ZDNet UK Mobile working Toolkit

Dell moves to the mobile beat

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Simon Bisson and Mary Branscombe) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:46:01 +0100

As the PC maker heads into smartphones and more deeply into IT services, CEO Michael Dell talks about what businesses want from a notebook and the importance of the network

A look inside Orange's Paris labs

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 20:26:02 +0000

A behind-the-scenes tour of the robotics and machine-to-machine technology Orange is working on at its Paris-based Innovation Gardens

Bluetooth 4.0 goes low-power for sensors

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 16:07:02 +0000

A new version of Bluetooth is targeting healthcare and fitness products that need minimal energy consumption rather than high speed

From The Labs: Sniffing the Wi-Fi air

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Charles McLellan) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:17:02 +0000

If you want to see which way the RF wind is blowing, you need a spectrum analyser like MetaGeek's Wi-Spy 2.4x. Charles McLellan explores what it can do

Acer TravelMate Timeline 1820p

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:41:18 +0000

Ive spent a couple of days with a European generic sample of Acers upcoming TravelMate Timeline 1820p, and I have to say Im quite keen to get my hands on a final UK build. The notebook sports...

First '4G' services go live in Norway, Sweden

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:48:02 +0000

TeliaSonera has brought out the first commercial LTE broadband services in the world, inviting early adopters to try out the successor to 3G

WiGig spec promises 7Gbps wireless streaming

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:55:02 +0000

The Wireless Gigabit Alliance has completed a wireless specification that will connect PCs, mobile phones and consumer electronics at very high speeds

Questions over pub Wi-Fi case remain unanswered

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:19:30 +0000

A week and a half ago, we reported that a pub landlord somewhere in the UK had, sometime this summer, been fined £8k because someone had downloaded copyrighted content over their open Wi-Fi...

Bing could map path to iPhones

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Ina Fried) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:40:02 +0000

Microsoft is working on a Bing application for mobile phones, and the iPhone is a possible target for the search and mapping tool, a program manager has said

BlackBerry goes with the flow for developers

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Mary Branscombe) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:37:01 +0000

The BlackBerry platform's focus on collaboration between apps helps it stand out in a crowded market, says Alan Brenner, the RIM executive in charge of the platform

3 to make amends for poor 3G coverage

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 16:51:02 +0000

Customers whose mobile broadband connection is so poor that they cannot do basic web surfing or download email may be able to cancel their contract or get a discount

Law expert issues warning to open Wi-Fi operators

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:11:54 +0000

Businesses running open Wi-Fi networks should brace themselves for a slew of copyright warnings from rights holders, internet law expert Lilian Edwards has told ZDNet UK. Edwards also warned...

Pub 'fined £8k' for Wi-Fi copyright infringement

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:03:02 +0000

Companies offering open Wi-Fi access face legal uncertainty following a court case

Radioactive assumptions in the Digital Economy Bill

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Leader) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:30:02 +0000

If enacted, anti-file-sharing provisions will impose huge cost and huge danger without any guarantee of success or necessity. We deserve more rational laws

Mobile industry 'cannot identify pirates'

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:25:02 +0000

Identifying unlawful file-sharers to comply with proposed law is not currently possible for mobile operators, industry chief says

O2 to boost mobile broadband coverage

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:13:01 +0000

The operator, which currently has the least 3G coverage in the UK, intends to build or upgrade 1,500 base-station sites by the end of next year

Swindon promises city-wide Wi-Fi mesh network

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:46:01 +0000

The network, to be developed through a public-private partnership, will aim to give all Swindon residents free internet access and potentially allow wireless CCTV and smart metering

Watchdog reveals illegal sale of phone users' data

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:42:38 +0000

The Information Commissioner's Office is preparing a prosecution file against a mobile operator's employees who allegedly sold on thousands of customers' details to a competitor. The Information...

