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Canada's RIM to cut at least 2000 jobs: report

Sat, 26 May 2012 11:09:53 -0400

TORONTO (Reuters) - Research In Motion Ltd is preparing for a major restructuring beginning in the next couple of weeks that will see it eliminate at least 2,000 jobs worldwide, the Globe and Mail reported on Saturday, citing unnamed sources. The Canadian newspaper, citing several people close to the company, reported that the next round is layoffs is said to be planned for around June 1 - a day before the BlackBerry smartphone maker's first quarter ends - but some expect the announcement even earlier. ...

Noise-Canceling Tech Lets You Quietly Dine in Noisy Restaurants [VIDEO]

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:51:51 -0400

How many times have you gone out for a fancy evening of food and revelry, and ended up spending the evening yelling into the ear of your dinner companion? An accomplished sound engineer has figured out a way to solve that problem, using technology similar to that of noise-canceling headphones.

Dell’s first Windows 8 tablet revealed

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:15:07 -0400

After a number of failed attempts in the Android tablet market, Dell is looking to readdress the tablet space with Windows 8. According to a leaked document obtained by Neowin, Dell will launch a 10.8-inch tablet with 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution and a dual-core Atom processor later this year. The slate will also be equipped with a fingerprint reader, an 8-megapixel rear camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera, Intel graphics, 2GB of RAM and a massive 128GB solid-state drive. Unlike many other tablets, Dell has included a removable battery that will come in two sizes. A smaller battery will get between six and eight hours of battery life, while a larger one will offer between 10 and 12 hours of usage

Sony confirms Xperia Play will remain on Gingerbread due to gaming issues

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:00:20 -0400

Sony Mobile on Friday confirmed that it no longer plans to update its Xperia Play smartphone to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich due to compatibility issues with the device’s gaming features, Phone Scoop reported. “Ice Cream Sandwich demands more from the phone hardware than Gingerbread,” a Sony spokesperson said. “Android 4.0 is a more powerful OS and thus, more resource intensive – applications require more RAM, CPU power, and network bandwidth. From internal testing and feedback from the developer community on the beta ROM software release, we have seen a significant decline in user experience when running high performance games, as they are more demanding on the hardware. As gaming content is so integral to the core Xperia Play proposition, we cannot

Apple owns 74% of smartphone web traffic, 95% of tablet traffic

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:15:06 -0400

According to a new report from online advertising network Chitika, smartphones and tablets now account for 20% of all Web traffic in the U.S. and Canada. Traditional PCs accounted for 80% of Web traffic, with smartphone traffic totaling 14.6% and tablets making up 5.6%, AllThingD reported. Chitika found that a whopping 95% of tablet Web traffic came from a version of Apple’s iPad, mainly the newest iPad, and 72% of smartphone traffic also belongs to Apple, compared to 26% for Android devices. The Cupertino-based company didn’t fare as well on the desktop side, which saw 85% of Web traffic from Windows machines compared to 13% from Macs. The report also noted that Windows Phone now accounts for a third as much

Typical CEO made $9.6M last year, AP study finds

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:01:24 -0400

Profits at big U.S. companies broke records last year, and so did pay for CEOs.

HP’s webOS team may join Google

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:00:50 -0400

HP’s open source webOS team, known as Enyo, will reportedly be leaving the company and joining Google, according to The Verge. The computer giant in December announced its failed webOS mobile operating system would move to an open-source model under the name Enyo, with version 1.0 slated for release in September 2012. The website’s sources claim the entire Enyo team will not be headed for Google, but Matt McNulty, the head of the project, will be among those departing. This wouldn’t be the first time the Internet giant has hired former webOS workers; Android’s current design chief Matias Duarte oversaw the creation of the user interface for the operating system while working at Palm. It is unclear if the Enyo team

The View From Google's Goggles; Streaker Season Is Here

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:07:47 -0400

We realize there's only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today: Google goggles go for a spin on the trampoline, streaker season is here, and revisiting Heath Ledger's Joker.

10 highest-paid US CEOs in AP survey

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:07:19 -0400

The 10 highest-paid U.S. CEOs for 2011, according to an Associated Press analysis of Standard & Poor's 500 companies. The analysis includes companies that had the same CEO for all of 2010 and 2011 and that filed proxy statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission between Jan. 1 and April 30.

GameFly to take on Google with new Android app store

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:40:16 -0400

GameFly announced on Wednesday that it plans to begin publishing mobile games for Apple’s iOS platform and Google’s Android operating system. In addition, the video game rental service plans to further expand into mobile by launching its own Android app store to take on the Google Play store. ”GameFly is dedicated to giving consumers the best user experience possible, and to be their single destination for console, PC and mobile gaming needs,” GameFly co-founder Sean Spector said in a statement. “We plan to be a leading player in mobile games by launching our retail GameStore for Android and helping to fund mobile developers of all sizes to publish, promote and sell their smartphone and tablet games.” The GameFly GameStore will

Saab CEO alleges phone bugged over Swiss fighter deal

Fri, 25 May 2012 07:27:58 -0400

The head of Swedish defence group Saab alleged on Friday that his cell phone had been bugged repeatedly during negotiations with Switzerland over Saab's sale of 22 Gripen fighter jets.

50 highest-paid CEOs in AP survey

Fri, 25 May 2012 06:08:09 -0400

The 50 highest-paid CEOs for 2011, according to an Associated Press analysis of Standard & Poor's 500 companies. The analysis includes companies that had the same CEO for all of 2010 and 2011 and that filed proxy statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission between Jan. 1 and April 30.

10 highest-paid CEOs in AP survey

Fri, 25 May 2012 06:07:13 -0400

The 10 highest-paid CEOs for 2011, according to an Associated Press analysis of Standard & Poor's 500 companies. The analysis includes companies that had the same CEO for all of 2010 and 2011 and that filed proxy statements with the Securities and Exchange Commission between Jan. 1 and April 30.

4G LTE compatibility for NVIDIA’s quad-core Tegra 3 coming soon

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:45:03 -0400

NVIDIA on Thursday announced that its Icera 410 LTE multi-mode data modem for tablets and clam shell devices has been validated for use on AT&T’s 4G LTE network. “Validation with AT&T is an achievement that paves the way for NVIDIA Icera-powered LTE devices on the AT&T network through this year and next,” said Stan Boland, senior vice president of Mobile Communications at NVIDIA. The Icera 410 LTE modem offers 4G LTE connectivity of up to 50Mbps alongside HSPA+, 3G and 2G connectivity. NVIDIA’s modem is the company’s latest step toward bringing LTE and Tegra 3 compatibility to smartphones. So far, manufacturers have been forced to scrap NVIDIA’s quad-core processor in devices bound for LTE networks in the U.S. Read on

The Cook Report: Flip a Coin

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:02:29 -0400

Not much in the just-released NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll conflicts with the story line that we’re going to see a lot of close races this fall. Democratic pollster Peter Hart and Republican poll-taker Bill McInturff found that 48 percent of the 1,000 American adults interviewed (including a subsample of cell-phone users) approve of the job that President Obama has done. This percentage is 2 points short of the 50 percent approval rating that would signal he is a favorite for reelection. A rating below 46 percent suggests that a president is toast. ...

Microsoft wins German ban on Motorola phones

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:30:40 -0400

A German regional court on Thursday issued an injunction against newly-acquired Motorola Mobility for infringing one of Microsoft’s patents, according to FOSS Patents. The manufacturer is banned from selling its Android-powered devices that infringe Microsoft’s EP1304891 patent, which covers “communicating multi-part messages between cellular devices using a standardized interface.” The sales ban, for the time being, is subject to additional confirmation. If confirmed however, it is enforceable with a bond of $31.4 million. Patent expert Florian Mueller notes that since the patent covers “operating system-level functionality, the modifications ‘Googlorola’ would have to make to Android to work around this ruling would lead to significant complications.” Furthermore, apps that make use of Android’s messaging layer will apparently have to be completely

A Second Look at Romney's First Day; Andy Samberg at Harvard

Thu, 24 May 2012 15:52:57 -0400

We realize there's only so much time one can spend in a day watching new trailers, viral video clips, and shaky cell phone footage of people arguing on live television. This is why every day The Atlantic Wire highlights the videos that truly earn your five minutes (or less) of attention. Today: Famous fictional mafiosos explain private equity, another look at day one of the Romney presidency, and the filming locations of Hoosiers, revisited.

Google Play gets in-app subscriptions for Android

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:40:44 -0400

Google on Thursday announced an update to its Google Play Store that allows Android users to make in-app subscriptions. The update comes more than year after the Mountain View-based company introduced in-app billing in what was then called the Android Market. “Since the launch, In-app Billing has been extremely successful in helping developers monetize their apps through try-and-buy, virtual goods, upgrades, and other popular business models,” Google said on its developer blog. “Today, 23 of the 24 top-grossing apps in Google Play use In-app Billing, and the total revenue generated from in-app purchases exceeds revenue from traditional app purchases.” In-app subscriptions will allow developers to sell monthly or annual subscriptions from within their apps. “Developers just set the price and

Huawei seeks EU action against InterDigital patent fees

Thu, 24 May 2012 14:05:51 -0400

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - World No.2 telecoms equipment maker Huawei has called for EU antitrust regulators to intervene in a dispute with InterDigital, saying the U.S.-based firm is demanding "exploitative" fees for use of its 3G mobile phone patents. Huawei filed a complaint with the European Commission on Wednesday, after failing to reach a deal with the wireless technology patent holder, making it the latest company to take a patent grievance to the EU watchdog. "Huawei ... ...

Microsoft wins ruling against Motorola over texting

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:53:01 -0400

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A German regional court ruled in a hearing on Thursday that Motorola Mobility infringed Microsoft patents by offering the option on its mobile phones to send a longer text in a batch of several messages. "We're pleased the court agreed today that Motorola has infringed Microsoft's intellectual property, and we hope Motorola will be willing to join other Android device makers by taking a license to our patents," Microsoft said in a statement, referring to Google's Android operating system for mobile phones. ...

Polls: Cell phone users prefer Obama, landline users like Romney

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:58:07 -0400

Political pollsters have been under pressure to make sure their samples include Americans who rely solely on cell phones—and the latest NBC News/Marist polls of Florida, Ohio and Virginia exhibit why.As NBC's First Read flags, Romney narrowly pulls ahead in Florida among voters who were polled over landlines—48 percent to 45 percent. But among cell phone respondents only, Obama has a major lead: 57 percent to 34 percent.In Virginia, the results are similar: Romney leads by 1 point among voters polled over landlines: 47 percent to 46 percent. ...

Polls: Cell phone users prefer Obama, landline users like Romney

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:39:34 -0400

BlackBerry stock falls after sales chief resigns

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:29:13 -0400

TORONTO (Reuters) - Shares in Research In Motion Ltd fell more than 3 percent on Thursday morning after the BlackBerry maker said its global sales chief had resigned. The resignation of Patrick Spence, a 14-year RIM veteran, comes as the Canadian company struggles to sell legacy products and prepares for the make-or-break launch of its new smartphone later this year. London-based Spence had risen steadily through RIM's ranks and was widely credited with building strong sales growth in the Middle East and other emerging markets. ...

‘Phablets’ are here to stay

Thu, 24 May 2012 10:05:50 -0400

BGR called for the death of the “phablet” this past February when we reviewed Samsung’s mammoth Galaxy Note, but the market has spoken loud and clear. End-user sales of Samsung’s first true smartphone-tablet hybrid topped 5 million units within about five months, placing Samsung well on its way to achieving the company’s goal of selling 10 million units in 2012. According to a new report from market research firm ABI, Samsung’s Galaxy Note is just the beginning. Shipments of smartphone-tablet hybrids like the Samsung Galaxy Note and LG Optimus Vu will surpass 208 million handsets annually in 2015 according to a recent report published by ABI Research. We now sit at “the dawn of the phablet era” according to the

Bump App Update: Transfer Photos From Your Phone to Computer With Just a Tap

Thu, 24 May 2012 09:00:49 -0400

Bump, an app for Android phones and the iPhone, has made it very easy for people to transfer photos or money from one phone to another. It’s now set its sights on transfers from a phone to a computer. Today the company is announcing an...

Google+ Android Update: Start Hangouts Right From Your Phone

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:51:32 -0400

Google just rolled out an update to its Google+ Android app, revamping the layout of the "stream" with bigger photos and less white space, similar to the app's recent update on iOS. Another highlight: Now users can start video chats -- also known as hangouts -- right from their phones.

Android, iOS gain share in Q1 as Symbian, BlackBerry plummet

Thu, 24 May 2012 07:45:21 -0400

Google’s Android operating system and Apple’s iOS platform showed big market share gains in the first quarter of 2012 as Symbian and BlackBerry shipments plummeted. Market research firm IDC on Thursday published its global smartphone market share report for the first quarter of this year, and Google’s Android was far and away the biggest winner in terms of year-on-year shipment gains. According to IDC’s study, Android shipments during the quarter totalled 89.9 million units, up a staggering 145% from 36.7 million in the first quarter of 2011. iPhone shipments were up 88.7% over the first quarter last year to 35.1 million units, giving Apple 23% of the smartphone market in the first quarter compared to Google’s 59% share. “The popularity

Taiwan's Tsai claims island's richest spot: Forbes

Thu, 24 May 2012 02:04:55 -0400

Taiwanese tycoon Tsai Eng-meng topped the island's richest list for the first time boosted by his booming China-based business, Forbes magazine said.

