Latest Podcast



Featured Articles

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Last week at The Fonecast: 12th March 2012

Mark Bridge writes:

It’s all gone a bit quiet. Is it the calm after the Mobile World Congress storm... or is it the knowledge that an Apple announcement will push anything else out of the headlines, even before the product itself has been revealed?

Either way, the last seven days have had significantly fewer news stories than the beginning of the month. But that’s not to say they’ve been completely news-free.

Let’s start with Apple. The company announced a new iPad, called the ‘new iPad’. It’s not slimmer, it’s not lighter... in fact, the tablet’s appearance is more like an iPad 2S than an iPad 3. However, there is a ‘retina’ screen and 4G connectivity, which is certain to give Apple’s sales figures a not-really-needed boost.

Google’s big news was the disappearance of the Android Market. No, it’s not thrown in the towel following the download of 25 billion apps from iTunes, instead it’s transforming its own application store into Google Play. It means you can now ‘Play Music’, ‘Play Movies’ ‘Play Shop’ and ‘Play Books’ on your Android phone. Those last two don’t quite sound right to me.

Also disappearing – but without transformation – is the old application store for Windows Mobile 6 devices and Nokia’s Ovi Share service. You could argue that both are due to Microsoft successes: the success of Windows Phone sales and the success of Microsoft’s own cloud storage services.

On the subject of success, money was making the mobile world go round last week... and it was making the headlines, too. Visa Europe took a 15% stake in the UK-based Mobile Money Network, which is behind the Simply Tap mobile shopping service. It joins the three founders of the shopping service: Monitise, Best Buy Europe and Charles Dunstone.

Sticking with the UK, Telefónica’s technology investment scheme – Wayra – opened for business here and started looking for entrepreneurs to fund. Meanwhile Singapore’s SingTel signed an agreement to acquire US-based mobile advertising business Amobee for over £200 million.

And Three UK launched a range of new price plans with a fixed data allowance that can’t be exceeded.

Finally to France, where a deal between Eurotunnel and French network operators will see 2G and 3G mobile services available inside the Channel Tunnel in time for the London 2012 Olympic Games. People travelling to England from France will be able to use their phones by the end of July, although those travelling from England to France won’t be able to call until the Olympics are over. That means there’ll be plenty of pre-event chatter - and much less talk about the actual results. A situation that sounds strangely familiar, some might say!

Start your week with a reminder of the latest mobile headlines. Simply register at TheFonecast.com by clicking the link at the top right-hand corner of our home page and we’ll send you this weekly news summary by email.

The Fonecast is sponsored by 51Degrees.mobi. More details about advertising and sponsorship opportunities are available on the About us section of our website.

Print
Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Rate this article:
No rating

Leave a comment

This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data.
Add comment

Opinion Articles

Review: BeeWi BBS020 solar-powered hands-free Bluetooth car kit

Mark Bridge writes:

Persuading mobile phone users not to hold their phone when they’re driving should be a simple task. It’s dangerous, it’s against the law and the penalties include a fine plus points on your licence.

But even then, there’s often an excuse about convenience and usability. Some people don’t like wearing headsets, some don’t like wires and some simply forget to charge the batteries.

That’s why a new hands-free Bluetooth loudspeaker from French company BeeWi caught my eye.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

The simple case of the disguised iPhone 4

Mark Bridge writes:

I remember the launch of Carweek back in the 1990s. It was a motoring magazine produced as a weekly glossy newspaper; a novel format, although one that probably led to its demise. 'Spy shots' of prototype cars seemed then – as now – to be much sought-after, despite them often not showing much resemblance to the finished product. Indeed, I often wondered how you could possibly road-test the handling of a new car when it was covered with unflattering body parts that served to disguise its shape.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Maria Sharapova and the 'geek porn' of unboxing

Mark Bridge writes:

'Unboxing' is - or was - the new geek porn. We know this because The Register told us so in 2006, when the practice of video recording the unpacking of new consumer electronics products started to become popular. Just over two years later The Independent tried to tell us that unboxing was still the new geek porn but, by then, conventional porn had probably returned to... er... pole position.

Why do I mention this?  Well, Sony Ericsson has just published its own unboxing video featuring tennis player, model, charity worker and Sony Ericsson brand ambassador Maria Sharapova.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Scaremongering news stories? There's an app for that

Mark Bridge writes:

Here’s a news headline that caught my eye.

Shotgun certificate up for renewal?  There's an app for that

Or, if you prefer…

Police to allow gun users renew licences with iPhone app

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Mobile payments: solutions get dumber while cards get smarter?

Mark Bridge writes:

Last week I spotted a couple of mobile-related news stories that involved payment company MasterCard. One came from CPI Card Group, which had introduced a “next-generation, MasterCard-approved payment tag” (a.k.a. 'sticker') that enabled “any mobile device to be used to make payments anywhere using the worldwide contactless MasterCard PayPass standard” (by sticking it on the back).

Author: The Fonecast
1 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
First9495969799101102103Last

Recent Podcasts

Reviewing our 2015 mobile industry predictions... and looking forward to 2016

Podcast - 15th January 2016

Iain Graham, James Rosewell and Mark Bridge return to review their mobile industry predictions from last year. Which mergers, partnerships and developments did they forecast correctly... and which didn’t work out as planned?

Later in the programme, the team anticipates some of the topics that will be hitting the headlines during 2016.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Podcast from Mobile World Congress 2015

Podcast - 6th March 2015

Mark Bridge learns about the mobile technology trends at Mobile World Congress 2015 by chatting to James Rosewell of 51Degrees, Dr Kevin Curran from the IEEE and Chris Millington of Doro.

They talk about wearable devices, wireless charging, mobile operating systems and much more... including some of their favourite products from the exhibition.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Looking back at February: from security scares to multiple MVNOs

Podcast - 27th February 2015

We're taking a look back at the biggest mobile industry news stories from February 2015, including allegations that the UK's security service tried to breach SIM card security by hacking into one of the world's biggest SIM producers.

We also talk about the planned BT and EE merger, the creation of two new UK virtual networks, some acquisitions in the mobile payment arena and a new Ubuntu smartphone.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

Interview with Chris Millington of Doro about mobile retailing, wearables and technology for older consumers

Podcast - 24th February 2015

In today's programme Mark Bridge talks to Chris Millington, who's Managing Director for Doro UK and Ireland.

They discuss the state of mobile retailing in the UK, the future of wearable devices and - as you might expect - smartphones for seniors.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating

A month of mobile: O2 counts on 3, Microsoft counts to 10 and Apple counts its profits

Podcast - 30th January 2015

We're back with a month of mobile industry news, including takeover talks and takeover rumours. O2 and Three are said to be discussing a merger... but is there any truth in the suggestions that BlackBerry could be up for grabs?

We also discuss Apple's record-breaking quarterly figures, the highlights of CES and the launch of Microsoft Windows 10, as well as saying farewell to the current version of Google Glass.

Author: The Fonecast
0 Comments
Article rating: No rating
RSS
12345678910Last

Follow thefonecast.com

Twitter @TheFonecast RSS podcast feed
Find us on Facebook Subscribe free via iTunes

Archive Calendar

«September 2024»
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
2627282930311
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30123456

Archive

Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement