News Archive for 12/11/27

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Rdio updates iOS, Android apps to version 2.0

11/27, 11:17pm

Update adds new interface, remote play feature

Streaming music service Rdio has updated its mobile app to version 2.0. The new version for both iOS and Android completely overhauls the user interface, includes a new navigation bar, implements a remote feature, and adds a unified player to make synchronized play across multiple devices easier.

AMD planning on selling, leasing back Texas campus

11/27, 10:16pm

Transaction should generate over $100 million for manufacturer

In an effort to prop up its finances, chip manufacturer AMD is planning to sell and lease-back its Texas campus. AMD expects to be able to sell the 58-acre site for between $150 and $200 million. The move mirrors similar tactics used to generate cash from both the Sunnyvale, California headquarters, and a building near Toronto.

IDC: iOS, Android surpassed BlackBerry in enterprise in 2012

11/27, 8:46pm

Corporate purchases of iPhones over six times that of BB units

Everyone knows that Research in Motion (RIM), the makers of the BlackBerry, have had a rough year -- but the disinterest in the platform has spread to even its most core constituency, corporate and enterprise buyers, industry analyst IDC reports. A significant portion of that disenchantment may stem from the burgeoning Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) movement, that has seen a grass-roots exodus away from BlackBerrys in favor of iOS devices, along with some Android devices, amid growing impatience for BB10 to arrive.

Apple shortens life of one patent asserted against Samsung

11/27, 8:25pm

Move likely intended to deflect Samsung patent invalidity argument

In an attempt to fend off a Samsung counter-argument scheduled to be heard in the hearing on December 6, Apple has informed the court that it has filed to limit the "lifespan" of patent number D618,677 -- one of the design patents it used to win a billion-dollar court victory against Samsung. The move doesn't invalidate the patent, but does force the expiration to be limited to the earlier expiring one, shortening the life of the design patent by 18 months.

Banks offer to help Sony sell battery business

11/27, 8:17pm

Sony continues restructuring in effort to narrow focus

At least three investment banks have approached Sony with a plan to help the Japanese electronics giant sell off its battery business in order to recenter its focus on core assets and shore up its moribund consumer electronics segment. This according to sources within the banks, who say that the sale of Sony's battery unit could help Sony generate cash, much as was the case when the company sold a chemical business earlier this year. Sony has promised to refocus on games and consumer electronics in order to recover after being surpassed by rivals such as Apple and Samsung.

HP-Autonomy continues as former CEO demands explanation

11/27, 7:40pm

HP rebuffs Lynch's request for details of accusations

The fallout from HP's $8.8 billion write-down on Autonomy continues apace, with former Autonomy chief Mike Lynch now requesting that HP provide more details on allegations that Autonomy engaged in improper accounting. Lynch has defended autonomy, claiming that the company's finances were "handled in accordance with applicable regulations and accounting practices," and states that he "utterly reject[s] all allegations of impropriety." HP, for its part, has challenged Lynch to submit to questioning under oath about Autonomy's finances.

iPad market share drops by 14 percent in Q3

11/27, 6:44pm

Apple tablets still dominate overall sales

The iPad continues to dominate the tablet market, however a report published by ABI Research suggests competing tablets continue to chip away at Apple's market share. The iPad lineup is said to account for 55 percent of tablet shipments in the third quarter, marking a 14 percent drop from the previous quarter and Apple's lowest share since the original iPad debuted two years ago.

Kanex deploys new USB 3.0 hub, USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet

11/27, 6:35pm

New USB 3.0 solutions designed for Windows 8, OS X

Connectivity solution manufacturer Kanex, today announced two new USB 3.0 solutions. A new four-Port USB 3.0 Hub and a USB 3.0 Gigabit Adapter were both announced, and are listed as having both OS X and Windows compatibility.

Microsoft sells 40 million Windows 8 licenses since launch

11/27, 5:59pm

Windows 8 outpacing Windows 7

In the month since the release of Windows 8, Microsoft has sold 40 million licenses of the new operating system. This according to one of the new co-heads of the Windows unit, who notes that sales of the new operating system are outpacing those of Windows 7 at the same stage. The figure, though, does not represent full sales through to customers; the bulk of the 40 million Windows 8 licenses were to PC manufacturers, who in turn sell those machines to companies.

