Caught on camera: Iraqi playboy races his Ferrari supercar around London's busy streets 'at up to 120mph'

Road safety campaigners said it was a 'miracle' no-one had been injured by his foolish antics.An Iraqi playboy has been slammed for his reckless driving after footage of his 200mph supercar being raced around London appeared on YouTube.The millionaire show-off is seen speeding through Knightsbridge in his turquoise Ferrari 599 without any regard for the safety of pedestrians and other motorists.

Barefoot and beautiful: Angelina Jolie poses for sultry new Louis Vuitton campaign aboard a boat

She is regularly seen toting their exclusive bags and now Angelina Jolie has become the new face of luxury luggage designer Louis Vuitton.

Miss Jolie wears her own clothes, with no make-up and her long dark hair worn au natural.In the picture she carries her own years-old monogrammed Alto bag, a style which is no longer in production.The 35-year-old actress appears in a stunning new ad for the brand's 'Core Values' campaign in which she poses barefoot aboard a traditional wooden boat in Cambodia’s Siem Reap province in a photo taken by famed portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz.'I like the fact that it’s a real moment.'People are not used to seeing Angelina in this situation,' Louis Vuitton’s executive vice president Pietro Beccari tells Women's Wear Daily.Bono, Buzz Aldrin and Mikhail Gorbachev have all posed for the 'Core Values' campaign in the past while Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Scarlett Johansson have been previous faces of the brand.Cambodia is a country close to the star's heart as it's where she adopted nine-year-old Maddox, her eldest son, as a baby. 'This travel message we give through personal journeys is a fundamental one for the brand. This campaign is about a very special person and a very special journey.'

Facebook fatigue sets in for 100,000 Brits: Users bored with site deactivate accounts amid privacy fears

Tired of social networking? Logging off Facebook? You’re probably not the only one.

Worldwide, the rate of growth has slowed for a second month in a row – and as it aims to reach its goal of one billion active users, Facebook is having to rely on developing countries to boost its numbers.And Facebook fatigue seems to be catching. Six million logged off for good in the U.S. too, figures show.Fearing for their privacy or perhaps just bored with using the site, 100,000 Britons are said to have deactivated their accounts last month.

Worldwide reach: The map displays links between Facebook friends as
lights on a deep blue background

The figures suggest that there could be a ‘natural limit’ for Facebook’s saturation.   
But times change – and last month more than 100,000 in the UK stopped using the website, figures show. In the U.S, user numbers dropped from 155.2million to 149.4 million throughout May. In Canada there was also a fall, of about 1.5million users, while in Russia and Norway numbers also fell by more than 100,000 users.Earlier this year, executives announced that the number of Facebook accounts held in the UK had reached 30million, accounting for about half the population.There is even speculation on blogs that, as is feared for its failing rival MySpace, the website could one day ‘sputter into oblivion’.  It’s not all bad news for the site. Worldwide, Facebook is still expanding and has around 600million users, thanks to strong growth in countries such as Mexico and Brazil.

FBI investigates 'major breach' of IMF security as fund comes under cyberattack

The FBI has been called in as the International Monetary Fund has come under a 'serious and sophisticated' cyberattack. 

The agency is still in disarray from the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was head of the fund when he was accused of sexually assaulting a maid in a luxury New York hotel.Should it fall into the wrong hands and become public, the results could trigger political and economic chaos. The scale of the hacking is still unknown - but the confidential information held by the IMF has the potential to move markets.One expert said the goal of the attack was to establish a 'digital insider presence' for a nation inside the fund's network. IMF spokesman David Hawley says the fund's computer systems are fully functional.'It was a targeted attack,' said Tom Kellerman, a cybersecurity expert who worked at both the World Bank and the IMF.He understands the network architecture at both international financial institutions and who serves on the board of a group known as the International Cyber Security Protection Alliance.The cyberattack is believed to have taken place before Strauss-Kahn's downfall.'The code was developed and released for this purpose,' he said. The goal was to install software that would give a nation state a 'digital insider presence' on the network, he told Reuters.

