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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Reports say FTC investigating Twitter (AP) : Technet

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Reports say FTC investigating Twitter (AP) : Technet

Reports say FTC investigating Twitter (AP)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 03:48 PM PDT

– Thu Jun 30, 6:48 pm ET

WASHINGTON – Federal regulators are looking into the interactions between Twitter and a company called Ubermedia, which develops applications that help users follow and communicate with each other on Twitter's popular online messaging service, according to two published reports.

The Federal Trade Commission inquiry is still at a preliminary stage and the focus remains unclear, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The Business Insider blog, which first reported the probe, said FTC antitrust investigators are studying how Twitter deals with outside companies that build applications for its messaging platform _such as photo-sharing, URL-shortening and advertising services — and whether it is trying to limit competition by buying or banning outside developers.

The FTC regularly looks into complaints — often filed by rivals — of anticompetitive behavior by companies in the technology sector. The initial probes do not always turn into full-blown investigations.

The Journal reported that Twitter blocked UberMedia from accessing messages on its platform, called "tweets," earlier this year, but has since restored access.

The FTC and Twitter declined comment. Ubermedia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US rules partially against Kodak in Apple dispute (AP)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:36 PM PDT

By BEN DOBBIN, AP Business Writer Ben Dobbin, Ap Business Writer – Thu Jun 30, 7:36 pm ET

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The U.S. International Trade Commission issued a mixed verdict Thursday in Eastman Kodak Co.'s high-stakes patent-infringement dispute with the makers of the iPhone and BlackBerry phones. The ruling disappointed investors.

The trade-dispute arbiter in Washington, D.C., said it is essentially agreeing with one of its judges, who threw out the photography pioneer's claims.

The federal agency did find limited patent infringement. It also sent some matters back to the judge for further review, and Kodak could still prevail in the remaining claims.

Kodak's stock fell 16 percent.

"This is a negative for Kodak because they didn't win," said analyst Shannon Cross of Cross Research in Livingston, N.J.

Although there's a chance Kodak could prevail on remaining matters, she said, "it seems like the chances that you'd get a large settlement are much smaller."

Chief Executive Antonio Perez had hoped Kodak could draw up to $1 billion from its deep-pocketed rivals.

Kodak held out hope.

Kodak is "gratified that the commission has decided to modify in our favor the judge's initial recommendation," said Laura Quatela, Kodak's chief intellectual property officer. "As we have said from the start, we remain extremely confident this case will ultimately conclude in Kodak's favor."

Apple and RIM did not return calls or email messages seeking comment.

Kodak, a 131-year-old photography pioneer based in Rochester, N.Y., argued that image-preview technology it patented in 2001 was infringed by iPhone maker Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif., and BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. of Waterloo, Canada.

The commission decided to "affirm in part" a ruling issued in January by its chief administrative law judge. That decision found no patent violation.

The commission revised definitions for "motion processor" and "still processor" and asked the judge to decide whether Kodak's patent was infringed with those changes.

The commission also found that Apple and RIM infringed on a patent related to "initiating capture of a still image while previewing a motion image."

But the commission said that Kodak had waived its rights to pursue that claim with flash photos. It asked the judge to decide whether Kodak had waived the rights for non-flash photos as well.

The commission ruled that Apple and RIM did infringe a Kodak patent under the commission's revised definition of "at least three different colors."

It did not rule on any penalties. The commission can order Customs to block imports of products made with contested technology. Monetary settlements often result to avoid such import bans.

A revised decision is expected no earlier than Aug. 30 after the judge rules on pending matters.

The ruling came after the stock market closed. Kodak's stock fell 56 cents to $3.02 in after-market trading.

The dispute centers on technology Kodak created for extracting a still image while previewing it in the camera's LCD screen. In 2009, the trade commission ruled that South Korean mobile phone makers Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics infringed the same patent, resulting in $964 million in payouts.

The maker of cameras, film, photo kiosks and inkjet printers is struggling to redefine itself as a 21st-century powerhouse in digital imaging.

It has amassed more than 1,000 digital-imaging patents since the 1970s, and almost all of today's digital cameras rely on those inventions. It has licensed digital technology to at least 30 companies, including cellphone makers such as Motorola Inc. and Nokia Corp.

Mining its rich array of inventions for repeated cash infusions has become an indispensable tactic driven in large part by Kodak's long and painful digital turnaround.

Since 2004, Kodak has reported only one full year of earnings — in 2007 — and anticipates another annual loss this year before crossing back to profitability sometime in 2012. It has trimmed its work force to 18,800 from 70,000 in 2002.

Kodak has a promising array of new businesses, but it needs to tap other sources of revenue before investments in those areas have time to pay off.

It is hoping four growth businesses — consumer inkjet printers, high-speed commercial inkjet presses, workflow software and packaging — will more than double in size to nearly $2 billion in revenue in 2013, accounting for 25 percent of all sales.

Tests show wireless network could harm GPS systems (AP)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:01 PM PDT

By JOELLE TESSLER, AP Technology Writer Joelle Tessler, Ap Technology Writer – Thu Jun 30, 7:01 pm ET

WASHINGTON – New test results show that a proposed nationwide wireless broadband network would produce significant interference with GPS systems used for everything from aviation to high-precision timing networks to consumer navigation devices. Changes to the proposal could reduce interference, but wouldn't eliminate it.

