Apple and Samsung: Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Sometimes, it just doesn't "work out"--

Apple Finds It Difficult to Divorce Samsung - Jessica E. Lessin ...
By Jessica E. Lessin, Lorraine Luk and Juro Osawa
For evidence, look no further than Apple Inc.'s effort to find a company other than ferocious rival Samsung Electronics Co. to make the sophisticated chip brains used in Apple's iPads and iPhones. This month, after years of technical delays, ...
AllThingsD

Apple Is Finally Going to Ditch Samsung's Chips - Gizmodo
By Casey Chan
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple has finally signed a deal with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co to make its guts for future iPhones and iPads. Specifically, TSMC will start mass-producing 20 nanometer chips for Apple in ...
Gizmodo

Google prepping video-game console, smartwatch on Android
San Jose Mercury News
Mountain View-based Google is increasingly involved in the hardware business as it seeks to better compete against iPhone-maker Apple. It acquired mobile phone company Motorola Mobility last year and Google is currently testing a wearable computing ...

Google reveals new London 'groundscraper' headquarters
San Jose Mercury News
Several thousand people will work at the site - a large scale operation Google would have found difficult to house in space-constrained central London where land is also more expensive. Googlehas spent about 650 million pounds to buy and develop the 2 ...

Apple AirPort Extreme Base Station (A1521)
PC Magazine
With the new AirPort design and the inclusion of 802.11ac, it's plain to see that Apple is taking steps forward with its networking devices. Cupertino's latest AirPort Extreme is not on the bleeding edge, as far as speeds and feeds go, but it is ...

Microsoft And Apple Actually Don't Loathe Each Other, And Here Are Examples ...
San Francisco Chronicle
Microsoft is still smarting from Apple's devilishly effective "Get A Mac" campaign with John Hodgman and Justin Long. But these days, there are signs that Microsoft and Apple are working closely to take on their mutual enemy, Google. Here's a look at ...

Apple TV ads touting corporate values flop with viewers
The Seattle Times
The company's latest ad, which began airing June 10, has earned the lowest score of 26 Apple TV ads in the past year, according to Ace Metrix, a consulting firm that analyzes the effectiveness of TV ads through surveys of at least 500 TV viewers. The ...

Amazon's Next Move: Fine Art
Wall Street Journal
Moving into more upscale markets, Amazon.com Inc. is quietly laying plans to sell high-end art. The online retail giant is planning to open a new section on its site as soon as July where it will offer one-of-a-kind paintings, prints and other fine art ...

Microsoft's Marketing Needs A Hard Reboot; It's Time To Ctrl-Alt-Del Steve Ballmer
Forbes
Microsoft could promise to support the business at, say, no more than $400 per unit for the next 24-36 months. The move would be welcomed by carriers who are looking to have any leverage they can over Apple and Google. It would also benefit especially ...

Apple and Smartphones - Motley Fool Weekly Tech Review Part 1
YouTube
In this segment, our analysts discuss Apple and Google battling for your car's ecosystem, whyApple's iOS may soon supplant Microsoft's Windows as the consumer leader, how Apple may be moving away from Samsung for its chips, and the key to Samsung's ...

What reviewers are saying about Apple's evolutionary OS X ...
By Erica Ogg
The early reviews have been dribbling out this week. Overall, they're positive. But if there's a theme, it's that these are small ticks forward for its desktop OS.
GigaOM

UK's BSkyB Wins Case Against Microsoft Over Use Of “SkyDrive ...
By Ingrid Lunden
Microsoft went big on pushing cloud services this week at its Build conference, but today it was dealt a blow for how it might get to market them in Europe. B..
TechCrunch

Business Matters: What iTunes Radio Will Actually Pay
Billboard
A close look at the iTunes licensing agreement for indie labels shows iTunes Radio royalties have limited downside and strong upside. The minimum royalty calculation ensures labels will be paid a decent royalty until iTunes Radio becomes effective at ...

Intel Downplays TV Rumors, Revs Up Mobile Chip Plans
PC Magazine
New Intel CEO Brian Krzanich reemphasized his commitment to bringing chipsets for mobile devices to market more quickly while appearing to downplay rumors that the chip giant is planning a major new pay-TV service. Krzanich and new Intel president ...

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 hits the FCC with LTE you probably can't use
Engadget
The FCC can be cruel sometimes, showing us devices we're unlikely to see in the US without significant changes; this is one of those moments, unfortunately. A Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 8.0 has once again surfaced at the FCC, this time as the SM-T315 with ...

Microsoft Wants to Disclose FISA Data, Too
eWeek
Following Google's lead, Microsoft asks the court if it can come clean on FISA requests for user data. In the wake of the PRISM scandal, Microsoft is taking a page from Google's playbook and requesting permission from the U.S. government to release more ...

more technology news below

Follow @expricom

BlackBerry Deathwatch: Goodbye Playbook

BlackBerry is dying a slow, painful death--from the dismal quarterly results, disappointing sales, end of the Playbook, and plans of US Department of Defense to go Android and iOS--

BlackBerry PlayBook will not be upgraded to BlackBerry 10 | The Verge: "Reneging on a promise made in January, BlackBerry has just announced that it will not, in fact, be upgrading the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to its latest mobile OS, BlackBerry 10. CEO Thorsten Heins revealed the sour news on the company's investor call relating to today's earnings report . . . "

BlackBerry Shares Plunge After Touch-Screen Model Flops - Bloomberg: "BlackBerry (BBRY)’s shares tumbled the most since 2001 after the company reported a surprise loss and weak sales of a new touch-screen model, underscoring its challenges in competing directly with the iPhone and Android devices. . . ."

No sign of BlackBerry turnaround in results, shares plunge | Reuters: "BlackBerry's market capitalization plunged by more than 25 percent on Friday after the smartphone maker reported dismal quarterly results, prompting deeper investor skepticism of the company's long-promised turnaround. . . ."

US Defense Department developing secure 4G network and updating rules for cyberwarfare | The Verge: " . . . he said that the Department was also working on a "a secure 4G wireless network that will get iPads, iPhones, and Android devices online by mid-2014," and that he had one such secure phone on his person during the speech . . ."

