cellular-news
Latest
China Mobile wants 'cut-down' version of iPhone
China Mobile has asked Apple to remove Wi-Fi and 3G networking from the iPhone for its launch in China, according to Apple's Taiwanese manufacturing partner, Foxconn. China Mobile is asking for the changes to make the phone less appealing to those who would unlock the phone and use it on its major rival's network: China Unicom. China Mobile has been in sporadic talks with Apple since the original handset was launched last year. Apple agreed to potential revenue sharing, which got talks moving again in July. Research companies don't doubt that the changes, along with robust Chinese language support, will help Apple's sales in the country. They estimate that there are 28 million potential customers in China. [Via cellular-news.]
Company files patents for tech that "virtually eliminates" cellphone background noise
Cellular-news is reporting that a company called TechnoConcepts has filed a pair of patent applications for technology that is said to " virtually eliminate background noise in cellular and other communications devices, while vividly improving the voice clarity." Basically the technology, which could either be incorporated into handsets as a stand-alone ASIC chip or integrated directly into their digital signal processors, claims to allow users to chat it up in noisy environments by filtering out the audible schwag while enhancing both audio input and output. Great, just what we need, technology that makes it easier for people to annoy the rest of us in public. According to TechnoConcepts, their tech should be available to rude-talkers worldwide sometime next year.