The findings, based on extensive equipment tests conducted in Las Vegas, increase pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to block a Virginia company called LightSquared from launching the network, which is designed to compete with super-fast systems being rolled out by AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

Although the FCC in January gave LightSquared approval to build the system, the agency said it would not let the company turn on the network until GPS interference problems are resolved. The agency required LightSquared, GPS equipment makers and GPS users to establish a working group to study the matter.

That group filed its report with the commission on Thursday, with the two sides offering different interpretations of the test results.

LightSquared insisted that the interference problems are fixable.

But GPS equipment makers, and companies and government agencies that rely on GPS technology, warn that the planned network would jam their systems because LightSquared would use airwaves close to those already set aside for GPS.

They say that sensitive satellite receivers — designed to pick up relatively weak signals coming from space — could be overwhelmed when LightSquared starts sending high-powered signals from as many as 40,000 transmitters on the ground. GPS signals, they say, will suffer the way a radio station can get drowned out by a stronger broadcast in a nearby channel.

"The FCC needs to consider other options for the LightSquared signals where they do not run up against the laws of physics," said Charles Trimble, co-founder of Trimble Navigation Ltd., which makes GPS systems.

With the working group report complete, the FCC will now seek public comments. The FCC said it will review the report, adding that it has "a long-standing record of resolving interference disputes."

The working group's report follows the release of federal test results that also found significant interference with GPS systems used by a broad cross-section of government agencies, including the Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation Administration and NASA.

Faced with growing GPS industry resistance, LightSquared last week proposed to launch its network using a different slice of airwaves located farther away from GPS frequencies. It also proposed to transmit signals at lower power levels to ensure that its network would not interfere with most nearby GPS systems.

Most of the testing conducted by the working group was based on the company's original plan to use airwaves next to the GPS band.

The working group said that plan would produce significant, across-the-board interference. Among the findings:

• GPS systems used for aviation would be unavailable over entire regions of the country at normal aircraft altitudes.

• GPS receivers built into cellular devices could experience interference at significant distances from LightSquared's base stations — resulting in delayed or inaccurate location readings.

• Space-based GPS receivers used in NASA science missions could be disrupted.

Although the working group conducted only limited testing based on LightSquared's proposal to use different airwaves, it said the change could reduce problems for some GPS receivers, including those used in aircraft navigation and cellphones.

LightSquared, however, acknowledges that other GPS devices, particularly high-precision receivers used in construction and agriculture, would still experience significant disruption.

LightSquared maintains that the interference is largely a problem of the GPS industry's own making. That's because GPS receivers are picking up signals outside their own bands — in frequencies licensed to LightSquared.

That had never presented a conflict until the FCC provisionally approved LightSquared's wireless broadband network. Until now, that spectrum has been used primarily for satellite communications, with only limited ground-based wireless service to fill coverage gaps. GPS receivers can easily screen that out.

LightSquared, which is based in Reston, Va., also insists the problem can be fixed by installing better filters in GPS devices to screen out its signals. Those filters, LightSquared says, cost as little as 5 cents each.

GPS manufacturers say that solution is speculative because such filters do not yet exist and were not available for testing. They add that although filters might work with some GPS receivers, such as those embedded in cellphones, they would not work in all GPS equipment and could significantly degrade performance and battery life.

Bronson Hokuf, an engineer with GPS maker Garmin Ltd., also said it would be nearly impossible retrofit hundreds of millions of existing GPS devices already in use. The working group said installing new filters in GPS equipment used for aviation, for instance, would be very expensive and could take at least 10 years.

Although the FCC has promised that it won't let the LightSquared network harm GPS systems, it is eager to see the company succeed.

The FCC views the network as one part of a broader government push to free up more airwaves for mobile broadband services to keep up with the explosive growth of online apps, mobile video and other bandwidth-hungry wireless applications.

The agency also hopes LightSquared will help it advance its goal of bringing high-speed Internet connections to all Americans. The company, which plans to wholesale network access to other companies that will rebrand the service under their own names, has pledged to reach 260 million Americans with its coverage by 2015.

London premiere of last Harry Potter film to be livecast on YouTube (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 06:14 PM PDT

Virgin America will offer in-flight Chromebooks to lucky fliers (Yahoo! News)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 01:17 PM PDT

Why Do People Follow Brands? [INFOGRAPHIC] (Mashable)

Posted: 29 Jun 2011 06:58 PM PDT

Jolie O'Dell Jolie O'dell – Wed Jun 29, 9:58 pm ET

On Twitter, Facebook, and dozens of other social sites, normal consumers often choose to keep tabs on the brands they love. In fact, many brands have highly optimized their marketing and PR strategies to accommodate that behavior, even going to far as to do one-to-one CRM (that's customer or consumer relationship management) through avenues such as Facebook and Twitter.

[More from Mashable: Check In on Foursquare or Facebook for Late Checkouts at Select Radisson Hotels]

As social CRM specialists Get Satisfaction found, many consumers who follow brands online are only in it for the perks. Around 40% of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter users in a recent study said they followed brands to get access to discounts and special deals.

