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Samsung sold more than 20 million Galaxy S II smartphones worldwide

2012-03-03T08:34:00.001-08:00

According to the publication, Samsung has yet to decide when the Galaxy S III is going to be released, but it will definitely not happen in the fourth month of the year (April). Instead, another new (and currently unnamed) Samsung Android smartphone with LTE connectivity should be introduced then.

Several handset makers have already announced quad-core Android Ice Cream Sandwich smartphones, which should become available before the end of June. We have the HTC One X, the LG Optimus 4X HD, the Huawei Ascend D, and the ZTE Era. All these will certainly give the Galaxy S III a run for its money, so Samsung should hurry up with its launch.

A couple of weeks ago, Samsung said that it sold more than 20 million Galaxy S II smartphones worldwide, hence expectations regarding the Galaxy S III are certainly high. But with a rumored 4.8 inch, 1920 x 1080 pixels display (a first for a smartphone), the new Galaxy should have no problems attracting millions of customers, too.

Windows 8 operating system at the gathering in Spain. The "consumer preview"

2012-03-03T08:33:00.001-08:00

Windows 8 appears to work seamlessly across personal computers, tablets and phones. "Fast and fluid," was the oft-repeated description of the software that will determine Microsoft's fate. The changes "are nothing short of bold," boasted Microsoft Windows President Steven Sinofsky. About 100,000 code changes have been made since an earlier version was unveiled at the company's software-developer conference in September. The product, which incorporates touch technology and an easy-to-use interface, is expected to be released to manufacturers in August and made available to the public shortly thereafter. Also, Microsoft's Skype unit unveiled a mobile-video chat app for Windows Phone that uses Microsoft's new cubist user interface, Metro.

Windows 8 and Office 15 should impress even the biggest Microsoft cynics, but will the upgrades be enough to get people to buy phones and tablets running on Windows? That's the question.

Dell's XPS 13, a next-gen ultrabook Review

2012-03-02T07:36:00.000-08:00

Looking to knock Apple's MacBook Air from its pedestal, PC manufacturers have been launching an array of high-end, superslim laptops over the past several months. Called ultrabooks (a term coined by Intel), these new laptops feature low-voltage Intel Core chips and emphasize long battery life and fast boot times.

Dell XPS 13

Dell's entry into the ultrabook sweepstakes, the XPS 13, was announced in early January but just started shipping on February 29. It was worth the wait.

U.S. adults own smartphones than simpler feature phones,

2012-03-02T07:34:00.001-08:00

U.S. adults own smartphones than simpler feature phones, according to new research from the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

Well, to be more specific: In answering questions from Pew, 45% of cell phone owners said that their phone is a smartphone. Also, 49% of cell phone owners said that their phone operates on a smartphone platform common to the U.S. -- which includes BlackBerry.

According to Pew: "Taken together, just over half of cell owners (53%) said yes to one or both of these questions."

Here's how it breaks down, by platform: 20% of U.S. cell phone owners currently have an Android phone. For iPhone, 19%. BlackBerry, 6% (a 10% drop since as recently as May 2011).

Since May (the last time Pew gathered these statistics), the biggest growth in smartphone ownership was among adults aged 18 to 24 (up 18%); the next highest growth was among those aged 45 to 54 (16%). Other demographic segments with high growth in smartphone use include whites (15%); those with some college education (14%); and women, rural dwellers and those aged 25-34 (13% each).

March 7 at which the company is expected to unveil its latest iPad.

2012-03-01T07:10:00.001-08:00

The new tablet will offer a "significant" improvement to buyers, boasting a faster chip, better graphics, LTE, and support for Siri, says a Sterne Agee analyst.

(Credit: Apple)

The iPad 3 will be a substantial upgrade over the current model with a variety of "beefed up specs," says Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu.

Based on information from supply chain sources, Wu says the new iPad will sport a much faster processor, a higher-resolution screen, 4G LTE wireless, and the addition of voice assistant Siri. The analyst believes a robust near-term refresh is due since the the iPad 2 is about to turn a year old.

This week, Apple announced an event for March 7 at which the company is expected to unveil its latest iPad.

Other reports have pointed to some of the same features expected by Wu, including a higher-resolution Retina Display screen, a speedier processor, and support for LTE.

Nokia Wall Street in 2012,

2012-03-01T07:09:00.002-08:00

Despite Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) feeling the love from investors, one company that hasn't been feeling that "Windows 8 Love" is its primary mobile device partner: Nokia (NYSE: NOK).

Yesterday, Microsoft officially unveiled the Consumer's Preview of Windows 8. Though there have been mixed reviews (like it feeling as if two different Windows programs are running instead of one Windows OS with two different functions), many largely enjoy the mobile interface, which will be on upcoming tablet and smartphone devices running Windows Phone.

Nokia recently released its first official forays into Windows Phone (WP) with the Lumia 710 and 800 (and upcoming 900). The devices have been deemed as competitors to Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android devices on overall quality and intuitive interface.

Additionally, Microsoft is trading at annual highs, recently touching $32 per share, otherwise known as levels it hasn't seen since late 2007. Nokia, on the other hand, is trading at levels it would rather forget about.

As the iPad-centric event on March 7 nears, DigiTimes

2012-03-01T07:09:00.001-08:00

As the iPad-centric event on March 7 nears, DigiTimes claims Apple is looking to make a 7.85-inch iPad to compete with Amazon’s Kindle Fire and the increasingly popular line of 7-inch tablets. Another separate report from the site says Apple is looking to introduce a cheaper 8GB version of the iPad 2 next week, which is more likely out of the two stories. Let’s see if we can debunk these rumors.

With its typical secrecy, Apple invited the press next week to an event where it is expected to unveil a new iPad -- presumably dubbed the iPad 3. The only spec you can probably put a bet in for the iPad 3 is a higher-resolution display, double the linear resolution, at 2048 by 1536 pixel. This is supported by a purported leak of the display for the new tablet, which we have seen on video. The rest is guesswork.

Mass Effect 3, the newest release from Electronic Arts (EA). which is due out on March 9.

2012-02-29T08:38:00.001-08:00

Game Group has taken another knock as the embattled video games retailer entered negotiations with some of its suppliers.

and has announced it will not be stocking the newest release from Electronic Arts.

The UK's biggest gaming shop cited a "supply issue" for not being able to fulfil orders of Mass Effect 3, the newest release from Electronic Arts (EA). which is due out on March 9.

The company is also in negotiations with Nintendo over its supplies, and confirmed it would not be stocking Mario Party 9.

"The high street is having a tough time at the moment because people have less money to spend," the company said on its website.

"We're doing as much as we can to give our customers the widest possible range during this time, but as flagged before, we need our partners help in order to do this.

"We want to be in a position where we're selling as much of their products as we possibly can. We need their help to do this and that's what we're working on at the moment."

Game is offering customers who have pre-ordered Mass Effect 3, £5 credit on their store loyalty card, however concerns over its finances could affect what customers can find on its shelves.

EA's chief executive John Riccitiello recently told investors on a conference call: "We are concerned with the financial condition of one of our major European retail partners, which could lead to both increased bad debt and lost sales."

Facebook announced plans to raise $5 billion in an IPO expected to value the company at between $75 billion and $100 billion.

2012-02-29T08:37:00.002-08:00

Facebook revamped the pages businesses can set up on its online social network, providing a new way for brands to promote their goods to Facebook's 845 million users.

The new feature lets businesses, as well as celebrities and bands, create self-contained mini websites within Facebook using the Timeline format Facebook introduced for its users' profile pages earlier this year.

The introduction of Timeline for businesses comes ahead of a big event Facebook is holding in New York City on Wednesday to introduce various new services for marketers.

The world's No. 1 social network is ramping up efforts to attract the attention and budgets of large companies and advertisers ahead of its initial public offering.

Earlier this month, Facebook announced plans to raise $5 billion in an IPO expected to value the company at between $75 billion and $100 billion.

Facebook generated $3.7 billion in revenue last year, with 85 percent of it from advertising.

Businesses can set up pages on Facebook for free, but the idea is that companies whose pages experience a lot of customer interest might be interested in advertising on the service as well.

Windows operating system in 1985, most of the sequels have been variations on the same theme

2012-02-29T08:37:00.001-08:00

Microsoft is scrambling to preserve what's left of its kingdom.

Since the company released its Windows operating system in 1985, most of the sequels have been variations on the same theme. Not that it mattered much. Regardless of the software's quality, Microsoft managed to remain at the center of the personal computing universe.

The stakes are much different as Microsoft Corp. puts the finishing touches on Windows 8 - perhaps the most important piece of software the Redmond, Wash., company has designed since co-founder Bill Gates won the contract to build the first operating system for IBM Corp.'s personal computer in the early 1980s.

A test, or "beta," version of the revamped operating system will be unveiled Wednesday in Barcelona, nudging Windows 8 a step closer to its anticipated mass market release in September or October. The company will offer the most extensive look at Windows 8's progress since it released an early version of the system to developers five months ago.

Microsoft designed Windows 8 to help it perform a difficult balancing act. The company hopes to keep milking revenue from a PC market that appears to be past its prime, while trying to gain a stronger foothold in the more fertile field of mobile devices. It's a booming market that, so far, has been defined and dominated by Apple Inc.'s trend-setting iPhone and iPad and Google Inc.'s ubiquitous Android software.

Xperia P and Xperia U, which join the CES-announced Xperia S in the Xperia NXT series.

2012-02-27T06:12:00.003-08:00

MWC Two new Android phones – and one re-announced one – are not the real story from Sony, however hard it tries to make it so. When Sony and Ericsson hooked up there was a pause as the two companies tried to make the strange marriage work. But while the parting of ways seems completely harmonious, there are clearly some things to sort out.

The new phones look nice, but they are not that special. Even the day before Mobile World Congress there are wall-to-wall Android announcements. By Tuesday it will be very “meh”.

The new Sony handsets are the Xperia P and Xperia U, which join the CES-announced Xperia S in the Xperia NXT series. The S goes on sale in Barcelona this week, where it will no doubt be bought by lots of rivals who want to take a look inside, and will spread across Europe in April. Sony Mobile Communications, and its chief marketing officer Steve Walker in particular, are very good at understanding mobile operators' price point strategies and the new phones have been designed to play to this.

The Xperia P has an extra bright 4in screen that uses Sony's “WhiteMagic” display technology. In addition to a red, green and blue sub-pixel for each pixel, there's a hole that either blocks or lets through the backlight. This combined with clever software gives a brighter display - Sony claims twice as bright - and better battery life. LG has a similar technology called IPS.

Asus launched the anticipated PadFone and Transformer Pad tablet line-up at Mobile World Congress on Monday.

2012-02-27T06:12:00.001-08:00

The PadFone transforms into a 3-in-1 combo of a smartphone, tablet and notebook with the PadFone Station and PadFone Station Dock, said Asus Chairman Jonney Shih at an announcement here.

The PadFone has a 4.3-in. Super Amoled HD touchscreen and a dual-core Snapdragon S processor. The PadFone includes an 8-megapixel digital camera and runs Android 4.0.

It is slated to ship in April, although Asus hasn't yet announced pricing.

The PadFone isn't the only device with a Station Dock. Motorola also makes a LapDock product that works with the Atrix smartphone.

The new Asus Transformer Pad line has three models: the Transfomer Pad Prime, Transformer Pad Infinity series and Transformer Pad 300 series. Asus didn't list all the specifications for all the devices, but did reveal some hardware details.

The 300 Series will run the Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and use a 10.1-in. display with 1280-by-800-pixel resolution. It will run over 4G LTE or Wi-Fi. The Transformer Pad 300 has a 1.2-megapixel front-facing camera for video chat and an 8-megapixel rear camera that allows HD video recording. Battery life is expected to last 10 hours on a charge.

Lumia 610, powered by Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Windows Phone

2012-02-27T06:11:00.001-08:00

BARCELONA (Dow Jones)--Nokia Corp. (NOK) has set its sights on introducing Windows Phone devices priced around $100 to its product range, amid fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers and their cheaper products, the Finnish company's head of sales said Monday.

Nokia Monday launched the Lumia 610, powered by Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) Windows Phone operating system and aimed at the entry-level smartphone market. With a 800 megahertz processor and 256 megabytes of RAM, it will be priced very competitively at around EUR189, carrier subsidies notwithstanding.

