News Archive for 12/10/25

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Apple sued by WhitServe over 'Quick Look' OS X feature

10/25, 11:45pm

Patent troll WhitServe awarded patent in 2011 five years after filing

Non-practicing entity WhitServe has filed a lawsuit against Apple in the US District Court for Connecticut. The suit alleges that Apple is violating its patent relating to a system for "sequentially opening and displaying files in a directory" with the Quick Look feature built into OS X since 2007's "Leopard" release. WhitServe claims to be actively licensing the 2011 patent, and has suffered from Apple's willful infringement of its patent.

AMD, Intel, others form Cyber Security Research Alliance

10/25, 10:00pm

Chip manufacturers joined by Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, RSA

Unlikely allies AMD and Intel have been joined by Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, and RSA to form the Cyber Security Research Alliance, a private, non-profit research consortium. The tech giant think tank has been formed to address the growing need for collaborative efforts to address complex problems in cyber security. Priority research areas for the organization will include data and information sharing, control system security, and threat mitigation.

Ballmer: more Microsoft hardware may be on the way

10/25, 9:06pm

'There's no device on the market that's like the Surface'

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has indicated that the software giant's foray into the hardware sector is not a step it is likely to reverse any time soon, and that Microsoft will be releasing hardware beyond its just-released Surface tablets. Microsoft's move into hardware production has angered some of its PC manufacturing partners, who now fear that they will have to compete with the very company that supplies them with an operating system. That fact apparently has not swayed Ballmer, though, as he has stated that the company will do more in hardware "where we see important opportunities to set a new standard."

Cook: the iPad mini is not a 7-inch tablet ... it's better

10/25, 9:04pm

'We would never make' them for a variety of reasons

During the conference call with analysts earlier on Thursday, Apple's CFO Peter Oppenheimer and CEO Tim Cook talked in more detail about both the pricing of the new iPad mini as well as what distinguishes it from its competitors. Near the end of the call, Cook elegantly bridged the seeming disparity of former CEO Steve Jobs' disparaging comments about 7-inch tablets and Apple's current view, both by pointing out that the iPad mini isn't really in that class (it is 7.9 inches, significantly larger than most others) and that it is a no-compromises product.

Samsung posts fourth straight record profitable quarter

10/25, 8:35pm

Strong smartphone sales make up for drops in chip revenue

Reporting just hours after rival Apple, Samsung reported record quarterly profits doubling from a year ago and coming in at $7.4 billion. Weakness in its chip division were obscured by strong sales of the Galaxy range of products, which accounted for more than two thirds of the company's profit for the quarter.

Yahoo sucks up social venue sharing website Stamped

10/25, 7:56pm

Existing product to be discontinued, team moving to NYC

Yahoo has purchased social startup Stamped, a company that developed apps to allow consumers to share favorite restaurants, video, and music on smartphones. A blog entry on the Stamped website states that Yahoo would discontinue the product by the end of the year, and that the existing team would be working on something "big, mobile and new" in New York City's Bryant Park area.

Chromebooks sold out at online retailers

10/25, 6:22pm

Best Buy, Amazon, Google Play sold out of Chromebooks

The recently announced new Chromebook from Samsung and Google appears to have sold out at all of the online retailers carrying the device. A look at the Chromebook product pages for Amazon and Best Buy earlier today showed the device out of stock, as was the case with Google's Play Store page. The Best Buy page has since been updated to show the device as available.

Apple: 1.3 million Apple TVs sold last quarter

10/25, 5:44pm

'It's still a hobby, however, it's a beloved hobby'

In the conference call for Apple's quarterly earnings, it was revealed that Apple sold 1.3 million units of its Apple TV over the previous three months. Apple TV unit sales for this past quarter brought Apple's "hobby" to five million in total sales over the fiscal year. Apple CEO Tim Cook noted that the Apple TV "still has the hobby label; however it's a beloved hobby."

Tim Cook: PC buyers "better off buying an iPad"

10/25, 5:38pm

Apple exec labels Surface tablet a ''confusing product''

During a conference call following Apple's fiscal Q4 financial disclosures, CEO Tim Cook did not hold back his thoughts regarding Microsoft's Surface tablet and PCs in general. Answering a question about the potential threat from competing products, the executive labeled the Surface tablet a "compromised, confusing product" and likened it to a car that might be able to fly and float, but would not be able to "do all of those things very well."

Amazon posts quarterly loss for first time in four years

10/25, 5:30pm

Loss pinned on economic condition, high 'cloud computing' spending

Amazon reported lower-than-expected quarterly results on Thursday. The e-tailer cites the European debt crisis and recession for reduced consumer demand, and heavy spending on distribution warehouses and cloud-computing data centers for the loss. Prior to this quarter, Amazon had generated 18 straight quarters of gains.

