Bill Ray

Sun recently made what appeared to be a small announcement, that QUALCOMM would be distributing a J2ME implementation for their mobile phone handsets, but it's a small announcement that belies its importance in the mobile phone world. While most phone manufacturers, particularly in Europe, have embraced Java, QUALCOMM has always maintained that their proprietary BREW platform was preferable at least in terms of stability and security. We covered the dilemma facing the mobile phone industry - whether users should be allowed to run unknown applications on their handsets - in some detail last month. In that article I pointed out closed platforms, like BREW, which require license fees to be paid for both development and deployment, allow networks to certify every application... (more)

Over-the-Rainbow Promises of Mobile Entertainment - Security remains an issue

Now that I've got my satellite uplink working, it's time for some luxuries here in Scotland, the first of which will be central heating. Coal is not the fuel of the future, and going out every morning to fill the scuttle isn't something I'll miss. First to arrive is an oil tank - our fuel still had to be stored on-site - and with it, what appears to be an electricity plug with an aerial ... (more)

What Is the 'Wired Advantage'?

It was quite a wireless Christmas in 2003, with wireless speakers; a wireless headset that's (apparently) all done with magnets; a wireless thermometer (so we can tell the temperature outside without leaving the house - very important here in the Highlands); and even a round flying thing that uses infrared for its remote control (yes, you do have to point the remote at it, which is half ... (more)

Wireless Incompatibility

I'm looking at my huge field of corn, millions of ears ready for harvest, every one genetically engineered to be identical. From the root structure to the tips, every stalk's the same, and offers the maximum yield made possible by modern science. But enhancing production is only part of what the breaking of the genetic code can offer me. Should the need arise, I can release specially mod... (more)

Making Money from Messages

Short Message Service (SMS) has been the unpredicted golden goose of mobile telephone networks, with more than a billion messages flying through the airwaves every month over the GSM network alone. Even at a few cents a message it's not difficult to see how SMS might be the solution to the growing debt problem faced by companies that massively overbid for 3G licenses... at least until 3G... (more)