Microsoft promises IE11 on Windows 7
Computerworld
Earlier this month, Microsoft declined to confirm or deny that IE11 would make it to Windows 7, the most popular edition in the company's OS platform that now powers an estimated 49% of all Windows systems. Microsoft launched a beta of IE11 Wednesday ...

Google Is Developing Android Game Console
Wall Street Journal
With the game machine and digital watch, Google is hoping to combat similar devices that AppleInc. may release in the future, according to the people. Google is ... Android laptops would thus compete with those powered by Microsoft's Windows software.

Apple, Facebook, Google salute marriage equality
Los Angeles Times
Wednesday's "decision turns the page on a law that made it more difficult for us to treat all of our employees, regardless of sexual orientation, equally," said Microsoft's Brad Smith, general counsel and executive vice president of legal and corporate ...

Microsoft wants to disclose data on FISA orders
Boston.com
Microsoft made the request in a motion filed June 19 with the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and unsealed this week. The company's action comes after Google filed a similar motion asking permission to disclose the number of data ...
First renders of Google's $1.6 billion London HQ emerge | The Verge: "The first images of Google's new London headquarters have emerged. The company recently spent $1 billion on a plot of land for the development, and has enlisted architecture firm Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) to design its new London home. The proposed headquarters, which are expected to be valued at over $1.6 billion when completed, would stretch 330 meters (the length of three and a half football fields) and rise to eleven storys in height . . ."

Google Sues IRS for $83.5 Million Tax Refund
Bloomberg
Google Inc. (GOOG), owner of the most popular Internet search engine, sued the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for an $83.5 million refund, claiming it was improperly denied a deduction for a 2004 stock transaction with America Online Inc. The IRS erred ...

Microsoft Touts Azure To iOS, Android Developers
InformationWeek
During Thursday's keynote at Microsoft's Build conference, the company announced several new services for Windows Azure, its cloud computing platform. Microsoft hopes the offerings will inspire developers to make Azure the cloud infrastructure of ...

Microsoft's Cloud-Based Office Shifts to Perpetual Update
Businessweek
“So far those who are hesitant about going to the cloud, they're willing to put their trust in Microsoft. No other competitor—Google, Box—has that established trust.” Raman Padmanabhan, chief information officer for Xerox's (XRX) business services ...

Google, Yahoo, Cisco CEOs hail US immigration bill
Times of India
WASHINGTON: CEOs representing top American technology companies including Google, Yahoo,Microsoft and Cisco have hailed the passage of the comprehensive immigration reform bill by US Senate, arguing that this would give a big boost to the ...

Google gooses Chrome with network speed-boost idea: 'QUIC'
CNET
Even Microsoft, an early skeptic, is on board with IE 11. Google has a powerful interest in a faster Internet. Lower delays mean Web pages and services respond faster, and that generally means people use the Internet more. That means, of course, that ...

Google Lat Long: Apply now to be the next Google Maps Trekker
By Lat Long
Today we're kicking off a pilot program that enables third party organizations to borrow the Street View Trekker and contribute imagery to Google Maps. For the first time ever, this program will enable organizations to use our camera equipment ...
Google Lat Long

Microsoft Adds Auto Scaling To Windows Azure | TechCrunch
By Frederic Lardinois
... feature on for their accounts. Autoscale for Windows Azure is in preview now and will be available for free for a limited time. It's worth noting that Amazon Web Services has long offered auto scaling for its EC2 cloud computing platform, too, so Microsoft, which was relatively late to cloud computing, is mostly playing catch-up here. P1110711 ... Crunch With Us. Download the TechCrunch App for iPad in the Apple App Store · Download the TechCrunch App for Android in Google Play ...
TechCrunch

With an eye on Apple, Google is planning a smart watch, video ...
By Erica Ogg
Google is also said to be taking another crack at the doomed Nexus Q, a home media device that was scuttled almost as quickly as it was announced last year.
Apple

Walk Through Japanese Island That Inspired Skyfall on Google Maps
By Kaylene Hong
Google Maps is now letting users immerse themselves in Battleship island's sinister atmosphere via Street View. ... Take a walk through the eerie Japanese island that inspired Skyfall villain's hideout on Google Maps....
The Next Web

Amazon Studios now accepting short video bids for feature films
By Steve Dent
Amazon Studios is hell-bent on developing movies and TV series, and on top of script submissions, it's now asking filmmakers to send in 2-15 minute long.
Engadget RSS Feed

Skype for iPhone for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad ... - iTunes - Apple
Description. Say “hello” to friends and family with an instant message, voice or video call on Skype for free. There's so much you can do, right from the palm of ...
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/skype-for.../id304878510?mt...

Official Blog: Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth
To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), today we're launching new satellite imagery for Google's mapping products.
googleblog.blogspot.com/.../only-clear-skies-on-google-maps-...

more technology news below

Follow @expricom

Microsoft Windows 8.1 better but still hostile to most PC users

Short answer: if you have a non-touch screen PC, or do work on your PC that requires a mouse, or have no interest in developing "gorilla arm," better stick with Windows 7 on your PC desktop or notebook computer--

Microsoft Windows 8.1 - Operating systems - CNET Reviews: "Do the changes make Windows 8 better? The short answer appears to be: yes. Windows 8.1 streamlines much of the touch interface, while adding many cosmetic and tangible, utilitarian features. We think the real question, however, is: does 8.1 do enough to sweeten the bad taste left in the mouths of many Windows 8 users? That’s a much more difficult question to answer and one that will require much more time spent with the new OS. Windows 8.1 probably still relies a bit too much on touch and may not do all it needs to repair damage caused by its predecessor; however, it’s a much-needed and in some cases impressive step in the right direction."

Google Now comes closer to Chrome, shares TV show info
CNET
Along with Google Now, options on my machine include Google+ Photos, Google Documents,Google Drive, Google Calendar, Gmail, Tweetdeck, Amazon Cloud Reader, and The New York Times. The Chrome expansion means many more people could get ...

