Free Voice Calls From Google Hangouts App

Voice calls in Hangouts: call history (left); dialer (middle); in a call (right) (source: Google)

Free voice calls from Hangouts: "... Hangouts already makes it easy to send a quick message, or start a group video chat. But sometimes it’s best to just call to say “I love you,” and with the new version of Hangouts you can. Starting today you can make voice calls from Hangouts on Android, iOS and the web. It’s free to call other Hangouts users, it’s free to call numbers in the U.S. and Canada, and the international rates are really low. So keeping in touch is easier and more affordable than ever. To get started on Android, just grab the new version of Hangouts (v2.3, rolling out over the next few days), then install the accompanying dialer to turn on voice calls. On iOS and the web, voice calls
will be available the next time you open the app..."

Call phones in Hangouts: Worldwide Calling Rates

Turn any Hangout into a live video call with up to 10 friends or simply choose a contact to start a phone call from your computer. Who says you can’t be together even when you’re not?
Download Hangouts: Google Play | iTunes App Store | For your computer

More info on Google Hangouts

Exclusive: Nokia, Windows Phone Brands to be Replaced By Microsoft, Windows - Geek on Gadgets : Geek on Gadgets: "we can confirm that Microsoft will be completely dropping the “Nokia” branding from their devices, leaving “Lumia” as the hero brand for upcoming devices. In fact we understand that the Lumia 830 and Lumia 730 will be the final two devices to launch with “Nokia” branded on the phone.  Future devices will most likely carry the “Microsoft” name along with “Lumia”."

RadioShack's Last Hope for Survival: Shrinking Fast in Bankruptcy - Businessweek: "RadioShack’s mission—to shrink like crazy—hasn’t been accomplished fast enough. The ailing electronics retailer said on Thursday that it may not be able to avoid bankruptcy. While still holding out hope for new financing, the company acknowledged it could run out of money as soon as this month..."


CNN
Facebook testing disappearing posts
CNN
(CNN) -- If you want to use Facebook a little more like Snapchat, you might soon get your chance. The social-media giant is testing a feature that would ...

What Exactly Is the Facebook Messenger App for iOS Tracking? | Motherboard: "... iOS forensics and security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski spent Tuesday morning disassembling Facebook Messenger’s iOS binary, at one point declaring via Twitter that “Messenger appears to have more spyware type code in it than I've seen in products intended specifically for enterprise surveillance.” In an email, Zdziarski said that Messenger is logging practically everything a user might do within the app, from what and where they tap, to how often a device is held in portrait versus landscape orientation; even time spent in the Messenger app, versus the time it spends running in the background...."

NBCNews.com
US threatened massive fine to force Yahoo to release data
Washington Post
The U.S. government threatened to fine Yahoo $250,000 a day in 2008 if it ... communications by users of Yahoo and other U.S.-based technology firms. ... The original order to Yahoo came in 2007 and set off alarms at the ... including Google, Apple and Facebook — to comply with the data demands.
Documents Unsealed in Yahoo's Case Against US Data Requests - New York Times


New York Times
Microsoft Sees More Than Fun in a Game Like Minecraft
New York Times
Technology |​​NYT Now ... And Microsoft likes the game so much that the tech giant wants to buy Minecraft's parent ... Already, Facebook bought a virtual reality headset maker for $2 billion and the Japanese ... Last month, Amazon agreed to buy Twitch, a streaming video site, for more than $1 billion.
Culture Clash: Minecraft Fans Fear Microsoft - Wall Street Journal

Google Continues To Build Upon Its Life Sciences Ecosystem
Forbes
Google has a mission to organize the world's information and make it accessible to everyone. The company is mostly known for its search engine and ...


Wall Street Journal
Europe's Google Piñata
Wall Street Journal
Mr. Almunia said in February he was satisfied with Google's third offer, reached after two rounds of renegotiation following competitor input on ...

A Google Glass fit for the factory floor
Fortune
 ... It wasn't long after Google first revealed its Glass project in 2012 that technology companies ...


NPR (blog)
Is Amazon's Failed Phone A Cautionary Tale?
NPR (blog)
Amazon slashed the price of the Fire phone from $199 To 99 cents. ... Google has gone to great pains to build versions of Android that use less and ...

Google's studied silence on net neutrality finally broken
Washington Post (blog)
After a long silence, one of the Internet's biggest companies has finally weighed in on the latest net neutrality debate. On Wednesday, Google said it ...

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Samsung Dominance Threatened by Xiaomi (video)

Why Samsung Dominance Is Threatened by Xiaomi: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)
Andreessen Horowitz Partner Benedict Evans and IDC Director of Mobile Device Tracking Ryan Reith discuss earnings, competition and their outlook for Samsung on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg 7/31)

Samsung slips and Xiaomi takes China's mobe sales crown • The Register: "Xiaomi, the four-year-old Chinese hardware manufacturer whose CEO models himself on Steve Jobs (before he died,) has become the Middle Kingdom's largest seller of smartphones and eclipsed former market leader Samsung. "This is a phenomenal achievement for Xiaomi," said Shanghai-based Canalys Research Analyst Jingwen Wang, whose firm compiled the latest market data...."

When Will Microsoft's Nokia Handset Business Become Profitable? - Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) | Seeking Alpha: "... If Microsoft's projections are accurate, the Nokia handset [may]... start impacting positively on EPS in fiscal 2016. The Surface Tablet is, however, likely to continue losing money as Microsoft continues lowering its price points in a bid to become a ''mobile first, cloud first'' company."

