July 23, 2003

Nokia 810 car phone makes in-vehicle communications more convenient

Now available in selected markets in Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific

In-vehicle communications became easier and more convenient with the availability of the Nokia 810, a car phone with greater hands-free functionality and exceptional audio quality. To reduce distractions, the Nokia 810 car phone features a dash-mounted backlit display, extra-large fonts, expanded voice recognition functions, and intuitive handsfree commands. The Nokia 810 car phone operates on the GSM 900/1800 networks and is now available in selected markets in Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific.

With just a touch of a single Navi(TM) wheel or voice key, users of the Nokia 810 car phone will be able to make voice commands, access contact information and other applications quickly and conveniently. Voice commands can be used to download contacts from a compatible mobile phone with Bluetooth wireless technology. A wireless headset, sold separately, allows the user to conduct calls in private, when necessary. The Nokia 810 car phone also features an external antenna, linked via cable connector, which offers enhanced GSM network coverage.

"Whether in private or company cars, trucks or delivery vans, the Nokia 810 car phone sets new Nokia standards for comfort and ease of use," says Razvan Olosu, General Manager, Nokia Smart Traffic Products, Nokia Mobile Phones. "The Nokia 810 car phone presents a new operating philosophy, in which in-vehicle voice and data communication is convenient, in addition to being feature-rich."

The convenience of the Nokia 810 car phone is most noticeable in the separate display, which features an extra-large font size so that numbers and text can be read quickly and easily. The display can be mounted in a variety of positions on the dashboard and is equipped with automatic backlighting adjustable for day- or nighttime use.

Additionally, The Nokia 810 car phone has a memory that can be used by two different people using a single SIM card. This personalization is especially convenient for company or family cars that are used by more than one person. Phonebook entries, voice dial and personal settings, such as ringtones can be saved in two separate memories and activated with ease.

The Nokia 810 car phone can be connected via Bluetooth wireless technology or RS 232 data cable to peripheral devices such as compatible laptops or vehicle's on-board systems using high-speed data in HSCSD and GPRS networks. The Nokia 810 car phone can then be used as a data modem or for fleet management applications, operated by means of AT commands.

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobile communications. Backed by its experience, innovation, user-friendliness and secure solutions, the company has become the leading supplier of mobile phones and a leading supplier of mobile, fixed broadband and IP networks. By adding mobility to the Internet Nokia creates new opportunities for companies and further enriches the daily lives of people. Nokia is a broadly held company with listings on six major exchanges.

July 15, 2003

Cell phone Etiquette

With more and more people buying cell phones, it becomes more significant to know how to use your cell phone without looking obnoxious. Cell phones play an important role in our lives, but cell phone rage, like road rage, air rage and general rage is rising. Here are some tips for cell phone etiquette.

Out with a group of friend(s) and your cell phone rings? Excuse yourself from the group and take the call elsewhere. Taking the call elsewhere will not disrupt the flow of conversation within the group.

With a friend and the cell phone rings? Keep the call short and sweet. Otherwise, it gives the appearance that the friend you are with is less important that the caller.

Out on a date? The point of the date is to be able to spend time to get to know the other person. I would suggest that you disregard such calls. The romance is lost by the sound of the ringtones of your cell phone. Your date will appreciate your undivided attention.

It’s a good idea to put your cell phone on vibrate when in restaurants, theaters, churches, weddings and funerals. When I’m out in a restaurant, I feel like asking for the non cell phone ringing section. Like many others, it is not often do I get to spend a quiet evening away from the children, work or other distractions. An evening going out to dinner with my husband is supposed to be relaxing, and we do not enjoy being distracted overhearing how wonderful your life has become since you started using Viagra.

I was in a movie theater once and someone’s cell phone rang and the individual took the call. Someone else in the theater did not react well to the intrusive call and started shouting at the cell phone user. The cell phone user ignored the cell phone raged individual and the focus of the movie was lost and everyone’s attention was on these two people. While nothing came of the incident, a relaxing evening out with my husband was lost. I felt like asking for our money back. The next time we will.

There is no question that cell phones are an important part of our lives. Use cell phones with good manners. Everyone will appreciate it.

P.S. – As for ringtones… Not all people will appreciate listening to the latest pop tune or classical music each and every time your cell phone rings. May I suggest using the vibrate feature instead of your ringtones in a public place.

Catherine Kenyeres is a free lance writer and publisher for http://Best-4u-Cell-Phones.com. Catherine provides the latest information, reviews and comparisons for cell phone clients.

July 04, 2003

Smart Phones

Investments in shares of wireless technology companies and wireless service providers have been particularly profitable in the post-dot com era. The wireless industry is in a sweet spot of the technology space. Bountiful business opportunities exist as wireless usage continues to increase in both developed and emerging markets. And driving this usage higher are new products such as smart phones whose capabilities are being augmented by the deployment of third generation (3G) wireless networks.

Feature-Rich Smart Phones.

Smart phones are more than mobile phones. A smart phone is a mobile phone with built-in functions of a personal digital assistant. smart phones pack a diverse range of features and functionalities into the handset that makes them a mobile information center and entertainment device for the user.

Smart phones commonly include features such as web browsing, e-mail, and multimedia capabilities. Certain models have enough horse power to run complex software applications such as enterprise customer relationship software and car navigation programs.

A full-featured QWERTY-type keyboard, MP3 player, and Geo Positioning Systems capability are becoming common among higher-end smart phones. Instant messaging is a cool feature making its way into the mainstream.

Smart phones, A Growing Segment of the Handset Market.

Smart phones represent a small, yet rapidly growing, segment of the handset market. According to Strategy Analytics, smart phone sales at 17.5 million units in 2004 accounted for 3% of the worldwide sales of 684 million handsets. However, this represents a significant jump from the 8.2 million units sold in 2003.

The demand for smart phones is projected to grow rapidly in the coming years. By 2009, the number of smart phone units sold is estimated to reach 125 million or 16% of total handset sales worldwide. This implies a 48% compound annual growth rate in smart phone unit shipments over the 2004-2009 period.

Smart phone Early Adoption Led by Asia and Europe.

Adoption of smart phones has been particularly rapid in Asia and Europe. The aggressive deployment of advanced wireless networks in these regions has encouraged early adoption of smart phones.

The Asia Pacific region currently accounts for about 37% of global smart phone sales with South Korea and Japan being leaders in smart phone usage. The European market accounts for 27% of global smart phone sales. Analysts expect smart phone sales in Europe to exceed sales in the Asian market in the coming years. North America’s market share in smart phone sales was expected to reach 25% by the end of 2004.

Nokia, the 800 lb. Gorilla of Smart phones.

Nokia (NYSE: NOK) is by far the dominant global smart phone manufacturer. The Finnish company is currently estimated to command half to two-thirds share of the global smart phone market.

Nokia recently introduced its feature-rich Nokia 7710 smart phone in Europe and Africa. The wide-screen Nokia 7710 smart phone includes a full Internet browser, an integrated music player, a camera with 2x digital zoom, and a FM radio. One of the nifty features of the Nokia 7710 smart phone is its ability to make weblogging mobile. Users can post pictures and text from the Nokia 7710 smart phone directly to the web through the ‘moblog’ client.

Nokia is also expected to introduce the Nokia 3230 smart phone in the first quarter of 2005. The Nokia 3230 smart phone features a video recorder and ‘Movie Director’ that will allow 1 hour of video to be captured.

Nokia is now increasingly looking at software licensing deals to help differentiate itself from its competitors. Nokia has recently signed licensing deals with Macromedia and RealNetworks. Nokia is also said to be working on handsets that will receive wireless television feeds.

Smart phone Investment Implications.

The increasing adoption of smart phones augurs well not only for Nokia but also for other smart phone manufacturers like palmOne (Nasdaq: PLMO) and Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM). palmOne recently introduced the GSM edition of its Treo 650 smart phone. Research in Motion recently released the latest model in its BlackBerry 7100 series, the 7100g.

The incorporation of additional features and functionalities that make smart phones the portable information center and entertainment device of choice has bullish implications beyond just manufacturers of smart phones.

Wireless service providers like Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) should see their average revenue per user being buffeted with increasing use of value-added services that smart phones enable.

Then too, the increasing adoption and usage of smart phones will require the rollout of 3G wireless networks in earnest, translating into business opportunities for wireless network equipment providers such as Ericsson (Nasdaq: ERICY).

Notes: This report is for information purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as an offer to buy or sell securities or to give individual investment advice. This report does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation, and particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. The information contained in this report is obtained from various sources believed to be accurate and is provided without warranties of any kind. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC does not represent that this information, including any third party information, is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC is not responsible for any errors or omissions herein. Opinions expressed herein reflect the opinion of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC and are subject to change without notice. AlphaProfit Investments, LLC disclaims any liability for any direct or incidental loss incurred by applying any of the information in this report. The third-party trademarks or service marks appearing within this report are the property of their respective owners. All other trademarks appearing herein are the property of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. Copyright © 2005 AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. All rights reserved.

Sam Subramanian, PhD, MBA is Managing Principal of AlphaProfit Investments, LLC. He edits the AlphaProfit Sector Investors' Newsletter™, a publication that discusses investments using Fidelity mutual funds. For the 5 year period ending December 31, 2004, during which the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index declined 6.9%, the AlphaProfit model portfolios increased by up to 186.2%, an average annual return of 23.4%. To learn more about AlphaProfit and to subscribe to the FREE newsletter, visit http://www.alphaprofit.com.