[MobileRatty] tag: nxp

NXP announces worlds first Hybrid DVB-T TV tuner card in half the size of a minicard

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 05:27:24 +0000

NXP and Pegatron, has achieved the world’s first Hybrid DVB-T TV tuner card in half the size of a minicard with the help of NXP's latest generation multistandard TDA18271 silicon tuner. Additionally to the latest generation multistandard TDA18271 silicon tuner, Pegatron adopted the highly integrated NXP’s SAA7231NE A/V decoder that supports receptions of both Analog TV and DVB-T signal from different sources like cable and terrestrial programs and feature the lowest power consumption, which made it possible to develop the Hybrid DVB-T solution in half-minicard form factor.The Notebook equipped with such Hybrid half-miniCard enables end users to watch and record both analog and digital TV broadcasting programs on their notebooks and even enjoy Hi-Definition TV programs.

The NXP SAA7231 family is ideally suited for TV cards in current and future flavors of Microsoft Media Centre Edition (MCE) PCs, with support for analog, DVB-T and DVB-S broadcasts as well as an integrated MCE-compliant IR controller for a full-function remote control. A state-of-the-art video processing engine decodes the analog AV stream for features such as PVR and time shifting, while adaptive 2D noise reduction improves picture.

NXP MIFARE technology accelerates the introduction of mobile devices that support NFC

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 21:24:00 +0000

NXP, an independent company based Philips, announced in the next few months to issue a specification Application Programming Interface (API) MIFARE4Mobile, manages applications based on MIFARE technology in mobile devices. The emergence of this specification, according to the company, provides mobile network operators and service providers a single programming interface, ensuring interoperability and simplifying the use of contactless MIFARE technology in future mobile devices that support Near Field Communication (NFC).

The program interfaces MIFARE4Mobile can control MIFARE applications in mobile phones supporting NFC - from the remote installation of air and to dialogue with the user through the user interface device. NXP proposes to use the JavaCard, according to the requirements of Global Platform, to run all services MIFARE, stored in a protected form of a mobile device.

The specification of software interfaces MIFARE4Mobile allows remote management applications based on technology MIFARE, stored in fixed-protected elements and SIM cards. Since MIFARE is the leading contactless technology for public transportation, ticket and access control systems worldwide, the applications based on it will make NFC-phones in transportation cards or tickets, providing a wide range of services to sell, issuing tickets and control in one device. These applications will help consumers buy and replenish their cards at any time and anywhere, thus avoiding the queues at the ticket offices, as well as provide an opportunity to view information on the map right on your mobile NFC-phone.

NXP develops requirements for certification, rules of consistency and sustainability to specifications MIFARE4Mobile, in consultation with key stakeholders. Licenses to use technology software interfaces MIFARE4Mobile will be free of charge, provided they use to secure elements MIFARE (as UICC, and built) by the NXP or licensed to NXP. The first version of software interfaces will support MIFARE Classic, and will continue to support added MIFARE Plus and MIFARE DESFire, which will ensure full compatibility with existing and new beskontaktnym equipment.

First in the world prototype clever key from the automobile

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:18:00 +0000

The company BMW Of group Of research and Technology and NXP Of semiconductors they represented the prototype of the first in the world multifunctional key from the automobile. Into the set of the functions of prototype enter the possibility of conducting the noncontact payments, the personalized control of access, and also such additional functions, as electronic ticket for public transport, which ensures further increase in the mobility of owner. The prototype of key is developed on the basis of the microcircuit NXP Of smartMX and it will for the first time allow drivers rapidly and convenient to carry out the protected payments with the aid of the key from the automobile, providing wide new possibilities to future users.

The owners of automobiles can in the future use advantages of noncontact payments for conducting the spontaneous transactions - for the payment, for example, of goods in the stores, combustible for the automobile, use of public transport, by parkings and by paid roads - without the need for available means or additional cards. NXP will demonstrate the prototype of the key of automobile on its stand within the framework of the exhibition CARTES & Of identification, which takes place in Paris on November 4 to 6, 2008.

From the words of creators, the transformation of key from the automobile into the personal credit map opens many additional possibilities. Future users can obtain the protected access to personal data and pass authorization for the use of the built-in personalized system of on-line services, existing in the automobile BMW. Personal map on the basis of key from the automobile can be also temporarily registered, also, for other automobiles. The possibility of automatic authorization and activating of the personalized services and tuning will make it possible to make a rental or the joint use of automobile even more convenient. Moreover, with the load into the key of the function of the ticket of public transport, it becomes reliable companion with any forms of displacement.

The microcircuit NXP Of smartMX P5CD081 has an antenna of smaller sizes in comparison with the standard [smart]- maps and is the ideal solution for the integration into the devices of the wide range of forms and sizes. The integrated microcircuit with the dual interface will be compatible with the size EMV and certified by the federal division of Information Security of Germany (Bundesamt of für Of sicherheit in of der Of informationstechnik), for correspondence to the requirements of the general criterion of level EAL 5+, which will ensure fulfilling the very high demands of the protection of credit map.

BMW and NXP's prototype smart-key knows more about you than the NSA

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:32:00 +0000

Filed under: Transportation

Ok, we didn't see this one coming. Then again, our idea of a Sunday drive is taking a taxi uptown. So imagine our surprise to find that the people at NXP Semiconductor and BMW thought it was a good idea to integrate a car key with a contact-less payment system. The prototype key features NXP's SmartMX security chip -- the same chip at the heart of many of the world's e-passports -- making it possible to use the key to pay for fuel at the pump, tolls (after uh, switching off the engine in the toll lane), or at any number of places where flagrantly flaunting your BMW logo-adorned key could get you noticed. What piqued out interest, however, is the promise that such a key could hold your personal access rights to unlock, and then start the engine of your own car or that of a rental company's while automatically configuring the interior with all your custom in-vehicle settings such as radio presets, mirror and seat adjustments, etc. It would even authorize (and pay for) future on-line BMW services across the entire fleet of Bimmers you don't own, but might choose to outfit the family with if the smart key option was available. The prototype on display at the CARTES & IDentification show in Paris next week will likely closely resemble the image above... only without the transformer.

[Thanks, Stop_Spam_ming]

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BMW Squeezes Wallet into Car Keys

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:06:26 +0000

Despite the wealth of gadgets that are "credit card sized", there's no reason an actual credit card has to have the same form factor, especially if you don't need to swipe it through a machine to read it. BMW has noticed this and is building contact-less payment systems into its car keys. The prototype is "the world’s first multifunctional car key" (I guess they never used a key to open a beer) and uses the SmartMX chip from NXP.

The obvious use is for paying road tolls as you drive, but BMW's bofffins see the keys being loaded up with public transport tickets (think Park and Ride schemes) and re-registering the actual key part with other cars for rental purposes. The irony is that, as the "key" doesn't actually fit into a hole to start the car, it could in fact be shaped like a credit card.

The strength of BMW's system is that it can be read from afar, making in-car payments easy. But that is also the weakness. We like the whole reprogrammable key idea, but do we need it to keep our money (metaphorically) inside? A real credit card sits safely in your pocket and can't be hacked from afar. However "secure" the smart key is claimed to be, there will always be a way to hack the system.

Happily, it also puts a whole new slant on our favorite after party game. Now, when we throw our keys into the middle of the room and pick another set at random, we won't just be going home to sleep with the owner's wife. We'll also get to spend his money.

Press release [NXP. Thanks, Melissa!]

Photo: blueoneiam/Flickr

Broad industry support for Symbian Foundation continues to grow

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:30:41 +0000

Further semiconductor & device manufacturers, service & software developers and financial services firms reinforce the global appeal of the Symbian Foundation platform

LONDON, United Kingdom - 21 October 2008 - On the first day of the 2008 Symbian Smartphone Show, the ten initial board members of the Symbian Foundation (AT&T, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Samsung Electronics, Sony Ericsson, ST-NXP Wireless, Texas Instruments and Vodafone) have welcomed the latest supporters of the Symbian Foundation initiative.

"We are delighted to see more than fifty companies now confirming their support for plans to create the world’s most open platform for mobile devices," said Kris Rinne, senior vice president, architecture and planning, AT&T on behalf of the initial board members. "Plans to establish the foundation are proceeding as planned; we anticipate even stronger support by the time the foundation begins operations, which we expect to be during the first half of 2009. The Symbian Foundation platform offering will be the most proven and successful open mobile platform, which will be available royalty free for members from the foundation’s first day of operations. Making the platform available in open source by June 2010 will only enhance its appeal to developers, solutions providers and network operators around the world."

