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Samsung microwave ovens recalled

WASHINGTON, Nov. 5 (UPI) --

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of Samsung microwave ovens due to a shock hazard.

About 43,000 Over-The-Range microwave ovens were imported from Malaysia by Samsung Electronics America Inc. of Ridgefield Park, N.J.

The commission said an installation bolt could come in contact with an electronic component that, combined with plugging the unit into an ungrounded outlet, could cause a shock hazard.

The recall involves Samsung 1,000 watt microwave ovens.

Consumers were advised to unplug the ovens and contact Samsung to arrange for a repair of the unit.

Consumers can call 888-402-6974 for information.

Intel Charged With Antitrust Over Dell Payment

NEW YORK CITY, NY., Nov. 5 (TOTI) --

A $6 billion payment made by Intel Corporation to Dell Inc. over a five year period that ended in 2007 has resulted in the chip maker receiving Antitrust charges from the New York Attorney's General Office.

The payments were made as part of a program called 'MOAP' (Mother of all Programs) and later 'MCP' (Meet Competition Payments).

According to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, these payments represented illegal rebates that helped Intel become a monopoly in the computer CPU market. Cuomo also alleged that these payments prevented Intel rival Advanced Micro Designs from making headway in the competitive world of PC manufacturing.

The charges by Cuomo mirror earlier allegations by the European Union. They charged Intel $1.45 billion for illegal rebates to Hewlett Packard and Dell.

Currently Intel says they did nothing wrong making these payments. Dell may be even more troubled by the scandal, considering the company has stated that they will be unable to meet their financial targets unless the payments from Intel are received.

Courtesy: WSE

iPhone Apps From Wizzard Media Announced

LOS ANGELES, CA., Nov. 5 (TOTI) --

Wizzard Media, which is billed as the 'world's largest podcasting network' has announced 24 new iPhone apps. The apps, which include Investors Business Daily Editorials and Alaska HDTV, will be available for sale in the popular Apple iPhone App Store. These offerings from Wizzard Media will be sold for an average price of $1.99 each.

These new Apps are iPhone companion Apps for popular podcasts offered currently on the Wizzard Media Network. Once installed on an iPhone, these apps will offer audiences one-click access to the podcast on either their iPod Touch or iPhone.

The App market is currently valued at $1 billion, with sales projections indicating volume of $4 billion by 2012.

"We think our podcast companion App initiative is a game changer for the podcasting industry. We believe the next great opportunity on the web for media is the seamless combination of three trends - publishing services, advertising and micropayments for App sales," says Dave Mansueto, co-founder Wizzard Media. "Now, podcasting becomes a platform that converts audiences to revenue,
accelerated by the micropayment billing process that Apple has created with the App store. We believe this new process is the model for how digital media is published, audiences are grown and revenues derived."

Wizzard Media currently has launched 70 iPhone Apps in the last 90 days.

Courtesy: Planet Cell Phone

Motorola DROID Cell Phones Available In Florida Today

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL., Nov. 5 (TOTI) --

If you live in Florida and are in the market for a Motorola DROID cell phone, tomorrow is your lucky day.

Verizon Wireless has opened its doors at its Florida locations starting at 7:00am today in anticipation of huge interest.

"There has been great anticipation for the DROID in the tech community because of its many technological advances, which general consumers will enjoy as well," said Pam Tope, Verizon Wireless spokesman . "The DROID launch is big news with techies and it also should be the first big shopping salvo and hot product of the upcoming holiday season."

If you aren't one of the shoppers to hit the stores on Friday, you can always go in later and learn more about Android(TM) 2.0, the new SmartPhone O/S.

The cost for the DROID phone is $199.99 when you agree to a two-year customer agreement and send in your $100 mail-in rebate. The rebate comes in the form of a debit card you get upon paying. Once you have the debit card you can use it anywhere debit cards are accepted.

Courtesy: Planet Cell Phone

Technology not causing social isolation: Pew study

WASHINGTON (AFP) --

Contrary to popular belief, technology is not leading to social isolation and Americans who use the Internet and mobile phones have larger and more diverse social networks, according to a new study.

