Samsung Electronics has developed a cell phone capable of receiving a new real-time traffic information system that is already in use in some countries.The company’s new SPH-B5800 handset can receive and decode the information broadcast using the Transport Protocol Experts Group (TPEG) format. Development of the TPEG system began in the late 1990s under the umbrella of the European Broadcasting Union, which was seeking a common standard through which to broadcast traffic information. Samsung SPH-B5800 TPEG traffic data is available in South Korea via the country’s terrestrial digital broadcasting (DMB) service, and it’s that data the Samsung phone receives and decodes. Trials are also taking place in several countries, including one by the BBC in the United Kingdom.The phone updates travel information every five minutes and can also display the TV stations broadcast through the DMB system. Other features of the handset, which will be available in South Korea later this month and cost about US$600, include a 2-megapixel camera, 330,000-word dictionary, and 2-inch color thin-film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. The phone is compatible with South Korea’s CDMA2000 1xEvDO wireless networks.It measures 96 by 46 by 16 millimeters and weighs 96 grams. Also Thursday, Samsung said it has developed a thinner digital camera module for use in thin cell phones. The complementary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor has a quarter-inch lens of the type typically found in slim cell phones and a resolution of 3 megapixels. At present, such sensors of this size can manage only 2 megapixels, so phone makers are stuck at this resolution or have to use a larger sensor for higher resolution, thus increasing the size of the phone.Samsung will begin to mass produce the sensor in the first half of 2007.-Martyn Williams, IDG News Service (Tokyo Bureau)Related Links: Samsung, Microsoft Team on Ultra Messaging i600 Smart Phone Samsung, Cingular Unveil BlackJack Smart Phone RIM Hits Samsung With Lawsuit over BlackJack Name Samsung Debuts Combined Mini-PC PhoneCheck out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage. Related content brandpost Sponsored by DataStax Ask yourself: How can genAI put your content to work? Generative AI applications can readily be built against the documents, emails, meeting transcripts, and other content that knowledge workers produce as a matter of course. By Bryan Kirschner Dec 04, 2023 5 mins Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence feature The CIO’s new role: Orchestrator-in-chief CIOs have unique insight into everything that happens in a company. Some are using that insight to take on a more strategic role. By Minda Zetlin Dec 04, 2023 12 mins CIO C-Suite Business IT Alignment opinion Fortifying the bridge between tech and business in the C-suite To be considered a tech-forward company today, there has to be a focus on tech fluency across the C-suite, which creates a unique opportunity for CIOs to uplevel their roles and expand their footprint across the enterprise. By Diana Bersohn and Rachel Barton Dec 04, 2023 7 mins CIO Business IT Alignment IT Strategy brandpost Sponsored by G42 Understanding the impact of AI on society, environment and economy By Jane Chan Dec 03, 2023 4 mins Artificial Intelligence Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe