February 22, 2012
The lawyer for a Chinese company suing Apple Inc. in China over its use of the iPad trademark indicated Tuesday that his client would be willing to discuss a settlement. Xie Xianghui, lawyer for Shenzhen Proview Technology, said that since no final decisions have been reached in various legal disputes over the issue, both sides are “still able to sit together and reach an out-of-court settlement.” Proview claims ownership over the iPad name. Apple says it bought the rights to the name in China and other countries in 2009, but that Proview failed to transfer the rights in mainland China as agreed. Apple had no comment on the issue of a settlement. Its spokeswoman, Carolyn Wu, reiterated the company’s belief that Proview has failed to honor its agreement with Apple. Proview accuses Apple of acting dishonestly when it bought rights to the iPad name from its Taiwan affiliate and is seeking to prevent sales of the popular tablet computers in China. It has filed lawsuits in several places and has requested that commercial authorities in 40 cities block iPad sales. A hearing is set for Wednesday in a Shanghai court. Meanwhile, Apple has appealed an earlier ruling against it in a court in Shenzhen, a city in southern China’s Guangdong. The Guangdong High Court is due to hear that case on Feb. 29. According to Xie, late last week a lower court in Huizhou, another city in southern China’s Guangdong province, ruled that distributors should stop selling iPads in China. But that ruling may not have a far-reaching effect since the High Court appeal is still pending. Many in China expect the two sides to eventually reach a settlement rather than continue to battle in the courts. Chinese are just as crazy about iPads as consumers anywhere else and the devices are manufactured in China, employing hundreds of…
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February 22, 2012
A promotional video for TurboTax’s iPad mobile app suggests that users can do their taxes while reclining on the floor, sitting in the lotus position or relaxing in a hammock. But given the complexity of the tax code, is this really a task you want to undertake from a prone position? And is it prudent to type sensitive financial information into a device that you might leave in the back of a cab? Such is the promise and peril of tax apps for mobile devices. The rapid growth of iPads, Androids and other tablets has prompted the major tax software providers to develop apps that contain most of the features offered by their online programs. Meanwhile, you can use your smartphone to track your refund, check your eligibility for tax credits or get help from the IRS. Here’s a look at what’s available: TurboTax for iPad This application supports TurboTax’s Deluxe, Premier, and Home and Business products. However, Deluxe is the only app you can download from the iTunes store. After that, you can upgrade if necessary. You can download and try out the app for free. There’s a fee to e-file and print your return. Prices start at $29.99 for a federal return. A state return costs $36.99. As with TurboTax’s online products, you can import financial documents from participating employers and financial institutions. If you used TurboTax Online last year, you can also import 2010′s tax return. Once you start your tax return on the tablet app, you can’t transfer it to TurboTax online. If you start online, you can transfer the information to the iPad, but the process requires several steps. TurboTax recommends sticking with the device you start with, says spokeswoman Colleen Gatlin. Alternatively, users who want to switch back and forth can use their iPad browser to do their taxes on TurboTax online. TurboTax’s…
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February 21, 2012
Anonymous took down the Greek Ministry of Justice site under #OpGreece on Tuesday, replacing it with an ominous call to arms.
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February 21, 2012
Anonymous Kollektiv, a German group claiming ties to the shadowy hacker group Anonymous, signalled out the Wall Street Journal today as the target of a crowd sourced “comments” flash mob.
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February 21, 2012
Intelligence officials seem to be polishing up their case to take on Anonymous like a 'stateless' terrorist group.The director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Keith Alexander, told various high-level …
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February 21, 2012
Hacker group Anonymous strongly rejected suggestions on Tuesday that followers could cause a power outage by staging a cyberattack on an electricity grid.
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