I like positive reports, don’t you? It’s nice when you can read a report which says, via big numbers, that something is going to be very successful. I just happen to have one of those reports right here! ABI Research says that as Mobile TV services expand over the next 5 years, the total number of subs will rise to 462 million - now that’s a big number!

Some other notable takeaway titbits from the research are:

• Asia-Pac to be the overall leading in adoption of mobile video services
• China and India will contribute to the total due to population mass
• South Korea and Japan will lead, with some countries in Western Europe, and the USA too

Of course these juicy morsels are part of a larger (paid-for) report - but it’s nice to have re-inforced that Mobile TV is gonna do so well

http://www.intomobile.com/2008/01/28/mobile-tv-subscribers-to-reach-462-million-by-2012.html

Adobe today announced the availability of Adobe Flash Lite 3 software, which now supports Adobe Flash Player compatible video and enables the delivery of dynamic Web content on mobile devices.

Flash Lite 3 allows mobile device manufacturers, operators and content providers to differentiate their offerings by giving users the ability to watch Flash Player compatible video, the world’s most popular video format, and browse Flash enabled Web sites when integrated with a mobile Web browser.
Both NTT DoCoMo and Nokia committed to deliver Flash Lite 3 enabled devices in upcoming releases of handsets. With over 300 Million Flash enabled mobile devices and handsets shipped so far, Adobe expects more than one billion Flash enabled devices to be available by 2010. Flash Lite 3 more closely replicates the desktop experience delivered by Adobe Flash Player. This gives mobile users the freedom to access content whenever and wherever they want, while efficient resource management capabilities significantly improve and optimize performance for mobile devices. With Flash Lite 3, developers worldwide are able to create more engaging applications, interfaces and mobile assets that integrate video, as well as develop innovative and dynamic mobile assets such as wallpapers, screensavers or casual games.

“With Flash Lite 3 and its support for video, we’ve passed a major milestone in bringing a desktop experience to mobile and transforming the wireless industry,” said Al Ramadan, senior vice president for Mobile and Devices at Adobe. “Today, mobile users experience amazing Flash based user interfaces and applications with handsets like the LG Prada, the LG Chocolate or the Samsung D900. With Flash Lite 3, tomorrow’s devices will offer even richer, more engaging experiences.”

phonemag.com

The social networking Web site MySpace is launching a free, advertising-supported cell phone version Monday as part of a wider bid by parent News Corp. to attract advertising for mobile Web sites.Fox Interactive Media, which oversees News Corp.’s Internet properties, said it also plans to roll out versions of FoxSports.com, the gaming site IGN, AskMen and its local TV affiliates in the coming months that will work on cell phones that can access the Internet.

The company said it also plans to offer a mobile version of its Photobucket picture sharing site in coming months.

The company already offers premium, subscription-based versions of MySpace through AT&T Inc. and Helio wireless services. Those versions include special features integrated into specific handsets, such as uploading cell phone photos directly to a user’s profile page.

The new version set to launch Monday will work on all U.S. carriers and will allow users to send and receive messages and friend requests, comment on pictures, post bulletins, update blogs, and find and search for friends.

The company said advertisers have become more interested as the quality of the mobile Web experience has improved.

“Accessing the Internet from your mobile phone will soon be as common as text messaging and voice calling,” said John Smelzer, senior vice president of mobile at Fox Interactive.

Initially, advertising will taker the form of sponsorships and banner ads that can be clicked on.

Eventually, Fox Interactive will seek to sell more targeted advertising, using registration data from cell phone carriers. The company also hopes to send local ads based on a user’s location using GPS data sent by the phones.

“Over time, the most targeted ads will be on mobile,” Smelzer said.

MySpace recently announced plans to sell targeted ads using personal information culled from each user’s profile and blogs.

The new mobile sites will be tailored to the small screen on most handsets, Smelzer said.

FoxSports, for instance, will allow users to check scores and perform other core tasks, but will not have the video and photo offerings of the subscription version.

Smart phones with larger screens can already access full versions of Fox’s Web sites.

On the Net:

• MySpace’s Mobile: http://mobile.myspace.com

The Associated Press