Inventor challenges Slingbox on patent claim
A Texan inventor has launched an audacious court case against TV-shifting hardware maker Sling Media, claiming a patent infringement.
Stuart Mershon claims the Slingbox, which uses the internet to rebroadcast TV content from a user's lounge to a PC or mobile phone anywhere in the world, infringes on a system he invented to transmit home audio signals to a remote speaker over wireless telephone networks.
Truphone aims to up VoIP ante
Kent-based mobile VoIP provider Truphone hopes to make its software compatible with 25 mobile handsets this year.James Tagg, CEO of the company which routes calls from regular mobiles over WiFi internet, told GigaOm Truphone will shortly work on Symbian S60 and UIQ (largely Nokia and Sony Ericsson) as well as Windows Mobile.
Virgin Media launches, response mixed
Virgin Media was today unveiled as the new name for ntl and Telewest, with the new entity aiming to shake up UK consumer telephony, entertainment and communications provision with a quad-play offering.The cable company last year completed the £962m acquisition of Virgin Mobile, making Richard Branson a 10.7% shareholder in the firm, which celebrated today by firing a volley of press releases.
Mobile networks 'mull new-build search engine'
European mobile phone networks could start their own mobile search service as they consider how to increase revenue from search advertising, according to a report.
The companies will use the 3GSM World Congress, the world's largest mobile industry exhibition and conference, in Barcelona next week to consider a joint initiative aimed at replacing lost revenue from falling access costs with that from on-the-move ads.
Murdoch gets his hands on Crazy Frog
News Corporation says it will have secured a controlling stake in mobile ringtone and animation provider Jamba by tomorrow.
The Rupert Murdoch empire has formed a joint venture with VeriSign, which bought Jamba for $270m in 2004.
Nintendo boosts Game Christmas sales
Nintendo's Wii and DS Lite games consoles helped boost British retailer Game 's Christmas sales by 15.6% and the group now expects to reap higher annual overall sales as a result.
Demand for the innovative devices rocketed sales in the six weeks to January 6, with the Brain Training DS title amongst the most popular games.
iWant strikes again
Once again, Apple has started a new year by announcing a plethora of exciting goodies for technophiles, with the long anticipated iPhone taking centre stage.
As a fairly committed early adopter (I have not used a paper diary since 21st December 1996 – yes I do know the date exactly, because my latest Palm based PDA has all my diary entries since then), I am already drooling.
Tech.co.uk aims for slice of gadget market
British magazine publisher Future has launched a new website to serve the appetites of technology and gadget lovers - Tech.co.uk .The site uses content and writers from existing and mothballed titles including Digital Home, PC Plus, Mac Format and What Home Cinema.
Jobs unveils Apple's iPhone
Accompanied by rapturous applause from Apple's legions of fans, many of whom queued for hours to see him, Steve Jobs unveiled the eagerly awaited iPhone at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco last night.
The new gadget from Apple certainly looks impressive, and will come in 4GB and 8GB versions, costing $499 or $599. It includes a touchscreen with virtual keyboard, a 2 megapixel camera, is WIFI enabled, as well as containing all the functions of an iPod.
Q&A: Jyri Engeström of Jaiku
A former senior product manager for Nokia's internet tablet devices in Finland, Jyri Engeström this year left to form his own startup, Jaiku . It is part of a new wave of mobile presence services designed to help inter-company groups and loved ones stay in touch.At the Le Web 3 conference in Paris, Robert Andrews asked Engeström why the world should know where you are and how serendipitous connectivity turns into effective communication.
Social media: the best and worst of 2009
Email marketing: six steps to improving customer engagement in 2010
Web 2.0
Graham Charlton
Strategy & Planning
