This new development in the Skype Facebook partnership is the latest example of how Skype is removing communication barriers and making it easier to connect with friends, family and business colleagues.

Facebook video calling powered by Skype was launched.

Skype announce our partnership with Facebook has reached yet another milestone with the launch of Skype 5.4 Beta for Mac and Skype 5.7 Beta for Windows allowing you to conduct a Facebook to Facebook call from within Skype.

Our approach to social is about personal connections with people.

We are on a mission to connect over one billion people and our continued partnership with Facebook brings us one step closer to this goal.

Initiating a Facebook to Facebook call from within Skype is quite easy all you need to do is connect your Skype and Facebook accounts.

Then, select a Facebook friend and hit the video call button in Skype your friend simply picks up the call from Facebook.

This new feature lets you maintain social connections with your Facebook friends and compliments previously announced features such as being able to see when your Facebook friends are online.

The largest Internet search company said its Google Offers business, which is currently only available in the U.S.

Will distribute daily deals from at least 15 other daily deal sites, including Gilt City, kgbdeals, TIPPR, Plum District and Juice in the City.

Google Offers subscribers in the San Francisco Bay Area will get the new deals first, but the company plans to roll out the bigger inventory of deals to new cities in coming months.

Google tried to buy Groupon, the largest daily deal site, for about $6 billion in 2010, but was rebuffed. Groupon is now pitching an IPO to potential investors at a valuation of roughly $11 billion.

Earlier this year, Google launched its own daily deals business, sourcing offers with its own sales force.

Google will continue sourcing its own daily deals, Google can offer a lot more deals without expanding its sales force a lot.

However, the company will likely be sharing revenue from the new offers with the other daily deal sites.

Groupon’s roadshow has faced some doubting investors, who wonder how the company will be able to compete with giants such as Google.

Groupon Chief Executive Andrew Mason has argued his company’s big sales force, which numbered about 4,800 recently, helps it negotiate the best deals with the most merchants.

“Building out a local sales force is not really part of Google’s core competencies and given how slowly they had been increasing the number of active deals and cities.

It would have taken them a very long time to get to a scale anywhere near Groupon’s,” said David Sinsky of Yipit, which aggregates daily deals and analyzes data on the industry.

Google generated less than 1 percent of Groupon’s gross billings in September, Sinsky noted.

“Google wants to gain scale so that it can compete with Groupon and Living Social to have a large enough quantity of deals to be able to intelligently target their subscribers with specific deals,” Sinsky said.

If Google gets a large enough inventory of deals it will be able to distribute them to a lot of users quickly, he added.

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) yesterday  announced that the Uplinq™ 2012 mobile developers conference will be held June 27-28, 2012 at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront hotel.

Geared to provide software developers writing for multiple operating systems a cross platform view of how to exploit.

The complete hardware software system in today’s leading mobile devices and to foster the business connections essential to making money in mobile.

Uplinq 2012 will focus on the Android, s® Phone and Brew® platforms, as well as HTML5.

“Uplinq is the one annual mobile conference that gives attendees a direct view into the latest innovations from Qualcomm and its partners across multiple OSes and device categories.

So developers can plan their businesses and get early insight into the capabilities they will be able to incorporate into their future products,” said Rob Chandhok, senior vice president of software strategy for Qualcomm and president of Qualcomm Internet Services.

“Last year, more than half the content at Uplinq was delivered by third parties, a clear testament to the promise Uplinq makes to attendees.”

Registration for Uplinq 2012 is scheduled to open in early 2012 with special offers for early registration.

To review highlights of Uplinq 2011 and to sign up for timely news about the conference, go to www.uplinq.com.

About Qualcomm

Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is the world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies.

For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications.

Linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other.

EditFor more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.

Qualcomm and Brew are registered trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated.

Uplinq is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Qualcomm Contacts:Emily Kilpatrick, Corporate CommunicationsPhone:  1-858-845-5959 – Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com

Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations Phone:  1-858-658-4813 – Email:  ir@qualcomm.com

SOURCE Qualcomm Incorporated

The Pro8400 seems to be confused about what it really is, claiming to be a home entertainment projector but acting for all the world like a business presentations model.

If high brightness is your primary image quality concern then it has you covered but its other merits are few and far between.

