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Apple brings iTunes Store to Brazil, Latin America
Apple is extending its sphere of influence south of the equator today, with the launch of the iTunes Store in Brazil and a whole slew of Latin American countries. According to Cupertino, the platform will launch with a catalog of over 20 million songs, from both Brazilian and international artists, as well as a selection of more than 1,000 films for rent or purchase. Also included in today's release are users in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela. Find more details in the full PR, after the break.
FCC restarts review clock for AT&T's spectrum purchase, gives itself 180 days
Back in August, the FCC decided to freeze the 180-day review clock on AT&T's proposed acquisition of Qualcomm's 700 MHz spectrum, citing lingering concerns over the carrier's ongoing T-Mobile saga. Now that AT&T and Deutsche Telekom have withdrawn their merger application, however, the Commission has decided to re-open the review period for the Qualcomm acquisition, giving itself a fresh 180 days to make a decision. In a letter published Friday, Wireless Bureau chief Rick Kaplan announced that the timetable would be reset, with a retroactive start date of November 29th -- the very day that the FCC granted AT&T's pullout from the T-Mobile deal. No word yet on when we can expect a decision, but we'll be keeping an eye out for the latest developments. Read the letter in full at the source link below.
Android Market web store update adds user review filters, changes lives
It looks like Google has rolled out yet another update to its Android Market web store, bringing a slew of new filtering features for especially investigative users. In particular, the refresh allows consumers to filter user reviews by a handful of parameters, including star ratings, app version and device model. Best of all, you can use any or all of these filters simultaneously, thereby allowing you to isolate, for example, all five-star reviews of a specific app from users of a specific handset. It certainly sounds like a useful addition, and one you can check out for yourself, at the source link below.
Apple TV updates stream purchased TV shows to Australia, Canada and the UK
Apple TV users (the hockey puck, not the pie in the sky rumored flat panel with magic fairy dust inside and an extra unaired season of Firefly) in Canada, Australia and the UK were gifted a download today, bringing iCloud-streamed TV show purchases (which debuted back in August Stateside) out to their box. The shows had been available but only via iTunes on a computer. We haven't heard anything official from Apple yet, but the usual per-episode price structure price structure of a couple bucks per episode still applies, so while entire groups of people that use the word "holiday" to describe a vacation browse the catalog, we'll keep an eye out for any official word from Apple or word of other areas suddenly turned on. [Thanks, Ben]
FCC finds AT&T merger not in public interest, Genachowski issues order to hold trial
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski issued a draft order this morning that calls for a hearing to take the AT&T / T-Mobile merger before an Administrative Law Judge. Such a hearing, reminiscent of the one held for the attempted buyout of DirecTV by EchoStar in 2002, would be held once the Department of Justice's litigation is complete and would certainly be another blockade for AT&T to push through. According to the FCC, the Chairman's order is awaiting final approval from the Commission at a later date, and won't be made public until that time. If the order gets the green light and a hearing is held, it'll be done so like a trial -- one involving cross examination, witnesses, rules of evidence and a good 'ol fashioned two-sided duel. It's no secret that the FCC has raised concerns over the proposed merger, and pushing this order forward understandably reflects that. In fact, during a conference call with media, the FCC expressed fears that the deal would violate antitrust standards and isn't in the public interest, and the Commission cited records showing it would ultimately result in a loss of jobs, contrary to AT&T's claims. Naturally, this means there's one more hoop for the carrier to go through before it can hope to pick up T-Mobile, and it's a biggie; with the FCC and DoJ holding steadfastly against the acquisition, the GSM carrier's chances of success appear to be slimming significantly. Head past the break to see AT&T and Sprint's reactions to the news.
Dell Latitude ST tablet available for pre-order, might just arrive before Christmas
Serving as further evidence that the stylus really is back, Dell's coy enterprise slate, the Latitude ST is now available for pre-order with an estimated delivery date of November 29th and an $859 price tag. If you're too impatient to wait for Windows 8, this one's sporting Microsoft's seventh generation, weighs a hefty 816g -- nearly twice as much as the BlackBerry PlayBook -- and contains a 1.5GHz Intel Atom Z670 processor. If you like your tablets with a little extra heft and something extra to poke around with, hit the source link below. [Thanks, Jon]
Ubisoft acquires RedLynx, developer of Thousand Heroes and DrawRace 2 for iOS
Game developer Ubisoft, publishers of some of the biggest franchises on HD consoles, has picked up developer RedLynx, makers of XBLA's great Trials HD, as well as a few solid iOS titles, including Thousand Heroes and the excellent DrawRace 2. Ubisoft says it will use the purchase to both further RedLynx's properties, including Trials, to more platforms, as well as take advantage of RedLynx's asychronous online gameplay expertise to work on its own titles. Ubisoft does have quite a few iOS apps out and available at the moment, but presumably this acquisition will beef up that library. There isn't any information on how much Ubisoft paid for the purchase, but hopefully this will bring better games from both companies, as they share resources for all of the various platforms they deliver games on. [via Joystiq]
Office of Fair Trading gives thumbs up to Amazon's purchase of The Book Depository
Amazon may have faced stiff opposition to its plans to acquire British online bookseller The Book Depository, but one of those not standing in its path is the Office of Fair Trading. Over protests from the UK Booksellers Association, Publishers Association and Independent Publishers Guild, the OFT approved the purchase, saying that the acquisition would not form a de facto monopoly. While Amazon's market share is "strong" its newest purchase only holds between two- and four-percent -- hardly making it a competitor of the internet giant. The Book Depository will continue to operate as an independent entity for the foreseeable future, but our friends across the pond now have one less option if they choose not to do business with Bezos.
Developers get Google Wallet on original Nexus S, squares wiping your phone with $10
Previously the exclusive phone-swiping domain of Sprint's Nexus S 4G, it now seems possible to get the wonders of Google wallet on its decidedly 3G predecessor. However, it's not an operation for the faint-hearted. If the words Cyanogen, full wipe, flash and kernel resemble white noise, it's probably worth waiting for an official release. See how the forum members at XDA Developers got their NFC wallet fix at the link below. [Thanks, John]
Humble Indie Bundle team offers a Frozen Synapse Bundle
The Humble Indie Bundle guys are back with another pay-what-you-want bundle of games. Proceeds from your purchase may be directed to the developers or to charity, in any combination you like. This time around, they're focusing on the turn-based strategy game Frozen Synapse, offering it up to anyone who wants to pay in at any price. There is a reason to pay a little higher this time. If the price you choose is higher than the average (currently around US$4.50) will also get you the Frozenbyte bundle, featuring the great Trine, the Shadowgrounds games, a game prototype called Jack Claw, and the upcoming release Splot. That lot for less than five bucks is a great deal, even if the Humble Indie Bundle folks aren't actually providing a bundle to everyone this time around. And as you'll probably remember from the past few offerings, these guys have a habit of adding even more extras into their deals, so odds are good that those six games aren't all you'll get if you buy in now. As usual, all of the games are available through Steam and are compatible with Mac, Linux and Windows. If you need something to play this coming weekend, you won't find a better deal around.
Survey: 41% of smartphone users set to buy iPhone 5
Ad network InMobi has been asking its customers what they think of the rumored upcoming iPhone 5 (purportedly to be announced at the event in Cupertino next week), and as you might imagine, the response is overwhelmingly positive: 41% of current mobile customers in North America say that yes, they're planning to buy an iPhone 5. That's even before the phone's features or specs are officially announced, and again, that's all mobile users in the US, Mexico and Canada. 50% of those planning to buy the phone say they'll do it in the first six months. Now, as any sales exec will tell you, intent doesn't actually equal action, so there's no guarantee that these people will actually buy the phone. But demand, it's safe to say, is high. Those numbers drop off a bit if you start talking about a possible "iPhone 4GS", however. Fewer than 15% of customers say they'll go after a revised version of the iPhone, rather than an actual numbered iteration. We just don't know what Apple's planning -- there was no 5, or 4, or 4GS included in the official announcement at all. But it's clear the public is more interested in a brand new phone rather than a faster version of what we've already got. And finally, the most troubling numbers here are for the iPhone's competitors: 52% of current Blackberry users and 27% of Android users are planning to jump to an iPhone 5, and even if it's a 4GS, 28% of Blackberry users still plan to switch over. Apple's certainly got users drooling for a new iPhone -- we'll have to see what they unveil next week. [via 9to5Mac]
Engadget giveaway: win one of five Nexus S 4G phones with $1,000 Google Wallet credit!
We're pretty excited about Google Wallet, but the service is currently only available for Nexus S 4G phone owners, leaving most of you waiting for broader implementation. Well, how would you like to skip the line, getting to test it out on a Nexus S 4G of your very own? Google has supplied us with five phones to give away -- the company is even throwing in $1,000 (yes, one THOUSAND dollars) of prepaid credit to help fund those first few dozen taps. There's one catch: you'll need to use your Nexus S 4G with a Sprint plan, though the carrier is throwing in one month of demo service to get you started. Check out our in-depth preview for a detailed look at the service, and simply leave a comment after the break to be entered to win -- after checking that you meet the entry requirements, of course.
A week with Google Wallet (video)
Contactless payments have been something of a curiosity in the credit card industry. MasterCard's PayPass has been around for the better part of a decade, but merchants and banks alike seem hesitant to adopt the technology required to make the system work, and inconsistent implementation adds to the confusion -- particularly for customers. Google's new mobile phone-based Wallet service has the potential to transform the technology from its current status as a transaction turkey, to a future as a checkout champion. But will it work? We spent a week with a Wallet-enabled Nexus S 4G, using the device to pay whenever we encountered a MasterCard PayPass terminal. Unfortunately, that wasn't often enough, limiting us to just a handful of transactions in the first week. Still, with Google just beginning to roll out the service and only a limited selection of launch partners ready to go, it's impossible to deliver a complete verdict just yet. Jump past the break for an inside look at Google Wallet, including a video of the service in action, and a brief look at what the world of contactless payments may look like in the future.%Gallery-130759%
Google launches Flight Search service, Kayak shrugs it off (video)
Google's DOJ-approved acquisition of ITA has finally borne fruit, in the form of Flight Search -- a new tool that aims to streamline the chaos that is online travel booking. The Mountain View contingent unveiled the interface yesterday, with an "early look" at what appears to be a fairly straightforward service. Once you enter your starting point, destination, price range and duration, a list of results will appear in ascending order of fare and duration, below a map displaying each flight's trajectory. From there, you can filter your results by airline, number of layovers or specific departure times, before booking your itinerary on the carrier's site (Google was careful to point out that flight selection and results will not be "influenced by any paid relationships"). At the moment, the service is restricted to a select group of US cities and only features round-trip economy class flights, but Google says future updates and expansions are on the way. We're eager to see how the company dresses up this relatively bare bones platform and, perhaps more importantly, how competing travel sites react to it. Kayak, for one, responded with confident nonchalance to Flight Search, explicitly describing it as an inferior product. "We're confident in our ability to compete, and we believe our flight search technology is superior," the company said, in a statement. "We recognize Google is a formidable competitor but they haven't been successful in every vertical they've entered." Let the games begin. Demo video after the break.
IDW releasing comics for iBooks
Most of the comic books released on the iPad and iPhone have been inside of special apps (many of which are run by ComiXology, actually), but here's another option. Comic book publisher IDW is set to release some graphic novels and comic books through iBooks, meaning that you can buy them right inside Apple's official e-reader app. 20 different graphic novels are coming out in the first round, ranging from genre stuff like Star Trek and Doctor Who, to licensed titles like Dragon Age, and older stuff like Locke & Key and Bloom County. Each should cost around $6 to $10 (which is competitive, especially compared to buying the full paper editions of these books), and should be available in the iBookstore soon, if not already. I used to be a die-hard paper book reader, but lately I've seen a lot of value in iBooks, not just in terms of price, but also in the convenience of having all the books I happen to be reading stored on my iPhone. I have a feeling that ComiXology and other apps like it will probably remain the best way to pick up day-one releases of periodical comic books (at least until NewsStand comes along in iOS 5), but for library editions and collected graphic novels, iBooks could become the best and easiest way to read those.
AT&T may get a discount if T-Mobile bid concessions prove too expensive
When the DOJ blocked AT&T's deal to snatch up T-Mobile, did you think Ma Bell would end up shelling out some ridiculous sum to lock things up? Well, the opposite may be the case -- according to Bloomberg, the company can get a reduced rate if regulator's requests become too pricey. A discount of sorts would be available to AT&T if the remedy to-do list surpasses 20 percent of the deal's original $39 billion price tag (about $7.8 billion). Also of note here: the company could leave the proverbial table altogether if the concessions top the 40 percent mark, only owing a break-up penalty... and shelling out the $3 billion contingency fund to Deutsche Telekom AG.
AT&T willing to make concessions to save T-Mobile merger, sources say
Now that the US government has moved to block its merger with T-Mobile, AT&T is gearing up for a long and potentially pricey legal battle with the Department of Justice. According to Reuters, however, the provider is also working on a settlement offer, in the hopes of bypassing the courtroom altogether. Sources close to the matter say AT&T will soon present its proposal to antitrust regulators, who are concerned that the company's purchase of T-Mobile may hinder market competition. Details on the proposal remain vague, though it will likely include promises to keep T-Mobile's low-cost data and calling plans, along with pledges to sell off some of its own assets. But some insiders say the carrier may have to sell up to 25 percent of T-Mobile's business in order to put regulators' minds at ease. AT&T has yet to comment on the report, though one of Reuters' sources claims that its lawyers are "pretty determined that they can find a solution, and they are pretty confident."
Ticketmaster's interactive seat map brings Facebook stalking to concert venues
You desperately want to attend Katy Perry's raucous San Antonio concert, but your kid sister has absolutely zero interest in tagging along, and the mere thought of going stag strikes fear into your heart. All seems lost, but worry not -- because Ticketmaster and Facebook have just joined forces to create a new feature that weds concert-going with social networking. As of today, users purchasing tickets to select events can easily find out whether any of their Facebook friends are also attending and where they're seated. All you have to do is connect to Ticketmaster with your Facebook account, find your concert of choice and use the interactive venue map to tag your own seats, or to see those of online friends who've already tagged themselves. From there, you can buy tickets right next to your intended targets and act totally surprised when you bump into them at the show. For now, the feature is only available for 300 venues (encompassing some 9,000 events), but you can find more information in the video and press release after the break.
Square app update lets iOS users buy cookies on credit, sans signature
Heads up, card swipers, because Square has just issued an update to its iOS credit card app. Version 2.1 brings enhanced transaction speeds and a streamlined tipping interface to iPhone and iPad users, along with added support for $0.00 price points. Plus, any purchases below $25 will no longer require a signature, meaning you can safely buy that latte while keeping human interaction to a bare minimum. If you're interested in making the jump, hit up the source link below. [Thanks, Chris]
HTC posts record sales (again), getting itself something nice (Dashwire) to celebrate
While the top three smartphone makers (Apple, Samsung, and Nokia) garner most of the press, HTC is quietly becoming a juggernaut. IDC's number five just posted yet another month of record sales, hitting $1.56 billion -- almost twice what the company moved in July of last year. To celebrate its continued meteoric rise, the Taiwanese manufacturer has announced it plans to acquire Dashwire, the cloud services company behind the awesome brilliant Awesome Drop, for $18.5 million. The only question is, how long HTC can keep this growth up? After all, common sense says what goes up, must come down -- just ask Nokia.
