The UK Mobile Report

Nokia to launch OVI tomorrow

iTunes is so last year don't you know?

Nokia has just unveiled OVI, a mobile internet portal that will open up to all their existing internet facilities, and most importantly music.

OVI, Finnish for door, currently combines Nokia’s Music Store, their N-Gage gaming service, Nokia Maps and a range of design choices. It will also grant users access to their social network content.

On the music side of things, in Europe Nokia will sell single tracks at 1 Euro (around 70 pence) providing a competitive alternative to iTunes’s 79 pence track standard.

However, unlike Apple’s iPhone, through OVI Nokia will offer wireless downloads to its selected handsets, using Window’s PlayReady digital rights technology.

Users can also get unlimited music streaming to their PC for 10 Euros a month, although as yet this is not offered to mobiles.

The Music Store is supported by the main record labels, Universal, Sony BMG, EMI, Warner Music Group, and has stressed its allegiance with several indie labels providing local music.

Verdict: The Music Store has been sold as “all the world's music in your pocket,” and with investment in local bands and indie labels, this will hopefully allow it to stand proud alongside the more mainstream-dominated services.

But why did Nokia go with DRM? Obviously, teaming up with Microsoft is an attempt to compete with the iPhone, but their over-the-air mobile downloads already gave them the edge. OVI is a clever way to re-sell Nokia’s Music Store alongside their new game service, but UKMR envisage it meeting with familiar groans from users happier to rip music from CDs or use peer-to-peer sites than buy restricted DRM-laden music. (Beren Neale)

Lebara Mobile aims at international callers

Cutting and slicing the mobile market with an 'ethnic' twist

Lebara Mobile has launched a SIM-only service aimed at the ethnic population which will piggyback on the Vodafone network. Phones4U will be the main retail outlet.

The service has attractive rates for calling abroad and is clearly aimed at newly arrived immigrants and those with family and friends overseas. I am chasing SIM pricing details but meanwhile here is the full press release.

Via its website research house Ovum says the new launch is more about Vodafone increasing its wholesale business than anything else:

"For Vodafone this is another MVNO deal following the Talk Mobile deal with Carphone Warehouse announced last week. Vodafone is clearly intent on growing its wholesale business and has been increasing its internal resources and capabilities to target the wholesale sector. In addition, Lebara is a good fit for Vodafone as it targets the ethnic minorities, a segment which all the UK MNOs are particular weak at pursuing. While we expect Vodafone to announce more wholesale deals in the future, we still believe it will be carefully selecting its partners and mapping those players which can complement its existing retail strategies. Expect quality not quantity."

Royal in sex 'n' drugs scandal named by text alert

Make publishing history - get the text on your mobile

The royal at the centre of the sex and drugs extortion scandal has been named on US television but cannot yet be named in the UK for legal reasons. Meanwhile the appearance of the name on foreign web sites is making a mockery of the UK legal system.

This antiquated legal system means millions of workers will waste millions of man hours searching the internet for the news.

This publication, The UK Mobile Report, has therefore taken the unprecedented step of offering readers the opportunity to get the name sent to their mobiles by text message. Subject to clearance with our legal advisors this morning, the name of the royal will be sent to those requesting the information for the duration of the ban on naming the person in the UK media.

If you wish to receive the text alert - and make publishing history - send a text to 0794 827 0624 with the message 'Royal'.

Picture: The Royal Gaff at no 1 Pall Mall, is NOT amused.

Google Phone to be unveiled 'very soon'

Larry and Sergey want your number

Another day, another GPhone story. Today the Wall Street Journal have edged the story forward with news that the announcement will come within two weeks. Meanwhile the BBC said that Google is in talks with Verizon and Sprint Nextel.

Whatever the outcome it's likely to get the privacy wonks overheating. Google already tracks every single search you make, trawls through your emails, and now it could keep a lifelong record of your mobile phone behaviour. Nice.

Pictured: Fake video blogger Lonelygirl15, star of Google's YouTube. Coming to a Gphone soon?

Texperts - a brain in your pocket

RIP the pub quiz

I've been testing the Texperts service for a month now and find it to be a very handy little offering. Texperts is one of a growing clutch of text Q&A services. You text a question and within minutes they text you back with an answer. It costs a pound a throw so its not cheap but it is quick (average one minute) and it is helpful and even amusing.

