button" for cell phones. Push the appropriate keypad combination, and a voice on the other end will offer things like travel directions, the nearest hospital or other location-related items, he said. "I don't believe we have to wait five years," he said. "2003 will be the year of deal-making and deployment."

To: John Biddle who wrote (32969)	3/4/2003 8:55:09 AM
From: waitwatchwander	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 196650

M7 Networks Launches BREW™ Extension for Game Developers hoovnews.hoovers.com LA JOLLA, Calif., March 4 /PRNewswire/ -- M7 Networks Inc. (M7), a leading BREW extension developer and back-end service provider, today announced the launch of M7 Challenge, the company's first extension for QUALCOMM's Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless™ (BREW) platform. The extension enables BREW developers to create applications that enable end users to compete for high scores against other users. The extension also allows consumers to submit and retrieve the latest scores, as well as catalog non-personal user information and maintain player scores. "We have learned from the Internet model that game players like to not only compete against each other, but track and post their scores and results," said William Erickson, president and chief executive officer, M7 Networks. "The combination of compelling BREW games and the functionality provided by M7 Challenge will result in end users competing against players near and far." M7 is partnering with leading content owners, application developers and publishers, to integrate M7 Challenge into BREW applications. Developers will find M7 Challenge beneficial as it provides them with a cost effective and efficient means of facilitating high score functionality in their applications, resulting in more attractive games and a better overall experience. "QUALCOMM is thrilled to have M7 Networks launch this exciting BREW extension for BREW developers," said Jan Lezny, senior director of developer and OEM relations, QUALCOMM Internet Services. "M7 Challenge will bring wireless games to a new level and allow BREW users to truly enjoy a richer and more interactive gaming experience." Deployments of the BREW solution continue as operators throughout the world join Verizon Wireless and ALLTEL in the United States, KTF in South Korea, KDDI in Japan and China Unicom in commercializing BREW-based services. Brasilcel, a joint venture between Spain's Telefonica Moviles and Portugal Telecom, plans to roll out BREW services to subscribers in Latin America in March 2003, and U.S. Cellular has launched a BREW user trial. More than 40 BREW-enabled handset models are already available to consumers worldwide and more than 40 device manufacturers have indicated their interest in the BREW platform. QUALCOMM's BREW platform is a thin application execution environment that provides an open, standard platform for wireless devices. The BREW platform is part of a complete, end-to-end solution for wireless applications development, device configuration, application distribution, and billing and payment. The complete BREW solution includes the BREW SDK™ (software development kit) for developers, the BREW applications platform and porting tools for device manufacturers, and the BREW Distribution System (BDS) that is controlled and managed by operators -- enabling them to easily get applications from developers to market and coordinate the billing and payment process. Operators' BREW-based services will enable consumers to customize their handsets by downloading applications over the air from an operator's application download server. The BREW platform is a product of QUALCOMM Internet Services (QIS), a division within the QUALCOMM Wireless & Internet (QWI) Group of QUALCOMM Incorporated. About M7 Networks Inc. M7 provides services that enhance end-user experience, drive mobile data usage and improve profitability for wireless application developers, content owners and enterprises. M7 Networks was founded in 2000 with funding from QUALCOMM, Enterprise Partners, Sienna Ventures and Investor AB. For additional information, please visit our Web site at www.m7networks.com or e-mail us at info@m7networks.com. QUALCOMM is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. BREW is a trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For further information please contact: Mark J. Munoz of M7 Networks, Inc., +1-858-200-2433, mmunoz@m7networks.com