Another stab at the iPhone market!

It looks like Research in Motion (RIM) is getting ready to launch a replacement for the Blackberry Curve; the Javelin. Effectively, this device is a Blackberry Bold without the 3G bit (I don’t know about you, but I like, no, need 3G. I’m sure there’s a plan here somewhere!)

The Javelin is expected to feature cosmetic and feature upgrades in order to keep Blackberry fans buying - it’ll be hard task considering the new iPhone 3G sold over a million units since the Friday 11th launch.

The new handset is is rumoured to have GPS, WiFi, a 3.2MP camera, GSM / EDGE quad-band and the Blackberry 4.6 OS crammed into its chassis. Oh, and the Javelin features a micro-USB charging connector - buy a Javelin and you kiss your ’spare’ charger goodbye.

So, if you really want an EDGE phone don’t expect to be enjoying the ‘browsing experience of your life’ (unless you’re in a WiFi zone).

Popularity: 12% [?]

Oh dear!

There was huge amount of hype around the iPhone 3G launch but it seems that activation issues and supply problems are leaving users rather pissed off annoyed. Many buyers queued for hours around the world to buy their shiny new iPhone only to find they couldn’t activate it at the point of sale - now that sucks!

So, the blame lies at Apple’s feet. Well, apparently not. The telcos balme Apple and vice versa - I bet all the new iPhone owners are sooo happy that nobody has a clue what’s going on.

The iPhone was made available in 21 countries simultaneously but stock shortages caused a few raised hackles. In Regent Street, London police were called after the store stopped selling to customers not already in the queue!

Look, I know this is a ‘must have’ item for many people but, calling the police…

Popularity: 9% [?]

Monster rising from the depths!

About 6 years ago I used to get excited about 2Gb hard disks. Talk about the dark ages! Seagate have announced a beast of a hard disk -  the Barrcuda 7200 1.5Tb, aimed at the desktop market.

The 1.5TB capacity Barracuda 7200.11 drive has four platters and uses a Sata 3Gbps interface with a sustained data rate of up to 120MBps. The 3.5-inch drive is also offered in capacities of 1TB, 750GB, 640GB, 500GB, 320GB and 160GB with cache options of 32MB and 16MB.

Expect to this beast ripping up the tarmac sometime next month.

Popularity: 12% [?]

But only for existing customers!

Earlier this week an avalanche of pre-orders crashed the O2 website - now that’s demand! But they’re back. There’s one small problem - you can only order an iPhone 3G if you’re currently contracted to O2. Disappointing I know, but demand has outstripped supply (I got my order in this morning!)

Limtied numbers of iPhone stock have caused O2 to state that its stores only hold a “few dozen” devices - which are probably sold out now.

If you go to O2’s website and click order now, you’ll notice that all devices are sold out.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Dubbed a “burglars charter”.

Some of you may already know this, but Google has sent cars around the UK to take close-up pictures of houses, road, hospitals and everything inbetween. This mammoth task is being carried out to allow Googles Streetview website to show a 360 degree picture of every UK address of postcode.

There’s one small problem - data protection. People can still be easily identified leaving, say, a sex shop! The Information Commissioners office is so concerneed that they have written a letter to Google  demanding privacy guarantees. Hmm, I wonder if that’s like the strongly worded government letters we hear so much about? I can just see Mr. Horrendous Despot wiping his arse on the letter as we speak (I am in no way suggesting that Google is despotic!)

In addition, checking out access points and weak spots becomes far easier for Mr B. Urglar - I wonder, could you sue Google if it was proven that a burglar used the Streetview service to break into your home? Now there’s something for the Goog to think about.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Fruitylicious applications!

Apple has released an update for iTunes in preparation for the launch of the iPhone 3G (for the hermits of the world; it’s tomorrow).

The download gives users the software required for activating the iPhone 3G and also allows access to the applications store - for US customers. UK iPhone owners will have to wait a few hours longer for the download.

The Apps Store includes a feast of goodies for iPhone owners including games such as Monkey Ball and Bomberman, social networking tools, MySpace Mobile and Facebook (why, oh why!). Apps are also available for eBay and Yellow Pages.

I suppose the first I should do is actually go and order my iPhone 3G before I get too excited!

Popularity: 11% [?]

It ain’t over until…

…Icahn says “It’s over”! I know, we all thought the Yahoo thing was pretty much dead and buried. Guess again. It now looks like billionaire investor Carl Icahn might just get oust the current board members.

Investore Gordon Crawford looks like he may side with Icahn and back proposals to sweep away the current board of directors. So what? Well, this will leave Icahn in a position to review the Microsoft acquistion offer (Icahn believes Yang and co. should have accepted the MS bid).

And right on cue, up pops the Microsoft who have apparently suggested they are willing to talk to Yahoo!

Yawn!

Popularity: 10% [?]

A snip at £20 million!

It would appear that BT is keen to expand its BT Directories business. Ufindus  currently has a huge number of customers - 20,000+ small and medium-sized business customers and around 1.9 millionlistings in its online directory. In addition, Ufindus offers its services through three directories: SmileLocal, MoreUK and Ufindus. On top of thie, it also runs more than 100 niche directories and provides website design services.

Lancaster based Ufindus had reported revenues of £14m in the year to 31 March, 2007 - that actually looks like a real bargain for BT.

Ufindus is expected to play a key role in the development of BT Directories’s online service offering.

“Through Ufindus’s considerable expertise and experience in online classified advertising, we access further local classified product offerings, significant search traffic and new customers for this fast-growing part of our business.” said David Benjamin, the chief executive of BT Directories.

Interesting news, I’m off to play a game of ‘Monopoly’!

Popularity: 12% [?]

So called ‘fix’ stuffs web connection!

You really can’t deny that Microsoft are keen to ensure their products are secure, hence ‘Patch Tuesday’. That said, maybe they should do just a little more testing before they release.

The issue we’re relating here’s stems from the release of MS08-037 which addressed four vulnerabilities in the Windows DNS service. Basically, the ZA prevented users from accessing the internet as the number of random UDP ports that DNS uses was increased…can you see where we’re going?

Zone Labs became aware of the issue yesterday when Windows users started to download and install the patch.  Zone Labs recommend users remove the patch until a work around is found - so much for being a ’security patch’.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Akin to the dreaded ‘Blue Screen of Death’?

No, it isn’t. Well, according to Microsoft it’s all rather simple. Before I go any further, let me give you the full details. There have been a series of misleading stories in the UK’s mainstream press that suggest the Xbox 360 Elite has been experiencing ‘red ring’ problems (no, it’s not curry related).

Gamers have apparently seen hardware failures following three flashing red lights being displayed on the console. Fortunately, any hardware failures are coverd by a 3 year warranty.

Microsoft responded by saying that they have “conducted extensive investigations into potential sources of general hardware failures,” and that after “identifying a number of factors which can cause the general hardware failures, Microsoft has made improvements to the console.”

It has been suggested that the red ring represents an overheating issue. Not so, say Microsoft - “The three flashing red lights error message does not signal a single issue and can be caused by a combination of factors. For competitive reasons, we do not provide specifics about hardware components.

There you have. Are you any the wiser? I’m not! I suppose the answer is simple - it’s broken, I have a warranty, give me a new Xbox!

Popularity: 13% [?]