FierceMobileContent

Study claims iPhone usability could be improved

Sue Marek — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:02:03 -0400

Keynote Systems conducted a user satisfaction study on certain mobile Web sites being accessed via the iPhone and found that when asked to find a news story, read an article and search for a story on a specific topic, many iPhone users reported low satisfaction with the Web-surfing usability of the sites.

The study tracked 75 iPhone users and used the Keynote WebEffective measurement product to measure the results. WebEffective is a software product that offers insight into a mobile Web site's effectiveness and performance.

The study found satisfaction rates were low for both Yahoo! (51 percent) and Fox News (64 percent) mobile Web sites; less than half the users found these sites appealing. The Keynote study also found only four percent of users accessed the advertisements on the site and only 25 percent noticed the ads but didn't click through.

For more:
- See this article

Related article:
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ITC weighs in on Broadcom/Sirf patent dispute

Sue Marek — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:47:24 -0400

As the saying goes, you win some and you lose some. That sentiment may characterize Sirf Technology today.

On the bad news front, Broadcom says the International Trade Commission yesterday affirmed that Sirf Technology infringes on three GPS-related patents held by Global Locate, a Broadcom subsidiary. The ITC will now decide whether to impose remedies or ban the importation into the U.S. of products with the infringing Sirf patents. In addition, the commission also will review three other patents Broadcom says Sirf is infringing upon.

On the good news front, Sirf said it has signed a mutual non-assertion agreement with Qualcomm to cover each of their patent portfolios. The company said the agreement will help expand the market for location-enabled products, services and content.

For more:
- See this article
- and this article

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AT&T: Parents text most often with their children

Jason Ankeny — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:23:16 -0400

While children text most often with their friends, parents send the majority of their text messages to their children according to a new consumer survey commissioned by AT&T and conducted by marketing research solutions provider Synovate. The survey found 79 percent of parents text their kids to tell them to call or phone home, representing the most common type of parent-to-child message--conversely, 88 percent of children said they most commonly text their parents to notify them of when they're going to be home.

Other findings of the AT&T/Synovate study:

Seventy-six percent of parents agree their children are more likely to keep them apprised their activities or whereabouts via text messaging.
Seventy-three percent of parents believe their children are more likely to respond to a text message.
Fifty percent of parents believe texting makes them a "cool" parent.
Eighty-four percent of kids say texting is easier than calling friends, and 82 percent say SMS makes it easier to tell their parents where they are.
Sixty-five percent of kids prefer the privacy of text messaging, 49 percent favor the cool/hip factor and 48 percent contend it's a better use of time than calling.

For more on the AT&T/Synovate study:
- read this release

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CEA launches mobile DTV standards group

Jason Ankeny — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:26:54 -0400

Trade organization the Consumer Electronics Association announced the creation of a new special interest group to address mobile digital broadcast technical standards. The CEA group will focus on A/153, the mobile/handheld addition to the Advanced Television Systems Committee's digital TV standards, which promises to enable U.S. stations to broadcast over mobile phones and other network-enabled portable media devices as well as receivers installed in moving vehicles. The CEA group said it plans to support the launch and growth of mobile digital TV in North America by fostering industry dialogue, educational programs and unified messaging in addition to promoting the development and implementation of technical standards and best practices documents. It also will meet with suppliers of technologies specified by the standard and arrange meetings with groups such as the Open Mobile Video Coalition, an association representing more than 800 U.S. TV stations in their efforts to accelerate the development and rollout of mobile DTV services.

For more on the CEA special interest group:
- read this release

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Wayfinder navigates new deal with Sony Ericsson

Jason Ankeny — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:48:41 -0400

Location and navigation services provider Wayfinder announced an expanded agreement with Sony Ericsson to preload richer, longer-term navigation applications across the device maker's current and future handset portfolio. Under the new deal, Sony Ericsson phones including the GPS-enabled W760 Walkman and C702 Cyber-shot as well as the upcoming C905 Cyber-shot will feature the Wayfinder Navigator application, which enables consumers to download Tele Atlas-based maps spotlighting more than 70 countries--the Sony Ericsson devices will feature full navigation capabilities, including lane and sign post information, available as 12-month regional, continental European or lifetime navigation offerings. Wayfinder and Sony Ericsson previously partnered on a three-month trial.

For more on the Wayfinder/Sony Ericsson deal:
- read this release

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