From X-bit Labs: Steve Ballmer, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Corp., will once again kick-off the Consumer Electronics Show in early 2012. Some web-sites are already reporting that Microsoft will unveil the first public beta of Windows 8 at the trade-show.

Chief executive...

From X-bit Labs: Microsoft Corp. reportedly wants Samsung Electronics to pay massive licensing fees for each handset that feature Google Android operating system as the latter, the software giant believes, infringes its patents and utilizes technologies originally developed by...

From PC World: Smartphone vendor High Tech Computer (HTC) will acquire graphics chip maker S3 Graphics for US$300 million, strengthening its patent portfolio in the process.

With the acquisition, HTC will obtain S3 Graphics' portfolio of 235 patents and pending applications...

From CNET News.com: Google is planning to rebrand two of its most popular services, Mashable is reporting.

Citing anonymous sources, the social-media blog said Google is planning to change the names of its Picasa photo management service and its Blogger blog platform to Google...

From DailyTech: Verizon Wireless has been cagey with regard to details of what its new metered smart phone data plan would entail. Now customers may find out why.

New smart phone subscribers will no longer have the option to get unlimited data, starting July 7. In its place they...

From DailyTech: With a refresh of the MacBook Air seemingly impending the rumor mill surrounding Apple Inc. is once again heating up.

According to Macotakara.jp, a Japanese Apple fan site, the latest version of the ultraportable will use cutting edge flash memory technology. The...

From X-bit Labs: Sony Computer Entertainment has reportedly began to negotiate with contract manufacturers of electronics in a bid to start production of its next-generation PlayStation 4 video game console late this year with the plan to launch the device in 2012.

Foxconn...

From X-bit Labs: Even though Nvidia Corp.'s third-generation Tegra "Kal El" is still months away, the first details about the fourth-generation Tegra code-named Wayne have already started to emerge. Apparently, the new system-on-chip aimed at tablets, smartbooks and similar devices...

From InfoWorld: A reported deadline for developers to comply with an Apple policy on in-app subscription content has passed, with some developers yet to modify their apps. But Macworld has learned that Apple is working with developers to bring their apps into compliance as the...

From PC World: Apple's iPhone 5 aka the iPhone 4S aka the next iPhone is set to start shipping in September with 15 million handsets in the pipeline, according to online rumors. Steve Jobs and company reportedly placed an order with Taiwan-based Pegatron to build 15 million units of...