Vertu launches new luxury handset smartphone

The handmade Constellation puts build quality and exclusivity above internal specifications in order to justify its $6000 price tag.

Once upon a time, the Vertu phone was the epitome of smartphone luxury and desirability, thanks to its 24/7 concierge hotline, which essentially made it an American Express black card that could make phone calls. As such, just like the BlackBerry for businessmen, it quickly became the must-have gadget for socialites and sports stars alike. It might not have had the best camera or the richest display but where most handsets featured plastics, Vertu's featured stainless steel, titanium, silver, gold and even carbon fibre.

Snapchat extends 'self-destruct' feature to 24 hours security increased to a level

Photo and video sharing app, Snapchat has reportedly extended its time frame of sharing content to 24 hours.

Earlier the app provided a mere 10-second viewing period before the pictures expired and were automatically deleted from the server. However, the new feature, called Stories, is aimed at making the service more social and more permanent, stuff.co.nz reports.

Instagram to start showing advertisements on social networking sites

Instagram, the mobile photo-sharing app owned by Facebook Inc., says it will start showing "occasional" photo and video advertisements in the coming months.

It's Instagram's first step toward making money. While users can already follow brands and businesses, part of the app's appeal has been its simplicity and, for some, a lack of advertisements.

To ease users into seeing ads, the company said in a blog post Thursday that it will focus on showing "a small number" of "high-quality photos and videos" from a handful of brands.

Google Play Music coming soon for iOS

Google is currently working on bringing its music app to devices running Apple's iOS, Engadget reports. The music subscription platform, launched last May, is Google's alternative to popular music streaming sites such as Spotify and Deezer.

Users of iOS devices can already access the service through a mobile web browser, but the native app is currently offered only for Android. According to a source close to the Mountain View firm, a version of Google Play Music for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch is being tested internally and could arrive "later this month."

The service allows users to store 20,000 songs in the cloud in order to listen to them from anywhere. The "All Access" offer, at $9.99 per month, gives subscribers unlimited streaming from a catalogue of millions of songs. The app also gives users music recommendations based on their listening history and creates smart playlists based on a selected artist or genre.

Google Play Music is currently available for free for the Android OS.

Wave goodbye to the touch screen, time to move on

A new technology based on ultrasound enables smartphones to recognize touchless hand gestures.

Created by Norwegian startup Elliptic Labs, the technology, which makes using a smartphone or a tablet like playing a video game via Microsoft's Kinect motion sensing system, is being showcased at this year's Ceatec in Japan.

Although it is only in its proof-of-concept stage, it is capable of responding to one millimeter movements and can recognize hand gestures across 180° and at a distance of up to 50cm from the screen. But what's most exciting is that Elliptic Labs claims it has already formed partnerships with a number of Asian handset manufacturers who are looking at building the company's ultrasound chip into phones and tablets that could come to market as early as next year.

There is little doubt that gesture is going to be one of the key computing interfaces of the future and that along with voice recognition will probably replace the keyboard, mouse and maybe even the touch screen. Look at the attention and headlines that companies such as Leap Motion and Thalmic Labs are generating with their motion-sensing technologies and the way that Microsoft brought a new dimension to gaming when it launched the first Xbox Kinect controller.

What makes Elliptic Labs' technology so interesting is that it uses ultrasound, rather than infra-red sensors (like the Kinect) or cameras (like both the Kinect and Leap Motion), and therefore is much simpler and cheaper to build into consumer electronics devices and has none of the other technologies' drawbacks.

For instance, infra-red sensors become completely overwhelmed when used outdoors, in sunlight, while cameras put strain on batteries and have a limited focal range meaning that in order to recognize an air gesture in space, several cameras mounted at different positions would be needed to measure both position and depth.

Adobe hacked, 2.9 million accounts compromised worldwide

Adobe Systems, which makes softwares like Photoshop and Acrobat, on Friday said credit card information of 2.9 million customers have been stolen from its website in a cyber attack.

In a blogpost, Adobe said its security team discovered sophisticated attacks on its network, involving the illegal access to customer information as well as source code for numerous Adobe products.

