Europe

Vodafone snags iPhone for Europe, Asia

Mehan Jayasuriya — Wed, 07 May 2008 12:15:03 -0400

If you live in a country that isn't the U.S, the U.K., France, Austria or Germany, you've been waiting quite a while for the arrival of the iPhone. Luckily, Vodafone Europe has just announced that it won the contract to sell the device in Australia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey, and will offer the phone "later this year." Hmm.

In related news, an internal AT&T document that leaked this week revealed that AT&T employees will be barred from taking vacation between June 15th and July 12th, due to "an exciting Summer Promotional Launch." As the iPhone die hards in the audience will note, AT&T pulled the same maneuver last year, barring vacations from June 15th to July 15th. So we can only assume that the 3G iPhone's launch will fall somewhere in that window. June 29th, anyone?

For more on the 3G iPhone:
- see this Vodafone press release
- and this Engadget article

HTC announces Touch Diamond

Mehan Jayasuriya — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:33:29 -0400

We told you it was coming and now, here it is: the Touch Diamond, HTC's answer to the iPhone. Here's what's on board:

• Windows Mobile 6.1
• High-rez VGA Screen (2.8-inch 640 x 480)
• Quad-band HSDPA 7.2
• Accelerometer
• Opera web browser

What's more, HTC has gone and skinned Windows Mobile 6.1 with a very slick "3-D animated touchscreen interface" that aims to make Windows Mobile both more attractive and more intuitive. The idea is that all of the phone's functions should be easily accessible with one finger, making the device easy enough for anyone to use but powerful enough for enterprise users. Gizmodo calls it "the closest thing so far to an iPhone that hasn't come out of Cupertino" and judging by the looks of it, the Touch Diamond really could be the first iPhone clone that's a real contender. I suppose we'll find out when the phone launches in Europe and Asia next month, and later in the year here in the States.

For more on the Touch Diamond:
- see this Gizmodo article

Ready for the YouTube phone?

Sun, 08 Jul 2007 20:01:38 -0400

Employees obviously don't have enough ways to waste time. That's why LG Electronics has announced plans to build a mobile phone optimized for content from Google's YouTube online video service. The announcement follows Google's public statements that the company would be looking for partnerships to take it into the mobile market. LG has already begun selling phones pre-loaded with Google software in Europe, where the YouTube phone should be available later this year, with availability around the world by the end of the year.

For more on the LG YouTube phone:
- see this article from DailyTechRag article
- read the product story at CIO-Today

Are rate cuts real?

Sun, 25 Feb 2007 19:01:36 -0500

Wireless carriers worldwide have been touting reductions in roaming fees, but user advocacy groups in Europe and elsewhere say that the reductions are often misleading. According to the advocacy groups, cuts are often of limited duration and scope, designed to reel-in customers rather than save them money. The carriers, surprisingly, disagree. The lesson for all customers is that carrier offers should always be carefully scrutinized before any supplier decisions are made.

For more on these claims and counter-claims:
- read the article at NetworkWorld

The lowdown on impending mobile device malware

Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:01:36 -0400

It's been heralded as a future risk, but actual malware has begun hitting the mobile user environment, especially in Japan and Europe. There's still plenty of time to put some security in place and learn what you can about the hackers' strategies and current worm or virus approach. This article at CSO takes a good look at current mobile phone malware and the malicious intentions behind the hacking strategy. Article

QUICKLINKS: A new Wireless Threat Index emerges; How wireless pays off in more than efficiency; Much more...

Mon, 29 May 2006 20:00:50 -0400

A new Wireless Threat Index emerges. Article

How wireless pays off in more than efficiency. Article

The next phrase of the wireless movement. Article

Europe getting closer to a more mobile work approach. Article

Gambling going mobile in Vegas. Article

Cambodia bans 3G phones citing moral issues. Article

Virgin Mobile goes the ad route to lure customers. Article

Vendors working to boost mobile phone browsing capabilities. Article

Why the latest BlackBerry is getting big raves. Article

One wireless vendor's unique approach to spectrum angering industry. Article

Editor's Corner

Sun, 16 Oct 2005 20:01:40 -0400

Despite all the news reports of how every kind of wireless and network technology seems to be gaining ground in the US and elsewhere (see the 'Worth Knowing' section below), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) isn't grabbing traction over in Europe. Analysts say it's due to two major factors: no compelling business application to lure enterprise use and cost. The Forrester Research study, IP Communications Adoption in Europe, states that just about 25 percent of European enterprises will have VoIP up and running by year's end, and that less than half of those polled have yet to spend a dime on IP telephony technology. Yet there is some hope that the trend will reverse itself as more companies determine the business case for using the technology. - Judy