Further support for the planned Symbian Foundation has come from 12 more companies, ARM, CieNET, Flander, FUJISOFT, Huawei, Inmote, InnoPath Software, Red Bend, Scalado, Symsource, TRANGO Virtual Processors and Visa, who added their endorsements to the forty companies already announced as supporters of the foundation initiative.

"The establishment of the Symbian Foundation will enable easier access to a proven mobile-rich operating system, enabling continuous innovation and development with leading-edge technology that we have come to expect within the mobile industry," said Ian Drew, VP Marketing, ARM. "As the market leader in CPU architecture, ARM has a history of unleashing new features that enhance the user experience of operating systems and we look forward to continuing this with Symbian Foundation members in the future. We anticipate that our handset and semiconductor Partners will accelerate the introduction of new, higher performance devices built on the Symbian Foundation platform."

"CIeNET believes the Symbian Foundation will greatly reduce time to market for both mobile phone manufacturers and application developers", said Julian Chen, Deputy GM at CIeNET Technologies. "As the leading technical consulting company in the telecom and embedded field in China, CIeNET has already used Symbian OS, UIQ, and S60 software to deliver applications with best in class user experiences on various mobile phone models for our customers. We expect to leverage our mobile phone and application experience to serve our customers in China in the future, building on the Symbian Foundation platform. "

"Flander is pleased to join mobile industry leaders in supporting plans for the Symbian Foundation, which will drive new innovations in mobile for the benefit of customers around the world," said Markus Suomi, Flander CEO. "Flander participates in all phases of smartphone software development and verification, from early planning and design to development and final validation. Our people have contributed in the Symbian ecosystem since the launch of the first Symbian OS based phones and our expertise in Symbian OS and S60 will benefit the community in the future.""

"FUJISOFT, as a major software development company for the Japanese mobile phone market, welcomes plans for the creation of the Symbian Foundation," said Minoru Yoshida, Executive Managing Director, FUJISOFT INCORPORATED. "We are confident that the Symbian Foundation’s plans to standardize mobile device platforms will transform the mobile phone market for the better. We believe that this will be a great opportunity for us not only to provide our experience and expertise to mobile phone manufacturers around the world, but also to contribute to the growth and development of the global ecosystem around the Symbian Foundation platform. "

"Huawei is excited by the plans for the Symbian Foundation", said Li Jilin, Huawei Communications Vice President. "We look forward to participating in the work of the Symbian Foundation and using the foundation's platform to deliver a portfolio of devices for mobile network operators around the world. We believe that the Symbian Foundation ecosystem will enable innovation which will benefit users and drive increased customer satisfaction. "

"Inmote welcomes the Symbian Foundation initiative. This will be a new era for the foundation's platform, where more openness will drive new application concepts from a larger community of entrepreneurs and developers within the Symbian Foundation ecosystem," said René Heuven, CEO of Inmote. "With our strong background in Symbian OS we expect increased demand for our training and consultancy services. Inmote is committed to joining the foundation and will continue to extend and improve its portfolio of training and development services for the Symbian Foundation platform. "

"InnoPath Software welcomes plans to create the Symbian Foundation, with its goals of furthering the availability of feature-rich mobile phones for the global market by building on the platform’s strong installed base and developer community," said John Fazio, President and CEO. "InnoPath, currently a member of the Symbian Platinum Partner Program and an industry leader in end-to-end Mobile Device Management, offers solutions both for wireless operators and device manufacturers. InnoPath’s Mobile Device Management, deployed on Symbian OS-based phones today, allows operators to offer better customer care at lower cost and with greater user satisfaction."

"Red Bend believes that the Symbian Foundation will create an open software platform that will raise the bar for mobile applications and services," said Morten Grauballe, EVP Platforms & Ecosystem at Red Bend. "As the leading provider of firmware over-the-air (FOTA) software for Symbian OS-based handsets, Red Bend intends to join the foundation. Our expertise will enable foundation members to open up new revenue streams, by delivering the next generation of features, applications and services over the air to consumers using devices built on the Symbian Foundation platform."

"Scalado supports plans for the Symbian Foundation," said Mats Jacobson, CEO of Scalado. "As an established part of the Symbian ecosystem, Scalado will bring best in class imaging technology to ensure that the Symbian Foundation platform can provide superior imaging experience and performance for end users. Additionally, Scalado will strengthen its R&D to optimize imaging software technologies for the Symbian Foundation platform, so that the whole image chain, from sensor to applications will provide world leading imaging experience and digital still camera performance. We believe this will help the Symbian Foundation platform to become a unified, strong, complete and accessible OS that will be the platform of choice for future smart camera phones."

"Symsource has been an enthusiastic proponent of plans for the Symbian Foundation since their announcement and we congratulate the mobile leaders behind this initiative," said Tim Ocock, VP, Business Development at Symsource. "This visionary move will act as a catalyst for the mobile software ecosystem in expanding the kinds of innovative devices, products and services that can be created. As a boutique mobile development practice with the highest proportion of Accredited Symbian Developers amongst our peers we will be ideally placed to help members of the Symbian Foundation ecosystem fulfill their mobile aspirations."

"TRANGO Virtual Processors is an enthusiastic supporter of the foundation’s vision of an open, complete, and royalty-free software platform for mobile communications," said Brad Suessmith, TRANGO Senior VP and GM. "OEMs, carriers and software developers will all benefit from growth of the existing strong support base for Symbian OS. Most importantly, consumers will have a wider range of solutions to choose from, available from the newly expanded ecosystem. We expect that TRANGO’s history of providing enhanced security and portability will contribute greatly to the rapid adoption and continued success of the foundation’s open platform."

"Visa is excited by the plans for the Symbian Foundation," said Tim Attinger, Head of Global Product Innovation and Development at Visa Inc. "Visa's strategy in creating mobile payment services applies the scale and flexibility of its global payment network to deliver payments and value-added services on mobile devices that have immediate value to consumers, merchants, and issuers. Over the last two years, Visa has actively engaged with financial institutions, wireless operators, handset manufacturers, and technology providers to develop and test mobile payments and services, ranging from payments, money transfer services, transaction alerts, merchant offers, and an ATM and store locator service . We believe that the Symbian Foundation platform has the potential to accelerate the delivery of those services to consumers around the globe."

Since plans for the Symbian Foundation were announced, hundreds of organizations have registered their interest in joining the foundation via the website at www.symbianfoundation.org.

As previously announced, the plans for the establishment of the Symbian Foundation and royalty-free licensing of foundation software are:

1.The acquisition of Symbian Limited by Nokia, expected to close in Q4, 2008, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.
2.Software assets are contributed to the foundation, including Symbian OS™ and S60 by Nokia, UIQ technology by Motorola and Sony Ericsson and MOAP(S) by NTT DOCOMO and Fujitsu.
3.This contributed software will be available under a royalty-free license to foundation members from the first day of Symbian Foundation operations, expected 1H 2009.
4.The Foundation will work to unify the platform, with the first unified foundation release expected in 2009.
5.The foundation will work to make the platform available in open source by June 2010 (two years from the Symbian Foundation announcement)

BMW Works On Smart Key Prototype

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:39:58 +0000

BMW is always at the forefront of vehicle technology, and this time round they are at the top of their game once again. BMW Group Research and Technology and NXP Semiconductors have teamed up to release a prototype of the world’s first multifunctional car key. This prototype comes with contactless payment, personalized access control, and advanced functionalities such as public transport e-ticketing. All these features are meant to deliver an enhanced mobility experience - as if traveling around in a BMW isn’t already an enhanced experience by itself. Guess the car key is no longer a tool to start your vehicle, but enables one to perform quick, secure and convenient electronic payments with a car key.

BMW forsees a future where car owners will be able to perform contactless payments for ad-hoc transactions like general shopping, paying for gas, public transport, parking and road tolls, doing away with the need to carry cash and extra cards. Guess this makes it a whole much safer affair to move around without worrying about getting mugged, although things get much more complicated if someone steals your car key. The car key will function as a personalized credit card and enables future customers to securely gain access to personal data and be authorized for personalized in-vehicle online services in any BMW vehicle that they own or drive. In addition, the personal credit card key can also be registered on a temporary basis with other cars.

