Business

A new report indicates that Apple's next iPhone could be scratch-proof and resistant to damage inflicted from drops and other heavy-handed physical abuse. The damage-resistant technology is said to be exclusively licensed to Apple for use in ... consumer electronics, but so far the company hasn't used it widely. The material is known by the brand name 'Liquidmetal'. It's the result of pioneering work by researchers at the California Institute of Technology. (Source: liquidmetal.com ) Liquidmetal: Similar To Both Glass and Plastic Liquidmetal is a blend of several different metals thought to ... (view more)

A new service from Google reportedly will offer users 5 gigabytes (GB) of online storage at no cost. Called 'Google Drive,' it appears the service will launch within the next few days. Google Drive is a 'cloud storage service,' which is a short-hand ... description for the capability of saving information online and accessing it again from any Internet-connected computer. Such online storage capability can provide a valuable backup option, particularly when you consider that most computer systems will experience a hard drive crash or have their device stolen at some point. Without some form of ... (view more)

Microsoft has now revealed that most buyers will choose between just two versions of Windows 8. It's a big change from earlier Windows launches, in which choosing the right version could be a daunting and confusing experience. One version of Windows ... 8, known as simply 'Windows 8', is aimed at consumers and small businesses. The more expensive and expansive option will be called 'Windows 8 Pro'. As with previous "premium" or "business" editions of Windows, it will include features that are most useful in a corporate setting. These additional features include extra network controls, a remote ... (view more)

Google has been ordered to pay a $25,000 fine for impeding a government investigation into claims the search giant inadvertently snooped on home wireless networks. However, it looks as though the company will escape serious sanctions for the act. ... The case resulted from Google's "Street View" project, which is now a part of its Google Maps tool. The project involved sending modified vehicles along nearly all public streets, using roof-mounted cameras to take a continuous stream of pictures. At the same time, the vehicles also scanned for local wireless networks. Google intended to ... (view more)

A leaked Microsoft production schedule, or "roadmap", has revealed to the public some approximate release dates for a number of the company's most anticipated new products. The roadmap appears to have been published late last year, and lays out when ... consumers can expect to see updated versions of Office, Internet Explorer, and Windows Phone software released. According to reports, the roadmap was leaked earlier this week through Microsoft's own publicly accessible Microsoft Partner Network. MeeTroo chief executive officer Maarten Visser is reported to have sent it out via Twitter, although it ... (view more)

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and fifteen U.S. states are suing Apple and some major book publishers for colluding to keep electronic book prices higher than they should be. According to a report, the alleged conspiracy cost ... consumers more than $100 million during the past two years. According to the DOJ, Apple worked with several major publishers, including Penguin, Simon ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced it will finally stop supporting Windows XP in April of 2014. The decision leaves users of that operating system (OS) out in the cold, without security updates or support of any kind from the software giant. The company had ... already begun phasing out support for the original versions of XP and currently offers support only for copies containing the final batch of updates for the software, Service Pack 3 (SP3). Even Windows XP with SP3 has already reached the "extended support" phase. As a result, Microsoft issues free security updates, but offers tech support on a paid ... (view more)

An engineer who left his job at Intel has now admitted to stealing design documents worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Bishwamohan Pani, 36, a worker at the company's chip manufacturing facility in Hudson, Massachusetts until 2008, will be ... sentenced on five counts of fraud. Pani had been working on Intel's line of Itanium processors, which were designed for use in extremely powerful computers and the servers used in corporate networks. Although much-hyped, the processors didn't catch on in the market and were generally considered something of a disappointment. Vacation Time Perfect for ... (view more)

Microsoft has announced it will issue six security updates next Tuesday. Together, the updates will patch 11 different bugs affecting Windows, Internet Explorer, Office, and other Microsoft programs. It's worth noting that Microsoft has ranked four ... of the 11 fixes "critical," the software giant's highest security warning. "Critical" Bulletin 4 Fixes Office, and More The security update currently receiving the most attention is Bulletin 4. It is designed to repair a serious security vulnerability in a number of different Microsoft programs. The list of software due for ... (view more)

For those who despise the morning automobile commute, take heart: Google has been developing a self-driving car that can let you kick back and relax while your vehicle takes care of getting you safely and quickly to your destination. In a recent ... video posted to the web, Google shows its self-driving car carrying a legally blind man around the block. And it works. Google's program to develop such a car has been going on for several years. Now, the company has unveiled an iteration of its self-driving car that is capturing the imagination of technology fans around the world. Self-Driving Car ... (view more)