Xiaomi Opens Up About Servers After Spying Allegations - Digits - WSJ: "... The company’s global vice president Hugo Barra told The Wall Street Journal that users’ personal information is not stored on the server in Beijing that sparked cyberspying rumors last month, and that Xiaomi only stores personal information on different servers with users’ permission...."

Will Android Benefit From Samsung's Woes? - Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) | Seeking Alpha: "... In the last quarter, however, Samsung saw a 15% sequential decline in operating profits, or a 25% decline from the same quarter a year earlier. A major stumble for the leading Android smartphone maker might suggest that another OS is on the rise, but a recent report from research firm IDC showed that the first quarter of 2014 saw Android market share continuing to grow, while iOS slipped...."

China Warns Microsoft Against Obstructing Probe - WSJ: "Chinese regulators on Monday publicly warned Microsoft Corp. against obstructing an antitrust investigation into the firm, in the latest sign that Beijing has turned frosty on the U.S. software maker. China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce said in a statement that Microsoft should avoid "interfering in or obstructing" the probe. The regulator also said it had questioned Microsoft Deputy General Counsel Mary Snapp as part of the investigation. About 100 SAIC investigators raided Microsoft's offices last week in four Chinese cities. The agency said Microsoft hadn't disclosed relevant information about some security features and how it ties its software products together...."

Baidu Jumps Through Hoops To Avoid Reporting Mobile Active Users - Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) | Seeking Alpha: "... Investors, analysts, and the markets seem to agree that Daily Active Users (DAU) are an important metric for evaluating online and mobile businesses. Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) clearly agreed with that, when in response to an SEC inquiry last year, Baidu told the SEC that "the number of average daily active users is the primary metric that the company uses to analyze and manage its mobile search offerings" (July 2nd 2013). In the same letter to the SEC, Baidu said it would provide DAU statistics, including the average number and growth rate, in their future annual reports. Yet when the 2013 annual report was filed, there was no mention of mobile DAUs...."

China's Fraught IPOs - QuickTake: "... Since 2000, foreigners have poured money into initial public offerings of China’s Internet companies. The total value of Chinese Internet companies on U.S. exchanges reached $8.4 billion in July. It’s a risky business, though, because nobody knows yet whether the Chinese government considers these companies legal...."

Why Billionaires Salivate Over the U.S. Wireless Market - Bloomberg: "... The bet is that wireless data will move beyond phones and tablets to a number of other devices, from cars to smartwatches to thermostats -- all requiring a way to connect to the Internet for updates and monitoring. If that vision comes true, there could be a gold mine in owning one of the few networks capable of handling that demand in the gadget-hungry U.S., where people have proved willing to pay steadily for wireless service even as spending drops elsewhere...."

USA FREEDOM Act update: How the NSA hurts our economy, cybersecurity, and foreign policy.: "More than a year after the Snowden revelations, we’re clearly still grappling with the effects of NSA surveillance. As Congress prepares for the August recess, Sen. Patrick Leahy has just introduced a new version of the USA FREEDOM Act, which aims to curb the NSA’s bulk collection and surveillance powers. Calls for immediate, serious reforms are growing louder by the day as new evidence continues to emerge about how much NSA surveillance is costing us—in terms of both the economy and our cybersecurity...."

New Report on the Costs of NSA Surveillance | Just Security: "...In its report, the Open Technology Institute finds that the costs of NSA surveillance are indeed quite high. For example, it shows that since the initial Snowden revelations U.S. businesses have reported declining sales abroad because of growing perceptions that U.S. firms are unable to keep customer data secure.  The cloud computing industry has been hit the hardest. The report also points to weakened U.S. diplomatic political power, including eroding credibility for the U.S. Internet Freedom agenda, damages to bilateral and multilateral relations, and weakened trust in Internet security more generally..."

Meet Minilock, a powerful new encryption tool built on ChromeOS | The Verge: "... A new Chrome app called Minilock wants to change that, and it's available free in the Chrome app store starting today. Developed by Nadim Kobeissi, the program has a simple purpose: encrypting single files for specific recipients. It's solid crypto, but more than that, it makes sense in a way that few programs of its kind do. Like a padlock, Minilock makes it obvious what's locked and what's unlocked. You'll always know who can open what, and you'll never wonder if you've locked it wrong. In the confounding world of modern cryptography, that's pretty impressive...."

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Are We in a Tech Bubble? (video)

We Don’t Believe We’re in Bubble: Stanford: Video - Bloomberg:
(Allow video to load after clicking play or go to link above)
Sherpaventures Managing Directors and Co-Founders Shervin Pishevar and Scott Stanford discuss the company’s first fund on “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg, July 22)

Microsoft's Profit Takes Hit on Nokia - WSJ: "An initial report card came in for Microsoft Corp.'s purchase of Nokia Corp.'s mobile phone business. As feared, the marks were poor. Nokia's former handset operation, which Microsoft bought for more than $7 billion in April, drained nearly $700 million from operating profit in the quarter, the company said on Tuesday. Cost-cutting to offset Nokia losses also represented the lion's share of 18,000 job cuts ordered last week by new Chief Executive Satya Nadella, the biggest workforce reduction in its history. The Nokia purchase could look smart in the long run if Microsoft is able to sell more of its smartphones and use them to lure customers to its software, Internet services and mobile apps. Initially, at least, that appears more hope than reality..."

