New 'Open Source' Operating System for Mobile Devices

Google created Android, Microsoft created Window’s Phone, now the creators of Firefox are venturing into developing an operating system for mobile devices.

The web browser developers will draw upon a lot of the system developed by Google, but will write much of the code afresh.  It will provide an obvious competitor to Android in particular because it will run on the same devices. 

The project is very much in its “infancy” according to the team overseen by Mozilla (the creators of Firefox).  However, they have already created some basic software from building blocks that are similar to those needed to get the OS running.

They are now publicising the project to root out experts in the Mozilla community and elsewhere who could help and encouraged them to get in touch and sign on.  They are big believers in Open Source and want to work in "the way we think open source should be done".

If you use your smartphone in the same way that you use your laptop or PC, ensure that you have sufficient security on it.  A common misconception is that it comes with the phone.  This is not the case.  Take advantage of our free trial to see what your missing.

Hackers Hit Italian Soil

Data hacks so far this year have been rife, and it seems that hackers are not tiring, as attention moves towards Italian shores. 

Hackers have started to release the 8Gbs worth of secret files stolen from an Italian cybercrime unit.  The documents were allegedly taken from the network of the Italian CNAIPIC which oversees the country's critical IT infrastructure.  The attack is thought to be in retaliation for arrests of Italian members of Anonymous.

Among the documents taken, there is information about a number of Government offices from Australia and the US.  Preview images also shared by Anonymous reveal the management structure of CNAIPIC, pictures of staff, and a long list of all the documents that have been taken.  CNAIPIC are yet to comment on the matter.

The importance of rigid data security is becoming a pressing issue for all sorts of business, and rightly so.  If you have any questions regarding your data network, contact the experts for a free evaluation.

If you use your smartphone in the same way that you use your laptop or PC, ensure that you have sufficient security on it.  A common misconception is that it comes with the phone.  This is not the case.  Take advantage of our free trial to see what your missing.

Quote for the Week!

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”

Calvin Coolidge

Ofcom Demand Rural Broadband Pricing Should Be Cut

The digital divide between town and country looks to be shrinking, as Ofcom rule that BT have to cut wholesale pricing.

Currently, BT is the only operator with equipment in many of the smaller telephone exchanges, meaning that other ISP’s have to factor ‘renting costs’ into their pricing plans.  The result is that customers often miss out on cheaper deals available in towns and cities.

In cities, many ISPs, other than BT, are able to offer consumers cheap broadband through a system known as local loop unbundling (LLU), where they place their own equipment in the exchange.  This is deemed ‘less economical’ in many rural areas, resulting in pricing being affected by the renting costs. 

As competition rises, this could be great news then for rural customers; however, the telecoms regulator has not applied the reduced charges ruling to ADSL2+, a next-generation copper-wire technology which offers speeds of up to 24Mbps.  The hope is that BT focus on investing in the new technology. 

The pricing changes should begin from mid August, and under the ruling BT must cut its rates by 12% below inflation per year until March 2014.

In the meantime, Fujitsu is bidding for government money to create a fibre network for rural areas. Both Virgin Media and TalkTalk have said they will offer services on it if the bid is successful.

Find out more about about Business Broadband Speeds and Network Analysis with Adodo here.

Did You Know?

Did you know a mobile phone is stolen every 12 seconds in the UK? 

• Adodo can provide you with a cutting edge antitheft solution that enables you to lock a smartphone and wipe the data remotely via SMS, to ensure highest level of protection and security.
• The software is simple and effective, so that even those with little technical knowledge can activate the software if a device has been stolen.
• The software can notify the owner when a SIM is changed and provide the current location of the device if it's GPS is enabled, thus providing a means to possibly recover the smartphone.

Find out more, call us 0115 9701471

HTC Lose Out in Apple Ruling but Will Appeal

On Friday, the US International Trade Commission ruled that Taiwanese mobile phone company HTC, had infringed two Apple Patents.  Apple had claimed that their smartphone rivals had infringed a total of 10 patents.