The New York Times cited unnamed IMF officials as saying the attack was sophisticated and serious - dangerous enough that the World Bank, located across the street from the IMF's headquarters in Washington, cut the computer link between the two bodies. 

Its database also contains the negotiations between national leaders on the terms of international bailouts - negotiations that are often held behind the scenes.The IMF manages financial crises around the world - such as the currency crisis currently gripping much of Europe.It receives highly confidential information about the fiscal condition of many nations that, if revealed, could prove disastrous.

Is Mark Zuckerberg engaged? Bill Gates lets slip that his billionaire pal may be about to update his Facebook status

For women around the world, billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg would be the ultimate catch.
But if Microsoft founder Bill Gates is to be believed he's already taken -- engaged to long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan.Has Mr Gates just revealed the cyberworld's best-kept secret, or did he just use the wrong word when described Miss Chan as Mr Zuckerberg's 'fiancee'?Mr Gates is friends with Mr Zuckerberg, 26, who has pledged to give most of his fortune away.

Earlier this year they adopted a puppy named Beast and looked every bit the happy young family when they posed for photos with the dog.But the mystery deepens when you look at their respective profile pages.The social network king made headlines when he dropped $7 million on a 5,000 square feet palace in Palo Alto, California, and last month the couple moved in.It could have been a slip of the tongue, saying fiancee instead of girlfriend, but the news would certainly add up. Mr Zuckerberg has been dating Miss Chan since 2003. 'His fiancée Priscilla thought about education and he gave money to Newark, New Jersey, and we did a co-grant so that some of our people who had some expertise in that field could help him out.'In an exclusive interview with the Mail on Sunday, when discussing their philanthropic efforts, Mr Gates said: ‘I didn't say to Mark, "Give me all your money!" He was predisposed to do it and he came to me seeking advice.

Super Cars And The Changing Landscape Of Electric Luxury

Luxury brands generally set the benchmark for most trends —  except, when it comes to the green and digital space. Several years ago, one would be hard pressed to find an informative, well-designed luxury car website or a car that ran on more than 20 mpg among the world’s high-end automakers, for that matter.News that Rolls-Royce will make a one-off electric Phantom called the 102EX broke at midnight on Sunday in the UK, as the luxury automaker launched the website, ElectricLuxury, devoted to exploring the concept of producing an electric car for it’s elite niche customer base based on the 102EX.  This plan marks a distinct shift for the automaker — representing a definitive move toward a more green perception, but also a deeper imprint in the digital realm, with the creation of an internal website to host discussions that’s being pushed to the public.

Rolls-Royce follows the efforts of it’s parent company BMW which has launched the Megacity sub brand for its electric exploratory missions.  Mercedes-Benz has the A-Class E Cell, sold only in Europe, and the B-Class F-CELL, but plans to debut the SLS-AMG E Cell in a battery electric version by 2013. It’s clear — luxury brands are positioning to be on the edge of green technology.  However, the electric and battery-powered car is still cautious territory as the questions looms  — do consumers who spend more than $300,000 on a car care about fuel economy enough to invest in such a product? Companies like Tesla and Fisker have teased this line with sleek sports car press, but it still remains to be seen if the old vanguard of luxury will delve into a green product line. The answer these days is shifting toward a tentative yes, as manufacturers dip their toe in the greener waters, and rely on the Internet as the wave pool for gauging results.The shift toward integrative informative websites with consumer-ready content is now commonplace, as luxury automakers have learned to harness exclusive eyeballs.  Land Rover and Jaguar have launched sites that function as  blogs, that customer and journalists alike can access for up-to-date company info, complete with Twitter feeds, original videos, and hyperlinks to websites followed by the company. These sites function as reference material for journalists, but also bleed over to the curious customer base. Audi has also broaches this territory with performance based sites.The new definition of luxury now includes integration, presentation and forward-thinking perception — the sleekness of well-thought out clean technology is an essential part of the package.It’s telling that global and technological events of the past several years have transformed the marketplace. In a curious shift, the manufacturers of scrappier city cars have led the way for an industry wide makeover.  Once, the Internet space for car companies was reserved for younger buyers who were more comfortable with technology and flashy digital campaigns, and partial to affordable fuel efficient cars, while owners of luxury cars carried on in private forums.It seems that we’ve come circle to the idea that emerged at the beginning of the industrial era — luxury is not only about comfort, but about progress. Business is moving faster than ever before, even among the classics.

