Ginger, ginger, ginger and Orange, Orange, Orange

If you somehow managed to miss the story, click here http://www.silicon.com/a41960 . And if you want to check out the only sensible explanation of what Ginger might be, see a patent registered by the man at the centre of the whole shebang, Dean Kamen, at http://www.delphion.com/cgi-bin/viewpat.cmd/WO00075001A1 . (We love the diagram).

Yes, it could well be a sort of high-speed strimmer on wheels. If nothing else, the Ginger phenomenon has proven once and for all how potent a communications medium the net has now become. A week and a half ago this was a story on a niche website. Now it's been covered in almost every national newspaper and on many TV news programmes around the world. Let's hope Matt Drudge is no longer seen as the only journalist to break news online (as an Observer article published late last year claimed. Shame on them).

But the very way this particular morsel of news has wended its way through cyberspace and out into the real world might show that someone, somewhere, cleverly planned all this.

As our friends at Bloor Research wrote last Monday in their regular column for us: "If there were valid commercial and political reasons for keeping Ginger quiet, then we still wouldn't know about it. This kind of rumour only ever comes out as a part of the marketing initiative and is designed to get us all wound up in anticipation of the event. Guess what? It worked." (see http://www.silicon.com/a41989 for the whole article).

Even the man himself has issued a statement playing the whole thing down. Kamen - the president of DEKA Research and Development Corporation - said: "Since speculation arising from an unfortunate, unapproved leak of a book proposal has not diminished, I feel compelled to comment further. DEKA is currently working on several exciting projects. The book proposal referred to one. However, the leaked proposal quoted several prominent technology leaders out of context, without their doubts, risks and maybes included. This, together with spirited speculation about the unknown, has lead to expectations that are beyond whimsical. We have a promising project, but nothing of the earth shattering nature that people are conjuring up." (See http://www.dekaresearch.com/pressrelease.html )

Kamen would much rather people talked up his work at First - a non-profit organization whose mission is "to generate an interest in science and engineering among today's youth" (see http://www.usfirst.org ).

So there you are then. Mind you, what if that statement is a hoax to give credibility to the original story - which itself could be a hoax? Ever feel like you're trapped in a house of mirrors? I think I may be losing the plot (an appropriate metaphor, since this all seems like a cunning attempt to sell copies of an as-yet unwritten book).

Thinking of buying shares in Orange (or any other mobile operator for that matter)? Here's food for thought. Forrester Research believes angry shareholders could sue governments, consultants and investment banks if the high cost of 3G licences dents the long-term prospects of the bidders and devalues their stock (see http://www.silicon.com/a42058 ). The report says: "Shareholders in high-licence-cost countries will sue governments for destroying the profitability of the mobile industry by imposing huge licence costs. The French, German, and UK governments will spend years in courts, learn their lesson about industrial policy and shareholder activism and never try auctions again."

Mind you, the DTI was more sanguine. A spokesman told us: "This was a market process. The levels bid reflect bidders' own valuations of the licences and the opportunities that they see for 3G. The bidders were all sophisticated companies, backed by reputable banks and financial advisers, who went into the auction with their eyes open."

In other words, don't blame us, right? And banks and financial advisers never make mistakes, do they? See any story with the headline 'dot-com doom' for more details...

Martha Lane Fox has been caught red-handed. Fear not, she's not had her hand in the till or anything (there'd be no point really, would there?) Nope: instead, she was seen buying a plane ticket from Trailfinders. In person. On the high street. Gosh.

When we first came across that little snippet of useless information, we thought it was too good to be true. Oddly enough, Lastminute.com refused to talk to us (more accurately, we were told that Martha was 'unavailable for comment'.) But Trailfinders did confirm it.

At least this proves that Martha doesn't make all her own decisions at the last minute. Which might reassure anyone worried about the company's long-term business plans. (Its share price is currently about 75p, down from 380p at the time of issue. Lastminute has denied an Independent report that Ms Fox generously offered to buy some back shares from her out-of-pocket friends and relatives at that issue price).

Meanwhile, the sands of time have finally run out for Swedish group-buying outfit Letsbuyit.com. Apparently, it finally filed for bankruptcy on Wednesday. The company had been given until March to find the £80m it needed to carry on trading - but it looks like attempts to grasp the last straw have failed.

Shame really. At least Letsbuyit really did take advantage of the net's potential to create a new kind of business.

The Round-Up happened to bump into Letsbuyit's UK MD, Tracey Mawson, at some Christmas do late last year. We had a very pleasant chat too. During the conversation, Tracey let slip one of her new year's resolutions: to be nicer to people. (A very laudable aim. It beats giving up smoking any day).

But that now seems rather poignant. I guess having to let all your staff go before January's out might test her resolve. But I'm sure she did her best to do it all very nicely...

The Round-Up will be back next Friday.