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| Samsung's lower first quarter estimate highlights smartphone challenges Monday, Apr 07, 2014 08:09 PM PDT  Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Tuesday said it is on track to post its second straight quarter of profit decline, as slowing smartphone sales growth continued to weigh on earnings. The South Korean tech giant estimated that its January-March operating profit fell by 4.3 percent to 8.4 trillion won ($7.96 billion), slightly below an average forecast of 8.5 trillion won by 40 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The world's biggest smartphone maker is counting on the fifth version of its flagship Galaxy S smartphone, which goes on sale globally from Friday, to right the ship and prove the firm's staying power as a mobile innovator. Underscoring the challenges, Samsung priced the S5 about 10 percent cheaper than the S4 even though main rival Apple Inc is not widely expected to update its line-up until September. Analysts said the company's efforts to rein in component costs and make products that appeal to a wider audience will be crucial as Samsung braces for what could be its first annual profit decline in three years. Full Story | Top |
| BlackBerry defeats NXP in U.S. trial over patents Monday, Apr 07, 2014 05:42 PM PDT  A federal jury in Florida on Monday ruled in favor of Blackberry Ltd in a lawsuit accusing the company of infringing three patents belonging to Dutch semiconductor company NXP BV. NXP in April 2012 sued BlackBerry, then known as Research in Motion, alleging that versions of the BlackBerry phone and PlayBook tablet infringed patents related to the design, data transmission and other features of those devices. The lawsuit originally covered six patents, but NXP later dropped its claims related to three of the patents. Jurors needed less than a day of deliberations before ruling in BlackBerry's favor, in a trial that began on March 24, court records show. Full Story | Top |
| Ride service Uber dials into courier business Monday, Apr 07, 2014 04:11 PM PDT  By Sarah McBride SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - App-based ride company Uber will start delivering on its promise of expanding its business into logistics on Tuesday when it launches a trial courier service, Uber Rush, in Manhattan. "Better, faster, cheaper," is how Uber's general manager in New York, Josh Mohrer, described the service in a tweet to Reuters. At first, Uber Rush will work only in Manhattan, but if it catches on, it will expand to other boroughs and perhaps eventually, other cities, Mohrer said in a phone interview. Messengers can only pick up and deliver items, not purchase them, Uber said in a blog post. Full Story | Top |
| New app sheds virtual weight so faces look slimmer on 'selfies' Monday, Apr 07, 2014 02:44 PM PDT  "Cameras add additional weight to photos and when you're taking a selfie you're also dealing with bad lighting, angles, close-ups and a lot of other factors that make people complain that the photo isn't an accurate representation of themselves," said Susan Green, co-founder of the Phoenix-based company Pretty Smart Women that created the app. It was originally designed to help overweight adults show a leaner version of themselves, but Robin J Phillips, the other co-founder, said the app has also motivated people to lose weight. But some critics fear the $1.99 app, which only works on single head shots, could encourage an unhealthy body image. Lauren Dickson, a social worker in the eating disorders and addiction clinic at the Center of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, said the app is one of many factors that could contribute towards a young adult developing an eating disorder. Full Story | Top |
| U.S. FTC can sue hotel group over poor data security, court rules Monday, Apr 07, 2014 02:32 PM PDT A U.S. court ruled on Monday that the Federal Trade Commission can proceed with a lawsuit against hotel group Wyndham Worldwide Corp for allegedly failing to safeguard consumers' personal information. Judge Esther Salas, of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, disagreed and ruled that the FTC should be allowed to proceed with its case. "We continue to believe the FTC lacks the authority to pursue this type of case against American businesses, and has failed to publish any regulations that would give such businesses fair notice of any proposed standards for data security," the company said. FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said she was "pleased that the court has recognized the FTC's authority to hold companies accountable for safeguarding consumer data. Full Story | Top |
| Intel adjusts financial reporting to reflect mobile gadgets Monday, Apr 07, 2014 02:14 PM PDT  By Noel Randewich SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Chipmaker Intel Corp said on Monday it was adjusting its financial reporting structure to better reflect its focus on two key areas: mobile and the growing field of linking up electronic devices. Beginning with its first-quarter report, due on April 15, Intel said it will provide revenues from its recently created Internet of Things Group, which focuses on the emerging trend of connecting everything from bathroom scales to skyscraper ventilation systems via the Internet, and a new Mobile and Communications segment. Revenue from Intel's phone and tablet chip businesses was previously included under the Other Intel Architecture segment. In addition, results from the gateway and set-top box business will be included as part of the PC Client Group instead of Other Intel Architecture, Intel said in a statement. Full Story | Top |
