Bloodborne Expansion Confirmed By Sony

T-Mobile Nexus 7 LTE Gets Android 5.1.1 Update

Split Screen Multitasking Coming In iOS 9

Adobe Photoshop Touch Will Be Removed From App Store Next Week

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Iron Man Edition Launching Next Week

Apple Store App Gets Two Step Authentication

Jide Remix Ultra Tablet Now Available For $399

Sling TV Lands On Android TV Devices

Samsung UN60JU6500 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV

Samsung UN60JU6500 60-Inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV

• Refresh Rate: 120CMR (Effective)
• Backlight: LED
• Smart Functionality: Yes - Built in Wi-Fi
• Dimensions (W x H x D): TV w/ stand: 53.7 x 32.8 x 12.5 , TV w/o stand: 53.7 x 31.1 x 2.5
• Inputs: 4 HDMI, 3 USB

Smart Functionality: Yes - Built in Wi-Fi

Pupug Top GPS Navi In-Dash 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Car Dvd Player with Digital Touch Screen Lcd Monitor Vehicle Headunit Video Audio Fm AM Radio Multimedia Entertainment Auto PC Stereo

Pupug Top GPS Navi In-Dash 6.2-Inch Double-DIN Car Dvd Player with Digital Touch Screen Lcd Monitor Vehicle Headunit Video Audio Fm AM Radio Multimedia Entertainment Auto PC Stereo

• GPS navigation with map ready
• Latest Model with GPS Navigation! HD Digital Touchscreen, Bluetooth, RDS, FM AM Radio
• cables for Steering wheel, DVD Player, CD Player, MP3 MP4 3 Player
• built-in Microphone, Video, Audio, Support car dvr
• USB, SD, Auxiliary Input, Remote Control, Car Logo

Windows CE 8.0 Universal 6.2 Inch Digital Touch Screen 2Din Car DVD Player GPS Navigation Auto Video Audio Stereo Radio+MAP+Bluetooth Black


Latest WinCE 6.0 Operating system with Fastest CPU

-External Memory:Up to 32GB/SD Card

-Features:SD/USB Support, Touch Screen, Steering Wheel Control, RDS, GPS, Built-in Bluetooth

-Display Ratio:0.672916666666667

-Screen Size:6.2 inch

-Screen Resolution:800 x 480

-OSD Languages:Turkish, Chinese, Russia

HTC 35H00134-09M Battery with Original OEM for HTC BB96100 – Non-Retail Packaging – Black

HTC 35H00134-09M Battery with Original OEM for HTC BB96100 - Non-Retail Packaging - Black

• The Li-ion technology delivers long lasting talk times, standby time and rechargeable with no memory effect
• This 1300mAh battery is great to have as a replacement or an extra battery for your HTC phone
• This battery is an original accessory manufactured by HTC specifically for your HTC phone
• Part Numbers: BB96100 / 35H00134-09M / 35H0013409M

This battery is an original accessory manufactured by HTC specifically for your HTC phone. The Li ion technology delivers long lasting talk times, standby time and rechargeable with no memory effect. This 1300mAh battery is great to have as a replacement or an extra battery for your HTC phone. Part Numbers: BB96100 / 35H00134 09M / 35H0013409MThe HTC 1300mAh Standard Li ion Battery, manufactured by HTC is compatible with the HTC Desire Z A7272, HTC Droid Eris ADR6200, HTC Freestyle F5151, HTC Le

LD © Compatible Replacement for Canon PGI-1200XL / 9197B001 High Yield Magenta Inkjet Cartridge for use in Canon Maxify MB2020, and MB2320 Printers

LD Compatible Replacement for Canon PGI-1200XL / 9197B001 High Yield Magenta Inkjet Cartridge for use in Canon Maxify MB2020, and MB2320 Printers

• Page Yield: 900 | Shelf Life: 36 months
• The use of compatible cartridges and supplies does not void your printer's warranty
• This compatible cartridge is conveniently equipped with a smart chip that allows you to monitor and track your ink levels
• Our two year 100% Satisfaction Guarantee ensures that you will get excellent printouts when you buy our compatible Cartridges
• For use in the Following Canon Maxify Printers: MB2020, and MB2320

Save even more with our compatible inkjet cartridge. This item includes 1 9197B001 Magenta inkjet cartridge. Why pay twice as much for brand name Canon PGI-1200XL cartridge when our compatible printer supplies deliver excellent quality results for a fraction of the price? Our compatible cartridges for Canon are backed by a full 2 year 100% satisfaction guarantee. So stock up now and save even more! This item works in the following Canon Maxify Printers: MB2020, and MB2320. Please note, this item

DELL PRECISION M6800 I7 4810MQ 3.8GHZ FIREPRO M6100 2GB 32GB 1600MHZ FHD 1080P MTOUCH 4TB 256GB SSD DVDR

DELL PRECISION M6800 I7 4810MQ 3.8GHZ FIREPRO M6100 2GB 32GB 1600MHZ FHD 1080P MTOUCH 4TB 256GB SSD DVDR

• Intel Core i7 4810MQ 3.8GHz
• 32GB DDR3L 1600MHz
• 2x 2TB SATA HD
• 256GB mSATA SSD
• AMD FirePro M6100 2GB GDDR5

CPUIntel Core i7-4810MQ Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.80GHz)RAM32GB Dual Channel DDR3L at 1600MHzHard Drive2TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
2TB SATA Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
256GB mSATA Solid State DriveGraphics CardAMD FirePro M6100 Mobility Pro Graphics with 2GB GDDR5Screen17.3 Inch UltraSharp FHD (1920 1080) Wide View Anti-Glare LED-backlit Multi-Touch with Premium Panel GuaranteeOptical Drive8X Slot Load DVD+/-RW DriveOperating SystemWindows 8 ProWirelessIntel 7260 802.11AC, dual-band, 2 2 W

Fujifilm FinePix S9400W / S9450W – 16.2 Megapixel CMOS, 50x Zoom, WiFi Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD Display – Red (Certified Refurbished)

Fujifilm FinePix S9400W / S9450W - 16.2 Megapixel CMOS, 50x Zoom, WiFi Digital Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD Display - Red (Certified Refurbished)

• This Certified Refurbished product is tested & certified by Fujifilm to work like-new. The product includes all original accessories, and is backed by a 90 day warranty.
• 16.2MP 1/2.3-inch backlit CMOS sensor
• 50x optical zoom (24-1200mm)
• Display: 3.0-inch, approx. 460K-dot LCD with EVF
• Full HD movie capture (1920 x 1080, 60i), Wireless connectivity

Fujifilm FinePix S9400W/S9450W-16.2 Megapixel CMOS, 50x Zoom, WiFi Digital Camera with 3.0-inch LCD Display-Red (Certified Refurbished)

SpaceX made some awesome travel posters for Mars

With all the recent news about International Space Station resupply missions, reusable rockets, and drone barges, it's easy to forget that reason Elon Musk created SpaceX in the first place is to help land humans on Mars. In a way, it's great that we're so familiar with the private space company's day-to-day operations that we've traded talk of colonizing planets for details about contract disputes with the Air Force; it's exciting that the business of space travel is becoming normal, even if it's difficult and tedious. But dreaming about traveling to another planet is surely more exciting, and the company has just released a few vintage-styled travel posters that should help do the trick.

The three images look less like they were...

I was recognized in New York City for the first time while I was on Periscope

I'm a big fan of Periscope. I use it almost every day to talk with strangers about anything and everything: my Apple Watch, my roommate's dog Milo, my life in New York.

Yesterday, while waiting for a friend outside Penn Station, I was Periscoping - talking to the camera and answering questions as usual - when someone in the stream asked, "Have people on the street recognized you from Periscope?" I responded with a hasty "no," but then, for whatever reason, I spotted someone with a self-balancing unicycle.

"This guy's got an SBU," I exclaimed to the 190 live viewers. And that's when it happened. "You're from The Verge!" he shouted back. To be fair, I was wearing a shirt that said "The Verge" across my chest. My new friend Patrick had...

Prepare for trouble…

Anyone else feel like this with their headphones?

Just helping you tee off

While we are comparing the two

He does look pretty badass

That’s the one I choose

iLive Clock Radio is one sexy-looking iPhone dock

Most iPhone docks don't do very much with the phone - you just leave it on to charge for the night and that's about it. Well, that's where the iLive Clock Radio Dock comes into play. The dock comes with a clock face that's missing the 12, and when the iPhone is plugged in, it displays the 12 and the clock hands with the use of an app. Charging your iPhone and turning it into a clock at the same time is a pretty great idea.

Unfortunately, a clock designed in this way means that without the iPhone it is pretty useless. But hey - so are other docks - at least this one gives you the added benefit of an analog clock and it's more functional than the wooden iPhone 4 alarm dock. The iLive Clock Radio Dock is available now for $49.99 from the iLive website.

Samung Airs Another Galaxy S II Ad, This Time About Dual-Core

We know the Samsung Galaxy S II is a great and fast device. As a matter of fact, it's THE Android smartphone of the moment getting a full 5 out of 5 in our review which makes it the best Google-powered smartphone money can buy at the moment.

Samsung is continuing to maintain and build the momentum by outing yet another Samsung Galaxy S II ad. This time it is all about dual-core processing and how two channels can be faster than a single channel, nothing really new and groundbreaking here. But they have to keep it up in order to break that Galaxy S world record with the follow-up device. Check it out below:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q74pXDvlKzM

Song “Covers” Uploaded to YouTube Could Land You in Jail For Five Years

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82VtBxeJH3I

Beyonce lip-synching videos are in danger, people! Along with CathyMay15 s Boom Boom Boom and any other YouTube videos that could be contravening the law. If passed, US Senate bill 978 will make the internet a lot less fun.

It's obviously not the first time YouTube has come under fire for housing videos that flout copyright laws, but everyone's getting a little twitchy about this bill. Currently, it's only against the law to upload or reproduce (make a copy of) something copyrighted, like a TV show or a song, but if Congress amends the rulebook and includes performances, YouTube will have a lot of work on its hands, deleting contravening videos.

Website TruthOrTreason points out that the proposed bill also suggests punishment for those who distribute copyrighted performances. So if I were to post a video of CathyMay15 in this post, and more than 10 people view it, I personally could face five years in jail. Whoops.

Facebook does iPad app at last

Facebook does seem to have yielded to the pressure of not having an iPad app - never mind that the iPhone already has a Facebook app on the Apple App Store when it opened in July a few years ago. Winds of change are a-comin' as there are industry insiders who claim that Facebook is on its way to introduce a free iPad application which has been specially designed and optimized for the tablet.
In production for almost a year, and having gone through several design iterations, it should be in its final stages of testing now. Other than that, no further details were released, since the product plans are strictly confidential.

Those who have seen the application claim that it boasts a slick design which has been specially tailored for the iPad and its touchscreen interface. It seems that the Facebook Chat and Facebook Groups features will be overhauled as well, and you can even shoot and upload photos and videos using the iPad's built-in camera to boot.

Initial impressions have been nothing short of positive, so hopefully all this good vibes will be translated to a stunning app when it arrives.

ZTE Libra Gingerbread phone unleashed

Android 2.3 action in the Far East

ZTE has detailed its latest Android handset, model number X880 - aka the ZTE Libra.

According to our ZTE peeps, the phone has gone live in Asia this week although as of yet there's no UK operator in place for a launch on these shores.

The Libra isn't, despite the Brightpoint listing, the ZTE Blade (which hit the UK as the Orange San Francisco) and is in fact an entirely new device.

One rocking the latest version of Android Gingerbread - 2.3.4 - no less.

It packs a 600MHz Qualcomm MSM7227 chip, and offers GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz, UMTS 900 / 2100 MHz connectivity as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, a digital compass and assisted GPS.

It has full access to the Android Market and comes pre-loaded with all the official Google goodies.

We'll update you with regards to when we may be seeing the ZTE Libra in the UK as soon as we hear anything further.

Article: RSS via Pocket-lint

Android gets new, increasingly advanced malware

Lookout is now warning us about a new threat that could possibly infect our Android phones. The latest development is a new type of malware that bypasses Google's jurisdiction to get direct access to your phone. It's scary stuff.

Last month Google remotely removed more than 25 applications from the market on the conviction that these were hiding a malware called DroidDream within its files. After Google handled the applications, these same guys went on to develop this new browser-based malware that is more advanced than any other ever developed for a mobile phone.

Normally malware would be hidden inside an application that you download from the market. With this new development, the malware is packaged with an APK that you can download right from the web. The site comes with an Android Market-like design, and functions pretty similar to the Google made version to give people the impression that they might be working with a Google created website. When you've found an application you want to install, the website takes you to a fake installation page that mimics that of the Android market and then you're prompted to install it via Android downloader.

After being installed, the application goes to work and pings different servers that will register your number to different premium SMS subscription services. These services generally would require you to answer questions or a PIN to register. This is where this malware flexes its muscles: It'll communicate with the malicious server without you ever knowing about it - until the bill comes of course.

Smartphones are starting to see malware and software is being developed to protect them from it. Android has been experiencing the worst attacks, but luckily Google is always working hard trying to protect you against these bad boys. The best way to protect your phone is by staying away from online hacked APK of an application that you can download from the market for a small fee. Instead, pay that small fee now so you won't have to pay an even bigger fee later.

Auto-Park System

Good news for inexperienced drivers is news that Volkswagen's Touran and Sharan will come with Valeo's Park4U auto-parking system, which uses ultrasonic sensors to automatically park the car without scraping across neighboring vehicles. Park4U has already appeared in Volkswagen, Audi, and Ford vehicles, among others.

This would be useful for budding drivers in space-challenged Japan!

Technology of the future
Future technologies
Holographic Cellphone

Holographic Cellphone

There is a rating embedded within this post, please visit this post to rate it.Nothing is impossible nowadays, specially after seeing the cool Mozilla Seabird concept phone, so here's another handset with futuristic specs. Created by Nicholas Moffat, Notcia X35-HOLO is a phone that comes with holographic imagery support, holographic maps and a 22 megapixel camera.

It's got a battery that will provide 90 hours of functioning time, a touchscreen display, user programmable side buttons and cross platform app functions. Web browsing and email are also supported.

Keep in mind that this is a phone mockup, not a real device, so there's really no point in asking about the price... We think that the Notcia X35 is a pretty cool device, with a slim design, specially considering how huge the camera sensor should be. Here's a video of the handset:

Future computers
Mozilla's Seabird phone concept
Phones of the future
Save energy save future

Trash cans + tech=sensor can

Innovation only makes sense if it's in sync with your needs. That's why our new sensor trash can has multi-sense . It reacts and adapts to your behavior, so it won't open unexpectedly or close before you've finished your task. It's a cleaner, easier way to manage your trash - very sensible.

Future computers
Coffee hot everywhere-concept
Technology in the future
MP3 Player Innovative Concept

Flex iPhone concept !

Designer Fabrice Bardon almost had us thinking that was an unusual iPhone, but then we spotted the Sony Ericsson branding on the device's pictures. Dubbed the Flex iPhone, this handset has nothing in common with Apple's cellphone, but a lot in common with the future and modern devices.

We're dealing with a phone with modern design, thanks to a flexible body, a touch keypad, LCD screen and a shape that reminds us of the older communication devices. Well, the Flex iPhone looks nifty, but let's hope the material it's based on is not as fragile as the pics make it seem...

BA Smartphone Concept
current technology articles Nokia E-Cu concept charges in your pants.
Holographic Cellphone
Crystal - Phone is future

Tips To Help You Use Your Iphone

An iphone can be a very useful device. You can use it simply as a phone, but really you have a powerful computer sitting in your pocket. The possibilities are endless. There are a lot of ways to make your iphone work better to suit your needs. Use the information below to learn all the ins and outs of your phone.

Do you get too many notifications on your iphone? Here’s how you can turn them off. Press the Settings button, then press the Notifications bar. Check out the apps in the “Notification Center” and delete any unwanted apps. This can also help your battery life.

Any website you visit can be made into an app. First, simply visit the site. When there, all you need to do it to press the “Go” button. Doing so means you have the chance to add a shortcut to this website to the home screen of your iphone. Once its on your home screen, it can be re-named and made into an app of your making.

It is not necessary to close out an autocorrect suggestion by pushing the “X.” To eliminate this alteration, tap anywhere else on the screen. This is the fastest way of closing the suggestion box.