"All the evidence points in one direction," said Keith Hampton, lead author of the report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project released Wednesday. "People's social worlds are enhanced by new communication technologies.

"It is a mistake to believe that Internet use and mobile phones plunge people into a spiral of isolation," said Hampton, an assistant professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

The authors said key findings of the study -- "Social Isolation and New Technology" -- "challenge previous research and commonplace fears about the harmful social impact of new technology."

"There is a tendency by critics to blame technology first when social change occurs," Hampton said.

"This is the first research that actually explores the connection between technology use and social isolation and we find the opposite.

"It turns out that those who use the Internet and mobile phones have notable social advantages," Hampton said. "People use the technology to stay in touch and share information in ways that keep them socially active and connected to their communities."

The study found that six percent of Americans can be described as socially isolated -- lacking anyone to discuss important matters with or who they consider to be "especially significant" in their life.

That figure has hardly changed since 1985, it said.

The study examined people's discussion networks -- those with whom they discuss important matters -- and core networks -- their closest and most significant confidants.

It found that on average, the size of people's discussion networks is 12 percent larger among mobile phone users, nine percent larger for those who share photos online, and nine percent bigger for those who use instant messaging.

The diversity of people's core networks tends to be 25 percent larger for mobile phone users, 15 percent larger for basic Internet users, and even larger for frequent Internet users, those who use instant messaging, and those who share digital photos online.

At the same time, the study found that Americans' discussion networks have shrunk by about one-third since 1985 and have become less diverse because they contain fewer non-family members.

The study found that on average in a typical year, people have in-person contact with their core network ties on about 210 days.

They have mobile-phone contact on 195 days of the year, landline phone contact on 125 days and text-messaging contact on the mobile phone 125 days.

They have email contact on 72 days, instant messaging contact on 55 days, contact via social networking websites on 39 days and contact via letters or cards on eight days.

The study involved telephone interviews with 2,512 adults between July 9, 2008 and August 10, 2008 and has a sampling error of 2.1 percent.

AG Cuomo sues Intel on antitrust claims

NEW YORK, Nov. 4 (UPI) --

New York's attorney general Wednesday filed a federal antitrust suit against Intel Corp., charging it violated state and federal anti-monopoly laws.

In the past several years, Intel extracted exclusive agreements from computer makers in which they agreed to use Intel's microprocessors in exchange for payments totaling billions of dollars, Andrew Cuomo said in a release. The lawsuit also alleged Intel threatened to -- and did -- punish computer makers perceived to be working too closely with Intel's competitors.

Intel is the world's largest maker of computer microprocessors. Intel's microprocessors -- the brains of personal computers -- typically are sold not directly to the public, but to computer makers as components. Intel's actions involved three of the largest U.S. computer manufacturers: Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, the lawsuit said.

Rather than compete fairly, Intel used bribery and coercion to maintain a stranglehold on the market, Cuomo said. Intel's actions not only unfairly restricted potential competitors, but also hurt average consumers who were robbed of better products and lower prices.

The suit, filed in federal court in New York, seeks to bar further anti-competitive acts by Intel, restore lost competition, recover monetary damages and collect penalties.

New York attorney general files antitrust suit against Intel

NEW YORK (AFP) --

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed an antitrust lawsuit against Intel Corp. on Wednesday alleging the US computer chip giant engaged in a "worldwide, systematic campaign of illegal conduct."

"Rather than compete fairly, Intel used bribery and coercion to maintain a stranglehold on the market," Cuomo said in a statement.

"Intel's actions not only unfairly restricted potential competitors, but also hurt average consumers who were robbed of better products and lower prices," he said.

"These illegal tactics must stop and competition must be restored to this vital marketplace," Cuomo said.

The statement said the suit charges that "Intel violated state and federal anti-monopoly laws by engaging in a worldwide, systematic campaign of illegal conduct -- revealed in e-mails -- in order to maintain its monopoly power and prices in the market for microprocessors."