The response from HTC has been to state that they will appeal; but if the decision is not overturned it could result in the US banning some HTC imports.  Shares in HTC fell 7% this morning as a result, but the result of the appeal could have much wider implications for the industry.  The findings are only preliminary and are subject to review by the full six-member committee in Washington. A final decision is due on 6 December.

The Taiwanese company is not the only firm wrestling with Apple over the rights to technology, with the US firm also in disputes with South Korea's Samsung and US-based Motorola.

Do you have a smartphone?  Do you browse the internet or check your emails on it?  Have you considered your smartphone security?  Find out more! 

Quote for the week!

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."

Dale Carnegie 

Mobile Tracking Raises Legal Questions

As the phone hacking scandal rumbles on and the circle of deception continues to spiral upwards and outwards, serious questions are being raised about the UK's eavesdropping laws.

Sean Hoare, former News of the World journalist, has alleged that the newspaper paid police to track mobile phones and claimed that it was possible to "ping" a handset's location for £300.

There is certainly no firm evidence to support the accusation, but if it were true it would undermine safeguards within the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.  Under which, a handful of officers have the authority to ask mobile networks to determine the location of a phone, based on information from nearby radio masts.  Each request is supposed to be approved by a senior colleague.  These sorts of checks are written into the law to prevent it from being abused.

The system is regulated and audited by the Interception of Communications Commissioner, Sir Paul Kennedy.  Who in his most recent report discovered, found in 10% of cases where law enforcement bodies sought communications information, there was poor compliance with the rules.

Concerns about Mobile Security?  Find out more.

Did You Know?

A smartphone can be infected by viruses in the same way as a PC?

• Adodo can provide full protection against viruses, trojans, spyware, or other malware.  With our chosen software we can provide continuous protection without interfering with normal use. 
• The software will instantly detect any new malware as soon as it appears on the handset and makes sure it cannot do any damage. 
• The software provides a simple way to manually scan the smartphone and reminds you to scan newly inserted memory cards giving confidence in the safety of the data on your smartphone.

We are proud to offer a state of the art anti virus solution which is fast, effective, thorough and battery friendly.

Find out more, call us 0115 9701471

 

Wales to get £57m for Superfast Broadband

Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, has announced that Wales is to receive £57 million from Central Government to improve Broadband coverage. 

The news comes just a week after an Ofcom report showed Wales to have the worst Broadband provision in the UK. 

Mr. Hunt went on to claim that the boost to Wales’ technology infrastructure would ensure 90% of Welsh homes and businesses will eventually be able to access superfast broadband.

The Countryside Alliance said Mr Hunt's announcement was "not before time" as reliable broadband was "a necessity".

Certainly, in this climate, reliable broadband connections are a necessity. With harsh winters becoming commonplace and increased demand for flexible working becoming inevitable, technology needs to be taken seriously.  If you have any questions regarding broadband provision, talk to an advisor today.

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The Battle of Mobile Technology Designers Rumbles on…

This time Apple claim that smartphone makers HTC have infringed their patents, and have filed a complaint against the US International Trade Commission (ITC) seeking an inquiry into the matter.

Just a few weeks ago, it was Apple and Samsung going head to head over the alleged copying of designs and technology.  Now, Apple are taking on the third-biggest mobile phone maker, by stock market value.  Not for the first time either, as last year the American technology company filed a similar complaint against HTC accusing it of infringing as many as 20 of its patents.

Last year, HTC launched a counter attack, claiming that Apple was guilty of infringing patents held by the Taiwanese company.  They even went as far as trying to get iPhones, iPads, and iPods banned from sale in the US. 

HTC have resolutely denied Apple’s allegations:  "HTC is dismayed that Apple has resorted to competition in the courts rather than the market place," said Grace Lei, HTC's general counsel.

Do you have a smartphone?  Do you browse the internet or check your emails on it?  Have you considered your smartphone security?  Find out more!   

Quote for the Week!

