Hasta La Gadget!

Brits who can’t stand waiting for gadget purchases can swing by a Currys or PC World to pick them up immediately, but that also requires the hassle of visiting a big-box store. As of today, impulse buyers won’t have to brave that gauntlet: both Currys and PC World are offering same-day delivery for online orders. UK residents buying small gadgets from either shop before 9:30AM can spend £15 ($23) to have the goods reach their door by 10PM that night. The stores are also offering Sunday afternoon deliveries at similar pricing, and the £5 ($8) next-day option now includes all orders made before midnight. Extra-speedy shipments are initially limited to those in greater London and a handful of other post codes, but the retailers promise wider availability in the near future.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: Currys, PC World

HTC is working its way into the budget handset market after dabbling around mostly with the flagship devices for awhile now. The company announced the budget-minded Desire 500 last month for a set launch in Taiwan, but HTC is moving its way to the European region where they’ve just made the phone official in the […]

While DAB radio is common in the UK, its broadcasting equipment is usually too expensive for community broadcasters. However, Ofcom’s Rashid Mustapha has shown that the technology is now within reach of amateurs. Taking advantage of DAB’s newly patent-free status, Mustapha tested a low-power digital transmitter based on an open source software radio and a Linux PC; he only had to stream that radio to an aerial through long-range WiFi. His solution would cost just £1,400 ($2,153) per year to run, letting many community radio operators make the leap to digital. The study doesn’t represent an automatic green light for low-power DAB — more work is needed, Mustapha says — but it’s clear that small-scale stations won’t be stuck in the analog world forever.

Filed under: Wireless

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Via: The Register

Source: Ofcom (PDF)

PRISM isn’t just for US agencies — last month it was revealed that the UK’s Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) has been using the program to collect emails, photos and video content from an assortment of internet providers. Now, a German newspaper claims to know what companies collaborated with the security agency. According to The Gaurdian, Süddeutsche identified Verizon, Vodafone, Global Crossing, Level 3, BT, Interoute and Viatel as firms that participated in Tempora, a program that gave the GCHQ widespread access to the undersea fiber optic cables. The operation was all quite hush-hush, with documents referring to participating outfits by obscure code names: “Dacron” for Verizon, for instance, and “Little” for Level 3.

Parliament has already dismissed the agency’s snooping as legal, but documents seen by The Guardian suggest that some telecoms may have illegally given the GCHQ access to other companies’ cables without permission. Naturally, the firms involved were quick to dismiss foul play, with representatives from Verizon, Interoute and Vodaphone each assuring The Guardian that it was merely complying with UK law. True enough, probably, but we can’t help but wonder if the operators weren’t coaxed into cooperation with the promise of cool code-names.

Filed under: Internet

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: The Guardian

The British have had access to Google Play Movies for months, but they’ve been denied TV shows — an unusual omission given the country’s rich broadcasting history. All is now right with the world, however, as Google now offers TV episodes through the UK’s Google Play Store. The early catalog focuses on shows from big local networks, such as the BBC and Channel 5, as well as imports from the colonials (read: Americans). Brits keen on streaming Sherlock just have to visit Google Play to start watching.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Internet, HD, Mobile, Google

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Via: Coolsmartphone

Source: Google Play