Quick news from around the Web.
Sony backs AllSeen Alliance for smart-home push http://t.co/mLDZt4aZkv
— CNET (@CNET) September 3, 2014
> Verizon Wireless will pay a $7.4 million settlement to resolve an FCC investigation into the company's use of personal consumer information for marketing purposes. Release
> BlackBerry is holding an event Sept. 24, where it will likely unveil its Passport smartphone. Article
> Google plans to make many new enhancements to its Android Wear software. Article
> Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster thinks Apple will bring a sapphire display only to the 64 GB versions of the iPhone 6. Article
> Lenovo unveiled the Tab S8, its first Intel-powered Android tablet, for $199. Release
> Nokia will bring its new mapping app to iOS and Android. Article (sub. req.)
> Google's Android One initiative could put more pressure on Samsung Electronics. Article
> Greg Wyler, who had led a satellite project at Google, has reportedly left the company abruptly. Article (sub. req.)
> Nokia Networks and Intel are launching a new innovation center in Bath, UK. Release
> Nokia Networks and China Telecom also announced what they billed as the world's first FDD/TDD LTE carrier aggregation demonstration. Release
> ItsOn announced its Smart Service Platform 2.0 would support both network-based and device-based service plan creation and policy management in a single platform. Release
> ItsOn is also getting an investment from Cisco. Release
> HTC's rumored Nexus tablet may get a Microsoft Surface-style keyboard cover. Article
> AVG Technologies is buying privately held mobile security firm Location Labs for around $220 million. Article
> Department store Nordstrom is reportedly in talks to be one of Apple's early merchant partners when the company unveils its new payments platform. Article
> China Mobile has reportedly started taking iPhone 6 reservations. Article
> Acer wants to create a range of smartphones that cost less than $50. Article
> Asus announced ZenWatch, an Android Wear smart watch. Article
Online Video News
> With its $970 million deal for online streaming service Twitch, Amazon is investing in an expanded way to communicate. Editor's Corner
> Dish Network has quietly filed a trademark application for the name "Nutv," which could be the name for its planned OTT programming service. Article
Telecom News
> AT&T named St. Louis, Mo., as the next destination for its 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband GigaPower service for local consumers and businesses, continuing a string of new cities where it plans to deliver the new product. Article
> Verizon Communications is signaling that it's ready to take another stab at the home automation market with a new service. Article
> Netflix has grand ambitions to expand its 4K/UHD content library and sees municipal providers that are deploying their own fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks as a key enabler. Article
Cable News
> Comcast has accused AT&T and DirecTV of holding back information in their quest to acquire the struggling regional sports network CSN Houston. Article
> Continuing to reject surcharges for college football games, Dish Network set a statewide blackout in Maryland of the Big Ten Network's opening-game contest between Maryland and James Madison. Article
European Wireless News
> Telefónica CEO Cesar Alierta slammed the record of former European Union information society commissioner Viviane Reding, while calling on the body to rebalance the books by imposing the same restrictions on web companies as it does on telecoms operators. Article
> EE plans to focus on its newer Cash on Tap service for contactless mobile payments, as the Quick Tap service originally launched by Orange UK and Barclaycard in 2011 is finally phased out. Article
And finally… Apple denied that iCloud was "breached," but did not deny that iCloud was involved in the theft and posting of revealing photos of celebrities. Article