Apple Abroad: What if the World Doesn't Want IPhones?
Businessweek
An Apple store in Paris. Photograph by Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg. An Apple store in Paris. Global Mobile. Apple Abroad: What if the World Doesn't Want IPhones? By Joshua Brustein. June 26, 2013. Facebook; Tweet; LinkedIn; Google Plus; Email. Related.

Microsoft Also Challenges Government Surveillance Gag Order
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Big U.S. technology companies, including Microsoft, Google and Facebook, have been caught in a swirl of controversy following revelations of how the National Security Agency receives data from the companies in order to keep tabs on foreigners of ...

Apple Spells Out iTunes Radio Terms for Record Labels
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Ahead of its launch of an online radio service Apple circulated terms to independent record labels last week, many of them more generous to the music companies than what rival Pandora Media currently pays. Apple intends to pay royalties to labels based ...

Google Puts Its Own Spin on the Galaxy S4 and HTC One
ABC News
Two of the most popular Android phones -- the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One -- are now available inGoogle's own image. While the Galaxy S4 and the HTC One on shelves today run Google's Android software, today Google will begin selling versions of the ...

Apple's TV Ads Touting Corporate Values Flop With Viewers (1)
Businessweek
Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s newest TV commercials, showing consumers enjoying its products while an actor reads the company's corporate philosophy, are a flop compared with earlier ads from the maker of iPhones and iPads. The company's latest ad, which began ...

Microsoft consolidates startup support activities with Microsoft Ventures
PCWorld
As its annual Build development conference gets underway, Microsoft is announcing that it has shuffled and revamped the way it handles its startup support activities. A number of disparate programs have been tied together under a single, unified ...

Apple Can't Add Galaxy S4 to Samsung Patent Lawsuit
Bloomberg
The decision yesterday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal is part of a second patent case in San Jose, California, between the companies covering technology in newer smartphones, including Apple's iPhone 5 and Samsung's Galaxy S III.

Apple opens its first-ever online store in Russia
San Jose Mercury News
The Cupertino tech giant this week opens its first online store, enabling legions of fanboys and fangirls from Moscow across the Ural Mountains and into Siberia to get their mittened hands onApple products straight from Apple itself. And the punsters ...

Google Lat Long: Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth
By Lat Long
To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), we're unveiling new satellite imagery for all Google mapping products today. This stunning new imagery of the earth from space virtually eliminates clouds, includes ...
Google Lat Long

Microsoft Turns On Its First Carrier-Billing Deal For The Windows ...
By Ingrid Lunden
For Microsoft, which is a distant third to Android and Apple for adoption of its smartphone platform, going to markets where there are still consumers to be won over is a smart strategy, and one that its close partner Nokia is also pursuing. ... directly to your prepaid mobile phone account is not only more convenient, but might actually be opted for more frequently than in markets where users already have accounts with iTunes, Amazon and the rest based on their credit card accounts.
TechCrunch

Microsoft Moves to Simplify 3-D Printing - NYTimes.com
By By AMY O'LEARY
Robert Wright for The New York Times Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 8.1, will offer support for 3-D printers like this MakerBot Replicator. Back when digital cameras were the hot new Christmas gift, Apple zinged Microsoft with an ...
NYT Bits

Google Search Android app updated with location-based offers ...
By Zach Honig
Jelly Bean users running Android 4.1 or later can now snag a few more features with Google's Search app. The update (version number ... out at the FCC (updated). Next. Apple launches online store in Russia, avoids Yakov Smirnoff gags.
Engadget RSS Feed

Apple's iTunes Radio Terms With Record Labels Revealed - Mac ...
By Husain Sumra
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple sent its iTunes Radio terms to independent record labels last week and the paper was able to review a... ... I recommend you go google what Pink Floyd had to say about Pandora, et all. I've talked to a couple smaller bands. They are big enough to play venues in most big cities and travel the world non-stop ... Apple Set to Take On Microsoft with Expanded Florida Mall Retail Store. 2 days ago on Mac Blog · The expansion project at the ...
MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors...

Make a custom My Map - Google Maps Help
How to create a "My Map" in Google Maps. With My Maps, you can create and share maps of your world, marked with the locations, routes and regions of interest ...
https://support.google.com/maps/answer/62843?hl=en

Microsoft Beefs Up Azure Cloud Platform at Build
PC Magazine
Microsoft on Thursday announced the general availability of several services associated with its Windows Azure cloud computing platform, as well as a preview version of Visual Studio 2013. Satya Nadella, president of Microsoft's Server & Tools Business, ...

NASA's Voyager 1 Craft Enters Unfamiliar Space
ABC News
New research pinpoints the current location of NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft: It's still in our solar system. Since last summer, the long-running spacecraft has been exploring uncharted territory where the effects of interstellar space, or the space between stars, ...

Verizon Going 4G LTE Only, Preparing for LTE-A
PCWorld
Verizon announced today that starting in late 2014, smartphones released through the carrier would only be compatible with 4G LTE, weaning customers off of the aging 3G network. This comes on the heels of Verizon's proclamation that their 4G LTE network ...

Apple Offers Indie Labels .13 Cents Per Play on iTunes Radio
The Mac Observer
Apple is offering independent music labels US$0.0013 every time a song is played and 15 percent of advertising revenue if they sign contracts for its iTunes Radio music streaming service. The deal would give independent labels a better deal than they ...

PayPal Researching Payments in Space with PayPal Galactic
Tom's Hardware Guide
Here on Earth, services like Google Wallet give us an idea of how payments are progressing and where they're going. But what about in space? Have you ever considered how we'll pay for things if we were all to suddenly relocate to the moon? Probably not.

Japan's largest carrier sees no urgency to get Apple's iPhone
Apple Insider
Asked when his company might try to win back some customers by carrying Apple's iPhone, a representative of Japan's largest wireless service stayed noncommittal on the issue, saying that Apple's phone is no longer "the god of all smartphones.".

The rise of cloud computing is forcing old adversaries to work together
The Economist
FOR years they loathed one another, rarely missing an opportunity to pick a fight. Their rows, full of sarcasm and sniping, occasionally hit the headlines. Then they started meeting discreetly every now and again—and ultimately realised just how badly they ...

Daily Report: Trying to Fix a Big Flaw in Cellphone Technology ...
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
As more people eschew landlines, companies are offering technologies like personal cell sites and signal boosters to augment cellphones, Eric A. Taub writes in The New York Times. Read more…
NYT Bits

Americans Want To Ditch Technology For Real Life Social Interaction
Recent survey findings show American adults miss human interaction and want to reduce use of digital social media in favor of real life.
LAPTOP Mag Main Feed

Visual Business Intelligence - technology isn't spelled with a capital “T”
By Stephen Few
My attraction to this book is not without bias. Morozov seems to view technology—its potential for both good and ill—much as I do, but the technologies that reside within his purview, the depths to which he's studied them, and the disciplines on ...
Visual Business Intelligence

Afternoon Video: Engadget Does Education Technology
By Alexander Russo
Yes, there's an Engadget show, and the June episode focuses on teaching kids about and through technology. I can't get it to embed properly but you can watch and read all about it here: Education with Google, OLPC, Code.org, LeapFrog, ...
This Week In Education

One-on-One + Technology = Better Reading in Elementary School ...
By Rick Nauert PhD
New research finds that individualized reading instruction from first through third grade results in better readers than those who do not receive the.
Psych Central News

Project Loon: Google's biggest obstacle isn't technology. It's politics ...
Mesh networking and dirigibles have been around for decades. What truly makes Project Loon a difficult -- if not impossible -- undertaking is getting the world's ...
gigaom.com/.../project-loon-googles-biggest-obstacle-isnt-tech...

Swell Takes Streaming News And Talk Radio To Mobile
Forbes
Pandora has been known for streaming music, but news or talk radio don't have an equivalent streaming mobile app. Startup Swell is a new app to help consumers find this content. Or, Pandora for news. The company's cofounder and CEO is G.D. “Ram” ...

more technology news below

Follow @expricom

Google, Yahoo and Bing warned by FTC over ad labelling

FTC trying hard to be "relevant"--

Google, Yahoo and Bing warned by FTC over advert labelling
The Guardian
The letter (PDF) has been sent to the three largest US search engines – Google, Yahoo andMicrosoft's Bing - and also to AOL, Blekko, DuckDuckGo and 17 other specialist search engines for shopping, travel, and local business which display adverts to ...

Google Hangouts Adds Remote Desktop Feature | Geekosystem: "Hangouts remote desktop feature that lets you take control of another system through the chat service. The problem now is, how am I going to explain setting up a Google Hangout to my mother? Getting started with Hangouts Remote Desktop is pretty basic. We just gave it a test drive, and everything went smoothly. The feature can be installed as an app in the hangout itself. It’s found under the “Add Apps” tab on the left of the screen. Once one person enables Remote Desktop, the other party can choose to accept or reject it. Now you’re free to click around the other person’s screen."

Google to publish data on malware, phishing scams
Washington Post
Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Microsoft and Apple have offered more data about government requests for information in recent weeks. They are under intense scrutiny of their alleged participation in the PRISM government surveillance of consumer Internet data.

Google should be regulated like utilities, say rivals
Computerworld
Google has been under investigation by the Commission since November 2010 after rivals accused the search giant of setting its algorithm to direct users to its own services by reducing the visibility of competing websites and services. It was also ...

Apple Details Rebates For Kids' App...
ABC News
Apple, under the terms of a class-action settlement, will pay $100 million to parents whose kids went on unauthorized buying sprees in game apps. Parents who claim their kids ran up unauthorized charges of $30 or less will get $5 worth of iTunes Store ...

Google Reader Alternatives: Get All Your News in One Place with These Apps
ABC News
Next week, Google is sending another one of its products to the grave. Back in March, the company announced that Google Reader, its RSS application that debuted in 2005, was joining other products like Google Wave and Google Desktop in the Google ...

Microsoft Combines Its Startup Programs Under One Roof
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Microsoft on Tuesday announced it is creating Microsoft Ventures, a fusion and expansion of company programs to provide startups with technology expertise, investment money and other help. The company didn't say how much money Microsoft Ventures ...

Microsoft is the big winner in new Oracle cloud partnership
PCWorld
Microsoft and Oracle are working together? Oh, wait. I guess that should be a statement instead of a question. The two companies have joined forces in a new cloud venture. It seems Larry Ellison has embraced the wisdom of that ancient Arabic proverb ...

Google-backed O3b launches satellites to offer Internet connectivity

PCWorld
O3b Networks, a company backed by Google and other investors, has launched its first satellites that aim to provide low-cost and high-speed connectivity to parts of the world that do not have fiber infrastructure. The company's first four satellites ...

Announcing Microsoft Ventures for startups to build, innovate and ...
By Jeffrey Meisner
News and perspectives covering the top stories, events and activities from Microsoft. The content for this blog includes the official information and stories from all of Microsoft's primary businesses.
The Official Microsoft Blog

Digg Reader Is A Promising, But Still Incomplete, Google Reader ...
By Sarah Perez
For a subset of the Internet's population, Google's March announcement of its intention to shutter its dated, rusting RSS feed-reading service Google Reader was met with a large outcry. Though never having grown to a size that made the ...
TechCrunch

A Different Approach at Google Ventures - NYTimes.com
By By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER
And all of its money comes from Google instead of outside investors, though many other companies also have venture arms, including Microsoft, which on Tuesday announced the formation of MicrosoftVentures. But the differences at Google ...
NYT Bits

Google buying Tesla Motors? Does it make sense? : TreeHugger
By Michael Graham Richard
Bloomberg journalists are speculating that Google might be interested in buying Tesla. We look at whether that would make sense or not.
Latest Items from TreeHugger

Microsoft announces $399 Windows developer program for new Kinect
Ars Technica
Some of the most exciting uses of Kinect for the Xbox 360 came from people who hooked it up to a Windows PC or other device for some innovative, natural user interface applications. Microsoft is getting ahead of the game for these projects with the new ...

Windows 8.1 fixes problems, adds new features, but touch screen is still the ...
CNET
New Snap features let you have up to four apps simultaneously running, provided you have a high-resolution screen. Today, during the keynote for the Microsoft Build conference in San Francisco, the company ...

Samsung Unveils LTE-Advanced Version of Galaxy S4
PC Magazine
Samsung on Wednesday unveiled an LTE-Advanced version of its Galaxy S 4 flagship smartphone, which will connect to networks that provide double the speed of today's 4G LTE networks, the company said. LTE-Advanced is basically an upgrade from 4G ...

Sharp LC-70UD1
CNET
Sharp has announced the 70-inch LC-70UD1, which is the first Ultra HD screen to receive THX certification, but it won't come cheap. The Sharp LC-70UD1 4K television will be available in August 2013 for $7999. (Credit: Sharp). Sharp has announced that the ...

Pitchers have mammoth-hunting ancestors to thank for their prowess
The Guardian
Top baseball pitchers owe much of their success to our mammoth-hunting ancestors, a study suggests. Humans evolved unique throwing skills some two million years ago to help them fell and kill wild beasts, say the researchers. Today, the same ability ...

Genome of Horse Buried 700000 Years Is Recovered
New York Times
Researchers have reconstructed an ancient genome that is 10 times as old as any retrieved so far, and now say that DNA should be recoverable from animals that lived one million years ago. This would greatly extend biologists' ability to understand the ...

FTC commissioner calls for way to 'reclaim your name'
PCWorld
U.S. consumers should be able to reclaim control of their personal data from data brokers, websites and other companies, a member of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said Wednesday. Commissioner Julie Brill, a long-time privacy advocate, will push for ...

Ouya Gets Trashed; Sony's New 'Ultra' Phablet; Zynga Games on Acer PCs
PC Magazine
Though the Ouya reportedly sold out on Amazon shortly after its debut, the reviews weren't very positive. "The Ouya could be a great, inexpensive Android-based gaming system for everyone," PCMag's Will Greenwald wrote in his two-star (out of five) review.

New Bird Species Discovered in Cambodia
ABC News
A previously unknown species of bird has been discovered in Cambodia, not in some remote jungle but in the country's capital, researchers announced Wednesday. The New York-based Wildlife Conservation Society said a team of its scientists, working with ...

Imagination's new MIPS CPUs will fight ARM and Intel for phones, tablets
Ars Technica
Imagination Technologies has long been known for its mobile graphics processors—designs from Imagination have shown up in everything from Apple's iPhones and iPads to Sony's PlayStation Vita. Today, the company announced that it would be extending ...

Two new Sprint Windows 8 phones, and no data caps in sight
Christian Science Monitor
Windows Phone 8, no data caps.Quick guide: iTunes Radio vs. Pandora vs. Spotify vs. Rdio vs. Google Play Music · Horizons Samsung unveils the Ativ S, the first-ever Windows 8 phone · Horizons It's official: Windows ...

Poppy, A Device That Turns Your Phone Into A 3-D Camera, Launches On ...
TechCrunch
Every now and then in this job I see something that's just fun and new and interesting and I think, “Wow, why hasn't anyone else thought of that?” That's kind of how I felt when I first saw Poppy, which is a cute little device that lets you view and record 3-D ...

Microsoft Announces Microsoft Ventures for Startups
Tom's Hardware Guide
With its developer conference starting today, Microsoft's in for a big week, and the company decided to kick off Build with a huge announcement. Microsoft on Tuesday unveiled plans for an startup support program it's calling Microsoft Ventures. Redmond ...

Near-earth asteroid 2013 MZ5 discovered, 100000 remain
Fox News
The good news: NASA has discovered the 10,000th near-Earth object (NEO). The bad news: At least 100,000 are still out there. PHOTOS: Russian Meteor Strike Aftermath. NEOs are asteroids and comets that approach Earth, coming within 28 million miles ...

Xbox Music For Windows 8.1 Preview Adds Pandora-Like Radio Feature
TechCrunch
One of the redesigned apps Microsoft is introducing in the Windows 8.1 Preview is an update to its Xbox Music app that now puts the emphasis back on your own music – whether in the cloud or on your local machine – and less on music discovery, which the ...

How a remote-controlled cockroach might come to your rescue
Christian Science Monitor
A roach is steered using remote control. Expect a national "Thank Your Cockroach" day in the near future.  RoboRoach: How to control a cockroach with your smartphone · How cockroaches evolved so as to bypass ...

Telefonica hopes Windows Phone push can slow iOS-Android duopoly
Computerworld
IDG News Service - Spanish operator Telefonica is worried about the Android-iOS smartphone duopoly, and has joined with Microsoft in a marketing blitz that it hopes will convince consumers to pick up smartphones based on Windows Phone. For one year ...

Snapchat: the self-destructing message app that's becoming a phenomenon
The Guardian
In any other messaging app, you'd think it was a bug in the software. Moments after you send or receive a photograph or video clip on Snapchat, it disappears – permanently. Yet this simple twist on picture-messaging has made Snapchat a phenomenon.

China's Shenzhou-10 Spacecraft Returns to Earth
Discovery News
The re-entry capsule of China's Shenzhou-10 spacecraft lands in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on June 26, 2013. Stunning Solar Transits by China's Space Station.

This is Motorola Mobility's new logo
The Verge
Motorola Mobility is making changes to its well-known brand this week, switching to a new, all-lower-case typeface that's both thinner and softer than the classic bold and italic "MOTOROLA" that has been used for decades. The famous "M" badge persists, ...

FTC Pushes Search Engines for Better Labeling of Paid Ads
PC Magazine
The Federal Trade Commission this week penned letters to top search firms like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft, urging them to make sure that their search results clearly distinguish between paid and natural search results. "We have observed a decline in ...

Stock dips as fanbois complain of dodgy Wi-Fi on MacBook Air
Register
Peak Apple Apple is investigating claims that new Macbook Air notebooks are suffering from crippling Wi-Fi connection problems. Cupertino's latest creation, the Macbook Air, boasts an epic battery life, but customers are reporting terrible Wi-Fi problems.

The bad: The HTC One Google Play Edition doesn't offer any of the extras found ...
CNET
The bad: The HTC One Google Play Edition doesn't offer any of the extras found in HTC Sense. The handset's unsubsidized price is expensive. The bottom line: The pricey HTC One Google Play Edition's unique blend of premium design, components, and ...

StickNFind Releases An SDK For Its Clever Bluetooth Tracking Sticker
TechCrunch
Think of the possibilities, developers. Find lost keys or the TV remote or a child. Make an electronic Marco Polo game! Embed the StickNFind Bluetooth sticker in a museum exhibit as a sort of supercharged RFID educational system. The world could be yours.

Japan robot says space mission 'big stride' for androids
AFP
TOKYO — A talking robot that will accompany a Japanese astronaut in space this summer says the cosmic tour will be one giant leap for androids everywhere. In a scene straight out of Star Wars, the pint-sized KIROBO fielded questions from curious ...

Security standard proposed for apps
Telegraph.co.uk
Lookout, a security technology company that protects from mobile threats, has added a feature to its mobile security app that will flag up the presence of mobile advertising networks with adware risks and shows users how to remove problematic software.

California Cities to Reduce Water Imports From the Colorado River and Bay-Delta
National Geographic
Residents of a community in Camarillo, California, are alerted to the use of recycled water for landscape irrigation. Using water more than once — for example, for indoor home use and then irrigation — is one way a number of southern California cities are ...

Sony Ramps Up Mobile Push
Wall Street Journal
SHANGHAI—Sony Corp., a household name in consumer electronics, has failed to make a dent when it comes to smartphones, trailing far behind Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. for the past few years. But with improving financial conditions and a ...

Motorola Electrify M review: Compact, capable Android with poor camera
CNET
The good: The affordable Motorola Electrify M features a colorful screen, 4G LTE, and long battery life. Thin, attractive, and compact, it also runs Android Jelly Bean. The bad: The Electrify M's camera takes unimpressive images and has a slow processor.

Google: Hacked sites far worse than attack sites
CNET
The new Safe Browsing section of Google's Transparency Report shows that you face a significantly bigger threat from compromised legit sites than intentionally dangerous sites....

Apple promotes iOS 7 enterprise additions in pitch to business customers
Apple Insider
A new section added to Apple's website promotes its upcoming iOS 7 mobile operating system to business customers, touting new features such as enhanced security, and new ways to configure and deploy devices at scale. Business. With iOS 7, the new site ...

Oracle and Salesforce Enter a Strategic Partnership
Destination CRM
Salesforce.com and Oracle yesterday announced a nine-year partnership encompassing all three tiers of cloud computing: applications, platform, and infrastructure. Salesforce.com plans to standardize on the Oracle Linux operating system, Exadata ...

DOMA's Instagram Videos Are Raw, Real & Perfect for Today
The Atlantic Wire
The Instagram videos that surfaced in the few hours immediately following the Supreme Court's historic ruling today that the Defense Against Marriage Act was unconstitutional aren't very good, per se, but that's why they're so great. The amateur clips ...

Planetary data merge shows three Earth-like planets in close star system
Register
Astronomers are spending more and more time looking for planets in the "Goldilocks Zone," meaning those orbiting at just the right distance from a sun that it's neither too hot nor too cold for liquid water. Now they've found three orbiting a single star that's not ...

New Laser Reveals Substances to Military Aircraft, Uncovering Hidden Dangers
Science World Report
A new laser could help military aircraft identify hidden dangers, such as weapons arsenals, far below them during missions. The new piece of technology can show what objects are made of, which makes it extremely useful for identifying hidden locations.

'World of Warcraft' Suffers From Account Hacks, Blizzard Issues a Security Warning
Headlines & Global News
"World of Warcraft" Blizzard Entertainment's popular massive multiplayer online roll playing game (MMORPG), has been experiencing some security issues. The game requires users to set up an account in order to pay the game's monthly fee and reap all of ...

Australians Attack Japan's 'Scientific' Whaling Practices In International Court
RedOrbit
Australia stood up at the United Nation's highest court on Wednesday and defended the largest mammals on Earth. Representatives argued before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague that Japan's excuse to hunt whales for “scientific” ...

Investors, You'll Love LeapFrog's Hot New Toys
DailyFinance
LeapFrog , maker of the children's tablet LeapPad and other popular educational electronics for kids, now makes eight of the top 10 best sellers on Amazon's Kids' Electronic Learning and Educational Systems, 20 of the top 20 for Kids' Software and Books, ...

Apple iPhone 5S Rumors: Release Date Coming This Fall With Faster A7 Chip ...
International Business Times
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) may have plans to release two new iPhone models this year, but so far we've seen convincing photos only of the highest-end one, the alleged iPhone 5S, to corroborate rumors about the next-gen smartphone. After MacRumors ...

Labour peer smashes world land speed record for electric car
Yorkshire Post
A MEMBER of the House of Lords has broken the world speed record for an electric car, on a Yorkshire circuit. Lord Drayson got behind the wheel of his converted 600bhp Lola Le Mans race car at the RAF Elvington Airfield on Tuesday evening where he hit ...

more technology news below

Follow @expricom

HP Slate 21 all-in-one PC runs on Android OS not Windows

What HP is doing with Android looks interesting--Slate 21 even has mouse and keyboard!--

HP's Slate 21 all-in-one PC rocks Android, not Windows | PCWorld: "The Slate 21 has a starting price of $399 and will launch in the U.S. in September, HP said in a statement. The all-in-one uses the upcoming Tegra 4 quad-core processor from Nvidia, and is built with a high-definition webcam. In the back of the display is a stand that allows the device to be reclined into different viewing angles." (read more at link above)

 . . . . swallowing Surface tabs • The Register: ". . . In reality, however, most businesses are upgrading to Windows 7, finally coming off of Windows XP, and not even remotely considering Windows 8. Overall, Windows 8 has sold so badly that analysts reckon it was responsible for the industry's worst PC sales since records began . . . just 900,000 Surface RT devices and Surface Pros, using Intel, shipped in the first three months of 2013 versus 19.5 million iPads sold. Microsoft is now slashing the price of Surface RTs by up to 60 per cent for students and teachers. ®"

A Chance to See Saturn, For the First Time in 7 Years
Mashable
According to the Cassini Solstice Mission website, the sun will backlight Saturn on July 19, allowing you to clearly see the planet's rings, photograph them and observe the changes over the past seven years, since Saturn was last photographed. SEE ALSO: ...

