iPad 3 could launch in March, with connector issues, report says

In Cnet

The iPad 3 could debut as early as next March, but will come with a smaller dock connector that could cause compatibility issues with existing products, claims Macotakara.

Citing "a reliable Asian source," the Japanese blog site said that the next generationtablet is being rushed into production due to Chinese New Year celebrations running from January 22-28. Factories in China are gearing up to produce theiPad 3 by the end of January.

Assuming Macotakara's source is reliable, the new iPad will also include a redesigned dock connector that features the same number of pins but a smaller shape than the one on the current iPad. As a result, the new connector could pose a problem with existing products that plug into the dock. The tablet's screen will also remain the same size, though the source didn't know if Apple would bump up it up to Retina Display levels or stick with the current

The report from Macotakara joins a so-far small number of previous iPad 3 rumors. Different sites and sources have debated whether the new iPad would offer a 2,048x1,536 Retina Display. Such a move would give the tablet the same resolution now found on theiPhone 4 and 4S and the iPod Touch 4G.

As for launch timing, March 2012 is probably a safe bet since Apple unveiled the original iPad in April 2010 and the iPad 2 in March 2011. But the Linley Group, a chip consulting firm, believes Apple will outfit the next iPad with an A6 processor, which could potentially push the launch back until next June or later.

Anonymous hacktivists target child abuse websites

In The Telegraph

The website, “Lolita City”, was accessed via Tor, a global network of computers that allows internet users to obscure their identity.

Anonymous members disrupted and hacked into systems at the company accused of hosting Lolita City and obtained the login details of more than 1,500 users, which they then published online.

The website was "enabling paedophiles to view innocent children, fuelling their issues and putting children at risk of abduction, molestation, rape, and death” according to a statement attributed to Anonymous.

“We are eliminating 40+ child pornography websites, among these is Lolita City, one of the largest child pornography websites to date containing more than 100GB of child pornography,” it added.

The statement said Anonymous had discovered Lolita City via the Hidden Wiki, another underground website accessed via the Tor network, which offers links to a host of other illegal services. Tor itself was created by the US government, however, and is often used by dissidents in countries such as Iran and China to circumvent government censorship and surveillance.

The collective said it asked company accused of hosting Lolita City to remove the child abuse material before launching its attack, to no avail.

It represents a shift of focus for Anonymous, which has previously targeted government organisations and corporations such as MasterCard and Visa for perceived violations of free speech online. Anonymous supporters have also recently joined the protests on Wall Street and outside St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Anonymous attack on paedophile websites was welcomed by some observers, but also raised questions about online vigilantism.

Graham Cluley of the British security firm Sophos said: “Their intentions may have been good, but take-downs of illegal websites and sharing networks should be done by the authorities, not internet vigilantes.”

“When 'amateurs' attack there is always the risk that they are compromising an existing investigation, preventing the police from gathering the necessary evidence they require for a successful prosecution, or making it difficult to argue that evidence has not been corrupted by hackers.”

Anonymous has pledged to continue its attacks on child abuse websites as part of a campaign it is calling “Operation Darknet”.

“It does not matter who you are, if we find you to be hosting, promoting, or supporting child pornography, you will become a target,” it said.

Ice Cream Sandwich coming to 'as many HTC devices as possible'

In Techradar

Having been burnt by Android upgrades in the past, HTC has had a good look at Ice Cream Sandwich, aka Android 4.0, before committing to upgrading as many handsets as it can.

The company's latest statement speaks of its caution in promising too much Android 4.0 action too soon.

It reads: "Since Google unveiled Ice Cream Sandwich earlier this week, HTC has been looking closely at the new OS's features and functionality to determine our upgrade plans.

"We're a recognised industry leader in providing fast and consistent upgrades to our Android devices, and Ice Cream Sandwich will be no different."

Upgrade slave
"Upgrades require a careful balance of hardware and software to ensure the best possible performance and usability, so please stay tuned as we assess our product portfolio," it continues.

"Our goal is to upgrade as many HTC devices as possible and we'll be sharing details on specific devices and timing in the coming weeks!"

Not sure what that exclamation mark is about, but we're not about to let it distract us from the memory of the HTC Desire Gingerbread palaver which gave Android updates in general a bit of a bad name.

No doubt HTC has learned from past mistakes, which will mean that only devices that can actually handle the software upgrade will get it – so expect that to mean the higher-end handsets, possibly the HTC Flyer and probably not the original HTC Desire.

