The wireless industry is seeing some consolidation in distribution and testing. Ingram Micro said today it is acquiring distributor Brightpoint in a deal valued at $840 million. Separately, Ixia announced it is buying security testing company BreakingPoint Systems for $160 million in cash.
Apple landed two injunctions against Samsung devices last week when a judge granted a pre-trial ban on the sale of the Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Tab 10.1, according to Reuters. The judge will consider today whether to put the injunction on hold while Samsung appeals the ruling. The court decisions last week marked a legal victory for Apple in its longstanding international patent battle against Samsung, which it accuses of copying its products.
U.S. Cellular is the latest wireless operator to throw its support behind Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 8 platform. The carrier told PCMag that it is “excited about the Windows 8 phone. It will be an important part of our device lineup going forward.” A number of other operators have said they will carry phones based on the new operating system, including T-Mobile USA.
LinkedIn will no longer display Twitter posts, the social networking site told users this weekend. “Any conversation you start on Twitter will no longer be automatically shared with your LinkedIn network, even if you synced your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts,” it said. However, users will still be able to connect their LinkedIn accounts to Twitter through a sharing feature.
Greatcall today announced the new Jitterbug Plus, cell phone aimed at the elderly and those who just want an easy-to-use device. The new phone includes improved battery life of up to 25 days of standby time, easy-to-use camera, one-touch photo sharing that can be linked to social media accounts, and an improved speaker, among other improvements. The new Jitterbug Plus will retail for $119 with a limited-time introductory price of $99. The phone is available for purchase online at greatcall.com, by calling 1-866-554-4751, or at select retailers.
