Wi-fi joins presidential campaign

26 October 2012 Last updated at 08:34 ET

A US start-up company has found a way to use free wi-fi to bolster the US presidential candidates' campaigns.

Hot Spot The Vote has written software that alters what people see when they browse the web via free wi-fi.

Instead of seeing adverts, browsers will see campaign messages from either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama.

This comes soon after a separate study which suggests many Americans are declaring their voting preference by the name of their home wi-fi network.

Hot Spot the Vote is offering its software free to any cafe or business that wants to use it. The software comes in two versions so firms can "Obamify" or Romnify" their wi-fi service depending on their political preference.

It changes some of the settings of a business's wireless router it uses to connect to the web. This makes changes to many of the adverts found on webpages a user visits. The ads will be swapped for campaign information or messages urging people to get out and vote on 6 November.

So far, the software will only swap out ads found on the web pages of Amazon, OkCupid and many other sites. Adverts seen on Facebook pages and lists of results returned after a Google search are not affected by changing the settings.

In May, the Open Signal Maps project published a study which showed how many people were changing the name of their home wi-fi network to reflect their political allegiances.

It said the data it gathered was "chaotic" but showed a very slight positive sentiment towards Barack Obama.

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UK store leaks Google Nexus phone

25 October 2012 Last updated at 11:17 ET

Carphone Warehouse has leaked the details of the next Google-branded smartphone days before it was supposed to have been announced.

The UK retailer posted pictures and full specifications of the Nexus 4 on its website.

A spokeswoman for LG - the device's South Korean manufacturer - was not aware of the issue when contacted by the BBC.

The pages were taken off the store's site shortly afterwards.

Carphone Warehouse later issued a statement saying: "Unfortunately a pre-order page for a new handset that we plan to range went live prematurely. We've now rectified this and apologise for any confusion caused."

The leak came ahead of a press event in New York on Monday which Google had said would be Android-themed.

Tech firms often use the element of surprise to build anticipation for their product launches.

Although unverified images of devices often appear on blogs in the run-up to such events, it is unusual for a large retailer to publish the full specifications of a product days in advance.

Neither Google nor LG were able to provide a comment.

Big screen

The deleted pages revealed that the Android-powered handset featured a 4.7in (10.2cm) display with a resolution of 320 pixels per inch.

That makes it roughly the same size as the best-selling Samsung Galaxy S3 and HTC One X handsets, but with a slightly higher pixel density. That should, in theory, mean more detail when watching films or other high-resolution content.

It also includes an 8-megapixel camera on its rear, is powered by a powerful quad-core Snapdragon processor made by Qualcomm and boasts a feature that lets it take "360-degree panoramic photos".

Although the pages are now offline, they can still be viewed using Google's own webpage cache feature on its search tool.

More to come?

Google may still have a few surprises left. There is speculation that it will also unveil tablets by other manufacturers next week. It already sells a tablet made by Taiwanese firm Asus.

The strategy to outsource production of devices has attracted attention since its own Motorola hardware unit, which does not make Nexus products, posted a $527m (£327m) operating loss in its third-quarter results.

The Carphone Warehouse incident is Google's second premature release in a week.

On 18 October, its shares were suspended after its profit figures were accidentally released during the New York trading day.

Its shares dived as a result, wiping $19bn off its share price before action was taken.

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Use fake birthdate, official says

25 October 2012 Last updated at 12:59 ET By Brian Wheeler Political reporter, BBC News

A senior government official has sparked anger by advising internet users to give fake details to websites to protect their security.

Andy Smith, an internet security chief at the Cabinet Office, said people should only give accurate details to trusted sites such as government ones.

He said names and addresses posted on social networking sites "can be used against you" by criminals.

His advice was described by Labour MP Helen Goodman as "totally outrageous".

Ms Goodman, shadow culture minister, told BBC News: "This is the kind of behaviour that, in the end, promotes crime.

"It is exactly what we don't want. We want more security online. It's anonymity which facilitates cyber-bullying, the abuse of children.

"I was genuinely shocked that a public official could say such a thing."

'Sensible'

Mrs Goodman, MP for Bishop Auckland, in the North-East of England, said she had been contacted by constituents who have been the victims of cyber-bullying on major social networking sites by people hiding behind fake names.

Mr Smith, who is in charge of security for what he described as the "largest public services network in Europe", which will eventually be accessed by millions of people in the UK, said giving fake details to social networking sites was "a very sensible thing to do".

Continue reading the main story

Don't put all your information on websites you don't trust"

End Quote Andy Smith Cabinet Office

"When you put information on the internet do not use your real name, your real date of birth," he told a Parliament and the Internet Conference in Portcullis House, Westminster.

"When you are putting information on social networking sites don't put real combinations of information, because it can be used against you."

But he stressed that internet users should always give accurate information when they were filling in government forms on the internet, such as tax returns.

"When you are interacting with government, or professional organisations - people who you know are going to protect your information - then obviously you are going to use the right stuff.

But he said that fraudsters gather a lot of personal information "from Google, social networking sites, from email footers, all sorts of places".

He added that they were "bringing this information together and cross-correlating information and then they are using it against you".

'Be cautious'

Mr Smith's comments were backed by Lord Erroll, chairman of the Digital Policy Alliance, a not-for-profit policy studies group which claims to speak for industry and charities, who was chairing the panel. He said he had always given his date of birth as "1 April 1900".

The crossbench peer later told BBC Radio 4's PM programme Mr Smith had given people "a very good bit of advice" - particularly as banks used date of birth as a means of verifying identity.

He said cyber-bullying was "a different issue". There were "technological ways" of discovering the true identity of bullies and, he added, they could also "use your details to pretend to be you".

Asked by BBC News to clarify his remarks, Mr Smith, who is head of security at the Public Sector Technical Services Authority, said there was a "balancing act" to be struck between giving details to reputable sites and posting them on websites where the need to confirm identity was not so vital.

He said: "Don't put all your information on websites you don't trust.

"If it's somewhere you trust - and obviously with government you really do need to put accurate information. Large commercial sites you are going to put the right information.

"If you are not sure about something then just be very, very cautious of what you put up, what you expose if you really don't want to be used against you."

'Educating consumers'

Culture minister Ed Vaizey said he had not seen Mr Smith's remarks but told the BBC that he "wouldn't encourage people to put false identities on the internet".

