T-Mobile 'Landline' rolls out nationwide

The US' fourth-largest cellular carrier will be rolling out its T-Mobile @Home service on July 2, the final version of the Talk Forever Home Phone plan that has been in tests since February.

The roots of this plan go back almost one year exactly, when the company deployed its Hostpot @Home Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) plan. Utilizing handsets with 802.11 connectivity, a T-Mobile branded Linksys router and an additional bill on the user's account, T-Mobile subscribers could receive calls over IP while at home. It can be thought of it as a less-sophisticated femtocell.

By Tim Conneally -

Is it time for technology to 'reboot' society?

Technology doesn't exist in a vacuum. The quickening pace of innovation can make big changes to human activities that extend to socializing, learning, earning a living, and catching law-breakers, said industry leaders at a Tuesday conference.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - In the United Kingdom, law enforcement officials are now looking at installing "cameras that can detect blood" to ferret out drivers who are trying to cheat on car pooling laws, according to Jonathan Zittrain of Harvard's Berkman Center for Society.

By Jacqueline Emigh -

Nokia's new N-series phone comes to US

On Tuesday, Nokia made its new N78 handset available in North America both in flagship stores and online.

The device made its debut along with Nokia's N96 at 3GSM in Barcelona this year, and was expected to be launched simultaneously in Europe and North America compatible with their respective networks. Reports of the device going on sale in Finland in mid May showed the European market getting just a little head start.

By Tim Conneally -

Apple set to profit from 3G iPhone due to cheaper parts, memory

Despite its new capabilities, the new 8 GB 3G iPhone will cost Apple $100 less than its predecessor a year ago, indicating the company is set to drastically increase its profit margin on the device thanks to its new arrangement with AT&T.

In a preliminary teardown by hardware analysis firm iSuppli of the 8 GB iPhone 3G -- Apple's less expensive model, at $199 retail through AT&T when it launches July 11 -- iSuppli estimated Apple's bill of materials (BOM) per unit totaled $173.00.

By Nate Mook -

Sony Pictures and DivX strike a distribution deal

Video technology provider DivX and Sony Pictures Television International are working together so consumers will be able to download the content provider's movies in DivX format, to be played on Sony products and other certified devices.

The agreement announced today will enable Sony to sell DivX-encoded content on an international level, although Sony did not say which titles it will roll out first.

By Michael.Hatamoto -

Google's Cerf advocates regulatory approach to opening broadband access

The official position of Google remains that the Internet's infrastructure should be open and accessible, stated Google's Vint Cerf in a statement to BetaNews this afternoon.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - Following a gathering of industry luminaries and regulators that included FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, Google's Chief Technology Evangelist Vint Cerf spoke with BetaNews on his views about how broadband Internet service may be made more accessible, and more equitably available.

By Jacqueline Emigh -

Google restricts Gmail access in Germany

A 2007 court ruling has resulted in some changes to the way the search company provides its services in Germany, and Google's users were unceremoniously treated to some of those changes beginning late last week.

Google was barred from using the name "Gmail" in Germany as a result of a July 2007 court ruling. That decision found that German businessman Daniel Giersch owned the trademark within that country.

By Ed Oswald -

XP's death sentence won't be commuted this time

In a letter to its OEM customers that install the operating system on PCs they sell, Microsoft has confirmed that it would no longer sell Windows XP as a packaged product, nor sell it to OEMs past its June 30 deadline.

Over 100,000 people had attempted to save Windows XP through an online petition. Nonetheless, Microsoft has remained steadfast in its intention to retire the aging operating system.

By Ed Oswald -

Panasonic may produce a full-size OLED TV display

Matsushita -- which owns the Panasonic name brand -- indicated to a Japanese business daily newspaper that it plans to beat competitors to the punch, by mass producing a 37-inch organic light-emitting diode (OLED) television within the next three years.

According to the Japanese Sankei Shimbun, Matsushita is aiming for a 37-inch OLED -- the first OLED TV above 30-inches available to consumers -- with a target price of ~$1,400.

By Michael.Hatamoto -

Google launches beta of media buying tool for advertisers

After a rocky start yesterday, when an announcement of its announcement was un-announced and a conference Web page was taken down, Google has launched an invitation-only beta of an online advertising campaign assistance tool for buyers.

What Google is calling Ad Planner is an extension of the demographic and targeting service the company unveiled just last week in its new Google Trends, but devised for an ad buyer who is looking for the right mix of sites to display his message, along with the available inventory to deliver that message. The basic premise is, if a buyer is interested in targeting a campaign toward a set demographic, Ad Planner can deliver a mix of sites with the impressions and audience makeup that would best suit that demographic.

By Scott M. Fulton, III -

Adelstein, Cerf advocate broadband access as a fundamental right

A group of Internet industry regulators and luminaries, including Google's Vint Cerf and FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, launched a new initiative today to make broadband Internet access a "basic right" for all Americans.

NEW YORK CITY (BetaNews) - Google Chief Technology Evangelist Vint Cerf, FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, and other technology and academic luminaries were on hand today to help launch InternetforEveryone.org, a new initiative spearheaded by the Free Press advocacy group to make broadband more accessible.

By Jacqueline Emigh -

Virgin Mobile is a newcomer to unlimited calling plans

A bit late to the party but arriving nonetheless, Virgin Unlimited today introduced its unlimited calling plan for its customers.

The new "Totally Unlimited" calling plan will be available for $79.99 per month with no roaming and will be available on July 1. For an additional $10 per month, customers will receive unlimited text messaging, picture messaging, e-mail, and instant messaging.

By Michael.Hatamoto -

Supreme Court to hear AT&T appeal in DSL price fix case

Considered to be the most controversial of several cases of this kind, California ISP linkLine's antitrust case against the former SBC Communications will be heard by the US Supreme Court.

According to linkLine's original complaint first filed against Pacific Bell (which was later acquired by "Baby Bell" SBC, which itself later merged into the new AT&T), the telecommunications company and DSL service provider engaged in anticompetitive practices which violated section two of the Sherman Act (1890).

By Tim Conneally -

T-Mobile to discount its early termination fees

While it is not the prorating system that competitors such as AT&T and Verizon use, the nation's fourth largest carrier will discount its early termination fee if it is within 180 days of the contract end date.

Early termination fees (ETF) more than 180 days since the T-Mobile customer's contract expiration will remain at $200. However, those with 91 to 180 days left will see the fee halved to $100. The fee is halved yet again to $50 for those with 31 to 90 days to go.

By Ed Oswald -

The read/write cycle continues: 6x Blu-ray BD-Rs in July

Panasonic has announced the upcoming availability of 6x BD-R media, claiming a data transfer rate of 216 megabits per second.

Developments in Blu-ray thus far have occurred on a fairly regular basis; on an average of every eight to ten months, the market receives a new generation of blue laser products. This month, just around 8 months after Blu-ray got widely bumped up to 4x, we have begun to see 6x devices and media.

By Tim Conneally -
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