There are a variety of wireless communication systems for transmitting voice, video,

and data in local or wide areas. There are point-to-point wireless bridges, wireless
local area networks, multidirectional wireless cellular systems, and satellite
communication systems.

This topic discusses "mobile" wireless technologies that provide voice and data
communication services to mobile users who use cell phones, PDAs, Internet
terminals, and related computing devices. Refer to "Wireless Communications" for a
list of related wireless topics.

The number of wireless mobile devices is increasing globally. Users equipped with
portable computers, PDAs (personal digital assistants), and a variety of small
wireless communication devices increasingly need to connect to corporate networks,
perform database queries, exchange messages, transfer files, and even participate in
collaborative computing. At the same time, wireless systems are achieving higher
data rates to support Internet and other data-related applications. The newest
mobile communication systems are targeting data rates as high as 2 Mbits/sec.

Cellular Systems and Topology

A cell in a cellular system is a roughly circular area with a central

transmitter/receiver base station as shown in Figure W-6 (although the base station
may be located off-center to conform to local topology). The station is raised up on a
tower or placed on top of a building. Some are located on church steeples. The
station has a 360-degree omnidirectional antenna (except when directional
transmissions are required) that is tuned to create a cellular area of a specific size.
Cells are usually pictured as hexagonal in shape and arranged in a honeycomb
pattern. Cell size varies depending on the area. In a city, there are many small cells,
while rural area may have very large cells.

Cellular topology provides a way to maintain an adequate number of call channels

even though the actual number of channels available to the entire service area is
small. This is possible through frequency reuse. Each cell is assigned a set of channel
frequencies, and no adjoining cells may use those frequencies. However, cells further
away may use those frequencies because the distance between cells provides a
buffer zone that prevents frequency interference.

The system is scalable, even though it has a finite number of channels. If channel
demand increases in a specific area (such as a metro area), the service provider can
divide cells into a number of smaller cells. Transmitter power is turned down to fit
the new smaller cell size and channel frequencies are allocated so that no adjoining
cells use the same channels. However, channel reuse is possible in cells that are at
least one cell apart. Thus, frequency reuse and smaller cell size allow the system to
scale. Metro areas may have many small cells while rural area may have large cells.
The cell size is designed to accommodate the number of people in the area.

When a user turns a phone on, its phone number and serial number are broadcast
within the local cell. The base station picks up these signals and informs the
switching office that the particular device is located within its area. This information
is recorded by the switching office for future reference. An actual call takes place
when the user enters a phone number and hits the Send button. The cellular system
selects a channel for the user to use during the duration of the call.
As users travel, they may move from one cell to another, necessitating a handoff and
the selection of a new channel. While in the vicinity of a cell, mobile phone users are
under the control of the transmitter/receiver in that cell. A handoff takes place when
the base station in one cell transfers control for a user's call to a base station in
another cell. When a base station begins to lose a user's signal, it notifies base
stations in all the surrounding cells that the user may be moving into their cells. As
the user moves into a new cell, the base station in that cell takes over the call. The
frequency of the call is changed to a frequency used in the new cell during the
transition. This is because adjoining cells cannot use the same frequencies.

From Analog to Digital Systems

Mobile wireless analog communication systems have been around since the 1950s.
The early systems were single channel "over-and-out" systems. Instead of a cellular
configuration, a single radio tower serviced a metropolitan area, which severely
limited the scalability of the systems. Service quality varied depending on the
location of the caller. Later systems added multiple two-way channels but still had
limited capacity.

Analog cellular services were introduced by AT&T in the 1970s and became
widespread in the 1980s. The primary analog service in the United States is called
AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone Service). There are similar systems around the world
that go by different names. The equivalent system in England is called TACS (Total
Access Communications System).

The AMPS system is a circuit-oriented communication system that operates in the

824-MHz to 894-MHz frequency range. This range is divided into a pool of 832 full-
duplex channel pairs (1 send, 1 receive). Any one of these channels may be assigned
to a user. A channel is like physical circuit, except that it occupies a specific
radiofrequency range and has a bandwidth of 30 kHz. The circuit remains dedicated
to a subscriber call until it is disconnected, even if voice or data is not being
transmitted.

Cellular systems are described in multiple generations, with third- and fourth-
generation (3G and 4G) systems just emerging:

• 1G systems These are the analog systems such as AMPS that grew rapidly
in the 1980s and are still available today. Many metropolitan areas have a
mix of 1G and 2G systems, as well as emerging 3G systems. The systems use
frequency division multiplexing to divide the bandwidth into specific
frequencies that are assigned to individual calls.
• 2G systems These second-generation systems are digital, and use either
TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access) or CDMA (Code Division Multiple
Access) access methods. The European GSM (Global System for Mobile
communications) is a 2G digital system with its own TDMA access methods.
The 2G digital services began appearing in the late 1980s, providing
expanded capacity and unique services such as caller ID, call forwarding, and
short messaging. A critical feature was seamless roaming, which lets
subscribers move across provider boundaries.
• 3G systems 3G has become an umbrella term to describe cellular data
communications with a target data rate of 2 Mbits/sec. The ITU originally
attempted to define 3G in its IMT-2000 (International Mobile
 Communications-2000) specification, which specified global wireless
frequency ranges, data rates, and availability dates. However, a global
standard was difficult to implement due to different frequency allocations
around the world and conflicting input. So, three operating modes were
specified. According to Nokia, a 3G device will be a personal, mobile,
multimedia communications device that supports speech, color pictures, and
video, and various kinds of information content. Nokia's Web site
(http://www.Nokia.com) provides interesting information about 3G systems.
There is some doubt that 3G systems will ever be able to deliver the
bandwidth to support these features because bandwidth is shared. However,
3G systems will certainly support more phone calls per cell.
• 4G Systems On the horizon are 4G systems that may become available
even before 3G matures (3G is a confusing mix of standards). While 3G is
important in boosting the number of wireless calls, 4G will offer true high-
speed data services. 4G data rates will be in the 2-Mbit/sec to 156-Mbit/sec
range, and possibly higher. 4G will also fully support IP. High data rates are
due to advances in signal processors, new modulation techniques, and smart
antennas that can focus signals directly at users. OFDM (orthogonal frequency
division multiplexing) is one scheme that can provide very high wireless data
rates. OFDM is described under its own heading.

The move to digital technologies opened up the wireless world. It improved capacity,
reduced equipment costs, and allowed for the addition of new features. Reduced
handset costs meant more people were vying for services and taxing systems. 3G
systems add more capacity. In addition, packet technologies were developed that
use bandwidth more efficiently. The primary 1G and 2G digital systems are listed
here.

• Analog cellular These are the traditional analog systems such as AMPS
and TACS that use frequency division multiplexing. AMPS operates in the 800-
MHz range, while TACS operates in the 900-MHz frequency range.
• Hybrid analog/digital cellular (usually called digital cellular) These
systems are analog AMPS systems in which digitized voice and digital data is
modulated onto the analog sine wave of the channel being used. They
operate in the same 800-MHz range as analog AMPS and even use the same
topology and equipment configuration (cells, towers, etc.). The access
method may be either TDMA or CDMA, as discussed in the next section.
• GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) This is a second-
generation mobile system designed from the ground up without trying to be
backward compatible with older analog systems. GSM is popular in Europe
and Asia, where it provides superior roaming ability among countries. It uses
TDMA, but Europe is moving from this system into 3G systems based on a
wideband form of CDMA.

When digital cellular services were being designed in the early 1980s, the choice was
to design a system that was backward compatible with existing analog systems (and
used the same frequency allocation) or to design a whole new system. The European
community had about seven incompatible analog services, so it created the GSM
system from scratch to operate in the 900-MHz range (and later in the 1,800-MHz
range).
In the U.S., the digital cellular systems were developed using the AMPS frequency
allocation and the TDMA and CDMA access methods. See "CDMA (Code Division
Multiple Access)" and "TDMA (Time Division Multiple Access)." In addition, the FCC
allocated new bandwidth in the 1,900-MHz frequency range to accommodate what
was called PCS (Personal Communication Services). PCS refers to the 1,900-MHz
frequency allocation and to mobile systems that provide services beyond voice (such
as digital services that support caller ID, messaging, and other features).

Cellular Standards

Keeping track of the analog and digital cellular standards can be difficult. Table W-2
lists the most common standards.

Common Standard Category Frequency Comments

Reference Name Band(s)

Analog cellular TIA/EIA-553 FDMA analog 800 MHz The AMPS

cellular standard. Does
not support N-
AMPS.

Analog cellular IS-91 FDMA analog 800 MHz Same as

(enhanced) cellular above, but also
includes N-
AMPS and
authentication
support.

Narrowband- IS-88 FDMA analog 800 MHz Divides one

AMPS (N-AMPS) cellular FDMA channel
into three
smaller
channels.
Meant for PDA
and
messaging.

Local AMPS IS-94 FDMA analog 800 MHz A low-power

cellular cellular system
designed for
local (in-
building) use.

TDMA digital IS-54 TDMA digital 800 MHz Same as

cellular, also cellular AMPS, except
called D-AMPS uses digital
(digital-AMPS) TDMA to divide
each channel
into three
time-slotted
channels. Does
 not directly
support data.

TDMA digital IS-136 TDMA digital 800 MHz An

cellular cellular enhancement
(enhanced) to above
(TIA/EIA/IS-
54) that
supports
circuit-
switched data
at 9,600
bits/sec.

CDMA digital IS-95a CDMA digital 800 MHz Uses spread

cellular cellular 1,900 MHz spectrum radio
and code
division
multiplexing to
put up to
20
conversations
on a single
band. Data
rate is 16
Kbits/sec.

CDMA digital IS-95b CDMA digital 800 MHz A software

cellular (revision cellular 1,900 MHz upgrade to IS-
b) 95a that can
allocate up to
four 16-
Kbit/sec
channels to a
user, allowing
up to
64 Kbits/sec
for data.

