What's Going ON? Episode #3

So much has happened since the last episode of What's Going ON! The iPhone 4S has reached our mortal hands, BlackBerry service failed all over the world and we've started talking to our phones. T-Mobile has launched a great new range of no-contract plans and a whole new version of Android was announced. Mobile is making the news at the moment!

Netflix viewing grows, Time Warner subscriber numbers fall

Hot off the press from this morning's newswires, Netflix now accounts for 32.7% of Internet traffic in North America. In other news Time Warner Cable's stock slumped last night after the company announced it's been losing cable subscribers. Netflix angered customers earlier this year by increasing costs for subscribers who use both the DVD and Internet streaming services, while the monthly cost for streaming-only customers went down to $7.99. Netflix streaming is available on the Apple TV, Roku, iPad, iPhone, most Android smartphones, Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii and many Internet-enabled TVs and home theater systems.

T-Mobile's new no annual contract phone plans

The prepaid no-contract phone market used to be all about low quality basic phones but that changed in 2011. Virgin Mobile, Boost and Cricket all offer either BlackBerry or Android smartphones and now T-Mobile has become the first major national carrier to throw its weight behind no-contract plans, starting at $30 a month as long as you can live with a small number of voice minutes. At the same time, T-Mobile has launched its first 4G branded prepaid smartphone in the form of the Samsung Exhibit II 4G. This Android-powered smartphone is a mid-range device but may well have the services you need wrapped up in a low cost mini-computer. The Samsung Exhibit II 4G goes on general release on November 2, but I have one right here for an early review!

Durham Apple Store on iPhone 4S launch day

The line at the Durham Apple Store on iPhone 4S launch day was strong throughout the morning, and my conversations with Apple Store staff and local Durham cellphone stores tells me that demand for the 4S has been exceptionally strong. The best way to secure one is through Apple's online reservation system for collection at the Durham store. If you do make a reservation, it's best to arrive at the Apple Store before your appointment to minimize wait times. In related news Gazelle, the gadget trade-in website, reported that Android trade-ins spiked 72% following the release of the iPhone 4S.

BlackBerry service outage leads to class action lawsuit

Going without email for a few days might sound like a blessing to some people, but others took a different view following the recent BlackBerry service outage. A class action lawsuit has been filed against RIM and the company looks to be heading towards increasingly difficult times. RIM recently delayed operating system updates to its PlayBook tablet and I think the company needs to concentrate on earning back its reputation for its core messaging service as soon as possible.

Talking Siri

There have been some creepy, peculiar and downright unfriendly talking computers in years gone by, but Siri looks set to change that. I have a feeling that we might remember this time as the era when we regular people started interacting with computers in natural language. Here's why.

Happy Birthday...

...to Windows XP, which just turned 10 years old! Many important applications, such as Internet Explorer 9 and Microsoft Security Essentials do not work on Windows XP and are only available on Windows 7 or Windows Vista, so if your computer is still soldiering on with Windows XP, it might be time to start thinking about an upgrade! Black Friday is coming up soon!

Have a great weekend!