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Dell CEO seeks settlement over fraud allegations
Dell’s CEO is talking to U.S. financial regulators about a settlement related to allegations over his company’s business dealings with Intel, the computer maker said on Thursday. The allegations concern “negligence-based fraud provisions of the federal securities laws, as well as other non-fraud based provisions,” Dell said in a statement. Any settlement would be made without Chairman and CEO Michael Dell admitting to or denying the allegations and would not prevent him from continuing as “an officer and director of a public company,” it said.
FBI investigates iPad e-mails leak
The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation into the leak of an estimated 114,000 Apple iPad user e-mail addresses. Hackers belonging to a group called Goatse obtained the e-mail addresses after uncovering a Web application on AT&T’s Web site that returned an iPad user’s e-mail address when it was sent specially written queries. After writing an automated script to repeatedly query the site, they downloaded the addresses, and then handed them over to Gawker. Now the FBI is trying to figure out whether this was a crime.
Apple draws antitrust regulator attention
US. regulators are planning to investigate whether Apple is shutting out third parties such as Google and Microsoft in advertising on the iPhone and iPad, according to a report published by the Financial Times on Thursday. The antitrust regulators are showing an interest in Apple’s actions, though it remains unclear whether it will be left to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission or the U.S. Department of Justice to carry the investigation forward, according to the report, citing two people familiar with the situation. An FTC spokesperson declined comment on the news report. Apple did not return requests for comment.
HP buys light weight Linux OS
Hewlett-Packard will buy Linux-based quick-boot OS and client virtualization assets from Phoenix Technologies for US$12 million, Phoenix said on Thursday. HP will buy HyperSpace, a watered-down version of the Linux OS that allows users to surf the Web, view digital images or check e-mail just a few seconds after switching on a PC. The OS works on netbooks, laptops and desktops. Phoenix has offered HyperSpace as an alternative to Microsoft’s Windows OS, which could take 30 seconds or more to boot. The transaction is expected to close this month, Phoenix said. HP will also buy the assets surrounding HyperCore, an embedded hypervisor that allows HyperSpace to run certain core services along with the Windows OS.