Apple seeks to patent Universal Connector

10/25, 5:21pm

Universal connector described matches Lightning

Apple has filed a patent covering the technology behind its Lightning connector cables. The patent is titled "Universal Connector," and it purports to describe "circuits, methods, and apparatus that limit the number of types of connectors needed by an electronic device." The technology is aimed at reducing "the number and types of connector receptacles needed on an electronic device."

Apple rumored to launch Pandora-like radio service in 2013

10/25, 5:11pm

Apple is said to be in talks with music labels or revenue sharing

Apple is said to be in deep-level negotiations with some major music labels to launch an ad-supported Internet radio service, not unlike Pandora. According to a Thursday Bloomberg report, talks could end by mid-November and the service arrive in the first quarter of 2013, sources who wish to remain unnamed have said. Compared to Pandora, which seems to be the biggest competitor to this upcoming service, Apple would get quicker access to new songs.

Apple ships 26.9M iPhones, 14M iPads in latest quarter

10/25, 4:48pm

iPhone growth surpasses 58 percent year-over-year

Apple today posted its fiscal fourth quarter financial results, shedding light on yet another record-breaking quarter for iPhone and iPad sales. The company shipped 26.9 million iPhones in Q4, up 58 percent from the year-ago quarter, while iPad shipments increased by 26 percent to 14 million units in the same three-month span.

Apple posts record fiscal Q4: $36B revenue with $8.2B profit

10/25, 4:35pm

Revenue driven by 27M iPhone shipments

Apple has announced financial results for its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter ended September 29, 2012. The company posted quarterly revenue of $36 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.2 billion. The Q4 results compare to revenue of $28.3 billion and net profit of $6.6 billion in the same quarter last year. Gross margin was 40 percent compared to 40.3 percent in the year-ago quarter, while international sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarterly revenue.

Ortus shows 9.6-inch LCD panel with 4K resolution

10/25, 4:30pm

Japan's Ortus shows smallest LCD with 4K resolution, 458ppi

Japan-based Ortus Technology has introduced what it calls the smallest LCD panel with 4K resolution, packing 3,840x2,160 pixels into 9.6 inches. The pixel density is also impressive, at 458ppi. Its other promised specs include a 160-degree viewing angle from all directions and coverage of 72 percent of the NTSC-standard color gamut.

Sprint reveals new data plans for 4G tablets

10/25, 4:20pm

Sprint to temporarily waive activation fee for tablets

Sprint will soon introduce new rate plans for 4G tablets, undercutting other carriers on pricing for 4G tablets. The carrier announced today that it will be offering customers up to 20 percent more data than AT&T and Verizon for the same price. Sprint is also going to temporarily waive the activation fee on all 3G and 4G LTE tablets.

Nexus 7 with 3G radio shows up at FCC

10/25, 3:56pm

It's now expected Nexus 4, Nexus 7 will be unveiled at Google event on October 29

A newly-spotted FCC listing is hinting that a version of the Nexus 7 tablet with a 3G radio onboard will soon hit the market. With this, it's expected that the Google event scheduled for Monday, October 29 will see this tablet officially introduced.

Samsung Nexus 10 tablet confirmed as manual leaks

10/25, 3:13pm

Nexus 10 appears to share design aesthetic of Galaxy Note 10.1

Google's October 29 event will almost certainly feature a new 10-inch Nexus tablet manufactured by Samsung, as images of a manual for the device have now surfaced online. The images reveal the general design lines of the Nexus 10, but give no indication as to its build materials. From the diagrams in the manual, the Nexus 10 appears to sport a design aesthetic reminiscent of Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1.

Sceptre outs 32-inch LED HDTV with built-in DVD player

10/25, 2:45pm

Sceptre launches 32-inch HDTV with integrated DVD player, USB drive

Sceptre this week unveiled a new addition to its display lineup with the 32-inch E325BD-HD. It offers 31.5 inches of viewable area and has 1,366x768 resolution, along with a slot-loading side DVD player that's hard to find nowadays. The set is under two inches thick and weights about 20lbs with the stand.