"We have brought down the price point of the [Lumia 610 device] to EUR189, which in many markets means that the operators will subsidize it down to very low price levels or even offer it for free," Niklas Savander said in an interview at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Being able to offer cheaper Windows Phones is vital for Nokia--the world's largest handset maker by unit shipments--as it faces increasing competition from Chinese manufacturers whose cheaper products run on Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android operating system. Already, mobile device makers in China are selling Android-powered smartphones around the $100 mark. While the new Lumia 610 device marks a step toward meeting this challenge, Nokia will need to offer even cheaper Windows Phones, Savander said.

"The dynamics of the smartphone industry are clearly shifting to lower and lower price points and therefore a EUR189 Windows smartphone like the one we launched today is a very important step. But that's not the end of it and we do need to make sure we get down toward the $100 price point," Savander said.

As Microsoft is calling the shots regarding the technical specifications for devices running Windows Phone, Nokia is depending on its cooperation with the Richmond-based software giant.

"Our collaboration with Microsoft is pretty good, and ensured that the new features of the Lumia 610 are running with smaller memory configurations," Savander said.

Savander added that Nokia is still able to compete on markets where $100 Android smartphones are being introduced, as its range of Symbian devices is performing relatively well.

Mobile World Congress (MWC), in Barcelona.

2012-02-26T09:29:00.002-08:00

Around 60,000 delegates arriving in Spain's second city to sample the latest in portable computing – at the trade show which starts on Monday – were greeted at the airport by promoters disguised as Android's green bug logo, while at the fair Samsung showcased the Galaxy Beam, which as well as making phone calls can project images directly onto walls, ceilings or any other flat surface.

Video clips, maps, photos and games can be displayed in what the company claims are "crisp, high-definition images" bright enough to be seen outdoors.

The phone, which runs on Google's Android operating system, is a standard size: 12.5mm thick and 4in wide, but strong backlighting allows it to project images up to 50in across.

Huawei’s new quad-core chip.

2012-02-26T09:29:00.001-08:00

As the name suggests, the D1 handset will sport Huawei's new K3V2 1.5GHz quad-core processor. It will come with the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. Other specs include a 4.5-inch 1,280 x 720 pixel screen, an 8-megapixel rear camera as well as a 1,670mAh battery.

The Ascend D quad and the slightly larger D quad XL feature similar specs to the D1, but will have a larger 1,800mAh battery and a thickness of juust 8.9mm. The D1 quad XL goes for a larger 2,500mAh battery, but at the cost of a thicker 10.9mm chassis.

Chairman of Huawei Device Richard Yu also threw in a surprise at the end of his presentation--the follow-up to last year's MediaPad. The 10-inch MediaPad FHD--it stands for full-HD--tablet sports the same quad-core K3V2 chip as the "D" handsets, and a slim 8.8mm chassis.

Pricing information is not available yet, but the three handsets are expected to be released in China, Australia, Europe, Asia Pacific, North and South America and the Middle East by the middle of the year. Look out for our hands-on article of the devices soon. Meanwhile, get your fix of MWC coverage here.

Galaxy S Plus from Samsung is now available for Rs.20,650, at online retail stores

2012-02-26T09:28:00.000-08:00

It’s a small drop, but a drop nonetheless. The Galaxy S Plus from Samsung is now available for Rs.20,650, at online retail stores, like Flipkart. This puts it directly in competition with its own sibling, the Galaxy R - a more powerful phone that has now mysteriously gone up in price to make room for the S Plus. But, there’s not a big gap between these two phones now, which makes us wonder how Samsung is planning to move this off the shelves. They’ve kind off shot themselves in the foot, here by launching too many variants and then there’s no room for proper pricing, either.

Yusuf Raza Gilani Friday appealed to the Taliban leadership as well as all other Afghan groups,

2012-02-24T11:13:00.001-08:00

the Prime Minister said in a statement.

Prime Minister Gilani issued the appeal while responding to the request from Afghan President, Hamid Karzai on February 21st, it said.

“The President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, His Excellency Hamid Karzai, in an important statement on 21 February 2012, has appealed to Pakistan to support the peace process in Afghanistan. This is an important statement and Pakistan is duty bound to respond positively to the appeal of President Karzai,” the PM office said.

“In this spirit, I would like to appeal to the Taliban leadership as well also all other Afghan groups, including Hizb-e-Islami, to participate in an intra-Afghan process for national reconciliation and peace”.

Karzai traveled to Islamabad on February 16-17 for bilateral talks and attended trilateral summit, which also involved Iran.

US Foreign Policy , China , Foreign Policy , Iran , Lebanon , Russia , Syria , Arab League , Marie Colvin , Marie Colvin Dead , Dergham ,

2012-02-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

Not all outcomes of Friday's "Friends of Syria" conference in Tunis will appear in newspaper headlines, announcements and statements made by its high-ranking participants, not withstanding their fair share as important political messages directed at Damascus, Tehran, Moscow and Beijing. What will surely not be announced is a strategy of coordination and role distribution to achieve what the participants agree on, namely: Stripping Bashar Al-Assad's regime of legitimacy at the bilateral level, rejecting it at the regional level, and prosecuting it at the international level -- as summed up by a well-informed source. Such goals require an implementation strategy, not just a political one, which means that arming the opposition will be at the forefront of role distribution, as will the means to isolate the regime in Damascus through two main gateways: Turkey and Iraq.

Another issue that will be the subject of in-depth discussion is the nature of the future relationship of the countries of the "Friends of Syria" gathering with Russia and China -- both bilaterally and at the level of the Security Council, where they have veto power.

Nokia teases new camera phone with snowy video," and watch said snowy video, on Crave UK.

2012-02-22T11:16:00.003-08:00

Nokia's teasing us with a snowy video designed to get viewers all hot under the collar about a new camera phone.

The video gives nothing away, but shows eerie high-resolution panning shots of beautiful icy scenes, with references made to "pure detail," "pure depth," and "pure definition."

The 22-second clip ends with the text "Get ready to capture a pure view," with what looks like a massive frozen lake. Very picturesque, but what could it mean?

Read more of "Nokia teases new camera phone with snowy video," and watch said snowy video, on Crave UK.

Apple has no right to sell iPads under that name," Xie

2012-02-22T11:16:00.001-08:00

Apple defended its right to use the iPad trademark in China in a heated court hearing Wednesday that pitted the electronics giant against a struggling company that denies it sold the mainland China rights to the tablet's name.

Shenzhen Proview Technology's lawyer Xie Xianghui argued that the sale of the iPad trademark to Apple Inc. by Proview's Taiwan affiliate in 2009 was invalid.

"Apple has no right to sell iPads under that name," Xie said. Apple countered that Proview violated the sales contract by failing to transfer the trademark rights in mainland China.

It also contends that the Chinese LCD maker has not marketed or sold its own "IPAD," or Internet Personal Access Device for years, thus possibly invalidating its claim to the trademark.

Check out our complete analysis of Microsoft

2012-02-21T07:10:00.001-08:00

Twitter, Facebook, Bing and some other services to identify, curate and display the latest news stories and trends. It is like a mash-up of Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) News and Google Trends, but instead of search, it is powered by social data. ((Microsoft launches msnNOW, tracking trends using data from Facebook, Twitter, Bing, GeekWire))

Check out our complete analysis of Microsoft

msnNOW will be part of Microsoft’s Online Services division, which continues to lose billions of dollars every year. Microsoft can try to monetize msnNOW using display advertising just like it does with its other online properties, but it is unlikely to have any major impact on its overall revenues.

You can tweak the chart to see how any change in the number of Internet users on Microsoft’s sites could impact the overall Trefis price estimate for the stock.

Windows 8 blog entries the big news is not what Microsoft is screwing up technically

2012-02-21T07:09:00.002-08:00

When I first started working in technical journalism I wrote a short article about the psychology behind the need to hate Microsoft and other big companies. I talked about the need to assign personalities to them and to identify them with certain character traits. It actually was fun to write, but as you can imagine was not well received by many readers. Still it has become almost an ingrained part of the global psyche that Microsoft is bad and incompetent to boot. So much so that after months of Windows 8 blog entries the big news is not what Microsoft is screwing up technically, but the new Windows Logo… really guys, Is that all you have? For starters the new logo is a drastic departure from the previous images we know for windows. Gone is the flowing symbol that was supposed to convey a sense of ease and fluidity (intended or not). Now we have four rigid but progressive rectangles in an off color of blue. Ok, so it is different and people do not like it, but honestly who cares about the Windows Logo? We have tinkered with multiple builds of the OS and can tell you that there is more to be annoyed about that the logo.

For starters Microsoft is making a fairly large leap of faith thinking that the Metro UI (one originally designed with small 4-inch screens in mind) will take off on desktops with displays that are only getting larger. There is also a small problem with multiple displays that Microsoft has not yet addressed.

Windows 7 theme. To download

2012-02-21T07:09:00.001-08:00

The rural beauty of Germany comes through every image shot by photographer Mathias Rehberg. Revel in the shorelines, fields, and mountain refuges he captured in his lens for this free Windows 7 theme. To download the theme, click the Download button, and then click Open. The theme will be applied to your desktop and added to Personalization in Control Panel.

Galaxy Nexus, with the former running iOS 5

2012-02-20T07:23:00.004-08:00

For the past couple of months, I've been walking around with both an iPhone 4S and a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, with the former running iOS 5 and the latter running Google's Android 4.0, known as Ice Cream Sandwich. I posted my initial impressions a while back, after having used both devices for a week or two, but now that I've gotten used to both, I thought I'd reevaluate how they compare in several categories.

www.iPhone4Settlement.com.

2012-02-20T07:23:00.003-08:00

The class-action lawsuit will also result in the floating of a separate website to access settlement claims with the domain www.iPhone4Settlement.com.

As part of the settlement emails would be sent to consumers within April 30, 2012 and the period for claims would remain open for 120 days. Consumers will be able to find information about the settlement and ways to file a claim on the designated website.

Amazon has already been playing up their price advantage with a national marketing campaign, a

2012-02-20T07:23:00.001-08:00

, the new version will feature the same amount as the bestselling Kindle Fire. A decrease in memory capacity also signals a corresponding dip for the price tag, which means that BN is looking to take Amazon on at their own game. It’s a smart, if possibly-overdue move for BN — Amazon has already been playing up their price advantage with a national marketing campaign, and while it targets the iPad specifically, the message still applies to BN’s slightly pricier tablet.

Still, I wouldn’t expect the price break to be a panacea for the book retailer. If the new model Nook retails at or around the $199 price point, purchasing decisions may well come down to the strength of the ecosystem behind the device, an arena where Amazon has the edge. The Kindle Fire isn’t so much a tablet is it as a portal to the rest of Amazon’s media ecosystem, and the included Amazon Prime trial grants access to faster shipping in addition to streaming video content.

Integrating wireless radios such as Wi-Fi with the processor could lead to smaller, cheaper devices.

2012-02-20T07:22:00.001-08:00

This breakthrough didn't come easy because wireless radios and processors both emit radiation that tend to interfere with each other. As a result, Intel had to invent new radiation-shielding and noise-canceling methods to enable both components to exist on the same chip. The company is also looking into adding a digital cellular radio chip in the near future.

Such developments could eventually lead to smaller and more power-efficient mobile chips that will also cost less to manufacture, though Intel isn't expecting this technology to reach the market for at least another three years.

Motorola Droid Razr. 4 Review

2012-02-16T06:17:00.001-08:00

Packing a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and what was (at the time) the most recent version of Android, the original Motorola Droid stood for everything the iPhone wasn't. But Motorola’s interest in QWERTY Android phones has slackened with each new model. The Motorola Droid 4 ($200 with a two-year contract on Verizon; price as of February 13, 2012) is the latest keyboard-toting phone in the Droid series. Unfortunately, this model lacks the excitement that the original Droid sparked: A blurry screen and a poor camera overshadow the phone's excellent keyboard and zippy processor.

Design

The Droid 4 has the same angular design as the Droid Razr. At 2.75 by 4.98 by 0.50 inches, the phone should fit comfortably in most hands and pockets. Like most Android phones, the Droid 4 comes with two cameras: a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera, and an

iPhone and iPad apps to seek "explicit approval"

2012-02-16T06:16:00.000-08:00

Under pressure from U.S. legislators, Apple Inc moved Wednesday to quell a swelling privacy controversy by saying that it will begin to require iPhone and iPad apps to seek "explicit approval" in separate user prompts before accessing users' address book data.

Apple's move came shortly after two members of the U.S. House Energy and Commerce committee requested the company to provide more information about its privacy policies. Bloggers, in recent days, have published findings that some of the most popular software applications in Apple's App Store have been able to lift private address book data without user consent.