If there’s one thing we hate feeling as technology reviewers, it’s confused. Yet that’s exactly the emotion we’ve come away with after spending the past few hours with ViewSonic’s Pro8400 projector.

The thing is, it was ‘sold’ to us as a home cinema projector. An idea underlined by its appearance on ViewSonic’s UK website, where it appears in the ‘Precision Series’ section reckoned to bring ‘high-end performance and style to home entertainment.

it’s quickly apparent that while we can just about see a use for the Pro8400 in very specific home entertainment scenarios, it really feels much more like a business/presentations projector than a living room one.

With a glossy bit of black plastic over its rear half and matt black/grey over its front half, a startlingly big lens hanging out of the right front side, a rather random downward curve on the front upper edge and a grilled finished to the sides and front, there’s just too much going on.

The best thing about the Pro8400’s physical form is that it’s small and light, making it genuinely portable ,especially as it ships with a well made carry case.

As a first step in the partnership Canon will work with Oracle to integrate its business copiers and printers with the software giant’s database and server products.

Canon subsidiary IT Solutions will sell a new platform that easily links products like Canon’s image Runner Advance copiers with Oracle’s database.

Web Logic and other offerings, the two companies said Monday.

The new platform will go on sale from January in Japan and in the first half of the year in the US and Europe.

Japanese companies such as Canon are traditionally strong in developing advanced hardware.

Canon also makes steppers for mass producing integrated circuits and is a leading producer of high end cameras but are weaker when it comes to software.

But software and databases are becoming a crucial part of the business copier and printer industry, where documents are increasingly stored and processed digitally.

In the future, the company said it will work with Oracle in developing middleware for its online storage service, and the two companies will also work together to further develop and refine the Java programming language.

Canon has long used Oracle’s Java as the basis for a third-party application development platform with its multifunction copiers, and the new joint development will extend that partnership, Canon spokesman Gota Fumoto said.

Canon said the tie-up will offer business solutions that include optical character recognition for saving documents and advanced features for combining and splitting PDF files.

The ViewPad 10pro is one of the first tablets that is powered by Intel’s new 1.5GHz Atom processor Z670, which is designed specifically for tablets.

The processor is designed to lower power consumption while also enabling smaller and thinner product designs.

the ViewPad 10pro dual OS interface as quick and intuitive as possible, while partnering with industry CPU leader Intel to deliver the latest in design and innovation across all fronts.

Said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development with ViewSonic.

The dual-OS ViewPad 10pro is available with Windows 7 Professional and Android 2.3 for $699, or with Windows 7 Home Premium and Android 2.3 for $599.

The tablet comes with Android 2.3 and runs as an application on top of the Windows 7 operating system so users can tap on the Android icon to switch between the two operating systems.

The Latest Addition To Net Insight’s Range Of Multi-Service Media Gateways,Targeted To Meet The Increased Demand For Advanced IP/Ethernet Services In BMN And DTT.

Rani Wemel spoke to Bengt Hellstrom, Director Business Development APAC and Mari Fogelberg, Marketing Communications Manager of Net Insight.

Net Insight, a leading developer of efficient and scalable transport solutions for media, IP and broadcast networks, recently launched the Nimbra 380, said Mari, Marketing Communications Manager at Net Insight. Paired with the award winning IP trunk and featuring built-in Ethernet switching and unique GPS independent Time Transfer, the Nimbra 380 offers network owners unprecedented performance for next generation IP media and Digital Terrestrial TV networks (DTT), she added.

Bengt Hellstrom, Director Business Development APAC at Net Insight explained, the Nimbra 380 is developed to meet the increased IP requirements in media and DTT networks where demands for IP/Ethernet services need to be combined with 100% Quality of Service (QoS).

Net Insight’ unique channelized approach to delivery, collaborated with carrier-class Metro Ethernet switching, the Nimbra platform is the only product that guarantees 100 percent QoS of any media rich data, over IP and SDH/SONET network infrastructure.

Net Insight’s Nimbra Platform is renowned for having zero packet loss and for having the industry’s lowest jitter and wander, even at full network capacity. The Nimbra 380 has eight fixed Ethernet ports for high-quality Ethernet services and four trunk ports for SDH/SONET or IP/Ethernet uplinks.

Feature highlights include:

Advanced Ethernet functionality – provides full Ethernet switching capabilities between the 8 physical ports and up to 119 logical ports (channels) including support for Private Line/LAN/Tree services, to fit virtually all services carried over Ethernet.

Carrier class performance – offers support for redundant power supplies, in-service hardware swap, various protection switching mechanisms and extensive fault and performance monitoring, ensuring reliable and trouble-free operation.

Guaranteed QoS – offers QoS with zero packet loss and the industry’s lowest jitter and wander, even at full network utilization.

Time Transfer – unique high-quality timing via fiber for reliable GPS free synchronization.

True multiservice transport – Ethernet, ASI, SDI, AES/EBU, E1/T1, DS3/E3 and STM-1 can be transported on the same platform.

Time Transfer – unique high-quality timing via fiber for reliable GPS free synchronization.

True multiservice transport – Ethernet, ASI, SDI, AES/EBU, E1/T1, DS3/E3 and STM-1 can be transported on the same platform.

Net Insight Event Contribution References among others include the 2011 FIS Alpine World Ski Championship, 2010 FIFA World Cup First 3D broadcast and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

For further information, please contact, Per Lindgren, VP Business Development of Net Insight,+46 8 685 04 00, per.lindgren@netinsight.net

About Net Insight:

Net Insight delivers the world´s most efficient and scalable transport solution for Broadcast and IP Media, Digital Terrestrial TV, Mobile TV and IPTV/CATV networks. Net Insight products truly deliver 100 percent Quality of Service with three times improvement in utilization of bandwidth for a converged transport infrastructure.

Net Insights Nimbra™ platform is the industry solution for video, voice and data, reducing operational costs by 50 percent and enhancing competitiveness in delivery of existing and new media services. World class customers run mission critical video services over Net Insight products for more than 100 million people in more than 40 countries. Net Insight is quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Exchange,Stockholm.For more information, visit www.netinsight.net

By Asia Pacific Correspondent :

Rani Wemel

LTT Global Brands | 14 Jalan SS3/33, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE, Malaysia

T: 03-7877 7023 | F: 03-78777806 |

rani@LTTCOM.com / rani@techistan.com

Most homes have at least one computer device and one printer.  People rely on printers for a host of printing jobs, but we often buy this piece of equipment based on price alone without giving any consideration to our actual printing requirements. We save money at the front end but end up spending a ton of money during the ongoing life of the printer. Find out how you can avoid this by asking yourself the following questions.

Are black and white text documents the main type of printing I do?

If the answer is “Yes,” you’ll be better off getting yourself a monochrome printer rather than an inkjet. In addition, laser printers are known to be expensive to purchase to begin with, but still … over the life of the printer, a laser gives you much more value from a toner cartridge which yields up to 3000 pages per cartridge when compared to an ink jet cartridge which typically produces around 400 pages per cartridge.

What do the replacement cartridges cost so much?

This is where you find out the true cost of your printer over its lifetime. Inkjet printers are very reasonably priced so its tempting to purchase one based on that initial cost alone, but be sure to check the cost of replacement cartridges, otherwise you will find that printer is not so economical once cartridge costs are added to the equation. While you’re at it, check how many pages the cartridge is estimated to print which is detailed on the cartridge packaging.

Can the replacement cartridges be bought separately?

Another factor to check is whether you can buy each ink cartridge separately. Some printer models are manufactured in a way that replacement cartridges have to be purchased as an all in one set, color one and black one. This is an expensive way to have to buy ink cartridges, especially if there is plenty of ink in some of the colored cartridges but none in a color you use the most. Be sure to check that the printer you buy permits individual replacement cartridges to be purchased and put in the machine.

If you go over the above points prior to purchasing a printer you’re sure to find a printer that better matches your printing requirements and will give you good value over the life of the printer. For more useful advice on monochrome printers.

How about refilling print cartridges? There are pros and cons, we’ll talk about next time.

Image belongs to http://ca.gizmodo.com/tag/cartridges. Thank you, CA Gizmodo!!

• Interactive, on-demand TV services and content available on different devices
• Complete Ericsson solution includes encoding, encrypting, publishing and delivering content and application
• Ericsson’s first managed services deal with a media company in Asia

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) recently announced that it has been selected by Singapore’s MediaCorp to enable and manage MediaCorp’s new over-the-top service via broadband connection to their customers. The contract is Ericsson’s first managed services deal with a media company in Asia and includes a broad range of Ericsson TV solutions that enable consumers to watch their video content at any time, anywhere, on a wide variety of devices.

