News Archive for 12/07/20

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Apple provides details, fixes on in-app purchase hack

07/20, 9:30pm

Week-old hack allows theft of 'downloadable content' for apps

In the wake of the revelation of the recent App Store in-app purchase hack, Apple has published a document for developers on how to protect applications from purchase fraud. The document addresses three common questions about the security process, as well as providing APIs to eliminate the flaws that allowed the hack to function. Additionally, in the same document, Apple said iOS 6 will completely rectify the issue.

AMD forecasts rough period for PC industry

07/20, 8:02pm

Chip maker sees lower sales as mobile surges

Advanced Micro Devices sees the PC industry entering a rough sector, with no likely recovery in the immediate future. During the conference call for the company's second quarter earnings, AMD CEO Rory Read said that the industry may be resetting to a new and lower baseline with regard to sales. Read attributed the decline to the growing popularity of smartphones and tablets, which are eating up the computing space typically occupied by notebooks and desktops.

Betaworks aims to rebuild Digg completely by August 1

07/20, 6:59pm

10-person team hopes to finish within 6-week window

Digg is being relaunched by Betaworks. A post on the company's "Rethink Digg" blog states that a 10-person team of engineers, editors and designers from News.me have been working for the last few weeks on a new Digg website. The team hopes that the new version of Digg will be ready by August 1, after six weeks of work starting from scratch.

Barnes & Noble said to prep new Nook Tablet

07/20, 6:29pm

Bookseller may refresh Nook line with features new to tablets

Barnes & Noble may be rolling out the the successor to its Nook Tablet this fall. Sources familiar with the company's operations tell CNet that the bookseller will release a tablet device that will improve on the 7-inch tablets B&N has previously released. The report is low on specifics, but the device is said to be B&N's way of keeping up with Google's Nexus 7 and similar devices expected from Apple and Amazon.

ZTE: competitors miss the mark with expensive smartphones

07/20, 5:33pm

ZTE targets less cutting edge tech to cut prices

Chinese device maker ZTE believes that its competitors are spending too much time trying to develop the next cutting edge handset and too little time developing devices that can sell at a price point attractive to consumers. This according to ZTE's European marketing and business development director Chris Edwards, who PC Pro reports spoke at a launch event for the company's new Grand X smartphone. ZTE is attempting to carve out a niche for itself in the low to mid-range market, and it believes its competitors are going about addressing that market in entirely the wrong fashion.

Samsung pre-trial term definition backfires; favors Apple

07/20, 5:25pm

'electronic document' definition draws from Apple's patent

Electronics manufacture Samsung has been dealt another setback in the work-up before its trial with Apple. Samsung requested a tight clarification on the term "electronic document" and the resulting definition construction ended up using several terms verbatim from Apple's "rubber banding" patent, potentially solidifying Apple's claims against Samsung.

Japan's KDDI intros Android 4.0-powered smart TV box

07/20, 4:30pm

Japan shows off Panasonic-built Smart TV Box with Android 4.0 onboard

Japanese telecommunications provider KDDI has shown off a Panasonic-built smart box that connects to users' TVs and enables them to connect to the web. The device isn't a Google TV box, but does have some similarities to those devices. The box will be sold to cable providers in Japan, with testing due to start in August.

Qantas to offer passengers iPads for in-flight entertainment

07/20, 4:26pm

Move will see 5000 iPads put into Boeing 767 fleet

Qantas will be giving customers iPads to use for in-flight entertainment, following successful tests late last year. The Apple tablets will be rolled out to the entire Qantas 767 fleet, from the fourth quarter of this year onwards, starting with flights based on Australia's east-coast routes. Adding iPads to all 23 Boeing 767-300 craft would require at least 5,000 units, excluding spare tablets for repairs.

Nexus 7 16GB appears to be sold out

07/20, 4:03pm

No wait on shipping apparently for 8GB version

The 16GB version of the Nexus 7 tablet from Google and Asus appears to be in high demand, as Google's site no longer lists the device as available for order. Instead, visitors to the 16GB's versions product page on the Google Play Store are now presented with a notice saying the device is "Coming Soon" and given the option to sign up to be notified by email when the device becomes available. The development comes in the wake of previous reports that the Nexus 7 was seeing high sales across retail outlets.