For Apple, iPhone Roars and iPad Whimpers - WSJ: "Ahead of a refresh of the iPhone, Apple Inc. reported 12% profit growth and strong sales of its current handset, especially in markets far afield from its traditional customer base in the U.S. The iPhone results stood in contrast to iPad sales, which slid for the second consecutive quarter, raising questions about the future of Apple's tablet as the company gears up to launch bigger-screen iPhone models...."

U.K. Cabinet Office Adopts ODF as Exclusive Standard for Sharable Documents - ConsortiumInfo.org: "In making a decision that had been strongly opposed by Microsoft, the Cabinet Office’s decision reflects: …the government’s policy to create a level playing field for suppliers of all sizes, with its digital by default agenda on track to make cumulative savings of £1.2 billion in this Parliament for citizens, businesses and taxpayers."
more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenDocument
and https://chrome.google.com/webstore/search/odf

FCC running on dial-up | TheHill: "...“Their website’s been a disaster for as long as I can remember,” said Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the House Commerce subcommittee that oversees the FCC and a former radio station owner who dealt often with the commission. “The search engine is horrible, the website stinks... When I was in the business you’d try to plug in your call letters or whatever; never could find anything,” he added. “It’s horrible.” The flaws burst into the open during the commission’s recent efforts to write new regulations for net neutrality, the idea that all Internet traffic should be treated equally regardless of which websites people are visiting...."

Apple Documents Undisclosed iOS Services
InformationWeek
"Each of these diagnostic capabilities requires the user to have unlocked their device and agreed to trust another computer," Apple's documentation ...


USA TODAY
Facebook revenue jumps 61% on mobile ad strength
USA TODAY
Facebook is still a distant second to Google, but Google's share is expected to slip to 40% this year from 50% in 2012. Analysts also see promise in a ...


SFGate
Amazon Fire phone merely lukewarm
Boston Globe
Only two companies, Apple Inc. and Samsung Corp., make much money selling smartphones. Every other player -- HTC, LG, Microsoft, BlackBerry -- is either in the red or ... So the smartphone business is ideal for Amazon.com. ... We're all locked in to Apple iOS devices, and those running Google Inc.'s ...


Wall Street Journal
Microsoft Strives For One OS To Rule Them All
Forbes
Speaking to analysts about the Q4 FY2014 earnings numbers, Microsoft ... Apple has already been working toward that goal by meshing features of ...


Inquirer
Microsoft again writes off Surface inventory, renews profitability doubts
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft again took a hit on its Surface business, the company acknowledged Tuesday, although the extent of the damage was ...


Economic Times
Google tried to buy music giant Spotify
Computerworld
Google co-founder and CEO Larry Page also reportedly stymied the ... Apple, a major player in the music industry with the iPod and the ubiquitous ...


Forbes
Amazon Flexes Muscle Against Blogger Who Thought It 'Was Nicer Than Average Mega Corporation'
Forbes
Amazon has spent the last few months doing battle with a major U.S. ... and readying itself for mobile phone fisticuffs with Apple Apple and Samsung. ... delete his Facebookpage, which also had the same FireTVNews moniker. ... Amazon Lures Google Glass Creator Following Phone Launch · Ryan Mac ...


Wall Street Journal
Apple faces class-action lawsuit over work breaks
San Jose Mercury News
A San Diego judge's ruling raises the stakes in a lawsuit against Apple that accuses the tech giant of failing to provide its hourly workers with timely ...


Reuters
Apple posts biggest earnings gain in two years
Boston Globe
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple's growth prospects are brightening as ... Earnings rose at the highest rate in nearly two years as Apple Inc. sold 35.2 million iPhones during the period. ... screens on a variety of smartphones running on Google Inc.'s Android operating system. ... Facebook · Twitter · Google+ ...

Google is rolling out a new Material Design-inspired version of Google Play for Android
Jon Russell
Google's 'Little Box Challenge' to shrink a power inverter is now open for submissions ... Material Design homescreens have already landed for Google's Docs, ... Apple releases information about iOS in response to claims of a 'backdoor' for data ... Microsoft launches $114 Lumia 530 with 4-inch display.

Apple Working With Swatch For iWatch With Multiple Designs, Price Points?
Juli Clover
Apple may be working with manufacturing partners like Swatch to create ... Paparazzi, a 2004 smart watch created in collaboration with Microsoft .... Facebook Debuts New Read-It-Later 'Save' Feature for iOS and Desktop (14).

Amazon's Fire Phone Serves A Prime Strategic Purpose
Michael Comeau
And, arriving seven years after the debut of the first modern smartphone, Amazon's new entry lacks some key functions both Apple and Samsung ...

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Chrome Browser for Every Device

Desktops and laptops (Chromebook, Mac, Windows, including 8.1), tablets (Android, Windows, iPad) and smartphones (iPhones and Android), the Chrome browser works and syncs across all--

Chrome: the great mobile equalizer | ZDNet: "....Chrome for cross-platform use. It's free, full-featured, and designed to keep multiple devices in sync. The user only has to sign in and everything under the hood happens automatically. That means happier workers and IT support staff. Chrome is not perfect but it comes a lot closer than other browsers, especially in environments using all of the mobile platforms. While every individual and organization must take into account particulars to determine what works, it's prudent to remember Chrome."

