Recent Cellular News

Android passes iPhone in U.S. traffic during March

April 27, 2010

AdMob, a mobile advertising company that is in the midst of being acquired by Google, uses requests to see mobile ads as a way to measure traffic in the smartphone market. Based on data from March, Android traffic in the U.S. surpassed that of the iPhone for the first time. AdMob's metrics showed that Google's open source operating system owned a 46% share vs, a slumping 39% for Apple's touchscreen device. Android is really becoming a broad segment of different handsets. In September 2009, the HTC Dream and Magic represented 96% of the Android landscape. Seven months later, 11 devices added up to count for the same 96% share. As of last month, Android 1.5 and 2.1 represented 38% and 35% respectively of the Android pie. Also as of March, Motorola was the leading manufacturer of Android handsets with 44% of the market. With 43% is HTC and Samsung is a distant third with 9%. That will probably change in HTC's favor with the launch of the super sexy Droid Incredible on April 29th and the June release of the EVO 4G for Sprint. In the U.S., the top three Android devices as of March were the Motorola DROID, HTC Dream and Motorola CLIQ. In the U.K., the top three were all HTC manufactured phones-the Hero, the Dream and the Magic.

Source: (www.phonearena.com)

Sprint employees fired for capturing shoplifter

April 27, 2010

"Mike and I thought we did the good deed of the day," says Paul Shoemaker -- and why wouldn't he?

After all, Shoemaker and Mike McGee, co-workers at a Sprint outlet at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, were heading on break when they heard a cry for help from an aging security guard as a shoplifting suspect blazed past them -- and instead of ignoring this plea, they chased the guy down, caught him, and held him until mall security and police arrived.

Their reward for this heroic action? They were fired.

McGee and Shoemaker were veteran Sprint employees, having worked for the company for four years and six years, respectively -- and both of them are in good shape. McGee works a side job as a security guard at Lodo's Bar and Grill, while Shoemaker serves as a volunteer firefighter in the Denver metro area.

Their awareness of shoplifting was heightened as of April 16, when the incident took place, due to the previous day's theft of an iPad from an Apple Store a few spaces away from their shop. That incident, for which twenty-year-old Brandon Darnell Smith was subsequently arrested, wound up making headlines across the country because the victim, Bill Jordan, had most of his pinky finger torn off during the crime.

According to Shoemaker, Jordan "was attacked at 4:30 the night before" their encounter with a shoplifter. "I was working at the time, and you could see drips of blood -- a trail of it on the lower level down by the food court."

Cut to the 16th, when, McGee says, "we were heading out of the store to take our break, when we heard this security guard who was probably in his mid- to late-fifties yelling, 'Help! Somebody stop that guy!'"

"I looked to my left," Shoemaker chimes in, "and I see this kid running by. He's carrying something in a black fleece jacket like it's a football."

They didn't know whether the man had snatched "the purse of a single mom who wouldn't be able to make rent without it, if he had a baby in there, or what," McGee says. "We had no idea."

But they knew what to do. Shoemaker says, "I looked at Mike for a couple of seconds and saw what he was thinking, and he saw what I was thinking. And we took off running."

The chase went through one of the mall's anchor stores, Macy's, after which the suspect "exited out the doors by the underground parking garage," Shoemaker says. "And right at that point, I made contact with him. If I remember correctly, I put one arm on him, and he was fighting, so I wrapped him in both of my arms, and he ended up taking me down."

"When I first got to him, he was on top of Paul on the ground," McGee confirms. "And I helped restrain him, got him to calm down."

"Mike got him off me and we moved him to this little curb, because we were in the middle of the road," Shoemaker explains. "And by then, the security guard had come out. He said he needed to run to his car to phone the police and get his handcuffs. So we sat there for a couple of minutes, until an off-duty Denver police officer came up and said, 'Do you need any help? I've got handcuffs.'"

Before long, on-duty Denver cops and representatives of mall security had joined the crowd. As for the guard who'd been giving chase, he worked for the same Apple Store hit by Smith the previous day. The suspect allegedly grabbed several pieces of Apple software retailing for just over $500.

Shoemaker and McGee filled out paperwork for the mall and the police, accepted heartfelt congratulations for their quick thinking, and then returned to the Sprint store. About fifteen minutes had elapsed; their break was over.

Word soon got around about the pair's actions, and they were treated like minor celebrities by fellow mall workers. For instance, Shoemaker says, "The lady at the Apple Store was so thankful. And she told me, 'We've been sending you business over the last week,' because a drive that Sprint supports works really well with their iPad. They were telling people to come over and get it from us."

All was good until last Thursday, when the situation took an unexpected turn for the worse, with McGee and Shoemaker receiving corporate e-mails asking them to describe the shoplifting incident. Then, and only then, did they find out that Sprint had a policy stating that employees shouldn't confront thieves. "It doesn't say anything about things happening outside the store," McGee notes. "It does say they don't want you to detain them and hold them, but it doesn't say doing it is punishable by corrective action or termination. It's a very gray area, the way it's written up."

Apparently not. The next day, Shoemaker and McGee were called in to separate meetings, where they were told that their Sprint days were over. "They didn't really tell us anything," Shoemaker says. "They didn't let us know where they were coming from. They just said, 'We looked into it further, and you're fired.' They labeled it a form of misconduct."

To McGee and Shoemaker, that's a highly questionable conclusion. The incident took place outside the Sprint store while they were on a break, it involved a criminal who had stolen goods from another business entirely, and they had responded to a request for help. In addition, they had never been told not to intervene in a shoplifting situation, despite having been longtime employees, with Shoemaker even serving in a management capacity for a time. Taking all that into account, they believe they should have been told not to do what they'd done again rather than getting canned.

To express their sense of injustice, Shoemaker, at the urging of his fellow volunteer firefighters, created a Facebook page telling their story. It went live on Saturday afternoon, and at this writing, it registers 265 friends and climbing rapidly. On top of that, they've told their story to a couple of local TV stations (to which Sprint offered no comment) and a radio outlet -- and the feedback they've received has been entirely supportive of their situation.

Nonetheless, neither of them say they want to sue Sprint for wrongful termination -- at least right now. Why not?

"I liked my job a lot," McGee says, "and I didn't want to lose it. But at this point, I'm not sure I could go back to it and be treated fairly anymore."

As for Shoemaker, he says, "I think with me being just one fish in a sea of millions, I'm not going to get anywhere with a single attorney -- plus, the cost of it would be more than what I'm looking for. I'm not out there trying to make money off of this. I know there are a lot of people who sue companies because their coffee is too hot, but that's not me."

Even so, Shoemaker stresses the hardships with which he's now faced because of the firing. For one thing, he's engaged to be married -- a terrible time to face an unexpected loss of income.

Still, getting the opportunity to tell his story has helped. "I'm glad everybody is supporting us," Shoemaker says. "It makes me feel good to feel I'm not the one who screwed up. That's important to me."

Same goes for McGee. But he's got one more message: "We're both looking for jobs."

Source: (www.blogs.westword.com)

T-Mobile Will Skip Overage Charges, Throttle Data

April 27, 2010

T-Mobile today announced changes to its pricing structure for users on its webConnect data plans. Previously, T-Mobile offered a 5GB monthly plan, and users paid a per/megabyte fee for going over that cap. Now, T-Mobile will stop charging the extra fee and will instead slow down users' data connections after they hit the 5GB limit. Subscribers using T-Mobile's 200MB monthly plan will still pay the data overage fee, but this fee has been reduced by half, so now users will pay $0.10/MB instead of $0.20/MB. For a limited time, T-Mobile is also offering discounts for new contracts or additional data lines on an existing contract.

Source: (www.phonescoop.com)

Apple Considering ARM Purchase for $8 Billion

April 27, 2010

According to a report by the London Evening Standard, Apple is considering the purchase of the Cambridge UK based Advanced RISC Machines Ltd. for $8 billion. Such a move is not outside of the realm of possibility for the company as it formed the chip manufacturer in 1990 as a joint venture with Acorn Computers and VLSI Technologies.

ARM currently supplies chips for a majority of mobile phone manufacturers and is experiencing a resurgence thanks to its Cortex system on a chip along with providing chips for router manufacturers and video game console manufacturers Sony and Nintendo respectively, but neither of the aforementioned come close to the volume acheived by Apple as ARM also provides chips for the iPhone, iPod and recently released iPad.

Understandably, other manufacturers are concerned with the report, as the potential for a purchase would place ARM chip supplies in doubt since Apple may decide to eliminate chip sales to third-parties, leaving electronics manufacturers and designers scrambling for alternatives.

Source: (www.phonenews.com)

RIM Tries to Close Gap on Software

April 27, 2010

Research In Motion Ltd. unveiled plans to update the software that drives its BlackBerry devices Monday, a major step if it is to chip away at the lead in consumer applications opened up by rivals Apple Inc. and Google Inc.

While RIM is the leading seller of smartphones in North America, it has been slow to match the advances in touch-screen technology, Internet browsing and add-on software that have helped the iPhone and devices built on Google's Android platform cut deeply into its lead.

At risk is RIM's success selling devices to consumers, which have been driving the company's recent growth. The new operating system will arrive between July and September, said co-Chief Executive Mike Lazaridis. But the company is still trying to pull even with rival devices that will see significant upgrades in the next few months.

"Every month, the technology gap grows," said Tero Kuittinen, a wireless analyst with MKM Partners equity research.

The company said the new operating system 6.0, announced at its investor conference in Florida, is among the biggest overhauls of the BlackBerry's core software in years. It will support a new Web browser that will load pages more quickly, have pan and zoom functions, and allow users to access more than one page at a time.

Brian Blair, a technology analyst with Wedge Partners, said it appeared to address what consumers wanted and would put RIM into the same ballpark as Apple and Google. Other analysts said the improvement is only the first of many RIM will have to make to catch up.

While much of the industry has moved to touch-screen phones with fast Web browsing and multimedia applications, RIM has clung its original recipe for success emphasizing devices with full keypads, easy-to-use email and strong security.

On Monday, RIM announced modifications to two existing BlackBerrys, including a version of the Bold that runs on Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. networks, but didn't unveil a new touchscreen device.

Heavy carrier promotions have made BlackBerry devices accessible overseas to teens and other consumers far from its core U.S. business users, boosting its share of the global smartphone market last year to nearly 20%, from 16% in 2008, according to researcher Strategy Analytics.

Still, RIM's shortcomings when it comes to software are starting to take a toll. The company's share of the North American market—slipped to 41% last quarter from 51% a year earlier, amid strong sales of the iPhone and Android devices.

RIM appears particularly vulnerable in the burgeoning areas of wireless apps. Analysts and market watchers say RIM is falling behind in the race to attract software developers.

"At the moment the focus of the development community is on Apple and Android," says Eric Litman, chief executive of MediaLets, a New York-based provider of wireless advertising software.

RIM has just 5,000 applications for the BlackBerry compared with more than 185,000 for the iPhone and 38,000 for Android, according to Strategy Analytics.

RIM co-CEO Jim Balsillie argued Monday the application business isn't about quantity. The company, he said, is working with developers to create a set of applications that most people would find useful. RIM has taken steps to make it easier to develop apps tailored to its users and wireless advertisements.

Josh Koppel, co-founder of ScrollMotion, maker of the Iceberg electronic book reader for the iPhone, said RIM doesn't offer enough models with touchscreens and uses development software that is much harder to work with than tools from Apple.

Mr. Koppel said his company plans to release apps for Android later this year, but won't commit to supporting Blackberry. "The BlackBerry is amazing, but the development tools were pretty brutal to work with," he said.

Source: (www.online.wsj.com)

Shot girl gets text message apology

April 22, 2010

What's lovely about the new methods of communication so beloved by today's youth is that they haven't caused people to lose their sense of propriety, their sense that there's a way to do things.

Yes, kids might prefer to text rather than talk these days, but that doesn't mean their texts don't convey true, heartfelt sensitivity toward that fellow human. So I know you will appreciate a story emerging from what I used to consider the rather sedate area of Huntington Beach, Calif. (Didn't Shaq used to live there?)

According to the Orange County Register, which is surely read by all real housewives and their aspiring young ones, two girls appear to have arranged to fight in Sun View Park. I know, I know. It sounds like a prospective Miller Lite commercial. But, please bear with me, as one of the attendees to this little open-air Fight Club appears to have been bearing arms.

History does not yet record what engendered the fight. Perhaps someone had called someone else the b-word or the s-word. Perhaps someone had been caught kissing someone else's clean-shaven but otherwise disheveled beau.