MSI has launched a total of four Radeon HD 7700 series cards, all with custom dual-fan cooling.

2012-02-16T06:11:00.003-08:00

The R7770-2PMD1GD5 works at reference 1000MHz for the GPU and comes with 1GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 1125MHz (4.5GHz effective). The R7750-2PMD1GD5 works at 800MHz for the GPU and comes with 1GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 4.5GHz. Despite their non-overclocked nature, both of these reference cards are still paired up with all aolid capacitors and custom dual-fan cooler.

upcoming release of Microsoft’s established OS Windows 8 logo

2012-02-16T06:11:00.001-08:00

A new image of a possible Windows 8 logo for the upcoming release of Microsoft’s established OS has been leaked according to The Verge. A Chinese website, cnBeta emerged with the new design and The Verge has confirmed the authenticity of the logo.

Nortel's portfolio has approximately 6,000 patents

2012-02-15T03:27:00.003-08:00

$4.5 billion bid for Nortel's patents, by a group of companies that include Apple, Research in Motion and Microsoft.

The Nortel's portfolio has approximately 6,000 patents, where the Department of Justice has stated that the approval was given after clear commitments were received from Apple and also Microsoft.

Licenses have been provided for the standard essential patents based on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, as well as their commitments not to seek injunctions in disputes involving SEPs." reported Engadget.

At the same time, the government department also approved Apple's take over of few Novell patents.

The Galaxy Note's Strengths--and Weaknesses

2012-02-15T03:27:00.001-08:00

a 5.3-inch display, the Galaxy Note can be unobtrusive and discreet, yet highly functional. Its light weight and balanced form makes it convenient for holding in one hand while reading ebooks on the high-resolution 1280-by-800-pixel display.

Unfortunately, the display proved to be as much a weakness as a strength. In the native browser, Web pages display better as "mobile" pages than as full-fledged website pages. And content creation feels much more constrained on a 5.3-inch display than on a 10.1-inch screen: You can't get a lot of page onto the screen while writing a document in Polaris Office, for example. Some Galaxy Note features--such as enhanced VPN connectivity and hardware encryption--seem especially well-suited for business use. In general, when road warriors use of the Note tablet-style, they'll probably focus on email and in-a-pinch document manipulation.

My assessment of the Galaxy Note comes after having spent countless hours with competing 7-inch and 10-inch Android tablets, the vast majority of which run Google's Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) tablet-optimized OS. The Galaxy Note's operational frustrations seem endemic to Android 2.2 (Froyo) and 2.3 (Gingerbread) tablets, such as the original Galaxy Tab: Shortcomings include relatively poorly implemented multitasking, cumbersome navigation, and an annoying Web browser. (Samsung's custom TouchWiz overlay improves on a few of Gingerbread's weaknesses.) In contrast, despite their own imperfections, Android 3.0 and 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) feel elegant and well-executed on tablets' larger displays.

But the Galaxy Note is not one of those larger displays. And its smaller display size affects not just its overall usability and navigation, but the user's experience with apps, too.

The Android Market appeared a bit confused with regard to the Galaxy Note; though it offered no option for downloading "tablet" apps, I could see Honeycomb tablet-optimized versions of apps in searches, and I even downloaded a few of them successfully--or sort of successfully, anyway. PressReader for Honeycomb downloaded, but it crashed when I opened it; and the News Republic for Tablet downloaded, but then suggested when I opened it that I download a more suitable version for my "tablet"--before referring me to the smartphone version of the app in the Android Market. The News Republic app worked, sort of, but it couldn't resize properly for Galaxy Note's 5.3-inch display.

So even though labeling the Galaxy Note as a "mini-tablet" is tempting, the device simply isn't yet ready for that status. To what extent this state of affairs may change with the promised (eventual) Android 4.0 update is unclear, too. Already, I've seen apps offered in the Android Market that warn against a one-size-fits-all Android 4.0 app version; instead, the people behind these apps argue that smartphones and tablets need different versions, each optimized for a different set of screen sizes. If developers continue in this vein, Android 4.0-compatible apps may not become as unified as Google hopes they will, and a tweener-size phone/tablet may continue to be lost in the crowd, regardless of the OS installed on it.

The app part of the equation will be the hardest of the tablet-specific components for devices like the Galaxy Note to crack. The 5-inch-class display is roomy, but it's not big enough for the split-screen layouts that tablet-optimized apps commonly use. As a result, you may be left with the feeling that you're using your apps on a ginormous smartphone--which is precisely what you're doing.

Where, exactly, does the Galaxy Note fit in the pantheon of shiny slabs with touch displays? Considering that the Galaxy Note is exclusively available in the United States via AT&T's 4G LTE network, the question may be moot. With no Wi-Fi-only variant available, you're likely to buy the Galaxy Note only if you want it as a phone, and not a tablet with a data plan. The app question further solidifies the Galaxy Note's position as generous-size phone. It might work well for tablet shoppers who want a mostly pocketable device good for midscreen ebook reading and media playback, but its less than optimal for other tablet uses.

Chinese factories get just $8 of the $499 sale price of each iPad 2.

2012-02-15T03:26:00.000-08:00

As Apple desperately tries to repaint itself as a caring company when it comes to workers’ rights, news has emerged that employees in its suppliers’ Chinese factories get just $8 of the $499 sale price of each iPad 2.

Several news sources cite a Korea Daily report which claims that, based on average salaries, workers in the region get a 1.6 per cent slice of the pie, while Apple creams off $150 or around 30 per cent of the tablet’s retail price.

The figures are thrown into particularly stark contrast given that workers in Apple supplier factories in South Korea take home a much larger wedge - $34 per unit or 6.8 per cent of the sales price, according to the report.

Q4 net share loss $1.30 vs year-ago 36-cent/shr profit

2012-02-14T06:41:00.001-08:00

Q4 net share loss $1.30 vs year-ago 36-cent/shr profit

* Adjusted earnings were 51 cents/shr vs Street view of 45 cents

* Quarterly sales rose 2.2 percent

Feb 14 (Reuters) - Hospira Inc on Tuesday posted a quarterly loss as costs associated with the remediation of its Rocky Mount, North Carolina, manufacturing facility weighed on results.

The specialty pharmaceutical company reported a net loss of $212.3 million, or $1.30 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter, compared with a year-earlier profit of $53.6 million, or 36 cents per diluted share.

Excluding items, the company had a fourth-quarter profit of 51 cents per share. On that basis, analysts had expected 45 cents per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sales rose 2.2 percent to $1.014 billion in the latest quarter from $992.1 million a year earlier.

But sales gains were outweighed by expenses for actions the company took to respond to the Food and Drug Administration's warning letter related to its Rocky Mount plant.

Apple (AAPL) trounced ExxonMobil (XOM) as the most valuable company in the world. Now,

2012-02-14T06:40:00.002-08:00

The price of Apple stock is proving otherwise - soaring past $500 a share for the first time on Monday.

Powered by the popularity of its mobile devices, such as the iPhone, Apple's stock continues its breathtaking rise that knocks down any thresholds that stand in its way. The latest was the $500-a-share barrier, a new record, as the stock stormed $9.18 higher to $502.60.

Last month, Apple (AAPL) trounced ExxonMobil (XOM) as the most valuable company in the world. Now, Apple's market value is worth 16% more than Exxon's. Shares of Apple have enjoyed 40% rise since last February and a nearly 500% gain from five years ago.

"It's a once-in-a-generation company that reinvents markets and does no wrong," says Michael Walkley, analyst at Canaccord Genuity.

Apple's astounding rise and dominance of almost any market it taps is allowing investors to thumb their noses at all the conventional wisdom about stocks, including:

•The crowd is always wrong. The masses, which are bullish on Apple stock, have been dead right. The crowd of money managers, investors and analysts piling into the stock have enjoyed one of the greatest rides by a big stock in recent memory. Of the 40 Wall Street analysts who follow the stock, 38 rate it a "buy" or "strong buy."

13-week treasury bills at a rate of 4.61% — down from the 4.64% rate in the Jan. 17 sale of three-month debt.

2012-02-14T06:40:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, the Public Debt Management Agency said it had raised €1.3 billion ($1.7 billion) in an auction of 13-week treasury bills at a rate of 4.61% — down from the 4.64% rate in the Jan. 17 sale of three-month debt.

Windows 8 now on a clearer path to releahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifse

2012-02-13T10:52:00.002-08:00

And certainly a far cry from the likes of Motorola, Dell, Sony , Toshiba, Samsung, and Asus. All of which have failed to come up with a blockbuster Android alternative to the iPad. Samsung and Asus have had limited success, but nothing that rivals the iPad in numbers. Here's what Deutsche Bank's Chris Whitmore said this week in a research note below a heading entitled "No iPad-killer in this bunch." Analyst unsure about Android: "In the past 12 months, the tablet market has been flooded with a slew of Android-based devices; none of which have matched the success of the iPad.

From a hardware perspective, it is clear most offerings are 'me-too ' with little to no differentiation." Whitmore continues. "We continue to believe these Android-based 'iPad-killers' will fall short. Many (device makers) seem to agree and are shifting their efforts on Win8 based tablets, which should ship in 2H12 (second half 2012)." And this week that shift gained some velocity when Microsoft provided more clarity about Windows 8 on ARM in fairly exacting detail.

. Instead, RIM promoted from within after its co-chief executive officers recently stepped down

2012-02-13T10:52:00.001-08:00

Can a single person save a formerly indispensable brand? Or will public perception and a rocky recent history overwhelm even the most competent executive?

Research in Motion's (RIM's) fall from state-of-the-art communications device maker to tertiary player in the mobile market was so sudden and so pronounced that it warrants a detailed explanation, and a turnaround specialist who works quickly. Instead, RIM promoted from within after its co-chief executive officers recently stepped down.

What happened, and how to fix it? Enter Thorsten Heins, a Siemens lifer and its former chief technology officer, who left to join Research in Motion five years ago. Despite his best intentions and his earnest appearance, the overwhelming consensus opinion is that the task ahead of Heins is impossible.

Apple’s $100bn reserve ripe for spending

2012-02-13T10:51:00.001-08:00

Ts&Cs and Copyright Policy for more detail. Email ftsales.support@ft.com to buy additional rights. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/242a84f6-5657-11e1-8dfa-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1m9TjbOsS

Apple shares reach $500 milestone

By Ajay Makan and Dan McCrum in New York

Apple shares hit $500 for the first time in early morning trading on Monday, taking the market capitalisation of the world’s largest public company to more than $466bn.

Apple’s shares have risen 23 per cent this year after blockbuster fourth-quarter results and record sales of iPads, iPhones and MacBooks. Apple now represents 1.9 per cent of the MSCI World stock market index and 3.8 per cent of the S&P 500.

On this story

Lex Apple
Apple’s $100bn reserve ripe for spending
Apple looks to China’s ‘staggering potential’
Apple vies for most valuable company title
In depth Apple

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Browett’s customer focus wins Apple role
Week in review Apple’s $100bn problem
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Since the S&P 500 closed at 1,363.61 points on April 29 last year, its highest level since the financial crisis, Apple shares have climbed 44 per cent against a 1 per cent fall for the S&P 500.

At midday in New York, the shares had pared gains slightly to trade at $499.59, a gain of 1.3 per cent on the day.

The technology group’s success has also given a healthy glow to corporate America. Were Apple’s results stripped out, Barclays Capital estimates earnings growth at S&P 500 companies that have reported fourth-quarter results would be 2.9 per cent rather than 7 per cent. “Its hard to overstate the importance of Apple to the earnings picture,” said Barry Knapp, chief US equity strategist at Barclays Capital. “Its performance masks broader trends that suggest margins might have peaked for US corporates. On the other hand, the wealth creation impact for US investors is very real.”

Sentiment towards the stock was clear from investor reaction at last week’s Columbia Investment Management Conference in New York, where Apple’s appeal as a value stock was repeatedly discussed. For the sector as a whole, the shares are cheap relative to the company’s earnings.

The U.S. Air Force may buy as many as 18,000 iPad2s

2012-02-12T09:42:00.002-08:00

The U.S. Air Force may buy as many as 18,000 iPad2s in what would be one of the military’s biggest orders of computer tablets, accelerating Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s inroads into the federal government.

The service’s Air Mobility Command plans to issue a request for proposals to buy between 63 and 18,000 “iPad 2, Brand Name or Equal devices” to lighten the load of flight crews, according to a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.