SEE ALSO: The Biggest Brands on Facebook [INFOGRAPHIC]

[More from Mashable: 5 Innovative Facebook Campaigns to Learn From]

Another common response in the same survey indicated that many consumers will follow a brand if they are current customers. And creating interesting, entertaining content online is another great way for brands to earn followers and fans on social services.

Check out this infographic from Get Satisfaction and design shop Column Five for more details on why and how ordinary folks follow brands online.

Click image to see full-size version.

[source: Get Satisfaction blog]

Top image courtesy of iStockphoto user Ridofranz.

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Justin Timberlake: Stealth Silicon Valley angel? (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:57 PM PDT

By Mary Slosson Mary Slosson – Thu Jun 30, 7:57 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – As it turns out, Justin Timberlake's role as Napster founder Sean Parker in "The Social Network" was a wink and nod to the celebrity's little publicized role in driving Silicon Valley start-ups.

But his involvement in the technology industry drew public notice this week with news that Timberlake, whose character in the Oscar-nominated movie helped shape Facebook's early days, will take a stake in Myspace, the ailing social network website that New Corp is selling at a large loss.

The move -- in partnership with Specific Media -- is the latest in Timberlake's quietly expanding business and investment empire. It may also be one of his most high-profile to date, thrusting the singer-actor into a category of celebrity-turned-businessman in the mold of Ashton Kutcher.

"Fame is a highly fungible commodity," said Paul Levinson, a professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University and an author on media innovation. "It makes anything you do more likely to be successful."

Timberlake has several publicized business ventures, from jeans and clothing line William Rast and record label Tennman Records, a joint venture with Interscope Records, to 901 Silver Tequila, a name inspired by an area code in Timberlake's hometown of Memphis.

But Timberlake has been providing relatively under-the-radar angel investing to tech start-ups via his Tennman Digital, an operation based in San Francisco's tech hub.

It incubates "great ideas that we think will change how we share information, consume media, and interact with the people around us," in the interactive digital media space, according to a profile posted on techVenture, a website that pairs investors with start-ups.

Tennman Digital has funded start-up Particle, which develops micro-video application Robo.tv, among other things. The group has also provided funding to Apple iPhone gaming application developer Tapulous.

Timberlake's role at Myspace remains unclear, although he will have his own office and a staff of six that will work for him, according to Specific Media Chief Executive Tim Vanderhook.

Vanderhook said his company's expertise in technology and advertising would complement the star's innate creativity to produce a site with "high entertainment value," with original content from a community of musicians, photographers and other creative professionals.

The combination of money, an iconic image and the business acumen displayed by him in the past all increase the likelihood of success, Levinson said.

That's good news for Timberlake and Specific Media, whose investment signals optimism that the brand of Myspace can be revived.

"The one thing that's been underreported is how excited Justin is to do this. I was blown away by his excitement level," said Vanderhook in a phone interview. "I think he was blown away by his excitement level, too."

(Editing by Edwin Chan and Steve Orlofsky)

Street Fighter IV Volt tops iPhone Games of the Week (Appolicious)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

Call of Duty: Black Ops - Annihilation map pack review (Digital Trends)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 06:08 PM PDT

Digital Trends Staff Digital Trends Staff – Thu Jun 30, 9:08 pm ET

The third and possibly final Call of Duty: Black Ops map pack, Annihilation, has been released for Xbox Live (with PC and PS3 releases due out soon), and if this is the final release, Treyarch is going out in style. The pack will cost around $15 which means that if you have bought both previous packs, and plan on purchasing this one, add in the cost of the game itself, and you would have dropped at least $105 for the game. And while that might sound like an exorbitant fee, and you can justifiably grumble over the headshot your wallet just took, compare it to the time most fans of the game actually spend on line. Sure it is a racket, but it is one that pays for itself in time spent using it.

But whether you love them or hate them, the map packs expand the life of a game that people will play to death. Sure it doesn't hurt Activision's pocketbook, but that is the way of games these days. Additional content for dollars isn't going anywhere. Sure an additional $15 might seem steep, but if the content is worth it, it is reasonable. And thankfully the Annihilation map pack with its four new multiplayer maps and zombie map is definitely worth the price. Our own Ryan Fleming and Adam Rosenberg break it down.

Multiplayer Maps

Drive-In

Adam Rosenberg: A lot of Call of Duty fans like their maps small and intimate. You see evidence of this every time Treyarch sets up a "Nuketown 24/7" playlist during Double XP weekends. We all flock at the chance to run buck wild, scoring kills simply for spraying ammo and explosives out randomly. It's no surprise then that "Nuketown" was the inspiration for "Drive-In". The '50s vibe is in full effect, though here we have a war-torn drive-in movie theater replacing the squeaky clean nuclear bomb testing ground of the core multiplayer map.

Unlike "Nuketown", which is highlighted by a wide-open central space that offers good sightlines across the relatively small space, the new map focus on several individual close-quarters engagements. Shotguns and SMGs are your friends here. Even the central area with the tattered movie screen (how the heck is that projector still even working?!) is tight and closed in. The projector booth overlooking it is a danger zone if you happen to be wandering through, as the distance is short enough that even an assault rifle makes an effective sniper's tool. The surrounding space forms a rough oval around that central area, and it's in these surrounding areas that you'll want to run through, moving from building to building as you rack up kills.

