Siemens said it has signed a contract with Airbus to develop technology that would allow passengers to use their mobile phones during flights.
The German company will provide technology based on the GSM wireless standard for Airbus to integrate into the electronics systems used on its aircraft. The service is to be launched in 2006.
The companies plan to fit a base station, linked to the terrestrial GSM network by satellite, behind the aircraft's ceiling panel. The base station will receive signals from passengers' mobile phones, personal computers and organizers.
Siemens (SI) said the technology will allow passengers to use their electronic devices throughout a flight without interfering with the aircraft's own equipment.
- - -
Approval delayed: The Department of Justice asked for additional information about Adobe's $3.4 billion acquisition of Macromedia, the companies said.
The request, the second made by the Justice Department, centers on information about the company's products in the areas of web authoring and design and vector graphics illustration, a style of computer graphics created by mathematical equations and coordinates.
The second request extends the waiting period for Justice Department approval of the acquisition until 30 days after the companies comply for the request for information.
Adobe (ADBE) still expect the deal to close in the fall of 2005.
- - -
Berry killers: The rush to chip away at BlackBerry's dominance in mobile business e-mail intensifies further this week with Sprint introducing rival options from Good Technology and Seven Networks.
Good, which last month signed on Cingular Wireless to sell its service, also said it is adapting its software to work with corporate e-mail systems based on IBM Lotus Notes and Domino in addition to Microsoft Exchange.
Good and Seven also are adding a new wrinkle to the market, making their services compatible with certain cell phones for those users who would rather not carry slightly larger handheld computers.
These latest initiatives add to a drum beat of announcements targeting a fast-growing market pioneered and dominated by the BlackBerry device and e-mail service from Research In Motion (RIMM).
- - -
Mass printer: Hewlett Packard said that it plans to launch several models of low-cost, high-speed color and photo printers through the fall as it seeks to invigorate a key segment of its operations.
HP (HPQ) also said it had reached a deal with Walgreen (WAG) that allows the drug-store chain to offer online photo developing.
HP said that it will launch its $200 Photosmart 8250 Photo Printer later this month and will release its Photosmart 3000 All-in-One series of printers in the fall. The Photosmart 3000 All-in-One line, priced between $300 and $400, can produce four-inch by six-inch photos in as fast as 14 seconds for as little as 24 cents a print.
The printer lines are the result of a five-year, $1.4 billion strategic investment to develop a lower-cost, more accurate inkjet printhead, the company said.
- - -
Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
