Mark Bridge writes:

Today I've been using my mobile phone at home. For many people that’s not an unusual thing to do – but it is for me because, around here, coverage indoors isn’t particularly good. Downstairs it’s previously been non-existent. But this morning everything changed.

LG Electronics has announced its highest-ever fourth quarter earnings – just three months after it announced its highest-ever third quarter earnings.

Global sales for Q4 2009 (including LG’s overseas subsidiaries) rose 6.8% to 14.3 trillion Korean Won (£7.6 billion) year-on-year. However, the LG Mobile business reported worldwide sales of KRW 4.2 trillion (£2.2 billion), 7.4% down year-on-year.

Pretty much as expected, Apple has announced a new tablet computing device. It's called the Apple iPad and it'll be available in the USA from late March, with a mobile 3G version arriving in April. International versions will be available from June, which is when we expect to see it officially in the UK.

The overall impression is of a giant iPhone with a 9.7-inch multi-touch 1024 x 768 pixel screen. It has a 1Ghz custom-designed processor, battery life is a maximum 10 hours and there are three memory options: 16GB, 32GB or 64GB flash storage. External dimensions are 243mm x 190mm x 13.4mm; weight will be from 680g depending on the model.

3 UK activated its 10,000th 3G cellsite on Friday night – and has another 3,000 planned for later this year. It says this gives its UK operation 92.75% population coverage. The network is also currently consolidating its 3G network infrastructure with T-Mobile through its Mobile Broadband Network Limited mast-sharing joint venture.