HDR (high IS-95c CDMA A Qualcomm

data rate) compatible proprietary IP-
based wireless
data service.

GSM TDMA 900 MHz GSM was

designed by
the European
community as
a digital
system to
replace analog
 system.

DCS-1800 TDMA 1,800 MHz This is GSM

expanded to
the
1,800 MHz
range.

Table W-2: Wireless mobile standards

Wireless Data Networking

While early cellular systems were focused on voice, there is now a lot of interest in
supporting data transmissions. The older analog and analog/digital hybrid networks
were limited in their data rates, but new standards are emerging with a focus on
high data rates.

In a circuit-switched wireless network, a dedicated radio channel is allocated to a

single transmission. As long as data transmissions are long and continuous (file
transfers), a circuit is used efficiently. However, most data transmissions are bursty,
and dedicating an entire circuit to them is usually a waste of valuable wireless
bandwidth. During idle periods when no data is being sent, bandwidth is still
dedicated to the user and not available for others to use.

Packet-switching schemes are best for bursty data traffic. Several packet-switching
schemes may be used. In one technique, packets from many users are multiplexed
over a single channel. In another technique, packets are inserted into the idle space
on any available channel. The busier the network, the less bandwidth that will be
available for data. An entire network may be designed just for packet data. Most
wireless data systems offer minimal data rates, usually in the 10-Kbit/sec range.
That's really only useful for short messaging and occasional Web page lookups.
However, new wireless protocols bond multiple channels to increase data rates.

The billing methods help differentiate circuit versus packet switching methods. When
you connect over a circuit-switched line, the phone company bills you for the entire
duration of the call. With packet-switching systems, you are typically billed by the
packet.

Several packet data schemes are outlined here:

• CDPD (Cellular Digital Packet Data) CDPD provides packet switching on

AMPS systems. Data packets are sent when there is idle time on a channel.
The system has a limited data rate, usually about 9,600 bits/sec. The CDPD
Forum has more information at http://www.cdpd.org.
• Data over GSM networks A channel bonding technique called HSCSD
(high speed circuit switched data) extends GSM channel capacity to 14.4
Kbits/sec and allows up to four channels to be combined to provide up to 57.6
Kbits/sec throughput.
• GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Provides packet switching for
TDMA circuit-switched networks and data rates of 115 Kbits/sec or higher.
 GPRS is a tunneling protocol that delivers IP packets across the mobile
network to a router that puts them on the Internet.
• EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution) Improves GSM
system data rates with the modified 8PSK (phase shift keying) modulation
technique. The combination of GPRS and EDGE boosts the data rate of GSM to
384 Kbits/sec.

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Mobile Communications Gallery

Mobile phones add media and navigation

by Douglas Dixon

These galleries provide notes on some interesting technology and trends in digital home media.
They include some sample products illustrating these trends.
Information and pricing are summarized from public sources as of when they were added,
and may be incorrect or out of date. Corrections and updates are welcome.

Mobile Communications Trends

Mobile Phones
Mobile Internet and Multimedia
PDA Phones / Smartphones

Portable Navigation / GPS

Mobile Phone GPS
Mobile Navigation Systems
 Cellular Signal Boosters

See also:
Portable Media Player Gallery -- MP3 / video players, Multifunction
devices
Portable Audio Accessories Gallery -- Headsets, speakers, Bluetooth
Portable Power Accessories Gallery -- Batteries, chargers, adapters
Portable Storage Gallery -- Cards and drives, Flash and hard disk

Find related Wireless Media articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

Mobile Communications Trends

See also a summary of Digital Holiday Trends 2007: Mobile Media

-- Video and Internet everywhere

Mobile Market

• 3 billion cell phones on market (OHA)

• U.S. smartphone shipments: 13.8 million in 2007, to 74.4 million in 2011 (Palm)
• iPhone sold 1.4 million units through September 2007
• 1.8% of smartphone market
• Microsoft Windows Mobile sell about 12 million phones this year
about 10 percent of smartphone market (IDC)
Microsoft projects 20 million phones next year (NYT)
• 2 B phones sold annually worldwide, 1.6 M (6%) Microsoft software
• 26 M smartphones sold Q2 07 - 72 Symbian, 13% Linux
6% Windows Mobile, 5% RIM Blackberry, 1.6% Palm OS (RD)

Mobile Data Services

• Multimedia messaging, Email w/ attachments, Web w/ images, music and video clips, Maps /
GPS
• 3G Mobile broadband: 1X 60 - 80 kbps / EDGE 2.5G 75 - 135 kbps / EV-DO 400 - 800
• Download + upload: EVDO Rev A upload 300 - 400
• Mobile + Wi-Fi: Apple iPhone

Video on mobile phones

• Sprint TV / MobiTV - Live mass-market TV channels, digital radio

• Verizon Wireless V CAST Music - Purchase and download songs on demand
• Verizon Wireless V CAST Video - On-demand clips - news, sports, and entertainment
• Verizon Wireless V CAST Mobile TV -- Live TV - MediaFLO

New Mobile Phone Designs

 • Integration - Phone + Organizer + Internet + Media Player
Palm Treo -> Centro - $99 smartphone
Apple iPhone - iPod, touch, Wi-Fi
• Verizon Wireless / Casio G'zOne Type-V -- Rugged
• GPS Navigation - Phone - Verizon Wireless VZ Navigator
vs. PDA GPS vs. Handheld Navigation
• Gphone / Google Phone - Open Handset Alliance / Android Platform for smartphones

Top

Mobile Internet and Multimedia

Mobile access to information and games, texting and email, Web access, and music and
videos.