The overall map is larger than "Nuketown", but the layout presents a much more close quarters-focused experience. As someone who enjoys breaking out a shotgun every now and again, this has quickly become my favorite map of the four new competitive multiplayer offerings.

Ryan Fleming: "Drive-In" is a tight map with several hiding spaces, but nowhere safe. As with most CoD maps, there are three paths, the center and two flanking areas. All three are defensible, but the relatively small size of "Drive-In" makes this the fastest moving of the four maps. You can try sniping if you like, and you may get a few kills if you are well positioned, but it is only a matter of time before someone flanks you.  Speed and powerful, fast firing weapons are your friends here, although a silenced SMG and a defensible location can net you a ton of kills–until a well thrown grenade ends your streak.

Because of the size, "Drive-In" is a good map for most gametypes, with the possible exception of Ground War—which may be too chaotic for most, but time will tell. Headquarters will also be a little cramped, but domination should offer some interesting battles as the areas are constantly switching hands.

While "Nuketown" is a definite inspiration for this map, there are two things that differentiate it: First, it is slightly bigger and offers more cover. Second, it is a rundown area so enemies can hide in the tall grass, or in dark corners. "Nuketown" is a great map that offers some fun games, but they are a very specific type of frantic game. "Drive-In" has that same appeal, but it is more balanced, and a better map for it.

Hazard

Adam: The word on the street is that Hazard is a remake of the World at War map Cliffside. Actually, that's a fact, confirmed by Treyarch. The shape of the landmass is the same and several key features, including the bridge at one end, the two centrally located bunkers and the wide open lane down the middle that looks from one end of the map to the other. Don't get too caught up in those feelings of nostalgia though, or a sniper will almost definitely take your head off.

"Cliffside"… errr… that is, "Hazard", is all about long-range engagements. That AK-74u you've been carting around isn't going to do you much good here. Not only is this battlefield wide-open, there are also multiple cover points you can use to both cross it and stake out your prey from. Teamwork is essential on this map, especially for objective-based games. The control points in Domination maps are right out in the open, with little to no cover available. It was a devious map in World at War and it is even more so now, thanks to all of the tools you have to work with in this more modern theater of war.

It's actually really cool to see this remade map come to life in a new game. Fans have long talked about the dream scenario of a Call of Duty multiplayer game that ropes in maps from all of the releases in the series. "Hazard" not only proves that it can be done, but that it can work well even in a different time period.

Ryan: "Hazard" is one of the best looking maps in Black Ops. The golf course setting is attractive and lush looking, and it is a stark contrast to the other maps which have a more war torn look dominated by grays and browns. Like the map "Hotel" from the Escalation map pack, the aesthetics alone help break up any possible monotony, and for that reason alone "Hazard" is a great map. It is also a lot of fun to play.

For the people that enjoy rushing out and taking the head first "I'm Gonna Get You Sucka" approach to Black Ops, you will not enjoy your time with "Hazard." If you win a bet against your friend and are looking for a suitable payoff, make them play this map with only a shotgun and see if they can get a single kill. There are paths to avoid being exposed, but they will force you to go out of your way. You can either flank or risk getting shot at. This map is made for snipers and long range fans. Even the average sniper (like me) can land a few satisfying kills from distance, and there is very little chance of getting bored while waiting for enemies to show themselves.

Certain game types will not work well on this map. Deathmatch is always fine, and domination will work if you bring smoke grenades, but capture the flag, demolition, headquarters, search and destroy and others might be frustrating. In fact, any game type where you need teamwork will be especially tough considering half of your teammates will want to hang back and snipe. "Hazard" is an excellent map, but it will turn a lot of people off.

Hangar 18

Adam: There are two layers to "Hangar 18″. First is the coolness factor that comes from exchanging weapons fire on the ground at Area 51. You've got a giant, open hangar with an SR-71 Blackbird – the coolest military jet in this world by a large margin – sticking out of it. You can even walk on the thing. There's an autopsy room with what is almost certainly the body of a Grey alien covered by a surgical sheet. There's even a domed structure containing a bizarre column-shaped apparatus, at the center of which floats a shiny, red, bulletproof apple.

Awesome.

That's the first layer. The second layer is the map itself as a construct for waging team-based gun battles. "Hanger 18" is a success there as well. This is a large map, and a fairly open one in the center area. Some of the heaviest fighting happens in, and spills out of the hangar, the map's centerpiece. There are multiple entrances and quite a few shadowed nooks to sit silently in as you wait for your moment to strike. The fringe of the map is where you'll find the truly weird stuff, like the dead Grey and the floating apple. Also, plenty of windows and hideaways to snipe from. This map isn't all about the snipers, but ranged classes definitely have an advantage.

It really comes back to the SR-71 in the end though. It's a dangerous thing to hang out on top of and snipe from, but man is it cool.

Ryan: Putting aside the cool visuals, including the Blackbird and the mystery apple (which ricochets bullets off of it), the map is actually fairly straight forward, in a good way. In traditional CoD fashion, there are three paths to choose from, with a central area that makes it a good map for most game types. There is plenty of room to snipe or attack with long ranged weapons, but the cover is good enough that you can make your way through the map with close quarter weapons too.