| Samsung Electronics shifts focus to costs, cheaper phones as first quarter profit seen falling Monday, Apr 07, 2014 02:10 PM PDT  By Se Young Lee SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is expected to report its second straight quarter of profit decline as its high-end smartphone business loses steam, a trend likely to sharpen the firm's focus on costs and the cheaper phone market. The world's biggest smartphone maker is counting on the fifth version of its flagship Galaxy S smartphone, which goes on sale globally from Friday, to right the ship and prove the technology giant's staying power as a mobile innovator. But the Galaxy S5 has already got off to a weak start at home, with its South Korean debut marred by a temporary ban on mobile carriers selling handsets and criticism that it lacks eye-catching new features. Underscoring the challenges, Samsung priced the S5 about 10 percent cheaper than the S4 even though main rival Apple Inc is not widely expected to update its line-up until September. Full Story | Top |
| Mozilla CEO's exit tests Silicon Valley's tolerance Monday, Apr 07, 2014 11:19 AM PDT  (In April 4 story, corrects paragraph three to show Proposition 8 was struck down in U.S. federal court, not by U.S. Supreme Court) By Gerry Shih SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tech workers in Silicon Valley debated on Friday whether Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich got the comeuppance he deserved or was himself a victim of intolerance when he resigned under pressure this week amid outrage over his opposition to same-sex marriage. Some, especially a dating website that had urged its users to boycott Mozilla's popular Firefox web browser, cheered Eich's resignation after less than two weeks as CEO of the nonprofit software company. Mozilla co-founder Eich, who invented the programming language Javascript, donated $1,000 in 2008 to support Proposition 8, which sought to ban same-sex marriage in California. His views about gay marriage had been known within Mozilla for nearly two years, but controversy erupted after he was appointed CEO in late March. Full Story | Top |
| Cloud software maker Vocus to be taken private Monday, Apr 07, 2014 10:25 AM PDT Vocus Inc, a maker of cloud-based software for marketing and public relations, said it would be bought by private equity firm GTCR Valor Merger Sub Inc for about $447 million. GTCR will offer $18 per Vocus share, a premium of 48 percent to the stock's close on Friday. Vocus shares rose 47 percent to $17.92 on Monday morning, making the stock the top percentage gainer on the Nasdaq. The company recently shifted its focus to mid-sized companies from small businesses, but is struggling to sell its software to its new target clients, who want more sophisticated products, Robert W. Baird & Co analyst Steve Ashley said. Full Story | Top |
| Lawsuits deepen shareholder row over 'Russia's Facebook' Monday, Apr 07, 2014 07:46 AM PDT  By Maria Kiselyova MOSCOW (Reuters) - A dispute between shareholders in Russia's biggest social network escalated on Monday, as the rivals took legal action to assert their influence over a business that has been used as a platform for opposition groups. Known as Russia's answer to Facebook, VKontakte has been the focus of an ownership battle since last April when the United Capital Partners (UCP) fund bought 48 percent of the shares, becoming its then biggest shareholder. Rival Mail.Ru, which has in the meantime joined forces with VK founder and chief executive Pavel Durov to become the biggest investor, contested the UCP transaction in a lawsuit filed by a subsidiary. Durov has clashed with authorities for providing a forum for opposition activists to organize protests against Vladimir Putin, including in 2011 when tens of thousands came out on to the streets in the biggest challenge yet to the Russian leader. Full Story | Top |
| Qualcomm talks up future top-tier smartphone chip Monday, Apr 07, 2014 04:36 AM PDT  By Noel Randewich SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Qualcomm gave details on Monday about a future high-end smartphone chip, including faster download speeds as well as 64-bit technology, which is quickly becoming standard. Due to appear in smartphones in 2015, the Snapdragon 810 is Qualcomm's latest bid to use its edge in wireless technology to maintain its marketshare lead in semiconductors for mobile devices. The 810 chip includes new, faster WiFi features as well as a 4G modem that Qualcomm says downloads data at twice the speed of chips made with its previous technology. The chip also allows for video recording and playback at "4K" ultra-high resolution. Full Story | Top |
| Taiwan's HTC posts first-quarter loss on weak flagship phone sales Monday, Apr 07, 2014 03:12 AM PDT  By Michael Gold TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC Corp posted a first-quarter loss that was wider than analyst estimates, after ineffective marketing resulted in weak sales of its former flagship model. The HTC One spent its year at the top of the product line receiving rave reviews but was undermined by advertising widely criticized as confusing, sending the company's market share into freefall. HTC was once a firm third to Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, selling 10 percent of smartphones globally two years ago, but it ended 2013 with a market share of just 2 percent, showed data from researcher Strategy Analytics. HTC, however, broke 28 months of on-year revenue declines with a rise of 2.16 percent in March, and said it expected to return to profit in the second quarter thanks in part to the late-March release of its upgraded flagship, the HTC One M8. Full Story | Top |
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