VoIP company Vonage has waved the white flag and agreed to settle the patent dispute with Verizon Wireless. Buying peace is a very expensive proposition. In the case of Vonage, it can go from $80 to $120 million, depending on the final decision of the lawsuit. The consolation is it will free Vonage from shutting down its network and sharing monthly revenues with Verizon.

At this time, payment remains variable and depends mainly on the decision of Court of Appeals on how many patents were really infringed by Vonage. The latest decision came on September 26, 2007 with a verdict that Vonage violated 2 Verizon patents. Vonage has filed a petition for a rehearing on October 10, 2007 and the outcome of this event will be the basis of the payment.

“We’re pleased to put this dispute behind us and believe this settlement is in the best interests of Vonage and its customers. This settlement removes the uncertainty of legal reviews and long-term court action and allows us to continue focusing on our core business and customers,” said Vonage Chief Legal Officer Sharon O’Leary, in a press release.

This is the 2nd time Vonage settled. Recently, it paid $80 million to Sprint Nextel for another patent case. Still, the road is still bumpy for this VoIP company. It will face another big carrier, AT&T, for allegedly violating one of its Internet telephone patents. To make matters worse, AT&T is also requesting for an injunction to shut Vonage’s networks.

It’s sad to see a revolutionary company poised to lower our call rates being bullied by the big bad phone carriers.

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The CDM8630 mobile phone from UTStarcom is one gadget that you would want to give your parents or grandparent without the fear that they might end up not using it. This mobile phone is packed with easy to use features and functionalities such as large font setting, easy to use menu interface, large keypad, voice activated dialing and text messaging.

UTStarcom must have been annoyed by the slew of high end mobile phones that have been proliferating the market that they decided to come up with a mobile phone that has all the opposites of the most advance mobile phones today. The CDM8630 has all the standard features of the most basic mobile phones such as calculator, alarm, speakerphone, T9 predictive text, vibrating alert among other features.

The CDM8630 has 2.0″ 262K Color TFT (176 x 220) main display. That could pretty much accommodate large font settings that would not put a strain to your eyesight. Dimmed LCD display is the common complaint of mature mobile users when it comes to the current crop of mobile phones in the market.

Now, to give the reason why this device was specifically made for the mature users, well, aside from the large font settings, the CDM8630 also has ten one-touch speed dialing entries and a special “in case of emergency” directory of emergency contacts. A one-touch 911 button is also included in the phone’s interface. So, that pretty much lessens the hassles of navigating through complex menus and searching for important phone numbers buried deep within the phone’s phone number database. That would give mature users an easy time using the CDM8630.

The CDM8630 is currently available through Verizon Wireless and Alltell mobile carriers.

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Facebooks seems unstoppable these days. Aside from securing an exclusive advertising partnership with Microsoft, it’s also making some waves in the mobile arena with the release of its software application for the Blackberry Smartphones.

You can download this free mobile app at www.blackberry.com/facebook/mobiledownload. Depending on your wireless provider, wireless data charges may apply.

T-Mobile USA is the lucky one to be the first carrier to carry this new application. It enables the mobile users to connect with Facebook faster and easier. Key features include:

1. Receive notifications and messages automatically through BlackBerry platform’s push-based architecture
2. User can also set a unique alert (vibration and/or ringtone) for Facebook related content
3. Quickly access essential features to let users quickly change their status, upload a photo, add a friend, poke someone, write on a Wall, or send a message.
4. Invite friends to join Facebook and accept new friend requests
5. Quickly snap and post pictures along with a caption and tags
6. View the Status of friends
7. Read, compose and reply to messages even while offline

It’s too early to capture the general sentiments of Facebook fanatics. However, an early adopter is disappointed with this new app, claiming it is utterly useless because it can’t receive messages from other people.

In a press release, Research in Motion President and Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis stated:

Facebook is one of the fastest growing web destinations among BlackBerry smartphone users and it has become an important element in the evolving fabric of personal communications. Facebook and RIM share a vision for enhanced mobile communications and social networking based on open, standards-based platforms and this has allowed us to produce a rich mobile application for Facebook users that leverages the push-based architecture, multimedia features and industry-leading usability of the BlackBerry solution

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Verizon Wireless and mShopper, a mobile infrastructure provider that enables shoppers to find, save, share and buy consumer products, have teamed up to deliver an innovative shopping service to mobile phone users. Officially launched yesterday, Verizon Wireless customers can now have access to the mShopper web application right into their mobile phone’s web browser.

So if you are a Verizon Wireless customers, the mShopper application would be a big help the next time your shopping for some items either online or in actual stores. By accessing mShopper’s mobile web 2.0 service, search for the price of your chosen items and see if you are actually getting a fair deal on the items.

mShopper has a catalog of around 9.2 million products listed from hundreds of online merchants. You can search for product listings even if you don’t know the exact search term to use. mShopper’s excellent mobile search engine intelligently searches mShopper’s database to come up with search results relevant to your needs even if you just enter the first few letters of the produce you are looking for.

So, how do you add mShopper’s Mobile Web 2.0 service in your mobile handset? Simply launch the browser in your phone, subscribe and accept the terms and conditions of the service after paying the monthly subscription access fee of $5. This monthly subscription comes with other Mobile Web 2.0 perks such as unlimited airtime for Verizon Wireless V CAST service, ESPN MVP and Get It Now services. on Wireless’ V CAST service, ESPN MVP and Get It Now^® services.

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Common Short Codes (CSCs) are short numeric codes to which text messages can be sent from a mobile phone. It’s very easy to remember and compatible with the leading mobile carriers. In a new report (pdf file) by mobile media research company M:Metrics, Common Short Code-based messaging campaign is mentioned as an “unprecedented platform for marketing”.

With more than 92.5 million mobile consumers actively sending and receiving SMS or text messages and accessible to 95% of mobile consumers, it offers the greatest reach advantage compared with other mobile marketing methods like mobile search, mobile web ads, and downloadable applications.

Other advantages offered by this method include low cost, easy to use, and proven effectiveness in mobile marketing campaigns across industries and business goals.

“In August 2007, 92.5 million, or 43 percent, of mobile subscribers actively engaged in text messaging. Of these 92.5 million mobile subscribers, 41 million send text messages almost every day. Not only is this number impressive as a stand-alone figure, but it is exponentially higher than the potential reach of the next available mobile advertising method,” said Evan Neufeld, vice president and senior analyst at M:Metrics.

CSC is expected to increase in the coming years given the increasing number of mobile users in the U.S. and their growing addiction to text messaging. In the latest report by CTIA, there are more than 243 million mobile subscribers in the U.S. or about 81% of the population. More importantly, these users are sending about 1 billion text messages every single day.

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Nokia is launching SEEK, the third dimension in the continuing evolution of its social network for mobile phones, MOSH, sometime in December. SEEK allows mobile users to request for mobile contents from their MOSH network. MOSH community member can then send suggested mobile sites that answers the SEEK query or create content themselves for the perusal of the requesting MOSH member.

SEEK promises to be a helpful tool for MOSH users. You can possible ask anything from the MOSH network, and for sure, with its 6 million users, somebody will have an answer to your query. You can request for a map of Bangkok or seek for the video on how to bake lasagna. Certainly, other MOSH member would have the information you need right in your mobile phones.

SEEK is the third installment in the series of application/enhancements that Nokia has been introducing for its mobile social network. The first one allows content uploading and sharing and the second lets MOSH members customize their mobile devices.

Lee Epting, Vice President of Forum Nokia said that responding to the needs of the MOSH community has been the strong focus of MOSH. “We have always focused on MOSH being a service created for, and shaped by, users. Seeing users request content from one another, as well as the desire for community discussion, forms the foundation of SEEK…We expect this to take creativity and mobile customization to a new level,” says Lee.

The good thing about MOSH and its applications is that these are not NOKIA exclusive. The MOSH network was developed from the ground up specifically to answer the need for social networking among mobile phones regardless of brand and mobile carriers.

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NoiseFree VoIP is not another Internet telephony service. Rather, it is the first support software offering a noise management capability. It uses a patent pending technology that automatically detects and blocks out background noise to give users a near landline quality experience.

It is compatible with popular VoIP software like Skype, Google Talk, Yahoo! Messenger, and leading soft phones available in the market. It is currently in beta version so you can download and try it for free.

However, this offer is limited only until December 31, 2007. There’s also no further information about its future price range. Additional features include:

1. Low power consumption
2. Very low memory requirement
3. Advanced Voice Activity Detection
4. Fast Echo Cancellation
5. User-friendly installation
6. Readily available through download

With many noise cancellation solutions you can find in the market like the one used in audio conferencing, you might be wondering if there is any significant advantage for using NoiseFree VoIP.

NoiseFree claims users do not need to buy additional hardware devices or other expensive solutions to support the laptop or soft phone.

According to Noise Free Wireless, Inc. President and CEO Alon Konchitsky, this software also reduces the packet load on a network, resulting to enhancement of overall bandwidth availability.

But do you think a noise cancellation software is important enough for people to pay extra bucks just to get one? If so, is there a substantial market for this? Based on my experience calling from different VoIP software like Skype, Google Talk, and Yahoo! Messenger, the idea of using a noise cancellation device never crossed my mind.

Then again, the potential might lie heavily on enterprise markets like the growing contact services outsourced from different countries in Asia. Only if the price is reasonable enough.

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JumpTxt Access is the new mobile coupon and ticket delivery solution from ImpactMobile. These new mobile ticketing solution sends QR codes to mobile phones which can be used to redeem tickets on point-of-sale or designated outlets in event venue.

JumpText Access despite its complexity is a pretty simple tool that does a pretty complicated task. For brands, field marketing agencies, media buying agencies, venue ticketing companies and other organizations JumpText Access is the solution to their ticketing services needs. As a ticketing solutions, JumpText Access import orders and mobile phone numbers via a user-friendly web-based interface. This can also be integrated into a company’s existing coupon or ticketing system. The JumpText Access designs a customized mobile coupons or tickets that suit a company’s needs including the QR Code. The system sends coupons or tickets to customers’ mobile phones and the system allows for verification of the received tickets. Once a customer arrives the event venue, a CCD scanner is used to verify the authenticity of the mobile tickets.

From a customer’s perspective, JumpText Access’ ticketing system can deliver innovative coupon or ticket at a reduced reasonable price. Being a mobile phone application, JumpText Access gives you ease of use since you always bring your mobile phone with you. It also gives you an opportunity to engage with point-of-sale spots since the mobile ticket or coupon.

Aside from serving as a mobile ticketing solution, JumpText Access can also deliver tickets for any event, whether big or small. Company’s can also use it to conduct other event related promotions which can be programmed into the JumpText Access’ system. This also includes customer benefits such as free drinks, free upgrades, among other promotional stuff.

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Hoping for a comeback in mobile music downloading arena dominated by Verizon and Sprint, AT&T has inked a deal with the once famous Napster to empower wireless consumers to download more than 5 million songs starting November.

With this partnership, mobile consumers will be able to:

1. Discover Music. Browse from a catalog of more than 5 million songs, including content from all major labels, in a few easy steps and preview 30-second samples before purchasing.
2. Listen to Music. Download full-track songs over the air and listen to the music that you want to hear in less than a minute.
3. Manage Music. Instantly receive copies of purchased tracks on both your wireless phone and your PC. Knowing that the PC is the hub for anaging music, AT&T makes it as simple and convenient as possible for customers to have the same music on their computers as they do on their wireless phones.

Price is the most apparent disadvantage with this new venture. Each song is priced at $1.99, comparable to Verizon’s but not competitive enough when you’re up against Sprint’s $0.99 track, iTunes, and Amazon.

If there’s any consolation, there’s a special offer for AT&T customers who select the Napster Mobile Five-Track Pack from their phone will receive the first five songs free.

Via mobility site

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There are two major reasons why you would want to own the BlackBerry Curve 8310 which is being released under AT&T mobile carrier. One, its built-in GPS Telenav Navigator and two, its cool and sleek lively color, red and titanium.

The BlackBerry curve was first introduced in the U.S. mobile market minus the GPS navigation system. With the success of the original BlackBerry Curve, it is but natural that a new Curve model was developed this time loaded with a very useful the tool which clearly makes the BlackBerry Curve a must have device for smart phone aficionados.

BlackBerry Curve 8310’s GPS navigation system allows AT&T customers to take advantage of location-based applications and services more particularly TeleNav GPS Navigator. The TeleNav GPS Navigator is a very useful turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions navigation tool with 3-D moving maps and real-time traffic alerts with rerouting advices.

AT&T’s release of the BlackBerry 8310 added up to a series of BlackBerry services which the company has introduced starting with the BlackBerry 8800 and 8820 with built-in GPS and Wi-Fi respectively.

Aside from the GPS navigation system and the two new lively colors, the BlackBerry Curve 8310 also boosts of powerful mobile phone features such as a Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology which gives high speed access across U.S. and global roaming capability, web-based application specifically email push which has been BlackBerry’s signature service, a media player and a 2.0 effective megapixel camera. It would have been better though if the camera has a higher megapixel. But as I always say, why would you use your mobile phone as a camera anyway?

The BlackBerry Curve 8310 is now available for $199.99 and comes with a two-year AT&T contract.

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