The goal is to replace the bag of manuals and navigation charts weighing as much as 40 pounds that are carried by pilots and navigators, said Captain Kathleen Ferrero, a spokeswoman for the command.

“The airline industry is way ahead of us on this,” she said in a telephone interview. “Most, if not all of the major airliners are already switching to tablets.”

Apple, based in Cupertino, California, has been eating away at Waterloo, Ontario-based Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM)’s market share in the federal government market.

Most of the 400 people in that business are based in Rochester, New York, and work in research and development and marketing.

2012-02-12T09:42:00.001-08:00

Kodak, which filed for bankruptcy protection last month, said on Thursday that getting out of cameras would result in "significant" job losses. Most of the 400 people in that business are based in Rochester, New York, and work in research and development and marketing.

The news comes as Kodak meets obstacles in another cost cutting move tied to its illustrious past. The company will be unable to end its 20-year sponsorship of the Hollywood Theater that hosts the Academy Awards before this year's Oscars.

Along with its reputation for making easy-to-use cameras for consumers, Kodak is also famous for its camera and photographic film contributions in movies.

Apple's stock soared to new heights $456 billion ,Microsoft's market cap was around $256.7 billion, while Google was valued at around $198.9 billion

2012-02-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

The milestone comes soon after Apple reported its best quarter ever, earning $13.06 billion on sales of 37 million iPhones, 15 million iPads and 5.2 million Macs. Total revenue for Apple's holiday quarter was $46.33 billion.

But Google's shares fell more than 9 percent last month after the company missed expectations on Wall Street for both earnings and revenue. And while Microsoft met Wall Street expectations, revenue from its Windows operating system fell 6 percent to $4.74 billion.

Apple's market capitalization passed Microsoft alone in May of 2010 when the iPhone maker's value hit around $222 billion. And last August was the first time that Apple passed Exxon to become the world's largest company by market cap, then with a value of $346.74 billion.

Apple Sueing Samsung In Court of USA

2012-02-12T09:39:00.000-08:00

The patent wars are coming to American shores. After numerous court battles playing out across Europe have led to mixed victories and losses for some of the biggest tech companies in the business, Apple is now suing Samsung in American court.

Patent expert Florian Mueller says the suit is based on four patents which are the “patent equivalent of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse:”

the “data tapping” patent based on which the ITC ordered animport ban against HTC
a patent related to Siri and unified search, which must be ofhuge concern to Google with a view to its core business
a new slide-to-unlock patent that even had the head of the Taiwanese government profoundly worried
a word completion patent that provides major speed improvements for touchscreen text entry German Court Thwarts Apple, Refuses To Ban Altered Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1N

“This time around, Apple focuses competlely on strong technical patents,” he notes. “Last time, the emphasis was mostly on softer, design-related rights.”

Taking on Samsung and the Galaxy Nexus in particular has more than symbolic importance.

Apple (AAPL), with one of history’s greatest cash hordes ever, should pay a dividend to shareholders

2012-02-11T13:29:00.000-08:00

shareholders’ pockets, but they presage above average corporate performance. That is, companies that adhere to the discipline of paying, and in some cases frequently raising their dividend, must engage in a wide range of prudent activities: conserving cash, reducing costs, aligning governance policies and focusing on profits to name a few.

History bears me out on this. From 1973 to 2010, growth dividend stocks returned, on average, 9.3% versus just 1.8% for non dividend payers. Companies who cut their dividend–the equivalent of deciding to limit exercise and eat more–retuned a negative 0.81%.

So AAPL should pay a dividend, right?

Oil prices fell on Friday

2012-02-11T13:28:00.003-08:00

"Today's selloff across the complex was easily explainable as oil simply became entrenched in a broad based risk-off trade related to continued lack of progress on a Greek debt deal," Jim Ritterbusch, president at Ritterbusch & Associates, said in a note.

Brent March crude futures fell $1.28 to settle at $117.31 a barrel, snapping a string of eight straight gains and following the previous session's close at $118.59, the highest settlement since late July.

The stumble still left Brent up 2.38 percent for the week, its third straight weekly rise.

U.S. March crude, after three consecutive higher settlements, fell $1.17 to end at $98.67 a barrel, but preserved an 83-cent weekly gain.

Linked has doubled in value since its IPO. $167.7 million, topping the $159.8 million average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

2012-02-11T13:28:00.002-08:00

LinkedIn stock has biggest day since IPO in May

Shares of LinkedIn, the biggest professional-networking website, rose the most since its IPO in May after it reported quarterly sales that more than doubled and forecast higher 2012 revenue, buoyed by advertising and subscriptions.

LinkedIn climbed 18 percent to $89.96 in Friday's trading. It's the biggest gain since the stock more than doubled May 19, the day LinkedIn debuted on the New York Stock Exchange.

Membership jumped to more than 150 million from 131.2 million in the third quarter, the Mountain View company said in the statement Thursday. LinkedIn is signing up more professionals for its subscription services and luring advertisers who want to reach the growing user base. Revenue in the period advanced to $167.7 million, topping the $159.8 million average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.

With Friday's gain, Linked has doubled in value since its IPO.

-- Bloomberg News

First Solar shares plunge on word of project delay

Google Inc., Polycom Inc. and Marvell Technology Group Ltd. to make more than $900,000 for the hedge fund.

2012-02-11T13:28:00.001-08:00

Galleon Group LLC co-founder Raj Rajaratnam, according to an indictment filed yesterday in Manhattan federal court. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission also sued Whitman, 54, and his Menlo Park, California-based hedge-fund firm for insider trading.

“Whitman recognized the value of the information he got, and paid cash for it in one case, and bartered his own inside information in the other,” Janice Fedarcyk, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York office, said in a statement.

Whitman is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and two counts of securities fraud. If convicted, he faces as long as five years in prison on each conspiracy charge and 20 years on each securities fraud charge. Whitman, who lives in Atherton, California, pleaded not guilty yesterday in Manhattan federal court and was released on $1.5 million bond.

Some of the tips Whitman used were supplied by Roomy Khan, a former executive at Intel Corp. and Whitman’s neighbor, according to the SEC. Khan tipped Whitman about earnings at Polycom, a maker of video-conferencing equipment, and search- engine operator Google before they were made public, the SEC said.

Series of Cases

Amazon Kindle Fire Best current price: $199 Check Prices

2012-02-11T13:27:00.001-08:00

A Camera for Kindle Fire

By Jeff Bertolucci, PCWorld Feb 11, 2012 12:30 PM

Persistent gossip suggests that Amazon will launch two Kindle Fire models this year: a new 7-inch model and a larger 9-inch device, the latter presumably designed to compete head-to-head with Apple's iPad, which has a 9.7-inch display.

The latest rumor, courtesy of Pacific Crest analyst Chad Bartley, isn't the first to predict a 9-inch Kindle Fire. Digitimes, for instance, reported in November that Amazon was building a larger Kindle Fire with an 8.9-inch screen. If Bartley's sources are correct, Amazon will debut the new

One thing missing from the first-generation Kindle Fire is a camera -- likely a cost-cutting move needed to hit Amazon's aggressive $199 price point. Even without a camera, the Fire is reportedly a loss-leader for Amazon. The color tablet/eReader is designed to route users to Amazon's shopping sites, where the world's largest online retailer recoups its Kindle losses by selling goods and services to Fire-toting shoppers.

Until now, the missing camera hasn't been much of an issue. The ability to shoot video and stills isn't high on tablet buyers' must-have lists. The Kindle Fire's most direct competitors, Barnes & Nobles' duo of color tablets, don't have cameras either. The iPad 2's cameras are truly awful, a weakness that Apple will sure rectify in the upcoming iPad 3. And while the latest batch of Android slates, such as the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, have respectable, smartphone-caliber cameras, they've yet to catch on with tablet buyers.

So given the camera's secondary status -- in the tablet market, at least -- why should Amazon add one to the Kindle Fire? Because the camera has become an essential shopping tool, and the Fire's purpose -- at least from Amazon's perspective -- is to get consumers to buy more stuff from Amazon.

Motorola Droid 4 Friday, February 10 $199 with a two-year Verizon contract.

2012-02-11T13:26:00.000-08:00

Motorola Droid 4, with its trademark slide-out keyboard, has gotten an official price and release date. The Droid 4 will be released on Friday, February 10, for $199 with a two-year Verizon contract.

Verizon has confirmed the price and release date of the newest Droid phone in a press release, touting the Droid 4 as "the thinnest and most powerful 4G QWERTY smartphone measuring at less than half an inch thin."

Among the other tech specs of note: a dual-core 1.2 gHZ processor; a 4.0-inch display screen; an 8 megapixel rear-facing camera and a 1.3 megapixel front-facing camera; and Android 2.3.5 "Gingerbread" (no timeframe yet for Ice Cream Sandwich, though Motorola has stated before that it is "planning on upgrading as many of [its] phones as possible."

The real star of the Droid 4, and its single defining feature, however, is that slide-out keyboard, a five-row QWERTY keyboard with edge-lit keys.

An iPhone 4S that a consumer can buy for $199 with a two year contract reportedly costs carriers about $500.

2012-02-09T11:01:00.002-08:00

The iPhone is certainly bringing in new business to Sprint, but Sprint has to subsidize iPhones heavily. Sprint wanted the iPhone so bad that it guaranteed Apple $15.5 billion for the ability to sell Apple products over the next four years.

Previously when AT&T reported earnings for the fourth quarter, they were also dragged down by heavy iPhone subsidization costs.

I have previously written about the impact of the iPhone on Verizon in an article titled Apple iPhone A Bittersweet Taste For Verizon.

An iPhone 4S that a consumer can buy for $199 with a two year contract reportedly costs carriers about $500.

Moreover, iPhones are data hogs. Carriers have to make major investments to support the huge traffic volume.

iPhone 4S is particularly troublesome to carriers. The Siri virtual assistant feature in iPhone 4S connects to an Apple data center every time it is used. For background, please see my prior article Siri Is Apple’s Post-Jobs Ticket To $1,000. Siri users end up consuming twice the bandwidth compared to those who do not use Siri.

majority of the social networkers’ fortunes will clearly come from the stocks

2012-02-09T11:01:00.001-08:00

27-year-old CEO Zuckerberg and 42-year-old COO Sheryl Sandberg are in line for annual target bonuses of 45 percent of their salary plus other base wages. Zuckerberg could pull in roughly $225,000 this year, based on his annual salary of $500,000. Sandberg could take home an extra $135,000 based on her annual base salary of $300,000.

The majority of the social networkers’ fortunes will clearly come from the stocks, however, following what is expected to be one of the largest IPOs in stock market history.

Windows 8, the next version of the flagship operating system, on ARM chips at the same time it releases one for the so-called x86 chips that power tra

2012-02-09T10:59:00.000-08:00

Microsoft previewed Windows 8 last September. And it's important because the ARM version of the new operating system will be the one that powers many of the tablets that Microsoft hopes will compete with Apple's industry-leading iPads.

In a blog post today, Windows president Steven Sinofsky said "our collective goal is for PC makers to ship (Windows on ARM devices) the same time" as more conventional Windows PCs debut.

Sinofsky did not disclose the date the company is targeting for launch, though most analysts expect the new operating system to arrive before the end of this year, and possibly in time for the back-to-school sales season at the end of summer.

Bango has signed a deal with Facebook to provide payment services for the social network.

2012-02-08T09:42:00.004-08:00

Cambridge company, founded and run by serial entrepreneur Ray Anderson, says it is too early to forecast the level of business this will produce.

But the stock market is in no doubt that it is very good news, with the share price surging over 40% to £1.38, having already performed a similar leap last week on news that a deal was being negotiated.

Bango specialises in collecting payments for music, games, apps, videos and services sold to internet connected mobile phone users.

Motorola has outed its latest super sleek and stylish Android handset with the Motorola Motoluxe officially unveiled ahead of MWC 2012.

2012-02-08T09:42:00.003-08:00

Motorola has jumped the MWC gun officially unveiling the Motorola Motoluxe, a device which will land running Android 2.3 and sporting an 8-meg snapper

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Motorola has outed its latest super sleek and stylish Android handset with the Motorola Motoluxe officially unveiled ahead of MWC 2012.

The latest high-profile handset to be unveiled ahead of the Barcelona based Mobile World Congress later this month, the Motorola Motoluxe it to hit the UK later this year with a svelt 9.8mm thick form factor and a 4-inch display.

