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AP Technology NewsBrief at 8:26 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Security holes discovered in iPhones, iPadsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ A new security hole has opened up in Apple Inc.'s iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, raising alarms about the susceptibility of some of the world's hottest tech gadgets to hacker attacks. Flaws in the software running those devices came to light after a German security agency warned that criminals could use them to steal confidential data off the devices. Apple, the world's largest technology company by market value, said Thursday that it is working on a fix that will be distributed in an upcoming software upgrade. Amid scandal, Murdoch kills off News of the WorldLONDON (AP) _ The Murdoch media empire unexpectedly jettisoned the News of the World Thursday after a public backlash over the illegal guerrilla tactics it used to expose the rich, the famous and the royal and remain Britain's best-selling Sunday newspaper. The abrupt decision stunned the paper's staff of 200, shocked the world's most competitive news town and ignited speculation that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. plans to rebrand the tabloid under a new name in a bid to prevent a phone-hacking scandal from wrecking its bid for a far more lucrative television deal. Cuba reports 16 percent online in some capacityHAVANA (AP) _ About 16 percent of Cubans are online in some capacity with access to email, the island's intranet or the worldwide Web, a government agency says. Cuba's National Statistics Office said in a report posted online this week that nearly 1.8 million of the country's 11.2 million residents used some kind of "Internet service" in 2010, a 12 percent increase from 1.6 million the previous year. Alert system to notify consumers of online piracyWASHINGTON (AP) _ Hollywood studios, recording labels, artists and Internet service providers have created a program to alert Internet subscribers when their accounts are used to access movies, songs and other content that entertainment companies consider unauthorized. The new "copyright alerts" system is intended to educate consumers about online piracy by sending up to six electronic messages notifying subscribers when their accounts are used to download or share such content. Internet service providers would send the alerts to a subscriber after receiving a notice from a copyright holder. APNewsBreak: WikiLeaks getting credit card fundsLONDON (AP) _ WikiLeaks has again begun accepting credit card donations, a company affiliated with the secret-spilling site said Thursday. Andreas Fink, the chief executive of Icelandic payment processor DataCell, told The Associated Press that Visa and MasterCard were again processing payments to WikiLeaks after a seven-month hiatus. EBay to buy mobile payments company Zong for $240MSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) _ EBay Inc. is buying mobile payments provider Zong for about $240 million in cash so it can extend the reach of its PayPal online payments service. The online auctioneer said Thursday that Zong will help strengthen PayPal's position in the mobile payments and digital goods markets. Voicemail spying shows phone network weak spotsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ The voicemail tampering scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch's News of the World tabloid demonstrates not only the vulnerability of phone networks, but also the fallibility of the people who help maintain them. The British tabloid is accused of breaking into voicemail accounts of various celebrities and dignitaries _and even crime victims and their families_ in a relentless hunt for scoops. End near for endless data use on smartphonesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ When Verizon Wireless kills off its unlimited data plan for new smartphone customers on Thursday, it will mark another blow for endless Web surfing and video streaming. The move by the nation's largest wireless carrier has long been anticipated. More people are switching to smartphones and using an increasing amount of data for all manner of wireless activities. The shift could help wireless carriers ensure that they can handle the traffic flowing over the new higher-speed "4G," or fourth-generation, data networks they're rolling out. Review: Google Plus thoughtful answer to FacebookNEW YORK (AP) _ My first thought about Google Plus: "Here we go again." After Google's earlier attempts at social networking failed spectacularly, it was easy to scoff at this seeming Facebook wannabe. Its "Picasa ultimatum" didn't help much either. If you have an account with Picasa, Google's photo-sharing service, the first thing Google asks is whether you'd want to share your Picasa photos. Say no, and you're not allowed to sign up at all. That seemed unnecessarily harsh. Cricket's music plan showing promiseLOS ANGELES (AP) _ If you think people who pre-pay their cellphone bills aren't the type to shell out for music these days, think again. Pre-paid wireless carrier Cricket said Thursday that its Muve Music service has quickly become one of the top unlimited mobile music plans in the United States with 100,000 subscribers, just months after launching in January. (c) 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |