Newspipe: White iPhone 4 release date; Kaspersky kid freed; Nook color gets Android 2.2

By Richi Jennings. April 25, 2011.

Welcome to Newspipe: a wrap-up of interesting stories in a handy, easily-digestible size. This time: More on the Apple (AAPL) white iPhone release date rumors; Eugene Karspersky's son freed from his kidnappers; and Barnes & Noble (BKS) upgrades the Nook e-reader to Google's (GOOG) Android 2.2 "Froyo."
 

April 27 is when the chattering rumor-mongers expect the white iPhone as I mentioned last week, we were expecting it late this month or early next. But now comes a report quoting the usual "people familiar with the matter," who say that Apple Stores are already getting shipments, ready for an April 27 launch. Jon Geller also leaked some photos of a white iPhone that seems to be connected to T-Mobile USA.

I wonder how long the rumor mill can keep this up? Sadly, I suspect that, after the white iPhone announcement, there'll be more questions than answers about the iPhone 5 (or is it the iPhone 4S?)
 

Evgeniy Valentinovich Kasperskiy, the eponymous Russian CEO of Kaspersky Labs, has his son back, safe and sound. In case you hadn't heard, his kid was kidnapped and ransomed for $4.3 million. Russian police, including the FSB, hoodwinked the hoods and arrested five suspects.

I wonder whether this will re-invigorate Eugene's crazy clarion call for Internet passports and an Internet police force? I met him once, at a CeBIT, ten years ago -- he seemed a decent enough chap then, but his opinions do tend to be a bit too outspoken.
 

When is an Android tablet not an Android tablet? When it's an e-reader! But no more is the Barnes & Nobel Nook Color disguising its Android underpinnings. The company has upgraded it to Android 2.2 and has launched a dedicated Nook Apps store. It's a bit slower than competing tablets, but at just $249, it ranks as more of an impulse purchase than iPad, PlayBook, Xoom, or even the Galaxy Tab.

I wonder how long it's going to take Amazon to jump on this bandwagon? But perhaps it's just too wedded to its Kindle architecture.
 

Richi Jennings is an independent analyst/consultant, specializing in blogging, email, and security. He's also the creator and main author of Computerworld's IT Blogwatch -- for which he has won American Society of Business Publication Editors and Jesse H. Neal awards on behalf of Computerworld, plus The Long View. A cross-functional IT geek since 1985, you can follow him as @richi on Twitter, pretend to be richij's friend on Facebook, or just use good old email: TLV@richij.com. You can also read Richi's full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.