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Acer admits hackers stole up to 34,000 customer credit cards
If you bought an Acer device from the company's store in the last year, there's a chance that your credit card info was hijacked. The Taiwan-based company informed California's attorney general that attackers made off with the "name, address, card number, expiration date and three-digit security codes" of users between May 12, 2015 and April 28, 2016. It sent form letters to the 34,500 affected customers, all of whom are in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Apple's iPhone upgrade program now available online
Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program is now available online, meaning you won't have to trek to a store if you want the latest device every year. As a reminder, the company launched the program when it released the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, letting you buy those phones starting at $32 a month on 24-month subscription. After a year, you can trade in your old iPhone for a new one, as long as you're willing to renew the subscription for another 24 months.
Nintendo opens online shop in the UK: offers free delivery, limited edition exclusives and extended warranties
Nintendo's cutting out the middleman and going straight to consumers. Today, the company's UK outfit launched a full-fledged online shop that aims to sell a range of games and consoles from its existing product lines. Unlike Nintendo's US online retail effort, which is really a "store" in name only, this UK site doesn't redirect consumers to third-party retailers and instead ships to consumers directly from the company's stock. Apart from offering games and consoles across the Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS product lines, the UK online shop will also offer exclusives like limited edition 3DS consoles and pack-in figurines like this Wind Waker bundle, in addition to free delivery (orders over £200 qualify for next day) and 12-month extended warranties for consoles. There's no word on whether or not other regions like the US will see a similar service or why Nintendo chose to launch this first in the UK. We've reached out to Nintendo for comment and will update you when we hear back. No matter, though, as this is definitely a welcome move for the sometimes stubborn gaming legend.
Square Market launches, provides easy online storefronts for small businesses
We've come to know Square for its efforts in making it easier for small -- and not so small -- businesses to get paid in real life with card readers, iPad registers and apps, but its latest project is trying to help them sell online as well. Square Market has just opened up, and features storefronts from a number of retailers selling good and services online. Of course, in 2013 launching a website isn't that difficult and others like Etsy and eBay have been in this segment for a long time, so what does Square have to offer? According to the company, anyone can open up a store for free complete with photos and a business profile. There's no charge for item listings either, however a 2.75 percent fee is collected on each sale. It's too early to tell if the simple approach will cut into its competitor's market share, but for merchants already using its physical products (or thinking about it) it may provide an easy portal to customers worldwide as well as local.
'Tis the season: Apple launches holiday gift guide, offers free shipping
Apple launched its annual holiday gift guide that bundles together the best gifts for the Apple owner in your life. The 2012 guide sorts gifts based on device ownership with lists for the iPad, Mac, iPhone and iPod. The iPad page showcases the newly released iPad mini, which Apple says is "the year's biggest gift, only smaller." As was the case in past years, Apple's does not discount the products included in its gift guide, but it does offer free shipping as part of the 2012 promotion. If you are looking for discounts on Apple products, then you will have to wait for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, when Apple usually offers small discounts on select Apple products to kick off the holiday shopping season. Other third-party retailers like Target and Best Buy will also cut prices on Apple products as part of their holiday promotions.
Apple adds online specialist chat to four countries
Apple unveiled a new online help feature that lets customers ask questions when they are shopping for an iPad or iPhone. According to Pocket-Lint, the service debuted on Wednesday in the UK, Germany, Spain and Brazil. Customers who have questions can click on the "Ask Now" button which is present on the iPhone and iPad product pages. The feature will connect you to an Apple specialist who will call you on the phone or chat online with you. There is also a guided tour option that'll let you watch the specialist's screen as they walk you through Apple's online resources. If you buy a new iPad or iPhone through an Apple specialist, you can also schedule a session to help you setup your email, download new apps and learn some tips-n-tricks for your new iOS device. [Via Engadget and Pocket-Lint]
Sony launches web store for e-Books, Android app also gets refresh
Sony has decided to join the web-based shopping party, launching an online reader store for its e-inked devices and companion apps. Any e-Books purchased will arrive ready-to-read on the Reader app or other suitably wireless device, with titles also working on any Adobe DRM-supported apps and devices. Sony's Reader app has benefited from a UI redesign, the addition of a landscape view and improved stability. Hit up the source to grab the update -- before your phone tells you to.
iPad more readily available in-store than online
Want to get an iPad as soon as possible without having to wait weeks for it to arrive? According to a ComputerWorld report, your best bet is take a trip to your local Apple Store. The publication surveyed a handful of Apple stores and found that all the stores it called had at least one iPad model in stock. Online sales of the iPad, however, still have a delay of one to two weeks. Apple said last month that it sold three million iPad units between March 16 and March 19.
WSJ: Google to sell ASUS, Samsung tablets from its own online store
In a move that would be reminiscent of its initial plans for the Nexus handsets, the Wall Street Journal suggests Google will open its own online store this year, but stocked with tablets instead of phones. The Android tablets would be built by Samsung and ASUS who already offer the well received Galaxy Tab and Transformer lines, but have been unable to make a dent in marketshare comparable to that of Apple or even Amazon. Other details seem to be less clear, including the possibility of the lineup including Google branded tablets -- like the one hinted at by Eric Schmidt in December -- or that the store could offer a new tablet from ASUS (maybe running Jelly Bean, maybe not), or the chance that Google will follow Amazon's approach by subsidizing the upfront cost. Right now it seems that all possibilities are still in Play, but if the rumor is right we'll see the store launch this year -- any suggestions for the folks at Mountain View?
Sony serves up US Vita manual two months early, theoretical gamers rejoice
Jealous that Japan has first dibs on Sony's next generation portable? Or maybe you imported a PlayStation Vita, and need a little help navigating the Kanji-laden menus? Either way, Sony has a bone to throw you -- an online Vita user's guide, and in English, to boot. In addition to basic console operations, the online manual details the handheld's major features and apps, including Party, Near, the PS Store, a Photos app, the web browser, remote play and the Vita's video and music apps. The guide also mentions a few limitations, for instance, PSN video downloads will be standard definition only -- if you want to watch something in 720p, you'll need to load it yourself using the Vita's Content Manager. It also confirms the handheld's single account lock-down, noting that even your console's memory card is tied to your PSN account -- it simply won't work on your friend's Vita. Curious about battery life, 3G data usage trackers and remote play restrictions? Hit the source and dive in, you've got two months to study up.
Sony backtracks (again), multiple accounts not supported on PS Vita
First, we we're told multiple user accounts were a no-go, then this was withdrawn. Now, it seems that's now been retracted. According to an email send by a Sony representative to Wired, the PSN account on the PlayStation Vita is "tied to the hardware and the memory card" and a simple removable storage switch-out won't suffice. You'll need to hit the big red factory reset button in order to use a different account on Sony's online network, the doorway to both online gaming and their digital store. This will lock down the opportunity to flit between different regional networks -- barring a wipe -- and is something to bare in mind if the temptation of an early Japanese release has you reaching for transpacific import options.
Three brings 3LiveShop to Denmark, offers webcam chat and heads-up product display (video)
Well, it appears that Three's call center agents in Denmark won't be able to wear pajamas into work anymore. Following the introduction of 3LiveShop in Sweden, the mobile carrier's other Scandinavian group is introducing this rather novel way of shopping for new phones to Danes. Properly situated consumers may now elect to participate in live video chats with Three employees, who manipulate product photos and information on a heads-up display for customer convenience. (We'd like to imagine this nice lady has placed the Galaxy S II and iPhone 4 into the "maybe" pile.) Thankfully, shoppers won't have to look presentable at all, as participating in two-way video conferences is entirely optional -- along with more traditional voice and chat methods. If you're curious to see a demo of the system in action, just check the video after the break. [Thanks, Jonas]
Daily Update for Sept. 19, 2011
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes, which is perfect for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen.
Nokia shutters online and retail stores in UK, US web store
Nokia will be entering Q3 free of any direct-to-consumer sales channels in the US and UK. The Finnish smartphone maker shuttered its remaining UK retail stores earlier this month (with the exception of Heathrow Airport, which remains open), and also discontinued sales on its US and UK online stores -- joining France, Spain, and The Netherlands, which all went offline last month. We spoke to a former Nokia UK retail employee, who cited poor marketing, high prices, slowing traffic and a high product return rate as a few of the reasons that the stores closed -- returns of the N8 and E7 dominated other handsets, with customers complaining of device crashes and corruption, hardware failures, and usability issues. He reports that the stores were also only able to sell devices on Vodafone and T-Mobile, and only Vodafone allowed customers to upgrade in a Nokia store. The majority of customers came into the store for support, rather than to make a purchase. "The last two months were particularly quiet. Even if the shopping centre was busy, the Nokia store would have perhaps no more than 30 people through the door a day, usually for technical assistance. And that was that, all stores were closed abruptly on June 20th." We imagine pricing played a large role in the decision to close the UK and US online stores, just as it did with UK retail and online stores in other countries. Both country's online stores have been replaced with a closure notice, with the US store directing customers to Amazon, and the UK store referring visitors to eight retail partners, instead.%Gallery-127496% [Thanks, Karl]
Nokia closing its UK online storefront by month's end
It doesn't take four years of business school before realizing that a shopkeeper must sell sufficient inventory to keep afloat. With this in mind, we must sadly declare that Nokia will close its UK online storefront at the end of the month -- a harsh revelation for pre-order loving Brits. The news was announced today in a brief message to affiliates, and later confirmed with a representative stating to TechRadar, "We are planning to close the current UK online store to simplify our channel structure and focus our resources on our key trade customers." Keeping a stiff upper lip, this untimely ending follows Nokia's reduced sales projections and similar closures in France, Spain and Netherlands, and leaves its remaining e-stores to hope for a better fate.
