What's Microsoft doing at 3GSM?

PRINCE ANDREW, the Duke of York, caused a little mirth when he visited the 3GSM show here in Barcelona as the UK's special envoy for International Trade and Investment.

The palace spinners obviously hadn't briefed him too well because he was heard to remark, "What's Microsoft doing here, this isn't an IT show is it?"

Nice to know that six editions of Windows Mobile have apparently escaped his notice. Not quite sure why he was on the LG stand admiring the new Prada handset either.

The best after-show party, however, was given by ENEA and Kontron. The pair supplied the UK hacks with tapas and Spanish beer all night.

None of the contingent, however, managed to discover what their hosts actually did. Even the Brit hack who was spotted deep in conversation with the hosts' PR lady.

The INQ can now reveal that ENEA writes telecoms software and Kontron supplies the hardware so that mobile operators can install 'converged' networks. Now you know.

And finally, apparently, French mobile tag specialist, Abaxia, has decided to sue Neomedia Technologies.

It reckons some of the technology behind Neo's qode bar codes infringe its patents. That could get messy. µ

L'INQ
Qode