In any case, the twin sister of one of the the combatants--or should that be combatantes?--was shot. Did I mention she was 15? Perhaps not. But it seems her injuries were not life-threatening, as she was only punctured in the ankle and the shin.

But why is this a tale of modern technology's tentacles of politeness? Well, because, shortly after the shooting, the twin sister who was still whole reportedly handed the police her shot sister's cell phone. And on that cell phone was a message of apology, freshly sent, from a person unknown. It was a message of apology for the shooting.

Could one imagine that John Wilkes Booth, had he enjoyed the luxury of mobile telephony, would have sent a text to Abraham Lincoln to say "sorry?" Perhaps not. It is surely a signal of how far the world has come that the immediate aftermath of such a shooting was a texted "sorry". Without, it seems, even a trace of an LOL.

The police, reportedly, aren't yet sure who might be responsible for this heinous act. (The shooting, not the text.) They say that four different gangs have been rumored to be responsible. However, surely they should be looking for someone who is always nice to their Mom and never fails to help old ladies cross the road.

Source: (www.news.cnet.com)

Apple Profits Surge, Boosted by iPhone Sales

April 22, 2010

Apple posted its best non-holiday quarter on record, nearly doubling its profit on "staggering" sales of iPhones, leaving little doubt that consumers are beginning to open their wallets as the economy improves.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company said its revenue vaulted 49 percent to $13.5 billion, as consumers snatched up 8.75 million iPhones in the period, more than twice as many shipments compared with a year ago. Net income rose to $3.07 billion, well above $1.62 billion in the year-ago period.

"We're thrilled to report our best non-holiday quarter revenue ever," said Steve Jobs, Apple's chief executive.

The company said demand for its popular smartphone had been particularly strong in international markets, which accounted for 58 percent of its sales in the quarter. Sales of the iPhone skyrocketed by more than nine times in China, while overall revenue in Europe surged 63 percent, rose 51 percent in Japan, and nearly tripled in Asia Pacific to nearly $1.3 billion.

"The iPhone was off the charts," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's chief financial officer.

Apple's results don't include the sales of the recently launched iPad tablet, which hit store shelves earlier this month. Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook said that the initial demand for the tablet device "shocked us" and sales have exceeded expectations. But, the company didn't update its previous statement that it had sold half a million units in the first week.

"We've launched our revolutionary new iPad and users are loving it," Jobs said. He also added that "several more extraordinary products" were in the pipeline for this year, of which, analysts expect a new iPhone -- rumored to be called the iPhone HD -- for a launch in June or July.

The new device will feature an A4-class chip, a 960 by 640 pixel touch screen display, a front-facing camera and run iPhone OS 4.0 software with third-party multitasking.

Apple is the latest handset maker to report improved results that show consumers bouncing back from the global recession. Rival Sony Ericsson said last week it swung a quarterly profit, its first in nearly two years, citing strong sales of high-end smartphones.

Source: (www.mobiledia.com)

Teens Prefer Texting to Talking

April 22, 2010

A third of U.S. teenagers send more than 100 texts a day as messaging has surged to become the most popular means of communication for young people, a new survey found.

The new study by researchers at Pew Research Center and the University of Michigan found that text messaging has risen dramatically to eclipse every other form of interaction, including phone calls, instant messaging, social networking -- and talking face-to-face.

Girls send texts at a rate nearly three times that of boys.

"Texting is now the central hub of communication in the lives of teens today, and it has really skyrocketed in the last 18 months," said Amanda Lenhart, a researcher at the Pew Research Center. "There is definitely an element of text messaging that fits so seamlessly into their lives."

But text messaging has also become a rising source of conflict with parents and schools, which unlike phone calls and computers, can be quietly carried out under the noses of authority figures.

"Texting is a much different experience than calling somebody on a land line, where you might get their parents," Lenhart said. "There's an element of ownership for teenagers around texting."

The study found that 48 percent of parents keep track of their children's whereabouts -- either through GPS or by calling to check in.

While many schools have banned phones from classrooms, seeing them as a "disruptive force," administrators admit they are fighting a losing battle against stealth texters. More than half of teens with handsets surveyed still say they have sent texts during class.

Despite the recent media fuss about "sexting," only 4 percent of teens say they have sent sexually explicit messages or nearly nude photos of themselves over a phone. Those who pay their own wireless bills were more likely to send "sexts" than those whose parents pay for all or part of their bill.

The study also offered a glimpse into the subtleties of teen culture and communication. For instance, while boys don't typically use punctuation, for girls, smilies and other nuances are essential.

"If a girl puts a period at the end of a text message to another girl then it comes across as she's mad," said Scott Campbell, the study's author. "They have these practices because they've learned that texts can lead to misunderstandings."

Handset makers have long seen the shifting trend to texting and developed phones, like the Sidekick, that are focused on the teen market. Most recently, Microsoft announced a new line of touch screen phones -- called the Kin One and Kin Two -- that offer special software that aims to help connect with friends and family online.

Source: (www.mobiledia.com)

CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment Expo Rebranded to Enterprise & Applications

April 22, 2010

The Fall CTIA expo in Wireless IT & Entertainment has been rebranded to the Enterprise & Applications Expo to better reflect the industry-wide shift to the integration of mobile technology and application development within enterprise settings.

The Fall edition of the CTIA expo was formerly dedicated to developments in mobile software as well as music, gaming and information technology with show partners announced in the American Telemedicine Association, the Wireless Industry Partnership and the Telecommunications Media Group.

The event is scheduled to take place on October 6-8 in San Francisco.

Source: (www.phonenews.com)

Apple Confirms Lost Device Is Its iPhone

April 22, 2010

In response to images and video posted of an unannounced version of the Apple iPhone by tech blog Gizmodo, Apple has responded through its attorneys to ask for the device back. The device was lost by an Apple software engineer in March and eventually fell into the hands of Gizmodo. Gizmodo analyzed the device and posted a lengthy article that included a tear-down of the device. Some of the internal components were labeled "Apple". Site editorial director Brian Lam received a letter from Bruce Sewell, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Apple, which said, "It has come to our attention that Gizmodo is currently in possession of a device that belongs to Apple. This letter constitutes a formal request that you return the device to Apple." By requesting the device be returned, Apple confirmed that what Gizmodo had was at the very least a prototype version of the next-generation iPhone if not the next-gen iPhone itself. Apple did not confirm any details about the device.

Source: (www.phonescoop.com)

FCC Reverses Home Roaming Rules

April 22, 2010

Today the Federal Communications Commission overturned a 2007 decision about rules regulating wireless roaming. Wireless network operators will now be required to offer voice roaming services to other carriers in areas where those carriers own spectrum but have yet to build network coverage. The new rules make it mandatory for carriers to forge reasonable agreements about voice roaming. The FCC today also indicated that it is giving thought to applying the same rules to data roaming. Last, the FCC furthered its agenda of transitioning where the Universal Service Fund money is spent. Now, the money is spent expanding voice services to rural areas. The FCC wants the money to be spent on expanding broadband services in those areas instead.

Source: (www.phonescoop.com)

AT&T CFO Sees Tiered Pricing Future for Carriers

April 22, 2010

As part of the company's second quarter earnings call, AT&T Chief Financial Officer Rick Lindner hinted that the future for carriers selling data plans will be a tiered model based on usage, instead of today's pseudo-unlimited model. Lindner explains that the growing disparity between high volume smartphone users and lower traffic users justifies tiered model, but claimed that tiered plans would be fair and equitable, according to Connected Planet. Lindner cited challenges facing the data carriers, including the growth of embedded devices, like the Apple iPad and other consumer devices, as well as limitations in the network technology and available spectrum. The CFO offered no specific plans or details, but clearly the issue will need to be resolved before AT&T deploys its upcoming 4G network.

Source: (www.phonescoop.com)

Replacement Batteries Don't Always Live Up to Claims

April 22, 2010

Based on a test report created by Doug Simmons, third-party replacement batteries don't necessarily pack the same juice that the OEM batteries do. In testing the capacities of a number of OEM and replacement batteries, Simmons found that most manufacturer batteries matched, or nearly matched, their rated capacity. For example, the OEM battery for the Nexus One is rated at 1400mAh, and tested at 1357mAh, or 97% of its rated capacity. Replacement batteries from companies such as Seidio and Mugen were often tested at only 80% of their rated capacity. For example, a replacement battery made by Mugen for the HTC TouchPro2 was rated at 1800mAh, but only tested at 1414mAh. That's 79% of the capacity it should be. Mugen has disputed Simmons' methods and results, but Simmons recommends that people stick with batteries made by the maker of the mobile phone for best results.