Many people use the camera on the iphone. After snapping away over the course of days or weeks, though, your iPhone’s Camera Roll can get clogged up with all the pictures you’ve taken. Keep your pictures organized with the iphone album. This will really speed you up when you need to locate a particular picture.

Did you miss an important photo because you were fumbling to pull up the camera feature on your iphone? Try this easy idea. Make sure the device is locked and push the Home button two times. A little camera icon will appear on the screen near the bottom. Double tap it to start the camera.

Keep the firmware on your iphone current. This can increase usability and boost battery life. Just make sure you have iTunes on your desktop or laptop and hook up the phone to the machine. Another option is to just use your iCloud application to allow your phone and computer to communicate with each other.

You can go to the sound settings and turn “keyboard clicks” on so that you hear an audible click whenever you type. Some people find it helpful to hear the clicks of typing to keep from making mistakes, while others find the sound irritating and prefer silent typing.

A great way to save a lot of time when playing with your iphone is to set custom shortcuts for AutoText. This feature is easy for email addresses and common phrases. You will find this option in the keyboard settings of your iphone.

Select a ringtone that you love, this makes your iphone more personal. Standard ringtones are fine for the masses, but you want to stand out! Use a beloved tune or perhaps just a sound that appeals to you. That will turn heads when your iphone rings.

Don’t waste time using suggested words when typing on an iphone. Fortunately, there’s a faster way to dismiss your iPhone’s suggestions when they appear: Simply tap anywhere on the screen when the suggestion box appears. This will prevent you from tapping the “x” all the time.

One of the most useful features on an iphone is the Calendar function. You can quickly use this tool by directly adding events instead of always using “+” button. If you’re in “Day” view, tap and hold down on an hour to automatically add an event for that hour. The quicker you can schedule things, the less time you’ll have to waste on it.

Do not go overboard buying apps for your iphone. There are many apps available for an iphone including free apps and those that charge money. But some are very shady and will actually take your information or send you hidden charges.

Using your iphone can be really fun and really easy, but there are some aspects of the phone that make it seem tedious. For example, having to scroll up the length of pages can be a pain. There’s no reason for you to waste time doing this! Just tap the status bar near the clock, and that will take you to the page’s start. This is helpful for long lists too like they have on the iTunes store.

A great tip if you own an iphone is to start using Facebook on it. There are people are not aware of the full connectivity powers of social networking and their iPhones.

Consider purchasing a battery management app. One of these apps will tell you when your battery use is the highest and how to make changes to extend the life of your battery. In addition, they can let you know when you should calibrate, which will allow you to maintain a healthy battery.

The iphone can do so much more than just act as a phone. But, the iphone has capabilities you may not have even realized. Use the information above in order to tailor your iphone experience to suit your needs.

Iphone Secrets To Get The Most From Your Device

An iphone is a great device that offers many uses. From a phone to an entertainment device an a personal organizer, an iphone offers many uses. By personalizing your iphone, you can get the most from it. These tips will allow you to be the master of your phone.

Are you aware that you can snap a photo from the headphone cord? Begin by framing the picture you want to capture. Once you’re ready to take the picture, press the button that’s on the cord. The picture will be taken this way. You can save your picture by following the usual steps.

Use the following trick to make messaging quicker. If the dictionary has provided you with a work you do not like, just tap anywhere on your phone’s screen to get rid of it. You do not have to click on the x displayed next to the word to dismiss it.

Your iPhone’s default setting is to show you a preview of your incoming messages right on the phone’s lock screen. You may like this feature, or you may hate it. If you think it is annoying, you can disable that feature easily. Simply go to the Notifications section of your settings menu and choose messages. The feature you want to disable is called Show Preview.

Just like with lots of other smartphones, the iphone can be set to give you visual indicators of when you receive calls and/or messages. You can make the flash from the camera blink when you are getting a call. Simply go to Settings > General > Accessibility. Select the button “LED Flash on Alerts.”

The iPhone’s Safari browser will let you do just about anything you could do on a full-sized computer, including pull images off of the Internet. If you see pictures you would like to store while browsing the Internet, simply tap it and hold it down. One of the options on the menu that appears when you do this is to send the picture straight to the Camera Roll on your iphone. You can also send it to someone in a message.

An important tip for using an iphone is avoiding the use of too many apps. There are so many wonderful iphone apps, some of which are free, while others that cost money. But you need to be careful because some are not what they say they are will end up taking money from you through hidden charges.

You can be interrupted by notifications on your iphone while you are using another application on the phone. But perhaps now is not a good time, so before getting to the notice you will want to save it for later. You should know that you can easily and swiftly rid yourself of the notification. You just wipe away the pop up screen.

Sleep/wake Button

If your phone freezes, do not panic. To begin with, press the sleep/wake button. If it doesn’t work, press both the home button and the sleep/wake button and hold them down. You will be taken through a hard reboot, requiring you to use the power button, but it will work in a short amount of time.

In order to choose to make an email stay marked as unread, you have to locate the command because it’s not visible. Go to Details, then select the Unread feature. When you come back to your inbox, the e-mail will show up as unread.

You can get a lot out of your iphone by linking it to your social networks. No longer do you have to log into your computer to visit your favorite social media sites. You can do it right from your phone.

Consider using an app to manage your battery life. There are a few options, and they help you make your battery last longer. They also have the ability to let you know when a battery calibration is necessary, so you can extend the life of your battery.

If you want to type faster on your iphone, program in word shortcuts. Simply go to Settings, then General and Keyboard, and then “Add New Shortcut”. Add shortcuts for phrases and words you commonly use. When you use these shortcuts, the entire word or phrase will be inserted.

