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AP Technology NewsBrief at 1:28 p.m. EST
[November 08, 2012]

AP Technology NewsBrief at 1:28 p.m. EST


(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Review: iPad Mini charms, but screen is a letdownNEW YORK (AP) _ I bet the iPad Mini is going to be on a lot of wish lists this holiday season. I also bet that for a lot of people, it's not going to be the best choice. It's beautiful and light, but Apple made a big compromise in the design, one that means that buyers should look closely at the competition before deciding. Starting at $329, the iPad Mini is the cheapest iPad. The screen is a third smaller than the regular iPads, and it sits in an exquisitely machined aluminum body. It weighs just 11 ounces _ half as much as a full-size iPad _ making it easier to hold in one hand. It's just under 8 inches long and less than a third of an inch thick, so it fits easily into a handbag.



AT&T to expand wireless, wired broadband reachNEW YORK (AP) _ Many homes in AT&T Inc.'s local-phone service areas will see the company becoming more competitive with cable for broadband service under a new $14 billion investment plan the company revealed Wednesday. But in more outlying areas, the company will start shifting customers from regular phone lines to wireless service. Like other phone companies, AT&T is having a hard time competing with cable broadband in much of its service area, because regular "DSL" broadband is now much slower than what cable companies offer. After reviewing its options, AT&T concluded that it won't sell off phone lines in outlying areas like Verizon Communications Inc. did. Instead, it will pursue a split strategy of upgrading some areas to higher speeds and abandoning phone lines in less dense areas in favor of wireless.

Malaysians lose bid to halt rare earths plantKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) _ Malaysian activists lost a court battle Thursday to halt Australian miner Lynas Corp. from firing up a rare earths plant that has sparked health and safety concerns. After months of delay, Lynas in September obtained the Malaysian government's approval to start processing rare earths, which are minerals crucial for manufacturing high-tech products.


Sprint buying some US Cellular markets for $480MNEW YORK (AP) _ Sprint Nextel Corp. on Wednesday said it has agreed to buy U.S. Cellular Corp.'s service areas in the Midwest for $480 million to boost its network capacity in that region. Sprint, the third-largest U.S. cellphone carrier, is buying spectrum and 585,000 customers in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio. That's about 10 percent of U.S. Cellular's customer base and includes its key Chicago and St. Louis markets.

Judge rejects injunction against Dish DVRLOS ANGELES (AP) _ A California judge has rejected a request for a preliminary injunction against Dish Network's ad-skipping digital video recorder in a dispute that has pit broadcasters against a main distributor of their programming. Judge Dolly Gee of the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on Monday struck down the request by News Corp. broadcaster Fox, according to a statement from Dish. A Fox spokesman confirmed the ruling but said the network would appeal.

PC maker Lenovo says profit up 13 percentBEIJING (AP) _ Personal computer maker Lenovo Group said Thursday its quarterly profit rose 13 percent as mobile and cloud-based businesses expanded. The company earned $162 million, or 1.6 cents per share, in the three months ended Sept. 30. Global revenues rose 11 percent to $8.7 billion.

AT&T, govt reach deal on data plan complaintsNEW YORK (AP) _ AT&T agreed to pay the federal government $700,000 and offer refunds to customers for mistakenly forcing some smartphone users into monthly data plans. In late 2009, AT&T began to require new smartphone customers to subscribe to monthly data plans. Existing subscribers with pay-per-use plans or no plan at all had to get a monthly plan when they upgraded to a new smartphone.

Apple shares drop 20 percent from peakNEW YORK (AP) _ Apple's stock fell Wednesday along with a sell-off in the broader market. The stock of the world's most valuable company has now fallen more than 20 percent from its all-time high of $705.07, hit on Sept. 21. That was the day the latest iPhone went on sale.

Time Warner 3Q earnings up on cable TV strengthNEW YORK (AP) _ Time Warner said Wednesday that its third-quarter earnings grew 2 percent, as a strong performance in its cable television channels offset declines in the Warner Bros. movie business following the final Harry Potter movie last summer. Net income was $838 million, or 86 cents per share, higher than the 82 cents expected by analysts surveyed by FactSet. That compares with $822 million, or 78 cents a share, a year ago.

Apple suit vs. Google over patent rates dismissedNEW YORK (AP) _ A federal judge in Madison, Wis., on Monday threw out a suit by Apple Inc. claiming that Google subsidiary Motorola Mobility is seeking unreasonably high license fees for the use of patents on wireless technology. The suit is part of a world-spanning battle between Apple and Google, whose Android software powers the smartphones that compete with Apple's iPhone. Google bought Motorola Mobility, a once pioneering maker of cellphones, this summer to gain control of its patents and gain leverage against Apple in its court battles.

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