Technology News

Regulators in the United Kingdom confirmed in late March that they were looking into various complaints concerning Apple’s latest tablet. Now, according to the BBC, the Advertising Standards Authority has begun to widen its inquiry into Apple’s advertising practices regarding the new iPad. Earlier complaints were resolved after discussions with the Cupertino-based company, however the agency is now looking into further concerns raised by consumers. Regulators are reportedly not satisfied with Apple’s complied agreement to amend claims about the latest iPad’s 4G capabilities, because when 4G coverage becomes more widely available in the U.K., the iPad will still be incompatible. The ASA told BBC that when it approached the iPad maker, the company said it had removed references to 4G from its web page and had edited a video that contained references to 4G. Apple’s U.K. website still offers consumers the chance to buy a “Wi-Fi + 4G” iPad, however, and it only offers a small footnote explaining that “4G LTE” is supported only on certain networks in the United States and Canada.

Read

Tags: 4G LTE, Advertising Standards Authority, Apple, iOS, iPad, new iPad, Tablets

Dan Graziano

Article source: http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/02/apple-ipad-4g-investigation/

The United States House of Representatives recently voted to pass the controversial Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). The bill looks to give businesses and the federal government legal protection to share cyber threats with one another in an effort to prevent online attacks. Internet privacy, neutrality advocates and even the Obama Administration feel as if the bill does not contain enough limits on how and when the government may monitor private information. Online petitions opposing the bill and its supporters have collectively garnered more than one million signatures, although such protests have seemingly had little to no effect thus far. The hacktivist group “Anonymous” is looking to change that, however, with the announcement of Operation Defense: Phase 2.

In a video recently uploaded to YouTube, Anonymous acknowledged that its traditional DDoS-style of attacks are becoming less effective because companies have upgraded their web servers to withstand such threats. The group states that “we will not stand while our rights are being taken away,” and is planning a traditional protest of the companies who support CISPA.

The protest will begin on Tuesday, May 1st, and continue through June 30th. Anonymous and its supporters will target, ATT, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Verizon Wireless, Bank of America, Chase Bank, McGraw-Hill, Coke and Pepsi, Target, WalMart, CVS and Visa, Mastercard and American Express. Anonymous’s video announcement follows below.

Tags: Anonymous, CISPA, Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, government, Article source: http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/01/anonymous-hackers-attack-cispa/

Despite the fact that Samsung surpassed Apple in terms of global smartphone market share, Apple’s iPhone generates more revenue than Samsung’s entire mobile division, according to data from Juniper Research. “Apple’s revenues from its ‘mobile division’ continues to remain significantly higher than Samsung’s, even when you take into account the latter’s feature phones,” Juniper research analyst Daniel Ashdown said. Apple’s iPhone revenue was $22.7 billion in the first quarter of 2012, $29.3 billion if you were to include the iPad, compared with Samsung’s $17 billion from its entire mobile division. Juniper forecasts that smartphone shipments will nearly double over the next five years from just under 600 million units in 2012 to 1.1 billion by 2017. Despite the current state of the market, however, the firm states there is still plenty of opportunities for other players to make strong gains, whether it be Nokia, Research in Motion, HTC or smaller vendors such as Huawei and ZTE. Juniper Research’s press release follows below.

Samsung No.1 Smartphone Brand Again in Q1, But Apple Still Making More Money

· Samsung defies logic with post-holiday q-o-q growth
· Apple’s shipments fall only marginally due to iPhone mix
· iPhone revenues continue to top the charts

HAMPSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM – 1st May 2012: Data from leading mobile analyst firm Juniper Research shows Samsung and Apple trading places once again in the smartphone market, in what is increasingly becoming a two-horse race. In the first quarter of 2012, the company estimates that nearly 60% of the 139 million smartphones shipped worldwide carried either the Apple (35.1 million) or Samsung (46.9 million) brand – up from 46% in the last

Article source: http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/01/samsung-apple-smartphone-revenue/

The “Flashback” virus that originated on a series of WordPress blogs and went on to infected more than 600,000 Mac computers last month may have generated its creators thousands of dollars each day. According to antivirus software firm Symantec, the Flashback malware has been generating revenue for its authors by hijacking users’ ad clicks, and due to the widespread nature of the infection, the authors could have been generating up to $10,000 per day. “Flashback specifically targets search queries made on Google and, depending on the search query, may redirect users to another page of the attacker’s choosing, where they receive revenue from the click,” the firm explained, adding that Google never receives the intended ad click. Symantec notes that ad-clicking Trojans are nothing new and a botnet of 25,000 infections could generate an author up to $450 per day.

Read

Tags: Apple, computer, Flashback, Mac, Malware, os x, Security, Symantec, virus

Dan Graziano

• 
• http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/01/flashback-os-x-virus/

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill., May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –

First Quarter Financial Highlights

• Net revenues of $3.1 billion
• Non-GAAP net loss of $0.03 per share compared to net loss of $0.08 per share in first quarter 2011; GAAP net loss of $0.28 per share compared to net loss of $0.27 per share in first quarter 2011
• Mobile Devices net revenues of $2.2 billion; Non-GAAP operating loss of $85 million; GAAP operating loss of $121 million
• Shipped 8.9 million mobile devices, including 5.1 million smartphones
• Home net revenues of $884 million; Non-GAAP operating earnings of $91 million; GAAP operating earnings of $68 million

Click here for printable press release and financial tables.

Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) today reported net revenues of $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2012, up 2 percent compared to the first quarter of 2011. The GAAP net loss in the first quarter of 2012 was $86 million, or $0.28 per share, compared to a net loss of $81 million, or $0.27 per share, in the first quarter of 2011. On a non-GAAP basis, the net loss in the first quarter 2012 was $10 million, or $0.03 per share, compared to a net loss of $25 million, or$0.08 per share, in the first quarter of 2011.

The Company had operating cash outflow of $98 million in the first quarter. Total cash at the end of the quarter was $3.5 billion and includes cash, cash equivalents, and cash deposits.

Details on non-GAAP adjustments and the use of non-GAAP measures are included later in this press release and in the financial tables.

“The introduction of RAZR™ MAXX marked another successful addition to the Motorola product family and contributed to our growth in smartphones. Our Home business delivered another solid quarter highlighted by improvement in year-over-year profitability,” said Sanjay Jha, chairman and chief executive officer, Motorola Mobility. “We continue to work closely with Google to complete the proposed merger during the first half of the year.”

Operating Results

Mobile Devices net revenues in the first quarter were $2.2 billion, up 3

Article source: http://www.bgr.com/2012/05/01/motorola-q1-earnings/