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Wednesday, December 1, 2010

WikiLeaks website kicked off Amazon's servers (AP) : Technet

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WikiLeaks website kicked off Amazon's servers (AP) : Technet

WikiLeaks website kicked off Amazon's servers (AP)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 04:42 PM PST

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson, Ap Technology Writer – Wed Dec 1, 7:42 pm ET

NEW YORK – Amazon.com Inc. forced WikiLeaks to stop using the U.S. company's computers to distribute embarrassing State Department communications and other documents, WikiLeaks said Wednesday.

The ouster came after congressional staff questioned Amazon about its relationship with WikiLeaks, said Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut.

WikiLeaks confirmed it hours after The Associated Press reported that Amazon's servers had stopped hosting WikiLeaks' site. The site was unavailable for several hours before it moved back to its previous Swedish host, Bahnhof AB.

WikiLeaks released a trove of sensitive diplomatic documents on Sunday. Just before the release, its website came under an Internet-based attack that made it unavailable for hours at a time.

WikiLeaks reacted by moving the website from computers in Sweden to those of Amazon Web Services. Amazon has vast banks of computers that can be rented on a self-service basis to meet surges in traffic.

But that move exposed WikiLeaks to legal and political pressure.

"WikiLeaks servers at Amazon ousted. Free speech the land of the free--fine our $ are now spent to employ people in Europe," the organization said Wednesday in a posting on the Twitter messaging service.

"If Amazon are so uncomfortable with the first amendment, they should get out of the business of selling books," WikiLeaks said in another tweet.

Seattle-based Amazon.com would not comment on its relationship with WikiLeaks.

"The company's decision to cut off WikiLeaks now is the right decision and should set the standard for other companies WikiLeaks is using to distribute its illegally seized material," Lieberman said in a statement. He added that he would have further questions for Amazon about the affair.

As an organization, WikiLeaks has no firm geographic base, but founder Julian Assange sought to establish residency in Sweden to take advantage of laws protecting those who funnel information to the media. However, authorities rejected his application for a residency permit.

Swedish police are now seeking to arrest Australian-born Assange based on allegations of sexual assault stemming from his stay in the country. Assange has denied the charges.

Swedish police issued an international arrest warrant on Wednesday, though they haven't filed formal charges. Assange's whereabouts are unknown.

___

AP Technology Writer Rachel Metz in San Francisco contributed to this report.

FTC proposes 'Do Not Track' tool for Web surfers (AP)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:52 PM PST

By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer Joelle Tessler, Ap Technology Writer – Wed Dec 1, 6:52 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators are proposing to create a "Do Not Track" tool for the Internet so that consumers could prevent marketers from tracking their Web browsing habits and other online behavior in order to target advertising.

The proposal, inspired by the government's existing "Do Not Call" registry for telemarketers, is among the recommendations outlined in a privacy report released Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission. The report lays out a broad framework for protecting consumer privacy both online and offline as personal data collection becomes ubiquitous, often without consumers' knowledge.

The FTC hopes the report will guide the marketing industry as it develops self-regulatory principles to define acceptable corporate behavior. The FTC also is trying to influence policymakers as they draft new rules to protect privacy. The agency has limited authority to write those rules itself, so new regulations would likely require congressional action.

Safeguarding consumer privacy, the agency says, is critical since marketers are increasingly analyzing the websites that consumers visit, the links they click, their Internet searches, their online and offline purchases, the physical locations of their wireless devices and all sorts of personal information they disclose on social networking sites.

So far, FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz said, the marketing industry has not done nearly enough to make sure people understand what personal information is being collected, or to provide them adequate control over that data collection.

The agency envisions a Do Not Track tool as one important way to let consumers opt out of much of the tracking marketers do to help them serve more relevant ads, a practice the industry calls behavioral advertising. The tool would most likely take the form of a Web browser setting that informs websites when tracking and serving targeted advertising are off limits, even as the Web surfer jumps from site to site.

The concept is loosely based on the FTC's National Do Not Call Registry, which was launched in 2003 and has been widely credited for allowing Americans to eat their suppers in peace. More than 190 million people have listed their phones on the registry, which prohibits calls from telemarketers. Violating the registry subjects telemarketers to civil penalties up to $16,000 per violation.

Leibowitz, who first floated the idea of Do Not Track last summer, said that although the technology has not yet been widely deployed for consumers, browser companies are experimenting with it. And lawmakers do appear interested. Bobby Rush, chairman of the House Commerce subcommittee that deals with consumer protection issues, will hold a hearing on potential Do Not Track legislation on Thursday.

Still, the industry remains wary. For one thing, said Mike Zaneis, senior vice president and general counsel for the Interactive Advertising Bureau, allowing consumers to turn off all online tracking could have unintended consequences since tracking is used to deliver all sorts of personalized Web content — from sports scores to stock prices — and not just online ads. He added that while the concept of extending Do Not Call to the Internet sounds appealing, the analogy has limits since it is much easier to put a phone number on a Do Not Call list than it is to limit tracking on the many separate networks that make up the Internet.

