BUSINESS

Google's Ice Cream Sandwich, the latest generation of Android software will debut with the Samsung Galaxy Nexus but other smartphone owners are clamoring for their upgrade to Android 4.0.

RIM's woes continue as it loses a trademark case that resulted in a name change for its BBX operating system to BlackBerry 10.

Microsoft Corp. released an update on Tuesday for its Xbox 360 console that will allow users to interact with their televisions in a completely new way. Now users with Kinect can tell their televisions to play movies or switch channels with a simple voice command.

A letter that arrived at the Deutsche Bank headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany Wednesday was found to contain an explosive device after it passed through a mail room security X-ray.

From Morrison Securities: U.S. stocks fell in afternoon trading as investor focus shifted from disappointment over the European Central Bank to the closely watched summit on Europe's sovereign-debt crisis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 171 points, or 1.4%, to 12026 in recent action. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index shed 23 points, or 1.8%, to 1238 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 42 points, or 1.6%, to 2607.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 198 points or 1.6% while the S&P lost 2.1% to 1234 and the Nasdaq fell 2.

The Android Market has reached 10 billion downloads and still counting as of this past weekend. To celebrate and reward Android customers, Google selected paid apps to be available for only 10 cents each and new set of apps for promotion each day for the next 10 days. Here are some of the applications and a mini review if these apps are at least your effort and time.

If Aussie children would have their way, most of the gifts they want to receive this Christmas would be techie gadgets and toys from popular cartoon or movie characters.

Mining firm Atlantic (ASX: ATI), based in Perth, has admitted on Thursday there are delays in reviving its Windimurra vanadium mine in Western Australia. To address the delay, the firm will resume trading after a self-imposed trading halt.

The Maria's Farm Vegetables in New South Wales will use coal seam gas (CSG) to power a $65-million glasshouse it would build near Fullerton Cover.

European Union antitrust regulators are looking into allegations that Apple Inc. and five other e-book publishers have planned to fix the price of e-books in Europe.

South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill arrived in Mount Gambier Thursday to meet local mayors and protesters opposed to his plan to sell rights to harvest timbers from the area's forests.

More cash awaits app developers who intend to gear their products towards Microsoft's upcoming platform, the Windows 8, which the company said will be deployed to personal computers, tablets and smartphones.

Australia's unemployment rate rose to 5.3 per cent in November, according to data released on Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates said on Wednesday that he is in the process of developing of a new generation of nuclear reactors with China, with emphasis on safety, waste reduction and reasonable funding.

BHP Billiton Ltd reiterated its concern on growing unrests in the country's labour sector, which according to BHP Chief Executive Marius Kloppers have been prompted by the provisions of the Fair Work Act.

By Kathleen Brooks, Research Director UK EMEA, FOREX.comThere are two major events in the next two days In Europe: the ECB meeting and the EU summit.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 46 points or 0.4% while the S&P gained 0.2% to 1261 and the Nasdaq was flat.

Climate Change?FNArena Editor Rudi Filapek-Vandyck believes we are in the midst of Investment Climate Change.

Term prices of uranium for November month-end closed at $51.50 per pound, a decline of $0.25 from end-October, showing yet again a fading buyer interest as opposed earlier in the month when spot prices reached higher than $4 per pound.

Sony Ericsson is a joint venture between the Japanese company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecom company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones. It used to be the 4th largest mobile manufacturer in the world after Nokia, Samsung, and LG. However, in 2010, its market share fell to sixth place.

Not even wealth and fame could shield them from the financial crisis gripping homeowners in the United States. Celebrities were also victims of bank foreclosures and lost millions invested in properties acquired when real estate was booming.

The Australian Industry Group Australian Performance of Construction Index was 4.9 points stronger in November at 39.6, although it was still well below the 50 point level separating expansion from contraction. November marked the 18th straight month the national construction industry index has been in the red.

House prices in the country are rising again, as buyers become optimistic about the Philippine economy.

NAB Broker's John Flavell has defended the separate positioning of Homeside products and the bank's branch-based offerings.

Funding pressures mean non-banks won't be able to compete on price in 2012, but Firstfolio's Mark Flack has said this is nothing new for the industry.

The global property markets are imploding, and fast. The strain that first found its footing in the U.S has now truly gone viral. From Dubai to Denmark, developers have been left reeling, while national exchequers struggle to hold ground.

The Asian Development Bank has trimmed its 2012 growth forecast for emerging East Asian economies including China, as the eurozone crisis threatens to further slow an already weakening global economy.

The market turmoil in November, ignoring the stellar final three days of the month, has had an impact on not only the performance of the market, but also on IPOs and other fund raising.