HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co said on Monday it will sell the webOS operating system to South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc, unloading the smartphone software it acquired through a $ 1.2 billion acquisition of Palm in 2010.

LG will use the operating software, used in now-defunct Palm smartphones years ago, for its “smart” or Internet-connected TVs. The Asian electronics company had worked with HP on WebOS before offering to buy it outright.

Under the terms of their agreement, LG acquires the operating software’s source code, associated documentation, engineering talent, various associated websites, and licenses under HP’s intellectual property including patents covering fundamental operating system and user interface technology.

HP will retain the patents and all the technology relating to the cloud service of webOS, HP Chief Operating Officer Bill Veghte said in an interview.

“As we looked at it, we saw a very compelling IP that was very unique in the marketplace,” he said, adding that HP has already had a partnership with LG on webOS before the deal was announced.

“As a result of this collaboration, LG offered to acquire the webOS operating system technology,” Veghte said.

Skott Ahn, President and CTO, LG Electronics, said the company will incorporate the operating system in the Smart TV line-up first “and then hopefully all the other devices in the future.”

Both companies declined to reveal the terms of the deal.

LG will keep the WebOS team in Silicon Valley and, for now, will continue to be based out of HP offices, Ahn said.

HP opened its webOS mobile operating system to developers and companies in 2012 after trying to figure out how to recoup its investment in Palm, one of the pioneers of the smartphone industry.

The company had tried to build products based on webOS with the now-defunct TouchPad tablet its flagship product.

HP launched and discontinued the TouchPad in 2010, a little over a month after it hit store shelves with costly fanfare after it saw poor demand for a tablet priced on par with Apple’s dominant iPad.

WebOS is widely viewed as a strong mobile platform, but has been assailed for its paucity of applications, an important consideration while choosing a mobile device.

(Additional reporting By Paul Sandle and Alistair Barr; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Tim Dobbyn and M.D. Golan)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/hp-sells-webos-operating-system-to-lg-electronics/
Link To Post : HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co said on Monday it will sell the webOS operating system to South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc, unloading the smartphone software it acquired through a $ 1.2 billion acquisition of Palm in 2010.

LG will use the operating software, used in now-defunct Palm smartphones years ago, for its “smart” or Internet-connected TVs. The Asian electronics company had worked with HP on WebOS before offering to buy it outright.

Under the terms of their agreement, LG acquires the operating software’s source code, associated documentation, engineering talent, various associated websites, and licenses under HP’s intellectual property including patents covering fundamental operating system and user interface technology.

HP will retain the patents and all the technology relating to the cloud service of webOS, HP Chief Operating Officer Bill Veghte said in an interview.

“As we looked at it, we saw a very compelling IP that was very unique in the marketplace,” he said, adding that HP has already had a partnership with LG on webOS before the deal was announced.

“As a result of this collaboration, LG offered to acquire the webOS operating system technology,” Veghte said.

Skott Ahn, President and CTO, LG Electronics, said the company will incorporate the operating system in the Smart TV line-up first “and then hopefully all the other devices in the future.”

Both companies declined to reveal the terms of the deal.

LG will keep the WebOS team in Silicon Valley and, for now, will continue to be based out of HP offices, Ahn said.

HP opened its webOS mobile operating system to developers and companies in 2012 after trying to figure out how to recoup its investment in Palm, one of the pioneers of the smartphone industry.

The company had tried to build products based on webOS with the now-defunct TouchPad tablet its flagship product.

HP launched and discontinued the TouchPad in 2010, a little over a month after it hit store shelves with costly fanfare after it saw poor demand for a tablet priced on par with Apple’s dominant iPad.

WebOS is widely viewed as a strong mobile platform, but has been assailed for its paucity of applications, an important consideration while choosing a mobile device.

(Additional reporting By Paul Sandle and Alistair Barr; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Tim Dobbyn and M.D. Golan)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/hp-sells-webos-operating-system-to-lg-electronics/
Link To Post : HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co said on Monday it will sell the webOS operating system to South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc, unloading the smartphone software it acquired through a $ 1.2 billion acquisition of Palm in 2010.

LG will use the operating software, used in now-defunct Palm smartphones years ago, for its “smart” or Internet-connected TVs. The Asian electronics company had worked with HP on WebOS before offering to buy it outright.

Under the terms of their agreement, LG acquires the operating software’s source code, associated documentation, engineering talent, various associated websites, and licenses under HP’s intellectual property including patents covering fundamental operating system and user interface technology.

HP will retain the patents and all the technology relating to the cloud service of webOS, HP Chief Operating Officer Bill Veghte said in an interview.

“As we looked at it, we saw a very compelling IP that was very unique in the marketplace,” he said, adding that HP has already had a partnership with LG on webOS before the deal was announced.

“As a result of this collaboration, LG offered to acquire the webOS operating system technology,” Veghte said.

Skott Ahn, President and CTO, LG Electronics, said the company will incorporate the operating system in the Smart TV line-up first “and then hopefully all the other devices in the future.”

Both companies declined to reveal the terms of the deal.

LG will keep the WebOS team in Silicon Valley and, for now, will continue to be based out of HP offices, Ahn said.