"Our investigation currently indicates that the attackers accessed Adobe customer IDs and encrypted passwords on our systems. We also believe the attackers removed from our systems certain information relating to 2.9 million Adobe customers.

"This includes customer names, encrypted credit or debit card numbers, expiration dates and other information relating to customer orders," it added.

Adobe said while it believes the attackers did not remove decrypted credit or debit card numbers from its systems, it is working internally and with external partners and law enforcement to address the incident.

The company said it is notifying customers and resetting passwords. It has also alerted banks processing Adobe payments to help protect customer accounts and is working with federal law enforcement on its related investigation.

"Cyber attacks are one of the unfortunate realities of doing business today. Given the profile and widespread use of many of our products, Adobe has attracted increasing attention from cyber attackers," Adobe chief security officer Brad Arkin wrote in the blog post.

LG announced, Flexible smartphone coming in October

LG has announced that it is poised to launch yet another new smartphone, this time with a flexible display, and that it will be officially launched before the end of October.

LG's revelation comes a matter of days after Samsung reported that it is gearing up to launch a handset with a flexible display before the end of the year.

Although Samsung has not gone into specifics, in an interview with ZDNet Korea, LG has confirmed that although its device will have a flexible OLED screen, it will be on a less-than-flexible and therefore solid shell, suggesting that the phone will be curved. The company has also said that the handset will initially go on sale in its home territory of South Korea and that in terms of other specifications will be based on its existing flagship, the LG G2.

The technology that makes flexible screens a reality also makes them essentially indestructible, bending and giving under pressure rather than snapping, cracking or shattering.

However, a similar technology doesn't yet exist to make batteries, RAM and processors bendy. Still, curved displays have been shown to be better than their perfectly flat counterparts when it comes to watching films or playing games and there is also a good chance that by curving a handset it will be easier and more comfortable to hold in one hand.

In September, LG's biggest direct rival, Samsung, announced that its first curved-screen smartphone was in the works. "We plan to introduce a smartphone with a curved display in South Korea in October," Samsung's mobile business head of strategic marketing D.J. Lee said to Reuters at an event launching the Galaxy Note III phablet in Seoul on September 24. However, the company didn't provide any further details.

An interesting rivalry is currently emerging between the two tech powerhouses. In 2012, LG launched the world's first curved OLED display television and it was so stunning that it bagged a Red Dot Best-of-the-Best Design Award this July. Not to be outdone, during September's IFA tech showcase in Berlin, Samsung launched its own retail-ready, equally curved, equally OLED 55-inch TV. A day later, LG revealed a second curved OLED set which, at 77-inches from corner to corner, made it the world's largest curved OLED set and stole the headlines from Samsung.

Similarly, in March, Samsung confirmed rumors by admitting that it was developing a smartwatch. The announcement prompted LG to put out a statement stressing that it was also developing a smartwatch. Samsung has already unveiled its watch, the Galaxy Gear, and now the tech press is waiting for LG to officially reveal its intelligent timepiece.

Apple "iWatch" could have flexible OLED screen

A few days after the launch of Samsung's Galaxy Gear, rumors have surfaced regarding Apple's hypothetical smartwatch project. In an article that caught the attention of tech blogs around the world, Korean newspaper The Chosun Ilbo reported that Apple is testing a flexible screen for a forthcomingwearable device.

The article is based on a statement from a source close to Apple, which indicates that the future "iWatch" could feature a flexible plastic OLED screen. The source affirms that Apple is actually testing three types of screens, ranging in size from 1.3 to 1.5 inches, and that a prototype of the 1.5-inch version has already been developed, obviously in absolute secrecy.

If true, the rumors would indicate that Apple is taking a different approach from that of Samsung with its Galaxy Gear, which has a classic, rigid Super AMOLED screen measuring 1.63 inches.

Ironically, Samsung is one of the first names that comes to mind when it comes to innovating in the flexible screen arena, having presented a number of prototypes in recent years, including the 5-inch flexible OLED the brand presented at CES in Las Vegas last January. The South Korean giant is expected to release a smartphone with a curved screen in the very near future.