MediaCorp is Singapore’s foremost media organization with seven television channels, 13 radio stations, as well as newspapers, magazines, movies, digital and out-of-home media. Its TV viewers comprise majority of the Singapore market and its Channel NewsAsia International, one of the first Asian-owned English news channels, has a pan-regional outreach.

On-demand and over-the-top TV solutions continue to grow in importance for media owners and broadcasters as consumer viewing habits change, creating desire for watching TV anywhere, at any time, on any device. In line with MediaCorp’s strategy, this deal supports a diversification of their business and helps build direct, interactive relationships with consumers. Ericsson will supply, integrate, manage and operate the complete end-to-end technical solution over a five-year period.
Lucas Chow, MediaCorp CEO says, “MediaCorp is pleased to have Ericsson as our solutions provider and partner, as we embark on this very important and strategic initiative. Together, we are confident in providing an unprecedented interactivity and innovation, by offering a suite of exciting services on multiple platforms to our local consumers. We will set the future direction of interactive TV in Singapore by riding on the next generation national broadband network, and herald a new era of TV experience.”
“We are excited to support MediaCorp in delivering their new interactive service,” says Fadi Pharaon, head of Ericsson Singapore and Brunei. “Ericsson will design, integrate and operate a customized solution for MediaCorp based on our portfolio of products, which will allow consumers to access content via specific set-top boxes, connected TVs, tablets, personal computers and mobile devices.”
Jan Wäreby, head of Sales and Marketing, Ericsson, says: “This contract marks the beginning of a new partnership between Ericsson and MediaCorp. It further demonstrates Ericsson’s leadership in the TV and managed services space, as well as our commitment to offer even more innovative solutions to our customers. We have the complete suite of building blocks needed to meet MediaCorp’s exact requirements regarding technology, as well as systems integration and managed services capabilities.”

About Ericsson

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices. Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the “prime driver in an all-communicating world” through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 90,000 employees generated revenue of SEK 203.3 billion (USD 28.2 billion) in 2010. Founded in 1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.

About MediaCorp

MediaCorp is Singapore’s leading media company with the most complete range of platforms, spanning television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, digital and out-of-home media. It pioneered the development of Singapore’s broadcasting industry, with the broadcast of Radio in 1936 and Television in 1963. Today, MediaCorp has over 50 products and brands in four languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil), reaching out to all adults in Singapore every week.

Our industry firsts include the Digital Video Broadcast technology for outdoor digital television, and Asia’s first Digital Audio Broadcast radio service. Initiatives in the digital space include online classifieds, Internet TV-on-demand and High Definition TV broadcast.  MediaCorp is an active regional player through co-productions in TV dramas and movies, magazines publishing, as well as Channel NewsAsia International, one of the first Asian-owned English news channels.

Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) recently announced that it has been selected by Singapore’s MediaCorp to enable and manage MediaCorp’s new over-the-top service via broadband connection to their customers. The contract is Ericsson’s first managed services deal with a media company in Asia and includes a broad range of Ericsson TV solutions that enable consumers to watch their video content at any time, anywhere, on a wide variety of devices.

MediaCorp is Singapore’s foremost media organization with seven television channels, 13 radio stations, as well as newspapers, magazines, movies, digital and out-of-home media. Its TV viewers comprise majority of the Singapore market and its Channel NewsAsia International, one of the first Asian-owned English news channels, has a pan-regional outreach.

