• Pages

  • Special Places to Stay
  • - South Africa
  • - France
  • Special Places to Eat
  • - South Africa
  • - France

• Property Rentals

  • France
  • South Africa
  • - Knysna

• Recent Articles

  • Simply (Snowy) Provence
  • A Week in Provence Winter ‘12 [5]
  • Madame’s Magic Moments
  • The ‘Paris’ has gone up a Notch
  • Madame’s Magic Moments
  • Madame’s Magic Moments
  • La Neige! Snow in the Luberon
  • Footsteps - Essential Luberon Valley Guide
  • Madame’s Magic Moments
  • Madame’s Magic Moments

• Archives

  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008

• Search

The world on Communications has suddenly got a whole lot more interesting.

Google is taking on Skype and Apple wants to do the TV industry what it has done to telephony and music. Dominate it.

Google has unveiled a feature that will enable its Gmail users to call landlines and mobile phones from their e-mail inbox. The new feature broadens Google’s growing array of communication products and creates a potent rival to Skype, which is preparing for an initial public offering.

Google faces an entrenched adversary. Last year, Skype became the leading carrier of international voice calls. In the year to June 30, Skype’s registered users rose from 397m to 560m. Gmail has just over 200m users.

In a GMail promotion designed to attract new users, Skype calls to the US and Canada will be free for at least the rest of the year. Calls to other countries will be as low as 2 cents per minute, and will not include a connection fee. The service will become available to US Gmail users in the coming days.

On the same side of the States, Apple has announced that it’s taking on the TV industry.

Breathing new life into its struggling Apple TV product, Apple says it will offer mainstream television show rentals.

The new 99 cent pricetag per TV show and deals for rentals from Disney’s ABC, News Corp’s Fox could come as soon as Wednesday at a just-scheduled a press event on its entertainment gadgets.

Wow! Can’t wait!! Who said that the customer wasn’t King!

Comments

• Blog Roll

  • 2 Oceans Vibe - what the kids are reading!
  • Crikey - what they don’t publish in Oz
  • Dan Retief - The one rugby journalist you can rely on to talk sense - Dan knows the game!
  • Getaway Guru - Great travel site with many hints and tips
  • Noseweek - news you’re not supposed to know
  • Popyacollar - A leading edge look at fashions and trends
  • Provence Villa Rental - the ultimate property rental in France
  • Thought Leadership Strategy - Craig Badings - Craig is one of Australia’s leading PR practitioners. His views on Thought Leadership and Strategy are always worth reading
  • Wrestling Possums - The doyen of PR, Chris Savage, gives this site his unique brand of incisiveness. A must read if you’re interested in communications.

• Other Links