Skype, WhatsApp to be blocked in Pakistan in few days

Pakistan's southern Sindh province has reportedly decided to block access to online communication networks including Skype and WhatsApp for three months to curb terrorism.

Sindh's Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the administration is compelled to ban those networks for three months over security reasons.

According to News24, police officials claim that these online applications were frequently being used by terrorists and criminal elements.

The country shutdown access to YouTube in September last year after the site failed to take down an anti-Islam film that had sparked furious protests across the Muslim world.

The report added that the other networks to face the ban include apps such as Tango and Viber.

Internet technology becoming cyber chic

Models wearing Google Glass eyewear, Pebble smartwatches and other hot gadgets strutted a catwalk late Monday as Internet technology continued to merge with the world of fashion.

A Digital Fall fashion show here marked the close of the first Glazed Conference devoted to setting the stage for wearable computing startups to become billion-dollar businesses.

"It looks like technology for the sake of technology is dead," said Eliane Fiolet, co-founder of popular technology news website Ubergizmo.com and organizer of the fashion show.

"People want a great piece of technology that works well and looks great."

Companies are increasingly tuning into desires for sophisticated gadgets that also let people express personal styles, she noted.

Jawbone lets people customize colors of Jambox wireless speakers that synch wirelessly to smartphones, tablets, or laptop computers.

Nike allows people visiting its website to design their own ahtletic shoes, and matches some sports attire with wearable devices that track daily active for those chasing fitness goals.

"There will be more and more integration with fashion and technology," Fiolet said. "We are just at the very start of it."

She believed that Google has touched on a winning formula with Google Glass Internet-linked eyewear, which have become a fashion trend in the San Francisco and Silicon Valley areas.

"We are in the next stage of human evolution," said Glazed Conference organizer Redg Snodgrass, co-founder of Stained Glass Labs startup accelerator devoted to revving up the wearable computing industry.

"Entrepreneurs aren't those nerds living in a closet anymore," Snodgrass said as the fashion show was about to commence in a club not far from Twitter's headquarters in San Francisco. "They are out there pushing the limit. Anything that is technologically fascinating is sexy, and fashion is tied to that."

While fitness has been a winning theme for early wearable computing devices, such as UP and Fitbit bracelets for providing feedback on whether people are hitting activity and sleep goals, Snodgrass thinks films and games will be the next areas to catch fire.

The one-day Glazed Conference was intended to bring together entrepreneurs, investors and others to explore ways to realize ideas and make money in the world of wearable computing.

"Not only did they show up, they brought the heat," Snodgrass said of the turnout. "They brought some great stuff."

Among the attendees was self-described 'cybertechnician' Tyler Freeman, who sported Drum Pants lined with sensors that let him play percussion beats by slapping various spots on his legs. The sensor strips are held in place with Velcro, meaning they can be swapped between pieces of a wardrobe, he explained.

"The goal is to get banned in public schools; then we know we are a success," said the San Francisco-based entrepreneur.

Tapping on Drum Pants sends signals wirelessly to smartphones, which then direct thumps or synthesized sounds to come from speakers. The sensors could be used to control PowerPoint presentations or Google Glass cameras with casual touches of a leg, according to Freeman.

Fiolet already has her sites set on next year's show, with hopes of being able to showcase creations of London-based CuteCircuit, the cyber chic fashion house that wowed the world with a "Twitter Dress" worn by a celebrity to a 4G mobile network launch event in Britain in late 2012.

LED lights designed into the gown displayed posts from the globally-popular one-to-many messaging service.

Technology and fashion need to be combined tastefully to make for a winning creation, according to Fiolet.

"It has to be good looking; be a great piece of technology, and monitor something you care about," she contended. "If you don't care, you will never wear it. And, if it is ugly, you will never wear it."

Google Chrome becomes leading browser in Europe

With a 27.2 % share of visitors in August 2013, Google Chrome is now the browser used by the highest number of Europeans, coming just ahead of Internet Explorer (26.4%) and Firefox (21.3%), AT Internet reports.