Source: (www.phonescoop.com)

Apple to Sell iPad 3G on April 30

April 20, 2010

Apple said the high-speed model of its iPad, which can run on AT&T's 3G network, will hit store shelves on April 30, and international pricing for the tablet computer will be announced on May 10.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has sold more than 500,000 units of its Wi-Fi version in the week following its April 3 release.

The iPad 3G, which also has Wi-Fi, has a color touch screen display for browsing the Internet, viewing movies, playing games and sending email, and will have a suggested retail price of $630 for a 16GB model, $730 for 32GB and $830 for 64GB.

Apple also said it will begin taking international pre-orders on May 10 for an end of May release in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

Source: (www.mobiledia.com)

Apple Bites Back at Kodak in Patent Suit

April 20, 2010

In February, Eastman Kodak Company filed a patent infringement complaint with the US International Trade Commission against Apple Inc. over digital camera technology used in the iPhone. It was revealed today in court documents that Apple Inc filed a counter suit against Eastman Kodak on April 15, 2010. The intellectual property patent suit was filed in the California Northern District Court. Apple claims that Kodak has infringed on two of their granted patents and lists the products under violation. Apple is seeking a trial by jury.

Source: (www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2010/04/apple-sues-eastman-kodak-fo...)

Woman Sues Over False Positives in iPhone Moisture Sensor

April 20, 2010

Apple has been sued by a California woman over what she claims are false-positive readings on the iPhone’s moisture sensors. InformationWeek reports that Charlene Gallion of San Francisco claims to have had two separate iPhone units fail within six months of each other, and was denied warranty coverage due to triggered sensors. Gallion claims that neither of the units was ever subjected to water damage. The suit itself states, “As a result of Apple’s improper application of the Liquid-Damage Exclusion, Apple sells [devices] with the intent to exclude them from the warranty coverage Apple promises consumers it will provide—even when consumers pay extra for Extended Warranty coverage—simply because their Liquid Submersion Indicator has been triggered, without any attempt by Apple to verify whether the Class Devices actually have been damaged as a result of submersion or immersion in liquid.” Overly-sensitive moisture sensors have been a problem for some iPhone customers in the past; a report from September 2009 claimed that Apple’s company protocol when responding to a customer with a unit that has had its external sensors triggered is to say the warranty is now void and turn the customer away.

Source: (www.ilounge.com)

Was New iPhone Prototype Leaked?

April 20, 2010

A prototype of the next generation of the iPhone -- scheduled for release this summer -- seems to have been left behind in a Northern California bar. Snapped up by patron who sold it to a tech news site, it has set off a game of corporate intrigue worthy of the Cold War.

Apple, which makes the iPhone, has built its towering technology reputation on secrecy. Last month, BusinessWeek reported that software developers testing the then-unreleased iPad had to promise to keep the device tethered to a fixed object in a room with blacked-out windows, and then send the company a photograph to prove compliance.

Secrecy is so much a part of the company's culture that a legend has grown up around what techies call Apple's "Gestapo," or 'Worldwide Loyalty Team' -- a group of moles who spy on fellow employees and report back to Apple executives.

So when the popular tech website Gizmodo was recently approached by an unidentified individual who said an Apple employee on the next barstool left the prototype on the bar, the site's editors had their doubts.

The person who claims to have found the device apparently tried to return it to the patron who left it behind, but was unsuccessful, Gizmodo editorial director Brian Lam told ABC News.

So the finder sold it to Gizmodo, Lam said. Lam said Gizmodo offered to return it to Apple. "I told them, all they have to do to get it back is claim it -- on record.''

There's the rub. To claim the phone and get it back, Apple would need to confirm that it was a true Apple prototype. To leave it in the hands of an outsider could give up highly valuable trade secrets and marketing strategies Apple would not want exposed.

And so began a delicate dance between one of the most powerful tech companies in the world and one of the most popular tech websites that cover the industry.

Gizmodo said the the iPhone prototype was working when found and then switched on in the bar, the mobile Facebook app was logged in to the account of Gray Powell, an Apple software engineer whose last post on the social networking site was reportedly "I underestimated how good German beer is."

It only gets better from there.