What’s happening is that high-end automakers are spending more resources on the digital realm, where they can control the message, educate potential buyers and create a conversation among customers. Small internet marketing companies and digital consultancies are springing up to help organizations and agencies tailor those efforts.  It’s a new kind of luxury.

Could this be the greatest F1 track ever? Former F1 champion David Coulthard certainly thinks so

Which F1 circuit is the best? Is it Monaco, with its famous hairpins and glamorous harbour? Brazil, the last track of the season, where for the last two years titles have been decided? Or our very own Silverstone, steeped in racing history?

In fact, it’s none of them... Live asked former F1 driver and BBC commentator David Coulthard to put together a fantasy circuit combining elements of grand prix tracks from around the world. 

His brief was to devise the most entertaining circuit for fans and drivers alike, and the result is a thrilling mix of sweeping turns, tight hairpins and challenging right-left-rights, incorporating sections from Spain, Britain, China, France, Belgium, Brazil and Malaysia. Sadly we were unable to accommodate DC’s fi nal suggestion: to have it built in Scotland…

The World's Most Reputable Companies

Building a top-notch reputation that spans the world isn't easy. However, at least 100 well-regarded companies have successfully expanded their brands into the international marketplace by integrating reputation management into the way they do business.Reputation Institute, a global private consulting firm based in New York, recently ranked 100 businesses that have successfully established strong international names for themselves. The firm invited about 48,000 consumers across 15 markets to participate in a study of those 100 most reputable companies, all multinational businesses with a global presence
No. 1Google ( GOOG - news - people ).
Since last year, Google has improved its reputation in Brazil, Russia, India and China, closing a weakness in 2010. It is now in the top 10 in nine of the 15 markets, earning the title of world's most reputable company.The U.S.-based Internet company earned a global RepTrak score of 79.99 out of a possible 100. Though most companies tend to have their best reputations at home, Google scored lower where it lives. It earned a 78.08 in the U.S.--which tells us that Google overcame the challenges that all companies face when trying to build trust and support among consumers in foreign markets.
No. 2 Apple ( AAPL - news - people ), which earned a 79.77 global score, has the best global reputation within innovation, leadership and financial performance. With a mark of 79.42, No. 4 BMW ranks highest for its products and services; Disney( DIS - news - people ) and Lego round out the list of top five most reputable companies.The reason they rank so high: They all see reputation as key to successful business.
French-based L'Oréal was the only cosmetics firm in the top 20, with a score of 75.72, and Nike ( NKE - news - people ), which achieved a 76.92 global score, was the sole retailer toward the top of the list.Others that land toward the top of the heap include German-based automakers Daimler and Volkswagen ( VLKAF.PK -news - people ), which earned global scores of 79.03 and 77.33, respectively.
Companies like U.K. firm Vodafone ( VOD - news - people ), U.S.-based Lockheed Martin ( LMT - news - people ) and China's Haier Group landed toward the bottom of the list, with scores under 65--but they aren't losers by many means.
The high-tech industry is most reputable in the Asia-Pacific market. Microsoft ( MSFT - news - people ), Intel ( INTC -news - people ) and Google all rank among the top 10 there. And in Latin America a variety of companies make up the top 10. Hewlett-Packard ( HPQ - news - people ), Nike, Danone and Colgate-Palmolive ( CL - news - people ) earned some of the best regional scores there.
Reputation Institute also looked at the results broken down by region. In North America, consumer products and food companies dominate the list. Kellogg ( K -news - people )'s, Lego andJohnson & Johnson ( JNJ - news- people ) earned the three highest regional scores. Nestlé, General Mills ( GIS - news - people ) andKraft Foods ( KFT - news - people ) also made the cut for top 10.
Lego ranked fifth overall and second in North America, but it holds the top spot within the European market. However, tech firms like Google, Canon ( CAJ - news - people ) and Sony (SNE - news - people ), and automotive companies like BMW, Daimler and Michelin ( MGDDF.PK - news - people ), dominate that region.


