Apple MacBook Pro MD313LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop

Introducing the 13-inch MacBook Pro. The state-of-the-art dual-core Intel i5 processor delivers up to 2x faster performance (over the previous generation of MacBook Pro). New Thunderbolt technology lets you connect high-performance peripherals and high-resolution displays to a single port, and transfer files at lightning speeds. And with the built-in FaceTime HD camera, you can make astonishingly crisp HD video calls.

With the revolutionary Thunderbolt technology, you'll be able to achieve bi-directional channels with transfer speeds to peripherals like external hard drives and servers up to an amazing 10 Gbps--while also connecting to a DisplayPort-compatible high-resolution display.

As with previous models, the MacBook Pro features a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, creating a thin and light mobile computing workhorse (less than 1 inch thin and just 4.5 pounds) that's also highly durable. And it includes a 13.3-inch, LED-backlit glass display as well as a glass trackpad that doesn't include a button (for larger tracking area) that features Apple's Multi-Touch technology. You'll also get up to 7 hours of battery life while on the go.

This version of the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro (model MD313LL/A) features a second-generation 2.4 GHz Core i5 dual-core processor, 500 GB hard drive, and 4 GB of installed RAM. Other features include integrated Intel HD Graphics 3000 graphics, ultra-fast Wireless-N Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth connectivity, an SDXC card slot, two USB 2.0 ports, and a FireWire 800 port (see full specifications below).

Every Mac comes with OS X Lion, the latest release of the world's most advanced desktop operating system. With over 250 features including Multi-Touch gestures, Mission Control, full-screen apps, and Launchpad, OS X Lion takes the Mac further than ever.
OS X Lion
Key OS X Lion Features

* Mission Control provides a bird's-eye view of everything running on your Mac.
* Launchpad puts all your apps front and center for easy access.
* View apps full screen and switch between them with a swipe.
* Interact with your Mac using intuitive new Multi-Touch gestures.

Key Features
Revolutionary Thunderbolt Technology

Developed by Intel with collaboration from Apple, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O (input/output) technology delivers an amazing 10 gigabits per second of transfer speeds in both directions. Built into the MacBook Pro, the Thunderbolt port allows you to connect to new Thunderbolt-compatible peripherals as well as existing USB and FireWire peripherals using simple adapters. You'll be able to move data up to 20 times faster than with USB 2.0 and more than 12 times faster than with FireWire 800, and you can daisy-chain multiple high-speed devices without using a hub.

And because Thunderbolt is based on DisplayPort technology, you'll be able to connect to a high-resolution display from the same port. Any Mini DisplayPort display plugs right into the Thunderbolt port, and you can also connect displays that use DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, or VGA connections with an existing adapter. You'll also be able to include your display into a daisy-chained set of peripherals.
Intel Core i5
Next-Generation Dual-Core Intel Processor

This MacBook Pro is powered by a second-generation Intel Core i5 dual-core processor, which provides breakthrough digital media management, content creation, and 3D gaming capabilities. With updated Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0, the latest Core i5 increases speed automatically for whatever you're doing, dynamically accelerating performance to match your workload.

Intel's Hyper-Threading Technology enables each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time, delivering the performance you need for smart multitasking. And you'll enjoy a rich set of new features for a stunning and seamless visual experience with no additional hardware. The Core i5 processor also provides faster access to the installed RAM, with an integrated memory controller to connect fast 1333 MHz memory directly to the processor.

With new microarchitecture, the graphics processor resides on the same chip as the central processor and has direct access to the 3 MB of shared L3 cache--helping your applications run at peak performance. And an integrated video encoder enables HD video calls with FaceTime, while an efficient decoder gives you long battery life when you're watching DVDs or iTunes movies.
Buttonless Multi-Touch Trackpad

With no button on the glass trackpad, there's more room to track and click--left, right, center, and everywhere in between. Without a separate button, the trackpad gives your hands plenty of room to move on the large, silky glass surface. It also incorporates Multi-Touch gestures--including swipe, pinch, rotate, and four-finger swipe. And it also now supports inertial scrolling, an intuitive way to scroll through large photo libraries, lengthy documents and long web sites.
Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Pro