Jury deals big blow to Oracle in Android case versus Google

Wed, 23 May 2012 22:54:45 -0400

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's Android mobile platform has not infringed Oracle Corp's patents, a California jury decided, putting an indefinite hold on Oracle's quest for damages in a fight between the two Silicon Valley giants over smartphone technology. In a case that examined whether computer language that connects programs and operating systems can be copyrighted, Oracle claimed Google's Android tramples on its intellectual property rights to the Java programming language. ...

NVIDIA’s Kai strategy aims to make $199 quad-core Android tablets a reality

Wed, 23 May 2012 22:30:05 -0400

NVIDIA CEO Jen-Hsun Huang previously mentioned that more Tegra 3-powered tablets would be coming to the market this summer, starting at the low price of $199. At the company’s annual shareholders’ meeting last week, vice president Rob Csonger revealed Kai, a plan to democratize its quad-core Tegra 3 system-on-a-chip. NVIDIA is looking to offer tablets that are more powerful than Amazon’s Kindle Fire, but that will be offered at the same low price point. “Our strategy on Android is simply to enable quad-core tablets running Android Ice Cream Sandwich to be developed and brought out to market at the $199 price point, and the way we do that is a platform we’ve developed called Kai,” he said. “So this uses

RIM's head of global sales leaving BlackBerry maker

Wed, 23 May 2012 21:46:00 -0400

TORONTO (Reuters) - The head of global sales at Research In Motion Ltd has resigned to take on a leadership role in another industry, the BlackBerry maker said on Wednesday, a major blow ahead of make-or-break product launches due later this year. Patrick Spence was a 14-year RIM veteran widely considered a rising star. A spokeswoman for RIM said Spence's last day with the company will be June 15. Spence was promoted to the global sales role in July after serving as managing director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. ...

Samsung’s Galaxy S III smashes preorder records in U.K.

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:50:58 -0400

Samsung’s Galaxy S III hasn’t even launched yet and it’s already setting records. News of the high demand among carriers for the upcoming flagship Samsung smartphone emerged last week, and now U.K. carrier Vodafone has confirmed that it has received a record number of end-user preorders for the Galaxy S III ahead of its launch later this month. A Vodafone spokesperson wouldn’t confirm numbers while speaking with The Inquirer, but the company did say preorders of Samsung’s latest Galaxy phone have been off the charts. “With over a week to go until launch, it’s already the most pre-ordered Android device we’ve brought into our smartphone line-up to date and our limited time offer of 2GB of mobile data and 100

Developments in Oracle vs Google legal case

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:48:29 -0400

Oracle Corp. had accused Google Inc. of patent and copyright infringement. Much of the dispute is over Google's Android, the mobile operating system that now powers more than 300 million smartphones and tablet computers.

News Summary: No Google infringement, says jury

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:46:02 -0400

THE VERDICT: A federal jury says Google didn't infringe on Oracle's patents when the Internet search leader developed its popular Android software for mobile devices.

How consumer-electronics makers are faring

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:07:22 -0400

A look at how selected makers of phones and other consumer-electronic gadgets are faring:

A look at recent tech-industry earnings

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:00:51 -0400

Here is a summary of recent earnings and reports for selected technology companies and what they reveal about the state of spending and the overall economy:

Jury deals blow to Oracle in case vs. Google

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:09:54 -0400

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc's Android mobile platform has not infringed Oracle Corp's patents, a California jury decided, putting an indefinite hold on Oracle's quest for damages in a legal fight between the two Silicon Valley giants over smartphone technology. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday in a San Francisco federal court. The same jury could not unanimously agree on the copyright allegations earlier in the case, though the jury foreman told reporters on Wednesday that the final vote on a key copyright issue heavily favored Google. ...

Jury: Google didn't infringe on Oracle patents

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:07:34 -0400

A federal jury ruled Wednesday that Google didn't infringe on Oracle's patents when the Internet search leader developed its popular Android software for mobile devices.

Google did not infringe Oracle’s patents with Android

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:35:20 -0400

In the widely publicized patent infringement case between Google and Oracle, a San Francisco jury on Wednesday found that Google’s Android operating system does not infringe Oracle’s patents. Jurors have been dismissed and Judge William Aslup of the U.S. District court of Northern California exonerated the Internet giant of any wrong doing. The verdict marks the end of the trial’s second phase, which focused on patent infringement claims. Google earlier this month was found to have infringed Oracle’s copyrights, however, and the proceedings are set to resume on Tuesday morning. [Via The Verge] Read

Rejoice Bureaucrats! Federal Government Preparing to Break Up with BlackBerrys

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:23:45 -0400

Official Washington is one of the last redoubts of the thumb-tapping BlackBerry user. The new Digital Government Strategy, released on Wednesday, contains hints that the BlackBerry is on the way out as federal government’s leading mobile device.