For complete coverage go to DEMO 07 HQ
China lauds iPhone app that spreads state views
11/11/09
China's film and TV regulator late Tuesday praised the growth of an iPhone application from state broadcaster CCTV as the country looks for new ways to project its political views abroad.
Elpida signs on another Taiwan DRAM maker
11/11/09
Elpida signed another Taiwanese DRAM maker, Winbond Electronics, to a manufacturing and technology partnership on Wednesday, putting an end to rumors that the company might join a rival alliance that uses technology from U.S.-based Micron Technology.
Logitech to buy HD video company for $405 million
11/11/09
Logitech plans to acquire LifeSize Communications, a company that makes HD video communications equipment, for US$405 million in cash, the companies said Tuesday.
One of the hurdles hindering widespread adoption of multimedia downloads (music, movies) to a mobile phone is the amount of storage space available on the phone. Flash-based media cards can store only 4GB, and adding a hard drive to a cell phone adds bulk, weight and takes away from the phone's battery life.
Storage vendor Seagate is hoping to revolutionize this market by announcing its DAVE (Digital Audio Video Experience) device at DEMO 2007. Formerly known as "Crickett," the palm-sized device separates storage from the mobile phone yet gives users an additional 10G to 20GB of space to play with. Wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) lets users play the content on their phone while the file stays on the DAVE hard drive. An applet that sits on the mobile phone creates the user interface for users to manage the digital content.
Click to see: Seagate's Crickett
From Seagate's perspective, having large amounts of storage available for users at the endpoint helps revolutionize the market. Cable TV, for example, saw an uptick in usage once the personal video recorder allowed shows to be saved to a hard drive. Music downloads took off once MP3 players had the ability to store lots of files in a portable format. Likewise, having extra storage available for a mobile phone, yet not adding to the bulk of the device (keeping it mobile), may spur users to download music and movie services from a mobile carrier.
That's what Seagate is hoping, at least – the vendor plans to offer DAVE to carriers and mobile handset OEMs for sale under their own brand names – Seagate itself has no plans to sell or market this device on its own. "This device allows carriers to monetize their next-generation networks and offer their customers a rich media pipeline," says Rob Pait, director of global consumer electronics marketing at Seagate. The company says it plans to offer DAVE to manufacturers for resale in the second quarter of 2007.
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