Senator Backs Cell Phone Unlocking; iPhone 5S Rumors; iBooks Launches in Japan

Topping tech headlines on Tuesday, a Minnesota senator pledged to unveil a bill this week that would make cell phone unlocking legal.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, announced plans for the bill a day after the White House unveiled its support for cell phone unlocking. Klobuchar's bill would reverse an October decision from the Library of Congress's Copyright Office, which gave consumers a 90-day window to unlock their phones without carrier permission before it became illegal in January.

Meanwhile, the new tentatively named iPhone 5S will likely arrive in August, according to Apple-focused site iMore, which cited "sources familiar with the plans." The updated smartphone will keep the same overall form factor and size of the current iPhone 5, but will boast an improved camera and an advanced processor. The same in-the-know people claim Cupertino may release an updated line of iPads, including the iPad 5 and second-gen iPad mini, sometime in April.

In other Apple news, the company launched an updated version of iBooks, adding hundreds of thousands of Japanese titles. Version 3.1 includes support for local content and "a number of improvements for reading Asian language books," the company said. Publishers Kodansha, Kadokawa, Bungeishunju, Gakken, and Gentosha joined the application, bringing digitally exclusive titles and best-selling stories to the tablet.

Also making headlines Tuesday:

• Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 Heading to Verizon March 7 for $599: Samsung's 4G LTE-enabled Galaxy Note 10.1 is headed to Verizon Wireless beginning Thursday, for $599.99.
• China Concerned About 'Serious Dependence' on Android: Google's Android has become a popular operating system among Chinese phone and tablet makers, but the government believes local firms have become too reliant on mobile OS.
• Apple Considered Mobi, TelePod as Alternative iPhone Names: Cisco and Apple settled their trademark dispute over the "iPhone" name in early 2007, but Cupertino floated a few ideas for alternative names, including iPad.
• Vint Cerf Backs Anonymous Web Surfing: Vint Cerf, known as the "father of the Internet," is not convinced people should have to use their real names on the Web.
• Nuance Brings Nina Voice Assistant to the Web: Nuance Communications has beaten Apple to the punch, announcing that its Nina customer service app is now available online.
• Google Maps for iOS Update Adds Contacts, Quick Search: Google released an update to its iOS Maps app, which provides faster access to nearby locations and links up to a user's Google contacts list.
• Imangi Releases 'Oz' Version of Temple Run: Days before Friday's release of Disney's Oz The Great And Powerful, Imangi Studios launched the movie-tie-in version of its popular Temple Run game.
• Report: Google Targeting Amazon Prime With 'Shopping Express': Google is gearing up to launch a new shopping service similar to Amazon Prime, according to a new report.
• Report: Google Prepping YouTube Music-Streaming Service: YouTube is preparing to launch a subscription music service later this year, according to various news sources.
• Evernote Accelerating Two-Factor Authentication Rollout: Following a massive Evernote hack, the company is pushing ahead with new security measures originally intended to roll out later this year.
• Raspberry Pi Camera Coming in April, But You Could Win One Now: Makers of the Raspberry Pi are gearing up to release a new camera board that plugs into the pint-sized computer, and a few lucky users can get their hands on the new accessory before it's April launch.
• SimCity Players Overload Origin Servers: SimCity returned Tuesday after a 10-year hiatus, and gamers were eager to dig in, prompting delays on Electronic Arts' Origin platform.
• Roku 3 Adds Revamped Interface, Private Listening: The new Roku 3 features a completely redesigned interface and a remote that doubles as a wireless headphone receiver.
• 8 Great TweetDeck Alternatives: Oh no! TweetDeck is going away! Here are a few alternatives that might help ease the pain.

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Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2416280,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000992

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