Sprint, Openwave Unveil New Browser

Following hard on the heels of the unveiling of its new mobile browser and content manager, Openwave Thursday said that Sprint PCS has deployed
the Openwave mobile browser 6.1 and Openwave infrastructure software for
its PCS Vision applications.

Initially available on Sprint’s LG 5350 handsets, the software utilizes
Sprint’s recently deployed CDMA2000 1X network, which enables data calls
averaging 40 to 70 kbps, with a peak data speed of 144 kbps.

Openwave’s software is intended to allow Sprint customers to take advantage
of new 3G capabilities, including alerts (using Openwave’s Push
technology), which gives Sprint the ability to push sports scores and other
information to customer’s phones. In addition, Openwave’s Mobile Browser
and Download Manager allow users to play J2ME-based games like Tetris,
CyRace, Ms. Pac-Man, Pac-Man, Space Invaders and Defender with their
phones, as well as downloading ringers and screen savers.

The browser, which has already seen use in Japan for some time, supports
full color graphics and Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) 2.0, which
allows developers to design wireless cascading style sheet (WCSS) Web
pages. The browser also supports cookies and an authentication mechanism.

The Sprint service will allow users to purchase content like games and
ringers from online storefronts. The content is automatically stored in the
subscribers’ “personal vaults,” allowing them to access the content even if
it is deleted from the service. Charges for the content will be billed to
users’ phone accounts.