http://www.forbes.com/2011/06/08/worlds-most-reputable-companies_3.html

Hackers got hacked: One in four online criminals in the U.S. 'is an FBI informer'

One in four computer hackers is secretly working for the FBI and U.S. secret service to inform on their peers, it has been claimed.By threatening long prison sentences, officers have managed successfully to infiltrate communities of the online criminals, recruiting a huge number of informants.The moles, who are already embedded deep inside the hacking community, are then reporting back to the FBI about large-scale identity fraud in an attempt to earn themselves softer sentences.

Some major illegal forums where hackers sell stolen credit card details and forged identities are even being run by the FBI moles, it has been claimed.

The management of other sites have been taken over by FBI agents posing as ID theft specialists, or 'carders', where they can use the intelligence to land genuine hackers with lengthy jail sentences.It is thought their work has already managed to put dozens of online criminals in jail - leaving the underground hacking world riddled with paranoia about infiltration.

First service for BBC... as it airs Wimbledon singles finals in 3D (and welcomes back Serena)

t has been almost a year since she played a competitive tennis match.

But Serena Williams has announced she will defend her Wimbledon title despite having been sidelined for much of the past 12 months by injuries and illness.And if she reaches the final, viewers will for the first time see the match in 3D - as part of the BBC’s plans to mark the 125th anniversary of the tournament.It is the first time the corporation will broadcast a programme in 3D.

The matches will take place on the first weekend of July and the corporation is even organising a special 3D screening at its Television Centre headquarters in west London.The finals will also be shown at selected cinemas, which is what the BBC did during the Six Nations Rugby Tournament and a special edition of Strictly Come Dancing for Children in Need.But this is the first time the BBC will broadcast a programme in 3D into people’ s homes – although viewers will need a 3D-ready television to be able to watch it in the format.The HD Channel is available on Freeview.

Nintendo launches WiiU console with touchscreen controller that doesn't even need a TV

Nintendo today finally released details of its long-awaited WiiU gaming system - the successor to the massively-successful Wii console.The gaming giant revealed its new videogame system which will support high-definition graphics for the first time and a 6.2-inch touchscreen controller.

Although tight-lipped bosses would not say how much the console will cost, gamers may be able to get their hands on the WiiU in as little as ten months.Nintendo have announced a release date of between April and December 2012 for the WiiU, which is the first of their games consoles to support HD graphics.

The 6.2-inch colour touch-screen will work like a second display, showing the same image being played on the TV screen.And in a move which will please Wii owners, the controller has both motion-sensor capabilities and works in conjunction with existing Wii controllers.The smaller screen can also provide gamers with additional information while the controller can be used to make voice calls.The device also acts as a stand-alone gaming gadget and continue running a game on the touchscreen while someone else watches TV. However, it is a 'tethered device' as it will only function in wireless connection with a Wii U console.   The console, which is a little smaller than an iPad, was revealed at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles - a highlight of the gaming calendar where manufacturers and software companies reveal their cutting-edge upcoming technology and games.

After unveiling the WiiU, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, said: 'Up until now, home console games had to occupy the TV screen in order to be played.'The new controller for Wii U, with its 6.2-inch (15.7-centimeter) screen built in, means you won't need to give up your gameplay when someone else comes in the room and wants to watch a TV program.'The white controller can broadcast standard-definition video and features a directional pad, microphone, dual analog sticks, speakers, two pairs of shoulder buttons and a front-facing camera.The console itself will use proprietary high-definition optical discs, 1080p HDMI output and internal memory that can be upgraded with USB technology.

Topless Jennifer Aniston Revealed

OK, let’s admit something… but let’s whisper it. Sex sells.