European Union antitrust regulators fined Intel a record 1.06 billion euros (1.45 billion dollars) in May, claiming the company abused its stranglehold on the semiconductor market to crush its main rival, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

T-Mobile Down - Outage Disrupts Service To Millions

T-Mobile, a major wireless carrier and a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT)had service problems that caused outages for approximately 1.7 million wireless customers
late Tuesday afternoon.

A statement issued by the company read, "At this time, approximately 5 percent of T-Mobile customers are experiencing service disruptions," the company added that voice and some data services are affected by the disruption which began at 5:30 p.m., Eastern time.

"Our rapid response team is working continuously to fully resolve this disruption."

T-Mobile offers family calling plans, data plans, prepaid mobile and unlimited calling plans to both businesses and consumers.
COURTESY: Planet cell Phone

Nokia Adds Five Low Cost Cell Phone Offerings

CHICAGO, IL., Nov. 4 (TOTI) --

Nokia has added five new low-end cell phones to its lineup.

Nokia is the world's largest cell phone manufacturer, with over 60% of the global market. One area where they haven't fared as well is with lower cost cell phones.

The new phones will be offered from $29 to $65.

"The long battery life, with up to 22 days of standby time, is vital for people in areas where access to electricity is limited," said a statement from Nokia regarding the product lease.

The new Nokia 2220 is priced at 45 euros and the Nokia 2690 will cost 54 euros. Both devices support e-mail through Nokia's Ovi Mail.

Nokia also announced they will be offering their Life Tools service in Indonesia starting in early December 2009. Life Tools is a comprehensive service offering agricultural, education and information services to cellphones.

Courtesy: Planet Cell Phone

NASA technology might treat breast cancer

CHICAGO, Nov. 3 (UPI) --

U.S. scientists say they're trying to determine if a NASA imaging technique can predict radiation therapy tissue damage experienced by breast cancer patients.

The Rush University Medical Center and Argonne National Laboratory researchers said the imaging technique -- called three-dimensional thermal tomography -- is used by NASA to inspect the space shuttle. The scientists are examining the utility of the technology for use in radiation oncology.

Rush University Professor Dr. Katherine Griem said approximately 80 percent of breast cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment develop acute skin reactions that range in severity.

The study's goal is to determine if the NASA imaging technology can measure the thermal effusivity of skin tissue -- a measure of its ability to exchange heat with its surroundings.

Our initial data with radiation induced skin changes are quite encouraging, said Dr. Alan Coon, chief resident of radiation oncology at Rush and primary author of the study. In addition to finding decreases in effusivity of the treated areas many days before the development of skin reactions, we have also seen that the magnitude of these decreases varies with the grade of the reactions. This exciting result bodes well for the clinical utility of this technique in predicting the severity of a skin reaction before it occurs.

Preliminary study results are being displayed during the American Society for Radiation Oncology's annual meeting this week in Chicago.

Technology quickly spots microbial life

PASADENA, Calif., Oct. 28 (UPI) --

A NASA scientist in California says he has developed a technology that can rapidly determine if there is any microbial life on a spacecraft.

The microscope-based technology, developed by Adrian Ponce, deputy manager of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., might also help military test for disease-causing bacteria and could also be useful in medical, pharmaceutical and other fields, officials said.

NASA adheres to international protocols by striving to ensure that spacecraft don't harbor life from Earth that could contaminate other planets or moons and skew science research, Ponce said. Microbes known as bacterial endospores can withstand extreme temperatures, ultraviolet rays and chemical treatments, and have been known to survive in space for six years. This resilience makes them important indicators for cleanliness and biodefense.

He said bacterial endospores are the toughest form of life on Earth, Therefore, if one can show that all spores are killed, then less-resistant, disease-causing organisms will also be dead.

Ponce co-authored a paper on the new technology, called Germinable Endospore Biodosimetry, with Pun To Young, a post-doctoral student at the California Institute of Technology. The paper appeared in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, as well as in Microbe, a magazine of the American Society for Microbiology.

