Palm punches out at Pocket PC

Palm splits off its software division and takes a pop at Microsoft's 'bloated' handheld software. Today sees the completion by Palm of the splitting off of its OS division into a separate subsidiary. The new and, as yet, unnamed software unit - amid speculation that it will be spun-off by Palm - will now report its financial performance separately. ...more

Freeserve wont let AOL's tax-status lie

Freeserve starts legal attack on Customs and Excise over its failure to make AOL account for VAT in the UK. The French-owned ISP has long had AOL in its sights for the perceived benefits it enjoys - as a UK ISP - under the British tax system. Essentially, while the formally Dixons-owned Freeserve is having to pay VAT, AOL has claimed a non-EU, American status to avoid similar payments. ...more

Ofcom steps in to loosen roaming charges

Comms regulator Ofcom has introduced a four-year control on the charges levied by mobile phone companies for connecting calls between networks, with savings of as much as 45 per cent for some mobile phone calls. The controls affect 2G and 3G operators in the UK and are expected to result in a reduction of up to half a billion pounds for the network operators - savings which the regulatory body expects to be passed on to their customers. Some were sceptical as to what extent this will be true. ...more

Ofcom publishes proposals for radio spectrum auction

Ofcom has published proposals for the release of radio spectrum, which the telecoms regulator says could be used for a range of new broadband, wireless communications and broadcast services by both businesses and consumers. It intends to auction licences for frequencies at 10GHz, 28GHz and 32GHz on a technology and application-neutral basis in the latter half of 2007. Potential uses of these bands that have been identified include: broadcasting use for video links and wireless cameras, particularly in the 10GHz band, which could be developed in time for use during the London 2012 Olympic Games; high-capacity, high-speed data connections for mobile and fixed broadband networks for the 10, 28 or 32GHz bands; and broadband access networks for the 10 and 28GHz bands. ...more

Apple recalls 28,000 PowerBook batteries due to fire hazard

Apple is recalling 28,000 PowerBook batteries after it was discovered that the batteries could overheat, posing a fire hazard. Apple has so far received four reports of these batteries overheating and no injuries have been reported. Nonetheless it urges users to stop using your battery and to order a replacement battery immediately. ...more