Goodbye, iPod; Hello, Portable Computer

Publishers set own prices, and set them high

(NEWSER) - If you're hoping Santa drops a Kindle or Nook under your tree, be forewarned: e-book bestsellers don't cost $9.99 anymore. These days, electronic tomes can cost as much or more than their print counterparts, the Wall Street Journal reports, thanks to a move from the six top publishers to set their own e-book prices. A digital copy of Ken Follett's Fall of Giants, for example, will cost you $18.99, while a paperback copy from Amazon is just $16.50. More»

Crowds line up in cities across the world, pay tribute to Steve Jobs

(NEWSER) - Some say 4S means "for Steve." True or not, the new iPhone 4S' first day on sale is, for many, a moment to reflect on the former Apple CEO. Lines wrapped around blocks in Sydney and Tokyo as Apple fans rushed to buy the last device unveiled during Jobs' lifetime, MSNBC reports. "I want something to remember Steve Jobs by," said a woman in Tokyo. The first purchaser of the phone in Sydney said he planned to ask Siri , "Where's Steve?" More»

Flash lovers, rejoice!

(NEWSER) - Surely you’ve heard by know that Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablet isn’t an iPad killer . But it does have a few desirable traits that the iPad doesn’t. The Huffington Post lists six of them:

• It supports Flash: Many iPad and iPhone users wish that Apple would take a page from Amazon’s playbook when it comes to this.
• It’s cheaper: A Kindle Fire (which does not offer 3G) will run you $199. For the cheapest iPad 2 model, which also does not offer 3G, you’ll shell out $499.

With Steve Jobs' ailing health, company looking at options: Journal

(NEWSER) - As much as Apple fans might believe otherwise, Steve Jobs might not be able to run the company forever. With the company CEO on another medical leave , some board members have held discussions with recruiters and the head of another big tech company to talk about succession, says the Wall Street Journal . It describes the talks as an "informal exploration of options." More»

Company again beats expectations

(AP) - Apple's results trumped expectations for yet another quarter, the results lifted by the sale of 20.3 million iPhones—millions more than analysts expected; iPad sales came in at 9.25 million units, also above expectations. In other product categories, trends were less impressive. Sales of Mac computers were 3.95 million, up 14% from a year ago. That's the lowest quarterly growth rate in two years. And iPod sales were down 20% at 7.5 million, as the media player continues to lose out to iPhone and iPads. More»