Didn’t have time to keep up with every ripple in the technology pond this week? We’ve got you covered. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last week.
Two iPhones spontaneously combust, Siri turns out to be pro-life
On Monday of this week we reported about a passenger on a regional Australian flight whose iPhone 4 mysteriously exploded shortly after landing, apparently emitting smoke and a red light. In an even stranger twist, later in the week a Brazilian woman awoke in the middle of the night to see her iPhone 4 (which was charging overnight) emitting both sparks and smoke. In news for owners of the new iPhone 4S, it appears that when asked, Siri can’t help women find abortion clinics nearby, even in a place like Manhattan. Apple says that the problem is not intentional but it’s unclear whether they will fix the problem in a future version or not.
Spotify delves into music apps
At an event on Wednesday, Spotify announced its new venture: music apps. The popular music service will now offer music apps within its platform like TuneWiki, Rolling Stone, and Last.fm, aiming to create a broader, more social experience for users.
Microsoft ponders Office move to iPad
We also learned this week that Microsoft may finally be moving its Office software over to iOS for the iPad. Rumor has it that software for the iPad is in the works, as is an OS X Lion version of Office. This jump, whether it’s good for Microsoft or not, would make the iPad a much better tool for the corporate world when it comes to productivity.
Facebook looking at spring IPO, discusses privacy policies with the FTC
While it first started as just a swirling rumor, it now seems that a Facebook IPO is inevitable, with Mark Zuckerberg commenting that it could indeed be possible. This week there are reports that the IPO (initial public offering) date could be as early as April of next year. If it happens, Facebook is reportedly hoping to raise $10 billion, which would make the IPO the biggest by an internet company since Google. In a resolution of the 2009 investigation into Facebook’s privacy practices, the FTC has reached an agreement with Facebook, including requiring that users opt-in to updates and changes in the social network’s privacy policies.
HTC plans more 4G LTE phones for 2012
Despite recently reporting a significant revenue drop of 23 percent, HTC CFO Winston Yung appears to be unfazed. In the coming year, HTC plans to refocus and bring more 4G LTE phones to the US market. No details about such phones were released, but HTC seems confident as ever that they’ll be able to compete in the tough Android market.
