Three hackers say they have exploited a vulnerability in Research In Motion's PlayBook tablet to gain root access to the device, a claim that could damage the BlackBerry maker's hard-won reputation for security. Root access means a user has permission to alter any file or program on a device and can control hardware functions. In a response to queries, RIM said it is investigating the claim, and if a "jailbreak" is confirmed will release a patch …

South Korean electronics giant Samsung Wednesday won its appeal against a temporary ban on sales of its Galaxy tablet device in Australia, a rare victory in its legal battle with rival Apple. The Federal Court of Australia in Sydney lifted the ban on the sale of the Galaxy 10.1 Tab ahead of a final hearing, with the US giant claiming the device copies its iPad computer. But Apple immediately won a stay of orders, meaning that Samsung will not be …

Toyota's president unveiled a futuristic concept car resembling a giant smartphone to demonstrate how Japan's top automaker is trying to take the lead in technology at the upcoming Tokyo auto show. Toyota Motor Corp. will also be showing an electric vehicle, set for launch next year, and a tiny version of the hit Prius gas-electric hybrid at the Tokyo Motor Show, which opens to the public this weekend. But the automaker's president, Akio Toyoda, …

Nearly three-quarters of Britons think it is inappropriate for children under 12 to own a mobile phone, despite the fact that most kids already have them, according to a poll on Thursday. The survey of 2,000 people found that expensive bills, unmonitored internet use and lack of parental control were some of the reasons adults felt uncomfortable about kids owning mobiles. However, more than one in 10 would buy a child a mobile phone as a treat …

China has overtaken the United States to become the world's largest smartphone market by volume although the US still leads in terms of revenue, a market research firm said Wednesday. Strategy Analytics said that smartphone shipments hit 24 million units in China during the third quarter of the year compared to 23 million units in the United States. "The United States remains the world's largest smartphone market by revenue, but China has overtaken …

Samsung Electronics is holding final talks with Google about launching a television using the US search giant's software platform next year, an executive of the South Korean company said Tuesday. Yoon Boo-Keun, president of the visual display division, declined to elaborate on the timing of the launch saying only that Samsung would not unveil the new model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Samsung is the world's largest …

A German firm is to start offering space travel insurance, hoping to cash in on a new wave of 'ordinary astronauts' ahead of next year's first commercial space trips. Insurance giant Allianz will start offering its new space travel policies from the start of next year to coincide with the launch of Virgin Galactic, the spaceflight company owned by Richard Branson's Virgin Group. So far about 450 people have reserved seats for the $200,000 (126,767 …

Samsung Electronics said Thursday it has modified the design of its newest tablet PC to bypass a sales ban in Germany, and would start selling it there as early as this week. The Galaxy Tab 10.1N, based on the Galaxy Tab 10.1, has a different metal frame and the location of the speakers has been changed, a spokesman for the South Korean company told. Samsung's was dealt a blow in September, when a German court ruled that it infringed upon Apple's …

The sun's abundant energy, if harvested in space, could provide a cost-effective way to meet global power needs in as little as 30 years with seed money from governments, according to a study by an international scientific group. Orbiting power plants capable of collecting solar energy and beaming it to Earth appear "technically feasible" within a decade or two based on technologies now in the laboratory, a study group of the Paris-headquartered …

Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani formally inaugurated the commercial operation of Pakistan’s second communication satellite Paksat-1R in Lahore Saturday, Geo News reported. Paksat-1R was launched on August 12 from Xichang Satellite Launch Centre by China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC). It was moved to its designated position at 38 degree East in the geo-stationary orbit to replace the existing satellite Paksat-1. It has 32 transponders …