Apple, Google Vie to Offer Exclusive Game Apps

Wall Street Journal
Apple, Google Vie to Offer Exclusive Game Apps ... In exchange, Apple and Google are offering to provide a promotional boost for these games by ...

Microsoft to wrap Nokia deal Friday, name subsidiary 'Microsoft Mobile'
Computerworld
Computerworld - Microsoft today said that it will close the $7.2 billion acquisition of Nokia's handset business on Friday, about eight months after ...

Apple Q2 preview: Can the smartphone cash-cow maintain momentum until iPhone 6 lands?
ZDNet
All eyes on Apple on Wednesday when it reports its fiscal second-quarter ... the weight · 10 things to learn from Facebook's approach to data centers.

Five features Amazon phone might offer
USA TODAY
Amazon hasn't confirmed that it has plans for a smartphone. Introducing such a device would be tough in a crowded market dominated by Apple and ...

Facebook Has A Mobile Ad Network On The Way, And It Could Be Huge New Business
SFGate
According to Re/code, Facebook will officially announce details of the ... The move will pitFacebook against Google's AdMob mobile network and ...

Apple's slippery slope toward search
CNET
As Bing has done for Microsoft, an Apple search offering could unify Siri and ... the iPhone's default browser -- Safari -- has search powered by Google.

Google Glass wearing doctors in Boston save patients life using device
Daily Mail
Google Glass could become an integral part of medical care in the future and has already been credited with saving the life of one patient in the United ...

Microsoft, Motorola Sign Android, Chrome OS Patent Agreement - The Next Web
By Emil Protalinski
Microsoft and Motorola Solutions today announced a patent licensing agreement ... Mobility, a mobile company Google recently acquired and is now selling to Lenovo. ... The company has made similar arrangements with Acer, Amazon, Barnes ... Facebook Is Reportedly Launching A Mobile Ad Network.
The Next Web

Report: Apple And Google Buy Exclusive Games With Promo Space - Kotaku
By Yannick LeJacq
The Journal specifically identified a deal struck between Apple and game ... Google andAmazon have also gotten in on the action by luring game ...
Kotaku

Apple adds A&E, History Channel, and Lifetime channels to Apple TV | 9to5Mac
By Zac Hall
Apple today has added three new channels to the Apple TV lineup: A&E, The History Channel, ... As a reminder, the latest version of the Apple TV software supports easily hiding ... Asus Google Nexus 7 2nd gen 32GB 1080p (Refurb) $170 shipped (Reg. ...Amazon.com Widgets ... 9to5mac on Facebook ...
9to5Mac

Microsoft will close Nokia acquisition on Friday — Tech News and Analysis - Gigaom
By Kevin Fitchard
After 8 months, Microsoft's purchase of Nokia's devices and services ... This week saw news of the upcoming Amazon phone which will surely run the ...
Europe

Apple answers a filmmaker's critique with a video of its own - Apple 2.0 -Fortune Tech
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
FORTUNE -- Apple (AAPL) continues to come under pressure from ... As if on cue, Appleon Monday released the attached video, titled "Better," in which a narrator who ... Secret co-founder: 'If I were Facebook or Twitter, I would watch closely' · Adam Lashinsky · Nadella: Microsoft needs a 'data culture'.
Fortune Tech: Technology blogs,...

Google Trends Now Lets You Subscribe to Search Topics - Search Engine Watch (#SEW)
By Jennifer Slegg
Google has announced a new feature to enable people to follow trending topics happening in the world or even down to a specific country, as well as ...
Search Engine Watch - Latest

New Video Goes Inside the Painstaking Design Process of Apple's HQ - Gizmodo
By Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan
New details about architect Norman Foster's design for Apple's Cupertino HQ have been slow to leak, but a new video from Unofficially Apple gives us ...
Gizmodo

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Nokia forks Android, deletes Google, adds Microsoft services

Editor's note: Microsoft should have just paid Nokia to fork Android into Microsoft Android a long time ago, forgot about Windows Phone, and then Microsoft wouldn't be hung with a money-losing phone hardware company that will eventually succumb to underpricing from Chinese rivals, a loser Windows Phone OS, and the disastrous Windows 8 effort to dumb down its desktop OS to a touchscreen tablet/phone UX.

Nokia embraces open source Android for new smartphone range | Technology | theguardian.com: "... The new smartphones run Android, but lack access to Google’s apps and services. Similar to the way Amazon has “forked” Android for its Kindle Fire tablet range, rather than using the Android found on most mainstream Android smartphones, Nokia has modified the Android software. It has heavily customised it to including both Microsoft’s and Nokia’s own apps and services like OneDrive and Here Maps instead of Google’s apps like search, Gmail and Google Maps...."

Forget about email, Zuck now into instant messaging --
Facebook ends its @facebook.com email address service, citing low usage by users - The Next Web: "Launched back in November 2010, the service was another effort by the social networking company to streamline all communications under a single umbrella."

Brazil, Europe plan undersea cable to skirt U.S. spying - Yahoo News: "At a summit in Brussels, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said the $185 million cable project was central to "guarantee the neutrality" of the Internet, signaling her desire to shield Brazil's Internet traffic from U.S. surveillance. "We have to respect privacy, human rights and the sovereignty of nations. We don't want businesses to be spied upon," Rousseff told a joint news conference with the presidents of the European Commission and the European Council."