Key Specifications

* 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display with edge-to-edge, uninterrupted glass (1280 x 800-pixel resolution).
* 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5 dual-core processor with 3 MB shared L3 cache for excellent multitasking.
* Intel HD Graphics 3000 with 384 MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.
* 500 GB Serial ATA hard drive (5400 RPM)
* 4 GB installed RAM (1333 MHz DDR3; supports up to 8 GB)
* 8x slot-loading SuperDrive with double-layer DVD support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
* Built-in FaceTime HD camera for video chatting
* Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on 802.11n specification; 802.11a/b/g compatible)
* Gigabit Ethernet wired networking (10/100/1000)
* Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) for connecting with peripherals such as keyboards, mice and cell phones
* Two USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port
* SDXC card slot
* Thunderbolt port with native Mini DisplayPort output plus support for DVI, VGA, dual-link DVI, and HDMI (requires adapters, sold separately)
* Multi-Touch trackpad for precise cursor control with support for inertial scrolling, pinch, rotate, swipe, three-finger swipe, four-finger swipe, tap, double-tap, and drag capabilities
* Full-size backlit keyboard
* Stereo speakers with subwoofers
* Dimensions: 12.78 x 8.94 x 0.95 inches (WxDxH)
* Weight: 4.5 pounds
* Up to 7 hours of battery life
* Meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements
* Rated EPEAT Gold

Angry Birds developer Rovio to open stores in China

Angry Birds maker Rovio has announced plans to open stores in China within 12 months.

Unofficial merchandise connected to the videogame has already proved popular in the country.

The company's chief marketing officer, Peter Vesterbacka, made the announcement at the Techcrunch conference in Beijing.

He said he was targeting $100m (£62m) in sales from the shops in their first year of operation.

"On the physical side, we don't have a lot of our officially licensed products out here, so we have ourselves to blame," he told the conference.

Mr Vesterbacka said he had been to China many times "checking out the Angry Birds' presence".

He told delegates he was unhappy with the quality of the unofficial products, but had also gained "a lot of inspiration from the copyists". The comment drew laughter from the audience.

"It is great that the brand is so loved," he added.
Egg hunt

The China rollout is planned to precede stores in the firm's native Finland.

Angry Birds was first released through Apple's App Store in 2009.

The game's surreal premise is that a group of pigs have stolen the Angry Birds' eggs, provoking retaliatory attacks.

Players use a slingshot to launch the birds at the pigs' defences, in order to progress.

The title has been downloaded more than 50 million times in China alone and Rovio hopes to double that figure.

The company indicated earlier this month that it may float its stock in 2012.

It is not surprising that Angry Birds merchandise has proved so popular in China, according to Robert Gregory, global research director at Planet Retail.

Animal-based characters are already an established part of the popular culture there.

But he warned that Rovio would also be taking a risk with the move.

"The danger is that all trends come and go, and a year or two down the line are people going to get bored of Angry Birds and move on to the next game," he said.

European Union plan to spend billions on advancing broadband speeds

The European Commission is set to propose investing almost €9.2bn (£8bn) in a massive rollout of super-fast broadband infrastructure and services across the European Union.

The plan is partly aimed at stimulating further investment in rural broadband.

It is hoped the initiative will also help to create a single market for digital public services.

The Commission has already set targets for improving the speed of home internet connections across the region.

It aims to get all European households on at least 30 megabits per second (Mbps) by 2020, with half the population enjoying more than 100Mbps, so as to make the continent more competitive and productive.
Economic need

It's understood that the EU's executive body will propose the funding, which would be invested between 2014 and 2020, on Wednesday.

The plan would have to be approved by the European Parliament and the EU's Council of Ministers if it were to become reality.

"Europe needs these fast broadband networks to allow its economy to become more competitive in the future, and so create more jobs and prosperity," EU sources said.

"This money would stimulate much greater investment of private and other public money. Each euro [invested by the Commission] would give rise to a further six to 15 euros more."

At least €7bn of the investment would go to building high-speed broadband networks, with the funding mostly in the form of debt instruments and equity.

The hope is that giving infrastructure projects credibility in this way would encourage the private sector, as well as local and national governments, to invest at least a further €50bn in the rollout.

The remainder of the Commission's funding would be parcelled out in grants for projects that could help create a single European market for broadband-based services such as e-health, cybersecurity and intelligent energy networks.

The money would come from a new fund called the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). This proposed fund would also be used for new transport and energy projects, with the Commission and the European Investment Bank absorbing risk and boosting the projects' credit ratings.

