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AP Technology NewsBrief at 7:02 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Reports say FTC investigating TwitterWASHINGTON (AP) _ Federal regulators are looking into the interactions between Twitter and a company called Ubermedia, which develops applications that help users follow and communicate with each other on Twitter's popular online messaging service, according to two published reports. The Federal Trade Commission inquiry is still at a preliminary stage and the focus remains unclear, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Tests show wireless network could harm GPS systemsWASHINGTON (AP) _ New test results show that a proposed nationwide wireless broadband network would produce significant interference with GPS systems used for everything from aviation to high-precision timing networks to consumer navigation devices. Changes to the proposal could reduce interference, but wouldn't eliminate it. The findings, based on extensive equipment tests conducted in Las Vegas, increase pressure on the Federal Communications Commission to block a Virginia company called LightSquared from launching the network, which is designed to compete with super-fast systems being rolled out by AT&T and Verizon Wireless. US rules partially against Kodak in Apple disputeROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) _ The U.S. International Trade Commission issued a partial ruling against Eastman Kodak Co. on Thursday in a high-stakes patent-infringement dispute with the makers of the iPhone and BlackBerry phones. The trade-dispute arbiter in Washington, D.C., said it is essentially upholding an earlier ruling by one of its judges, which threw out the photography pioneer's claims. Samsung seeks US import ban against Apple productsSEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ Samsung Electronics is asking the United States to prohibit Apple from importing key products including the latest iPhone and iPad devices amid an escalating patent dispute. Samsung filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission over what it claims are Apple's violation of five patents held by Samsung, the Suwon, South Korea-based company said Thursday. The complaint was filed Wednesday. Justin Timberlake part of group buying MySpaceLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Justin Timberlake apparently wasn't satisfied with just playing a social media impresario in the movies, so now he's becoming one in real life. The pop star, who played Napster co-founder Sean Parker in "The Social Network," a movie about Facebook, has joined Specific Media in buying its downtrodden rival, MySpace, from News Corp. in a deal that closed Wednesday. Review: HP TouchPad makes a mediocre tabletSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ A year after Hewlett-Packard Co. purchased flailing Palm, the technology behemoth is rolling out the first tablet that uses Palm's webOS operating system. The July 1 release should be a triumph for HP, showcasing its ability to compete in the increasingly crowded tablet market. Yet while the TouchPad's software is beautiful and intuitive, overall the tablet is more of a "meh-sterpiece" than a masterpiece. Amazon cuts off California affiliatesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Amazon.com Inc. and much smaller Overstock.com Inc. are cutting off their advertising affiliates in California because of a new state rule forcing online retailers to collect sales tax there. In an email Wednesday to California-based affiliates, Seattle-based Amazon said it would cut ties with affiliates who reside in the nation's most populous state if the law became effective. Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law Wednesday as part of a larger state budget package. Jihadist web forum knocked off InternetWASHINGTON (AP) _ A popular jihadist Internet forum has been knocked off the Internet, and counterterrorism experts say it appears it was hacked. Cybersecurity analysts say the al-Shamukh forum appears to have been taken down by a fairly sophisticated cyberattack that hit not only the website, but the server _ which is the main computer that enables people to access the site over the Internet. China repeals controversial technology trade ruleBEIJING (AP) _ China has repealed a policy favoring Chinese producers in government purchases of computers and other technology that triggered complaints by foreign companies and governments that it violated free trade. The Finance Ministry announcement was the second time in a month that Beijing repealed a technology policy after complaints by its trading partners. The U.S. government announced June 7 that China was withdrawing measures that American officials said improperly subsidized Chinese wind turbine makers. Ariz. police confirm 2nd hack on officers' emailPHOENIX (AP) _ A second computer hacking attack in as many weeks against Arizona state police targeted the personal email accounts of some of its officers, an official confirmed Wednesday. The Arizona Department of Public Safety is reviewing the information released by a group calling itself AntiSec, said Capt. Steve Harrison, an agency spokesman. An attack last week by the computer hacking collective group Lulz Security targeted officers' DPS emails. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |