News Archive for 13/01/02

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Hands on: Kensington Bluetooth 4 Proximo starter set

01/02, 10:35pm

App, Fob, Tag combination helps prevent device loss

Accessory manufacturer Kensington has produced peripherals for computing aficionados for years. A new gadget by the company is the Kensington Proximo security system, which leverages the Bluetooth 4 technology found in Apple's latest crop of devices and promises that the fob-and-app combo will help prevent expensive mobile device loss. Electronista was given the opportunity to evaluate the new technology, and put it through its paces over the last week.

Apple to release Q1 2013 financials on January 23

01/02, 10:30pm

Company expected to post record $50B-plus quarter

Apple, which begins its fiscal year on October 1, will release the results of its holiday quarter sales on January 23 at 5PM ET, an hour after the markets have closed for the day. The company is widely expected to break its own all-time record for sales, with results from the iPhone 5, the fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini and a refreshed iPod lineup representing iOS products, and a refreshed MacBook and iMac line representing the latest Macs.

Sprint PAYGo service to begin January 25 with select phones

01/02, 9:31pm

Regular Sprint phones ineligible for PAYGo service

Sprint will be rolling out its prepaid service model in the coming weeks, bringing a Sprint-branded service option to customers that do not want to sign up for a contract. Sprint As You Go will reportedly be starting up on January 25, with one flip phone, one feature phone, and two smartphones eligible for no-contract service. The prepaid service will not, though, be open to customers using standard Sprint smartphones.

Kindle Fire, Android tablets gain share at iPad's expense

01/02, 8:56pm

Chitika sees iPad share dropping 7.14 percent over holidays

Apple's iPad and iPad mini may have been a top-selling item over the holiday period, but entries from competitors sold strongly enough to slightly loosen Cupertino's stranglehold on the tablet sector. This according to new figures out from Chitika Insights, which looked at hundreds of millions of smartphone and tablet ad impressions from December 1 to December 27, 2012 in Canada and the United States. Chitika found that tablets from Amazon, Samsung, Google, and Microsoft gained a combined total of 5.5 percent market share over that period, while Apple's iPad lost 7.14 percent share.

Apple calls on Samsung to withdraw US import ban cases

01/02, 8:00pm

Samsung should follow suit with own actions in Europe, ITC told

Apple, in a new filing with the US International Trade Commission, has argued that Samsung should drop all of its US-based court claims for sales injunctions over alleged infringement of "standards-essential patents" (SEPs) as it has done in Europe, using the Galaxy S maker's own claim that such a move is in the "best interest of consumers" against it. Samsung's key offensive tactics in its legal battle with Apple appear to be backfiring.

Judge Koh purges too-long testimonies, orders sales figures

01/02, 6:54pm

Evenly-applied ruling redacts some post-trial filings on both sides

Judge Lucy Koh, overseeing the Apple versus Samsung smartphone patent trials in the US, has tossed some declarations from both companies attached to briefs and other court filings that were "not explicitly articulated within the briefing page limits." In the order striking the declarations, the judge said that "the Court has not relied on any of this documentation in ruling on the parties' post-trial motions," possibly indicating other post-trial orders are expected soon.

MS: Google intentionally hobbled Windows Phone YouTube app

01/02, 6:10pm

Microsoft says Google has blocked YouTube search

Google and Microsoft's competition in the search market has resulted in Google blocking phones running Microsoft's Windows Phone platform from operating properly with Google-owned YouTube, according to Microsoft representatives. The allegation came today as part of a larger explanation of Microsoft's ongoing effort to encourage regulators to take action against the search giant for anticompetitive actions. According to Microsoft, Google executives have told YouTube personnel "not to enable a first-class YouTube experience on Windows Phones."

InterDigital files ITC complaints on Samsung, Nokia, others

01/02, 5:49pm

'Patent troll' renews legal hostilities against four manufacturers

Following the announcement of an extension of its patent license agreement with Research In Motion which added "coverage for 4G, LTE, and LTE-Advanced products," non-practicing entity InterDigital announced a new United Stated International Trade Commission (USITC) complaint against Huawei, Nokia, Samsung, and ZTE. InterDigitial is seeking "permanent injunction and compensatory damages in an amount to be determined, as well as enhanced damages based on willful infringement" of the company's patents.