Part of the plan is for the CEF to pressure established telecommunications companies into investing more in their own networks, as they would not be the only ones able to bid for funding.

New players such as water, sewage and electricity utility companies would also be encouraged to enter the broadband game with CEF backing, as would construction firms, cooperatives and public authorities.
Rural boost

A particular objective is to get more money invested in rural broadband. Left to their own devices, telecoms companies often invest less in such areas because they are not as profitable as more densely-populated towns and cities.

While the Commission's digital agenda is largely about getting citizens on fast connections, it also contains plans to make electronic public services available equally across the continent.

Under the proposals to be unveiled on Wednesday, grants could go to cross-border e-health and electronic procurement services, smart energy networks and coordinated efforts to take down online child pornography.

Other examples of projects that would meet the Commission's criteria include pan-EU electronic identity schemes, systems that would encourage access to European culture, and multilingual public information services.

The Commission also hopes its plan would immediately create hundreds of thousands of jobs in the construction and telecoms equipment industries, as efforts to install fibre optic cable networks increase with the additional backing.

European funding has already found its way to several fast broadband projects in the UK. Last year the European Regional Development Fund provided £53.5m to aid BT's next-generation broadband scheme in Cornwall, while £18.5m went to the development of Northern Ireland's broadband infrastructure, also in collaboration with BT.

Germany lifts Doom sales ban after 17 years

A German ban on selling Doom to teenagers has been lifted after 17 years.

The classic video game was put on an index of controlled titles in 1994 as it was deemed likely to harm youth.

Like pornography, sales of the violent shoot 'em up were restricted to adult-only stores.

The rules have been relaxed because officials believe that Doom is now only of artistic and scientific interest and will not appeal to youngsters.

However, one version of the game remains on the index because it features Nazi symbols on some levels.
Sadistic violence

The restrictions on Doom and Doom II officially expired on 31 August following a meeting of the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (Bundesprufstelle) earlier in the month.

The Bundesprufstelle reportedly decided to reconsider the game's status following an appeal by Bethesda Softworks, the current owner of id Software, which created Doom.

Bethesda argued that the game's crude graphics had been surpassed by many modern titles and, as a result, the violence it depicted had far less of an impact.

The Bundesprufstelle said its original decision was not solely based on the graphic quality of the game, although it noted that most mobile phones now supported far more realistic images.

The panel explained that it was originally concerned because the story played out in Doom involved a relentless cycle of gunplay and "bloody sadistic" violence that was not balanced by other scenes.

In an email to BBC News, a spokesman for the Bundesprufstelle said the key question it asks is whether a game contains "drastic portrayals of violence directed against human or human-like beings".

They added: "If the game then does not contain any real alternative scenes which might on the whole 'neutralise' the violent parts, then the game is likely to be found to have a harmful effect on minors."

The Bundesprufstelle said it had relaxed the restrictions because Doom was now "mainly of historical interest" and was far less likely to be played by children. Not least, it added, because much more realistic and challenging games were more widely available.

Some members of the Bundesprufstelle panel wanted to keep the restrictions in place but were outvoted by those deeming it acceptable.

If Doom goes on sale in Germany it will still only be available to those aged 16 or over.

The adults-only rule was beginning to look like an anomaly because other versions of Doom games, such as one for the Game Boy Advance, had previously been approved in Germany.

Restrictions on Doom II - Hell on Earth have also been lifted.

However, the panel decided to maintain controls on the American version of Doom II because it incorporates two levels from Wolfenstein 3D which makes use of Nazi symbols including swastikas.

William and Kate's World Wide Wedding

The marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton was an event for the internet age.

Great traditions of state were celebrated by the modern institutions of the web.

Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube were all given over to the royal wedding.

And, like the streets around Westminster Abbey, cyberspace was buzzing with talk of the big day.

Leading the online celebrations was the British monarchy's own royal wedding website.