Galaxy Note II benchmarks show up with impressive scores

07/20, 3:16pm

Samsung GT-N7100 spotted in benchmark tests, could be the Galaxy Note II

A device called the Samsung GT-N7100 has shown up in the GLBenchmark database, PhoneArena reported. Since the GT-N7000 is the Galaxy Note, many surmise that the new model number indicates the recently rumored Galaxy Note II. The handset compared well to other devices in terms of graphics performance, which run on Snapdragon S4 Pro chips with an Adreno 320 GPU.

First look: Google-Asus Nexus 7

07/20, 3:03pm

We unpack Google's new tablet

Google's Nexus 7 tablet has sparked considerable interest since its unveiling late last month, and that interest appears to have turned into respectable initial sales. Over the past week, early pre-order units have been arriving in customers' hands, and ours just arrived recently. So Electronista's going to give you a first look at the Nexus 7 packaging, and of course the device that comes inside.

Samsung to reveal new Galaxy device August 15

07/20, 2:58pm

Media notice could be new Galaxy Note

Samsung has sent out a notice to media outlets revealing that the company intends to unveil a new addition to its Galaxy line of devices in mid-August. According to BGR, the invite includes no details on the device. Instead, it only gives the date and time details for the unveiling. The press conference is scheduled for August 15 at 10:00 am EST.

Facebook buys Pulp developer Acrylic Software

07/20, 2:27pm

Acrylic to be merged into Facebook's design team

Acrylic Software has been bought out by Facebook, says the company's founder, Dustin MacDonald. In a blog post, he explains that in the next few weeks, the company will be moving from Vancouver to San Francisco to become a part of the Facebook design team. The company' current products, Pulp and Wallet, will remain on sale but are not expected to get any future updates.

LG puts 84-inch 4K TV on sale in South Korea

07/20, 2:20pm

4K TV for 25 million Won limited to 84 preorders

LG is putting its 84-inch ultra-definition TV on sale to a limited number of customers in Korea. The 4K television, shown off at CES earlier this year, can display video at a resolution of 3840x2160, as well as a full 1080p and 3D using passive Film Pattern Retarder (FPR) glasses. Audio is provided by a two stereo speakers and two woofers for 2.2-channel "3D surround sound".

Second Samsung 'Jasper' handset photo surfaces on Twitter

07/20, 1:44pm

Image confirms mid-range LTE device for Verizon

Another image of the Samsung smartphone codenamed '"Jasper" (SCH-i200) has leaked online. The photo of the Verizon handset appears on the evleaks Twitter feed, with claims of a dual-core Snapdragon MSM8960 processor running at 1.5GHz, a resolution of 800x480, LTE data, and running on Ice Cream Sandwich Android.

Google buys out email client maker Sparrow

07/20, 1:01pm

Developer to be merged into Gmail team

In a surprise move, software developer Sparrow has announced that it has been bought out by Google. Most terms of the deal haven't been announced, but Sparrow does say it will be folded into the Gmail team to "accomplish a bigger vision" which it can allegedly "better achieve with Google." It also promises that it will "continue to make Sparrow available and provide support for our users."

Amazon, WB agree on content deal

07/20, 12:57pm

West Wing, Fringe to come to Amazon Prime

Online retailer Amazon announced today an agreement that will see Warner Bros. content appearing on Amazon's Kindle Fire media tablet. The deal will bring shows like Fringe and The West Wing to Amazon's Prime Instant Video catalog. The deal represents another step by Amazon to strengthen its content library as the retailer is thought to be preparing to a successor to its Kindle Fire tablet this summer.

iPhone 3GS now on India's Aircel for under $200

07/20, 12:25pm

Phone's fate after 2012 may be uncertain

Indian carrier Aircel is now selling the iPhone 3GS for less than $200, according to an official announcement. The device is now selling for about Rs. 9,999, or roughly $181. Buyers must also, however, pay for a year of unlimited data at a rate of Rs. 3,000, the equivalent of just under $55. The 3GS has been available in India for a long time, but typically at much higher prices.

Forum roundup: iPad 3 vs. Nexus 7

07/20, 12:11pm

iPad 3 vs. Nexus 7 and more

Today in the MacNN forums users debate which is better, the iPad 3 or the Nexus 7, in this thread started by Professional Poster freudling who believes there is no contest. PeterParker is concerned about compatibility issues with third party hardware if he updates to Mountain Lion, read more here.

Apple refurbs: iMacs from $999

07/20, 12:10pm

Discount prices on refurbished iMacs

At Apple's online store today save on refurbished iMacs. They start at $999 for the refurb. 21.5-inch iMac with a 2.5GHz Intel core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Or save $220 on the refurb. 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel core i3 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, now $1079.

Briefly: GoSmart Stylus announced, Manifesto FCP X update

07/20, 11:43am

Manifesto gains FCP X support

The GoSmart Stylus, a new stylus for touchscreen devices with a clear tip, has been released by GoSmart. The aluminum stylus features a teflon coated stainless steel tip that will work with any capacitive touchscreen, including those that are covered with a protective layer. GoSmart is offering the stylus in two models, the 300 and 200 series, both which include magnets for attaching the stylus directly to newer iPads. Both models will be available on August 8 at a cost of $25.

Rumor: Comcast to beat FiOS with 305Mbps Internet

07/20, 10:53am

New speed tier announced via internal live event stream

Comcast is reportedly planning to offer a 305Mbps Internet connection before the end of the year. Someone that Broadband Reports considers a reliable source claimed all Comcast employees were treated to a streaming live event about future Xfinity plans, where Chief Executive Officer Neil Smit mentioned the faster tier would be in Verizon FiOS territories "soon."

DealNN roundup: 1.8GHz MacBook Air, now $1149

07/20, 10:02am

Deals on MacBook Airs, Blu-ray players, and more

Today's deals from DealNN include price breaks on MacBook Airs, Blu-ray players, and more. Macmall.com this week is offering an Apple Blowout sale, which includes the 11.6-inch, 1.8GHz MacBook Air with 4GB of RAM, 256GB of Flash storage, and dual-core Intel Core i7 processor. Currently featured at DealNN, the MacBook Air has now dropped to $1,149.99 in price, and offers savings of up to $499.

Fox movies become available via iTunes in the Cloud

07/20, 9:42am

Last major studio joins fold

This week's expanded iTunes in the Cloud movie services are also including Fox titles for the first time, users note. While Fox movies have been on sale through iTunes for some time, the option to redownload them via iCloud has been conspicuously absent. Fox was the last major studio holdout, following Universal's arrival in April; extended rights negotiations are likely to blame.

LG IPS7 Series monitors use near invisible bezel

07/20, 8:53am

LG IPS7 offers direct connection with for mobile phones

LG has introduced its new IPS7 Series of monitors that are highlighted by a near invisible bezel at just 1.2mm (.025-inch) thin. The new monitors use IPS technology for wide viewing angles and more consistent color representation. They come in 23-inch and 27-inch iterations although both are limited to a 1920x1080 resolution, but they also come with support for mobile high-definition link (MHL) out of the box.

Dell to preload Linux on XPS 13 ultrabook

07/20, 8:20am

Dell Project Sputnik leads to release of XPS 13 with Ubuntu

Dell will release a version of its popular XPS 13 ultrabook with Linux preinstalled. The company has issued a statement on the release indicating that the Linux-based ultrabook is part of its Project Sputnik initiative with the aim of bringing an Ubuntu developer notebook to market. When it is released this fall, the XP3 with Linux will ship with the Ubuntu 12.04LTS distro onboard.

HTC confirms Jelly Bean updates inbound for HTC One X, S

07/20, 7:02am

HTC one of the first to commit to Android 4.1 updates

HTC is now confirmed as the first major OEM to commit to upgrading at least some of its handsets to Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean). Although it hasn't released a firm timetable for its updates, it will be bringing the latest version of Android to its One X, One XL and One S devices. Although Ice Cream Sandwich is also installed on the One V, it did not single that device out by name in its official statement on the matter.

Retina iPad comes to China in low-key, non-violent debut

07/20, 3:15am

New queue and reservation systems reduce scalper traffic

With little fanfare, Apple finally launched the latest model Retina display iPad in China earlier today to significantly less chaos than previous iPhone and iPad launches. A pre-sale reservation process guaranteed a smooth sales process, surprising Apple customers expecting mayhem when the device finally went on sale. The new system is intended to stymie scalpers, whose high-volume purchases had aggravated an already-tense stock shortage situation outside the dealerships during the iPhone launch.

Toshiba refreshes mid- and low-range HD television lines

07/20, 1:15am

Seven new models range from 19 to 65 inches

Electronics manufacturer Toshiba's 2012 HD television line has been completely refreshed over the last couple of weeks. In announcing seven new models, the manufacturer has executed the most sweeping change of its consumer television line in over a decade. All the models are available at retail now.