Reports: iPhone Sales Surpass 500,000
While declining to give a specific number, AT&T said over the weekend that it had nearly sold out of its entire stock of iPhones, while Apple Stores were reportedly not far behind.
An analyst with Piper Jaffray said that 500,000 phones had been sold nationwide over the weekend, and other reports indicated that the highest concentration of sales came from the western US.
Waiting for iPhone: Reading, PA
For all the buzz surrounding the iPhone, the reception here in Reading, a town about 65 miles northwest of Philadelphia has been somewhat muted.
Outside of the AT&T store in the Berkshire Mall on the outskirts of Reading, the line as of early afternoon was only about a half dozen strong. Contrary to those braving the elements in the bigger cities, no one had been waiting in line longer than late morning.
iRobot Teams With Taser for Armed Robots
Although its more commonly known for its floor-cleaning robots, iRobot also contracts out to law enforcement and the Pentagon. A new robot could soon be armed to assist soldiers and law enforcement.
The company said Thursday that it teamed up with the maker of Tasers to incorporate the technology into robots that it builds for its clients. The first prototype of a model using the technology will be shown off at a Taser conference in Chicago, July 9-10.
HD DVD Turns On Web-Enabled Content
Toshiba continued to press forward with its HD DVD format, saying Friday that it had added functionality that allows set-top player owners to access exclusive web content.
The new functionality allows the player to download exclusive content from the movie studio's server. Once downloaded, it is saved within the persistent storage of the set-top player for access.
Watch Out TiVo, Here Comes Moxi
AT DIGITAL EXPERIENCE - Digeo is looking to take on TiVo with its line of Moxi digital media recorders, hoping to cash in on the ever-expanding DVR market.
While TiVo is just now moving into the cable set-top box market, Digeo is moving the opposite way with the standalone version of its Moxi digital media recorder.
Up Close With Blinkx’s BBTV
AT DIGITAL EXPERIENCE Blinkx gave BetaNews a demonstration of its upcoming broadband television service at a press event in New York City on Wednesday night. Slated to arrive in Fall 2007, the company hopes to incorporate its strengths in video search into an IPTV offering much like Joost.
However, where Joost only aggregates broadband video content, Blinkx’s service aims to help the user have a more immersive experience, chief marketing officer Julia Blystone explained to BetaNews. Scroll down to get a sneak peek at this new service.
MSN Gears Up for Live Earth
With Live Earth now less than two weeks away, Microsoft's MSN division is preparing itself for what will be one of the largest streaming events in the history of the Internet.
Companies such as AOL and CBS have done it for Live 8 and the Final Four in the past, however Microsoft's offering will be on a larger scale. The service uses those two events as a template for its own offering and will build upon them.
FCC to Look at Satellite Radio Agreements
The FCC is looking for consultation on whether it should change the rule that currently forbids Sirius and XM from merging, a necessary move if it is to approve the proposed deal.
It does not mean that the merger has any greater likelihood of being approved, and the documents that open up the topic for discussion provide no insight into the Commission's thinking on the topic.
End of Vista Family Discount Upsets Some
Even though Microsoft had already warned users that its Family Discount Program would be ending on June 30, it still hasn't stopped some from taking issue with the move.
Windows Vista team member Nick White reminded consumers of the program's imminent demise in a blog post to the Windows Vista web log Wednesday afternoon. When it was announced, the company also added a sunset clause as well.
Two Convicted of eBay Software Piracy
Two individuals have plead guilty for their involvement in selling almost $6 million worth of software through the eBay auction site, the Justice Department said Monday.
In separate cases, Robert Koster of Jonesboro, Ark., and Yutaka Yamamoto of Pico Rivera, Calif. both plead guilty to selling counterfeit software produced by Rockwell Automation.
Dell Moves to Regain Lost Ground
Dell announced a host of changes to its device lineup and introduced several new products in an effort to retake some of the ground it has lost in the consumer market, as well as make itself more attractive at retail.
Key to this is the introduction of new laptops in an array of colors akin to the first iMacs - complete with flashy names such as flamingo pink, ruby red, midnight blue, jet black, sunshine yellow, alpine white, expresso, and the standard grey.
AT&T Announces iPhone Plans
AT&T said Tuesday that calling plans for the iPhone will start at $59.99 USD per month and include unlimited data, 200 text messages, rollover, mobile-to-mobile, and Apple's "visual voicemail."
The basic plan will give the user 450 minutes, while the $79.99 USD plan includes 900 minutes and the $99.99 USD monthly plans 1,350 minutes. Family plans will also be available, and all lines will include a $36 activation fee.
Warez Chief Gets 51 Months in Prison
An extradited British national that was living in Australia has been sentenced to 51 months in prison for leading one of the oldest Internet software piracy groups.
Raymond Griffiths had been living in Bateau Bay, Australia before he was extradited to the US to face piracy charges in February 2007. Prior to being sent to the US, he was held in Australian prison for three years while fighting the extradition.
Blogger Ethics Questioned Over Microsoft Ad
The recent discovery that Microsoft paid some high-profile Web pundits to talk up how their businesses became "people ready" in an advertisement has stirred quite a bit of controversy and divided the so-called blogosphere.
Some of those involved include individuals who regularly report on Microsoft in a supposedly non-biased format, including Om Malik from GigaOm, Michael Arrington of TechCrunch, and even Federated Media's own John Battelle, who runs the ad network that deals with many of the sites caught up in the issue.
Motorola Debuts Good Mobile Messaging 5
Motorola said Monday it had released Good Mobile Messaging 5, the first new version of the software since its acquisition of the company in November of last year.
Among the enhancements in the latest version of the product are enhancements to improve ease of use, increased personalization, and better security, which includes security functionality previously available separately through another Good product.
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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