There… I said it. And I know we all wish that wasn’t the case. We know it’s smutty… it’s a cheap shot at making us interested in a product… but let’s be honest. It sure as hell works.Not only did Smartwater sign up Jennifer Aniston, they also produced a spoof ‘Jennifer Aniston Sex Tape’ video, which when it appeared on Google search rankings probably got many people rather hot under the collar as they feverishly clicked on the link with their fingers.

Sadly for them, upon viewing it’s nothing more than the actress promoting the water by poking fun at what constitutes a hit on the internet. But it sure lured over 9 million of you in, and counting.They’ve also gone to print, and America’s sweetheart is shown posing topless with a bottle of Smartwater. Here’s the thing though. Again there is no indecency here. There is no real nudity… not even close. We see her back facing the camera. So topless? The headline over delivers. But the mere idea that we could all – finally – have a good old gawp at Hollywood’s ‘girl-next-door’ has yet again proved too tempting as men search for the ‘topless Jennifer Aniston’ holy grail.

'From now, embarrassment will end': Saudi King bans men from selling lingerie

He's probably not the first person you would have on your mind as being the face of lingerie, but King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has become something of a hero to women in his home country.

He has issued a decree banning all men from working in lingerie shops to end 'embarrassment' suffered by women who don't want to give men their measurements.Saudi women working in the outlets got embroiled in a dispute three years ago with the labour ministry and the powerful religious authority, which issued a fatwa banning such jobs.The decree from the king was part of a push to reduce the amount of female unemployment in the conservative kingdom, currently at around 30 per cent.Saudi women say they have been uncomfortable buying lingerie from men and would prefer female sales assistants.Religious leaders in the Wahhabi form of Islam - which makes up the majority of the country - require complete separation of members of the opposite sex who are not related.The Saudi society continues to be incredibly traditional and the idea of women working is frowned upon.

Time to upgrade: Google to ditch support for older internet browsers

Google is phasing out support for some internet browsers from later this year.

Users of Internet Explorer 7, Safari 3 and Firefox 3.5 and all previous versions will lose some functions from August 1.

The features that will gradually stop working include access to Gmail, Google Calender, Google Talk and Google Docs.The company warned that if users fail to upgrade then these services will eventually stop working all together.They added that they are urging users to upgrade because of insecurities in the old browsers which could leave them prone to attack.The announcement was made in a blog by Google's Vice President of Engineering Venkat Panchapakesan, who said the move was also influenced by engineers who want to make use of the latest browser technology. 

Google has also said that support will end for the third last release each time a firm releases an update for their browser.Google Chrome users may also be affected by the move - but only if they have chosen to turn off the automatic update feature.However statistics show that as many as 20 per cent of internet users still use Internet Explorer 7 or below.They also reveal that as many as 34 per cent of Chinese users are still on Internet Explorer 6.This is despite Internet Explorer 6 being described as 'the least secure software on the planet'.

Is Ryan Giggs the new Tiger Woods? Love-rat footballer faces exodus of sponsors like shamed golfer

Ryan Giggs could become the ‘new Tiger Woods’ as sponsors abandon him over his alleged philandering, marketing experts believe.

They predicted that the firms which have helped amass a £34million fortune would react unfavourably to the wrecking of his family-man image.And they warned that, unlike the golfer who still has a long career ahead of him, 37-year-old Giggs is unlikely to have enough time to rebuild his reputation before he ends his playing days.Giggs’s biggest deal, which has earned him £20million, is with the sportswear giant Reebok, but it declined to respond yesterday when asked by the Mail whether it would be standing by him.The Manchester United star’s downfall came after he was revealed to have taken out an injunction forbidding reporting of an alleged relationship with former Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas.

