More pilots are bringing iPads into the cockpit, PayPal’s following the money straight to Google, and Lodsys has decided that taking on just one of the world’s biggest tech companies isn’t enough. Never tell the remainders for Friday, May 27, 2011 the odds.
Alaska Airlines Pilots Go Lean and Green With iPads (PRNewswire)
Alaska Airlines (Motto: “Guess where we fly?”) is taking a step towards the environmentally-friendly by issuing iPads to all of its pilots. According to the airline, this can replace up to 25 pounds of paper flight manuals that the crew ordinarily has to carry. (The company is also looking into using the tablet to replace flight charts, too.) Apparently, they’re loading all their manuals into GoodReader, so the next time you show off your iPad to your mom, you can tell her that you’re basically an airline pilot.
PayPal Sues Google Over Mobile Payment Secrets (Bloomberg)
In a move that coincides with Google’s announcement of a new mobile payment system, PayPal has sued the Mountain View-based company, alleging misappropriation of trade secrets. How so? Well, it appears Google’s new initiative is being spearheaded by two former PayPal executives. Included as evidence, and I am not making this up, is the fact that one of the executives, who had already left for Google and was under contract not to recruit employees, posted on the Facebook wall of the other, writing that she had a “HUGE” opportunity for him. Yeah. It’s a good thing these guys don’t work in the technology field or anything.
Lodsys Also Targeting Android Developers with Patent Infringement Claims (MacRumors)
Everyone’s favorite patent-happy litigant, Lodsys, may now be targeting Android developers in addition to iOS programmers. Man, this is going to be like that scene in L.A. Confidential when Guy Pearce (Apple) and Russell Crowe (Google) put aside their differences and team up to blow away the bad guys. (That’d be you, Lodsys.)
Apple’s Deals May Transform Digital Music (Businessweek)
More juicy “details” on Apple’s rumored cloud service, as Businessweek suggests that Apple may scan users’ libraries and, in some cases, give them access to higher-quality online versions of their tracks. That’s presumably only for songs that you’ve actually purchased from iTunes; everything else will just be replaced with a high-quality version of a similar track.
A Bit More On WWDC, The Mythical iPhone “4S”, and iOS 5 (TechCrunch)
TechCrunch says that iOS 5 will feature widgets and revamped notifications! In an exclusive, Macworld has obtained a picture of one of those widgets.