On-demand and over-the-top TV solutions continue to grow in importance for media owners and broadcasters as consumer viewing habits change, creating desire for watching TV anywhere, at any time, on any device. In line with MediaCorp’s strategy, this deal supports a diversification of their business and helps build direct, interactive relationships with consumers. Ericsson will supply, integrate, manage and operate the complete end-to-end technical solution over a five-year period.
Lucas Chow, MediaCorp CEO says, “MediaCorp is pleased to have Ericsson as our solutions provider and partner, as we embark on this very important and strategic initiative. Together, we are confident in providing an unprecedented interactivity and innovation, by offering a suite of exciting services on multiple platforms to our local consumers. We will set the future direction of interactive TV in Singapore by riding on the next generation national broadband network, and herald a new era of TV experience.”
“We are excited to support MediaCorp in delivering their new interactive service,” says Fadi Pharaon, head of Ericsson Singapore and Brunei. “Ericsson will design, integrate and operate a customized solution for MediaCorp based on our portfolio of products, which will allow consumers to access content via specific set-top boxes, connected TVs, tablets, personal computers and mobile devices.”
Jan Wäreby, head of Sales and Marketing, Ericsson, says: “This contract marks the beginning of a new partnership between Ericsson and MediaCorp. It further demonstrates Ericsson’s leadership in the TV and managed services space, as well as our commitment to offer even more innovative solutions to our customers. We have the complete suite of building blocks needed to meet MediaCorp’s exact requirements regarding technology, as well as systems integration and managed services capabilities.”

About Ericsson

Ericsson is the world’s leading provider of technology and services to telecom operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the leading position in managed services. The company’s portfolio comprises mobile and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich personal mobile devices. Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the “prime driver in an all-communicating world” through innovation, technology, and sustainable business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 90,000 employees generated revenue of SEK 203.3 billion (USD 28.2 billion) in 2010. Founded in 1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.

About MediaCorp

MediaCorp is Singapore’s leading media company with the most complete range of platforms, spanning television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, digital and out-of-home media. It pioneered the development of Singapore’s broadcasting industry, with the broadcast of Radio in 1936 and Television in 1963. Today, MediaCorp has over 50 products and brands in four languages (English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil), reaching out to all adults in Singapore every week.

Our industry firsts include the Digital Video Broadcast technology for outdoor digital television, and Asia’s first Digital Audio Broadcast radio service. Initiatives in the digital space include online classifieds, Internet TV-on-demand and High Definition TV broadcast.  MediaCorp is an active regional player through co-productions in TV dramas and movies, magazines publishing, as well as Channel NewsAsia International, one of the first Asian-owned English news channels.

Our financial and strategic relationships in the region since 2007 include a venture with Indonesia’s most integrated media company PT Media Nusantara Citra and its parent, Global Mediacom, and International Media Corporation in Vietnam, set up to develop and produce television entertainment and economic news content. Winner of numerous international awards and accolades including Asia Television’s Broadcaster of the Year, MediaCorp’s vision is to become Asia’s top media company, delivering valued content to the world.  For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg

Our financial and strategic relationships in the region since 2007 include a venture with Indonesia’s most integrated media company PT Media Nusantara Citra and its parent, Global Mediacom, and International Media Corporation in Vietnam, set up to develop and produce television entertainment and economic news content. Winner of numerous international awards and accolades including Asia Television’s Broadcaster of the Year, MediaCorp’s vision is to become Asia’s top media company, delivering valued content to the world.  For more information, please visit mediacorp.sg

By Asia Pacific Correspondent : Rani Wemel
LTT Global Brands | 14 Jalan SS3/33, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE, Malaysia
T: 03-7877 7023 | F: 03-78777806 |
rani@LTTCOM.com / rani@techistan.com

Maxis continues to inspire innovation from bright, young Malaysian entrepreneurs whilst enriching the Malaysian mobile content ecosystem.

Kuala Lumpur, Maxis Berhad (“Maxis”), Malaysia’s leading integrated communications provider, today hosted an event to celebrate Mobile Content Challenge entrepreneurs, including 32 past winners and participants from Mobile Content Challenge 2007, 2008 and 2009, who have successfully commercialised their content, applications, or services, or who have started new business ventures. The event, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre was graced  by YB Dato’ Joseph Salang, Deputy Minister for Information Communications and Culture and Maxis Chairman, Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda. Mobile Content Challenge entrepreneurs were acknowledged for their achievements in the Malaysian content space.

(From left) Toh Swee Hoe, Advisor to the Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM), Sandip Das, CEO of Maxis Berhad, YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda, Chairman, Maxis Berhad, YB Dato’ Joseph Salang, Deputy Minister of Information Communications and Culture and En Muhamad Bukhairi bin Samsudin from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda said “As Malaysia’s leading integrated communications provider, Maxis has always been a dominant player in the development of the local content industry. Since 2003, we have actively invested in developing young and bright content entrepreneurs through the Maxis Developer Programme, spending over RM18 million on the initiative. Since inception, an estimated 200 developers representing both companies and individuals have participated in the programme and they have gone on to commercialise over 300 applications and services.

