Feature

Apple covers the bases

Networks & Network Services

According to US Patent applications, Apple is seeking to trademark the name Mobile Me for devices and services that would provide “digital music from local or global communications networks”.American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu commented “We believe this is further indication of (Apple’s) strategic direction to extend its iPod + iTunes and Mac franchises into new business areas including smart phones, value-added mobile content services, and the broader consumer electronics space”. Fujitsu notebooks get 3G Fujitsu Siemens Computers has announced a line of notebooks with integrated 3G as well as wireless LAN to enable seamless mobile connectivity without the need for an external data card. The first examples will be launched in Q1 2006.It’s cold out there A Russian bloke called Mikhail Pletykhov, 45, went outside for just 20 minutes to chat to his family on his mobile. Unfortunately it was -31C, cold enough to give him severe frostbite in his right hand and giving doctors no choice but to amputate four of his fingers. Russia is suffering through its coldest winter since 1978-79.Orange has 300,000 users for 3G Orange says it has signed up 300,000 3G users and reckons it’s on target to reach 1.5m by the end of this year. It seems 22% of all new users in the final quarter of 2005 took a 3G package. Call the world And they can now roam in a total of 18 countries thanks to a raft of new agreements with overseas operators. Orange claims it now has the widest international 3G coverage. Book him Danno Magistrates’ courts across England and Wales could soon send SMS texts to fine evaders demanding they pay up. The automated reminders initiative has been piloted successfully in Staffordshire and may form part of the National Enforcement Service (NES) which will be tested in April to come into effect a year later.