Mozilla Promises $25 Smartphone 'Flood' | News & Opinion | PCMag.com: "...."What we are all about is bringing more people online," said Mozilla COO Jay Sullivan. To that end, the company is partnering with Shanghai-based Spreadtrum to design and build a device that costs just $25 and deliver them to OEMs across the world. Sullivan predicted that "the efficiency of Spreadtrum will create a flood of $25 smartphones."..."

Apple users in security warning
BBC News
The problem was first spotted on Apple's mobile devices which run the iOS 7 operating system. It relates to the way secure connections are made between Apple's safari browser and websites, including banking sites, Google and Facebook. These sites have ...

Microsoft: Android Nokia not our call to make
Computerworld
He reasoned that if the Nokia X line fueled large numbers of Microsoft Account sign-ups, the Redmond firm may be able to replicate long-in-the-past moves by both Apple andGoogle, which used iTunes and Gmail accounts, respectively, to pull customers ...

Microsoft Hardware Chief Julie Larson-Green to Take New Job
Wall Street Journal (blog)
Larson-Green said in an internal email Monday that she will become the Chief Experience Officer, a new position where she will be responsible for making Microsoft web services and software look good and work well on different kinds of computing devices.

Apple's security bug: What to know about it and what to do about it
Washington Post
Last Friday, the tech giant took the unusual step of releasing an update for its mobile operating system, iOS, to fix one bug — one that left Apple devices wide open to hackers and spies looking to grab users' most sensitive information. What is this ...

Google sets roadblocks to stop distracted driver legislation
Chicago Tribune
Google is lobbying officials in at least three U.S. states to stop proposed restrictions on driving with headsets such as Google Glass, marking some of the first clashes over the nascent wearable technology. Some eight U.S. states are considering ...

Microsoft Confirms Windows 8.1, Windows Phone 8 Updates
InformationWeek
Microsoft on Sunday confirmed that updates to Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone will arrive this spring. Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, corporate VP of Windows Phone Joe Belfiore said the upcoming changes will include UI tweaks to ...

Apple Joins Samsung in Telling EU to Cut Patent Trolls' Power
Bloomberg
Apple and Samsung are among 19 companies and associations that told the EU in a letter that a new court should limit the ability of companies that license technology to win court injunctions when the validity of the underlying patent is in dispute ...

Samsung's Gear Fit doesn't run Android or Tizen, and other surprises
CNET
Developers can make whatever apps they want for Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, but there's no open SDK for Gear Fit or Galaxy Gear, two of Samsung's top US mobile execs tell CNET.

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Google sells Motorola but keeps Project Ara, Advanced Technology group

Analysis: Sale of Motorola to Lenovo: a smart play by both Google and Lenovo. Lenovo gains market share and credibility as global smartphone maker, just as they did with computers in the 1990s when they bought IBM's computer division. Google unloads Motorola (with terms and conditions), retains patents and the advanced technology group. Moto X and Moto G are big success stories which Lenovo can leverage. Google can concentrate on Android and its Google services for smartphones. Expect the phase-out of Nexus devices and many more "Google Play" devices from multiple OEMs, each offering the pure Google Android experience. "Google Android" is the new "Microsoft Windows" of computing. Contrast the Google-Lenovo deal with the money losing strategy of Microsoft buying Nokia. Smartphones are being commoditized. Prices will continue to decline, which is good for the consumer, but expect pricing pressure to prove difficult for both Microsoft Nokia and Apple iPhone in the long-term. Without scale and ability to manufacture on thin margins, only a few companies (principally Asian) will emerge with the bulk of marketshare. Xioami and Lenovo both seem poised to expand globally. Within 3 years, Samsung, Lenovo, and Xioami look to be the dominant players.  Apple, Nokia and the others will be under severe pricing pressure from this point forward. In the meantime, Google will accelerate innovation of the Android operating system (which it gives away for free), and all Google services for smartphones.

Google to keep Motorola's Advanced Technology group, including Project Ara modular phone | The Verge: "The best part of Motorola is moving to the Android team - Google's blockbuster $2.9 billion sale of Motorola Mobility to Lenovo won't include the Advanced Technology and Projects group led by former DARPA director Regina Dugan. The news was confirmed today on a conference call with Lenovo, and sources familiar with the matter say the group will be integrated with Google's Android team, where Dugan will report to Sundar Pichai but maintain a more independent role. Dugan, who was named to The Verge 50 earlier this year, manages a team of just under 100 people, all of whom will be moving from their current offices in Sunnyvale to Google's Mountain View office..."

Google Keeps ‘Vast Majority’ Of Motorola Mobility Patents In Sale To Lenovo | TechCrunch: "Motorola Mobility is being sold to Lenovo, in a deal worth $2.91B. Google is divesting itself of the handset division it purchased for $12.5B in 2011, but it will keep some of the assets — including patents..."

Official Google Blog: Lenovo to acquire Motorola Mobility: "... Lenovo has the expertise and track record to scale Motorola into a major player within the Android ecosystem. They have a lot of experience in hardware, and they have global reach. In addition, Lenovo intends to keep Motorola’s distinct brand identity—just as they did when they acquired ThinkPad from IBM in 2005. Google will retain the vast majority of Motorola’s patents, which we will continue to use to defend the entire Android ecosystem. The deal has yet to be approved in the U.S. or China, and this usually takes time. So until then, it’s business as usual. I’m phenomenally impressed with everything the Motorola team has achieved and confident that with Lenovo as a partner, Motorola will build more and more great products for people everywhere."