Robbers steal $1.32M in goods from Paris Opera Apple Store

01/02, 4:24pm

Thieves assault store workers

Robbers stole an estimated $1.32 million in Apple products from the Paris Opera Apple Store on New Year's Eve, Dow Jones reports. A group of armed men in masks came in through the service entrance three hours after the store closed, at about 1700 GMT. At the time, only a cleaner and a single security guard were present. The robbers nevertheless assaulted them, inflicting slight injuries in one case.

Touch-based Ubuntu OS for phones announced

01/02, 3:56pm

Popular Linux distro moves to smartphones

As was hinted yesterday, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth announced today the pending release of a new, touch-enabled version of Ubuntu targeted at smartphones. Ubuntu for phones brings its own gesture-driven interface to the smartphone sector, with personalized graphics, integrated search, and support for native and HTML5 apps. Shuttleworth showed off the new operating system in a virtual keynote on YouTube, one in which he sought to position Ubuntu as a way of unifying the user experience across the numerous form factors that define modern computing.

'Do Not Disturb' iOS 6 bug to fix itself January 7

01/02, 3:36pm

'Do Not Disturb' iOS 6 bug to fix itself January 7

People will have to wait for a bug with the "Do Not Disturb" mode in iOS 6 to resolve itself, according to a new Apple support document. The webpage notes that the glitch should disappear after January 7. Problems began yesterday, when Do Not Disturb started staying on past scheduled times. At the moment, the only way to still use the feature is to disable scheduling and manually flip Do Not Disturb on and off.

Intel virtual cable TV service hits media negotiation delays

01/02, 2:50pm

Cloud-based TV, DVR service could launch mid-2013

A project by Intel to roll out a virtual cable TV service with per-channel subscriptions and a cloud-based DVR service has hit longer delays than previously thought, with the negotiations with media companies being the main cause. Recent reports suggest that the discussions pushed the service's potential launch from the end of 2012 to mid-2013 or as late as the fourth quarter.

Dock for Google Nexus 7 claimed out by January 10th

01/02, 1:56pm

US, European retailers to stock dock at $40 cost

The dock for the Google Nexus 7 is going on sale later this month in both Europe and the United States, according to reports. Originally leaked during the summer alongside a travel cover, the Asus Dock for Nexus 7 is said to be priced at $40 in the US and 30 euros ($40) in Europe, and is open for pre-orders through various online retailers.

Amazon wins dismissal of Apple lawsuit over 'Appstore' name

01/02, 1:48pm

Apple case undermined by Steve Jobs, Tim Cook

A federal court in San Francisco has granted a requested dismissal of an Apple lawsuit over Amazon's use of the term "Appstore," Bloomberg reports. Apple has filed for a US trademark on the name "App Store," and in the court case it argued that Amazon's use of the term "Appstore" is intentionally confusing. Amazon countered, though, by saying that the term "app store" has become generic; with today's dismissal, the company should be able to continue selling Android apps unimpeded.

Rumor has Apple considering buyout of mapping service Waze

01/02, 1:07pm

Waze already tied into iOS 6 Maps system

Apple is "sniffing around" Waze and contemplating a buyout of the company, new rumors indicate. Waze describes its iOS app as a "community-based" traffic and navigation service, with over 30 million users. Users share date not only on traffic but things like accidents, checkpoints, and gas prices. In some cases, data is uploaded to Waze servers automatically.

Google, Kia partner for Google Maps in cars

01/02, 1:01pm

2014 Kia Sorento to feature Google functionality

Kia Motors and Google announced today a partnership that will see the search giant providing content and search-based APIs for the next generation of Kia's UVO eServices telematics system. The Kia 2014 Kia Sorento CUV, available in the first quarter of 2013, will be the first to implement these new APIs, which will allow for the integration of Google Maps and Google Places into the driving experience.

Briefly: RocketStor 5322 released, Composition Case for iPad

01/02, 12:58pm

RocketStor features dual SATA bays

HighPoint Technologies has released a new eSATA storage dock that features dual 6Gb/s SATA bays. Offering support for various combinations of 3.5" and 2.5" SATA SSDs and hard drives, the RocketStor 5322 has no capacity limits and can be connected to eSATA RAID controllers for Data Protection and Stripe Performance. The dock is also fully compatible with both Windows and Mac platforms and offers hot-swap support for quickly changing drives.