"Hangar" is just a good, balanced map. If you took away the alien stuff and the Blackbird, it would be somewhat basic compared to the other three maps, but that is just in the look. You can play "Hangar" 10 times, and it would move differently all 10 times. A team can set up a coordinated defense, but eventually one team will break through and rout the other. On the other hand, both teams can constantly keep moving. There are a ton of choices, and ways to play. Domination plays particularly well here.

If you don't care about the alien stuff, "Hangar" might come across as a simple map compared to the other three, but it is well balanced and will offer the most for all types of players. It is also deceptive in its size. There is plenty of room to snipe and fight with ranged weapons, but it isn't big enough to hide. Give it time and this may become one of the most popular Black Ops maps.

Silo

Adam: Silo is a lot like "Hangar 18" in some ways. It's a big map, and an outdoor one. You're inside some kind of large, heavily secured military complex. There are also some cool features to the map that have zero effect on the gameplay… they're just cool. Specifically, beyond the borders of the map are missile silos that fire off a large rocket every few minutes. The screen shakes a little and other sounds are temporarily muffled, but it's so short that the impact is minimal. Unless a launching missile happens to distract you long enough for someone to walk up behind you and plant a knife in your back.

That's where the biggest difference between "Silo" and "Hangar 18" lies. Pause too long on the latter map, and a sniper's bullet will inevitably find its way to you. There's a lot less range to work with on "Silo". The rundown missile launch facility is all tight corridors and cramped indoor spaces. There's a lot of ground to cover, but very few wide open sightlines across the map. This is the perfect map to break out the shotgun for and just run amok on.

Ryan: "Silo" is my favorite map in the new map pack, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Sure, it doesn't move as fast as "Drive-In", it isn't as visually stunning as "Hazard," and there are no alien autopsies going on, but there is a lot of freedom in this map. At first glance "Silo" is a big map, but after you learn the pathways, you see that it isn't as much big as it is dense. There are multiple pathways—even one underground tunnel—sniper nests, and plenty of nooks to hide in, wait in ambush, or just use as cover from incoming fire.

The people that learn this map first will have a huge advantage. It's not like you will get lost or anything, but learning where you can duck under cover is going to make a huge difference. While snipers will have plenty of options here, this map truly favors the players that like to constantly keep moving. There is always the fear of being snuck up on, but if you are fast and move with confidence, you can make your way around the map, racking up some kills on the way, and be gone long before anyone knows you were there. There is so much cover that stealth players will murder people here once they learn the map.

Domination plays well here, and for a change, you actually have a chance of sneaking up and taking the B area without eating a grenade. It's not a good chance, but there is a chance. There are just so many pathways and alleys that campers will have a tough time avoiding being snuck up on. So while this is a dense map, it also moves well. "Silo" is well designed and fun to play in almost any game type.

Zombie

Shangri-La

Adam: The new zombie map is arguably the highlight of any map pack from Treyarch. "Shangri-La", the Annihilation pack's addition to the survival-based co-op mode, does not disappoint. The all-star cast and blockbuster sense of scale seen in the previous map, "Call of the Dead", is done away with completely. There's no preamble or postscript cutscene when you load up a solo match, and your zombie hunters are once again the familiar foursome of Dempsey, Nikolai, Richtofen and Takeo. There's a new wonder weapon that transforms your foes into kickable voodoo doll zombies and  three new special zombies: a stun-inducing Shrieker, a deadly, exploding Napalm zombie and rascally little monkeys which only pop up when pickups are left unattended. The furry little bastards steal said pickups and run off with them, though you can gun them down to get a random pickup back.

In short, what we're looking at is more of the same creative lunacy we've come to expect from new zombie mode maps.

There is no "best" when it comes to these maps, but "Shangri-La" is definitely a welcome change after the tense "holycrapwealwayshavetorun" vibe of "Call of the Dead". There's no uber-boss hunting you at all times and there are no boss-specific rounds either. The Shrieker and Napalm zombies pop up in the midst of regular rounds far less frequently than regular deadheads do. It feels like pickups are more common since there's now no boss round – and guaranteed max ammo boost at the end of it – though that could be an illusion.

"Shangri-La" is smaller than "Call of the Dead" and "Ascension" before it; it may actually be the smallest one overall. There's a great deal of complexity, however. None of the traditional traps you're used to seeing, but lots of funky elements. For example, one mud-filled room slows you down and prevents you from jumping unless you're walking on wooden platforms that automatically appear as you progress from one to the next. The platforms appear in a certain sequence, seemingly randomized, that lead you to one of the room's three possible exits. There is also an extended water slide and a mine cart you can ride on.

The centerpiece, though, is the new easter egg. By far the most elaborate puzzle yet conceived for the zombie mode, you'll have to perform a certain action to trigger the map's temporary (and unique) "eclipse" mode. It has no effect on the gameplay beyond changing the color of the surrounding environment, but certain tasks must be performed in a certain order to complete the easter egg, learn more about the mode's ever-developing story and get a little bonus treat. Also, an achievement, if you're into that sort of thing.