Spy agencies differ on 'significant' intel

WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 (UPI) --

An aide to the national intelligence director says each U.S. intelligence agency is responsible for keeping Congress informed of its sensitive activities.

Robert Litt, general counsel for National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair, in a hearing by two subcommittees of the House intelligence panel, also said determining what constituted significant intelligence activity is driven by an individual agency's judgment, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

Generally speaking, each individual agency, or each individual component of the intelligence community, is responsible for its own notifications to Congress, Litt said.

The hearing was part of a congressional inquiry about how well the nation's intelligence agencies follow the law requiring Congress be apprised of key operations. The inquiry was called after CIA Director Leon Panetta revealed that in 2001 the agency proposed forming assassination teams to target al-Qaida leaders but did not alert Congress, the Post said.

Responding to a question about why Congress would not to be informed, Litt said deciding what was a significant intelligence activity involves the exercise of judgment, and different people are going to have different judgments.

Litt said criteria for what is significant includes factors such as whether an operation could involve loss of life, its impact on foreign policy decisions and the risk of exposure, the Post said.

Although Blair encouraged the 16 intelligence agencies to compare their congressional notification procedures to standards established by his office, Litt said, the director has not required them to follow those guidelines.

'Green' technology should be shared: Indian PM

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) --

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh argued Thursday that innovations in "green" technology should be shared with developing countries in much the same fashion as HIV/AIDS drugs.

Labelling new, clean-energy discoveries "global public goods," Singh said the attached legal copyright regime should balance rewards for the innovators with the need to promote the common good of humanity.

"Suitable mechanisms must be found that will provide incentives for developing new technologies while also facilitating their deployment in developing countries at affordable cost," Singh told a climate technology summit in New Delhi.

The prime minister cited a precedent in the case of pharmaceutical technologies being made available for the benefit of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries.

"The moral case of a similar approach for protecting our planet and its life support system is equally compelling," he said.

The transfer of clean-energy technology will be a key issue at UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December aimed at hammering out a new global climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol which expires in 2012.

India has been a stalwart member of the G77 group of developing nations which want rich countries to provide them with finance and technology to help reduce harmful emissions that cause climate change.

India and China have refused to sign on to binding targets for emissions cuts, arguing that it would cap their economic growth and insisting that the developed world should shoulder the main responsibility for mitigating global warming.

"Developing countries cannot and will not compromise on development," Singh told Thursday's summit.

The main challenge, he said, was to find a way of "collapsing the time" between the development of new technologies and their large-scale adoption in the developing world.

"We need technology solutions that are appropriate, that are affordable and that are truly effective," he added.

India and China, two of the world's biggest polluters, signed a climate change agreement Wednesday that included a commitment to cooperating on technology development.

'Green' technology should be shared: Indian PM

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) --

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh argued Thursday that innovations in "green" technology should be shared with developing countries in much the same fashion as HIV/AIDS drugs.

The prime minister cited a precedent in the case of pharmaceutical technologies being made available for the benefit of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries.

"The moral case of a similar approach for protecting our planet and its life support system is equally compelling," he said.

"Developing countries cannot and will not compromise on development," Singh told Thursday's summit.

The main challenge, he said, was to find a way of "collapsing the time" between the development of new technologies and their large-scale adoption in the developing world.

"We need technology solutions that are appropriate, that are affordable and that are truly effective," he added.

India and China, two of the world's biggest polluters, signed a climate change agreement Wednesday that included a commitment to cooperating on technology development.

Argonne to expand nanotechnology research

ARGONNE, Ill., Oct. 21 (UPI) --

The Argonne National Laboratory says it will expand its nanotechnology research activities thanks to completion of a new microscopy building.

Located within the laboratory's Center for Nanoscale Materials, the new facility is expected to allow a significant expansion of research into nanomagnetism and nanoferroelectrics.

The building was designed to house a new scanning probe microscope that measures spin-polarized electrons on surfaces.

