Nuance Communications has signed an agreement to acquire virtual assistant service Vlingo.

The current Vlingo Virtual Assistant mobile app can understand the user’s intent and will take the appropriate action when given a spoken command.

A new report from ABI Research says the trend towards ‘freemium’ pricing on mobile apps will continue next year. The term refers to a product that’s offered free with a chargeable option for customers who want additional features or enhanced functionality.

Apple enabled in-app purchasing for free apps just over two years ago.

Ofcom has just published its latest quarterly complaints data, which details the major UK telecoms providers that caused the most complaints between July and September 2011.

These are generally cases where a consumer has contacted Ofcom because they haven’t been able to resolve an issue with their network operator or supplier.

Everything Everywhere has started offering a version of its ‘Orange Shots’ service to T-Mobile UK customers.

The new service will be called ‘You Choose’. Customers who choose to participate are asked about their interests and then receive tailored news, information and offers from relevant brands.

Panasonic, Samsung Electronics, SanDisk, Sony and Toshiba have agreed to work together on a new content protection technology for memory cards and storage devices.

It’s currently called the Next Generation Secure Memory Initiative (although this name may change later) and is designed to protect High Definition content with Digital Rights Management when it’s shared between devices such as tablets and smartphones.