AT&T (Cingular) EDGE Mobile Data Service

• Third-generation (2.5 G), high-speed, mobile data and Internet access technology
• Average data speeds between 75 - 135 kbps
• Supports advanced data services: video and music clips, full picture & video messaging,
high-speed color Internet access, email on the move
• late 07 - Available in more than 13,000 cities and towns and in areas along 40,000 miles of
highways
• www.wireless.att.com/learn/why/technology/edge.jsp

Verizon Wireless Mobile Broadband Data Service

• Now at 3G (third-generation) mobile broadband service

• "DSL-like" data rates: no need for a Wi-Fi hotspot
• Best with "Unlimited" data service plan
But: forbids usage for services including streaming video,
extra charge for VZAccess connection for your computer through your phone
to the Internet
• www.verizonwireless.com

Verizon NationalAccess (CDMA 1xRTT)

• Previous generation
• Typical download 60 to 80 kbps, burst to 144 kbps

Verizon BroadbandAccess EV-DO

• 06 - Verizon BroadbandAccess service (up to $45 a month)

• CDMA 1x Evolution-Data Optimized (EV-DO)
• Asymmetric data rates, much faster download than upload
• Typical download 400 to 700 kbps, burst to 2.4 mbps
• Typical upload of 40 to 60 kbps
Verizon EV-DO Rev A.

• 1/07 - Revision A (Rev. A) technology, greater Chicago area

Uploads 5 - 6X faster
• Typical download 450 to 800 kbps (600 kbps to 1.4 mbps), burst to 3.1 mbps
• Typical upload 300 to 400 kbps (500 to 800 kbps), burst to 1.8 mbps
• 3/07 - Many cities, Philadelphia tri-state, Northeast corridor
• 3/07 - Sierra Wireless AirCard 595 $99.99 (two-year contract), service $79.99 per
month

Find related Verizon Wireless articles in the Manifest Tech Blog

Verizon Wireless V CAST - Video & Music on Demand

V CAST - NBC Mobile

• EV-DO 3G network
• V CAST VPak: Video, Music, Get It Now, Mobile Web, $15/mo
• V CAST Video: Streaming playback of a library of clips: news, sports, and entertainment
300 daily updated videos
WMV 9 & WMA 9, 176 x 132, 15 fps
• V CAST Music: Download music tracks on the go
99 cents, dual phone/PC $1.99
• getitnow.vzwshop.com

Verizon Wireless V CAST Music (1/06)

 • Synch PC music collection to phone over USB to listen on the go
Sync over USB with Windows Media Player
Copy to memory card (microSD)
• Instant search and download new music directly to phone
• www.verizonwireless.com/music

MobiTV - Live TV & Radio

• Watch live television on a variety of mobile phones and Palm / Windows Mobile PDAs
• MobiTV - Over 30 video channels
MSNBC, ABC News Now, CNN, FOX News, Fox Sports, ESPN 3GTV
 NBC Mobile, CNBC, CSPAN, The Discovery Channel, TLC, The Weather Channel
cartoons, music videos and comedy
• MobiTV en Español - More than 15 channels
• MobiRadio - Over 50 channels of digital radio
• 2/07 - Interactive: Advertising, M-Commerce, Content rating, voting, sharing & community
• 06 - $9.99 per month TV
• www.mobitv.com

Sprint TV - PowerVision

• Messaging, Email, Music, TV, Navigation

• Access Pack – $15/mo - Email, Web, Music & TV channels, Navigation pay per use
• Music Pack – $20/mo - Access + 150 radio channels, 95 local radio stations,99¢ music downloads
• TV Pack – $20/mo - Access + 20 TV channels - ABC, CBS episodes, MTV, Comedy Central,
Nickelodeon, VH1, Spike
• Navigation Pack – $20/mo - Access + unlimited navigation
• Ultimate Pack – $25/m - TV, Music and Navigation packs
• http://datapack.sprint.com/PowerVisionLanding.htm

AT&T Broadband TV -- Live TV to PC (9/06)

• 9/06 - Live TV subscription service for broadband

• 20 channels of live and made-for-broadband television content
national news, sports, entertainment , full-length music videos
• monthly subscription $19.99
• att.mobitv.com

QUALCOMM MediaFLO -- Live TV Broadcast to Handhelds ( CES 07)

• Designed for multicasting rich multimedia content

• Allows up to 20 live streaming video channels
split among national, regional, and local content
• Up to 50 nationwide “non-real-time” channels (pre-recorded content)
and 15 local “non-real-time” channels, each up to 20 minutes of content a day
• Up to QVGA at 30 fps plus stereo audio within single 6 MHz bandwidth
• Supports H.264 (312 kbps) and AAC+ (48 kbps) at 360 kbps average
vs. single voice circuit peak 13 kbps, average 4 kbps
• Power efficient, fast channel change (< 2 secs)
• Can deploy across wide area regions, transmitters typically 60 km apart
Cover entire major metropolitan area with 2 to 3 towers
• Forward link only (FLO) technology
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)
 Simultaneously optimizes power consumption, frequency diversity, time
diversity
• Base layer transmission + enhancement for better quality reception
• www.qualcomm.com/mediaflo

DVB-H - Global Mobile TV (Digital Video Broadcast-Handheld)

• Based on DVB-T specification for digital terrestrial television

• Add features for battery life and environments of small handheld devices
Time-slicing bursts of data allows the receiver to power off when inactive
Forward error correction
• www.dvb-h.org

Verizon Wireless V CAST Mobile TV -- Broadcast ( Q1 07)

• Launch in many major U.S. markets (20 - 30)

• Scheduled live content and other programming
CBS, Comedy Central, Fox, MTV, NBC News, NBC Entertainment,
Nickelodeon
• QUALCOMM MediaFLO service
• www.verizonwireless.com
• products.vzw.com/index.aspx?id=mobileTV

LG Chocolate (VX8500) -- VCAST Music, Video + Navigation (06)

 • Slider design, red glowing touch-sensitive navigation keys
• White Chocolate, Mint (green), Cherry (red)
• Touch navigation, Flash interface
• Camera/Camcorder: 1.3 MPix
• Photo: 1280x960 to 160x120
• Video: 176x144, 3G2
Play MPEG4, 3GP, 3G2, H.264
• Audio: Voice recognition, Voice recording, MP3 ringtones
Play: WMA, MP3
• Get It Now: Mobile Web, E-mail, ringtones, photo sharing, applications
• V CAST Music, Video streaming
• VZ Navigator w/ GPS
• Bluetooth (1.1), MicroSD port
• 3.8 x 1.88 x 0.69 inches, 3.53 oz.
• 06 Verizon - $149
• www.verizonwireless.com/chocolate

Find the LG Chocolate on Amazon.com

Verizon Wireless / Casio G'zOne Type-V -- Rugged (10/06)

 • Built for outdoor lifestyles, withstand harsh environmental conditions
• Compliant to multiple Military Standards:
Exposure to temperatures in excess of 140ºF, extreme vibration, solar
radiation,
Storm conditions of two inches of rainfall per hour with high winds
Submersion in one meter of water
• 2.0 megapixel camera
• Get It Now, V CAST, VZ Navigator GPS, Mobile Web
• 4.1 x 2.0 x 1.1”, 5.3 ounces
• Verizon $299
• www.verizonwireless.com/gzone

Find the Casio G'zOne on Amazon.com

Verizon Wireless / LG VX9400 - V CAST Mobile TV Phone (07)

 • Swing bar design with large color LCD screen for landscape TV viewing
Keypad hidden when closed, keyguard
• TFT LCD display, 320 x 240 pixels, 13 lines, 262K Color
• V CAST Mobile TV – Real-time television channels, broadcast (MediaFLO)
• V CAST Music – download songs over air, sych from PC to microSD card
• V CAST Video – download or stream video clips
• Get It Now – download games, ring tones, wallpapers
• Mobile Web 2.0 – news, sports, weather
• Standalone Mode (RF Off), Music Only Mode (RF Off except Bluetooth)
• Camera: 1.3 megapixel with flash, 4x digital zoom, self-portrait with mirror
Resolution: 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 (default), 320 x 240, 176 x 144, 160 x 120
Video Resolution: 320 x 240, 176 x 144 (default)
• Video Player: MP4, 3GP, 3G2 formats
• Bluetooth (v1.2), Bluetooth stereo headset for music
• One-touch speakerphone, speaker-independent voice recognition
• Voice memo recording
• Personal organizer, address book with 500 contacts
• microSD external memory card slot
• Standard battery: 950 mAh Li-Polymer, up to 3:35 usage, 12:12 standby
• Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA (Digital Dual-Band)
• Simultaneous GPS for Enhanced Location Accuracy
• 4.04 x 1.93 x 0.73", 4.06 oz
• 11/07 - $499 / $79 w/ discount
• www.verizonwireless.com - Press Release
• www.lgusa.com

Find the Verizon Wireless / LG VX9400 on Amazon.com

Top

PDA Phones / Smartphones

Mobile phones are limited by the small screen and numeric keypad.
PDA phones add larger screens, QWERTY keypads (with tiny keys), synch office
documents, run sophisticated applications.