Ryan: Unlike Adam, for me the Zombie maps have always been a fun diversion from the multiplayer, but not much more. Treyarch obviously disagrees, and each subsequent zombie map is bigger, more complex, and more incredible than the last. "Shangri-La" is no exception—except for the bigger part.

The first thing to know about "Shangri-La" is that it is not for the casual zombie game fans. This map is a love letter to the players that have passionately flocked to the zombie games. It requires teamwork—and not just the occasional "Watch my back" teamwork, but a true coordinated effort. Even just moving through the trap infested map requires coordination.

"Shangri-La" is also the wildest of all the zombie maps. There are traps everywhere that can separate you and your team unless you coordinate, and turning the power on makes the map even more complicated as new waterways and pathways open up. The bosses of previous zombie maps are gone, but there are new mini-bosses of a sort roaming around that make things tough. I kind of miss the sense of presentation that "Call of the Dead" had, but in terms of game play, "Shangri-La" is a step forward. The zombie maps have come a long way from the simple mini-games that they were. They have taken on a life of their own, and Call of Duty is better for it.

Conclusion

Adam: Overall, Annihilation is my favorite of the Black Ops map packs released so far. Treyarch may well be onto something with the remix of "Cliffside" as "Hazard" (someone, please bring back "Shipment" from Infinity Ward's COD4!), but the new maps hold their own just fine. "Hangar 18" is a highlight simply for being insanely cool, but "Drive-In" is the standout for giving virtual soldiers a new meat grinder to duke it out in. Then there's "Shangri-La", the zombie map, which is a special kind of paradise.

Ryan: The Annihilation map pack is the best of the three Black Ops expansions. The maps are balanced (with the exception of "Hazard" which is still fun to play), they look good visually, and they will accommodate almost any game type. Each of the four new maps has something to offer, and they all offer a ton of variety. A lot of thought went into the design, and it shows. "Shangri-La" is also an excellent addition and will keep fans of the zombie maps occupied for a long time. If this is the final Black Ops map pack, Treyarch is going out on a high note.

 

Trade body backs part of ruling against Kodak (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 04:39 PM PDT

By Diane Bartz Diane Bartz – Thu Jun 30, 7:39 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Eastman Kodak shares plunged 15 percent on Thursday after a U.S. trade panel upheld portions of a ruling unfavorable to the company in a patent fight over digital camera technology in cellphones.

The U.S. International Trade Commission sent portions of the case back to its internal judge for further review.

In January, the judge had found that Apple and Research in Motion did not infringe Kodak's patented technology because it was invalid.

The commission said it was affirming in part, reversing in part, and remanding in part the prior decision.

Kodak's Chief Executive Antonio Perez had previously suggested the company could reap $1 billion from a favorable ruling.

Kodak filed its ITC complaint against Apple and RIM in January 2010, arguing Apple's iPhone and RIM's camera-enabled Blackberry infringe on a Kodak patent related to a method for previewing images.

It asked the ITC to bar the importation of Apple and RIM mobile phones and other wireless devices with digital cameras.

Apple filed a countersuit at the ITC, accusing Kodak of infringing its patented technology. In an initial ruling, Kodak was found not to have infringed.

The ITC's notice on Thursday gave a brief summary of an opinion to be issued later.

The internal judge had found in January that Kodak's patent was invalid, which means it could not be infringed. The full commission, in its statement, asked the internal judge to reconsider the invalidity decision but said it took no position on the question.

On the issue of capturing a still image while previewing a moving image the ITC said: "We find that the Apple iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 do not literally infringe the asserted claim in their non-flash-photography modes of operation."

But it said the accused products from Apple and RIM did infringe a portion of the technology involving color patterns.

"We are gratified that the commission has decided to modify in our favor the judge's initial recommendation," said Laura Quatela, Kodak's general counsel, in an emailed statement. "As we have said from the start, we remain extremely confident this case will ultimately conclude in Kodak's favor."

Kodak also has related lawsuits pending against RIM and Apple in federal courts in Texas and New York.

The ITC set a target date of August 30, 2011, but said the administrative law judge could himself extend the date based on the need for further proceedings.

Shares of Kodak have moved sharply on developments in the case. They rose in March on word the ITC would review the judge's decision.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Is Facebook launching an 'awesome' iPad feature next week? (Digital Trends)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 08:35 PM PDT

Jeff Hughes Jeff Hughes – 54 mins ago

zuckerberg via LA TimesFacebook is building buzz about a mysterious new feature they will be launching next week. What could it be?

According to an article published by Reuters, the CEO and founder of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg himself told reporters that the company has "something awesome" prepared to debut next week. Zuckerberg let this tidbit slip while at the 40-person Seattle Facebook office, and it has tech writers all over the web speculating on the new feature.

Recent whispering has the majority of the speculation centered around a Facebook iPad app. Early this month, rumor had it that the iPad app would be coming in a few weeks so the timing seems only slightly premature. Those that have seen the app say that the photo and video would be "amazing, offering full resolution and full-screen images". The wording seems right, and since Zuckerberg is supposed to have invested time in the iPad project his enthusiasm shown in Seattle would be appropriate.

The Seattle office is also home to a team that played a big part in Facebook's mobile side so the app would make sense, though Zuckerberg has insisted that the iPad isn't a mobile device. If that's the case, the feature could be the recently leaked photo sharing app for the iPhone.

