Will someone besides Amazon release the next Kindle tablet?

Amazon sold millions of Kindles this holiday season, led by the company's first-ever tablet, the Kindle Fire, leaving some analysts wondering if other Android tablets might soon be flavored with Amazon's secret sauce.

After a full year of dozens of Android tablets from numerous manufacturers, none--excepting the discontinued and momentarily deeply discounted HP TouchPad--made more than the slightest dent in the iPad's dominance in the slate market. None, that is, until Amazon introduced its clunky but inexpensive loss leader--available for just $199 and pre-registered to your Amazon account so you can begin consuming the company's universe of content right away.

Despite the massive gulf between the iPad and Kindle Fire when it comes to price and specs, the two successful tablets do have one important characteristic in common--easy, built-in access to all kinds of content to consume on the device via the iTunes and Amazon stores, respectively.

"Devices need to lead with content services or they're dead in the water," Forrester analyst Sarah Rotman Epps told me. "By next summer we'll have had several months of Amazon demonstrating that a successful consumer electronics product strategy has to lead with content services."

Richard Windsor, global technology specialist for Nomura Securities, went one step further. He sees some of the current Android tablet makers looking to Amazon to help float some of their future offerings, or perhaps going as far as taking over production of the follow-up to the Kindle Fire.

"I'm not convinced Amazon's going to stay in the hardware business very long. Look at their business model--they are selling this thing at cost in order to make money on content. So if you can get someone else to make the tablet for you and sell it with your user experience on it, what do you care?"

Windsor suspects Amazon's first $199 tablet could be a way to "seed the market." He sees makers of competing Android tablets--which consumers seem to view as overpriced and lacking access to compelling content--in a position to start courting Amazon for possible partnerships.

"What you could get is a range of form factors and sizes to suit different pockets without Amazon having to make them all. You might see an "HTC Dream Kindle" or the "Kindle Fire HTC" or "Kindle Fire 2 10-inch by HTC."

Amazon is famously mum on its future plans. Despite months of speculation, the company refused to acknowledge that it was working on a tablet until it was unveiled by CEO Jeff Bezos this fall.

For its part, Google has been working feverishly of late to make more content available via the Android Market. In the past year books, movies and most recently music have all been introduced for purchase and consumption on mobile devices running the OS, an increasing number of which will soon be getting the much improved Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android.

Despite Google's best efforts, however, no tablet with native access to the Android Market has taken off with consumers. Hot sellers like the Kindle Fire and the Barnes and Noble Nook do their best to push users in the direction of their own content. We'll soon see if other tablet makers opt to follow their lead as well.
(cnet.com)

Apple applies for patent concerning face recognition on iOS devices

Perhaps an upcoming feature on the next version of the iPhone or iPad, Apple filed a patent over a year ago with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that outlines a method of face recognition for taking an iOS device out of sleep mode. Likely built into a future version of iOS, an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad would recognize that a user is in the vicinity after the user picks up the device and utilize the camera to scan the user’s face to turn on the device automatically. While security would be a concern to anyone that currently uses a password to lock their iOS device, Apple mentions that the software would isolate unique facial features in addition to specific skin tones to recognize a face. The software would memorize the attributes to the face, but the user may potentially have to reset the scan after any form of facial plastic surgery or something as simple as a sunburn.

Apple is already utilizing face detection in the iPhone 4S for photography. The camera automatically detects up to 10 faces within the picture and sets the focus on the most prominent face. It’s likely that the current face detection software will be customized to work with facial recognition elements. Apple calls the new technology “low threshold face recognition” and is designed to work in many situations where lighting can be an issue. Facial recognition technology already exists on Google Android phones with the recent release of the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. While the feature is definitely interesting, users were quickly able to fool the software into unlocking the phone after scanning a picture of the user’s face. Google warns users that facial recognition offers lower security that using a pin or other password to lock the Android device.

Apple filed this patent 18 months ago and hasn’t issued any official comment on how this technology will be utilized in future devices. Any announcement concerning the use of facial recognition on iOS devices will likely come at the next Apple press conference.
(digitaltrends.com)

Hackers target U.S. security think tank

LONDON (AP) – Hackers on Sunday claimed to have stolen 200 GB of e-mails and credit card data from United States security think tank Stratfor, promising a weeklong Christmas-inspired assault on a long list of targets.

Members of the loose hacking movement known as "Anonymous" posted a link on Twitter to what it said was Stratfor's secret client list — including the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, Goldman Sachs and MF Global.

"Not so private and secret anymore?," the group taunted in a message on the microblogging site.

Anonymous said it was able to get credit details, in part, because Stratfor didn't bother encrypting them — an easy-to-avoid blunder which — if true — would be a major embarrassment for any security company.

Stratfor said in an e-mail to members that it had suspended its servers and e-mail after learning that its website had been hacked.

"We have reason to believe that the names of our corporate subscribers have been posted on other web sites," said the e-mail, passed on to The Associated Press. "We are diligently investigating the extent to which subscriber information may have been obtained."

The e-mail, signed by Stratfor Chief Executive George Friedman, said the company is "working closely with law enforcement to identify who is behind the breach."