Microsoft's Open Compute Move: Just Good PR?
InformationWeek
Microsoft surprised the tech industry Tuesday when it joined the open-source hardware movement, announcing at the Open Compute Summit in San Jose that it would offer the Open Compute Project (OCP) specifications used in Microsoft datacenters as well ...

Amazon to Offer Kindle Checkout System to Physical Retailers
Wall Street Journal
To accelerate the project, Amazon last year bought certain technology and hired some engineers from GoPago Inc., a San Francisco startup that offered checkout systems linked to a smartphone app, the people said. GoPago is now a unit of DoubleBeam Inc.

Microsoft is about to take Windows XP off life support
CNN
After April 8, Windows XP computers will be more susceptible to malware and viruses beginning, since Microsoft will no longer address major holes in the software. Although antivirus software will continue to fend off some malicious attacks, Microsoft's ...

Exclusive: Google close to settling EU antitrust probe - sources
Reuters
EU regulators will not seek feedback from the 125 rivals, including Microsoft and third parties, who commented on Google's previous proposals as they have a clear idea of their thinking after the last two market tests, the official said. RIVALS READY ...

5 Apple Patents Hint At Surprises
InformationWeek
If such a device comes to market, a 2011 Apple patent that describes an iPad keyboard accessory is sure to generate attention. The patent describes a flexible Smart Cover that doubles as a keyboard, broadly like Microsoft's Type Cover for its Surface line.
“Honey Encryption” Could Trick Criminals with Spoof Data | MIT Technology Review: "...Juels and Ristenpart will present a paper on Honey Encryption at the Eurocryptcryptography conference later this year. Juels is also working on building a system based on it to protect the data stored by password manager services such as LastPass and Dashlane. These services store all of a person’s different passwords in an encrypted form, protected by a single master password, so that software can automatically enter them into websites...."

MEXICO CITY: Monarch butterflies drop, migration may disappear - Technology - MiamiHerald.com: "The stunning and little-understood annual migration of millions of Monarch butterflies to spend the winter in Mexico is in danger of disappearing, experts said Wednesday, after numbers dropped to their lowest level since record-keeping began in 1993. Their report blamed the displacement of the milkweed the species feeds on by genetically modified crops and urban sprawl in the United States, extreme weather trends and the dramatic reduction of the butterflies' habitat in Mexico due to illegal logging of the trees they depend on for shelter."

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Microsoft Consumer Sales Tank and Nokia Windows Phone Sales Decline

Microsoft today: enterprise sales still strong but consumer sales in decline. Will enterprise follow?

Microsoft Windows Sales - Business Insider: "Basically, consumer PC sales are tanking, but sales to enterprises are strong.  Suh said Windows revenue for consumers was down 20%. Windows revenue for enterprises was up 12%. He said the consumer sales drop was affected by China, where there is an inventory build up. But, even if you don't include China, the consumer drop is still 14%"...".... didn't provide any guidance on whether corporations are buying Windows 8, or Windows 7 licenses. (If we had to guess, we'd guess Windows 7 is more popular since he didn't say anything either way. If Windows 8 was hot, Microsoft would want to brag about it."

Nokia Earnings - Business Insider: Nokia says it sold 8.2 million Lumia phones last quarter. Lumia phones are the devices that run Microsoft's Windows Phone 8 operating system. Lumia sales had actually been growing quarter over quarter in 2013, but saw a decline in the final quarter. It sold 8.8 million Lumias in Q3 2013.That's a troubling stat since sales declined during the holiday season.

Microsoft results show tough realities of company's expansion into hardware - GeekWire: "Microsoft this afternoon posted record revenue of $25.5 billion for the December quarter, an increase of 14 percent. And yet the company’s profits were up just 2 percent, to $6.56 billion. So what’s going on? A quick glance at Microsoft’s Devices & Consumer segment helps to explain what’s happening — and illustrates how the company is being reshaped by its expansion into hardware. Revenue in the Devices & Consumer segment was up 13 percent, to $11.9 billion, driven by strong sales of the Xbox One and Surface tablets. However, the segment’s gross profit declined to $5.8 billion — a decrease of 14 percent from the same quarter a year ago...."

Microsoft Form 10-Q: "Launched in October 2012, Windows 8 was designed to unite the light, thin, and convenient aspects of a tablet with the power of a PC." Problem: Windows 8 is a debacle - "Threshold" to be Called Windows 9, Ship in April 2015 | Windows 8 content from Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: "there's no way to sugarcoat this. Windows 8 has set back Microsoft, and Windows, by years, and possibly for good."

Microsoft Earnings Illustrate Move to Devices and Services From Software
New York Times
Apple's success in new product categories like tablets and mobile phones — and Microsoft's weakness in those areas — is a big reason Microsoft has taken the once unthinkable step of making its own computers and mobile phones, although both crimp...

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Goodbye Cookies, Nokia sales plunge

One more sign of the shift to mobile --

Google, Apple and other tech giants look to a post-cookie era - San Jose Mercury News: " . . . over the years, cookies have come under fire from privacy advocates who say their tracking is too intrusive. At the same time, advertisers say they've become increasingly less effective, in part because more consumers are using smartphones and other mobile devices that don't support cookie files. "Whether any of us likes it or not, cookies are going to disappear entirely or diminish to the point where they are not particularly useful," said Eric Bader, chief marketing officer at the online ad agency RadiumOne. . . ."