HP opened its webOS mobile operating system to developers and companies in 2012 after trying to figure out how to recoup its investment in Palm, one of the pioneers of the smartphone industry.

The company had tried to build products based on webOS with the now-defunct TouchPad tablet its flagship product.

HP launched and discontinued the TouchPad in 2010, a little over a month after it hit store shelves with costly fanfare after it saw poor demand for a tablet priced on par with Apple’s dominant iPad.

WebOS is widely viewed as a strong mobile platform, but has been assailed for its paucity of applications, an important consideration while choosing a mobile device.

(Additional reporting By Paul Sandle and Alistair Barr; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Tim Dobbyn and M.D. Golan)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/hp-sells-webos-operating-system-to-lg-electronics/
Link To Post : HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co said on Monday it will sell the webOS operating system to South Korea’s LG Electronics Inc, unloading the smartphone software it acquired through a $ 1.2 billion acquisition of Palm in 2010.

LG will use the operating software, used in now-defunct Palm smartphones years ago, for its “smart” or Internet-connected TVs. The Asian electronics company had worked with HP on WebOS before offering to buy it outright.

Under the terms of their agreement, LG acquires the operating software’s source code, associated documentation, engineering talent, various associated websites, and licenses under HP’s intellectual property including patents covering fundamental operating system and user interface technology.

HP will retain the patents and all the technology relating to the cloud service of webOS, HP Chief Operating Officer Bill Veghte said in an interview.

“As we looked at it, we saw a very compelling IP that was very unique in the marketplace,” he said, adding that HP has already had a partnership with LG on webOS before the deal was announced.

“As a result of this collaboration, LG offered to acquire the webOS operating system technology,” Veghte said.

Skott Ahn, President and CTO, LG Electronics, said the company will incorporate the operating system in the Smart TV line-up first “and then hopefully all the other devices in the future.”

Both companies declined to reveal the terms of the deal.

LG will keep the WebOS team in Silicon Valley and, for now, will continue to be based out of HP offices, Ahn said.

HP opened its webOS mobile operating system to developers and companies in 2012 after trying to figure out how to recoup its investment in Palm, one of the pioneers of the smartphone industry.

The company had tried to build products based on webOS with the now-defunct TouchPad tablet its flagship product.

HP launched and discontinued the TouchPad in 2010, a little over a month after it hit store shelves with costly fanfare after it saw poor demand for a tablet priced on par with Apple’s dominant iPad.

WebOS is widely viewed as a strong mobile platform, but has been assailed for its paucity of applications, an important consideration while choosing a mobile device.

(Additional reporting By Paul Sandle and Alistair Barr; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Tim Dobbyn and M.D. Golan)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/hp-sells-webos-operating-system-to-lg-electronics/
Link To Post : HP sells webOS operating system to LG Electronics
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

gN2WZW ߣ鐨qʭl q$ :}X,MjVư&0ryUŤޏh, %Et]Aխk#8>4b;KuF1dV@BgyWpZ֬>+ ̲כ#Jv@X8Gň(/EwȉPɕ]Uڌ+mkf˲-+oɫة7>v6ume\Uaʹё(NϢ؈co#е/]5eA{zG1�-/F% 2ɮ6,dיcq! F+3jZ|lZ Xo;y-RvOb_?;OTxi-!O2z롸/Mdf’,@@_OoT;o O$Ǩ64`%Y/h93m&(gJc>S:”N5kExD!Kzf1|M+’X{fu6E݌ 3>.`#Ĩ?Sӌ!c8ʴ)|}R8ѥ)Ncݥdx,iA]w0″L)f|. qN{91؜TWiEO:5`c4ȉ21ԵEH”DŽYt; mp=*a܆y’ԙ>AU?a=LypBL,sŖB”C]Ӧj悌fyn0t?)dD,>”䕙s$ s{tir’.L,3Ui՜FeZu 4Mho&1Ja퍾8u>TY%*:dMvm@R/O(xJ竔ךH 37MqXq,yJ2; G6e\p*)w9=3nӗ|d1+i3En?4jfDgh,7 3|!ew_Mv4N4+a8ņlxf{nO[e C Dw9CX&(.KdZtIhn3Ѷz8rC!`\9~EV/ءaIy EI兗ŽA 4Lc_G]-

