Author: Dan Graziano

Google rumored to announce Fiber expansion in Austin next week

Google (GOOG) and the City of Austin, Texas on Friday sent out press invitations for a special announcement slated for next week. Unnamed sources have told Venture Beat that the event could involve Google Fiber and potential plans to bring its gigabit broadband Internet service to the city. It is also speculated, however, that the announcement could be for a new Austin-based Google campus or perhaps some other partnership between the two parties. Google Fiber is currently available in Kansas City and the company recently announced plans to expand its high-speed Internet service to residents in Olathe, Kansas later this year. Google’s event is scheduled to take place on April 9th at 11:00 a.m. CDT/12:00 p.m. EDT.

April 5, 2013
Samsung found to infringe Apple’s patent for text-selection feature

A judge with the United States International Trade Commission found in a preliminary decision that Samsung (005930) infringed upon Apple’s (AAPL) patented technology for text selection, Reuters reported. ITC judge Thomas Pender said that Samsung infringed upon Apple’s intellectual property by including the text-selection feature in its smartphones and tablets. Samsung was found not guilty of infringing upon a second patent that dealt with the ability to detect microphones and other devices when plugged into a headphone jack. If the full commission decides to uphold Pender’s ruling then Samsung will face an import ban for its Galaxy, Transform and Nexus devices, among others, into the United States. A final decision is expected in August.

April 5, 2013
The battle begins: Anonymous takes control of North Korea’s Twitter and Flickr accounts

Shortly after launching its “Operation Free Korea” initiative, notorious hacking group Anonymous has fired its first shots at North Korea. The group had demanded supreme leader Kim Jong-un resign, in addition to abandoning his nuclear ambitions and installing free democracy across the Asian country. Earlier this week, hackers belonging to Anonymous claimed to have stolen the passwords of 15,000 users from the North Korean propaganda website Uriminzokkiri. After its demands were not met, the group has begun to take down various properties belonging to Pyongyang.

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April 4, 2013
Digital music licensing revenues top radio for first time in U.K.

New licensing agreements with Google Play, Microsoft (MSFT) and other services helped musicians generate more royalties in the U.K. from digital music services than radio for the first time last year, The Guardian reported. Songwriters earned a total of £51.7 million in the U.K. (roughly $77.7 million USD) in digital royalties, an increase of 32.2% from £39.1 million in 2011. Digital music services are now the single biggest source of income for musicians in the U.K., surpassing radio and live events. Online licensing revenues have doubled in the county since the arrival of download and streaming services such as Apple’s (AAPL) iTunes Store and Spotify in 2008.

April 4, 2013
Apple patent suggests ‘Street View’ could be coming to iOS Maps

An Apple (AAPL) patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday suggests that the company may be looking to create a navigation system based on panoramic imagery, similar to Google’s (GOOG) “Street View” technology. The “3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Imagery Navigation” patent describes a graphical user interface that utilizes the onboard sensors in the iPhone or iPad to navigate panoramic location data. Unlike the Street View technology found in Google Maps, Apple’s system will use data from the accelerometer, cameras, gyroscope and other sensors to automatically move a user through a street-level image.

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April 4, 2013
Microsoft rumored to debut Google Glass competitor in 2014

Google Glass is generating a considerable amount of buzz for a product that isn’t going to hit the market until later this year. The highly anticipated device has become so popular that other companies are already thinking about producing their own wearable technology. Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets revealed in a note to investors on Thursday that he believes Microsoft (MSFT) may be developing its own Internet-connected glasses that would come to market in 2014, AppleInsider reported. The analyst claims that Google Glass will be the beginning of a “major push” into wearable technology. Earlier reports have suggested that several big-name technology companies including Apple (AAPL), Samsung (005930), LG (066570)and Google (GOOG) are all working on the next-generation of wearable accessories.

April 4, 2013
Android has begun to lose ground to Apple

The latest comScore numbers were published on Thursday and revealed that Android is starting to lose ground to Apple (AAPL) in the United States. In a three-month period ending in February, Google’s (GOOG) operating system share fell two percentage points to 51.7% while iOS gained 3.9 points for a 38.9% share. BlackBerry’s (BBRY) market share continues to fall and now accounts for 5.4% of the market, however it is expected to gain some ground now that the BlackBerry Z10 is available. Adoption of Microsoft’s (MSFT) Windows Phone platform remained flat, increasing a mere 0.2 points for a 3.2% share of the market.

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April 4, 2013
Samsung takes another page from Apple’s playbook, plans 1,400 mini-stores with Best Buy

Samsung (005930) plans to follow in Apple’s (AAPL) footsteps by opening new shops inside of Best Buy (BBY) stores nationwide. The company plans to open 500 Samsung Experience Shops inside Best Buy stores on April 8th and will expand that number to 900 in May. By early summer Samsung will have 1,400 mini-stores inside Best Buy locations nationwide. The Samsung Experience Shops, which will vary in size with the largest being around 460 square feet, will give consumers access to the company’s full lineup of products including smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras and various accessories, all in one place. Samsung had briefly considered opening its own stores in the U.S., however the company decided to partner with Best Buy instead. Samsung’s press release follows below.

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April 4, 2013
Apple’s hire of top robotics engineer sparks speculation about ‘fantastic’ future projects

Apple’s (AAPL) recent decision to hire one of the leading engineers behind the Segway has some people speculating that the company is planning something big in the realm of robotics. John Morrell was set to become the director of Yale’s Center for Engineering Innovation & Design, however he promptly left the prestigious university when offered a position with Apple last year. Morrell is an expert on the interaction between humans and machines so it’s more likely than not that Apple wants his help working on a major robotics project.

“Since Apple discloses very little about upcoming projects, it’s anyone’s guess what Morrell is actually working on,” Ashlee Vance of Business Week explained. “My roboticist friends think he must be working on something pretty fantastic to have quit the Yale post. My great hope is that he is indeed building a robot that transforms health care, or crafting the first mind-bending consumer 3D printer, or devising something far more spectacular.”

Morrell’s hiring at Apple has reunited him with other members of the Segway team, such as former CTO Doug Field. Vance admits, however, that it’s possible Morrell may have “become just another member of a giant consumer electronics company.” Most of his former colleagues are said to be working on Apple’s flagship devices and not some sort of Segway offshoot, while Morrell is believed to be working in the Mac software group.

With its share price plummeting in recent months and more than $130 billion in cash, Vance suggests that it may be time for Apple to begin investing more in research and development, especially with “all-stars” such as Morrell on staff.

“A new TV could be a big win. So could a wristwatch. And since Apple is so darn secretive, it may once again surprise us all. It’s certainly possible that Apple has some top-secret skunkworks cooking up amazing things,” Vance concluded. “It would be a shame if a company with hundreds of all-stars, such as Morrell, isn’t working on something more daring than the next gadget. Apple has so much cash on hand and imagination at the ready that it ought to be able to think up a truly bold idea worth its effort.”

April 3, 2013
Huawei doesn’t expect to gain any ground in the U.S. this year

A Huawei executive has admitted that the company doesn’t expect to see any individual growth in the U.S. market this year. The statement comes following the U.S. government’s increased pressure for wireless providers to drop the company’s telecom equipment. It has been alleged that Huawei and ZTE are in cahoots with the Chinese government and pose a potential threat to national security.

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April 3, 2013
New smartphone camera technology allows for better image quality in thinner designs

Smartphone cameras have improved greatly over the past years, so much so that they have begun to replace traditional point-and-shoot cameras. Image quality has become one of the main selling points for some smartphone vendors, and with each new flagship device comes more megapixels and better image sensors. Toshiba (TOSBF) this week announced the industry’s thinnest CMOS image sensor camera module for next-generation smartphones and tablets. The new sensor is just 4.7 mm in height and will allow mobile vendors to incorporate a high-end 13-megapixel shooter in a ultra-thin frame.

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April 3, 2013
After almost a year, Apple stops blocking Microsoft’s SkyDrive update for iOS

Microsoft’s (MSFT) SkyDrive application for iOS hasn’t been updated since June of last year. The company has been at odds with Apple (AAPL) over a revenue sharing deal, however it appears the two sides have reached an agreement. Microsoft announced on Wednesday that an updated version of its SkyDrive app is now available for download in Apple’s App Store. The latest version adds support for the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini, among other improvements, while also allowing users to download full-resolution photos to an Apple device. A Microsoft spokesperson revealed to The Verge that the company “worked with Apple to create a solution that benefited our mutual customers,” and said that the app “is slightly different than other SkyDrive apps in that people interested in buying additional storage will do so via the web versus in the app.”

April 3, 2013
Pioneering computer UI architect rips Apple’s closed ecosystem

The computer industry would be much different if it wasn’t for Alan Kay. Not only did the computer pioneer’s work creating graphical user interfaces at Xerox PARC lead to future Apple (AAPL) products such as the Lisa and the Mac, but his approach to computer design also inspired Steve Jobs, especially his belief that software developers should build their own hardware instead of relying on third-party OEMs. Despite his inspiration on Apple, however, Kay recently expressed his deep disappointment with the company in an interview with Time. He pointed out that with the iPad and iPhone users are locked into Apple’s ecosystem and said that this “could not be farther from the original intentions of the entire ARPA-IPTO/PARC community in the ’60s and ’70s.”

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April 3, 2013
Jelly Bean now found on a quarter of Android devices – sort of

The latest version of Android, known as Jelly Bean, is now found on a quarter of all Android devices… sort of. In the first week of every month, Google (GOOG) publishes Android version distribution numbers that break down the market share of each individual software version. The numbers were traditionally based off devices that “checked-in” with Google’s servers, however the company has decided to update its calculation methods to better reflect active Android and Google Play users. The numbers are now based on devices that download apps or at least update apps from the Play store each month.

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April 3, 2013
Facebook Home revealed in leaked images

Recent rumors have suggested that Facebook (FB) is planning to announce brand new Android software during a press conference on Thursday, and the company has reportedly partnered with HTC to launch the first handset that will showcase the software, appropriately named the HTC First. According to leaked images published by 9to5Google, the Facebook Home software will feature a minimal user interface with full-screen Facebook photographs while also providing easy access to primary Facebook functions such as status updates, photo uploads and check-ins. Facebook’s press conference is scheduled to take place at 1:00 p.m. EDT on April 4th and BGR will be on hand reporting live.

April 3, 2013
Anonymous threatens cyberwar on North Korea, steals 15,000 passwords

Notorious hacking group Anonymous has targeted pedophiles, corrupt governments and financial institutions, however its latest target may be its most audacious yet. The group says that it has begun a new initiative called “Operation Free Korea” and is demanding controversial leader Kim Jong-un resign and install free democracy in the Asian country. Other demands include having North Korea abandon its nuclear ambitions and for the government to give universal and uncensored Internet access to its citizens. Anonymous hackers claim to have access to the country’s local intranets, mail servers and Web servers and are threatening to wage war if their demands are not met.

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April 2, 2013
Microsoft co-founder’s multi-billion dollar venture firm eyes Silicon Valley

Billionaire Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder Paul Allen will be opening an office in Silicon Valley to invest in new technology companies. Allen’s Vulcan Capital is set to open the Palo Alto office in the next few weeks and it will focus on investments in emerging Internet, software and technology companies, including middle and late-stage venture capital and pre-IPO deals, Reuters reports.

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April 2, 2013
LG finds success with the Optimus G Pro, sells half a million units in first 40 days

LG (066570) has found success with its new Optimus G Pro phablet. The device launched in South Korea in late February and has already sold more than half a million units in a mere 40 days. The Optimus G Pro has seen considerably more success than the original Optimus G smartphone, which reached sales of 1 million units in four months on the market in South Korea, Japan, Canada and the United States. The company’s latest handset, which looks strikingly similar to Samsung’s (005930) Galaxy Note II, is equipped with a 5.5-inch full HD 1080p display, a 1.7GHz quad core Snapdragon 600 processor and a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera. The Optimus G Pro also includes a microSD slot, NFC, LTE connectivity, a 3,140 mAh battery and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. LG previously announced that the smartphone will be available in the U.S. later this year.

April 2, 2013
Unannounced Samsung ‘Galaxy S Tab’ tablet seemingly revealed in leaked image

Earlier reports have suggested that Samsung (005930) is working on a new full-sized Galaxy Tab tablet set to debut later this year. The slate was said to feature either a 10.1-inch or 11.6-inch Super AMOLED display with full HD resolution, an eight-core Exynos 5 Octa processor and the name Galaxy Tab 3 Plus. Now, a new report claims that Samsung will instead look to capitalize on the success of its Galaxy S line of smartphones and will bring the tablet to market as the Samsung Galaxy S Tab.

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April 2, 2013
Windows Blue may be released this summer as Windows 8.1

The next version of the Windows operating system may not be known as Windows 9, as had previously been reported. According to ZDNet, the operating system, which is currently known internally as Windows Blue, will come to market as Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 later this summer. The latest rumors suggest that Microsoft’s (MSFT) upcoming Windows update will include a variety of new features such as customized live tiles and improvements to the Snap View feature. The company is expected to announce Windows 8.1 at its Build developers conference on June 26th in San Francisco, and it will reportedly be released to manufacturing partners around August.

April 2, 2013