Apple to equip 2013 Macs with 802.11ac Wi-Fi, sources say

01/02, 12:07pm

Pact with Broadcom allegedly already signed

Apple is working on implementing 802.11ac Wi-Fi into 2013 Mac models, according to sources for The Next Web. The people say that Apple has signed a deal with chipmaker Broadcom, even as the ac standard is still undergoing some revisions. Modern Apple hardware, such as the iMac, supports Wi-Fi standards up to 802.11n.

Amazon offers students $50 discount on Kindle Fire HD 8.9

01/02, 11:29am

Promotion requires Amazon Student Prime membership

Amazon is offering a discount on its large Kindle Fire HD 8.9 for students, ahead of the winter term. The offer, lasting for the entire month of January, grants Amazon Student Members with an active Prime account a discount of $50 off the tablet, the same as a one-day deal the retailer held in mid-December.

Apple planning to launch paid Japanese iBooks in 2013

01/02, 11:01am

Talks still ongoing with major Japanese publishers

Apple should finally launch paid titles at the Japanese iBookstore sometime this year, according to sources for AllThingsD. The company is reportedly negotiating with several Japanese publishers, such as Kodansha, Shogakukan, and Kadokawa. Talks are said to be making progress, and agreements may be completed soon. Allegedly, though, a launch won't happen as fast as the Nikkei has suggested, which is later this month.

TSMC contracted to build A6X chips, report claims

01/02, 10:15am

TSMC deal allegedly moving from possibility to fact

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company has won a contract to start manufacturing A6X processors for Apple in the near future, says Taiwanese publication the Commercial Times. The A6X is used in the fourth-generation iPad, and to date has been manufactured by Samsung. A TSMC version of the processor is expected to reach trial production sometime in the first quarter of 2013.

Samsung to offer upgrade options for 2012 Smart TV owners

01/02, 10:09am

Evolution Kit to provide hardware, software upgrade for HDTVs

Samsung is set to reveal a way for owners of televisions in its 2012 range to add features from its upcoming 2013 HDTV catalog. The Evolution Kit, to be fully unveiled at CES next week, will make changes to the way existing smart televisions will work, not only in terms of software, but also by adding more hardware to the TV set.

Next-gen iPhone, iOS 7 start appearing in app usage logs

01/02, 9:34am

Developer code for iOS 7 could arrive during WWDC

Identifiers for iOS 7 and a next-generation iPhone have started appearing in app usage logs, several developers say. One developer in particular has recorded an "iPhone6,1" device running iOS 7; for reference, the iPhone 5 is listed either as "iPhone5,1" or "iPhone5,2," depending on the cellular bands it uses. The new identifiers are linked to an IP address at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, which suggests that Apple is testing out early builds of iOS 7 with pre-existing apps.

Google Project Glass final design yet to be determined

01/02, 7:30am

Google Project Glass

Google’s Project Glass is still under development with many aspects of the product yet to be nailed down, according to an interview with Google’s Barbak Parviz by IEEE Spectrum. Although Google has previously outlined its broad plans for the device as platform for the next generation of wearable computing, Parvix also offered some additional insights into Google plans for the device. Google, he says, is working on developing Project Glass so that it allows users to quickly connect with others through images and video, while also enabling rapid access to information.

CTIA to merge spring event, MobileCon into single trade show

01/02, 7:11am

New larger Las Vegas event to start September 2014

CTIA is combining two mobile trade shows into one larger industry event, starting from next year. The US wireless industry group will merge the existing CTIA spring event, held in Las Vegas during May, with the fall event, renamed MobileCon in 2012 and takes place in San Jose in October, and create a single show that will be held between the two.

Asus launches Atom-powered Vivo Smart Tablet

01/02, 6:27am

Asus intros Vivo Smart Tablet with TranSleeve

Asus has launched its Atom-powered Vivo Smart Tablet. Unlike the Asus Vivo Tab RT, the Vivo Smart Tablet runs Windows 8 on x86 and is backwards compatible with Windows desktop software. The device can be paired with an optional TranSleeve Keyboard that does triple duty as a cover, keyboard and stand, adopting a similar approach to the Microsoft Surface.

Zenbook Touch U500VZ quietly appears on Asus website

01/02, 4:46am

Specifications of Touch similar to Zenbook Prime

Asus has updated its website to include details of an unannounced notebook, though not accompanied with the usual marketing fanfare. The 15-inch U500VZ Zenbook Touch is listed in the online product catalog with specifications that seem relatively similar to that of recent Zenbook Prime iterations, but includes a touchscreen.