Title Post: gN2WZW ߣ鐨qʭl q$ :}X,MjVư&0ryUŤޏh, %Et]Aխk#8>4b;KuF1dV@BgyWpZ֬>+ ̲כ#Jv@X8Gň(/EwȉPɕ]Uڌ+mkf˲-+oɫة7>v6ume\Uaʹё(NϢ؈co#е/]5eA{zG1�-/F% 2ɮ6,dיcq! F+3jZ|lZ Xo;y-RvOb_?;OTxi-!O2z롸/Mdf’,@@_OoT;o O$Ǩ64`%Y/h93m&(gJc>S:”N5kExD!Kzf1|M+’X{fu6E݌ 3>.`#Ĩ?Sӌ!c8ʴ)|}R8ѥ)Ncݥdx,iA]w0″L)f|. qN{91؜TWiEO:5`c4ȉ21ԵEH”DŽYt; mp=*a܆y’ԙ>AU?a=LypBL,sŖB”C]Ӧj悌fyn0t?)dD,>”䕙s$ s{tir’.L,3Ui՜FeZu 4Mho&1Ja퍾8u>TY%*:dMvm@R/O(xJ竔ךH 37MqXq,yJ2; G6e\p*)w9=3nӗ|d1+i3En?4jfDgh,7 3|!ew_Mv4N4+a8ņlxf{nO[e C Dw9CX&(.KdZtIhn3Ѷz8rC!`\9~EV/ءaIy EI兗ŽA 4Lc_G]-
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/gn2wzw-%df%a3%e9%90%a8q%ca%adl-q-xmjvu0ryut%de%8fh-eta%d5%adk84bkuf1dvbgywpz%d6%ac-%cc%b2%d7%9bjvx8gnew%c8%89p%c9%95u%da%8cmkf%cb%b2-o%c9%ab%d8%a97v6umeua%cd%b4/
Link To Post : gN2WZW ߣ鐨qʭl q$ :}X,MjVư&0ryUŤޏh, %Et]Aխk#8>4b;KuF1dV@BgyWpZ֬>+ ̲כ#Jv@X8Gň(/EwȉPɕ]Uڌ+mkf˲-+oɫة7>v6ume\Uaʹё(NϢ؈co#е/]5eA{zG1�-/F% 2ɮ6,dיcq! F+3jZ|lZ Xo;y-RvOb_?;OTxi-!O2z롸/Mdf’,@@_OoT;o O$Ǩ64`%Y/h93m&(gJc>S:”N5kExD!Kzf1|M+’X{fu6E݌ 3>.`#Ĩ?Sӌ!c8ʴ)|}R8ѥ)Ncݥdx,iA]w0″L)f|. qN{91؜TWiEO:5`c4ȉ21ԵEH”DŽYt; mp=*a܆y’ԙ>AU?a=LypBL,sŖB”C]Ӧj悌fyn0t?)dD,>”䕙s$ s{tir’.L,3Ui՜FeZu 4Mho&1Ja퍾8u>TY%*:dMvm@R/O(xJ竔ךH 37MqXq,yJ2; G6e\p*)w9=3nӗ|d1+i3En?4jfDgh,7 3|!ew_Mv4N4+a8ņlxf{nO[e C Dw9CX&(.KdZtIhn3Ѷz8rC!`\9~EV/ءaIy EI兗ŽA 4Lc_G]-
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

App connects users around the globe to personal trainers via video

(Reuters) – For fitness enthusiasts who can’t make it to the gym a web-based app will bring group video classes, and some friends for motivation, to them.

Wello, an app that connects users with personal trainers for video-based workouts, has launched group classes for a range of activities, including yoga, Taekwondo and high-intensity interval training. Classes are led by certified trainers and are accessible to anyone around the globe with a webcam and an Internet connection.

“It’s that ability to join in on something last-minute and also to explore something new,” said Ann Scott Plante, co-founder of San Francisco-based company Wello.

Like traditional classes, the instructors in the video classes, which have three to five students, offer motivation and feedback. Users can join an existing class, or organize a new one with friends.

Students can see a video feed of each other in the app, along with a feed of the instructor, who can provide feedback to them during the class.

“Instead of watching a static video that could get boring, or isn’t necessarily built for you, we thought we would give people the opportunity to meet with a real person who would spend the whole workout with you and correct your form,” Plante said.

Trainers on the platform are professionally certified in the United States and their experience and reviews can be viewed online before booking a class.

Plante said that by comparison to a traditional in-person class, trainers in the video class give more verbal instructions to make it easier to follow along and because they cannot physically adjust the students.

Although trainers can offer personal fitness classes with a video calling service such as Skype, Plante said the scheduling, payment and review features of Wello make it appealing for both instructors and users looking for a workout.

Wello, is available on the web with classes starting at under $ 10 per class. The company, which launched in July 2012, is working on iPad and television apps.

(Reporting by Natasha Baker in Toronto; Editing by Patricia Reaney and Eric Beech)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: App connects users around the globe to personal trainers via video
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/app-connects-users-around-the-globe-to-personal-trainers-via-video/
Link To Post : App connects users around the globe to personal trainers via video
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

PayPal takes mobile payment service to Europe

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – PayPal launched a European version of its PayPal Here mobile payments service for small merchants on Thursday as the online payments division of eBay Inc steps up competition with rivals, including Square Inc.

PayPal unveiled a new device, about the size of a smartphone, that allows small merchants to accept credit and debit cards under a more-stringent and complex system in Europe known as Chip and PIN.

The gadget connects to a new PayPal app that merchants can run on Apple Inc iPhones and Android-based smartphones.

PayPal said it will launch the service in the United Kingdom this summer, but plans to release it in other European countries later.

PayPal is the largest online payments business, but it is battling with a host of well-funded start-ups that are chipping away at its dominance.

Square, headed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, attracted thousands of small merchants in recent years by offering a free card reader that attaches to smartphones and handles payments for a flat 2.75 percent fee.

Last year, PayPal launched a rival service called PayPal Here in the United States and several other countries, including Japan and Australia.

The new European version of PayPal Here comes with a different device designed from scratch by the company’s U.K. team because of the more complex Chip and PIN system in the region. The approach in the United States, which relies on older magnetic stripes on cards, is considered simpler but potentially less secure.