ABC News Examines 'Lost' Reputed iPhone Prototype

By the time Gizmodo blogger Jason Chen got the device in his hands, Apple had remotely disabled it. This level of connectivity lended credence to the authenticity of the device. Another intriguing clue was the custom made case, designed to seemingly disguise the unreleased tech treasure as an older iPhone model. The device apparently left behind in the bar is much more angular than the latest available iPhone model, and while the face of the device remains virtually unchanged, the square corners and aluminum edges are new.

The case used to house the device was the case for the older iPhone 3GS -- the perfect camouflage, techies gleefully pointed out. Brian Tong, editor for CNet says, "This may not be the final design for the next iPhone, but the fact that they built a fake case to make it look like the earlier iPhone, that says a lot."

ABC News got an opportunity to examine the reputed new prototype in Chen's Fremont, Calif., home office. It felt decidedly different from previous iPhones, more industrial and less rounded.

The phone had a camera on the back with what looked like a flash for taking pictures at night. The lens for the back camera was bigger than the lens on the existing iPhone 3GS, which seemed to infer improved optics for better photo quality.

On the top of the phone was a second microphone, possibly for noise cancellation. The front of the phone also sported a camera. This second camera on the front could indicate the possibility of video-conferencing for the next iPhone.

Gizmodo's Chen took the entire phone apart to see if the device's innards could verify its origin. "Once I opened it up, I was completely sure it was an Apple product," Chen said. He explained that the case could have easily been mocked up by a machinist trying to create a fake, but the internal parts, says Chen, were perfectly crafted.

But Chen said that even after dissecting the device, piece by delicate piece, he still could not tell whether the prototype could run on cellular networks other than AT&T, Apple's exclusive nationwide carrier.

Chen's in depth write-up, photo gallery and videos of the device garnered huge traffic Monday for Gizmodo, more than 3 million views in its first 12 hours online. Some speculated that this was an ingenious ploy by Apple to create a viral marketing campaign.

CNet's Tong said he douted that.

"There is no way they are playing us,'' he said.

Then, late Monday night, Lam said Gizmodo got a letter that confirmed its suspicions.

The letter came from Apple's senior counsel.

"It has come to our attention that Gizmodo is in possession of a device that belongs to Apple," it said. "This letter constitutes a formal request that you return the device to Apple. Please let me know where to pick up the unit."

The tech community has been buzzing about how Jobs may have reacted to the apparent leak. "The brand that is Apple, and everything that comes out of it from start to finish is meticulously built and crafted and controlled. I don't know what Steve Jobs does when he loses control. But I don't want to be around him right now," said Tong.

Gizmodo's Lam says the device has been returned and in a note to Apple, Lam made this request: "I hope you take it easy on the kid who lost it. I don't think he loves anything more than Apple."

Source: (www.abcnews.go.com)

iPad 3G Gets May Ship Date

April 19, 2010

Apple has updated its online store with a ship date for the 3G version of the iPad, which can access the Internet using Wi-Fi or AT&T's network.

The 3G iPad will begin shipping on May 7 and will be significantly more expensive than the Wi-Fi-only version. The 16 GB version of the 3G device starts at $629 and goes up to $829 for a 64 GB version, compared with the version with just Wi-Fi, which starts at $499 for the 16 GB model and goes up to $699 for 64 GB.

Yankee Group analyst Andy Castonguay says the additional $130 for a 3G version covers equipment costs for the cellular connection.

"From a component standpoint, the extra $130 is probably relatively fair given the additional module that needs to be put in for 3G and GSM/EDGE," he says. "The majority will probably tend toward the lower-priced iPad, but certainly there are those who need more ubiquitous connectivity."

Those who purchase the 3G iPad will be able to prepay for monthly access to AT&T's network. A 250 MB per month plan costs $14.99 or users can get unlimited data for $29.99 per month.

Apple says it sold more than 500,000 iPads during the first week the device went on sale.

Source: (www.wirelessweek.com)

Palm Exec Resigns, Retention Program Put in Place

April 19, 2010

The first signs of big changes may have just begun over at Palm, but the company may not be readying itself for the takeover many have been predicting. The company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that Michael Abbott, senior vice president of software and services and the man who led the webOS apps platform and services development, has resigned. Abbott's resignation takes effect April 23.