"Stratfor's relationship with its members and, in particular, the confidentiality of their subscriber information, are very important to Stratfor and me," Friedman wrote.

Stratfor's website was down midday Sunday, with a banner saying "site is currently undergoing maintenance."

Wishing everyone a "Merry LulzXMas" — a reference to spinoff and fellow troublemakers Lulz Security — Anonymous also posted a link on Twitter to a site containing the e-mail, phone number and credit number of a U.S. Homeland Security employee.

The employee, Cody Sultenfuss, said he had no warning before his details were posted.

"They took money I did not have," he told The Associated Press in an e-mail. "I think why me? I am not rich."

Anonymous warned it has "enough targets lined up to extend the fun fun fun of LulzXmas through the entire next week."

The group has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on companies such as Visa, MasterCard and PayPal, as well as others in the music industry and the Church of Scientology.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Microsoft pulling out of Consumer Electronics Show after 2012

Microsoft Corp., a 20-year stalwart of the annual Consumer Electronics Show, has decided to pull out of the largest trade show of its kind.

The company's chief executive often gave the keynote address, highlighting its own products and broader tech trends. But the company said it would stop doing so after the 2012 CES. It also will no longer have an exhibit.

CES is one of the world's largest trade shows and annually attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Las Vegas from all over the globe. This year the show will have close to 2,700 exhibitors and more than 1.8 million square feet of floor space.

But the show, once a marquee launchpad for some of the biggest new technologies, has struggled to stay in the headlines as big companies increasingly announce new products on their own timeline. In 2011, some observers questioned the show's relevance when no blockbuster new products were announced. Instead, most companies chose to introduce marginally improved televisions, tablets and smartphones that largely resembled existing products.

Apple Inc., arguably the industry's most popular and innovative company, does not participate in the show.

"Our industry moves fast and changes faster," Microsoft said in a statement. "And so the way we communicate with our customers must change in equally speedy ways."

The company said its decision came after it asked itself, "Are we doing something because it's the right thing to do, or because 'it's the way we've always done it'?"

Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer will give the final keynote Jan. 9.

david.sarno@latimes.com

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Research In Motion Gains on Report Saying Amazon Mulled Takeover

(Bloomberg) -- Research In Motion Ltd., maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, advanced in extended trading after a report said Amazon.com Inc. considered buying it.

Shares of Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM climbed as much as 7.3 percent on a Reuters report that said the company "turned down takeover overtures" from Amazon because RIM wants to fix its problems independently, citing unidentified people with knowledge of the matter.

RIM rose to as high as $13.44 after closing at $12.52 in New York.

Mary Osako, a spokeswoman for Seattle-based Amazon, declined to comment. Tenille Kennedy, a spokeswoman for RIM, didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tom Giles in San Francisco at tgiles5@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at tgiles5@bloomberg.net

Copyright Bloomberg. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Apple Continues to Plot Assault on TV

CUPERTINO, Calif. – Apple is moving forward with its assault on television, following up on the ambitions of its late co-founder, Steve Jobs.

In recent weeks, Apple executives have discussed their vision for the future of TV with media executives at several large companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Apple is also working on its own television that relies on wireless streaming technology to access shows, movies and other content, according to people briefed on the project.

In the recent meetings with media companies, the Apple executives, including Senior Vice President Eddy Cue, have outlined new ways Apple's technology could recognize users across phones, tablets and TVs, people familiar with the talks said.

In at least one meeting, Apple described future television technology that would respond to users' voices and movements, one of the people said. Such technology, which Apple indicated may take longer than some of its other ideas, might allow users to use their voices to search for a show or change channels.

Apple is still saying little about what specific software and devices it is working on. The people familiar with the meetings said the Cupertino, Calif., company was "vague" and that Apple hasn't made proposals to license shows for any new product offering.

Still, the talks -- some of which were made at the request of media companies seeking an update on Apple's plans -- suggest that Apple's TV strategy is advancing. The technology company often keeps its products and ideas, close to the vest until as late as possible.

Apple executives have given some specifics in its talks with media companies. The company, for example, has discussed new ways they could stream media companies' content, allowing a user to watch a video on a TV set, then pick up another device, such as a smartphone, and keep watching the video on the move, one of the people familiar said.

Another person familiar with the talks said the types of new services Apple and the media companies are discussing could be done with Apple's existing technologies, which include its Apple TV set-top box.

Around three months after it started selling a new, $99 version of the set-top box last year, Apple said it had sold more than a million but hasn't provided sales figures since.

Apple's uptick in talks with its media partners is part of the company's strategy to change the way consumers watch TV, just as the company transformed the music and cell phone industries. Jobs envisioned building a TV that would be controlled by Apple's mobile devices in order to be easier to use and more personalized, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company has worked on prototypes for years. Before his death in October, Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had "finally cracked it," according to Isaacson's book.

The TV device Apple is working on would use a version of Apple's wireless-streaming technology AirPlay to allow users to control it from iPhones and iPads, according to people briefed on the matter. When the company plans to start selling such a device and whether it would receive traditional broadcast or cable signals remains unclear, said these people, who say Apple may change its plans.

