- Compiled Nov. 19, 2007 by Gary Thayer, MobileVillage Editor

Call-in-Europe has partnered with France's SFR and its parent company Vodafone to offer 39-cent calls for people traveling in Europe, including calls to the U.S. and Canada. The SIM cards Call-in-Europe provides are compatible with Blackberries and unlocked smartphones using the GSM tri-band. After paying a one-time $29 fee and inserting the SIM card in the phone, the traveler receives a local cell phone number and can start calling, with no other fees or no term commitment, according to the company. The initial fee includes $10 of free airtime until the 39 cent rates kick in. Other special services include a "Keep My U.S. Number" option that forwards all calls to a U.S. cell phone to the traveler's European-equipped phone for a small fee. For more details, see call-in-europe.com.

Funambol released a beta of version 6.5 of its push email and PIM sync software. Funambol v6.5's multimedia content sync functionality has been improved to synchronize large objects; for example, the Funambol v6.5 server and the Windows Mobile and Outlook plug-ins can now sync contact photos. Other improvements in v6.5 include push optimizations, greater scalability, broader device compatibility, online portal enhancements and improved Funambol clients. For beta downloads and more details, see funambol.com. For fast information on Funambol, see the company's summary page on MobileVillage.

SOTI has released version 5 of its MobiControl mobile device management software for both consumer smartphones and rugged handhelds. A fully functional trial version of MobiControl V5 is available at soti.net, along with SOTI's new Security Center, which allows users to set policies for user authentication, device lockdown, virus / malware protection through application run control, file encryption, and device feature control. For quick information on SOTI, see the company's summary page on MobileVillage.

Ekahau released version 4.0 of its Ekahau Site Survey (ESS) Wi-Fi network planner and manager. The latest version incorporates optimization for light-weight access points such as Cisco LWAP, Aruba Mobile Edge, the Nortel Networks WLAN Portfolio and Siemens HiPath, and also adds automatic location determination of all nearby access points. ESS' Network Health feature lets users view a network map that gives a visual summary of whether a network is sufficient for their specific needs, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), video, data and location tracking. ESS 4.0 also addresses the problem of Wi-Fi signal leakage between floors with advanced three-dimensional (3-D) prediction algorithms. The new version also now fully integrates with Ekahau's RTLS Wi-Fi-based location tracking system for assets and people. For more information, see ekahau.com.

GeoMicro has released its Mobium navigation software for enterprise applications. Mobium's developer API lets companies integrate both navigation and GPS tracking features within their existing applications. Mobium works on any existing Windows Mobile devices with GPS and an Internet connection, and offers over the air, centrally managed updates. Mobium and the developer API are freely available for evaluation; for details see geomicro.com.

GeoSpatial Experts has announced the ArcPad Edition of its GPS-Photo Link photo-mapping software. Designed primarily for mobile GIS users, the software automatically links and then maps photos taken in the field with their correct georeferenced locations on a GIS layer. It also creates web pages in which the watermarked photos are integrated with satellite imagery, street maps, or other GIS-based mapping layer. The software enables users to display their photo locations as icons in a Google Earth map layer and add arrows indicating the directions in which the photos were taken. The new version runs inside of ESRI's ArcPad software on any standard field data collection device or mobile GIS system that can communicate with a GPS receiver. The software requires a Bluetooth or WiFi compatible digital camera, such as the Ricoh 500SE, which wirelessly transmits photos to a data collection device. For more information, see geospatialexperts.com.

MIR3 has released an enterprise notification and command interface for users of Apple's iPhone and iPod touch (dubbed "iTouch"). The Web-based management applications run under Apple's mobile Safari browser and enable executives and IT administrators to "initiate emergency notifications and remotely manage enterprise notification systems and response teams" using an iPhone or iTouch, according to MIR3. Users can also instantly notify and initiate live voice conferences among the appropriate response-team members, and access real-time reporting features to track notifications and responses on their iPhone. For details, see mir3.com.

Movero Technology launched its Maestro device management platform for smartphones and other mobile hardware. Targeted largely at carriers reselling to enterprises, Maestro's features secure carrier management, with device and plan selections based on business unit policies and carrier contracts. It also offers self-service, carrier-integrated tools for device move, add, change and replacement. For more information, see moverotech.com.

Perlego Systems released version 3.7 of its Perlego Horizons device management software. The latest release adds over-the-air (OTA) delivery of unique product instances for customers, administrative users, and device licenses. Other improvements to version 3.7 include better online administration, better security, and custom channel branding capabilities. The new version is carrier agnostic and supports most devices, including the newest Windows Mobile 6.0 and Symbian 9 phones. For more information, see perlego.com.

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