Global sales of semiconductors grew nearly 33 percent in August to $25.7 billion compared with a year ago, the Semiconductor Industry Association said Monday. Get the full story »
Filed under: Computers
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FCC vote clears way for ‘Super Wi-Fi’
The Federal Communications Commission is opening up unused airwaves between television stations for wireless broadband networks that will be more powerful and can travel farther than today’s Wi-Fi hotspots.
The five-member FCC voted unanimously Thursday to allow the use of so-called “white spaces” between TV stations to deliver broadband connections that can function like Wi-Fi networks on steroids. Get the full story »
BlackBerry-maker preparing to show iPad rival
BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. could unveil its new tablet computer — as well as the operating system that will power it — as early as next week at a developers’ conference in San Francisco, said people familiar with RIM’s plans.
The tablet, which some inside RIM are calling the BlackPad, is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of this year, these people said. It will feature a seven-inch touch screen and one or two built-in cameras, they said. Get the full story »
Microsoft to raise dividend
Microsoft Corp. is ramping up its dividend for the first time in two years as it prepared to borrow billions of dollars. Its board of directors agreed on a quarterly dividend of 16 cents per share, an increase of 3 cents or 23 percent over the prior quarter’s dividend. Get the full story »
Twitter: Porn pop-up problem fixed
The Twitter homepage on Sept. 3, 2010. Twitter came under attack today as hackers exploited a security flaw to wreak havoc on the microblogging service. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images)
Twitter has fixed a security flaw on its popular social media website after a cyber attack earlier on Tuesday sent some users to Japanese porn websites.
Twitter, which allows users to broadcast short messages of 140 characters or fewer, was flooded with tweets by users who complained on the homepage under such topic headings as ”Twitter got hacked.” Get the full story »
Apple said to be developing a smaller iPad
From Bloomberg News | Analysts at Rodman & Renshaw say Apple is working on an iPad with a smaller, 7-inch screen to compete with the more compact tablet computers on the way from competitors. The current iPad has a 9.7-inch screen.
Motorola tablet to miss holiday season
The success of the iPad has put pressure on Motorola. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Motorola Inc. aims to deliver a tablet computer early next year, after the key holiday selling season.
“We want to make sure that any tablet that we deliver is competitive in the marketplace, and I think all of us will make sure that we will only deliver that when that occurs,” Co-Chief Executive Sanjay Jha said late Wednesday.
Apple Inc.’s success with its new iPad have made tablets a must-have offering for gadget makers. Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its seven-inch Galaxy Tab to the U.S. market at an event Thursday. Dell Inc. has already launched its five-inch Streak tablet in the U.S., and others are expected ahead of the holidays. Get the full story »
Sep. 16, 2010 at 9:54 a.m.
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Filed under: Cell phones, Consumer electronics, M&A, Software, Technology Motorola scoops up location-based software firm
Motorola Inc. said Thursday it has acquired a company that develops location-based software for smartphone devices.
Terms of the deal with Aloqa GmbH, which has offices in Munich, Germany and Palo Alto, Calif., were not disclosed. Aloqa makes a mobile phone application that delivers content to a device based on where its owner is located. A person might receive discounts on local businesses or information about nearby events, Motorola said. Get the full story »
Chase says online banking site running smoothly
JPMorgan Chase’s online banking system appeared to be up and running Thursday morning after a Monday night crash left customers with spotty or no Web access to their accounts for three days.
Chase said its online banking service is operating well today.
“By 5 or 6 o’clock yesterday, things were moving quickly again,” said Chase spokesman Tom Kelly. Get the full story »
Internet Explorer 9 launched
A screen shot of Microsoft's Internet Explorer 9.
Microsoft Corp. released the latest version of its Web browser, saying that it would work at faster speeds, deliver better graphics and be less obtrusive to users.
Internet Explorer 9, unlike previous versions and many competing browsers, pushes itself into the background.
“People go to the Web for site, not the browser,” said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager for IE, at a press event in San Francisco. “Today Web sites are boxed in, the box is the browser.” Get the full story »
Twitter redesign adds video, photos, 2 panes
Twitter CEO Evan Williams discusses the new Twitter.com in San Francisco. (Robert Galbraith/Reuters)
A screen shot of new Twitter design. (Twitter)
Microblogging site Twitter, which is now signing up 370,000 new users daily on average, is redesigning its Web site to make it easier for its millions of users to navigate the service and discover new information.
The four-year-old company, which this month reported more than 145 million users, announced on Tuesday new improvements, such as embedded YouTube videos and other content, which is featured in a new two-pane layout. Get the full story »
Sep. 13, 2010 at 1:59 p.m.
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Filed under: Cell phones, Computers, Consumer electronics, Manufacturing Smartphones, tablets to drive robust LCD growth
Rapid demand for smartphones and tablet computers this year is expected to cause the global market for small and midsize liquid crystal displays to expand at its fastest pace in three years, according to iSuppli.
The research firm said global shipments of thin-film transistor panels, advanced types of displays used in sophisticated mobile devices including smartphones and tablet PCs, are set to rise 28 percent. That would be the highest level of growth for the market since 2007, when shipments jumped 50 percent. Get the full story »
Court rules some software can’t be resold
A federal appeals court has ruled computer software programs can’t be resold under widely used licensing agreements that handcuff the program’s original buyer.
Symantec tracking new malicious computer worm
Symantec Security Response is warning users about a new, malicious computer worm that comes in the form of an e-mail with the subject line, “Here you have.” The e-mail requests the recipient to click on an embedded link that appears to be a pdf hosted on the Internet. But when the e-mail recipient clicks on the link, it instantly downloads and launches the malicious worm without the computer user’s knowledge.
Bribery probe widens over HP contract in Russia
A bribery investigation into a Hewlett-Packard Co. government contract in Russia has broadened to include more deals dating back to 2000.
In a statement Friday, HP said it is cooperating with authorities, “who have now expanded their investigations beyond” a transaction with the Russian prosecutor’s office. Get the full story »
