Thursday, March 29, 2012

Apple assembly line gets pay raise, fewer hours

Apple assembly line gets pay raise, fewer hours


Apple assembly line gets pay raise, fewer hours

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In this March 28, 2012 photo provided by Apple, Inc., Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, visits the iPhone production line at the newly-built manufacturing facility Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people. A report released Thursday, March 29, by the Washington-based Fair Labor Association says Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the Taiwanese company that runs Apple's factories in mainland China, has committed to reducing weekly work time to the legal Chinese maximum of 49 hours. (AP Photo/Apple)Chinese workers who often spend more than 60 hours per week assembling iPhones and iPads will have their overtime hours curbed and their pay increased after a labor auditor hired by Apple Inc. inspected their factories.


BlackBerry maker to focus on business customers

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Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Thursday that it plans to return its focus to its corporate customers after failing to compete with flashier, consumer-oriented phones such as Apple's iPhone and models that run Google's Android software.

IPO market heats up, more startups going public

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The IPO market is heating up. A growing economy and rising stock market are prompting more startups to go public, and investors appear hungry to invest.

Just Show Me: How to tweet from your iPad’s web browser

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Welcome to Just Show Me on Tecca TV, where we show you tips and tricks for getting the most out of the gadgets in your life. In today's episode we'll show you how to tweet from your web browser on your iPad. You don't have … Continue reading

Metro Cuffs: Cufflinks for the classy and directionally challenged

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If directions aren't your strong suit, chances are a highly complicated and convoluted subway is one of your worst nightmares. You can use Google Maps on your phone or tablet to get you through all the twists and turns, but if … Continue reading

South Pole Explorer Flips Over Secret Stash of Frozen Treats [VIDEO]

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If you thought Katniss Everdeen was hardcore, meet explorer Aleksander Gamme, who spent 100 days crossing the South Pole by himself. By day 86, however, it seems like the guy is on his last leg.

Egypt court orders ban of pornographic websites

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An Egyptian court has ordered the government to ban pornographic Internet websites in order to protect society and its values.

Red Hat's red-hot shares climb to 12-year high

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Red Hat is red hot. The software maker's shares are up 19 percent Thursday, hitting a 12-year high, after an earnings report that highlighted how much Red Hat is benefiting from a shift in the way big companies meet their technological needs.

PayPal taps mobile chief Marcus as president

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PayPal's mobile unit chief will become the online payments service's next president.

BlueStacks Android emulator lets you use apps on your PC

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A new Windows PC program has just hit beta testing that allows Android users to fire up apps on their computers, even the ones they've already purchased for smartphones or tablets.

BlackBerry maker RIM reports loss for latest quarter, announces changes and plans

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BlackBerry maker RIM reports loss for latest quarter, announces changes and plansThe woes continued for BlackBerry maker Research In Motion on Thursday as it reported a net loss for the three months to March 3 of $125m. The same time a year ago it reported a profit of $934 million. Revenues dropped from $5.2 billion to $4.2 billion.


Micron settles memory chip lawsuit with Oracle

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The main entrance to Micron corporate headquarters in Boise, Idaho(Reuters) - Semiconductor manufacturer Micron Technology Inc said late on Thursday it has reached a deal with software giant Oracle to settle a lawsuit filed by Oracle over price increases for memory chips. The lawsuit accused Micron Technology of hatching a "conspiracy" to increase DRAM chip prices for the period from August 1, 1998, through at least June 15, 2002, and included a claim for damages. Micron said Oracle had agreed to a settlement and would release the company from all claims arising out of the litigation. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. ...


More U.S. clean tech IPOs come to market, amid skepticism

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(Reuters) - Two U.S. clean tech companies plan to go public on Friday, as executives and bankers increasingly bet that high energy prices and more proven technology will make investors forget the sector's recent flameouts. Solar inverter company Enphase Energy priced shares at the low end of its range on Thursday night, while selling more shares than expected. Clean fuel company Luca Technologies is expected to price shares later in the day. Those offerings could pave the way for other, similar IPOs in coming months, analysts said. ...

Apple assembly line gets pay raise, fewer hours

Posted:

In this March 28, 2012 photo provided by Apple, Inc., Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, visits the iPhone production line at the newly-built manufacturing facility Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people. A report released Thursday, March 29, by the Washington-based Fair Labor Association says Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the Taiwanese company that runs Apple's factories in mainland China, has committed to reducing weekly work time to the legal Chinese maximum of 49 hours. (AP Photo/Apple)Chinese workers who often spend more than 60 hours per week assembling iPhones and iPads will have their overtime hours curbed and their pay increased after a labor auditor hired by Apple Inc. inspected their factories.