Apple iPhone -- EDGE / WiFi (9/07)

[see Media Player Gallery]

 • 9/07 - 8 GB $399
• 6/07 - 4 GB $499, 8 GB $599
• 3.5 inch (diagonal) widescreen multi-touch display
480 x 320 resolution, 160 dpi
• 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.46 inch (115 x 61 x 11.6 mm), 4.8 ounces (135 grams)
• Touch-screen Mobile phone
Quad-band GSM phone, (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
Wireless data networking: Wi-Fi (802.11b/g), EDGE, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
• Widescreen iPod with touch controls
Cover Flow interface, browse music library by album cover artwork
Automatically switched into Cover Flow by rotating into landscape position
Watch TV shows and movies, touch controls for playback control
• Internet communications device
POP3 or IMAP email, web browsing, searching, maps
Safari web browser: surf over Wi-Fi or EDGE, view full page, zoom in with finger
Built-in Google Search and Yahoo! Search
Google Maps - view maps, satellite images, traffic information; get directions
• New user interface based on large multi-touch display, control with finger tips
Predictive touch keyboard to prevent and correct mistakes
• 2 megapixel camera
• Built-in sensors
Accelerometer detects when rotated from portrait to landscape
automatically displays entire width of web page, photo in landscape aspect ratio
Proximity sensor detects when close to ear
turns off display to save power and prevent inadvertent touches
Ambient light sensor automatically adjusts display brightness
• OS X Operating system
• Talk time: up to 8 hours, Standby 250 hours
Internet use: up to 6 hours
Video playback: up to 7 hours, Audio up to 24 hours
• AT&T (Cingular) is exclusive iPhone carrier partner in the U.S.
Most popular carrier in the US with over 58 million subscribers
Edge network offers average data speeds between 75 - 135 kbps
• www.apple.com/iphone

Gphone / Google Phone - Open Handset Alliance / Android (11/07 - 2H 08)

 • Open Handset Alliance, 34 members
Leading makers of mobile phone chips, Broadcom, Intel, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments
SiRF Technology Holdings, Marvell Technology Group, Nvidia, Synaptics
EBay (Internet calling service Skype)
Nuance Communications, NMS Communications, Wind River Systems
Not: Apple (OS X/iPhone), Microsoft (Win Mobile), Palm,
Nokia (Symbian), RIM (BlackBerry), Verizon, AT&T
• Smartphone technology
Features and design similar to Apple iPhone, demonstrated hand-held touch-screen device
• Offered freely under “open source” licensing terms
• Products available second half 2008
Manufactured by handset companies, including HTC, LG, Motorola, Samsung
• Available in U.S. through T-Mobile and Sprint
China Telecom, world’s largest mobile operator, 332 million subscribers
Leading carriers in Japan, NTT DoCoMo, KDDI
T-Mobile in Germany, Telecom Italia in Italy, Telefónica in Spain
• Google will not brand phone
• www.openhandsetalliance.com
• Press Release - www.openhandsetalliance.com/press_110507.html

Android software platform for mobile devices

• Operating system, middleware and key mobile applications

• Built on open Linux Kernel
• Utilizes custom virtual machine to optimize memory and hardware resources in mobile environment
• Phone's core applications and third-party applications have equal access to phone's capabilities
• Entire platform is open, companies can add / remove functionality
• No copyleft clause in Apache license, can add proprietary functionality without needing to
contribute back
• SDK (developers kit) available 11/12/07
Motorola Q -- Windows Mobile

Motorola Q

• Slim and light, QWERTY keypad

• Windows Mobile 5.0 for Smartphone
mini-Office applications
• Windows Media Player
• 320 x 240 display, 65K color
• Camera: 1.3 MP
• Audio: MIDI, MP3, AAC, WAV, WMA, QCELP …
• Image: GIF, JPEG, BMP, PNG
• Video: H.263, MPEG-4, AAC, WMV , GSM …
• miniSD expansion memory slot
• 2.5 x 4.6 x 0.45”, 4.1 oz
• 06 – Verizon $199
• www.motorola.com/mdirect/q
• estore.vzwshop.com/q

Find the Motorola Q on Amazon.com

Palm Centro Smartphone (10/07)

 • Power of broadband smartphone (Treo) at price of standard 12-key phone
• Full-color 320x320 touch screen, 16-bit color (65K colors) and full keyboard
• Palm OS 5.4.9
• Full applications:
• Communicate - Voice, text, IM, email, Web
• Sprint Picture Mail, eMail, IM
• Organize - Contact, calendar, tasks, memos
• Browse - YouTube videos; Google Maps
• PocketTunes Deluxe - Manage music
• Sprint TV - Live TV or video-on-demand
• On Demand - Customized news, sports, movies, weather updates
• 1.3 megapixel camera, photo and video, 2x digital zoom
• 64 MB memory, expansion microSD card (up to 4GB)
• Removable battery 1150mAh, lithium-ion
3.5 hours talk time, up to 300 hours standby time
• Radio Dual-band CDMA2000 EvDO backward compatible with 1XRTT and IS95
• Bluetooth 1.2
• 4.22 x 2.11 x 0.73", 4.2 oz
• 10/07 - Sprint exclusive in United States for 90 days, Onyx black or ruby red
$99.99 with two-year service agreement, $50 instant savings, and $100 mail-in rebate
• www.sprint.com/Centro
• www.palm.com/centro -- Press release

