Latest news

Forbes has reported today that Dell is planning a 10-inch Android tablet for release this summer.

Dell had planned a 10-inch Windows tablet, but that seems to be delayed until at least the fall.

The Android device could be available as soon as June.

Dell showed off a "dummy prototype" at CES in January and did not reveal any specs.

When it launches the unnamed Dell tablet will have to compete with the Motorola Xoom, the Samsung Galaxy 10.1, the Apple iPad 2 and the RIM PlayBook, among others.

Netflix and Lionsgate have signed an exclusive syndication deal for the first four seasons of blockbuster hit "Mad Men," with the series being available for instant streaming starting July 27th.

All future seasons will be added after they conclude airing on AMC.

Liongate has said there will be 7 total seasons of Mad Men.

The deal is said to have cost Netflix about $1 million per episode for a total of $91 million for the 7 season deal.

Netflix is in a mad dash to add streaming content to its extremely popular 'Watch Instantly' service, adding CBS and Fox content and its own original programming over the last two months.

The Dish Network has secured the winning bid in the race to buy up Blockbuster's assets, paying about $228 million after "certain adjustments" are made for available cash and inventory. The winning bid was actually $320 million.

Both companies expect the deal to close in the Q2.

Says Tom Cullen, executive vice president of Sales, Marketing and Programming for DISH Network:

With its more than 1,700 store locations, a highly recognizable brand and multiple methods of delivery, Blockbuster will complement our existing video offerings while presenting cross-marketing and service extension opportunities for DISH Network. While Blockbuster's business faces significant challenges, we look forward to working with its employees to re-establish Blockbuster's brand as a leader in video entertainment.

It is unclear what Dish will do with the remaining retail locations, but most expect it to shut down most of the stores and focus on the successful Blockbuster Express kiosks.

The company will also likely ramp up the video streaming service available on mobile devices and make it available alongside Dish subscriptions.

According to Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette, Motorola Atrix and Xoom sales "have been disappointing."

While shipments remain decent, sell-through of the devices are very low, with the Atrix sales specifically being "well below forecast."

The analyst says the Atrix has been hurt by the cheap prices of the Apple 3GS ($49) and the HTC Inspire ($99). The Atrix, on the other hand, sells for $200 with contract.

Downgrading the company's revenue forecast from $13.7 billion to $12.2 billion, Faucette also warned investors that the company will need to "quickly adjust and refresh its product portfolio" if it wishes to remain relevant.

Neither Motorola nor market leader Apple have revealed the sales figures on their latest tablets, yet.

In a move that should bring substantial more money to author JK Rowling, the blockbuster 'Harry Potter' book series is expected to go digital for the first time ever, 14 years after the 1997 release of 'The Sorcerer's Stone.'

All seven of the books will soon become available via the iPad and the Kindle e-reader, and should net Rowling £100 million.

Scotsman cites Rowling's agent as confirming the imminent deal.

Rowling has an estimated fortune nearing $1 billion USD, following the record sales of the books, the films, the DVD/Blu-rays and other merchandise.

One editor added:

Experts believe that move could revolutionize the world of electronic publishing, triggering rocket sales of e-book readers such as Kindle and the iPad.

Despite a report from a Korean site claiming that the iPhone 5 is indeed coming in June, Jim Dalrymple of The Loop adamantly refuted that claim today.

The Korean report cited manufacturers and even claimed that Apple confirmed the news.

If true, the news would be significant as Apple has released a new iPhone at every annual Worldwide Developers Conference since the smartphone's launch in 2007.

Instead, the company will focus on software this June, iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, while saving the hardware for a later date.

The most likely date is in September, when Apple normally launches refreshes its iPod line.

Sprint Nextel says it will start its "Tap-and-Go" mobile payment system in 2011, front-running similar initiatives from Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile US.

The technology will use NFC, which will allow payments to be made via a tap or wave of your smartphone in front of electronic scanners in stores.

"Isis," the rival joint venture from the other carriers will likely not go live until 2012.

Says Sprint:

We intend to make this an open solution where consumers can use their phone in a variety of physical locations.Because we’re allowing other brands and other institutions to participate, they can also tell their consumers that this is available on Sprint.

Differentiating itself from Isis, which will take a percentage on each transaction, Sprint will use a revenue share from sales of coupons and ads sent to customer's handsets.

The biggest problem with NFC so far is lack of merchant acceptance. There are only 150,000 locations with NFC readers while there are 6 million locations with traditional credit card support.

NFC-enabled phones will grow to 70 million shipped in 2012, says ABI Research.

Winrumors has reported today that Microsoft appears to be on the verge of launching Silverlight for the Xbox 360.

The software giant will announce the plans at next week's MIX11 conference, and the sources claim the technology has been in the works for months.

Last November, Microsoft confirmed it was planning on bringing the tech to the console, but a Silverlight 5 preview day in December notably held back all details of the Xbox integrations.

If accurate, the company is also expected to open its own app Marketplace that will let Windows Phone 7 developers port their apps to the big screen.

Altogether, Silverlight will tie together the Xbox 360, Windows Phone 7 and the upcoming Windows 8 through a new "Jupiter" application model using AppX packages. Windows 8 will come with the app store pre-installed.

The MPAA has surprised no one today by filing a copyright infringement suit against streaming site Zediva, claiming the site does not have proper licenses from the studios.

Zediva launched in January and has become very popular because it streams new releases (like Black Swan, The Social Network, more) and does not have delay windows like Netflix and Redbox do for physical discs.

The company "rents" users a DVD player and DVD and allows them to control it via online streaming.

What has helped the company become so popular is the prices of the movies. You can buy 10 streams for $10.

Zediva has claimed it does not need licenses because it is just "like" a brick-and-mortar rental company. When a customer rents a DVD, it takes it out of circulation, and does not create any digital copies.

The MPAA does not agree:

Comparing itself to a rental store is disingenuous, and Defendants are attempting to rely on technical gimmicks in an effort to avoid complying with U.S. Copyright Law. Defendants operate an online VOD service, not a neighborhood rental store.

The hacking group 'Anonymous' has turned its collective eye on Sony, posting a picture on the AnonOps site.

Anonymous is certainly not happy with the way Sony has treated Geohot and others who have jailbroken their PS3 to run homebrew.

The group started in 2003 via 4chan and recently became a household name after they launched DDoS attacks on MasterCard, Visa, PayPal and Amazon after the companies cut off donations and server space to WikiLeaks following the release of diplomatic cables.

Reads the poster:

AT&T has confirmed today that it will be increasing its smartphone early upgrade by $50, the second time it has done so in the last 6 months.

If you somehow have a one-year contract through the carrier, the early upgrade fee is now $150 higher. The fees are only in effect if you try to upgrade to a smartphone before your contract is up.

Says the carrier (via BGR):

We've updated our early upgrade and no commitment price points for smartphones and feature phones. Only customers who are not yet upgrade eligible or who do not want to sign a contract are impacted. As mobile devices become more sophisticated, their cost goes up. This change reflects the increased costs, while still allowing us to offer customers the latest device before they qualify. We're happy to discuss individual account and upgrade needs one-on-one with customers.

Furthermore, other unconfirmed reports have AT&T raising the early upgrader fee on feature phones by $20.

Nortel has said today it will sell of its remaining 6000 patents and applications to Google for $900 million unless a rival bidder takes a shot.

That patents cover communications tech, including digital, wireless and wired.

Says Google:

One of a company’s best defenses against this kind of litigation is (ironically) to have a formidable patent portfolio, as this helps maintain your freedom to develop new products and services. Google is a relatively young company, and although we have a growing number of patents, many of our competitors have larger portfolios given their longer histories.

Google will receive patents for wireless, 4G, data networking, optical, voice, and semiconductors, says ZD.

Nortel has been selling off assets since going bankrupt in 2009.

Once trading as high as $600 a share in the tech bubble of the late 90s, Nortel shares now trade for 3 cents.

Epsilon Data Management, one of the largest online mail service companies in the U.S., confirmed reports that millions of names and email addresses were stolen after hackers broke into their system.

Emails and names were stolen for firms including Chase, Best Buy, Target, HSN, Capital One, TiVo and Walgreen among 50 companies.

I have attached the email I received from Chase this morning.

In all, the company provides online mail services to 2,500 companies.

Says one security analyst (via LAT):

These are examples of why those people who provide services to thousands of other companies have to be way more secure than the individual companies themselves.

Each of the companies affected has sent out warning letters to customers telling them to prepare for an increase in phishing emails, aimed at stealing credit card details, passwords or addresses.

While the attack will affect millions, Epsilon spokeswoman Jessica Simon says no sensitive information was stolen.

TF has posted a picture today that shows a Saudi airline running a pirated Blu-ray copy of the movie "Killers" as its in-flight film.

The copy shows up as "Killers 2010 BDRiP AC3 XViD-ILOVE," clearly meaning the airline decided to roll with a pirated copy over the official content given by the studios.

It is likely the company has the license to play the film, but believed pirating the film was easier (no DRM), or just better quality.

There was no comment from the airline or the studio behind Killers.

A Chicago public school teacher now faces disciplinary action after she posted a picture of a student and led the way in mocking the girl's hair while others commented.

Copying something she had seen in a magazine, the 7-year-old girl asked her mother to tie Jolly Rancher candies to the end of her braids, adding some color. The student then came in for picture day.

Other teachers complimented the look so she was comfortable when the computer teacher in question asked to take a camera phone picture.

On Facebook, the teacher posted the picture and posted comments like "And y’all thought I was joking!," "This is for picture day too! SMDH," and "Yeah, this is foolishness at its best."

Lucinda Williams, the mother of the student said she was shown the page by a friend who was also "friends" with the teacher on Facebook. After Williams complained to the principal, the teacher apologized and removed the picture.

Regardless, the Chicago Public School says:

The (Overton Elementary School) principal said this was a good teacher but this was a case of poor judgment. It will warrant disciplinary action.