Geographic

Toshiba Dynabook TX FIFA World Cup Edition: Beyond Bling
Now, we like gadgets. And shiny things. And we like football (well some of us).
So you’d think our hearts would go into pumpa-pumpa-palpitation overdrive when our eyes clocked Toshiba’s Dynabook 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP EDITION laptop.
What could be better than a beyond bling-tastic gold finished laptop proudly displaying all the dates, host countries and winners of the World Cup?!
Well, quite a lot of things, actually.
Whipping out a laptop looking like a solid ingot of 9 karat on the train wouldn’t just invite the curiosity of thieves; it positively sends them a personal, gilt-edged invite to purloin.
And, to be honest, we’d feel a bit of a prat if we whipped out this dazzling box’o’excess at a corporate meeting because, well, it looks rubbish.
But once away from the dazzling glare of the gold, there’s a very nice laptop lurking inside with Toshinba kitting out the Dynabook TX with a Duo Core T2300 (1.6Ghz) backed by 512MB of RAM.
There’s also ample storage on board in the shape of a 80GB SATA HDD, with a set of built-in Harman & Kardon speakers for playing back the roar of thousands of tanked up Taffies as Wales slam in the winning World Cup goal (well, we can dream).
In the meantime, we might try and get into the spirit of the Toshiba Dynabook by slapping a World Cup sticker and some gold Rolo packaging on the back of our laptops.
Toshiba [Japan]More
25 April, 2006
UKTV Sports Live Broadband Euroleague Basketball First
UKTV Sports have announced that they will be premiering Euroleague Basketball live on Broadband, rather than their more normal means, on the goggle box (TV).
PremierTV, a sports rights agency, are working with UKTV to provide clearance of the content and are providing the technical aspects of the delivery. They have built a broadband subscription site, UKTVSlam.tv, and plan to deliver live streaming of two key Euroleague Basketball games each week.
We spoke to Martin Henlan, Sports development manager at UKTV Sports to dig a bit deeper into the story.
Henlan raised a very valid point. Currently there’s no research available for how, or even if, people will consume niche sports over broadband in the UK. If UKTV were to commission a study it would cost them considerably more money than them just getting down and carrying out the trial themselves. We love this let’s-just-do-it approach, but suspect media consultancies all over the world will be meeting is little huddles trying to figure out how they can counter this plain common-sense.
Interestingly, and quite against normal conventions, UKTV will be using the TV shows to promote the broadband, pay-for content. Henlan said they were “looking to build a community and a service, where we can learn valuable lessons, with the potential to take this knowledge to coverage of other sports.”
We find the pricing slightly confusing – either a one-off annual payment, £39.99 (E57, $70) ; annual direct debit payment, £34.99; or a monthly direct debit payment, £3.99.
In our book, at those prices you’ve got to be a pretty devoted basketball fan (and it’s claimed that there are over a million in the UK), to be happy to pay £35 and up to. For the cash they will see only two basketball games a week, delivered as it will be for most of the viewers, to a PC. Clearly the whole offering becomes more attractive if you have your home media centre attached in your cinema room – but the number who currently have this is an insignificant number.
PremierTV will also provide the video-on-demand technology for basketball fans to access video highlights of every other Euroleague Basketball match played each week, as well as Euroleague Basketball news and features.
Due to content licensing deals, the content will be geo-blocked – in an effort to try and ensure the content is not seen outside the UK and Eire.
This coming Friday there will be free access to the the live game, so what are you waiting for? Give it a go.
UKTVSlam.tv
UKTV Sports
25 April, 2006
African Movie Channel To HomeChoice – Niche Lives!
Proving Niche is alive and living on UK IPTV pioneer HomeChoice, they’ve today announced an African Movie Channel, self described as “the UK’s first channel dedicated to showing new and recent releases from the major African film production houses.”
