Tech links: 2013-07-24

As promised, I am separating out the technology links here and adding some more links to the last links post.

Apple

Apple posts $6.9 billion profit on $35.3 billion in revenue for Q3 2013 | The Verge

Apple sold 31.2m iPhones and 14.6m iPads in Q3 2013, up 20% and down 14.1% year-over-year respectively – The Next Web

High-End Smartphone Market Not Saturated, Says Apple CEO – John Paczkowski – Mobile – AllThingsD

80% of reduced iPad shipments attributable to channel inventory decline

Apple wobbles in China as rivals offer more, for less | Reuters

Apple’s conundrum is about price versus volume. Either way, they will lose.

“Analysts predict Apple will lose market share in the world’s leading smartphone sector.

“There’s some cannibalization of Apple’s market share from competitive mid-tier models that cost a lot less and perform as well, from vendors such as Xiaomi and Vivo,” said Huang Leping, an analyst at Nomura in Hong Kong, referring to rival Chinese models.”

End of an Era? Apple Sees Slowdown in China – China Real Time Report – WSJ

“revenue from China fell 14% from a year earlier to $4.6 billion in the quarter ended June 29. The figure, which represents a 43% decline from the previous quarter, marked the first time revenue fell for the region, which includes Hong Kong, China and Taiwan, since the company began breaking out numbers for Greater China in the quarter ended Dec. 29, 2012.”

 

Mobile

Canon lowers full-year profit forecast | South China Morning Post

Motorola is now the sole producer of Verizon’s Droid smartphones | The Verge

Nokia Lumia 1020 review | The Verge

“The 1020, plus all the sharing options and apps that Google’s OS brings, could be a ridiculously compelling phone. I’d happily carry a big phone that gave me a perfect camera, but right now with the 1020 I’m carrying a big phone running a third-place OS just for the imaging prowess. For Nokia’s sake, I hope Windows Phone 8 gets the apps it needs before HTC, Apple, or Samsung wakes up and builds a killer cameraphone to go with a killer ecosystem.”

Android, iOS pull even in smartphone ad traffic, but iOS still drives most ad revenue — Tech News and Analysis

Apple’s iPad holds on to massive tablet usage lead, now at 84%

Opera says iPad takes 91% of tablet ads, iPhone ad share leads all Android phones

I Banged James Deen #ThroughGlass — LadyBits on Medium — Medium

I got this link via twitter and I have to say, I’m not excited if this is where we’re headed in the future.


Media

Nate Silver Went Against the Grain for Some at The Times – NYTimes.com

Is Flipboard a partner or a competitor for publishers and content creators? Yes — Tech News and Analysis

“With the launch of a web version, Flipboard highlights how far it has evolved from its early days as a standalone app, and how it is both a partner and a potential competitor for content companies.”

 

Other Tech

Swisscom chief executive found dead in suspected suicide | Business | The Guardian

AT&T: $32 Billion in Revenue, 6.8 Million Smartphones Including Record Number of Androids – Ina Fried – Mobile – AllThingsD

Amazon vs. IBM: Big Blue meets match in battle for the cloud | Reuters

 

NSA Scandal

Senator Wyden: the US could become an irreversible surveillance state | The Verge

How Protecting Your Privacy Could Make You the Bad Guy | Wired Opinion | Wired.com

House to Vote on Repealing NSA Dragnet Phone Surveillance | Threat Level | Wired.com

GOP insurrection heats up over surveillance – Salon.com

“It’s a brilliant example of the Amendment Hack, raising precisely the questions that Washington doesn’t even want to talk about. Do lawmakers support an NSA that inherently presumes all Americans are guilty and worthy of surveillance? Or do they want surveillance resources aimed only at those who truly warrant probable cause? Amash’s amendment would tell us exactly where each member of the House stands on those critical queries — which is why, of course, Permanent Washington is in a tizzy and why the House leadership is now hustling to figure out some way to stop the amendment from even being voted on.”

The Creepy, Long-Standing Practice of Undersea Cable Tapping – Olga Khazan – The Atlantic

Free VPN Service Spotflux Brings Its Secure Browsing App To Android

This is the kind of company that will receive more funding in the wake of the NSA scandal. I anticipate a spate of well-funded security and privacy oriented companies to come to market. This one is free for now but is looking to scale in order to develop a freemium model that it can make money with once it has scale.

Never Give Stores Your ZIP Code. Here’s Why – Forbes

“Why make such a big deal over five digits that only records that someone lives in the same area as many thousands of others? Because along with other information, the ZIP code may provide the final clue to figuring out your address, phone number and past purchasing details, if a sales clerk sees your name while swiping your credit card.”

Mood shifting, Congress may move to limit NSA spying | McClatchy

 

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