prices

Despite all chatter about Microsoft's upcoming Surface tablet being competitively priced, rumors are swirling that it might cost $1,000 at the cheapest, according to The Next Web.

This news comes via a Swedish Web site that lists prices for all four of the future models, including the Windows RT and Window 8 Pro editions. The cheapest of the four models has the price tag of 6,990 kroner, which is $1,002, and the most expensive is 14,990 kroner, equaling $2,150.

Of course, the tablets could cost less in countries with a lower cost of living … Read more

Netflix gets down to reporting some real metrics after the close of trading today, when the Web's top video-rental service is scheduled to issue second quarter earnings.

CEO Reed Hastings caused a stir earlier this month by posting to his Facebook page a note about how Netflix subscribers watched more than 1 billion hours of video via the service. But some analysts have noted that it's difficult to know what that means for Netflix's overall business. A much better measure of the company's health is how many subscribers signed up during the quarter ended June 30. … Read more

Toshiba will pare flash memory production 30 percent due to an oversupply of the chips used in smartphones, tablets, and PCs.

Effective today, Toshiba is making an "adjustment to production" of NAND flash memory at its Yokkaichi Operation plant in Mie Prefecture, Japan, resulting in output cut of approximately 30 percent, the company announced.

"Oversupply of NAND flash memory in the retail market, for application in USB memories and memory cards, has resulted in continual price declines since the beginning of this year," Toshiba said.

Toshiba hopes the move will help to reduce inventory in the … Read more

Facebook's teeter-totter on the Nasdaq has caused some to wonder whether it's a good idea for Internet companies to go public. After a little back-and-forth and a bit of careful consideration, the online travel agency Kayak has decided to take the plunge.

Trading is scheduled to begin on the Nasdaq tomorrow, with the company's initial public offering set at $26 per share -- above the expected range of $22 to $25, according to CNBC. Kayak aims to sell 3.5 million shares, it said in its regulatory filing last week. At $26, that would mean raising $91 … Read more

New York Sen. Charles Schumer reprimanded the Department of Justice today for filing its e-book antitrust lawsuit against Apple. Using strong language in a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, he wrote that "the suit could wipe out the publishing industry as we know it."

The Department of Justice brought the lawsuit against Apple in April alleging that the tech giant and a group of book publishers colluded to illegally fix e-book prices to boost profits and force e-book rival Amazon to abandon its discount pricing.

The suit also alleges that Apple and the publishers pushed an "agency model&… Read more

commentary Don't let the new price fool you -- even at half off, the Lumia 900 isn't a worthy purchase.

The Lumia 900, which now costs $49.99, down from its original $99.99 price tag, is the victim of bad timing. That's because it, alongside all other Windows Phone devices, are unable to upgrade to Windows Phone 8 when it comes out later this year. Unfortunately, if you're a Windows fan or want to try something new, Windows Phone 8 is the mobile operating system to wait for.

That's because there will finally bring … Read more

With speculation pointing to not only a smaller iPad but a cheaper one too, will Apple try to crush rivals on price?

The New York Times chimed in today with a relatively tame report on the expected 7.85-inch iPad.

Nothing startlingly new was revealed -- and it follows a long line of reports including a recent CNET report.

But the Times report did state that smaller iPad "is likely to sell for significantly less than the latest $499 iPad."

Considering that Apple offers a $399 iPad 2, would Apple venture below $399?

Here's one way to … Read more

LG Display agreed to pay $380 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of conspiring to fix prices in the liquid crystal display market, the largest sum among its fellow defendants in the case.

Collectively, three companies agreed to pay $571 million to settle a class-action lawsuit that alleged LCD manufacturers colluded to drive up the price of screens used in televisions, laptops, and other electronics, according to a Reuters report. AU Optronics and Toshiba agreed to pay $170 million and $21 million, respectively, according to a plaintiffs' attorney.

A separate case involving seven other companies, including Samsung, Sharp, and … Read more

Toshiba conspired with vendors to keep LCD prices artificially high and is liable for an $87 million fine, a San Francisco jury determined today.

The 10-member jury deliberated for less than two days before finding Toshiba liable to manufacturers for $17 million and to consumers for $70 million. U.S. antitrust laws allow overcharge damages to be tripled.

However, the Japanese electronics giant said it doesn't anticipate paying anything toward the jury's fine because other defendants in the class-action lawsuit have already paid settlements that exceed the fine against Toshiba.

"Given credits for settlements by other defendants, … Read more