Briefly: Pocket for Mac, Users upset by quick iPad update

10/25, 2:31pm

Consumers Feel 'Cheated' by 4th Gen iPad

A Mac version of Pocket, a read-it-later service, has been released. Pocket for Mac includes all of the features found in the iOS and Android apps, including offline access to saved content. The Mac software will also automatically sync content across all devices, and includes keyboard shortcuts, video stream support, and the ability to share content with friends. Pocket for Mac is a free download in the Mac App Store

iPad mini price blamed on low touchscreen yields

10/25, 2:28pm

7.9'' panels said to be $5 cheaper than 9.7'' screens

The iPad mini's price, which sits at the high end of analyst expectations, has been partially attributed to yield issues with the tablet's 7.9-inch touchscreen. A DigiTimes report suggests the 7.9-inch touchscreen modules in the Mini are only approximately $5 cheaper than the 9.7-inch panels used in full-size iPad models.

Wall Street antsy on AAPL ahead of earnings

10/25, 2:23pm

AAPL shorts at two-year high

As Apple prepares to announce its earnings later today, some indicators on the company's share performance have given many analysts pause. Traders are beginning to doubt whether AAPL can maintain the lofty performance it has seen over the last year, as some say that technical aspects of the stock show some troubling indicators. As a result, short interest on Apple is at the highest point it's been in two years, as some investors bet that the stock's price will drop.

Sprint net loss improves to $767M, sells 1.5M iPhones

10/25, 2:03pm

Operating loss improves to less than half of Q2 results

The latest quarterly results from Sprint shows the carrier receiving a net loss of $767 million, an improvement from the $1.4 billion endured in Q2. The operating loss of $231 million for the period is less than half the $629 million from the second quarter, and almost reaches the same $208 million loss felt in Q3 last year.

Microsoft unveils Windows 8

10/25, 1:07pm

Microsoft says platform is biggest for app developers

In a special media event today, Microsoft finally launched the newest version of its flagship product, Windows 8, an update the software giant hopes will spur a flagging PC industry to life and help Microsoft regain ground against Apple and Google. The event saw Microsoft representatives exploring the features and capabilities of the new operating system across a range of older and newer hardware units with multiple form factors. Microsoft also sought to stress the viability of Windows 8 as a platform for developers, noting that it would have the largest potential install base of any operating system on the market.

Swype competitor SwiftKey Flow beta coming soon

10/25, 1:02pm

SwiftKey Flow beta due to arrive in the next few weeks with new features

SwiftKey is teasing its latest upcoming Android virtual keyboard extension with the SwiftKey Flow, which will soon be released as a beta to those who sign up. The embedded video demo below certainly impresses with the speed of the real-time prediction algorithms. Both regular taps and flowing gestures are supported at the same time, so users don't have to select one or the other.

Canon quarterly results claim net income dropped by a third

10/25, 12:48pm

Stagnant global economy blamed for lower demand

Canon has seen its net income go down by more than a third, according to the company's third quarter results. Revenues dropped to $10.3 billion, a fall of 13 percent compared to last year's results, with the continued low demand of the company's products claimed to be the main culprit. Demand for compact cameras have stalled, with the "stagnation of the global economy" receiving the blame.

Recochoku site sells music for Japanese 3DS owners

10/25, 12:22pm

3DS owners in Japan will soon be able to stream, buy music from consoles

Owners of the Nintendo 3DS portable gaming system in Japan will soon get access to a music streaming and download site, Recochoku. It's optimized for mobile devices and allows users to find ringtones and complete tracks for a price. The library is comprised of more than one million titles, each priced at about 250 yen (just over $3).

Sony Xperia TL coming to AT&T on November 2 for $99

10/25, 11:53am

Skyfall-themed Xperia TL coming to AT&T on November 2

AT&T has now released pricing and ship dates for the promised Sony Xperia TL. The phone will be available for purchase from the carrier for $99 on a two-year contract. The phone features a dual-core, 1.5GHz Snapdragon S4 processor and 13-megapixel rear camera, while the front shooter supports 720p video resolution.

Mac mini catches up to 2010 Mac Pro in benchmark tests

10/25, 11:28am

Data center highlights new features

The new Mac mini has reportedly reached performance levels comparable to the previous-generation Xserve and Mac Pro desktops released in 2010, according to benchmark tests posted by colocation service provider Macminicolo. The overall design has not substantially changed since the last Minis were introduced in 2011, however the combination of additional RAM and Intel's Ivy Bridge processors brings a significant boost in performance.

Honeywell shows rugged enterprise phone, the Dolphin Black

10/25, 11:13am

Honeywell's rugged Dolphin 70e Black gets 12-hour life, area-imaging scanner

Honeywell has introduced its first rugged enterprise hybrid phone, the Dolphin 70e Black. It sports a 4.3-inch, capacitive touchcscreen that is viewable in direct sunlight and is IP67-rated for resistance to water and dust. It also has what most consumer handsets lack in the form of an enterprise-class, area-imaging scanner.