On the whole, however, Zaneis said he is pleased with the FTC report since it does encourage industry self-regulation. A number of leading advertising trade groups, including IAB, recently launched a program that places an icon inside the online ads of participating advertising companies. Clicking on the icon takes consumers to a Web page that provides information about data collection practices and gives people the opportunity to opt out of behavioral advertising conducted by those companies.

The new FTC report comes at time of mounting concern about Internet privacy in both Washington and Europe.

The National Information and Telecommunications Administration, part of the Commerce Department, is also preparing a report on the issue. And the Obama administration's Office of Science Technology Policy has created a new group to develop broad principles on online privacy to guide legislative action and regulatory policy.

Meanwhile, last month the European Union said it plans to update its privacy regulations to give consumers more control over online tracking.

Verizon Wireless to launch 4G service on Sunday (AP)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 11:01 AM PST

By PETER SVENSSON, AP Technology Writer Peter Svensson, Ap Technology Writer – Wed Dec 1, 2:01 pm ET

NEW YORK – Verizon Wireless says its new "4G" wireless broadband network will start accepting customers on Sunday in 38 cities.

Initially, only laptop users will be able to take advantage of the higher data speeds offered by the network, compared with Verizon's 3G network. The speeds are somewhat higher than those offered by T-Mobile USA's and AT&T Inc. where their 3G networks have been upgraded to the highest speeds.

In a surprise, Verizon is charging less for 4G than for 3G. One data plan will cost $50 per month for 5 gigabytes of data, compared with $60 for 3G.

Another plan will provide 10 gigabytes of data for $80 per month. Verizon Wireless' chief technology officer, Tony Melone, said he expects many customers will find 5 gigabytes isn't enough. When downloading at top 4G speeds, it takes about an hour to exhaust a monthly allotment of 5 gigabytes of data.

Only Windows PCs will be able to take advantage of the network, at first. On Sunday, Verizon will start selling a USB dongle from LG Electronics Inc. for $99 with a two-year contract. It will fall back on Verizon's 3G network where there is no 4G coverage. There's no Macintosh software for the dongle yet.

Melone said Verizon should have 4G smart phones available by next summer.

Verizon had already revealed where the network will be available first. The coverage areas include the cities on the Boston-to-Washington stretch as well as in California, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Seattle.

Verizon is using a 4G, or "fourth-generation," wireless technology called Long-Term Evolution that looks set to be an industry standard. Sprint Nextel Corp. subsidiary Clearwire Corp. already has an active 4G network that uses a different standard, WiMax.

Melone said the network will provide download speeds of 5 to 12 megabits per second, and upload speeds of 2 megabits to 5 megabits per second.

Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of New York-based Verizon Communications Inc. and Vodafone Group PLC of Britain.

Verizon to launch 4G data network, USB modems on Dec. 5 (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 02:50 PM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Wed Dec 1, 5:50 pm ET

Verizon Wireless has finally coughed up some details about its upcoming, long-anticipated 4G network, with the carrier naming the first 38 cities — from New York and Miami to San Francisco and Los Angeles — to get speedy LTE coverage, starting Sunday.

A total of 110 million North American users — or a third of the U.S. — will be bathed in Verizon 4G coverage when the network goes live December 5, with Verizon execs promising that it will expand its 4G footprint to encompass its current, much larger 3G coverage area by 2013.

Expect data speeds up to 10 times faster than on Verizon's current 3G network, CTO Tony Melone promised during a conference call Wednesday. Downlink speeds between 5 and 12MBps should be "the norm," along with upload speeds in the 2-5MBps range, and latency rates that are about half as long as those on Verizon's existing 3G network, Melone said.

Among the cities on the list: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Las Vegas,  Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix,  Seattle, and Washington, D.C. (You can check out a map of the entire list of cities right here.)

Verizon also has a pair of new, 4G-ready USB modems ready to go: the LG VL600 and the Pantech UML290. Both will cost $99 after a $50 rebate and with two-year contracts, with the LG modem available on launch day, while the Pantech device will arrive "very soon" afterward.

And what about other modems, or the first 4G LTE smartphones and tablets? We'll have to wait a little longer for those, according to Verizon's Melone, who added that more devices — including smartphones, hopefully — will be revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in January and launched by the middle of next year. (No mention was made of a 4G iPhone, incidentally.)

So, what are we talking in terms of 4G data plans? At launch, expect a pair of options: a $50-a-month plan capped at 5GB of data (which is $10/month cheaper than Verizon's equivalent 3G broadband plan), or $80 a month for 10GB, with both plans including an overage fee of $10 per extra GB.

