Google Fined $US22.5 Million For Apple Privacy Breach

That behemoth that is Google has been fined $US22.5 million for violating the privacy of millions of Apple Safari browser users. Last October Google signed an agreement that included a pledge not to mislead consumers about privacy practices, oops.

In fining the behemoth the FTC - US Federal Trade Commission - said that Google had broken an agreement made with the commission in October 2011, Google had agreed not to place tracking cookies on or deliver targeted ads to Apple Safari users, but then went ahead and did so. The fine is the biggest imposed by the FTC against a company for violating a previous agreement with the Commission.

In a statemnet the FTC said that Google has agreed to pay the record $22.5 million civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges.

“The record setting penalty in this matter sends a clear message to all companies under an FTC privacy order,” said Jon Leibowitz, Chairman of the FTC. “No matter how big or small, all companies must abide by FTC orders against them and keep their privacy promises to consumers, or they will end up paying many times what it would have cost to comply in the first place.” :: Read the full article »»»»

Apple Settles iPad Trademark Dispute For $US60 Million

Technology behemoth Apple has agreed to pay Chinese company Proview nearly $US60 million to settle a dispute over ownership of the iPad trademark. Apple insists it bought the the global rights to the iPad name from Proview Technology in 2009. However, a Chinese court ruled last year that Proview still owned the name in China.

The High Court in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong now says the government body overseeing trademarks has been asked to immediately recognise Apple’s rights to the iPad name.

“This means that the dispute between Apple and Shenzhen Proview over the rights to the iPad brand is resolved in a satisfactory manner,” the court said in a statement.

Proview’s Taiwanese affiliate registered ‘iPad’ as a trademark in several countries including China as early as 2000, years before Apple began selling its hugely successful tablet computer.

Apple subsequently bought the rights for the global trademark, including from the Taiwanese affiliate, but Proview said the deal did not include the rights for mainland China, and sued after the iPad was launched :: Read the full article »»»»

CHINA: Teen Sells Kidney For iPhone

Five people in the southern China province of Hunan have been arrested and charged with intentional injury in the case of a teenager who sold a kidney so he could buy an iPhone and an iPad.

The five included a surgeon, who removed a kidney from the 17-year-old boy in April last year.

The boy, identified only by his surname Wang, now suffers from renal deficiency, the government-run Xinhua News Agency quoted prosecutors in Chenzhou city, Hunan province as saying.

According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, one of the defendants received about 220,000 yuan, $US35,00 to arrange the transplant.

He paid Wang 22,000 yuan and split the rest with the surgeon, the three other defendants and other medical staff.

The report did not say who received and paid for the kidney :: Read the full article »»»»

BlackBerry-RIM Concedes Defeat

Research In Motion - maker of BlackBerry - has suggested it will exit many consumer markets to focus on its business customers as the company swings to a loss. New chief executive Thorsten Heins said via a conference call with market analysts that the company planned to “refocus on the enterprise business” and would not rule out a sale of the company, saying he would be open to hearing purchase offers.

RIM is losing the battle on the consumer front, the dominance of Apple’s iPhones and iPads as well as an onslaught of competitively priced Android and now Windows  powered devices onto the smartphone market has left RIM clearly on in the outer.

“We plan to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalise on our leading position in this segment,” Mr Heins said. ”We believe that BlackBerry cannot succeed if we tried to be everybody’s darling and all things to all people. Therefore, we plan to build on our strength to go after targeted consumer segments.” Read the full article »»»»

AUSTRALIA: Apple Offers iPAD Refunds 4G Non Compatibility

Our favourite tech behemoth Apple is once again in an übergadget pickle.  The beheomoth has been forced to offer a refund to people who bought its new iPAD, which it admits is not compatible with Australia’s Telstra 4G network. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission – ACCC – has taken legal action against Apple for what it claims are misleading statements over its new iPad.

Lawyers for the ACCC have accused Apple of breaching consumer law by promoting the device as being able to connect to high-speed 4G mobile networks using a sim card. The Federal Court heard Apple ignored warnings from the ACCC and was told the day before the iPad’s launch that it was misleading consumers.

ABC.net court correspondent Sarah Farnsworth reported that Apple’s lawyers argued it was never specified the iPad could connect to Telstra’s network, but told the court the device is compatible with other networks that by international standards are deemed 4G. Apple has agreed to publish a clarification that states the product supports ultra-fast mobile networks but is not compatible with the Telstra network.

Apple says it will email purchasers offering a refund if they believe they have been misled. Clarifications will also be made at point of sale. Apple has entered into discussions with the watchdog and will return to the Melbourne Federal Court this afternoon. The latest case is not the first time Apple’s technology has landed in Australia’s courts.

APPLE vs SAMSUNG: Apple is locked in a legal battle with rival Samsung over tablet patents, part of a wider global tussle over supremacy of the $100 billion market.

source: accc

source: abc.net