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According to new figures from Pew Internet Research, e-reader ownership is moving at a blistering pace, outpacing tablets.

E-reader ownership among U.S. adults has jumped from 6 percent to 12 percent in the last six months, while tablets are now owned by 8 percent of U.S. adults, up from 7 percent six months ago.

The leading groups of e-reader ownership are, according to RWW: "Hispanic adults, adults younger than the age of 65, parents of children below the age of 18, college graduates and households with and income of at least $75,000."

Pew's survey was for the period started November 2010 and ended May 2011.

The growth can certainly be explained by the pricing difference between a tablet and an e-reader, with most tablets priced at or around $500 and e-readers priced down as low as $114 but with an average of $140.

Apple will make it much harder to jailbreak with iOS 5, if multiple reports are accurate.

The company will update the software making it impossible to downgrade the firmware, says the iPhone Dev Team, the group behind many successful jailbreaks and unlocks.

Members of the iPhone Dev Team saw the change in a recent unlocked developer's version of iOS 5.

For current iPhones/iPod Touch, if you want to restore your device to an earlier firmware, you can use SHSH blobs which timestamp specific times and allow for third-party apps to restore the device.

In the new iOS, the group says "Apple will re-assign your phone a new SHSH blob each time your reboot your device in jailbreak mode, making saved blobs irrelevant since Apple can just reject ones that were saved."

Ryan Cleary gets to go home.

The 19 year old was arrested last week on suspicion of being involved with attacks on several websites, including the UK Serious Organized Crime Agency. Prosecutors had been opposed to bail for Cleary in a hearing at Southwark Crown Court in London.

He now gets to go home but under certain conditions. He is electronically tagged, has to observe a curfew and cannot leave his home without his mother Rita. His PlayStation 3 (PS3) console, iPhone and computers were reportedly confiscated by police, and he is prohibited from using any device with Internet capabilities.

Cleary spent the past week undergoing interrogation from UK police and FBI agents, who had cooperated in the investigation that led to his arrest.

"Ryan Cleary is very relieved to be granted bail and to be home to his mum, his cats and his books. He has cooperated with police and will continue to do so. Ryan has last week been diagnosed with Aspergers... He will now be provided with the professional support he needs. His obvious intelligence can now be channelled into a worthwhile pursuit," Cleary's lawyer said outside the court.

Facebook jumps to #2, Microsoft pushed to third place.

Traffic to social networking site Facebook overtook that of Microsoft websites in the UK for the first time last month. According to UKOM/Nielsen, the boost in traffic for Facebook and similar services is coming from people aged over 50.

Facebook attracted 26.8 million visitors to the website in May, a rise of 7 percent compared to last year. Microsoft websites lagged behind at 26.2 million visitors. Google still ruled the UK with 33.9 million visitors during the month.

"The growth in audiences to these social networks is now primarily being driven by the 50-plus age group. Just a few years ago, this group may have found itself out of place on these sites," UKOM general manager James Smythe said.

Twitter saw a jump in visitors of about 33 percent, to 6.1 million in the month, reportedly helped along by the revelations about Ryan Giggs' private life that took off on Twitter. LinkedIn registered 3.6 million visitors in May, a rise of 57 percent from as year earlier.

Security official confirms Kuwait pair will be put on trial.

The role that has been played by social media in the middle east in recent protests and uprisings has been well documented. It highlighted how powerful such Internet services can be in countries where free speech is stifled by the ruling powers.

However, taking to Twitter or Facebook does come with risk. On Monday, a Kuwait security official said that two Twitter users, Nasser Abul and Lawrence al-Rashidi will be tried for using the micro-blogging website to post comments critical of rulers in the region.

Abul, a Kuwaiti Shi'ite Muslim, was arrested for posting tweets critical of the Sunni ruling families in Bahrain, while al-Rashidi was arrested for posting tweets critical of Kuwait's emir. In a couple of weeks time, the pair will face charges of harming the Gulf State's interests and defaming the country's rule.

Bahrain's leaders crushed a protest movement of mostly Shi'ite Muslims in March, aided by forces from Sunni-led states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Prince, the influential musician, has said today that he will not release any new music until piracy is less of a factor.

The artist says he has "tons" of unreleased tracks but refuses to release them while piracy is still a major issue.

Says Prince (via CBS):

We made money [online] before piracy was real crazy. Nobody's making money now except phone companies, Apple and Google...It's like the gold rush out there. Or a carjacking. There's no boundaries.

Prince is known for his sometimes insane critical statements about the Internet and piracy, going as far as to call the Web "outdated" and "unhip" last year. The artist even took down a popular video from YouTube in which a toddler lip syncs one of his tracks just because his song played in the background and no one paid any royalties.

The artist even added that he was headed to the White House to talk about copyright protection.

The company's stock sure seems to believe it.

ZDnet is reporting that Microsoft may be pushing up its Windows 8 timetable, with an RTM for April 2012, at least a few months earlier than anticipated.

The original plan was for Microsoft to RTM Windows 8 in the early Q3 2012, after betas and RCs. Additionally, Windows 8 for x86, Windows 8 for ARM and Windows 8 Server were also supposed to see similar release dates.

Citing trusted sources, it appears that Microsoft is making a lot of headway and can actually have all versions ready by April 2012.

A full beta will be released in September, in time for the Build conference, with a final RC available for testing in January.

Microsoft's Windows 8 will be optimized for tablets and touch interfaces and include built-in integration with Skype, Zune, Xbox Live and other Microsoft assets.

Capcom has taken a stab at killing the used game market this week with the release of Resident Evil: Mercenaries 3D for the Nintendo 3DS.

The manual for the game specifically states that "saved data on this software cannot be reset," meaning once the game has been finished, the save file cannot be reset to play again from scratch.

It appears that some retailers in Japan will only buy the game back for $6 (it sells brand new MSRP at $40) given Capcom's move.

Time will tell if the anti-consumer ploy will pay off in sales.

According to local reports from China, Baidu is secretly creating "Qiushi," a smartphone OS based off Android.

Baidu is China's largest search engine and has often been called the "Google of China," so using Google's Android as a basis for a new OS is ironic.

The rumor is the OS will be completed by the end of the year.

Baidu somewhat dismissed the report by saying Qiushi is a "mobile ad product" that is under development but would not elaborate.

There are two very popular Android-based OS in China currently, DianxinOS and MIUI but there is certainly room for a new entry.

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has issued a statement about today's U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike a California law banning the sale of violent video games to minors.

The case, which went on for six years since it was signed into law by Arnold Schwarzenegger, came to a close today when the highest court in the land sided with the decision of two lower courts. Video games can now be considered as protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States constitution.

Michael D. Gallagher, President and Chief Executive, Entertainment Software Association.

"This is a historic and complete win for the First Amendment and the creative freedom of artists and storytellers everywhere. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what we have always known – that free speech protections apply every bit as much to video games as they do to other forms of creative expression like books, movies and music. The Court declared forcefully that content-based restrictions on games are unconstitutional; and that parents, not government bureaucrats, have the right to decide what is appropriate for their children.

We are very gratified that our arguments – and those of over 180 other groups and individuals from across the ideological spectrum – were heard in this case. The Court has now definitively held that legislative attempts to restrict video game content will be struck down. It is time for elected officials to stop wasting time and public funds seeking unconstitutional restrictions on video games. Instead, we invite them to join with us to raise awareness and use of the highly effective tools that already exist to help that parents choose games suitable for their children."

Read the main article: Supreme Court halts California violent games law

According to BGR, who leaked details of an upcoming Nexus device last month, the phone may be called "Nexus Prime" and be manufactured by Samsung.

The smartphone will be the first to run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, which should mix the best aspects of Android 2.3 Gingerbread, Android 3.0 Honeycomb and Google TV.

For specs, the device will feature a 1.5GHz dual-core processor (either an OMAP 4460 or brand new 28nm Snapdragon) and have a SuperAMOLED display, a hallmark of Samsung phones.

Furthermore, the device will be the first to move completely to softkeys, removing all physical menu/home/back buttons.

Adding to the "magic" of the new phone is an LTE radio, 1GB RAM, 1080p HD video support and capture, a 1MP front-side camera and a 5MP standard camera with an "advanced 5-megapixel sensor delivering class-leading image quality in addition to superior low-light performance."

Apple to cut ties with competitor?

Samsung made the A4 ARM system on a chip (SoC) that powered the iPhone 4 and first iPad for Apple, and also has gone on to produce the A5 processors. Now, reports suggest that Apple will drop Samsung for the production of the custom A6 SoC in 2012, favoring a partnership with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.

Recent media reports (EETimes) suggested that Apple was working with TSMC on the possibility of fabricating the A6 SoC using 28 nanometer process technology. TSMC is currently prodicing mobile processors for other manufacturers on a 40 nanometer process.

Samsung is currently producing the A5 on a 45 nanometer process, and so moving to TSMC could provide Apple with a competitive advantage over competitors in its next generation mobile products.

Additionally, Apple has recently swung its legal fists at Samsung over what it calls the "cloning" of its products. Its latest action against Samsung is a lawsuit filed in South Korea, Samsung's home turf, for alleged patent infringement, but Samsung has also sued Apple for the same reason. Talks between high executives at both firms are reportedly ongoing.

Supreme Court sides with rulings of District Court and Appeals Court. Video games are protected speech under the First Amendment to the Unites States Constitution.

In a case that stretches back almost six years (See: Schwarzenegger signs video games restrictions), California state law that bans the sale or rental of "violent video games" to minors, and affixes age rating labels (separate from those already affixed by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board) have been dealt a final fatal blow by the United States Supreme Court.

In a 7-2 decision, the court upheld rulings of a Federal District Court (see: Link) and subsequent ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, that found the law to conflict with the First Amendment to the United States constitution. The ruling represents the first time the Supreme Court has weighed in on the protection of content in video games.

The legislation was authored by California State Senator, Leland Yee (though he was part of the State Assembly at the time before being elected to his current position in 2006), who gained a Ph.D in Child Psychology from the University of Hawaii. The legislation was signed into law by then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, on October 7, 2005.

Hulu has reached a tentative deal to renew its rights with Disney, says sources speaking to Bloomberg.

Disney is a co-owner of Hulu, alongside News Corp and NBC.

News Corp. recently signed a new agreement with Hulu and Disney's is expected to be almost identical.

Recently, it came to light that there are potential bidders for the site, including Yahoo, and that the Board of Directors may be willing to sell the company. By having its main components re-signed, Hulu is more attractive to any buyer.

At the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC) earlier this week, Intel committed to delivering a complete technological solution for ExaScale computing performance later in the decade.

The world's fastest supercomputer is the K Computer in Japan, built by Fujitsu, delivering over 8 PetaFLOP/s performance. It consumes almost 10 Megawatts of power and costs about $10 million a year just to operate. When the incomplete system is fully constructed, it will reach 10 PFLOP/s performance.

To get to ExaScale computing, we need to increase this performance by over 100 times. Clearly, that brings up some serious technological problems such as the energy consumption requirements. To put it bluntly, today's computing technology will not be able to deliver an ExaScale system with realistic costs.

High-performance Computing (HPC) has never been more in demand as it is applied to more and more problems in the real world. ExaScale computing can deliver on goals in areas such as Healthcare, Climate and Weather Research and Energy technology.

Why ExaScale? And How?