TechCrunch is saying that it most likely isn't the HTML-5 based app platform Project Spartan. Spartan would be premature if released next week and the project isn't based in Seattle. Also, TechCrunch seems to be against the iPad app possibility since one of their sources is saying the app is highly unlikely for next week.

Another few possibilities could be Skype integration and even a social TV feature that Facebook has been developing. AdWeek reported that the social TV idea would be a program guide that figured out what was trending among Facebook friends. The company is refusing to provide further details so we'll just have to use our imaginations for now.

http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2011/06/30/anonymous-launches-a-wikileaks-for-hackers-hackerleaks/

Android Leads as Smartphone Use Grows in U.S. (NewsFactor)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 02:10 PM PDT

Mark Long, newsfactor.com Mark Long, newsfactor.com – Thu Jun 30, 5:10 pm ET

A new Nielsen survey released Thursday indicates that 38 percent of all U.S. mobile consumers now own smartphones. Of those, 55 percent are recent handset purchasers who selected a smartphone. By contrast, only 28 percent of U.S. mobile consumers were equipped with smartphones in the third quarter of last year -- when 41 percent of recent buyers said they had purchased a smartphone, according to the FCC.

Nielsen's survey also found that Android continued to be the most popular smartphone platform among U.S. consumers in May. Among those respondents who purchased a new smartphone in the past three months, Android was the U.S. market leader.

However, the growth of Google's mobile platform remained flat at 38 percent during May in comparison with survey results from previous months. By contrast, the popularity of Apple's iPhone rose six percentage points over the last three months to 27 percent, according to Nielsen.

Awaiting Mango

Apple's recent U.S. market gains have come primarily at the expense of Research In Motion. According to Nielsen, BlackBerry handsets accounted for 21 percent of the total number of smartphones owned by U.S. customers in May.

Surprisingly, Microsoft's old Windows Mobile platform still accounts for nine percent of all U.S. smartphone owners. By contrast, the software giant's new Windows Phone 7 platform only represented one percent of all U.S. smartphone users, according to Nielsen.

Windows Phone 7 hasn't seen any uptick in growth over the past three months. Some industry observers believe many potential buyers are waiting for Mango -- the next-generation mobile OS that Microsoft has promised to release this autumn.

Still, IDC recently predicted that if all goes smoothly with Nokia's transition to Mango, the Windows Phone 7 platform could attain a 20 percent global market share in 2015. "Windows Phone 7 will benefit from Nokia's support, scope and breadth within markets where Nokia has historically had a strong presence," the firm's analysts said.

Mobile Apps and Brand Loyalty

Now that more U.S. consumers are using smartphones, mobile apps are becoming of greater importance. According to another Nielsen survey released earlier this month, app usage now accounts for 56 percent of all user activity on Android smartphones. By contrast 19 percent of user activity is devoted to e-mail, while 15 percent involves telephone calls, and only nine percent of user activity is browsing the web, on average.

According to a new Futuresource Consulting survey, iPhone users are downloading the most games and most frequently paying for content. The firm's recent survey of mobile-device users in the U.S. and the U.K. shows that one out of every three iPhone users are making "in App" purchases.

By contrast, only one in 10 Blackberry and Android users were doing the same. Moreover, 64 percent of iPhone users are viewing video on their devices, whereas only 32 percent of other smartphone users said the same.

The consulting firm's latest Living with Digital study also demonstrates the huge importance of the non-transferable nature of mobile apps as a driver of brand loyalty. Among the iPhone owners the firm surveyed, 54 percent indicated they are committed to the Apple brand so they can retain the apps they have come to depend upon.

"Apps for smartphones and tablets continue to offer significant opportunities for promoting and monetizing games, books, movie and TV content," said Alison Casey, head of global content at Futuresource. "Although the market is in its early stages, tablets will become the portable device for entertainment in the future, generating a new breed of applications and services that will breathe additional life into this already lucrative market segment."

Google+ tops Android Apps of the Week (Appolicious)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 02:30 PM PDT

LightSquared shifts spectrum (Investor's Business Daily)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 03:47 PM PDT

– Thu Jun 30, 6:47 pm ET

The prospective builder of a broadband wireless network filed a revised proposal with the FCC that would move its network to a different block of spectrum to ease fears it would interfere with GPS frequencies. Separately, a technical working group filed a study with the agency that shows LightSquared's original network plans could interfere with GPS signals used in consumer navigation devices and aircraft guidance systems.

Judge's comments boost Dish (Investor's Business Daily)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 03:50 PM PDT

– Thu Jun 30, 6:50 pm ET

Dish Network (NASDAQ:DISH - News) rose 3.6% to 30.67 after it got a green light from bankruptcy judge Robert Gerber to buy bankrupt DBSD North America for about $1.4 bil. Gerber said he would wait to enter the official order until Dish has a chance to study changes in the plan. The deal would be Dish's 3rd major acquisition this year. On Monday it won an auction to buy TerreStar Networks, another bankrupt telecommunications company, for $1.38 bil. RBC raised its price target for Dish to $37 from $35.

