T-Mobile, which launched the first smartphone to use Google's Android mobile operating system last year, is to expected to announce the G1's UK successor later this week.
Another smartphone to get our heads around, but it adds to the competition and the more the merrier, I say.
Official news of the G1 Touch in the UK will follow T-Mobile's announcement of the G1's successor in the US today, known as myTouch.
The myTouch handset is exclusive to the US, but similar in design to the HTC Magic handset distributed in Europe by Vodafone.
This makes myTouch slimmer than the G1 and slightly smaller than Apple's iPhone.
Although said to be different to the HTC Magic handset, the G1 Touch from its name is also likely to feature a touch-screen display with a virtual keyboard.
It will be interesting to see if G1 Touch has artificial intelligence applications like Sherpa for myTouch.
Sherpa includes a learning engine that automatically customises itself to users' preferences to rank recommended retailers, restaurants and attractions.
G1 Touch is also likely to share myTouch's high level of integration with Google services.
The myTouch, for example, offers one-touch access to Google Search by voice, Google Maps with Street View, YouTube and Picasa.
It also synchronises with Google contacts and calendars, and combines instant messaging support for Google Talk, AOL, Yahoo! Messenger and Windows Live Messenger.
Users of myTouch will be able to access to personal and corporate e-mail, including support for Microsoft Exchange, Gmail and most other POP3 and IMAP e-mail services.
T-Mobile plans to make myTouch available to existing US customers for around $200 with a two-year service contract from 8 July and to new customers from August.
June 2009 Archives
The spam campaign aimed at getting Jacqui Smith to consider the practical implications of the proposed £12bn Interception Modernisation Programme (i.e. information overload on a scale guarantted to bring down the most assidusous server) needs updating, now that Alan Johnson has replaced her as Home Secretary.
The plan was to copy Jacqui on every e-mail you send on 15 June, the day before the final Digital Britain report comes out. But Alan will do nicely too, we suspect.
Though we can't help wondering if the propsect of going through all those e-mails didn't help make Jacqui's decision to abandon ship.
The plan was to copy Jacqui on every e-mail you send on 15 June, the day before the final Digital Britain report comes out. But Alan will do nicely too, we suspect.
Though we can't help wondering if the propsect of going through all those e-mails didn't help make Jacqui's decision to abandon ship.
Why shouldn't every citizen in the world have the right to take a job that's on offer?
If national boundaries and government regulations were abolished the IT industry would be better off. More people will use IT and innovation will increase.
Suppliers could provide welfare for their workers and take responsibility for certain social services.
Laissez faire gone mad I hear you say.
Well Indian IT suppliers are already supporting local communities with things like ambulance services in Satyam's case and teaching rural villagers about health in Tata Consultancy Services' case.
IT is a major source of philanthropists I mean looking at Bill Gates and all the work he does for chaaaaaaaaaaaaaridy.
And workers from all over the world support our IT sector already and it can only be seen as a positive thing. I mean unlike certain colonial powers they are not exactly helping themselves to the UK's riches but actually providing services that are in demand.
And I am not even a capitalist.
Yahoo chief Carol Bartz has had a lot more to say on a potential internet search partnership with Microsoft, which reveals all we really need to know.
"Yahoo doesn't have to do anything with Microsoft about anything," is one of the best and most illuminating quotes in a Reuters report posted today.
This tells us that Bartz is fiercely independent and will avoid a partnership with a big company like Microsoft if she can.
But at the same time, there is no knowing where things will go in the current economic climate, so she is keeping all partnership avenues open.
That is the way it will most probably to stay until Yahoo and Microsoft have positively inked a deal, but that now seems unlikely.
Bartz has said in many ways now that there is no real advantage to Yahoo, which still has a search market share lead of around 11% over Microsoft, according to Comscore.
Last week she said it would take the right technology and "a boatload of money" and now she says a deal with Microsoft would save "not much more" than $700m.
All in all, Bartz seems happy with the way things are going at Yahoo and that means we probably won't see any deal with Microsoft any time soon.
Legal precedent is interesting because it invariably encourages people to push the boundaries, and that is just what Microsoft is doing with its new search engine, Bing.
At first look Microsoft's re-branded search service seems somewhat lacklustre, but Bing is testing new legal limits in its presentation of video clips according to the Financial Times.
At the heart of the controversy is Bing's inclusion of video clips in the search results page that play when users hover over them with a cursor.
So what's so controversial about that?
Well, it means that users of Bing will be able to see short previews of clips without visiting the hosting site and therefore without viewing all the associated advertising.
Also, web filtering software will be unable to block search results that may include video clips from X-rated sites, but Microsoft says explicit images are excluded by default.
Bing therefore aims to capitalise on the precedent set by rival Google as it begins what Microsoft hopes will be a successful assault to win heart, minds and market share.
