Apple confirmed Thursday that there was indeed an issue with a recent software update causing a limited number of its iMac desktops to experience user interface freezes, and that it required a restart to remedy the problem.

The exact reason for the issue is not yet known, although Apple said it has a team of researchers looking into the problem. Once the root cause is identified, a software patch will be issued. An Apple spokesperson said the likely time frame for the fix will be sometime later this month.

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Apple is planning to begin selling its Apple iPhone through Rogers Wireless in Canada by mid-October, technology news site Digital Journal reported this week. The site said a source from within Canadian luxury retailer Holt Renfew said it would be receiving the phone within two weeks, and it would retail in the country for $799.

If true, such a high price for the phone may turn off many buyers. Although prices are typically higher in Canada, a weak dollar has brought the currencies to near parity, and Canadian consumers may balk at paying the premium. Apple would not comment on the report, and a Rogers Wireless representative would neither confirm nor deny it.

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Gateway introduced its new top-of-the-line "Quad HD" display on Thursday, a 30-inch display that it says is capable of 1600p resolution, more than four times that of the traditional 720p display. The display upconverts standard definition to look like high definition, and can even convert 1080p -- the current highest resolution in which video is delivered-- to 1600p. Consumers could use a variety of inputs, including HDMI, DVI-D, VGA, component, S-Video, and composite interfaces.

Other features include a built-in six-port USB 2.0 hub and anti-theft software, allowing the display to be set to work with one PC only. Additionally it will include a built-in speaker system, and up to 2560x1600 resolution. The display is available through the computer maker's own channels and select retailers for $1,699.99.

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Microsoft said Thursday that its hit game Halo 3 had reached $300 million in sales in the first week of availability. Better yet for the company, the game is also driving console sales, which have more than doubled according to initial reports from retailers. The figures make Halo 3 the fastest selling video game ever, and one of the biggest entertainment launches in history.

"'Halo' is truly a cultural phenomenon, and the launch of 'Halo 3' is an important milestone for Xbox 360 and for video games as entertainment and as an art form," said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. The company said 2.7 million, more than a third of the service's customer base, have already played the game through Xbox Live. This amounts to approximately 40 million hours online.

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Product listings on Amazon.com and the Toys 'R' Us Web sites indicate that the Xbox 360 Core system is set to be replaced by a new console that focuses on its arcade game capabilities October 23. If earlier reports provided are correct, the console will come in a darker gray finish (being called a "standard finish") and include a 256MB memory card. An HDMI port will be added, and the device will include one wireless controller, although no headset.

Central to the new SKU is the inclusion of five arcade games, two of which are expected to be UNO and Pac-Man. No other details were immediately available, and Microsoft had yet to publicly confirm the new model's existence as of press time.

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Opera on Monday released version 8.65 of its Opera Mobile Web browser, the $24 USD shareware product not to be confused with Opera Mini, which is free. The update works with Windows Mobile 5 and 6 on either Pocket PC or Smartphone platforms. Version 8.60 is available for Nokia's S60 based phones.

Opera Mobile 8.65 adds support for Flash 7, but only on Pocket PC devices, along with FlashLite 2.1. The browser also takes a cue from Safari on Apple's iPhone, enabling users of touch-screen Pocket PC devices to scroll by dragging a finger. Other new features include searching via the address bar, copying text and saving images, as well as sending a link via e-mail, SMS or MMS.

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Telecommunications company AT&T updated its terms of service for its DSL customers recently with an interesting addition: the company will now suspend the accounts of those who talk badly of it. The new line reads that service may be suspended if a customer's comments "tends to damage the name or reputation of AT&T, or its parents, affiliates and subsidiaries."

Customers may find the move somewhat troubling, especially considering the telecom's involvement in the warrantless wiretapping scandal that rocked the Bush adminstration in 2005. While the company tried to play down its involvement, it also altered its privacy policy to try to claim ownership over the personal information that customers provide to it. AT&T had no immediate comment on the change to its policies.

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A year after it ended service for its ESPN Mobile service, Disney said Thursday that it would also be closing Disney Mobile, however it gave no specific reasoning for closing down. Like it did for ESPN, Disney will now sell its content and services through carriers. The deal would likely work the same as that for the sports network. Service would be provided to current customers through December 31.

Content and applications would no longer be available for purchase, however. It would also reimburse certain customers for handset and accessory purchases, which it said it would provide further information by October 8. Early termination fees would be waived for those wishing to leave the service early. Disney will honor number porting requests, although it asked customers to port their numbers by November 30.

