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Apple announces iTunes changes

Wed, 07/01/2009 - 07:49 by Rakhi Kaptiyal

San Francisco -- Apple Inc. announced in San Francisco Tuesday that four major music labels are now offering their music in iTunes Plus, Apple's DRM-free format.

Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group and EMI, along with thousands of independent labels, have made their music available through the format, which features audio quality "virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings," Apple said in a release.

iTunes customers can choose to download their favorite songs from the catalog directly onto their iPhone 3G over their 3G network just as they do with Wi-Fi for the same price as downloading to their computer, the company added.

"We are thrilled to be able to offer our iTunes customers DRM-free iTunes Plus songs in high-quality audio and our iPhone 3G customers the ability to download music from iTunes anytime, anywhere over their 3G network at the same price as downloading to your computer or via Wi-Fi," Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, said in a statement. "And in April, based on what the music labels charge Apple, songs on iTunes will be available at one of three price points -- 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29 -- with many more songs priced at 69 cents than $1.29."

Engineers efficiently create hybrid cells

Tue, 06/01/2009 - 08:08 by Rakhi Kaptiyal

Cambridge, Mass. -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers say they've developed an efficient way of pairing up cells so they can be fused together into a hybrid cell.

The new technique should make it much easier for scientists to study what happens when two cells are combined, the study published in the journal Nature Methods suggests.

For example, fusing an adult cell and an embryonic stem cell allows researchers to study the genetic reprogramming that occurs in such hybrids, the study says.

Previously, if scientists wanted to combine two cell types -- for example A and B -- they would end up with many AA and BB pairings, as well as the desired AB match.

They typically trapped cells in tiny cups as they flowed across a chip. Each cup could hold only two cells, but there was no way of controlling whether the cups captured an A and a B, two As or two Bs.

LG, Netflix join hands to introduce internet-enabled TVs

Mon, 05/01/2009 - 13:31 by Samia Sehgal

California, January 5: Netflix Inc. and LG Electronics will soon introduce a line of televisions that can directly receive internet video along with satellite and cable signals. The partnership, to be announced Monday, will allow the consumers to watch Netflix videos directly from the Internet on their TV, without any additional device.

Software said to 'unlock' iPhone 3G

Sat, 03/01/2009 - 21:55 by Rakhi Kaptiyal

New York -- Apple's deals with iPhone carrier partners such as AT&T Inc. in the United States could be threatened by moves to "unlock" the phones, analysts say.

This week a group called the iPhone Dev Team released a free piece of software that enables iPhone 3G owners to use wireless carriers other than AT&T and France Telecom SA's Orange unit, which in turn could lead to a loss in revenue for Apple's wireless partners, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.

Under agreements in force since iPhone was launched in June 2007, the device can generally be used only by subscribers to those carriers, but the Journal said several users have successfully installed the new software on their mobile units and were able to make calls on non-authorized networks.

Microsoft Zune back in order after weirdest technical blunder

Sat, 03/01/2009 - 13:14 by Shikha P

Washington, United States, January 3: Internal clock glitch in Microsoft Zune Media players that overlooked 266th day of the year 2008 was responsible for freezing the media players and annoying its users worldwide last week. The Microsoft technical team has realized their blunder and quickly responded back with a fix to appease the angry users who spent the New Year’s Eve scratching their heads dealing with the bugged player.

Biggest software counterfeiting ring busted, 11 sentenced to prison

Fri, 02/01/2009 - 14:41 by Shikha P

Shenzhen, China, January 2: Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, together have busted the biggest ever software counterfeiting ring. Fortifying their efforts, the Shenzhen court in southern China sentenced 11 culprits involved in the ring, to 18 months to six and a half years in prison Wednesday. The convicts are found guilty of violating the national copyright laws and manufacturing and distributing counterfeited Microsoft software worldwide.

New software released to unlock iPhone 3G

Fri, 02/01/2009 - 13:44 by Chanchal Sachde...

California, United States, January 2: The iPhone Dev Team has released the unlocking software yellowsn0w to unlock the iPhone 3G.

Dell realigns business and leadership

Thu, 01/01/2009 - 10:33 by Rakhi Kaptiyal

Round Rock, Texas -- U.S. computer giant Dell said Wednesday two top executives were departing as it reshaped the company to reflect how customers use computers.

The company said Chief Marketing Officer Mark Jarvis and President of Global Operations Michael Cannon would leave in January, the Austin, Texas, American-Statesman reported.

Dell also said it would structure its business around large enterprises, public customers and small to medium-sized businesses, the newspaper said.

Dell is struggling to return to the top of the computer market, having slipped behind Hewlett-Packard Co., in recent years.

Dell's current head of commercial desktop and notebook products Jeff Clarke will replace Gannon. Erin Nelson, formerly the head of the company's marketing efforts in Europe, will replace Jarvis.

AMD to cut 600 Jobs

Tue, 30/12/2008 - 22:14 by Samia Sehgal

California, United States, December 30: U.S. chip maker Advanced Micro Devices Inc. will lay off 3 percent of its global work force, which translates into 600 employees, 100 more than previously announced, as a part of its cost reduction plan, in a bid to bounce back into profitability. Also, the company said it was taking yet another charge related to its $5.4 billion purchase of ATI Technologies Inc.

Sony reduces PS3 manufacturing cost by 35 percent

Tue, 30/12/2008 - 12:16 by Chanchal Sachde...

California, United States, December 30: According to a teardown analysis by market research firm iSuppli Corp., Sony Computer Entertainment has cut the cost of manufacturing PlayStation 3 (PS3) game console by 35 percent.

Small Alaskan communities going cellular

Sun, 28/12/2008 - 10:29 by Rakhi Kaptiyal

Anchorage, Alaska -- A growing number of small communities throughout Alaska now have access to cellular phone services thanks to GCI Communication Corp., the company says.

Officials with the largest telecommunications company in Alaska said by using a federal subsidy, GCI created a telecommunications infrastructure in the state that includes rural and poor communities, the Anchorage Daily News reported Saturday.

"Federal supports helps, but it was just time for us to do this," Vice President of Rural Consumer Service Dan Boyette said. "The wireless business is the way the world is going."

"Our basic message is we already cover over 80 percent of the Alaska population with our wireless coverage, including along Alaska's major communication corridors, so we're really happy about that," Paula Dobbyn, director of corporate communications at GCI, offered.

Apple, Google and Microsoft sued over file preview patent

Sat, 27/12/2008 - 12:20 by Chanchal Sachde...

Arizona, United States, December 27: Michigan-based small networking company, Cygnus Systems Inc, has sued Google, Apple and Microsoft, three of the largest multinational software companies, for violating the patent on a file preview.