Tech.Wapline

Google questions Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo!

Written on February 4, 2008 – 9:20 am | by admin | No Comments |
Posted in » Internet

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to readers that the folks over at Google might not be totally stoked on the potential merger of Microsoft and Yahoo!. If you weren’t sure where the company stood on the issue, you can now get clued in thanks to a post on the official Google Blog earlier today. David Drummond, senior VP of corporate development (and the company’s chief legal officer) says that he worries the acquisition of the internet portal by a company that has “frequently sought to establish proprietary monopolies” could “extend unfair practices from browsers and operating systems to the internet.” His concern centers around the possibility that the combination of the two monoliths could “unfairly limit the ability of consumers to freely access competitors’ email, IM, and web-based services.” Sure, Google has more than a little stake in seeing fair play on the net (gotta keep those ad revenues up), but this is serious food for thought nonetheless.

Update: It looks like the war of words is really starting to heat up. Brad Smith, general counsel for Microsoft, has issued his own little statement here, telling us that Google holds far more marketshare when it comes to internet searching than a combined Microsoft and Yahoo! possibly could, and then going on to explain that the Redmond giant is “committed to openness, innovation, and the protection of privacy.” Uh, whatever you say Brad.

Abt Audi R8

Written on February 4, 2008 – 9:19 am | by admin | No Comments |
Posted in » Auto Staff

Last night, we showed you updated photos of Audi’s A4 and A5 as reworked by Germany’s Abt Sportsline. Tonight, we have a similar set of new shots from the same tuner, only this time the subject is the Audi R8, a car that doesn’t need a whole lot of work to begin with. Abt leaves the engine alone, instead supplying a sport suspension, a brake upgrade, and new 20″ wheels.

On the visual side, the car gets carbon fiber skirts and rear spoiler, along with replacement front and rear clips that tone down the oversized factory grillework on both ends. The front openings are now angled and feature colored CF inserts. Matching colored pieces are added to the sideblades and the rear end, too. The new rear bumper cover incorporates a diffuser-style bottom, smaller vents, and diagonal outlets for the exhaust tips. Pretty good stuff, if you ask us, and if the colored elements don’t float your boat, you can probably go for a more standard look. Assuming you have an R8 for them to work on, that is.

Samsung’s “Secret Color” SPH-W3600 and SCH-W360 sliders for the Korean market

Written on February 4, 2008 – 9:18 am | by admin | No Comments |
Posted in » Mobile News

When you’ve finally exhausted the entire spectrum of colors for your phone models ranging from the subdued to the wild, what’s the next frontier? Mixing and matching, of course. Samsung’s so-called “Secret Color” SPH-W3600 and SCH-W360 sliders for the Korean market look like factory seconds — manufacturing mistakes that accidentally found their way into the public domain — and with most products, you’d expect such buffoonery to warrant a discount. Not so here, though: the limited-edition models will run between 500,000 and 600,000 won (about $530 to $635), though we suppose the haptic keypads and 7.2Mbps download speeds at least partially justify the cash outlay.

Dell soon-to-be-announced Latitude E-series machines

Written on February 4, 2008 – 9:17 am | by admin | No Comments |
Posted in » Computers

We’ve got a bit of preliminary dirt on Dell’s new, soon-to-be-announced Latitude E-series machines, and we’re liking what we see. So far we know there will be a 4.25 pound / 14.1-inch and 5 pound / 15.4-inch version, both with WXGA and WXGA+ LED backlit displays, as well as a 12-inch (pictured above) and 13.3-inch version for road warrior types. Expect DisplayPort, eSATA, plenty of USB ports, and PC or ExpressCard slots in the larger models. More on these as we get it in.

Dell’s building an Android phone

Written on February 4, 2008 – 9:17 am | by admin | No Comments |
Posted in » Mobile News

Stick this one firmly in the rumor category, since all the verbiage that’s been thrown around about this story still traces back to one single source: a slightly ill-informed article done up in MarketingWeek in the UK. The article cites unspecified “senior industry sources,” and goes on about how this is Dell and Google working closely together on what is more or less the “Gphone.” Since we have no reason to believe Google is going to jeopardize its Android OS by getting extra-friendly with one specific manufacturer, the primary weight we can give to this rumor is that fact that Dell picked up a former Motorola executive, Ron Garriques, to run its Global Consumer Group early last year. Other rumors have cropped up over the years about Dell moving in this direction, so it certainly wouldn’t signal the apocalypse if a Dell-branded Android phone does show up at this rumored unveiling at 3GSM, but giving how early on Android is at the moment, we’ll believe it when we see it.