“By combining sleek style with Android brains, Motoluxe is ideal for people who want the latest technology in a sophisticated package,” said Marcus Frost, Motorola’s European Senior Marketing Director. “Not only does this smartphone have a big screen and the latest, greatest entertainment tools, it’s affordable and won’t take a bite out of your budget.”

Motorola Motoluxe Specs

Sporting an eye catching 4-inch display with a 480 x 854p resolution display the Motorola Motoluxe is on the upper echelons of the mid-range smartphone scene with Google’s Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS featuring alongside Motorola’s own MotoSwitch UI.

An 8-megapixel rear-mounted camera provides the handset’s image capturing capabilities with an integrated LED flash landing alongside a forward-facing VGA snapper. An 800MHz processor is included with 300MB of internal storage able to be expanded via microSD card.

Motorola Motoluxe UK Release Date and Price

Whilst a full official Motorola Motoluxe UK price has yet to be confirmed, an official Motorola spokesperson has revealed that the handset will touch down on British soil later this month with a Motorola Motoluxe UK release date pencilled in for “late February.”

Are you impressed by Motorola’s latest entrant to the mid-range smartphone scene or do you think the company should focus on producing an iPhone and Samsung Galaxy S II toppler? Let us know your thoughts on the matter via the T3 Twitter and Facebook feeds.

Ferrari 250 GTO is currently one of the most sought after cars in the world, mainly due to the fact there were only ever 39 models built between 1962

2012-02-08T09:42:00.001-08:00

The car in question - a 1963 model with a chassis number of 5095 - is believed to have been sold by Jon Hunt, the Foxtons estate agency founder, who bought the vehicle in 2008 for a then world-record £15.7 million. Mr Hunt has therefore made a stunning profit of £4.5 million in just three years.

John Collins, chairman of classic Ferrari specialists Talacrest, confirmed the GTO had been sold, but would not reveal the name of the seller to the Daily Mail: "Wealthy people are spending a lot of money on classic Ferraris and everyone wants a GTO at the moment. Classic Ferraris have seen more gains than others; they're like the Picassos of the car world."

"And the 250 GTO is the golden car of its generation; show me a man who wouldn't want one. They are bought by people who have a love of cars and see them as an investment."

The GTO is now the second most expensive car ever sold, as a Bugatti Type 57SC was sold for between £20 million and £26 million in 2010.

Mr Hunt has declined to comment on the sale.

Talacrest have been selling vintage Ferraris for over 30 years and told the Mail demand for vintage Ferrari's is skyrocketing, despite the economic downturn. The Italian vehicles are considered to be superb investments and as a result, Talacrest had record sales in 2011.

Mobile World Congress, the wireless industry trade show at the end of February.

2012-02-08T09:41:00.001-08:00

Samsung may still have product introductions at the show, it won't be on a big stage, at least. The company previously confirmed that its next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S III, would be announced later this year rather than at the Barcelona-based trade show.

Samsung is well-known for having flashy events at MWC. In 2011, the company introduced the Galaxy S II (slideshow below) at the show, which went on to become a best-selling global smartphone. In 2010, the company introduced its proprietary OS, Bada, in a flashy presentation featuring a dance team and a flying woman announced as the "Spirit of Bada."

This year, Samsung is anticipated to potentially launch a new tablet based on its new, speedy Exynos 5250 processor and discuss evolving Bada into Tizen, a new Linux-based OS which the company is championing in partnership with Intel.

"Samsung is looking forward to introducing and demonstrating exciting new mobile products at Mobile World Congress 2012," the company said in a statement last week.

We'll be meeting with Samsung at the show as well as visiting the company's booth, and we'll have hands-on time with all of the company's new products. Mobile World Congress runs from Sunday, Feb. 26 until Thursday, March 1.

Mark Zuckerberg controls 57 percent of the voting shares, giving him near-dictatorial power over the company’s future.

2012-02-06T06:49:00.003-08:00

Facebook Inc. has opened its books to eager investors, but some don’t like what they see.

Profit margins have been shrinking. Costs have been rising. And the stock structure means that founder Mark Zuckerberg controls 57 percent of the voting shares, giving him near-dictatorial power over the company’s future.

Other potential problems: Facebook does not operate in China, the world’s largest social networking market. The company’s regulatory filing this week also showed that it makes little money from advertising on mobile devices, which may soon be the primary way users access the Internet and visit social networks.

“Mobile advertising simply doesn’t have the legs that online advertising has,” said Nate Elliott, an analyst at Forrester Research. “If all the users moved to mobile, there’s no guarantee they could make anything like what they’re making now.”

Adding it all up, investors eager to get in on Facebook’s initial public offering this spring are worrying the company will not be able to live up to the hype and sky-high prices that shares are expected to reach.

“Emotionally, people will want to own a piece of it,” said Tim Ghriskey, the chief investment officer at Solaris Group. “But this is a very speculative investment at this point in its life cycle.”

The Galaxy Note comes in blue or white.

2012-02-06T06:49:00.001-08:00

If Samsung's latest Apple-bashing commercial during Super Bowl XLVI Sunday had you frothing at the mouth for the Samsung Galaxy Note, you can now place an advance order for the device from AT&T. The Korea-based gadget maker's latest addition to the Samsung Galaxy line will cost $300 with a new two-year contract from ATT.com or any company-owned retail store.

The Galaxy Note will launch on AT&T on February 19, but anyone who pre-orders the device by February 15 will get it delivered by February 17, according to AT&T. You can also pre-order from BestBuy.com for shipping after February 19.

The Samsung Galaxy Note features a 5.3-inch Super AMOLED screen with 1280-by800 resolution, 1.5GHz dual-core processor, 16GB onboard storage, plus a microSD slot supporting up to 32GB for 48GB maximum. The device also has Bluetooth 3.0, LTE, and 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi connectivity, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera, 2-megapixel front-facing camera, 1080p video capture at 24-30 frames per second, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread. The Galaxy Note comes with a Wacom-made "S Pen," a so-called advanced smart pen that can detect pressure and change the boldness of your handwriting accordingly. The Galaxy Note comes in blue or white.

Stylus Mania

Samsung kicked off the American introduction of the Galaxy Note with a festive Super Bowl commercial that mixed humor and Super Bowl-style grandiosity, plus a large heaping of self delusion. As we've seen from other Samsung Galaxy ads, it starts with a line up of bored Apple drones waiting in line for the next great iPhone when they are suddenly freed by the realization they can just buy a Samsung device (which apparently never warrants a massive line-up). Soon after, one of Samsung's Apple acolytes utters, "It's got a pen? This is awesome." I guess it's still 1997 in Samsung land.

David Choe's gift to Denver, at 13th and Champa streets.

2012-02-06T06:39:00.001-08:00

The newly painted wall outside the Denver Performing Arts Complex looks like a million bucks. Make that $200 million. Because that's what graffiti artist David Choe stands to make in Facebook's public offering: When the street artist did a piece for Facebook headquarters years ago, he took his pay in stock.

Choe, who is based in Los Angeles, was one of three street artists featured in last month's Terminal Kings project, billed as bringing "world-class" art to a city that many of us would argue already has world-class artists. Choe, along with Sam Flores and Highraff, was hired to create a giant mural -- one-hundred feet by eight feet, painted in panels -- that Denver International Airport's Art and Culture program will use as construction barricades at DIA over the next five years as the South Terminal construction project progresses. And the trio created this public art very publicly, in a makeshift gallery at City Hall.

Choe finished his mobile mural early, and was itching to leave his mark on more of the city. With the help of Denver Arts & Venues, he found just the spot on the west-facing wall of the Buell, at 13th and Champa streets (see more of this David Choe work here).

Too bad Arts & Venues didn't ask Choe to give a financial-planning workshop for artists, too. Back in 2005, the now 35-year-old Choe, who already had a rep as a bad-bay artist, was commissioned to paint Facebook's first corporate headquarters, and was offered his choice of cash or stock. Although as he told the New York Times that the idea of Facebook seemed "ridiculous and pointless" at the time, he chose the stock.

pre-empt a European Union oil embargo that comes into effect in July may be only a symbolic one.

2012-02-05T10:27:00.001-08:00

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Iran has indicated that its threat to cut oil supplies to European states in order to pre-empt a European Union oil embargo that comes into effect in July may be only a symbolic one.

Rostam Ghasemi, Iran’s oil minister, on Saturday said that any cut-off in Iranian oil supplies would target “hostile states” and should not harm European people in winter. “We will certainly cut [oil exports] to some European states,” Mr Ghasemi said, but gave no indication on timing and failed to name any of the “hostile” states to be targeted by punitive Iranian action.

By hostile European states, Iran usually refers to Britain, France and Germany, three countries which buy only token amounts of Iranian oil and which led last month’s move to ban EU member states from buying Iranian crude with the aim of putting pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear programme.

The EU’s July deadline is intended to allow time for Greece, Spain and Italy, Iran’s biggest European customers, to find supplies from other oil producers such as Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iraq. Saudi Arabia, Iran’s main regional rival has already said it can meet any shortage in the oil market.

Cathy Weatherford, president of the Insured Retirement Institute,

2012-02-05T10:25:00.002-08:00

The Obama Administration took aim at the nation's retirement worries on Thursday with a series of rules and proposals addressing everything from 401(k) fees to mandatory distributions and annuities for older retirees.

The package, taken as a whole, will likely provide some help for workers, but insurance companes will probably be the most excited about it immediately.

That's because the Treasury Department took several steps to encourage employers and their workers to include annuity products in retirement plans.

"We're very happy," Cathy Weatherford, president of the Insured Retirement Institute, an annuity trade group, told me. "We have been so pleased by the Treasury and Labor ... (Departments) work on this issue."

Will workers and retirees be pleased, too? Much depends on how the rules are put into effect and how employers, financial companies and workers react. Here's a first take on the way your 401(k) may change and what you should do about it now.

- Fees first. For younger workers and anyone who still thinks they'll be using a 401(k) plan for the next decade, the fees you pay for everything from record keeping to investment management really matter. For example, the Labor Department has calculated that an extra 1 percentage point of interest on just $25,000 after 35 years would be $64,000, a difference that could reduce a retiree's income stream by $213 a month for life.

AGI is more than $57,000, the IRS offers Free File Fillable Forms

2012-02-05T10:25:00.001-08:00

Let’s face it. Taxes can be stressful for some taxpayers and anything that you can do to make it easier on yourself, the better.

That said, some folks may not have the means to pay a preparer. Or maybe you’re just a masochist and want to do your own taxes for fun (it happens). Free (or low cost) tax preparation services and software are available, you just have to find them. Follows are some resources that might be helpful:

IRS Free File. The IRS wants you to use Free File. I know this because they send me a lot of emails telling me so. They also shout at taxpayers on their web site: EVERYONE is Eligible to Free File! Since it’s in all caps, you know they’re serious. There are two versions of Free File: one, a free, federal income tax prep and electronic filing program for eligible taxpayers and the other, Free File Fillable Forms (see more below).
- The Free File program that you and I tend to think of is the free, federal income tax prep and electronic filing program developed through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a group of private sector tax software companies. With the program, eligible taxpayers can do their federal income tax returns using commercial online software available through IRS.gov. Eligible taxpayers mean those that have Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $57,000 or less; believe it or not, the IRS says that encompasses 70% of taxpayers. Other limits may also apply; you can use the Free File online tool to find a company that’s best suited to you.
- If your AGI is more than $57,000, the IRS offers Free File Fillable Forms – try saying that three times quickly. Free File Fillable Forms is a simple electronic equivalent of paper forms. The software performs some basic math and field error checking but that’s it. It does not walk you through your tax return in an “interview” fashion like many retail software packages. This means that you have to have a certain level of comfort with your tax returns in order to use the software.

Yahoo had tried to buy Facebook for $ 1billion not so long ago!

2012-02-05T10:24:00.001-08:00

stock market: when valuations run far ahead of current revenues, hope is packaged as hype. That is the situation Facebook is in after it filed for an initial public offering (IPO) of shares last week. is 27 times its current revenues or 100 times its earnings - matching Apple and Google in optimistic pricing. Questions have already been raised on whether the pricing is justified. I would add to the debate by pointing to giants that have already fallen.

The biggest of them is, of course, Yahoo, the horizontal portal that still survives with a market value of around $20 billion - having bravely (perhaps stupidly) spurned a takeover offer from Microsoft. Yahoo had tried to buy Facebook for $ 1billion not so long ago!

