 | Good afternoon |  |  | Samsung and Google unveiled the first smartphone running on Google's latest version of the Android operating system, dubbed "Ice Cream Sandwich", which combines software used in tablets and smartphones, as they step up competition against Apple. The high-end model Galaxy Nexus was unveiled at an event in Hong Kong, after being delayed last week as a tribute to the late Steve Jobs. "This will be our strategic product for year-end holiday season, as (Apple's) iPhone 4S just came into the market," Samsung's JK Shin said.
The Galaxy Nexus features a 1.2GHz dual-core processor, super AMOLED HD 4.65-inch display, face recognition to unlock its screen,the ability to share content by tapping another phones equipped with a Near Field Communication chip, a camera boasting no shutter lag, and even a barometer. The global launch kicks off in November.
The U.S. is pressing China to explain why its "national firewall" blocks so many U.S. companies from providing their services, according to a letter obtained Wednesday that is another sign of growing trade tension between the world's two largest economies."Having a presence on the Internet that is visible in China is increasingly a critical element for service suppliers aiming to reach Chinese consumers and business," Ambassador to the World Trade Organization Michael Punke said in a letter on Monday to his Chinese counterpart. | | | LATEST NEWS | | EBay profit matches Street forecast | | October 19, 2011 04:43 PM ET | | SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - EBay Inc, operator of the largest online marketplace, reported quarterly revenue that rose 32 percent and profit that matched analysts' expectations on Wednesday. | Full Article | | Amazon's tablet may be hottest holiday gadget | | October 19, 2011 03:18 PM ET | | (Reuters) - The Kindle Fire tablet may be the hottest selling gadget this holiday, pressuring Amazon.com Inc's profit margins but giving the world's largest Internet retailer potentially millions of new high-spending customers. | Full Article | | Analysis: RIM could face lawsuits for Blackberry problems | | October 19, 2011 04:49 PM ET | | (Reuters) - Law firms in the United States and Canada are exploring possible consumer lawsuits against Research In Motion Ltd for last week's BlackBerry outages, which for three days crippled email and messaging for tens of millions of users around the world. | Full Article | | | BUSINESS NEWS
| | Euro zone chatter triggers late selloff | | October 19, 2011 04:43 PM ET | | NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks fell on Wednesday as traders, after sitting on their hands for most of the day, jumped to sell in a hair-trigger reaction to fresh reports underscoring that Europe remains far from a solution to its debt crisis. | Full Article | | China quizzes audit giants on foreign regulator contact | | October 19, 2011 01:33 PM ET | | NEW YORK/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's financial regulators have asked the world's biggest audit firms to urgently review their work on U.S.-listed Chinese companies and give details on information they may have provided to overseas regulators, two sources told Reuters. | Full Article | | Autos, rentals tame underlying price pressures | | October 19, 2011 04:40 PM ET | | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - High food and gasoline prices kept pressure on U.S. household budgets in September, but core prices rose at their slowest pace in six months, showing inflation was still largely contained. | Full Article | | Economic growth inched forward in September: Fed | | October 19, 2011 03:37 PM ET | | WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economic outlook grew dimmer in September, leading businesses to be wary of spending and of building up inventories ahead of the holiday sales season, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday. | Full Article | | Citigroup to pay $285 million to settle fraud case | | October 19, 2011 03:21 PM ET | | (Reuters) - Citigroup Inc will pay $285 million to settle charges that it defrauded investors who bought toxic housing-related debt that the bank bet would fail, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Wednesday. | Full Article | | | | U.S. TOP NEWS | | | | | RELATED VIDEO | | |  |  | | A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today. |  | | Your daily briefing on the latest tech developments from around the world from Reuters expert tech correspondents. Register Today. |  | | The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day.. Register Today. | | | » MORE NEWSLETTERS | | | ODDLY ENOUGH | | | | | | |
