2006/04/07

Digit news - Trademark rift between Apples may end soon

Digit news - Trademark rift between Apples may end soon

The battle between Apple Computer and Apple Corp continues, but maybe will end soon.

Apple Computer licensed the right to use the logo and trademark for computers, but not for music. This is the 3rd time they've been sued by the record company.

This time it's over the iTunes music store selling pre-recorded music, which is probably very much in Apple Corp's space.

Digit news - Samsung delays Blu-ray Disc player launch

Digit news - Samsung delays Blu-ray Disc player launch

Samsung has delayed the launch of it's consumer BluRay player by a month as to ensure it works with a compliance disc due out next month

Commercial films from Lionsgate and Sony are due on May 23rd and say they are still on track.

Toshiba meanwhile has launched its HDDVD player.

Digit news - Hands on: MacBook Pro heads to Boot Camp

Digit news - Hands on: MacBook Pro heads to Boot Camp

Apple has released Boot Camp for Intel based Macs, currently a free trial, though it is meant to expire after some time, at which point MacOS X 10.5 (Leopard) will be released and it comes with that.

It allows Macs to dual-boot MacOS X and WindowsXP SP2, NOTE only SP2, older versions will NOT install.

Apple have always said they don't care if Windows runs on Intel Mac hardware, they don't want MacOS running on generic PC hardware though.

Why would they want it? Until they can get all MacOS software into Universal Binary format they have problems as running apps through their Rosetta technology is slow, especially apps like Photoshop.

Creatives like Macs, a lot like them for Adobe apps, Adobe wont have Universal Binaries for a while. Now they can continue to use their nice Macs and switch into XP when they want to run Adobe apps at a sensible speed.

2006/04/04

Ofcom Website | Annual Plan 2006/7

Ofcom Website | Annual Plan 2006/7:"

Ofcom have released details of their annual plan for 2007, though covering the communications framework, they are concentrating on the following: -

. Spectrum release: auctions and liberalisation;
. implementation of the telecommunications strategic review;
. continued deregulation;
. next-generation network deployment in telecommunications;
. public service broadcasting: future developments;
. content delivery;
. protection of citizens and consumers;
. availability and access; and
. greater international engagement.

Ofcom also to fully pay of the loan made to fund them by 2007/8.

2006/04/03

Ofcom Website | Spectrum licences for broadband, wireless communications and mobile multimedia services

Ofcom Website | Spectrum licences for broadband, wireless communications and mobile multimedia services

Ofcom intend to auction licenses for spectrum at frequencies 452-1492MHz (40MHz) on a technology and application-neutral basis by March 2007.

It's expected licenses with last at least 15 years and be fully tradeable and technology and application neutral (though with some restrictions as part of the spectrum is under international arrangement).

The lower 27.5 MHz of the 40MHz available could be made available as one or more packages and the lower 27.5 MHz of the 40MHz available could be made available as one or more packages.

The award will be decided by a simultaneous multiple round auction.

It's expected that the spectrum could be used for such services as mobile TV (DVB-H or DMB), broadband wireless access using techologies such as WiMAX, satellite digital radio (the upper band would support S-DAB) and programme making (such as wireless cameras at sporting events).

The consultation period finishes on the 9th of June 2006 and Ofcom intends to publish later in 2006 with an auction taking place early in 2007.

Ofcom announces companies who have been qualified to bid for GSM Guard Band licenses

The following companies have been qualified to bid for the award of spectrum in the bands 1781.7-1785MHz paired with 1876.7-1880MHz.

British Telecommunications PLC
Cable & Wireless UK (England)
Centric Telecom Ltd
COLT Mobile Telecommunications Ltd
Cyberpress Ltd
FMS Solutions Ltd
Mapesbury Communications Ltd
ntl Group Limited
02 (UK) Ltd
Opal Telecom Ltd
Orange Personal Communications Services Ltd
PLDT (UK) Ltd
Shyam Telecom UK Ltd
Spring Mobil AB
Teleware PLC
Zynetix Ltd

That gives 16 potential bidders for between 7 and 12 licenses. However there are some big players (BT, C&W, Colt, NTL, O2, Carphone Warehouse [Opal], Orange, PLDT) which potentially means that there will be at least 8 least 8 gone, maybe leaving 4 license between the 8 smaller players.

The minimum bid is £50,000, but it's expected that licenses will go for at leats 6 figures.

Oddly Coffee Telecom who have been extremely vocal about running GSM services and bidding for a license and potentially trying to land grab even before the applications closed, don't seem to be in the list.

Ofcom Website | Statement: Modification to the Number Portability General Condition and the National Telephone Numbering Plan

Ofcom Website | Statement: Modification to the Number Portability General Condition and the National Telephone Numbering Plan

Ofcom are holding a consultation on number portablility and the national telephone numbering plan.

In summary number porting should be encouraged where possible, especially for new wave telcos (using technologies such as VoIP).

There needs to be some controls so the consumer knows what call they are making i.e. there can be issues when porting a fixed number to a mobile network or vice versa, but porting between mobile networks shouldn't be hindered or between fixed networks.

However where in the past numbers have been tied to geographic areas, this should no longer be the case and they can be ported to services not tied to a location.

Ofcom may also intervene where providers do not port numbers (it may not be in there interest to do so) but gnerally the system will be left to run by the market.

Ofcom Website | Mobile Call Termination - Market Review

Ofcom Website | Mobile Call Termination - Market Review

Ofcom is holding a consultation about Mobile Call Termination. Currently 2G (GSM) networks are regulated in the pricing that they may charge to terminate calls and Ofcom are looking to extend this to 3G as well.

Currently the view is that termination should be regulated and continue to be so.

Digit news - First HD-DVD player launched in Japan

Digit news - First HD-DVD player launched in Japan

Toshiba have launched the first HD-DVD player in Japan. It's a chunky beast known as the HD-XA1. It should go on sale in the US in April.

It uses the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) which was only finalised last month.

Currently there aren't any HD disks available yet (due to go one sale April 7th).

The battle is now starting, HDDVD or BluRay ... only time will tell who wins.

Digit news - NuVJ video controller introduced

Digit news - NuVJ video controller introduced

ArKaos and Numark have teamed up to produce a VJ console that works woth both PCs and Macs. It utilises the video card in the host computer to do the video processing so with newer cards allows for high resolution real-time effects.

It comes with various videos, stills and graphics and can sync to an external audio source or an internal beats per minute generator.

The unit has two banks of nine trigger pads for video and two wheels to manage scratch, effect and speed control and is MIDI compliant.

Could be a fun unit.

The Numark iPod DJ mixer looks nice too, though it's limited by the iPod's capabilties (and what Apple allow through the dock connector) so can only really mix tracks without allowing speed control or other advanced features that DJ's like.