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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Antitheft tools planned for mobile devices, group says

From Wire Reports

SAN FRANCISCO – A trade group for wireless providers says the country’s biggest smartphone makers and carriers will soon put antitheft tools on the devices to try to deter rampant theft.

CTIA-The Wireless Association announced Tuesday that, under a “Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment,” the providers agree to install a free preloaded or downloadable antitheft tool on smartphones sold in the U.S. after July 2015.

The wireless industry has said putting a permanent “kill switch” on phones has serious risks, including potential vulnerability to hackers.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman have demanded that the wireless industry create kill switches. They say CTIA’s plan still falls short of effectively ending smartphone theft because the measures will rely on consumers to seek out and turn on the technology.

Treasury concerned with China currency

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is raising concern about the value of China’s currency but is declining, as in recent years, to accuse Beijing of manipulating it.

The administration is also expressing concern about South Korea’s actions in currency markets and about countries that use the euro and have wide trade surpluses.

The Treasury Department says China’s currency, the renminbi, has appreciated but not as fast or as much as needed. Treasury reaches that conclusion in its twice-yearly report on whether nations are manipulating currencies to gain trade advantages.

Intel earnings fall, but revenue increases

NEW YORK – Intel’s earnings fell in the first three months of the year amid a continued slump in the worldwide PC market, but revenue grew slightly because of solid demand for tablet processors and its data center services.

Intel Corp. is the world’s largest maker of microprocessors, which act as the “brains” of computers.

After a slow reponse to the shift to smartphones and tablets, Intel has been working to change that. Besides coming out with mobile-friendly chips, Intel is also expanding into new technologies such as wearable devices and everyday appliances. It bought a maker of fitness trackers, Basis Science, this year.

Intel Corp. said Tuesday that it earned $1.95 billion, or 38 cents per share, in the January-March quarter. That’s down 5 percent from $2.05 billion, or 40 cents per share, a year earlier.

Revenue grew 1 percent to $12.8 billion from $12.6 billion.

Yahoo’s ad sales increase in first quarter

SAN FRANCISCO – Yahoo’s listless advertising sales showed signs of life in the first quarter to overshadow a 20 percent drop in earnings.

The results released Tuesday highlight the contrasting performances of Yahoo’s investment portfolio and the company’s business of running ad-supported online services. Yahoo Inc. is making most of its money from its stakes in two Asian Internet companies: China’s Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan.

Meanwhile, Yahoo’s ad revenue remains stuck in a funk, although some segments showed modest improvement in the first quarter.

Yahoo earned $312 million, or 29 cents per share, during the first three months of this year. That compared to $390 million, or 35 cents per share, at the same time last year.

Revenue dipped 1 percent to $1.13 billion.