As developers for tablets and smartphones we like to keep abreast of the latest mobile technology developments . This is a daily digest of mobile development and related technology news gathered from the BBC, the New York Times, New Scientist and the Globe and Mail to name a few. We scour the web for articles concerning, iPhone, iPad and android development, iOS and android operating systems as well as general articles on advances in mobile technology. We hope you find this useful and that it helps to keep you up to date with the latest technology developments.
- News Analysis: Labor Shortage Complicates Changes in China’s Factories
A shortage of workers is a big factor in the long shifts and workweeks that manufacturers have used to meet production quotas, all while forcing higher wages.
- Chinese Company and Employee Deny Any Involvement in Hacking Attacks
After being accused of attacks across several countries, Tencent, a Chinese Internet company, and one of its employees suggested that his identity may have been confused with someone else’s.
- With Advance Warning, Bracing for Attack on Internet by Anonymous
The largely unseen forces that keep the Internet running have fortified crucial parts of it after learning of plans for an attack by Anonymous on the Domain Name System.
- Firefox survives first round of surgery
Mozilla’s three months into an ambitious plan to bolt a long list of features into its browser. Competitors left it no choice.
- Canada would not stop RIM sale to outsiders
The Canadian government wouldn’t try to block a foreign acquisition of RIM, federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said Friday. While he would prefer that RIM thrive as a Canadian company, he wouldn’t interject to make it that way. Those at RIM were "masters of their own destiny," he said.
- What Foxconn Changes Mean for Workers, the Industry and You
The big changes headed to Foxconn’s factories have sparked concern and confusion among a number of parties. But if Foxconn stays true to its agreements, the industry may see some improvement.
- Google Reportedly Targets Amazon and Apple With Online Tablet Store
Google is reportedly going to enter the ecommerce space with tablets.
- Just Mobile Releases AluCube Mini to Cure Cable Clutter
Just Mobile Ltd., the leading brand of mobile accessories, today, announced the global launch of the Just Mobile AluCube Mini™, a minimalistic cable tidy.
Just Mobile AluCube Mini™ is the conception of the Just Mobile Design Competition 2011 held in Europe. The most promising of hand picked design [...] - Badass Factory Pilot Gloves Protect Your Dainty Hands
Oakley’s badass Factory Pilot gloves offer carbon-fiber protection.
- BioShock 2 Arrives On the Mac App Store [Mac Blog]
Feral Interactive is serving up BioShock 2 to Mac users via the Mac App Store, two years after it arrived on the PC. It costs $30.99 on the Mac App Store, or via Feral directly. The game does include a multiplayer component as well.
Feral is dedicated to bringing major game titles to the Mac, and has taken to the Mac App Store in a big way. The company already sells a Mac version of BioShock 1, amongst a number of other titles.
Welcome back to Rapture. Paradise reborn.
Deep within the ruined undersea city of Rapture, your beloved Little Sister, Eleanor, awaits your return. As her Big Daddy, you protected her from a world of insanely selfish adults, now you must shield her again from those who demand that everything must be shared.
Ten years after the events of BioShock, Rapture has fallen under the control of a collectivist cult who plan to transform Eleanor into a genetically-engineered messiah, who will put an end to individuality forever. To save her, you must deploy a unique combination of shooting, role-play and stealth as you rampage through Rapture’s leaking halls to confront her captors.
Whether you choose to forgive those who threaten Eleanor or wreak vengeance upon them, remember, she is always watching and will follow your example.
Minimum system requirements for the game are a bit steep, unsurprisingly: Processor: 2.0 GHz, RAM: 4GB, Graphics: 256MB, Free Space: 10GB. The following graphics cards are not supported: ATI X1xxx series, ATI HD2xxx series, NVIDIA 9400, NVIDIA 7xxx series and Intel GMA series.
BioShock 2 is available for $30.99 on the Mac App Store. [Direct Link]
BioShock 1 is also available for $29.99. [Direct Link]
- Boston area to get its own Rock Health startup accelerator
The Boston Globe is reporting today that the Rock Health, the San Francisco based health startup accelerator, will be opening up a Boston branch this Summer. The program is already accepting applications. Reportedly several Boston based entrepreneurs are already signed up as mentors, including Jason Jacobs of RunKeeper, Ben Rubin of Zeo, Erika Pabo of Harvard Med School, Sonny Vu of Misfit Wearables, and Jacob Sattelmair of WellFrame. Building new companies around health technology cannot successfully occur in a vaccum [...]
- Settlement over e-Book Pricing to Undo Apple’s Agency Model for Pricing?
Earlier this month, we reported on word from the U.S. Department of Justice that regulators were looking at filing suit against Apple and e-book publishers over the “agency model” of pricing championed by Apple leading up to the launch of its iBookstore. Under the model, retail book prices are set by publishers, with retailers receiving a cut of the proceeds.