The newly formed African Movie Channel tell us that that they are focused on Africans currently residing in the UK, as well as Britons and non-Britons of African and Afro-Caribbean descent, and anyone with historical connections to Africa.
Lola Onigbogi, African Movie Channel, said: “To launch the African Movie Channel on HomeChoice is a very important and exciting step for us. Demand for both classic and new release African movies is very high in the UK, where there is a large African population.”
We’ve got to admit that our knowledge of African cinema is pretty weak, but then again, we’re not the target niche. We hear from HomeChoice that they’ve got an initial stable of 100’s of film available though the on-demand section of the service. These include classic films such as Violated, Osofia in London and Madam Dearest and new and recent releases staring favorite African actors like Richard Mofe-Damijo, Genevieve Nnaji and Olu Jacobs.
On another side, we see that HomeChoicePR department have their own MySpace account, which we think is pretty enterprising, but it does make some of us at Digital-Lifestyles wonder, are we the only people without at least one MySpace? We also note the perversity of Nick S having a “huge DVD collection”, given he works for a VOD company!
HomeChoice
24 April, 2006
FTSE 100 Websites Fail To Deliver
In the world of online commerce, uptime is money, so it was surprising to see a new report by WatchMouse showing that 57% of the FTSE 100 websites were offering availability below industry standards
The research shows that many top company’s sites are badly accessible or unavailable for more than an hour per month.
The bottom ranked site – United Utilities – was so bad that it was found to be unavailable for the equivalent of more than 5 days per month!
The WatchMouse Site Availability Index for the FTSE 100 monitored the sites continuously between March 2 and April 10, 2006, with the software trying to access homepages every five minutes.
The pages were expected to download within 8 seconds and without any errors.
With an uptime of 99.9% seen as the industry standard (minimum acceptable level), there were fourteen sites which achieved perfect 100% availability, while the worst two performers couldn’t even muster 91% availability (Scottish Power with 90.78% and United Utilities with a lamentable 81.53%).
Mark Pors, chief technology officer at WatchMouse, expressed surprise at the results, commenting, “With several sites, we found an uptime that was worse than that of many smaller companies. This is worrying as the FTSE companies in particular should give a great deal of priority to their corporate image”
Pors opined that maximum uptime should be judged as part of the overall ‘brand performance,’ adding that, “Some of the sites belonging to FTSE 100 will get a lot of traffic. However, this is no excuse; if we look at large online brokers in the US, for example, all achieve an uptime in excess of 99.9%.”
A complete listing of the 100 monitored sites can be found on the WatchMouse Site Availability Index
19 April, 2006
WifiTastic Turns Wireless Networks Into Public WiFi Hotspots
A clever new scheme from WifiTastic makes it pie-easy for home broadband users to turn their connections into revenue-generating wireless hotspots.
To get hooked up, users must purchase a pre-configured Linksys router from WifiTastic – or downloaded and install a free firmware update, if they’re already using a Linksys box.
Here’s how it works: WifiTastic send you their router, you slap it into your internet connection, and as soon as it’s up and running you’re the proud owner of a commercial Wi-Fi hotspot.
Any neighbours, customers or passing Pringle tin-toting Wi-Fi-nauts finding the network will be sent to an access page where they can sign up for wireless access by the hour, day or month.
The company provides a suggested pricing model, but users can set their own prices, with WifiTastic handling all the fiddly credit card/billing/payment stuff and returning 60% of the proceeds to the hotspot owner.
Although free shared connections tend to appeal to our right on ideals more, there’s no denying that this smart, simple system looks to benefit both owners and those who need Wi-Fi access and are prepared to pay for it. Other companies like the heavily-invested FON are providing similar services.
For owners of cafés, small hotels etc the ease-of-use and zero administration involved might make it a tempting proposition, and people living in high density residential areas may appreciate the ease of the service – so long as the access rates are kept reasonably low, of course.
Prospective users would also have to check that their provider allows them to share their connection too.