The spin-polarized scanning probing microscope is a wonderful addition to the many tools available to researchers (at the Center for Nanoscale Materials), said the center's Interim Director Derrick Mancini. Nanomagnetism is a burgeoning field, and the (microscope) will provide the most cutting-edge technology for this research."

The increased nanomagnetism research may lead to more energy-efficient motors, advanced information storage, processing prototype devices, advanced medical therapy and biomagnetic sensing concepts, the researchers said.

The new building was constructed specifically to house the scanning probing microscope, which requires a highly stable operating environment that is free of acoustic and vibratory interference. The microscope also produces relatively large stray magnetic fields that are incompatible with other instruments.

Officials said the new $1.5 million facility will be ready for occupancy later this year.

Microsoft hopeful technology will spur growth

DUBAI (AFP) --

A top Microsoft official expressed hope Sunday that technology will spur economic growth around the world as the US software giant launches its latest operating system.

"There was an economic upset. It's had an impact around the world," Steven Guggenheimer told a Dubai technology conference, adding he has been repeatedly asked whether the Windows 7 operating system would fare well amid the economic downturn.

"As an industry, we are focused on innovation and the work we do impacts society... we all have hope that things will continue to move forward and that technology will continue to spur growth," he said.

Guggenheimer, who is charged with worldwide sales, marketing and licensing of pre-installed Windows systems, said there were one billion people using computers, so the impact would resonate.

The audience got a glimpse of Windows 7, which Microsoft releases for sale in New York on Thursday, in a preview displayed as part of Guggenheimer's opening keynote address.

Guggenheimer was speaking at Gitex, the Middle East's largest information technology exhibition which brings together more than 3,000 manufacturers and suppliers of electronics and communications technology.

Intel, IBM aided insider-trading probe

NEW YORK, Oct. 17 (UPI) --

New York billionaire Raj Rajaratnam was arrested for insider-trading with help from executives at IBM and Intel, federal prosecutors said.

Rajaratnam, 52, founder of the New York hedge fund Galleon Group, was among six money managers and hedge-fund operators charged Friday with conspiracy and securities fraud.

The defendants allegedly earned $20 million selling and trading on inside information passed from tipsters to the defendants, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said at a news conference in New York.

Executives from hedge funds, investment firms and IBM and Intel aided authorities in the investigation, seen as an offensive by the Obama administration against white-collar criminals, The San Jose Mercury News reported Saturday.

For the first time, federal agents used court-authorized wiretaps to target insider trading, tapping Rajaratnam's phone in the same way organized crime and drug cartels have been investigated.

These people were privy to inside information, but they didn't know one secret, that we were listening, Bharara said.

Britain to appeal court order on US intelligence

LONDON (AFP) --

Britain will appeal against a court ruling ordering it to publish secret US intelligence documents related to the alleged torture of a former Guantanamo Bay inmate, it said.

Binyam Mohamed, an Ethiopian-born British resident, was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 on suspicion of links to extremists and spent six-and-a-half years in US custody in Morocco, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.

His lawyers are seeking the release of information they say will show that Britain knew he was being tortured during his time in US custody in Morocco, a claim which is strongly denied by officials here.

Both Britain and the US spoke out against the ruling.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was "deeply disappointed" and warned the judgment could cause the United States to limit the information it shared with Britain in future.

"The government is deeply disappointed by the judgment handed down today by the High Court which concludes that a summary of US intelligence material should be put into the public domain against their wishes," Miliband said.

"We will be appealing in the strongest possible terms."

Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said: "We are not pleased", adding that Washington kept such information confidential "to protect our own citizens".

Mohamed was taken to the US detention camp at Guantanamo Bay in 2004 and released in February this year, the first detainee to be freed under US President Barack Obama, who has pledged to close the camp.

He himself says it is of vital importance that the material is released to back up his claims of having suffered "medieval" torture.

"The public needs to know what their government has been up to for the last seven years," Mohamed told the BBC.

