Filed under: Displays

If we were betting souls, we’d say seeing a hologram of Bill Gates is still far more frightening than one of Telstra’s CTO, but nevertheless, said exec was recently beamed from Melbourne to Adelaide via hologram in order to “speak at a major function for senior business executives.” According to David Thodey, the live demonstration symbolized “what has become possible using the high data speed and capacity of [its] network” — something the outfit is calling Next Dimension Working. The actual hologram was transmitted over the company’s network using the Musion Eyeliner System, a “high-definition holographic video projection system that allows three-dimensional moving images to appear within a live stage setting.” Telecommuting just took on a whole new meaning.

[Via News, thanks Brad]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cellphones

This just in: don’t believe anything you hear regarding an official 3G rollout date in China. After quite a bit of rigmarole, the Chinese government has finally announced that it will issue a trio of 3G licenses. Notably, the announcement comes with a bit of baggage — it’s also calling for a merger between China Unicom and Netcom, two of its four biggest telecommunications providers. Furthermore, it stated that it would call on China Telecom, the nation’s largest fixed-line carrier, to “purchase Unicom’s CDMA network.” Unfortunately (though not unexpectedly), there’s no time frame given for implementation, but some analysts are asserting that “a full launch of 3G services is [still] years away.” Baby steps are better than no steps, we reckon.

[Thanks, James]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Cellphones

You know what they say: nothing gets you over the last one like the next one. Apparently, Disney is totally signed on to the aforementioned mantra, as just under seven weeks after Disney Mobile hung its US-based ears in shame, the Japanese unit of Walt Disney Company will reportedly be firing up similar operations in its neck of the woods. Apparently, the outfit has “reached a basic agreement” with Softbank Mobile to lease telecom networks and start providing nationwide service to those interested. Furthermore, it will be buddying up with Softbank to “develop handsets and consign its output to other companies,” and if all goes to plan, Disney hopes to sign up “more than one million subscribers.” Oh, and if that wasn’t enough to make you scrounge up that decade-old Mickey Mouse figurine and give it a long overdue hug, users of the service will also have exclusive access to “animated film downloads.” Regrettably, there’s no word on an actual launch date just yet, but we’ll be keeping a (grossly oversized) set of ears to the ground.

[Via Yahoo / Reuters]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!