The technology could allow users to stream video from mobile devices to their televisions, without a set-top box. That process is already possible through its Apple TV set-top box, but it is cumbersome and some media companies, such as Time Warner Inc.'s cable channel HBO, prevent their apps from using the technology because they want closer control of how and where their content appears. An HBO spokesman says it hopes to use AirPlay once it is comfortable with the anti-piracy protection.
(foxnews.com)

Top selling phones

APPLE'S long-awaited iPhone 4S and Samsung Electronic's fresh, broad offering are likely to stand out in this holiday season's smartphone sales which will otherwise be clouded by global economic uncertainty.

Apple, which lost its position as the world's largest smartphone maker to Samsung last quarter, could regain top spot as consumers rush to buy the latest iPhone after waiting 16 months since the previous model went on sale.

Like millions elsewhere , 36-year-old Vanessa Pigeon last week took up an offer from her telecom operator and replaced her aging Blackberry with the latest iPhone.

"I liked the design and I wanted to change for a long time," said Pigeon, a recruitment official in Paris.

In neighbouring Britain, which is often seen as the indicator for the rest of the European market, the iPhone took a whopping 43% market share in October, overtaking phones using Google Inc's Android platform, according to research firm Kantar WorldpanelComTech.

"It's really only the iPhone family and the (Samsung) Galaxy family flying off the shelves. Everyone else is just picking up the leftovers," said Neil Mawston, analyst at research firm Strategy Analytics in Milton Keynes, Britain.

HTC and Research In Motion - No.4 and No.5 smartphone vendors - have already warned of weak holiday sales. The year end is a key sales season for smartphone vendors as consumers often replace their models for the holidays. Vendors are expected to sell a total of 142 million smartphones in October- December, up 42% from a year ago, according to a poll of analysts.

"At this moment we're still doubtful on whether we'll see any seasonality this Christmas because the demand we see so far is very bad," said Bonnie Chang, analyst at Yuanta Securities in Taipei.

Overall phone sales have been shrinking in western Europe this year as consumers delay purchases in a tighter economy. Analysts expect sales of non-smartphones to stay on a par with year-ago numbers.

Smartphone sales growth, which is driven by swapping for more advanced models, has slowed over the year.

"For Europe, Q4 will not be the usual bonanza. The economy is pushing consumers to be pickier," said Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi, adding this played to the advantage of Samsung and Apple.

Sales of Apple's iPhone have surged since early October when the iPhone 4S model became available, and the company is expected to sell around 28 million iPhones in the quarter, a 70% surge from a year ago.

Samsung's handset sales this year broke a new annual record by the end of November, boosted by good demand for its flagship Galaxy S II model, whose sales reached 10 million units, the company said a week ago.

T he poll does not break out Samsung smartphone sales as the firm does not report the number, but five analysts forecast those sales should be similar to that of Apple.

Sales of Nokia products will also be closely watched in the quarter for first reactions to its Windows Phone models, although most Nokia smartphones are still powered by its own ageing Symbian software.

"I don't think Nokia joining the force can make a difference," said Yuanta Securitie's Chang, noting that HTC and Samsung models using latest Windows Phone software have not fared well.

Analysts expect Nokia's smartphones sales in the fourth quarter to fall 31% from a year ago to 19 million phones as the new Windows Phones will not yet compensate for diving Symbian sales. Still, that would be well ahead of HTC's 11 million and RIM's 14 million.

With the proliferation of touchscreens and half of all smartphones sold using Google's Android operating system, consumers are struggling to see the difference among the models.

"Everybody is just buying black plates with big screens," said Strategy Analytic's Mawston. Most top models also have 8 megapixel cameras among other similar features.

"If you look at the phones there is nothing particular really there," said Canalyst analyst Pete Cunningham. "It's a really tough market and it is going to get tougher." Chinese vendors ZTE and Huawei have started to win market share with their cheap smartphones using Android, and cut-price competition is set to continue with chipset supplier Spreadtrum unveiling last week a platform for $40 Android phones.

And the market seems to only be getting more crowded.
(moneyweb.com)

Battery life is price you pay for Verizon Galaxy Nexus

We just put the wraps on our review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, the first phone to run Android Ice Cream Sandwich, and came away impressed with its sleek new software, large 720p display, fast camera, and blazing 4G LTE speeds over Verizon Wireless’ network. However, as we discovered with the Galaxy Nexus, as well as other phones that use Verizon’s LTE network, there’s a price to be paid for all that speed: Battery life.

As you can see from the above results, the Verizon Galaxy Nexus lasted only 3 hours and 40 minutes on our Laptop Battery Test. This test involves continuous web surfing over 4G with the screen brightness at 40 percent. GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Auto Sync are all turned off. When we ran our battery test on the unlocked Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile’s network, the device saw 5 hours of runtime. That’s a difference of nearly 1.5 hours.

The Galaxy Nexus for Verizon delivered even less endurance than the HTC Thunderbolt, the first 4G LTE phone from the carrier that established a reputation for short battery life. Because 4G LTE radios use more power, the phones that use them tend to last significantly shorter than the smartphone average. But as you can see some Verizon phones at least last longer than the 5-hour mark.

We really like the Verizon Galaxy Nexus, but its below-average battery life kept it from earning an Editors’ Choice Award in our review. If you do pick up this phone, make sure you keep the brightness down and follow our other tips for making your Android phone last longer.
(msn.com)

Nokia Batman Dark Knight Rises limited edition Lumia 800 revealed

Nokia has revealed a limited Lumia 800 Dark Knight Rises special edition, complete with a laser-etched Batman logo, to tie in with the upcoming feature film. Only forty of the handsets will be produced, seen here snapped by Jon Choo in London this morning ahead of IMAX previews of the Batman film it self.

Matching packaging – wrapping up the traditional bright Nokia blue with a matte black sleeve complete with black Batman logo – rounds out the package. There’s a movie tie-in Live Tile visible on the screen in the video below, though it’s not clear exactly what specific software or apps Nokia has added at this stage.

Although the chances of picking up a Batman Dark Knight Rises Lumia 800 in stores is low, we wouldn’t be surprised if one or two show up on eBay eventually. Otherwise the regular black Lumia 800 and some time with a laser etching machine are your best bet; check out our full Nokia Lumia 800 review here.
(slashgear.com)

NTSB Recommends Banning Texting, Cell Phones While Driving

Distracted driving, which includes texting and talking on a cell phone, is a major cause of death on the road. Nearly two out of every 10 drivers and half of drivers ages 21 to 24 said they are texting while driving, according to a NHTSA survey. (Anne Rippy/Getty Images)


The National Transportation Safety Board today urged all U.S. states to ban drivers from using electronic devices while driving, including for text messaging.

The NTSB issued the recommendation after several investigations that found texting to be the cause of deadly accidents.

In Missouri, two people died and 38 were injured in a pileup in August 2010 after a 19-year-old driver rammed his pickup truck into the back of a tractor truck and was then hit by one school bus and then another. The teen was texting while driving, the NTSB found after an investigation, leading to today's ruling strongly recommending a ban on all mobile usage.

"According to NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents," NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman said in a statement. "It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving. No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life."

Though the NTSB doesn't have the power to enforce such a regulation, experts say the recommendation itself would have significant implications.
(abcnews.go.com)

Is Apple vulnerable in 2012? You bet

After Steve Jobs was fired in 1985, it took Microsoft 10 years to catch up--and exceed--the technical and user interface innovations of the Mac OS that Jobs helped create. Now, Jobs is gone and Apple is once again in a position of clear market leadership with competitors gunning to match its products.

Apple's rivals aren't taking a decade, however. Far from it. Google, Amazon, and Microsoft, along with partners such as Intel, Samsung, HP, and Lenovo are all heading into 2012 with impressive products aimed squarely at Apple's hits--the iPhone, the MacBook Air, and the iPad.

The iPhone alternatives
When you hold the Samsung Galaxy S II, the Galaxy Nexus, or other versions for the new generation of Android devices, it's clear why Samsung phones are now outselling the iPhone and why Apple is suing various Android handset manufacturers. These devices are a huge threat to the iPhone. The screens are bigger than the iPhone's. They weigh less and they're speedier.

The new version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, is almost at parity with the beauty and ease of use of iOS. Plus, the emergence of apps from Pandora and Spotify, both amazing music streaming services, make the iTunes library lock-in hardly a lock-in at all. In fact, more than 370,000 apps are now available for Android, including most of the ones that people want. Apple is adding great new features such as Siri, but let's not forget that Apple acquired Siri and the underlying voice recognition technology is provided by Nuance. Android already has similar apps and Microsoft's TellMe will not be far behind.

Conclusion: even before all these advances, Android was already outselling iOS. Apple's position in this war is weakening.

Up in the air
Here come the MacBook Air clones. Air-like notebooks based on Intel's next-generation Ultrabook components are going to be announced en masse at CES in January. I recently played with an Asus Zenbook, the Asus version of an Ultrabook. The Asus looked great and even had stylish metal keys that are far nicer than I had expected from the photos. It's not as if Apple has an exclusive on making computers lighter and batteries last longer. Apple was just the first to perfect it because it controls the entire system--the operating system and hardware right through to retail--and has the will and pricing power to push for what it wants among the component makers.

I use both Windows 7 and Mac OS on a daily basis and really can't tell the difference between the two anymore, mainly because I spend most of my time on Google's Chrome and Microsoft Office. Windows 7 actually has better desktop management--when I open or select a document it only brings that document to front, not every other document already opened by that particular app. Yes, the Mac OS is easy to use and stable, but stand next to the Genius Bar at a Mac store and you will see that many people have many problems, just like Windows 7.

Conclusion: most notebook computers will adopt the MacBook Air form factor, and Windows will not only maintain its tremendous market share, but possibly even retake Mac's recent gains.

King iPad is at risk
Tablets are a category that Apple completely dominates, with 80 percent market share. Android competitors have flailed, but Amazon's Android-based Kindle Fire is likely to outsell the iPad in 2012 due to its low price ($199). Amazon is focusing the Kindle as a cheap, content-consumption device rather than full-fledged tablet, and it's subsidizing the price in exchange for people subsequently purchasing movies, apps, and physical goods from Amazon.

While the Kindle Fire will nibble at the iPad from the low end, at the higher-end, $500-plus price range, full-fledged computers based on the ultrabook and Netbook form factors and Windows 8 Metro will begin to compete with the iPad, including hybrids with pivoting screens and detachable keyboards that effectively merge an ultra-lightweight notebook and tablet.

Conclusion: the iPad will dominate through 2012, but after that the iPad will be squeezed on the low end by the Kindle and on the high end by full-fledged touch-screen PCs.

Of course, Apple is not sitting idly by. It is rumored that Jobs left years of product plans behind and Apple is widely expected soon to enter the TV set business in order to further ensconce consumers in its vision of gadgetry. Apple's vast manufacturing volume enables it to get the next generation of components, such as screens and processors, before its competitors.

However, technology is accelerating faster than ever before and it doesn't take long for the competition to catch up. Apple's ultimate attribute, that of design and "taste," is almost like fashion. And as with fashion, being first doesn't mean you will rule the market; it just means that you are going to get copied. Remember, H&M sells a lot more Prada-like designs than Prada.
(cnet.com)

Intel cuts revenue forecast by $1bn

Intel, the world’s largest chipmaker by sales, said its fourth-quarter revenue would miss forecasts because of a shortage of hard disk drives.

The company cut its forecast for revenue in the October through December period to $13.7bn, plus or minus $300m, from an earlier estimate of $14.7bn, plus or minus $500m. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg had also predicted revenues of $14.7bn.

Intel cited a shortage in the supply of hard disks, which has resulted in computer manufacturers reducing inventories and cutting back on microprocessor purchases. The company is the leading producer of microprocessor chips, which perform the central processes of computers.

About one-third of the world’s hard disk drive production is located in Thailand, which was hit by devastating flooding in recent months. In November, many computer makers said they expected fourth-quarter sales would be affected by the disruption to their supply chains.

Intel said on Monday: “The company expects hard disk drive supply shortages to continue into the first quarter, followed by a rebuilding of microprocessor inventories as supplies of hard disk drives recover during the first half of 2012,.” However, the company added that PC sales were expected to rise in the fourth quarter from the third quarter.

Intel also cut its forecast for gross margin in the quarter from 65 per cent to 64.5 per cent.

The company’s shares were down 4.7 per cent to $23.84 in early trading in New York. Intel’s stock had risen 30 per cent over the past three months, helped by strong growth in chips. Rising demand for PCs in emerging markets have contributed significantly to that growth.
(ft.com)

Amazon set to roll out update to Kindle Fire

The honeymoon period for the Kindle Fire appears to be drawing to a close as reports of customer complaints about the device’s Web browsing, touchscreen and other features have surfaced after the initial excitement about the tablet’s low, low price.

To address some of those concerns, Amazon is planning to push out an update to its Kindle Fire user interface in the next two weeks, the New York Times reported. The company has already updated the software for its tablet a couple of times, promising improvements to the tablet’s performance — and getting rid of root access to the device.

The new update will reportedly improve overall performance (again) and make some improvements to multitouch navigation, the report said. The update will also reportedly give customers a little more privacy by allowing them to edit their recent activity.

The report also hinted that Amazon will be rolling out a new device in the coming months, likely in the spring.

The Kindle Fire is, essentially, a tablet enclosure for Amazon to push out its ecosystem of content, from books to movies to cloud music and storage services. It’s never been a serious competitor to Apple's iPad, instead offering a different avenue for the tablet market — a cheap device for books, movies and consumption, and not for content creation.
(washingtonpost.com)

DROID XYBOARD 10.1 and 8.2 in stores today at some Verizon locations

Though earlier today the word was that the online and pre-order sales for the newest Motorola tablet by the name of XYBOARD were the only thing starting today, with in-store sales starting Monday (the 12th), we’ve now come to find that in some stores across the USA the slates are already in stores ready for sales right this minute! This tablet line comes in two sizes, 8.2-inches and 10.1-inches, the latter providing a next generation for the original Honeycomb tablet in the Motorola XOOOM. These tablets are priced at $429.99 for the 8.2 and $529.99 for the 10.1 both on contract, with various other prices in place for different memory and contractual agreements.

For the XYBOARD 8.2, you have the choice of also picking one up with a 32GB built-in memory card for the upgraded price of $529.99, with this price and its 16GB version (listed above) bumping up to $599.99 and $699.99 at full retail price and activation required. For the 10.1-inch version of the tablet, there are three different built-in memory options, 16GB, 32, and 64, full retail prices (off-contract) coming in at $699.99, $799.99, and $899.99 respectively. We’ll be going for the 32GB at $629.99 on contract or the 64GB for $729.99 on contract, but with a healthy “this seems sort of expensive” thought at the back of our minds.

This tablet selection is what Verizon is calling the “first 4G tablet worthy of the name DROID”, and we’ll be seeing how true that is SOON. Stay tuned to SlashGear to see full reviews of both of these tablets within the next week! Or if you’re feeling frisky, head down to your local Verizon right this second to see if you’re amongst the lucky to have a store that’s jumped the gun and is offering the tablets up for sale right now!
(slashgear.com)

HP has new plans for WebOS

PALO ALTO, Calif., Dec. 10 -- U.S. technology giant Hewlett-Packard is planning and developing WebOS devices, Chief Executive Officer Meg Whitman said.

