MTV and Verizon Wireless Launch 'MTV Live'

MTV and Verizon Wireless have announced a new event series titled "MTV Live" which they say will feature live artist performances from some of the biggest names in music.

The monthly series will be recorded in front of a live audience at the Hard Rock Cafe NY in Times Square and will be presented as a multi-platform program across MTV, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Tr3s, MTV.com and on MTV Mobile on V CAST. "MTV Live" will be powered by Verizon Wireless and the first episode will premiere on MTV on February 6 at 11:30pm with a commercial free performance by Fall Out Boy. Artists Nas, Akon, and Gym Class Heroes have been booked for future shows.

"MTV Live" will be specifically customized for each screen. In-show features will include a live text-to-screen element that will allow Verizon Wireless subscribers to submit comments and shout-outs from their cell phones that will appear as a crawl across the bottom of the screen in real-time during the show. Additionally, video footage shot on cell phones during the performance will be edited into several of the platform offerings. MTV Mobile on V CAST will feature exclusive performance content from each show and will also offer artist interview segments. "MTV Live" will be available online at http://www.mtvlive.mtv.com/.

Palm and Cingular Wireless Deliver the First 3G Treo World Phone

Palm and Cingular Wireless have announced the first Palm(R) Treo(TM) smart device running on Cingular's 3G/UMTS network.

The highly anticipated Treo 750 five-band world phone(1) running Windows Mobile 5.0 with Direct Push Technology offers Palm's exclusive usability improvements with powerful business features, including email, security, and web access on the go.(2)

The Treo 750 combines the Palm experience of a multifunction mobile phone with email, messaging, web browsing, organization software and a robust application portfolio with Cingular's next-generation 3G network. Its new compact design features an internal antenna, soft-touch finish, and contoured edges to make it comfortable in the hand. The Treo 750 also has a full QWERTY keyboard for easy messaging, a 1.3-megapixel camera, a bright 240x240 touch screen and support for Bluetooth(R) stereo headsets. The built-in 60MB of user-available storage can be enhanced by using the miniSD slot to add memory cards of up to 2GB, which are great for storing data, photos, music and video.

(1) Designed to be compatible with networks implementing GSM/GPRS/EDGE/UMTS standards, but networks may not be available in all countries or within countries in which it is deployed.

(2) Within wireless service coverage area only. Availability and coverage depends upon carrier and the geographic scope of international roaming agreements. Email, messaging and web access requires data services at an additional cost.

"Designed with the business customer in mind, the Treo 750 brings together the speed of Cingular's BroadbandConnect service and broad solutions portfolio with Palm's hallmark ease of use and functionality on top of the familiar Windows Mobile 5.0 operating system," said Michael Woodward, executive director, mobile professional solutions, for Cingular Wireless. "The new Treo 750 will deliver that extra edge that all customers are looking for to take their business to the next level, whether they are on the other side of town, across the country or halfway around the world."

Dash Navigation Adds Yahoo! Local Search Capabilities to the Car

Dash Navigation has announced that it is teaming up with Yahoo! to allow Dash Express users to search Yahoo! Local for nearby products, services or businesses from their cars.

With Yahoo! Local and Dash Express, local search in the car is becoming a simple and easy-to-use reality. When a user enters their search term into their Dash Express, the device wirelessly begins a Yahoo! Local search on the web. Within seconds, the results are formatted into address cards and presented to the user as a simple listing of nearby businesses. With the press of a button on the device, the Dash user is routed to their desired destination.

Yahoo! Local also allows drivers to use a wide variety of search terms to get relevant results. For example, a Dash user who types "croissants" will see a list of bakeries, cafes and stores in the area that sell the pastry. Another Dash user who discovers that the local hardware store is out of a needed plumbing item could type "plumbing supplies" from their car in the parking lot and see a list of other nearby stores with directions to each location. In many cases, relevant Yahoo! Local ratings and reviews are also presented to offer users instant feedback from other consumers about merchants and services.

"When you use Yahoo! Local search in your car, you will be amazed by the freedom that it delivers," said Dash Navigation Chief Executive Officer, Paul Lego. "For the first time, drivers will be able to leave their homes knowing that they can easily find whatever they need -- right from their car. It's that simple."

"Yahoo! is committed to providing innovative ways to help consumers find relevant information when, where and how they want it," said Paul Levine, general manager of Yahoo! Local. "Working with Dash takes us one step closer to that goal and provides consumers with another meaningful and relevant way to interact with our products."