Over the past 13 months, Google Chrome gained 0.48 point per month, while Internet Explorer and Firefox respectively lost 0.79 point and 0.25 point per month on average. Safari was also on the rise, claiming an additional 0.4 point per month on average over the period, and securing a 17.8 % market share on the continent in August 2013.

According to the same report, Chrome is far and away the most popular browser in France (28.1%, +5.7pts) and in Spain (32%, +5.2pts). In the UK, however, Safari strengthened its lead over the 13-month period, gaining 9.2pts for a 33.8 percent market share, while Chrome remained in third position (24.2%, +2.8pts) behind Internet Explorer (25.9%, -10.7pts).

The study, carried out from August 1 to 31, 2013, was based on 8,036 websites audited by AT Internet.

Apple getting ready to roll out yet another iOS7 update

According to BGR, version i0S7.0.3 could be released as early as next week to address a number of lingering bugs.

Despite the fact that it has only been available to the public since September 18, Apple has already pushed out one update to its latest operating system in record time to address a vulnerability that, if left unchecked, would have given hackers access to a handset's contents, regardless of whether a passcode had been activated.

And while the 17-20MB update (iOS7.0.2), which went live on September 26, has fixed this problem, users who have upgraded to iOS7 from iOS6 have been complaining about problems with iMessage, the feature on iDevices that allows users to send free text and multimedia messages to other iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch owners.

Messages are going unsent, are not being received, or worse, are being sent as text messages and, according to Apple's community boards, the problems have become more pronounced since installing iOS7.0.2.

On Tuesday, in a statement sent to the Wall Street Journal Apple confirmed that that it was aware of the issue and would be pushing out a fix.

But in the meantime, users that can't live without iMessage can try this:

In the settings menu, disable iMessage. Then in the general menu, reset the phone's network settings. Then return to the Messages menu in Settings and reactivate iMessages.

Panasonic to launch below Rs. 5,000 mobile phones

In a bid to strengthen its position in the Indian mobile phone market, Japanese electronics major Panasonic plans to come out with devices below Rs. 5,000 by November this year.

The company has already launched four premium smartphone models since May, when it entered into the domestic market and aims to achieve a market share of 8% in first year.

"Panasonic is conscious of the market and demand for phones priced below Rs. 5,000. Considering the same, we plan to come out with a feature phones below Rs. 5,000 by November this year," Panasonic India managing director Manish Sharma said.

He said there is tremendous potential in the Indian smartphone market and the company is ready to invest more. "We have already launched four premium models since our entry into smartphone market and we will continue to offer a wide range of phones. We are looking at budget phones and may introduce them following up on these launches," Sharma said.

The company had launched its first quad-core smartphone Panasonic P51 for Rs. 26,900 in May. This month, it came out with three new models in the price range of Rs. 9,790 to Rs. 16,490. "Our phones are targeted at the young generation, which is always on the lookout for better, faster and savvier smartphones on the go. The phones are apt for the always-on- the-go college youth and the premium executive class," Sharma added.

Your smartphone can detect earthquakes and it's Intensity

Small sensors installed in most smartphones and laptops are sensitive enough to detect moderate and large earthquakes - greater than magnitude 5 - a new study suggests.

A tiny chip used in smartphones to adjust the orientation of the screen could serve to create a real-time urban seismic network, easily increasing the amount of strong motion data collected during a large earthquake, researchers said.

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) accelerometers measure the rate of acceleration of ground motion and vibration of cars, buildings and installations.

In the 1990s MEMS accelerometers revolutionised the automotive airbag industry and are found in many devices used daily, including smartphones, video games and laptops.

Antonino D'Alessandro and Giuseppe D'Anna, seismologists at Istituto Nazionale di Geosifica e Vulcanologia in Italy, tested whether inexpensive MEMS accelerometers could reliably and accurately detect ground motion caused by earthquakes.

They tested the LIS331DLH MEMS accelerometer installed in a smartphone, comparing it to the earthquake sensor EpiSensor ES-T force balance accelerometer.

The tests suggest that the MEMS accelerometers can detect moderate to strong earthquakes - greater than magnitude 5 - when located near the epicentre.