Nokia's online stores go offline in France and Spain (update: Netherlands too)
Nokia's "around breakeven" outlook announced earlier today is discouraging at best, and now it looks like the company has begun shuttering online stores in response to growing competition from resellers, which offer lower prices on the same hardware. So far, online stores in France and Spain have been replaced with a closure notice, so customers in those countries will need to turn to third-party vendors to get their smartphone fix. European online stores in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Russia, Switzerland, and the UK remain open for business, but low online sales figures (and the inevitable death of Symbian) mean we may see more countries falling offline in the near future. "Prices are too subsidized by the carriers and sales were low, so they will keep providing support," a representative from Nokia Spain told us today, so as expected, the shutdown only affects sales operations -- of course, you'll still be able to turn to your local Nokia site for support. Update: The Netherlands store is closed too [Thanks, Reppu]
Sony Ericsson's Canadian online store hacked, more than 2,000 customers' data taken
The hackers just won't give poor Sony a break, will they? Following the infamous PSN breach last month and an attack on the company's Greek online music service earlier this week, Sony Ericsson has now seen another intrusion that extracted personal data of more than 2,000 Canadian Eshop customers. Fortunately, the company claims that passwords taken were encrypted and no credit card details were lost, but this is still worrisome nevertheless. Right now, the Eshop service has been taken off line -- for the sake of Sir Howard and his Japanese chums, let's just hope that this will be the last Sony breach we hear about. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Increase in iPad recycling prompts Gazelle to enter reseller market
After the iPad 2 announcement, Gazelle saw a marked increase in the number of first generation iPads being recycled by consumers. The electronics recycler has received so many iPad 1 tablets in good to excellent condition that it has decided to begin selling them back to consumers in the upcoming weeks. Gazelle lets consumers send in used electronics for cash. It's an easy way to sell your device without the hassle of deadbeat sellers on eBay or the spam from Craigslist. The amount paid out depends on the model of the device and its condition. Currently, Gazelle is paying $183 for a good condition 16 GB WiFi iPad model. Since the iPad 2 announcement, the company has accepted almost 17,000 iPads, 90% of which are in mint condition. Rather than resell these iPads through Amazon or eBay, Gazelle has decided to open an online store as an extension of its current website. Pricing is still being determined, but the used iPads will likely cost between US$300 to $500. Gazelle may also collaborate with Square Trade to offer warranties on these used devices. If all goes well with the iPad, Gazelle plans to eventually add the iPhone to its online store. The company expects to receive over 50,000 iPhone 4 handsets when the iPhone 5 hits the market later this year.
3LiveShop woos you into phone contracts by touching your screen from the other side (video)
Feeling lonely? Got some Swedish kronor to burn? Now you can kill two birds with one stone thanks to Three's Scandinavian arm. Hold up, we're not talking about online dating here; but you could certainly start by buying a phone from 3LiveShop, which lets you interact virtually face to face with a human sales rep. Better yet, these folks are equipped with eccentric multitouch workstations (pictured after the break) to let them drag phones and spec sheets around your screen. We had a go on this service just now and apart from a couple of hiccups later on, our Hong Kong-to-Sweden call was surprisingly fluid and fun. Sadly, we didn't get around to filming our intimate conversation with Adam here, but you can watch a promotion video by B-Reel -- the folks behind the touchscreen's Flash interface -- after the break to see how it works. [Thanks, Johan]
Amazon Appstore for Android goes live, welcomes newcomers with free Angry Birds Rio
In spite of Apple's grumbling, Amazon's proceeding full steam ahead with the rollout of its Appstore for Android. The switch has just been flipped and early adopters will be welcomed with a free copy of Angry Birds Rio, whose Android launch Amazon scooped all to itself. Beyond day one, Rio will be a $0.99 app, but others will take its place as the online retailer is aiming to serve one usually-paid app for free each day. A total of around 3,800 applications are available at launch and you'll be able to get on board via either a dedicated Appstore app on Android (sideload link available below) or Amazon's web interface. The latter offers you a 30-minute Test Drive facility, where you can try out a program you might fancy for your phone before purchasing. Service looks to be US-only for now -- sorry, international users. Update: The web Appstore has gone down. Don't panic, we're sure it's just teething troubles and not a smiting by the Cupertino ninja collective. In the mean time, the app still looks to be working okay.
