World`s most expensive mobile number

The world`s most expensive phone number was auctioned for charity yesterday in Qatar. The number, 666 6666, sold for 10 million Qatari riyals, or lb1.5 million, reports The Register.

The previous record holder was Chinese number 8888 8888, which sold for lb270 000.

The auction, organised by national telco Qtel, started at a million riyals and interest quickly narrowed from eight bidders to two.

Nike and Apple have joined forces to create the Nike+iPod Sport kit, which involves an electronic sensor inserted under the inner sole of a new Nike running shoe dubbed the Moire. The sensor talks to a small wireless receiver that attaches to Apple`s iPod Nano music player, reports Business Week.

The components work together to give voice prompts, interjected while music is playing, that tell runners how far they have gone and at what pace. The iPod will also keep track of the duration, distance and other information on each run.

The data can then be uploaded to a Mac or PC, and from there to a Nike Web site called Nikeplus, where users can track progress, set goals and share results. The product is expected to be available in the next two months and is the first in a series of similar products.

Samsung Electronics will introduce two portable computers next month that use flash memory in place of a hard-disc drive for data storage, the company said today.

Flash memory has long been eyed as a potential replacement for hard-disc drives because it works faster, is lighter and more shock-resistant, but it is still more expensive, CIO reports.

Despite the costs, flash memory chip prices are coming down to a range that some specialist users might be willing to pay for the benefits, says CIO.