Samsung is accepting Galaxy Note 4 preorders; Oracle founder Larry Ellison to step down as CEO

Quick news from around the Web.

> Faced with escalating losses in its electronics unit, Sony has decided to increase its efforts in launching an Internet video service.  Article

> Google's next generation of Android will encrypt data by default, creating a barrier to police gaining access to the troves of personal data stored on smartphones. Article

> Microsoft has started to move Nokia.com to Microsoft.com, signaling the beginning of the end of the Nokia brand. Article

> Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba is now worth $167 billion. The company, which is set to launch its IPO today, raised $21.8 billion in an early offering. Article

> Samsung will begin accepting preorders for the Galaxy Note 4 today. Article

> Intel's wireless charging bowl will hit the market by year-end. Article

> Larry Ellison is retiring as CEO of Oracle, a company he founded in 1977, and will become co-chairman and CTO. Article

> SoftBank has no plans to invest in messaging application Line Corp. Article

European Wireless News

> Telefónica agreed to acquire Vivendi's Brazilian broadband business GVT for just over €7 billion ($9 billion) in cash and stocks, following three weeks of exclusive negotiations. Article

> EE launched a "refreshed" range of SIM-only LTE plans as a latest salvo in the LTE-subscriber-acquisition wars between UK operators. Article

Cable News

> A study commissioned by A+E Networks found that disabled fast-forwarding on VOD viewing does not negatively affect the viewer experience. Article

> More than 90 former AT&T wireless roaming partners have banded together to petition the FCC against the telco's proposed purchase of DirecTV. Article

Telecom News

> DirecTV has chosen ViaWest as its data-center provider to support its network infrastructure. Article

> CenturyLink has been making headlines with its plans to launch 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) services in 16 cities, but in the Phoenix area it will face off with cable competitor Cox Communications, which will offer similar service in the fourth quarter this year. Article

And finally… The guy who bought the first iPhone 6 immediately dropped it on concrete. Article