Start-up Vlingo has developed a speech recognition technology for mobile phones that allows users to search for local business information, songs or web information using their voice.

The application, called Find, is in beta phase at AT&T and Sprint. Consumers who use certain types of mobile phones from these carriers can download the interface from vlingo.

Vlingo is a voice-powered user interface that unlocks access to mobile phone wireless data services. Vlingo allows users to speak or type into any vlingo-enabled text box and get accurate, easy and consistent access to all the information, entertainment and communication made possible through today’s mobile applications. By giving consumers control of the mobile Internet with the power of their voices, Vlingo provides a quantum leap in usability for mobile data services that are currently restricted by limited user interfaces. Vlingo secured its venture capital financing from Charles River Ventures and Sigma Partners. Founded in 2006, the company is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. [Vlingo]

According to Opus Research, speech recognition was a $1.6 billion market in 2007. The firm predicts an annual growth rate of 14.5% over the next three years.

Vlingo will face competition for market share against companies such as Nuance (with its Voice Control system) and Yap, which is running a similar service.

Polymer Vision has unveiled the world’s first pocket size mobile phone with a screen that folds up when not in use.

The device, called Readius, combines a large 5-inch rollable display with 3G high speed connectivity to allow its users mobility and instant access to personalized news, blogs and email.

The exclusive Readius exploit the versatility of rollable displays to merge the ‘reading friendly’ strengths of ereaders with the ‘high mobility’ features of mobile phones. With a display larger than the device itself, and designed around ‘ease of use’ and mobility, Readius® is optimised for reading for 30 hours without battery charge.

The 3G HSDPA tri-band phone allows worldwide calls and high speed instant updates from personally selected news sources, special services and email. The Micro SD High Capacity storage ensures easy access to other favorite information and eBooks. Readius® also features phone as well as audio capabilities (such as MP3) for podcasts, audio books and music. [Polymer Vision]

Readius will compete head-to-head with Amazon’s ebook reader Kindle and Apple’s iPhone when it launches in mid-2008.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs has introduced the MacBook Air, the world’s thinnest laptop computer, during the Macworld Expo being held in San Francisco, CA.

It measures an unprecedented 0.16 inches at its thinnest point while its maximum height of 0.76 inches is less than the thinnest point on competing notebooks. In addition to a stunning 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen display, MacBook Air offers a full-size and backlit keyboard, a built-in iSight video camera for video conferencing, and a spacious trackpad with multi-touch gesture support, letting users pinch, rotate and swipe. The new notebook is powered by a 1.6 GHz or 1.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 4MB L2 cache, and it includes as standard features 2GB of memory, an 80GB 1.8-inch hard drive, and the latest 802.11n Wi-Fi technology and Bluetooth 2.1. Starting at just $1,799, MacBook Air begins shipping in two weeks. [Apple News]

MacBook Air is designed to take full advantage of the wireless world. In fact, the new notebook does not provide a built-in CD drive. Apple envisions a wireless world in which 802.11n Wi-Fi is so fast and so available, that such drives will become less relevant as more and more services (such as buying and renting movies online, downloading software, and sharing and storing files on the web) can be performed wirelessly or delivered over the internet.

An apparent inconvenience is that the battery cannot be removed, meaning that travellers or business users, will be limited to its 5-hour battery life.

Sony has partnered with Skype to enable users of its latest slim PlayStation Portable (PSP-2000) to make free calls around the world through the Internet.

By introducing Skype on PSP, the following features and services will be made available to PSP users:

• Free voice calls between Skype users
• Skype contact list management (view existing contacts, add new ones)
• Skype presence (see which friends are online and available to talk)
• SkypeOut™ calls to make calls to landlines and mobile phones anywhere in the world (requires the purchase of Skype credit)
• Optional SkypeIn™ number that lets users receive calls on Skype from landlines and mobiles anywhere in the world (requires the purchase of Skype credit)
• View and modify Skype settings and account details (including username creation, SkypeOut settings, voicemail settings and call forwarding) [Sony Pressroom]

PSP users worldwide will be able to start using Skype features and services through a simple system software update scheduled in late January. After updating the PSP system software, a Skype icon will be added to the Network category in the home menu. PSP users who do not yet have a Skype username can register by clicking the icon and following the instructions. PSP users who already have a Skype username can immediately sign in by clicking the Skype icon and entering their username and password.

Google and Panasonic (Matsushita Electric Industrial) are partnering in the development of televisions that display Internet content like video and photos.

Users will be able to browse videos from YouTube and photos from Picasa Web Albums directly through the new TVs starting next spring.

“We are thrilled to introduce Panasonic VIERA PZ850 series Internet-Connected HDTV’s with virtual one-click access to YouTube and Picasa Web Albums from Google,” said Toshihiro Sakamoto, President of Panasonic AVC Networks Company. “This is the first time mainstream consumers will be able to easily enjoy YouTube videos from the living room with the enhanced quality of a fully integrated widescreen TV experience. YouTube is already a huge worldwide sensation, and Panasonic VIERA Internet-connected HDTV’s will greatly expand users’ entertainment options.” [Panasonic Pressroom]

In addition, Matsushita has unveiled a 150-inch plasma television, which it says is the world’s biggest, during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas by Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of Panasonic AVC Networks Co.

The new HDTV screen measures 12.5 feet diagonally and offers four times better resolution than full high-definition 1080p picture quality. It will be launching in 2009 at an undisclosed price.