July 10 - 12:20pm EDT   A tip regarding Palm's future webOS 1.1 update hints that the smartphone OS is about to receive a significant upgrade, particularly for business users. The new firmware described by PreCentral should give the Pre and future Palm phones much requested Microsoft Exchange features such as support for company-initiated remote wipes, requiring a PIN to unlock the phone, forcing a certain complexity of PIN, and automatically locking the phone when it goes unused for a certain amount of time. All of the additions are considered essential for the phone, which has seen unusually high interest from corporate buyers and to compete against the iPhone in the workplace. [full story]

July 10 - 11:30am EDT   In a recent interview, Rupert Murdoch has denied rumors of News Corp. developing its own e-book reader. When prompted on the possibility of the development of such a device, the CEO responded to the Wall Street Journal by saying he "[doesn't] think that's likely" to occur in the near future. Murdoch did, however, expand on it, hinting News Corp. is involved in talks with hardware manufacturers on wireless readers for books, newspapers or magazines. [full story]

July 10 - 11:20am EDT   An image has surfaced today that appears to confirm plans to give the BlackBerry Onyx its recently rumored optical trackpad. The photo (pictured), which also shows the Curve 8520 on the right, supports notions that RIM is phasing out trackballs not just on entry-level phones like the 8520 but also high-end upgrades and likely all non-touch phones. Leaks have supported beliefs that the Onyx will replace the Bold for AT&T and other GSM carriers. [full story]

July 10 - 10:50am EDT   Google CEO Eric Schmidt as part of his presentation at the Allen & Co. conference later on Thursday revealed that he had initially resisted both Chrome the web browser and eventually Chrome OS. In addition to discussing the possible conflict of interest with Apple after the unveiling of the full operating system, Schmidt told those gathered that he had originally wanted to avoid Chrome, and the OS as a result, after being soured by the early browser competition that eventually gave Microsoft's Internet Explorer the lead. It wasn't until company founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page showed a promising demo of Chrome that the chief executive eventually agreed to move ... [full story]

July 10 - 10:00am EDT   Both Sprint and Verizon have said late Thursday that they're working to add Wi-Fi to their smartphones to address a significant gap in their networks. Talking to FierceWireless, Sprint business product marketing head Jeff Clemow says his carrier decided months ago to require that all its smartphones use Wi-Fi and will soon put the requirement into effect. As a consequence, a 2010 version of the BlackBerry Tour will add Wi-Fi to the existing EVDO Rev A-based 3G it depends on so far; it only ships without due to a need to get the Tour to stores. [full story]

July 10 - 09:20am EDT   Sony will update its VAIO P series netbook with the release of a second-generation model sometime this fall, most likely around October or November, the company recently revealed. The new model is expected to address the current version's slow boot times, which could range up to 90 seconds in the entry-level models. The news came from a Sony representative at a launch event for the VAIO NW notebook and VAIO W netbook. [full story]

July 10 - 09:00am EDT   Rogers today became the first Canadian cell carrier with a subsidized 3G netbook. Its version of the HP Mini 110 has a built-in 7.2Mbps HSPA modem that connects to the provider's network but is is otherwise close to the factory version of the regular netbook, which has the by now ubiquitous 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive and Windows XP Home install common to most mini notebooks. No custom software has been added. [full story]

July 10 - 08:45am EDT   T-Mobile UK today confirmed through its Twitter feed that the HTC Hero will come to its network, rebadged as the G2 Touch. The carrier doesn't detail how if at all the phone will change from the reference version, but it does say the G2 Touch will ship in July and come for free with a £40 per month, 18-month contract. Orange UK has already said it would offer the phone this month for free on a two-year plan. [full story]

July 10 - 07:35am EDT   Intel today is now claimed to be in formal discussions with Google over backing Android for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs). Although Intel has its own Moblin Linux platform, those firm making the handhelds in Taiwan say Intel wants to be the choice of hardware for any operating system, including Android. It believes creating a healthy hardware and software environment will help the wider industry, according to DigiTimes. [full story]

July 09 - 11:30pm EDT   Spiderweb Software has announced Avernum 6, the final game in its role-playing series. Set in the world of Avernum, the game takes players to an underground world where a nation of people live inside large tunnels and caverns far below the planets surface. The final chapter has the world of Avernum in chaos, where the mushrooms have withered and died and the people are suffering from hunger. In the midst of the problem the reptilian Slithzerikai have emerged from the low tunnels to battle the weakened people. [full story]