“In 2007, Maxis took this initiative a step further by partnering with the Government – The Ministry of Information Communications and Culture and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission – for the Mobile Content Challenge, a comprehensive programme to discover, nurture and guide young Malaysian students in developing content and applications, with the ultimate goal of successfully commercialising their ideas, spurring creativity and innovation. Since its launch, the Mobile Content Challenge has worked with over 60 Malaysian Institutions of Higher Learning to generate over 460 new ideas which have helped spur the growth of the mobile content industry.

“By building capacity – nurturing not only local content development but also the talent in this area, we are certainly building the capacity in terms of knowledge and expertise for future Malaysia. I am very pleased to see the fruits of our investment today, in the faces and hopes of these bright young Malaysian content entrepreneurs.”

(From left) Toh Swee Hoe, Advisor to the Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM), Sandip Das, CEO of Maxis Berhad, YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda, Chairman, Maxis Berhad, YB Dato’ Joseph Salang, Deputy Minister of Information Communications and Culture and Mr Choy Cheng Keong Daniel, overall winner of the MCC in 2008.

YB Dato’ Joseph Salang noted, “The Mobile Content Challenge is a shining example of how a corporate organisation is able to support the Government by creating a diverse Malaysian creative and innovative talent pool that can further the national vision of becoming a regional hub for digital content. The Mobile Content Challenge has also equipped students with invaluable experience from industry experts, building exposure, confidence and broadening their perspective on technology and its practical applications.  Today, it is fit that we celebrate these young Malaysian students-turned-entrepreneurs who have stepped up as skilled professionals, contributing directly to local content development and to our economy.”

Mobile Content Challenge has helped to commercially launch “Kids Cashier”, one of the winning applications of Mobile Content Challenge 2007. The application is an educational mobile phone game introducing primary school students to money denominations whilst reinforcing their understanding of basic addition, subtraction and multiplication concepts.  Muhamad Hazmin Wardi and Mohamed Muaz Mohamed of the Kids Cashier team have gone on to greater achievements, winning the IP Content Creation grant in August 2008, the MDeC Pre-Seed grant in December 2009 and the Cradle grant in August 2008. Muhamad Hazmin Wardi has started his own company with another colleague to develop creative content applications for the iPhone and Facebook.

Hazmin and Muaz team who developed the “Kids Cashier”, one ofthe winning applications of Mobile Content Challenge 2007, showing theirapp to VVIPs’ during a Mobile Content Challenge showcase in 2009.

Of the Mobile Content Challenge experience, Muhamad Hazmin Wardi said, “When my project was chosen as the runner up in 2007 and I received RM20,000, it gave me the drive to move forward.  Now I own a company and have gotten funding up to RM300,000.  My dream is to turn RM300,000 into RM3 million.  It is an ambitious number but I am confident I can achieve it because I am a radical dreamer!”

Another past winner from Mobile Content Challenge 2008, the ArtMobile team from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (“UTM”), has since launched their application online with “SPACE”, UTM’s online long distance learning centre. 2009’s winning application was “MMSKu”, a personalised greeting card service that enables users to send an electronic card through WAP and SMS whilst delivering MMS content to the end user.  MMSKu is a Multimedia Messaging System (“MMS”) creation engine that enables users to create MMSes with their own text embedded within the image.  MMSKu won in the category of Best Mobility Content award in Mobile Content Challenge 2009 and was the brainchild of two UTM students, Hasnol Ariff Hussin and Muhamad Bukhairi Samsudin, and their lecturer-advisor Dr. Mohd Yazid Idris.

(4^th from left) YB Dato’ Joseph Salang, Deputy Minister of Information Communications and Culture, YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad bin Raja Tun Uda, Chairman, Maxis Berhad, Sandip Das, CEO of Maxis Berhad and Mr Toh Swee Hoe, Advisor to the Chairman of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) together with the successful Mobile Content Challenge entrepreneurs

As the Mobile Content Challenge programme is designed for sustainability, Maxis has put in place critical end to end components within the Malaysian content ecosystem to support the initiative.  In 2009, Maxis introduced the Nurturing Programme and Commercialisation Support Programme to assist past Mobile Content Challenge finalists to further enhance their concepts and turn their prototypes into commercial-ready products.  These programmes incorporate workshops, product testing labs, hands-on guidance and coaching by Maxis’ product and business managers, as well as industry mentors, to ensure participants’ products are ready for market.

2009 also saw Maxis opening the virtual Maxis’ 1Store, a one stop mobile application and content store for Maxis’ wide base of customers with over 13.5 million subscriptions – providing a ready market and captive audience for winning Mobile Content Challenge applications. To encourage the participation of local developers and these young entrepreneurs, Maxis is giving a special incentive of 100% revenue share for applications developed and submitted before 1 June 2011.

Moving ahead, in tandem with Maxis’ journey towards integrated communications, the company will continue to support these young developers in new areas of content based on integrated services to customers – delivered seamlessly on any smart screen and leveraging interactivity between screens.

The Mobile Content Challenge continues to fulfill its role as a strong platform for creating and nurturing a new generation of innovative entrepreneurs, fulfilling the Maxis corporate responsibility vision of promoting deserving Malaysians as leaders in their fields. Maxis is committed to further inspiring these bright, young Malaysian entrepreneurs whilst enriching the Malaysian mobile content ecosystem.

-End

About Maxis Berhad

Maxis Berhad with its consolidated subsidiaries (together, ‘Maxis’) is the leading integrated communications provider in Malaysia with 13.52 million mobile subscriptions as of 30 September 2010. Since 1995, Maxis’ Malaysian business has been providing a full suite of communication services on multiple platforms to satisfy the needs of individual consumers, small and medium enterprises, and large corporations in Malaysia.Maxis has pioneered and led the Malaysian market in providing innovative mobile products and services. It was the first to launch 3G services, Maxis3G, in March 2005. In September 2006 it was among the world’s first to use HSDPA, a high-speed upgrade of the 3G network. In December 2009 it was first to introduce to Malaysia, HSPA+, the latest advancement in 3G/HSPA network capabilities, to further enhance its wireless broadband services.

Maxis is a leading regional content player with 39.2% of non-voice revenue as part of mobile revenue and 7.1 million active mobile internet users, more than 50% of its customer base. It continually explores global and local best partnerships with partners such as Western Union, PayPal, the Barclays Premier League and the Lotus Racing Team in Formula One to bring the latest relevant content first to customers.  Maxis actively builds a local content ecosystem with partners to forward the Malaysian content industry.

It was also the first telecommunication service provider to bring the BlackBerry™ and Apple iPhone™ smart phones to Malaysia. The company in April 2009 unveiled the first-in-the world commercial near field communication service, which enables customers to use their phones for wave and pay transactions.

Maxis’ growth and strong track record of enabling innovation, excellent customer experience and value to stakeholders have won the company numerous awards over the years which include Asian Mobile Operator of the Year by the Asian Mobile News Award in 2008 and Mobile Data Service Provider of the Year (Malaysia) by Frost & Sullivan in 2009. Maxis also received Asia’s Best Employer Award 2010 from Singapore’s Employer Branding Institute. Maxis was nominated as Best Mobile Operator in this year’s World Communication Awards for leadership in service innovation and continues its commitment to building advanced networks, improving quality and introducing globally contemporary products and services to the Malaysian landscape.

Maxis Berhad listed in late 2009 in a successful IPO that was ranked as the largest ever in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, raising RM11.2 billion. The IPO was awarded Deal of the Year for 2009 by Finance Asia.

Maxis’ vision is to bring advanced communications services to enrich its customers’ lives and businesses, in a manner that is simple and personalised, by efficiently and creatively harnessing leading edge technology, and delivering a brand of service experience that is reliable and enchanting.

Maxis has also been active in carrying out Corporate Responsibility programmes to serve the communities. Since 2002 Maxis has been dedicated to working in unison with the Ministry of Information Communications and Culture Malaysia (‘KPKK’) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (‘SKMM’) on the Bridging Communities corporate responsibility programme to increase Malaysian access to the digital platform.

For more information, please visit: maxis.com.my

By Asia Pacific Correspondent : Rani Wemel
LTT Global Brands | 14 Jalan SS3/33, 47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor DE, Malaysia
T: 03-7877 7023 | F: 03-78777806 |
rani@LTTCOM.com / rani@techistan.com