Research In Motion aims to leverage the popularity of its BlackBerry Messenger with a new music service that allows users to share songs with other subscribers, a feature not available on Apple’s ubiquitous iTunes.

It’s a twist that the smartphone maker hopes will enable its BBM Music service to compete with iTunes and other established brands without taking them on head to head.

The company, which confirmed the launch on Thursday, has struggled to match the popularity of Apple’s iPhone and iPad, as well as devices running Google’s Android software. That’s partly because rival platforms offer much more in the way of consumer-oriented music, games and other content.

For RIM, a stalwart of corporate communications, the new service is part of a crucial reinvention of the BlackBerry as an entertainment tool.

RIM hopes its music service appeals to the millions who chat via BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM, though analysts are unsure it will have much impact in content-saturated markets such as the United States.

“They are a bit late – they’re late on a lot of fronts,” said Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, who rates low-cost Android handsets as a major threat to RIM’s global growth.

Even so, he agrees that RIM “should do whatever they can to beef up BBM because it’s one of the linchpins in their international strategy.”

HOW BBM MUSIC WORKS

For a monthly subscription of around $4.99, a BlackBerry user will be able to select up to 50 songs to add to their BBM Music profile from a catalogue of some 10 million tracks.

Users can share those songs with friends who have also subscribed, and in turn get access to their friends’ songs. The more friends who sign up, the larger the subscriber’s available music playlist.

Not surprisingly, it plays off the popularity of BBM – available for free but only on the BlackBerry – especially among young people who can’t afford expensive texting.

Some 45 million people use BBM. It enables BlackBerry users with data plans to send text messages, pictures and other files without incurring charges from their network carrier. About 70 percent of them use it daily.

RIM says that, unlike iTunes and other streaming audio services, BBM Music will emphasize shared musical experience within existing and expanding social circles.

“This is not about tonnage. This is about creating a really optimal collection of music that you prize,” Alistair Mitchell, RIM vice-president for BBM, said in an interview ahead of the launch.

Users will be able to switch out 25 of their profiled songs each month, create playlists composed of any tracks their friends have shared, and comment and rate their friends’ musical tastes.

CONTENT DEALS

The Canadian smartphone maker has struck licensing deals with major labels including Vivendi SA’s Universal Music Group, Sony Corp’s Sony Music, Warner Music Group and EMI Group, as well as some independent labels.

The service, currently in limited beta, will become available in 18 countries in coming months, including the United States, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Indonesia, Australia, Turkey and Mexico.

Four people familiar with RIM’s plans had earlier told Reuters that the BlackBerry maker was close to rolling out a music service.

RIM recently made it possible for third-party developers to incorporate BBM into their own apps.

RIM’s share of the booming global smartphone market fell to 11.7 percent in the second quarter, from 18.7 percent a year earlier, according to tech research firm Gartner. In the same period, Apple and Android took a combined 62 percent chunk of the market, from just over 31 percent a year ago.

Apple has also announced plans for its own proprietary messaging system, iMessage, to enable instant communication between users of its iPhones, iPads and some iPods.

RIM’s shares have lost more than half their value so far this year, but have risen from multi-year lows in recent weeks. They closed 3.9 percent higher at $28.57 on Nasdaq on Wednesday and at C$28.25 in Toronto.

the continuation from an essay about cell phone effect; part 1
you can use this essay as your essay writing help

Cell phone radiation is strongly suspected may also affect sleep quality. A study funded by mobile phone companies, just recently, indicates that radiation from handsets could pose a number of disorders such as insomnia, headaches. Radiation can also reduce the duration of sleep that disrupts your body’s ability to recuperate.

experts from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Wayne State University in the United States who do research about this radiation with funding from the Mobile Manufacturers Forum. The experts involved were 35 men and 36 women aged 18 to 45 as participants in the study.

During the research,

some participants are conditioned to get the effect of radiation equivalent to the amount received when a person uses a mobile phone. Several other participants also have to undergo a similar condition, but without being given the effects of radiation.

After the simulation revealed that participants who were given the effects of radiation takes longer to get into the first stage of several levels of sleep (deep sleep). Participants also spend a moment on the stage of deepest sleep.

“Research indicates that the provision of radiation effects in the laboratory using 884 MHz wireless signals components of sleep is important to be able to recover from adverse effects caused by everyday use,” researchers said in conclusion. one of the researchers, Professor Bengt Arnetz, said that research strongly indicates that mobile phone use associated with specific changes in the brain responsible for activating and coordinating the stress system. “Another theory that emerged is the radiation may disrupt production of the hormone melatonin, which controls the body’s internal rhythm,” he said. From this research also revealed that half of the total participants disorder called elektrosensitif. They experience some symptoms such as headaches, impaired cognitive function from mobile phone use.

“The evidence is now getting stronger that we should handle this issue in a manner that prevents its nature. This research suggests if you do have to call in the evening, it would be better to use a phone cord, and do not put your phone on the bedside table, “said Alasdair Philips Powerwatch director, which examines the impact of electromagnetic fields on health. Mike Dolan, executive director of the Mobile Operators Association, said the study was not consistent with other research. “This is just one small piece of the puzzle that is very large scientific. This is just a very small effect, one researcher likened it to less of an effect arising from a cup of coffee, “he said.

here is an essay about cell phone effect, you may use it for your college term papers.

Electromagnetic

waves from cell phones is still “question mark” of the side effects. But it would not hurt you listen to the news that this one is about research performed. Research conducted by several American universities and Sweden said that putting HP at the bedside will provide some side effects, like insomnia, restless or confused even to change your personality. The study involved 71 people and 38 of them run into this problem. Although the number of sampling (sample) only a few of 71 people and can not be used as a basis or a valuation that waves from mobile phones harm but it never hurts to put your cell phone a little farther from your bed. If you feel you can not keep your phone because it is used as an alarm to get up early, maybe it’s time you bought a few alarm clock. In addition, researchers at the National Radiology Protection Board, UK, said the electromagnetic radiation generated from mobile phones can damage DNA and lead to brain tumors. Parents should not give cell phones to children aged 8 years or below as a precautionary measure radiation interference from those tools.

“When you use a cell phone, 70-80 percent of the radiant energy emitted from the phone antenna is absorbed by the head. In fact, some research shows a, the potential negative impact of long-term absorption of radiation emitted by mobile phones. Unfortunately, only a few studies have focused on children, “said Professor Henry Lai of the University of Washington, USA, as quoted by Web MD Health.

Prof Henry said, the effect of radiation on children is particularly alarming because the brain is still developing very likely exposed to radiation. Brain tumors usually develop for 30 to 40 years. Children who use mobile phones as a teenager will have a longer period of time before the visible impact.

“We do not know whether children are more susceptible to radiation,” he said, suggested that people use a headset to keep the antenna from the head.

continue to an essay about cell phone effect; part 2