Judge chides Apple for blocking e-book monitor

A federal judge Thursday rejected Apple's request for more time to comply with a ruling on e-book price-fixing, while chastising the company for failing to cooperate with a court-appointed monitor.

US District Judge Denise Cote denied Apple's request to delay enforcement of the order that stems from a ruling in July that Apple illegally colluded with book publishers to fix prices.

She gave Apple only until Monday to accept compliance, but said it could get an extension from an appellate court if it files a request by Saturday.

An Apple attorney, Theodore Boutrous, said an appeal would be filed.

The judge's 64-page order harshly criticized Apple for failing to work with the court-appointed monitor, former prosecutor Michael Bromwich, and said she appointed him only after Apple made it clear it would not reform its practices on its own.

"The court created breathing room for Apple to unilaterally revise and improve its compliance program, even after Apple had failed to take the opportunities which were given to it this past summer to show that it would do so without the imposition of a monitor," Cote wrote.

"That said, the monitor has important work to do, and where that work properly includes interviews of board members or executives, then the monitor must be permitted to conduct those interviews."

The judge said Apple failed to show it would be "irreparably harmed" by complying with the court order or with the monitor.

She said that since the monitor began work three months ago, Apple has permitted only 13 hours of interviews, and that seven of the 11 people interviewed were attorneys.

"A monitorship would be of little use at all if a monitor were only permitted to receive, review and opine on company-vetted documents," the judge said.

"Apple cites to no case holding that a monitor may never conduct interviews and there are many examples to the contrary."

The Northern California-based maker of iPads, iPods, iPhones and Macintosh computers has a had a strained relationship with Bromwich since he was appointed.

The company protested Bromwich's intent to question chief executive Tim Cook, lead designer Jony Ive, board member Al Gore and other top executives who aren't involved in day-to-day operations.

Apple also objected to the $1,100 hourly rate for himself and the $1,025 rate for his legal support team.

Judge Cote said Apple must raise any objections with Bromwich himself or the Department of Justice, and if they cannot resolve the matter, by petitioning the court.

"The deterioration of the relationship between Apple and the monitor is unfortunate and disappointing," she said.

"Hopefully, that relationship can be 'reset' and placed on a productive course. But it is strongly in the public's interest for the monitor to remain in place."

The trial focused on a six-week period in late 2009 and early 2010 during which Apple negotiated contracts with publishers ahead of its iPad launch and effectively reshaped the market for electronic books with a new pricing scheme.

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Google updates Chrome for Android and iOS, says it reduces data usage by half

Search engine giant, Google, on Wednesday announced an upgrade for its Chrome apps for Android and iOS, bringing them up to version 32. The new apps feature new tweaks that will allow users to cut their data consumption by as much as 50 percent. Ever since the affordability of smartphones has increased across the rank and file of people around the world, Internet browsing too has shifted from desktops and laptops to mobile phones and tablets.

Google in its Chrome blog post announcing the changes, cited a survey conducted by Pew Internet, which suggests that 20 percent of Americans do most of their online browsing via their mobile phones. The blog post details about the trends in the mobile browsing and how the new tweak will help users.

The company says that the major problem arises with the consumption of data when a cell phone or tablet is not connected to a Wi-Fi network. And if there is a 3G or a 4G connection involved, then the data allowance can run out within days before a user even knows about it.

The new Chrome update will utilise new data compression and bandwidth management on Android and iOS devices, claiming to cutting the data usage by up to 50 percent. Once the version is updated, the following directions need to be taken: Start at Settings > Bandwidth Management > Reduce Data Usage. Turn the toggle switch to on, which starts working towards saving data and managing the bandwidth. The menu will also display the bandwidth saved every month when Chrome is used. This feature also enables Chrome's Safe Browsing technology malicious webpages.

The company also announced that it will be adding Google Translate to Google Chrome for iOS in the next few days. This is being done to enable iOS devices to translate foreign language pages easily. Users just have to look for the translation bar, and select "Translate."

Also introduced in the updated Chrome 32 for Android was application shortcuts, an upcoming release of Chrome for Android that will allow users to create shortcuts to their favourite websites right from their homescreen for faster and easier access to the web. The option will be available by going to a website, going to the toolbar and selecting the "Add to homescreen" option. Post that whenever a user opens the saved website by clicking on the shortcut, it will open in a full-screen experience and appear as a separate app in the Android app switcher.

The updated Chrome for Android and iOS apps have started to be rolled out, and will be pushed globally within a few days. Users can navigate to the Google Play store, or iTunes App Store to download the update.

The Google also updated its Chrome for desktop apps recently, adding features such as the ability to keep track of noisy tabs, and improved Safe Browsing.

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Apple's Refund $32.5 million for Unauthorized In-app Charges by Kids

Apple Inc will refund consumers at least $32.5 million to settle a longstanding complaint that the technology company billed U.S. consumers for charges incurred by children through mobile apps without their parents' consent.