WifiTastic
12 April, 2006
Orange Mobile Photography Service Launches
Telecom giants Orange have launched a new photography service that lets snapping mobile users back up and store their digital photos on the move.
A new program will make it easy for users to upload their mobile photos by selecting an ‘upload to album’ option straight after their masterpiece has been captured.
The auto-upload application will be pre-installed on the soon-come Nokia N80, with the program being downloadable from Orange World. Compatible devices include the Nokia N70, 6680, 6630, 6230i phones.
Alternatively, users can select the ‘upload photos’ option and browse pics from the phone’s gallery for sending to their online album.
For users on older and non-compatible phones, pictures can be uploaded by sending them as a picture message using the shortcode, 25286 (which cunningly spells out ‘album’ on the keypad).
For a rather pricy monthly sting of £4, Orange subscribers will be able to slap up an unlimited amount of photos from their phone to the album within the UK, with 30 MMS messages being included in the bundle.
There’s also a £3 a month Photography 15 bundle available for Pay Monthly customers – this includes 15 photo messages but does not contain any inclusive data (for uploading photos and viewing album).
The PhotoBox-powered online photo album has a storage limit of 200MB – enough for about 1000 medium-res photos – and users can also store, add and edit digital images on their PCs or Macs.
Orange Mobile Photography
12 April, 2006
iRiver N12 Necklace MP3 Player
We have to say that if we strutted down the local boozer with an MP3 player strapped on around our neck, we’d most likely be called a lot of things – some of which might just rhyme with ‘Anchor’ – but, hey! – what do we know about yoof product design?!
Someone who does know a bit about design is Korean MP3 specialists iRiver, and judging by the way they’re bigging up their new N12 player on their Website, MP3 necklaces are, like, way down with the kids.
The form factor may not rock our world, but there’s no denying the diminutive players look very attractive in their shiny red or black finish, even if the headphone attachments look well odd – imagine trying to unravel that lot after five pints of Old Arkensall’s Badgerbait.
Dominating the iRiver is a large, 4 Line, 16 tone greyscale OLED screen, which displays EQ settings, track listings and folder views, and also doubles up as a clock/alarm clock.
The spec list looks pretty reasonable too, with the N12 offering 1GB of flash storage, USB 2.0 connectivity and the player supporting MP3 (MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3), WMA, OGG Vorbis (Q1~10), ASF formats.
There’s also an FM radio onboard – pretty crucial, that – with iRiver quoting a MP3 playback battery life of around 13 hours per charge (128kbps, MP3, volume level 20, EQ Normal, LCD Off).
Weighing just 22 grams and measuring 49.8(D) x 27.2(W) x 13.3(H) mm, the N12 is small and light enough to wear all day.There’s no news of a UK release or pricing yet, but over there in Europeland, it’s to retail for around €170.
iRiver N12 MP3 (in Korean, sadly)
11 April, 2006
Disney To Offer Free TV Shows On The Web
Entertainment behemoths Walt Disney are planning on making hit TV shows like “Desperate Housewives” and “Lost” available as free Internet downloads in an initiative to haul in new advertising revenues.
A report in the Wall Street Journal says that the freebie will come with a sting: episodes of the ABC shows will contain commercial breaks that viewers will be forced to watch (until someone comes up with a ‘fast forward past this crap’ hack, of course.)
Episodes of the shows being offered will become available on the Web the morning after they’ve aired on TV.
With the Journal reporting that ten advertisers have already leapt on board – including heavyweights like Ford Motor Co., Procter & Gamble and Unilever – Disney hopes that the delivery of programs over the Web will turn into a right little earner.
With digital video recorders like TiVo letting slogan-weary viewers fast-forward past the endless onslaught of adverts seen in the US, TV broadcasters are desperately trying to find ways to keep the advertising revenues rolling in.
Disney are hoping that their ad-stuffed free service – expected to be announced later today by the president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, Anne Sweeney – will prove a hit with both consumers and advertisers.