"If you want to achieve things in life, you've just got to do them, and if you're talented and smart, you'll succeed."


Juliana Hatfield

Interactive Broadband Map for the UK

An interactive map that shows the state of broadband around the UK has been launched by telecoms watchdog, Ofcom. 

The map shows that that 68% of homes had a fixed connection with an average speed of 7.5Mbps (megabits per second).  That residents of Luton and Newtonabbey were most likely to have access to superfast broadband (over 24Mbps), but most worryingly, that 14% of connected households remained in the slow lane with speeds of less than 2Mbps.

Ofcom hopes that the data will be useful to local authorities as they bid for money to bring faster services to their areas.

See the map for yourself: Click Here 

Is your network running very slow or often hanging and crashing?  Don't forget, Adodo's experienced and accredited engineers are here to help.  Call us now 0115 970 1471

Cheaper to Roam in the EU

The European Commission has announced that it wants to cut “roaming” costs on mobile phones, and has introduced new rules aimed at reducing pricing in and around Europe. 

There is currently a large price gap between using your phone at home and when you are abroad, with extensive “roaming” charges being enforced when calls are made or received, text messages sent or data downloaded. 

Current EU roaming price caps will expire at the end of June 2012. The authorities fear that without putting more plans in place, prices could pick up to pre-2007 levels.  However, the new, lower price caps would not come into force until July 2014, and would be introduced in stages.

The hope is that by then, mobile phone customers will be able to separate their national and overseas contracts and shop around. Keeping the same phone number, you will potentially be able to switch to a separate operator in another country, and get a cheaper deal for surfing the web.

Did You Know?

Around 80% of European smartphone users have been hit by spam?

• Adodo’s Anti-Spam recommended software gives you complete control over which messages are accepted or blocked by providing an easy to use application that will help minimise the spam received.
• By using the efficient user interface, you can easily select the best mode to suit your lifestyle.
• A simple Blacklist can be used to stop annoying messages from problem senders, or use the Whitelist to ensure only messages from approved senders are received, including contacts in your address book.
• Alternatively, you can use both lists together to help easily manage the problem senders and important contacts by simply adding each senders address to the appropriate list as new messages arrive.

Use the AntiSpam software, together with the AntiTheft and AntiVirus software to provide a powerful defence against threats to smartphones, ensuring protection and peace of mind. 

Find out more, call us 0115 9701471

Quote for the Week!

“People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader's job is to help people have vision of their potential.”

John Porter

Get to Grips with your Business Mobile Spend

A recent case of mobile phone abuse has cost a borough council thousands of pounds in unnecessary charges, highlighting the need for better mobile technology management and security at every level. 

Business Mobile costs may be seemingly smaller than IT costs, but they are not insignificant, and managing mobile technology contracts is becoming increasingly important, especially when it comes to departing staff. 

A confidential investigation was triggered at Blackburn with Darwen borough council following an audit that concluded the council had been open to "significant abuse" of its £182,000 mobile phone contract.  One member of staff was found to have been racking up a £200 monthly bill on a council-issued mobile phone, despite having left three years earlier.  Ridiculously, that is not where the story ends, with a further 327 phones deemed untraceable and more than 60 staff who had left the council, still in possession of their phones.  In 2010 alone, they racked up £3000 worth of charges. 

 

With the right management, organisations could cut their spending on mobile phones by up to a quarter, our suggestions include:

• Identify and recover the costs of non-business calls
• Reduce the number of mobiles given out to staff
• Consolidate all contracts into one
• Ensure that all hardware is returned to the company when a member of staff leaves or retires
• Use online billing to monitor usage

Fundamental to ongoing mobile management, is suitable security on all handsets particularly with the rising use of smartphones in business.  To avoid expensive reactive costs, there is a need for active investment.  For less than £20 you can now arm a smartphone with anti-spam, anti-virus and anti-theft software.

Adodo’s business mobile solutions incorporate first-class technology management, account management, and security protection as standard.  Ask Adodo today to find out what we can help you with.