Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Facebook rolls out friends-based search product

Facebook rolls out friends-based search product

Facebook rolls out friends-based search product

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:51 PM PST

Facebook CEO Zuckerberg introduces a new feature called "Graph Search" during a media event at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, CaliforniaMENLO PARK, California (Reuters) - Facebook Inc took the wraps off a new search tool on Tuesday that lets people trawl their network of friends to find everything from restaurants to movie recommendations, an improvement that's likely to increase competition with review websites like Yelp and potentially even Google Inc. The so-called graph search marks the company's biggest foray into online search to date, though it displays only information within the walls of the social network rather than links to sites available across the Internet. ...

Dell buyout talks advance, Silver Lake lines up banks

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:28 PM PST

A man wipes logo of Dell IT firm at CeBIT exhibition centre in HannoverNEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Talks to take Dell Inc private are at an advanced stage with at least four major banks lined up to provide financing, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, propelling shares of the No. 3 computer maker 7 percent higher. Buyout firm Silver Lake Partners, which is leading the deal, tapped Credit Suisse, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays and RBC late last year to finance a potential deal, the sources said on condition of anonymity, because details have not been made public. ...

Analysis: Once reliable technology sector drags down earnings

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:57 PM PST

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock ExchangeNEW YORK (Reuters) - This earnings season, the U.S. technology industry is in an unusual position - dragging corporate America down, rather than lifting it up. Wall Street expects the tech sector's fourth-quarter earnings to be down 1.1 percent from a year ago, the first drop since the third quarter of 2009, even though overall S&P 500 profits are still forecast to show growth, according to Thomson Reuters data. Chip companies are expected to be among the worst performers because of softer-than-expected personal computer sales. Weak overseas demand and worries about the U.S. ...

RIM Adds 15,000 BlackBerry 10 Apps in a Weekend

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 05:00 PM PST

RIM Adds 15,000 BlackBerry 10 Apps in a WeekendOne of the biggest struggles RIM will likely have with the release of BlackBerry 10 is on the app front.

Netflix Snags Cartoon Network and Adult Swim Shows

Posted: 14 Jan 2013 10:55 AM PST

Netflix Snags Cartoon Network and Adult Swim ShowsNew licensing deals Netflix has inked with Turner Broadcasting and Warner Bros. will bring past seasons of Carton Network and Adult Swim shows to Netflix starting March 30.

Anti-hacking law questioned after death of Internet activist

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:16 PM PST

Aaron Swartz poses in a Borderland Books in San FranciscoBOSTON (Reuters) - Lie about your identity on Facebook or delete files from your work laptop before you quit and you could run afoul of a 29-year-old U.S. computer security law that some experts say has been changed so often it no longer makes sense. The U.S. Computer Fraud and Abuse Act has come under renewed criticism after last week's suicide of Internet activist Aaron Swartz, who could have faced prison time for alleged hacking to download millions of academic articles from a private database through a network at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. ...

Court sides with Dish in striking down FCC TV rule

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 01:49 PM PST

The sign in the lobby of the corporate headquarters of Dish Network is seen in the Denver suburb of EnglewoodWASHINGTON (Reuters) - An appeals court struck down a rule on Tuesday that had been issued by the U.S. telecommunications regulator to allow customers to watch cable and satellite TV on "plug and play" televisions, replacing set top boxes. Satellite TV company Dish Network Corp objected to the rule because it included prescriptions on encrypting programming that prevented Dish and others from, for example, making deals with studios to play new movies on a pay-per-view basis. At the request of Dish, the U.S. ...

Symantec puts Altiris unit up for sale - WSJ

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:32 PM PST

(Reuters) - U.S. security software company Symantec Corp has put its unit Altiris Inc up for sale and is drawing interest from private equity firms, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the situation. The sale is expected to fetch less than the amount Altiris was bought for, the daily said. At the time of purchase in 2007, Symantec paid $33 a share, or $830 million. "As such, we will have more information to share at our strategy announcement next week. ...

Free iPhone apps for new homeowners

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST

Buying a home for the first time is one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking moments in your life. After all the paperwork is signed, the large check is handed over, and the keys are safely in your hand. These iPhone apps can help transform your new house into your dream home.

Learning firm Lynda.com wins $103 million investment from Accel, Spectrum

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 09:03 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Online learning company Lynda.com has won $103 million in new funding from venture capital firm Accel Partners and equity investor Spectrum Equity, the company said on Wednesday. The cash infusion, which marks the company's first outside funding, will allow the company to expand internationally, add new content areas, and improve its Web and video platforms, said Eric Robison, the firm's Chief Executive Officer. Founded in 1995, Lynda.com offers online training and instruction videos. ...