Of most concern to regulators, Apple’s agreements with the publishers included “most favored nation” clauses that prevented publishers from selling their books through any other retailers at lower prices than offered through Apple’s iBookstore. Reuters now reports that the parties involved in the dispute are continuing to move toward a settlement in order to ward off a lawsuit, and that the settlement is likely to see the removal of these clauses. As a result, the publishing industry will likely in some form return to the previous wholesale model in which retailers set their own prices for books.
While negotiations are still fluid, the settlement is expected to eliminate Apple’s so-called “most favored nation” status, which had prevented the publishers from selling lower-priced e-books through rival retailers such as Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) or Barnes & Noble Inc (BKS.N), the people said.
The deal could also force a shift, at least temporarily, in pricing control from publishers to retailers, one of the people said.
Such a move to a “wholesale model” would not only benefit consumers but also Amazon, which had been the leading bargain e-book retailer with its Kindle reader.
Under the wholesale model, Amazon priced e-books at or even below cost in many cases in order to draw in customers who would then purchase other items from its online store. But the practice generated concern among publishers that their works were being devalued, and many were happy to sign on with Apple’s agency model in order to create more price stability.
Analysts estimate that a return to the wholesale model could add $1 billion to Amazon’s revenues this year given its commanding 65% share of the e-book market and the impact of discounted pricing on sales of other items in its store. Book sales make up only a small portion of Apple’s revenue, with estimates pegging iBookstore sales at roughly $50 million annually, and the company is expected to see little impact from any pricing changes in the book market.
- US credit firms in breach warning
Visa, Mastercard and Discover warn that details of credit card holders’ personal information could be at risk after a security breach.
- Apple Planning ‘Significant Growth’ of Reseller Network in India [Mac Blog]
A new job listing on Apple’s site indicates that the company is developing a “significant growth plan” for its network of Apple Premium Resellers (APRs) in India, seeking a new national manager to oversee expansion of the program.
The Apple Premium Reseller (APR) program was designed by Apple to expand and improve the market coverage and customer experience. Apple Premium Resellers offer the complete range of Macs, iPods and iPhones, along with a full complement of software and accessories.
There are currently 49 APRs in India with a significant growth plan for the future.
The NM [National Manager] will lead the expansion of the APR coverage as per plan
The new position will be based in Bangalore, where Apple has a minor existing presence.
Earlier this year, rumors surfaced suggesting that Apple was considering opening its own retail stores in India after the government relaxed laws that had required significant domestic ownership of single-brand stores. It is unclear whether Apple’s planned expansion of its APR network in India means that it has decided against opening its own stores in the country, but any such Apple retail plan appears to have been a long-term project in any case.
India is one of the four “BRIC” countries whose developing economies are seen as major growth markets, with Brazil, Russia, and China also being included in that group. Apple has clearly focused its initial efforts for this group on China, although Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged in an interview last month that the company has also been increasing its efforts in Brazil and Russia. Consequently, India appears to be Apple’s lowest priority among emerging markets, but the company is undoubtedly keeping a keen eye on developments there and building its APR network as an interim measure to increase its presence.
- TSMC may get into Apple pipeline through power chips
TSMC may have at least some involvement in Apple’s device supply chain based on claims by Taiwan’s Economic Daily News. The business newspaper asserted that the contract manufacturer had landed deals for power management parts designed by Dialog Semiconductor for future Apple hardware. TSMC had supposedly already involved itself with iPads and iPhones by manufacturing Broadcom, CSR, Cirrus Logic, and Qualcomm.
- Apple Complies with iPad ’4G’ Marketing Ruling in Australia, Faces New Complaint in Norway
Apple has updated its marketing for the new iPad in Australia after regulators in that country criticized the company over “misleading” marketing claims related to the iPad’s 4G capabilities. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced on Tuesday that it would pursue injunctions, fines and other remedies.
Apple responded by offering full refunds to Australian customers who felt misled about Apple’s 4G advertising.
Apple has seen similar complaints over the iPad’s 4G marketing in other countries including Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Currently, the iPad only works on 4G LTE networks in the United States and Canada. The Norwegian complaint is more significant than those in the other countries. Like Australia, Norway has actually instructed Apple to change the wording of its marketing materials.The Norwegian Forbrukerombudet, or Consumer Ombudsman, has expressed particular concern over the heavy focus on the new iPad’s 4G LTE support and the description of the product as “designed with next-generation wireless technology”.
Because the iPad’s LTE support is incompatible with Norwegian wireless networks, the fact that the iPad supports LTE makes no difference to potential buyers in Norway and is thus “misleading”. The Ombudsman has given Apple until April 10, 2012 to make the necessary changes.
