Sprint will soon begin an Upgrade Now trial that will give some of its subscribers the option to buy out the remainder of their contracts in order to upgrade to new hardware early, SprintFeed learned. The trial will only be available at corporate stores, and there are restrictions on who's eligible. Fees will be determined based on how much time is remaining on a user's contract, with new two year contracts started as well.... Read more...
Google Drive cloud storage near ready
Google is said to be close to launching its own cloud-storage service that is set to compete with Dropbox. The tip-off was offered to the Wall Street Journal, which says that it has talked to ëpeople familiar with the matter.í The long-rumored service dubbed 'Drive' will offer users the ability to store all types of files and make the sharing of those files simple by allowing them to stream a video directly from the cloud, for example.... Read more...
Foxconn server hacked, CEO’s password published
A hacker group calling itself SwaggSec has published data from internal Foxconn servers that the group hacked into, including usernames and passwords for management officials right up to and including CEO Terry Gou. While initial analysis of the data hasn't turned up any other sensitive information, the security breach prompted company officials to shut down its servers to prevent fraudulent orders that could appear to be from Foxconn's clients using the passwords.... Read more...
Lenovo results: tops in work, desktops, 6.5m phones shipped
Lenovo as part of record results for its fall quarter clinched the top spots in key parts of the PC business. While it wouldn't give exact numbers, it mostly sided with IDC rankings that saw it claim 14 percent of the computer market worldwide, or second place. It was now large enough that it was the leader for shipments in work PCs of any kind as well as in home desktops.... Read more...
Amazon Kindle Fire ad: three of these less than one iPad
Amazon has started running one of its first TV ads for the Kindle Fire this week in a conspicuous jab at Apple. The spot (below) recalls Amazon's earlier ads criticizing the poor readability of the iPad but, this time, has an answer to the regular Kindle's lack of features. The $79 Kindle, combined with two $199 Kindle Fires, lets a mother at the beach give herself and her children a device each at under the price of an iPad.... Read more...
Amazon Kindle Fire ad: three of these less than one iPad
Amazon has started running one of its first TV ads for the Kindle Fire this week in a conspicuous jab at Apple. Read more...
iBank developers to expand to iPad with iBank Access
IGG Software, which is planning to release a version of its iBank financial software for the iPad sometime later this year, has teased a new feature of the unreleased app on its developer blog. The product now has a name -- iBank Access -- and will feature a new optional service to automatically keep bank records and the app in sync every time the app is launched Read more...
DOJ said likely to clear Google-Motorola, Nortel patent deal
The Department of Justice is leaning towards approving Google's takeover of Motorola, insiders leaked Wednesday. It wasn't clear what the motivating reasons were in the Wall Street Journal tip, but the approval could be publicized as soon as next week. Regulators would mostly be watching to see if Google abused the patents it would get with Motorola to attack competitors... Read more...
Apple continues expansion into Sunnyvale community
Apple is continuing its expansion of employees into nearby communities around its Cupertino headquarters. Having leased nearly all suitable business space in its own community, the company has taken to housing employees in nearby suburban towns such as Santa Clara and Sunnyvale. In addition to last month's five-year lease of the former Sunnyvale Research Center to accommodate up to 1,300 employees, the company is now leasing another office building nearby... Read more...
Rumor has iPad 3′s A6 chip as faster dual-core, not quad
An incidental rumor floated next to talk of a purported iPad 3 case back has raised the possibility that Apple's expected A6 chip isn't quad-core. Citing unnamed sources, The Verge claimed that it would stay dual-core but have a "significantly more powerful" graphics core. Although not mentioned, it's presumed the clock speed, architecture, or both would be upgraded with the new chip... Read more...
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