In conjunction with the filing, Palm noted that it has implemented a retention program for a number of top-ranking executives. The list includes: Jeff Devine (SVP Global Operations), Doug Jeffries (CFO), Michael Bell (SVP of Product Development), Kathleen Mitic (SVP Product Marketing), Jeffrey Zwerner (SVP Brand Design) and David Whalen (SVP Brand Design). Additionally, Palm issued 1.15 million restricted shares and $250,000 cash bonuses to Devine and Jeffries.

Research notes from UBS Investment Research say that both the resignation and Palm's implementation of a retention program are evidence that a takeover is not pending. "We believe the timing of the resignation likely indicates that an [acquisition] is not pending & the retention actions reflect the challenges Palm is facing internally. We believe any potential acquirer would likely want (and need) the WebOS development team," wrote UBS analyst Maynard Um.

Nevertheless, UBS is of the opinion that an acquisition can be expected in the near future.
"We note that many companies will likely take a look at Palm (no downside to examining a competitor), though we believe interest is likely to be tepid at current levels. With customer discussions likely now focused more on Palm's future rather than its products, we see potential rising risk of WebOS product de-emphasis," Um wrote.

Rumors of Palm putting itself up for sale were reignited recently when The Wall Street Journal reported that the company had enlisted the help of Goldman Sachs and Qatalyst Partners to find a suitor.

Shares of Palm were down slightly in early morning trading to $5.15. UBS reiterated its 'Sell' rating for Palm and a target price of $4 per share.

Source: (www.wirelessweek.com)

Chinese Suppliers to Microsoft Cited for Labor Violations

April 19, 2010

Two Chinese factories that supply goods to Microsoft and other global companies have been cited by government officials for violating local labor laws, including failing to register more than 300 workers between the ages of 16 and 18.

The two companies, Kunying Computer Products and Xieying Computer Products, both units of KYE Systems Corp., were also found to have forced young people to work excessive amounts of overtime in violation of the law.

Microsoft said last week that it was investigating the factories in the southern Chinese factory town of Dongguan after a U.S. labor rights group released a report saying that for years the factories had hired underage workers and forced them to work long hours in abusive conditions.

Although factory conditions in southern China have improved in recent years, and the government has passed new laws to protect workers, labor rights groups regularly release reports documenting harsh conditions and widespread violations of China’s labor laws.

Global companies often require audits of their Chinese suppliers, but many are flawed or compromised, experts say.

In a report last week, the Pittsburgh-based National Labor Committee said the KYE factories often recruited 16- and 17-year-old “work study students” to toil 15 hours a day, six or seven days a week, for between 65 cents and $1 an hour.

The report released photographs it said were smuggled out of the factory, showing dorm rooms cramped with 14 workers and employees slumped over their work stations, apparently in exhaustion. The report said many workers were forced to work 15-hour shifts producing computer mice and a Microsoft Web cam.

The U.S. labor group claimed that some of the factory workers were as young as 14, and that employees were often forced to work long overtime hours, in violation of the law.

After a quick review of the factories last week, the Dongguan Municipal Human Resources Bureau cited the factories for failing to register 16- to 18-year-old workers and forcing them to work “excessive” amounts of overtime. The bureau did not specify what, if any, penalties were imposed immediately. But labor officials said the factories could face stiff punishment if the problems are not resolved within two weeks.

Under Chinese law, people between the ages of 16 and 18 are allowed to work, but there are restrictions on their workloads and they should be registered with local authorities.

Dongguan officials said Monday that about 326 workers, ages 16 to 18, were not registered with local authorities. They also said that in March workers on production lines at the two companies worked, on average, about 280 hours each — far exceeding the 196 hour maximum allowed by law.

Still, Lai Jinhui, a spokesman for KYE Systems, which is based in Taiwan, said in a telephone interview Monday that the National Labor Committee report exaggerated the factory conditions and that auditors have been invited to visit the plant.

Mr. Lai said the factory did employ over 300 workers between the ages of 16 and 18 but that they “are allowed to be employed according to the local labor law.”

Microsoft, which is based in Redmond, Washington, issued a statement last week saying the company has “rigorous standards in place” and that it was “concerned” about the National Labor Committee report.

Microsoft said there had been regular audits of the factories but that a new audit would take place this week. “If we find the factory is not adhering to our standards, we will take appropriate action,” Microsoft said in a statement posted online.

Source: (www.nytimes.com)