- Raise a Papercraft Army of Yourself with Foldable.me
Ship a tiny version of yourself to your friends and family.
- Flurry: Google Play revenue just 23% that of Apple App Store
The Google Play Store still makes less than a quarter of the revenue from apps than Apple’s App Store, Flurry found in tracking app data. Setting the iTunes-based Apple portal as the reference point, the analysis saw Google Play (formerly Android Market) make just 23 percent of the revenue relative to size in a 45-day period starting mid-January. The ratio was actually down from December, when Google’s official Android store made 24 percent.
- Facebook Timeline Rolls Out to All Brand Pages
Facebook’s Timeline is here. Whether you like it or not.
Apple is planning to integrate Baidu web search into iOS, according to sources for Sina Technology. Baidu is an extremely popular search engine in China, but iOS currently defaults to Google, with Bing and Yahoo as secondary options. Sina suggests that Baidu support will begin in April, at least in the Chinese market. If true, the change should require an iOS firmware update.
Microsoft quickly reacted to claims of unfair Windows Phone contests by offering would-be winner Sahas Katta his compensation. Company evangelist Ben Rudolph said Monday morning that he would supply both the HP notebook intended for prize winners as well as a free Windows Phone. Rudolph was also personally apologizing to Katta for the apparently stacked test.
AT&T confirmed launch details for the Nokia Lumia 900 on Monday that show Microsoft and Nokia determined to carve out share for Windows Phone in the US. The first 4G Windows Phone should go on sale on April 8 for just $100 on a contract. The deal makes the Lumia 900 one of the cheapest new LTE phones ever and one of the cheapest high-end devices.
Rovio
Apple has acted on its plans to deprecate UDID access in iOS 5 by starting to reject apps that try to access the unique device identifiers. Tips late Saturday to TechCrunch had two of Apple’s ten review teams outright rejecting any app that wants UDIDs, with the number growing to four next week and continuing until every reviewer denies UDID access. Individual developers, management groups, and ad supporters such as Playhaven and MoPub have already been denied App Store spots.
Foxconn’s northern plant in Taiyuan, in China’s northern Shanxi province, may become both a key hub of new iPhone production as well as a flashpoint for working condition issues. The China Times claimed that the factory was facing a "huge" shortage of about 20,000 workers as it got ready for the new model. Supposedly, it would make as many as 85 percent of orders, or about 57 million.
Instagram chose Saturday to post a sign-up page for its long-awaited Android port. While it’s not clear if the page is to register for early access or just for a notification, visitors are encouraged to give an e-mail address to be "first in line." No clues were given as to when the app itself would show or its features.
Multiple job listings at Apple this week have hinted that Apple is getting ready to support Voice over LTE, or VoLTE. Telephony software engineer positions ask for experience with IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), the foundation for VoLTE’s purely Internet-based calling. They’re also asked to know related technology, such as the common VoIP protocol SIP as well as real-time transport (RTP).
Oracle and Google may be pressed into settling a lawsuit over Java patents faster after Judge Paul Grewal ordered more settlement talks. Despite having dramatically lowered damages earlier in the week, at least Google’s mobile VP Andy Rubin and Oracle CFO Safra Catz would have to meet before April 9. The sides had to choose a date and were encouraged to be as flexible as possible.
The US Army acted on long-term plans Friday and opened its custom mobile app store in prototype form. The Army Software Marketplace [iOS device required] is currently serving those who have their own iPhones, iPod touch players, and iPads a dozen training apps safe to use in Common Operating Environment levels of security. Among the examples are the Blue Book for beginning soldiers, the Social Media Handbook for sharing details, and other basics.
The FCC in one of its gradually more common responses shot back at AT&T’s linking T-Mobile job cuts to the failed merger. A spokesperson claimed to AllThingsD that AT&T was being disingenuous given its own statements to the FCC on jobs. Despite public claims to creating jobs, AT&T’s "own confidential documents" had indicated that it was likely to incur "significant job losses" if the merger was completed, the FCC said.
Microsoft has tried to bring its "Smoked by Windows Phone" contests to the mainstream with a new contest at its retail stores. Customers from now until March 29 can visit a Microsoft Store and see if their existing smartphone is faster at accomplishing certain kinds of tasks, such as posting to a social network, faster than Windows Phone hardware. Those that win get a Hunger Games edition HP Folio 13 ultrabook worth $1,000, but those that lose still get a chance to trade for a free Windows Phone, including anything in the store save for a Lumia 800 bundle.
Apple may be experiencing an unusually high adoption rate for iOS 5.1, according to data collected by app developer David Smith. After tracking iOS version statistics for downloads of his app Audiobooks, Smith noticed that more than half of the devices that were eligible for the iOS 5.1 over-the-air update had made the jump within five days.