I used it to find a bank in a hurry, to check if Norton allow me to re-use their software on more than one machine (they don't), and to get the result of the Russia v England game (depressing). The longest they took to answer was when I asked how many of the present Cabinet were ex Oxford or Cambridge students. Not only until they found a recent analysis in The Guardian were they able to give a partial answer of 3 known. The Labour spin machine had that one well under wraps it seems.

I could have done this by surfing on my phone but its much more fun to just give someone else the problem and get back to your power breakfast/hot date/therapy (delete as appropriate).

Texperts won't say much about the behind the scenes activity but you can sure there is an army of student googlers and a database containing old Q&As that ensure they can get most answers in the time it takes you to choose which Chablis you are having.

This is a plaything of the rich or a vital tool for occasional users. We can only hope that with increased competition such services will outsource their datamining to Rajasthan and drop prices to below 50 pence. Perhaps they could also give discounts for volume.

To try it text your question to 66000, funnily enough you can try it for free on their web site here.

If you can't be bothered just email us or comment here with your question and we will get the answer.

What's with the rubbish background CNET?

Every man and his dog is doing tech videos these days, and most of it without the necessary support of set designers, make-up, lighting, script etc. The BBC must be outraged. Here's one from CNET which looks at BlackBerry with Wi-Fi. Nice basic presentation with close-ups for details and titling, but so let down by the crappy monitor in the background which has a flickering CNET logo on it. What's that all about? And is CNET a bit precious? Why not put this stuff on YouTube like all us other nerds. Then you might get some real feedback.

Omniphone targets BlackBerries

With recent deals, UK-based Omnifone continues to make good with its plans to offer a mobile music service to compete with the ‘limited’ iPhone.

Having sown up a deal with Vodafone UK to provide its MusicStation music service on their handsets, Omnifone will also offer their service of unlimited, wireless music downloads to UK BlackBerry phones this November.

Abroad, Omnifone CEO Rob Lewis is also working with 3 Hong Kong - the first mobile operator partnership in Asia. As he said to 3G.co.uk: Hong Kong is the gateway to Asia-Pacific and so strategically important for Omniphone's global ambitions."

Verdict: As early as Febuary of this year, Omnifone said it signed partnerships with 23 mobile network operators, and the recent big-name deals further emphasise Omnifone’s increasing success in the MM arena.

However, the same weaknesses of this service remain – the subscription fee is cheap at £1.99 per week, for unlimited songs, but the songs are on loan, so if you cancel your subscription, there’s no more music. Plus the DRM-laden tracks are not transferable to other mobile devices. Still, it’s good to have a UK-based contender to the mighty iTunes. (Beren Neale)

Tim Hadley of MusicStation contacted us to say:

"Music and playlists can be shared legally with other MusicStation users over the mobile network. Consumers have unlimited access to over a million tracks from all major and many independent labels on a wide range of 2.5 and 3G pre pay and contract handsets.

"MusicStation's subscription based service enables consumers to access unlimited music for a small weekly fee whilst subscribed. Consumers are free to unsubscribe at any time. When unsubscribed your downloaded music playlists and friends that you have built up on MusicStation are not lost. They are stored on your handset and also stored centrally so that when you resubscribe all of your music, playlists and friends return to your handset."

‘Mobile’ Mel B attempts most annoying record

Apparently there is a world record for the most mobile phones ringing in unison, and Mel B and Virgin Mobile want to break it, in Toronto, on 1 November at 12:00.

Coinciding with the official launch of Virgin Mobile Live and pre-empting the release of Spice Girls’ new album, Mental Spice and around 500 people will gather together to play one ringtone, all at the same time. Ah. Sweet.

Verdict: UKMR is not sure why this is happening, but we wanted you to know that it is. (Beren Neale)

Who will buy Skypephone?

Fast-talking, hyperactive, middle-aged Italian women for a start. Watch this and weep. And just when you think she's finished ranting, she's back. Urrgg. Pity they didn't make a UK version. Not.

Italian bloke says 'Ciao' to Skypephone

Mamma Mia! This bloke shows how working with children, animals and Skypephones is fraught with problems. Highlights include him calling his mate Davida only to say 'Hi, and bye, I'm only testing a phone,' Come on Sergio, at least warn your Phone-a-friends in advance.