Outgoing Chief Justice of the Australian High Court, Justice Murray Gleeson, has questioned the relevancy of privacy laws, given the apparently increasing willingness of people to discuss private matters on mobile phones in public, and divulge what was previous regarded as "personal information" on social networking websites. "I used to think that having a telephone conversation was normally private. But you can't walk down the street without hearing ... Read full entry

Virgin have announced a 5GB of data for $100 a month plan for the iPhone in Australia. That's still very expensive compared to the data plans in the US though. Not quite 5GB of data for $50 a month, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Virgin is selling Apple's 8GB iPhone 3G for $0 upfront on a $70 monthly plan, which includes $520 worth ... Read full entry

The W3C has released a set of Mobile Web Best Practice guidelines, providing a consistent framework for developers of content for mobile devices to work with. In theory, at least. Today, many more people have access to mobile devices than access to a desktop computer. This is likely to be very significant in developing countries, where Web-capable mobile devices may play as similar a role in ... Read full entry

Vishal Sharma's run down of ten Australian Mobile Startups that are poised to take advantage of the market for mobile web applications, on the back of the iPhone's arrival. Mobile is the next platform for consuming services and its the next battle field for technology companies/entrepreneurs. Apple's iPhone has been embraced similar to standing ovation which Barack Obama is receiving wherever he goes. People are now looking for Google's ... Read full entry

How easy is it anymore to have a complete conversation without being interrupted by someone's mobile phone ringing? It's certainly becoming harder. I've also noticed that incoming calls on mobile phones increasingly take precedence over any face-to-face discussion that is in progress. Where people once told callers they'd get back to them, it is more common to hear the words "we'll get back to this conversation later", while they wander off ... Read full entry

iPhone pricing and data plans in Australia will probably disappoint those who have been waiting to use what has very quickly become an iconic piece of technology that is far more than just a mobile phone, or a "piece of technology" for that matter. Many would-be iPhone buyers aren't too worried about the technological "bells and whistles", they simply want one, because like iPods and the MacBook Air, ... Read full entry

Apparently not, but I wouldn't go putting it passed the new iPhone though... In reality it appears to be scientifically impossible. Popcorn kernels need to be heated to around 450°F before the moisture inside them turns to steam, causing them to explode and pop. If mobile phones emitted that much microwave energy, the water in the fingers of people holding them would heat up every time they used them and ... Read full entry

Apparently it's possible. Simon Usborne talks to eight people who live, and work, without a mobile phone. People become obsessed with looking at them and fiddling with them. It's all right if you're a teenager, but there's something pathetic about adults checking their mobiles all the time and texting. People get equally irritated by my failure to use one. If you're supposed to be meeting someone, they will ask for ... Read full entry

The things you hear said during mobile phone conversations in public places. The above line was the opening sentence uttered by a girl on a Coogee bound bus yesterday evening. I might start collecting these things.

The Open Letter Initiative and the Mobile Web Lisa Herrod and the "we want more discussion about best practice and mobile accessibility issues" Open Letter Initiative. What I'd really like to see is a lot more information presented by web community groups and industry nights that focus on accessibility issues for the mobile web. I don't give a toss about what the latest Nokia is, or what cool data ... Read full entry