In the "dotcom" bubble of 2000 and after, we saw many companies go bust. There was Excite@Home that promised broadband content at a time when Internet bandwidth was barely there.

Sheryl K. Sandberg was half a world away, hobnobbing with the likes of Bill Gates and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

2012-02-05T10:22:00.002-08:00

SEVENTY-TWO hours before Facebook’s big moment, Sheryl K. Sandberg was half a world away, hobnobbing with the likes of Bill Gates and the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Yes, Ms. Sandberg is Mark Zuckerberg’s No. 2. And, yes, if all goes well, she will soon become the $1.6 billion woman. On Wednesday, Facebook filed to go public in a deal that, in all likelihood, will instantly make it one of the most valuable corporations on the planet.

But Ms. Sandberg, who has helped steer this social network to this once-unimaginable height, had more on her mind than securities filings and ad metrics. She was attending the annual World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland, where her subject wasn’t Facebook — but women. Specifically, how women, in her view, must take responsibility for their careers and not blame men for holding them back.

Mark Zuckerberg showed up to rent Judy Fusco's Los Altos house in the fall of 2004

2012-02-05T10:22:00.001-08:00

, soon after he'd arrived in Silicon Valley, the landlord was immediately struck by his confidence.

"I said, 'Gee, how old are you?' And he said, '20,'" Fusco remembered in a recent interview. "I said, 'You think I'm going to rent you my million-dollar house?' And he said, 'Yes.'"

Over time, Fusco also came to understand her tenant's clarity of purpose. When she ran into him in downtown Palo Alto two years later, she asked Zuckerberg just how he could have turned down the reported $1 billion that Yahoo (YHOO) had offered to buy Facebook.

"He said, 'Judy, I didn't do this because of the money,' " said Fusco. "Money to him is just a vehicle to do what he wants to do."

As Facebook begins the journey to an IPO, Facebook's founder and CEO is entering a new phase: Now, he will very much have to care about the money. In the coming months, questions inevitably will be raised about how far the kid who stood on Judy Fusco's doorstep has traveled toward maturity, and whether he will be a CEO as passionate about the business of Facebook as he is on creating the addictive social software that

Apple iOS device such as an iPhone or iPad, or an Android device.

2012-02-05T10:21:00.000-08:00

Apple iOS device such as an iPhone or iPad, or an Android device.

One of the reasons for app crashes is the proliferation of mobile operating systems on iOS and Android. As Apple and Google have released more new operating systems, each with multiple updates, app developers face more operating systems to test apps on. In data that mobile app monitoring startup Crittercism compiled for app crashes between December 1 and 15, there were at least 23 different iOS operating systems on which apps had crashed and 33 Android operating systems on which apps had crashed. (See the graphs above.) Note that the graphs that separate out Android and iOS show these number of operating systems and the graph that combines both iOS and Android shows less–22 iOS and 17 Android.

Army plans to ship 50 more phones and 75 tablets to soldiers abroad in March

2012-02-04T05:34:00.002-08:00

ome U.S. officials this year are expected to get smartphones capable of handling classified government documents over cellular networks, according to people involved in the project.

The phones will run a modified version of Google's Android software, which is being developed as part of an initiative that spans multiple federal agencies and government contractors, these people said.

The smartphones are first being deployed to U.S. soldiers, people familiar with the project said. Later, federal agencies are expected to get phones for sending and receiving government cables while away from their offices, sources said. Eventually, local governments and corporations could give workers phones with similar software.

The Army has been testing touchscreen devices at U.S. bases for nearly two years, said Michael McCarthy, a director for the Army's Brigade Modernization Command, in a phone interview. About 40 phones were sent to fighters overseas a year ago, and the Army plans to ship 50 more phones and 75 tablets to soldiers abroad in March, he said.

"We've had kind of an accelerated approval process," McCarthy said. "This is a hugely significant event."

Currently, the United States doesn't allow government workers or soldiers to use smartphones for sending classified messages because the devices have not met security certifications.

AMD's workforce to save about $200 million in annual operating costs.

2012-02-04T05:34:00.001-08:00

2010, Rory Read said the company would leverage its PC chip technology to attack the fast-growing tablet segment as well as emerging markets but stay away from the smartphone market.

"We're going to double down on client and mobility ... I'm not suggesting we dive into smartphones, a heavily crowded space with low margins ... I'm going to focus on client mobility, thin and light," Read said.

Much of AMD's focus recently has been on selling chips for laptops.

Read took a shot at larger rival Intel's historic dominance of the PC chip market and said the rise of tablets and other mobile gadgets, where Intel so far has been weak, open new opportunities for companies including AMD to innovate.

"You'll see a breakdown of proprietary control points, those control points that have dominated our industry for years and years," Read said. "The status quo will break down."

Read took the chipmaker's helm in August, ending a long search after CEO Dirk Meyer left over differences with AMD's board about the company's lack of progress making chips for increasingly popular mobile devices like smartphones and tablets.

Gesturing with his hands and delivering a presentation with the energy of a motivational speaker, and even jumping down from the two-foot-high stage when he finished, Read said AMD would focus on opportunities in cloud computing and growing demand from developing countries like China for entry level PCs and other devices.

Facing problems manufacturing a newly launched 32 nanometer PC chip, Read in November announced he was slashing 10 percent of AMD's workforce to save about $200 million in annual operating costs.

AMD this year will concentrate on improving its execution rather than pushing the envelope with new technology, he said.

488 million smartphones in 2011 as compared with 415 million PCs,

2012-02-04T05:33:00.001-08:00

The era of smartphones has officially arrived. More were shipped globally last year than client PCs for the first time ever, according to Canalys.

Vendors shipped 488 million smartphones in 2011 as compared with 415 million PCs, the market research firm said Friday in a report on country-level smartphone and PC shipment estimates for the year. The market shift was made all the more impressive by the fact that Canalys included tablets, no slouches in the growth department themselves, in its figures for PC shipments.

Smartphone shipments in 2011 grew by 62.7 percent compared with figures from the year before, while shipments of 159 million units in the fourth quarter of last year represented a 56.6 percent increase from the same period in 2010.

"Smartphone shipments overtaking those of client PCs should be seen as a significant milestone," said Canalys analyst Chris Jones in a statement. "In the space of a few years, smartphones have grown from being a niche product segment at the high-end of the mobile phone market to becoming a truly mass-market proposition."

Apple was the single leading smart phone vendor in 2011, enjoying record shipments of 37 million iPhones in the fourth quarter and just over 93 million for the full year. But Google's Android operating system, used by multiple vendors in various handsets that together totaled 238 million smartphone shipments last year, owned the biggest chunk of the market with a 48.8 percent share.

Android phones grabbed better than half the smartphone market in the fourth quarter, when 81.9 million units running Google's mobile operating system shipped for a 51.6 percent share of the market as measured by software platforms.

Apple's share of the smartphone market in 2011 was 19.1 percent, equal to its market share as gauged by software platforms, since the iPhone maker is the sole user of its own iOS mobile operating system.

Apple's iCloud service could be temporarily halted in Germany thanks to a recent ruling.

2012-02-04T05:32:00.001-08:00

Apple temporarily removed older iPhones from its online store in Germany due to a previous legal victory won by Motorola Mobility, according to legal blog Foss Patents. Slashgear later reported that Apple was granted a temporary halt on the ban.

Separately, the site also reported that a German court granted Motorola's request to permanently ban Apple's push e-mail services, a key feature of its iCloud offering.

So apparently Google's decision to cough up $12.5 billion to acquire Motorola for its patent portfolio was a wise move, with the handset manufacturer scoring a decent number of legal victories against Apple. Apple and Motorola have mixed it up in several courtrooms around the world, although the litigation battle hasn't been as intense as Apple's efforts against HTC and Samsung Electronics. That Motorola is taking the high ground on the litigation front bodes well for Google, which plans to use the patent portfolio to defend its Android partners.

Still, this was no decisive victory, with Apple already appealing the ban.

"Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago," said an Apple spokeswoman.

"Although the enforcement of the injunction has been temporarily suspended, Motorola Mobility will continue to pursue its claims against Apple," said a Motorola spokeswoman.

Brandon Watson has left Microsoft To Amazon.

2012-02-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

Microsoft would be the pinnacle of their career. Watson’s new position at Amazon is working on Kindle apps, so it is almost exactly the same line of work, though now for what was one of his biggest competitors. It leaves a question mark about Microsoft’s future in the mobile space, though not a black hole. The software giant has actually done a formidable job at building the Windows Phone brand.

It got a much-needed boost from Nokia, which recently launched its Lumia 710 smartphone in the US. At $50, the Lumia 710 is seen as a great entry-level smartphone. But alas, selling Windows Phone as the “cheap” option is only driving a bigger wedge when it comes to the smartphone aficianados who simply don’t believe there’s a need for a third player in an iOS and Android duel. For Watson, that battle won’t be an issue anymore.

PC version of the Kinect motion-sensing interface device

2012-02-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, the software giant announced it is shipping Kinect for Windows in the UK, and said it has released the first finalised software development kit (SDK) and runtime for the gesture-control device. Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer revealed the shipping date at CES in January, and the last beta for the SDK and runtime came out three months ago.

The motion-sensor device and its associated developer tools are also available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain and the US. Kinect for Windows will sell in the US for $249 (£157), and UK pricing has not yet been announced.

"In the three months since we released Beta 2, we have made many improvements to our SDK and runtime," Kinect for Windows general manager Craig Eisler wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

Kinect uses a camera and infrared sensors to track the movements of one or more users. It began life in 2010 as an Xbox accessory that sold eight million units in 60 days, rescuing Microsoft's profits and setting a Guinness World Record for the fastest-selling consumer electronics device ever.

Fiat 500L, a new four-door, five passenger version of its subcompact car.

2012-02-02T08:25:00.001-08:00

The company said it will unveil the car at the Geneva Motor Show on March 6.

The 500L – L is for “large” — is clearly aimed at B-segment rivals from the BMW Mini Countryman to the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta. Rolling out a larger 500 model also reflects the needs and preferences of the broader car-buying public. While the 500 that Fiat began selling last year is cute, stylish and easy to park, it is too small for most drivers.

The 500′s sales have fallen short of company forecasts at least in part because tiny two-door cars can be difficult to live with if you have a family, carry lots of stuff or travel long distances. It is also pricey compared with other, more-practical small cars like the Kia Rio5 or Honda Fit. A four-door model with more interior space should attract a bigger, more mainstream audience.

Agence France Presse (AFP) , Bottin Cartographes, a French mapping company that provides essentially the same service as Google Maps

2012-02-02T08:24:00.000-08:00

Google has been ordered to pay a fine and damages to a French mapping company after a court ruled that the search giant was guilty of unfair competition and "undercutting competitors" by making its Google Maps program free.

According to Agence France Presse (AFP) , Bottin Cartographes, a French mapping company that provides essentially the same service as Google Maps -- but, for a fee -- brought a suit claiming that Google was "abusing" its dominant position by making its service free.

Suresh Raina at extra cover to depart for 25 in the next over but debutant wicketkeeper Wade took up the mantle to hit 72 in 43 balls and anchor the A

2012-02-01T10:29:00.001-08:00

Warner took his time to get started before taking off with 18 runs in the third over, including a remarkable six when, with the ball in the air, he switched from his normal left-handed stance to club it over the boundary right-handed.

The test opener skied the ball to Suresh Raina at extra cover to depart for 25 in the next over but debutant wicketkeeper Wade took up the mantle to hit 72 in 43 balls and anchor the Australian innings.

While Australia captain George Bailey was making his international debut, his bowling unit was chock full of experience and 40-year-old Brad Hogg, Brett Lee and David Hussey all got among the wickets to disrupt the Indian run chase.

Gautam Gambhir (20) and Virat Kohli (22) both got starts but it was only when skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (48 not out) and Ravi Ashwin (15 not out) came together for the seventh wicket that the Indians really took the game to the hosts.

It was too little, too late, however, and India's travails on their travels were destined to continue at least until the second Twenty20 match in Melbourne on Friday.

Despite the wet weather, nearly 60,000 fans turned out for the first international cricket match at Sydney's Olympic stadium, which hopes to host matches at the 50-over World Cup in 2015.

Australian WikiLeaks founder, only a small number of supporters gathered outside London's Supreme Court on Wednesday.

2012-02-01T10:28:00.001-08:00

Julian Assange's fourth and final British battle against extradition to Sweden for alleged sex crimes started with a day of technical legal argument in England's highest court.

