Buzzin Mobiles

vtap, the mobile video search service, has launched two new mobile video channels for free mobile access to all the latest web video content from 2008’s music festivals.

By simply pointing their web browser at www.vtap.com/feeds/uk_festivals or m.vtap.com/feeds/uk_festivals music lovers will see a continually updated feed of the latest web video content relating to festivals including O2 Wireless, T in the Park and Reading/Leeds, as well as videos of the headlining acts at this year’s festivals.

About vtap
vtap, is a unique mobile web video search service that allows consumers to quickly and easily search, view and save relevant web videos from any source on the Internet on any imaginable topic, tailored to their individual preferences on their preferred device(s).

By registering with vtap, users can receive a feed of personalised up-to-date content from thousands of video sites directly to their mobile device or PC.

Features include:

Search – easily find any video with vtap’s proprietary “incremental” search where results are returned continually as characters are input, with further results displayed and ordered by relevance

Discovery – Advanced algorithms organise videos and present related topics such as movies, TV, songs, artists, etc., in a way that’s easy to browse and discover

Feed – vtap makes it easy to set up a personalised feed. Any music artist, team, celebrity, TV show or topic can be added to the feed and vtap will find the latest related videos across thousands of sites and push them to any profile or device

Keep – save videos for viewing later or sharing with your friends on the go. Users can save online at vtap.com and then watch later on their mobile (and vice-versa)
Share – users can share any video with any of their friends using SMS, email or vtap feed links.

About Veveo
U.S. company Veveo’s mission is to become a driving force in creating a consumer mobile video habit. The company’s flagship product, vtap, makes discovering, viewing and sharing mobile videos easy through its proprietary incremental search technology and by delivering a personalized feed of content directly to any screen, anytime. The service is free to consumers and features more than 170 million videos from more than 50,000 sites across the Web.

For more information about vtap, please visit www.vtap.com or for mobile vtap visit m.vtap.com.

Have you been on a business trip within the European Union lately and been shocked by the cost of using your business mobile phone abroad?

Last month, the EU’s telecoms watchdog published a set of  guidelines for laws to balance call termination fees across the EU memeber states by 2011.

The European Commission plans to lower the cost of mobile phone calls by reducing the fees operators charge each other for using their networks across state borders.

The EU also wanted mobile phone companies to cut prices for sending data from a mobile phone, such as text and email messages and using mobile internet, from one EU member state to another.

The European Union  has stated that failure to reach an agreement to reduce costs may result in legislation to force them to change the way they charge their customers.

There are currently 27 national authorities regulating fees charged by an operator for handling calls from one company to another.  It is because of the cross-border fees that the EU are concerned that EU customers are paying too much for their mobile phone services while abroad.

As the EU promotes business within and between EU members, I believe it is only right that they are fighting for lower costs.

Operators have until 2011 to abide by the new regulations, which the commission estimated would make calls 70% cheaper.

The new Apple iPhone with 3G is set to become this summer’s most fashionable useful accessory for every businessman on the move.

The new iPhone 3G is to be launched in the UK on the 11th July. It comes with fast 3G technology, built-in GPS and support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

Watch the Apple iPhone Guided Tour.

As all businesses from sole traders and SME’s to transnational corporations are relying on the advances in mobile technology ever more, a report today suggests that airlines are to use mobile phones to cut flight delays in the next five years.

A study by Cambridge University and SITA, an IT provider to the airline industry, suggest airlines could save up to £306 million and reduce flight delays by tracking passengers and getting them to the departure gates in better time.

According to CBR Online, mobile phones already have the potential to include boarding passes, baggage tracking and payment data.

Jim Peters, Chief Technology Officer at SITA said,

“Digital travellers will have on-demand access to a range of mobile-enabled services such as real time flight updates, self-service booking, check-in and boarding, and mobile payments.”

Not surprisingly, the report also found that mobile phone technology could be affectively used by airlines to promote other services.  A trial of this service at Manchester Airport resulted in 45% increase in sales via redemption vouchers.

Once again it looks like advances in mobile technology to give more power to the individual is a weigh off against mobile intrusion.  With these kind of services over the next few years will undoubtedly come an massive increase in mobile advertising and mobile spam.

New offering allows UK SME’s and small businesses value and flexibility as well as free mobile Skype for business for first time.

3 Business, the new small business division of mobile operator 3, has launched a comprehensive range of new deals for small UK businesses with the introduction of Business Mix and Match plans.

3 Business’ pricing structure offers customers a new level of value and customisation in their company’s mobile plans, as well as making advanced Internet services like mobile Skype accessible on a business plan for the first time.

3 Business customers can choose from a range of options for voice minutes, texts, mobile broadband data and handsets.

In addition, for the first time on any network, 3’s Business Mix & Match plans offer free Skype calls from mobiles, which enable businesses to stay in touch for free via Internet calling.

Every Business Mix and Match customer will receive 300 free 3-to-3 minutes, free Skype-to-Skype calls, free voicemail and free Instant Messenger.

Business Mix and Match also offers customers significant flexibility when choosing handsets.  Customers will be able to select new handsets such as Nokia’s N95 or the HTC TyTN II, alongside established handsets such as Nokia’s E61 and 6500 slider.

3 Business has also boosted the value of its Business 600, Business 900 and Flat Rate tariffs, giving customers on these price plans 2000 free 3-to-3 minutes. In addition new customers signing up for 18-months will also receive a 10% discount and those on 24-month contracts will get 25% off their recurring charge (discount applies to sharer member not access fee).

Renato Bottini, 3 Business Division Manager, said: “We’re bringing the same value and innovation that we’ve introduced into the UK consumer market to small businesses.  We want to be the best value, to offer the most exciting new services and to give our customers the service levels they expect.”

“The launch of mobile Skype for business is a real first in the market. Consumers have been taking advantage of free Internet calling on mobile for some time and we’re now enabling small businesses to benefit from this. Whether you’re calling your office in the UK or your customer in Australia, Skype offers free mobile calling and you can’t beat that sort of value.”