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Google target of Microsoft-led antitrust complaint

Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California is shown in this photo on May 4, 2004 in Mountain View, California.(Photo: David Paul Morris Getty Images)BRUSSELS (AP) -- A group of companies led by Microsoft have called on European authorities to launch an antitrust investigation into Google and its hold over mobile internet usage on smartphones.The "FairSearch" initiative of 17 companies - which includes Microsoft, Nokia, and Oracle -claims Google is acting unfairly by giving away its Android operating system to mobile device companies on the condition that the U.S. online giant's own software applications like YouTube and Google Maps are installed and prominently displayed."Google is using its Android mobile operating system as a Trojan horse to deceive partners, monopolize the mobile marketplace, and control consumer data," said Thomas Vinje, the group's Brussels-based lawyer.Android operating systems have the largest share of the smartphone market worldwide, followed by Apple's iOS platform with systems from Blackberry, Microsoft and others far behind."Google's predatory distribution of Android at below-cost makes it difficult for other providers of operating systems to recoup investments in competing with Google's dominant mobile platform," FairSearch said in a statement.The European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive arm and antitrust authority, is not obliged to take any action other than reply to the group's complaint.Google Inc. did not address the complaint's charges in detail. "We continue to work cooperatively with the European Commission," said Google spokesman Al Verney.The U.S. company is already under investigation by Brussels for practices related to its dominance of online search and advertising markets.That complaint, launched in 2010, alleges Google unfairly favors its own services in its Internet search results, which enjoy a near-monopoly in Europe. Google has proposed a list of remedies to address the Commission's concerns to achieve a settlement. The Commission is currently examining the proposed changes.In…
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Race for driverless cars is in full throttle

From left, California Gov. Edmund G Brown Jr., state Senator Alex Padilla and Google co-founder Sergey Brin stand by a driverless car they arrived in at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.(Photo: Eric Risberg, AP)Story HighlightsEngineers: Driverless cars are closer than we thinkThree states have legalized driverless carsNevada gave the first license for self-driven carKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — To call Tim Sylvester a road builder misses the point. The streets he intends to build are embedded with electronic sensors that may keep cars of the future from speeding, veering and crashing.A few blocks from Sylvester's Integrated Roadways office in Kansas City, doctoral candidate Amol Khedkar is toiling on his own prototype for a software system that would let cars talk to one other, synchronizing their own movements. The vehicles could automatically change lanes and make turns without humans mucking things up.Khedkar had better put the pedal to the metal. He's three years into his dissertation project — and in just that time, the worldwide race to develop so-called driverless vehicles has reached breakneck speeds.Much of the technology already is on the streets. Newer, higher-end automobiles can parallel-park themselves, creep through traffic jams on their own, alert drivers to blind side intruders, keep wheels from rolling onto center lines and spot deer in the road before headlights can.Google and other innovators say they may be just five years away from having all the tools and know-how to market what researchers call "a fully autonomous vehicle" — where steering, braking and turns can be safely performed without manning the controls.The bandied-about term "driverless" doesn't mean there's nobody at the wheel, though some scenarios project that day will come. Driverless means nobody needs to be there because internal and external sensors, plus satellite magic, allow the vehicle to drive itself.The question has…
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Good news for cable cord-cutters in Aereo win

Chet Kanojia, founder and CEO of Aereo, shows a tablet displaying his company's technology, in New York.(Photo: Bebeto Matthews AP)Story HighlightsA federal appeals court rules in favor of Aereo, rejecting an appeal by TV station ownersThe court rules that Aereo doesn't infringe on broadcasters' copyrightsThe service is expected to roll out in several markets this yearCutting the cable TV cord just got a little easier for consumers.A federal appeals court rejected Monday an appeal by TV station operators of a previous ruling that allowed startup Aereo to stream live broadcast TV through its website and app.The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in New York City, affirms an earlier ruling that Aereo doesn't violate the broadcasters' copyrights in airing programs over the Internet from its farm of mini-antennas in Brooklyn. Aereo, which is largely backed by Barry Diller's IAC Interactive, charges a subscription fee, ranging from $1 a day to $80 a year. Each subscribers leases an individual antenna, a point that Aereo emphasizes in differentiating its service from other streaming companies.Two groups of plaintiffs - network station owners - sued Aereo last year in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, asking for an injunction barring the company from transmitting programs because it lacks the proper license. The district court denied the motion, concluding that Aereo customers are streaming content through their own antenna. The National Association of Broadcasters, an industry group representing TV networks, said it was "disappointed" by the decision, and sided with the dissenting opinion issued by Judge Denny Chin. "Aereo's 'technology platform' is, however, a sham," Chin wrote. "The system employs thousands of individual dime-sized antennas, but there is no technologically sound reason to use a multitude of tiny individual antennas rather than one central antenna;…
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Reviewed.com roundup: A hot TV, and more

