Apple nearly doubles profit

Latest profit for computer giant Apple beat hopes, including a higher-than-expected rise in iPhone sales, according to the BBC.

Net income for the three months to March jumped 85% on the same period a year ago, with iPhone sales of 18.65 million - a rise of 113%.

The figures are the latest in a string of good results from US technology companies. Intel's figures, released yesterday, were also well above hopes and helped share prices to a three-year high.

Google has rewarded Eric Schmidt for shifting from the CEO's office to executive chairman by bumping up his salary from $1 to $1.25 million, reveals The Register.

The company's latest filing at the SEC shows Schmidt will also qualify for a bonus of 400% of that salary.

The filing also details the move of Alan Eustace from senior VP of engineering and research to senior VP knowledge, and Shona Brown from senior VP business operations to senior VP of Google.org.

The oft-rumoured iPhone 5 will hit store shelves in September, with a faster processor and a similar look to the iPhone 4, according to reports, writes PC World.

The new Apple rumours contradict previous assertions the so-called iPhone 5 wouldn't start production until September for a release during the holidays or early 2012.

Instead, the next iteration of Apple's iPhone would go into production around June or July to get ready for the big launch in September, according to three anonymous sources who spoke to Reuters.

The High Court has ruled in favour of the government in a judicial review of the measures to tackle online copyright infringement in the Digital Economy Act, reports Computing.co.uk.

BT and TalkTalk prompted the judicial review in November 2010 by claiming that the Act was not enforceable under EU law.

The government has been given the green light to go ahead with its plans to monitor ISP networks and issue warning letters to alleged illegal downloaders.