Rdio has launched the beta version of their Android app which will allow for unlimited music streaming on Android devices.

In October 2009, billionaires Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom, the creators of the Kazaa P2P client as well as Skype, announced that they had developed and financed the unlimited music subscription service, and the company introduced the service last month.

Separating the service from others like Rhapsody is the fact that Rdio allows users to listen from anywhere in "the cloud," including through their phones, instead of needing to download DRM-laced music locally.

Furthermore, Rdio has many social networking features connected to Facebook and Twitter.

Rdio has over five million tracks available from the major labels and thousands of indies.

To have access at home and via your phone, the service costs $10 per month. The beta is currently private,but TechCrunch has some.

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XPRT Ventures has sued eBay for $3.8 billion this week, accusing the auction giant of infringing on six patents used by the PayPal payment system.

The company says eBay stole confidential information from the inventors of XPRT's patents and used them to create certain features in PayPal and PayPal Later.

eBay filed a patent application in 2003 dubbed "Method and System to Automate Payment for a Commerce Transaction." It failed, according to XPRT, however, to disclose that it knew of XPRT's own similar patent applications.

"This involves a trade secret theft, along with sheer patent infringement," adds Steven Moore, who is representing the plaintiff. "It is bad enough to take someone's technology, but it is a bit much to use it in your own patent application."

XRPT is seeking $3.8 billion in monetary damages, based on current and future earnings thanks to PayPal.

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Consumer Reports, the respected nonprofit organization that publishes guides on all kinds of products and makes recommendations to consumers said yesterday it could not recommend the Apple iPhone 4.

The organization also said that AT&T was not to blame for the model's left hand antenna issues, placing the blame on Apple's hardware design.

Consumer Reports has said that the design flaw is temporarily fixed by using a sliver of duct tape, and CNN has tested the method.

"When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side -- an easy thing, especially for lefties -- the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal," Consumer Reports adds.

Apple has said an upcoming software update will fix the antenna issues, but seeing is believing in that case.

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Last week, Fring released an updated iPhone app that allowed users of the new iPhone 4 to video conference over Wi-Fi and 3G with other iPhone, Android and Symbian smartphone owners.

The app got massive publicity, because Apple's own FaceTime app only allows conferencing between iPhones and only over Wi-Fi.

Fring said, later in the week, that it had to "temporarily reduce support" to Skype, which had supported it for years.

Earlier this week, Fring made it public that Skype was blocking the app, and threatening legal action against them.

Said Fring: "They are afraid of open mobile communication. Cowards. Needless to say, we are very disappointed that Skype, who once championed the cause of openness is now trying to muzzle competition, even at the expense of its own users. We're sorry for the inconvenience Skype has caused you. We've contacted Skype and are awaiting an official response from the company."

Skype has responded, and with force. Says legal chief Robert Miller (via TechCrunch): "An hour or so ago, Fring reported on its blog that we had blocked their access to Skype. I want to make one thing absolutely clear: this is untrue. Fring was using Skype software in a way it wasn't designed to be used – and in a way which is in breach of Skype's API Terms of Use and End User License Agreement. We've been talking with Fring for some time to try to resolve this amicably.

However, over time, Fring's mis-use of our software was increasingly damaging our brand and reputation with our customers. On Friday, for example, Fring withdrew support for video calls over Skype on iOS 4 without warning, again damaging our brand and disappointing our customers, who have high expectations of the Skype experience.

We actively encourage developers to build products that work with Skype, acting, of course in accordance with our various API licences. At the same time, Skype will rigorously protect our brand and reputation, and those developers that do not comply with our terms will be subject to legal enforcement.

In this case, however, there is no truth to Fring's claims that Skype has blocked it. Fring made the decision to remove Skype functionality on its own."

The battle is ongoing.

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Sprint CEO Dan Hesse, talking to the Financial Times, has said today that the carrier is now actively considering deploying WiMAX and LTE for their 4G networks.

Currently, the company only offers 4G through WiMAX.

That decision is leading many to speculate that a long rumored merger between Sprint and T-Mobile USA is a possibility, given that both would use LTE for their 4G needs.

The merger makes no sense now, as T-Mobile uses GSM/UMTS for 3G while Sprint uses CDMA. Deutsche Telekom, the parent of T-Mobile has entertained offers to sell its American unit.

T-Mobile is the fourth biggest carrier in the U.S., with 34 million subscribers, while Sprint is third at 48 million. Both trail leaders Verizon and AT&T by a large margin.

When asked about a merger, Hesse said there was "logic" behind a move like that: "I don't see a need to scale larger, but if there's an acquisition that makes sense for us, I do want to have a balance sheet that would give me the flexibility of making good acquisitions when we see them."

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Wal-Mart has started pre-orders on a new Microsoft Kinect bundle today, adding more question marks to the still unofficial price tag on the system.