In contrast to previous court appearances for the Australian WikiLeaks founder, only a small number of supporters gathered outside London's Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Some sang verses of Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released, while a lonely Australian flag was hung, daubed with the words "free Assange".

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Inside the court, a judicial bench of seven heard from Assange's barrister Dinah Rose QC that Assange's appeal should be upheld.

She said the Swedish arrest warrant issued for her client is invalid because it was issued by a prosecutor not deemed to be impartial.

UK's top-selling smartphone in 2011. Really? Photograph: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

2012-02-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

Is RIM really the UK's top-selling smartphone vendor? That was the message the company put out earlier this week, announcing that "the latest results from data firm GfK show that BlackBerry was the No.1 selling smartphone in the British market for the second year running. It continues to dominate the market, grabbing 26.3% of December sales and averaging 27.7% through 2011."

This seemed a remarkable set of statistics for a company which has (meanwhile) been seeing US share drooping, according to another research company, Nielsen, which said that its share of the US smartphone market there dropped below 6% in December.

It's even more remarkable because GfK is famously protective about its figures; companies aren't meant to hand them out, and especially not to use them for public competitive comparisons. The company reckons that it covers about 80% of the consumer space - but doesn't try to measure sales in the enterprise or business space.

launch, the third-party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded “dramatically,” according to Apple

2012-01-31T10:46:00.001-08:00

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a collection of new tools for editing multicam projects.

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Computer maker Apple released Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3, the latest update to its professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos, advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third-party apps and plug-ins that support the Final Cut Pro X ecosystem.

Available as a free update from the Mac App Store, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards. The software is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 to new users. Users can also test the program with a free 30-day trial available through Apple’s Website.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from a user’s shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The Angle Editor feature allows users to dive into the Multicam Clip to make adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets users play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

In addition, the latest version of the software builds upon its one-step chroma key capability with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. Users can also utilize complex keying challenges directly in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third-party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded “dramatically,” according to Apple. The company noted XML-compatible software such as DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management, and the new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry’s largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows users to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third-party PCIe cards.

Facebook that includes convincing advertisers to develop social media strategies.

2012-01-31T10:45:00.001-08:00

Facebook Inc. is widening its lead in the online display-advertising market, just days ahead of an expected filing for an initial public offering.

The social network's share of the U.S. display ad market—or banner advertisements on the Internet—grew to 27.9% for 2011, compared with 21% a year earlier, according to new data released Monday by research firm comScore Inc.

That puts Facebook far ahead of its closest competitor, Yahoo Inc., which had 11% of the display-ad market, up only slightly from 10.9% in 2010. Trailing far behind are Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., which both have less than 5%, according to comScore.

Facebook surpassed Yahoo in its share of display ads in 2009.

Facebook could file for an IPO as early as Wednesday, people familiar with the matter have said. The company is looking to raise as much as $10 billion at a valuation of $75 billion to $100 billion, people familiar with the matter have said.

Facebook's revenue is fueled by its online advertising business, so its share of the Internet ad market is closely watched.

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, who joined the social network in 2008, has spent her time building a business model for Facebook that includes convincing advertisers to develop social media strategies.

Brands can connect to consumers for free on Facebook through fan pages. In an effort to convince marketers that spending money to amplify their messages—either through display ads or other ad products—is necessary, Facebook marketing executives argue that the social network's ads are more effective than other online advertisements because they often come from a friend.

While Facebook struggled in the past to convince Madison Avenue that they needed to put their dollars into social media, comScore analyst Andrew Lipsman said Monday's data shows advertisers are buying into Facebook's pitch.

Samsung‘s short run of legal success against Apple has been quickly curtailed

2012-01-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

, with the past two weeks punctuated by court rejections and news that the European Commission has singled out the firm for potentially misusing patents. The Korean company’s prospects had been buoyed by a Dutch court finding against Apple in an attempt to have the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned from sale, with vital design patents dismissed as less powerful than Apple had previously assumed. However, while Samsung had been arguing matters of style, Apple and the EU had focused on cellular-substance, dragging Samsung up short for its potentially dubious use of 3G technology IP.

BlackBerry PlayBook The 32GB now costs £199, the 64GB tablet £249, down from £479 and £559, respectively.

2012-01-27T10:32:00.002-08:00

RIM has taken an axe to the prices it charges for its BlackBerry PlayBook tablets in the UK - again.

You can now pick up the 16GB version of just £169. It was priced at £399 at launch, and yesterday would have set you back £249. That's roughly a third off in 24 hours.

The 32GB now costs £199, the 64GB tablet £249, down from £479 and £559, respectively.

A variety of retailers, including Carphone Warehouse and Dixons, have just applied the new prices.

RIM knocked £150 off the original prices in October 2011 in a bid to boost demand for the 7in tablets. Punters have not taken to the machine.

It didn't do much good, and just as October's cut followed a big price reduction in the States, so this latest round of reductions comes after RIM discounted again over there.

Google Plus is now open to everyone 13 and up

2012-01-27T10:32:00.001-08:00

Google Plus continues to get more open bit by bit, and just today made the service available to teens age 13 and up. Previously, Google Plus was restricted to people 18 and up. Along with the wave of new teenagers, Google Plus is also getting new privacy and security features--a fairly important thing if the service is to become something parents encourage their children to use.

Google is probably doing the slow rollout on purpose. This is their third or fourth wave of opening the service up. Each time it's followed by new statistics on membership, and this time will be no different. Millions of teens are going to sign up in the near future.

Google Plus Opens To Teens

Google Plus is now open to everyone 13 and up, and I'm guessing there will be plenty of takers.

This kind of news should be music to a video marketer's ears, because teenagers are among the most avid video consumers. They're also much more prone to social activity, with most of today's teenagers having grown up with mobile devices, Facebook, and Twitter.

The influx of teenagers 13 and up to Google Plus means the demographic will change almost overnight. It should also make Google Plus a more attractive social video marketing tool for brands and businesses--particularly those that create content known to appeal to teenagers: I'm thinking about action-oriented brands like Go Pro and Red Bull, music videos and music industry brands, movie trailers, etc.

A look at exactly what Google is doing and how it affects you. Gallery

2012-01-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Google announced sweeping changes to its privacy policy, analysts are weighing on who might be most affected by it. Cecilia Kang reports:

Google this week announced a shift in its privacy policies that will allow it to follow the activities of users as they move across the firm’s Web sites, including its highly popular YouTube, Gmail and main search engine. The company emphasized in interviews that the change would apply only to users who are signed on to their Google accounts.

A look at some of the major deals the Web giant has made or attempted in an effort to expand its reach.

The initiative could be of particular significance for consumers of Android devices, who are almost always signed on to their phones and tablets, experts said. Without signing up for an account, an Android smartphone owner would be limited in what he or she could do on the device, they said.

“I guess it’s theoretically possible to use an Android device without being logged on, but that wouldn’t be much of a smartphone,” said Kurt Opsahl, a senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a group that advocates for free speech and privacy online.

The company said users who activate Android phones without signing into a Google account can make phone calls, browse the Web and use pre-installed applications. But they couldn’t use their Gmail, chat functions or download Angry Birds, Pandora or other applications from the Android Marketplace.

17-year-old Alisa lay hidden for months in isolated woodland on the Sandringham estate before being discovered by a dog walker on New Year’s Day.

2012-01-26T09:17:00.001-08:00

POLICE investigating the murder of Alisa Dmitrijeva are conducting searches in Snettisham.

The body of 17-year-old Alisa lay hidden for months in isolated woodland on the Sandringham estate before being discovered by a dog walker on New Year’s Day.

Alisa, of Wisbech, was last seen getting into a green Lexus in Friars Street, Lynn, just after midnight on August 31. Police have since received a later sighting of her in the town 45 minutes later.

Now officers have learned that she was likely to have spent time at Snettisham beach car park during the early hours of August 31.

Officers are looking for her mobile phone, a black LG GM360, and other objects around the car park today.

The man leading the investigation Det Chief Insp Jes Fry has been appealing for sightings of Alisa and the green Lexus.

He said: “I would still ask the local communities in Wisbech and Lynn to think back to the August bank holiday and following week in September last year, and to get in touch if they have any information about Alisa’s whereabouts during this time.

Lexus sebethule iHybrid Sport Coupe embukisweni wezimoto iNorth American International Auto Show.

2012-01-26T09:16:00.003-08:00

Le moto abayibiza nge LF-LC concept ibilokhu ikhonjiswa kulo mbukiso kusukela uqala waze wasongwa ngeSonto.

Kwa Lexus bathi basesigabeni sezinguquko ezinkulu ezithinta umlando wale nkampani okuhlanganisa ukuhlelwa kabusha kwendlela yokwkhiwa kwezimoto zabo.

Isikhulu sakwa Lexus uKarl Schlicht, uthi kulezi zinyanga ezingu 24 ezizayo ziningi izinguquko ezizobonakala ezimotweni zabo.

Kwa Lexus bathi indlela okwakhiwe ngayo iLF-LC ikhombisa isimo izimoto zabo ezingase zibukeke ngayo izimoto zabo ezingama sport coupe.

Bathi indlela eyakhiwe ngayo le moto kusukela ezinhlangothini, nokuhleleka kwe grille yabo ngaphambili namachopho ngemuva nangaphambili kwenza kungabi lula ukusuka amehlo kuyo. Amalambu ohlobo lwe Daytime running amise okuka L bese kuthi ama fog lights akwazi ukukhanyisa ngendlela yokuthi ungakwazi ngisho nokucosha inayiti.

Ukhakhayi lwale moto luyingilazi, kanti ezinhlangothini igqize nge aluminium. Ngaphambili ohlangothini lomshayeli, kodwa kwenziwe kwaqondaniswa naye okwenza kungabi lula ukuthi uma ungumshayeli ususe amehlo emgwaqeni ngenxa yokuphazamiseka uzama ukufinyelela kumabhathini athile.

Prince Rainier III of Monaco, The Monte Carlo Festival was encouraged as a form of art in 1974. Performers from diverse parts of the world participat

2012-01-26T09:16:00.001-08:00

Prince Rainier III of Monaco, The Monte Carlo Festival was encouraged as a form of art in 1974.

Performers from diverse parts of the world participate in this competition. The directors of this event are Urs Pilz and Princess Stephanie of Monaco.

The 36th on going Monte Carlo Festival started on January 19 and will go on until January 29, 2012. - Photos by Agencies

Droid Razr Maxx with bigger battery to launch on Verizon January 24, 2012 | 6:40 pm increase text size decrease text size 34 2 Motorola Droid Razr

2012-01-25T05:42:00.002-08:00

A lot of good things to say about the Verizon-exclusive handset, but I also had a complaint when it came to battery life.

"Daily charging would be a part of life with the Razr and anyone considering buying this phone should have a charger at home, work and in the car," I wrote.

And evidently, I wasn't the only one who thought the Razr could do better when it came to holding a charge -- lots of other tech critics complained too. Motorola seems to have agreed also, which is why the company is releasing the Droid Razr Maxx through Verizon on Thursday.

* Apple US mkt share doubles to 44.9 pct -Kantar * Google Android share slips to 44.8 pct -Kantar * ARM, Imagination, Dialog rise around 4 pct * Ap

2012-01-25T05:42:00.001-08:00

Apple 2012: Smooth sailing, for the most part
Mon, Jan 23 2012
Samsung suffers German court setback in Apple battle
Fri, Jan 20 2012

Analysis & Opinion

Apple juggernaut regains warp speed with new pilot
What’s bad for publishers is great for readers

"Physibles", which will allow users to download 3D printer files that will deliver physical objects as long as you own a 3D printer.

2012-01-25T05:41:00.000-08:00

Downloads do not have to be just files, they can be physical objects.

ZoomThe Pirate Bay just announced a new category "Physibles", which will allow users to download 3D printer files that will deliver physical objects as long as you own a 3D printer.

"We believe that the next step in copying will be made from digital form into physical form," a blog post at The Pirate Bay states. "We believe that in the nearby future you will print your spare parts for your vehicles. You will download your sneakers within 20 years."

At this time, there is not much in this category that can be downloaded. And there is quite some work to be done until, as the guys over that The Pirate bay envision, that you can download your lunch.

3D printers are not as expensive anymore as they once were. For example, MakerBot's MakerBot Replicator was launched at CES earlier this month. The device is available for $1749 and features a build volume of 1.3 gallons using ABS and PLA materials.

