2008/07/10

iTunes 7.7 released - now with app.store

As expected Apple have released an update to iTunes to take it to v7.7 and the new feature is the App Store.

There are around 100 free apps and quite a few commercial ones too.

Existing iPhone users will have to wait for the version 2 software update and the 3G iPhone should be available tomorrow [11/07/08] (depending on stock - which in the UK is meant to be severely limited).

Customers can select software by category, whether it's "free" or not and for the iPhone or iTouch.

Though there's quite a bit of software for the launch, it's somewhat surprising there isn't more, though developers may not be too pleased with the current system as the app is tied to the dowloading version of iTunes which means it can be saved on any iPhone/iTouch which has a relationship with that system.

2008/07/09

Touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder Keyboard To Utilize Haptic Technology... AMAZING Implementation! | CrackBerry.com

Touchscreen BlackBerry Thunder Keyboard To Utilize Haptic Technology... AMAZING Implementation! | CrackBerry.com

The Crackberry rumour site are reporting that the Blackberry Thunder will contain haptic technology that will give positive feedback on the virtual keyboard i.e. so when a user touches the screen on a certain letter, the screen will "push back" or slightly raise against the touch.

The screen is 360 by 480 and made of glass or a glass like substance. The web browser in the Blackberry is also based on the same engine that the iPhone uses.

If true it will certainly be a blow to Apple as the Thunder may well be the iPhone killer.

Inside Microsoft’s Internet Infrastructure & Its Plans For The Future - GigaOM

Inside Microsoft’s Internet Infrastructure & Its Plans For The Future - GigaOM

Microsoft is building it's own CDN (content delivery network), they currently have a 100Gb/s backbone which they'll increase to 500Gb/s. They seem to be using Level 3 for the network (who already provide CDN services themselves).

They are linking 99 datacentres and adding 10,000 servers a month.

It looks like MS are gunning for Google/Amazon in the cloud-computing/data storage markets.

O2 sites crashes with 3G iPhone demand

O2's site went down this week due to the massive demand for iPhones.

When the initial iPhone was announced O2 has 35,000 initial web inquiries, with the 3G variant they had 200,000 inquiries.

O2 say that Apple is restricting supplies and they may have difficulties satisfying demand.

The iPhone is still considered a consumer phone even with its push email and VPN capabilities, though O2 has announced business tariffs.

RIM's new Blackberry Bold (which seems to be delayed until August) has missed a trick as it could have caused a dent to Apple's launch, especially as it now has the iTunes (iPod) client software built-in.

2008/07/08

telecoms.com

telecoms.com

The EU has backed plans to allow both TDD (Time Division Duplex) and FDD (Frequency Devision Duplex) in the upcoming 2.6GHz spectrum auctions. It will be up to the market to decide what should be used.

WiMAX advocates are happy about this as WiMAX is based on TDD.

The EU decision is supported by CEPT.

Ofocm have been a major supporter of allocating spectrum on a technology neutral basis and allowing the market to decide its use (though ensuring interference issues don't occur).

Market Impact Assessment: new Local Video proposals - Terms of Reference | Ofcom

Market Impact Assessment: new Local Video proposals - Terms of Reference | Ofcom

The BBC is proposing to launch an on demand Local Video Service available over fixed and wireless broadband services. As a public service they are required to undertake a Public Value Test (PVT) before launching such services. The BBC has conducted a Public Value Assessment while Ofcom is conducting a Market Impact Assessment - and as such Ofcom are continuing the consultation until 5pm on August 4th 2008.

innovation | Digium® - The Asterisk Company

innovation | Digium® - The Asterisk Company:

Digium the company that produces Asterisk have announced their 2nd innovation awards.

The catagories are: -

* Pioneer Award: Most innovative implementation
* Big Biz Asterisk: Largest enterprise class installation
* ROI: Best measurable ROI from implementing Asterisk based solution
* Inside Out Award: Best use of Asterisk in a business outside of telecommunications

Awards will be presented for each category on a global basis.

Asterisk is dual licensed in an open source version and commercial version (Asterisk Business Edition being an example of the closed source version), but enhancements tend to be cross developed. Asterisk is an IP PBX supporting both telephony interfaces (POTS, ISDN, etc) and VoIP protocols (SIP, H.323, etc), however it is much more than that and can be used as an IVR (interactive voice response), there are even speech-to-text engines available for integration.

Digium is also now starting to support SS7 (the protocols telecoms carriers use) natively within the telephony interfaces so Asterisk can be used as a "real" telephony switch.

» iCall App Enables GSM to WiFi / VoIP Switching On The iPhone iPhone Hacks: Downloads, Cracks, Mods, Homebrew, Utilities - Hack & Unlock Apple iPhone

» iCall App Enables GSM to WiFi / VoIP Switching On The iPhone iPhone Hacks: Downloads, Cracks, Mods, Homebrew, Utilities - Hack & Unlock Apple iPhone

iCall are releasing an application that will switch calls between a regular line and VoIP when in range of a WiFi connection. It meets Apple's guidelines as it only uses VoIP when in range of the WiFi network and they only uses Apple's standard SDK (i.e. no hacks involved).

Since iCall are a telephony provider too, they must somehow bounce the call through their network and then switch it to WiFi when a network is detected.

The application will be available through Apples app store.