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Although sales of Samsung’s Galaxy S4 got off to a blisteringly fast start, many reports have suggested that sales of the device have started to noticeably slow in recent weeks. And now Digitimes‘ supply chain sources claim that Samsung has started cutting back component orders for the Galaxy S4 due to “a slowdown in demand” for the device. This doesn’t mean the Galaxy S4 is selling poorly, of course, since Samsung is still ordering enough parts to sell up to 45 million units of its flagship phone over the next two quarters. But as more of the action moves away from high-end devices such as the Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 5 and toward more low-cost devices in emerging markets,

The United States Patent and Trademark Office plans to issue a reexamination certificate confirming four of Apple’s claims regarding its rubber-band patent, according to FOSS Patents. The patent is one of Apple’s most famous technologies and relates to the bouncing effect in iOS when a user reaches the end of a page while scrolling. One of the claims validated by the USPTO, claim 19, was successfully used by Apple in its $1 billion victory over Samsung. The South Korea-based smartphone maker had previously attempted to invalidate the patent, however it failed to convince the patent office to uphold the ruling. The USPTO’s recent decision has been called a “huge win” for Apple.

NEW YORK (AP) — There's little wonder why George Orwell's novel "1984" is seeing a resurgence in sales.

By Bill Rigby SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp said it would open 500 special stores within existing Best Buy Co Inc stores in the United States selling exclusively Windows-based tablets and computers and other Microsoft products in an effort to revitalize sales of its flagship operating system. The world's largest software company, which already has a chain of 70 or so of its own Microsoft Stores and kiosks within shopping malls, said on Thursday the initiative would add more than 1,200 Best Buy Microsoft-trained sales associates to help customers. ...

Apple may want to ditch Samsung, but it’s had a tough time so far finding another component supplier that’s capable of delivering the consistent quality and scale that it needs for its hugely popular mobile devices. Because of this, Korea’s ETNews reports, Apple will likely turn to Samsung to supply LCD displays for its upcoming Retina-equipped iPad mini that’s slated to launch by the end of the year. This is particularly interesting because we heard rumors last year that Apple’s feud with Samsung was one of the major reasons why it faced shortages for its first-generation iPad mini, which manufacturers reportedly had trouble mass producing at first because its thinner side bezels made it trickier to manufacture than traditional iPads.

Most hashtags are trash. #Litterati's trying to clean them up.

By Clare Jim, Reiji Murai and Poornima Gupta (Reuters) - Apple Inc is exploring launching iPhones with bigger screens, as well as cheaper models in a range of colors, over the next year, said four people with knowledge of the matter, as it takes a cue from rival Samsung Electronics. The moves, which are still under discussion, underscore how the California-based firm that once ruled the smartphone market is increasingly under threat from its aggressive South Korean competitor. ...

NEW YORK (AP) — ESPN's decision to shut down its 3-D channel by the end of the year is the latest sign the format won't revolutionize entertainment as the industry once hoped.

Much as he dismissed the significance of the iPhone when it first released, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer also dismissed Google’s free-to-use Android platform when it launched because Google wasn’t charging any money for OEMs to use it. In the five years since launching Android, however, it’s clear that making money from the direct sales of Android devices was never part of Google’s plan. To understand why this is, take a look at eMarketer’s new report on mobile advertising showing that Google took home $4.61 billion in mobile advertising revenues in 2012, or more than half of all mobile advertising revenues in the world. To get a sense of how dominating this is, consider that no other company made even $1 billion in

LONDON (AP) — An influential committee of British lawmakers accused search company Google of dodging its taxes on Thursday in a scathing report that said the U.S. Internet company took on highly contrived arrangements serving no purpose other than to avoid paying its fair share.

