Anyone can offer a communication service offering voice and other services, this is known as a PECN (public electronic communications network). Many new entrants, such as VoIP players, have found it difficult to get interconnection directly with BT who make it as difficult possible.
Ofcom have now ruled that BT must interconnect with any PECN and in a reasonable manner including paying call termination charges to them.
The statement is here.
This should allow VoIP players to directly connect to BT (it can currently take over 6 months to get a BT wholesale connection) without going through intermediaries.
2006/09/14
Ofcom reviewing wholesale SMS termination
Wholesale SMS termination is when an SMS terminates on a mobile network from another network. This affects all operators as they exchange SMS traffic between networks.
However this also affects fixed networks (it's possible to send and receive SMSs through BT phone lines) and also companies that offer SMS applications (ringtones, advertising, alerts and such like). Currently operators (in the UK) are highly resistive to non-operators utilising telecoms links such as SS7 to send SMS traffic, and even if one operator agrees there is no guarantee that another will. Ofcom has been pushed heavily to allow this kind of service so operators are forced to act in a neutral manner to both operators and fixed line operators and application services.
The review is expected to take 12 to 18 months and there may be several consultations.
However this also affects fixed networks (it's possible to send and receive SMSs through BT phone lines) and also companies that offer SMS applications (ringtones, advertising, alerts and such like). Currently operators (in the UK) are highly resistive to non-operators utilising telecoms links such as SS7 to send SMS traffic, and even if one operator agrees there is no guarantee that another will. Ofcom has been pushed heavily to allow this kind of service so operators are forced to act in a neutral manner to both operators and fixed line operators and application services.
The review is expected to take 12 to 18 months and there may be several consultations.
Ofcom consulting on extending mobile termination price controls
Ofcom is Consulting on proposals to maintain mobile termination price controls when the current ones expire on March 2007.
Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Orange termination charges should reduce to 5.3ppm for 2G and 3G networks by 2010/11, while 3 get to charge 6.0ppm also by the same time. These controls will expire in 2011.
Ofcom wants views on how quickly the pricing should be implemented and how the controls should be put in place.
The mobile operators will want current pricing to remain as high as possible for as long as possible with minimal controls, while fixed line operators and others will want termination reduced as quickly as possible with maximum controls.
Vodafone, O2, T-Mobile and Orange termination charges should reduce to 5.3ppm for 2G and 3G networks by 2010/11, while 3 get to charge 6.0ppm also by the same time. These controls will expire in 2011.
Ofcom wants views on how quickly the pricing should be implemented and how the controls should be put in place.
The mobile operators will want current pricing to remain as high as possible for as long as possible with minimal controls, while fixed line operators and others will want termination reduced as quickly as possible with maximum controls.
2006/09/12
Satellite Broadband on Trains
Ofcom has issued a statement on new licensing for the use of broadband on trains using satellite.
This covers the 14 – 14.25 GHz band (already used in ships and planes), the systems must have at least a 0.6m aerial and a max 2 degree beam.
This will hopefully encourage more UK train operators to offer WiFi in trains.
This covers the 14 – 14.25 GHz band (already used in ships and planes), the systems must have at least a 0.6m aerial and a max 2 degree beam.
This will hopefully encourage more UK train operators to offer WiFi in trains.
Fring, free calls on your mobile
Well OK Fring isn't free, but uses VoIP and P2P technologies utilising the data aspects of a mobile to transport voice i.e. free with a sensible data plan.
The client currently works on various Nokia handsets, but support for others is planned. Register your number and you get an SMS with an embedded link to download the software which then installs once the link is clicked.
On "3" it took several attempts for the software to register with the Fring service, but it eventually got there.
Fring can be used just with other Fring users using VoIP, but also supports GoogleTalk and Skype, they also took a few attempts at registering.
Trying Skype wasn't too pleasant, there were long delays and the user (in the US) heard echo - though it did work. The clarity on the phone seemed much better. Didn't manage to test GoogleTalk.
Running this on a network with an unlimited data plan could save a lot of money, but would it be considered "fair use" and will they start blocking it? If the operators don't want to lose voice revenue (which is the mainstay of their business) then they'll have to do something, but for now it does seem a pretty good service.
The client currently works on various Nokia handsets, but support for others is planned. Register your number and you get an SMS with an embedded link to download the software which then installs once the link is clicked.
On "3" it took several attempts for the software to register with the Fring service, but it eventually got there.
Fring can be used just with other Fring users using VoIP, but also supports GoogleTalk and Skype, they also took a few attempts at registering.
Trying Skype wasn't too pleasant, there were long delays and the user (in the US) heard echo - though it did work. The clarity on the phone seemed much better. Didn't manage to test GoogleTalk.
Running this on a network with an unlimited data plan could save a lot of money, but would it be considered "fair use" and will they start blocking it? If the operators don't want to lose voice revenue (which is the mainstay of their business) then they'll have to do something, but for now it does seem a pretty good service.
2006/09/11
Wii hits Broadway
IBM has started shipping the new Broadway chip (the CPU for the Wii) to Nintendo in volume. It's based on the Gekko chip used in the GameCube, but uses a 90nm process rather than 180nm. It's also faster and uses 20% less power, coming from IBM it's
Power Architechture - but not much else has been released.
IBM now owns the cores for all the major gaming platforms (XBox360, Cell for PS3 and now the Wii), Apple must be counting their blessings that they moved away from IBM as they would be such a small market for them and IBM would be able to deliver little effort into making the G5 (and successors) doing what Apple wanted them to.
The Cell is a complicated chip and optimising games will be a challenge for some time to come to make use of the multi-core design. Microsoft and Nintendo's cores are much simpler so should produce much more optimised games more quickly.
Since IBM are shipping now, Nintendo should have volume units available by the end of the year, Sony have already said there will only be 100,000 PS3 available at launch in Japan, 400,000 in the US and Europe has been delayed until at least March.
Power Architechture - but not much else has been released.
IBM now owns the cores for all the major gaming platforms (XBox360, Cell for PS3 and now the Wii), Apple must be counting their blessings that they moved away from IBM as they would be such a small market for them and IBM would be able to deliver little effort into making the G5 (and successors) doing what Apple wanted them to.
The Cell is a complicated chip and optimising games will be a challenge for some time to come to make use of the multi-core design. Microsoft and Nintendo's cores are much simpler so should produce much more optimised games more quickly.
Since IBM are shipping now, Nintendo should have volume units available by the end of the year, Sony have already said there will only be 100,000 PS3 available at launch in Japan, 400,000 in the US and Europe has been delayed until at least March.
HD, HD-DVD disk developed
Toshiba and Memory-Tech have developed a 3 layer hybrid disk that can be read by both traditional DVD players and new HD-DVD players. The movie is stored in each format on different layers to that they are read by their respective players in native format.
Currently it's a prototype and not approved by the DVD forum, but this may give the HD-DVD group a jump over Blu-Ray who are currently winning the format battle.
Currently it's a prototype and not approved by the DVD forum, but this may give the HD-DVD group a jump over Blu-Ray who are currently winning the format battle.
TIM for the clock
Telecom Italia Mobile may lose the Telecom Italia monica as they seem to want to sell the mobile business.
Telecom Italia already have triple play solutions and were seen to be one of the front-runners in the fixed-mobile convergence game. Now they want to concentrate on delivering content over traditional broadband.
Rupert Murdoch may be in talks about acquisition.
Telecom Italia already have triple play solutions and were seen to be one of the front-runners in the fixed-mobile convergence game. Now they want to concentrate on delivering content over traditional broadband.
Rupert Murdoch may be in talks about acquisition.
Vodafone to offer broadband package
It seems Vodafone has stuck a deal with BT Group to offer a broadband package to its 16m UK subscribers. This follows earlier moves by Orange (with their Wanadoo, now branded Orange, service) and O2 who bought Be a while back.
Vodafone have aggressively denied they were moving into the fixed space, though it was inevitable with broadband being seen as the hook to triple, quad or even more plays.
Vodafone are also rumoured to be front runners for buying AOL UK.
Vodafone have aggressively denied they were moving into the fixed space, though it was inevitable with broadband being seen as the hook to triple, quad or even more plays.
Vodafone are also rumoured to be front runners for buying AOL UK.
2006/09/07
Skype Free the French
Skype have announced that French Skype users can call any French landline for free (until the end of December).
Skype requires broadband and many broadband providers in France already offer a bundle of free national calls so though it's a nice gesture it's not really a big thing.
Skype requires broadband and many broadband providers in France already offer a bundle of free national calls so though it's a nice gesture it's not really a big thing.
Pipex buy Bulldog and Tucan
Another 2 broadband providers fall to the consolidation in the telecoms/ISP markets with Tucan and Bulldog being acquired by Pipex who now claim around 570,000 broadband customers.
Tucan's purchase isn't really suprising as margins for consumer broadband are diminishing, more so now with broadband being given away free as part of other offerings.
C&W have also being looking for a way to dispose of their Bulldog retail customers as they have been unable to compete in this business (especially since the launch of Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk3 package). Pipex also gain the use of the Bulldog name.
It makes a lot of sense for C&W to do this as they can now concentrate on a wholesale offering (which is a turn-around as they stopped offering one when they acquired Bulldog), and gain Pipex as a wholesale customer.
Consumer broadband and local loop unbundling is all about economies of scale. There are several LLU operators all competing for the customers in near enough the same (expected) 1,000 local exchanges that are being unbundled. If a wholesale provider could gain enough market traction the unbundler's could utilise them instead of unbundling themselves. This would potentially allow a greater number of exchanges to be unbundled with a greater number of users per exchange which would mean the economics become much more favourable. Unfortunately this requires companies in a highly competetive market working with each other, which is the stumbling block which rapidly degrades into telco politics.
Tucan's purchase isn't really suprising as margins for consumer broadband are diminishing, more so now with broadband being given away free as part of other offerings.
C&W have also being looking for a way to dispose of their Bulldog retail customers as they have been unable to compete in this business (especially since the launch of Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk3 package). Pipex also gain the use of the Bulldog name.
It makes a lot of sense for C&W to do this as they can now concentrate on a wholesale offering (which is a turn-around as they stopped offering one when they acquired Bulldog), and gain Pipex as a wholesale customer.
Consumer broadband and local loop unbundling is all about economies of scale. There are several LLU operators all competing for the customers in near enough the same (expected) 1,000 local exchanges that are being unbundled. If a wholesale provider could gain enough market traction the unbundler's could utilise them instead of unbundling themselves. This would potentially allow a greater number of exchanges to be unbundled with a greater number of users per exchange which would mean the economics become much more favourable. Unfortunately this requires companies in a highly competetive market working with each other, which is the stumbling block which rapidly degrades into telco politics.
Apple iMacs go Core 2 and 24 inch
Apple has announced that all iMac models will have an Intel Core 2 Duo processor. CPU speeds come in 1.8, 2.0, 2.16 and 2.3GHz with up to 3GB of RAM.
The new 24" model supports up to 1920 x 1200 pixels supports the higher end CPU (2.3GHz) and an option of a nVidia GeForce 7600GT instead of the 7300GT which is on the other models, a 250GB is standard though that can be upgraded to 500GB at order time. There's also a Firewire 800 port (in addition to the Firewire 400 ports). As with all new Macs they come with Tiger (10.4.7), iLife and Frontrow.
As the Core 2 Duo CPU is 64bit MacOS 10 really operates in 64bit mode (on the MacBooks and old Intel iMacs it's only working in 32bit).
The iMac is still one of the prettier PC's out there and for an all in one unit the new 24" system will be hard to beat - though there are probably cheaper systems out there. Macs just work
The new 24" model supports up to 1920 x 1200 pixels supports the higher end CPU (2.3GHz) and an option of a nVidia GeForce 7600GT instead of the 7300GT which is on the other models, a 250GB is standard though that can be upgraded to 500GB at order time. There's also a Firewire 800 port (in addition to the Firewire 400 ports). As with all new Macs they come with Tiger (10.4.7), iLife and Frontrow.
As the Core 2 Duo CPU is 64bit MacOS 10 really operates in 64bit mode (on the MacBooks and old Intel iMacs it's only working in 32bit).
The iMac is still one of the prettier PC's out there and for an all in one unit the new 24" system will be hard to beat - though there are probably cheaper systems out there. Macs just work
2006/09/04
Blu-Ray HDDVD battle hots up
TDK have announced a prototype for a Blu-Ray disk supporting 200GB. The current disks support 25GB per layer i.e. 50GB per disk.
HDDVD also has the capability for higher capacities, but they are currently lower than Blu-Ray.
This will make a huge difference for storing HD (high definition) movies which require huge capacities.
HDDVD also has the capability for higher capacities, but they are currently lower than Blu-Ray.
This will make a huge difference for storing HD (high definition) movies which require huge capacities.
Samsung updates Q1
The new machine called the Q1P adds HSPDA (high speed download packet access), a new battery giving the system 5 hours of use and a processor from VIA rather than Intel. There are other new features, but Samsung haven't gone into details yet.
Another IT Week mention
IT Week mentioned me on the front page of this week's edition re Open Source routers and their limitations.
Maybe I should do this professionally?
Maybe I should do this professionally?