Chinese Entrepreneurs Are Leaving China

China’s rich, primarily driven by a sense of insecurity, are taking money out of their country.  Many are actually preparing to move elsewhere. According to a new study, almost 60% of China’s “high net worth individuals,” defined as those possessing more than 10 million yuan in investable assets, are either considering emigration through investment programs or are completing the emigration process.  The survey, conducted by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Co., also reports that 27% of those with more than 100 million yuan in investable assets have already emigrated and 47% of them are thinking about leaving the Motherland. The stunning results correspond to reports that the U.S. Treasury unit monitoring illegal money flows has, since the beginning of last summer, detected a surge in hidden cash transfers out of China.“We can only hope the rich people stay out of patriotism,” says Xia Xueluan of Peking University.  Patriotism, these days, may be the only thing keeping Chinese entrepreneurs in China.nd, from the look of things, it is not enough.  The country’s wealthy are going on shopping tours for U.S. real estate and, if they have not done so already, are moving their families abroad.  There has, in the last five years, been a 73% increase in Chinese investment immigrants to the United States.  Countries, like Canada, are raising their minimum investment requirements for investment-immigrant candidates due to the sheer size of the tide of Chinese cash. Chinese cash is largely responsible for the third wave of buying from Asia into Vancouver.  In an “unprecedented” surge of business for brokerages in that city in February, Chinese buyers snapped up homes, townhouses, and condominiums as sales skyrocketed 70% over the preceding month.

Thousands celebrate on the streets of Yemen as president flees country to be treated for rocket wounds in Saudi Arabia

Thousands celebrated on the streets of Yemen after the country's authoritarian leader fled the country after an attack on his presidential palace.President Ali Abdullah Saleh flew to Saudi Arabia for urgent treatment after he was hurt in a rocket attack on a mosque in his compound in the country's capital, Sana'a.Saudi-owned television network Al-Arabiya reported he was was undergoing surgery, ut did not say for what. One of Mr Saleh's allies said the president, in his late 60s, was hit by jagged pieces of wood that splintered from the mosque pulpit when his compound was hit by a rocket on Friday.n Sana'a protesters danced, sang and slaughtered cows to celebrate Mr Saleh's departure.Some soldiers in their military uniforms joined those dancing and singing patriotic songs. Many in the jubilant crowd waved Yemeni flags, joyfully whistling and flashing the 'V' for victory signs.Women in black veils joined demonstrators carrying banners that hailed Mr Saleh's departure. One read: 'The oppressor is gone, but the people stay.'

Lamborghini Aventador - Lambo's Latest Rambo Has a Heart

ROME—This being a Latin country, we begin in media res: Somewhere between Turn Soratti and Turn Roma on the Autodromo Vallelunga, a charming little racetrack/killing field where Lamborghini has chosen to stage the media premiere of its new $400,000, V12-powered, all-wheel-drive supercar, the Aventador LP700-4. Cordite, lakes of fire, tower flybys, the sound of cats being shoveled into a furnace. You get the idea.

It's a lovely day. At the moment I'm making a slight left-hand turn over a low brow of asphalt in 3rd gear, well in excess of 100 mph, with the afterburners on. Dis car, she's a prestissimo, all right. With the pushrod, inboard suspension, body roll is beyond minimal. I'm tightly belted into the recumbent driver's seat, but the escalating lateral g-forces are sloshing my organs around like squid in a cooler.The wick is turned up, which is to say, the car's dynamics system is set to "Corsa," or "Race" (the more relaxed driving modes are "Strada" and "Sport"). In Corsa mode, the car's slew of computers permit significant rear slip angle; direct most of the 509 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels through the Haldex center diff; quicken the steering and the shift-response of the seven-speed automated manual. The Aventador can accelerate from a dead stop to 186 mph in 24 seconds so, you know, respect.And yet, nothing overly dramatic here, no I-see-Vishnu moment. The Aventador is settled, sorted, safe, predictable, progressive…. I'm sorry. I was told there would be Lamborghinis.As the animated-graphics tach needle sweeps toward the 8,500-rpm redline and it sounds like something tender is well and truly caught in the wringer, I grab for 4th gear. POW! 