OCZ debuts new SSD line with in-house developed controller

11/27, 5:40pm

OCZ Vector SSD promises longer life, faster data transfers

Provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, OCZ Technology Group, today announced the availability of the new SATA III-based Vector SSD Series featuring the company’s next-generation Indilinx Barefoot 3 controller. OCZ’s worldwide technology hardware and firmware teams developed the new controller silicon and firmware completely in-house to enable full design control over the Vector SSD Series roadmap.

Apple posts Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.1

11/27, 4:45pm

Fixes problem with 'some' Thunderbolt cables

Apple has released a small update for the 2012 MacBook Pro, Thunderbolt Firmware Update 1.1. The patch is described as fixing a problem with the notebook and "some Thunderbolt cables" that "may prevent bus-powered Thunderbolt devices from functioning properly." The file is 442KB, and requires OS X 10.7.4 or later.

KORG updates MicroStation 61 keyboard

11/27, 4:45pm

KORG's latest keyboard allows for 16-level MIDI recording

KORG has just released its updated MicroStation keyboard that can connect right to computers or tablets and let musicians record performances without having to use a third device. Meant to help during songwriting, use as a live keyboard, or adding new beats to music, the mini keyboard has 61 Natural Touch keys and a 16-track MIDI recorder. There are also a number of built-in effects including drums and riffs as well as dual arpeggiators.

Briefly: Pocket for Mac, Rdio for iOS updates

11/27, 4:39pm

Pocket gains improved sharing, new shortcuts

An updated version of Pocket, a read-it-later service, that features improved sharing, new keyboard shortcuts, and bug fixes has been launched. Pocket 1.1 includes native support for Twitter and Facebook in Mountain Lion, plus new options for Evernote users, including easier tagging, commenting, and streamlined authentication. Support has also been added for Evernote China Yinxiang Biji and for printing directly from the app.

Microsoft continues Outlook push, intros Android app

11/27, 4:36pm

Company aims to woo Gmail users

Microsoft has continued to promote its Outlook web-based e-mail service, introducing an Android app and a range of new features. The Outlook app for Android appears to provide the same basic interface as the company's equivalent Hotmail app, which still carries the older branding. The app helps avoid compatibility issues with Exchange ActiveSync native support for some devices.

Reseller claims info on iMac build-to-order costs

11/27, 4:32pm

Fusion Drive said to come with $250 pricetag

A third-party reseller, Expercom, has published what it says are the extra build-to-order costs for the 2012 iMac, which starts shipping on Friday. The base 21.5-inch system has just a single, $200 option for upgrading from 8 to 16GB of RAM. Moving to the high end, though, also allows a $200 boost to a 3.1GHz Core i7 processor, and a $250 upgrade to a Fusion Drive, Apple's hybrid SSD/HDD format.

RePlay launches lightest, smallest action HD camera

11/27, 3:32pm

Tiny RePlay XD720 will replace the XD480 in company's lineup

RePlay has just detailed the latest addition to its action camera range with the XD720. The company is calling it the lightest (2 oz) and smallest (about the size of lip balm) HD action camera on the market, comparing it to the dimensions of lip balm, saying it can even attach to sunglasses. As the name suggests, it can record 720p resolution video at either 30 or 60fps.

Google settles haptic patent lawsuit with Immersion

11/27, 2:49pm

Settlement covers Google-branded, Motorola handsets only

Google has settled in a patent lawsuit with touch technology company Immersion over infringement of the latter's IP in haptic touchscreen technology. The lawsuit has taken nine months to close, and predates Google's ownership of Motorola, and has ended with the search giant licensing the patents in question, compensating for previous Motorola device shipments, and intending to pay for patent usage in smartphones developed by the company in the future.

Apple's Eddy Cue fires exec in charge of iOS 6 Maps

11/27, 2:36pm

Cue said to be bringing in new leadership for Maps group

Apple's senior VP for Internet software and services, Eddy Cue, has fired the executive in charge of iOS 6 Maps, Richard Williamson, according to Bloomberg sources. Although it's unknown if a replacement for Williamson has been lined up, one of the sources claims that Cue is planning to install a new leadership team in the Maps group. Meanwhile, another source says that a team is dedicated to fixing mapping mistakes, for instance upgrading UK satellite imagery or the labeling for US landmarks. The group is allegedly concentrating on the most obvious problems first.

