Apple Inc's share of China's booming smartphone market slipped for a second straight quarter in October-December, as it lost ground to cheaper local brands and as some shoppers held off until after the iPhone 4S launch last month. China, the world's largest mobile phone market, has not been easy for Apple, which is grappling with a lawsuit from a local firm over the iPad name and issues at its suppliers' factories over wages and working conditions. …

Cisco Systems Inc has challenged EU clearance of Microsoft Corp's acquisition of Internet voice and video service Skype at Europe's second highest court, saying the commission should have put tougher conditions on the deal. "Cisco does not oppose the merger, but believes the European Commission should have placed conditions that would ensure greater standards-based interoperability, to avoid any one company from being able to seek to control the …

Angry Birds", the most-downloaded mobile app of 2011, was catapulted to the world of Facebook on Tuesday in a bid by its Finnish maker Rovio to get one billion people playing the addictive game. Fans were able to test the new Angry Birds Facebook app online Tuesday morning ahead of its official global launch in Jakarta, the world's most Facebook-connected city. "With the great success of the Angry Birds game on smartphone platforms, Rovio intends …

Apple Inc raised the stake in an intensifying global patent battle with Samsung Electronics by targeting the latest model using Google's fast growing Android software, a move which may affect other Android phone makers. Apple has asked a federal court in California to block Samsung from selling its new Galaxy Nexus smartphones, which use Google's newest version of Android, called Ice Cream Sandwich, alleging four patent violations including new …

A Japanese-developed robot that mimics the movements of its human controller is bringing the Hollywood blockbuster "Avatar" one step closer to reality. Users of the TELESAR V don special equipment that allows them not only to direct the actions of a remote machine, but also to see, hear and feel the same things as their doppelganger android. "When I put on the devices and move my body, I see my hands having turned into the robot hands. When I move …

From SOPA to Ellen DeGeneres, protesting keeps getting more social. Thanks to Twitter and Facebook, digital agitation has entered the mainstream allowing people to affect change at a dizzying speed. Going viral is no longer reserved for cute puppy videos. Social networking has moved into new areas of social protest, Tim Stevens, editor-in-chief of the technology blog Engadget, said, shortly after Susan G. Komen Foundation reversed course on pulling …

Samsung Electronics Co said on Friday a German court ruled against it in a patent suit versus Apple over mobile technologies, and the firm has yet to decide whether to appeal the ruling. Samsung counter-sued Apple in April, after the US firm filed a lawsuit claiming that the South Korean firm infringed on its design rights and that Samsung's products "slavishly" copied Apple's iPhone and iPad. Samsung said Friday's ruling covers one patent and …

This year's Consumer Electronics Show turned out to be the largest on record, despite a slow economy and what many industry pundits agree is a dearth of genuine scene-stealers. But as with most years, avid - and hardy - attendees can always find a few gems that stand out from the inevitable tidal wave of headphones, Internet-enabled home appliances and gadget casings. Here are a few high and low moments, compiled by Reuters from the Las Vegas show …

Angry Birds and Facebook were the most downloaded iPhone apps of 2011, according to Apple, but some less predictable apps also made their lists. Craig Palli, a vice president at Fiksu, a marketing company for app developers, explained that this year's top apps incorporate three main trends: the ability to connect with friends, discovery and games that let users past the time and pick up where they left off. The top app in the social networking …

Google on Wednesday confirmed that it has added more IBM patents to its technology arsenal as smartphone rivals increasingly battle in courts over innovations. Google bought 188 patents and 29 patent applications related to mobile phones from IBM but did not disclose how much it paid. Last year, IBM sold Google 2,000 or so patents ranging from mobile software to computer hardware and processors. Google has been strengthening its patent portfolio …