Samsung, Adidas take on iPod, Nike

Samsung Electronics and Adidas have joined the race against Apple and Nike to offer people a device that plays music and keeps track of workouts. The main differences between the two systems are that the Samsung model is also a mobile phone, while the Apple one is just a music player. One key detail for avid runners is that the Samsung/Adidas system does not tie a user to a specific brand of shoe like the Nike+iPod system does. (Washington Post, Information Week, IB Times)

Samsung's music-mobile phone takes on Apple

Samsung Electronics and Adidas have joined the race against Apple and Nike to offer a device that plays music and keeps track of workouts. Samsung's miCoach music-mobile phone includes a heart-rate monitor, a sensor to attach to a pair of running shoes, and a Web workout journal to help people design and keep track of fitness programs. The Nike+iPod system also keeps track of workouts, telling runners the distance traveled, calories burned, and other information. (Infoworld)

US mobile TV standards fight

US TV broadcasters are gearing up to launch mobile TV services that will be beamed directly to mobile phone and other handheld portable electronics devices next year, by-passing mobile network operators. But their efforts may be stymied by another standards battle in prospect between LG Electronics and Samsung, rival Korean electronics giants, which have developed competing technology platforms, and by US mobile carriers, which tightly control the handset market. (Financial Times)

The Open Mobile Video Coalition to Conduct Consumer Mobile Digital Television Trials

The Open Mobile Video Coalition (OMVC), an alliance of U.S. commercial and public broadcasters committed to the development of mobile digital television, announced it plans to work with SES Americom’s IP-Prime to test two new mobile digital television technologies in separate consumer trials in 2008. (PR)