BlackBerry Patagonia 9620 due at Nextel Mexico next month

11/27, 2:20pm

Patagonia 9620 is a budget RIM phone with OS 7.1

A new Nextel Mexico ad spotted online reveals a new BlackBerry handset will soon be released. However, the phone, called Patagonia 9620, will arrive at Nextel Mexico sometime in December, though pricing nor release dates aren't revealed. The ad does reveal the phone's specs, which include OS 7.1, a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 processor and 768MB of RAM.

Apple refurbs: MacBook Pros, iPads, iPods and more

11/27, 2:00pm

MacBook Pros, iPads, iPods and more

At Apple's online store today find discounts on refurbished MacBook Pros, iPads, iPods and more. The refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro with a 2.4GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 750GB hard drive has been reduced from $1999 to $1699, a $300 savings. A $180 price break is offered on the refurb. 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with a 1.7GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of Flash Storage, now $919.

Forum roundup: duplicate font issues and more

11/27, 1:58pm

duplicate font issues and more

Today in the MacNN forums the discussion continues about the easiest way to solve issues with duplicate fonts, click here to read more. Dedicated MacNNer, "gromit95" is having some trouble with an external RAID mounting on their desktop, so they turned to the forums for some advice.

DealNN roundup: iPod touch only $229

11/27, 1:57pm

iPod touch only $229

Deals from DealNN this week include price cuts on iPods and notebooks as well as some Cyber Monday deals that are available all week. BestBuy.com's deal of the day today is on the 4th generation 32GB iPod touch in black which has been reduced by $20 from $249.99 down to $229.99, which ties Apple's price for a refurbished model. The iPod touch features 32GB of memory for up to 7,000 songs, 40,000 digital photos or up to 40 hours of video. A one year limited warranty on parts and labor is included from Apple.

Gmail gains up to 10GB in attachments via Google Drive

11/27, 1:41pm

In Russia, Google Maps adds detail to 45 cities

Google has made a pair of significant tweaks to its online services. Gmail, notably, now allows users to attach up to 10GB to an email via Google Drive, versus the 25MB the service normally allows. This has some limitations however; people must, for instance, opt into the new Compose function, and recipients with dedicated email clients won't automatically have access to a locally-stored file. In effect Gmail is simply generating links to Google Drive, though this does ensure that recipients have the latest version of an item.

Amazon claims sales success, UK government posts sales data

11/27, 1:11pm

Supplied sales information requested to remain confidential

Amazon has released details on its Black Friday and Cyber Monday Kindle sales, calling the two days the "best ever for the Kindle family." The figures are released at the same time as confidential sales figures for the company's UK operations were published by a parliamentary committee investigating its British tax affairs.

iPhone 5 boosts iOS to 48.1 percent of US smartphones

11/27, 12:40pm

Android dips out of first place

iOS has returned to control of the US smartphone market in terms of device sales, according to new data from Kantar Worldpanel Comtech. In a 12-week period ending October 28th, iPhone sales accounted for 48.1 percent of the market; that put iOS up 25 percent year-over-year. Android, by contrast, slipped from 63.3 percent a year ago to just 46.7 percent.

Apple wins patents on OS X widgets dashboard, Siri icon

11/27, 11:24am

Apple wins patents on OS X widgets dashboard, Siri icon

The US Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Apple a pair of new patents. Of the two, the most significant may be Desktop widgets for presentation in a layer, essentially documenting the widgets dashboard users can pop up in OS X. The feature dates back to OS X Tiger, and grants quick access to a collection of simple but custom-picked apps like a calculator or sticky notes. The patent also mentions that widgets can be installed from an online repository, and/or fetch their source data from the Internet, such as in the case of a weather widget.

Nexus 4 to be available again today at 12:00 PST

11/27, 10:56am

Nexus 4 back in stock after early sell-out

After selling out within a half hour of its initial availability, the LG-built Nexus 4 smartphone will be available again this afternoon at 12:00 PST. This according to emails sent out by Google to customers who had received backorder notices during the initial sales run of the device. There is no word on when the new wave of Nexus phones will begin shipping.

OS X 10.8.3 beta supports Radeon HD 7900-series chipsets

11/27, 10:26am

May hint at plans for updated Mac Pro

The first OS X 10.8.3 beta includes drivers for AMD's Radeon HD 7900-series video cards, the 7950 and 7970, notes Netkas.org. The cards aren't in any current Macs; they're in fact based on AMD's new Graphics Core Next architecture, and are each equipped with 3GB of DDR5 RAM. It's believed that Apple could be including the drivers for the sake of a new Mac Pro.