HELSINKI: Nokia in Q3 net loss as sales continue plunge - Technology - MiamiHerald.com: " . . . Although Nokia retained its no.2 position in mobile phone sales overall with a 15.5 percent global share, that was mainly thanks to its line of older, non-smartphones that still sell in some emerging markets. In smartphones, Nokia did not fare well. At less than 9 million units, its sales lag well behind Samsung's 88 million and Apple's 33.8 million. Even South Korean LG, with 12.7 million units, and China's Lenovo, which sold 11 million, surged past the former world No. 1 that once commanded a global smartphone market share of 50 percent."

Google's social network sees 37% jump in users
USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO — Google said Tuesday that its social network Google+ has seen a 37% jump in users in recent months. Vic Gundotra, head of social at Google, said Google+ has 300 million monthly active users, up from 190 million in May. Google+ ...

Google shoots for simplifying photography
PCWorld
Mastering photography is hard, and Google wants to make it easier with new features for its Google+ social network like more image auto-enhancement features and on-the-fly splicing of multiple exposures. Google announced the new features Tuesday with ...

Motorola aims for do-it-yourself smartphones
Reuters
Motorola wants to let consumers design their own smarpthones. The Google-owned manufacturer has launched Project Ara to create a free, open and ...

Facebook App Vulnerabilities Could Compromise Your Account
Tom's Guide
If you use the Facebook or Facebook Messenger apps on your Android device, be careful of downloading files through them. Two newly discovered vulnerabilities could give an attacker unrestricted access to your account. Information about the vulnerability ...

Apple plays defense and offense with free software, upgrade ...

Computerworld
And it puts the ball in Microsoft's court for a response. "Apple's concerned about the enterprise and Windows 8, where software selection is still largely in the ...

Talkin' Cloud

Google stock split near after judge approves lawsuit settlement

San Jose Mercury News
A Delaware judge on Monday approved a settlement in a shareholder lawsuit challenging Google's (GOOG) plans to split its stock and issue a new class of ...

Philly.com

Microsoft shareholders advised to vote against director Thompson

Reuters
Microsoft representatives did not immediately reply to a request for comment. ... way of radical reform at Microsoft, which has lost ground to Apple Inc and Google ...

The Australian Financial Review

Apple's iWork upgrade screwup has Microsoft laughing all the way ...

Computerworld (blog)
Apple might have thought it was doing Mac users a favor with its free upgrade of iWork last week, but Microsoft instead has been the recipient of the gift.

Apple Insider

Google's Irish tax affairs on the agenda again

Irish Times
As such, he predicts that Ireland will eventually prohibit companies like Google and Apple from setting up units in Ireland that don't owe income taxes there.

Irish Times

Can Amazon Flip A Switch And Start Making Profits?

Forbes
An interesting discussion here about whether Amazon can just “flip a switch” and start ... He started with Blogger that was sold to Google Google, then got Twitter ...

Wamda

Apple's profit concerns linger

CNN
The problem: Consumers are increasingly interested in a mix of older and less-expensive Apple products, and that weighs on profits. Apple's gross profit margin ...

Newsday

Apple Scores Another Beat - John Paczkowski - News - AllThingsD

John Paczkowski
Back in September, Apple said it expected revenue and gross margins for its fourth quarter to fall “near the high end” of the range it had previously provided ...
AllThingsD

Daily Report: Though iPhone Sales Climb, Apple's Profit Falls ...

By THE NEW YORK TIMES
But for the third consecutive quarter, Apple does not have more profit. ... Daily Report: AppleChallenges Microsoft, Offering Free Apps · Highlights and Analysis From Apple's Event · AmazonUpdates Kindle Fire Line ... Wired | With DARPA and Pixar alumni, Google is trying to change the way storytelling happens on ...
NYT Bits

Google's Authorship Project Dying?  

AJ Kohn, someone who focuses more on authorship and rich snippets than most SEOs I know, wrote a story named Authorship Is Dead, Long Live Authorship....
Search Engine Roundtable

Google lets Glass users invite three friends to Explorer program ...

Trevor Mogg
Google is about to hand out its high-tech Glass device to lots more people, but to ... Expanding Glass: Google lets Explorers invite three friends to try its high-tech specs ... Microsoft Surface 2 front start screen ... Amazon Kindle Fire HDX review.
Digital Trends

EU seeks comment on Google's latest anti-trust remedies (Update)
Google, under anti-trust investigation since 2010, submitted new proposals in ... 2010 following a complaint by several companies, including Microsoft. ... Apple on Monday reported that it raked in billions of dollars as iPhone sales .... iPhone iPad Apps · Blackberry App · Android App & Widget ·Amazon Kindle · PDA version.
Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories

Did You Miss Google Top Contributors Too? What It Means

Amanda DiSilvestro
Google Top Contributors help keep the Help forums going, and anyone can get involved. Learn if this is the right choice for you here!
Search Engine Journal

Samsung tops Apple in global smartphone shipments | Mobile ...
"Samsung shipped over two times more smartphones than Apple during the quarter," Neil Mawston,... If Google Glass could do this, it would start a revolution.
news.cnet.com/.../samsung-tops-apple-in-global-smartphone-s...