Find the Palm Centro on Amazon.com

Palm Treo 700p Smartphone -- Palm OS (06)

• Touch screen, backlit QWERTY keypad and 5-way navigator control

• 320 x 320 touchscreen, 65K color
• Palm OS 5.4
Documents to Go Office sync, e-mail,.Browser w/ WMV
 • Photos and videos
• Pocket Tunes MP3 player: Sync to Windows Media Player
• Camera: 1.3 MP, 1280 x 1024, 352 x 288 video
• 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.9 in., 6.3 oz.
• 06 - Verizon $299
• Intel XScale 312 MHz, 128 MB (60 avail)
• 128 MB (60 MB avail), SD/SDIO/MMC expansion slot
• EV-DO, 1xRTT / Bluetooth
• www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones

Find the Palm Treo 700p on Amazon.com

Palm Treo 700w & Palm Treo 700p

Palm Treo 700w Smartphone -- Windows Mobile (06)

• Touch screen, backlit QWERTY keypad and 5-way navigator control

• 240 x 240 touchscreen, 65K color
• Windows Mobile 5, Pocket PC Phone Edition
Sync with Outlook, Pocket Office
• Windows Media Player 10
• Camera: 1.3 MP, 1280 x 1024
• 2.3 x 4.4 x 0.9", 6.4 oz
• 06 - Verizon $399 / $299
• Intel XScale 312 MHz, 128 MB (60 avail)
• 128 MB (60 MB avail), SD/SDIO/MMC expansion slot
• EV-DO, 1xRTT / Bluetooth
 • www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones

Find the Palm Treo 700w on Amazon.com

Google Maps for Mobile (10/06) / My Location (12/07)

Google Maps on Treo 700p

• View interactive maps, dynamic zoom and scroll

• Switch to satellite imagery view
• Overlay live traffic conditions (highlighting busy roads)
• Step through point-to-point driving directions
• Search for local businesses
• (Not linked to a live GPS signal to track your actual location)
• 10/06 - Available on Palm OS-based Treos
• 1/07 - Available on Palm Treo 750, 700wx and 700w smartphones
• 12/07 - Google Mobile Maps with My Location service, beta
location approximated based on nearby cell towers, within 1000 meters on average
• www.google.com/gmm

Top

Mobile Phone GPS

Verizon VZ Navigator
 • Real-time route calculation, mapping, turn-by-turn directions, voice with name of street
• General location by triangulating from cell towers
• Plus GPS chip (Global Positioning System) for precise positioning.
• 1/07 - $9.99 per month
• www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/splash/turnbyturn.jsp

ALK CoPilot Live

• Add GPS navigation to smartphone or PDA with products

• Communicate via Bluetooth to a wireless GPS antenna
• Optionally to phone for real-time tracing and messaging
• 06 - $199 to $399, with map data on miniSD card and GPS receiver
• www.alk.com/copilot

Find the ALK CoPilot Live on Amazon.com

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Mobile Navigation Systems

Car navigation systems go portable (breaking away from the dashboard like satellite
radio)
Adding media playback on the color screen, and Bluetooth integration to act as display
for mobile phone.

Navigation is typically quick and accurate

• Quick to lock GPS signal, accurate position tracking , even rolling slowly up to an
intersection.
• Quick to re-compute routes when take a different path, update within the next
block.

User interfaces vary significantly: live map display and entering and managing
destinations
 • Main display for the driver should be simple and clear
Easy to understand at a glance
Good prompts for upcoming turns (in addition to voice prompts)
Plus more detailed option for passenger to monitor along the route
Zoom in and out to review step-by-step directions along the entire route
• Route planning should be very flexible in entering destinations
By street address, closest intersection, nearby point of interest

LG Portable Digital Navigators

• LN 735 - MSRP $349

3.5 inch display (see below)
• LN730 - MSRP $299
3.5 inch display, 1 GB memory, 1.7 million POIs, US/Canada
• LN740 - MSRP $449
4-inch display, battery up to 6 hours, 0.44 pounds
Live traffic information: 90-day free trial
• us.lge.com

LG LN735 Portable Digital Navigator (summer 2007)