Priced at $200, consumers get the Kinect system, a $30 Wal-Mart eGift Card, and one of the launch titles.

Those titles (Sports is pictured) are Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, Dance Central, Joy Ride, Kinectimals, Kinect Sports and Kinect Adventures.

You can also add an additional game for $50-60 if you want to get more for your new bundle.

The Microsoft Store has the system priced at $150, but with a note that price is still subject to change. GameStop and Amazon have similar pricing, and similar notices.

Wal-Mart's latest deal is the most cost-effective, especially given the discount off the game and the addition of the gift card, but we will see if the price sticks when the device launches in early November.

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Last week, noted hacker Geohot posted to his blog that he had jailbroken the Apple iPhone 4 but quickly stated that he would not be releasing the tool to the public anytime soon.

Today, icons MuscleNerd and Planetbeing have posted that they have jailbroken and unlocked the iPhone 4, with the tools likely coming after Apple releases their iOS 4.0.1/4.1 update in the coming weeks.

The update should help solve the problem behind that aptly named "antennagate," where iPhone 4 users continuously lose reception when holding the phones in their left hands, covering the antenna.

Planetbeing tweeted this morning: "Looks like I now have an unlocked iPhone 4 :)"

The hacker then posted a picture of his phone running Cydia, the jailbroken phone App Store, while connected to Bell Canada. It seems he used "code of @comex's userland jailbreak method."

If Apple keeps the exploits unpatched, expect the tool out when the firmware update hits.

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Samsung's first Bada smartphone, the Wave, has sold 1 million units in its first month, says the company, making it an official success.

The Wave S8500 launched globally in June.

Justin Hong, Bada OS project leader and architect, Tweeted the results this morning.

Samsung's Wave is considered a high-end smartphone, but the price is attractive with some carriers selling it for as low as $300 without contract.

The touchscreen device has a 3.3-inch Super AMOLED display, a 1GHz processor, 5MP camera, 2GB internal memory, and 802.11n Wi-Fi. The display is said to be "incredibly" vibrant and removes all outdoor visibility issues.

Bada has the apps menu, contacts, and calling always pinned on the homescreen, and widgets are available for news, weather and more. Multi-touch is standard.

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Larry Page, co-founder of search giant Google has accused Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs of attempting to re-write history, and asserted that Google did not "follow" Apple into the mobile phone market. Page is referring to comments made by Jobs in February at an Apple town hall meeting, in which he blasted Google's "don't be evil" mantra as "bullshit" and accused the company of trying to kill the iPhone.

In a videotaped conference in June, Jobs echoed the same comments. However, Page has told Reuters that Jobs words are a "little bit of re-writing history."

"We had been working on Android a very long time, with the notion of producing phones that are Internet enabled and have good browsers and all that because that did not exist in the marketplace," Page said. "I think that characterization of us entering after is not really reasonable."

Google acquired Android Inc., a mobile startup, in 2005 and announced its Android mobile operating system in November 2007. The iPhone had debuted in January of that year. After the Android OS was announced and handsets rolled out that featured the operating system, relations between the two tech giants soured increasingly.

At Google's annual developers conference this year, vice president of engineering Vic Gundotra said that Google developed Android to avoid a "Draconian future, a future where one man, one company, one device and one carrier would be our only choice." Behind him, a picture read, "Not a Future We Want, 1984."

The stunt mirrors Apple's portrayal of IBM when it first launched the Macintosh, referencing of the George Orwell classic that describes the totalitarium regime known as "The Party."

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Microsoft Corp. and Fujitsu have announced a partnership in global cloud computing services. The Japan-based hardware and IT services company will deploy the Windows Azure platform at its data centers. Cloud computing allows the storing and use of data and programs on servers that can be accessed globally, and is increasingly used by clients to avoid having to pay for expensive software or more powerful computers to run the latest applications.

The first Fujitsu data center to use the Azure platform will be the Tatebayashi centre near Tokyo by the end of 2010, with data centers around the world following suit. "Through this alliance, we are providing our customers with a new array of possibilities in cloud computing," said Kazuo Ishida, corporate senior executive vice president for Fujitsu's ICT Services Business.

"Our partnership with Microsoft truly reflects Fujitsu's cloud strategy and will no doubt break new ground in contributing to the creation of an IT-networked society."

Fujitsu has made cloud computing services a cornerstone of its strategy, aiming to generate 1.5 trillion yen ($17 billion) by March 2016. It will invest 100 billion yen this year in cloud-related businesses, and will train 5,000 engineers by 2012.

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Wang Chen, director of the State Council Information Office in China, reportedly called for a system that would reduce Internet users' anonymity even further in China, according to a human rights group. Human Rights in China retrieved the text of a speech given by Chen to the national legislature in April, which it says was reported only briefly at the time.

Additionally, the transcript of the speech was also removed from the legislature website quickly. Wang said that holes needed to be plugged, such as the ability for people to post comments or access information anonymously.

"We will make the Internet real name system a reality as soon as possible, implement a nationwide cell phone real name system, and gradually apply the real name registration system to online interactive processes," Wang is quoted as saying.

Under the "real name" system, anonymous quotes on news articles would not be allowed. Wang's comments come amid growing international attention on Internet censorship. China recently renewed Google's license to operate after the company shut its Chinese search engine earlier this year in a row over censorship and hacking.

The United States and the European Union are also working on a possible WTO case arguing that Chinese censorship amounts to an effective trade barrier.

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An Israeli developer is crying foul after Apple reportedly rejected an application that warns users of radiation levels. Tawkon, the developer of the software, says it measures radiation levels in real time, which is something a lot of users might like. "It doesn't use Flash, and it's not porn, so why the ban?" asks Scott Piro, a spokesman for Tawkon.

It is already available for BlackBerry however, and an Android version of the application is also set to be released. Tawkon is hosting a petition on its website, hoping to pressure Apple into changing its mind.

At the same time however, the company also says that it was informed by Apple execs that all it needs to do is make a few minor API modifications, so the petition is probably aimed more at generating publicity for the company.

The Register questions exactly what the application even does. The company claims that: "RRI ~(real-time radiation indication) leverages unique smart phones capabilities such as GPS, accelerometer, proximity sensors and more to help minimize radiation exposure during mobile phone usage."

The application apparently warns users when radiation is too high to keep the phone away from them, or to change location. However, while radiation from handsets has gotten considerable media attention, no reputable scientific study has ever linked mobile phone usage to cancer.

"Research studies have not shown a consistent link between cell phone use and cancer," a National Cancer Institute fact sheet reads.

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According to data from Chart-Track, ELSPA and ISFE, sales of video game hardware in the United Kingdom were down 32 percvent to £256 million in the first half of 2010. The total hardware sales for the same period of 2009 added up to £378 million. Additionally, video game software sales fell 10 percent from last year's £592 million to £533 million, according to the data.

Total sales generated in the UK from the first 26 weeks of the year hit £963 million, down 16 percent from £1.143 billion last year. "UK consumers are still facing economic uncertainty and everyone is looking to how they can make savings, which has naturally impacted on the entertainment industry as a whole," commented Michael Rawlinson, director general of ELSPA.

It is worth noting that the figures do not include sales made for console or PC games by way of digital distribution services. "UK consumers are getting their gaming entertainment now in a variety ways," said Rawlinson.

"Consumers are increasingly downloading videogames from websites, and are also increasingly playing games not only on consoles, but also on their mobiles or through social networking sites, such as Facebook. This is proof that interactive entertainment is expanding way beyond its traditional boundaries."

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Consumer Reports has revealed that it cannot recommend Apple's iPhone 4 handset following tests on the model's reported signal problems, adding that AT&T Inc. is not the main culprit. The respected nonprofit organization publishes guides on all kinds of products and makes recommendations to consumers.

The publication tested the iPhone 3GS, Palm Pre and other handsets too and said none of them experienced the same kind of signal problems as the iPhone 4. "Consumer reports is a respected publication. This could have an impact on iPhone sales," Kaufman Bros analyst Shaw Wu said.

Apple has been sued by customers in at least three complaints related to the antenna problems with the handheld. "When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone's lower left side -- an easy thing, especially for lefties -- the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you're in an area with a weak signal," contributor Mike Gikas said in a post on the Consumer Reports website.

"Our findings call into question the recent claim by Apple that the iPhone 4's signal-strength issues were largely an optical illusion caused by faulty software that 'mistakenly displays 2 more bars than it should for a given signal strength."

Gikas recommended as a temporary measure that iPhone 4 owners cover the gap in the wraparound antenna with duct tape or another non-conductive material. Consumer Reports did give the iPhone 4 high scores for several of its features, including its battery life, display and video camera quality. However, it will not be classified as a "recommended device" until Apple delivers a permanent and free fix for the antenna problem, according to Gikas.

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A new report from security firm Secunia has listed Apple on top of the list of companies whose software for PCs has the most security vulnerabilities in H1 2010. The report claims that the number of security vulnerabilities overall in the first half of 2010 was close to the number recorded for the entire of 2009.

During the first 6 months of 2010, Secunia recorded 380 vulnerabilities within the top 50 prevalent packages on end-user PCs. While Apple topped the list, it was followed by Oracle and then Microsoft.

The report says the threat landscape has shifted from operating system bugs to third-party applications in recent times, stating that a typical end-user PC with the 50 applications would face 3.5 more times bugs in 24 of those applications which are third-party, than the 26 Microsoft programs installed.

The firm expects the ratio to rise to 4.4 this year. The report also highlighted complications with patching, with its typical end-user PC example having 13 different software update mechanisms.

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