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3Com said Friday that it had reached a deal to be acquired by private equity firm Bain Capital and former partner Huawei Technology for $2.2 billion USD in cash. Huawei would gain a minority stake in the 3Com as part of the transaction. The former big name in networking has lost traction in recent years as competitor Cisco has rapidly gained market share.

Shareholders would receive $5.30 in cash per share of 3Com stock they own. The deal has already been approved by the company's board of directors, and it asked that shareholders approve the deal. ""We believe that this agreement better positions 3Com to establish itself as a global networking leader, which will benefit our employees, our customers and our partners," president and CEO Edgar Masri said in a statement.

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Microsoft confirmed blog reports Wednesday that the special limited edition packaging on some Halo 3 games was scratching the disc and has offered to replace them at no charge. The reports first surfaced within hours of the game's release, and quickly spread through other gaming forums. In order to quell any discontent, Microsoft has decided to waive the $20 USD fee through its Disc Replacement Program the game through December 31.

Only one replacement per gamer will be honored, and the original disc must be sent into Microsoft. The disc will be shipped out within two weeks. The Redmond company said this only affected a "small fraction" of the total number of games shipped and apologized for any inconvenience it may have caused.

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Japanese gamers are responding positively to the new version of the PlayStation Portable, with 250,000 units sold in four days according to Japanese publisher Enterbrain. The number matches the total number of original PSPs sold in the country during July and August of this year. The new unit is intended to compete with Nintendo's DS Lite, which has been a huge hit for the company in Japan as well as worldwide.

Sony's redesigned PSP is cheaper and slimmer than its predecessor. At 19,800 yen, it is about 5 percent cheaper than the original. The DS Lite sells for 16,800 yen. Both consoles were originally launched in 2004, although Nintendo's console has always been the cheaper of the two, and has resonated more among casual gamers.

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Despite the announcement that Gateway will acquire Packard Bell, Chinese computer manufacturer Lenovo said Tuesday that it will not completely give up on attempts to acquire the company itself. If a deal between Gateway and Packard Bell falls through, the company said it will attempt to strike its own deal with the small computer maker.

Lenovo is in the midst of attempting to expand its business globally. While its IBM acquisition helped it to gain a strong foothold in the United States, acquiring Packard Bell will help its efforts in Europe. It is unlikely that the company will take on any future large acquisitions: in comments to Reuters, the company said that it was still in the process of "digesting" the IBM merger.

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Virgin is calling it quits in the digital music business. The company has stopped selling tracks and accepting new customers as of Friday, and will shut down for good on October 19. New sales of music will end September 29, according to a message on the UK portion of the site. Those customers who have a payment due before the shut off date will lose access the day their next payment is due, according to the note.

The US side will also be ceasing, although it will handle the closure somewhat differently. Whereas UK users lose their unused credits, US users will be able to transfer them for use in Napster's online store. In either case, subscription customers will lose access to their music completely upon the 19th. The closing of Virgin Digital follows that of MTV's Urge, which shut its doors due to ineffectiveness in competing with Apple's iTunes.

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IT company Unisys is under investigation by the federal government following the revelation that it may have failed to detect a break-in by Chinese hackers to Homeland Security computers. Making matters worse, the FBI says the company tried to cover up the lapse, a charge Unisys denies. About 150 computers were compromised between June and October 2006.

Unisys has had a contract with the US government since 2002 to provide and manage IT services, totaling $1 billion. An additional $750 million follow-up deal was reached in 2005. The FBI is taking the lapse and cover-up seriously, and is apparently considering fraud charges, according to the Washington Post. In a statement, Unisys said "facts and documentation" would prove the charges false and that it "acted in good faith to meet the [government's] security requirements."

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Thailand's on-again off-again relationship with YouTube has taken another bad turn, as the government said it will go to court to have two videos blocked that it says were a threat to national security. The videos are actually a two-part series, and run about 17 minutes in total. It accuses former Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda of leading a government coup that occurred in September 2006, not the generals who claim to have headed it.

Supporter's of Tinsulanonda's rivals have often accused the former chief of such an act. However, the Thai government sees the talk as confusing to citizens and that it could cause public unrest. Thus it it moving to ban the videos, and is asking ISP's to voluntarily block links while it seeks a court order. YouTube could not be reached for comment on the latest dustup.

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