"The way of viewing this issue is that we should work with Facebook to ensure people feel secure using those sites and that there is not a threat of identity theft," he said.

"It's also important for the government to work with consumers, to educate consumers about the threat of identity theft and what kind of details we should and shouldn't put online."

Citing an anecdote about novelist Salman Rushdie - who won a battle last year to use his commonly used middle name rather than his actual first name Ahmed on his profile page - he said: "Facebook doesn't allow you to put on false details and they will take you off if they discover you have."

Simon Milner, Facebook's head of policy in the UK and Ireland, who was at the conference, also took issue with Mr Smith's comment.

He told the audience of industry experts and MPs he had a "vigorous chat" with the Cabinet Office official afterwards to persuade him to revise his view.

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Unencrypted flight code warning

25 October 2012 Last updated at 14:23 ET

A vulnerability in US domestic airline boarding pass barcodes could allow travellers to bring unauthorised items on board, says a security expert.

The codes reveal what kind of airport checks a passenger will face and can be read by smartphones, he says.

It could undermine the US's PreCheck system which randomly decides which frequent fliers can skip part of the pre-boarding security process.

The barcodes could allow passengers to work out if they had been picked.

Selected travellers are able to avoid having to remove their shoes, jackets and belts. In addition they are allowed to leave their laptops and toiletries in their bags.

Unencrypted codes

The security information on the barcodes is only meant to be decoded by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, so it was not thought to be a problem that PreCheck selected which users would get a less rigorous safety check in advance.

The fact that passengers can use their handsets to find out if they have been picked poses a problem, says Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union.

"The disclosure of this information means that bad guys are not going to be kept on their toes anymore," he said.

The security issue was publicised by aviation blogger John Butler, but had been discussed in specialist online forums since last summer.

"The problem is, the passenger and flight information encoded in barcode is not encrypted in any way," wrote Mr Butler.

"Using a website I decoded my boarding pass for my upcoming trip.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

The number means the number of beeps. 1 beep no Pre-Check, 3 beeps yes Pre-Check"

End Quote John Butler Aviation blogger

"It's all there PNR [passenger name record], seat assignment, flight number, name, etc. But what is interesting is the bolded three on the end. This is the TSA PreCheck information. The number means the number of beeps. 1 beep no PreCheck, 3 beeps yes PreCheck."

The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) did not respond to a BBC request for a statement, but has previously said: "TSA does not comment on specifics of the screening process, which contain measures both seen and unseen. In addition, TSA incorporates random and unpredictable security measures throughout the travelling process."

Encryption issues

Mr Soghoian told the BBC that information about how to make sense of the boarding pass codes had been documented in the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) implementation guide.

"Thousands of people have reported being able to get the information using their phones," he added.

There are two ways to become eligible for the PreCheck system.

Continue reading the main story

"Start Quote

No one should be able to tell in advance what level of security screening they will be receive before an air flight"

End Quote Graham Cluley Sophos

Passengers can pay $100 (£62) to the US customs agency which then performs a background check. If the passenger is approved it gives him or her the right to use all of the US airlines' PreCheck systems for five years.

Frequent fliers could also be invited by an airline to use the system for free.

"You have to be in the system first before they let you to potentially be eligible to skip the standard line," said Mr Soghoian.

"But if you scan the barcode, you can tell 24 hours before you get to the airport that you are not going to undergo a regular search.

"On some random occasion you'll be sent to the other line anyway - and it was meant to keep terrorists on their toes - but not anymore."

Security firm Sophos said the revelation was "very worrying".

"No one should be able to tell in advance what level of security screening they will be receive before an air flight," said the firm's senior technology consultant Graham Cluley.

"The risk is that potential attackers could determine in advance which of them is going to be given the weakest screening - and get them to attempt to carry unauthorised item onboard.

"Potential attackers should not be given advance warning of the security measures they will be facing."

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Microsoft to make more hardware

25 October 2012 Last updated at 14:38 ET

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Steve Ballmer: 'This is one of two or three big moments in Microsoft's history'

Microsoft's chief boss has confirmed he plans to release more devices.

Steve Ballmer told the BBC: "Is it fair to say we're going to do more hardware? Obviously we are... Where we see important opportunities to set a new standard, yeah we'll dive in."

The chief executive's comments came ahead of a Windows 8 launch event in New York, following which Microsoft's Surface tablet will go on sale.

News other devices are likely to follow may worry other PC manufacturers.

Mr Ballmer caused a stir when he revealed in June that his company was making its own family of tablet computers - one offering extended battery-life powered by an Arm-based chip, the other using Intel's technology to offer a deeper Windows experience.

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A look at Microsoft's Surface tablet

Until now Microsoft had focused on software and relied on third-parties to make hardware, with a few exceptions such as its Xbox games consoles and Kinect gesture sensors.

The chief executive of Taiwanese PC-maker Acer told the Financial Times in August that the Surface would have "a huge negative impact for the [PC] ecosystem and other brands" adding that he had been in touch with Microsoft to discuss his concerns.

But Dell - the world's third largest computer maker - was less bothered by the move.

"The announcement of Surface was necessary to have a proof of concept and to get people excited about what was coming to push application development and create some buzz out there," Kirk Schell, vice president of Dell's client and consumer product group, recently told the BBC.

"They've invested so much in Windows 8 it was important to make it work, so I felt Surface was the logical thing to do."

Much of Microsoft's launch event was later dedicated to promoting Windows 8 certified computers from the firm's "partners" including Sony, Dell, Lenovo and Acer.

Continue reading the main story

At the launch

Kim Gittleson BBC reporter, New York

---

It's easy to become immune to the pomp of a technology product launch in New York.

There's the obligatory tiny portions of food and the hyperbolic presentations, peppered with phrases like "best ever", "magical" and "revolutionary."

But for once, it really was a landmark event - Windows 8 needs to be a success if Microsoft is to thrive.

Steve Ballmer was eager to emphasise that this was a step into the future, for a company that has long been accused of staying in the past.

In his trademark booming voice, he proclaimed it, of course, "an exciting day" and said that this launch "shatters perceptions of what a PC now really is".

The question is whether all the manufactured hype can translate into real enthusiasm for Microsoft's reimagining of the PC experience.

Touch-controlled tiles

Windows 8 is a radical update to Microsoft's core product. The operating system introduces a touchscreen-controlled interface featuring tiles.

As well as acting as buttons to launch individual apps, the tiles allow installed software to provide status updates on a computer's home screen. These can include details about the latest emails received, news headlines or social network posts created by friends.

Users can also switch into a more traditional desktop mode.

Devices running the Windows RT version of the new software will only be allowed to install third-party software from Microsoft's curated Windows Store. But other machines will give users the ability to launch programs sourced from elsewhere.

Windows RT is designed to run on machines powered by CPUs (central processing units) based on designs by the British firm ARM, while more fully-featured versions of Windows 8 will run on the x86-based architecture chips used by Intel and AMD.

The strategy allows Windows to compete against both iPads and Android-based tablets as well as higher-end laptops and desktop computers.

Analysts warn the move carries both risks and rewards.

"Buyers craving a Windows tablet, touch laptop, or a touch all-in-one PC will jump for Windows 8, once they work through the processor choice confusion," said Frank Gillett from consultants Forrester Research.

"[But] for some the prospect of learning a new interface will cause them to consider alternatives, most likely Apple's Mac; although some will also check out Google's Chrome OS offerings."

Other Linux-based competitors are also hoping to gain ground including free-to-use alternatives Ubuntu and Debian. Research In Motion may also attempt to revitalise its own tablet sales when it launches Blackberry 10 next year.

Surface phone?

Before smartphones arrived Microsoft dominated the market, powering about 95% of personal computing device sales, according to Forrester. It says that figure has now shrunk to 30%.

Surface addresses the software's firm's need to jumpstart demand for Windows-powered tablets.

There is growing speculation that Mr Ballmer's next step could be to order the launch of Microsoft's own mobile phone.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Reminding the Microsoft CEO that he has presided over a period which has seen its stock market valuation eclipsed by Apple is maybe untactful.

He comes back fighting though, insisting that he is proud of what his company has delivered to investors.

It all makes for a slightly testy encounter.

Despite positive reviews, devices running the Windows Phone 7 operating system captured less than a 4% share of global shipments in the July-to-September quarter, according to a study by IDC.

Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe, is convinced work is already underway on a Surface Phone but added that it might never go on sale.

"Microsoft is hedging its bets," he said.

"The firm is heavily invested in Nokia succeeding with its Windows Phone handsets but can't allow for its failure to torpedo the platform."

Nokia, HTC and Samsung have announced they will sell new handsets based on Microsoft's upcoming Windows Phone 8 operating system which launches next week.

The product resembles and is based on the same kernel - or software core - as its PC equivalent.

"At the very least Microsoft will be developing its own handset to go to market in case Nokia and others don't do better," Mr Green added.

'Whatever is required'

Nokia's own chief executive Stephen Elop appears fairly relaxed about the prospect of competing with his former employer.

"[It would be] a stimulant to the ecosystem," he told analysts on a recent conference call transcribed by news site Seeking Alpha.

"We're encouraging HTC, and Samsung, and Microsoft or whomever, to have devices in the market and to be making whatever investments that help spur the ecosystem on."

Mr Ballmer would not be drawn on the exact nature of his future plans.

"We have committed ourselves on a path where we will do whatever is required from both a hardware and a software innovation perspective and the cloud innovation perspective in order to propel the vision that we have," was all he would tell the BBC.

For now the only confirmed hardware on the horizon is a Pro version of the Surface tablet, set to go on sale in January.

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China condemns NY Times 'smear'

26 October 2012 Last updated at 05:59 ET

China has condemned as a "smear" a New York Times report saying Premier Wen Jiabao's relatives have accumulated billions of dollars.

The article said Mr Wen's family members "have controlled assets worth at least $2.7bn (£1.7bn)".

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said the report had "ulterior motives".

Both the NYT's Chinese and English sites are being blocked inside China, as are references to the report on micro-blogging sites.

"Some reports smear China and have ulterior motives," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said when asked about the story in a daily press briefing. On the blocking, he said the internet was managed "in accordance with laws".

Wealth gap

In its report, the New York Times said Mr Wen's relatives' holdings included property, insurance and construction firms.

Continue reading the main story

Analysis

Often referred to as "Grandpa Wen" by state media, the premier is one of the few senior Chinese politicians with the popular touch, usually the first to appear at the side of victims of earthquakes or other disasters as a kind of consoler-in-chief. But there have long been rumours that his decade in the job has brought more tangible benefits to his immediate family, and now the New York Times has put a figure on it.

The more than $2.7bn in controlled assets reported by the newspaper are held not by the Chinese premier himself, but by his wife, mother, siblings, children, and their in-laws. The figure though may not come as much of a shock to Mr Wen. A WikiLeaks cable dated 2007 quoted a source as saying the premier was "disgusted" by his family's activities.

But whether he disapproves or not, the investigation shows that much of the wealth has been accumulated in areas of the economy over which he has direct authority. Mr Wen is not the only senior leader over whom that kind of suspicion lingers, but given his position, his public standing and his own championing of the anti-corruption cause, the Times report will be seen by the authorities here as highly sensitive and potentially damaging.

Bloomberg's website is still being blocked after it published, back in June, a similar expose of the family wealth of the man tipped to be China's next leader, Xi Jinping. It may be a while before readers in China get to see the New York Times online again.

"Many relatives of Wen Jiabao, including his son, daughter, younger brother and brother-in-law, have become extraordinarily wealthy during his leadership," the newspaper wrote.

"In many cases, the names of the relatives have been hidden behind layers of partnerships and investment vehicles involving friends, work colleagues and business partners."

The family's investments reportedly spanned several sectors. The newspaper cited one holding as Ping An, an insurance company which it said had benefited from reforms enacted in 2004 by a state body over which Mr Wen had oversight.

It said that partnerships controlled by Mr Wen's relatives, along with their friends and colleagues, had bought into the firm before its IPO, or stock market flotation, in 2004, and held as much as $2.2bn in the company in 2007.

The newspaper said both the Chinese government and Mr Wen's relatives declined to comment on the investigation, which was based on corporate records from 1992-2012.

No holdings were found in Mr Wen's name, it said, nor was it possible "to determine from the documents whether he recused himself from any decisions that might have affected his relatives' holdings, or whether they received preferential treatment on investments".

China is sensitive about reports on its leaders, particularly when it comes to their wealth.

A growing wealth gap is causing public discontent, as are the frequent corruption scandals involving government officials.

When, in June 2012, a Bloomberg investigative report examined the finances of the relatives of president-in-waiting Xi Jinping, the company's website was blocked in China - even though the report said there was no indication of wrongdoing by him or his family.

Mr Wen has been the Chinese premier for almost 10 years. He is due to step down in a power transition that begins on 8 November.

Continue reading the main story

Wen Jiabao

• Became premier in March 2003, charged with overseeing the economy
• Portrayed in state media as a man who cares for the public
• Began career in provincial geology bureau but was quickly promoted
• Seen as a economic reformist critical of Bo Xilai's "Chongqing model" and "Red" policies

He is seen as a popular figure with the common touch, and is portrayed in state media as a leader with great concern for the lives of ordinary people.

A spokeswoman for New York Times said she hoped that full access to the websites would be "restored shortly" in China.

The BBC has also been affected, with the BBC World News channel blocked when a correspondent was asked about the story during a report, and the BBC News website blocked later on Friday.

On China's Twitter-like weibo platforms, keywords such as Wen Jiabao and the New York Times are blocked. Mr Wen's name, like most other Chinese leaders, has always been a screened keyword.

Some netizens did manage to post the article despite heavy and rapid censorship. A Sina Weibo user tweeted about the article from Kawagoe city in Japan, but his post was removed after 11 minutes.

"The Twist Your Waist Times says the best actor has $2.7bn of assets. I just wonder how will he spend it?" asked a Tencent Weibo user registered in the British West Indies territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

"Twist your waist" in Chinese characters sounds like New York when spoken, while "best actor" refers to Mr Wen, who critics say only pretends to be a people-first leader.

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Windows 8 video games ban u-turn

26 October 2012 Last updated at 06:21 ET

Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect, Skyrim and other mature games will no longer be banned from the European Windows 8 Store.

The store is the official outlet for programs Microsoft has tested to ensure they work with Windows 8.

A mismatch in the US and Europe over game ratings led to the games' exclusion outside North America.

Microsoft has relaxed its restrictions so the titles will be tested to work on PCs and tablets running Windows 8.

Tablet trouble

In the US games such as Call of Duty, Skyrim and Mass Effect typically win a "mature" rating under its ESRB system. This means anyone aged 17 and over can play them.

By contrast in Europe these titles and many others are marked as Pegi 18 which means only adults can buy and play them.

Before now Microsoft operated a blanket ban on adult-only content on its Windows 8 Store.

"It basically ends up disqualifying games that would be ESRB Mature," Antoine Leblond, Microsoft corporate vice president of web services told tech news site Gizmodo.

This had the potential to cause problems on desktop PCs and laptops as it would have meant that the games would not be certified as working with Microsoft's new operating system. The games would also not be promoted via the Windows Store.

The Windows 8 testing and certification system has won criticism from many games makers. Markus Persson, creator of Minecraft, said it risked turning the PC into a closed platform. Gabe Newell, head of game maker Valve, said Windows 8 could be a "catastrophe" for it and other developers.

Games that do go through the testing and certification process are likely to work with Windows 8 though users will have to find and install the titles themselves.

However, the ban could have caused bigger problems with Windows RT. This is the version of Windows 8 meant for tablets and the only way to get software for it is via the store. This is to ensure the programs work well with touchscreen interfaces typically found on tablets.

Relaxing the rules means the games can now get into the Windows Store and be guaranteed to run on Windows 8 be it running on a PC or tablet.

The change is due to come into force by the end of 2012, Mr Leblond told Gizmodo.

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Apple puts Samsung notice on site

26 October 2012 Last updated at 07:11 ET

Apple has published a statement which admits that Samsung has not infringed its designs.

The electronics firm was forced to publish the statement by a UK High Court which ruled on a dispute between the two firms in July.

The ruling also means that Apple has to take out adverts in national newspapers saying that Samsung had not copied its designs.

The statement can be found by following a link from the UK home page of Apple.

Simple design

Apple appealed against the July ruling but judges decided not to overturn the original decision on 18 October.

In its statement, Apple refers to the July court case and mentions that Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe on its registered design.

The statement also uses comments of the judge in the original case that unfavourably compared the Samsung gadgets to the Apple devices.

During his summing up, the judge said he was struck by the "simplicity" of the Apple gadget. He said: "It is a cool design." By contrast, he said, Samsung gadgets were "not as cool" because they lacked the iPad's simplicity.

The statement also makes mention of other legal wrangles between Samsung and Apple. In other courts, said Apple, Samsung was found to have "wilfully copied" Apple's "far more popular iPad".

Apple has lost a series of lawsuits against Samsung brought over the design of their respective tablets. It has lost cases in the Netherlands, Australia and the US.

Apple has had success with one claim in the US in which a jury suggested that Samsung pay a $1.05bn (£650m) fine for infringing software patents. Samsung has appealed against this decision. Most recently, a US International Trade Commission made a preliminary ruling that Samsung had infringed four patents relating to the look and feel of the iPhone.

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Nintendo Wii U to be sold at loss

26 October 2012 Last updated at 07:34 ET

Nintendo has confirmed that it will lose money on every sale of its Wii U console at launch.

The Japanese firm's president revealed the news after the firm cut its profit forecast.

"We had to book a loss on the hardware, which is currently in production and will be sold below cost," said Satoru Iwata.

The firm might ultimately make money through add-on sales and by cutting its manufacturing costs at a later stage.

It marks a change in the company's business strategy.

Ahead of the launch of the original Wii console in 2006 Nintendo's US boss, Reggie Fils-Aime, told Reuters: "We will make a profit on the entire Wii proposition out of the box - hardware and software... That really is a very different philosophy versus our competitors."

Sell now, profit later

The decision to abandon the prospect of immediate profits in order to maximise later earnings is part of a growing trend in the tech world.

Researchers at IHS iSuppli estimated that Sony lost $300 (£186) on every 20GB model of its original PlayStation 3 console in 2007. Although the company never confirmed the figure, it did acknowledge that it was not until 2010 that the machine became profitable.

Microsoft pursued a similar strategy with its Xbox 360.

More recently Amazon's chief executive Jeff Bezos revealed to the BBC that it sold its new Kindle tablets and e-readers at break-even prices.

IHS iSuppli has also suggested that Google is selling the 8GB Asus-made Nexus 7 tablet for the same price it costs to manufacture, ship and advertise the machine.

Troubled by tablets

Nintendo might have altered course to take advantage of the fact that neither Microsoft nor Sony have announced their next-generation consoles yet.

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Daniel Emery tries out the Nintendo Wii U at the Eurogamer Expo

Its pursuit of the more casual gamer means it has also had to take account of the keenly priced tablet market which attracts a similar consumer.

In addition to taking a cut of software sales, the firm might also benefit from users' desire to buy add-on hardware.

The cheapest model of the Wii U will be sold for about £250 in the UK when it launches at the end of the month, but only includes one of its new touchscreen GamePad controllers.

If users want a second GamePad they face paying more. A standalone controller costs more than £100 in Japan, but is not available for pre-order elsewhere yet.

"Nintendo's move is an acknowledgement of a wider reality that smartphones, tablets, connected televisions and other non-dedicated devices now offer excellent game playing experiences," Ed Barton, director of digital media at Strategy Analytics, told the BBC.

"There simply wasn't the level of competition in terms of hardware last time round, and on the new devices you can now buy games at a fraction of what a top-end Wii U console game will cost."

One silver lining in Nintendo's earnings update was news that its handheld Nintendo 3DS console had become profitable.

However, investors remain concerned that the firm posted its first ever annual loss in April and has predicted it would only make a net profit of 6 billion yen ($75m; £47m) in its current business year.

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Facebook claimant in fraud charge

26 October 2012 Last updated at 12:32 ET

A New York businessman has been charged with trying to defraud Facebook by claiming he was owed a 50% share of the social media company, prosecutors say.

Paul Ceglia is accused of fabricating and destroying evidence in a lawsuit asking for half-ownership of the firm.

Arrested at his home in Wellsville, New York, Mr Ceglia was due in court on Friday afternoon.

US Attorney Preet Bharara said the entrepreneur had been chasing a "quick payday based on a blatant forgery".

In 2003, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, then a Harvard University student, agreed to do programming work for Mr Ceglia and his fax business, say prosecutors.

Mr Ceglia later filed his lawsuit claiming that he and Mr Zuckerberg had signed a two-page contract awarding him a 50% stake in Facebook.

But Mr Zuckerberg said he had not yet conceived the idea for the social network at the time.

Facebook's lawyers said the contract that Mr Ceglia and Mr Zuckerberg signed in 2003 was to develop street-mapping software.

Mr Ceglia subsequently doctored the document to insert Facebook references, it is alleged.

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Apple loses appeal versus Samsung

18 October 2012 Last updated at 07:15 ET

Apple has lost its appeal against a UK ruling that Samsung had not infringed its design rights.

A judge at the High Court in London had originally ruled in July that the look of Samsung's Galaxy Tab computers was not too similar to designs registered in connection with the iPad.

He said at the time that Samsung's devices were not as "cool" because they lacked Apple's "extreme simplicity".

Apple still needs to run ads saying Samsung had not infringed its rights.

The US firm had previously been ordered to place a notice to that effect - with a link to the original judgement - on its website and place other adverts in the Daily Mail, Financial Times, T3 Magazine and other publications to "correct the damaging impression" that Samsung was a copycat.

The appeal judges decided not to overturn the decision on the basis that a related Apple design-rights battle in the German courts risked causing confusion in consumers' minds.

"The acknowledgment must come from the horse's mouth," they said. "Nothing short of that will be sure to do the job completely."

However, they added that the move need not "clutter" Apple's homepage as it would only have to add a link entitled "Samsung/Apple judgement" for a one-month period.

A spokeswoman for Samsung said it welcomed the latest ruling.

"We continue to believe that Apple was not the first to design a tablet with a rectangular shape and rounded corners and that the origins of Apple's registered design features can be found in numerous examples of prior art.

"Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited."

Apple declined to comment. It can still appeal to the UK Supreme Court, otherwise the ruling applies across the European Union.

Registered design

Three judges were involved in the Court of Appeal review of the case.

Apple had reasserted its claim saying that the front face and overall shape of the tablets was the most important factor - rather than the overall design - because users would spend most of their time looking at a tablet's screen and holding it.

One of the judges - who noted he owned an iPad himself - explained why Apple had lost the appeal in his ruling.

"Because this case (and parallel cases in other countries) has generated much publicity, it will avoid confusion to say what this case is about and not about," wrote Sir Robin Jacob.

"It is not about whether Samsung copied Apple's iPad. Infringement of a registered design does not involve any question of whether there was copying: the issue is simply whether the accused design is too close to the registered design according to the tests laid down in the law."

"So this case is all about, and only about, Apple's registered design and the Samsung products."

Sir Robin noted that Samsung's decision to place its logo on the front of its devices distinguished them from Apple's registered design which said there should be "no ornamentation".

He also highlighted the fact that the sides of the iPad's design - which featured a "sharp edge" - were significantly different from those of the Galaxy Tabs.

In addition, Sir Robin wrote that Samsung's designs were "altogether busier" with a more varied use of colour on the devices' rear and their inclusion of a thicker section to house a camera.

International lawsuits

Apple has now lost a series of lawsuits against Samsung based on the design of their tablets.

These include cases in the Netherlands, Australia and US - despite sometimes winning temporary sales bans.

However, the California-based company has been more successful with other claims.

Most notably a US jury proposed Samsung should pay Apple a $1.05bn (£650m) fine for infringing several software patents, and the look and feel of the iPhone. Samsung is appealing the verdict.

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HTC and Sharp's next-gen screens

18 October 2012 Last updated at 12:23 ET

HTC and Sharp have unveiled devices featuring next-generation screens.

HTC's J Butterfly phone has a 5in (12.7cm) display offering an industry-leading 440 pixels per inch.

This offers 25-40% higher resolution - meaning more detail - than comparable devices from Samsung, Apple, Nokia and LG.

Sharp's new Aquos Pad tablet is the first to use its new Igzo technology which promises sharper images while using less power.

Sharp has previously said at least one of its customers also planned to incorporate the innovation in its devices.

Several device makers have signalled plans to announce new tablets over the coming weeks.

HD phablet

HTC's Android-based device is set to go on sale in Japan in December.

Its size places it somewhere between a typical smartphone and tablet in a category some term a "phablet".

The Taiwanese firm is marketing both the size and resolution of its screen as being ideal to watch 1080p movies.

Smaller, densely packed pixels mean users can hold a device to their face without being able to distinguish the individual blocks of colour used to make up an image.

HTC's 440ppi - pixels per inch - resolution offers a performance-boost over rival flagship devices including Samsung's similarly-sized Galaxy Note 2 with a 267ppi screen.

Apple's iPhone 5 offers 326ppi, Nokia's upcoming Lumia 920 332ppi and LG's Optimus G 318ppi.

To support the facility, HTC has included Qualcomm's top-end Snapdragon S4 Pro processor.

However, it has not yet disclosed what toll supporting the feature will have on its battery.

Longer lasting

Sharp's new tablet takes a more radical approach by being the first device if its kind to incorporate a new kind of LCD (liquid crystal display) technology.

Igzo (indium gallium zinc oxide) screens have higher translucency than standard TFT (thin film transistor) LCDs, meaning they are better at letting light pass through them.

As a result devices that use them need fewer LEDs (light-emitting diodes) to provide backlighting, allowing the screen to take up less room and use less power.

Sharp boasts its new Aquos Pad SHT 21 tablet can last two and a half times longer than its predecessor.

The company also suggests it has better touch accuracy than rivals, making it easier to write notes with a stylus.

The product has a 7in screen, but Sharp has said that it would also make panels in 10in and 32in varieties, suggesting its use in other tablets and desktop computers.

Continue reading the main story

23 Oct: Apple (San Jose)

Expected to unveil a 7-8in iPad

24 Oct: Samsung (New York)

Will give details of US launch of Galaxy Note 2

25 Oct: Microsoft (New York)

Launch event for Windows 8 which goes on sale, alongside Surface tablets, the next day

29 Oct: Google (New York)

Android-themed event, may include new Nexus devices

29 Oct: Microsoft (San Francisco)

Launch of Windows Phone 8 operating system

30 Oct: Arm (London)

Mobile device chip designer and "partners" announce news

The firm said its new tablet would launch in Japan in December, but has not released details of plans elsewhere.

Battery drain

The announcements come ahead of a flurry of new releases.

Over the next fortnight Microsoft, Apple and Google have all scheduled major product launches.

Several Windows 8 tablets - including Microsoft's own Surface - have already been unveiled and will go on sale next week. There is also the expectation of an "iPad Mini" and new Nexus-branded devices.

One analyst said that with so many competing products on offer, display quality was become a deciding factor for some consumers.

"Screen resolution has become a differential point for many manufacturers," Chris Green, principal technology analyst at Davies Murphy Group Europe, told the BBC.

"Given that many people now use their devices to stream video, having a high-resolution that can best show off HD video is far more important than it was two years ago.

"There is still a trade-off though as some of these displays consume more power as a result, and battery technologies have not kept pace with other advances. Since screens are the biggest power drain on mobile devices, that's why a lot of research is going into how to reduce their energy needs."

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Google threatens French media ban

18 October 2012 Last updated at 12:44 ET

Google has threatened to exclude French media sites from search results if France goes ahead with plans to make search engines pay for content.

In a letter sent to several ministerial offices, Google said such a law "would threaten its very existence".

French newspaper publishers have been pushing for the law, saying it is unfair that Google receives advertising revenue from searches for news.

French Culture Minister Aurelie Filippetti also favours the idea.

She told a parliamentary commission it was "a tool that it seems important to me to develop".

Ad tax

Google France had said earlier that the plan "would be harmful to the internet, internet users and news websites that benefit from substantial traffic" that comes via Google's search engine.

It said it redirected four billion clicks to French media pages each month.

Print newspapers have seen their incomes gradually eroded in recent years as consumers and advertisers turn to the web.

Previously the French government has considered introducing a tax on online advertising revenues but it later dropped the plan, worried it would hurt small local companies more than global internet giants.

"France has a track record of enacting laws to protect its local media interest that seem out of step with the conventional wisdom in other markets," said Adrian Drury, an analyst with research firm Ovum.

"The question is whether by returning a search result Google is infringing the copyright of a site. The publishers will continue to contest this, but the general consensus is that it is not," he added.

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Error sees Google stock suspended

18 October 2012 Last updated at 16:47 ET Continue reading the main story

Trading in Google shares was suspended for two-and-a-half hours after the internet giant released its third-quarter results early by mistake.

Its quarterly profits fell 20% from a year earlier to $2.18bn (£1.35bn) - below analysts' expectations.

Google blamed financial printing firm RR Donnelley for filing an early draft of the results, which had been expected after the closing bell.

Shares in Google were down 9% when trading in the stock was suspended.

When trading resumed, the shares recovered slightly to end the day 8% lower.

Google chief executive Larry Page apologised to analysts on a conference call after the market closed.

"I'm sorry for the scramble earlier today," he said, adding that the company had had a strong quarter.

'Pending Larry quote'

In a statement after the inadvertent release, Google said: "Earlier this morning RR Donnelley, the financial printer, informed us that they had filed our draft 8K earnings statement without authorisation.

"We have ceased trading on Nasdaq while we work to finalise the document. Once it's finalised we will release our earnings, resume trading on Nasdaq and hold our earnings call as normal at 1:30 PST."

Continue reading the main story

Ben Thompson Business reporter, New York

---

While Google's results are disappointing, coming in well below analyst expectations, it was their early publication that spooked investors. Shares slumped 9%, wiping $19bn off the value of Google before trade was suspended, and only managed to claw back a small proportion of those losses when trade resumed.

But why is that accidental publication so damaging? Largely because it doesn't give Google the opportunity to explain the figures or manage market expectations. In normal circumstances, earnings reports come with a whole series of conference calls and briefings between the firm's management and investors, traders and journalists. Without the briefings, the numbers are left to speak for themselves.

There's also the old saying that markets don't like surprises. Results being published three hours early counts as one of those surprises. So Google is now on the back foot, trying to reassure the markets and give some context to the figures.

The company's draft results statement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, was published at 09:30 Pacific time (16:30 GMT), three-and-a-half hours ahead of schedule.

It says "PENDING LARRY QUOTE" at the beginning, referring to chief executive Larry Page and indicating that it was not ready for publication.

Its final results statement, published at 12:00 Pacific time (19:00 GMT), included the following quotation from Mr Page: "We had a strong quarter. Revenue was up 45% year-on-year, and, at just fourteen years old, we cleared our first $14bn revenue quarter.

"I am also really excited about the progress we're making creating a beautifully simple, intuitive Google experience across all devices."

Net revenue rose to $11.3bn from $7.5bn, but was still below forecasts.

Including websites that generate traffic for Google's ads, revenue rose 45% to $14.1bn.

'No time'

The slide in Google's share price took the company's market value back down below that of Microsoft, which it had overtaken earlier this month.

Joe Saluzzi from Themis Trading said, "you can't make those mistakes any more".

He added: "Mistake or not, the earnings are earnings. The problem is when this happens in the middle of the day, there is no time for a conference call to massage it, there is no time for analysts' questions and for an evaluation."

Google completed the purchase of the loss-making mobile phone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5bn earlier this year and has been struggling to turn the firm around.

Costs related to the acquisition - for employee stock compensation and restructuring charges - knocked Google's overall results, as did the strong dollar.

The company said that if foreign exchange rates had been unchanged, its revenue would have been $136m higher.

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Windows 8 skews Microsoft results

18 October 2012 Last updated at 18:22 ET

Microsoft has reported a 22% fall in quarterly profits, after deferring some revenue ahead of the upcoming releases of its Windows 8 operating system and its latest version of Office.

Net profit for the three months to September fell to $4.47bn (£2.79bn), from $5.74bn a year earlier, and missed expectations.

Total revenues fell 8% to $16bn.

PC sales fell as consumers either put off new purchases in a tight economy or opted for tablet devices instead.

Microsoft deferred a total of $1.36bn of revenue, which it will regain in the following quarter.

This included $783m in licence fees for PCs pre-loaded with Windows 8, because it cannot recognise the revenue until the units go on sale on 26 October.

It also deferred $384m for PCs that shipped with Windows 7 but are eligible for a $15 upgrade to Windows 8, and $189m for PCs that shipped with the new version of Office or are eligible for an upgrade.

Microsoft shares fell 3% in extended trading.

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Developers quit Kickstarted game

19 October 2012 Last updated at 06:58 ET

Development on a video game funded by the crowdsourced funding site Kickstarter has stopped as all its programmers have quit.

More than 1,200 people backed Haunts: The Manse Macabre when it ran a funding campaign via Kickstarter in June 2012.

It pledged to produce a horror game but that has been mothballed after running out of cash and staff.

Experts said it could be first of many shelved and showed the perils inherent in the making of video games.

Haunts sought $25,000 (£15,590) from Kickstarter but the project proved popular and meant the game's developers got $28,739 (£17,895) to fund completion of the game. Prior to the funding appeal Haunts creator Mob Rules Games had spent about $42,500 getting the basics of the title completed.

The end result was supposed to be a haunted house horror game in which players could take on the role of the house's inhabitants or intruders investigating what lived within it.

Now Mob Rules Games boss Rick Dakan has revealed that the game's development has prematurely halted.

"The principal cause for our dire condition is that there are no longer any programmers working on the game," said Mr Dakan in a blogpost updating backers.

Bug testing

Haunts' lead programmer was only contracted to work for Mob Rules for a year, said Mr Dakan, and having returned to Google has no spare time to keep working on the game.

In addition, Mob Rules second lead programmer has quit and no longer wants to work on Haunts.

Before the pair left, said Mr Dakan, they all but finished the game but it would need extensive bug testing and refinement before backers could get at it.

Continue reading the main story

It's a real shame to see Haunts struggling"

End Quote John Walker

Unfortunately Mob Rules has no-one available to do this work. In addition, Haunts has been written in the Go programming language which is not widely used and will limit its chances of hiring new hands to complete the work.

In his blogpost, Mr Dakan apologised for how Haunts has turned out and pledged to refund any backer who wanted their money back out of his own pocket.

"My obligation to all of you generous Kickstarter backers is foremost in my mind and I have not served you as well as I should have," he said.

Risky business

John Walker, from games news site Rock Paper Shotgun, said there was always a danger that something like this would happen with projects funded via Kickstarter. There was a chance that bigger projects could go the same way, he said, and anyone using Kickstarter should be aware of the risks.

"Most people pledge at the level that promises them the final product, and so of course don't view their act as a philanthropic one, but as a purchase," he said.

Funding problems, delays and disappearing developers were all problems that games studios had to weather, he said.

"That's all part of games development, and now individuals are learning of the risks publishers take when they fund a project by the traditional models," he said.

"It's a real shame to see Haunts struggling," he said. "They've done exactly what Kickstarter suggests - being open and frank about the issues they've faced, how they've spent the money, and their attempts to resolve them."

Mr Dakan did add that zero developers, an obscure programming language and dwindling cash did not mean the game was entirely dead.

He was in talks with another games studio that might take the title on and invited anyone who might be able to help to get in touch.

"We're going to make this game, and if you can hang on for what looks to be a long road ahead, we will get it finished," he said.

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Battery inventor Ovshinsky dies

19 October 2012 Last updated at 07:06 ET

Stanford Ovshinsky, a self-taught American physicist who designed the battery now used in hybrid cars, has died aged 89 from prostate cancer.

The electronics field of ovonics was named after Mr Ovshinsky, who owned over 200 patents and has been described as a "[Thomas] Edison of our age".

He introduced the idea of "glass transistors" in 1968, which paved the way for modern flat-screen monitors.

He and his first wife Iris set up a firm called Energy Conversion Devices.

The firm specialises in manufacturing the nickel-metal hydride batteries he designed, which are still used in hybrid vehicles, and also produces large thin, flexible sheets of solar panelling also invented by Mr Ovshinsky.

He received various honorary degrees and awards but had no formal education after high school. He claimed to have taught himself science by using the public libraries of Ohio where he grew up.

His son Harvey said he was "determined to change the world".

