IBM and Vodafone have announced a collaboration that combines mobile communications and cloud computing to enable the remote management of ‘smart home’ appliances.

The two companies have demonstrated the technology at the IFA consumer electronics event, showing how a washing machine and other domestic systems can be controlled via a smartphone.

A mobile health system from Telefónica is being given a tough real-world test by four diabetic people who are climbing to the base camp of Mount Everest.

Each member of the expedition, which is being led by climber and astronaut Josu Feijoo, will carry a glucometer and a tablet device with an m-health application. Internet connectivity for the tablet will be provided via WiFi from a satellite terminal.

HTC, which took a stake in cloud-based game streaming service OnLive last year, has been hit by OnLive’s recent restructuring.

It means that HTC - which started working with Sony’s PlayStation Mobile gaming platform earlier this year - is looking at a $40 million loss.

Amazon.com has updated its cloud-based music player - which is currently only for US-based customers - by giving it the ability to ‘scan and match’ music from other sources. It means the service will have similar abilities to the streaming music players offered by Apple iTunes and Google Music.

In order to offer the music matching service the company has signed  agreements with Sony Music Entertainment, EMI Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and more than 150 independent distributors, aggregators and music publishers.

Samsung has announced a new music service at the same time as its new Android-powered Galaxy SIII flagship smartphone has gone on sale.

The Music Hub, which is available in the UK and other European markets, offers a combination of music streaming and cloud-based online music storage. It’s currently exclusive to the Samsung Galaxy SIII, although other devices will be added in the near future.