Image via WikipediaIn response to the increasingly growing concerns and controversies about the mobile phone companies and operators tracking users’ location data, the Federal Communications Commission has invited Apple, Google and other consumer advocates to join in a forum scheduled in late June. The FCC made the announcement this Tuesday, declaring that it will be weighing the critical risks and benefits of the controversial location-based services through a "public education forum" on 28th of June, 2011. This forum will be seating the representatives of wireless carriers, other technology companies and consumer advocacy groups.It was revealed just last month by two researchers that Apple's famous iPhones collect every user’s location data and store it in a vulnerable file within the device memory. The location data is saved for as long as a complete year, even at the time when the location software has been turned off. These allegations, along with the provided evidence, have led to a very curious reaction from the consumers as they demand a scrutiny of privacy regulations over the location data collection. On the other hand, the number one rival of Apple, Google has also came across the same criticism as its widely used mobile platform, Android, also faces similar allegations. Google has been accused to be tracking the location data of its users through their Android-based phones.
The executives of Orange have informed the media on Tuesday that Apple has asked them to make a relatively smaller SIM card standardized, than the ones which are already being used in the iPhone and iPad in order to manufacture thinner devices in the future. 
Image via WikipediaThis step can be seen as an indication towards more warming situation between the mobile giant and its associated operators as Apple largely depends on these mobile carriers, to provide better deals, in order to uphold its high volumes of iPhone sales. It has been confirmed by a spokesperson of the European telecoms standards body (ETSI) that Apple did present such proposal and asked the operators to provide a new standard for SIM cards. However, he also informed that this decision has not yet been finalized and if dragged can take up to a year. He stated that "This process may take some time, up to a year or more, if there is strong disagreement between industry players. However, when there is broad consensus among the companies participating in the standards committee, the process can be accelerated to a number of months."
It was announced back in November, 2010, that Google Hotpot service was ambiguously suspended; it was either embedded in Google Places or still retained its title and could be considered a separate entity. It has now been revealed that Google’s Hotpot service will not only be extended to contain millions of users in 47 different languages but the 8th April announcement stated that Hotpot will "gradually" become an integral part of its already widely used product, Google Places. 
Image via CrunchBaseGoogle Places was previously used to search, rate, and review only the local businesses while keeping an uncomplicated user interface. However, now with the integration of Google Hotpot, the users will also be able to do all those things with "restaurants". All the users will be able to rate and see the average ratings awarded from other users who have been to that restaurant.
Image by avlxyz via FlickrGoogle’s Android Market and Apple's App Store are both very akin online stores, you can browse them to find and buy new apps. However, the applications mostly don’t support both the platforms, unless the developer has made two versions of the app and sells on both markets, you can’t buy an app from one store and run it on the other device. If we compare both online stores, it will be safe to attribute Apple’s App Store to be distinctive for being more refined, "magical," and having fancy looks. It also holds good repute for having a wide collection of games, as Apple devices incline more towards improving their gaming features; the store keeps official games from renowned publishers like Square-Enix and EA. While comparatively, you should consider the apps on the Android Market to be somewhat pale, as in the apps are not as charming but rather very customized and yanked. It is known for its impeccable range in variety; it will have the most fancy and expensive to the most down-market and cheap app both.
Image via WikipediaA new initiative has been taken by the Iraqi government hoping to secure the Iraqi funds and escalating the rather unused banking sector of the country. It is hoped that this move will provide better revenue, and with more transactions boost profits in the sector. The governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Sinan al-Shabibi, spoke to the media asserting that "It's a very important project" in terms of "increasing the capacities of private banking." This initiative is led by the Central Bank and backed by the help of USAID; Shabibi hopes this will be project ready for implementation "in the coming year". Only 20% of adult Iraqi citizens keep banking accounts, which is marked as very ‘lower than the average’ rate for any developing country, stated in a report of World Bank. The report published last year also mentioned that, on average 81% of adults in any other developed countries have their own bank accounts.
It has been announced by the C.E.O. of Intel, Paul Otellini, that the company’s long-awaited chips, which were going to debut the company in mobile world, will be facing another delay. He referred to the company’s efforts and the road of making these new chips for smartphones; a transition like “a marathon, not a sprint.” Otellini declared that the chips will be delayed for the second time. 
Image via CrunchBaseInitially in February, Intel made its first announcement about the chips at the Mobile World Congress informing that smartphones powered with Intel processors will be in market in 2011. Today it was declared at the Intel’s annual investor conference, that the predicted time required for the release has been extended and now the processer chips will debuted in 2012. It was published in Wall Street Journal regarding the announcement of Intel, stating that Intel will be renewing their focus on the smartphone marketing: “We decided going forward that our roadmap was inadequate, and we decided we need to change the centerpoint [the average power used by Intel chips]. We will still build products that scale up the range, but the centerpoint increasingly will be around ultramobility.”
Image via WikipediaIn response to the increasingly growing concerns and controversies about the mobile phone companies and operators tracking users’ location data, the Federal Communications Commission has invited Apple, Google and other consumer advocates to join in a forum scheduled in late June. The FCC made the announcement this Tuesday, declaring that it will be weighing the critical risks and benefits of the controversial location-based services through a "public education forum" on 28th of June, 2011. This forum will be seating the representatives of wireless carriers, other technology companies and consumer advocacy groups.
