iFive: Sony Facing New Hack, Apple Now Second In Smartphones, WSJ's WikiLeaks Clone Leaks, LG Delayed iPad 2, Kindle At Walmart

1. Just as Sony confirms it'sabout toput parts of the PSN back online finally, a hacker group has said it's poised to launch athird waveof digital assault on Sony's online presence as punishment for its weak security. Sony's making moves toofferfree ID and hack protection to U.S. users affected by the previous breaches, but a third wave of attacks would be very bad news for Sony--which has already spent plenty of money fixing the earlier ones.

2.Appleis apparently poised to break a notional milestone that confirms how much the phone industry has changed: According to IDC it's justtaken second placebehind Nokia in global smartphone shipments (edging RIM to third place) and as its sales are accelerating well beyond the industry growth rate it could soon eclipse Nokia--particularly as the Finish company transitions to Windows Phone 7.&

3. TheWall Street Journalsurprised many by recently launching its own-brand competitor to scandal-embroiled WikiLeaks...but security researchers have now pored over the code for"SafeHouse"and say they'vediscovered huge security holesthat would make the leak site itself very leaky--potentially compromising any data submitted, and possibly even exposing the would-be anonymous sources.

4. The iPad 2's global launch, while far speedier and more numerous than the iPad 1's, suffered due to supply chain issues. The finger has now pointedfirmly at LG Displayas being to blame, thanks to quality control issues that meant the LCD units suffered light leakage and the firm could only meet about 50% of its orders. Chimei Innolux has now been brought on-stream to make up the production shortfall, and this will help Apple cement its already 82%strangleof the U.S. tablet game.

5.Amazon's Kindle is getting a new outlet, and it's a biggie: Over 3,000Walmart storesacross the U.S. The Kindle will be shelved alongside the Nook and iPad--two big threats to its e-reader crown, which may affect sales a little. But the bigger question this poses is does this represent a"rush to the bottom"to try to shift as many units as possible before the market becomes too commoditized and Amazon has to try a new paradigm?

Chat about this news withKit Eaton on TwitterandFast Companytoo.

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