Sep 25
Microsoft is reported to be in talks to buy a stake in Facebook that could value the social networking website at as much as $10bn (£5bn).
The talks could lead to a showdown with Microsoft’s rival, Google, which is also keen to invest in Facebook, the Wall Street Journal says.
The newspaper says Microsoft wants to buy up to 5% of Facebook, for a price between $300m and $500m.
Microsoft and Google both declined to comment on the report. Continue reading »
Sep 25
Apple said today that a firmware update to the iPhone due to be released later this week “will likely result” in SIM-unlocked iPhones turning into very expensive bricks. “Apple has discovered that many of the unauthorized iPhone unlocking programs available on the Internet cause irreparable damage to the iPhone’s software, which will likely result in the modified iPhone becoming permanently inoperable when a future Apple-supplied iPhone software update is installed,” said Apple in a statement issued this afternoon.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs last week reiterated the company’s stance on unlocked iPhones: Apple will work against them. “It’s a constant cat and mouse game,” Jobs said. At that time, we also said that we had reason to believe that the next update to the iPhone would brick iPhones that had been unlocked to use SIM cards from other GSM carriers, which Apple’s press release has confirmed. Sources familiar with the matter have told Ars that the company did not decide to cause such irreparable damage to the iPhone intentionally, however, and Apple’s statement appears to confirm this as well. Continue reading »
Sep 24
AN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - “Halo 3″, the highly anticipated video game from Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research), won high praise on Sunday from game reviewers who gushed over the lush settings, cinematic feel and array of multiplayer features.
The game, the final chapter of a trilogy that began in 2001 with the launch of Microsoft’s original Xbox, is a key part of the company’s strategy to take a bigger share of the console gaming market from Sony Corp (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research). Continue reading »
Sep 24
LOS ANGELES - The social networking Web site MySpace is launching a free, advertising-supported cell phone version Monday as part of a wider bid by parent News Corp. to attract advertising for mobile Web sites.
Fox Interactive Media, which oversees News Corp.’s Internet properties, said it also plans to roll out versions of FoxSports.com, the gaming site IGN, AskMen and its local TVaffiliates in the coming months that will work on cell phones that can access the Internet.
The company said it also plans to offer a mobile version of its Photobucket picture sharing site in coming months. Continue reading »
Sep 24
It was a busy week for the iPhone last week, especially in Europe. We’ve seen contracts get handed out, and have also seen unlucky mobile companies whining. But the iPhone isn’t content to stop there. There are more countries in Europe than just the three that have announced iPhone ability so far. And now, other mobile carriers like Scandinavia’s Telenor are approaching Apple to talk about bringing the iPhone to their stomping grounds.
The Marketwatch piece names the Scandinavian carriers Telenor and TeliaSonera as two parties that are actively talking and/or begging Apple to get the iPhone. Telenor and TeliaSonera are both big players in the Scandinavian telecommunications arena, with both companies operating in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. Telenor also has some diverse interests in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Pakistan and Bangladesh. Continue reading »
Sep 24
AT&T may have scored the RIM BlackBerry 8820 last week, but we’re thinking T-Mobile got the better deal with the just-announced RIM BlackBerry 8320, aka the BlackBerry Curve with Wi-Fi (Yahtzee!). Why? Well, first it has the same sleek design of the original Curve and a more spacious and easy-to-use QWERTY keyboard. You also get a 2-megapixel camera, whereas the BlackBerry 8820 is sans camera. Of course, the latter is definitely aimed more at the business set, whereas the BlackBerry 8320 will have more mass appeal. And what can we say about the addition of Wi-Fi? Yes, please! Continue reading »
Sep 24
Three council workers have lost their jobs for spending too long on the internet auction site eBay.
One was sacked and two resigned after managers at Neath Port Talbot Council found some staff were spending up to two hours a day on the website.
Union officials have blamed bosses for “putting temptation in their way” - by allowing access to the internet.
The council said it carried out an investigation after officials spent a “significant time” on the internet. Continue reading »
Sep 24
Broadband speeds in the UK are much slower than advertised by internet service providers, a study by Computeractive magazine has found.
Some 3,000 readers took part in speed tests and 62% found they routinely got less than half of the top speed advertised by their provider.
It is the latest in a series of questions over the way net firms advertise broadband services.
Regulator Ofcom said it was aware of the issue and was “investigating”. Continue reading »
Sep 24
Computer enthusiasts in the developed world will soon be able to get their hands on the so-called “$100 laptop”.
The organisation behind the project has launched the “give one, get one” scheme that will allow US residents to purchase two laptops for $399 (£198).
One laptop will be sent to the buyer whilst a child in the developing world will receive the second machine
The G1G1 scheme, as it is known, will offer the laptops for just two weeks, starting on the 12 November.
“From day one there’s been a lot of interest expressed in having some way of people in the developed world participate in the programme,” Walter Bender, head of software development at One Laptop per Child (OLPC), told the BBC News website.
The XO laptop has been developed to be used by children and is as low cost, durable and simple to use as possible. Continue reading »
Sep 24
Late last month, hardware vendor HP announced plans to offer desktop computers in Australia with Red Hat Linux, OpenOffice.org, and Firefox installed. Now the company has confirmed that it is expanding this program to other parts of the world. Moreover, sources close to the company tell Ars Technica that expanded Linux offerings will also be coming to the US. Our source says that it is a “real possibility” that HP will counter Dell’s limited embrace of Linux “sooner rather than later,” so long as pilot programs proceed as planned.
Like many other mainstream hardware vendors, HP already provides relatively broad Linux server support for a number of distributions, including community-driven distributions like Debian. The company also certifies Red Hat and SUSE Enterprise Linux 10 for its desktop computers, but has only recently started to evaluate the advantages of offering Linux preinstallation options on a large scale. Continue reading »
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