Visitors were directed to the official Clarence House Twitter feed, the royal Flickr photo account, and the wedding "event" page on Facebook.
Royal tweets

Throughout the ceremony, @ClarenceHouse tweeted updates:

"The Archbishop of Canterbury begins the solemnization of the marriage #rw2011"

"The Fanfare plays! Congratulations to The Duke and The Duchess of Cambridge! You can use our hashtag #rw2011 to send a message #royalwedding"
Clarence House official Twitter feed Clarence House gave regular updates on its official Twitter feed

"The view of the couple arriving at Buckingham Palace from where we are based #rw2011 http://twitpic.com/4qxlhn"

"The Duke and The Duchess of Cambridge appear on the balcony #rw2011"

"Find out about the food being eaten at the lunchtime wedding reception http://bit.ly/jUHKup #rw2011"
Trending topics

Talk of the wedding dominated Twitter, not just in the UK, but around the world.
Royal wedding tweets Twitter users shared their thoughts using a variety of hashtags, including #royalwedding and #rw11

The micro blogging site's top "trending topics" globally were all royal-themed.

* RoyalWedding
* #rw11
* casamentoreal (Spanish for Royal wedding)
* QILF (best not to ask!)
* William and Kate
* Sarah Burton (dress designer)
* Grace Kelly (Princess Grace of Monaco)
* Westminster Abbey
* Rutter (John Rutter - composer of "This is the day which the Lord hath made")
* Anglican

Royal channel

While blogs and social networking sites provided users with a way of sharing their thoughts on the royal wedding, the internet also allowed people to watch the ceremony.
Wedding on iPad with ABC News app ABC News was one of many broadcasters streaming the wedding to mobile devices

YouTube's live feed brought the BBC's pictures to a global online audience through the "Royal Channel".

It was the video sharing site's 23rd most-visited channel of the day, but trailed behind America's Next Top Model and Top Gear.

The BBC website, which also streamed the occasion, at one point experienced technical issues caused by "the sheer weight of traffic".

Many TV broadcasters also live streamed the wedding to mobile devices, including smartphones and tablet PCs.
Facebook figures

The world's largest social networking site, Facebook was quick to extract wedding statistics from its more than 500 million users.

Some of the more choice nuggets of information include:
David and Victoria Beckham with Facebook statistics David Beckham was mentioned in 9,000 Facebook status updates within 20 minutes of his arrival. Victoria Beckham managed just over 5,000

* 684,399 status updates mentioned the royal wedding over a four hour period - roughly 47 per second.
* 2,274 users checked-in at Westminster Abbey using Facebook's "Places" feature.
* A Facebook page dedicated to "Princess Beatrice's Ridiculous Royal Wedding Hat" gained over 4,000 fans.

Web traffic

Measuring the scale of a global media event is notoriously difficult.

The number of TV viewers has been estimated at around two billion. In reality, that is little more than an educated guess.
Akamai global web traffic map Global web traffic was 39% above normal during the wedding according to Akamai

Quantifying the popularity of a topic on particular sites, such as Facebook and Twitter is possible.

However, it is difficult to gauge the impact on the internet overall.

At the height of the wedding, global web traffic, as measured by Akamai, was 39% higher than normal.

Although there is no firm evidence that this was due to the wedding, the United Kingdom was listed as a hot spot, with the country accounting for 11% of online activity.
Republican option

Such was the mood of global celebration that not even the notorious "Great firewall of China" was set to filter out information about William and Kate's nuptials.

The story, along with a picture of the bride and groom, topped the news page of the country's most popular search engine, Baidu.
Guardian newspaper website The Guardian newspaper offered two versions of its website - one for royalists, the other for republicans

Brits seeking a wedding-free news source had to look closer to home.

Refuge was to be found on the website of the Guardian Newspaper.

Visitors to the publication's homepage were presented with the option of a "royalist" version, complete with blanket coverage, or a "republican" version, devoid of the merest mention of William, Kate or Tara Palmer Tomkinson's hat.

PlayStation Network credit card details were encrypted

Sony has revealed that credit card details held on its PlayStation Network were stored in securely encrypted files.

The news offers some hope to users worried about their personal data after the online system was hacked.

Sony had previously warned that card numbers and expiry dates may have been among the stolen data.

However, other information, including dates of birth and home addresses, did not have the same level of protection.

The full extent of the security breach was revealed on Monday, following a week-long investigation by Sony.

The company said that up to 77 million PlayStation Network members may have had their personal information taken during an "external intrusion".

The FBI confirmed that it was now involved and had been in contact with Sony in the United States.

One of the main concerns for users has been the issue of card security.

In a question and answer blog, posted on the PlayStation website, the company said: "The entire credit card table was encrypted and we have no evidence that credit card data was taken.

