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Posted In: auction, government, spectrum, 700, mhz, dollars, 4.6, airwaves, control, image, wireless, us, band, billion, to, google by Alex

Google plans to bid in the US Government’s auction of airwaves in January to acquire bandwidth for mobile devices. The Federal Communications Commission auction of spectrum in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band is part of the nationally mandated switch to digital television in 2009. The government has set a minimum bid of 4.6 billion US dollars for the 700 MHz band, the so-called “C Block” of the spectrum. Google for months has signaled its interest in the auction, which begins January 24, which will free up spectrum airwaves for more efficient wireless Internet service for consumers. The real winners of this auction are American consumers who likely will see more choices than ever before in how they access the Internet.

Google and public interest groups successfully lobbied the FCC to change the rules of the auction to ensure that the winners must allow their customers to download any software application they want on their mobile device and to use any mobile devices they want on that wireless network. Google would file its application to participate in the FCC auction Monday.

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Posted In: us, submarine, propeller, secret, ohio, earth, Microsoft, mve, virtual, Design by Alex

So, let me get this right: I can fire up my Microsoft Virtual Earth and navigate my way to see classified military secrets? I guess so, as Ogle Earth shows us. A Nautical fan named Dan did just that, finding a satellite image of an Ohio-class US submarine with a new, secret propeller design. When the submarines are out of the water, the props are supposed to be covered up. Oops.

So far the Navy’s been mum on the issue. Were Steve Jobs an admiral.

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Posted In: and, shine, eu, markets, set, to, phone, us, hit, lg by Alex

LG Electronics plans to unveil its Shine phone to consumers in Europe and the United States at the world’s largest International Consumer Electronics Show to be held in Las Vegas on Jan. 8. LG will set up a booth made entirely of stainless steel to promote the new handset, which is made of the same material. Shine phone is the successor of LG’s popular Chocolate phone. The company began to sell the CDMA version in South Korea last month. The Shine phone got its name from its stainless steel casing. It features a mirror-like front screen, a 2-megapixel camera, Bluetooth wireless connectivity and an MP3 player. It also has a scroll wheel on the front, which is designed to make navigating easier. The GSM version will be first released Europe in the first quarter of the year, and then in Asia and in the United States later.

LG will also unveil at the expo_ the Prada phone which LG has jointly explored and developed the new phone with the Italian luxury fashion brand. The initial launch of the Prada phone is planned for early 2007, with distribution starting in Europe, followed by countries in Asia, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. The Korean version of the phone is scheduled to hit markets in the second quarter of 2007.

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