Thursday, September 2nd	Last updated: 5:50 PM EST

Evening Edition

Google rebuffs Apple's claims of exaggerated Android numbers ...
In response to Steve Jobs' disbelief that Google is seeing 200,000 Android device activations daily, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said in a response today that Android numbers do not include upgrades. He clarified further to Fortune, saying only devices that have Google services are counted. Only web-connected devices such as smartphones are accounted for where embedded and other basic devices aren't registered. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

AMD may scrap annoying Windows notebook logo stickers ...
AMD may finally end a chronic problem with logos on Windows notebooks using its hardware, the chip maker commented today. Having discovered that most buyers don't like the stickers advertising processors, graphics and other parts, AMD hopes to now make the stickers easily removable sometime in 2011. It added to the New York Times that it was considering eliminating its share of stickers entirely, although it wouldn't say how likely that was. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Afternoon Edition

Courier 1.0 transfers files to cloud services ...
Realmac has launched a new filesharing utility, Courier 1.0. The software expedites moving files from a Mac to cloud services; at launch, it supports Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo, Amazon S3, Ember and FTP/SFTP. The primary interface metaphor involves envelopes, which can be configured and saved for reuse. Each upload can be set for one or more destinations, using stamps on an envelope -- one stamp per service. Uploads are saved in history with URLs for later recall. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

A scoop this afternoon has reiterated that Google Music is on track for the end of the year but is also facing difficulty. The search engine's Android head Andy Rubin has been talking to labels with hopes of a launch before the holidays, but none of them have so far agreed to a deal. Reuters nonetheless understood that the studios were willing to keep talking as they saw Google possibly upsetting Apple's hegemony over digital music.

Apple is seeding a fourth developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.5, 10H535. Developers are being asked to concentrate testing on the same areas as before, including Mail, iCal, QuickTime, Time Machine, 3D rendering and USB devices. The known issue from the last build is still present, and has in fact been expanded to include Parallels as a culprit, alongside VMware. Having either of the virtualization platforms installed may prevent USB devices from working when a Mac comes out of sleep.

The features of the new Apple TV will not carry over to older models, an Apple spokesperson clarifies. No software update to enable the options is planned, although the representative does comment that all current features should continue to work. This includes buying movies and TV shows, something missing from the latest firmware, since the matching hardware has no permanent storage.

Add-on battery maker Mophie will soon release another battery pack, this time for the iPhone 4. Engadget believes the accessory will arrive as soon as next week, priced at $79, or less than previous Mophie iPhone batteries. The newest product will reportedly double the iPhone 4's battery life.

Samsung in a brief talk on Thursday both confirmed a future Android codename and hinted at its tablet focus. In confirming that it hoped to upgrade the Galaxy Tab to Android 3.0, nicknamed Gingerbread, product planning lead WP Hong told TechRadar the next version would be Honeycomb. He claimed it would be "specifically optimised" for a different tablet besides one like the seven-inch Galaxy but wouldn't provide much more detail.

Sony's Walkman line has temporarily passed the iPod for sales in Japan once more, researchers at BCN claimed today. Basic players like the S640 helped Sony creep past in August with 47.8 of sales where Apple dropped to 44 percent. While the Walkman overtook the iPod briefly a year ago, the new figures mark the first time Sony managed to hold an overall lead for the month.

Two new Apple patent applications have appeared in listings at the US Patent and Trademark Office. The first, Method and User Interface for Accessing Groups of Media Assets, is directly linked to the Apple TV, and describes an interface for browsing media sources such as YouTube. By way of a remote, people can scroll through categorized lists of information that can be expanded to include new media.

Just after the two-year anniversary of its Chrome browser, Google on Thursday released a new Chrome 6 stable build for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. Its engine is faster than for Chrome 5 and a full three times faster than the 2008 browser originally was in JavaScript performance. Google has also made Chrome simpler, with a more minimalist interface.

Toshiba after months of teases confirmed its launch into the mobile tablet space through the Folio 100. The 10-inch tablet runs a heavily modified version of Android 2.2 and is one of the first major shipping devices to use NVIDIA's Tegra 2. The dual-core ARM chip is powerful enough to play 1080p over a mini HDMI output but is still efficient enough to give the tablet a meaningful, if short, seven hours of battery life.

