Skype and Mobile or Cell Phones

Skype is ptiching to be allowed onto the cell phone networks. Ooooh, this'll be a big fight, although as the law stands, it looks like they could win:

Skype Ltd. is looking to a 1968 ruling by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to open up the country's mobile phone industry for "unlocked" devices and third-party applications -- such as Skype.

The eBay Inc. unit, a pioneer in peer-to-peer VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol), petitioned the FCC this week to affirm that the landmark Carterphone decision applies to the cellular world. That ruling, which involved an early type of wireless handset, said carriers couldn't stop consumers from attaching any device to the wired telecommunications network as long as it couldn't do any damage.

Letting any device connect to cellular networks would gradually open the door to a wide range of new choices for consumers, including handsets that use VOIP for voice calls over operators' 3G (third-generation) data networks. Almost all cell phones in use on mobile networks in the U.S. are sold by the operators and locked so they can't be used on another provider's network. But Skype's proposal also would stop carriers from blocking or forbidding applications on 3G networks -- again, as long as those applications can't damage the network.

One European company already seems to understand this. T-Mobile has a number of tariffs that don't care what you do with hte bandwidth, that's all they charge you for.

Viacomm and You Tube

Viacomm is insisting that You Tube remove from their site any copyrighted material:

Viacom Inc. on Friday demanded that Google Inc.'s online video service YouTube remove more than 100,000 video clips after they failed to reach a distribution agreement.

Viacom said it sent a notice to YouTube on Friday morning asking the popular video-sharing site to remove clips from Viacom-owned properties including MTV Networks and BET.

When You Tube was just a goofy site with no business model and no advertising no one cared. Now that it's owned by Google and there's pots of money to be found the lawyers are coming our of the wood work.

 

Technorati tags: google, you tube, viacom

Apple Licensing Fairplay DRM?

According to The REgister:

Apple may be on the verge of announcing it will licence its FairPlay DRM technology, it has been claimed, with the recently announced Netgear EVA8000 Digital Entertainer HD one of the first non-iPod devices to take advantage of the move.

So claims website Tech.co.uk, without saying how it's come to this conclusion.

I don't know. I thought Apple's basic game was to make sure that everything only worked on their proprietary equipment? Why would the licence it? They don't make any money out of an iTunes downlaod anyway.

 

Technorati tags: Apple, fairplay, iTunes

Water Intoxication

Jesus C. Good God Almighty. There really are some incredibly stupid people out there:

Jennifer Strange, 28, died after drinking more than six and a half litres of bottled water at KDND 107.9 last Friday in a bid to win a Nintendo Wii for her three children.

Sheriff John McGinness said: "It's not as if she was somehow in their custody and they had a role to care for her. Rather, it was an invitation to a contest that was clearly ill-advised. She was exercising her free will."

The District Attorney's office said they had not received the case for review. Spokeswoman Lana Wyant said: "There are times we initiate investigations on our own. I'm not sure this would be one of them." On Tuesday, Radio station bosses in Sacramento fired the 10-strong team responsible for the competition, The Sacramento Bee reports.

The local newspaper has obtained a recording of the now defunct "Morning Rave" show. Excerpts are available here.

Before the contest starts, one of the co-hosts can be heard saying "maybe we should have researched this". Discussing the dangers of water intoxication, another said: "Can't you get water poisoning and, like, die?"

Another staff member responded: "Your body is 98 per cent water. Why can't you take in as much water as you want?"

OK, that contest is stupid enough but:

Later, after dropping out as runner-up with headaches, in a confused conversation with an intern, Strange said: "They keep telling me though that it's the water, that it will tell my head to hurt and then it will make me puke."

She seemed keen to continue, telling staff: "I could probably drink more if you guys could pick me up. Do you want me to? What can I get?"

Even when she was dying she wanted to carry on. An early contender for this year's Darwin Award?

 

Technorati tags: Darwin Award, water intoxication, stupid

Core 2 Duo T7600

Intel's released a new chip, one that can be overclocked if so desired:

 

Intel has quietly begun shipping a clock-unlocked version of its mobile Core 2 Duo T7600 processor, but tracking one down may prove tricky. Not all PC makers are likely to offer the part - and those that do may not let slip the chip can be overclocked.

Dell quietly revealed the existence of the Core 2 Duo T7600G earlier this week when it announced a Blu-ray Disc supporting version of its XPS M1710 gamer-oriented laptop. Among the processor options offered to build-to-order byers was a 2.33GHz T7600G, priced at $275 more than the laptop's standard processor, the T7600, which is also clocked at 2.33GHz. Both CPUs have 4MB of L2 cache and run on a 667MHz frontside bus.

I'll admit that I'm never at the forefront of such technologies. Given that the same stuff will be available for $25 in 8 months time, why pay $275 now?

 

Technorati tags: intel, dell

Nokia 9000il

The Nokia 9000il is a mobile phonefor the US market.

The technical specifications are as follows:

	Telnet
	Cover page options
	PC file transfer and backup via cable or infrared*
	Sync with ACT! database and other applications
	Connect to printer with cable or infrared*
	Upload and download contacts
	Personal calendar
	Address book
	Scheduler with alarm
	Remote calendar appointment booking
	To-do list
	Handsfree speakerphone
	Conference calling*

For full details please go to the Nokia 9000il web page.