The Panasonic Viera VT60 Plasma TV(Photo: Reviewed.com)Story HighlightsElectrolux induction range is top notchNew Panasonic plasma set offers stunning picture qualityVideo quality earns a top rating for Canon Vixia camcorderFor nearly 15 years, Reviewed.com has put thousands of products to the test, all to help consumers buy, use, and understand electronics and appliances. Here's what we've been up to this week. Electrolux EW30IF60IS Induction Range Review We've written about the theoretical advantages of induction cooktops[1], and now we're finally getting the chance to test some of them out. The Electrolux EW30IF60IS[2] (MSRP $2,899) is the first one to come through our labs, and it's easily one of the best ranges we've tested. The level of control in the burners is just fantastic. It makes us wonder why induction still hasn't caught on in the U.S. yet. Panasonic Viera VT60 Plasma Television Review Panasonic makes consistently great plasma TVs. Last year's VT50[3] was a phenomenal TV, and Panasonic managed to make the new VT60[4] (MSRP $2,599-$3,599) even better. The picture quality is simply stunning. This thing has the potential to be one of the best TVs we'll review all year.REVIEWED.COM: This little robot can wash your windows[5]RELATED: 4 ways to make tablets better[6] Canon Vixia HF G20 Camcorder Review Canon's latest flagship camcorder delivers excellent low-light performance—with a side of déjà vu. The HF G20[7] (MSRP $1,099) has been two years in the making, yet Canon changed very little from its predecessor, the also-excellent HF G10. Unlike most competing high-end camcorders, the G20 still can't shoot 60p video, and unlike any DSLR or system camera, it can't swap lenses. But the video quality is excellent enough to propel it to the top of our camcorder ratings. LG WM8000HVA Washing Machine Review For a really big mess, the LG WM8000HVA[8] (MSRP $1,499) will…
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Reviewed.com: JVC releases first action cam

Introduction It's not a rule that adventure cams require a silly name, but it's certainly a trend. The GC-XA1 (MSRP $299) from JVC comes with the moniker Adixxion, which may sound clever at first, but you can only refer to a camcorder as your "addiction" so many times before your friends will hate you. It's no secret the wearable-camcorder market is saturated with products. After you get beyond the heavy hitters, namely the market-leader GoPro[1] and it's feisty rival Contour[2], you find yourself wading in a sea of relatively new and untested camcorders. This is exactly where the JVC Adixxion enters the picture. If you shop around you shouldn't have trouble finding the Adixxion at a steep discount, sometimes at more than $100 less than its initial $299 MSRP. At that price, the Adixxion isn't a bad deal, but the camcorder isn't strong enough to command a price tag on par with the GoPro Hero3: Black Edition or Contour+2. Design & Usability The Adixxion doesn't need a special case to take a swim. It's waterproof right out of the box. One of the most interesting benefits of the GC-XA1 is the camcorder's waterproof shell, which enables it to withstand depths of up to 16.4 feet (5 meters) without the need for a waterproof case. This makes it a perfect option for snorkeling, but a terrible choice for deep sea diving. GoPro's Hero camcorders, as well as the Sony Action Cam[3], require bulky waterproof cases before they can take a dip. These cases do have a benefit, as they protect the camcorders to much deeper levels (nearly 200 feet underwater). Like the JVC Adixxion, Contour does make some camcorders with built-in waterproof capability as well. The tiny LCD is very helpful when navigating the Adixxion's menu system. The other unique design…
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The best smartphones for prepaid plans

The Samsung Galaxy S III(Photo: Samsung)Story HighlightsSamsung Galaxy S III comes with bright AMOLED displayiPhone 5 has a 'huge ecosystem' of accessories and casesSamsung Galaxy Note II has one of the largest screens on the marketGone are the days when the only way to get your hands on a high-end smartphone was to sign a multi-year agreement with a major carrier. Today, you can get top Android phones as well as the iPhone 5, not to mention the new BlackBerry Z10[1], all without a contract on prepaid carriers[2].Prepaid plans provide the same access to carriers' voice and data networks, but without the contract (or steep penalties if you leave before your two years are up). You'll pay up front for the phone, but end up saving, if you stick with a phone for two years. Prepaid used to be viewed as the option for those with poor credit, but that's not the case anymore. Last year, Cricket was the first prepaid carrier to get the iPhone 5. Now you can also get the iPhone 5 from Straight Talk (offered by Walmart) and Solavei, which is a relative newcomer that uses T-Mobile's 4G network. That's much like Boost and Virgin Mobile use Sprint's network. Perhaps even more indicative of the way things are going is the fact that prepaid-carrier Cricket was announced as a carrier at the launch of one of the most highly anticipated phones of the year, the Samsung Galaxy S 4.[3]Samsung Galaxy S IIIEven after the unveiling of the flagship 5-inch Samsung Galaxy S 4, the 4.8-inch Galaxy S III[4] is an impressive phone. It has Samsung's bright, poppy Super AMOLED display, a fast 1.5GHZ dual core processor that easily handles games and apps, an excellent 8MP camera and access to the fastest 4G networks. Plus, there's NFC…
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