Mobile Choice Blog

Privacy fears over Google's plans for Jaiku

Ever used Jaiku? It's a microblogging service similar to Twitter, except with more mobile features. It was recently bought by Google, but the latter's plans for its new acquisition have raised privacy fears over how much information people give up when using services like Jaiku, and what Google plans to do with it.

Why? This New York Times article explains some of the reasons. The idea of microblogging is you write about what you're doing, who you're doing it with, where you're doing it, and all the other minutae of your daily life. Exactly the sort of information that advertisers would kill for, in other words. And Google makes a lot of money from contextual advertising...

Jaiku's founders say they're alive to the implications, and will ensure users have plenty of privacy settings to retain control of how their data is used. But as these kinds of services take off, it'll be interesting to see how the balance evolves between privacy and profit.

(via New York Times)

Consumers not keen on text message mobile advertising

The advertising industry is really keen on sending targeted, personalised adverts to people's mobile phones. The problem is, people aren't that keen in return. That's the message from a survey conducted in the US by Maritz Research, which found that two thirds of respondents said they were unlikely or definitely unlikely to subscribe to "texted retail offers" sent to their phones.

Meanwhile, a separate survey by Nielsen/NetRatings found that 92% of people would be irritated by receiving local business ads on their phones, while a third survey from Harris Interactive found 74% of respondants saying that sponsored text links on their phones would be "totally unacceptable".

It's a big headache for both the advertising and mobile industries, which are counting on making big money from mobile advertising in the years ahead. They shouldn't necessarily be tearing up their business plans just yet, but it shows that the task of convincing mobile users to accept ads could be harder than first expected.

(via eMarketeer)

Get set for BBC catch-up programmes on your mobile (if it's Wi-Fi)

Techy types will be well aware of the BBC's iPlayer technology, which lets Windows users watch shows from the last seven days on their computers for free. It's been criticised for locking out Mac and Linux users, as well as for not bringing mobile users into the catch-up party.

That could be changing. The Beeb has signed a deal with Wi-Fi hotspot network The Cloud, allowing people to access BBC shows via the latter's 7,500 UK hotspots for free. And here's the thing: although aimed mainly at people with laptops, it's also going to be accessible if you have a Wi-Fi capable mobile handset. For example, the iPhone, but many others besides.

It's not the wireless BBC wonderland that couch potatoes have been hoping for, but it's a step along the way at least.

(via MocoNews)

It'll be a long time till we rock'n'roll (with Led Zeppelin mobile downloads)

Did you get tickets for the Led Zeppelin comeback gig next month in London? Well done if so, and bah humbug if not. And whichever category you fall into, we've got some bad news for you. It sounds like good news: Led Zeppelin are finally making their back catalogue available in digital form, allowing fans to buy albums or individual tracks from online stores.

But the bad news part is that US operator Verizon Wireless has signed an exclusive deal to sell mobile full-track downloads and ringtones. Bright sparks among you will have twigged that Verizon doesn't operate in the UK, which seemingly means no Led Zep for UK mobile users - at least until the exclusive runs out.

Admittedly, this isn't a dreadful state of affairs. If you want the band's songs on your phone, you can just rip the CDs. Meanwhile, the files sold through online stores may work on phones too, format permitting. But still, these kind of exclusives - when restricted to an operator in one country - are a great shame for fans in the rest of the world.

Vodafone finally launches its Second Life virtual network

Frankly, we have too much work and socialising to do to spend much time in Second Life, but we're told it's the hottest thing in online virtual worlds. Vodafone obviously agrees, as it's just launched a virtual network within Second Life.

It means users can make phone calls to each other within the world, while also calling and sending texts to real-world mobile handsets. To get started, you have to find one of Vodafone's Inside Out vending machines, and get a unique phone number that you'll use for calls and texts.

It's free until the end of November, although Vodafone has yet to announce how much it'll cost after that. Hopefully not much, given the experimental nature of the service.

(via Pocket Picks)

Touchscreens bad, E-Ink screens good?

There's a lot of fuss and excitement around touchscreen mobiles this year, with devices like Apple's iPhone, LG's Prada handset, and the HTC Touch. But an alternative technology is E-Ink, which allows the keys on a phone to change dynamically, but is less battery-sapping than a touchscreen.

One prototype is being shown off this week at the CEATEC exhibition, although we have to say, it looks distinctly old-fashioned. If E-Ink is to become a viable alternative to touchscreens, it'll have to be in more stylish handsets, that's for sure.

(via Xumdeo)

ZeeMote: the Wii-like games controller for your mobile

One of the problems with mobile gaming is the less-than-ideal controls: playing a game with a mobile keypad can be a frustrating experience. A new Bluetooth controller called the ZeeMote could help. It looks a bit like the Nunchuck controller that comes with Nintendo's Wii, and provides a proper joystick and buttons. Watch the video below for a demonstration, and click here for more information.

NTT DoCoMo's phone that sends electric signals through your body

Japanese mobile operator NTT DoCoMo has been showing off a prototype handset that transmits data through your body via electric signals, which allow you to make electronic payments or transfer data "at the touch of a finger".

"We don't know yet if we can commercialise this technology," says the company's Takushi Koinumaru. "We need to conduct more research, then we need to see if there actually is a market for this."

We reckon there's more likely to be a market for phones that deliver a short, sharp electric shock to anyone using an annoying ringtone or speaking too loud on the bus. But then we're a bit curmudgeonly like that.

(via MocoNews)

Microsoft hints at Zune Phone, but not soon

We don't often cover standalone MP3 players on this blog, so the news that Microsoft has launched new versions of its Zune player would normally pass us by. However, Microsoft executive J Allard has given an interview where he gives his views on a potential ZunePhone, as well as Apple's iPhone.

"We think there is a lot of runway first in redefining the music experience with partners," he tells Reuters, before pointing out that Zune is based on the same platform as Windows Mobile phones "So we have the flexibility to take these in a different direction where our customers, our partners and we are ready."

In other words, Microsoft WILL do a Zune Phone, but not yet. Allard also had kind words for Apple's iPhone, calling it "the best browser ever", while saying it's lacking as a pure music player. But then he would say that.

(via Reuters)

Now Spyker is launching F1 branded handsets

Ferrari have launched their own branded mobiles before, but now it's the turn of, er, Spyker. Admittedly, they're not quite such a big name in the world of F1.

The company has launched three phones, the C8 Spyder, C8 Laviolette and C8 Laturbie. The first two are dual-band models with 1.3 megapixel cameras and a black and silver design, while the Laturbie is a glossy red tri-band model, with the same camera.

To be honest, we're unconvinced of the appeal of this kind of handset, even when it's a big name like Ferrari, let along a team further down the F1 ranks. But maybe some hardcore F1 fans out there disagree: would you be up for buying a branded motor-racing phone?

(via Engadget Mobile)