Punch ups in Disneyland
In a vaguely connected story elsewhere, we can report that Mickey Mouse’s chums are deeply unchuffed.
Or rather, the ~~poor exploited workers~~ lucky individuals on conveniently short contracts who get to wear the oversized heads and hands of Disney’s lesser characters at Hong Kong’s Disneyland.
It seems that they’re disgruntled with superstars like Mickey and Daffy earning extra wages despite them doing the same job (i.e. wearing a ridiculous costume and waving a lot).
The disgruntled employees have brought the union in, but we’re hoping it ends up in a fully costumed fight.
Disney
10 April, 2006
Carphone Warehouse To Offer Free Broadband?
Carphone Warehouse are going to stir up a hornet’s nest in the telecoms industry if they go ahead with rumoured plans to introduce a free broadband package in the UK.
According to the Sunday Times, the company is expected to offer the public “free” broadband as part of their Talk Talk landline package.
Backed by a huge advertising budget, the promotion is seen as part of Carphone Warehouse’s strategy to elevate their Talk Talk brand into the leading consumer alternative to BT Group.
Carphone Warehouse’s current tally of 75,000 broadband customers puts them miles behind big boys BT Retail and NTL, who boast a mighty 2.3m and 2.8m customers respectively.
Not us, Guv.
At the moment, the company are denying everything about the new free service, although an announcement is expected on Tuesday.
Some industry experts believe that Carphone Warehouse are looking to repeat the soaraway success of fabled freebie ISP Freeserve, who came out of nowhere to overtake BT in the late 90s.
Up until now, Carphone Warehouse have been hampered by having to resell BT’s wholesale broadband product, but a hefty £60m investment will see the company having its own broadband gear in up to 1,000 BT exchanges – potentially reaching 70% of the population.
PR spin-mesisters at Carphone are thought to have christened their broadband campaign “Independence Day”, based on a feeble pun that it will give customers independence from BT.
Some are suggesting that the tag has greater significance, insisting that it reflects the proposed launch date for the new broadband deals – July 4, America’s Independence Day.
Talk Talk
Carphone Warehouse
10 April, 2006
Two Million Brits Use VoIP Services
New research reveals that around two million Brits have used VoIP packages to place calls over the Internet in the last 12 months, with the figure expected to double by this time next year.
Analysts at Continental Research conducted a poll of 3,000 UK adults using VoIP and discovered that Skype was the preferred tool of choice for 48 per cent of users.
In second place was Microsoft’s MSN Messenger boasting a fifth of all calls, with Vonage and BT trailing miles behind at 6 per cent each and Wanadoo barely visible on the horizon at just two per cent.
Punters seem happy with the service, with most saying that they will increase or maintain usage over the next year, with only 1 per cent planning on using VoIP less.
Sound quality was the most common complaint with 29 per cent citing dissatisfaction with what’s reaching their lug’oles.
Mulling on the findings, James Myring, the associate director of Continental Research, told The Independent newspaper that by being early to market, Skype has enjoyed a big “first mover” advantage.
He noted that BT has huge potential to roll out VoIP to customers on a large scale, but warned that, “it will be concerned about losing market share from its fixed line business. For BT, it might be a case of compete or lose.”
Protecting the VoIP future
Elsewhere, the University of North Texas is leading a project to look at ways of protecting VoIP services from voice spam and network attacks like DoS, as well as looking into issues concerning network quality and emergency services access.
The $600,000 (£344,000) investment looks to develop a secure, geographically distributed test bed to seek out VoIP vulnerabilities before the “damage is done.”
Unveiled by the National Science Foundation, the three year security audit will also be used to sniff out potential security holes arising from running VoIP over conventional phone networks.
With VoIP being aggressively marketed, one recent study estimated that some 24 million US households will be hooked up to VoIP services by 2008.
10 April, 2006