Under the terms of the settlement, announced on Wednesday by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission,Apple also will be required to change its billing practices to ensure it obtains consent from parents before charging for such in-app spending.

"Whether you're doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply," said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. "You cannot charge consumers for purchases they did not authorize."

She estimated that children spent millions of dollars without their parents' knowledge, with one mother telling the agency that her daughter spent $2,600 while playing the game "Tap Pet Hotel."

Ramirez said the commission had received "tens of thousands of complaints" from consumers over the unauthorized purchases through apps such as Dragon Story and Tiny Zoo Friends.

In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook referred to a class action settlement reached in June which required the company to pay around $100 million to parents whose children made unauthorized purchases.

"It doesn't feel right for the FTC to sue over a case that had already been settled. To us, it smacked of double jeopardy," Cook wrote. "However, the consent decree the FTC proposed does not require us to do anything we weren't already going to do, so we decided to accept it rather than take on a long and distracting legal fight."

The FTC complaint alleges that Apple does not inform account holders that entering their password in the company's App Store opens a 15-minute window in which children can incur unlimited charges with no further action from the account holder

While the refunds will be available for purchases through apps aimed at children, all Apple apps will get new disclosures, the wording of which has not yet been finalized.

"To be clear, the issue is not that Apple opens a 15-minute window for in-app purchases," Ramirez said. "What we challenge is the fact that Apple does not inform users of the existence of the window. When parents enter a password, they do not know the full scope of charges they could incur."

Apple shares showed little response to the news and in midafternoon trading were up 2.1 percent at $558.03, holding onto gains posted earlier.

"Protecting children has been a top priority for the App Store from the very beginning, and Apple is proud to have set the gold standard for online stores by making the App Store a safe place for customers of all ages," said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling.

The commission vote to accept the consent agreement package was 3-1, with Commissioner Joshua Wright, a Republican, voting no. In a statement, Wright argued that the FTC failed to show that the "extremely small" group of consumers who were injured justified a finding that Apple was unfair.

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iPhone heads to world's biggest operator as Apple eyes bigger China marketshare

The world's biggest mobile network is ready to offer Apple's iPhone, but while the US technology giant has declared China its biggest future market, it faces an uphill battle to unseat Samsung and homegrown competitors.

China Mobile has more than 760 million customers but for years it has declined to provide the iPhone as the two companies argued over commercial terms.

The country's other big mobile telecommunications firms, China Unicom and China Telecom, already stock the product, and China Mobile will join them on Friday.

Analysts expect the move to boost the number of subscribers for China Mobile and lift Apple's iPhone sales in China by millions - but in all likelihood it is far too late for it to take the lead.

Although the iPhone commands fanatical devotion from its Chinese fans, South Korea's Samsung rules the smartphone market with more than 18 percent share, according to consultancy Analysys International.

Apple sits in a lowly eighth place with a 3.5 percent share as of the third quarter last year, with six Chinese companies ahead of it, many offering cheaper phones using the Android operating system.

"The domestic high-end smartphone market is much more diversified and competitive now, leaving users more choices," said Wang Jun, an analyst for Beijing-based Analysys.

"It's likely Apple will move up one or two places in the market-share rankings, but it's impossible for it to make it into the top three or four," he said.

China's Lenovo, renowned for buying IBM's personal computer business, is in second position, while two companies best known for telecom equipment and controversy over network security - Huawei and ZTE - are also in the top five, according to Analysys.

The iPhone launch just two weeks before the Chinese New Year, a traditional time for gift-giving, should benefit both China Mobile and Apple, analysts said.

But Kevin Wang, director of China research for consultancy IHS iSuppli, agrees that Apple has a tough job on its hands.

"Although cooperation with China Mobile will help boost Apple's sales and market share in China, it's unlikely that its share will rise to among the top three, given the intense competition in China's smartphone market," he said.

"Smartphones that cost around 1,000 yuan ($164) are the most popular," he added.

In the United States, an iPhone 5s with 16GB of storage retails for $649 while that same phone is $726 in Hong Kong - the special administrative region that borders China - and $867 in the mainland itself through the Apple Store, due to taxes and other charges.

The higher prices in China have given rise to a flourishing market for smuggled iPhones, eroding official sales in the country.

As a result, many China Mobile subscribers have already procured iPhones and use them on its network, though some functions suffer.

Apple's revenue in Greater China - which includes Hong Kong and Taiwan - still reached $5.7 billion for its fiscal quarter ended in September 2013, up 24 percent from the previous quarter, according to the company.

The firm does not reveal iPhone sales in China.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said in January last year that he expected the country to become its largest market, though he gave no timeframe.

Unlike many network providers in the United States and other Western countries, Chinese telecommunications firms require hefty up-front payments for iPhone and other packages.

