Virgin Mobile Launches New Broadband Package

Virgin Mobile will today become the last of the six largest UK mobile phone operators to join the rush to connect consumers to the internet with the launch of its own mobile broadband package.

The launch of the £15-a-month service follows yesterday's news that more than a dozen mobile and IT companies had got together to push mobile broadband by creating laptop devices that would be able to connect to it "out of the box".

Companies including Dell, Toshiba, Microsoft, Vodafone, T-Mobile and Ericsson combined with the mobile industry trade group GSM Association to create a mobile broadband service mark that can be put on any hardware able to access the mobile web immediately after purchase.

The first notebook computers with mobile broadband inside will be ready to switch on and surf straight out of the box in 91 countries across the world in time for the festive season, backed by a $1bn (£562m) global advertising budget.

The move is a direct attack on the rise of Wimax, a competing technology that has limited use in Europe but is being rolled out in a number of major US cities.

It is a potential competitor to the next generation of mobile phone technology, called LTE.

Wimax has also been backed by Google, which put $500m into a Wimax venture created by the US mobile phone company Sprint and a rival communications company, Clearwire, earlier this year.

The search engine has already made another - albeit less powerful - wireless broadband service called wifi, free in its home town of Mountain View, California.

More than 55 million people currently use mobile broadband services in 91 countries. (full story Link)

Has Microsoft given up on Vista?

There’s growing evidence that Microsoft may have, in essence, given up on Windows Vista, and plans to extend the life of Windows XP so people can continue to buy XP until Windows 7 is ready, or very close to that date.

The newest piece of evidence arrived only a few days ago, when Microsoft extended the availability of XP on PCs for another six months. A Microsoft spokesperson said that Microsoft will allow computer makers to “downgrade” machines they sell from Windows Vista Business or Vista Ultimate to Windows XP Professional until the end of July, 2009. Previously, Microsoft said the date would be January 31, 2009.

Microsoft has set no absolutely firm date for the release of Windows 7, but in a recent publicly released email, Bill Veghte, Microsoft Senior Vice President for the Windows Business wrote:

our plan is to deliver Windows 7 approximately 3 years after the January 2007 general availability launch date of Windows Vista.

That would mean there would be only six months between the end of XP’s life, and the beginning of Windows 7’s life. That’s not a ringing endorsement of Vista. And there have been some rumors floating around the Web that Windows 7 might be available as early as July, 2009 — just at the point when XP’s life ends.

If that’s the case, why would Microsoft be spending so much money on a recent ad campaign to push Windows? Because the campaign doesn’t bother to mention Vista — it’s only about Windows in general. That in itself is evidence that Microsoft isn’t pushing Vista hard. (story Link)

Asus launches Eee S101 MacBook Air killer

Taiwanese manufacturers are not known for inviting the world's press to fancy product launches, but this afternoon in rainy Taipei, Asus

put on a little fashion show to launch the latest Eee PC, the S101. This is a cut above the previous models in being thin and stylish, and Asus reckons it's "a successful melding of fashion and functionality" that puts it at the "pinnacle of netbook computing." And while it comes at a higher price -- $699 -- it's much lighter (1kg) and cheaper than a MacBook Air, it looks nicer, and it has a much more practical specification.

At around 18-25mm, the S101 isn't as thin as a MacBook Air, but it's certainly thin enough. And where the MacBook Air makes pointless sacrifices that reduce its practicality, the S101 does the business. It has three USB ports instead of one, it has a built-in 4-in-1 card reader, it has a real RJ-45 Ethernet socket, plus Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. And you can change the battery yourself, without undoing 19 screws. Asus reckons the S101 will run for about five hours, but when the lithium polymer battery runs out, you simply swap it for a spare.

Since the S101 is a netbook rather than a notebook, the screen is 10.2 inches rather than the MacBook Air's 13.3 inches. However, it does offer similar resolution: you can choose 1024 x 768, 1024 x 600, or 800 x 600.

The first S101 runs Windows XP Home in 1GB of memory and a 16GB SSD (solid state drive), to fit in with Microsoft's netbook guidelines. Asus is chipping in another 16GB on a memory card plus a free 30GB of online storage. However, two Linux versions, which will follow in a few weeks, are expected to offer 32GB or 64GB of SSD.

