News
New AAA Report Suggest Hands-Free Tech Still Distracts
June 12, 2013 9:31 am | by Andrew Berg | CommentsHands-free technologies may not be making using mobile devices behind the wheel any safer, according to a new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. According to the new findings, dangerous mental distractions exist even when drivers keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road...
Executives Admit that TV Isn't Everywhere Yet
June 12, 2013 8:47 am | by Ryan Nakashima, AP Business Writer | CommentsTV was supposed to be everywhere by now — watchable anytime, anywhere, on your smartphone or tablet. But four years into the industry's effort, network executives readily admit: TV isn't everywhere. The promise of "TV Everywhere" has been a key strategy in the cable and satellite TV industry's fight to retain customers in the face of challenges from online video providers such as Netflix.
Court Hears Terse Testimony in e-Book Trial
June 12, 2013 8:43 am | by Hillel Italie, AP National Writer | CommentsMacmillan CEO John Sargent, who testified this week at a trial over alleged price-fixing of e-books, was no one's idea of a friendly witness. Of the five publishers the U.S. Justice Department sued last year, Macmillan was the last to settle and the most defiant. The government alleged that Macmillan, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Group (USA)...
Confirmed: Google Buys Waze
June 11, 2013 4:42 pm | by Andrew Berg | CommentsWhile neither Google nor Waze revealed financial details of the deal, the Wall Street Journal has published a report that GOogle paid just over $1 billion for Waze, which is in line with previous reports released prior to today's confirmation...
Apple Unveils Music Streaming Service
June 11, 2013 10:32 am | by Barbara Ortutay, AP Technology Writer | CommentsApple unveiled an Internet radio service called iTunes Radio on Monday and said the service will personalize listeners' music based on what they've listened to and what they've purchased on iTunes. Apple said iTunes Radio will be available this fall in the U.S...
First News Briefs for June 11, 2013
June 11, 2013 10:22 am | by Wireless Week Staff | CommentsTexas Instruments Incorporated today announced the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 BoosterPack, powered by the SimpleLink Wi-Fi CC3000 module from TI and offering Wi-Fi connectivity for microcontroller (MCU) -based systems.
SF, NY Officials Wait to Judge Apple 'Kill Switch'
June 11, 2013 10:10 am | by Terry Collins, Associated Press | CommentsThe top prosecutors in San Francisco and New York, seeking ways to curb thefts of mobile devices, said Monday they will reserve judgment of Apple's new security feature designed to make it harder to reactivate a stolen iPhone. San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon...
SoftBank Ups Sprint Bid, Sprint Puts Dish in the Corner
June 11, 2013 10:03 am | by Ben Munson | CommentsSoftBank late Monday raised its bid to acquire Sprint to $21.6 billion from $20.1 billion, or $7.65 per share. Under the new agreement, SoftBank would take a 78 percent stake in Sprint, up from the 70 percent promised in the previous offer.
Dish: Bid for Sprint Still Under Consideration
June 10, 2013 4:31 pm | CommentsDish Network's $25.5 billion bid for Sprint is still in play, according to a statement released today. Dish released the statement, saying it was "in response to media inquires about the current state of play regarding its proposal to merge with the Sprint Nextel Corporation.
Apple Unveils iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and More at WWDC
June 10, 2013 3:31 pm | by Ben Munson | CommentsAfter months of grinding away in the rumor mill, Apple CEO Tim Cook took a little more time building up to the iOS 7 unveil. He was pleased to announce 600 million iOS devices sold. “But it’s not what drives us,” Cook said, putting the focus on mobile web share and time spent with devices, both categories lead by Apple.
First News Briefs for June 10, 2013
June 10, 2013 10:52 am | by Wireless Week Staff | CommentsBirch Communications, an IP-based communications and cloud services provider to small- and medium-sized businesses, announced today that it has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire the client base, accounts receivable and physical assets of Ernest Communications.
AT&T Rolling Out Wi-Fi-Enabled Push-to-Talk Feature for iPhone
June 10, 2013 10:50 am | by Ben Munson | CommentsAT&T today announced a new iOS app for its business customers that will enable push-to-talk (PTT) features on the iPhone 4S and 5. The service will run over AT&T’s network but will also operate via Wi-Fi, which should provide improved in-building coverage for the service.
Report: Google Offers $1.1 Billion to Acquire Mapping Service Waze
June 10, 2013 10:18 am | CommentsGoogle is offering $1.1 billion to acquire the crowd-sourced maps company Waze, according to a Bloomberg report. The news comes after earlier reports that Apple had been interested in Waze. Waze's mobile app for iOS and Android gathers map information from its 40 million users...
AT&T Bumps Upgrade Wait From 20 Months to Two Years
June 10, 2013 10:00 am | by Ben Munson | CommentsAT&T has extended the waiting period for upgrades on phones from 20 months to two years. In a blog post Sunday, the company said the new upgrade policy will apply to new contracts and any existing contracts ending March 2014 and later.
Is Big Data Turning Government into 'Big Brother'?
June 10, 2013 9:42 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | CommentsWith every phone call they make and every Web excursion they take, people are leaving a digital trail of revealing data that can be tracked by profit-seeking companies and terrorist-hunting government officials. The revelations that the National Security Agency...