Nintendo results show Wii U as sold below manufacturing cost

10/25, 10:53am

Cost lowers estimated net profit by $175M

Nintendo will sell the Wii U, its next game console, at a loss from launch. A presentation from CEO and President Satoru Iwata said that the console's price is "below cost", and claimed to be one reason for the company's annual net profit outlook being reduced from $251 million down to $75.2 million.

13'' Retina MacBook teardown shows soldered RAM, new battery

10/25, 10:43am

Battery cells redistributed throughout housing

The crew at iFixit has dissected Apple's new 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, revealing the internal changes necessary to achieve its thinner profile. The redesigned notebook takes inspiration from its larger counterpart, transitioning to soldered RAM that cannot be easily swapped at a later time. Users are currently limited to 8GB of RAM, without the 16GB option offered with the 15-inch model.

Carphone Warehouse lists Nexus 4 with October 30 ship date

10/25, 10:42am

Nexus 4 gets dated, priced at UK retailer Carphone Warehouse

Right on the footsteps of yesterday's leak of new images of the handset, UK-based cellphone retailer Carphone Warehouse briefly posted a listing of the LG-made Nexus 4. The listed ship date was October 30, which also coincides closely with a Google event on October 29 where the handset is expected to be officially unveiled. Otherwise, the listing is somewhat confusing, as it lists both Android 4.2 and Android 4.1.2 will be aboard the handset.

Panasonic reveals Lumix GH3 launch for Japan, US to follow

10/25, 8:00am

Panasonic reveals Lumix GH3 launch for Japan, US to follow

Panasonic has announced when it will start selling the Lumix GH3 in Japan. A release date for mid-December suggests that the Micro Four Thirds, mirrorless camera will be making its way to other markets, if not close to the end of the year, then at the start of 2013. Details of camera-bundles and launch-day accessories have also been revealed.

Sharp intros AQUOS XL series with new ‘Moth-Eye’ tech

10/25, 7:16am

Sharp looks to nature for display inspiration in new AQUOS XL series

Sharp has taken the covers of its new AQUOS Quattron 3D XL TV series. In addition to featuring Sharp’s Quattro four primary color technology that includes a yellow sub-pixel, the new TVs incorporate a new technology Sharp is calling ‘Moth-Eye.’ This is said to significantly reduce glare by cutting light scattering as well as internal reflection.

Apple debuts new ad for 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro

10/25, 6:08am

Apple starts 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display campaign

Apple has launched the television campaign for its new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display. The new ‘Colors’ ad focuses on the thinness of the unit by present a side view initially, then slowly pans 90-degrees to reveal the centerpiece Retina Display. Also highlighted are the wide-viewing angles offered by its use of IPS technology, while it ends with the tagline “For the Pro in all of us.”

Galaxy Note II up for pre-order with AT&T and Verizon

10/25, 5:27am

Galaxy Note II $300 on two-year contract with AT&T, Verizon

The Samsung Galaxy Note II is now officially up for pre-order with both AT&T and Verizon. The latest genre-bending 5.5-inch ‘phablet’ can be had for $300 on a two-year contract with both carriers. AT&T customers who pre-order now can expect receive their order by November 6, while Verizon customers will have to hold out to November 27.

Razer Project Fiona surfaces at FCC sans side controllers

10/25, 5:22am

Filing suggests controller as having separate battery

A tablet by gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer has appeared in filings at the FCC. Razer's Project Fiona gaming tablet, last seen by Electronista at CES earlier this year, appears to have lost the handlebar-style controllers on the sides. A filing note relating to accessories mentions a Razer-branded controller, suggesting it as an optional attachment.

Apple updates latest Macs, Logic, Camera RAW

10/25, 3:25am

Update for 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini

Just a day after announcing a new iMac, Mac mini, and a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, Apple has already issued an update for the new machines that includes all the features and updates of the general OS X 10.8.2 release. The new version also boosts stability, compatibility and security fixes specific to the new models, including USB 3.0 reliability enhancements and fixes for improved graphics performance and reliability. Apple also updated its Camera RAW compatibility files and its pro audio software Logic Pro and Express.

New iPad Mini illustrations appear on Apple Developer site

10/25, 2:20am

Documents intended to facilitate case and accessory manufacture

Intended as a tool for designers to make iOS device cases, Apple has released detailed exterior schematics of the iPad Mini and new fourth-generation iPad on the developer section of its website. Not only are the device cases examined in detail, other assets like a flash test target are available for budding iOS device case designers.