China Unicom increased both its subscriber base and profit for 2011 by spending heavily to promote 3G data use, which is still relatively new to the country, Marketwatch reports. The company more than doubled its 3G subscriber base to 40 million users, now 20 percent of its total mobile base, and increased profits in the 3G arena to 31.7 percent of its revenues. The company credited its collaboration with Apple for part of the results.
Slightly too late for the launch, Apple has updated its iTunes Movie Trailers app (App Store) to take advantage of the new iPad. Updating to 1.1 boosts both the interface and video to take advantage of the much denser display resolution. Apple hasn’t said what video resolution it’s using for streams; the new iPad can handle 1080p natively, but earlier models would have to drop back to 720p at most.
The Austin City Council has voted unanimously in favor of an $8.6 million incentive package for Apple, as part of a $304 million deal to expand operations in the city. Combined with money from the state-level Texas Enterprise Fund and some tax breaks from the affected county government, Apple will see a total of $33.5 million in incentives in exchange for 3,600 new high-quality administrative and engineering jobs.
Griffin today shipped the latest generation of its Android- and iOS-guided remote control helicopter. The Helo TC Assault craft is maneuvered using an app running on a smartphone, tablet or even an iPod touch (free, App Store, Google Play Store). The new version earns its name from firing toy missiles from two spring-loaded launchers.
RIM quickly tamped down speculation around its hiring an iOS app developer with a response late Thursday. As suspected by AllThingsD and others, the senior developer would be creating an iOS app for Mobile Fusion, its corporate mobile device management tool. A company spokesperson in a statement said that it was an important part of managing iOS hardware.
A contentious rumor late Wednesday had Apple leaping to a 4.6-inch screen for the next iPhone. The Maeil Business Newspaper had Apple making its first part orders ahead of spring plans, dropping the familiar 3.5-inch size for the first time in five years in favor of a size comparable to the Galaxy Nexus. Unlike Samsung, though, Apple would keep its shorter but wider ratio, and would keep using an LCD instead of AMOLED.
Microsoft has reportedly moved to prohibit employees in its Sales, Marketing, Services, IT, and Operations Group (SMSG) from using company funds to purchase any products produced by Apple. The company had already barred staffers from using expense allocations for competing smartphone platforms, however the new guidelines explicitly note that Macs and iPads have been added to the list.
Jolicloud acted on its pivot into a cloud service with the formal start of a semi-public beta of Jolicloud Me. The invitation-only option gives users a common place for their media and has unique options for finding content, such as where it’s located. Users can organize content from disparate sources into individual collections.
Apple in a rare mid-Sunday release sent word that it would discuss what it planned to do with its $97.6 billion cash reserve. CEO Tim Cook, along with CFO Peter Oppenheimer, would discuss the "outcome of the Companyís discussions" in a call at 9AM Eastern on Monday, March 19. Apple would offer the discussion both as a phone call and as a live stream with replays available for two weeks afterwards.
A new lawsuit (below) filed last week and uncovered on Friday by CNET could try and take Apple and key iOS app writers to task for alleged unapproved contact access. The potential class action case accuses those who’ve admitted to any access, such as Path, Twitter, and Instagram, of violating privacy by becoming "mobile radio beacons" that were "broadcasting and publicly exposing" contact lists to everyone. Questionably, however, it also names the developers of numerous other unverified apps of doing the same thing, including Beluga, Burbn, Chillingo, EA, Facebook, Fo
A late-week release saw Pioneer introduce four new mainstream AV receivers that mostly bring Internet awareness to the core of its lineup. The top three, the VSX-822, VSX-1022, and VSX-1022, all have support for AirPlay, DLNA, and vTuner Internet radio to grab media from iOS devices, iTunes, and some other hardware on the same local network. Ethernet is common across all of them, although the 1122 has the choice of a Wi-Fi adapter to reduce clutter.
Twitter has been actively recruiting for a long-expected revamp of its mobile apps. One listing would get multiple positions for developing a "cutting edge" Android app. The microblogging site wouldn’t have had trouble getting help for its iOS app, as leaks emanating from TechCrunch suggest spots for reworking the app had already been filled.
Co-founder of 
A posting in Reddit’s Android section has shown what’s purportedly the Galaxy S III. The render shows a thinner design, adding a dedicated camera button to the side, and with a 16:9 display. Its most conspicuous change may be trim: it has the same ‘lips’ as the Galaxy S Wi-Fi 4.2, designed to avoid the accusations of copying Apple that have led to lawsuits.
The International Trade Commission issued a final ruling (PDF) later on Friday upholding its view that Motorola didn’t violate Apple patents in one dispute. It reviewed one concern each for the three patents under dispute but maintained the verdict it had delivered in January. The verdict was coming two months ahead of an original May 14 target.