Foreign hackers 'putting UK firms out of business'

In The Telegraph

Maj Gen Jonathan Shaw told The Daily Telegraph that cyber attacks represent the biggest threat to national security and that British firms are routinely having valuable commercial information stolen from them by overseas rivals.

In a recent instance, a firm in Warrington, Cheshire, that designed a revolutionary blade for wind turbines went bust after hackers stole the blueprint and produced a cheaper version.

Maj Gen Shaw, the head of the Ministry of Defence’s cyber security programme, said that Britain will lose its position as one of the world’s leading hi-tech manufacturers unless companies improve cyber security.

“The biggest threat to this country by cyber is not military, it is economic,” said Maj Gen Shaw, a veteran of the Falklands War and Iraq.

“The cyber threat could affect anyone, and we all need to take measures to protect ourselves against the threat it poses.

Microsoft Youtube Channel Hacked

In Cnet

The background on the channel has been changed to one that includes the title "Predator Cinema," and a message has been posted that says: "I DID NOTHING WRONG I SIMPLY SIGNED INTO MY ACCOUNT THAT I MADE IN 2006 :/"

The channel's archived videos have been removed and replaced with short clips titled "We are sponsoring!" and "Make us a background to get a Subbox!!!"

Microsoft confirmed the hacking of the channel this afternoon.

"We have regained control of the Microsoft channel on YouTube, and we are working to restore all of the original content," a Microsoft representative told CNET. " We will continue to work with YouTube to ensure safeguards are in place for the future."

This is the second high-profile YouTube channel to be hacked in the past week. Sesame Street's YouTube channel was hacked last weekend, leaving its normally family-friendly content replaced with pornographic content.

Apple sells 4 million iPhone 4S units in first weekend

In Cnet

Apple said today that it sold 4 million iPhone 4S units worldwide between Friday and Sunday. According to Apple senior vice president for worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, that figure is "more than double the iPhone 4 launch during its first three days." Last year, Apple announced that it sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 units in the smartphone's first weekend of availability.

That said, it's worth noting that at least in the U.S., the iPhone 4S had a bit of an advantage over the iPhone 4. When Apple shipped the iPhone 4 last year, the device was available only to AT&T customers. The handset then came to Verizon Wireless earlier this year and Sprint last week. The iPhone 4S, however, launched with availability on Sprint's and Verizon's networks, in addition to AT&T's service.

Apple's iPhone 4S, which launched on Friday, features the same design as the iPhone 4, but adds several improvements, including a dual-core processor, 8-megapixel camera, and full 1080p HD video recording. The device also ships with support for virtual personal assistant application, Siri.

Last week, several analysts chimed in on how many unit sales they expected Apple to sell over the weekend. The majority of those folks said that sales would likely hit between 2 million units and 3 million units. However, the Yankee Group thought sales could hit 4 million units.

"The biggest factor driving this is the huge loyalty associated with Apple phones," Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe said. "They have the highest loyalty of any of the smartphone OSes."

For the first time, Sprint was a beneficiary of that. The company reported on Friday that as of 10 a.m. PT, it had witnessed a record sales day. But it wasn't alone: by 1:30 p.m. PT, AT&T said that it had activated a record number of iPhones.

The success of the iPhone 4S in its first weekend of availability seems to eliminate all doubt over consumer reactions to the device. Earlier this month, when Apple unveiled the new iPhone, the company was expected to show off the iPhone 5, as well. That device, rumors suggested, would be the major update consumers were expecting. After it wasn't revealed, however, many called the event a disappointment. But the smartphone's early sales figures seem to prove that many consumers had a much different reaction to the smartphone.

It also appears that some folks are moving to the iPhone 4S from other platforms. In a small, informal poll Reuters conducted on Friday, the news service found that nearly 25 percent of iPhone 4S buyers were ditching a BlackBerry, Symbian, or Android smartphone for Apple's latest device.

Aside from the iPhone 4S, Apple also said that 25 million users have already started using its new mobile operating system version, iOS 5, and 20 million folks have signed up for iCloud.

Although 20 million iCloud users is impressive in its own right, some analysts believe the service will grow to much greater heights in the future. Over the summer, RBC Capital Markets released a study that found 76 percent of the 1,500 iPhone users it polled planned to sign up for iCloud. By applying that percentage to the entire market, the firm said that it believes as many as 150 million users could sign up for iCloud eventually.