Nielsen: iOS smartphone marketshare up, Android flat in May (Digital Trends)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 10:54 AM PDT

Geoff Duncan Geoff Duncan – Thu Jun 30, 1:54 pm ET

Nielsen smartphone marketshare May 2011

New survey figures released by market metrics firm Nielsen show that Google's Android operating system remained the most popular smartphone platform in the U.S. market, accounting for 38 percent of smartphone users. However, Nielsen also finds that Android's adoption by new smartphone buyers over the last few months has remained steady at 27 percent, while Apple's iPhone has shown steady growth, jumping from 10 percent of new acquirers in February to 17 percent in May. In other words, Apple's iOS is the only smartphone platform to have shown significant growth in recent months.

Nielsen also finds that 55 percent of mobile users who bought a new phone in recent months have purchased a smartphone—meaning 45 percent of new phone sales were so-called feature phones. A year ago, feature phones accounted for two thirds of new mobile phone purchases.

Industry watchers are attributing the iPhone's market expansion largely to the device recently going for sale on Verizon Wireless, breaking AT&T's multi-year exclusivity deal with Apple for the iPhone. However, it's also worth noting that AT&T has had a minor hit on its hands offering the now two-year-old iPhone 3GS to mid-range buyers for just $50, on a new two-year contract.

Over the same February-to-May period, BlackBerry maker RIM saw its portion of new phone purchases drop from 11 percent to 6 percent, while Windows Phone held relatively steady at one percent.

Nielsen's figures just account for smartphone sales; they don't figure in tablets or other non-phone devices running Android or Apple's iOS.

Open Letter to RIM Management Calls for Massive Change (PC Magazine)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 11:40 AM PDT

Mark Hachman - PC Magazine Mark Hachman - Pc Magazine – Thu Jun 30, 2:40 pm ET

An anonymous letter posted to the Web on Thursday, allegedly penned by a senior RIM employee, took Research in Motion to task for a lack of management accountability, poor software tools, and even being too nice.

Although the letter was penned anonymously and submitted to BGR, RIM chose - anonymously - to acknowledge it, and confirmed that its management was "fully aware of and aggressively addressing both the company's challenges and its opportunities".

The author of the letter addressed "Mike and Jim" - Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, the co-chief executives of RIM - and opened with the statement, "I have lost confidence".

BGR said that it had confirmed the letter's author as a "high-level RIM employee".

"We are in the middle of major 'transition' and things have never been more chaotic," the letter's author wrote. "Almost every project is falling further and further behind schedule at a time when we absolutely must deliver great, solid products on time. We urge you to make bold decisions about our organisational structure, about our culture and most importantly our products."

The letter's author identified eight problems to address: focus on the end-user experience, recruit senior software leaders, pare projects to their essentials, prioritize developers, improve marketing, improve accountability ("Canadians are too nice") and treat the press and customers with humility and paranoia. Finally, the author wrote, it was time to stand up and energize the troops.

The author also suggested renaming the company "BlackBerry" to signify the company's focus on its new QNX superphones.

RIM's missteps have been heavily scrutinized, including the lack of email in the BlackBerry PlayBook, a botched interview with CNBC, and then product delays and poor sales. PCMag.com wireless analyst Sascha Segan went so far as to put the company on a death watch

.

All of those problems can be addressed, the letter said.

RIM's first priority, according to the letter, was identifying and focusing on the end-user experience, almost exactly the same thing Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said upon his return to the company in 2007.

"We often make product decisions based on strategic alignment, partner requests or even legal advice — the end user doesn't care," the letter says. "We simply have to admit that Apple is nailing this and it is one of the reasons they have people lining up overnight at stores around the world, and products sold out for months."

But the letter-writer also suggested that RIM hire some heavy hitters to manage its software programs, including improving its developer SDKs beyond "a rundown 1990′s Ford Explorer" quality to Apple's "shiny new BMW M3". Excess programs should be cut, and RIM should respond to customers, not carriers, he wrote. Finally, the letter's author recommended demoting both co-CEOs.

"To avoid this death, perhaps it is time to seriously consider a new, fresh thinking, experienced CEO," the letter's author wrote. "There is no shame in no longer being a CEO. Mike, you could focus on innovation. Jim, you could focus on our carriers/customers… They are our lifeblood."

For its part, an anonymous blog post on RIM's BlackBerry blog confirmed that the senior management team at RIM is "fully aware of and aggressively addressing both the company's challenges and its opportunities".

"RIM recently confirmed that it is nearing the end of a major business and technology transition.," the company wrote. "Although this transition has taken longer than anticipated, there is much excitement and optimism within the company about the new products that are lined up for the coming months."

8x8 dead to aid cloud services (Investor's Business Daily)

Posted: 30 Jun 2011 03:47 PM PDT

– Thu Jun 30, 6:47 pm ET

The provider of Internet telecom services partnered with Virtual Computing Environment to speed up deployment of its cloud-computing services. VCE was formed by Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO - News) and EMC (NYSE:EMC - News) with investments from VMware (NYSE:VMW - News) and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC - News) and is making its VBlock platform available to 8x8 (NASDAQ:EGHT - News) to help it accelerate its cloud-based products. With VBlock's help, 8x8 will pursue larger enterprise and gov't clients. 8x8 leapt 9.9% to 5.
at 9:55 PM

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