HP, which purchased Palm Inc. in 2010, is also planning to make Palm's WebOS software available as an open-source program, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday.

Whitman, a former gubernatorial candidate in California, disclosed in two separate interviews that HP would continue to develop hardware, including tablets, for the WebOS platform, the Times said.

HP has had a rocky history with its TouchPad devices. Whitman's predecessor, Leo Apotheker, said in August that HP was backing out of smartphone and TouchPad development, and was studying the option of backing out of computer production.

Soon after he made the announcement, the board elected to send him packing and replaced him with Whitman, a high-profile CEO who made an unsuccessful run for governor in 2010.

Sales of the TouchPad were still disappointing, however, until HP dropped its price to $99, the Times said.(UPI.com)

Google's Opt-in Facial Recognition Avoids Facebook's Missteps

Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) quiet introduction of facial recognition for its photos application on Google+ is drawing praise from analysts and security researchers alike because it stands in stark contrast to the way Facebook employed similar technology earlier this year.

That is, it's opt-in. Google's Find My Face feature lets its Google+ social network users opt-in to photo tagging. When users opt-in to Find My Face, the next time one of their Google+ contacts adds a photo they're in, they'll see their name as a suggested tag. Users will receive a tag prompt can accept or reject any instance where someone wants to tag them.

"Despite the fact that I am not comfortable with my information being gathered in this manner, providing people with a choice is never a bad thing," wrote Chester Wisniewski, a senior security advisor at security software provider Sophos Canada
. "It is up to every individual to make an *informed* choice about how their personal information is shared and asking their permission is the right approach."

If Find My Face sounds familiar it's because Facebook already beat Google to such a feature called Tag Suggestions, which automatically detects users in photos and links them with their names so that users don't have to manually tag friends.

The tool was actually announced a year ago, but some of Facebook's 800 million-plus users forgot about it. As Facebook gradually rolled Tag Suggestions out in 2011, it drew the ire of enough users for not advising them the feature had been turned on. People can be quite self-conscious about tagged photos because they can provide contextual information that users may want to keep private.

Privacy and U.S. Congressmen took notice. Last June, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Connecticut state Attorney General George Jepsen complained that Facebook should have provided more notice and should instead make the feature opt-in. Facebook then made the tool easier to opt out of
, but it's still an opt-out feature.

A Google spokesperson declined to comment about whether Google looked at Facebook's photo-tagging folly for guidance with the way it implemented Find My Face. However, sources familiar with Google's thinking say the company has learned a lot from Facebook's privacy foibles, which is why it's being careful with Find My Face.

Google also learned a lot from its own social software privacy gaffe. Nearly two years ago, it launched Google Buzz, a social service that exposed its users Gmail contacts to other people. The company quickly altered the service but took a major hit to its reputation for preserving user data and trust.

Altimeter Group analyst Rebecca Lieb called Google's implementation of Find My Face a very smart move at a time when the company is trying to challenge Facebook for the hearts, minds and eyeballs of social network users.

"Google is not interested in making the same mistakes Facebook made," Lieb told eWEEK, adding that even creating the perception that they care about user privacy can go along with consumers. "They are ensuring users they have their privacy interests in mind."

The launch of Find My Face as an opt-in facial recognition tool conveniently came the same day the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a privacy workshop
where it said it would take a hard line against companies that violate consumer privacy using facial recognition technology.(eweek.com)

Twitter Redesign Courts Businesses, Catches Up With Facebook, Google+

Social networking company Twitter announced a slew of changes to the online and mobile versions of the microblogging site Dec. 8, including a simplified design to make it easier to connect with others.

The company also updated the TweetDeck desktop application to be consistent with the new version. As more businesses—large enterprises, as well as small and midsize firms—delve into the world of social media to help market their products and sell their services, the Twitter redesign can help companies reach their potential audience more quickly, as the site now offers greater simplicity, thanks to four menu tabs, which are the same across mobile and desktop devices.

Twitter is not the only social media company looking for ways to offer more functionality for business users. Both Facebook and Google+, Google’s recently released social networking site, offer companies different ways to brand and advertise themselves online, while connecting to like-minded social networking users.

On the homepage tab, photos, videos and conversations are embedded directly in tweets, allowing businesses to offer visual details of products and special offers and to spread viral marketing campaigns. The new Connect section is where businesses can get in on the conversation by seeing who has followed or mentioned the company, or who retweeted or favorited one of the tweets, giving businesses insight into potentially untapped customers or enabling them to respond to compliments (or criticisms).

The Discover tab lets users tap into a stream of information that can be customized just for a business based on current location, what you follow and what’s happening in the world. As Twitter use increases, Discover gets even better at serving up more content that applies directly to the company’s market and interests through tracking people, organizations or brands. The Discover tab also lets users search for contacts by name and import contacts from an email account.

The updated profile section, the Me tab, puts businesses’ interests front and center. Direct messages allow users to send personal messages to followers and receive personal messages from those being followed, which can help with personal customer service issues or product questions. Customers can also see a gallery of product images or marketing videos the company has recently shared.

