Google, Pier 1, Time Warner, Apple: Intellectual Property

Google Inc.’s Motorola Mobility unit is seeking a patent on a technology covering the use of an electronic neck tattoo as microphone for a mobile electronic device.

  

The operator of a website that tracked the availability the newest iPhones and iPads nearest to a searcher’s zip code has disabled it following the receipt of an infringement notice from Apple Inc. (AAPL) Mordy Tikotzky halted his Apple-Tracker.com web application after he was sent a takedown request under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. He said in a statement on his website that he was “really not interested in picking a fight with Apple.” Read more.

Apple's Family Tree Is Growing

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Apple  (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) is looking to expand its supplier base. The company may be looking to grow its stable of contract manufacturers to assemble devices for it, and the resulting increase in production would help it better meet demand. Apple product launches hindered by supply constraints are all too common these days. However, it's worth noting that bottlenecks around necessary components could still potentially hold back production.

Foxconn has caused considerable harm to Apple by association. There has been much controversy around its labor practices and other human rights issues, from which Apple may want to distance itself. Additionally, having more suppliers compete for business can drive down prices and Apple would benefit from cost savings. Foxconn is reportedly uninterested in cutting its prices.

Read more.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) May Launch Larger iPad In 2014

A new report surfaced that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) may launch a larger iPad sometime next year. PadNews (a Chinese news site that specializes in tablet technology reports) claims Foxconn Technology Co., Ltd. (TPE:2354) (OTCMKTS:FXCOF) is testing either 11.4 inch or 12.9 inch diagonal displays. The report also claims Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is targeting a release date of March 2014.

For the past few months, there have been numerous predictions that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would release a larger tablet computer in the near future. Earlier last summer, The Wall Street Journal even reported on a larger iPad, adding a sourced claim of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s prototype, a new tablet category featuring a display not much smaller than 14 inches diagonally. In September, a Chinese publication reported Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s collaboration with Quanta Computer for a 12-inch tablet. Read more.

 

In 2012 Facebook, Apple Focus Missed the Point

Despite some good news, 2012 was a bad year for the economy and for businesses. Much of that badness can be traced to state of American politics that is like a blood clot in America’s brain — blocking a deal on the self-inflicted wound dubbed the fiscal cliff – and threatening fatal consequences if it bursts.

On the economic and business front, there are two kinds of good news. The first is the news that has been reported obsessively and the second is what the media misses. When it comes to business and economics, the public’s attention was focused on the software and hardware of social media – particularly Facebook (FB) and Apple (AAPL). Read more.