TMCnet News

AP Technology NewsBrief at 10:31 a.m. EST
[February 18, 2013]

AP Technology NewsBrief at 10:31 a.m. EST


(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Amazon fires German security firm amid probeBERLIN (AP) _ Online retailer Amazon reacted to mounting criticism Monday by firing a security company named in a German television documentary about alleged mistreatment of foreign temporary workers. An Amazon spokeswoman in Germany said the company had ended its relationship with Hensel European Security Services "with immediate effect." Reader's Digest parent seeks bankruptcy protectionNEW YORK (AP) _ The parent company of Reader's Digest has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than four years, saying it needs to cut its debt so it can keep restructuring. RDA Holding Co. says it will keep publishing during the bankruptcy. It is aiming to be out of Chapter 11 within six months.



Facebook gets unwelcome look at hackers' dark sideSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Facebook is getting an unwelcome look at the shady side of the hacking culture that CEO Mark Zuckerberg celebrates. Intruders recently infiltrated the systems running the world's largest online social network but did not steal any sensitive information about Facebook's more than 1 billion users, according to a blog posting Friday by the company's security team.

Facebook wins German court fight on fake names banBERLIN (AP) _ Facebook has won a court battle against a German privacy watchdog that challenged the social networking site's policy requiring users to register with their real names. Schleswig-Holstein state's data protection body said Friday it will appeal the court decision. It argues the ban on fake names breaches German privacy laws and European rules designed to protect free speech online.


LG to release full HD smartphone in SKoreaSEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ LG Electronics Inc. said Monday its new smartphone with a full high-definition screen will go on sale in South Korea this week before hitting shelves in Japan in April. The Optimus G Pro smartphone features a 5.5-inch screen that packs over 2 million pixels, or twice as many as smartphones with HD screens.

CBS 4Q results fall short of expectationsLOS ANGELES (AP) _ Broadcaster CBS Corp. said Thursday that revenue and earnings grew modestly in the final quarter of the year, helped by the U.S. presidential election and a growing economy. While the results came up short of Wall Street forecasts, analysts said sales of its TV shows to overseas markets and to Web video services would continue to help make the company more resilient to economic swings.

Egypt telecoms authority says can't block YouTubeCAIRO (AP) _ An Egyptian rights group and the nation's telecommunication's ministry have filed appeals to reverse a court order to block YouTube. Last week, a judge ordered the government to block access to the video-sharing website for 30 days for its carrying of an anti-Islam video that set off deadly riots last year.

Cisco's fiscal 2Q earnings rise above Street viewsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Cisco's latest quarterly report provided further evidence that spending on technology gear is rising modestly in most parts of the world, despite persisting concerns about a still-shaky economy. The earnings announced Wednesday, covering the fiscal second quarter ending on Jan. 26, exceeded analyst projections for the world's largest maker of computer networking equipment.

Gartner: Global cellphone sales fell in 2012NEW YORK (AP) _ Research firm Gartner says worldwide cellphone sales fell last year, as economic turmoil dampened shopper appetites. The decline was 1.7 percent, and it was the first time since 2009 that cellphone sales have fallen, Gartner says. Sales amounted to 1.75 billion units, meaning that one out of every four people on the planet bought a new cellphone last year.

Comcast doubles down on TV in $16.7B deal for NBCULOS ANGELES (AP) _ Comcast's $16.7 billion deal to buy the remaining half of NBCUniversal ahead of schedule represents a resounding vote of confidence in the future of TV, even as the growth of Internet video reshapes the entertainment landscape. The decision was driven largely by Comcast Corp.'s belief that it would end up paying substantially more for General Electric Co.'s remaining 49 percent stake if it had waited until 2018, as had been envisioned in 2011 when the nation's largest cable TV provider acquired majority control of NBCUniversal.

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