"My father worked tirelessly 24-7, even up until he got sick, to change the world and its attitude toward sustainable energy and alternate platforms for information," he added.

Mr Ovshinsky is survived by his second wife Rosa, brother Herb, seven children and six grandchildren.

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Twitter cuts anti-Semitic tweets

19 October 2012 Last updated at 09:26 ET

Twitter has agreed to remove a flood of anti-Semitic tweets circulating on its service in France.

The offensive messages are circulating labelled with the #unbonjuif (#agoodjew) hashtag.

The tweets are being removed following the threat of legal action by a Jewish student group.

The Union of Jewish Students of France (UEJF) was planning to get a court injunction to make Twitter remove the offensive tweets.

The decision to remove the tweets emerged from a meeting between Twitter's senior management, the UEJF president Jonathan Hayoun and the group's legal representatives. During the meeting the UEJF handed over a list of the posts it wants removed.

Over the past few days the #unbonjuif hashtag has been one of the most popular phrases on Twitter among French-speaking users of the service. Many of the tweets bearing the tag contain offensive comments.

The UEJF had scored an "important victory" over Twitter on the issue, Stephane Lilty, the student body's lawyer told AFP. It has also pressed Twitter to reveal the names of those abusing the hashtag. Twitter has yet to issue an official comment about the matter.

The decision to remove the messages comes soon after Twitter shut down an account used by a German neo-Nazi group based in Hanover. The block was imposed at the request of German police. Facebook and YouTube have also agreed to block the group's accounts.

The block was carried out using a novel feature called "Country Withheld Content" it introduced earlier in 2012. This means users in Germany will be unable to see messages posted by the account but they will be visible in other nations.

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Cash offered to teach computing

19 October 2012 Last updated at 11:32 ET By Judith Burns Education reporter, BBC News

High-flying graduates are to be given a £20,000 golden handshake to train as computer science teachers.

Ministers have asked Facebook, Microsoft and IBM to help design the training for the new teachers.

Education Secretary Michael Gove said current information and communications technology (ICT) teacher training courses would be axed from next year.

The move "could not be more welcome or more necessary", said Prof Steve Furber of the Royal Society.

Major changes to the teaching of computing in English schools are already in the pipeline. Mr Gove announced plans to scrap the existing schools ICT curriculum back in January, calling it "demotivating and dull" with pupils learning little more than basic digital literacy skills such as word processing.

Continue reading the main story

If we want our country to produce the next Sir Tim Berners-Lee... we need the very best computer science teachers in our classrooms"

End Quote Michael Gove

At the time he called instead for pupils to learn computer coding so that they could produce simple animations or their own smartphone apps.

A recent report by the Royal Society also found that computer education in English schools was "highly unsatisfactory" and highlighted a shortage of teachers capable of teaching computer science with only 35% of England's ICT teachers being subject specialists.

About 50 scholarships will be handed out in the first year and up to 500 existing ICT teachers will also be retrained to teach computer science.

Students who graduate from university with at least a 2:1 degree will be eligible for a £20,000 scholarship to train on one of the new courses, which have been set up with leading industry experts.

To qualify the candidates will need a good understanding of computer science concepts such as algorithms, logic, data networks and the internet, according to the Department for Education.

'More needed'

Prof Furber told BBC News: "Computer science was a backwater in many schools... but this is an extremely clear signal that the government is taking the problem seriously, that even in times of austerity they have heard the message and are sorting things out."

Prof Furber said the number of new computer science teachers was small and would go only part of the way to solving the problem. Ideally, he said, he would like to see one or two computer science teachers in each of England's 4,200 secondary schools.

He said existing ICT teachers "would need lots of help" to become adept in computer science, but added: "Of course there are already some excellent teachers out there doing all the right things. We are not starting from zero."

Mr Gove indicated that computer science could be added to the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) list of key academic subjects that teenagers are encouraged to study at GCSE. He said: "Computer science is not just a rigorous, fascinating and intellectually challenging subject. It is also vital to our success in the global race.

"If we want our country to produce the next Sir Tim Berners-Lee, creator of the internet, we need the very best computer science teachers in our classrooms. They need to have the right skills and deep subject knowledge to help their pupils."

Mr Gove was referring to the concept of a global system that would allow researchers anywhere to share information which was first proposed by Sir Tim while he was working at the Cern particle physics laboratory in Geneva in the 1980s. Sir Tim later named it the World Wide Web.

Labour questioned how effective the changes would be. Stephen Twigg MP, the shadow education secretary, said: "Michael Gove has developed an analogue curriculum in a digital age. His outdated EBacc places no value on subjects such as computing.

"If we are to remain competitive, we need to instigate a computer science revolution, starting with getting primary school children to learn coding."

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Brazil papers pull out of Google

20 October 2012 Last updated at 15:16 ET

Newspapers accounting for 90% of the circulation in Brazil have abandoned Google News.

Brazil's National Association of Newspapers says all 154 members had followed its recommendation to ban the search engine aggregator from using their content.

The papers say Google News refused to pay for content and was driving traffic away from their websites.

Google said previously that the service boosted traffic to news websites.

"Staying with Google News was not helping us grow our digital audiences, on the contrary," said the association's president, Carlos Fernando Lindenberg Neto.

"By providing the first few lines of our stories to Internet users, the service reduces the chances that they will look at the entire story in our websites," he said, in an interview with the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas.

'A billion clicks'

The National Association of Newspapers, known by its Portuguese acronym ANJ, carried out an experiment with Google that began in December 2010.

This allowed Google News to carry the top line of news stories, to raise curiosity and get readers to click on the full story on the newspapers' sites.

But the ANJ says the experiment has failed.

Among the 154 titles that have pulled out from Google News are some of the country's most important news sites, such as O Globo and O Estado de Sao Paulo.

At a recent meeting of the American Press Association in Sao Paulo, Google defended its decision not to pay for the headlines from news websites.

"Google News channels a billion clicks to news sites around the world," said Google's Public Policy Director, Marcel Leonardi.

He compared the ANJ's demands to taxing a taxi driver for taking tourists to eat at a particular restaurant.

Brazil's newspaper association said that, despite leaving Google News, many of the news organisations' internet portals will still be listed by the aggregator.

Internet users using Google - but not Google News - will still be able to find content from most newspapers' sites.

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