Yahoo to delete internet searches after 3 months

Yahoo is to remove most of the data it collects about people's web searches after three months, a move that could put further pressure on competitors Google and Microsoft to do the same due to privacy concerns. Yahoo, which previously kept the data for 13 months, will now retain it for the least amount of time compared to its rivals.

PC Advisor 

Nationwide standard for mobile rail ticketing

The Association of Train Operating Companies has announced that it has adopted a nationwide standard for rail ticketing. All franchises will be able to use the same system, allowing passengers to buy a single ticket for their journey using their mobile even if they use more than one network.

The Times 

Sprint rolls out WiMax card

Sprint has unveiled a new wireless USB modem designed for both 3G and 4G networks. The USB-powered device is the first in the US market to run on both 3G and WiMax wireless networks. Sprint hopes that the device will appeal to notebook users who would like to try the new 4G networks without giving up support for the older 3G wireless broadband systems.

VNUnet

Vodafone partners with Last.fm

Vodafone has teamed up with UK music community site, Last.fm to produce a dedicated application that will track listening habits and build them into an online profile for others to see. The process of collating listening habits is called ‘Scrobbling’, and Last.fm uses the scrobbled data to make music recommendations based on individual tastes.

T3

Motorola cost-cutting continues

Motorola has moved to extend its $800 million cost-cutting programme and will permanently stop matching contributions to its US employee pension plan from March 1st. Employees have also been told that they will not be receiving pay rises in 2009, with co-CEOs Greg Brown and Sanjay Jha taking a voluntary 25 per cent pay cut next year.

Mobile Entertainment

Websites using mobiles and GPS to be success in 2009

Among a list of sites to watch are several that use the phones' ability to find their users' location to offer them information on local POIs. Smart-phones using GPS chips can report locations accurately meaning users can trace their movements through an on-screen map. Sites listed include loopt.com and recyclenow.com.

The Telegraph

EDB and Encap secure internet banking log-in using a mobile

EDB, working in collaboration with Norwegian technology company Encap, is now launching a new solution for secure log-in using a mobile phone. The solution uses the customer’s mobile handset's Java platform, therefore operating regardless of which mobile operator the banking customer uses.

Mobile Europe

Paris Hilton to launch Bongo Virus 

Australian entrepreneur, William Scott, has signed Paris Hilton to launch his latest business venture. TheBongoVirus.com is the first platform converging the mobile phone and the internet to provide social networking and the latest phone applications such as instant messaging and games in one place.

Mobile Business

Hidden costs of music downloads

Consumers are facing data charges of up to £10 to download a song, according to new research on European data pricing. Although some operators charge as little as 75p to download tracks, the small print outlining ‘fair usage’ within the Terms and Conditions means operators could charge much higher costs.

Mobile Business

EU threatens vendors with Smartphone tax

The EU has proposed reclassifying Smartphones as "multi-function devices", which would add 3.7% to the cost of a phone with GPS, and 14% to one receiving TV pictures. Germany has already considered such a tax, so the EU wants to see a level playing field by lifting it everywhere.

The Register