22 January 2003

Small drawbacks of Harry Beck underground map A measure of the genius of the Harry Beck-originated London tube map is that one of the very few things it doesn't do better than a geographically accurate tube map (also mirrored here) is inform you that it would be much quicker to walk a trip than take it by tube: Leicester Square to Covent Garden (250 metres away) Mansion House to Bank (change once, 6 stops - as noted by Bill Bryson in Notes From a Small Island (though you could walk to Bank districtline and go in two stops, but his point is still well made)) Chancery Lane to Farringdon (change twice, 4 stops) Even Finchley Road to Hampstead (change twice, 9 stops) could be walked in half an hour, although what neither map will tell you is that it's up a steep hill. Related: V-2's Why the map is not the territory (geography and schematic maps are different; sometimes schematisation goes too far) Also, the Tube's Tubeguru interactive map (IE only we'd recommend) provides more contextual information (geographic, local). [update: more here: What is the centre of the tube network?, ET on the tube map, Real-time SF commuter map shows buses] 1:10:45 PM     comments

Oftel steps in and orders UK mobile phone charge cuts Networks must cut charges to terminate calls that originate on other networks, including landlines. The commentary so far: BT fixed line says it's good for consumers, as expected Voda, T-Mob and Orange says it's bad for (49m mobile) consumers as (eg) handset prices will rise; Voda says Oftel miscalculated costs to the networks, and therefore is seeking a judicial review O2 says it will make 3G even more delayed (but only because mmO2 will choose to slow spending on 3G) 12:36:27 PM     comments

Nokia cuts forecast over slow camphone sales but Carphone Warehouse has done well out of them (maybe Carphone is selling Samsungs and Sharps). Meanwhile, Motorola sales growing, but analysts looking nervously at Nokia. 12:35:26 PM     comments