LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Our genetics tend to do well in warm, dry
conditions. It’s not something that you
hope for, but we have an edge in that.”
Hugh Grant,
Monsanto chief executive officer Article, 1D
Google unveils own tablet computer
SAN FRANCISCO - Google on Wednesday unveiled a small tablet computer bearing its brand.
Called the Nexus 7, the tablet has a screen that measures 7 inches diagonally, smaller than the nearly 10 inches on Apple Inc.’s iPad. That means it’s more likely to challenge Amazon.com Inc.’s Kindle Fire, which is also 7 inches.
The device will ship in mid-July starting at $199 - the same price as the Kindle Fire. By contrast, Apple’s iPads start at $499.
The Nexus 7 will run the next version of Google Inc.’s Android operating system, called Jelly Bean. The tablet is also designed specifically for Google Play, the company’s online store for movies, music, games, books and apps.
Google said Wednesday that Google Play will now offer movies for sale, rather than only rentals.
A Google expansion into the tablet market brings another imposing entrant into what is already a battle of tech heavyweights. Last week, Microsoft Corp. announced its own tablet, Surface. Expected to go on sale this fall, Surface will run on a revamped version of Windows and compete directly with the iPad.
Although Google’s tablet carries the Google brand, the machine will be made by AsusTek Computer Inc.
There are already other Android-powered tablets on the market, but no tablet has proved nearly as popular as the iPad or the Kindle Fire. That has raised worries at Google as more people rely on tablets to surf the Internet.
Shares of Google, based in Mountain View, rose $4.62 to close at $569.30.
Apple win bars Samsung tablet sales
SAN JOSE, Calif. - A federal judge Tuesday handed Apple a major legal win in its patent war with rival Samsung, blocking the Korean tech giant from selling its Galaxy 10.1 tablet in the United States.
In a ruling fueled in part by legal direction from a federal appeals court, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh granted Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction that prevents Samsung from selling the tablet as their court battle unfolds. The Galaxy tablet, which operates on Google’s Android operating system, is considered a chief competitor to Apple’s iPad.
Within hours of the judge’s decision, Samsung filed court papers late Tuesday night saying it would ask a federal appeals court to put the order on hold.
Samsung released a statement saying it was “disappointed” in Koh’s ruling and “will take necessary legal steps.” The company added that the ruling should not have “a significant impact on our business operations, as we possess a diverse range of Galaxy tab products.”
Koh had previously denied a request for an injunction to block the Galaxy tablet, but the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., which reviews patent cases, ordered the judge to take another look at the case and suggested an injunction in Apple’s favor may be warranted. Koh agreed in the decision she released late Tuesday.
Apple shares rose $2.47 to close at $574.50.
EU boosts rare-earth fight with China
GENEVA - The European Union has taken another legal step at the World Trade Organization to challenge China’s export restrictions on rare earths used in hightech products.
The EU, United States and Japan, whose companies use rare earths for mobile-phone batteries, camera lenses and other high-tech products, have challenged China’s claim that its curbs on exports are necessary environmental protections.
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said Wednesday that the EU has asked for a WTO panel to settle the dispute by requiring China to honor its commitments to the Geneva-based global free-trade body.
China has about a third of the world’s rare-earth deposits and accounts for more than 90 percent of their production.
It denies it is using environmental concerns as a pretext for supporting Chinese producers.
Car prices fall as inventories fill out
DETROIT - New vehicle prices have dropped $500 on average in the past year, mainly because Japanese automakers have restocked dealers after car shortages in 2011, according to the Kelley Blue Book auto-pricing service.
Models from Japanese automakers such as the Toyota Prius and Honda Accord have seen the biggest declines, while Detroit’s models haven’t dropped quite as much, Kelley said Wednesday.
Toyota, Honda and smaller Japanese automakers ran short of cars after an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in March 2011, knocking out power and hampering auto assembly and parts production. The shortages weren’t fully resolved until a few months ago. With few cars to sell last summer, Toyota and Honda dealers had little reason to offer discounts.
But now that they’re fully restocked, the discounts are back. Kelley said the average price paid for a Honda model is almost $1,200 less than it was at this time last year, while Subaru, Mazda and Toyota models are down $700 to $800. Ford, Chrysler and General Motors have seen much smaller drops, less than $500.
The average price paid for a Toyota Prius gas-electric hybrid is down $2,500 from June 2011, while the Accord price is down $1,450, according to Kelley.
Business, Pages 22 on 06/28/2012