A company called Microvision specializes in the development of new generation display and imaging products for mobile applications.

Our products address the unmet need facing growing mobility markets. Namely, consumers want a far better viewing experience than they currently get from traditional small displays on their mobile devices. Microvision offers OEMs in the telecommunications, consumer electronics, automotive, and avionics markets customized design and development of our proprietary display engine, called PicoP™. PicoP enables an ultra-miniature video projector capable of producing color rich, high resolution, large images, but small and low-power enough to be embedded directly into mobile devices, such as cell phones.

Other potential display applications based on the PicoP are numerous and include tiny projectors embedded into or used as accessory displays for mobile devices such as personal media players, gaming devices, laptops, and DVD players.

We are also working to leverage the PicoP into vehicle displays, including automotive and aerospace head-up displays, as well as wearable full-color displays designed as fashionable eyewear. [Microvision]

PicoP is capable of producing full color, high-resolution images (848 by 480 pixels) for up to 2.5 hours. Mobile devices such as cell phones, digital cameras, portable media players or laptops can be enabled with pico projection capabilities turning photos, videos, and other content into big viewing experiences that can be shared with others.

Apple has introduced new models of its iPhone and iPod Touch devices with double the memory of previous versions.

The latest iPhone offers 16 GB of memory and costs $499. The previously released 8 GB version will still be available for $399.

The new iPod Touch comes with 32 GB of memory and will sell for $499. Apple will continue to sell the older 16 GB and 8 GB versions at $399 and $299, respectively.

Apple said that all iPhone and iPod Touch models come with updated software which includes a new maps application and the ability to watch movies from the iTunes movie rental service.

Apple, which stated in January that it sold more than 4 million iPhones since it was launched last June, stood for 28% of the U.S. smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2007 according to research firm Canalys. Research In Motion (maker of Black Berry) had the largest market share (41%) and Palm took the third place with 9% of the market.

Worldwide, Nokia is still the clear market leader with a 52.9% of all smart phones during the fourth quarter. Research In Motion was second with an 11.4% and Apple took the third place with a 6.5% of the market.

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.