Ex-Apple Execs Pressure to Improve Working Conditions

Former Apple executives say the company ignores dangerous manufacturing conditions, accusations that may prompt drastic changes beyond its recent improvements.

"We've known about labor abuses in some factories for four years, and they're still going on. Why? Because the system works for us. Suppliers would change everything tomorrow if Apple told them they didn't have another choice", an anonymous executive told the New York Times. "If half of iPhones were malfunctioning, do you think Apple would let it go on for four years?" the Times' source continued. [...]

Google Boosts Profile with Public Alerts

Google is launching a new Public Alerts page to keep Google Maps users abreast of natural disasters or other emergencies, boosting the site's traffic while keeping people safe.

According to a Google blog post, the new service not only says what's going on, but how severe the emergency will be and what resources can help, which could be especially be valuable to those far from home and unfamiliar with the area. Google is integrating feeds from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , the National Weather Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey into Google Maps to offer the service. [...]

AT&T Blames FCC for Data Price Increase, Spectrum Troubles

AT&T's says its failed merger with T-Mobile is the reason for changes to its data plan prices, blaming the Federal Communications Commission for meddling in its affairs.

AT&T's CEO Randall Stephenson sounded off about the FCC during a quarterly financial conference call. Stephenson said the FCC is picking the "winners and losers" of the mobile industry with the deals it approves and denies, calling the agency's rulings inconsistent. "Our biggest problem is identifying what the rules are", Stephenson said. "It's figuring out how much we're allowed to buy. The rules are so fluid, you can drink out of them right now". [...]

North Korea Punishes Mobile Phone Use During Mourning Period

North Korea declared cell phone use a punishable offense, as citizens of the isolated country increasingly risk using mobile devices to connect with the outside world.

The government-sanctioned Workers' Party said it will punish anyone found using a mobile phone during the 100-day mourning period following Kim Jong-il's death "like a war criminal", according to The Telegraph. The declaration is an aggressive tactic by new leader Kim Jong-un, son of Kim Jong-il, likely intended to clarify his intentions to continue his father's legacy of government censorship. [...]