Finally, Twitter has updated the Tweet tab to help send business messages out into the world, and link to videos and news stories and more directly in tweets. Users can tag their locations to send out information from trade shows or different store locations to promote certain products or sales events, and businesses can associate their tweets with trends and ideas by adding the hashtag symbol (#) before a relevant phrase—for example, #appdevelopment. This way, when anyone searches for that trend or phrase, the tweet—and the sender's business—is more likely to appear in the results.

Small businesses are becoming more comfortable with social media marketing and are using it more when engaging with customers, while also allocating more time to social media marketing to engage their targets, according to a November report from marketing specialist Constant Contact. A full 81 percent reported using social media to market their businesses, up from 73 percent in the spring of 2011.

Twitter is quickly gaining ground as usage surged in the last six months, from 60 percent in spring 2011 to 76 percent in November. Effectiveness scores also improved across certain key social media marketing channels in just six months, with 60 percent of those using Twitter finding it effective for marketing their business, up from 47 percent in spring 2011.(eweek.com)

Motorola wins Apple wireless patent fight in German

Motorola Mobility could now try to force Apple's 3G products off Germany's shop shelves Continue reading the main story
Related Stories Australia lifts Samsung sales ban German HTC retailers face lawsuit Amazon's patent troubles spiral

A German court has ruled in Motorola Mobility's favour in a patents dispute with Apple.

The Android smartphone maker had complained that Apple failed to license one of its wireless intellectual properties.

Apple uses the technology in its iPhones and 3G iPads.

Motorola could now try to force Apple to remove the feature from its devices or halt sales in Germany. However, Apple said it intended to appeal.

Motorola said the ruling validated its "efforts to enforce its patents against Apple's infringement".

Apple responded: "We're going to appeal the court's ruling right away. Holiday shoppers in Germany should have no problem finding the iPad or iPhone they want."

If Motorola does decide to pursue an injunction blocking sales of Apple's products the case could result in a clash between the iPad maker and Google - Motorola's shareholders have approved the search giant's takeover of their company and the deal is due to be completed in 2012.
Fighting times

The case relates to Motorola's patent for a "method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system".

Motorola licenses this patent to others on Frand (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms.

The owner of a Frand-type patent is obligated to license out its technology to third-parties because the invention has been declared to be essential to an industry standard.

Apple had offered to pay a Frand-set fee going forward and was willing to pay a similar rate for past infringements. But it lost the case because it tried to retain the right to contest the validity of the patent with a view to past damages.

It tried to do this because Motorola had defended its right to charge an above-Frand rate for Apple's use of its technology over the past four years. This could have been many times higher than the rate Apple was willing to pay and potentially very expensive.

Motorola will have to post a 100m euro (£85m; $133m) bond if it wishes to enforce a sales injunction against Apple. The cash would cover compensation to Apple if the ruling was later overturned.

Motorola welcomed the ruling.

"We will continue to take all necessary steps to protect our intellectual property, as the company's patent portfolio and licensing agreements with companies both in the US and around the world are critical to our business," said Scott Offer, senior vice-president and general counsel of Motorola Mobility.

"We have been negotiating with Apple and offering them reasonable licensing terms and conditions since 2007, and will continue our efforts to resolve our global patent dispute as soon as practicable."
Appeal details

Patent watchers say it could be years before the case is resolved.

"This is really a given between such large players in high stakes disputes," said Florian Mueller, a patent consultant who revealed the court's verdict on his blog.

"In Germany you get a first ruling by a regional court rather quickly - this litigation started in April this year. Usually between companies of this stature the disputes go to the higher regional court and that could take a couple of years," Mr Mueller told the BBC.

Mr Mueller advises Microsoft and others and has campaigned for patent reform in Europe.

He said Apple could try to revise its products, but noted that Frand-type patents were, by their nature, hard to work around. He added that doing so could run the risk of causing communication problems with the mobile networks' equipment.
Samsung tablet ban

Although Apple is on the receiving end of this lawsuit it has also been very active in the courts suing HTC, Samsung and Motorola among others for claimed patent infringements.

It temporarily managed to have Samsung's tablets banned from sale in Australia, although the restriction was overturned earlier today.

The US International Trade Commission is expected to rule on its dispute with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC on 14 December. The judgement could lead to shipments of HTC's products being blocked in the US.

Although the targets of Apple's lawsuits are often firms which use Google's Android software, the two firms have avoided suing each other. That is set to change when Google's takeover of Motorola Mobility is completed early next year.

"Google with its pending acquisition will be watching this case with great interest as any victory is an endorsement of Motorola's patent portfolio that it is seeking to acquire," said Ben Cross, director of research at the telecoms consultancy CCS Insight.(bbc.co.uk)

Motorola scores Apple iPhone/iPad injunction in Germany

Motorola Mobility has won a wireless patent case against Apple in Germany this morning, meaning – unless Apple can secure a stay until an appeal can be heard – the iPhone and iPad could be blocked from sale in the country. A Germany court ruled that Apple’s cellularly-enabled devices infringe European Patent 1010336, detailing a “method for performing a countdown function during a mobile-originated transfer for a packet radio system” FOSS Patents reports, and deemed an essential component of the GPRS data standard. Motorola will have to cough up a €100m bond if it wants to chase a sales injunction, however.