Former Apple CEO Sculley encourages Apple to make a cheaper iPhone

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 07:44 PM PST

Former Apple (AAPL) CEO John Sculley may not seem like a good person to offer Apple advice, especially since he's widely blamed for pushing Steve Jobs out of the company in 1985 and for making a series of mistakes during his tenure that left Apple in a precarious financial position. All the same, Sculley recently told Bloomberg that Apple should go ahead and make a cheaper version of the iPhone to compete with companies such as Samsung (005930) in emerging markets. "Apple needs to adapt to a very different world," Sculley said. "As we go from $500 smartphones to even as low, for some companies, as $100 for a smartphone, you've got to dramatically rethink the supply chain and how you can

Samsung’s chalkboard TV available for pre-order in Korea for almost $38,000

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 06:16 PM PST

Have $38,000 to spend on an 85-inch television that looks like a chalkboard? If so, then you might consider Samsung's (005930) newest flagship S9 UHD TV that's now available for pre-order in Korea for 40 million won, or roughly $37,900. Engadget reports that there are only 77 units available to pre-order at this time, which makes sense since it's hard to imagine more than 80 people willing to spend $38,000 to buy the 85-inch beast. Amazingly, Samsung is also planning to release a 110-inch version of the television as well, which will likely sell in the $50,000 range when it becomes available for pre-order.

Tablet shipments in 2013 could be lower than previously expected

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 05:02 PM PST

It has been suggested that tablet shipments could surpass notebooks in 2013, however recent reports contradict those estimates. Tablet shipments were expected to reach 240 million units worldwide this year, topping notebook PC shipments of 207 million. Digitimes reports a more realistic number with shipments of tablets hanging around 180 million units, an increase from 130 million units in 2012. Apple's (AAPL) iPad is expected to continue its dominance in the 10-inch tablet market, while Android tablets such as the Nexus 7 will prevail in the 7-inch sector. Sales of the iPad mini are estimated to grow substantially, however, helping it chip away at Android's lead. Meanwhile, shipments of tablets from Google (GOOG) and Amazon (AMZN) are expected to top 10 million units

Toys and video games hook up on new Disney game platform

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:38 PM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Children will be able to move plastic toys that look like pirate Captain Jack Sparrow and other movie characters into a virtual world on a computer or TV screen in a game platform Walt Disney Co unveiled on Tuesday in hopes of boosting revenue at a loss-making division. Disney's new "Infinity" concept, to be released in June, comes with games inspired by "Monsters University," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Incredibles" franchises. ...

Facebook unveils social search feature

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:24 PM PST

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks about Facebook Graph Search at a Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013. The new service lets users search their social connections for information about their friends' interests, and for photos and places. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled a new search feature that's designed to entice people to spend more time on his company's website and will put the world's largest online social network more squarely in competition with Google and other rivals such as Yelp and LinkedIn.

iPhone demand said to be ‘robust,’ recent cuts don’t reflect weak demand

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 04:05 PM PST

Following recent reports from Nikkei and The Wall Street Journal that suggested Apple (AAPL) slashed iPhone 5 component orders in half due to weak demand,  the company's stock fell significantly and opened below $500 for the first time in nearly a year. The reports have been called into question, however, with many believing they do not represent true consumer interest. Shaw Wu of Sterne Agee wrote in a note to investors on Tuesday, per Apple Insider, that his supply chain checks have indicated that demand for the iPhone 5 "remains robust." The analyst believes the recent reports are a result of improved yield rates and possibly Apple's recent supplier changes. Despite the recent concerns, Wu expects Apple to post better-than-expected earnings for the December quarter led by sales of 47.5 million

Maybe Pot Doesn't Make Teens Dumb After All

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 03:37 PM PST

Discovered: Lighting up might not lead to dumbing down; playing music can put you on a natural high; black carbon is twice as bad as we thought; evidence that obesity is inherited.

Bling is the thing at Detroit auto show

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:51 PM PST

The front lamps on the high-performance SRT version of the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee are seen at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013. The lamps are tinted black, giving it a distinct look. Ralph Gilles, a Chrysler design leader who also is president and CEO of the SRT brand and motorsports, noted the vehicle has black "kind of like death", headlamps. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT (AP) — Headlights, grilles and other doodads are stepping up and popping out on cars.