"There's information in there, which I'm 99 percent sure, states that the US sub-contracted the UK government to do its dirty work."

Clive Stafford Smith, director of Reprieve, a legal rights charity acting for Mohamed, agreed.

"The judges have made clear what we have said all along -- it is irrational to pretend that evidence of torture should be classified as a threat to national security," he said.

"All along, the government has been trying to conflate national security with national embarrassment, nothing more, nothing less."

Mohamed was suspected of attending an Al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan and of plotting to build a radioactive "dirty bomb", but was never charged.

Miliband said the "fundamental question" was not the information itself but the risks its publication posed to intelligence-sharing arrangements.

"I've very happy for the documents to be published -- but not by us, by the Americans," he told Sky News television.

In a statement responding to the court ruling, he added: "The US will not prejudice its own intelligence if it perceives that this intelligence may be disclosed at the order of a foreign court or otherwise.

"It remains my assessment that the consequence of the court's judgment today, if left unchallenged, will be a restriction on what is shared with us."

The US intelligence was contained in seven paragraphs that were edited out of a judgment about Mohamed last year at the British government's request, but judges John Thomas and David Lloyd Jones reversed this decision Friday.

"As the risk to national security, judged objectively on the evidence, is not a serious one, we should restore the redacted paragraphs to our first judgment" in August 2008, they said.

The ruling came the day after the head of Britain's MI5 security service, Jonathan Evans, defended working with foreign agencies while insisting Britain did not collude in torture.

He said his service had faced a "real dilemma" about working with some foreign agencies but "would have been derelict in our duty" if it had not, in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States.

Samsung to help build $2.2 bln China LCD plant

SEOUL (AFP) --

South Korea's Samsung Electronics said on Friday it will set up a joint venture to build a liquid crystal display (LCD) plant costing about 2.6 trillion won (2.23 billion dollars) in eastern China.

Samsung, the world's biggest supplier of LCD panels, said in a statement it will spend 925.2 billion won on the 7.5th-generation plant in Suzhou.

The firm declined to give financial details, name its partner or say how big a stake it would hold.

"Everything regarding the financial details will be available only when both the Korean and Chinese governments approve the plan," spokesman James Chung told Dow Jones Newswires.

The company has chosen China to exploit demand there for televisions with screens larger than 40 inches, Chung said.

A so-called 7.5th-generation plant can make panels bigger than 40 inches while 8th-generation factories can produce panels bigger than 50 inches.

Earlier this week rival LG Display announced a joint venture for a planned four billion dollar 8th-generation LCD plant in China, which is seen as a major growth market for LCD makers.

Intel shares higher on earnings, outlook

NEW YORK (AFP) --

Intel shares soared in after-hours trading Tuesday after the world's biggest computer chipmaker delivered earnings that beat estimates and an upbeat forecast for the remainder of the year.

Intel said net profit fell five percent in the third quarter of the year compared with the same period last year to 1.9 billion dollars, or 33 cents per share, better than the 28 cents expected by Wall Street analysts.

The California-based technology bellwether said revenue declined 7.8 percent to 9.4 billion dollars, higher than the 8.8 to 9.2 billion dollars the company forecast in August.

Shares in the US semiconductor giant shot up 4.20 percent in electronic after-hours trading in New York to 21.35 dollars, after gaining 0.44 percent to 20.49 dollars during the day.

"Intel's strong third-quarter results underscore that computing is essential to people's lives, proving the importance of technology innovation in leading an economic recovery," said Intel president and chief executive Paul Otellini.

"This momentum in the current economic climate, plus our product leadership, gives us confidence about our business prospects going forward."

Intel forecast revenue of 10.1 billion dollars, plus or minus 400 million dollars, for the current quarter, well above the estimates of analysts of around 9.51 billion dollars for the October-December period.

The outlook provided further hope the personal computer industry is starting to pull itself out of the recession.

The Gartner research group said last month that the global computer market is showing signs of recovery, with sales forecast to decline just 2.0 percent this year, much better than a June prediction of 6.0 percent.