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Dell Inc. is planning to submit a more competitive bid for data storage firm 3Par Inc., challenging Hewlett-Packard Co.’s offer of $24 per share, a source familiar with the talks said Wednesday.
The source said Dell’s new bid was likely to be more “competitive” than HP’s last offer of $1.6 billion, but declined to comment on how much higher its bid would be. Get the full story »
Apple is in talks with several media conglomerates to allow consumers to rent TV shows through iTunes according to a report in Bloomberg Tuesday, which cited three unnamed sources familiar with the situation.
Apple is in serious discussions with News Corp. to allow viewers to rent programming from its Fox network for 48 hours, the report said, adding that Walt Disney and CBS are in talks with Apple as well.
Representatives from Apple, Walt Disney, News Corp. and CBS declined to comment. Get the full story »
Microsoft is now powering the search engine on Yahoo’s Web site in the U.S. and Canada. Get the full story »
Dell Inc. put its first U.S. smartphone on sale on Tuesday, making the computer maker the latest technology manufacturer to enter the competitive mobile handset market.
The Round Rock, Texas-based company said its 3.5-inch touchscreen phone, dubbed the Aero, runs on Google Inc.’s Android operating system and is available for $99.99 with a new two-year contract from AT&T Inc. and $299.99 without. It can be ordered on Dell’s Web site. Get the full story »
Hewlett-Packard Co. is bidding $1.5 billion for data storage provider 3Par Inc., just a week after rival Dell Inc. agreed to acquire the company for $1.13 billion. HP and Dell have been looking to expand beyond personal computers over the past few years in a search for bigger profits.
The seemingly recession-proof smart phone is suffering from a side effect of the rough economy: Manufacturers simply can’t build enough of the gadgets because chip-makers that rolled back production last year are now scrambling to play catch-up.
The chip shortage means Apple Inc.’s rivals are having trouble making enough phones to compete with the iPhone, a problem expected to persist through the holidays. It’s also affecting wireless carriers, some of which are seeing delays in improving their networks, and it could even raise computer prices.
Computer makers Dell Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co posted higher profits, but both companies’ shares drifted lower as doubts remained over the strength of the revival in technology spending. Get the full story »
If you’re looking for Cameron Diaz, Julia Roberts or Jessica Biel online, look out! The movie stars top the latest list of the most dangerous celebrities to search for online, according to new research by computer-security software maker McAfee Inc. Get the full story »
Chip maker Intel says it has agreed to buy computer-security software maker McAfee Inc. for $7.68 billion, or $48 per share. Intel Corp., which is based in Santa Clara, Calif., said the deal highlights “that security is now a fundamental component of online computing.” Get the full story »
The Apple iPad. (Reuters)
Reports are floating around the blogosphere that HTC is building a tablet based on the Google Chrome OS and will launch the device on Verizon Wireless on November 26. Get the full story »
Starbucks Inc., hoping to leverage its recent decision to offer free Wi-Fi at its stores, is working with Yahoo Inc. to create a Web site customized by location.
In addition to The New York Times, USA Today, Yahoo and Zagat, Starbucks announced last week that publisher Rodale, Nickelodeon’s Nick Jr. Boost and online charity DonorsChoose.org also will contribute content providers for its Starbucks Digital Network. The Web site is expected to go live this fall.
Customers who access the Internet at Starbucks will encounter the site before they can surf the web.
News Corp. Chief Executive Rupert Murdoch is embarking on an ambitious plan for a new national digital newspaper to be distributed exclusively as paid content for tablet computers such as Apple Inc.’s iPad and mobile phones.
The initiative, which would directly compete with the New York Times, USA Today and other national publications, is the latest attempt by a major media organization to harness sexy new devices to reach readers who increasingly consume their news on the go. The development underscores how the iPad is transforming reading habits much like the iPod changed how people listen to music.
The company behind the Internet phone gadget magicJack has another trick up its sleeve: free phone calls from computers, smartphones and iPads.
The cost of phone calls routed over the Internet has been on a long slide. Many programs allow free calling between computers, and some allow free, but short, calls to regular phone numbers. Get the full story »
Twitter made it official Thursday when it rolled out its own “Tweet” button.
This is one in a series of moves to assume control of features that could help further propel the popularity of the service.
TweetMeme built the popular “Retweet” button, which Web sites install to encourage visitors to share links with one click. The button had generated 750 million impressions a day, according to TweetMeme founder Nick Halstead. Twitter is licensing some of the technology TweetMeme developed and TweetMeme will shift to a new product called Datasift.
Just because mobile phones are becoming more like small computers doesn’t mean you should have to do a lot of typing on them. That’s the thinking behind the latest update to Google’s popular Android software for mobile phones.
The latest version of Android 2.2, released Thursday, includes 10 new voice commands that can be used to operate phones without using a keypad.