What is an Aventador? Well, first you must understand Lamborghini's product strategy. The bank is in the company's collection of mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, V10-powered berlinettas and spyders, the Gallardo line. It's widely expected that the company will also soon offer a four-seater, perhaps a latter-day Espada, and/or a four-door.But the company's halo cars are its nutty, narcissistic, testosterone-addled V12-powered starships. To name them since the 1970s: Countach, Diablo and Murcielago. The car the Aventador replaces, the Murcielago, set the modern standard for dysfunctional supercar love: ferocious, belt-high, chthonic, a car so pagan you should use a reindeer cape as a car cover.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576341703138819670.html?mod=mktw

Tallying Up The Market Advantages Of An Amazon Tablet

Will Amazon’s (supposedly-in-the-works) tablet be the real iPad killer when it finally launches? That’s what a new research note from CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets suggests.Few will hit the mark, says CLSA analyst Avi Silver.ecent reports have even raised the possibility of two different sized Amazon tablets — a 7-inch and a 10-inch model.

Here are the five reasons Silver thinks an Amazon tablet could be particularly competitive:

• Broad user base

Through its retail operations Amazon already has 137 million user accounts. Apple, in comparison, has more than 200 million iTunes accounts.

• Comprehensive ecosystem

Amazon’s business of selling music, movies and TV shows means it boasts a “vast library of media content,” notes Silver. The company also operates a sophisticated payment system and has years of consumer insights from doing things like publishing user recommendations.

These capabilities set Amazon apart from any other device provider, including behemoths like Samsung, HP and Dell, says Silver. He also contends that content is an especially important advantage for Amazon because it is a lack of compelling media that has been the “most significant hurdle” for most non-Apple tablets.

• Affordable price

An Amazon tablet has a good chance of being affordable, says Silver. Since Amazon’s main business is e-commerce and it sells media/content, it does not need to make money on hardware, he theorizes. The Kindle supports this theory. It debuted in November 2007 at about $400 and now costs as little as $114 when packaged with ads. The device’s low price, says Silver, is believed to be below cost.

Amazon’s ability to be aggressive on price is particularly useful for tablets, which typically generate lower margins than smartphones. Silver estimates that Apple makes a gross margin of about 35% on its iPads compared to a 55% margin on its iPhones. These lower margins could be a challenge for tablet makers like Motorola and Research In Motion, who hail from the smartphone industry, Silver adds.

• Solid track record

While Amazon has never sold its own branded tablet, it has proven – with the Kindle — its ability to introduce, support and update a “homegrown” consumer electronics device, says Silver.  Though Amazon has never disclosed Kindle device sales, research firms have concluded that its probable share of the e-reader market qualifies the device as a success. IDC pegs Kindle’s 2010 market share at 48% — a figure not much smaller than Silver’s estimate (61%) of Apple’s share of the 2011 tablet market.

• Cloud capabilities

Cloud computing isn’t a major feature in today’s tablets but is believed to soon become one given Apple’s planned “iCloud” announcement next week. The service, which will be unveiled at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on June 6, is anticipated to be a way to let users access their files and media from any Apple device regardless of location.

Amazon already has a cloud-based storage service called Cloud Drive and a cloud music service called Cloud Player. In addition, its Amazon Web Services (AWS) business has established it as a “cloud computing leader to businesses” over the years, notes Silver.Of course, until an Amazon tablet is actually introduced, any market assessment of one is completely speculative. But these perceived assets mean the introduction of an Amazon tablet would “significantly impact the tablet wars,” according to Silver.

Li Na makes history with French Open triumph

CNN) -- China's Li Na became the first Asian tennis player to win a grand slam singles title as she defeated defending champion Francesca Schiavone in the final of the French Open on Saturday.The 29-year-old triumphed 6-4 7-6 (7-0) against the Italian, having been the first player from her country to reach the final of the clay-court tournament.The victory will push her up to a career-high fourth in the world rankings, equaling the best by an Asian player set by Japan's Kimiko Date Krumm back in 1995.

"I was nervous but I didn't want to show my opponent. I think everyone in China will be so excited," she told reporters. "I got a text message from my friend saying they were crying in China because they saw the national flag coming up.