Lenovo in Talks to Acquire Packard Bell
Packard Bell may be on the selling block yet again. Lenovo said Tuesday that it is in talks to acquire all or a portion of the computer maker to give it a foothold in the European market.
Neither side has talked about how big of a stake in Packard Bell that Lenovo is looking to purchase, nor a possible price.
Apple Debuts New Aluminum and Glass iMacs
As expected, Apple on Tuesday unveiled its latest version of its iMac computer line, with new aluminum and glass enclosures at a cheaper price than their predecessors.
The 17-inch iMac has been discontinued in favor of two 20-inch models and a high-end 24-inch version. In all cases, both the keyboard and the computer itself are thinner than previous versions.
Apple Debuts iLife '08, New iWork
Further solidifying its move into the applications business, Apple on Tuesday debuted iLife '08 and iWork '08, which now includes a spreadsheet application like many had predicted.
The entire iWork '08 suite received updates, including better support for images as backgrounds and more themes to Keynote, its presentation program. Pages also got new templates. However the big news was Numbers.
FCC Pushing Sprint to End Interference
The FCC is stepping up pressure on Sprint Nextel to clear out from certain cellular frequencies to reduce interference to public safety transmissions.
Interference is being caused by Nextel's walkie-talkie feature, which sits on frequencies close to the one used by first responders. In some cases, it is cutting off communications completely between officers and dispatchers.
Sharp Sues Samsung Over LCD Technology
Sharp sued Samsung in Texas District Court on Monday, accusing it of infringing on patents related to liquid crystal display technologies.
Five different patents are included in the suit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. Patent suits are frequently filed in this district as it is seen as a favorable court for patent holders. Sharp is asking for a jury trial.
Xbox 360 Price Cuts Arrive Wednesday
Confirming earlier speculation, Microsoft on Tuesday announced price cuts on the Xbox 360 that will take effect tomorrow..
As rumored in late July, pricing on the Xbox Premium will be lowered by $50, the Elite by $30, and the Core system by $20. The new pricing places the three consoles at a price of $349, $449, and $279 USD, respectively.
YouTube Copyright Lawsuit Grows
Members of the National Music Publishers Association said Tuesday that they planned to join a lawsuit against YouTube over copyright infringement, signaling more legal trouble for Google's video site.
The original lawsuit was filed by British Soccer organization Premier League in May, and sought class-action status. Since then, music publisher Bourne has joined, and Robert Tur, owner of the Los Angeles News Service also plans to join the suit shortly.
Time Warner Asks for Help in Texas Copper Theft
Time Warner is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons involved in a suspected copper theft in Texas.
The company said that someone vandalized the fiber-optic lines in conduits that ran through the I-35 underpass near the Trinity River in Dallas. The incidents occurred on June 19 and July 24, officials say.
Toshiba Details Third-Gen HD DVD Players
Toshiba confirmed that it will soon be launching its third-generation HD DVD players, with enhancements across the board. All three models are available for under $500, which could help spur adoption of the fledgling format.
As reported by BetaNews on Friday, the new lineup features the HD-A3, HD-A30, and HD-A35. Prices are $299, $399, and $499 USD, respectively. The HD-A30 will be available next month, while the HD-A3 and HD-A35 are not due until October.
San Francisco Wi-Fi May Be in Trouble
San Francisco's plans for free Wi-Fi access around the city may be in jeopardy following EarthLink's failure to respond to proposed changes in the city's contract.
The news follows comments by EarthLink CEO Rolla Huff that seemed to indicate the ISP might be backing off its ambitious municipal wireless plans. For whatever reason, the company did not respond to changes in the contract proposed by city supervisors.
Identity of 'Fake Steve Jobs' Revealed
The identity of Fake Steve Jobs is a secret no more. The author of the popular Web log that for the past year has taken a candid look at the world of CEO blogs -- and even has the real Steve Jobs reading it -- has finally revealed himself.
Writers at The New York Times discovered the identity of FSJ after it obtained the manuscript book to come out in October to be written in the voice of the Fake Steve Jobs character, Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs, a Parody.
Vonage Testing New Style-Conscious Gateway
Many Vonage customers choose to hide their sometimes-bulky VOIP gateways under their desk. The company is hoping to change that.
A new gateway device produced by Ambit is now being beta tested by the company, described by the company as "cool and sleek, yet simplistic and approachable." Vonage is also hoping to gain some visibility for their service by making it more pleasant to look at.
Sony Recalls 416,000 Digital Cameras
UPDATED Sony is offering to repair 416,000 Cyber-shot DSC-T5 cameras following reports of the device's metal case warping and creating an edge that can cut hands. About 30 cases of cuts were reported in Japan, and several others overseas. Affected cameras were released in September 2005.
350,000 Cyber-shots sold in the United States, Europe and China are being recalled, along with 66,000 sold in Japan. Sony has posted a warning for customers, along with a list of the affected serial numbers and contact information for initiating a repair.
Popular Torrent Site Suprnova Set to Return
Popular torrent site The Pirate Bay says it will relaunch Suprnova.org, one of the most popular BitTorrent sites on the Internet and target of the ire of the MPAA.
The site had been hinting for about four months that it would be making some type of major announcement, and had made cryptic comments to those who had pressed for more details. The project also apparently has the blessing of the former owner of the site.
Take-Two: No GTA IV Until 2008
Fans of Grand Theft Auto will have to wait a bit longer as Take-Two Interactive Software said Thursday that the next installment in the game series has been delayed until 2008.
The company said it wanted to have more time to perfect the game, with its chairman saying in a statement that "certain elements of development proved to be more time-intensive than expected," and that its dual development for both the Xbox 360 and PS3 contributed to the delay.
Ed's Bio
Ed Oswald is a freelance journalist from the Reading, PA area. Although he has written across a variety of subjects, Ed’s passion and focus has been on technology and gadgets. His work regularly appears on tech news sites BetaNews, PCWorld, and Technologizer, and has been syndicated to eWeek, Time’s Techland blog, VentureBeat and the New York Times.
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