Microsoft tablet ecosystem not being probed: EU

EU regulators do not have any reason to open an investigation into Microsoft's operating system for tablets, the EU's antitrust chief said on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS: EU regulators do not have any reason to open an investigation into Microsoft's operating system for tablets, the EU's antitrust chief said on Wednesday.

The European Commission said in July it had received complaints that the world's largest software company allowed only its own Internet Explorer browser to be installed on devices running Windows 8 on Windows RT tablets.

"There are no grounds to pursue an investigation on this issue," EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told a news briefing.

He also said Microsoft had four weeks to respond to charges that it had failed to comply with an EU order to offer a choice of web browsers to consumers on its Windows operating system.

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Microsoft tablet ecosystem not being probed: EU

EU regulators do not have any reason to open an investigation into Microsoft's operating system for tablets, the EU's antitrust chief said on Wednesday.

BRUSSELS: EU regulators do not have any reason to open an investigation into Microsoft's operating system for tablets, the EU's antitrust chief said on Wednesday.

The European Commission said in July it had received complaints that the world's largest software company allowed only its own Internet Explorer browser to be installed on devices running Windows 8 on Windows RT tablets.

"There are no grounds to pursue an investigation on this issue," EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia told a news briefing.

He also said Microsoft had four weeks to respond to charges that it had failed to comply with an EU order to offer a choice of web browsers to consumers on its Windows operating system.

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More employees befriending bosses on Facebook

A growing number of employees are adding their bosses as 'Friends' on Facebook.

SYDNEY: A growing number of employees are adding their bosses as 'Friends' on Facebook, and are posting abusive or emotional content about a bad day's work or their job in general, a new survey has said.

According to a worldwide survey by anti-virus company AVG, 13 percent of working people in Australia admit to posting abusive content about their boss or company after a bad day at work.

Another 18 per cent employees in Italy have been found to express their emotions online, The Telegraph.com.au reports.

According to the AVG survey, 80 percent of Spanish young working class have posted inappropriate images online, in contrast to 28 percent of Australians who have admitted doing so.

The survey also showed that almost one-third of workers aged between 18 and 25 are friends with their boss on social media.

But more than half them, 58 percent, admit they've never cleared potentially career damaging content from their profiles, the paper said.

AVG's Australian security adviser Michael McKinnon said the level of comfort with social media was blurring the line between young people's professional and private lives.

The survey canvassed 4400 people in 11 countries.

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Google maps Grand Canyon's hiking trails

Google and its Street View cameras already have taken users to narrow cobblestone alleys in Spain using a tricycle, inside the Smithsonian with a push cart and up British Columbia's snow-covered slopes by snowmobile.

ARIZONA: Google and its Street View cameras already have taken users to narrow cobblestone alleys in Spain using a tricycle, inside the Smithsonian with a push cart and up British Columbia's snow-covered slopes by snowmobile.

The search giant now has brought its all-seeing eyes - mounted for the first time on a backpack -into the Grand Canyon, showcasing the US attraction's most popular hiking trails.

It's the latest evolution in mapping technology for the company, which has photographed thousands of cities in dozens of countries for its Street View feature. With a click of the mouse, Internet users are transported virtually for a 360-degree view of locales they may have read about only in tourist books and seen in flat, 2-D images.

"Any of these sort of iconic, cultural, historical locations that are not accessible by road is where we want to go," said Ryan Falor, product manager at Google.

Google announced the trekker earlier this year but made its first official collection of data this week at the Grand Canyon.

The backpacks aren't ready for volunteer use, but Google has said it wants to deploy them at national forests, to the narrow streets of Venice, Mount Everest and to ancient ruins and castles.

The move to capture the Grand Canyon comes after Apple chose to drop Google Maps from its mobile operating systems and use its own mapping program that was derided for, among other things, poor directions and missing towns.

Google launched its Street View feature in 2007 and has expanded from five U.S. cities to more than 3,000 in 43 countries.

As the sun rose Monday, Luc Vincent, Google engineering director, strapped on one of the 40-pound (18-kilogram) backpacks and set down the Bright Angel Trail to the Colorado River - a nearly 10-mile (16-kilometer) hike.

The so-called trekker captures images every 2.5 seconds with 15 cameras that are 5 megapixels each. The GPS data is limited, so Google must compensate with sensors that record temperature, vibrations and the orientation of the device as it changes, before it stiches the images together and makes them available to users in a few months, Falor said.

Hikers that were on the trail when the data was gathered will have their faces blurred - an attempt by Google to ensure privacy. Street View has run into problems in places like Europe and Australia for scooping up information transmitted over unsecured wireless networks.

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Apple's iPad mini 'fails' to impress analysts

Few analysts revised their price targets for Apple in the wake of the announcement, with one raising their target and one cutting it.

Apple's "iPad mini" will attract new customers but the higher-than-expected price will come as a relief to low-cost tablets such as Amazon.com's Kindle, analysts said, in a muted reaction to the new tablet.

Few analysts revised their price targets for Apple in the wake of the announcement, with one raising their target and one cutting it.

Apple shares edged up 0.7 per cent to $617.75 in premarket trading.

The 7.9-inch mini version of the iPad has most of the functions and features of the full-size iPad but in a smaller package and is cheaper by $170.

"We believe the iPad mini with its $329 starting price for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model will help Apple reach a new customer base, particularly for holiday gifts to teenagers that may not have been able to afford the higher-end iPad," Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley wrote in a research note.

He raised his price target slightly on the stock to $800 from $797.

The $329 starting price for a Wi-Fi only "iPad mini" was higher than many expected and some analysts said the gadget might lure buyers away from Apple's $499 flagship 10-inch iPad, yet struggle to compete with the cheaper Amazon Kindle Fire and Google's Nexus 7, both of which are sold at or near cost.

"We were hoping the price would be at least a little lower given its competition is situated as low as $99, with many starting in the $199-$249 range," Barclays Capital analyst Ben Reitzes said.

He cut his price target on the stock to $800 from $810, bringing him more into line with other analysts, although the price targets are still well above the current market price for the shares.

While Canaccord estimates that Apple will sell 9.25 million units in the December quarter. Barclays forecast sales of more than five million units.

"While we believe these strong sales will come largely at the expense of Apple's competition, we concede iPad Mini will likely cannibalize iPad and iPod Touch sales," analyst Walkley said.

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Samsung launches 75-inch LED Smart TV at Rs 7.5 lakh

Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its 75ES9000 LED Smart TV in the Indian market, priced at Rs 7,50,000.

MUMBAI: Samsung Electronics today announced the launch of its 75ES9000 LED Smart TV in the Indian market, priced at Rs 7,50,000. The TV, which falls in the segment 152cm or larger televisions, boasts of a unique design concept with rose-gold-coloured finish.

"The ES 9000 represents superior quality, best in class performance and features in a very sophisticated and elegant design. It provides consumers with a pure immersive viewing experience," said Mr. Mahesh Krishnan, Vice President - Consumer Electronics, Samsung India. The set's unique and timeless design concept includes a super-slim 7.9 millimeter curved bezel with no visible seams, cleanly complementing the TV's square stand. Additionally, the TV's built-in camera is hidden within the top of the bezel, rendering it invisible when not in use. Finally, the application of a luxurious rose-gold-colored finish to the entire body of the set makes it one of the most unique and attractive smart TVs to date.

The ES9000 includes the complete suite of Samsung's Smart TV features — Smart Interaction, Smart Content and Smart Evolution. The TV also includes Sound Share, the newest Smart TV feature, which automatically and wirelessly connects TV audio to Samsung's Series 6 and Series 7 wireless audio with dock systems. It also has a dual-core processor that allows consumers to download and use multiple apps while browsing the web.

Samsung 75ES9000 has the company's Micro Dimming Ultimate and Precision Black technology that ensures richer, more optimised colours; higher contrast ratios; 30% improvement in sharpness and black levels; and 60% improvement in brightness levels over earlier models. The South Korean manufacturer has also introduced an Angry Birds app with gesture control for this television.

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Microsoft offers peek into Windows 8, Surface

Microsoft on Tuesday gave an early peek to the key Chinese market of its new tablet computer and Windows 8 software, promising a "fast and fluid" operating system.

SHANGHAI: US computing giant Microsoft on Tuesday gave an early peek to the key Chinese market of its new tablet computer and Windows 8 software, promising a "fast and fluid" operating system.

Microsoft will launch Windows 8 and the Surface tablet computer, designed to compete with Apple's popular iPad, in the United States on Friday. The launch of the two products in China is the same day.

Windows remains the dominant platform for personal computers, but it has lost ground to Apple and Google in newer devices which use rival operating systems.

"With Windows 8, we introduced this fast and fluid experience that works across a broad range of different types of PCs (personal computers)," said Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows division.

"Windows 8 seamlessly moves between a world of touch-only tablets to laptops that have touchscreens to desktops and to portable computers without touch screens," he said in a speech to the media in Shanghai.

Microsoft's new tablet computer was designed to be a platform for Windows, Sinofsky said, as he compared the challenger to Apple's iPad.

"Even though it's bigger than an iPad, it's actually lighter in your hand because of the way the physics of the design work," he said.

The Surface has a full-sized USB port unlike the iPad, a built-in stand and a cover which doubles as a keyboard, he said, ticking off the features.

The tablet runs the new Windows RT, a form of Windows 8, and comes with Microsoft Office 2013, he added.

It is not Microsoft's first foray into the tablet market. In 2000 the company unveiled a prototype tablet PC and shortly after began licensing its specifications to various manufacturers.

Some who have tested Windows 8 complain about the change from earlier versions of Windows, which could force users to relearn how to operate their computers, the New York Times reported on Sunday.

Sinofsky acknowledged the difference with older versions but said Windows 8 was designed for the "modern world".