A US federal appeals court found Google did not infringe on Perfect 10, an adult magazine site, by displaying thumbnail versions of those photos in its search results, the FT said.
The Google thumbnails were found to be "fair use" of Perfect 10's content and therefore did not infringe on copyright.
Bing goes just a little bit further with video and it will be interesting to see if content providers and ultimately the courts agree that the 'fair use' defence still holds.
The real test will be if content providers notice a significant drop in visitors to their sites and they are able to link that with the advent of Bing.
Microsoft dropped into the Computer Weekly offices to demonstrate the next version of Windows 7.The new operating system, which is due out by January next year, looks neater and less cluttered than its predecessor. Microsoft has tightened up the code - Windows 7 has a footprint that is 3 gigabytes smaller than
Lower power consumption and better battery life
The driving force behind the new operating system is lower power consumption. The system is designed to switch off power to un-used ports and manage screen power consumption more effectively - a boon to mobile users and companies with large numbers of desktops. Microsoft claims that tests typically show a 10% to 15% improvement in battery life over previous versions of Windows.
Simplified desktop
The Windows 7 desktop looks neat and uncluttered with application icons arranged at the bottom of the screen rather like an Apple Mac. Users can chose which icons appear on the screen.
A useful addition, known as "windows peek," helps users find the right document among multiple applications. Glide your mouse over the application icon, and thumbnail pictures of open documents appear on the screen. The same feature allows you to make changes to application settings without launching into the programme.
Microsoft has improved the way documents are displayed. It is easier to display two documents side by side. Users can 'pin' important documents to an application, so it always appears in the files menu.
Microsoft Touch
The biggest change in Windows 7 is the introduction of touch-screen control for users with suitable hardware. Microsoft demonstrated an interactive map, that could be moved around the screen, or enlarged or reduced by gliding fingers over the screen. It will take a while for manufacturers to develop applications to use the touch screen to its full potential - but it has plenty of promise.
Better document search
Microsoft has improved the speed of its file searching programme, allowing users to locate documents on their machine using key-word searches. Businesses can create virtual libraries of documents allowing users to search over corporate networks for relevant documents.
Wireless networking
Small businesses could benefit from "home group." The feature enables users to link up to 9 PCs together on a wireless network to share printers, photos, or exchange documents.
Managing business applications
Windows 7 allows businesses to create a corporate "white list" of permitted applications. Although users can download applications that are not held on the list they will have to ask for permission to run them.
USB encryption
Businesses can protect themselves from the risk of employees losing confidential information contained on USB sticks. Microsoft has extended its "bitlocker" software, allowing businesses to chose to only accept data from encrypted memory sticks. Microsoft plans an add-on for XP and
Branch-caching
This feature allows businesses to save bandwidth by ensuring staff only download the same application once. After the first download, other users will be able to take a copy, rather than having to down-load the software again. Microsoft believes the feature will be particularly useful for local education authorities, which distribute software to schools in the same area, for example.
Easier remote access
Microsoft has made it easier for users to log onto their work systems remotely. The direct access facility allows users to rapidly log-in and access their work-based files as though they were in the office. Similarly businesses will be able to manage laptops when people are out of the office.
XP Mode
A free add-on for Windows 7 Professional, allows users to run Windows XP applications on Windows 7. Users can cut and paste between XP and Widows 7 applications.
Conclusion
At first sight, Windows 7 is a promising operating system. If anything, it is what Windows Vista should have been: compact, neat, and simple to use. The introduction of touch screen technology is likely to spark a new generation of business and home applications that will be easier and more intuitive to use. For businesses, Windows 7 offers better application management, easier access for staff working from home, and easier networking. As always, the proof will come when Windows 7 is launched and users find out how it works in practice.
But
today you can add technology know-how and control to the list. Sanctions on
technology are very powerful and although probably not as threatening as a
nuclear warhead or the sanctioning of fuel, they are a political tool today
The
According
to Associated Press Microsoft said: "This is not a new change, but has
only recently received attention," he said. "Microsoft is one of
several major Internet companies that have taken steps aimed at meeting their
obligations to not do business with markets on the
Should IT be used as a political weapon?
I must point out
before I detail what I was told that Tesco have described it as nonsense. But
even I actually saw the rationale behind it, so I thought I would get it out of
my system. And it does have an IT angle.
The idea is, as my
contact has been told, Tesco buys village pubs and turns them into Tesco Metros.
'Won't this will worsen the public's view of Tesco', I hear you ask. Well the
clever part is they will open a post office in these branches. We all know how
desperate for post offices most villagers are.
Villages often have
too many pubs and not enough services such as post offices or supermarkets.
Tesco could also open
one of its planned banks in the pub.
Imagine it all your
shopping, postal services and banking at your doorstep. Nice bit of IT
integration work for local techies.
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