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X marks the spot

The recent announcement from 3 UK to partner with Google, MSN and Skype caused some noise.

Many pundits are musing over the partnership with Skype and it's disruptive "the whole world can talkk for free" which is targetted directly at 3 and it's usual suspect of associates. You've got to figure that the expansion of municpal networks (Norwich and Milton Keynes stlye) combined with more dual mode handsets appearing on the market that Skype is going to make some real in-roads into the mobile space. 3 are probably thinking that the timing is right to be a partner and not a target if the domain is going to change anyway.

What was of lesser visibility was the time and place shifting that is also planned to be part of the X-series phone kit. The platform also includes Orb and Sling for viewing your TV choices over the 3G wireless network.

Given the Skypers next disruptive project is the Venice project and their idea for TV 2.0 I'm not sure how the TV part of the partnership will evolve.

iTWire

BBC Business News

Dean Bubley

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