“Trying to figure out how to make Chip and PIN to work in these devices has been hard,” said Rick Oglesby, a payments industry expert at Aite Group. “The gadgets so far have been fairly expensive and big and clunky.”

Square has yet to launch a service in Europe. It expanded into Canada last year, but that market does not require smaller merchants to use Chip and PIN technology yet, Oglesby noted.

PayPal said on Thursday that it will charge merchants for the European PayPal Here device. It did not say what the price will be, but a spokesman noted that it will be a “nominal” fee.

The company also plans to charge a per-fee transaction that will be similar to the 2.75 percent it charges small merchants in United States.

“For Chip and PIN devices, it’s not realistic to bring the cost down to zero,” Oglesby said. “That tends to temper the demand a little bit. But it also weeds out really small merchants and individuals who won’t use it as much.”

(Reporting By Alistair Barr. Editing by Andre Grenon)

Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: PayPal takes mobile payment service to Europe
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/paypal-takes-mobile-payment-service-to-europe/
Link To Post : PayPal takes mobile payment service to Europe
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

HTC settles FTC charges that it fails to secure software

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – HTC America, a maker of cell phones that use Android and Windows software, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that it failed to take adequate steps to eliminate security flaws that put smartphone and tablet users’ data at risk, the agency said on Friday.

HTC America, a subsidiary of HTC Corp in Taiwan, made millions of phones with programming flaws that allowed third-party applications to evade Android’s permission-based security model, the FTC said in a release.

The settlement requires HTC to establish a comprehensive security program and patch the software holes, the FTC said.

(Reporting By Diane Bartz)

Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: HTC settles FTC charges that it fails to secure software
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/htc-settles-ftc-charges-that-it-fails-to-secure-software/
Link To Post : HTC settles FTC charges that it fails to secure software
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

BlackBerry Z10 sales estimate slashed by 83% due to slow launch, upcoming competition

Some industry watchers had high hopes for BlackBerry’s (BBRY) first next-generation smartphone in its debut quarter, but it looks like they may have gotten ahead of themselves. Now, the Street is revising its estimates in light of a slower than expected rollout and what appears to be a softer launch than many had hoped for.

[More from BGR: Google shows us what it’s like to use Project Glass [video]]

Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley had initially called for BlackBerry to sell about 1.75 million BlackBerry Z10 smartphones in the February quarter. But after his checks following the phone’s launch in the UK and Canada found limited initial supply and softer than expected demand, the analyst slashed his estimates for the current quarter from 1.75 million units to just 300,000.

[More from BGR: Despite rumored of declining demand, Apple’s iPhone 5 is the No.1 smartphone in the world]

“Our global surveys post the recent BlackBerry Z10 launch indicated mixed initial sales with limited initial supply cited as the reason for early post-launch stock-outs at some carrier stores rather than overwhelming demand,” Walkley wrote in a note to investors. “Our follow-up checks have indicated steady but modest sales levels. With new BB10 smartphones launching in the U.S. only in mid-March or later at subsidized prices no better than competing high-end Apple/Samsung smartphones, combined with our expectations for the Galaxy S IV to launch at a similar time frame in the US market, we are lowering our BB10 sales estimates for the February quarter and all of F2014.”

The analyst continued, noting that “modest Z10 sales into the channel in the U.K. and Canada” were largely responsible for his decision to lower his Z10 sales estimates by 83% for the February quarter. Moving forward, Walkley believes things will remain bleak for BlackBerry.

“We believe carrier support for BlackBerry 10 in the U.S. is modest, as demonstrated by Sprint only planning to launch the Q10 and T-Mobile only the Z10,” he wrote. “Further, we anticipate carriers will not build large inventory levels for BB10, consistent with prior BB7 high-end launches, and will initially stock modest levels given the weaker consumer demand for high-end BlackBerry smartphones.”

Walkley continued, “With our expectations BB10 smartphones will face increasing competition from a host of new Android and Windows smartphones and potentially a new iPhone in 1H/C2013, we anticipate global carrier partners will order cautious initial BB10 inventory levels, leading us to lower our Feb. quarter and F2014 BB10 estimates.”

Canaccord maintained its Sell rating on BlackBerry shares with a $ 9 price target.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Read More..

Sony to Drop PS Vita’s Price Tag by About $50 — in Japan

It seems that the people in charge of Sony‘s gaming division have finally made up their minds about the PS Vita‘s pricing. During an online Sony event, the company has announced that both the WiFi and the 3G models of the powerful gaming handheld will have their prices cut to 19,980 yen, or about 20 percent to a third depending on the model, according to Sam Byford of The Verge. Does this mean we’ll be seeing a price drop here in the U.S.? If so, when and by how much?

Why would Sony drop the price?

The PS Vita is currently the most powerful handheld gaming console available. It’s roughly as powerful as Sony’s PlayStation 3 home game console — some games are even available on both, and can be purchased simultaneously through Sony’s cross-buy program. But it’s also about as expensive, at $ 249 USD. And that’s before adding a memory card, which is essential for storing downloaded games and can cost up to $ 99 for a 32 GB card. (PS Vita memory cards use a proprietary format, and there are no third-party versions available.)

