Lighting a fire in Beijing: Kindle now available in China

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Amazon’s Kindle lineup just made its debut in the world’s most populous nation. Last month, Amazon launched its Android app store in China, and at the time we speculated that might indicate the upcoming launch of the Kindle. Today, Amazon announced the official release of its Kindle e-book reader and Kindle Fire tablets in China,… Read More…

Cybersecurity: What businesses can expect from U.S.-China talks, amid brewing NSA controversy

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U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet at a secluded estate in Southern California starting today for two days of talks on a host of bilateral and global issues. Among them will be cybersecurity, which has quickly risen in prominence to the top of the Sino-American agenda. What can businesses expect… Read More…

While Microsoft expands across Pacific, Amazon’s China strategy remains hazy

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer visited Peking University last year.

Microsoft just announced a significant hiring increase in China and a renewed commitment to offering its cloud computing services in the country. Amazon just announced a major expansion of its own cloud computing services, not in China, but rather in Northern Virginia, where the company reportedly signed a $600 million deal with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) two… Read More…

The significance of Amazon’s Appstore launch in China

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Amazon launched its app store in China last weekend, becoming the first Western company to offer both free and paid Android apps to consumers in the world’s largest smartphone market. Google Play, which is also available in China, carries only free content. The app store’s establishment came as a surprise to many, as China was noticeably absent from the Amazon… Read More…

Amazon opens Appstore in China; Kindle coming next?

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Amazon’s app store is officially open for business in China. The Seattle online retail giant debuted its app store for Chinese customers this past weekend, Reuters reported. Amazon’s newest store offers an alternative to Google Play for those in China. Unlike Google, Amazon’s store features both paid and free options. Reuters noted that Amazon is… Read More…

Report: Chinese government could lift 12-year-old ban on video game hardware

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Execs at Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and maybe even Valve are licking their chops this morning at the latest news from China. China Daily is reporting that the Chinese government is in discussions to “opening up the game console market” to out-of-country companies. Since 2000, China has had a ban on the manufacture, sale and import… Read More…

Open letter to Skype from digital rights advocates urges Microsoft to issue transparency reports

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Over 100 Internet advocates, journalists and other organization members penned an open letter to Microsoft today, urging the Redmond software giant to be more transparent with its Skype software. In the letter addressed to Skype Division President Tony Bates, Microsoft Chief Privacy Officer Brendon Lynch and Microsoft General Counsel Brad Smith, the concerned advocates want Microsoft to release… Read More…

Help from abroad: Microsoft teaming with China Unicom to boost Windows Phone sales

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The Windows Phone is getting a little help from abroad. The China Daily reports today that China Unicom, the world’s third-largest carrier, announced a partnership with Microsoft to help sales and innovation of Windows Phone devices in China. Microsoft certainly needs any help it can get, as Windows Phone devices account for less than 3 percent of mobile market… Read More…

Red Loop lands ad deal with major Chinese media network

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China boasts the world’s largest smartphone user base and Red Loop Media continues to tap into it. The Redmond-based mobile marketing company just inked a deal with China News Network (CNC), the broadcast TV news division of China’s largest and official news agency, Xinhua. Red Loop will launch global mobile advertising services on CNC’s mobile TV apps. Xinhua,… Read More…

Microsoft to add 1,000 jobs, boost R&D in China

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Microsoft plans to add 1,000 staff to its workforce in China over the next year, a move aimed bolstering its foothold in a key market with serious growth potential, Reuters reports. Ralph Haupter, CEO for the software giant’s Greater China division, told reporters in Beijing that the new employees will work in research and development, sales, marketing and… Read More…

Playwright Mike Daisey: ‘I would like to apologize’

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Ten days after being put in an unflattering spotlight after public radio’s This American Life retracted its story about him, playwright Mike Daisey has posted a public apology on his blog. Daisey, whose one-man show “The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” both raised awareness of issues at plants operated by Apple device manufacturer… Read More…

Last hurdle for Google’s $12.5B Motorola deal: China

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Antitrust regulators in Europe and the United States gave clearance last month to Google’s proposed $12.5 billion acquisition of Motorola Mobility, but the deal still hasn’t closed. So what’s the hangup? China, it turns out. Here’s the text of a regulatory filing from Motorola, made public this morning. Upon agreement with Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc…. Read More…

Xbox console maker resolves dispute with Chinese workers after threats of suicide

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Foxconn Technology Group is in the spotlight again. The giant Chinese contract electronics maker — the subject of playwright Mike Daisey’s scathing one-man show “The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs” — has reportedly resolved a labor dispute in which workers had climbed to top of the factory and threatened suicide. The New York Times… Read More…

Expedia boosts ownership in eLong by gobbling up stake from Renren

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Expedia is investing more in China, a key market for the Bellevue online travel company’s international expansion efforts. The company today announced that it is paying $72.4 million to acquire Renren’s stake in eLong, one of the top Chinese online travel companies. In May, Expedia invested $41 million in eLong, giving it a 56 percent… Read More…

Another Microsoft alliance in China: MSN teams with Renren social network

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MSN China has signed an agreement with the social networking site Renren in China to connect features across the two sites. The deal was announced this morning. It’s the latest in a series of partnerships signed by Microsoft in the country in recent months. The companies say the agreement will bring unified log-in, synchronization of… Read More…

Microsoft teams with China’s top Linux vendor in the cloud

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Microsoft and China Standard Software Co. plan to work together develop and sell cloud cloud computing technologies in the country. The companies announced the agreement last night. China Standard Software, also known as CS2C, is described as the country’s leading Linux vendor. The products resulting from the partnership will be built on Microsoft’s Hyper-V Open Cloud architecture and… Read More…

Microsoft Bing aims for bigger role in China with Baidu deal

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Microsoft today confirmed an expanded partnership with China’s largest search engine, Baidu, to provide English search results to Baidu users in the country. The arrangement promises to give the Redmond company’s Bing search engine a bigger role in the world’s most populous nation. Microsoft, which previously partnered with Baidu on paid search results, issued this… Read More…