Exactly that problem killed off the Audrey internet "appliance" and the Kerbango, an internet "radio", both made by 3Com. When the company's finances hit choppy water earlier this year it scrapped the division that had made the products.The Audrey was a device that could be used in any room in the house, and would offer a simple interface for e-mail and Web browsing "Its $400 price might have been a bit high," said Mr Jones "But with these things it's chicken and egg. If you can make and sell a lot, the price comes down."The Kerbango, which could be "tuned" to radio stations broadcasting over the Net, was popular in America before being axed. "Maybe that was a bit too early you need high-speed connections to really make that work," Mr Jones said.For Mr Gates, such lessons from computing history will have been readily absorbed. It is even possible that he will decide not to go ahead with the Tablet at all.
That, after all, is what happened in 1988, when Microsoft announced that it would produce "Pen Windows" a tablet-style competitor to Mr Kaplan's GO project.And what happened to Pen Windows? Some software was produced in April 1992 but, since then, it has been virtually invisible. And if it is the software being incorporated into the Tablet PC which Microsoft itself says will not be perfect then one has to wonder whether that machine will join the graveyard full of ideas that seemed such a good at the time.. Barclays Bank is stalling over plans to create fully portable bank accounts which would allow customers to switch easily between different providers. Barclays Bank is stalling over plans to create fully portable bank accounts which would allow customers to switch easily between different providers. The new scheme, which would involve giving customers a numerical code similar to their National Insurance number, has been put forward by HSBC to Apacs, the banking trade body. It has already been backed by Lloyds TSB and Royal Bank of Scotland, which controls National Westminster.However, Barclays has opposed the plan at Apacs meetings. Mike Davies, a Barclays director, said: "The more you think about it the more horrendous it seems. Portable accounts would be hugely expensive to implement, the IT changes would be very complicated and they would not really solve any problems."Barclays' tough stance could be another public relations disaster for the bank which last year closed rural branches and backed payments for using cash machines.The other banks concede that the cost would be similar to the hundreds of millions of pounds they spent to make their computer systems millennium-compliant.
They also admit the task would be daunting, as there are around 100 million accounts in the UK.However, it is understood that three of the Big Four banks are still trying to find ways to make portable accounts work, as it would boost their argument to competition regulators that the current account market is competitive.Giving customers portable accounts may well inject competition into the current account market because it would make it easier for new entrants such as the non-clearing banks and other internet banks to compete in the market, which is 70 per cent dominated by the Big Four.The introduction of portable accounts for business as well as retail customers would be particularly timely as there is currently a Competition Commission investigation into whether the big banks have a monopoly in small business banking.. British Telecom has gone on the offensive in Asia by securing a $550m (£380m) option to buy 5 per cent of each of Japan's three mobile phone companies. British Telecom has gone on the offensive in Asia by securing a $550m (£380m) option to buy 5 per cent of each of Japan's three mobile phone companies. The move boosts BT's foothold in Asia's second largest phone market and marks a reversal of the beleaguered telecom giant's recent strategy of wholesale disposals as its seeks to cut debts. BT has until 29 September to exercise the options.The deal concerns stakes in three regional subsidiaries of J-Phone, which is 54 per cent owned by Japan Telecom, 26 per cent by Vodafone and 20 per cent by BT. BT also has a 20 per cent stake in Japan Telecom while Vodafone has 25 per cent.Before yesterday's deal BT had no direct stake in the mobile companies which operate in three regions in Japan, east, central and west Vodafone controls 8-10 per cent of each.
The deal therefore paves the way for a battle between BT and Vodafone for control of the Japanese mobile network.The three mobile companies provide services to 10 million subscribers in a market worth $70bn.A BT spokesman played down the significance of the deal, saying: "It is a rebalancing of our interests in the J-Phone operating companies and brings us into line with the others in terms of direct stakes."BT has said Japan remains an important market, even though it is selling other overseas assets to reduce borrowings. If BT exercises the options, the investment would come as Vodafone spends $3.45bn to become the biggest shareholder in Japan Telecom."This deal gives BT six months to decide whether or not it stays in Japan," said Kirk Boodry, a telecommunications analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein in Japan.Analysts have said British Telecom may still try to sell its stake in Japan Telecom to Vodafone as part of efforts to cut its £30bn debt by a third this year. The stake is worth about 29bn yen (£1.6bn) at today's market price.However, elsewhere in Asia, BT said it had decided not to subscribe to a $55m rights issue by LG Telecom Its 24 per cent stake will therefore fall. LG Telecom is planning to issue $227m of shares in order to finance the development of advanced internet mobile services.Separately, reports in Spanish newspapers yesterday suggested that BT wants to delay a plan to float Airtel, the Spanish mobile company in which it has a 18 per cent stake. The reports said BT wants to wait for an improvement in market conditions.BT said no firm date had ever been set for a listing of Airtel.
