Seagate buys Samsung division April 19, 2011 US firm Seagate has bought Samsung’s hard disk unit for $1.4bn (£860m). The acquisition of the loss-making hard disk drive (HDD) business pits it head-to-head with Western Digital Corp in an industry that has been dogged by price wars. The sector is battling persistent sales growth declines and faces a longer-term threat from wireless tablet [...]
Apple sues Samsung over “slavishly” copying iPhone April 19, 2011 Apple Inc has sued Samsung Electronics claiming the South Korean firm’s Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablets “slavishly” copies the iPhone and iPad, according to court papers, a move analysts say is aimed at keeping its close rivals at bay. Apple is one participant in a web of litigation among phone makers and software [...]
Samsung sued by Apple over phones April 18, 2011 APPLE has sued rival Samsung Electronics claiming that Samsung’s Galaxy line of mobile phones and tablet “slavishly” copies the iPhone and iPad, according to court papers. Galaxy products use Google’s Android operating system, the lawsuit says, which directly competes with Apple’s mobile software. However, Apple’s claims against Samsung focus on Galaxy’s design features, such as [...]
WHITE IPHONE COULD BE ON SALE IN WEEKS April 14, 2011 APPLE is set to launch its much-delayed white iPhone 4, pictured above with Apple boss Steve Jobs, in two weeks time, according to reports, which say the phone could be available on US networks by the end of the month. The launch was delayed last June, when Apple said: “White models of Apple’s new iPhone [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING April 12, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES CITY INVESTOR CHIEFS BACK BANKING REVAMP City fund managers have broadly welcomed the reform drive sweeping Britain’s banking sector, in spite of vocal criticism from some institutions. “There is a largely silent majority of investors who believe that structural reform and tougher capital requirements are a good idea,” said James Alexander, head of [...]
TRAVEL NOTES April 10, 2011 HOLIDAY IN THE SKIES It’s the only place on earth left – aside from subway trains (and not for long there) – that people are cut off from phones and internet. No wonder, then, that a recent survey from Delta finds that European business travelers see the aeroplane as a blissful escape rather than getting [...]
Gadgets for globetrotters April 6, 2011 APPLE IPAD 2 Thinner, lighter, faster and cooler still than its predecessor (and this time with a camera too), the new generation iPad is already inspiring tech-envy in airport executive lounges everywhere. Keep that seat-back telly switched off on a long-haul flight, and sit back with this instead. From £399. www.apple.com/uk NOKIA BOOKLET 3G Light [...]
Low volumes see Wall St tread water April 5, 2011 THE S&P 500 failed to break a key technical resistance level for a second day yesterday as low trading volume raised further questions about the market’s strength. The broader market index closed slightly below 1,333, a closely watched level as it represents double the low reached in March 2009. Trading volume was relatively low with [...]
Telecom deals continue with Vodafone exit April 4, 2011 Vodafone’s exit from France’s SFR marks another step in the revamp of its portfolio and reflects how Europe’s telecom giants are ditching weaker assets to achieve scale elsewhere ahead of a wave of big investments. The long-awaited €7.95bn (£7bn) sale of Vodafone’s 44 per cent stake in SFR to Vivendi comes two weeks after Deutsche [...]
Why a £4bn share buyback is uninspiring April 4, 2011 IF Steve Jobs were to announce plans to return Apple’s £50bn cash pile in a share buyback tomorrow, there would be an almighty outcry among some investors. If, as many believe, Apple has the Midas touch then shareholders would be better served by more investment and acquisitions. It all boils down to one question: who [...]