Mobile operator Telefnica, which runs O2, has selected 16 UK start-ups to join the London hub of its global tech start-up accelerator programme, Wayra.
The start-ups range from a real-time dating service (TrueView) and an educational teaching tool (Night Zookeeper), to a foodie social network (Epicurely) and new software that turns pictures into passwords (PixelPin).
The selection follows three days of intensive pitching by 30 shortlisted start-ups to a panel of nine judges including venture capitalist and founder of Smarta.com, Shaa Wasmund, CEO of Enternships.com and Co-Founder of StartUp Britain, Raj Dey, and corporate finance partner at KPMG, Mark Farlow.
"The selected businesses not only give an insight into the breadth of imagination and innovation in the UK, but also deliver confirmation that the UK has a strong pipeline of talent capable of building the future digital economy that will deliver growth and jobs," said Wasmund.
Later this month, the 16 successful start-ups will embark on a six-month residency in the new Wayra Academy, located in central London. They will receive financing, mentoring, access to technology tools and expertise as well as links into a network of entrepreneurs from Wayra's other accelerator academies.
At the end of the six-month programme, the start-ups will be introduced to a network of venture capitalists for next stage funding. In exchange for initial financing, Telefnica receives the right of first refusal on products, but it does not require the entrepreneurs to give it exclusivity.
"It's been a great opportunity to meet and network with the other teams," said successful Wayra applicant Matthew Munro, co-founder of Pollarize.me, a polling application that allows people to survey their friends across their social networks.
"The energy in the space has been fantastic, and I think it's an awesome sign of what we've got to look forward to when we get inside the Wayra Academy for real."
Back in April, Microsoft teamed up with Telefnica to provide Wayra entrepreneurs with access to licenses for Microsoft software development platforms, subscription to developer content within Microsoft Developer Network, technical support and visibility within Microsoft Partners and Mentors Network.
They will also receive subsidised access to Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform for up to two years - a service worth up to $60,000 (£37,000).
Telefnica recently launched a new Wayra accelerator programme for technology start-ups in Dublin's Docklands.
Porn film maker to send O2 filesharers warning letters - PC Advisor
Ben Dover Productions, which makes porn films, will soon be sending warning letters to O2 customers who have been suspected of illegally sharing its films on the network.
O2 was forced to pass on the customer details of 9,124 IP addresses, which had carried out illegal downloads, to the production company after it won a court order in March.
The High Court has approved the content of the letter that will be sent out, according to the BBC.
Ben Dover has said it will target users who had uploaded films to others, but not people who had just downloaded one film.
"In our first letter we seek to find out more information regarding evidence of an infringement of our copyright," Julian Becker, Ben Dover's commercial director, told the BBC.
"Depending on the response to our letters we will then decide our next action."
If recipients of the letter do not reply within 28 days, they could be found liable for the copyright infringement.
The letter is expected to advise them on what steps to take to negotiate a settlement amount, which the court has ruled should be individually agreed with each defendant.
According to the BBC, the High Court made sure that the wording of the letter was reasonable before approving it, for example, telling the company that it could not specify compensation of £700 and that it could not tell users that their internet connection would be slowed down or terminated if they did not comply.
O2 said in a statement: "We are pleased that the court has taken a robust approach and controlled the tone and content of the letter Golden Eye [the registered name of Ben Dover Productions] proposes to send to our customers.
"We are also pleased that the judge acknowledged the unique position we are in, and agreed that we have approached this issue in a reasonable way."
Motorola and Claro Bring the ATRIX 2 in Peru - Softpedia
However, the price may vary according to what kind of plan the customer agrees to sign up for, 6, 12 or 18 months. Motorola ATRIX 2 is available from Claro´s Customer Service Centers and authorized distributors across the country.
The device is powered by Google's Android 2.3 Gingerbread operating system integrated with MOTOBLUR UI with Live Widgets.
