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Unlocked iPhone 5 could arrive in Apple's Web store tonight

Apple will begin selling an unlocked version of the iPhone 5 tonight through its online store in the U.S., according to a new report.

Citing retail sources, 9to5Mac says Apple will quietly kick off sales of the unlocked device on its online store this evening, later doing the same at its retail stores.

The news comes as supply of the iPhone 5 is easing, with new orders from Apple's online site shipping in one week, down from the nearly month-long delay shortly after the product's launch in September.

By selling it unlocked, it means that users can … Read more

The 404 1,174: Where we enter the cave with Jeff Nimoy (podcast)

Jeff Nimoy is the founder of Sameplate.com, a dating site that pairs you up with other singles with the same food and dieting preferences. Inspired by his quest to find a partner who respects his love for the Paleo Diet, Jeff tells us the process that led to the site's inception and how you can make an easy transition to a healthier lifestyle.

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- The Cooking Caveman documents Jeff's experience eating and dating in LA.

- Entering the Cave: How to get started with The Caveman Diet, also known as the … Read more

Pandora's Web radio bill is doomed -- well, for now

WASHINGTON D.C.--The technology sector is supposed to be one of the new power players in national politics. But you might be wondering what happened to its newfound political capital after watching its hapless attempts to lobby Congress to pass the Internet Radio Fairness Act (IRFA), a bill that would reduce the music royalties paid by Web radio services.

At a hearing yesterday before a House subcommittee studying IRFA, the tech world seemed to be the same amateurs in navigating Washington as they were before January's triumph over the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Pandora and the other … Read more

Meet Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Hollywood's new copyright ally

The outgoing chairman of a House of Representatives panel responsible for U.S. copyright law conceived the memorable Stop Online Piracy Act. Its next chairman happens to be even more enthusiastic about expanding digital copyright law.

Rep. Bob Goodlatte was elected head of the House Judiciary committee today, much to the dismay of advocacy groups that had doggedly worked to defeat SOPA and Protect IP a year ago.

The Virginia Republican has long been a steadfast ally of Hollywood and other large copyright holders, saying as recently as two months ago that "I remain committed to enacting strong copyright … Read more

Half of mobile phone users get online with their device

People are now using their cell phones for much more than talking. According to a new study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 85 percent of U.S. adults own a mobile phone and 56 percent of them use it to get online.

"Fully 85 percent of American adults own a cell phone and now use the devices to do much more than make phone calls," Pew's Maeve Duggan and Lee Rainie wrote in the recently released study. "Cell phones have become a portal for an ever-growing list of activities."

The data is … Read more

How to spot fake user reviews while shopping online

It's Cyber Monday, and while you're busy shopping online, chances are you'll see lots of user reviews on various products. While the majority of those reviews do come from real users like yourself, who are passionate enough to share their opinions on a product, many of them could be fake, left by the vendors themselves to either promote their product or, in some cases, smear competitors.

While it's exceedingly difficult to absolutely prove that a review is faked, here are a few tips on spotting those that aren't from real users. These will come in … Read more

Cyber Monday becomes Cyber Week

Monday's CNET Update comes with free shipping:

With a surge in online shopping on Thanksgiving and Black Friday, why call it Cyber Monday anymore? Online sales for Internet retailers surpassed $1 billion for the first time on Black Friday. With early online deals, next year you can avoid a Walmart store battle over phones.

Also in today's roundup, we're keeping an eye on top online retailers and sales this week. Amazon is always the top destination for online deals, but shoppers are also heading to eBay and Shopify. And there's more shopping being done on mobile … Read more

Shoppers spent record $1B online on Black Friday

Black Friday was a bright day for Internet retailers, as online sales for the key shopping day surpassed $1 billion for the first time.

Bargain hunters spent $1.042 billion online the day after Thanksgiving, a 26 percent increase of last year's Black Friday, according to new figures released today by market analyst ComScore. Online shopping on Thanksgiving Day also increased, totaling $633 million in receipts, a 32 percent increase over Thanksgiving 2011.

"Despite the frenzy of media coverage surrounding the importance of Black Friday in the brick-and-mortar world, we continue to see this shopping day become more … Read more

How to stay safe when holiday shopping online

It's that time of the year again, when savvy shoppers like yourself head to your favorite online retailers to avoid the ridiculous shenanigans and flesh-pressing of Black Friday. But just because you know enough to buy online doesn't mean that there aren't some good tips worth paying attention to. Here are a few worth repeating for habitual online shoppers.

Change your passwords now because chances are, you haven't in a long time. Change your e-mail account password, change your banking password, and change the passwords for online shopping accounts like at Amazon. A good tip for … Read more

Online holiday spending to hit $43.4 billion this year

Online retailers will have good reason to make merry this holiday season.

People shopping via the Internet will spend to the tune of $43.4 billion during November and December, according to a report out today from ComScore.

That figure is a 17 percent gain over last year's online holiday spending, which itself rose 15 percent over 2010's number. It's also way ahead of the retail industry's expectation of just a 4.1 percent rise in overall consumer spending this season.

"The strength leading up to and during the holiday season-to-date, in addition to a … Read more