Facebook phone sells out at AT&T
Ars Technica
AT&T has sold through all of its stock of the HTC First, according to a report from CNET Tuesday. The news comes after the First's Facebook Home interface was almost universally panned, the phone underwent a price drop to just 99¢ on contract, and rumors ...

Larger desks make us more dishonest
Telegraph.co.uk
Having a sense of power can encourage a range of dishonest behaviour ranging from stealing and cheating to breaking traffic laws, researchers said. Psychologists carried out four studies to assess how our physical surroundings, for example having a big ...

New Razer Tool Offers Surround Sound on Any Headphones
Mashable
Gaming computer and peripheral maker Razer released a tool Tuesday that allows anyone to get the full surround sound experience from any pair of headphones. Using Razer Surround software, users can calibrate headphones to 7.1 virtual surround sound, ...

New Firefox earns full WebRTC
CNET
WebRTC may sound like yet another Internet acronym, but what it brings to browsers could be the death knell for plugins -- and it just landed in the latest version of Firefox.

Amazon Takes a Shot, But Netflix is Still King of the StreamWall Street Journal (blog)
With its deep pockets, technical prowess and willingness to operate on thin margins, Amazon has made itself known as one of the most formidable competitors in business. But after getting into video streaming, it has yet to unseat Netflix as king of the ...

Sony Releases Xperia Z Tablet and Smartphone
PCWorld
Sony unveiled a string of new products today, positioning the company to disrupt the smartphone and tablet markets in a big way. The Xperia Tablet Z is a bright new contender in the 10-inch tablet market while the 6.4-inch Xperia Z Ultra is poised to compete ...

Google Gets Boost in EU Privacy Case
Wall Street Journal
MADRID—The European Union's highest court said on Tuesday that government agencies can't force Google Inc. to remove Web links to personal material, a landmark decision in a long battle over EU privacy laws. The opinion by Niilo Jaaskinen, ...

'Secure Work Space' Brings BlackBerry Security to iOS, Android
PC Magazine
BlackBerry today rolled out a new security option for BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 that will let those with iOS and Android smartphones separate their work and personal information. The move comes as more and more people use their personal ...

iPhone 5 sees mixed demand, says analyst
CNET
Retail checks show steady demand for the iPhone 4 and 4S but a mixed reaction for the current iPhone, says analyst Ittai Kidron. Lance Whitney. by Lance Whitney. June 25, 2013 8:57 AM PDT Follow @lancewhit. (Credit: CNET). The iPhone 5 may not be ...

Ouya now available at several retailers for $99, sold out at Amazon
TechSpot
Ouya is off to a good start. Following a very successful Kickstarter campaign, the open-source game console finally launched to the public this morning, and just hours into the day it has already sold out on Amazon. Of course, it's hard to gauge how well it's ...

TechSpot

Microsoft to give first peek at Windows Blue
MarketWatch
Tami Reller, CFO and Chief Marketing Officer for Microsoft's Windows business, has been touting the upcoming Windows Blue update that will be showcased at the company's Build developers' conference in San Francisco, which begins on Wednesday.

New Samsung tablets launching July 7, pre-orders start Tuesday
Los Angeles Times
Samsung will begin selling new versions of its Galaxy Tab tablets next month. The South Korean tech giant Monday announced the Galaxy Tab 3 will go on sale July 7 and will be available in three different screen sizes. It will be available with a 7-inch screen ...

Forrester: Microsoft's cloud deal with Oracle makes Azure a stronger AWS rival
VentureBeat
Enterprise titans Microsoft and Oracle announced a major deal today to be more friendly when it comes to enterprise cloud services. Essentially, the deal means Oracle software can now run on Windows Server, Hyper-V, and Windows Azure, and Oracle ...

Facebook's mobile news plan paints a fat target on Yahoo
Globe and Mail
It's not surprising to learn that Facebook is developing a news service for mobile platforms. The driving forces are coming from several vectors. The shift from desktop browser to mobile app is well underway, but mobile is still green-field enough to warrant a ...

Globe and Mail
more technology news below

Follow @expricom

Google Reader alternatives

The Google Reader shutdown is fast approaching--July 1, 2013--find an alternative (see story link below), download Reader data, etc.--

Google Reader alternatives: how will you survive the shutdown?
The Guardian
Google broke the news that its Google Reader RSS aggregation service was to close back in March, although the company at least gave users a decent amount of time to switch to an alternative. The deadline is approaching though: from 1 July Google ...

There Is No Google Reader Replacement, Only Alternatives
TechCrunch
Google Reader is slowing down. Over the past few days, buttons have broken, marking feeds as read seemed to take a bit longer than usual, and the Android mobile website on some devices shifted over to the desktop view with no way to change things back.

PHOTOS: That was one big, bad supermoon
Los Angeles Times
Supermoon 2013 was no disappointment for fans. The brightest orb of the year spurred excitement on social media, as well as inspiring photographers everywhere to snap away. Above are a few of the pictures of supermoon 2013 that, to quote Dean Martin, ...

Google-Waze acquisition will be investigated by the FTC
The Guardian
Waze is a smartphone app with about 50 million active users worldwide, compared with a much higher figure for Google – and for rival mapping services from Finnish handset maker Nokia,Microsoft, and specialist satnav makers such as TomTom. The app ...

Microsoft signals school tablet war
The Australian
With iPads being rapidly deployed in schools, Microsoft is after a major slice of the action, but faces a mammoth battle with Apple and other manufacturers to get its tablets widely adopted both in Australia and the US educational institutions. Last ...