The ATRIX 2 sports a large 4.3-inch qHD capacitive touchscreen display that supports 540 x 960 pixels resolution and features Corning Gorilla Glass coating.There's also an impressive 8-megapixel rear camera with autofocus, LED flash and full HD (1080p) video recording, as well as a secondary VGA front facing camera for video calls.
With a 1GHz dual-core TI OMAP 4430 processor, complemented by a PowerVR SGX540 GPU and 1GB of RAM, Motorola ATRIX 2 offers faster web browsing, smooth multi-tasking and excellent game play.
On the inside, the smartphone packs 8GB of internal memory, which can be further expanded up to 32GB via microSD card. Motorola also confirmed the ATRIX 2 will be shipped with a free 2GB memory card in the sales package.
Also known as Motorola ME865, the ATRIX 2 comes preloaded with Music +, the music playback app that also allows users to get personalized recommendations and information on developments in the music industry and presentations from lots of bands.
“Motorola ATRIX 2 is a smartphone that doubles as an entertainment center. You can have a blast doing multiple things at once: watching movies, web surfing, sharing pictures, you name it,” said Alexander Zawadzki, Motorola Mobility´s country manager for Peru.
Motorola Xoom ICS Update: Verizon Model Getting Android 4.0 On June 4 - mobilenapps.com
- Motorola Xoom(Photo: Motorola | Mobile & Apps)
Motorola Xoom tablet is all set to become the first tablet from Verizon to received Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update. The official Android 4.0 ICS update will start rolling out from June 4.
The report comes directly from Verizon. The carrier tweeted (@VZWnews) on Friday that the ICS update for the 4G LTE variant of Motorola Xoom sold by Verizon will be available from June 4.
"A tasty treat for Motorola Xoom users, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade starting Monday, June 4," posted Verizon on its Twitter blog.
The update will include performance improvements to e-mail, messaging and data, along with bringing upgraded functionality like finger-swipe notification clearance and speech-to-text conversion technology. Verizon confirmed that users will be able to customize launch bar and created folder on homescreen to gain a quick access to frequently used apps.
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Android 4.0 ICS for the Xoom tablet will come with built-in photo editor app allowing users to enhance the captured photos. Technically, users will be allowed to add image effects, remove red eye defects, crop or rotate photos and few more options. Stability issues will also be addressed in the Ice Cream Sandwich update. Reportedly, the update is nearly 107MB in size.
Wi-Fi only variant of Motorola Xoom received the Ice Cream Sandwich long ago. The 4G LTE model was also meant to receive the update at that time. However, due to extended connectivity and software issues, the update got delayed for nearly two months. The tablet will be update with Android v4.0.4 MM76K build. As it took additional two months longer than Wi-Fi model for the official ICS update to reach Verizon Motorola Xoom tablet, it is expected that all the bugs will be thrown out.
Verizon also confirmed ICS upgrade for other devices too, which will be delivered in upcoming few months to various android devices including Motorola DROID Bionic, Motorola DROID Razr, HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Rhyme, HTC Rezound), LG Spectrum, LG Lucid and Samsung Galaxy tablets.
Phone mast bid is rejected again - thurrockgazette.co.uk
Phone mast bid is rejected again
3:10pm Saturday 2nd June 2012 in News
A PHONE company’s bid to erect a mast near houses in Chafford Hundred has been refused.
O2 wanted to install at 12.5m mast and cabinet in Flemming Road.
The application is the fifth made by O2 in the town which has been rejected by the council.
Tory ward councillor Tunde Ojetola said he hopes the company gets the message now.
He said: “This is a victory for the residents and councillors who have successfully campaigned that O2 should not locate masts next to residential properties and schools.
“This is the fifth attempt by O2 to install a mast next to residential properties, and this is their fifth refusal. We hope they get the message this time.”
Thurrock Council is not allowed to object to the development of a phone mast, but it can refuse the design and siting of the mast.
A spokesman said: “In this case the proposed mast would be dominant and incongruous in the street scene.