Following its announcement, Apple's shares are trading up $1.10 to $423.10 as of this writing.

iPad 3 production starting before the end of the year?

In techradar

Analysts are reporting that Apple has scheduled production of the iPad 3 to begin before the year is out.

Jeffrey Fidacaro, analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group, reports in a note that manufacturers have orders to build at least one million iPad 3s in the fourth quarter of the year.

This latest note echoes Fidacaro's colleague Christopher Caso's intel from late last week. He claims that "iPad 3 has now shown up on AAPL's production forecast for a late-4Q start. We believe 0.6 million to 1 million units are forecasted for 4Q production."

And just what can we expect from the iPad 3 when it launches? Check out our video below for a comprehensive rumour round-up:

Open season for analysts

Not one to be left out of the pontificating fun, Ticonderoga Securities analyst Brian White threw in his two cents last week too:

"Our research is pointing to the unveiling of a lower priced iPad in the first few months of 2012 that is aimed at expanding the company's market potential by tapping into a more price sensitive consumer segment.

"Essentially, this 'iPad mini' will also fend off the recently announced Amazon Kindle Fire that addresses the low-end tablet market with a $199 price tag but could lead to bigger tablet ambitions from the online retailer in the future."

No sooner has Apple got one much-lusted-after iGadget out of the door do the rumours about the next one begin to surface. We'll be expecting to see an iPad 3 announcement made around March-April 2012.

Apple vs samsung war: Apple wins battle to block Samsung tablets in Australia

in BBCnews

Apple has accused Samsung of copying its touch-screen technology for its Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The two companies are embroiled in legal battles in nine countries.

Samsung is one of Apple's biggest challengers in the smartphone and tablet industry.

The decision by the federal court threatens to hurt Samsung's position in the Australian market, as it could miss the lucrative Christmas season.

The two companies have been locked in patent disputes since April, with each accusing the other of infringing patents.

Apple has already won a victory in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, banning the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1. An appeal hearing is expected in that case.

Last week, Samsung said it would try to stop the sale of Apple's iPhone 4S in France and Italy, accusing the company of infringing 3G transmission patents.

Nexus Prime rumours: what you need to know

In techradar

Google's third Nexus Android phone, officially announced back in May, is expected to be manufactured by Samsung, with many, many recent rumours claiming a model known as the "Nexus Prime" - or the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, also known as the Samsung GT-I9250, as some outlets have speculated - will be the new flagship Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich phone.

Samsung itself has already confirmed that a phone under the name "Nexus Prime" exists, thanks to a list of settings discovered on its own site - but the odd mixture of specifications it contained led some to believe it was simply a placeholder.

And whether it'll actually launch under the name Nexus Prime is still debatable (the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is gaining traction as the likely name), but the Nexus Prime UK release date will be late October or early November 2011. On 11 October it was rumoured that the Nexus Prime UK release date is 3 November.

As for an announcement, Samsung pulled its Unpacked event from an 11 October slot at CTIA, said to be due to the death of Steve Jobs though other rumours are suggesting that a patent dispute over Android 4.0 could be to blame with other rumours now pointing toward a Nexus Prime announcement on 18 October, along with Google's latest Android operating system, known as Ice Cream Sandwich.

Here's what else we know about the Nexus Prime handset itself.

Will the Nexus Prime be the Samsung Galaxy Nexus?

With the impending launch of Google's Ice Cream Sandwich Android OS seemingly confirming that the new phone will be launched too, some are starting to believe the name will actually be the Galaxy Nexus rather than the Nexus Prime.

Boy Genius Reports is... reporting that the phone will be announced as the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, complete with the undoctored Google OS, despite the Samsung moniker.

Like the way the Motorola Xoom and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 both were seen as the flagship models for Android Honeycomb, it's therefore possible Google is looking to ditch its name from the phone in order to make it appeal more to the mass market.

Nexus Prime specs

It's no surprise to learn the Nexus Prime will offer a decent leap above current Android phone specs. We're expecting it to be the first to arrive with a 720p resolution display (unless LG beats everyone to it with its HD LU6200).

New app uses brainwaves to track sleep quality

In Reuters

A new app that aims to improve both the quantity and quality of sleep uses brainwaves to track the amount of time spent in different stages of sleep.

Called Sleep Manager, the app synchronizes with a headset that measures brain activity, eye movement and other signals in light, deep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.

"The thing about sleep is that it's not just about how much you get - it's about the quality of your sleep," said Ben Rubin, co-founder of Zeo, which makes the app.

"In general, you want to optimize to get as much REM and deep sleep as possible."

A soft-sensor headband measures brainwave activity, muscle tone and eye movements, the same signals that would be taken by a professional sleep lab, but at a consumer level.

The signals are relayed through Bluetooth to the user's iPhone, iPad, or Android smartphone and uploaded to Zeo's website.

Rubin said that sleep tracking is only the beginning. After benchmarking sleep quality, Zeo uses this information to coach the user's sleep habits.

Studies have shown that when people wake up during the light sleep phase they are more refreshed, so the app has the ability to rouse users while in this state.

It also syncs with other apps such as RunKeeper, a running application, and DailyBurn, a nutrition planning app, to allow users to see how their sleep quality relates to their fitness and diets.

But not everyone is convinced that Zeo can provide accurate sleep data.

Rubin agrees there are limitations to the measurements that can be done but he said the app comes close to replicating a sleep lab.

"If you have two experts in a sleep lab scoring the same record, they agree with each other about 83 percent of the time," said Rubin. "Zeo agrees with those guys about 75 percent of the time. So we're about 7/8th as accurate as a full sleep lab," he added.

The company has an in-house sleep expert on their team, as well as an advisory board made up of sleep experts from Harvard University and the University of Colorado Bolder

anasonic Announces Android Tablets Targeted At Businesses

In techCrunch

Panasonic Japan has announced [JP] two Android tablets for the domestic market yesterday, the so-called BizPad JT-580VT (with a 7-inch LCD screen) and the JT-581VT (with a 10.1-inch LCD). Both devices run on Android 3.2 and are specifically targeted at businesses (hence the name).

What the tablets also have in common is that they are shock-, dust-, and water-proof. For example, Panasonic says the big model can absorb drops from a height of 80cm, while the smaller one can even handle 120cm.

Both devices also have an NFC reader, a replaceable battery, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, a USB port, GPS, a microSD slot, a ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core CPU, 1GB memory, 16GB flash, and infrared.

Google briefly confirms Ice Cream Sandwich release date

In Techradar

Ice Cream Sandwich - the latest calorifically-named version of the Android operating system - will be launched on 11 October, according to a brief glimpse of a placeholder page on Google's YouTube channel.

Update: Google and Samsung have cancelled their joint event next week. More here.

Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event is due to take place on the same day; the hot tip for that event is the unveiling of the Nexus Prime, which is set to be the flagship Ice Cream Sandwich phone - so all the pieces fit.

The timing of the livestreaming of the event on Google's own YouTube channel would be enough to confirm the launch, but the "Android ICS Launch" titled placeholder page reported by TechCrunch is a dead giveaway.

Vanilla OS

However, the placeholder page has now been removed and replaced with a typically Googley message that says: "This live event is no longer available. Sorry about that."

It could have just been a little slip-up by Google, whose approach to launching phone operating systems is a little more lackadaisical than Apple's super secretive announcements.

But the removal of the page gives us still fewer doubts that Ice Cream Sandwich will launch on 11 October, alongside Samsung's Nexus Prime smartphone.

Fake iphone 4S online

In CNET

A Chinese reseller, posting on the reseller Website EC21.com, is offering to sell the non-existent Apple iPhone 5.

As the launch of the latest AppleiPhone draws near, eager consumers should be cautious when buying devices from unauthorized resellers online, because they might be getting a fake.

Some experts estimate that up to 10 percent of technology products worldwide, or roughly $100 billion worth of technology product sales each year, are for counterfeit or fake products. Many of these products make their way into the U.S. market through online marketplaces, like eBay or Craigslist.

"Counterfeit devices are a very big problem in the secondary market," said Robert Auray, president and CEO GENCO Marketplace, a division of GENCO ATC . His company is a legitimate player in the secondary market. "One of the things we do is to control where the products are sold and to enforce protections for the customers who buy from us."

While Auray's company buys excess inventory from big retailers and manufacturers and then sells those devices to other sellers who may list products on a site like eBay or Amazon, the company says that all of its products are from legitimate suppliers. And it guarantees to its customers that the devices are authentic.

