Amazon’s worst kept “secret” – the Android tablet – has been on everybody’s lips for awhile now and with summer already underway, we’re getting closer to the predicted August to October release date of the tablet. And now, according to the latest reports from DigiTimes, suppliers are seeing their sales “move up vigorously in the third quarter of 2011 due to their shipments of IC parts to the supply chain for Amazon’s 7- and 10-inch tablet PCs to be launched in the quarter”.
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The chip that helps control your Mac notebook’s battery could be the latest target for attackers.

A report in Forbes today details the findings of Accuvant security researcher Charlie Miller, who claims to have found rather lackluster security guarding the firmware that controls various notebook battery functions and data stores.

Culling through a battery firmware update Apple released back in 2009, Miller pulled out two passwords that would grant access to that firmware, giving would-be attackers the ability to alter readings sent back to the OS and even add small software programs that stay off the hard drive. Miller noted that he outright permanently disabled seven notebook batteries during testing.
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Apple released Mac OS X Lion yesterday, and in just 24 hours it’s managed to reach over one million downloads; setting a record for the hottest-selling operating system in Apple’s history. Despite a few minor hiccups (some programs not working with the latest version of Mac OS X, and installation issues) initial impressions of the Lion have been great, with mostly favorable reviews from early adopters so far.

The $29.99 price tag for the upgrade could possibly be one of the main reasons behind its hot cake status as well – never has an upgrade to a newer operating system ever been that cheap (not taking into account free operating systems like Linux, of course). The streamlined and easy upgrade process that let pretty much everybody update their Mac computers probably encouraged sales too.
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Google has offered the first public indication that it may be willing to settle Oracle’s lawsuit against it over the alleged infringement of Java patents in Google’s Android OS.

Google and Oracle filed legal papers Wednesday that provide the court with an update on the reexamination of Oracle’s patents, and on whether they think the case should be “stayed,” or put on hold, pending the outcome of that process.

Google argues in favor of a stay. It said the reexaminations are likely to narrow the scope of the case and the damages Oracle can claim against it. Narrowing the case would also make it “more likely that the parties could reach an informal resolution of the matter,” Google’s lawyers wrote.
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“We are very excited to be launching Mac OS Lion tomorrow,” Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer told reporters and analysts during a conference call on Tuesday, when discussing his company’s most-recent financial results.

If you plan to install “Here, kitty, kitty, kitty” on Wednesday, do remember to first upgrade Snow Leopard to version 10.6.8. And do let us know if your download helped grind the Mac App Store to a halt as millions of Mac users attempt to simultaneously download what’s sure to be a hefty package.

During the call, Oppenheimer also alluded to what he called a “future product transition” in response to a question about why he was projecting less than expected – and less than seasonal – revenues for Apple’s next fiscal quarter, ending in September.
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Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android mobile operating system may be the U.S. market leader, but customers are increasingly giving Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone a vote of confidence — at least in theory.

Some 46 percent of 4.163 customers surveyed in June said they plan to purchase an iPhone from AT&T (NYSE:T) or Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZW) over the next 90 days, compared to 32 percent of respondents who said they would go with Android, according to mobile research firm ChangeWave.
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The launch of Google+ is a direct attack on Facebook, the latest in a string of developments that could disrupt the social-networking landscape.

Google+ has attracted more than 10 million users in roughly two weeks, but it’s a steep mountain to climb to supplant a service that claims a staggering 750 million registered accounts.

“They’re going to have to explain how it’s such a significantly better experience or so distinct in key ways from Facebook that it’s worth moving over,” said Kevin Bachus, chief product officer for Bebo, a San Francisco-based social-networking site.
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