"It's a completely different feel. It's clean. It's beautiful. It's intuitive," he said.

Sinofsky said Microsoft hoped to add a billion new customers with Windows 8, which aims to replace earlier versions of its dominant operating system.

"It's (Windows) used by over a billion people around the world and with Widows 8 we're aiming towards the next billion," he said.

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Nokia to raise 750m euros with convertible bonds

Nokia plans to raise 750 million euros ($980 million) by issuing convertible bonds to bolster its cash position as it battles to claw back market share lost to Apple and Samsung.

HELSINKI: Mobile phone maker Nokia plans to raise 750 million euros ($980 million) by issuing convertible bonds to bolster its cash position as it battles to claw back market share lost to Apple and Samsung.

Once the world's biggest mobile phone maker, the Finnish firm has fallen behind Apple's iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy phones in the lucrative smartphone market, and is pinning its hopes for recovery on new models that go on sale next month.

With its net cash falling to 3.6 billion euros from 4.2 billion in June, and its debt ratings lowered to junk over the past year, analysts have said the company needs to show a turnaround in the next several months if it is to survive.

Nokia finished the third quarter with 3.8 billion euros in interest-bearing liabilities. It also owns half of network equipment venture Nokia Siemens Networks, which finished the quarter with 1.4 billion euros in liabilities.

The bonds, due 2017 and convertible into ordinary shares, will carry a coupon between 4.25 percent and 5.00 percent, the company said on Tuesday.

The initial conversion price is due to be set 28-33 percent above the average price of the Nokia shares between the launch and pricing of the offering.

The final terms, including the conversion price and maximum number of shares which may be issued upon conversion, are due to be announced later in the day.

Nokia shares were down 5.2 percent at 2.048 euros in early trade.

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Sony to shut down Tokyo tech centre to trim costs

Sony plans to shut operations in a Tokyo office building that houses 8% of its Japan staff, one of the first concrete moves by the company to pave the way for 4,000 job cuts.

TOKYO: Sony plans to shut operations in a Tokyo office building that houses 8 percent of its Japan staff, one of the first concrete moves by the electronics and entertainment company to pave the way for 4,000 job cuts.

The move, part of a still-unfolding restructuring under chief executive Kazuo Hirai, had not been previously disclosed.

Sony will shut down the Shinagawa Technology Center, a 31-storey building it has occupied since it was built in 1998, a company spokesman told Reuters. The 4,800 staff in the center will be relocated.

The move, expected to be completed by September, is intended to cut costs and make it easier for Sony to move ahead with a realignment of its business and a retreat from its money-losing TV manufacturing operations, the spokesman said.

Sony plans to reduce its global workforce by 10,000 people by March 31, including almost 4,000 in Japan.

It said last week that those reductions would include cutting headquarters staff by a fifth through an early retirement programme and shutting down a factory in Gifu, Japan that had made lenses for cameras and mobile phones.

The Shinagawa building, a short walk from Sony's headquarters, is owned by Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate, Sumitomo Life Insurance and Obayashi.

By shifting staff to lower-cost facilities like its campus in suburban Atsugi, Sony expects to be able to cut costs, although it did not say how much that could be. The company is set to announce quarterly earnings on November 1.

"The move should be a significant cost saving for Sony," said Fred Takahashi, executive director at CBRE Japan, a real-estate services provider.

Sony completed the sale of its chemical business to a state-run bank in September, a move that shifted 1,800 workers from its payroll.

Hirai has pledged to revive Sony by focusing on gaming, digital imaging and mobile devices while pushing into new businesses like medical devices. The stock is down 43 percent since Hirai took the helm.

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LG announces world’s first 84-inch Ultra HD 3D TV in India

LG Electronics India has launched a 84-inch Ultra HD 3D TV with a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160.

NEW DELHI: LG Electronics India has launched a 84-inch Ultra HD 3D TV with a screen resolution of 3840 x 2160. LG has also introduced new features like LG's Cinema 3D technology, Smart TV ecosystem for easy browsing and navigation with the TV.

LG has also introduced four-mode Magic Remote which allows users to access and navigates the Home Dashboard. The remote also features Premium Content, Smart Share Plus and voice recognition.

The other new features include an imbedded 2D to 3D conversion engine, Dual Play which supports head-to-head gaming by allowing opponents to simultaneously see different images on the same screen, 2.2 Speaker System with two 10W speakers and two 15W woofers

As of connectivity, LG's Ultra HD 3D TV includes built-in Wi-Fi, it supports Intel's Wireless Display (WiDi) technology, which enables easy and quick connectivity between TVs and PCs without the need for cables or internet access.

"LG's 84-inch Ultra HD 3 TV represents a whole new level of home viewing experience because it offers every advanced technology we currently have to offer," said Mr Soon Kwon, MD LGEIL.

The 84-inch Ultra HD 3D TV will be available in the market at a price of Rs17, 00,000 from November 1 onwards.

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