Month: July 2011
Can Apple really patent the idea of recognising a phone number? HTC patent battle spells trouble for Android
Have Apple successfully patented the idea of recognising a phone number? Android phone-makers are looking legally vulnerable after Apple won a patent battle against HTC. Apple successfully argued to a US trade panel judge that HTC phones broke several patents they had filed back in the 90s. In particular, one which protected the idea of…
Why using your own computer for work makes you more productive
Letting employees use their own computers and tech stuff for work makes them more productive, according to a recent survey by YouGov. 30% more productive, if you want to know. It's a bit counter-intuitive - surely having more control over the computers gives you more control over the employees? But it seems not. The YouGov…
How Britons are relaxing on holiday: Going on Facebook
We say we go on holiday to get away from it all, but it turns out that most of us can't stop ourselves logging right back into it as soon as we get there. 30% of us relax on holiday by checking Facebook or Twitter says a survey by Cox and Kings, a tailored holiday…
Study by Facebook reveals the best ways to get feedback on your Facebook links
A recent study from Facebook into the personal pages of journalists has shown how to get the most click-throughs and interaction on the links you post. And yes, it's about putting in more time and personalising them more. Facebook analysed the public pages of journalists on Facebook - open pages, not profiles - places where…
Ball Clock – replaces the hands with a ball – looks good
We're always fond of slightly useless clocks here, so naturally we love this one, which replaces the conventional old two hands on a clockface with a small red ball. There isa hand on the clock, but it's behind the face - nice hey. It has a magnet in it, which holds the magnetised ball in…
iBrator: Romantic app lets you "touch" other people through your iPhone
You'll remember of course, the poke function on Facebook. Everyone always talked about it, but nobody really used it because it was kind of rubbish and the only actual effect of poking was to show up a little graphic of a finger in one corner of your screen. Boring. Well, meet the iBrator. It's one…
Gamification: The rewards have got to be worth something
Interesting words from gaming expert Kam of Playgen about the recent craze for gamification that is sweeping start-ups and the tech-press. Kam warned at a recent Silicon Roundabout meeting in London that gamification can be done in a gimmicky way that adds little to the whole experience and can actually take away from it. You…
Segway Vs Dog: Segway inventor taken down by a dog-walker
It's rough-terrain ready and has an eco-friendly fuel system but one thing the whizzy futuristic gadget couldn't do was make way for a dog without sending its rider plummeting backwards over a cliff. Sounds like a dog-walker was the inadvertent cause of the Segway accident that took the life of their British owner: Jimi Heselden.…
Poll: Sock-Puppeting – is it wrong? have you done it?
Have you ever commented on a blog post under a different name to agree with yourself? - making it look like a whole bunch of people agree with you when actually, it's just you, with 5 different names, talking to yourself? Sock-puppeting has shot up the news agenda today because Independent journalist Johann Hari has…
When Facebook breaks your heart: Woman sues man she met on Mafia Wars
A Michigan woman is suing a man she met on the Facebook game Mafia Wars for breaking her heart - and getting her to book a cross-continental flight. Cheryl Gray is suing Wylie Iwan of Washington state for $8,368.88 after they conducted a Facebook romance that ended with him posting bitter messages about her on…