But Auray admitted that the launch of new and hot products, such as Apple's iPhone 4S, tends to attract the sale of counterfeit devices in many marketplaces. In fact, several Chinese online stores, including the business-to-business Website EC21.com, have already been selling the new "iPhone 5." Of course, the big catch is that there is noiPhone 5, since Apple announced the iPhone 4S earlier this week as its latest generation iPhone.

A popular online marketplace in China called Taobao.com, which has some 370 million registered users, was listing the fake iPhone 5 for as low as 200 Yuan or about $31, according to the Agence France Press.

Some of the smartphones offered are called "HiPhone 5" or "iiPhone 5" in an attempt to avoid accusations that they are counterfeit devices. But pictures of the devices show the Apple logo and look exactly like iPhones.

Chinese authorities have already seized fake versions of the iPhone 5, which the news agency Xinhua reported earlier this week.

A brief survey of popular consumer shopping Web sites in the U.S., such as eBay, Craigslist, and Amazon, didn't turn up what looked like illicit iPhone 5 or even iPhone 4S smartphones. But Theresa Mock, vice president of global marketing at Opsec Security, which helps companies protect their brands by scouring the Web for fakes, said counterfeits are likely coming.

The iPhone 4S will be launched in the U.S. and in six other countries next week. And experts are anticipating it to sell very well in all markets. Mock said that counterfeiters typically seed the market early with fake products right before a highly anticipated product launch, such as the one of the iPhone 4S.

Last year, Opsec compiled a report that found in the weeks and days before an official launch of a new smartphone, several suspicious listings for products from six manufacturers, namely Nokia, RIM, Apple, HTC, Samsung, and Motorola on reseller Websites. Opsec said that many of these products were being offered for deep discounts, with one seller offering 1,000 units per week at 65 percent below list price. The listings for devices advertised on the Websites also had features listed that hadn't been announced yet by the manufacturers.

"When it came in the mail, it was obviously a fake," she said. "The packaging didn't look right. The icons on the device and the logo from the company were a little different."

To help ensure you don't buy a fake iPhone 4S or any other kind of device, CNET assembled these questions that you should ask yourself before hitting the "buy" button.

Read more: http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-20117021-266/experts-warn-shoppers-of-fake-iphone-4ss-online/#ixzz1a6kDda4k

Apple Vs Samsung War

In BBC News

Samsung wants iPhone 4S banned in France and Italy Samsung claims Apple failed to license patented technology in the iPhone 4S Continue reading the main story

Samsung is seeking an injunction to get the new iPhone 4S banned from sale in France and Italy.

It claims that Apple has used 3G wireless technology, which Samsung invented, without paying for it.

A patent war between the companies has been rumbling on for months in courts around the world.

Apple has obtained temporary embargoes on its rivals' products in Australia and Germany and is seeking similar rulings in several other countries.

In a statement, Samsung said: "Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology, and we will steadfastly protect our intellectual property."

Patent law blogger Florian Mueller warned that Samsung was putting the cart before the horse by seeking an injunction before negotiating terms.

"Imagine what would happen if every participant in a standard-setting process could later shut down entire telecommunications networks even if the alleged infringers are willing to pay a royalty to be determined, in the event of a commercial disagreement between the parties, by a court of law," wrote Mr Mueller on his Foss Patents site.

Sales bans

Samsung's claim centres around two patents covering Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), part of the iPhone's 3G wireless connectivity.

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 has also been the subject of patent cases

Because the technology is essential to the functioning of modern phones, Samsung is obliged to license it to other manufacturers under Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

Conversely, the patents being enforced by Apple against Samsung in Germany, the Netherlands and Australia relate to specific innovations which it is not obliged to license - primarily around its touchscreen user interface.

It has also successfully argued before the courts that the look and feel of Samsung's Galaxy Tab gave a "clear impression of similarity.

As a consequence of the actions:

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is currently banned from sale in Germany.

A ban on sales of Samsung smartphones is due to come into effect in the Netherlands in October.

Samsung has postponed its tablet launch plans in Australia while its legal battle there is ongoing.

Many observers believe that Samsung is walking a fine line between standing-up to Apple and avoiding jeopardising valuable contracts with its occasional foe.

Samsung supplies parts for many of Apple's devices, including screens for some of its smartphones and tablets. The two companies are said to have agreed a components deal in February worth $7.8bn (£5bn).

RIP Steve JOBS

The man who made possible mass technology, making the revolution of the interface between man and machine twice (Computer & Smartphone).