That bond – which is designed to cover Apple’s losses should the patent case be subsequently overturned while an injunction was imposed – is considerably less than the €2bn the Cupertino company’s legal team demanded. If Motorola Mobility pushes ahead, Apple is almost certain to request a stay on the injunction while it files an appeal. The original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad WiFi + 3G and iPad 2 WiFi + 3G are all named in Motorola’s case, though the iPhone 4S is also likely to be impacted.

Apple could attempt to modify its products to work around Motorola’s patent, though it’s unclear how feasible such an endeavor might be. Alternatively, under European law, Apple could seek to license the patent; the company has already attempted to license it under FRAND (fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory) terms, but Motorola managed to convince the court that the damages involved should Apple be found to have infringed would exceed FRAND rates. Motorola could agree to a license covering future products, but not applying retrospectively, and insist on damages for Apple’s past infringement.

The general opinion is that Apple will seek to convince an appeals court that Motorola should grant a compulsory FRAND license, with minimal penalties for past actions. There’s no word on when the appeal might be heard.

Samsung Galaxy Nexus launch will not include Google Wallet, says Verizon

The launch of the Galaxy Nexus, the newest Google Android phone, has been shrouded in mystery. One feature that will not appear on the Nexus is Google Wallet, according to Verizon. As Hayley Tsukayama reported:

Those eager to buy the Google Galaxy Nexus in order to use its near-field communications chip for their shopping needs may be disappointed. Verizon — the only official carrier for the phone — has said that it will not support Google Wallet in its phones. Google confirmed that Verizon asked the company not to include the feature in the Galaxy Nexus phone.

Verizon is denying that it’s “blocking” the app, however, and said that it is in “commercial discussions” with Google on the matter.

In a statement, Verizon spokesman Jeffrey Nelson said that Google Wallet requires different considerations because it’s simply different from other apps.

“Google Wallet does not simply access the operating system and basic hardware of our phones like thousands of other applications,” Nelson said in a statement. “Instead, in order to work as architected by Google, Google Wallet needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones.”

Others, however, say that Verizon isn’t supporting Google Wallet on the Galaxy Nexus because the company is working with AT&T and T-Mobile on its own contactless payment service, ISIS.

Media reform group Free Press said Tuesday that Verizon’s decision is hurting consumers, competition and innovation, and illustrates a need for stronger consumer protections from the Federal Communications Commission.


Even the price of the new Galaxy Nexus is under wraps, as the phone nears release. Some reports have put the price at $299, yet Verizon has not confirmed it. As Hayley Tsukayama explained:

The Galaxy Nexus, the highly-anticipated flagship phone of Google’s next Android operating system, has been a bit of a mystery. Not only has Verizon been quiet about when customers will be able to see the brand-new phone on store shelves, it’s also been mum about how much the phone will cost.

A report from Dow Jones Newswires, citing “people familiar with the matter,” pegs the phone’s cost at $299.99, which seems to be Verizon’s new standard for its premium smartphones.

The Droid RAZR, which the company is pushing hard in advance of the Galaxy Nexus announcement, is priced at $299.99, as is the HTC Rezound. Given the speed and power of the 4G phones, the report said, Verizon may feel more comfortable pricing the phones at the same range as high-demand devices such as the iPhone.

The Galaxy Nexus is certainly seen by some analysts as the most credible competitor to the iPhone so far, even outstripping it in some respect because it’s capable of running on Verizon’s 4G network. The phone has a bigger screen than the iPhone and, of course, has the distinction of being the first phone to run Google’s new Ice Cream Sandwich operating system.

The new system has quite a few experimental perks and features, such as the ability to unlock the phone using facial recognition and an NFC chip that will let users exchange information by tapping their phones together. One of the Galaxy Nexus’s functions, however, will not be a part of its U.S. release: the ability to pay with Google Wallet by using the chip. A report from the Associated Press said that Verizon is not enabling Google Wallet on its phones, likely because the company is involved in Isis, a competing payment system that uses NFC technology.


While the release date and price are still unknown, analysts have given the Galaxy Nexus strong early reviews. As Hayley Tsukayama reported :

The Samsung Galaxy Nexus — Google’s next flagship phone — has been getting strong early reviews ahead of its as-yet unannounced U.S. launch date. The phone hit stores in Britain Thursday, and reviewers are calling it the best Android phone yet. The Galaxy Nexus will launch in the U.S. on Verizon’s LTE network, but the review units handed out by Google run on T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network — the international version.

Mashable’s Charlie White said that the hardware and software on the phone are fantastic, though he cautioned that the 4.65-inch screen may be a bit too big for people with smaller hands. The on-screen buttons that are baked into Google’s latest operating system, Ice Cream Sandwich, also eliminate the need for a bezel on the phone, apart from the space needed for the camera.

Edward C. Baig at USA Today called the phone a major upgrade, though he said that he doesn’t feel as if he’s had the phone long enough to give it a thorough review. His early impression, though, is favorable. He likes the phone’s camera, which shoots without lag thanks to Google’s new camera functionalities. He said that the phone is snappy and light, though he thinks the battery life will be short. Baig did, however, like that the phone gave him information on what was draining the battery (no surprises here: it’s mostly the screen) and on data consumption.(washingtonpost.com)