Another Way Samsung Can Copy Apple - NYTimes.com
Here's one idea that Samsung could safely copy from Apple: As a proportion of its $221 billion market capitalization, the South Korean giant's near $40 billion ...
dealbook.nytimes.com/.../another-way-samsung-can-copy-app...

Google Glass 2 is coming, finally compatible with prescription ...
The first version of Google Glass, with an internal-only glasses mod. A new version ... PlayingApple IIc games 30 years late through an online emulator museum ...
arstechnica.com/.../google-glass-2-is-coming-finally-compatibl...

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Microsoft, Nokia, Windows Phone, Missing Apps

Missing Apps Means Missing Sales --

Microsoft's $7.2 Billion Nokia Bet Not Luring Apps
Bloomberg
Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, currently has more than 175,000 applications for Windows Phone, compared with more than 900,000 for Apple iOS and more than 1 million for Google Android -- and even those apps that it does have typically come ...

Microsoft Charges Into Enterprise Cloud Market
InformationWeek
Microsoft announced a variety of enterprise products and services Monday, including discounts to its Windows Azure cloud platform. The unveilings accelerate the company's effort to move its services to the cloud, and to compel businesses to build ...

Amazon Wins Ruling for $600 Million CIA Cloud Contract
Bloomberg
Judge Thomas Wheeler of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in Washington granted Amazon's request for judgment on the administrative record following a hearing yesterday, according to a minute order posted on the court's electronic docket. A written ...

Google teams up with HP to offer lightweight, $279 Chromebook laptop
Los Angeles Times
The Chromebook 11 goes on sale starting Tuesday and can be purchased from Best Buy, Amazon, Google Play and HP Shopping. An LTE-compatible version of the ...

Amazon offers perks to customers who buy certain apps

CNET
Amazon's app store has roughly 100,000 apps, but that figure is overshadowed by the 375,000 apps that developers have created specifically for Apple's iPad....

ReadWrite

Amazon takes on PayPal, now offering Amazon login and pay service to online business: "For Amazon, that means a (unknown) cut in the sales margin by acting as middleman. For businesses, it means an easy implementation of a widely used system (a "set of widgets and APIs" are all that's needed to get the pay service running on your site). And for customers -- all 215 million active Amazon account holders -- it means their Amazon login will now work across the web (where implemented, that is)."

Google, Android, Malware
InformationWeek
. . . the gist of a presentation at last week's Virus Bulletin conference in Berlin by Google's Android chief of security Adrian Ludwig, who reported that only 0.001% of apps downloaded by Android users pose any harm to their devices or data. ...

Apple-Led Import Ban on Certain Samsung Products Takes Effect

TIME
The latest update in the seemingly endless patent feud between Samsung and Apple finds that an Apple-won ban on the sale of certain Samsung phones and ...

Newsday

Is Google next to make a smartwatch?

San Jose Mercury News
After Samsung's Galaxy Gear, rumors suggest that Google will be the next... firms within Apple's supply chain that they had received orders to build the device....

Computerworld

Amazon goes for PayPal jugular with 'login and pay'

USA TODAY
SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon.com stepped up competition with eBay's PayPal division Tuesday by launching a new service that lets its more than 215 million ...

ZDNet

Apple Moves Closer to China Mobile With Ad Seeking Network Skill
Bloomberg
Apple Inc. (AAPL) wants to hire an engineer with extensive knowledge of China Mobile Ltd. (941)'s homegrown phone network, evidence it's moving toward an ...

Amazon adds India to its Android app

IBNLive
New Delhi: Amazon.in announced the availability of its app for Android users in India. In other words, the company has now added India to its Android app....


IBNLive

Google Takes on TV Schedules (And TV Guide)

TIME
Google Takes on TV Schedules (And TV Guide). New feature in ... AGoogle logo is seen at the entrance to the company's offices in Toronto September 5, 2013....


NDTV

Google Play adds HBO's Game of Thrones and 6 other shows

PCWorld (blog)
All Google Play prices are in line with those on other streaming services, including Amazon's video service. Also, as with other services, current season ...

Macgasm

Microsoft updating Skype for new Kindle Fire tablets, iOS 7 devices

ZDNet
Summary: Microsoft is rolling out new Skype updates for Android tablets, ... Fire HD and HDX tablets, as well as current support for Apple devices running iOS 7....

Apple Will Hold Fall iPad Event on October 22 - John Paczkowski ...

John Paczkowski
Worth noting: The date of Apple's fall event coincides with both Nokia's Innovation Reinvented showcase, and the retail debut of Microsoft's new Surface 2 in the ...

AllThingsD 

Apple iMac review (2013) - Engadget

Dana Wollman
This is an "s" year for Apple, and no, we're not just talking about the iPhone. ... quite similar to whatApple already does with the iPhone, and what Microsoft does .... That's available now on Amazonfor $1,650 with a Core i5 processor, 8GB of .... to Financial Publishers · PHP On Google App Engine Now Generally Available ...
Engadget RSS Feed 

Google Nexus 5 rumor roundup: $299 starting price, November 14 ...

Brad Linder
Google's next-generation Nexus smartphone is almost certainly going to be built by LG, feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor, full HD screen, and ...
Liliputing

Scientists Uncover First Ever Evidence of Exploding Comet Striking Earth
Science World Report
Scientists have uncovered the first ever evidence of an ancient comet that entered Earth's atmosphere before exploding in a spectacular display. The resulting shock wave rained down a wave of fire which obliterated almost every life form in its path.

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