The device produces sufficient noise to prevent it from accurately detecting lesser quakes - a limitation to its use in monitoring strong motion.

D'Alessandro and D'Anna note that the technology is rapidly evolving, and there will soon be MEMS sensors that are sensitive to quakes less than magnitude 5.

The real advantage, say the authors, is the widespread use of mobile phones and laptops that include MEMS technology, making it possible to dramatically increase coverage when strong earthquakes occur.

The current state of the MEMS sensors, suggest the authors, could be used for the creation of an urban seismic network that could transmit in real-time ground motion data to a central location for assessment.

The rich volume of data could help first responders identify areas of greatest potential damage, allowing them to allocate resources more effectively.

The study was published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (BSSA).

Microsoft prepping 7-inch Surface

Although a smaller Windows-powered tablet was suspicious by its absence at this week’s Microsoft product launch, sources persist in reporting that the company has developed a smaller slate to sit alongside its new Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 10-inch tablet devices.

Research and analytics firms IHS iSuppli and NPD Display Search both claim that a third Surface-branded tablet is on its way and that it will boast a not-quite-HD 7.5-inch display. The company’s sources also claim that the device will run the Windows RT operating system rather than the full Windows 8.1 desktop and notebook OS, while tech site CNET is speculating that it will come with 3G and 4G/LTE built in because it will use an ARM processor which puts less strain on a battery than the Intel equivalent, therefore saving enough power to run mobile internet antennae.

As for the price and release date, it is not expected to hit the shelves until 2014 and it will be cheaper than the new Surface 2 which goes on sale on October 22 priced $445.

At 7.5-inches, the Surface Mini will have to pack quite a punch in order to compete with the Nexus 7 and Amazon’s completely overhauled range of Kindle tablets. What’s more, Apple is reportedly currently gearing up to launch its second-generation iPad Mini which is expected to have a faster processor and a full HD retina display when it goes on sale just in time for the holiday season.

The company’s existing tablets show that despite being a software company, Microsoft knows how to build premium hardware, however, in the case of Windows RT devices in particular, it is still lagging in terms of attracting app developers to its mobile platforms. And this will be the ultimate deciding factor as to whether or not a smaller Microsoft tablet is a success or failure. Hardware is nothing without engaging software and services. Both Apple and Android can offer 1 million apps to their customers, Windows RT users have access to 100,000.

Hackers offered $16k reward, booze to crack iPhone fingerprint security

The US hacking community is reportedly set to offer a reward of 16,000 dollars to the first person who hacks the latest iPhone 5S' fingerprint scanner.

Security experts Nick Depetrillo and Robert David Graham have set up a website called IsTouchIDHackedYet.com, which tells people if the iPhone 5S' TouchID has been hacked yet.

Tech giant Apple unveiled the new smartphone with the hi-tech feature of scanning one's finger impressions for securely locking the device.

Graham said that hackers had used gummy bears to lift fingerprint sensors a while back, but it is a lot harder than that adding that they are all offering money because it is going to be hard.

According to the report, two users Natasha Lomas and Darrel Etherington tried to use varied impressions for unlocking their phones. Lomas was successfully able to use her cat's paws for unlocking the phone, but admitted the process of registration took time.

While, Etherington tested using the underside of his forearm and the heel of his palm and was able to unlock it.

Etherington, who is a writer for TechCrunch, said that as long it is a recognizable pattern, the feature works adding that it has to be alive and any type of exposed skin can work, the report added.

Banned Facebook, Twitter to be open in China free trade zone

Facebook, Twitter and other websites deemed sensitive and blocked by the Chinese government will be accessible in a planned free-trade zone (FTZ) in Shanghai, the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday. Citing unidentified government sources, the Hong Kong newspaper also said authorities would welcome bids from foreign telecoms firms for licences to provide internet services in the zone.

China's ruling Communist Party aggressively censors the internet, routinely deleting online postings and blocking access to websites it deems inappropriate or politically sensitive.

Facebook and Twitter were blocked by Beijing in mid-2009 following deadly riots in the western province of Xinjiang that authorities say were abetted by the social networking sites. The New York Times has been blocked since reporting last year that the family of then-Premier Wen Jiabao had amassed a huge fortune.

The recently approved Shanghai FTZ is slated to be a test bed for convertibility of China's yuan currency and further liberalisation of interest rates, as well as reforms of foreign direct investment and taxation, the State Council, or cabinet, has said. The zone will be formally launched on September 29, the Securities Times reported earlier this month.

The idea of unblocking websites in the FTZ was to make foreigners "feel like at home", the South China Morning Post quoted a government source as saying. "If they can't get onto Facebook or read The New York Times, they may naturally wonder how special the free-trade zone is compared with the rest of China," the source said.

A spokesman for Facebook said the company had no comment on the newspaper report. No one at Twitter or the New York Times was immediately available to comment.

China's three biggest telecoms companies - China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom -have been informed of the decision to allow foreign competition in the FTZ, the sources told the newspaper.

The three state-owned companies had not raised complaints because they knew the decision had been endorsed by Chinese leadership including Premier Li Keqiang, who has backed the Shanghai FTZ, the sources added.

Twitter launches emergency alerts

Twitter on Wednesday launched a system for emergency alerts which can help spread critical information when other lines of communication are down.

The popular messaging service said its Twitter Alerts could be useful in natural disasters or other emergencies when traditional channels may be overloaded or unavailable.

"We know from our users how important it is to be able to receive reliable information during these times," Twitter product manager Gaby Pena said in a blog post.

"Twitter Alerts is a new way to get accurate and important information when you need it most."

Last year, Twitter announced a service called Lifeline to help Japanese users find emergency accounts during crises "and since then, we've been working on a related feature for people around the world," Pena said.

"Today, we're launching Twitter Alerts, a new feature that brings us one step closer to helping users get important and accurate information from credible organizations during emergencies, natural disasters or moments when other communications services aren't accessible."

Users who sign up to receive an account's Twitter Alerts will receive a notification directly to their phone for tweets marked as alerts from certain senders.

A number of organizations in the United States, Japan and South Korea have been authorized to send such alerts, and Twitter will expand this to "public institutions and NGOs around the world."

Some of those able to send alerts include the American Red Cross, Federal Emergency Management Agency, World Health Organization, and government and non-government agencies in Japan and South Korea.

Twitter's Bridget Coyne said the messaging platform became a vital information source following the Japan tsunami, and in the United States for Superstorm Sandy and the Boston bomb attacks.

She said those likely to use the alerts include law enforcement and public safety agencies, emergency management agencies, local governments and private organizations involved in disaster relief.

Nokia weighs Alcatel tie-up after Microsoft deal

Nokia is discussing internally whether to approach French rival Alcatel-Lucent about a tie-up, part of the Finnish company's review of how it can grow after the planned sale of its handset business to Microsoft Corp, several people close to the matter said.

No formal talks are underway with Alcatel-Lucent, the sources said. One of the people close to the matter said Nokia held "on again, off again" discussions about buying Alcatel's wireless business as recently as late 2012 and that the two companies could still come back to the table.

Speculation over a combination between Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent goes back several years, as both have struggled to compete with market leader Ericsson and low-cost Asian network equipment rivals Huawei and ZTE.

Microsoft announced on September 3 that it will buy Nokia's phone business and license its patents for 5.44 billion euros. Nokia has said it will evaluate strategy for its remaining operations before the deal closes. Those businesses include a mapping software unit called HERE and a portfolio of patents.

The Finnish phone maker once dominated the global market but has had its mobile business ravaged by nimbler rivals Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics.

Nokia, under the leadership of interim CEO Risto Siilasmaa, has already begun internal discussions on future strategy, the sources said, adding that a decision could be months away.

All the sources asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak with the media.

Representatives for Nokia, its network equipment unit, Nokia Solutions and Networks, and Alcatel-Lucent declined to comment.

