Michelle Megna

Simon & Schuster today introduced an online video book service available in two formats — as an Apple iPhone application and in an edition for PC Web browsers. The book format, dubbed “vooks“, blends text and video into what the publishing giant describes as a seamless reading experience “to advance the plot and enhance the […]

Hear that iPhone? The Palm Pre and Android-powered handsets narrowly beat out the BlackBerry in customer satisfaction, according to a report issued today. Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone is still the one to beat, earning first place in customer satisfaction with an 83 on a 100-point scale. Palm’s (NASDAQ: PALM) Pre and the Android category each […]

In its latest push into the burgeoning e-reader market, Sony today unveiled a new portal for aspiring authors who want to publish titles for the electronics giant’s e-book store. Online publishing firms Author Solutions and Smashwords are also partnering with Sony to give independent authors and small publishers the opportunity to offer content at The […]

T-Mobile today issued details on the launch of Motorola’s Android handset, Cliq: it costs $199 with a two-year contract and pre-sales for existing customers begins Oct. 19. The [Cliq impressed industry observers](/mobility/article.php/3838651/Cliq+Motorola+Finally+Makes+Its+Android+Play.htm) when unveiled at Motorola’s press event Sept. 10, but absent was any news of the first Android-powered handset slated for Verizon, also made […]

Palm today released the first major update to its mobile platform webOS, an upgrade that includes support for paid apps in the Palm Catalog store and over-the-air downloads from Amazon’s MP3 Store. Also noteworthy in Palm’s webOS 1.2 is what’s missing–the ability for the Palm Pre to sync directly with Apple’s iTunes software. The two rivals […]

Palm today released the first major update to its mobile platform webOS, an upgrade that includes support for paid apps in the Palm Catalog store and over-the-air downloads from Amazon’s MP3 Store. Also noteworthy in Palm’s (NASDAQ: PALM) webOS 1.2 is what’s missing — the ability for the Palm Pre to sync directly with Apple’s […]

Disney Publishing today is launching an online subscription service offering families Web access to the empire’s library of children’s books. Subscriptions for Disney Digital Books will cost either $8.95 a month or $79.95 a year, and can be purchased online or through gift cards sold in retail locations, according to analyst Sarah Rotman Epps, analyst […]

Google has ordered a custom Android developer to stop distributing his software because it includes the search giant’s proprietary applications such as YouTube, Gmail and Maps. The programmer of the CyanogenMod ROM was served a cease-and-desist order because Google took issue with the software for modifying and distributing its applications. CyanogenMod ROM is an Android […]

Nokia today acquired a social networking site for travelers in its third complementary, boutique tech firm purchase in the past month. The latest firm to join the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) family is Dopplr, which has a staff of seven and offices in London and Helsinki. Using the company’s “social atlas,” Dopplr members share travel plans, […]

Apple’s App Store today surpassed 2 billion downloads, proving that the iPhone maker still reigns supreme in the mobile app world. The company, which started a cultural and technological phenomenon when it opened the App Store in July 2008, shows no sign of leveling off, based on figures released by Apple. Instead, downloads are continuing […]

MMS — Multimedia Messaging Service — has finally come to the Apple iPhone. This afternoon, AT&T and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) made good on earlier promises to activate the feature, which gives iPhone 3GS and 3G users the ability to send send messages with video, audio and pictures. Like SMS text messaging, MMS is interoperable between […]

The long-term success of the Palm Pre could be in jeopardy as Verizon may opt out of offering the smartphone, therefore limiting sales solely to subscribers of the No. 3 carrier Sprint. Sprint currently holds the exclusive carrier contract for Palm’s (NASDAQ: PALM) signature handset, but Verizon Wireless President and CEO Lowell McAdam had told […]