2006/09/01
VoIP players already failing
It's seems Freetalk the VoIP service provided by Dixons is shutting shop a year after having started the service, users can migrate to Vonage though pricing stays the same they will require new Vonage equipment. Gossiptel seem to have disappeared into the mists too - even their website is gone.
VoIP isn't the panacea everyone hoped for, especially since normal telephony tariffs are plummeting and bundle deals are becoming normal (BT Retail has now had price restrictions lifted).
Unless a VoIP player has significant volume their future is limited.
VoIP isn't the panacea everyone hoped for, especially since normal telephony tariffs are plummeting and bundle deals are becoming normal (BT Retail has now had price restrictions lifted).
Unless a VoIP player has significant volume their future is limited.
Megalaser 120mW laser
Megalaser are now selling 120mW green lasers mounted in a handy laserpointer.
Of course they aren't laser pointers, they are just industrial lasers mounted for convenient transport.
Green lasers are very bright anyway and 120mW will carry the beam visibly for 10's of miles, but they are dangerous (they'll burn holes in plastic bags) and shouldn't be pointed directly (or reflected) into people's eyes.
They probably shouldn't be used near airports or such like too.
Of course they aren't laser pointers, they are just industrial lasers mounted for convenient transport.
Green lasers are very bright anyway and 120mW will carry the beam visibly for 10's of miles, but they are dangerous (they'll burn holes in plastic bags) and shouldn't be pointed directly (or reflected) into people's eyes.
They probably shouldn't be used near airports or such like too.
Canon announces EOD400D
This is the successor to the hugely popular EOS350D. It has got a 10.1MP sensor with cleaning technology that shakes the dust off it.
It has a 2.5 inch LCD display supporting 230,000 pixels and a viewing angle of 160 degrees.
In burst mode it can shoot 3fps and store up to 10 RAW or 27 JPEGs.
All EF and EF-S (over 60) lenses are supported as well as Speedlite EX flash units.
Pricing is expected to be competetive to the Sony Alpha but seems to be about £649 for the body only or around £719 with an EF-S 18-55mm lens.
It has a 2.5 inch LCD display supporting 230,000 pixels and a viewing angle of 160 degrees.
In burst mode it can shoot 3fps and store up to 10 RAW or 27 JPEGs.
All EF and EF-S (over 60) lenses are supported as well as Speedlite EX flash units.
Pricing is expected to be competetive to the Sony Alpha but seems to be about £649 for the body only or around £719 with an EF-S 18-55mm lens.
2006/08/29
Google beta Business hosted apps
Google have just launched a beta version of hosted Email/Calendar and Google Talk but under your own domain.
Though only beta it could offer a real challenge to Microsoft as companies can completely dump problematic applications (like Exchange) and use Google instead.
It's currently free and anyone accepted on the beta, it looks to remain free too.
Though only beta it could offer a real challenge to Microsoft as companies can completely dump problematic applications (like Exchange) and use Google instead.
It's currently free and anyone accepted on the beta, it looks to remain free too.
Ebay choose Google for advertising
Google's press release has some details.
Advertising on Ebay isn't unexpected, though sellers may have concern that adverts will appear offering competing goods. What's odd is the "click to talk" announcement where buyers can talk to sellers - but using Skype OR GoogleTalk.
Ebay paid a lot of money for Skype (they own it) so promoting a competing (beta) service would seem strange.
Maybe it's all to stop Microsoft getting a foothold.
Advertising on Ebay isn't unexpected, though sellers may have concern that adverts will appear offering competing goods. What's odd is the "click to talk" announcement where buyers can talk to sellers - but using Skype OR GoogleTalk.
Ebay paid a lot of money for Skype (they own it) so promoting a competing (beta) service would seem strange.
Maybe it's all to stop Microsoft getting a foothold.
2006/08/24
Windows Live WiFi Center
This is being made available to a select number of Office 2007 beta testers. It allows users to find WiFi hotspots as well as find out what's actively around them. Users can then select "free" or paid for services and mark them as favourites.
It will then ease the set-up of virtual private networks (VPN) to ensure the connection is secure.
It's all part of Microsoft's Windows Live services.
It will then ease the set-up of virtual private networks (VPN) to ensure the connection is secure.
It's all part of Microsoft's Windows Live services.
Bryce 5 for free
Daz is offering free downloads of the 3D World software Bryce version 5.
It's available for Mac and Windows, though v5 won't work on MacOS 10.4, version 5 will ($119 upgrade, though by joining Artzone there's a $100 discount available.
Bryce can produce see, land, tree, skys and even planets and even beginners can produce amazing results.
It's a big download, but it will keep the kids amused. NOTE rendering can take a very long time and is extremely CPU intensive.
It's available for Mac and Windows, though v5 won't work on MacOS 10.4, version 5 will ($119 upgrade, though by joining Artzone there's a $100 discount available.
Bryce can produce see, land, tree, skys and even planets and even beginners can produce amazing results.
It's a big download, but it will keep the kids amused. NOTE rendering can take a very long time and is extremely CPU intensive.
2006/08/19
Gillette Fusion
5 blades, well 6 really as there's one on the back for trimming.
It feels like a razor should and actually seems to work pretty well. It looks pretty funky too.
The 5 blades do seem to make the razor glide over your face and give a very smooth shave.
Better than the Mach 3.
It feels like a razor should and actually seems to work pretty well. It looks pretty funky too.
The 5 blades do seem to make the razor glide over your face and give a very smooth shave.
Better than the Mach 3.
2006/08/18
Internet for planes scrapped
Boeing has dropped plans to launch its Connexion service which offered high-speed Internet access to planes.
Though intial trials went well and high-speed access was made available via satellite connections, it failed to attract enough interest from the airlines as passengers didn't want to spend between $10 and $30 for service.
Airlines are probably waiting for cheaper services with newly auctioned in-flight air-to-ground services which could also offer Internet access.
Though intial trials went well and high-speed access was made available via satellite connections, it failed to attract enough interest from the airlines as passengers didn't want to spend between $10 and $30 for service.
Airlines are probably waiting for cheaper services with newly auctioned in-flight air-to-ground services which could also offer Internet access.
2006/08/17
Ofcom Website | Making it easier to switch broadband provider
Ofcom are proposing new regulations to allow users to easily switch broadband providers by forcing them to supply the Migration Authorisation Code (MAC). If the provider doesn't offer the code it will be made available from a 3rd party.
This should simply things and hopefully make it easier for customers to migrate to new services with a minimum of downtime.
Currently this is a consultation which closes on 5 October 2006
Link to Ofcom Website | Making it easier to switch broadband provider
Slim Devices Transporter
The Register have my review of the Transporter on their site.
It's a high end audiophile streamer. It looks to be a very nice (although expensive) system.
It's a high end audiophile streamer. It looks to be a very nice (although expensive) system.
Micosoft Blogging tool
Windows Live Writer is a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) blog authoring tool. It's designed to work with Windows Spaces, but will work with other services such as Blogger, Wordpress etc.
It supports standard text as well as photos and integrating maps. There's a full SDK (software development kit) so it can be extended too.
This is all part of Microsoft's Live environment where they are trying to make a dent into an already crowded market, but it does seem they are coming out with useful tools.
It supports standard text as well as photos and integrating maps. There's a full SDK (software development kit) so it can be extended too.
This is all part of Microsoft's Live environment where they are trying to make a dent into an already crowded market, but it does seem they are coming out with useful tools.
2006/08/16
Leap Wireless chooses Huawei
Leap Wireless an operator in the US has chosen Huawei to provide CDMA2000 technology for networks in Spokane, WA., Boise, ID, and Reno, NV.
Huawei first became known for making Cisco clones, while charging considerably less. Their big rise to fame came when they won a contract with British Telecom for their 21st Century Network, which crippled Marconi who were counting on getting in on the deal.
They have a huge range of equipment that will encroach every area (ISP, telecoms, SME networking, etc) other players are going to struggle to compete.
Huawei are definately a company to watch.
Huawei first became known for making Cisco clones, while charging considerably less. Their big rise to fame came when they won a contract with British Telecom for their 21st Century Network, which crippled Marconi who were counting on getting in on the deal.
They have a huge range of equipment that will encroach every area (ISP, telecoms, SME networking, etc) other players are going to struggle to compete.
Huawei are definately a company to watch.
2006/08/14
nVidia supports Quad SLI
nVidia SLI technology allows multiple cards to cooperate by splitting the screen real-estate between cards. Until now only two cards have been supported, but now quad SLI can work.
Currently dual GeForce 7950 cards work (as they already have two graphics controllers on board).
Gamers also need a very high spec system as the display must support 2,560 by 1,600 pixels.
Currently dual GeForce 7950 cards work (as they already have two graphics controllers on board).
Gamers also need a very high spec system as the display must support 2,560 by 1,600 pixels.
Convert an old rotary phone into a Cellphone
Sparkfun have an article on how to convert an old rotary phone into a mobile phone.
It may not be very practical, but probably very trendy with those into retro fashion.
It may not be very practical, but probably very trendy with those into retro fashion.
IEEE 802.11n delayed again
The IEEE is the standards body for Ethernet and it's wireless equivalents. In May the group that dealt with the new 802.11n standard couldn't reach consensus and there were over 12,000 comments to the draft 1.0 proposal. Even so manufacturers raced to announce product based on what has become known as pre802.11n which is unfortunate as there could still be major changes to the specification which may mean firmware updates aren't enough.
Current vendors silicon may not interoperate when operating in 802.11n (sorry pre802.11n) mode, though it will fall back to 802.11g which should work. Some vendors are selling hardware based on different chipsets so this can be a problem.
The next vote on the draft has now been pushed back until January 2007, which means real 802.11n devices are unlikely until at least 2008.
Current vendors silicon may not interoperate when operating in 802.11n (sorry pre802.11n) mode, though it will fall back to 802.11g which should work. Some vendors are selling hardware based on different chipsets so this can be a problem.
The next vote on the draft has now been pushed back until January 2007, which means real 802.11n devices are unlikely until at least 2008.
IEEE 802.11n delayed again
The IEEE is the standards body for Ethernet and it's wireless equivalents. In May the group that dealt with the new 802.11n standard couldn't reach consensus and there were over 12,000 comments to the draft 1.0 proposal. Even so manufacturers raced to announce product based on what has become known as pre802.11n which is unfortunate as there could still be major changes to the specification which may mean firmware updates aren't enough.
Current vendors silicon may not interoperate when operating in 802.11n (sorry pre802.11n) mode, though it will fall back to 802.11g which should work. Some vendors are selling hardware based on different chipsets so this can be a problem.
The next vote on the draft has now been pushed back until January 2007, which means real 802.11n devices are unlikely until at least 2008.
Current vendors silicon may not interoperate when operating in 802.11n (sorry pre802.11n) mode, though it will fall back to 802.11g which should work. Some vendors are selling hardware based on different chipsets so this can be a problem.
The next vote on the draft has now been pushed back until January 2007, which means real 802.11n devices are unlikely until at least 2008.
Microsoft opens Xbox 360 gaming
Microsoft is going to offer XNA Game Studio Express as a free Windows XP download which will allow gaming development for the Xbox 360. This wont allow games to be distributed, but MS may allow games developed under XNA to be modified and uploaded to Xbox Live where they can be downloaded and played by others. Autodesk has said it will make 3D Studio Max compatible output.
There's a $99 pa program that gives developers access to a wealth of Xb0x 360 information.
The Express version should beta this month.
There will be Professional version early next year which should allow real distributable games.
This is a potential blow to Sony who's PSP3 is due for launch later this year, but at very high pricing (Blu-Ray costs and expensive chips) as Microsoft could get a real lead from amateur developers.
There's a $99 pa program that gives developers access to a wealth of Xb0x 360 information.
The Express version should beta this month.
There will be Professional version early next year which should allow real distributable games.
This is a potential blow to Sony who's PSP3 is due for launch later this year, but at very high pricing (Blu-Ray costs and expensive chips) as Microsoft could get a real lead from amateur developers.
2006/08/09
Bay Area
I'm just about to head to the San Francisco airport and head back to London.
Bay Area has been fun (check out Kennedy's Pub and Curry House in SF at the end of the cable car to Pier 39, fun bar and REAL curry).
Went to see Infrant and Slim Devices yesterday and that was cool, today went to Yahoo! for lunch, huge site - 7000 employees. If they ever move out, there's going to be a lot of purple chairs on the market.
I missed Google, but saw the old Netscape building (now Verisign) and the original Netscape building (now AOL, but with a very old AOL America logo). Sun's site in Menlo Park is very tame by comparison.
I'll miss both Bay Area and Seattle, they both inspired me in terms of how start-ups can work, more on that another time.
Thanks to Kelly and Tricia for putting up with me in Seattle (I already miss the coffee) and Paul and Cheri for my time in Belmont.
Bay Area has been fun (check out Kennedy's Pub and Curry House in SF at the end of the cable car to Pier 39, fun bar and REAL curry).
Went to see Infrant and Slim Devices yesterday and that was cool, today went to Yahoo! for lunch, huge site - 7000 employees. If they ever move out, there's going to be a lot of purple chairs on the market.
I missed Google, but saw the old Netscape building (now Verisign) and the original Netscape building (now AOL, but with a very old AOL America logo). Sun's site in Menlo Park is very tame by comparison.
I'll miss both Bay Area and Seattle, they both inspired me in terms of how start-ups can work, more on that another time.
Thanks to Kelly and Tricia for putting up with me in Seattle (I already miss the coffee) and Paul and Cheri for my time in Belmont.
Slim Devices Transporter
This is the new high end "audiophile" system, it's really there and the specs are very impressive.
It's using really nice DACs (Digital Audio Converters), a switch-mode power supply to start the thing up and power the display/CPU while the audio section is powered by a very clean linear power supply.
There's now two digital displays, so stereo spectrum graphs etc.
Digital inputs and outputs are of course there, with optical, digital phono and co-ax. There's phono and balanced analogue.
The new remote is also very nice, much more compact and though initially looking too small, it feels great to use and grows on you.
They seem to have a good relationship with the opensource community, who contribute to the SLIM Server. The only thing closed source is the binary for the players. However much of the Transporter has at least parts contributed by community who Slim Devices hired.
Slim Devices are a really cool company, watch out for some really nice stuff coming out from them.
It's using really nice DACs (Digital Audio Converters), a switch-mode power supply to start the thing up and power the display/CPU while the audio section is powered by a very clean linear power supply.
There's now two digital displays, so stereo spectrum graphs etc.
Digital inputs and outputs are of course there, with optical, digital phono and co-ax. There's phono and balanced analogue.
The new remote is also very nice, much more compact and though initially looking too small, it feels great to use and grows on you.
They seem to have a good relationship with the opensource community, who contribute to the SLIM Server. The only thing closed source is the binary for the players. However much of the Transporter has at least parts contributed by community who Slim Devices hired.
Slim Devices are a really cool company, watch out for some really nice stuff coming out from them.
Infrant
Infrant make some great boxes if you're into NAS disk storage. The ReadyNAS NV is a home or small business system that supports 4 SATA disks and currently allows about 2TB of storage. It's incredibly easy to set-up and supports Linux, WIndows and Mac clients (NFS, CIFS/Windows File sharing and AFS).
Sam Feng, their marketing guy, was incredibly helpfull and they've got some exciting systems coming down the line.
Watch out for something coming supporting larger work systems.
Sam Feng, their marketing guy, was incredibly helpfull and they've got some exciting systems coming down the line.
Watch out for something coming supporting larger work systems.
2006/08/07
Apple WWDC
Definately a geekfest - but a trendy one held in the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
Though I wasn't allowed in (my registration hadn't gone through), Apple announced the new features of MacOS X 10.5 Leopard for both Macs and servers.
They also completed their line-up with a 64bit desktop the Mac Pro and the new Xserve, both feature quad Xeon 64bit processors (actually 2 Core 2 Duo processors). The CPUs run up to 3GHz, with the Mac Pro support 16GB of RAM and the Xserve 32GB. The Mac Pro also supports 4 SATA II drives up to 500GB (up to 2TB) and the Xserve 2.25TB using SATA or SAS (serial attached SCSI). The Mac Pro is available now (though it's not yet in the SF Apple Store) - though it's now on Apple's site.
Leopard features enhanced versions of iChat and Mail and introduces Time Machine (an advanced back-up solution) and Spaces (allowing grouping applications for working on particular projects).
Time Machine will back-up everything to an external hard dis or an Xserve (also running Leopard) and a user can then get back anything they've deleted.
iChat now supports shared working with other iChat users. Mail supports stationary.
The server version supports Leopard clients and will automagically configure them so they use the Xserve for all their services (print, mail, calendaring, iChat etc). iChat server has been improved and now links into other XMPP networks (including GoogleTalk). Mail can be clustered if the Xserve is used with Apple XSan and Quicktime Streaming server supports the latest 3GPP standards for mobile streaming. There's also an adaptive firewall which can automatically monitor traffic and block IP addresses that are suspicious in nature.
The new Mac Pros are definately the way forward for desktops and though Leopard improves on Tiger, many of the new features could be just a gimmick.
Though I wasn't allowed in (my registration hadn't gone through), Apple announced the new features of MacOS X 10.5 Leopard for both Macs and servers.
They also completed their line-up with a 64bit desktop the Mac Pro and the new Xserve, both feature quad Xeon 64bit processors (actually 2 Core 2 Duo processors). The CPUs run up to 3GHz, with the Mac Pro support 16GB of RAM and the Xserve 32GB. The Mac Pro also supports 4 SATA II drives up to 500GB (up to 2TB) and the Xserve 2.25TB using SATA or SAS (serial attached SCSI). The Mac Pro is available now (though it's not yet in the SF Apple Store) - though it's now on Apple's site.
Leopard features enhanced versions of iChat and Mail and introduces Time Machine (an advanced back-up solution) and Spaces (allowing grouping applications for working on particular projects).
Time Machine will back-up everything to an external hard dis or an Xserve (also running Leopard) and a user can then get back anything they've deleted.
iChat now supports shared working with other iChat users. Mail supports stationary.
The server version supports Leopard clients and will automagically configure them so they use the Xserve for all their services (print, mail, calendaring, iChat etc). iChat server has been improved and now links into other XMPP networks (including GoogleTalk). Mail can be clustered if the Xserve is used with Apple XSan and Quicktime Streaming server supports the latest 3GPP standards for mobile streaming. There's also an adaptive firewall which can automatically monitor traffic and block IP addresses that are suspicious in nature.
The new Mac Pros are definately the way forward for desktops and though Leopard improves on Tiger, many of the new features could be just a gimmick.
Foveon still in the camera game
An industry insider reports that Foveon is still in the high end sensor market for digital cameras and something is going to be announced at PhotoKina - an evolution of the X3 sensor. Likely to be Sigma who have a camera based on it, though that was neither confirmed nor denied.
Also they are working on "other products", likely to be for the camera phone market - though currently in stealth mode.
Though the camera phone market is crowded, it's a huge space - so could be a very sensible move for Foveon.
Also they are working on "other products", likely to be for the camera phone market - though currently in stealth mode.
Though the camera phone market is crowded, it's a huge space - so could be a very sensible move for Foveon.
2006/08/03
Canon announces compact HD camera
Canon's HV10 is smaller than Sony's HDR-HC3. It only weighs 500g including battery and tape (normal MiniDV type tapes, though data is stored in HDV format).
It supports 1080i at 1,920 pixels by 1,080 resolution.
It's expected to ship n September in the UK, though no UK pricing has been announced. In Japan it will cost £700.
It supports 1080i at 1,920 pixels by 1,080 resolution.
It's expected to ship n September in the UK, though no UK pricing has been announced. In Japan it will cost £700.
nVidia launches beta program for Gelato
Gelato is nVidia's high end rendering package. The new version will plug into Maya and 3D Studio Max.
It off-loads rendering directly to nVidia graphics cards (which are optimised to do that kind of work anyway) rather than running on the hosts general purpose CPU.
If anyone has used the MAXtreme plugin for 3DS, the realtime rendering is pretty well real-time, compared to the output renderer which can take hours. Gelato will offer the same sort of speeds for final rendering.
Gelato has been speeded-up while using less memory than earlier versions.
It off-loads rendering directly to nVidia graphics cards (which are optimised to do that kind of work anyway) rather than running on the hosts general purpose CPU.
If anyone has used the MAXtreme plugin for 3DS, the realtime rendering is pretty well real-time, compared to the output renderer which can take hours. Gelato will offer the same sort of speeds for final rendering.
Gelato has been speeded-up while using less memory than earlier versions.
Sony introduces GPS unit
Sony's GPS-CS1 is a portable 7cm unit that the user is expected to wear. It tracks their location and timestamps it every 15 minutes into memory (31MB i..e about 15 days worth). The unit runs of a single AA battery which lasts about 10 hours.
When using's Sony software on the PC, it then matches the GPS data to the timestamp taken from the EXIF data with the photo so can store the location.
It will cost about $150 in the US and Japan when launched in September, no European plans have been announced.
When using's Sony software on the PC, it then matches the GPS data to the timestamp taken from the EXIF data with the photo so can store the location.
It will cost about $150 in the US and Japan when launched in September, no European plans have been announced.
Monotype acquires Linotype
The two largest font foundries have combined forces, though they'll still maintain their seperate identities for now.
Linotype brings 6,000 fonts including Helvetica, Frutiger and Optima to the Monotype stable. They will keep all the independent designers working through their sites.
Linotype brings 6,000 fonts including Helvetica, Frutiger and Optima to the Monotype stable. They will keep all the independent designers working through their sites.
2006/07/31
NUKE is free
D2 have released a free version of the NUKE compositing tool. It only supports output of up to 640 x 480 and it's watermarked.
This is definately a trend whereby companies are releasing cut-down or even complete systems based on their very expensive commercial counterparts.
This is definately a trend whereby companies are releasing cut-down or even complete systems based on their very expensive commercial counterparts.
HP goes Duo
HP has introduced a workstation (xw4400) which is based around the Intel 975X Express chipset.
It can utilise the Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme CPUs. The Due goes to 2.66GHz and the Extgreme 2.93GHz.
The workstations support up to 8GB of RAM, PCI Express graphics and serial attached SCSI.
Pricing from £700+ +VAT
It can utilise the Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme CPUs. The Due goes to 2.66GHz and the Extgreme 2.93GHz.
The workstations support up to 8GB of RAM, PCI Express graphics and serial attached SCSI.
Pricing from £700+ +VAT
2006/07/29
Core 2 Duo is here
Intel, under increasing pressure form AMD, have released new Core 2 Duo CPUs. They say they are the most significant thing since the launch of the Pentium 4.
They are based on their microarchitechture which replaces NetBurst (used in P4) which is already available in Woodcrest (used in newer Xeons).
The processors don't run as fast as existing P4s which means they run cooler, but they run more instructions per cycle.
The Core 2 Due also comes in an Extreme edition designed with gamers and creatives in mind.
They are based on their microarchitechture which replaces NetBurst (used in P4) which is already available in Woodcrest (used in newer Xeons).
The processors don't run as fast as existing P4s which means they run cooler, but they run more instructions per cycle.
The Core 2 Due also comes in an Extreme edition designed with gamers and creatives in mind.
a Toast to BluRay
Roxio have announced a new version of Toast 7 for the Mac that supports BluRay burners.
Currently only available to OEMs it will support writing 50GB of data onto BD-R or BD-RE discs.
As with Toast 7.1 it's a universal binary so will run on both PowerPC and Intel based Macs.
Roxio currently don't have plans to add BluRay support to the retail version of Toast.
Currently only available to OEMs it will support writing 50GB of data onto BD-R or BD-RE discs.
As with Toast 7.1 it's a universal binary so will run on both PowerPC and Intel based Macs.
Roxio currently don't have plans to add BluRay support to the retail version of Toast.
Mighty Mouse goes wireless
Apple have released a Bluetooth 2.0 version of their mighty mouse. It uses one or two AA batteries and has power saving features that reduce power when not in use (i.e. moving). It also has an on/off switch.
Apple claim the new laser tracking technology is 20 times more sensitive than a conventional mouse.
It costs £40 (+VAT) from the Apple store.
Apple claim the new laser tracking technology is 20 times more sensitive than a conventional mouse.
It costs £40 (+VAT) from the Apple store.
ImageKind launches
A new site ImageKind has launched (in beta). Though other sites have been offering image galleries for a while, ImageKind is different as it allow users to print quality artwork from their images (utilising the latest printing technology without users having to worry about how the technology works), it's a social site so users can build up communities of work, users can sell their images and have control of how much they make, it's very easy to use and users can buy normal art just like in a "real" shop.
The printed artwork is professionally produced and touched by real people who'll do their best to actually make sure it all comes out right.
There are 3 types of service: -
* Create allows users to purely upload their own images and have them printed.
* Free allows a single gallery and is limited to 200MB storage and 200MB bandwidth per month.
* PRO has no storage limits, unlimited galleries and 400MB bandwidth per month.
Both Free and PRO accounts allow users to sell art and set their own pricing, PRO account users also get commission on any framed sold. PRO accounts cost $7.99 per month.
Though only in beta, it's a pretty slick site and worth a look. If you've got some interesting artwork, set-up an account and get selling.
The printed artwork is professionally produced and touched by real people who'll do their best to actually make sure it all comes out right.
There are 3 types of service: -
* Create allows users to purely upload their own images and have them printed.
* Free allows a single gallery and is limited to 200MB storage and 200MB bandwidth per month.
* PRO has no storage limits, unlimited galleries and 400MB bandwidth per month.
Both Free and PRO accounts allow users to sell art and set their own pricing, PRO account users also get commission on any framed sold. PRO accounts cost $7.99 per month.
Though only in beta, it's a pretty slick site and worth a look. If you've got some interesting artwork, set-up an account and get selling.
Sony goes back into profit
Sony has posted a profit for the April to June quarter. Sales of laptops and TFT screens improved, though Plasmas and CRTs fell.
The DaVinci Code movie helped a lot too.
Playstation sales weren't that good, though that's exected to change when the PS3 is launched later this year.
The DaVinci Code movie helped a lot too.
Playstation sales weren't that good, though that's exected to change when the PS3 is launched later this year.
Ofcom Telephone Numbering Statement
Ofcom revealed further details of its numbering plans for the UK.
There will be a new numbering range 03 which will be considered geographic and can be included in free-call plans etc. There will be no revenue share available on 03 numbers. It is expected that businesses will take up 03 numbers instead of 084/087 ranges so consumers understand the charges etc.
07 personal numbers are to be reviewed and ONLY allowable for personal numbering, any company who has fraudulantly used 07 personal numbers will not be allowed to use them in the future. Use will be monitored and they may be moved to a 06 range instead, so 07 will be completely reserved for mobile numbers.
There will be a new numbering range 03 which will be considered geographic and can be included in free-call plans etc. There will be no revenue share available on 03 numbers. It is expected that businesses will take up 03 numbers instead of 084/087 ranges so consumers understand the charges etc.
07 personal numbers are to be reviewed and ONLY allowable for personal numbering, any company who has fraudulantly used 07 personal numbers will not be allowed to use them in the future. Use will be monitored and they may be moved to a 06 range instead, so 07 will be completely reserved for mobile numbers.
2006/07/24
My rant on broadband pricing
> >Says download in eclipse's aup. And it's 50gig between 6-11pm. And
> >they don't ban you, just rate limit you if you go over it
> What's actually the problem with ISPs letting people download things
> unlimited??? Are they just capping things to charge us more money or
> is there actually a problem they're trying to control?
Because the redicuously low margins that ISPs make don't cover the infrastructure required to support GB's of international transit.
The "Internet" is a loose collection of around 40,000+ networks that "talk" to each other. ISPs and other organisations have "peering"
agreements at places like public Internet exchanges where they agree to exchange packets. LINX in the UK is one of the bigger exchanges, anyone can connect (for a fee), but everyone connecting has to make their own agreements to exchange traffic (so ISPa and ISPb have to make their own agreements), this is even more true as security is implemented so traffic cant be diverted to the wrong place.
Exchanging traffic locally doesn't actually cost anything (generally) so UK traffic is really just local to LINX, so having (a) fat enough
connection(s) to LINX means that's the basic cost of transferring traffic.
Getting out of the UK is another matter, and there are companies that just offer "transit" connections i.e. local peering is just swapping packets between your customers and those of the other end of the peer.
Transit connections allow traffic going to other places i.e. say to non-customers in say the US or EU.
Transit traffic is metered and charged by the MB (or GB or TB or whatever), and it's measured both ways (i.e. in and out).
In order to get good connectivity ISPs will have local peering agreements and transit peering agreements. Transit agreements cost real money. The more data transferred, the more the ISP has to pay.
When connections cost a lot of money (like leased lines, early broadband or even dial-up) the transit costs could easily be absorbed. With the ever increasing speeds of broadband and the ever decreasing revenues, those transit costs become increasingly apparent.
BT Wholesale charge something like GBP 8.25 per month per end-user connection, then add the capacity of the "fat-pipe" connecting the ISP to BTW (something like 300,000 pa for a 155Mb/s connection i.e. 25K per month - when that was supporting 512K customers that allowed about 16,000 customers per pipe i.e. it costs around 1.50 per month per customer), so 8.25 + 1.5 is about 9.75 per month per customer. Companies were charging say 20 quid per month so that left (inc VAT) so there's maybe 6 quid a month to pay for everything else and make a profit. When the customers move to 2Mb/s that costs about 6.50 per month - so suddenly most of the money has gone to pay for anything else. Take that to 8Mb/s and it's costing more ... OK, the backhaul pricing has changed, but they are still ballpark figures.
LLU operators have it better (like Easynet, Bulldog, Be etc) but the margins are incredibly low (Bulldog pulled out of retail as the marketing/cost to acquire a customer would eat most if not all of their profit and they couldn't compete with all the free offers, it took them several years to get ~100,000 customers, TalkTalk got 340,000+ in 3 months).
BT Wholesale are NOT allowed by Ofcom to reduce pricing until there are 1.5m LLU customers, this sounds reasonable to stimulate the market, but it's killing current BTW resellers as their margins are feable and they have to compete with the LLU players. When BTW can reduce costs, then the LLU operators will struggle as they'll have to match BTW in order to be competetive and price wars start again, margins potentially reduce further, more fire sales and ISPs (and indeed telcos) get bought or absorbed which then reduces competetiveness as there's less players.
BTW have something like 8m+ customers (through Openworld, Demon, etc etc), NTL (inc Telewest) about 4m, AOL 1.3m etc.
AOL's now up for sale, probably going to Orange or Sky.
It's just going to get worse.
> BTW I wrote to my MP about the article I posted to the list recently,
> about the idea to start charging for different streams of internet
> usage, and realised that if we start following the Merkin system
> that's so unfair - because the corporations' arguments (why shouldn't
> we charge for the infrastructure we've built to make the internet
> work) are mainly stemming from the US, where public opinion is
> different cos internet is free for users there anyway, isn't it.
It's potentially a good thing, and also very bad. It's a net-head vs bell-head argument. In the telecoms worls (bell-heads) data has always been metered (ignoring free "local" calls and things - even they were metered, just zero rated), in telephony terms you pay per minute/second/whatever, in data terms you pay for the size of the pipe (i.e. a 2Mb/s circuit costs less than an 8Mb/s or 155Mb/s pipe). In tjings like Frame Relay (which was popular before IP came along) you paid for the pipe and data sent through it.
The Internet changed all that and made connectivity flat-rate. However the "core" networks still charge per bit, and that's where the issues arise. Core networks tend to still be run by bell-heads and will continue to do so (telcos own fibre and the core networks). Therefore consumers are consuming bandwidth at ever increasing speed (sic) and no one's really paying for the increased infrastructure required.
As voice moves over the Internet, things will likely change as businesses etc will pay for quality (to ensure your voice path isn't congested), and quality costs. So there may well be 2 Internets, one which is flat rate and one which maintains quality metrics and people will pay for the quality version. Market forces will dictate how much goes where!!!!
> >they don't ban you, just rate limit you if you go over it
> What's actually the problem with ISPs letting people download things
> unlimited??? Are they just capping things to charge us more money or
> is there actually a problem they're trying to control?
Because the redicuously low margins that ISPs make don't cover the infrastructure required to support GB's of international transit.
The "Internet" is a loose collection of around 40,000+ networks that "talk" to each other. ISPs and other organisations have "peering"
agreements at places like public Internet exchanges where they agree to exchange packets. LINX in the UK is one of the bigger exchanges, anyone can connect (for a fee), but everyone connecting has to make their own agreements to exchange traffic (so ISPa and ISPb have to make their own agreements), this is even more true as security is implemented so traffic cant be diverted to the wrong place.
Exchanging traffic locally doesn't actually cost anything (generally) so UK traffic is really just local to LINX, so having (a) fat enough
connection(s) to LINX means that's the basic cost of transferring traffic.
Getting out of the UK is another matter, and there are companies that just offer "transit" connections i.e. local peering is just swapping packets between your customers and those of the other end of the peer.
Transit connections allow traffic going to other places i.e. say to non-customers in say the US or EU.
Transit traffic is metered and charged by the MB (or GB or TB or whatever), and it's measured both ways (i.e. in and out).
In order to get good connectivity ISPs will have local peering agreements and transit peering agreements. Transit agreements cost real money. The more data transferred, the more the ISP has to pay.
When connections cost a lot of money (like leased lines, early broadband or even dial-up) the transit costs could easily be absorbed. With the ever increasing speeds of broadband and the ever decreasing revenues, those transit costs become increasingly apparent.
BT Wholesale charge something like GBP 8.25 per month per end-user connection, then add the capacity of the "fat-pipe" connecting the ISP to BTW (something like 300,000 pa for a 155Mb/s connection i.e. 25K per month - when that was supporting 512K customers that allowed about 16,000 customers per pipe i.e. it costs around 1.50 per month per customer), so 8.25 + 1.5 is about 9.75 per month per customer. Companies were charging say 20 quid per month so that left (inc VAT) so there's maybe 6 quid a month to pay for everything else and make a profit. When the customers move to 2Mb/s that costs about 6.50 per month - so suddenly most of the money has gone to pay for anything else. Take that to 8Mb/s and it's costing more ... OK, the backhaul pricing has changed, but they are still ballpark figures.
LLU operators have it better (like Easynet, Bulldog, Be etc) but the margins are incredibly low (Bulldog pulled out of retail as the marketing/cost to acquire a customer would eat most if not all of their profit and they couldn't compete with all the free offers, it took them several years to get ~100,000 customers, TalkTalk got 340,000+ in 3 months).
BT Wholesale are NOT allowed by Ofcom to reduce pricing until there are 1.5m LLU customers, this sounds reasonable to stimulate the market, but it's killing current BTW resellers as their margins are feable and they have to compete with the LLU players. When BTW can reduce costs, then the LLU operators will struggle as they'll have to match BTW in order to be competetive and price wars start again, margins potentially reduce further, more fire sales and ISPs (and indeed telcos) get bought or absorbed which then reduces competetiveness as there's less players.
BTW have something like 8m+ customers (through Openworld, Demon, etc etc), NTL (inc Telewest) about 4m, AOL 1.3m etc.
AOL's now up for sale, probably going to Orange or Sky.
It's just going to get worse.
> BTW I wrote to my MP about the article I posted to the list recently,
> about the idea to start charging for different streams of internet
> usage, and realised that if we start following the Merkin system
> that's so unfair - because the corporations' arguments (why shouldn't
> we charge for the infrastructure we've built to make the internet
> work) are mainly stemming from the US, where public opinion is
> different cos internet is free for users there anyway, isn't it.
It's potentially a good thing, and also very bad. It's a net-head vs bell-head argument. In the telecoms worls (bell-heads) data has always been metered (ignoring free "local" calls and things - even they were metered, just zero rated), in telephony terms you pay per minute/second/whatever, in data terms you pay for the size of the pipe (i.e. a 2Mb/s circuit costs less than an 8Mb/s or 155Mb/s pipe). In tjings like Frame Relay (which was popular before IP came along) you paid for the pipe and data sent through it.
The Internet changed all that and made connectivity flat-rate. However the "core" networks still charge per bit, and that's where the issues arise. Core networks tend to still be run by bell-heads and will continue to do so (telcos own fibre and the core networks). Therefore consumers are consuming bandwidth at ever increasing speed (sic) and no one's really paying for the increased infrastructure required.
As voice moves over the Internet, things will likely change as businesses etc will pay for quality (to ensure your voice path isn't congested), and quality costs. So there may well be 2 Internets, one which is flat rate and one which maintains quality metrics and people will pay for the quality version. Market forces will dictate how much goes where!!!!
Adobe releases Lightroom for Windows
It's still a beta, but Lightroom for Windows is now available to download. Users must have an Adobe/Macromedia ID to get to the download section, but anyone can register.
It's not clear when Lightroom will come out of beta, or how much it will cost.
It's not clear when Lightroom will come out of beta, or how much it will cost.
MS Coming Zune to you
Microsoft have set-up an official site Coming Zune for their future range of products under the Zune brand. This will be their iPod killer supporting music, video and photos. The unit will also have WiFi and allow users to directly download tracks from Microsoft's download site.
Little information is available, though the unit is expected before the Xmas period. It will be designed and built by Microsoft like the Xbox and family, however they may license the design to others.
It's likely to integrate well to other Microsoft offerings.
Little information is available, though the unit is expected before the Xmas period. It will be designed and built by Microsoft like the Xbox and family, however they may license the design to others.
It's likely to integrate well to other Microsoft offerings.
AMD to buy ATI
AMD the chip manufacturer giving Intel a run for its money in the CPU wars has now agreed to purchase the Canadian graphics chip company ATI for $5.4 billion in cash and stock.
AMD just makes CPUs while rival Intel makes embedded graphics controllers for motherboards etc, with this purchase AMD get the capability and can better compete with Intel.
AMD also have agreements with NVidia a major rival to ATI but AMD say this will not effect the relationship.
If all goes well the deal should complete in the 4th quarter of this year.
AMD just makes CPUs while rival Intel makes embedded graphics controllers for motherboards etc, with this purchase AMD get the capability and can better compete with Intel.
AMD also have agreements with NVidia a major rival to ATI but AMD say this will not effect the relationship.
If all goes well the deal should complete in the 4th quarter of this year.
2006/07/17
End-to-end connectivity
Ofcom Website | End-to-end connectivity
When a telecoms providers offers telephony service calls have to get on or off their network. As BT is the largest supplier of services in the UK, they are obligated to provide termination services, and make those services available to others.
This consultation considers whether other operators should have to provide similar termination services to all others, or can restrict who they offer termination to and make others go through BT.
Ofcom has identified four options for ensuring end-to-end connectivity:
* Option 1 – Do nothing;
* Option 2 – To publish new guidelines;
* Option 3 – To require all providers of a public electronic communications network(‘PECN’) to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services on reasonable terms and conditions from any other PECN who wishes to supply termination to it (and its customers);
* Option 4 – To require BT to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services on reasonable terms and conditions from any PECN who wishes to supply termination to BT (and its customers) on the basis that end-to-end connectivity will be ensured through an obligation on BT without the need to impose such an obligation on all PECNs.
Ofcom is proposing access-related condition will apply to BT only, and will require BT:
* to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services from any PECN that reasonably requests in writing that BT purchases such services (proposed condition 1.1);
* to ensure that the purchase of the wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services shall occur as soon as reasonably practicable and shall be on reasonable terms and conditions (including charges), and on such terms and conditions (including charges) as Ofcom may from time to time direct (proposed condition 1.2);
* to ensure that after purchasing wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services, BT will not be able to unreasonably change, withdraw or restrict access to an applicable Normal Telephone Number (proposed condition1.3);
* to comply with any direction Ofcom may make from time to time under this Condition (proposed condition 1.4).
The consultation runs until August 15th 2006.
When a telecoms providers offers telephony service calls have to get on or off their network. As BT is the largest supplier of services in the UK, they are obligated to provide termination services, and make those services available to others.
This consultation considers whether other operators should have to provide similar termination services to all others, or can restrict who they offer termination to and make others go through BT.
Ofcom has identified four options for ensuring end-to-end connectivity:
* Option 1 – Do nothing;
* Option 2 – To publish new guidelines;
* Option 3 – To require all providers of a public electronic communications network(‘PECN’) to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services on reasonable terms and conditions from any other PECN who wishes to supply termination to it (and its customers);
* Option 4 – To require BT to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services on reasonable terms and conditions from any PECN who wishes to supply termination to BT (and its customers) on the basis that end-to-end connectivity will be ensured through an obligation on BT without the need to impose such an obligation on all PECNs.
Ofcom is proposing access-related condition will apply to BT only, and will require BT:
* to purchase wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services from any PECN that reasonably requests in writing that BT purchases such services (proposed condition 1.1);
* to ensure that the purchase of the wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services shall occur as soon as reasonably practicable and shall be on reasonable terms and conditions (including charges), and on such terms and conditions (including charges) as Ofcom may from time to time direct (proposed condition 1.2);
* to ensure that after purchasing wholesale narrowband (fixed and mobile voice and narrowband data) call termination services, BT will not be able to unreasonably change, withdraw or restrict access to an applicable Normal Telephone Number (proposed condition1.3);
* to comply with any direction Ofcom may make from time to time under this Condition (proposed condition 1.4).
The consultation runs until August 15th 2006.
Using your mobile abroad
Ofcom Website | Using your mobile abroad
Ofcom have published updated information about using your mobile abroad, including tariffs for all the UK operators.
The advice includes replacing your SIM with a local one from the country visited, and getting your phone unlocked.
Ofcom have published updated information about using your mobile abroad, including tariffs for all the UK operators.
The advice includes replacing your SIM with a local one from the country visited, and getting your phone unlocked.
2006/07/14
Ofcom statement on 412-414MHz paired with 422-424MHz
Ofcom is going to auction off the spectrum in the 412-414MHz paired with 422-424MHz band.
The 2MHz pair is being broken down into 4 bands of 0.5MHz each (412.0 - 412.5 and 422.0 - 422.5 MHz, etc) known as a, b, c and d.
Any bidder can try for any combination of a, b, c and d, which works out at 15 combinations. Each combination costs £50,000 per sub-band as a minimum fee (so a bid for just 'a' will cost £50,000, with 'a+b' £100,000 etc). It is a sealed bid auction and Ofcom will go through the bid process depending on the number of bidders.
Any bidders must coordinate with RAF Flyingdales as they also use this band for their radars (and have priority). There is a 40Km exclusion zone around the base.
Though the licenses are application neutral, it's expected that they will be used for communications services.
The award process will commence in the week beginning 11 September 2006. Ofcom expects that the application date will be Thursday, 14 September 2006.
The 2MHz pair is being broken down into 4 bands of 0.5MHz each (412.0 - 412.5 and 422.0 - 422.5 MHz, etc) known as a, b, c and d.
Any bidder can try for any combination of a, b, c and d, which works out at 15 combinations. Each combination costs £50,000 per sub-band as a minimum fee (so a bid for just 'a' will cost £50,000, with 'a+b' £100,000 etc). It is a sealed bid auction and Ofcom will go through the bid process depending on the number of bidders.
Any bidders must coordinate with RAF Flyingdales as they also use this band for their radars (and have priority). There is a 40Km exclusion zone around the base.
Though the licenses are application neutral, it's expected that they will be used for communications services.
The award process will commence in the week beginning 11 September 2006. Ofcom expects that the application date will be Thursday, 14 September 2006.
Legalising the use of low power FM transmitters for MP3 players
Ofcom is proposing to license excempt lower power FM transmitters for use with MP3 and other audio devices.
This is a complete turn-around as previously this has been a completely no go area. Maybe it's got something to do with there now being a European standard for such devices, which means the EU support them as a whole.
Ofcom are also proposing to make CB radio license excempt and also support Community Audio Distribution systems. They will also make the 169.4 -169.8125 MHz band available for lower power transmissions such as hearing aids, alarms and tracking systems.
This all comes under the Wireless Telegraphy Exemption Regulations 2003, which attempts to maximise the use of the congested spectrum.
The consultation finishes on 22nd Sept 2006 and Ofcom hope to make is all possible in December.
This is a complete turn-around as previously this has been a completely no go area. Maybe it's got something to do with there now being a European standard for such devices, which means the EU support them as a whole.
Ofcom are also proposing to make CB radio license excempt and also support Community Audio Distribution systems. They will also make the 169.4 -169.8125 MHz band available for lower power transmissions such as hearing aids, alarms and tracking systems.
This all comes under the Wireless Telegraphy Exemption Regulations 2003, which attempts to maximise the use of the congested spectrum.
The consultation finishes on 22nd Sept 2006 and Ofcom hope to make is all possible in December.
2006/07/12
Ofcom considering raising power limits in License Excempt bands
Ofcom has today issued a consultation on raising the power limits on the 2.4GHz band and the 5.8GHz lightly licensed band.
There are MOD users in 5.8GHz, but there is an EU directive which proposes to raise the power limit from 2W EIRP to 4W EIRP and Ofcom will comply with the recommendation and see no other changes from how it current operates.
Ofcom are considering raising the limit on 2.4GHz to 10W, this is a considerable increase as the current limit is 100mW EIRP.
They are considering 3 options: -
* Allow the increased power anywhere i.e. no geographic consideration.
* Allow the increased power in rural areas where effects are minimised. Devices would be required to be location aware and only transmit at higher powers if they were in appropriate areas.
* Allow increased power in all but large and major urban conurbations. Devices wouldn't need to be location aware, but there would be a mandatory registration scheme and users would need to adhere to a code so interference issues were minimised.
This could give a much need boost to broadband services utilising both bands, but this completely ignores the health risks as 2.4GHz is the frequency microwave ovens use and 10W though low power could have significant health risks.
There are MOD users in 5.8GHz, but there is an EU directive which proposes to raise the power limit from 2W EIRP to 4W EIRP and Ofcom will comply with the recommendation and see no other changes from how it current operates.
Ofcom are considering raising the limit on 2.4GHz to 10W, this is a considerable increase as the current limit is 100mW EIRP.
They are considering 3 options: -
* Allow the increased power anywhere i.e. no geographic consideration.
* Allow the increased power in rural areas where effects are minimised. Devices would be required to be location aware and only transmit at higher powers if they were in appropriate areas.
* Allow increased power in all but large and major urban conurbations. Devices wouldn't need to be location aware, but there would be a mandatory registration scheme and users would need to adhere to a code so interference issues were minimised.
This could give a much need boost to broadband services utilising both bands, but this completely ignores the health risks as 2.4GHz is the frequency microwave ovens use and 10W though low power could have significant health risks.
Music Industry wants to "tax" distribution channels
AIM and various other music bodies held a press conference to introduce their new concept of "A value recognition right". Their view is that content is adding value to distribution channels like broadband, mobile phones, even Bluetooth and because it's adding value it should be licensable.
Arguments included that 60% of Internet traffic is Peer to Peer (initially they stated music P2P, but changed that to general P2P including services like Skype). People choose broadband because of music P2P, therefore they can license ISPs as part of the value add content chain.
Is it not the other way around, most people get broadband then find P2P easy to use, so use it?
Copy Levy (the relevent law) is really based on analogue and doesn't fit into the digital world, so they want to change the law so digital means charge the distribution players, not the consumer.
That's got to have something to do with the very bad press the music industry has got from suing private individuals, it's much easier to sue the broadband providers who are nasty big corporates and who cares about them? Except margins are so low in the broadband industry that having to pay music royalties etc may well criple the providers which will stifle an industry killing it instead of allowing it to grow and providing the digital economy that the government wants.
The industry are adament it's not a "stealth tax" - which of course it isn't, or maybe it is?
Arguments included that 60% of Internet traffic is Peer to Peer (initially they stated music P2P, but changed that to general P2P including services like Skype). People choose broadband because of music P2P, therefore they can license ISPs as part of the value add content chain.
Is it not the other way around, most people get broadband then find P2P easy to use, so use it?
Copy Levy (the relevent law) is really based on analogue and doesn't fit into the digital world, so they want to change the law so digital means charge the distribution players, not the consumer.
That's got to have something to do with the very bad press the music industry has got from suing private individuals, it's much easier to sue the broadband providers who are nasty big corporates and who cares about them? Except margins are so low in the broadband industry that having to pay music royalties etc may well criple the providers which will stifle an industry killing it instead of allowing it to grow and providing the digital economy that the government wants.
The industry are adament it's not a "stealth tax" - which of course it isn't, or maybe it is?
2006/07/10
Microsoft to release iPod'alike
It's rumoured MS are going to release a portable media player to rival the iPod, but it will have wireless networking so tracks can be downloaded straight into the unit.
They've already teamed up with MTV with a music site (Urgle), and the player will work with it.
Apple dominate the music download scene, both with the iTunes store and iPods.
They've already teamed up with MTV with a music site (Urgle), and the player will work with it.
Apple dominate the music download scene, both with the iTunes store and iPods.
2006/07/06
Startup Camp
A new site started by some Skype guys. Aims to foster entrepeneurs, investors etc.
See Startup Camp
So if you've got an idea head over there.
See Startup Camp
So if you've got an idea head over there.
2006/07/04
TomTom 910
The new TomTom GO series look better than the old. The software has also been upgraded and is a definate improvement, especially with the TomTom HOME Windows software which automagically manages updates of both the GO's software and content (i.e. safety camera database).
The navigation software has been improved, and if it knows the speed of the road warns you when you're breaking the speed limit and flashes when you're very over it.
The 910 has complete maps of Europe and the US and can do all sorts of music and picture bits and works with an iPod.
The major criticism is that accessories you might have for an older version, don't work with the new one.
The navigation software has been improved, and if it knows the speed of the road warns you when you're breaking the speed limit and flashes when you're very over it.
The 910 has complete maps of Europe and the US and can do all sorts of music and picture bits and works with an iPod.
The major criticism is that accessories you might have for an older version, don't work with the new one.
GPS or GNSS signal repeaters
Ofcom has today released a statement on the use of GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) or other RNSS (Radionavigation Satellite system) repeaters.
Though there is a specification for this type of equipment (Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Regulations 2000 SI 730), users still need a license to utilise such equipment in the UK.
Ofcom have the ability to prosecute users under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 as broadcasting without a license is potentially an offence under the Act.
Whether they do prosecute is another matter, however they can prosecute importers of equipment as knowingly selling such equipment which can only be used illegally can also be an offence.
Though there is a specification for this type of equipment (Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Regulations 2000 SI 730), users still need a license to utilise such equipment in the UK.
Ofcom have the ability to prosecute users under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 as broadcasting without a license is potentially an offence under the Act.
Whether they do prosecute is another matter, however they can prosecute importers of equipment as knowingly selling such equipment which can only be used illegally can also be an offence.
2006/07/03
El Reg article
I got my first article published by The Register, it's why WiMAX won't fly in the UK.
2006/06/30
Voice pricing - when will it hit zero?
Both fixed line telcos and VoIP service providers are moving to flat rate bundles with all you can eat national dialing. This is all based on people not actually using their phone all the time, as in Europe termination charging still occurs on the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
BT's new broadband packages start at £9.95 (for the first 6 months) which includes free evening and weekend calls. Vonage's service costs £7.99 per month with free anytime packages (but you need a broadband package on top of that).
The broadband offerings may not quite be what they seem as they are bandwidth capped, so using the phone all the time may push the user over their limit (so extra charges may apply - BT may not count VoIP packets, it not clear).
Even with landline packages, Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk packages include all you can eat national dialing for £10 per month (and they throw in broadband).
When BT release their 21CN network, it's going to cost them more to bill (UK) calls than to charge for them - or at least flat rate them.
Skype offers sensible international rates, but even they are being forced into price drops as the competition hots up, signing up in the US now gives completely free calls to the US and other countries.
As everyone moves to zero or flat rate calls the telcos are going to struggle, they're used to billing minutes and have an industry out of it. They are going to suffer badly when their revenues decline. More consolidation, more firms going belly-up. That all sounds good initially, but then there's actually less competition and the market will end up with a few super Telco/ISPs.
It all comes down to Bell heads vs Net heads, and the Net heads are winning, though there's trouble in that area too as the US is fighting to make content providers pay more for people accessing their services, VoIP may fall into that category.
What's good for the consumer in the short run, may be disasterous for the industry and thus competition long term.
BT's new broadband packages start at £9.95 (for the first 6 months) which includes free evening and weekend calls. Vonage's service costs £7.99 per month with free anytime packages (but you need a broadband package on top of that).
The broadband offerings may not quite be what they seem as they are bandwidth capped, so using the phone all the time may push the user over their limit (so extra charges may apply - BT may not count VoIP packets, it not clear).
Even with landline packages, Carphone Warehouse's TalkTalk packages include all you can eat national dialing for £10 per month (and they throw in broadband).
When BT release their 21CN network, it's going to cost them more to bill (UK) calls than to charge for them - or at least flat rate them.
Skype offers sensible international rates, but even they are being forced into price drops as the competition hots up, signing up in the US now gives completely free calls to the US and other countries.
As everyone moves to zero or flat rate calls the telcos are going to struggle, they're used to billing minutes and have an industry out of it. They are going to suffer badly when their revenues decline. More consolidation, more firms going belly-up. That all sounds good initially, but then there's actually less competition and the market will end up with a few super Telco/ISPs.
It all comes down to Bell heads vs Net heads, and the Net heads are winning, though there's trouble in that area too as the US is fighting to make content providers pay more for people accessing their services, VoIP may fall into that category.
What's good for the consumer in the short run, may be disasterous for the industry and thus competition long term.
Top 10 Broadband providers
Point Topic have released figures about the number of broadband lines in the UK, BT lead the pack with almost 2.5m customers, followed by NTL (1.7m) and AOL (1.3m).
Company Q4 2005 Q1 2006
BT Retail 2229 2481
NTL 1625 1726
AOL 1150 1300
Telewest 1005 1096
Tiscali 934 1085
Wanadoo 906 986
Pipex 283 311
PlusNet 176 194
Virgin.net 167 193
Tesco 120 132
Others 1218 1227
Total 9813 10730
These figures don't take into account the NTL/Telewest merger which puts them squarely in the lead with a combined number of nearly 3m ahead of BT's 2.5m.
They also don't take into account Carphone Warehouse, who took on 340,000 broadband customers as part of their TalkTalk service in the first month or so.
Wandadoo (now Orange) will also likely jump significantly as they now offer free broadband with any Orange mobile package over £30/month.
It looks like they'll only be a few operators left in the near future with other providers being forced to sell-out to to the bigger players as margins erode and more bundle offerings come into play.
There will always be BT, but NTL/Telewest still have large numbers of customers and with the purchase of Virgin Mobile can offer a quad play (voice, tv, internet and mobile - so they have the potential to stay ahead of the game), but Carphone Warehouse shouldn't be forgotten and Orange are making a big push.
In 5 years times, don't bet on many other telecoms providers being left in the game.
Company Q4 2005 Q1 2006
BT Retail 2229 2481
NTL 1625 1726
AOL 1150 1300
Telewest 1005 1096
Tiscali 934 1085
Wanadoo 906 986
Pipex 283 311
PlusNet 176 194
Virgin.net 167 193
Tesco 120 132
Others 1218 1227
Total 9813 10730
These figures don't take into account the NTL/Telewest merger which puts them squarely in the lead with a combined number of nearly 3m ahead of BT's 2.5m.
They also don't take into account Carphone Warehouse, who took on 340,000 broadband customers as part of their TalkTalk service in the first month or so.
Wandadoo (now Orange) will also likely jump significantly as they now offer free broadband with any Orange mobile package over £30/month.
It looks like they'll only be a few operators left in the near future with other providers being forced to sell-out to to the bigger players as margins erode and more bundle offerings come into play.
There will always be BT, but NTL/Telewest still have large numbers of customers and with the purchase of Virgin Mobile can offer a quad play (voice, tv, internet and mobile - so they have the potential to stay ahead of the game), but Carphone Warehouse shouldn't be forgotten and Orange are making a big push.
In 5 years times, don't bet on many other telecoms providers being left in the game.
UK plans for digital switchover win International backing
Ofcom petitioned the ITU's (International Telecommunications Union) Regional Radiocommunication Conference to allocate the frequencies for digital terrestrial TV (Freeview) so it can be received across the UK (reaching about 98.5% of the population, which is equivalent to existing analogue broadcasts).
There is also concensus to release the analogue channels (after switchover) in a technology neutral manner (with restrictions).
This has been hard work for Ofcom, but a rewarding outcome.
There is also concensus to release the analogue channels (after switchover) in a technology neutral manner (with restrictions).
This has been hard work for Ofcom, but a rewarding outcome.
BT announces Home Hub
This is BT's major entry into the converged home network offering broadband, voice (over IP) and in the future TV.
There's a range of equipment that comes with it, and it's very iPod'esque. A wireless hub and a VoIP phone.
Currently pricing is £9.95 per month for 8Mb/s ADSL including free evening and weekend calls (max duration 60 minutes to 01/01 numbers) for the first 6 months, then it's £17.99 per month.
Also included is 250 minutes per month of BT Openzone WiFi access, which should appeal to home business users as they can just connect via a hotspot and get access to their normal services.
Later this year BT Vision will be included which brings in IPTV.
Other broadband companies will struggle to keep up, and before they know it, BT will launch their 21st Century Network and then the battle will really hot up.
There's a range of equipment that comes with it, and it's very iPod'esque. A wireless hub and a VoIP phone.
Currently pricing is £9.95 per month for 8Mb/s ADSL including free evening and weekend calls (max duration 60 minutes to 01/01 numbers) for the first 6 months, then it's £17.99 per month.
Also included is 250 minutes per month of BT Openzone WiFi access, which should appeal to home business users as they can just connect via a hotspot and get access to their normal services.
Later this year BT Vision will be included which brings in IPTV.
Other broadband companies will struggle to keep up, and before they know it, BT will launch their 21st Century Network and then the battle will really hot up.
Adobe releases Flash 9
The latest and greatest version of the Flash player is out. This seems to iron out the detection bugs that plagued the v8 player after Microsoft made some security updates to Internet Explorer.
It's available for Windows and MacOS X (10.1 or higher) and supports IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera and Safari (and a few others).
Available from Adobe's site.
It's available for Windows and MacOS X (10.1 or higher) and supports IE, Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera and Safari (and a few others).
Available from Adobe's site.
2006/06/29
Skype Hardware Jamboree
Skype today held a press day where they showed off the latest hardware that was compatible with the Skype software.
Some companies there were unexpected - like Motorola who were showing their latest headphones which are Bluetooth and work with music players and Skype alike. They had a "box" of a media device (no actual device on show) which is Bluetooth bidirectional system which plugs into the HiFi (with real cables) but Bluetooth to PC/iPod/Headphones and does magic between everything. They also had some Oakley sunglasses with Motorola Bluetooth inside which were reasonably light.
Sennheiser has some nice headphones too.
Sandisk had an interesting system, a USB memory dongle that come pre-installed with various apps (including Skype). If you try and delete the apps it doesn't work as they reside in protected memory, though they can be upgraded. You plug the dongle into your PC and it copies various configurations in to itself, then when you plug it into a laptop, there they are - all the same configs. It even works with Outlook so your contacts/Emails/notes/etc go into the dongle, which will then configure Outlook on the laptop (if it's installed). However if Outlook isn't on the laptop it pretends to be Outlook and everything is still there for you, any new calendar entries or mail/etc are sync'ed back to Outlook when the dongle's plugged back into the PC.
Creative had some new web cams, D-Link a Skype ATA (analogue telephone adapater) which means you don't need a PC to run Skype and turns into into a Vonage like service where you just connect the box to the LAN and a normal phone into the box.
Once again (this seems to be a recurring theme at techie exhibitions, launches, anything that needs bandwidth) connectivity wasn't good, so most things had to be demonstrated locally - 1Mb/s ADSL just isn't sensible for that many people.
One things for certain, Skype will be everywhere and it's getting easier to use. Now they need to make some money.
Some companies there were unexpected - like Motorola who were showing their latest headphones which are Bluetooth and work with music players and Skype alike. They had a "box" of a media device (no actual device on show) which is Bluetooth bidirectional system which plugs into the HiFi (with real cables) but Bluetooth to PC/iPod/Headphones and does magic between everything. They also had some Oakley sunglasses with Motorola Bluetooth inside which were reasonably light.
Sennheiser has some nice headphones too.
Sandisk had an interesting system, a USB memory dongle that come pre-installed with various apps (including Skype). If you try and delete the apps it doesn't work as they reside in protected memory, though they can be upgraded. You plug the dongle into your PC and it copies various configurations in to itself, then when you plug it into a laptop, there they are - all the same configs. It even works with Outlook so your contacts/Emails/notes/etc go into the dongle, which will then configure Outlook on the laptop (if it's installed). However if Outlook isn't on the laptop it pretends to be Outlook and everything is still there for you, any new calendar entries or mail/etc are sync'ed back to Outlook when the dongle's plugged back into the PC.
Creative had some new web cams, D-Link a Skype ATA (analogue telephone adapater) which means you don't need a PC to run Skype and turns into into a Vonage like service where you just connect the box to the LAN and a normal phone into the box.
Once again (this seems to be a recurring theme at techie exhibitions, launches, anything that needs bandwidth) connectivity wasn't good, so most things had to be demonstrated locally - 1Mb/s ADSL just isn't sensible for that many people.
One things for certain, Skype will be everywhere and it's getting easier to use. Now they need to make some money.
Ofcom announces release of spectrum suitable for new broadband services
Ofcom Website | Ofcom announces release of spectrum suitable for new broadband services
Ofcom is proposing to offer spectrum in the 10GHz, 28GHz and 32GHz bands which can be used for broadband (or other) services.
Likely uses are: -
* Broadcast wireless/video links which could be used in the 2012 London Olympics.
* High bandwidth fixed links (backhaul)
* Broadband access in 10GHz and 28GHz
Ofcom is proposing 12 licenses, which will consist of the following: -
* 10 GHz – a single UK-wide licence of 2x100 MHz;
* 28 GHz – two UK-wide licences each of 2x112 MHz, plus three geographically limited licences each of 2x112 MHz which can only operate in certain areas
* 32 GHz – six UK-wide licences each of 2x126 MHz.
The consultation closes Sept 7, 2006 and the licenses will be offered in 2007.
Ofcom is proposing to offer spectrum in the 10GHz, 28GHz and 32GHz bands which can be used for broadband (or other) services.
Likely uses are: -
* Broadcast wireless/video links which could be used in the 2012 London Olympics.
* High bandwidth fixed links (backhaul)
* Broadband access in 10GHz and 28GHz
Ofcom is proposing 12 licenses, which will consist of the following: -
* 10 GHz – a single UK-wide licence of 2x100 MHz;
* 28 GHz – two UK-wide licences each of 2x112 MHz, plus three geographically limited licences each of 2x112 MHz which can only operate in certain areas
* 32 GHz – six UK-wide licences each of 2x126 MHz.
The consultation closes Sept 7, 2006 and the licenses will be offered in 2007.
2006/06/26
Google updates Picasa with Web Gallery
Google acquired an image organisation tool known as Picasa, then updated it as Picasa2 and made it all free.
Now Picasa2 has been updated again (in beta) and it links to a Google hosted web gallery. Currently invite only (or if you have a Google Mail account you can apply for one, they're given out on a first come first serve as available basis). You get 250MB of space, though for $25 per annum that goes up to 6GB (though as with other Google services the space will probably increase for no additional cost).
What's next in-line? Printing services and all that goes with it?
Follow the link for my test where you can get more info from Google.
Now Picasa2 has been updated again (in beta) and it links to a Google hosted web gallery. Currently invite only (or if you have a Google Mail account you can apply for one, they're given out on a first come first serve as available basis). You get 250MB of space, though for $25 per annum that goes up to 6GB (though as with other Google services the space will probably increase for no additional cost).
What's next in-line? Printing services and all that goes with it?
Follow the link for my test where you can get more info from Google.
Google adds ads to video
Google is trialing the addition of advertising to some of the premium videos available through Google Video. There'll be a banner ad as the video plays (in the video player system) and a streaming video ad at the end of the video.
Google haven't said how long the trial will last, though it will be trialed on about 2,000 videos and advertisers can specify the videos they want their ads with.
Google haven't said how long the trial will last, though it will be trialed on about 2,000 videos and advertisers can specify the videos they want their ads with.
Sealand burns
There is a small old fort of the coast of England (about 7 miles out) built during the war which was occupied after it was disused by the military, to become Sealand. They declared independance, though they aren't really recognised by any international organisation as seperate country.
In the dot com boom someone decided Sealand would make a great off-shore hosting centre, not prone to UK laws etc. and Havenco was set-up. Any links to or from the old fort would have to pass in or out of another country - or maybe via satellite.
This weekend a fire broke out after an electrical fault with a generator. It seems it was a major blaze. The UK Coastguard attended the fire with a "fireboat" and dumped a lot of water on the building after an RF helicoptor winched the only crew member on site (a generator maintenace person) to safety and on to Ipswich hospital. The fireboat spent about 4 hours putting the fireout.
It's likely that ammount of water, on top of the fire damage, may well put Sealand out of action permanently.
As Sealand has declared itself independant, who should pay for all the efforts that went into the exercise? The RLNI (lifeboats) are completely paid for by donations, but the RAF helicopter which winched the maintenance guy to safety is paid for by the British Government (well all the tax payers), maybe a big bill to the self-proclaimed King of Sealand.
In the dot com boom someone decided Sealand would make a great off-shore hosting centre, not prone to UK laws etc. and Havenco was set-up. Any links to or from the old fort would have to pass in or out of another country - or maybe via satellite.
This weekend a fire broke out after an electrical fault with a generator. It seems it was a major blaze. The UK Coastguard attended the fire with a "fireboat" and dumped a lot of water on the building after an RF helicoptor winched the only crew member on site (a generator maintenace person) to safety and on to Ipswich hospital. The fireboat spent about 4 hours putting the fireout.
It's likely that ammount of water, on top of the fire damage, may well put Sealand out of action permanently.
As Sealand has declared itself independant, who should pay for all the efforts that went into the exercise? The RLNI (lifeboats) are completely paid for by donations, but the RAF helicopter which winched the maintenance guy to safety is paid for by the British Government (well all the tax payers), maybe a big bill to the self-proclaimed King of Sealand.
2006/06/22
Skype offers US users free international calls
In order to promote value added services like SkypeOut, US Skype users are being offered 60 minutes of free calls to 30 international countries.
Skype has already offered Canadian customers free calls to Canada or the United States until the end of the year.
Though Skype has a huge installed base, most customers use Skype for Skype to Skype calls/chat and don't use value add services, which is where Skype make their money. With competition hotting up (Gizmo project, Microsoft's Live Messenger, Yahoo and others) Skype need to maintain their lead and get their users to start paying for things. Ebay will soon have a SkypeMe button available to sellers allowing buyers to directly ask sellers questions.
Skype software is also being embedded into devices like VoIP phones and even mobile phones, but there may be problems as mobile operators block VoIP services as they lose revenue on voice calls.
Skype, as a peer-to-peer service, requires supernodes in the network to ensure NAT'ed users can communicate with each other. Supernoded users have all their bandwidth utilised by Skype - which isn't good for say company networks. Skype don't tell users how to diable this functionality and so many network managers are just blocking Skype altogether.
Though Skype is a useful too, for it to become a real business solution, Skype need to allow users more control of what it's doing behind the scenes.
Skype has already offered Canadian customers free calls to Canada or the United States until the end of the year.
Though Skype has a huge installed base, most customers use Skype for Skype to Skype calls/chat and don't use value add services, which is where Skype make their money. With competition hotting up (Gizmo project, Microsoft's Live Messenger, Yahoo and others) Skype need to maintain their lead and get their users to start paying for things. Ebay will soon have a SkypeMe button available to sellers allowing buyers to directly ask sellers questions.
Skype software is also being embedded into devices like VoIP phones and even mobile phones, but there may be problems as mobile operators block VoIP services as they lose revenue on voice calls.
Skype, as a peer-to-peer service, requires supernodes in the network to ensure NAT'ed users can communicate with each other. Supernoded users have all their bandwidth utilised by Skype - which isn't good for say company networks. Skype don't tell users how to diable this functionality and so many network managers are just blocking Skype altogether.
Though Skype is a useful too, for it to become a real business solution, Skype need to allow users more control of what it's doing behind the scenes.
O2 buys Be
O2 the UK mobile operator (now owned by Telefonica of Spain) has agreed to by Be a UK broadband provider for £50m. This may seem a lot for an ISP with only 10,000 customers, but the other options available to them would likely cost more.
Orange have followed Carphone Warehouse's "free" broadband offering, Vodafone have indicated they want to offer broadband/fixed line services too.
Orange had it easy as they already had a broadband division (Wanadoo), but other mobile operators would have to start from new or buy an existing broadband provider.
In the UK that gets difficult, there are only a few LLU operators. Wanadoo (well Orange) are out of the picture, it's unlikely O2 could get the TalkTalk service as that would probably mean buying Carphone Warehouse, the same for Bulldog (C&W) and Easynet are owned by Sky.
That really only left Be. They're a tiny operator compared to the others, but they have gone into 150 BT Exchanges with more planned and they were the first with ADSL2+ (24Mb/s). With the cash the O2 bring with them and their marketing O2 could push them forward and make them a leading broadband provider, which O2 can then bundle with mobile deals.
So £50m probably isn't really that much compared to what they'd have to pay to do something else. The owners of Be must be enjoying their fruits though.
Orange have followed Carphone Warehouse's "free" broadband offering, Vodafone have indicated they want to offer broadband/fixed line services too.
Orange had it easy as they already had a broadband division (Wanadoo), but other mobile operators would have to start from new or buy an existing broadband provider.
In the UK that gets difficult, there are only a few LLU operators. Wanadoo (well Orange) are out of the picture, it's unlikely O2 could get the TalkTalk service as that would probably mean buying Carphone Warehouse, the same for Bulldog (C&W) and Easynet are owned by Sky.
That really only left Be. They're a tiny operator compared to the others, but they have gone into 150 BT Exchanges with more planned and they were the first with ADSL2+ (24Mb/s). With the cash the O2 bring with them and their marketing O2 could push them forward and make them a leading broadband provider, which O2 can then bundle with mobile deals.
So £50m probably isn't really that much compared to what they'd have to pay to do something else. The owners of Be must be enjoying their fruits though.
2006/06/20
New Infrant Radiator OS Beta out
Anyone using an Infrant NAS should have a look at the features on the new beta Infrant forums, it now supports 2TB volumes which will at last allow 4 x 750GB disks to be used (though some of the space will go unused, this is expected to change before it comes out of beta).
Anyone looking for a lot of home/business storage should seriously look at Infrant and their solutions. They aren't the cheapest, but they perform exceptionally well while supporting lots of network protocols (NFS, CIFS, AFS, HTTP/S, WebDAV, FTP and more). They're also incredibly easy to install and maintain.
Anyone looking for a lot of home/business storage should seriously look at Infrant and their solutions. They aren't the cheapest, but they perform exceptionally well while supporting lots of network protocols (NFS, CIFS, AFS, HTTP/S, WebDAV, FTP and more). They're also incredibly easy to install and maintain.
Google releases SketchUp for Mac
The free version of SketchUp now supports Macs as well as Windows. Users can import various 3D file formats, including those used in Google Earth.
Users can also upload their SketchUp content to a gallery (if they've got a Google username).
This adds another notch in the bedpost of Google apps available, which must be terrifying their competitors. Where will it stop?
Users can also upload their SketchUp content to a gallery (if they've got a Google username).
This adds another notch in the bedpost of Google apps available, which must be terrifying their competitors. Where will it stop?
Adobe releases Lightroom Beta3
Adobe has released the 3rd beta of their professional photo workflow software. It's still available only for Macs (though is Universal so works on both PowerPC and Intel Macs), but a Windows release is promised later this year.
It's got many new features suggested by developers and now supports Camera Raw 3.4 which supports some of the newer cameras.
This will directly compete with Apple's Apperture which is their professional package for the same market.
It's got many new features suggested by developers and now supports Camera Raw 3.4 which supports some of the newer cameras.
This will directly compete with Apple's Apperture which is their professional package for the same market.
BlueRay to appear next week
BlueRay players and discs are set to launch in the US next week, they'll also be some titles released along with the players. These are "50 First Dates," "The Fifth Element," and "The Terminator.". "Ultraviolet," will launch simultaneously with the DVD version on June 27. Movies due for release in July include "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction," "Stealth," and "A Knight’s Tale.".
The Samsung BD-P1000 (player) will retail for about $1000 and discs for about $20 each. The Toshiba HD player costs about half the price ($500).
Companies are working on dual-mode players, but these aren't expected until 2007 at the earliest.
The Samsung BD-P1000 (player) will retail for about $1000 and discs for about $20 each. The Toshiba HD player costs about half the price ($500).
Companies are working on dual-mode players, but these aren't expected until 2007 at the earliest.
BlueRay to appear next week
BlueRay players and discs are set to launch in the US next week, they'll also be some titles released along with the players. These are "50 First Dates," "The Fifth Element," and "The Terminator.". "Ultraviolet," will launch simultaneously with the DVD version on June 27. Movies due for release in July include "Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction," "Stealth," and "A Knight’s Tale.".
The Samsung BD-P1000 (player) will retail for about $1000 and discs for about $20 each. The Toshiba HD player costs about half the price ($500).
Companies are working on dual-mode players, but these aren't expected until 2007 at the earliest.
The Samsung BD-P1000 (player) will retail for about $1000 and discs for about $20 each. The Toshiba HD player costs about half the price ($500).
Companies are working on dual-mode players, but these aren't expected until 2007 at the earliest.
SonyEricsson introduce JP-7 for new mobile phones
JP-7 is the new Java implementation for new SonyEricsson phones. It's main feature is that it supports a multi-tasking JVM (Java Virtual Machine), which allows more than one Java program to run at once, they've also added various multimedia enhancements including 2D and 3D acceleration and direct camera access through the Java interface. They've directly supported Nokia's UI API too.
The list is: -
CLDC 1.1 (JSR 139)
MIDP 2.0 (JSR 118)
Wireless Messaging 1.0 and 2.0 APIs (JSR 120/205)
Mobile Media API (JSR 135)
Java Technology for the Wireless Industry (JSR 185)
Java API for Bluetooth™ (JSR 82) (optional)
PDA Optional Packages for the Java ME Platform (JSR 75)
Web Services API (JSR 172)
Advanced Multimedia Supplements (JSR 234) (camera capabilities)
Mascot Capsule Micro3D Version 3
Mobile 3D Graphics API for Java ME (JSR 184)
Nokia UI API 1.1
Phones currently supported are the K610, K790, K800, W710, W850 and Z710 which are meant to have the best games performance for any phones on the market.
The list is: -
CLDC 1.1 (JSR 139)
MIDP 2.0 (JSR 118)
Wireless Messaging 1.0 and 2.0 APIs (JSR 120/205)
Mobile Media API (JSR 135)
Java Technology for the Wireless Industry (JSR 185)
Java API for Bluetooth™ (JSR 82) (optional)
PDA Optional Packages for the Java ME Platform (JSR 75)
Web Services API (JSR 172)
Advanced Multimedia Supplements (JSR 234) (camera capabilities)
Mascot Capsule Micro3D Version 3
Mobile 3D Graphics API for Java ME (JSR 184)
Nokia UI API 1.1
Phones currently supported are the K610, K790, K800, W710, W850 and Z710 which are meant to have the best games performance for any phones on the market.
Siemens and Nokia join forces
Read the full article at Digital Lifestyles.
Nokia brings a mobile infrastructure division and Siemens their broadband and fixed network expertise. Nokia were in the fixed space but pulled out due to heavy competition and poor market share.
Now with the market moving towards next generation networks, triple and quadruple plays, they've decided they need to be able both parts of the picture. Their combined efforts may just be able to pull it off. Lucent and Alcatel also saw leverage of economies of scale and combined sales channels.
Part of their worries must come from the far east, especially China, where companies like Huawei are making huge inroads into the telecoms and ISP markets - directly competing with the incumbant vendors.
Siemens has already sold off its loss making mobile phone division to BenQ, which gives BenQ solid radio technology and a large retail channel as well as making them a larger player from the tiny player they were. They're probably hoping for the success of the SonyEricsson partnership which took Sony's style and combined it with Ericsson's radio knowledge.
If Nokia can leverage the synergies of the two companies they stand a chance of surviving this harsh market and may well be around in 5 years time.
Nokia brings a mobile infrastructure division and Siemens their broadband and fixed network expertise. Nokia were in the fixed space but pulled out due to heavy competition and poor market share.
Now with the market moving towards next generation networks, triple and quadruple plays, they've decided they need to be able both parts of the picture. Their combined efforts may just be able to pull it off. Lucent and Alcatel also saw leverage of economies of scale and combined sales channels.
Part of their worries must come from the far east, especially China, where companies like Huawei are making huge inroads into the telecoms and ISP markets - directly competing with the incumbant vendors.
Siemens has already sold off its loss making mobile phone division to BenQ, which gives BenQ solid radio technology and a large retail channel as well as making them a larger player from the tiny player they were. They're probably hoping for the success of the SonyEricsson partnership which took Sony's style and combined it with Ericsson's radio knowledge.
If Nokia can leverage the synergies of the two companies they stand a chance of surviving this harsh market and may well be around in 5 years time.
Robert Scoble leaves Microsoft
Robert Scoble, otherwise known as The Scobleizer, Microsoft Geek Blogger has left the company. Is it a coincendence that Mr Gates announced his departure a couple of days later?
Probably not.
Scoble will be missed in the blogging community as he was open in criticising the company he worked for, and being positive for the right things. He's now gone on to do his own video blogging and hopes to earn an income from this in his own right.
Whether he receives the same momentum now he's on his own is to be seen. The whole thing about his blog (and speaking at conferences) was his openness about Microsoft, now he's not an employee he's just a voice in the wilderness ranting about life in general (as are most bloggers, this included) and that may be his downfall.
Probably not.
Scoble will be missed in the blogging community as he was open in criticising the company he worked for, and being positive for the right things. He's now gone on to do his own video blogging and hopes to earn an income from this in his own right.
Whether he receives the same momentum now he's on his own is to be seen. The whole thing about his blog (and speaking at conferences) was his openness about Microsoft, now he's not an employee he's just a voice in the wilderness ranting about life in general (as are most bloggers, this included) and that may be his downfall.
Apple Releases Shake 4.1
Apple have released version 4.1 of Shake their compositing software allowing simple retouching or complicated multi-plane 3D effects.
This is the first Universal binary version of Shake (i.e. works on both the older PowerPC and new Intel Macs).
What will of most interest to users though is the price, which has been dropped from £1,999 (inc VAT) to £329 (inc VAT) which now puts it firmly in the hands of the mass of Final Cut Studio users out there. It supports HD, 2K and 4K image procesing.
Apple are promoting use on their new MacBook range to be used for continuity work, they are also Intel based (and the Mac Mini isn't really suited for heavy duty working).
This is the first Universal binary version of Shake (i.e. works on both the older PowerPC and new Intel Macs).
What will of most interest to users though is the price, which has been dropped from £1,999 (inc VAT) to £329 (inc VAT) which now puts it firmly in the hands of the mass of Final Cut Studio users out there. It supports HD, 2K and 4K image procesing.
Apple are promoting use on their new MacBook range to be used for continuity work, they are also Intel based (and the Mac Mini isn't really suited for heavy duty working).
2006/06/14
BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five trial terrestrial HD
Broadcasting from London's Crystal Palace transmitter on a test license low power transmission, 450 trialists are to receive HD transmissions.
The BBC and ITV content is identical to that already offered on cable and satellite, while Channel 4 will offer episodes of Lost and Film 4 content.
The set top boxes are being provided by Humax and Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB). Transmissions will use MPEG4 video coding, 8K carriers and 64QAM modulation at launch, though other parameters may be tested during the trial.
If all goes well, the trial may be extended to others areas and could lead the way to full HD terrestrial Freeview etc.
The BBC and ITV content is identical to that already offered on cable and satellite, while Channel 4 will offer episodes of Lost and Film 4 content.
The set top boxes are being provided by Humax and Advanced Digital Broadcast (ADB). Transmissions will use MPEG4 video coding, 8K carriers and 64QAM modulation at launch, though other parameters may be tested during the trial.
If all goes well, the trial may be extended to others areas and could lead the way to full HD terrestrial Freeview etc.
Epson develops high resolution e-paper
Seiko Epson have developed a high resolution electronic paper device that has a 7.1-inch screen (approximately the same size as an A6 piece of paper 105-x-148mm) which has a resolution of 1,536-x-2,048 pixels.
It uses technology from E-Ink, and uses flexible chips from Seiko Epson. This means the e-paper can be rolled and is quite thin so can replace paper for things like newspapers, but with content that updates, and even video.
Only a prototype has been announced, and no dates for real products.
It uses technology from E-Ink, and uses flexible chips from Seiko Epson. This means the e-paper can be rolled and is quite thin so can replace paper for things like newspapers, but with content that updates, and even video.
Only a prototype has been announced, and no dates for real products.
2006/06/10
Netgear announce new pre802.11n systems
Netgear on Wednesday announced their new pre802.11n system known as Rangemax Next (that's a play on the "N" if anyone didn't notice).
They've announced an ADSL2+ router DG834N which will retail for around £119, an Ethernet router (for cable) WNR834B for around the same price. Both have a wireless preN interface and a 4 port 10/100Mb/s Ethernet switch.
The WNR854T is also Ethernet/Wireless but supports 1000Mb/s switched ports.
Unfortunately the DG834N/WNR834B are based on the Broadcom chipset and the WN854T is based on the Marvel chipset and guess what, they don't interoperate (unless in standard 802.11g mode).
If the same type of equipment is used then speeds of up to 300Mb/s are quoted, though usable bandwidth will be more like 120Mb/s, which is good for video streaming, file sharing etc.
Be very wary of buying 802.11n equipment, the draft 1.0 specification (which all current systems are based upon) was rejected with thousands of objections (when pre802.11g systems were released, the final specification only had around 500 objections), so it's very likely there will still be major changes that cant be fixed in software and will need silicon changes.
Utilising an access point from one manufacturer and a wireless card from another wont get much better performance than existing systems.
Laptop vendors are unlikely to embed new wireless cards until the standard is stable, which is at least a year away.
They've announced an ADSL2+ router DG834N which will retail for around £119, an Ethernet router (for cable) WNR834B for around the same price. Both have a wireless preN interface and a 4 port 10/100Mb/s Ethernet switch.
The WNR854T is also Ethernet/Wireless but supports 1000Mb/s switched ports.
Unfortunately the DG834N/WNR834B are based on the Broadcom chipset and the WN854T is based on the Marvel chipset and guess what, they don't interoperate (unless in standard 802.11g mode).
If the same type of equipment is used then speeds of up to 300Mb/s are quoted, though usable bandwidth will be more like 120Mb/s, which is good for video streaming, file sharing etc.
Be very wary of buying 802.11n equipment, the draft 1.0 specification (which all current systems are based upon) was rejected with thousands of objections (when pre802.11g systems were released, the final specification only had around 500 objections), so it's very likely there will still be major changes that cant be fixed in software and will need silicon changes.
Utilising an access point from one manufacturer and a wireless card from another wont get much better performance than existing systems.
Laptop vendors are unlikely to embed new wireless cards until the standard is stable, which is at least a year away.
2006/06/09
Bulldog quits the retail market
Bulldog has decided to quit trying to win broadband customers, even after the recent advertising campaign trying to attract new ADSL2+ customers.
They are now going for a wholesale approach, though they will continue to look after the existing customer base. They will still sell to new customers through their website.
The UK is in dire need of a wholesale competitor to BT, though the LLU operators should really join forces to make this a reality. BT have 5,600 digital local exchanges, while the LLU operates are all attacking 1,000 and mainly the same ones.
Though moving to a wholesale model is potentially a good move, when BT launch their 21st Century Network which will start in Cardiff this year, the LLU operators could suddenly be left fighting a losing battle.
They are now going for a wholesale approach, though they will continue to look after the existing customer base. They will still sell to new customers through their website.
The UK is in dire need of a wholesale competitor to BT, though the LLU operators should really join forces to make this a reality. BT have 5,600 digital local exchanges, while the LLU operates are all attacking 1,000 and mainly the same ones.
Though moving to a wholesale model is potentially a good move, when BT launch their 21st Century Network which will start in Cardiff this year, the LLU operators could suddenly be left fighting a losing battle.
BenQ to launch BluRay burner by end of year
The burner will support BluRay, DVD and CD formats. No pricing has been announced or when the product will really be available, though BenQ does have prototypes.
It's a standard half height drive and will fit into standard drive bays.
It's a standard half height drive and will fit into standard drive bays.
Microsoft released Vista Beta
Microsoft have released Beta 2 of Windows Vista for 32 bit and 64 bit processors.
It's a long download, or the DVD can be ordered (for about £10 in VAT), this includes an upgrade to RC1 when released.
Whether the site is available for downloading seems to be a bit of a random event as it gets very busy at which point MS stop new downloads for a while.
There are mixed reports as to the readyness of both Vista and Office 2007.
It's a long download, or the DVD can be ordered (for about £10 in VAT), this includes an upgrade to RC1 when released.
Whether the site is available for downloading seems to be a bit of a random event as it gets very busy at which point MS stop new downloads for a while.
There are mixed reports as to the readyness of both Vista and Office 2007.
AMD launches 4 core system
AMD launched a high end system for gamers with 4 CPU cores (2 linked dual core chips).
More and more games are being written to support multiple threads which can run on multiple cores.
AMD also launched their high-end dual core CPU, the AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 which has 2 cores running a 2.8GHz. However high-end gaming costs as the chip alone will set someone back $1,031 (in 1,000 quantities, so street pricing will be significantly higher).
The fight between Intel and AMD continues and AMD are not backing down.
More and more games are being written to support multiple threads which can run on multiple cores.
AMD also launched their high-end dual core CPU, the AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 which has 2 cores running a 2.8GHz. However high-end gaming costs as the chip alone will set someone back $1,031 (in 1,000 quantities, so street pricing will be significantly higher).
The fight between Intel and AMD continues and AMD are not backing down.
Sony to introduces a Digital SLR
Sony is producing a DSLR utising assets it acquired from Konica Minolta who pulled out of the camera market due to competition.
The range will be known as the Alpha, and use the Konica Minolta lens mounting (known as Dynax in Europe and Maxxum in North America). There's already a reasonably large number of lenses in the range already and Sony are bound to increase the range.
Sony's camera uses a 10.2-megapixel and is known as the alpha DSLR-A100. It can take 750 pictures on a full charge and uses either Compact Flash or Sony's Memory Stick formats (Pro or Duo with an adapter).
THe camera will be available in the US in July for around $900 for just the body, and $1000 as a kit with a 18-70mm zoom lens the DSLR-A100K.
Other manufacturers have been in this market for considerable time, and Sony may have a hard time persuading customers to move as Canon and Nikon seem to have cornered the professional and semi-professional markets.
The range will be known as the Alpha, and use the Konica Minolta lens mounting (known as Dynax in Europe and Maxxum in North America). There's already a reasonably large number of lenses in the range already and Sony are bound to increase the range.
Sony's camera uses a 10.2-megapixel and is known as the alpha DSLR-A100. It can take 750 pictures on a full charge and uses either Compact Flash or Sony's Memory Stick formats (Pro or Duo with an adapter).
THe camera will be available in the US in July for around $900 for just the body, and $1000 as a kit with a 18-70mm zoom lens the DSLR-A100K.
Other manufacturers have been in this market for considerable time, and Sony may have a hard time persuading customers to move as Canon and Nikon seem to have cornered the professional and semi-professional markets.
BBC to netcast world cup
The BBC is going to broadcast world cup matches to broadband users, however only if they're in the UK.
Companies and ISPs are bound to be worrying about the strain that's going to put on their networks if lots of employees and customers respectively start grabbing high bandwidth streams. Some companies are very likely to start filtering the streams so employees cant access them.
There's also a licensing issue, as anyone receiving a stream must be in posession of a valid TV license. Currently they monitor the use of reception by tracking sales of televisions and computer peripherals that have the ability to decode a TV signal. How the TV Licensing Authority will track pure internet usage is a guess, and it's likely to be a threat they cant enforce.
Companies and ISPs are bound to be worrying about the strain that's going to put on their networks if lots of employees and customers respectively start grabbing high bandwidth streams. Some companies are very likely to start filtering the streams so employees cant access them.
There's also a licensing issue, as anyone receiving a stream must be in posession of a valid TV license. Currently they monitor the use of reception by tracking sales of televisions and computer peripherals that have the ability to decode a TV signal. How the TV Licensing Authority will track pure internet usage is a guess, and it's likely to be a threat they cant enforce.
Office 2007 not to have PDF support
With the threat of legal action, Microsoft has pulled support for PDS and XPS files from Office 2007.
There would have been a "Save As" PDF option, but Adobe want that functionality as a seperate paid for package.
Microsoft has said it had tried to work out an agreement with Adobe, but they had failed.
Since there are publically available free packages that offer this functionality, it seems a shame that it cant be incorporated directly into Office.
There would have been a "Save As" PDF option, but Adobe want that functionality as a seperate paid for package.
Microsoft has said it had tried to work out an agreement with Adobe, but they had failed.
Since there are publically available free packages that offer this functionality, it seems a shame that it cant be incorporated directly into Office.
Microsoft releases Apple Keyboard and Mouse
Microsoft have released a keyboard for Apple Macs with a specific Mac layout. They've also released a high-definition laser mouse.
People wonder at Microsoft making Mac products, which is odd since Microsoft make a lot of Mac software, including Office (which is generally better on Macs than Windows systems). The Mac market is big for them and generate a lot of revenue.
Microsoft also invested $250m into Apple a while back (in Apple's dark days) to stop them going under so Microsoft wouldn't be considered a monopoly in the desktop OS arena.
People wonder at Microsoft making Mac products, which is odd since Microsoft make a lot of Mac software, including Office (which is generally better on Macs than Windows systems). The Mac market is big for them and generate a lot of revenue.
Microsoft also invested $250m into Apple a while back (in Apple's dark days) to stop them going under so Microsoft wouldn't be considered a monopoly in the desktop OS arena.
GoLive and Freehand to die?
Though Adobe has denied the rumours, several sites have said that Adobe's GoLive web development package and Macromedia's Freehand (illustration) package are to be discontinued.
This makes sense as Dreamweaver is much more popular in the web arena, and Adobe's own Illustrator product dominates that market.
By putting all Adobe's eggs in the one basket, Dreamweaver and Illustrator could get the resources they need to ensure there is no competition.
This makes sense as Dreamweaver is much more popular in the web arena, and Adobe's own Illustrator product dominates that market.
By putting all Adobe's eggs in the one basket, Dreamweaver and Illustrator could get the resources they need to ensure there is no competition.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
