When the Apple iPad appeared on Apple's Australian website yesterday, it was quickly noted that the iBooks application was missing. And now the iPad is on the Apple UK site, also without iBooks. Even the UK promotional video is 45 seconds shorter than the US version because the entire iBooks section is missing, while the company's USA site now points out that "iBooks is available only in the U.S."

Two research companies have just released figures that say mobile phone shipments are increasing significantly. According to IDC, the worldwide mobile phone market grew 11.3% in the fourth quarter of 2009. It says 325.3 million mobiles were shipped in Q4 2009 compared to 292.4 million units in the fourth quarter of 2008. That's a total of 1.13 billion units worldwide in 2009, down 5.2% from the 1.19 billion units shipped in 2008.

Strategy Analytics says the worldwide market grew 10% year-on-year in Q4 to reach 324 million units; the first quarter of positive growth it had noted since Q3 2008.

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) – the new EU telecoms regulator – has met in Brussels for the first time today. It's formed from the telecoms regulators of the 27 EU countries and is designed to help strengthen the single telecoms market and provide consistent regulation across Europe.

BEREC is made up of the heads of the 27 national telecoms regulators and is assisted by an office that provides professional and administrative support. It replaces the 'European Regulators Group', a grouping of national regulators that wasn't integrated into the EU's regulatory process.