A tipster just sent in these Nexus One screenshots that supposedly confirms two things: that Google will sell it unlocked and unsubsidized for $530, and that Google will sell it by themselves. Plus, some other very interesting details. UPDATE Some of the most important bits of info we extracted (assuming the tipster is accurate, and it seems like he is). Oh, and take a look at our hands on with the device in case you haven't familiarized yourself with it yet. • Yeah, it's $530 unsubsidized. Google's not going to be selling the phone at cost, like so many people considered. They're not going to save us from the "making money off of hardware" culture we've got right now, so this is basically just another Android handset, albeit a really good one • If you want it subsidized, you'll have to sign up for a 2 year mandatory contract and pay $180 for the phone • There's only one rate plan: $39.99 Even More + Text + Web for $79.99 total • Existing customers cannot keep their plan if they want a subsidized phone; they have to change to the one plan, and this only applies to accounts with one single line • If that doesn't fly with you, you have to buy the $530 unlocked version—this actually might save you money over two years if you already have a cheap plan • Family plans, Flexpay, SmartAccess and KidConnect subscribers must buy the phone unlocked and unsubsidized for $530 • You can only buy five Nexus One phones per Google account • There is language in the agreement of shipping outside the US • Google will sell it at google.com/phone, which explains what they were doing with that page a few weeks ago • Google will still call it the Nexus One apparently, and not the Google Phone
Italy has raised 95bn euros (£86bn;$137bn) from a tax amnesty, much more than the government had expected. According to the country's finance ministry, 98% of the illegally-held overseas money has been repatriated. The amnesty caused a spat with Switzerland after Rome claimed the Swiss government was refusing to cooperate with the tax crackdown. Switzerland then demanded that Italy explain why police and tax inspectors raided dozens of Swiss banks in Italy. In Tuesday's statement the ministry said "the time of tax havens has finished forever. To place or keep money in tax havens is no longer convenient, neither in economic nor in tax terms. The returns are small, the risk is high." The amnesty has now been extended until the end of April. The move provided a boost for Italy's banking industry - with the money flowing into small and medium size banks. The government will get a 5bn euro windfall from the amnesty. It will be spent helping to strengthen the economy, which came out of recession in the third quarter of this year.
Nokia has ramped up its legal fight against Apple, arguing that almost all of its products infringe Nokia patents. Nokia, the world's largest phone maker, filed its new complaint with the US International Trade Commission (ITC). The Finnish phone maker alleges that Apple is using patented technologies to "create key features in its products", including iPods and iPhones. In October Nokia sued Apple, saying that the company's popular touchscreen iPhone infringed 10 of its patents. Apple told the BBC that it would not comment on Nokia latest legal move. However, the US firm recently countered by filing its own lawsuit against Nokia, saying the phone maker had copied certain aspects of the iPhone and infringed 13 of its patents. The new complaint to the ITC relates to seven patents related to "user interface, as well as camera, antenna and power management technologies". Nokia told Reuters that the firm expected the ITC to decide whether to pursue the case in around 30 days. 醜いですね、Nokia! 昔からヤタラとコピー商品を出しまくるのはNokia流で、今更何を抜かすかと...正々堂々と製品とサービスで勝負すべきです。どうも最大のマーケットシェアを占めながら、焦りまくっている様子がチラツキま〜す。このようにセコイ事をやっているようでは、その内にあのGMのように消えていく運命かも知れません。Nokiaのサービスショップ、さらにはホームページやソフトを使ってみて言えるのは、支離滅裂さにも失望します。「Back to the basics」を忘れてはイケマセンと説教しま〜す! モバイル界のマイクロソフト的な振る舞いは止めましょう。"Wake up, Nokia!!"