Night map
Music player

• 3.5 inch touchscreen display, 320 x 240, 260K colors

 • SiRFstarIII GPS: fast and accurate mapping with strong signal reception; GPS status display
• Turn-by-turn voice guidance with street name and/or number
16 Language Options; English/Spanish/French text-to-speech
• Built-in Guided Tour tutorial
• North America maps built in: US, Canada, Puerto Rico
• Map views: 2D and 3D with street names, Day and Night modes
• Controls: Menu, Volume Up/Down; Backlight brightness control
• Millions of points of interest:
Restaurants, hotels, gas stations, ATMs, dozens of other categories
• Address retrieval from History, Favorites, Points of Interest (POI) or Microsoft Outlook contacts.
• Planning and optimizing of multi-stop trips, detours
• Navigation with fastest or shortest route, avoid highways / tolls
• Displays remaining travel distance and time
• Vehicle and Pedestrian modes
• Zoom / pan to explore map, Step though turn-by-turn directions
• 2 GB internal memory, SD card slot
• Mini-USB port, Optional external GPS antenna port
• Photo viewer: JPEG, BMP; Music player: MP3, WMA
• Interface with Microsoft ActiveSync, drag and drop media files
• PC Portal software to install new / updated maps, back up settings
Import custom favorites from Excel .CSV files
• Internal Li-Ion Battery, Up to 4 Hours
• 4.3" x 3.2" x 0.7" inches, 0.35 pounds
• Includes Windshield suction cup mount, dashboard mount disc
Home AC and car cigarette lighter power adapters, Carrying case
• MSRP $349, street $249

Find the LG LN735 Portable Navigator on Amazon.com

Pharos Drive GPS 140 -- Portable navigation + Media

• 4 inch color touch screen display

• Preloaded maps of the U.S. and Canada on a 2 GB SD card
• Bluetooth dial and receive calls hands-free
• Photo viewing and slide shows: JPEG and BMP
• Music playback: MP3, WMA, WAV
• Video: MPEG, WMA, MID video.
 • Synchronizes to host PC using Microsoft ActiveSync
Drag and drop media files into folders in the SD card memory
• 5.8 x 3.5 x 1 inches
• 10/07 - $321; 06 - $486
• www.pharosgps.com

Find the Pharos Drive GPS 140 on Amazon.com

Mio DigiWalker H610 -- Handheld navigation + Media

• Handheld -- Size of a deck of cards

• 2.7 inch screen
• 2.32 x 3.35 x 0.74 inches, 3.88 oz.
• GPS navigation -- car and bike and walking
• Media playback
MPEG and BMP photos, MP3 music, MPEG-4 video
• Toolbox software convert formats, download using Mio Transfer tool or SD card
• Three-year WorldMate subscription to check weather, convert currencies, get
flight info and more.
• 10/07 - $299; 06 - $499
• www.miogps.com

Find the Mio DigiWalker H610 on Amazon.com

Mio DigiWalker C710

• 3.5 inch touchscreen

 • Full maps, Bluetooth, media player
• TMC (Traffic Message Channel) receiver
Real-time traffic information broadcast on FM channels
(operational in most European countries, coming to North America
www.tmcforum.com
• 4.33 x 3.03 x 0.78 inches, 6 oz
• 06 - $599
• www.miogps.com

Harman Kardon - Guide+Play GPS-500 (3/07)

• Full-featured portable GPS navigation system and multimedia device

• Incorporates high-fidelity audio, full-motion video
• Small enough to fit in the palm of the hand. Functioning as a GPS navigation
• Digital music player with full music-browsing capability
• Tightly integrated navigation and multimedia applications for simultaneous use
• Touchscreen interface
• 4-inch WQVGA LCD display, widescreen 480 x 272
• MP3, MP4, WMA / PlaysForSure, ASF, WAV, OGG
• Pocket-sized, virtually invisible portable automotive mount, internal FM
modulator
• 2 GB internal flash memory, up to 4 GB external miniSD card
• slim (19.6mm in depth)
• Up to five hours of battery life,
• Charge via a wallmount AC adapter, USB port, or in-car cigarette-lighter cable
• 10/07 - $399; 3/07 $499
• www.harmankardon.com

Find the Harman Kardon GPS-500 on Amazon.com

Top
Cellular Signal Boosters

Wi-Ex- zBoost - Cell phone signal boosters (07)

• Wireless Extenders (Wi-Ex): Extend the cell zone for the home, office, car
• Improves signal strength for better voice and data
• Improves battery life of wireless phones
• Increases in-building coverage by up to 2500 sq ft
• (10,000 sq ft with optional upgrade antennas)
• Consumer / SOHO signal boosters under $100, dual-band for multiple carriers
• www.wi-ex.com

zBoost zPersonal (zP) and zBoost Home / Office

zBoost zPersonal (zP) - $169 / $159 - YX300

• Dual 800 MHz or 1900 MHz (except Nextel, iDEN)

• Creates a cell zone of 4 - 6 ft. radius, for single user (one call at a time)
• 20 ft. cord, separate base unit and antenna at least 10 feet

Find the Wi-Ex zBoost zPersonal on Amazon.com

zBoost Home / Office - $299 - YX500

• YX500-CEL - 800 MHz Cellular - some Verizon and Cingular

Cellular frequency range (824 – 896 MHz)
• YX500-PCS - 1900 MHz PCS - Sprint, T-Mobile
PCS frequency range (1850 – 1990 MHz)
• Coverage up to 2500 sq ft, Multiple phones simultaneously

zBoost Dual Band - $399 / $306 - YX510-