Apple Sells 350,000 e-Textbooks in 3 Days Apple Makes Move To Digitize Academic Learning Apple Announces iBooks 2 and New Software Aimed at Interactiv

2012-01-24T10:30:00.001-08:00

The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that the share of adults in the U.S. who own tablet computers--such as an iPad--went from from 10% to 19% between mid-December and early January. The survey also found that e-book readers similarly enjoyed a jump from 10% to 19% during the same time period. And the number of American owning at least one of these types of devices went from 18% to 29% from December to January.

Among Hispanics, tablet ownership shifted from 10% in mid-December to 21% in mid-January, while e-reader ownership more than tripled, going from 6% to 19%.

The Pew report indicated that the findings "are striking because they come after a period from mid-2011 into the autumn in which there was not much change in the ownership of tablets and e-book readers."

Pew notes that there was a dramatic marketplace shift just at the onset of the holiday season owing to reduced prices on e-readers and the new availability of lower-priced tablets, including the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet.

The survey was conducted through telephone interviews with a sample size of 2,986 people ages 16 and older. The survey interviews, which was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International, were administered in both English and Spanish.

Twitter's Corp Dev, will be at Vator Splash Feb 2. Join Brown

2012-01-24T10:29:00.002-08:00

Twitter has a healthy appetite for small start-ups that can provide the micro-blogging site more tools to grow its services. The newest Twitter acquisition is the Web-security company Dasient that has had previous investors such as Google Ventures, Radar Partners, Floodgate and Benhamou Global Ventures. Dasient confirmed the acquisition in a statement Tuesday.

Effective immediately, Dasient will fold its technology, tools, and team into the revenue engineering team at Twitter. The details on the amount of the acquisition were not publicly disclosed -- a common thread in the Twitter deals we have seen in the past.

(Note: Mike Brown, head of Twitter's Corp Dev, will be at Vator Splash Feb 2. Join Brown and other high-tech influencers by registering here. We'll try to get Brown to talk about what other acquisitions Twitter may be considering.)

Dasient was founded in 2008 with the focus on making the Web a safer place for online businesses. Dasient's cloud-based, Web-scale technology searches for best defense against Web-based malware attacks.

In 2009, Dasient launched its Web anti-malware platform, capable of scanning URLs and websites for the presence of harmful content. The, in 2010, Dasient launched an anti-malvertising service to protect ad networks and publishers from malicious ads.

Now a part of the growing Twitter team, Dasient will be able to apply its technology and team to the world’s largest real-time information network for its increasing need for security measure.

"By joining Twitter, Dasient will be able to apply its technology and team to the world's largest real-time information network," co-founder and CTO Neil Daswani, wrote in a blog post.

As part of this merger, Dasient will no longer able to accept new customers.

A little Twitter acquisition history

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company joins a pantheon of companies that Twitter considered must haves.

Earlier this month, Twitter picked up Summify, a service a service that culls through users' social media profiles to deliver a daily digest of the most relevant stories.

In November, the micro-blogging service purchased Whisper Systems, a mobile security startup.

is it useful enough for me to upgrade to the iPhone 4S

2012-01-24T10:29:00.001-08:00

Should I upgrade to the iPhone 4S for Siri?

Dear Maggie,
I've had the iPhone 3G for a couple of years. But recently, I've really gotten tired of the slow download speeds for e-mails and Web surfing. Would the iPhone 4S be better? Also the Siri app looks really interesting, and I can't get it on my iPhone 3G. Is it worth it for me to upgrade to the iPhone 4S for this app?

I'm going to be buying a new phone in the next couple of weeks, and I am curious as to whether or not you think it is worth the money to get the iPhone 4S, or if I should consider something else. Now that I've been retired for almost five years, I've lost touch with the latest technology so your advice is much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

Dear Jim,

I have mixed thoughts about the Siri application. It's definitely cool to speak into your device, ask a question, and have Siri answer you. And some people I've talked to who own an iPhone 4S really love it. But the times I've tried the app, it hasn't worked that well for me. It doesn't understand what I am saying, or it just directs me to a Website without telling me the answer I wanted. So in my opinion, the app can be useful at times, but it's more a novelty at this point than a reason to buy the iPhone 4S.

Even though I don't think Siri is cool enough to make me upgrade to the iPhone 4S, there are many other features of the iPhone 4S that are worth upgrading for. And without a doubt, the iPhone 4S is a big improvement over the iPhone 3G, which is now two-generations old.

The biggest benefit for you is that the the iPhone 4S will likely offer you those faster downloads you want. The iPhone 4S sold by AT&T operates on the carrier's HSPA+ wireless network, which is a slightly faster network than AT&T's regular HSPA 3G network, which the iPhone 3G uses.

But just to be clear, the iPhone 4S does not operate over AT&T's new 4G LTE network, which promises to offer much faster download speeds. (There has been a lot of talk about 4G LTE networks and I just wanted to be clear that the "4" in the name of the iPhone doesn't mean it supports this network.) Most Apple iPhone fans are hopeful that 4G LTE will be coming to the next iPhone that's released. But it's unclear when that new phone will be released.

In terms of device performance, the network is just one piece of the puzzle. The real difference in download speed between the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 4S is likely attributable to the fact that iPhone 4S offers more processing power than the older iPhone 3G. So everything you do with the phone should be noticeably faster--from downloading e-mail to surfing the Web to switching between applications. The overall response time of the iPhone 4S will just be snappier than what you're used to.

On an average day, you watch 4 billion videos on YouTube

2012-01-24T10:28:00.002-08:00

You watch 4 billion videos on YouTube. That's a 25% increase over the number of daily video views just eight months ago, and it shows what kind of immense numbers we can see when a popular Web destination becomes even more popular.

It's kind of amazing -- and kind of frightening.

When it comes to how much video people are uploading to the site, the numbers are also mind-boggling: YouTube reports that 60 hours of video is uploaded to the site every minute, compared with 48 hours eight months ago.

What's behind this growth of activity? Reuters points out that parent company Google is pushing the video-sharing service beyond the personal computer, with versions of the site now compatible with smartphones and televisions. The company also has been making an effort to get more professional-grade content on the site.

Does all of this translate to money? Well, some of it does. But, Reuters reports, Google said only about 3 billion videos a week are monetized.

iPhone 4S or iPad 2, with iOS 5.0.1 and reboot untethered.

2012-01-24T10:28:00.001-08:00

iOS hackers, you can now jailbreak your A5-based iDevice, without being encumbered by the dreaded tether. (If a jailbreak is said to be tethered, it means that the jailbreak is undone if you reboot the phone -- in other words, you must connect your phone to your PC or Mac to properly boot it. An untethered jailbreak is the gold standard, because you don't need to muck about with any of that nonsense.)

But first, here are some top tips, learned from bitter experience. Ignore them at your peril:

Before doing anything, back up your iPhone in iTunes.
Make sure you stop iTunes from automatically updating itself -- A long-term fear is that Apple may introduce anti-jailbreaking code into a future iTunes update, stop that software from auto-updating.
Make sure you stop iTunes from automatically updating your iPhone -- iOS updates will almost always undo a jailbreak and you may find that new updates aren't jailbreakable (at least, for a few days or weeks).
If you do choose to do an iOS update on your iPhone or 3G iPad, make sure you don't update the baseband firmware -- even if you don't want to unlock your device to use a different carrier, you might want to sell it to someone who does. Devices with newer basebands may not be unlockable and so fetch lower prices on eBay, Craigslist, etc.
Plug your iPhone directly into a USB socket on your Mac or PC's case -- do not use a USB hub.
Unplug as many other other USB devices as you possibly can.
Use a genuine Apple USB cable, or a 3rd party cable that you know to be of good quality -- some cheapo cables can appear to work fine for regular syncing and charging, but fail in subtle ways when jailbreaking.
Be patient -- some of the steps involved in jailbreaking an iPhone take longer than you might think. If it appears to have hung, it probably hasn't. Set aside plenty of time to do the jailbreak; the last thing you want to do is interrupt it mid-process.

Bachelor track record, they didn't last, making Brad a two-time show loser in the game of love.

2012-01-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

The network is confirming the news we all already knew.

Emily Maynard, the single mom who stole Brad Womack's heart on Season 15 of The Bachelor, will now take the role of Season 8's Bachelorette.

More: Something's fishy about 'Bachelor' Ben

She and Brad got engaged, but in keeping with the Bachelor track record, they didn't last, making Brad a two-time show loser in the game of love.

But Emily's tragic story -- she was pregnant and engaged to NSACAR driver Ricky Hendrick when he died in a plane crash in October 2004 -- makes her a perfect candidate to star in the next cycle of the show. The West Virginia native, who now lives in Charlotte, will be picking from 25 guys when The Bachelorette kicks off in spring after TheBachelor winds up. We're guessing little Ricky -- Emily's daughter, Josephine Riddick "Ricki" Hendrick, 6 -- will have a say in it all, too.

Chris Harrison noted on Good Morning America today that she is the show's "first single mom," which will create "an interesting social dynamic."

Vanessa Paradis Steps Out Sans Johnny Depp Amid Split Rumors

2012-01-24T10:16:00.000-08:00

singer-actress stepped out solo last night at the Paris premiere of her new flick Café de Flore, marking her first public appearance since rumors began swirling early this month that she and the Hollywood megastar are calling it quits.

But that wasn't the only thing Paradis did to fuel rumors of a romantic flameout…

MORE: Vanessa Paradis Steps Out Sans Johnny Depp Amid Split Rumors

The Daily Mail reports that after the premiere, Paradis spoke to radio station Europe 1 and dropped this bomb: "In the winter I separate, in the summer I marry. It's been 15 years since I've been getting married every year. In addition I have to answer all these rumours!"

Boom! It's the closest Paradis has come to directly addressing any kind of breakup rumors, and the couple has so far remained mum about their relationship status. The stars' reps have yet to respond to requests for comment about Paradis' statements.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" made the best-picture nominee list.

2012-01-24T10:13:00.000-08:00

There are nine Academy Award best-picture nominees this year thanks to a rule change requiring films to receive a certain number of first-place votes. Seven of them were completely expected. "War Horse" surprised some, and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" more than surprised many.

Here's a look at the nine nominees.

"War Horse"
It's Spielberg. It's sweeping. It takes on the Big Events and how they affect the Little People. How could it not be on the list?

"The Artist"
The novelty of it being black-and-white and silent aside, it's actually a really enjoyable film. You leave the theater happy. You tell your friends about this crazy silent movie you saw. Good chance of winning.

Google Plus is king now,Schlumberger uses IBM System Networking RackSwitch for HPC

2012-01-23T07:50:00.001-08:00

Google CEO has been defined by his attempts to cut out the rot at Mountain View while pollinating the company's entire online estate with social goo.

That effort continued on two fronts late last week.

First, Google confirmed it was axing six more of its products. Separately, a blogger spotted that the world's largest ad broker had begun hooking all new Gmail signups directly into Google+ by default.

Google’s Android is king of the smartphone market,Sony Xperia S,Motorola Motoluxe

2012-01-23T07:49:00.001-08:00

Google’s Android is king of the smartphone market, with the hugely successful operating system being adopted by literally hundreds of devices.

With so many different smartphones running the various versions of Google’s software, you’d have thought that it almost doesn’t matter which one to go for.

But of course it does matter. Any Android user will tell you there are vast contrasts between different Android phones, something that has been proved by Samsung’s deft use of the OS.

The likes of the Galaxy S2, the Nexus and the Note have secured Samsung place at the top of the Android pile. And Samsung’s next offering, the Galaxy S3, is just around the corner.

But we like to keep things fair at Pluggedin, and give some other Android devices a chance to have their say. So what are the best Android alternatives to the Samsung Galaxy S3?

Sony Xperia S

When it comes to looks, Sony really knows what it’s doing. And the super sleek, very sexy Xperia S is no different. With a 4.3 inch LED backlit display, and 1.5GHz processor, this could a great alternative to the Galaxy S3.

Due for release in March, the Xperia S is unfortunately only running Android Gingerbread – but we should be getting an ICS update before too long.

Motorola Motoluxe

Motorola isn’t known for its pretty phones, but the Motoluxe is a decent effort. With a feel of the Galaxy Note about (although a bit smaller), the Motoluxe is a great first-time Android.

The Motoluxe is also running Android Gingerbread, and features an 800MHz processor, 512 RAM and 1GB ROM. Not exactly cutting-edge stuff, but well worth considering.