Dec. 27, 2010 at 10:41 a.m.
Filed under:
Autos,
Insurance,
Technology
By Becky Yerak
When plugged into a car's computer, the Allstate Drive Wise device can monitor driving habits and reward the good ones.
Allstate has launched a voluntary program that uses a device installed in a car to reward safe and low-mileage Illinois drivers with savings of up to 30 percent.
The Northbrook-based auto insurer plans to expand the program, called Drive Wise, to other states as early as the second quarter of 2011.
Allstate Drive Wise participants get a small, wireless gadget that plugs into their vehicle’s onboard computer through the diagnostic port, usually under the dashboard.
For consumers concerned about Big Brother, Allstate said the device tracks only factors used to calculate a driving score, including mileage; driving time of day; hard or extreme braking; and maximum speed.
Get the full story »
Dec. 27, 2010 at 10:04 a.m.
Filed under:
Computers,
Internet,
Retail,
Technology
By Dow Jones Newswires
Amazon.com Inc. said its third-generation Kindle is the best-selling product in its history, taking the title from the book “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” though the online retail giant didn’t disclose the number of units sold.
The company said that on its peak day, Nov. 29, also known as Cyber Monday, customers ordered more than 13.7 million items, up 44 percent from its peak day a year earlier, when customers ordered more than 9.5 million items. Get the full story »
By Associated Press
Nine-year-old Lauren Hummingbird wants a cell phone for Christmas — and not just any old phone, but an iPhone. Such a request normally would be met with skepticism by her father, Cherokee Nation employee Jamie Hummingbird.
He could dismiss the obvious reasons a kid might want an iPhone, except for this — he’s a proud Cherokee and buying his daughter the phone just might help keep the tribe’s language alive. Get the full story »
Dec. 23, 2010 at 10:42 a.m.
Filed under:
Entertainment,
Media,
Movies,
Technology,
Video
By Dow Jones Newswires
Blu-ray is emerging as a holiday hero for Hollywood as the film industry grapples with the rise of digital video and a persistent slump in its most profitable source of revenue — DVD sales.
A combination of the weak economy, online piracy and low-cost rental and streaming services has driven continued declines in DVD sales this year, but strong growth in Blu-ray, premium-priced discs that offer a higher quality home viewing experience, suggests consumers still have an appetite for physical home movie products. Get the full story »
Dec. 23, 2010 at 8:25 a.m.
Filed under:
Technology,
Telecommunications
From ComputerWorld | Skype estimates that about two-thirds of its users are still unable to log in after an outage caused by problems with its underlying peer-to-peer interconnection system, it said in a blog post around midday European time Thursday.
Dec. 23, 2010 at 6:37 a.m.
Filed under:
Technology
From The Wall Street Journal | Software giant Microsoft is crafting a new operating system that deviates from its heavy reliance on chip technology pioneered by Intel, according to people briefed on Microsoft’s plans.
Dec. 23, 2010 at 5:34 a.m.
Filed under:
M&A,
Technology
From The Des Moines Register | Telephone and Data Systems Inc., the parent company of TDS Telecommunications Corp., has purchased the Iowa data center company TEAM Technologies, which has centers in Cedar Falls, the Des Moines metro area and Madison, Wis., for $47 million.
Dec. 22, 2010 at 3:03 p.m.
Filed under:
Internet,
Technology,
Telecommunications,
Updated
By Dow Jones Newswires-Wall Street Journal
Internet phone and video service Skype went down in a global service outage on Wednesday, underscoring a weakness of the free online communication tool. Get the full story »
Dec. 22, 2010 at 11:09 a.m.
Filed under:
Computers,
Internet,
Technology
By Problem Solver
Apple joined a growing number of U.S. corporations that have cut ties with WikiLeaks, removing an application from its online store that gave users access to the controversial website’s content and Twitter feed because it violated guidelines. Get the full story »
Dec. 22, 2010 at 10:49 a.m.
Filed under:
M&A,
Technology
By Wailin Wong
Motorola Mobility, the soon-to-be-independent division of Motorola Inc. that makes mobile devices, has acquired a California technology start-up that specializes in delivering music and video on demand.
Terms of the deal with Burlingame, Calif.-based Zecter Inc. were not disclosed. Motorola Inc. is separating into two companies on Jan. 4, becoming Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions. Motorola Mobility encompasses mobile devices and cable TV set-top boxes, while Motorola Solutions comprises communications equipment for government, public safety and industrial users. Each company will be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Get the full story »
Dec. 21, 2010 at 4:56 p.m.
Filed under:
Litigation,
Technology,
Telecommunications
By Reuters
A trade panel that specializes in patent cases has agreed to hear the complaint of Motorola’s subsidiary Motorola Mobility against Microsoft, the panel said on Tuesday.
Motorola Mobility, which makes handsets and is being spun off by Motorola, has accused Microsoft of infringing its patents to make some Xbox video game consoles. Get the full story »
Dec. 21, 2010 at 1:55 p.m.
Filed under:
Internet,
Technology
By Los Angeles Times
Google has been posting malware warnings on suspicious search results for years, but now it’ll also add notifications to sites that might have been hacked.
When a site raises red flags, Google will add a link under the main search result that says, “This site may be compromised,” the company said in a blog post. Google will use automated tools designed to search for common signs of hacking.
Dec. 21, 2010 at 1:33 p.m.
Filed under:
Airlines,
Airports,
Technology
By Wailin Wong
Few holiday rituals cause more angst than air travel, where frazzled crowds and bad weather can transform even the simplest trip into a teeth-gnashing, garment-rending affair.
Adoption of technology such as text-message alerts and smart phone applications has smoothed some travel wrinkles, notifying travelers of rescheduled flight times or helping them navigate an unfamiliar airport. Airlines also have automated much of the process by installing self-service kiosks where passengers can check in for flights, look up their itinerary or request an upgrade. Get the full story »
Dec. 21, 2010 at 11:56 a.m.
Filed under:
Computers,
Internet,
Technology
By Reuters
High-speed Internet has had the greatest technological impact on society over the past decade and is the technology most people say they cannot live without, according to a new poll.
Twenty four percent of 1,950 U.S. adults questioned in the online survey conducted by Zogby International said high-speed Internet had the greatest impact on their lives, followed closely by Facebook at 22 percent and Google with 10 percent.
Of the technologies people say they cannot live without, high-speed Internet came in first at 28 percent and email was second at 18 percent. Get the full story »
Dec. 21, 2010 at 11:11 a.m.
Filed under:
Computers,
Entertainment,
TV,
Technology
By Reuters
Apple expects sales of Apple TV to top 1 million units this week, showing that the device is gaining traction in bringing the Web to TV. Get the full story »