Refreshed, smaller Wii console leaked by Best Buy Canada [U]

11/27, 10:16am

Black and red design set for December 7 release

[Updated after official announcement] Rumors that Nintendo will be releasing a smaller version of the Wii have been confirmed, after an image and release date for the Wii Mini mistakenly appeared on Best Buy Canada's website before any official announcement. Shortly after, Nintendo confirmed the console's existence as a Canada-exclusive device, with its size being not the only change to the popular game system.

Ericsson sues Samsung for patent infringement

11/27, 10:15am

Ericsson resorts to lawsuit after two years of talks fail

The world's largest telecom network equipment maker is suing the world's largest mobile phone maker over patent infringement. Ericsson filed suit against Samsung in the United States today, saying that Samsung has refused to sign a license to use technologies according to Ericsson's stated terms, terms Ericsson describes as fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory. Representatives for Ericsson say that the company decided to file suit after two years of negotiations failed to produce a licensing agreement.

New iMacs to go on sale November 30th

11/27, 9:19am

27-inch systems only shipping in December

Dispelling rumors, Apple has announced that the 2012 iMac will go on sale this Friday, November 30th. Initially, however, only the 21.5-inch model will be available. Orders for the 27-inch option will start shipping sometime next month.

Android app reviews in Play Store gain Google+ integration

11/27, 7:21am

Users forced to use social network accounts as identification

Google is forcing users of its Play Store to reveal their identities, in what appears to be a move to force more accountability in application reviews found on the service. The change in policy sees Google adding Google+ integration to the review system, permanently linking a review to the social network account.

GM first to integrate Siri with new Chevy models

11/27, 6:09am

GM first to integrate Siri with new Chevy models

General Motors has announced that it will be the first car maker to integrate Apple’s Siri into its vehicles. The Chevorlet Spark and the Sonic LTZ and RS models will be the first to integrate Siri’s voice control capabilities via their built-in MyLink infotainment systems. The capability is dependent on owners having a compatible iPhone running iOS 6 or higher.

Sharp shipping Aquos Zeta phone with IGZO display on 29th

11/27, 5:58am

Japan-only handset uses low-power display technology

Sharp will start shipping its first smartphone using the company's new IGZO display technology from November 29th in Japan. The Aquos Phone Zeta SH-02E uses the new ultra low-power consumption display, built using an indium gallium zinc oxide technology, which requires significantly less backlighting than other displays to be visible.

Lenovo China reveals IdeaPhone P770 with 29 hour battery

11/27, 5:20am

Lenovo pushes out smartphone with 29 hour battery life, 26 days stand-by

Lenovo China has revealed its latest smartphone, which packs in a super high-capacity 3,500mAh battery giving it an incredible 29 hours of talk time. The Lenovo IdeaPhone P770 also offers users up to 644 hours of stand-by time, the equivalent of 26 days. In addition to the battery, the use of a mid-range dual-core 1.2GHz processor and 3G-only is also how the device manages to achieve its Droid Razr Maxx beating performance.

Report: new iMacs may appear in select stores on Tuesday

11/27, 2:26am

Supply expected to be constrained for weeks

Apple will apparently be shipping new, thinner 21.5-inch iMacs before the end of the month as planned -- barely. Reports from various sources indicate that Apple will make severely limited quantities of the new model available at select US Apple Stores, but that supplies will be very constrained for a prolonged period due to issues with the precision engineering that has gone into the ninth-generation Intel-based models. The issue is expected to also affect the 27-inch models scheduled for December.

More Canadian carriers to unlock off-contract iPhones

11/27, 1:00am

Bell, Virgin Mobile join Fido, Rogers, Telus in for-fee unlocking

Two more of Canada's larger mobile-phone carriers will now offer unlocking of the iPhone -- for a substantive fee -- joining with the largest three carriers in the country. The iPhones in question will still need to be off-contract, but can be carrier-unlocked for use in other GSM countries -- particularly the US, China, Mexico and other countries frequently visited by Canadians. This leaves only Koodoo, Sasktel and MTS (mostly regional carriers) as still not offering unlocking.