By now you should realize that the many features of the iphone make it more than a simple phone. Your iphone may even do more than you were aware of. Apply those tips, and you’ll be ready to be an iphone power user.

iOS 8 adoption rate ticks up to 81%

This 2-pack of iPhone 6 screen protectors is only $8.95 today!

Nokia Interim CEO: We Have Three Strong Businesses Remaining

The Nokia that remains after it sells its phone business to Microsoft will be a considerably smaller and lower-profile company.

It will hopefully be a more financially sound entity, as well, Nokia interim CEO Risto Siilasmaa told AllThingsD on Monday night in a telephone interview shortly after the deal was announced.

"We will continue to have three strong businesses," Siilasmaa said.

Nokia, which began by producing paper and rubber in the 1800s, is essentially exiting the mobile phone business that made it world-famous, selling both its Lumia smartphone business and its low-end mobile phone unit to Microsoft.

Remaining are its network-equipment business, its patent portfolio and its Here location-based services arm.

"Overall, we are very happy with the fact we will be able to support those businesses with a much stronger balance sheet," Siilasmaa said.

Nokia has been hit with continual bond-ratings downgrades and concerns about its long-term viability once the checks from Microsoft stopped coming. Under its previous deal with Microsoft, Redmond had been paying Nokia hundreds of millions of dollars in quarterly "platform support payments." However, the balance of payments was due to shift, with Nokia now owing more in minimum guaranteed royalties than it had coming in future payments from Microsoft.

Siilasmaa insisted that selling its namesake phone business to Microsoft was best for all of the company's stakeholders, including its 88,000 employees, 32,000 of whom are due to become Microsoft employees after the deal closes.

It will also immediately be a benefit for owners of Nokia stock, he said.

"The deal is immediately accretive to earnings," he said. "We believe we are making a very good choice for Nokia shareholders."

The deal, which requires regulatory approval and a nod from Nokia's shareholders, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014.

RELATED POSTS:

• Microsoft CEO Promises to Limit Nokia Phone Names to 10 Syllables or Less
• Samsung, HTC Mum on Any Interest in Windows Phone Post-Nokia
• Elop in July: It's "Hard to Understand the Rationale" for Selling Nokia's Devices Business
• Microsoft Is Getting Nokia's Phone Business for a Song
• Nokia Shares Rise, Microsoft Falls in Reaction to Deal
• So Much for BlackBerry's "Clear Shot" at Being No. 3 in the Smartphone Market
• Selling Nokia Was Hard Emotionally, But Right Thing to Do, Says Interim CEO
• Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia's Top Designer, To Leave Company in November
• Steve Ballmer on Why Buying Microsoft's Biggest Phone Partner Makes Sense
• Nokia Interim CEO: We Have Three Strong Businesses Remaining
• Barcelona Rendezvous, 50 Nokia Board Meetings Led to Microsoft Deal
• Microsoft's Nokia Deal By The Numbers
• Microsoft Confirms It Gets Less Than $10 Per Nokia Windows Phone Sold
• Stephen Elop Is Now Microsoft CEO Candidate to Beat
• Microsoft Wants to Keep Licensing Windows Phone to Others, Post-Nokia Deal
• Microsoft Explains the Rationale Behind the Nokia Deal
• Microsoft to Buy Nokia's Device Business in Deal Worth $7.17 Billion

Steve Ballmer on Why Buying Microsoft's Biggest Phone Partner Makes Sense

Given that Nokia was already putting all its smartphone eggs in the Windows basket, it's a logical question to ask how Microsoft believes it will gain an advantage by purchasing Nokia's phone business.

No surprise, since he did the deal: CEO Steve Ballmer thinks the business will be stronger.

In an interview with AllThingsD, Ballmer laid out three reasons why things will be different once Microsoft owns Nokia's phone business.

First, Ballmer said, as close as the two companies were, there were legal and logistical barriers to total cooperation. Each company had to temper its investment based on separate business needs.

"As long as we were on a model with two different companies ... there was always some kind of a boundary along which it was hard to innovate from a hardware/software perspective," Ballmer said. "It doesn't mean we didn't do it, but we know we can improve our agility."

Second, Ballmer noted that each company was separately trying to build its own brand - a duplicative effort that diffused impact and wasted money.

"Just think about the Nokia Lumia Windows Phone 1020, and you will that know we can make simpler, clearer messages to the market," Ballmer said, noting that Nokia accounts for 80 percent of all Windows Phones, although Microsoft still hopes others will continue to make it even after Microsoft takes over from Nokia.

Finally, Ballmer said that as two companies, Nokia and Microsoft had to make different choices about where and how much to invest.

"We know, as we scale, we need to invest behind this business," Ballmer said. "It simplifies the business decision-making and thinking having the economics be more unified."

Translating from this business-speak, buying Nokia's phone business gives Microsoft a greater business opportunity, if it can succeed. Microsoft noted in its case for why the deal makes sense that it currently gets less than $10 in revenue from each Nokia Windows Phone sold, as compared to the $40 or so in profit margins Nokia stands to make.

Of course, Nokia - and soon Microsoft - also has to build the phones, manage inventory, deal with carriers and more. Plus, there's still that pesky challenge of growing beyond single-digit market share.

"We're the No. 3 smartphone player," Ballmer said. "We have a long way to go, and we have a lot we want to do."

