Cell phone breath tester hits the spot

A cell phone attached to a breath analyzer developed by NTT DoCoMo Inc. is proving popular among bus and transport companies eager to keep their drivers from adding to a recent spate of drunken driving incidents. In August, the Construction and Transport Ministry tightened administrative punishments for transport and other companies, and public awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol has grown. The measures allowed punitive steps--including suspension of business--to be imposed on companies that allowed employees to drive while under the influence of alcohol or did not properly supervise their drivers to prevent such reckless driving habits. The tougher line has jolted such firms into getting serious about preventing drivers from getting behind the wheel after drinking alcoholic beverages.

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Microsoft Preps Zune Cell Phone

After creating a digital music player, Microsoft said that the next thing to come is a cellular phone oriented on music listeners, a possibly rival for Motorola Rokr as well as rumoured phone from Apple. The phone will be a part of Zune project, which means that the device primary functionality is digital media. A Zune phone is definitely part of the future of this brand, Chris Stephenson, general manager of global marketing for Zune, told reporters at a news conference, according to a report by Reuters news-agency. No specifications of the device were announced, just like there are no details available concerning availability timeframes. However, given that the product have already been confirmed and the fact that just several months passed between the first unofficial data concerning Microsoft Zune emerged and the official announcement took place, Zune mobile phone can be expected in the foreseeable future.

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Talkin' Treo extra -- v090806

I find a lot of interesting articles while doing research for my column. Unfortunately, due to space and time considerations, I often have to leave them on the cutting room floor so to speak. So this week, Ive put together a column that includes several stories covering trends and the unusual in the mobile industry. The full Talkin Treo column will be back next week. Love/Hate Relationship with Mobile Tech - Ed Hardy ran this over at Brighthand: According to a recent survey of 2,300 global executives conducted by Korn/Ferry International, 77 percent of respondents believe that mobile communications devices (phone, handheld, laptop or pager) primarily enhance their work/life balance, rather than impede it. Interesting, right? Okay prepare for the shoe drop: However, when these same people were asked whether they believe they spend too much time using their communications devices, 38 percent strongly agreed.

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Samsung's Ultra Edition 8.4 Unveiled as World's Thinnest 3G ...

Samsung used Paris's Louvre Museum as its own corporate theme park recently when it showed off more additions to its Ultra Edition line of 3G cellphones, specifically the Ultra Edition 8.4. In order to prove that 3G cellphones aren't destined to remain bulky and generally unattractive for the duration of the standard, Samsung's Ultra Edition 8.4—or, Z370—was designed to be the world's thinnest 3G cellphone, no doubt important to the Paris Hilton crowd out there. It's got a 1.93-inch TFT display stuck inside a body whose depth is only 0.3-inches. A 2-megapixel camera (plus a VGA camera) rounds out the cellphone's finer points. Also introduced at Samsung's Parisian summer vacation was the Ultra Edition 13.8, or the Z720. (Samsung's taking a cue from BMW with the names of its fancier cellphones, it seems.) Supporting WAP 2.0 and boasting a 2.1-inch QVGA display, the 13.8 was introduced as the world's thinnest HDSPA slide-up, which is like saying the number one comedy in America when it's the only one in theaters.

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