Verizon 4G users will be able to check their data use with Verizon's desktop modem client, and they can also get text alerts warning them when they've used 50 percent, 75 percent, 90 percent, and finally 100 percent of their monthly data allotments.

Verizon will be the latest of the big U.S. wireless carriers to go the 4G way with its data network. Sprint already has about 68 cities covered with its own 4G network, which is based on WiMax technology rather than the LTE standard.

Meanwhile, T-Mobile has 80 major U.S. markets covered by HSPA+, an enhancement to 3G technology that the carrier has gone ahead and labeled as 4G. AT&T also has a large HSPA+ network, and it's planning on launching its own LTE-based network next year.

Of course, what constitutes a "true" 4G network is a matter of debate. The International Telecommunications Union has stated that nothing less than 100Mbps download speeds for mobile devices would be required for any network to claim the 4G moniker. That means that none of the big four U.S. carriers actually has a 4G network yet — or at least, not in the eyes of the ITU.

No matter, though, says Verizon's Melone, who calls the carrier's new "4G" network a "real, generational step up," adding that "whether we call it 4G or something else is irrelevant." Well, OK then.

So, will you be signing up for Verizon's new 4G LTE network come Sunday, or are you going with another network — or will you simply wait until 4G coverage is available in more cities?

Correction: The headline for this post originally read that Verizon's 4G network would go live on Dec. 8; in fact, it's set to launch Sunday, Dec. 5. Apologies for the goof.

— Ben Patterson is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

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iPhone, Android neck-and-neck as ‘most desired’ smartphone in U.S. (Ben Patterson)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 11:06 AM PST

By Ben Patterson ben Patterson – Wed Dec 1, 2:06 pm ET

Looks like the days of RIM ruling the U.S. smartphone roost are drawing to a close: A new survey finds that the iPhone has pulled even with BlackBerry among current smartphone owners. When it comes to which smartphone OS is the "most desirable," though, it's iPhone vs. Android, not iPhone vs. BlackBerry.

Just a couple of months ago, the researchers at Nielsen found that BlackBerry was still the U.S. smartphone king with 31 percent of the market; the iPhone was nipping at RIM's heels with 28 percent and Android was in third place — with a bullet — at 19 percent.

But the iPhone platform managed to snap a 27.9 percent share in Nielsen's latest survey, compared with BlackBerry's 27.4 percent share.

Android continues to gain ground. Its smartphone market share climbed to 22.7 percent — up a couple of points from Nielsen's figures in August, and up an eye-popping 14 percentage points since January.

Rounding out the list is Windows Mobile at 14 percent (a figure that doesn't include Windows Phone 7 devices, which had yet to be released at the time of the latest Nielsen survey), the Symbian OS (think Nokia) at 3.4 percent, Linux at 3.3 percent, and Palm with a slender 1.3 percent.

Beyond taking a reading on how the major smartphone platforms are faring with current users, Nielsen also asked handheld owners a second question: Which smartphone OS is at the top of your wish list?

The overall winner of "most desired OS" among "likely" smartphone upgraders — by a whisker — was the iPhone, with 30 percent of the vote. Android had 28 percent, BlackBerry 13 percent (bad news for RIM), Windows Mobile 6 percent, "other" 4 percent, and "not sure" a healthy 19 percent.

Narrow the range of answers to just smartphone owners, though, and the results change, with the iPhone getting bumped up to 38 percent, while Android held steady at 28 percent. The BlackBerry OS got a 2-point boost among current smartphone users, to 15 percent.

On the other hand, it turns out most "feature phone" (i.e., non-smartphone) owners would prefer trading up to an Android phone, with 28 percent of feature-phone users saying they'd like to go the Android way, versus 25 percent for the iPhone and 25 percent for "not sure."

Filter the results by age, and we find that the younger you get, the more you want an iPhone or an Android handset, with 35.9 percent and 32 percent of those ages 18 to 25 wanting an iPhone or an Android device, respectively. Those figures steadily shrink with age, and by the time we get to those 55 or older, only 26.4 percent "most desire" an iPhone, or 20.3 percent for Android.

The most popular smartphone OS choice for those 55 and up is "not sure" at 27.8 percent, versus just 12.2 percent for those between 18 and 24.

There's also a gender divide when it comes to the "most desired" smartphone OS: Women prefer the iPhone (30.9 percent) to Android (22.8 percent), whereas more men are pining for an Android device (32.6 percent) than an iPhone (28.6 percent).

So, which smartphone do you own right now — and which smartphone OS do you most wish you were using?

(Charts: Nielsen)

Related:

— Ben Patterson is a technology writer for Yahoo! News.

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Are Tablets Really Killing Netbooks? (PC World)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 06:00 PM PST

Jeff Bertolucci Jeff Bertolucci – Wed Dec 1, 9:00 pm ET

tablet computers--led by Apple's iPad--are hurting netbook sales in a big way. But are they really? It depends on whom you ask. For now, touchscreen tablets do appear to be luring consumers away from netbooks. In the long term, however, netbooks will likely hold their own in an increasingly fragmented mobile device market, particularly as computer makers address user complaints by enhancing netbooks with faster processors and new capabilities.

