Virgin Mobile has introduced what it called “BlinkWashing,” an advertisement system of sorts that — with permission — uses your webcam to track your eyes while watching a YouTube video, causing the advertisement to change every time you blink. The company is showing off the feature on its YouTube page, where anyone with a webcam […]
BT is swiftly becoming a sports broadcasting force in the UK after acquiring ESPN UK and Ireland in February, then launching two of its own channels at the beginning of August. It’s now found a teammate in Virgin Media, and a newly inked, three-year deal will see BT Sport 1, 2, ESPN and their HD counterparts available through Sir Richard’s cable TV service. From today, all those channels go free for subscribers of the TV XL package, or can be added to other tiers for £15 per month. Watching through Virgin’s TV Anywhere app is currently not supported but will be “soon,” letting you gasp, shout and throw obscenities at even more screens.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video, HD
Via: Pocket-lint
Should you live in the UK’s second most populous metropolitan area, Birmingham, it’s nearly time to congregate en masse in the city’s center for an impromptu test of a brand new free WiFi network supported by Virgin Media. In exchange for access to various public fixtures, Virgin Media’s outfitting Birmingham with free WiFi access; the benefit is two-fold, though, as Birmingham residents will ultimately enjoy better mobile infrastructure. The network’s set to go live “by September,” so set your clocks for just a month or so from now for that congregation.
[Image credit: ‘brianac37’]
Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds, Tablets, Internet, Mobile
Source: Birmingham City Council
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news.
A bit of a lull this week ahead of what is shaping up to be an insane May — and perhaps an even crazier June. We have events stacked three-deep at times, with industry ones like Google I/O, BlackBerry World, CTIA and SID Display Week looming along with private ones like Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox unveiling. Next month? WWDC and the Electronic Entertainment Expo, just to name a few. Giddyup.
This week, we got what should be the final dredges of first-quarter earnings, with Facebook reporting $1.46 billion in revenue. That’s a 38 percent increase over this quarter last year and a healthy $312 million in profit. Daily active users are also up, from 526 million to 665 million and, perhaps most importantly, Facebook managed to increase the performance of its mobile ads. That will be the key to its long-term success.
The folks behind Virgin Galactic – cousin of the earth-bound Virgin Airlines – have lit their first rocket motor test on a ship that may one day bring everyday citizens on joy rides to space. The craft being tested this week goes by the name SpaceShipTwo, also known as SS2, it being one of several craft eventually set to offer brief flights to what Virgin Galactic calls “the edge of space” and back.
This initial test was done at a runway at California’s Mojave Air and Spaceport this morning – Monday, that is, the 29th of April. This test was done with carrier mothership WhiteKnightTwo, it carrying SS2 to an altitude of around 47,000 feet (14,300 meters) where the smaller craft test-fired a rocket engine that would, or will, eventually carry it to its space-bound top height.
This test is only the very first in a set of tests that will eventually prove the craft viable for real human use. British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, owner and founder of Virgin Galactic, Virgin Airlines, Virgin Mobile, etc, spoke this morning of the event in brief, suggesting his day thus far has been “ridiculously exciting”. With flight tickets set at the moment at an expected two hundred thousand dollars a person, it’s not difficult to see more than one reason why Branson would find this day a positive one.
According to Virgin Galactic, they plan on running their first official full space flight by the end of the calendar year. This flight may or may not be working with user-purchased tickets at that time.
Virgin Galactic is a concept born not just of Branson’s wishes to head to space, but of the company’s ever-expanding aims to bring consumers entertaining experiences in travel. Such is a flight aboard a Virgin Airlines flight, complete with posh interiors and wireless phone chargers in specialized waiting rooms at the airport. After Virgin Galactic takes off for real, we expect Virgin Volcanic to head below our Earth with a giant drill – it’d only be right.
UPDATE: A video has been released showing this event, specifically the bit where the SpaceShipTwo breaks the speed of sound – watch for it now.
[via Space]
Virgin Galactic lights first rocket test in road to citizen space travel is written by Chris Burns & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.
With clear skies and rising temperatures around the country, the summer travel season is nearly upon us. And unless you’ve got money to burn or a first-born to offer, now’s the time to book your travel plans. Here’s how to get away without breaking the bank. More »
In the wake of T-Mobile’s recently unveiled Simple Choice plans, Virgin Mobile is capitalizing on the shakeup by playing a value card of its own. Now through May 31st, the Sprint-owned MVNO is offering $100 credit to all T-Mobile subscribers willing to port their number to Virgin Mobile. Study the numbers for yourself and the deal seems a no-brainer, as Virgin matches T-Mobile’s unlimited scheme with a monthly bill of only $55, which rings in $5 less than the UnCarrier’s $60 (2.5GB) alternative. Naturally, that’s where Virgin Mobile hopes the conversation ends, but we don’t need to tell you that there’s quite a difference in speed between Virgin’s EV-DO / WiMAX service and the speedier HSPA+ / LTE alternative from T-Mobile. That said, if your inner cheapskate is tingling, you’ll now find an extra $100 incentive to make the switch.
Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile
Via: Electronista
Source: Virgin Mobile
Unless you’re a Virgin Media, EE or Vodafone customer, you’ve either been shelling out for subterranean internet, or bid the London Underground’s WiFi network a solemn farewell when free access ended in January. If you’re with O2, however, your free pass has now been reinstated, as the bubble-loving carrier has become the latest passenger riding on Virgin Media’s tube hotspots — O2 WiFi users will even find themselves automatically registered. Also, the underground network will shortly be meeting its 120-station target, as Virgin will be flipping switches at the final 12 locations throughout this week (the station list is available at the source link). So, should you start seeing more people in more places frantically hammering their smartphones during those 30-second pauses on the platform, you’ll know why.
Filed under: Wireless, Internet, Mobile
Source: Virgin Media
In the latest round of April fools, a number of high-profile companies have worked hard to make us smile at the office. We’ve selected our favorite gags of the day (with a tech twist obviously!) and while Google gets a commendation for being very prolific, others have done great April Fools gags too, here are our favorites, in no particular order:
The title says it all, really, but Virgin has come up with an interesting (or terrifying) concept with this glass-bottom plane. Can you imagine what it would be see through that bottom while you are at 10,000ft in the air? Actually, the landing would probably be the most interesting part of the trip — let us know which one you prefer in the comments. Can read the fake announcement from Richard Brandson. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Best of CES 2013 @ Ubergizmo, Ubergizmo Gadget Guide – Nov 2012, 
April Fools’ Day is tough. Believe us. We know. It’s 24 hours of fake news, bad jokes and Gangnam Style references. But not all of it is the internet equivalent to lining a toilet with plastic wrap. Sometimes, good stuff manages to slip through the proverbial cracks in the web. After the break, check out some of the holiday’s highlights. If you dare.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