"The personal data table, which is a separate data set, was not encrypted, but was, of course, behind a very sophisticated security system that was breached in a malicious attack."

The company has not revealed the type or strength of protection given to credit card information, and Graham Cluley from security firm Sophos warned that "encryption" could mean almost anything.

"Some are as weak as tissue paper, and others can take millions of years to crack," he said.

"For instance, you could have an encryption that made every 'A' a 'D', every 'B' an 'E' etc, but that would be trivial to crack."
Unusual transactions

Sony suggested that users should keep a close eye on their financial statements and alert their card issuer about any unusual transactions.

That advice was echoed by Visa Europe, the company behind the Visa payment system. It explained that if card data was found to have been stolen and used to make unauthorised payments, users would not have to pick up the bill.

"Cardholders who are innocent victims of fraud will get their money back, subject to the terms and conditions of their bank," it said in a statement.

PlayStation Network members were urged not to cancel their cards at this stage.

A spokesman for Barclaycard said that such action was unnecessary until it was known if card numbers had fallen into the wrong hands.

If that proved to be the case, Sony would need to hand over the information to the UK Payments Administration - the umbrella body that oversees financial transactions including bank transfers and card payments.

The card numbers would then be identified and passed to relevant banks who could block them from use or elevate the level of monitoring for unusual activity.

PlayStation information theft reaches 77m gamers

Sony has warned users of its PlayStation Network that their personal information, including credit card details, may have been stolen.

The company said that the data might have fallen into the hands of an "unauthorised person" following a hacking attack on its online service.

Access to the network was suspended last Wednesday, but Sony has only now revealed details of what happened.

Users are being warned to look out for attempted telephone and e-mail scams.

In a statement posted on the official PlayStation blog, Nick Caplin, the company's head of communications for Europe, said: "We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network".

The blog posting lists the personal information that Sony believes has been taken.

* Name
* Address (city, state/province, zip or postal code)
* Country
* E-mail address
* Date of birth
* PlayStation Network/Qriocity passwords and login
* Handle/PSN online ID

Mr Caplin added: "It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained.

"For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information."

Read the full text of Sony's PlayStation hack apology here.
Credit cards

Sony admitted that credit card information, used to purchase games, films and music, may also have been stolen.

"While there is no evidence that credit card data was taken at this time, we cannot rule out the possibility," Mr Caplin said.

"If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, to be on the safe side we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may also have been obtained."

Sony has not given any indication of how many PlayStation Network users may have had their information taken, but the service has around 77 million members worldwide.
Investigation

The UK's information commissioner, Christopher Graham, said that his organisation had already begun investigating the Sony hack.

He said that it looked like "a very significant breach of data protection law".

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has the power to impose fines of up to £500,000.

However, Mr Graham stressed that his ability to take action would ultimately depend on whether data from the PlayStation Network was stored in the UK - something he was still trying to establish.

"It if turns out that it is our responsibility here in the UK, we would ask 'were the security measures appropriate'," he added.
'PR Disaster'

The theft of so much detailed customer data would be seen as a "public relations disaster", according to Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at security firm Sophos.

"This is a big one," he said.

"The PlayStation Network is a real consumer product. It is in lots of homes all over the world.

"The impact of this could be much greater than your typical internet hack."

Mr Cluley warned that, even without credit card details, the information taken was enough to help criminals carry out further attacks on other services.

"Some people will use the same passwords on other sites. If I was a hacker right now, I would be taking those e-mail addresses and trying those passwords," he said.

PlayStation users got their first indication that something was wrong with the service when it became unavailable on Wednesday 20 April.

In the following days, Sony issued three brief statements asking users to be patient while it investigated an "external intrusion", or hack.

However, the fact that it took almost seven days for the company to reveal that data had been taken has angered some gamers.

Commenting on the Sony blog, Tacotaskforce wrote: "You waited a week to tell us our personal information was compromised? That should have been said last Thursday."

Another user Sid4peeps wrote: "This update is about 6 days late. I think it is time to move to the other network, no regard for customers here."

But some PlayStation users appeared to be happy with Sony's handling of the matter. Ejsponge61 commented: "Wow, this is alot of info. Thanks, this is very much appreciated by all of us PlayStation fans."

The Sony PlayStation Network remains unavailable to users. The company has not said when service will be restored.