Gun group chief says industry didn't cause Newtown

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:50 PM PST

Will Michaels of Homer, La., examines a Bushmaster M4 A3 Carbine 300 AAC Blackout rifle at the Bushmaster exhibit during the Shooting Hunting Outdoor Tradeshow, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013, in Las Vegas. Michaels, who owns a sporting goods store, said while his gun sales focus primarily on bolt action hunting rifles, he and his clients have taken an interest in assault rifles over the last five years because of an expanding wild hog problem in his region. The National Shooting Sports Foundation was focusing its 35th annual SHOT Show on products and services new to what it calls a $4.1 billion industry, with a nod to a raging national debate over assault weapons. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)LAS VEGAS (AP) — A trade show expected to draw tens of thousands of gun enthusiasts and manufacturers opened Tuesday on the Las Vegas Strip with the head of an industry group preparing to tell convention-goers they weren't to blame for the recent mass shooting at a Connecticut elementary school.

The Privacy Guide to Facebook's New Graph Search

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:45 PM PST

Like all things Facebook, the social network's new Graph Search will certainly generate privacy worries — the main function of the "third pillar" of Facebook is pretty much creeping, after all. Indeed, while CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in announcing the social-search tool Tuesday that the new product was built as "privacy aware," the social network is also touting the ability Graph Search's ability to find things you like and meet new people, based entirely on data you've been sharing before this thing existed. ...

LG says it’s not to blame for erratic Nexus 4 supply

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:36 PM PST

LG (066570) doesn't want to be the fall guy for erratic Nexus 4 supply. Via The Verge, an LG executive has told Korean publication Chosun Ilbo that LG's Nexus 4 production has gone exactly according to plan while denying that the company has faced difficulties manufacturing the device. This statement contradicts a recent statement from Google UK & Ireland Managing Director Dan Cobley, who blamed LG for the Nexus 4′s "scarce and erratic" supply over the holiday season. On the other hand, LG has long maintained that Nexus 4 supplies have been erratic because Google was caught off guard by the surge in consumer interest for the device and didn't place enough manufacturing orders to keep up with demand.

Race is on for EU's $1.3 billion science projects

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:23 PM PST

FILE - In this May 9, 2011 file picture people use a infrared-DIC microscopy to do multi-neuron patch-clamp recording in the Blue Brain team and the Human Brain Project (HBP) laboratory of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), in Lausanne, Switzerland. The Blue Brain team has come together with 12 other European and international partners to propose the Human Brain Project (HBP), a candidate for funding under the EU's FET Flagship program. The Blue Brain Project is an attempt to create a synthetic brain by reverse-engineering the mammalian brain down to the molecular level. (AP Photo/Keystone/Laurent Gillieron)BERLIN (AP) — Call it Europe's Got Talent for geeks.

Bling is the thing on cars at Detroit auto show

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:07 PM PST

A headlight on the 2014 Acura RLX is shown at media previews for the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)DETROIT (AP) — Headlights, grilles and other doodads are stepping up and popping out on cars: from daytime running lights that go up the hood of the new Cadillac ATS, to a wide, bold grille on the Ford Fusion, to engraving within the lamps of the new Corvette and Ford Transit. They are inexpensive but distinctive, providing automotive eye candy that can even boost gas mileage or improve safety.

Amazon fights $234 million tax liability in Tax Court

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 02:06 PM PST

A zoomed illustration image of a man looking at a computer monitor showing the logo of Amazon is seen in ViennaWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Online retailer Amazon Inc is fighting the U.S. Internal Revenue Service over a $234 million international tax bill, a dispute similar to others in which the agency has struggled to collect corporate taxes. The case, filed on December 28 in U.S. Tax Court in Washington, has implications for other technology companies with software assets that may prove difficult to value for tax purposes. The IRS informed Amazon in November 2012 of what the agency said were unpaid taxes for 2005 and 2006. ...

A Guide to the Finger-Pointing After Aaron Swartz's Suicide

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 01:38 PM PST

Giving proof to the caution of experts who say that no suicide has a simple explanation or single cause, as more details have emerged, the roles of the players in the federal prosecution of Aaron Swartz, and their alleged contributions to his suicide, has become much more complex. Swartz's death last Friday prompted a lot of finger pointing, including from his family, at the federal prosecution for breaking into the academic database JSTOR using MIT servers. ...

PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 could cost just $350, expected to launch this fall

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 01:30 PM PST

Sony (SNE) and Microsoft (MSFT) are both expected to announce their next-generation gaming consoles at the Electronics Entertainment Expo in June, or even a little before then. While we have seen rumored specs for both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox 720, one thing that has escaped us is a possible price tag. In a research note to investors on Monday, Colin Sebastian of Baird Equity Research suggested that both consoles could retail for between $350 and $400 in the U.S., Games Industry International reported. The analyst revealed that during the Consumer Electronics Show last week he spent time "with a number of companies involved in video game development and distribution," who informed him that the next-generation consoles will be

Galactic Empire Mocks White House's Refusal to Build a Death Star

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:48 PM PST

In an apparently completely serious rebuke of the White House's response to a viral petition, representatives for the Galactic Empire are making fun of President Obama's intergalactic military weakness, despite the overwhelming support of the citizens from "his tiny, aggressive planet" to construct a Death Star.

Dell’s bold plan to reinvent itself: A USB-sized PC that gives access to Windows, Mac OS, Chrome OS

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:46 PM PST

Be honest: When was the last time you felt excited about Dell (DELL)? If the answer is "never," then you might understand why the company is now in talks to go private — basically, it needs a space to boldly reinvent itself that's far away from the relentless quarterly demands of investors. And what might that bold reinvention entail? According to Christopher Mims at Quartz, it could be a computer the size of a USB stick that's capable of giving users access to every major operating system. As Mims writes, Dell is working on a projected currently called "Ophelia" that is "a complete, self-contained PC" that also happens to be as big as a USB thumb drive. But the killer

Apple’s stock ticker woes jeopardize its status as the world’s most valuable company

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 12:06 PM PST

We all know that Apple's (AAPL) share price has been in a downward spiral lately, and the company could soon lose its status as the world's most valuable company if things don't turn around. As John Paczkowski at AllThingsD points out, Apple's current market cap of around $456 billion is just over $50 billion greater than Exxon Mobil, which is the world's second most valuable company with a market cap of $407 billion. While Apple still has a way to go before it falls back into the #2 position, Paczkowski thinks that significantly weaker-than-expected iPhone 5 sales may be enough to do the trick. One way or another, we'll find out with Apple's earnings next week whether the current Wall Street panic over

NASA, Canadian Space Agency Begins Satellite Refueling Experiment

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:54 AM PST

According to Al.com, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency have commenced a several-day-long experiment involving the refueling of satellites in space. It is hoped that the experiment will lead to the lengthening of the operating lives of satellites.

Did Google's StreetView Car Run Over This Donkey?

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:42 AM PST

Google Maps has encountered a full-on roadkill scandal, and they're not taking this one, uh, lying down. After users spotted a Street View scene in Kweneng, Botswana, featuring a donkey that appeared to have been either knocked over or left helpless, the photo went viral and Google has offered a strong denial of any wrongdoing by its drivers: "Our Street View teams take the safety of people and donkeys very seriously," a Google spokesperson said, in one of the more absurd statements in Google history. ...

Trouble ahead for Samsung?

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 11:25 AM PST

If Apple's (AAPL) recent 25% dive in share price taught us anything, it's that investor sentiment can sour at the drop of a hat with little more to go on than a few questionable rumors from analysts. With Apple on the ropes, attention may soon turn to Samsung (005930) as the company's meteoric rise finally begins to slow. Yonhap News Agency on Monday reported that Samsung's staggering momentum may finally begin hit a seasonal speed bump. According to Korean financial firm FnGuide Inc., Samsung is expected to post a first-quarter operating profit of $7.84 billion, down nearly 6% sequentially. Samsung's net profit is expected to sink 4.58% to $6.44 billion in the first quarter according to FnGuide, and revenue is projected to slide

PayPal partners with NCR to get into restaurants, gas stations

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:56 AM PST

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - PayPal took another step in its effort to expand in the physical retail world on Tuesday, unveiling a partnership with ATM company NCR Corp that will get the payment service into restaurants and gas stations. PayPal, the dominant online payment business owned by eBay Inc, said its mobile service will be integrated with NCR's point-of-sale, or POS, technology to allow diners to pay for their meal at restaurants using a smartphone. ...

Apple supplier sees big Q4 boost, likely a good sign for iPhone 5 demand

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:50 AM PST

Shares of Apple (AAPL) have been hit hard over the last few days. Investors continue to worry about the company's profit margins, demand for its popular line of smartphones and tablets, and its future endeavors. With upcoming competition from Research in Motion (RIMM) and Microsoft (MSFT), and an ongoing battle with Google's (GOOG) Android operating system, analysts fear that Apple's mobile dominance may be a thing of the past. While we won't officially know anything until the company reports its holiday earnings on January 23rd, a small German company has painted a calming picture for Apple shareholders. Dialog Semiconductor announced last week that it expects to report a significant increase in sales for its December quarter. The company noted that

Cosmic Cliff: An Astrophysicist Searches for Exo-Earths, Black Holes and Funding

Posted: 15 Jan 2013 10:30 AM PST

Cosmic Cliff: An Astrophysicist Searches for Exo-Earths, Black Holes and Funding
Posted by Harshad at 9:36 PM

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