Google Ventures Stresses Science of Deal, Not Art of the Deal
New York Times (blog)
This is decidedly not how Google, that apotheosis of our data-driven economy, wants to approach the high-stakes business of investing in the next, well, Google. Unlike venture capitalists of old, the company's rising V.C. arm focuses not on the art of ...

Apple Win in Mirror Worlds Case Left Intact by High Court
Bloomberg
The high court declined to hear a case in which closely held Mirror Worlds LLC said an appeals court erred in ruling that Apple didn't infringe a software patent for a way to index and file documents. Mirror Worlds was co-founded by Yale University ...

Apple, Zowie and now North West: ASHLEY PEARSON wonders WHY ...
Daily Mail
Whilst Gwyneth Paltrow takes a lot of flack for naming her baby girl Apple, most people don't know that it was actually husband Chris Martin who championed the idea. It seems that Chris' North American booking agent, has a daughter named Apple and he ...

Apple does not care about your living room
ZDNet
... has probably done more to kill off the idea of the living room than everyone else. This is of course great for Apple as Microsoft and Sony and some other chancers splash around trying to keep the living room relevant, despite the fact that no one's ...

Apple-Samsung, NCAA, IP Enforcement: Intellectual Property
Businessweek
Samsung and Apple, the world's two biggest smartphone makers, have each scored victories in patent disputes fought over four continents since the maker of the iPhone accused Asia's biggest electronics maker of “slavishly copying” its devices.

Microsoft Brings Its Developer Conference to Enemy Territory: Silicon Valley
All Things Digital
This year's Build conference, which officially kicks off on Wednesday, will take place at Moscone Center — a spot that has recently been home to events by Apple, Oracle and Google. “I think coming down here is a good thing to do,” developer unit VP ...

Apple ties CEO's stock rewards to Wall Street
Computerworld
Computerworld - Apple's board of directors on Friday tied a massive stock grant given to CEO Tim Cook in 2011 to the company's performance, a move that could cost the executive $135 million over the next nine years at the current share price. The new ...

Update: Microsoft Restructuring Nears, As Execs Fret Over Their ...
By Kara Swisher
According to sources close to the situation, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is likely to unveil his plans to restructure the tech giant to a larger group of senior execs by July 1. That prospect has many top managers at the company worried, since ...
AllThingsD

Google Lat Long: Experience stunning new heights with Street View ...
By Lat Long
Monday, June 24, 2013 at 4:00 AM. What does it feel like to stand on top of the tallest building in the world? To give you a better sense of how that may feel, we took Street View to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, our first-ever collection in the Arab ...
Google Lat Long

Apple I to hit Christie's auction block starting at $300,000 - Engadget
By Alexis Santos
If you weren't able to scrounge up enough coin to snap up the last few Apple I computers to be auctioned off, another chance to score one -- and empty.
Engadget RSS Feed

Why Microsoft's cloud matters: Hint the reason begins with “A” but it ...
By Barb Darrow
The thinking here is that Google is all about search, Amazon is all about e-commerce while Microsoftis all about everything. “You can be hijacked by running just one webscale app. Having a diversity of apps — some statefull, some stateless, ...
GigaOM

MPAA Kicks KickassTorrents Off Google With 'Precision' Takedown ...
By Ernesto
Instead the MPAA appears to be hand-picking torrent sites and streaming portals in an effort to have their homepages de-listed from Google. The new KickassTorrents domain Kickass.to is one of the first casualties of this strategy.
TorrentFreak

Apple - Press Info - HBO GO & WatchESPN Come to Apple TV
CUPERTINO, California—June 19, 2013—Apple® today announced that HBO GO and WatchESPN are now available directly on Apple TV® joining the great ...
www.apple.com/.../19HBO-GO-WatchESPN-Come-to-Apple-...

Leap Motion Opens Software to Developers Ahead of July Launch
PC Magazine
Leap Motion's 3D motion controller is not scheduled to debut until July 22, but the company this week is rolling out the latest version of its software to the developer community so they can identify any last-minute problems. "Thousands of developers around ...
See all stories on this topic »
Microsoft Offering Ad-Free, Filtered 'Bing for Schools'
PC Magazine
Microsoft's Bing is going back to school with a new initiative aimed at teaching digital literacy skills. Starting later this year, Bing For Schools will provide to educational institutions ad-free search results, enhanced privacy protections, and the filtering of adult ...
See all stories on this topic »
HP's Slate 21 Android AIO Can Be Used as Tablet, Desktop
eWeek
The vendor's new system, introduced at a show in China, is the latest device from vendors that are experimenting with new form factors. Hewlett-Packard is introducing an Android-based all-in-one that can be used as a desktop PC or a tablet. HP officials ...
See all stories on this topic »
O3b satellite launch is postponed
BBC News
A Soyuz rocket was due to put four satellites in orbit for the O3b company, to provide communications to parts of the world that have poor fibre-optic infrastructure. But unfavourable winds at the Sinnamary spaceport in French Guiana have forced a 24-hour ...

Huawei's 7-Inch MediaPad 7 Vogue Tablet Makes Phone Calls
PC Magazine
Huawei today unveiled a new, 7-inch tablet that can be used to make phone calls. The Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue includes "a built-in receiver for direct calling capabilities that remove the need for headphones," according to the company - if you don't feel silly ...

Politics Could Pop Google's Project Loon
Businessweek
The balloon-powered network known as Loon may be one of Google's (GOOG) famed moonshots, but the biggest issues facing the project are grounded right here on earth. This won't just be a major technological feat for Google. It will be a huge political ...

Tune in: Microsoft to live stream BUILD keynote on Wednesday
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft will webcast the opening keynote of its BUILD developers conference Wednesday starting at 9 a.m. PT (noon ET). The company has not yet revealed the keynote speakers, but with the conference's emphasis on Windows 8.1, it is ...

A Map of All the Plants on Earth [PHOTOS]
Discover Magazine (blog)
Most views of our planet from space draw attention to the water-covered majority of its surface, hence the nickname Big Blue Marble. In this visualization of the globe, though, the SUOMI satellite focused on the world's plant life, and shows just how much it can ...

more technology news below

Follow @expricom