Murdoch's media empire strikes back

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File photo of police officers walking outside an entrance to News International in LondonLONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch on Thursday declared war against "enemies" who have accused his pay-TV operation of sabotaging its rivals, denouncing them as "toffs and right wingers" stuck in the last century. Reports by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Financial Review newspaper this week said that News Corp's pay-TV smartcard security unit, NDS, had promoted piracy attacks on rivals, including in the United States. ...


Apple labor plan to ripple through China factories

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apparel makers, toy companies and other manufacturers wrestling with rising wages in China now face new pressures after Apple Inc and main production partner Foxconn agreed to improve worker conditions at plants making its iPhones and other gadgets. In a major development for the way Western companies do business in China, Apple said on Thursday it agreed to work with Foxconn -- an affiliate of Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry -- to curtail hours, substantially improve wages, and hire tens of thousands to compensate for the reduced hours. ...

Apple, Foxconn to revamp China work conditions

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Handout photo shows Apple CEO Cook talking to employees as he visits the iPhone production line at the new Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park in HenanSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc and its China manufacturing partner, Foxconn, agreed to improve wages and working conditions at factories accused of being sweatshops, a move that could set a new higher-cost benchmark for other Western users of Chinese labor. Under Thursday's landmark agreement, Foxconn, which makes Apple devices from the iPhone to the iPad, will hire tens of thousands of new workers, eliminate illegal overtime, improve safety protocols and upgrade worker housing and other amenities. It is a response to one of the largest investigations ever conducted of a U.S. ...


BlackBerry maker RIM posts major loss

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RIM President and CEO Thorsten HeinsBlackBerry maker Research In Motion on Thursday posted a quarterly loss -- disappointing first results for the firm's new chief executive, who moved to shake up the struggling company's top ranks.


RIM posts loss as new CEO begins to clean house

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To match Interview RESEARCHINMOTION/CEO-HEINSTORONTO (Reuters) - Research In Motion posted a net loss and its first slump in BlackBerry shipments for its holiday quarter since 2006, as its new CEO announced the initial steps in a strategic overhaul and would not rule out an eventual sale of the company. RIM's shares dropped as much as 9 percent on Thursday after the company said it would no longer issue financial forecasts and was reviewing "strategic opportunities" such as partnerships and joint-venture licensing, and other ways to leverage its assets. ...


Thai flooding impact on tech companies, suppliers

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What tech manufacturers and suppliers have been saying about the impact from heavy flooding in Thailand:

BlackBerry maker to focus on business customers

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Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Thursday that it plans to return its focus to its corporate customers after failing to compete with flashier, consumer-oriented phones such as Apple's iPhone and models that run Google's Android software.

On the Call: Research in Motion CEO Heins

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During a conference call on Thursday, Research in Motion Ltd. CEO Thorsten Heins was asked about the company's plans to undergo a comprehensive strategic review.

Analysis: Disinflationary wave from China already waned

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A big improvement in labor conditions at plants that produce Apple's iPhones, iPads and iPods in China, which was announced on Thursday, is unlikely to create much more than a ripple in prices across the West. While the reduced overtime hours, increased hiring and improved safety will raise labor costs for the gigantic contract manufacturer Foxconn that Apple uses in China, they are such a small part of the overall cost of the smart phones, tablets and music players that the shift can be largely absorbed, economists said. ...

Google to open online tablet store: report

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Galaxy Nexus smartphone is displayed in Hong KongSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is planning to open an online store to sell tablet PCs directly to consumers, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The online store would offer tablets made by Samsung Electronics Co and Asustek Computer Inc based on Google's Android software, according to the report, which cited anonymous sources and which Reuters was not able to confirm. Google declined to comment. ...


Millennial Media shares nearly double in debut

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Shares of Millennial Media nearly doubled in the mobile advertising company's market debut Thursday.

Summary Box: Curbs promised at Apple factory lines

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In this March 28, 2012 photo provided by Apple, Inc., Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, visits the iPhone production line at the newly-built manufacturing facility Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people. A report released Thursday, March 29, by the Washington-based Fair Labor Association says Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the Taiwanese company that runs Apple's factories in mainland China, has committed to reducing weekly work time to the legal Chinese maximum of 49 hours. (AP Photo/Apple)BETTER CONDITIONS: Chinese workers who often spend more than 60 hours per week assembling iPhones and iPads will have their overtime hours curbed and their pay increased.


Mashable Photo Challenge Results: What's In Your Laptop Bag?

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Mashable's first weekly photo challenge is complete, and the photos are in. We asked you to show us What's in Your Laptop Bag?

IPO market heats up, more startups going public

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The IPO market is heating up. A growing economy and rising stock market are prompting more startups to go public, and investors appear hungry to invest.

Report: Illegal overtime on Apple assembly line

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In this March 28, 2012 photo provided by Apple, Inc., Apple CEO Tim Cook, center, visits the iPhone production line at the newly-built manufacturing facility Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park, which employs 120,000 people. A report released Thursday, March 29, by the Washington-based Fair Labor Association says Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., the Taiwanese company that runs Apple's factories in mainland China, has committed to reducing weekly work time to the legal Chinese maximum of 49 hours. (AP Photo/Apple)Workers who assemble iPhones and iPads often put in more than 60 hours per week —and sometimes work for a week straight— in violation of Chinese law, according to the first independent audit of Chinese factories where Apple products are made.


Apple, Foxconn revamp China work conditions

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Handout photo shows Apple CEO Cook talking to employees as he visits the iPhone production line at the new Foxconn Zhengzhou Technology Park in HenanSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - In a landmark development for the way Western companies do business in China, Apple Inc said on Thursday it had agreed to work with partner Foxconn to tackle wage and working condition violations at the factories that produce its popular products. Foxconn - which makes Apple devices from the iPhone to the iPad - will hire tens of thousands of new workers, clamp down on illegal overtime, improve safety protocols and upgrade worker housing and other amenities. The moves come in response to one of the largest investigations ever conducted of a U.S. ...


South Pole Explorer Flips Over Secret Stash of Frozen Treats [VIDEO]

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If you thought Katniss Everdeen was hardcore, meet explorer Aleksander Gamme, who spent 100 days crossing the South Pole by himself. By day 86, however, it seems like the guy is on his last leg.

Summary Box: Transformation at BlackBerry maker

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BACK TO ITS ROOTS: Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. plans to return its focus to its corporate customers.

Google to open online tablet store: report

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SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google Inc is planning to open an online store to sell tablet PCs directly to consumers, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The online store would offer tablets made by Samsung Electronics Co and Asustek Computer Inc based on Google's Android software, according to the report, which cited anonymous sources and which Reuters was not able to confirm. Google declined to comment. ...

Online Tools Reveals How Politicians Will Affect Your Wallet

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Five different candidates for president means five very different economic plans. But whose would really benefit you?

A look at troubles for BlackBerry and its maker

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Research In Motion Ltd., the Canadian company that makes the BlackBerry, announced plans Thursday to focus on its core business customers. It was the latest in a series of developments as the company struggles to compete with Apple's iPhone and iPad and phones running Google's Android system.

Sony Vita, PlayStation 3 Features that Have Been Disabled

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Sony has continued to crack down on what it considers to be inappropriate uses of its Vita and PlayStation 3 consoles, in some cases removing features from devices that people already purchased.

Apple iPhone 4 owners: Here's how to get your $15 'Antennagate' settlement

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Apple iPhone 4 owners: Here's how to get your $15 'Antennagate' settlement"Antennagate" is finally coming to a close. And now it's time to reap the rewards. Following the settlement of a class action lawsuit against Apple for the widely reported reception issues with the iPhone 4, a new website has popped up where original iPhone 4 owners can claim the $15 entitled to them in the settlement. Rather than force your to weed through the whole site, we've summed up the most important bits below:Am I eligible?


Sony, Microsoft May Crack Down on Sales of Used Games

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Nothing has yet been officially announced, especially for today's games and game consoles. But according to Kotaku's Luke Plunkett, the fourth Sony PlayStation console may be called Orbis, and incorporate anti-features which prevent the playing of used games on it. Meanwhile, Stephen Totilo asserts that "one reliable industry source" has told him that similar measures will be found on the upcoming "Xbox 720".

Meme Madness Is Down to the Final Four

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If you've lost interest in March Madness -- or you're just ignoring your bracket due to numerous upsets -- you can throw caution to the wind and place bets on Internet memes instead!

The cost of making Apple products, at a glance

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While Apple Inc.'s relationship with Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. gets a lot of attention, the Taiwanese company accounts for only a fraction of the cost of each device it assembles.

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