Deutsche Telekom-owned carrier T-Mobile will soon lose its exclusive hold over German iPhone sales, sources tell the Wall Street Journal. O2 and Vodafone are expected to begin selling iPhones in the country in time for the Christmas shopping season. Negotiations are allegedly still ongoing, but already at an advanced stage. Launch times are contingent on the end of T-Mobile's exclusivity agreement, which could come as soon as October.

Morning Edition

Samsung favors Android, marginalizes Windows Phone 7 ...
Samsung will downplay its Windows Phone 7 devices in favor of Android and its in-house Bada platform, its mobile marking head YH Lee said in an interview Thursday. He promised Reuters just one device using Microsoft's OS as there was some "professional, specialized demand" for it but stressed that Android was more important. Google's platform is not only friendly to Samsung's customization, as it's "open and flexible," but is more popular as well, the executive said. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Samsung intros slanted lens T10 HD camcorder ...
Samsung at IFA launched the HMX-T10 camcorder. It sports the company's distinctive slanted lens, titled at 20 degrees to make the hold more natural for the owner's wrist. The camera can record 1080p video and capture 4.7-megapixel still images with a backside illuminated CMOS sensor that should handle more effectively in low light. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Jobs: Facebook cut out of Ping because of 'onerous terms' ...
Links to Facebook have been excluded from Ping because of "onerous terms," according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. When Ping was launched yesterday, it was promoted as having Facebook Connect support; the language is still present on Apple's official page. For a short time on Wednesday night, the option existed to invite new friends to Ping through Facebook. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Philips and O’Neil team to bring headphones to market ...
Philips and O’Neil have teamed to develop a range of headphones and earphones for people who like to get outdoors. The premium range includes The Stretch, The Snug, The Covert and The Specked. The Stretch and The Snug are over-ear headphones that use 40mm drivers designed with an emphasis on delivering deep bass. The Stretch is also made of an extra-rugged nylon polymer. The Snug, as it name implies, is more oriented towards delivering comfort and includes soft cushions for long use; the set also folds flat for travel. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Apple, LG, Nokia top green phone makers ...
A new IDC study today has put Apple at the top of environmental friendliness for phone makers. It managed to challenge other, ostensibly greener companies through the scale of its iPhone efforts. It offers recycling in 95 percent of the countries where the iPhone is sold; the company also has tighter control over the efficiency of its supply chain, and its co-founder Steve Jobs is often directly involved. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Apple TV found using A4 processor [u] ...
(Updated with official info on Nano and iOS) A brief check of the Apple TV's technical specifications reveals that it is actually based on an A4 processor, like the iPad, iPhone 4 and the new iPod touch. The architecture is an ARM design customized by Apple, nominally with mobile products in mind. In the Apple TV it replaces a relatively low-grade Intel chipset. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | 1 comment] 

Ultimate Ears intros 100 series noise-isolating earphones ...
Ultimate Ears today unveiled its 100 series noise-isolating earphones. They have been given a highly individualized flavor with each of the five models inspired by one of five different musical genres. Providing up to 24dBs of passive noise isolation, they also come with four sizes of ear cushions designed to provide a comfortable fit. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Samsung makes Galaxy Tab official as iPad's first rival ...
Samsung this morning finally took the wraps from the Galaxy Tab, its first tablet and the first major competitor to the iPad. The device revolves around its seven-inch, 1024x600 LCD and is Samsung's first handheld to ship with Android 2.2 -- and Flash 10.1 -- out of the box. Although traces of Samsung's TouchWiz are evident, most customizations have been for apps tailored to the larger screen size: Media Hub serves as a video portal, Music Hub handles audio, and a Readers Hub follows in the footsteps of iBooks. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Early Morning Edition

Twitter for iPad brings clever UI elements ...
Twitter tonight posted its long awaited iPad update (free, App Store). The now universal app borrows the side navigation bar of Tweetie for Mac but has its own unique interface elements rarely or never seen in an iPad app, including slide-out panes. Tapping an update not only provides full information about the user but will show any relevant content to the tweet in-line, such as a website or an HTML5 video. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Wednesday, September 1st	Last updated: 10:50 PM EST

Evening Edition

Apple releases iTunes 10 for Mac and Windows systems ...
Apple has released iTunes 10, a major update to the media utility that was introduced today alongside several new iPods. The update features a social networking feature, Ping, that allows users to follow friends and artists. Users can post music they like, concert attendance, genre interests, and a variety of additional information. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

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