This new smart key prototype will rely on NXP’s SmartMX P5CD081 series which comes with smaller antennas compared to standard smart cards, making it perfect to integrate into a wide range of different form factors. Well, the next thing you know, your cell phone will not only function as a credit card but car key as well.

Press Release

Introducing Foolish Gadgets because not all gadgets are cool
[ BMW Works On Smart Key Prototype copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

NXP unveils worlds first smart car key prototype

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:04:31 +0000

Smart devices are all the rage, we have smart phones, smart cards and the like, why can’t we have smart keys? At some point in the future, smart keys that allow users to do much more than start their car and operate the alarm may be the norm. Naturally, the technology will first be seen on a luxury car.

NXP Semiconductors and BMW are teaming up to bring smart key technology to car buyers. The key prototype contains a contactless payment system along with personalized access control and other advanced functionalities.

One of the advanced functions the key could perform is to act at a public transportation e-ticketing device. The smart key is powered by NXP’s SmartMX security chip. Using the key consumers could pay for services when shopping or buying gas, the key is basically a personal credit card. The downside I see is that if you lose your keys, you lose your credit card. Double suck.

NXP

Vodafone and O2 launching mpass payment service in Germany

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 11:27:53 +0000

O2 and Vodafone are launching the new mpass payment service in Germany, allowing more than 70 million bank and mobile phone customers in the country to “enjoy secure online shopping on their mobile phone or PC.” Retailers are also convinced of the benefits associated with mpass and so far a number of them [retailers] have signed up to use the service — including CinemaxX, Blume2000.de, EuroFuchs, Kickz and Beate Uhse — with others like Medion, Falk.de, Mydays and TRIGEMA set to jump on board as mpass partners in the near future.

The new payment system is available to all mobile phone customers with a German provider. So it isn’t just Vodafone and O2 customers who will be able to make simple and secure payments for online products and services on their mobile phones or PCs. The new mpass service is incredibly simple to use because it is a combination of the established direct debit system and text message confirmation. In practice, this means that customers can already buy products from the online shop and, in future, they will be able to buy them from the mobile portal. All they have to do is enter their mobile phone number and an mpass PIN that they choose themselves. Vodafone customers can also use their customer PIN for the mpass service. When the PIN has been entered, a text message is sent to their mobile phone. All they have to do is confirm it and the amount is direct debited from their account. Prepaid customers, customers with company mobile phones and customers who use other providers’ networks have to register once to use the online payment service free of charge at www.mpass.de.

Commenting on the announcement, O2 Germany’s Lutz Schüler said that mpass “enables the some 14 million Vodafone and O2 contract customers to make simple, fast and secure payments from their home PC or mobile phone.”

More information about mpass service is available from here.

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Availability of Combo Chipsets Will Drive Mass Market Integration of GPS in GSM Handsets from 2009

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:25:00 +0000

GPS semiconductor vendors are increasingly focusing on GSM handsets as their next target market for GPS chipsets. While until now CDMA handsets and navigation devices have been the main GPS product categories, GSM mobile phones are expected to increasingly feature GPS-chipsets as handset-based navigation and a wide range of location based services such as local search and social networking become popular. GPS already has become a standard feature on smartphones, with recently launched products from Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Palm and Samsung and the iconic iPhone, expected to become important drivers for LBS uptake due to their large screens and text input facilities.

“Despite its appeal, the handset form factor poses a series of new challenges to GPS chipset vendors”, says ABI Research director Dominique Bonte.” While minimal power consumption, price, and small footprint are even more important in handsets than in PNDs, the bigger issue is related to indoor coverage, as handset-based LBS services will be frequently used in urban canyons and indoor environments such as shopping malls where GPS reception is impaired.”

The very important trend of “combo” chipsets – integrating different radio technologies such as FM, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS on a single chip – promises to provide a solution to power, footprint, and price challenges, while also allowing integration of alternative positioning technologies such as Wi-Fi to provide better indoor coverage and a seamless positioning experience to the end user. This is evidenced by the recent announcement of Broadcom’s partnership with Skyhook Wireless. The expected availability of combo chipsets in 2009 from major GPS chipset vendors such as Broadcom, Atheros, NXP, and Texas Instruments will play an important role in accelerating the adoption of GPS in mass market handsets, ultimately making it a standard handset feature.