BSkyB to create 1,000 jobs with shift to HD television

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB is preparing to expand its investment in high-definition (HD) television, creating 1,000 new jobs in customer services and installation just six months after axing 250 positions. The company plan to sell the new technology to 2.5 to 3m subscribers.

The Telegraph

Microsoft denies shift in focus from PC gaming

Despite two recent studio closures and the departure of key executive Chris Early, Microsoft has denied that it is moving focus and resources away from PC gaming, claiming that it will continue to invest in Windows as a first–class gaming platform.

Tech Radar

Vodafone moves into UAE

Vodafone has announced a partnership with United Arab Emirates operator, du, which expands Vodafone’s brand into the Middle East as well as giving the UAE operator access to Vodafone’s products, services and exclusive devices. The ‘partner market agreement’ will provide du customers with improved voice and data roaming access across 67 countries, while Vodafone customers will be able to access 'home' services from the UAE.

Telecoms.com

Texas Instruments cuts 3,400 jobs

US chip manufacturer Texas Instruments has announced 3,400 job cuts amid decreasing mobile handset shipments worldwide and a fourth quarter drop in profits of 86%. The 3,400 job cuts represent a 12% reduction in workforce, achieved via 1800 layoffs and 1600 voluntary redundancies.

Telecoms.com

Vodafone's bid for Wayfinder gets green light

Vodafone has confirmed that its 239million Swedish kronor cash offer for all the shares in location-based services specialist Wayfinder Systems has been accepted by the company’s shareholders. Vodafone has also acquired more than 3million Wayfinder shares through the market and in private transactions, representing approximately 16.39 per cent of the total number of shares and votes in the company.

Mobile Entertainment

Yahoo!'s not to be "pulled apart and left for the chickens"

Yahoo!’s brand new CEO, Carol Bratz, argued the company was stronger as a whole than as the sum of its parts. Bratz, speaking after Yahoo! reported mixed fourth-quarter results, went on to share thinking on its search business and qualified it with the comment that Yahoo! would have to invest in it regardless of whether the company wanted to keep it or sell it.

Silicon.com

Symantec hops into hosted workspace battle

Symantec announced on Monday its GoEverywhere service, which places a user's entire workspace in a single web-based environment. The service is currently being trialed in the US as a free beta program. The GoEverywhere beta is incorporating next-generation cloud computing and web 2.0 concepts in innovative ways to enhance customers’ choice of how and when they want to access information.

VNUnet

UK mobile operator's future hangs in the balance

Sharifah Amirah, principle analyst at Frost and Sullivan, claimed in a webcast on Tuesday that there maybe one to many mobile providers in the UK market and that the onset of the recession might prove too severe for one UK mobile operator. Amirah went on to add that the recession will force operators in 2009 to offer a greater level of personalisation to their customers.

Total Telecom

Social networks grab 10 percent of UK Internet traffic

Hitwise, the web analyst company, revealed that 1 in every 10 UK internet visits during the Christmas Week was to a Social network, with Facebook the outright winner of the Social networks receiving 4.65% of all UK traffic. Youtube overtook Windows Live Mail for the first time during the Christmas Period and accounted for 2.13% of UK traffic.

PC Advisor

Offline Gmail rolled out by Google

Users of Google’s webmail service Gmail, will now be able to access their emails when not connected to the internet. Offline Gmail uses Google’s Gears to download a cache of mail which is synchronised. Offline Gmail is to be available to all US and UK English users in the next couple of days.

TechRadar