AT&T to double mobile data speed

AT&T will double its wireless data network speeds as part of an upgrade that it aims to kick off later this year and complete in 2011, reports Reuters.

The second biggest US mobile service said its plan, which includes the expansion of its existing wireless data network from 350 metropolitan areas to 370 this year, would be covered by its previously announced capital spending budget of $17 billion to $18 billion for 2009.

The increase to its mobile Web surfing speeds involves an upgrade to High Speed Packet Access, a technology that AT&T already uses. The upgrade is expected to increase AT&T's theoretical network speed to 7.2Mbps, from current levels of 3Mbps, the company said.

TiVo has posted a loss of $4.1 million, or 4c per share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, says CNET News.

It's a letdown for TiVo, which a year ago recorded a $3.6 million profit. The California-based maker of digital video recorders had been anticipating a $6 million to $8 million loss for the quarter ended 30 April.

The company's technology and service revenue was $48.5 million, down just more than 12% from last year's $54.4 million. But TiVo did see an uptick in revenue from the sale of DVR hardware, up from $6 million a year ago to $6.4 million during the most recent quarter.

Hewlett-Packard has expanded its mini-laptop line, with a model for consumers and another for business travellers, each costing less than $350, reports Network Computing.

The consumer-centric Mini 110 is available with Windows XP or Linux, and is available in pink chic and black or white swirl. The business-focused Mini 1101 is only available in black swirl, but gives buyers the choice of Windows XP Home, XP Pro, or Vista.

The predecessor to the latest machines is the Mini 1000, which HP sells in three models ranging from $280 to $430. The Mini 1000 is available with either a nine-inch or 10-inch display.

The new leaders of News Corp's MySpace aim to innovate to rejuvenate the social networking site, which has suffered from stalled user growth, reports AP.

While Owen Van Natta did not detail specifics, he indicated the ability to make changes to the site was a reason he took the job of MySpace chief executive last month. "When I look at MySpace, there's just so much opportunity to build," he said.

Though praised for its substantial entertainment content, MySpace has been criticised for falling behind rival Facebook when it comes to technology. Its worldwide user base has also stagnated at about 130 million, compared with Facebook's 200 million.