A Hulu sale is imminent and DirecTV is the likely victor, according to multiple unnamed sources speaking to Pando Daily. This would be possibly the best case scenario for a strong Hulu move towards original content creation. DirecTV is a behemoth with 20 million subscribers and annual revenue of roughly $20 billion. It could easily afford to launch an aggressive slate of Netflix-type original programming, even if hiring marquee names would push the cost of a limited series to $100 million a pop. The premium streaming service Hulu Plu has just 4 million subscribers, so if DirecTV wants to use it as a weapon to challenge Netflix, it needs to make bold moves and execute rapidly. Netflix has racked up 29 million streaming video customers and it is now swelling

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that companies cannot patent parts of naturally-occurring human genes, a decision with the potential to profoundly affect the emerging and lucrative medical and biotechnology industries.

The new App Annie-IDC report on portable gaming is out and one graph stands out in particular: According to the report, microtransactions have grown to 51% of total portable game revenue from 40% in just one year. This means that in-app purchases now generate ten times the sales that game advertising does and notably more than pre-paid games across both smartphones and consoles such as the Nintendo 3DS and the PS Vita. The biggest money-maker in the entire portable gaming universe now consists of buying extra characters in Clash of Clans or new card decks in Rage of Bahamut. The speed at which the share of microtransactions is growing is fairly stunning. Within two years, in-app purchases could hit 65%

When you walk into your local Best Buy store you will usually find a miniature Apple Store and a Samsung experience section, and soon you can expect to see a Windows store as well. Microsoft on Thursday announced that it has partnered with the retailer to create a store-within-a-store at 500 Best Buy locations in the United States and 100 locations in Canada. The stores will range in size from 1,500 square feet to 2,200 square feet, and will give consumers a chance to try a variety of Microsoft and Windows products, including tablets, PCs, phones, software and gaming systems. Each store will also contain a standalone section dedicated entirely to Microsoft’s Surface tablet. “The Windows Store offers a large-scale, hands-on

Apple, king of gadget design, teased its fans with a new round Mac Pro that — uh oh! — some think looks like a garbage can. Much like a little bathroom trash can it's black and round and its indented top even looks like a lid. At The Daily Beast, Sam Schlinkert noted that just 34 percent of their readers were fans of the new design and added, "which we think looks like a bathroom trash can." That might sound kind of ridiculous, considering the brilliant design minds over at Apple. ...

A new report suggests that Apple’s rumored low-cost iPhone is nearing launch. According to a report from the China Times, several of Apple’s suppliers have begun shipping out parts for the low-cost smartphone. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is said to be supplying Apple with 28-nanometer processors, while Largan Precision is reportedly handling the device’s 8-megapixel camera. Suppliers such as Foxconn, Taiflex Scientific, Texas Instruments and Chipbond are also said to be shipping a “large number” of parts for the handset. The budget iPhone is expected to be equipped with the same 4-inch Retina display as the current-generation iPhone 5, and will reportedly be available in four to six new colors. The latest rumors claim that Apple will debut the iPhone 5S and

Nobody likes to be screamed at, not even on the Internet, which is leading to the disappearance of an ancient , which has led to the slow disappearance of an ancient form of typography: ALL CAPS. While there's no actual yelling with voices involved, reading a sentence using only capital letters feels like GETTING HIT IN THE FACE BY A VERY ANGRY PERSON. And on this here Internet, just like in the out-loud talking world, that's something you reserve only for very serious, very angry, or very urgent occasions. 

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has plans to make an announcement on July 11, according to a press invitation sent out on Thursday and amidst widespread speculation in online media that it is about to launch a new flagship camera phone. An e-mailed press invitation to the event in New York featured the phrase "ZOOM. REINVENTED". Technology blogs and websites have recently published pictures online purporting to show the new phone with a 41-megapixel photographic sensor. ...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Vince Zampella is back at E3.

By Tim McLaughlin Boston (Reuters) - The car is the next great proving ground for communications technology, General Motors Co Chief Executive Dan Akerson said on Thursday. The automobile will become a major platform for tech "and one with far better battery life than an iPhone," he said in prepared remarks to the Chief Executives' Club of Boston. Developing better in-car technology is critical for automakers like GM to attract younger, tech-savvy buyers. If they can pull it off, the companies will generate new sources of revenue and boost profit margins. ...