The Nintendo 3DS handheld console wasn’t selling well either, until Nintendo dropped the price on it dramatically last year. It’s now picking up steam, and Sony execs may have noticed the difference.

Is a price drop likely?

Just last month, Sony CEO Kaz Hirai was talking about looking to the “long term” when it came to sales of the PS Vita, which had only sold about 2 million units worldwide a half year or so since its launch. But then, a couple weeks ago, Sony exec Masaru Kato mentioned the Vita’s “pricing” as one of the “things that we are looking into” for improving its sales. With the price drop now announced in Japan, the odds of one occurring here in the States just went up.

How much is the price drop?

Gematsu’s Sal Romano explains that the PS Vita’s former price, 24,980 yen, became $ 249 here in the States, even though it more directly compares to a $ 269 price tag (the same as a low-end PlayStation 3). Because of this, it’s possible that the new price of 19,980 yen may become $ 199, even though Byford says that a more direct currency exchange would make it worth $ 215.

When would this happen?

The price drop will occur in Japan on Feb. 28. As far as the rest of the world goes, the most likely time for any announcements regarding the PlayStation brand would be Sony’s big upcoming event on Wednesday. Among other things, it’s expected that the “PlayStation 4″ (its actual name yet unknown) will be announced there.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Linux/Open Source News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Sony to Drop PS Vita’s Price Tag by About $50 — in Japan
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/sony-to-drop-ps-vitas-price-tag-by-about-50-in-japan/
Link To Post : Sony to Drop PS Vita’s Price Tag by About $50 — in Japan
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Facebook paid no taxes in 2012

2012 was a big year for Facebook (FB). The company’s initial public offering last May was the largest Internet IPO in history even though it was an absolute mess, and Facebook managed record profits of roughly $ 1 billion for the full year. Despite its huge profit in 2012, Facebook will pay no federal or state taxes on its income — in fact it will get a $ 429 million refund instead, thanks to a tax reduction for executive stock options. Fox News reports that Facebook will continue to get huge tax breaks totaling about $ 3 billion in the coming years, as well.

[More from BGR: Best Buy makes online price-matching policy permanent]

“The employees cash in stock options, and at that point there is tax deduction for the company,” Robert McIntyre of watchdog group Citizens for Tax Justice told Fox News during an interview. “Because even though it doesn’t cost Facebook a nickel, the government treats it as wages and they get a deduction for it. And usually it doesn’t wipe out companies whole tax bill, although many companies get big breaks from it.”

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Facebook paid no taxes in 2012
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/facebook-paid-no-taxes-in-2012/
Link To Post : Facebook paid no taxes in 2012
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Leading Cuban dissident departs for world tour

HAVANA (Reuters) – Cuba‘s best-known dissident, blogger Yoani Sanchez, checked in without incident at Havana’s international airport on Sunday on her way to Brazil, the first stop on an 80-day-tour of a dozen countries.

She was sent off with hugs by a small group of family members and friends.

Sanchez was granted a passport two weeks ago under Cuba’s sweeping immigration reform that went into effect this year, after being denied permission to travel more than 20 times over the past five years.

“I made it through immigration, now I only need to board the plane and take off,” said Sanchez, who has promised to tweet throughout her saga.

In another tweet to her followers as she waited to board her plane, she added: “To tell the truth, my knees haven’t stopped trembling.”

Sanchez is one of a number of high profile government opponents who have received a passport under the new regulations, but the first to actually take advantage of the measure.

A few lesser-known dissidents have been denied passports.

Sanchez criticized the new law for not simply granting all Cubans the right to travel, but told Reuters at the airport, “I plan to take full advantage of it and push it to the limit.”

The old travel law was put in place in 1961 to slow the flight of Cubans after the island’s 1959 revolution.

The new law scrapped the much-hated requirement of having to obtain an exit visa and loosened other restrictions that had discouraged Cubans from leaving and traveling.

It was one of the wide-ranging reforms President Raul Castro has enacted since he succeeded his older brother, Fidel Castro, in 2008.

There are still travel restrictions, mainly for national security reasons and for those with pending legal cases.

PRIZE MONEY FOR A FREE PRESS

Sanchez, who has won a number of international prizes for her blog but has been denied permission to travel to collect them, said she would now do so and planned to use part of the prize money to “found a free press in Cuba.”

“I plan to visit various media and make contact to learn how a modern press runs,” she said.

Sanchez, a 37-year-old Havana resident, has incurred the wrath of Cuba’s government for constantly criticizing its communist system in her “Generation Y” blog, and using Twitter to denounce repression.

She is one of the world’s best-known bloggers and has tens of thousands of followers abroad, but few in Cuba where the government severely restricts the Internet.

Her blog is named after the penchant of Cuban parents during the Cold War era of Soviet backing for the island of choosing names for their children starting with “Y” because of the many popular Russian names starting with that letter.

Sanchez, considered Cuba’s pioneer in social networking, told Reuters earlier this week that she would visit the headquarters of Google, Twitter and Facebook, and travel to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Mexico, the United States, Spain, Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries.

Cuba’s leaders consider dissidents traitorous mercenaries in the employ of the United States and other enemies. Official bloggers regularly charge that Sanchez’s international renown has been stage-managed by Western intelligence services.

But Sanchez is also a critic of U.S. policy toward her homeland. In a recent blog, she said the decades-old trade embargo had failed to stifle the Cuban government and was exploited by Havana as “a big bad wolf to blame for everything.”

“The big news is not now, but in 80 days when she will return,” Bert Hoffmann, a Cuba expert at the German Institute of Global and Area Studies in Hamburg, said.

“Many regime opponents have left Cuba for exile, but this is the first time a prominent dissident sets out on a high-profile world tour to then come back to the island.”

Sanchez’s travels and eventual return to Cuba are being carefully monitored by governments and human rights advocates as a test of Cuban authorities’ commitment to free travel.

“She is gone, now let’s see if the government lets her back in or forces her into exile,” a European diplomat said.

(Reporting By Marc Frank; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Leading Cuban dissident departs for world tour
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/leading-cuban-dissident-departs-for-world-tour/
Link To Post : Leading Cuban dissident departs for world tour
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking

SAN FRANCISCO/LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Facebook Inc said on Friday hackers had infiltrated some of its employees’ laptops in recent weeks, making the world’s No.1 social network the latest victim of a wave of cyber attacks, many of which have been traced to China.

It said none of its users’ data was compromised in the attack, which occurred after a handful of employees visited a website last month that infected their machines with so-called malware, according to a post on Facebook’s official blog released just before the three-day U.S. President’s Day weekend.

“As soon as we discovered the presence of the malware, we remediated all infected machines, informed law enforcement, and began a significant investigation that continues to this day,” Facebook said.

It was not immediately clear why Facebook waited until now to announce the incident. Facebook declined to comment on the reason or the origin of the attack.

A security expert at another company with knowledge of the matter said he was told the Facebook attack appeared to have originated in China.

The attack on Facebook, which says it has more than 1 billion members, underscores the growing threat of cyber attacks aimed at a broad variety of targets.

Twitter, the micro blogging social network, said earlier this month it had been hacked and that about 250,000 user accounts were potentially compromised, with attackers gaining access to information, including user names and email addresses.

Newspaper websites, including those of The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal, have also been infiltrated. Those attacks were attributed by the news organizations to Chinese hackers targeting coverage of China.

Earlier this week, U.S. President Barack Obama issued an executive order seeking better protection of the country’s critical infrastructure from cyber attacks.

“INFILTRATED”

Facebook noted in its blog post that it was not alone in the attack, and that “others were attacked and infiltrated recently as well,” although it did not specify who.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment, while the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

In its blog post, Facebook described the attack as a “zero-day” attack, considered to be among the most sophisticated and dangerous types of computer hacks. Zero-day attacks, which are rarely discovered or disclosed by their targets, are costly to launch and often suggest government involvement.

While Facebook said no user data was compromised, the incident could raise consumer concerns about privacy and the vulnerability of personal information stored within the social network.

Facebook has made several privacy missteps in the past because of the way it handled user data. It settled a privacy investigation with federal regulators in 2011.

According to one person familiar with the situation, the type of information on the employee laptops that were compromised included “snippets” of Facebook source code and employee emails.

Facebook said it spotted a suspicious file and traced it back to an employee’s laptop. After conducting a forensic examination of the laptop, Facebook said it identified a malicious file, then searched company-wide and identified “several other compromised employee laptops”.

Another person briefed on the matter said the first Facebook employee had been infected via a website where coding strategies were discussed.

The company also said it identified a previously unseen attempt to bypass its built-in cyber defenses and that new protections were added on February 1.

Because the attack used a third-party website, it might have been an early-stage attempt to penetrate as many companies as possible.

If they followed established patterns, the attackers would learn about the people and computer networks at all the infected companies. They could then use that data in more targeted attacks to steal source code and other intellectual property.

Another fear for such a popular website is that hackers could use central controls to infect wide swathes of its user base at once.

In January 2010, Google reported it had been penetrated via a “zero-day” flaw in an older version of the Internet Explorer Web browser. The attackers were seeking source code and were also interested in Chinese dissidents. Google reduced its operations in China as a result.

(Additional reporting by Alexei Oreskovic in San Francisco and Tim Reid in Los Angeles; Editing by Paul Tait)

Tech News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/facebook-says-it-was-a-target-of-sophisticated-hacking/
Link To Post : Facebook says it was a target of sophisticated hacking
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Verizon’s Galaxy S IV detailed in purported benchmarks

Samsung’s (005930) upcoming Galaxy S IV smartphone for Verizon (VZ) may have been detailed in newly discovered benchmark test results. The device carries the model number SCH-i545 and is similar to the model number SCH-i535, which is found on the carrier’s Galaxy S III smartphone. According to results from the Nenamark benchmark site, the Galaxy S IV will be equipped with a 1920 x 1080-pixel full-HD display, a 1.9GHz quad-core processor and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. The specs match up to earlier rumors, however there are some discrepancies.

[More from BGR: Flagship HTC One smartphone revealed in leaked photo]

The benchmarks reveal that the device will include Adreno 320 graphics, which means that the processor could be a Qualcomm (QCOM) Snapdragon CPU rather than Samsung’s new Exnyos 5 Octa. The company has previously turned to Qualcomm for processors in its U.S. Galaxy S III models and could very well do the same for the Galaxy S IV.

[More from BGR: Samsung to reportedly take on BlackBerry with new enterprise platform]

Samsung’s latest flagship device is rumored to include a 4.99-inch screen, 2GB of RAM, NFC, LTE connectivity, wireless charging capabilities, a microSD slot and a 13-megapixel rear camera.

The Galaxy S IV is expected to be announced on March 15th.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Wireless News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Verizon’s Galaxy S IV detailed in purported benchmarks
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/verizons-galaxy-s-iv-detailed-in-purported-benchmarks/
Link To Post : Verizon’s Galaxy S IV detailed in purported benchmarks
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

The Pope’s Legacy, a Buddhist Scandal, and the Science of Violent Video Games

Behind the New York Times pay wall, you only get 10 free clicks a month. For those worried about hitting their limit, we’re taking a look through the paper each morning to find the stories that can make your clicks count.

RELATED: The Republican National Convention, Ryanomics, and K-pop

Top Stories: Though his written teachings were praised, Pope Benedict XVI “often appeared to carom from one crisis to the next” when facing real-life challenges. 

RELATED: Afghanistan Casualties, ‘Call Me Maybe,’ and Michael J. Fox

World: Allegations of sexual harassment by Joshu Sasaki, an influential Buddhist teacher, has “upset and obsessed Zen Buddhists across the country, who are part of a close-knit world in which many participants seem to know, or at least know of, the principal teachers.”  

RELATED: Seattle Cops on Twitter, Skulls, and Hunting

U.S.: At the State of the Union Washington will also be looking to see the “the state of Barack Obama.”

RELATED: Obama’s Modern Liberalism, Sasha and Malia, and Social-Media Spies at Work

New York: In communities still trapped by snow residents turned to plowing the roads themselves and using mass transit. 

RELATED: Violence in China, Barbra Streisand, and the Nationals

Business: A Japanese television series about a company that “turns to advanced lithium-ion” is all too real for the country. 

Technology: Though the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program is supposed to bring Internet to places private companies deemed too expensive, it is now being characterized as wasteful. 

Science: Benedict Carey takes a look at the research on video games and violence, some of which “has begun to clarify what can and cannot be said about the effects of violent gaming.” 

Sports: Holding the breed judging for Westminster at Piers 92/94 added a new hiccup to the competition: “crosstown dog schlepping on a rainy day.” 

Opinion: James Martin on Benedict XVI’s resignation and legacy. 

Music: An interview with Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, whose The Jazz Age re-imagines some of his most famous songs “in the style of 1920s jazz.”

Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Read More..

Android 4.2.2 Update Now Being Deployed to Nexus Devices

The immediate precursor to the upcoming “Key Lime Pie” version of Android, an update to Android 4.2.2, is now being rolled out to GSM models of the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10, according to Liam Spradlin of Android Police. It’s as yet unknown if the update brings any new features, but it is expected to fix at least one bug with the devices’ Bluetooth connections.

Why Nexus devices?

Google‘s Nexus series of devices are made in close partnership with hardware manufacturers like Asus and Samsung, the makers of the Nexus 7 tablet and Galaxy Nexus smartphone respectively. These gadgets eschew most non-uninstallable “crapware” and UI layers like Touchwiz and MotoBLUR, even the ones those manufacturers normally install, in favor of a pure “Made for Google Play” (Google‘s version of Apple’s iTunes and its App Store) experience.

Nexus devices have historically stopped receiving updates faster than Apple’s iPhones and iPads have. But relatively frequent operating system updates — and the accompanying features and bug fixes — are still one of their major selling points compared to other Android devices, as most seldom if ever receive such upgrades.

Why these particular Nexus devices?

The GSM versions of the Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 are the ones reported so far to have received the update. If the software update is now in the process rolling out to all recent Nexus devices worldwide, it may take some time for each individual Nexus to get it, and for an official changelog to be posted.

Certain carriers’ Nexus devices may have to wait months for the upgrade, the way that Galaxy Nexus owners on Verizon had to last time.

Does the Android 4.2.2 update add any new features?

None have been reported so far. But Jerry Hildenbrand of Android Central recently posted a screenshot of something which was spotted on a Google support page: A home screen widget added for the popular Google Now app, which is basically Google’s answer to Siri.

The support page Jerry links to now gives visitors an error message, which suggests that Google may not be ready to reveal that yet. It’s not clear, however, whether it will be part of Android 4.2.2 or a future update, or whether it will be added to Google Now via a Google Play app update (the same way other apps are individually updated).

Which bugs does the Android 4.2.2 update fix?

Google confirmed last month that “the a2dp streaming stutter problem” would be fixed in the next release of Android. Android Police‘s Cameron Summerson explains that this was a bug where audio “lag and cuts out constantly” when listened to over Bluetooth headsets. A similar bug affected Bluetooth game controllers, which tended to either not work or lag horribly on devices running Android 4.2.

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Linux/Open Source News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Android 4.2.2 Update Now Being Deployed to Nexus Devices
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/android-4-2-2-update-now-being-deployed-to-nexus-devices/
Link To Post : Android 4.2.2 Update Now Being Deployed to Nexus Devices
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Purported HTC M7 image reveals edge-to-edge display, familiar design

Title Post: Purported HTC M7 image reveals edge-to-edge display, familiar design
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/purported-htc-m7-image-reveals-edge-to-edge-display-familiar-design/
Link To Post : Purported HTC M7 image reveals edge-to-edge display, familiar design
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

HTC’s new M7 flagship phone may just be called the ‘HTC One’

Title Post: HTC’s new M7 flagship phone may just be called the ‘HTC One’
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/htcs-new-m7-flagship-phone-may-just-be-called-the-htc-one/
Link To Post : HTC’s new M7 flagship phone may just be called the ‘HTC One’
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Egypt court suspends YouTube over anti-Islam film

CAIRO (Reuters) – An Egyptian court ordered the suspension of online video service YouTube for a month on Saturday for broadcasting a film insulting the Prophet Mohammad, state media reported.

The country’s administrative court ordered the ministries of communication and investment to block YouTube, owned by Google, inside Egypt because it had carried the film “Innocence of Muslims,” said state news agency MENA.

The 13-minute video, billed as a film trailer and made in the United States, provoked a torrent of anti-American unrest in Egypt, Libya and dozens of other Muslim countries in September.

The video depicts the Prophet as a fool and a sexual deviant. For most Muslims, any portrayal of the Prophet is considered blasphemous.

The court said it was ruling on a case brought about the film several months ago, without going into further detail.

YouTube had “insisted on broadcasting the film insulting Islam and the Prophet, disrespecting the beliefs of millions of Egyptians and disregarding the anger of all Muslims” the court said, according to MENA.

Egypt’s National Telecommunication Regulatory Authority said it would abide by the ruling as soon as it received a copy of the verdict.

Maha Abouelenein, a Google spokeswoman in Cairo, said the company had yet to receive any formal notification of the ruling.

(Additional reporting by Kevin Gray; Writing by Marwa Awad; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

Internet News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Egypt court suspends YouTube over anti-Islam film
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/egypt-court-suspends-youtube-over-anti-islam-film/
Link To Post : Egypt court suspends YouTube over anti-Islam film
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

What If the Wii U Were Just Its Tablet Controller? Meet the 7-Inch Wikipad

The Wii U made a splash with its personal tablet controllers. Sandwiching a 6.2-inch touchscreen in between a regular analog stick and buttons, the Wii U’s GamePad is like a Nintendo DS’ lower touchscreen for a home console, and even lets you play games right on its screen. It streams those games from the Wii U itself, though, meaning it’s basically useless when it’s out of range of the console.

Imagine a Wii U GamePad that was a self-contained console, and used an iPad-style capacitive touchscreen instead of a Nintendo DS-style resistive one. That’s the new 7-inch Wikipad in a nutshell, at least hardware-wise. It’s not made by Nintendo, however, and in terms of what games it plays — and how much it costs — it’s still very different.

Hardware differences

Besides being slightly taller and wider and a lot thicker than a GamePad, the Wikipad has one more major difference: The tablet part is detachable. Unlatch it from the surrounding game controller part, and it becomes a 7-inch Android tablet with an NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor and 16 GB of flash memory, sort of like Google‘s popular Nexus 7.

It’s still a 7-inch Android tablet when the controller part is attached, though, and that’s the biggest difference.

Android software

Despite its resemblance to a certain popular game console accessory, the Wikipad is still a tablet running Google’s open-source Android operating system, when it comes down to it. It just happens to be one (of several) which includes its own game controller. And while some well-known games — like a few of Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog titles and Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy games — have made it to the Google Play app store, for the most part you’d be playing mobile games, like the included Dead Trigger and ShadowGun: Dead Zone. Which is unfortunate, because most Android games don’t support game controllers, seeing as how they were designed for touchscreen-only gadgets like the Kindle Fire and the Nexus 7.

On the plus side

Many of top-tier mobile publisher Gameloft’s titles support game controllers, which is unsurprising since they tend to be knockoffs of popular console games like Halo and Modern Warfare. And unlike most Android gadgets, the Wikipad is PlayStation Certified, which means it can run PlayStation Mobile games (small minigames designed for the PS Vita) plus a handful of old PSone titles.

Wikipad’s website has a list of more than 60 games which currently support its controller. You may have to consult it before playing each one, however, in order to find out which button does what.

Still worth getting?

The Wikipad will be available “from leading retailers in spring 2013 at a launch price of $ 249,” according to the company’s press release. That’s about $ 50 more than you’d pay for a similarly-specced Nexus 7, which doesn’t have PlayStation Mobile, expandable memory via microSD card slot, or a game controller. The Nexus 7 has 32 GB and 3G options available, however, and you can always buy a separate game controller for it.

A 10-inch Wikipad was announced late last year, but never made it to market. According to Droid Gamers, “some flaws were found during production.”

Jared Spurbeck is an open-source software enthusiast, who uses an Android phone and an Ubuntu laptop PC. He has been writing about technology and electronics since 2008.

Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: What If the Wii U Were Just Its Tablet Controller? Meet the 7-Inch Wikipad
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/what-if-the-wii-u-were-just-its-tablet-controller-meet-the-7-inch-wikipad/
Link To Post : What If the Wii U Were Just Its Tablet Controller? Meet the 7-Inch Wikipad
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..