In use, the S101 feels snappy, though the spec is familiar enough -- Intel Atom processor and Intel 945 Express (GMA 950) graphics with 128MB pinched from main memory. (full story Link)

CREATIVE: X-FI GO- THE USB STICK SOUND CARD

Creative, a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products, announces the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi™ Go! Approved by the World Championship Gaming Series™ and tested by world-renowned gamer Johnathan ‘Fatal1ty' Wendel, the USB-powered Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! uses acclaimed X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity™ audio technology to enable users to experience ultra-realistic gaming with surround sound over headphones.
Sporting a sleek and distinctive black finish, the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! is incredibly lightweight (less than 20g) and compact. Its 1GB of built-in flash memory stores all the software needed for fast and easy installation on any notebook or desktop PC without requiring a CD. It also incorporates Read/Write Protection which prevents important files being accidentally deleted, so users can save their custom gaming profiles, plug-ins, add-ons and any other essential files.
The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! harnesses the power and performance of Creative's award-winning X-Fi audio technology, which enables users to experience ultra-realistic sound effects and 3D surround that totally immerse them in the game. X-Fi technology features X-Fi Crystalizer and X-Fi CMSS-3D. X-Fi Crystalizer intelligently revitalises and restores details lost during the compression of MP3 music or movie soundtracks, enabling users to hear everything in crystal clarity. X-Fi CMSS-3D expands stereo games, MP3s and digital movies into virtual surround over speakers or headphones. The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! also supports Creative EAX® Advanced HD™ 4.0 which provides a more realistic gaming experience. Over 400 game titles currently use Creative EAX technology to improve their sound effects.
The Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! comes bundled with Creative ALchemy software. This restores surround sound under Windows Vista so that users can enjoy the same great gaming experience they had under Windows XP. The latest VoiceFX technology provides additional fun, allowing users to select over 18 different voice effects for their avatars during online games, or to amuse their friends during voice chats. (full story Link)

Sprint launches Xohm 4G WiMAX

Sprint today took the wraps off its Xohm wireless network in Baltimore, Md. Xohm, which uses Samsung WiMAX technology on the 2.5 GHz spectrum, offers faster download speeds than current 3G wireless networks. For instance, while AT&T's fastest HSDPA network claims speeds up to 3.6Mbps, our real-world tests have rarely topped 1Mbps downloads. Sprint's Xohm network hopes to average 2-4Mbps average download speeds, which is a great, though perhaps not revolutionary improvement over the current technology. Xohm network devices will operate somewhat faster while stationary than on-the-go, which means that the network will also be marketed as a home broadband replacement.

The Xohm-enabled hardware
Initial devices available for use on the Xohm network focus primarily on heavy data usage. Wireless cards from Samsung, and modems from companies like ZyXel and ZTE will bring data access to laptop and desktop machines, while the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet will be the only standalone portable device available at launch. Besides Sprint's obvious voice pedigree, the company seems to be taking an ambivalent view of voice over Xohm. Instead, the network will follow an "Open Internet" business model, with few restrictions on the type of Internet App that will work on the service.
Among the first device makers on board are laptop manufacturers like Acer, Asus (check out the Asus F8va here), Lenovo and Toshiba. All of them have announced new or upcoming laptops that will come will include onboard suport for integrated Xohm networking. Of course, we'd really like to see some of those new netbooks, like the Asus EEE PC or the Acer Aspire One, start earning their keep by integrating the fast WiMAX abilities. We think this would make those machines much more compelling.

A new way to buy wireless
It is this aspect of the Xohm network that has us most excited. While faster network speeds were always inevitable as networks evolved, we're excited to see Sprint embrace a new pricing and buying structure in the new network. The Xohm network is available without any contracts. Users simply buy a device and activate their plan through a unified Web site. Pricing will range from $10 for a single day's use, to $25 for a stationary modem or Xohm-enabled device, up to $30 per month for a mobile device. Sprint will also initially offer a $50 deal for two devices. (full story Link)