IBM Corp. launched a new effort in its India Research Lab to bring more features and functions to mobile devices as they become the primary tool for Web transactions and interactions.

The technology giant debuted this initiative after realizing the potential of the mobile channel in business, education, communication and entertainment. The goal is to bring simple, easy-to-use services to people who spend more time out-and-about than they do in front of the computer and use their mobile phone to access the Web, conduct financial transactions, entertain themselves and shop.

"The world is entering the era of the mobile Web,'' said Dr. Daniel Dias, director of IBM Research Laboratory, in a statement. "In many countries, the mobile phone has become an electronic wallet, the window to the World Wide Web, an education device and more, and globally, mobile devices outnumber PCs, credit cards and TVs.

"Today, we are launching projects that will make a mobile device even easier to use than the PC, allowing you to do everything you can with a PC and much more," he said.

IBM did not return calls by deadline time.

Led out of India, the projects will begin with researching the potential of voice-enabled mobile commerce and real-time communication between multiple languages through mobile devices.

IBM research will also focus on enabling any portable device to carry computing applications, social networking via mobile and mobile healthcare information made available in any emergency situation.

The IBM India Research Lab will act as a focal point for the mobile Web initiative.

IBM's interest in mobile is understandable.

In many regions worldwide, especially the more under-developed ones, mobile devices are becoming an increasingly viable alternative to PCs.

These devices are capable of delivering more types of data, applications and services through advanced wireless networks. This, and the openness and convergence of mobile Web applications, is making a major impact on the global mobile market.

Which explains the direction of IBM's mobile efforts.

For example, IBM is planning to develop a mobile translator to facilitate speech between people who don't speak the same language.

Additionally, the company plans to launch an application that provides people with information on how to help others in critical medical situations.

"Today, staying competitive means looking ahead," said John Kelly, senior vice president at IBM Research, in a statement.

"The rise of globalization is shifting the way business works," he said. "Business leaders need to anticipate how these changes will affect their ways of operating and look to new technological innovations to help them succeed in this new landscape."