Nokia is in a "period of reflection trying to figure out what they want to do," one of the sources said. They said there were possibilities for Nokia such as having "the option to buy the entire Alcatel-Lucent, or just the wireless business ... Nothing is imminent." Proceeds from Microsoft deal

Any formal dialogue around a combination would likely be held after Nokia receives proceeds from the Microsoft deal, which is expected to strengthen its financial position and boost its credit rating to investment grade from junk status, the people close to the matter said.

The Microsoft deal would leave Nokia with its Nokia Solutions and Networks unit as the main business generating around 90 % of the company's sales.

The most likely deal may be for Nokia to buy Alcatel's wireless division, which includes a big presence in the lucrative U.S. market where NSN has traditionally been weak, one of the sources said. That would leave Alcatel-Lucent to focus its fast-growing IP routing and optical business, the person said.

Analysts put the value of Alcatel's wireless business at between 1.1 billion euros to 1.5 billion euros.

A combination with Alcatel-Lucent would increase NSN's market share in the global wireless infrastructure market from 18 % to more than 30 percent, leapfrogging Huawei and closing in on Ericsson, according to analyst data.

While telecommunications operators around the world have been upgrading their infrastructure in response to consumer demand for faster mobile Internet connections, equipment makers have been under pressure to sell more for less.

The pressure led to a round of mergers in 2006 and 2007, out of which were born Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks.

NSN, which was a joint venture between Nokia and Siemens from 2007 until Nokia bought out the German company's stake in early July, announced in 2011 that it would focus on wireless network infrastructure to help turn the company around.

It has since shed more than a quarter of its workforce, and by the end of 2012 it was contributing to Nokia's cash flow instead of draining it.

Alcatel-Lucent, which has been unable to post regular profits and generate cash since 2006, also announced a new restructuring plan in June, under its new chief executive Michel Combes.

Nokia is likely to be highly cautious when considering any kind of offer for Alcatel-Lucent.

With shares of the French company up about 130 % this year, the Alcatel chief executive is currently not in any rush to strike a deal, the sources said.

There were other issues that could stand in the way of a deal, such as the risk of intervention by the French government to protect Alcatel or limit job cuts, one of the sources familiar with Nokia's thinking said. The French state owns 3.6 % of Alcatel-Lucent.

Nokia also may not be the only company interested in buying some of Alcatel's assets. Other network equipment makers such as Juniper Networks and Ericsson have also recently eyed Alcatel-Lucent or some of its assets, one of the sources said.

Ericsson and Juniper declined to comment.

BBM On Android, iOS Postponed Over Pre-release Leaks

Smartphone maker BlackBerry has paused the global roll out of instant messaging service BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) on rival Android and iPhones, blaming the delay on issues caused by an unreleased version.

However, the Canada-based firm, which has not specified the time when the app will be available, said customers who have downloaded BBM for iPhone will be able to use it.

"We know you're waiting. Pausing #BBM4All rollout to fix issues caused by unreleased BBM for Android app," BlackBerry said on social networking site Twitter.

"We will provide you an update on timing as soon as we can. Teams are working non-stop," it added.

Blackberry had earlier announced that it will provide its popular chat application BBM on Android operation system from September 21 and for iPhone users from September 22.

Explaining the reasons behind the delay, BlackBerry on its official blog said: "Prior to launching BBM for Android, an unreleased version of the BBM for Android app was posted online. The interest and enthusiasm we have seen already, more than 1.1 million active users in the first 8 hours without even launching the official Android app, is incredible.

"Consequently, this unreleased version caused issues, which we have attempted to address throughout the day."

It further said: "Our teams continue to work around the clock to bring BBM to Android and iPhone, but only when it's ready and we know it will live up to your expectations of BBM.

"We are pausing the global roll-out of BBM for Android and iPhone. Customers who have already downloaded BBM for iPhone will be able to continue to use BBM."  The unreleased Android app will be disabled and customers who downloaded it should visit www.BBM.com to register for updates on official BBM for Android availability, BlackBerry said.

"As soon as we are able, we will begin a staggered country roll-out of BBM for Android and continue the roll-out of BBM for iPhone," the blog post said.

These issues have not impacted the BBM service for BlackBerry, it added.

BBM has more than 60 million monthly active customers on BlackBerry alone, and majority use BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps, it added.