Topping tech headlines on Thursday, Amazon sent out invites for a Sept. 6 press event that will likely include the launch of its next-generation Kindle Fire.
Amazon unveiled its first Kindle Fire at a Sept. 2011 event in New York City, and it went on sale in November. Next month's event is scheduled for 10 a.m. Pacific in Santa Monica, Calif. PCMag will be there, so stay tuned for all the details.
Meanwhile, Microsoft made a change this week, launching a new logo for the first time in 25 years. Updating its bold, italicized company name, Microsoft unveiled a more modern emblem featuring a softer font next to a block of four colored squares. The company pointed to its wave of new releases, including the Windows 8 OS and Office suite, as the impetus for evolving its long-standing logo. The new tag will be displayed on Microsoft.com, as well as in Boston, Seattle, and Bellevue, Wash. Retail stores. It will appear at other retail locations and on global TV ads in the coming months. For more, see Microsoft and 10 Other Controversial Logo Changes.
In other news, much to most iPhone users' delight, Facebook updated its iOS app, which the social network said provided a hefty speed bump. Facebook 5.0 for iOS opens the app faster, and increases the speed of scrolling through the news feed, as well as opening photos. A new feature also provides a banner at the top of the news feed that highlights how many new posts are available to read.
Also making headlines Thursday:
- Sony Mobile Cutting 1,000 Jobs, Moving to Tokyo: Sony has announced plans to move its mobile unit from Sweden to Tokyo, effectively cutting 1,000 people from Sony Mobile's global workforce.
- BMW Brings Electric Car Sharing, Parking Services to San Fran: BMW is expanding its premium car-sharing program in San Francisco.
- Google Street View Explores Remote Canadian Arctic: You may have never heard of Cambridge Bay, a hamlet in the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut that sits far beyond the Arctic Circle.
- Google Seeking 'Red Team' Engineers to Boost Privacy: Google is looking to boost its team of privacy-focused software engineers, according to a new job posting.
- Nokia, Sony, More Partner for Improved Indoor Mapping: About two dozen tech firms are hoping to make the process of shopping at brick-and-mortar stores less frustrating via a coalition that will develop technologies to boost in-store location tracking.
- Angry Birds Space Kicks Off Mission to Mars: Prepare your space suits, Angry Birds fans. Rovio today released a "Red Planet" for Angry Birds Space, adding 20 new levels set on Mars.
- Boost, Virgin Mobile Unveil 6 New Samsung Phones: Boost and Virgin Mobile announced six new Samsung phones, including the Samsung Galaxy S II for Boost and the Samsung Galaxy Reverb for Virgin.
- LG Starts Mass Producing New, Thinner Display Â… for iPhone 5?: LG Display this week said it has started the production of thinner displays that are rumored to be included in the new iPhone.
- Verizon Wireless Tops Rivals on Network Performance: The semiannual J.D. Power and Associates wireless network performance results have once again handed Verizon the top spot.
- T-Mobile Unveils No-Contract Concord Android Phone: T-Mobile unveiled the Concord, a no-contract Android device aimed at people looking to pick up their first smartphone.
- New Video Shows Off Alleged iPhone 5 Front Panels, Cables: A smartphone repair firm out of South Carolina claims to have gotten its hands on parts for the new iPhone, including the front panel and flex cables.
- FCC Approves Verizon, Cable Spectrum Deal: The Federal Communications Commission approved Verizon Wireless's $3.6 billion purchase of spectrum from three cable firms, subject to certain conditions.
- Instacube Provides 'Living Canvas' for Instagram Snaps: A new Kickstarter project, dubbed Instacube, liberates Instagram photos from your mobile device and streams them wirelessly on a "living canvas," at three times their original size.
- Twitter API Restrictions Cut Off Tumblr Access: Twitter's API-access rampage continued this week, when it choked off Tumblr users from searching for friends via the micro-blogging site.
- Consumers Increasingly Viewing Online Content on TVs: Despite all of the PC, laptop, tablet, and smartphone options on which to view online content, almost 20 percent of people still prefer to access it through a television set.
For more from Stephanie, follow her on Twitter @smlotPCMag.
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