Inmarsat is set to launch the first of its fourth-generation satellites Thursday: It will launch two satellites this year offering speeds of up to 432 Kbps symmetrically. Tenzing said last year that although it was limited to relatively slow speeds with current technology that the I-4 Inmarsat satellites would allow them to bond one, two, or four channels providing planes with 432 Kbps, 864 Kbps, or nearly 1.7 Mbps of symmetrical bandwidth.

Connexion by Boeing uses existing satellites to offer 5 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream with an option to go to 20 Mbps downstream. However, Boeing's more conventional system requires transponders in each area of coverage in which planes fly that effectively restrict the bandwidth in those zones. Inmarsat uses a beam focusing method that will allow them to deliver spot access to congested areas keeping throughput higher. Each satellite will support 200 spot beams covering 250 square miles each.

Inmarsat equipment is already in thousands of long-haul planes, or about 50 percent of all such planes. Tenzing told me in 2004 that on many planes, the upgrade process will require an hour or two of a technician's time to swap out modules.

12:29:37 PM    comment   

Just when you thought you were safe from hearing U2's 'Vertigo' every five minutes, Virgin Radio has started broadcasting on a global scale over 2.5 and 3G phones, via a simple streaming application. In addition to the standard pop-rock of their main station, you can also tune into the Virgin Radio Groove or Virgin Radio Classic Rock. Because I needed the ability to hear the Eagles when wandering in Singapore.

This is a bit of a blow to satellite radio big guns XM and SIRIUS, as the 14.9 million people using the compatible Symbian platforms is larger than their combined customer-bases. Calypso Wireless is currently working on getting both parties on your phone (or PDA, or iPod, or whatever), but the longer it takes, the more people will already be getting their toothless, inoffensive Top 40 hits from Virgin.

World's First 3G Phone Radio[~]Satellite's Next Big Competitor? [Orbitcast]

12:28:02 PM    comment   

A recent report from Juniper Research has shown that the mobile porn market[~]which is barely off to any sort of start here in the States[~]is booming in Europe and Asia, or "Swinging Eurasia" as it is known in the industry. Worldwide adult revenues are set to top $1 billion this year (although it's not clear in the report from eWEEK if that's just from online or not. From my all-too-convenient insider knowledge of the adult industry, I'm think that's just wireless). Will we ever get tiny smut clips on our 3G mobiles here in the US? From my talks with carriers last month for an upcoming column, the answer is "Yes, but not from the carriers." They have these things on 3G phones called 'web browsers,' and they're going to change the way we watch 32 pixels copulate.

Cell Phone Users Put Porn in Their Pockets [Yahoo via PicturePhoning]

12:27:35 PM    comment   

The Pininfarina design team has already worked with Motorola to create a series of ugly, race-inspired clamshell phones that you can purchase if you have no real concept of good design. There might be hope for the collaboration yet, as Pininfarina shows off a prototype design [pictured] to go along with the Birdcage Maserati concept car [not pictured]. It doesn't look very practical in any ways that matter, but it does exhibit the typical Italian over-styling we've all come to love (and not purchase). (Thanks, Hubert!)

Birdcage 75th concept car - world debut [PininfarinaIT]

12:27:06 PM    comment   

Here are some more interesting "Motorola Seamless Mobility" concepts from Pininfarina like the concept phone we just talked about. Will we ever see any of these as actual products? Probably not, but they're fun to look at, and it's very possible design cues will be taken from these concepts to be seen in future Motorola products.

More pictures after the jump.

12:26:42 PM    comment