RELATED POSTS:

• Microsoft CEO Promises to Limit Nokia Phone Names to 10 Syllables or Less
• Samsung, HTC Mum on Any Interest in Windows Phone Post-Nokia
• Elop in July: It's "Hard to Understand the Rationale" for Selling Nokia's Devices Business
• Microsoft Is Getting Nokia's Phone Business for a Song
• Nokia Shares Rise, Microsoft Falls in Reaction to Deal
• So Much for BlackBerry's "Clear Shot" at Being No. 3 in the Smartphone Market
• Selling Nokia Was Hard Emotionally, But Right Thing to Do, Says Interim CEO
• Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia's Top Designer, To Leave Company in November
• Steve Ballmer on Why Buying Microsoft's Biggest Phone Partner Makes Sense
• Nokia Interim CEO: We Have Three Strong Businesses Remaining
• Barcelona Rendezvous, 50 Nokia Board Meetings Led to Microsoft Deal
• Microsoft's Nokia Deal By The Numbers
• Microsoft Confirms It Gets Less Than $10 Per Nokia Windows Phone Sold
• Stephen Elop Is Now Microsoft CEO Candidate to Beat
• Microsoft Wants to Keep Licensing Windows Phone to Others, Post-Nokia Deal
• Microsoft Explains the Rationale Behind the Nokia Deal
• Microsoft to Buy Nokia's Device Business in Deal Worth $7.17 Billion

Jeff Bezos Reveals He Doesn't Have a Plan to Save the Washington Post

Asa Mathat / AllThingsD.com

Just because Jeff Bezos is going to own the press doesn't mean he has changed his approach to the press. When he speaks to journalists, he says nothing.

The Washington Post has the first interview with the new owner-to-be of the Washington Post today. If you're expecting Bezos to reveal anything about his plans for the paper, then you've never sat through an Amazon earnings call or listened to a Jeff Bezos interview.

The gist: Like he said before, he won't be running the paper day to day. And, like he does with Amazon, Bezos plans to manage the paper for the long haul.

But, when Bezos won't tell you how many Kindles he's sold, he's not saying anything because he doesn't want to clue you in to his plan. The key question for the Post and its readers (and employees): Does he have a plan this time?

If you take him at face value, he doesn't. He's going to take time - "years" - to experiment, and the only thing he knows is that it's important for readers to get value out of reading the paper.

It would be easy enough to dismiss that non-talk as cover for whatever Bezos really is planning for the paper. Except for this part, where Bezos argues convincingly that newspapers in general, and the Post in particular, are screwed. If they produce anything of value, the Web immediately swallows it up and spits it out for free:

But Bezos suggested that the current model for newspapers in the Internet era is deeply flawed: "The Post is famous for its investigative journalism," he said. "It pours energy and investment and sweat and dollars into uncovering important stories. And then a bunch of Web sites summarize that [work] in about four minutes and readers can access that news for free. One question is, how do you make a living in that kind of environment? If you can't, it's difficult to put the right resources behind it. ... Even behind a paywall [digital subscription], Web sites can summarize your work and make it available for free. From a reader point of view, the reader has to ask, 'Why should I pay you for all that journalistic effort when I can get it for free' from another site?"

This would be an excellent rationale for an investment in a Web aggregator like Business Insider, and, of course, Bezos has done just that.

But unless Bezos is suggesting that the Post is going to stop "uncovering important stories" because there's no money in it - and I don't think he is suggesting that* - then what he's really saying is that he can't figure out how to make it work. For now. Just like everyone else.

* Quentin Hardy, who is smart, thinks Bezos will in fact move to a "give the people what they want and/or are willing to pay for" mode, where Cyrus trumps Syria. And if he was making the investment on behalf of Amazon, I might give that theory some credence. But this is a personal investment, and I don't think Bezos wants to be a guy known for asset-stripping an American institution.

Nokia Shares Rise, Microsoft Falls in Reaction to Deal

Shares of Nokia, the soon-to-be-ex-Finnish wireless phone giant, are rising significantly in reaction to the company's $7 billion deal to sell its devices business and license its wireless patents to U.S. software company Microsoft.

After the first hour of trading this morning, American Depository Receipts of Nokia had risen by $1.37, or more than 35 percent, to $5.26. Before the announcement of today's deal, the shares had fallen by more than one percent this year.

Meanwhile, shares of Microsoft fell by more than five percent in reaction to news of the deal. By 10:30 am ET, Microsoft shares had fallen by $1.81 to $31.59. The move mostly erased the benefits of a rally in Microsoft shares that came on Aug. 23, after CEO Steve Ballmer announced plans to retire from the company. Prior to today's news, the shares had risen by more than 25 percent this year.

RELATED POSTS:

• Microsoft CEO Promises to Limit Nokia Phone Names to 10 Syllables or Less
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• Elop in July: It's "Hard to Understand the Rationale" for Selling Nokia's Devices Business
• Microsoft Is Getting Nokia's Phone Business for a Song
• Nokia Shares Rise, Microsoft Falls in Reaction to Deal
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• Selling Nokia Was Hard Emotionally, But Right Thing to Do, Says Interim CEO
• Marko Ahtisaari, Nokia's Top Designer, To Leave Company in November
• Steve Ballmer on Why Buying Microsoft's Biggest Phone Partner Makes Sense
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• Barcelona Rendezvous, 50 Nokia Board Meetings Led to Microsoft Deal
• Microsoft's Nokia Deal By The Numbers
• Microsoft Confirms It Gets Less Than $10 Per Nokia Windows Phone Sold
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• Microsoft to Buy Nokia's Device Business in Deal Worth $7.17 Billion

AOL's Huffington Post Adds Ecofabulous Content

AOL-owned Huffington Post is adding a large amount of environmental-focused content from Ecofabulous, and making its founder, Zem Joaquin, an editor at large of home and lifestyle. In a nonexclusive licensing and revenue-sharing deal, the dedicated Ecofabulous page said that the online content site "will host original product reviews and recommendations featuring environmentally conscious beauty, fashion, home, kids, tech, and lifestyle items; provide resources for readers aiming to live a green life; profile environmentally-pioneering companies; and serve as a place to inspire readers seeking the recommendations of expert editors and designers."

Broadcom Pays $164 Million for Renesas 4G Wireless Chip Unit

Wireless chipmaker Broadcom said today that it will pay $164 million to buy the LTE wireless chip assets of Japan's Renesas Electronics.

Under terms of the deal, a team of chip designers based in Finland, the United Kingdom and India will become Broadcom employees, though the companies aren't yet saying how many people are involved. Bob Rango, Broadcom's executive VP and general manager of its mobile and wireless group, said the group of employees is largely composed of a batch of ex-Nokia chip designers who did some of the early work on setting 4G wireless standards. "This is a very experienced group of designers, many of whom were at the table when the 4G standards were set," he told me.

Broadcom had previously been seen as lagging rivals like Qualcomm in the development of chips for 4G phones.

Renesas had announced that it would stop developing its 4G wireless in June. Rango said the chips are already certified for use by several carriers, including AT&T in the U.S.; Vodafone, Orange and EE in the U.K.; and NTT DoCoMo in Japan.

Broadcom said the deal will cut into non-GAAP earnings to the tune of 12 cents a share when Broadcom reports its results of the quarter ending Dec. 31. It also expects the acquisition will cut into its fiscal 2014 earnings by 10 cents to 15 cents on a non-GAAP basis, but that it will be accretive to earnings starting with the 2015 fiscal year.

The company also boosted its outlook for the quarter ending Sept. 30, saying it now expects to report revenue in the range of $2.075 billion to $2.175 billion, and for gross margins to rise as much as 10 basis points.

Broadcom shares rose in premarket trading by more than one percent, to $25.51 per share.

Scientists Use Videogames to Improve Older Brains

In the future, your doctor may prescribe you a videogame.

In a groundbreaking new study at the University of California, San Francisco, scientists found that older adults improved cognitive controls such as multitasking and the ability to sustain attention by playing a specially designed videogame - and that the effects can be long lasting.

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It's No "Game of Thrones" Finale, but Yahoo Logo-Palooza Ends Tonight

Here are a few choice things I wait for in rapt anticipation:

While "Game of Thrones" is on hiatus after its sensational "Red Wedding" finale, the next episode of "Orange Is the New Black" - which spouse and I are watching two at a time nightly, although I am considering sneaking by day to find out what Pornstache will do to Red.

The new iPhone, which will be unveiled next Tuesday at Apple's Cupertino, Calif. HQ - because I will upgrade to it, my older son will get my old one and my younger son will get his brother's old one as his first phone ever (it's a family of impatience over here).

Whenever anyone says they are "gladiators in suits" on "Scandal" or whenever its star, Kerry Washington as Washington fixer Olivia Pope, gives that long, sad gaze that comes from loving the wrong man who also happens to be President of the United States.

The Oreo version of Google Android - because I like Oreos. A lot more than KitKats.

And even - and I am ashamed to admit this - whatever the next cup-full-of-crazy thing Miley Cyrus gets into.

But, I'll be honest - except for the fact that I have to cover it at the time I would have been watching my daily dose of "OITNB" tonight - I will have to drastically gin up my excitement level over the new Yahoo logo that is set to be unveiled at 9 pm PT.

Doubtless, others have been pre-briefed on this new look, which was last changed a few years ago. But, for the rest of us, over the last month Yahoo has been showing 29 other logos it will not be using to get us all atwitter with expectation.

While I still don't quite get this move from a marketing perspective - it's like having a parade of all the people you decided not to marry before your wedding - there have been some design doozies in the bunch. That might have been the point: Show off all the bad so we will love, love, love the new one.

On that score, mission accomplished!

Such as this one from Day 2 that looks like an air freshener I declined to purchase last week at Safeway:

Or this one from Day 11, which looks like my grandmother, who had excellent cursive penmanship, wrote it (nothing says the future like a handwritten logo from the last century!):

Or Day 20, which resembles what happens when I let those kids of mine play on my computer and they screw up the fonts:

Or Day 28, which is pretty much a flat-out lift of the Yoo-hoo logo, a high-fructose corn syrup beverage I enjoy imbibing from time to time:

Finally, I really don't have one single clue about what's going on with Day 29:

Which, I think, is the goal of the marketers of Yahoo - after this parade of losers, we shall now get to gaze upon the gleaming new spouse that the Silicon Valley Internet giant will be wedded to for years to come. This jazz-hands rollout is very much in keeping with the tenure of new CEO Marissa Mayer, who is trying to generate as much excitement around Yahoo as possible as part of her turnaround efforts.

Presumably, this logo for the new Yahoo will be just the ticket! We'll see - but, until then, I am going to go and see what Crazy Eyes is up to, which is one sure thing to be interesting.

Viral Video: Daft Punk Rocking Out on Rosh Hashanah

It's Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and to celebrate it, here's a very fine video, "Get Clarity," from Aish.com. It is a cover of Daft Punk's hugely popular summer hit song, "Get Lucky," but with new lyrics and a shofar.

Enjoy, and Shana Tova:

Huawei Doesn't Want BlackBerry

Here's one company that BlackBerry need not consider as it works to narrow down the list of parties interested in buying all or part of its business: Huawei.

Asked if Huawei might consider acquiring BlackBerry or another handset maker to bolster that business, board member Chen Lifang said the company is simply not interested.

"No, we have not considered (an acquisition)," she told reporters in London, according to Reuters. "We want to rely on ourselves."

Which makes sense. Huawei has done very well for itself pursuing that strategy. Today, it's the third-largest manufacturer of smartphones by volume, after Samsung and Apple. And it has claimed that title by building devices for Google's Android operating system. So why would it bother with BlackBerry? It clearly doesn't need it, or the company's new BlackBerry 10 platform, which seems to have lost its bid for third place in the smartphone OS wars to Microsoft.

As Lifang said, "In manufacturing mobile phones, we have made very good progress."

Barra Takes Center Stage at Xiaomi Product Launch

Chinese phone maker Xiaomi Inc. has become famous in China because of its blowout product releases, and Thursday's introduction of the company's new smartphone and smart television didn't disappoint.

Amid a carnival-like atmosphere, the phone company's devoted fans - some adorned with glow sticks - overflowed into the aisles as Xiaomi founder and Chief Executive Lei Jun described in detail the specs of the company's two new products to peals of applause.

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LG G2 Coming to T-Mobile, Verizon This Month

LG's newest flagship device finally has a U.S. release date - two, actually. Verizon will be the first to offer the LG G2 when it goes on sale Sept. 12 for $200 with a two-year contract. Meanwhile, T-Mobile is taking preorders for the smartphone today, with expected availability on Sept. 18. The cost is $100 down and 24 equal payments of $21. Introduced in August, the G2 is LG's latest effort to make a dent in the U.S. market; it features a 5.2-inch HD touchscreen and 13-megapixel camera. AT&T and Sprint are also expected to offer the device.

On Chrome Web Store, Real Games Mix With Mario Knockoffs

We've heard it over and over again (and arguably for good reason): Nintendo does not make games for platforms it does not control. So, imagine my surprise yesterday when I stumbled across a dozen or so Mario games on Google's Chrome Web Store.

These games are no more real than that Rolex you bought for $15 in Times Square - they're unlicensed, generally low-quality knockoffs, taking advantage of the openness of Google's browser, which just turned five. Many of the store's new native desktop apps look like snazzy cousins of the apps you might find in the Google Play Store on Android; however, in Chrome's Web app store (I know, these product names are all confusing), it's still the Wild West.

In addition to the fake Marios, a cursory search of the Web app store yesterday turned up knockoffs of many other popular franchises: one for Fruit Ninja, two for Crash Bandicoot, four for Doodle Jump, nine for Candy Crush Saga and 10 for Sonic the Hedgehog. A source with knowledge of the store said Google investigates unauthorized apps if the content owners report the offending apps to the company.

These fakes mix with real apps, like Rovio's official Angry Birds Chrome Web app, and to separate the good from the bad, users have to check the developer's website name. For example, one of the Candy Crush Saga knockoffs lists as its website candycrushsaga.blogspot.com, which is not one of King's sites. The official site for that game is candycrushsaga.com.

I asked a Nintendo spokesperson if the company was aware of the Mario knockoffs, and she returned the following generic statement from Nintendo of America:

Nintendo video games are offered only on Nintendo systems such as the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. Applications on the Apple or Google marketplaces that purport to be Nintendo video games are not legitimate and users who download these applications may expose themselves to spyware or other malicious software [...]

Wait, malicious software? Yes, it's possible, as 80,000 users learned last year by way of a fake Bad Piggies Chrome app. According to security company Barracuda Networks, that's the number of users who installed a bogus Bad Piggies and got some "aggressive adware" to boot. Bonus!

The Nintendo statement continued, "Nintendo actively monitors the unauthorized use of its intellectual property, and will continue to seek removal of any unauthorized content in these marketplaces."

Taking these specific games out of the Chrome store won't completely neutralize potential security threats posed by current or future games, of course. But the very thing that makes the store work - a search, discovery and recommendation-focused design that makes these games and services more accessible to Chrome users - may mislead gamers who don't think to look too closely.

"We remove apps from the Chrome Web Store that do not comply with our terms of service," a Google spokesperson said. Some of the Mario games I mentioned in my emails to the company have now disappeared from the Chrome store, but here is a screenshot of how they were showing up for me in the store's main trending section yesterday.

Apple Won't Introduce New Apple TV Box Next Week, Will Upgrade Software

There are very, very good odds you're going to hear about new iPhones at Apple's event next Tuesday.

But if you're looking for a new Apple TV, you're going to be disappointed.

Despite speculation about new Apple TV hardware on the way, Apple won't be unveiling any new boxes next week, according to people familiar with the company's plans.

That said, the company will be tweaking the software inside its Web TV box. Apple has already said that it will be bringing its new iTunes Radio service to Apple TV. And it has been adding new content partners, including Disney and HBO, throughout the summer.

Expect to hear about more changes next week.

Sources said that one new feature in the works will let people who've bought content from Apple play that stuff on other users' Apple TVs, via Apple's Airplay system and Apple's server. So if you bought a TV show or movie from Apple's iTunes store, you could watch it at a friend's house by calling it up on your iPhone and telling your friend's Apple TV to start streaming it. (The files wouldn't need to be stored on your iPhone or iPad)

You could have previously accomplished this by getting your friend to log out of their Apple TV box and then logging in with your own credentials. But that's awfully cumbersome - particularly with Apple's minimalist Apple TV remote. And you can already do a variation on this, though not as elegantly, with some Apple TV apps like HBO Go.

But if this makes it that much easier to watch "Pain and Gain" with your pals, then that's a good thing. And if that makes you less inclined to buy a $35 Google Chromecast and treat that as your Web TV device, then that's good for Apple.

No comment from Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr.