Google reveals mystery Android phone

Google CEO Eric Schmidt has demonstrated a mystery Android phone that uses a near field communication chip that could effectively turn the handset into a credit card, offering the ability to 'tap and pay', according to the Register.

Chatting at the Web 2.0 Summit mini-conference in San Francisco, Schmidt would not say who would offer the phone, but it's rumoured American retailer Best Buy is set to sell a Google-branded phone known as the Nexus S. Asked whether Google is developing a new device as rumoured, Schmidt said: "We don't build devices".

But then he pulled out the handset, which he called an unannounced product that used Google software. The device appeared to use service from fourth-place US wireless provider, T-Mobile.

Facebook has ramped up competition with AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google with a product to rival their e-mail services, notes the BBC.

Facebook Messages aims to tie users more closely to the social networking site at a time when everyone is battling for their attention.

The product will merge texts, online chats, and e-mails into one central hub. Facebook said traditional e-mail is too slow and cumbersome and needs to step into the modern world of messaging.

The University of New Mexico's (UNM) technology transfer division has filed a federal lawsuit against Intel, claiming the computer chip manufacturing giant infringed on a university patent that helps in the production of advanced chips, states Bloomberg Businessweek.

The lawsuit alleges that Intel used the technology without a licence. Intel spokesman Chuck Mulloy confirmed the California-based company received the complaint but says there won't be any immediate comment.

The dispute centres on double patterning lithography technology, which was patented by UNM in 2000.

Juniper Networks has released its fastest core router, offering 240Gbps per slot to support the bandwidth levels for next-generation networks, writes V3.co.uk.

The T4000 has been developed to meet future demand for video and other bandwidth-heavy rich content, the firm said.

Luc Ceuppens, vice-president of marketing at Juniper Networks, told V3 the explosion of data on networks makes such speeds necessary and that several sectors will benefit from the new router.