Google's hotly anticipated push into operating systems for mobile phones was a media sensation, but HTC's version of its Android-powered device is falling short of the hype. Critics say the "Google phone," which went on sale Oct. 22, is a little clunky with design flaws like no earphone jack and an oddly jutting chin. Close, but no iPhone killer.
Zune video MP3 player - Price: $230
Microsoft's latest answer to the iPod, with 120 gigabytes of storage and a 3.2-inch high-resolution color screen, is a vast improvement over the original Zune, which debuted in 2006. But the new Zune faces the same problem as the iPod: Smartphones and other Web-enabled devices chock full of features (think iPhone) threaten to render these one-trick players obsolete.
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What started as a revolutionary search engine has expanded into the web 2.0 scene, gracing the Internet with its slick design, streaming video services, social networking portals, and an abundance of online facilities.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that the Internet is serious business for advertisers, and Google has taken advantage of its significant online presence with its largely successful Adsense advertising. The omnipotent nature of Google in the online arena gives it a financial and influential advantage over its competition – while competitors (notably Microsoft) scamper to take a foothold in this online phenomenon, attempting to snatch some of the revenue pie and make up what little ground they can on Google.
It’s this online dominance that Google can use to step into the world of operating systems. And it will likely revolve around cloud technology.
Firstly let us explain the concept of ‘cloud computing’. In the futu... More »
Intel will ride out any US recession and make a success of Wimax wireless broadband, the firm's chief executive Paul Otellini has told BBC News.
He said: "People turn to computers to improve productivity during downturn, because at the end of the day the computer is a tool for productivity."
Intel is the world's largest chip maker for desktops and laptops.
Answering BBC News users' questions, he said Intel's developing world laptop was better than the OLPC scheme.
Mr Otellini was confident that Intel would not be too badly affected by any recession in the American economy: "Much of our sales growth has have been in emerging markets - India, China and Eastern Europe - and I don't see them going into recession."
But he conceded that the credit crunch was having an impact: "We had a business we spun out into a new company and the launch was held up for five months because of the credit crunch.
Africa needs to embrace wireless broadband as a potential solution to the digital divide, the chairman of Intel Craig Barrett has said.
"It's cheaper, easier and more efficient to communicate wirelessly," he told the BBC News website.
Less than 1% of Africans have access to broadband and only 4% use the net.
The International Telecommunications Union has predicted that the Intel-backed Wimax system could become the dominant mobile standard in Africa.
The continent's geography and political barriers have made it difficult to roll out wired broadband.
There is a shortage of fibre cable links between African countries and very few states have extensive copper wire networks for ADSL broadband.
Mr Barrett, who is in Africa as part of the Intel World Ahead programme, said: "In every African country, except some of the more established economies, cell phones vastly outnumber fixed line phones.
We bring together the most relevant Electronics Weekly content on a range of wireless technologies:
Wireless generally refers to an electronic process which is carried out without the use of a wired connection. Wireless communication is the transmission of information without the need of electrical conductors of any kind. The distances that wireless networks have been known to operate in can range from a few metres to thousands of kilometres.
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