Dueling Data

Tech industry analysts can't seem to agree on whether tablets are harming netbook sales. Changewave Research in October surveyed more than 3100 consumers and found that only 14 percent of those who planned to purchase a laptop within 90 days would get a netbook--a significant drop from 18 percent at the start of 2010, and 24 percent in June 2009.

But ABI Research says the netbook market will not be "gravely injured" by the iPad and similar tablets, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab and Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook. "This is a rumor perpetuated by Apple fanatics," wrote ABI Research mobile device analyst Jeff Orr in an e-mail to PCWorld.

Orr points out that annual netbook shipments continue to grow, and that the top isn't in sight. Specifically, about 36 million netbooks shipped worldwide in 2009, and an estimated 43 million will ship in 2010. The netbook is the first ultramobile device to reach "mass-market appeal," which Orr defines as a product that ships 40 to 50 million units annually. He acknowledges, however, that netbook sales are slowing, and says that today's shipments don't match the "meteoric growth" of the past two years.

Blame the iPad?

Netbook shipments in the United States fell 34 percent from the third quarter of 2009 to the same period in 2010, according to research firm Gartner. The likely culprit? A certain tablet from Apple comes to mind.

"Yes, there was some displacement of mini-notebooks by the iPad in the U.S., but determining how much is not an exact science," wrote Gartner client computing research director Angela McIntyre via e-mail. She estimates that Apple's bestselling tablet "displaced" 10 to 20 percent of netbook shipments in the United States in the third quarter of 2010, which suggests that a sizable number of consumers chose the iPad over a netbook.

Consumers appear not to be as enamored of netbooks as they once were. But tablets aren't the sole cause.

In fact, netbooks weren't the only computer devices to suffer from sluggish back-to-school sales in the third quarter of 2010. "Many factors contribute to this, such as the down economy, few new compelling PCs on the market, and a wait-and-see attitude about new PCs and media tablets coming to market next year," wrote McIntyre.

Twice the Price

"We are seeing a slowdown--a pretty dramatic slowdown--in the netbook market. And a reasonable amount of that is from the iPad," says IDC computer analyst Bob O'Donnell. Netbooks and touchscreen tablets are both secondary computing devices, and the consumer's dilemma is deciding which gadget to buy.

However, the disparity in netbook and tablet prices makes the iPad-is-killing-the-netbook argument "a little hard to swallow," says O'Donnell. For instance, the average selling price for netbooks is under $300, according to IDC. But for the iPad it's $630--more than twice as much.

"Right there's a big disconnect between [average selling prices]. That's why it's hard to say that there's a direct, one-for-one knocking off, because of that huge price gap," adds O'Donnell, who sees a correlation between today's tablet-versus-netbook battle and the netbook-versus-laptop debate of 2008.

"This is sort of a netbook redux. Two years ago, netbooks were going to cannibalize notebooks," he says. "There was a period when a whole bunch of people bought netbooks, and it somewhat skewed the view of the notebook market. But at the end of the day, when people needed to upgrade a notebook, they did."

Even if the iPad-induced sales hit proves to be temporary, the bigger issue is how netbooks will rise to meet the tablet challenge. "Nobody is saying that a netbook or a tablet is a must-have, primary device. That's where desktops and laptops fall," says Cindy Ng of Intel's netbook marketing team. "It's a similar market because they're both companion devices and nice to have. But at the same time, I think there are different types of consumers who value different usages."

Netbook users, for instance, really want a physical keyboard. "For doing Twitter feeds and social networking updates on Facebook, clearly the netbook with a physical keyboard really enables that ease of use much more than a tablet would with a virtual keyboard," says Ng. And for frantic classroom note-taking, a netbook usually tops a tablet.

Next page: Netbooks, Phase II

dual-core Atoms are more powerful and allow netbook makers to build sleeker, slimmer devices that are "potentially as thin or comparable to the new MacBook Air," says Ng. Another as-yet-unnamed feature would make it easier for netbooks to stream music to a home stereo or speaker system.

AMD's upcoming Brazos-platform processors will combine low-power dual-core and single-core CPUs together with a DirectX 11-capable GPU on the same chip. If it ends up as good as it looks on paper, it should provide better performance than today's Atom-powered netbooks do, while still preserving battery life and allowing for small and thin laptops. We should see premium netbooks and inexpensive ultraportable laptops in early 2011 with the new chips.

Acer's Take

Few computer makers in the United States are more closely associated with the netbook than Acer, which helped define the genre with its Aspire One netbooks in 2008. Not surprisingly, the company believes that the tiny portables will thrive even as tablets take hold.

"While the netbook market has matured and is no longer experiencing the explosive growth we saw initially, it is still a key product category that will generate significant sales for consumers looking for both productivity and entertainment in a mobile device," wrote an Acer spokesperson in an e-mail to PCWorld.

Acer, which in November announced plans to enter the tablet market, sees a clear distinction between slates and netbooks. "Tablets...represent a different product segment that caters primarily to gaming and content consumption in the $400-$600 range," the Acer representative wrote.

But netbooks typically sell for less. Most cost between $300 and $350, says Intel's Ng, though new features and innovations may cause prices to inch closer to $400.

In the coming years, tablets and netbooks will take divergent paths--the former focusing on entertainment, communications, and convenience, and the latter adopting a more work-friendly role. Each will carve out a niche in the personal computing landscape. One will not kill off the other, however. After netbooks succeed in boosting their processing power and adding new capabilities, they'll appeal to users who want a lighter and smaller version of a full-size laptop.

Macworld 2011 Best of Show: call for submissions (Macworld)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:30 PM PST

Macworld Staff Macworld Staff – Wed Dec 1, 6:30 pm ET

Things are getting a bit heated between two of the largest Internet companies as they spar over users' data.

Google and Facebook , which increasingly seem to be rivals , have been engaged in a war of words this week over data portability. The issue boils down to the ability to move user data back and forth between Web services, such as Google 's Gmail and Facebook .

"We're reaching the point where the giants are going to bump up against each other more, [which is] sure to cause some nasty skirmishes," said Dan Olds, an analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group. "Even though a casual user might not see it, Google and Facebook are definitely rivals at the edges. The big picture is that both companies are looking for the same thing: lots of users who stick around for longer times."

The spat started simmering late last week when Google stepped in to bar Facebook from automatically importing users' Gmail contacts. The move, according to analysts, stemmed from the fact that Facebook lets users import data into the social network but doesn't make it nearly as easy to export data to other sites and services.

Google's response was to change its API so that users can share their information only with companies that reciprocate on a quid pro quo basis.

Facebook responded Monday by giving users a link to a download feature that skirts around Google's roadblock . Users simply say they're downloading the information for their own use and then upload it to Facebook.

Mike Vernal, a member of the Facebook engineering team, explained Facebook's position in a response to an article on TechCrunch .

"Openness doesn't mean being open when it's convenient for you," Vernal wrote. "We strongly hope that Google turns back its API and doesn't come up with yet another excuse to prevent their users from leaving Google products to use ones they like better instead."

And now Google is warning users who are trying to import Gmail data into Facebook that their information could get "trapped."

In a pop-up notice titled "Trap my contacts now," Google issues this warning: "Hold on a second. Are you super sure you want to import your contact information for your friends into a service that won't let you get it out?

"Here's the not-so-fine print. You have been directed to this page from a site that doesn't allow you to re-export your data to other services, essentially locking up your contact data about your friends," Google's warning continues. "So once you import your data there, you won't be able to get it out. We think this is an important thing for you to know before you import your data there. Although we strongly disagree with this data protectionism, the choice is yours. Because, after all, you should have control over your data."

Olds noted that there probably won't be a clear winner in this back-and-forth, but it will draw attention to the way Facebook covets users' data.

"Both Facebook and Google espouse openness at every turn, but both also have their blind spots as well," he added. "Facebook has not made sharing a priority. More accurately, Facebook likes sharing when content flows into Facebook, but not so much when it concerns content flowing out of Facebook."

Olds noted that holding on to users and their data is a practice done in every industry, but Facebook may have to eventually bend a bit on this.

"At the end of the day, I think Facebook will have to become more open to allowing users to export their data out," he added. "If they don't, some smart kid somewhere will figure out a way to do it."

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at @sgaudin or subscribe to Sharon's RSS feed . Her e-mail address is sgaudin@computerworld.com .

Read more about web 2.0 and web apps in Computerworld's Web 2.0 and Web Apps Topic Center.

Motorola eyes home streaming to mobile (Reuters)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 05:22 PM PST

By Sinead Carew Sinead Carew – Wed Dec 1, 8:22 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Motorola Mobility plans next year to sell a product that lets consumers stream video to mobile devices such as tablet computers and cellphones in their home, a top executive for the company said on Wednesday.

The product, announced at the Reuters Global Media Summit, will be showcased at the Consumer Electronics show right after Motorola Inc (MOT.N) spins off Motorola Mobility, which includes its set-top box and cellphone business, from the rest of the company on January 4.

Daniel Moloney, president of Motorola Mobility, sees the offering as a first step in his efforts to combine set-top box and cellphone technology to eventually allow consumers to view any content anywhere on different devices in the next five years.

"It's one consumer proposition that will come sooner rather than later," Moloney told the Reuters Global Media Summit on Wednesday.

While much of the technology already exists for such offerings, one thorny issue is for equipment makers or operators to forge agreements with programing providers for the right to let consumers carry content around.

This is why the streaming product will initially only send video to devices being used within the home. Moving content outside the home could take much longer, Moloney said.

And after being sold a separate gadget, to be offered via service providers, the home streaming product will eventually be integrated into set-top boxes, the executive said.

While Moloney said it would be up to service providers whether to charge an extra service fee for the device or not, they could offer it as a way to discourage higher-value customers from switching to another service.

The Home subsidiary, which includes set-top boxes and cable network equipment, represented almost a third of Motorola Mobility sales in the third quarter with revenue of $912 million compared with $2 billion in revenue from cellphones.

Moloney said he sees Motorola Mobility generating operating profits in an 8 to 12 percent range in the next three to five years.

While the Home business already had a profit margin of 8.4 percent and an operating profit of $77 million in the third quarter, the cellphone business only just turned a tiny profit of $3 million in the quarter for the first time in almost three years. This gave it a profit margin of 0.1 percent.

But Moloney said that both parts of the business have to reach the 8 to 12 percent range under the plan.

Motorola Mobility and will trade under the MMI ticker on New York Stock Exchange after the split. The rest of Motorola, which sells technology to governments and corporations, will change its name to Motorola Solutions and will trade under the MSI symbol, also on NYSE.

Seattle police to tweet stolen car descriptions (AP)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:51 PM PST

The GPU Streamlines Video Creation (PC World)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 05:07 PM PST

Loyd Case Loyd Case – Wed Dec 1, 8:07 pm ET

Twenty-four hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute. Whether it's a cat taking a shower, a make-up tutorial, or the next Beyoncé singing her heart out, home video is incredibly popular.

It's a testament to the fact that it's cheaper than ever to create high definition video. Compact camcorders cost less than $150, and even some cell phones can record in HD. Windows and MacOS both have tools to for making DVDs, and low cost solutions now exist for creating Blu-ray discs.

If you've recently joined the videographing masses, however, you've probably discovered that editing and converting your footage can be painfully slow. But with an AMD Radeon GPU installed, you can reduce the processing time substantially. With GPU processing, you'll also see image quality enhancements, including noise reduction, color correction and proper scaling to the target resolution.

Video files can become very large, so they're almost always compressed to save space. The variety of different compression formats can be confusing, although relatively few formats are commonly used. MPEG-2 is used to create DVD and sometimes Blu-ray. MPEG-4 and its most important variant, H.264, is for web video and some handheld devices. Occasionally, you'll see Microsoft's VC-1 used for high definition playback.

Different compression schemes encode video differently, so video needs to be "transcoded," which means using software to take a video that's encoded and compressed in the camera's format, decode it, then re-encode and re-compresses the video so it's ready to save on a DVD or upload onto YouTube.

It's a resource-hogging job, but the GPU is the ideal tool to do it. For example, compressing a high definition, 1080p video down to a format usable on Apple's iPhone using an AMD Radeon GPU is noticeably faster (depending on the GPU model) than on the fastest quad core CPUs.

To keep up with the increasing prevalence of low cost, high definition camcorders, developers are continually creating easy-to-use software tools to streamline the transcoding process. AMD's own Avivo Video Converter or Cyberlink's Media Espresso make converting videos a snap.

Video editing tools, such as Adobe's Premiere Elements, help budding videographers design and edit professional-looking videos. AMD Radeon GPUs accelerate transitions and some filters, enabling speedier editing and quicker previews.

With video hardware cheaper than ever, and AMD Radeon GPU technology and software enabling fast conversion of video formats, you can easily preserve your video memories on YouTube, on your mobile device, or even on old fashioned, disc-based media. So what are you waiting for? There are loads of dancing babies, singing cats, and flailing skateboarders out there just begging to be immortalized.

Why Gilt Groupe Is Getting Into Full-Price Retail (Mashable)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:49 PM PST

Lauren Indvik Lauren Indvik – Wed Dec 1, 6:49 pm ET

Invitation-only flash sales site Gilt Groupe plans to launch a full-price men's retail site in summer 2011, the company announced Tuesday.

The forthcoming website will offer a "tightly edited" range of men's apparel, gadgets and other accessories alongside a mix of editorial content.

The site will be helmed by John Auerbach, previously the general manager of Gilt's men's flash sales site, as president. Gilt has brought in Tyler Thoreson, the former executive editor of men.style.com, and Andy Comer, a former multimedia editor of GQ, to oversee creative and editorial duties on the site.

A full-price men's retail site is a significant new venture for Gilt, which has built its business selling discounted rates on designer clothing, accessories, travel, decor and, most recently, local services. Already viewed as a competitor among e-retailers in this space, many of whom have begun to host flash sales of their own, the New York-based startup is now in even more direct competition high-end online men's retailers such as Net-a-Porter, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Bluefly and Yoox.

When asked why Gilt was embracing full-price retail after building a business on limited-time discount offers, Auerbach explained that it had more to do with complementing men's shopping habits than expanding their business model. "Men shop differently than women... It's often said that women tend to buy something they like and then find an occasion to wear it, while men will think about the occasion and outfit themselves accordingly," he said, noting that the site will offer apparel and accessories current to the season to better accommodate occasion-specific dressing.

"There are very few men's-only shopping destinations and most outlets treat men's online retail as either a commodity or an afterthought... [Men] deserve an e-commerce experience designed with their needs [as well]," he added.

Gilt currently has 400,000 male members -- a significant percentage of its member base, which falls in the 3 to 4 million range -- who generate $100 million in sales annually. Gilt plans to keep its flash sales sites separate from its full-price retail site.

FCC: Wireless providers can throttle Internet speeds, content delivery (Appolicious)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 10:55 AM PST

Take-Two sees opportunity in digital (Reuters)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 06:30 PM PST

By Gabriel Madway Gabriel Madway – Wed Dec 1, 9:30 pm ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Take-Two Interactive Software Inc says digital and mobile games are likely to make up a substantially larger portion of its business in coming years as the game market expands into new formats and devices.

Take-Two Chairman Strauss Zelnick told Reuters Insider that although digital and mobile currently make up less than 10 percent of revenue, he estimated that could grow to 25-30 percent "over time."

"I still think in five years the packaged goods business will dominate," said Zelnick, who will add the title of chief executive officer on January 1. "It's kind of irrelevant to us -- basically the same gross margin, basically the same risk."

Earlier on Wednesday, Zelnick spoke to the Reuters Global Media Summit, where he highlighted the progress that has been made in overhauling the company, which publishes the blockbuster "Grand Theft Auto" franchise but had struggled to achieve consistent profitability.

When Zelnick took over as chairman in 2007, the company was in disarray and faced a slew of financial and legal problems. But Take-Two is now on track to achieve profitability in a year when it does not release a new "Grand Theft Auto" game, which was its main goal.

"We don't have any structural impediment to being profitable in a given year," Zelnick said, noting that this was not the case when he came on board.

Take-Two successfully fought off a hostile takeover bid from Electronic Arts Inc in 2008. Activist investor Carl Icahn has taken a nearly 15 percent stake in Take-Two, leading many to speculate that the company might be sold.

But Zelnick said he is focused on growing the business rather than on deals. Still, he said the video game sector in general is still ripe for consolidation.

"I have been saying for many years the business would further consolidate; not a lot of it has really happened," he said.

Zelnick said he is surprised that traditional media companies haven't shown more interest in the video game space, because "it's less volatile and less risky than their motion picture businesses."

GAMING WOES

Take-Two's shares have outperformed those of its U.S. rivals in 2010, but the volatile gaming sector has not been a favorite of investors over the past few years.

Zelnick said: "It's pointless to argue with the market."

"I think we are really seeing a correction of what was a very high-multiple sector," he said.

Although Zelnick gave no hint as to when a new "Grand Theft Auto" might be released, the company has recently scored another hit with "Red Dead Redemption," which entered the market earlier this year.

Zelnick said the company doesn't plan to release new versions of its top-selling games every year, the way Activision Blizzard Inc has successfully done with the "Call of Duty" franchise.

Zelnick said "annualizing" games threatens their quality and risks burning out consumers.

He said the company is open to renewing its game licensing agreement with Major League Baseball, but only if the economics change.

"It's a losing proposition and we don't have any interest in pursuing losing propositions."

Take-Two's shares closed up 31 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $11.37 on the Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Gabriel Madway; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Phil Berlowitz)

Amazon pulls plug on WikiLeaks (Investor's Business Daily)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 03:53 PM PST

– Wed Dec 1, 6:53 pm ET

The Web retail giant disconnected a Web hosting account tied to WikiLeaks.org following inquiries by Sen. Joe Lieberman. The senator's staff contacted Amazon (NMS:AMZN) after media reports disclosed that WikiLeaks had shifted from servers in Sweden to Amazon Web Services to better handle a surge in traffic. The controversial Web site has released thousands of classified U.S. documents and is the target of a federal criminal investigation. Amazon edged up 0.7% to 176.55.

FTC backs "do not track" list for Web users (Reuters)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 01:10 PM PST

By Diane Bartz Diane Bartz – Wed Dec 1, 4:10 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. regulators on Wednesday backed the creation of a "do not track" list that would limit the ability of advertisers to collect Internet users' data and would protect consumers' online privacy.

In a preliminary staff report, the Federal Trade Commission said that while companies generally manage consumer information responsibly, there are exceptions.

"Self-regulation in privacy has not worked adequately," said FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz. "A legislative solution will surely be needed if industry doesn't step up to the plate."

Leibowitz said he supported creation of a mechanism that allows consumers to opt out of some tracking, adding that Congress would probably need to act, which may be difficult because of legislative gridlock next year.

Senator John Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, said on Wednesday that he planned to introduce legislation that would require companies to secure data and inform consumers about what data is being collected.

"Consumers should be given a simple mechanism for opting out of the process," Kerry said in a statement.

Republicans in the House of Representatives, like Representative Joe Barton, have said, without offering details, they would focus on privacy issues.

Any legislation could be two years off, at minimum, said Amy Mushahwar, a privacy expert with Reed Smith, who predicted industry would strike a deal with the government.

If consumers gain more control over their data, the biggest losers could be companies serving third-party ads, said Mushahwar. "Those are the targets," she said.

The FTC staff report also urged that special care be taken with information about sensitive topics such as finances, health, children or an individual's location.

"Before any of this data is collected, used or shared, staff believes that companies should seek affirmative express consent," the report said.

The agency's report urged the development of ways to build privacy into the design of business practices by, for example, collecting only the data that is needed and disposing of it when it is no longer being used.

The agency also proposed that company privacy policies be simpler, clearer and shorter.

"Staff also proposes providing consumers with reasonable access to the data that companies maintain about them, particularly for companies that do not interact with consumers directly, such as data brokers," the report said.

"In addition, all entities must provide robust notice and obtain affirmative consent for material, retroactive changes to data policies."

The report comes as the FTC is under pressure to contain the growing strength and savvy of companies collecting Internet users' personal data and selling it to advertisers.

A recent report by a privacy group found, for example, that some websites that present themselves as a way for ill people to connect with other people with the same ailments were actually created by companies to collect and sell data on those people to market medicines to them.

A final version of the FTC report will be released next year after taking into account comments from interested parties.

(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Andre Grenon and Steve Orlofsky)

Wireless firms playing bigger role in Linux (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Nov 2010 10:03 PM PST

By Tarmo Virki, European Technology Correspondent Tarmo Virki, European Technology Correspondent – Wed Dec 1, 1:03 am ET

PARIS (Reuters) – Contributions from wireless companies to the Linux operating system have increased rapidly, underlining the success of the open source software platform in smartphones, a report from the Linux Foundation said.

The report, to be unveiled later on Wednesday, shows the role of traditional top contributors - Red Hat, Novell and IBM -- is slightly decreasing, while companies with a strong mobile Linux focus are becoming increasingly important for the development of the platform.

With the success of Google's free Linux-based Android platform, Linux has become a key force in the smartphone software market. Google aims to copy its success in desktop search to the fast-emerging mobile Internet space.

All top smartphone makers, excluding Nokia and Apple, use Android in their flagship phones.

Earlier this year Intel and Nokia, the world's largest smartphone maker by volumes, merged their mobile Linux versions into MeeGo, which has reached consumers through one small tablet manufacturer. But the bigger rollout from Nokia itself is expected next year.

Intel has passed Novell and IBM to become the second largest contributor to Linux, while Nokia has risen to the No. 5 spot.

Linux is the most popular type of free, or so-called open source, computer operating system which is available to the public to be used, revised and shared.

The report showed that more than 70 percent of contributions are from developers who are getting paid for their Linux development from corporations who hope to benefit from better software in their core business.

Linux suppliers earn money selling improvements and technical services, and Linux competes directly with Microsoft, which charges for its Windows software and opposes freely sharing its code.

Young S.Koreans face midnight ban for online games (AFP)

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 08:42 PM PST

– 1 hr 1 min ago

SEOUL (AFP) – South Korea's government is close to adopting a "Cinderella" law to ban youngsters from playing online games past midnight amid growing concerns about Internet addiction, officials said Thursday.

A bill to be submitted to parliament as early as this month will require South Korean online game companies to cut off services at midnight for users registered as younger than 16, the culture and family ministries said.

"The thing about online games is, once you are in it, it is extremely hard to get out of it, especially if you are a young kid," Jo Rin, a ministry official in charge of the law, told AFP.

"A lot of kids play games all night long and have trouble studying at school and going about their normal lives during daytime. We believe the law is necessary to ensure their health and a right to sleep."

The online services would resume at six the following morning, he said, adding there would be a year-long waiting period until the law takes effect so that companies can prepare for it.

The government is also considering requiring companies to limit young users' access to online games to a maximum number of hours a week or a day if parents request this, said Jo.

South Korea is one of the world's most wired societies, but there have been sporadic reports of deaths related to Internet game addiction.

Last month a 15-year-old South Korean boy committed suicide after killing his mother for scolding him over playing computer games too much.

In February a 32-year-old man died after reportedly playing for five days with few breaks.

A month later police arrested a couple accused of leaving their baby daughter to starve to death while they raised a "virtual" child on the Internet. The baby had long been malnourished, an autopsy showed.

The government, which estimates that South Korea has about two million web addicts, is already launching one campaign to combat the affliction.

From next year, it will offer free software to people at risk, to limit the time they spend on the web.
at 9:53 PM

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