But analysts said China Mobile will have to make its pricing attractive to potential subscribers to promote sales of the iPhone, which could eat into its profits.

China Mobile had yet to announce prices Tuesday, despite the imminent launch, but with investors also worried about profitability, its Hong Kong-listed shares had fallen 3.72 percent since the agreement with Apple was announced in late December.

China Mobile is majority state-owned and authorities in December awarded it a licence for 4G (fourth generation) services.

It plans the world's largest 4G network, promising faster speeds and a better quality service, a natural fit for the iPhone.

But some Chinese consumers are unimpressed by the combination. One microblog user posted: "Those who like the iPhone wouldn't wait for China Mobile to sell it. Those who dislike the iPhone will not like it after China Mobile launches it."

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FLIR Only at $349, turns your iPhone into a thermal camera

Remember the alien with heat vision in the movie "Predator"? You, too, can now stalk people in the jungle by their heat signatures - or check your home insulation for leaks, whichever is most useful to you.

FLIR Systems Inc. is launching its first consumer product, an iPhone jacket that contains a heat camera. Temperature differences show up in different colors on the screen. For instance, you can set it to show hotter things in yellow, medium-hot in red and cold in purple.

The FLIR One will cost $349, which compares with $995 and up for FLIR's professional thermal imagers. The resolution of the thermal image is low, but the jacket also contains a regular, visible-spectrum camera and overlays the images for a more detailed picture. The phone can record video or stills of the heat images.

What you could use it for

• Spot leaky insulation in the house.
• Detect moisture leaks in the house. Because it loses heat through evaporation, water looks cold.
• Beat your kids at hide-and-seek, "Predator"-style.
• Spot lurkers in the parking lot or wildlife at night.
• Crazy party shots in darkness.
• Unique selfies. "Look at me, I have a fever!"

AvailabilityThe FLIR One will launch this spring for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s. It won't work with the iPhone 5c. An Android model will be available later this year.

The accuracyThe thermal camera can detect temperature differences of about one-tenth of a Fahrenheit degree, and the temperature readout is accurate to within 2 degrees.

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Vine updated for IOS, brings exposure and New locking feature

Twitter has released an update for its popular video sharing app, Vine, which will now enable the users to lock the focus and exposure while shooting.

The Vine update, currently available for iOS devices only, will eliminate the hassles faced by a user regarding overexposed or underexposed lighting, and will let them shoot a better 6 second video.

With the update, the exposure level will be set automatically, based on the selected focussing area while shooting. The users will control the focussed area manually.

To experience the new update, users would have to shoot normally as they would do from their devices. However, when there is a particular object, which the users want to appear as perfectly as possible, they can simply tap on the centre of the screen then press and hold where they want to focus. As the object is focussed, the exposure level will be adjusted accordingly.

While the update is only available for the iOS app for now, the same features should be included Android devices soon.

Twitter also announced earlier in January that it would be extending Vine's presence on the web giving users the ability to view full-screen clips on their desktops.

"We're introducing a new way to experience Vine: on the web," stated a blog post from Janessa Det, one of the engineers. The users can log in at Vine.co and can view, like comment and share videos like it is done on the app. Profile sharing is also possible now through the web.

"This release is just a first step toward bringing you a richer, more enjoyable web experience. We look forward to introducing more improvements in 2014," she added.

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iPhone 6 metal frame leaked, points to a large screen

The highly anticipated next-generation Apple iOS smartphone, thought to be called iPhone 6, has again turned heads towards itself, with an alleged metal frame leaked in a couple of images surfaced online by a website called C Tech.

According to the images of the alleged iPhone 6 metal frame, the screen mounted on it is expected to be around 4.7-inch or even 5-inch in size as speculated by GforGames website. The images also show a thinner frame, which is approximately 6mm.

Surprisingly, the leaked metal frame is compared with an Apple iPhone 5s handset, showing the former to be slightly shorter and wider in size than the latter.

It is too early to jump to any conclusions, as the authenticity of the images and the frame itself remains to be confirmed. However, the website is considered as reliable as it previously leaked the specifications for iPhone 5c seen in the wild.

Other recent reports indicate that the proposed Apple iPhone 6 device will retain the 8 megapixel camera sensor like iPhone 5s, but with improved optical image stabilisation, reports Chinapost. Industry speculation in the past had hinted at the new iPhone sporting a 16-megapixel camera.

The rumour comes from Nomura Securities, a financial group, which cites Largan Precision's falling shares. Largan Precision is one of the major suppliers for camera lens modules for smartphones, tablets, digital cameras and other devices. The shares are said to be falling because of the rumours that Apple with keep its next version of iPhone limited to 8 megapixels only, and not Largan Precision's new module.

However, the news should be taken with a pinch of salt as nothing concrete has been revealed till now. Apple may just give a bump to iPhone 6's camera sensor, as it has maintained the 8-megapixel size for three generations, since the iPhone 4s.

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