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AP Technology NewsBrief at 3:56 p.m. EST
(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GPS cell phone apps challenge standalone devicesKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The growth of cell phones with global-positioning technology is making life uncertain for the makers of personal navigational devices that help drivers figure out where they are and where to go. Manufacturers of standalone GPS products will have to move quickly and smartly to transform their dumb map readers into intelligent devices that can provide a host of services such as traffic avoidance.
Government delays new ban on Internet gamblingWASHINGTON (AP) _The Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve are giving U.S. financial institutions an additional six months to comply with regulations designed to ban Internet gambling. The two agencies said Friday that the new rules, which were to take effect on Dec. 1, would be delayed until June 1 of next year.
Signal fading on radio traffic reportsCORONA, Calif. (AP) _ For more than 20 years, Mike Nolan was known to radio listeners as the "eye in the sky." He flew over Southern California freeways in his single-engine plane, reporting on the nation's worst traffic. These days, he broadcasts about traffic snarls and lurking gridlock without leaving the ground _ without even leaving his home in this Los Angeles suburb. Sitting in a chair behind computer monitors and a television, Nolan gathers traffic data and broadcasts live on two radio stations a day.
Apple's iPhone arrives in tech-savvy South KoreaSEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ Tech-savvy South Koreans began getting their coveted iPhones on Saturday amid fanfare and expectations the communication and entertainment device will shake up a local mobile market dominated by domestic giants Samsung and LG. Hundreds of customers lined up to get their pre-ordered iPhones at an official launch event in Seoul, some waiting overnight. A 25-year-old university student was the first to get one, as music blared and strobe lights flashed.
Teachers begin using cell phones for class lessonsWESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. (AP) _ Ariana Leonard's high school students shuffled in their seats, eagerly awaiting a cue from their Spanish teacher that the assignment would begin. "Take out your cell phones," she said in Spanish.
'Avatar' video game to expand film's alien worldLOS ANGELES (AP) _ James Cameron was thinking beyond the big screen when he created the alien world of Pandora. The "Titanic" director worked in tandem with video game developer Ubisoft Montreal on the game based on his upcoming sci-fi epic "Avatar." Opening Dec. 18, the film stars Sam Worthington as a paralyzed human soldier who takes on the form of an exotic blue-skinned alien species called Na'vi on their home world Pandora, a remote paradise teaming with freaky flora and fauna.
Lenovo buying back mobile phone businessBEIJING (AP) _ Personal computer maker Lenovo Group said Friday it is joining the race to develop products that link phones and PCs by buying back a mobile phone business that it sold last year. Lenovo, the world's fourth-largest PC maker, sold its mobile unit to focus on computers but said the technologies are now converging, creating a "significant growth opportunity."
Food banks go high-tech to feed the hungrySEATTLE (AP) _ Food banks across the country are undergoing a high-tech revolution, adopting sophisticated databases, bar coding, GPS tracking, automated warehouses and other technologies used in the food industry that increasingly supplies their goods. It's a long way from handing out macaroni and canned soup from a church basement.
Holiday Web shopping looks brighter than last yearSAN FRANCISCO (AP) _ Internet retailers hope the convenience of the Web, plus discounts and deals, spur still-nervous shoppers to spend more online this holiday season _ even as traditional retailers brace for mediocre sales. Internet analysts at comScore Inc. expect online retail revenue to rise 3 percent to $28.8 billion for the months of November and December. That includes the Web sites of traditional retailers, such as Macy's, but excludes auctions, travel and large corporate purchases.
Gift Guide: Accessories to jazz up mobile phonesPeople you know have spent small fortunes on shiny new smart phones such as the iPhone 3GS, a BlackBerry or the Droid. But the devices still don't have all the features they want. The battery runs out too quickly when they surf the Web, watch a movie or play a video game. They wish the phone offered turn-by-turn directions like a true GPS unit and without monthly payments. A tripod would come in handy when they want to take a group photo on the phone for Facebook.
(c) 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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