“In addition, its siting close to houses in Swiftsure Road, and other homes, would constitute a dominant and overbearing feature, to the detriment of the outlook of the occupiers.”
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Google gets China OK for Motorola deal - Yahoo Finance
NEW YORK (AP) -- Authorities in China have approved Google Inc.'s bid to buy phone maker Motorola Mobility, clearing the way for the $12.5 billion deal to close early next week.
But Chinese regulators attached a big condition: That Google's Android operating system for mobile devices remain available to all at no cost for the next five years.
The approval brings the Internet search giant closer to sealing its biggest acquisition ever. Buying Motorola allows Google to expand into manufacturing phones, tablet computers and other consumer devices for the first time. The deal also gives Google access to more than 17,000 Motorola patents.
The Chinese government approved the deal on Saturday, Google spokeswoman Niki Fenwick said. "We look forward to closing the deal," she said.
The deal was announced last August and had received all necessary regulatory approvals except in China, where Google's government relations have been strained since it moved its search engine out of the country two years ago in a dispute over censorship and computer security.
Google's Android software powers more than 250 million mobile devices made by a variety of manufacturers, including Motorola Mobility. The latest versions must be made available free of charge for the next five years, apparently in response to concerns that competition could be hurt if Google gives updated versions to Motorola Mobility and withholds them from others. Google doesn't currently charge for Android.
Google earlier had pledged to make Android available to all its mobile partners. Even if Google were to discriminate, cellphone makers still could rely on mobile software from Microsoft Corp., Research in Motion and Hewlett-Packard Co., among others.
Google prizes Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.'s patents as a crucial weapon in the intellectual arms race with Apple, Microsoft and other rivals maneuvering to gain more control over smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices.
Earlier, the U.S. Justice Department found no evidence that Google's ownership of Motorola Mobility would lessen competition in a mobile device market that is becoming increasingly important as more people connect to the Internet on smartphones and tablet computers instead of desktop and laptop computers.
The union with Motorola Mobility will open new opportunities and pose potentially troublesome challenges for a management team that so far has concentrated on Internet search, ad sales and other software-driven online services.
Motorola Mobility's expertise in mobile devices and set-top boxes for cable TV will allow Google to play an even more influential role in shaping the future of hand-held computing and home entertainment.
The $12.5 billion price paid by Google is more than the combined amount that Google has paid for the 185 other acquisitions that it has completed since going public in 2004.
Google is based in Mountain View, California, while Motorola Mobility has its headquarters in Libertyville, Illinois.
Motorola now confirms more layoffs ahead - Fudzilla
The news that has been rumored about Motorola starting layoffs in 2009 is now finally being confirmed by the company. Although the company is spinning it as a significant workforce reduction that is necessary to remain competitive, the mobile phone division will be the hardest hit in the estimated 4,000 employees to be kicked to the curb.
Motorola has been struggling to find its legs in the mobile phone space with competitors such as RIM and Apple snapping up more of the Smartphone market space where Motorola has struggled to gain a foothold. While some of the Motorola Smartphone offerings have been somewhat successful, the company is lagging behind in Smartphone sales; the area which analysts believe is the market segment with the largest potential for growth.
The mobile phone division has been betting on Android as the next big thing and is expected to continue to push their new Android-powered handsets as their big chance to get back into the game. Initial reports have seen some promising concepts and design elements in the new handsets in the pipeline, but it is still too early to tell if consumers will embrace them.
While the layoffs and restructuring will take place across all divisions, with these additional layoffs Motorola will have let a mind blowing 7,000 employees go since fourth quarter of last year. The head count reductions in the mobile phone division have tallied over 3,000 alone since last year.
It will be difficult for Motorola to regain its market share, but they have been down before and have been able to rebound. Still, we don’t know that we have ever quite seen them this far down; and we have to at least wonder if this is just great an obstacle for the company to get past. Only time will tell, but as with Motorola recoveries of the past, the company will need something new and different to grab the attention of the consumer, and that could just be too much to ask for.
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