3 to throttle P2P traffic in peak periods

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:07:02 +0000

From Monday, file-sharers using 3's mobile network will take second place to other users in some areas

Tandberg shareholders lukewarm on Cisco bid

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Larry Dignan) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:56:02 +0000

Only a small group of Tandberg shareholders have so far backed Cisco's bid to acquire the video-conferencing company

Logitech enters video conferencing with LifeSize buy

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Larry Dignan) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:27:02 +0000

The maker of webcams and other peripherals has announced plans to acquire LifeSize Communications for $405m in cash

Logitech buys LifeSize for $405m

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:53:48 +0000

A few weeks ago I met with Craig Malloy, co-founder and CEO of high-definition videoconferencing specialist LifeSize Communications, as the company was introducing its Skype-compatible Passport...

Mobile business social network tools coming on BlackBerry

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:50:44 +0000

The APIs that RIM is opening up for the BlackBerry platform leapfrog whats available on other mobile platforms, with free push updates, unified advertising and payment options and not just the...

Motorola and Aruba agree Wi-Fi patent ceasefire

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:06:56 +0000

Aruba Networks and Motorola have settled their long-running patent dispute by signing a cross-licensing agreement, the companies announced on Friday. In August 2007, two Motorola subsidiaries...

Mobile industry decides on LTE voice standard

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (David Meyer) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:47:02 +0000

LTE, the successor to 3G, will use a technology based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) framework to carry voice and text messages

More Virgin trains get on-board Wi-Fi

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Carly Newman) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:05:02 +0000

Virgin Trains launches of Wi-Fi broadband services on its fleet of 21 Super Voyager Trains travelling from Euston to North Wales and Chester

Gov't mobile working project saved from axe

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Kable) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:50:02 +0000

Project Nomad, the local government scheme to support mobile and flexible working, has been protected from closure

Orange unveils iPhone tariffs, release date

editorial@zdnet.co.uk (Matthew Broersma) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:21:01 +0000

The operator has announced its tariffs for Apple's iPhone, which it will offer in competition with long-time provider O2

OpenStreetMap has Ugandan discussions

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:26:56 +0000

One of the great things about open source software and open content is that if someone has a good idea, they can just go for it without having to worry about getting permissions, licences or other...

Release date reported for Orange iPhone

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:47:36 +0000

Orange will start selling the iPhone in the UK a day after O2's exclusivity on Apple's popular handset ends, according to reports. The Guardian reported on Sunday that Orange would start selling...

Android 1.6: a better experience

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 16:46:45 +0100

Overnight, T-Mobile pushed out the Android 1.6 'Donut' update to my G1. After being asked whether I wanted to install the upgrade immediately or later, I ran the upgrade; the process took the phone...

Talking on mobile makes you oblivious

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:52:52 +0100

Researchers in the US have proved what most of us already know to be true. Walking in a straight line while talking on the phone seems to be impossible for many of us. A team at Western...

What changes Windows Mobile into a Windows phone?

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 20:58:52 +0100

The tarnished reputation of Windows Mobile needs more than a shiny new name, but calling the new 6.5 models Windows phones isn't just Microsoft taking advantage of the Windows 7 glow. Windows...

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:31:06 +0100

Logitech unveiled its Notebook Kit MK605 on Wednesday, a bundle of laptop accessories containing a wireless mouse, keyboard and stand. According to Logitech, the trio is designed to help...

Microsoft: Most Sidekick data recovered

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:08:13 +0100

Microsoft said on Thursday that it believes it has recovered most of the Sidekick data that it initially feared might be lost. In a letter to customers, corporate vice president Roz Ho said...

Windows Mobile 6.5 - largely an exercise in playing catchup?

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:40:22 +0100

Microsoft has finally announced the latest incarnation of its operating system for smartphones, Windows Mobile 6.5. It is in many ways an interim release, as we await the next generational rollout,...

Will Tandberg give Cisco's Telepresence more definition?

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:08:50 +0100

To me, telepresence is high-enough definition video conferencing that it feels like the person you're seeing video of is actually in the room. Cisco's Telepresence does that, and so does HP's Halo....

3 won't currently stock the iPhone

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:55:27 +0100

If your head is spinning over the clash of tenses that is involved in that headline, you're not the only one, and don't blame me. Here's what we know for sure: O2 has stocked the iPhone for two...

BA allows mobile calls on NY flights

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:24:45 +0100

From Tuesday, British Airways will let business class passengers on its London-to-New York route use their mobile phones for emailing, texting and using the web. The in-flight connectivity...

Extortion on the waves

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:46:04 +0100

So, there I was in San Francisco, listening to Intel tell me all about the bright, spangley future of mobile. The keynotes were full of standard issue happy videos of happy young people doing happy...

Orange UK and T-Mobile UK to merge

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 21:01:06 +0100

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom have agreed to merge their UK cellular operations - Orange and T-Mobile. The new mobile operator will have around 37 percent of the UK market, unseating the...

High-speed rail's a waste of money, says consultancy

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:23:51 +0100

Technology will remove the need for expensive travel - this has been the promise, the threat, the key selling point for video-conferencing for the last 20-plus years. The VC industry was saying...

O2: £200-per-gigabyte data charge a 'deterrent'

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:59:12 +0100

The operator O2 has defended its heavy data charges for those users who go over their mobile broadband bundle limits, arguing that the fees act as a 'deterrent' to those who might want to download...

Report: Orange to offer ad-funded mobile services

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 12:40:16 +0100

The ad-funded virtual mobile network operator Blyk is to transfer its users and technology over to Orange after the two companies signed a partnership deal, according to a report in New Media Age....

Skyfire browser goes beta for BlackBerry

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:19:20 +0100

The BlackBerry version of the Skyfire mobile phone browser has been released in beta form for the first time. At the end of last week, according to reports, beta version 1.0.0.12304 came out....

O2 to carry Samsung's i7500 Android phone

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:18:33 +0100

Samsung's first Android handset, the i7500, has appeared in O2's in-house magazine, and a spokesperson for the operator confirmed to ZDNet UK on Monday that the handset will be carried by O2 in the...

HP Mini 2140 - I Get To Try One!

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:41:37 +0100

I have been wanting to get my hands on an HP Mini 2140 netbook ever since I read the first announcement for it. I already own an HP 2133 Mini-Note (wouldn't it be nice if they would be more...

Vodafone, roaming and the 60 beer

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:38:04 +0100

The world of European mobile communications was not rocked to its very foundations this week, as 3 announced a £1.25/MB data roaming deal followed by Vodafone offering up £5 per diem/25MB max. ...

More on Moblin

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:18:34 +0100

The Moblin steering committee has announced the "release" of the Moblin 2.0 Beta for netbooks and nettops. I have a couple of questions and comments about that, before I get into the last few...

Boingo gets wireless access client patent

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:04:13 +0100

The US Wi-Fi hotspot aggregator Boingo has been awarded a patent for accessing wireless networks using a mobile device. US patent number 7,483,984 describes how an access client on a mobile...

T-Mobile UK 3G data back after more than 2.5 hour downtime

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:31:20 +0100

The service is back at around 18:15, having gone down some time before 15:45. Still no news from T-Mobile as to what happened, but a quick check of Internet access and various apps on the G1 shows...

T-Mobile 3G data network down in the UK Sunday evening

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:12:06 +0100

T-Mobile's UK wireless data service has gone down, with no connectivity for Internet or other data services - as far as I can tell (I'm a T-Mobile subscriber: my phone still has its IP address, but...

ooVoo 2.1 for Mac - More Good News for Video Chat

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:16:09 +0100

ooVoo has released version 2.1 for the Mac. This should be very good news for Mac users, as it brings the Mac version up to essentially the same point as the Windows version. I do not have a...

Report: Orange fails in T-Mobile takeover bid

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:27:33 +0100

Orange tried but failed to negotiate a takeover of T-Mobile UK, according to a report in The Observer. The report suggests that an offer from Orange was rebuffed by T-Mobile's parent company,...

Ofcom publishes proposals for 2012 spectrum

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:08:34 +0100

Ofcom has published its draft recommendations on how to manage radio spectrum during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. A final version will follow later this year but, in the interim, interested...

T-Mobile to raise voice-roaming charges

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:28:18 +0100

T-Mobile is to raise its per-minute charges for making voice calls while abroad in Europe from 38p to 44p, the mobile operator announced on Tuesday. Voice-roaming charges have been steadily...

Sooner (Linux Mint 7), Later (Fedora 11) and Now (ooVoo 2.1)

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:11:02 +0100

It looks like Linux Mint will be making their next release, 7 or "Gloria", in the next few days, according to the Linux Mint Blog. This is good news, because the new release is based on Ubuntu...

Offers by SMS? Always read the small print...

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Fri, 22 May 2009 12:13:51 +0100

Earlier in the month David Meyer reported on Vodafone's summer roaming promotion, where you can call in certain countries at no extra cost. As a Vodafone customer I've just received an SMS telling...

London Underground gets online departure boards

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 19 May 2009 11:25:36 +0100

I just received an email from Transport for London, making me aware of its new online departure boards service for the Tube. I have to say, it may work well but I can't see the point, unless...

3 to reinstate voice and text roaming charges

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:42:14 +0100

The mobile operator 3 is to reinstate its roaming surcharges, just as rival Vodafone drops its equivalent charges for the summer. Subscribers to the '3 Like Home' tariff, which was first...

SA unions threaten £1.7bn Vodafone deal

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:49:15 +0100

A £1.7bn deal between Vodafone and the South African telecoms incumbent Telkom is at risk of collapse following last-minute legal action from the country's communications regulator and trade...

Work Wise Week Worries

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:13:41 +0100

Its personal productivity-themed "Work Wise Week" this week and this immediately makes me sceptical. Are online work management tool companies going to start trying to ply me with their wares? Are...

Reports: T-Mobile UK could be sold or merged

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:17:04 +0100

Deutsche Telekom is considering selling off T-Mobile UK or merging it with a rival, according to the Financial Times. T-Mobile is the smallest of the four major UK mobile operators, and is...

Vodafone launches 50p PAYG daily surfing rate

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Fri, 01 May 2009 16:40:00 +0100

Vodafone has launched a deal for its pay-as-you-go customers that gives them a day's internet access on their handsets for 50p. Rival operators T-Mobile and Orange provide the same sort of...

Low Power Computing: African results

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:36:13 +0100

Our friends at Computer Aid, the charity that supplies refurbished PCs to developing countries, have published their follow-up to the low-power computer testing that ZDNet UK carried out last year....

Forgot your phone? Remember this formula...

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:05:51 +0100

I'm not in the habit of cutting and pasting press releases, but this one is so spectacularly, toe-curlingly full of faeces that it must be read in its entirety. Names have been removed to protect...

xG - all go! But where?

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:50:43 +0100

Some more happenings in the xG/xMax world of super-duper low power high speed low cost wireless data, and - for once - I can write about them, as they're not anonymous scandal blog postings saying...

BBC TV over Wi-Fi

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:16:33 +0100

Here's something to try over the Easter break. You will need: A phone with Wi-Fi A hankering to watch BBC TV progs live A UK location A UK TV license in the vicinity If you have those...

BlackBerry App World

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 11:43:29 +0100

Ive been taking my first look at the BlackBerry App World. App World is designed to do for the BlackBerry what the App Store has done for the iPhone: make it easy for users to get hold of...

Report: Orange and Apple in MacBook bundle talks

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:20:54 +0000

The mobile operator Orange is reportedly in talks with Apple, with a view towards bundling MacBooks with mobile broadband. According to Mobile, the deal would make it possible for customers to...

ooVoo Releases Mac version 1.7

editorial@zdnet.co.uk — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:42:42 +0000

ooVoo has released verion 1.7 of their video chat program for Mac. I may be a bit "ahead of the system" here, because I haven't seen a press announcement of it yet, but the download is available...